It is now 2012 and the last Guardians of Kandrakar have long since stepped down from their duties to settle down in different parts of Heatherfield. Yan Lin remains in her position as the Oracle, the kindest of them. She is well loved by the Elders of the Council. With most of the wars of the worlds gone, she spends her days in her chamber, using a crystal glass to see the lives of the five women, now in their early thirties, who once held the world's fate in their hands. Irma Lair, the former water guardian, is now married to Stephen Smith and she works as a science teacher at an elementary school. Her love for educating young children prepared her to be a fun-loving mother for her three year old son, Isaac. Taranee Cook, the guardian who wielded fire, enjoys teaching as well. She took over at the Jensen Dance Academy and runs the place with her former fellow-students, Sheila Jensen and a man named Luke. They have been in a relationship for over a decade. Cornelia Hale, earth's headstrong guardian, eventually married Taranee's brother Peter L. Cook after graduating from law school, following in her mother's footsteps. They have two little girls, named Terry (6) and Caylen (2). After many years of studying abroad, Eric Lyndon returned to Heatherfield in search of his first love, the guardian of Air. The astronomer found the now fashion designer visiting her parents in The Silver Dragon restaurant where they had their second meeting. They have been married for three years now and are expecting their first child. As for the former keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar and guardian of quintessence, Will Vandom is a journalist, while writing a few novels on the side. She and Matt Olsen parted ways after many years of an on and off relationship.
They had not been the Guardians of Kandrakar for eleven years. Yan Lin was at peace for eleven years. All was well between worlds for eleven years...until the mid-summer of 2012. After overlooking the Lyndons' home, she tucked her crystal ball into a drawer and sought to sit with Tibor, for old time's sake. Before she could make it to the door to leave her chamber, a burst of light ripped into being. Its glow was much like the portals that used to exist many years ago when the old Guardians were anointed. This one had a peculiar sea-green glow and Yan Lin was thrown off her feet at the sight of it. Was this an ambush by an old enemy? Surely the gates of Kandrakar kept the old souls of Nerissa, Phobos, Cedric, and many others at bay. Yan Lin shook her long, white hair from her face, stood back up firmly, and demanded, "WHO ARE YOU?" She was ready to blast this newcomer.
Instead of a force of evil, a young man of eighteen years of age appeared from the portal. As soon as he closed it, her old, wise eyes were able to make out his features. He appeared in regal clothing, with a crown on his head, bejeweled with teal stones. His eyes were a deep sea-green, much like the portal itself but closer to the teal stones on his head and his hair hung to his shoulders in golden locks. A pair of wings protruded from his back. They were scaly, not unlike the scales of sea serpents, and almost reptillian-like. The scales emit glows of green and blue. The arms that were ready to destroy the boy almost lowered at his angelic appearance. Nevertheless, Yan Lin remained firm.
"Who are you?" she said.
"Please, I mean no harm, your greatness. I have come to you for help."
"From where?" she almost bellowed.
"From a kingdom from the world of Hyphageon, my Oracle."
She frowned and lowered her arms. "There is no such world."
"Indeed there is, and it is in grave danger, for it is being filled with darkness. There is a tyrant, your greatness."
"And why have I not heard of this before?"
The boy bowed on one knee and continued to speak. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Ethelhem, from the Hydran Kingdom. Eons ago, your world, Kandrakar, knew of all the lands in the entire universe. There are nearly a hundred of them. When the birth of the universe began, the worlds and dimensions were once at war with each other. They had fought long and hard until most of them lived in perfect harmonies. Utopias, as Earthlings would call them. In such perfect harmonies that their rulers ultimately decided to keep their worlds barred from one another. Earth was where Evyl had appeared yet again. It journeyed to other worlds like Meridian, which started to falter in King Phobos' tyrannous power. Evyl is a disease that is slowly on its way to consume the universe, my Oracle. But I am speaking only words, great one. Let me show you what I know."
He stood up and looked into the oracle's eyes, his teal eyes glowing bright until his pupil disappeared. In a matter of minutes, Yan Lin was in a state of shock at the memories that he had just mentally transmitted to her. After he released his mental bond with her, his eyes went back to their normal sea-green.
"You must anoint new Knights of the Universe, my Oracle. The time for Guardians is over. The time for the war of the worlds has already begun."
Yan Lin shuddered. "But where? With what you have shown me, where will we find such beings powerful enough to end all of the ties of the universe?"
Prince Ethelhem smiled. "I have volunteered myself as a Knight of Water. I am very powerful, more powerful than Cassidy Chacon and Irma Lair ever were. The Knight of Fire is a princess from another world, Natius. Her name is Izobi. She and I are on a hunting party for a Natian outlawed pixie who possesses the most powerful form of quintessence. As for the Knights of earth and air, I leave that up to you."
"What do you mean?"
"Consult your Aurameres. Extract the purest of those elements and anoint the two Knights on Earth. Kandrakar has enough power for creating only two universal warriors, not five, which is why many Guardians have failed in the past. You have also anointed them too young."
"Hmph," Yan Lin scoffed. The young prince ignored this.
"We must team up."
She nodded.
Forming a new pact with Oracle, Prince Ethelhem bowed yet again and disappeared in a sea-green flash.
Emmeline de Lys had just moved to Heatherfield. She was seventeen and well on her way to begin her junior year of high school. She was going to miss everybody back in San Francisco. Her mildly autistic brother Eliot, however, would benefit. No one would know his past at his new school. But then again, she never quite fell at home in San Francisco. Perhaps destiny had something else in store for her in the stead of that busy city.
