The Last of the Guardians

By Julius St. Clair

The world of Regent is a breathing and long-standing paradise. Inexperienced in war but overwhelmed with fears of the future, the inhabitants now see the end before them.

One of the world's most respected and powerful peacekeepers has been murdered, and the seven Kingdoms see it as an omen. Armies are raised in secret. The peacekeepers, known as Guardians, begin to disappear, and darkness has spread over the valley.

Bringing hope to all is a young warrior from a distant future, that now seeks to change the chaos to come. But the world is far different than he remembers. Friends he has known are long dead. Familiar names have the wrong faces, and his enemies are far more relentless as they pursue his knowledge of coming events.

Worst of all, the love of his life doesn't remember who he is or the life they built together, forcing him to decide whether to save the world or sacrifice their bond.

The Last of the Guardians is a beautifully crafted narrative of finding light in the darkness and hope in the impossible. It is a tale of true love and friendship, betrayal and loss, bitter war and the fighting spirit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julius St. Clair
• Release date: Apr 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201953027

Book preview

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The Last of the Guardians

By

Julius St. Clair

Copyright © 2022 by Julius St. Clair

All rights reserved. This story or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 – Reminisce

Chapter 2 – Dinah

Chapter 3 – Forgetting

Chapter 4 – I Had Friends Once

Chapter 5 – Bond

Chapter 6 – She Would Like to See You Now

Chapter 7 – The Queen and I

Chapter 8 – Another Journey

Chapter 9 – The New Team

Chapter 10 – Phelan

Chapter 11 – A Part of Us All

Chapter 12 – Surprise

Chapter 13 – A Familiar Name

Chapter 14 – Break Me

Chapter 15 – Build Me

Chapter 16 – After

Chapter 17 – It’s Time

Chapter 18 – What We Need

Chapter 19 – Vaurien

Chapter 20 – Reminder

Chapter 21 – Bait

Chapter 22 – Bladeslinger

Chapter 23 – Motives

Chapter 24 – Here, but Gone

Chapter 25 – A Royal Invitation

Chapter 26 – Healing

Chapter 1 – Reminisce

His father slapped him across the face and the taste of blood greeted him. James staggered but he kept his balance. He locked his knees to weather the next blow, but to his surprise, it didn’t come. He opened his swollen eyes in anger. The man standing before him was staring back at him with a mix of regret and pity, but this was not what James needed. This just wouldn’t do.

Hit me, James said, his words slurring. He found himself drooling as his jaw ached.

No, his father said. I...I don’t want to do this anymore.

I have to get stronger! James snapped, and his father held his head high, as if he remembered his place between them in the relationship.

Watch your tone, he said. I only agreed to this because you wouldn’t stop begging. I thought it was a ridiculous idea then, and it’s still one now.

Please, James pleaded. He bowed his head, but it wasn’t voluntary. He could feel his body beginning to sway as a vertigo washed over him.

I can’t, son, his father said. You...I don’t know why you want this so bad, but I can’t help you. I know you want to be a warrior, but there has to be a better way. There’s always a better way. He walked away from James, heading toward their home in the distance, past the pasture and the crops, rubbing his reddened hands the whole way.

James plopped down on his butt in the dirt and a tear fell down his cheek. His father was right. There had to be a better way, but what was it? He couldn’t be a warrior until he passed the tests, and he couldn’t take the tests until he was strong.

With his head bowed down to his chest, he felt like falling asleep, but the pain in his face was too great. It throbbed and demanded attention, but he ignored the feeling. With every pulse, he was reminded of how much more he had to do, and how far he had to go.

He stared down at the dirt and couldn’t believe how rich it was. The brown color was full of vitality and minerals—a far cry from the farm land that he remembered. Where he came from, his father was unsuccessful at farming—unskilled. Where he came from, his father was a bitter, angry man with a temper that matched his tenacity in tearing his son down, but here...here, his father was compassionate and prudent. It made him feel uneasy.

But he supposed that was a normal feeling.

After all, nothing was the same. This wasn’t his world. This was the past, but it was not his past. He came from the future, and yet, he was as nervous as ever for what was to come.

It may have been different if she had remembered him—his wife, but in this timeline, they were both young and only she was a warrior, not the both of them. Time travel had not been kind. Instead of placing him completely in the past, empowered body and all, only his mind was transferred.

He found his consciousness stuck in the body of his weak, teenage self and for some reason, he was finding it harder to reach the heights he had once climbed to and dominated.

Perhaps he should reach out to her still. Just one more time, to see if she had any interest in helping to train him. He had nothing to lose at this point, yet, their last conversation still plagued his mind:

He was back in the courtyard and he had just arrived from the future—to a wide, graveled path surrounded by pillars, with torches lit at all times to illuminate the way. The Academy was at his back, where he could hear the laughter and jests of youth that had earned their way inside—those that had proved their worth to the Kingdom and would soon become a part of its army.

And there were the gates, the entrance to the courtyard itself where both friend and enemy alike had to walk through in order to reach the school. Walking along the dimly lit path was disconcerting at night, as no one knew what was lurking in the shadows, but James had long suppressed those fears.

In his timeline, he had been a teacher at the Academy, after all, so he knew the layout and surroundings well. Now, stuck in the past, he hadn’t even earned a bed beyond its cold, grey walls.

Those feelings of doubt and hopelessness went away when he saw her though.

