The Guardian
Among The Seven, The Guardian stood as the unwavering protector, a sentinel who watched over the fabric of existence to ensure that nothing and no one threatened the balance established by The One. Unlike The Architect, who built the universe, or The Balancer, who maintained its harmony, The Guardian’s role was to safeguard the grand design, shielding creation from forces that sought to unravel or corrupt it.
The Guardian was both a watchful defender and an unbreakable wall against chaos, embodying the principles of duty, vigilance, and unwavering resolve. It was neither creator nor destroyer but the immovable force that stood between existence and those who would seek to alter it.
The Role in Creation
The Guardian’s charge was protection above all else. Where The Architect forged the structure of reality, The Guardian reinforced it, ensuring that the divine will of The One remained intact. Its presence was embedded in the cosmic safeguards that prevented the collapse of planes, in the celestial boundaries that divided realms, and in the very laws that governed existence.
It worked closely with The Balancer, ensuring that equilibrium was not disturbed by outside forces, and with The Reaper, defending the natural cycle from being disrupted. However, The Guardian was also known to clash with The Nurturer, whose boundless desire for life and growth sometimes conflicted with the necessity of order and protection.
The Guardian was also responsible for ensuring that none of The Seven attempted to exert undue dominance over creation. It stood apart from its brethren, acting as both their shield and, when necessary, their warden, ensuring that their divine powers did not spiral beyond their purpose.
Personality and Ideals
The Guardian was a being of unquestionable duty, wholly devoted to its purpose. It did not question its role, nor did it allow sentiment or personal ambition to cloud its judgment. To The Guardian, protection was absolute, and there was no greater failure than allowing harm to come to the Eternal Universe.
While this unwavering resolve made The Guardian one of the most respected of The Seven, it also made it one of the least flexible. Unlike The Balancer, who could adapt to changing circumstances, The Guardian saw things in absolutes—there were threats, and there were those who must be defended.
Many saw The Guardian as incorruptible, yet this same steadfastness often led to conflict with other Seven who sought change or evolution. To The Guardian, deviation from the established order was inherently dangerous, regardless of intent.
Depictions of The Guardian
The Guardian is often depicted as a towering, armored figure, exuding an aura of unyielding strength and vigilance. Unlike some of The Seven, whose appearances shift with the nature of their domains, The Guardian is consistent and immovable, a symbol of unwavering protection.
Most artistic representations show The Guardian adorned in radiant azure armor, its form etched with glowing runes of divine protection. In some depictions, it wields a colossal shield, capable of withstanding any force, while in others, it carries a great sword—not as a weapon of aggression, but as a symbol of defense.
Symbols associated with The Guardian often include shields, interlocking rings, or unbroken circles, representing unity and fortification. Some ancient temples, believed to have been built in reverence to The Guardian, bear these emblems as signs of protection against external threats.
The Eternal War and The Guardian’s Role
When the Eternal War began, The Guardian stood with the Loyal Ones without hesitation. It saw the rebellion of the Rebel Ones not as a pursuit of freedom, but as a direct threat to the stability of the Eternal Universe. To The Guardian, the Eternal Servants were created to serve a function, and their desire for autonomy was a deviation that could not be allowed.
The Guardian led the defense of the Eternal Realm, erecting fortifications that were said to be impenetrable. It stood at the forefront of many battles, personally repelling assaults led by Tardok and his forces. Its very presence on the battlefield was said to inspire invincibility among the Loyal Ones, as The Guardian’s power made it seem as though the Eternal Realm itself fought alongside them.
Despite its formidable defenses, The Guardian ultimately could not prevent the worst outcome. When the Unstable Shard was activated, even The Guardian’s greatest walls and strongest barriers could not withstand its chaotic destruction. The very universe trembled, and all the protection The Guardian had worked to enforce crumbled in an instant.
Imprisonment and Legacy
After the Calamity, The Guardian, like the other Seven, was imprisoned within the Eternal Plane. However, even within its confinement, it remained watchful. Many scholars believe that The Guardian’s influence persists, subtly reinforcing the boundaries between planes and ensuring that the Eternal Gate remains sealed.
Some believe that should The Guardian ever return, it would seek to fortify existence against all further change, imposing an era of absolute order where no force—mortal or divine—could ever threaten the Eternal Universe again.
The Eternal Shards of The Guardian
The Eternal Shards created by The Guardian are among the most sought-after relics in existence. They radiate a protective azure glow, symbolizing vigilance and defense. Unlike the shards of The Reaper, which bring endings, or The Nurturer’s shards, which sustain life, The Guardian’s shards serve a singular purpose: to shield and fortify.
Legends say that those who wield one of these shards gain the ability to create impenetrable barriers, resist even the most powerful attacks, and stand unshaken against overwhelming forces. Some say these shards were once used to seal away ancient evils, their power binding entities beyond time itself.
However, wielding such a shard comes with a cost—those who do not understand the nature of defense may find themselves unwilling, or even unable, to allow change or progress, becoming rigid enforcers of protection at the expense of evolution.
The Guardian in the Present Age
Though locked away, The Guardian’s presence is still felt throughout existence. Many believe that the barriers between planes, the protective forces that prevent reality from unraveling, are maintained in part by its lingering influence. Some even whisper that the most powerful protective spells, wielded by the Magisters, are mere echoes of The Guardian’s divine will.
There are those who seek to restore The Guardian, believing that only through its return can the Eternal Universe be safeguarded against future calamities. Others, however, fear that The Guardian’s revival would mean the imposition of an unyielding order, where change, growth, and even freedom itself could be deemed a threat to be neutralized.
For now, The Guardian remains a silent watchman, unseen but never absent, a sentinel waiting beyond the Eternal Gate, ever watchful, ever vigilant, and ever prepared to defend the universe once more.
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