Terror. Bloodshed. Screams. Rage. The sounds of swords clashing and the sound of feet pounding the surface were heard from miles away. Flames burst red and yellow with fury and ire; blazing and eradicating everything in its path. Cadavers were scattered across the burning ground and the raucous bloody hollers pierced the sky. The ruthless smell of blood drifted into the air and the faultless were in dismay and fear. Yes, this was war.

War meant killing, conflict, and death. It was a cold, heartless way of altercation and fighting, a way where people were slaughtered mercilessly like hogs.

Fantasia was crumbling into ashes. The enemy, Lord Umbros Infatus, attacked vengefully to conquer the realm and brutally annihilated anyone in sight. He apprehended Queen Florence, the ruler of Fantasia, and left the people to fret.

In the Crystallos Silva (Ice Forest) on the Terra Highlands, a young girl and her troupe dashed through the forest, the snow crunched beneath their feet. The snowflakes fell from the sky and the frigid flurry slightly grazed their faces.

Winter never changed nor did it stop. In Fantasia, there was no such thing as summer, fall nor spring. It was just winter and snow that covered the land.

The young girl was the daughter of the queen, Princess Teresa. She was about fourteen years old in human years and was tall and competent. He red wavy hair had tiny flakes of snow and her eyes were dark brown. She wore her armor plates on her shoulders and some below her legs. She also had an iron fabric vest and clothing. He metal boots covered her feet and her red caped draped down to the snow. Two swords the length of her forearm were carried in their sheaths on both sides of her hips.

Behind her were the two Guardian Captains, Adora Rosewraith and Leon Blackhart, and the two Keeper Captains Whitebeard Craven and Aeirth Chryseom.

The Guardians were one of the great branches that provide Fantasia its strength. The other half was the Keepers. They were both powerful, but the Keepers were more skilled at magic and were mostly made of high class sorcerers and sorceresses. Guardians were warriors and knights that carried a little magic with them. High-ranked Keepers or Guardians were either a lieutenant or a captain. There were twelve Captains (Keepers and Guardians combined) with their twelve lieutenants.

“Leon,” Lady Teresa said, keeping her eyes on the road. “Do you know how far the enemy is?”

Leon had a keen intellect and a quick thinking mind that was like a portable GPS, knowing where to go and how to get there. “We are exactly 5 miles away from the Sanctuary, princess.”

Guardian Adora ran up to Lady Teresa. Adora had long, blonde hair with curls on every side. Her eyes were as clear as the ocean and her face was passive yet shining with beauty. “We should all be careful on this mission to save our queen, especially you Princess Teresa.”

Teresa nodded. “This is unlike our regular enemies. Lord Umbros might have many tricks up his sleeve knowing him.”

“That sly snake,” Keeper Aeirth hissed. “He was a traitor. He only wanted all of Fantasia’s power and wealth to himself. But all the greedy and selfish end up that way.”

Keeper Craven looked at Keeper Aerith gravely. “He is a danger to all of Fantasia and we must stop him, no matter what our feelings for the old Lord Umbros are.”

Everyone was silent. Teresa could recall the old Lord Umbros, the genius and the expert tactician. He was an intelligent and remarkable young man. He was a friend and ally to everyone, and was Teresa’s oldest friend.

(Flashback…)

“Umbros! Guardian Umbros!”

Young Teresa at age seven ran up to a sleek black haired man with black eyes.

He smiled at her as he turned around. “Miss Teresa, how are you today? Energetic as usual I see.”

Young Teresa had a summer yellow dress with bumble bees imprinted on the rim of the dress. She wore pink slippers and her eyes were glittering with liveliness.

Young Teresa grinned. “Mister Umbros, I want you to tell me the story about the Great War!”

“Oh that story again? How many times have I told you that story?”

“Ten times!” Teresa held up ten fingers and beamed. “Please tell it to me again! Pretty please!!”

Lord Umbros laughed and he bent down towards the little girl. “Alright princess. Why don’t we sit over in the garden bench?” He pointed to the bench in the garden. They held hands and walked outside to the gardens.

The petunias were blooming and the trees were lush with life. The air was moist yet it had a fresh aroma. The morning was beautiful, the sun shining and Teresa gave the buds in a flower pot a poke. Suddenly, the buds sprouted into beautiful pink flowers. She giggled and she skipped along with Lord Umbros.

They found the perfect spot under a tall shady tree and sat down. “Well, now, are you ready to begin?” Lord Umbros asked the small Teresa.

Teresa nodded enthusiastically and she squealed. “Start already!”

(Flashback ended…)

Lady Teresa recalled those memories of the Lord Umbros that she had known once before, the one who cared for her and treated her as if he was her own father. A tear rolled down her throat as she thought about the day he left, with anger.

(Flashback…)

Young Teresa walked through the halls. She skipped happily in her blue nightgown as she tried to find Lord Umbros since he was in charge of her bed time stories. She held a book tightly in her arms and just before she went around the corner, she heard loud voices and stopped.

