The Protectors: Book 1 in the Protectors Saga (4 page)

Gumptin knew the Inamri were the darkest of the
Ancients. Above all the others they desired power, not balance, and
unfortunately, power could usually be obtained through evil.

“What spell did the Inamri cast?” Gumptin asked.

All six Elementals shook their heads, “We have told
you all we can. Now, you must choose.”

Gumptin knew it should have taken him longer to
decide, being a Wizard dedicated to fighting for good, but weighing
one dangerous spell against the Protector’s lives was no choice for
him, “I want you to bring them back.”

All six water figures merged together as one, forming
one large ball of water that glimmered the same pale blue color as
their eyes. They stayed in that glowing ball of water for almost a
minute. Then, when they emerged back into their human water forms,
five of them, all except for the female who seemed to be in charge,
were holding radiantly glowing orbs the size of a peach in their
hand.

“We have collected the Protector’s souls.” The female
told Gumptin.

Gumptin gasped and fell backwards a step, focusing on
the fact that he was actually staring at the Protectors.

“Souls remain in the atmosphere for twenty-four hours
before they move on.” The main female Elemental informed Gumptin,
“That is why the spell must be performed within a day of the
individual’s death.”

“So, you shall do the spell?” Gumptin asked, barely
able to breathe from excitement.

“Yes,” she answered, “the souls will be placed back
into the mothers of the Protectors to be reborn. They will then be
sent through the Ora Gateway.”

“What?” Gumptin exhaled weakly.

Being a Wizard, Gumptin of course knew about the
Gateways. There were thousands of them spread across the universe,
and they always came in pairs, one on one planet and its twin on a
separate planet. They were, just as their name suggested, gateways,
or doors, from one planet to another. They allowed an individual to
step through a door on one planet, travel through space in a matter
of seconds, and exit through the other door on whatever planet it’s
located. There were five different gateways scattered across their
planet of Orcatia, but no one outside of the magic folk knew where
they were located, or to which planets the Gateway’s connected.
Gumptin, as part of the magic community, knew that the Ora Gateway
was located only a few miles from the Protector’s village and that
it connected to a planet called Earth.

“Why would you send them through a Gateway?” Gumptin
asked, not liking the idea of the Protector’s on another
planet.

“There are many reasons, Gumptin.” The Elemental
answered, “Foremost, this planet cannot wait years for the
Protectors to be born and grow up. It would be pointless to bring
them back if that were the case. We can manipulate the Gateways. As
we send them through space, we can also send them through time. We
will send them back in time sixteen years to the planet Earth.
There, they will grow up, and when they reach the age they were
when they died, you will go and collect them. We will come to you
when it is time. Only a few days shall go by here on Orcatia.
Because they will be born on Earth, they will age at the normal
rate. However, their parents, being born Orcatian, will not be able
to age on Earth. Make sure you tell them this.”

Gumptin thought about that for a moment. He had been
so wrapped up in bringing the Protectors back to life he hadn’t
really stopped to think about them being re-born or growing up. His
head began to ache. He tried to think of a way around the Gateway
and sending them to the past, but he came up with nothing. In the
end, Gumptin realized that he had no choice but to do it the
Elementals way.

“There is one more thing you should know.” The
Elemental bowed her head in a way that left Gumptin nervous to hear
the rest of what she was about to tell him. “There are certain
consequences that come with doing a spell this powerful.”

“What kind of consequences?” Gumptin asked feeling
disheartened.

The Elemental lifted her head, “With the Spell of
Rebirth, those being reborn are born without their memories.”

Gumptin felt the blood drain from his face. Apart
from being told that the Protectors would have to stay dead, he
couldn’t imagine hearing worse words coming out of the Elementals
mouths.

“For how long?” he asked, “Will they regain any of
their memories?”

“Over time they might reclaim a very small amount of
their memories,” The Elemental answered honestly, “but they will
never remember everything.”

