No Boundaries

"Do you guys know how much homework I have? Do we have to go to Kandrakar now?" Taranee protested. She was always the studious one, and as they walked to Hay Lin's, the feeling of not getting her homework done was unbearable for her.

"I think it's a fabulous idea to go to Kandrakar right now," Irma replied back, as all of them went down to the basement of the Silver Dragon.

"Well we all know you'd love to skip out on homework…but Cornelia and I have a project to work on."

"That's not due in two weeks Taranee," Cornelia said.

"But who knows what kind of guardian stuff will happen next! If we get it done now, then we don't have to worry about getting it later…if you see my logic."

"No I don't," Irma said simply, as Taranee sighed heavily. Matt sighed heavily and sunk his head. Hanging around these girls was tiring at times…one would think he'd get used to it. No, one would think hanging around with a bunch of hot girls would be the greatest thing in the world…but in reality, he seriously wished he had a guy to hang around with. Caleb was cool, but wasn't always there. Oh how he missed him deeply right now…

"Don't let the procrastinator get you down Tara," giggled Hay Lin.

"Guys, as much as I love talking about homework," Will started sarcastically, taking out the Heart of Kandrakar. "But we have business to do…guardians unite!"

Bright colorful flashes whizzed around the room as if it was Fourth of July. A parade of fantastic light swarmed the air as if magic couldn't get any better. In a matter of seconds, the girls were transformed into their guardian forms.

Quintessence.

Water.

Fire.

Earth.

Air.

It was always a pleasure to see themselves in, ahem, a much older form. Hell, Matt sure didn't mind, especially when his girlfriend was around. Will opened a portal that took them directly to Kandrakar, one of the most gorgeous places in the universe.

But when they each saw the Oracle's face, they were definitely concerned.


Eric was still standing with his grandfather in the basement of the observatory. Zacharias was seriously freaking him out. He seemed distant and worried. Eric once again looked over Zacharias's shoulder to only see the same stonewall blocking their path. Plus he couldn't help but notice his grandfather clutching something tightly in his pocket. An inhaler perhaps?

"Grandpa, seriously, is there any stuff or not? I could be doing some homework-," Eric was cut off again by his grandfather.

"Son, please just stop talking. There's a lot I have to tell you right now and I don't know how you're going to take it."

"Like what?"

"Well for starters…your uncle didn't die of a heart attack…" Zacharias took out a necklace and pointed it toward the blank wall. The necklace flashed, as the bricks of the wall were suddenly moving by themselves, creating a passageway. Eric's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, not before he rubbed them to make sure that what he was seeing was true. As all the bricks were done separating, another hall was on the other side. "Come."

Zacharias continued to walk down the hall. Eric couldn't help but pause before he followed his grandfather. He swiped his hand through to really make sure there wasn't anything there. He looked up and saw his grandpa walking; there obviously wasn't anything there. He calmed down slightly as he saw a brighter light at the end of the hallway, he continued with him. Every time Zacharias passed a light bulb, they would suddenly turn on. Eric was completely speechless; it was if his grandpa was a magician. However, by the end of the hall, he really had nothing to say…

It was a room…a big one. It was filled with maps and old astronomy devices, things Eric had never seen before. Another flash of the necklace and fire from the fireplace was suddenly lit. Candles were everywhere against walls, were suddenly lit as well. There was a large map on the wall titled Meridian, with a castle, village, and forest. The room had a medieval touch to it. It was definitely old, and abandoned…but it did look like someone lived here at one point. Creepy much? As Eric was looking around, his grandpa was looking at him. He had obviously been down here before.

"Grandpa…I don't know what you want me to say. I…I never knew this was down here. A-and the way you opened the door…it just suddenly happened. And the lights! They just turned on like you'd see in some movie! How many people know about this? Do mom and dad know? I…I don't understand…"

"Let me speak lad…you know as well as I do that Earth isn't the only planet, yes?"

"Of course, but that doesn't explain some freaky room underground!"