She came out of the shadows, and stopped in the entrance to the courtyard—the open iron gates at her side like sentinels. He felt his heart skip as she stared back at him.

It was her. He couldn’t believe it.

The clothes she was wearing—once white and clean, were now torn and muddied. Her long sleeves were ripped at the shoulders, and there were gashes in her pants from blades that weren’t her own. She had only one boot on, and her hands were stained with blood.

Still, she had her curly locks. Her freckles speckled each cheek, and she was as beautiful as ever.

He sighed deep. They were both young again, and they could relive moments that they had thought lost to them. In his time, there was so much war that starting a family was deemed an impossibility. Now, they could have children. Marriage, they could embrace sooner. They could actually date and enjoy each other’s company instead of having to combat the latest threat for the chance to have one kiss. They could—

She walked past him.

Her shoulders were hunched a bit, and her breathing shallow. She shuffled her feet as she walked and he could see that she had a limp. She wasn’t excited to see him, but so what? He wouldn’t hold it against her. Perhaps she was seriously wounded and he couldn’t see it, or maybe the light of the moon didn’t illuminate his face and she was too tired to focus.

Catherine, he said low, and she stopped moving. She turned to face him as if it was a chore to do so, and she waited for him to speak further. A couple of seconds passed by as they continued to face each other, and then she suddenly winced, grabbing her left shoulder. James rushed to her side and reached out to embrace her, but she quickly stuck her right hand out, pressed it against his chest and shoved him back. He fell onto his butt hard—she was freakishly strong.

Catherine, he said again and she started trembling. It took him a moment to realize that she was trying to keep herself from crying.

What do you want? she whined. I’m sorry, but...I...I need to be alone right now.

Do you know who I am? he asked her.

She hesitated as she examined his face. I don’t, she said finally, and his heart ripped in two. He couldn’t help it. He began crying, and he punched the gravel at his side.

No, not this.

He knew that his mission would be difficult. To save the world from annihilation seemed impossible, but he didn’t think he would have to do it alone. He had hoped that at least she would be there as she always had. To guide him through the darkness.

She was his light, and now there wasn’t even a flicker of recognition in her eyes. It was as if this wasn’t his wife standing before him. No, he supposed it couldn’t be. She was a shadow of who he had once known, but if this was so, he didn’t know if he would have the conviction to keep going.

He felt a hand brush against his cheek and he opened his eyes. Catherine was crouched down in front of him, and her eyes were watery and full of concern.

This was the woman he loved—always worried about the welfare of others. Even though she had surely just been in battle, she was there to comfort those around her. Perhaps all was not lost after all. He would just have to win her back all over again.

I’m sorry, he said, staring directly into her eyes. It’s just...you’re not how I remember you. Or...I guess it’s that you don’t remember me.

Who are you? she asked, full of curiosity.

James, he said.

Catherine, she said, giving him a smile from the corner of her lips. Nice to meet you.

You really don’t remember me? he asked.

She shook her head. Are you a student here?

Not yet, he said.

How do you know me then?

You’re the Princess, aren’t you? His answer caught her off guard. She hadn’t expected that. Well, aren’t you?

That’s not exactly common knowledge, she said, standing up. She was no longer concerned for his well-being, it was for hers.

It’s because...I came from the future.

What? she scoffed, looking around her as if she needed help.

I did, he said, groaning as he climbed to his feet. His butt was sore now. I traveled through time, to this moment. I wasn’t exactly searching for this moment, but here I am. I come from a world that had been destroyed by a powerful enemy, and in that world...you died, and I...I’m sorry if this is too much. It’s just, we were—

James woke up suddenly, and he found himself once more staring at the rich soil under him. He groaned as he grabbed his jaw and moved it from left to right. Everything hurt.

Slowly he climbed to his feet, taking breaks every couple of seconds to readjust his body so that he would avoid any sharp bouts of pain. When he finally stood tall, he took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air around him. It invigorated him, and he closed his eyes to enjoy the incoming breeze. The smell of dirt arrived but it didn’t bother him. In the distance he could smell his father cooking eggs and sausage on a skillet. His stomach scolded him for skipping out on their last two meals.

Okay, okay, he chuckled as he put a hand to his abdomen. I got you.

He took two steps forward and then he jumped in surprise. A woman was standing a couple yards away, and her hand was reaching behind her, grasping the upper limb of the bow wrapped around her torso. He stayed still as she watched him meticulously. Once she decided that he was no threat, she relaxed her stance and smiled at him warmly.

He had never seen anyone like her before. Her face was thin and angular. Her ears were pointed at the top, and her dirty blonde hair was long and billowing as if each strand had a life of its own. She wore a long black sleeveless dress that was diced up at the ends, and it appeared to be made of thin silk. She was also unnervingly tall.

She was beautiful and slender, but her face was serious, even when she smiled. Though she now appeared friendly, he didn’t trust her. Not one bit.

She quickly spoke aloud as if he would disappear from existence if she hesitated any longer.

You are the one that says he’s from the future? she asked quickly.

He felt his throat go dry as he tried to speak, but he couldn’t find the words. He didn’t yet know if she was friend or foe.

If you are, she said. Then you are a dead man.

Chapter 2 – Dinah

James knew he was in no condition to fight, and certainly not with an archer. Even if he was able to run adequately, he was an easy target.

I was wondering when you would show up, he lied. Her eyes went wide and her lips parted slightly as he raised his head in confidence. "You’re a little