Will escaped from the castle, running through the garden with her heart pounding from confusion and adrenaline, unsure if she was safe since there were no guards around. Unexpectedly, she could not help but wonder if it was just a stroke of luck or if a path had appeared only for her. Feeling glad for the easy passage, she cupped the Heart of Kandrakar in her palms, opened a small portal, and jumped into the radiant vortex. Stumbling out of the gate, the redhead landed on her knees in the gritty sand. As she looked up, the half-rock fall shielded her from any outsider's eyes. Will took a moment to collect her thoughts and survey her surroundings, appreciating the temporary shelter the rock had provided. The sound of crashing waves reminded her that she had to get back to the girls, pushing her to quickly rise to her feet. Will knew she needed to reverse the transformation after examining her shoulder, which had already begun to heal, but she was afraid of causing additional damage. Without a choice, she bit her lip to prevent any noise from escaping and canceled the charmwork. Injuries, scrapes, and bruises were common, even if the Guardians were more durable than average humans and healed much faster. Yet, regardless of their elemental powers, girls always spilled their own blood. That was the nature of fighting. She was responsible for the safety of the innocents, even if their missions were causing them harm. Will hissed and clutched her aching side when the injury transferred to her skin as a massive black and blue bruise. Typically, injuries didn't hinder her ability to carry on with her life. However, Will pondered how much longer she could keep them concealed without drawing unnecessary attention.
It was early morning on Earth, and she was relieved that no one could see her battered form. Her belly rumbled, and her hands shook—transformations always took lots of energy out of them. Food with lots of calories was needed to regain strength. Will walked down the empty streets, hoping the girls were okay and waiting for her at Cornelia's house. They arranged a sleepover so nobody would question their disappearances in the middle of the evening. Thinking about her friends made her frown. What should she tell them? Everything seemed like a delirious dream. Girls would never believe Phobos allowed her to flee without a fight. She tentatively touched the sore throat. Well, not exactly a fight. Will shuddered, recalling the absolute control he had over her body. One move from his hand, and she would have been dead... It was wrong, so wrong, and yet... It made her feel more alive than ever. Will could not explain her conflicting emotions. She knew what happened was unacceptable, but on the other hand, something did not make sense—Phobos could have forcibly taken the Heart of Kandrakar, so why did he not?
Also, his Garden was a stunningly beautiful space. Why did he create such a magnificent place, spending the stolen magic away? It made no sense. Everything she knew about Metamoor made no sense. Every battle they had portrayed a terrible picture. Rebels needed to free the people from poverty and oppression, and the Guardians discovered and closed every portal, preventing monster soldiers from reaching Earth and assisting the revolt. Yet, Phobos let her go. Her mind moved in circles... The cruel prince let her escape, even though he could have destroyed everything with the tip of his finger if only he had taken the Heart. His actions were too contradictory to all the terrible things girls had learned about him. There was more to Phobos than met the eye, or maybe he had ulterior motives. The uncertainty of the situation left her apprehensive and doubtful of herself.
There was a light inside the house—girls were waiting for her. Luckily, Cornelia's family was away for the weekend, allowing them to escape parental interference. Will silently slipped into the corridor and had her breath knocked out as Taranee barreled into her, squeezing her with an unexpected hug.
'Will, are you all right? What happened?' She frantically asked as the other girls joined in with greetings.
'We were so worried after you had disappeared.' Cornelia frowned. 'You look like crap...' She gripped her arm and guided her to the sofa.
'Eat and tell us how you escaped.' Hay Lin slid a cold pizza into her arms and placed an orange juice glass on the table.
'Spill…' said Irma, curling up on the plush carpet. 'We wanted to return, but the portal had closed. Without you, we could not find another one linked to the castle. It was difficult to do nothing but wait.'
Will savored a mouthful of the delicious pizza while glancing at the comfortably seated girls scattered around the living room. She took another bite and chewed it slowly, unsure what to say.
'I ran…' Will started talking after taking a sip of the juice. 'I wanted to give you more time to reach the portal, and the next thing I knew, a stray arrow got me... It hurt so much, but I climbed to safety and fell over the wall.' She winced, recalling the pain of the shaft piercing her side.
'Wait a minute. You took a tumble from an approximately twenty-meter-high castle wall, and you're fine?' Taranee lifted her head from a pillow, her eyes wide with disbelief.
'Yeah... I know it sounds crazy, but I think the Hearth of Kandrakar protected me somehow. Also, I am not alright; my back is killing me.' Will grimaced as the pendant started to heat up under her sweater. An unexpected and hazy memory of the comforting 'Shhhhh...' sound surfaced in her mind. She could not recall where it came from, but the medallion pulsed again, gently warming the skin and stilling as if encouraging her to remain silent.
'I don't know how long I was out, but it was dark when I woke up. When everything calmed down, I ran out of the castle for safety. It was strangely easy because nobody was nearby. I think the regular patrols missed me while I was unconscious in the middle of some bushes, and here I am.' Will continued, trying not to look anyone in the eyes. 'Luck was on my side tonight...' She lied, immediately feeling guilty for hiding the truth. Nobody would believe the real story. Will absentmindedly massaged her neck, grateful that the finger marks had disappeared by the time she reached Cornelia's house. If the girls knew, they would be more horrified by everything that happened than she was.
'Unbelievable…' Cornelia shook her head. 'You are fortunate to be alive. I want to hit you for making us so worried.' She threw a plump pillow at Will's head. It landed at her feet, and the girls laughed in relief because everything ended well.
