“The storm’s gettin worse.” Sheets of rain pound down on their shoulders. Shielding his eyes from the rain he blinked at Sam, “Should we wait for it to let up?”
“It’ll never let up. It’s always dark and stormy in Shadow Dominion. We just need to keep moving forward. Be alert! You never know who's watching.” Sam took Robert’s hand and led him up the mountain; a bolt of lightning struck the side of the mountain and sent rocks tumbling straight for them.
9
Sheol Mountain
With the fast-moving rocks sliding toward them and the ear-piercing sounds, Sam took no time. “Quick! Follow me,” she said as she leaped into the air and started gliding over the rocks. Robert was mesmerized watching Sam gracefully surf over the sliding rocks. I must be careful not to reveal our presence here. The Shadow Knights will fall on us in seconds, and we’ll be overrun. I must use every precaution I can, Sam thought.
Sam turned to look over her shoulder, and to her horror, Robert was still where she had left him and was now buried up to his waist in rocks. She took immediate action as she shifted her weight, leaped over each sliding rock with ease, and made her way back to Robert. “Hang on! I’ll get you out,” she said as she quickly pushed and tugged the rocks away from his body. She managed him free, and with a firm grasp of his arm, she hauled him over the sliding rocks. Robert was amazed at how smoothly and quickly she moved as she tugged him along. He slipped and stumbled over every sliding rock until Sam drew him close. She hugged him firmly to a tree as the rumbling slowly diminished.
“Are you all right?” Sam asked when silence surrounded them again.
Robert looked down into her deep, emerald green eyes. He was captivated by her intensity and compassion. Sam stood there, bracing Robert to the tree, feeling safe and at peace. She unconsciously brushed a piece of hair away from his eyes, leaned close to him, and felt magnetized to his very soul. Robert’s face leaned closer to her own as his arm moved up behind her head.
Sam quickly pushed away from him. “The rocks have settled now; we should keep moving.”
Almost in a dizzy trance, Robert rubbed his hand behind his head, feeling embarrassed. “Um, yeah, you’re right. Lead on.”
Was that a little rosiness in her cheeks? Robert was not sure. Sam turned and walked confidently into the tree line. Robert speed-walked to catch up to her. “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“That thing with the rocks?”
“Oh, that’s training.” Sam shrugged nonchalantly and continued walking. “We’re entering Shadow Dominion. Be on your guard. Drayvon’s crew monitors these borders well, and they don’t like unwanted company.”
Robert kicked at some small rocks at his feet. “I understand,” he said as they continued walking. Soon, a strange mist fell heavily upon them.
Sam shivered a little and said, “It’s getting late. We should camp tonight and continue at daylight.”
“Sounds good. I’ll collect some wood for a fire.” Robert quietly shuffled away.
Sam busied herself with making a shelter. Robert disappeared as he searched the ground for kindling. “Come to me,” a whisper floated to his ears. Who’s that? he wondered as he searched about. Nothing. The mist seemed to press in on him; he shivered with the damp feeling but shrugged this uneasy thought aside as he continued collecting wood. “Come to me.” Robert jumped at the request.
“Who’s there?”
“Come and see.” Robert looked around at his surroundings but couldn’t see anything past the mist. “Did God really say you would never be alone?” Robert shook his head at such a strange question. “I could make sure you were truly never alone. I could give you what you seek.”
“What’s it you think I seek?”
“Acceptance, forgiveness, the control to protect those you care about.”
“How could you do that?”
“Come and see. What would you do to protect the ones you love?”
“I would die for them.”
“What would you say if I told you I could teach you how to be stronger?”
“I would ask, what’s the catch?”
“I could give you a demonstration.”
“What sort of demonstration?”
“Come, just come closer, and you’ll see. I’ll show you more than you ever thought possible. Come, I could teach you to save them all. I could make it so nothing happens to them ever again.”
“How?”
