The Guard: The hero manual

 

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Introduction

Welcome to a world of magic, superhero and mythology. The Earth is alive and needs a team to defeat a legendary monster.

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Chapter 1 How to make a hero

I am the spirit of the earth. Long ago I created guardians designed to be heroes. To protect this world and its inhabitants. And for a time they did, until things went horribly wrong. One by one I had to imprison them, for the world was safe. But now one of them has awoken, and if she's not stopped. She will take countless lives. So I much gather those with the potential to be heroes. My name is Mother earth, and I welcome you to the guard.

"Dr. Eisner, what are you doing?"

A member of his excavation team asked.

"Making History." Dr. Eisner said as he tried to pry open a tomb with a crowbar.

"So we find a crypt, and your first instinct is to destroy it."

"Not destroy, excavate."

"We can't disturb anything, we might ruin the greatest discovery of our careers."

Struggling to open the tomb, the doctor says. "You worry too much, where's your sense of adventure?"

"It's being overruled by my common sense, you know you're not Indiana Jones right?"

"Why not I'm a daring, handsome archaeologist, ah yes." He had finally pried open the tomb. "Now let's what we have here." He pushes the lid enough, to take a look inside.

"Oh my god Dr. Eisner!" The entire excavation crew screamed in horror, til' suddenly silence.

Our story takes place in Moss City an average boring town, and like most stories, it will become the epicenter of the incredible.

Now let's meet our main characters. The first is Amore, a black girl who lives in the middle of nowhere, in the countryside of Moss city. She's been homeschooled her entire life, until today.

Amore wakes up, with a smile on her face. Excited for what the day will bring. She hopped out of bed, frantically grabbing clothes, and rushed into the bathroom, to get ready. Minutes later she emerges from her bathroom, grabs her bag, and runs downstairs. And sees her parents eating breakfast. "Mom what are you doing, we have to go."

"Hold on honey, we have plenty of time, and you haven't even eaten yet."

"I'm not hungry."

"Oh really?" Amore's mom said. Placing a plate of waffles in front of Amore.

Who groans in defeat, and takes a seat. "Where's the syrup?"

Amore's dad looks at his watch. "I have to go, they need me early at the firm."

"Okay, bye dad," Amore said, with a mouthful of waffles.

"Amore, don't talk with your mouth full."

"Sorry, mom." She said, again with a full mouth.

Amore's mom shakes her head, and her dad laughs. "Bye honey, see you tonight." And kisses his wife.

"Bye." She says. Then turns to her daughter. "Well I think it's about time, we leave too."

"Yes!" Amore cheered, with her hands in the air. After realizing what she did, Amore tries to cover with. "I mean let's go."

Amore's mom just sighs, and smiles as they leave.

Now across town. A black boy named Caesar is about to leave for school.

He puts books in his backpack, as his mother approaches.

"So, how's school?"

"Fine," Caesar said, putting his books in, not even looking at his mom.

"That's great, so have you made any friends?"

"Mom." He gives her, an exhausted look.

"Don't, mom me, you said you were going to try, to make friends this time."

"Mom you know I'm not good at making friends."

"You could be if you wanted."

"But I don't, I just wanna be alone, and read a book."

His mom sighs. "Okay, but can you at least promise me you'll try, to start a conversation with someone, just for a minute, that's it?"

He relents. "Okay mom, if it will you make you happy, I will."

His mom smiled and hugs him. "Oh, thank you."

"Okay mom can you let go of me, I'm gonna be late." His mom lets go.

"You got everything you need?"

"Yes, ma'am." He throws his backpack on his shoulder.

"Then let's head out."

Now in another part of town. A white boy Dillon is in bed sleeping.

"Dillon, get up." his mom said, pulling his bed sheet from over his head.

"No." He pulls the sheet back over his head.

Yes, now get up." His mom pulling the sheet back off.

"Ugh, we've barely unpacked, I'm sleeping on a mattress, and nothing else, why do I have to go to school?"

"Because you've already missed enough school days with the move, and you're not missing anymore, now for the last time get up!" She snatches the sheet off Dillon carrying it away. "We leave in twenty minutes!" she yells, walking away.

Dillon just lays on the mattress and groans.

Meanwhile, Amore and her mom walk into Moss City High School.

Amore looks at her mom and can tell something's off. "Mom is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"You sure, you seem really nervous?"

"No, I'm fine." Mrs. Valentine tries to put on a brave face.

But Amore doesn't buy it. "Mom really, what's wrong?"

"I'm gonna fall on my face."

Amore's face scrunched together. "What?"

"I haven't taught in years, and they're not gonna listen to me, and..."

"Mom, it's okay, you're an amazing teacher, you've spent the last sixteen years homeschooling me, so I speak from experience."

"Yes, but just you, I'm about to teach a whole classroom full of students."

"So, would let me run wild in class?"

