The night air was heavy with the smell of pine and wet earth as John led his friends through the shadowy forest. The sounds of the distant battle between the guardian and Lucius had finally succumbed to silence, leaving only the whisper of the wind through the trees and the crack of a twig underfoot. The weight of urgency bore down upon them, and none could afford the comfort of halting, even in exhaustion.
She walked briskly in step beside John, her mind reeling. "The Circle of Light," she echoed. "If they even exist at all how do we find them?"
He turned to her, his face all grim determination. "The manuscripts hinted at their location, were always referred to within the confines of an ancient sanctuary a place of great spiritual power. So, if these legends be true, we have to find one of these sanctuaries."
Dr. Whitmore was still pale after the episode with Lucius and only nodded weakly. "The last known haven was rumored to be hidden in the mountains beyond the northern pass. Centuries ago, mind you; there's no telling what sort of state it would be in or if it's even accessible."
Caleb shifted the pack on his shoulder as he followed the darkening path ahead. "It's our only lead really; we've got to go through with it, but be prepared for the worst. The Order probably started looking for them by now.".
John clutched the map in his hand a little tighter; its edge had worn from the use. "We will be taking care; the Circle of Light is the only hope of us deciphering the balance of Aether's power. Without this, we fight a battle that can never be won.
The others trudged on into the darkening night, the softening footfalls falling now upon the malleable earth of the forest floor. Scant, steep climbs and treacherous terrain called them onward, yet with full, intentional steps, as they knew quite well that time was against them.
Hours later, they emerged from the forest onto a rocky plateau as finally the day broke. Before them lay a breathtaking stretch of undulating hills and towering mountains, their peaks still dusted with snow, which caught in its swoon the soft, golden light of the rising sun.
"There," Dr. Whitmore said, her finger indicating a far peak shimmering in the morning light with a light, soft luminescence. "If the sanctuary still exists, it will be atop that mountain. The light is a good omen-a symbol attached to the Circle."
Evelyn shaded her eyes, looking up at the summit hopefully and a little nervously. "How far do you think it is?"
"At least a day's climb," Caleb estimated, studying the rugged terrain. "And that's if we don't run into any snags along the way."
John nodded, the resolution in his look sharp. "Then we keep moving. Every minute counts."
They started to climb higher and higher; it was getting steeper and more difficult. The air started to become colder as they went up, their visible breath cutting through the chilled morning air. Though fatigued, they continued struggling up the summit without giving an inch.
As they neared the top, the dim light grew stronger and opened the way upwards. The temperature dropped even lower, and the beating wind around them seemed to pierce right through their clothes. But the light ahead gave a beckoning appearance, a hope flicker upon the desolate landscape.
After hours of climbing they finally reached what seemed like the entrance into the sanctuary, a huge carved stone arch from the very mountain face. Light emanating from inside shone through it, casting eerie shapes on the walls; the arch encrusted with ancient symbols eroded with wear but still understandable: the mark of the Circle of Light.
"We have found it," whispered John, with a ring of awe in his voice.
They walked beneath the arch into the sanctum cautiously. It was big, high-ceilinged; its walls carved almost in the history of the Aether. Great into the far wall, bathing the chamber with a source of light, there was buried a great crystal of warm, gold light.
Wondering at the sight, Dr. Whitmore approached the crystal with wide eyes. "This must be the heart of the sanctuary. The crystal surely would bring power to this place, maintain its stealth, and guard against all those that would misuse the power.".
Her fingers twirled over the carvings, tracing them with a reverent touch. "The stories these tell of battles fought and won of balance restored. This place was to be a beacon of hope, reminder to all of the power of harmony.".
John's eyes darted all over the room, and his mind was racing. "If the Circle of Light ever existed, it is here, in this sanctuary, that we find them or, at least, their legacy."
Further in and off to the right, there was a small chamber with boxes of ancient texts and scrolls. Some language or some time, or any other modern influence upon John he already declared forgotten, for a chilling yet weird sense of déjà vu wriggled its way through his fingers, wrapping around the delicate pages.
"That language. it's the same as what I saw in the Labyrinth of Memories," he announced to them all as he showed them. "It's almost as if the knowledge of the Aether were passed down to various cultures, different times."
Dr. Whitmore examined the texts closely, his scholarly curiosity running riot. "If we can decipher these, we may learn how the Circle managed to keep the balance of the Aether intact. There could be things here about a ritual, a method, or even an artifact which we can get hold of."
He paced the room, his mind churning over the prospects. "But what if the Circle's no longer here? What if they just left, or much worse what if they were destroyed?
John gingerly placed the texts down on a table beside him. "If so, then we're the ones who have to pick up where they left off. We have to understand what they knew and what the knowledge is for: to counter the Order."
Evelyn frowned, with her mind still on the threatening existence of Lucius: "If Lucius knew this place, he and the Order would look for us. Be ready.".
It was as if it were answering her, just then a low rumble swirled through the sanctuary, walls shaking and dust with loose boulders raining from the ceiling, the crystal's glow dancing with menace.
"We gotta go," he said, eyes running in all directions for an indication of danger. "Something's coming."
John scooped up the texts and began shoveling them into his bag. "We need to find a way to activate whatever defenses this sanctuary has, or if nothing else, find a way out."
They went even deeper into the sanctuary and the rumbles kept getting louder with every passing moment. All the corridors were narrow, rambling, with heavy cold air. At last, they entered a large chamber wherein the middle was a dais, on which there lay a mechanism; it looked as though nobody had touched it for centuries.
Dr. Whitmore ran to the mechanism, his eyes shone with a gleam of familiarity. "This must be it the sanctuary defenses control centre. If only I could see exactly how it works…
Evelyn, Caleb, and John were all apprehensive guards of the ground that appeared to tremble underneath. Tension was heavy in the atmosphere, knowing very well between the three of them that this mission's success quite lay in what was about to transpire in the next few minutes.
Finally, there was a sharp click, and the mechanism underneath Dr. Whitmore's hands whirred into life. Stored energy sang in the air as ancient defenses sprang to life within the sanctuary. Walls of light burst up at the entrance completely covering them from the outside world, while the stone walls rang with a low hum of power. They seemed safe even then as the rumbling grew loud, and the walls of sanctuary cracked open. A killing blow from the outside well, something was strong enough to pierce through the ancient defenses. Looking at the others, John turned to them, face all hardness now, determined. "We have to get out before we get stuck inside." Just as the former were starting to turn around to leave, several doors burst open to let in a legion of shadowy creatures, crowned by their unearthly light-filled eyes and fast, deadly moves. The Order now had its minions in place to take back the sanctuary. They most certainly did not mean for John and his group to leave without a fight. Then John and his comrades prepared their weapons, for that combat was only the first among many that they were to traverse. Even now, as shadow forces closed in from every quarter, the force of Aether struggled to renew itself. But also with the knowledge that they really had no other choice but to fight. What they learned here, the old texts, the secrets of the sanctuary, was everything that stood between the world and the unbridled force of the Aether. As the fight got underway, John silently vowed that no matter what happened, they would pull through. A legacy of hope had been left by the Circle of Light, one he'd be damned if he didn't see fulfilled-even if he had to walk with her against the darkest forces the Aether could call forth.