Halfway around the world, on the other side of Terra, two of the world’s most powerful channelers were discussing the fate of Gaea’s most newly christened guardian host. While the sun was still high in the sky in Merricent, night had long fallen upon Genaisa, seeing a slow end to a particularly long day.

As their sons lay in bed some miles away at the Itami estate on the suburban outskirts of one of Terra’s most bustling cities, Naomi Itami made her way to her husband’s office within Masamune. His secretary, Mina, had long left for the night, allowing Naomi to let herself into the extremely spacious office. As she approached the massive reinforced door, she rested her hand on the small security pad to the right of it and projected a small surge of zeta into it. This panel served as a two-step authenticator; confirming first her biometrics before ensuring that her channelling profile matched one of those approved for entry. Within seconds the massive door was sliding open, allowing her husband’s potent energy signature to great her as it escaped the room’s zeta damping field.

As she entered the office, she found her husband deeply enthralled by over a dozen translucent screens that hovered in place around the head of legendary channeler. Naomi just smirked slightly at the expected sight before continuing to make her way towards Shin’s elaborately decorated and particularly massive oak desk. As she made her way closer, her eyes remained pinned on the object of her affection, watching as his eyes darted between the various holo-screens that surrounded him. She smiled at his focus as well as the prodigious sensory abilities that Shin possessed, which allowed him to parallel process all of the information that he was constantly being fed. Unfortunately, she hadn’t come to watch her husband work. The two of them needed to talk.

“Husband.” Naomi opened, drawing a light smirk from Shin before he replied in kind.

“Wife.” Was all he said, barely breaking his glances between the various displays to scan Naomi’s appearance before returning to his work.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that our bed had lost it’s novelty after half a century of marriage, Mr. Itaimi.” She stated playfully, now leaning over Shin’s desk and positioning her head so that it protruded through one of the many holographic displays.

“It is actually a bit fortunate that this is not the case. You’d prompt me to prove otherwise.” Shin replied coyly, without even acknowledging the fact that Naomi was now obstructing one of his floating screens.

Naomi just smiled in response. She’d long since grown accustomed to how singular of mind her husband could be, and how obsessive he could get when pursuing his goals. Knowing this she now turned her attention towards the few screens that she could read from the angle at which she was perched; seeking to confirm that he was researching what she assumed him to be.

“More articles on our legendary guardians?” She inquired now rhetorically, before turning her gaze back towards her husband. “I thought that records of their activities on Terra had been long lost; with everything being erased after their last encounter some thousand years ago.” She pressed, drawing a smirk from the lips of her husband.

“In a sense… yes. Direct recounts of their exploits have been carefully scrubbed from your recorded history but clues about these event exist in certain historical documents, which are available to those curious enough to dig.” Shin replied now; leaning back in his chair and swiping his hand as he did.

With this gesture, he dismissed all of the holographic displays that he had been using up to this point – all of the screens but one.

As the others displays faded from view and the energy that comprised them dissipated into the ether, Shin raised his hand as if to frame the remaining screen. With a subtle gesture, he rotated the single remaining display and positioned it next to his head. Another gesture resulted in this screen being enlarged, so that its contents were clearer to both Naomi and himself allowing him to point out what he had just been speaking about. Naomi smiled lightly, pausing briefly before she turned her attention away from her diligent husband and fixed her gaze on the enlarged display. Shin watched for a while as she read the article, smirking as her expression went from curious to confused before settling on complete bewilderment.

“I can only assume that this is some monumental discovery, but I’m no scientist Shin.” She simply shook her head. “These words don’t mean a thing to me…”

Her words brought forth a chuckle from her husband, who now reached out as if to grab the article. The small computer built into his desk also recognised this gesture and reacted once he pulled his hands apart, splitting the article into a various sections to facilitate him explaining it to his wife.

“This is an article written by one of the foremost leaders in meta-physical research.” Shin started as he pointed to the first of a new batch of hovering displays, but Naomi quickly cut him off.

“Yes, I’m familiar with Xess’ work, love.” She stated somewhat abruptly. “Don’t forget that before we emigrated from Merricent, Mr. McLeod and I tended to roam in the same social circles.” She explained, before adding a cheeky comment. “Along with your friend Amanda.”

