Sword of Light (The Knights of the Golden Dragons - Book One) Read Online Free PDF Page A

from the strongest and
most devout warriors the lands had to offer. The first ten warriors shared a
vision from the God of Light, and were drawn to the Temple of Light by their
dreams. The head priest who oversaw the temple at the House of Materon educated
the holy warriors as healers and bestowed the power to channel divine blessings
from the God of Light. Holy weapons were granted to each of the first warriors,
and they were charged with protecting all the lands from the evil of men and
beasts. Priests gifted with special sight were dispersed to the various Temples
of the Light. When any knights left the Order, these priests trained the
replacements before they took their place among the Knights.
                Tradition
dictated that the blessed weapons were passed from the fallen or retiring
members to the new warriors, and in this manner the Order remained strong for
400 years. “The breaking of the sword carried by Lord Clamine has never
happened. Only a terrible curse of unknowable strength could have torn the
sword into two parts. The other weapons were retired with their owners when the
Order of the Golden Dragon was broken years ago. It has been thirty years since
the last of the knights, besides Lord Clamine and myself, were committed to
their final rest and their weapons sealed within the tombs. Lord Clamine went
to the God of Light without his weapon, the blade of which you bear. The sword
still has some role to play in destroying the evil responsible for this
tragedy.”
                Gregor
was moved to ask Master Silverwing how he had been separated from Lord Clamine.
“You were the last of the Order. What could have made you leave the Knights of
Bella Grey?”
                “I
was following the path set before me as Lord Clamine was following his own.
Neither of us knew where our paths would carry us, but we both trusted our
faith to sustain us. Lord Clamine established the Knights of Bella Grey to
train warriors from across the lands the Knights of the Golden Dragon once
protected. Many of these holy warriors still train orders of knights of their
own and protect the lands as we once did. I chose to study with the priests of
nature, the druids as they are called, to gain greater insight into the workings
of the world as a whole. My heart is heavy with sorrow wondering if I might
have made some difference, but the God of Light had other reasons to keep me in
this forest. We cannot possibly understand why all things happen as they do.
Many knights were killed in service to the God of Light; they gave their lives
for their brothers and sisters within the Order, and we made terrible
sacrifices to save the common people in the time the Golden Dragon existed. I
have little doubt that you, Gregor, will come in time to question your own
faith as I have, but know this; it is when you would most easily turn from your
faith and the God of Light that you must find your own strength and carry on.
The God of Light never loses faith in you. I have watched you, fueled by anger
and hatred for the loss of Lord Clamine. I share your sorrow, but we cannot
live in the past and progress toward the destiny set before us.”
                Gregor
reflected on these words for the first of many times. It was much to bear for
one so young. Gregor had somehow been drawn into the service of a God he did
not know, to serve a purpose he could not begin to guess. He could not believe
the potential Silverwing seemed to see within him was there at all. He vowed to
honor the loss of Lord Clamine and raised his head to the God of Light who had
touched him so long ago. Gregor would find the power and faith he needed. He could find no peace until he did.

 
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    The time of harvest had come, and
Gregor spent a few weeks helping his father take in the produce of their
farmlands. The young warrior felt the call of the earth as he and his father
drew the bounty of the rich soil,