Six Warriors

Power and Responsibility - (Sam)

Sam and friends fearfully waited for Eagle to tell them about the mission. Then the responsibility had arrived. Even though he'd survived a deadly battle, Sam couldn't help but feel dread…fear, even. Eagle began to speak.

"Long ago, a wizard named Dagda Spellon discovered a series of scrolls that together form a volume of a magic book, the parts are scattered across the continent of Khand and Dagda managed to put together only three of them. These scrolls are known as the Metaphysical Configuration, and contain dangerous and powerful secrets, which may be linked to the conjunction of our universes."

"Right, right, what's up?" Arthur asked impatiently, "I want to know what we're going to have to do and take action!"

"Patience, newbie. You need to know the importance of what you're looking for. Our agents have learned information about the location of nine of the scrolls that may be part of the Metaphysical Configuration, we will send you to the supposed location of some of them for you to gather information. The main objective is to gather information, but if you manage to find one of the scrolls it will be very useful. DON'T draw attention, DON'T reveal that you are the bearers of Kerds, and DON'T try to play heroes. The consequences can be disastrous."

"That's it?" Arthur shrugged, "I thought they would send us to something far more exciting, far more dangerous, far more important."

"So is it like that?" Eagle smirked, "you can't imagine how important and dangerous this mission is. Besides, you don't need to try to hide how nervous you are, Arthur, at the possibility of failing at this."

"W-what?"  Arthur tried to mumble a protest, but Eagle soon cut him off.

"You guys will leave tomorrow. And you will not work together, you will be separated and assigned to this mission with some of our agents with you guys, you know, just in case."

"Don't you trust us?!" Jack asked getting irritated as he rose from his chair once more.

"Jack, do you happen to have a tack on your chair? Just sit that a*s there." Gwendy complained to the boy. "The goal is that, in addition to knowing the Guardians, learn to work both with people you guys don't know as well yet as each other, as with other teams, you won't always be together, are you aware of that?"

"Okay then, enough talk, we've got a lot to do. You'll have more detailed information from the leaders of each mission. Here, get it" Eagle handed out cards to each of the boys, "you should head to these rooms, there will still be some tests that you will have to do, just to determine if everything is ok, but don't worry, it's more like a health check and not a fail test. Good luck."

That said, the guys got up as they looked at their cards and left the room. They looked at each other one last time as if wishing each other luck and then went on their way.

Sam was worried about what his mission and his performance would be, to tell the truth he was nervous and his hands were sweating a little, but at least he wouldn't be alone... he just wondered who his companions would be in such an task. He took the crystal out of his pocket and looked at it once more. It was very beautiful. Now it was he himself who asked himself, did he really deserve this? Was it really his destiny to be one of those legendary warriors who would save two universes? Sam just felt a little bad for his family, especially his mother who had been so happy with the news that he was going to such an important school, she just didn't know that Sam was risking his life. As for their siblings, they seemed happy that, in addition to having an important sibling, they now have one less in the house to share their parents' attention. Even his father, who was usually tough, called him aside to talk and gave him a gift, "after all you are my son too". he said that because sometimes Sam used to rebel a little bit, I mean, Sam felt the most left out of all for being just the middle brother, when he wasn't as important as the older brother, or as spoiled as the newest. The gift was new headphones, which Sam put on now to sweep those thoughts away, as if music were his mind wind power at the time.

While simply thinking about his family while listening to music, Sam felt someone jump on his back suddenly from the moment he entered the room he was supposed to enter.

"W-wait... what?"  While simply thinking about his family while listening to music, Sam felt someone jump on his back suddenly from the moment he entered the room he was supposed to enter. Who had done that was a smiling girl who wore braces, she had olive skin and brown hair, she was... was she his cousin?! "What? Girl, what are you doing here?"

"What's the matter, not happy to see me?" She asked looking him in the eye. Katrina Lauren, her cousin, had the same characteristic brown eyes as Sam and his family, but in her case it was so clear it was close to amber.

"I'm confused! What are you doing here?"

"Are you surprised, Sam?" Asked in a mocking voice someone who was also there in the room, just sitting in a swivel chair. His name was Darius and he was none other than his neighbor and childhood friend. If Sam was going to describe Darius, he was more or less like Erick from the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, a grumbler who brought out an air of joke from time to time.

"Okay, funny prank, got it."

"What you mean?" Darius asked standing up, "we are Guardians, do you understand that?"

Sam looked at his cousin who confirmed it with a nod and a smile.

"Do your parents know about this, Katrina?"

"My dad, your uncle, is a healer's assistant here at the Order, he even helped some of your friends recover. A few years ago, when they chose me as a Guardian , he was very worried, I mean, he still stays, but understands better now. I mean, I have great magical power inside of me, don't I? No wonder I were in Second Class, before... before you and your friends stole the crystals."

"We don't steal…aaaah! This is so confusing!"

"Well, you better stop getting confused, little Sam," said Darius, approaching smugly and touching Sam on the shoulder, "guess who's going to lead the mission?"

"If it says it's you, I'll just accept that we'll be SCREWED!"

"You're not ready to accept the weight of a lead yet, are you Sam?" Asked someone else there that Sam hadn't noticed. It was Polo, the guy he had fought with before. Sam has become more serious now. "Don't worry, we're not enemies anymore. I came to teach you something."

"What do you want to teach me?"

"Where's Wind Kerd? Don't worry, I have no intention of taking it from you now."

Sam showed the crystal to Polo, who in turn approached Sam.

"Take off your shirt, lift the Kerd towards your chest. Feel his power, feel the energy and synergy of the crystal with you. Unite and then take the crystal to your chest and try to fit it there."

"W... what?"

"Do as he says." Darius said seriously. When had he gotten like this? Sam did as he was asked, he felt a nice, friendly feeling and the crystal sparkled. Something like a gentle, welcoming breath blew into Sam's chest and he realized the crystal had entered the middle of his chest, shining a turquoise light under his skin, flesh and bones and then making the wind symbol appear in a circle like if it was a tattoo... the light flashed for a moment and then disappeared, but the tattooed symbol was still there.

"Wouldn't be carrying the crystal in your pocket forever, would you?" Polo gave a brief smile, "You are now officially the Swek Hyewd of the wind. There is no going back now."

"How proud of my cousin!" Katrina exclaimed, "Just don't let your mom see you shirtless, or she won't like that tattoo on your chest at all."