After knowing the truth, I ran to the only place that could offer me solace—the hill on the outskirts of town. It wasn't grand, just a patch of green overlooking the city lights, but it was mine. The stars stretched endlessly above me, distant and indifferent, while the cool night air wrapped around me like a blanket.
I dropped to my knees, my heart pounding with the weight of everything I'd just learned. The world felt both enormous and suffocating.
I always believed my father had died in a car accident. It was tragic, senseless, but simple. Now, that narrative had been ripped apart, replaced by a truth I could barely comprehend: my father was a Guardian, a defender of the galaxy. He gave his life not in a random accident, but in a battle to save thousands. And yet, despite his sacrifice, no one knew his name. No statues, no stories, nothing to immortalize him.
What was the point of being a hero if the world forgot you?
And then there was my mother, the woman I trusted more than anyone. She had hidden this from me my entire life. The betrayal stung. Did she think I was too weak to handle it? Or was she trying to protect me?
A thousand questions buzzed in my head like an angry swarm. Did I even want to follow in my father's footsteps? Becoming a Guardian meant giving up everything—my friends, my future, the life I had so carefully planned. And what about my humanity? Was I even fully human?
The memory of my father crept into my thoughts. His laugh, warm and full of life. The way he would scoop me into his arms and spin me around until I was dizzy with joy. He used to bring me here to this hill, telling me wild stories about distant worlds, hidden academies, and heroes who wielded extraordinary powers.
I thought they were bedtime stories. Now I knew better.
I clenched my fists, anger and grief mixing in my chest. "Why didn't you tell me, Dad?" I whispered into the night.
One memory rose to the surface, sharp and vivid. It was late—past my bedtime—and I had crept down the stairs clutching my stuffed animal, Dubai. I saw my father standing at the door, saying goodbye to my mother. He kissed her forehead and whispered something I couldn't hear. He looked so serious, so unlike the man who filled my days with laughter.
I didn't understand at the time, but now I did. He was leaving on a mission, one he might not return from. If I could go back to that moment, I would have run to him, wrapped my arms around him, and begged him not to leave. Or at least, I would have said goodbye.
Tears burned in my eyes as I stared at the stars. The grief was sharp, but something else stirred within me—a quiet determination. If my father had the courage to give up everything for what he believed in, couldn't I do the same?
When I returned home, the house was silent, but the tension in the air was palpable. My mother was sitting at the dining table, her hands folded tightly in front of her. Across from her sat the man who had turned my world upside down—the one who claimed to be my father's friend.
They both looked up as I entered, their faces filled with an uneasy mix of hope and dread.
I sat down slowly, my movements deliberate. "Am I human?" I asked, my voice steady but cold.
My mother's lips trembled. "Yes... and no," she finally said.
"What does that mean?" I snapped, my frustration breaking through.
The man leaned forward, his eyes sharp but kind. "Let me explain. My name is Gberu. I was a Guardian, like your father. We fought together against an ancient evil—Zeldan. Ten years ago, we managed to seal him away, but the cost was great. Your father sacrificed himself to create the seal, turning the planet itself into a prison for Zeldan. His sacrifice saved 8,000 lives, but it also left a void.
"Now," Gberu continued, his voice heavy with urgency, "the seal is weakening. Zeldan will rise again. And with your father gone, a new generation of Guardians has begun to awaken. You, Lina, are one of them. You inherited your father's power—the Eye of Seeing. It's a gift that allows you to perceive the truth hidden behind illusions."
I stared at him, my mind reeling. "The monster I saw... it was because of my ability?"
He nodded. "Yes. Those creatures use camouflage to blend into their surroundings. Only someone with the Eye of Seeing can detect them."
"And the others?" I asked, thinking of the golden-eyed boy and his strange companions. "The ones who showed up at school?"
"They're the new Guardians," Gberu confirmed. "Your teammates, if you choose to join us. They're here to protect this planet from what's coming. But the choice is yours. No one can force you to become a Guardian."
I looked at my mother. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "Did you know about all of this?"
"Yes," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I didn't know how to tell you."
"You let me think he died in a car accident," I said, my voice shaking. "You let me believe he was just... gone. Why?"
"Because I didn't want this for you," she said, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I didn't want you to carry the same burden he did."
Gberu stood, sensing the need to give us space. "I'll leave you two to talk. Think about what I've said, Lina. The academy will be waiting if you decide to join."
After he left, my mother told me everything.
She spoke of the day she met my father—a stranger who had saved her from a dangerous situation. She described the way he swept her off her feet, how he would show up at the diner where she worked, always ordering coffee and cake just to see her smile.
And then, she told me about the night he revealed the truth.
"He stood in my apartment, soaking wet from the rain," she said. "He looked at me and said, 'I love you, but I can't keep lying. I'm not from here.' Then he told me everything—about Xanthea, about the Guardians, about the war he was fighting. I was scared at first, but I loved him too much to let him go."
Her voice broke as she continued. "We married in secret. His family disapproved, and he gave up everything—his title, his wealth, even his throne—to be with me. I never wanted him to make that sacrifice, but he insisted. He said I was worth it."
Tears filled my eyes as I listened. "He was amazing, wasn't he?"
She nodded. "He was. And he loved you more than anything in the universe."
I reached across the table, taking her hand in mine. "Mom, I've made my decision. I'm going to the academy. I want to be like him—a Guardian. I want to make him proud."
Her tears fell freely as she pulled me into a hug. "Promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise," I whispered.
That night, as I lay in bed, my heart was a mix of fear and excitement. Tomorrow, everything would change. I could feel it in my bones.
And I was ready.
To be continued...