Chapter 27 – Portal

"Rejoice! The Chronicler and her guardians defeated the threat!" the town yeller says as he stands on a podium. The crowd cries and rejoices - Justice has been served.

And while this is happening, the group heads to the inn where they return to the room where Jasmine first met the guardians. And to their surprise, Juan is over there eating a bountiful breakfast for lunch.

"What? I missed my breakfast." He yells while trying to defuse the situation. The barmaid enters with a set of lunch meals. The other guardians laugh and take their place at the table.

"A buffet it is? To replenish our energy yes?" Atlas laughs heartily. Jasmine raises her fist and agreed with him. And the rest of the afternoon was the group eating their hearts out.

By evening they visit Kulog, Kislap, and Gil at the clinic. They provided fresh fruits and foods for them and Kislap's situation has improved than the last time they saw him.

Now, Juan and Jasmine shared their experience and help Gil and Kulog keep up to speed.

The guardians didn't expect Juan's infiltration to almost cost his life but they applaud his bravery. Juan gave every information save for the aswang's being friendly with him. He skipped that part as he knows this will go bad with the other guardians that took part in the defense against Aswang Swarm.

"Good thing to know those bastards are still squabbling like rats." Gil comments. Juan's stomach churned from Gil. He wanted to shout and slap him across his face but he decided to keep it. As long as other races that were helped by the aswang spread the word that the aswang is turning a new leaf, he knows this is hope for them.

Jasmine explained her visions and express how unsure what she saw is happening right now the past or the future. Tala agrees, she reminded how the previous Chronicle wrote a vision about Bakunawa and now Jasmine sees another vision for them.

Jasmine put that aside and explained about the 7 thrones and the figures hugging body parts of a man. She is sure now what their mission is if her vision is real: find the pieces of Bathala and prevent the 7 Dogon from taking them.

Hearing this, all of the guardians' moods turn to anger and confusion. Some like Atlas, Tala, and Leshin are angrier than most as their faces show their red swelling faces.

"Sounds . . . heretical to say it but if what we saw at the island and what Chronicler just said is true then there no reason to believe that He is dead." Kulog comments.

The rest argued on and on about how is this possible. The creator and god, dead by his world still live on. How can they still exist? How can the world still breathe? All of these questions are thrown around but as this is happening Jasmine hears a voice in her head.

"Jasmine, it's me," Juan whispers thru his frog as it sits on Jasmine's shoulder. "I don't wanna spoil the fun of the guardians but you did see Hel in your vision? You can confirm that a woman named Valkyrie sits on a frozen realm?"

"Yes, Juan but I am unsure if that was the future or present."

"That's fine. I am happy knowing Hel can make it. Knowing Mebuyan and Masiken can guide her to be the ruler of our underworld is enough for me"

"Ah, yes I forgot about that. Each continent has their realm of the underworld." Jasmine replied as she sees Juan shed a tear of happiness.

Their talking came to a halt when Leshin brings out the spear of the defeated figure. He points out that this spear craftsmanship is similar to theirs weapons' marking and suggests that the figure can be one of them.

Jasmine approached the spear and read the markings on it "My first son."

Shamir and Atlas also comment how this spear is similar to their continent of Tymar. Shamir still cannot figure out anyone that might want her dead and how can a shambling undead be a guardian.

"Maybe someone wants your power or worst your past. Shamir, come clean and tell us the truth now. Who are you before you became a guardian" Kulog's cold and assertive voice tremble with anger.

"Whoa there Kulog, Shamir was the target but never is her fault on this" Atlas defended her immediately and was about to stand up but Kulog let a small shockwave and made Atlas lost his footing and return to his seat.

The room fell silent. They can feel the pride from Atlas and Kulog is about to clash.

"Hey, keep your cool. You are acting more childish than our Chronicler . . . no offense." Juan tried to crack a joke to defuse the situation but Kulog and Atlas kept it up.

"My brother almost died, Juan. If don't have anything else to say I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Kulog's magic starts to flow. She is raging. She is hurting.

"Hey, we just get from a fight. Can you just forgive her?" Amihan flies in between them.

