The Guardians of Light

Chapter Two: Baal

Chapter Two

Baal’s hellish figure moved through the night.  Dark, shadow arms snaked out like enormous tarantula legs, feeling for the delicious pulse of power.  Baal had eyes, oh yes, but it was their shadow arms that they relied upon. 

In their true shape, Baal was monstrous although his human head was very attractive.  He had thick, luxurious, raven hair as black as his soul, and his eyes were murky pitch.  His cheekbones and nose spoke of aristocrat lineage, and his mouth would drive a woman insane with a smile.  It was his other heads that gave them the hellish reputation.

On one side, the being’s murky green skin was pocked with spots of mottled brown.  Mucus glands kept a sticky, thick sheen over the leathery skin, protecting it from drying out completely.  Golden-yellow eyes, ribboned with electric green, looked in different directions and rotated freely from the other: the horizontal pupil didn’t need light to see.  The large, slack mouth looked deceptively harmless.  The gooey tongue curled up inside could suck an unsuspecting victim into a dank, poisonous abyss. 

On the other side, the head of a Maine Coon cat hunted in the darkness as well.  It, too, had yellow eyes lanced with sea green spikes.  Enormous fangs were outlined under the feline lips.  Its tabby fur was thick and gray, but no one would dare to stroke it. 

The three bodies merged into one, twisting and blending into a grotesque, mutilated torso perched upon the gargantuan, hairy tarantula legs of smoke.  When the demon chose, the three entities separated into eight beings, each a leg of the brain.  In this manner, it could hop, stalk, or walk where ever it chose without unwarranted attention.  Most human pray didn’t give the time of day to a toad, a cat, or even a good-looking man. 

Baal was being drawn to the North.  Their job was to destroy any strongholds of Source power.  Through the dawn of time, the fight had always been light versus dark, and finally, the supremacy of blackness was on the brink of victory!  Baal didn’t bother to send a subservient to handle this arising problem.  They could sense the problem was a genuine threat, so they trusted no other.  The demon’s hissing laughter echoed through the night as it traveled to crush the forming revolution.

Shyla was early.  She couldn’t stand to be confined to the house any longer, at least not with her mother’s words ringing through her head.  She was anxious to hear what Kano had to say.  Maybe his idea of helping her had something to do with her mother’s warnings.  Was he one of the others she was supposed to seek out?  Before, she believed she was a loner, meant to live in solitude, but now she found herself strangely relieved to learn she didn’t have to be unaccompanied.  Like it or not, though, she was going to have to invest a bit of trust in Kano. 

Her sixth sense whispered that he was safe, but she didn’t feel ready to listen completely.  Any man that monitored her was suspect enough, especially one who wasn’t frightened by a trained woman with a tactical knife!   Still, the power was restless.  It whispered for her to believe.

Shyla loved the peaceful atmosphere of the museum, and she was enthralled with the talent of local artists.  The scenes were spellbinding, and the vibrant colors slashed yet also soothed.  There were paintings, drawings, sculptures, and statues.  There was more than the senses could absorb.

“Well, hello!” said the somewhat-familiar voice from behind her. 

Shyla jumped, slightly berating herself for not being one-hundred percent on-guard. 

“Hi, Kano.” It took a bit of effort for her to keep the surprise from her tone.

He was stretched against the wall, all lanky muscles, just observing her with his piercing green eyes.  Shyla’s heart skipped again when he smiled down at her.  She fumed as she felt the magnetic pull of attraction. 

Kano’s brows knitted a bit when he noticed the shadow pass across her face.  Shyla wiped away the dregs of her irritation and managed to smile back.  Once more relaxed, the young man pointed to the large wishing well at the art museum’s entrance. 

“Do you want to talk out there, or do you prefer in here?”

“It doesn’t matter to me.” She shrugged.

“I like outside better,” he said, pushing off the wall.  “One can case the surroundings better, and I also feel that these walls echo a bit.”

“Agreed.” 

Shyla was proud of herself for not drawing her knife on Kano again, but she wasn’t ready to be chummy, either.  Truth be told, he’d earned a smidgeon more trust from her because he had been able to approach her without her knowledge, and he hadn’t tried to hurt her. 

