Candace

Candace, who has heterochromatic eyes, serves as the guardian of Aaru Village.

Candace always shows the greatest kindness to all travelers visiting the village, and she will not pursue an inadvertent faux pas so long as that person corrects themselves in time. In Candace's view, the village rules are the most important thing. So long as these boundaries are respected, anyone can be allowed to rest in Aaru Village.

But woe betide those who regard this tolerance as weakness. Those who try to do anything illegal in Aaru Village will definitely pay the price.

By then, they will find that Candace's lance and shield truly are the most frightening of weapons.

The scion of Al-Ahmar, a member of desert folk, the Guardian... Candace, burdened as she is with multiple identities, also bears the eternal responsibility of guarding Aaru Village.

"This village only welcomes those who can follow the rules."

"Aaru Village is the final refuge for King Deshret's descendants."

"The mission of the Aaru Village's Guardian is to guard the village till the last of King Deshret's people fade away."

When Candace was officially appointed as the new "Guardian" at the tender age of eight, the one who handed the position over to her admonished her as such.

With King Deshret's death, it was already a blessing that his descendants might have such a refuge from the world.

And so, generation after generation, the Guardians take up their duties in silence, defending countless villagers until they pass on as the "descendants of King Deshret" and gain eternal peace.

It was once the common wish of the residents of Aaru Village to fade away in peace, sequestered in their village.

However, when new life emerges in this ancient village... Everything that they used to know might just have to change a bit.

When Uncle Anpu, the village head, announced that a caravan from Sumeru City was about to arrive in the village for trade, the former Guardians could hardly believe their ears.

They indignantly accused Uncle Anpu of undermining tradition and requested that Candace, the current Guardian, do her duty by summoning guards to drive the merchants out.

However, Candace refused the request, for she had already reached an agreement with the village head that the village must make changes for the future of its residents.

They kept explaining, but the former keepers did not relent, and it was even suggested that if Candace was unwilling to do her duty, they would take up arms again and carry out a Guardian's work themselves. At last, a clang of lance against shield silenced all the quarrels. With lance and shield in her hand, Candace stood up and looked around with a smile, before announcing to the stunned elderly folks around her:

"It is good to see you all in such good spirits."

"But I am the current Guardian of Aaru Village, so please, go and rest, as you should."

The persuasive power of weapons trumped words at this moment, and it seemed that it would be enough to end the fracas.

After a moment's preparation, Candace accompanied the village head in her station as Guardian to formally receive the caravan and hold trade negotiations with them, before personally escorting them out of the village.

A few days later, the merchants visited again and completed this seemingly humble transaction regarding cloths.

This batch of merchants returned to Sumeru City with news of the success of the deal. Soon after, a new topic cropped up among the business-folk of Sumeru, one which had been rarely heard of in the past:

"Hey, you know what? Someone went to Aaru Village to do business — and they made a good sum of Mora, too. Think we should give it a shot next time...?"

In truth, Candace doesn't often use her lance and shield as debating tools.

The children in Aaru Village have always believed that "Big Sis Candace" will only frown no matter how angry she is — at most, she might ask the children in trouble to copy the calligraphy prepared for them by Grandma Kulsoom several times.

The other guards in Aaru Village believe that although Candace's requirements are strict, she will not give out corporal punishment to those who slack off or whose physical abilities are not up to par, and that she will simply guide them with more care instead.

The older folks in the village, for their period, note that Candace is a person who will not let negative emotions show on her face, and indeed, she has never once looked sad in front of them.

Even the merchants who visit the village will be received by Candace with the utmost hospitality. From introductions to accommodations, she arranges everything in good order.

Perhaps she might even be too gentle for the merchants' comfort.

After all, this village is next to Great Red Sand. Leaving the monsters aside, lawless bandits must have long had this village in their sights.

Is the Guardian truly capable of protecting everyone... and their business as well?

One night, a drunken merchant dared to ask:

"Guardian, we can do business in this village, no problem. But as you know, this desert is a real den of outlaws..."

"You need not worry about this. Only those who obey the rules shall be guests in Aaru Village. As for those who don't..."

Those who do not respect the rules shall be the "enemies" of Aaru Village.

