The sun cast a low glow upon a large castle as it fell. The castle illuminated in the fading light as the stones itself pulsed with low, humming power.
A young woman entered the large gates, a woolen cloak on her shoulders as she cradled a satchel on her side. She moved forward, keeping an even pace despite the restriction of the clothing she wore. Her simple blue dress was lined with patches and tears. The young woman's hair was as golden as straw in a simple braid along her shoulder, the light from the setting sun giving it a soft, golden glow. Her eyes stared straight ahead with conviction, her steps conveying her purpose.
Her soft and worn shoes created a slight tapping sound with every step she took towards the castle.
As she walked forward, the light from the sun began to fade but the woman gave no glance to it. She brushed a strand of hair from her face as she reached the internal parts of the looming castle. She bit her lip, attempting to conceal the concerns inside of her.
The light of the sun began to fade, darkening the castle and casting shadows along the courts she stepped into. The young woman pulled out a long, sleek piece of wood from her satchel and made a quick motion with it. The end of the sleek wood began to glow, becoming brighter the darker the hallways she entered were.
She turned a hallway and eyed the portraits around her. They were moving, one of a man asleep in a chair, a loud snore filling the hallway. Another of a young woman posing for a painting, waving her Victorian-style fan in a coy fashion. The young woman raised her hand higher, letting the light reach the higher portraits. There was a painting of an older man with a long, grey beard in a rocking chair. From the painting, he looked crossly at the girl.
"Put that light down, girl!" He grumbled. The young woman lowered her wand, an apologetic look on her face.
She continued down the hallways, the only light from the illuminated piece of wood in her hand. She turned around a corner and halted when she saw her destination.
Giving a silent breath of relief, she pointed her piece of wood at the door and tapped on it three times. With a loud groan, the heavy wooden door in front of her began to open slowly. The room inside was not dark but lit with candles and lanterns, casting a small glow to where she stood. Lowering her hand and making a slight jerking movement, the light from her wand diminished. The young woman moved forward, keeping her head high as she took in the sights of the large room.
At the top of the room, underneath a large tapestry with a snake, raven, badger, and lion on it, Four thrones sat. At the very end on a beautiful throne decorated in Bronze and Sapphires, a gorgeous woman sat. Her eyes were as blue as the sapphires in her chair and her raven hair curled around her shoulder delicately with a small diadem on her head.
The young woman fell to her knees before the powerful people, waiting for their judgment.
The young woman suppressed a shiver as the blue woman's magic circled around her. Inquisitive, and more intelligent than the young woman knew she would ever be, she waited until the magic left her, having found what she needed.
The chair to the right of the woman in blue was a throne made of Silver and Emerald. A man sat upon the throne, both his eyes and hair as dark as his look. The man was not curious as the woman had been, nor was his magic as it swirled towards her. It was judging, determining her worth.
She shivered from the cold feeling of his magic until it receded. His magic was certainly darker than the woman's had been.
The third throne beside the man in green was grander than the two beside him. It had been carefully created using gold and bright rubies.
The man in the chair, with long golden hair that resembled a lion, and darker green eyes, was more open than the others had been. There was no hesitation as his magic washed over her, suffocating her as it determined if she was a threat.
After a long moment, the young woman could breathe, his magic receding.
The last chair was much less grand than the others but no less beautiful, adorned with sparkling diamonds and onyx.
A woman sat in the throne with a much easier and kinder look to her, her hair a bright gold wrapped in a braid upon her head. The woman's magic flowed over her with more patience and consideration than the other. It lasted only a second, before giving her a feeling of encouragement and pulling back.
The young woman bowed her head respectfully in front of the four, waiting for a command.
"Rise, child." The woman in blue's voice washed over her and the young woman rose her head, standing before the four royals. "You requested to be in our presence. Of what matter of importance have you come to us for?"
The young woman kept her eyes on the throne of sapphires but dared not to look into the eyes of the woman on the said throne. "My Lady," she started, "I have been plagued by a vision for a fortnight. It has been evading my understanding until recently. The vision brings with it, a prophecy."
"Prophecies are daily, girl. What makes this one so special?" The man in green sneered down at her and she couldn't stop her flinch from his venom.
The woman in gold leveled a look at him. " Kassandra has shown great promise in the Art of Seeing, more than any of the Elder House of Alesius before her." She leveled her kind gaze onto the young trembling girl. "What has been troubling you, young one?"
