Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) in this dramatic revelation… especially for the strangers.

~保護者~

"A New Dawn"

~保護者~

Out of four, they were the only two awake.

After their many actions since the beginning of everything, they and their two kin had entered into a long sleep to recover. Since that time, they had been the only ones to awaken. They were acting alone, entirely independent of the others, for the first time. Had it not been necessary, they would have gone back to sleep, awaited the completion of their kin's rest. As things were now, though, they had no choice but to act. The existence that had been so carefully crafted from the beginning was in far more dire straits than most could hope to understand. Swift, calculated steps had to be taken in order to quell the unrest and restore balance… without jeopardizing free will by directly doing too much with their own hands.

Their eyes could see all things all at once. Here, there, everywhere. Him, her, them. This event, that event, all events. Past… present… and future. It was the future they looked to now, firm in their knowledge of what had to be done. There existed an Immortal, a woman who had not been rampaging and sowing the seeds of further chaos… but who was far too interested in the Witch, the leader of the Trokkelar Army, to be ignored. She had not been dealt with yet by her kin, the other three Immortals, because she had been wise. She had kept herself under the radar, out of sight and out of mind. But her discussions with the Witch could be ignored no longer. On the cusp of finally pledging allegiance, action had to be taken.

Free will was something to be valued. It was not for nothing that such a gift had been bestowed upon the whole of existence. Interfering with that by taking all choices away was not a decision they could take lightly. Yet, looking into all possible futures, it was clear that the odds of this woman ever turning a new leaf were too minuscule. The risks were too great. There was no other choice for them to make.

She had no idea who they were when they approached her. They did not expect her to. With identities hidden and, in fact, so deeply forgotten by most in this dark era, there was no way for her to know. In spite of this, she instantly treated them with disdain. She believed them to be below her, unworthy of her time. With calm words, they confronted her with her misdeeds and the threat her actions presented to existence. They were ignored. Her attack came with somewhat admirable speed, but it was for naught. Unfazed by her attempt at harming them, they closed their eyes and with no movement… allowed her to fade away into nonexistence.

Their first ever encounter with the kin that had come after them had never been meant to go well. Never before had they been able to see any of their kin, aside from the two they left asleep in their own birthplace… living or dead. Once, they had hoped that such a first encounter could go well. That had been long ago. Now, they focused on their second encounter, one that would have to wait until later. With this woman gone, a new Immortal had been born to take her place, and it was this infant who they silently promised to visit once they could.

It was time to move on, so move on they did. They returned at once to a place that now was only known as "The Meeting Place of the Immortal" deep within the vast emptiness of space. It had had a proper name, once, but that mattered no longer. What mattered was the meaning that this place had always held to them. For them and their two companions, it had been a place of solitude and quiet, where they could gather in person to discuss matters and interact as opposed to always doing so via their minds.

All Immortals after them had continued this tradition, and they could feel it. They all knew deep within that such gatherings with one's kin are important. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually… gatherings such as these were needed for each Immortal's well-being. With all this in mind, the two of them felt immediate and poignant regret that their companions could not be here with them now. However, the one who took on a female form chose to abate that pain slightly by focusing on a lesser one. A hand resting on a shattered pillar at the edges of the ruins, she murmured, "For this place to have turned to stone and crumbled like it has… It was never meant to be in such a state."

The one who appeared male closed his eyes, a faint sigh escaping him. "I did not wish to see this place having befallen the fate it has."

"I wish to mend it," the woman responded softly, "before we continue."

"Such would lend to the belief of our identity, when the time comes to reveal. I agree," the man answered, opening his eyes once more.

Saying nothing more, the woman closed her own eyes. Stone melted away into pure energy, what was broken mending itself seamlessly in the process. Ancient pillars rose, an archway stood tall, the long-fractured table grew sturdy anew… When it was all done, she walked to what had once been her place at that table, running a hand fondly over the table before sitting down. The man followed suit, running his gaze over everything around them wordlessly. The woman turned her head to look at him. "We must call upon old allies. Their help is necessary. The young one desperately requires aid."