The sun was still bright but the chill of the evening air was creeping in.  The well was more like a round swimming pool made of concrete with a mermaid fountain in the center.  A low iron fence with ornate tops guarded the enclosure.  Both Shyla and Kano threw a few pennies into the shining water.  They watched until the ripples settled before talking. 

“So why have you been following me again?” Shyla began.  She’d subtly watched him beneath her lashes, but now she looked up to look at him directly.

“I hate to sound presumptuous, but I know you have power.” He let the statement settle over her.  Then he stressed, “A lot of power.  You’re damn good at masking it, but not good enough.”

“Not good enough for what?” she asked.  She c****d a brow but didn’t try to deny that she possessed power. 

“Look, I don’t know much or what you know, but we fight for freedom.”

“We?” she asked.  Then she smiled and said, “Isn’t that the Army… or military’s job?”

“We aren’t warring with other humans,” Kano stressed.  “We’re fighting in The War of Ages… the heavens and the hells.  We’re the Soldiers of Light who fight demons and monsters.  These creatures are from the deepest pits of fear.  We need help, though, because we sense Baal on the prowl.”

“Baal?”

“Yes.  Look, I know I’m throwing a lot of information at you at once, but I feel I’ve got to lay it all out on the line.  Baal is a demon.  Let’s just say he’s the Prince of Darkness’s right hand man.  He has eyes and ears everywhere.  When any strong power takes hold, Baal is sent to destroy… and absorb it.”

“And?”

“I’m a seeker and a fighter.  There is a group of us.  My job is to pursue any leads to recruit Beings of White Light.  Your power has blossomed, of a sudden.  I noticed it, and you can be sure Baal has sensed this as well.  We can feel he’s on the way to destroy the threat.  I don’t have to tell you what that means for you, and because he’s being drawn to this area, for us.  Our only chance – your only chance – is to join us and train.”

Shyla ripped her eyes away from him for the first time and looked into the water.  Her dark shiny hair swung forward.  It was a shoulder-length curtain cut into a simple bob.

“How do I know you’re for real?  I mean, you could just be some nut case.  I don’t think you are, but still.”

“In your heart, you know my words ring true,” Kano said, understanding her doubts.  “Your power would tell you if I were lying.  Take a moment to reflect.  Listen to your heart.”

He straightened to respectfully give her a moment to consult her authority.

Without missing a beat, Shyla asked, “If I join you, how can we fight the Prince of Darkness’s right-hand man?  It seems like that would be an overwhelming task.”

“Your power is great,” Kano said simply.  “You’ve only scratched the surface of what you think you can do.  We can help you shape and wield it.  We’ll train you with others.  Let’s just say… you have the power to turn the war.”

Shyla’s eyes grew large in her face.  “Surely, you’re kidding.”

“I’m happy to say I’m not.”

Shyla grabbed the iron fence around the pool and softly announced, “I need to sit down.”

“Come on, let’s go to that bench by the flower beds.”

The young couple reclined on the wooden seat. Shyla tried to notice the delicate fall blossoms, but her mind was churning.

“Look,” Kano began, interrupting her thoughts.  “Do you know who your father is?”

“Of course,” she said, her tone slightly indignant.

“Then I’ll bet you haven’t seen him in years.”

“Um, y – yes.”

“It’s not because he doesn’t care about you,” Kano smiled and said, “Pardon my pun, but you are his light.  It was too dangerous to visit you because of the unwanted attention it would merit.  Now, however, you’ve been noticed.”

“If that’s true, where’s dad?” Shyla nearly masked the pain in what she hoped was an innocent question.

“I suspect you only vaguely know who he is.  Your father sits on the Council of the Guardians of Light.  He’s one of the main leaders in this war.  He wants to come but can’t.  Things are worse than most mere humans can know.”

“How do you know all this?  Do you talk to my dad?” Shyla was staring at him now, and her back was ramrod straight.

“No, but I’m in the war, so we get directives.  His family line has a distinctive glow.  You have that glow.  It’s the most powerful there is on this earth.”

