The Forgotten Guardian

A Fair Trade

**4 years later**Battleship**

"Remember that Arty. You thought you were gonna die that day." Cerberus asked Artolis as they sat next to one another. Artolis looked up from his belt and nodded. Cerberus nudged him softly. "Ha! four years after we joined and you're still shaken up. Stop checking your staff. It hasn't gone anywhere in the past five minutes." He pushed Artolis playfully. Arty chuckled and nudged him back. "You just can't let that go, can you?" Cerberus laughed through his nose and looked down. Arty took notice and nudged him again.

     "Hey. You said bye to her right?" Arty asked with a concerned expression. 

    "Who?" Cerberus asked looking off to the side like he didn't know what Artolis was talking about.

Arty leaned forward trying to get a better look at his face. "Artemis!"

"Yeah of course I did." Cerberus answered sharply.

    "Then what's the problem?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "And here I am talking s**t about you." Arty answered with a soft sigh. "You better stop cursing so much. You'll taint your soul." Cerberus scoffed and shook his head. "How do you believe all that crap?" Arty nudged Cerberus, More aggressive this time. "Hey man, What's your problem?" Cerberus opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and tapped his fingers on his staff. "Something doesn't feel right." Arty raised a brow. "What are you talking about?" 

"I mean something is off." Cerberus answered, turning his head to the side.

Arty looked around and leaned closer. "Whats up." Cerberus did the same but made sure not to look back at Arty since too many people would take notice. "Think about it. We are chosen for the queen's elite guard," Arty interrupted, "That's a good thing." Cerberus scoffed. "Yeah but it's been four years. We went from private to Major General and you're Lieutenant general." Arty took a second to process this. "So?" Cerberus gave arty a questioning look as he rolled his eyes softly. "So who climbs the rank that fast. Im 15. You're a year younger. These are men who trained to be where they are for longer but we fly past them in a matter of 4 years." Arty sighed. "You're being paranoid. You're a good leader and an even better warrior. If I was the queen, I'd want you on the angelic guard too.  "Cerberus sighed. "I don't know man. something about this stinks." Their conversation was interrupted by a loud bang and  blinding red lights. Cerberus and Artolis stood up as the pilots shouted into the ship communications. "We've been shot at! Our engine was hit with a direct blow. Grab what you can and evacuate the ship."

    As the ship started to plummet, Arty and Cerberus grabbed their equipment before flying out through the back. Their team followed as Cerberus fixed his helmet. They looked around them and right under their feet war raged. They were quite high in the air but even then the smell of blood and death was overwhelming. "No time to waste now." He cracked his neck as his fingers wrapped around his staff almost eagerly. The quarterstaff opened to reveal its true nature. Whips made of pure light rolled out as Cerberus stood ready. 

Everyone's weapons were different. It all depended on a warrior's spirit. Heavens weapons, Formally named regailia's, were made of sacred metals that were soaked in holy water and constantly prayed over. The queen herself gave her personal blessing to every single one of them. The blacksmith worked tirelessly making every one as perfect as they could. Etched every engraving into them with care as it was then given to a priest to give it to the warrior it chooses. Regailas regulate a Warrior's magic. It enhances it and makes their magic controllable and pojectable. Losing or breaking a regalia is highly frowned upon with a number of punishments ranging from dishonorable discharge to execution. All and all the results were never pretty.

Cerberus gave the order. "Move in, see you on the other side ladies!" Cerberus dived in head first as his troop followed him with a loud battle cry to join the noise of war. Arty never left Cerberus' side as they fought. These weapons that the demons wielded were called Runes. Runes have a special power against angels. No one knows how they are actually made but if wielded by a weaker angel it could corrupt or taint their pure soul. 

Cerberus mercilessly walked through the field praying on all those who dared to approach him. It was almost like he enjoyed this or maybe it was just the thrill of the fight. Arty tried to focus on his own tasks but Cerberus was right. This all felt wrong. Arty was half blood. Considered to be one of the weaker generations of angels. Cerberus was different. He wasn't deemed, heavens very own hound for no reason. He may not have known his parents but took exactly after his father with even more pent up aggression. His parents were well known by all. They took over entire turfs of land on their own. Mages bowed when they set foot into the towns. The queen even applauded and praised them. However, Arty was just a half blood. He often wondered why his rank always sat directly under Cerberus'. He knew that if alone Cerberus could easily claw his way up to the highest rank by the time he was of age but not Arty. He didn't have that much faith in himself. 