Atlas stands up from his chair and his stand is now reinforced with magic. "And Shamir is my countrymen. She is a relative to me just as Kislap is to you. Now I suggest you apologize to her before we have . . ."

"Before what?! Are you guys seriously going to do this in the middle of this small cramped room not to mention in front of the Chronicler?" Tala tries to make the two calm down.

Then before they know it, all of them began to feel tired from this. And one by one they get back to their seat. Kulog slumped back at her bed and Atlas sits back on his chair. But both are too prideful to admit defeat and apologize to the other.

As this is happening, Jasmine kept her silent as she is amazed at how Shamir managed to defuse the situation. As the whole group was tense, she quietly opens her bag and used magic, and specks of dust scattered around them. Her magic made Atlas and Kulog calm down and soon all of them.

"Shamir, you are a good person. Even after being blamed for all of this, you kept the best interest of others above yours" Jasmine continues to measure how Shamir being a good and mild-mannered guardian.

After a few minutes of silence, Shamir speaks and thanked Atlas for defending her and she insisted Atlas to remain calm as she will try her best to explain everything to them. But before that, Shamir looked at Kulog and ask forgiveness that this fell upon them and the other innocent lives that were killed by the figure chasing her.

"I think it followed me. Those villages and towns that were attacked? Those are the other places I visited to ask for directions on how to reach Vale. I could only know this threat was on my tail, I wouldn't get to those places and instead lead it somewhere isolated."

Shamir then used her sand to project a landscape, her home in Tymar. She continues to describe her early days as an ordinary girl who lived with her mother and brother. One day, strange darkness befalls on their land.

This darkness took for as a nightmare on people's dreams. It feeds on the suffering of others. The nightmare on Tymar became intense and some of Tymarian resulted in killing themselves to prevent from sleeping and seeing their nightmare. Her mother and brother can't even sleep and their rulers cannot do anything about it as they are powerless to destroy an enemy with no physical form.

One night, Shamir snuck into the library of Athens, where the greatest spells and rituals of Tymar are located. She manages to find all kinds of spells but none can help them against the nightmare.

As she was rummaging around the books and scrolls, she manages to find an odd scroll. That scroll was the Ritual of Power. Within a few more days, she manages to find the main ingredients for the ritual. All she asked the ritual to give her the power to defeat the nightmare across the land even drive it out from our world. And this is Shamir now. A guardian that can make people sleep, manipulate their emotions and memories to prevent the nightmare from taking hold of them, and eventually, she discovered her power over her sands.

Shamir took back the night. She gave the people of Tymar their long deserved rest and the nightmare was soon driven out of their realm. But she knows the nightmare still lurks across the world, thus she decided to leave Tymarian and travel.

She traveled to the Land of Origin. There she found a king clad in gold and white robes and also provided her assistance as their land was also being plagued by the nightmare.

Shamir and the king's force combined their strength and eventually they destroyed the nightmare but doing so the nightmare exploded into smaller fragments of itself scatter across the world after its defeat. Shamir was about to head out and find the other pieces when she heard the call from Vale. She followed the call and destroys the nightmare wherever she goes.

"That's my story. The truth of my adventures for the past year." Shamir insisted and it seems the other guardians are content. Kulog won't admit it but she bought it onto her story. Jasmine sees Kulog's ever-so-cold face seems calmer than before. Jasmine smiled and it seems the guardians are now getting along.

All seem to be good until Atlas began to speak. "When I left Tymar, there are no nightmares. We are sleeping on our beds easy and no nightmare is affecting us. How come I didn't hear about this?"

"Maybe you left before this happens?" Amihan asked Atlas.

"My body still resides within Tymar. If that widespread nightmare is real, my body will be affected and I would have my nightmare during my travels too. Unfortunately, I didn't have any prolonged nightmares." Atlas counters.

"Ah crap, Atlas. Did you have to do this? You can just go along with it and everything will be fine." Jasmine slams her hands in her head. Kulog's face returned to her cold demeanor and began stared at Shamir.

