The Society of Guardians Ch. 01

The musty smell of the dark room filled my head. The stench of death was overwhelming. The dusty tomb hadn't been seen by the eyes of men in hundreds of years.

The twelve crypts in the floor arranged neatly three-by-four were now opened. Their occupant's bones desecrated, and treasures stolen. In a corner of the room, a pile of valuables was collected: gem encrusted jewelry, ornate golden statues, even delicate porcelain vases.

The grave robbers weren't done, however.

A section of the wall hid something.

A foreboding presence filled the room.

As the hidden wall opened, a malevolent roar filled the room, chilling me to the core.

I jumped upright in my bed, the hateful scream still echoing in my head.

Just a dream. A weird, eerily vivid dream. Or maybe a nightmare. A chill still ran up my spine. I had no idea where that came from or what kind of dream I was having that lead to that.

I glanced over at the clock. I still had two hours before I had to be up. I rolled over and tried to push the dream out of my head to get back to sleep. Try as I might, the echoing scream kept nagging at me.

I got up in a daze and went ahead with my day. Slowly, the dream faded, and the chills stopped running down my spine. By the time I was walking to the bus stop, everything was just about back to normal.

The bus ride into the city was as busy as normal. I was able to find a seat before it became standing room only. Once it filled up, as I typically did, I went ahead and gave my seat to an older lady that had just boarded. We shared a pleasant smile and I took a hold of the overhead bars as the bus started up again.

Suddenly, I felt a strong wind blast by me staggering me and roaring in my ears. If I hadn't been holding on already, I felt for sure it would have knocked me over.

Wait!... Wind? On a bus?! What the hell?!

I glanced around and no one seemed to have ruffled a feather. There was even one businessman reading a newspaper seemingly oblivious to any issue.

The elderly lady was looking at me strangely, "Are you okay?"

I looked over at her, then looked around, "What was that?"

She glanced sideways, "What was what? You just seemed to have a spasm there for a moment." She looked concerned, "Are you sure you don't need the seat?"

I looked at her for a moment considering it, but I felt completely fine. I ended up just shaking my head, "No. I guess I'm okay. Not sure what that was." I was pretty certain I hadn't dreamed that too... had I?

I made my way through my day normally. Helpdesk Tech Support doesn't change much. Even for a large conglomerate. "Have you tried rebooting your PC?", "Sorry, we don't provide tech support for personal devices.", "Please try not to click on links within emails from untrusted sources!"

Exciting stuff.

It was good though. Took my mind off of things... almost. After my dream last night and the episode on the bus, I was still a little jumpy. It was probably just my imagination, but I thought for sure I heard someone right behind me a few times during the day. No one was there, but it seemed like someone was making noises right behind me. Whether it was humming, groaning, sighing or something. It was keeping me on edge all day long.

As I walked back to the bus stop, I passed the park and noticed a few of the people out on the grass relaxing, doing yoga and meditating. I'd never been one for such things, but for some reason meditating seemed to strike me as just the thing I needed to get my head straight.

I glance at the time and saw I'd be waiting at the bus stop for thirty minutes. I made my way onto the grass, settled down and mimicking the other people, crossed my legs underneath me and tried my best to relax.

And things got really weird!

I was suddenly floating in a serene white place. No shapes or points of reference. The light seemed to emanate from everywhere. I was startled, but for some reason, I wasn't concerned.

Suddenly, there was someone beside me.

He was older. Probably at least in his sixties. He wore very old-fashioned clothing. Like the kind you'd see at Medieval Fairs and such. His face was somber, even stoic and worry lines riddled his face, but his eyes were sparkling and alive.

"Well, it's about time!" he startled me with a friendly tone, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jacob."

I stared at him confused. I closed my eyes and reopened them, but I was still in this strange place.

"Where am I? Who are you?! What's going on?" I could feel my blood pressure rising and the adrenaline kicking in.

He held out his hands in a soothing gesture, "Relax. It's okay. You're okay. No need to get upset." He glanced around, "I'm not too sure where this is supposed to be, but we're really just in your head. Probably just a temporal manifestation of what you'd think Heaven would look like." He glanced around for a bit, "Seems kinda dull. You need to more vivid imagination, son." He chuckled pleasantly.

