Amber and Verunt stepped inside the big greenhouse on top of the infirmary and were greeted by warm, damp air, filled with different scents. Before them was plants, trees and flowers in all shapes, colors and sizes one could imagine. Some hung from the bigger trees and others from pots attached to the roof. Amber recognized them for their many medical uses while Verunt simply seemed to admired them for their appearances and scents.

Amber had visited the greenhouse many times to get medicine and advice, but she was still filled with wonder as she heard Antheia's clay birds sing high above her. Inside each of them Antheia had placed a small fragment of orange, red and green crystals. The orange granted them movement and the red and green together helped regulate the temperature in the greenhouse so that the plants thrived.

As they moved along a gravel laid path Verunt stopped by the glass wall, where no vegetation was in the way, to marvel at the stunning view. To his left the Wall stretched as long as he could see to the sides and nearly up to the sky. To his right were fields with growing crops and beyond them was the rim of the forest.

They found Antheia sitting with Virid at a garden table with five chairs, placed at the far end of the greenhouse. Mitra lay with her tail between her legs, just behind Virid's chair. She tried her best to become invisible as a grey cat with indigo eyes sat still as a statue a few feet away, not moving his gaze away from her.

"Lux," Antheia said with a stern voice to the cat. "Leave the poor wolf alone."

Lux looked back at her as if to say "I'm not touching him" and then back to Mitra.

"Amber, Verunt, come take a seat." The grey haired woman rose from her chair and gave Amber a long hug. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I will try to answer them all. But let us wait until we are all here. There is no need to rush."

Antheia had just poured them tea when there were footsteps on the gravel. "Thelia, join us," she said with a smile. When Thelia was seated on the last empty chair, she continued. "Now, I expect you came here to ask me about your crystals. Could you please put them on the table for everyone to see?"

Verunt hesitated before Amber took off her bracelet. Then he joined his dagger with Thelia's ring and Virid's pendant on the table. All the objects were crafted in bronze and iron, each with a small purple, glowing crystal. Amber noticed that they shone brighter when Antheia took out a small box made of the same metals from a pocket. She placed it in the center of the round table before opening it. Inside lay a purple crystal the size of a thick thumb, seemingly sharing it's bright glow with the other crystals. Amber couldn't help but to share Verunt's plain awe.

"Crystals are way more mysterious than we make them seem," Antheia said when she picked up the big crystal. "Most see them as tools or weapons, made for us to use as we please. But they are more complicated than that." Her misty voice held the teen's full attention in an iron grasp.

"They are connected and have a will of their own. That you have these objects is not a coincidence." She gestured towards the objects on the table.

"Whether you bought it, stole it, found it or got it, the crystals chose you to be a Secret Guardian." As she said this she looked from Amber to Verunt to Thelia to Virid. Next to Amber, Verunt tensed. "It is the council's duty to lead the City, and the Secret Guardians' duty to protect it."

"Protect it from what?" Thelia asked.

"People who want to remove the barrier," Antheia answered in a low, sad voice. "Egem will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He has already killed Nora Marsh."

"He will get us what we want; freedom." Thelia stood up so fast her chair fell backwards. "But that doesn't mean he killed someone!"

"Truth will come, and when it does I hope it can help you see clearly," Antheia said. "The door here will be open for you until then."

Thelia took her ring and left with quick, short steps. When her absence had left them in a tense silence for a minute, Virid spoke up. "How could just four persons protect the whole city?"

"Egem wants to remove the border," Antheia said. "But you can not allow that. The world outside is dangerous and most of those who live there are cruel, ignorant and selfish. If the border is taken down they will destroy our way of life. These crystals will connect the four of you and help you in your task. Together you will be able to accomplish more than four people by themselves ever could."

Amber sat lost in thought when Verunt spoke, confused and hurt by Antheia's words. "How can I possibly be of any help here? I'm probably messing up your life as we speak, aren't I?" 

He paused when Amber put a hand on his shoulder. I don't see you that way Verunt, she signed with a hearty smile. You have embraced our way of life and even learned my way of speech. That's not selfish or ignorant.

Verunt scratched the back of his head. "Besides," he said, tearing his eyes away from Amber. "How could I protect something? I wouldn't stand a chance against someone with magic."

"Anyone can learn the art of magic," Antheia said, smiling. "But not all choose to. It takes a lot of time and practice to control it. The Institute of Magic is open for everyone with a crystal." Now she addressed them all. "But I can teach you things they do not know. Although it must stay between us."

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A/N: What are your thoughts on the magic so far? Don't forget to leave a vote if you liked this chapter! As always, constructive criticism is welcome.