Prologue:
2Winter of 1715, somewhere north of Scotland3
Widdow was an ageless guardian angel who had grown into a very wise ‘woman.’ Many people, after hearing her age, wondered how her long knee-length hair continued to stay midnight black, and how at that age, she could summon so much strength. She was a wonder in some humans eyes, even though she may not have fit in with many of the other humans, she tried to keep the image of a normal human being, withholding her powers unless there were desperately needed.. It was when she heard of the ‘War to End All Wars’ that she decided to drop all of the lies and went to see if she could help.4
It was there that she soon met Ghost, the guardian from The High Council; Rue, an elf who flied on a bird that she had received from her mother; and Mathew, an angel who has spent his whole life trying to safe people. And because of that, he was dubbed a ‘guardian angel.’5
After meeting Ghost, a short man who held the powers of ice, it only took Widdow a short time to fall in love with him. Yet on the other hand, it took Ghost a little while longer to open his heart once again, but in the end they both ended up devoting themselves to each other. In the devotion, they promised that forever they would protect each other. Ghost, gave her a necklace that she had worn every day since she had received it. The necklace was a locket with a picture of them together in the inside. On the back, though, there was something neatly engraved. The words that which had touched Widdow’s heart forever said: "From one guardian to another, I will protect in the time of need. You are my heart, and you are my soul, forever we shall be together. If there ever comes a time that you need help, or just need a shoulder to lean on. Call on me, I will be there in less than a heart beat." It was at the end that the last words were sketched "I love you Widdow, and you mean the world to me." Those were the words that had changed her life forever.6
After receiving the locket, Widdow also had gotten something for him. The gift that Widdow had chosen was a gold watch that on the back also had something engraved. The watch, just as the lock had done, changed Ghost’s life forever. For on the back it clearly said: "I am a guardian angel, and the word from an angel will always be kept. I promise that for as long I live, I shall protect you just as you have done for me. If in the process, my life must be taken, I will gladly and without any regrets, shall sacrifice my life in order to save you. Just as I am to you, you are to me. I love you Ghost, as shall I forever."7
When Ghost had received his gift, he was surprised at what it had been, but it did not take him long to understand the meaning. It wasn’t long after that Ghost, Widdow, Mathew, and Rue where attacked by the demons for the first time. It was then that they learned what they were truly after: the humans! For the humans had destroyed their lives many years ago, and now they had come back for revenge. The Guardians and Rue the elf, set out on an adventure that would change they way they lived, thought, and acted for the rest of their lives.8
It is now that the story truly begins…9
Chapter one: Widdow10
Summer of 1716 in Breacon an fheile11 Chapter two: Mathew41 Near the entrance of Breacon an fheile42 **51 Breacon an fheile52 **59
She woke up slightly to the sound of a slamming door, and found herself in a cill - gaol cell - of some sort. As she tried to move around, she found that she was chained to the wall be her wrists, and by this, she was forced to stand.12
As the weak and badly beaten Angel watches a guard, who is pacing near the far wall, she asks in a demanding tone "Where am I, AND WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?!"13
The guard quickly stops and comes over to the bars, and he answer on a laugh at the grayness of her complexion "You, unamhunn gaisgeach, are a prisoner in our homeland, you are here for the slaughtering and death of our brothers and sisters. We planned on capturing your friends as well, but we unfortunately were not able to break the barrier. Unlike you, they were smart enough to sleep protected and isolated away from danger. When we went back there, there was no one in sight, so we have out our best troops looking for them, and trust me when I say that they will not come back here alive!"14
Growling at the guard, Widdow tried to surge foreword, pulling on the restraints, but by doing so they slowly, and painfully electrocuted her. The guard only watched as the Angel’s head fells slowly foreword. Gaining strength through anger, she screamed: "Kill me if you wish, but leave my friends be! You have already killed my family and my once old love, and because of that you will die by my hands, and by my hands alone!"15
The guard only laughed as he turned around. When he reached his post on the far side of the room, the Angel could faintly hear him speak "You will never live to see the light of day again, I will make sure of that, PERSONALLY!"16
