THE ELEMENT GUARDIANS

Chapter 15: The Weddings and the Dream

It was early morning on Planet Element, the morning after Quester had brought Gigantus back to Element and told the entire team his story. Unknown to the team, it happened to be the morning after Master Topaz had received a vision that was passed along only to Master Ribbit and Queen Frenzy.

At the same time that Master Topaz encountered her vision, the ones who were given tasks to prepare for the war went their separate ways to perform them. In one section of Element, Lilley, Clarissa, and Jenerissa were preparing for the first transport to the secret location. In preparing for this job, Lilley first had to teach Clarissa and Jenerissa her transportation abilities. She knew that everything in life had its limits, and that if she used too much of that power it would take a while to regain her energy back. However, teaching it wasn’t as difficult as carrying it out. That is exactly what she was doing at that moment with the girls.

They were going to facilitate the transports with some type of pad. The construction of such a device was being taken care of by Quester. Lilley spent a lot of time training the two girls. The three of them began by transporting people in small groups to a place that was picked out by Master Ribbit. The girls also received some simple protection skills, for it was never too late to learn extra things.

In the depths of Quester’s castle, he and the giant were putting together the final pieces of the transport mechanism. It was going to be used to transport civilians who might be in danger to a secret location during the war. Quester learned that Gigantus was very helpful when it came to mechanical engineering, which made the task easier. What they were finishing up wasn’t that hard to use, intimidating though it looked—it was a pad that helped the transporter move large amounts of people, to make transportation go easier and faster. Even though Quester and the other four Guardians knew that Lilley was getting help from Dan’s daughters, they were building the device to better manage the distance traveled and energy used in order to keep Lilley safe. Between Quester and Gigantus, they had also put some miniaturization tech in the transport pad, so if things got to a point where Element was compromised before the war began, they could shrink it at a moment’s notice.

​As Clarissa, Jenerissa, and Lilley were being productive, so were the Guardians. They were still training, working more on animal handling now than swordsmanship. They had begun to attempt to interface with their animal guardians, in a sense embodying them. The five underwent this training on their own, using Master Ribbit’s ways of teaching, though Jason was doing the simulations instead of their master.

The first exercise that Jason led the others in was summoning their animal guardians when danger was coming at them. He started off with Sea Breeze. Jason began their training session by the large body of water that was off to the side of their training field.

“Now Sea Breeze, from here you should be able to summon your guardian animal from anywhere as long as there is water,” said Jason. “Once he is heading towards you, imagine that you are becoming one with the creature.”

Sea Breeze sent his thoughts out to his animal guardian. Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, the others could see the shark’s fin cutting through the water. When the shark’s head surfaced, Sea Breeze prayed to himself:

“Okay man, I want you to imagine becoming the animal itself. That’s what Jason said.”

As the shark came close, the transformation began. It was the link between Guardian and animal guardian that helped the most. As the two minds and bodies collided with one another, there was a bright light that blinded the other four Guardians. When the light had gone, all that was left was the shark. The other Guardians were impressed.

“So where did Sea Breeze go?” asked Dan.

“The shark is Sea Breeze,” answered Jason. “I figured, we can talk to them, summon them when they’re needed—so why not become them?” He turned to Dan. “Okay Dan, I need your help now. You’re going to help me do the same thing. Then you three will watch as Sea Breeze and I have a mental conversation in our animal guardian forms.”

So Dan prepared Jason for the same process. While the two were waiting for the dragon to show up, he asked, “How are we going to understand what you’re saying?”

Jason took his bracelet and quickly did something to it. “I just rewired your bracelet—when it glows, you’ll know we're talking to each other.”

“Okay,” said Dan, just as the dragon appeared from the clouds. After seeing the creature that was heading to Jason’s side, Dan went back to the others. As he watched the same transformation happen again, he did the same little trick with the other Guardians’ bracelets. The three of them watched as the dragon and the shark went up to each other, the dragon hovering above the surface of the lake as the shark swam just beneath it.

So what do you think? asked Jason. You think that this could be a good defense during the battle?

Sea Breeze swished his tail in assent. It would help if things get more dangerous. Maybe if we got better at it, I’d feel a little better.

I know that it’s a little strange, Jason agreed. This is only the first time we’ve tried this. I didn’t think it would work.

Okay then, let’s get the others in this form and train like this for a while, suggested Sea Breeze.

Okay, let’s do it!

***

Somewhere on Element, Quincey and Quester went for a walk through a wooded area, holding hands and enjoying each other’s company. Given that Quincey had left her old forest when she’d decided to go with Quester back to Element, the Metal Guardian wanted to make sure that she found a personal spot where she could go to remind herself that home still existed, that the Element Guardians now were her family.

In a low voice, so as not to disturb the surrounding forest, Quester whispered to Quincey, “It’s been a while since we did anything together, just you and me. Since we still have no idea when this war is going to start, let’s you and I make a dinner plan.”

“That sounds lovely,” responded Quincey. “I’ll have Lilley help me pick out something nice to wear.”

