Lisa's Odyssey: Lisa And The Lost Guardians

The counsel

Look.
Look.
Look.
In the dark, questions don’t come, you have to go get them.
Listen.
Listen.
Listen.
In the dark, answers don’t appear, you have to accept them.
C.R. Williams

Chapter 2

Fifteen years later

The long journey with Victor thus far has allowed Lisa to open doors she had long forgotten  even existed.
Perhaps the keys went missing on purpose. Who knows. Indeed, who knows the secrets our childhood holds. Or better yet, the answers they give to grown up questions.
It was all in due time too. Lisa almost excused this world for its flaws made for the sake of ‘ it is what it is’.
And lest not forget this world is a cruel, cruel one.
Remembering the first time she met the seven hounds of Virtus opened another set of doors Lisa never knew were possible. 
It wasn’t long after the very first time they visited on that fateful evening when everything changed.
For the first time ever, Lisa felt worthy of being who she is, but that didn’t last very long.
About a month after Lisa met the seven hounds of Virtus, Lisa suffered a great illness. This is when she started having rather strange visions and dreams. Nightmares like no child her age should ever experience. It is within one of these dreams that she learnt about the war.
The gnomes not only found a way in, but was also in allegiance to a much larger and stronger organisation called the Dark Knight
A war like no one has ever seen broke out in Anima and she never saw Louise and the gang again. Neither the seven hounds of Virtus.
Personally Lisa has never been to Anima, but if the nightmares gave any inclination, the war was as ruthless and as true to its nature as only a war can be.
After that, silence. Nothing was the same again. Life for Lisa was harder than it had ever been before. That is until Victor arrived.
It was within her twenty fourth year that Victor suddenly appeared out of the blue one day. Lisa hasn’t seen a being from the real world in so many years and huge was her surprise when she learnt that he too was from Pulchra-anima.
The giant, gentle, very wise horse with his eyes like that of the sky on a sunny day, arrived at a time when loneliness roamed the earth, and kindness from others were nothing more than a distant memory.
Lisa has asked Victor many a time before if he knows anything about what could have possibly happened to the seven hounds or Louise and the gang, but all he has ever told her was that those who did survive the war, was taken as hostages.
Until today.
Lisa has no idea what exactly is going on, but all she does know is that there is news from Pulchra-anima.

" This is how far I go. "

Victor’s voice brings her back to the present moment.

" The rest of the journey you need to take alone, but do not be afraid for I will be with you the entire time. Even if you cannot see me. "

Lisa knows  that she can always trust Victor, but hearing these words makes her feel some kind of way and she doesn’t particularly like it.

" If you turn around and look through those trees you will see the mouth of a cave. "
After shaking the uneasiness and readjusting her eyes to the shadows of the branches hanging from the cliff, Lisa finds the cave.

" There is someone waiting for you. Do not be afraid. "

There’s that word again.

" Not even once. Everybody you meet today is assigned to assist you in finding and saving Anima. They love and care for you as I do. No harm will come to you. "

Lisa hesitantly turns away from Victor and starts to walk towards the cave.  She doesn’t particularly trust anyone other than Victor. Not after everything that happened.
After just a few minutes she reach the branches growing from the mountain partially covering the mouth of the cave. With great caution she then follows the narrow footpath, now visible, leading into the cave. Stepping into the darkness, she feels a sudden chill running down her body. Instinctively, she wraps her arms around her chest, attempting to shield herself from what feels like arctic temperatures.