I quickly grabbed another arrow from my sheath as I aimed, shot, and killed the jackrabbit. I walked over to it, careful not to ruffle any leaves, and put it in my bear skin pack. During this hunting session, I got particularly lucky. 6 rabbits, 4 opossum, and 2 foxes, which was my best catch today. A few deer and I would have enough food for the next week.

I spotted a buck and kneeled down silently. I pulled an arrow from my sheath and focused. "Middle of the eye," I mumbled to myself. I shot and hit exactly where I wanted to. The buck doubled over and piled itself on a patch of dead grass. I sprinted over to it and threw it over my shoulder. This was much better than 1 or 2 deer. My mouth watered at the thought of it. I realized I hadn't eaten since last night. I have to stay strong, especially for what coming...

I can only imagine how much game I'll have until I go hunting next. I made my way back to my small, wooden shelter, which was surrounded trees and bushes. I opened the small door and unpacked my bag.

I found a small pile of dead bush and used to to create a fire with a stick. I ate the rest of my leftover game from last week and began to skin and roast a rabbit, one from today's game. I drank some of the rain water that was in my bottle, and sat on a log. I finished cooking the rabbit and ate it whole.

Sunset crept in and my fire was long burned out. I walked out to the river behind my shelter and slipped of my black, leather boots. I stripped off the rest of my clothes and dived in.

I am Trebax.
Who knows how long I've lived?
I am a Guardian of Lux.

I have little to no memory of who I used to be. All I can remember is that I was a successful, handsome, wealthy man. No wife, no girlfriend, no anything. I even owned my own yacht, and many other materialistic things wealthy people buy. Nevertheless, it isn't significant anymore. When I was converted, The Elders of Lux destroyed my memories and gave me what you would say, a new life. They took my emotions, feelings, and every other thing that would make me normal. Injected me with unknown serums, that made me stronger, faster, smarter. If you'd like, you could label me as superhuman.

Lux means "light" in Latin. According to our name, every Guardian is a Guardian of Light. We keep the world pure, fighting off and slaying Demons of Nox. Every Guardian of Lux must be pure, for obvious reasons. That's the reason I live in the wilderness. Guardians cannot be around drugs, alcohol, bad behavior, or anything of the kind. We must stay pure in our hearts, or we'll be overtaken by The Nox.

Nox means "dark" in Latin. They are an evil race that plot to fill everything with darkness. They don't have Guardians, they have Demons of Nox. There have been very few Guardians of Lux that have succumbed to The Nox, either being lured my empty promises of power, or just being weak at heart. They all get turned into Demons, no matter what. All Guardians of Lux must be strong, very strong. We cannot let temptation get in the way of what's important. Sometimes, some just aren't strong enough.

You might think that Guardians train. There will never be anytime for training. The Nox get stronger and stronger every day. We fight vigorously and endlessly to defend. Especially at this time, when The Nox are getting much stronger...

I awoke the next morning suddenly, hearing leaves ruffle. I grabbed my bow, slung my sheath of arrows over my shoulder and readied myself. I slowly walked out of my shelter, making as little noise as possible. “Who’s there?” I shouted boldly. No answer. Another ruffle. “Reveal yourself!” I shouted, pulling back my bow.

Within a second, something wrapped its limb around my neck. Never letting go of my bow, I jabbed my elbow behind me into what seemed to be a torso, reflexively grabbed its limb and flipped the being forward, making it land on its chest, with a loud thud. I stepped back and aimed my bow. “What - Who are you?” I said, while lowering my weapon and walking toward him or her.

The human rolled over and groaned as I got a look at its face. I know that voice… “Catus…?” I gasped, as I gave him my hand. “Get up, boy! “ I shouted angrily. He took it gladly, and groaned as he got up. “What is wrong with you?” I scolded him. “Do you not know that was an act of violence?! Do you want them to steal your heart?! Think, boy! Think!” I looked at him and my facial expression softened. What was I doing? He had only been converted for small amount of time, and I was treating him like he was my mate. Of course I knew he was playing, but… “Sorry,” he said shamefully, in his rich, deep Irish accent. “I forgot…” I shook my head and began to walk away. “You always do, Catus.” I said to him. “Come,” I motioned to him, and he followed behind slowly. When will this boy learn?

Catus was Gregory, a boy who lived in a small town in Ireland, before he was converted. Every Guardians name is changed after conversion. I was John before I was Trebax. Anyways, both of Catus’ parents died when he was extremely young, so he has never really felt love. Never even having an adopted family, he turns his pain into his jokes and wit, which get him into much trouble. His appearance takes him to be about 20 or 21, while mine 25 or 26. Unsurprisingly, Catus means “jestful” in Latin.

I led him into my shelter, and sat him down in one of the chairs. “Why have you come?” I asked him suspiciously. “Have they sent you here as a punishment?” He looked at me and took a deep breath. “No, but they want me to tell you a few things,” he said, still nervous from what had happened earlier. ““Them”, as in Elder Lucinus?” I said, flinching at his name. What would he have to say to me? After what happened between me and him… “Yeah, he wanted me to tell you that…” He drifted off. “That what, Catus?” I demanded. “That what?” I really wish I hadn’t asked him to continue, because I really hated what came out of his mouth. “That he wants me to take you to visit him.”

“Me? Visit him?” I asked, astonished. “Did he say why?” Catus thought about it for a second and then replied. “He said it was for “Urgent and Important Matters”,” Catus said, using air quotes. Why would he want me there? The only way to find out is to go and see, I guess. “Take this,” I said to Catus, throwing him my pack. “Why?” He asked, confused. “Because,” I said, slinging my sheath of arrows over my shoulder and grabbing my bow. “I’m going to the Elder Castle, and your coming with me.”