After the walk, Quincey went looking for Lilley. When she found her recovering from a busy morning of teleportation, she said, “Hey, Lil! Can we go back to your place? I need your help with something.”

“Sure, let’s go!” said Lilley. “I’m taking a break anyway.” The two girls went to where Lilley was staying, in a stone hut deep in the rainforest; it had reminded her of home.

“So, what’s up?” asked Lilley, sitting down on her bed. “What do you need me for?”

“Well, this morning, Quester asked me to go to dinner with him tonight,” said Quincey. “So I figured that you, like a good fashion designer, could help me to pick something out.”

“Oh, yes!” Excited by the prospect of dressing Quincey up, Lilley got up and went to her closet. “So, do you know where he’s taking you?”

“He said that there was a terrace overlooking the city.” It had sounded awfully romantic to Quincey, and Lilley agreed, opening her dressing closet. In a matter of minutes, with fast hands and good taste, Lilley had dressed Quincey in a long dark blue dress to complement her red hair, like a blood moon hanging over dark ocean waves.

“Did he tell you he was coming to get you?” asked Lilley.

“I think he wanted me to meet him there.”

“Okay, do you want me to teleport you?” asked Lilley. “I don’t want you to get a speck of dirt on that dress.”

“That would help a lot,” admitted Quincey. “Thanks, Lilley.”

“Hold on tight,” Lilley advised her.

The girls disappeared and then reappeared on the rooftop terrace of the restaurant Quester had chosen. After Lilley left her with a wink, Quincey turned to find Quester there, wearing a silver shirt with black pants.

“Why, you look great, sweetie,” he said.

“Thanks,” Quincey said.

Quincey allowed Quester to pull her chair out from the table, and after talking about little things for a while, they dined. After that, Quester decided to add some dancing to their lovely evening. He used his bracelet to create a gazebo and let Quincey inside. As music played softly in the background, he swept her onto the dance floor.

While he was dancing with her, Quester was trying to figure out how to steer her onto the topic of marriage. He thought to himself, he’d better do it right this moment. There would be no better time.

He pulled her closer to him and asked, “Quincey, how do you imagine your future?”

“Well, hopefully, I’ll settle down and raise a family, and learn more things about my husband every day, even after we’re married,” she said. “And, I imagine, I’ll want to keep looking at your face.”

“Well, that makes the question that much easier,” Quester remarked as he spun her around and dipped her.

“What question?” she asked. After he had gotten her back to a standing position, he got down on one knee and presented her with a small violet box.

“Now, I know that we’ve only been dating a short time,” said Quester, almost bashfully. “But I’ve thought of no one else but you since we met. And after talking with Master Ribbit, he and Master Topaz agreed that if they were to send you on a secret mission, that you would need a way of getting to and from your location. So that encouraged me to give you, well, this.”

He opened the box. In it was a precious stone encircled with an iron band.

“Quincey, could you do me the honor of marrying me?” Quester asked.

Quincey was speechless. It took her a while to get her thoughts together enough to give him an answer. When she finally did, she pulled him up and responded with a very long kiss, using her left hand to slip the ring onto her finger.

When the intimacy was over, Quester looked at her and said, “I guess I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Of course it’s a yes,” she laughed. “I just thought I’d show it instead of saying it.”

After the excitement was over, Quester took her back to the table and told her the story behind her new ring. He explained how the ring wasn’t just an engagement ring, but also a way to bounce from planet to planet. Also, that he was sure Master Ribbit was getting ready to send her to the planet Volga on her mission. As Quincey listened to the story, she was amazed that he had gone through so much to keep her safe.

As they were wondering how to finish off the evening, Jason came to them suddenly.

“Sorry to disturb your date, Quester, but Master Ribbit has asked that both you and Quincey see him at once.”

Neither of them happy about the interruption, Quincey and Quester followed Jason to where Master Ribbit and Master Topaz were waiting. They found the two masters in the underground library.

“Welcome Quincey, Quester, Jason,” said Master Ribbit. “Forgive the interruption this might have caused for the two of you, but a situation has arisen. It was brought to my attention by Master Topaz and could not be ignored. If you would kindly have a seat, I will be glad to inform you of why I had Jason bring you here.”

After the two were seated, Jason left the room. When the four of them were alone, Master Ribbit began. He placed one of the 3DHMS devices on the table and a picture of three people appeared in front of the couple.

“Earlier this morning, Master Topaz came to me with news of another vision,” Master Ribbit continued. “What you see in front of you is a 3D image of the vision she had. I was able to receive it from her brain and turn it into what you see before you now.”

“Out of the three people in this picture, we have identified two,” said Master Topaz. “Thanks to the help of Dan’s wife Queen Frenzy, we are certain that the woman in black is her sister, General Grossman.”

