Chp. 13: Awakening on the battlefield

Recap: I looked over my shoulder and Meriella was levitating, her hair; flowing and turned silver. She was radiant like the embodiment of the celestial orb, as her feet touched the ground the Temporal Guardians were sent backwards by the force emanating from her. I stood proudly beside her , ready to take them all on

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The air was electric with anticipation as Terrchel and Meriella stood before the hordes of formidable Temporal Guardians with a new awakened power emanating in the air.

An earthy scent filled the atmosphere as the desert sand sprung to life at the thud of the Temporal Guardians hitting the ground with the unexpected force Meriella sent forth.

Staggering to their feet they now knew they underestimated their opponents before them.

For a moment, all you could hear was the eerie whistling of the wind passing by, and as it blew through Meriella's silver hair, it activated a glow around her that sent a scent in the air that only Terrchel could pick up on: a slightly sweet, fresh woody scent.

He looked over at Meriella and his eyes glowed basking upon her majestic appearance. He whispered to himself "that fragrance is hyssop". Unintentionally his mind took him to one of the memories when Arnold and Arlene were discussing ancient herbs. Hyssop was known as a holy herb with purifying properties.

The Temporal Guardians leader, stepped forward and said "could it be, the legendary awakening we've been awaiting!" He turned to his warriors and gestured for them to gaze upon Meriella, with her flowing silver hair and radiant embodiment of celestial orb energy. "Let us test your power," he said with confidence. The atmosphere was a mixture of excitement and danger.

The battle began with a burst of speed as Terrchel darted towards the Guardians, his compound eyes scanning the surroundings with incredible precision. The Guardians, with their temporal awareness, anticipated Terrchel's attack and countered with a synchronized strike. Their chrono-perception allowed them to see the flow of time, enabling them to dodge and weave around Terrchel's swift jabs.

Meriella seized the opportunity to strike, unleashing a barrage of celestial orb-enhanced acrobatic kicks. The Guardians, with their temporal manipulation abilities, attempted to slow down Meriella's movements, but she adapted quickly, using her agility to evade their attacks.

Terrchel, meanwhile, employed his acute sense of smell to track the Temporal Guardians' movements, anticipating their next attack. He countered with a devastating swarm of razor-sharp, energy-infused projectiles, which the warriors struggled to deflect.

The battle raged on, with both sides exchanging blows and showcasing their incredible abilities. The Guardians summoned a localized temporal distortion, creating a pocket of slowed time. Terrchel, however, adapted swiftly, using his enhanced awareness of surroundings to navigate the distorted time flow.

Meriella took advantage of the temporal distortion, unleashing a concentrated blast of celestial energy that resonated with the distorted time flow. The blast struck the Guardians with incredible force, sending them stumbling back.

The Guardians retaliated with a powerful temporal manipulation technique, creating a rift in the fabric of time. Terrchel, with his regeneration resilience, withstood the initial blast of chronal energy. He then countered by unleashing a massive, energy-infused burst of speed, which allowed him to close the distance and strike the Guardians with a flurry of precise, deadly blows.

Meriella joined the fray, using her acrobatic agility to dodge the Guardians' attacks. She then unleashed a celestial orb-enhanced technique, creating a localized gravity anomaly that pinned the Guardians to the ground.

As the battle reached its climax, Terrchel summoned his ultimate technique: the "Chrono-Swarm." A massive, swirling vortex of energy-infused projectiles erupted from Terrchel's body, engulfing the Guardians and threatening to obliterate them.

The Guardians, with their temporal awareness, anticipated the attack and attempted to manipulate time to evade the Chrono-Swarm. However, Terrchel's swarm senses allowed him to adapt and adjust the trajectory of the projectiles, ensuring that they would hit the Guardians with unrelenting force but the Temporal Guardians Leader could anticipate Terrchels next move and before he could send forth his attack, he pleaded Terrchel to withdraw.

It was evident that Terrchel and Meriella would emerge victorious, their combined strength and strategic teamwork proving too great for the Temporal Guardians to overcome. This proved what the Temporal Guardians suspected that there was a future ahead where the chosen has risen and they will fight along side each other.

As the dust settled, Terrchel stood tall, his compound eyes gleaming with pride, while Meriella smiled radiantly, her celestial orb energy shining brightly inside her.

The Leader bowed down before Meriella and pledged his allegiance to her. "The daughter of Light, we've waited millennia for your birth. We now see that just as it's been spoken it has come to be.

When the star fell from The Light Realm it was a Unraveling of the prophecy set in stone.

A daughter to be reborn from the Celestial Orb's Energy to fulfill what must come with the chosen one by her side. There will be a uprising as the end days approaches and the human race grows greedy with invention and stolen power. A breed that would wipe itself out if left to its own demise, we as celestials are too observe and guide and only interfere when there's a need otherwise everything would be meaningless.

You two are the only hope for Arcadia. The Light Realm has been watching you and everything that has transpired has been by design. When the time comes, call on us and we will fight by your side.

The Temporal Guardian explained to Meriella that she could call upon them using the tech and tuning into the celestial frequency. Terrachel then said he knows the process as Leghorn taught him.

The Temporal Guardian also explained to Meriella that she now had the ability to open and close portals but that Terrchel and her needed to return to their own time in the future so that everything could play out further.

As they prepared to return to their own time, Meriella grasped Terrchel's hand, and together they stepped through the portal. Their journey back was more controlled and graceful than the last.