"God no." Mrs. Valentine looks horrified at the very thought.

"Exactly, they're gonna listen, and you're gonna be fine, you got this."

Mrs. Valentine smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"Aren't I supposed to be helping you, with your nervousness, not the other way around?"

"I'm not nervous, I'm excited, I've waited forever for this."

Mrs. Valentine just smiles. Her head laying on her daughter's. "How did I luck out, with a daughter like you?"

"Good parenting."

"Well I need to go get my classroom ready, you okay by yourself?"

Amore says, with utter positively. "Yeah go, and remember you got this."

Her mom smiles and walks off.

Amore's ready to go, all she needs, is to get her schedule. Except she realized, she has no idea where to go, to get it.

Just then, a boy with short blond hair runs into school.

Amore stops him, looking into his hazel eyes, she says. "Hey, are you a student here?"

"Yeah," Dillon said as he stared, at the pretty brown eyed brunette.

"Can you please show me around?"

"Yeah sure." He says a little too eagerly. "This way, um..."

"Sorry, Amore." She holds out her hand.

"Dillon." He replied shaking her hand, and they walk down the hall.

A few minutes later, they walk back into a now packed hallway.

"Thanks for your help Dillon."

"No problem."

"Well, I should get to class." Amore starts to walk off.

But Dillon stops her. "Wait, um we have a few minutes before, class start and I have an idea of where it might not be so crowded."

"I should get to class, I can't be late."

"We have a little time, and I promise you won't be." He said with his hand over his heart.

Amore didn't to be late, on her first day, but she supposed she had some time to kill. "I guess, but only a couple minutes."

"I promise." He grabs her hand, leading her to their destination.

It's not long before they arrive at the library. "So you hang out here a lot?"

"No, I just moved here, but I thought no one would be in here this early," Dillon said, walking backward. He bumps into the chair, knocking over it, and the braided hair boy sitting in it.

"Oh my god, are you ok?" Amore asked the boy.

"I'm fine." He said picking himself off the ground.

"Sorry man, I didn't see you," Dillon said.

"It's fine." He persisted, picking the chair back up.

"Sorry about that, I'm Amore." She extends a hand to him.

Caesar stares at her for a second, before hesitantly extends his hand, and they shake. "Caesar."

"I'm Dillon, really sorry about that dude."

"Like I said it's fine, you don't have apolo...gize" Caesar freezes, his eyes widening.

Dillon and Amore turn their heads, to what's left Caesar in such dismay. A shining neon green light taking the shape of a woman.

"You guys are seeing this too, right?" Dillon asked Amore and Caesar.

"Yeah." "Yeah." They answer.

"Well good, at least I know that I'm not going crazy," Dillon said.

"Hello, my children." The glowing green woman greets.

"Um, I already have a mom," Dillon said partly sarcastic, partly scared to death.

"Who are you?" Amore asked.

"What are you?" Caesar added.

"I am Earth." the woman said.

"The earth?" Caesar asked.

"Yes." She responds.

Caesar holds his face in his hands. "This has to be some sorta shared hallucination."

"This is very real my child, I am the earth, but you can call me what your civilization has dubbed me, Mother Earth."

"So you're kinda like mother nature?" Amore thought out loud.

"Not just nature, I am the earth itself given sentient."

"By what?" Caesar asked.

"Magic." she responded.

"Of course." Caesar just throws his hands up.

"I appear before you because I need your help, humanity is facing a threat they are not ready for, and I will need warriors to triumph."

"I don't think any of us are warriors," Caesar said.

"You can be warriors." Mother Earth said.

"Aaahhh!." Screams pour from the outside. They look out the window and see cops pointing their guns, at two men in ski masks who, have guns point at two women's heads.

"Put your weapons down!" One cop demands.

"One step closer, and we shoot." One of the gunmen said.

"Can't you help?" Amore asks Mother Earth.

"I have limited power, that's why I need your help, but I can give you the power to help."

"So if we accept that power and help them, we have to help you?" Caesar asked.

"No, all I ask is you think about all the good you can do, deal?" Mother Earth offered.

"Yes." "Yeah." "Okay." "Amore, Dillon, and Caesar answered.

"Well then." Mother Earth's hands glow, and Amore, Dillon, and Caesar are each enveloped, in a different color glow. "Let's start, by the forces of nature, and the very essence of this world, I bestow on you the power to summon strength from the forces of love, animals, and knowledge."

The clink of metal rings out, as the transformation completes. The teens took in their now armored selves. Amore's armor pink with matching cape, Dillon in white, Caesar with black.

"Now my children you stand before me, Amore guardian of love, Caesar guardian of knowledge, and Dillon guardian of animals, and your magical abilities manifest, as those forces, but remember magic is a form of energy all its own, and you have the ability to control it, and with it you can do anything.

Screams start coming from outside again. And they look out the window.

"We said get back, or they take a bullet." one of the gunmen said.

