The Chosen Guardian

For as long as I could remember our people have been under the rule of those we call Harbingers of Darkness. They feed off the chaos and destruction they inflict on people. On our people. They are also great deceivers. Centuries ago, our ancestors, the first settlers, had graciously accepted in their mist a man, who at first glance had appeared to be an ally. Unfortunately, this man had been sent by the leader of the Harbingers of Darkness, as a means to give our elders a false sense of security. Under a false guise the Harbingers of Darkness were welcomed into our home, and they haven’t left since. Our lands became theirs and we have been stuck under their ruling. 

Decades after our freedom had been seized, a legend surfaced; a legend that our ancestors clung to in the hopes that it would save them. This legend told a story of the arrival of the Guardian and with them the rise of the long-awaited “Mighty One.” These two were going to be the ones to free us. It stated that once every two thousand years a Guardian would be chosen. It would be the Guardians’ job to guide the “Mighty One,” through the trials and tribulations that must be faced in order to avenge the wrongs done to his people. 

Nothing had ever come of this legend though. The faith that had sustained my people for so long began to fade.  They came to believe that they would never be free. That was up until about a century ago, when a prophecy was brought forward, igniting the flame of hope that had all but extinguished in my people. The prophecy said, “when the darkness overshadows the light and the rains poured until they transformed into a blazing blizzard, the “Mighty One” would be born. The Guardian would be chosen and they would be bound to one another until the legend became true. Together they would save our people.” 

My parents had been true believers, they helped build an underground rebellion against the Harbingers of Darkness. Many of the elders warned against it, claiming it would end in tragedy. But my parents wanted to free our people, they wanted my brother and I to grow up in a world where we would know peace and freedom. 

The elders' warnings proved to be true. In a raid of the underground bunker, my parents were detained. Named as the leaders, they were pronounced traitors. 

Everyone expected a public execution but it never came. Everyone thinks my parents are dead though. As hard as it was to accept that they could be dead, I preferred to assume that they were. I had to because if they weren’t dead who knows what those monsters were doing to them all these years. That legend only brought death to my family. It wasn’t even real, it was just something that the elders passed down to give their people hope for a better future. 

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Year 28R 

The R stands for Rebirth, our elders placed it at the end of the year as a reminder to us. As I’ve grown older, the significance of that letter has intensified, especially in recent years. The elders have started telling people that it is only a matter of time before the “Mighty One” comes. 

It was on the morning of February 12, 28R that Violet found herself being thrown into the depths of insanity. 

Violet woke with a jolt, groggily reaching out for her alarm clock, she saw that it was 3:34 am. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked around for the source that had interrupted her very peaceful sleep. 

The soft patter of rain appeared to have just begun. “Wait a second,” thought Violet, “It’s not supposed to rain today.” She had been monitoring the weather very closely because of the elders insistence that the time was near. She was hoping to further disprove that killer legend. 

Pulling her curtain back she saw the drizzle of rain falling down to her utter disbelief. Taking a breath, Violet reminded herself that just because it was raining it did not mean that a blizzard would be breaking out as well. 

(A loud clanging could be heard coming from downstairs)

“What was that?” Violet asked out loud. 

“Seriously? Who’s going to answer you Violet?” she thought to herself.

The noise seemed to be coming from the basement. Violet hated going down there, it always unnerved her. 

Telling herself to be brave, she opened the basement door and walked down the stairs. 

She searched and searched but there was nothing there. It must have been her imagination. It’s too early and she’s still half asleep. 

Deciding it was time to go back to the safety of her bed Violet turned to leave. 

(A loud clanging could be heard coming from right behind her)

There it was again!

Turning to reveal the source of the noise, Violet suddenly put her arms up, shielding her eyes. There was immensely bright light coming from the left corner of the basement. As the light dimmed and began to fade it was replaced by the materialization of a bright red door. 

Violet didn’t move. She didn’t even breathe. 

A strong gust of wind, making her wrap her arms around herself, rubbing her arms to create a friction of heat, brought to her attention five glowing words on the left wall of the basement. 

It read: 

This is a reminder, Violet.

Violet’s breath caught in her throat. 

Gasping, she quietly backed away from the door, hoping to reach the stairs. They would lead her back to safety. 

Suddenly her back slammed against a hard wall. A wall Violet knew did not belong there.

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“No way this could really be happening,” Violet whispered. 

Unfortunately, shutting her eyes would not stop what was about to happen from happening. 

The door creaked open, producing a strong gust of wind that took the shape of a hand eerily creeping out from the darkness that could be seen. Every instinct screamed at Violet to get the hell out of there. Whatever waited in the shadows behind that door couldn’t be anything good. 

