The Beginning
"At the beginning of time, there was nothing. Nothing but the darkness and the creatures that wandered the endless night. Complete blackness is impossible for one who has never experienced such to imagine. Not a speck of light to be found across the entire expanse of the universe. The creatures that inhabited this ebony life could not see either and floated aimlessly, hopeless for a sign. Meetings between beings were rare and confusing for all. All the creatures knew was this darkness, this abscense of life that showed no sign of ending. But no. This isn't true. They knew of one other fact. There would be an end to this. Their faith expanded to the Two Great Ones. These are beings of immense power.So immense that they were rumored to have the power to create or destroy the universe.After many millennium, these gods rebounded off the edges of the universe and clashed together. When they ran into each other, their scales rubbed together creating the very first sparks. 3 of these sparks stuck to the sky producing what we now know as stars. The light was so bright respectively that the entire universe was lit up. To those surrounding the collision, the sparks were so bright they were nearly blinded, but for those far away the light was beautiful. Every being flocked to the new-found joy of light. These stars were to them what water is to us; without it they could not survive. For weeks, they all surrounded the stars in admiration and adoration. The dark behind them seemed less and less as the new glory of bright radiation enveloped their forms. But they could not all stay there forever no matter how much they wanted but none wanted to leave the only hope they had. They came to the Great Ones begging for them to make more sparks. The Great Ones obliged. For as long as they could, the Great Ones traveled across the expanse of the universe colliding their scales together to create the beauty of the galaxy.
But just because they are powerful does not mean they can fight off the ever-growing blackness forever. They grew tired and found their powers waning. They decided on a plan. They pulled together 12 of their most trusted beings in the universe. The Great Ones each pulled off 6 scales, presenting each ally with one. They presented them with the responsibility of creating, maintaining, and sometimes destroying the light of the universe. Once each guardian had accepted the mission, the Great Ones started the next phase of their plan. They hooked themselves together then commenced to meld themselves together. As they were melding, light was given off and they began to form something grander than any other star in the universe: the sun. When they finished, they had formed the sun, the greatest and brightest of all light. It's power pulled the entirety of the universe to surround it and admire it. This now resides as the center of the universe and what provides all light and life.
Not only was the sun created but the explosion of it's final transformation created all the planets and debris floating in the universe. Soon after, we were created. Humans populated Harte and spread across the planet but all could respect the sun, the provider of everything. Now, the guardians decided we could be of use to them. The guardians are infinitely intelligent and knowledgeable but they lack compassion. In simple terms, they were the brains but lacked a fully functioning heart. We provided a suitable heart. Not only are humans sympathetic but emotional and instinct-based. We were the opposite to balance off the guardians. They choose---"
"Mrs. Gabberknacky?!" Timmy screeched flailing his small arm in the arm.
"Shut up, Timmy! She wasn't finished yet!" Lauretta snapped at him.
"Lauretta, there is a nice way to tell people to please be quiet." the teacher said flashing her eyes to Timmy. "Timmy, do not interrupt but what was your question?"
"When do we get chosen?" He said with large hopeful eyes.
Lauretta scoffed. "Like you would ever be chosen to be a partner!"
"Hush now both of you." Mrs. Gabberknacky said more sternly than before. "The guardians choose their partner when their last one becomes unfit. Either they are too tired, too old, or killed to be of use to the guardians. So about every 20 years a guardian returns to Harte to select a partner--"
"Not you!" Lauretta muttered.
"You two be quiet right now or I'll send you both out and you won't get to finish the story." The older woman finally snapped looking over her spectacles down on the two children. Seeing them hush, she cleared her throat. "The guardians choose partners to help them protect and preserve the universe's light. It really depends on what they are looking for. They have to find the perfect match. When they do, they will come down to Harte and present their selection. Some throw a grand feast to celebrate and some come in the night to quietly slip away with their chosen partner."
"Can you say no?" Urna said quietly from the back. All eyes turned to her in a state of shock.
"Who would want to say no?!" Timmy yelped almost as though her question hurt.
"Me..." Urna spoke softly. It was rare for her to speak and especially not on something so precious to the other children in her class.
"And why is that?" Mrs. Gabberknacky asked curious, pushing her glasses up on her thin nose.
"Well, I would have to leave my family for 20 years... I'd have to leave hom--"
"You would be famous and loved!" Timmy argued.
"But alone..." Urna said still looking to her small hands.
"No, you'd have your Guardian." Lauretta reasoned.
"It's not the same..."
"It's better!" Cheered Timmy. The other children all nodded in agreement. "You should want to be picked! You should want the glory of it all!" His eyes lit up in his naive excitement in his childish dream. In his eyes, the world reflected around him displaying that of his age. Urna's eyes showed that of one much older, a world painted in very different colors than that of the others. The cry of the bell announced the end of their stimulating day. The children in a hurried babble, gathered their things and ran home. Urna stayed behind though.
"Mrs. Gabberknacky, you never answered my question..." She said softly.
Mrs. Gabberknacky turned to the small girl. She leaned down to reach eye level with her. She tilted her head slightly and cooed "Well, I don't think anyone ever has, my dear."
"What do you think would happen though?" Urna turned her large eyes up the teacher's.
The woman had to think which surprised her but think she did. Very slowly, and very deliberately, she replied "I think you would appreciate the sentiment in the moment but in the future, one would find them regretting the choice."
Urna frowned and looked down. "I don't want to leave my family, Mrs. Gabberknacky... I don't want to grow up without them..."
"Urna, dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Gabberknacky said, her eyebrows coming together.
Urna shook her head, her brown curls bouncing gently. "Fine, Mrs. Gabberknacky. I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded then quickly slipped out the door. Thinking to herself repeating the story which had been so many times sung into her head. /And the way they chose you is by coming to you in a grand flash of light, as brilliant as a star. They look to you and speak in the language of their kin. When the words begin to meld in your head, that is when you know you are fluent in their tongue and in their ways. You become one with your guardian and then you are one with the light./ Urna moved in a slow daze to the mighty Oracle Stones where the guardians had first landed. On them, lay the inscription of their people, their promise to the Great Ones. It read "And now, as our gods fade, we must rise as their light, to become the essence of all that shines in the universe. We will embody the light, protect it with our lives, preserve it for all time, and create it where it is needed. This is our promise, this is our code, this is our life as"
"the chosen ones." Urna finished. She had never memorized it and yet now, she found herself able to recite the words perfectly as she stared upon her future.
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