Sarhea sat alone with her thoughts as she gazed out at the world beyond Refuge City’s protection.  She had no idea how much time had passed since Aleena had finally grudgingly left her, but it felt like it had been hours.  The evening had gone fairly well despite the odd events that had brought it to a premature end.  Everyone had left in brighter spirits, which was major progress by her standards; it could have gone drastically different.  The uncertainty of what effect revealing her information would have on her friends still hung heavily on her shoulders, and she could only hope that everything would turn out differently as Aleena and Raith had repeatedly told her.

She hung her head with a heavy sigh as she stood and walked to the large glass window.  So many things had changed tonight, in her and in her friends.  She was still puzzled by the unexpected exchange with Raith.  This was a mystery she would have to unravel, as the situation left her with a nagging, worrisome feeling that she just couldn’t place.  She felt no warning, but there was also something just not…natural about what she’d felt.  Raith’s white signature was strange enough, but she was certain she’d felt a hint of the Guardians’ influence, especially now since the effects of the encounter had worn off.  She was also now positive that her healing reserves had been fully restored and this was evidenced by the fact that her remaining bruises and soreness were completely gone.  Only the Guardians could have done that, and there was only one plausible explanation that she would have to figure out how to ask Raith about…

“Sarhea?”

Sarhea jumped, slipping from her perch on the window’s ledge, her startled gaze locking on a figure standing in the darkness of the entryway.  The flaring of her defensive energy revealed a very familiar signature-Raith.  She drew her cloak tightly around her as she took a deep breath and leaned against the window.

“I’m sorry-I didn’t mean to startle you.  I figured you…sensed my approach…” he called hesitantly from the shadows.

“Commander Raith…I…no…,” she stammered before sighing quietly.  “I was not expecting anyone to still be up here, so I was not watching.”

“May I come in?”

She nodded quietly and motioned for him to enter.  An air of anticipation washed into the room ahead of him as he cautiously stepped into the cubby.  She turned her gaze back toward the stars with a hint of a smirk playing at her lips; so the meeting wasn’t over after all.  She hoped he finally asked the questions she’d sensed burning in him for a week now.

“How may I help you this evening, Commander,” she mumbled absently as she watched the iridescent hues of green, yellow and blue dance amongst the stars.  

“Please, just Raith,” came his quite voice as he arrived at the window not far from her.

Sarhea hesitated before casting him a questioning sideways glance.  He’d always seemed so hung up on titles before.  His gaze was also watching the display beyond, but the subtle movement of his ears as they swiveled back told her that he felt her questioning gaze.  He finally dropped his eyes to the window ledge before looking back at her.  She still wore her quizzical gaze, complete with arched brow.

“What?  Is it that strange to call me by my name?” he finally asked, clearly uncomfortable by her continued gaze.  

Sarhea fought back a smirk as she watched him try not to fidget.  The man was a real puzzle for sure.  She was quickly discovering that it may be pointless to attempt to figure him out.  

“I suppose not.  It’s just that you seemed to require the use of titles before,” she finally responded.

A scowl finally took shape on his features before he sighed and turned his back to lean against the window.

“I feel we are long past the need for such formalities,” he muttered quietly.  “Though for some reason, I sure find myself wanting to address you as Light Bringer…”

Sarhea furrowed a brow as she turned to face him.  “Light bringer?  Why would you want to call me that?”

He idly ran a hand through his auburn hair and purposely avoided her questioning glare.  “It was something that Madrick said a while back, what the Rigons call the creatures with your abilities…You would need to ask him more about it as we’ve not had a chance to further discuss Rigon legends…”

Sarhea snorted as she turned from the window to lean against its surface.  “Well, I will say right now that I’d better not hear anyone addressing me by any title.  I am Sarhea and nothing else.  This pesky…whatever it is, does not make me worthy of titles, nor would I want one if it did,” she spat.

The testy reply drew a rare smile from the normally pensive Leonian that only further stoked her rising frustration.  The smile was short lived and soon silence fell between them.  Only after she’d managed to quell her festering mood did she once again sense the curious questions radiating out from her quiet companion.  What was he waiting for?

“The meeting went well, I think,” she finally whispered when she could bear the silence no longer.

“Yes,” he mumbled absently before finally glancing over at her.  “I feel that significant progress was made toward regaining everyone’s trust.  The bit with Kaden was especially noteworthy.  He’s been different, quieter, ever since you popped him in the nose.”

Sarhea’s ears fell flat as she closed her eyes and shook her head.  “I wish I could turn back time and change how I responded then.  I should not have let my anger take control like that, whether he deserved it or not.  Kaden really does have an important role to play in all of this.  It’s just a shame he let his reputation become what it is.”

Raith nodded.  “I’ve always known he was capable of so much more than just flying.  I never would have made him a member of my team otherwise.  His reputation is something of a work in progress,” he grumbled.

Sarhea allowed a light chuckle.  “I think he will come around quickly enough.”

Brief silence fell once again as the strength of the unasked questions stirring in Raith grew in intensity.  He was beginning to fidget again, and finally, his questioning gaze turned back to her.

“Sarhea, what really happened to us earlier?  It was much more than an energy transfer, wasn’t it?”  he asked then paused with a fierce scowl.  “And why is my energy signature white?”

Sarhea’s ears fell back once more as she closed her eyes and shook her head.  “I really do not know, though I was pondering the possibilities just before you showed up.  You didn’t feel drawn here did you?”

Raith briefly arched a brow before shaking his head.  “No, I didn’t feel led back here by some unseen force, if that’s what you’re hinting at.  I never really left completely.  I wandered the corridors up here for a bit, considering everything that took place.  I didn’t think you’d still be here when I passed back by.”  He paused briefly as he watched her.  “Did your pondering come to any possible conclusions?”

