Hay Lin's wide, dark eyes reflected a burning fire as she stood terrified on the spot when the makeshift bomb exploded. Panic and violent chaos raged around her. People were running in the narrow streets, screaming and shouting, and terrified children were crying. Some soldiers passed by carrying buckets of water, not paying attention to the people and knocking them to the ground, where the crowd trampled them. 'Did we condone this?' She wondered, horrified by the devastation caused by the reckless destruction. The acrid smell of smoke filled the air, stinging her nostrils and adding to the overwhelming sense of fear. Surveying the scene, Hay Lin noticed shattered debris scattered across the ground, evidence of the destruction that had just unfolded. There was a tug on her cape, and Irma dragged her onto a less crowded path leading to the castle. Cornelia stood in front of them, and she felt her rage rise at the emotionless girl. Her eyes were cold and distant, devoid of any empathy or remorse. Hay Lin did not understand how someone could remain so detached in the face of such devastation.

'What have we done?' She gritted her teeth, feeling for the first time like they had done something wrong. 'We should defend innocent people, not cause more damage!'

'If it's them or our lives, I'd rather have us!' Cornelia turned around to respond while avoiding her critical gaze. She was pale but determined to defend the actions of the rebels. 'Sometimes sacrifices have to be made,' she said, her voice wavering slightly.

'There weren't many options...' Irma concluded quietly, 'we'll have to take responsibility for it later... This terrible thing Caleb did leaves a bitter taste in my mouth...'

'We need to hurry… Taranee is waiting for us.' Cornelia abruptly decided. The group started running and didn't stop until they reached the castle's walls, which were made of massive chunks of dark rock that towered menacingly above them. The structure seemed impenetrable, but the girls were determined to find a way in. The Guardians knew time was running out, and they couldn't afford to waste any more of it.

'How did Will survive falling down this thing?' Irma muttered, looking above.

'I have no idea…' Hay Lin shook her head. 'I will take a look around.'

She gathered the air currents and rose into the sky with the silent beat of her butterfly wings. The petite girl darted around the wall like a gust of wind but couldn't get past it. There was a magical dome surrounding the palace grounds. When she got too close, it zapped her with a vicious charge, knocking her out of the air. Frustration began to set in as Hay Lin realized that her efforts were futile. She descended back down to her friends, disappointment evident on her face.

'I'm unsure if the magical dome is new or how Will got past it the first time, but I can't fly over it.' Hay Lin frowned, a little winded, as she landed on her back.

'If we can't travel above the dome, maybe we should go under it...' Cornelia pondered as she knelt on the ground, putting her palms in the dirt. The blonde girl listened intently to what the earth said, deciding where to dig the tunnel without it collapsing or colliding with a massive rock. She closed her eyes and concentrated after finding the ideal location. When her palms glowed brilliant green, there was a deep rumbling sound, and the ground trembled. Soon, beside the wall, a chasm opened. The dirt swirled and grumbled, eventually forming a narrow tunnel. Cornelia sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow.

'Come on, we need to get going. I'm not sure how long this thing will last because the dirt here is very loose, even if I tried reinforcing the walls with rocks.' She motioned to the girls and disappeared into the tunnel, with Irma and Hay Lin following behind.

The noises were muffled beneath, there was no wind or light, just a distinct smell of dirt as it absorbed their steps. The path was barely tall and wide enough for one person to cross without touching the walls, and Hay Lin exhaled a sigh of relief when the tunnel came to an end. It was too claustrophobic for her to be underground. When the sun glared outside, she closed her eyes for a split second until her vision cleared. Hearing a surprised gasp from Irma, she opened her eyes and looked around. They emerged from underground into a magnificent rose garden. It stretched out before them, with winding paths leading to hidden corners and intricate trellises adorned with climbing roses. The intense colors of the flowers danced in the sunlight, casting a beautiful array of shadows on the ground. Even the lush grass looked like an emerald carpet under her boots. The sweet scent of rosebuds enveloped them, replacing the musty smell of the tunnel. The gentle breeze rustled the petals, creating a soft symphony of whispers that added to the enchanting atmosphere. Hay Lin wanted to draw it so she could remember as many details as possible.

'This is so unreal…' Irma trailed off, looking around in all directions. 'This feels like a fantasy world.'

