The Last Week in New Haven

"You pick things up fast like your mothers."  head lady mentioned as she walked past us

with a tray of drinks of what looked like a glittery purple liquid. She walked

over and grabbed a seat on the bench facing the secret track and field hidden

underneath the Armory, we spent around twelve hours every day here these past

few weeks. Any time we were awake we were here, unless it was Sunday, Sunday

was for prayer and observation.

Coming to the realization of accepting this quest was

terrifying but seeing how Casper took the mission with pride, I couldn't let

her go through all this alone. I had agreed to join her, and to be honest I was

relieved that Casper was going to be by my side every step of the way, even

though I couldn't stand the thought of her being in danger, it was what was

best for ENIX.

Our bodies became adjusted to our melee weapons quite

fast, I've even noticed new muscles starting to form in our arms through our

lightweight and form-fitting armor, that the head lady presented us with. We

were going into this adventure with pride as not only were the weapons our

parents but so was the armor. We both felt a little better about this journey

knowing that our parents would have our backs, even if they weren't physically

there.

 The armor

hugged our bodies like a second skin, accentuating our curves and muscles. The

material had a slight sheen to it, giving it a futuristic and stylish look. My

armor was adorned with intricate patterns and designs, adding a touch of

elegance to its functionality with colors of deep blues and golds. Casper's

armor was of shimmering silver and bronze over a white base, that matched her

hair, it resembled more high-class royalty than mines did. She had a matching

jacket, that she tied around her waist, it flowed whenever she moved.

"Why don't you two come over here and take a

break? I've got a fresh batch of Disco Lemonade ready." she said, inviting

us over with a smile.

Huffing from our last swing practice, we exchanged

excited grins, sweat dripping from our faces and bodies.

"DISCO LEMONADE!" we both yelled, running

over to where the head lady was standing, her gentle smile growing even wider

at our enthusiastic reactions.

Disco Lemonade was the head lady's specialty drink,

only made for specific occasions. She had a magical touch when it came to

making it. She had given me the recipe once, but hers always tasted better!

It involved Adding a cup each of black cherries,

blackberries, and raspberries, along with two cups of sugar and two cups of

water to a pot. You'd boil the mixture until it starts to rise then let it cool

down, so it's not too hot when you go to pour it into the next set of

ingredients. It was a labor of love type of drink, but worth all the time that

was put into it.

We juiced two pineapples and strained the berry syrup

into a large container. We'd add about two cups of lemon juice, or to taste,

and then dilute it with water until it reached tastebud perfection. The head

lady held her very own secret ingredient she told no one, maybe it was the

edible glitter she added but whatever it was, she was prepared to take it to

the grave with her.

We both took desperate sips of our ice-cold drinks, as

if it had been days since we had anything to drink. The tartness of the berries

was perfectly balanced, and it instantly lifted our spirits.

"Have you girls finished packing yet?" the

Head Lady asked, refilling our cups.

Gasping for air, we looked up at her, our cups now

full again.

"Yes, Head Lady, we've packed only the

essentials, like you've asked." Casper replied, giving me a sharp glare.

Okay, fine! I may have packed my flowers with me. Did you really think I was

going to go on this journey without them? Ha! Now that's funny!

Casper didn't agree with me bringing my flower buds,

but even she had her own questionable items, like her latest issues of

"Tales of The Collective" comics. She argued that since we were

meeting up with the witches, she wanted to do some "research" on them

and the powers they held. She was thorough, I'll give her that, though I think

it was just an excuse for her to geek out and hyper fixate on something else

other than training.

"So, you girls are almost ready to set off then,

huh?" The Head Lady's smile faded as her gaze shifted towards the glass

container of lemonade.

"Yes, Head Lady," Casper replied, her

emotions diminishing by the second. "To be honest, I'm a bit scared."

The Head Lady nodded solemnly. "I know this can

be scary but remember you have each other; this is what's for the best. Thank

you, girls, once again for agreeing to do this. Melody, Cassandra, may both of

your paths be blessed. Your first stop is in Little Ivy Wood, it's a good day

travel away so be prepared for what might come. Melody, make sure Cassandra

keeps up with the map, protect her as her job is the navigator, and it is very

important for you girls to stay the course and find The Collective."

My eyes sparkled with excitement as I nervously bit my

thumbnail, trying to absorb every word from the Head Lady. But before I knew

it, she slapped my hand away from my mouth.

"Nasty habit of yours, Melody!" The Head

Lady scolded me, going on and on about hygiene. It felt like she lectured me

forever until Casper finally chimed in.

