The Secret In The Light

Nefarious Accomplices

Illustra's P.O.V.

It had been seven months.

Seven months since the last time she had been in contact with any person other than herself and the wilderness around her. She was grateful for the company the animals provided her with and did not mourn the loss of her peers, only those she used to protect. But she could no longer think of the days from before, if she were to dwell on it she would be forced to address the questions that had plagued her mind the first few days of her solace. No, she would rather leave the whole of it in the past. Including the King.

It had not taken her long to build her small hut. It was not shabby, but it was not what one might expect for an angel either. She did not mind, it was worlds better than Purgatory, and it was what she needed.

Although she did not need to eat, because she was not bound by the limitations of the human race, on occasion she had chosen to eat before; however since The Departure, she had not eaten anything besides a vegetable or two from the garden she kept for pleasure. She rather liked having the animals as her friends and did not warm to the idea of killing one for sustenance she did not need.

She was watering her small garden that morning, and daydreaming about the nearby lake, and the fawns she had seen standing by it the previous afternoon. She considered sketching the picturesque moment, and tried not to regard her thoughts as a simple distraction from other, not-so-pleasant ones.

She set down the watering pot, and noticed a small rose, not quite wilted, but not quite thriving either, and frowned. Everything in her garden bloomed, in every season; she made sure of that.

She reached towards it and gently enveloped the bud of the flower in her outstretched palm. She watched as the flower grew in massive vibrance and volume. She allowed a small smile to stretch her features and relished in the feel of it as she entered her small, humble home.

"So this is where you've been hiding."

In an instant she had released her magic through her abdomen up to her arm and through her hand into the direction of the entity to her left. She watched as the man flew into her stone fireplace.

Caliginous's face tilted upward away from his scorched torso with a shocked expression.

"I was wrong.." he uttered, his tone awed. "That is what you've been hiding, my little flame."

Illustra stood tall. "I am neither hiding myself, nor my abilities. I am a Guardian, I have been trained."

"You must realize that no amount of training of any ordinary Guardian could have conceived that, don't you?"

She did not reply.

His face slid into an amused smirk and he sat up slowly, but stayed seated in her fireplace. She briefly regretted not having lit it before she stepped out.

"You are a very hard Guardian to find my dear."

She did not react, though she could feel the beginnings of dread creep up her insides.

"I looked all over the Promised Land, mind you. That it is not so easy to do when you are attempting stealth while simultaneously being the only entity in the realms that is strictly forbidden for all eternity." Her back went immediately rigid at his words and she fought back the urge to hit him again, this time with her bare hands.

He flicked his hand in the air with a dismissive wave before resting his elbow on his knee and propping his chin against his palm. "Worry not little flame, I hurt no one, remarkably." His bored expression showed a spark of tension for a moment as he continued. "I simply hunted for you. And hunted, and hunted, and hunted. And what did I find, you ask?" She had not.