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What is the Call of Guardianship? The question of the definition and clarification of the condition known as the Call of Guardianship is a difficult one. There are few individuals who experience the Call, and of those that have been documented, little substantive information has been gathered. In an effort to place the Call in its historical context, and to illuminate the complex relationship between Sir Auron and the Lord High Summoner Braska, I have endeavored to gather together all relevant information and collated it here in this text. For ease of reading, I have broken down the data into the following divisions: 1. Overview · Initial Response · Second Phase · Third Phase · Mutations in the Summoner 4. Theories Though most of the sections listed above I find to be self-explanatory, I do wish to expound regarding the section titled, Theories. Conversations with the Lady Emerline, Lady High Summoner Yuna, the Lady Jess, and the information I gathered during my quest to record the life history of Sir Auron, have led me to certain conclusions regarding the nature of the Call of Guardianship and its relationship to the regeneration of Sin. Since many of these suppositions are without actual factual support – and may never find confirmation now that Maester Mika, the unsent Yunalesca, Yu Yevon, the Fayth, and other involved parties are now beyond my ability to question – I have included them only out of my own inquisitiveness. It is my hope that, someday, a way may be found to answer the questions that this text, and indeed the Call of Guardianship itself, raises. Overview The Call of Guardianship is a state of being which exists specifically within an individual who becomes the Guardian of a Summoner. Although the Call does seem to sometimes effect the Summoner as well as the Guardian, it is predominately a one sided phenomenon. Historically the Call manifests itself within a trained fighter – such as a Warrior Monk or Crusader – though instances of mages, priests, and even laypeople have been documented in various temples throughout Spira. It is an extraordinarily rare event. In order to become a Guardian, one need not have experienced the Call. In fact, the majority of Guardians are never touched in such a way. Many who choose the path of Guardianship are friends or family of a Summoner and wish to accompany them on the Journey. Others are individuals whose lives have been affected in some tragic way by Sin. Reasons for adding one’s name to the Rolls of Selection seem to vary as widely as the individuals involved, and suffice it to say that these motivations are not relevant to the current topic. In the case of those affected by the Call, becoming a Guardian is almost a foregone conclusion. The bonding, or link, which occurs, is so strong as to practically coerce the individual into the service of a Summoner. The majority of those who experience the Call will do so in the presence of any Summoner granted power by the Fayth. Only in uncommon cases does the individual feel the Call for a specific Summoner. Sir Auron was, apparently, one such case. Specifically, the Call produces a compulsion to protect an individual. It will also produce, as stages progress, an internal “beacon” that informs the Guardian of the Summoner’s location, and an internal “monitor” that indicates if the Summoner is in extreme emotional or physical distress. Both of these phenomena seem to be dependant upon proximity to the Guardian’s charge. For example, Sir Auron mentioned to the Lady Emerline that he could pinpoint the Lord Braska’s location as long as both of them were in the temple. While I suspect that Sir Auron’s case is a bit abnormal – if one may use the term abnormal when describing something that is as rare and atypical as the Call to begin with – it is one of the few for which there is any direct information or data. So, I must base much of my research and findings upon what may be one of the more unusual manifestations of the Call. Documented Instances & Possible Origins In my travels of Spira, I found only one hundred thirteen documented instances of the Call of Guardianship in one thousand years of history. While, admittedly, many records have been lost over the years due to attacks by Sin and through normal deterioration, it seems that such a small number in such a great period of time only compounds the mystery that surrounds the phenomenon. I must be frank and disclose that the only things I found in the histories regarding the origins of the Call of Guardianship were pure speculation. A few priests, over the years, attempted to explain the source of the Call for various reasons but I could find no factual basis for their assertions. What follows is a summation of the hypothesiseses I collected during my travels. One priest, Methos from the temple of Djose, asserted that the Call was a form of love at first sight. He believed that the compulsion to protect the Summoner stemmed from a deep and binding amour that tied two souls together. This assertion was made based on an occurrence of the Call between two lovers – one a lady who became a Summoner and the other a Crusader with whom she had a long-standing relationship prior to her acceptance by the Fayth. Though I find there to be some merit in this supposition, it does not explain why most Guardians who experience the Call do so in the presence of any Summoner; often ones they have never met previously. Nor does it explain the Call’s attracting a Guardian to multiple Summoners, such as a case mentioned below. Another, Galand, alleged that the Call was a recognition of souls who had been bonded in the fight against Sin previously. Galand was a believer in a theory called “reincarnation” and was, later, branded a heretic by the Church of Yevon. He believed that the soul of an individual did not stay in the Farplane. It was his assertion that, after a period, a person was released from the afterlife to live again in a new body without the direct knowledge of their prior existence on Spira. He believed that those who had been Guardians and were “reincarnated” would recognize the soul