Chapter four

A loud crack shook the skies and ground alike as the rain poured down. I sat up drenched in sweat being pulled from the hellish night mare only to wake up in another.

"Are you okay?" Helios sat next to me facing the entrance.

"Where is everyone?" I sat up and looked around the empty tent.

"Fighting. Guardian Icarus ordered us to stay here. Told us to rest before we mad the journey to Drower."

"Why does it always feel like we're hiding from the fight?" I grumbled as I rested my chin on my knees.

"I don't get why you're so eager to battle our fallen brethren. War isn't some game you know." He sighed and put his arm over my shoulders. I'd forgotten how small he actually was. His armor made him look bigger than normal.

"It's not that I want to fight them. I want to put their souls to rest so they can be free again. So that they can be whole."

"You really think that works?"

"I was never meant to be a fighter. I was meant to be a healer. I took the courses i prayed to the Protector and the Divine Holy Light everyday. I practiced the prayer and refrained from violence for years. And it was for the hopes of being able to cure the tainted so they could return home. But then this happened."

"You'll find a cure one day." He laid down next to me and closed his tired eyes. I wasn't sure when the last time he slept us.

"I hope so." I rested my hand on his shoulder and watched the entrance.

The screams and screeches of Guardians and Hellions made an ear splitting symphony as thunder cracked. I looked down at Helios to see him deep in his sleep.

"Forgive me." I whispered as I put on my armor and grabbed my sword. I looked back at him one more time before stepping out into the chaos.

It was much louder outside and their was so much chaos. Should I go back in? Would that be best?

"Erinyes!" Seer's voice broke through the chaos. I spin around and saw her pinned to the ground by a hell beast.

"May your soul return to the heavens and be at peace." I began the prayer as I ran over to her.

"Return from whence you came." I kicked the wolf like creature off her and lifted my sword high into the sky.

"Return to the light of the protector. Bless be thee, Amare" it came down swiftly and effortlessly lopped off the head.

"Thank you." She took my extended hand and pulled her out of the mud.

"How did you get ambushed?"

"They're hiding in the trees to counter strike our aerial attacks."

"They're gaining intelligence?"

"They've always had intelligence. They're just finally using it." A loud monstrous roar drowned out the thunder and chaos.

"What was that?"

"Everyone gather in formation! It's returned!" Dad commanded.

All the Guardians formed a loose wall and all had their swords and shields at the ready. Loud slow, heavy footsteps made the ground shake. A massive mutated hell beast, hellion hybrid emerged from the tree line. It stood at least sixty feet tall. It had massive spiraled like ram horns. And it's body resembled that of a bull but it stood on two legs.

"Start the prayers!"

"May your soul return to the heavens." All of the guardians began to enclose the monster in the lose wall.

"and be at peace. Return from whence you came." The circle began to shrink as they readied their weapons

"Return to the light of the protector." The monster lifted is big club like arm.

"He's going to strike!" I yelled as I ran towards them.

"Bless be thee, Amare." the guardians let out a war cry as they all tried to strike at once.

But they were so effortlessly swatted out of the sky like gnats. On of the guardians slammed into my chest. We fell to the ground and came to a sliding stop. My chest felt tight as air struggled to get to my lungs. I got up again and grabbed my sword from the mud. I ran to the monsters feet. I looked up and could barely see the things face.

"Damn you!" I yelled as I stabbed its toe. It looked down at me like I was just some ant. Steam billowed from its nostrils as it reached down for me. I began to run away but it still managed to get ahold of me. It's grip was tight around my torso.

"Let go!" I screamed as I tried to stab is hand. Wind rushed past me as it prepared to throw me. Was this my end?

I closed my eyes as his fist hurled forward. I felt myself become weightless. It felt like forever since I felt that sensation. It felt like I was flying. I felt my body slam into some one else. The person let out a cough as they caught me mid flight.

"What we're you thinking!" Helios scolded me as he dropped me on the ground. I opened my eyes and looked around.

"You left me!" He shoved me to the ground when I barely got back up.

"You left me and almost died! Why do you have to be so reckless? Why didn't you wake me up! What if I hadn't come out of the tent?"

"I'm sorry." The ground shook as the monster took a step.

"I'm sorry doesn't cut it!" He fell to his knees and wrapped me in a hug.

"We've lost too many guardians to the Taint and to this meaningless war. I don't want my brother to be a name on a commemoration plaque."

"Iason has fallen!" Seer's cry pierced the air. Both of us perked up and looked around trying to find where she's at.

"There!" Helios grabbed my arm and yanked me up.

"Is he okay?" I yelled as the two came into view.

"He's injured. But still breathing. If Evangeline were here she'd be able to get him stable."

"Let me try. She was my teacher after all." I dropped to my knees and placed my hands over the wound.

"This will take a minute I need you two to cover me!"

"Everyone! Listen well, Iason has fallen and if that beast takes any more ground then the Gallen District will fall! Do everything you can to stop it and don't rest until it's head is on the ground!" Helios looked just like dad as his wings held him high in the sky. The guardians turned their attention away from the smaller daemons and all focused on the goliath.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes and focused on the energy that flowed in my body. This would take every thing I had if I wanted to get dad stable.