“You’ve known such sorrow and pain. You’ve a strong heart.” Robert took a step forward as the wood he collected fell from his arms. The mist lightened. He saw a faint image of a cave appear before him. “I can bring you wholeness and peace. Come and see.”
Sam finished the last of tying a shelter together when her thoughts wandered to Robert. Where is he? He should be back with that firewood by now. I should go look for him. She turned in the direction she had last seen him. “Come to me, Bobbie,” she heard. Immediately, she shivered and bolted in the direction from which the voice had come. “Come to me, Bobbie,” a faint voice on the wind called out again. She took off running in the direction of the voice.
Please let Bobbie be ok. I warned him to be on his guard. Drayvon’s smart. Sam could mostly make out a silhouette of Robert as she saw darkness looming about him. She jolted forward and grabbed the back of his shirt to pull him away from it.
“What? Sam? What’s going on?”
“We’re not alone. Come, Drayvon is coming, and he knows we’re here. We need to guard our thoughts; he knows your fears. Don’t let him in!” Sam yelled with such conviction in her words. Robert filled his thoughts of Sam and tried to push thoughts of his mom away. Sam pulled him back toward the shelter she built and they hid inside.
“I heard a voice. It promised to teach me how to save and protect those I love, and I promised I would not let anyone hurt my mom again.”
“He knows that. He’ll use that promise against you. Besides, we all learn through pain. I too, have lost much, but I can’t allow my grief to give him a foothold. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”1
“Who is he?”
“He is ruler of the Shadow Knights, and it appears he has joined forces with Lucas. He feeds on deception, worry, and fear. Right now, you stink of worry and uncertainty. You need to focus on something positive. Or your anger will open you to his control.”
“Control? I’ll never be controlled.” Robert gritted his teeth.
“That’s what I mean. You need to let go of that anger.” The air fell heavy around them, and Robert fell to his side, gasping for air. “Fight it, Bobbie.” He could barely hear Sam’s words as he heard his mom screaming and the thumping of his heart against his ribs. Sam shook Robert’s shoulder. “Fight! You need to stay strong.” Robert heard Sam’s words, but only at a distance, almost like a dream. “Enough!” Sam yelled as a blast of flames exploded in a circular border around them, rippling outward. Robert opened his eyes to see Sam holding him close in the shelter. The mist had disappeared. All was silent.
“Sam, what happened?”
“Drayvon attacked you. I had to act fast. I knew this was a mistake.” Sam let go of Robert and scooted away from him.
“Sam? What do you mean, you had to act fast?”
“Never mind that. We aren’t safe here. We need to keep moving.” Sam climbed out from under the shelter. Robert crawled out behind her.
“Where did the mist go?”
“I have to recover. I hit it pretty hard.”
“It? I thought you said Drayvon attacked. Isn’t Drayvon a him, not an it?”
“Deception is one form of illusions Drayvon uses to control others. We need to be extra careful stay together; we’re in his territory now, where he’s the strongest. I don’t know when he’ll attack again, but I know he will. We’re unwanted guests here.”
“Is the Waterfalls of Tears much farther?”
“No, but my fear is what we may find when w
e get there. Drayvon knows we’re here; we need to be diligent. The more times he attacks us, the more he knows how to defeat us.”
“You said you injured him. How?”
“I’m not without counter measures.” Sam quickened her pace. Robert almost had to run to keep up with her.
“I heard my mom screaming.”
“It wasn’t real.”
“How do you know?”
“He uses his attacks through fear and manipulation. So, therefore, not real.”
“Well, that’s good to know.” Soon, Sam jumped into a nearby bush pulling Robert in with her. “What?”
“Shh, he’s coming.” Sam pointed at the same shadowy figure Robert had seen the night he rescued Sam.
“Is that Drayvon?”
“Yes, he’s guarding something. But I can’t see what.” They watched as Drayvon paced back and forth only a few feet from them, as if he was a caged animal. Sam leaned closer to get a better look without revealing their hiding place.
