The Guardian

Chapter 3

(A/N: Hey guys, here's chapter three, where we will finally introduce some Avatar characters! (Gyatso was mentioned in chapter 2, but only in passing) I should let you know that my beta for this story won't be doing any revision work until December. Since I'm not taking the time to send them to her and get feedback, chapters are coming out a bit faster. Once she returns the chapters will probably take a bit longer to get out, but they'll be of better quality, which will be good as we get into the thick of the plot. Please review with any questions, comments, or otherwise!)

Leo and I were taken to a place near the room with the table. This room, however, was not bright and new-looking. It was dark and appeared to be very, very old. The walls were crumbling away, and the stone floor was cracked in many places. In the center of the otherwise bare room, sitting on a single piece of red cloth, with black candles flanking either side, was a small, jagged white crystal.

"This crystal," said Lady Patientia, moving to stand near it, "is the tool you will use to find and establish a spiritual connection with your first charge. It is commonly known as the Soul Stone."

Leo and I remained deathly silent, staring at the crystal as though it were going to explode any second.

"Guardian Leo," said Lady Benevolentia, "step forward." Taking a deep, shaking breath, Leo slowly and warily approached the crystal. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then reached out with a trembling hand to pick up the stone...

A white light flooded the room, blinding me and forcing my eyes shut. A moment later, the light dimmed, focusing in on the center of the room. I opened my eyes.

Standing on the red cloth, directly in the center of the light and exactly where the crystal had previously been, was a young boy of no more than ten or eleven years of age in the human timeline. His hair was a light brown, flyaway and wild, and he wore a cloth headband around it. One of his green eyes was lazy, and he possessed a slightly insane look. However, he was well-dressed and appeared to be genial enough.

The closer I looked at the boy, the more something seemed off about him. He seemed almost...too distant to be real. It hit me. That was just it—he wasn't real. This was simply a projection of Leo's charge.

I stole a glance at Leo. He looked afraid, but somewhat relieved.

"This image," said Lady Ira, "shows Prince Bumi of the human city, Omashu, in the Earth Kingdom. He will be your first charge."

"We will now move on to Guardian Delaine," said Lady Superbia. "Guardian Leo, please return to your residence. We will Guardian Delaine there when she has been assigned, and you will both be given your instructions."

Leo bowed. "Blessed be, my Ladies." As he left, he squeezed my shoulder comfortingly, and then he was gone. The image of Bumi vanished.

"Guardian Delaine, step forward."

My breath hitched in my throat. I forced myself to exhale and walked over to the crystal, which had been returned to the cloth.

I looked to Lady Patientia, hoping for support. She simply gazed back at me, her face emotionless, empty. Closing my eyes, just as Leo had, I slowly and very carefully picked up the crystal.

The moment it touched my fingertips, I felt a warmth and a sense of relief spread through my body. I was finally going to protect. I would be able to please the Council at last. This time, the white light did not blind me, but washed over me like morning sunlight after a long, cold night. I closed my eyes and smiled, breathing in deeply.

When I reopened them, another boy, around the same age as Leo's charge, stood on the cloth. Or rather, a projection of him stood there.

He was rather short, and completely bald. He wore no shirt, and a simple pair of dark orange pants. On his pale skin were light blue tattoos, all in parallel lines, going around his arms, and ending in arrows on his hands, and the same thing up his back, coming to form an arrow in the center of his forehead. His large eyes were a deep gray.

"This is your charge, Guardian Delaine," said Lady Superbia. "His name is Aang."

"Aang," I repeated in a whisper. This was the boy I needed to protect. I already felt such a strong connection to him that I wanted to reach out and touch him. I held my arms firmly at my sides.

I looked up at my Ladies. They were staring at me, impassive and unblinking.

"This is very interesting, Guardian," said Lady Benevolentia. "It seems that you are rather special. Your charge's soul is a recycled one. It passes from being to being, and it is the most powerful one in the world."

"You see," continued Lady Patientia, "some humans have the ability to manipulate one of the four earthly elements. Your charge is the only human in the world who can manipulate all of them. He is known as the Avatar, and it is his duty to maintain peace among the humans."

"Just as ours to to maintain the cosmic balance," finished Lady Superbia. "Guardian Delaine, you have been graced with the privelige of becoming the protector of the Avatar. The most powerful human in existence."

I looked back at Aang. I was very, very afraid. If I failed to protect him, the Council would surely recycle me...

"What happens if I fail the Council?" I asked Leo fearfully.

"Delaine, you won't fail."

"Please, Leo, what if I do?" I took his hand. "What would happen?"

Leo sighed, shifting uncomfortably. "All right, Delaine. If you were to fail the Council so badly that they deemed it as beyond repair, they would strip your soul from your body, and send it to Purgatory for recycyling. This can only happen one other way—if you were to break the most basic of our rules. If you take sides, you are forfeiting neutraility, and they have no choice but to recycle you."

Fear spread through my body, and my eyes widened as I looked up at him.

"I must never, ever, let that happen," I whispered. "I won't fail, Leo, I won't fail, I won't fail, I won't fail..."

I repeated those words over and over again, while Leo grasped my hand and stared at me, silently and sadly. We were created with this desire to protect, and to please the Council, and it was terrifying.

Absolutely terrifying.

"Please return to Guardian 13,043,249's residence. You will be given your orders shortly. Blessed be."

