The Crystal Chalice (Book 1) (72 page)

 “No, Relisar,”
whispered Celedorn. “I cannot let you do this.”

 Relisar smiled gently
at him. “Do not deny me this, my boy. I am old, the last of my kind, the last
of all the brotherhood. It is only fitting that the Orders of the Flower, the
Sword and the Book should end thus, for it was ever our duty to serve, and now,
with the victory of Erren-dar, the need for that has passed.”

 With that, he withdrew
his hand from Celedorn’s shoulder and looking up into the sky, said simply:
“The debt is paid.”

 “
No!
Relisar
!”
Celedorn cried.

 A sudden burst of
blindingly bright light, stronger than the brightness of the sun at midday,
illuminated the plain, flooding the scene with its brilliant whiteness, causing
everyone to wince and close their eyes. When it faded a little and they opened
their eyes again, they found that the sun had indeed come out. The dark clouds
above were parting, swiftly revealing pools of blue between their misty shores.

 Of Relisar there was no
sign. His grey gown lay crumpled and empty on the grass before them.

 “He gave himself in my
place,” Celedorn said brokenly. “He sacrificed himself for me.”

 As he spoke, a single
tear spilled from his eye and slid down his face. Elorin, watching him with a
heart torn between sadness and joy, suddenly stiffened in disbelief.

 When the tear reached
his scars and began to trickle over them, they began to shrink and gradually
smooth away. Gently they faded, until the skin of his left cheek was as
undamaged as his right.

 Andarion was staring
transfixed.

 “What is it?” asked
Celedorn, seeing the shock on their faces.

 “Your scars!” exclaimed
the King. “They have gone!” He swung the shield off his arm and held it for
Celedorn to look in the polished central boss.

 Celedorn ran his hand
over his face as if he could not believe what his eyes were telling him.

 “The sentence imposed
upon you by Gorth that day twenty years ago, has been repealed,” said Andarion.
“You have truly fought and defeated evil this day.”

 But Celedorn shook his
head. “No, I have not, for evil cannot be defeated by the sword. There is only
one thing that can defeat evil.”

 “And what is that?”

 Celedorn rose slowly to
his feet and took Elorin’s hand in his.

 “Love,” he replied.

THE
END