From the fortress you could see a land of black clouds thickening from afar. The Oracle looked worried. Tibor came inspecting him well, without saying anything.

The Oracle didn't turned either.

"No, I don't know," he said simply. "I don't know what's happening. I feel a threat, but I don't know what it is. It's coming closer, it's studying us, and it's ready to hit, but I can't understand its potential, nor the dangers. And unfortunately, I don't think the guardians suspects anything. I should warn them before it's too late ".

Tibor went off, leaving the Oracle with his thoughts. He saw him clenching his fists and close his eyes. This troubled him, more than Tibor could believe; but mostly he was intrigued by not knowing who was his enemy.

Guardians, the Oracle calls the Oracle contacted telepathically the guardians.

The guardians felt the voice of the Oracle in their heads, firmed and peremptory.

Yan Lin had a start, fearing who knows what, Cassidy drew a long sigh, convinced, as if she were to carry out an important mission.

The girls transported back to Kandrakar where they met the Oracle in the room of the Congregation.

A strong thunder the walls of the fortress tremble.

"Nothing good, I suppose ..." Halinor thought.

The Oracle came up to them. "Girls, I will be very serious, and I want to lend me all of your attention," he said, getting the whole seriousness of the girls. "There is a danger that wanders between the walls of this fortress. I do not know what it is or who it is, I can't perceive it. But I know for sure, he knows us, and all the secrets of Kandrakar, that it wishes to have. And, be aware, it won't ever hit us without first hit you, our only source of protection. So be careful, guardians. Everuthing could happen ". The Oracle said, turning his gaze from Cassidy to Nerissa, to the other guardians. Then, he looked at the first two once again. His was merely breathless. He seemed to be afraid, and the girls could see that. This thing really terrorized him, or rather, not knowing what it was, induced him to this state of fear. The girls looked at each other, almost as if they wanted to read the one in the eyes of the other. "And I want to be informed of everything that happens" the Oracle continued "even smallest things" and looked firmly at Nerissa, who received those anxious eyes and answered nodding, confident.

The Oracle then left them alone, and walked away.

They stood in silence for a while.

Yan Lin sighed. "What are we gonna do now?".

It seemed that none of them had an answer, ready to be expressed. All of them were astonished of the terror of the Oracle, they had not ever seen him like this. But how could it be that such a powerful being had so much fear? And they, were supposed to have less?

"Think he refers to the ruler of that world ...Aquardas? " Halinor asked.

"If Karesh is so much powerful to put in crisis the Oracle, I really don't know if we have the means to be able to deal with" Kadma replied, doubtful.

"Even if we don't, we have to do it. If we let him do this, we will have no chance, "Cassidy said, firmly.

There was another moment of silence.

"I guess we have to go to Aquardas" Nerissa said, suddenly.

"Are you crazy?" Halinor replied "We don't know anything about that world, nor of its inhabitants, nor what we'll find!".

"I know, but we can't find it in schoolbooks" Nerissa replied "I suggest to go".

The girls looked at Cassidy, who did not respond.

"...Cass ...? ".

Cassidy turned toward them. "Let's go".

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Edward was sitting on the edge of the bed, thoughtful. He wasn't having news from Karesh, nor his uncle had thought to look for him, when Edward was trying to reach him. In fact, he had a lot to say. Better. He didn't know exactly how, but he felt as he was torn between two hearts; he felt the desire to defend his own country from the attacks and rules of Kandrakar and its guardians, but at the same time, each time he tried to discover something, didn't see anything to discover. They seemed normal, too normale, naive and helpless, all things considered.

He took the package in his hands, and unwrapped it; he took the two stuffed animals and put them on his nightstand.

Why I'm here? He wondered, took his jacket and walked out, closing the door behind him.

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The girls crossed the portal.

In front of them there was a vast plain, and a river that flowed in the grass, creating a waterfall a few kilometers farther; that was like a mountain landscape, some rocks, many trees to define the prairie. It seemed the perfect place for a happy world. Nothing to do with Meridian.

"Is this Aquardas?" asked Yan Lin.

"I suppose so," said Nerissa, looking around.

"Look girls!I see the palace! "shouted Halinor, indicating a point on the horizon. Between the trees you could see the great palace of Karesh. Huge, white, shiny.

"And we are here and we have to walk up there?Better teleportation " the picky Kadma asked, considering the distance between them and the building.

"I'd say not to give into the eye with firework displays. We will hike from there " Nerissa replied, starting.

The other girls followed.

Halinor approached Cassidy, doubtful. "What do you do once you get there?".

Cassidy shrugged. "Understanding how that is, considering the situation, seeing if there are any guards, any way out, find out whether they are friendly or not."

"And if they're not?".

"Well ...".

They heard a scream. The guardians turned back, afraid.

"What was that?!" Kadma shouted.

"Dunno ... where's Yan in!".

At that time, several armed men emerged from behind the trees. "THERE ARE THE OTHERS!" they cried, pouncing on girls. Two men had taken Yan Lin and held tight while tied.

Nerissa took a leap forward towards her imprisoned friend, when two armed men with the rifle pointed their weapons on her, and a third man clutching her arms. Cassidy and Halinor were thrown to the ground without even realizing, and they, with those men's weapons pointed to their heads, were tight tied with a rope around their wrists, back to back.

"And you, who the hell are you!" screamed Halinor trying to flail.

"SHUT UP, YOU DON'T DARE TO SPEAK, BEAST!" the man next to her screamed, pointing a big gun to her.

