Gloria heard the thundering crash, before she saw the waterfall in the distance. She closed her eyes and stared at the bright light over the horizon. 

“Impressive.” The two-horned woman thought. She stared at the imposing man, sitting with his legs crossed beneath the waterfall. He wore a two horned mask, and a well-decorated suit of bone and metal armour.

Duke’s ghost appeared before Gloria, while torrents of water battered the crystal dome floating a metre away from his pitch-black dreadlocks. She relayed the message with a look. 

The ghost disappeared, and an explosion launched the crystal dome into the sky. The hurricane reversed the flow for a moment and the water came crashing down again.

                                                                                                *

“There he is!” Kenpachi bellowed and his voice rung Mdu’s ears. “Switch to internal comms, you oaf. I swear, the entire planet can hear you sometimes.” He complained and the imposing one-horned man laughed. “It is too late for that now. He is already here. Greetings, brother! How have you been?” Kenpachi asked, with his arms spread wide.

“Apologies, brother. Time is of the essence. Kagiso and Raymond have already left to find Priya and Mei. And no doubt they will. The two of them took off at incredible speed.” Clyde reported, and Mdu scoffed. “I told you we should have gone to the rendezvous. Come, brother. We will fight alongside one another again.” He said, with a hint of irritation. The slender framed, one-horned man lowered his head. The two larger one-horned men turned to face him.

“Assassins attacked Kagiso and I not too long ago. Foolish humans that dared to challenge their protectors. They carried orbs that contained a glittering golden light. A light I know too we-““-enough! You are mistaken. It was an illusion.” Kenpachi scolded. 

“It was no illusion. I am certain of what I saw.” Clyde rumbled and his brothers felt the sincerity in his words. “What you speak of is impossible. Death by fire.” Mdu rumbled threateningly and Clyde saw nine constellations in the darkness. The central star sign fired a single comet, and it incinerated the one-horned brothers.

“No Candidate would willingly kill another. The Council has forbidden it.” Kenpachi said softly and Clyde sighed. “Fine, but what if they weren’t happy with their station? What if they yearned for power above all?” he asked, and Kenpachi laughed.

“Why? The wolf does not dream of being an eagle. The lion does not dream of being a snake. We are who we are. We are what we are.” Mdu said, with a chuckle. “And I would not have it any other way. We are warriors. An honest and honourable class. Leave the dirty tricks and the cowardly tactics to the psychics and magicians.” Kenpachi said, and he gave Clyde a pat on the back. 

“The ship leaves at sunset. We should hurry.” Mdu suggested. “Indeed.” Clyde replied, and he kept his dissatisfaction to himself.

                                                                                                *

The last few Candidates that accepted the mission reached the Northern coast. It surprised them to see four colossal ships, the size of mountains, in the sky. Three of the ships descended and three winged giants appeared on the sand. They wore bone armour with jet black metal plates.

The late comers approached the beach, and a whale surfaced. The creature had a deck built into its spine and powerful floodlights where its eyes should have been. Raymond’s whale ship opened its mouth and revealed its cargo bay. 

The Dragon Guard Generals beckoned the Candidates closer, and they all noticed how long the four metre tall giants' horns and dreadlocks were. The Dragon Guard Generals closed their armoured wings and they turned into cloaks and mantles.

“Brave Candidates. Psychics, warriors and wizards. Accept our blessings and warnings. Raymond and Duke of Moonglow Meadows. Gloria and Laurence of the Golden Isles. As well as Jane, Hugo and Jabu of Redfalls Will you accept our words on behalf of your fellow Candidates?” the first Dragon Guard General asked in a deep rumbling voice. 

“We do.” the seven Candidates replied humbly. Holographic monitors appeared before every Candidate, and they accepted the private calls from their representatives.

“May The Council protect you, so long as you protect Them.” “May The Council guide you, so long as you learn from Them.” “May The Council’s favour be with you, so long as you die for Them.” The rumbling invocations shook the world, and the Candidates felt the weight of the Dragon Guards’ words. They looked around and watched as droplets of glittery water materialised in the air. The sparkly vapour swirled around the Candidates and their fears melted away.

“And you, my son. For the one who will carry this fleet on your wings. For the one who represents The Council’s leadership and our people’s wisdom. Failure is not an option. You must steer this group towards success. Even if it costs you your life. Everything we do, we do for our people. Nothing comes without sacrifice. Never forget that.” Victor of Moonglow Meadows rumbled and his eyes glowed purple. 

“We will not falter, and we will return victorious.” Raymond rumbled, and the Candidates roared when they felt his determination.

The Dragon Guard boarded their mountainous ships, and the Candidates flew over the waves. The few that could not fly boarded the drop ships resembling train carriages and sailed into the whale’s mouth. Most of the Candidates landed on the deck of Raymond’s whale ship and the mountainous vessels drifted higher into the sky.

The fleshy ship drifted further out to sea, before it ascended. Many of the Candidates had never set foot on a whale ship before. They stumbled towards the taffrails and peeked over the sides like children. Kenpachi shook his head, and Jane laughed.

Kagiso stared at The Council’s ship. He marvelled at the carvings on the stone hull and the forest on its deck. The two-horned man noticed movement near the tree line. He magnified his vision and spotted a crimson skinned child. Kagiso frowned and the four mountainous vessels became ghostly, before they vanished without a trace