        After blood,sweat and fire rained across terrain they had come to the end of their battle. It was a grueling fight from beginning to end. However, every war had a goal. Arty, Cerberus and 3 members were left from their regiment. The men stood exhausted as they looked up at what might as well have been the gates of hell itself. The castle they stood across from belonged to none other than the king of demons himself. Cerberus slowly turned to his men and closed his staff. "The men who lost their lives to get us here were brave and their deaths won't be in vain. We take Hades dead or alive. No questions asked. Take a moment of silence for the fallen if you must. Im going in." Cerberus said with tired rage as he went to move forward. Artolis grabbed him quickly. "WE'RE going in." His team stood behind him proudly still holding their regalias tight. He looked back at all of them before simply nodding and walking again. They followed quietly and cautiously. 

Hades was mysterious as the wind but caused destruction globally. His demons carried out his mayhem while he sat on his throne. Things like the death of a child, The suicide of someone, The killing of another it was most likely his work. His castle was monstrous as the hall ceilings alone were 30 feet high. It was dark and eerie with only torches and candles to light the golden crested door that lay ahead. No one knew what came after this. No one had gotten this far and if they did they were never heard from or even found again. Cerberus felt a knot forming in his throat as he  put his weapon to his side and eased the door open. When he did he was overwhelmed with the feeling of  dread. Something definitely wasn't right. 

    The door opened as slowly only adding onto the anxiety but Cerberus didn't care. A mission was a mission and he would see it all the way through. He moved with the door till he had a plain view of his target. Hades, old and tired, sat on his throne. Even now at his age his aura was evil and his smirk stretched from ear to ear. "Your efforts will not be in vain. You'll be remembered as heroes after this is all over." Cerberus walked forward, Arty stayed close behind as he spoke. "I know. Now hold still." The king raised his hand. "You are quite the brave one, our battle could have been glorious. Others would have looked back on this day in awe." Cerberus paused. "What are you on about? What's with all the...could have been? You're not going to fight me?" Hades answered with a sly chuckle. “You've come all this way and yet you know nothing at all.” Hades stood from his throne as Cerberus gripped his staff. The regalia opened as his eyes narrowed. “I wouldn't step closer if I were you.” Hades, of course, kept walking with no fear to stop him. “You honestly believe in your heart that you've already won. Your parents held so much promise. 15 years ago they lost to me-” Cerberus cut in. “15 years ago you were younger..probably smarter and less senial.” Hades continued as his tone raised. He faded into a cloud of black mist before appearing right in front of Cerberus’ face. Arty stepped forward as his regalia opened but Cerberus put his arm out. A signal to stand down as Hades and Cerberus stood eye to eye. “You're not a fool young one. Far from it. You've already figured out that you don't belong here. You already know that your placement is incorrect.” Artys eyes slightly widened before he scoffed and stepped forward again. “Come on cerberus. Let's finish him off!” Cerberus again put his arm out. Hades continued with a smirk. “Oh ho ho….someone doesn't belong here,” He slightly sang with the intent to taunt them. “I can't believe you allowed her to set you up like this…” Cerberus growled. “Enough of your games.” He grabbed hades by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off of the ground. “You're going to tell me what you know right now or I'll stick this staff so far up your ass-” Hades cut him off with a cackle that shook the room. “Take a nice long whiff of the air. Smell the death you were destined for. We all will perish here but I will not die by your hands.” Hades again vanished into a smoke as he reappeared standing in front of his throne. He opened his arms with glee as he shouted. “I am eternal. I am reborn. We were destined to die together!” Cerberus gripped his weapon and started to rush his way up to the throne before he stopped in his tracks and smelled the air. Gunpowder and gasoline. He thought it was from outside but it was potent. "What's your plan? You gonna blow us all to s**t?." Hades looked down at cerberus with a sick look in his eyes. "Today is a good day to die. Burn in hell with your parents!" Something snapped in Cerberus and he had enough. If he was going to die, he would die fighting. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME!?" He ran at him and pulled his dagger out of his pocket. "CERBERUS NO!" Arty shouted as he ran after him but it was too late to grab him. The troop followed after him as he jumped in the air and came down with a battle cry and great force. His eyes glowed blue as the air around him began to contribute to his power. Hades eyes glowed as well before he opened his mouth, gathered flames and he set a blaze. It was all light from there with screams as the castle exploded. Fire roared loudly and the force  explosion shook the ground.

