I made sure to keep ‘make Cathy cry’ at the bottom, or completely take it off my bucket list.

When she did cry, instead of the tears acting like permanent marker, they acted like acid. It burned through the floor with a sizzling hisss that even snakes could tell was a danger. As I comforted her, well, tried to since my family was currently getting some water and paper towels, I noticed that this had not been the first time she suddenly had black tears. I faintly recalled black marks on her hands and cheeks whenever she did have a fit at a very young age.

So it doesn’t affect her, and I experimented. I touched the acid slightly, and it started burning my skin and it felt worse than fire. I wipe it on the floor and instead kept my skin and hands away from the tears at all times. I feel like my bones are still bubbling because of it. But at the same time, I have no idea what is going on.

Mom and dad came back with Frank, holding paper towels and water. They moved me aside, and I decided to watch. They dab the paper towel with water and gently take a bit of acid tears away. They keep dipping the towel in the water, making comforting sounds and rubbing Cathy’s back to comfort her. Eventually, she managed to stop, but she still sniffles and her face is very pale, when you would expect it to be red and swollen from crying.

Honestly, this confused me even more. Of course I need to ask, “When has Cathy ever had acid tears?” I ask when everything is over. Frank looked at me, frowning, “We’ll explain later. Can you get some more water with your Guardian?” He motioned to Kilinco, who was lying on the ground still, watching Cathy. Being very helpful.

I sigh and got up, and so did Kilinco, even though he looked tired of it. He lead me to the kitchen, where the food smelled delicious, and I cross my arms and sighed. This is so much information to take in all at once. First I am a Companion, which apparently, has some monsters that help out with fighting, or whatever. Then there is the fact that there is a different dimension entirely. And yet, I can’t help but feel like this lecture is familiar to me. I cannot stop thinking about this, and it feels new and old to me. Like if I have been taught this before, but I can’t seem to remember when.

I looked up at Kilinco, who’s eyes were, for the moment, a shade of dark green and yellow, and he was sitting down and staring at me. “What?” I asked, unsure why he is actually looking at me.

“Your thoughts are rather interesting to listen to.” He says with what I think was a smile. But he goes back to being serious when he says this, “Later on, you will have to find out a way to understand us better. You will see what I mean, but for now that we are alone, I can answer...some of your questions. If they are quick, and if I can answer them.” His tail shifted so it coiled around his body in one slightly large circle. I thought on my questions.

“Okay...first, what does being a Guard Bond mean? Sure, I have to guard something, but why can’t anyone else guard it?” I ask.

He thought on that, as his eyes went from yellow to green and blue for a moment. “Guard Bonds have always been generational, ever since they were first created. Guard Bonds usually have some sort of trait to keep them with nature. Most of the time, it is animalistic. But anyway, they have access to the Amulet, which has been hidden for a time now, and no one but Guard Bonds can find them as they have the magic necessary to summon the Guardians within the Amulet.”

I found this information interesting, and familiar, and all too confusing at the same time. I shook my head and thought of another question, “So I’m adopted by my parents. Are my real parents Guard Bonds as well?” I asked. Kilinco’s eyes went to a shade of red, and I slightly backed up. I knew red meant angry, and he looked away from me, towards the doorway.

He mumbled, “You will learn about this later on, but if you do, you cannot use this to your advantage. This will destroy you, inside and out.” He managed to turn his eyes back to an orange and gave me a look. I knew the next question might be my last, so I chose an important one.

“If this other dimension is accessible, and you can easily travel through Earth to there, why not get a new Guard Bond, or a different one, to travel between the worlds?” I asked.

Kilinco sighed, and held out his hand, palm upwards. Suddenly, I felt like something moved inside my chest, and then, it was as if a bone I didn’t have there before began moving. It felt very uncomfortable, but the feeling stopped very quickly. I looked at his hand, and it now had a gem in it.

The gem itself was shaped like broken glass, with a couple of cracks, but otherwise it was pretty. It glowed white and light blue, but somewhere in the center, a dark orange and red seemed to flicker in there. Like fire.

As soon as I thought fire, the gem started glowing orange instead, and the room seemed to get hotter. Kilinco somehow either noticed my confusement, or felt the heat, as it disappeared from his hand, and the bone that previously felt missing sorta jerked itself back into place. Now that felt a bit painful. Is this how patients feel if they were awake during surgery? I shivered at the thought.

Kilinco set his hand back to the floor, “That is your shard. Your power emanating from it is only the work of magic, and the fact that you are a Guard Bond. Eventually in your life, your shard with be more solid, and more sure of revealing its power.” He says, his eyes slowly going yellow as he speaks. I laugh, feeling nervous at that last statement, “I guess revealing is not what I want…? Is this how E is finding us?” I asked, hoping the answer was no.

To my luck, he shook his head, “No, although that is part of it.” He said, and my hope decided to take a vacation to who knows where. “Oh...so how is he finding us?” I asked. Kilinco blinked, his eyes going light blue, “Well, he is not finding you easily. That is for certain. There is a barrier around this house to keep your magic...muffled. However, he can find you if he looks carefully.” He said.

When he said “finding you” as if he is looking for me specifically, which I hope is not the case, I kept finding that this is more familiar than originally thought, but that threw a couple of red flags, as from childhood, I should most likely remember a power hungry demon trying to hunt me down after I have missed my first few days of school.

I sighed and nodded, “Okay, thank you for answering my questions…”

He gave something of a chuckle, “Only a few?”

