Chapter 16
2253 Words
Ray opened his eyes and stretched. Happily, he smiled because this was the day he was going home and excitedly jumped out of bed. The Guardian of Earth ran down the stairs and smiled at Dig as he reached the bottom.
“All rested up, I see,” laughed the Spirit Guardian, and Ray nodded, grinning.
“Good. Now the celebration starts in a few hours. Are you hungry?”
Ray nodded. He didn’t want to go to the party, though, Ray just wanted to go home and see his family again, but he also didn’t want to be rude.
“Come on,” said Dig and led Ray to the Earth World Realm castle’s dining hall.
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That afternoon the Diggers gathered in the square, and music started playing. The square was a huge dance floor, and some townspeople were dancing. White uniformed servers stood at a long white table offering food and beverages, and tables and chairs surrounded the large concrete yard. Ray thought it was strange that there weren’t any booths selling food and arts and crafts.
Before the celebration started, Dig has Ray and Isabel stand before the community, and everyone thanked them for saving their world. After that, the party began, and Ray smiled at the happy people of the realm.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Dig asked, and Ray nodded, looking up at the clear night sky.
The moon was bright, and the stars twinkled and gleamed. The forest and the land became vibrant and colorful again, and there was a sense of peace in the air.
“Now that you don’t have a monstrous snake trying to kill everyone. Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“Well, the snake was never part of the plan,” snickered Dig, and Ray laughed.
The Spirit Guardian looked at Ray thoughtfully, and Ray looked at him in question.
“I have to ask. Your girlfriend wouldn’t happen to be the Guardian of Fire, would she?”
Ray almost spat out his drink and looked at Dig, wiping his mouth.
“No. My girlfriend is Riah, the Guardian of Water. My cousin Roman, the Guardian of Air, is with Ashta, the Guardian of Fire. Why do you ask?” asked Ray and Dig smiled.
“Because Blaze, the former Fire Guardian, and I have been together for a long time, and I was wondering if it were the same.”
Ray smiled at his Spirit Guardian. He was happy that Dig had someone in his life. Ray looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
“But how does that actually work when you can’t go into the other World Realms?” he asked, and Dig chuckled.
“That’s our little secret,” said the Spirit Guardian as he winked.
Ray only nodded, and they saw Isabel walk up to them.
“Hi!” she chimed, and Dig and Ray nodded to her.
“Come on! I want to show you the Digger line dance,” Isabel squealed, grabbing Ray’s hand and pulling him toward the dancing crowd.
“Isabel!” Ray protested, but she ignored him.
“Come on. I don’t dance,” he stated, and Isabel rolled her eyes, pulling him into the crowd.
Isabel stopped and looked at Ray.
“Watch,” she said, and Ray watched the girl as she began lifting and bending her legs.
Ray sighed and copied her, and Isabel raised her arms, turning her palms to the beat. Again, he mimicked her movements and saw that they were in sync with everyone else. Amused, Ray laughed, adding a clap to the dance, and the other Diggers joined him. At that moment, the girls danced their own jig, and Ray laughed, watching the men. Quickly, the Earth Guardian caught on and danced with them.
Ray grabbed Isabel’s hand and spun her in a circle. She laughed, and they began dancing together again. Ray was having a blast dancing with his people and let himself go for a couple of songs. Suddenly, a slow song came on, and Ray bowed to Isabel and started walking away. Digger couples began dancing together, and Isabel Grabbed Ray’s hand.
He looked back at her with an apologetic look.
“Sorry, Izzy. I don’t do slow songs,” Ray stated, and she looked at him with big, pleading eyes.
“Please. As a thank you for saving my life?” the girl asked, and Ray sighed heavily.
“Just one.”
Isabel nodded, putting her hands on his shoulders.
“Thank you. After everything we have been through, I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for you,” she said, and Ray turned her in a slow circle.
“That’s what you do when you are part of a team. You take care of each other no matter what,” the Earth Guardian explained.
Isabel nodded as she looked at him, biting her bottom lip. She moved her face closer to his, and Ray put his hands on her shoulders. The girl stopped and looked at him oddly.
“So, that was what was going on back at the machine. Izzy, don’t get me wrong, you are a great person, but I have a girlfriend back home,” he explained, and Isabel looked down.
She had forgotten that he had told her that and felt ashamed.
“I’m sorry,” Isabel whispered, looking away.
Gently, Ray hooked his finger under her chin and made her look at him.
“We are always going to be friends. Don’t worry,” he said softly, and Isabel nodded.
“Now, I think it’s time for me to find Dig. I am ready to go home,” Ray said, and she nodded.
They made their way through the crowd and back to the Spirit Guardian.
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Damian was out on patrol one evening, and Ashta crossed his mind. They were standing on the castle’s roof, watching the moon and sun god dancing in the sunrise. He wanted to kiss her so badly that morning. Suddenly, a sharp pain was in his chest, and he winced.
“Come on. Get it together, dude,” Damian told himself, shaking his head.
Catalina’s magic was starting to ware off, and his heart began to ache more. Damian stumbled, and then he straightened. He knew what he had to do. He had to call for the warlock woman. Damian hit his knees, looked up at the orange sky, and called for his queen.
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Suddenly, Catalina’s eyes flew open, hearing Damian’s cry, and she sat straight up. She looked at Belhazur, and the demon was dead asleep, snoring. Cautiously, Catalina crawled out of bed and walked out to the balcony. She reached past the railing and waited to get zapped, but surprisingly, the force field was down. Catalina sighed in relief and heard her general’s calls again.
