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Javaraya - The Guardian of Death49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGD2s4AvvL
The sky above was a tumultuous mix of dark, swirling clouds and eerie, glowing lights. Jagged mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. The ground beneath their feet was cracked and barren, with strange, luminescent plants sprouting sporadically.
The air was thick with tension, and Rena could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her. Every nerve was on edge as they prepared for the confrontation, the oppressive atmosphere making it hard to breathe. The shadows seemed to dance around them, hinting at other unseen threats lurking in the darkness, adding to the sense of impending doom.
When Rena met his gaze, her face twisted into a deep rage.
“Well, well, well. Look at you. Careful with that look, I might get scared.” Odysseus taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Shut Up, Where is Sy?” Rena growled.
“Now, now, I’ll return your little pet but first I want you to answer my question. Your friends all followed you here. Let’s have a big reveal because I have something very special planned.” he said with an evil grin.
“No, I’m not telling you, just give her back. You gave your word.” she sneered, her eyes blazing with determination.
“Oh? And you’d trust the word of a ‘villain’? How comical.” he chuckled, his laughter soon turning menacing. “Well no matter, bring her out, Kage.”
Kage pulled a chain tied to Sy’s wrist, dragging her forward. She fell to her knees, blood dripping from her head.
Rena’s eyes widened in shock, tears threatening to spill as she glared at Odysseus. “What did you do to her?”
“We just had a little fun, but she refused to give us answers. I’m bored of her, so we’ll give her back. But first, would you like to know what we found out?”
Rena had a flashback to the fight with Ryker, which ended with her losing her memory for a few days. She recalled what he said right before he stabbed her and sent her through a portal.
“Oh Mystic,” Ryker’s voice dripped with malice. “You can’t run from us anymore. We’ve uncovered all your secrets. We know which Earth you’re from, your background, and even who that little pet of yours is... she’s someone from your future, isn’t she... Rena~?” His evil grin sent chills down her spine before he vanished.
Mystic turned her head in every direction but couldn’t make out where he went. When she turned back around, he was directly in front of her. With a swift motion, he swung his weapon, severing the bag from her shoulder. It tumbled into a portal he had opened behind her.
“Would you like to know what secrets your little ~pet~ is keeping from you?” Ryker’s grin was sickening. “She’s...” His words became a blur as Mystic’s vision swam.
Rena felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Bob standing next to her.
Odysseus frowned. “Bob. I spared you and this is how you repay me? Taking their side”
“I don’t recall ever making any agreements to be on your side,” Bob replied dryly.
“Mmm, I guess that is true, but did you forget… I know your secret~.” Odysseus mocked. “You know what, Let’s do that. Let’s reveal everyone’s secrets. That sounds like fun doesn’t it?”
“Not really no,” Bob said sarcastically.
“Well, that’s too bad.. Let’s see, who should we start with?” Odysseus grinned before suddenly dashing towards Rena and Bob.
“We’ll start with… YOU!” he yelled, drawing a small blade. As he passed Bob, he cut the fabric of his cloak.
Bob’s cloak fell to the ground. Everyone stared in shock at what they saw. As it fell, snow-white hair moved in the breeze from the attack. Rena felt his hand squeeze her shoulder as he mumbled ‘shit’ under his breath. She started to turn around, but he stopped her.
“Don’t. Don’t turn around, Rena.” He whispered.
“Why?” Rena asked, puzzled. She saw the surprised faces of Sy and even the emotionless Kage, so she was very curious about what they were seeing behind her.
“Yeah, why Bob? Or should I call you… Blaine?” Odysseus sneered.
“Don’t let her see my face.. ”
She felt Bob cringe at the mention of the name. “Let who see? And Blaine? Why does that name sound so…THE DREAMS!” Rena yelped as she jumped and turned around to look at Bob.
There he stood. He was tall, handsome, and mysterious, with snow-white hair. Except his eyes—they weren’t red. They were gray, almost white, as if they had been drained of life.
“Dreams?” He asked, looking down at Rena.
“Yes. I’ve been having dreams about a couple. Blaine and Venus. If you’re Blaine then… Why would I be having dreams about you? Wait, is this because you invaded my dreams that one time? Did my subconscious somehow–”
“No.” he interrupted. He sighed, gripping his scythe tighter. He was worried something extreme was going to happen but it was deadly quiet for what felt like an eternity.
“What do you mean no?” Rena asked.
“Oh did he not tell you? About his little forbidden love?” Odysseus chuckled.
Rena snapped her head “He did actually but I don’t see what that–”
“Ahh but he left out the part of who she really is, didn’t he? What her Guardian name is? Tsk Tsk, shame on you Blaine. How about one more twist here, let see if this gets a reaction, Java–” he was cut off by Blaine.
“DON’T.” He growled as his scythe was wrapped around Odyessus’ neck in an instant, mere centimeters from piercing him. When did he move?!
Odysseus raised his hands in a surrender motion but started to chuckle darkly. “Don’t what? Reveal your TRUE name. What are you afraid of? Afraid it will trigger something in Versa? We both know she’s listening, aren’t you Versa?”
