1Now, the truth is told.

Chapter 10: A Path to Understanding

The Oracle's POV

There stood the five Guardians in the vast, circular room of the Temple of Candracar. They were young, but strong, and the Oracle had much faith in them. That is why he decided to tell them the truth. The truth of everything that was confusing them, and everything that they were going to have to face. He walked up to them gracefully. They were looking widely around the room. They must be still in awe about this place, the Oracle noted, nodding his head. Though they were confused of why they were there. The Oracle decided that it was time to start.

"Welcome again, Guardians."

"Um, what exactly are we doing here?" Will asked. The others nodded with agreement.

"I brought you here." the Oracle began. He bowed his head and closed his eyes calmly. "To tell you something grave. Something has happened that I had not foreseen."

"We know. Phobos is back in Meridian." Hay Lin said.

The Oracle smiled.

"You must have felt it." He said turning to Will. "Along with Queen Elyon. But that is only half of what's wrong."

"Only half! You mean there's more that we have to worry about!" Irma huffed. "How did the big guy escape anyway?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Taranee added.

"It's a confusing story girls, but I trust that you can handle it." The Oracle sighed and began his story.

"I believe that you remember the day that you were told of your powers. That day, you were also told the story of the universe and how the veil was brought up. There is actually more to that story. There is also an alternate image of this universe, like another one that reflects everything here like a mirror." The girls paused for a moment.

"Huh?" Irma said befundled.

"I know it is difficult to understand. Exploring in time and space is a great mystery, but listen closely and understanding will soon overcome you." They were quiet again to let him continue.

"It all started about fourteen years ago. The universe was divided by the veil and Phobos still ruled with great cruelty."

"That big, ugly-"

"Irma!" the Guardian's yelled.

"What?" she asked innocently. "You were thinking it too."

"This alternate universe was created when Elyon was born. There was too much magic in your universe. So much, that it could destroy anyone magical, in the present and in the future. So the alternate universe was created for all the leftover magic to reside there. That way, no one in the real universe would be harmed."

"Whew! There's a break! What would the world be like if -"

"Please Irma! Let him talk!" Hay Lin told her, urging the oracle on. Irma just made a big pout and said what was on her mind anyway.

"If I wasn't here." The Oracle almost chuckled at her comment, but this was too serious of a situation. He had to reach them with the truth.

"This small and weak alternate universe, became just that, an alternate universe of what you live in now."

"Which means?"

"Irma, I think it is the opposite of our universe, like a reflected image off a mirror." Taranee responded. The Oracle smiled at them and nodded his head.

"Yes, you are correct. The alternate universe shows the opposite of what's here in yours. So good in your universe would be-"

"Evil in the other." Will finished with a shiver. "I think I get why you're telling us this." She closed her eyes as in to remember a deep thought. "This has something to do with an evil version of ourselves."

"But how do you-"

"She had it in a dream." Taranee answered Irma again. "Twice."

"So, are you saying that there are girls out in another universe who look just like us but are, evil?"

The Oracle bowed his head again and breathed deeply.

"Yes, I'm afraid that it is true. If I would have known what the Evil Guardians were planning in their universe, then I could have stopped them from getting Phobos and returning to Meridian."

"Why would they want to do that! Does anyone else know that he's a crazy, power-hungry, lunatic!" Irma shouted and the Guardians groaned. "Wow, nobody interrupted me that ti-"

"Hello! They are evil! They don't care about that kind of stuff!" Hay Lin pointed out to Irma.

"Grrr!" Irma glared angrily at her through clinched teeth.

"Would you please continue?" Will asked the Oracle as Irma went back into her pout.

"It is easier to think that good rules your universe while evil rules the other. Well, as Elyon rules with good in your universe, so does her alternate self with evil in the other one. That didn't seem to satisfy the other Guardians. Their anger built up because their powers were weak. They seemed to think that they lived in a wasteland because all of the excess magic from the original universe was dumped into theirs. From their point of view, they got weak powers that was the little magic that you Guardians couldn't have. You were stronger while they were weaker. Since they had little magic, they couldn't escape their world that they so desperatly wanted to leave. They wanted to prove that evil could rule something more than a wasteland that had little power. They wanted to escape and free the one person who would help them make sure that evil could rule both worlds."