"Forget about the room right now!" Zacharias said impatiently. Forget about the room? How could you forget about the room? It was totally cool! In some creepy abandoned kind of way… "Now, you know that there are other planets, in our solar system."

"Yes grandpa," he rolled his eyes heavily. What was he back in fifth grade now? "Do you want me to say them all in order too?"

"No, that's not what I'm getting at…but what if I told you that Earth wasn't the only world? As in, there was another place that had life…and magic," Zacharias explained carefully.

"Magic doesn't exist, you said so yourself. Between the time space continuum and-."

"Yes I know what I said…but this was before everything happened. It is crucial that you believe every word that I tell you," Zacharias said. He then looked Eric directly in his eyes and put emphasis on what he was about to say. "Magic exists, Eric." Eric looked at him skeptically.

"Did you take your meds this morning?"

Zacharias's head sunk low. This was going to be harder than he thought. His grandson believed what he wanted when he heard it. More then that, he was stubborn. He decided to take a heavier approach and lay it on him thick.

"Why don't I show you then," Zacharias took out the necklace once again. It was glowing, but it wasn't glowing for no reason…it was glowing at Eric. He remained silent, watching the jewel glow with magic. Eric could have sworn that it was almost…speaking to him. Yes he saw jewelry glow like at concerts and what not, but this was literally glowing. Batteries in the back maybe?

It was then Zacharias let got of the necklace…but gravity did not let it fall. It stood floating in the air as if deciding what to do. Ok, batteries couldn't do that, no matter what the voltage. He gasped sharply as the necklace began floating to him. Eric held up his hands as he caught the mystifying jewelry. There was no doubt about it…it was definitely talking to Eric. He could hear it…he could feel it…he felt the magic…it was a part of him. He couldn't help but gulp.

"Can you hear it?" Zacharias asked, as if he could read his mind. Eric couldn't speak; he was mesmerized. It was almost as if it was alive. Eric finally nodded to his question. "That, my boy, is called the Pendant of Star. It has been passed down through the Lyndon's for generations."

"But was is it?" Eric finally found his voice. This was no ordinary necklace. He even checked the back to see if there were batteries being stored. What scared him the most was actually listening to the noble trinket.

"It is a necklace that holds a great amount of magic, able to give one the ability to transform and have a great amount of power. Whoever wears the necklace and takes the power to help fight evil, is called the Warrior of the Stars," Zacharias smiled gently, as Eric looked at him.

"Seriously? Transform me? Where did you come up with that?" he looked at it once again. Zacharias sighed.

"Don't you believe me?"

"I believe you're brain has finally sprung a leak. I love you and all, but do you hear yourself? You sound crazy, grandpa."

"And what's so crazy about it? Just because there's a thing called 'magic,' you don't believe in it? Eric, you just saw that necklace fly to you," Zacharias said firmly. "You can hear it talk to you, and you don't think anything is possible? I'm only going to say this once again…magic exists. It is a part of you. It runs through your veins and beats within your heart. Haven't you ever wondered why you stare at the stars every night?"

Eric gasped; how did he know about that? Yes he studied them in his free time, but how did he know he stared at them? Why did he feel the stars were looking at him instead of the other way around?

"Yes, I know how it works…I know how you feel. You're confused and afraid of the real possibilities out there. You know there's something more, but you can't see it. You feel it though, you feel it everyday. You know it's real, my boy," Zacharias leaned in and grasped his shoulder tightly.

He was right…about everything. He shook his head slightly, not believing that his grandpa truly understood him. He took his eyes off his grandpa, and stared down at the necklace. It cooed softly, as if it wanted to be pet. If this wasn't magic, he didn't know what was. Magic? Real? It had to be; it was the only true explanation. There was no science or some mathematical problem to figure it. It was simple.

"Why don't you try it on?" Zacharias asked, finally seeing the wheels in Eric's mind turn. Eric obeyed and put it gently around his neck, afraid of breaking it.

"Wow, it fits perfectly," Eric studied it in a nearby mirror. "I never really wear blue though." Zacharias chuckled.

