Will Vandom had just finished eating dinner when the door opened. A dark figure stepped in wearing a dark, leathery sweater with matching jeans that were so soaked that they glistened beneath the restaurant lights. The figure let the door close behind him before scanning the room. There were a few tenants within the Silver Dragon at this hour and none of them paid the visitor any mind even though he just stood there looking at each and every one of them. Eventually, his hidden gaze fell upon Will who found herself embarrassed for staring at the guy in the first place. Though she couldn't see his eyes she could still feel them upon her, watching her from way across the room. Her throat became dry and a strange feeling of insecurity overcame her. Suddenly being in such a familiar place surrounded by her best friends didn't seem so safe anymore. Who was this guy and why was he looking at her? For that matter, why was she looking at him? They stared at one another for what seemed like ages until someone placed a hand on her shoulder. "Will?"

The red-haired girl turned to Taranee who looked at her skeptically. "Are you okay?"

"That guy." She began. "He's looking at me."

"What guy?" Taranee asked looking over her.

"Him." She turned to where the man was standing but found he had disappeared. "Where'd he go?" she found her answer when she spotted him sitting at a table at the far end of the room. He sat with his hood still pulled over his head while he folded his hands neatly on the table. "There he is?"

"Who is he?" Taranee asked her.

"No idea. He just came in a few seconds ago and just stared at me."

"Sounds like you've got an admirer."

"Taranee!" Will turned to her. "He's a complete stranger. I've never even met the guy."

"That makes it all the more interesting." She said fixing her glasses as she studied the man. "Wonder who he is? Think he's our age?"

"And what if he is? He's creeping me out." Will spared the guy another glance. He was still watching her. "I wish he would read a menu or something." No sooner had she said this when a waiter appeared at his table and placed a menu and a cup of water before him. He nodded to the servant before taking the cup in his hands and having a drink. Pulling his head back, the girls were able to get a better view of his hidden face. His eyes seemed to shine right back at them.

"Freaky." Taranee said. "Could be contacts."

"I'm not so sure."

"Irma!" the all too familiar cry of Cornelia Hale said. "That last dumpling was mine!"

"Snooze you loose, babe." Irma Lair said placing the dumpling in her mouth and chewing slowly before the aggravated blonde. "Mm. Delicious."

"You are such a jerk!" Cornelia growled back.

"But a fed jerk." Irma swallowed and gently cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "And how was your meal tonight, Ms. Hale?"

"Oh shut up!" Cornelia turned away from Irma and crossed both arms and legs. Her usual "I'm mad" pose was well known to the group and most people knew better than to approach her when she was like this. But the girls weren't most people. These girls: Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin were the Guardians of the Veil. They had defeated the evil Prince Phobos back on Meridian and restored their friend Elyon, the rightful heir, to the throne. That had been three weeks ago this day. Meridian was prosperous, Earth was safe and the five best friends were together enjoying a meal at the Lin family restaurant. Irma and Cornelia, who argued often, were in fact very close though neither of them would admit it-especially Cornelia. The blonde was just too proud and her ego was such that it could power a hundred Hearts of Kandrakar. Will kept the secret item wrapped around her neck at all times though for the pass few days she questioned herself as to why. The danger was over and there were no more bad guys to fight. So why carry it around?

"Boy those noodles were good, weren't they?" Hay Lin leaned back and patted her bloated stomach. "Fit for a queen."

"Or a guardian." Irma added. "Too bad they don't have food like this in Meridian."

"You said it. Their entrees really bite." Hay Lin said.

"Literally." Irma smiled. "Last thing I ate tried to eat me back."

"I'll tell Elyon you said that." Cornelia told them. "See if she invites you back to her world anytime soon."

"Oh please don't. I really like those festivals they have with the medieval music, the bizarre costumes,"

"The smell of manure everywhere." Irma said before Hay Lin could finish. "Honestly with all the power their queen has you'd think Meridian would have a spotless sanitation record."

"Elyon is a great queen!" Corny stood up and slammed her hands on the table. Her blue eyes glared at the brunette. "I don't ever want to hear you criticizing her again, do you hear me?"

"Whoa, settle down there, Blondezilla. You're scaring the customers." Indeed some of the patrons turned towards the group's table where Cornelia seemed ready to leap over it and pummel her smirking companion. Hay Lin motioned for her to settle down before she did something that she, and Hay Lin herself, would regret. "Come on, guys. Not here. My parents will ground me if you two got into a fight. Everything you do reflects on me."

"Great!" Irma said. "So between Corny and me that means you've got a great sense of humor and anger management issues. Sounds even to me."

