The silence stretched between them long after Sarlon disappeared into the trees, leaving only the rustling of leaves and the distant murmur of the stream. Amaya could still feel the weight of the old woman’s words pressing down on her shoulders like a heavy cloak. Guardians of the world? Protectors against some coming darkness? It sounded impossible—yet deep down, something inside her knew it was true.

“I… I can’t believe this,” Kai muttered, breaking the silence. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, shaking his head. “Did that really just happen?”

“It did,” Lina replied quietly, wrapping her arms around herself as if warding off a chill. “And I think she was telling the truth. There’s something out there—something dangerous. And it’s after us.”

“Yeah, no kidding. But what are we supposed to do? We’re just kids!” Kai’s voice rose, edged with panic. “I mean, how are we supposed to protect the world? We don’t know what we’re doing! We barely even know each other!”

Amaya stayed quiet, the panic bubbling in her own chest. She glanced at Kai, then at Lina, seeing her own confusion and fear mirrored in their eyes. Just a few hours ago, they had been strangers. Now they were supposed to be teammates—no, more than that. Guardians. It felt surreal, like some twisted dream she couldn’t wake up from.

“I know it seems impossible,” she said softly, finally breaking the silence. “But… think about what we’ve already done. The fire… the water… We have powers. Real powers. If we don’t figure out how to use them, we’re just sitting targets.”

Kai let out a short, bitter laugh. “You make it sound so simple. Like we can just snap our fingers and—boom—we’re superheroes or something.”

“I didn’t say it would be easy,” Amaya shot back, her frustration rising. “But we can’t ignore it. That creature—whatever it was—came after us. If we don’t do something, it’ll keep coming. And who knows what else is out there?”

“Amaya’s right,” Lina said softly, glancing between them. “Sarlon said the darkness wouldn’t wait. If we don’t learn to control our powers, we’ll be putting ourselves—and others—in danger.”

Kai’s expression softened slightly, and he looked away, staring at the ground. “I know. I just… I didn’t sign up for this, you know?” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Amaya hesitated, feeling a pang of sympathy. None of them had signed up for this. She had spent most of her life trying to hide her abilities, not wanting anyone to see the fire inside her. And now, she was supposed to wield it like a weapon? To use it to protect others?

“I’m not ready either,” she admitted quietly. “But we don’t have a choice.”

They fell into an uneasy silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Amaya turned Sarlon’s words over in her mind: Listen to your instincts… The elements will guide you. But what did that even mean? How were they supposed to “feel” their way to the other guardians? It sounded more like something out of a fantasy novel than real life.

“So what do we do?” Kai asked finally, folding his arms across his chest. “You heard Sarlon. We need to find two more guardians. But where do we even start?”

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“I don’t know,” Amaya admitted, glancing between him and Lina. “But if we’re connected to the elements, maybe… we can sense where they are?”

“Sense?” Kai repeated, raising an eyebrow. “What, like some sort of magical radar?”

Lina’s gaze grew thoughtful, and she looked at Amaya intently. “Maybe not radar, but… something like that. If we’re tied to the elements, there should be a way to track them, right?”

Amaya sighed, feeling a mix of hope and doubt. “It’s worth a try,” she said softly. “We don’t have any other leads.”

They fell silent again, each of them glancing around as if expecting some magical revelation to appear. Amaya took a deep breath, pushing her nerves aside. Focus, she told herself. Trust the elements.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and let herself sink into the stillness, letting the sounds of the forest fade away. She focused on the fire inside her, the ever-present warmth that hummed beneath her skin. She imagined it spreading outward, reaching through the trees and across the land, searching for something—someone—who felt the same pull.

For a long moment, there was nothing. Just darkness and silence. Then, faintly, she felt… something. A flicker of warmth, distant and hazy, like a candle flame in a storm. It tugged at her consciousness, pulling her southward, toward the mountains.

“I think… I feel something,” she whispered, her eyes still closed. “It’s faint, but it’s there. I think one of them is to the south.”

Lina’s eyes widened. “You really felt something?”

Amaya nodded slowly, opening her eyes. “It’s not clear, but… yeah. It’s like a tiny flame, way off in the distance. If we go that way, I think we’ll find one of them.”

“South, huh?” Kai murmured, scratching his head. “So we just… start walking?”

“It’s a start,” Lina said, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “If we keep moving, maybe the feeling will get stronger.”

Amaya nodded, a sense of determination settling over her. “It’s better than sitting here waiting for that creature to find us again.”

“Alright, then,” Kai said, straightening up and glancing around. “Let’s go south.”

They set off through the woods, moving cautiously but steadily. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across their path. The woods seemed to close in around them, the trees leaning closer, the shadows thickening. Every rustle, every snap of a twig sent a jolt of fear through Amaya’s heart.

“We need to find shelter,” Lina murmured, her voice strained. “We can’t keep going in the dark like this.”

Amaya nodded reluctantly. “Let’s look for a clearing. Somewhere we can see if anything comes close.”

After a few more minutes of tense searching, they stumbled upon a small clearing surrounded by thick brush. The ground was soft, covered in a bed of moss and fallen leaves. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do.

“Here,” Kai said, dropping his backpack onto the ground. “Let’s set up camp.”

They moved quickly, gathering sticks for a small fire and arranging their packs around the edge of the clearing. Amaya sat by the fire pit, staring at the pile of twigs and branches. She took a deep breath, held out her hand, and focused on the fire within. Slowly, carefully, she let it rise to the surface. A small flame danced on her palm, warm and welcoming. She lowered it to the pile of sticks, watching as it caught and spread, the fire growing steadily.

“You’re getting better at that,” Lina observed, her voice soft with admiration.

Amaya shrugged, feeling a small flush of pride despite herself. “It’s easier when I’m calm.”

They sat around the fire, the flames casting flickering shadows across their faces. The woods around them were silent, but the sense of unease lingered in the air.

“We’ll find them,” Lina said quietly, glancing between Amaya and Kai. “The others. And then we’ll figure this out.”

Amaya nodded, feeling the weight of her role settle more firmly on her shoulders. “Yeah,” she murmured. “We have to.”

Kai sighed, leaning back against his pack. “I still think this is crazy,” he muttered. “But I guess we’re stuck with it.”

“Crazy or not,” Amaya replied, staring into the flames, “it’s our reality now.”

And as the fire crackled softly, sending sparks up into the darkening sky, she felt a strange sense of resolve settle in her chest. They were guardians—whether they were ready for it or not.