The Sword of Love

[DireStorms]

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/5153/swordofloveclose1cn3.png

The Sword of Love

 

A Long time ago within a dark and war-torn realm, during the time of great battles between men and demons, and terrors plaguing the lands, there lived a knight named Sir Douglas who fought in the service of The Great Paladin-King Valendur. Raised from childhood by his grandfather after his family was slaughtered in the siege of Balen's Pass, he was trained in the arts of war and in the way's of divine magic, learning very early in his childhood what evil's stalk the face of the world, Sir Douglas was eager to join the rank's of the Elite Royal Paladin's, the first to answer the call to battle when darkness threatened the realm.

After ten bloody year's of fighting, through tide's of evil men, beast's, and endless horde's of demon's conjured by the dreaded Blackguard Cult, he was ready to face his final test before joining the elite of his majesties force's, the legendary Royal Paladin's. Now at twenty nine year's of age, he set off to the location of his final test, the dark plain's of Astorakk where many ancient battle's were fought between the forces of light and darkness. What he did not know of the trial is what he was to face, not to be told until he reached the ancient field's. As he began to walk out into the field alone, his detachment of Paladins followed soon after him and created a circle around him as he stopped,shoulder to shoulder, swords held upside down at the Paladins chest in the form of a holy cross. A powerful, divine voice began to speak inside his mind and said to him -

"Through darkness you have fought, and bled, and won, against men and wild beasts, against the tide's of demon son's, before you now stands the true terror of the years, nor demon, nor man, only darkness in a mirror" A dark whirling mist began to form the shape of a man across from him, a familiar man, Sir Douglas clenched his sword tight as he realized what it was, a dark and terrible image of himself engulfed in shadow and a sinister aura that emanated pure blackness.

It approached him slowly, emitting a disembodied and deep growl, a physical manifestation of the hatred, and anger, and pain that had been dwelling within him for so many year's, the loss of his family, his friends, and his childhood, the bloodthirsty rage and desire for vengeance that drove him through so many battles now standing right before him in the form of a living nightmare.

He raised his sword and tightened his grip further, stepping towards his dark foe without fear or doubt in his heart, but within him was the same hatred and desire for vengeance that he has harbored all his life, his brow curved down and muscle's tightened as he took a mighty swing against the mass of darkness, only to find that the blade struck nothing but air. The dark entity thrust its blade into Sir Douglas's chest, causing the worst pain he has ever felt throughout countless wound's and battle's, dropping his sword he fell to his knees in agony, only his pain was not of flesh and blood, but of pure hatred and evil, flashed before him once again he was forced to watch as his family was slaughtered, the blood soaking the ground as he witnessed the cries and the screams until the bitter mercy of their final breaths.

As he looked up from the ground he finds to his horror, his families killers are not the demons and cursed men that were there that dreaded day, but mirror image's of himself. Tear's of blood rolled down his cheeks as he trembled on his knees, the pain became unbearable as he heard that same powerful and divine voice begin to speak again inside his mind

- "The evil within you is the evil in us all, the destruction of life and the bane of Hells call, to destroy this darkness alone you must see, when shadow consumes all, you must search for the key" The visions ceased as he came to his feet slowly, wiping the bloody tears from his face and picking up his sword. He gazes with penetrating eyes towards the dark entity, taking one long and deep breath, he drove the blade of his sword into the ground, removing his helmet and dropping it beside him, he walked towards the dark figure, brushing aside old feelings of hatred and desire for vengeance, approaching only with courage and love, he stared deep into its black misty eyes, as he began to remember his parents telling him how much they love him when he was a boy, smiling and embracing him tenderly as they kissed his forehead and sent him to play, the vision of his grandfather praising him for doing well in his tasks, hugging him and telling him how proud he is and how much he loves him.

As the memories' awakened him to the real meaning of love and of light, the figure began to whale and let out a deep menacing scream as bright rays of pure light began to consume it's dark mass from within, Sir Douglas felt a warm and comforting feeling deep within him, as a bright white aura began to emanate from his body.

