In this text you will see the word Guardian used many times. You might be looking at this word and thinking, “Golly, what’s a Guardian?” A Guardian is a protector, and a very important one at that. Guardians are born to safeguard our world’s heroes, the Paladins. Don’t worry; we’ll get to them later.

From the day you were born, you were destined to protect another. It may sound overwhelming at the moment, but always remember that you are stronger than you think. You must do everything in your power to protect this person, for they are our only hope. You must safeguard their future and keep them safe, for one day they will keep us all safe. It will be trying, and it will be hard, but you’ll find that it was all worth it in the end. Remember this quote: “Carry on my wayward son. There will be peace when you are done,” by William Shakespeare.

Every Guardian is granted a set of powers when they have passed inspection. Once your year of general studying is finished, you will be inspected and searched by Healers, who will decide if you are fit to be an official Guardian. If chosen, they will also unlock your abilities. To start with, you will be granted Precognition, or the ability to see premonitions. This power will allow you to better protect your Paladin from dangers. Then, once you and your Paladin have been linked, you will receive another ability that is akin to your Paladin. This ability, Inspection- more commonly known as Searching- allows you to connect on a more mental level. With this you can cure your Companion of certain illnesses ranging anywhere between a headache and a coma. In some rare cases, this ability can also bring telepathic elements and let Companions speak and share feelings mentally. A Guardian will only receive their final power(s) in the face of ultimate danger. Meaning, if you and your Paladin are drawn into war, you will be granted abilities to better protect your Companion. These powers have an extensive range and are unknown until they are bestowed onto a Guardian.

In the previous chapter, we mentioned the word Paladin a lot. Paladins are heroic figures that are born unto us in the case that another war shall begin. Paladins are born ignorant to our world, thus making them vulnerable. That’s where Guardians come in. Once you have been accepted, you must watch over your Paladin, acting as a sort of angel to protect them.

One day, and on their terms, you and your Paladin will be Sealed, and they will unlock their powers. Just as a Guardian could obtain powers in the face of extreme dangers, Paladin’s powers are unique to the individual and could consist of virtually anything. They will also be granted general knowledge, such as the fact that you are their protector and what that entails. After a Sealing, it is your job to broaden their knowledge and teach them about our world. They must be informed in the case that an untimely conflict arises and they must defend themselves and others.

As a Guardian, you must swear yourself to the protection of your Paladin by taking the Oath of Protection. Only after taking the Oath can you be inspected for Guardianship. This Oath, which you could be taking soon, consists of a few different elements.

First off, besides your mental training, which you should be going through now, you will have to pass a physical test. This test will examine your stamina, strength, and endurance. You will have to go through a sort of obstacle course and complete with a score of at least 15. If you cannot complete the course with a high enough score, you will need to move onto the prerequisite course before you can retake the main course. You cannot become a Guardian until you’ve passes the main course.

Once you’ve passes the obstacle, must go through cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. A usual training period takes an hour to two hours. You must have a Healer sign off that you have completed your CPR training before moving on the next portion of the Oath.

Next, you must take the Blind Fear test. For this, you will be placed in an enclosed area with a blindfold. You will then have to move to the other end of the space while conquering a set of 3 most common fears, as well as an added fear- which ever you find most daunting. This is the portion most Guardians in Training fail at. However, if you pass, you will then have only one more step before your inspection.

The last part of the Oath, is the actual Oath. You will be called into the main courthouse- directions will be presented to you upon completion of tasks- and you will be asked to make your vow. You will be asked to place your hand on the Sword of Mogul’s blade and repeat the words fed to you by the Superior in attendance. If you speak with candor, and truly believe what you are saying to be true, the blade will glow a dull blue. It is then that you will be inspected and, most likely, titled Guardian.

Completing the Oath is the most important think a Guardian will do, for it is only then that you can begin sheltering your Paladin. Once you have made your vow, it is imperative that it not be broken. If, by some unfortunate occurrence, your Oath is rendered, a punishment deemed fit by the Superior who gave you your Guardianship will be bestowed upon you. This punishment will include being stripped of your Guardianship, as well as a possibility of other penalties such as removal of abilities, memory swipe, or even exile to Oust Island.