"I am telling you! That's my story! I can prove it! If we travel back to Tymar, I am sure that the citizens will recall this!" Shamir replied was met by Kulog's rumbling from her teeth underneath her closed mouth.

"Regardless of us being Tymarians, we should clear this up so Kulog's anger subsides."

Shamir smiles and agreed. "That is the best course of action. To Tymar then?"

All of the guardians agreed. Amihan stood from her seat to prepare her crew for their next destination but before she can leave the room people outside began to get rowdy as more and more of them began to yell for the Chronicler to save them. They all thought it was some cheering for Jasmine but the cries began to change to wailing scream and cry for help. Panic ensues as they can hear the trampling of the crowd.

Jasmine quickly opens a window and saw two glowing stars from above falling quickly to Vale.

"Amihan and Tala! Take to the sky! There is a meteor heading our area! Slow it down before it reaches us!" Jasmine commands and without wasting time Amihan and Tala flies.

Jasmine opens the White Chronicle and turns her attention to the crowd. "Atlas and Leshin, use the earth and plants. Create a dome. Shield the Vale just in case the meteor hits us!" The two guardians run outside and prepare.

"Shamir, the crowd is in a panic. Calm them down and send them to the most east side of the town, across the river.

"Juan, I need all of your illusions. Use them to help those who are lost and guide them back to Shamir. Coordinate with Mayor Nicanor about Shamir's action. And keep the civilians within this clinic safe! Move them out as quickly as possible."

Juan and Shamir waste no time and runs outside to their part. Jasmine looks at Kulog and Gil and instructs them to move Kislap out of the bed and into Amihan's ship. Gil and Kulog know their power is lacking and proceeds to do what they are told.

As the four of them leave the premises, they can chaos everywhere. Tikbalang hugging their children as they speed off to the nearby forest. Kapres started to stuff all his tobacco in their huge pouches. Syokoy began to dive and swam in all different directions across the river and when the diwata wasted no time as they began flying out of Vale.

Good thing Shamir worked fasted to keep others calm and collected as they prepare to evacuate Vale and with Juan's help, everything is going smooth.

Jasmine follows Gil and Kulog back to the ship. On her way there, she reads the book and sees if there is any monster that can summon meteors or conjure large fireballs. All she found are monsters like dragons, titans, and other powerful dark beings that are either far away from Antrian or remained undisturbed.

Amihan and Tala did their task but failed to stop the approaching meteor. No matter how strong their winds or lighting summons, no amount of magic can break it. But they did slow down its descent and allowed Leshin and Atlas to finish building the huge dome covering Vale. Shamir and Juan manage to keep the people organized, though there are still a lot of people inside of Vale, they at least manage to keep the people leaving at a steady pace. Mayor Nicanor and other guardsmen helped them to evacuate the people of Vale.

Jasmine, Gil, Kulog manage to get into Amihan's ship with Kislap being carried by the other two. Since Amihan's ship is above the dome they can see all the events happening.

One of the meteors manages to break the dome's defense and crashed inside of Vale hitting multiple trees and houses inside. The other meteor hits the stronger surface of the dome and rolled into the west side of Vale, into an empty field.

Once the two meteors come to a halt, it split in half and revealing a hollow core. In that core, a being emerged with flames covering its body.

The one that landed inside the dome is a well-built woman with copper armor covering most of her body. She wields two swords on each hand.

The other is a slim man with lanky arms donning light armor and wields a warhammer twice the size of his body.

The fire was intense. It burned their skins into a crisp within seconds. Making the guardians concern for these beings. As their skin burns off, a familiar orange magic started to heal them instantly.

The guardians knew what they are. They are the same as the figures that hunt down Shamir.

"AGAIN?!" Atlas yells at the woman from the top of his lungs. "We killed one of you already! Do you know we can kill you easily now we know your weakness?"

The woman looks at Atlas and tilts her head "I knew sending the first generation do the job isn't up for this task but at least he did point us to the right direction; move along little man. I am here to finish the job."

Atlas and Leshin and surprised that this one speaks with a certain intelligence.

Amihan and Tala hover above the other figure and they are surprised this one too speaks.