of a Summoner instinctively, thus producing the Call. Galand also stated his conviction that cases of a Guardian and a Summoner sharing the call between them – or a Guardian experiencing a call with only one Summoner – were the result of the reincarnation of the souls of former High Summoners and their Guardians. I am unsure what to make of this theory – particularly in the face of the information that Sin was regenerated using the Fayth soul of a Guardian. Though Galand was detailed in his explanation of his belief, I cannot know the truth of the matter. The nun Aylstria, from the temple of Macalania, wrote a treatise on the Call in which she supposed that it was a state of grace bestowed by Yevon upon one who was faithful and true. Her brother experienced the Call and followed fully six Summoners on the Journey before being killed himself in an attempt with his final Summoner to ascend Mt. Gagazet. Her account of his life is quite interesting, though short, and the document leans heavily toward the theoretical and religious instead of factual information. I found it quite disappointing actually – had she given information that was more detailed it could have been of great import. One short document, without a given author, was hidden between a stack of books on a forgotten shelf in the Hall of Records in Bevelle. Had I not been searching for information regarding Sir Auron I might never have come across the parchment. In short, it was a list of Guardians who experienced the Call and the dates of their addition to the Rolls of Selection. In a span of 600 years, if the list is complete, only ten individuals were struck with the Call of Guardianship and added to the Rolls of St. Bevelle. Sir Auron’s name is not indicated on the parchment. It is my assumption that he would have been the eleventh since the last entry shown was that of Lady Yocun’s Guardian. Finally, there is a small leather bound journal that was left in the Hall of Records by Lord Braska. A note placed inside by Simin, former Keeper of the Hall of Records, says that the Lord High Summoner gave the book into his care before leaving on the Journey with Sir Auron and Sir Jecht. Within is recorded the progression of the manifestation of the Call within Lord Braska and his impressions regarding its impact on Sir Auron. It seemed that the Lord was very concerned that his Guardian not follow him solely because of the Call. He felt that free will and choice were critical and central to his path and wanted to ensure that Sir Auron was following the will of his heart. I find the fact that the Lord Braska felt so strongly for Sir Auron’s motivations to be an interesting subtext to their Journey and it raises many other questions that do not pertain to this work. Perhaps the most interesting detail about the bond between Sir Auron and the Lord Braska is that the Call manifested itself prior to the Lord High Summoner’s acceptance by the Fayth. To my knowledge, this is the only such case known. Indicators and Metamorphosis In the few texts I found that contained any substantive information regarding the Call, one thing was clear. The Call of Guardianship altered over time. What usually began as a simple compulsion or need in the presence of a Summoner, almost always grew into something different and much more complex. Initial stages of the manifestation of the Call are all similar in description, indicating a common thread. Later stages seemed to depend upon the amount of time spent in the Summoner’s presence and the depth of the interpersonal relationship between the Guardian and their charge. I have identified fully three states of being within the Call of Guardianship. Additionally, there are also cases in which the Summoner receives the Call in response to their Guardian. Because of the first-hand account of the Lord High Summoner Braska’s journal, I have added this state as a fourth section. Initial Response In every case, the response of the individual who receives the Call is identical. For some reason, the person comes into contact with a Summoner. At that moment, an overwhelming sense of need and a desire to protect strikes the party affected. If, for some reason, the Summoner then leaves the presence of the person with the Call, that individual will experience a strong longing and emptiness. This feeling is intense in nature and causes the party to be able to focus on little else but the Summoner – to the point of bordering on obsession. Being in the presence of a Summoner becomes essential for a feeling of normalcy to exist. This disquieting sensation often causes vivid dreams and a feeling of helplessness in the affected party. For some, the phenomenon causes a violent reaction due to the lack of control that it creates. After this initial contact, the Guardian normally seeks some form of council. It is this action that provides the largest amount of data regarding the Call. Each priest who counseled an individual who experienced the Call of Guardianship dutifully recorded the event. Some were more detailed than others, but all of them agree that it was a traumatic experience in the life of the soon to be Guardian; motivating them to delve deeply into their own beliefs before presenting themselves to be added to the Rolls of Selection. Second Phase What I term to be the “second phase” of the manifestation of the Call of Guardianship seems to be completely dependant upon the length of time that the Summoner and Guardian are in close physical proximity. The majority of my factual information regarding this is found in the journal of the Lord High Summoner Braska and the treatise of the nun Aylstria. While Sir Auron’s occurrence of the Call seemed to respond only to the Lord Braska, Aylstria’s brother acted as Guardian to six separate Summoners. The similarities of growth in the Call between these two accounts is evidence enough to me that this “stage” of transformation would occur with any party who experienced the Call. The fundamental change that marks this new phase is that of the “beacon.” As the Guardian and Summoner Journey – or in the case of Lord Braska and Sir Auron as they studied together in the Hall of