Ara

Ara
Title	Azure Dragon
Current Residence	Unknown
Gender	Female
Race	Sage (Blue Dragon Anima)
Affiliations	Elders of Grandis Four Symbols
Enemies	Gerand Darmoor Kaling Maolang Shensung
Status	Alive

Ara the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols, the protectors of Shangri-La.

Story

The Four Symbols

During the Ancient War, the elders of Grandis were tasked by the Overseers to create Adversaries in order to defeat the Ancient Gods, for which the elders created the floating laboratory of Odium. Knowing that those who feared the power of the Adversary, as well as those who coveted it, may attempt to attack Odium, the elders gathered four of the strongest Anima in Grandis.

Ara was a dragon Anima who was chosen alongside three others - Baekyeon, Shuli, and Gaon. Severing their ties to their old lives, these four Anima were imbued with the divine blessings of the Overseers, giving them a nearly infinite lifespan. With this divine blessing, Ara ascended to sagehood and became known as the Blue Dragon, one of the Four Symbols who protected the elders.

Protector of Shangri-La

Following the end of the war, the elders decided to clear away their research and sequester themselves away in Shangri-La, a magical realm created to halt the spread of their contamination, which threatened to erase their humanity. Shangri-La was created in the image of a beautiful painting and structured with four inner realms that corresponded to the four seasons.

The outermost barrier was Spring, which led deeper into Summer, Autumn, Winter, and finally to the innermost pavilion where the elders lived. Shangri-La was created to be closed to outsiders, with only a true sage being allowed to enter and leave, either physically through a special hanging scroll, or by astral projection through their dreams.

In order to prevent outsiders from forcing their way into Shangri-La, the Four Symbols who protected the elders were tasked with guarding each of the inner realms and their barriers. Ara the Blue Dragon protected Spring, Shuli the Vermillion Bird protected Summer, Baekyeon the White Tiger protected Autumn, and Gaon the Black Tortoise protected Winter. Each of the Four Symbols had their life forces tied to special scrolls that served as gateways in and out of their respective realms.

A New Adversary

Eons after the end of the Ancient War, Tai Yu brought a new Adversary to Shangri-La after the Angler Company's invasion of Odium. Immediately upon arriving, however, Gaon the Black Tortoise appeared and pointed his spear at them. Upon seeing Tai Yu, Gaon explained that he had been wondering how they had managed to elude all Four Symbols.

He told Tai Yu that he had known that Tai Yu had been given permission by the elders to go back and forth from Shangri-La and the world below, though he added that Tai Yu definitely hadn't been given permission to interfere in the affairs of the outside world as he pleased, chiding him for having brought outsiders to Shangri-La.

Tai Yu smiled and told Gaon that he appreciated the concern, though he added that Gaon had given them a bit of a scare. He turned to the Glory Guard and introduced Gaon as the Symbol of Winter. Turning back to Gaon, Tai Yu explained that though he hadn't expected a warm welcome, he added that Gaon ought to hear him out first.

Just then, the other three Symbols appeared – Ara, Baekyeon, and Shuli. Baekyeon joked that Gaon was a bit impatient, to which Ara told Baekyeon that he shouldn't talk about Gaon like that, especially since Baekyeon hadn't stopped them either. Shuli then noticed the Adversary and noted that she could clearly see why such outsiders had been brought into Shangri-La.

She explained that she had heard from Tai Yu about an Adversary who had been created in the outside world. She told the Adversary that the Four Symbols had protected the elders and the researchers when they had been conducting their experiments, and that in all the ages since then, none of them had seen anything quite like the Adversary, who was the only one of their kind to have retained their sense of self. She added that she would be lying if she were to say that their existence wasn't a surprise, not only to them, but to the elders as well.

Just then, Zigang, Maolang, Shensung, and Weio appeared to greet the Adversary, and were shocked to find that not only had they retained their humanity and sense of self, but that they had also escaped their preordained death, despite having fulfilled their purpose by killing a god.

Upon learning that Gerand Darmoor had broken their Seal Stone, thereby saving their life, Zigang and the other elders realized that the Adversary had rejected the will of the world, and that they would one day throw the world into chaos. Zigang ordered the Adversary and the World Heart, which they had brought from Odium, to be locked in Shangri-La. He also ordered Ara to escort Oz and Brighton, who had accompanied the Adversary, out of the realm.

