PROTECTOR Episode 24

///PROTECTOR///
Episode 24
Planning Session


     The sky slowly rotates overhead, its azure tone dashed with waves of white as Chris drops to one knee on the roof of the Institute, his hand tracing a black rune.

     A soft blue glow floods from the magical drawing then disappears, another one some distance away reacting with a solid green light.

     The runes were created after the ring had risen from the planet in order to protect the students from any type of warfare or assassination.

     “Ever wonder why you keep coming back to the same spot?”

     The wolf doesn’t respond immediately, his mind lost in thought.

     Despite the changes in the world around the Institute, everything inside was the same: Flowers were still blooming in the courtyard, the walkways were still pristine, and there was still equality between students.

     “It’s because Zata is its own world.”

     Band walks to the rune, stopping beside Chris.

     The wolf stands, dusting off his pants, “I think I finally understand your actions on the platform.”

     “Then that means you must know about the black creatures and what they are after.”

     Chris shakes his head, “No… I don’t know what I know anymore: I thought that Kara was the one everyone was after, but now it seems to have shifted to Sarei...”

     His voice trails off in thought, only to be brought back by the ulai, “If she is what you reported she is: they are both keys to the same door.”

     “Do you know what they are trying to unlock?”

     “I have no clue… I would gather that it is some type of weapon, something to get rid of us all.”

     “We assume it is something of that sort, but we do not know.”

     Chris manages to bring himself to smirk at the situation, “so… for the first time we both are left in the dark as to our enemy’s intentions. It makes me wonder if that silver man actually knew anything himself.”

     Band begins to walk away, “I will continue to go over your report. In the meantime you should rest.”

      “Yeah… maybe I should.”

*******

     The wolf holds a hand out to a wall, absentmindedly counting the stones as steps towards his room.

     From his position he sees Ashen leaning against the painted brick, her head hanging.

     “Are you okay?” he asks as he unlocks the door.

     “Yeah, I’m fine…” she looks at him with her red orbs, “I just feel like I need to tell you that I was in the same room when they took the girl…”

     Chris lays a hand on her head, tousling her hair even though she is a foot taller than he is, “don’t worry about it. I can’t blame you for what happened, because if anyone is at fault it’s me, the pilot. Besides, I’ll get her back.”

     The door closes behind him as he walks into the room, leaving Ashen silent in the hallway. He nearly slams his head backwards against the wood in self-hatred.

     “How will you reclaim her if you don’t know where she is?”

     The man clad in silver armor stands at the covered window of his apartment.

     Chris, only slightly surprised, answers, “I’ll find her, after all: we wolves are part of a pack.”

     “I admire your conviction… it is something lacking in society.”

     “Thank you, but, not to be rude, why are you here?”

     “To say you have my people’s full support.” The creature steps backwards and disappears through the stone.

     “I’m beginning to get tired of people popping up at random times today,” Chris says to himself before falling onto the sheets of his bed.

*******

     The large stone double doors move, the large chains that would keep them from opening snapping and falling to the bridge. Suddenly they explode outwards, a massive vortex drawing everyone into it.

     Lives flash before his eyes.

     Reality and knowledge shatters inside his mind.

     The angel flies down the pathway as his claws scramble against the deteriorating ground.


      His own voice chastises him as he falls into the darkness, “Is it really worth giving your life for such meaningless nonsense as love?”


*******

     Chris erupts from his bed, breathing heavily.

      Feeling nauseous, he walks into the hallway and into the courtyard, there his wolf ears twitch.

      The moon high above lights the ground all around, illuminating a single rune on the side of the wall.

      Grinning, the wolf answers, “It isn’t just for them.”