"Well I think it suits you."

"But grandpa…this place, this necklace…you could have kept this secret longer, why tell me this now?" Eric questioned, looking at him. Zacharias sighed.

"Let me start from the beginning then. You now believe in magic, yes?"

"Uh…still working on it, but go on," Eric said sheepishly.

"Well, as I said before, Earth isn't our only world. The universe has many dimensions and portals which to find them. This necklace was created to protect those worlds from evil magic. That map up there, for example, is Meridian."

"What's a Meridian?"

"Meridian is a place, another world in another dimension."

"Yeah? How come people don't know about it then?"

"Many people don't know about magic, son. And now that you do, we can talk about it."

"Ok, so is this Meridian the only place out there?"

"No, of course not…there's Kandrakar, Zamballa, Bailisade, and so many more, including Earth."

"This stuff is confusing…" Eric said quietly, looking down at the glowing necklace. He tried to compute all of the things his grandpa told him. He didn't know if he should believe him, or if he should be put into an asylum early…wait a second, he just remembered something. His grandpa said something to him before he came into the secret room. "You said uncle Alex didn't die from a heart attack…"

Zacharias smiled defeated. He wanted this to be the last thing to tell his grandson. "Your uncle Alexander was the previous user. He was the last Warrior of the Stars." Eric looked at his grandpa as if he was crazy. Denial kicked in to Eric's senses. He got angry and began to shout.

"You're lying! He was a normal guy with a normal life…he was an astronomer just like you and dad! He lived in Open Hill…we went to his house every Thanksgiving," Eric couldn't believe it…he couldn't. "He was about to be engaged to a normal woman." It was Zacharias's turn to strike back.

"Let me make this clear, Eric. Your uncle was not normal. Alexander used to come up to me, as a child, to tell me the stars were talking to him. His whole childhood was based on magic and I couldn't even tell him about it till he was ready. He showed the signs at such a young age and I couldn't help him with it," he raised his voice louder than usual. Eric winced; he should have known better than to talk about his uncle in front of him. He continued to speak…in a very sad tone.

"He never lived in Open Hill…he lived on Meridian. The house, Alexander used for Thanksgiving every year, was a rental. And yes there was a woman…that he was already married to and lives on Meridian as well. She's a baker and sells bread in Meridian with her father in his shop. And this, lad, is what he used to call, his 'office.'" Zacharias displayed the secret room once again.

Eric was silent…he didn't know what to say again.

"And he sacrificed himself to save the people of Meridian and the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions. Poor Claire was devastated…"

"Claire…she was from Meridian?"

"Yes," Zacharias said grumpily, finally sitting down. All this talking was giving him a headache, and his grandson was not really getting what he must do. Eric sighed…he didn't know if all this was real or fiction, but he knew a few things. There was no door in that hallway, this room did not appear by itself, and the necklace that was telling him, 'Give it a chance,' was certainly not lying to him. He sighed.

"You said he sacrificed himself to save these guardian people…" Eric continued, seeing his grandfather smile. Zacharias decided to save the guardians for last, and continue with the story.

"Alexander took the Pendant of the Star when he was twenty years old. I still remember his face…looked something like yours. When he first went to Meridian…oh he fell in love with it. Its beauty was amazing. He decided to move there, which I had no objection to. But as the job of the Warrior of the Stars, he had to protect the people. So when he heard of a war going on in the dimension of Caspar, he knew he had to help its defenseless people. Kandrakar knew the Warrior was protecting Caspar, and they hadn't chosen their new guardians, so they left it in his hands.

After ten years, the war on Caspar had finally ended and he was able to go back to Meridian. Then he fell in love with a woman, Claire, he later married. Two years had passed and he was impressed with the new guardians that had defeated Phobos, the evil tyrant, and Nerissa, a former guardian that was the previous Keeper of the Heart. But recently, Phobos regained power, seeking revenge on his little sister, the Queen of Meridian, and wanting Meridian back for himself. Alexander knew the break was over and it was time to put the necklace back on to fight."

