I am truly sorry that it took so long for me to post this chapter. My pc died around May, when I was only 2000 words away of finishing this chapter. In a way I was dead, but now I'm back.
I'm still a bit rusty from not writing for so long, but I hope that you'll at least enjoy the chapter.
Vale: 850 years prior of the Great War
The village of the Faunus has made ripples through the land, mainly due to the secrecy that Orthus' village has sworn to it. Yet despite the silence, rumors of it's existence were blooming everywhere. The interested humans, those struck with greed or curiosity, have come about mentioning that in that hidden village of animals, exists a being that is shrouded in darkness like the night creatures, yet it has sentience and knowledge to share to those that do not aim their flimsy weapons.
It is thanks to this being, the Guardian as everyone calls him, that many villages surrounding Orthus' village have become truly enchanted with the being. Now the hidden village has a new nickname to those that seek it's secrets, the Village of Knowledge and Bonding.
During the next decade, chiefs of multiple villages have asked and even threaten Orthus to reveal the location to this place, if they couldn't brute force their way from the multiple scholars that they've interrogated, then the chief would be more than willing after a few presents. However, Orthus has matured more and more in the coming years. Through the years that he has spent talking and listening to the tales of the Guardian, he has become wiser and stronger.
For each gift and bribery that he received, he would return them with a stern look, displeased of their wicked nature. Yet he could not fault them, for as the Guardian told him time and time again, men were greedy by nature, it cannot be changed once Want buries into their hearts. Even though he has received threats over and over, he remained resolute on upholding his oath of silence.
What was once the son of a chieftain, brash and headstrong, now became a worthy successor for even the eyes of the Guardian. The Faunus under his hand were treated better than most holds, he couldn't change the view of his men, it would be impossible, so he made the possible happen instead. He would slowly give rights to the Faunus, chances for them to free themselves of slavery and turning into normal people as his. It was thanks to the Guardian that he saw his flaws and changed for the better, but it was by his choice to become a person that others would respect.
Orthus became a prominent figure in the area, marking the village of Green Axes, as a second home to Faunus that wish a better life, away from the savage slavery of other villages. And as a warrior with an unparalleled fighting stance. His tools and weapons were still inferior than that of the hidden village, but he makes do with what he has.
His scholars, tempered and studious from their time in the Faunus Village, have proposed to increased their defenses, paranoid that the thought of villages invading and pillaging are not to be trifled with.
The village chief knew that his warriors could fight off enemy forces with their new intensive training, yet he too thought that to minimize casualties they'd needed to fortify their village in case of such event. Henceforth, he ordered them to coordinate with what able hands there were in the village to ensure their safety. In a few weeks, their village was surrounded by spiked logs and guard towers, the deforestation was a bit cruel, but necessary for their survival.
The village slowly turned into a stronghold, prepared for whatever scuffle the opposing villages tried to throw at them. Some fools attempted to invade, but their defenses and improved bows, a gift from the Guardian for their loyalty to the oath, were enough to devastate them. Orthus village for years to come, would only rival the hidden village in strength by a small margin, but enough to make even the most prominent fighters to second guess their chances.
As time progressed, more books were written by the scholars, each one having stories retold by the Guardian. Each story held meaning and each one held true to the tales that he shared.
The children grew fond of some of them, those of warriors with strength and pride that inspired each one to imitate like Black Iron Tarkus that has defeated a Golem with his massive sword, or even the ever faithful Siegward that upheld his promise in the end, even the tearful story of Sir Alonne at the end of his own journey.
Others that fancied the bow wielders of the past, like Hawkeye Gough's stupendous arrows that flew in the sky, or Pharis with his signature hat and masterful dexterity with his iconic bow.
But what truly made the children cling to the stories was the element of fantasy that brought in them, the scholars of magic, users of the nature in it's pristine form. People that could harness the primal force of fire, users that tapped into the source of magic and freeze anything with it's cold power, the angelic tone that could only be described as miracles into their eyes and the terrifying power of darkness.
They were but fairy tales into the imagination of people, and of this generation would only classify it as nothing but that. But in the village of knowledge, they saw these powers at play, and while these displays of power were rare, only tempted when their savior deemed necessary, it was enough to solidify the truth of the tales that he spoke to them.
