Welcome Surprises

It had only been a few days since the group had left Koki-Nori.

The once lush green lands were now a dark marshland. The splash of footsteps was all you could hear. Croaking occasionally echoed throughout the marsh giving chills down they're spines.

"We must be by the border, the ground is starting to dry up a bit," Imani noticed. The Deir Kingdom had a variety of environments surrounding their borders, the marsh was the worst to travel though, but was the quickest way to the valley.

Unfortunately, rain began to pour down. Covering themselves the best they could, Luna started looking for the best place to take shelter.

"Imani, come help me look for shelter tonight, Deir's marsh is notorious for their nocturnal creatures and I would like to avoid them," Luna called out, looking around the area to find anything that could cover everyone's heads for the night.

Everyone started to look around the many crevices and even under some of the larger trees. Violet came across a semi-deep cave, it would be large enough to hold everyone comfortably.

"Hey! I found a cave we can stay in" Violet called out as the everyone began to filter into the cave. One by one everyone started to get settled as the rain started to come down harder.

A flash of lighting passed as rumbling thunder followed.

"I've had enough of these storms the last few days.." Luna mumbled helping Imani with the fire. Violet tacked the horses to one of the many tree roots sticking out of the wall. Andorra followed Violet's lead and tied Wagner to another root, giving him a dead squirrel as a treat after the long day.

Looking around the cave Andorra was fascinated by the various glowing flora.

"It's amazing to see something so beautiful in such a horrid place." She commented, poking a blue mushroom on the wall. The color flickered a bit and quickly went back to its blue hue again. Many flowers on the walls began to bloom and began to show their own colors off.

Between the raindrops falling, you could hear calls, and screeches of unsightly creatures could be heard in the distance. Wagner and Sheila began to stir as the horses shift back and forth huffing out.

Violet had walked over to calm down the horses when Sheila gave a low growl at the mouth of the cave. Looking behind her she watched the rain come down from the fire's light. Another flash of lightning revealed a figure at the entrance of the cave. Violets eyes widened pulling out her sword she pointed it at the figure.

"Stay back" Violet called out.

Hearing Violet the rest of the group quickly looked to see Violet pointing her sword at the mouth of the cave.

"Violet, what's wrong?" Andorra asked.

"There's something watching us.." The hunched figure walked into the cave. Its dark cloak was soaked, creating a puddle below around them. Everyone stood guard with weapons in hand.

"Who are you?" Violet asked putting her shoulders back and holding her head high. The figure only laughed a bit as it began to stand a little taller. A wrinkled hand pulled down the hood to reveal an old woman. She stood a little taller than Luna and gave a toothy grin.

"What? Scared of a frail old lady?" the woman smiled.

"Grandmother?! why are you here?" Luna asked, sheathing her sword.

"What can't an old woman roam the Deir marshes at night?" She says taking a seat on the ground close to the fire.

Imani and Andorra we're baffled.

"That's your grandmother!?" Andorra asked stunned

"Yes, This is my fathers mother, my grandmother, former queen of- Ow!" Luna announced but was cut off with a whack at her ankles.

"No need to be so formal dear. Just call me Nana. Grandmother is too long." She said, rubbing her hands together. After everyone settled down, the group crowded the fire as Nana told her story.

"And, just as I peeked behind the curtain the witch was gone! Not a trace of her left." She said

"What really?!" Andorra gasped

The woman chuckled at the girl's awe. "Yes, and she is the very reason I never made it to the Luna coronation," Nana explained.

Looking over to her granddaughter she saw her deep in thought

"So, now that I've explained myself, why won't you tell me exactly why you kids are out here?" Nana asked breaking Luna's concentration.

"Well, that's a longer story than yours" Luna responded putting her head on her knees. Nana hummed.

"Seems like you don't wish to tell it. Violet?" She asked. Violet sat up straight.

"Well, Your Grace, in short, Kahnum has returned and your son's prophecy had come true. Luna, Imani, and I are 3 of the 5 pure hearts that need to defeat Kahnum." She explained

"I knew it," Nana said. Everyone looked at her.

"You knew?" Luna questioned, raising her eyebrows, Nana nodded.

"Well in a way. As you and I are similar, we can feel when things in our world are not right. When I started to travel back home, I felt something was wrong." Nancy explains. Andorra looked at Nancy strangely.

"What do you mean by that? You can feel when something's not right?" Andorra questions. Luna spoke up.

"Yes, and no. It's not a thing you can teach, it's something you're born with. Ever since I could remember I could feel it. I could always feel the uneasiness in my chest and stomach," Luna explained putting her hand on her chest.

"And, its different for everything. From events to even people" Nancy added. "Luna would get physically sick from to much tension in the air when she was young. Whenever entitled lord would start to argue with my son, I would have to pull her out of the room" Nancy finished.

Violet looked at Luna, seeing her put her head down and mess with something on the ground.

"Maybe that why you can find the pure hearts" Violet says. Luna looked up.

"You think so?" Luna asks, unsure of her friend. Violet smiled pushing her hair back from her face.

"Why wouldn't it be? After all you can feel a pull to the next locations right?' Violet questions. Imani put her hand on her chin.

"Violet I do think you're right, how else would you have found me?" Imani chimed in. Violet snapped

"Exactly! Luna you're the key! I mean we kind of knew this but do you know what this means?!" Violet buzzes, Laughing at her friends discovery she caved

"What does this mean?" Luna smirked

"This means we have a chance! We can and we will destroy Kahnum!" She claimed, raising her fist in the air. Imani laughed, standing up he cried out

"For Zyfindia!"

Andorra and Luna looked at each other and smiled, jumping up they joined in the cheers

"For Zyfindia!!" They shouted as the band looked at each other they started laughing.

Nana watched silently her heart was filled with joy. Seeing their spirits brighten she felt they would do Zyfindia a great deal..