“So Trebax,” Catus said to me, while walking. “Why did the Elders kick you out of their Region in the first place?” Catus and I were beginning our trek to the Elder Castle. “When I was your age, Guardians weren’t considered Guardians really,” I said, trying to recall what had happened. “We didn’t just get one, big injection, we got them all in stages.” I sat down on a log and he did the same. I grabbed a long, thick branch, took out my pocket knife, and began to skin the bark off of it.

“I would always try and show the Elder Council that I didn’t need the rest of my injections, I was strong enough to thrive as a Guardian without them. What got me kicked out was when I had interfered with one of the more advanced Guardians trying to slay a Shadow Demon, and practically got both of us killed. The Elders were much too tired of my insubordination to deal with me anymore.” I sliced one end to a point, grabbed a big arrowhead from my pack, and slid the sliced end of the branch into a hole in the bottom on the arrowhead, and twisted it shut. “When I refused to leave, they attempted to remove me from there themselves. Out of spite, I sliced Elder Lucinus down the side of his face.” I handed the completed spear to Catus, put my pocket knife away and got up. “You did that?” he asked, giving me a look. I nodded, and motioned for him to pick up my stuff and start walking. He did as told and we continued.

We found ourselves in the deep forest, where it was hard to see and navigate. “Stay close and keep your eyes open,” I warned. I stopped abruptly when I didn’t hear him behind me. “Catus,” I called. I heard an inhuman hissing sound. “Stop playing games, boy!” I shouted. The hiss grew closer, and I knew that Catus wasn’t making those sounds. I slowly grabbed arrow from my sheath, and readied my bow. “Fine,” I said, calmly. “Have it your way.” I pulled a silver whistle from my pocket, and blew it. The demon was revealed, and it fell to its knees in pain. I shot it easily, and it turned into black smoke.

Catus emerged from behind me, sweaty and breathless. “Where have you been?” I asked, angrily. “I don’t know what happened…” he said, coughing and gasping for air. “ I was walking behind you, and then I just blacked out. Next thing I knew, a demon was straddling me, trying to take me… but I slayed it and ran.” The effects of a demon appearance. When a demon has acknowledged its target, it dazes whatever party the target is with, so that they don’t become outmatched. Blacking out only happens to ones that are extremely vulnerable. “Catus,” I said. “Take a breather.” He took it gladly, and plopped down on a log. I went into my pack and found a clump of barred straw. I grabbed a branch from a small tree and started a fire using the branch and the barred straw. I grabbed a rabbit from my pack and handed it to Catus. “Skin it,” I said. He did as told.

We finished off two rabbits and a fox. “Sleep,” I told him. “I’ll keep watch.” To my dismay, I fell asleep, too.

I woke up gagged, blindfolded, and tied to a post. I managed to slip one of my arms out of its hold and take my blindfold and cloth gag off. “Catus,” I called softly. “Catus isn’t here, love,” a familiar, female voice said. “Somewhere else,” she said, shrugging it off. I untied myself from the pole and turned to face the woman. She got up out of her chair, walked towards me, and began to walk around me in circles. “Illicia,” I sighed. “How did you find me?” She laughed hysterically, like this was a joke. “You know,” she spurted out. “Funny story. Your friend… Catus, you say? I found him, and I told him I knew you, and the kid,” Another wave of laughter. “He…he believed me!” She had another wave of hysterical laughter. My face flustered with anger. He is SO lucky I can’t teach him a lesson.

Illicia is a blonde, curvy beauty, that’s practically a psychopath. She uses her looks and her body to get what she wants, that’s probably how she got Catus to get us to come here. She’s strong when she needs to be, though. She got kicked out of the Elder Region for disrespecting the Elders, just like I did. I guess somehow she thought we “connected” and began to stalk me. I went off her scent for a while, but foolish Catus went and put me back on her radar. Illicia means “entices” in Latin.

“Illicia,” I said, sighing again. “What do you want from me? We were never friends! Its over!” I began to walk away, but she ran after me from behind and tackled me down. She straddled me and started choking me. “Ill-Ill,” I croaked out. I pried her hands off of my neck and attempted to crawl away. She flipped my over on my back and grabbed my collar. “Get off me!” I shouted, trying to fight back. She used my collar to pull me up and stared at me. “It’s not over, until I say it’s over,” she whispered in my ear. She pecked my lips and let me go.

She got up and sat back in her chair, like nothing had even happened. “That isn’t why I lured that boy to me, though,” she added. “Why, then?” I said, while dusting off my leather jacket. “I’m coming with you,” she grinned. “On your little quest thing.” I laughed – which was unusual for me – but I laughed. “Yeah,” I said, still laughing. “Right. Why do you want to come, anyways?” She raised her eyebrow and looked at me. “I want The Elders to unban me from their Region.” I laughed again, even more loud and obnoxious. “Your serious?” I asked. “I’m not going to let you anywhere near me, as long as I can help it. Either way, they won’t let you back in.” She stared at me and smiled. “They will if I can help it,” She replied. She grinned, and grinned, and started at me. Suddenly, it hit me. “He didn’t tell you that you could come,” I whined. “Did he?” She simply nodded and grinned. “Where is he?” I asked, fiery red. “Through the door.” She replied, still grinning, like the idiot she was. At this point, I was far off from caring about anything. It was my fault I fell asleep last night, fine, but Catus has crossed the line. This was MY thing, and he was my ESCORT. Catus is going to get it. He is mine.

WHICH INCLUDE BATTLE SCENES! So excited to write those. Lol.