History: "The Guardian of Orion"

 

The Guardian of Orion

A few thousand years ago, humanity had achieved the dream of traveling between the stars. However, this achievement did not translate into a universal advance of knowledge or a golden age for humanity. Instead, a series of global catastrophes and natural disasters eroded the cultural and scientific foundation of the Earth. Knowledge was fragmented, and what was once a common heritage was reduced to secrets jealously guarded by a few elites. 

The intergalactic ships that sailed through the voids of the stars were true colossi, relics of a glorious past whose construction and operation only a handful of engineers still understood. These people were not revered as scientists, but feared as guardians of arcane knowledge, incomprehensible to most mortals. The rest of humanity viewed them with a mixture of fascination and distrust, comparing them to the ancient alchemists or sorcerers of legend. 

The scientists and technicians who mastered technology lived in huge space stations, far from populated planets. They were organized into hermetic castes, where knowledge was passed down from father to son as a family legacy. Their stations were veritable fortresses, filled with laboratories and digital libraries to which no one else had access. They often refused to share their knowledge with the inhabitants of the planets, fearing that this knowledge would fall into the wrong hands and could unleash a new era of destruction. 

To the inhabitants of the terraformed worlds, the operation of a ship or the technology that kept their precarious ecosystems alive seemed like pure magic. Although many wished to learn, the engineers viewed the majority of humanity as barbarians incapable of understanding the basic fundamentals of science. 

On the inhabited planets, most lived in primitive conditions, rebuilding their lives with rudimentary tools and partial knowledge. Legends about how spaceships or supply stations worked abounded, mixed with myths and superstitions. To farmers and manual laborers, space stations were castles in the sky, and the technicians who maintained them resembled unattainable gods. 

Kael was a young man curious about the secrets of the universe and history. He was talking to Tahlia, his girlfriend, a merchant of spices and herbs, but known by everyone as a great storyteller of superstitions. 

Kael was looking at the wares Tahlia was displaying in the market when he asked, "Tahlia, why do you always say we shouldn't look at Mintaka at night? Is it just another tale like the one about the spirits of the nebula?"

Tahlia replied with a sly smile as she measured a sack of spices. "It's not a fairy tale, Kael. They say that in Mintaka, in Orion's Belt,  voices can be heard if one looks too closely. Space witches whisper secrets to the curious, but those secrets always come with a price."

Kael asked, somewhat incredulously. "Space witches? What could they possibly want from men? Most of them barely have enough to eat, what could  the human species offer to witches?" 

Thalia's expression was serious as she answered. She leaned closer to Kael and whispered to him: "It's not gold they want. It's something far more valuable: your sanity, your dreams, maybe even your soul. I know a pilot who flew close to Mintaka and came back... changed. He never slept peacefully again." 

Kael laughed sarcastically. "Or maybe I was just tired of hearing scary stories like yours." 

Tahlia laughed heartily at Kael's joke. She responded by patting him affectionately on the arm with the palm of her hand. "Laugh if you want, but the stars don't forget. And they don't forgive either."

Orion's Belt was a region of space shrouded in mystery and prohibition. Although interstellar transit had mapped thousands of systems, this corner of the universe remained unexplored territory, inspiring fear and fascination.

Humans had developed a legend. In the center of the Belt, there was a wandering planet. And on its surface, there was a canyon that ended at the mythical Library of Alexandria . 

According to the stories told in space markets and taverns on orbital stations, the Library had been created by early humans, and was protected by a cosmic watcher they called ' The Guardian of Orion '. Its destructive force annihilated anyone who came too close. No one knew if it was a creature, a spatial anomaly, or simply a manifestation of human imagination, but the result was the same: those who ventured there never returned. 

According to this legend, at the end of the gorge, a tunnel led to the Cosmic Library of Alexandria. Since time immemorial, it was said that the first space colonists, fearful of losing their history and knowledge in an expanding universe, had created this vast repository of information. There, safe from catastrophe, lay the complete records of humanity, from its earliest civilizations to the latest scientific advances before the fall of knowledge. 

Kael and Thalia were in the recreation room of the ship ' Wanderer ', chatting animatedly while the bustle of the passengers went on quietly and slowly. They were returning to Earth, after a short vacation. The screens of the ship showed the trajectory, which would pass somewhat far from the Orion belt. The three stars were shown as a distant flicker of starlight. 

