GUARDIANS

,,Avalone, come on—it’s time to get ready for the exam. We’ll finally see what your abilities are and whether you’re fit to join the Guardians’ army.”

My mother is always so interested in my abilities. She knows how badly I want to join the army and train with the Guardians of Good. It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember—to fight against evil. It was my parents’ dream too, my grandparents’ success, and even my great-grandparents’ legacy.

“Dad, why do I have to leave you at twenty? Can’t I just train from home? How far away will I be? Tell me everything you know. Honestly, I don’t even want to go anymore if it means feeling so far from you.”

My father walks over, smiling, and speaks in his calm, steady voice.

“Avalone, your strength lies in your hands. You’ll be just fine—and you’ll come back home. The real battle between good and evil isn’t now. Maybe it’ll happen in two thousand years, when we’re all gone. Don’t be afraid for us. We’ll be here—waiting for you.”

Sometimes I think it would’ve been easier to live on a normal planet. One without Guardians of Good or Evil. A place where everyone just lives a normal life. But here I am, expected to fight for my right to live… and I only hope I’m strong enough.

Today is the big day. Today I say goodbye to my carefree youth and step into adulthood, where every tear is a failure and every drop of blood is a badge of honor.

I reach the outskirts of the old city, a place packed with weapons and military equipment. People my age are lined up, visibly nervous, waiting for the army instructors to tell us what comes next. Some look tough, dressed in black and gray, physically prepared and confident. Others—wearing pale colors, with longer hair and hesitant expressions—look like they’ve never seen a fight in their lives. They seem poorer, maybe even out of place.

Suddenly, a gunshot cracks through the air. Everyone jumps—some even throw themselves to the ground. The ones in black don’t even flinch. Some of them laugh under their breath. Damn, they’ve clearly been trained for something else entirely. This isn’t their first exposure to combat. But are they really here to join the Guardians of Good?

Two instructors appear. Both good-looking, both deadly serious. One of them is holding a gun, and the other… flower buds?

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the one with the gun says. “Quite a crowd of young recruits, huh? What do you think, Will?”

“Yeah,” the one with the flowers replies. “But most of the ones in gray? Those are yours, Tray. I can’t believe it. I thought we agreed with prep not to train people for the Guardians of Evil anymore.”

“We’ll see. This isn’t just about us. Every side needs to be ready for the final battle. Whether you’re with the light or the dark, it doesn’t matter.”

“Tray, do you think those stories are real? You know—the ones about the gifted ones? The ones too powerful for either side?”

“Don’t even say it, Will. Those people died a long time ago. No one walks both paths. Everyone chooses one, and that’s it. Stop believing those fairy tales—and help me scare these kids a little.”

I look at my parents, standing far behind the crowd. Their eyes are filled with sorrow. A kind of pain I don’t understand yet. Do they know something I don’t?

Tray fires another bullet into the air.

“Alright, listen up! You’re here for the aptitude trials to see if you’re fit for the military. I’m Tray. This is Will. And we’ll be the ones helping you fight to protect Earth from the Guardians of Evil. But let me make one thing clear: not all of you will be chosen to join the Guardians of Good. Some of you—well, fate has something darker in store. You might end up serving cruelty, pain, and darkness. Did you really think this would be simple? If there were no evil, who would the good even fight against? You have a few moments to say goodbye to your parents. It might be the last time you ever see them.”

Tray smirks. Will looks disappointed. And then—my heart stops. My parents are tied up and surrounded by soldiers. I run toward them, blind to everything else.

“Mom? Dad? What’s going on? Why are you tied up? This isn’t protection—this isn’t what I signed up for! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“My sweet girl,” my mother says softly. “We knew this would happen. We didn’t want to scare you. We just wanted to protect you for as long as we could. Listen to me. This won’t be easy. You’ll use weapons. You’ll use the psychic abilities you’ve trained all your life. We’ll be held until you return. Wherever you go—make us proud.”

