CHAPTER 12: Searching for the Guardians

Rena sat on the edge of her bed, knees pulled to her chest, in the near-darkness of her room. The silence was broken only by the faint creaks of the old manor, a haunting melody that amplified her troubled thoughts. The weight of Merick's revelations still hung heavily on her. Everything she thought she knew about her life had crumbled in one evening.

Her father, the seal, the goddess Suze… and now, this enormous responsibility was on her shoulders. Why her? Why not someone else?

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Rena?"Eliam's voice was gentle, almost hesitant. "May I come in?"

She hesitated for a moment. She didn't know Eliam very well yet, but he seemed sincere. With a sigh, she got up and unlocked the door.

Eliam entered cautiously, closing the door behind him. He stayed near the entrance, not wanting to invade her space.

"I know you're going through something difficult," he said softly. "But I just wanted to remind you of something."

Rena raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to continue.

"If the goddess Suze chose you, it wasn't by chance. She sees something in you that you might not see yet. There's a reason for all this."

She lowered her gaze, nervously playing with a strand of her hair.

"What if she was wrong?"she whispered.

Eliam shook his head.

"Gods don't make mistakes."

He was silent for a moment before adding:

"I know it's scary, but you're not alone in this. Merick, Lucas, Shela, and I… we're here."

Rena felt a slight warmth in her chest, a spark of comfort amid her inner storm.

"Thank you, Eliam,"she murmured.

He gave her a small smile before leaving the room, letting her face her thoughts—but this time, with a little less weight on her shoulders.

The next morning, Merick summoned the group to the library. The vast shelves were filled with dusty books and ancient scrolls, but today, everyone's attention was on the large table in the center of the room.

Two maps were spread out: one showed the human world with its familiar continents and oceans, and the other depicted a magical world, far more complex, dotted with strange territories, enchanted forests, and mystical mountains.

Merick stood before the maps, an odd object placed near him. It was a transparent sphere, pulsing faintly with light, as though it held a living energy.

"We have a new task," Merick announced, drawing everyone's attention. "We must find the remaining four guardians. Their presence is crucial to stop Arkanos from breaking the next seal."

Rena frowned.

"But how do we find them? They could be anywhere."

Merick pointed to the sphere.

"This is an Essence Compass. It can locate the guardians' energies, but it requires a source of power to work. Rena, this is where you come in."

Rena took a step back.

"Me? But… I don't even know how to control my power."

"You don't need to control it," Merick said calmly. "You just need to focus and connect to the magic of the goddess Suze within you. The compass will do the rest."

"And if it doesn't work?" Lucas asked, crossing his arms with a skeptical look.

"It will work," Merick said confidently. "The goddess's magic is already within her. She just needs to let it guide her."

Shela, leaning against a bookshelf, was scribbling absentmindedly in a notebook. Without looking up, she asked:

"And once we find these guardians? Are they just going to follow us, or will we have to convince them?"

Merick gave a faint smile.

"That depends on the guardians. Some will be ready to join us, but others… we may have to persuade."

Eliam, his eyes fixed on the magical map, asked:

"Do they even know they're guardians?"

"Some of them do," Merick explained. "But others may have forgotten their true nature. That's why part of your mission will be to remind them of their role."

Rena took a deep breath, staring at the glowing sphere.

"All right. Let's do this."

Merick nodded, and she placed her hands on the sphere. A soft warmth spread through her fingers, and the energy within her responded instinctively. The compass lit up, projecting a bright light onto the magical map.

Four glowing points appeared.

"There," said Merick. "The first guardian is here, in the Mountains of Dawn."

Shela groaned.

"Of course, a mountain. It's always mountains…"

Lucas ignored her comment, focusing on the glowing point.

"What about the others?" he asked.

"We'll search for them later. Focus on this one for now," Merick replied. "Every guardian is essential to our mission."

For the rest of the day, the group prepared. Merick provided them with supplies and clothing suited for the cold mountains.

Shela, crouched near the table, sorted through plants and medicinal herbs, packing them into small pouches.

"Are you actually going to help, or are you just playing herbalist?"Lucas asked sarcastically.

"You know," Shela replied without looking up, "if you break something in the mountains, it'll be *thanks* to this that you'll keep walking."

Rena, meanwhile, checked the equipment Merick had given her: a warm coat, a scarf, and a dagger that she found surprisingly heavy.

As she packed her bag, a sudden thought struck her.

"Wait… What about my Aunt Rose? I have to let her know. She must be worried sick."

Merick approached her, his expression serious.

"Rena, modern means of communication don't exist in this world. If you want to talk to her, you'd have to return to the human world."

"Then let's do it! I need to tell her I'm okay!" she insisted.

"It's not that simple," Merick explained gently. "If she knows where you are, it could put her in danger. And you too. For her safety and yours, it's better if she doesn't know."

Rena lowered her gaze, her heart heavy.

"She's going to think I abandoned her…"she murmured.

Eliam placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Your aunt is strong. She'll find a way to cope. But you have an important mission to complete."

Rena nodded, but her heart still felt torn with guilt.