The Secret Of Guardian's Chant

A NEW WORLD IS BORN

The wheel of life keeps spinning, bringing with it cycles of birth and death. Ages come and go, worlds are created and destroyed, and galaxies are born and transformed. And in one such cycle, the world was inhabited by Elves, Dragons and Humans. This world called Edha was made inhabitable by the element - Allinone. Allinone created the atmosphere which enabled life to exist on Edha.

Guardian's Chant On Allinone

Allinone dies when left alone,

But blooms when many become one

When drops of blood mix of the clans,

Elements of Allinone dance

Humans and dragons bonded pair,

Like water, flame, earth and air

Allinone keeps the world in harmony,

Elves form the tune for the symphony

Bonded pair need to be reborn in Brahman fury,

For Allinone to glow in its full glory

Let's find out what this cycle of life had in store for us.

TARO MEETS ARYA

Should he save the human child caught in the trap?

Taro had come to find some solace in the Sullied Land after having a rough day in the Dragon Guardian school. Being a descendant of the disgraced Taro bloodline - insults and bullying was the norm for him at school. He would come to the Sullied Land to find refuge from all the taunting and harassment, as nobody visited these lands anymore. Except for today when his peace had been disturbed by the cries of a human child. Maybe it had lost its way and wandered into an old animal trap. A trap remnant from the days before the Great Battle when Sullied Land was known as the Sacred Land.

The Great Battle changed not only the name of the land but also changed the course of history for Edha. It was a battle in which his forefathers and humans fought each other to prove who was responsible for destroying the Allinone core.

Sacred Land was home to the most important Allinone ore, which kept the world habitable by creating a life-friendly atmosphere. Allinone needed heat to be activated; hence, all ores were found close to a volcano. Brahman volcano was the most active in Edha and, therefore, the most significant source of Allinone. Guardians ensured Allinone was activated at all times - humans and dragons shared the responsibility of protecting Allinone. Until that night when humans destroyed the Allinone, leading to the Great Battle. If it were not for the Elves, humans and dragons would have killed each other long ago. The humans were responsible for the shame he and his family felt for losing Allinone that night, even if they never owned up to the theft. Humans, of course, blamed Dragons for the theft.

The tiny child trapped below him was a descendant of the same human tribe. It looked like a girl child. She was of a pale complexion. Her big blue eyes, red with crying, looked at him curiously. Black hair fell over her shoulders in disarray from the ponytail. The child was too young to realise that she was facing a dragon. He could feel the echoes of his helplessness in the child. The thought that he could just let the child fend for herself in the hole crossed his mind, but he also knew that he would not be able to sleep at night. One of the reasons why he could never get ahead in school. He was too empathetic and sensitive to be a guardian.

So, he shook his scales, picked up the child, and set her on the ground. She seemed more curious than scared of him. And Taro was a grown dragon even if he was considered a youngling given the long lifespan of dragons. He was towering over her with his snout sending tiny wisps of smoke. She pointed them at with glee. She touched a moon-shaped scrape on her cheek and then raised her little finger to touch his nose where a stray branch had cut him and said - ‘ouch’. He smiled despite the situation, picked her up gently between his claws, and dropped her closer to the Human Guardian School.

ARYA AND TARO SHINE THEIR LIGHT

Before the Great Battle, there was only one Guardian school. It was situated at the base of the Brahman volcano in Sullied Land. The guardians were a chosen few to ensure Allinone was always activated. Nobody could apply to be a guardian - it was a calling, not a selection. The humans and dragons studied at the same school, and selected ones went on to protect the Allinone. The protection techniques were lost at the Great Battle with the death of Arya’s and Taro’s ancestors. All that was left was the Guardian’s Chant. Now, there were two schools, one for dragons and one for humans. The schools were supposed to produce warriors who could protect Allinone. But with no Allinone core and Elves figuring out a way out of the dwindling Allinone reserves, each school was primarily focused on how to harm the other.

Arya and Taro were the top students in their schools.