As more and more scholars were taught in the Faunus village, so too would their wisdom be passed down to more villages throughout the land and with time, their tribal tongue would be replaced by the Divine Tongue of the Guardian's. In decades, the people would only speak his tongue and only echoes of their own would be spoken in the wind and descendants to come, if they choose to remember it.
The benefits that were reaped by the Guardian has ushered in such a stupendous era of revitalization that the Villages were starting to expand more and more and soon, what every fear would start to manifest. For where there is high wind towards a bright future, there will always be a downfall.
The Faunus Village, now amply nicknamed Village of Knowledge by others, has changed as well through the years.
The village scholars with the guidance of the Guardian, have brought in new change towards what could be considered now a small town. The once humble homes have now expanded and improved, letting accommodations become much more comfortable and having more space for the residents to move around.
The next one was the creation of a few helpful tools for their day to day. The batch of improved tools, were iron hammers to repair and craft more tools for Rune the blacksmith, iron sickle for an easier tending of plants and farming and iron hoes to tilt the soil. With these tools, farming has become more bearable and easier than their previous wooden tools.
The next batch of creation was the implementation of a stone grinder, to grind the wheat that they had successfully grew through the years, creating flour and with the creation of flour soon followed the birth of bread with the introduction of the furnace made of stone.
There were two different types of furnaces, one was smaller for the residents to use to create this new food that the Guardian taught them how, it became quite popular with everyone that needed something to fill their stomach in the night or to munch in the afternoon. The larger and more refined furnace was to house the small ember that the Guardian bestowed to Rune, making him more flexible to create more armaments with the new tools for him to use.
In terms of armaments and armor, the warriors took a more direct approach to imitate the Guardian's shell. However, the armor that they wore was too heavy and it restricted their movement to a large degree making it unfit for combat, despite the great defense that it provided. When the blacksmith asked for help in their plight to further improve their chances of survival to the Guardian, he spoke these words.
"Do not solely focus on defenses. The reason the old leather armor that they wore was effective was because they were able to move as they pleased with little discomfort, even though they barely give any notably defense. My armor is made from various parts that interact with each other, not as a sole part. You are on the right track to give them a better chance against the beasts of darkness, but you must do so in mind of a person. Not everyone has the same body, everyone is different and they need to be adjusted accordingly."
Rune the Blacksmith after receiving this advice made him see his weapons and armor differently, because not everyone was inclined to use a sword and not everyone was so inclined to use a bow. Everyone needs time to adjust, make it weapon or armor and each piece needed to fit well with the user. After weeks, maybe months of trial and error, he has pooled together new weapons and armor for the warriors.
For weapons, he created Iron tipped spears with treated wood for people that tend to attack from a safe distance, Iron maces for those that were inclined for feats of strength, Iron shields to redirect the opponents attacks while offering some defense against the oncoming blows and great shields to withstand any strong blow. These weapons were inspired from the many tales that the Guardian told to everyone.
In the case of armor, he improved the old leather armor with small metal pieces that guarded the vital parts of the body, those that are used to this armor now have a sturdier one to survive. He also created a set of iron armor, not the same as the one that the Guardian had, but it was definitely sturdy and strong, and thanks to the many binds that it had, it could accustom to anyone with relative ease. This armor was tested with Lorth, his movements were definitely not as swift as before with leather armor, but the results when struck by a wolf beast were evident. It needed more than 9 slashes to get past the armor, enough to save a life in danger. While bulky in nature, it was more than enough for young recruits to use and become used to the weight.
The last set of armor was reserved and personally instructed by the Guardian to Rune. An armor made exclusively to a circle and only bestowed to when the Guardian ordered. To Rune, it was a beautiful piece of art that combined all of his efforts with the knowledge of the Guardian, his proudest work and the most eye catching of all. When the day was to come to reveal such armor to the select few, that would be the day where his craftsmanship be open to whoever visited the village.
In terms of population, the village grew more with the new life being introduced to the village. The many families procreated more and some of the families went ahead to have 2 to 3 descendants, normally they would have more to make sure the new generation would survive, but thanks to the Guardian and the loyal warriors that protected their homes that fear had subsided vastly.
