The Event
"Then the decision is wholly mine," said the Seeress of Kell, Cyradis, a slip of a thing in a simple shift and a strip of fabric that ran over her eyes. But Garion could tell the moment was more, more than just a decision made by a single girl.
It was Choice, the greatest Choice that had ever been made, a Choice that had come from every Choice before it. That, he realized, was the point.
Light and Dark. Dark and Light. Both were two sides of the coin to a Dal and for good reason; because if they were more than that, then the Choice meant nothing. If one was to Choose, truly Choose, it had to be between equals. Equals. Eriond and Geran. His friend... and his son.
"Are all the conditions met?"
"They are" said a dry voice from Eriond's lips.
"They are" said a dry voice from Geran's lips.
"Then hear my Choice," she said, and Garion could feel it. It was too big, too important, for him to miss it. What was the swinging of giant swords upon a battle field to this, to Choice? This moment was all and he'd done everything he could, for good or ill.
For good or ill.
Then a sound, almost inhuman, almost too human, weak and despairing, strong and as sure as one ever could be--
"I choose thee!" and it took a moment for him to even see that the Seeress had fallen. Fallen into Eriond's arms. "For good or for ill, I choose thee!"
And with her fall, the world shifted. Not a pebble moved within the great cave in the reef at Korim, but everything shifted, changed.
The Choice had been made even as the world, as everything, dissolved into bright white Light.
It was Choice, the greatest Choice that had ever been made, a Choice that had come from every Choice before it. That, he realized, was the point.
Light and Dark. Dark and Light. Both were two sides of the coin to a Dal and for good reason; because if they were more than that, then the Choice meant nothing. If one was to Choose, truly Choose, it had to be between equals. Equals. Eriond and Geran. His friend... and his son.
"Are all the conditions met?"
"They are" said a dry voice from Eriond's lips.
"They are" said a dry voice from Geran's lips.
"Then hear my Choice," she said, and Garion could feel it. It was too big, too important, for him to miss it. What was the swinging of giant swords upon a battle field to this, to Choice? This moment was all and he'd done everything he could, for good or ill.
For good or ill.
Then a sound, almost inhuman, almost too human, weak and despairing, strong and as sure as one ever could be--
"I choose thee!" and it took a moment for him to even see that the Seeress had fallen. Fallen into Eriond's arms. "For good or for ill, I choose thee!"
And with her fall, the world shifted. Not a pebble moved within the great cave in the reef at Korim, but everything shifted, changed.
The Choice had been made even as the world, as everything, dissolved into bright white Light.