With the last of the darkness consumed by the light, he spoke quietly to himself and said - "It was love all along , love is the only thing that can destroy the coming darkness, the endless legion's of demon's can be stopped from destroying our world in one way and one way only, nor hatred nor vengeance against the force's of evil, only pure love and divine faith can rip out the dark root's it plant's within us".

He turn's around toward his fellow Paladins as they raised their swords to the sky in a shimmering salute of blades, as the sun broke from the clouds and glistened upon the sharpened steel, a suit of Royal Golden armor and a sword lined with glittering symbols of gold brought forth by the Royal Paladin's high priest's, now having conquered the worst enemy he will ever face, Sir Douglas set's out to meet his new unit camped far to the north of the field's, preparing for the coming battle with the Blackguard Cult and it's dark minion's who have begun marching toward's the realm. He arrives at the camp to find local townsfolk assisting in preparing the defenses, ready and eager to help defend their land's against the coming tide's of darkness.

Resting that night by the fire he sharpened his blade, and from the corner of his eye he saw a figure step into the fire's light, a young and beautiful maiden bringing water to the knight's around the fire, she comes around to him with the water as their eye's meet, his heart flutter's and his blood becomes warmer as their eye's remain locked for several moment's, she ask's him if he would like some water, he smile's and thank's her, as she brightly smiled back. He sat there polishing the now sharpened blade, as the troops around him retire to their tents to rest before the coming battle. She stirred in his thoughts, never knowing the love of a woman, he wondered what it was that he felt inside him, familiar with only the clashing of steel and flesh, a life filled with war, and pain, and haunting memories.

His eye's opened wide as the woman emerged from the dark and sat by the fire across from him, she smiled once again at him, as he placed his sword on the ground beside him, trying not to stare at her. Captured by her beauty he could not resist looking upon her, as she asked his name. "Sir Douglas of the Royal Paladins my lady" he replied.

She smiled wide and introduced herself, "I am Theresa, I live in the village to the east of here" he then smiled and paused before saying "A pleasure to meet you Theresa of the village east of here", She smiled wide at him and laughed slightly as she stoked the fire.

Their eyes met again before a sudden silence grew between them, they began to feel the earth shake, the sound of horns and drums and marching in the far distance. The camp came to life as the battalions of Paladin's and Knight's began assembling into formation and marched towards the north, advancing into the field. With one final gaze Sir Douglas looked upon Theresa as her face became pale, and gave a worried and fearful frown as he looked into her eye's, he smiled brightly at her before grabbing his sword and helmet, running towards the field to join the ranks of Royal Paladin's to the front of the regiment's formation.

Thousand's upon thousand's of torch's and dark growling figure's closing in from atop the night's skyline, the chanting of demonic scripture beckoning louder, the earth shaking harder. Row's upon row's of spiked black banner's, adorned with the head's and entrails' of men, women, and children who were caught in it's path. And now there before them, standing upon those cursed plane's, a terrible army of conjured demon's, heretic's and berserker's, savage beast's and evil men from the darkest corner's of the earth come together to serve the dark lord's in one common cause, the total destruction of all life in the world, and the bringing of the age of darkness, a world of demon's and of hell itself. The great King Valendur now Gray and aged from the years of conflict, rode his horse to the front of his army, carrying a bright white banner bearing the image of a white dove, a symbol of peace and of light, in a loud and brave voice he addressed his army - "My brother's,... my friend's, ...Knight's, Town Militia, and blessed Paladin's of the holy cloth and of the sword, Hear Me !!! Today stand's before us a terrible darkness,... listen as they growl and they chant, abomination's and evil men united together have come to destroy us,.. they kill all of those whom we love,... they burn all of which that we build, ...their evil heart's and empty flesh have plagued us for centuries' on end,... we have fought countless battle's,... and soaked endless field's with our blood, and the blood of our family's and dearest friend's,..I say to you now, their evil end's here !!! Here and now is the time of their reckoning,... their judgment will be swift and without mercy !!! Look to the warrior to your left and to your right, embrace them as brother's and sister's and love each other as family, for we have something those beasts will never have, .....our love for each other,....our love for our country and for our God....., and after this battle is over, the stench of their rotting carcasses' and the sacred light of the dawn!!! Raise the white banners and fight with god's love in your heart's!!!" The whole of the army raised their weapon's high in the air and let out a roaring, ground shaking cheer, blotting out the sound of the enemies' chants and growls as the king's generals shout - "Forwaaaaaaard..march!!!"