If anything unruly occurs during Guardian training, or if you do not pass inspection, you will be marked as a Miss. Being a Miss simply means that you cannot become a Guardian, or in the case that you were a Guardian and rendered your Oath, that you can never be one again. As a Miss, you do have the opportunity to become an Observer, in which case you would be helping Guardians watch over Paladin by working in public places such as schools and work offices.

A Paladin is born with a specific Guardian in mind for them, and if everything goes accordingly with the Oath, one day the two will become Sealed.

A Sealing, or Bonding, takes place after a Paladin and their Guardian have had a proper meeting, meaning besides simple protection; a meeting that is meant to create a sort of friendship between the two. This could be at any point in their lives, and once they’ve had had this formal introduction, a link starts to form between the two, even before the Sealing.

As previously stated, a Paladin is born with a specific Guardian arranged for them, which is based on the personality of their souls. This creates a bond in its own; Companionship. A Guardian will discover the identity of their Companion and Paladin when their Precognitive abilities set in, but a Paladin will still be blind. That is why the Sealing must occur on their time.

Once your Paladin gets used to being around you, and settles themselves on their feelings toward you, they will begin to realize the full potential of those feelings. This takes about five outings of sorts for the Paladin to become completely comfortable with their Paladin. If their bond is stronger, however, the process won’t take as long. The shortest duration to date was in 1923, holding the record with two outings. The outings can basically be any time spent between the two Companions where they are relatively alone.

Finally, the time comes when a Paladin’s feelings toward their Guardian take over and they are ready to be bound. What happens next is, you guessed it, the Sealing.

Sealings are sacred and can only occur if the two Companions are utterly alone. The details of a Sealing are completely secret and must remain so; to speak of the intimacies of a Sealing is to break the spiritual bond between you and your Paladin. Doing so can rupture the link between Companions and result in a series of punishments, once again deemed reasonable by the Superior.

I am unable to share the moments of my own Sealing with you to help ease your mind, but I can tell you that this is one thing you should not fear. A Sealing is an enchanting experience. It will be an experience to cherish forever.

Guardians have been in the world for centuries, dating as far back as 1500 BC. As seen in the image below, cave dwellers have recorded a sighting of one of our people performing what back then was considered magic or sorcery. This person seems to have been a fire manipulator.

Since those days, we our people have accomplished many victories. For instance, John Smith, galaxy-famous time traveler, has been saving us from dangers since the day humanity began. He has devoted every day of his life to saving our world and others from mass extinction. His Paladin, however, has long since gone. She was able to dimensionally travel, but unfortunately, she got stuck in an alternate reality and he hasn’t seen her since.

Another well-known Guardian was Jane Austen, who in the 1960’s, invented the world’s first computer.

Unfortunately, we’ve also had our share of battles throughout the years. The first war of our people lasted a mere four hours, but there were many casualties. “It felt like we were there for days,” survivor of the war, Dean Winchester said. “People kept falling like rain drops. All I could think about the whole time was, ‘keep Sammy safe.’” Sammy was Dean’s brother, who was also caught up in the war. Both brothers were Paladins and fought side by side with their Guardians, all thankfully surviving.

The battle begun on August 23, 1956 at about 1:30 in the afternoon, lasting until 5 o’clock. About 320 people were reported dead that night. The battle was rough, the enemy being other worldly. We lost many brave men and women that day, ones who will never be forgotten. “Lots of blood was shed that day, but in the end Lilith perished with the rest of the demons,” said Dean’s Guardian, Castiel.

Our second war took place a few years ago on December 7, 1995 and lasted two days. Far less died in this battle, though some consider it to have been more brutal than the previous. Unlike the first war, this one occurred solely between our people.