“As for the second one, he’s a scientist I knew long ago, Reptilious. I have reason to believe that picture may have been manipulated, for some reason, by Grossman,” said Master Ribbit. “This third person we can’t identify is the reason I had Jason find you. We believe that this is our window of opportunity to send Quincey over to infiltrate the enemy’s ranks. We need the identity of the third man in this picture. And along the way, I’d like to see how an old friend of mine might have gotten mixed up in all of this.”

Once both masters had finished speaking, they opened the floor to Quester and Quincey, in case they had questions. After a couple of minutes, Quincey spoke.

“If I may, Master Ribbit, I’ll do the mission for as we saw this might come up at one point, but I would like a good amount of time to spend with Quester before I go. May have permission to do that?”

“Yes, I will allow you time to spend with Quester,” said Master Ribbit. As he was answering her, he noticed the ring on her finger. “And while you two are spending time with one another, Master Topaz and I will work on making sure that your safety is assured.”

The couple got up and left the library, heading outside.

“Looks like we’ll have to tie the knot quicker than planned,” said Quester. “Look, I just don’t want you to think that you have to jump into marriage right after I proposed because of this mission. But there is nothing I want more than to marry you. There is no doubt in my mind.”

“There is no second-guessing for me, either,” said Quincey. “Plus, now we’ve got some time to spend together, so let’s use it to get married. I’m sure the others would want to be there and help out in any way they can.”

“You are right,” said Quester. “And speaking of the others, we’d better go tell them.”

They soon found the other four Guardians, and with them Lilley, Clarissa, and Jenerissa. Quincey noticed something very interesting about how each person appeared to be paired up: Sea Breeze and Lilley sat together, as well as Clarissa and Jason, and Jenerissa and Dave. As if secretly from Dan, who already had a wife, the others seemed to have found mates as well. When Quincey and Quester reached the others, they sat down.

“So, what did the masters have to say after I left?” Jason asked.

“Nothing that can’t be talked about with them at a different time,” said Quincey. “Right now though, we’ve got some news of our own, unless any of you want to share something.”

“Nothing that comes to my mind,” said Sea Breeze as he casually pulled Lilley closer to him. Ignoring the interaction, Quincey and Quester got up again.

“The reason why Quester asked me out to dinner tonight was so he could give me this,” said Quincey. She lifted up her hand, presenting the ring. All of them were stunned. The other four Guardians had had the suspicion that Quester was going to ask Quincey to marry him, but they hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

“Well, nice,” said Jason, “I guess there is no point in keeping it a secret anymore.” The couple was confused about what Jason was talking about until Lilley, Clarissa, and Jenerissa all lifted up their hands—the three of them had rings as well.

After the shock, Quincey said, “I guess we’ve missed a lot.”

“Yeah, how’d you four find time to date with all the craziness that’s been going on?” asked Quester.

“You have your ways, we have ours,” said Dave.

After all the congratulations were out of the way, Jason thought of an idea. “Given Quester and Quincey’s news, I think we should have a combined wedding so all eight of us can tie the knot.”

Quincey and Quester looked at each other. Given that they had just asked Master Ribbit for time to spend together, and now they had just found out that some of the other Guardians had gotten engaged as well, they thought four weddings all at once wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“It gives us a chance to spend time together and help one another out,” said Dave. “I say let’s do it!”

***

Surprisingly, the preparations for the four weddings didn’t take long. Everyone helped one another, which made it all the better and made the time go by faster and easier. Even though a fairy, a frog girl, and two daughters of Earth were about to marry four of the most powerful humans alive, it didn’t matter. Everyone had fun in the preparations for the ceremony. With the help of all who were still in the city of Quint, where the weddings would take place, the plans they had for their special day were swiftly finalized.

On the day of the weddings, everyone congregated in a small outdoor area where the ceremony was to take place. What made this place special was the roof, and what was so important about the roof was its design. It was made up of five connected bars. During the ceremony, the Element Guardians’ swords were to be placed in the openings on top of the roof, and the power of the swords would bind each couple together, giving the Guardians’ mates the ability to tap into their other half’s power when needed, as well as use their bracelets.

​​The guests buzzed excitedly around the courtyard. Finally, the day had come when Fire, Water, Wood, and Metal were to marry two daughters of Earth, a frog girl, and a fairy. All the guests had arrived at the setting of the ceremony; all that was left were the guests of honor. At the altar stood Master Topaz and Valeria. Master Ribbit would first walk his daughter down the aisle before he would officiate the event. After a short time, a flash of light deposited the guests of honor and their escorts at the start of the aisle. The Guardians were all leading their other halves, except for Clarissa and Jenerissa, who were being led by their father. At last, everyone reached the altar where the two masters stood.

Words were recited, vows were exchanged, and then the binding happened. A light came through the top of the roof, lighting up the swords. The light then shot down, enveloping each of the couples. Once it was over, each couple sealed their bond with a kiss.

Although the weddings had proceeded as most weddings do, aside from the sword-bonding, the four girls were now married to four of the most powerful protectors of the planet Element. After the wedding, the newlyweds were told that they had an extra week together for their honeymoons—so long as they would take place in the secure galaxy.