We went downstairs and headed for the small chapel that had been repaired when the castle was renovated. Although I no longer revered the goddess the ceremony was traditionally held there. I had been tempted to forbid her worship entirely but I had contented myself with threatening every priest that had applied to minister at the chapel. As a result there was no priest in residence in Castle Cameron any longer, or Washbrook either for that matter. I hadn’t officially made my position known to the people yet, but I was pretty sure that rumors were already starting to circulate.
“How do you plan to handle the vows?” Dorian asked. He was referring of course to the references to the goddess that were traditionally a part of them.
“Millicenth can go to hell for all I care!” I said vehemently.
Dorian winced visibly. His eyes darted upward for a moment and I was sure he was wondering when the lightning bolts would strike. “You can’t say things like that Mort!”
“I’ll be damned if I don’t!” I responded. “She isn’t the goddess they taught us about when we were growing up. She all but ruined Marcus and Penny would be dead if she had gotten her way. If she or any of the other gods want my respect they can start acting like gods instead of spoilt children.”
Dorian’s face was white as ash now, so I saved him the trouble of answering and walked into the chapel. Harold was kneeling inside, with nothing more than a single candle to provide light. The young man’s shoulders straightened as he heard us enter. I was pretty sure he had been struggling against the urge to sleep.
Seeing him there I found myself reflecting on my goal. Harold was young, younger even than Dorian and I. He was filled with enthusiasm and an irrational belief that the things would work out for the best. Or perhaps I was just projecting my own past naivety onto him, I couldn’t really be sure. Still I wondered what effect our choices today would have upon his future.
I walked to the front of the chapel, stopping in front of him. He had remained on his knees and his head was still bowed. “Lift your head Harold Simmons,” I told him. As he looked up I exerted my will and spoke a word, “ Lyet, ” lighting the candles around the room. Soft golden light surrounded us, accenting the bronze candlesticks and golden oak pews.
“Today we gather to form a new order of knighthood. One pledged to the protection of the innocent and the defense of the helpless. This order will draw strength from the earth, and its knights shall be known as ‘earth wardens’. As a member your first duty will be the protection of mankind from any and all that would see it harmed. That duty will precede any and all allegiances to mortal men, even myself. Should you accept this honor Harold, you will be the first knight created by this order and the second to join it. Do you still wish to join?”
“Yes my lord,” he replied. The earnestness in his face almost caused me to lose my train of thought. I had spent some time adapting the ceremony to include what Moira had taught me the night before. I had also re-written the lines I would say. Hopefully I could remember them properly.
“Sir Dorian, please come stand beside me,” I said, gesturing to my friend where he stood behind Harold. He came closer, till he stood next to me on the dais.
“Dorian you shall henceforth serve as the grandmaster of the Order of Stone. Do you accept this duty?” I asked.
“I do, my lord,” he answered.
“The young man in front of me has come to my attention as being worthy to join our new order. Do you feel that he is acceptable in mind and body?”
“He is, my lord,” Dorian replied.
“Give me the sword Sir Dorian,” I commanded. This part of the accolade was fairly standard so he was already holding a scabbarded long sword. He held it toward me with the hilt free for my hand and I drew it smoothly from its sheath. I lifted the naked steel to point upward with the hilt even with my eyes. “Throughout history the knight’s sword has been a symbol of his faith and trust, to both his liege and to the gods. The Knights of the Stone are granted their power by the earth itself, rather than any heavenly agency. You will give fealty to me and pledge to protect humanity itself, even against the gods if necessary. Will you swear to this Sir Dorian?”
Dorian’s face was a study of warring emotions. I thought for a moment he might faint at the words I had chosen, but then I saw his jaw clench and color returned to his cheeks. At last he answered, “I so swear, I will uphold these vows, and even though the gods themselves may curse me I will not fail in my duty.”
I looked down on Harold and his blond hair almost seemed to glow in the candlelight. “Will you swear to this Harold?”
He never hesitated. “I swear it.”
“Then by the power I hold in trust as Lord of Cameron and the power granted me by the earth itself I dub thee knight,” I intoned, bringing the sword down to lightly touch each of his shoulders once. “Rise Sir Harold and take up your sword.” The young warrior in front of me stood and as I handed him the naked blade I saw there were tears in his eyes.
Dorian stepped behind him and knelt down. I wasn’t sure what he was doing for a moment, till I saw him buckling the spurs onto Harold’s boots. I always forget that part, I chided myself. Then Dorian stood and buckled the scabbard and belt around Harold’s waist so our new knight could sheath his sword. When he had finished he struck Harold hard between the shoulder blades, almost sending him to his knees. Even the blow was traditional, a welcoming ‘buffet’ given by a senior knight to a new peer. “Welcome brother knight,” he said and then he embraced him.
“There is yet one thing left undone,” I told them. Both of them looked at me with questioning eyes, traditionally the ceremony was already done. “The Order of the Stone is more than just a name. Now that you have sworn your oaths I may invest you with a small part of the earth’s strength. This does not come without some risk however, and someday you will be forced to relinquish this power lest you become part of the earth itself. Are you both willing?”
After a short pause they both nodded and responded with ‘ayes’.
“I must speak with the earth. When I am ready I will hold out my hands silently, each of you take one and respond with these words: ‘I accept this gift freely and freely will I return it when my time is done.’ Do you understand?” I asked. Again they both nodded.
I sat as Moira had shown me, so as to avoid falling when my mind was too far gone to steady my balance, and then I opened my mind. Moira watch over me, I called mentally. For this she would serve as my miellte. She flowed upward from the stone floor beside us, this time she was composed utterly of grey granite. I sensed more than saw the two men in front of me flinch in surprise, but they held their ground.
“You may proceed,” she said aloud.
The deep thrumming of the earth grew louder as I focused upon it, until it seemed to drown out every other sound. As I listened it seemed as if I could almost understand it, though it was unlike any human voice. My mind expanded and I struggled to maintain my balance, to do as she had taught me. “Keep your center,” she had told me last night. “Include as much of it within yourself as you can, but do not let yourself be included within it.”
And so I did, until it seemed I was composed of nothing more than a giant stone heart, beating in time to some ancient cosmic rhythm. When my thoughts began to disintegrate, to fade into its vastness I stopped… somehow… and I held back. Now to prepare the gift, I thought. Mentally I divided my earthly vastness into three portions, two very small ones and a vast remainder. Their portions must be small or they will not last. Once I was ready I extended those two smaller parts, upward and outward, into a world I could see but barely understand. Lifting my ‘arms,’ I held them out toward the two beings that would become my companions… at least for a time.
They reached out and grasped me with soft appendages, while making sounds I could not comprehend, yet I could feel their acceptance. With an inward ‘click’ I felt the bonds form as a small portion of me was given into their care. It was finished. Using what seemed like alien eyes I studied the strange space I was in, wondering at its purpose. Now that my goal was accomplished I struggled to remember what I should do. Then another mind touched mine, Mordecai, it is over, you must return to yourself. Leave the earth behind and return to the world of men.
The sound of my name resonated with something within me and everything began to make sense again. With a dizzying sensation the world seemed to ‘snap’ back into place. I studied my hands for a moment, for everything seemed smaller. Finally I tugged on them a bit, to remind Dorian and Harold they could let go. They both seemed to be dazed and it took them a moment to release me.
I glanced at Moira. I’m fine now, thank you, I told her mentally. With a nod she sank downward into the stone
