Star stood in the ruins of the castle, the sunlight shinning brightly through the trees there. Shining directly onto the sword hilt protruding from the castle rumble and the gargoyle to stand before it as a protector. Yet without a second thought the disgraced Seeker walked forward, passing the silent gargoyle, and reaching for the shimmering hilt. Pulling with all her strength yet the sword didn't budge, nor did anyone speak a word, instead Randy and AJ looked to the stone protector, waiting for it to wake once more and give them the instruction to free to the famously lost sword from its resting place.
AJ soon pulled the water from her small leather bag, water she had since collected from the rivers of Atlantis, carefully pouring some of the magical water over the stone gargoyle, a shimmer of a smile appearing on her lips when it began to cough and splutter, as well as yelling it was awake now. Where as Randy stood by Alexa like he was visiting and old friend, the others looked on unsure of what was happening. Seth pulled Morgan a little closer as if he was sensing something was off, where as Drew took a few steps towards Alexa, as if ready to protector at a moments notice. Star on the other hand, walked to stand before the stone gargoyle, confused by its actions and how she knew nothing of the place she stood in. Even when she was High Seeker she hadn't known about it.
"Ah. The Fallen Mistress of Seekers" croaked the gargoyle as if it was looking through some sort of history book to find whom each one of them were. Yet its stone eyes were firmly on Star, she could feel them on her as if they were burning a whole through her chest. "The original three here there is. Thrust three rounds stand before you. The prize will be the sword in the stone like the mundane King Arthur. Yet no crown shall await but the power to decide fate. No easy task will it be, but free you will be to choose your destiny" worded the stone protector as if by some magic it had thought of it, or had waited centuries to utter those very words to someone who came to retrieve the sword. Star on the other hand looked around, seeing how none of the others attempted to move, AJ and Randy on the other hand appeared to be explaining something to the others. The original three meant something significant at some point.
"What do you want? What are the tasks?" questioned Star, noticing how the gargoyle turned its eyes to Randy, AJ and Seth. Clearly showing they were the original three, the stone creature was referring to. Yet Star took no notice of either of them, long since she was more intelligent and powerful than all of them put together. Thrust she alone would face the three tasks the gargoyle had spoke off, only acquiring their help should she need it. After all at one point she had the power of all four druids plus her own, she highly doubted there was something she couldn't do. Yet the gargoyle soon turned its attention back to her, as if accepting her as a participant in the games of the stone creature.
"For the first task, you must give me the memories of pain" responded the stone protector. "From all the ladies present" added the gargoyle, yet its expression remained unchanged, even when Star featured paled, although she believed she was powerful, she hadn't learnt how to take the memories from someone, nor would she want to take away the memories of pain. Yet she had to do it for herself and the remaining three women present. "If give you can not, then worthy of this sword you are not. Fallen Mistress" uttered the stone protector, making it clear Star was not the one capable of completing the tasks ahead of her, although there was a chance she would be involved in them being completed. AJ soon stepped forward.
"I will complete your tasks old friend" stated the ancient seeker, a soft smile on her lips as she turned to each of the ladies there with her. Starting with Alexa, she placed her hands softly on either side of the fire druids head, mouthing an incantation of some kind, thrust taking the memories asked for. There the smaller dark haired woman, took them to the gargoyle, placing them before it. She did the same with Morgan and Star before removing her own memories of pain. So many of them had she collected over her years of existence. Upon completing the task, AJ stood before the gargoyle, waiting for the next task and the instructions to follow should there be any.
"Memories are as precious as the rarest jewel. For your second task. Turn these memories to the jewel of the woman they were taken from. Return them to her in a painless way" demanded the gargoyle. AJ could only nod, knowing this task was to supposed to represent Randy's old talent of turning any stone to a jewel and straw to gold. He once had the gift of turning things into something else. With a small enchantment, one the ancient mermaid woman hadn't used in centuries, she began to turn the bubble of memories into the painless jewel. She first returned Alexa's memories in the form of the Blue Serpent's eye jewel, then Morgan in the form of the Moon Kissed Onyx. Finally she returned Star's to her, with the same gentleness as she had with the others, Star's being a Dragon Blood Diamond. Her own being that of the Sunlight Sapphire. A jewel she had once loved so much.
"For your third and final task. Show me true love" spoke the gargoyle, its stone eyes remaining unmoved from the group as the sun began to set, leaving the ruins of the old palace with a warm glow. Star soon grinned, as if she waited for the very task to come up. She soon stepped forward, grabbing Drew by his collar as she did so. Out of respect AJ stood back with the remaining members of the group, each of them knowing the plan wouldn't work to Star's expectations, either Drew knew it as he struggled to free himself from her grip in order to return to his wife's side. Upon being sure the pair were in prime view of the stone protector, Star roughly pulled Drew towards her, in what she could called a romantic kiss, but one of reluctance from the Prince of Greed. Yet the kiss was interupted by what could only be described as broken stone laughter, the gargoyle clearly doing as most seen.
"I asked for a display of love. The same love which lead to the sword being here" uttered the stone protector, thrust delivering the bitter blow Star clearly didn't want. Although she had love for the Prince of Greed it was clearly not returned, nor had it ever been. Slowly the once respected woman began to accept what was, the only reason he'd ever followed her was because of her spell. In her mind she'd lost everything, although free from the contract that bound her, she wished not for her father's soul back, nor to see her family again. All she wanted was her love and to rule all of Inferno, no matter what the cost would be. Yet she was beginning to see she couldn't have both. The Prince of Envy on the other hand, looked to his younger brother, knowing the only ones whom could display that love was the druid and newborn vampire.
