The Silent Knight

Death loomed about and darkness blanketed the land. Many began to make peace with those around them and prayed that the after world would be more forgiving. With all the catastrophes that had taken place in the last year, even the emperor himself had accepted the idea that the world was finally coming to an end. The high priests prayed for answers and guidance, but the gods remained silent, another sign that all hope was lost.
Yet there existed one man who still believed in the value of life, one man that knew in his heart not to give up yet. Some say he had flowing white hair, long as lover’s whispers. He was restless, atop a lonely jade tower. He was the founder of a very ancient and secretive order, one that battled the forces of darkness on a higher level than anyone could know. He was known only as the Silent Knight, the fulfiller of prophecy and he had other plans for the outcome of this world. He, and he alone, knew that hope still remained. He realized the chances of overcoming the catastrophe were still rather feeble. Lost in meditation to the gods for many days, he pleaded with them to release the realm from this pestilence.
One night he was struck with a vision, or maybe a mad senile episode, this historian will never know. His hallucination showed a sacred tomb buried and forgotten in the depths of his own jade tower. The excavation began immediately. A team struggled to remove the debris and start digging beneath the ruined tower. The mysterious knight would allow no rest in this holy endeavor, working his men all day and night, until they found a box of gold. Once the cover was pried off, a large greenish diamond was found. This had to be the fabled Arduenna stone. This single stone held such power, such glory, it’s light showered the dank cavern. The men all fell weeping to their knees with the majesty of it all.
The knight blindly ran back to ground level; his aim clear and true. Past the crowd that had gathered at the excitement, through the lower reaches of the tower, up and up a winding spiral staircase in to a long unused room. The knight knew that the Arduenna stone had to fit into a pedestal under cobwebs and eons worth of dust, a forgotten altar in the center of arcane symbols etched into the floor. Heaving with the effort, weeping because he could not believe he had found the stone of salvation, he touched it to the altar. With majestic heavenly force, the once beautiful tower erupted into blue flames burning fiercely towards the heavens. The townspeople were aghast, and then terrorized, and ran as fast as they could away from the pillar of flame. The fire churned and grew stronger, until the tower could no longer contain the magic called forth by the stone. The jade tower exploded into millions of scintillating shards releasing a magical wind, powerful enough to blow across the land, breathing the cure to all those who had been slowly dying. Within a few sunsets, all traces of disease were wiped away. On the blackened earth where the tower once stood, some devoted believers erected a small cathedral to the Silent Knight’s martyred soul. Though he died in the catastrophe, he called forth the healing wind, and thus salvation from the long dark night.

Historical Basis

It is possible this was a true tale. Rumors have spread that shards of the Arduenna Stone have been found, potentially confirming the truth of the story.

Spread

Over the years, the tale of the Silent Knight has become akin to a bed-time story for children.