Kael was staring at the navigation screen. "Did you know that the ancients called this place 'the gorge of oblivion'?"

Thalia, leaning back in her seat, was fiddling with a small amulet. -"And also 'the door to infinity'. It has names for all tastes, depending on how much you like drama."- 

Kael turned to look at the young woman's face. "But think about this: if the library exists, if it's really there, can you imagine what we might find? The entire history of humanity, Thalia. The lost texts, the knowledge that was erased by the catastrophes..." 

Thalia was unmoved. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "And what would you do with all that knowledge, Kael? Take it to a planet full of peasants who still believe in curses and witches?" 

Kael shook his head as he replied with a slight tone of frustration. "It's not just about that. It's about rebuilding what we were, understanding how we got here. Maybe even learning from our mistakes. We could leave the dark ages behind." 

Thalia placed the amulet on a table and looking directly at it, she asked. -"And the Guardian? What do you think of him?"- 

Kael looked out the window at the distant stars. "I don't know. Maybe it's an automated defense, something the colonists left behind to protect the library. Or maybe... something else." 

Thalia smiled wryly. "Something else? What 'something else' are we talking about? A cosmic monster? A vengeful spirit? Or maybe it's just a myth to keep us away?" 

Kael sighed helplessly as he admitted his ignorance of the subject. "Perhaps. But all legends have some truth to them, don't they?" 

Thalia sat back, pensive. "Or maybe the only thing that's real is that we humans love to invent monsters to explain what we don't understand." 

Kael smiled slightly. "Maybe. But if the tunnel is there, if the library is there... Isn't it worth the risk?" 

Thalia looked at him with a challenging glint in her eyes. "Only if the Guardian isn't in the mood to destroy us first." She smiled amusedly. "At times like this, I'm glad you're not a pilot." 

The conversation hung in the air as the ' Wanderer ' continued its silent advance towards its destination on Earth. 

The bar at Kael's inn was known as a rustic yet cozy place. Zara Korring, a pilot with a rebellious spirit, sat at a table with her boyfriend Anton Rodrik, surrounded by local countrymen while Kael, the inn's owner and his friend, tended the bar.

The atmosphere was lively with the stories, fights and arguments that you always find in the places on Earth.

The inn was lit by lamps displaying flickering flames, which moved when the door opened to welcome the locals. A group of old men talked about the legend of the Guardian of Orion.

Kael leaned on the bar, pouring a mug of beer. “I’m telling you, Zara, the Guardian isn’t just a tale. My grandfather knew a guy who swore he saw a ship blown to pieces as soon as it got close to the planetoid.” 

A bald countryman nodded gravely. "It's true, Kael. They say the Guardian's lights shine like a thousand suns before they strike." 

Another grey-haired countryman pointed with a wrinkled finger. "And not only that. Some believe that the guardian is not a machine, but a living creature, something left behind by the first settlers to protect the library." 

Zara crossed her arms, with a wry smile. -"A creature? What's next? One that breathes fire?"- 

Anton was laughing as he took a sip from his glass. "Leave them alone, Zara. It's their way of adding flavor to life." 

The third countryman, with long white hair, said, hitting the table with his hand. - "And what do you know, young man? Have you been there?" 

Zara looked at the old man defiantly. "Not him, but I could go. Why not? If this whole Guardian thing is true, someone should have documented it already, right? Where's the proof?" 

Kael looked at her in disbelief as he raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you would go to Orion's Belt?" 

Zara nodded determinedly. "Of course I would go. My ship is in perfect condition, and unlike these stories, I know how to handle real technology, not superstitions." 

Anton nearly choked on his beer. Turning to her, he said worriedly . "Zara, you're not serious." Deep down, he didn't despise legends.

Zara looked him up and down as she said confidently, "Why not? Someone has to prove that this is all just a bunch of myths." 

The first countryman smiled in disbelief. "Ha, ha. Of course, young lady. And when you come back, what will you say? That the guard let you in because he liked you?" 

The second countryman slammed his fist on the table. "If you want to prove it, we need witnesses. No one is going to believe you just on your word." 

Kael intervened thoughtfully. "If Zara is willing to try, I'll go with her. You can trust my word, right?"

Anton intervened in surprise. “You too? What did you put in these drinks? Why does everyone want to go there?” 