'Guys, I am exhausted, and it does not sound pleasant to sleep standing up; we should probably retire to bed.' Irma yawed and stretched her arms above her head. 'I agree,' Taranee chimed in, rubbing her eyes. 'Let's get some rest and process everything tomorrow.'
'Yeah...' Hay Lin stood and gathered empty boxes from the table to bring them into the kitchen. Taranee followed her with cans and other garbage in her hands. While the girls dispersed, sharing two rooms for sleeping, Will dragged herself to the shower. The hot water felt like heaven, washing away the grime and sweat from the skin. It pounded on her aching back, and she grumbled while lathering the sensitive bruises with soap. Will leaned against the chilly tiles for support, suddenly feeling completely overwhelmed by everything that had happened to her. The tears and silent crying followed as the conflicting emotions poured out where no one could see them. Water washed away all of the hate, fear, and suffering, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Phobos released her... showing mercy she did not expect. He could have easily killed her, yet she was still alive. The hot water steamed in the small space, and Will closed her eyes, sighing quietly as the tension slowly dissipated from her body. She allowed herself a moment of solace, relishing in the comforting warmth that enveloped her. The rhythmic sound of the stream cascading down drowned out the chaos of her thoughts, providing a temporary escape from the harsh reality she had been facing. How can they fight him when all their combined abilities are insufficient to match his strength?
A year ago, girls got their Guardian's magic from the Kandrakar and were thrust into a war they did not understand. The Oracle informed them that the Guardians protected the Veil, a shroud separating Earth, Metamoor, and Kandrakar, the sacred place of all the magic in the universe. The Veil was raised to keep Phobos' evil from spreading throughout the world, but all she saw on Metamoor was a civil war. The harsh and tyrannical ruler was ruthlessly trying to crush the rebels, who fought for the rightful heir to the throne, the missing sister of Phobos. They believed only she could restore peace to Metamoor and overthrow the usurper on the throne. However, finding her proved difficult because the princess had been missing for years and her whereabouts were unknown. The corruption, weather anomalies, and skirmishes ravaged the land, and people suffered. Yet the Oracle said it was Phobos's evil magic that was killing the planet and that he had to be stopped before it was too late. So the girls believed him and aided the rebels, involving themselves in their battles. They freed the people, led them to shelters, assisted with food supplies in the camps, and fought with rebels in the confrontations while shutting the portals to prevent enemy soldiers from using them. The girls were determined to fight because it seemed like the right thing to do. Now, for the first time, Will's faith faltered. The enemy, who could slay them without a second thought, was more complicated than they realized. In that one moment, something transpired between them. He was a cruel, captivating man, but there was a glimpse of something else beneath that merciless exterior. There was a missing piece from the bigger picture, and what she saw did not fit. With that thought, a pink, rosy glow filled the shower stall. Will opened her eyes in mild wonder. The Heart of Kandrakar rose from her chest and swayed in the air, pulsing with warmth.
'What do you want to tell me?' She gently took the pendant in her palm. The old, sentient light spilled through her fingers, filling her with eager anticipation and hope. It wanted her to finally ask the right questions. A knock interrupted her concentration, and the necklace fell into her hand once more, cold and silent. Will slipped it around her neck, annoyed with the unexpected disruption at such a curious moment.
'Will, are you alright?' Cornelia's muffled voice came from behind a door. 'You were in the shower for almost an hour?'
'Just a minute!' Will shouted, wrapped a towel around her body, and took another to dry her hair before opening the door. 'You can come in. I need your help anyway.' She said, rubbing her head while motioning at her back. Cornelia gasped upon seeing her friend's body. It was one big blue and purple bruise, with a few small spots littering her neck and ribs. It looked painful and uncomfortable.
'Why didn't you say anything? Cornelia scolded, directing her to sit on the toilet seat.
'It does not hurt much. The worst damage has already healed, and the bruises should be gone in a day or two.' Will shrugged, downplaying how hurt she was.
'If your mom saw that, what would you say? You look like someone mistook your body for a punching bag.' Cornelia frowned impatiently, tugging the towel down and tucking it around Will's legs. It was not the first time she was bare around the other girls. They saw each other in various stages of nakedness with all the injuries they collected, and the blonde was their only healer. It still embarrassed her, especially when Cornelia looked like a goddess, and she felt inadequate in her small frame. Will always felt like the odd one out of all the girls and could not help but compare herself to them, wishing for their confidence and beauty. She was athletic and lean, with a smaller chest and more prominent muscles as a result of her regular swimming. Her short red hair and brown eyes were unremarkable. She was average, and girls sometimes made her feel self-conscious and underestimated. It made her work harder to prove herself, but it was hard.
Trying not to slouch, Will concentrated on Cornelia's palms, which were glowing green, directing Earth's energy into the wounds. She hissed when the healing began. The whole thing hurt—it always did—but she knew it was necessary. Soon, the visible bruises faded, leaving pink and sensitive skin.
'Thanks; you should go to sleep. I will finish drying up and come.' Will yawned and relaxed when the strain that made her muscles tense disappeared. Cornelia nodded, smiled at her, and left, allowing the cold air in.
After a few minutes, Will was finally lying in bed, exhausted after the long and emotional day, listening to the girl's silent breathing. She tried to clear her mind, but the events kept replaying in her head, making it hard to fall asleep. Will could still feel Phobos overpowering magic challenging her to surrender, and the vivid image of him gracefully gliding into the clearing was hard to shake off.
'He's so breathtaking…' Will thought, admitting to herself that he was truly a handsome man. It was such a forbidden image—she felt torn, unable to reconcile her attraction with the attack and mercy that followed soon after. It went against her every belief. With conflicting emotions and images of blooming roses, she slowly drifted to sleep.