The Healing
(A Page’s dream for healing his many friends wounds)
Old Friends Battle
…………The Ancient Red, known as ‘City Crusher’ was awake again after 50 years. The whole of the Realm was in fear of where it might attack next. The bravest of the brave had tried in vain to stop this monster from attacking the small towns around Longsaddle. Now it was making it’s way into Longsaddle proper. It wasn’t even flying! Just carving it’s way slowly, inexorably towards it’s next destination.
The call went out for a savior. Could one be found in time! Was there one out there with enough might to conquer this beast! The town was quickly becoming home for ghosts as the population made it’s way towards NeverWinter city.
Crusher was just beginning is assault on the out skirts of Longsaddle when he stopped in his tracks. He felt something odd, something old, something powerful!
<It can not be> it thought. <That one is surely long dead! Humans be short lived!>
It sniffed the air, testing for a long forgotten scent.
Rooooaarrrrrrr!!!!!!!! It bellowed. <It tis!> it thought in fear and rage.
The knight rode forward upon a giant war-horse. Both bedecked in white, green, purple, and gray ( must be color blind, but what the hey, he’s the hero of the story, so he can ware whatever he wants ) and emblazoned with the crest of KORT.
He rode right up to the enraged dragon!
"Hail Crusher." The knight spoke as if to an old sick friend.
"Why have thee awakened before thy time?" he asked.
"Thee should nae be here thyself Sir Knight. Are thee not human? Thy time is passed! Mine has returned" the dragon shot back a bit defensive.
"Besides, I got bored. Ever try sleeping for a hundred years? Can’t be done!" Crusher bellowed letting a little fire trickle forth from his huge nostrils.
"Aye, my time be short." The knight agreed. "But thy time be short too! For I can not rest whilst thee roams the land, my old friend." The knight decreed. "We must end this feud. Those of this land have paid for their hard fought peace."
"This be true. Me thinks me knew this all along Sir Knight." The dragon puffed up. "I be tired too Sir. Let us end this." The dragon spat.
"Here and now" the Knight answered.
"Here and now" Crusher returned.
"Then we shall both rest" the knight said with sadness and a bit of eagerness.
"Agreed" Crusher said lifting his giant wings in salute.
"Farewell City Crusher, my old friend" the knight saluted.
"Fare the well, Sir Melazar!" the dragon finished his farewell with a giant burst of flame as the knight charged!
The Old Knight
The fight raged on and on. The devastation was horrific! Even greater than that which City Crusher alone would left in his rampage. Their combined furies were unbelievable. The once mighty forest was now a blackened nightmare. The homes which the old knight had tried so hard to save were falling even to his own magical blasts! But the two continued on.
The damage the two inflicted upon one another was beyond belief, yet they continued on. An old and honored families farm now lie at their feet, no more than an almost forgotten memory now. The old knight valiantly tried to stop his old friend/foe. But the two continued on.
The two were finally out of magic, the fight would now get bloody, and personal. The first thing to feel this new assault was the old knights trusted companion, Bruno, his war-horse. City Crusher swung his mighty tail in a powerful arc that slammed into both the old knight and his mount. Both were sent flying into the remains of an old building. City Crusher halted, breathing deeply, he let out a terrible roar, then slumped to the ground.
The old knight awoke not knowing how long he lay. His first thought was for his old friend and companion Bruno. Bruno was named for an old and long gone dear friend whom had taught him much as a page of KORT.
"Bruno. Come." the old knight managed to get out as he tried to get to his feet. The pain was excruciating! He surely had broken all the ribs on his left side. He examined his left side as stood and discovered that indeed the whole of the left side of his beautiful armor was destroyed. The skin torn away and ribs exposed. The wound gave the appearance of one whom had had his heart torn out. Which it was about too.
"Bruno! Come!" he managed to shout through the pain. It was then that he spied his old friend, crumpled, grasping for breath through his now unrecognizable muzzle.
"Tyr save him." The old knight pleaded as he made his way to his wounded friend.
He dropped to his knees as he surveyed the damage to his long time companion. There appeared not to be an unbroken bone, not one! "Tyr! Take me instead!" he pleaded. "Twas I whom caused this! He but went where I bid. Never questioning me, only trusting in my judgment." He cried openly as he tried in vain to comfort his dying mount, friend, and companion.