She sighed quietly and looked at the floor.  “There were a couple things that stood out more than others when I recalled some ideas that were mentioned tonight.”  

She hesitated in frustration as she considered how to continue.  No other solutions were presented, leaving her no choice but to just ask her question.  “Raith, I…I need to ask a question that may sound rather odd…” she started.

Raith arched a brow as he turned to face her.  “Go ahead.  At this point, there isn’t much that can surprise me.”

She grumbled under her breath before finally lifting her gaze to meet his.  “I’ve heard the story of the…injuries you sustained when this world first came under attack…”

She hesitated when he instinctively cast a quick glance at his right arm.

“I need to know if…if you died at any point during the treatment of your wounds.”

Raith’s eyes widened and for a moment, he was speechless.  “Well, I guess I take back my previous statement,” he muttered.

Sarhea lowered her eyes before glancing away.  “I’m sorry to ask such a ridiculous question.  Of course you are very much alive, but…”

“I really do not know what happened to me during the months that I slept.  I didn’t want to know so I never asked.  Aleena would be the one to answer this question.  What even brings this up at all?”

She shook her head.  “I’ve been trying to figure out your white signature.  Not only is it lacking the color of the energy’s two elements, it is also unusually strong, stronger than anything I’ve ever encountered…in a physical sense.”  

She paused as she once again looked up at him.  “I began recalling the instances when I’ve seen white souls, and was reminded by Askar of what I experienced with Lyle in his final moments.  His soul arose from his body and in the energy’s presence, was purified and transformed.”

Raith stared at her in thought for a moment before turning to lean against the window again.  “I remember seeing that, remember wondering what was going on.  So you purified his soul?  How?  Why?”

“I did not do it, Lyle did.  Only souls that have been purified can join with the Guardians in the energetic realm and the only way a soul can be purified is by being in unity with the Guardians.  In his last moments, Lyle discovered and held to this unity.  He knew and believed the Guardians were calling him home.  I was simply there to show him the way and bring him peace.”

Raith fell silent once more and she could sense a flood of new questions stirring within him.

“So you are thinking that somewhere in my past, I died…but somehow came back or was sent back, white soul and all…Am I understanding your thought process correctly here?” he finally asked.

She was suddenly grateful that he put it together on his own.  “I know this sounds crazy-even I’m having a hard time swallowing it,” she mumbled quietly.

“If it’s true, what exactly does it mean for me?”  There was real concern in his voice.

She met his gaze and watched him a few moments.  “If it’s true-if you died and somehow found your way back, then your energy was given, touched, by the Guardians themselves.  I sensed something familiar in it earlier when I touched it.  I felt the intense strength of both elements warring inside of me, but at the same time, they were in what felt like forced unity.  There’s only been one other time in my life where I’ve felt that.  And…I felt my healing reserves being restored, the remaining traces of my injuries being wiped away…Only a touch from the Guardians could accomplish this…”

Her voice trailed off as she finally looked away in renewed frustration.  All this was just too absurd, too impossible for her to believe.

“Wait…you’re saying…I healed you?”

She looked up to find his eyes wide and confused.  

“I’m not sure what I’m saying.  I don’t know if you did it or if it was something that was left hidden in your energy that interacted with mine…but yes…my injuries are gone,” she finished in a whisper.

“This…this is all a little much to wrap my brain around,” he muttered quietly after several minutes of silence.  

His weary gaze turned back to her.  “Though I must add that I felt that conflict.  It’s part of the reason I agreed with the energy transfer explanation.  I felt the battle that rages within you and now that I really think about it, something that Askar said tonight really rings true.  You have trouble controlling your abilities because the two elements were never meant to share one vessel.”  He hesitated with a scowl before closing his eyes and shaking his head.  “Seems your Guardians can be a cruel lot.”

A sad smile played at her lips as she shook her head.

“Yes, most times I feel that way.  I’m always left to wonder why they did this to me and leave me with no instruction.  This…condition…” she started and paused when a sudden urge struck at her core.  

Sarhea felt the strongest urge, an almost insistent prodding, to divulge the one secret that she’d never shared with anyone.  She couldn’t…shouldn’t…especially not with the one creature she had sworn to protect…But if she were going to be truly open, allow herself to trust and accept help, she really needed to lay everything out in the open.  Perhaps keeping it hidden was part of what kept her from controlling her abilities.  Out of their entire developing group, Raith seemed the most logical confidant…

“Sarhea, what is it?  I sense your troubled mind.  The effects of that energy transfer have obviously not completely worn off yet.”

Sarhea shot him an incredulous glare, but what he said had to be true.  She also still sensed a strong hint of his energy flowing through her, interacting with her own.  It was prodding her, nearly demanding her, to lay her heaviest burden out in the open.  She sighed heavily as she left her place against the window to sit on the nearby bench.

“There were parts of my story tonight that I left out.  Everyone already had a lot on their minds just trying to comprehend the simple aspects of who I really am.  There are things…things that I’ve never told anyone…and I can’t keep them bottled up inside me any longer…”

Raith’s expression faded to concern as he pushed up off the window and carefully moved to the bench to sit.  The questions burned in his eyes, but he remained silent and waited for her to continue.

“Sometimes, I feel that the dark energy that resides at the heart of our foe originated from my world.  Some said that my parents knew something was amiss and they began attempting to strengthen the unity of all the surrounding tribes.  The darkness took root in the heart of a jealous leader of a northern tribe, Rychak, and for years, he worked to undermine my parents’ work.  Then one day, he and his kind attacked, and the unity was shattered just long enough for my parents to be killed.  It was rumored that he had been after the elements…”

Raith arched a brow.  “Why?  Why would he want the elements?  I was under the assumption that only those of the Guardians’ choosing could handle the energy.”

