Guardian of Elements

Chapter 52 - Guardian of Hearts

Kate expected something unknown again. But inside, there was nothing. All possible floors had fallen down, making the sky visible and creating some rubble on the floor. Most of it had been probably carried away by humans, but there were many stones and planks lying around. Half of the northern wall was gone, and salty air was blowing in. Kate went to the edge and looked down. There was a deep fall all the way to the ocean below which was spreading far to the horizon. She shivered because of the height and backed off.

"There," hissed Tawarthion, nodding to the right. There was a smaller doorway, leading to the tower. He came to Kate's side. "Are you ready?"

Kate took a deep breath.

"As much as I can ever be." She went to the door and entered the tower, followed by others.

The tower was about ten meters high. Just like in the previous room, there was no roof and both northern and southern parts of it had collapsed. The floor was made of the same round blue stones as the walls, giving it even darker look. And there, looking far to the distance through the gap, the Guardian of Hearts was standing.

She looked exactly like the fox that Kate remembered from Andúril's memory. She was the same size as herself. Her fur was as dark red as it was possible without becoming black, her formerly white belly and the tip of her tail were dark gray. Her once red markings in shapes of circles were now pitch black, being almost invisible. The only part of her that had retained its former color was her brown collar.

"I've been expecting you." Her voice was neither deep nor high, emotionless. It was a plain statement.

"Raya..." Tawarthion whispered.

"I saw you coming. Nice work with the wall, Morcion."

She turned around to face them. Her gem was black as darkness itself, and her eyes, in the color of blood, landed on the Guardian of Elements.

"So, we finally meet in person... again."

Kate was just standing there, looking at her enemy. She remembered the vision of the Shard of Time. It was exactly like that.

Raya continued.

"Or aren't you Andúril after all? You are just like..."

She wasn't allowed to finish. Morcion leapt forward faster than seemed possible and knocked her to the ground. Although he couldn't use his powers against her, his own weight was more than enough to pin her down.

"Give me a single reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." His deep voice, filled with anger, was resonating through the broken tower.

"My, my, let's not be hasty, my friend." Raya's voice on the other hand wasn't showing a single trace of fear.

"Morcion, let her go," said Kate in a similar tone. "Let her go, I want to speak with her."

Morcion hesitated for a moment, but then released Raya from his grip and returned to the others. Raya stood up and shuddered.

"I stand corrected," she said, unshaken by the unexpected event. "You can't be Andúril. Andúril wouldn't hesitate to let him kill me."

"Then you mean a different Andúril than I know," replied Kate in an icy tone.

There was a moment of silence. Raya glanced over each Guardian quickly, as if she was considering her options. Then, her gaze returned to Kate.

"You said you want to speak with me," she said finally.

"I do indeed," said Kate firmly and began walking towards her.

"After nearly four years of life in the world that you changed, in the world that I've grown in without parents thanks to you, in the world that lies on the edge of crumbling because of you, I need to ask you something." She stood face to face with her.