though it had only been one day; Lillian had been reborn. Reborn into a warrior that would soon fight to save humanity.
“Ariel,” Lillian spoke in her mind, “you’re sure we can track my brother and the rest of them?”
“Yes, Lillian,” Ariel said, calming Lillian’s fears.
“When do we go back?”
“Tonight,” Ariel said, “just after the sun sets.
The sky was dark, covered in a thick blanket of swirling gray clouds, as Lillian and Ariel swept in from the coastline. Thunder and lightning filled the air around them as the wind driven rain pelted their bodies. From five hundred feet in the air, the first town came into view. It was a wasteland and clearly abandoned. The buildings were destroyed by fire; many of the cars had been flipped over and torn apart as if they were nothing more than a child’s toy.
“My God,” Lillian looked on with sadness.
“Focus, Lillian.” Ariel’s words distracted her from the destruction below. “It is your blood that flows through your brother. Allow that connection to guide us.” Ariel’s right wing dipped slightly and they banked to the right, changing their course.
“I feel him,” Lillian smiled. “He’s scarred, but he’s alive.”
“Good.” Ariel’s soothing voice answered. “I also feel him. Our bond is strong, and will grow even stronger with time.” It didn’t take Lillian long to realize where she was headed. Her brother was in the mountains, in the tiny cabin that Jackson built.
“How long will it take us to get there?” Lillian asked Ariel.
“Not long,” Ariel’s wings, pushed harder, driving them even faster. Lillian smiled and became excited as the wind and rain swept over her body. At their speed, the rain was like thousands of tiny stones striking her eyes and skin, but she felt no pain, no discomfort, only the sensation of water and wind flowing over her. Ariel didn’t have to convey his thoughts, she knew it wouldn’t take them long to reach her brother. As they drew closer to the mountains, rain turned to snow. The air was cold, one might even say bone-chilling, but it had no effect on Lillian. She felt strong, unstoppable, and pushed on even harder.
“There it is,” Lillian pointed to a ridgeline in the distance, “go down, Ariel.”
Ariel ignored Lillian’s request and banked to the left, flying higher. “They are not alone, Lillian. Look closely.” He urged her, his tone was cautious and she knew Ariel was concerned.
Lillian’s eyes focused, her vision was clearer and crisper than she had as a human, and she zeroed in on what Ariel saw. One of the men that attacked her and Jackson was sitting on a log in front of fire while he sharpened a large knife. The curved blade was almost as long as his arm and the light from the fire leaped from the razor sharp edge as he ran the small sharpening stone across the deadly blade. Like a damn bursting, fear and anger flooded Lillian’s thoughts. She was overwhelmed with concern for her brother, as well as her friends. They were in grave danger and she needed to act, and act fast.
“Ariel,” she called out in her mind, “we have to help them.”
Ariel growled, baring his sharp teeth and snapped at the air; his roar was louder than thunder and shook the trees, causing snow to fall from the branches. Then he tucked his wings tightly against his side and dove toward the ground. Wind and snow screamed by blazingly fast, as Lillian’s stare remained fixed on her adversary. Her mind was focused, locked on one objective, the threat below. She wanted him dead. He was a hunter. The lowest of the low, he captured runaways and brought them back to Armaros. If they refused to swear allegiance, they were killed, or worse, held like cattle and feed to his dragon.
In mere seconds, Lillian and Ariel dove several thousand feet. With only feet to spare, and at the last possible moment, Ariel unfurled his wings, catching the air, and slowed their speed. A gust of wind slammed into the ground throwing up an enormous veil of snow and ice around the hunter. Then, with great force, Lillian hit the ground; a loud, thunderous crack rang out over the ridge.
Expecting to see Armaros, the man rose to his feet, his eyes squinted as he struggled to see through the cloud of snow and debris that Lillian’s landing threw into the air. Silence fell over the ridgeline as the man cautiously stepped closer to Lillian and Ariel. He was about to kneel, to whom he thought was Armaros, when the cloud of debris partially cleared. Shocked, the hunter couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Just twenty feet away, knelt Lillian; with one knee on the ground and her head down, her hair fell over her face, hiding it from view. Her fists were tightly clenched, her impact so strong it fractured the large rock on which she had landed. Ariel’s wings were swept forward, curving around her in a protective shield. The hunter, immediately, noticed the color. They weren’t the fiery red and black he expected to see. They were the color of the most beautiful ocean waters — shimmering aqua blue and emerald green, tipped with hints of gold.
