The Last Celestial

The Blood of the Taurus

After hearing what Darlene had to say, the young man was torn and did not know what to do or if he would follow through with her request. He was surprised --- no, he was deeply troubled. Who knew that the Celestial's power could be this cruel.

Are the things that were taught to him by Timothy and Dah untrue? Are the Celestials really benevolent and kind hearted beings? Did they really care for humans and others? If so... why is the power of the Taurus taken the form of such a destructive creature.

He had so many questions that his mind was spinning. The things he believed in were now being questioned by himself.

He wanted to ask all those questions, but he pushed the idea away because as of now, that isn't his priority. How important are those relics that the Keepers were willing to sacrifice themselves just to keep it safe? He stared at the golden relic then walked closer to it.

If this was the Elder Keeper's decision, then what more can he do. "Where is my armor?" He asked without looking at Darlene. For if he looks, his emotions will get the best of him. If he looked at her, he might change his mind and not follow her instruction, but instead try to persuade her to change her mind.

"It's on the table, in the middle of the fortress. Kareella is trying to mend it, she's one of the Keepers who was a student of Tahani before she was assigned here. There were some burns and some of the stitches were ruined. But no severe damage to make it unusable." Darlene explained. She stood up from her sitting, minding her movements as she might wake little Landon.

She soothed and cooed the small baby when a little scowl played on his small face.

'How precious he is...' She thought with a bitter smile that this might be the last time she'll lay eyes on him. She stared at his face, memorizing every nook, every fold, its smoothness and the little hairs on his head and his long lashes.

Rajesh who stood by her held onto Darlene. He placed his hands on both of her shoulders and gave it a squeeze. placing his head just above her own. "Hush, now..." He said, as his voice trembled as well. "...don't cry. He will feel your sadness if you cry."

Darlene bit hard against her tightened lips that she felt the familiar taste of iron against her tongue. She wailed as she hugged the small body tight against her arms. Feeling every emotion that she has to feel, clutching against her heart and letting it flow.

The guilt of having this boy live without his mother or his father. The guilt of letting Hyacinth die in front of her eyes... and the guilt of not being strong enough to defend the fortress on her own became too much to bear.

"Andrew..." She whispered through heaving breaths as tears continuously fell from her eyes. "Please save this little boy. And tell the Elders and the Keepers to take care of him, and make sure he's loved, and never hungry. For his parents may not have held him for a long time... but they loved him so much that they are ready to sacrifice themselves for him to have his first breath... for him, to see this world."

Though Andrew remained silent, he felt every emotion that was oozing out of Darlene. Love. It was pure love for that child. The kind of love that Andrew experienced before. The touch of his mother, the love of his father... and the warm embrace of his grandmother whom he may only have been with for such a short time, but the memories live within him forever.

He steps closer to Darlene with a different kind of conviction in his heart. "I will, I promise with my own life." He said with such fury that the fire in his eyes that died out earlier began to burn.

Darlene handed over the baby, and gave him a nod. They begin the preparations needed for Andrew and the baby to escape.

=========================

The three of them run up the stairs, and as they do they can feel the rumble that the bull is causing as it tries to break into the barrier. Darlene winced as a big rock fell into her head, almost making her trip and fall down the stairs.

Rajesh immediately caught her hand, and held on tight. He smiled at her and pulled her back into place. "Be careful, we still need you." He said, and his voice was soothing and calmed her.

Darlene nodded her head and watched as Andrew was now at the entrance of the catacombs, reaching the middle part of the fortress in no time. He was carrying the relic and the baby with him.

"Let's go." She said to Rajesh. This time they moved faster, as she feels that the barrier will last for much longer.

The bull was banging its horns against the barrier for such a long time that the Keepers were losing strength, while most were at the brink of their death. Only the will to fight and finish the mission was keeping them alive.

For if one of them dies, and no one will replace the Keeper who has fallen, then the barrier will be no more. And the Bull made of stone, would destroy them all.

Once Darlene and Rajesh reached the top, they saw Andrew was already putting on his armor and was ready to take off. Assunta was helping him zip up the armor from the back, while Kareella held on to the sleeping baby.

After the preparation, Assunta gave Darlene the signal by raising her hand. The Elder in charge immediately ordered Kareella to get the bag that used to carry the seeds and powders from the forest. She rearranged it and turned it into a small pouch enough for the baby to fit and to protect it from Andrew's fire.

It looks much like a mother kangaroo's pouch, and Kareella helped Darlene put Landon on the pouch.

"Andrew." Darlene called for the young man again. "Everything is settled. You must go now." She said before handing the baby and the relic to Andrew once more. She kissed the little boy's head, and bid farewell.

The look on her face changed as it was soft and her eyes shone before. Now, Andrew can sense a bit of madness in Darlene's eyes. "Go, now!" Was her strong command, almost pushing Andrew away.

The already chaotic scene got even more frantic as Darlene commanded all of the Keepers to grab a fistful of seed from the satchel it was placed into. As each of them grabbed a handful of the seeds they ran outside the sanctity of the fortress. Almost reaching the end of the barrier, and then Darlene screamed "Release the barrier, now!"

The Keepers who were chanting in Unison suddenly stopped and almost at the same time, fell on their knees and fell from the Castle walls to the ground with their eyes closed. Their job is done, and their will to fight has diminished.

They can see the gigantic horns of the bull close in on them, ready to pummel one last time.

Most of their hearts stopped beating, while others who were still breathing laid on the ground. The bull's hooves stepped on the remains of some Keepers who just passed away. For they have already known this... as soon as Darlene made the decision to sink the island... all of them will sink and be destroyed along with it.

Guanio, he's one of the defense team --- felt a wave of relief when he saw Andrew, Rajesh and Kareella run at a distance --- getting away from the bull. It was his last job, to be part of the distraction as the young man named Andrew and Landon's boy along with the relic escape from this hell hole.

As the bull approached and its feet sank into the ground, making the earth underneath it collapse --- Guanio closed his eyes and took his last breath. He was beneath the mighty hooves of the Bull, and once the creature stepped on the ground, he would be crushed.

But something else happened. Something which none of the expected.

A loud yell resounded on the small island.

"Stop!" One of the Keepers screamed. "I said stop! Don't throw the seeds yet!" He screamed again. "The bull, the bull is looking at Andrew and the relic! It's changing its direction, stop, stop!" He screamed again and again.

And Guanio hated how his life was spared from Death as the bull changed direction when it saw Andrew fly up the sky.

It growled loudly in Anger and its green and black eyes turned into the grey... looking much like rotting and decaying trees and greenery. It growled again... and the Keepers did not know what to do as it ran towards Andrew at full speed, trying to catch up to the young man.

Darlene immediately spreads into action. "Throw it to the bull! Throw your seeds to the bull, now!" She screams as she runs after the bull, throwing it against the damned creature, doing her best so that the attention of the beast diverts to her.

One and then two. Three and then twenty. Until all of those who still had strength and had enough energy to stand, run and follow Darlene's lead. They run as fast as their feet may carry them, throwing the seeds randomly, even if it explodes on them.

"Look here!" Darlene and the others screamed with all their might. "Look here you stupid creature!"

But the bull paid no heed to them, as its attention was focused on one thing. It wanted to catch Andrew.

The young man was already in midair a few kilometres away from the ground, flying high as he used his power to thrust him up the sky even further.

But then he felt a strong grip against his feet, stopping him from going further. And then he was pulled back to the ground with such unexpected strength that he lost his momentum and the fire on the soles of his feet disappeared.

"Andrew, Landon... no!"

Was all he heard before the Bull's mouth closed in on him.