I can’t say anything through the tears. The soldiers pull them away, load them into a truck with the others. Everything I believed—everything I trusted—feels like a lie. And this… this might be the end of everything I know.

I stand there, frozen, watching the soldiers take my parents away. The world around me feels like it’s crumbling, and my thoughts are clouded with a thousand questions. What’s really going on here? But before I can ask anything more, the sound of Tray’s voice cuts through the chaos.

“Enough of the drama!” Tray yells. “Back to the trials! Time to show us what you’re made of!”

The air feels thick with tension. I turn to see the other recruits—many are still in shock, their faces pale. A few of them have already been knocked down by the fear, and others are just waiting for the next order.

“Listen up!” Tray continues, his voice sharp and commanding. “We’re not here to coddle you. You’ll fight. You’ll prove whether you’re ready for the Guardians of Evil or if you’re just another weakling trying to escape from reality. Those who fight for their lives, and for the chance to wield power, will be given a chance.”

Will steps forward then, looking at us with a serious expression.

“Here’s how it works,” he says. “We’ll be dividing you into groups. You’ll fight each other until one of you falls. No one’s backing down. If you hesitate, you’ll be left behind. Only the strongest survive.”

A chill runs through me. This isn’t a test of strength alone. It’s a test of willpower. The world we’re in now isn’t kind. It never has been.

The first fight begins. A boy, dressed in a black jacket and wearing metal accessories, steps up to face a fragile-looking girl with long, blonde hair. She’s nervous, her hands shaking, but she steps forward anyway.

The fight is brutal. She throws the first punch, a wild swing to his face. He stumbles back, but quickly recovers. He grabs her by the shoulder, slamming his fist into her face. Blood starts to spill from her nose. She fights back, but it’s clear she’s not strong enough. Before I can even process what’s happening, Tray fires another shot into the air, stopping the match.

“Stop!” Tray yells, his voice cold. “I like what I see! Neither of you gave up. You’re both accepted into the Guardians of Evil.”

He hands them each a pistol, marking them with a black ink stain on their temples. They walk to the left side of the arena, joining the group of others who have chosen the path of darkness.

The next match is between two girls, both wearing light-colored clothing. They hesitate, clearly unsure of what to do.

“Come on!” Tray shouts, frustrated. “Don’t waste my time. Fight already!”

One of the girls speaks up, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to fight. I’m here to train to fight evil, not to hurt anyone innocent.”

The crowd falls silent. Even Tray stops, taken aback by her words.

Will’s voice cuts through the quiet. “Congratulations, young ladies!” he says. “You’re worthy of fighting for peace. This is what it means to stand on the side of good.”

He walks over to them and hands them a flower bud, a symbol of the Guardians of Good. They move to the right side, joining the others who have chosen to fight for peace.

The tension in the air heightens as Tray’s eyes find mine. I can feel the weight of his gaze, the pressure to make a choice.

“Alright, you!” Tray points at me, his voice dripping with contempt. “It’s your turn. Don’t think for a second I’ll go easy on you.”

I feel my knees wobble. This is it. My moment to choose. But deep down, I know I can’t back down. I don’t want to fight, but I have no choice.

“Yes, sir,” I say, my voice trembling. “I don’t want to fight, but... I choose to join the Guardians of Good.”

A smirk crosses Tray’s face. “Pathetic,” he mutters. “I knew it. You’re weak.”

A boy standing on the sidelines scoffs. “Why even come here if you’re too scared to fight?” he says loudly. “Go back to your mommy and cry about it.”

That’s enough. I can’t take it anymore. I’ve been pushed too far, and something inside me snaps. Without thinking, I rush forward, launching myself into a fight I didn’t want but now have to face.

The boy lunges at me, swinging his fists. I dodge just in time, feeling the rush of adrenaline. As he charges again, I realize that I don’t need to rely on fists to win. I move quickly, using my legs to trip him up. He falls face-first into the dirt, grunting in pain.

