Days passed, and the girls had learned nothing more about Elyon or her family. The case was publicized, and people were asked for any relevant information, but it never came. Despite Cornelia's protests, they were unable to investigate the house because police officers were guarding it. After a week, the police sealed the scene, leaving tapes and warnings for trespassers, and vacated the premises. Will remained silent the entire time, avoiding direct discussions with Elyon for fear of her bursting into tears. Thinking about her made Will remember him, and she vowed to herself to forget everything. It was upsetting. Her frequent dreams about the passionate kiss and what might follow made her restless and ashamed. Sometimes she could practically feel his taste lingering in her mouth, and it hurt. She tried distracting herself by focusing on school and spending time with friends, but the memories kept creeping back. It was a deliberate decision to end their relationship and never see him again. It was hard because her mind said her feelings were wrong, but her heart just yearned. Even her friends noticed something was bothering her but never asked what because they assumed she was still upset about their fight with Cedric. Will tried to act as if nothing was wrong, but on the inside, she was torn, bearing the consequences of her decisions.
One late evening, they gathered in the empty yard, dressed in the dark colors associated with sneaking around. The house stood silent in the wilted grass, and the wind slowly moved the tree branches, making the place look eerie.
'Is it just me, or are we breaking into private property? My father will kill me if somebody catches us.' Irma muttered, huddling closer to the ground.
'In here.' Cornelia motioned to the basement window, which was not properly locked. With a little help from the magical vines to crack it, the girls crawled through the narrow opening into the dusty basement. It was divided into a laundry room and storage, which had been unused recently, as dirty clothes were still in baskets near the washing machine. They climbed silently, pulling out a few small flashlights to help them see better in the dark. Will felt like she was invading Elyon's privacy, even though the house was empty and the girl didn't care about abandoning everything. It seemed like only yesterday their gang laughed in the living room while doing homework. Cornelia had most likely stayed here more than once, and now they were searching the house for any clues as to where the family had gone. Every room appeared to be the same as before as if the people who lived here had simply gotten up and left. It was like that until the girls gathered in the kitchen. It was a mess. There were shards of broken glass everywhere, an overturned table with chairs and candies with colorful papers flashing in the dark on the ground. Someone fought here. The girls stepped carefully around the debris, trying not to disturb anything in their path.
'Does that look like blood?' Hay Lin, who was as white as a sheet, pointed to the kitchen counter's corner and the floor. There were dark, dried spots splotched on the surfaces as if something had been thrown into the corner and slid on the ground.
'I'm going to be sick...' Cornelia leaned against the wall, trying not to look at the bloodstains. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The thought of Elyon's parents being hurt in here made her queasy.
'Hey, it's okay...' Nobody has died. We would have been informed by the officers. There isn't a lot of blood here.' Will comforted her friend by offering her a shoulder to cry on. Elyon would not have wanted to kill her parents. They were most likely taken to Meridian and imprisoned there.
'Come on, we still need to look over Elyon's room. Whatever happened here, Mr. and Miss Brown were most likely kidnapped.' Taranee frowned and looked around. She wanted to go home. If her mother knew about this illegal activity, it would not end well for her, she would be grounded for life.
'Can I do it by myself?' Cornelia asked, 'If Elyon was found, she would be unhappy if we snooped in her room, and well, I know her longest.'
'You are probably right…' Will agreed, not wanting to go into Elyon's room because she already knew where the girl was. Confirming it again would only ruin her mood.
'Come on, girls. We should wait in the basement. It would be harder for someone to see us through the windows.' She walked downstairs slowly, using a small flashlight to guide her. The other girls followed her lead, careful not to make any noise. They sat in the basement on rickety chairs and boxes, waiting for Cornelia to return. Only Irma paced around in the low lighting of the room.
'Do you think Elyon is okay?' Hay Lin inquired, tapping her foot, wanting to do something but remaining as quiet as possible.
'Maybe… We have no idea where they went. I don't think they'll kill her if she's in the Meridian. She could be used against us as a bargaining chip.' Taranee sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
Will felt as if something was stuck in her throat. It was far worse than the girls had imagined. Elyon will not return, and if she does, only as their enemy. Will flinched, startled out of her heavy thoughts, when Irma dropped some boxes near the wall and began sneezing from the dust.