She hid against the corner and took a peek at what was happening. She saw Guardian Umbros and Keeper Craven and Guardian Leon, yelling at them furiously.

“Listen Infatus,” Keeper Craven said to Guardian Umbros calmly. “You failed this mission by executing your own men on your team and by killing a whole village. This is one of the forbidden rules that we have kept for generations and you have been the first to break that rule which hasn’t been broken for decades. What has gotten into you?”

Guardian Umbros growled. “I merely took those worthless fools out of my group because they were in the way. The villagers were useless and they wouldn’t have been able to stay alive anyways from the attack. So I simply exterminated them all.”

Teresa was surprised to hear Guardian Umbros say such a thing. He had always said to her that she should always protect her companions with all her might and to protect them with her life.

“You have gone beyond the limits,” Keeper Craven said formidably. “And those who follow that road will get their punishments.”

“I wish it didn’t have to end this way, master,” Guardian Leon said sadly. “But the law says that anyone who executes a Guardian, a Keeper, and even a villager, depending on the extremes, will get severe punishment. And you Guardian Umbros, have gone into the extremes. That leads to Supplicium Ultimum, final execution.”

Guardian Umbros back a few steps away and yelled. “You can’t be serious? What if you had a comrade that you cannot rely on?! What would you do?! The villagers were far too weak to even move and they were useless as flies! I decided to end their pain! How can you be so ludicrous?! ”

“This wasn’t the decision we wanted to make,” Keeper Craven said in a definite tone. “This was the decision we had to make. We didn’t want it to be this way. You are one of the brilliant Guardians that we have, and the decision you had made have set you to your fate.”

“You are injudicious!” hollered Guardian Umbros and he clenched his fist and turned around. “You people…don’t understand. Those who are weak do not deserve a chance to live!”

“You don’t know what ‘comrade’ means! Do you?!” yelled Guardian Leon at Umbros. “Those who are strong must protect the weak and teach them so they can become strong! A comrade is one who puts his life on the line for someone else and will do anything to protect that person! Isn’t that what you have taught me, master?!”

Then, Guardian Umbros said nothing for awhile. He turned away from Leon’s sad yet angry face. “Leon, you are well-built and exceptional. You have been one of my most successful students that I have ever had. I am very proud to have been your teacher, but until now-he looked back at Leon-‘the times are different. I have become a different man. I will take the execution.”

Leon looked forlornly at Umbros and nodded.

Then as Guardian Umbros walked off with Keeper Craven and Guardian Leon, he came across the young Teresa, in tears. She dropped her book and ran off, covering her eyes.

Guardian Umbros did not come to read Teresa a bed time story and she had horrible nightmares.


On the day of the execution, Teresa sobbed with unhappiness as she watched Guardian Umbros go up to the execution grounds. He was going to be executed by the executioners, the Death Squad.

He looked at Teresa and saw her in tears. She turned away as she was being comforted by his lover, Keeper Aeirth. Aeirth looked at the girl with comforting eyes and she looked up at Umbros with impassive look.

Umbros walked up slowly towards the place where he was supposed to stand. The Death Squad surrounded him, with long swords and weapons. Their faces were covered by their masks and wore a black coat for a disguise.

Queen Florence stood at the far end of the Execution Grounds with a bunch of other Guardians and Keepers. She had white silky hair and her eyes were the color of the bluest skies. She wore a white dress and she her face was so pure. “People of Fantasia!” she boomed in a mellifluous voice. “Captain of the Tactician Squad, Guardian Infatus Umbros, has broken one of the great laws of our land!”

People murmured and Teresa looked up at her mother. Her mother looked back and smiled sadly. Aeirth let go of Teresa and she ran up to her mother and clutched the queen’s dress. The queen touched her daughter’s cheeks.
“He has broken the law,” Queen Florence said loudly. “The law that has been one of the very few laws that has not been broken for centuries, but this man, has broken it. And he will get the penalty. TOTAL EXECUTION.” Her words echoed throughout the land and the people began yelling at Guardian Umbros.

“This has been unexpected, but this is what must happen,” Queen Florence said. Then with a wave of her hand, the Death Squad charged at Guardian Umbros.

The little girl closed her eyes. Then she heard people screaming and asserting insanely. She opened her eyes and saw staggering sight.

Guardian Umbros wasn’t dead. All the executioners were dead.

Teresa saw the look on her mother’s face. She was furious, yet she kept a passive nature. “Umbros, what do you think you are doing?” She demanded. “You have made this even worse upon yourself.”

Guardian Umbros shook his head firmly. “I’m not ready to die yet.” He turned to Teresa with his loving eyes.

Teresa stared right into them. Tears trickled down her eyes and she clutched onto her mother’s dress and looked away.