The three teens look back, to Mother Earth.

"Now go, and be the heroes I know you can be." She waves her hand, over the three.

Enveloped in green light, they disappear. And reappear outside, hidden by the trees.

Dillon walks forward.

And Caesar pulls him back. "What are you doing?" Caesar asked.

"Going to be a hero," Dillon said looking at Caesar like he's crazy.

And Caesar returns him the same look.

"We can't just walk up to them without a plan, someone could get hurt," Caesar explained.

"Okay, so what's your plan?" Dillon asked.

"I wouldn't call it a plan, more like steps to making a plan, first we need to figure a way to protect the hostages," Caesar said.

"I got that," Amore said.

"How?" Asked Caesar.

"Mother Earth said we could do anything, I'm going to see if that's true." Amore focuses on the hostages. Trying to form a shield around them, but nothing will happen.

Then she hears the voice of Mother Earth, in her head. "Remember child you are powered by love, think of those you care about, and whatever needs to happen, will happen."

Amore closed her eyes, thinking of her parents. With those childhood memories of her, with her mom and dad flashing through her mind.

"Amore," Caesar called.

Amore opens her eyes, to see the hostages emerged, in a bright pink glow.

"Good job Amore, now Dillon I'll create a distraction, while you take down the gunmen," Caesar said.

"Okay, but how you gonna distract them?" Dillon asked.

"I'll figure something out, you get just get ready to ambush them."

Dillon gives him an army salute and runs to get in place.

"Of all the things I could have gotten, knowledge how is that a superpower, why couldn't I get super strength, or telekinesis, okay take a breath Caesar you have to think of something quick before someone gets hurt." Caesar thinks to himself.

"Caesar." A voice, calls. Caesar can't see where it came from.

"I'm in your head child."

Caesar realizes it's Mother Earth.

"Caesar your knowledge is not just facts, it's thoughts, ideas, it's life, and with all that together, you can solve any problem."

Caesar mulls over Mother Earth's words, but the sound of gunfire draws him from his thoughts. With one cop takes a bullet, to the arm.

Caesar starts to panic, thinking people are in danger, and he's just standing there. He looks around for anything that might help and sees a picnic table. And that's when everything slows down.

"Caesar your mind now can move, at such speed that everything appears, to be moving in slow motion, but it won't last long."

After Mother Earth's parting words. A math equation appears all around. Once he understands what it means. He knows what he has to do.

He runs faster than he ever could, before kicks the picnic table. Sending it flying in between the gunmen and the cops. Landing on its side.

"What the..." The gunmen say simultaneously. They notice Caesar, and open fire.

Caesar braces for impact, only to feel nothing, as the bullets bounce off his armor.

While that's happening, Dillon sneaks a few feet behind the gunmen. "Okay here goes nothing, chameleon." But he can still see himself. "Chameleon, chameleon, chameleon." But still nothing. "Why can't I turn invisible?"

"That's because you're trying too hard."

"Mother Earth?" He asked.

"Hello Dillon, now as I was saying before, you are trying too hard, you see animals are controlled by instinct, you know what you must do, you know the animal you need, so don't think, do."

"Okay Mother Yoda, let's do this." He rubs his hands together. And runs towards the gunmen, the image of a chameleon in his head, and within an instant, he's camouflaged.

As soon as he reaches them, he thinks of the kangaroo. Balls his fist, and knocks one of the gunmen clean out. He thinks he might be stronger than before.

At the same time, his camouflage wears off. The other gunman sees him and shoots. Only for the bullet, to ricochet off Dillon's armor, and hit the gunman in the leg.

The hostages run away, as the two officers pointed their guns, at the criminals. One cop handcuffing the unconscious gunman. While his partner makes the other one, put his hands behind his head.

Amore walks up to the first cop who's bleeding, from the gunshot he endured earlier. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"It's just a flesh wound, I'm assuming by the pink, that you're responsible for whatever, it was that appeared, around those women."

Before Amore could speak, police squad cars arrive. The cops exit their cars and draw their guns pointing them at Dillon, Amore, and Caesar. "Freeze!" One cop yelled.

The two cops from before, stand in front of our heroes, and the injured one informs his fellow officers. "Put your guns down, these guys saved ours lives."

It takes a moment, but the officers slowly put their guns down.

The former hostages run up to Caesar and Dillon and hug them. "Thank so much." one of the women says.

"You're welcome, but we can't take all the credit," Caesar said.

Dillon pointed at Amore. "She was the one who protected you, with that glowy thing."

"An energy shield, I think would be the right term," Caesar said.

"Yeah, that," Dillon said.

"Thank you." The other woman tells Amore.

"Just glad to help," Amore said with a smile.

"Who are you?" "What are you?" a couple of bystanders asked.

The three teens hear Mother Earth's voice, once again, and she tells them what they are, and they repeat it aloud. "We are The Guard."

