The Betrayal of the Guardians

~ (36) Mysterious Garden (Part I) ~

Like the scenery they saw a few moments ago, this side of the forest had an enchanted look.

Beautiful colorful flowers covered the curious looking trunks of the trees. Some flowers joined the grass, gracefully decorating the ground. Various types of plants grew between the unusual trees, adding an even more varied appearance to the already diverse forest.

Arisa could see small petals dancing in the atmosphere. The sweet botanical scent that traveled to her senses would relax anyone. Everything looked stunning, but a terrible detail turned that scenery into horror.

The candidates that they saw lying on the flowery ground or seated by trees, looked as if they were sleeping peacefully. Some of them had their bodies garnished with flowers and plants.

"This is..." Arisa couldn't find her words.

She felt her heart become heavy. She ignored the warning as she was too horrified at the beautiful, yet terrible scene.

"Are they...sleeping?" asked Caris slowly.

Nala walked forward, approaching the nearest of the candidates scattered around the area. She bent over and examined the purple-skinned being that had marks of dry blood on its mouth.

As Nala placed her pinkish hand close to the head of the creature, Arisa wondered if she was trying to heal or wake the candidate.

"Careful," said Garoh, his tone concerned.

"Don't worry," replied Nala, her voice quiet. "I want to check if they're alive. They don't seem like beings with bad intentions; I'm sure they won't attack me, after healing them."

Garoh gazed at her thoughtfully. "You never know. Not all creatures with an innocent appearance have good intentions."

"His Highness is right," agreed Thelma. "Remember those thugs we met this morning?"

Garoh glanced at Thelma, his expression revealing uneasiness and sorrow. Arisa wondered if the reason behind it was because of what Thelma called him. As Garoh returned his gaze to Nala, Arisa heard Thelma apologize quietly.

"Well," said Nala, a dim green glow forming around her hand. "If they attack me, you know what to do."

As the small colorful petals kept dancing through the air, Arisa watched Nala concentrating on the candidate. It was as if she was looking beyond the fallen candidate's body.

Nala examined the being for a minute before she exhaled and stood up.

"She's dead," Nala declared, her brows furrowing. "Something grew in her lungs and killed her."

"Wha-what?" asked Arisa nervously.

Nala gazed at her. "I saw roots and small flowers inside her lungs."

Arisa's stomach turned and she covered her mouth.

"That's horrible," said Caris, her voice cracking. "What happened to her to end up like that?"

"They probably met a Guardian who fulfilled their promise to kill them." Garoh walked around the area, examining each candidate in his path.

Arisa tried to look at the fallen candidates. Despite knowing the horrible cause of death, they really looked as if they were having a peaceful sleep. She wondered if that was another work created by the Guardian.

"What kind of ability does this Guardian have to do such a horrible thing?" Thelma couldn't hide her disgust towards the scene.

"It must be a Guardian with an earth-based element," replied Garoh touching his jaw. "So, maybe Taurus?"