The crowd gasps. I feel a rush of victory—just for a moment—until I realize he’s not finished. He gets up, furious, grabbing my arm and twisting it painfully.

But I won’t give up. With all my strength, I press myself against his back, using my weight to knock him to the ground again. This time, he doesn’t rise. His nose is bleeding, and his face is bruised from the fall.

I don’t speak, don’t say anything. The audience watches in stunned silence. I can hear Tray’s voice now, sharp and full of surprise.

“Enough! This is... incredible!” he says. “You break every rule the Guardians have set. What the hell are you doing?!”

But before I can say anything, Will steps forward.

“Tray, stop,” Will says, his voice calm but firm. “This girl is trained to fight with her mind, not with her fists.”

Tray stares at him, fuming. “Are you taking her side, Will? This is not how things work here!”

“We’ll see,” Will mutters. “Let’s wait until the next test.”

The atmosphere is tense as Will and Tray exchange glances. The silence in the arena is almost suffocating, broken only by the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional muttering from the other recruits. I try to steady myself, but I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. I never expected this. I thought it would just be an exam—something simple to prove my worth. But this is much darker, more complicated. I’m surrounded by people willing to fight, willing to die for whatever cause they’ve been told to follow.

Will steps closer to me, his eyes softening slightly, though there’s still a guarded look to his expression. “You did well,” he says quietly, as if only I can hear him. “But remember, this is just the beginning. What you did in there, it’s not going to be enough in the long run. You’ll need more than just quick thinking to survive.”

I nod, though I can’t shake the feeling that he knows more than he’s letting on. He knows what I’ve been trained for, what I’m capable of. But does he know the truth behind the Guardians? Does he know what they really stand for?

Tray’s voice suddenly breaks through my thoughts. “Alright, alright, enough chit-chat,” he says, his tone mocking. “Time for the next test. If you’re all done playing nice, let’s get to the real action.”

He gestures toward a group of soldiers, who begin setting up targets and obstacles in the distance. The arena shifts into a more structured battlefield, and the recruits are split into different groups. My stomach twists with nerves as I wonder where I’ll end up.

Will catches my gaze once more. “Stay close,” he says. “The next phase isn’t going to be any easier. You’ll need to trust yourself—and trust me, no matter how hard it gets.”

I open my mouth to respond, but Tray interrupts, walking over to stand between us. His presence is overwhelming, like a dark cloud casting a shadow over everything.

“Enough with the team spirit,” Tray sneers. “You’ll all have to fight alone. No hand-holding here. The real test begins now.”

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the knot in my throat. This is it. No more pretending, no more avoiding the truth. The battle for survival has already begun, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep pretending that I’m not terrified.

Will steps back, and I’m left standing at the edge of the battlefield. My heart is racing. I’ve been through a lot, but I’ve never faced something like this before. The chaos, the fear—it’s all too real now. This isn’t just a test. It’s a war. A war where I’m either going to be one of the winners or one of the losers.

The first recruit steps forward, and the battle begins. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The fighters are quick, their movements sharp and deadly. Every strike, every dodge, every misstep could be the difference between life and death.

I try to focus, to block out the noise and concentrate on the task at hand. But the pressure is overwhelming. My mind is clouded with questions, with fear. I can’t stop thinking about my parents, about what happened to them, about why they were taken away.

Will... I think, my heart aching. Can I trust him? Can I really rely on him to help me save them?

The battles continue, one after another, with no end in sight. The arena is a whirlwind of chaos, of pain, of raw determination. I see recruits fall, some injured, others taken out in an instant. I try to stay calm, to remain focused, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m losing control.

Then, Tray’s voice cuts through the air again. “Enough! All of you, gather around!”

The recruits are quickly gathered in the center of the arena, their faces bruised, battered, and bloodied. I can feel my own hands shaking, my body aching from the constant tension, but I force myself to stand tall.

