I got dressed and slipped my koti, jacket with badge on and went down the hall. And then someone bumped into me. hujambo watch where you’re going! “Sorry wewe Agent Montezz?” Yes who are you?

“Doesn’t matter Kyle alisema for wewe to meet him in the shooting arena.” Where is that? “Take this hall straight down then make a right wewe will see a stair well go all the way down then make a left first door on your right.” Thank you.

He walked away then leaving me alone in an empty hallway. I followed the guy directions and stepped into a combat arena compete with targets bows, arrows, guns, and many zaidi weapons. I walked to the center of the arena Kyle are wewe in here? “Good wewe are on time” he replied walking toward me. I am never late that is one thing wewe can count on. “Glad to hear it.” “Are wewe ready to start?” I was born ready Beast boy what do wewe have in mind. “Will wewe ever stop calling me that?” Don’t count on it.

“So basically are job is to protect the creatures that live here and keep peace between them.” “And gather information.” Sounds easy to me. “Sure but it is not.” “There are lots of rules and cautions”. “Take the land of dragoni for an example.” “You walk into their territory without being invited than your dinner.” “These are not the creatures from fairy tales they are NOT harmless they will kill you, cures au make wewe into one of them.” “And it doesn’t help that Blake is capturing some of the worst monsters that are here and we have no clue what he is going to do with them.”

I get it this is not a game. But I do have one swali why are we not out there stopping Blake au breaking free the creatures. “If wewe don’t know how to defend yourself you’re not that much of use out there.” Ohh don’t I. I went to the bow and arrows laying on a table. “What are wewe doing?” He demanded. I notched the arrow and aimed it at the closest target. I released the arrow and it went flying out of my hand and hit the bullzie in the center. wewe know archery? It wasn’t really a swali but I nodded away.

Yup and I have great aim shooting a gun is not that different and I took a survival course before and I know a few hand to hand combat moves.

Kyle opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted kwa Jason. hujambo J what brings wewe here? I asked. “Bad news he replied.” What happened? Jason’s face was full of regret and worry. The last time I saw that look he told me dad left. I know that look I said.

“We Lost contact with agent Montezz for two days now and there had been reports of creatures going missing including griffins.” “And the supervisors want wewe to rescue and if wewe can free the missing creatures we believe the person who took our field agent is the same person who took the missing griffins.”

No Jason I won’t do it! I alisema outraged. “Alex it is your job to protect the magical creatures that live here and help out fellow agents.” What has he ever done for me besides living us? When times got rough and we needed him he ran! “You don’t know the full story.”

Jason tried to explain. Don’t wewe stick up for him! He could have called au wrote au I don’t know mail some money and not go running for the hills leaving his two kids and a single mother kwa herself to raise on her own. Why should I risk my life to save a man that doesn’t even care to help and support his own family! At this point I was yelling it wasn’t really fair to take my anger out on him but I had it bottled up inside me for all these years and now I was finally getting it out. “Because Alex A it’s your job B he is not the only person who is captured and C if wewe won’t do it for him than do it for the wanyama who a suffering.”

Fine but I am not doing it for him.

We headed out an saa later on horseback Kyle ridding inayofuata to me. No one spoke for fifteen dakika than he ambushed me with a question. “Why do wewe hate your father so mush?” “Jason told me wewe too were vary close what changed.” Tears stung in my eyes. My voice cracked. I wish I knew. But then again I don’t want to get hurt like that again. It was early spring. He took us to my brothers birthday party got a call saying he will be right back. Never showed. No cake no dad. When we got nyumbani all of his stuff was gone along with most of our money we haven’t heard from him since.

I was the last one to defend him. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months and darkness fell over the house. Jason picked up the slack got two jobs to help pay the bills. Soon after my mother remarried to a spoiled rich man that hates us. Jason left shortly after to try to find dad and get some answers. I was left alone with an abusive step dad and a mother that can’t even look at me. Like I am her greatest disappointment. Lets just say I’m glad I am not in that house anymore. The sad thing is a bet my parents aren’t even looking for me. I felt hot tears run down my face. “I sorry I didn’t know.”

I don’t need wewe to pretend wewe know how I feel and wewe know what I am going though. “I’m not going to but I do feel bad no one deserves that kind of childhood.” “But if wewe need someone to talk to about anything I’m right here.” I nodded he will never know how much that meant to me when he alisema that.

Kyle I would appreciate if wewe didn’t tell anybody want I told wewe the last thing I want is a whole lot of people feeling sorry for me. he nodded in understanding. We rode in silence the rest of the siku me Lost in thought remembering my past. At sunset we set up camp for the night.

I was in the middle of cooking chajio, chakula cha jioni when I realized I never really asked what cardamina was exactly. I don’t know why but I feel like the zaidi we travel though cardamina the zaidi I recognize it form somewhere. Kyle I said. His head shot up at the sound of my voice it was the first time I spoke since this morning. “Ya Alex? He alisema hesitant like I was a bomb waiting to blow.” I never got the chance to ask wewe where exactly are we right now I know we are in cardamina but where’s cardamina au what is it? Am I making any since? That got me a full out grin form him.