Records – the Guardian begins to experience a pulling sensation. When the Summoner is not in direct sight, this almost magnetic force indicates their location to the Guardian. Lord Braska himself also experienced this sensation to a degree, but that will come later. As the Summoner and Guardian spend more time in each other’s presence, the ease with which the Guardian may pinpoint their location increases. Additionally, the range of this ability amplifies. Sir Auron was able to sense the Lord Braska’s location from anywhere within the temple of St. Bevelle. As most will know, the temple is quite large – taking up a huge portion of the city and including many levels of stone walkways, underground caverns, waterways, the gardens, the monastery, and the training facilities. When you stop to think about it, the fact that Sir Auron could achieve this is quite impressive. A Guardian with the call could, given enough time, be able to locate their Summoner when they were several miles away. A quite helpful ability, no doubt. Aylstria only briefly mentions this ability in her brother. It is brought up specifically in reference to two of her brother’s Summoners. During one Journey, he was separated from his Summoner after an attack. Apparently, a storm came up as they fought fiends. They became divided and the Summoner fell into a chasm. As the Guardian and Summoner had been on the Journey for quite a time, the Call was strong and Aylstria’s brother quickly determined what had occurred. The man saved his Summoner on that occasion as a direct result of the “beacon” ability. In the other case that Aylstria mentions, her brother lamented the weakness of his “beacon” for a Summoner. He traveled with the young woman for only a short time. Accosted by a fiend, the young lady was drug into a large body of water. The Guardian dove in after her but could find no trace of his Summoner. The weakness of the Call in this instance meant he could not use his augmented ability to assist in her location. He failed to detect her and returned, devastated, to the nearest temple. Third Phase The third phase of the Call of Guardianship is that of the “monitor.” When the Summoner and Guardian have a close relationship, such as the one recounted by the priest Methos, an interesting mutation occurs. The Guardian develops an almost psychic sense that allows them to know the physical and emotional condition of their charge. The intensity and depth of this ability seems to be dependant upon the depth of the emotional attachment between Summoner and Guardian. Aylstria notes that her brother only had this ability during his last Journey. Methos indicates that this “monitor” capability was present in the pair of lovers whose story he recounts from the outset. The Lord Braska and Sir Auron seem to have both had this ability, though the Lord High Summoner speculates that his ability to read Auron’s mental state was more advanced and intense than that of his Guardian for him. Again, the variant seems to have a proximity limitation or enhancement. The ability to detect the emotional and physical state of the Summoner seems to become more intense with actual contact – though it is not required. Again, the Lord Braska’s journal gives the most complete account of this matter. However, since his experience of the Calling is not the same as that of a Guardian, I will address it in the next section. Methos’ account, and subsequent theories on the Call, included the information that the Summoner and Guardian in question often felt “merged.” While the two indicated that they retained their own distinct personalities -- and could not “read each other’s minds” -- they did have enough intuitive knowledge about the emotional and physical condition of the partner as to allow them to often make decisions or sum up conversations by simply looking at one another. Additionally, spells of healing and intimate physical moments produced a “meeting of minds” which Methos took to be a union of souls. Galand also asserts the idea of a “soul bond” in his theories, though no specific instances of the Call are given to explain his reason for this belief. Suffice it to say that this third state within the Call of Guardianship seems to be the final transformation of the phenomenon, and that the force with which the Summoner’s emotions and physical condition are imprinted upon the Guardian will weaken as distance increases. Mutations in the Summoner The journal of the Lord Braska gives a unique and detailed insight into the Calling. In particular, it is the only known direct account of the Call of Guardianship in any form whatever. Additionally, though the Call is mentioned in a few of the histories as being experienced by Summoners, no data at all exists regarding the condition. As a result, all information in this section is taken, or paraphrased, from the Lord High Summoner’s own insights. Braska (I will, for ease of writing drop the honorifics for the rest of this section) indicates that he experienced the Call in Auron’s presence during their first meeting. Though he was not yet a Summoner, his description of the symptoms is identical to those detailed in Guardians with the Call. He mentions that, when Auron confronted him in the Hall of Records after a six-year separation, that the sensation had changed somewhat. Instead of an almost obsessive and dream filled state, it was more manageable. Though he still felt compelled to check on Auron and learn as much as possible about the man, it did not cause him to be almost physically ill as it had after their initial meeting. Braska speculated that the reason for the change was simple desensitization. After six years of living with the Call, and being unable to be in the presence of the one that induced it, the Summoner believed he had simply become used to the longing and need. Instead, Auron’s presence created a feeling of peace and harmony at their second meeting. When I turned to face
Auron in the Hall, I had an initial intense reaction and wanted to study
him. He had changed, though not significantly, in the intervening six
years. His hair was longer. He had grown in height. And, most
