Chapter 536: A Guardian’s Observations
The Guardian of the Sylvan was a man of few words. Since young he had shown prowess in the paths of steel and hunting. When he came of age his magic awakened and it was made clear that he had inherited his mother’s prodigious talent. Although many showered Arden with praise and gifts, he spent little time with such people, or with any people for that matter. There was little they could offer that held his interest.
The Sylvan paths came easy to him, whether it was the path of the Hunter, the Warrior, or the Shaman, he excelled in every single one of them. As a youth the Mothers of the tribe were already preparing him to be the next chieftain of the Frost Whisper Tribe, there were even talks about him becoming the next Guardian.
To any other goblin such a title would be the greatest honor any of them could dream of, but to Arden it had only seemed to be expected. The only two who could hope to match his rising power were Aurelia of the Blood Fang and his fellow tribemate, Lumi. Aurelia ‘The Blooded’ in particular had piqued his interest. She was a prime mage and apprenticed to Sabina, the First Mother of the Celestial. Even more, she was favored by the Mother Moon.
If anyone could understand what it felt like to be set apart, regarded as the greatest of talents, mounted with a sea of expectations, it was Aurelia. If anyone knew how it felt to be so alone at the peak of power, it had to be her. Or so he thought.
That day, 21 years ago, Arden had met true power. A pale youth with a mirthful smirk. He had waltzed into Evenfall without a care in the world and defeated the guards and warriors with barely so much as a glance. Arden had rushed to the aid of his brothers and sisters, but no matter what spell or technique he used, they all fell short. Not a single attack had reached the stranger.
Arden had been left bewildered. For a prodigy who had never once struggled, to have been brought so low would have bruised his ego, but it was the look in the stranger’s eyes that broke him. Not once had those lilac eyes glanced at him. Arden was in line to be named the Guardian of the Sylvan and yet this stranger had not once considered him worthy of his attention.
This was a man— no, this was no man, but a harbinger sent by fate to humble Arden. He wanted another chance, a chance to learn more about the power wielded by this stranger to who even the Lunar Elect paid deference. But the stranger only had eyes for Aurelia and soon enough he even had the young priestess wrapped around his finger. And then just like a storm, he disappeared as quickly as he had arrived.
When Arden asked around no one knew of his departure. Even the Lunar Elect refused to approach the matter. Aurelia had left Evenfall soon after, leaving Arden with nothing to go off.
A bitter defeat was the only memory left to him, until the day the son of Ivory and Aurelia had walked into Evenfall. He was as arrogant as his father, but where Ivory was aloof, Stryg had the short temper of his mother. Arden felt like he was in a waking dream as he watched this boy bend the will of the Elects to his side. And then the impossible, Lunae had emerged from her seclusion and had declared him her Chosen.