ELEMENTALIA: Tale of the Elemental Guardians

Chapter 10: GARUDA

"Ian, behind you!" Roe shouted when she saw a Kinnara was about to attack him.

 

Ian raised his hands and a small black hole appeared where the Kinnara was standing, sucking the creature in before it vanished.

 

"How did you do that?" Roe wondered.

 

"I don't know,” Ian replied while looking at his own hands with disbelief.

 

"Ate, help,” Sarah screamed.

 

"Let us go,” Joy shouted.

 

The Kinnaras had caught them. And when Ian turned around, a Kinnara grabbed him and Roe as well.

 

Peach saw it, but she was still fighting two of the creatures. And as soon as the other Kinnaras flew away, the ones facing her Peach followed their comrades, leaving her behind.

 

"Let them go! Don’t take them away from me,” Peach yelled. She chased after them using all her strength and superpower, but she soon tripped and fell from exhaustion.

 

I will not give up, Peach thought while the Kinnaras dwindled in the distance.

 

I will save my siblings! We promised that we will go back to our mother together!

Peach tried to stand up.

 

"I won’t give up until I save them all,” Peach shouted. Suddenly. a beam of light appeared, and when Peach noticed where it was coming from, she saw Ian's backpack.

It was coming from the Libreta.

 

"The Libreta! Please tell me where they take my siblings! ITURO SA AKIN ANG KANILANG KINAROROONAN." Then the beam of light shot in the direction where she last saw the Kinnaras.

 

Peach followed to a huge mountain with a giant cave. As she stepped Inside, the beam slowly vanished.

 

"Ate Joy! Ate Sarah! Ian! Roe,” Peach shouted. “Answer me!”

 

Deeper inside the cave something big was already waiting for her.

 

Peach went further inside, following the torches lining the walls.

 

"Kinnaras! I know that you all can hear me! Release my siblings or else I will start World War Three here,” Peach shouted.

 

"Brave words,” a massive voice boomed from deeper within the cave. “But can you defeat me and save your siblings?”

Peach bravely followed where the voice was coming from.

 

"Are you challenging me? Well then, I accept your challenge,” Peace said confidently.

 

Suddenly, the cave shook like there was an earthquake.

 

A huge creature with the muscular body of a man and the head of an eagle appeared in front of her. He was about five times her height, and now all her confidence vanished. Her body started shaking in fear.

 

The creature laughed."You look terrified. What will you do now? Run away and leave your siblings behind?”

"You giant mean bird! I will save them no matter what,” Peach answered.

"I am Garuda, leader of the Kinnaras. Show me your bravery and defeat me in combat!”

 

Peach charged at Garuda. She threw kicks and punches with all her might, but there was not even a scratch on him.

 

"YAH! YAH! YAH! TAKE THIS!! AND THIS! AND THIS!”

 

"Is that it?” Garuda said, mocking her. “My turn.”

 

Garuda flapped his wings, creating a strong gust of wind that hurled Peach toward the cave wall.

 

"Give up now while you still can,” Garuda said.

 

"I will not give up!" Peach attacked Garuda again and again even though she always ended up hitting everywhere around the cave. Her body was now full of wounds and scratches, and she was numb from excruciating pain.

 

She lay on the ground, too exhausted to stand up. But when she saw the Libreta glowing near her, she tried to grab it.

 

"Libreta, please give me more strength to defeat Garuda." As soon as Peach touched the book, her body started glowing too.

 

"My power, it's coming back!" Peach rose to her feet as her strength returned. “Now I can defeat you!”

 

She dashed around the cave, easily avoiding Garuda's attacks, and headed for the ceiling.

 

"Where did she go?” Garuda wondered.

She let herself fall, striking Garuda’s head with a gravity-powered kick. Then she backflipped and grabbed the feather on his head.

She transformed into a Guardian in mid-air while the feather morphed into a bow. She launched a wind arrow, creating a huge blast of wind that struck Garuda in his chest, sending him flying on the wall where rocks cascaded over his face.

 

“What just happened?” Peach wondered.

 

"You did it, Peach,” Joy and Sarah shouted.

 

"So cool,” Ian said in amazement as they rushed to hug her.

  

Garuda laughed and transformed into a middle-aged man with wings. “That was splendid! I never thought that you will use the Wind Amulet to defeat me!”

 

The bow transformed into an amulet with the symbol of the Wind inscribed  it after Peach's Guardian armor disappeared.

 

"I found the Wind Amulet!" She raised the amulet before passing out from exhaustion.

 

Garuda told them to stay while Peach was still resting. The Kinnaras who were also skilled fighters taught them how to use their powers in combat, especially Ian who was just learning how to use his powers. Peach's wound healed fast and she easily recovered, but she needed to learn how to use the Wind Amulet before they were allowed to go home. They also taught her how to use a bow, and how to combine her superspeed with the wind arrow.

 

"You have to master your weapon first. Only then will it be easier for you to combine it with wind power and your super speed,” Garuda said while teaching her.

 

"Easier said than done,” Peach grumbled to herself.