3. Duty's Bond

Duty's Bond


  • ((OOC disclaimer: This is my second attempt in writing a story in English… so forgive me all the typos and grammar horrors 😉 ))

    Images from the past

    Elinah was sitting in the temple room, filling her personal journal: "It was a long time since I left these lands. My comeback to Narfell was one of the hardest trials I had to face during my whole life: almost everyone I used to know is gone. The Order is almost shattered and missing its leading figures, lady Rith is now safe, but she retired to the temple in fulfilling her Lord's will. Vino dedicating most of his time to his senator position in Peltarch, Kanen being more and more away from Narfell and Fishel is gone, none knows anything about him, I can but pray for his safety and hope to see him back some day. Ryan has come back to his homeland; I'm not sure about my feelings towards him, but we all are going to miss his presence. And Shane, when I left she was the true leading figure for this Order and the one that strongly wanted this allegiance. And we lost her as well. What is worst, her body still laying in empious hands."
    She stopped at sudden, feeling a soft voice inside her head. Her eyes widened, still remembering about the entity that tried to take over her soul, shaking her head and trying to steel her mind against this intrusion. The voice talked again, calling her name. She walked out the room, to the temple hall, knelling in prayer to ask her Lord for guidance. As soon as she closed her eyes, a supernatural darkness wrapped around her, she felt dazed for a while, her senses lost.
    When she was able to see again, she found herself in a strange room. Everything around the young paladin felt so twisted and unreal, even if she was able to hear, see and touch whatever was surrounding her. While she was inspecting the room, the young woman felt someone approaching and focused her gaze on a creature standing now in front of her.
    "Lady Elinah Nailow" called the creature with a deep, powerful voice. She looked around once more: "What is this place? Who are you?". "I am your guardian. What is this place, you'll learn in time". She felt no threats from the creature, but she wasn't able to fully understand that situation yet. "My… guardian?" she asked. The creature nodded slowly, speaking again with its calm, but authoritative voice "I am here to help you. I will take you to different places, show you events about your past, your present, your future". "My past? How do you know my past?". The creature spoke again solemnly "I know many things, Lady Elinah. Let me show you."
    It stared deeply into her eyes and suddenly she got a vision in her mind, unable to understand if what she was seeing was real or just an image somehow showed to her. She was able to see a meadow, not far from the narrow streets of a rural town, with many children playing in it. Boys playing with boys, girls with girls and a single lonely blonde little girl wielding a small rudimental wooden sword. While the rest of other children enjoyed their childhood, the little girl kept training, day after day.
    The vision changed and the little stubborn girl was now dueling an older boy: the two wooden swords clashed and the girl was knocked to the ground. The paladin almost smiled to herself in seeing the young girl rolling on the ground to dodge an attack and springing back standing, able to strike her opponent back. Chills went down Elinah's spine as the scene was now displaying the little girl taking the boy's hand, helping him to get up.

    The burden of Duty

    The creature spoke again "Are you ready now?", she nodded slowly "Yes, I am". The creature asked her to close her eyes and when she was allowed to open them again, she found herself in a different place. A long corridor laying in front of her, armors and weapons hanging from the walls, that place was clearly an armoury and sounds of an fierce battle going on outside were filling the air.
    The creature started talking again "Lady Elinah Nailow, your captain and superior orders you to bring his armor. His armor lays at the other side of this corridor. But he gives you explicit orders: he forbids you to look behind or run or walk backwards untill you brought him the armor".
    She glanced to the end of the corridor, spotting the fine ornated armor left on the floor and started walking slowly towards it. Uneven tiles on the floor, revealed many traps were set along the corridor, that she carefully avoided. Once she reached the armor and started her way back, the air turned hot behind her. She was able to hear heavy steps and a deep breathing approaching, just behind her shoulders. Flames were burning as the deamon swung his sword close to her back. The young paladin kept her eyes fixed in front of her, on the creature that gave her the task and while she was halfway from him, she heard more steps behind her back and a mechanism triggered. A man was screaming in agony and clearly going to die if none would help him. Elinah closed her eyes, forcing herself not to turn back.
    Mercy or Duty? So hard and so heavy was the burden of Duty? She took a deep breath, steeling her mind and made her final steps, handing her guardian the armor.
    As soon as her task was accomplished she turned behind her shoulders, only to see the corridor empty and the whole place fading in front of her eyes.

