Echoes of the Past

Boudica sighs. She speaks more softly and says, "You are right, of course. Which is why we came to you in peace. But what you ask is simply unreasonable! We can't herd woolies through the wilderness! We aren't shepherds. Perhaps there is some threat or foe in the area we could rid you of? Some dangerous creature that invades your space and makes your homes less safe. Let us risk our lives for you and your people, as a show of friendship, and in exchange you give us passage. This is the final time I will parlay with you, however. I must gain access to this place; my faith demands it."

"The woolies go where the humans tell them! I know! I have seen it!" the crone remains adamant "They are what we need. We will never starve again with a flock of woolies of our own!!" the only dangerous creature the crone could see that invaded their space - was Boudica herself "You bring them to us, and you be a member of the tribe! I will tell you all our secrets. Then you can go inside and take what you want"

Boudica shakes her head and looks to the other goblins. To them, she says, "Remember, she chose this. You can still run. If you do not, then I am sorry for your children." She nods to Will and steps back, drawing her mace and raising her shield.

Will presses forward and attacks.

Miyana looses her readied arrow.

Boudica steels herself for combat. She loads a bullet in her sling and lets it fly at the crone!

Anton does his best to quickly retreat back behind the warriors of the group, knowing that he is likely to get skewered by a spear were he to stay up front, but he draws a dagger so that he can hurl it when the opportunity presents itself.

The goblins don’t flinch when you draw your weapons. They stand their ground, spears held ready. They don’t make any attempt to get out of the way when Will charges at them, and he finds out why soon enough.

A sudden burst of blinding light flashes throughout the entire tunnel, when the ghostly knight materialized once again, interposing himself between you and the goblins. The creatures react instantly, and one by one, they fall to their knees:

"The shining one! The shining one!" they scramble toward the knight, hands outstretched, crawling on the floor and trying to kiss his ankles – though their lips pass right through the knight’s translucent form.

"The shining one!" the old crone croaks "I’ve done as you told me. I’ve done exactly as you told me!"
She, too, falls on her knees, her eyes closed as she rocks her body back and forward.

The knight ignores the goblins. He raises his hand for them to fall silent, but the goblins continue to whimper and grovel before him

"You have passed the trial of Halav" he looks at Will "your strength in battle. Your courage, has earned you that right" his expression than changes, a hint of disappointment in his voice "But you have failed the trial of Petra. You have overlooked the wisdom of restraint, the value of patience. Petra's path is one of understanding. Compassion. And you have disregarded it." He pauses briefly "And of Zirchev... you have failed his Trial as well. The Sly One would have known something was amiss. Or he would have found a way to trick the goblins. Instead, you have chosen to rush ahead, blinded by your own desires."

Will sheathes his sword, and takes a knee.
I am sorry. How can I atone? And, how do we proceed from here? That we may celebrate our successes over our failures.

"Rise, young warrior" the knight not so much commands him, as he beseeches him "Even Halav, in his youth, was a brash and headstrong man, and Zirchev the wise always said that the greatest wisdom comes not from our victories, but from our failures. It is through the mistakes we make that we grow, if we choose to learn from them."

The knight waits for him to stand up first before continuing "Remember this, young one: our Trials never end. They are with us every day. challenges both great and small, mundane and profound. Each day brings new tests of your patience, your courage, and your resolve to expand your knowledge. Some challenges will be obvious, others subtle, but they will always be there"

He turns his head to look down the tunnel and then back at Will "If you promise to keep to the path of the Three, to show courage when fear would hold you back, to draw your sword only when it is required in the defense of yourself or others, and never grow complacent, for stagnation is the enemy of growth - then you will be a man worthy to carry the Relic I was entrusted to protect"

"Halav fought the Beastmen because they sought to annihilate all of humanity" this wasn't a history lesson for the old knight, or a fable. He Lives though these times " They were bent on destruction, and Halav had no choice but to meet them with force. They did not negotiate with us. They left no room for compromise. They were enemies of life itself"

He pauses, to allow his words to settle

"The goblins are not the Beastmen. You were quick to raise your weapon, eager to shed their blood, even though they were not the same as the monsters Halav fought. Blessed Petra would never have resorted to violence so easily, no matter what treasure was buried in their cave. She would have sought to understand them first, to find a path of peace before drawing her sword."

Boudica drops to one knee and begins to pray, tears flowing freely down her face, as her lifelong dedication to her faith is shown to be a failure.

Will reaches over, still kneeling, and places gauntleted hand on his clerical friend’s shoulder beside him.
It will be okay. You did your best. We can make this right.
Will rises, and says to the old knight, Show us the Path, sire. That we may stay to it.

"You say that the goblins are not the Beastmen, but they are little more than beasts themselves," Miyana offers aloud. "I submit that the test was not fair! Our choice was not a lack of compassion, but a decision based on logic. Going to fetch the sheep would have taken us a week or more, time that could be best spent performing beneficial deeds! You say we failed to show compassion, but we offered them an alternative. It was their choice to refuse our offer."

"Ancient wisdom doled out behind lies and deception..." Anton's words were dripping with a disappointed tone.

Boudica wipes her tears and stands. To her companions, she says, "It is OK, my friends. The old knight speaks true; I have fallen short of my religious ideals. I shall not do so again. I vow, Sir Knight, to stay true to the path of the Three."

Boudica turns to the goblin crone and adds, "Madam, if I can, I will try to bring you woolies some day."

The ghostly knight stands still for a moment. His form starts to fade as he begins to speak, as does his voice:

"My time here is at an end. The path of the Three has been set before you, and it is up to you to walk it, and though the path may twist and wind, it is always there, waiting for you to return should you stray"

He doesn't answer any of their objections about the trials, though perhaps there is some truth in what Miyana has said; the knight, too, doesn't bother to ask the goblins for permission to retrieve the artifact from their caverns:

"The sword is yours. For as long as you're worthy" and then he is gone, and so does the unnatural light, leaving the cavern dark and foreboding again