Nerissa, Kadma, Cassidy, Yan-Lin, and Halinor sat in the upper level of The Silver Dragon restaurant staring unsurely at the heart of Kandrakar.
"Anybody know any magic words?" Cassidy asked.
"Yeah a spell?" Yan-Lin added.
Nerissa replied: "The only thing that worked was when I said guardians-"
At that moment, Yan-Lin's mother entered balancing a tray of cookies and five steaming cups of tea.
Nerissa scrambled to hide the magical trinket.
"Mama!" Yan-Lin scolded her smiling mother.
"Relax little Lin, I was just bringing you girls some snacks." She placed the succulent smelling treats on the table and gave them another smile before shuffling back downstairs.
"Sorry about that guys." Yan-Lin apologized pouring their tea. The scent of her parents home cooking, however, had already started to relax her and her friends.
Through a mouthful of food Nerissa announced; "Yari said we could go to that Kandrakar place using this thing."
"Then what?" Halinor asked.
"Find the Oracle and he'll answer all of our questions."
"But how will we know where to find him in Kandrakar?" Yan-Lin asked. "If he's like, the guardian that watches over all the worlds, it's not like he'll just be sitting right there waiting to greet us personally."
Cassidy snickered. "You think we could look him up in the other worldly yellow pages?"
Kadma rolled her eyes. "Do you guys even hear yourselves? This whole thing is ridiculous. How do we even know that this 'Oracle' and 'Kandrakar' exist?"
"Well there's only one way to find out now isn't there?" Cassidy replied giving Kadma a pointed look.
Kadma returned it with an irritated glare of her own.
"Okay everybody, hands in," Nerissa demanded breaking through the developing tension, "If we all concentrate on the same thing: Going to Kandrakar, maybe we can make this thing work."
Before her friends could do as they were told Nerissa stopped them.
"But you guys have to promise me you'll truly focus on that goal. No doubts, no minds wandering, no skepticism."
The girls nodded before piling their hands on top of Nerissa's who held the heart.
"Alright then, next stop; Kandrakar!" Nerissa declared.
The Oracle waited patiently for the guardians arrival. It was a test of sorts. To see if they could make it to Kandrakar as a team.
It was no coincidence that the girls had chosen today to make their first trip to the spiritual world. There were never any coincidences in life.
Tibor, the Oracle's right hand, announced; "They're coming Oracle."
The Oracle's finger tips met in a pinnacle just under his chin.
"With many questions in mind, I'm sure. Tibor, please greet them when they arrive and bring them to me."
"Yes Oracle."
Not even five minutes later, Tibor whisked five, dazzled looking girls through the doors of Kandrakar's palace.
"Wooow." The redhead and the small Asian girl whistled simultaneously.
The raven haired one lifted the heart of Kandrakar to her smoldering eyes.
"We did it." She whispered gazing at the glowing orb. She looked awestruck, amazed, and a tad frightened.
The Oracle cleared his throat calling the girls attention to himself.
"Welcome Guardians, to Kandrakar!"
The Redheaded water guardian turned her attention to her air guardian friend.
"See!" She smacked the girls arm, "And you said he wouldn't be just sitting here waiting for us!" Then she turned her attention to the earth guardian and gave the girl a smug smirk. "And you didn't think this existed!"
Kadma gawked at her new surroundings.
Halinor, looking unsure of what to do, bowed to the Oracle.
"Girls," The Oracle spoke up, "I know you've many questions to ask. Tell me; what would you like to know?"
The girls looked silently to their leader.
She gave them a blank stare. "What?"
Yan-Lin nudged her forward.
"Um," Nerissa stuttered, "Mr. Oracle, sir, we wanted to know all about the things that have been happening to us. If that's OK."
The Oracle nodded his understanding. He explained to the girls pretty much what Yari had: That he'd created the veil to keep evil at bay, about the five protectors of said veil and how they were to stop the spread of evil.
Next, Halinor asked: "What if…we don't want to use our powers."
The Oracle's solemn stare fell on the blonde. He knew in time she would grow as vocal and opinionated as her earth guardian friend, but for now she was skeptical and unsure.
"You've no choice fire guardian, you may not want to, but you'll soon learn that you will have no other choice. Your powers are a gift not a curse, even if they may feel that way."
Kadma voiced the next question; "What about the big creepy crawly that's slowly taking over the under ground?" Her tone was full of attitude.
"You girls can and will easily defeat Hades." He answered.
"Hades?" Yan-Lin piped up confusedly, "As in lord of the under world?"
"A name he's taken on for himself." The Oracle explained.
"What about our future enemies?" Nerissa asked. "Who will be our greatest threat of them all?"
The Oracle hesitated before answering: "I am not sure, young keeper. Just be ready to fight. I'm afraid I've answered all the questions for you that I can today-"
"What?" Cassidy protested. "How bogus! I didn't know we had a question limit-"
"All the questions you can answer," Kadma snapped, "Or all the questions you will answer?"
The Oracle was only slightly taken aback, but he quickly recovered. The earth guardian would always be the most skeptical, the most curious, and the most demanding, but she had a point…
I know you have more questions, but you will learn all you'll need to know in due time."
"But," Nerissa stammered, but the rest of the statement was cut off. The girls surroundings began to whirl as if they were in the heart of a tornado.
"In due time." The Oracles voice lamented.
I hope you guys are satisfied with these few chaps. I put up what I could.