Chapter Fifteen – The Guardian Awakens
The enormous golden eyes stared up from beneath the temple.
Kwaku couldn't move.
Neither could Kwesi.
Adwoa stood frozen between them.
The ground continued to shake.
Stone pillars cracked.
Dust filled the air.
Their father shouted:
"Everyone, get back!"
A massive hand emerged from the darkness.
It struck the edge of the temple floor.
BOOM!
The impact sent everyone stumbling backward.
Kojo remained beside the altar.
His eyes were fixed on the creature.
"The Guardian has awakened."
Kwesi tightened his grip on his sword.
"What exactly is that thing?"
Their father answered without looking away.
"It was created by the First King."
Kwaku stared at him.
"To protect the Blood Crown?"
"To protect the kingdom."
Another roar shook the temple.
The creature slowly pulled itself from the darkness.
It was enormous.
Its body was covered in ancient golden armor.
Two curved horns rose from its head.
Symbols covered its chest.
And in the center of its body was the same symbol of the Two Suns.
Adwoa whispered:
"It has the same mark."
Their father nodded.
"It recognizes the bloodlines."
The Guardian suddenly turned toward Kwaku.
Its golden eyes burned brighter.
Kwaku raised his arms.
"Stay back!"
The creature roared.
A wave of energy exploded from its body.
Kwaku was thrown across the floor.
"KWAKU!"
Kwesi rushed toward him.
But the Guardian swung its enormous arm.
Kwesi blocked with his sword.
The impact sent him crashing into a golden pillar.
"Kwesi!"
Adwoa raised both hands.
Her three circles began spinning.
"Stop!"
A powerful force burst from her body.
The Guardian stopped.
Its enormous head slowly turned toward her.
Adwoa stared into its eyes.
"I don't want to fight you."
The creature lowered its head.
For a moment, everything became silent.
Then the Guardian knelt.
Everyone froze.
Their father stared in disbelief.
"It recognized her."
Adwoa slowly stepped forward.
"Why?"
Kojo answered.
"Because the Third Bloodline was the Guardian's master."
Adwoa looked at him.
"My master?"
"Your blood once commanded this kingdom."
Suddenly, Adwoa's eyes became distant.
Another memory entered her mind.
She saw herself standing beneath the golden tree.
But she wasn't a little girl anymore.
She was older.
Warriors knelt before her.
Two young men stood beside her.
Kwaku.
Kwesi.
But they looked different.
They wore royal clothing.
And behind them stood Akwasi.
The First King.
A voice echoed through the memory.
"Protect the crown."
Adwoa looked down.
The Blood Crown rested in her hands.
Then everything turned black.
She opened her eyes.
Kwaku was standing beside her.
"Adwoa?"
She breathed heavily.
"I remember another piece."
"What did you see?"
"The crown…"
She looked toward Kojo.
"It was mine."
Kojo nodded.
"Yes."
Their father stepped forward.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
He shook his head.
"That is not the whole truth."
Adwoa's expression hardened.
"Then tell me."
Their father looked at the Guardian.
"The Blood Crown belonged to no single person."
"Then why did I have it?"
"Because you were chosen to protect it."
Kwaku frowned.
"Protect it from who?"
Their father looked toward Kojo.
Kojo's expression changed.
"From me."
Silence.
Adwoa stared at him.
"You?"
Kojo nodded.
"I wanted the crown."
Kwesi raised his sword again.
"So you betrayed your own family?"
Kojo's face remained calm.
"I believed the crown should belong to me."
Kwaku stepped forward.
"And what happened?"
Kojo looked at the Guardian.
"The First King stopped me."
The Guardian suddenly roared.
Its body began glowing.
The golden symbols on its armor changed.
A massive symbol appeared across its chest.
Their father shouted:
"Everyone move!"
The Guardian released another wave of energy.
But this time, it wasn't attacking them.
The energy shot upward.
The entire ceiling of the temple opened.
Golden light poured into the underground kingdom.
Far above them, the earth began to tremble.
In the distance, warriors screamed.
Nana Kofi looked upward.
"What is happening?"
One of his soldiers pointed toward the sky.
"Look!"
A giant golden symbol appeared above the land.
Two suns surrounding a single circle.
Nana Kofi's face became pale.
"The First Kingdom has announced its return."
Back inside the temple, Kwaku looked at Kojo.
"What did you just awaken?"
Kojo smiled.
"Not me."
He pointed toward the Guardian.
"It did."
The Guardian slowly turned toward the ancient altar.
A hidden doorway appeared behind it.
Their father stared at the doorway.
"No one is supposed to enter there."
Kwaku stepped forward.
"What is behind it?"
Their father whispered:
"The King's Tomb."
Adwoa looked at the doorway.
"Then that's where we're going."
Their father shook his head.
"You don't understand."
He looked terrified.
"The First King wasn't buried there."
Kwaku's eyes widened.
"Then what is inside?"
Before their father could answer, a deep voice echoed from behind the doorway.
"My children…"
Everyone froze.
Adwoa's eyes widened.
Kojo dropped the Crown Fragment.
The voice continued.
"Why did you take so long to return?"
Kwaku stared at the darkness.
"That's impossible."
Their father whispered:
"He's awake."
The ancient doorway slowly opened.
And a figure stepped out.
To be continued…