"Phobos." Will whispered.

"Hey but if their power was so weak, how did they get out and free him?" Taranee asked.

"I think I can answer that." came a reedy and strong voice from across the room. The Oracle watched all the Guardians snap their heads in the voices direction as the person stepped into the light. Yan Lin and Tibor started walking toward them.

"Grandma!" Hay Lin yelled as she ran into her grandmother's arms. All that she was being told was left blank in her mind, that is until her grandma spoke again.

"Now Hay Lin, you must listen because what I'm about to tell you is of great importance. Do you understand?" Hay Lin slowly nodded her head and walked with Yan Lin back to where everyone was standing. Yan Lin, the Oracle said in his mind. Tell them the rest of what they need to know. Yan Lin nodded her head sharply and began.

"I'm sorry to tell you this girls, but you gave them the power to escape and free Phobos from the Tower of Mists."

"What! How did we do that! I'm always getting blamed for something!" Irma started whining again.

"Be quiet!" Will snapped.

"My gosh! Does anyone have a sense of humor! I was only joking!"

"No you weren't." Hay Lin said simply. Irma stuck out her lower lip.

"Well you're right then, I am always getting blamed for something."

"That's because you're always doing something wrong!"

"Enough!" Yan Lin said strongly. Their voices calmed down at once.

"This is why Phobos has succeded. You are fighting with each otherand your powers are weakening! You do not work together anymore and by the way you didn't help Cornelia-"

"Hey! Corny is the one who got mad at us so it's not all our fault!" Irma defended.

"Did you know that Cornelia is being held captive this very instant with Elyon by Prince Phobos?" The entire room was really quiet now and the Guardians had pale faces.

"Wh-what?" Hay Lin trembled. "How did he get them?"

"I'm not sure." Yan Lin answered. "But out of both the universes, all the power is split, originally with the real one having the most and the alternate one having very little. But now that your powers are weak-"

"They have more powers than us! That's how they broke free and sent me those dreams!" Will yelled cutting her off.

"What? Oh this is harder to follow than school." Irma griped.

"Don't you get it!" Will spoke urgently now. "The Evil Guardians wanted to get out and release Phobos so that they could prove that evil could rule something more powerful than what they lived in. But they didn't have enough power to do that, until ours got weak because we kept fighting. Now they have most of our powers and released him along with capturing Elyon and Cornelia! And... they are trying to get the Heart of Candracar!"

"Wow! We did so much without realizing all the wrong we caused." Taranee shivered. "Evil has our powers now."

"The question is, how are you going to make it right again?" The Oracle said to them. "Will, if that is indeed their plan, do what must be done."

"But-"

"Now it is even more urgent for you girls to make your powers strong again. Who knows what your alternate forms will do to find a way to defeat you. Trust in each other, and find your powers deep within."

Suddenly, the Guardians found themselves back on earth. Everything that they had been told was rattling inside their heads. Will kept thinking about, what she now knew was an Evil Guardian, had said to her earlier.

("Evil will come and now you will have to suffer.")

"She knew." Will whispered to her friends. She was planning it all along."

"We need to go to Meridian!" Irma smiled, now back to her old self again. "Come on ladies, we have some tails to kick!"

They all nodded and looked at the portal that the Oracle had created for them.

("Think of your friends, your mother, your boyfriend. And remember that I have your powers!")

Will looked back at her friends painfully. What could happen to them, she wondered.

("You can't escape!")

Will took a deep breath and regretfully stepped through the portal.

I'm sorry that was a really long chapter. A lot of talk and not a lot of action. The next ones might make up for it though.You need to understand this though to understand the rest of the story. Now you know all about the Evil Guardians and I'll tell you that this was hard to write. I hope I didn't make it too confusing. If you don't understand still, just send me an email or say it in a review. Please review because I want to know that I didn't work that hard for nothing. And P.S.- Thanks Guardiangirl254 for the tail kicking line you suggested, and you get the credit for it.