An odd sense of motion caught Tempesti’s eye as she approached the tall bronze door that separated the Primordial Tower from the palace complex. The surface of the mountain flanking the right side of the central harpy shifted in place, as though spectral rocks slid down its face. She pressed her fingers softly against the bronze, surprised to feel no difference between the mountain and the metal surrounding it.

“Harrowing Storm!”

The door responded with a series of clunks, the sound of metal against metal before swinging open to reveal the grotto alight with spirits’ candles. Wonder rose within her at the scent of green in the air, the strange new flickers of blue within the water as she crossed the bridge. Her pace quickened to match her eagerness to reach the other side, see what waited in the small lake. Fish would be a huge step in the planet’s reawakening after all. Soft waterside plants brushed against her boots as she approached the edge of the water, pale yellow blossoms floating delicately on the preternaturally clear surface. She watched the lake closely, waiting for another streak of blue to materialize. Crouching at the first sign of movement, she peered closely at the dark contours of a fat, wormlike animal wriggling through the water, a trail of bright blue pulsing along its back. The slightest ripple at the toe of her boot rolled outward as she leaned forward and that was enough to hook whatever senses the thing had. With shocking speed it flew toward the edge of the water, giving her a clear view into a gaping and apparently very hungry mouth. A leech. Or something like one, if its toothy little garbage disposal sucker mouth was any indication.

She stepped back quickly, before it could latch onto her, and watched as it burrowed into the mud, giving one last indignant pulse of light before vanishing. It probably used those lights to attract prey. It worked on her anyway. Not that she’d be thrilled to admit to having been tricked by a leech. Of course, leeches weren’t the reason she came here, the Primordial Tower stood before her and its shrines awaited the touch of her magic. Her heart stuttered at the sight of two crystal sentries flanking the door to the Primordial Earth Shrine. Not content to remain in the heap in which she’d left them, they’d somehow repaired themselves and resumed their positions with no visible sign of the battle they’d fought. Fighting them a second time was not part of her plan, but if they stood in her way there was no alternative. Her careful efforts to avoid their attention by sneaking onto the ramp failed, a fact confirmed by the mechanical swiveling of the constructs’ heads. A hint of what might have been recognition seemed to whir within them before they returned their gaze to the bridge to the palace complex. The senshi’s heartrate slowed as she slowly drew the conclusion that it was, in fact, safe to turn her back and began her ascent.