"Alright, so when we finally make it to OWaR,"

Casper asked. "What should we do next?"

The Head Lady turned to Casper and straightened her

shirt. "Each member of The Collective will teach you both different types

of fighting skills from defensive moves to casting spells, most importantly how

to unlock both of your hidden powers. I warn you though stay focused and pay

close attention to the map, stay the course and you both should be fine."

She explained.

After chugging down our second glass of lemonade, we thanked

the Head Lady and got back to our training for the rest of the night. We made

sure to stash away all our gear and locked up the secret passage leading to the

soundproof room that held our training ground.

Casper and I were walking back from the armory when

out of nowhere, a tall figure in an all-white robe landed gracefully in front

of us. Spreading out his set of triple wings like he was trying to block our

path before they returned into its resting position. A blind folded Guardian

stood firm in front of us. It was Alexander!

"Evening ladies." He casually greeted us,

but something felt off. I timidly asked him,

"Hey... Alexander, what's going on?"

"Cutting it close to count, aren't we?" He

folded his arms suspicious of nothing, we did nothing wrong! Count wasn't for

another hour or so!

"What?! No way!" I looked up at the big city

clock that stood proudly in the center of the bustling city.  My heart dropped. We only had ten minutes

till count! How on earth did that happen? Where did all that time go?

"SHIT!" I blurted out loudly. We must have

lost track of time at the armory, somehow. I guess being underground for so

long can do that to you. Panic started to set in at the realization that we

weren't going to make it back to the orphanage in time for the nighttime count.

Alexander's eyebrow twitched and he leaned in close to

me, his voice filled with suspicion.

"I can smell fear and sweat on you. Cut the crap!

Where were you both coming from and why are you running late for count?!"

To be honest, all the guardians made me nervous. They

were always watching, making sure we were doing what we were supposed to and

not causing any trouble, and with all those snake demons and dire wolves lurking

closer and closer to the gates of New Haven they were being extra attentive,

being more cautious of what was going on. After the night Alexander found me,

he made sure the hole in the wall was found and repaired, so enemies couldn't

find it and sneak their way into the wall. Getting out had became a no go and

even if I could find a way to, the fastest route had been destroyed by that

terrible flood. Just then the thought of Crow crossed my mind. huh? I'm

thinking of him, now?! The thought quickly faded as I heard a distant caw that

only I seemed to have heard. I snapped back out of my daze.

"Alexander, I don't have time to explain right

now! We have to get back before count." I

pleaded, not wanting to face the consequences of breaking New Haven's rules. No

one ever dared to find out what the repercussions were, but we knew it couldn't

be good. We were generally on our best behavior... well, when we didn't get

caught. And this was the second time in a month that Alexander of all people

had caught me.

"Fine." he said, grabbing us both tightly in

his arms. He took flight, soaring back to the orphanage with incredible speed.

We made it back in time with just three minutes to spare!

Casper ran back into the house, and just as I was

about to follow, Alexander grabbed my arm. I could feel his intense gaze

through his blindfold, as if he could see right into my soul.

"Mel, meet me in the garden after count." he

whispered urgently, not giving me a chance to respond before he took off back

into the city. I watched as he vanished into the night sky, then turned and hurried

upstairs for count.

Count usually took a while since

there were so many of us. We had to answer the same questions every day - our

names, birthdays, ages, and identification numbers. I never really understood

why they needed to know all that. Maybe it was their way of keeping track of

who was still alive within the walls? I don't know, we just always followed

Head Lady's instructions, never questioning her on such things. After we

finished count, Casper and I got the rest of the

gang ready for bed.

"Night, Mel." Casper called down the hall to me.

I stood halfway out into the hallway and waved down to

her.

"Night, Casper." I waited until I heard her door close

shut, then quickly grabbed a jacket out of my closet and headed outside,

following the trail that led to the peaceful garden.

There he was, standing in the moonlight, his broad

shoulders basking in its glow. Alexander, with his angelic wings tucked behind

him, stood with his hands in his robe's pockets. I walked up beside him, fixing

my gaze on the direction he was looking at, Head Lady's flower garden.

"I miss being able to come out here, the hibiscus

bushes always seemed to be in full bloom. I don't have the privilege of looking

at them anymore because of my commitment to the church and my dedication to

God. However, I can still catch their sweet scent, and it brings back so many

memories of our childhood together here." he said as he turned his face towards

mine.

"Why does it seem like you've been sneaking

around here lately? Don't you appreciate the security that New Haven provides?

