Southern Guardian

Southern Guardian '
Southern Guardian
Map Description
One of the ancient constructs known as the Guardians. This one regulates the southern part of Miato.
Connecting Locations
	↑ Desert Ruins
←	Southern Guardian	→
	↓

The Southern Guardian is one of the ancient quasi-living constructs located in the Miato Region. Situated within the ocean south of the Jeweled Desert, it is associated with the summer season and the classical element of fire.

The Southern Guardian is concealed within the ocean south of Miato, and in order to reach it one must raise it back to the surface through a secondary control system located deep within the Jeweled Desert. The system has long since fallen into disuse, and the key component required for its activation - a red stone figurine in the form of a bird - has been removed from the ruins long before.

Somehow, the figurine has fallen into the hands of Kara, who understands the need to return the figurine to its rightful place and entrusts the Jade Town Trainers with it after having tested their mettle before. Revitalizing the Desert Ruins and restoring the figurine allows the trainers to raise the Southern Guardian from the depths like a phoenix from its ashes, complete with a land bridge connecting the newly-resurfaced structure with the land.

This is not merely idiomatic - the Southern Guardian is wrought in the shape of a phoenix and appears to be crafted of volcanic rock, metal and the living-marble of the Guardians, the veins of brightly-radiant red energy flowing through the structure almost resembling lava flow.

Interior

Crossing the land-bridge onto the black-sand shores of the Guardian's base, the passage into the structure lies between the bird's talons. Even though the construct can spend much time underwater, the Southern Guardian's interior is still bone-dry - and very bright regardless of the time of day. The red glow of the energy veins that flow through the rocks is is reflected in rivulets of glass and ore - and many puzzles involve the redirection of light through glass structures and heat through metal connectors. The interior is certainly warm, and gets increasingly hotter as the trainer makes their way towards the Heart Chamber.

The Heart Chamber

The Southern Guardian's Heart Chamber resembles resembles a deep desert with the sun at its highest point. Interface-nodes are built into rock formations jutting out of the sand, and the blazing heat causes the air to waver and distort. As you approach the Glyph at the center of the chamber, the Glyph's protector is released, and the automated security system causes the artificial sunlight within the chamber to turn harsh, in a manner that cannot be overridden with other weather effects for the entire duration of the battle.

The Glyph's protector is a Summorgana, with a stat boost across the board drawn from the dormant power of the Glyph itself. The blazing heat emitted from its body creates a Heat Mirage, making the battle a battle of attrition as the beast is very hard to hit.

Upon defeating the Protector Summorgana, the blazing sunlight and excessive heat fades, and the Glyph may be accessed using the South Stone. As the system is reinitialized, An East Stone is revitalized, allowing you to continue to the next guardian.