 From above a figure flew toward it. In the distance, wailing and screaming Artimas landed nearby the burning castle as fire raged around it. "FELL! ARTY!" She walked around calling out to them as several members of the angelic guard landed beside her a couple of moments after. "Lady Artemis, it's too dangerous here! we have to return to the castle where it's safe." She wailed as she tried to run inside only to be grabbed and pulled back. They wrestled with her as her cries became louder. "NO YOU KNEW! YOU ALL KNEW!" She wrestled with the soldiers before she got free and crumbled to her knees. "Cerberus...Arty...." She looked at the castle again as more and more tears flowed down her cheeks. "FELL!" she screamed as her screams of desperation became cries of grief. Fell was a personal name she had given Cerberus. He always liked that name better. A tease for how clumsy he could be when not in battle. 

    Inside the castle where the fire was most dangerous, the front of Cerberus’ body had been burned but he was still partly alive. He heard his name but he was in too much pain to move. "Artemis.........Im...coming." He tried to move but every twitch filled him with pain. He could care less and still tried to move. He heard his skin begin to tear as he used all his effort to roll over and get to his hands and knees. He panted softly and looked at the door where he entered. ”Im...Coming…..” He cried out as he slowly rose all the way to his feet. He couldn't see much. His ears ring with only the echoes of her cries to guide him. He panted softly as he fell back down to his hands and knees. His heavy breathing was almost shallow. He looked up at the door again before his hands gripped the ground below him and he gathered a blue aura. This was all that was left of his strength. It wasn't enough to stand but it may be enough for a signal. He took a deep breath and with everything he had he released a burst of energy before collapsing on the floor.

Artimas felt the wave just when she was willing to go back home. A voice whispered to her. His voice. “Don't cry. Don't you dare cry. You were always stronger than tears.” She looked back but he wasn't even there. She answered with a whisper.  “And you were always just too stubborn to die. I'll wait, back at the castle. My window. Don't be late….” and with that she turned around to head home. She had too much faith in Fell to leave him behind but she knew where she went he would always follow. 

Arty was a few feet away from Cerberus. He crawled towards him, Injured burned and too tired to help. "Fell. Fell...Come on man stay awake. Look at me man." Cerberus looked over and grabbed arty's hand. "Get. Out." Arty became choked up. “It wasn't supposed to be this way...Come on man get up. I'm not leaving you. We're going home." Cerberus looked down. "No dude. Im done. I cant move...it hurts so much. Go to Artemis. Tell her how brave I was.." Arty growled as he let his tears out. "SHUT THE f**k UP....ok....Im not leaving you...Ill figure it out." He looked back at Cerberus who lay very still. "No...NO NO NO." He looked at Cerberus' chest as a small glowing blue heart emerged. 

Souls took on this physical form and were the source of one's spirit and strengths. He looked at Hades who lay burned and dead and even though his body had charred to almost nothing his soul remained. After one's death the soul always lingers and if not claimed or given a host it will shatter. After that it was up to reapers after that. The people of purgatory. 

    Arty looked back and forth between Cerberus and the soul. What other choice did he have? Without it they could both die here. He crawled over holding the soul gently in his hand. "Today may have been a good day to die for you but Cerberus didn't deserve this." He crawled back before he took a deep breath and whispered to himself. "I love you too much to let you go..." He tore the soul in half and with haste shoved one half into Cerberus' mouth and the other half he ate himself. For a moment, Nothing.

     The half showed as one side of Cerberus' soul became corrupted and turned purple but he still lay lifeless. Arty looked at his hands. He didn't feel anything at first until he slowly stood to his feet. An abrupt pain filled his body as he suddenly grabbed his head. His beautiful blonde hair became half black and half white. He screamed as he swung his head around and ran to a pillar before slamming his head into it and splitting his skin open. When the blood ran down his face and his forehead became heated with pain he just stopped. He looked around as if lost before starting to laugh and walking over to Ceberus' body. He scooped it up with a smile. The smile was twisted and not Artys. In a matter of seconds something had changed. Something never tried had been done and something or someone new was born. He walked out of the burning castle and lie Cerberus in an empty part of the field. He walked off before coming back with flowers to scatter over Cerberus. "You are honored in death as you were in life. Showered with love and praise. Not to worry. I will take vengeance, My love.” He muttered before crossing Cerberus' arms over his chest and starting to walk away. “May you be born once more Fell...I will find you." With that, he walked and walked till coming to the edge of a forest and he used those trees to vanish.