After a short walk from where we had been, silently following the cloned knights, who were all now heading towards the temple, which showed us how many there really was, hundreds of them.

When I thought about what Larana said about them being created using the lightning gifted Feles, which was actually an extremely rare gift, I wondered who had suffered to allow the creation of so many.

As we approached the temple all the cloned knights all stopped in lines at attention waiting for something to happen, Valli was at the front, orchestrating the knights in the order he wanted.

The temple was a large structure made of stone, seemed to have once been a reticular building; most of it now covered in thick ivy and flowering shrubs, hiding most of the shape and perhaps its secrets.

By the two large doors at the front was a pair of statues of great winged lions, they were huge almost as tall as the building itself, standing there as a pair of ancient sentries. One was constructed out of black stone and the other white.

As I stared at the two statues I was certain they were looking at me, their gaze never leaving mine, as mine never left there’s. They came alive, their heads moving, turning to look directly at me. I gulped as I heard their voices.

“You think you can handle our power,” said a sly voice.

“Call our names and we shall be yours,” said another more kind.

“Do you see that?” I asked.

“The fact he has a whole army, yes,” responded Tigra.

“No.” I shook my head and the lions returned to normal. “The lions, they moved.”

“It must have been the fish you had yesterday,” commented Brendan.

“It wasn’t the fish,” I snapped.

“Shhhh. Dumah is coming,” as she said that we all picked up his scent.

Dumah accompanied by six other knights came into view, it seemed he did not bring the rest of his special unit with him. He strode up to Valli as if he owned the very earth he walked upon.

“Have the swords weakened since exposing them to the dark power?” asked Dumah.

“No. it seems to be having no effect on them, even after we doubled the amount you suggested,” answered one of the knights stepping forward.

“You’re not going to try again are you?” questioned Valli.

“Of course, I am,” snarled Dumah. “The power of the lions would serve our master well.”

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“I hope he means the king,” I commented. Tigra jabbed me in the side. “Ouch.”

“Now out of my way, I will make them submit.” Dumah barged the knight out of the way and went through the open temple doors.

We creeped a little closer noticing that they had forced the doors open with powerful earth talisman. He had disturbed this sacred place for power, I hoped the lions would never accept him as their master.

“They’ll never accept someone who dishonours this holy place,” I said.

“If we’re moving now is the only time was can,” commented Brendan.

“Let’s sneak into the temple through the back,” I suggested.

“There’s a back?” pondered Tigra.

“There always is, right.” I wasn’t completely sure myself, but there had to be, otherwise we would never get inside to see the lions.

“He’ll most probably try to kill you if he finds us,” mentioned Tigra.

“He’s already tried,” I responded remembering twice at the academy and then within the orchards.

We followed around the back, staying within the tree line, just to make sure we were not spotted, but all the knights were focused at looking up to the temple, perhaps waiting for something to happen.

As we came to the far side of the temple. I noticed a row of small, winged lion statues with the crest of water and wind, those elements matched Larana and Mila; I felt this was our way in.

“Over there.” I pointed leading the way. It was a little risky as there was a large opening between the temple and the trees we had been using for cover, but the knights were still too busy watching their master.

Making it to the side of the temple without any problems. I reached both my hands out touching two of the winged lions closest to the wall. I wasn’t sure why I had done it, something deep within me willed it.

The two statues reacted to Larana and Mila, glowing intently, and before my eyes opened a doorway, blended in with the rest of the temple and covered by the ivy.

We entered the side corridor from the main area Dumah had gone. The walls were covered in carvings of the twin winged lions, the black lion of black lightning and white lion of white fire.

It also showed images of a Feles warrior riding the winged lions against the eternal dragon, just like on my favourite stories.

“Wow.” Brendan was just as amazed as I was. “Perhaps the old stories you love so much were once true.” Finally, he was starting to believe me.

“Come on, before we miss the show,” whispered Tigra. She was right, Dumah would not hesitate to take the swords if he could.

We hurried through the corridor, looking for a doorway that would lead to the main hall. There were so many side corridors I felt like we might soon get lost down here.

I stopped as I saw the images of the winged lions along the walls began to glow, almost like they were showing me the way.

“They’re glowing,” I said.

“What’s glowing?” questioned Tigra.

“The lions on the walls,” I replied, pointing at a couple of them.

“That is not glowing.” Brendan shook his head.

“Trust me, it is,” I argued. “I think the lions are communicating with me.” Without another word I began following down the direction the winged lions were facing, some even seemed to move, roaring as if they were calling me to them.

“Alex.” They both called after me. I didn’t respond, unsure how I was connected to the lions, was it related to me wielding Larana and Mila, two previous talismans of the legendary Fang. I wondered if my fate was the same as his, wielding his power and his name.

Tigra and Brendan quickly followed not wanting to be left behind.