Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Forty Seven

After Iris had been given the chance to wash up and change into her very first pair of true guardian robes, she was led to another area entirely separate area down in the underground chambers. Hench and Master Dyran waited for her in a room completely lit by torches. Iris took a deep breath and was lead directly in front of them.

"Welcome, Iris Gwenneth," Master Dyran was the first to speak. "It is a great honor today to have you with us. With the successful completion of each trial, you have guaranteed your place among us. And now, you will take your oath and be officially be ordained. Step up to your former mentor and kneel."

Iris took a breath and walked to Hench, and knelt down before her as she was instructed.

Now, the mighty woman spoke. "Repeat after me." There was a pause. "To live... to die. To protect those I love, and those who deserve it."

"To live. To die. To protect those I love, and those who deserve it," Iris repeated.

"By this vow, I am bound to my duty as guardian. By this oath, I shall fight for our future," Hench continued.

Blooms of emotion curled around Iris's heart. "By this vow, I am bound to my duty as guardian. By this oath, I shall fight for our future," she vowed.

"As an order, we will thrive together. As an order, we protect the innocent. To this order, I will give my soul, my strength, my best intentions," Hench said, and Iris could swear she heard a lump somewhere in her former mentor's voice.

Iris repeated, "As an order, we will thrive together. As an order, we protect the innocent. To this order, I will give my soul, my strength, my best intentions..."

"And to me, they will give eternal peace," Hench finished.

Iris looked up from where she knelt and met Rhalla's gaze. "And to me, they will give eternal peace."

A moment of silence passed in the room after Iris completed her oath. After a few seconds, the rogue was pulled to her feet by her mentor. It was then when Hench reached behind her and pulled out a medallion that looked like the ones Iris had seen in the paintings she'd passed on her way to the guardian trials. Iris ducked her head and let it slide over her neck. Something about that moment made the trials all worth it.

"Iris Evanna Gwenneth," Hench said. "I hereby induct you into our order." Now, Hench's face split into a wide grin. "Congratulations."

"You have my congratulations as well. I am excited to work with you," Master Dyran said with a kind smile, shaking Iris's hand. "I'm quite sure I speak for all of us when I say that we're looking forward to having you here." He paused. "Regardless, I will now leave you two alone to celebrate this victory. Meet me in my office tomorrow morning, Iris. We'll start your official guardian painting and ink our sigil into your arm. Tomorrow evening, we'll hold your ceremony and you'll hang it in the North Hall."

Iris nodded in agreement, and then, Dyran left. The rogue faced Hench.

"Well," Iris was the first to speak. "You didn't kill me, but it surely wasn't for lack of trying. What the hell, Rhalla?" she asked playfully, ecstatic that she'd passed the trials.

"Girl, you nearly killed yourself. " Hench snorted. "You all but stopped my heart when you started climbing those pillars. You could have seriously hurt yourself doing that. You had me ready to serve as a meat shield between you and the floor had you fallen."

Iris sniffed. "You just thought you were so clever, didn't you, with that bucket thing? And making me sit there for hours on that first trial? I hope you were as bored as I was. I hope you watched the entire gods damned thing."