'Sorry...' she said sheepishly, but her attention was drawn elsewhere. 'Hey, Will, I think I found something?' Her flashlight lit up the wall.
The surface looked odd in the cluttered basement and had a new, almost shimmery coat. Very different from the walls around it. Will took a closer look and placed her palm on the rough plaster. It hummed under her touch—one section of the frame was made with the help of magic.
'Guys, what are you doing?' Cornelia curiously asked, finding her friends patting down a wall.
'I believe I've discovered something.' Irma knocked on the partition, listening for a hollow behind it.
'We think there is something in there.' Will explained to her friend.
'And? Are we tearing down walls now?' Cornelia sighed and rolled her eyes. 'And, if you're wondering, I found nothing in Elyon's room. Only her diary is missing, so nothing we didn't already know.'
Will hummed, clearly not paying attention. 'It's just a feeling, you know? Kandrakar's Heart will help us...'
'I think you rely on that thing too much, Will. What if it stops working?' Cornelia huffed with expiration, seeing as they did not pay attention.
'Hey, stop throwing tantrums. 'The Heart was always there to help us!' Irma irritably crossed her arms. Cornelia's haughty demeanor was always grating on her nerves.
'I just don't trust inanimate objects!' She hissed but remained silent as Will removed the pendant from beneath the sweater.
Will smiled reassuringly at Cornelia as she held up the pendant. 'But this isn't just any inanimate object,' she said, feeling the warmth in her palms. The Heart rose steadily and hovered in the air, casting white light on the wall. The fake plaster slowly melted away in front of their eyes, revealing a portal swirling behind it.
'Well, that answers our question...' Irma stated flatly.
'Should we go in?' Taranee asked, feeling dread in her stomach. She didn't like how dark and sinister the portal appeared. Normally, it was a light vortex, but this felt like a black hole devouring everything around it in a swirling mass.
'We don't have much of a choice. 'Perhaps Elyon is in there!' Cornelia yelled at her companions. They had no idea how helpless she felt, not helping Elyon when she needed it. At the same time, Cornelia was resentful of her Guardian duties because they strained her friendship with the girl.
'Wait a minute, what if it's an ambush?' This portal was left by whatever took Elyon's parents. Maybe we should reconsider?' Hay Lin worriedly nibbled her lower lip, knowing their recent history with the enemy was not good.
'I don't care! Let's transform! Will!' Cornelia insisted on pacing around, wanting to move, fight and not be so powerless when her friend was missing. Will shook her head, looking at her friends. She understood how Cornelia felt, but knowing the secret insight, Will realized going over was a bad idea. Even if she mentioned it, the girls would ignore her in the absence of concrete evidence. They will have to risk it. Will couldn't let her friends go alone, especially if there was danger involved. Despite her dislike for the plan, she extended her hand with a Heart of Kandrakar and said, "Guardians unite!"
A flash of light exploded from the pendant, enveloping the girls in various colored cocoons that represented their elements. Cornelia was green, Irma was blue, Hay Lin was white, Taranee was red, and she was pink. It transformed them into magical warriors. Will breathed a sigh of relief as the warm, lovely, rosy light encircled her. The transformation seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it only lasted a few seconds, and they were standing in The Guardian uniforms, decked in violet and green hues.
'We can go now.' Will nodded and slipped through the portal, with the girls following just behind her. For a brief moment, there were only darkness and silence on all sides. Then, all of a sudden, the noise returned and they landed on the Meridian. The portal behind them closed with a silent pop. They were on a narrow street with tall, murky wooden houses surrounding and crowding the small alley. The air was thick with the smell of damp wood and stale water. As the group cautiously made their way down the street, they could hear the faint sound of footsteps echoing from somewhere in the distance. The sky above them was dark, covered with heavy rain clouds, making the alleyway even more claustrophobic than it already was.
'What a horrible place!' Irma wrinkled her nose as she smelled the trash cans in the back.