As the day progressed, Angel Widdow became weaker with dehydration and fatigue. Her hopes that her friends would know where she had been taken were deteriorate, and the only hope that remained in her heart was that Mathew and Rue would keep Ghost safe for her while she was gone. 17
Three guards walked in, two were holding large black sticks, and the other was carrying a pair of old rusty black chains. Widdow, not completely sure of what they were going to do, kept an eye on the men as her hear faced the ground. When the finally got to her, the two guards that had been holding the sticks quickly beat her in the side, stomach, and chest until they were satisfied that she would, and could not, fight back against them. After they had finished, the third guard, who had been hiding in the corner, came slowly forward and chained her arms and legs behind her back, a third chain holding them together.18
The same guard who had chained her together, picked her up by that middle chain and began to drag her, ever so slowly, into the hall and into a new room. As they entered, she was thrown onto a small mat where she was expected to sleep with the rest of the captured. She could only close her eyes and try to not hear the sounds of unabashed fear and relentless pain that came from the others.19
As the night ended and a new day began, another guard appeared in the doorway. Walking over to Widdow, he picked her up by the chains and once again, began to drag her into another room of the demon-ruled prison. When they had reached the room, she was again thrown to the floor, where she was to await for the other men, whom were to interrogate her, influencing through pain to give them answers to their questions.20
As the night arrived the room grew dark and the large demon that entered the room was hardly visible, except for the ruff outline of his stone-like features. Widdow, who had fallen asleep in the far corner of the room, was jostled awake as she was lifted from the floor. She tried to struggle, but to no prevail as they chained her to the ceiling by the wrists, while her ankles were secured to the ground.21
Widdow looked around and saw another demon standing in the far corner of the room, he was holding a large brown leather whip in his hand, and a large grin that gave away his intentions. She closed her in both fear and sadness wanting to ready herself for what she knew was to come next. AS the demon slowly walked to her, he pulled out a small dagger and cut open the back of her shirt, revealing a blood-stained, scarred that had been deformed to such a state from years of torture.22
Before they could begin, memories, thoughts, conversations, promises, and images of her friends, family, and Ghost, all began to rush into her head. Shutting her eyes tight against the pain of memory, she tried to turn them away, not wanting to think of her loved ones while she was delivered pain that would safe them in turn. It was a easy battle, for she lost outright, the past flooding before her yielding eyes.23
"Don’t tell them anything! You have gone through this before, you can do it again! Just don’t tell them a thing!" Her mother scolded her, "they can do nothing but physical pain, forget them and close yourself off to the world!"24
As the memories became more intense, the pain increased, causing clear tears to spill down her ebony cheeks. 25
Opening a small box, Widdow saw a wonderful, heart-shaped silver locket inside. When she opened it. she saw a picture of her and Ghost together. When she felt something rough on the back, she frowned as she turned it around to see the heartfelt words of her beloved engraved on the back… "From one guardian to another, I will protect you in the time of need… you are my heart, and you are my soul, forever we shall be together… if there ever comes a time that you need help…call on me, I shall be there within a heart beat…I love you Widdow, and you mean the world to me."26
Tears fell, and the demons only stared, as the memories continued to assault her mind and soul.27
Opening a small box that he had received, Ghost finds a golden watch wrapped in soft hide. Pulling it out, he smiled at the small golden watch. Feeling something rough on the back, Ghost turned the watch around and smiled even more as he saw something engraved: "I am a Guardian Angel, and the word from an Angel shall always be kept. I promise that for as long as I live, I shall protect you just as you have done for me. If in the process, my life must be taken, I will gladly and without any regrets, sacrifice my live in order to save you. Just as I am to you, you are to me. I love you Ghost, as shall I forever."28
As the whip came into contact with her skin, Widdow was brought back to the present and screamed out to her love, as if he were someone in the room.29