Sarhea sighed quietly.  “No one really knows for sure-all of this is based on speculation, but it was rumored he thought that whoever controlled the elements would have a powerful weapon at their disposal.”

“Weapon?”

Sarhea hesitated as a confused scowl darkened his features.

“As I mentioned earlier, the elements were controlled separately by each my parents.  Back then, each element was controlled through an amulet that was worn by its appointed vessel, and only the wearers of the amulets could wield the power of the energy.  No one really knew why Rychak wanted the amulets or what he intended to do with them, but it could not have been anything good.  He was driven mad by power, greed, and jealousy…ruled his barren lands with a cruel iron fist.  He killed any who stood in his way and cared nothing for those he used as weapons in his crazed quest for more power.”

“I assume his attack failed, seeing as how you have control of the elements.  Can I ask how you survived?”

She released a weary sigh as her ears swiveled back.  

“This is a bizarre story, one that I can tell only from memories that came to me as if I dreamed them.  I do not understand their reasons, but normally the Guardians held to a strict policy of never interfering with our mortal existence, but that day, they made an exception.  In the battle that claimed my parents, they swept the elements away, reclaimed the instruments they had given that allowed access to their power.  I do not know why they spared me…”

She paused as terrifying flashes of memories she’d tried hard to forget came crashing to the front of her mind.  She closed her eyes as a chill raced down her spine.  A hand fell gently to her shoulder, causing a jolt of reassuring warmth to flood over her.

“I’m curious to hear the rest of this story, but if it is too painful…” came Raith’s quiet voice.

The energy that flooded into her strengthened the peace within her, bringing about an almost instant calm.  She opened her eyes and glanced back at him with a weary smile.

“No, I’m fine.  This is something I must finish,” she whispered and slowly exhaled a deep breath.  “I was spared, but it came at a great cost.  The Guardians…they changed my physical appearance, locked my memories away deep within me.  They practically erased me to keep me hidden.  But it backfired; something in the process was not completed.  They succeeded in saving me, but without my memories or a way to retrieve them, there was no reason for me to remember them, so there was no way for them to bring me back.  I grew up an outcast orphan struggling to survive on the fringes of the society I was meant to one day lead.”

Raith scowled as he watched her.  “There must have been at least some truth to that weapon theory for the Guardians to get involved as they did.  But why did they do this to you?  Why not just simply save you?  Your role must have been as equally important for them to protect you as they did their elements.”

“This is a question that has plagued me for many years.  It would have been far easier on my tribe had I been allowed to remain as I was.  Yes, I was very young, but there were those who could have raised me, perhaps taught me what I needed to know about my heritage.  Instead, my tribe was left vulnerable to future attacks as the man left in charge was lost in the pain of my parents’ and my presumed death.  And if I was so important, the Guardians sure left me to fend for myself and there were many times over those lonely years in which I nearly died.”

“What happened?  How did you get your memory back?”

Sarhea sighed quietly as an image of Daran’s face formed in her mind.  He had unknowingly played a large part in helping her recover her memories and her true form.  She missed him so much…Sarhea fought to keep herself from trembling as she considered how to continue.

“It is a rather long story that would take hours to lay out, and perhaps later, I’ll find the strength to do so, so tonight, I’ll try to make a long story as short as possible.  First of all, it turned out that Rychak had not been killed all those years ago.  He’d escaped and had been planning his revenge for years, the major part of which involved planting his agents in important positions within the tribes.  I stumbled across a group of them one day, one of which had always been my most challenging rival, the jealous mate of a high ranking official.  I’d always known there was something off about her, and on this day, I overheard her discussing plans of attack.  I finally had proof of what I had been sensing for years and rushed to inform the tribe leader, Daran…”

Sarhea swallowed hard and struggled to keep her emotions at bay.  She nearly lost her nerve to continue before a wave of reassurance flowed over her.  She did not look up, but she felt the influence of Raith’s energy interacting with her own again, prodding her to continue.

“Through a series of unusual events, I’d been of great assistance to Daran and knew I could trust him to make the right call with information I’d learned.  I never made it.  That group caught up to me, cornered me, attacked me, and left me for dead.  I would have bled to death if Daran had not somehow found me.  He took me up to his mountainside cavern, the traditional home of the tribe leaders.  He tended my wounds, brought me back from the brink of death.  I remember trying to tell him what happened in my few moments of clarity between bouts of feverish episodes, but he didn’t understand.  This woman was in a high position, someone that he’d trusted for years…”

Sarhea paused with a scowl as she remembered the frustration she’d felt.  Daran had lost so much over the years that he just couldn’t handle the possibility that someone close to him was a traitor.  She shook the feeling away.

“Being in that cavern, in the place where I was born and had spent my first years…something began to be awakened within me, began triggering lost memories.  I thought it was just a feverish vision that led me one day to a hidden section of the cavern.  That’s where I found the amulets.  The moment I laid a hand on one of them, the energy shot into me and everything came flooding back…”

She paused as she cast a quick glance over to Raith.  He sat on the edge of the bench as he watched her with eyes wide with anticipation.  She had to stifle a quiet chuckle…but the rest of the story would be no laughing matter.

“In that moment, my injuries were wiped away and everything that I had missed, the memories, the events, things I’d not even been a part of growing up-all of it, along with my true form, was revealed…and I suddenly knew that Daran was about to lead our tribe directly into Rychak’s hands…I knew I had to do something, but I had no clue as to what.  I was high up on the side of a mountain, in a location that was usually not accessible except by the Guardians’ intervention.  Manifestations resembling the sentinels helped Daran come and go…I instinctively knew the only way to foil Rychak’s plans would be by using the power provided by the amulets, but I didn’t know which one to take up…so I put them both on.  I worried that doing this could possibly kill me, but if I didn’t do something, we’d all die anyway.  That’s when this happened to me,” she said and allowed the violet flames to lift off her hands.