Versa’s astral form appeared next to Rena, “What are you after Odysseus?”
He continued to chuckle darkly as Blaine turned his face away from Versa, glaring at Odysseus.
“Bob, what is he talking about? Who is Blaine? What does he mean by your true name?” She asked softly.
“Nothing, Versa. Forget what you just–”
“I wouldn’t say it’s nothing, Javaraya.” Odysseus interrupted.
Bob, Blaine, Javaraya, the Guardian of Death, who had all his emotions stripped, had a panicked look on his face.
“Bob, you never call me Versa,” he heard her say “T–Turn around please.”
He closed his eyes and lowered his scythe as he reluctantly turned around.
He let out a sigh and looked up to meet her gaze.
“Bob, why does–” but she stopped, her eyes started to get bigger. “B-Bo-B-Bl-Blaine!?” she stuttered as tears started to fall. She didn’t know why.
Rena felt the tears on her face, confused. She looked up between the two, glancing back and forth as she started to remember.
“You know.. For a guardian from a different realm, you sure talk like you are from this world.”
“Well, I might have been in my previous life. Sadly I don’t have any memory of my previous life so I don’t know where I came from.”
“So you weren’t always a guardian?”
“That’s what I’ve been told. A lot of the guardians are like that. Humans or something similar that became guardians. Some have chosen to forget their memories while others chose to keep them. There’s only a few that have been guardians their whole lives.”
*
“I made a pact with a man to synthesize with him so I could interact with her. It was wonderful. We quickly fell in love. But then the accident happened……
I tried to prolong her life by refusing to collect her soul. But that’s the thing about humans. You are only meant to live for so long……
I infused her with my essence so she wouldn’t be a human anymore. It...didn’t end well……
they took her memories and gave me a choice. I chose the option to have all my emotional feelings removed. Joy, sadness, anger.....love. All taken away to atone for my sins.”
Rena was tearing up “That’s so sad! What happened to her?”
“She lives on as a guardian. Stripped of her human memories and everything of our time together.”
*
“Don’t let her see my face..”
*
“Ahh but he left out the part of who she really is, didn’t he? What her Guardian name is?...”
“Afraid it will trigger something in Versa?”
The pieces started forming together. Rena gasped as the realization hit her, tears streaming down her face. She looked up at Death, unsure if the tears were hers or Versa’s.
“It’s… her, isn’t it?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“N–” He tried to deny it, but Odysseus interrupted with a grin.
“Aw, come on Versa, surely you’ve remembered by now… who you used to be? What He did to you?”
Versa stood there, tears flowing freely, confusion etched on her face. Her head throbbed with pain, and Rena’s did too.
Suddenly, both Rena and Versa clutched their heads and screamed. “It hurts! AHH, make it stop, PLEASE!” they cried as memories flooded their minds.
Everything came rushing back at once, overwhelming Rena. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head in her hands. Versa’s astral form vanished, and Rena’s hair turned blonde as Versa took control.
Death’s face contorted in a mix of pain and sorrow as he watched Versa rise. Her eyes, clouded with confusion, locked onto his. Slowly, she walked towards him, her hand trembling as she reached out to touch him. She rested her hand on his cheek, startled by its unexpected warmth. He leaned into her touch, his grip tightening around her wrist.
She gazed into his eyes and smiled, a soft whisper escaping her lips, “Blaine.”
He returned her smile, gently moving her hand away from his face. “Venus,” he replied, his voice just as soft. “I’m so sorry, Ve. You weren’t supposed to remember. That’s why I hid, behind the hood, behind the name. I was trying to protect you, afraid of the damage that would be done if you remembered.” A single tear traced a path down his face.
“Blaine… BLAINE! You’re crying?” she exclaimed, her voice filled with shock.
“Crying?” he echoed, bewildered.
“How? Wait! Your eyes! They’re turning back to red!” she yelped, her concern growing.
Suddenly, Blaine let out a guttural gasp and crumpled to his knees. An overwhelming torrent of emotions crashed over him, each wave more powerful and relentless than the last. He clutched his chest, his heart pounding furiously beneath his fingers. His breaths came in desperate, ragged gasps, as if he were drowning in the flood of feelings. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably, carving paths through the years of stoic detachment. Decades of numbness shattered in an instant, and now, all at once, happiness, sadness, anger, pain, love... guilt. Emotions surging through him with such ferocity it left him trembling and broken.
Versa knelt in front of Blaine, gently bringing his head to her chest and wrapping him in a comforting embrace as he let his emotions pour out. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay, Blaine. I’m here. You’re safe,” she whispered soothingly.
Odysseus scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Well, that wasn’t exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Though I suppose it takes Mr. Death out of this fight,” he chuckled darkly.
Versa’s eyes blazed with anger as she glared up at him. “What exactly were you hoping for?”
“I wanted it to break you, to sever your bond with Rena. Then I could take your essence for myself. It’s the last piece I need. But I guess we’ll just have to do it from Rena’s side,” he said, standing up with a sinister grin. “Come back, Rena. It’s time to give you back your pet.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdy1apHX0u
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClLWqd4l7l
