A/N: So, this is my first fan fiction for almost six months. I have put all stories on my sora-fangirl0318 account on hold until this one is finished. Meanwhile, I am working on two novels, Burning Embers, which is with three of my friends, and The Namesake, which I am writing alone. Previously, the beginning of Burning Embers could be viewed on my account, but I have since taken it down to avoid theft of my ideas. The Namesake will not be posted online unless I am unable to get it published.

However, if you personally want to know what it is about, PM me and I will send you a summary and an excerpt from the first chapter. I check my email several times a day, so I should respond pretty quickly.

Now, here is the full summary of "The Guardian", which you are about to read. It is not necessary to read this summary, as it is very long, but I would recommend it.

In the beginning of time, there was no balance. No way to maintain the Eternal Cycle of good and evil, yin and yang, and light and darkness. For this reason, The Council came into existence. They are fourteen neutral beings, seven of which are the deadly sins incarnate, and the other seven of which are the heavenly virtues. They are not permitted to take sides in the Everlasting War between good and evil, and thus, have no emotions. They exist simply to keep balance in the world, and their souls are frozen, cold and unfeeling.

When humans came to power, The Council created servants called Guardians to do their bidding. The Guardians were created simply to protect mortal souls of great power. In their lifetime, every Guardian is assigned three charges. Once the third and final charge dies, the Guardian's soul is sent to Purgatory and reincarnated into a new Guardian.

They were originally meant to be empty vessels, as unfeeling as their masters, but over the centuries, since they spent so much time with humans, they began to mimic them. Slowly, they developed near-human emotions. As a precaution, The Council passed the ruling that no Guardian would be allowed to take a side in the Everlasting War, and could never fall in love with their charges. Otherwise, their soul would be stripped from their body and sent to Purgatory for recycling.

Guardian number 13, 043, 261, who calls herself Delaine, appears as a sixteen-year-old girl. She is assigned first the Avatar Aang, then General Iroh, and finally Prince Zuko.

When she begins to fall in love with Zuko, she fears what The Council will do when they find out. Delaine can either make the choice to never be with Zuko, and continue to be a Guardian, her soul protecting people for all of eternity, or become human, giving up all of her powers and memories, hoping that her love for Zuko is strong enough to find him again.

Now that that's over with, on to the story.

Chapter 1

Creation

I do not remember Purgatory. No one ever does.

I do, however, remember my creation. It was like waking up from what the humans call anesthesia. Suddenly, everything was very bright and clear. I was lying on some kind of table, looking up at a bright white ceiling.

Next I noticed the people standing around me. There were fourteen of them, standing in an arc in front of my table. They wore long, golden robes, looking down at me with smooth, collected faces. They were all women. When one of them spoke, it took me a moment to register her words. I had not heard anyone speak in a very long time. In fact, had I ever heard anyone speak at all?

"Welcome to your new life, Guardian number 13,043,261," she said. "My name in Patientia. What do you wish to be called?"

The name rolled off of my tongue easily, as though I had said it a million times.

"Delaine. My name is Delaine."

"Delaine," said Patientia, nodding. "Tell me, Guardian Delaine, do you know why you have been brought into existence? For what purpose you were created?"

Again, I knew the answer as immediately as though she had asked if I could breathe.

"I exist to protect," I said, "to maintain balance. I will be given three charges to protect. When I have done my duty, I will be laid to rest, and then reincarnated to protect once more."

"Very good, young Guardian." At this, Patientia left the room, and then returned a moment later with a young male. He looked calm and at ease, and his expression erased all tenseness from my mind. My muscles relaxed and I sat up, looking around at Patientia and the others.

"Guardian number 13,043,250, what is your name?," she demanded.

"Bradon, Lady Patientia," he responded, lowering his eyes. It was strikingly clear that he had the deepest respect for this woman and her fellows.

"Guardian Bradon," said Patientia, "this is Delaine, a new Guardian. I am able to tell that she has the proportions and features of a female. However, I am unable to determine her age. Tell me, how old does she appear in the humans' aging system?"

Bradon looked at me for a moment, his eyes calculating. Suddenly, I wanted to shrink away from the scrutiny, but I didn't move. Rooted deep within me was the desire to please the golden women around me. Showing fear would displease them.

"I would say sixteen, my Lady," he responded slowly. "One year past myself."

"Thank you, Guardian Bradon. That is all." Bradon bowed to Patientia and the others, and then turned quickly and left the room.

"Guardian Delaine," said another woman, turning to me, "I am Lady Superbia. Lady Patientia and I can always be found together. In a few days' time, you will be assigned your first charge. If there are any problems, you will come to us."

"Yes, Lady Superbia," I said obediently, nodding. I looked up at her, my eyes curious. She had said that she and Lady Patientia could always be found together. I couldn't see why. They were so different.

Superbia had short, straight black hair, and a sharply angled face with high cheekbones and shining yellow eyes. Patientia's hair was long, flowing, and white-blonde. Her face was rounder and less defined than her companion's, and her eyes were soft and green.

"You will be given a place of residence here in the Upper World, where you and your fellows, the Guardians, and we, the Council, call home. You are free to forge acquaintanceships with the other Guardians until you are called forth for duty. Their knowledge of the human world, and of human behaviors, may be useful to you in the future. You are free to go."

I stood up, the movement quicker than most humans could have done. I bowed to the golden women. To the Council.

Once again, words seemed to plant themselves on my tongue, without prior authorization from me, and they rolled off as easily as I blinked and breathed.

"Blessed be, my Ladies."

The answer came to me in a chorus of calm, emotionless voices.

"Blessed be, Guardian Delaine. Blessed be."

That day, waking up on that table, with the desire to please the Council, and the overwhelming need to protect eating away at me, is the first thing I remember. Ever.

That was when life seemed simple. When all I had to do was obey, and everything would be fine. Part of me wishes it would have stayed that way. It would have caused me and many others a lot less pain and suffering.

But another, much larger part of me is glad it didn't.

Allow me to start from the beginning.