"Excuse me, ladies, I do not wish to impose any danger but my ill-mannered partner is quite in a hurry. I would love to end this quickly." He then raised his hands as if surrendering. He left the warhammer on his foot and smiled "Would two kindly point to the direction where the one who wields dust as her power is?" The man politely asked as kicks his weapon away and bowed to the two guardians.

Not falling to his trickery, Tala and Amihan attacked. The male figure summons the warhammer back to his hands and blocks their magic with his weapon.

Atlas rushes in began to throw his fist at the woman but before it can connect, the woman dodges the attack and made deep cuts on Atlas' shoulder. Leshin began to support Atlas by producing large roots to hinder the woman's movement.

The guardians waste no time and proceeded to their best and defeat the two figures.

Juan, though limited in his magic, can at least produce enough magic to see thru the eyes of frogs around Vale. He then instructs every frog to link up with his telepathic powers and back to his frog. Frog his frog, still resting on Jasmine's shoulder will provide all the information back to her.

With this, Jasmine can observe what is happening and is up to speed on their status. Her minds drift to the safety of her guardians, she knows they are tired and cannot fight off the figures. It took the whole team just defeated one but two? She knows they won't last long. It falls on her to save Vale and the guardians.

Jasmine looks around and took a deep breath. She knows she is physically powerless to stop the threat but this is her burden. As the Chronicler, she must figure this one out.

"Come on Jasmine. Think! You are called here for a reason. You should stop acting like a child. Ever since you fell from the balete tree and transported here . . ."

Then Jasmine stopped. "THAT'S IT" She yelled. She opens the book about balete trees and reads it carefully. After reading it, she grabs the new bookmark that was given to her earlier. She concentrates on the bookmark and immediately her consciousness is transported within the White Chronicle.

Jasmine recalls that in her vision's there is always a balete tree behind her and when she falls to this world a balete tree was behind her. She also recalled Leshin told her that the previous Chronicle sometimes mediates under the balete tree.

"Hello, Jasmine. I know why you are here." The lady greets her with her ever-gracious presence.

"I recall in my world that balete houses creatures of the night. Stories of people getting kidnapped by maligno are somehow kept inside balete tree and when they escape their captors, they come out somewhere near the tree as well."

The white-like canvass surrounding the two of them changes as the White Chronicle illusion shows a huge balete tree in the middle hill.

Jasmine continues "This is the balete tree that transports me from my world to here. Teleportation! Can I do that?!"

"Yes, but you cannot cast it as your body does not have enough magic. The pool of water earlier by the 4 towers is enough for you to borrow its magical properties, thus you are able to enter the book for the first time. But it will be impossible for you to . . . "The lady stopped and smiles as she understands what Jasmine is planning to do.

"Yeah, that's what I am going to do. We are defeating these two in one fell swoop. But can you tell me how to conjure the portal?"

"For you to cast a portal, you will need to put your mind into the place you want to go then channel the magic into the tree. Done successfully and it will send you to that place but do heed that the balate trees are connected by their roots. You only make a portal from one balate tree to another"

The illusion turned and slowly painted the world map as what Jasmine saw in the White Chronicle. She points out there are seven huge balete trees and one of them is located in the most dangerous climate against their bugs and points to the most southern continent filled with ice, Ginn Hus, the region where he saw the icy lake and cold icy winds. "Got it! I have something in mind for these two. Time to be the Chronicler!"

The lady smiled and looks over at Jasmine. Pride and confidence began to warm her as she begins to see the child is slowly becoming the Chronicler of this world.

Jasmine came back to her sense and turned around and addresses Amihan's crew to fly the ship to collect the guardians and fly them to the 4 towers. The crew, though hesitant, followed the Chronicler and began to make the ship move as instructed.

Jasmine then asked Juan to let his frogs jump on the shoulders of each of the guardians so she can enact her plan to defeat the two figures.

"You got it, kid!" Juan smirked as he can feel the confidence from her. And not long enough; the frogs manage to get on the shoulders of the guardians.

