Hi!  My name is Janus Esaddii Zeru.  You've probably never heard of me since I am from the planet of Kwancha, far distant from your own world.  It's an enchanted world full of magic and inhabited by creatures which you could only dream of.  Out of all the kingdoms that are found there my home, Zeru, is by far the best.  One day I'm to be king, but I'm only ten years old right now.  Unfortunately my world is far from safe.  The Dark Sprites seek to resurrect the Dark Queen, Kisaumbre, who died over 5000 years ago.  If they do that, then they will conquer Kwancha and enslave all of its people!  The Goddess Brigitte has been ordered by the council of Gods to find the seven Mystic Guardians so that they can put a stop to this.  It didn't take her that long to track them down and give them a special clip that they can use to transform into elemental warriors.  I know this must sound really weird, but I know that it's all true.  You see, I am one of the Mystic Guardians; Guardian Shadow!  I control the element of darkness and the power of the shadows, but I'm not evil.  My best friend, and fellow Guardian, Lebauer Suruchi will vouch for me on that!  She's a shapeshifting immortal with control over the magics of life and death. She is Guardian Mortals!  Together we work to stop the Dark Sprites for good!
 

     The mid-morning light shown through a gap in the curtains that covered the large window in the decorative room.  This room was one of many similarly so, that filled the guest palace of Pandora.  It was here that foreign travelers of status spend their visits.  This specific room was currently occupied by a young boy of ten years.  He lay fast asleep in his bed.  His pale blue hair, which fell slightly below his shoulders, was scattered over his pillow.  His skin was extremely light in its tone, a and his ears were large and pointed.  On his forehead was a small black mark that was shaped like a triangle, this was the elemental symbol of Shadow.  If he had not been sleeping, then he surely would have heard the sound of the bedroom door being thrown open.  Through the door now passed as shadowed figure.  It ran to the head of the bed and stood over the sleeping child, shadowing him further than all else in the darkened room.  Suddenly the figure lunged at him and wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him into the front board of the bed.  He awoke immediately from the shock of this event, his crimson red eyes filled with fear, and turned his head to glimpse his attacker.
 
     "Lebauer?!" exclaimed the boy.
 
     The figure released its grasp around his neck and allow him to pull himself away from the bed's head board.  It had been a girl who appeared to be about thirteen years of age.  Her blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail and held in place with a brass clip of sorts.  On her forehead was the symbol of the mortal magics, a green circle.  Her periwinkle blue eyes shown slightly in the dim lighting of the room.  As Janus grew more certain of who this person was, he began to calm down and his heart rate returned to its normal pace.
 
     "What was all that about?!" demanded the boy.

     "Well we've got training today or did you forget, Janus?  It's already 10:30!  I thought you might've needed an extra wake up call," replied Lebauer.
 
     "A wake up call? Felt more like a heart attack!" remarked Janus.
 
     "Aw c'mon!  I wasn't that rough with you!" insisted Lebauer.  "Anyhow, I think it was a good lesson for you!"

     "Lesson?  What's that?" inquired Janus.
 
     "Easy, keep your guard up!  Any psycho could just walz in here and take you out in your sleep," replied Lebauer.  "I'm sure we can work on that later, right now we need to get going!"

     "I don't think Brigitte will care if I'm a little late, you can just go on ahead of me," commented Janus.

     Lebauer did not answer Janus right away, but instead started to look around the room.  Her eyes soon became fixed on some light purple clothing that was set out on a near by stool.  She decided that this was the outfit that the maids had set out for Janus to wear that day.  She dashed over to it and quickly snatched it up.  She then threw them towards Janus and they landed, almost perfectly, beside him.  He looked at the clothing and then back to Lebauer.  He could already tell that he was not going to get to sleep in any later.

     "Okay, you've got five minutes to get dressed and get outta here before I drag you to Brigitte's temple in your pajamas.  I'll be waiting for you outside!" ordered Lebauer.

