Rise of the Guardians   von Aqua111
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                          Kapitel 10: Unexpected home
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Rise of the Guardians
Chapter 10 - Unexpected home

Despite their exhaustion the Guardians only sank to the ground as soon as they
appeared in the Forbidden Zone but didn't black out this time.
This part of the island never had too abundant vegetation before but now it was
just a barren wasteland. The ground was churned up, the few dead trees uprooted.
Smoking ruins in the distance indicated where once a village or town could have
been.
"Seeing something like that in the area that once had been the Guardians'
territory ... it's terrible..." Locke mumbled tonelessly.
Sabre wandered off a bit, his eyes on the hills in the north. Somewhere there
they would have to face Enerjak soon. He didn't know what the demi-god was even
doing that far north but now an awful thought was slowly forming in his mind.
This wasn't just the place where the Guardians had lived but also where most of
them had found their final resting place. Many centuries had passed but what if
for some odd reason Guardian bodies didn't rot as fast as other bodies, just
like they didn't age that fast? What if Enerjak was looking for them? A troop of
zombified Guardians was about as terrible as if the demi-god himself took part
in the battles.

"Sabre, watch out!"
The sudden call ripped him out of his thoughts but he couldn't react as fast as
Spectre crashed into him and protectively wrapped his arms around him. Not even
a split-second later the ammunition of a Death Legionnaire's gun was emptied
into the dark Echidna's back. Silently Spectre broke down to the ground and
nearly dragged Sabre with him who tried to catch him but lost balance.
With a loud curse Thunderhawk shot his boomerang at the Legionnaire and knocked
him off the rock he was standing on but now several more of them appeared on top
of the hills - not an army like the one that had attacked Echidnaopolis but
still a few dozen. The way they looked they had died recently - probably in the
battle for the ruined village - but there was no doubt they all were dead,
telling from wounds no Echidna would have survived or sometimes just from life
missing in their eyes.
Moving like reflections Thunderhawk and Sojourner were the first to attack and
sent twin blasts against the nearest Legionnaires. Locke was next to rush into
battle while Sabre stayed back to protect the last bit of life that could still
be left in Spectre's motionless body and attacked from afar.
The experience they had gained in their battle for Echidnaopolis was immense and
even without the driving force of Spectre the Legionnaires were knocked out
fast.

Now after the last enemy was gone Sabre knelt down at Spectre’s side
shivering. The blood on the ground had dried and the wounds under the dark fur
nearly healed but still Spectre showed no sign of regaining consciousness and
his breath came in shallow gasps.
"This seems to be some special kind of weapon", Locke said examining one of
them. "Whatever kind of dark energy they contained, it looks like Spectre is
fighting it at the moment."
"So what are we going to do?" Sojourner asked, despair in his voice. "We can't
leave a wounded Guardian behind in the middle of nowhere but we also can't take
him into battle with us. Teleporting somewhere safe to leave him there is also
out of question since I doubt we four have the energy left for teleporting."
Sabre only silently stared at Spectre. No one had put the blame on him but sill
he made serious reproaches against himself. If only he had watched out for
enemies instead of walking around lost in his thoughts in a hostile area. If
only he had activated his shield a second earlier instead of letting someone who
couldn't create a Chaos shield of any kind protect him.
"I will carry him", he eventually said and somehow had to think of his dreams.
The Sabre back then didn't have the possibility to carry the half dead Spectre
because of his own wounds but the Sabre from now had mostly healed up and only
felt exhausted.
When he picked Spectre up he was surprised how much of a lightweight the dark
Echidna actually was. He might barely have touched their supplies but just a few
days of fasting wouldn't cause someone to lose that much weight. It rather
seemed like he had been through several periods of starving.
'How much else that you didn't want to tell have they done to you in that damn
Legion camp?' Sabre grimly thought.

"Can you feel that too?" Locke asked after they had been walking for a while.
"At first I thought it was only my imagination but now it's getting stronger the
further we go."
The others had noticed it as well some time ago. At the beginning they believed
it to be the waves of Chaos energy Enerjak was sending out but meanwhile it felt
different - like sensing the first signs of spring after a long, hard winter.
"I'm also sure I never had been here before but still the whole area looks more
and more familiar to me", Locke thoughtfully continued. "I wonder if..."
He stopped talking, indicated to the others that they should stay back and
slowly continued his way.
"Be careful", Thunderhawk said. "We don't need another wounded Guardian."
"I doubt any enemy will ever be able to enter this part of the area", Locke
replied and stopped when he had reached a certain point. "I think it's here.
Whatever might happen now, follow me."
A second later he was surrounded by blue flames suddenly shooting out of the
floor and when they were gone Locke had disappeared as well. The others
exchanged bewildered glances but then they decided to do what Locke had told
them and continued walking until they were engulfed by the cold blue flames.