"Here's the plan. We are sending these two to the worst place imaginable and I need all of you first to retreat back to Amihan's ship. We will fly low so you can keep up with the ship but Shamir I have a special instruction for you. Cast your sands all over the ship and make it obvious as possible that you are on this ship. I want them to follow us where we will go."

The ship immediately swoops down and descent just above the roof of the houses of Vale. Tala and Amihan are the first ones to arrive. They tumbled down after landing on the ship. The one with a warhammer can attack them from afar by disconnects his limb and let the scarabs hold on together to connect from one end to another. Enabling him to swing his weapon like a whip and a powerful hammer on the end.

"This guy doesn't know when to quit!" Tala detects the man's arm began to wind up. Tala cast an ice spell to severe the limb but as soon as the ice began to freeze his arm, he drops his warhammer and his other arm catches it and began another wind-up attack. Amihan summons the wind to her side and creates a tornado to push the arms of balance but the man began to spin so fast that he created his tornado, met her halfway, and canceled each other's tornado.

"Chronicler, this guy is more intelligent than the last. I hope what your planning stops this one!" Amihan shouts as both she and Tala prepare to slow down the man with their magic.

Atlas and Leshin are next to land. Both of them panting and out of breath. The woman they fought is a hardened warrior as she can keep up with their attacks and able to make a move before they can react. Both of them are forced on the defensive and as they need to dodge her attacks resulting up exhausting their stamina and allowing her for an opening.

"I give up. This woman will beat me in no time." Leshin says as he lies on the ship's bridge while panting.

"Yeah, I cannot even feel my legs and shoulders anymore." Atlas hugs the wooden floor as starts to bleed from the attacks he received.

Amihan's crewmen see the woman jumps over the roof and attempt to board the ship. They began firing cannons on her direct to slow her down until Juan and Shamir arrive.

Just before the man and the woman able to board the ship they saw gold sand flowing into the ship and with the sands are carrying multiple Shamirs.

"There is her sand! Now I do not recall having multiple forms of her." says the woman as she brandishes her swords and leans into the building she is standing on. She smiles and leaps on the sand carrying the Shamirs. Once she stabs one in the shoulder or leg it disappears into green mist.

"These are illusions, my dear. Maybe during her travels, she acquired this power but no matter" the man leaps into the sand as well and uses his long limbs to hit multiple illusion of Shamir from different sand streams. "We will take them on until the original appears."

Juan and Shamir land on the bridge undetected and unharmed. "All of the guardians are accounted for and on the ship!" Yells one of the crewmen. The ship began to take altitude but never that high to allow the two assailants to keep up below.

"You run but you cannot hide from us!" the woman yells as she runs fast as the ship. Her strong legs can keep up with the ship and her two swords replenish her stamina.

The man uses his ability to run fast by spinning so fast while holding on to his warhammer. He then throws his warhammer in the direction of the ship and his limbs extend like a rope. His throw was strong enough that it pulls him in the direction where the hammer will land. Once landing, the warhammer will heal his wounds and repairing his broken limbs. He repeats this process again and again, sometimes able to almost reach the hull of the ship.

On the bridge, Jasmine addresses the crewmen to sail them to the four towers. She turns to Shamir and says "Good! Keep the two occupied and will have them deal with."

"I am not sure I follow, but Chronicler I do hope we can defeat these two."

"We will. Trust me on this one" Jasmine confidently smiles. This gives her guardians' new hope. Jasmine then turns to Gil and asked him to use his remaining magic to pull much water as he can once they reach the pool. She instructs Leshin to manipulate the wood within the ship and make huge barrels so they can hold much water as they can.

"Not again!" Amihan shouts in desperation as her ship was just recently repaired after Leshin manipulates its hull in an attempt to capture a mananagal last night. But she got no choice and permitted Leshin to do as he pleased.

"Don't worry Amihan, I'll be gentle with her." Leshin placed his hand on the bridge and communicate with the vines and wood of the ship. Since Leshin planted seeds on the ship during the war with the yokai, he is attuned to the ship and easily made the wood form to any shape he wants to. He manages to create a huge barrel.

