I sat in the grand library as Cybele pulled book after book off the shelves, stacking them on the table before me. I bit my lip, watching the glow on her face as Finn steadied the ladder she climbed on.

"Oh, yes! I'll let you look at Vampiric Culture, The Winged Hierarchy of the Modern Ordinem, The Creatures of the Forest Planet..." Her voice died as she handed book after book to Finn, who slid them across the table towards me.

I couldn't stop the pangs in my heart as I thought of Andrew. He would have been so excited to see these and bask in this world.

"Ah!" Cybele clapped her hands in glee as she carried a rather large and worn book down the ladder with her, laying it on the table before me with a heavy thud. "A copy of the Book of Mare! This is perfect."

"Are you really going to start there?" Finn asked softly, leaning back against the bookshelf on the wall.

"Maybe not. We should start somewhere simpler to understand." Cybele nodded before looking to me. "I'll tell you more about our world and history."

"That would be helpful." I replied softly. Cybele only smiled wider as she opened a book, the word Sylph written over the cover.

"I was raised in a city called Opulentia before this kingdom under Tron came into being. Creatures called Sylphs ran Viridis through their capital, which happened to be my city as well. Sylphs are powerful beings created from a mix of fairy and magnatom, which is what you are and the majority of the people under Tron's old rule. There was a wide scale war between the Holy Order and the Resistance, both magnatom forces that wanted to take control over the entire universe. In the end, the Resistance lost the war and the Holy Order is the sole government ruling on each planet, Tron being one of your old governors of Viridis while others run each planet. The monarchs of the entire Ordinem universe, King... Rex Fortis and Queen Isabella Fortis, currently still reside on the planet Opes and use the city governors to control the planets though they are due to relinquish the crown to their son in the coming years."

Cybele had drawn on a large sheet of paper the seven planets, labeling each. I remembered Malaki and I's walk in the night, pointing out the flowing orbs of light in the sky that had matched with each of the remaining six.

"My home in Opulentia dissolved after Tron took over this area along with the other govenors." She said sadly before closing the book she had let me see for only a moment. She took another, furiously flipping its old pages. "But, that's not important. What's important is you, Kate, or what I believe you are."

The Book of Mare was opened to me as she pointed to a long strand of text:

The day will come when two forces meet,

alongside a great number of fleets.

Neither shall fail nor win,

for this battle shall crush all men.

The Serpent shall rise,

between Light and Dark that flies.

One must be victor so the two shall fight,

yet both forces are of equal might.

For such great powers cannot live at the same time,

Two together would be the crime.

Power would come to an ultimate end,

Thus one will be forced to eternally transcend.

The Light and Dark are both hero and foe,

they must engage in a battle of all time low.

One must fall,

the Serpent shall be the one to make this call.

Foretold by Draco the Great,

the Serpent can be one of great love or great hate.

Await, O Ordinem, for the Snake,

Know that this is not a simple fake.

The Snake lies dormant in a world,

its whole entire life shall be twirled.

This prophecy is true,

head out to find it with this great clue.

Serpent, your call is now.

Do not ask why or even how.

Just know you are needed,

I pray my message will be heeded.

May Fate guide you - Draco

I narrowed my eyes, looking up to Cybele who held her breath. "This is the first text relating to a complex prophecy, the Serpent Prodigy. Kate, I think you might be the person described in this text."

My blood went cold as I stared at her in shock. "Wh... what? No one said... I thought you brought me here to learn about my meraki."

"You're abnormally powerful for a new Meraki user. This is why we need to figure out your meraki as well as what spurs it. Secta felt your meraki's aura when we brought you here, and he thinks you might just fit in this piece of the puzzle."

"You're saying that if my meraki is spurred from hate..." I swallowed, "then I'm the Dark Foe from this prophecy?"

Cybele shook her head. "I don't think so. The Serpent Prodigy has equal potential to turn to light or darkness, to become the Savior or to not. If we can figure out your power and teach you how to control it through love and the light, you can triumph in goodness. You will become our Prodigy to fight the darkness."

I narrowed my eyes, leaning forward. "What darkness?"

"Noxia." Finn's voice said from behind Cybele as we both turned to look towards him. "Noxia is the darkness in the world who we fight, and she has a large army living in The Hole where her night children and dark champion dwell. You would lead us as your army in a war against her forces to exterminate their race permanently."

"Dark champion?" I stuttered in disbelief. This was insane! "What other champion?"

"She has her own fighter regardless if you become light or darkness," Finn said as he crossed his arms. "He's down there in the darkness waiting to be unleashed, but only she can make that call with..." Finn held his tongue, looking to Cybele with worry.