Each and every new kin would receive the necessary education and whatever career path that they were interested they would talk with their respective trainers.
For guard duty, they would talk with Lorth and for archery they would talk with Pharra, the young girl that so long ago carried her brother when they were but kids, also known as the best hunter of the village.
For scholars, masters of the field of research and developing talents they would talk with Fenrir and his assistant Euniclos, Pharra's younger brother. Rune didn't accept disciples, by the Guardian's orders, it was still not time for him to teach others yet.
Farming and fishing were taught by anyone that knew how to tilt the field for oh so long ago. The need to farm and fishing was extremely important for their survival and for a healthy diet. Thanks to their efforts, the village would prosper and without them it would crumble by the sheer amount of mouths to feed.
In these coming years, farming had become easier to deal thanks to the new tools, but what truly made their way of living to increase was the ability to tame animals. Horses, cows, goats and sheep though still in their feral state would slowly become less violent and breed without the fear of animals. It took patience and thanks to that, they now had transport to carry goods, to gather milk and to sheer wool.
The efforts of every single villager that contributed to improve their lifestyle had shone brighter than any gem or crystal had done so far. When their Guardian had made his routine rounds, he'd stop to have a look at how much the village had grown and improved over the years. It was truly a sight to behold, and he couldn't be any more proud of their efforts to make their living better.
In the center of the town, a monument was made from stone. The scholars were always unsure about the notion of time, they simply knew of days and nights, as nothing else was necessary to know. But the Wise One informed them that there was more to time than they knew, and with the collaboration with a new group that were interested in stone sculpture, they've created a device to show the time whenever the sun or the full moon shone upon it. A beautiful sun dial, the first clock of the land for everyone to see.
One day, the Guardian had summoned the warriors of both Guards and Archers to the training grounds with Fenrir at his side. Delilah was next to her uncle, surprised of the sudden calling. She was able to join the Guards ranks under the guidance of Lorth, thanks to the input of the Guardian, despite him and Fenrir not really fond of the idea of her to be in the front lines.
"Loyal warriors of the village, I thank you for coming here today. Fenrir and I have extensively spoken about a subject involving some individuals in our ranks, like our comrade Lorth." His voice spoke in a stern tone, each warrior paying attention to him with order and respect. They turned their gaze towards the man that looked back at their savior with a nod.
"In this day and age, I've kept my steady eyes on our defenses, on our supplies to face against hunger and our armaments. And in each day that our hunters went out into the forest, we would be fortunate to see only some bruises at best and weep as we lost another member of our wonderful village by the hands of the beasts of darkness. But no matter how well prepared we were to fight them, they would still have the upper hand to take our life. Individuals like Captain Lorth would have a fairer chance to survive than a normal guard with his increase power and speed." Fenrir continued for the Guardian and as he looked into the eyes of his followers, he bowed surely towards the Guardian.
"I've spoken my mind about this current subject with Fenrir many times, and if I can be honest, what I'm about to offer will ensure the survival of guards and hunters, but it will be a double edged blade for us as well." He spoke as his flame rested inside of his gauntlet with his dark hand. It had to be done sooner or later, but he'd prefer later if nothing else.
"Fellow warriors, approach the Guardian as I call upon your name! The Guardian will personally perform the Rite of Awakening on you, so that your soul will awaken to your hidden potential, like brother Lorth has!" Fenrir stood aside the Guardian before looking towards the look of incredulous on their visage. "Trust the Guardian, so that our village may prosper even further than it has. Pharra, approach the Guardian."
The young woman approached the Guardian, his tall figure casting a shadow onto her, yet she didn't express any fear. Only conviction upon her eyes. The work that he has done, overshadowed any doubt that he'd do harm onto her.
"Kneel, young one." He commanded upon her, and she did as instructed while closing her eyes. Then he knelt as well as his massive right hand grabbed upon her left shoulder, ever so gently. His left one grabbing his chime, as everyone hushed to a still.
"Brave warrior with wondrous soul, I offer thee the means to overcome adversity in the heat of battle. Let thy fears fade, free thee from any shackle upon your heart. Let thy soul become and embody a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in the light and unbound by darkness. I release thy slumbering power and by my sword, I shall protect thee." With a single ding from his bell, a golden soft glow emanated from the Guardian's right hand and spread through the woman's body, enveloping her in a serene light.
