Shadow Guardians - Part Four - The Guardian's Lair

Lillie could see the Guardian's Lair emerging from the fog and shadows. The long walk had been dreary and Lillie was relieved to nearly be at their destination.  As they were walking, Lillie began to realize something. Everything was getting brighter and the atmosphere started to change dramatically.  She started to see little colorful flowers scattered on the ground here and there and a lush green began to surround them. Butterflies, dragon flies, and bees busy hopping from flower to flower pollinating  them each in their own way.

"This place is so much different, are we still in the Shadow Realm?"

"Yes Lillie, we have made it to the grounds surrounding the lair."

"It is much prettier here, I would have thought the Shadow Realm would only be, well, shadows."

"The Guardian's Lair and the grounds are surrounded by spells to keep the darkness at bay. Darkness will always creep towards the light Lillie, hanging on its skirt, consuming everything that it comes across."

Lillie thought about what Mirra said while she continued to examine her surroundings. The lair that was now in full view was illuminated grandly and placed regally in the center of the massive gardens. Standing tall the smooth white marble reflected as much light as it could muster like a beacon in the dark eerie shadows. The columns and trim were gold and sparkled splendidly in all the light. 

The gardens stretched around the lair and seemed to take a particular pattern Lillie noticed, as they ascended the steps to the massive double doors that created the entrance to this magnificent place. They were nearly to the doors when Lillie realized that they hadn't seen another being or animal since they left the gravling and Vaeron back in the temple. She started to wonder if this was all for the best or not. Why did she follow the cat anyway, she was in a strange place and knew nothing about it, especially the cat. Mirra had helped her though and everything else only seemed to attack her. 

"Mirra are there lots of guardians or only a few?"

"There are more of us than you would probably think but most of them are out doing their job to help contain Vaeron."

"Are they all cats like you?"

Mirra laughed, if you could imagine such a thing as a laughing cat, "Why no silly girl, this is merely the form I have chosen."

"The form you chose, does that mean I can change too?"

"Maybe one day lovely Lillie, maybe one day," and Mirra lead Lillie through the massive doors into the Guardian's Lair. The foyer was grand in the same white marble as the outside and sure enough everything was trimmed in gold but the most interesting thing was directly in front of Lillie. A floor to ceiling tapestry hung at the top of the staircase that lead into the rest of the lair. 

The brilliantly displayed tapestry made of the finest silk and was embroidered with real gold thread. It depicted one of the most moving scenes one could ever hope to see. A young  woman giving her heart and soul to protect all the ones she loved, in the most unselfish, untainted, pure, and innocent self sacrifice to defeat the darkness that doomed them all.

Lillie stared in awe, she had never been drawn to something in such away before, it made her chest ache like it was missing something. What could this feeling be? Why does this scene catch my breath and cause me such pain? Is this how they imprisoned Vaeron all those years ago? Lillie wanted so bad to ask a million more questions but once more the cat had already started to slink away up the stairs and to the left.

Lillie followed Mirra quickly so she wouldn't get lost. After a few dozen doors Mirra turned down another corridor, everything looked the same to Lillie. White marble walls pulsating light all around them and every adornment and decoration was in gold, the lair had a very glimmering nature to it. When Mirra finally went through one of the doors Lillie almost walked right past it. Right from the start this room was different, it was filled with books laying every which way, stacked vertically, lined horizontally, and crammed into every nook and cranny.

"Verra, oh Verra, where are you?" the cat cooed.

"Is that you Mirra? I have been worried all night!

"Yes it is, and where are you? I don't seem to see you right off hand."

"I was looking for a particular volume, AH, here it is!"

A slender but most beautiful vixen stepped out from behind one of the taller piles of books. Mostly an orangey red with tuffs of white and tips of black the fox looked most peculiar carrying a book and wearing reading glasses. 

"And who is this Mirra?"

"Please excuse me Verra. This is Lillie, she came to us in the middle of the night at the temple that had set off all the alarms, and you won't believe what she has summoned. The Phoenix Staff of Rebirth."