The Light Guardian

"Guys, has anyone found anything yet?" John's voice echoed from the Eldrath ringer.

"No, nothing yet," Fred's group replied.

"Nothing on this side either…" Elizabeth said, sighing as she watched the sunrise. It was 8 a.m., and they had been searching for the past three hours. They had just come down from the mountain and were now at its foot, preparing to commence a search of the surrounding area.

"Joe, please be safe," Elizabeth said as she placed Frosty into a pouch hanging from her neck.

"If I see you, I promise not to bully you much anymore," she whispered, standing up and raising a flare gun. She fired it into the sky, signaling the others to begin their search.

"Elizabeth, Keji, Fred, John, Nicholas, Liya, Frosty, and a nurse?"

"They are searching for me," Joe murmured in a lucid state, his chest impaled and his breathing shallow.

"I have to get out of here, no matter the cost," Joe said, clenching his fist and closing his eyes. In his mind, he saw a white fire burning and reached for it. The fire enveloped him, consuming his soul.

Joe rose from the floor, the injury in his chest healing rapidly. His eyes changed color due to the fire's possession, and ancient writings swirled within them. He was now in a state known as double consciousness.

"I can't let you keep me here," Joe declared, his body radiating Eldrath far more potent than before.

"Show me what you're capable of," the sage challenged, taking a stance with his staff.

"Come, let me teach you what desperation means," Joe said, motioning with his hand.

"With this, I might be able to get out of here," Joe thought as he locked eyes with the sage and steadied his mind. The sage twirled his staff, infusing it with Eldrath as he approached Joe. In an instant, the staff transformed into a spear, and the sage unleashed a flurry of stabs. Joe evaded them effortlessly and kicked the spear from the sage's hands, returning to his original stance. The sage's eyes widened in shock, and he leaped back three steps.

"I commend you," the sage said before coughing up blood. He fell to the ground, his body covered in sweat, his breath labored, and his vision unfocused. A sharp, intense pain radiated from his abdomen.

"What happened?" the sage wondered, raising his gaze to Joe, who stood motionless.

"Just in that moment… what could have happened? This isn't the backlash," the sage thought, chuckling as he struggled to his feet. Staggering slightly, he placed a hand on his abdomen and raised the other into the air. The staff split into two, transforming into dual swords.

"What's the matter? Are you done?" Joe taunted as he suddenly appeared behind the sage, still standing in his original position. He kicked the sage in the back before he could react.

"Did he just create an afterimage?" the sage questioned himself, retreating to the far end of the platform.

The sage smiled as the runic symbols on his skin began to glow.

"You have proven yourself a worthy opponent," the sage said, performing a strange dance as he swung his blades. The runes on his skin emerged and began swirling around him before merging into one. The ancient symbol translated to 'open.'

"Open?" Joe asked.

"So, you understand the Lumineth tongue," the sage smirked.

"You never cease to amaze me," he added as the symbol embedded itself in his chest. His eyes turned white like Joe's, his hair floated, and a halo of light formed around his right hand and left ankle. The dual swords transformed into beams of light.

"I will show you why I am called the Light Sage," the sage declared, hovering above Joe. Joe remained unfazed, trusting his newfound, albeit borrowed, power.

"This is what is called mastered double consciousness," the sage said as the swords vanished. Joe's eyes widened when he was suddenly slashed from behind, even as he attempted to dodge. Touching the wound on his back, he was slashed again, this time across his face.

"Nice instincts," the sage remarked with a smile.

"The swords appear, strike, and disappear instantly," Joe thought, remaining on full guard as he scanned his surroundings.

He leapt into the air to avoid a sword he sensed coming from his left, only to be slammed into the platform by the second sword.

"Ha… did you really think you could win?" the sage taunted.

"These blades can appear anywhere, at any time, as I will them," the sage said confidently.

Joe smiled, having already deduced the trick behind the invisible swords.

"Don't think you're the most powerful one here," Joe retorted, rising from the rubble as his injuries slowly healed.

The sage, now visibly annoyed, swiped his hand at Joe, but Joe dodged in a flash, grabbing the sage's right foot mid-air. Joe formed a sword with his Eldrath, aiming to strike the sage.

"No!" the sage shouted as the swords became visible and morphed back into the staff. The staff moved to shield the sage, but at the right moment, Joe let go of the sage's foot and grabbed the staff's end, landing back on the platform with it.

"This is the end," Joe declared, pouring his Eldrath into the staff, overloading it. The staff cracked and shattered into pieces.

"No!" the sage cried out in rage, collapsing to his knees amidst the broken shards. Joe's hair stood on end as he sensed an ominous aura emanating from the sage. Despite this, Joe stood unfazed, ready for whatever came next.

