Rabi of the Marshland: Guardians, Strangers, and the Quest to Save a Friend

Darline's knuckles tightened as she approached Kent, who lay on the ground gazing up at the night sky. She pointed an accusing finger at Kent. "Your fault!" she exclaimed.

Kent turned her head slowly, meeting her friend's furious gaze. She remained silent, fully aware that she should have been the one to save Christian. She knew her own powerlessness all too well. Engaging in an argument with Darline, who was seething with anger, would only lead to more conflict. Instead, Kent chose to nod and listen, as it was the only thing within her control.

"How could you? He's our friend, our classmate! You let those creatures consume him!" Darline's tears flowed freely down her cheeks, landing on the arid ground, the only source of moisture for the now parched soil.

Processing the harrowing experience, Gloyd, Ivan, and Maeje found a spot on the dry, desolate land, their faces reflecting a mix of emotions, but sadness prevailed above all else. In the midst of their despair, Alex approached Darline, gently patting her back in an attempt to provide solace. "Please, don't say that," he urged. "Kent did everything in her power to shield Christian, but none of us foresaw the attack happening so suddenly. She faced overwhelming odds and led us to safety, ensuring our return to this land. It was there that she was outnumbered and defeated."

Kent, however, shook her head, her voice heavy with guilt. "No, I... Darline's right. I bear the responsibility for what happened to Christian. I was powerless against those creatures. If only Alex had been the one to possess this ability, he might have had a fighting chance." She explained, her remorse evident.

Alex furrowed his brows in disbelief as he gazed at Kent. "How can you say that? There's no one more deserving of wielding that power than you!"

Kent, however, remained trapped in her self-blame. "If I could have summoned enough soldiers to intercept the enemy's attacks, then we wouldn't – I wouldn't have lost Christian," she lamented, her head bowed in self-pity.

Alex shook his head, his voice firm. "Those enemies, they don't exist in our world anymore."

"There are no such creatures that can devour anything within their own habitat," he added.

Kent slowly rose to her feet, her own guards standing by her side. "We should've stopped immediately when we noticed that Noel's marks didn't appear in this area," she admitted, a weight of regret heavy in her words.

"Don't blame yourself, Kent," Alex implored, addressing the group somberly. "Christian made his own choice to run. We cautioned him, but he chose to run anyway. I don't blame him, and I don't blame you either. Our carelessness led to this loss."

Comforting someone in the wake of a death was never an easy task, and Alex knew it all too well.

Meanwhile, the group grappled with the harsh reality that they had witnessed their close friend lose his life right before their eyes. Questions loomed about their next steps. Should they forge ahead into this unfamiliar world, or retreat to what they knew? Did Noel inadvertently lead them into the path of those monstrous creatures?

Alex contemplated these questions, trying to make a logical assessment of their situation. The alien creatures they had encountered were a clear indication that the rules of this place didn't necessarily align with their past world. They needed to exercise caution and study the unknown animals, learning their strengths and weaknesses in order to survive and navigate this new and perilous world.

Alex made the difficult decision for the group to stay in that place for the night. They quickly gathered the necessary materials to build a fire, seeking some semblance of comfort and warmth in the midst of their grief.

"Let's keep going," Alex spoke calmly to his friends, trying to infuse a glimmer of hope into a night overshadowed by loss. "But we mustn't forget to grieve for our friend. Let's make his sacrifice our motivation to survive this land. In doing so, we honor his memory by continuing to live."

Darline, her anger replaced by sorrow, approached Kent and asked for forgiveness. Kent, understanding the weight of their shared loss, readily forgave her. They embraced, shedding tears for their fallen friend.

Sitting on a stone near the campfire, Maeje asked, "What are we going to do now?" Kent sent her guard bees to scout for food in the vicinity. The bees returned successfully, bearing fresh fish and fruits. Despite their hunger, the students ate with heavy hearts, still mourning Christian's death.

"We have four hours until dawn. Let's rest for now and resume our journey afterward," Kent suggested. The group agreed, finding solace in the prospect of sleep. Kent instructed her guard bees to keep watch over them during their slumber, offering a measure of protection in this unfamiliar and perilous land.

