The Story of Ella
Author: Count Kovaks of Darkvale
Transcriber's note: This story is told in metaphor. The serpent and the falcon represent Rexan and Arius, and Ella is the kitten/panther. The claw refers to the hilt of the knife that was reforged with Shining Steel during the Rexan War, named Redemption, which I used to kill The Disciple during the war. This is the story of that knife's origin.
Place/Gathering Discovered: Abandoned Temple to Arius within Darkvale, now known as Valor of Arius Date: February 1017 Transcribed by: Anthony Warder --- There is a kitten, she is black but you can't tell for certain because she is covered with mud. It is caked on to the point where she almost looks brown in color. She is bitten and scarred and bloody and maimed. She has endured all sorts of hell. But her heart has not broken. There is a serpent. He draws up to full height before the kitten. He is poised to strike. He offers her a choice of death or servitude. Her heart does not break. She chooses servitude. The small dirty maimed kitten becomes a black panther. Her claw kills many hundreds of people. A king who is being too kind to the poor. A priest who hands out alms to those who are needy. A knight who dedicated his life to helping the sick. A musician whose music calms the hearts of the downtrodden. Directed by the snake she kills and kills and kills all of those who make the world a better place. She sows evil. Her heart breaks. She turns her claw upon herself. She cannot bear such servitude anymore. A falcon appears before her. He gives her a choice. Rest or redemption. Her heart finds strength. She chooses redemption. The black panther becomes a brilliant white. She wields her claw not in servitude but in her own quest to right the wrongs that she has wrought. It is a worthy quest, but she is old and tired, and in the end she is but a mortal. She falls, her redemption unfinished. The falcon grasps what is left of her claw and flies before the great scales of justice who is his lord. The falcon asks how the fallen panther can still find redemption. The great scales of justice affirms to the falcon that what mortals make wrong, mortals must set right. He builds for the falcon a temple and bids the falcon place the claw there. The falcon understands the purpose. A mortal will find the claw. A mortal will decide if it is to be wielded for the serpent or wielded for the falcon. A mortal will make it sharp again and decide if its purpose is evil or redemption. From beyond the veil, a kitten waits. |
Created by Anthony Warder (Zack Emmert) at 08-22-23 07:46 PM
Last Modified by Anthony Warder (Zack Emmert) at 08-22-23 07:46 PM