The coldness of the wind hit Violet, her hair a blowing mess behind her, she was paralyzed with fear. Or so she thought.

The wind seemed to be forcing her to keep still. She struggled against it with all her might, screaming out in frustration, “Ahhh! Let me go!!”

As if in response, the wind pulled her towards the open door, leading to who knows what. 

Darkness consumed her, she couldn’t see anything, as she floated through the door. 

Bright light illuminated her before she was dropped onto a hard surface.

“Oww!” Violet exclaimed as she picked herself up from the floor. 

Sighing, she quickly looked around, dreading that she would find someone standing there. But luckily there was no one. 

She quickly realized she was in a huge building, looking closer she could make out the remnants of what could be shelves strewn across the floor. There was a door with a faded sign, but she could make out the word “Only.” She assumed it was one of those only employees allowed signs. 

Walking around, she thwarted away cobwebs mixed with spider webs hanging in doorways. Violet was thankful no spiders had been home. 

“Achoo!” Violet sneezed as she entered a room, the dust making her eyes water a little. 

Sighing in frustration, Violet finally noticed her teeth were chattering and she couldn’t quite feel her arms anymore. Freezing, she could hear the howling of the wind. Through a window all she saw was the blur of white falling. A blizzard? 

She had checked every room and had had no luck. There was no sign of another human being in this abandoned supermarket. She was quickly losing faith that she would be given any explanation as to why she was here. Nothing made sense and Violet feared she was losing what was left of her sanity. 

Turning into one last room, she sighed with relief, from a squashed box she could make out some cloth and she prayed she would find a sweater or something that would offer some protection against the biting cold.  

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Two hours later. 

Violet didn’t really want to give up the hope of getting answers as to why she was in this abandoned supermarket, she didn't know who or what had brought her here and she desperately wanted to make sense of what was going on. But as time passed she became more and more creeped out at the deafening silence surrounding her. And she became more and more concerned with the notion that maybe whoever had brought her here didn’t have good intentions. 

Standing up suddenly, Violet could have sworn she heard a voice. A voice whispering, “Come with me, Violet,” made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Looking around, she couldn’t see anyone. 

For the second time today, every single nerve in her body was telling Violet to get out of there. She had to get away from that voice. She didn’t like the fact that she didn't know who that was and that they knew her name. It unnerved her. 

Backing away, Violet tried to slow her heartbeat, looking for any sign of another glowing light. 

Minutes passed and she didn’t hear the voice again and no one stepped out of the shadows. Although that helped her calm down, Violet couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She wanted answers. She needed them, she deserved them.

“I’ll lead you to the answers that you seek,” came the whisper next to her left ear, sending chills down her spine. 

Her burning curiosity outweighed her fear. She turned in the direction of the voice and began following it. 

She was led to the back of the supermarket, to a small gate she hadn’t seen before. Opening it she found herself in a small hallway. 

As she started walking in, soft sounds began to fill the air. Violet couldn’t explain it but the uneasiness she had been feeling since this morning began fading away. It was like she could breathe again, she knew she was safe. 

Listening more closely, she tried to decipher what she was hearing. After a few minutes she could swear that the noises filling the air were that of a baby’s babbles. 

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Reaching the end of the hallway Violet turned slowly. She was met with a bundle of blue blankets laying on the cold, hard ground. Protruding from them were little, chubby baby arms, reaching out, asking to be held. 

“What on earth is going on?” sighed Violet in frustration. What was a baby doing here? How long had he been here in the cold? 

Violet quickly sat down, picking up the baby boy and cradling him in her arms slowly. Attempting to lull him to sleep, she suddenly became aware that they were no longer alone. 

Crack.

Appearing before her was one of the elders. His sudden arrival stunned Violet. Why was he here? She believed his name was Dimitri. 

Looking down at the baby in her arms Violet looked back up at Dimitri. “Is this your baby?” she asked, confused by the day's events. 

Dimitri found himself to be stunned, “No, no he is not my baby,” he assured Violet. 

“Then why are you here? Why is he here? It’s freezing!” Violet demanded to know.

“I placed him there a second before you turned the corner. We have been waiting for you to arrive. I’ve kept him safe and warm,” promised Dimitri. 

Before Violet could process what Dimitri was saying, he cleared his throat proclaiming, “Congratulations Violet. You are the chosen Guardian,” wearing a smile as though she had been given a great honor.

“What? … No …” Violet could barely choke out above a whisper. 

“You. Are. The. Chosen. Guardian,” repeated Dimitri more slowly, emphasizing each word.

“No,” Violet said louder, preventing Dimitri from speaking further. This legend wasn’t true. If it was she wanted nothing to do with. It was the reason her parents were dead. “No,” Violet repeated, wiping a tear away. 

