(Disclaimer: A warning to those who continue.  This is a sequel to a previous story.  Both of these were written in the mid-1990’s.  While the first one was slightly edited and vanity press published, this one has not been touched in over 20 years.  I figure I should do something with it and people may get a laugh or fright from how I used to be.  Every author comes from somewhere, so this is part of my origin.  To that end, I am deeply sorry for whatever nightmares I will inflict on the literary world and the American English language.  Enjoy?)

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The planet guardians’ sun base is a large, glass sphere in the very center of the blazing sun.  There are several rooms in this impressive structure and the inhabitants of the sun base only use half of them.  One of the used rooms is a large recreation and restaurant area.  At this moment, the four young guardians are using the enormous multi-sport arena in order to relax.  That is they are relaxing in their own competitive, immortal style.

“Heads up!” yells the black-haired Venus guardian.  Miracle savagely hits a square puck of gold, which ends up ricocheting off the ceiling and hits her right in her head.  The game is called Korlanian hockey, but instead of ice, it is played on churning, molten lava and the sticks are made out of flaming, white metal.  Only immortals and the creators of this sport are able to play it without getting burned.

“Beautiful shot.  Look at it this way, Kelly.  At least it didn’t hit anything that you use,” says Hydrana as she takes the puck off her dazed friend’s face.  Before she can take a nicely aimed shot, Fate skates in and knocks her under an incoming wave of lava.

“Better luck next time, water sprite.  This game is officially over,” announces the Mars guardian.  Suddenly, a thick blast of telekinetic energy knocks Fate through a window and out of the arena.  With Fate out of the game, Infinity gets the last goal and the lava disappears from the room.

“Are you okay, Ed?  I was trying to pin your arms down.  I must have slipped in all the excitement,” Infinity apologizes while leaving the arena. Fate had painfully landed upside down in a row of metal chairs.  One of the janitor robots is already sweeping the shards of glass off of Fate.

“I’m fine.  But it was supposed to be a game without birthright powers.  Just get the large shard of glass out of my forehead.  The wound is starting to heal around the glass.  Owww.  Thanks.”  A long-armed robot brings them four, large vials of a light blue drink that occasionally release tiny zaps of electricity.

“Yes.  Glebnokian energizers.  My favorite after practice drink.  You guys should really have this drink a lot more often.  Still recovering, dead man?” Hydrana casually asks Fate.  She takes a sip of the blue energizer and a feeling of raw energy shoots through her entire body.

“It’s been a month since I died, so I think I’ve had enough time to get over the experience.  Thanks for getting Kilanus to help.  Death is such an eerie feeling when you’re immortal.  But at least my destiny is no longer linked to Adriana.  After we killed each other, and Kilanus brought us back, Startrix privately explained her original vision to Adriana and me.  How long was it before you managed to get our bodies?  Couldn’t have been more than two or three days.”

“Eight days.  Five hours.  Twelve minutes.  Forty-nine seconds.  It would have been a lot less if the two of you hadn’t died by getting sucked into that comet.  The chances of that thing coming by Mercury at the same time you and Adriana got shot off the planet were rare.  Of course your luck always seems to act strangely.  I really missed you,” whispers Miracle as she tightly hugs Fate from behind.

“I know.  Who was in charge while I was gone?”

“Hydrana took over for you.  Draveon took over for Adriana.  In all honesty, Delila did pretty well for her first time in charge.  Of course she decided to go off on her own to retrieve your body because we were busy handling Kilanus.  She defeated half of the evil immortals by herself before we could get there to help.  You would have been really impressed with her,” explains Infinity.

“That reminds me, Fate.  Can I talk to you alone after dinner?” asks Hydrana in a friendly voice.

“Why?”

“It’s something important.  Just meet me here after dinner.”

“I will.  But I have to go talk to SEAS first.  There are some things that I want to take care of.  So, I’ll probably be busy for about an hour after dinner,” says Fate before he gets up and leaves the others without another word.

“I have only one thing to say.  He is getting so creepy,” mutters Miracle after a few minutes of silence.

“No kidding.  I’m unpleased to announce that we have a Solix in training.  Ever since the relic was killed, Ed has been acting very secluded.  He doesn’t even spend time with any of us unless we have a mission, a meeting, or some kind of training to take care of,” replies Hydrana after she finishes her drink.  Electricity jumps from her entire body and they leave small burn marks on the nearby wall.

“I personally think he needs a vacation.  A very long vacation.  Can I have a Neptunian steak with Haley fries?” says Infinity to a nearby robot that moves by using a propeller.

“You’re not actually going to eat that.  Are you?  The meat is dark green and the fries are razor sharp.  It tastes worse than that Tiberian bacon, which was beyond horrible.  Can you please talk some sense into him, Miracle?”

“We have a lot more important things to talk about than your boyfriend’s suicidal diet.  I don’t mean to sound selfish, but what can we do about my boyfriend?  I want the old, warm one back.”

“I have an idea,” mentions a robotic voice that comes from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

“I hate it when you do that without warning.  How long have you been listening to us, SEAS?” asks Infinity as his disgusting food is delivered.  It is just as Hydrana described it and Infinity swallows one of the fries.  He has to wait until the wound it leaves in his throat heals before swallowing anything else.

“Ever since Hydrana froze Miracle to the ceiling during your second game.  But I have to go soon.  My idea is to somehow lessen Fate’s burdens.”

“Like he would ever let that happen.  He enjoys work more than anything.  He loves responsibility and work more than me at some times.  Ever since Solix left, Fate has never taken time to relax.  Unless you count that being dead for a few days,” the Venus guardian says.

“That may be the case.  But that problem is exactly what I plan to talk to him about.  He needs someone to become his second-in-command.  If Solix had one, he might have lived a longer and happier life.  A second-in-command is just what Fate needs to help him with this group,” says Hydrana.

“And that would be you?  Not in our lifetime.  Which is a very long time considering we’re immortals,” mentions Miracle.

“Look, tomboy.  I am the best fighter among us.  Besides Fate that is.  When he was gone, I took over and never messed up once.  If he needs any help with leading this group, then it should be me because I’ve had some experience.  And I wouldn’t have any problem arguing with him when I think his ideas are wrong.  The two of you are more likely to agree.”

“I know I’m going to regret saying this.  Nothing happened when you were in charge, Hydrana.  The only major event was when we had to fight for Fate’s body.  But that was nothing more than a savage bloodbath.  All you did was walk around the sun base and claim that you were in charge.  I’m pretty sure your parents didn’t bring up to be that lazy,” states Infinity.  Hydrana glares at Infinity and runs out of the room before tears start streaming down her face.

“Nice job, Romeo.  At least I didn’t go into the exact details,” whispers Miracle as she gets to her feet.

“I should go apologize.  But I’ll wait until she calms down.  Last time something like this happened, I was frozen to a space skimmer’s outer hull.  While it was being used in deep space.”

“I remember that.  It is weird though.  Hydrana seems to have developed a much shorter fuse than usual.  It’s like Fate not relaxing.  Ever since we became guardians, the two of them have changed.  Fate stays to himself while Hydrana is getting more emotionally sporadic.  But I’m not going to try and figure either of them out right now.  We’ll let SEAS play has hand and then step in if that doesn’t work.  Hey, Steve.  I’ll play you in that laser warfare game again.”

“Sure.  It’s not like I haven’t messed up enough today.  But I get to use the rocket launcher and laser grenades this time.”

“Deal.  I might as well give you every chance you can get to beat me.  I still think I’m gonna win.”