Guardian Of Ancient Wood

Chapter 44

As Furie bid farewell to Ash, expressing her gratitude with a warm hug, she embarked on her journey back through the portals to Leaf's home. The transitions between realms were seamless, and Furie moved with the familiarity of someone who had spent enough time traversing the Guardian worlds.

However, as she traveled and attempted to contact Leaf through their telepathic link, there was an unsettling silence. No response came from Leaf, and Furie's worry began to intensify with each passing moment. Something didn't feel right, and her concern grew stronger as she approached the final portal leading to Woodland. With a sense of urgency, Furie decided to send a message sphere to Leaf, just to be sure. She crafted the sphere with her water magic, imbuing it with the urgency of her thoughts and worry. The sphere hovered in the air for a moment before shooting off towards Leaf's location.

Returning to Leaf's cabin, Furie found it eerily quiet. She waited anxiously, hoping for Leaf's reassuring presence to fill the silence. The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed louder than usual, accentuating the stillness that surrounded her. Furie couldn't shake the feeling that something might have happened to Leaf, when an idea comes to her mind.

Furie's idea is to follow her own message spheres in order to find Leaf. It was an ingenious attempt to locate her Earth Guardian. She focused her magic on creating a series of spheres, each carrying a part of her thoughts and worry for Leaf. However, her excitement turned into a bit of a chase. The first message sphere soared off so quickly that Furie could barely keep up. It led her a fair distance within Woodland, but not close enough to find Leaf. Determined, Furie continued sending more spheres, each carrying a piece of her concern. As the spheres multiplied, Furie followed the trail they created through the Guardian realms. She entered Skyland as one of her messages found its way into a cloud building. Furie, intent on reaching Leaf, was on the brink of entering the structure when a receptionist-like figure appeared, cloud-like and ethereal.

The cloud being held up an airy hand, signaling Furie to stop. "No further without permission," the being declared, its voice echoing softly like the wind through the clouds. Furie halted, uncertain about what awaited her within the celestial structure.

The room where Furie found herself was overwhelmingly white, almost too bright for her eyes to adjust. Everything seemed pristine and ethereal, giving an otherworldly feel to the surroundings. Furie's focus shifted to the cloud-like figure in front of her. She could barely discern any features; the being appeared almost transparent, as if made of mist or delicate clouds. "Who are you looking for?" he inquired, prompting Furie to respond with Leaf's name and an offer to provide a physical description. She quickly voiced her intent, stating that she was looking for someone named Leaf, an Earth Guardian. The cloud man regarded her with a measured gaze, his features inscrutable.

The cloud man, seemingly unfazed, floated to a desk, examining some inscrutable records. After a brief pause, he disclosed Leaf's presence but added a disconcerting detail—Leaf was unconscious. Furie's expression shifted from surprise to fear. "Unconscious? What happened? Where is he exactly? I need to see him," she urged, determination in her voice. She tried to force her way past the cloud figure, but he moved swiftly, blocking her path with an unseen force. The ethereal guardian seemed determined to prevent Furie from proceeding any further.

Furie's body language underwent a noticeable shift, reflecting the surge of anger and determination within her. Her muscles tensed, and her posture became more assertive. The cloud man, seemingly unaffected by the physical world, remained in her path, unaware of the brewing storm in Furie's eyes. Facing the ethereal obstacle, Furie's tone turned resolute and somewhat threatening. "It's either you move, or I make you move, cloud man." Her words, laden with anger, conveyed a clear message that she was ready to take whatever action necessary to reach Leaf.

The cloud man, caught off guard by the sudden intensity in Furie's demeanor, registered a hint of surprise. Furie's vivid blue eyes, normally calm and reflective of her water element, were now ablaze with determination and fury, promising a storm of emotions that could not be easily quelled.

Suddenly, a voice emerged from behind the ethereal man, addressing him as "Let her come in, Steam." As he turned, a figure came into view – an Earth Guardian woman with striking green eyes reminiscent of Leaf's. Despite her small stature, her presence exuded calm and reassurance. She smiled softly at Furie, a gesture that seemed to carry both understanding and warmth. Steam, the cloud man, appeared disgruntled and was about to voice his protest, but the Earth Guardian woman intervened before he could utter a word. "I got it. Everything is fine" she said. The cloud man, still wearing an air of displeasure, begrudgingly stepped aside, allowing Furie to approach the green-eyed woman.

With a gentle beckoning motion, the Earth Guardian woman invited Furie to follow her. "Come with me, Furie. I'll show you where he is." Despite the tension in the air, the woman's soft smile remained, offering a sense of comfort amidst the unfolding uncertainty. Furie, still determined, walked towards her, ready to confront whatever awaited her and Leaf. Steam lingered, observing the unfolding scene with an air of reluctance.