Eternity

Chapter III, Keepers

Chapter III, Keepers

Tali stood with her mouth open, staring in mild amassment at Amara.  The absence in her eyes made her look rather docile but Amara imagined that a lot must be going on beneath her dumbstruck exterior.

“Your not kidding, are you?” asked Tali speaking for the first time.

“I wish,” said Amara, the light returned to Tali’s eyes and she grinned nervously…

“So does this mean your gonna have my memory wiped or something?” She Questioned,

“No, the Keepers are the only ones with that power, aside from Gaia herself of course and they almost never do, due to free will and all”

“So I guess I know your big secret now huh?”

“Well it would appear that way”

“COOL!!” screeched Tali hopping up and down with childish abandon.  Amara bit her lip as she watched Tali celebrate her glorious newly obtained knowledge.  Suddenly a sharp beeping sounded, causing Tali to pause her rather un-coordinated celebratory dancing.  The sound was Amara’s phone, alerting her that she had received a text-message.  Amara flipped her phone open,

“Ohh! Who’s it from?” asked Tali,

“The Keepers” said Amara shortly “It says;

Guardian Amara,

It is to our knowledge that you have revealed our existence to a mortal being, as you are highly aware this is strictly forbidden and such a matter will not be taken lightly, therefore you and the mortal are to attend a meeting at 4:15 sharp at the abandoned warehouse downtown on 50th avenue;

Yours truly,

Keeper Cedric”

Amara took a deep breath after reading. She didn’t like meeting with the Keepers, most of them were so by-the-book it was unbelievable and they took it a little to seriously when someone so much as bent a rule.  Although at least the meetings weren’t so bad when some of the more laid back, easy going Keepers showed up, but when it came to meetings on serious matters usually only the strict by-the-book ones showed up.

“How are we going to get to this meeting on time?” asked Tali worriedly “its already 4:00 and we don’t even have a car”

“I’ll get us there” said Amara, she looked around the empty hall to see if anyone was watching and seeing it was clear, she grabbed Tali’s hand and the two of them vanished from the hallways of the school and re-appeared standing in the old abandoned warehouse on 50th street.

“Cool” whispered Tali as she looked around. The warehouse was silent, just as all abandoned places tended to be.  It was dusty and smelled strongly of rotted wood and the only life to be seen was a rat that scurried over Tali’s foot.  The two girls made their way to the centre of the warehouse, clambering unsteadily over piles of plywood and rusty metal beams.  Once the two reached the centre of the warehouse a bright light switched on above them, reminding them of the interrogation lights used on crime show.  The two jumped as they heard a groggy voice,

“Amara? You came!” a rugged looking man stepped into the small circle of light surrounding the girls and gave Amara a friendly smile.  The rugged man turned and smiled at Tali as well, Tali smiled back as she curiously examined the stranger; he had long greasy brown hair poking out from beneath a dirty black hat and baggy tattered clothing but his green and silver eyes shone clearly.

“Tali” said Amara; gesturing to the stranger “This is Cedric, a Keeper”

“I’ll bet you never would have suspected me to be a Keeper with this cover eh?” Cedric tugged at his tattered clothing

“Cedric is one of the less formal type Keepers and one of my closest friends”

“Which is why I will try to stand up for you once the others arrive” said Cedric “But I’m not sure how much I can do, the others are pretty angry”

“And they know we’re friends too” said Amara “But I have a fairly clean record so it’s not like their going to suspend me or anything”

“Don’t be so arrogant,” said a monotone voice from above them “It was likely your arrogance that caused this in the first place”.  Amara looked up with a worried expression on her face, Tali followed her gaze to the crumbling above them.  Hovering in a circle above the three was five figures in blinding white robes, looking down at them.

“Cedric will be acting as your defence today” said one of the cloaked figures

“Now lets begin,” said another, the other figures nodded

“Guardian Amara, we have reason to believe that due to your lack of responsibility in your office our existence has been revealed to a mortal, do you admit to the charges?”

“Yes”

“Then you except full responsibility for this incident?”

“No”

“And what is your reason?”

“It was also partially the fault of one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse”

“And what do you have to back this claim?”

“Only my word”, Amara shifted uncomfortably; knowing her word didn’t mean much against the Keepers.

“Very well, we will begin the deliberation”, Their was a flash of blue light and the Hooded figures and Cedric disappeared, leaving the two alone in the warehouse.  The friends stood in tense silence, both to nervous to speak.  They exchanged timid glances as hooded Keepers and Cedric re-appeared once more.

“Guardian Amara, due to your outstanding record and responsibility in your office we are going to except your word as enough proof and withdraw the charges”
Amara’s heart skipped a beat at the Keeper’s words as she tried not to look to overwhelmed with relief, she simply bowed and murmured “Thank you” before the group of Keepers disappeared. 

Cedric however, remained standing were he was.  He had a brooding expression printed on his unshaven face that caused Amara to frown,

“What is it?” she asked “You looked worried”

“I am” Cedric’s lips barely moved as he spoke and his expression remained the same.

“What did they say?” asked Amara feeling her stomach start to tie itself in knots.

“That something very big is about to happen”, said Cedric in the same monotone that the other Keepers spoke with.

Amara folded her arms; she knew Cedric was being vague and she knew that he wasn’t about to be easily persuaded into telling them anything.  She decided to let it go and ask about it later; she knew she would find out about it later, she always did.  She gave Cedric a thankful bow and turned to walk swiftly out of the warehouse, dragging Tali behind her all the way…