Kingdom's Hope

by Chuck Black

  “I promise, Sunshine,” he said quietly and close to her ear. “I promise.” He reached down and squeezed her hand.

  “I think it wise to ready the men,” Audric said with a voice of command. “There is a darkness that hangs in the air.”

  Leinad turned to Audric and nodded to affirm the transfer of leadership. He then hurried to his horse, mounted, and followed the mysterious rider north out of Chessington in a full gallop.

  THERE WAS NO TIME FOR talk on the journey. Leinad and the mysterious rider drove their horses hard, for the urgency of the battle seemed to rise as distance passed.

  They continued north past Chandril. At nightfall they stopped at a river to drink and let their mounts recover some lest they collapse from the strain of the ride. Leinad discovered there that the name of his escort was Greshane.

  After a few short hours of rest, they crossed the river and pressed on toward the Northern Mountains, where few men journeyed and fewer lived. At the foothills of the mountain range, Greshane slowed their pace to a quiet trot and finally to a walk. At one point, in a heavily forested area, he stopped their advance completely and held his hand up for silence. Leinad listened and watched, but there was nothing out of the ordinary that his experienced senses could detect. Greshane was finally satisfied as well but still spoke softly.

  “Dismount. We can travel more easily through the dense trees on foot. We are close to our encampment, but the Shadow Warriors are close as well. I am not sure what has transpired in my absence. I hope we are not too late.”

  “Why is there fighting now?” asked Leinad after dismounting.

  “There is always fighting, but the foretelling must be given. The Dark Knight and his warriors know that something significant in the King’s plan is about to happen, but they do not know what. Thus they—”

  The forest seemed to collapse upon them in a blaze of flashing swords and a spine-chilling battle cry from the throats of a six massive warriors … shadow Warriors. Greshane and Leinad quickly drew their swords. Their horses bolted from the rush of the ambush, and the two knights fought desperately against impossible odds. They fought back-to-back and used the dense forest to their advantage.

  Greshane made quick work of two of the vicious warriors, and Leinad dropped another. Greshane now faced two enemies and Leinad faced one.

  The Shadow Warriors were aggressive and powerful, but Leinad was quick and accurate. He parried and countered an explosive combination, then followed with a crosscut that cut deep into his opponent’s torso. The Shadow Warrior dropped to the ground at the same instant that Leinad heard Greshane gasp in pain. With no foe facing him, he turned and saw one of the two Shadow Warriors withdraw a shallow but deadly thrust from Greshane’s chest. Greshane narrowly parried a slice from the other before Leinad could cover for him. Greshane winced in pain but recovered his stance enough to face the Shadow Warriors again.

  “Leave, Leinad! More will be coming, and you must find Gabrik!” Greshane said.

  “I will not leave you, Greshane!” Leinad said amidst the clashing of swords.

  “You must! Go now while I still have the strength to fend them off!”

  Behind their opponents, Leinad could see an entire army of Shadow Warriors approaching.

  “I will not leave you!” Leinad said defiantly.

  Greshane was beginning to falter, and Leinad knew that it was a matter seconds before the Shadow Warrior would finish him off.

  Just a couple of paces to his left, Leinad saw Greshane fall to one knee with his sword held limply before him. His enemy raised his sword to bring down a final deathblow upon Greshane’s head.

  Leinad opened himself up to his own opponent, and the Shadow Warrior anxiously took the opportunity and executed a powerful overextended thrust. But Leinad anticipated the move and used the split-second advantage to spin himself full circle away from his opponent and toward Greshane’s.

  In a blinding and powerful motion, Leinad transferred the speed of his circling maneuver into his blade as it screamed toward the up-stretched body of Greshane’s executioner. His razor-sharp blade cut clean through Greshane’s enemy, who fell backward, one blow short of another victory.

  Leinad carried the momentum of his sword into a vertical cut as he stepped toward his own opponent and delivered a deadly blow to the shocked Shadow Warrior.

  Leinad knelt down to Greshane.

  “You must leave, Leinad.” Greshane struggled for another breath as he clutched his chest. “It is pointless for both of us to die. You do not understand what is at stake … please …”

  The force of brutal Shadow Warriors was approaching quickly.