Sarhea was almost glad that Raith did not comment as she paused to gather her thoughts.  She didn’t look at him as she scowled fiercely at the violet flames.

“Putting on both elements nearly did kill me-it felt as if I was being torn apart.  When the process was done, the amulets had merged into one element violet in color and this unfamiliar and frightening power surged through me.  I vaguely remember being engulfed in red flames as I fell from that cavern and landed in the midst of the gathering tribe to expose that bitch and her plans.  I was almost too late, but through the newly attained energetic unity and the merged element, a final stand was made and Rychak, along with his spies, was destroyed.”

“I see,” Raith said quietly.  “So by putting on both amulets, you became the weapon that this Rychak had been after all along.  Am I understanding this correctly?”

Sarhea sighed quietly.  “Yes, I suppose so.  Maybe it never existed before then, but now it does.  I’m not entirely sure how it works, but it seems that the amulet acts as a portal that allows the Guardians direct access to our mortal existence.  They never act directly through the amulet themselves; they use me, take control of me, to do their will.  But gaining access and control of me like they did came at a great risk.  Rychak was destroyed, but the darkness festering within him and his followers was released.  There were other lesser attacks over the years after I retook my rightful position, and I could sense the deep foreboding growing stronger after each one, until finally, the day came when my world was destroyed.  I felt that familiar, yet much stronger, darkness closing in on me, felt its desire to take me.  I tried…tried to use the amulet’s power to destroy it as I had done with previous attacks, but…”

A near choking sob abruptly rose from her depths and she quickly turned away in an attempt to keep it from escaping.  Her ears fell flat as Raith’s hand once again fell to her shoulder.  She felt him about to speak, most likely in attempt to calm her, and she immediately began shaking her head.  His words never came and it was several minutes before she felt she would be able to speak without choking up.  She finally released a quiet, trembling sigh.

“When those sentinels grabbed and led me away, I felt the fear.  I don’t know if it was theirs or the Guardians, but I knew they were desperate to keep me away from the darkness that was attacking.  It came close to catching me several times, close enough that I caught a sense of its dark intents.  It was after both me and the amulet…”

Her voice trailed off as emotion once again tried to surface.  She could feel the charged atmosphere flare around her, flare with the assumptions that Raith was most likely putting together during the tense silence that now fell over the room.  The sharp catching of his breath finally broke the nearly unbearable silence.

“It knows you are the weapon…a weapon it can use against the Guardians.  That’s why you felt the fear…”

Sarhea closed her eyes and hung her head.  “Yes, I feel that is the case, but I also believe that if there is any truth to it, the darkness would have to control both me and the amulet,” she whispered.

She felt Raith tense as he sat up.

“I assume from what you just said that the amulet still exists?”

She could only nod weakly in response.

“Where…where is it?”

“Safe, hidden away so that only I know where it is.  And I will never reveal its location.”

She felt him hesitate.

“What if…what if this is the key to defeating our enemy, defeating this darkness?”

Fire abruptly flared, giving her the strength to finally look over to him.  Her eyes narrowed and she could feel the energy rushing through her.  Raith’s eyes widened as he flinched back.

“It is not the answer.  I told you when we were trapped in those rocks that I have seen, done, terrible things because of my curse.  These things happen when the amulet is free of its containment and the Guardians have access to control me.  I have stood against this enemy twice now, and neither time has the amulet helped me to defeat it.  No, it must never be free and it must never be in contact with me, for my protection, this world’s protection, the Guardians’ protection…”

A slight scowl formed on Raith’s face as he stared back at her in confusion.  “Containment?  You…you…” he sputtered before pausing to stare at her.  “You contain the Guardians…for their protection?  Surely I did not just hear what I thought I did…”

His eyes widened, the scowl fading from his face, when she did not respond and kept staring at him in resolution.  He finally sighed in exasperation as he leaned back against the cubby wall and stared out of the glass ceiling.

“I’m terribly confused.  You are going to have to help me understand,” he muttered heavily.

The fire finally subsided, allowing her to glance away once more.  “There was no rhyme or reason for the way the Guardians acted through me.  When I wear the amulet and they have control of me, I have no power to act on my own.  I can see the errors in what I’m forced to do, but helpless to do anything about it…”

She paused with a quiet sigh and looked to the stars beyond.  “It makes no difference.  The amulet is contained and must be kept that way.  I once thought keeping the Guardians’ access to our realm severed would have adverse consequences, but nothing has changed, and in keeping it this way, I keep them from controlling me and placing us all in danger.”

“But what about you?  Seems to me that you are taking a great risk by attacking the drones as you have been, especially if they are after you as you claim.  What if they capture you?”

Sarhea’s ears swiveled back and lowered as she considered his words.  She shook her head.  “I am nothing to them by myself, nothing but a hindrance.  I’m not even quite certain they know I’m here.  But it doesn’t matter; without the amulet, capturing me is pointless.  They would have to control me in order to force me to give them the amulet, but that can only happen with the amulet.  I would end my life before I ever let any energetic entity control me again…”

She slowly turned her gaze back to him and was not surprised to see wide green eyes staring back at her.  Silence settled over the room for several moments.

“That’s…that’s what you were trying to do that night a week ago, wasn’t it?  You were trying to keep those sentinels from taking control of you…”

She hung her head.  

“But they are not Guardians…”

“They are nearly as powerful and are the one entity that does not require the amulet to influence me…”

“I’m confused.  Where did they even come from, if this portal is locked away?  I’ve never seen anything like them in all my days…”

Sarhea hesitated.  “I…I lost control…opened the amulet’s containment box…” she whispered and turned away again.

Another brief moment of silence settled between them.  She finally heard a quiet sigh from behind her.

“Something still makes no sense.  Why were the sentinels afraid?  They wanted you to live, I could strongly sense that, but why didn’t they take control of you?”

