Destiny

Fan art of Destiny! Please read the short story that came to me as I painted this:

Raziel set on the top perch, on top of the mountain side. It has been so long since he just sat and relax… After decades of fighting The Darkness, Raziel was tired. He was one of the first guardians, some might even claim he WAS the first. But all he can remember these days, is just the never ending fight, blood, gore…And Darkness.

"How long have we been together in this? How long since you've awaken me, Rocky?" Raz asked his ghost with a masked weary smile. Long ago, he decided that calling him just ghost was wrong. His ghost was in a way, a part of him, his best friend and companion. For all intents and purposes, he was ALIVE. So he named after one of his only memories from his past life, his first pet dog and best friend.

"It has been 52 years, 8 months, 22 days, 12 hours, 37 minutes and 3 seconds. But only around a month since you last ask me that Raz." "That long…Feels like this fight is all I know anymore…I'm tired old friend…I, I have been thinking…" Raz said, hesitantly, knowing that Rocky, being connected to the Traveler, might take offense at this proclamation. "We are all tired Raz… But we must not give in and stop fighting, or else The Darkness will win." Rocky said, blinking faintly. This was their agreed gesture Rocky used as a "smile".

"That's what I've been thinking about Rock. All we do, all any of us Guardians do, is fight. When have we stopped and just looked around us? When did we stop to admire all of this beauty in our world? These mountains, this river down below, that beautiful sunset? We fight and we fight but we have forgotten what we are fighting for… I think, that is why The Darkness is winning… Maybe if we fought less, and remembered more, maybe that memory, that hope of life and beauty, of wonderment and discovery, is what will shine through The Darkness, and finally put a stop to it…" Rocky floated in front of Raziel, blinking much stronger now. Under his mask, a tear was running across Raziel's face and down to his lip. Salty and full of happiness and of sadness. Then, as if responding to Rocky's own reassuring and understanding "smile" a small, tired smile came to his face. He reloaded his hand cannon, stood up and took one last look at the beautiful landscape in front of him. Then, with new found determination he knew what was needed to be done. "Let's go Rock, it is past due time to end this war." And with that, they were gone.

The first guardian, a bridge between the past and the future and the first real hope for us all.