Rainbow Guardians: Chapter 19

 Chapter 19: The Rebirth

I coughed, coughed like a chain smoker. My lungs hurt as if I was underwater, excreting golden dust. I opened my lids; my view became less blurry. There were dark violet, semi-transparent walls around me, and my head was on something warm yet rigid. I rubbed my eyes and sat on my haunches. The girls were still lying down, but the zest returned to them. Instinctively, I went backwards to find something to lean on. It was hard and mild; I fixed myself further into it. Then, it moved.

I turned my head towards my leaning object and jerked away. It wasn’t an object at all! It was a body but no ordinary one. It was him… Alexander, the guy I called ‘rakish blob.’ My face burnt as if I had eaten tons of jalapenos. His eyes were glowing lilac with dark circles. He was exhausted because his limbs were trembling. Meanwhile, my friends got up and looked around. I grabbed Alex's shoulders, shaking him.

“Alexander, wake up!” I called him; his face was expressionless. “Snap out of it!”

Then, I waved my hand before his eyes, but Alex was unresponsive. His breathing and pulses were slow as if sleeping. I laid Alex down from his sitting position to relax his limbs. I controlled around once more.

“Ugh, what happened?” Anny groaned, holding her forehead.

“I don’t know…” Neesha mumbled and checked her body. Everything seemed intact. “W-we survived!”

“Indeed, because someone forges iron in my head!” Julia complained, rubbing her scalp.

“I’m thankful to the Almighty,” Shanya whispered, stretching arms. “But it seriously hurts.”

I chuckled lightly at the chatter of my friends and rolled my eyes. They didn’t even acknowledge my presence! I stood up and headed towards them, tapping my foot.

“Well, glad to see you too!” I spoke.

“Wow, if it isn’t the blondie bombshell. How the heck did you survive?” Julia answered. 

“Ha-ha. Welcome back fire-head.”

I offered a hand to Julia. She gripped it quite roughly and rose to her feet. Later, she did something unexpected. Julia, the aggressive one, gave me a friendly hug. “I saw what you did in the collective subconscious. Thanks.” She spoke. I returned the hug and patted her back.

All of a sudden, I found myself inside a group embrace. Anny, Neesha and Shanya were circling us tightly.

“Ok, ok guys, I can’t breathe!” I tried to speak. “We got an incomplete task.”

“Nelly is right. My system says we reached to Hugo’s chamber, but where’s he?” Neesha told.

"Ah, girls, l-look!" Shanya pointed out something.

We were in a purple barrier. The most appalling thing was not that, however. Stephen Hugo, Helena and his minions were all frozen. Their faces were baffled like the ancient, perished peoples of holy texts. I poked Stephen Hugo out of curiosity. It sucked in my entire hand and instantly pushed me back. Jolts of electrifying sensations enveloped my whole being. I winced and collapsed on my knees, holding my core charm. This energy was condensing, raw and dark to handle. It almost felt like facing the black goo over and over. My intuitions pointed out only one source… Alex. He was still limply sprawling on the ground from his haze. I didn't know why, but I sensed the 'statue' of Hugo also could be connected to Alex's situation. My core charm started to reverse darkness into light. It must have been another process of refreshment. 

Finally, everybody got out of their shock and approached me. Neesha was the first to examine the condition.

“What’s wrong Nelly?” Anny inquired, offering me support.

"Anny, I'm sorry but everything is wrong," Neesha answered, looking at her hologram screen. "The energy field around us and Stephen Hugo's is bending the space/time of the dimension! We got to shut it off before it's too late."

"I-I can help you with that," I said and showed the figure of Alex.

Neesha gasped and scanned him for a while. Then, she sent the calculations and other details to our transmitters. Alex's physical form was fading due to the overuse of his psyche. His mortality was entering the spiritual comatose. In other words, his soul was going to the dimension of purgatory (it is where the body is neither dead nor alive, waiting for judgement day within a void). Due to this reason, we had to wake Alex as soon as possible. We finally found a trace of the path of hope, and we had to preserve it.

* * *

A few minutes later, my charm returned to normal. I shook my head off to regain my senses. Neesha, Anny and Shanya were already around Alex, trying to decide things. Julia and I stood beside the figures of Hugo, Helena and their minions.

“Alright, what’s our strategy?” Anny asked Neesha.

"Well, I think we should work separately. You and I can take the psyche damage while Shanya composes his physiology." She replied.

“OK, I will try my best.” Shanya approved.

“It’s fine by me too.” Anny nodded.

“Nelly and Julia, could you guys guard us just in case?” Neesha inquired.

We walked across Alex’s head and feet and prepared our defences. From the corner of my eye, I observed them. Although Alex and I had ‘rake’ chemistry since our meeting, I didn’t wish to see him in agony. We all were already exposed to losing against the chess match of life. Our dimension, my planet and family… They were all about to slip away from me, and I didn’t want a cherry on top of this icing of misery. ‘Please, dear Almighty let us save our world!’ I pleaded in my mind. 