The marshlands' winds whispered through the night, cold and solemn, a melancholic serenade for those who ventured through in the darkness. Lying on the dry ground, Alex couldn't help but contemplate the enigmatic creatures they had encountered. These magical beings, capable of devouring life within their watery realm, were just as perilous as the other monsters they had encountered, rendering a human instantly paralyzed upon contact with their peculiar liquid. Alex tilted his head, his gaze fixed on Kent's vigilant guards who continued to scan their surroundings, preparing for potential threats.

Alex acknowledged that Kent had done her utmost to protect the group, and she shouldn't shoulder the blame for Christian's tragic demise. Though their hearts were heavy with sorrow over their friend's loss, they still had a reason to carry on, and that was the pursuit of life itself.

Moving slowly, Alex settled into a more comfortable position on the ground, longing for a night's rest that could briefly ease his heartache. He offered a silent prayer for respite, for a moment of solace. His closed eyes, heavy with fatigue, eventually surrendered to slumber—a respite from the exhaustion not only of body and mind but of a heart weighed down by grief. As sleep embraced him, tears trickled from his closed eyes, an eloquent testament to the sorrow that weighed on a friend's grieving heart.

Kent's commands were unwavering and absolute. Her guard bees, with their extraordinary powers of summoning and protection, formed an impenetrable shield around her, ensuring her safety as well as that of her slumbering friends.

Throughout the silent night, the air was filled with the noisy whooshing of the guard bees' wings as they continued their vigilant patrol, dedicated to safeguarding the queen and her companions on their journey through the perilous terrain. Unlike these magical creatures, humans required rest to replenish their stamina, and their vulnerability during sleep made them easy prey for relentless predators that knew no respite. However, when the queen issued her orders, there was no room for disobedience. Bound to their queen's will, the guard bees dutifully followed her commands, their unwavering loyalty ensuring the group's protection even in the darkest of hours.

Like the queen's, the guard bees possessed keen night vision, enabling them to spot potential threats from a distance. Their watchful eyes scanned the darkness, ever vigilant in their duty.

Yet, despite their watchfulness, the guard bees were not immune to sneaky and unforeseen attacks. Mysterious vines, shrouded in darkness, stealthily crept toward the sleeping students. These insidious intruders, however, proved highly effective against the guard bees.

Slithering across the dry ground, the vines emitted a faint green fume that caused the bees to plummet to the ground, where they lay unconscious. The vines continued their relentless advance, their green tendrils, adorned with thorns and leaves, making a rustling sound as they touched the arid soil.

Kent, attuned to the sudden stillness among her summoned protectors, jolted awake, sensing imminent danger. She tried to rise but found herself ensnared by the vines, which immobilized her wings and feet, rendering her incapable of movement. However, her mouth remained free, and she screamed for her comrades to awaken, her own body slowly succumbing to the tightening grip of the vines. "Wake up!" she urgently cried out, her limbs bound.

The others roused from their slumber, only to discover their bodies ensnared by the same green tendrils that now crawled and slithered around them. The vines rendered them momentarily helpless, their predicament highlighting the vulnerability they faced in this unpredictable and treacherous land.

"What is this?" Alex managed to ask as the vines hoisted them upright, binding them in their grasp. Their mouths were covered, rendering them speechless, with only their eyes left exposed.

As they struggled against their leafy restraints, their movements came to a halt as a peculiar figure approached, materializing from the darkness. The students' muffled voices conveyed their confusion and fear, their mouths still ensnared by the vines.

The figure drew closer, revealing a striking woman clad in a red dress. A crimson flower adorned her head like a floral headdress one might wear to a costume party. Her hands bore leafy scales, resembling those of a fish, and she moved barefoot. She stuttered as she spoke, her words laced with unease. "Hu—humans... H—How d—did you g—get here?" She took a cautious step backward, as if attempting to maintain distance from them while concealing herself in the shadows.

The students emitted muffled apologies, their mouths still entwined by the vines. "S—Sorry," the lady stammered, waving her hand, and the vines gradually released their grip, allowing the students to gasp for air. After taking several moments to regain their composure, they observed the lady, who remained partially concealed in the shadows of the trees.

