by Chuck Black
The four men turned to see what insolent fool dared to challenge them. The leader gazed harshly at us.
“Who dares challenge my authority and interfere in the King’s business?” The man threatened more than he asked.
“No one you need be concerned with … as long as you leave the man and his daughter alone,” William said.
“You are in violation of the King’s proclamation. Hand over your swords immediately or you will be severely punished,” the leader said.
“We will give our swords to you, but you will not enjoy the manner in which they come,” Rob said as his hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword.
The leader became enraged at our defiance and drew his sword from his scabbard. Within seconds, six more swords slid from scabbards, filling the air with a brief harmony of sliding steel on steel. The leader spoke in hushed tones to one of his men, and the man withdrew slightly from the impending fight. Three of them charged, and we readied ourselves for the assault. The bearded leader came for me.
I was challenged by my foe, as was William by his, but Rob gained the upper hand on his opponent quickly. He maneuvered him off to the left and away from the shop’s door. The owner disappeared within, presumably to protect his daughter. From the corner of my eye, I saw the fourth man heading east toward Histen’s palace.
A strong blow came from my left. I blocked it with the flat of my sword and countered with a slice across the middle that grazed my enemy’s right shoulder. He cursed but was not seriously injured, and he renewed his fight with vehemence. I saw Rob parry a weak cut and counter with a quick thrust that put his opponent down.
“Rob,” I called, “get the man and his daughter south to Barrett. I fear reinforcements are coming, so you’ll have to move fast. We’ll meet up with you there.”
Rob entered the shop, and I turned my full attention to my opponent. William gained the upper hand, and his foe backed off and ran east. The bearded leader withdrew also. Down the street from the east, I saw a band of men coming speedily.
“You will pay for your treason with your lives!” the leader screamed.
We ran into the shop and locked the door, then exited through a back door into an alleyway. I saw Rob and his new companions at a distance to the south, but they were still vulnerable.
“William, we must stall Histen’s men. We have to buy Rob enough time to get the man and his daughter to safety,” I said.
The shouts of men were getting closer with each passing moment. We ran through another shop and onto a street parallel to the street on which the fight had begun. We ran north one street, then west. Histen’s men followed as we had hoped, but we kept them at a safe distance. Finally, we lost our pursuers and found refuge in a small, unoccupied hut off the main streets.
William and I rested, waiting for Histen’s men to abandon their search. It was some time before we ventured out again.
“I hope Rob was successful,” William said.
“Many hours have passed—ample time for them to reach safety,” I said. “Let’s take the back way out into the alley and start making our way home.”
“I’m more than ready to go home, my friend,” William said.
We slowly entered the alley, keeping a careful watch on the street just to the left of us. At last, there was no sign of a search, and we were relieved. The alley felt more secure than the street we were about to enter—or so I thought.
Behind us, a subdued, evil-sounding chuckle broke my false hopes of seclusion. As we turned, the chuckle became a pompous, roaring laugh. Chills traveled up my spine.
It was Alexander Histen himself! He was mounted on a black stallion, which snorted and flared its nostrils. On each side of Histen stood four of the largest warriors I had ever seen. All four were darkly dressed, with leather straps crossing their chests. Each stood a full head taller than William or I. Obvious veterans of sword fighting, each owned a variety of scars. Their muscular frames alone were forbidding, but the massive swords they carried finished the picture of undaunted destruction these men were clearly capable of. We had faced similar foes before—these were Shadow Warriors.
Their brazen appearance with Histen told me one thing: The Dark Knight was near! Surely this was the age of darkness the Prince had spoken of. I glanced at William and knew he felt the same fear I was fighting.
The four Shadow Warriors surrounded us. We stepped back toward the rock wall on the side of the alley. I thought that to draw our swords would mean quick and certain death.
Histen spoke in a thick, condescending tone. “So this is Sir William and Sir Cedric of Chessington.”
Although I had never seen Histen up close, he seemed as large as the Shadow Warriors. I was sure this perception was because he was mounted.
“Your little escapades around the kingdom are over!” he said as he dismounted the stallion.
As he approached, he seemed to grow with each stride until I realized that Alexander Histen stood shoulder to shoulder with the Shadow Warriors. Unlike them, however, his face and exposed skin were free from any scars. His hair was jet-black and cut short. His facial features were sharp, and his eyes were deep, dark, and penetrating. It was clear he was the only author of commands when present.