The old knight cursed himself for not learning the ways of healing as he had oft thought to do, but there was never time! Time, the healer of all things had failed this time! It had not allowed for the very thing that might save his friend. He had only thought of himself when deciding not to take the time to learn the healing craft. It would have taken him away from his vain attempt at glory. Would have pulled him out of the glorious light with which he was so used to being surrounded in! If only he had taken the time, maybe..maybe he could have saved his friend whom now lay dying at his side.
Stroking his old friend, the knight looked around at the devastation that surrounded them. It was then that he noticed where they were. Twas the very place of Bruno’s birth! The farm which he had just aided in destroying was Bruno birthplace! Shaking his head and pounding his bloodied fists into his thighs he thought of something told him once, ‘Life is a circle. We come from whence we came’.
"Now I have killed you my old friend" he said through tears so long forgotten now. Bruno’s breathing became labored and raspy. The death gurgle was apparent. The one good eye of his dying companion locked onto his. Was there disbelief there, anger, pity, sorrow, or just pain. What was he thinking! The old knight knew he could not bear to see his long time companion stay in such pain.
It was then that he made the hardest decision of his life. He must end the life of a friend! Slowly he got to his feet and searched for his trident, another old companion. This one he had named Giantkiller after another friend of old. He soon found his trusty weapon, and as if Tyr was punishing the old knight, it too was destroyed! His magical weapon that had withstood the harshest of battles lay in pieces!
"Tyr! Thy punishment is complete indeed." He thought as he picked up the pieces and returned to Bruno. Laying the pieces reverently beside his dying friend, he withdrew his dagger of slaying so long forgotten in it’s place at his side. He had not used it since he was but a page. Twas the first weapon he had used as a page. "the circle again" he thought.
He kneeled at the head of his old friend, knife poised over his temple. He looked into the now glazing eye, "I will end thy pain my friend." His tears flowed anew. " I can not bear to see thee in such pain." Bruno eye seemed to clear for a moment. There he saw understanding and sorrow. Again the old knight wished he knew the mind of his old friend.
With all the strength he had, he plunged the dagger into the brain of his friend! The n he said a prayer for his fallen companion.
"Tyr take this one unto thy breast. For he was more a knight than I. He wanted naught but to help others. Was true to the end. Cared not for his own glory! Riches! Or LIFE! Let him run free with no pain. Mend his broken body. You need not bother with the heart for tis strong and true. Tyr be blessed."
Miraculously his spell empty mind was filled again. He walked backwards, never taking his eyes off his two life long companions. The spell came to mind without bidding. A mighty fire blast roared at his friends. Twould have been a thing to marvel at had it been on another occasion. For it was powerful enough to completely vaporize both. "Tyr has taken you both entirely unto him" he thought as he looked up in praise. A long forgotten memory of a warm touch came over the old knight, and his pain was gone, his wounds healed, his thoughts clear. But not his heart, that was still broken. Even Tyr could not fix this injury……….Now to another old friend.
Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita
The ancient dragon collapsed on the ground after he had sent his old friend, surely dead, crashing into the rubble of yet another destroyed dwelling. His thoughts raced back to a time when dragon and man were friends.
A long, long time ago, even for one of his kind. Man and dragon lived in peace. It was a time of when both worked together to rid the world of evil. Man was young then, and even at that time dragon kind was ancient. One of the first creatures upon and over the world. Dragonkind saw in man a creature that was innocent and not built for such dangers as were in the world at that time. They took pity at first upon this race, but soon grew to respect it’s resilient adaptive nature. But still they were innocent, and were unprepared to defend themselves from the evils that roamed in that time.
So the dragons, most of them anyway, decided that this new race deserved the chance to enjoy what they themselves had enjoyed for millennia. They took it upon themselves to protect these softbodied humans. The battle for supremacy was fierce and constant. All the while man grew more independent, more able to help themselves. The evil continued to grow as it slowly decimated the long lived dragons. For it took hundreds of years to replace just one lost dragon, while the evil that roamed the land, repopulated as fast as the newer races. Dragonkind was in trouble.
Man started to notice the sparseness of the winged ones flying over head. They began to ask why. The answer forever changed the new race. Their friends where being lost. The ones who taught them how to survive were themselves being destroyed! Man learned to fight.