As Eric looked down and the pendant, he knew his grandfather was telling the truth. He smiled, "That's so cool." Oh yeah, he was really getting into the story now.

"The guardians, the lassiesI have been talking about for some time, are the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions. They protect the worlds from dark magic, much like the Warrior of the Stars, but definitely have more of a responsibility. The Oracle himself chose these girls because of their intense and special bond-."

"Whoa, hold up! They're girls?" Eric said, completely shocked.

"Well yes lad! What were you expecting?"

"I don't know…mighty men with swords?" Honestly, Eric didn't know what to think. But he definitely thought they were powerful men. Zacharias laughed.

"The guardians have always been women my boy. Unlike men, women seek the good nature in people and know good magic and bad. Their power derives from the elements, each one possessing one element. Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. One girl is called the Keeper of the Heart, the keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, who has the ability to transform the girls. The rest of the girls are pretty self-explanatory. One has water, one has fire, and so on…"

"So what's an Oracle?"

"The Oracle is a wise man that gave the guardians their power in the first place. He can see all things and guides them to do the right thing. Without the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions, evil would truly succeed. And that, my boy, is why Alexander sacrificed himself to protect them."

"Well if they're so amazing, why couldn't they protect themselves?" Eric asked angrily. These so-called guardians didn't seem so special to him.

"Do not blame the guardians, son, they're good girls. Phobos is the one you should blame. His powers have multiplied since he regained all of his power and no one knows why. And that's the entire story I know, for now. Boy I'm tired…"

Eric looked down at the necklace and saw his reflection in it.

It's your turn now…

"I know what your thinking…and I know it's hard. Learning about magic, dimensions, and powers all in one day can be overwhelming…but there is one last thing I need to tell you."

"I think I already know, grandpa."

"Good, you're communicating with Star, that's wonderful," Zacharias put on a smile, but stopped when he saw Eric's sad face. "When the warrior retires or passes on…Star chooses another…"

"You're calling this thing as if it has a name."

"Well of course lad, Star is alive. It can feel and it is connected to you. In time…that thing, as you call it, will be one of your closest friends," Zacharias explained. There were still so many things to say. "Star tells you when there's danger." Zacharias paused, suddenly whipping a tear under his glasses. "He always knows what to do."

Eric raised a brow, seeing his grandpa choke up a little. A concerned face struck him, now fearing that there was something really wrong with him. He had never seen his grandfather so emotional before. He'd always hid his true feelings so that no one would question him.

"He always knows what to do…" Zacharias repeated. "Even when Alexander was breathing his last breath, he still made it so his body appeared back to me. When I saw him…I couldn't believe it. That's when I staged the heart attack…"

He stopped once more to regain himself. It was easy making it look like he didn't care in front of others, but now that he was alone with Eric, he sort of lost himself. Seeing Alex's body suddenly appear out of nowhere in his room was an incident Zacharias wished he were dead before. A parent should never have to see his or her child die before them. Zacharias would have rather been the one to die before his son did.

"Sorry…I shouldn't have started thinking about him like that," Zacharias sighed, looking at Eric, who didn't know what to say. His grandfather had never been the emotional type. Or at least he never did in front of others. He had always been like that. The room was silent for a while, for Zacharias didn't speak. Eric didn't know if he should say anything or not; Zachary just stared into the fire of the fireplace. Eric breathed before he spoke; he needed to talk, he still had more questions.

"So uncle Alex was chosen…but why me?" Eric asked. He was relieved when Zacharias kept going with the conversations as if nothing ever happened

"I thought Charles was going to be the chosen one…but he never had the spark. Yes he loved the stars and use to dream about them, but he never actually saw them. All he saw were dots in the sky and I knew he wasn't the one," Zachary said slowly. "Then when I saw Alexander looking at the stars one night…I knew I could pass it on to him." Eric's eyes widened.

"You…you were the warrior too. That's how you know so much."

