Chapter 5: Dark Beginnings

Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.
Francis Bacon

Lindsey Dobson found herself in front of the last place she ever expected to be, the legendary spirit temple. "Sakura, what is the meaning of this? You expect me to go inside there? I wouldn't survive." Sakura on the other hand, was not convinced. "My dear woman, not only do I expect you to survive, I except you to come out with the nation's salvation" she announced. "What are you talking about? Are you suggesting that this temple has some new secret in it? That's impossible. Lord Chambers and Grimm already claimed the treasures of this temple, the Eslydion and the Masamune. There's no evidence of there being anything else in here"

"That's where you are wrong. Sit down. Let me tell you a story. In fact, I'll let my partner tell it." Sakura morphed into an older woman apparently in her thirties. Instead of Sakura's sandy hair, she had golden blonde hair. Even, the outfit changed, changing into a more regal looking robe with jewel studded sashes around her shoulders. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zelda Avalon. Sakura and I are fused body and soul together for the purpose of destroying my brother Ash. "Wait a minute. Now you really lost me. What happened to the other girl?" asked Lindsey confused. "Oh she'll be with you in a second. A simple morph will bring Sakura back to you. I just need to inform you of your task. Pay attention to my words…" Zelda turned and with a wave of her hand, made a cloudy display that seemed to be showing images.

Long ago, the land of Guardia in which was the very center of life in my dimension, was lush and wealthy under the rule of Queen Zeal. She was a stern but fair queen who always had the best interest of her people, the faeries, in mind. You see, the faeries were the ones whose life force kept nature in check and healthy and how they helped all depending on their type. The only flaw that can be credited to Queen Zeal was that she hated humans with a passion. She starved them of resources and even sometimes attacked them in spite. There was one faerie within Zeal's court that took pity on them. Her name was Taelia and she created a plan to overthrow Queen Zeal so that faeries and humans could coexist together and she succeeded. By recruiting a faerie blacksmith and by getting the blessings of other faeries in Zeal's court, she created the Eslydion blade. That blade countered the hate that Zeal had for the humans it was protecting. And even though Taelia wasn't nearly powerful enough to destroy Zeal, she did manage to seal her away in the Stone of Ages. Taelia then brought the wealth of the fairies down to humans and for a while, things went to plan. Taelia even became pregnant by a human who was a disciple of hers. She had two children, the elder daughter named Zelda and the younger son she named Ash

Lindsey was shocked at what she said. But her shock would escalate to a new level at what was said afterward.

Taelia went to work to build a utopia in which humans and faeries could live without any fear of corruption. A world where nature was never defiled, equality abounded, and that magic would keep the world alive. She intended Guardia to be this utopia at first, but instead decided to create a whole new world altogether in another dimension. She came here, to this dimension and gave the land form and nourishment. She helped humans colonize here and also built the spirit temple. In it, she left three gifts to help mankind survive the great gods that were here before, but luckily still slumbering. Those gifts were the Eslydion, Masamune, and the Phoenix blade, the great swords of light, darkness, and nature

"But wait then!" cried Lindsey overwhelmed. "Where do Shinato and Ha des and Exodia and the other gods come into play with this world? If this Taelia is all powerful as you say, where is she now and how come there are no records of her? "Those questions will be answered in due time. Right now, you must start your quest. Enter the spirit temple and claim the Phoenix blade. You will be safe if you wear this crest." Zelda handed Lindsey a royal crest with two nude fairies on either side and with the sun, moon, and a picture of a planet circling a picture of Queen Zeal, recognizable by the images given by Zelda's display. "Why me?" asked Lindsey. "Have you told King Chambers about this?" "I'm telling you these things to save your king" said Zelda sternly. "From who? Tell me."

Zelda paused. "From himself and also from my brother, who seeks his life from a wrong he did to us in another life" Those words panged Lindsey. After a few moments, she looked at Zelda with fire in her eyes. "I'm ready to protect my king. Tell me what I must do" "You brought your deck right? Good, enter the spirit temple and take the middle path. That path is the easiest of the three; however that path will lead you to the real guardian of the temple. His name is Kyle. He and his wife will determine if you are worthy of the Phoenix blade." By the need to bring her deck and also based on the past accounts of Lord Chambers and Grimm, she guessed that meant a sacred duel. Lindsey went inside the temple. Like Zelda said, she felt no harm from the temple's power. She took the middle path and a few minutes later, after a steep walk, she came to a door with symbols relating to the elements. There was a hole in it that was shaped like her crest. Lindsey stuck it in. The door opened and she was sucked inside. "What is this?" asked Lindsey to herself while rubbing her head while getting up. "So you are the one that the faeries sent huh?" said a voice from the darkness. Torches around the room lit up, revealing mystical symbols, pictures of phoenixes and also a writings of a language she had never seen before. "Welcome to my chambers. My name is Kyle. Who are you?" Lindsey was surprised at what she saw. Kyle was as average looking as you would expect a Kyle to look like, expect leaning more toward the extreme look. He had black hair with red steaks through it. He wore black leather and had tan skin. "Not impressed huh?" asked Kyle again. "Well looks are not everything. Perhaps you'll be more impressed by my lovely wife. Kyle turned and waved to the shadows. "You're wife? You look no older then Lord Grimm. If you're as old as Zelda said are, you should be dust!" Kyle's wife stepped out. She appeared several years older, like a matured woman, which was odd, compared to Kyle's youthful look. She wore a gold, phoenix shaped helmet with a large red feather on top. Her outfit was made of gold cloth with an orange dress. Very sexy, yet formal at the same time. Lindsey couldn't see her face and she didn't like where this was heading. "Yeah, that's what good about having a wife who's a god! Nephthys! Let's show this joke true power. She smiled and flew into Kyle's deck which appeared into his hand. A sacred dueling platform arose. "Come face me, woman!" commanded Kyle. "You are here seeking the Phoenix Blade. Only someone with the Crest of Queen Zeal can come here, so I'm giving you you're chance to prove yourself." Lindsey was nervous about potentially fighting a goddess, but she jumped up anyway. "LET'S DUEL!" they both shouted