Kiara had so much more to tell Mira. There was so much they needed to catch up with but their sweet little reunion was cut short by a terrified howling wolf.
" That's Braze! " Mira immediately sprang to action, looking at Kian.
But as soon as they turned to chase the howling , those creatures whom Kiara mentioned as Dark Mage Reappeared, attacking them from all directions.
" Kids, move. I will distract them. "
Mira, Kian and Xen(who was slowly getting back to normal) , watched in amazement, surprise, shock and wonder as Kiara spread her raven black wings, ascending above them like the archangel.
The matted discolouration of the feathers were screaming testaments of her ailing powers. But the kids had no clue. They were just watching a live supernatural elegance in action.
" Your mother has wings? "It wasn't a question, more like a statement that Kian made.
They scurried their way inside one of the hollows but Mira paused to take another glance at her mother who stood like their protecting angel.
" Kids, keep moving. Get Braze and get out of here. I don't know if I will be able to catch up with you anytime soon. There are Guardians scattered across the earth. They are neutral celestial beings who don't meddle in anybody's business. Get hold of one and coax them, force them, compel them or torture them into making a masking potion. It's the only way you will be able to keep these creatures at bay for the time being. Since they know who you are, they will be coming for you again and again till they get what they want.Now get going. I can't hold them for much longer."
Kiara yelled before sending off a sonic blast.
The shockwave made all of them tumble right inside the hole.
Mira was about to crawl back and ask her mother what it was that they wanted but Kian pulled her back by her leg.
He shook his head saying, " No. " And it was enough to make Mira understand. But another sudden blast of shock wave sent her right on top of the boys.
Kian wrapped both Xen and Mira in his arms. The three of them huddled together in the darkness of the hollow.
The sounds of the battle raged outside, and they could feel the ground tremble with the force of Kiara's sonic blasts.
It went on for a few more minutes before the forest outside fell eerily silent.
" We need to move, " Xen had finally spoken, much to Mira and Kian's relief.
They tried to follow the direction to where they thought they had heard the howling. But it was a wild guess since they heard it once and none of them were sure about it.
As they moved deeper , Xen's condition seemed to be improving, and he was gradually regaining his strength. They kept their voices hushed and maintained a vigilant watch for any signs of danger.
" Are we going to that spot where your uncle Kilian had taken us? " Kian asked. But they could only guess. That Mountain was a mysterious place. It seemed like the landscape kept changing every now and then.
After what felt like an eternity, they heard another distant howl, which they hoped was Braze calling out for help. They quickened their pace and eventually found their way down to the same spot.
Well, it looked the same but it wasn't. It was much more colorful, bright and vibrant.
Braze was there, lying completely unconscious and naked on the ground. But he was not the one making the sound.
It was coming from what lay in front of them.
They watched with their eyes stretched open as if the power of a thousand sun shone at them directly.
All they could see was white.
Their friends were gone and so was the cave around them.
It was a surreal and ethereal landscape, unlike anything they had ever seen before. The ground beneath their feet seemed to be made of shimmering crystals, reflecting a multitude of colors. The air was filled with a gentle, otherworldly hum, and the soft glow that bathed everything felt like a warm embrace.
It was the land of Chemora, Mother Chemora as they called it, as if calling out to them.
Braze too, was pulled in by its magnetism.
The humming was like the song of the sirens that lured distant sailors. It was in a language no earthly soul could comprehend. Yet it sung a forgettable song in the ears of these children and they soaked in its glorious aftermath. And then it showed them the crystal.
The one secured at the core of this planet called earth, a bequest from its sister planet, only to be handed over to the worthy successors.
The Heartstaff.
The one talked about in folklores and legends across both the worlds.
They only had a momentary view because it snapped shut and retreated back inside its enclosure.
The kids tumblr one over the other.
" What the hell was that? "
Xen was back in his full form.
" Did you see it as well? That sparkly weapon? What was that? " Kian asked, holding his head, still trying to adjust his vision back to the darkness from the brilliant light condition.
" I have seen it before. It was calling me. It called me here. I swear. " Braze seemed like she was still in a trance.
" What were they singing about? Did you all understand? " Mira asked, trying to get the cobweb out, which was stuck in her hair and her shirt.
" Hhmmm, it was making some sense back then but I completely forgot the context as soon as the light went away. It... it is like waking up from a dream yet not being able to describe it properly. "
Xen put in.
" Anyways. I think we need to get moving. We need to find those 'Guardians' like your mother said, if we don't want those 'things' to come after us. " Xen double quoted with his fingers in the air. " Though I have no idea what they are, how they look, how to find them. Mira...... " He called her name out in a desperate complaint. " You have a weird family. "He sighed, pouting cutely, only to immediately cringe at his own reaction.
The group burst out laughing.
Their laughter reverberated in the closed air.