Dragons had taught them magic, but not the kind needed for battle, for it was thought they would never need such a powerful and corruptive knowledge. Man began to practice. Soon they were ready to help their friends and turned the tide. But too late it was, for most of the dragons friendly to man were gone or injured so badly they would sleep for centuries. But still man battled till peace once again ruled the day.
There was a time of peace throughout the land. It was a time measured in centuries. It was during this time that City Crusher came into the world. Only he was not know by that name, but as Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita, Wind Singer in the new tongue of man. For he loved to fly, and the sounds he made as he flew sounded of singing to all who happen to be about. He became a new teacher to the still young race. For Dragons were born with all the knowledge of that of a full grown ancient of their kind.
He taught them of the ways of not only war but that of peace. They were taught not to kill man nor dragon. Twas a wondrous time indeed. This period of peace lasted for centuries again. Then the peace was broken, not by the old evils, but by Dragonkind themselves. The old ones that had refrained from helping man in the beginning had returned from their long sleep or from another part of the world, that knowledge is lost. But came they did, and man killed dragon for the first time. This was a time of great sorrow, to kill dragon, whether by dragon or man was considered evil. Dragons had to decided what to do. Should they side with the old ones, or the new race. The old ones wanted nothing more than to have Dragonkind left alone. They saw the new race as a lesser race, one that was too short lived to bother with. They wanted all dragons to unite and leave the race to it’s own destiny. They would destroy them if not.
The dragons friendly to the young race decided the only way to save them was to abide by their brothers wishes. But it was understood that a few would keep watch, and help when needed. Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita was one such dragon. He stayed with the young race and helped guide it and gave them all his love. The other dragons had entirely shunned the watchers. They were considered no longer of the ancient race. In time only Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita was left. Though he loved dearly his charges, he became over time lonely. For this race died out so quickly, how could he keep one close? The pain grew and grew in him. He was alone. Still he stayed with his children as he came to call them. But as any parent knows, when a child dies, a part of them dies too. He became callused. Twas the only way to save his own heart from breaking entirely.
Then one day he was angered by city that had taken to the ways not of the teachings, so long taught. In his dispair and anger he crushed the city to the ground. Killing all inside. He tried to make up for his deed, but the damage was done. He was now known as City Crusher! In his anger at not man, but himself. He left for his cave and there he stayed. Venturing only to eat and drink. Knights, as they became to be known, came from time to time to rid the world of this menace from another time. But City Crusher in his own defense was forced to kill the knights. This only made City Crusher’s heart ache more. And as time grew, and the pain increased, he became more anger, but this time not at himself but of man that had shut him out. Was it not he who gave up his own family for they? Was it not he who had helped them when no other would. The pain grew.
Then one day, after centuries of this anger festering, he met a knight. He spied the knight from his perch atop his mountain. Long ago, he might have merely warned off the knight as he had tried so many times unsuccessfully. But now, he raced to meet the challenge! It was time to release his anger, and this knight was the target!
He stopped his mussing for a second, was that an explosion? Nay City Crusher thought, and returned to his long and almost forgotten past.
Smiling, he remembered the fight as if it was only yesterday. Twas a battle not unlike that which had just happened. Pain entered his thoughts again at the thought of what he had just done.
The battle was glorious! He flew from his mountain. Roaring and spouting dragon fire. But the knight refused to alter his path! More the better, he thought to himself. He flew to within yards of the mounted knight and dropped to the ground. Extending is wings, he was enormous, even for one of his kind. Still the knight refused to run!
"City Crusher" hailed the young knight, "I have come to stop thee."
"You can not hope to win." City Crusher hissed with fire from his nostrils. "Look at me!" he demanded. "Am I not a terrible sight to thee!" he finished with a burst of fire at the knights feet.
"Nay M’Lord City Crusher" the knight answered in what could be taken as pity. "You are but the last of thy kind, and that tis what be terrible"
"I am the last of my kind!" City Crusher roared. "For I was cast from my own kind to become the father to thine!" he roared again. "And how am I paid back ye ask? By knights on shining horses come to take mine own life!" With that City Crusher attacked with all his might!
The battle raged on for what seemed hours. Neither giving ground. All the while, this young knight spoke to the dragon of the past, and the old ways. Never halting, even while in this death match. On he reminded City Crusher of the time when man and dragon were friends. Eventually the battle slowed as City Crusher fought as hard to hear as he did the knight. Twas good to hear anothers voice not spoken in anger. Finally he stopped all together when he heard the name Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita , and listened entranced to the long thought forgotten tales.