“Am I the last one, then?  I’m my parents’ only child.”

“You are one of the last,” Kano said with a nod. 

“So… what exactly… am I?  Mom isn’t here anymore… and as you said, I don’t even know my dad really.”  Shyla angrily brushed a tear aside.

“Your dad is a Guardian.  Your mom was a teacher in the School of Light.  That makes you a very powerful… being.”

“A being?  So, am I even human?”

“You have a human layer.  We all do.  But you are more light than you are water.”

“What are you saying?” Shyla held her breath.  When she released it, she stated, “I bleed like everyone else.”

Kano answered slowly, “You do and you don’t.  Part of your father’s protection was to mask your identity from everyone, including yourself.  You are human, but not much.  You’re a Being of Light, a very powerful one.”

Shyla stood and paced in front of him.  “This is so much to take in.  I can’t believe all this you’re telling me about myself.  I mean, how can I make any real difference?”

“Join us,” Kano said, standing.  He reached out and said, “Come with me.  Naila will teach you.”

When he touched her for the first time, it was shocking.  A surge of electricity snapped.  The intense tingle raced up her arms and into her chest.  It coursed down, warming her belly in the most intimate of ways. 

Shyla gave a startled cry. Kano’s own eyes were wide in wonder.  Instead of moving away from her, Kano drew her closer.

“Tell me truthfully,” he said into her ear.  His voice was low and sensual.  “Have you ever felt this way before from just a touch?”

Shyla stepped back in wonder.  She stammered, “N – no.”

Both of them slowly sat back on the bench. Finally, she whispered, “Have you?”

“Honestly, no.”

They were both silent for a time.  Finally Shyla asked, “Who is Naila?  Does she wield power?”

Kano seemed to snap out of his thoughts.  He answered, “All Children of the Light do.  With the abilities we think you have, you can powerfully shield...  all of us. Your capabilities are so resilient, they can even make you invisible – with practice.”

Shyla swallowed and froze.  She didn’t talk for ten minutes or so.  She silently absorbed all the information.

Finally, she asked, “How long do I have to decide?”

“Not long.  I think you need to come with me now, tonight.”

Surprise traveled across her features.  She asked, “Do I at least get to pack?”

“Yes.  But it’s not safe for you, even at this moment.  If you’ll allow, I’ll escort you.”

“I feel a bit overwhelmed and no offense, this has an air of melodrama.  I think I’ll be okay for a few more hours.  I need to process.”

“I insist.”

He reached out and touched her lightly. The power whispered over her skin where his fingers rested.  It made her feel alive.  It made her hyper aware of his maleness.

­Shyla stood, but the ground seemed to swirl with vertigo.

“Hey,” Kano said, “are you okay?”

Shyla reached out a hand to steady herself and met Kano’s arm.  As soon as her skin made stronger contact with his, she was flooded with energy.  This touch was restorative instead of one of attraction.  Her reserves were brimming!

“Oh, my God!” she breathed in wonder.

Kano laughed. 

Shyla squeaked, “Did… did you know you could do that?”

“I suspected.”

“I… I just got energy from touching you!” she repeated.

“It appears so.”

“But – does it drain you?”  Worry etched small lines on her brow.

“Well, this is our first experience, so not really.  We actually wondered if you’d have a contact who could help you.”

“Wh – what do you mean?”

“In war, the most powerful beings are constantly exerting themselves.  Rest isn’t always an option.  For that, we have the Partners – people who are matched to the warrior for feeding their power, if you will.”

“Feeding their power?  That sounds… morbid.”

His handsome face broke into a smile. “No.  It keeps the energy going.”

“What happens to the Partner in war?”

“We’ve been trained to handle the repercussions, but there’s time for talk later, in a more secure location.  Come on. Let’s go get your stuff!”

Kano refused to talk further about it, so Shyla led him to her home.   Shyla knew he thought the discussion was over, but she was a very hard-headed woman.  She’d let it go for now.

“How much stuff should I pack?” she asked.

“Just get enough for a few days.  I’m sure we can get more of your things later.”

In thirty minutes, the couple was walking toward the training compound.