  “To leave you would deny all that I believe as a Knight of the King. I will not leave you, Greshane!”

  Greshane grabbed Leinad’s shoulder. “You are truly … a man of the Code. Help me stand then, that we might face our enemy … together.”

  Greshane made a monumental effort to stand, and Leinad helped him to his feet. They raised their swords to meet the oncoming ferocious attack of the Shadow Warriors.

  “The King—” Greshane began to shout, but he could not finish, for the pain overwhelmed him.

  “The King reigns!” Leinad shouted with his sword raised high.

  Leinad heard movement behind him. He turned, and the entire forest seemed to move toward them. A large number of the King’s Silent Warriors emerged from the trees and approached Greshane and Leinad.

  Greshane fell to one knee again, and Leinad steadied him there. They had unknowingly traveled right into the leading edge of the battle between two mighty forces.

  Gabrik quickly came to Leinad and Greshane and put his hand on Greshane’s shoulder. “Well done, Greshane.”

  He ordered two other knights to carry Greshane out of the battlefront and then turned to Leinad.

  “They outnumber us two to one, and our reinforcements are nowhere in sight. I did not intend for you to be here during this. Retreat to the rear, for it was not meant for you to fight these brutes, Leinad,” Gabrik said, readying himself for the imminent fight.

  Leinad raised his sword. “I hid from them once. I will not hide again!”

  Gabrik smiled at the man he once knew as a boy. It was the only time Leinad had ever seen Gabrik smile.

  “Leinad, you are highly favored by the King and by His warriors.” Gabrik’s smile turned to serious resolve.

  “It is a good day to serve the King,” Leinad said and stood beside Gabrik to face the wicked and overwhelming force that came at them.

  An eerie battle cry precipitated the thunderous clash of steel. Leinad was caught up in the secret world of battling giants—a world most of the kingdom was unaware of. He fought well. The King’s training saved him and enabled him to survive and be victorious in each encounter.

  But despite the gallant efforts of the Silent Warriors, the Shadow Warriors were too numerous. Gabrik stayed beside Leinad and fought courageously, But a surge of fresh Shadow Warriors renewed their attack, and the Silent Warriors stood on the edge of defeat.

  Gabrik finished his immediate fight with a quick slice that ended the life of his opponent.

  “Leinad, fall back. Lucius is leading this wave of warriors. It is time to retreat!”

  Behind the line of Shadow Warriors, a man rode confidently and calmly up to the battlefront. He dismounted and advanced toward Gabrik and Leinad. He came with the confidence of a dragon. His manner left no question as to his identity. Leinad recognized him from that day many years ago in the forest. Anger began to burn within his blood as he remembered Lucius’s cold-blooded murder of his father.

  Gabrik grabbed Leinad’s shoulder. “He comes for you and for me, Leinad, but neither of us can defeat him. To die seeking revenge is not noble. I must face him so you can take the promise to the people of Chessington.”

  Leinad quelled his anger and looked at Gabrik with questioning eyes.

  “Gabrik!” The sharp voice of the Dark Knight cut through the sounds of battle like
a sword itself. “You are finished, and the future of Arrethtrae is mine. You should have joined me across the sea when you had the opportunity. Instead you will die by my sword this very day!” Lucius spoke with an arrogance that matched his skill.

  Gabrik prepared to face Lucius, and Leinad readied himself as well. For the first time since he’d known Gabrik, Leinad sensed deep apprehension in his lifelong secret companion. The sword of Lucius must be deadly indeed, Leinad thought.

  “Step aside, men,” came a voice from behind them.

  Gabrik and Leinad turned to see a line of reinforcements join forces with the Silent Warriors. A powerful warrior Leinad had never seen before led them. His chest and arms were massive, and there was no hesitation in his approach.

  “Micalem!” Gabrik said. “You have arrived.”

  Gabrik and Leinad stepped aside to allow Micalem access to the Dark Knight. He took a stance that evoked power and speed. He turned his head slightly toward Gabrik.

