And when he falls, he falls alone.
His mother's words were still with him.
Even so, he'd never been one to conform. But all that had done was prove to him how wise and right his mother had been. In the end, he had died alone and he was tired.
Then and now.
He cleared his throat. "So you'll have to forgive me my ignorance."
"A wise man never argues a mother's decision for her child. Not unless he wants to face her claw, and there is nothing sharper than a mother defending her young."
Jess definitely concurred with that.
"You probably want to put me on speaker so that Abigail can hear it, too."
"All right." Jess pulled the phone back to comply. "We're here."
Abigail frowned.
"At the beginning of time when the Code of Order was being established, the First Guardian locked away all the evil he'd found in the world. Things that had been created by the Dark One for no other purpose than to plague man and hurt him. The First Guardian knew that mankind wasn't strong enough to fight it. So he banished it all to the West Lands where the sun lay down on that evil every night and kept it weak."
Ren paused. "But Evil is always resilient and ever resourceful. In time, it bred with Father Sun, and a tiny piece escaped to find an embittered warrior whose heart was blackened by jealousy over his own brother. He took the evil into him and was seduced by its promise that if he hurt others enough, their pain would make him stronger and drive his pain away. It succored him like a lover, and he embraced its insanity with everything he had. And so he went on a killing rage, and he consumed the lands until he ruled all from his bloodied fists."
"The Grizzly Spirit," Jess said quietly. He knew this legend from Choo Co La Tah.
Ren continued. "His war brought him to the realm of the Guardian, and the two of them fought for a year and a day-a battle so violent, it left a permanent scar on Mother Earth."
The Grand Canyon. It was said the red color came from the blood of the wounds they'd given to each other while they fought.
"Finally, the warrior made a mistake and the Guardian was able to pin him down. He stripped the evil from the warrior, but it was too late. They had sweated and bled so much over that year on the earth that the very fabric of Mother Earth's gown, the granules of sand that carry man on his life's journey, was saturated with it and forever stained by it. There was no way to take all the evil back or to make her gown white again. The damage was done."
"What did he do?"
Jess smiled at the way Abigail was completely absorbed by the tale.
"The Guardian realized his mistake. There was no way to keep evil locked away forever. It's as pure an essence as good, and like good, it can't be denied or held back. And as Night and Day divide the sky between them, so must good and evil divide the world. Only then can there be balance and harmony for humans. Only then can there be any semblance of peace. So the Guardian banished the Grizzly Spirit that had infected the warrior and locked it behind the West Land Gate so that it could rage without harming man. He then took from Mother Earth eight jars to hold the plagues that had helped the Dark One escape and sealed them with his tears so that they could never again be used by the Grizzly. Those jars, he turned over to four Guardian protectors. North. South. East. West. The strongest corners of the earth who could be called on to defend should the West Gate ever be opened. Two of those Guardians were ruled by the Dark and two ruled by the Light. Perfect balance."
"How did he choose them?" Abigail asked.
"All but the East Guardian went through a trial created by the First Guardian to see who was the worthiest. The top three were the chosen ones."
"And the one from the East?"
"He was the warrior who'd been owned by the Grizzly Spirit. The First Guardian thought that if anyone would understand why they had to protect the West Gate, he would be the one. And that he would stand strongest against all threats to keep it from happening again. Not to mention, given their fight, he knew the warrior would be a worthy opponent for anyone who dared to breach his gate."
"That makes sense."
"Once they were given their jars, the First Guardian warned them of how serious their duties were and that they should never waver or falter. They were to stand together and to keep each other in line. Then he retired into the West Land so that he could rest after his battle. They say he still slumbers there even today."
"And the Guardians?"
Ren let out a light laugh. "Each took his jars deep into the sacred land where the Fire touches the Earth and hid them so that no one would be able to use the plagues against them or man."
Jess sighed as it all started coming together. "Coyote released his jars already." The scorpions and the wasps.
"Yes. Coyote has been trying for centuries to find the key to unlock the Gate and free the Grizzly Spirit. He knew as long as Old Bear and Choo Co La Tah were joined, there was no way for him to overpower either of them and open the Gate. Now that one has fallen, he and Snake can join together."
"And screw us royally," Jess said under his breath.
"You've no idea, my brother."
"But why?" Abigail asked. "Why would Snake join him?"
"Snake by nature is, and has always been, a follower. And he's served the Dark One too long. It was something the First Guardian feared the moment he assigned the two Dark Guardians their posts. He knew how insidious the Dark would be and how corruptible even the most noble of heart is. He'd hoped that the East Guardian would watch after and counsel Snake away from the darker side of his personality. But just in case the East Guardian failed, it was why he put a finite limit on the service of the Guardians. Next year, during the Time Untime when our calendar resets, the feathered rattlesnake will bear his color, and on the night when the evening star comes first, new Guardians are to be chosen by the one who holds the key. Old Bear. With him dead, that choice moves to Choo Co La Tah. If Coyote and Snake can kill him, they can choose the new Guardians."
Abigail frowned. "Why is that important?"
Jess answered before Ren had a chance. "Whoever assigns the Guardians, controls them and most importantly, controls the West Land."
"Ultimate power," Ren said. "Your every wish granted. You own the entire world."
Who wouldn't want that?
Well, okay, Jess didn't. He had enough trouble managing his own life. Last thing he wanted was to be responsible for everyone else.
Unfortunately for all the world, Coyote didn't feel the same way.
"Snake is now a loyal servant to Coyote and has been for a long time," Ren continued. "The only thing that kept them at bay was the Light Guardians."