'Galenos' (Omanos)

“Galenos”

Lakeshire always provided views of beauty to Omanos and this early morning was no different. He had reluctantly dragged himself out of bed after a pleasant evening and night with Rhaenna. As the sun slowly rose in the sky, it’s light shined down on the young paladin as he continued with morning press-ups outside his home. He closed his eyes as he continued, a few beads of sweat forming on his brow.

He had not dealt with the death of his father as well as he would have expected, their relationship had always been a twisted mess of futile attempts to connect and it had led him to believe that he wouldn’t even care when the time came for him to die. However, this had been changed by the fact that the two of them had finally connected and started to build a relationship, the father and son, the last two men of the Galenos house had finally started to build something together.

Omanos moved to rest on his knees for a moment before sliding them from beneath him and lying down flat on the grass. With a quick breath he started doing sit-ups and allowed his mind to flicker back to the night of his father’s death. Omanos had missed the actual passing and sat beside the corpse of his father, eventually he had allowed his resolve to waver and drawn the corpse into his arms, sobbing quietly against his father’s chest. It had been a strange moment for him, it was hard for him to think past all the emotions that raged through him during that moment, but one thing was clear.

He regretted ever hating him.

Omanos sat forward and rested his arms across his knees, sweat glistening over his body as the sun continued to slowly shine it’s light over him. The fact remained that Omanos had reasons for hating him over all those years and he knew those reasons were justified on his end. He slowly pulled himself up from the floor and stretched his arms above his head. He had spent far too long feeling nothing but sadness and regret through this ordeal and he knew that his father would not want it to be that way. He had left behind something precious, the people he cared for most. Omanos smiled slightly at the thought, that through everything his father had said and done, he had done it with this final idea in mind.

The man that lost his family as a boy and for a second time as a man had made sure that he gathered the people he cared about most and made a family for them, comprised by each other. Omanos turned and walked away from his home until he was stood on the edge of a hill overlooking the lake. He peered down into it before closing his eyes and remembering a very important letter his father had left behind for him.

‘Omanos,

There are so many things I wanted to say to you before you ever read this, but unfortunately I know my time is coming to an end. As I write this letter I find myself at a loss for words. All I can say is that I love you, I always have and whether I am in this world or the next, I always will.

Now that you know this, I have some tasks for you. Do not base your entire life around these tasks, do not allow yourself to make the same mistakes I have.

1) There is a chest in the western plaguelands that I buried myself after the death of my father. I’ve included a map with this letter, find this chest and read all of its contents. You are the only one left now, Omanos, it is your duty to uphold everything that makes a Galenos, a Galenos.
2) Rhaenna, Julia, Rohwyn, Eselan and Aramus. Protect them with every fibre of your being, son. All of you are the most valuable things I have left behind, I want you to ensure they live long lives; you have the strength and ability to do so.
3) Be the husband and father that I couldn’t be. You are all the best parts of both of your parents, Omanos. You will be magnificent in everything you do.

Be the light of the Alliance, my son and bring peace to a weeping world’

Omanos opened his eyes and lifted his head, taking in a deep breath of the fresh morning air. It was if every word of that letter had been burned into his mind, but he had no complaints. Omanos was a man of duty first and foremost; this is what he had become.

His mind wandered to the contents of the chest he had found. He had read all of the scrolls and books it contained, the detailed history of the Galenos house and bloodline for as long as it could be recorded. He smiled at the thought of how much influence and good the house managed over its years and how he would have to be the one to re-establish that role. He looked at his hands and clenched them into fists, it would be by no means an easy task but with the love and respect of his father and family, he felt like he could do anything.

“To be a Galenos is to be pure, righteous, respectful, forgiving and reasonable. To be a Galenos is to fight, charge, rend and repent. To be a Galenos is to be the embodiment of order, truth and justice”

Omanos smiled slightly and peered up at the sky, he had felt so alone at first, as if he would have to walk his path the same way his father did. What his father had done was to ensure that never happened, that Omanos would live a different life but with the same principles. Omanos turned on the spot to look at his house, knowing that it contained the two most important people he would ever come across. His wife, Rhaenna, the woman that changed his life forever, became his strength and the light of his life. His daughter, Julia, a little girl who had done so much to improve Omanos’ outlook on the world before she could even walk or talk.

‘Life is good, father. I will miss you but you will be remembered every single day, by everyone’s life you ever touched. I’ll do as you ask and keep them safe, I will do my best to maintain order and I will help this weeping world” said Omanos as he peered at the sky again.

The passing of Aramus Galenos had been a sad affair, it had broken the hearts of many but there was one thing he had left behind. Aramus had left hope in place of himself and he had entrusted that hope to his son.

Aramus had left hope in place of himself

<3

That aspect of Aramus' life has tended to remind me of a quote from Tolkien, about Aragorn's mother, when before she died, she said 'I have given hope to the Dunedain, I have kept none for myself.'

The aside aside, it's interesting what's come from Aramus' death... so much grief, but hopefully in the end, good.