'I don't think it's our only problem!' Hay Lin gripped her hand, looking around frantically. Soldiers had gathered down the street, blocking the only exit. Cedric stood in the middle of the squad, elegantly dressed in a blue and green robe with the royal crest on it and golden shoulder armor. His tall figure menacingly raised above soldiers with a long green tail and angry yellow eyes on the inhuman face. Will shuddered in memory of how strong he was. She did not want to fight him, even if that was inevitable. It was right to think she should have stayed home.
'Greetings, Guardians! We have been anticipating your arrival and have prepared a splendid reception. If you were so foolish to jump down the rabbit hole,' Cedric chuckled, flashing his pearly-white, razor-sharp teeth. 'A friend accompanied me for your warmest welcome! Come, Elyon, and greet your dear friends!' He laughed gleefully and motioned behind him.
'Nice to see you.' The petite figure emerged from behind Cedric, removing the hood. She stood tall and proudly beside the monster, wearing the same royal crest on her blue robe and gleaming silver headpiece. Will saw the girls' disbelief and thought it made her life easier. This was proof of betrayal, but she knew how they felt because her heart throbbed with pain as well.
'What did they do to you?' Cornelia sobbed, unable to believe what she had witnessed. Elyon has been brainwashed by the enemy. 'We're returning home. You can't stay in this awful place!' She begged, hoping to persuade her friend.
'This horrible place? This is my home, Cornelia. I thought maybe you, above all else, would understand my feelings… However, I don't want to go anywhere. I belong here!' The girl snapped in annoyance. 'It doesn't matter because you won't be going anywhere else either...' she smirked, nodding to Cedric.
'In that case, I have no choice but to obey your command, Lady Elyon.' Cedric respectfully bowed his head, enjoying the spectacle.
'Guards! Capture the Guardians!' He bellowed out, his voice carried down the street. The soldiers charged, brandishing their weapons, just as Will surrounded the group with a pink energy field as the arrows began to rain down from above.
'Girls, keep them at bay! Don't let them get too close!' She yelled, dodging a sword blow and launching an energy blast into the crowd, knocking some people out.
'I don't like this!' Cornelia yelled, pressing her back against Irma. They collaborated by creating a deep hole, pushing the soldiers inside, and filling it with water to make the edges slick with mud.
'I knew it was a bad idea from the beginning!' Taranee screamed and hurled fireballs that exploded in a shower of sparks, engulfing everything in flames. They fought their way through the crowd, but there were too many soldiers to confront.
'Girls, retreat before they call for reinforcements!' Will frantically shouted, making a run for it.
'Nice thought!' Hay Lin agreed, blowing a strong wind to keep the rest of the soldier squad at bay. Suddenly, the ground shook with heavy footsteps, and the soldiers dispersed allowing a huge beast to pass through. It resembled a rhino if they ever turned green. It had two large, menacing horns on its nose and small, beady yellow eyes. Its skin was tough and littered with scars. Will noticed foam dribbling from its maw as it charged after them with a burly rider on its back.
'Taranee, aim for the legs!' She cried when the lumbering beast was almost on top of them, but it was too late. The fireballs exploded like bombs on the ground, showering them with burning sparks, and the beast roared in pain before standing on its back legs. After a second in the air, it landed directly on top of Taranee. She did not move quickly enough to avoid the path of the enraged animal. The impact knocked the wind out of the girl, throwing her to the ground. Taking advantage of the unfortunate situation, the rider jumped to the ground and grabbed the dazed Fire Guardian by the hair, dragging her into the middle of the street. He pressed a dagger to her neck, drawing a line of blood.
'Guardians, stop! Or your friend will die!' He triumphantly grinned, exposing his unsightly yellow teeth. Will felt as if time had stopped because they were trapped between a tall wall and soldiers. She mostly felt girls crowding around her as she refused to look away from Taranee's terrified gaze.
'Frost, you do not have the right to kill a Guardian.' Cedric slithered onto the street, with Elyon following just behind him at a sedate pace.
'She belongs to me.' He stated it without a doubt in his voice, as if talking about a piece of furniture, not a human being.
'You always ruin my fun, General.' Frost huffed and forcefully pushed Taranee into Cedric's hold, giving him a mocking bow.
'Now, Guardian of the Heart, we have reached a stalemate. Who will it be? Your life or that of a friend?' Cedric impatiently demanded, forcing Taranee to her knees.
