Hand of Sorrow

I literally just sat down and drew this straight into photoshop- no linework or anything, just a blank photoshop canvas and Zoe sitting a the pooter for two hours straight- which for me is uber rare.

I was just listening to Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation and realised it was really a song about Ashworth from my book, TAOV! In Book 2, which I am writing now, he meets someone precious from his past, who he never realised was still alive... the only trouble is they are as tortured as he is and end up sacrificing themselves for him... it just ties in perfectly with the lyrics... so yeah, I got inspired.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know my book, Ashworth is the spirit of an honourbound master swordsman who is killed and resurected by the Amulet of Vichalace to continue his duties serving it's bearer and hopefully defeat his evil sisters and their immortal father, Merras. Ashworth was the nameless bastard son of Merras, who simply said he was worth as much to him as the ashes in the graveyard, so he became known as Ashworth for that reason.
He was used by his father and sisters as an assassin, forever having to serve them due to pledging his soul to them as a child. Now he is formed of darkness, a creature of Vichalce's making, his soul trapped inside the amulet, he is able to fight, for his father's threats can no longer harm him... but the sins he has comitted in his name and the memories of his past haunt him as much as he does the lives of Elias and Celeste, the two companions he is joined to by forces beyond anyones understanding- anyone's that is except Vichalace!!

Enjoy!

Oh and here are the lyrics too. I think you'll all see what I mean. Oh and if you haven't got it- go and buy WT's new album. It ROCKS.


Within Temptation - Hand Of Sorrow

The child without a name grew up to be the hand
To watch you, to shield you, or kill on demand
The choice he made he could not comprehend
He’s got a grim secret they had to command

He’s torn between his honor and the true love of his life
He prayed for both but was denied

So many dreams are broken and so much we sacrifice
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind
So many years have passed toward a noble land of lies
Will all our sins be justified

The curse of his powers tormented his life
Obeying the crown was a sinister crime
His soul was tortured by love and by pain
He surely would flee but the oath made him stay

He’s torn between his honor and the true love of his life
He prayed for both but was denied

So many dreams are broken and so much we sacrifice
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind
So many years have passed toward a noble land of lies
Will all our sins be justified?

Please forgive me for the sorrow
For leaving you in fear
For the dreams we had to silence
That’s all there’ll ever be
Still, I’ll be the hand that saves you
Though you’ll not see that it is me

So many dreams are broken and so much we sacrifice
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind
So many years have passed toward a noble land of lies
Will all our sins be justified?