(Before W.I.T.C.H Issue 1)
"In Kandrakar, a place with neither time nor space is a large and spacious room underneath the palace. In the middle of nothingness and darkness is one shining light source. It is not a chandelier nor a star, but a powerful pendant. Be enchanted by its gleaming light and come closer, but be quiet. And let the pendant speak for itself. It is but…"
"…The Heart of Kandrakar" A familiar voice says from the shadows. "You have been staring at that for a while now, young Lyndon"
"And you were watching?" Eric Lyndon, the 12-year old high school teen turns his head as he recognizes the familiar voice. The long white-hair that reached to her legs, wrinkled yet wise old woman in large white robes approached him under the light. "Master Lin" he greets.
"I think you should stop calling me master now." Yan Lin walked slowly and stands beside Eric and also watches the glowing Heart. "You already graduated, I prefer you call me as Yan Lin."
"Nonsense, you will always be my master, Master Lin." He joked silently looked at her
"So I should call you Atlas instead now?" She counters with no sign of insult on her face.
"Hey now!" He withdraws embarrassingly at her "I never wanted to be Atlas, the captain of Earth's legion." He then relieves and returns his head high posture back to the light. "You've always been my favorite teacher and closest elder friend here Kandrakar ever since I was young. You taught me right wisdom and told me all your stories and adventures. That is why I prefer to stay here than to live on Earth."
Yan Lin smiles at him. "Well you have been my teacher's pet though." She chuckles. "I'm used to children you know up until now, you do know I have a granddaughter, right?"
"Faye Lin?"
"Hay Lin" she annoyingly corrects. "Don't you dare mess up my granddaughter's name" she says in yet patiently low tone.
"I am sorry, master" he replies silently. "I hate to break it with you, but your family has really weird names." He jokes again.
"What did you say young Lyndon?"
"I said sorry, master."
A long silence came after as they gaze the Heart of Kandrakar. Alone and quiet, awkward it may seem but to gaze such a sight is a feeling of magnificence, wonder and hope.
"Congratulations by the way. " Yan Lin breaks the silence. "I never thought that my young student would graduate so early".
"Yeah." he sighed in dismay. "The only reason Nigel, Ray and I are in service immediately was to replace all of the men from Earth's legion, codenamed the Sixth Vanguard, were all killed in battle against Phobos in Meridian. All around hundred men, gone" His mourning head lowers slightly. "And just the three of us were left to rebuild what's left of it"
"And what did they left behind?"
Eric shoves his long white robe back and pulls out slightly from the scabbard a large and lengthy sword with a simple hilt design on its end. The only ornamentation of the sword is the alpha symbol on an eight-stroke wheel on the rain-guard. "The Sword of Atlas, the sword which was given and passed down who became Atlas." He pushes the sword back to the scabbard. "The only remaining weapon of the legion that survived the engagement"
"I'm sorry of what has happened." Yan Lin distresses. "But life goes on, they may be at rest now but the remnants of what remains will be in your future young Lyndon. The future of the universe rests upon you and the sixth legion."
"The future" Eric says quietly as he still gazes the Heart. "Do you think it's time?"
"Time?"
"The Legions of Kandrakar was created as another solution to look over the universe after you guard it. An army of men across the universe to defend against the evil was the answer they say." He looks sternly at Yan Lin "Yet you and I both know that it isn't."
Yan silently nods her head in regret. Years ago, she together with her fellow congregation members founded the Legion as the new guardians of the universe. Yet a generation has passed since its foundation…
"Nowadays they are just soldiers of war and not peacemakers. The veil was once again raised when the greatest of the legions, Meridian's Third Imperial, has fallen. Many chose to fight yet many also chose sides and followed their allegiance to Phobos' cause." Eric turns his head quickly at Yan Lin. "We need-"
"Not this again young Eric." She tries to halt
"We need the Guardians back."
"You know we can't." She hesitates as she places her palm on her face. "We must avoid another conflict such as Nerissa."
"What choice do we have? It's been years since the universe have the Guardians-" He says as he notices Yan Lin being uncomfortable of a sad past.
"I'm sorry." He places his hand on Yan Lin's shoulder to comfort his elder friend. "You taught me to look up at a bright future for the universe and I think it's on front of us right now."
Yan Lin looks up again to the shining light, The Heart of Kandrakar. It is the true symbol of goodness and protection against the evil that surrounds. Her cherished memories then revived as she too, once a Guardian, protected the veil, though went under many conflicts, the universe was safe, unlike today.
Enlightened, Yan Lin smiles at Eric "I should never have taught you then."
Eric smiles back in gratitude reply. "I have to go now, master. Endarno is about to give our first assigned missions to us and might send us off to Earth directly." He says "I hope we can meet each other back on Earth."
"We will, eventually" she replies "Good luck to you young Lyndon"
"And to you, Master Lin!" as exaggeratedly jokingly bows his head to her and heads off to the shadows, but suddenly turns his head around after a few steps. "You know master, if I ever have the chance to see you and your family back on Earth I can come and visit right?"
"As long as you don't make fun of granddaughter's name then you are." Yan Lin annoyingly replies. "I bet you're going to fall on your knees when you see my Hay Lin. She's lovely and attractive than what you imagine." Though eyes squinted she manages to give a noticeable wink as she teases at him.
"Sounds like a bargain" he chuckles and goes off his way. "See you!"
Silence overcomes the place as the original keeper of the Heart; Yan Lin is left alone with the Heart of Kandrakar. She uses the soundless echoes as she meditates to reflect and hear the voices within her.
"He is right. The time truly has come."