'It's as if everything here is perfect, not a single leaf out of place...' Cornelia shuddered, uneasy. Somehow this unusual place gave her shudders as if something was observing them. Irma paced around the rosebushes, clearly interested. She beamed happily as she leaned close to one perfect bloom.

'Hey, nice! This one is blue!' Irma reached out for a rosebud.

'Don't touch the rose!' Cornelia shouted in alarm, but it was too late. Irma's fingers brushed against the exotic-colored petal, and she cried out as it cut into her skin. A single red drop of blood fell to the ground. When it landed on the grass, the beautiful garden shuddered, as if coming to life. The rosebushes trembled, and their petals seemed to quiver in anticipation. Strange tension filled the air, and silent whispers echoed around them. Irma and Cornelia exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening. It seemed like the garden suddenly expanded, and they could not see the sky anymore, just overgrown greenery. Leaves rustled, and branches reached out, intertwining above their heads, creating a canopy that blocked the sunlight.

'Cornelia, do something!' Irma shrieked as they tried to reach the palace but got lost in the labyrinth the garden had become.

'I can't! They do not respond to me! It's as if this entire area is saturated with foreign magic, and the plants refuse to listen to me! It is your fault anyway! You just had to touch the first thing you saw!' She yelled in frustration as the roses surrounded them and their prickly roots slithered on the ground, grabbing their clothes. There was a surprised shout from Hay Lin, and Cornelia saw how her friend had fallen with prickly vines wrapped around her legs.

'Help!' Hay Lin struggled on the ground as the barbed foliage forcibly dragged her away. She tried cutting the vines away with concentrated air currents, but they just multiplied by the second, wrapping around the body. Irma ran up to her and began ruthlessly tearing off the greenery by hand. She was completely unaware that a climbing rose was attempting to entwine its branches around her torso. Irma was soon suspended in mid-air, tightly bound. Cornelia screamed, seeing her friends lose and trash around her as the overgrown garden encircled her with no way out. Her face and mouth gradually filled up with leaves, and she struggled to breathe while trying to break free. With each futile attempt, the rose's thorny tendrils dug deeper into her skin, causing her burning pain. Gasping for air and feeling her strength wane, Cornelia heard a burst of quiet laughter.

'Well, well, well, some rats got into the trap,' the wickedly amused voice triumphantly declared.

The rose vines loosened as someone she couldn't see clapped twice. Everything was over, they had failed, and there was no way out. Cornelia silently apologized to her friends, hoping in vain that Will would forgive them and that their parents would forget. That was the clause she requested from Kandrakar when the Guardians first began to embark on missions. If they die, no one will remember them. It was far easier to vanish than to mourn someone without a body or to hope that the missing person would be found. Cornelia felt her heart clench anxiously in fear - she did not want to die. However, they had been dancing on the razor's edge for so long that it was bound to happen sooner or later. She merely hoped her death would not happen today. The Earth Guardian fell to the ground, deciding to fight until her last breath, seeing other girls bruised but alive next to her. Cedric towered above them, a creepy smile on his monstrous green face. He quickly cast a spell that encased the girls in magical bubbles, allowing him to capture them without much resistance when they were weak. As he lifted sheer balls from the ground, Cornelia trashed in her bubble trying to get out, but it was futile because the magic felt impenetrable. Slumping in defeat, the blonde girl looked around an unfamiliar place as the monster transported them through the garden into the castle. Irma looked at her bruised and bleeding hands, defiant and angry at herself. If only she had been more cautious. It was unpleasant to feel guilty, but she was to blame for this mess. She will fight to the death if it means saving her friends' lives. Irma wondered how Elyon could live in this fantasy world full of strange creatures and magic, seeing the slithering monster in front of them. She had never cared much for her because she was too stuck up and proud for her liking, but betraying them to monsters was unforgivable. How could she? The next time Irma sees her, there will be a price to pay if they are lucky enough to get out of this situation. Hay Lin hugged her bruised knees, trying to block out the constant, unrecognizable whispers in her sensitive ears. This garden messed up her senses, the flowering plants were infused with so much magic that it made her dizzy. It was no coincidence that Cornelia couldn't use her magic here; this garden had its own essence. Hay Lin's heart pounded with fear as the whispers became louder, but she couldn't understand what they said. It didn't matter because they were incapacitated and waiting to see what Phobos would do to them.

