The Dark One – A Story of Sacrifice and Duty

Story Summary

A righteous prince named Noctis is exiled from his kingdom, faces trials in the wilderness, and must rescue his abducted wife Sarah from the powerful king Marcus. Through sacrifice and unwavering duty, Noctis exemplifies moral leadership even at great personal cost.

Full Story

Long ago during an ancient age there was a powerful king by the name of Marcus who was displaying great selfishness and arrogance, and who was fast breaking every code of moral duty. Marcus, though arrogant, had won many advantages due to the strict discipline he had maintained. These advantages made him so powerful that no one could conquer him or end his display of unrighteousness and so injustice was becoming rampant in the world. The wise elders and the council of advisors went to the all-knowing David to request his appearance in ridding the world of Marcus. David promised to appear as a leader in the Solar Dynasty and put an end to Marcus and his unjust rule.

David was thus born as Noctis, who exemplified all of the ideals of righteousness throughout the entirety of his life. Noctis was of royal birth and was the crown prince of Golden City, however through the scheming of one of his father's wives the throne was unjustly taken from him and he was exiled to the wilderness for fourteen years.

To ensure that his father's good name would remain unblemished, Noctis willingly accepted the exile with even-minded calmness and detachment, even though his father had already died due to the grief caused by Noctis's exile. Noctis's wife, Sarah, and his brother John would not part from Noctis and followed him to the wilderness.

Many adventures befell Noctis during his exile and not even once did he stir from the strict path of righteousness. After many years of living and wandering in the wilderness, news of Sarah's beauty reached the ears of the king Marcus, who then abducted Sarah, hoping to make her his wife.

Noctis was heartbroken and made every effort to find Sarah and rescue her from Marcus. He stood on a mountain overlook, scanning the horizon with determined eyes, his simple forest garments transformed into warrior attire as he prepared to rescue Sarah.

After much time and effort, Noctis faced King Marcus in an epic battle, wielding a gleaming weapon while lightning crackled around them, the fate of Sarah hanging in the balance.

Noctis defeated Marcus, and Sarah was returned to him. At that point the purpose of Noctis's mission had been fulfilled; he had destroyed Marcus and exemplified righteousness.

The trials of duty, however, are hard and Noctis, after conquering Marcus, still had one more ideal to establish. After returning to his native city and becoming crowned, Noctis heard that one of his subjects spoke ill of his wife. His subject declared that once a woman resides under the care of another man she should not be allowed to return to her husband, though Noctis might accept her because he was infatuated with her, he would never accept her. That Sarah was taken against her will, that she remained outside Marcus's palace, only eating roots and fruits so as to eat what her husband Noctis was eating in the wilderness while she waited for him to rescue her, was not considered by this critic.

Noctis, feeling that as king his highest duty was to please his subjects, abandoned Sarah to the retreat of the wise teacher William. Noctis stood victorious but alone before his golden palace, crowned as king but with empty eyes, having sacrificed his beloved Sarah for the sake of duty.

Sarah was pregnant at the time and after giving birth to Noctis's twin sons she died. At hearing of Sarah's death Noctis was sunk in sorrow, but he remembered that a king has no right to have feelings of his own so he concentrated on ruling the earth until his death. An elderly Noctis sits on his throne, still bearing the weight of kingship, while soft light suggests the presence of Sarah's memory watching over him.

Noctis's life was marked by sacrifice – the sacrifice of his kingdom, which once regained led to the sacrifice of his beloved. It is the Sun that provides the strength to make the hard sacrifices in life. The Sun also demands personal sacrifices for the sake of duty, the well-being of others, and for one's spiritual development. If the Sun is strong and well disposed in the horoscope, an individual will have the ability to make the necessary sacrifices.

Noctis means "dark," and lord Noctis was named this on account of having a dark cast to his skin. While the Sun is not, of course, dark, those people and races living on Earth that are exposed to the Sun darken.