Previously on Protector’s of Worlds:

Our hero, Calem Drewick, found himself in the middle of a massive junkyard but was soon attacked by these slime creatures coated with metal. Nearly on the verge of death, he was saved by a giant humanoid who calls himself “Starman”.

After rescuing him from the slime creatures, Starman takes him to a huge city that is inhabited by hovering robotic lifeforms. When Calem told Starman he was from the planet Earth, the giant replied that his apprentice was from Earth as well. With that, Calem then followed the star giant to meet his apprentice……..

Who is Starman’s apprentice? Let’s find out, shall we?.....

X

For miles, Calem has been following the giant, Starman, wondering about where he’s taking him. The two come to a stop as they both approach an enormous tower, which must’ve been around 1’000ft tall, overwhelming Calem by its sheer size.

“Whoa………” Calem said, astounded by the massive tower. The expression on his face was enough to make Starman chuckle. The massive door opens, allowing the two to enter. The door then starts moving up, taking them to the top.

“So…….is this where you and your apprentice live?” Calem asked.

“Indeed. It was a gift to me from the Rovernites, the hovering robots you saw earlier.” Starman said. “Though I tried to kindly tell them that I didn’t need it, they insisted on me having it, a “gift,” they said for me saving their lives. But when my apprentice arrived, the tower became useful.”

“So he lives here?” Calem asked.

“Most of the time. He stays in the tower but when disaster comes, that’s when I need his assistance.” Starman said as they finally reached the top. The door opens, revealing a big and fancy room with two couches and big windows.

“Is that you, boss?” A voice, which sounded male said from one of the nearby rooms.

“It is.” Starman replied to the voice. “I’ve brought a guest with me.”

“Really?” The voice said. “Who is it? Some Rovernite here to give us more gifts?”

“Not exactly, though he might interest you.” Starman said “He’s a visitor from another world, claims he’s from a planet called…….Earth.”

After Starman said that, the person didn’t utter a word after hearing of “Earth”. He quickly rushed out of the room as Calem got a good look at him.

He appeared to be a human male who was a bit taller than Calem with an athletic body and around 18 years of age with light brown skin, black spiky hair, silver eyes, a grey shirt with a boxing glove in the middle, khaki pants, orange shoes, and two red tear tattoos below his eyes.

What surprised Calem the most was that he recognized the person. It was someone he’s known for a very long time, an old friend from his planet. It was known other than……..Marcel Lamunci!

The two stood frozen in place, bewildered that they are facing their friends that they thought died during the massive attack. Both didn’t say a word until…...

“M-Marcel…….Lamunci?” Calem said, shocked.

“Y-You’re…….Calem Drewick, right?” Marcel said as he was shocked as well.

“Oh my god! Marcel!” Calem shouted with excitement as he lunged toward Marcel and hugs him while the two laughed with joy.

“Is it really you, dude?!” Marcel said with excitement.

“In the flesh.” Calem said which caused the two to laugh.

“I-I’m sorry to interrupt….” Starman said as he stepped, causing the two to let go of each other. “But you know him, Marcel?”

“Sure do, boss.” Marcel replied to Starman.” We’ve been friends ever since we were freshmen in high school.”

“High….school?” Starman asked.

“I’ll tell you about it later.” Marcel replied. “Right now, I think my friend here is tired.”

“Oh, you’re absolutely right.” Starman said before facing Calem. “Are you hungry?”

“I am.” Calem replied.

“Marcel, would you mind showing him to the kitchen?” Starman said to his apprentice.

“Sure thing, boss.” Marcel said as he leads Calem to the room he was just in. “Right this way. “ Marcel said as he allowed his friend to enter first.

As Calem entered, he noticed that the kitchen looked fancy, almost everything was shiny and clean, almost like it was from a rich house. Calem was amazed by this as he looked around the entire area, having Marcel and Starman be amused at him.

“Geez, look at him. Almost like he’s in a new world, huh?” Marcel said

“True, but have you forgotten? When the Rovernites were finished constructing it, you were just like him, in awe of how…...elegant it looked.” Starman said to him.

“Touche….” Marcel said, agreeing to what Starman said which made him chuckle and softly pat Marcel’s back.

“Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone. Get yourselves reacquainted with one another.” Starman said.

“Thanks, boss. Take care.” Marcel said as the two fist-bumped before Starman enters the elevator. With his big friend gone, Marcel turns to Calem who was sitting near the dining table.

“He seems like a nice guy, huh?” Calem said, referring to Starman.

“He’s more than that.” Marcel said as he looked through the cabinet. “He’s a protector, going from planet to planet, helping any civilization with any trouble like invasions, plague, famine, or war.”