The demon who stood behind her did not care for her pain, and only grinned wider as he pulled his arm back before lashing her once again. "Tell me where your friends and what exactly they know about us, and this will all stop," he said, holding the whip in mid-air, waiting for her answer.30
Widdow didn’t reply, just continued to stare at her closed eyelids as tears continued to fall uncontrollable down her face.31
They finished with their brutal attack when her legs had finally given out beneath her, they new they would get nothing out of her, but still had hope for tomorrow, when they would ask her once again for information. Her back bled, staining what little clothes she still wore to a dark crimson color. There were deep cuts everywhere, each one representing her love to Ghost, and each one representing a tear that had fallen from her cheek.32
**33
She couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t remember where she was, the only thing she could feel was the rough jerks of her body as she was carried back to her cell, a limp body with only the heaving of her chest to prove her life. As they laughed at her position, she could only scowl, and curse them for what they had done to her, vowing that they would pay one day, and it would be by her hand. When they reached her cell, the guard who had been sitting at his desk quickly stood before unlocking the door while the other two threw her inside on the hard cemented floor. They laughed once again, grins on their faces as they looked at her back and left her alone, only speaking one thing she knew: "Sassenach (English Bastard)." This time as they left, they didn’t both chaining her to the wall, but unlocked the chain that bound her wrist to the her ankles, knowing that she could not fight even if they did completely strip her of the chains.34
Outside the barred door, the guard returned to his desk, a frown on his face as he continued to eat his delicious dinner. Smiling over at Widdow he threw a small piece right outside the door and began to laugh. Ignoring his attempts at destroying her, she leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes, she couldn’t keep her thoughts off of Ghost.35
I promise that for as long I live, I shall protect you just as you have done for me. If in the process, my life must be taken, I will gladly and without any regrets, I shall sacrifice my life in order to save you.36
I shall sacrifice my life in order to save you…37
I shall protect you just as you have done for me,38
"I am keeping my promise." Widdow said after the images had finally stopped. "I shall always protect you."39
Before she fell asleep for the night, Widdow recited a small verse that she had once written. ""Please let me die in honor and it truth, please let my friends dwell in safety and not have to go through what I have, please give them the security of yet another guardian angel."40
In the shadow of a tree, stood Mathew, he was staring at an old brick well. Walking closer to it, he wonders where it might lead.43
"I hear something, but where is it coming from? The closer I come to the well, the louder it gets!" 44
Widdow! It’s Widdow! Thinking of nothing else, Mathew runs closer to the well and jumps down, opening his wings in order to embrace his fall.45
When he lands, he looks around and finds himself in a long dork corridor. It runs both ways and from what he can tell, it leads nowhere.46
Hearing the noise again, he turns around and then turns again, trying to figure out what direction it was coming from.47
Yes, that is definitely Widdow, but where is she?48
Trying to make the least amount of noise possible, Mathew creeps down the corridor, which was leading north.49
Stopping in his tracks, he sees a guard blocking the doorway. Mathew noticed that the guard had not seen him yet, running towards the demon, he places his hands tightly around the guard’s neck. "If you tell me where my friend is, I’ll make your death quick and painless!" He watches with a small smiles coming over his face, the guard was pointing towards a hall seen threw the open door. "Thank you, but I must go now." He replies as he snaps the guard’s neck and throws him to the floor.50
Widdow is chained to the ceiling by her wrists as she is whipped in the back. Bowing her head in defeat, a tear falls from her face. "Please forgive me friends, for I will not be able to continue to journey with you."53
They began to punch her in the stomach, and finally stopped after she coughed up blood. Unchaining her from the ceiling they laugh as she falls to the ground, on hands and knees and blood slowly spilling out of her mouth. Using one of her hands, she wipes it from her face and is pushed to the ground as they chain her hands and feet together behind her back.54
Dragging Widdow to her old cell, they throw her to the ground, unchaining the connecting lock. Looping her chained arms under her feet, she sits down against the wall in the darkness and places her head in her hands as the tears just come pouring out.55
