Order of the Immortal Lotus

She had never seen such whiteness before, Darcie believed.

If there was something that could match the beauty of this Qilin she was seeing now, then it was the white-silver snake she had been seeing for a few months in her dreams; her ancestor's Patronus' imprint.

Phoenix nested behind her back,

Qilin stood at the end of her path.

There was something beyond poetic about Darcie's current situation; something truly out of a lost fairytale.

This cobbled path from the palm tree to the archway in front of the tower's entrance wasn't long, but only a few hundred meters in length. Yet, it was this simplicity itself that made it stand out even more to Darcie.

'Avalon!' Darcie recalled the name she had already guessed. 'So it was indeed that place.'

She had arrived on a mythical island where myths were created, died, and buried, as introduced by her mentor.

But how many of those myths Darcie had read were true, she didn't know. Not yet.

Madam Villanelle brought her towards the looming tower, stretching from earth to heaven like a white staff with unparalleled majesty.

As they kept nearing the tower, Darcie had a feeling that the entire world's magic was concentrating at this place, the density becoming thicker and thicker with every step.

Soon they arrived in front of the Qilin, where Madam Villanelle stopped, and for the first time, bowed.

Darcie looked up at the magnificent creature, her pupils widening to take in its entire figure.

From the ground to the tip of its horns, the Qilin was over 8 ft tall. Its back was covered with glossy, white draconic scales. The whiskers near its nose were like two snakes, with a life of their own, flailing and swaying endlessly.

Its breath was cool, warm, sweet, and soothing at the same time.

But even these things couldn't portray the true charm of this magical creature.

There was a wisp of seven-colored mist that kept revolving around its entire body, giving a feeling that the Qilin didn't belong to this world. Then there were its eyes; pure black sclera with no pupils. From time to time, Darcie saw rivers of stars rushing from one corner of its eyes to another. When the rivers vanished, a few leftover stars exploded, becoming stellar dust, which attracted another wave of nascent starry rivers.

Darcie was just too stunned to question the authenticity of her observations. Creation? Destruction? These eyes contained not one, but all.

The white Qilin's nostrils puffed, and Madam Villanelle straightened her back.

Then the Qilin marched off with regal splendor. Its first, second, and third steps were on the cobbled path; fourth, fifth, and sixth steps were in the void, and by the seventh, it was on the clouds, watching all beings underneath with a kind gaze.

Cry!

Darcie spun her head back and saw a fiery ball of fire spreading its wings, releasing a cry that shook the entire world. The Phoenix hovered several hundred meters above the earth, and then with a single flap of its blazing wings, it disappeared as well, crossing who knew how many miles.

"Avalon restricts Apparition and similar methods," Madam Villanelle whispered, her tone incredibly respectful. "Outsiders like us can't leave the cobbled path without special permission. For thousands of years, or perhaps even longer, the island's harmony hadn't been corrupted. And it will remain so for eras to come."

There was a finality in her mentor's tone, Darcie noticed. A touch of reverence, fear, admiration, and loyalty as well.

Darcie thought it better to not ask about those emotions. Not to mention, her eyes just couldn't leave the sight of a burning sun flying from one edge of the island to the other, and the distinct outline of the Qilin above a throne of a stagnant ball of clouds.

"The island doesn't seem big, right?" Madam Villanelle asked, prickling the doubt in Darcie's heart.

The young Malfoy nodded.

Madam Villanelle smiled. "That's a misconception," she told her. "In truth, Avalon is bigger than entire Great Britain put together."

"What?" Darcie blurted, losing the composure she was so known for. And there was a good reason for it, justifying her behavior. "How could this be, mentor?" she asked, astonished. "Even Extension Charms has its limits…"

Madam Villanelle didn't answer directly. "You will understand later," she intoned. "Let's go. They are waiting for you."

The witches turned around and approached the archway.

Only now did Darcie get the luxury to marvel at the grandeur of this creation. It wasn't overly big, but it wasn't small, either; just tall enough for the white Qilin to pass through with its head held high.

The archway had two pillars, and there was an arch placed over the pillars, chiseled out from a giant piece of jade. All three components were filled with runes and hieroglyphs. Darcie couldn't read them. She had been learning to decipher such runes for long now, but she still had a long way to go, it seemed.

