The Guardians of Daldaria

Chapter 9: Temple of History: Phayrin

Xiathia smashed into a candlestick. Tumbling stick, candles, and a table full of papers as she skidded over tiling.

“You fool! You absolutely reckless fool!"

Thin strips of parchment fluttering down, brushing along her skin, was what woke Mialtros.

Everything hurt.

Her skin, bones, and muscles were on fire. Groaning, she curled in on herself, whimpering as her body twitched uncontrollably.

Her head was foggy.

She remembered diving into the pool. Then…pressure. Waters rushing far too fast, tearing her limbs every which way.

Mewl and Xiathia lunged for her as she was carried away.

Darkness.

More crashing.

Angry words were spoken in varying languages. Pillars collapsed as Xiathia careened through them. Pebbles pattering.

“What were you thinking bringing her to the sea temple that way!? Humans cannot breathe underwater as we can! If Einstrei had not found you-oh! You will be lucky if she doesn't suffer brain damage! I may be the Guardian of Life, but I cannot fix everything!"

Hisses and coos. Shadows moved around, softly touching Mialtros. The movement brought rapid footsteps.

A woman wearing a swirling jade dress and heels knelt down.

Warm hands brushed her hair aside.

“Poor thing you're all cut up aren't you? Come here, come here, let Zeltina fix you up, hmm?"

Arms lifted her, tucking her head against the woman's shoulder.

Air washed over her as her caretaker whirled about, “Oh yes. Ghirathirial, Einstrei is waiting for you. She says she wants to play. Have fun."

More air whirred around, “As for you two nitwits! Clean this mess! I do not want to see a single scrap of debris left when I return, understood!?"

Whether it was understood or not, heels took off down the hall.

As they moved, Mialtros was entranced by wavy stone walls of green. Thin enough to let sunlight shine through. The walls were filled with arched alcoves decorated in lace and bronze statues. In the ceiling, swathes of sea life floated over panels of colored glass. Iron torches lit what space the sun did not touch.

Fingers turned her chin. Eyes flicked around Mialtros's. Zeltina tutted softly.

“We will get you into the hot springs and fill you with soup. If you can hear me, can you tell me why you are here?"

Working a heavy tongue around her mouth, Mialtros whispered, “T..tra..ning.."

Humming. A door was knocked open by powerful kicks.

Inside a circular room, a waterfall trickled down coral into steaming cauldrons of rock.

“Very good. You're brain seems to be intact. You will also not be doing any physical training until you recover."

Mialtros winced as the heated water sloshed around her.

Zeltina shuffled about, collecting vials, and a thick tome, from the shelves. A purple vial was poured into the water. A red one Zeltina drank for herself. Another red one was pressed to Mialtros's lips until she slurped it down.

It tasted of mint. The taste of it on her tongue made her eyes water.

It also made the room come into sharp clarity. Her body still felt sore, but at least her mind was working again.

Laughter echoed as Zeltina brushed dust from the book's covers.

“Such a face! It is merely soup. Now, while your body is unable to move well, we will focus on the history of our organization. How much, and what all, do you know about the Gods and Guardians of Daldaria Mialtros?"

Sitting up, laying her head on the rim of her bath, Mialtros tried to peer at the book titles.

“I mean…I didn't know they actually existed until recently. I know people used to worship 'em all the time pretty religiously. In town, there's an alter in honor of the Guardian of Land that we clean every spring. Other than that, all I know comes from fairy tales and hearsay."

Zeltina chugged another vial of soup, setting the empty bottle on the floor.

“So Xiathia and Mewl told you nothing. That is fine. We will start from the beginning."

Mialtros slapped the water, eyes brightening.

“Oh wait! I know about something called natural law and protecting animals! I also know that y'all really don't like

Mewl, Ghirti, Xiathia, and I guess me now, because our powers are too hefty."

Opening the book, Zeltina started drawing in the metal making up its pages.

