Before I could make sense of the voice, the ground began to tremble beneath me. It started as a faint vibration, but quickly grew in intensity until I was thrown off balance. I stumbled, almost falling when two hands grabbed my waist and held me in place.
"What is happening?" I looked behind to see the guardian with a fierce expression. He looked ahead of him into nothingness. The guardian didn't answer. Instead, he simply stood there, his eyes fixed on the emptiness from where we came before. And in that moment, I knew that we were not alone, that there was something out there, something dark, that was watching us and waiting to reveal itself.
"It's the creeper!" Yale stood up, his eyebrows down together. His hand was reaching out into empty space, as if he was trying to grasp something invisible. And then, a bright white light began to shine, emanating from his hand.
At first, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but then I realized that he was holding a sword - a sword that was white and shiny and seemed to sparkle with its own inner light. I gasped in amazement, my eyes fixed on the weapon in Yale's hand. It was like nothing I had ever seen before - so beautiful and otherworldly that it almost seemed unreal. But then again, all of this, all this situation felt unreal.
"What is that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What is it that you all can see?" I glanced at Azriel, my guardian who stood near me.
"Stay close." He said, his voice stern. "Or he'll take you with him. I won't let him do that." I decided to stay quiet. This situation seemed serious and my words would only distract them.
"We must go out." Azrield said, holding my hand protectively. My heart raced, and I felt a comfort feeling wash over me, making me let out a shaky but relieving sigh.
He continued, "I cannot risk you all. I can't risk this heaven."
Yale shook his head, "The girl's life is in danger. If he comes inside, we fight it off. I have the sword with me."
"Uncle Yale," He bowed down respectfully. "I can't risk anything here. I respect your wishes, but I can handle the creeper. Plus, you can't use the swords power to its fullest. I must go from here and protect who I have to protect without hurting anyone or causing any disturbance to any place." Yale looked at Azriel with a mixture of pride and concern.
"You are brave, my son," he said. "But remember, you don't have to face this alone. We are here to help you, no matter what."
We were about to leave the place when Mara called out to me in concern, "Come here, sweetie." I reluctantly let go of the guardian's hand, rubbing my forearm - a nervous habit - as I walked to her.
"Azriel is your protector. But you must protect him too. He is my good son." I could sense the worry in Mara's voice, and it made me feel even more nervous. I had no idea what was happening or what kind of danger we were facing. But I nodded my head, "I will try my best." My voice shaky, but honest. I really would try my best to help him. I knew that I had to be empathic to Mara's concerns for her son. After all, I had never really had a mother who cared for me, I have to understand the depth of Mara's love for Azriel.
The ground shook once more, a growl following soon after.
"We must go now! Or he might break in." Azriel let out while walking towards me, holding my hand and then walking towards the entrance from where we came from.
Everything else went in a blur, now that I was standing in front of what looked like a monster. The creeper. He was tall, very tall, taller than the trees, and shape of a human, but its features were twisted and distorted, making it clear that this was nothing ordinary. Its skin is a sickly gray color, stretched tight over its bones and covered in scars and rough patches of scales. Its eyes are sunken deep into its skull, glowing with a feral, animalistic intensity. He was muscular, and looked like he could kill with a click of his hands. I trembled in fear while Azriel looked at him with such high killing intent that it was making me difficult to stand up.
"What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?" I finally found my voice. I wanted to run from there, like I always had from my problems. But, hey this wasn't my problem. My feet stepped back, and I was about to run away, leaving his hand, but something stopped me. It was Mara's words. Her concern and love for her son. There was nothing I could to really help him. But at least I could stand by his side. So, I stood there. Beside him. With a pounding, scared heart, trying to take deep breaths which came in and out shakily.
"So, you have her, Lex." The creeper spoke with a deep, raspy, sickening voice which made me sick to my stomach. I felt like vomiting just from his voice and looks.
Azriel stood beside me, radiating a cold fury that made it clear he was not to be trifled with. "Yes. And you cannot have her."
"I did not come here to fight, Azriel. But it seems you will make me." Creeper smirked evilly.
"I am capable of fighting you, Abaddon."
That was his name. The creeper's name. Abaddon. And if I was right about the name, it meant destruction. As I mused about this, I shivered. The only thing that made me feel safe was the guardian who stood beside me, shooting glares at the monster in front of us. Without warning, Azriel emerged a trident from his hand, and it glowed in shades of red and black. The trident was surrounded by sparkling white particles, much like Yale's sword, which I had seen before.
Abaddon, the creature sneered at us, his eyes full of malice and hatred, growing a little taller. But Azriel stood tall, his white wings unfurled behind him, radiating a bright light that illuminated the darkness.
"Are you ready for destruction?" Abaddon taunted, but Azriel remained calm and resolute.