Much later in the afternoon Zaira relates her venture through the portal to the girls and their friends in Kibou Manor. They were seated in a large room normally used for testing their powers; with them were two boys. The first one had brown hair, sky blue eyes. He wore alight orange sweatshirt and brown shorts. His name was Tony, and he was Sara's twin brother. The second boy had silvery hair and dew green eyes and wore a blue gray shirt and black pants. He was Kurt Merrian, an old friend of the Pantheon sisters.
And seated around the group in a half circle was a group of animals. But these weren't just wild animals living in the lap of luxury, they were familiars of the eight Guardians. As one recalls a familiar is more commonly known as an animal spirit that attends and protects a witch; but here we have eight wild beasts guiding eight elemental witches.
Next to Kurt were three lions: There was a golden pelted male with a reddish-brown mane and ruby eyes; the second was a cream-colored lioness with cerulean eyes and the last one was a lean, beige lioness with amethyst blue eyes and the fur on head was rather scruffy. Their names were Simba, Nala and Vitani.
Seated at Dana's left hand side, was a warthog and a small meerkat who were named Timon and Pumbaa.
Nearby were three hyenas two males and one female. The female with a big, black tuft of hair on top of her head, normal, grey snout, and grey fur with black spots and hair on the back that goes to the tuff of hair. This was Shenzi, the leader hyena of the trio.
The second hyena was a male with black fuzzy eyebrows, a black snout and nose, and grey fur with black spots and hair on the back. This was Banzai, the quick-tempered hyena of the trio. The third and last hyena was a male with two cuts on his ears, a black snout and nose, and grey fur with black spots and hair on the back. This was Ed the comic-relief hyena of the trio.
Haruna leaned forward to Zaira, her cerulean eyes full of concern.
"And then what happened?" she breathed.
"I ran back as fast as I could to the old yew tree, straight back to the portal and – here I am back in Odaiba." Zaira finished.
"It could only be one of the new worlds the sage had mentioned," Simba concluded, "So far Zaira had just discovered one. The question is what else is waiting beyond the Veil?"
"I'm yearning to explore this new world," Kylie answered, "Even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."
"What do you say we do a little training over the next few days?" Yui proposed. "Sure, we have powers, but you never know what's out there."
"Likewise," Beth said. "Whoever wants to go scout the new portal tomorrow morning, speak up."
There was silence for a moment. Until Kurt piped up. "Well, I'm game!"
"Me too!" chimed Dana.
"Count us in!" chirped Sara and Yui.
More murmurs of agreement filled the room.
"Then it's settled. Guys, get some rest," Beth began. "We leave tomorrow at midday."
After the friends left, strange whispers are heard. Upon a wooden stand was a large leather-bound crimson book. A gold lion's face was engraved on the cover.
This was the legendary Book of Secrets, it contains the recorded history and magical wisdom of all the previous guardians before the Enchanted Ones time; the girls and their friends consult it as a guide to any strange supernatural event or quest. And it seems they might have to use it very soon.
For suddenly, the strange, geometric symbols on the cover around the lion's face begin to glow. And the worn out parchment beside the book, then quickly unfolds itself, with a streak of white flashing across it. When it clears, thin black inky lines spread like a spider's web, fanning into every corner. Upon a closer look, we notice the scrying crystal has landed on a place called 'Cleveland.'
It was Eleven at the old alleyway and the Order had already gathered at the old alleyway. Beth did a head-count and made sure everyone from the day before was there with them, before they passed into the portal, prepared for whatever might be waiting for them on the other side.
During this, the gang appears, walking across the sunrise. Next, they all turned and yelled as a load of cars are speeding their way. Luckily, they all manage to race out of the way of the roaring and screeching cars. Must be rush hour.
So the gang stops at the top of a hill to catch their breath.
"Boy, I'm glad we got outta there," Tony said, huffing.
"Yeah," Timon nodded wiping his brow. "We just had to take the freeway. . . "
Just as he was rambling, Dana turned and saw something that made her little dew green eyes go wide in awe. So did Tony, Kurt, the animals and the guardians.
"Say, Timon I think you better turn around and look." Pumbaa said, his gaze locked on whatever they were all looking at.
"Go on with them he says...Learn more he says. . ." Timon mumbled, not bothering to look. Theo picks up the little meerkat and has him face what they're all staring at.
"Heh?"
When he saw what the others were looking at, he adopted the same expression they had.
The sight below them was incredible. It was the suburban place Zaira had told them about, and more. There was a big modern city with everything imaginable when one is touring someplace foreign: an huge year-round amusement park, restaurants, an all purpose convention center, a Swim club and couple of strange places such as, Macaroni and Cheese Museum of Art or Supervillains Supermarket & Deli.
They looked at each other for a few seconds, then the friends ran down the hill at top speed toward the town. When they got to the town, they separated and began running all over the place, just taking in all of the sights.
About half an hour later, the eight guardians, Tony and Kurt regrouped in front of a candy shop, Jelly's Candy Store. The teens were out of breath and they hadn't even seen half of the city's sights.
"This is. . . fantastic!" Tony exclaimed between deep breaths.
"Definitely," said Beth "And not just the sights, I can't explain it, but I feel there's something here that's calling out to us all."
"Weird." Theo said.
"Well, we haven't seen the rest of this world yet," said Kylie, "So I suggest we split up in pair with the animals. What say you Simba, Nala? Simba? Nala?"
But the lions weren't there.
"Hey, where're the animals?" Yui questioned.
The gang of 'humans' looked around. Neither lions, hyenas, or meerkat nor warthog were in sight.
Kurt jerked his thumb behind him. "Oh, Vitani went off to scout the alleyways, Timon and Pumbaa got scared off by a truck, so the rest of the pride went into the park after 'em."
"Not cool guys, what if somebody sees them?" said Beth worriedly, "They'll flip!"
Haruna shook her head, "I already fixed that. To us they'll look like they do now, but to everyone else, they're just average domesticated animals such as maybe a big dog or a big house cat."
"But still, they've never been in a place with lots of other humans before, we got to got get them!" Zaira cried.
Their troubles in this new world were just beginning, because unknown to them, someone sensed their presence... someone evil.
