The Last Paladin of Highmoore: The Legends of Valoria

Chapters 25, 26 & 27

Chapter 25 - The First Shrine, The Town of Remora

"Mistress, might you be willing to take young Tear ahead with you while I guide Alec to the shrine?" Talia nodded her head to Marec.

"Of course, Sir Marec, we will wait for you in the cathedral." Alec watched as Talia and Tear walked pass the building which now stared at Alec and Marec. Alec was not impressed.

"Is this the shrine?" Alec turned to his instructor and asked as they walked up to the small building that lay before them. It was no bigger than was the guardhouse in Roak.

"Yes, it is not as illustrious as many of the other shrines but things have become much more difficult in these outlying towns since the fall of Highmoore." Alec flinched at the name of his old home. Marec continued as though he had not noticed Alec's reaction.

"A great deal was lost that day. T'was my first station as a paladin. I served there for many years before I was appointed to be mistress Talia's defender. It was a truly beautiful place."

"It was my home." Alec solemnly moaned.

"I had heard such. It was also mine for many a year. One day, Alec, we may yet be able to reclaim our home. If only you had been able to see the noble's district and the grand temple. The paladin order was much greater back then. Not so great as it was before the dark times, but we had reclaimed much of what we had lost." Marec sighed. "To have spent countless lifetimes in hopes to restore our former glory, just to have it blinked out within a single eve." Alec kept his eyes on the ground, holding his composure, the pain excruciating, but necessary, he needed to know more.

"He was there that night. The black knight." Alec's eyes met Marec's, and Marec noticed that glimmer in Alec's eyes.

"Belias?!" Alec asked in shock. Marec nodded his head.

"He was not alone however, he had another with him."

"Another?"

"Yes, in the Forsaken lands, there exists an order of what you could call "anti-paladins." They refer to themselves as the Daemon Knights and are each masters of dark and terrible magic."

"How many are there?" Alec asked. Marec shook his head in response.

"I have no idea, but I once read that no more than twelve have ever existed at one time."

"Why twelve?"

"I would imagine two for each of the great nations of the world. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. I also read that Daemon will only create as many as he can control. Too many knights armed with his power could turn against him."

"So even Daemon's power has its limits?"

"I can understand why you would think that, however as far as a mortal such as us could fathom, his power is still beyond comprehension."

"And the knights are immortal?" Marec did not answer but simply nodded his head. Alec thought back to his fight with Belias and a dark shiver overcame him.

"How many of these knights are you familiar with?" Marec placed his fist in front of his face and rested his chin upon it in thought.

"Belias, we have met. There was Abaddon from the days of Sidonis, the mad king Caliban and the witch of the Tartarian wilds, Cecille." Alec was not overly familiar with Tartaria, a country to the south, across the ocean. All he knew was that the entire continent was covered in woodlands and mountain ranges.

"There are Daemon knights in lands other than those on the Exodon?" Marec nodded his head.

"Quite. As I was saying, I believe that there were many others amongst the stories from my days as an initiate. There was Calyptus, the vagabond, who was felled long ago and Calleus, his brother. I seem to be forgetting about someone. Once you have an opportunity, we shall consult the old records, to fill in the gaps."