When Alex asked the soldiers stationed at the palace's main gate, they told him that Kevin, in a rage, had gone to the deepest and most forbidden part of the forest, an area known for its steep slopes, dense trees, and dangerous ravines.
The darkness of the night was gradually deepening, making the path increasingly difficult to follow. Genia and Alex began running into the forest. The wind blew against their faces, and dry leaves crunched beneath their feet.
"Kevin! Kevin! Where are you? Please stop!" Genia cried out incessantly, but her voice was lost in the dense silence. They searched every inch of the forest.
Alex tried to find Kevin's shoe prints on the ground with the light of his torch, but they were obscured by dry leaves and bushes. They were both panting, and an unknown fear gripped them.
"Where could he go, Alex?" Genia asked panting, tears welling up in her eyes. "If something happens to him, I'll never be able to forgive myself."
Looking around, Alex said, "Beyond this forest lies an ancient and deep ravine called 'Black Hole'. The path on that side is very narrow and dangerous. When Kevin was very sad as a child, he would often sit by the edge of that ravine, remembering his mother. I fear he may have gone there."
They both mustered all their strength and ran towards the ravine. As they reached the end of the forest, where the trees thinned and the rocky ground began, they saw a shadow in the distance. It was Kevin. He was standing right on the edge of the ravine. Thousands of feet below lay a deep, dark ravine, from which the terrifying sound of howling winds could be heard.
Seeing Kevin standing at that dangerous turn, Genia's heart sank. She thought Kevin was unable to bear the betrayal and mental stress and was perhaps trying to take his own life.
"Kevin! No! Step back!"
Genia screamed and ran towards him.
Alex also quickly moved forward and shouted, "Kevin! Don't do anything crazy! Step back, you might slip there!"
Kevin looked back. The wind was blowing his hair, and in the torchlight his face looked extremely emotional and angry. "You two even came here? Why are you after me? Do you still have any new lies to feed me? Leave me alone!"
Alex stepped forward and tried to grab Kevin's hand. He said, "Kevin, you're mistaken. We don't want to harm you. What you think is suicide is cowardice. Come back and listen to us!"
"Cowardice?" Kevin said, shaking off Alex's hand. There was a strange laugh in his voice. "I'm not giving up my life, Alex! I just want to get away from this false world. What you call destiny is just a conspiracy to me. You linked my mother's name to this impersonator's story!"
"She's not an impersonator; she's Andromeda, the Guardian of this world!" Alex shouted, losing his temper in anger. The argument between the two was now taking a violent turn.
Alex and Kevin had come very close to each other, and a scuffle had broken out between them. Both of their feet were on the very wet and slippery edge of the ditch.
"Stop this nonsense, Alex!" Kevin said, pushing Alex back.
Genia was terrified by this. She thought either Alex or Kevin would fall into the ditch. She jumped between them and extended her arms to separate them. "Please stop! You're both brothers, so don't fight!"
Genia suddenly stepped between them, and at that very moment, Kevin gave Alex a powerful push to push him away.
Alex stepped back, but Kevin's heavy blow landed squarely on Genia's shoulders.
Genia lost her balance completely. Her foot landed on the wet moss at the far end of the ditch, and she slipped.
"Genia!" Kevin let out a terrified scream as he realised what he had accidentally done.
Genia's body swayed in the air. She struggled to escape, but there was nothing to grab onto. Alex, lightning fast, tried to grab her hand, but his fingers barely grazed Genia's clothes.
For a moment, Genia's eyes met Kevin's, which now held only deep regret and fear. And the next moment, Genia was swallowed up within that deep, dark abyss.
A final echo echoed through the air, and then silence reigned. The strong winds from the bottom of the chasm seemed even more terrifying.
Kevin was stunned, staring at his own hands, while Alex knelt, staring into the darkness of the chasm.
When Genia fell into that endless, dark chasm, she felt everything was over. The sharp rustling of the wind pierced her ears, and her body was hurtling down toward the underworld at full speed. She closed her eyes and silently accepted her fate.
But then, the blue feather in her pocket suddenly became extremely hot. A bright and massive circle of blue light emerged from the feather, engulfing Genia's entire body. The air pressure suddenly decreased, and her rapid fall slowed to a gentle and slow stop.
Genia opened her eyes in fear. She was no longer plummeting to the bottom of a chasm, but was slowly moving toward a vast underground cavern, aided by that magical bubble of light. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the bubble of blue light vanished.