She shook her head before casting a weary glance back at him.  “They need me to live, need me to be available to take control of.  Why they didn’t is still a mystery to me.  I must have done something that prevented them from taking me, and I have to figure it out, as they are still out there somewhere.  If they ever accomplish what they intended to do, they could force me to release the portal…I can’t let that happen…I’m too tired to run any longer and I fear there are no more worlds to run to…I will not allow myself to bring destruction upon this world… ”

Her voice faded as she hung her head.  She could feel the emotion trying to rise within her again, but she was too tired to fight it back.  Nothing was heard from her companion and silence once again fell over the room.

“I hope this information does not affect our agreement,” she finally whispered when she was sure she had regained control of her emotions.

When there was still no response, her ears fell back and she turned further from him.  A jolt shot through her when a strong hand came upon her shoulder.

“No, this changes nothing.  I made a promise that I intend to keep.  I’ll admit that the information is a little…unnerving, but it has also given me quite a bit of insight into why you are the way you are.”

Sarhea arched a brow as she cast a quizzical glance back at him.  He gazed back at her only briefly before removing his hand from her shoulder and leaning back against the wall.  He rubbed at his temple briefly before sighing.

“I made Finny a promise to try and keep you safe.  Seems the first order of business is figuring out how to help you stay in control…for several important reasons…”

Sarhea’s eyes widened as she stared back at him.  There was a strength and determination in his green eyes that matched the strength of his unusual energy.  Her ears swiveled back as she scowled down at her hands.

“I don’t know how you propose to do that.  I could not figure it out and I lived on the world all this originated from.”

“I’m not sure yet either, but there has to be an answer somewhere.  I wish you would tell your story to my father.  Sarsan has more knowledge about Guardians and energy than anyone I’ve ever known before you.  Surely something he’s learned in all his studies could help…”

“No!” she exclaimed as she spun around to face him with wide eyes.  

The sudden move caught him by surprise, causing him to lurch back.  His reaction quickly told her the energy had to be manifesting.  She struggled to contain the strong wave of reactive forces that surged through her.  

“No, I can’t-not right now,” she whispered as calmly as she could.  “I have to figure this out on my own.  Involving someone like him could be dangerous.”

Raith’s gaze softened as he sat up.  “There’s no need to worry.  I gave you my word that I would not reveal your secret to anyone beyond the group who already knows.  And…” he hesitated and shot her a questioning glance.  “WE are figuring this out, remember?  I thought the purpose of all this was to help you so you didn’t have to handle this all on your own.”

Sarhea glanced away as she grumbled under her breath.  “It’s going to take some getting used to the idea.  Old habits are hard to break.”

She felt his hand on her shoulder again and she turned to see a genuine smile on his face.

“It will all come in time.  Like you told us earlier-you just have to have an open mind.”  He removed his hand and cast a quick glance around the room.  “I’ll do what I can to glean information from Sarsan without raising his curiosity too much.  Perhaps down the road, you’ll find the desire to speak with him yourself, but that would come in your own time, on your terms.”

Sarhea allowed herself to smile in response.  Raith truly did puzzle her.  She was quickly beginning to see why everyone respected him so much.  She’d spent so much time and effort disliking him that she’d missed recognizing what a true asset he really was.

“Thank you.  It means a lot hearing that from you, considering our past history,” she replied quietly.

Her reply only made his smile widen into a brief toothy grin.  She couldn’t help but smirk back at him as he slowly shook his head and pushed himself to his feet.

“Well, I do believe I’ve interrupted your evening quite long enough,” he started and glanced at the door.  “I really need to be getting back to my reports or I’ll never get any rest,” he added quietly and glanced down at her.

“You’ve not interrupted anything.  In fact, had it not been for this visit, my burdens most likely would have continued to hold me back.”

Another grin spread across his face.  “Well then, I’m glad I was here to listen.  And if you ever need anyone to listen in the future, I’ll always be available.”  

He paused as an air of curiosity began to be felt from him.  It was soon displayed in his eyes.  “You know, I do have a few other questions, easier ones that perhaps are not so…involved.  Are you…planning to stay up here all night?”

Sarhea arched a brow as she glanced up at him.  “I’m not really sure yet.  Why?”

His ears swiveled back slightly.  “Well, I was wondering…if you were by any chance going to be heading back down to the lower levels…perhaps I could tag along, ask a few more questions, until we reach whatever junction I come to that takes me back to my work?”

There was an almost endearing child-like eagerness to his question that caused her to pause.  She sensed that the mention of work was a weak excuse to try and hide his lingering curiosity.  She found her own curiosity peaked, wondered what other questions he had that he claimed were lighter…

“I suppose I should be heading down.  You can tag along if you wish,” she started and prepared her cloak to stand.  

A hand was quickly offered out to her.  

“Shall we go then?”

She shot him a coy smirk as she accepted the offered hand and was helped to her feet.  

“Yes we shall.  It will be a nice change to not have to travel the dark corridors in silence,” she replied, and soon, they were heading out of the room.

---

Sarhea had no clue how much time had passed as she and Raith meandered down the quiet corridors, chatting endlessly as they went.  The conversation had indeed been quite pleasant with both of them sharing lighthearted stories of their experiences with Guardians and energy over the years.  She’d had far more stories to share than Raith, but she didn’t mind.  The stories had transitioned into curious questions about the customs of her tribe and the way of life on her home world.  It surprised her how natural and easy it was to speak with him.  When Raith set aside his military persona, his presence was rather enjoyable.  He could become quite animated in his speech to the point she had to struggle to keep from giggling at him.  She had been about to ask her own questions about Taloan beliefs concerning the Guardians when Raith suddenly paused and glanced around at their surroundings in confusion.

“How…” he muttered absently as he turned in place, taking in his surroundings.

