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Ek Kahani | One Story
Ek tha raja I let out a sigh this was the answer always the same There was a king.
Ek thi rani This was the story of a childhood shared, to be remembered There was a queen.
Dhono mar gaye Only as I got older did I think to question the reason for it Both died.
Khatam Kahani Maybe my mother told me this story for me to fill in the blanks End of Story.
skts fic
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Why Now?
previous episode ↭ next episode (coming maybe)
What had you been when you were alive? You can’t remember.
It had to be some sentient life form. After all, you still remember being alive.
What a weird thing memory is. You remember being something before what you are now but you do not remember what you once were.
You look to the First Guardian.
“Is there a Guardian for Memory?”
The First Guardian glanced at you. How you know they glanced at you, you are unsure but glance they did.
“I don’t make Guardians but as far as I know, one does not exist. You are not the first of Bravery to ask nor will you be the last. Or maybe you will.”
It is in this moment you remember that the universe is fast and there is much unknown. You hold a tidbit of information close to you.
Maybe they meant for you to know, or maybe they did not but what you just learned from the First Guardian was that there had been a Bravery before you and there might be a Bravery after you.
How fascinating.
“Why do you think there might be a Bravery after me?”
The First Guardian paused in their movement but not really. The universe is always moving and yet it felt still in that moment.
“Bravery dies. It is a fact of this universe. That and the fact that sentient life can only exist for so long before it can no longer survive.”
You feel yourself frown.
“Just how tied are the Guardian to life and why am I Bravery now?”
“Those are questions you must answer for yourself. I certainly won’t for you.”
Mother and Father
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Mother Nature was one of the most powerful guardians. Only one matched her power. Father Time. The First Guardian didn't count. They were by far the most powerful and no one compared.
However the First Guardian did not lead the guardians. They had delegated that to their two most powerful guardians. The only time the First Guardian interfered was when a new guardian is formed.
The form Mother Nature took was ever changing as all of the universe's different planets had different environments but her form was also never changing. Father Time was no better with how his age was never constant but always constant.
It was known that one of them always could be found in the atrium outside of their rooms in the House of Guardians.
This is exactly where Death found Mother Nature setting out tea for two. She saw Death and smiled. "I wondered how long it would take you to come visit. Your guilt over the former Bravery still hasn't left you."
Death nodded. They had been required to kill the former Bravery when it was discovered that an illness had taken root causing the being so much pain that the First Guardian ordered Death to relieve the being from existence to be reborn.
Mother Nature signaled for Death to lean in close. "Let me tell you a secret Father Time shared with me. He had seen that the new Bravery would be a catalyst of change among us starting with you."
Death felt confused and Mother Nature could tell. "This Bravery will not fear you and that is where the difference starts."
Void Or Space
previous episode ↭ next episode
You quietly follow the being. They’re still wearing your captain’s face and you don’t understand why. You consider staying silent but they convince you not to with one simple statement.
“You have questions so ask them.”
You have many but only one comes out.
“Who -- no what are you?”
They seem pleased as they answer.
“I am everything yet nothing. I am feared yet I am also loved. All sentient beings attempt to learn my secrets. There are two names I’m often addressed with. If they fear me, I am the Void that the nothingness comes from. If loved, I am Space, where all things exist.”
You stare not fully understanding when you remember something you had discussed initially.
“If I’m not dead than what am I?”
Your Captain’s face looks odd smiling.
“Every sentient being creates civilizations and come up with certain ideals. Universal ideals. Those ideals must have guardians to protect and promote them. It’s one of my rules.”
“Your rules? Why do your rules matter?”
They laugh and your captain’s face disappears. What’s left is an expanse of Black which on careful inspection glitters like the night sky with it’s stars.
“My rules matter because I am the First Guardian. I existed before the universe began and I will continue to exist after it ends.”
You are quite as the pieces begin to fall into place.
“If you’re the First Guardian, then does that make me a Guardian too.”
The First Guardian smiled.
“I do like the smart ones.”
News
previous episode ↭ next episode
Death had finally gotten some peace from the hullabaloo that surrounded them as a guardian.
Of course it didn’t last very long. Death was the quietest of the Guardians which often meant that the louder Guardians would come to them.
In this case, it was Dream on top of their faithful companion the Nightmare. Dream tended to stay in the form of a child and then was no different.
Dream was brimming with an excitement that usually only formed when a dream became a reality.
“Death did you hear the news?”
Death shook their head. They had left before Mother Nature and Father Time had concluded the meeting. There were always new souls to deal with and Death hadn’t been required to stay the entire meeting. They had given their report and then returned to their duties.
Nightmare let out a laugh but she must have decided to let Dream tell the news.
“Should I tell you Death? It’s quite exciting.”
Death let out a breathless sigh. Dream tended to change often and rarely stayed constant and their thoughts were no different. It could take a very long time for one to get information out of Dream but most were not Death. Death’s blunt nature kept Dream from getting off topic as easily.
Dream had started rambling but Death held out a hand to stop them. Death signed, “Tell me this news already. I have much work to do.”
Dream grinned,
“So turns out Bravery finally reformed. We’ll probably have a new Guardian among us soon.”
The Old Monster
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How long have you been alone?
You think you died but at the same time it doesn’t fit with what you’re feeling currently.
Death numbed you. All the ghosts you had ever spoken to have told you so. If numbness was part of death than why did everything hurt so much.
Uneasiness filled you. You craved company yet at the same time enjoyed the fact that you were alone.
“I see you made it safely.”
You startle and look around to see your captain…
“Captain? Aren’t you dead? I know I saw you get eaten.”
“Is that whose form I’ve taken? How fascinating? You must tell me of the life you led before this so that I may understand how you were chosen.”
The being smiled which was odd to see because for as long as you had been part of the crew you had never seen any emotion coming from anyone around you. You had forgotten emotions still existed.
Your attention has strayed and the being know this. They regain your attention with a simple question.
“Are you aware of what has happened to you?”
You pause, “I think I died.”
You look at your captain the being who gives you an incredulous look implying that you were right when you thought something other than death had taken you.
“I don’t know. The last thing I remember is the ship being attacked by some odd monster and rushing out to help the rest of the crew.”
“The old monster will enjoy speaking to you. It’s rare to find one brave enough to attack fear itself. And even rarer to find one who’s able to see it’s true form.”
Fear itself? What did that mean?
Your confusion must have been visible but your companion didn’t bother to explain. All your companion says to you is,
“Welcome to the fold, you’ve been missed Bravery.”
Guardian
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Space was abundant and vicious; overall, the whole endeavor was for the in-between. There was no other way to say it. I thought we were crazy to enter the unexplored parts of that vast nothingness but I said nothing.
I was just a lowly soldier in our beloved Empress’s army and it was the Empress herself who was funding this expedition. Our Empress ruled us wisely and I, like everyone else in her army, was grateful for a chance to serve her.
The captain decided to take all of the crew with him except me for a reason I cannot remember.
I waited patiently for the crew after they left our ship to map the area around us, the silence was stifling.
Suddenly there was pounding on the door. I cautiously made my way to where the entrance was. I looked through the window and had to clasp my hands over my mouth to keep myself from screaming.
There was a great beast stood outside and I could see my fellow crew members trying to get away but their efforts were futile. They were devoured alive.
A rage I had never felt before came over me and I rushed into the emptiness outside in an insane attempt to save them. Whatever possessed me to leave safety was also responsible for turning me into something else.
I had become a guardian of the secrets of this untouched realm and no one will pry those secrets away from me.
