by Chuck Black
“We turned to leave. ‘Keef, Ramon,’ the Prince said, ‘well done!’ ‘Well done’ was all He said, and yet it was all I needed to take on an army. When we go back home, those are the words I hope to hear again.
“We gathered our men through the night, and by morning the lines were drawn. Lucius had claimed over fifteen hundred knights. Some of our finest warriors had sided with him—men such as Envor, Hatlin, and Luskan. Knights we had respected and admired were now our enemies. I still don’t understand how Lucius convinced them to turn against the King!
“The war was fierce, but we outnumbered them two to one. Their only option was to flee the kingdom or be destroyed. And that, Sir Cedric, is why this land is in peril. The Dark Knight brought his Shadow Warriors, as they became known, to this kingdom. Although this land is the King’s, the Dark Knight is determined to rule it. And if he can’t rule it, he will destroy it. You may never have seen the Dark Knight, but you can be sure he is here. Even the Silent Warriors fear his fight, for he is powerful and merciless. Only the Prince Himself is able to overcome him.”
“But why did the Prince come here disguised as a peasant?” I said. “Why not just bring an entire army and retake the kingdom?”
“Because He doesn’t want just a kingdom, Cedric,” Keef said. “He wants a kingdom of people with hearts that love and serve willingly. People like you. He wants people who honestly desire to follow the Code. A full-scale assault on this land would destroy that. The King loves these people, and He has provided a way for them to live.”
“The Prince made a way, didn’t He?” I asked.
“That’s right. I remember the day when the King told us of His plan to save this land. We could not believe He would jeopardize His own Son to save this kingdom. At first we thought it was foolish, but soon we realized it was pure love—love for the people. The Prince understood, and we knew He was the only one capable of being successful.
“We were all at the palace to bid Him farewell. He came from the inner court, and we all knelt before Him. Thousands of knights in shining armor knelt before the Prince, who was dressed in dirty rags. But those clothes couldn’t hide the splendor of His character, as you saw.”
“Yes, Keef,” I said. “There was something about that man!”
“We rose and saluted the Prince with drawn swords as He passed between our lines. When He neared the gates, the King walked to His Son and embraced Him. I saw a tear fall from the King’s cheek and moisten the beautiful stones at their feet. Then He left. We tried to provide an escort, but He refused. He took no weapon, not even a sword. He said He would live as the people do for a time, and He limited our mission while He was here.”
Keef’s story provided many answers, but there was still one question to ask. “The Dark Knight must have known that the Prince was in the kingdom,” I said, finding affirmation in a nod from Keef. “Why didn’t the Dark Knight attempt to kill the Prince before He had a chance to train and to build up our forces?”
Keef leaned forward, rested his left elbow on his knee, and placed his right hand on the other knee. His eyes sparkled as though he was anxious to answer.
“He did, Cedric! Do you remember the last time you and William visited Leinad?”
“Yes, it was just a few days before the Prince revealed Himself as the King’s Son in the square.”
“That’s right,” Keef said. “Later that day, the Prince, Ramon, and I visited Leinad too. He had kept the sword of the Prince for years, waiting for the day to give it to Him. That was the day—the day when the ‘one who is worthy’ would carry the sword and deliver the people … deliver the kingdom!
“When we entered his home, Leinad came and stood before the Prince. He looked into the eyes of the King’s Son, then reached forth and placed his hand on the Prince’s chest. I could see the burden of fifty years leave his face. ‘Now I rest, for the mighty arm of the King has arrived!’ Leinad said, and he knelt before the Prince. ‘You are a true and faithful knight, Sir Leinad,’ the Prince said. He helped Leinad to his feet. ‘Please bring the chest,’ Leinad asked Ramon and me.
“We retrieved the old wooden chest from the corner, placed it at Leinad’s feet, and opened it for him. He carefully unfolded the cloth that was wrapped about the sword and reverently lifted it to the Prince. ‘Only one is worthy,’ Leinad said as the Prince placed His hand about the hilt of the beautiful sword. The Prince raised the sword before Him and proclaimed, ‘Now is the time. Let it begin!’
