The Fallen Vanderburg - A Redemption Tale
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As if to reflect his mood, the heavens open wide, parting clouds heavy and pregnant with rain only to plummet upon the earth.
He stands, clutching a simple broken chess piece- a knight.
Though this chess-piece was anything but mundane to him- in it, he saw a life. A life full of joy, devotion, warmth and companionship.Now in the same manner the storm clouds do give way to thunderous cracks of lightning, so too does a storm rage within him, not of wrath, but of woe
"Darius.... how simple it would be for me- to blame you and only you for the cold that now grips my heart. How tempting it is, to blame you and move on. Forget my old oath and live a simple life for the rest of my days.... to try to scrape some kind of joy out of what has befallen."
As if to punctuate the sentence, lightning splits the sky, to be followed by the resounding crack of thunder
"I shall not."
Great sheets of partially frozen rain crash about him
"I shall not."
The hand closes about the symbol, threading once more the silver chain through the broken pieces
"This I swear anew..."
The voice low before now bellows into the raging storm
" I shall love my God, with all my heart even in absence of power.
I shall give alms to the poor as I am able
I shall be charitable and treat strangers with hospitality
I shall visit the sickly and the ill and help as I may
I shall grant mercy to prisoners
I shall do ill to no man, nor be party to such
I shall forgive as I pray to be forgiven
I shall render judgement with righteousness and an even hand
I shall persevere not in wrath
I shall be humble and kind
I shall break no oath or vow, or make one in falsity
I shall defend the weak from the wicked"The amulet still shattered and yet now made whole by the silvered chain lowers over his head, the broken knight sitting squarely upon his chest
"This is my oath!"
Another peal of thunder cracks the sky
"By my oath.... might I find strength, by my strength may I act in compassion, with compassion shall I right the wrongs. By righting wrong, I shall purge the evil that hath tainted mine soul and by purging that evil... shall I find redemption."
