The Awakening of History : 01

This is the last legend of Klane Kalonia. It is a story of the end of things; a story of the final days of Klane Kalonia and the ending of the long Season of Innocence. It is a story of beginnings too. When Klane Kalonia was an old, old man there came to his ear some whispers of a mighty giant who had slept for an age under the chalk downs of Ilunon but had now awoken and was trampling over the people once again. And the name of the giant was History. At first Klane cared not for the stories and he felt no fear for he thought there was little History could do to him so far away. But as the stories of History grew stronger, so petitioners arrived at his court from the new cities. And the petitioners all had complaints about History and Klane began to know doubt. So although Klane Kalonia had long since hung his weapons on the wall; though Lyr and Suak lay buried beneath the earth and his days of fighting were over, still Klane steeled himself for one last task. He knew that he must find History and confront the giant. Klane did not regret the burden of this last adventure. Since Eshmelle had passed from the Earth his waking hours were grey and tasteless and to sleep was only to dream of times and places which now disturbed him. So he slipped away from the castle keep at cock crow when most of his household were not yet stirring and took the placid stallion Uraton from the stables.
The gates had just been opened for early traffic from the farms and only one yawning guard acknowledged his departure, not even wakeful enough to recognise the master of the castle.