“At the command of the Prince, two other Silent Warriors escorted Leinad to a ship that awaited to take him to the kingdom across the sea. His mission was complete, and the King had called him home.
“From Leinad’s home, we followed the Prince deep into the country on horseback. The Dark Knight knew that he would rule this kingdom forever if he could destroy the Prince. Thus … the challenge.”
Keef paused, gathering details in his mind.
“What was the challenge?” I asked, too impatient to wait for him to continue on his own.
After another moment of thoughtful silence, Keef continued. “The Dark Knight challenged the Prince to a single duel, hoping to kill the Prince and end His mission before it began. The Prince accepted because He knew it was His final preparation for the monumental task before Him. Defeating the Dark Knight would confirm Him as the only true authority in Arrethtrae.
“On the crest of a hill near the base of the Northern Mountains, we joined with two hundred mounted Silent Warriors. Apprehension hung in the air. Across a span of rugged terrain, many of the Dark Knight’s Shadow Warriors lined the horizon. The Prince rode before our solemn line. ‘This is neither the time nor the place for battle,’ He said for all to hear. ‘This fight is for Me alone!’
“The Prince rode to meet Lucius midway. As the distance between the champion of darkness and the champion of light closed, a silence fell upon the countryside. Even the birds stopped their song. It was as though nature itself recognized the potential peril of the land. Dark clouds had rolled in and obscured the sun, but now the air was silent—a calm before the storm. I remember thinking how ironic it was that the fate of all the people of Arrethtrae would ride on the outcome of this single fight, and they were completely ignorant of its happening.
“With only a few strides between them, Lucius and the Prince dismounted and drew their swords. The ultimate battle between the two best swordsmen that ever lived was about to begin. Hatred versus love. Bondage versus freedom. The Dark Knight versus the Prince. The future of Arrethtrae was unfolding at this very moment.
“They slowly circled each other at a safe distance, calculating and planning their strategies, it appeared—feeling the terrain, anticipating strengths, looking for weaknesses. The silence of the countryside gave way to an eerie, low growl that built in strength and emanated from the unified voices of the Shadow Warriors. It was the taunting war cry of a vicious enemy, heightened by the distant thunder of storm clouds.
“Micalem was first to respond. ‘Honor … glory … power … the Prince!’ he shouted. ‘Honor … glory … power … the Prince!’ The chant flowed down our line until the words resonated off the hillsides and mixed with the opposing growl in a bizarre and unnatural song. The rhythm and intensity increased with the roar and flash of lightning—all in anticipation of the first strike.
“Lucius and the Prince simultaneously positioned themselves and readied their swords. Lucius struck first, and both lines of warriors yielded to silent observation as the fight ensued. Lucius engaged with a quick combination, and the Prince met each stroke with precision.
“I realized that my heart was pounding and my muscles were taut. I tried to relax, but could not; too much was at stake. The fight quickly developed into a ferocious volley of cuts, slices, and thrusts. The steel of their blades screamed through the air unceasingly. Two unyielding masters were in a battle to the death. Lucius attacked with the speed of a viper, and the Prince countered with the power of a lion.”
Keef
leaned back and drew in a deep breath. “I am a warrior well acquainted with battle, Cedric. But I must admit that the intensity of that duel between Lucius and the Prince made it frightening to watch.”
I glanced at Ramon. His eyes were shut, and a nearly imperceptible nod affirmed Keef’s feeling of unease during the fight.
“At one point in the fight, Lucius aggressively advanced with a quick series of combinations that caused the Prince to move back. His foot caught on a stone behind Him, and He fell. Lucius instantly brought down a powerful vertical cut on the Prince. Flat on His back, and with no time or place to move, the Prince executed a quick parry that deflected Lucius’s blade. The sword tore into the ground to the left of the Prince’s shoulder.