Only once their conversation had been interrupted did a sudden unease wash over her.  A hint of reactive energy began to flare the moment her eyes settled on a set of arched entryways that opened into the corridor beyond.  Faint red and blue light danced on the wall opposite the openings.

“How did we end up here?  I could have sworn we took the path back toward the training center,” he continued.

“Here?” she finally replied as she tried to keep her festering energy in check.

Raith arched a brow as he cast her a quick sideways glance.  “I know you have been to the Temple of Light, right?”

Sarhea’s ears fell back as she scowled at the entryways down the hall.  “I try not to come here, but yes…I’ve been here…twice, I think,” she muttered in reply.

His gaze grew distant as he watched the faint light flickering into the corridor.  A minute of silence passed before a curious look came over his features.

“You know, I bet some of the solutions to your dilemma are hidden within all the carvings in that cavern.  There are so many…maybe you will have better luck interpreting them than Sarsan.  Come on, let’s give it a try,” he prodded abruptly and took several quick steps toward the temple entrance.

Sarhea hesitated and tried to contain a fierce scowl.  “I don’t really…” she started.

“Come on now.  There’s never anyone here this time of night, so you don’t have to worry about being seen…”

She took a few hesitant steps back.  “It’s not that…I just…this place makes me very uncomfortable.  The few times I’ve been here, I could only make it half way in before having to stop…”

His gaze softened as he slowly made his way back to where she stood.  “I don’t come here often either, but there are a few things I’ve always wondered about, that I’d like to ask you, but it would be easier to explain if I could show you.  It will not take long,” he said while calmly gesturing for her to join him.

Sarhea hesitated for several moments longer before a frustratingly familiar insistent prodding urged her forward.  She grumbled quietly under her breath as she slowly moved in beside him and together, they approached the dimly lit entrance.  

Raith became quiet and pensive as they moved into the large cavern.  As he’d predicted, there was no one to be seen inside.  In all the previous times she’d seen this place, there had been several groups of mainly oldsters gathered at the area near the front.  Not a word was said as they quietly moved deeper into the cavern and headed toward the front where the red and blue flames burned from atop towering stone pillars.  Her eye locked on the flames which seemed to grow in intensity the closer they came.

Raith paused before the handmade altar, his gaze fixed on the carving etched into the stone of the back wall.  The air about him had grown somber.  Sarhea hesitantly moved in beside him and cast him a concerned glance.

“Raith?” she called quietly.

“Sorry,” came his whisper before he finally turned to her.  “This place tends to have an odd effect on me, which is why I don’t come as often as Sarsan would like me to.  It reminds me…reminds me of everything we’ve been through, what we’ve all lost.  At the same time, it reminds me that there is something beyond our control watching over us.  I’ve particularly resisted that last thought for several years now, but it seems I can’t any longer…”

His voice trailed off as his gaze returned to the flames and then to the carving.  The raw honesty of his words touched her as she followed his gaze to the carving.  In many ways, she knew exactly how he felt, but it was not a temple that brought up such feelings-it was her very existence.  Several minutes of silence fell before she felt a shift in the cavern’s energy.

“I don’t understand how your Guardians can desire to control you, allow you to be used as a weapon, when ours have done so much to ensure our survival,” he mumbled before glancing back at her.  

“Take this city’s shields, for instance.  Just about everyone has heard how the shields had been in development for years before the attacks.  I really have no idea as to when or why such stories began, but it could not be further from the truth.  In reality, we have no clue as to where the shields originate from, how they came to protect this mountain.  We also cannot figure out why the enemy has not simply vaporized our world from under us like it has so many others.  They have certainly tried.”

Sarhea’s gaze became critical as she watched him in silence.  Raith’s eyes returned to the twin pillars from which the strange flames burned.

“Even these flames…no one can explain how they came to burn up there, why they do not put out any noticeable heat, or why they cannot be extinguished.  It has to the Guardians’ doing…As illogical as most would think the theory, it can only be by the Guardians’ hand that we still remain here…alive…”

“Your guardians and mine must be two different entities, as mine have never lifted a hand to help me or those around me,” she finally muttered bitterly.

The distant gaze finally left his eyes as he turned and watched her in thoughtful silence.

“At first, I had considered this notion, but after hearing your story, listening to you talk even on the way here, there’s not a doubt in my mind that they are one and the same.  There are too many similarities, too many similar shared legends among species, for them to be two different entities.”

Sarhea shook her head.  “And these similarities could all be coincidence.”

Raith sighed quietly and turned his gaze back to the carving.  “Perhaps.  But there is one thing that just cannot be coincidence, something I noticed this week as I came here searching for answers,” he replied almost absently as he stepped over the makeshift altar and slowly moved between the pillars.  

He hesitated before glancing back at her.  Sarhea could feel her nerves tensing and knew he would be calling her to follow.  She was already close enough and very uncomfortable.  This place…it felt all too familiar…which was impossible…She wanted to turn and run.

“I want to show you something,” Raith prodded.  “Don’t worry-there’s no rule that says we can’t be up here.  You’ll never be able to see the details from down there.”

Sarhea choked back the hint of panic that tried to rise within and focused on his insistent gaze.  She had to stand strong, had to find a way to overcome this irrational fear…She finally forced a heavy leg to lift and step up to join him.  A gentle smile of approval played at his lips as she arrived at his side and together, they approached the carving.  

Sarhea found her gaze drawn to the image as they neared.  This was the closest she’d ever been to it and remembered thinking how similar it appeared to a carving she’d seen on the wall of a cavern she played in as a child.  Now that she was this close, she couldn’t help but feel that the image was identical…But how was that possible?  Her gaze fell to the central figure.

“The image in the center there…” Raith started.