  “I believe you have a mission to accomplish,” he said and then refocused on Lucius.

  Gabrik and Leinad instinctively backed away.

  “Well, Micalem … I guess this is your day to die as well!” Lucius said.

  “Your days are numbered, Lucius. Despite your arrogance, by the power of the King and the Prince, your future will be your ever-present fear!”

  Micalem spoke the words with such assuredness that Lucius’s only reply was a wrathful sword.

  The two swords flew so powerfully and so swiftly that even Leinad was amazed. He had never witnessed the clash of such mastery before. It was a sight to behold, but Gabrik pulled him into retreat.

  The refreshed Silent Warriors assumed the battle, and it raged on. Gabrik took Leinad to the small clearing where their horses were tied. Leinad only now felt the exhaustion of the battle settle upon him. Gabrik offered him water, and they both drank heavily.

  A rider broke through the tree line from the west. “Sir Gabrik!” the rider called as he halted his steed just before them.

  “Yes, Keef, what is your report?” Gabrik asked.

  “I have just returned from Wolf Ridge. Last night Lucius dispatched the Arrethtraen force under Zane’s command to the south. I fear they are headed toward Chessington. I would have reported sooner, but Lucius positioned his forces between us, and it took me until now to evade them.”

  Gabrik became solemn in momentary thought.

  “I must leave for Chessington at once,” Leinad said.

  Leinad’s brief encounter with Zane as a sixteen-year-old was enough for him to understand how wicked his estranged brother had become. It was hard for Leinad to think of Zane as a brother at all, for he was the epitome of all that Leinad strove to defeat.

  “Yes,” Gabrik said. “Unfortunately our forces will be unable to assist you until we can defeat Lucius here.”

  “I understand, Gabrik. The Noble Knights are ready. We will defend Chessington to the end.”

  “Keef, you will ride with Leinad as far as the river. Verify that Zane and his army are headed for Chessington, and report back as quickly as possible.”

  “Yes, sir. Give me a moment to find a fresh horse,” he said to Leinad and left.

  “Gabrik, Greshane said that this battle between the Shadow Warriors and us is to prevent the foretelling,” Leinad said. “What is the foretelling, and why are the Shadow Warriors so concerned?”

  “The foretelling is what will bring hope to Chessington and to all of Arrethtrae,” Gabrik replied. “The King commissioned me to bring the foretelling to you, and were it not for Micalem, it wouldn’t have happened.” Gabrik took a deep breath and paused. “Leinad, the battle we are fighting here, and the battle the Noble Knights will fight in Chessington, is all about this.”

  Gabrik withdrew an item wrapped in cloth from his saddle and faced Leinad.

  “This is the promise your father spoke of just before he died,” Gabrik said reverently as he held the item before him. “Delivering it to you is the most important mission I will ever have. Delivering it to the people of Chessington will be the most important mission you will ever have.”

  Leinad held out his hands, and Gabrik laid the item in his open palms. He then opened the cloth to reveal the most beautiful sword Leinad had ever seen. Leinad gazed at the sword in astonishment. He slowly looked up at Gabrik in wonder.

  “I have seen this magnificent sword once before, Gabrik. The man that carried it was fearless and noble. What does this mean?”

  Gabrik stared into Leinad’s eyes. “It is the promise, Leinad.”

  A FUTURE HOPE

  Leinad and Keef rode at full gallop back toward Chessington. Leinad carried the burden of knowing that his beloved city and his people would soon be under attack by a fierce army led by his own brother, but he also carried the promise that offered them hope of a bright future.

  At the river, the tracks of many horses in the muddy shoreline made it obvious that Zane was headed straight for Chessington. Keef bid Leinad farewell and turned his steed back toward the Northern Mountains.

  Leinad’s anxiety grew with each stride of his horse. Though he had faith in the Noble Knights and in Audric’s ability to command them, he did not know how large or how strong Zane’s army was. The promise he carried from the King would be worthless if there were no people left to give it to.

  And of course there was Tess. She would be at the leading edge of the battle. Though she was any man’s equal as a sword fighter, Leinad felt an urgency to be near to protect her. He attributed this to his role as her mentor, but in the quiet places of his heart resided a stronger motivating force than this.