Tattered, black wings sprouted from her back. Catalina shot into the sky and followed Damian’s cries.
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Damian was on the outskirts of the Underworld Realm when Catalina found him and landed in front of him.
“Damian? Are you alright?” she asked, and Damian shook his head.
“Your magic has worn off,” he stated, and Catalina looked at her general with care.
Catalina stepped closer to him, and Damian looked at her with a tear-stricken face.
“I guess you just need a stronger dose. Rise,” the woman commanded with glowing red eyes, and Damian rose to his feet.
“I can’t stay long. Now, kiss me,” she whispered, and Damian nodded.
Catalina put her palms to her general’s face and touched her lips to his. Damian parted his lips, and she massaged his tongue with hers. He felt a surge of power rush through his veins and the heartache faded. Damian kissed his queen hard, and his hands roamed her body. She kissed him harder, pressing her body against his.
A moan escaped Damian’s lips, and Catalina pulled back, licking her lips.
“There. That’s better, isn’t it?” Catalina asked, and Damian nodded, pulling her against him.
He kissed her again, and Catalina pulled back.
“Give Belhazur what he wants or help the guardians destroy him so that we can have our life back,” Catalina ordered, spreading her wings.
“I’d rather destroy him,” stated Damian, and Catalina only nodded.
“That spell should work until then,” she said, and Damian nodded.
“Soon, my dear,” Catalina whispered, and then she was gone.
Damian straightened and then finished his patrol. When he got home, he was going to make a plan with Xavier and Lashanna on how to destroy the king of Chaos.
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Ray and Isabel found Dig having a drink with Jared, and the Spirit Guardian smiled at them.
“Are you guys enjoying yourselves?” Dig asked, and Ray and Isabel nodded.
Jared looked at the server, and she handed him two glasses. He turned to Ray and Isabel and gave the drinks to them. Ray took the glass and turned to Dig.
“Listen, this is amazing, but I think it’s time for me to go home. I still have a world to save,” he stated, and Dig chuckled as he nodded.
“Of course you do. Silly me. Can you forgive a forgetful old man?” teased the Spirit Guardian, and Ray gave him a thoughtful look.
“Maybe just this once,” Ray teased back, and Dig snickered.
“Come with me.”
Dig pulled Ray to the side and away from the others.
“You are going to need this,” said the old man and opened his hand.
Ray watched with wide eyes as a shimmering silver object came out of the Spirit Guardian’s palm and spun in front of the Earth Guardian.
“Go ahead. Take it,” encouraged Dig, and Ray swallowed as he nodded.
Slowly, Ray reached out and grabbed the piece of the heart. Immediately, the article disappeared into his palm, and Ray stared with wide eyes.
“BAM!” yelled Dig, grabbing Ray’s shoulders.
The Earth Guardian jumped and looked at his Spirit Guardian disapprovingly. Dig laughed, and Ray heard others snickering. He turned his head and saw that Isabel and Jared were trying hard not to laugh.
Ray turned back to Dig, and his eyebrows shot down in anger.
“That’s not funny!” the Earth Guardian exclaimed, and Isabel and Jared burst out laughing.
Ray sulked for a moment and then snickered.
“Alright. Maybe it was a little funny,” he laughed, and Dig grinned.
Ray looked at his hand and back at Dig.
“So, I am guessing the heart will appear when the time is ready?” asked Ray, and Dig nodded.
“Now, let’s get you home.”
Dig clapped Ray on the back, and Ray smiled and nodded. Jared looked at the Earth Guardian proudly, and Isabel looked at Ray sadly. Dig and Ray made their way to address everyone that the Earth Guardian was leaving, and Isabel and Jared followed them.
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Catalina arrived back at the house and saw Belhazur standing on the balcony. She sighed heavily and landed next to the demon king, and he looked at her calmly.
“Where have you been?”
She straightened.
“Just out for an evening flight,” she said warily and headed for the bedroom.
The king of Chaos grabbed her arm, and Catalina turned and looked at him.
“Do you feel better now? Being able to spread your wings?” the demon king asked, and Catalina nodded.
“Good.”
Belhazur let her go, and she walked into the house.
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“Attention! Everyone! Can I have your undivided attention, please!” called Dig, and the music stopped playing.
The Diggers and the magical creatures of the Earth World Realm fell silent and looked up at the Spirit Guardian.
“The time has come where we must say goodbye to Guardian of Earth. He has served his purpose in our world and now must go back and save his. My brother and I will lead the farewell march,” announced Dig, and the Diggers cheered.
Dig, Jared, Haven, and Isabel led Ray down the path through the vibrant forest and up the portal platform where Ray had first begun. Dig smiled at Ray, snapped his fingers, and the metal-rusted door appeared. Ray could see the Nexus through the shimmering portal and happily smiled. Almost home.
“Ray, you take care of yourself. Come back any time,” stated Dig, and Ray nodded.
Suddenly, Isabel pushed passed and jumped into Ray’s arms.
“I’m going to miss you,” she whispered.
“I will miss you too, but I will come back and visit,” the Earth Guardian said, letting her go.
“See ya, kid,” huffed Jared and Haven smiled and nodded to Ray.
“Bye,” she whispered, and Ray winked at the fairy.
Ray waved to the crowd, and the Diggers waved back. Some of their faces were sad, and others were happy. Ray turned to the portal and felt the excitement build.
“This is it! Home, sweet home,” he said to himself, rubbing his hands together.
Happily, the Guardian of Earth stepped through the shield, and the metal door closed behind him as he stepped into the Nexus.
- Writer
