Guardian: The Broken World

-Shen Wei-

There were two contradicting things once they stepped inside the labyrinth. One, despite the day light was still present when they arrived, once they crossed the entrance, darkness was the only thing that they could see far and wide. Second, the maze that was plain to see outside was now replaced by an endless rocky terrain with picks of all sizes dividing the valley with narrow roads in all directions.

As they stood at the entrance, mostly to give the humans a chance to adjust their eyes to the sudden darkness, only illuminated by moon rays, Shen Wei widen his senses to see if he could made use of them inside the maze, but he could only sense that enclosed world for less than a mile, which held a numerous unknown creatures all around. He unconsciously summon his slayer blade, just in case they were ambush from the very start. He was not going to take any chances, because this was a serious matter.

"Shen Wei?" Zhao asked at his side and Shen open his eyes to look at him.

"There are a lot of... creatures ahead, but I can't tell what they are. I'm more use to demons and ghost, guardian beasts are not my specialty." Shen admitted.

"Well, this place can be consider the hell for wicked fairies, so I can probably tell you more about them when we cross paths." Da Qing said.

"We should ready ourselves anyways. I can't have a full picture of this maze, only of what's ahead. Finding our way to the center is going be harder than expected." Shen added, almost in apology.

"There is no need to worry about reaching the center, I know the way." Zhao said, taking everyone by surprise.

"You do Chief?" Lin asked first, while Shen Wei carefully observed his lover, trying to decipher what was going on with him. He notice that his eyes, which turned light golden in the morning, were a shade darker. Zhao, by his part only smiled at him, as if nothing was wrong.

"Yes, using my third eye, I can see the way to the center quite clearly." Which was true, because there was a faint red ribbon floating in a particular path, he knew it was the right way to go.

"Yunlan, don't over use your powers..." Shen whisper to Zhao.

"It's fine. I'm not really using much energy." He whisper back.

"Alright then, I will go after Zhao, Guo, Lin and Zhu, stay in the middle. Stay alert and ready to act at any second." The Professor advised and they moved forward in a single line, while watchful of any sudden movement. Shen Wei even discreetly created a cover to hide their energy as they walked in the narrow roads, turning left, right, or front, under Zhao's guidance.

Apparently, Zhao truly seems to know the way and they avoided a few beasts along the way, but after what looked like an hour of walking, things begin to get ugly. Shen sensed a large group of beasts that were heading their way in all directions and so they stopped their slow advance to prepare for the inevitable coming battle.

The first one to act when a big guardian beast jumped from a high pick, slightly covered with snow was the Ghost Slayer, whose blade sliced it in half before it could harm anyone. After that, more beast came their way and their fight began. Zhao summon his celestial sword and fight back, always making sure to stay close to Shen Wei and have an eye on his team, but luckily for him, they all were holding their own fairly well.

Lin's flute was proving to be useful to control those beast who came too close and Zhu Hong's hypnotical eyes also get her out of troubles a few times. Chu was doing fairy well on his own, while keeping close to his scared monk. However, even Guo, was using his baton to shoot fire balls to those beast that came from above, as well to those dragon like creatures that came, thinking they would have an easy feast.

The dragon among them transformed to his true self and fly above to keep the numbers of the flying beast in check, the lion was deadly, nothing escaping his claws, the fox used his fox fire to incinerate those that challenge him, Da Qing and his sister were a good team of mad cats, deadly dancing with their agility around the group, always making sure to keep the group safe.

After defeating that first wave, they make haste, but the same thing repeated over and over again for who knows how long. At some point, after long hours of battle, Shen Wei begin to experience a great deal of pain, not for injuries sustained in their battle to the center of the labyrinth, but because the curse was beginning to act on its own. He knew that Zhao had notice, because he keep asking if he was alright and sometimes, try end the fight as soon as possible, summon his celestial fire dragon which seems to scare some beast.

