Choosing a Path

[Another note i wrote on facebook, and one which i prayed for guidance, that it flows correctly.]



The man lay silently across the ground.
Inches from his hand, the sword with a silver blade.

The Sword of Light.

Behind him, a village lay still. No signs of life, no activity. Not even a random movement in the darkness.

It lay deserted.

As the clouds parted, the Moon shone down on the man.

The Sword shone, a beacon in a dark place, chasing all signs of despair which lingers in the darkness.

The man lay still.

When the light shone on him, he hardly stirred.

The man lay dying.

----------------------------

A boy watched on. Long after the battle ended, he still looked on.

Finally, when he could bear no longer, the pain of conflicting ideals in his heart, he ran forward.

Looking for answers, looking for that sword.

----------------------------

[How long has it been...] The man wondered. Two hours? Three? Surprised to be able to draw breath, the man simply looked up at the night sky, treasuring the last minutes of his life.

The sound of footfalls caught his attention. Turning his head slightly, he made out a figure. Not too old, maybe seventeen or so, he thought.

The figure, a boy, it turned out to be, slowed down as they made eye contact. Slowly but surely, the boy approached the man.

The boy looked at the figure infront of him. Inhaling deeply, he let out a single name, which only made the situation all too real.

["Silvan."]

The man blinked, and a smile formed on his pale face. In the moonlight, the boy could see the blood that flowed from wounds which covered Silvan's body. Wounds that were allowed to happen.

["Why, Silvan. Why did they come and do this to us?"]

His answer came out in a coarse whisper...

[Because we were different.]

----- 2 Hours ago -----

Silvan stood alone, facing an armed mob.

Behind him, the village lay empty. Its inhabitants long fled into the mountains.

Silvan allowed it to happen.

A sword thrust came at him, and with a bright flash, the dark blade shattered into nothingness.

No matter how many weapons were brought to bear against him, the Sword of Light shattered each and every one of them. That nothing would ever penetrate his defence.

Silvan fought true, not willing to harm his attackers. The black swords wielded by his opponents stood widely in contrast with the shining weapon in his hand. On and on they came, trying to get this nuisance away from them, trying to extinguish the fire in his eyes.

Silvan fought on and on.

Until time took its toll, and finally, his sword arm wavered, and fell.

The opening was seized by a dozen blades.

-----Present-----

["You didnt kill any of them. Not even a single cut on them!"]

The boy exclaimed as he recalled the scene in a flash.

[No... I didn't.]
["Then why, why did they come and attack you, what did you do? You didn't do anything bad did you?"]
[No... It happened, because of our differences.]

Stumped, the boy looked on at the figure.

["Differences?"]

[Yes. Our beliefs.]

The clouds moved on, blocking the Moon, that everything became darker.
Tilting his head for a more comfortable position, Silvan muttered on.

[You saw, didn't you, a single silver blade, among the others?]

Nodding, the boy looked on as Silvan continued.

[Because they didnt like what i was teaching, the old ways of tradition, of how we used to live by Honour and a code of morals.]
["I looked up to them, they seemed to be so cool in life, but now, this ? Why did they have to reject you?"]

[Well, one cant live with two surfaces. It drains us. Before i stepped onto this path, my sword was jet-black, until i faced true adversaries, thats when i realised, how different we are today, than from the past.]

["But they can simply ignore you cant they?"]

[No, with every person who changes to follow the path, they fall in popularity. No one will suffer to see himself being ignored because of an outcast.]
["I had admired you too, for your swordwork, i believed that none of them would still be standing when they attacked. Why did you let them do this to you?"]

A slight grimace crossed Silvan's face, as the pain came back.

[Its because, they do not know the truth of their actions. There is still time for them to change. Should they really see, it will happen. Just in Time...]

["I want to... I believe in your morals, but now, how can i learn?"]

Silvan looked at the boy. Beckoning with a bloodied hand, the boy leaned forward, close to the man.

A movement to the other side caught his attention. Silvan's hand came up, and with it, a sword.

["Your sword?"]

Nodding, Silvan passed it on to the boy, and slowly closed his eyes as he continued.

[Yes, the Sword which pulled me out of my darkest times, when all else seems to fail, it shone the way, for me to follow, instead of simply wallowing in the darkness...]

He looked up to the boy.

[Its your time now. Thats why, the blades cut into me. I have found peace, in allowing another, to follow in its values...]

The boy looked at the blade. As the moonlight shone on it through a break in the sky, the edge glittered. Raising it high, he could feel its strength as it connected with his heart, forging a bond with with sword and wielder.

Looking back to say something, the boy halted.

Silvan lay on the ground, eyes closed, as if he was in a sweet dream.

["Thank you, brother, for giving me this chance to redeem myself, from all the evils which i have caused you and others..."]


By the village, another teenager watched the exchange in silence. By his side, the dark blade could be seen reflecting some light from the moon...