The Guardian Beneath The Tree
1077 Words
Chapter 8
Silence swallowed the underground chamber.
Nobody moved.
Nobody even breathed.
The giant wolf-like creature towered above them, its silver eyes glowing through the darkness while broken chains dragged across the stone floor beneath its massive body.
“You carry his blood.”
The words echoed endlessly through Aretha’s mind.
Her throat tightened.
“Whose blood?”
The creature studied her carefully.
Its gaze was ancient.
Heavy with memory.
With grief.
Before it could answer, Orion stepped protectively in front of the group.
“Stay back.”
Golden wolf energy exploded around him instantly.
The air trembled with power.
“You were sealed beneath the Tree for a reason.”
The giant creature slowly turned its head toward Orion.
“I know who you are, Wolf King.”
Orion’s expression darkened slightly.
“You speak too much for a monster.”
A low growl rumbled through the chamber.
The roots along the walls trembled violently.
“I am no monster.”
The creature’s eyes shifted back toward Aretha.
“I was once a guardian.”
The whispers inside Aretha’s head suddenly became clearer.
Not painful anymore.
Sad.
Lonely.
Abandoned.
She stepped forward slightly before Liam caught her wrist.
“Aretha.”
She looked at him.
“I don’t think it wants to hurt us.”
Nyra stared at her like she’d lost her mind.
“It’s literally the size of a building.”
Still, Aretha carefully stepped forward.
The giant creature watched her quietly.
The closer she moved, the stronger the strange connection became.
Like something inside her recognized it.
Or remembered it.
“You know my father,” she said softly.
The creature lowered its massive head slightly.
“Yes.”
Selene’s face lost color instantly.
“No…”
Orion noticed her reaction immediately.
“You know this creature?”
Selene remained silent.
That answer alone was enough.
The creature’s silver eyes narrowed toward her.
“Daughter of Lumierre.”
Its voice deepened.
“You should not have hidden the child.”
Liam looked sharply between them.
“Okay, someone seriously needs to explain what’s happening.”
The chamber suddenly trembled again.
Black corruption spread further along the roots above them.
The giant creature looked upward.
“The darkness grows stronger.”
Orion raised his blade again.
“What are you?”
For several seconds, the creature remained silent.
Then finally—
“I am Fenrir.”
The name echoed heavily through the chamber.
Elias froze instantly.
“I know that name…”
Everyone looked toward him.
The Visionary’s face had gone pale again.
“In the ancient records,” he whispered. “Fenrir was one of the first guardians created by the Tree of Life.”
Nyra blinked.
“Wait… that Fenrir?”
The creature nodded slowly.
“Before Lumierre existed… before the war between light and shadow… guardians protected the balance of magic.”
Its silver eyes darkened with sorrow.
“But humans and magical bloodlines became hungry for power.”
The roots around the chamber pulsed weakly.
“The balance was broken.”
Orion frowned deeply.
“The guardians disappeared centuries ago.”
“We were betrayed,” Fenrir answered quietly.
The chamber fell silent again.
Then Aretha asked the question lingering in everyone’s mind.
“What does this have to do with my father?”
Fenrir looked at her carefully.
“Kael once came here.”
Selene closed her eyes painfully.
“He found the underground chambers…”
“He came searching for answers,” Fenrir continued. “Just as you have.”
Aretha’s chest tightened.
“My father knew about all this?”
“Yes.”
The giant guardian slowly lowered itself onto the stone platform.
“He feared what the prophecy would do to you.”
The prophecy again.
Always the prophecy.
Aretha clenched her fists.
“I’m tired of hearing about some prophecy nobody will fully explain.”
Fenrir studied her quietly.
Then spoke words that changed everything.
“The prophecy was never about destruction.”
Everyone froze.
Even Orion looked shocked.
“What?”
Fenrir’s silver eyes glowed brighter.
“The prophecy was corrupted.”
Silence.
“The ancient texts were altered after the Great War,” Fenrir explained. “Lumierre feared the child of shadow and light because the truth threatened the balance of power.”
Elias stepped forward carefully.
“What truth?”
Fenrir looked directly at Aretha.
“The child was never meant to destroy the realms.”
The guardian’s voice softened.
“She was meant to heal them.”
The entire chamber went still.
Aretha stared at him in disbelief.
“No…”
“Your existence represents balance,” Fenrir continued. “Light and darkness were never meant to remain divided.”
Orion’s jaw tightened.
“That’s impossible.”
“No,” Fenrir answered. “What is impossible is the hatred both realms created.”
Black corruption suddenly spread violently across nearby roots.
The chamber shook harder than before.
Fenrir growled deeply.
“It’s coming.”
Liam immediately stepped in front of Aretha again.
“What’s coming?”
Then the shadows moved.
Dark smoke poured into the chamber from every tunnel entrance.
The temperature dropped sharply.
And from the darkness—
Figures emerged.
Tall figures dressed in black armor covered with silver markings.
Shadow hunters.
Soldiers from the Dark Lord City.
Nyra cursed under her breath.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
There were at least twenty of them.
Each carried weapons made of black crystal.
And standing at the center—
A familiar figure stepped forward calmly.
Tall.
Dark coat flowing behind him.
Silver eyes glowing in the darkness.
Allan Dark.
The future king of the Dark Lord City.
The chamber instantly grew colder the moment he appeared.
Liam’s claws extended fully.
Orion stepped forward dangerously.
But Allan ignored everyone.
His gaze locked directly onto Aretha.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Allan smiled faintly.
“So,” he said softly, “you really do exist.”
Aretha’s heartbeat quickened immediately.
Something about him felt terrifying.
Yet strangely familiar.
Like standing too close to a storm.
Allan slowly looked around the chamber before his eyes landed on Fenrir.
“Guardian.”
Fenrir growled deeply.
“Dark blood.”
The shadow hunters raised their weapons instantly.
Tension exploded through the underground chamber.
One wrong movement could start a war.
Then Allan looked back toward Aretha again.
And his next words shattered the silence completely.
“You have your father’s eyes.”
- Writer