Arya was a natural student. She could instinctively figure out how to attack dragons with the least effort but inflict maximum damage. It was like she knew the inside of a dragon’s mind. Her teachers loved her and sincerely hoped she would bring pride to the human clan. Arya could not explain how she knew, but when she saw something, her mind would naturally know what to do next.

Taro’s luck had changed since he rescued Arya. Maybe he had needed a brush with the enemy to awaken the scholar and warrior in him. He was able to recall historical events with much clarity. His teachers were amazed at his insights into human weaknesses. And most importantly, his peers looked up to him. He was touted as the dragon who would clear their name and bring honor back to the dragon clan.

DUEL IS ANNOUNCED

‘What do you mean Allinone is dwindling at a faster rate?’ asked Randhir.

Since the Great Battle, the Allinone reserves had been dwindling. Elves had taken over the management of the reserves from dragons and humans. And this position enabled them to govern Edha, as whoever protected Allinone had the most power. But with no core and no guardians, they could not figure out the protection techniques. However, Elves had figured out that every time a skirmish broke out between the dragons and humans, the Allinone levels would go up a little. Hence, they made sure the fights continued and never squashed them completely. But, despite the skirmishes, the reserves were still going down. And that’s why an emergency meeting had been called by the elder elf - Randhir. Elves were known as shapeshifters, so it was hard to gauge their age. The stars on their green robes determined their seniority. Randhir had four stars on the robe - the highest of any elf.

Naresh, who had three stars, said, ‘Maybe we announce a duel this time. A duel to the death.’ The other members looked at each other. One member spoke up, ‘How would that help us?’ Randhir looked around at the table and said, ‘We all know that our largest increase in the reserve was after the Great Battle. Skirmishes have helped but nowhere close to the Battle Levels. So, if we could simulate the Great Battle, maybe the reserves will return to the same level?’

The table erupted with multiple conversations at once. Who would take care of the champions? How would we arrange the duel for a seamless transition? What will happen after the fight?

Randhir cleared his throat, and others fell silent. He stood up and said, ‘We have been through this before. We will follow the same protocol. Naresh and I have been through the Great Battle before and know what to do.’

He looked at the scribe and said, ‘Let it be known that we will have a Duel of Champions to Death in a fortnight at the Old Guardian School.’

TREACHERY IN THE RANKS

In some bizarre way, Arya was having a deja vu when Randhir introduced her to Taro - her opponent for the duel. A grown dragon with grey scales and blue eyes. He was towering over her with his snout sending tiny wisps of smoke. Arya pushed that feeling aside to focus on the rules of the duel that Randhir was explaining.

The Morning of the duel, they were expected to arrive in this room where the guards would ensure nobody contacted them. From here, they would proceed to the arena in the Old Guardian School. This would be a fight to the death. Any of them could request one break during the fight. They cannot interact with the audience at any time - to do so would be to forfeit the duel. Randhir and Naresh will be their contact person for the entire time. Randhir looked at them and asked, 'Any questions?'. They both shook their heads and retired to their quarters.

Taro was walking through the halls of the Guardian School. He wanted to take a walk and clear his mind before the duel. Randhir and Naresh had introduced them briefly last night. Arya was so puny that Taro was convinced she wouldn't last a few seconds on the battlefield.

There were depictions of humans and dragons training together before the Great Battle. There was one scene where a dragon and a human stood at the volcano's edge. And, of course, the guardian's chant was also etched on the wall.

He was about to head back when he heard some voices from the adjoining room. The door to the room was slightly ajar. He could see Arya through there, talking animatedly to an Elf. He moved closer to see what they were talking about. 'So, if you use this technique, I can assure you Taro stands no chance. This is the arena's layout, which should give an upper hand.' Arya said something, but he could not hear it as blood rushed into his ears. This is how humans had killed his ancestors - through treachery. And Elves were in cahoot with humans. He strode to the main room, plotting how to end Arya quickly in the arena.

REVELATION

‘Why don’t you use the tip the Elf gave you this morning? Coward,’ sneered Arya.