“Not really but I know what wewe are trying to say. To answer wewe swali cardamina is a world that was created to protect the magical creatures that live here good au bad form going extinct. Any form of magic is here. At a time they roamed the earth bring good au bad luck. But then people found a way to drain the magical power form these creatures for there own use. But if wewe do that the creature will die. That is where witches come form. So a group of the most powerful creatures came together and made this place. Only a few humans were selected to help care and protect the secret of this place and all that live here. Some of us was blessed with magic others not.” He alisema with out stopping.

What does the chosen one really mean? He looked away. “That is something I am not allowed to say. The chosen one must choose her own destiny her own path. For things to change here. It was never to be forced upon you, wewe must chose your own fate…”

The air grew cold and it got real dark real fast. The sun should sill be out for another saa at least this isn’t right. Kyle this isn’t right it should not be dark already. Fear pure fear rushed though me I knew something was out there waiting to kill us. I felt like I been though this before. And I knew we were trapped. My whole body tensed waiting. Alex are wewe ok. Kyle touched my arm. I didn’t take my eyes off the forest. Then I heard it a deep growl.

Kyle notched a arrow. But I knew that growl and the sudden darkness form a dream I had when I was small. I took a step back shaking in fear as I realized the truth. That hadn’t been a dream I been here before. What was that? Kyle asked him self. Hellhounds…

that was when the first one appeared in front of us. It was huge as big as a bear. It was black so it blended in with the night. But what gave it away was the blood red ruby eyes starring at wewe never blinking. That won’t do any good Kyle. Their fur, manyoya is like steel almost impossible to kill. They have razor sharp claws and not to mention teeth. How do wewe know so much about them? Because they tried to kill me before. I sorry I brought wewe in to this. Stay behind me.

Allleeexxx it growled at me. wewe will not excape me again. I took a deep breath and focused on the power of the sun flowing though me, me as it’s guide telling it where to go. My hand shined brightly. zaidi wolfs came into the clearing. We where surrounded. They started slowly walking toward us. They feed off of emotions so whatever wewe do don’t be afraid. I pushed back all fear took a deep breath. I threw a ball of light and moto at the first one that leaped he became a big pile of fur.

Kyle turned into a griffin he started to peck and rip the Mbwa mwitu loups to shreds. When a mbwa mwitu got to close he would fly into the air and then swoop in and grab it in his talons. I wasn’t paying attention to the Mbwa mwitu loups around me. And they took advantage of that. One bit my leg breaking it in half. moto burned into my leg from the poison from there bite. I screamed in overwhelming pain. And because I did that one emotion made them stronger. My vision started to blur. ALEX!! Kyle screamed. And I knew if I past out now that I would die. I forced my self to stay awake.

Kyle swooped down to defend me from the other five au so hellhounds that were sekunde away from tearing me to shreds. The inayofuata few dakika were a blur. Until I saw that Kyle was being overwhelmed fighting them all. He had part of his back exposed that was when the leader finally came into the clearing Blake him self.

With a kisu in hand sunk up to the left. KYLE!!!!!! I alisema to late for that moment he sunk his blade in the side of him. Rage burned into my limbs filling me with adrenaline. I forced my self to stand not a easy thing to do with a broken leg. Step away form him I alisema in a vary angry cold voice. I had lava in my hands. The only thing keeping me from throwing them is Blake so close to Kyle I was afraid I was going to hit him.

Blake turned around with that annoying smile of his. Then he saw the lava in my hands and I saw fear flash in his eyes. I cocked my head to the side. Tell me one reason I shouldn’t burn wewe alive right now. He took a step away from Kyle and opened his mouth to speak than closed it. Times up I thought the lava at him but before it hit him he disappeared in a dark puff of smoke. I can hear him say. This isn’t over chosen one only the beginning. The hellhounds disappeared with him. I put my hand to my leg healed it and ran to Kyle. And knelt beside him.

He turned back into a human. He was on his side heaving. He was bruised and had cuts all over. He was clutching his side where Blake had stabbed him. Nooo I alisema in a soft voice as a sat beside him a tear escaping my eye. hujambo he croaked in a soft voice. Don’t do that he alisema wiping away my tear. You’re going to be fine I promised.

I tarred of his shati and cleaned the gash on his side as far as I can tell there was no life threating damage as long as the stab wound didn’t get infected. Kyle would moan every once and a while but stayed still. Then I saw it a clear liquid on the knife. Dragon venom, if your bitten wewe have an saa to live before wewe die. The worst part is the person doesn’t know what hit him. It takes wewe down from the inside out. One moment your fine the inayofuata no body home.

No I will not let that happen. Alex? Yes Kyle I held his hand. “I’m not going to make it.” Don’t say that yes wewe will? You’re going to be fine. “No I am dying Alex. I am in pain I can’t move.” “Just promise me two things.” Anything I alisema with out a sekunde thought. “One kick Blake’s punda for me.” With pleasure I alisema with a smile that quickly faded. “And two don’t forget me.” Now I was crying. He pulled me down toward him and with the last of his strength he kissed me. A kiss full of passion and sorrow. When we broke apart his last words were “don’t forget.”

stay tuned for chapter eight... coming soon.