Ement's Return

The journey to this strange location had been long and lonesome, but at the horizon, the dragon could see a structure appear in his view.  He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever may come.  For the last two weeks, it was just him on this ship, traveling to a destination that supposedly nobody else has seen.  His heart skipped a beat as his cloak fluttered in the gentle breeze.  The trip was finally nearing its end.  Just what awaited him?

The voice that spoke to him frequently echoed in his head throughout the journey.  He could still remember the words that led him here...

"Young one, travel north, far north, to a place that never will be seen by the simple mortal's eye.  Here, the answers to your life and destiny await..."

The dragon was simply exploring an ancient temple when the voice spoke to him.  He had placed his hand on a tablet in a strange room at the end.

"The life of a mercenary is not what is meant for you.  It has helped hone your abilities, but it is ultimately not what fate desires."

He remembered how he froze and frantically looked around the room, trying to figure out the source of the voice.  For a moment, he thought he was losing his mind.

"I am Lios.  My child, I have waited to finally speak with you.  Now, I know you are ready."

He was scared, yet at the same time, excited.  Until then, his life was a lonely path, carving its way behind his feet as he traversed the world.  From his birth, he was destined to be alone.  Never did he stay in a town for long.  Instead, he sought to learn all that he could about this world, Espherat, and what made it home.  He taught himself to use a blade and understand his connection to Esphera, the energy of the world.  The dragon grew confident in his abilities, but still was left wanting something more.

"You are meant for something far greater than yourself.  Follow my words and the answers you seek will be found."

Even he admitted that he had little desire to forever be a sellsword.  No, he wanted a better purpose.

"Listen to me well..."

As he drew closer to his final destination, the dragon felt the cloak tighten a bit around his neck.  Suddenly, he found himself unsure, the steadfast confidence he held through this entire trek vanishing.  What if all this was for not?  What if this ended up being a great waste of his time?  Was his mind, desperate for answers at the time, just playing an elaborate, cruel joke on him?  There were many questions, but he continue to sail toward the structure.  Now was not the time to back down.  He had come too far.

His eyes soon took better notice of what awaited him.  A number of short towers stood out from the rest of the building, each appearing at what he assumed to be a corner.  A larger tower stood behind everything, reaching up toward the sky.  As his ship drew near, he could see a small dock in front of the structure.  Little land was left around the building as it seemed to take all the space on the island.  How could one not find this place?  Almost any seasoned captain could make it here if they desired.

The dragon turned around for a moment.  His eyes widened at what he saw.  What was once clear water and sky had now been engulfed in a thick fog.  How?  The dragon looked up.  The sky directly above himself was clear with a beautiful blue hue.

"Lios?" he asked in a tone that was barely audible to himself.  There was no response.

He slowed the ship and angled it appropriately before stopping at the dock.  He remained at the wheel for a while longer, gathering himself.  When he felt ready, he lowered a boarding plank and stepped onto the island.  He stopped again, gazing at the structure.  The design of the building appeared ancient, yet it seemed like the stone had shown no signs of breaking down.  Images from books he read in the past appeared in his mind, confirming that some of the markings were similar to those believed to be from the first to walk on this world.  The dragon took another deep breath before approaching the stairs leading up to a pair of large, ornate doors.

"You have arrived..." that voice spoke.  "Good.  Please, take a moment to explore this sacred place.  When you are ready, enter the atrium."

"Where am I?"

The voice vanished.

The dragon awaited a response, but when there was not another word, he continued.  He stopped at the doors as a hand took a moment to feel it.  Something about this was familiar, yet his mind had no recollection of such thing.  With a gentle push, the door opened, allowing him inside.  As the door closed behind him, he gazed at the room before him.  It was decorated with pillars and statues of various beings that he was not familiar with, all evenly spaced.  In the center was a pit of blue fire that burned, providing a strange, yet wonderful light to the room.  There were a few doors around the room, with no obvious signs as to where they led.  He approached the nearest one and opened it.  It led into a few small hallways, which led to other rooms in this place.  He walked down the path and entered the first door he found.  The room itself was not particularly big, but the space was used well.  A bed, a shelf with books and a desk and chair was all that sat here.  The room itself was illuminated partially from a candle and the light coming from above.  This was where one of those small towers were.

