The Return of the Eldest

Long ago in an ancient land there came the eldest. The First of the Council. In the first days, the world was new, bright. The Eldest was the Son of the Good King Harry. The Eldest was but a child, yet he grew up strong, tall, bright.

But one day, the Good King left. The Eldest was left alone, and unguided, and very impressionable. The land fell to Darkness. Years passed, and the Darkness grew, and the Darkness grew within the Heart of the Eldest. And then came the Dark.

Battle was joined, but the Eldest, his heart poisoned, could not defeat the Dark. The Eldest was defeated, and taken away by the Powers, mortally wounded. The Dark stood tall and brazen. He spoke boldly and loudly, arrogantly defying the God of the Eldest, declaring the land a haven for the Darkness. For many years it was thus.

Then out of the mists came the Grey One. A thick fog settled over the ruined battlements of the Castle of the Eldest. Dark sat, brooding on an icy throne. A bright star fell from the sky, swooping low. The land, hard and cold, thawed in the heat and light of the star. From the mists came Retribution. The Grey One stalked the icy tower and came upon the throne. He stood silently before the Dark. With no words, the two joined into battle. The battle waged on and on, exploding forth from the icy tower, into the fields and hills. Mountains were leveled, plains upturned. In the end, the Dark was defeated, but only just. Drawing on the power and might of the Old God, the One, Eru, the Grey bound the essence of the Dark into an unholy blade, Morelen, sealing the power of the Dark within, tainting only the bearer of the blade. Grey walked wearily up the stairs and stood, alone in the ruined throne room. He drove the Unholy Blade into the empty throne. The land was brightened lowly, but still lost to the Day. Grey stood and stared out of the hole in the wall.

Years passed.

Many ages of passed on, and still Grey kept his silent vigil, but one day, the sun pierced through the clouds, and lighted upon a small sprig of dark green in the falling snow. Dark green and bright red, a branch of Holly. And the night fell, and then came the dawn. The return of the Dawn came. Riding in from the East with the sun was the Eldest. Healed, restored. The sun cast its eyes on the land, green returned, warmth, peace. As The Eldest climbed the stairs to the throne room, Grey turned to face the great doors. A single tear rolled from his face, and he smiled. As the Eldest pushed the doors wide, the Grey passed into the fading mist as a ghost. The Eldest walked to the throne and grasped the Unholy Blade and pulled it from the throne. The Darkness pulsed from the blade, but forfeited to the Might of the Eldest. He turned to the East windows as the sun rose.

"I am the White. Grey has atoned for the fall. The Paladin has returned from the Lands of the Dead. I was carried to the West, have passed through the Darkness, and was taken the Gates of Morn. Justice the White, the Eldest King is King once more."