After the Earth's failed attempts of Preservers, it created another version called Keepers. They existed in every country with gifts varying in different forms as protection for the country's citizens. Like Carter, she could communicate with those who first walked the Earth: the Ancestors. They spoke the truth of the past and present. They gave Carter power, but the responsibility to protect her land. She could not use their power for her own selfish needs. They commanded her every move, her every word. In return, she would protect her land from anyone and anything. Thus, she sought out the Creator's daughter to bargain since battle would be foolish of her. The Ancestors were aware of this too, the Creator's daughter would destroy their home. Carter met Chanmi in an old bar on Pearl Street in New York. There she coaxed Chanmi with a bottle of Chardonnay. Later, she met Amaris, who made several threats about destroying and killing all life on Earth. However, they soon found common ground with Arlo and Hanako's battle, which would determine the rest of their fates.
The skies turned red, the Earth rumbled with rage, and the oceans became still. Amaris and the others lied in wait as Hanako finally faced Arlo. Nyx watched from the sky with Helios by her side, the moon covered the sun like a blanket. Hanako blinked, Arlo blinked. Who would strike first? Their auras clashed with one another, one black as night, the other the color of violets. Carter nudged Amaris, who stood up when the air grew thinner. Chanmi flicked the end of her lollipop at Laura, who had been lying unconscious on the ground. It stuck to her hair, which made Chanmi snigger. Amaris snapped her fingers, garnering her attention.
"Tend to the flowers." Amaris ordered.
Carter's brows furrowed, "I ordered them not to interfere with their battle, no matter what kind of threat this poses to the Earth." She snapped.
"Yes, your Majesty." Chanmi bowed to her.
"You mustn't kill them, distract them for the time being." Amaris declared.
"If all 195 of the countries' Keepers gather, she will perish." Carter quickly argued.
"Chanmi is my most powerful Ward, she can defeat armies with a single touch. However, she does have a tendency to lose control." Amaris chuckled to herself.
Chanmi nodded her head, "I like the way the blood splatters, it gives me a sort tingle, if I do say so myself, mate." She smirked.
Carter scowled at them in return with a huff, "Do not underestimate their abilities, Amaris."
Amaris chuckled, "I know all too well what the Earth's Keepers are capable of."
A nod of Amaris' head caused Chanmi to turn sharply on her heel like a soldier with her arms pressed against her sides. She shoved her hands deep in her pockets as she squatted low. The wind became still for a few seconds before picking back up again with a strong gust. Chanmi stood back up while rolling her shoulders back, she reached into the air for the bottle of Chardonnay Carter had gifted her. Carter turned to Amaris, who watched Chanmi with a proud expression. In a single swig, the bottle emptied and Chanmi released the gas built up inside her stomach. She threw the bottle over her shoulder before stretching her arms above her head. A second gust of wind blew through her hair, nearly blowing her backwards. She remained tall and firm with a stoic expression. The wind grew stronger with every passing second. Chanmi suddenly disappeared and appeared again with a little girl in a head lock. She had blue eyes and long, straight, blonde hair that touched her heels. It was tied in a french braid down her back.
"There are more of these little brats, somewhere. I have yet to find them, they're hiding from me. I'm gonna have to snuff them out." Chanmi chuckled throwing the little girl at Amaris' feet.
Carter knelt down, "What did I tell you, Lena? Do not interfere, or you lot would court death. Amaris is far from the forgiving type." She grumbled.
Lena coughed up blood in her hands, "I do not care what you say! Hanako and Arlo will not fight! They will disrupt the balance that we all have worked so hard to create. None of us can be greater than the other." She declared angrily.
"You are not to decide their fate, it has already begun. Amaris." Carter stood up with a dark expression.
Amaris approached the little girl, eyes glowing a bright gold, "Chanmi, find the rest. Perhaps, I shall take the Earth's gift from her?" She chuckled.
"Yes, your Majesty." Chanmi bowed before disappearing.
"You cannot do that!" Lena cried out while trying to escape.
"Oh, but the daughter of the Creator is much more powerful than the Gods of Time, the Earth, as well as the Creator herself." Carter stated.
Lena stared at Amaris in horror as she grabbed her by her forearm. She reached for her other forearm and dug her fingernails into her arms until she started to bleed. This resulted in her screaming in agony as Amaris drained every ounce of her power from her tiny body. A spiral of red ice struck Amaris in the chest, which caused her to release Lena as she stumbled backwards. A tall boy in his teens with brown hair and hazel eyes stepped out from the brush of the woods. He aimed the palm of his hand at Amaris, whose flames engulfed her body in a rage. She picked up Lena by her long locks, burning her hair to nearly nothing. Amaris threw Lena at the boy, who caught her with ease. He gently lowered her body on the ground behind him. He turned to Amaris with a deadly glare.
"How dare you fucking lay your filthy hands on Lena!" He roared angrily.
"Enough, Yousef! Do not do something you will regret!" Carter boomed with both her hands placed behind her back.
Amaris raised her right arm, mimicking Yousef's stance, "If you are wise, you will listen to the Earth Walker, boy."
Yousef scoffed, "She has betrayed the Pack by aiding in your foolish game! Both of you will be put to an end." He spat before releasing another spiral of red ice.
Amaris countered it with a ball of golden flames, both attacks devoured one another in an explosive bloom of fire and ice.
"Yousef, you are acting rash. Amaris is not the enemy." Carter shouted.
"How do you know what she has in store for the rest of us? She is a monster; a threat to the Earth." Yousef fought back with a menacing scowl.
"Of course, I do not know what she has in store for the Pack! However, Hanako must be the only Preserver. Arlo has proven himself unfit to bear the name 'Preserver'." Carter declared.
