Brian Anderson - The Sword of Truth

“The next morning, to my great surprise, my mother woke me early and told me to pack my belongings, that I had been chosen. I think it was the first time I had ever seen tears in her eyes. She helped me pack without a word, and led me to the office of the High Priestess.

“When I entered, Lord Dauvis was standing alone at the back of the room. He wasn’t a very tall man; though I was only eleven years old, I stood nearly as tall as he. What he lacked in height, however, he made up for in girth. Though the man must have weighed three hundred pounds, he moved with surprising agility.

“My mother put her hand on my shoulder, whispered ‘Farewell,’ and left the room. It was the last time I was to see her.

“Lord Dauvis looked me up and down and grunted. ‘I expected more,’ he said. I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or to himself so I kept quiet.

“‘What’s your name, boy?’ he asked.

“‘Lee Starfinder,’ I replied. I did my best not to sound afraid.

“Lord Dauvis explained what my duties would be. Mostly, they consisted of running messages, doing chores, and seeing that his meals were ready on time. All of that was fine by me. Anything was better than rotting away at the Temple, and from the sound of it, the work for Lord Dauvis would be a lot easier as well.

“The High Priestess was waiting for us at the entrance. She bowed to Lord Dauvis and asked that he send regular reports of me. He nodded, and thanked her for her hospitality. She gestured towards me and said, ‘Do not dishonor this temple boy, or I will know about it.’ I remember smiling with excitement as I walked out of the temple doors for the last time.

“Life with Lord Dauvis was harder than I had thought it would be. He was unmarried and had no children, so I spent every waking hour attending his needs. For five years, I ran his errands, arranged his schedule, and saw to his meals. I don’t think I stopped moving for more than a minute, but to tell you the truth, I loved it. I was living life outside the Temple. Hazrah was a bustling metropolis that breathed a life of its own, and my duties frequently had me traveling to nearby towns and villages. I learned more about the world in one month, under the service of Lord Dauvis, than I had in my entire life. As I got older, he gave me more responsibilities. Eventually, I acted as his proxy during minor business deals and spoke in his stead at meetings with local politicians.

“I think I would have been happy to live out my life in service to Lord Dauvis, but the Gods had other plans. When I was sixteen, the two of us were traveling to Pendleton-a village two days ride to the west- to mediate a labor dispute, when suddenly our coach was attacked. Apparently, the mayor was afraid that he would be caught pocketing gold intended for village construction. His plan was to make it look like bandits had robbed and killed us, stealing all the accounting records and making any investigation impossible.

“When they attacked, I tried my best to protect Lord Dauvis; but I had never been taught to fight, and was quickly overcome. I was knocked to the ground and bleeding from a knife wound to my arm. A large man jumped onto my chest and was about to slit my throat. I braced myself, knowing I was about to die, when suddenly the man’s head separated from his shoulders and rolled to the ground beside me. I looked up and saw Lord Dauvis swinging his sword and fighting like a madman. He took on five bandits single handedly; one after the other fell to his sword, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. In desperation, one of the bandits flung a long knife at Lord Dauvis that pierced him through the belly. Ultimately, the attackers were all dead and Lord Dauvis lay dying. I remember how scared I was as I watched him pull out the knife. Blood soaked his waistcoat and spilled to the ground, but he bore the pain in silence.

“I helped him into the coach and hurried back to the manor. By the time the physician arrived, he was near death. It took three servants to force me out of the room, and even then, I didn’t wander more than a few feet from his chamber door. Hours seemed like days, and when the physician finally emerged he told me that Lord Dauvis was asking for me.

“He looked so pale and weak, laying there in his bed. No one was in the room but the two of us. He beckoned me to come closer and smiled.

“‘Lee’ he said, ‘I don’t have much time, so listen carefully.’ He reached up and took my hand. ‘It was no accident that you are in my service. A week before you came here, I was told by the Oracle of Manisalia that I was to take you into my home and protect you. She said you were important, and that one day you would help save the world. I wasn’t sure if I believed her, but I wasn’t about to take the chance. Now, I think that I do believe.’

“He called out for the housekeeper, who brought him a scroll sealed with the crest of his family.”

“‘I’m leaving you everything,’ he said. I was stunned. ‘My wealth and title will be passed to you. I’ve already made all the arrangements, so there will be no one that can dispute your claim.’

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. ‘Why?’ I cried. ‘Why would you do this?’

“’Because of what else the Oracle told me,’ he answered, still smiling.

“’What did she tell you, my lord?’ I asked. I could feel his grip loosen. He was slipping away.

“He pressed the scroll into my hands and said, ‘Promise me you will take care of my house and servants. You’re a Nal’Thain now.’”

“Tears were streaming down my face. ‘I promise,’ I wept.

“Lord Dauvis closed his eyes, and whispered his last words: ‘Go see the Oracle.’”

Lee paused and wiped his eyes.

“In the weeks that followed, I set about the business of learning to be a lord. I was now looked upon as Lee Nal’Thain, the son of Dauvis Nal’Thain.

“I sent for my mother at the temple, but learned that she had left the order shortly after I went to serve Lord Dauvis and had left no clue as to her whereabouts. I spent a small fortune trying to find her, but eventually gave up the search.

“It was almost a year before I went to see the Oracle. I was afraid of what she would tell me, so I kept putting it off. Millet was the one who finally convinced me to go. You’ve met him at my estate. He’s been with me a long time.

“It was a seven day journey to Manisalia. The town was quiet; it had a few shops, an inn, and a livery, but little else. I had pictured a city filled with pilgrims, and thought I’d be able to see the Temple towering from a mile away, but I didn’t. I actually had to ask for directions.

“The Temple of the Oracle turned out to be a small closed pavilion set upon a massive marble floor. The floor had been built on a foundation where you would expect a temple to be; according to legend, it was located on the very spot where the Gods first breathed life into humankind. A short flight of alabaster steps covering the small distance from the ground to the ‘temple floor’ was the only other man-made structure. Later I learned that three temples had originally been built there. All had collapsed one after the other, only days after they had been built, leaving only the foundation and the floor intact. Taking it as a sign from the Gods and fearing for the safety of the Oracle, it was decided not to attempt building a fourth.

“I had planned on a long stay. I figured I would be one of many waiting to see her, but as soon as I walked up, a young girl dressed in white linen robes approached me.

“’It’s about time you got here, Lord Starfinder,’ she said, using my given name. She took my hand. ‘Come, she’s waiting.’

“Needless to say I was surprised, but I let her lead me up the stairs-past men and women who looked as if they’d been waiting for a long time-and straight into the pavilion. I looked around for a second. A large green carpet covered the entire floor and pillows lay scattered everywhere. A few uncomfortable-looking chairs lined the walls and a number of dim lanterns hung from ropes strung across the pavilion’s support beams. Whatever I expected, this wasn’t it, and for a moment, I thought someone was playing a joke on me. The pavilion’s sole occupant was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, holding a rag and playing tug-o-war with a puppy. She was wearing green cotton trousers and a brown tunic. Her feet were bare and she wore no jewelry; nothing about her indicated that she was indeed the famous Oracle of Manisalia. She ignored me at first, clearly enjoying herself, and I was just about to walk out when she finally spoke to me.