Kael replied to her friend Zara's boyfriend. "Because I want to see for myself what's out there. And because someone has to make sure you don't get into more trouble than necessary." 

Anton laughed. "Don't tell me that. I'm not going to Orion's Belt on a drunken bet." 

At that moment, Thalia entered the bar, her hair blown by the wind. Seeing the discussion, a curious expression appeared on her face. Looking at everyone, she asked, "What's going on here?" 

Kael pointed at Zara with a smile. "Zara says she's going to Orion's Belt. That she's going to face the Guardian. I want to go too." 

Thalia looked at the pilot in disbelief. -"Are you serious?"- She turned to her boyfriend. -"Are you serious too?"- 

Zara just shrugged. "Why not? Someone has to prove that all these stories are just smoke." 

Kael nodded at Zara . "She says there's no danger. I trust her. I've known her all my life." 

Thalia crossed her arms, slowly shaking her head, and let out a sigh . -"What does it matter... I have no choice. Then I'm going too."- 

Anton protested , "Is everyone losing their minds here?" 

The third countryman, with long hair, laughed as he raised his glass. "If you come back alive, you will have our respect... and our money. But we want proof, something we can see with our own eyes." 

Zara looked at him smiling confidently. -"You will have it. I promise you that when we return, Orion's Belt will be just another region of space, and not a damn legend."- 

Thalia looked at him with a mixture of admiration and skepticism. "Very well, pilot. But if we die, I want you to know that it will be your fault."

Kael, laughing heartily, raised his mug. "Then let's make it official! To Orion's Belt." 

Anton opened his eyes, sighing in resignation. "Sometimes I wonder how I fell in love with a crazy woman like you, Zara. And your friends are not far behind..."

Zara gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. -"Because without me, your life would be very boring."- 

The discussion was sealed with an improvised toast. The fate of the expedition was decided: they would face Orion's Belt, the guardian and the legend that kept so many in fear.

A couple of months later, Zara, Anton, Kael and Thalia stared in disbelief at the ship's controls  that had suddenly begun to fail. The ship shook slightly and began to veer off course, as if an invisible force was pushing it towards another destination. Attempts to regain control were futile.

Zara was trying to regain control. In a worried voice, she asked as she looked at the panel screen. -"What the hell is going on? The ship isn't responding! We're drifting off course!"-

Anton managed to speak. -"There's something here that's interfering with the controls. It's like they're... redirecting us."-

Kael looked suspiciously at the screens. "This doesn't seem like a common technical failure. It's beyond our capabilities."

Thalia looked out the window, trying to see any ships or anything that was interfering with them. "Are we being dragged somewhere in particular?" No one could answer her.

The ship continued its flight without them being able to do anything to stop it. At first, the area of ​​space they were in seemed empty, but soon they began to see thousands of pieces of stellar debris floating around them. Meteorites, fragments of shattered ships, remains of failed voyages, and a strange stillness that seemed to envelop them.

Zara asked nervously. "What is all this? Why is there so much... debris floating around here? It looks like a ship graveyard."

Suddenly, the ship shook violently before landing with a dull thud on the surface of a desolate planet. A flash of red lights illuminated the control panel, followed by a deep voice that echoed in their ears.

The voice sounded authoritative and distant. "This is Ishkuron's zone of control. The ship you have brought has been directed here by the will of those who guard the forbidden. You are now prisoners, and you will not depart until you have proven yourselves worthy of accessing the knowledge held within the Library. Only the brave, the wise, and the true may cross the threshold. The rest will remain here, like so many before you."

Thalia frowned, looking at the others. -"Ishkuron? Library? Ishkuron is the Guardian? This place is not a lost planet... it was all true..."-

Kael looked out the window at the desolate landscape. "It doesn't matter who it is, what matters is that they have us trapped. It's not a coincidence. Something or someone is playing with us."

With a slight sigh, Zara rose from her seat and began to walk towards the exit, followed by the others. After putting on their suits, they opened the ship's hatch. A vast plain covered in debris, starships and the remains of travelers stretched out for miles around. The horizon stretched out without end.

Anton muttered as he looked around. “This is… macabre. How many ships are there here? And these wrecks… some of them seem to be from years ago…”

In the distance, they saw a glow that cut through the darkness of the planet. It was an illuminated portal that seemed to float several kilometers away, inviting them to come closer.