As they preparing for their arrival on the four towers the two figures noticed all of the illusion is gone and sees the sands are flowing into the ship. The man looked at the woman and express he is tired of this cat and mouse game.

The woman grabs him and throws him to the ship. As he flies in the air, he throws his warhammer and this it manages to lodge into the bottom of the hull.

"We are in operation! Hop on!" The man yells as he began extends his legs and allowed the woman to grab on like a rope. The woman lodges both of her into her to ensure she won't lose it and kept herself generating and began to climb up to the ship. The man still holding on to his warhammer ensures his limbs regenerates at a steady pace.

The whole ship shakes when the warhammer hits them. Tala and Amihan jump overboard to inspect the damage. But as they fly below the hull, they are greeted by the two figures. The man swings himself in their direction and the woman grabs one of her swords and attempted to swing at the two of them.

Tala and Amihan dodge the woman but they realize it was just a ploy. They are not aiming to hit the two guardians. Rather, the man swings his partner to reach the upper part of the hull and into the deck.

"Crap! The woman made it up there!" Tala yells she realized the mistake they made.

"On it!" Juan yells as he prepares his sword and Atlas following behind him.

"We will handle one of them here! Handle the guy down there." Atlas followed up. The woman smiled with a devilish grin at Atlas. She points her blades on him and mocks him of his wounds.

"I see, you want to die that badly? Come and face me!" She rushes and gave no time for Atlas and Juan to rest. Gil and Leshin want to help them but Jasmine asks them to hold their position and as they are about to arrive at the four towers.

Gil sees the pool of water below and uses his magic to pull as much water as he can. The rest of the crewmen are instructed by Amihan to keep flying and concentrate their effort to fly the ship as fast as possible. Surprisingly the Gil was able to get all of the water and transfer it to the huge barrel that Leshin made.

"Now go to the balete tree by the hill. Fly there as fast as you can!" finally Jasmine turns to her last two guardians. "You're my last line of defense Kulog and Shamir. I know you have your differences but at this moment I will be defenseless once I use this water to channel its magic and attempt to open a portal."

"I am not sure how will that help but I will do the best I can!" Shamir cast like a big sister and immediately puts her fist in the air.

Kulog swallowed her pride; she nods and agrees with her. "Fine. For the first time, I agree with her: We will protect you."

She hugs both of them and the two guardians. Both are taken back but they understand the trust they are given. Jasmine then hurries to Leshin's side and touches the huge water barrel. She took a deep breath and she began to meditate and return to the recess of the White Chronicle to commune with the lady of the bookmark as they prepare the magic.

Atlas and Juan and thrown across the deck as they are beaten by the woman. "Come on! I thought you guardians are strong!" She rushes in to deal a finishing blow to Juan then Gil bites her arm and flung her off the ship. The woman fell but managed to grab into the ship's hull and climb back in thru its windows.

"The crew! Gil, save them first!" Juan instructs Gil. He grabbed his sword and tries to stand up but his strength is not yet fully replenished. He looked at his sword and back to Gil. "Gil! Catch!" Gil looks back and catches the sword. Gil nods and heads below.

Gil went below deck and sees the crewmen are fighting for their lives as the woman relishes the death of two crewmen on the end of her sword and the 10 stab wounds to her heart that instantly healed.

Gil rushes in to save the crewmen and the intense battle began below. But as this is happening, the man was able to latch on to the ship this whole time and dodging every attack the Tala and Amihan throw at him. With his fast reflect not only able to dodge those attacks but made huge holes in the hulls of the ship and eventually this allowed him to enter the ship as well.

Tala and Amihan take the fight inside the ship. They fought with the guns, He manages to use his surroundings and due to his unnatural shape, he can even make himself thinner than a sword and allowed him to slide across a tight spot. And when the time is right, he will swing his warhammer across the room when both Tala and Amihan are channeling their magic. His method of distracting and exhausting them is working so far as Tala's attack became more inaccurate as the fight when on and Amihan's wind became yields less power.