At first darkness awaited them but only seconds later the lights went on. Bright
neon lights, some of them flickering, others hanging off the ceiling shone on a
half destroyed and long abandoned corridor with several rooms leading away from
it. Before them Locke buzzed around, enthusiastically examining the metal
covered walls, the doors, absolutely everything he could reach without running
away too far. The same way a treasure hunter must have looked when he found the
lost treasure in the long forgotten temple.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked and turned around. His eyes were sparkling
with excitement. "This is Haven. We are where the Guardians used to live."
"Haven..." Sabre silently said as if he just had realised what this word meant.
"But ... hasn't it been completely destroyed centuries ago?"
"If it's destroyed then why did the protection still work?" Sojourner asked.
"And how could it know we are Guardians too and let us through. Or why is there
still electricity?"
"Yes, it was destroyed by the Quantum Beam", Locke said. "But that doesn't mean
it was destroyed beyond repair. Think about what the Guardians used as Haven II.
This complex we're in in was their home; Haven II was just a storing place with
a bit technology in it. I doubt it was more than a transitory workplace for the
time Haven was reconstructed but they never had the time to even start with it.
This lair was built to withstand millennia and while the Quantum Beam might have
damaged some of the walls or the electronic devices it never could touch the
inner core. Haven was never shut off; it just ... slept for all these centuries
waiting for the Guardians to return."

Marvelling the others followed Locke through a few of the accessible rooms and
corridors. The youngest Brotherhood member moved around as if he was born in
here.
It was a strange kind of feeling - they were walking through a long abandoned,
half destroyed and completely unknown complex but still they felt as if they had
returned home after a long time of absence.
"Let's get Spectre to the medical bay", Locke suggested. "I doubt we can use any
of the devices there but at least it's a place to rest."

Tentatively Thunderhawk tried a few of the medical equipment but gave it up
fast.
"Even in a place built for eternity nothing works", he commented. "Should we
ever want to move into Haven we might have to exchange about everything except
for a few walls, the ceiling, the floor and the neon lights."
"And the beds in here still look usable too", Sojourner said.
Carefully Sabre laid Spectre down on one of them. The dark furred Guardian was
shivering, cold sweat dripped off his forehead, his breath was still fast and
shallow.
"This isn't looking too good", Sabre said. "Whatever he's trying to fight, it
seems he's losing."
"There might still be a way to help him without needing any of the equipment",
Locke said. "Therefor I need to connect with his mind. But I'm not sure how good
it will work if none of us has ever used this kind of connection before."
"If it's our only hope then just do it", Sabre said.
"Alright ... can you help me with the helmet?"
Carefully they took Spectre's helmet off - that he also had some cybernetic
spines barely surprised them anymore - then Locke placed his hands at Spectre's
temples and closed his eyes.

~~~***~~~

Running through a deserted wasteland, similar to the one Enerjak had chosen as
his newest residence, Spectre was only accompanied by whispering voices. He
couldn't understand what they were saying and he also knew that it was better
not to try to.
A moment later he stopped dead in his tracks. Just a few meters ahead of him a
faint green glow had appeared that now slowly took the shape of Enerjak.
"Poor Echidna, carrying the call of my Legion inside of him and still trying to
run from his fate."
The demi-god's voice was silent but therefor it seemed like it was coming from
everywhere and not just from the glowing figure.
"I'm not running", Spectre shouted. "I only have decided to be in control of my
own destiny."
"Then look around and see what your destiny is holding for you. Go on, I allow
you to snap out of the unconsciousness my Legionnaire's weapon has sent you into
- provided you make it out of this wasteland."
The dark furred Guardian turned around and his eyes widened in shock. Thousands
of wraithlike Legionnaires - spirits of these that had fallen and put to eternal
rest on the battlefields around Echidnaopolis - surrounded him and Enerjak. The
first few were flying towards him. Spectre wanted to defend himself and to his
horror found all of his abilities disabled. He was completely and utterly at
their mercy and of course the spectral Legionnaires didn't care how defenceless
their victim was when they drove through his body, taking part of his energy
with them each time.

Though he knew how low his chance to get out of the wasteland before the last
bit of life had been drained from his body was Spectre struggled along, dragging
a trail of attacking beings with him. And when his legs were about to give in a
familiar voice called his name - a voice he hadn't heard any more for over two
decades. The Legionnaires were shying away from the black orb that had appeared
in their middle and unbelievingly Spectre stared at the female who was standing
in this dark gate.
"M-mother?"
She smiled and stretched out a hand.
"Come, you must hurry. The dark orb won't keep them away for too long. Follow us
into the darkness. It's the only safe place for you."
"Spectre, no! Don't give in to the darkness!"
The call behind him sounded as if it was coming from far away and he barely
listened to it. Like hypnotized he walked towards the black gate, stretched out
his hand to take his mother's. Now other Echidnas had appeared inside the orb as
well, people he had known in his past but lost such a long time ago. Other
people from the camp, his brothers and sisters... Kali...
At her sight Spectre recoiled and snapped out of his trance. No, it couldn't be
true. It couldn't be possible that there had been a second attack on
Echidnaopolis during their absence. Kali was still alive - she had to be.
Within the blink of an eye the shadows of the past were gone and all that was
left were the orb and the spreading darkness, swirling around him like thick
black fog.
"Spectre!"
This time the call was closer and he also recognized the voice of Locke. The fog
hindered most of his movements already but still he managed to turn far enough
to see the youngest Brotherhood member. The wraithlike Legionnaires held him
back but he struggled to get closer to his friend.
"Take my ... hand!"
The darkness now was all around him. He barely saw anything but he felt Locke's
fingers when he bent forward and stretched out his arm as far as he could. But
before he was able to grab his hand Spectre was suddenly jerked back into the
core of darkness.

