Symphony of the Universe: A Melody of Knights IX
This story is about Edmund Knight, it is meant to take place before the events
which occur in the comic series Symphony of the Universe.
Edwyn's life had become a blur of early morning marches, endless training, and nonstop orders. The unpleasant living conditions such as cramped quarters, terrible rations, constant travel and not a moment of privacy didn't bother him. His temperament was still as mild as ever, despite the violent outburst when he broke off from his family.
Something strange was happening to Edwyn. He was likable. He just didn't know that he was likable. With a pleasant and attractive face, an impressive physical capacity and a calm demeanor people were drawn to him. Occasionally he was given hell for being a "pretty boy", but for the most part he won over superior and subordinate alike. This was very strange to Edwyn, who felt like he had been almost universally disliked up until this point.
Edwyn completed training easily enough and began what would become a long climb of increased military ranking, years passed and Edwyn was unaware of the passing of time.
Edwyn had an easy time with women when he was granted leave, they told him he could have been a movie star in another life. They told him they liked the uniform. He found regulars wherever he was stationed, but nothing lasted. Nothing could. The timing was terrible. He was constantly being moved around. So Edwyn never got too close to anyone. Which was fine with him, as he wasn't comfortable being too close with anyone anyway.
When he got back from leave Edwyn would be subjected to 1,001 questions from the other troops. They wanted to know all the details about whoever the girl of the week was, especially if she had any unusual sexual habits. Edwyn would either mock or ignore their questions.
Such was life. Until one perfectly typical night when Edwyn had a strange dream.
He dreamed that his mother was a bright and beautiful angel smiling down on him from the heavens. When he reached up for her he found that he could not touch her, she was too far above him. So he set to climbing, climbing up rocky passages and the tallest of mountains. The air was cold and light, he could hardly breathe, but there she was so he kept climbing.
When he arrived at the mountaintop there was his mother, surrounded by other angels. They gave off such a radiant light that Edwyn raised his hand above his eyes to shade a bit and make out their forms. Next to his mother, the brightest of the angels was surrounded by blue-green flames. Edwyn felt humbled by this display, and he knelt below his mother, who was by far the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
Mother touched him genlty on the shoulder, and for the first time in his life, Edwyn felt a wave of undescribeable relief. His only fear was that he might awaken and this dream would end too soon. How many things did he want to say to his mother? How long had he waited to say them? But he couldn't speak, he couldn't say a word.
"Go to Edmund, he needs you." Mother said, her angelic voice so melodic Edwyn felt as if his heart itself was being spoken to.
He reached for her, but the dream was already fading off. He woke up feeling terribly depressed, fully aware in his agnostic soul that it was not his mother his imagination that had conjured such visions before him. He still could not refuse the summoning.
So, after years of silence, Edwyn finally went to see his brother.