The earth once again began to shake as masses of gleaming steel and bright white banners march towards the waiting darkness. There in the front ranks, Sir Douglas marched alongside his fellow Paladin's, and there against the tide's of darkness, his thought's again returned to Theresa, and to the feeling he had with her, the feeling he has never felt before. The battle horn's sound as both armies charged full speed at each other, loud, deafening clang's, scream's and mist's of blood cover the whole of the field's as the wave's of men and beast's and demon's clashed.

Sir Douglas and the Royal Paladin's carved a bloody path, deep within the enemies' rank's, for every Royal Paladin fallen, dozen's of the enemies' fell in return, on all front's the battle seemed to be turning in favor of the army of light, until a loud and echoing incantation is heard above the sound's of battle- " Vorraandium diabolicon, esss triculuraam demonium xarexctuu !!! " The dark sorcerer's word's cause a mass of bodies' from both side's to fly aside and into the air, leaving an empty patch of bloody ground, a deep and menacing howl rose up from the earth, the ground opened up as a large black mass of swirling darkness materialized into a gigantic horned devil, dressed in corroded black armor and wielding a sword made of thousand's of tortured soul's. With one swing it take's out dozens of enemies' and allies' alike, the scream's and sounds of bone's breaking and flesh being hacked into filled the night air, the howl's of the creature driving some men into madness, others into retreat and panic. Sir Douglas stand's not far from the creature as he finishes' off his last few opponent's, the creature stop's, and turn's to him, the howl's turning to deep growl's and a sinister grin on its black, twisted face. Sir Douglas hold's his sword high and grips it tight, his eye's stare down the beast as he charge's full force at the abomination, prepared to die in what many would say is the act of a madman, before he reached the beast a familiar voice sounds from in front of him, the voice of the woman Theresa that he met by the fire, her voice turn's to scream's as she appears in the beast's grasp, it let's out a deep and growling laugh, knowing his weakness now it carefully cut's Theresa just enough to make her beg and plea to be released, her cries' ring throughout his ear's as he watch's in horror, unable to advance towards the beast having been paralyzed by it's dark magic.

Weakened by its grasp he fell to his knee's, her screams becoming louder as the earth slowly soaked up the pools of blood surrounding him. With the last of his strength he looked to the sky and prayed -" My God,....my father and my creator, I beg of you my lord, take my life in the place of her's, I commit my body to the bloodied earth so that she may live" He picked up his sword and pointed it at his heart, the beast then paused and became silent, Sir Douglas thrust the blade deep into his chest, piercing his heart as blood spewed from his mouth and his wound, the beast dropped Theresa to the ground and let out a blood curdling growl.