Seth soon sighed, gentle taking hold of Morgan's hand. Slowly leading her to the spot before the gargoyle. Yet he didn't show his love for her by kissing her, instead he wrapped his arms around her, embalming her in a loving embrace, a way to show his silent affection for her. At the sight, Drew placed an arm around AJ's shoulders, only hoping one day the pair could be like that. Yet as Star looked on in disgust, Baron noticed something from the gargoyle, tears running from its stone eyes. Each of them taking it as a sign, the stone protector had seen what it had asked for, a display of love, the purest love.
"The rarest gift of all. The sword is yours. A reward for making this old gargoyle cry" spoke the stone gargoyle, releasing the sword when Seth was close enough. Star on the other hand, could only wonder, wonder what she had to do to get the sword from the Prince of War. A few weeks ago she would have used Morgan without hesitation, yet she had quickly learnt on her last visit to Shadow-Stone, the black haired princess was no longer mortal, but now a powerful vampire. As much as the neon haired Seeker hated to admit it, she could see the vampire princess glowing with her new status, anyone could. Yet it was that, which annoyed her the most. How Morgan had seemed to have gotten everything without trying. She got her prince, the people loved her, she had the chance of becoming queen, and she was apart of an ancient prophecy, one far older than her own.
"Where are we going now?" asked Star as she followed Baron from the ruins of the castle, Drew and AJ in front of him, seemingly leading the way, yet neither of them seemed to utter a word of their next destination. To the Seeker woman it was as if she was the only one whom didn't know where they were going now they'd retrieved the sword, securely fastened to Seth's belt. Randy, Alexa, Morgan and Seth followed behind her in silence, almost as if neither wanted to disturb the spirits to still roam around the forgotten city of Erised. "I asked a question, not that hard to answer it" almost yelled the former High Seeker, tripping over a tree root as she stomped along, the Prince of Envy catching her quickly, returning her to her feet before letting go.
"We're going to Credence" responded AJ, knowing the only one who didn't know why was Star. Despite her searches, she was never able to locate the Mirror of Heirwreath as she had being hoping to. Yet that was partly because the former High Seeker had been looking in the wrong place. She'd been focusing all her searches in the Seeker kingdoms and the lands considered to be the no man's lands, it being obvious the idea of the mirror being in the vampire kingdoms hadn't even crossed her mind. "We'll meet up with the others there" added the ancient mermaid woman, almost in happiness, as it would mean her immortality would go too, thrust granting her life long wish of a normal life. Even if she would still have her power and be a princess of the seven vampire kingdoms.
"You're gonna destroy the Mirror of Heirwreath, yet your going to Credence why?" asked Star, clearly confused. Just as it was clear she had been certain without a doubt the mirror was located in the Seeker kingdoms, just as it was obvious she knew little of Inferno's histories. Baron could only roll his eyes as he continued to walk, suspecting the portal wouldn't be created until they were out of the forest shadows and thrust away from the forgotten city hidden within it. "I couldn't find the mirror, what makes you think you can?" asked the fallen High Seeker, frustration clear in her voice as she stomped along with the others, looking behind her every now and again, only to scoff at what she saw, almost in disgust. Often times she would ask why Morgan had gotten everything she wanted, what had the dark haired vampire done to deserve it? Yet she also knew the likelihood of her questions on the subject being answered were low. She had long since suspected only Yammy could answer them.
"Don't know much of the history do you?" spoke Seth, walking behind Morgan, the sword he'd taken with him now hanging from her waist. He knew she would use it if the time call for her to do so, even more so when he could take pride in knowing he'd trained her to use it. In his eyes she was a true warrior princess now. She could easily protect herself in a war and wouldn't be classed as a damsel in distress. Not that he'd ever considered one. She was a fighter, even as a mortal she was one. Star could only throw him an angered look, from over her shoulder, confirming to him she hadn't wasted her time with such a boring subject. "The vampire kingdoms were once apart of the Seeker lands. When peace was created the first time, the land was given to the vampires. The original six kingdoms were created. The seventh was add a few decades later. Included in that land was an old temple, from abandoned now forgotten ways. The old ways. The temple is still in tact" explained the Prince of Wrath, cluing the once High Seeker into the histories she had neglected to learn before her adventure and power hungry ways took over.
Only now did Star begin to understand. The temple she had been looking for was in the vampire kingdoms. Yet still she didn't connect the obvious, instead she believed the temple in question was located in Claymore. After all she questioned why else would she end up in the richest kingdom if not for the temple and mirror being there. She had been so close to it, yet hadn't even noticed it was there or even realised how important it would be. Yet as if one cue, Morgan's soft voice silenced through the thoughts ravaging Star's mind.
"The temple is in Credence. Hidden by the architecture Finn chose" voiced Morgan, thrust revealing again how wrong Star's thoughts were and the actual reason they were heading to the kingdom associated with the Prince of Lust. Star could only sigh, wondering what else had been hidden from her, or she had overlooked. Yet she could also forgive herself for not noticing the temple. She had never visited the kingdom known for its beauty, not as a princess of Inferno nor as the High Seeker. If her memory served her correctly then this would be her first visit to the beautiful kingdom. Yet she also began to question how well hidden the temple was and how many actual knew it was there. She wondered if Finn the Prince of Lust knew the temple was in his kingdom or if it had simply gone unnoticed by him as well.