“Right.” Shin’s gaze narrowed slightly at the comment before he turned back to dismiss the first screen. Moving onto the second, he continued with his explanation. “Well Xess’ article speaks to the existence of zeta-level interactions prior to the creation of the Zeta Machine. It even suggests the existence of legendary channelers that predate the five of us that presently exist.” He explained, but Naomi looked on with skepticism.

Her gaze darted between various geological anomalies, as well as the few spatial anomalies that had popped up in recent times like the so-called ‘gate’ at Stone Henge in Odessa.

“I’m still not convinced love, Xess’ theories have always been… a bit out there.” She shook her head.

“This is true, but his experiments are even more conclusive.” Shin explained, now pulling up videos of Xess recreating similar structures using rudimentary zeta-based effects. “As you can see, he shows that some of these previously inexplicable phenomena are consistent with the effects of direct zeta-level interactions.” Shin smirked.

“That’s all well and good dear, but zeta as a phenomenon is less than a century old.” Naomi countered. “Many of these structures were formed at least a thousand years ago… some of them are five times older than that.”

“This is true.” Shin nodded. “But you and I are both testaments to the fact that channeling predates the advent of zeta on Terra.” He countered. “So if Xess’ research is correct, this was likely the doing of primitive Ki users.”

“This is in line with what we’ve always believed.” She nodded slightly.

“Indeed, it’s always been likely that low level Ki users have existed among the population.” Shin nodded as well. “Those with this predisposition would have become zeta channelers after its advent; and since this energy is much easier to wield—” Shin continued before Naomi interjected.

“—and much more ubiquitous in higher quantities—” Naomi added, causing Shin to nod.

“—their abilities have become much more notable.” Shin finished. “But what intrigues me are the structures that required much more potent ‘zeta-interactions’ to create. Xess suggests that these may have been the work of multiple channelers working in tandem.”

Naomi just looked on with puzzlement as Shin dismissed a number of the screens to leave massive monoliths carved in unusual ways.

“That’s highly unlikely though.” She countered. “Zeta channelers currently make up an infinitesimal fraction of the population, Ki users who could manifest abilities would have been even more rare.”

“Indeed.” Shin concurred. “The likelihood of multiple Ki users converging to create these things is highly unlikely, which is why his alternate suggestion is the existence of much more powerful Ki users.”

“Powerful enough to constitute the legendary-tier?” Naomi inquired sceptically.

“So he suggests, but channelers with permanent access to that level of power would have left much more lasting marks on history.” Shin conceded. “It’s entirely more likely that these weak primitive Ki channelers served as past hosts for Gaea’s guardians.” He explained. “Unfortunately, I can find nothing on their fates after their roles were fulfilled.”

“That actually makes sense.” Naomi nodded. “Though, honestly I think even braver-tier channelers in the past would have been worshipped as gods by those ignorant of Ki and its mechanics.” She continued as she thought back on her own knowledge of history.

Unlike Shin, whose intellectual prowess was focussed almost entirely on scientific endeavours; Naomi was far more versed in people and their cultures. She demonstrated a level of empathy that was quite prodigious at times. These unique skills provided a different perspective from her husband, one with which she would tackle problems in a completely different way.

Shin watched as she paused briefly before offering a suggestion.

“Perhaps mythology might be of some help to you, where confirmed history lets you down.” She stated, before pulling herself onto Shin’s desk and lying on her stomach comfortably.

“How so?” Her husband inquired with a raised eyebrow, utterly confused as to how mere stories could be of any assistance to him as he pursued historical facts.

“Well, some myths are heavily steeped in truth and some truths are assumed false simply because they contradict what we think we know about the world around us.” She explained.

“I’ve considered this before but ultimately I was forced to dismiss it, it’s impossible for me to assess the validity of any of your myths.” Shin explained, much to Naomi’s amusement. All she could do was smile at the comment.

“That may be true. With so many stories of heroic guardians and villainous destroyers scattered throughout mythology, it’s hard to take one seriously and dismiss the others.” Naomi conceded. “But, where there are recurring themes across multiple cultures… it’s hard to ignore the unlikelihood of it all just being coincidences.”