The young knight’s weapon mastery did not fail him, even though exhausted from the long fight, he stopped the trident mere inches from a killing blow when he sensed the dragon cease to fight back. Never ceasing his tale of the way it was. City Crusher subdued by this young knight, Crusher had lost the will to fight on.
"You have beaten me sir" he stated. "I deserve death, make it quick" he again stated. No malice or anger, only that of final resolve.
"Nay Crusher, ye deserve life!" the knight shouted, the first time he had raised his voice. "For your loving care for my race, for your teachings, which even today are learned, for you protection when none other would. Thee deserves life."
City Crusher was startled, he knew not what to think. How was it that this knight could forgive that which he a dragon could not!
"Then what of me sir knight?"
A promise only, your solemn word. That is all I ask of thee." Spoke the knight while looking into the eyes of this ancient protector of man.
"Name it sir knight" spurted the dragon, hoping for a way to redeem his evil deeds.
"I know you are able to sleep for vast periods of time." He paused for reassurance from Crusher.
"Tis true sir knight" agreed the dragon.
"Then I ask only that you return to thy cave and sleep for 100 years. Till this generation and the next begone from his world before you reenter it." he stated, ending with a tone of more to come.
"Done good sir, for I am tired of this world and it’s pains."
"Lastly and most important….Thee must never attack man again…Never… On your Solemn Oath." The young finished, still staring into the bottomless orbs of this ancient giant.
"You have it sir knight. 100 years shall I await. And never again to attack man." He stated while drawing himself up to his full height, chest thrust forward. "You have my solemn oath"
"And I promise to look in on you from time to time to ensure your safety, whilst you sleep. And company for when you are not." Still looking into the eyes that he was sure spoke the truth. "My solemn oath you have Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita." The knight solemnly stated while raising his hand to his heart and then back towards the dragon, fist unclenched.
Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita lowered his great bulk to the ground and began to leave for his punishment, one that might just get him back where he truly wanted to be, with his children. But he suddenly stopped and turned back towards the knight.
"Might I know thy name sir knight. That I might say a prayer for thee." Asked Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita.
"Melazar, Knight of the Round Table. Truth Keeper and friend to Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita." He stated flatly. "That is how I am to be called, my friend."
Till Swords part my friend" Melazar saluted, and rode off, never looking back to ensure the dragon would keep his promise. For he was as sure as his own being could be that he would.
"Melazar" Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita said, memorizing each syllable. "I shall keep my oath to thee. My friend" this last part nearly brought the great dragon to his knees. Never again had he thought to utter those words, "My friend" he said again to ensure the were real, and set off for his long sleep.
The Healing Begins
The old knight lowered his head after his prayer to Tyr and turned towards the direction of his old friend. His steps were slow and deliberate as he made his way through rubble that had once been a celebration of life, joy, friendship.
The old knight stopped as he entered the clearing where his old friend lay so peacefully. "Does he know I yet live" he wondered. The sight reminded him of the last time he’d seen his old friend. What was it, he asked himself. Thirty..thirty five years.
At first after the agreement, when the old knight was still young, he visited Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita every new moon. It seems it takes dragonkind many years to complete the transition into the deepness of the long sleep. So they had many long talks during his visits. They grew to be close friends.
Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita taught him of the past, and the way things were before the rift. Of wars and wonders a millennia gone. They spoke often of philosophy. It appeared that philosophy differed according to life span and beliefs in what lay beyond. Many a night was spent each teaching the other. Nights that each looked forward too.
For many years the two met and talked at each new moon. Each time the young knight visited Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita seemed closer to his long sleep. Till finally, he was asleep. The young knight continued his habit of visiting on the new moon, each time finding the dragon asleep and safe. Somewhere along the way the visits became less frequent due to the needs of the land. A war would break out and he would go. A famine would threaten and he would go. There was always something. Finally he stopped visiting altogether. The forest had grown up around his cavern and nothing had threaten for years to awaken his sleeping friend. So his mind switched entirely to the problems of man, bidding his old friend farewell.
Now he found himself once again facing his old friend. Had he caused this? When had he awoken? How long had he been there alone without the friendly sound of another voice?
