Forget-me-not: Moon's Guardian

p.24 Quilai the Aegis

Annicka closed her eyes while tracing the carvings as if they were braille, one by one she tried to remember how to read them.

"B--become the light, be the guide.... On traveler's night..... Release the seal... From your hands you will heal.." Annicka chanted slowly, light started to escape each symbol, then she saw a a pair of feet in front of her. Looking up, she saw the most beautiful being in front of her, a lady that wears kimono holding a staff with a moon shaped jade at one end, her eyes as green as the forest, she's smiling at Annicka like a proud Mother. To her left is another fairy with waist long golden hair, her neck is adorn with numerous amounts of necklace made of ivories, her eyes as red as blood but not scary. At the right is a black haired one with eyes as blue as the ocean yet as grey as the skies, her black hair cascades just above her shoulders.

'The Maidens!' she thought to herself, three of them chanting with her.

Suddenly a staff appeared before her, same as the one she once dreamt about, she looked at the Maidens who nodded at her. She mustered her courage and took the staff, she felt it's power traveling through her veins, with all her might, Annicka raised the staff and spoke the last words.

"Where it all began, take us there where you have gone!" Annicka then hit the middle of the floor with her staff, light broke out from where she stood, blinding everyone. Jake and Erin who are watching Annicka covered their eyes at the display.

--

"Where are they??!!!!" exclaimed Dray when the light disappeared, the barrier is gone and they are now above the tree but there's no sign of his friends.

"Find them!" he demanded to the Rebels and head back to their Hide.

--

"Where are we?" asked Jake when he found Annicka and Erin standing in front of the same tree they were once at, but this time it is glowing. Looking around, there is nothing else but soft grass, they are above a hill with nothing else but the glowing tree in front of them, the sky is the color of dawn and sunset that the difference is hard to know.

"What do you think is this place?" asked Erin as she loked around but not getting far.

"No idea." said Annicka shaking her head.

"What's that?" asked Jake pointing at Annicka's staff.

"My staff, I guess." said the Maiden shrugging.

"Cool stick.." said he.

"Really? It may not be much but.." she paused and hit Jake with the end of the staff.

"Ow!"

"Yup, it does inflict pain." said she, Jake massaged his head.

"Uhh..hey guys." called Erin to the two who turned to her.

"What is it?" asked Annicka, Erin answered her by holding her chin and turning her head towards the glowing tree where a silhouette appeared and started to come to them. The three huddled and stepped back, the silhouette became clearer revealing a tall well built man wearing an armour made of steel, he walked to them with all his glory looking at each of them, his shield and sword tucked behind him and the clanking of his armour and weapon and footsteps are the only sound the place has.

"Oh man." Jake mumbled as he watched the man approach them, his thick clean eyebrows are knitted together, his golden brown eyes focused on them as he pursed his lips together. He stopped in front of them looking at each of the three in their eyes stopping at Annicka, he put his right fist on his chest and bowed his head to her.

"My Lady, it is an honor to be visited by the breathtaking Maiden of the Southern realm." said he with an accent that you would want to listen all day, his gaze piercing that Annicka can't help but blush.

"Well, thank you." said Annicka looking down tucking her hair behind her ears. Jake and Erin exchanged looks and rolled their eyes.

"What is it you require to ask me?" asked he.

"What is your name? Which realm are you from?" asked Erin, the man turned to her and they held each others' gaze, the man let go first, smiling a little.

"I see you're the Guardian, do not worry, I am not to take her attention from you." said he smiling still, Erin frowned at him and wanted to make a remark but he spoke first, cutting her off.

"My name is Quilai the Aegis, Guardian to the hundred and third Maiden of the Western Kingdom." he said that shocked the three.

"What?!" they said at once.

"You appeared to be surprised." he stated.

"If you are Quilai, then, how come you're here?" asked Jake.

"I am no longer in your world, I believe all four of us are here in between the living world and the spirit world where I am trapped." said he looking around, Erin felt her jaw drop to the ground while Jake's eyes couldn't be wider, Annicka felt a massive headache coming.

"But they said.."

"I am not dead nor am I living." he said as if it is nothing, not minding if the three are drowning in confusion.

"My years here drained my life eventually, and in this tree, my memories is concealed and so I can give answers to those who ask." he added.

"I don't understand, they said the other Maidens sealed your Maiden and that you are banished."

"No, it is my Maiden who tried to seal the other Maidens here in between, I saved them." he explained,

"And now you're dead?" asked Erin still trying to grasp the situation.

"I am not on your world but I am not totally dead either. In this tree I live, the very heart of every fairy lies here. This is what gives you your abilities and made some wishes come true." said he, gesturing to the tree behind him.

"Okay... So wait, if you're here? Then who is taking revenge on the Maidens?" asked Jake, he's getting a headache already from the events that unfolds. Quilai frowned, thinking while the three looked at him with the same expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Someone's taking out the Maidens." said Erin

"And they wanted to get here to get to you." Annicka added.

"Mhin..." Quilai whispered

"Who?" asked the three in chorus.

"Mhin, my Maiden, she may be fulfilling her promise." he said stepping back.

"What promise?" asked Annicka as she followed him. Quilai looked at her dead in th eyes.

"Making sure the world will remember her name, you've got to make sure she doesn't get here." said he, fear and pain clouding his features.

"Why would she want that?" asked Erin rather confused.

"Because I, her Guardian have forgotten her, all she wanted was to stop the war and get everything back the way they used to be, but she failed, I failed her. And when the others confronted her, she tried to seal them." he said, regret laced his voice, Annicka noticed this but she doesn't know what to do.

"And you protected them." said Erin, Quilai looked down at her hands.

"It was a lot more the protecting them, I had no choice." said he, remembering how she and Mhin ended up this way.