"We need you to come to the station, and give your statements." One of the cops says.

The voice of Mother Earth says. "Fly."

"We can do that?" the three teens said in unison.

"Excuse me?" One of the officers said.

"Focus my children, and take flight." Mother Earth said.

The teens close their eyes focus, and within seconds. Dillon has eagle wings on his back, Caesar has plane wings with jets, and Amore is levitating.

"Wait!" The cop yells.

"Gotta go, secret identity and all," Dillon said.

"We'll be back when we're needed," Caesar assured.

"Hope everyone has a great day, bye." Amore waves goodbye.

And the teens fly off. Leaving the police and bystanders, in shock.

Our heroes fly across the city, its citizens looking at them in awe.

Once they make it back, to the school. They enter the library, through an unlocked window.

"That was awesome." Dillon raves. Still on an adrenaline high.

"That was incredible." At this moment Amore felt like she could do anything.

Caesar remains unaffected, but. "Okay I have to admit that was really cool, but how do we turn back to normal?" Caesar pondered.

Mother Earth, as if on time appeared out of nowhere. "Good job my children."

"Still weird anybody, but my mom calling their child, but it's slowly getting less weird." Dillon said.

Mother Earth smiled. "To answer your question Caesar, say guard to transform and to transform back."

"Guard." The three say and, instantly their armor dispel.

"Cool," Dillon remarked.

"Now we had a deal, I give you the power to stand up to those criminals, and you think about helping me with my mission, so have you made your decision?"

The three take a moment, looking at one another.

"I'm in," Dillon responds.

"That was the most amazing thing I've ever done, I'm in." Amore answers.

"I'm still not fully convinced this isn't a dream or hallucination, but either way I'm one hundred percent in," Caesar said.

"Caesar is that you?" Said a feminine voice.

"It's the librarian," Caesar whispers.

"I'm proud of you all, and when I see you next, I will tell you the threat you will face." Mother Earth said as she disappeared.

The librarian walks up. "Oh Caesar, have you been here the whole time?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am, I came in when you weren't here, I've been here since," Caesar replied.

"Who are your friends here?"

"They're not my friends, I just met them."

Dillon and Amore look at him for a second, then turn to the librarian to introduce themselves. "I'm Dillon, I'm new here." "Amore, I'm new too."

"I'm Mrs. Newbery, nice meet you both."

The library doors bust out, to reveal a frantic Mrs. Valentine.

"Mom?" Amore said.

Mrs. Valentine runs to her daughter and, hugs her tight. "Thank goodness you're okay I was so worried, where were you?"

"Here."

"Don't worry, we took good care of her ma'am," Dillon assured her.

"And you are?" Mrs. Valentine said. Looking the boy up and down.

"Dillon King." He said with a smile, holding his hand out.

Mrs. Valentine stares him down, before taking his hand, and shaking. "And you?" she asks.

"Caesar Read, we were talking about books for awhile, I'm sorry if you were worried."

"That's alright." She turns to Amore. "Why didn't you answer any of my calls or texts?"

Amore checks her phone. "Oh my god, I put my phone on silent for class, I'm sorry."

"Check your phone next time."

"I'm sorry I will."

Amore's mom hugs her again. "I was so scared, I'm just happy you're okay, with those bank robbers out there I..."

"Bank robbers?" The three teens interrupt her.

"Yes, they robbed a bank, the police chased them, then they took hostages in the park across the street, that's why the school went on lockdown."

Now they know where the gunmen came from.

The loudspeaker turns on. "The lockdown is over, the situation is now under control, it's safe to leave the school premises, classes are canceled for the rest of the day."

"Well this has been enough excitement for one day, let's go home." Mrs. Valentine says to her daughter.

"Can I goodbye real quick?" Amore asks.

"Fine, I'll be right at the door," Mrs.Valentine says, and walks up with Mrs. Newbery.

"Give me your phones," Amore said.

"What?" The two boys said.

"Give me your phones, so I can put my number in." She explains.

The boys hand over their phones, and seconds later she returns them.

"If we're gonna be superheroes we need to stay in touch." She says.

"Could you try not to say that in public?" Caesar whispered.

"Relax, I mean today we were taking down robbers, tomorrow we'll be beating down evil," Dillon says.

"How do we know it's evil?" Amore asked.

"I doubt the earth itself would need our help if it wasn't some dangerous evil," Dillon said.

"Dangerous and evil, are two different things." Amore retorted.

"She said it was a threat, so whatever it is we have to stop it," Caesar said.

"Amore!" Her mom called.

"Coming, bye guys." Amore waves to the guys.

"Bye Amore." The guys say as she runs over to her mom.

"Let's put our numbers in each other's phone," Caesar suggests, and they exchange numbers.

"Well bye man, see you later," Dillon says walking off.