"We must and shall. There are many left who can aid us, provided they are returned from their own slumbers."

She shook her head. "They are not awake. It is necessary to call to them." Most have been sleeping since the Dawn, just as we were. It is time they become aware of what is happening.

He managed a faint frown before nodding. "Who would you say we reach out for first?"

Reaching out her mind, she responded, "Eirza… do you remember her? One of our kin crafted her as the embodiment of Storms, the first of many leaders for her creator's infant Babylonian race. She appears to be sleeping the least deeply."

"I remember. Shall we, then?" he asked, the faintest of smiles on his face.

"I shall," she gently corrected. "Please, awaken your creation, the Goddess of Fates, Ynder." Wordlessly, he nodded and closed his eyes, beginning the process. After a few seconds of silence passed, the woman murmured, "Eirza is awake. I have begun to call to Eona, the embodiment of Light. She sleeps much more deeply."

"Ynder is awake. I will awaken Zenith," he answered softly, lightly tapping his fingers against the table. "Do you anticipate their arrival as much as I do?"

At this, she smiled. "We could personally meet so few of the individuals that began to populate existence. Eirza, Ynder, and the others… I considered them friends. I look forward to our reunion with great pleasure." After a small pause, she quietly added, "Eona is awake."

He smiled as well, nodding. "Zenith is as well. It will be… interesting, to say the least. Do you think they will recognize us?"

"Not as we are now. We are disguised for a purpose. We are not meant to be recognized." She shifted to cross one leg over the other as she sat. Then she said, "The way energies were once bound to one another, near the dawn of semi-Immortal existence… it was so intriguing to see. Ice, water, cold, and the like formed the Deep Freeze… birthing Yareis with them."

"As well as that which brought together fire, plasma, and all heat with it controlled by Pyrun, the embodiment of Searing Heat. Those two remain, correct?"

"Yes. I will awaken one if you will awaken the other."

"Of course, though… they were both known for their… attitudes, were they not?"

"They were," she agreed. "Being at odds with one another is only natural, given that they are so very different from one another. However, some exist today that they can form bonds with. They will be alright."

"I look forward to their arguments. They were always amusing," he answered, the faintest of chuckles escaping him. "Pyrun is awakened."

"As is Yareis." She gave him a small smile. "To think that I had managed to believe you were a pacifist…"

"I am, but I was never opposed to others fighting, so long as it did not directly involve myself," he answered in kind. "Who else did you wish to have join us?"

"Your people took after you so well." Turning her head away, the woman answered, "No one remains asleep, but two of our friends remain trapped. Teyan, the embodiment of Chaos, and Ythene, her sister and her Voice across the stars… we must free them from that which binds them to their realm." To realize that they were attacked so soon after we departed…

The man's eyes closed. "It should be trivial, but… the fact that they have been locked away for so long is troublesome. I wish for them to be free, regardless."

After a few moments, she said, "I have loosened the barriers that have trapped them. They will be able to handle the rest on their own." Looking at him briefly, she asked, "Shall we call everyone here now? They will want to know who woke them and why."

"I would believe we should. I hope they will come, but if they do not, such cannot be helped," he answered gently.

Looking again to the future, she regained her earlier smile. "On nearly all occasions, they do come. They have begun to do so here as well."

Somewhere outside of the meeting place, the others began to arrive one by one. Teyan appeared first, far too anxious to be out and about to waste any time. She stretched languidly with a gleeful explanation of, "Ah! This is what I was missing, sister."

Ythene arrived behind her, a slight smile on her face. "I know," she murmured.

Pyrun appeared in a ball of flames, a small frown on his face. "Who is calling us, and why?" he asked, mostly to himself as his gaze fell on Teyan and Ythene.

"Shall we find out?" Teyan asked, gesturing to the meeting place some distance ahead of them. "Must be an Immortal of quite unique power, if they were able to restore this place so perfectly."

Whatever Pyrun might have said was interrupted by a brief crackle of lightning as Eirza stepped from her realm into this one. Upon seeing the three of them, her pure blue eyes sparked with surprise. "...I see. So I was not the only one to hear that old call."

