• I peered through the thick, swirling air around the portal and gulped. How was I ever supposed to get into it with all the guardians staring menacingly into the dark, waiting for the slightest movement to trigger their attack? Malia had warned me that there would be some sort of obstacle in front of the stone basin, but this? There were five guardians that I could see from my hiding spot, all big and powerful. But quick? This could be a breakthrough! I quickly calculated the distance to the basin and formed a plan. It could work, nut it would be risky. I had no other choice. Determination lined my brow. I saw the chance I needed, and I took it, before fear could make me back down. All the Guardians were looking away. The one with wings, wait, wings? Now I could see it. All of the guardians supported intricate wings on their grotesque backs. They were fairies. Fairies gone bad. I ran out to the basin and saw that I had made a huge mistake. One big fairy took notice of me and flicked out a huge hand that caught me and threw me to the ground. I felt a searing pain in my left arm and saw that the claws of the fairy had gouged a hole into my arm. I fell to the ground, my blood pooling around me, and I knew that it was over.