     Having said this Lebauer left Janus's room and made her way outside of the palace.  Janus looked back at his clothes which lay beside him.  He looked slightly disappointed as he realized there was no escape from attending the training session.  Almost a minute had passed when he remember Lebauer's threat.  He didn't want to be dragged around looking like he just woke up so he raced to get dressed and ready to leave.  With only seconds to spare he was out the door and beside Lebauer.
 
     "Looks like you just made it!" exclaimed Lebauer. "Hey what's that you've got?"
 
     Lebauer was pointing towards a small box that Janus was carrying in one hand.
 
     "This?  Just something I got for breakfast on my way out.  Are you hungry?" responded Janus.
 
     "Um.. not right now.  Can you eat that running?" inquired Lebauer.
 
     "I'm not sure.  Hey why are you so rushed?   No wait I know!  You must be really late too, right?" suggested Janus.
 
     "You've guessed it!  We're both gonna be in trouble if we don't get to the temple soon.  The more we're late the longer Brigitte's going to punish us.  I don't feel like holding two buckets full of water up all day long!" affirmed Lebauer.
 
     The two spoke now further, but started to run down the street that lead to Brigitte's temple.  They were making fairly good time considering that they had to make frequent stops since Janus had poor endurance.  He could run fast enough to keep up with Lebauer, even faster if he had wished, but he could not maintain his speed for long.  At each stop he would eat a little of the breakfast which he was carrying with him.  It was during one of these such breaks that they heard a scream.  They immediately reacted by stopping what they had been doing and listening again.  Once more they heard it and were convinced that there was trouble.
 
     "Something has to be up if someone is screaming that loud!  Do you think we should transform and check it out?" questioned Janus.
 
     "Yeah that would probably be our best bet.  Forget practice, looks like we might have a real fight on our hands.  Let's go!" replied Lebauer.
 
     Janus dropped what was left of the food he had been carrying and took off the clip that was attached to his collar.  It was triangular in shape and made of a black metal.  In the middle of it there was a black crystal.  He held the clip into the air.  As he did this Lebauer too took a clip and held it up above her head.  Hers looked very different from Janus's.  It was circular and was made of a blue crystal that was surrounded by a green metal.
 
     "Shadow Transformation Clip Activation!" shouted Janus.
 
     "Mortals Transformation Clip Activation!" called Lebauer.
 
     After they said these words they became surrounded by a light in their color.  For Janus this light was black and for Lebauer it was green.  When this light faded they were no longer in their normal outfits, but instead in their personal variant of a Mystic Guardian uniform.  Janus's was colored in grays and had some purple as well while Lebauer's was green with pale yellow trim.  Once they had transformed they ran in the direction that the scream had sounded from.
 
     As they turned a corner they came face to face with the source of the scream.  In front of them they saw a lady with long strawberry blonde hair with a reddish tint that was tied up in a series of braids.   She was dressed in a salmon pink dress which touched the ground and had a large slit in it on the left hand side.  She would have appeared normal had it not been for the set of oversized dove-like pale blue wings that protruded from her back just below her shoulders.  At her feet lay a shop keeper.  From their vantage point Lebauer and Janus could not tell what had happened to him.  Beyond the lady they saw three more people, one of them was a terrified woman and the other two scared little children.  The two Guardians knew that this lady was planning to harm the remaining members of this family even though there seemed to be no benefits in doing so.  Knowing that the time had come to act Janus pointed at the demonic lady and started to shout.

     "All right, stop it right there!" hollered Janus.
 
     The winged lady turned around and stared at Janus with her pale mint green eyes.  They looked so cold that they could freeze the soul of the bravest person.  Janus felt their sting, and was silent for a minute.  At this time a mark was also visible on her head, it was the mark of the Dark Sprites, two concentric circles pierced by a verical line.  She was clearly of that evil group that gained so much pleasure from the sufferings of others.  Janus was finally able to shake off her glance and continued to his speech.

     "Going around and picking on helpless, weak people is a bad thing.  Especially when you've got so much over them!  As Guardian Shadow I will stop you!" declared Janus.

     "If you wanted a fight, you've got one now.  I am Guardian Mortals, every Dark Sprites' worse nightmare!" announced Lebauer.
 
