Polaris limped for weeks, blood dripping from his wounded body. The heat radiating from body was the only thing keeping him awake. Unknown to him, he'd crossed into the Forbidden Lands days ago. He reached a structure, his mind fading quickly. "N-eed to...."
He collapsed on the steps unconscious, unaware of being within someone's gaze. Invisible steps came closer to him, a stranger hum buzzed in the air, when a metallic hand poked at him. A being made of metal revealed himself. It's red eye stared down at the unconscious hero. It picked up Polaris and carried him into what was known as a "Battle Tower".
"I shall test your character once you awaken.... Although, these injuries.... I shall fix them." Said the being in a low, raspy, mechanical voice
Two days passed as the metallic being watched over Polaris. Sudden Polaris jolted awake. He was in a strange place, wrapped in strange bandages. "Hello?" He called out. Nobody responded, the Tower was seemingly empty. He stood up and looked around, there was treasure and chests around him. He walked up to the first chest, but something more valuable caught his eye glinting from the top of the tower through the various broken floor holes. As he climbed the damaged stairs, there it was. A single book, floating before him. However, this wasn't an ordinary book. The metallic being watched him, his metallic hands no longer gentle, but now armored spikes, ready to kill the young hero.
However, the book began interacting with Polaris's solar energy, trying to drain it into the book. Polaris's response to the cursed book caught the being's attention. Rather than fire an attack at it, Polaris reversed the flow of energy. The book was now giving him not only energy but knowledge.
The being's red eye trembled at sight of of this. Such an intense intake of energy threatened to reveal his location.
"So are you going to kill me, or just stand there watching me?" Said Polaris with his back turned to the being. The metallic being revealed himself. Polaris kept a straight face, but he was nonetheless scared. This wasn't a golem, rather a Guardian... A Battle Tower Guardian at that. It was in attack mode, and far bigger than the texts the monks had him look over described.
"You maintain your courage even when face to face with the very being that has culled millions of trespassers within this very tower."
"My heart and soul will not be overcome by a mere show of bravado Guardian. Not to mention, I know it was you who fixed my injuries."
"So you were awake."
"No, I am the living embodiment of the North Star. It sees what I see, even if I was to become unconscious."
"A.... Living..... Star." The being approached Polaris and stretching out its metallic had. The heat from Polaris's body indicated he was telling the truth.
"I see you speak the truth Celestial. Tell me, were you responsible for the blast over the Meta's Kingdom?"
"Yes, I am. I am also the son of the former tyrant of that Kingdom. I am Polaris Winters."
The being let out a metallic screech and backed away from him. "Have you too come to enslave me?"
Polaris was startled not by the noise, but by the fear the being in. That's when he saw it. Stuck in the side of its neck, was a control pulse device. A technology made by his father to subvert the wills of beings thought of as lesser.
"Stand still."
"COME NO CLOSER!"
The being sliced open Polaris's arm, but that didn't stop him. He entered his Celestial form and plunged his hand into the device. The being, stared at him uneasily, then Polaris ripped the device out of the beings neck. As he did, he caught glimpse of a symbol branded onto the being's curved metal neck.
"You're an "Eudaemon"" Said Polaris.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"
"Eudaemon, means Guardian Spirit or Deity."
"I-I haven't heard those words since.... well since the Elder Guardian branded me."
The Guardian's red eye had turned blue, full of what only could be described as a sky full of stars. The Guardian kneeled before Polaris. "For you have freed me, and I am in your debt."
"Nonsense, you saved my life, think nothing of it."
"No. I want to serve you."
Polaris was going to say no when three ghostly figures appeared to him.
"Wait... I know you three somehow."
"Well you should, after all, we're...."
"The Celestials known as Luna, Sol and and...."
"Alpha Centauri."
The red ghost unfolded his arms and glared at Polaris.
"I have live over ten-thousand life times, and mastered almost everything the world had to offer me. So listen well. That Guardian isn't a normal Guardian. That is what I called, "Chosen Loyalists". That Guardian isn't simply asking you to make it a slave, no, they believe in freedom of choice, just as you do. This one here is even more special, for he is an Eldereich Guardian. Better put, he is the Guardian leader. Take his offer, allow him to serve you."
The Ghost's vanished as quickly as they'd appeared, with the exception of Luna.
"Do you have a name Eldereich Guardian?"
"Spirit of the Moon, no my lady."
"Polaris, you are to call him.... Gardos. Gardos, arise and the both of you shall be branded with new symbols. Together, form a more perfect world, one bound by heroes and the strength of brotherhood."
As the two stood, lunar rune magic symbols were inscribed on both their souls. Then Luna vanished. Gardos and Polaris made their way down the tower to find two other Guardians kneeling outside.
"Friends of yours Gardos?"
"Yes, meet Guardians Scarecrow and Cerberus."
They both stood and Scarecrow spoke. "We eagerly await your command, Celestial Polaris."
"We need to find a town."
"Follow us." Said Scarecrow.
The four crossed the forbidden lands and reached a town on the outskirts of the Forbidden Zone. There seems to be some scuffle going on. As the four made their way towards the commotion, all the guardians cloaked, Scarecrow retracted his third arm and Gardos combined his four arm into just one as to appear more human-like. Cerberus kept all six of his arms out and stayed in his offensive mode. As they reached the center, there were drunken human adventurers kicking the shit out of skeleton.
"Don't you know monsters are welcome in our town!"
"YEA! BREAK HIS RIBS!"
As Polaris stepped forwards, the skeleton slowly looked up, revealing a necklace. Polaris shoved the adventurers off of the skeleton. "Fog.... is that you?"
"My lord.... you have come to my rescue."
"HEY! THAT WALKING CORPSE IS OURS TO KILL!"
An adventurer drew his swords, only to be met by Cerberus revealing himself along with the other two, all in attack mode.
Cerberus marched slowly up to the adventurer, and in an almost demonic, bloodcurdling tone spoke to the adventurer. "Raise your pathetic blade against my master...." Just when Cerberus's voice was thought not to get any scarier, he split it into demonic and demented. ""I will gut you like the worthless sack of flesh you are. You think you're tough? I've slaughtered hordes of unspeakable creature that would cave your skull in with their insanity alone." Cerberus grabbed the man by the face and lifted him into the air. Cerberus standing straight up was around twelve feet tall, and six feet tall in his human-like form. The citizens shook in fear staring at Cerberus's metallic, vine tendril-like muscles of all six of his arms.
"I will rip the brain from your skull..... LET HIM GO, NOW!" Commanded Cerberus, beginning to squeeze the adventurer's face.
The other adventurers rushed away from Fog, but were boxed in by the crowd, with Scarecrow and Gardos growling metallically at them. Polaris helped Fog up and dusted him off. "What happened to you Fog?"
"It's a long story sir....."