Zacharias chuckled, "Yes but I had to retire. It was good when I was young, but nobody can stay young forever. But I knew I would pass it on to one of my sons…and then pass it to my grandson. I knew you had the spark right when you were born. Though I imagined Alexander giving you this talk, not me. You certainly didn't think that stars were just dots in the sky."

He was right. Every time Eric saw the stars, he always knew there was something more to them. Yes he knew all the annoying science behind them, but the way they shined and glowed up the night made them special. He smiled as he clutched the pendant around his neck.

"So how do I do it then?" Eric asked, now determined.

"Do what?" Zacharias raised his bushy brow.

"You know, transform! How do I do it?"

"It's more than just a transformation, lad. You have to feel Star within you; you have to feel his magic. What's he telling you?" Zacharias said, leaving Eric to do the rest. Eric looked down at the pendant once more.

Come on little guy, how are we going to do this? I know you can hear me…I know you can hear me. How do I do this?

It wasn't talking to him, at least not like before. Eric thought…what would make the necklace transform him? There was always a bond between him and the pendant…but what was it?

Trust.

Eric's eyes widened as the jewel glowed. Eric's eyes glowed white, along with the rest of his body, as he started to levitate in the air. He couldn't see what was happening, but Zacharias did. It was always the same; as soon as the white light that resembled a star had stopped, a man was formed. It was the same outfit. The blue cape flowed behind him gently, with the hood over his face, along with the black suit underneath. The pendant was placed perfectly on his chest.

"Whoa, that was something," Eric said, as he realized his voice was much deeper. There was no doubt that magic was real in his mind now. He felt it flowing with in him. He looked in a mirror and gasped. His sixteen-year-old body was no more, but now a twenty-year-old body was formed. His muscles were twice the size, as well as becoming a miraculous height of six feet something. He felt his strength double and the power of the necklace flow through his veins. He tried looking at his face but all he could see what darkness within the hood. "What's with the hood?"

Eric too off his hood and gasped again. His face, to put it lightly, was a man. His jaw was more define and his neck was thicker. His hair looked the same, only having some masculine scruff along his jaw. He gulped roughly. He couldn't help it; he looked sexy. He was definitely impressed with the work of the necklace.

"The hood protects who you are. Your identity is a secret my boy, and don't take that lightly. You cannot tell anyone about this. Magic is a sacred secret that many people don't know about. If people knew who you really are, they will go after you and steal the pendant. It is crucial you understand this."

"I can't even tell my friends?"

Or Hay Lin…

"No Eric, this is a secret. No Lyndon has ever gotten the secret out, and you won't be the first…do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly ok? I got it," Eric said, putting the hood back on, seeing the darkness of his face once again. He couldn't help but grumble; what was the point of looking this good to have no one see it? "So how did uncle Alex get by it? He had to give them a name."

"Of course, he used a cover name to protect his Meridian identity. His name was Albin. In time, Star will give you a name that you will use."

"Oh he gives me a name?" Eric rolled his eyes. He looked down at Star. "Just because you have all the power makes you choose the name huh?" Eric paused slightly. "Annoying? I'm annoying? I'm the one who has to watch you every second of my life from now on!" Zacharias stood in disbelief. No one has ever actually 'argued' with Star before. Their bond was truly strong. Sure they were arguing…but it definitely meant something more.

In all his thoughts, there was a bright flash and he noticed Eric transformed back. "What happens if he comes off?"

"Star? If ever transformed and he should 'fall off,' you will go back to your original self. He usually sticks on you pretty well, but someone should forcefully pull…"

"Yeah, it comes off…I get it," Eric then looked around. This place was old. "How long has this been down here?"

"A very long time. The Lyndon's have always owned this observatory, but many people never knew this has been down here. I don't know how long, but it has been a great secret. Eric, Heatherfield is a very powerful city. What many people don't know that this city has magic, which is kind of why the guardians were found here."

"Wait, the guardians are from here? Tell me who they are, I might know them," Eric said excitedly. Zacharias gulped; he said too much. He can't know, not yet…it was too much.