Dimitri paused as he looked at Violet with what seemed pity before continuing, “Let me start from the beginning, every two thousand years, the elders are told of the arrival of the “Mighty One,” which coincides with the naming of the Guardian. On the day of the “Mighty One’s” birth, the chosen Guardian is named and they are both brought to the same location, in the hopes of initiating the bond that will forge between the two. The Guardian will be the one to guide the “Mighty One” through the trials and tribulations that he must bear.”

“It’s a mistake. It has to be a mistake. I’m not the chosen Guardian. I can’t be,” muttered Violet, hoping the words coming out of Dimitri’s mouth were lies. Her parents had died for their belief in the “Mighty One.” He hadn’t come when they needed him.

“I understand it’s a lot to take in Violet but when the Guardian is named they are pulled from their home through the red door. They are brought to the exact location and time in which they will once again meet the “Mighty One” in the future. At the exact time that the prophecy must be carried out,” Dimitri further explained, “This isn’t a mistake, Violet.”

“You can’t be right, Dimitri. You don’t understand. My parents died because they believed our savior would come. They fought against the Harbingers of Darkness in his name. He didn’t come! I can’t be the chosen Guardian. I don’t want to be,” said Violet. 

“You are the one not understanding, Violet. You were chosen. It is a great honor to fight for the freedom of our people. I understand you lost your parents Violet but we’ve all lost people we love to those monsters,” responded Dimitri, “You must accept your fate. Do it in honor of your parents. The Light must see the same fight in you that your parents had. Your parents died believing in something they never got the chance to see. Fight. Fight in memory of your parents, Violet.”

Taking a moment, Violet finally responded, “Say I believe it all. I believe I’m the Guardian. Why did I have to meet him in an old abandoned supermarket, in what sounds and feels like a blizzard?” questioned Violet, a shiver passing through her body. 

“We don’t pick the location. We don’t pick the time. We don’t pick the date. This is the prophecy we were told Violet. You were chosen by what we elders have called the Light. It came to us when we were most desperate, a voice promising a better tomorrow,” said Dimitri, “It told us when the time came it would come back and help set everything in motion. The Light said the Guardian would guide the “Mighty One” and we, the elders, would guide the chosen Guardian.” 

“The prophecy is unclear about how the battle you two must set out on will unfold. Great forces will attempt to keep you away from the “Mighty One.” The Light helped us set up this encounter between you two, when the “Mighty One” has just been born in the hopes to thwart any attempts made by those forces working against the long awaited prophecy,” further clarified Dimitri. 

“Great forces?” questioned Violet, “You mean the Harbingers of Darkness? They want to stop the legend that has predicted their downfall?” 

“Yes, Violet. It is extremely important that you attempt to remember that you are the chosen Guardian. The forces working against us, they will try to wipe your memory of this encounter,” Dimitri explained, “You must remember, it is important that you remember, when the time is right.” 

“What does that mean?” demanded Violet, “When the time is right?” 

But Dimitri didn’t answer. He stepped forward and gently grabbed the baby from Violet’s arms.  Before Violet could get a single word out, a soft glowing light appeared, lifting the baby away from Dimitri. Violet watched silently as a soft, gentle breeze, floated the baby towards a waiting, open red door. 

“That was the Light, right? Where did it take the baby?” asked Violet.

“Back to the hospital, back to his family. His life is just starting,” said Dimitri, “He won’t know he’s the ‘Mighty One.’ Not yet. It’s not time.”

“Why was the Light so aggressive with me?” Violet couldn’t help but compare the way the baby had gently been taken away to how harshly she had been brought here. 

“I told you, strong forces are working to keep you away from the ‘Mighty One.’ You’ll face many enemies but we all have hope you will triumph,” responded Dimitri, looking down at his watch. 

“It is pertinent that you remember Violet. December 16, 48R at approximately 10:28 pm. That is the date the fate of our people will fall on your shoulders. You will be the Guardian. Our only hope. You must try to remember Violet,” said Dimitri’s fading voice as Violet’s vision began to blur. 

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December 16, 48R

Stretching, Violet couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something she was supposed to remember. Something was going to happen today, something that would surely change the world for the better. It was a nagging feeling in the back of her head. Someone told her she had to remember. But remember what? 

Checking her phone, Violet saw that the date was December 16, 48R. The forecast had predicted a blizzard would break out in a few hours but that seldom ever happened. There was absolutely no reason to believe this year would be any different. 

Just as she was setting her phone down, Violet winced. Checking her wrist she could see the time 10:28 pm appearing across her wrist. Then she heard it. A disembodied voice, “Just a reminder,” it whispered. 

“Dimitri?” Violet found herself answering.