Had Hay Lin not interjected, Cornelia would have throttled Irma right then and there. Showing surprising strength for her size, Hay Lin managed to get Cornelia back into her seat and muttered something that only she could hear. It seemed to do the trick as Cornelia did indeed relax a bit though her murderous gaze still fell upon the cocky Irma. She blinked at her which made Cornelia's hidden fires burn even more but she managed to keep it under control and turned away. Hay Lin sat next to her closest friend. "Why do you always provoke her?"

"Can I help it if her buttons are so easy to push?"

"But you go too far sometimes, Irma." Hay Lin touched her shoulder. "Sometimes I think you really don't like Cornelia."

"Of course I do. She gives me great material!"
"Irma!"

"Alright, I'm sorry. But someone's gotta take that girl down a notch once in a while. She's all high and mighty so someone needs to remind her that she's no better than the rest of us."

"But why do you have to be the one to do it?" Hay Lin asked.

"Simple. Because you're too nice, Will's too bossy and Taranee's logic is so profound that no one knows what she's talking about half the time. Therefore, that leaves me to fill in the position of putting Cornelia in her place."

"Maybe someone should put you in your place." Hay Lin said more harshly than she meant to. Irma's face turned to one of hurt at her friend's comment. She turned her gaze down and stared at the table. "I think you just did."

"Oh….Irma…I'm sorry, I mean," Hay Lin seemed ready to pout.

"It's alright." The smile returned to her face. "Sometimes I do step out of line. That's why I have you to remind me where I belong."

"Where do you belong?"

"Right here!" she exclaimed. "With my four best friends." Her remark made Hay Lin laugh. It seemed she was the only one that truly understood Irma and was just about the only person in the group, in Heatherfield, on Earth that found her jokes funny. She and Marvin that is and Irma couldn't stand him. Too bad though, cause he sure had the hots for her.

"Why does that guy keep looking at us?" Cornelia said when she finally noticed the lone stranger at his distant table.

"He's looking at Will." Taranee said.

"Secret admirer?" Irma asked. "Will, you sly dog."

"I don't know him, Irma." Will grumbled.

"But he seems to know you." Hay Lin said. "I don't think he's looked at anyone else since he got here."

"You noticed?" Taranee asked her.

"It is my family's restaurant. I make it a point to watch everyone that comes in here."

"Is he a regular customer?" Cornelia asked while eyeing the stranger.

"Never seen him before." She admitted. "And I think I'd remember a guy with glowing eyes."

"He has glowing eyes?" Irma stood up and strained her eyes to see. "Can't see them. What color are they?"

"White I think." Will turned away from the man again. "He's starting to creep me out."

"So tell him to stop." Cornelia said. "That is unless you like mysterious guys checking you out."

"Corny!" Will lowered her voice quickly. "I'm with Matt now."

"And I'm with Caleb. That doesn't mean a guy can't enjoy a peek now and then."

"It's what he wants to peek that I wanna know." Irma sat back down. "Go talk to him Will."

"Me? I don't talk to strangers."

"A stranger's just a friend you haven't met." Irma quoted.

"And he could be cute underneath that hood." Hay Lin said.

"You're thirteen now, Will. You're old enough to stand up for yourself. If you don't like this guy looking at you then just go over there and tell him to knock it off." Cornelia looked at her. "Or do you want me to do it for you?"

"I'm not sure that's wise." Taranee began but Cornelia was up and walking before she could finish. "He could be dangerous."

"I am dangerous." Corny said while walking over to the man with utmost confidence.

"See what I mean?" Irma leaned in toward Hay Lin. The Chinese girl sighed.

They watched as their friend stopped before the table where the man was sitting. She placed her hands on her hips and spoke as if scolding a rude child. "Hey, buddy." The man didn't look up. "I've noticed you staring at my friend over there and she doesn't take kindly to weirdoes watching her while she eats. I don't care what perverted things you're thinking about right now but we'd appreciate it if you'd turned your attention elsewhere. How about your menu, huh? Look at that. I recommend the Peking duck with mango sauce. Oh and just for your information," she leaned in. "She's taken already."

The man didn't seem perturbed by Cornelia in the least. Instead he just sipped his water and continued to look in the direction of Will's table despite Corny being in the way. "Hey, did you hear me?" Cornelia snapped her finger before him. "Knock it off! Don't you have a girlfriend or something? She's too young for you anyway." Again no reaction. "I'm talking to you." She placed both hands on the table and tried to look as intimidating as possible. "Knock…it…off." she warned. "What, you don't speak English? Are you deaf? Or are you just comfortable with being an a…" the eyes came up and suddenly the blonde found her voice caught in her throat. All the blood in her body ran cold as the soulless eyes of a demon burned into her soul. She tried to move but found her body unwilling to participate. This stranger had her in his mental grasp and there was nothing she could do about it.