It was as if he’d read her mind…

“For some reason, it reminds me of you, the way you lifted Lyle’s soul to the heavens.  When I was here the other day, I found my focus drawn to flames at each lower corner.  I’d never noticed them before, but they sure remind me of those two pillars behind us.  See those lines that flow from the flames?  I always thought they were simply part of the design, but if you look closer, you’ll notice they flow throughout the carving and all converge on that central figure.  From there, they end, merging into the solid flow that rises off the figure’s hands.  It was what I noticed at the top that really convinced me that our Guardians were the same.  What is that depicted on either side of where that united flow enters the heavens?”

She shot him a worried glance before turning her gaze back to the carving.  Her eyes followed the intricate design from the flames to the central figure and then to the place where the flow entered an opening in what looked like a rough depiction of the stars.  On each side of that opening sat two serpentine creatures.  Her eyes widened as she abruptly lurched back, defensive energy flaring.  It was the sentinels…

“How…how is this possible?” she whispered as her eyes darted about, searching for hidden dangers.

This was the exact same image that had once adorned the wall of her childhood hideout.  Before her world was destroyed, she’d stood before it just as she stood before this version.  She’d been desperate for answers, for help, but the only response she’d received was seeing the sentinels emerge from the image to drag her away…

“I have to get out of here!” she hissed as defensive energy flared with alarming strength.  

She cringed as she stumbled back, cringed as the fire began to race through her veins.  At the same time, the blue element, the peace, tried rise, and before long, a fierce battle for control raged within.  Her vision faded to a furious mess of festering color as she stumbled backward.  She vaguely felt her foot strike some obstacle, felt herself stumble and begin to fall.  All at once, a strong jolt shot through her, shot through the conflicting mess raging through and around her.

“Sarhea!  Sarhea, pull yourself together!  There’s no reason to be losing control, not here!” came a strong, steady voice.

Her energized gaze flew to the source and immediately locked on the blazing white signature beside her.  The clarity of his voice cut through the madness, the hand that had caught her allowing a direct connection for the white energy to flood into her.  It quickly overpowered the battle raging around her and brought about a forced calm.  Sarhea gasped as her energy faded and normal vision returned.

“Are you alright?”  came the concerned voice that moved in before her.

Dazed, pleading eyes lifted to meet his gaze.

“Can we leave?  Please, take me away from this place,” she groaned quietly.

Raith silently nodded.  She felt gentle pressure on her shoulder as he turned to lead her out of the temple.  By the time they arrived in the dimly lit corridor, her limbs were trembling with such force, she felt she would collapse.  She drew her cloak tightly around herself as she leaned against the cool stone wall.  Her strength finally gave out and before she could stop it, she found herself sitting on the floor with her head resting on crossed arms that held her knees to her chest.  Raith’s strong presence settled in beside her as she struggled to regain any measure of control of herself.

“Sarhea, what happened back there?” he finally asked after several minutes of silence.

She did not lift her head as she slowly shook it.  “I don’t know.  Both elements suddenly flared in me and I couldn’t control either of them,” she muttered weakly.

She finally found the strength to lift her head. She felt dazed and drained as her eyes settled on the worried Leonian beside her.

“I don’t understand how any of this is possible.  That carving…the same carving was on the wall of a small cavern I played in as a child.  It was the last thing I saw before the sentinels drug me away and threw me onto a ship.  How is it here, on this world so very far from my own?”

“I…I don’t know, but this does confirm that your Guardians and the Taloan Guardians are the same.  I suppose when you really think about it, according to you, the Guardians are an energy life form.  If this is the case, why would such an entity confine itself to one world when it can be practically everywhere at once?  As far as the carving goes, it must be more important than we could have ever imagined.  Duplicate images on two distant worlds cannot be a coincidence.”

A scowl fell over her face as she stared back at him in thought.  How was it that he always had just the right explanation for her puzzling questions?  Would he have some smart answer for her next question?  

“Why then, did our Guardians allow the complete destruction of my species, my world, but spared everyone on this world?” she grumbled bitterly.

Raith’s ears fell back as he glanced at the floor before him.  He finally sighed quietly and shook his head.  “I don’t know, but this is a question I plan on helping you answer.  It is disturbing, especially considering that everything I knew about the Guardians came from Sarsan’s stories, and these beings did all they could to bring peace and safety to those under their protection.  The fact that this world still exists proves this point to me.  But how they could have allowed such terrible things to happen to you…” he replied and slowly stood.

Sarhea arched a brow as he once again offered her an assisting hand.  She reached up to take it and was carefully helped up.  She wavered briefly on weak legs before finally leaning heavily on the arm he still held out to support her.  It was several moments before any hint of strength returned to her and she strongly suspected that it had transferred to her from Raith.  She shook her head lightly before sighing.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you about these stories.  Everyone keeps hinting at them, leaving me quite frustrated,” she muttered as they slowly began making their way back down the dark corridor.

Raith kept his focus on the path ahead as he led her slowly along.  “Up until recently, it was all just a bunch of bedtime stories.  Sarsan was very good at weaving grand tales of an all-powerful, unseen protective entity he called the Guardians.  He made them out to be beings that watched over us from the heavens and revealed themselves through energetic manifestations and that a chosen race called Dalmarians were the only ones entrusted with their power.  Some stories even claimed that the most faithful of the Dalmarians could travel between the physical and energy realms, could commune with the Guardians face to face.”

Sarhea hesitated with a scowl.  Part of what he said sounded fairly accurate.  But traveling between realms was impossible.

“And you thought I was one of these thing?” she finally asked.

She felt his hesitance as he sighed.  “It seems neither of us knows what you are.  How can you know you are not a Dalmarian?”

Sarhea started to protest, but swallowed her words.  He kept falling back to this Dalmarian thing, and until she could prove she wasn’t one, it was pointless to argue about it.  Raith seemed to catch on to her frustration.