But none of the guardians seems to notice that they are getting weaker. It's because the two figures manage to sneak their scarabs into the ship the longer they fight. Compare to the figure they fought earlier, their use of smaller scarabs bit them in areas they least expects: behind their heels, the back of their neck, their shins, and behind their ears. Thou they are smaller; they can sneak in and drain their strength at a steady pace.

"We are here!" Shouts one of the crewmen by the bridge as they can see the balate tree by the distance.

Jasmine opens her eyes and stretches her hands out and repeats the image of a frozen wasteland on her.

"Please let this work, please work! I need you to work and . . ."

A huge purple light emanates from the tree. Purple magic surrounds the small entrances by its hollow body. Jasmine closers her eyes and began to picture the scene in a wider way.

"Bigger! I need to make this portal bigger! "

BOOM! A huge purple portal expands as the purple magic stretches into the air. Soon the portal is big enough for a wagon to fit but it keeps breaking up. Jasmine concentrates her hardest to fix the portal as fast as possible.

Jasmine instructed Shamir and Kulog to use the water and create a powerful attack to push the two figures off the ship. Jasmine then instructs the other guardians to distract them long enough until Shamir and Kulog can make the attack.

Before any response can be heard from the guardians, the hull breaks from beneath as Tala and Amihan emerge from it as they dodge the attacks of the man. His arms were long and his warhammer was powerful enough to crush every wood in his vicinity. His furious attacks were too much for them to bear and in one of his attacks, he finally swat the two of them like flies. Tala and Amihan collapse on the weight of his attack and falls to the ground.

The woman and Gil soon follow them from the hole. Gil desperately dodges every attack from the woman and falls to his side as the woman's attack finally breaks Gil's defenses. As Gil falls, he drops the sword and it slides back to Juan's side.

The two figures stand tall and mocks the exhausted guardians. They loathe how easily they have defeated the guardians, the so-called defender of the Chronicler.

"Bloody, beaten, and soon buried in the ground." The woman stands as she twirls her blades.

The man re-attaches his limbs and bends over the defeated guardians. "You need not look elsewhere; our powers are much more potent than yours."

"After hundreds of years, we are finally able to find our stolen heirloom and soon our glory!" The woman points her blades to Gil and Juan "Now can you see how much we are more of a guardian than you?"

"I didn't know that this is a competition?" Gil replied.

"Are you even guardians? From the look of it and the inscription on your weapons, both of you are the same process that we had." Juan inquires and tries to work his charm on the two figures. Showering them with praises and sweet words as his attempt to distract them long enough for Shamir and Kulog's attack.

"Your words are too kind my good sir but!" the man lifts his warhammer above his shoulders "your kind has no use for us!" He prepares to make quick work of the guardians but then he was halted by hearing his name.

"Is that so? Thelgo the Wise and Pali the Brave?" Atlas shouts as he stands up. Surprised to hear their names, the two figures look at Atlas.

"Why! I didn't know someone still remembers us! I presume your Tymarian like us?" Thelgo withdraws his hammer. The two figure looks at Atlas but she doesn't seem to recognize him

"At least give us your name, guardian. As a warrior that manages to survive me this long is quite amusing." Pali approaches him with her two swords drawn out to Atlas. "No man was able to . . ."

"Defeat you when were alive. During your youth, you manage to conquer cities and integrate them into Phronesia's land. But life was too short. Pali the Brave, died of old age and never see her dream come true: to conquer Tymar." Atlas interrupts her. Speechless, she smiled and was baffled by how was Atlas able to know about them.

Atlas looked at the man began to speak "Thelgo the Wise. So wise that even Apollo was begging for you to teach the secret of your healing salve. But despite all the improvement on your potion, it was unable able to save you from death. Hades still took your soul and your greatest achievement was inventing the most imported medicine from Phronesia."

The two move closer to Atlas, drawn on Atlas' knowledge about them.

"I feel flattered. Not gonna lie . . . from the looks of it, it is our armor is that right? It gave us away; Phronesian armor is distinct across Tymar." Thelgo smiled like a child, as he wanted to hear more from Atlas.

Success! As Atlas was distracting the two of them Shamir charged her sand and manage to build up a huge fist. Kulog thou lacking magic, borrowed some magic from the water to charge her up. She gathered enough magic and her voice is powerful enough to shatter huge boulders in seconds.