     The lady chuckled femininely as the two Mystic Guardians shouted at her. She completely turned around and started to approach them.  They watched her as she drew closer.  When she was about ten feet away she stopped.  While she was distracted the woman and her two children escaped back into their nearby home.  She then fluffed her hair and straightened out her dress.  She did not behave in the typical fashion of the Dark Sprites, but that was where her danger lay.  She appeared to be friendly and her outstretched wings looked angelic.  She daintily cleared her throat and began to speak.
 
     "Silly children.  Do you really think you are capable of defeating the fourth in command of the Dark Sprite Empire?  I, Siren, will destroy you in the name of the Dark Queen.  May your blood hasten her arrival!" taunted Siren.
 
     "Ha!  Your threats of death mean nothing to me!  Even if you were the leader of your dark nation you can't kill me!  I bet you're mortal, sprite.  I'll show you what happens when you mess with my world!" shouted Guardian Mortals.
 
     Guardian Mortals grabbed a two foot  metal pole that was attached to her belt.  As she held it a light green ax blade formed on the dark green handle that was decorated with blue gemstones.  With this weapon in hand she lunged for Siren.  This attack was very much anticipated and the Dark Sprite general dodged it easily.  At the moment her first attack failed, Lebauer launched a second one.  This time for all her speed, Siren could not
completely escape it.  The ax slashed across the tip of her right wing, cutting away some feathers and leaving a small wound on one side of it.
 
     "You awful girl!  I will see that you are punished for what you have done!" hissed Siren.  "Go my puppet, and destroy them!"
 
     Siren motioned to the man who was lying on the ground.  He started to move slowly at first.  The two Guardians gasped as he suddenly jumped to his feet.  He looked extremely pale, and they figured that he must have been the victim of Siren's energy drain.  All Dark Sprites would imply such a technique when they needed to restore their supply of life energy.  When they had joined the side of darkness they had somehow lost the ability to supply their own vitality so they needed to draw it from other people.  Somehow Siren had taken control of his body in this weakened state.   He followed her orders without thinking and charged at the them.  As soon as he was dispatched she made a quick escape through a black gateway back to the domain of the Dark Sprites.
 
     "Shadow look out!" shouted Guardian Mortals.
 
     That warning came too late.  Guardian Shadow was rammed by the man and shoved into a nearby wall.  He struggled to get free, but he was greatly overpowered.  The slave man started to punch him in the chest repeatedly and he screamed in pain each time one connected. Guardian Mortals dashed over to try and rescue him, but was suddenly caught off guard by some shouting directly behind her.  At the same time the attach on Guardian Shadow was momentarily stopped as both of them were distracted by the commotion.

     "All right stop it right there, demon!  I will destroy you now or my name isn't Lebaure!!" hollered a boy.

     "What?!" exclaimed Guardian Mortals.
 
     As Guardian Mortals looked over the boy she was shocked by what she saw.  He appeared to be about eleven years old.  He was dressed identical to the way she had been before she had transformed.  Every detail of the outfit seemed right, accept for the few adjustments necessary to tailor it to a male.  His hair was red, but it was still pulled back in a similar fashion as hers though it was no where near as long.  His eyes were a bluish green.  At this time Guardian Mortals remembered the danger that Guardian Shadow was in.  She knew that his safety was much more important than the nutcase who stood behind her.  She closed her eyes and started to concentrate on the form of a lioness.  She soon became surrounded in an bright orange light.  When it faded away a lioness stood, ready to pounce where she had been only seconds before.  She had used her powers as a shapeshifter to take on this form and she now used it for her attack.  She lunged at the man and knocked him away from Guardian Shadow.  She pinned him to the ground and dug her claws into him to keep him still.  Now that he was free, Guardian Shadow started to get to his feet.  He wanted to help her and finish the battle.  He soon got an idea that he felt was worth trying.  He put his hands beside the clip on his chest and started to chant.

     "Shadow Crystal Blast!" called Guardian Shadow.
 