He stepped in another room, only to discover a room that looked exactly the same.  Did multiple individuals live here?  If so, where are they?  His exploration continued.  After looking over things once more, he followed a hall toward a larger room.  He froze as he gawked at the rows of bookshelves that filled this place.  Certainly this was some kind of library.  He drew close to one of the books, taking notice of their age and condition.  Each book was taken care of with many of them being from authors he had never heard of.  The dragon was fascinated by all this knowledge.  Deep within himself, there was a desire to sit and read every page here, to indulge in all this recorded history.  Still, there was a more pressing matter to deal with first.

He finished exploring the rest of this wing of the temple, which was composed of just two more bedrooms.  He returned to the central room, finding himself near a door on the opposing side of where he first arrived from.  Choosing to find the atrium, he decided to go through it.  Inside, he was greeted by a spiraling staircase.  In the center of the room, just across a small, stone bridge, appeared to be some sort of illuminated platform.  Otherwise, this room was provided light by a series of torches that also burned with the blue fire he saw before.  This couldn't be the atrium, yet he wondered what the platform's purpose was for.  For now, he descended the stairs, reaching the bottom after a few minutes.  He opened the door at the base of this tower to be greeted by the light of the sun and a breeze.  He froze in the doorway.  The sight before him was a gorgeous one.  In the center there was a small structure, but around it, there appeared to be rings of reflecting pools surrounding it.  Flowers and grass broke them apart, but the entire scene provided an aura of peace and tranquility.  This would be a wonderful place for one to meditate or just be alone with their thoughts.

The dragon stepped outside and examined what he could.  Walls surrounded this area, leading from the tower to a large, domed structure on the opposing side.  Was that the atrium Lios mentioned?  It had to be.  His pace quickened as he walked around the outer ring of water.  As he made his way, the dragon's eyes constantly darted around, taking in all the details. that sense of familiarity was growing, yet he still could not recollect encountering anything like this before.

When he reached the building, he was greeted by another ornate door, designed in a similar manner to that of the main entrance.  He pushed it open to be stunned once again by what awaited him.  The floor ahead was made of a clear crystal.  Underneath it, he could see water flow underneath it.  In the center, there was what appeared to be a garden of some kind.  Waterfalls constructed around the edges of the room flowed, perhaps recycling the water that was under his feet.  As he approached the garden, his head titled upward, noticing a number of protrusions in the stone.  Each one had an ornate carving to them, showcasing a symbol in the center.  He could recognize these symbols as each one represented an element of some kind.  However, one directly above the garden didn't seem to represent an element.  No, it was just a circle with some arrows coming out of it in all directions.  What did it mean?

His eyes returned to the garden ahead.  It was raised on the top of a small hill and covered in various flowers and plants.  A metal rod built in the center had an orb floating above.  The orb itself shined brightly with a white aura.  Once again, something felt right about this place, but the dragon could not figure out what it was.  He approached the orb as it seemed to grow brighter to his presence.

"Lios..."

"Welcome." The orb pulsed as the voice returned.  "You stand in Espheratum, home of my Guardians.  From the dawn of time, this place has served the planet by providing a place for its protectors to rest and study."

"The Guardians..."  The dragon paused.  He remembered reading about them from an early age.  These were chosen by Lios himself to ensure that the world remained safe from any threat, particularly in arts that could corrupt.  They are also tasked with shaping the world in Lios' image, using the power of the elements to create or remove lands.  Such beings have rarely been seen in person throughout history.  "Is...is that why you brought me here?"

"It's been a long time since you were last here, Ement."

"Ement?"

"Yes.  You are his latest incarnation.  You are destined to be the Guardian of Chaos, master of all elements, leader of these Guardians.  It is now your turn to take the mantle and assume the destiny you were meant for."

"But...why me?"