visibly, he had put on a substantial amount of muscle. He was not a lanky
boy of seventeen anymore. Then, a strange look passed over his face and he
began to laugh. Suddenly, the situation also struck me as funny and I
joined him. I’m afraid we caused quite a commotion. Braska continues to describe various interactions of this sort with Auron and his emotional reactions. Then, he recounts a day when the warrior came to him in a heightened emotional state. He was angry and grieving for a dead friend. The two had a long conversation and, after this day, Braska began to notice a change in the Call. Auron started studying with the Summoner in the Hall after the incident and Braska began to notice that he had a “sense” of the warrior’s emotional state. At first, it only happened while the two were sitting that the study table, but later it began to happen when they were further apart. The Summoner also details that, after several months of daily study sessions, he experienced what he called a “tickle at the back of my mind that pulled me in a direction.” It was his belief that the Call was informing him of Auron’s location. Finally, when Auron was arrested and tortured, Braska experienced some of the warrior’s physical pain. It was during this period that the Summoner began to methodically explore the limits of the Call and his ability to manipulate it. Braska details how he came to be able to “turn the Call on and off to a certain extent.” It seems that the Call of Guardianship, at least for a Summoner, works in accordance with normal laws of magic. Visualizing Auron as a spell, Braska could touch the warrior’s emotions or block them from his mind. Though the latter took a large amount of work and concentration, he managed enough to be able to suffer through the long days of Auron’s incarceration. Later, when Auron was released, Braska tended to the injured man. He cast healing spells on him several times while the warrior was asleep and felt nothing strange. However, once Auron awoke, he relates that both he and the monk experienced a kind of “merging sensation” or “joining of minds” which Methos describes in his treatise. What, exactly, Auron experienced -- and if he was ever able to manipulate the Call the way Braska did -- is unknown. So, it seems clear that a Summoner will, given enough time, experience all of the three normal phases of the Call of Guardianship described above. They also have the ability to manipulate the Call and to augment it using magical skills. Ability of this sort in a Guardian was never documented in any way in any history or treatise I have ever found. As a result, I theorize that this ability to augment and control the Call is purely the sphere of the Summoner. Theories Now we come to the crux of the matter. What, in my opinion, is the Call of Guardianship? I believe that Galand may have been close to some form of truth with his theories regarding a “recognition of souls.” I also believe that Methos was partially correct – the Call does involve, on at least some level, a form of love. Since Lord Braska’s journal seems to make clear that the Call is also a form of magic, and able to be controlled, the question becomes – why is the Call of Guardianship so rare? After much consideration and thought, I believe that the origin of the Call lies with Yu Yevon. It is my contention that it may have been a spell or blessing of sorts that allowed the infernal and immortal Summoner to determine a vessel that might become a catalyst for his next regeneration. It may also have allowed him to detect individuals that would be willing and able to become Fayth for his eternal Summon. Later, after the creation of the Final Aeon by Lady Yunalesca, I believe this identifier was changed or enhanced. In binding of a strong Guardian to a Summoner, the attainment of the Final Aeon could be assured and thereby Yu Yevon’s next incarnation through Sin. A Guardian bound to a Summoner would feel compelled to do anything to help them and would freely give their life. Having said this, I also believe that the Lady Yunalesca may have attempted to thwart her father’s plans by changing, augmenting, or even casting an additional spell. I believe this to be the origin of the Call within a Summoner. By binding a strong Guardian to a strong Summoner, and by doing so in love, there might be a chance that the two would refuse the cycle of death and attempt another path. The accounts of the memories of Ebon Dome given to me by Lady High Summoner Yuna and her remaining Guardians clearly indicate that Sir Auron cared too much for his Lord to allow him to walk to his death. Lord Braska’s reactions to the news that one of his Guardians must die to obtain the Final Aeon also implies that he was reluctant to request his companions to make such a sacrifice. Had it not been for Sir Jecht volunteering to become the Fayth, I suspect that the Lord Braska might have turned back and listened to Sir Auron’s requests that they find another way. However, I also feel strongly that Sir Jecht and his son, Sir Tidus, had some special bond with the Fayth and that the trapped and never resting souls had some part to play in the ultimate end of Yu Yevon. Exactly what that role is, is not a topic for this tome and I shall take it up in another. Suffice it to say that, while I believe that Sir Jecht’s sacrifice might have prolonged the spiral of death in Spira for a time, I also believe that Yu Yevon could not have ultimately been defeated without the help of he and his son. So, what is the Call? It is an emotional bond between Summoner and Guardian of deep intensity. It is a psychic bond of lasting power and far reaching affect. It is a physical bond that brings comfort during times of trial and extreme distress. It is a joining of hearts, minds, and souls. It is a marriage of magic. Related Topics During my research, I found that several other topics touched on the Call of Guardianship, or that the Call touched upon them. I will endeavor to cover these topics in other papers as time allows. These topics include: What is the relationship of Sir Jecht, Sir Tidus, and the
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