However, as they came closer to the center, they begin to encounter the remainder of what were once fairies that were more vicious and hard to deal with. Some of them were huge, while others were smaller but smarter. At that point, they begin to get injured. Shen Wei and Zhao took care of the bigger fairies, the others took on the smaller, the dragon, lion, fox and snakes try to clear the path so they could keep up advancing, even if it was at a slower pace.

Nonetheless, while dealing with a very nasty huge pair of a fire cat and a lighting wolf, both Shen Wei and Zhao had their hands full with it. Giving their sizes and regeneration abilities, only cutting them wasn't enough, so Shen Wei summon another kind of slayer blade with the shape of a scythe and in a fast move, he portal himself over the fire cat and in a swift move, his scythe expanded and sliced the cat's head off.

But as soon as the cat was killed it kind of blow off with a fierce fire that consumed everything around. Only his quick reflexes saved the others from a certain death, because he was able to portal the rest of the team, just a second before it exploded.

The transferring of locations and the strong barrier he erected afterwards, should not have cause him too much strain under normal circ.u.mstances, but the pain was now escalating to a point of making him dizzy and portal them all into a place, he could barely sense, proved to be too much at the end. When he finish with the barrier, he fall to the ground, panting and sweating. Zhao was instantly at his side and took him on his arms.

"Shen Wei, don't strain yourself too much... have some rest now." Zhao said, but Chu came closer and knew what that pain meant for the Ghost Slayer.

"Your Honor, you are about to..." But he was interrupted by Shen's piercing scream that make echo in the rocky plains, probably attracting more beasts and fairies.

"Shen Wei!" Zhao try to use the fire on his pendant to ease the pain, but the pendant remained calm and undisturbed, not working on Shen at all, and his lover was now fighting to stay conscious, when the curse was spreading with lines resembling hot magma over his c.h.e.s.t and up to his neck. Then, there was another piercing scream that Shen try to muffle it, by biting his arm instead.

"No, what are you doing, Shen Wei, stop it! You will hurt yourself even more..." He forced Shen to let go of his now bloody arm.

"Zhao... were are only... a short distance... away. Go and take them with you... leave me behind." Shen implored.

"Like hell will I leave you behind!" Zhao shouted back. He could clearly see the lines which cause him immense pain acting up and he was beginning to fear of what could come next.

"Zhao... forget about me... lead the others... to the center and take... the holy tool..." Shen whisper, while heavily breathing. The pain was so intense that he was about to pass out.

"I will never leave you. Just hang on Wei... I will find the way to remove that curse from you once and for all."

"You don't have time! I'm about to pass out... to keep myself from... going insane and become... a beast no different from... the ones we fought here. You need to... get out now!"

"No! This is the place in where you were supposed to make your wish to Nuwa and she will grant it, freeing you from this curse!"

"Nuwa is no longer here! She is gone Yunlan... I can't sense her in this realm!" Shen yelled, trying to make Zhao see reason.

"I don't care. I won't leave you here no matter what and even if I have to take you to the celestial realm and seek Nuwa personally, I will make her heal you."

"Yunlan! The beasts are coming! Hundreds of them, just go and save the others!"

"I will save you and them, both. Just trust me..." Another yell escaped Shen Wei's mouth as another set of lines spread to his arms, although he tried to muffle it over Yunlan's c.h.e.s.t, which make Zhao even more desperate. He could hear the beasts coming closer in all directions and Shen Wei's shield was beginning to weaver.

"Zhao, saving the human realm... is more important than saving me... just one life cannot compare to millions! Go now! Please I beg you..."

"No matter how much you beg me, I won't leave you. Just go to sleep and I will wake you when this is all over..."

"You should know by now... once I go to sleep I will not wake up again... for centuries... that's also part of my curse." Shen panted.

"I promise I won't let that happen. I was a god before and I have a vow to keep. I will wake you up, Shen Wei, have faith in me." Zhao said as a faint red symbol begin to show over his forehead.

"Chief Zhao, they're coming!" Lin yelled.

"Yunlan! Leave me!" Shen tried to push away, but at that moment he was so weak that his effort was useless.