“You have raised your education up another level,” Queen Florence said morosely. Then she brought out another group of the Death Squad. The queen took out her hand and pointed it at Guardian Umbros. “I have done this to many like you Guardian Umbros. This is called the Calix Sigillum, the ancient box seal. The Death Squad and I will perform this and seal you in the ancient box so that you will never return to this world ever again.”

Then a symbol of a leaf appeared on her hand. The remaining Death Squad took out their hands and symbols of fire, water, earth, thunder, and wind appeared on their palms. Then, a stream of light came from their hands and wrapped around Guardian Umbros. Then, the queen raised her other hand a box appeared with a seal. It opened and Guardian Umbros was engulfed into it and the box closed itself. The Death Squad put their hands down and the queen threw Guardian Umbros’s sword at the box and it disappeared.

Everyone was silent and Queen Florence. “Pay your respects to Guardian Umbros, everyone.” Everyone bowed their heads, but the queen’s daughter ran away and Keeper Aeirth chased after her.
She found the little girl in her bedroom, her face in her pillow and she was sobbing. Aeirth smiled sadly at her and she came over and sat on her bed. “I know how close you were with Guardian Umbros Princess Teresa, but you must understand, he made a terrible choice that he should have never made. But, people change.”

The young girl shook her head and snuffled. “NO! That is not Guardian Umbros! That is not him! He is kind and he is very nice! That was not Guardian Umbros!” She shed tears and Aeirth sighed.

Aeirth took out a necklace and held it close to Teresa. Attached to it was a small, clear crystal with little crystals attached to the string. Teresa moved her head from the pillow and she stared at the necklace with admiration. “This necklace was something Umbros wanted me to give you,” Aeirth put the necklace around Teresa’s neck. “He probably knew that this would happen to him. Keep it and treasure it. This necklace is one of the last, special ones that you will ever see.”

Teresa clutched onto her necklace and then she hugged Aeirth. “Thank you Aeirth,” Teresa said, sniffing up her tears.

Aeirth nodded. Then she left the room, leaving Teresa to herself, with no more tears.

(Flashback ended…)

But years had passed and Guardian Umbros broke free from the spell with the Shadow, known as Mortem Homo aka Death Man. They fled together and formed an army of rebels of Fantasia and called him Lord Umbros. They hadn’t seen him for hundreds of years, until today…
Lady Teresa halted and found the Sanctuary, where Lord Umbros and her mother waited for her. She saw how he was holding her mother captive, with two guards guarding her. There were only a few of his guards guarding the Sanctuary.

“How odd,” Guardian Leon said with render speechless. “I would expect a man like Lord Umbros to have at least fifty guards in the Sanctuary. He’s always concerned with power and defense.”

“But you know Umbros,” Keeper Craven said solemnly. “He was one of the best tacticians in the world.”

“Besides you of course Keeper Craven,” Aeirth said to the old man. A grim expression sat on her face. “We should have our guards up. He may be planning something.” Then she turned to Adora, the analyzer. “Adora, have you analyzed the situation yet?”

Adora held up her trinket, a silver white bell. She could hear and feel the vibrations from the bell. Then, she said. “There is something strange going on. He does have a few guards, but there are guards posted all over the sanctuary! And in our area as well!”

“What are you talking about?” Teresa asked Adora.

“He has them!” Adora said wide eyed. “Everywhere! We have already been spotted by the enemy!”

Then, Guardian Leon took Adora by the hand and sat her down. He knelt down beside her and saw her shivering. “You’ve used too much of your magic. You can stop now.”

Adora’s eyes fluttered and then she let go of her bell. She the ability to see any distance and was able to foretell any moves, only when she held up her bell in front of her eyes. “They are everywhere,” she said exasperatingly. “They know where we are. They are waiting for us to attack them. We must come up with a plan before attack.”

“We should just wait for them to attack us,” Teresa said firmly. “It might be a trap of we attack the enemy.”

“True,” Keeper Craven nodded. “But time is something that we do not have. We will have one person try and save Queen Florence from the two guards from the behind. The rest will attack from the front. If we all attack from behind, the guards will attack us and the queen may be hurt. If we all attack from the front, Adora said that there were guards everywhere, and we will be too occupied. So one must go from the behind.”

“As always my dear friend,” Aeirth smiled. “You are an excellent planner.”

“I can go from the behind,” Teresa volunteered determinedly. “I can save mother using-“

“No it is too risky,” Keeper Craven shook his head. “Keeper Aeirth should do it. She has the invisibility powers that no one else has.”

Aeirth was silent and she looked at the Sanctuary. She saw Lord Umbros, with his hands folded as he was waiting for them to attack. “I’ll do it,” she said self-assuredly. “If we are able to get our queen back, then I will do it.” She saw Teresa pouting and gave her a half smile.

“Then it is settled.” Guardian

Leon helped Guardian Adora up. “We’ll start the operation…” He took out his scythe and he pointed it at the Sanctuary. “NOW!”