Cybele sighed before looking to me. "Noxia decides when to unleash her champion, Lucifer." Goosebumps began to form on my skin. "But, you will be more powerful as the Prodigy, according to Draco's prophecy. If we can train you, you will be able to defeat Noxia and Lucifer along with their army."

"I'm confused. Is their army like you all?" I asked, shaking my head.

"In a sense." Finn shrugged his shoulders. "Demons. Her army is compromised of different ranking demons of the shade. We fight each other from time to time when havoc occurs in the worlds, similar to what happened in your town."

"So demons are real?" I gasped in shock. "Raphael mentioned what Tron was, but I thought he was kidding." The bedtime stories and myths about the predators of the night were true?

"Indeed, they are real, and Tron was a demon." Cybele said, her eyes flickering with a kind of sadness as she looked at her hands. "Demons have been in Noxia's army for ages. They eat the souls of other creatures for survival and do her deeds. The strongest form of demons, the Hadiatians, primarily live in the Hole while the lower forms, Lucians, plague the worlds and cause havoc while taking souls back into the Hole to feed the majority."

"What was Tron?" I asked, staring at Cybele.

"No... Nocenian." She stuttered, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She looked on the verge of tears.

"Cybele," I began, reaching forward to touch her hand. These creatures must be terrifying if even she, a Guardian general, broke into tears at the thought. Finn stepped forward, resting his hand on her shoulder as a dark look covered his face as well.

"We need to find out how much power you have, Kate." Cybele looked up to me through teary eyes. "We can end this war once and for all."

"I don't know if I'm the person you're looking for." I said. "This all seems too wild, too unreal for me to process, Cybele. I mean, a prophecy, demons, darkness, and Fate?" I shook my head, sighing deeply. "I don't think I can help you."

"We'll start lessons to evaluate your potential." Cybele said with urgency. "We can figure this out, and even take you to Karmen, right Finn?"

"Let's just see if we can figure this out with Kate first before we dump Karmen on her." Finn said softly, giving Cybele's hand a squeeze. I looked between them, realization flashing before me as she gave him a smile that he returned.

Were they together?

I stood, pushing the books back across the table as they both looked to me. "I... I need to go get some rest. This..."

"I know it's a lot to handle, Kate, along with the window of possibility that you might not hold the power at all." Cybele stood, rounding the table to hold my hands in hers. "Think about everything as long as you need too, but don't fret. We'll find out if you're the one, the Prodigy, and if not, we can send you back home."

Home? My heart started to beat faster. I'd get to go home and see my family again? Matilda? The Benton Brothers? Were they still alive?

"We will protect you as long as you remain in our care, I swear to you." Cybele offered me a warming smile as she let go of my hands and began to stack up her books. "You can take some if you wish. How about the Book of Mare? It might give you more history behind our worlds and your potential true nature as our Prodigy." She slid it into my arms. "Do you know the way back to your room?"

"I don't." I said softly, my head spinning in shock at what she'd told me. Everything seemed dreamlike around me.

"I'll walk her back." Finn interrupted, coming to my side. He took the book from my arms, sliding it underneath one of his. "Cybele, get some rest okay?"

She nodded as she wiped her eyes. "I'll put these away. Finn, if you need anything else, please come find me." They shared a quick look before he turned to me as Cybele climbed back up the book ladder.

"Let's go, Kate." He flashed a brilliant smile as he opened the library door for me. I followed him down the long halls, watching his wings and the book under his arm. We came back to the familiar door and he opened it for me.

Inside, I took a seat on the bed as he sat the huge book on the table beside me. I cupped my head between my hands. This wasn't real.

"Kate," Finn said softly, and I looked up to him. He stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed as he shifted his weight back and forth on each foot. "I know this is a lot to process, and if you want to talk, I'm here."

"I wouldn't be able to find you." I shrugged with a slight laugh. "This place is too huge."

"I won't ever be too far away, and if you want, I'll show you around some more so you know how to get around the house."

I nodded and smiled. "That would be wonderful, Finn. Thank you."

He smiled at me again, a wide grin stretching up to his ears. "Of course. I know this place is foreign to you and far different than your home. How about tomorrow I take you around and introduce you to some people who might just make this place a little more tolerable?"

I scooted forward until I stood on the floor in front of him. "Secta won't let me talk to the other Guardians."

"Well, I guess we will just keep it our secret." He winked playfully, making me giggle. "Tomorrow, after breakfast, you and I are going to have some fun, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I sweat to you. If you have no fun at all, I'll let you choose what we do next time."

I couldn't help but smile wider as I nodded. "Thank you, Finn. You've made me feel much better. I'll see you tomorrow as planned."

"Goodnight, Kate."

"Goodnight, Finn."