    Failure?

    Turning back to the celestial creature, Elinah met his glance again and another vision started taking place in her mind. A young girl in her teens was training with a boy, maybe a bit older than her. The girl was telling him how strongly she desired to become a knight, and how she was better in swordplay than him. The boy started to mock her and she frowned slightly, looking almost upset. The girl looked firmly at the eyes of the boy, almost waiting for him to apologize, but he answered resting his hands on her hips and kissing her tenderly, softly. The girl blinked and kissed him back, her heart beating quick, blood burning inside her.
    The young paladin whispered a name under her breath, her soul filled with confused feelings, while an old, although never forgotten pain, started striking her heart with renewed vigor.
    The voice from the guardian creature brought her back to herself : "Close thine eyes, Lady Elinah". She closed her eyes trying not to shed any tear, fighting against her own feelings. When she was able to open her eyes again, the vision around her was a dark, mouldy, untidy place.
    "What is this place? A prison?" she asked almost talking to herself. The creature nodded, motioning her to one of the cells, saying "Maybe you should have a look", she took some steps closer.
    Behind a sturdy iron fence, a man was sitting on the floor, crying and embracing his knees in a self-protective posture. "Who is this man? Why is he here?" asked Elinah, while the young man raised his head to look at her. "I.. can't believe… Elinah? Ely... is that you?" he said, staring directly to her eyes. She glanced back, crossing his gaze and almost whispering: "Who are you?".
    The young man stood, walking closer to the fence, his eyes still focusing on her face. "Don't you remember me? Its me… Thomas". "Thomas?" she asked, while confused thoughts started to take over her mind. "Yes, oh my love… I missed you... I gave you for dead" he answered, moving close to her. Elinah stood still, looking at him, recognizing now his eyes, feeling her heart beating faster, thoughts clouding her mind for several moments. She struggled to take control back over herself and started questioning him again : "What are you doing here? Why are you inside there? Who did seized you and why?", she said checking the fence and looking inside the cell. She frowned seeing another fence, holding a ravenous lion from getting inside the cell.
    "I.. I stole a horse.. and went after you.. The knights didn't want to tell me where you were.. I broke inside the castle looking for you.. I knew you would be there, you wanted to be a knight.. and.. they caught me." he said, while a look of concern started growing on her face. She felt the pain of a blade stabbing her heart as he ended his story, describing how he was sentenced to death for killing a guard in his fight. She looked to him almost unable to speak, as he continued "They assaulted me… Oh my love, help me to get out of this. I love you..."
    She stared at him, silent tears running down her cheeks, whispering "I love you too… but...". He stroked her cheek, wiping her tears away "But? Don't cry my love…", she reached for his hand, pressing it closer to her face. "I'll seek Justice for you Thomas. You'll have a fair trial, I'll get you out of here" she said trying to hide her concern. He smiled faintly, now holding both her hands "You always were stronger, but justice was made, that they said. I will be executed, in some minutes."
    Her eyes widened "No… this can't be...", he was now crying staring at her silently. "This is my fault, everything that happened is my fault. I'm the one who must pay for this, not you… I don't want to lose you again..." she said, while her eyes were not holding tears anymore, her forehead leaning against the fence.
    "I made an error and this is the consequence. But, with your help we can do it." he said, embracing her through the bars. She raised her head, her eyes looking into his through the tears "I… I can't...".
    Thomas almost broke the embrace looking at her with surprise "You can't? But… Ely... I love you, I don't want to die!". She felt strengths leaving her and doubts, weakness, pain overtaking her body and her heart.
    "My Lord, what should I do. Why are You doing this to me? Why? When I failed You to deserve this?" shouting all her desperation, she fell on her knees, unable to stand, unable to find strength in her convictions, unable to find an answer in faith. A sense of failure overwhelmed her, while everything around seemed to turn silent and black.