Guardian of Elements

Chapter 31 - New beginning

Kate's glow disappeared. The earth holding Tawarthion let go, setting him free. She continued, but in her normal voice again.

"Besides, not everything is lost. I've seen ents running around when we were flying. They've survived. And I bet that those little tenders are out there too."

"You... you're right. I can still feel my connection to them. Those animals, they were created by tenders, but it was me who had created them and the ents. But now that the Fountain is gone, there's no use for them." He was recovering. His gem wasn't black anymore, it was returning to green. Kate was calm again, too. She turned around and looked at the empty diamond lake.

"Hm, maybe it doesn't have to. Your power hasn't vanished. I saw it being sucked into the ground. It merely returned into your domain, as it is in every other. We just have to find a way to get it back here."

"You're right, again. I was so used to drawing it from here that I didn't think of trying it the old way. But it isn't tangible, so how do you want to make it flow here? That mineral on the sides, it's pure crystallized power. It won't let it in or out. It's unfortunate I had to use so much of it in the last days and you used the rest to resurrect me."

"Then how have you created it in the first place?"

"Back then, there wasn't that crystal. It formed itself to prevent the power from flowing back into the ground."

Kate got an idea.

"So, you're saying that if it wasn't there, your power might flow back here. And you also said it's a mineral, so like earth. I got this."

She positioned herself on the shore and she tore out a small chunk of the quartz. It took several seconds, but then, a small stream of white liquid began to pour down from the hole.

"You've done it! I could never think of something like that, much less do it. You are truly a daughter of your mother." He was amazed once again, how that little kitty he left had grown so much in so little time.

Kate was happy about it too. It seemed like every experiment she had done this day worked. She created several more holes, so that the white liquid power could flow in faster, and carefully stored the chunks of pure crystal next to her to plug those holes later.

Tawarthion was staring into the sunset. He knew what he needed to say, but he couldn't find words or phrases to express it.

"Kate, I... I don't think an apology is enough to make up for what I did. You helped me, you saved my life... and yet I attacked you, my friend, my goddaughter, my fellow Guardian. There's no excuse for that. I'm no Guardian if I was capable of something like that."

She looked at him. Those weren't eyes of hatred, of disgust. Only those of a friend.

"You are. You've raised me, you've always been there when I needed you. I don't know who my real father is, but for me, it's been always you. I could never hate you, much less in your situation. You've lost almost everything. I can't imagine how I would feel in your situation. You've always guided me and now it was only fair of me to repay you that."

He looked back at her.

"I... thank you. For everything."

*

Heavy stomps could be heard in the distance again. Kate could feel the ground shaking, as several ents were approaching. One by one, seven of them entered the meadow. They weren't same in size or proportions, nor in the wood type they were made of. The two Guardians in front of them looked like tiny mice, compared to their size. Tawarthion apparently told them something and they went to the lake and formed a wide protective circle around it.