"What?!" My pressure lowered a bit, but I still didn't understand what was happening.

He took a breath and nodded, "Okay, I'll just get down to it." He gave me a level stare, "I am Arman Sayyad. It turns out you are descended from a very long line of... well, men." He gave me a look, "Only child, right?"

"Uh... yeah."

"And your Dad, too, right?" He raised an eyebrow, "And his Dad?... and his Dad before that?" He paused for a moment to let me nod weakly, "What year is it now?" He shook his head, "Bah! Doesn't matter. Suffice to say that you have a fairly long line of single boys going back... well... a really long time."

If I could have dropped into a chair I would have. My legs felt decidedly weak at the moment.

"Your family was part of a society of... well, guardians. Guardians against some of the more vile deprivations of the human soul. We strived to keep a source of..." He struggled for a moment to find the right word.

"Evil?" I suggested.

"That's not quite right. Good-Evil are too binary. If I were to kill someone, that'd be an Evil act, but if that person were about to unleash a plague on the world, wouldn't that be a Good act? How can something be both Good and Evil?" He looked in askance to me. "Let's just say Nastiness or Cruelty. Neither are accurate, but your vocabulary is a little limited." He shrugged, "Anyway, your ancestors fought against this source for a long time, and they were able to lock it away."

I paled remembering the dream I'd had.

He nodded, "Yeah, it's gotten away." He looked directly at me, "And it's your duty to lock it away again, before it can corrupt too many."

"Me?! How the hell am I supposed to do that?" I was just a lowly help desk nerd. I couldn't fight some ancient evil, badness!

"Well, that's where I come in. You'll be gaining a number of different abilities and I have all the knowledge on how to use them. If you'll allow me, I can pass that knowledge onto you."

"If I allow you? What's that mean? I can choose not to?"

"Well... Yeah." The man shrugged. "I'm not going to force you into it. This thing has just been released, so starting to fight it now would be much easier, but if you choose not to, I will not force you." He looked at me unconcerned as if he'd just told me my shoes were untied.

"So, it's up to me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"But if I don't..."

"Well, let's just say the common people of the world will probably have a really bad year... Probably decade. Depending on how long it takes for me to find another Guardian."

I paused for a moment considering the enormity of this.

"When you say I'll gain a 'number of abilities', what exactly do you mean?"

"Well, you'll be faster, stronger, tougher, with much more stamina than your current self. There will also be a number of things you'll be able to do. And, most importantly, no one will be able to tell you a lie anymore."

"Huh?... what like they can't lie to me?"

"Pretty much. If they try telling you a lie, they'll normally spout the truth instead. It can be pretty useful, since people feel encouraged to answer your questions."

"Wait... what?!"

"Oh, yeah. You can basically ask people whatever you'd like, and they'll answer... Truthfully." He looked at me carefully.

"Seriously?" I wasn't quite sure what to make of that. "Wouldn't that make me... well..." I wasn't quite sure.

"It's not going make you anything. What you do with it?... Well, that may."

I stared at him as the realization of this came crashing on me.

"So, you're saying I'm going to be like a superhero or something?!" My eyes about as wide as they could be.

"I guess that's up to you." He nodded, "If you want to be... Yes."

Something about this bothered me. "But what would I be fighting against?"

"Well, since you've missed your bus, there's something that's going to happen in a nearby mall that you could look into."

"What?! I missed my bus!! It's only been a few minutes."

"Um... yeah, sorry about that. Time flows a little weird here." He looked at me hopefully, "Since you're around though, do you think you could look into the situation at the mall?"

I looked at him quizzically, "What's the situation?"

"Not sure, but there will be something."

"How do you know? Can you see the future?"

"Not exactly. I can feel when things are not as they should be and I get hints on where to go."

"What's going on? We could just call the cops, couldn't we?"

"Uh, probably not. The cops can't handle the things we'll be dealing with."

"Wait a sec! The cops can't handle it, but you want me to take care of it?! What the hell do you think I am?" This guy was crazy!

"You will be immune to many of the powers in play here. Not all, mind you, but many. You also have the other benefits I mentioned."

Stronger. Faster. Tougher. That sounds kinda cool, actually.

"How much stronger? Am I like Superman now?"