Once he released her, she opened her trained hazel eyes and studied the cyan glow on her hands. It was warm, it was powerful, it was extraordinary. She then looked up to the kneeling giant, still incredulous at how liberated she felt.
"You have a most wondrous soul, young one. I have unlocked the power sleeping in thyself, your Aura. May you train with it and grow stronger, for the betterment of the village, and become one of the pillars that supports it." As he stood back up, he held out a hand towards her, she took it while still bewildered at her Aura being unlocked. She let go of his gentle hand and returned to her spot.
It was hard for Pharra to explain what she felt in that moment. It felt as if he guided her to a better understanding of her life, as if the weights that held her down had dissipated from her very being. Or how the many obstacles in her hard life had been softened in the aftermath of his incandescent glow.
One by one, they approached the Guardian and each person glowed a different color from their bodies. Some people had a large amount of Aura and others less, some grew stronger, others faster, and others had less fatigue with handling their armor.
Delilah was the last person to approach the Guardian, much to Fenrir's hesitation to call her name. As she approached the Guardian, she had an innocent smile on her face as she knelt down for him, gracefully. Their savior looked at her and how she grew up.
She no longer was the same girl like before. She was educated by both father, uncle and him. She knew of the way of the sword from her strict uncle, the need words from her father with his heart of gold and the kindness of the Guardian. The children saw her as the perfect sister, her father still saw her as his little girl and her mother as a growing woman.
As he knelt down, he repeated the same chant as before, every move the same as before, except for one small difference. At the end before they both rose up, she guided his resting hand onto her left cheek, showing him a warm smile. Different from before, this one held more emotion. It was clear that she was asking affection, praise from the one being for being kind to her from the beginning. It was a genuine feeling that she sought.
"You have such a warm soul, Delilah. A soul of a person is different from each individual, both their shine, and their warmth. While each individual has different colors, representing the essence of their being. But yours... I've seen it before, long ago. It is a soul filled with kindness and hardships, you suffered and endured what others have thrown at you, and for that your heart has grown stronger and kinder. I'm sure that when the time comes for you to take your fathers mantle, everyone will accept you for who you are."
Such words of encouragement and filled with kindness, made her expression radiate with confidence and happiness that she barely contained it. They were exactly what she wanted to hear, to know that all her efforts were being acknowledged.
"Warriors! You have been unlocked to a precious power that was hidden inside us all along, now it is up to you to understand the limits of such power and cultivate it to new heights, so that our safety and our home may stand for another day! This does not mean that your training will be any easier, in fact it'll become much harder than before, but fear not. For each step we take to further our bodies and soul, our people shall stand against all." Fenrir praised them as they erupted in cheers as well, almost like a war cry to whoever was close to their home.
As each warrior returned to their stations for the day, the rest would test the limits of their newfound power. Delilah remained with her uncle to test her limits, and her strength could almost rival him, but in terms of speed she was much faster. Ultimately, she still failed because unlike her, Lorth had years of experience under his name and an abundance of training with the Guardian.
In the chiefs tent, Fenrir was sitting down on his table with parchments strewn about. His right hand found it's way onto his chin as he hummed to himself, while his wife Eleanor brought him a cup of water. Eleanor, mother of Delilah, was a kind woman. She came into the village due to Fenrir asking the Guardian to let some humans stay with them in order to deepen their fragile bonds with them. It helped that she was swoon by the old wolf, being around the same age as him. It took much to convince him, but he relented. She had brown long hair, clear green eyes and a love for the Faunus unlike any other human. It was not hard to imagine why Fenrir would want to stay with her.
"Are you certain that this is the right call, Guardian?" Fenrir asked, unease of the event that occurred not too long ago. The Rite of Awakening, the power to unlock the potential hidden on ones soul. For years has Fenrir and the scholars tried to find a way to increase their chances of surviving against the beasts of the night, to attain a fragment of the power that the Guardian held to make their home the safest one available to their kind. For the Guardian to offer a way to do so, he could only think that something is bound to happen soon.