I bowed. "Blessed be."

Leaving the dark room, I returned to Leo's residence, closing the door softly behind me. I'd only been inside it once before. The walls were bare, and a warm, deep hue of brown. Leo had a large bed, an armchair similar to mine, and a very small mirror on a table. The floor was hardwood and the whole place smelled of wild grass and flowers.

Leo was nowhere to be seen. "Leo?" I called. "Leo, where are you?"

The door opened once again, and I turned to see Leo, looking relieved as he saw me.

"Delaine," he said. "You've been assigned, then?" I nodded. "Well? What's your charge's name? What's the charge like?"

"Leo," I replied, voice trembling, "it is...not good. I'm afraid."

"Why, Laine?" he took my hand, leading me over to the bed and sitting me down. "What happened? It'll be okay, Delaine, just tell me what happened."

I breathed in deeply, glancing towards the door. I turned back to Leo, looking into his eyes fearfully. "Leo...I've been assigned to...the Avatar."

Leo froze. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly. The fear gripped me tighter, and Leo seemed to notice, because he forced a smile and squeezed my hand tighter. I bit my lip, waiting for him to speak.

"Delaine," he said, "this is a good thing. It means that you're special. I've heard of the Avatar. His spirit is the most powerful one to ever exist."

"Leo, if I fail I'll be recycled."

"Laine," said Leo, giving me a stern look, "how many times do I have to tell you? You will not fail. You're a Guardian. This is why you were created. You wouldn't have been assigned to the Avatar if you couldn't handle it. You need to believe in yourself, Delaine."

"True," said one of the smooth, female voices that I respected and feared so much, "self confidence is an important quality in a successful Guardian." We turned around to see the Ladies standing there. It was Lady Benevolentia who had spoken. "Guardian Leo is also correct in the statement that you were chosen to protect the Avatar for a reason, Guardian Delaine."

"Your souls are a perfect match," said Lady Patientia. "Even more so than the normal connection between a Guardian and a charge. You will not fail."

I bowed my head. "Yes, my Lady."

"Now," said Lady Superbia, "your orders. At the end of the first hour tomorrow, you will receive the marking of the full Guardian. This marking is in the form of a tattoo, shaped like what humans call a 'yin-yang sign'. It represents balance in the universe, the very thing we exist to maintain. This marking will endow you with your powers, which will be used to assist you in your duties."

"These powers," said Lady Ira, "inculde the ability to transport yourself to any of your charges at any time, the ability to communicate through telepathy with your charges, and the Ability of Influence. The last of these is only to be used in times of great need. If your charge is on the brink of a decision that will bring death to them, then you may use this to plant a seed of doubt in their mind. From there, they must have the free will to make their own decision."

"Your job as a Guardian," said Lady Patientia, "is to guide your charges, to provide them with neutral counsel. You will be involved with nearly every aspect of their lives, protecting them from decisions that could lead to harm. Allow them to see issues from a neutral point of view. This allows we members of the Council to better maintain balance."

"Do you understand?" asked Lady Benevolentia.

"Yes, my Ladies," we said in unison.

"Very well," said Lady Superbia. "Report to our residence, the building with the room where you were created, at the end of the first hour tomorrow."

"Blessed be," the Ladies chorused.

Again we bowed, our farewell robotic and automatic. "Blessed be."

When the Ladies had left, Leo turned to me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Delaine," he said, "are you still afraid?"

"A bit," I replied, "but I'll be all right. I won't fail, Leo. I won't fail." Leo nodded. I repeated the words once more, over and over again, as though saying them as many times as I could would help make them true.

I breathed in deeply.

I won't fail, I won't fail, I won't fail, I won't fail, I won't fail...

We reported to the Council exactly on time. All fourteen of them were there, and the usual greetings and blessings were exchanged. The ten members of the Council who were not specific to Leo and I had donned plain white robes, while Ladies Superbia, Patientia, Ira, and Benevolentia had remained in their golden robes.

"Lie down on the tables, Guardians," said Lady Ira. "You will be put through a shortened version of your normal sleeping cycle, and when you awake, you will have your markings."

We did as we were told, settling down on two tables adjacent to each other. I cast a sidelong look at Leo for a second. He smiled encouragingly, though I could tell he was frightened and nervous. I sighed and turned my gaze back to the high, white ceiling.

Ladies Patientia and Superbia came forward and placed their left hands on my forehead. Ladies Ira and Benevolentia did the same to Leo.

We were unconcious in a matter of seconds.

When I awoke, I felt...different. I felt stronger, less fearful. Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I knew this was the power the Council had bestowed upon me. It felt good. I knew I would not fail.

I looked down. Indeed, there was a strange symbol, which I remember that Lady Superbia had called a "yin-yang sign", inked upon my stomach. It did not hurt (or rather, I was not human and thus, could not feel pain). It was part of me. Leo's mark was located on the wrist of his left arm.

"It is time," said a Lady I did not know the name of.

"Think of the image of your charge," said Lady Patientia. "Breathe in, thinking of nothing but your natural desire to protect, and you will be there."

I did so, a warmth and a calm settling over me. Soon, I felt a change in the air around me. It was stronger, sharper, and crisper than the air of the Upper World.

I opened my eyes. There, meditating before me, was my charge, Aang.

There was the Avatar.