by R. J. Grieve
“No, Relisar,” whispered Celedorn. “I cannot let you do this.”
Relisar smiled gently at him. “Do not deny me this, my boy. I am old, the last of my kind, the last of all the brotherhood. It is only fitting that the Orders of the Flower, the Sword and the Book should end thus, for it was ever our duty to serve, and now, with the victory of Erren-dar, the need for that has passed.”
With that, he withdrew his hand from Celedorn’s shoulder and looking up into the sky, said simply: “The debt is paid.”
“No! Relisar!” Celedorn cried.
A sudden burst of blindingly bright light, stronger than the brightness of the sun at midday, illuminated the plain, flooding the scene with its brilliant whiteness, causing everyone to wince and close their eyes. When it faded a little and they opened their eyes again, they found that the sun had indeed come out. The dark clouds above were parting, swiftly revealing pools of blue between their misty shores.
Of Relisar there was no sign. His grey gown lay crumpled and empty on the grass before them.
“He gave himself in my place,” Celedorn said brokenly. “He sacrificed himself for me.”
As he spoke, a single tear spilled from his eye and slid down his face. Elorin, watching him with a heart torn between sadness and joy, suddenly stiffened in disbelief.
When the tear reached his scars and began to trickle over them, they began to shrink and gradually smooth away. Gently they faded, until the skin of his left cheek was as undamaged as his right.
Andarion was staring transfixed.
“What is it?” asked Celedorn, seeing the shock on their faces.
“Your scars!” exclaimed the King. “They have gone!” He swung the shield off his arm and held it for Celedorn to look in the polished central boss.
Celedorn ran his hand over his face as if he could not believe what his eyes were telling him.
“The sentence imposed upon you by Gorth that day twenty years ago, has been repealed,” said Andarion. “You have truly fought and defeated evil this day.”
But Celedorn shook his head. “No, I have not, for evil cannot be defeated by the sword. There is only one thing that can defeat evil.”
“And what is that?”
Celedorn rose slowly to his feet and took Elorin’s hand in his.
“Love,” he replied.
THE END