Neesha brought her core charm to the left brain whereas Anny held hers to the right of Alex; Shanya released her energy on his chest. The branches of ivies, aloe veras and mosses covered his neck, steadying him. Neesha sent thought waves to his consciousness, probably aimed to break the haze. Anny fumed Alex with a mixture of special gases to stabilise his emotions. She possibly did that to reduce his stress levels. They were extremely high in the analysis earlier.

At last, the violet barrier shrieked and slowly disappeared. The aura surrounding Alexander faded out. He began to move again and opened his eyes. The girls did it! Julia and I cheered. However, our joy didn’t last long. The field on the frozen Stephen Hugo along with his men dissolved. It jerked the ground, emitting negative energy everywhere. We had already shielded everyone including us.

***

She, Hermes and the others uncoiled from their paralysis. Persephone’s movements proceeded as if nothing occurred. She scrutinised the environment to seek any signs of the enemy. Then, the cries of a giant group echoed in every direction. The rain of soldiers and weird creatures neared the gates, screaming the place down. Out of the dust, three familiar faces emerged with their troops: Arthur, Wilbur and Carter of Negavise. They were the main henchmen of Helena von Dunkel. 

The view in front of Persephone sickened her. She compared the more sophisticated army with these three. It was like watching a flock of sharks led by goldfish, utterly ludicrous. How did Hugo expect to win with them? She wasn't sure but decided to focus on the real threats.

Hermes, Penelope and Eleanora came beside her and positioned. They unravelled their fusion weapons, ready to fight.

* * * 

Alexander coughed a little, but he was getting better. Julia and I gradually lowered our guard. Everyone including Alex joined us. Stephen Hugo, Helena and some soldiers noticed us.

“Wouldn’t you look at that, Helena?” He exclaimed, preparing his gun. "The fledgelings are awake!”

“Yes, milord, the lady luck must be generous. Otherwise, these chicks wouldn’t be alive!” Helena replied, clearly aiming at us.

The fury rose and pumped fire into my veins. I combined my essence with the Lightbreaker, feeling the power surging over me. For a second, just for a second, I couldn’t hold it and fired a laser beam. It hit the feet of Helena.

Stephen Hugo startled but laughed, fuelling me more. Anny squeezed my shoulder slightly. The concern was engraved on her face.

“Whoa, there Nelly! Haven’t they told you to hold your horses?” Helena said, furiously rubbing her shoes. 

“Oh, my poor, lovely Helena, are you fine?” Hugo caressed her long, dark tresses. 

“Don’t worry, my lord. I’m fine.”

Stephen Hugo frowned and signalled his soldiers. They stepped forward. Meanwhile, Alex and the girls were summoning their weapons: Anny had a bow and arrows; Julia had a spear, and Shanya had a whip. Neesha showed off her hooked staff while Alex his large battle-axe. Well, the final force spectacle had just started. As a part of the performance, I drew my sword to dazzle the enemies.

Then, the duels ignited. Helena launched at me with her harrows, but I stopped them in the midway. The buzzes of the weapons grated the ears. She crossed her weapons to block the Lightbreaker. “Harmonial Radiance!” I screamed. A blinding beam pushed her back. I felt the heat glowing my hair roots and irises. Helena stood up albeit with a little difficulty. 

Julia captured some soldiers by heating lava capsules. Her locks were gleaming with red sheen and phoenix symbol, making her a real fire-head. She jumped, sparked the spear’s tip with spinning flames and hurled it to the soil, cracking it. With that, Julia had signed their death warrant.

Shanya on the other hand played a game of defence with the opponents. Instead of attacking, she often reflected the blasts with herbal shields. She constructed shells out of several matters; rocks, planks and poisonous plants. Hugo threw her black-matter splats, but she deflected him with Venus's flytrap, sending acid. Later, Shanya tore the air with her whip and vibrated the sounds of nature like shamans, distracting the soldiers. Her peachy eyes shone with an emerald-brown halo.

Anny and Neesha were back-to-back, trying to reach Stephen Hugo. Anny aimed her smoky, pink arrows at a duo of scouts. The gas was almost colourless but triggered distressing hallucinations. One of the guards ran in alarm, uttering "Mother;" the other one chased him like a hungry tiger. She smirked at her work and squinted her fuchsia glances. 

Neesha floated and broadcasted various mental waves. They mostly targeted Helena and Stephen Hugo and subdued them. Nevertheless, Hugo raised his arm and managed to open a black vortex. It was like a mini black hole and began to havoc everywhere. Helena summoned armies of lizardions and spider-bees, but Neesha slammed her staff. With its hook, spread stronger thought waves and said “Dimenian Telekinesis!” 

Suddenly, Hugo and his lapdogs were immobilised. A rainbow halo levitated them towards the door. Its source was no one other than the Dimenian princess. We all cheered and clinked our weapons to victory. 

I dashed against Neesha for an embrace, however, out of ecstasy, leapt further than my intention. Although the enemy was stable, I still forgot one detail. The whirlpool… It was still intact and started to absorb me. My breath hitched in my throat… My vision became vaguer and vaguer. Before everything muted out, someone familiar called me: “Hang on, Nelly!”