"The vision came before me with flames and destruction, our world burning before my very eyes. I was not sure what it was I had been seeing until the prophecy became clear. This is when the guardian, Elysia appeared before me," She told them.
She could sense the wariness as her words reached the four royals. Their magic tasted of their unease and she could barely breathe.
"The Guardians have been silent for more than a millennia. Why show themselves to you now?" the man in green murmured, his venom causing the young woman to flinch.
"What did the guardian tell you, child?" The woman in blue leaned forward, her own curiosity showing on her pale face.
"My lady," Kassandra said, "The Guardians gave me a warning that fourteen would be born with incredible powers. Their powers will be so great that they will destroy the world or rewrite it completely."
If their magic wasn't uneasy before, it certainly was now as Kassandra was nearly choked by the heavy concern swirling in the air.
"She told me that their powers can only be unlocked through fourteen stones. She led me to the location of the stones and told me that if the stones would fall into the wrong hands, it would lead to disaster." Kassandra bowed her head, her hands shaking.
"You wish for us to protect the stones, then? That is why you are before us." The woman in blue asked, an inquisitive look upon her face.
"Yes, My Lady." Kassandra kept her head to the floor as the four royals considered her proposition.
"Let us see the stones, child." The woman in yellow told her. Kassandra nodded once and opened the brown satchel on her side, pulling out a long black box and presenting it to the woman in blue.
The blue woman took the box from the girl, gently, prodding it and turning it in her hands before opening it the soft lid. Inside, She could see fourteen gleaming gemstones, each of a different color. She frowned, sensing the muted powers coming from the stone. There was more power coming from the enchantments on the box than the stones themselves.
She reached a hand towards the stones, cautiously and was not surprised when the magic immediately burned her hand. The woman grimaced in pain but did not retreat. Using her own magic, a blue shield appeared around her hand as she tried to force her way into the box.
She jerked her hand away when the magic around the box burned her hand, destroying the protection charm she had on herself.
"Rowena?" The man in red asked, concern showing on his face. The woman in blues hand had become wilted and red from the burning magic. Her other hand held her injured hand and soothing green magic poured over her injuries, healing them.
With a loud sigh, she locked eyes with the man in red and shook her head.
"They are powerful indeed but they have been protected with a strong enchantment. It will allow only those with its magic to penetrate its barrier. We may be able to move the stones with magic but we cannot access the stones. The Guardians have taken extreme measures to protect these stones, which makes me wonder how powerful they truly are."
The man in red turned to the young seer before him before turning to his oldest friend. "Salazar, what do you propose we do?"
The man in green's eyes locked upon his friends and he shared a look with Lady Rowena before giving a loud sigh.
"It would not be difficult to duplicate the spell on the stones, but turn it so only those with the same type of magic can see them. It would be no problem to hide them or keep them safe."
Rowena continued his thoughts. "The matter is of where to hide them. Like Magic calls Magic, if you remember, Godric. The ones intended for the stones will find them, one way or the other. We have no way of knowing if there is a way around the enchantments and having them fall into the wrong hands would only bring disaster."
Salazar leveled a look at the young seer. "You are sure they must be hidden here, girl?"
The young seer nodded, keeping her voice silent. She was positive they could sense her fear of Lord Salazar.
"Still scare all the women, don't you, old friend?" Lord Godric gave his friend a sly look. "Like that Viking woman, Salazar?"
As Lord Salazar gave his friend a rude gesture, Rowena kept her eyes on the young seer. "There are fourteen stones, each of us will hide a number and they will be hidden around the school. Is this acceptable, Seer Kassandra?"
Kassandra nodded but hesitated. "If I could ask for one more request, My Lady." Rowena nodded for her to go on. "I have broken the true prophecy, which was relayed to me through the Guardian Elysian, into pieces, one for each stone. If you could place each piece with each stone, the chosen will be able to read the true prophecy."
"It will be done." Rowena nodded as the young woman presented a parchment to her.
The woman in yellow gave the young woman a kind look. "Do not fret, child, The stones will be safe and when the time comes, they will have guidance. Do not doubt the will the Guardians."
Kassandra nodded, bowing to the woman in yellow. "Thank you, Lady Helga."
"Goodbye, young seer," Helga told her, each of the royals nodding to her as she passed to leave the chamber.
As she made her way out of the castle, she couldn't stop her distressing thoughts or the unsettling sickness in her stomach.
"The founders won't fail. Trust the Guardians." Kassandra murmured to herself.
She couldn't help but feel as if they already had.