Gumptin nodded his head; there was nothing else he
could do. If this was the price for getting the Protectors back
alive, he couldn’t argue against it.

The five Elementals that held the Protectors souls
began to mold back together into the giant water ball.

“Go,” the last Elemental told Gumptin, “prepare the
parents; we will meet you at the Ora Gateway in three hours.”

When she finished speaking the female Elemental
merged into the water with the others. They remained swirling
around for a few seconds before vanishing in a bright explosion.
The remaining water fell back into the pool and Gumptin watched the
water still, as if nothing had happened.

Gumptin walked back to the village at a much slower
pace than he had used to reach the Elementals. He was lost in
thought, mulling over everything that had just been discussed. On
one hand, he was relieved; the Protectors were being given a second
chance. They would be brought to life and Gumptin couldn’t be
anything but overjoyed by that, but there were aspects of them
being re-born that left him uneasy. They were going to be growing
up on a distant planet, with no memory of ever being a Protector.
He could only hope that when the time came for them to return to
Orcatia they would be able to step back into the role of a
warrior.

When Gumptin returned to the village he found the
villagers, who were in a panic.

Apparently, when the Elementals had taken the
Protector’s souls, their bodies had turned to dust, leaving the
parents in a state of hysteria.

Gumptin quieted them down and explained to the
villagers everything that the Elementals had told him. Slowly, the
parents began to calm down and take in everything he was
saying.

“So,” Sasha’s mother choked, “you’re telling us
they’re going to be alright?”

Gumptin nodded and the whole village seemed to
breathe a sigh of relief.

The parents were more than willing to do what the
Elementals had asked of them, travel to Earth and raise their
children all over again for sixteen years; that was nothing to
them.

The parents and Gumptin left the village immediately
to go meet the Elementals at the Gateway. It wasn’t a very long
walk, less than an hour, even following Gumptin who wasn’t the
fastest of walkers.

Their destination was at the end of a small dirt
path, which lay a mile down the main road; it opened up into a
small clearing about ten feet around, surrounded by dense overgrown
trees. At the far end of the clearing were two exceptionally large
oak trees, only a few feet apart and out of place from the other
trees.

Gumptin picked up a small rock and threw it between
the trees. The parents heard it land somewhere in the thicket of
the forest.

Gumptin picked up a second small rock, but this time
before throwing it between the trees he spoke the words, “Ora
Gateway.”

There was a small charge that went off between the
trees, like a miniature lightning strike. When Gumptin threw the
stone, the space between the trees rippled as if someone had thrown
a pebble into a pool of water. This time the stone didn’t land on
the other side; it disappeared completely.

Gumptin turned to the parents, “That stone is lying
somewhere on Earth now. That is how the Gateway works; you have to
name it. Once you say its name, it stays open for approximately ten
minutes.”

“You, however, will not need to use the Gateway once
you travel to Earth.” The ethereal voice came from behind Gumptin
and the parents.

They all turned to see six figures, human in
appearance, but made up of what looked like smoke and dust,
although, they still had their gleaming pale blue eyes. Five of the
Elementals were still holding the glowing souls.

The Elementals addressed the parents, the main female
speaking for the group, “We will send you all to the planet Earth,
with your children’s souls. Once there, we will provide you with a
place to live and a means to support yourselves. You will have
normal lives and raise your children as normal girls.” The
Elemental gave the parents a penetrating gaze, “Never speak of this
planet or who they really are. You will not use the Ora Gateway to
travel back to Orcatia until Gumptin comes to retrieve you; do you
understand?” She waited for each of the parents to tell her they
understood, before asking, “Are there any questions?”

The parents only wanted their children back alive and
were willing to do whatever the Elementals demanded of them. The
parents shook their heads and the five Elementals holding the souls
walked forward towards the mothers.

Avery’s mother was the first to be given her
daughter’s soul.