"Emmy, hurry up!" her mother yelled.
"Doing my hair!" she quickly replied. And doing her hair, she was. It was a jet black and layered mess that always flowed long enough just to cover her breasts. No matter what she did with it, it never stayed in place.
"EMMELINE!"
"Okay, okay!" Oh, fuck this, she thought. She combed through her black mop one more time and rapidly tied it into a low ponytail for the sake of time. Other than that, she looked ready in her long olive skirt and white tee with a sketch of the sun on it. She grabbed her glasses and looked into the mirror one last time. She always felt that her breasts were too small, she was too skinny, her hair laid on her shoulders like a dead rodent, and many other flaws, but the one thing that she loved about her appearance was her bright green eyes, especially when they were framed by her thick black glasses.
Teresa de Lys burst into the bathroom door and sighed. "I packed your breakfast for you on the go. I figured since you're walking to school, you might as well spend that time eating your ravioli."
"Thanks, mum! And sorry. My hair just sucks this morning."
"You say that every morning."
"Well, it's true! I inherited Dad's stubborn locks, mother," Emmeline said, rolling her eyes.
"And you might as well have inherited his truant ass!" her mother quipped. Mrs. de Lys opened the front door of their new house as Emmeline tossed her backpack on. "Off you go, pumpkin! And good luck."
With a kiss on the cheek, she sent her daughter off to her penultimate year of highschool.
Emmeline's first class was PE, which was definitely not a thrill after walking to school. It was the first day and the coach had not sold them their uniforms but explained the rules of the year and made them play basketball until the period ended. Afterwards, she went to English class, her favourite subject. The teacher was a young and energetic blonde who warmed up to every student immediately. Afterwards, Emmeline spent brunch munching on fruit snacks alone in a bathroom stall. She didn't feel quite ready to make new friends yet. The first day was a complete bore already, full of rules and syllabuses. American History and Pre-calculus passed by even faster the previous classes. When the lunch bell rang, she ran out with the other students and made her way around the school. Eventually, she stopped by the music room with a sign that read, "Welcome! Open for lunch everyday". No teacher was in there, but there were about three pianos and several guitars. She quietly sat down by one of the pianos and began to play a Christina Aguilera song to sing to.
If it there was one thing to like about Sheffield Institute already, it was the fact that the room would be open every day of the week. Perhaps I'll just settle here while I'm still a loner, she thought. It was such bliss to be able to soak into the music again. Her keyboard was still in boxes at home. She closed her eyes as she drifted away into the notes.
Someone leaned against the piano. She looked up and stopped playing. It was a junior boy from her PE class and he was accompanied by a girl she'd never seen before. He appeared to be dark skinned with dark brown hair that was styled into a faux hawk. He grinned brightly, acknowledging her, with his dark blue eyes beaming. The girl next to him was very fair-skinned and slightly freckled under her hazel eyes. She tied her hair into a high ponytail and her hair dangled behind her back in fiery ginger waves. She, too, was warmly smiling at Emmeline.
"You were amazing. I don't think I've ever seen talent like that at Sheffield. Ever!"
"Thanks," she said shyly.
"I'm Felix Aragon. Genevra and I usually hang out here at lunch every year with our friends."
"You're new, aren't you?" asked the ginger. "We've never seen you before."
"Yeah, I just moved here. I came from San Francisco."
"That's cool! You should come and have lunch with us. One of these days, you and Felix should also jam. He plays guitar and sings as well," said Genevra.
Emmeline smiled warmly right back. "Really? That would be great. I didn't really have much jam buddies back in SF."
Felix chuckled nervously. "I'm not too good. But with a voice like that, I'm surprised you haven't gotten a record deal!"
"I just sing in the shower, really. I've never really performed or anything."
Emmeline didn't know what it was, but she felt as if she were finally home. As if destiny had led her through life to this point. Eventually, she followed her new friends to the other side of the music room and they joined their other friends on the choir chairs. There were two other boys and another girl in the hangout group. Matthew Kingsley formally introduced himself to her first. He was a brunette bespectacled boy whose nose went back to his book after he spoke. He didn't seem too friendly, but Emmeline thought perhaps that the book was just simply that captivating. There was another ginger, a boy, who was revealed to be Genevra's twin brother, Eugene Dale. He had wavy locks like his sister, although, but he had lighter grayish eyes and his red hair was slightly darker. The other girl was named Helen Skoro. She looked very exotic, with almond shaped eyes, black hair, and fair skin. Emmeline later found out that she was half-Japanese, half-Irish and that they shared the last class together, chemistry.
But most of the lunch time was spent with the others interrogating the newcomer. She didn't mind at all, and smiled. Friends on the first day, what could go wrong?
"Unhand me, you pompous brat!" The pixie's violet eyes flashed in anger. One of Prince Ethelhem's guards tugged on her long, flaming red hair and another tore off a piece of her lilac frock. In a split-second, the captive maiden's eyes glowed and the men holding her down were blasted away from her by beams of magenta energy. She wasted no time, and took off in the air with her transparent wings, only inches from the ceiling. She was ready to attack the prince and get the hell of his wretched palace.
But the prince himself wasn't too ignorant. He smiled, shaking his head, and created a force field before flying to meet the pixie face-to-face. "Lock the doors," he ordered his other attendants.
"Valysse, you and I need to have a little chat," he said calmly.
"If it's gold you're after-!"
"I have no interest in your little 'Robin Hood' endeavours back in Lectran. Please, sit. You're not under arrest."