Two guards left the cell laughing and the other left with his head bowed he sat down at his post. This guard was different, not only was he the only guard in this prison who didn’t appreciate the torturing, but he was also the only human guard there. "Why don’t you just give up?" The man asks.56
Lifting her head, she leans foreword so that he could see her face that was stained with tear and blood. "Because, I know that I still have a wonderful life to live outside these walls, I have a man who loves me, and wondrous friends who will not let me die in here…" Stopping for a minute she then continues, "because, my love wont let me die." Lowering her head, she leans back against the wall in the darkness.57
The guard just smiles weakly and bows his head.58
Running down the directed hallway, Mathew comes to a halt where two guards are blocking an open door. Taking out his katana he ran towards them, slashing one across the stomach and stabbing the other in the chest. Pulling out his katana, he jumps up and does a rotating high kick, knocking out the three guards that where standing behind him, swords drawn.60
Mathew ran through the door screaming, "Widdow, Widdow where are you?!"61
Widdow, after hearing his voice used all of her strength and stood up, grabbing the bars with her hands and looking at the guard. "Like I said, my friends wont let me die, Mathew is already here." Smiling she tries her best to make the most noise by rattling her chains against the bars.62
Ignoring her, the guard just sits at his post until two guards rushed in through the door. The man quickly stands from his post and went to the cell, unlocking the door. The two guards made their way in and beat her down before they moved her arms behind her back again, this time not adding another chain before they started to walk her out of the room, one man holding a arm.63
While walking to the ‘Room of Torture’ or so she called it, the guard on her left laughed. "Your friend may be here to save you, and he may succeed in finding you, but you won’ be alive to thank him."64
Walking into the room, they unlock her arms and chained them to the ceiling. Instead of using a whip, they just used their black sticks and hit her in the back, chest, and stomach. Her legs gave in from standing and she fell as low as she could before the chains at her arms stopped her. With the pain throbbing throughout her whole body, she screamed.65
Shouting of the scream, another guard from the corner comes over and punches her in the stomach. Widdow coughs up some blood and the guard laughs. "You will pay for the dumbness of your friend."66
As her head lowers to the ground, Widdow coughs up some more blood and screams again.67
Hearing Widdow, Mathew turns and runs down a different hall. Stopping he waits to hear something, then the scream comes again and he turns once again down another hall. Stopping in front of three guards he pulls out his katana, and in one clean move of his sword, he slashes them all in the chest and watches them fall to the ground in pain.68
Mathew, not thinking of anything else but the task at hand keeps running down the hall and kicks down a door.69
As Widdow is punched again in the stomach, she coughs up some more blood. She is bleeding from a cut on her head, her mouth, and her newly opened wounds on her back. Looking up at Mathew with a slight smile of relief.70
Seeing the blood, Mathew runs towards them and unsheathes his second katana. "You will pay for this!" He screams as he stabs them all in the chest. Sheathing one of his katanas, he uses the other one and cleanly cuts the chains holding her to the ceiling. He drops his katana and lets it fall to the ground before he catches her. Carrying her over to a corner, he hands her a sheathe and katana, "Grip it tight, you will be teleported to the surface." Turning around at the sight or more demons, he picks his katana off the floor and runs towards them screaming as he starts off slashing them whenever and wherever he could.71
"NO!" Widdow screamed "Either we go out together, or we don’t go out at all!" Crawling slowly over to a corner where they had put her things, attaches her sheathe to her belt and takes hold of her staff. Placing the staff up straight and against her chest, she begins to chant: "
It was an old chant that she had learned along time ago, it killed everything she wanted to and could bring her anywhere she wanted. As she finished, her blue jewel in her forehead lit up and shined throughout the entire room. Next came her staff, it too began to shine a great blue light. Widdow grabbed hold of Mathew’s hand as the light got brighter. It wasn’t nearly a few seconds before they were up standing under the tree where Mathew once stood.73
As the light from her staff diminishes, Widdow falls to the ground as her jewel’s light begins to subside. Coughing slightly, gray blood spilled from her mouth, as she lay unconscious on the ground. 74
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