“Give-me-my-brother,” Lillian demanded, her soft, gentle voice conveyed her implied threat, and she slowly rose to her feet. Ariel’s wings parted and folded beautifully against his body. They were long and slender, following the contour of Lillian’s body flawlessly, they stopped just below her knees.
“These souls belong to Armaros.” The Hunter announced, his deep raspy voice showed no fear, no hesitation, and both Ariel and Lillian knew his devotion to Armaros was absolute.
“Careful.” Ariel urged Lillian, “He is more than human. He has been claimed by Armaros. Anointed by consuming his blood; he will be stronger, faster and much more dangerous than expected.”
The man’s posture changed as he squared off to face Lillian and Ariel in battle. “I know what you are… Guardian!” The man sneered as he fondled his razor sharp blade, tossing it from hand to hand. He welcomed battle, and the chance to measure his skill against the Guardian was an invitation he couldn’t refuse. “Brother,” he shouted, calling to the second man, “it’s time.”
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps burst forth from the shelter. It was the second man, the man who watched Lillian fall from the cliffs. In his hand, he held a long chain, five feet or so, and at the end was a solid steal ball covered in four-inch spikes. Swinging the ball, the man slowly stepped closer, his eyes locked on Lillian.
“Interesting,” he said. A sarcastic grin came over battle scared face. “She’s much smaller than Armaros.” He laughed, confidently.
Lillian stepped back, her heart pounded deep within her chest pumping fear throughout her body.
“Easy,” Ariel said. “Have faith in our bond, Lillian. We must fight as one, or we cannot fight at all.”
Lillian closed her eyes for a brief moment. She understood — Ariel gave her the strength, the power, but it was she that must put it to use.
Our left, Lillian thought, her beautiful eyes shimmered in the light of the fire as she and Ariel leaped into the air, bounding over the first man, she landed directly behind him. Instantly, the man twisted around to face her. His blade raised high, it sliced through the air on a direct path toward Lillian’s neck. Ariel’s right wing unfurled and swept around to shield them from the man’s blade. A loud, screeching sound pierced the air as the razor sharp edge raked across Ariel’s wing. Twisting at the hip, Lillian turned toward the hunter, and extended her left arm, striking the man in the center of his chest. Surprised by her own strength, Lillian watched as the man’s body flew fifty feet into the forest.
“You bitch.” The second hunter screamed and swung his weapon at Lillian. Lillian reacted quickly and raised her arm just as the massive spiked ball struck her. The four-inch long spikes tore through her forearm, ripping through flesh and crushing bone. Excruciating pain raced through her body and Lillian screamed out in agony as she stumbled back. “I’ll have your head, Guardian.” The hunter yelled confidently as he pulled on the chain, dragging Lillian closer. Blood poured from Lillian’s wound, covering the clean white snow in a river of dark red. She had only seconds to defend herself, or her life would end.
“I’m sorry, Ariel.” Lillian
struggled to think. “I’m sorry that I’ve failed you.”
“Faith, Lillian. Have faith, and trust in our bond.”
With one hand dragging Lillian closer and the other reaching for a blade, the man smiled, proudly, at the thought of his, impending, victory. “A Guardian, huh,” the man said. “Your kind is weak.” Lillian closed her eyes. She was ready to accept her fate, ready to die. Until she realized, she couldn’t just give up. She couldn’t leave her brother to suffer at the hands of such a monster. She pushed herself up and spun around.
“Now, Ariel…now!” Ariel’s right wing extended out; and the razor sharp tip of one feather brushed delicately across the man’s neck, just under his jaw.
The man’s eyes opened wide in shock, his grip on the chain weakened, and it dropped to the ground, link by link. For two, terrifying, seconds, he stood there, just staring, then blood burst from his throat and he dropped to his knees.
“Oh God,” Lillian screamed out in terror as she watched the hunter collapse. “What have I done?” She fell forward on her hands and knees.
“We did what we had to do,” Ariel whispered in Lillian’s mind.
“But we killed him… I killed him.” She cried, the man’s blood continued to flow—gradually pooling in the fine white snow, until it enveloped Lillian’s