“The Waterfall of Tears will overflow. Guard and let no one get through,” Sam heard a voice say.
“She’s strong. But I’m stronger,” Drayvon announced.
“Yes, you’re strong, but my plan has been put in place. Don’t allow your pride to jeopardize that plan.” Sam leaned closer, trying to place the voice. “I have a spy on the inside: I’ll win this war,” the voice disclosed.
“As you wish.” Drayvon turned uneasily in a circle and wandered off the path.
“Who was he talking to?” Robert asked.
“I know the voice, but I can’t place it right now,” Sam pondered.
“Has he gone? Can we continue moving?”
“Drayvon’s guarding this way to the Waterfall.”
“Is there another way?”
“Yes, but it’s not easy.”
“You think this has been easy? I’m not sure if I want to see what you think is hard, but do we have any other choice?” Sam slowly crawled away and headed back toward their previous shelter without saying a word. Robert shuffled to catch up to her. “So, what’s this other way?”
“You won’t like it.”
“Hey, we’re in this together. So, tell me.”
“We need to go back to the mountain and make our way around the narrow path and come in on the back end of the falls.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“The narrow path is treacherous, full of spies, lots of eyes, and hard not to be seen. Only the true of heart can find their footing.”
“True of heart? What does that mean?”
“The Saviour will guide us, but we need to be guarded.” They passed by the shelter and made their way up the side of the mountain once more.
I thought this was hard during the day, but at night, please, Father, be our guide, Robert prayed. The night sky was illuminated with flashes of emerald and red, giving only enough light so he could see Sam moving ahead of him. Slowly, they made their way over the loose rocks. Sam leaned close to the edge of the flat side of the mountain and disappeared.
“Sam? Where are you?” Robert shuffled closer to where he last saw her. Sam peered her head around to look at him.
“The ledge is narrow. One false step, and you could fall.” Sam moved her head out of sight again. Robert moved closer to where he last saw Sam. He peered around and saw Sam pinned flat against the side of the mountain; her toes balanced uneasily. “Stay focused on your next step, and each new step will bring you closer.” Robert tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat as he pressed himself flat beside Sam. Sam turned her head and continued forward. The two shuffled along in silence for a few minutes. “We’re almost on the other side” Sam turned to reassure Robert, but her foot slipped, and Robert reached out his hand to catch her.
Robert’s body cried out in pain as he struggled to maintain his balance and hold onto Sam. “I won’t let you fall.”
“Can you swing me? I see the other side. But you need to swing me and let go at the highest point.”
“What? Let go? But you’ll fall.” Robert’s muscles strained to keep hold of Sam.
“Do you trust me?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Swing me, now!” Robert swung his arm with all his might, and Sam slipped from his hold.
“No, Sam!”
“I’m here, Bobbie. I made it. You only have a little farther.” Sam’s voice trailed off. Robert shuffled forward and soon stumbled onto the surface of the other side of the mountain. Terror filled him as he saw Sam battling off a dozen of those hairy beasts. He was enthralled with her swift movements, watching her take a flying leap as she kicked one beast in the abdomen. In one fluid motion, she swung her arm around elbowing another in the side.
Robert looked around as he heard movement coming up the side of the mountain. We’re going to be overrun. What should I do? He searched his surroundings for something to stop the flood of beasts about to descend upon them. Sam turned to face Robert, and he saw even more beasts jump on her; the weight of them dragging her down.
A dark hood was pulled over his head as he felt himself being bound and dragged away. “Master Drayvon will be pleased,” he heard a shrill voice reply.
“Robert!” Sam screamed.
Sam found herself chained to a chair in a dark room. She sensed someone staring at her. “I know you’re there. Bobbie, is that you?”
“Bobbie, eh? So that’s the stranger’s name.” Drayvon gleefully announced. “Where did this Bobbie come from?”