Calem was astonished at this point. Not only by Starman alone but because of how he’s been helping multiple civilizations who’ve been going through tragedies.

“He’s a good soul who only just wants to help out others.” Marcel said as he pulled out an organic green ball from the cabinet. “I admire that……”

“How did you two come together?” Calem asked again.

“Well, the big guy saved my life from a scavenger attack.” Marcel replied.

“Scavenger?” Calem asked with confusion.

“The slime creatures the reside in the junkyards.” Marcel said, finally giving his friend the name of the slime monstrosities that almost killed him.

“What do you know about them?” Calem asked.

“Not much, but what Starman has told me, they have no natural weapons like teeth, claws, or toxins.” Marcel said as he went over to the stove with the ball in a pot. He turns it on and places the pot on one of the stovetops. “With no weapons, they started adding stuff like rocks and metals to their bodies for protection and much, much more.”

As Marcel was cooking, Calem couldn’t help but be worried about the next thing that’ll come out of Marcel’s mouth

“Eventually, they adapted to fuse with ships, allowing them to travel in space and to other worlds to invade them for materials to add to their bodies.” Marcel said as a popping sound could be heard from the pot. “This planet was the latest on their invasion. They destroyed just about everything, leaving this city as the last line of defense.”

“Good lord……….” Calem said as he now knows that the Rovernites are close to extinction.

Marcel then pours green popcorn-like food from the bowl into two separate bowls. He picks the two bowls up, walks over to Calem, and places one of the bowls in front of him.

“If it weren’t for me and Starman, the Rovernites would be long gone by now.” Marcel said as he starts eating. Calem was hesitant at first but after sniffing one, he ate it and thought it was pretty good so he started eating as well.

“So, I told you where I’ve been.” Marcel said. “Why don’t you tell me where you’ve been.”

After he was asked that, Calem stopped eating and swallowed the food that was in his mouth.

“Okay, but be prepared.” Calem said. “This one’s gonna be very long…….”

X

After long minutes of explaining, Calem told everything to Marcel: how he ended up on the dead planet, Arusatora, how he was saved by Arui’Kotamu and trained by her, how they both were attacked by these mechanical monsters and how Calem obtained his sword and armor.

After he was done, Marcel’s face was full of astonishment at the story that was just told by his friend.

“Wow……..!” Marcel said. “Just…….Wow!

“I know, right?” Calem said.

“That was…...interesting.” Marcel said. “Surviving against rabid animals, fighting giant robots, and to top it all off, you were saved and trained by a milf? Nice, dude.” Marcel said as he points his index fingers toward Calem.

“Well, yes and no.” Calem said, which confused Marcel.

“What the hell do you mean?” Marcel asked

“For starters, she was around 69 but she had the appearance of someone in their 20’s.” Calem said which confused Marcel, even more, causing him to scratch his head.

“H-How is that…..” Marcel tried to finish before Calem stopped him.

“Her species ages differently than ours.” Calem said.

“Oh…..” Marcel said. “Well, was she hot?”

“You could say that.” Calem said with a smile.

While he was finishing the rest of the green popcorn in his bowl, Marcel couldn’t help but stare at the gauntlet on Calem’s.

“So…...Where’d you get that thing?” Marcel asked, wanting to know about the gauntlet.

“Oh, this?” Calem said as he raised his arm with the gauntlet on it. “Found it at a yard sale.”

“And that’s what you used to fight against those robots, right?” Marcel said

“That’s correct.” Calem replied.

“Hmmm…..” Marcel uttered as he leaned back against his chair with his arms crossed.

“Why do you ask?” Calem asked.

“Come with me. I have to show you something.” Marcel said which caught Calem’s interest as the two leave the kitchen.

The two then enter Marcel’s room which appears fancy, and has one big window, a couple of drawers, and a big bed.

“Nice room.” Calem said.

“Thanks.” Marcel replied as he grabbed a box on top of one of the drawers and placed it on his bed.

“So, why’d you bring me in here?” Calem asked curiously.

“To show you……” Marcel stopped before opening the box and revealing what was inside. “These!”

As soon as Calem saw what was inside, he slowly backed away with a frightened look on his face. What was inside the box was……..two gauntlets! They appear to be smaller than Calem’s, being only able to fit the hands, and had a yellow and orange color scheme to them.

“S-So…….This is what you use to fight the scavengers?” Calem said, scared.

“Sure is.” Marcel said. “Just like yours, these things grant me a weapon, armor, and even powers.”

“W-W-Where…….did you get it?” Calem said as he stuttered.”

“Oh, I got them about a few months ago.” Marcel said. “Came at a good time too, because I’ve been able to help the big…….”