  Leinad entered the Chessington Valley in the early afternoon of a dark and cloudy day. The air was wet with mist that collected on his face until the drops fell down his brow and cheeks. This day was the culmination of his duty to the King as a knight, though it did not feel like the grand event it should have. He was weary, worried, and worn. The anticipation of battle was dulled because of his fatigue, and he wondered if he was capable of focusing on the tremendous task before him.

  In the distance lay the beloved city of Chessington. Tiny figures formed a dark mass in the plains north of the city. Leinad estimated that Zane’s forces outnumbered the Noble Knights five to one. Like a protective wall, the Noble Knights were positioned between their enemy and Chessington.

  Leinad did not want to risk losing the precious sword of promise he carried in the throes of battle, so he placed it in the hollow of a large fallen tree.

  Leinad saw the charge of Zane’s army and felt the rush of war surge within his blood. His weariness released its hold on him, and he pressed his steed all the harder toward the converging armies. Just before he reached the battle, his exhausted horse collapsed beneath him, and Leinad fell to the ground. He rolled, recovered, drew his sword, and ran the remaining distance to the fight.

  He did not hold back as he penetrated the deadly lines of Zane’s forces from behind. Victory today would require a miracle, for Zane and his warriors were not the trivial bands of thieves that had raided Chessington in times past. They were vicious, battle experienced men.

  Leinad vanquished enemy after enemy as he made his way to where he thought Tess was fighting.

  The darkness of the day accentuated the darkness of the battle. There was no glory in the fighting—that would come later, when the swords were still and the spilled blood had disappeared into the soil. Leinad was not a warrior at heart, but he knew that war was the necessary evil to fight evil itself. He looked for the pasture of peace that lay beyond the trench of war.

  The sound of a thousand clashing swords filled the air. The Noble Knights fought gallantly against these warriors who served Zane and ultimately the Dark Knight.

  Leinad saw Audric and Tess immersed in the most intense part of the fight. He continued to work his way toward them until he came across one foe that would not fall.

  Though Leinad had seen Zane only once before, the scar on his face left
no doubt that the man he faced was his brother. Zane was an excellent swordsman, and his blows were powerful. Leinad remembered their encounter years ago in the forest north of his farm on the tragic day his father died. Zane’s skill had improved significantly since then, or the rush of battle had heightened his performance, for Leinad found it difficult to capitalize on any weaknesses. Zane aggressively advanced on Leinad, but his sword met the guard of Leinad’s mastery.

  Zane paused. “Your fight feels familiar to me,” he said.

  Leinad glared at Zane in disgust. “Why do you serve the Dark Knight when you know the extent of his evil?”

  Zane appeared surprised at the question. “Why does a man who is about to die ask such a foolish question?” Zane replied and attacked with a combination of cuts and slices.

  “Because you were taught to love truth, honor, and justice … to be loyal to the King!” Leinad said with emotion.

  “Those words are made of the fluff of clouds by the fools who chase them. The Dark Knight will rule Arrethtrae one day, and I will rule with him.”

  “He who serves the Dark Knight is a fool already,” Leinad said.

  Those words sparked a furious attack from Zane. Leinad defended each attack and countered with a powerful combination that put Zane in retreat.

  The battle continued to rage about them, and Leinad was forced to disengage Zane and fight another. The relentless, brutal aggressors were overcoming the defenders of Chessington, and Leinad knew that his only hope to save the city lay in Zane. He faced two other warriors before he and Zane once again faced each other.

  “Who are you?” Zane asked.

  “I am who you should be—the son of Peyton, loyal Knight of the King!” Leinad could not deny the desire for his brother to turn from his evil ways and become a servant of the King.

  Zane’s sword nearly froze as he eyed Leinad with a look of astonishment. “You are the boy in the forest … the one who.” Zane’s left hand slowly covered his right side where Leinad’s sword had wounded him years ago. He scowled at Leinad. “Father was a fool. I led the Dark Knight to his home, and I took pleasure in killing one of his sons. Now I will kill another!”