He couldn’t help but feel maybe he had a part in all this. Maybe if he’d kept his solemn vow to visit. He’d broken a vow to a friend! Did I cause this!? Fealty, Spirituality, Courtesy, Honesty, Valor, Honor, Humility. The very code the old knight lived, slept, and fought by. Taught to his people by this very dragon!
"How can I take his life, even after what he has done?" he asked looking up hoping for an answer.
"Has he not earned his life? Has he not earned the right to err? Or is that only man given that right." The old knight continued in ever increasing volume. "Has he not given up all for us? His own kind shun him, his chosen family hunts him, and it appears his last friend will kill him!" this last part yelled to the heavens in rage.
The old knight dropped to his knees, his dagger, the only weapon left to him between his praying hands. A position so familiar before a big battle. One in that he usually asked for strength to defeat his enemies and forgiveness for what he was about to do. Now though, it was different. He was not asking for strength in battle against and enemy, but a friend!
"Tyr please hear me, I Melazar, Knight of the Round Table, ask thee for guidance. How am I to do what I must? Am I so brave as to strike down a friend for acting out his rage at being alone? Could I have survived what I had so easily demanded of him, a life alone? He has done what he has done, who am I to judge him?" he stopped when he felt the dagger long forgotten in his hands grow white hot. He tossed it to the ground, then examined the burn. There in the palm of his right hand was the shape from it’s hilt. A shape he had long ago let slip from his memory, that of a dragon. And on the left, Tyr’s symbol. Was this a sign? If so, what was the answer?
"I have Tyr on one hand, Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita on the other. Am I to choose?" he asked Tyr.
"Is this my punishment for breaking my vow?" he waited. "If this is true, then I know what I must do." He awaited an answer that came not.
Standing up, he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He took a deep breath and moved towards his old friend.
He made his way to with but an arms length from Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita and spoke.
"Wake up my old friend, I but live" he said in a voice he had not heard for many years. One not born of battle and death, but one of love and friendship.
Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita’s eyes opened with a start! He slowly raised his massive head to peer at what surely was a ghost.
"Nay, I have killed you my friend" he replied in pain and sorrow.
"No my old friend," the old knight answered softly, " tis I, Melazar breaker of vows."
At this the old dragon raised to his full height, and bellowed, "No! Tis I who have broken my vow to thee, Sir Melazar, Knight of the Round Table, Keeper of the Truth"
"Aye that I am, Keeper of the Truth, and it is that I have broken my vow to watch over thee and keep the company and safe. Yet I have not kept that vow! For here we are! That..is..the..truth!"
"How are we to end this? I am ready." Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita asked as his reached for and grasped the dagger the old knight had tossed away.
Upon seeing this, this old knight bared his chest, "I too am ready my old friend."
Once again the dagger felt the earth as it was tossed.
"Thee have misunderstood mine intentions my friend, it is I who must pay." The old dragon said softly as if to a young child.
"Then we are at an empass, for I will not take thy life!" he stated flatly.
"My old friend, my son, it is no longer my time…"
"Nay! You.." the old knight interrupted.
The old dragon halted him with a blast of fire into the air!
"Aye, tis true and we both know this! For all things there is a time, and mine is long past." Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita stopped to look into the eyes of his old friend, searching for understanding and seeing only pain he continued.
"have I not lived a grand life? I have flown the skies with gods! I have loved. I have helped raise an entire race that I am ever so proud of! Most of all, I am proud of you." He said moving face to face with the old knight.
"Did you think me ignorant of thy deeds, locked away as I was? You yourself told me of your deeds. And I have ways of seeing that which I want without leaving my cave. You may know it as dragon sight or by some other name. Why did you think I went to sleep when I could surely have set in that cave for one hundred years? I saw that your kind needed you more than me. But your vow kept you coming to me."
"I knew it! Twas my fault!" the old knight yelled in pain upon hearing what he had already figured.
"Nay, my old friend. Twas not your fault I have outlived my time. Man does not need me now, I know this….They must grow into their own. I will not leave them totally alone…I leave them you my friend." Finished Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita, smiling as a father smiles at a child how has made them proud.
"Me, what am I but a knight who could not keep even a vow to watch over his friend!" the old knight ended falling to his knees, head down.
"Rise Sir Melazar!" commanded Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita.
