The blood spilled out to the road forming unknown words and different symbols. Then ghostly figures appeared. I am guessing these are my predecessors. They nod to agree as though using extra words or emotions was unnecessary. Black flames rose from different positions. Then lapis lazuli flames and finally sky blue flames. They danced around the air without anything tethering them. The blood evaporated to the air. Shining silver ballbearings appeared and struck me front and back at light speed. I woke up surrounded by a blinding bright light. I tried to get up but a slimy substance kept grabbing me. At first I was sluggish but soon I gained strength and momentum. Finally it reluctantly released me. I got up to see that I was in a white room with a black slushy substance on the floor. Until the room tilted and I fell face first. I watched as the white light disappear. It turned from orange to purple. Then dark blue to black. I landed feet first and I felt my bones quake.
Someone screamed in absolute terror and I stood still as shadowy figures ran for their lives. I stood curious. Finally the stampede ended. I turned back to see a tsunami heading my way. The foam of the sea resembled war horses charging for battle. The wave came with the force like nothing I can think of. I calmly swam upwards. I stepped out onto a checkered marble floor. The room was spacious. The stone wall looked clean. The place was lit up with luminous jellyfish. I looked up to see a skeleton wearing royal robes. There was a ring on each digit. Just above each eye socket was a red flame sliding towards the ear. It failed to look like an eyebrow. It cackled and waved a hand. Then I was inside a whirlwind. In it I saw people in Victorian era clothes with red eyes. I saw people being possessed. I saw people being hypnotized to commit murder. I felt power all around me like no other. Like a sun that was baking the desert. I felt queasy as I started spinning very fast and uncontrollably. Finally I passed out and when I regained consciousness Tiberius explained I have completed the ceremony. Now the only thing I had to do was to convince the locals to stop their crazy idea to replace me. He has faith in me.
The walk back home was trying to figure out a way. I saw a pawn shop with a shotgun on display. I felt the answer in my bones. As soon I got in and got a wardrobe change I picked up the shotgun. I explained my idea to everyone and Harkness agreed with me. The others came with high hopes. Tiberius used a war trumpet and summoned everyone. As I walked to the edge of the forest I saw the locals of all ages come as quickly as possible. I gathered them over as a rift opened and I gave the shotgun to a teenager. He fired a round. The entire town watched as white light exited his body and entered the weapon as he turned a few years older. He hobbled before he fell on his knees. I took the shotgun back and kept firing till the thing was dead. An elderly demanded an explanation. I explained that my psychic abilities allowed me to take energy from my surroundings into my body and use said energy to kill the thing. Which is why I am a guardian. They are unable to sense this energy so they are classified as mundane so they will have to sacrifice their very life or several years or their health if they want to use the appropriate weapons which have the ability to kill these things. I had eye witnesses mention me using this weapon previously. They mentioned Bubbly Belle was the one who used herself and lost a few years too. So they had to accept the proof that they can't use it. So no one would say I got this ability after the sealing ritual. A man walked out of the rift and the left half of his torso was all tentacles. He opened his mouth and a fork tongue came out as black liquid poured out. Everyone screamed in terror as I shot him twice and he disappeared.
The sheriff took his gun and fired at the next one. This one appeared human but was decaying. He walked very slowly. The bullet went through him. The hole sealed itself as it kept walking. The man threw a grenade and it didn't form a dent in the creature. It destroyed a tree and set a bush on fire. He exclaimed in terror that his weapons were blessed. Tiberius laughed as he explained these can only be defeated with thaumaturgic energy. Only psychics can sense. We channel it through our body and use it. He gave me the stringless bow. The sheriff asked Tiberius why he gave a useless weapon. As I moved my hand through everyone gasped as they saw a golden string appear completing the bow along with a fiery green arrow. The arrow lunged out and hit the target dead center. While the bullet did nothing. The arrow destroyed it completely. I asked them to stop trying to make things difficult and just live their life. I made sure to show with action that they can't take my place so they went back to their daily lives dejected.
Harkness came with a spring on her step. She explained that no one will challenge me again. I can continue my guardian duties without interference. I was sure they would come up with something. Tiberius smiled cruelly as he asked me if they would give me a hallucinogen to stop me from my occupation. I shrugged, "Why not." Mrs Erebus and Harkness went to work trying to figure out what trouble the townsfolk will cook up next. The next beast was half spider and half scorpion. I had to fire several shots before it was taken down. Afterwards I took the scorpions and spiders for a walk through the town. The locals stared in disdain but did nothing. Mom asked me if they turn into huge beasts and I smiled. The nearest one spread the stories like wildfire. I walked through the streets without incident. Tiberius had faith in the locals till he heard from Kage about someone's plan to poison me. Then he had to meditate to stop himself from changing to Dracula. He kept glitching. So were the others. They looked like they really wanted to inflict pain.
I walked up to the town square and gave everyone a piece of my mind. I told them that I will stay back and let the monster murder a few people before shooting them. It seems their way of saying thank you for saving their pathetic life was poisoning me. I reminded them that their natural reaction to these things is scream which means they are disqualified regardless. If they persist on the present course then I should find a way to evict them and replace them with people who are productive. Everyone apologized and went back to work. Tiberius stared at everyone with suspicion. He has stopped believing them completely. The sheriff came to sooth things over and saw his knuckles were white as his fists were clenched. Harkness quietly promised to listen to everyone's thoughts to make sure I am safe. She owes me a blood debt and she will replay me by sparing me her fate. The shadow figures were following each and everyone. The residents of the mansion still felt the locals might try to replace me with someone else. They assumed it would be someone they can manipulate. Someone would find a way to poison me.
Harkness was shrieking as she sent Obadiah to get a bezoar from the stomach of a Siberian Ibex that had a diet of only toxic plants. They even imported black apples from Nebraska and Nepal. Niedzwetzkyana apples that have red skin and identical red flesh. They even got Saperavi a Georgian variety of grape that is dark in color inside and out. I even saw a black Mamba, inland taipan, king Cobra, a puff adder and a coral snake. Blackwell came back from a trip to the middle east. He brought Ajwa dates, sumac, zatar, camel milk and musk. Atticus brought Himalayan Mad honey, pink salt, edible earth called multhani mitti and a lot of local herbs and roots. Tiberius went all over the world and came back with bags of red earth, black clay, mud from the dead sea, ghost pepper powder and fennel pollen. Mrs. Kol brought back Indonesian long pepper, a powdered cherry stone called Mahlab, Wattleseed, grain of paradise and Andaliman. Mrs. Erebus brought some Radhuni and went back through the portal. She came back with boxes of sap from different trees. The labels read birch, beech, black walnut, sycamore, ironwood, alder, boxelder, hickory and palm. She then went through the portal and came back with a bunch of mushrooms. Mr. Crane came with a crate of anacondas. Harkness went perfectly still before she gave everyone a curt nod and went through the portal. I am concerned about her contribution. I watched Mrs. Erebus mix an obscene amount of ingredients into an iron cauldron. She scooped out a tonne of glittering black powder. Tiberius walked to the other of the wall and sprinkled it until the entire property was given some sort of supernatural shield. I was taken upstairs and had to bathe in Niedzwetzkyana apples and milk.