Arkarian

Arkarian is a major character in Marianne Curley's trilogy the "Guardians of Time". He is featured most prominently in the second book of the series, "The Dark", which deals with his abduction into the underworld and is partially told from his perspective. As one of the Named, he is mentioned in the Prophecy as "an ageless warrior with an ancient soul." ["The Named", page 197]

Throughout the Trilogy

Arkarian is introduced in Chapter One of "The Named", the first book of the trilogy. He is over six hundred years old, but has stopped aging at eighteen. A byproduct of his age, according to him, is the alteration of his original hair and eye color. His hair is thus electric blue, and his eyes, which he thinks were once blue, are violet. Another effect of his youth retention is his inability to live in the mortal world, and although he operates in it for the purposes of the Guard, he does not reside in it.

On earth, Arkarian works in a set of chambers within a mountain (identified by his Apprentice Ethan as being located on "the south-western slopes of the Great Dividing Range" ["The Named", page 17] ), the entrance to which he can access mentally. Some of the rooms "change often," ["The Named", page 18] though it is unclear whether they do so of their own accord or by external influence. The main, octagonal chamber is used for briefings and meetings, and it is fitted with special equipment that allows Arkarian to monitor other time periods, and with them, the Guard's missions - particularly those involving Ethan and Ethan's later Apprentices.

While in the first book, Arkarian is seen supervising the Guard's missions rather than undertaking them directly, "The Dark" finds him sent to Medieval France with Isabel, where they are attacked by Lathenia herself. Arkarian manages to fend her off, but she promises they will meet again, turning threat into reality when she has him kidnapped and brought to her in the underworld.

Because of that particular world's danger, Lorian forbids the Guard to launch a rescue attempt. Isabel, whose feelings for Arkarian have grown substantially, ignores the edict and enters the underworld with the help of the Guard's royals. Ethan and her brother Matt go with her, the first out of his loyalty for Arkarian, and the second for Isabel's protection. When the three find Arkarian, he is severely injured, and uses his remaining strength to warn them of Marduke's resurrection. Isabel heals him, but not before Lathenia comes back. Her magician, Keziah, attempts (and fails) to bind Arkarian's powers, which enable him to open the rift between the worlds and thus escape.

After hearing that his rescue violated a direct order from Lorian, Arkarian pleads with him for Isabel's absolution, and asks for his gift of agelessness to be taken away in oder to be with her. Lorian exonerates Isabel publicly, telling the Tribunal that his prohibition was a test designed to find the bravest candidate to face the horrors of the underworld, not a testament to Arkarian's expandability. Before ending the trial, Lorian honors Arkarian's request not by stripping him of youth retention, but by giving Isabel the same gift.

In "The Key", Arkarian is pushed into the background as the story is told by Matt and Rochelle. His relationship with the former is problematic, as Matt is overprotective of Isabel and distrustful of Arkarian's feelings for her.

Early life

Arkarian was born in France, during the later part of the Hundred Years' War. His mother, whose younger self he met on a mission for the Guard, died giving birth to him, and he was thus "raised by strangers, sent from one house to another." ["The Dark", page 279] Although the specifics of his parentage are initially unknown to him, they are revealed by the end of the second book: Lathenia tells him the identity of his mother, while Lorian, long suspected of being the father, admits to begetting him in order to produce another immortal. Because Arkarian was born mortal - albeit with certain powers of the immortals - his compensation was Lorian's gift of youth retention.

After spending the first eighteen years of his life as a foundling with no status, Arkarian became indentured into the Guard. ["The Dark"] For two hundred years following, he was Lorian's Apprentice, whereby he acquired skills necessary to fight immortals.

Physique

Arkarian is described as tall, lean, and with considerable upper body strength. His skin is pale and smooth, and while there is no mention of facial hair, it is understood that he has none due to the inconvenience of having a bright blue beard. His hair is nonetheless long, occasionally worn in a ponytail. His eyes, violet and oval, are exactly like Lorian's.

From Ethan's comparison of Arkarian to the Tribunal members, ["The Named"] and the beauty of both his parents, it is assumed that Arkarian is good looking.

A Named Guardian

Arkarian is a TruthMaster, a high-ranked member of the Guard, described by Lorian as "vital to [the Guard's] survival and success." ["The Dark", page 330] He is also one of the Named, whose identities' revelation brings about the final conflict of the Guard and the Order. As such, he receives a whip, one of the weapons designated for the Named. Its ability is "to do anything with motion and matter, like igniting fires, moving masses of water, creating a dust storm, or simply destroying . . . creatures." ["The Key", page 356-7]

Though it is never expressly stated which of his powers are innate, and which are gifts, it is assumed that Arkarian's natural skills are telepathy (dubbed TruthSeeing in the universe of the "Guardians of Time") and a form of telekinesis. The latter, never actually named or explained, manifests itself in an ability to make objects appear and disappear at will. In addition, Arkarian is able to give comfort through touch. The true quantity and extent of his powers, those given by the Tribunal and learned from Lorian or otherwise, are unknown. Also he is able to make pain subside through touch.

Love Life

During the course of the first book, Arkarian falls in love with Isabel, Ethan's Apprentice. She is killed while on a mission (meaning, in another's body), leaving Ethan to attempt to retrieve her soul from a middle world that leads to ultimate death. Not being her soul-mate, however, he is unable to make her hear him, and she turns around only when Arkarian calls her back. Once awake, and without recollection of the events in the transitional world, Isabel supposes that it was Ethan who saved her. Arkarian, devastated by her love for the other, confirms this. When Isabel has left, he tells Ethan that she must never know that he is her soul-mate. The resolve, fed by his belief in her feelings for Ethan, is backed by his agelessness, which precludes him from having a normal life in the mortal world.

Not long after, Isabel realizes that she is attracted to Arkarian, but the two appear unaware of one another's feelings. At one instance, Arkarian confesses to Isabel that he would die for her, but their relationship still fails to progress. It is only when Isabel breaks into the underworld to save him that he realizes that his love is reciprocated.

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