“The Prince rolled to the right and onto His knees, but the maneuver momentarily exposed His back to the enemy. Anticipating Lucius’s next move, the Prince swiftly locked His sword above His head and caught Lucius’s next vertical cut. The Prince rotated on one knee and exploded a horizontal slice that moved at blinding speed full circle around to Lucius. Lucius jumped back as the tip of the Prince’s sword grazed his chest. This gave the Prince enough time to recover and reestablish His position. I heard Lucius curse over his lost opportunity.
“The thunderstorm was now upon us, and day turned to night. The lightning flashed from cloud to cloud, and the ground shook with the roar of thunder. Our horses pawed the ground nervously.
“Lucius advanced again. His fight teetered on the edge of recklessness—he was taking risks he had not taken in the beginning. He appeared to be obsessed with destroying the Prince and willing to risk injury to himself to do it. But the Prince stood firm, and there was no breach in His defense. Lucius’s ferocity was wearing him down, and the fight began to tilt. The Prince advanced with such power and speed that Lucius found himself in retreat. The sky began to unload its burden of water in a steady rain that soaked my clothes instantly.
“Lucius attempted a more offensive posture, but the Prince was now in control, and I’m sure Lucius knew it.
The Prince paused and stared at His archenemy. The scowl on Lucius’s face revealed his hatred for this enemy and also, I think, his understanding that the future of Arrethtrae belonged to the Prince!
“The Prince advanced with combinations and maneuvers I had never seen before. His dominance over Lucius was unbelievable! It was time for the end, and the Prince brought forth a sequence of cuts that nearly paralyzed Lucius. One massive blow caused Lucius to lose his balance and his sword. The grisly weapon of the Dark Knight was finally still, and Lucius lay prone before the Prince.
“The entire line of Silent Warriors cheered in victory. The Prince glared at this enemy of two kingdoms and spoke. ‘My Father loved you, and you spurned His love. He has postponed your judgment for now. Your final destruction is yet before you, but it is a certainty!’
“The Prince withdrew and mounted His stallion. We rode to a distant camp. He was tired, and we guarded Him while He ate and slept.
“Two days later you saw Him in the square. From that day on, our involvement in His mission has been extremely limited. It was hard not to be by His side. When they took Him to the tree, a thousand Silent Warriors were ready to wipe out the entire city. But He forbade us. He did it for you, Cedric. He did it for all the people who will follow Him.”
My eyes filled with tears again as I remembered that day in the square. How could anyone care that much for me?
There was a long silence before Ramon spoke. “It is time to leave, Keef.”
“Yes, Ramon, I suppose you are right. Take care, Cedric. And remember, the story did not end at the tree. For you and your people, that is where the story begins.”
“Thank you, Keef,” I said. “Thank you, Ramon. I will not forget you. May we meet again someday!”
“We will, Cedric,” Keef said. “We will!”
And with that, they donned their crude cloaks again and entered the streets. As the door closed, William stirred and awoke.
“Lie still, brother,” I said.
“Where are we, Cedric?” William asked. “I thought we were going to die. What happened?”
I chuckled. “I don’t think you’re going to believe me, but I’ll give it a try anyway.”
NIGHT OF KNIGHTS
The Knights of the Prince grew tremendously in numbers, and the anarchy of the kingdom seemed to match our pace. The kingdom of Arrethtrae was on the verge of self-destruction, like a volcano ready to erupt. We built and strengthened, but the Dark Knight countered with discord and chaos.
We sent recruiters for the Prince to every city in the kingdom. We worked hard for years, and eventually nearly everyone—men, women, and children—heard the story of the Prince and was given an opportunity to join us. It was during these years that many valiant men and women rose up to fulfill the mission of the Prince.
Our beloved city of Chessington seemed to be the Dark Knight’s focus. We began seeing more and more of the Shadow Warriors. They were disguised as commoners, but we could tell they were much more than that.
The Noble Knights faded into history and either gave way or were absorbed into a new form of government. The city chose a strong man by the name of Alexander Histen as its governor. Strong is a broad description of Governor Histen. It applies to his physical strength as well as his political might. His charisma seemed to magnetize the people to his cause.
