The Girl and the Guardian

by Peter Harris

CHAPTER 18. When the Arcra of Aeden was lost by Korman, the Order of the Red Dragon declared his life to be forfeit, and he must himself end it by walking out into the wilderness, where he must find – or plant -an apple tree and lie down beneath it and give up the breath of life, and surrender his body back to the soil where it would feed the tree, symbol of that which he was sworn to protect at all costs. For the Guardian masters all had this power, to relinquish the breath and the spirit at will.

  And it came to pass that as he lay dying, a vision came before him, as it were out of the midst of the apple tree, and it was the Lady. She bade him arise and live, for there was a work for Korman to do for Aeden, far greater than his mere death would accomplish for one tree. And this work was also a penance, and a blessing: he was to keep vigil at the place she would show him, on the plain of the portal, until he receive a Sign, whether this be in a day or a hundred years. And she forbade him to relinquish the breath of life until he had done whatever deeds it fell to him to do when he had received the sign.

  So Korman chose to disobey his Order, and he arose from death, and ate of the apple tree, and drank of the little spring that he found by the tree. Then he swore an oath of obedience to the Call. So that spring was later named the Spring of Hope. And Korman travelled to the plains of the Portal, place of his penance and also his hope.

  And his vigil there was called the Great Vigil of Korman. This was the beginning of the new calling of Korman, to be a knight of the Lady, assigned to be the chief Guardian of the Chosen One when she finally arrived in Aeden. But at first Korman knew nothing of this hope, only that he had been promised a Sign. -Ennead, Of Korman