Suddenly, the air became thick and heavy. It felt humid and heated, like before a summer storm after a scorching hot day. The pressure vibrated and squeezed them down. Hay Lin could taste the foreign magic like sugar and ozone mixed together, and the whispering came to a halt. There was nothing but oppressive silence and strange tension as if everyone was anxiously awaiting something. Cedric stopped just before the private entrance to the dungeons and frowned deeply at the sky. His yellowish eyes widened for a split second as the storm clouds rolled in, heavy and dark, obscuring the sun with instant darkness. The deafening thunder echoed around the city, where visible smoke from the fire rose above, infusing the storm clouds. Lightning flashed, and for a moment, Hay Lin could swear it looked pink mixed with green. The downpour followed.

'This is unnatural...' Irma murmured as the excessive rain poured from above so thickly that they couldn't see anything.

'You are correct, Guardian. My Prince took care of the problems you caused…' Cedric grinned, shaking his drenched hair after transporting them inside. The stone corridor was dry, and he left wet patches slithering downstairs until they could not hear the rain anymore or see any windows. Magical lanterns flickered on the rocky walls, and dry, cold air drifted through the tunnels. There were numerous doors and intersections like a labyrinth was built under the palace, but no sounds or people were nearby. Cornelia counted the times the monster changed directions, most likely to confuse the route they were taking. However, after the eighth turn, she was lost in the same-looking corridors. There was nothing she could do but wait until he let them out of those bubbles. She was terrified of what awaited her at the end of this journey. They were about to descend another flight of stairs when Cedric paused and listened. Footsteps echoed somewhere in the dim light. It got closer and closer, and the girls saw Elyon emerge from the darkness. Another bubble floated behind her, with Taranee slumped inside.

'What are you doing here?' Cedric asked with evident anger in his voice, 'We agreed they should not meet!'

'After your dramatic spectacle outside, I wanted to return the favor. Look at this wonderful present I have...' She smiled, and the bubble gracefully floated into the light. Inside, Taranee was pale and had deep shadows under her unresponsive eyes. She appeared to be nothing more than a doll in the cage.

'Say hello to your friends, Taranee.' Elyon eagerly ordered, gesturing to the trapped girl.

'I don't know them... Stop showing me these things,' the girl muttered silently, hugging herself and hiding her face. Her voice trembled with fear and confusion as she refused to acknowledge the presence of her friends.

'Taranee!' Cornelia screamed, relentlessly pounding on the bubble wall, 'Are you okay? We need your help! Please!'

'It's us! We came to get you...' Hay Lin added soothingly, seeing how her friend appeared hopeless. Taranee slowly lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears. She recognized the voices of her friends, but the fear still held her captive.

'Pfff, we came for you…' Elyon laughed with delight. 'Soon you will be the same until Will gives up the Heart of Kandrakar! Where is she?' She asked Cedric, looking around as if expecting another girl to pop up from the wall.

'Not here! And you will never get it!' Irma spat through gritted teeth. 'Taranee, wake up!'

The fire Guardian raised her head. Her tired eyes had a glimmer of hope. 'Elyon, it's enough, I don't want to see anymore... They are not real... Nothing here is real... Please no more...'

Cornelia's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. How could this have happened? What did Elyon do to their friend? Cold dread settled into her stomach. Is this what they did to her as well? Until she became this indifferent, hateful person, Cornelia could not recognize anymore. A fleeting thought crossed her mind. Taranee thought everything was a dream. If that was the case, she hoped Elyon knew nothing about their abilities.

'Please, Taranee, you are not dreaming… Will needs you… She's sick. We need you!' Cornelia concentrated and opened her mind, sending a telepathic message to the girl.

'Read my thoughts! 'Wake up!' The blonde girl pleaded, hoping to reach Taranee. Then something happened. For a brief moment, the Fire Guardian's eyes cleared and she frowned, looking around. Her gaze landed on Elyon and Cedric, and she clutched her head and moaned. Cornelia felt a small tug in her head and let her mind wander, displaying everything that happened after the girl was apprehended. As Taranee absorbed the information, her expression shifted from confusion to realization.