"Truth be told, Fenrir, I am not certain. It has been ten years that we've discussed this topic, and each time I would tell you that this rite had a chance to change a person for the worst, for power changes people. But with the strength that the guards and hunters currently have, the people would diminish overtime and soon what we would have is a graveyard of ashes.
I am not proud of what I had to do, to test the people that were dangerously close to our home. But it was to make sure that it could be performed without risk. The deaths of over 100 people lay on my hands, not your people. And though I made sure that their remains would be buried under the earth, I know that you yourself cannot forgive me for my vile acts, such is your gentle nature."
"While I... don't agree with the many deaths that you've cause, I can understand the reason behind them. I just wished that we would've helped those people and mend their views of our kin. It just makes my heart heavy thinking that we could've had another friend in our humble village." He said with a sorrow in his tone.
"You truly have a heart of gold, Fenrir." The Guardian spoke earnest to him. "But do not worry, though they are no longer with us, their sacrifice will live on. I'll bear the sin, until my life is no more. However, I'm going to need you to do me a most cruel favor." He brought out a parchment, heavily used with scratches and spots. Fenrir opened it and his eyes swelled in disbelief.
"I-Is this..." He could barely believe it. His savior had given him the parchment that contained the Rite of Awakening, an invaluable and monumental item that would rise the ranks of anyone to fight the abyssal beasts.
"Swear an oath, Fenrir." He spoke with order to his friend, this matter was of the most importance. "Swear that you'll protect this parchment, until the time to release it is upon this village."
"...What do you mean, Guardian? Could you elaborate, if you would?" He asked, already feeling that he's prying too much. His savior was wise, wisest than everyone in the land as far as he'd knew.
"Fenrir, there will be a time where I need to depart to continue my quest. I've been keeping my promise to you and everyone from the village since the days where such danger were high. I have imparted to you knowledge that could ease everyone's burdens, to improve their daily lives, to grow stronger, to make tools and to study various branches that could still be important in the future.
But every now and then, when I sit down next to my bonfire and see the flames flicker, I have been given the notion since I've awoken that there is something that I have to do. But I have yet to find any hint as to what I need to do.
I've already given you the last tool that I think would make your odds to live higher than ever before. And when the time comes that I have to leave, it'll be upon you and the next generation of your family to make sure that the Rite of Awakening be used with good intentions.
But I already fear the worse, I see people with greed rushing into this land, attempting to open their soul and committing foul acts. My dreams tell me that blood will be seeped onto the earth, a massacre in the making... the day where the village will die, and it starts with my departure."
This news was a true dark cloud upon Fenrir. He dreaded the day that the Guardian wasn't there anymore, to continue the quest that he himself didn't knew how to proceed. The day he left, would be the day that the Village would slowly die, he was certain. Though he could take some solace knowing that they've increased in abundance with warriors, food and shelter, there was no guarantee that they could survive a raid that would last weeks, if not months of constant attacks from the entrance.
"Guardian, while I am against carrying such precious keepsake, I'll do what I can so that when the time comes I can share this knowledge with my children and their children's children and teach them the importance of such parchment." He saluted to the Guardian, the same way as the warriors would do.
"Good... It is thou that I trust the most with this knowledge, Fenrir. I believe that you won't fail this oath. We know and understand the dangers on it, henceforth you shall be the one to unlock the future warriors of this village. And when this village falls, introduce them this knowledge to the people that shall lead this land into a new age." He finished speaking before gazing upon the newly open window, it had a full view of the land, most accurately the arena.
"I may be overstepping my boundaries, Guardian, but may I ask why you still stay with us? Or if it's possible for you to stay with us until our relationship with the humans blooms even further."
"It is impossible for me to stay. Too long have I stood in this land, too long have I been so immersed with this village. For the village to grow on it's own, my departure is inevitable. As to the reason I continue to stay? Perhaps it is to verify that this village will stand without my presence, or perhaps my soul is asking me to stay for a bit longer.
Perhaps it is my heart, begging me to make sure the next generation wouldn't fall the same fate as the one in my memory. It is hard to say for sure, but nevertheless I'll continue with my duties as I have done so in the past." He took a pause as he saw Delilah practicing in earnest with another person, it was a sight that had the Guardian make small smile under his protective shell before turning back his visor to Fenrir.