I smile, “Hey, I am honestly so confused, so I would rather slow down and try to think things through before I ask my next batch of them.” I say, and he put his head against mine, which I found odd once again. But suddenly it came natural to me, and it felt like my emotions were finally evening out for the first time that day. I can feel slight anger, but also much calmness versus my confusement and all of my questions suddenly being numbed down.

He stopped after a minute of me feeling calm, and his eyes went back to being a bright green. He smiled at me, “Come on, we were supposed to get water for Cathy.” He says, standing on his fours and looking around. I search the cabinets for the cups, and fill it up with sink water, hopefully this works just as well, and return to the living room with Kilinco behind me.

Cathy has calmed down a lot, and is playing with her dolls again. Even though some now have half melted arms because of her tears. Now I realize where all the burnt accessories have come from. I smile, and look over at Frank, who was currently on the phone with somebody. Evie is looking at a gem necklace which is glowing. It looked...interesting. It was a dark blue, but there were purple streaks in the gem, which change color from that to green or orange or whichever color corresponds to its mood.

I sit down by Cathy, “Hey, how are you doing?” I ask her, and she giggled and reached out to the water, her hands still covered with dark tear stains. I am not sure whether I can still touch them, but I let her have the cup of water. She happily washed her hands in it. Kilinco lied down next to me, providing me with back support as I slightly lean back and relax. For the first time, I felt calm and collective, despite all this going on. This might be my future, if there wasn’t a demon chasing me, if we could be together as a Guard Bond, Companion, Guardian family.

After thirty minutes of being on the phone, Frank hung up and cleared his throat. Everyone turned to look at him.

“I just got a call from one of my friends. He has spotted creatures heading towards this address, as well as surrounding a nearby teleporter entrance. So we have to escape while we can, and possibly meet with Skulls to have him help us.”

Skulls? Who is that? Is he a Guardian or Companion or Guard Bond? I ask to Kilinco.

Skulls is what Frank calls Skullkid. He replied

I instantly thought of Legend of Zelda, Majora’s Mask, but then he added, He is a Makejarie. He does not look like that, and you will see why he is called that.

Frank continued, seeming to pause just for that conversation to finish up. I guess he can hear mind talking, and now I slightly feel like I interrupted him. “Anyway, he is holding up the fort near a different teleportation spot, and currently is under a bit of fire. We can get there before the others show up to reach Musiphan.” He says as if he is reciting what the guy on the phone told him.

Evie seemed to nod, and held up the necklace, “Swift Knight told me that he sensed a few distortions between Musiphan and Earth. More are coming into Earth at this time.” She says warily. The necklace glows as if it agrees. Frank nod and turned his attention to me, “Jacklynn, I want you to go there with your brother Henry,”

Henry, which I have almost forgotten he was there, gave an alarmed and angry retort, “Wait, why do I have to go with her!? She is attracting them anyway!” He says, and Frank nods, “That is the thing. If any case, you’ll become their plaything.”

Henry paled, and Frank gave a smile, “Kidding. No, you’ll actually muffle out her presence with your human traits. And if anything, they would probably not think of attacking you, unless it is a hostile demon that doesn’t care who they attack, like D.”

I sighed, and tried to focus on the positives: apparently there are more Companions than I had realized, and I can go back to the dimension that made me feel...natural. As if I can do anything and wouldn’t get a second glance. Henry grumbled to himself and crossed his arms, “Why can’t I get a monster thing to protect me?” He complained.

Kilinco gave a harsh growl, but mom shot him a look that quieted him down. She looked at Henry, “Now sweetie, I know that you are jealous, but in all honesty, being normal makes you the most important of all. You technically have a bodyguard by being the bodyguard.” She says, holding his shoulder caringly. Now I felt as if Henry didn’t deserve that, but I kept quiet about it.

Henry glared at me, “If we die, it’s all your fault.” He says. I shrug, as if I have heard that a thousand times already, “Yeah, I guess so.” I simply reply. He then looked away, probably thinking how I made a smart remark instead of fighting him. I smiled and settled back down.

Evie looked at Henry, then at me. “I can let Swift Knight escort you as well.” She says, and looking for a clear spot, she tossed the necklace to the center of that small clearing of our bodies.

The necklace froze in air, and it seemed to glow brighter, causing my eyes to hurt for a bit as I watch this. Then the light formed into a body shape, it looked humanoid, but it was much taller. Then more light expanded certain body parts. When the light faded, I almost gasped at seeing what they looked like.

Their skin is dark grey, and their eyes have a grey color to them, and their face was smooth apart from a scar on their upper lip. It’s hair ran down in braids along their back, pulled aside to let their pointed ears stick out. They were wearing silver armour, and it looked shined as if they were going to battle. Their armour itself also has symbols etched to it, mostly spirals and wave like shapes. On their waist, they have a sword strapped onto it, in a sheath, and as well as a dagger strapped to their leg.

Swift Knight turned to Kilinco, blinked, and bowed slightly before speaking in a male voice, “Good to meet you, Kilinco. You have grown a lot since I have last seen you.” I turned to Kilinco, whose eyes were a bright green. “You know him?” I ask, and Kilinco nodded, half listening and half paying attention to Swift Knight.

He turned to Evie and kneels down to her height, “Companion, should I shift to my more human look?” He asked. Evie smiled and nodded. Swift Knight stood, faced all of us, “I’ll be back in ten minutes.” And in the speed of light, ran somewhere into the house.

I think this was a very SWIFT introduction to start my journey.