Back at the table the girls watched unknowing that their friend was in dire straits. "Is she talking to him?" Taranee asked.

"No, she stopped." Hay Lin said. Being the air guardian gave her sharper ears than the others and she learned to harness that gift even in her normal form. "I think…I think something's wrong."

Will felt something warm beneath her shirt. She pulled out the Heart of Kandrakar which was reacting strangely. She had never seen the Heart act so…frightened.

The stranger felt the magical item's warmth and released Cornelia from his hold. She collapsed, almost falling to the floor, but managed to grab the table and keep herself up. His eyes flashed when he saw the Heart in Will's hands. There you are.

As Cornelia gasped for breath he stood up and walked towards the lavatory. The girls followed him until he disappeared into the men's room and quickly turned toward Cornelia. Surprisingly, the blonde was halfway back to their table when they looked back. She collapsed into her chair seemingly fatigued beyond measure. "Cornelia, what happened?" Will asked still gripping the Heart.

"That…guy...is…not…human…" she spoke between gasps.

"Well what is he then?" Irma asked.

"Dangerous." The blue-eyed girl grabbed the nearest cup of water and drank it in one gulp. Of course this made her gasp more but she didn't care. She never wanted to be near that guy again.

"You don't think he's from Meridian, do you?" Hay Lin asked.

"You mean Phobos?" Irma said.

Taranee shook her head. "Can't be. Phobos is being held prisoner by the Mage herself. There's no way he could be starting up trouble now."

"Could it be some lackey out for revenge?" Will asked Taranee.

"No lackey of Phobos is that powerful." Cornelia said regaining some of her strength. "That I can tell you."

"Whoever he is, the Heart doesn't like him." Will held up the item for all to see. It flashed several times before holding a steady reddish-pink color. Will grimaced at the though of evil being so close to home. Wasn't the fighting over? Had they not done their duty as Guardians of the Veil? Couldn't evil just leave them alone to have a normal life? Apparently not. "We have to investigate."

"Pixie time?" Irma asked with a smile. In truth, she had missed the fight and wanted so anxiously to wield the power of the elements once again.

"Let's go Guardians." They all stood up and left the table.


"I've found it." The hooded stranger said to the image in the mirror. Though the image was not his but rather that of another mysterious figure who was communicating with him from another dimension. "They are five young girls, indistinguishable from the populace. They can be beaten easily enough in their normal form though I've yet to see them use their true power."

"I advise caution." The hidden face said. "The guardians are powerful as a group and you are alone. I'm surprised you let them spot you."

"I was called by the Heart. It drew me to it before I even realized it. It's power is unlike anything I have ever tasted."

"Do not let your appetite get the better of you. Stay focused and keep to the shadows; they're your only ally. Should you be forced to fight then remember what I gave you. Use it should things get out of hand."

"Understood." The young man patted his upper left pocket as the item his master spoke about was hidden within. "Should the situation call for it, I'll be ready."

"Good." The face said. "Now go. If they suspect you then rest assured they'll be coming. Prepare the battlefield."

"As you command." The face disappeared leaving the man alone in the restroom. Now looking into his own image he smiled at the reflection. "Time to go to work."


Deimos chuckled as he sat back in his chair, a sturdy piece of furniture made of black granite. He crossed his legs as the orb before him changed pictures once again. How he loved watching things unfold around him. While there was still time for something to go wrong, there was always time for something to go wrong, things had gone smoothly. His agents were performed splendidly and as each piece of the plan fell into place he came that much closer to achieving his goal. Deimos lifted his hand and a cup of rare wine appeared between his fingers. He sniffed the wine, sampled it, then drank it all in one swoop. The empty glass magically refilled as soon as he was done drinking it. The finer things in life, he swooned.

The magical being watched the image change again. Ah, what do we have here? He found spies to be most annoying, that it unless they were working for him. The spy made his way through a darkened tunnel after skipping pass another patrol. He seemed confident in his skill to avoid capture and wasted no time in moving through the tunnel at remarkable speed. He was rather agile, Deimos thought, almost catlike. Not that it mattered. He mentally sent a message to his guards about the location of the spy and where to cut him off. They would have him shortly.

The image changed once more. Deimos eyed each picture with interest though one in particular almost made him spill his drink. "No, it can't be." He said suddenly smiling. "Well things just got more interesting." He sent another mental message, this time to someone a bit more capable than guards. I've got another job for you. Oh yes! I think you'll really like this one…