The lines morphed into blocks of text, followed by a chart made of symbols.

“Ridiculous. Vague explanations and words that are wheat chaffs in the wind. Hiding things that need be seen. Pah! Keeping you from your own conclusions about why we fear you is an act of paranoia and recklessness.

Come here Mialtros. Learn the nature and depth of your abilities."

Leaning over the rim so she could see, Mialtros read slowly.

At the awakening, the God of control Arnsal birthed from stones in the Negentropy mists. He wandered alone for centuries, guarding the universes of reality. One by one, creatures similar, but lesser, than him birthed from substances on his body. To them He granted names.

His children were: Mewl the God of Creation, Ghirathirial the God of Destruction, Einstrei the God of Life, Zaratheult the God of Death, Jiquexi the God of Land, Othalnier the God of Sea, Kaldras the God of Space, and Dimira the God of Time.

Seeing his children's abilities, Arnsal commanded them to create a world where they could stay. This world did Arnsal's children populate with fantastic things, including one creation Arnsal gave the name Daldarian. Arnsal adored Daldarians above all other creations for their compassion and ingenuity.

Knowing well the price of loneliness on intelligent beings, Arnsal created the Guardian system. Its aim was to prevent the abuse of divine powers by the Daldarians and Daldarian life by the Gods.

By its tenets, no God may use its full power without the bond of a Guardian. When the bond activates, the God and Guardian share the God's power equally.

Their lives are melded together eternally.

A God may drain power from their Guardian until their life is almost gone from them. A Guardian may drain power from their God until that God's duties can no longer be performed.

Together they must protect Daldaria and her people.

A Guardian's actions are to be taken as law by the universe and Daldarians alike.

If a God is without a Guardian for longer than one cycle, a year in our terms, their power is separated among the other Gods until a new Guardian is gained.

Omniscient and merciful, Arnsal then imbued the God's and Guardian's with weaknesses and strengths. Binding them to Godly laws. As follows are his final decrees.

Creation nulls destruction. It is weak to Death, supported by Life-Bound by the law to never favor.

Destruction nulls creation. It is weak to Life, supported by Death-Bound by the law to never harm.

Time nulls none. It is weak to Space, supported by all-Bound by the law to never intercede.

Space nulls none. It is weak to Time, supported by all-Bound by the law to never make new worlds.

Life nulls Death. It is weak to Destruction, supported by Creation-Bound by the law to never birth life.

Death nulls Life. It is weak to Creation, supported by Destruction-Bound by the law to never love.

Land nulls Sea. It is weak to all, supported by none-Bound by the law to never go to sea.

Sea nulls Land. It is weak to all, supported by none-Bound by the law to never tread land.

Thus did the blessed Arnsal create a world of everlasting peace. His work complete, he retired to the dimension of his birth, there to sleep unless he is needed.

Mialtros eyed Zeltina as she finished.

“I can understand the strengths and weaknesses I think, but what're these Godly law things? Bound to never favor? What kind of stupid law is that? If someone does something for me, I'm gonna pay 'em back."

Caramel hair was tied up with string. Zeltina's heels tapped as she reached for a black bottle.

“It does not speak of repayment for actions done for you. It means you cannot use your powers to create anything

for any Daldarian or God. Your powers are for Mewl, and yourself alone. I do agree, it is a d**nable system. One

we do not take lightly."

Mialtros offered her limbs when the woman tapped on them. Ink was drawn onto her various cuts, they vanished after a moment.

“I wish…Mewl had told me all this. It sure woulda cleared some things up."

Ink was tapped to her nose as Zeltina reached for another vial of mint-soup. Uncorking it, she took a sip then handed it Mialtros.

“Tell me your worries as you drink this. It is highly unlikely your nitwit mentors will cease arguing long enough to ask you about them."

Playing with the bubbles foaming in the bottle, Mialtros murmured, “I…think…"