Zara, staring and pointing at the lights, said, "See? I think we should head that way. Maybe it's the entrance to the library."

As they moved forward, they saw hundreds of bodies scattered around, some decomposed, others fresh. They were those travelers who, like them, tried to find the Library. Their faces were frozen in expressions of despair.

Kael looked suspiciously. "I don't like this. It's... bizarre. What happened to all those corpses?"

Thalia, who was standing beside him, said in a soft, trembling voice, "They were travelers like us. The remnants of those who failed... We could end up like them."

Anton tried to keep the rising panic in check. "This won't be our fate. Let's move on. I have no intention of being one of them."

Zara clenched her fists. "Let's go to the portal. Some answers await us there."

Kael was alert, looking around. "The Guardian said we would be prisoners until we proved ourselves worthy. What does that mean? How will we prove ourselves worthy? Is just getting through this ravine enough?"

They made their way towards the portal. As they walked, each step seemed to bring them closer to trials and obstacles they did not yet fully understand. As the group neared the portal, the voice echoed in their hooves, coming from the same Guardian who had warned them.

The one who had identified himself as Ishkuron sounded stern. "Only the worthy can access the Library. If you fall, your bodies will remain among the rubble, and knowledge will remain forbidden forever."

With those warning whispers, the doors opened and the group stepped through the portal, feeling the weight of the uncertain path that awaited them.

As the doors closed behind them, Zara, Anton, Kael, and Thalia found themselves in a giant hallway. The walls were covered in a soft, dark material that lightly reflected the light from the lamps suspended in the air. It seemed like an endless gorge, so long that the details faded into the distance. At the end, an illuminated door shone like a beacon. What lay beyond was a mystery, but everyone thought it was the path that would lead them to the Library of Alexandria.

As they moved further down the hall, the presence of Ishkuron the Guardian made itself felt. His deep, resonant voice, which seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, reached them as they advanced step by step.

The voice said in a grave tone. -"Welcome, travelers. This is the threshold that separates knowledge from ignorance, truth from lies. Only the worthy may pass to the other side. I am Ishkuron the Guardian, and I allow no being to set foot in the library without having proven their worth. Those who fail the tests will be condemned to death. There is no escape. If you do not wish to be tested, you will turn back and remain on this planet indefinitely, dying of hunger, thirst, or disease. Or you can undergo the test and prove yourself worthy of the knowledge held within the Library." -

The chamber was pressurized. They proceeded to remove their helmets.

Zara looked at the others. "We didn't come here to back down and die, did we? We can't give up so easily."

Anton looked around. "Ishkuron... the Guardian was not a legend. It is a mega machine designed to protect the seed of knowledge."

Kael stared down the hall, eyes narrowed. "If it's a machine, it means its programming must follow rules. If we follow the rules, we might be able to survive. But... what kind of test awaits us?"

Thalia was full of doubts. -"The price of failure is death."-

Ishkuron's voice interrupted their talk in a monotonous tone - "You can choose between several tests. The Test of Courage will test your will against your deepest fears. The Test of Sacrifice will require you to give up something invaluable in order to advance. The Test of Wisdom will test your ability to make wise decisions in extreme circumstances. The Test of Detachment will challenge you to release your most precious possessions. The Test of Empathy will measure your ability to feel what others feel. The Test of Integrity will question your morality. The Test of Time will confront you with the ephemeral nature of life and death. And the Test of the Heart will seek the purity of your feelings and the strength of your humanity. Choose wisely." -

Zara looked at the others, thoughtful, but sure of what she was about to say . -"The 'Test of the Heart'... I don't know what to expect from the others, but this one sounds like something that refers to the deepest part of us, what we really are. I think it's what we need."-

Anton nodded vigorously. "It sounds like what defines us as human beings, what we feel, what we love, and what we are willing to lose."

Kael looked at Thalia, seeking her opinion. "Thalia, what do you think?"

Thalia looked at the ground for a moment, thoughtful, before raising her head and speaking in a firm voice. -"I think this is the right test for us. Deep down, we've always been driven by what we feel. What's at stake isn't just knowledge, but the truth about ourselves. Let's go for it."-

With their decision made, Zara, Anton, Kael and Thalia headed towards the end of the hallway. As they approached, a bright light enveloped them.