Shin nodded at the suggestion, swiping once again to dismiss all of the screens that had accumulated in the space around them during the course of the discussion. As he did this, he leaned forward to rest his hands on his desk and his chin atop both hands.

“This is true.” He nodded slowly now. “Still, I need more specifc details than an amalgamation of myths may be able to provide me. If I am to arm myself with the knowledge necessary to defeat our foes, I need to know the true history of these guardians and their hosts.”

“Defeating our foes is our son’s job Shin—” Naomi smiled “—not yours.”

Shin just smirked at the admonishment, before leaning back in his chair once more and running his hand through his dishevelled green locks.

“Unfortunately, such a monumental task cannot be entrusted to mere children, my love.” Shin shook his head at the predicament that they all now found themselves in. “These youngsters are simply not yet ready to do what needs to be done – and time is ticking away as we scurry about preparing them.”

“I can’t speak for the other hosts but Roun is more ready than you may be giving him credit for.” She countered, turning onto her side to look at Shin resting in his chair, but he just shook his head in response.

“I’ll concede that his abilities are developing rapidly. They could even be considered impressive for someone his age; and with his connection to Synchros strengthening daily, he grows stronger each time we meet… but he is still far too naïve for a battle such as this.” Shin shook his head, causing Naomi to giggle lightly.

“He does lack the killer instinct that you so deliberately drilled into his brother but you can’t turn Roun into another Kairi, love.” She admonished Shin, who just sighed lightly at the statement.

“I acknowledge that it is too late for such thing, but I maintain that Kairi would have made a much better candidate.” He smirked, causing Naomi’s laughter to intensify.

Shin watched now as his wife rolled over onto her back and hearty laughter filled the room.

“Kairi is my son and I love him to death, but you and I both know that he’d make a terrible guardian.” She stated with visible amusement. “He is a good son and an even better brother, but his love for his fellow man is extremely conditional… and those conditions are seldom met.”

Naomi’s words drew a knowing smile to Shin’s lips, who could do little but agree.

“Much like his father—” Naomi pressed, cocking her head to the side to stare at Shin. “—Kairi is all too willing to sacrifice countless lives of those that he doesn’t care about, in order to preserve the lives of the few that he does.” Naomi continued, causing Shin to smirk at the all too true assessment.

“As always, you are right Naomi.” He finally conceded verbally. “But clearly that is the troublesome thing with a war such as this.” He chuckled lightly.

“What’s that?” Naomi inquired.

“These guardians seem determined to pick the most inconvenient of hosts.” Shin sighed, causing Naomi to giggle lightly once more.

“They choose those best suited for the task… unfortunately for us.” Naomi conceded. “The power that they command is almost incomprehensible, far outstripping what even we can do; so they choose hosts with the resolve to do the right thing. Poeple whose will to fight these destroyers can’t be suppressed; no matter how hard their over-protective parents might try to prevent them.”

“Over-protective? Now, do not mistake my concern for Roun’s safety for coddling, Naomi.” Shin’s eyebrow tipped upwards as his sons’ tended to. “While I’d never willingly send the child to his unnecesary demise; I also have no intention of fostering his weakness.”

“I know that all too well, Shin.” Naomi just nodded her head at him. “But while you’re scheming to send the boy into a battle that’s already been won for him, our son is training as hard as he can. Every day his powers grow, and so does his restlessness.”

“His restlessness is of little concern.” Shin countered with mild amusement. “He will not leave Genaisa until I believe that he is completely ready for the task at hand.” But this time Naomi just smiled knowingly at his remark.

“I’m sorry love, but the barriers separating Roun from Synchros’ full power are being broken down daily.” Naomi now explained. “In fact, in our last training session I’m pretty sure that he was ready to break down the final barrier and cross a threshold.” Shin’s eyes widened at the statement. “I managed to derail him at the time of course, but it won’t be long before your son fully wields the power of Synchros – and when that time comes, even Genaisa’s DMZs won’t be able to hold him back”

“Well then, when the time comes for the harbinger of Synchros to carry out the task that he is duty-bound to, all that we can do is pray that our son is ready for what lies ahead of him…” Shin sighed lightly.

“It’s true.” Naomi nodded.