The Last Paladin of Highmoore: The Legends of Valoria

Chapters 35, 36 & 37

Chapter 35 – The Final Trial

"Ah, welcome back young Alec. I had not expected you back so soon, yet it does always seem to fly closer to the end." Alec looked around the memory of Highmoore until his eyes met Seraphina's.

"What seems to fly?"

"Time, young paladin. No matter how old, how much, or how little, time seems irrelevant until we near the end, and by then, we always seem to possess none. I sense that you have returned with a troubled heart and a lack of time young Alec. What is it that troubles you?"

"I must complete my training, so that I may go and rescue the woman I love." Seraphina smiled as she walked with Alec towards the second door.

"Ah yes, love. I have experienced such a thing many a time during my prolonged existence."

"Do you mean before you died?"

"Yes, and yet no. When I was alive, I knew love for my father and my mother. I knew love for my homeland and love for my people, yet, I never knew the love of another as I did until after I died."

"What happened?" Seraphina smiled again with her bright radiant smile.

"Ah, that was many years ago by your recollection. I was giving trial to a young, bold paladin. At first, I was unsure of the feeling I felt, yet, as I continued to spend time with the man, the feeling intensified until I was sure of what it was that I felt."

"What ever happened to the man?"

"Ah well, I have not seen him in over a decade and a half by your calendar. However, our love was an impossibility. It was with a heavy heart that we terminated the connection."

"But what happened to the man?"

"I never saw him again. Now Alec, let us focus instead on the matter at hand, your trial." Alec continued to walk with Seraphina when they reached the second door. "Alec, I sense that you are not yet ready for this trial. How about you spend some time within the library and center yourself? I am sure that Highmoore has made more available to you since your last visit." Alec nodded and, opening the first door, walked within and took the path straight ahead, which led to the library. As he entered, he noticed that more lights were now lit so that he could nearly see to the end of the room on the opposite side.

Alec sat down at the desk where he had studied before and read the writing on the side of the first scroll that sat before him.

"Lady Seraphina, the divine paladin." Alec unrolled the scroll and seeing the concealment seal at the top corner of the page pressed his thumb against it commanding the contents within to reveal themselves. The scroll began to bleed out words and letters before Alec's eyes and he began to read of the story of Seraphina.

"Before the paladin Sidonis rose to the heavens to be with his beloved goddess, she gifted him with a daughter. It has never been determined that Seraphina was indeed the daughter of Aneira or not though this was the legend that we were told as we began recording the history of the famous founder of Highmoore.

Through all of the myths and legends, what we have confirmed, is that the Lady Seraphina was indeed a Divine and a Paladin, following in her father's footsteps. We do know that she was indeed the daughter of the legendary Sidonis and that she died at the tender age of thirty. She was a priestess of the Aneiran high order and died mysteriously while on holy pilgrimage in Valascaa.

She left behind no kin, though many who knew her and the people she sheltered when Highmoore was erected all referred to her as their beloved queen." Alec read further down and saw that the history continued on with her political contributions detailing Highmooria turning into a republic. Alec quickly skimmed to the bottom of the scroll and resealed its contents. He turned towards another scroll and read its title.