This so shocked the old knight he jumped to his feet.
"Drop not to thy knees my Keeper of the Truth, my Knight of the Round Table, My friend. Know this. I have taught thee as no other. Have thee not lived by mine code? Have thee not saved a child from death, brought life to village where none thought possible? Have thee not offered thy life for another without a thought for thyself? Vanquished evil, healed the sick..I could go on forever with thy deeds and not tell all….Aye, I will leave this world knowing that I have truly left it in good hands. I leave it my son! For that is what I have come to think of you as I have no other." He smiled at the bewilderment in Melazar’s eyes.
"Aye, you are my son if any be. Do you not feel anything for me?" he asked of the old knight.
"The question does not need an answer for I am here. Have I not offered thee my life! I have offered it before only in battle! Never before, freely with chest bared." He said hoping for understanding.
"Tis for this very reason I can depart. The world has it’s champion, my champion! I could not leave without the knowledge that there was one such as yourself to look over my children. For now you are their teacher, healer, protector…..Will you not do me this honor? Will you deny me this right to give freely what you have just offered me?"
"Am I not as worthy as you to give up my life for another?" Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita asked.
"Aye, you are worthy! But how am I to do this?…. As you think of me as your son, I think of you as the father I lost so many years ago. Would you ask a son to kill his father?" Melazar pleaded.
"Aye! Just as you asked of me a short while ago." Softly spoken, Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita saw the realization strike the old knight.
"We both know this has to happen."
Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita slowly opened he hand in front of the old knight. In it’s palm was the dagger. Sir Melazar reached for and retrieved the dagger, all the while looking into the eyes of his mentor, his friend, his father. Never was there any hint other than the love he felt. No pain or sorrow, only peace.
"I will do this, only because it is thy wish. Not for the world. Not for myself. Know this too…the world shall know of thee as I know thee. Not as City Crusher, but as Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita, healer, teacher, protector, father. This I vow. On the day I break this vow, I shall return to your side. This I swear."
He took another breath and aimed for the killing spot so long ago taught to him by Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita. With a mighty lunge he went for a quick painless kill.
The world went black.
"What happened?" he asked.
<I have taken away thy pain>
"The pain?! I must finish what I have promised! Would you have me once again not keep my vow?"
<No my son. I would keep you from a pain that would have surely killed thy soul.>
"But what of Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita?" the old knight pleaded.
<He has gone on, I have brought him peace, so long asked of me. But twas never time.>
"And now it is? Why after so much pain? So much destruction. Had he not earned the right of peace long ago?"
<Yes, he had earned it. But you were not ready>
"Me? Ready for what?" Melazar asked the voice in apprehension.
<Has not Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita already told thee? Did he not state the reason?>
"What? Who am I to be all those things? I am but an old knight."
<Have thee not already done these things thy whole life?>
"Aye, maybe so. But why wait till now?"
<Would thee have offered thy life before this day? Would thee have taken upon thyself the burden asked of thee?>
"I see thy wisdom, for I would not have had the heart, and now I fear it is forever broken," Melazar flatly stated.
<Then look upon this my son, see if it will not mend that which can not be>
The blackness slowly faded. Twas just after dusk .
<Look to the east, just at the horizon. What do you see?>
The old knight peered hard at the horizon. At first he saw nothing but the blueblack sky. Then something odd began to appear. Twas a star. A bright one, red in color!
"What is this? Am I not on my world? This star is new to me. Where didst it come from?"
<Tis the last request of an old friend.>
"Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita?"
<Aye. He shall forever be there to watch over his children at night. He will be a guiding light once more. …Does this not help mend thy heart Melazar? >
The old knight said nothing. He felt the warmth once again flood over himself, and he knew that Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita was at peace. He knew also that he carried him in his heart, binding that which was broken.
<Know this my son. The destruction of this day has not happened. I would not have it be thy last memory of Ki’teleth Tel’hedrita. You shall awaken only with only the memories of long talks with thy friend, and that he has come unto me>
"Will I not know of his final words?" the old knight asked quite sleepily.
<You will now of his love for thee and thou>
"Then all is well…." Melazar felt a sudden need for sleep.
<Be well… Sir Melazar..Knight of the Round Table….Truth Keeper>
"Truth… Keeper…" he said as he fell into a deep sleep.
<Sleep well my son… for you have much to do>