Arya’s tunic was dripping with sweat. They had been duelling for most of the day, and none of them could get the upper hand. It was like Taro knew exactly what move she was going to make even though she herself did not know. The crowd had been cheering or booing at the beginning, but after almost three hours of stalemate, they had grown silent. She had been livid this morning when she had seen an Elf giving Taro secret tips and vowed to kill him immediately in the arena. And at this point, she was wondering if he was toying with her. And she could not hold it in anymore and blurted her question to Taro.

She sensed genuine surprise in Taro’s eyes and was even more surprised at his response. ‘Why don’t you - trickster? You were the one Elf showed the arena layout and feeding secret tips.’ She lost her footing, and Taro’s sword scraped her cheek. And she cried out, ‘Ouch’. The moon-shaped scar on her cheek turned crimson as blood oozed out of it. The dragons gave a huge roar while humans shouted encouragement. And amongst all of this, Taro asked for a break.

Elf Guards took them to their room, where they waited for Randhir and Naresh to arrive.

‘Now, I know why you looked so familiar. You are the toddler from Sullied Land’, said Taro, more to himself.

‘Have we met before?’ asked Arya.

‘It was after I met you that my luck changed at school. And I changed from useless to champion. But, Why? Taro stared at Arya intently.

‘He is losing his mind,’ thought Arya.

‘No, I am not. You are the one who saw me with an Elf, supposedly’, shot back Taro.

‘Wait, I think I know…’ Arya was cut short by the entry of Randhir and Naresh into the room.

‘So, why did you ask for a break? Dragon champion - Taro’, asked Randhir as he and Naresh sat on the chairs.

Taro said, ‘Honoured Sirs, I wanted to let you know that something is afoot, and we should probably cancel the duel.’

Randhir and Naresh looked at each other and indicated that he should continue.

‘Arya and I both saw each other talking to an Elf who was giving us tips and giving us the layout for the arena. When in reality, both of us know we did not encounter any elf this morning. Somebody is trying to sabotage the duel’, said Taro, proud of his deduction.

Arya gave a frustrated groan on his side.

Randhir and Naresh started laughing. Naresh laughed so hard that he had to wipe tears from his eyes. Randhir held out his hand and said, ‘Well, you are definitely smarter than your ancestors. They didn’t catch on till the end.’

‘What do you mean?’ asked a bewildered Taro.

Naresh explained how - Elves wanted to be the sole powerful clan on Edha and hence wanted to control Allinone. But, the guardians at that time - Arya and Taro’s grandfathers refused to reveal the protection techniques to Elves stating that there was darkness in them. Elves devised a plan and used their shape-shifting ability to sow distrust and suspicion between the two clans. And then Elves stole the Allinone. They convinced dragons and humans that the other party had stolen it. But Arya and Taro’s grandfather refused to believe they were traitors and wanted to investigate more. So, Elves captured them both, took their shapes and led their clans into the Great Battle. At the Great Battle - Randhir and Naresh, in their human and dragon form, killed each other - blaming the other party for the theft.

Randhir concluded the story by saying,’ You are cleverer than those idiots because they only realised when they were dying of torture that we were responsible for the Great Battle. It’s a pity they preferred death to reveal the secrets of Protecting Allinone. Because of their stubborn sense of loyalty, we have the Allinone core but cannot activate it.

Naresh clapped his hands and said, ‘But, they did not die in vain as their deaths increased the Allinone power for some time at least.’ The guards came into the room and pointed spears at Arya and Taro.

’And why are you telling us all this?’ asked Taro.

‘Because they are going to kill us when the duel is over so that Allinone reserves increase like Great Battle’, said Arya.

Naresh chuckled and said, ‘Now, your only job is to stay alive as long as we shape-shift into you. We pretending to be you will go out in the arena - kill Arya and Taro in front of the audience. And ensure that the Allinone reserves do not dwindle while we remain in power.’

With that, they both shifted into exact replicas of Arya and Taro and walked out to the arena.

Battle Unto Death

Arya and Taro listened to the Guardian's chant, played when the champions entered the arena. The chant was played three times before the beginning of the duel.

Allinone dies when left alone,

But blooms when many become one

'If you had only listened to me - I would have told you it's the Elves who are responsible for the charade this morning', replied Arya.

