Legends of Belariath
Lar Shadowbane
The darkness that consumes him is not something born overnight or something caused by lack of sanity, it was planted long ago, a seed that was planted and nurtured. Growing until it swept the goodness from him in one fell swoop.
The line of Shadowbane, was at one point and time a respected order of Knights sought after and often recruited at a young age for their tallents, their skills, and above all their loyalty. Champions, heroes, purveyors of light. All attributes attached to this line, a finer pedigree would be hard to find.
Despite the total strength of a srtructure it only takes one faulty portion at the base of the structure to bring it crashing down, destruction the only remnants of what was once great. Such is the case with the Shadowbane story.
Lar was born to a mother and father of that line, the first born son in this lineage was typically the ones that became the knights holding the highest ranks, often becoming Generals of large armies, or Stewards of keeps...the second born usually found their way to high ranks as well while not usually commanding armies, they found themselves in charge of their own element in armies, on the occasion that there was a third born his rank was often limited to captain or below....the tradition being to send brothers to serve under one another, from eldest to youngest in terms of power and responsibillity....
Lar was the fifth born of his family, his predetermined status could never be very high unless of course tragedy struck and wiped out all of those above him. As a boy he was generally overlooked as he was of lesser importance pollitcally than those who were his elders. Quiet he always questioned the way things were, why did he have to be so low in rank? Why couldnt he do something other than become a knight? What happened if he was better than the others? Question after question along these lines, the result is he was generally igrnored and pawned off onto others that he could stay out of the way of those training. In effect he often found himself lonely, seeking comfort within himself withdrawing and using his imagination for amusement. Eventually he developed imaginary friends...or rather he thought they were imaginary friends in truth they were apparations visions sent by a dark god looking both to strike a blow against goodness and to strengthen his own forces, Lar was chosen because the edicts and values taught so forcefully to those of higher status were not ingrained in him.Lar unkowingly embraced his new friend, finally having someone to play with is a major accomplishment for a lonely child.
Things continued like this, Lar all but being ignored as his brothers went through training and were shipped off each under the comand of the one before them. Lar's time for training finally arrised as he hit puberty, by now the bond with the only person he trusted....the person he saw as a figment of his imagination was the only person he trusted fully, because as his brothers had been ingrained with values and edicts so did he, his freind telling him many things, answering his questions never growing impatient, the things he had been taught were meant to plant the seeds of corruption and darkness, and they were...though of course now to take root there needed to exist darkness in his own heart.
To the amazement of all involved...Lar held amazing talllent his seemingly natural tallent with a blade was unheard of for someone at his young stage in development. From the first time that he held a sword his trainers found that he was surpassing students years into their studies...this continued on until he surpassed his teachers defeating them with finesse only weeks into training, word of the prodigy spread....and suddenly his question about his place being set into stone seemed warranted.
Unbeknownst to anyone this too was a gift from the dark god....though that would not be known until a later time. the prodigy continued growing rapidly in strength and tallent mastering not only the sword but many other weapons and fighting styles talk of him holding the highest position recorded for the line was frequent....for all this Lar still sought to avoid people, seeking refuge in himself whenever he could escape from the admirers, the girls , the trainers, his jealous brothers and the remainder of his family.
The full growth into darkness occured on a knight of celebration upon the night he was to go into ascention an assassin struck, killing the king, the liege of his eldest brother, a sword in his back while in his private chambers. When the alarm was raised and the evidence found, it was discovered that it was Lars sword as evidenced by his name upon the blade and the forging process showing it as a sword from one of their line.
They came seeking out the traitor, for all his supposed guilt Lar was found in a small clearing in the forest talking to himself, his sword noticably absent this was of course enough to convince those most loyal to the slain king that he was guilty, they fell upon him emerging from all sides Swords drawn demanding he surrender, he a young man unarmed, and surroundedd by an ever closing fence of sharpened steel, his friend the Shadowy friend cried out “They are here to execute you” Lar began panicking wild eyed glancing in every direction, their faces hidden by their helms, faceless spectres to take his life. Suddenly one of the men cried out and fell down,gurgling an arrow to the back of his neck..though in the darkness none could tell, the sound of the bolt cutting through air lost in the movement of armor. instantly they thought he had done something, and fell upon him....he acted his body reacting all on its own dancing dodging, jumping, twirling...inexplicable he could see their movements even in the dark, he dodged and evade their slashes, the blades of twenty men evaded for ten minutes, and fatigue began setting in, he couldnt keep the dance up the voice of his friend rang out in his mind, them or you...his life or theirs.....his path was clear, as they came upon him again no longer was he dancing and evading now he was attaking, booted heel stomping upon the wrist of an overzealous swordsman set the blade free, he took it up and eventually they were slain he unscathed.......but as his safety was asured the strenght bestowed by tthe dark god left him, and he fell upon the ground exhausted lying among their blood, when dawn came he awoke only to find that the people he had slan were not anonymous persons but his own brothers and father.
In the end he embraced the darkness giving himself to the dark god.