"The children of today, are truly blessed to what they have now. And the adults of the past can only ensure that they continue to grow in splendor, in this cruel world. Until the time comes where I leave, we must etch onto their minds that what they now have was gained with hard work and sacrifice. Never forget this, old friend." With that, the savior left Fenrir's home and the man nodded to his departure, while clutching the parchment.
"Eleanor, it is as the Guardian spoken, it is a cruel favor. Just having this knowledge on my hand, I can feel the weight of a thousand people on my shoulders and what can only be described as a burden that won't leave even if I wanted to be relieved of it. Even still... even with this dangerous parchment, would you still be with me, till the end of my days?" He asked wanted support on this most cruel favor.
"Fenrir, not a day goes by that I ever regret my decision to stay with you. It was thanks to your persistence that you were able to allow the Guardian to let me stay beside you. I have you and Delilah, and I know the importance of the knowledge that he has given you, but even when everything falls apart, I'll still be with you." She cupped his left cheek gently guiding his eyes to her own, showing sincerity and commitment in them.
"Thank you... just you saying those words soothes my mind." He answered back, happy to know that his partner will stay with him, through thick and thin, till their final breath.
No more than six months had passed since the Rite of Awakening had taken place, and the warriors morale was the highest they've ever been in years. They've done the impossible what they couldn't done before without the aid of their Savior.
They were able to take down 4 packs of the creatures of darkness by themselves, fueled with the countless practice and years of training with their new weapons, and their newly granted power. Their Savior barely had to lift a finger, simply observing their battle as a bystander.
To say that their spirits were high was an understantment! No one has ever faced that many beasts and left unscathed, much less without a dead body on the ground. It was finally their time to take the fight onto their own hands, it was time for humanity to push back the abyssal beings back into the dark with their own hands.
That night when the warriors and hunters returned from their hunt, they cheered and celebrated throughout the night, smiles and laughter were mixed with both humans and faunus.
But the Guardian did not join them, he continued to observe them from afar, as if he was debating a problem in his mysterious and wise mind. He kept looking at certain individuals with interest since their scurge with the beasts, and since weeks prior.
In the midst of the celebration, Lorth had been called by his brother.
"Brother Lorth, the Guardian wishes to speak with you." Fenrir approached him with his wife, both having a plate of food assorted with vegetables and meat.
"Me? That's odd, he normally doesn't talk with me unless it's about training. You know anything about what he wants?" He asked as he chowed down on a piece of venison.
"Unfortunately, I know not. Perhaps it is something that I am not supposed to know just yet. Either way, do not dawdle for too long to meet with him, it would be quite rude." He commented as he passed him with Eleanor, both entering their own world.
Lorth could only smirk, it looks like they're planning to have another member into the family. Finishing his meal, he started to make way towards the sacred bonfire of the Guardian.
There he saw the warrior in his usual place, blade between his arms as he's done so in the past. Simply resting upon the warmth of the light. Once Lorth reached into his field of view, the Guardian motioned him to sit down. For a moment, they stood silent simply looking at the enchanting fire, as they've done so, so many times. Until he spoke up with his celestial voice.
"Warrior Lorth, I thank thee for joining me and apologize for prying you from your celebration on a successful hunt with no one becoming deceased. Today, marks the day that the fight against the Creatures of Shadow will know not to meddle with life." He speaks with a content tone to his voice, picked up by Lorth's uncanny hearing.
"You can say that again! We finally have a decent chance to take the fight against them! We can finally expand our hunting grounds and explore more of the land in our hands, we can finally live without being afraid that the next day may be our last. We have a chance now." He spoke with pride in his words, feeling that now it was their time to shine.
"Careful, Lorth." The Guardian sternly spoke. "While it is good to feeling confidant with your chances, overconfidance can and will be your downfall. No matter how powerful or how skillful a person is, they cannot be overconfidant, less they commit a deadly mistake of misjudging a persons worth or a beasts ploy." That was a warning that needed to be imprinted onto the warrior, for the Guardian had to feel this lesson countless times.
"Yes, sir." He respectfully nodded to him. Through the years, he has made a habit to listen to his words of wisdom, and in many occasions his advises were truthful and eye opening.