The Elemental walked up to her, cupped the soul in
both palms, leaned down to her stomach and whispered words, “Sula
Dunna Nacht.”

The words were too old for even Gumptin to
understand, and that was saying a lot, considering he was a Wizard
with extensive knowledge of the old languages.

There was a bright flash of bluish light, and then
the soul was no longer in the Elemental’s hands.

“Take care of her.” The Elemental told Avery’s
mother, and she nodded in agreement, holding her stomach, tears
begin to form in her eyes.

The other Elementals followed suit. First, Jade was
given to her mother, then Sasha, then Skylar, and finally
Bunny.

Bunny’s mother seemed hesitant and the Elemental
backed away, “Are you sure you want this?” he asked her, “It must
be all of them that go back, or none at all.”

All of the parents looked at Bunny’s mother, pleading
and warning with their eyes.

“Of course, I want this!” She cried, “I just can’t
believe everything that’s happened today.” Her voice cracked as she
steadied her stance, readying herself to accept Bunny’s soul.

The Elemental nodded once, then continued to place
the soul into her body.

Once the Elementals had done their job of placing all
the souls, they ordered the parents into the Gateway.

The five Elementals who had carried the Protectors
souls went through the Gateway first, followed by the parents. The
main female stayed behind for a moment.

“Thank you for doing this.” Gumptin told her,
overcome with gratitude after seeing the souls safely put where
they belong, knowing his Protectors would soon be returning to
him.

“Just remember, Gumptin,” The Elemental answered, her
sing-song voice taking on a melancholy tone, “you were the one to
ask for this. Whatever happens, good or bad, do not come to us for
any more favors.”

And with those words, she turned and walked into the
Gateway, leaving Gumptin standing alone, pondering what she had
said.

Chapter
4

Eeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrr!

Avery Kimball’s head shot up from her desk so fast
that she nearly managed to knock herself out of her seat. She had
almost fallen asleep when the ear piercing bell, signifying the end
to her final class, slammed her back into reality. She checked her
desk and the side of her face for drool. There was hardly anything
as embarrassing as falling asleep in class and drooling all over
the place, and this she knew from experience.

Avery slumped her backpack onto her shoulder and
started to file in line with the rest of the students pilling out
of the compact classroom and into the crowded corridors.

“TGIF, right?” a slight Asian girl, with dyed purple
hair, standing beside Avery asked.

“Tell me about it.” Avery responded, keeping her eyes
fixed on the two double plexi-glass doors which led out to the
parking lot and to freedom, “I thought this week would never
end.”

“So, are you going to Mitchell’s party tonight?” The
girl asked.

Avery let out a sigh, but before she could continue
and officially say no, the girl cut her off, “Avery, you have to
go! It won’t be the same without you there. Plus, now that Mitchell
and Jenny are a thing of the past, he totally has eyes for
you!”

Avery thought about that for a moment. She had always
held a small torch for Mitchell Becker and his big brown puppy dog
eyes, ever since the third grade when he had shared his bag of
gummy snacks with her. She let herself fantasize about his eyes for
a few more seconds before deciding against making a play for his
affection.

“Sorry, Ming, I can’t.” Avery said, hoping she
wouldn’t later come to regret her decision, “I’ve got an English
literature paper that desperately needs my attention.”

Ming shook her head, “You’ve gotta knock it off with
all this studying, girl. We’re only juniors; we have another whole
year before we have to start worrying about grades and
college.”

Avery gave Ming a light motherly pinch on the cheek,
“It’s never too early to start worrying…or so my parents tell
me”

Finally, they exited the doors and were out of the
student packed corridors.

Ming waved goodbye, smiling broadly, “Well, we’ll
miss you tonight, but I’ll give Mitchell a big kiss for you.”

Avery smiled back, telling herself that Ming’s
comment was just a good humored joke and not an actual declaration
of something she was intending to do. Otherwise, smiling would be
the last thing Avery would do.