The War of Redemption is not mentioned in any of Amber's histories, nor would any of the Royals recognize the name. For it happened long long ago, in the days of Amber's birth. Any who lived it are long gone, and only those who come at the Light's call know its story...
Gwyn nodded. "I am fine, Father."
The older man stood. "Come, then." Cadaes led her down to the vaults again, this time passing by the warded door where the books of the Unicorn were held. At the end of the hall an ancient-looking stone staircase spiraled down into the darkness below. Eight turns through the damp, cool air brought them to another hall. But Cadaes only stood in front of the stone wall at the foot of the stairs.
He neither said nor did anything, but a moment later, a section of the wall swung inward, revealing a faint glow from the darkened room beyond. Cadaes stepped through.
Gwyn followed, curious, and the wall swung shut soundlessly behind her. The room itself was darkened, lit only by a slight bluish glow near the center of the room. Then Cadaes steps to the side, and she could see the source of the light.
Suspended by apparently nothing in the center of the room was a broken sword. Hilt up, it hovered about three feet off the floor. It appeared that the blade was snapped in half, leaving only the bottom half of the blade and the hilt. A faint silvery and irridescent filigree could be seen on what remains of the blade.
"Redemption," Cadaes said simply.
Gwyn looked confused. "Redemption," she repeated. "It's a sword. And a broken one at that."
"It," he clarified, "is named Redemption. It is the first of the Pattern blades."
She looked intrigued. "And why would I be told to take it to the Tir?"
"That is a story in and of itself, Gwyn," Cadaes paced up to the illuminated blade. "In the very first days of the Church, when it was no more than a gathering of seekers and dreamers called to the Light, Dworkin gifted this very blade to one of that group, a man called Colin.
"Dworkin feared that the Serpent, unable to reach the Unicorn, would strike at the fledgling Amber in revenge. So he told Colin to gather those called to the Light, to train them and teach them as warriors, for he feared it would come to war."
Gwyn regarded the broken blade. "It must have been a very bad war, when it did come."
"Far worse than we could have ever imagined, child." The high priest sighed deeply before continuing. "So Colin did as commanded, and so was born the Sentinels. This blade, Redemption, became their holy symbol.
"The Sentinels were the first priesthood of the Unicorn; warrior prophets and sages. And so they prepared, and waited, for it was Colin's wish, and Dworkin's, that the Sentinels only guard, not become the aggressors. But light does cast shadows, and there were those amongst the guardians who felt they should go into Chaos, and destroy the Serpent. They did not understand."
Gwyn looked perplexed. "And then what happened?"
"Colin, of course, dismissed this notion, and so a rift was formed. Jeremy, the most vocal of the aggression proponents, began to covet the blade that Colin bore," Cadaes gestured to Redemption, "and his fantasy of leading the Sentinels to a glorious victory over the Darkness allowed the shadows to wind into his soul.
"And Colin was so blinded by his faith and devotion to the Light that he did not see those shadows around him until it was far too late." Cadaes looked at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "So yes, there was a war, but not against the Serpent. It was against the darkness in our own souls. Jeremy had gathered a majority of the Sentinels to his side, and he made his move. War raged in Amber, a bitter war between the very souls who were bound to protect her.
"Colin, realizing now what would come to pass should Jeremy gain the blade, took it to the Tir to hide it away. But Jeremy had anticipated this, and ambushed him in the Tir's grove. They fought, and Colin fell. As he collapsed, he drove the point of Redemption into the ground, and the blade snapped as he died. It is said the strength of his faith and devotion allowed him to break the blade, to keep it from falling into hands that would warp its purpose."
Gwyn nodded gravely. "And is it known where the other half of the blade is?"
Cadaes glanced up. "Still in the Tir. It was never removed. When Jeremy returned with the broken holy symbol, and splashed with Colin's blood, even his followers reviled him. And so in Colin's name they disbanded the Sentinels, and created the priesthood as it exists today. They would guard with faith and words, not with swords and blood. It would be the strength of their spirit they would fight with, not the strength of their arms."