Chapter 8: The Guardian

Aria's POV:

"Clarren..." My lower lip trembled and keeps swallowing excessively as I have no excuse to say about the massive hole in the wall. "Shall I tell him the truth, but what if he can't handle the truth?" I said to myself. I hold my silence while thinking about what to say to him. We both froze staring at each other until he finally breaks the ice.

"Tell me Aria, when did you become stronger? I want to know everything," he seriously said to me.

Judging from his reaction and the way he glanced at me. He doesn't look surprised at all as if he knew what I was capable of doing. "Does he know who I am?" Questions keep popping into my head.

"Clarren, did you know something about the barrier surrounding the center?" I curiously ask him.

I wanted to find out whether he has something to do with the barriers and he has information about me that I don't know. He walks closer to the wall and looks in the direction where my finger is pointing to.

"You can see the cleansing fire barrier?" His eyes widened and his jaw almost drops when he found out that I was able to see what a normal human cannot see. "What else can you see?" he inquisitively asks me.

That brings me to the conclusion that he knew more than the barrier and its purpose. I bet he also knew about the spirits lurking around the center and their potential threats to the one who sees them. I can't believe that my best friend is hiding this kind of information from me.

"How did you know about that?" I anxiously said and answer him with another question.

Both of us wanted to get some answers, but none of us wanted to give information to each other. Questions are being answered by another question and instead of getting some clarification, things are becoming more confusing and I am starting to feel agitated and anxious to know what is going on.

He seriously looks straight into my eyes and ignores my question instead, he took out his cell phone from his pocket and dials someone from his contact list.

"Hello, can you please send someone to fix the protective wall at the back of the center urgently today?" He took a few steps away from me and starts whispering.

I wanted to know who is on the other line and what are they talking about. My sense of hearing has improved, and it's been sensitive to all kinds of sound. At first, I was really scared of this ability because I was able to hear everything that I almost lose control of myself and my sanity. But come to think of it, this ability sometimes comes in handy especially when it comes to hearing rumors and gossip that's being spread against me.

I am starting to learn how to control and use my ability. It only requires me to relax and stay calm to eliminate the rest of the noise in my head and focus on the particular sound that I wanted to hear. I close my eyes and try my best to concentrate until I begin to hear their conversation.

"How did it happen? The protective wall is built from the strongest bricks and stone in addition to the spell that was cast upon it. That wall is indestructible!" a familiar voice of a woman speaks on the other line. She sounded so surprised judging from the tone of her voice.

"I will discuss it with you later, but first, send someone to fix the barrier before someone else saw them." he calmly said, but his heartbeat is pounding so loud as if he is fighting over a rising panic attack.

"How big is the damage?" she eagerly asks him.

"Send all of your available workers to fix it," he said in a commanding tone.

"Hmmm, it's that big. Is she the one responsible for that damage? Do you think that thing inside her has finally awakened?" her voice sounded to become serious.

Upon hearing those words, I felt a sudden coldness gnaw inside and hits me to the core. My eyes glistened with tears, and my body became numb. I was right all along that there is something wrong with me and I felt it when a dark force awakened inside me.

I was an outcast and felt different from other patients because I was afraid that they would not believe me if I told them that I'd been seeing spirits. All these years I've been carrying this burden all by myself and these people whom I trusted with my life are hiding the truth from me.

"I don't know, and I have no time to discuss this issue right now. We have some urgent matter to attend to and that is the wall," Clarren dictates to the person in the other line.

"Shall I send someone to contain her?"

"There's no need for that. I can handle her on my own." Those were the last words he said before he drops the call and turns his head around and gave me a half-smile.

My heart is breaking into pieces while looking at his poker face. I never felt so betrayed in my entire life. What saddened me the most is that treachery didn't come from my enemy but from someone who I thought had my back.

"What am I, Clarren?" Tears start to fall from my eyes. "What is this thing inside me?" I badgered.

"Aria, let's go inside it's not safe in here," he casually said to me.

"And being with you is safer? I've been weak and sick all my life living in this center, how can I be safe?" I exclaimed.

"Aria, you don't understand," he mumbled nervously, and I can hear his heart breathing rapidly.

"Then, make me understand!" I wailed at him. "You've been lying to me all my life and if it wasn't for Dylan..." He interrupted me before I even finish my sentence.

"Oh so, it's Dylan. Is that the demon who visited you the other day?" he boomed violently and his eyes blazed in rage.

"You know him?" I inquisitively ask. "How did you know that he was a demon?"

"I can tell that he is not human," he quickly replied. "Aria, you cannot trust him and you have to stay away from him for your safety and protection," he warned me.

"That demon has a name, and it's Dylan. He has protected me from harm and away from the vengeful spirits that are trying to hurt and absorb my life force," I explain to him to defend Dylan, and I won't allow him to say bad things against the one who once protected me.

"He only protected you because he wanted you for his gain." He glared at me, and I turn my head down to dodge his piercing eyes. "My God, Aria, what did you do? Did you make a deal with a demon?" he said while his greeting teeth. His face turns to fiery red then he closes his hands and clenches his fist.

