An Acolyte's Dream Chapter 6: God Sends A Gift

Rune Midgard Anthology – An Acolyte’s Dream

In Rune-Midgard, the winds of change are coming to bear upon this land long torn apart by wars between mortals, demons and other unspeakables. Just as the peoples of the free lands have thought they were successful in driving back the tides of darkness, the shadow once again casts its form about silent corners of the world, waiting to devour the fragile peace like a hungry lion. But just as before heroes will rise and two particular ones have already starting to make themselves known. This is the story of one of them…

Of Holieus and the House of Himlach
It was during the final two years of the reign of Tristan II that this tale came to pass. Serving in the royal house was a family of aged knights, Himlach and his wife, Aredhel. Long were they seen as the pillar of strength in the legions of the old king as they have served with their swords and shields even in the times of Tristan the Great, the High King of Prontera and sire of Tristan II.

Although the elderly couple had all the riches and power in the world, they were incomplete. For as sure as the sun rises from the East, the old knights were barren. “Long years have we served and hard work have we rendered but naught of these do I want to look back upon save for a child of my own,” sighed Himlach to his Aredhel on many days and nights when they are not out on the battlefields and fierce fronts. To this end, the heart of Aredhel was grieved as she could not satisfy Himlach’s wish and she ate and drank little. Thus, it came to pass that Himlach spoke to Aredhel saying,” Why are you thus? Have I not been good to you? Do not go on like this for my heart cannot hold two sorrows.”

Aredhel replied, “No, my lord has been kind to me but I sadden as I cannot give to him what he so desires.”

“Grieve not, my love, but keep the faith for if the House of Himlach is to have a heir, he will come sooner than you think,” soothed Himlach who was also a man of great trust in God. So it came to be at the first light of day that Aredhel went to the Grand Basilica and knelt before the altar and prayed, “Lord, if Thou hast not forsook my earthly lord and house, send us a miracle and grant us a heir, forasmuch as Thou hast given to me, I will return my son to You to serve You for all his days.”

A priest who happened to be in the vicinity overheard the woman’s prayer and responded, “Milady, thou vow be fulfilled, for the Lord hearest and wilt grant thy wishes but remember what thou hast promised and break not the covenant or the doom of the Lord wilt surely follow.”

And it came to be. Within months, Aredhel was with child and not one alone but twins it were and the couple felt joy in their hearts; and knew it would have taken nothing but a miracle that they could conceive. However, deep in Aredhel’s heart she remembered her vow but spoke none of it to Himlach who was overjoyed that his children were going to be, by his design, the greatest knights Rune-Midgard ever saw. When the children were born, the boy was named Holieus and the girl, Serephine.

Thus, when the children were seven and were about to be enrolled under a House of another Knight to serve as squires (it was customary that children of knighting families be taught under another knight as squires to learn the ways of knighthood before waiting to be knighted by the king), the priest who witnessed Aredhel’s vow seven years ago came to visit and Aredhel stayed Himlach of his decision.

“Milord, there is something that I have kept from you all these years, seven years ago I made a vow to the Lord and promised that when He grants us a son, he must serve Him all his life, thus he cannot be a knight but an acolyte of the Basilica.”

Hearing this Himlach was sorely displeased, thus, forgetting his faith and falling back on human baseness he replied, “I will not allow my heir to enter the priesthood and to don the cloth for he is surely mine and his destiny mine to mold, for him there is no other path whether divine promise or no.”

At his words, the priest who have come to collect Holieus rebuked Himlach,” Behold, for thou hast spoken false, for this boy’s doom belongs to the Lord. In Him, he will be made for greater things than to wield a blade and brandish a shield.”

“Begone priest, for the matter is of my household and I will not be swayed by other counsel.”

Shaking his head, the priest spoke, “Indeed with thine words the doom of the Lord is come upon ye and the House of Himlach and sundered it will be. For He is a jealous God who will yield not that which is His.” With that, the priest left and Aredhel was much grieved and Himlach repented of his words but it was too late.

Thus, it was then that Himlach and Aredhel was summoned by the king to lead a campaign to quell the dark shadows that were growing in the cursed city of Glast Heim where constant murmurs of a renegade sorcerer turned necromancer who has turned many from their graves in the city’s long forgotten and nameless tombs, abounded; and it was there in the middle of the fighting, the couple disappeared mysteriously and House of Himlach was without its lord overnight.

Hearing that he has lost two of his best knights in a fell swoop, Tristan the Great mourned for a hundred days and Prontera also for though he has won over the hordes of Glast Heim the price was too high to pay.

And so it was as the priest has prophesized, the House of Himlach sundered as the servants, squires and chamberlains departed on their ways while the estates of Himlach were re-possessed and the Basilica took young Holieus under its wings.

Of Serephine naught was heard save that a particular maid was seen taking a crying girl-child with her in the dying days of Himlach’s house. Whither they went, nobody knew.