Guardian

I knew my fate had been chosen for me then. Through all the misery and heartache I had lost almost everything along the way. He stood behind me, watching me closely as we stood in silence gazing over the cliffs edge at the world under us. Quietly, as if almost a whisper he said “I hope you know what you’re doing.” I didn’t look at him, I remained staring off into the distance, my expression blank but in my voice you could hear the determination “I may have lost so much, but it was for all the right reasons. With everything comes sacrifice. And unlike them, they cannot understand what it is that I must accomplish.” A slight breeze emerged through the trees as it slowly twisted through the strands of my hair. Turning around to face him, he nodded knowingly but as I walked past him towards the depths of the forest his face turned to sadness. He wanted to stop me, but he knew it was what I had to do. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes as I ran for dear life towards the shadowy figure below. The wind twisted and twined its self through my hair as my heart raced in agony. My mind screamed at me to run, to let it all go, but my heart begged to fight. I let out a scream of traumatizing pain as I inched my way closer to the death filled creature that was crouched over something I could not see. And at that moment, as I swung my hand back, time seemed to slow down as it turned to face me roaring out an ear piercing sound. The confusion and hurt beamed in my eyes as I recognized the creature. It was my guardian. The saliva fell from the tips of its teeth, its mouth remained agar full of blood, snarling viciously just moments away from the grasp of its jaws. Hitting it across the face it fell to its side, I could feel the anger running through my veins and as if a knife had run its blade through the core of my heart. Looking down, it was then that I realized my heart stopped and my eyes froze when I saw his limp body lying in a pool of blood, motionless; I stared into his lifeless eyes. I felt my heart sink, holding my breath I felt the heartache take over, the tears falling from my eyes, I screamed out in despair “NO!” Falling to my knees, I cupped his face in my hands. Hearing a deep, trembling snarl from behind me I stopped for a moment, my eyes still fixed upon his handsome face. I spoke sternly, but you could hear the hurt of betrayal in my voice “Why?!” I cried “You took everything from me, and for what, to see me suffer? I finally found all that I needed” I shrieked then as I spun around “AND YOU!! You took it from me!!!” The creatures blood red eyes looked into mine with triumph, proud of what it had done. It growled deeply as its demonic voice spoke back “I suppose it was only a matter of time, but you never had anything, from the very beginning you were used and fooled.” It smiled at me then, its black fur raised amongst its muscled body. Gasping in disbelief as if almost unable to speak “You were the only one I had, you stood by me and taught me all that I know, you encouraged me and stayed by me throughout my whole life and now, now that I found what you always told me to look for, you take him from me!” Raising my voice in anger I spat “You were never my friend, nor my guardian; you were always on their side. Even after all the years you protected me, you lied to me… you deceived me!” It took one large paw forward until it was only a hairs length looking down at me, its claws glistening in the daylight, the blood falling from its jaws as it grinned evilly. My eyes red from the tears, the sadness had overwhelmed me as I continued to stare at it in disbelief. I could feel the pain rushing through my body, I felt broken beyond repair as I slowly reached my hand out to place it on the side of the creatures face. I looked at the ruffled fur between my fingers as I looked back into its crimson eyes and quietly spoke “I always loved you” and as if my words had punctured it, I could see the grin on its face slowly fade and the anger in its eyes turn to remorse. Gently patting the side of its face lovingly I stood on the tips of my toes leaning forward kissing it on the muzzle, stepping even closer wrapping my arms around its heavy build, I buried my face into its chest of fur and I silently cried out “I’m sorry, so sorry, but it has to be done.” I could feel the creatures heart quicken as I squeezed my eyes shut and screamed out as I blindly stabbed it once, hearing it shriek out in pain, I stabbed it again and could feel the warmth of blood pour out onto my hand. Letting go I opened my eyes then as I saw it wail baring its teeth as it angrily yelled out “Why, you fool?! You’ll die too!” I watched as the blood fell from its chest, watching it struggle in its pain I smiled then and whispered acceptingly “I know.” And at that moment I closed my eyes, feeling my spirit lift, my heart began to slow. Falling to my knees as the creature stared at me in shock; surprised by what I had done. I felt everything around me slowly disappear and as I fell onto my side, endearing my last breath I softly spoke “I love you.” And with that the life faded from me and just as it did the creature felt a sharp pain in its heart, as its life was being sucked from it, its eyes froze, everything faded black as it tried to scream out, but it only came out as a mere whisper under its breath “No…” Collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud it breathed its last breath. For a moment it seemed as if the world was put on pause as they lay there and just as quickly as it had started, silence filled the air once more and nothing could be heard but the slight breeze as it rustled through the trees.