A Change In The Horizon || The Lost One AU

28. Reunion

Wardens

Description: Wardens are a higher species unbeknownst to most players. They live underneath bedrock on what should be the Void, but is instead a dark place, suitably called the Deep Dark. They can sometimes have ancient cities, places that used to be brimming with life but now only usually only have a Warden or two residing in it. Wardens are often very quiet and prefer things that way. They are also very protective of their land and treasures. In the rare chance a player stumbles across one, the Wardens will usually blind them and then deafen and kill them with a shriek. 

Wardens have a caste system and can be seen through the glowing colors on their chests and wrapping around their bodies. I'm not sure how many groups there are, but there are in the very least 3, probably 4+. The lowest is teal, and they are considered nearly as players or even mobs among the higher ranks. (Still a WIP.)

Powers: Echolocation, shrieking, ability to take away non-magical senses

Colors: Dark grey/charcoal

Lifespan: 750 years (7.5:1)

Location: Deep Dark

Leader: Royal Wardens (might make a fancy name later) are the top of the Caste system. Their color is gold, and there are only about 5 of them total.

Hybrids: Since Wardens seldom interact with humans, they have no hybrid species. (They might have one in the future? Like 1.19 or 2.20? I don't know, I'll figure it out)

~🌤~

Eventually, Grian reunited with the Listener King, the sun already setting in the sky. It had felt like the day had lasted a hundred thousand years; far longer than all his time in the Downside Up and the Evo server combined. By that time, they had gotten a communicator, allowing them to quickly get to the Main Hub. From there, Xel made a portal (after a few tries, thankfully with no one dying this time as a result) and just like that, he was back in the Downside Up, out on the outskirts of the temple grounds. Alone. For all that had happened since the moment they had left, the way back had seemed almost too easy. As if the universe had simply been waiting for Miesall to die before it allowed Xel an easy ticket back.

He could immediately see into the temple as he spread his wings and flew over to the main island of where the temple sat. Watchers were carrying around like they always were, even as he felt the magic eyes beginning to collect on him like before.

He entered the halls, one of the Watchers passing him by a few moments later. Xel raised his hand to wave in greeting, but they passed him right by. They said no greeting, didn't look his way. One of their eyes were already watching him, and there was no change.

'Xelqua.' Azubius began as the one Watcher rounded the corner as they continued walking away. 'The Great Ones demand your immediate presence.'

The small Watcher winced. He knew this was coming, he knew it long before Miesall had even died. (Speaking of which, did they even know about that? He shivered at the thought of having to explain it all over again.) The stakes had been tripled since the event, nervousness clawing underneath his grief. Now, it had taken over his body, causing him to shake to his core.

The Void was the punishment; He knew that already going in. Standing in front of the Great Ones, though, was a punishment in it of itself.

He kept his head low as he slinked through the halls. He passed by a few more Watchers, none of them greeting him. For the record, he wasn't in the mood anymore to do that, either.

Arriving at the tall doors of the Sanctum, he waited. He partially expected Miesall to be there, lecturing him and reminding him how to behave. Of course he wasn't, though.

It was only a few moments until the doors creaked open, allowing him entry inside. His legs moved on their own, without permission, directing him inside the infinite landscape. The doors fell closed behind him, locking him in the space. As always, the Great Ones held their posts on either side of the doors.

'Xelqua.' The Lord started, getting straight to the point. 'Do you know what you have done?'

That alone was enough to make him shiver, even though he was unsure if they even knew the worst of it all. 'W-well... I—' he stuttered, though the Great Ones must have not wanted to hear it. They quickly cut him off.

'You have disobeyed our orders, Xelqua, and have caused great chaos because of it.' They finished. 'Because of your recklessness, Miesall was not able to complete the fate he was created for.'

Ah, so they did know. Xel was tempted to ask how they knew it, but decided it wasn't his place to. There were much important things at hand. He gasped as the Lord let out a sigh, the wind of it so strong that it knocked the Watcher right off of his feet. 'Give us what came of him.'

Grian found himself shaking, having to take a few moments to make sense of the words spoken to him. His hands moved slowly, trying to speak but stumbling over themselves. 'I buried him.'

'Xelqua!' The Great Ones nearly shouted in their silent language. 'Do you know have any idea what you have done?'

Killed his friend, that's what. He didn't tell them that, though.

'Do you remember any of your teachings, boy?' The Lord hissed, reminded of the human that had once stood before him. Perhaps he had been foolish to think that infusing a human with his magic would make him just like any other Watcher. It wasn't even close. 'All Watchers are created from our magic, using it as a life force! When they perish, it is only natural that what is left of them returns to us.'

Xel felt him sink even more than he had before. That's right, he had been taught that. He remembered the Dance of the Great Ones, how it was a representation of how everyone was all connected. That in a way, the Watchers were an extension of the Great Ones. Of course it made sense that they'd absorb their subjects after they died; they were literally their power. Without it being returned, the Great Ones would grow weaker after generations of Watchers passed on, not returning their magic.

'You have committed many foolish actions, starting from disobeying our direct orders.' The Lord continued. 'That alone was worth being sent to the Void. But this...' his hand was shaking in rage. If Xel wasn't the harbinger of destruction, he certainly would've killed him right there for such the amount of sins he had committed.

The Lady placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him so they could stare into each other's presumed eyes (Xel wouldn't know if they had any; he never saw their faces). A silent communication ensued, one without even signage. Having such a clear communication, though there wasn't any kind of movement at all, was nothing short of nerve wracking for the culprit of all that had happened over the past few days.

There was no greater punishment than the Void other than death itself, but they could not kill him. A prolonged Void sentence would just have to do, they supposed. They turned back to their usual stances.

They didn't need to tell Xel his punishment. The lord only moved, pulling his robes just enough to reveal the mouth of the Void itself. A silent instruction that Xel felt within himself all the way to his very bones.

He didn't try to argue; not even within his heart. This was exactly the punishment he deserved for what he had done to his own friend. He didn't bother speaking either, lowering his head like an ashamed dog as he walked over to meet his demise.

~🌤~

Some time later, another Watcher found themselves in the presence of the Great Ones. They kneeled in front of them, head lowered to the ground. They watched as the leaders explained the snowball of errors that the foolish Xelqua had made, most notably his final one. Once they were done explaining it all, the Great Lady finished with a request: 'Symus, you have been in the worlds during the last war. Can we entrust you with the task of retrieving the magic that was buried?'

The Watcher rose to his feet before bowing again. 'But of course, your greatnesses.' he assured. With that, he turned and left to set out on the journey that had been laid out for him.