“I am King of Arrethtrae. I will show mercy and allow you one chance to swear allegiance to me,” Histen said.
In all my adventures as a Knight of the Prince, this was my most terrifying. My true fight was within me—fear. With death staring me in the face, would my faith in the Prince give me the courage I needed to stand firm?
One of the Shadow Warriors drew his sword, anxious to taste first blood. Two of them moved closer to us.
“Swear your allegiance and bow before me or die!” The words shot like poisoned darts. I slowly began to realize just how truly evil Histen was.
William spoke first. “Our allegiance is to the Prince and His Father, the true King of Arrethtrae!”
Though they were monstrous men, all four of them winced when William spoke of the Prince. Even His name was powerful!
The Shadow Warrior closest to William struck him on the brow with the hilt of his sword. William fell to his knees and covered his head with his hands. Blood spilled between his fingers and onto the ground.
Before I could kneel and help him, Histen stepped forward and gripped my neck with his left hand. It was then that I remembered the Prince’s Silent Warriors.
“The King reigns—and His Son!” I voiced what I could through Histen’s tightening grip.
Histen and the four Shadow Warriors bellowed in wicked laughter.
“The Silent Warriors will not save you, knave! I own this kingdom now. The former King and His weak Son are finished here.” As Histen spoke, his heinous smile turned to a sneer of disgust. “I have finished them in Arrethtrae, and I will return one day to His own kingdom and kill them both!”
My fear, though I know not why, instantly left me. I knew I could stand and die with honor. Though Histen tried to demean the King and the Prince, his voice betrayed him, and I knew that Histen feared the Prince more than any fear I would ever feel for Histen.
“You are not the true king of Arrethtrae,” I said. “You have betrayed the people and lied to them. You care only for power and control. You are not who the people think you are … I see what a truly evil leader you are.”
Histen glared at me with eyes that spewed hatred like poison from a viper. His hand tightened around my neck, nearly closing off my air. I felt the rocks in the wall behind me press into my head and back.
He leaned into my face. His handsome features were twisted into a gut-wrenching evil countenance. My vision started to blur, and my mind was beginning to fade. In my waning, I saw a vision of the Prince standing on the roof of the building across the alleyway.
Death must not be far away, I thought.
“You are right about one thing, peasant,” Histen said in a deep guttural voice that was nearly a whisper. “I am not who the people think I am.” I knew he w
anted to kill me. Hate seemed to completely possess him. “I …” His grip tightened. “Am …” Tighter … I could not breathe now. “… Lucius!”
His right hand revealed a dagger that would soon spill my blood. He pulled back to strike. From the corner of my eye, I saw one of the Shadow Warriors raise his sword to slay William, who was still facedown on the ground.
This is the end, I thought. I was to die at the hands of Lucius—the evil enemy of the Prince. In my final moments, the vision of the Prince seemed so real. His sword was drawn, and He beckoned me to … to … fight?
The dagger started its deadly plunge toward my chest. Time nearly froze.
I could not fail the Prince and die such a feeble death. He had trained me for this very fight—a fight against the evil one.
The dagger flashed closer.
Maybe I would die, but only after exhausting every fiber of strength and will in my body.
Yes, my Prince, I will fight … fight for You!
The dagger was nearing its target—my heart. With all my strength and speed, I swept my left forearm across my chest to deflect the dagger, now only inches from my chest, and simultaneously turned my body. It was just enough—the dagger skinned my left shoulder and struck the rocks behind me.
My body was turned slightly to the left, and my right hand found the hilt of my sword in an instant. I heard Lucius curse and recoil for another strike, but I beat him to it. My left hand joined my right at my sword as I partially withdrew it from the scabbard with great force. My fisted hands and the hilt of my sword struck Lucius’s stomach. His suffocating grip on my neck was immediately broken as he doubled over from the blow.
“Move, William!” I shouted as I saw the blade of the Shadow Warrior descend on him. William rolled with the speed of a panther. The sword missed him and hit the ground with tremendous force. A shower of sparks flew in all directions.
