We want you to guard this.” Seraphina spoke as Renfred, Storm and Varier gathered around a quartz column.

Atop the column rested a russet pillow embroidered with gold. In the center lay a small white rock that pulsed with different shades of light.

Askerian stared at the object momentarily awestruck. This was a gemstone that he had never seen before, not even in the books his father forced him to read “What is it?”

“We’re not entirely sure exactly.” Seraphina rubbed the back of her neck, her eyes wandering around the room.

“Come again?” Askerian replied stiffly, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, you see—” Seraphina trailed off trying to find the words to explain, her black eyes, anywhere but meeting his gaze.

“I made it.” Varier broke the silence after a long pause with Askerian willing the Hamsternick to continue with his stare.

“You… made it?” The dragon night deadpanned.

“Yes.” Varier held up his hand, palm facing the high ceiling of the large room. Light shimmered in his hand and then a glass cluster appeared, twinkling against his skin.

Askerian’s eyes grew wide.

“Varier here has the ability to manipulate minerals.” Lady Storm started to explain.

“You just need particles of sand or stone and you shift the molecular structure to form glass.” Varier finished calmly as the glass shifted shape into a small palm sized dragon.

He held the glass sculpture out to Askerian. “I can make glass or any kind of hardened mineral… although I prefer crystals over rocks.”

Askerian took the tiny glass dragon from Varier’s hand, observing the intricate details. “Impressive. But what makes the crystal there different from this one and why do I need to guard it?” He said nodding his head in the crystal’s direction.

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The others exchanged glances before Lady Storm broke the silence. “We have reason to believe it’s connected to Lady Ardent.”

There was a moment of silence, not a single knight dared to move or speak.

“And why the bloody blazes do you believe that?” Askerian’s voice cut through the stagnation.

Varier cleared his throat before answering the distrustful knight’s gaze. “Because I made it here, and everything here, in this realm, is connected to her ladyship.” He gestured to the scarlet bowl of flames resting on one of the pillars. “Like this flame for instance. It’s usually a lot brighter than this, bigger.”

“But ever since Lady Ardent went back to Gaia, the flames started to grow weaker. They almost… went out.” Storm interjected.

The sound of the double doors being opened sliced through the tension in the room as a voice interrupted their conversation. “The flames are how we keep an eye on Lady Ardent’s well being.” It was the elf knight, Rain, who had made her way down to the chamber of Arks.

Lady Storm was quick on her feet, racing over to greet her. “Do you need a potion Som?”

Rain, or Somnium shook her head, the blue feathers dancing from her ponytail she did so. “I examined her and she just needs rest.” Out of the corner of her eye, Rain spotted Askerian casually walking up to the pillar holding the Star Crystal.

“Hey! Don’t touch that!” She yelled, grabbing onto his cloak, but it was too late, Askerian’s hand made contact with the stone and without a moment’s notice, everything around them shifted.

The other knights disappeared and the drab dark colors of the surveillance room faded into a white open expanse of nothingness.

“What in God’s green Gaia!?” Askerian shouted as he panicked at the sudden shift, his eyes darting around in search anything that resembled something other than this white prison of nothing.

A tiny light blue bird, the likes he had never seen flitted out from behind him, it’s blue eyes, a deeper color, glared at him with anger. He stared back at the tiny creature, only to get pecked by it over and over as it flew about him in a frenzy.

“Where the heck did you come from?” He spat, trying to block the little creature’s blows. “Stop it! That hurts!” He growled.

“Good!” A voice echoed in his head. It was familiar and it stopped both the bird and Askerian in silence.

“You can speak into my head?” He growled once more.

“Didn’t Ace tell you not to touch anything?!” The bird hissed.

Askerian tipped his head to the side. The thoughts racing through his head a mile a minute. This had to be one of the Arks. Bird. Phoenix. Lady Rain. He chuckled then. “I thought you were small before, but this hilarious.”

Before he could react, the knight had regained her original form and had the tip of her blade pointed right at his throat. “Those who don’t follow the rules, don’t get to stay by Lady Ardent’s side.” She warned.