He gave me a funny look, "I'm not sure who Superman is, but you're probably as strong as two or three normal men. You wouldn't beat a cheetah, but you'd be pretty close. You could jump out of a three- or four-story tower and be just fine. And you could probably run from sunrise to sunset non-stop." His face was as impassive as always, but I could tell he was getting exacerbated by the conversation.

"Are you kidding me?!" This was just too much for me to believe.

"Okay, Jacob. I have a feeling the only way you're going to believe any of this is if you experience it. The Good and the Bad," he said. "Go to the mall. Something is happening there is terribly wrong. If you decide you want to do something about it, call for me in your thoughts. Tell me that you will accept your duty and I will bestow the gifts upon you."

I stared at him for a moment, "And that's it?"

"Pretty much. If what you see doesn't bother you at all, then you can decline this task and go about your life."

He didn't say it, but I could tell he would be incredibly disappointed if I declined.

"Alright, I'll check it out."

The mall was just a couple blocks away. It was a little run down, but it still had some very nice stores. I walked the mall looking around trying to see what Arman was talking about. I made my way to the food court and sat down to watch the flow of shoppers.

I hadn't been sitting there for five minutes when I was pretty certain I saw what was wrong. Two people were walking towards the Food Court that couldn't have been more opposite.

She was stunning. Long wavy blonde hair, her fit body was snug in a sexy tube dress that barely covered her waist. With five-inch pumps that made both her chest and her ass stick out as she walked. She was carrying five or six bags from various name-brand stores, but even encumbered as she was, she glided along like a swan on a pond. It was hard not to stare. She was incredible!

And he... well... wasn't. His stained sweatpants and ratty t-shirt barely covered his bulging gut were dreadful, but he waddled along in his flip flops like he was king of the world.

The eyes were what really told the story though. Hers were downcast, but her few glimpses up the fear could be seen emanating from her. His were greedy, hungry even, as he tried to take in everything around him... specifically the other women.

At one point another woman walked by him, he moved in front of her. He spoke a few words and she lifted her blouse to show him her bra covered breasts. Her eyes aghast and her face pale, but she stayed still as he slipped his dirty hand under her bra to maul her breasts.

He simply shook his head, commented again and slapped her on the ass in dismissal.

The lady dropped her shirt back down and not two steps later she was walking along like nothing had happened.

I glanced around and no one else seemed to be reacting either. Like somehow this was a normal occurrence.

The bile was rising in my throat. 'Ok, Arman. This ain't happening. I'll do whatever needs to be done.'

I heard a happy little giggle in response.

The guy stopped at a table, spoke to the blond quickly and he wandered off. She set all her bags down and settled into a chair. I watched him until he moved out of sight towards the bathrooms. I needed to get an idea of what was going on, so I went ahead and approached the blonde as she sat by herself.

"Hello, there. How are you doing?"

"I'm horrible!" She answered immediately in a distraught voice. She gasped suddenly, "OH, Please! You can't talk to me! Please go away!" she pleaded with real fear evident on her face.

"It's okay. Do you not want to be with him?" I asked.

"OH MY GOD, NO! NO!!... but I have no choice." Her face went from upset to terrified in a blink, "Oh, please you have to go away! If he sees you here, he'll... he'll tell you to do something horrible! Please go away!"

I had no intention of leaving her, so I went ahead and sat down at the table to make that clear.

"If you're so terrified of him, why are you staying with him?"

"I have no choice! I have to do what he says!" Her transition was immediate again, "OH, PLEASE! Please go away! I beg-..."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" a gruff voice sounded from behind me.

"OH, NO! Please, I told him to go! I swear I didn't do anything wrong!! Please don't hurt us!" Tears were already cascading down her cheeks.

I glanced around to see the slovenly prick stomping up to the table angrily.

"Too fucking bad! You're both getting punished, bitch!" He ignored me for a moment focused solely on her.

Now closer, I could tell he really was a despicable excuse for a human being. He was dirty, his hair was greasy, and his body odor was awful. It didn't seem like he'd taken a shower in a week, so it was a good bet, his breath was probably just as vile.

Then he slapped her right across the face.

"Oh, fuck no, you didn't." I was livid now.