Caesar waves goodbye. He picks up his backpack and walks to the door. "Bye Mrs. Newbery."

"Bye Caesar."

And he walks off.

Later that night on a small farm. A boy is woken up, by a noise. He leaves his house and goes to the barn. "Hello is anybody there?" He hears the sound of a bucket hitting the floor. "Who's there?" He asks walking closer.

"Stay back." A female voice commands.

"You realize you're a trespasser in my barn?"

"I'm sorry, but you have to go."

The boy walks up, coming face to face with the trespasser.

"No!" The trespasser said.

"You have five seconds, to explain why you're in my barn, or I'm calling the cops."

"How, how are you, What are you?" The girl asks.

The boy is taken aback. "Wow that's a new one, I guess you've never met a blind person before."

"You can't see?." The girl said realizing it.

"No, now tell me what you're doing, or call the cops." Silence. "Okay, fine." He says and, starts walking away.

"Wait!" The girl yelled. "I needed a place to stay, that's why I'm here."

"Okay, let me tell my parents, they can help."

"No, please you can't tell anyone."

"But."

"Please." She begged.

The boy let out a deep sigh. "Okay, you can stay here, and we'll figure something out in the morning, deal?"

"Deal, thank you so much, mister..." The girl says.

The boy chuckled. "Call me Jacob, what's your name?"

"My name is Medusa.

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Chapter 2 Meet the girl of stone

The next morning, Caesar is training, in his room. Throwing punch, after punch, after punch, at the air. He does the same with kicks, til he hears a knock at his bedroom door.

"Caesar, can I come in?"

Caesar jumps onto his bed and picks up a book. "Yeah."

His mom walks in. "I wanted to check on you, I heard a noise coming from here, a couple of minutes ago."

Caesar flashes back to a few minutes ago when one of his kicks knocked over a lamp. "Just knocked over my lamp."

"Oh okay, well how was school yesterday?"

"Uneventful." Caesar keeps his eyes glued to his book.

His mother asks hopefully. "Did you talk to anyone?"

"Yeah, two actually."

Caesar's mom face lit up. "Really, who were they, what did you talk about?"

"They're both new, to school, I meet them in the library, and we talked for a little."

His mom suggests excitedly. "Why don't you invite them over?"

"I don't know them that well." When will his mom learn, he likes being a loner.

"But could you?" His mother said with a pleading look.

"Yeah mom, I'll ask." He said.

And she smiles. "Thank you, now you better finish getting ready, we leave soon."

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute."

His mom leaves the room and closes the door.

Caesar falls backward on his bed. Covering his face with his hands. Thinking to himself, how did he go, from a bookworm to leading a double life, in less than twenty-four hours. He gets off his bed stands up. "Okay time to get ready, and save the world." He lets out a deep breath, and goes to his closet.

Meanwhile on Jacob's farm. The blind teen is carrying a tray food into the barn. "Medusa are you here?"

"Yes." The green girl said in a hushed tone.

Jacob cane in hand follows the sound of Medusa's voice. He sits down and places the tray of food on the floor.

"Eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice, you should try the eggs first my mom makes the best eggs." Jacob takes the fork picks up a piece of eggs, and hands it to Medusa who stares at it hesitantly. "I promise they're amazing," Jacob said with a smile.

Medusa grabs the fork and takes a bite.

"Good?" he asked her.

Medusa nods but remembers Jacob can't see. "Yes, they're quite good."

"So did your mother really liked Greek mythology?"

When Medusa hears the word mother, an image of Mother Earth appears in her head.

"Medusa you still with me?"

"Yes."

"Okay I was trying to be sly asking about your mom, I hoped you would tell me why you're hiding here?"

"I ran away."

"From home?"

Medusa thinks back to the moment, Dr. Eisner, and his excavation team found her tomb. The images of people turning to stone, and the sounds of their screams filling her mind. "You could call it that."

"Why'd you run?" He asked.

"I was scared, and I wanted to be free."

"Scared, and free of what?"

Medusa doesn't say a word. She removes her eyes from Jacob and just stares at the ground.

"You can trust me Medusa."

"..."

Jacob sighs. "Okay I have chores to do, be back in a few." He gets up.

"Have you ever been trapped because, of something you couldn't control?" Medusa asked.

"Like?" He asked out of intrigue, and confusion by her question.

"Anything," Medusa said.

"Yeah, I've spent every moment of my life on this farm, I know everything inch of this place, like right here." He steps on a floorboard which makes a squeaky sound.

"That's how you can move around like you can see."

"Took me some time, but now I know everything inch of this place, from the squeaky floorboard to the way each piece of wood feels, to the differences in the same kind of animals' voices, after awhile it becomes second nature."

"So you know what it feels like to be trapped in a place, and to feel like you're suffocating, and all you want is to be able to breathe."

