THE ZODIAC WAR
^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i

Chapter 6: From Black Knight to Holy Paladin

"No Ramza, it is I who should apologize, I obtained the throne through ill-gotten gains, manipulating and ultimately killing Queen Ovelia. And now I have her blood stained on my hands, how can I ever obtain absolution from you or your friends?" Delita felt it necessary to confess his distrustful twisted nature to his friends.

Ramza looked at Delita for a moment, reading the sincerity in his eyes and the sadness on his face, then he slowly drew his sword, careful not to alarm Delita with harmful body language, then swiftly drove his sword into the ground, hilt facing up.

He sighed and replied, "When I joined the Templar with Beowulf, I learned I wasn't actually a heretic, that I believed in what God could do. It didn't matter how many men and women I had slain with my sword, as long as I carried out God's means he would forgive my gravest sins, and that I was doing God's work, and not the work of the church. I knew the truth, and would be willing to kill and die for it. So, I drove my sword into the ground and swore fealty to God that whatever happened to me, I would always be following his works and doing his will. I know it sounds crazy but my sister and I believe this; as do Beowulf, Reis, Agrias, and Gildenstern."

Delita thought for a moment, the sincerity, peace, and desire for friendship was still strong as always with Ramza, but the naivete was gone for both of them, and Delita knew Ramza always spoke the truth, informed or otherwise.

"It's not so crazy, Ramza," Delita spoke with a settled tone, "I, like you, have always wanted freedom from my own mistakes; forgiveness for my sins,” and he genuinely did, “although it is not always easy to be granted from man, it seems even easier to let the burdens of guilt fall on God, I...need to believe myself, Ramza....I want to swear fealty as well..."

The faith he had in himself would never spread to others if he didn’t grow himself.

"Draw your sword, Delita, and drive it into the earth."

Delita drew his black sword "Death," he had called it. He believed it to kill nearly any living being with one swipe. But now it seemed to feel weak in his hands. Brittle, as if about to shatter into a million shards of steel. Then, without a moment's hesitation he drove it lengthwise into the ground with all his strength, pushing his entire being into the sword. Strangely the hilt was at level with Ramza's sword, making it seem like Ramza had so much more strength than himself, that he could drive his own sword even deeper without even trying...this made Delita feel weak.

"......Drop down to one knee, and...swear..," Ramza continued.

Delita did so, then opening his mouth, which felt dry and parched, "I...do so swear...."

"I do so swear--to God and to my compatriots that I shall uphold his word and his orders, should the church betray me or hell destroy me--I shall love my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by this sword I drive into his earth I make my oath of fealty, I shall love and protect my neighbor as my own soul--I so swear this..."

Delita repeated the oath softly at first. Then, with every piece of the oath he seemed to gain strength. When he finished, he felt the guilt leave him, and he didn't feel as weak anymore. There was a moment of locked and intense silence as Delita, perhaps for the first time in his life, prayed to a God he hardly knew or had faith in, but maybe this would change. At last Ramza drew his sword from out of the ground and spoke, Delita still at one knee, leaning on his black sword:

"Sir Delita Hyral," Ramza addressed him, then tapping both Delita’s shoulders with his sword said, "Rise, no longer Black Knight, but Holy Paladin."

Something grand and mystical began to occur, the sword driven still in the ground glowed with a mysterious white light. The Light for but a moment blinded Delita. As his eyes adjusted, Delita crossed himself and with a smile, stood. He glanced at the sword which was no longer black when he drove it into the ground, but now it was white silver with strange rune markings of the 12 symbols found on the Holy Stones inscribed on the sword, each a symbol of the Zodiac.

"Delita, look at yourself," Ramza said with a smile, "you've change not only on the inside, but the outside as well." With that Ramza showed Delita a silver reflective shield. Delita was shocked at what he saw, not quite sure as to what Ramza had done to him. His armor had changed from a dull brown-black color to a solid white armor with a silver cape to replace his blood red cape.

He now realized that this was an act of God and that he was destined to defend the honor of his friends. He grasped the hilt of this strange new sword and felt the firmness of it, then lifted it out of the ground. It was strong and yet light as a feather, as if it were part of his arm. He never thought this would ever happen in his life, ever.

"I think I will call this blade, Legend," Delita pronounced.

Alma stepped towards him among the applauding fellow-knights, "So you've become a Paladin now...yet it remains to be seen whether or not you are a genuine Zodiac Brave, this sword claims to say otherwise as it has the 12 main symbols engraved into it, yet I don't see the 13th?"

She examined the sword further, yet again the sword flashed a strange brilliant light. The light hit her in the eyes and she became totally silent, possessed by some unknown force. Her eyes were closed when she spoke,
"Braves and Knights, listen carefully of what I speak, a large quest lies before you..."

All eyes and ears cued in on what the mysterious voice that spoke had to say.

"You must first find the next two stones and their bearers, one, is a reliable ally you shall find, albeit obscure, and the other with the heart of a crystal. Complete the cycle and the time gate shall then open..."

On to Chapter 7 >>>>

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