"Good. The reason why I summoned you today was so that I wish for you to gather certain individuals to me at night. When the Moon is at it's peak and the shadow of the dial reaches the bottom, gather them and bring them into the forest where I cultivate my blossoms." He gestured towards the forest, where glowing insects sometimes roam the place, giving little illumination to the surrounding area.
"I believe that it is a necessity to create a new order for the village, in case our warriors fall into despair or in numbers. You already command the warriors in the frontline against the beasts of the dark, but the village needs a pillar to support all pillars. Warrior, Hunter, and Scholar are rooted into the village. Now we must make a fourth one, one that supports the others and unites them as a single banner." He explained, as he took inspiration from his time at Lothric castle.
"A group of people to rally the others? Is that even possible?" Lorth questioned, being bias to the Guardians reasoning.
"It is hard to believe, but only time will tell if such will happen." He held out his hand with a parchment, filled with the names of 12 people. "Take it, and lead them. Tonight, will be the birth of a new order for the village."
Lorth silently approached him, and grabbed it. He then gave a salute to the Guardian out of respect, and made his way to the village while reading the parchment. Most of them were warriors he knew, but some were hunters and one was a scholar with the basics of the sword in him. Although none were exceptional in skill or with amazing strenght, he carried his order out.
He went to each home, and working space to warn the people listed to meet with him at the sun dial by order of the Guardian. Safe to say that each one was surprised that the Guardian himself summoned them. Such a thing wasn't done in half a year ago, when the Ritual of Awakening had taken place. To summon them explicitly, meant that it was of importance their attendance.
And so when the selected people had arrived at the sun dial with Lorth waiting for them, they were confused on where the Guardian was. Lorth had taken a look at the dial and saw how the shadow was in the spot that he was instructed.
"Follow me, it is time." He instructed before making his way to the sacred forest. In their path, they felt anxious as Lorth was unusually quiet, and the forest most eerie with the moon only giving small rays of its light, and the insects would swirl around them from time to time.
Once they arrived at the river that breathed the sacred green blossoms that the Guardian had cultivated for so many years, they could only hold their breath. The water reflected the light that the moon gave, illuminating the surroundings, displaying a beautiful and ethereal scenario upon them. The soothing of the leaves that swayed onto the gentle wind, the air tasted unusually fresh and the serenity of the water flowed with so little sound that it looked as if it was still in time. And the green blossoms, the green flowers with unusual properties, had expanded exponetially since the last time anyone had visited it.
On the edge of the river, the Guardian was waiting for them to approach as his beautiful silver sword was resting neatly on the ground. Beside him was Rune, his hands folded and his eyes focused. Behind him was a mantle, hiding away the fruits of his labor and the Guardians guidance. It was finally tonight that his work would be displayed onto the village, but he needs to attend todays ceremony to instruct them about his work.
"Guardian, I have brought them as you asked." Lorth took 5 steps before saluting, the people behind him imitated him in kind to show respect to the Guardian.
"At ease." He responded before gesturing him to be by his side with his right hand. As Lorth took his place, the Guardian looked his cold visor onto the entourage.
A mix between warriors, hunters and scholars. Of Faunus and Humans. Users of different weapons and different personalities. Though they are each different in nature, there is only one thing that binds them.
"I thank thou for accepting my summonings. It is tempting to remain to continue the festivity of your efforts, but you've done well to resist it." He gave them a small nod of thanks. Noticing that they were still anxious he lifted his left arm to his side. "Be at ease, there is no imminent danger. You are safe here and so is the village."
At his words of ease, some released a breath of relief while others were more reserved to show their emotions. Some moved a bit so that they'd form a small circle so that the Guardian could view them in a better light.
"For years, I've seen you grow. For months I've seen the dedication you have for your work towards the village. For days, I've seen how much you value this village. I've seen it, and grew to respect your selfless decision to put the lives of the village above your own. Make it a warrior that fights the Night Beasts, or the Hunter that brings the game of the day, or even a scholar that strives to improve our lives. I've seen enough of your work, enough of your kind souls that all that you have achieved was for the sake of the village.
For that reason, I've summoned you tonight. You have been hand chosen by me, as the new force to ensure that the village will not fall. The force that'll unite everyone, from warriors, to hunters, to scholars. Uniting them for the survival and wellbeing of everyone, so that the village may stand against the annals of history and future losses of battle."