"From the moment I was born my mom and dad have been trying to protect me and they have, so yeah sometimes it feels like that, but also I love this place, it's my home, and I wouldn't trade it for anything, and sometimes I have to remind myself that, isn't there something you love about your home?"

She said easily. "No." She never wants to see that tomb again.

"What about people you love, they can be home just, as much as a place?"

A memory comes flooding back to Medusa. "My child, you are one of my most beautiful creations, you were made to protect all beings, never forget that."

"But why do I hurt people?" A crying child Medusa asked.

"When something is born into this world no one not even I know what it will end up being, but I know that anything can bring pain and suffering, or joy and happiness, it just depends on how it is used, do you understand child?"

"I think I do." Little Medusa wiped tears from her eyes.

"I love you, you know that right?"

"Yes I do, I love you too mother," Medusa said with a smile.

Medusa's thoughts change, to another memory, of her in the tomb, and the lid is put on. "Please, I don't want to go to sleep." A tearful Medusa said.

Mother Earth said in a somber voice. "I'm sorry, but this is the only option for you, and everyone else to be safe, I really didn't think it would end this way." Then closes the tomb.

"No, let's me out, please mother, mother please, don't do this!" Medusa screams before she is overcome in a green mist, and falls into a deep slumber.

"Medusa, Medusa!"

'What?"

"You spaced out again."

"Oh, um yes, oh your question, yes but I don't think they want me."

"Well, you said you think why don't you find out for sure."

That question is answered with silence.

"Hey, why don't you help me with chores?"

"No, I can't."

"I could use the help, and you need to stop hiding, you're not really free if you go from being trapped in one place to trapped another."

"Jacob!" A voice yelled.

"Coming mom!" He turns to Medusa. "I gotta go."

Medusa looks at the wall behind Jacob and notices a hoodie, and a bandana hangs on a rack. "Jacob, I'll do it."

Jacob grins. "Okay, I'll be right back." As he walks away, Medusa goes to the rack. She picks up the hoodie, and bandana, looking at them, unsure if she just made a good decision.

Amore runs down the school hallway, towards Caesar and Dillon. "Hey, guys wait up!"

"What took you so long?" Caesar asked.

"I had to beg my mom to let me go today, after what happened yesterday."

"What, was she afraid it would happen again?" Dillon asked.

"Pretty much." She replied.

"Whatever, you're here now is all that matters, now let's hurry and meet Mother Earth," Caesar said.

When the school bell starts to ring. "Well, I guess we'll have to meet up, with Mother Earth later," Dillon said.

"I still don't get why she couldn't just tell us what we're up against earlier," Caesar remarked.

"She said, she wanted to tell all of us together," Amore says.

As they take their seats, a white guy in his twenties walks in front of a desk. "Hi I'm Simon Gregory, but you can call me Simon, I'll be your teacher this semester, and I hope that we can have a great semester, but before we get started I'd like to welcome your new classmates, Dillon King and Bella Amore Valentine." He said pointing to them.

They wave hello to the rest of the class.

"Well now that introductions are over, let's get down to business." Mr. Gregory said.

"So can you believe it, we have superheroes in our town?" A student said. Peaking our heroes' attention.

"Stopping a couple of bank robbers doesn't make them heroes." Another student said.

Hearing that our heroes' faces change. Amore's turns a little sad. Caesar's somewhat annoy. Dillon straight out angry.

"Well, I think anyone who saves people's lives is a hero," Dillon said.

Amore and Caesar stare, at him afraid he'll say something he's not supposed to.

"Whatever, I give them a week before everyone forgets about them."

While the group continues class. Medusa remains unsure if leaving the barn is a wise idea.

Jacob walks in. "Medusa you ready to go?"

"Yes," Medusa responds. She puts the bandana over her eyes, already wearing the hoodie she saw earlier. She stands next to Jacob and links her arm with his. "Lead me the way."

Surprise, is evident on Jacob's face. "That's the first time someone's said that to me."

"You said you know this place so well, show me."

Jacob smiled at her. "Okay let's go." A minute or two later they reach the pig pen.

The pigs start oinking, as soon as Jacob and Medusa arrive.

"So are you happy to see me, or do you just smell your food?" Jacob asks with a chuckle. "You want to do the honor?" Jacob asks Medusa.

"Huh?"

"Feed the pigs, here." He hands her a bucket of food.

Medusa whom vision is impaired by the bandana. Feels around for the pen until she feels wooden spoke, and proceeds to pour the bucket in.

Pig line up side by side and chow down on their breakfast. The loud oinking of the pigs triggers a memory of when she was a little girl watching wild pigs from afar.

"Medusa!" Medusa snaps out of her daze. "You spaced out on me again."

"Sorry."

"No need to apologize, what were you thinking about anyway?"

"About how I used to watch, so much many wild animals pigs, deer, birds, they were all so beautiful."

A smile crept up Jacob's face. "That sounds great."

"It was," Medusa said thinking of all the joy watching the animals brought her as a child.