The King only asks in return that we keep our faith in God and living according

to His will." he questioned, as the atmosphere around us began to change.

"It's not about that at all, Alexander!" I

exclaimed, waving my arms in front of me, my face blushing causing my freckles

to stand out. I've known Alexander ever since we were kids, and I couldn't lie

to him... right? He could always see through me; he'd always know if I tried to

make up a story. But could I trust him with the truth, even now that he's a

Guardian? I mean he did save my ass twice now. I took a deep breath, feeling

the weight of the decision to tell him the truth or try to smooth my way over on

him.

"Then tell me, Mel, what's really going on?

You're starting to worry me." he said with empathy, leaning in close as if

trying to analyze me, like he was using his senses to figure out what was going

on and to hopefully unlock a secret I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him.

I took a step back, feeling a mix of nervousness and

relief. "Things have been really rough for me lately, everything has just

been so chaotic and it's all going so fast! Especially with my seventeenth

birthday coming up and…" I began to pour it all out as best as I could

before he interrupted me, turning his attention towards the sky.

"I understand, Mel. I know what it's like to face

the fear of the unknown. But let me tell you, at the end of the day, what

matters most to me is knowing that all of you are safe. It makes it all worth

it. That's why I do what I do," he said, turning back to the home and

nodded once towards it.

"You guys...Are the reason I'm here. I'll protect

you all, no matter the cost, even if that means I don't get to see you all at all.

This is the path of my journey I chose. You have your own to go on, moving out

of the home at seventeen isn't so bad once you get used to it. You'll find a

job in town that you love and will do amazing at it, just know I'll always have

your back, no matter what. Even if I may not be around all the time, I'll be

there for you and the others. I know things are crazy right now, but you're

smart and will figure it all out. Everything is going to be ok, Mel, I

promise." He reassured me.

I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Alexander I'm so sorry for the sacrifices you

and the other Guardians have made and continue to make to keep us all

safe." I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek to lighten the mood

then playfully punched him gently on his arm.

"If it makes you feel better you don't have to

protect me. I've learnt how to fight from the best." I winked at him,

reminding him of his old self-defense classes he used to give everyone when we

were younger.

Something I said must have triggered inside of him;

his lightning-fast reflexes swiftly grabbed hold of my right hand as he took it

in his. With his other he gently yet firmly grasped my other arm and guided it

around his back, leaving it there and creating a close and intimate connection.

I could feel exactly how muscular he had gotten from his training. His other

hand found its place in the middle of my back, pulling me into a tight hug.

I could feel the warmth from his embrace and the

beating of his heart. He gently buried his head in the curve of my neck,

creating a sense of vulnerability and closeness.

"It makes me feel better knowing you are

safe."

 I hugged him

back and allowed him to stay in my arms for a bit longer. He seemed to have

been so starved of human interaction other than his fellow Guardians, it was

like he desperately needed this.

"Everything will get better Alexander." I

promised him and he tightened the hug.

"I can't keep saving you like this from the other

guardians, they might question my loyalty to the church."  Alexander said as he released me.

"I know. I'm sorry." I bowed my head.

"Next time I'll try my best to not get caught." I joked, winking at him. He didn't find it amusing though, mostly because he couldn't see that I was winking at him...

"Really Mel? I sure hope you're kidding…I can't see your face, remember?" He said concerned with a huff and what I'm

pretty sure was an eye roll.

"Just stay out of danger please, or you'll get us both in trouble. I have to get going now, but I'll be having my eyes on you." Alexander said reaching into his pockets he pulled out two small black boxes with red ribbons tied on the top of both. "For you and Cassandra." He said placing them into each of my hands. "It's not much but since I won't be here for your birthdays tomorrow. It's the least I can do."

How could I completely have forgotten about our seventeenth birthdays?! They're tomorrow?! Man, my heads been a tangled mess. I thought I had a few more weeks but seems the time spent underground moved things along faster than I anticipated it to.

"Stay out of trouble, I'll be seeing you around."  he said as he spread out his angelic wings and took off into the dark sky of New Haven vanishing in the night, leaving me to reflect on the evening. I went back inside, took a quick shower, got dressed and settled into bed. As I laid there, I found myself staring at the ceiling, tracing the cracks with my eyes over and over and over again, lost in my thoughts of the nights events before silently drifting asleep.

That night, in my dreams, I stumbled upon the answers I had been praying for. It was as if a light was shown to me, revealing our path to conquer the front gates and to get past the Guardians without them noticing us leaving.

My eyes flew open, and I sat up

in bed.

"My Gods, I got it!" I whispered loudly to myself.