"Don't worry babe, sleep, for now. I will take care of this one on my own, you deserve the rest. I'm ready now, to do my part in this trial."

"Wait Zhao! What are you..." Shen begin asking, but Yunlan bend to kiss his lover forehead and a blinding golden light make Shen Wei lose consciousness instantly in Zhao's arms. Then, he gently let Wei's body on the hard ground and stood up. The others had make a protecting circle around both of them, but Zhao touched Lin's shoulder, making him turn and look at him in disbelief.

"Chief Zhao, is that you?" Lin whisper as he saw his boss, surrounded by a faint golden light. His hair had grown longer, reaching half his back, his eyes were deep amber and in his right hand there was a sword, a black and blue one that have some small lightning sparkles around. Just when the first beasts came into view, a golden barrier shinned like a sun over the entire group and extended beyond, in a big circle that make the beasts that touched the shield, burst into flames and ashes instantly.

"Stay here and keep an eye on Shen Wei, I will take care of this on my own. You all have done a good job." Zhao said, although his voice was a hint deeper.

"Kunlun..." A few older members whisper, bowing to him, seen him so transformed.

"I'm not him, I'm Zhao Yunlan, Chief Guardian of the Order and no one mess up with my lover. Not matter what, don't go out." Zhao said and in a blink of an eye, he was gone. The rest felt like watching an epic movie in which the hero take on hundreds of monsters, slay them without mercy, summoning thunder and fire, while cutting several beasts and fairies with one simple move. He even used water and ice like it was nothing, creating huge ice pillars that stabbed who knows how many beasts at same time.

He had even gained the ability to portal himself, up, down, and pretty much in all directions. His ability was amazing and he looked more expirienced in the battle. They watched Zhao being closer to a god in rampage for a while and when it was all over, he turned to look their way. With his amber eyes he follow the now more substantial red ribbon that tied him to Shen Wei and smiled. The fates have finally given him their approval. And now he knew what to do.

Zhao walked inside his barrier not minding the stoned looks of most of his team and took Shen Wei's body on his arms, bridal style and a second after, he portal them all to the very center of labyrinth. If you looked up, the guardian's lamp was floating high above their heads, but Zhao's was focusing in something else. He bowed his head, as he could not give the man in front of him a full bow to show his respect.

"Lord Yanwang (purgatory King), it's been a long time since we last met." Zhao said, making the rest turn in the direction he was looking at. Sat on a stone throne was a dark vested older man, with long hair and crimson eyes.

"Ah, Kunlun, your rage had always been legendary and to be honest, I miss it." The man said.

"Indeed. I'm here to ask you a wish and as a dark Lord, ruler of the fairies hell, there is no one better than you to grant it." The man sighed.

"Yeah, it's long overdo. But remember it was you, who took way too long to come to me." The Lord said, faintly smiling.

"I kind of forgot, you know, being reincarnated and all... it's hard to recall something when your memories are wipe out." The man laughed.

"No offense, Lord Kunlun, but I'm glad you changed, this personality suit you better. After the Jade Emperor, I missed you the most."

"I'm flatter, by the way, I'm Zhao Yunlan now..."

"I know, your lover yell it quite clearly. Even I could hear it from here." The man joked.

"Well. He tends to panic when I go reckless..."

"Which I agree. As a human, you are freer to do what you could not, as a god."

"True. Then, can you grant it? My wish?" Zhao asked, still with Shen Wei on his arms.

"Of course, but every wish has a price. Are you willing to pay it? You know what I mean right?" The man asked and Zhao smiled.

"By all means, as long as you remove this curse from Shen Wei."

"Then we have a deal, Zhao Yunlan. Come and I will take that price first." The man said and stone altar emerged from the ground. Zhao carefully leave Shen's unconscious body over it and approached the man in black.

"We'll see about that old man..." The lord laughed even more.

"That's more like it, prepare yourself, Zhao Yunlan." The man said, already enjoying what was about to happen. Zhao devilish smiled back, knowing the end result. It was going to be his win, because his lover life depend of it.

AN: Thanks for reading.