"So you're from the country?" He asked.

"No, a forest."

"That must have been nice."

"It was, even though it got lonely, I would sometimes pretend the animals were my friends, as I watched them, I even gave them names." She said with fondness and sadness in her voice.

"I may not be a pig or a deer, but I like to think I could be a friend," Jacob said.

Medusa just stands there not sure what to say.

"We should get moving, still have a lot of work to do." He said.

"Yeah." As they walk off, a familiar aura washes over Medusa. "What is this feeling, I know I've felt it before, but I can't remember where." She thought to herself.

Back at Moss City High. Our heroes are in the back of the library waiting, for Mother Earth to show up.

"What's taking Mother Earth so long?" Caesar asked himself.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be here any minute, I mean if anything was wrong we'd know it since she's the earth," Dillon said chewing his ham and cheese sandwich.

Caesar just looks, at Dillon sloppily eating. And falls back into his chair.

"Do you think we cut out for this, I mean we don't really know what we're doing, or what we're up against?" Amore asked the boys.

"Is this about the guy from earlier, don't listen to him, he doesn't know what he's talking about, we're heroes," Dillon responded.

"I know we're heroes, but I just wonder if we're super-heroes." Amore clarified.

"We're both, right Caesar?" Dillon asked.

Caesar who's laying back in his chair. Stoically responds with. "It doesn't matter really, we're doing this to protect people, not be superheroes, and as for if we can handle this, I have no idea, we won't know till we have to face whatever it is."

At that moment Mother Earth materializes. "I found her," she announced.

Caesar was quite confused. "Who?"

"Medusa." She responds.

"What!" they exclaimed.

"You mean snakes for hair, and turns people to stone?" Amore said.

"How is that even possible?" Caesar asked.

Mother Earth spoke with a strong and heavy voice. "I made it possible, all I wanted was to protect all earthlings, but I only put them in more danger, it started millennia ago, I saw so much strife and suffering, and thought I could stop everyone from feeling any unnecessary pain, so I used the magic that gave me sentient, to bring my guardians to life, Medusa was the youngest, I still remember the innocent look on her face when she was born, and innocent she was, but I had no idea the power she possessed, within her first hours of her existence, a bird flew over her, only to take one look, and a second later fall to ground, shattering into pieces of rock, it never occurred to me that one of my guardians could have such an ability, but from that moment on I hid her away from everyone, she never really understood why, I told her of her power and how dangerous it was, but she was a child, and still couldn't wrap her mind around it, and so one day she ran off to watched the children of a village play, she was hidden from sight covered by the trees, until a dog ran up to her, and fell victim to her gaze, then a boy who went looking for his dog, and stumbled upon him and Medusa, he screamed before being turned to stone, Medusa was so terrified she couldn't move, she had never experienced the harm she could bring to others, by the time I realized what was happening, half of the village were stone, and Medusa was just sitting there her arms wrapped around her legs, her head buried in knees sobbing, once I calmed her down her first words to me were.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone, I just didn't want to be by myself anymore."

"I know, I will fix this."

"So I did the only thing I thought could, a tomb buried deep sealed with magic, and her in it, I hated to doing it, but it was the best option at the time, and for thousands of years the world was safe from her, until an archaeologist and his team found her, unwittingly freeing her, and bringing themselves to their doom, now you must return her to the tomb before she causes any more harm."

"Well, that was something," Dillon said overwhelmed, by what he just heard.

"How are we supposed, to stop someone who can turn us to stone?" Amore asked.

"Your guard armor will protect you." Mother Earth responded.

"Okay well, it shouldn't be that hard to put a thousand-year-old monster back in her tomb," Dillon said confidently.

"When she entered the tomb she was placed in a form of stasis, it preserved her, and slowed her aging to the point where mentally and physically she, is about your age, and Dillon make no mistake this girl is no monster, she has no ill intentions, but she must be contained." Mother Earth explained.

The bell rings signaling lunch is over. "We have to go," Amore said.

"It appears Medusa won't be leaving her hiding place anytime soon, you can deal with her later." Mother Earth assured.

As everyone gathers their things, Caesar spoke. "Mother Earth you said you created guardians."

"Yes."

"Where are the rest?"

"Long gone I'm afraid, I failed them, I tried to make them heroes, but you three chose to be, that is why I know you will succeed."

The three look at each other, and smile at Mother earth's words. And as they walk off Mother Earth's ethereal body dissipates.

Fast-Forward A few hours later, school lets out, and the teens walk, to the back of the school building. "The coast is clear," Dillon said.

"Ready?" Caesar asked.

Amore and Dillon nod.

Together they call out. "Guard." Each is enveloped in a different colored glow, Amore pink, Caesar black and Dillon white. A clink is heard, as those glows turn to armor.

Mother Earth appears, holding a green ball of light. "Follow this light, it will lead you to Medusa." She throws the light into the air, and it flies off.