Genia gasped and touched her body—she was completely safe, not even a scratch. She looked around. She was standing in an ancient, magnificent cellar hidden within the moat. The cellar's architecture resembled the palace library, but its walls were covered with glittering crystals and lush vines. A sacred and magical peace hung in the air.
Genia took a few steps forward. In the centre of the cellar stood a carved white marble altar. Atop the altar sat a golden casket, emitting a faint green and golden glow.
"Is this… is this the message that Mara Mother spoke of?" Genia asked herself.
Just then, a sweet, tinkling voice echoed throughout the cave, "Yes, Genia. You have come to the right place."
Genia turned around in surprise. A whirlwind of green leaves rose in the air just behind the altar and instantly transformed into a divine woman. The woman was beautiful and graceful. Her eyes held the same wisdom and brilliance that Alex had seen in his eyes. She wore a dark green royal robe, and the sacred ring of the forest goddess shone in her hands.
Genia looked at her in surprise and asked, "You... who are you?"
Then she remembered that she had come to this area to find a message from Rakshit's mother. "Are you Alex's mother?"
The divine figure smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am Gia. Alex's mother and the second maidservant of the Forest Goddess. I have been waiting for this moment in this basement for centuries with a fragment of my soul, Andromeda."
"The second maidservant? If you are the second maidservant, then what number maidservant of Mother Forest Goddess is Mara?"
Genia remembered that Mara Mother hadn't told her which maidservant of the Forest Goddess she was. So she couldn't stop herself from asking.
A smile appeared on Gia's face. "Mara is the fourth maidservant of the Forest Goddess, and her element is water!"
"Mara Mother's element is water..."
Genia remembered that Meera Maa had also created her body from water droplets. Similarly... "So, your elements are these trees and plants of the forest?"
Gia had also appeared before her from green leaves, which clearly meant that these were not just her elements but also her power. That's why she was using them to convey her message to her.
Gia simply nodded her head at Genia's question. She knew that Genia had a sharp mind and could grasp everything easily. But the part of the truth she had just reached wasn't even the tip of the iceberg. She still had a long way to go.
Genia continued, "Gia Mother, Alex is very upset upstairs. I fell here in an accident with Kevin. And Mara Mother told me I had to find secret messages from all of you mothers. Please tell me what's hidden here?"
Gia reached out and caressed Genia's face. Her touch made Genia's fatigue and fear vanish in an instant.
Gia began in a serious tone, "Genia, the first clue to the truth you seek is hidden in this message of mine. The balance of our world is at stake. When you risked yourself to save this world, your powers were divided into four parts and handed over to us four mothers. The part of your power that I hid is the knowledge of the elements and the discerning eye to see the truth."
Gia pointed to the golden box on the altar. "This box contains my message and the first fragment of your power. When you open it, you will gain the discerning eye that will enable you to see the darkness and truth hidden within people's hearts. Without it, you will not be able to recognise your enemies."
Genia asked curiously, "Enemies? Who are those enemies, Gia Mother?"
Gia's face turned slightly sad and worried. "The greatest source of darkness isn't that which attacks from without, but that which lurks among our own people. The leader of the Black Tiger Clan and the rest of the clan are merely pawns. The real threat is the ancient shadow that seeks to exploit the greed and jealousy within all clans, pitting them against each other to sap the world's remaining magical energy. Alex is my son; he can protect you with his loyalty and sword, but he cannot see the darkness that lurks within. Therefore, you need this first power the most."
Gia took Genia's hand and led her closer to the altar. "Genia, listen to me carefully. Time is running out. The distrust that has arisen in Kevin's heart is also a trick of that darkness. You must unite Alex and Kevin. You must even change James and Rexon. The ravages of time have made them what they are today, but they were not like this before. Until the four brothers and their powers are united, you will not be able to restore the Guardian Andromeda's true form. These four are not just four individuals, but four pillars whose sole purpose is to protect you and your powers. There is much more that you will discover in time. For now, you have received the message that was in Alex's territory. Now, you must waste no time and move on to the next brother, James's territory."
"But how am I going to get out of here? And Kevin... he must be thinking he killed me!" Genia asked anxiously.
Gia said with a faint smile, "Destiny takes its own course. As soon as you touch this box, my remaining energy will bring you safely back to the top of the ditch. Alex and Kevin are waiting for you there. Only Kevin's remorse will bring him closer to the truth."