"In your heart, you fight for what you believe is right.  Even as you traveled alone, you were guided by the force within yourself.  Inside you, is part of my own essence.  You are my hand.  Throughout your life, you have helped serve in some capacity.  Over time, your skills grew and when I knew it was time for you to take your role, I summoned you.  Now, my friend, here you are."

"Am I really worthy of taking the role?"

"I believe so.  Your life as it once was will now end, your original name, now gone.  From here on, you shall be Ement.  Together, with your fellow Guardians, I know you will help continue to lead Espherat into an age of peace, prosperity and growth."

Ement paused and looked at the ground.  "As I explored this place, I felt that a lot of it was familiar to me.  Was that your doing as well?"

"Somewhat.  When a new Guardian is chosen, they receive some of the memories from their previous incarnation.  Your desire for knowledge is one of Ement's greatest traits.  Previous incarnations are known to be grand scholars or writers, helping continue to catalogue this world's history for future Guardians to read."

"I see..."  Things were starting to make sense for him.  For once in a long time, he started to feel like there truly was a role for him in this world.

"However, before you begin, you must be tested."

"Tested?"

"Yes.  I need to see if you have indeed proven that you are ready for the challenges that being a Guardian may bring.  A test of combat awaits.  At the same time, this will be your reawakening, Ement.  Prepare yourself."

Before Ement could react, the orb burst into a blindingly bright light that forced his eyes closed.  An intense warmth could be felt washing over him.  It didn't last long before it all vanished and his eyes opened.  The dragon froze, seeing that he was in a different place.  He was on a tower, somewhere, but it looked like he was among the stars.  Blue streaks filled the sky.  It looked like some sort of living painting.  Below the tower was a land covered in a hue of similar color.  It looked ethereal to him.  Yet, he could look at this for all time.  There was a great deal of beauty in this strange place.

He turned around to see what awaited him.  At the center of the tower, there was a sword placed in a stone.  The sword was not like one he had ever seen.  Yes, it took the shape of a longsword, but the blade itself was made of crystal.  It was in a shade of blue, matching the color of his scales.

"Take the sword, Ement.  Espherat's Judgment awaits to be in your hands once again."

Ement carefully approached the weapon and grasped the hilt with his right hand.  With one pull, the blade slid out of the stone with ease.  The color of the crystal changed into multiple shades of blue and purple.  A rush of energy coursed through his body, almost making him kneel to the intensity.  Memories felt like they were being awakened in the blink of an eye.  Things he never knew suddenly appeared vivid and real.  Lios was right, this was a reawakening.

"Ixir!"

Ement's eyes opened as a figure appeared before him, floating above.  His eyes widened, noticing that the figure was a grotesque disfigurement of what once was a soldier.

"Ah...Lios, you've finally brought Ement back, eh?"

"Indeed."

Ixir laughed to himself.  "Welcome to Celestia.  Here, the spirits of worthy reside here, waiting for the day that they may return to the mortal coil and live another life.  Those in Undir...are not so lucky."

"I see...Your appearance.  What caused that?"

"Ah, it's pretty simple.  I had fought in battles for many years, yet here I am, still alive.  I am known as the Overseer, the one who watches over the dead and the spirits here in this realm.  There are many stories that can be told from the souls that depart the world and it is my duty to ensure that their resting places are not violated.  Those who do...well, they don't even get to go to Undir." A pause followed.  "I digress, now is not the time for a history lesson, Guardian.  No, you are here to be tested."  His body shifted, moving a bit to the right.  "I have gathered some of the best warriors in Celestia to do battle with you.  To them, there is no greater honor than to clash against the Guardians as a test of their strength."

"But will they be killed if I strike them down?"

"No.  They will just fade from this place and return to their normal home here in the realm.  There is no risk of death here, so I implore you to show your true power.  In history, Guardians have managed to wipe out entire armies on their own.  I am not throwing such a large force at you, but I do believe you will still be appropriately tested."  He snapped a couple fingers, which were nothing but bone.  A ring of smoke briefly appeared and vanished around the edge of the tower.  In its wake, a horde of warriors wielding a variety of weapons stood in position.

