Saints We Should Remember - Saint Vilantane

Author: Erutor

Entry for the Amore Tank Your Hearts contest in the Short story category

Checking a HighSec static opening from a wormhole he was exploring, Erutor realized he was in Amarr space. Stopping by a local station for refreshment, and to offload some plunder, he overheard the following program:

Welcome, children, to today’s episode of Saints We Should Remember! Today, let’s spend a few moments to remember Saint Velintane.

Saint Tomas Velintane, who lived some 800 years ago, is notable among our saints for his ancestry. He was a leader within the Nefantar tribe.

That’s right, today’s saint was Minmatar!

Tomas Velintane was a wise and powerful ruler among the Nefantar tribes in the dark days when the tribes were not yet enlighted as to their role in God’s plan. Even the tribes opposed to his Nefantar tribe referred to him for many decades as “Uncle Tom” – no doubt for his kindly ways and mature wisdom. Tomas fought valiantly against our ancestors, but, of course, even the wisest and most powerful tribal leaders could not hope to stand against the will of God. Eventually, he was captured.

After several years of education and through many intimate conversations with his mistress, Tomas Velintane came to know and love his mistress, and to know and love his role in God’s plan. Having embraced God’s will himself, he desired to help his former people also come to the same blessed state. Tomas and his mistress forged a plan.

Tomas returned to his tribe, truthfully reporting that he escaped captivity. His tribe, not yet enlightened, did not understand that the captivity he’d escaped was the captivity of sin, but welcomed him with open arms. Even more wise than before he left, Tomas trained his tribe in the ways of combat, and prepared them to make an assault on a local installation of missionaries from our Holy Empire. For long months, they planned, trained, and drilled.

Finally, the day came!

The tribe marched out, Tomas at their head. They marched all night, and arrived at the missionary installation just at dawn. Rousing their spirits with promises of victory and freedom, Tomas led the charge. Up the valley they rushed, the sun glinting on their weapons. Over the wall they clambered, seemingly unopposed.

Then, the trap was sprung!

Our mighty forces lept from concealment, and began to launch non-lethal rounds into their midst. The tribes howled in anger, realizing they had been led into a trap, but quickly succumbed to the withering onslaught! As the firing stopped, and the smoke cleared, one mighty warrior knelt among all the tribesmen rendered unconscious. Tomas had a peaceful look upon his face, which was turned up towards the sun. He was transfixed from behind upon a tribesman’s spear, and the only casualty of the battle.

The tribesmen were led away.

After years of education, many of those tribesmen came to know and love their masters, and to know and love their role in God’s plan.

They, too, came to embrace God’s will, and to lead their people to freedom from sin.

They remember Saint Tomas Velintane still today. A wise sage and mighty warrior who loved his people and our God to the very end. Who loved them more than life itself. Who happily sacrified his own life so that they could come to know and love God. Who helped his entire Nefantar tribe come to know freedom from sin, and the blessing of active participation with God’s will and plan.

And that is why we celebrate Saint Velintane’s day most sincerely with tokens of unselfish love, but also why pranks and surprises are a fun tradition associated with the celebration of this holy day.

Happy Saint Velintane’s Day, and we’ll see you again soon for another episode of Saints We Should Remember!