The only emotion that could describe what I felt in that moment was fear. Pure, unfiltered fear. The guards of my time were the people who single-handedly protected the entire planet, and had later created the first elemental magic user. Even at my peak, I could barely fight one of them.
Frozen in fear, I hear footsteps. Armor clanked as the noises got closer and closer. I turned around, my heart beating faster than it ever had, and I saw them. The guards...? No, they couldn't be. There was a group of 5 people in shabby metal armor holding spears. Those toys couldn't even compare to the weapons the guards I knew had. I spoke at the fake guards, fear dissipating from my body. "I can't believe I was scared for a moment there. Nice playthings you've got there." The guards scoffed at my snarky remark. "Kid, you've got a big head." The guard had a blank face while staring at me. Kid? I may look a little young, but I was no kid. The ego on this guard made me want to savor humbling them even more. They grabbed me and I acted as if I had no other choice but to follow. Once they brought me near a secluded area, I dashed out from in between them. They yelled but their cries fell upon deaf ears. I held my hand out and prepared to blast these idiots with magic and shatter their ego. Something would finally go right in this shitty day. However, that mentality did not last long. "The Gods have rejected your use of pre-eternal magic." What the fuck? Since when did I need the gods permission to use my own damn power? I angrily tried to use my fist to beat the guards. I threw my hand straight at their head, but it bounced off of their metal helmet. My ring finger bent backwards as I threw myself back. The guard that I tried to punch raised his hand as the wind around me get sucked into it as if his hand was a vacuum. I quietly sat there and watched my fate. There was nothing I could do. It would end here. But was that really a bad thing? I would just be sent to a different form of eternity, death. My thoughts would cease to exist and the senses I had just regained would be sent back into nothingness again. Was I really okay with that? My lip quivered and my shoulders shook as I pondered.No. I wasn't okay with this. A tear formed in my eye as I watched the fist come towards my fragile body. I unconsciously forced helpless mumble out of my throat."I don't want to die. Please. I can't."At that moment, it felt like time stopped. An unfamiliar yet welcoming voice came from behind the guards."That's all I needed to hear."The air suddenly felt dry around me, as if all the moisture had been removed. A shimmering cube of water encapsulated the guards as if it was a solid object. Light reflected off of it as if I was looking into a river. The calm sounds coming from it caused me to be at peace as the man responsible for it walked out from behind the box. He was way taller than me, about 6'2. He had tanned skin and light blue hair, flowing as if it was a part of the river he created the box out of. He stared down at me with a welcoming smile. The tears in my eyes dried up as I looked up at him. But despite his warm appearance, I wasn't entirely at ease. I heard the drowned out screams from inside the box. A man who just killed a group of guards couldn't possibly be a purely good person. After all, I would be the villain in the eyes of the average human. I stared at him, trying to appear unfazed. "What do you want from me?" "Haha, do I really seem like a person who would want something in return for saving you?" He scratched the back of his head while saying this. He was really playing up that nice guy persona, but I wasn't gonna have it. "Yes, you do. What do you want from me?" He sighed and looked at me with slightly dejected eyes. "Fine. I'll tell you. I would've preferred to discuss this in a private place, but it appears you're duller than I've heard." I knew something was up. Nobody could be this nice without wanting something in return, especially to a criminal. "I want you to help me exterminate the Jeti Army. I know you don't understand what that means, so follow me and I'll tell you. I've been waiting 4 years for your arrival, and I'm not going to waste this opportunity." He was waiting for me? Who the hell is this guy? I obviously didn't know what the Jeti Army was. If he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already so I had no reason not to trust him. I followed the mysterious man back to his house. It was dirty and unkept, books open everywhere and a plate of pasta laying on the counter. The man tripped over a pile of books and crashed into the floor. I heard a woman yell from upstairs. "Ame, what the hell are you doing? Stop making so much fucking noise every time you get home. And pick up your goddamn books!" "Sorry Mom! I'll be in the basement if you need me." This guy was a bit of a loser. From what I understood from his mom yelling at him, his name was Ame. He picked up the pile of books he tripped on and led me to the basement. I awkwardly waved to his mom before descending. At that moment, for this first time in that entire day, hope was rekindled into my heart.