Dumbfounded and still somewhat disoriented, Alex attempted to engage the lady in conversation. "What are you doing?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the woman who remained concealed behind the trees.

"D—Don't C—come N—near!" she shouted, her stuttering persisting, and she maintained her distance.

"We won't hurt you," Alex reassured her, though he couldn't help but wonder why a lone woman, who had managed to capture them singlehandedly, would be hiding from them at a distance.

"H—Humans, I h—have never s—seen one since, a l—long t—time ago," she replied.

"So, you've seen humans before?" Alex inquired.

"Y—Yes," the lady affirmed.

Kent, approaching Alex, drew nearer to the lady. "Are you teleported here, too? Like us?"

The lady shook her head. "N—no, I was b—born here, together with m—my siblings."

"So, you're from this world?" Alex sought clarification.

The lady nodded. "Strange appearances of humans have been reported to us."

Kent pressed on with her curiosity. "Where are your siblings? Why are you alone?"

"I'm the only one here. I am Rabi, one of the eight from the Roceiae tribe, the one who guards the marshlands," she revealed.

A sense of wonder and curiosity enveloped the students as they pondered the identity of the plant lady and her role in this unfamiliar world. Could she be a figure of importance or royalty in this land? And how was it that she hadn't made an appearance during their initial teleportation but had only become aware of their presence after they were attacked by the gruesome creatures that had devoured Christian?

"Guardian?" Ivan questioned, seeking to understand her role.

"Yes," she confirmed. "My siblings and I were born to protect these lands from invaders."

The revelation about guardians left the students with more questions. Alex, always seeking answers, inquired further, "If guardians exist, then did you know about the strange appearances of humans, like us, in this world?" He hoped that the lady's knowledge might shed light on the mystery of their arrival in this strange realm.

The lady shook her head once more. "We were shocked by your appearances. We do not have such species like you called 'humans' in this world."

Alex persisted, seeking any clues that might solve the riddle of their mysterious appearance. "Do you know about our abduction by the queen bee and how we slew it?" His questions were tinged with urgency as he sought to understand the events that had brought them to this enigmatic land.

Rabi nodded in acknowledgment of their question, confirming that she had knowledge of their encounter with the queen bee and the subsequent events.

Alex pressed further, questioning her about why she hadn't intervened to help them during their ordeal with the queen bee. Her answer carried a sense of finality: "Guardians cannot meddle with the laws of nature. It's against our vows."

Understanding the limitations imposed upon the guardians, Alex accepted her response with a nod.

Gloyd, however, remained curious. "But why did you appear now?" he inquired.

"Eartheaters..." Rabi lowered her head, her expression tense, clearly disturbed by what had transpired, particularly the loss of their classmate. "They aren't allowed here, and they shouldn't be here. It's strange," she remarked with a note of severity.

As the conversation unfolded, Alex noticed a subtle change in Rabi's demeanor. Her speech had become more fluent, and he couldn't help but observe her unique features, particularly her pointy, red, rosy petal ears. It seemed that their interactions were helping her become more comfortable speaking with them, despite the peculiar circumstances.

Darline, too, found her voice amid the questions. "Was it the first time it happened?" she inquired, her curiosity mirroring that of her friends.

Rabi affirmed her nod. "I don't see the point of taking a human as a hostage."

The mention of Christian as a hostage sent a chill through the group, and Kent immediately sought clarification. "What do you mean by 'hostage'?"

"I'll explain later. Follow me," Rabi replied, leading the students with a promise to clarify everything once they reached their destination.

With Kent's request, Rabi roused her guard bees from their slumber, dispelling the sleeping spell, and the group obediently followed the captivating plant lady, trusting in her assurance that answers would come in due time.

As they journeyed through this extraordinary world, Alex couldn't help but think of their classmate, Christian, who might still be alive, hopeful and waiting for their rescue. The uncertainty of their situation weighed heavily on their minds, with the stranger's words serving as a glimmer of hope for their friend's safety. With every step into the unknown, they continued their quest, determined to uncover the truth and, hopefully, find a way to rescue Christian from whatever peril he might be facing.