     The black crystal in Guardian Shadow's clip began to shine.  A beam of black energy started to form upon it.  Seconds later the beam was send hurling forward where it crashed into the man.  The impact of the blast sent Lebauer flying back a ways.  She landed on her feet and reverted back to her Guardian form.  The beam of shadow energy continued to blast the man until he ceased to move.  He had been left unconscious from the attack, and the enchantment upon him had been broken.  Lebaure continued to watch the battle unfold.  He had yet to attempt any further actions in this fight.
 
     "Guardian Mortals, I think the blast really toasted this guy.  Do you think you should wake him up with some spell?  He might be in a coma or something," remarked Guardian Shadow.

     "Yeah good point.  I think I know just the spell too!" agreed Guardian Mortals.

     Guardian Mortals started to chant as Guardian Shadow and Lebaure looked on. She finished the chatting portion of the spell quickly.  For most people the category of magic which she used was extremely difficult.  It took them minutes to chant spells which took her seconds.
 
     "Ressuciation!" shouted Guardian Mortals.

     A golden energy gathered around Guardian Mortals as she activated the Ressuciation spell.  This spell was used to awaken people who had become comatose.  The energy continued to gather around her right hand and it grew brighter.  Once it had grown bright enough she released it in the direction of the man.  It struck him and then began to surround him.  As the light slowly faded away he started to awaken.  That was a sign to the two Guardians that the time had come for them to leave.  They departed down the same road that they had come.  Following them closely was Lebaure.  Suddenly Guardian Mortals stopped and she halted Guardian Shadow as well.  She quickly turned around to face off with the boy who was following them.

     "Hey, buster, what's up with this following us around?!" demanded Guardian
Mortals.
 
     "I told you my name's Lebaure!  I'm following you cuz you've been impersonating me and you have the Mortals Clip which should be mine!" announced Lebaure.

     "Me?!  Impersonating you?!  Ha!  Listen here I was Guardian Mortals first and some little punk who runs around dressing like me and stealing my name isn't going to change that!" declared Guardian Mortals.

     "Yeah well this will!" hissed Lebaure.
 
     Lebaure reached for Guardian Mortals clip, but she skillfully dodged him.  She then countered his attempt with a punch in the head.  Her punch was powerful and it left a large bruise on the side of his face.  Had she punched him in the mouth she probably would have knocked out most of his teeth.  Feeling very powerless he ran back a ways.  He turned back, looked at her and proceeded to spit on the ground.

     "Next time you won't be so lucky!" insisted Lebaure.

     Lebaure retreated as fast as he could.  Soon he could no longer be seen by the two Guardians.  Guardian Mortals growled a bit as he departed.  She then proceeded to remove her clip and revert back to her normal state.  Guardian Shadow followed her lead and soon he too was out of his Guardian form.  Lebauer was extremely angry over the appearance of Lebaure.  She started to pound a nearby wall and was leaving the imprint of her fists in it.  Janus drew closer to her.  He looked up at her and saw the anger in her face.  Before he could say anything Lebauer started to speak.

     "I can't believe that bozo thinks he can just run around saying that he's me!" shouted Lebauer. "What gives him that right?! And how does he even know enough to go and do that?!"
 
     "I don't know, Lebauer.  All I know is that you're the only real Guardian Mortals that there is.  I'm sure you'll get that impostor soon!" replied Janus.
 
     "Yeah, the next time he'll pay!" declared Lebauer.

     "So this guy, this Lebaure, is claiming to be Guardian Mortals?" inquired Lukka.
 
     "Yeah that's what that nut's doing all right.  He even tried to take my clip, but that loser isn't that good!" answered Lebauer.
 
     "Hmm... don't those clips only work for the true Guardian of their element?" asked Lukka.
 
     "Yeah I think that's what Brigitte said when she gave it to me, but that bum really wanted it anyhow," responded Lebauer.
 
     "That's the proof to all disbelieves that you're the only true Guardian Mortals!" announced Janus.  "If you we're, then you wouldn't be able to use it!  You would have to be an idiot to think that Lebaure was!"

