PROFILE - JOSHUA
"I go by many names. Guardian is one of them."
Nicknames: Guardian, Caretaker
Status: Interdimensional Non-human
Guardian Skills: Immortality, Probability Vision, Time Alteration, Swordsmanship
Age: Over 2,000 Earth years old
Birthplace: Engleburn Keep (in the Whispering Sea)
Raised in: The Gillicrist Realm
Accent: Gillicristian, musical and exotic
Physical Characteristics: muscular, 6-foot-7, long blond hair, green eyes
Personality: kind, compassionate, wise, gentle sense of humor, radiates authority
WATCHER
Joshua of Gillicrist has been wandering for a very long time. Birthed in the crystal chambers of Engleburn Keep, an origin portal resting deep in the heart of the Whispering Sea, he is one of the Gillicrist Realm's highest-ranking citizens. As such, he is given critical assignments to oversee progress in various dimensions scattered throughout the Universe.
Right now, his assignment involves the inhabitants of Earth. He's kept watch over humanity for over two thousand years, intervening quietly on its behalf to ensure the continuation of the species. Creation, evolution, peace, war—he's seen it all, including the unexpected rise of prodigies and their desperate struggle to dominate the evolving planet.
When he first appears in Gambit, Joshua's attention is fixed firmly on Willow. He knows everything about her, and his ability to see multiple versions of her future drives him to introduce himself as her guardian. Her reaction of shock is understandable. Most humans have a hard time adapting to his existence. But he needs her cooperation. He's already maneuvered himself into her life on many subtle levels and, unbeknownst to her, is working to shape her destiny.
A destiny that includes Commander Reece.
Joshua knows all about him, too, and watching the brutal methods he uses with Willow breaks his heart—because he's responsible for it. Having developed a relationship with Reece at a young age, they were once close. But a series of unfortunate choices turned the fledgling commander against him, and to keep Willow safe, Joshua is forced to confront him. Warning Reece that she is under his protection, he inadvertently sets into motion circumstances that will bring the officer and the heiress together in ways he'd hoped to avoid.
His assignment is now trickier than ever. Keeping Reece in control of Willow's security while advising her not to become attached to him is no simple task. The girl has a strong, wayward heart and a skillset that could easily spiral out of control. Determined to protect her from herself, Joshua steps in to thwart Fate as often as he can to ensure her survival—because her genetic code is far more complex than anyone realizes. If she trusts him, they just might change the world.
If she doesn't, the future of humanity will hang by a thread.
SEER
In Mimic, Joshua discovers that his advice has gone unheeded. Not only has Willow chosen Reece as an ally, she's done it in a way that jeopardizes Kane's life. The moves she's making are creating more enemies than friends. And to his dismay, she's not afraid to play around with her skills. So when she stumbles onto something she's not ready for, he makes a choice. One that he knows will temporarily hold her back.
She doesn't appreciate it. But she can't stay mad at him for long. His unique energy revitalizes her, and each time they touch, her strength is renewed. Only he knows why. Her avid curiosity about his thumb ring leads him to reveal more about himself and his homeland, and when she discovers that he can change the future, her clever mind is readier than ever to cooperate.
Her heart, on the other hand, is not so convinced. Joshua has an eye on Willow at all times, even when he's not physically present, and he can see the bond she's building with Reece. He can also see the dark pull of energy between them—an energy she knows nothing about, but with which he is painfully familiar. It worries him. There are some things Fate will not allow to be changed, and while the future isn't set in stone, he must live with the fact that he cannot save her from everything.
ENIGMA
Not much is known about Joshua in Gambit. As a guardian, he is a complete mystery to all who become entangled in his seemingly magical web of protection. Mimic reveals a bit more, but he is still very much steeped in shadow, his probablity vision playing a bigger role than his character.
That's about to change. With a looming threat to Willow's safety, Joshua will be forced to step up, and a whole new level of Gillicristian activity will come into play. You see, the race of guardians has had its own trouble in the realm. The London Core isn't the only chessboard that's been laid out for battle. And with a powerful heiress on the rise, Earth is now a key player.
Let the game continue . . .
Image Credit: Blue Sky Design
