CHAPTER FOUR
1030 Words
ELARA POV
Elara's eyes widened in astonishment. "What? Me? A Guardian? You must be joking. I'm just here by accident, and most importantly, I'm looking for my son. Have you seen him?"
Aelius smiled kindly. "I'm sorry, I haven't seen him, and he is not here."
Elara was confused. "What do you mean?"
Aelius clarified, "Your son has not passed away yet, which is why he is not here."
Elara stared at the being in front of her in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.
Aelius repeated himself again. "Your pendant was able to save him just in time before you lost consciousness."
Elara's eyes widened in shock. "So, he's alive?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes," Aelius confirmed.
Elara breathed a sigh of relief. But then she frowned. "But I still feel pain," she said. "Am I still alive?"
Aelius nodded. "Yes, you are still alive, but not entirely."
Confusion clouded Elara's thoughts. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Aelius took a deep breath. "When you were on the brink of death, the power within your pendant was able to save both you and your son. But unconsciously, you channeled most of that power into saving your son completely, due to your immense desire to keep him safe. As a result, he is very much alive with little to no injury. However, your body was so severely injured that it couldn't contain your power, hence your soul was able to enter into this realm through the pendant. Your soul is the key to entering these realms, and that's how you're still alive for now."
Elara processed the information slowly, still trying to make sense of it all. "What do I do now?" she asked uncertainly.
"Rest," Aelius said firmly. "Due to the serious injury caused to your body, it needs time to heal. But don't worry, with time your body will heal."
"Really?" asked Elara.
"Yes, but if you master the ancient power from the pendant, you can heal yourself in no time. And to do all this, you need a safe haven for your soul. Your soul has been injured, also because of the power rebound from trying to heal your son forcefully."
Elara's focus shifted. "How can I go about it?"
"Well," Aelius said, taking her by the hand, "you need to restore your soul into your body. And to do that, we need to find a vessel that can match your soul."
They flew towards an ancient tree, its branches reaching towards the sky. Elara was drawn to its beauty and the mysterious aura it exuded. As they drew closer, she noticed intricate symbols etched into the bark, marking it as a sacred and ancient relic. The air hummed with palpable enchantment, beckoning her to explore further.
With delicate hesitation, Elara reached out and touched the white oak tree. Instantly, a surge of magical energy coursed through her body, reawakening her senses and filling her spirit with renewed vitality. A soft glow enveloped her, suffusing her very existence with a vibrant light.
As the essence of the tree's magic coursed through her, Elara's body began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, her vision gradually focusing on the verdant surroundings. She straightened up, drawing in a deep breath, feeling the life force surging through her veins once more. "Wow, is this how it was supposed to feel?"
"Hmm," Aelius replied, "only to its guardians. You see these symbols on the tree?" He pointed to the symbols. "They tell the story of the first generations leaving their powers to their descendants before they died."
Elara's mind raced with questions.
But Aelius continued, "I won't go into details on the history of the first-generation guardians and the ancient tree for now. After you have restored your soul into your body, I can tell you the rest of the history. For now, you need to know your own story and where you come from."
"What do you mean by my own story?" questioned Elara.
"Yes, your own story," replied Aelius. "And in order to do that, I need to restore the lost memories of your past five childhood years before you were kidnapped and brought into your current family."
Elara's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you really think I was kidnapped and not my parents' child? No wonder I always suspected this was the reason why I was never loved by my family. Well, except my mom."
Aelius nodded. "Yes, there is evidence to suggest that you were not their biological child. But we can delve into the details later. Right now, I need to restore your memories so you can understand your true identity."
Elara hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I trust you. What do I need to do?"
Aelius made a gesture for her to come closer to him. Elara moved closer in response. Aelius then lifted his right hand and placed two of his fingers on her forehead. A symbol of a crescent moon appeared on her forehead and vanished. Warmth began to flow within her, and different memories started to flood into her head.
Elara held her head due to the intense pain caused by the high intensity of memories flooding into her mind. She crouched on the ground, trying to bear the pain. Aelius crouched beside her, placing one of his fingers on her forehead. "Go, you need to work these out yourself. I will be sending you into your sister's subconsciousness. There, you will need to rest inside her body and cultivate your powers. That's where your story began. There, you will find answers. Now go."
He opened a vortex behind her, out of thin air, by drawing symbols in mid-air, and pushed her in. Elara raised one hand, as if to hold him, but before she could say anything, the force of the vortex drew her in. She fainted as the pain in her head became unbearable.
Aelius looked into the distance with a frown and worry etched on his face. He whispered to himself, "Elara, I hope it won't be too late before you, your sisters, and the other guardians become stronger, so you can defeat this greater evil coming."
- Writer