'How did you know that?' asked Taro.

'Because there is nobody else here in the Sullied Land', Arya replied with a smirk.

When drops of blood mix of the clans,

Elements of Allinone dance

Taro looked at the guards and said, 'We are going to die, right. That's why they are not telling us to keep quiet.'

Arya sighed and said, 'It's because we are not talking out aloud. We are a bonded pair. We can sense each other.'

Humans and dragons bonded pair,

Like water, flame, earth and air

'That explains a lot - ouch moment, duelling champions. So, what do we do now? We cannot wait for them to come back and kill us, said Taro.

Allinone keeps the world in harmony,

Elves form the tune for the symphony

'That is why we are going to escape to the arena and reveal Elves' facade.' said Arya.

Arya and Taro discussed their plan as the chant continued to play.

Bonded pair need to be reborn in Brahman fury,

For Allinone to glow in its full glory

Arya and Taro were standing at the edge of the Brahman Volcano. Their plan had worked, but not as they had hoped. Taro had cut through the chains. And they had overpowered the guards as planned. But en route to the arena, more elf guards had chased them away from the arena towards Brahman.

The Elves had surrounded Arya and Taro, blocking their way of escape. Arya and Taro were trapped between the crater and Elves, who were edging closer to them.

Arya said, 'The only out is through. I do not think we have any other choice. We will not be able to clear our ancestors' names.'

Taro agreed and responded, 'At the very least, Edha will survive for a few more decades with an increase in the Allinone reserves.'

Elves were about to capture them when Arya and Taro jumped into the crater singing the Guardian's chant.

A NEW WORLD IS BORN

The arena was in utter chaos. Randhir and Naresh had continued to fight with gusto when suddenly their shapes dropped away, revealing their true selves. Several of the dragons and humans had jumped into the arena. They surrounded Elves while others were keeping the Elf guards at bay.

The crowd was trying to get to Randhir and Naresh. The only thing that kept them from being beaten at the crowd's mercy was the human and dragon elders.

Somebody from the audience shouted, 'We should have never trusted shapeshifters. God knows how many of us they have cheated.'

Another said, 'History repeats itself - maybe they are also responsible for the Great Battle?'

Naresh snarled at the crowd and said, 'If you want Taro and Arya, let us go alive, and we will return them to you.' The crowd became silent at that.

Arya's mom stepped up with tears in her eyes and said quietly, 'Liars. We know that shape-shifting fails if the shape owners are dead.'

With that, the crowd lost control, and they started hitting on Naresh and Randhir when a sudden gust of wind caused everybody to pause. And to their surprise - Taro was flapping his wings above the crowd with Arya on his back.

Taro and Arya had understood that the secret of protecting Allinone lies in the chant. They had experienced it through their first meeting, connection and rite of passage through Brahman volcano. Together they restored Brahman Guardian School to its glory days. The duel changed the Sullied Land back to the Sacred Land and the course of history. They realised that Allinone requires everybody to live in unity, including the Elves. So, humans, elves and dragons continue to live on Edha peacefully because Allinone stands for All-In-One.

The wheel of life continues to spin, bringing with it cycles of birth and death.

**THE END**

GUARDIAN CHANT EXPLAINED

Guardian's Chant On Allinone

Allinone dies when left alone,

But blooms when many become one

(Allinone will die if there is no unity but is activated when all beings are united)

When drops of blood mix of the clans,

Elements of Allinone dance

(For Allinone to be activated, there has to be a mixing of blood in some manner. Like the ouch moment or in skirmishes or in Great Battle)

Humans and dragons bonded pair,

Like water, flame, earth and air

(To become a guardian of Allinone, human and dragon had to bond through the mixing of blood)

Allinone keeps the world in harmony,

Elves form the tune for the symphony

(Allinone's purpose is to keep the world united, and Elves' role is to strengthen that unity)

Bonded pair need to be reborn in Brahman fury,

For Allinone to glow in its full glory

(For proper activation of Allinone - bonded pair has to pass through the Volcano and emerge. As their breath combines with Volcano flames, Allinone becomes life-friendly)