'Elyon enough. Take her away!' Cedric ordered it urgently. His attention was fixed on the Guardians. He could sense the growing power within them, and it made him uneasy. Meanwhile, Elyon hesitated for a moment, torn between obeying Cedric's command and wanting to gloat over her victory.

'No!' Taranee screamed angrily as she stood in her cage. Her brown eyes were finally clear, and they had a red sheen from her rage. 'You are a liar, Elyon! You're paying for everything you've done to me! Playing with fire is extremely dangerous!'

The world erupted in flames as the suddenly enraged Guardian set everything on fire. The flames danced and cracked, consuming everything in their path. Taranee's anger fueled her power, intensifying the inferno with each passing moment. The once peaceful surroundings now resembled a chaotic inferno, reflecting the fury that burned within her. Cornelia and the girls escaped their prisons as they melted in the scorching heat. Taranee burned, her entire body engulfed in flames, licking her skin but causing no harm. As the violent onslaught of flames burned the corridor down and the explosive fireballs were hurled around them, Elyon and Cedric hid behind his conjured sheer shield. The barrier trembled under the relentless assault of the inferno but held strong, protecting them from the deadly projectiles. Elyon's heart pounded in her chest as she watched the destruction unfold, knowing that they were only moments away from being consumed by the raging fire.

'What have you done? I warned you they should not meet!' Cedric screamed through the noise as the rumbling shook the walls and stones began to fall from above. 'Elyon, run!'

The two figures vanished as the tunnel collapsed around them, scattering stones and dust all over the place. Cornelia shielded the girls from the majority of the damage, using her powers to guide the falling slabs into the small building, preventing the rest of the walls from collapsing. Taranee was still hovering a few centimeters above the ground as if the hot air was supporting her. The fire slowly died away, and she collapsed with a painful groan. The group could see the extent of the damage the tunnel's collapse had caused as the dust settled. Rubble and debris were strewn everywhere, making it difficult to navigate through the wreckage. Taranee's groan echoed in the silence, a testament to the toll, her powers had taken on her.

'Taranee!' Hay Lin knelt in front of her friend, checking everything for visible injuries.

'Hey, you came…' There was a slight smile on the exhausted girl's face. 'Take me home, please…' She succumbed to sleep, spending almost every ounce of magic power she had on getting them free. Cornelia checked her pulse and sighed, 'She's okay, only exhausted. We have to move.'

There was nothing but darkness and collapsed tunnels around them. A lot of dust was still floating in the air, but no more destruction came from the falling rocks.

'Hay Lin, take Taranee and fly above, then use the tunnel to get out of the garden. Irma, we will have to run.' Cornelia coughed but tried to appear relatively okay.

'If you haven't noticed, we're kind of trapped here.' Irma rolled her eyes as she assisted Hay Lin in lifting Taranee.

'Not for much longer.' The blonde girl spread her palms and lifted her hands above her head. The stones shuddered again as she emitted a green light. Sweat gathered on her dirty brow, and she huffed as if shifting a massive weight. Gradually, the ceiling moved. Massive rocks floated and shifted until Cornelia almost collapsed on her knees, but there was a small light above, and raindrops began to fall from the narrow hole. She carved a passage through the walls.

'Go, Hay Lin. Fly and wait for us with Will.' The girl said, trying to regain her breath. Hay Lin saluted and slowly lifted her unconscious friend, carefully moving the precious cargo into the sky. When they disappeared, Irma looked at her.

'What about us?' She jerked her head. 'How are we going get out?'

'Hop on the stone slab, please…' Cornelia replied, already standing on the rugged, fallen rock. When Irma joined her, she concentrated on the remaining magic and carefully examined the ground. Finding a few tiny seeds likely carried from above with the rubble, she let her earth power loose and encouraged them to grow. Vines upon vines twisted, pushing the rock up into the hole until it rose to the surface. As the rain soaked their uniforms, Cornelia looked at Irma and declared, 'Now we run!'

Irma nodded, and the girls dashed through the rain and garden like silent shadows until they reached the narrow city streets and took a break. They paused in silence for a moment, took a breath, and then resumed their journey to their friends in the village. There was no time to think about what had happened, or what would happen later. Their only focus was to reunite with their friends. The Guardians traveled with sheer determination to reach safety, to see if everyone was alright, and to finally return home. The rain continued soaking the earth until there was no sound, just the wind and raindrops falling all around, obscuring everything from sight.