Guardian of Elements

Chapter 33 - Great discovery

Kate remembered the story about the creation of the world that Verilion told her.

"So, the Crystal was located here?"

"I believe that's correct. But I would never imagine that it was in my domain."

"Well, it had to be in someone's..."

Kate was shivering. She was nervous, but the power of this place was making her feel like they were disturbing something ancient that had been dormant here since the very beginning.

"So, what do you think we can find here, that will help us stop Raya?" she asked when she found her breath again.

"I don't know. The best shot we have is to continue to the top of this island." He wasn't feeling very helpful, but he knew that it was probably the only thing they could do.

When they reached the top, Kate illuminated it with several other flame orbs, but there wasn't anything but ashy sand and rock spires. They were searching around for a while, but there was really nothing of interest.

"Maybe Verilion was wrong after all..." the Guardian of Nature expressed his doubts.

"No, this place is connected to all of us. Maybe he meant that we could use the residual power here to cleanse Raya's... Ouch!" Her flame shimmered as she tripped over when her leg got stuck in a small hole in the ground.

"Whoa, are you all right?" Tawarthion asked.

"Yes, I just didn't see that coming." She stood up again. "Be careful, there may be more of... huh?" She looked into the hole.

"What is it?"

"There's something at the bottom." She could see pale light down in the hole, but it was very deep. She concentrated on the bottom and ordered it to rise. When the chunk rose to the surface, it revealed a small beige crystal, radiating just like the Guardians' ones.

Both Guardians were standing frozen, staring at the magical stone. Kate was trying to speak, but her mouth was moving soundlessly.

"Whaaa...?" she got out of herself.

"What... what could this mean?" Tawarthion was equally confused. "That there should be an eighth Guardian? And of what?"

"And why is this Shard even here? Haven't you told me that you've all been chosen by your Shards? So why is this one lying here?" There were too many questions and only theories for answers.

"Maybe it was pushed so deep into the ground by the explosion that it couldn't get out, I have no idea..."

They couldn't get their eyes off the gem. This could change everything. A new Guardian could rise... But who would that be or how could they make the Shard choose someone?

"So... what should we do with it?" Kate asked the most relevant question.

"I don't know, if it didn't choose its Guardian, there is probably not much we can do."

"Well, this was Verilion's idea. Let's take it to him, he'll think of something." And she reached for the gem.

"Wait Kate, no! Don't touch it!!!"

The next thing Kate could remember was a bright flash, and then herself, flying backwards into the lake. Immense force pushed her off the island, passing the distance of fifty meters in mere four seconds. But what were several seconds for Tawarthion, for her were minutes, hours. Her mind was overflowing with images she could and could not understand. She could see a big white gem, radiating with power, while mountains were rising around it and trees were appearing in valleys. She saw an image of the seven Guardians, creating their meeting place. She could see Andúril helping Verilion to create his maze. But there were also visions like Raya's domain, blossoming meadows with cherry trees, but they were withering, dying, replaced by hollow trunks and dark brown twisted tendrils with thorns. And at the center of them all, she saw herself: Her birth, her childhood with Tawarthion, her adventures in Lerinth's forest, her capture and reunion with her godfather, them entering the cave, a human girl, sitting alone in a forest, herself, helping Morcion fend off an attack of humans and finally, herself, standing face to face with the Guardian of Hearts. Herself: the case, the reason, the solution.

"Kate!! Kate, wake up!!"

Kate was lying on the dusty shore again, wet and exhausted. She opened her eyes and saw Tawarthion bending over her.

"Ah, not again..." was the first thing she could think of. Did she really had to mess up in every place she would go to?

She stood up and hit her head on one of some roots that were above her.

"Oh, sorry. I had to pull them there all the way from the cavern above to get you out of the water. It was no easy task, given the fact that you're a Guardian. Are you all right?" His voice was shaking.

"Yes, I think I am..." She was confused, and her mind was drifting away.

"Kate, Shards' powers repulse each other, I'd think that the others have told you that already. When Verilion attempted to touch Andúril's Shard once, he got pushed into a tree and he was unconscious for two days, we had to carry him to his home on our backs!"

He calmed down a bit. "What happened?"

"I... I think that is the Shard of Time. I've seen visions of past and even of future, I think." She was still trying to sort out those images that were still swirling in her head.

"The Shard of Time? What does that mean? Could we... use it somehow to bring back Raya?"

"I doubt that. Even if it had its Guardian, his or her power would have no effect on Raya, you know that."

Tawarthion was trying to think of something, but this situation was too complex. What they had just discovered was surpassing what he had thought he knew about the world.

Kate interrupted his line of thoughts.

"So... what now?" she asked.

"Now..."

He finally came to a conclusion.

"We need to get out of here. I will carry out this news to Verilion. If there's anyone who will know what to do, it's him. And meanwhile, you must continue onwards. Eriana's domain is to the north. The border isn't far, go there and find out what she discovered. If it is as important as this, we might have a chance to finally push the corrupted humans from our realms."

"I agree," said Kate. "So now to the first part, getting to the surface."

"Well, I can carry myself up using those vines, but I don't know about you, it was next to impossible for me just to bring you to the shore."

"Don't worry about me," smiled Kate and she created her hovering platform from hardened sand, just like when she was carrying Tawarthion to the Fountain. He was staring at her for a moment, and then made the roots, that were still hanging above them, entangle themselves around his body and firmly grab him. They lifted him and began retracting, carrying him through the darkness back into the tunnel, followed by Kate. They both let go of their powers as soon as they were through the hole and climbed out of the cave. Daylight blinded them for a second.

"Fresh air, finally!" Kate could breathe again. "Now, let's go!"

"Give me a second." He turned back to the cave and made dense foliage grow around it. Bushes and plants covered the entrance.

"We can't risk anything. The remaining humans could find it."

"Are you sure you want to leave now, when they are still around?"

"I have no choice. The Guardian of Wisdom must know about this. The ents should be able to take care of it. This time, I'm sure they will know their enemy."

He looked at Kate.

"You know what this is, right?"

"I know what this isn't: a farewell. We will see each other soon enough," she smiled.

"You're right. So, I'll say just: Take care of yourself."

"See you. And Tawarthion?"

"Yes?"

"No need to disappear in foliage this time."