Amaris chuckled, "Listen, boy. Lower your hand and command your people to stand down, or I may bring in all of my Guardians. They surely will enjoy slaughtering you pests." She deviously licked her lips.
"Amaris!" Carter scolded her.
"Ah, forgive me. I have little self control as well." Amaris stated with a lighthearted laugh, which earned her deadly glares.
"Yousef, please." Carter pleaded desperately in attempt to end this foolish violence that would lead to nowhere.
Yousef lowered his hand with an exasperated sigh, "Very well." He whistled off-pitch to signal the few Keepers of the Pack to come out of hiding.
Slowly a cloak, which hid them in plain sight, lowered, revealing only three other Keepers. They all were young and had power they had yet to have full control of. Amaris did not extinguish her flames as a sign of warning. A teenage girl with lilac dyed hair scowled at her with her arms barely lowering to her sides after she disengaged her gift.
"Chanmi." Amaris called in a sing-song voice.
Chanmi slowly exited a bush, she had been hiding in for quite sometime. All were aware of the hiding Keepers, which is why she waited for them to strike first. Chanmi stood by Amaris' side in silence.
"Return Lena's powers!" The girl with lilac hair shouted, breaking the silence that had blanketed them.
Chanmi tilted her head to the side, she appeared before the girl in the blink of an eye, "Oi, you shouldn't speak to her Majesty like that. Where's your manners, mate?" She seethed while caressing the girl's face with the back of her hand.
"Grace! Do not interact with her, she has the ability to incapacitate you with a single touch." Another Keeper, a boy with black wavy hair and deep brown eyes stated.
He spoke in an Australian accent as well.
"Dammit, fuck off, Devon!" Chanmi groaned when Grace jumped behind Yousef.
"Your grandfather is going to be very upset with you." Devon declared.
"Whatever," Chanmi rolled her eyes, "go shit on a party somewhere else." She shooed him away like a fly.
"Silence!" Carter boomed, causing them to fall quiet before they could bicker more.
"I shall return Lena's powers when Hanako defeats Arlo." Amari stated with a smug expression.
"How do you know she will defeat him?" The girl with lilac hair questioned, which earned her a deadly glare from Chanmi.
"Her gift is love, even if you restored her bond to the Earth, she is easily inclined to make amends with him." Yousef retorted while crossing his arms over his chest.
Amaris blinked, "She cannot stray from her path, Yousef. All of our fates rely on this battle, not including those ahead." She stated.
Before Yousef could argue with her, Laura slowly sat up while holding her head. Chanmi looked at Amaris, who stared at her blankly.
"Did you rid her of her corruption?" Carter mumbled.
Amaris nervously chuckled, "I—"
Laura stood up, "Where am I?" She mumbled with her eyes closed.
Chanmi quickly appeared behind Laura, she placed a hand on her shoulder with a smug expression. However, Laura slowly turned to look at her with an empty expression. She had froze Chanmi's hand to her shoulder the second her hand touched Laura.
"What the hell?" Chanmi shattered the ice in one quick motion.
"Where is Hanako?" Laura ignored Chanmi.
Amaris blinked, "Fighting Arlo."
Carter's eyes widened, "Amaris!" She sneered through gritted teeth.
"I merely speak the truth." Amaris declared with a pout.
"You idiot! Why did you not remove her corruption?" Yousef shouted angrily.
Amaris scowled at him, "I will kill you, if you ever call me an 'idiot' again." She venomously snapped while pointing her index finger at him.
Yousef scoffed, "Do you know how fucking stupid you have to be to allow this monster to run amuck? She should be extinct like the rest of her kind!" He yelled in frustration as he gestured to Laura, who did not break eye contact with Chanmi.
Chanmi’s slowly started to devour Laura's aura, which had turned black with Iria's corruption.
"Shut your mouths! Laura is not from this realm, so therefore she will return to the Academy to learn to control her beast. Amaris will rid her of her corruption like she has with Hanako. Arlo will face the consequences of his crimes against the Earth by the hands of Hanako. You all will return to your countries and protect them like you should be doing at this moment!" Carter finally snapped at them in a fit of rage.
Devon held back Yousef from saying another word, "Carter is right, the lot of us are unfit to interfere with Hanako and Arlo's battle. Only Hanako can decide her own fate." He declared.
Amaris narrowed her eyes at him, "She will do what the Gods of Time have already decided. Our fates mustn't change, or who knows what will happen to us all." She venomously spat in an annoyed tone.
"Amaris, this is merely a warning to you and your Ward; do not bring harm to the Earth, or who knows what will happen to you." Yousef sneered as Devon forcefully pulled him backwards.
"Please return Lena's gift as soon as possible, otherwise her country will fall to ruin." Devon yelled before disappearing into the brush of the woods.
Carter rolled her eyes, "How come Laura did not fall when Chanmi moved to incapacitate her? Should we be concerned?" She whispered with worry.
Amaris immediately scowled as she turned to look at Laura, "No," she seethed, "Laura is nothing compared to me. However, she has already outgrown my Ward."
Carter's eyes widened in horror when Laura's darkness consumed Chanmi's light as she grabbed her by the neck. Laura lifted her into the air with a stoic expression. Chanmi clawed at her forearm in an attempt to free herself. Blood began to drip from her fingertips since Laura's skin hardened with dragon scales. Chanmi desperately looked at Amaris, who scowled at Laura in return. Carter raced forward to help Chanmi, but Amaris appeared before Laura. She tilted her head back with her eyes narrowed in suspicion and without a word she struck Laura in the gut with the palm of her hand. Amaris pushed against Laura's body to free her arm, she watched her drop to the ground with an empty expression as the blood on her arm was absorbed into her skin.
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