'Don't listen to him, Will!' The girl screamed, struggling to free herself from the monster's clutches.
'It's unfair to give advice.' Elyon smirked, wringing her fingers like a puppeteer, and suddenly Taranee slumped to the ground as if her strength were sapped. Only her eyes remained open and clear. 'Will, if you hear me, please leave! Run, and do what I say!' She begged in her mind, 'I will be fine. Please, just run…'
Will staggered as Taranee's desperate feelings slammed into her head. It was loud and confusing, drowning out her thoughts. The moment had passed, and Will needed to make a decision. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Taranee, hearing an urgency in her voice, knowing they all would be captured if staying any longer. With a heavy heart, Will nodded to the captured girl, took out the pendant, and directed blinding light at her enemies, forcing them to cover their eyes. Grabbing the girls, she asked the Heart to send them home, and in a split second, they were back on Earth in a heap of limbs.
'How could you?' Irma forcibly pushed her away. 'How could you leave?' She screamed, lashing out.
'I had no choice. Taranee herself urged us to leave!' Will spat out. She was just so angry from always being helpless. 'Do you think I wanted this? Why blame me? Maybe accuse Cornelia of dragging us there in the first place!' She fumed, gritting her teeth. She always took the blame for everything just because of her position as a leader.
'Hey, I just wanted to find Elyon!' Cornelia responded defensively, frustrated that everything went wrong.
'Elyon! Elyon! With you, it's always about her! Did you not see she betrayed us all? She helped to take Taranee away!' Will shouted at her friend, trying to convey that Elyon was on their enemy's side.
'Maybe she's brainwashed!' Cornelia shouted in disbelief. Her friend would not betray them.
'Girls, stop it…' Hay Lin muttered. Her face was pale. 'We must not fight amongst ourselves. The better question is, what will we do about Taranee? Everybody will notice if she does not come home.' The girl lowered her head in worry.
'I think...' Will began to say, but her gaze was drawn to the blinking medallion in her palm, 'I think the Heart of Kandrakar will help us...' She stretched out her hand and closed her eyes, listening to the magic. 'Girls gather around and think only of Taranee, then push your powers into the Heart...'
They stood in a circle, concentrating on the spell. Will thought about her good friend, how she felt and looked, and the memories between them. Slowly, fog gathered in the center of the circle, forming a human figure, gaining colors and an image, and absorbing their magic. Suddenly, their transformation ceased, sucking their powers out, and the girls collapsed to the ground, feeling exhausted and sluggish. In the center of the broken ring stood a carbon copy of their friend.
'She looks like Taranee but doesn't feel like her...' Irma was the first to stand up and pat down her mud-splattered jeans.
'Hey, girls… Why are you looking at me like that?' The fake Taranee politely asked, 'Do I have something on my face?' She inspected her face in the glasses reflection.
Will stood up and looked at their friend. Irma was right, she felt empty—not like Taranee, just a copy made from memories. She felt like crying, imagining what her friend was going through at the hands of the enemy.
'She's just a copy created by our magic. If it takes some time to rescue Taranee, we'll have to renew it or she'll vanish.' Will explained, hiding the faded medallion beneath her sweater. Feeling tired and emotionally drained, she wanted nothing more but to sleep in her bed and forget what had happened.
'We had another option...' Cornelia arched her perfectly maintained eyebrow. 'We could've fought...'
'Really? How? We were outnumbered.' Irma shook her head. 'We will get Taranee back, no matter what!'
'Yeah, we don't leave friends behind!' Hay Lin heartily agreed, leaning on Irma.
'Girls, Taranee herself asked us to leave to get to safety… We will return, and I will bring her back no matter what.' Will promised. The girls nodded in agreement, determination etched on their faces. As they walked, Will couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, knowing that rescuing Taranee wouldn't be easy. Yet she was willing to do whatever it took to bring her friend back home safely. She looked up at the sky as they left their landing spot, breathing in the cold air. It was early morning, and the sun was just peeking over the horizon, dying the sky purple and red. The days were becoming colder, and winter was approaching. A stark contrast to humid and unpredictable Meridian weather, not that they felt much of it under the Guardian's transformation. The girls dispersed on the streets in various directions, returning home to begin another day.