Author’s Note: And now we come to the final chapter of Before Light, the aftermath of the Guardian’s battle with Regent.
Caitlin collapsed as she fell through the portal of the well, her powers all but completely exhausted. Cassandra caught her sister, lifting the smaller girl into her arms. The death guardian turned to the others. Heather was carrying the now unconscious Anne, a look of calm awe in her eyes.
“I never thought she would be able to do it,” the earth guardian murmured, watching Caitlin’s sleeping face carefully. “I guess I have a lot to learn still.” Cassandra nodded, smiling softy at the taller girl. The silvery portal behind them closed without a sound.
“We’ll have to ask Caitlin about the well when she wakes up,” Abby murmured. “From what we’ve heard she never should have gotten out.” Heather nodded. Suddenly the stone under their feet rolled. Dust shaking from the stone roof over their heads caused Liesl to go into a coffing fit.
“We have to get out of here!” Marina exclaimed. “The building’s collapsing.” Cassandra nodded, shifting Caitlin in her arms.
“Anna, take her,” she commanded. The fire guardian complied without a word, taking Caitlin from her sister. Cassandra called in her scythe and gathered the others close to her. “Hold on,” she murmured, and they vanished into the realms of the dead, just as the celing of Regent’s throne room came crashing down, burring the main entrance to the Well of Worlds forever. They reappeared outside of the fortress, a good ways off and atop a large plateau. There they watched as the fortress crumbled to dust, noting the fleeing forms of several demons. It seemed most of the creatures had been sent back to hell before the battle.
“I guess he didn’t want them involved,” Abby muttered. Anna nodded in agreement, shifting Caitlin in her arms.
“At least he was willing to face his enemies,” she answered. Liesl breathed a sharp sigh.
“In the end at least,” she murmured. “I doubt he thought we would actually defeat him.” Cassandra nodded to that, but then frowned. Something about the battle they had just fought troubled her. Regent had been so confident, never loosing his cool… until he and Caitlin had fallen into the Well… As if sensing her sister’s confusion, Caitlin shifted in Anna’s arms, her blue eyes blinking open slightly. She glanced around, looking up at Anna.
“You ok?” the flame guardian asked her. Caitlin nodded in response, allowing Anna to let her down. She staggered slightly on her feet, still weak from the flow of power through her. Noticing her fatigue, Anna sat the light guardian down, watching her carefully.
“Caitlin?” Cassandra asked. Caitlin smiled at her twin.
“I’m alright Cass. Just tired,” she answered. Cassandra nodded.
“Caitlin… we have to ask. What happened back there, when you fell into the well,” Abby murmured. Aria looked up expectantly. Caitlin sighed and took a deep breath.
“I don’t really know. Suddenly I could sense all of you channeling your powers through Anne and I transformed again. Some how… I just knew what to do. It’s like the Well was calling to me,” she answered.
“But no one can successfully navigate the Well, let alone create portals other that the permanent opening,” Heather stated, setting Anne down on the ground beside her before taking a seat herself. Caitlin shrugged.
“Myrandel told me that the Well answers only to the powers of Light and Time. I guess that means I can use it,” she answered. Cassandra nodded.
“That would explain why you were able to…” She bit her lip, not wanting to bring up painful memories. Caitlin smiled sadly.
“It’s alright Cass,” she said. “I can’t change what happened now. But maybe… just maybe… someday…” Tears formed in the light guardian’s eyes and she bit her lip. “I saw him again, in the Well. Myrandel and his mother were there too. At least… At least I got to say goodbye.” Cassandra nodded.
“At least you were granted that much.” Caitlin smiled at her sister. A dull, pained moan caused the eight young women to turn and fix their eyes on the last. Anne blinked her eyes open, clutching her head.
“Damn it… I hate you all,” she muttered darkly. Marina chuckled and knelt beside her sister.
“You all right?” she asked. Anne glared at her.
“My head’s about to split open,” she growled back. Marina just laughed and placed a hand on Anne’s forehead, using her powers to dull the pain. “Thanks,” Anne murmured, before turning to the others. “Well… I guess we’re finished here.” Cassandra nodded.