Whether they be Eremites hiding in the sands, bandits disguised as adventurers, or Treasure Hoarders attempting to steal goods... Anyone who dares to invade the village, no matter how they may try to hide and escape, will eventually receive the punishment they deserve.

Those who sincerely confess their guilt will be forgiven and given enough supplies to cross the sands, but never again will they be permitted to show their faces around Aaru Village.

As for the more recalcitrant sort... Their despicable souls shall find company only with the desert sands.

A former member of the Eremites once warned his companions that Candace, the terrifying Guardian of the village, is a true descendant of King Deshret.

The shield in her hand possesses the blessing of Al-Ahmar, such that as long as its wielder holds it tightly, every grain in the great desert will heed her call. So if Candace so wishes, she could even send forth a huge sandstorm to engulf all her foes.

Not only that, her amber left eye can also perceive the future and read the fates of others. Indeed, such is her terrible might that none can ever escape her pursuit.

Such are people's beliefs concerning Candace, that she has swept all of Aaru Village's enemies away by virtue of these divine powers.

Only Candace herself knows that she has never really felt the blessing of Al-Ahmar.

"The Guardians have never been blessed by the grace of god" — this is a secret handed down from Guardian to Guardian.

Only when a new Guardian takes up their shield will they be told the truth.

The effects of the truth on those now in the know has varied. Some gave up and became so despondent that they stopped practicing martial arts. Some came to believe that since they were not being watched, they didn't have to obey the rules either, and so acted recklessly, even in violation of the law.

But Candace was not depressed.

"My lance and shield are not wielded as a prayer for a god's blessing."

"My duty will not change, regardless of whether any god favors us or not."

She practices diligently day after day and through this has forged both an extraordinary will and martial skills.

Many who have visited Aaru Village have extended invitations to Candace, wondering why someone as capable as her would choose to live in such an inconspicuous place. If she was willing to leave, they often say, she may yet be able to start a new career...

Yet Candace always answers them thusly:

"A Guardian will not leave what they have purposed to protect."

Candace often buys all kinds of trinkets from merchants who visit Aaru Village.

Hairpins adorned with aquamarine beads, headbands made of silk and satin, gilded necklaces, metal bracelets engraved with Kalpalata Lotus patterns, pendants with the emblems of the Akademiya's Darshans drawn upon them...

While Dehya has encouraged her to dress up more often and use the Mora she spends on herself, Candace feels that some things are too fragile to survive her daily work environment, and so she puts them deep in her wardrobe.

So it seems that these trinkets will come in handy only when Candace temporarily puts her duties aside and changes into other clothes to have a rest in the shade — or perhaps she might just give it to a friend as a gift.

With outsiders pouring in, Aaru Village was faced with a variety of unprecedented circumstances.

They now had Treasure Hoarders pretending to be businessmen within the village, mercenary groups hijacking trade caravans, unscrupulous vendors engaged in charlatanry...

Moreover, after seeing people who came from abroad, the residents of Aaru Village gradually began to yearn for life outside. Gradually, people tried to go out to make a living, and fewer and fewer young people were willing to stay in the village.

The former Guardians had long been dissatisfied with Candace, who, as they saw it, had "abandoned" their traditions. Seeing that the village was in such a situation, they again held a meeting and prepared to challenge her.

"What we Guardians must do is maintain order in the village!"

"Candace! What you have done will only cost this village its peace!"

"Candace! Go and fulfill your duties now!"

As the war of words swayed back and forth, the lance-wielding female warrior suddenly shot up to her full height.

"That's enough!"

"If you only wish to protect the 'past' of this village, then do it yourself! Whether you wish to just remain in your homes or leave Aaru Village, that is up to you!"

"I will not let the people of Aaru Village be bound by the past forever."

"If you can't move forward, then it's up to me to protect our future!"

The old Guardians were intimidated by her, her young, fiery eyes making it impossible for them to come forward and question her further.

Burning with rare anger, Candace hefted her long spear and stormed out of the dispute-ridden hut.

And, as if in response to her convictions, a shining "jewel" had appeared at the tip of that lance, though she knew not when it had done so.

The eyes of the gods had found her, and they had given her their approval.

A "Vision" is also a resolute heart — and no finer ornament than it may be found anywhere.