Before he could finish, Calem then forcefully turned Marcel towards him. This shocked him as he noticed the scared and frightful face Calem was wearing now.

“The gauntlets! Where did you get them!?” Calem yelled out.

“D-Dude, chill out! You’re freaking me out!” Marcel said as he was scared by Calem’s change of tone.

“Where!?! Where did you find them?!” Calem shouted louder, causing Marcel to be even more scared of him.

“My basement!” Marcel said, causing Calem to let go of him and back away.

“Where?” Calem said more calmly.

“M-My…….basement.” Marcel said before he started explaining how he found the two gauntlets.

X

Back in their world before the disaster, Marcel was helping his dad fix the car’s engine. He was then called in by his mother to help her bring supplies up for Easter. He agreed and helped her get boxes from the basement to the living room.

As he was about to pick up the last box, he pressed his hand against the wall, accidentally opening a secret door. He peaked inside, curious to see what kind of stuff he would find until his mother called him back up. He quickly closed the door and went back upstairs.

After a few days have passed since he found the secret door, he went back down again after his parents left for the groceries. He felt the wall around a bit, trying to find that secret button until he did, opening the door. He reached in and pulled out a red box covered in dust with an old rusty padlock keeping it shut. He brought it upstairs and used his father’s bolt cutter to cut the lock’s shackle, allowing him to open the box and find………..

X

“And that’s how I came into the possession of these two.” Marcel said, finishing his story. After hearing that, Calem then calmed down before sitting on the bed.

“Did……….you see anything on the box that looked like a warning?” Calem asked.

“N-No, there was nothing on the box, except dust.” Marcel said.

“Well, did you experience anything…...strange when you put them on?” Calem asked yet again.

“As a matter of fact…..I did.” Marcel said.“When I put them on……..nothing happened for a few moments but then the gauntlets started to glow and release some kind of light. When the light died down, I-I found myself in what appeared to be……….”

“A battlefield?” Calem said as Marcel stopped and turned slowly towards him with wide eyes.

“Y-Yes…..” Marcel said.

“Where the combatants were these people wearing armor and giant mechanical monsters?” Calem said

“Yes, yes…..” Marcel said as he was scared by what Calem had just said: it was almost like he knew what he had just experienced.

“And then you were sent to another, only this one had three good warriors fighting against a dark one?” Calem said one final time.

“Holy mother of shit……….Yes!!” Marcel shouted out before grabbing Calem by his shoulders. “B-but how do you know?!”

“Because………” Calem stopped before raising his left arm up, showing the gauntlet “....I witnessed the same exact thing when I put this thing on.”

Marcel just couldn’t make sense of any of this: the two gauntlets showing him strange visions and his best friend experiencing the same thing. He was confused at this point…..

“Calem……..What does all this mean?” Marcel said, wanting to know what was going on.

“I have a lot to tell you, but………..you’re not going to like it.” Calem said.

X

These 10 minutes were……...hard and difficult for Calem as he just told Marcel everything he knows: about how he heard the warning from the old man, how there were three seals holding a great evil away, and how he ignored the warning and put the gauntlet on anyway.

After he was done, Marcel was in a sad state. He was crying and sniffing a lot, he was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head down and his hands grabbing his hair. Calem sat next to him with a regretful and despaired look on his face.

“T-This….can’t be….” Marcel said as numerous tears streamed from his eyes. “Y-You…(sniff)......serious about this?…”

“I’m….afraid so, Marcel.” Calem said.

“T-Then, I…….oh, my……” Marcel said as he wiped the tears from his face. “My parents…..my friends…….(sniff).....all of them are dead…...because of me.” Marcel said before he started sobbing as Calem starts rubbing his back, trying to comfort his friend.

“The fault………..is not your’s alone.” Calem said. “If I just heed the warning the old man gave me, everything would’ve stayed the same……….I’m sorry.”

With everything he’s heard, Marcel’s sobbing and sniffing were starting to subside and he started to calm down but he didn’t talk: he just sat there silent.

“M-Marcel?” Calem said, worried about his friend’s sudden silence.

“Could you…….please leave my room?” Marcel said with a stiff tone to it.

“Wh-Wha…….?” Calem said

“Please! Just…….!” Marcel yelled with aggression, scaring his friend for a bit but stopped when he covered his face with his hand. “I……..I just need some time alone.”

“....O-Okay……” Calem said as he respected his friend’s wishes and left the door, closing the door behind him.

Filled with guilt after telling Marcel everything, Calem lies down on the couch with his arms over his head. He wondered about how Marcel might despise him for the rest of his life. The thought stuck with him the entire night as he decided to get some rest, hoping tomorrow might be better…………

What will happen next?! Will Marcel still hate Calem or will he forgive him? Find out next time!!