Jasmine gives the signal and smiled at Atlas to move out of the way. But before Atlas moves away, he gave one more speech to Thelgo and Pali "And my name? Atlas, son of Iapetus, and I am here to distract you malakas. I hope this time Hades never let go of your souls!"

Atlas jumps out of the way and just in time for Shamir's large hand fist to hit Pali and Thelgo off the ship. Kulog rushes and hangs on the edge of the ship. She took a deep breath and shouts. Her shout traveled instantly and manage to crush the whole body of two figures as they fall.

Dead scarabs began to fly off their body from Shamir and Kulogs attack. They hit the ground and landed near the balete tree. Both stretched their arm to summon their weapons to their side. Shamir uses magic to create another wave of sand to push them into the portal and separate them away from their weapons.

Kulog continuously shouts a massive sonic boom every time their try to summon their weapons. This attack was so successful that the sound was deafening and the pain was unbearable that Pali and Thelgo focus is being distracted. This in turn allowed Shamir to pull the weapons away from their master and back to the ship.

The attack continues until the two figures are weak enough for the sand to take them into the portal. The next thing that Pali and Thelgo knew are the sand them thru the portal; purple magic and mist first surround them and the next thing they see is pure white. Cold winds touch their skin and harden their joints in an instant.

Pali and Thelgo try to move but the sands that Shamir cast hold them in place as it continuously moves into the air.

Jasmine sees the figures gone. She then closes the portal behind Pali and Thelgo.

Pali and Thelgo yelled curses against the guardians. "NOT AGAIN!" "We will not return to Hades!" "Nightmare will avenger us!" they cried to the white empty sky until the sand holding them lost magic. They fell from a great height and straight into a frozen lake. The ice collapsed on impact and the lake take what is theirs. Their bodies sank deeper and deeper but no matter how hard they try, their bodies won't move as the icy water began to freeze them solid. Until their last moments, they curse the guardians and sworn revenge.

"Your adventure will take them to Tymar, when you do our ancestors and descendants will be there to meet you in battle." Pali thought to herself until she cannot move.

"Thou we failed in our second life, our hopes we rest on your shoulders again Epialos. Avenge us! Thelgo too thought his last moments till he froze. And there forever their bodies they will rest beneath the lake.

Back at the ship, the guardians are now collecting themselves from their exhausting battle day yet.

Juan stands up and sees ice by the balate tree. He and looked at Jasmine and asked "Did you just sent them to Ginn Hus?!"

Jasmine smiled and replied "Well, during the battle earlier, Tala used ice to stop the scarabs from moving. I figured to send them to the most frigid place in the world. I'm sure they won't be back."

Juan was nudged by Tala and smiled "Hear that? She learned that from me."

Juan smiled and is proud that Jasmine was able to grow in a short period. In this small respite, he can see Hel in her. Maybe it's thru their bond or their experience together. But he is sure of knows one thing, he will Jasmine till the end.

Jasmine uses most of the water to expand the portal. The water began to evaporate quickly the more she expands the portal to fit the ship. Amihan walks over the bridge and jokingly asked Jasmine: "So, where to captain?"

"To Tymar!" she yells. Jasmine stretches her hand and opens the portal; everyone on the ship can see what's on the other side of the portal, a large landscape of green hills, a mountain range filled with olives trees atop them a huge mountain in the middle of it.

Atlas clenches his fist and brings it close to his chest. He fears going back to Tymar but if they are to solve the figures chasing Shamir and to clear the doubts the surround her, they return to the place where her story and his didn't match.

Shamir places her tiny hands over Atlas' massive hands, giving him small comfort to the unknown adventure they will face. "Welcome are home Atlas, son of Iapetus. I heard that you know. I didn't know a guardian that I am speaking is part of the Tymar's royal family."

He laughs as he tries to defuse the praise and instead gave her a pat on her back "No, adelfí. This home." He turns around and showed Shamir a picturesque scene of the other guardians all looking up to Jasmine as they guide her to their next adventure.