I did not like him nor was I fooled by his sweet rhetoric. As chaos increased, so did his control over the people. It was “necessary,” so Governor Histen said, “to maintain security and peace in the city.” He convinced the people it was for their own good. The desperate citizens swallowed it all, for they had no choice.
In the back of my mind, I wondered how much of the chaos was generated by Histen himself. It was just as Keef had told me.
Over the next year, Alexander Histen widened his sphere of influence to include most of the surrounding cities and villages. Histen scoffed at our story of the return of the Prince and denied altogether the King’s authority in the land. He labeled us as haters of peace and harmony, the very antithesis of what we were. His propaganda worked, and our mission became much more difficult. Serious persecution returned. Many of the Knights of the Prince were beaten and imprisoned for the crime of causing a disturbance in the city. My own scars testify to such atrocities.
In spite of this, we still found people hungry for hope. They yearned for truth and peace with freedom as a companion, for the peace they tasted now was falsely induced under tyrannical rule.
Eventually, Histen changed his title to Governor Supreme. It was clear to us that he cared for only one thing—total control of the entire kingdom.
During these difficult times, our belief in the Code is what kept us together.
“How long will this go on, Cedric?” William asked as we walked toward the meeting place.
Barrett’s shop had been discovered and burned some time ago. We found a safer place for him and his family on the outskirts of the city, but our new meeting place was still in the heart of the city.
“It does seem nearly impossible to continue, doesn’t it,” I said. “It’s been so long since the Prince left us, and yet I know He will be true to His word and deliver us from this bondage.”
The moonlight lit our path, and we moved carefully down the streets and alleys, ever vigilant to watch all sides.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” William said quietly. “When we first met the Prince, we felt we were in bondage to poverty, but now we know what true bondage is. I don’t see any end to Histen’s desire for power and control of the people.”
We turned onto another alley and began walking down it.
“Nor do I, Will—”
I stopped midsentence, and we both took cover in the shadows. Other men occupied the alley already. We were not seen, for they too were deep in conversation, and they were walking our way.
They paused some fifty feet away. Both men were broad and tall. I had never
seen either one before, but I recognized their posture. Fear began to grip my heart, and I fought to maintain control of it. Though they were dressed in common clothes, I knew they were either Silent Warriors or Shadow Warriors.
William and I froze in the shadows and strained to hear their conversation. They spoke softly, but their deep voices carried far enough for us to hear.
“—nearly complete with his preparation plans in the North,” one of them said.
“How is Kelson doing in the south? We must be ready in all quadrants or the mission will be delayed. Time is short,” the other one said.
“He is nearly ready, but I must tell you—”
Crash!
A door beside the two figures burst open, and a huge, menacing man lunged toward the two figures with sword drawn. Across the alley, two more monstrous men flew toward the same two figures, each flashing a wicked looking sword.
In the blink of an eye, the two figures threw back their cloaks and drew their swords. Back-to-back, they faced their enemies. They had the look of serious determination, but not the look of hate that was on the faces of their three attackers
The swords flew at blinding speed. We heard a thunderous and continuous clash of steel upon steel. I had seen the skill of a Silent Warrior against mere men, and I had fought against a Shadow Warrior firsthand, but never before had I seen two such formidable forces meet face-to-face. The fight raged on in a flurry of slices, cuts, and thrusts—a precise picture of good versus evil.
“William,” I whispered, “we must help them!”
“I am ready,” he said.
Though my stomach rose to my throat, we drew our swords and ran toward the battle.
“For the Prince!” William shouted.
At those words, one of the Shadow Warriors left his fight and lunged toward us. Anger burned in his eyes.
William and I traded offensive and defensive posturing to keep the Shadow Warrior distracted. Our past encounters with the Shadow Warriors had taught us a great deal, and we had grown in strength, skill, and experience. William defended against a combination, and I saw an opportunity, which I took.