The Solid White Knight

All of existence was in search of the truth. The Book of Knowledge and Wisdom held all of the answers, the secrets of eternity… locked away, in the center of a city, in a glass case, guarded by a solid white knight whom had never spoke.   

The key had not been seen for ages. Legends claimed it was a key made of glass just like the glass casing the book was contained in. One story told of the key being shattered in a million tiny pieces by the emperor because he found his wife sneaking and reading the book. Another story told of the key being swallowed by a snake that slithered away into the dark. Some people believed the solid white knight wore it behind his breastplate. Others say it had just been lost and no one had yet found it. 

Everyone believed they knew the contents of the book. Everyone believed they knew what was best, that they knew what was real and what was not; what was important and what wasn’t; what had first priority and what had last; what was good and what was evil; what was fair and what was unjust; what was acceptable and what was not, but no one could agree and no one really knew the truth for sure.

Some believed in a god of love, others a god of war, some no god at all. Some believed in taking what you could get, while others worked hard for what all they had. Some believed in life after death and some lived as if death was the end of life. Everyone was confused, but no one knew it.

Humanity was in total strife. The world was in complete disarray. There was no sort of structure or no source of direction. People were against one another, fighting over the truth and what they thought mattered. They wanted answers and proof that they were right.  

A heaviness hovered over the people, a darkness that couldn’t be contained. People cried out into the streets. Others tried convincing those around them of the truth they believed. Many hid from the terrors and the chaos that had overtaken their lives. There was no peace. There was no joy. There was no way to measure the truth of their lives, except for by the book, which no one had ever read. 

Fiery arrows flew through the open air. Bombs were aimlessly being tossed from all directions. Mines exploded as people would trample over them. Homes burnt to the ground. Smoke filled the atmosphere. Screams were heard all throughout the night. Bodies scattered lifeless as far as the eyes could see.  

No matter the calamity, no matter the destruction, no matter the pleas from the people, the solid white knight stood still, in complete silence, in perfect contentment. His armor was as white as snow while the world was covered in remnants of death and corruption. His eyes never closed. His focus never changed.

There was no light left. The darkness had smothered everyone’s hope. The people had become silent. Anyone who survived to that point had been overcome with exhaustion and there was nothing left to fight for except their pride; who was right and who was wrong.

Out of the darkness, a light appeared. It illuminated the entire sky. All that could be seen was a desolate, empty, barren space full of agony and despair, although a luminescent glowing appeared to be coming from the location of the book. The solid white knight had disappeared. 

            The final survivors all began to move towards the book as they noticed it was unguarded. Some drug their broken bodies across the ground. Some pulled others behind them as they struggled to make the distance themselves. The rest all raced to be the first to get there.

As the crowd began to gather, the people formed a circle around the mysterious light. Where the guard had stood, there lay a glass key. In amazement at what had sat before their eyes, no one dared to move. In complete disbelief, they all stood in wonder.  

From behind the crowd came a voice of authority and power. Stepping into the center of attention was the solid white knight. With the calmest, boldest tone, the solid white knight spoke… “Behold. You see before you the glass key; the key that opens the book to which has all the answers to your most desired questions. The end is here. The time has come. You have all believed what you felt was right. You have all fought for the truth and have withstood the trials of the manifestations of hell. You have all survived the lost and the unknown. Now, it is time to uncover the truth; to prove who is right and who is wrong.”

The solid white knight picked up the key. He tossed it into the air. Back down it came. It fell to the ground and shattered into a million tiny pieces. The glass case opened. Exposed was the Book of Knowledge and Wisdom. The answers everyone had waited for. The answers that others had died for. 

“Wait!”, demanded the solid white knight. “It is of most importance that when you open up and read the pages this book contains, that you remember what you stood for. Remember the feelings you felt for what you believed to be true. Remember the passion that flowed through your veins about what you swore was right. Remember the lives taken over your beliefs. Remember there is only ONE truth and that truth stands above all other.”

Suddenly, the book flew open and the pages turned as if a strong wind had blown across them. Everyone stood in silence, as silent as the solid white knight had stood for innumerable years before. The pages came to a stop… The book was wide open… There before them were all of the answers to all of the questions… The pages were as white as the solid white knight and the words were no different. 

LeelaRae