A group of Guardians who were tired of being forced to protect another spoke out to the Superiors, telling them how they refused to look after their Paladin any longer. The Superiors told them that it was their destiny, that they had to protect their Companions from harm. Angry, the group rebelled. They set up a plan and in a group massacre, killed their Paladin. When the Superiors arrived moments later, the group attacked them as well. When others heard about what was happening, they joined their favored side and fought along. The group was led by Louis Holman and Peter McGowan, who called their group the Eradicates.

According to those in the battle, their friends Gerard Martin, Lawrence Sears, and Neal Witt were also a part of their gang, as well as miscellaneous Misses calling themselves Chasers. It was said that in the last moments of the battle, there was a blinding light and an earth shaking explosion. Once the smoke had cleared and the light extinguished, the band of Eradicates were gone.

There hasn’t been another war since then, and the Eradicates haven’t been seen since. However, it has been written that another war shall occur. The Superiors long ago depicted a prophecy that spoke of three battles with bloodshed before peace could be obtained. We are unaware at this moment of when it will happen, so you must be skilled and ready on the off chance it happens in your lifetime.

As previously told, there are others in our world besides Guardians and Paladins. Misses, for instance, and Healers. The Superiors are also obviously very important. Observers also move among us. Another group is the Guardians Keepers. It’s the Guardians Keeper’s duty to make sure the Guardians are on track and keeping their Paladin safe. There are a lot of Keepers, one per county. They were put into action after the second war to ensure a new group doesn’t rebel against their responsibilities. Guardians Keepers also help the Guardians with anything they need as a sort of mentor or parental extension. Keepers should meet up with the Guardians in their area regularly to discuss any topics at hand that pertain to them personally or their Paladin. You should trust your Keeper and respect him/her. They are only here to help.

Bonding: see Sealing
Chaser: a group of Misses who fought alongside the Eradicates during the second war
Companion: Another word for Paladins and Guardians, signifying their everlasting relationship and nearly unbreakable bond.
Eradicates: band of Guardians in the 1990s who rebelled against their link and started the second war
Guardian: person born to protect a Paladin. They have to go through a set of training to be granted Guardianship. Guardians have Precognition and once Sealed they acquire the power to Inspect.
Guardians Keeper: In charge of the Guardians in their county. Must oversee any problems they have and report regularly to the Superiors.
Healer: the closest thing out world has to a doctor. They are able to sift through your mind and conduct Inspections in able to diagnose any problems you have and correct them immediately.
Inspection: ability to search someone’s mind by place your hands on their temples and using your energy to tap into their mind.
Miss: anyone who has been deemed unfit to be a Guardian
Oath of Protection: Oath that all Guardians must take before becoming a Guardian. Consists of a series of acts and pledges that swear their allegiance to the one they are meant to protect.
Observer: Observers are those who have the Sight, but cannot be a Guardian or a Paladin. Observers are able to detect Guardians and Paladins in order to keep a watchful eye on them to ensure their safety. Observers are also seen as an extension of Guardians, keeping an eye on their Paladin when circumstances leave them unavailable. However, this extension is not a permanent one. Only meant to watch over Paladins for a short period of time. They do not replace Guardians.
Oust Island: Island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where law breakers can be exiled if their crimes are terrible enough. They conduct punishments that are said to be less than orthodox, but there has never been proof. Opened in 1874.
Paladin: person Guardian is meant to protect. They are ignorant to our world until their Sealing, at which point they gain general knowledge and certain abilities. They are our world’s defenders.
Sealing: The most important moment in a Guardian and Paladin’s relationship. A Sealing is a sacred moment between Companions when their souls become bonded for eternity. To speak of the intimacies of a Sealing is to compromise the link and can result in a series of punishments depending on the severity of the link’s destruction.
Searching: see Inspection
Superior: The hierarchy of our world. The Superiors chose who will be the Guardians of the Paladins who have been chosen centuries ago. Their word is to be taken as law. Disrespecting a Superior can result in an array of punishments. Superiors don’t meet with anyone until after a Sealing. Only other case to meet with a Superior is if a law has been broken.