"S-sir, are you certain of your choice? We aren't like Captain Lorth, we aren't exceptional by any means! I fear that you might have picked someone unworthy of such position, like myself." The scholar spoke his mind, as he was keen to see that they were not the strongest, nor the fastest, nor the wisest of their fields. To this the Guardian had a soft smile hidden in his dark shell.
"It is true. None of you are like the ones that excel at their position, but there is something that each and everyone of you hold that is much more than what you've already listed, Scholar Andreus." He voiced towards the young man that looked honored that the Guardian had remembered his name. "Each one of you holds Loyalty. Loyalty to the village that you've helped build. Helped protect. Helped raise it from its dormant state.
Even though you humans were not at the birth of the village, I can see that your souls burn with loyalty for it. To protect it and your families. You may not be exceptional now, but you will in the future. Each effort you make to improve yourself, will garantee the victory and survival of the village. For each drop of blood and sweat you pour onto your craft, you'll unadvertedly improve the chances for the village to keep standing." He spoke earnestly towards them, but some still felt unsure about this decision of his, such was their lack of trust of themselves.
"I know, you aren't faithful to yourself. You are doubtful that you'll leave such a mark as the others have. But if you will not have faith in yourself, then let me and the village give you the faith that you need." He lifted his left arm and alight his flame, where a chaotic fireball hovered just a bit on his palm.
"You are like this flame, your doubts will confuse you, creating turmoil in your heart and soul. You will always believe that you are not enough for the spot you have been appointed. Hence you must train, you must continue to improve and become better than what you were in the day before, and the day before that."
As he spoke, the chaotic flame started to lose it's fiery nature and soon, the once chaotic fireball turned into a perfected ball of fire, much like how the sun rises from the depths of the night, and it's heat was a pleasant one, than the burning one from before.
"Only when you have tempered your body, soul and mind, will you realize that the hidden strength inside of you was simply your doubts restraining you. And you'll burn as incandescent as the sun itself. It is fine for you to have doubts for now, but when you are confidant enough to stand proud, you'll see it for yourself, how much your dedication for the village will reward yourself."
Those words in that night, rang in the heads of the future warriors for decades to come. The Guardian, a being that is the peak of strength and wisdom of the age of now, encouraged them to not worry and believe themselves a bit more.
"...We'll try, sir." A warrior spoke. Then the next one spoke the same. From one to all, repeated the same sentence.
"Rune, equip them if you may." He ordered as he made the ball of fire vanish, and returning his hand to his sword.
"Yes, Guardian!" He immediately got to work on them, removing the mantle of leather to show an armor that they've never saw before. Explaining how to properly equip the armor and handing them the weapons that they were so accustomed to by now, only with a personal touch. And each one had a ornamental sword on their waist, one reminiscent of the Guardians silver one. The only difference were the strange runes etched onto them.
As they looked at themselves, they could barely believe how comfortable and well suited the armor was. A perfect balance of leather and tempered iron, each protecting the vitals of each one of them. And then final difference between their old armor and this one, was the cloak behind them, able to cover their body. Almost a crude imitation of the Guardians own cloak.
"That armor that you are wearing, was inspired once worn by a Legion of warriors that fought against the Darkness, inspired only by a sole warrior that traversed the dark and fought the viles that held within. But you are no Legion, nor are you to take your weapons in the same fruitless endeavor as they did.
No... You are more than a Legion. You are the Village Sentinels, sworn keepers of the peace in it and honorable comrades in arms. By raising your blade onto mine, you'll enter an oath, a convenant that'll be the testament to your promise to help the villagers, no matter the dire the circunstances. You shall be a shiny beacon for all to see, that the village will not fall, for as long as only 1 of you still draws breath.
Will you lend them your strength, Sentinels?" He lifted his silver blade onto the air and awaited their response. They lifted theirs slowly and then yelled a warcry in conjuction.
"For the village!"
And in that night, the Sentinels were born as they held their weapons together with the Guardian, as the moons light shone on them graciously. Filled with honor and Valor, they would strive to better themselves as to not betray the faith that the Guardian shown. All for the sake of the village.