"Oh sorry my boy, but I don't know. Your uncle knew, but I don't."

"Oh, that's ok. They're probably way older anyway, right?" Eric smiled, as Zacharias had a small smile. "So when do I go to this Meridian?"

"Don't rush yourself, lad. You have a lot to practice and it's going to take a while. You're just lucky Phobos hasn't attacked yet. Let me show you what you can do…"


"Whoa, why the long face big guy?" Irma asked, as the rest of the girls rolled their eyes.

"Grandma!" Hay Lin cheered, crashing into her grandmother

"It's good to see you again my dear," Yan Lin replied, hugging her back. It was then Elyon and Caleb walked into the room.

"Hey there handsome," Cornelia smiled and winked, taking him in her arms.

"Well, now that we're all here," the Oracle began. "We have a problem."

"What else is new?" Irma sighed.

"What is it? We'll take care of it," Will said with determination.

"It's nothing you can handle now," the Oracle said. "Your highness, you said you got word that Phobos was residing on Basiliade, correct?"

"Uh yeah," Elyon replied sheepishly.

"Do you remember who it was?"

"No, he said to consider it as a tip," Elyon replied, now thinking of how stupid it was to believe a figure she didn't even know.

"Well…it was false. We still don't know where Phobos is."

"Did we really think we could find him? He's…he's him," Taranee said.

"What are we just going to wait till he attacks Meridian again?" Irma asked.

"I'm afraid that's all we can do. Catch him in his own attack," the Oracle jumped in. "I'm sorry your highness."

"No it's fine…if it's all we can do," Elyon said sadly, now wanting to just get away from here.

"But what if Phobos doesn't stop at Meridian. What if he goes after Zamballa next…or worse Kandrakar? He wants power, not just some of it," Will reasoned.

"It is true that Phobos won't stop till he's had all the power he can get, but guarantee that Meridian will be first," Yan Lin spoke. "Meridian will never truly be his till Queen Elyon has given up the Crown of Light and Meridian all together."

"That's exactly what he's going to do," Taranee said.

"And that's exactly what we have to protect," Will assured Elyon.

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself too," Elyon smiled. The short meeting was over; it was time to leave. While Cornelia and Caleb were having their 'moment' together, everyone else was talking.

"Elyon, if you need us, you know where to call," winked Will, taking Matt's hand. "Guardians, it's time to go." Will made a portal. As soon as all of them got out, they transformed into their original forms immediately. Will took them to the abandoned dump on the east side of town. "Well that was nice."

"And you took us here because?" Cornelia objected, plugging her nose.

"I wanted to have a long walk while the sun is still setting," Will smiled, as Matt got the idea. They took each other's hands and began to walk, her head on his shoulder.

"Selfish much?" Cornelia said, flipping her hair, watching them walk away.

"Oh please, you and Caleb had your moment, which took forever and a day," Taranee chuckled, beginning to walk. The other three followed.

"Yeah, but we weren't in a dumpster," Cornelia rolled her eyes.

"Come one Cornelia, just look at the sunset, its perfect. You have to love the day after a rainy one," Hay Lin smiled, looking at the orange sky. They were about to exit the entrance, when someone ran into all four of them, cause them to fall down.

"Ugh, now I'm on the ground of the dump," Cornelia grumbled, looking for the person who caused such a travesty.

"Eric?"

Eric got up slowly, not before hiding the necklace under his shirt carefully, to see whom he ran into. He was definitely more graceful when transformed.

"Hay Lin? What are you guys doing here?" Eric asked, helping Hay Lin up.

"Oh, just hanging out," Hay Lin smiled, rubbing the back of her neck.

"In an abandoned dump?"

"Well, yeah but-," Hay Lin had her mouth suddenly covered by Irma.

"Hold on one second Lyndon, why are you here? You were coming straight here when you ran into us. Do tell…" Irma interrogated.