Ishkuron spoke from the shadows. “Then let the test of the heart begin.” He paused. “It is the essence of who you are. Is your heart pure? Are your emotions right? Are the strength of your bonds true? Answer, and I will know if you are worthy.”

The challenge had begun, and no one knew what to expect, but they all understood that deep within their hearts they would find the key to passing the test.

The Guardian created a luminous surface in the air in front of the four friends. It was not a physical mirror, but a fluid, almost liquid surface that trembled gently. It emanated a soft, penetrating glow, as if reflecting the space and souls of those who looked at it. A deep silence filled the atmosphere, while the tension in the air was palpable.

The Guardian of Orion explained in a calm, deep voice. -"This is the Mirror of the Soul. What you see here will not be your faces. They will be the distorted versions of who you are deep within. The mirror reflects the shadows of the soul, those you fear to face, but which you must acknowledge in order to move on."-

With a soft whisper, images began to materialize in the mirror. Each image showed a distorted version of the person standing in front of the artifact. And they reflected key moments in their lives. The images conveyed doubt, sacrifice, courage, betrayal, and desire. Each person saw  something different, but they were all facing their worst fears and the deepest mistakes they had ever made.

Zara was the first to see her reflection. The mirror showed a powerful leader, but her face was lit up with fierce ambition. The scene showed a Zara afraid of failure, who had abandoned her friends and betrayed her loyalties.

Zara took a deep breath, almost in a whisper. -"No... I don't want to be that person."-

Anton was the next to see his reflection. In his case, it showed a man of courage, but driven by desperation. Desperation to achieve goals had led him to be unconcerned with the moral cost of his actions. His soul reflected a man who had used others as pawns to achieve his goals.

Anton said in a trembling voice. "Was it for the good of everyone, or just for myself?"

Kael couldn't help but look at his reflection in sadness. The mirror showed him that he had made selfish decisions. His desire to protect those he loved had justified any action. Kael watched others suffer for his choices, while he closed his eyes to the consequences.

Kael said in a low, almost inaudible voice, "I did it for them... but was it the right way?"

Thalia was the last to face her reflection. The version of herself was steeped in knowledge, but with an insatiable thirst for power. Her wisdom had led her to control others, using knowledge to impose her will.

Thalia closed her eyes, a tear running down her cheek. "Was he really seeking knowledge, or just control over others?"

Ishkuron spoke again, imposing and serene. -"You are all defined by light and shadow.  Now you have a choice: you can destroy what the mirror reflects, and alter the natural flow of your souls to be the best version of yourself... But that comes at a price. Rewriting what the mirror reflected will alter   who you are now. Your entire past will be altered, but your current relationships will also be broken. If you choose to alter what you see, you will do so at the cost of your essence."-

Tension mounted as the four looked at each other. The pressure of choice was crushing. Should they destroy their dark reflections and change their destinies? Or accept what they saw, their flaws, and move forward with the wisdom they had gained?

Zara said in a confession: "I can't deny who I am. But I don't want to change to be someone else either. Ambition isn't all I am. I need to improve my balance... empathy... humility. Only then can I be truly strong."

Anton replied, "My life is not just about accomplishments. I am also defined by what I am willing to sacrifice... and what I have done to get here. My mistakes are mine, but I must learn from them. I don't want to change. I want to improve."

Kael stepped forward. "I've done things for love, to protect my people... but I can't ignore the damage I've caused. I need to change. I don't want to be someone else either. I want to change."

Thalia accepted what she had seen in her reflection. "Knowledge should not be used to control others. True wisdom is found in listening, in learning, not in imposing. I need to learn that the power I seek is not what I really need. I must learn that power is a means to achieve what I want."

With their decisions made, the four faced their reflections, which began to distort, slowly fading away as they accepted what they were.

Neither of them destroyed the dark versions of themselves, but rather accepted them as part of their humanity, understanding that these aspects did not define them entirely, but were part of what they needed to overcome in order to move forward.

The Guardian watched each decision patiently. "You have accepted what you are. You have chosen humility, acceptance and balance.   Knowledge  is not power. It is responsibility. Those who are able to face their own reflections, to know the lights and shadows that define them, are worthy of accessing the Library."

The hallway began to brighten.

The door to the Library of Alexandria opened as the Guardian of Orion repeated like an unforgettable mantra - "He who seeks wisdom should not fear the path, for it is in the journey that the truth is revealed."

END