"Beast!?Beast who! "cried the guardian in response.

Cassidy tried to turn to Halinor, and whispered her name. Halinor nodded. "Fire". A small flame began to burn the rope that held tight her and her friend.

"What!?But what the hell...! "one of the men shouted when he saw the fact, before Cassidy knocked him out with the barrel of a rifle.

Halinor ran towards the others in order to release them as she had already done with Cassidy, while the latter was protecting her companions with a protective shield of quintessence.

"Yeah, maybe you were right," Cassidy said "Maybe we should search more for this stuff in schoolbooks!".

Meanwhile, someone tried to shoot against her shield, without success.

The girls got up promptly, considering whether to run away or attack, seeing that none of them seemed to feel like talking.

"STOP!" a scream in the wood. A man on horseback rode towards them: high, very high, some scars on his face, he had several guns to his sides, a pair of boots and a cloak.

"Who are you!What do you want! "he cried.

"Who are we?But who are you! " Nerissa screamed, indignant.

"Beware of your words, girl!I am Aswin, head of this battalion and the rebels. You, who you are?I've never seen anyone here on Aquardas using your same magic! ".

Cassidy stood wary, not knowing whether or not to lower her guard. And without looking away from the other men, responded.

"We are the guardians of Kandrakar"

Aswin kept breathing.

"Kandrakar ...".

Then looked at his men and ordered. "Down your guns!".

While each of them lowered the gun and put them ashore, Aswin dismounted and approached them with caution. He observed them good, these girls that seemed so young, so vulnerable. These girls that he had always dreamed of, and now they were there, in front of him.

"Kandrakar ... but then ... IT WAS NOT A VAIN HOPE!" he cried with a smile on his lips. "Some of us have imagined, nobody was sure you were real!Why are you here? ".

Yan Lin spoke. "The Oracle told us about Karesh ... and what happened a long time ago".

"A STORY THAT MUST END!THAT KARESH WORM! " Aswin shouted angry.

"Don't lose your temper" Kadma invited him to calm down, "we know what happens, and this is why we're here."

"Karesh didn't want to listen to the Oracle, when he was asked to abdicate. Therefore, we act ourselves. But we have to know everything, "Nerissa continued.

Aswin, looked amazed. "Of course. We couldn't ask for better. The help of Kandrakar and guardians in person!Come with us ... we have the camp not far from here ".

The girls nodded.

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Serke came in the great throne room, where Karesh sat.

"My good Serke!" he called him "What to this...sudden visit?".

Serke stood before the throne, and prostrated. "The guardians are here, master."

Karesh didn't stress out. "And... what are they doing?" he asked, looking at his beautiful hands.

"They met the rebels, Sir".

Karesh put his glass on a coffee table. "We should be afraid" he said with a sarcastic tone.

Serke looked at him astonished "But Lord, they can all!".

Karesh shrugged. "Not now. Or, they're tremendously stupid, and this could be perfectly possible to Kandrakar and its servants, or not now. Then relax. And drink some good wine ".

Serke approached Karesh. "And the boy, Sir?".

Karesh sipped. "Better there than here".

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"You have to forgive us for our welcome. We feared you were servants of Karesh. As I said, no one was certain of your existence "Aswin apologized to the guardians.

"Forgiven" Cassidy said "Now tell us everything."

Aswin smiled. "I don't think there's a lot to explain. I think the story is the same as that one the Oracle told you. And there is nothing more to say. But I can tell you the people who live on Aquardas, their conditions, their ideas, what they can't do or say. Karesh killed to be empowered. And you think a birthday, or an ideology can stop him?No ... a tyrant who has tasted power, is doubly dangerous".

"When did the group of rebels appear?" Halinor asked.

"Since Karesh became the king. Many had doubts about Karesh's actions, and our doubts were confirmed when Karesh made this clear, that he wanted the power for himself. Karesh has absorbed much of the energy of Aquardas, and has powers that none of us can have! And except for us, has no opponents. What makes to his opponents, is worse than death ...! ".

The guardians listened carefully to everything.

"How can you get in the palace?" Yan Lin asked.

"Get into it?You're kidding ... impossible! It's filled with guards, inside and outside, unless you have an invitation ... " Aswin said, laughing.

"But then how the hell do you rebel?With words? " Kadma provoked him.

Aswin jumped up. "WE FIGHT!WE HELP PEOPLE, FIGHT, AND ... and. ... ".

The guardians waited Aswin to finish his speech. Everyone had turned to him.

"Shooting to the guards of the palace, who however are always too many, and if it's not the guards, it's us" Nerissa continued peacefully, rolling her eyes.

Aswin stopped talking.

"We need a plan, Aswin. A concrete plan. We have to know everything of our enemy, and figure out how many chances we have with our resources, "Cassidy said," believe me, we have some experience with Meridian "said, turning to his companions and winking.

Aswin looked confused. "Meri ... what?".

Cassidy rolled her eyes, "oh, well..let it be".

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William was walking along the road home. He had just did the grocery shopping, and had two bags in his hands. The day was over, and it was already dark. He was going to the maindoor when he saw someone in the garden of his house. Someone who was trying to climb up upstairs.

"HEY!" he cried, running toward him. He took him by his legs, and pulled him down, hard. He tried to block him by throwing him to the ground, but his opponent turned out to be remarkably strong.

Until he felt a sharp pain behind the head, and lost his senses.