By the first light of the Morning that followed, in a nest atop a high ledge, Elena was sleeping next to Skylar. The young heir to Valestrella cured up beside her brother, snuggled against his soft, warm yellow coat. She moaned as she placed her right land beside where she faced.

Though the moment of peace would not last.

"Elena, Skylar, Neko!"

Elena flinched before she opening her eyes. She turned to and gazed up where she saw Migs and luna hovering over them.

"Wake up, sleepy heads!" Luna said.

Elena leaned up off Skylar, rubbing her left eye.

"Migs?" she said as she yawned.

"Luna?"

"Wake up, you three." Migs said.

"We gotta go. Chief Zephyr is waiting for us."

"Chief Zephyr." Elena yawned.

Suddenly, the realization then dawned on her, snapping her from the comfort of her tired state. She then remembered, Chief Zephyr was expecting them down below.

"Chief Zephyr!" She gasped, As she quickly stood up.

"Skylar, Neko, wake up!"

Skylar rose his head from paws, giving a jaw breaking yawn.

"Hey, what's going?" He asked, turning to Elena, Migs and Luna.

"Get up Skylar, we gotta go!" Migs said.

"We can't keep Chief Zephyr waiting!"

"Oh right!" Skylar said, before he and Neko rose up upon their fours paws.

"Come on" Migs said as he and Luna turned and flew off.

Elena climbed onto Skylar's back for flew after them.

Chief Zephyr sat before one of the stone pillars surrounding the clearing from all around. He gazed to the painting upon the it's flat, stone hard surface of the black shadow which soured in the night. The one called the Night Fury. As the Jaquins guarded the Valley during the day, the beast of the shadows guarded it by night. Although that didn't disregarded the guardians from their duty, for they vowed to forever guard the valley for the people who passed long ago.

However still, the guardians valued the beast of mystery. Like them, protecting the valley from any who dare trespass upon the ruins of the lost city.

It was the moment to follow the chiefs observation, that Elena and the other landed down in the circle behind Zephyr.

"Chief Zephyr." Elena said.

Zephyr then turned and faced his five trainees.

"Ah, Princess Elena, Skylar, Neko, Migs, Luna." he greeted.

"Sorry we're late." Migs said, stepping forward.

"Actually, you're all just in time." The chief insisted.

"Today, we'll be going to the ruins to the west."

"The ruins?" Elena asked, curiously.

Zephyr nodded his head.

"Yes." he insisted.

"As custom to Guardian training, you all must learn of our proud history. Come."

The chief turned and leaped into the air along with his five trainees.

After a time of souring high above the valley, Elena could see two towers which stood above the jungle in the near distance. Gazing ahead to the two structures, there was a sense of awe and wonder. A long lost civilization which once had lived long ago. She had seen many of the remains of the great city long a few times before in the past, yet she has never seen the west. She was excited to see what it had to offer, being that it was so impotent to their guardian training.

Yet in her moment of anticipation, Elena suddenly then felt that feeling of dread she had felt the day before. The memories of the past she had long suppressed were then to follow. The voices and sounds long ago seeped into mind. She could hear them rambling on all at once. Elena sealed her eyes as she shook her head, desperately trying to be rid of them.

"No." she groan, pressing her hand to her head.

They grew louder and louder with each moment which passed, making her need for escape ever so great.

"Elena?"

The Jaquin princess was the snapped back to reality, ceasing the memories. She looked down at Skyler, who was looking back up at her.

"You okay, big sis?" He asked, curiously.

"Uh... yeah..." She reassured him, holding her head.

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired."

"Heads up, guys." Luna called back to them.

"We're going in for a landing."

As they were upon the city, the group flew around one of the towers before they then descended below into the ruins. Zephry landed at the top of temple like structure just as the five friends landed behind him.

"This way." he said, looking back to his five students.

Zephyr turned and walked into the temple. The five friend followed the Jaquin chief inside, entering into a room shrouded with blackened shadows.

"It's really dark in here." Skyler said, looking about room.

"Don't worry," Elena said.

"I got this."

Elena turned to face the side as she slid off her brother's back. She then reached down to her side and pulled out her scepter.

"Glow!" she said, holding up her golden staff.

The blue diamond atop the scepter lit up, revealing all which the darkness had concealed.

"Ah, that's better." Skylar said.

"Wow." Elena said as she looked about the temple's chamber.

Over the walls of the camber were stone carvings of the city's distant history, all of which were that of Jaquins.

"Jaquins?" Elena asked, looking back to the chief.

"This temple is one of the few which holds the last reminiscent of our history in this realm." Zephyr said.

"For many generations, we have watched over this once proud city of Valle de ciudades perdidas and protected it's people."

Zephyr walked up the the wall left from Elena and the others. The carving over it's hard stone surface was of a several jaquins battling against a great serpent in the river.

"We fought the great serpent of the river," Zephyr said, before he walked to another.

This one was of Jaquins fighting off a band of warriors.

"Rivaling warriors of the south."

He then turned to Elena and the others.

"But we couldn't stop the outsiders from invading the valley. A day we Guardians have come to grieve even now."

The events which the chief described were well familiar to the Elena and her two brothers. Growing up in the royal family, Verogo and Mariana used to tell her the great legends of the Guardians of Valle de ciudades perdidas. Many of which heroic like the battle of the river serpent. Though one saddest of these tales was that of the final sunset of the city of Valle de ciudades perdidas. When an army of outsiders with their steal blades and staffs of fire raided the great city and slaughtered the people, taking the gold and relics from the temple.

Even with the the Guardians there to protect them, they were of no match for the outsiders and lost many. Yet upon the moment when the sun had disappeared into the horizon, it was the Night Fury who had appeared and had drove away the outsiders.

"But didn't the Night Fury drive away the invaders?" Elena asked, curiously.

"Yes, that is true." Chief Zephyr said, nodded his head.

Zephyr turned and walked over to the far back end of the chamber. Gazing up to the stone carving of the Night Fury, or what the people of the city once called the Sombra de ala negra.

"It was the Night Fury who had repelled the invaders long ago." He continued.

"Who drove them at the fall of the final sun of when the city of Valle de ciudades perdidas had lived. That is why we Jaquins look to the Night Fury with great respect and why we accept him as a protector of the valley."

The five friends walked up from behind Zephyr, gazing to the carving of the Night Fury. Though then Zephyr turned back to his pupils.

"But as Guardians, it was us who had the responsibility of protecting the valley." He insisted.

"That is why we watch over the Valley to this day and why outsiders are forbidden. Our final promise to the people was that we would protect what remains of their city from outsiders."

Elena stood silently beside the chief, listening to all that he had been said. Most of which were compelling to the Jaquin princess, most notably the mention of outsiders. For there was once a time that Elena herself was an outsider at one time long ago. Though she came to be the one exception. For by Mariana's sympathy when she had found her and the acceptance by all the other Jaquins that she became one of them.

"As Guardians, we must be prepared." Zephyr explained.

"If we are to protect the Valley and our realm, you all must be stronger, smarter and faster then ever before. Time has changed the outside world and we must be ready to face whatever may yet come."

(I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, please comment and review and let me know what you think.)