"How dare you," the sage hissed as the realm trembled, the vibrations fracturing the surrounding area.

"I don't care what happens anymore," the sage said as he walked toward Joe. Each step he took caused the platform beneath him to crack and shimmer with heat, his entire body radiating a brilliant light. The glow grew so intense it spilled from the dimension into the real world, leaving those outside awestruck and uneasy.

"I can still restore balance and vanquish Evil," the sage declared, his voice steady but firm.

"But to do that, I must stop you," he added, stepping closer. In a flash, he grabbed Joe by the arm with incredible speed, and together they ascended through the dimensions, passing stars and galaxies until they reached a vast expanse in the universe.

"This will be the end," the sage said, his voice tinged with sorrow. As he prepared to confront Joe, a quiet confidence grew in Joe's expression.

"You underestimate me," Joe said calmly, stepping back.

"I TOLD YOU I WOULD SHOW YOU WHAT TRUE DESPERATION MEANS." With a focused gesture, Joe summoned a thin beam of concentrated light, sending it toward the sage. The beam struck with incredible force, sending the sage reeling and momentarily stunned. A radiant shockwave rippled across the cosmos, creating faint cracks in the dimensional barrier.

"Wait… how am I breathing in space?" Joe wondered aloud, the thought catching him off guard. Suddenly, the air seemed thin, and Joe gasped for breath. Without hesitation, he reached for the sage, who was still recovering, and brought them both back to Earth in a streak of light. They landed softly on a secluded beach behind the mountains, the cool ocean breeze a welcome relief.

Joe steadied himself and turned to leave, his body weary from the battle and the journey.

"Wait," the sage called out, his voice no longer commanding but instead calm and measured. He reached out, gently halting Joe.

"I don't want to fight anymore. Just let me go," Joe said, a hint of exhaustion in his voice.

The sage placed a hand on his own chest, healing his wounds as ancient symbols flickered and settled across his skin. Once he stood, his demeanor was entirely different—peaceful and contemplative.

"I will let you go, but first, I must tell you something," the sage said, pulling his hood over his head.

"What is it?" Joe asked, his guard still raised, though his posture softened.

"First, thank you," the sage began.

"For helping me see my own flaws."

"Second, I need to explain why all of this is happening," he continued, gesturing to the serene but otherworldly surroundings.

"It's because Evil's awakening is near, and the River has chosen you, as I explained before. You may be the one destined to stop it."

"For I have seen your power—it surpasses that of any Guardian before you," the sage explained, drawing intricate glowing symbols in the air. The symbols formed a phrase: 'Transcend darkness to light.'

"Do you accept to become the Guardian?" the sage asked, producing a small, glowing orb from the air.

Joe hesitated, looking up at the clear sky of the dimension and the peaceful landscape.

"What happens if I say no?" Joe asked, cautious.

The sage's expression turned serious. "Not much will happen at first," he admitted, "but when Evil rises, you may not be able to protect the people and things you care about. And without a Guardian, the world will fall into ruin."

Joe sighed, deep in thought. Finally, he spoke. "Alright. I accept. I'll be the next Guardian."

The sage smiled, a tear sliding down his cheek. "Thank you."

"Is that all?" Joe asked, glancing around the dimension.

"Take this," the sage said, releasing the glowing orb. It floated toward Joe and merged with him.

"This contains the essence of every Guardian who came before you. Use it wisely to defeat Evil and his disciples," the sage explained.

"Your journey will not be easy, but I believe in your strength," the sage added.

As he spoke, the air around them shifted, and a calm river suddenly flooded the area. The sage knelt in reverence while Joe stood, puzzled.

"Joe Kaelith…" a serene voice echoed. Joe tensed, expecting the mysterious presence that often appeared in his dreams.

"Fear not," the voice continued. "It is I, the River of Life. I recognize you as the Guardian of this generation."

"Kaelith, the Seeker of the Flame, you are blessed by Eldrath and destined for greatness," the River said, its voice warm and reassuring.

"Are you the one who keeps pulling me into that strange light dimension?" Joe asked, suspicious.

"That was Lummi," the River replied gently. "She is a descendant of mine and also a Guardian. Please forgive her curiosity."

The River's tone shifted to one of encouragement. "I will be with you whenever you need me. As a token, take this."

Three drops of radiant water emerged from the river. One touched Joe's forehead, another his chest, and the third merged with him completely.

"Now, you are free to go," the River said, and a glowing gate rose from the water.

"Thank you," Joe said, bowing deeply to the River and the sage.

"Remember, we are all connected," the River said as Joe stepped through the gate, smiling.

He reappeared in the real world, collapsing from exhaustion just as Keji and John rushed to his side. The gate behind him vanished, leaving only a faint shimmer in the air...