"Well, I did make a wish," I mumbled nervously and suppressed my shivering body.

"Stupid girl!" He yelled at me. "Is that how you became strong?" he said with a sigh of irritation.

"Well, not exactly but you can say that it's because of my wish that turns me into this."

"What did you trade for your wish?" He gave me an exasperated look. "I know that demon will not give you a wish for free. Nothing comes for free with that deceitful demon. Everything has its price, so what did you trade for that wish?" he scolded me.

"Clarren, I..."

I wanted to tell him, but I hesitated. How can I tell him that my wish is just one stupid kiss? Even I can't explain why I made that wish. Maybe I got lost at the moment and was too eager to feel love. The situation will only get worse as it is. I admitted that it was my fault that got me into this mess but I never once regretted it.

"Aria, what is the payment for the wish?" he insisted.

"My soul," I murmured.

"Stupid girl!" he started to raise his voice. "Have you lost your mind? Don't you have any regard for your life, don't you want to live and stay alive?" he said glaring at me.

"You call this living?" I ask desperately. "I never felt so alive after I made that wish!" I’m meaning all the words more serious than they sounded.

"And after that, your soul will be damned for eternity, do you like that?" he depressingly asked and released an audible sigh. I can see the disappointment in his eyes.

"At least for a moment, I get to experience what it's like to feel alive and to live like a normal human," I lowered my voice and at the same time I lowered my head gazing at the ground and avoiding making eye contact with Clarren.

"You call this normal?" Sadness clouded his features.

"It's better than before," I said in a perpetually tired voice. I am tired of explaining and making them understand the reason behind my actions for they don't know what I feel and what I'm going through every day in my life.

He cupped my face with both of his hands and lifted it, now we are face to face. For the first time, I've seen his face closer. Just now I notice the glow in his angelic figure and no matter how hard I resist, my eyes won't stop looking at his beautiful blue eyes that are clear as the deep blue sea. I felt a burning sensation in my face as if it was turning red. I forcibly removed his hands and walk a few steps away from him.

"Aria, come with me inside the center, let me protect you and keep you safe." He extends his arms to me trying to reach my hand.

"I've heard your phone conversation with a woman earlier. Tell me Clarren, how can I trust you now?" I glanced up at the sky trying to fight back the tears. My heart aches when I think of their conversation about me and the plan of containing me as if I was a wild beast. Tears start to fall from my eyes.

"Aria please let me explain," he pleaded with me.

I'm so confused and feeling disoriented. I don't know what to believe anymore and who I can trust. All I want to do is to run as far away from here. I walk away from Clarren and when he tries to go after me, I walk faster until I end up running toward the gate of the medical center. I was almost near the gate when a group of men barricade themselves at the main gate of the center.

"Miss Aria, you are not allowed to leave the center. Please, go back and stay in your room," one of the men commanded me.

"Please, I beg of you allow me to pass the gate and let me go," I begged them.

"Don't hurt her," Clarren said while catching his breath. He was running towards us and raising his right arm and waving his hands to the group of men. "Let me handle this," he added.

"Sir, we are only following orders and we are instructed to contain her," one of the men said to Clarren.

"Instructed by whom?" I confusedly ask.

One of the men went behind my back, grabbed my arm, and covered my mouth before I can even scream for help. I felt a syringe piercing the back of my neck. I got giddy and light-headed, and my vision became hazy. I used all my strength to shove him away, but it is pointless.

The last thing I saw and hear was Clarren calling out my name. "Aria, everything is going to be okay," he said before I passed out.

When I regain consciousness, I found myself in my hospital room all tied up and Clarren is sitting beside the bed.

"I'm sorry, Aria, I have no choice but to do this for your protection," he said with a sense of guilt his eyes glistening with tears.

"Protect me from the vengeful spirits?" I hoarsely said. My eyes are half-awake feeling dizzy from the drugs that were injected into me.

"To protect you not just from spirits but from demons like Dylan who's been trying to deceit you!" he exclaimed.

"You've been deceiving me too," I said to him and tears ran down my cheeks.

His brows drew together with a serious look in his eyes. "What are you talking about?" he curiously asks.

"Clarren, did you know that not only I can see spirits, I can also see the light that emanates from every being and it helps me to easily identify and differentiate the dead from the living? Every being and creature has its unique energy that shines and glows inside them and it shows me your true form and your true self. I know from the moment I saw you that you were different from other people. You are not a spirit but can't tell exactly that you are a human as if something is missing from you..."

"The less you know the better." He stood up and walks away from me, heading towards the door.

"You don't have a soul," I frankly said to him to stop him from leaving. I know he's been hiding a lot of secrets from me, and I want to get as much information as I could get until I'm fully satisfied with his answer.

He turns his head around and said. "Aria, the only thing you need to know right now is that I will never do anything to harm you."

"What are you?" I look him straight in the eyes hoping for an honest response.

"I am here to protect you," he simply replied.

"Why?" I ask inquisitively.

He turns around, walks closer to me and gently places his warm hand over my face, and said...

"It’s because I am your GUARDIAN."