“Finally,” she replied. Abby nodded and stood.
“We should get back to my village,” she murmured. The others nodded at that. Cassandra sighed and stood.
“You know. I think we’re going to have to find another mode of transportation,” she said. Marina blinked. “Why’s that love?” she asked. Cassandra sighed.
“Because I’m getting a headache from all this flitting around,” she replied. Caitlin smiled and stood, more steadily this time.
“Then allow me,” she told them. Cassandra stared at her with wide eyes. Then she shook her head.
“No, no way. We are not going in there. What if we get lost!” she shrieked, drawing a laugh from her sister.
“Cass, shut up,” Anne snapped, rubbing her forehead. “You’re making my headache worse.” Caitlin smirked at her counterpart and moved in front of the group. She lifted her hand, drawing a line of light across the air in front of them. The line split, opening like a curtain until it formed a neat doorway of pure light outlined in gold. Caitlin glanced back.
“Just stick close and you won’t get lost. Trust me,” she said. Cassandra sighed and nodded, and the nine guardians stepped into the Well of Worlds.
Heather blanched when they stepped into the Well. Caitlin’s guardian robe had changed completely, forming back into the outfit that she remembered from watching the light guardian’s battle with Regent
“What happened to you?” she asked, dumbfounded. Caitlin looked down, raising an eyebrow at the costume she was wearing.
“I don’t know. I guess I can use this form at any time as long as I’m in the well,” she murmured. A thin silver staff appeared in front of her, looking almost like a key. “Neat.”
“Ok… so, what now?” Liesl asked, glancing around the Well. The flitting colors were making her a little dizzy. Caitlin shrugged and turned to the portal she had just opened, tapping it with her staff. It closed like a curtain, fading back into the whirling crystal lights of the Well.
“I think we should just dub this the Realm of Light,” Anne muttered, glancing around.
“Why’s that?” Aria asked. Anne shrugged.
“Look around. It’s blinding. Plus Caitlin seems to be the only one that can actually navigate it,” she answered. Cassandra nodded.
“Makes sense, now can we get out of here? I agree with Liesl, this place does make you dizzy,” she stated. Caitlin laughed and stepped forward, walking a little ways to the left.
“It doesn’t bother me,” she told them, as she tapped a tiny, glimmering crystal that floated by with her staff. The crystal stopped in its movement and grew, forming into another portal. Through it they could see the familiar lake of Abby’s home village. “Well?” she asked the others.
Heather smirked and led them through, Caitlin taking the end and closing the portal as soon as they stepped through. Once outside of the realm of light, her strange transformation and her staff disappeared.
“I guess I can only use that form in the Well,” Caitlin murmured. Cassandra nodded and gazed out at the lake.
“Abby!” A loud shout sounded across the meadow. Abby smiled and waved as her younger brother came into view, followed closely by Joe and Jason.
“Are you guys alright?” Joe asked them as they reached the small group of women. Liesl nodded.
“We’re fine, now,” she answered.
“You didn’t actually succeed did you?” Jason asked, a shocked look on his face. Anna rolled her eyes and smacked him over the head.
“Do you think we’d be here if we didn’t?” she stated. Jason rubbed the back of his head and pouted.
“I guess not.”
“Hey guys look!” Aria cried, pointing to the sky. All present looked up, gazing at the dim clouds. Caitlin suddenly smiled brightly. Through the blanket of gray that had covered the land for over 300 years, a ray of sunlight peaked, falling to the land below and illuminating the lake. It sparkled blue-green, glittering like a precious gem.
“Finally,” the light guardian whispered. They had lost so much, sacrificed so much, but finally… finally, they were free.
Author’s notes: I’M FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally I have finished the prequel to the Guardian Saga! Wa hoo!!!!!!
Regent: *smirks* I knew you didn’t have the nerve to actually kill me…
*glomps Regent* Nope ^_^ See ya guys all later! I’M FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Cat