The Infernal Guardian

It all started in a dark hallway. The sound of soft footsteps echoing across the room.

A pink Kirlia was carrying a book that held the ancient mysteries of the past. This pink Kirlia went by the name of Colette.

She walked down the halls, quiet as a mouse. She held the book tight in her two thin digits for arms, thoughts of regret inching through her mind, but she knew this had to be done.

She entered the dining hall. She went up to one of the chairs and sat herself upon it, then placed the book down on the table and opened it to a page three-quarters of the way through the book.

She pointed to a page that held a picture of a creature draped in medieval-like armor with a fiery head. It looked like a gryphon.

“Infernus…” Colette spoke to herself. “...I know you’re out there somewhere.”

She turned the page. It talked about how Infernus was sealed away. She read it out loud to herself. “Infernus was sealed away and never to be seen again for centuries. Not a single soul is meant to bring them back under any circumstances.”

Colette closed the book. “Well,” she said with a smirk, “No one but me.”

Colette left the book on the table and ran out of the dining hall, heading downstairs and towards the main living room space. It was vacant, full of nothing but furniture, paintings, and dreary wallpaper that added nothing to the sheer depression the room gave off.

Colette began running around the house, grabbing various items. She grabbed a couple of coals that had not been used for the fireplace, a metal baking sheet, and a lighter. She placed them in a circle. Then, she closed her eyes and raised her thin arms. She concentrated.

The objects she had brought in had now begun to rise into the air.

They began to swirl around in circles. The air around Colette began to lose humidity and gain heat as a result. Sweat began to drip down her face, but she kept her focus on moving the objects.

Then, she stopped swirling the objects. Using her psychic powers, she used the lighter to light the coals ablaze.

And then, the flames grew. They grew even more. Colette could feel the power of the flames growing as she continued to focus her psychic energy.

Then, she used her psychic abilities to focus on the flames. She swirled them around in an anvil-like shape, and then she focused on swirling them into a perfect circle.

Then, she used all of her psychic energy to combine the flames and the objects together.

The room shook and then exploded into a blinding light, knocking Colette back.

Colette rubbed her head, then looked ahead of her. She blinked in disbelief.

Infernus. Standing right in front of her.

She slowly stood up and held her breathing steady. One wrong move and Infernus would incinerate her, she thought.

“You have summoned me.” Infernus did not move their stale expression. All they did was speak using the power of telepathy. “Who are you?”

“Colette,” Colette answered, shaking, “Colette the Kirlia. I… I summoned you here, Infernus.”

“For what purpose?” Infernus questioned Colette.

Colette could sense by their deep masculine voice that it was genuine curiosity. It wasn’t hostile or filled with aggression. “I want a guardian,” Colette answered, “Someone to protect me.”

“Me? A protector?” Infernus sounded surprised. “I can do as you say, but if you will allow me to unlock my full power, I will do more for you.”

“What can I do?” Colette inquired.

Infernus spread their wings. “Stand back.”

Colette did as they were told.

Infernus let out a howling roar and unleashed a fiery beam of pyrokinetic energy above them, creating a hole in the roof of the house. The beam of fire then split into multiple smaller beams that spread out across the entire city of Industria.

As the beams made impact with various parts of the city, setting it ablaze, the citizens ran away in horror. Colette could only stand and watch as Infernus continued to unleash their wrath upon the industrialized city.

“You… you didn’t have to destroy the city…!” Colette stammered her words, but her mouth was quickly shut as Infernus faced her yet again.

“To be your guardian, I must take you somewhere no one else will harm you,” Infernus explained, “And I will make sure you are protected forever.”

Infernus laid down, motioning for Colette to hop onto their back. She did so, and with wings spread open once more, Infernus and Colette took to the night sky.