They emerged in the dimly lit basement of the Elysium Club, the pulsating music of the club could be heard through the walls and laughter from drunk people in the outside alleyway. A stark contrast to the eerie silence eminating from the portal before them.

Terrchel's eyes locked onto Meriella's, his expression urgent. "Now that your powers have awakened, we need to close the portal for good. We can't risk someone else using it to alter the timeline." Meriella nodded in agreement, and with a swift motion, she sealed the portal, ensuring their journey through time remained a secret.

As they stepped out into the cool night air, the alleyway's sounds of prave music and smells of vape mixed with moss enveloped them.

Meriella swayed, her eyes fluttering closed. "Terrchel, I...I don't feel so good," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Without hesitation, Terrchel bent down, and Meriella wrapped her arms around his neck, climbing onto his back. Her breath caressed his skin as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Terrchel's gaze drifted over the alleyway, his mind racing with their next move. Homeless and without direction, he carried Meriella through the deserted streets.

The pungent aroma of rotting garbage wafted through the air, and for the first time, Terrchel felt a wave of disgust. It hit him like a ton of bricks - this was what he had been surviving on for years. Leghorn's words echoed in his mind: "As time passes, you'll adapt to being human." Terrchel's newfound appreciation for human food and cravings was a startling revelation, one that left him questioning his entire existence.

Terrchel's fingers danced across the sleek surface of his Swatch, searching for a nearby hotel to take Meriella. But before he could book a room, the device beeped, signaling an incoming call. Leghorn's name flashed on the screen, and Terrchel's expression turned guarded.

He accepted the call, and a holographic projection of Leghorn materialized before him. "Terrchel, I need you to come to the Undergrid," Leghorn said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of concern.

Terrchel raised an eyebrow, his tone nonchalant. "What's up, Leghorn? Can't handle the Undergrid without me?"

But as he spoke, Terrchel's emotions began to simmer just below the surface. "You know, Leghorn, I have to say, I'm a bit surprised you're calling me now. After abandoning me in that hotel lobby, I didn't think I'd hear from you again."

Leghorn's expression turned somber, and he took a deep breath. "Terrchel, I'm sorry. I truly am. I had a mission, one that I couldn't involve you in. I was instructed to keep you out of it, for your own good."

Terrchel's anger and hurt boiled over, his voice cracking. "My own good? You have no idea what Meriella and I went through. We could have died, Leghorn. We could have been stuck in a different timeline forever. And you just...left me. If Meriella wasn't by my side I would have definitely not made it"

Leghorn's holographic form seemed to sag, his eyes filled with regret. "I know, Terrchel. And I'm deeply sorry. Please, just come meet me in the Undergrid, Pillager's Quarters. I'll explain everything, and we can catch up on what's happened since...since I left you."

Terrchel's gaze narrowed, his voice cold. "I'm already in The Undergrid. I'll come to your location, but not because I'm forgiving you that easily. I was planning on tracking down Emerson anyway. But don't think for a second that this means I'm okay with what you did, Leghorn. I'm still angry, and I still hurt."

Leghorn's expression remained somber, but a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes. "I understand, Terrchel. I'll see you soon." The holographic projection dissolved, leaving Terrchel to ponder the tumultuous emotions swirling within him.

As Terrchel trekked out the Club Elysium through the rowdy alleyways carrying Meriella, the soft rise and fall of her chest against his back was a soothing balm to his weary soul and distracted him from the emotions stirred up by the conversation he just had with Leghorn.

He adjusted his swatch, the holographic display flickering to life as he navigated to Leghorn's pinned location. They passed through mossey tunnels under the night sky.

The Undergrid pillagers' hideout loomed ahead, its twisted metal spires reaching towards the sickle moon like skeletal fingers.

As they approached, Meriella stirred, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal sleepy, golden eyes that sparkled with warmth in the moonlight. Terrchel's heart skipped a beat as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips brushing against his ear in a soft whisper: "We home." The words sent shivers down his spine, and for a moment, it felt like he was right where he belonged. With Meriella in this strange land.

He bent down allowing her to hop off his back and stand before him. He noticed her hair was back to its red Crimson colour. He reached out and twirled stands of her soft curls in his fingers. With a admiration in his eyes and a smile on his face he said "I missed your beautiful fiery hair". Meriella blushed and gave Terrchel a big smile that reaches her eyes.

Terrchel figured her hair must have curled due to the hectic day they had and the cool air but he thought she looked like a angel despite when her hair was straight, wavy, curly or even silver.

As they stood at the entrance of the Undergrid pillagers' hideout, the flickering fluorescent lights casting an eerie glow on the surrounding metal walls, Terrchel's heart pounded in anticipation.

Meriella's eyes, still heavy with sleep, sparkled with a soft intimacy, her gaze locking onto his with a gentle vulnerability.

Without a word, Terrchel's hands drifted to her waist, his fingers wrapping around her slender frame as he drew her closer.

Meriella's lips parted slightly, a whispered breath escaping as she tilted her head, her eyes never leaving his. Their lips met in a tender, exploratory touch, the spark of electricity between them igniting a slow-burning fire that spread through their veins.

Terrchel's mouth moved over hers with a gentle reverence, as if savoring the taste and texture of her lips.

Meriella's hands slid up his chest, her fingers curling around the back of his neck, drawing him deeper into the kiss.

It felt like time suspended. The dangers that lay ahead receded, leaving only the gentle pressure of her lips and the possibility of a love that could conquer even the darkest of worlds.

Terrchel thought to himself, if the only good thing that being reincarnated brought him is her then he would do it all again. To share this moment on repeat.

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