Chapter One - Shadows of a Setting Sun (The Protector - Volume 1)

The bus driver sat quietly, his eyes twitching towards two passengers he had on-board. His gaze oozed suspicion as it locked on to his only company through the rear-view mirror. The male passenger, a well-built teenager, was the most concerning of the pair. The driver's pupils dilated further, fear thrumming through his veins and making the pit stains in his yellowed shirt grow larger. Something didn’t feel right. The driver tapped his fingers against the edge of the steering wheel in an uneven cadence, his actions coated in fear. Yet he couldn't look away, his own curiosity bidding him to stare while his sense of concern told him to look away. Whoever he was, the driver was afraid of him.

The male passenger exhaled deeply, he knew of the driver’s concerns, the constant staring began to annoy him. This passenger had an ability unique to his race which enabled him to sense the aura of beings around him. From what he could tell, the driver was completely harmless, although his mind told him otherwise. Keep an eye on that man. He straightened his posture and leant back against the stiff chair, pretending he didn't care about the person controlling the vehicle and smelling of cigarettes. He knew his friend, the female seated next to him, gave no mind to the driver, so why should he?

“Hey, kids?”

The boy shifted to his left, looking past the row of battered seats in front of him to look at the back of the driver's balding head. He noticed the driver’s eyes switching from the rear-view mirror to the road, nerves causing his hands to twitch the steering wheel.

As the driver took a deep inhale, he felt unsure of his decision, he was clearly nervous but it was too late now. “So I was wondering, are you a new Benjiro Senior School student?” He shifted his eyes into his rear-view mirror once more, “I noticed the little lady had a uniform on, but you don't seem to be wearing any sort of it, mate.”

The female passenger indeed wore a navy-blue skirt and uniform which bore the emblem of the mentioned school on her sleeve. This was accompanied by a clean buttoned shirt and a red tie, “That's right, I'm a new student starting fresh out of junior school,” she responded, flashing a shy smile as she peered her chin up over the top of the seat. “Oh, and my friend here is my Protector.” She tilted her head in his direction, her gaze swinging over to him. He responded to this by glancing at her and giving a small smile, acknowledging her trust in him.

“Good to know.” The driver grunted as he shifted the bus into gear, he felt slightly at ease, confirming one of the thoughts floating around his mind. “I don't believe this school has any Protectors, though I wish it did. It's got dangers all the way up to the rafters, from what I hear.”

Hearing this made the Protector chuckle. Funny to think there could be anyone at this school more dangerous than me... still. He watched his friend slide back into her chair, sitting up straight and looking at him once again with a cheerful smile.

“You have no need to worry, I'll be there with you.”

The girl nudged him with her elbow and chuckled, “I know, you don't have to remind me, silly.”

They smiled at each other once more before the female passenger returned her gaze to the window, admiring the scenery of newly blossomed trees in the dim light of the falling sun. Her teal coloured eyes glowed in the reflection of the window like a torch in the dead of night. Her friend watched this and too admired the scenery, but her eyes captivated him more than any sunset. Teal… such a fascinating colour.

The female passenger cared deeply for her Protector, he was more than just a hired bodyguard. To her, he was family. The pair had known each other since they were children and had rarely been separated. Technically she was the master of the boy, but neither of them saw it that way.

I'm happy her mother asked me to accompany her to this school... but are there seriously any real threats at this place? Junior school had practically none. Why would senior school be any different?

Suddenly, the bus began to slow. “Fuel stop. We'll need it if we want to get through the night,” the driver announced, pulling the bus into the last gas station before the school. As the bus eventually came to a rumbling halt, the driver took his seatbelt off and stood up to look at his passengers. Regardless of what fear was instilled in him, he thought being polite would at least keep him in their good graces. “You two need anything?”

The boy looked to his right to see his friend trying to sleep, leaning back against the seat cushion, eyes closed and breathing quietly. Not wanting to disturb her, the boy stood up and approached the driver. Once he was closer, he simply said, “I'll join you.”

Both the driver and the male passenger departed the bus, as did the sun depart their world. Darkness surrounded them, but the light from the gas station cut through it. The driver popped open the fuel cap and began fuelling up the bus with the cheapest petrol available. The passenger wasn't used to sitting still for a long period of time, so he had to at least stretch a bit before continuing on the last leg of the trip.

He stretched his arms while taking in the atmosphere. It was an odd feeling, being out in the middle of nowhere. Why would this school be so excluded from society? Still, he drew comfort knowing he was a fair distance from any real civilization. He wasn't sure why. The boy looked up at the dark sky. He stared at the magnificent and glorious sight that was the large white moon. It left him in near awe. It was astonishing how the night's sky made him feel safe, as if he could forget his worries. Even the wind was still and silent. The calm serenity allowed him to close his eyes and truly feel at peace.
 