He turned on me, "Fuck, yeah I did! And I'll do it again after you're gone!" He grinned evilly at me, "Stand up. Walk to the rail, jump over, and be sure to kiss the ground!" His eyes were alight with a malevolent glee.

I could feel the power in his words. I stood up. Walked around the table towards the railing.

"OH! Please, NO!!! NOT AGAIN!" She cried out next to him, "Please no! I'll do anything!!" She started begging.

I stopped as I walked past his grinning face, "Do you really expect me to do that?"

He lost his grin as his face reddened in fury, "FUCK, YES! Jump over the rail! I COMMAND YOU!"

"Uh... no." I relied calmly. Although his words were powerful, I could feel them slipping right off me. "So, how long have you been able to command people?"

"Three days." He answered quickly. His eyes widened as he realized he had answered.

I pressed on before he could think of anything else to do or say.

"How'd you get the power?" That was something I felt I needed to know. I felt a pleased murmur from the back of my mind, so it seemed Arman agreed.

"I have no idea." He stared at me, "Who the fuck are you? And how-..."

"How many other people have you commanded?" I couldn't let him use his voice on his own, so I needed to keep him talking answering my questions.

"Twenty-three."

"What did you do to each of them?"

He went on detailing every person he had accosted over the last three days. It was completely depraved. His first victim had just been a guy that had bumped into him. He told him to "go jump in traffic!"

Unfortunately, the guy did.

He next told an attractive woman to show him her tits. She did too. Of course, she slapped him right afterwards and ran screaming for the police.

The next few people he was a bit more discerning with. He spoke with his landlord. He was now rent-free. He spoke to his banker. All debts were cleared. He spoke to his boss. Permanent vacation with pay.

He had some 'fun' too.

That stuck up analyst at his company. She was taken down a notch or two. Or maybe ten. The train was still going when he left. The cute barista he'd been mooning over. She wore a push up bra. He was very disappointed. Poor girl. I'll need to find her to make amends for this prick.

Then there were the vents. Eight people that had tried standing up to him and what he was doing to people around him. Eight good men and women that were either dead or on life-support... because he didn't like their attitude or they dared to object to his desires.

Given the rush he got from ordering people to their deaths, it was surprising that he decided telling people to ignore him and what he did was best. It did give him free reign to play without drawing a crowd.

He started going into the various women he'd gotten to do things here at the mall when I stopped him before he finished.

"So other than her," nodding to the gaping blonde next to him, "who else have you completely taken control over?"

"Just my ex-wife." His eyes grew excited for a moment, "Ki-"

"And where is she?" He wanted to say something else, but I wasn't giving any break between my questions.

"At home. 1234 121^st Street." He tried again, "KILL-..."

With the acceptance of my duty, I gained the knowledge of my powers. One of them was the ability to strike someone deaf, blind or dumb. Seemed like a good choice for this one.

My hand whipped out and smacked him right in the forehead.

He staggered back and fell over his chair. He jumped up screaming from the top of his lungs. At least, his mouth was moving and his chest was heaving like he was trying to scream, but no sounds were coming out. His eyes gaped and he pointed at me, mouthing "Kill him" as exaggeratedly as he could.

No one paid him any attention.

"Sorry. It's over."

He glared at me and tried to rush me.

As my adrenaline surged, he seemed to slow down. It was as if everything was moving in slow motion... except me. I considered slipping around him and letting him stumble by, but his appalling actions leading to this moment had filled me with a huge amount of righteous anger.

I balled my fists up and punched him right in the chest with both hands.

With the sound of cracking of ribs, he flew away from me to tumble down into a crumpled heap nearly ten feet away.

For a lowly help desk nerd that felt... really satisfying.

Time to use another odd power I had. Penance.

I walked over to him as he gasped and groaned, attempting to recover. I grabbed his head in both my hands, "Go from this place and sin no more!"

The color drained from his face as his eyes grew fearful, then horribly pained. Tears welled in his eyes as the realization of what he'd done settled on him. He stood awkwardly and slowly shambled away, eerily quiet as his open-mouthed wails produced no sounds.

I turned to the blonde who was staring at me in a confused combination of fear and gratitude.

"So, let's try again." I smiled at her, "How are you doing?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know what you want with me." Her blue eyes stared at me in shock at her answer.