Definitive Collisions: Fire and Ice

Prelude

The winds picked up, and lightning flared across the darkening sky to the west of the Khadin Mountains in Accarundi, which were roughly situated in the middle of the largest continent in the world. His name is Tazendower and he is one of the Guardians of earth. He usually enjoys visiting the high mountains to watch the thunderstorms approach and then to stay for the rain afterward, but not all the storms in the world were natural or indeed pleasant to watch and experience. Some of them were darker, fiercer, and more sinister and deadlier than the other, and those ones were usually the omens of death and destruction. He watched again as a fork of lightning twisted evilly in the distance towards the west, and he knew that the deadly trees, poisonous plants, and electric machines were once again on the move. They were Contador's forces and they usually went wherever the deadly storms went. Contador was his brother and the other Guardian.

He hasn't come to keep watch over the world tonight or indeed to initiate a counter offense. He came there because his mind was set on his course of action, and he needed to make peace with it, which was not an easy thing to do. When it comes to humans, things could go either the right way or the wrong way, and therein lies the problem. He's been protecting them for all the long years, but without much success. Contador would never back down until every one of them, evil or benign, is killed and until every civilisation was destroyed and laid to waste. That was the decision Contador made when Antunari (and humanity) fell from grace, and he hasn't turned left or right from that path. He still recognized that righteous and good-hearted people lived in this world. They did not deserve to die, no matter what others may or may not have done and it was mainly because of them that he would never give up. Humans on the whole were loveable, kind, and caring, but they can be very self-centred and heartless. One could hold them dear to the heart, and yet they could stab you in the back just as easily, and they could bring disaster and ruin on themselves and on the environment. He knew these things well and it was therefore difficult to make a choice.

He gazed down on the towns and villages that were enclosed behind the high walls of the Darkmoon Spire like blossoming flowers in a garden nursery. All was peaceful for the moment and everything was carrying on as it should, but he knew that the peace would not last. None of the citizen here have seen the wars of the past and having cut themselves off from the world they were largely oblivious to the comings and goings of the things outside their own. He understood why they didn't concern themselves with the larger things anymore, but it was foolish nevertheless, for death could come on them in a blink of an eye. If not for the more important task of sufficiently equipping them for the years ahead, he wouldn't have spared a second thought to protect them. Pity that sacrifices will have to be made, but it is what will be needed. He shook his head and sighed deeply.

"Good evening sire" someone greeted him from behind, breaking his reverie. He turned his head and spotted three men walking towards him. They were tall for their kind, and each one came from a different city in Accarundi. Two of them sported beards of varying shapes, colours, and sizes, and the third one was bald.

"And greetings to you Reykin, Hansu and Azeroth," he replied. "You've been following me around like a shadow these days, but I didn't expect you to journey all the way to the top of a mountain, on a night like this" he said. "Why is that I wonder?" He asked them curiously. Reykin spoke up first.

"Begging your pardon sire but knowing the truth and of who you are, I'd say we have nothing to worry about" he replied, sounding completely self-assured and unafraid. He smiled softly, and he cherished the man's confidence in him.

"That won't be the case for very long, but for now, yes, you are right. You're in the safest place you could be," Tazendower said.

"Is it true what you said about the impending disaster and the destruction of humanity?" Hansu asked. His voice was filled with anguish. He briefly looked at him before gazing down to the towns below. These three were the first humans whom he entrusted with the truth, and they were also the first to have seen him in his true form. They weren't perfect, but they have proven themselves trustworthy, pure of heart and true of spirit over the past twenty years and he couldn't have asked for more exceptional people to carry out the most important task in all of history.

"Yes, but only if we fail to act and see to it that the world is properly prepared. It will be your task to see that it is done. The world will also undergo a complete transformation, and many natural things will die out. That is indeed unfortunate, but there's nothing else that can be done about it. I have done all that I can on my part to protect humanity and the world for as long as possible, but I'm afraid my work alone will achieve nothing more. It's been well over a century since the last great battle between Contador and me, but it is time for a different course of action, and from here on, I entrust my power fully and completely to the creatures of this world" he said, looking at them very somberly.

"It's the only move I have left to make, and my only hope is that it won't be in vain. You are to go out into the world and search far and wide for people capable of uniting it against the enemy. I will also tell you how to choose them, for that will be extremely important. If the wrong person is entrusted with my powers, it could spell ruin to us" All three of them frowned and glanced at one another uneasily.

"Sire, what exactly are you talking about?" Azeroth asked. "Are you leaving us?" he asked. He was the youngest of the three, and he had clung to him the most.

"No, my spirit will always be with you and in the very fabric of this world, but I can only do that much," he said. "There is no other way. Can I count on you to see it through to the end?" He asked. They were still too shocked to answer him straight away, but he knew the thoughts in their minds and hearts.

"Do not be afraid and do not be troubled, I will guide you as best I can, and I will still be here as long as humans tread this planet. But, for now, let us go and begin the preparations. We have much to discuss and much to do," he said and led the way when the first lightning cracked close by.