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“Son…”

The boy opened his eyes, only snow surrounded him. The child was being dragged through the forest, his surroundings unknown. White dots obscured his vision, he breathed heavily as his hand was squeezed and he was pulled along. His jacket held him as tight as a glove, zipped up to his neck, the constriction further limited his already laboured breathing.
Suddenly, he is stopped. His blurred vision could only see black; the white dots faded away. His left eye began to sting. It arose unexpectedly, a sensation unrivalled by any other pain he would ever feel. He rested his head in the palm of his hand and groaned.

Nearly at the brink of tears, a voice hushed and tried to comfort him. He felt a warm embrace; it was as if he was being wrapped up in a soft blanket. Knowing someone was there soothed him slightly. His mind nearly went blank again, luckily so did the pain.

Once the person finished comforting the boy, his blurred vision saw two faint violet dots darting back and forth, looking to him and then to their surroundings. The person stood from their kneeling position and knocked on a nearby wooden surface.

The boy was then gifted with a sentence which he would carry with him for the rest of his life.

“Son... remember: keep your ring safe.”

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He opened his eyes, silence hung in the air. As those words echoed in his mind, his hand instinctively touched the ring at his chest, held by a silver chain around his neck. Once his hand returned to his side, a nearby presence made itself known.

“What a sight, eh?”

The bus driver, whose sweat stains had grown since the boy last saw him, had finished fuelling the bus. He had paid and was now standing not too far away from the boy, watching the moon rise into the sky.

“Indeed, it is.” He responded, keeping his real thoughts private.

Silence and awkward tension filled the air. The driver coughed and his sweaty hands reached into his pocket, pulling out a wallet to see how much money he had left. His aura isn't dangerous... but he is a disgusting being. Who would let themselves fall into such a state? The boy felt a cold chill overcome him, the wind had picked up and the temperature was low, the hairs on his arms rose. For as long as he could remember, he hated the cold.

“Bloody cold, ain't it?” The boy glanced at the driver, who was staring intently at him with his arms crossed, “Guess that wouldn't be a problem for you though, right?”

The boy smirked. I see what he's doing... He raised his right hand until his arm was level with his torso. Every race had their own special abilities and powers; this boy's power was feared and well known among the world they resided in. However, his power was not of this world, it came from a place much, much darker. A ball of fire appeared, slightly hovering above his raised hand. It warmed him up almost immediately, like sitting in front of a fireplace.

The driver chuckled, “Knew it...” he proceeded to pull a squashed packet of cigarettes out from his back pocket. He pulled one out and shoved the tip of it in his mouth while reaching into another pocket, “those yellow eyes you got, the ability to control fire-” suddenly, the cigarette in his mouth had been lit, he hadn't even found his lighter yet. The driver glanced over to the boy, who was staring directly at the cigarette, his power was clearly strong, “... very intimidating, alright... and a Protector?” he proceeded to take the cigarette out of his mouth and blow smoke up into the air, tainting it with the same horrible smell that stained the inside of the bus. “No doubt about it, you're a Demon alright. Only they can be Protectors.”

The Demon was unsure of why the driver wished to clarify this information. Maybe it would bring some comfort in his mind if he stated it out loud.

“But I got just one question for ya…” This statement caused their eyes to meet, “how did you get that scar?”

The boy felt his left eye softly, a scar stretched from his eyebrow down till it was level with his nose. A large scar that ached at random moments, a mark the boy despised and hated. He began walking back to the entrance of the bus, as he past behind the driver, he whispered, “You’re best off worrying about your safety, fool.”

What confidence the driver had built while talking to the Demon had been diminished in less than two minutes, once again, he was fearful.

I'd rather people be scared around me then confident. It’s amusing to watch them squirm.

Once the Protector entered the bus, he looked through the rows of empty seats to see his master sleeping, leaning against the window now with a still quiet but much deeper snore. This made him smile briefly until he saw the driver step on his cigarette through the window and begin walking towards the bus. The boy walked up to his seat and quietly sat back down, trying not to wake his master. He watched the driver re-enter the bus, glance at him with uncertainty and sit back down behind the wheel.

While staring at the driver, he felt a warm presence encase his arm. The boy looked down to see his master hugging his arm and looking up at him, eyes partly open as she woke from her brief rest. She yawned, “Zane?”

The Protector smiled once more and patted her head with his free hand, “I'm here, Yulia. Go back to sleep.”
She smiled back and rested against her servant, returning to the world of dreams, “Good...”

Hello Steemit! I decided, since my book 'The Protector - Volume 1' is coming out September 1st, I'd release chapter 1 for free right here! I really do need to get back into the groove of Steemit, but getting my book published and promoting it has eaten away at my time. I am deeply sorry for that.

My book is currently on preorder until September 1st! If you live in Australia and want a paperback copy, check out my website: https://moullaeauthor.bigcartel.com/

If you want an eBook copy, check out Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07GBBPTS6

Either that or check my social media accounts! Search up @moullaeauthor on either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram! Any and all help would be appreciated!