The Guard chase after it. Amore levitating, Dillon with eagle wings, and Caesar with jet wings.

"Good luck my children." Mother Earth said watching them take off.

Back on Jacob's farm. He and Medusa are walking, and the latter trips over a rock. But since their arms are linked, Jacob is able to keep her from falling. "Whoa, you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, just a little clumsy." Medusa lied.

"Can you see?" Jacob asked.

"What?" Medusa said, in shock and fear.

"Can you see, you've been attached to me all day, and this isn't the first time you've almost fallen, or ran into something today."

"I'm just really clumsy, I never look where I'm going." She hoped he would believe that.

"Okay, well my mom usually has made something by now, so I'm gonna get us some food, be right back." Before Jacob can make a footstep. Our heroes descend from the sky.

Medusa took a step back. "Who are you?"

Dillon with his fist on his sides, standing like a wannabe Superman and says. "We're the Guard, and you're coming with us."

"What?" Said Jacob.

"I'm not going back, you can't make it," Medusa said.

Dillon would beg to differ. "Actually we can see you can't turn us to stone while we're wearing this armor, and last time I checked our superpowers will work on you, so make this easy for the both of us and surrender."

"Did you just say turn to stone?' Jacob asked.

"Yeah, couldn't you tell, wait why are you blindfolded?" The last part Dillon directed at Medusa.

"You seriously don't think she's the Medusa from Greek legend, you're insane?"

Medusa pulls her bandana off. "Jacob, could you leave please?" She asked.

"No, do you even know these guys, I'm not leaving you with them."

Dillon has moved over, to Medusa at an accelerated speed, and with animal, strength prepares to pick her up.

But before he can. The push of Medusa's hand, sends him flying.

Dillon lands a few feet away with a thud.

"Jacob what was that is everything okay out there?!"

"Don't worry mom, everything's fine!" Oh, how he wished that it was.

"Medusa we need to leave now!"

"I'm sorry Jacob, but I can't do that, I have to face this myself."

Amore and Caesar run to Dillon's side. "Dillon, you okay?" Amore asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He grunts trying, to pull himself up. "She's really strong."

"Can't we solve this without fighting?" Amore pleads to Medusa.

"Yes, leave and never come back."

Caesar tells his comrades. "I'm gonna end this." Thinking of the periodic table, he focuses on the Fe symbol. Placing the palms of his hands forward, wisps of energy swirl around his hands, and bars of iron form, around Medusa.

Before the iron cage can finish shaping. Medusa grabs the bars and pulls with all her strength bending them, and steps out. "Go." She demands.

"I don't know how we can stop her." Caesar proclaimed.

"Can't we talk about this?" Amore asked Medusa. Amore hoped, to solve this without violence.

"I said everything, I that needed to."

"Fine." Saddened by Medusa reluctant, but determined nevertheless, Amore levitates herself into the air. From her hands, a pink energy emanates. Surrounds Medusa, forming an orb around her.

Jacob following the sound of Medusa's voice walks to her. Landing himself trapped in the luminescent sphere alongside her.

Medusa pounds her fists against the dome. Causing the energy to ripple.

Jacob hears Medusa's hits and reaches his hand out to feel the barrier. "Medusa what is this?"

"A magical barrier." She told him.

"Medusa I'm being serious." He said back.

"So am I, everything they said is true, and if you don't want me around I'll leave, but right now I need to get out of this thing." She said, then continues her assault on the barrier.

"Amor..."

"Pink." Caesar interrupted Dillon. The latter whom gave him a look.

"Secret identities, remember?" Caesar explained.

"Oh yeah, Pink can you free that Jacob guy?" He asked.

"I don't think I can without releasing both of them, I'm not sure if matters, cause if she keeps hitting the sphere it's gonna break." She said struggling to maintain said sphere.

"I don't know what else we can do to stop her," Caesar said.

"Maybe we can tire her out," Dillon suggests.

"Guys," Amore called out.

That moment the barrier shattered. Creating a shockwave knocking everyone to the ground.

As everyone is recovering from the blow, Dillon is the first to stand. He stumbles, as he takes a step forward. "God twice in a row." He remarked.

"Wait." Amore pleads.

"She's down, I can stop her." He assured. He's got this.

"Let's work together," Caesar tells him but is ignored.

Dillon charges at Medusa. Who just stood up. With the momentum of his running and her strength. Medusa is able to grab his hand and flips him. Tearing his armored glove off. As Medusa does, so she loses her footing. Sending both of them to the ground.

Caesar, and Amore who are finally up, start running over to them.

Dillon refusing to give up latches his armorless hand onto Medusa's shoulder.

Before he can make his next move though. One of her snakes strikes.

Dillon cries out in pain. His hand beginning to petrify

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Chapter 3 Enter the temple

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Chapter 4 Stone age

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