Rise Of The Guardians: The Celestial Awakening

Chapter V

"Now that you know, this is my life. I won't be told what's supposed to be right." – Kelly Clarkson, Catch My Breath

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Such warmth. I could feel it tingle against my face from a source I can't wrap my head around with something soft and comforting overtop of me. Then there's a smell of sweet brown sugar and...and eggnog?

My vision at first blurry, I could only make out the colors red, orange and yellow flickering. I blinked several times before everything became clear. A grand fire place a few feet away from me waved its large flames, and a thick blanket that was as soft as a kitten laid over me. I shakily stood up, as I took in my surroundings. Where to start, the huge open space, four tall pillars supporting the ceiling with red flags hanging down. Book shelves trailed along the walls, with interior balconies overlooking the entire place. But what really caught my attention was the globe located in center of the entire rich, Russian architectural building. This globe had to be ten times bigger, possibly even bigger than the one at the planetarium, it even had dots of lights scatter all over.

"Wow..." I exhaled the breath I had been holding in and 'wow' seemed to be the only word to describe the place.

Then there it was again, moonlight blinding me for a moment and I looked up into the open ceiling, again like how the planetarium was.

I sighed with relief. "I'm glad you're here."

As I hear the moon speak to me, there was jingling coming from behind me but I paid no attention to it, until I felt something hit the back of my leg. When I examined what it was, at first I thought it was just a hat but then I noticed the pointy ears, feet, hands and face with large orange eyes. It stared back at me, as I slowly processed what it could be, but I had no idea. I screamed and as if it were a soccer ball I kicked it away and knocked it right into the pillar. I backed up against the railing and watched it as it unsteadily got up, shaking its head making the bell at the tip of its head jingle. It walked unevenly and fell over once more. Guilt made a knot in my stomach and I rushed to the little thing.

"Awe, I'm sorry. Here." I kneeled down and put the little thing back up on its feet again. "There you go."

It backed up startled like I was going to kick it again.

"Hey, it's okay. I promise I won't kick you again."

It just stood there and looked at me. That's when I noticed there were more than just one and they were all hiding behind the pillars, poking their little heads out.

I quickly started backing away as they came out of their hiding spots. "Um, o-okay, d-don't come any closer." A stumbled my words.

Continuing to back up, right as I spun around a hairy large beast carrying a drink tray blocked my path and made some weird noise, like it was trying to communicate. But I didn't care because without any hesitancy I kicked the tray out of its hands and high into the air as I gave a shriek. I fell back and crawled with my elbows and feet, while staring at the distressed beast as he gestures his hands at the tray while shouting his weird language at me. The little hat things continued to stare at me moving closer. As they all say when something strange happens and you can't understand as to what's going on, if this is a dream I would like to wake up now.

I couldn't back up any farther, if I did I'd be no match for the fireplace. "S-stop, get away from me." Clearly sticking my hand out in front of them to stop wasn't helping at all.

A booming Russian voice echoes through the room, quieting the beast and stopping the little hats with legs from coming any closer. "Ah, good! She's awake." A big man, with a white beard and blue eyes rubbed his hands together in excitement. He wore a red long sleeve shirt that was tucked into a pair of baggy blue trousers, hiked up pretty high and worn out black boots.