Bearing several broken bone's, Theresa crawled to Sir Douglas, as she saw the life leaving his eye's her lip's met his in a long and tender kiss, a single tear dropped from her cheek onto his lifeless body, at that moment the beast began to scream and become consumed with fire and light from within it's dark mass, a loud and deafening roar halted all on the battlefield, as they watched the beast burn and be consumed by the light, a large explosion of white light came from Sir Douglas's body, encompassing the whole of the battlefield, spreading far and wide, the figure of a brightly adorned angel in long, white, flowing robes descended from the sky over the masses of wounded and dying, A horn unlike any other heard before on earth sounded from the heaven's, louder than the most terrible storm, after which a bright white rain began to fall down onto the field, demon's and heretic's begin screaming and running for shelter as the drops sear into their flesh, tearing them to piece's and driving them from the field, a second horn sounded from the heavens, turning the white rain into an earthly sun shower, the wounds of King Valendur's Knight's and Paladin's began to heal miraculously as the wounded and the dying rose to their feet, the blood washed away from their bodies. The dark forces where annihilated completely, with only remnant's of their broken flesh remaining on the field. As the King and his army stared into the sky in awe and disbelief, the third and final horn sounded as Theresa held Sir Douglas's body, weeping terribly for him. She felt a powerful, warm and electric feeling run from her body to his, he let out a gasp as her eye's opened wide in joy realizing he is alive, he looked above to see himself in her arm's, the tear's falling from her face onto his as she kissed him and held him. As all around them rejoiced, she then looked deep into his eyes, as Sir Douglas let out a big smile and moved his arms up to hold her. They sat there in eachothers arm's as the Paladin's and Knights surrounding them let out a deafening cheer of victory, praising the heaven's for answering their prayer's, and thanking God for the end of the evil that plagued them for so long.

Word of what happened reached the King, only a few hundred yards away as he ran toward's Sir Douglas and Theresa, he watched them there holding each other and slowly realized what had just really happened. He personally helped them both to their feet, looking to them proudly he stepped backwards several feet and slowly knelt before them, followed by the entire mass of the army falling to their knee's after the King in an act of respect, honor and praise for them both. The king rose to his feet moving towards the two and embracing them both as a father would his children, he smile's warmly at Sir Douglas and say's -" It look's like a new king and queen has been chosen by someone much wiser than myself " They both smile back at him as the King turns around to tend to his army, after a few steps he turns back to Sir Douglas and says -"You dropped your sword" and smiles again as he walks away. Theresa and Sir Douglas looked to the ground in awe as they saw a bright and strangely clean sword laying in the rain-soaked blood, emanating a gentle white glow, and decorated with heart's carved of ruby and silver, a white banner adorning the front of the hilt, it was the sword that pierced his heart, it had been transformed into an unbreakable symbol of his sacrifice and their love for each other. In the blade was etched three words in angelic script - "Love Conquers All" It was love that defeated the tides of darkness, there is no greater love than sacrificing your life for another, no act more divine or selfless. After that moment the weapon was known simply as "The Sword of Love" To be handed down to future kings who held the love for his people in his heart, in that same powerful way Theresa and Sir Douglas loved each other that day and forever after. And it took such an act of sacrifice to wipe the land's clean of darkness once and for all. One year after the battle Sir Douglas and Theresa were crowned King and Queen of all the lands of all the world, all people's of the earth united under one banner and became driven by one common cause, peace. And that peace reigned for many years after, war and suffering had left the realm's and a future brighter and more beautiful than anything you can imagine was ushered in by an act of pure love.

Can one person change the world for the better? Can one act of love change the entire course of mankind ? Look inside your heart's and remember this story, remember why King Valendur's army triumphed against the never ending tides of darkness, and you will find the answer.

 

 

This story and sword model is dedicated to the love of my life Tess, I love you baby :wub:

[dezdimona]

very cool story. and a lucky lady too, I think!

[DireStorms]

very cool story. and a lucky lady too, I think!

Thank you !, but I'm the lucky one :smile: This story is part of a dream that Ive had for many years, the only reoccurring one Ive ever had. I just needed some inspiration to work with it and add on the fantasy element :thanks:

[dezdimona]

true inspiration always involves one's heart and love for someone or something. Please feel free to post more.

[Lady Azura]

I've read this story so many times. . .and it is so FANTASTIC!!!

I would like to hear a second part....maybe? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

[DireStorms]

I've read this story so many times. . .and it is so FANTASTIC!!!

I would like to hear a second part....maybe? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

:thanks: Thanks hun ! I'm glad you like it. Second part is in the works too :wink: