The emperor of the Avem empire sat before me within a large room, a red and gold laced carpet going down the length of the room. His throne carved into the shape of a grand bird, most likely a phoenix.

In the space opposite to where the throne was a large table, stunning dark wood with red velvet seats, most probably used as a meeting place between his elite warriors and advisors.

Emperor Skyrus was sat patiently upon his throne, gazing at me, a smirk crossing his face. He jumped to his feet, spreading out his great wings, letting off his true majestic form and showing off his presence, which filled the entire room.

He strode over, straight passed Tigra to me. She turned gazing at him with an expression of insult as he had not greeted her. “Excuse me.” She snarled. Skyrus glanced back at her with no real intention to pay her any attention.

“I’d say hi at least,” I whispered.

“Your highness, crowned heir of Cathopia, welcome to Anamothra,” he said. “May I get you refreshments for your long journey here.”

“Don’t give me that, you’re more interested in my Guardian,” she snorted.

“That I am.” He was straight to the point. “Since our last meeting you have supplied us with many of those special crystals of which I am most grateful, but do you still refuse to reveal the place’s location, my kin could harvest far faster than you on your own.”

“My answer is still no, if too many go there and aggressively harvest the crystals, you’ll just end up destroy the eco-system and those crystals can only be that pure when they are ready to be harvested and I know for a fact that I am the only one who can tell when they are ready.”

“It’s true,” nodded Tigra as I had taken her down there on a number of occasions.

“Sorry.” I shrugged.

Skyrus looked around sharply all of a suddenly, almost like he had forgotten something. He looked at Rockray. “Well…”

“The room is secure,” he responded.

“Phew.”

“What seems to be the matter, your eminence?” asked Tigra.

“The eyes seem to have walls wherever I have gone, I need to keep things quiet until it can be remedied,” said Skyrus. “Please come with me.” Skyrus twisted round heading for a different door across the hall. “I suspect you are wondering why I really called you here.”

“You’re waiting for my father to find your daughter,” said Tigra.

“That is what I said happened.” He had been lying, but I remained silent waiting to hear why it was we were here, but I sensed it first.

“What is that?” I could see a dark mist creeping through the wall we walked beside. Sacred animals were ahead, sat patiently beside the doors, two griffins. They bowed in the presence of Skyrus.

“This is the real reason I sent for you, but I could not let just anyone know why.” Skyrus held an expression of concern, something had brought this proud emperor to call help from others.

“You could have told Alton,” I said.

“This is personal!” Skyrus’s voice rose slightly.

“Please, what has happened?” Tigra stood beside him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. “You called us here to help.”

Skyrus let out a long sigh, he was clearly stressed about whatever it was that had happened. “My daughter… perhaps best if you see.” Skyrus gently stroked the griffins. “Thank you both.” They nodded as he opened the door.

It was obvious he was using the griffin’s abilities as sacred beasts to held in the darkness that tried to creep out from the doors. I held my arm out, stopping Tigra from getting any closer.

“Stay here please,” I said. She gazed at me. “There is a lot of dark energy coming out of that room, I don’t want any of it near you.” Tigra remained silent and nodded. Arata stopped to stand beside her, while I went ahead after Skyrus.

Inside the room was dark, four walls each with the faint glow of markings, each marking off an essence of light, also keeping whatever was in here contained.

“It happened so quickly,” Skyrus kept walking, the darkness dancing around him, almost like it was waiting for some weakness. Guided by little flickering lights, down what seemed to be a small corridor. “At the end a light crystal came on. “My daughter began acting strange, causing trouble, mischief and even attacked many animalia unprovoked.”

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“Hi daddy.” A young Pandion came flying at the bars of what you could consider to be a bird cage. “Going to let me out today.” Her feathers were black glistening with dark energy, a glint of pure malice upon her expression.

“Look what they have done to my precious daughter.”

I darted forward pushing Skyrus back, it was obvious to me that they could not corrupt Skyrus because he was deadly connected to the sacred animals, as were all the crowned emperors of Anamothra, but there was a possibility for the darkness to inflict him and that was to create a weakness by causing the build-up of negative emotions.

I pulsed my hand forward sending out a flush of light towards her, she let out a scream being pushed away and falling unconscious.

“What have you done?” Skyrus was in an uproar.

“How many?” I spoke.

“What?” He gazed at me.

“How many infected?” I lifted my hand, spreading out my light through the entire room. It was filled with cells, filled with those in an identical state.

“Thirty…” His voice trembled.

“You should have summoned me here sooner,” I said. “I can weaken the hold of darkness on them, but I cannot cure it without wiping out the source.” I went on to explain. “On one condition.”

“What?” he asked.

“You are not to step a foot back in this room,” I answered.

“But…” he hesitated.

“Trust me your majesty, it is for your own safety.” He nodded. “Go wait outside.” Without another word he left the room. “This is quite the pickle he is in.”

“Indeed,” nodded Raziel.

“What should I do.” I looked around at them all in wonder. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Of course,” reassured Raziel. “You are Fang.”

I glanced at him, that was not really an answer, but it did give some inspiration. “Do you think I could purify them?”

“Have a closer look,” chimed in Larana.

I steadily walked closer to the cage with the princess, she was still unconscious, must have hit her pretty hard with my light. I held my hand out sensing the dark energy that enveloped around her, closing my eyes to see deeper.

The darkness seemed to spread deep within her, gripping tightly to her core, damaging her very soul, changing her. This energy was very powerful, caused by a highly concentrated dark crystal.

I opened my eyes again sensing danger as she was suddenly standing in front of me, her eyes glazed over, the voice of the eternal dragon leaving her lips. “You won’t stop me this time.” She grinned. “I run too deep.”

“We’ll see about this,” I responded acting unsurprised but deep down I felt a shiver of fear. Did he hold a possessive power over all those in this room? Had the princess come into contact with the same condensed crystal that turned those who worshipped and worked for the eternal dragon, if so then Vali was handing his dark crystal to innocent Avis’s corrupting them in a matter of days. I needed to find it before it was too late for the city, the negative emotions were already building within Skyrus, if he fell so would the city.

“And how are you going to stop me, you have no clue as to who I will strike next.” She began laughing, which in his voice was quite unnerving.

“If you can create dark crystals, then perhaps I can create a light crystal.” I held my hands together facing each other as I charged the light energy running through me into one spot.

“Light crystals cannot be simply made,” she said.

“Watch me,” I responded.

I could feel the energy growing between my hands, filling the room with light. I focused harder, pulling all the light I was releasing into the palms of my hands, the condensing of light starting to take shape.

“Impossible.” The eternal dragon’s voice became quieter, and she collapsed to the ground.

Slowly the light became a solid form of a small diamond, which grew a little bigger. I suddenly released it, the crystal floated there in the centre of the room, filling the room with an abundance of light.

I stumbled back, caught by Raziel, his head pressed against my back. “This will have to do.” I was panting having used up quite a bit of energy to make that, it would be in existence for no longer than two weeks at most, I had until then to remedy the problem.

I left the room, walking slowly beside Raziel for support. Tigra dashed towards me as I came out, closing the doors behind me. I moved away from Raziel as I did not want to show any weakness.

“Fang.”

I touched her shoulder to signify that I was okay and went to Skyrus. “I can help, but only if you and any other Animalia does not go into that room, only me or a sacred animal.”

“But my daughter.”

“Trust me, please.” He nodded. “Now then I will begin my investigation tomorrow, but for now, I’d like to be shown to our rooms.”

“Of course. Rockray.” Skyrus glanced behind him.

“Understood.” Rockray led us back the way we had come and rejoined the others, they said nothing even though they had noticed I was off. Rockray guided us to our rooms, taking us into Tigra’s first, mine would be adjoining to hers, but at that point I didn’t much care, wondering over to the sofa where I flopped down, laying down with my arm over my face.

“Is he alright?” asked Rockray.

“He’s fine,” said Tigra. “We’d like to rest now.”

“He’s not going to sleep there is he?” Rockray sounded clearly confused.

“He has stayed in my room during times when he believed I was in the most danger,” responded Tigra.

“Everyone on shifts tonight.” I chimed in. Zack could deal with the night shift.

“And that light from the room what was it?” He was full of questions.

“Made a light crystal don’t touch it,” I said aloud. I heard them start talking more but I didn’t care and let myself fall asleep knowing Tigra was in good hands with my fellow Guardians, they proven themselves as powerful warriors on more than one occasion.