Nevertheless, there was one symbol that didn't need any deciphering, and it stood out from others with its size and stature in Darcie's eyes.

On the arch, and exactly at the top-middle position, there was a seven-petaled lotus, with each of its petals showcasing a color of the rainbow.

Madam Villanelle took Darcie through the archway and entered the Tower.

Darcie found herself standing in a vast hall of an unprecedented dimension. It was round, with vaulted ceilings. The walls of the hall were naked with no tapestry, and there were enormous reliefs carved all over the circular hall, showcasing the scenes of battles, bearded wizards, flying witches, and a few incomprehensible meetings.

In the middle of the hall, over a smooth, white marbled floor, there was a round table.

And around that round table were seven high-back chairs.

If that was all, then Darcie wouldn't have felt as if her feet were losing a sense of life and courage.

Six figures were seated on six chairs, their faces covered under hoods, and all waiting for her. Each figure had a mist around them, having one color from the rainbow. Not only it blurred their appearance, but it also gave them a mysterious aura as if they didn't truly exist there.

Madam Villanelle's grip tightened on her fingers, giving her courage. "Come," she said gently. "There's nothing to fear."

Darcie took a deep breath, as much as her little lungs could bear to hold, and then walked along with her mentor, approaching these six figures.

As she neared the round table, Darcie became calmer, now noticing more than the blurred figures and the high-back chairs.

Each of these figures had an object hovering just over them, and the same mist that was blurring their appearance was connected to that object with a thin strand.

The figure, whose appearance was being blurred by the violet mist, had a violet-colored signet ring hovering above its head, but it didn't remain a ring for long. It spun at its axis, and the ring became a violet key. Then, after a few moments, this key became a miniature violet throne.

Darcie's pupils once again trembled at this sight, and she threw her eyes toward another figure.

On violet's right, there was a figure enshrouded by red mist. Above its head, there was a miniature red cauldron, which kept becoming a red flower and a red wand from time to time.

Above the head of the figure blurred by the orange mist, there was a book with an orange cover, which then shook, taking the form of an orange staff. At the top of this staff was a pair of wings, and two snakes were climbing their way up on it, coiling around each other.

To this figure's right, there was a figure in yellow. Above its head, there was also a book. However, its cover was blacker than black, and only a thin strand of yellow mist revolved around it.

Darcie couldn't help but have a feeling that this book was just too far from her, and no matter how much she was to approach it, she would not touch it. This feeling of having this book both near and far unnerved her the most.

The one hidden under green mist had grass hovering above its head. This grass kept transforming into a green-colored coffin, and then a green-colored skull. From simple to terrifying, this green mist seemed to represent everything.

To its right, there was the figure in blue. And above its head, there was a wooden staff, blue mist circling it from top to bottom. But unlike the others, this staff wasn't changing into anything. It was like this staff alone was enough to bear the weight of the sky; imperishable.

The chair between the figures hidden under blue and violet mist was empty, and only a wisp of indigo mist churned there in solitude.

"Villanelle, is this the girl you were talking about?" the figure hidden in the red mist asked. "Not bad."

"Introduce us." The one hidden under the violet mist commanded.

Madam Villanelle gave a curt nod to all and then brought Darcie to a stop behind the indigo chair. The high-back chair instantaneously became transparent, letting Darcie observe all and let them observe her in return.

"These are the ones who shoulder the weight of past and future, Darcie," Madam Villanelle declared, her tone solemn. "These six are the founding members of an ancient Order whose true age is nigh impossible to surmise…"

Then, something happened that truly shocked the leaving breath out of Darcie.

Madam Villanelle left Darcie's side and walked around the table before coming to a stop behind the chair where the figure hidden under the green mist was seated. She pulled the chair back, and then, with grace and aura not less than the Qilin and Phoenix outside the tower, she merged with the blurry figure.

Madam Villanelle's entire face blurred under the green mist, and it kept fluctuating between her true appearance and blurred appearance one moment after another.

"We…" It was then this green figure, who was Madam Villanelle as well, thundered, "… are the Order of the Immortal Lotus!"

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