Kaling's Invasion

Soon after, however, Kaling - with the help of several elders who had betrayed Shangri-La - was able to break her way into the realm of the sages. In order to bring down the barrier of Spring, Maolang attacked Ara, the Symbol of Spring, who held off Maolang enough for Oz and Brighton to escape and help Shuli in Summer. With the life force of the Symbols being tied to special scrolls that served as the seasonal barriers of Shangri-La, Ara being injured resulted in the barrier weakening.

Upon encountering the invasion army, Gaon and the Adversary joined forces together and traveled to Spring in order to find Ara and the Glory Guard. As Gaon began calling out to Ara, Maolang appeared and noticed Gaon, who immediately asked her if she was alright. Maolang told him that she was unharmed, though she added that she wasn't the one that he should be worried about.

She then asked him what he was doing in Spring before noting that she could surmise the answer for herself. As Winter had been attacked, she supposed that he had come to determine whether the attack had come from the outside, since no one could enter Shangri-La without passing through Spring.

She laughed that he was quite trusting, as her first instinct would have been to suspect someone from the inside, for which she would have checked the pavilion in order to ensure that all the elders were where they ought to be. However, she told him that as the Symbol of a barrier, he would've figured the truth by now anyways – that the only way an outsider could enter Shangri-La without the barriers being affected was by someone from the inside allowing them entry, such as how Tai Yu had let the Glory Guard in.

She then laughed at Gaon for being so loyal that he would never allow himself to believe that someone would do so, adding that she could see why the other elders cared so much about him and the other Symbols. She noted that it seemed like such a waste to dispose of someone so talented, though she told him that he had saved her quite a lot of trouble, as she had been wondering how she would get the Adversary to come to her, as she, too, was wary of Zigang. She then attacked a shocked Gaon, though her attack was intercepted by a wounded Ara, who noted that as Gaon seemed to be fine, it meant that Zigang wasn't one of the betrayers.

Ara told Gaon that though she was relived that he wasn't hurt, she had been worried that he would be coerced into joining the enemy. She explained that several elders were actually spies for Darmoor, and that they were planning to bring Kaling into Shangri-La on his orders. She then turned to Maolang and asked her how she could betray her companions – whom she had known since the dawn of time – to some inexperienced, newcomer Transcendent like Darmoor.

She demanded to know whether Maolang had abandoned her duty and her sense of responsibility as an elder, adding that Maolang ought to be ashamed of herself. Maolang amusedly noted that Ara had found her way back and laughed at her words, claiming that despite Ara's gall in addressing her in such a way, she was also quite short-sighted, as Ara could have avoided her fury by laying down quietly.

Maolang then attacked Ara once again, who managed to deflect the blow. Ara turned to the Adversary and told them that their comrades were fine, as they had already moved on to another season. Claiming that she could handle Spring alone, she asked them to check on the other seasons, as she was worried about Shuli and Baekyeon. Just as Gaon told Ara that he refused to leave her to face Maolang alone, several more assailants arrived to reinforce Maolang.

Ara reminded him that the Shangri-La that they knew, and even the elders that they had protected, were no more. Nevertheless, she added that she refused to give up, as she wouldn't allow Shangri-La to fall apart any further. Because of that, she told him that she would stay and protect Spring, reassuring him that she would be fine, as no one knew it as well as she did. She then told Gaon to leave with the Adversary and save the others.

After Gaon and the Adversary headed out, Ara began fighting the assailants alone. Suddenly, darkness engulfed Spring as a fully-powered Qiongqi appeared. Maolang marveled at seeing a Peril in such a magnificent state and noted that it was easy to see why Darmoor had become interested in Kaling. She then turned to Ara and noted aloud that the Adversary wouldn't be coming out unscathed this time.

Despite having the advantage, however, Maolang began feeling guilt about turning against her comrades, whom she still cared about. Because of this, Maolang unexpectedly chose to fight off Qiongqi before he could kill Ara, rather than follow the Adversary. Unwilling to finish off Ara, Maolang instead chose to take the Spring scroll, tied to Ara's life force, resulting in her being sealed within. Soon after, Maolang and the other traitorous elders escaped from Shangri-La, with Ara and Baekyeon being kidnapped by Maolang and Shensung, respectively.

NPC

Shangri-La

Ara
Location	Sinners' Paradise

Gallery

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  NPC Portrait of Ara
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  NPC Portrait of Ara
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  NPC Portrait of Ara
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  NPC Portrait of Ara
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  NPC Portrait of Ara (contaminated)
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  NPC Portrait of Ara (contaminated)
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  NPC Portrait of Ara (contaminated)

Trivia

• Based on the original Korean dialogue, Ara is the youngest of the Four Symbols, with Baeykeon, Shuli, and Gaon being older than her successively.