Tray looks us over, his eyes cold and calculating. “You’ve all proven you can fight. But that’s not enough. Not anymore. If you want to make it as a Guardian, you have to show more than just strength. You have to show loyalty. To me. To the cause.”

I feel a chill run down my spine. What does he mean by that? What’s the true cost of becoming a Guardian?

Will’s voice cuts through the uncertainty in my mind. “Trust yourself, Avalone,” he says quietly. “And trust that not all of us are the same.”

For a split second, I feel a flicker of hope. But it’s quickly replaced by doubt. What if he’s lying? What if he’s just another part of this twisted game?

The tension in the air thickens as Tray steps forward again, his eyes narrowing as he surveys the group of recruits. We are battered and bruised, some of us barely able to stand, but the fear in our chests is palpable. It’s a fear that’s not just about the physical pain—it’s the fear of the unknown, the fear of what’s coming next.

Tray’s voice rings out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the stillness. “You’ve shown you can fight. But you haven’t shown me anything yet. If you want to be part of the Guardians, you need to prove your loyalty—your true loyalty.”

His words send a shiver down my spine. What does he mean by that? Loyalty to him? To this twisted system of control?

I glance over at Will, but his expression is unreadable. He’s standing back, his arms crossed, watching with an intensity that makes my heart race. There’s something in his eyes—something I can’t quite place—but it’s a warning, I can feel it.

Tray motions for the recruits to line up in front of him. One by one, we step forward, our bodies aching and our minds filled with uncertainty. I try to steady my breath, but it’s getting harder to focus. My thoughts keep drifting to my parents, to the prison they’re being kept in, to the promise Will made about helping me save them.

Is it all a lie? Am I being used as a pawn in some game I don’t even understand?

Will’s voice breaks through my spiraling thoughts, his words soft but filled with meaning. “You don’t have to do this, Avalone. You can still walk away. You can still choose a different path.”

For a moment, I feel my resolve falter. Maybe Will’s right. Maybe I don’t belong here. Maybe there’s a different way—a better way.

But then Tray’s voice cuts through the air like a whip. “Don’t listen to him,” he sneers, his eyes burning with disdain. “He’s weak. And weakness doesn’t survive in the Guardians.”

My heart skips a beat as I step forward, unsure of what to do. I don’t want to be weak, but I also don’t want to be a part of whatever dark force Tray is commanding. I can feel the weight of the decision pressing down on me—every choice I make could be my last.

Will steps forward as well, his eyes never leaving mine. “Avalone,” he says quietly, but I can hear the urgency in his voice, “the world’s not what it seems. Not everything is black and white. You need to trust your instincts.”

Before I can respond, Tray interrupts, his voice loud and mocking. “Enough talk! It’s time for the final test. Prove to me that you deserve to fight for either side. Prove your worth.”

The recruits are split into two groups—those who will fight for the Guardians of Good, and those who will fight for the Guardians of Evil. Each side will face their own set of trials, their own challenges. And the ones who fail will be cast aside, forgotten.

I stand frozen, unsure of which path to take. The pressure is suffocating. My heart is racing, my body trembling with fear and uncertainty.

Will’s eyes meet mine once more. “You don’t have to make this decision alone,” he says softly. “I’m here. I’ll help you. But you have to choose. Choose who you want to be.”

The air is thick with anticipation as the final phase of the trials begins. The arena is set. The recruits, now separated into their respective groups, stand facing each other, the weight of their decisions heavy on their shoulders. The battle for survival is about to begin, and the stakes have never been higher.

I glance at Will one last time before stepping into the arena, my mind spinning with doubt and fear. But something inside me clicks. This is my fight. This is my choice. And no matter what happens, I’m not going to let anyone make that choice for me.

Continued suspense builds as Avalone faces the toughest decisions of her journey. The fight for survival has truly begun, and the path she chooses will shape the fate of those she loves.