~~~***~~~

Locke stumbled back so sudden as if something had crashed into him but Sabre
caught him before he collided with the wall.
"The darkness ... It's consuming him ... I couldn't help anymore", the youngest
Guardian mumbled before his head sunk against Sabre's chest.
"He just lost consciousness", Sabre explained when he saw Sojourner's and
Thunderhawk's worried gazes. "It all was probably a bit too much for him."
"Then let him rest for a while", Thunderhawk said. "I think we all might need a
bit of it by now unless we want to face Enerjak feeling completely drained. We
don't even need to search for rooms since the sick bay has two more beds we can
share."
Yes, rest...
Sabre now too noticed how tired he actually was. For days they hadn't slept
anymore and barely eaten or drunken. Actually they all were at the edge of their
powers and the only thing that had kept them going was a permanent adrenaline
rush. But in the safety of Haven they suddenly were aware of their exhaustion
again. Their actual plan might have been not to rest until Enerjak was defeated
but now in their sanctuary they realized that it would have been pure suicide to
even get near the demi-god with such a lack of strength.
When they dozed off they knew exactly that they were still in hostile territory,
their enemies never too far away, but it all didn't matter as long as they were
protected by Haven.

~~~***~~~

When Sabre slowly opened his eyes he at first wasn't sure what had even woken
him up. Probably it was the lack of Locke at his side.
The youngest Guardian aimlessly wandered through the room, sometimes he checked
on Spectre, sometimes he started trying to repair one of the medical devices but
he never could concentrate on something for more than a few seconds. He created
the impression of someone who was in desperate need of sleep but still tried to
keep himself awake.
Sabre stopped him when he passed by his bed again.
"Locke, you really need some rest. Have you even slept at all?"
"No, I have gotten up as soon as I snapped out of unconsciousness. I just ...
couldn't sleep anymore", the younger Echidna said evasively but the way he
looked told the opposition, namely that he really had to force himself to stay
awake.
"No, it rather seems as if you try to damage your health even more than Enerjak
already did", Sabre said sounding really worried. He grabbed Locke's arm and
dragged him down to sit beside him on the bed. "What is wrong?"
Locke wrapped his arms around his body and stared at the ground.
"Not having to sleep was a salvation. But now I'm afraid that ... everything
will come back to my mind as soon as I close my eyes."
He didn't want to continue but Sabre also understood without further words.
Masses of Legionnaires, people dying right in front of their eyes and now
Enerjak at the very end of it. They all went through the same but the others
seemed to have found their own ways to deal with it. Locke on the other hand
suffered silently and his occasional enthusiasm for everything concerning the
historic Guardians wasn't enough to help him through the pain. Just a boy of
fifteen but if someone looked into his eyes he could see the sorrow of a war
veteran.
With a sudden touch of affection Sabre wrapped his arms around Locke and while
the younger male didn't return the embrace he also didn't draw away and leaned
his head against Sabre's shoulder.

Probably Sabre wasn't able to put Locke's mind at ease but maybe Haven itself
was. It might have sounded strange but Sabre was sure that something hidden
inside this complex had been whispering in his dreams - words of courage and
confidence, words that Locke didn't hear because he hadn't been asleep.
'Why not?' he thought. Haven had been the home of several generations of
Guardians and it was very unlikely that not a single bit of them had remained in
here - if nothing else then at least part of their work that had been stored to
the main computer, the core that was still keeping Haven alive.
"Do me a favour and close your eyes", he silently said. "No, I don't want your
mind to wander around aimlessly and come back to the things you desperately try
to forget. I want you to concentrate ... on Haven. Let your mind wander through
that instead - not the Haven you have seen but the one your Guardian namesake
knew from head to toe."
Sabre didn't know too much about Haven but he scratched together even the last
little bit of the things Locke once had told him and kept on talking until the
arms Locke had still wrapped around his own body loosened up a bit and the
relaxed expression on his face indicated that he had finally slept in.
With a little smile Sabre tried to lean back a little without waking up Locke
again so he could also get a bit more sleep.

~~~***~~~

Author's comment:
When I first imagined that little moment of comfort between Sabre and Locke it
only looked like an overload of cuteness in my mind. Then a bit later I realized
that it also could have been a little hint on a romantic moment. I didn't even
mean it that way, not at all. ^^; You can interpret it any way you want it
though but I still rather see it as bromance than as romance.
This chapter also was a bit inspired by Captain Harlock. The main computer of
the Arcadia, Harlock's ship, contains the mind of Harlock's late friend who once
had built the ship thus giving the Arcadia a bit of its own free will. At first
I only thought of Steppenwolf's mind still being present in Haven's core but
then it sounded better if a little bit of all Guardians was still there in some
way.

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