"I was…I was coming down here to…to find something my grandpa lost in the trash last week. But it's getting pretty dark, I'm sure I won't be able to find anything, I might as well go home," Eric lied and he didn't know if it'd be a good enough excuse, especially for Irma. "Guess the dump isn't so abandoned huh? I didn't know this was where you guys hung out."

"Whoa hold on, let's get one thing straight. We do not hang out here," Cornelia made it very clear. "And if you tell anyone you saw us here, I will personally do that party in the observatory of yours like I said I was going to do."

"Will do," Eric held up his hands in defense.

"Uh Eric, you said you're walking home… I can walk with you…the sunset is very pretty," Hay Lin suggested, somewhat embarrassed with her friends around.

"Um sorry Hay Lin, but I'm kind of busy right now, but maybe tomorrow, yeah?" Eric had just rejected her. It killed him to see the look of disappointment on her pretty face. The horrible thing was that he was going to do this a lot more.

"Oh, well ok, sure tomorrow then," she tried to put on a tough face…but she was failing horribly.

"Ok, see ya," Eric began running again. She watched his body turn the corner and frowned.

"He rejected me. He totally completely rejected me," Hay Lin was defeated, putting her hands in her face. Taranee put an arm around her shoulder. "What did I do?"

"Come on Hay Lin, he must be doing something really important. He sure seemed to be in a hurry…" comforted Taranee.

"Unless he's going to see another woman," Irma couldn't help herself.

"Irma!" yelled Taranee. "Not funny."

"I was kidding! Lighten up!" Irma shrugged.

"Can we just please go home? The smell is seriously getting to me," Cornelia said, as all of them walked down the street. As the other girls continued to talk, Hay Lin was mostly silent. Him saying no was probably because they didn't talk to him when he sat with them at lunch earlier. It was never his fault, it was always hers, and lately things just haven't been working out.

Even Hay Lin knew that she was getting older, and older meant 'blossoming.' She was definitely different from her 13-year-old self many years ago. She always thought Eric was very handsome. Ok he was hot. Eric was very hot, at least in her eyes. Maybe she was actually getting less attractive…maybe that was the problem. She seethed silently as she still remembered those cheerleaders all over him at school one day. That was back when she didn't know him. What was that he said to her again?

'Hey…y-you.'

Yes, completely embarrassing. Why did she do that? What could've possible compelled her to do such a thing? Well it did turn out good in the end. They were a couple by the end of that same month. What he saw in her, she had no idea, but it seemed like they were perfect…until recently.

It wasn't her…or so she didn't think. It was all this guardian stuff. It was so many things that she had to keep secret. She's lied to so many people for the last few years. It was just good that at least her friends were with her and her grandma. Let's face it, without Yan Lin, she wouldn't know what to do. She can't imagine how the other girls do it. She had her grandma, Cornelia had Caleb, and just recently Will had Matt, but the other two didn't really have anyone. She always wondered how those two survived.

Hay Lin smiled hearing Irma and Cornelia taunt each other again. Maybe that's why they're five of them here. All of them were there to support each other in every way possible. That was why their bond was so strong and almost inseparable. Sure they fought, but everyone does, and in the end they could always come together.

"Well we'll see you tomorrow Hay Lin," Taranee said goodbye as the three of them continued. Hay Lin didn't even realize that she was standing in front of the Silver Dragon. She waved back to her friends sighing. She needed to do something special for Eric. Maybe she could draw something for him…or do something, anything.

"Oh good your home. How was studying with the girls?" Hay Lin's mother asked.

"Good mom…it was good."

And you can see my heart beating

You can see it through my chest

I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving

I know I must pass this test

So just pull the trigger

Second Chapter…

Ok so maybe some of you caught on in the first chapter between Albin and Alex, dun dun dun, but if you didn't know now, Alex was the previous keeper of Star and Eric is now the keeper. As I said before, would totally never happen, but in this story, it is.

I would like to thank all of my reviewers! All three of you haha. It doesn't matter, I'm gong to keep going…only because I already have nine chapters all written out haha.

R&R

Wtncgirl09