Sam filled with regret at unknowingly giving Drayvon information. “Drayvon, what do you want?”
“You know me: power and authority.” Drayvon leaned close to Sam’s ear. “Control.” Sam was filled with panic.
“Control? Control of what?” Sam feared his answer.
“You have lost everything and everyone, yet you still question? What hope is left? You’re alone.”
Sam squared her shoulders, focused all her courage, and looked into Drayvon’s red eyes. “No, in all these things we’re more than conquerors through Him who loves us.”2 Sam felt her courage growing.
“You won’t be so courageous when he arrives. He still has plans for you.” Drayvon smiled mischievously as Sam struggled to maintain her confidence.
As her courage wavered, she prayed quietly, God please protect me and keep me guarded.
“What have you done with Bobbie?”
“What do you care? You’re alone; nobody’s coming for you this time. Besides, you don’t need anybody.” Drayvon left the room as Sam lunged forward, only to be pulled back by her bonds.
“Where am I? Someone better give me some answers or else,” Robert demanded as loud as he could. He kicked one beast in the shin as the beast tried to restrain him, managing to free his one arm while he elbowed another beast. “I’ll fight anyone who threatens me.” He growled and punched toward the first beast he kicked.
“Enough,” Drayvon yelled. Robert froze at the sound of anger in his voice. His fight melted away as he was forced to sit and felt his hands and feet being bound. The hood was yanked off his head. He looked angrily at Drayvon. “Bobbie, right?”
“Who’re you?”
“I like your spunk. I could use you.”
“I’m no one’s puppet.” Robert tried to fight against his bonds.
“Leave us,” Drayvon ordered the others out of the room, leaving only Robert and himself. “Easy now. I’m on your side. I can help.”
“Help me? How?” Robert questioned as his posture relaxed a little.
“You’re a stranger here. Am I right?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything? Besides, if you were on my side, why am I tied to this chair?”
“You’re fighting; you’re bound for protection until I know if I can trust you.” A smirk formed on Drayvon’s face.
“Sorry, I usually fight first and ask questions later.”
“A man after my own heart. I can help.”
“Help me h
ow? What help do you think I need?”
“I can help you get home. Protect your family from hurting again.”
Robert relaxed more as he considered this creature’s offer. “What would you want in return?”
“Nothing major. Something you probably won’t even miss.”
“What?”
“Let me ask you: what’s your family worth to you? If you leave and forget about this place, no harm will come to you or your loved ones.”
“Why do you want me to leave so badly?”
“Suit yourself; I’ll let you think about my offer. But it expires once my lord arrives.” Drayvon slunk out of the room.
Sam closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on Robert. Her hair glowed crimson red as her mind’s eye floated down corridors, past several Shadow Knights, and past Drayvon. “Bobbie, where are you?” Her thoughts brought her to an old wooden door; beyond that door, she saw Robert tied to a chair. “Bobbie.” Robert jumped and looked around the room.
“Sam? Is that you? I don’t see you.”
“It’s me. Our thoughts are connected somehow.”
“How’s this possible?”
“It might be the same reason I’m drawn to you. Something’s connecting us. I’m not sure what yet. Are you alright?”
“Other than being bound, I’m fine. How about you? Are you ok?”
“Good to know I’m not alone.” Sam breathed a sigh of relief.
“I met someone. He says he can help.”
“Here? Nobody here helps another. Not without a sacrifice. Was there an offer made?”
“Sacrifice? What do you mean by sacrifice?”
“Nobody offers something without getting something in return.”
Robert shifted in his chair. “What if I could get us out?”
“I wouldn’t risk it. Be careful who you trust. Did he give you a name?”
“No.”
“How’re you doing this?”
“Just be careful.” Sam wavered and lost her connection with Robert as Drayvon entered the room again and smacked her in the face. “Your tricks don’t work here but don’t worry. Soon, you’ll lose that inner strength.”
Unbroken Kingdom Page 11