Star Cards: The Secret of the Dark Water & The Three Mystic Hearts
The air inside the central chamber of Kandrakar was thick with a heavy, suffocating magic. Elyion lay unconscious on a makeshift stone altar, her breathing shallow but steady.
Will Vandom stepped forward, standardizing her grip on the Heart of Kandrakar as it pulsed with an intense, bright crimson light. "She'll recover soon," Will whispered, standardizing her voice despite the tremor in her hands. "Now... I'll absorb the Heart of Meridian into the Heart of Kandrakar."
"No!" Sakura Avalon gasped, taking a step toward her. "Will, your sister Queen Elyion was right—that's too much power for one person! We don't need to absorb one heart into another!"
Eli Shane adjusted the blaster at his side, looking around at the gathered guardians, warriors, and royals. "Sakura's right. Forcing them together could tear this whole cavern apart. Your pride is the chink in the armor of your soul, Will. Don't let impatience drive you."
A low, haunting chuckle reverberated from the shadows of the cave. Prince Phobos glided forward, his dark robes trailing behind him. He didn't look at Will, nor at his unconscious sister Elyion, but turned his cold, calculating gaze directly toward Sakura.
"Behold... the Seal of Nerissa," Prince Phobos said softly to Sakura Avalon, pointing toward an ancient, glowing crest etched into the subterranean wall.
"Cool it, guys," Hunter Steele interrupted, holding up a hand as he glanced between the tense group. "You were saying the key wouldn't become the staff unless you used the new incantation, Sakura."
Phobos nodded slowly. "That explains why she's so drained. Our trip to Zibmala has paid off, however..." He gestured down toward the subterranean pool glowing with a murky, unnatural sheen. "Dark Water. It's what's been corrupting Meridian lately."
Will lowered the Heart of Kandrakar slightly, looking down at the dark, swirling pool with a troubled expression. "What I don't get is why this place?"
"Because it's the exact center of Kandrakar," Eli Shane noted, scanning the cave walls.
"Easy," Hunter muttered under his breath, leaning heavily on his axe.
"He says 'easy,'" Phobos sneered quietly, turning back toward the ancient tunnel entrance. "Nothing is easy to figure out these days. Though... I believe you may be able to find the road beneath the earth there, Hunter Steele."
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