A faint frown appeared on Pyrun's face as ice began spreading across a small area of space, Yareis walking through elegantly and wearing a mildly concerned expression. "I was awakened… as well as the rest of you…"

As Ythene strategically placed herself between these two polar opposites, she inclined her head. "Yes. But, were we the only ones?"

"No," Ynder murmured from behind them, blinking once slowly. "There may yet be more… This seems to be a mass calling, as opposed to anything else."

Teyan crossed her arms. "No one has called to us in such a manner, much less all of us together, since the Dawn," she reminded them, a bit tense. "Something of consequence is going down. I'd fill you lot in, since you were asleep, but I get the feeling that whoever freed my sister and I intends to do that on their own."

Yareis huffed. "If it is that important, I would wish for them to be quick. I do not wish to waste time."

"It is more important than any of you understand," Ythene murmured. "Existence… it is on the very brink of collapse." Eirza stared at her in utter silence.

Pyrun sighed. "Let's all wait. Ynder said that others may be arriving, so, as soon as they're here, we should all go in. I think that's the best way for us to figure this all out." Yareis's eyes narrowed at the man when he spoke, already annoyed by his presence but not willing to say anything. Yet.

A small pulse of Light preceded the arrival of Eona, who kept the brilliant glow of her energies dimmed through the use of careful manipulation of said energies so as to protect the others' eyes. Looking over the group, she immediately sought out her partner. She, like he, looked just like the Tokarians they had once brought into existence. Not seeing him, she asked the others, "What era is this? When I went to sleep for the second time… how long ago was that?"

"A long time," Yareis muttered. "Apparently, everything has gone to shit since we all went dormant."

Eona shook her head. "I entered my second sleep long after you all, and even my partner, closed your eyes to rest. I saw trouble brewing then and took steps to help counter it."

Teyan cut in again. "That was a long time ago, hun. Good news is, though, that the kid you chose grew up. He served you and your gift well. He and a lot of others have been trying to fix things, but it's not been working out for them. Guessing that's why we're all out here."

"Then we should go," answered a softer voice. Turning, Eona saw Zenith and smiled. "Talking can wait."

Pyrun gently motioned toward the meeting place. "Let us get moving, then."

The group flew to the meeting place without further ado. Out of respect, they landed and walked the rest of the way in, coming into the single wide open room where once they had participated in grand meetings with ancient friends. Within that room, seated in two very familiar seats, were two individuals that they didn't recognize. They looked like normal people, for all the world like normal people. And yet… surely they could not have been. What few tendrils of energy they could sense from these mysterious people seemed to prove they were not.

Turning her head, the woman stood from the table and offered a nod of greeting. "You all came. I am glad."

Pyrun frowned. "What's going on, enough for you two to call us all here? Surely you wouldn't have awoken us if we weren't needed."

"And, if I may, might you tell us your names?" Ythene added more kindly.

This earned a smile from the woman. "We do not have names, young ones." Turning to her companion, she asked softly, "Are you going to greet our friends?"

"I was content to let you do the talking," he answered lightly, gesturing to the many seats that moved near to the table. "I ask that you all sit, however. It is a pleasure to see you all, but I am ready to believe that the upcoming information you will receive is… startling."

Eyes sparking again, this time with understanding, Eirza slowly sank into her old seat as it moved into position behind her. Almost inaudibly, she whispered, "It's… you."

Yareis frowned deeply at this, walking forward and setting her hands on the table. "I need an explanation."

"You are as feisty as ever, Yareis. Do you not remember us?" the man asked, smiling ever so gently.

"Do not tease them," the woman chided just as gently. Looking at one of her own hands, she said, "For now, we should shed these disguises. I prefer not being so… physical." As she spoke, she allowed hers to fade slowly away, leaving her true form in its place. The man did the same, smiling until the last moment in which his physical body disappeared.

Ythene stared in awe at the people before them and found herself whispering, "It… truly is you." The…

The Faein...

~保護者~

2,710 words this time. Hope you all enjoyed! Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support. Posted (at about 12:12 a.m.) 05-24-20.