     "Hey I just heard the great news!  The real Guardian Mortals has been found!" shouted a voice from behind them.  "I don't think we're gonna be able ta tell the difference between some guy and Lebauer!"

     The trio turned around to see a young man of eighteen before them.  His tossled blonde hair feel just below his shoulders and his brown eyes shown with a mild wickedness.  None of them seemed overjoyed at his presence, but it was Lebauer who seemed to detest it the most.  She growled as he came closer and clenched her fists in anger.

     "Well Janus did say that only an idiot would believe Lebaure!" retorted Lebauer.
 
     "Ha!  The only idiots are the people who think that the Mystic Guardians can actually protect the world if they're mostly girls!  I think that we should dump all of the girls and that weak little demon kid and get some real fighters!" informed the young man.
 
     "Oh shut up, Quinto.  Do you have anything important to say or are you just here to be annoying?" grumbled Lukka.

     "Yeah get lost, nobody here cares about what you wanna say!" shouted Janus.

     Quinto shoved Janus away from him violently.  He stumbled back but managed to keep his balance.  He did not want to allow himself to be pushed around by Quinto and wanted to fight back.  He was about to attack when Lukka held him back.  Lebauer too, had almost reached her limit.

     "Is the little demon and his girlfriends gonna try to beat me up?  Really kid you gotta get away from these girls or you're gonna grow up ta be a sissy!" taunted Janus.

     "Yeah and if you babes wanna make yourselves useful why don't you make me lunch?"

     "THAT'S IT!!!" hollered Lebauer.
 
     Lebauer dashed over to Quinto and forcefully grabbed hold of his arm.  Before he could react she threw him over her shoulder and through a nearby window.  The glass was demolished and he landed inside of the temple with a thump.  Janus cheered and Lukka too seemed pleased that he had gotten what he deserved.  Lebauer laughed and dusted off her hands.  Quinto could be seen twitching a bit on the temple floor.  Lebauer was glad that she got the chance to take her anger out on him.  She was glad that she had found a use for him.

     "I want to get you back for cutting my wing, so let's duel right here at this time!" demanded Siren.

     "Well I'm ready to finish this fight!" declared Guardian Mortals.

     "Hold it right there!  This fight is not meant for you, but the true Guardian Mortals, me!" announced a voice.

     Guardian Mortals looked to her left and saw the one that called himself Lebaure pointing at her.  This time he was dressed in a Mystic Guardian outfit that looked identical to her own.  She drew her sword and prepared to attack, but it was Lebaure she wanted to fight and not Siren.  Siren watched her change in attitude and smiled to herself as a plan formed in her head.

     "Oh so you're back, Lebaure!  Well this time I'm not letting you get away!" shouted Guardian Mortals.

     "A ha ha ha!  Can this be true?  Someone impersonating Guardian Mortals?  I am sure he is very weak willed!  This is perfect!" commented Siren.

     Siren started to sing an alluring song.  It had no effect on the two Guardians and Lukka, but it entranced Lebaure.  He drew closer to her as she continued to sing.  When he was within her reach she took hold of him and drew him to her chest.  She then proceeded to give him a light kiss on his cheek and rub his hair.  They watched as she bend down and whispered in his ear, and his face started to grow more menacing.

     "Now go forth Lebaure, and destroy the competition!" exclaimed Siren
.
     Lebaure drew a katana that was very similar in appearance to Guardian Mortals.  With this in hand he charged after her and made an attempt to run her through.  She knew that he was no real threat to her, but she still did not want to be bested by him in this fight.  She skillfully dodged him and slashed at him with her own weapon.  She caught him in the leg and left a gash an inch deep in it.  He released his pain by quickly slicing her arm.  She kicked him in the stomach and threw him into the closest wall.  He shook himself off and charged her once again.  This time he rammed her into a cart of oranges, knocking it over.  She shoved her attacker away and lifted up another nearby cart over her head.  She then hurled it at him.  He was knocked to the ground as the heavy cart fell upon him.  All during this battle the nervous commoners raced around frantically trying to avoid any injury to themselves.
 