“This mountain-Refuge City-used to be called Teelooka.  It was a Taloan holy site, an ancient reminder of what the Guardians did for this world’s original inhabitants,” he said as they walked.

“Really?  I’ve not heard this story.  Aleena briefly mentioned it a while back, but gave no details.”

“It’s not surprising, considering most Taloans have forgotten it as well.  Sarsan was one of the rare few who remembered and studied the old ways, one of the few that believed they were more than just mythical stories or a minor footnote in history.  He spent a major portion of his life trying to keep the legends alive and studied under some of the most knowledgeable teachers.  It’s a shame that what he tried to accomplish got twisted into some strange religion once the influx of refugees started to arrive.  I think he finally gave up trying to set the record straight.”

“Can you tell me more about these legends?”

Raith glanced over at her thoughtfully.  “Well, there are several versions, depending on who you talk to.  The original version I heard as a boy told of how the Guardians led the original Taloans to this world so they could escape the persecution they faced on their original world.  They created this world, this mountain, for the Taloans with the promise that they would always be protected.  The Dalmarians were the Guardians’ mouths and hands, delivering messages to the Taloans until the time they were no longer needed and returned to the energy realm.  But it was said that the Dalmarians could reappear at any time, and when one was spotted, one could expect great gifts to be delivered from the Guardians.”

Raith hesitated as he scowled at the path before them.  She could sense there was something more, something important yet to come.  He did not look at her as he sighed heavily.

“It was the day of Lyle’s death when Sarsan told me another version of the story, a much darker version, that I’ve never heard mentioned before.  He told me of how there were once two races that had been entrusted with the Guardians’ power-the ancestors of the Taloans and another race he called the Children of the Light.  The Taloan group began to misuse and abuse their power to the point that the Guardians had to step in to prevent a major disruption of the unity.  They stripped their power from the Taloans, leaving it in the sole care of the Children.  The Taloans were then exiled from their home world, but not forgotten.  The Guardians still cared for them, created this world for them with the promise they’d always be protected.  But the Taloans would never be able to handle the energy again.”  

Sarhea considered the story in silence as they stood in the dimly lit corridor.  Something about this version just made sense to her.  Before the merging of the elements in her, they had always been kept separate; separated by two different races seemed a logical beginning.  And she had witnessed the Guardians’ intervention when one began to misuse their power…She shook her head.

“If there is any truth to this version, it could explain why that carving is here.”

Raith remained silent and when she cast a quick glance over at him, she noticed his gaze had grown distant and concentrated.

“Raith?”

Her voice seemed to prod him out of where ever his mind had drifted to.  He sighed quietly before casting a weary glance over at her.

“What is it?  I sense that there must be more that you’re not telling me.”

His ears fell back as he scowled out into the corridor beyond.  “There was something that Sarsan told me that night that made little sense, but was disturbing all the same.  We had been discussing…well-you.  Sarsan became very concerned with the idea of keeping you safe.  He recalled an old legend that spoke of dark times when a great evil would arrive and that the only hope of survival would be to restore the unity between the two separate races.”

“W-what?” she stammered in shock.  “A…a great evil?”

She could see the hesitance in his gaze.  “I know what you must be thinking-I had the same reaction.  Someone knew something bad was coming, but they let the warning fall the way of nonsensical legends.  But what still makes no sense to me is if the stories are true, why did the Guardians strip the Taloans of power and exile them, only to say the evil could not be defeated unless the two races were reunited?”

Sarhea scowled as she closed her eyes and shook her head.  Her thoughts were starting to run wild again and it was all becoming too much. And he was correct about none of it making any sense.

“I’m sorry.  I did not mean to overwhelm you.  I’m supposed to be helping, not further frustrating and confusing you,” he muttered.

She looked up and gave him a weak smile.  “Do not apologize.  You have given me much to consider and have also answered several questions I have always wondered about.  Between our two histories, there has to be some answers to all our other questions.  For now, and for the sake of my sanity, I think I’ll focus on helping you with the drones.”

An excited grin spread across his face.  “That sounds good to me.  All this talk of old legends is making my head hurt.  What are your thoughts on this new front?  What would your first plan of attack be?”

Sarhea was glad for the change of topic.  She smirked back at him as they once again started moving down the corridor.

“Training, and lots of it.  The drones know your tactics, so we are going to need to devise new ones.  First order of business is stealth training,” she replied with a grin.

“Stealth?”

“Yes.  We are going to need to be able to get close enough to them to observe their movements undetected.  We also need to get an accurate count of their numbers.  Marching about with cannons will not accomplish this task, nor will air surveillance.  Your men are good with guns, but they couldn’t sneak up on an oldster with both bad eyes and ears.  I am willing to help you, but I will not take part in any under prepared mission that leads these men to their deaths.”

He shot her a critical glare before glancing away with a frustrated sigh.  “This was not exactly what I was expecting,” he muttered.

“What, were you expecting to rush in with guns blazing?  That is exactly what they expect from you and exactly why I’ll be no part of such plan.  Do not worry, Commander; there will be ample opportunity for blazing glory.  We must first ensure your troops will live to see it.”  She hesitated when his critical scowl didn’t fade.  “Do you or do you not want my help?”

Raith sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.  “I suppose I’ll see how this plays out.  But I must also have them training on weapons.  Which reminds me-I need to somehow convince Tsa to share his weapons technology.”

“Let me handle Tsa.  I have a feeling he will be quite willing to help once I have a chance to speak with him.  And yes, I do not expect the men to ignore weapons or regular combat training.  There will be a balance.  But I’ll not go into the field again with any of you until I know you are ready for what must be done.”

Raith shook his head as he turned his focus to navigating the dark intersection ahead.  “Nakyla’s going to have a field day with this,” he muttered in frustration.

Sarhea only grinned as she fell in behind him.