"Warriors!  You stand before the next Guardian of Chaos.  Let's provide him with an appropriate welcome.

All the warriors yelled in celebration before charging.

Ement only had a couple seconds to react.  He charged forward, tightening his grip on the sword as he felt a presence take over.  He swung it ahead, cutting down his first target in the middle of a swing of their hammer.  He rolled to the side, barely dodging blades before getting back into his stance.  Some of the warriors stood back while others approached with caution.  The energy within his body began to flare, the color of his sword turning into an intense shade of orange.

"Let's give this a try..."  His free hand clenched as the sword brightened.

Seeing an opportunity, two of the warriors rushed toward him.  As they got close, "spears" of energy appeared above his head, quickly increasing in number.  Ement's eyes closed briefly before he swung his arm out.  The spears charged ahead and struck the two attackers as well as a couple others.  They screamed as their bodies vanished into particles.

The attack continued as another charged forward and swung.  Ement raised his sword, striking against theirs.  Even in this realm, their blades clanged and sparked with each quick impact.  Ement deflected a couple blows before kicking the warrior and finishing him off with a swift, vertical swing.

Two more followed, ready to overwhelm him.  As he stood in place, Ement felt his breath turn cold, colder than he thought possible.  It almost made him shiver.  Just as the two were about to attack, he unleashed the cold air that had built within in one large cloud of ice.  His attackers froze into solid ice and broke apart with a single impact.

With their numbers starting to dwindle, the remaining attackers became more cautious and chose to wait for Ement to make the first move.  This would be a mistake.  By instinct, Ement raised himself into the air with his powerful wings.  The sword turned red before suddenly being lit ablaze with fire.  The heat escaping the blade felt like it could melt anything that touched it.  Ement grasped the sword with both hands and aimed it ahead.  Within the blink of an eye, he rushed ahead and slammed the sword into the stone of the tower.  As the crystal pierced the rock, an explosion of fire erupted, eliminating a number of the chosen warriors.  Some of the surrounding fire continued to burn as he pulled the blade out and jumped back into his stance.

With only a few left to eliminate, Ement planned for what he believed would be the final attack.  The warriors moved apart, separating themselves before closing in.  One moved ahead, swinging their sword only to meet Ement's in another clash.  Another moved in, then another as they all made a final push against him.  As he deflected the blows, Ement felt a rush of electricity move through him.  The sword turn bright blue as sparks started to escape the blade.  It was now time to finish this battle.  His first swing struck a sword, but then he followed it with another blow, then another, all with quickening speeds.  It took only a couple attackers before he broke his opponents' defense.  One was eliminated and another followed before they could even react.  The dragon's attacks became a rapid dance that matched the speed of a bolt of lightning.  Each remaining warrior fell in a flash of electricity until there was not a single being remaining on the tower with the Guardian.

Victorious, Ement knelt down, feeling a little fatigued.  There was a still a rush in his mind, but his body felt tired.  Did he overdo it?  Certainly not.  He had been in more intense battles before.

Ixir crossed his arms and smirked.  "He's definitely the one, Lios.  Ement will do just fine in his role."

"Indeed.  Ixir, you and your chosen warriors have my thanks.  Please, prepare them for their return to Espherat.  They have earned it."

Ixir bowed.  "At once, my lord."  The Overseer vanished in an instant.

A long silence followed as Ement recovered.

"Rise, Ement."

Ement did as he was asked.

"Young as you are, you have already proven more than capable of handling what lies ahead for you.  Ement, my Guardian of Chaos, go forth with your fellow Guardians and continue to protect this great world.  Face your trials and hone your abilities and you will never fail.  Together, the Guardians shall never fall."

"I will do what you ask, my lord."

"Return to Espheratum, rest and wait for your fellow Guardians to return.  When needed, I shall call upon you again."

"Thank you."

In a flash of light, the young dragon was gone from this realm.  With a new, greater purpose in his life, the new Guardian of Chaos would soon begin his work.