     While Lebaure and Guardian Mortals fought, Guardian Shadow and Lukka dealt with Siren.  Guardian Shadow charged her with his scythe and swung at her.  She made her best attempt to dodge, but could not escape without losing a dozen feathers to his blade.  She drew a black dagger from a sheath oh her leg and slashed at him with it.  The main power of her blow landed on his clip and was deflected, but she did manage to cut him slightly as well.  Lukka began to cast a spell and when he caught sight of her he retreated several yards and followed her lead.  Siren was confused a bit at first, she was unprepared for a double attack.  By the time she had decided who she was going to attack they had already finished their spells.
 
     "Lucent Beam!" called Lukka.
 
     "Dark Blast!" shouted Guardian Shadow.
 
     The Lucent Beam created a concentrated blast of white light and the Dark Blast created an equally intense blast of shadow energy.  Lukka waited for Guardian Shadow to finish before she released the light beam.  Both blasts of energy shot simultaneously at Siren from different directions.  She tried to dodge them, but it was too late.  The blasts struck her and she felt the full effects of both elemental attacks and the violent reaction of opposite elements mixing.  She slumped to the ground and gasped for breath when the energy had dissipated.
 
     "I... I'm out of here!  This is too much!" cried Siren.  "Lebaure, you... be a dear and finish them off... finish them all off!"

     With this said Siren created an escape portal and quickly dove into it.  It immediately closed behind her and she slipped though it.  Once she was gone, Lebaure started to struggle underneath the cart.  He soon succeeded in pushing it off of him and he shoved it over to one side.  Guardian Mortals was the first to notice what he was doing so she closed her eyes and started to concentrate on another form.  As he had tossed aside the cart she had become surrounded by an orange light.  Lebaure watched as it faded away and revealed that she had taken on the form of a phoenix.  Even in the entranced state that he was, he knew that this was trouble.  He attempted to run away, but he could not escape her quick attack.  She unfurled her gigantic fiery red wings and a colossal wave of fire was thrown forth.  The blast encompassed Lebaure and the two toppled carts.  A half of a minute passed before the fire wave dissolved into the air.  Once it was gone in revealed a slightly burnt Lebaure and some scorched private property.  He was still alive, though he did not seem able, or at least not willing, to move.  The Phoenix reverted back to Guardian Mortals, who then beckoned to her friends to join her.  Guardian Shadow and Lukka ran over to her side and then she directed them to climb up a nearby ladder.  They thought it was an odd request, but they decided to follow it anyhow.

     Once they reached the top of the ladder they found an overhang where they could be hidden from sight, but yet still view the area where they had only moments before been fighting.  Guardian Mortals followed behind them.  No sooner had all three of them reached the hiding place, the did several soldiers come storming down the street followed by an angry shop keep.  They pulled the dazed Lebaure to his feet and proceed to question him.  The shop keeper had been the one to lose two of his carts to the battle and had summoned the soldiers to deal with the culprits.  As Lebaure was being dragged away he started to come to his senses.

     "Wait you don't understand!" pleaded Lebaure.  "You see I was taken control of by this evil woman and the Mystic Guardians were fighting her.  You can ask them, they'll say its true!"
 
     "Ha!  Nice story kid, but there's not even anyone else around!  Why don't you just admit to causing this mess?  Who knows they might go easier on you!" sneered on of the soldiers.
 
     "No wait... they have to be close by!" protested Lebaure.  "Please Lebauer come and tell them what happened please I'm sorry!  You're the only true Guardian Mortals!  My name's not even Lebaure its Kenen!  What do you wanna hear from me?!"
 
     Lebaure continued to plea his case to Lebauer until he could no longer be heard.  All of his begging was in vain and it gained him no pity from the three warriors.  They sat in their hidden loft and laughed at him as he cried for their help.  It was Guardian Mortals who laughed loudest of all.  She was extremely pleased that this impostor was getting what he deserved and was quite entertained by his sad attempts to regain her favor.  She waved to him tauntingly as he was dragged out of view by the soldiers.  It was so nice to be rid of such a trouble maker!