There was a moment of chaos that allowed me to spring toward William. My sword was now fully drawn, and I lunged at the Shadow Warrior who was making another strike as William tried to scramble to his feet. My sword found its mark, and the Shadow Warrior collapsed in an instant.
Lucius tried to give orders, but the air had left his lungs; he could only gesture toward us.
William was now on his feet with his sword drawn. We were side by side and ready to fight, though I knew this fight would be our last. The three remaining Shadow Warriors advanced quickly—then hesitated, looking past us at something approaching from behind. I did not dare turn around and see what it was.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” came Rob’s familiar voice from my right. “It looks like you are in need of some assistance.”
Rob joined to my right and Barrett to William’s left.
“We will fight for the Prince and for our brothers,” Barrett said.
Our brief moment of relief quickly transformed into the seriousness of battle with our brothers in arms. Rob and Barrett joined us either to save us or to die with us. There was no worse enemy than this, and we all knew it.
“Kill them!” Lucius shouted.
We took our stance and prepared for the onslaught, but they still held back.
“They were trained by the Prince,” one of the Shadow Warriors said over his shoulder. He did not take his eyes off of us.
Lucius moved forward with his sword drawn. “Attack or I will kill you myself!” he yelled to his men as he lunged toward me.
The Shadow Warriors followed … each one to one of us.
The battle began.
The rage on Lucius’s face matched the fury of his sword. It was a duel to the death, and I knew I must rely on the Prince’s training. Lucius was quick and cunning. Our swords met in a ferocious volley of thrusts, cuts, and slices.
The Prince had prepared me for this battle. I saw Him in every motion of my sword. My muscles had memorized the moves, and my sword seemed to know exactly what to do. I felt the Prince in my arms and hands. I gave control to Him. My sword flew to match each cut and thrust of this beast. The sword of the Prince would protect me … deliver me. My confidence during the battle was surreal; all fear was gone. I had been trained by the Master Himself—the Master of the Sword!
The close quarters of the alleyway forced the four separate sword fights to spread out. The clashing swords echoed off the walls, which added to the intensity of the battle. I saw Rob take a cut across his shoulder, but it was not deep. He, William, and Barrett fought like the valiant warriors they were trained to be. The Shadow Warriors were huge, but we were fast and knew their tricks. The battle raged on.
Lucius thrust. I parried and countered, but he caught my cut with the flat of his sword. He quickly countered with a cut across my chest. Whoosh! I leaped back to miss his blade and lost my balance. I fell to my knees. Lucius pounced toward me with a vertical cut that I caught with my sword just above my head. I threw my left leg in a circular motion to trip him, and his legs flew out from under him. I seized the opportunity to scramble to my feet. Lucius recovered quickly, and we engaged our swords again.
I saw William counter a cut with a quick thrust that found its mark. The Shadow Warrior dropped his sword and clutched his chest as he fell to the ground.
William was closest to Barrett and joined him against his foe.
The fight quickly turned in our favor, and I saw the exasperation on Lucius’s face grow more vivid with each passing moment. He backed off quickly as Barrett’s opponent fell from a fatal wound. The last Shadow Warrior turned and ran up the alley. Lucius quickly mounted his stallion and galloped away.
“I will be back to kill all of you!” he screamed.
“Praise to the King and His Son, the Prince!” we shouted in return.
The battle was over; the Knights of the Prince had prevailed. We breathed a temporary sigh of relief.
“Thank you, gentlemen,” I said to Rob and Barrett. “You came not a moment too soon.”
“I was worried when you didn’t show at Barrett’s, so we decided to come for you,” Rob said as Barrett bandaged his arm.
“And I’m glad you did,” William said.
He looked a mess because of the blood from his initial head wound. The bleeding had nearly stopped, and I washed the cut with clean water.
“I don’t know about you, gentlemen, but I’m ready to go home,” I said.
The rush of the fight was leaving my body. I was tired … bone tired.
On our journey back south, we moved carefully, avoiding all possible contact with people.
I thought about the dark shadow that now hung over Arrethtrae. Lucius’s power was going to grow with each passing day. These were becoming dark days indeed.
My Prince, when will You return? I thought … I yearned.
TAKEN!
“Awake, Cedric!”
The words sounded hollow and distant. I tried to understand them, but my mind refused. I had found that place in sleep so deep and peaceful that one would rather have a roof fall on him than awaken. I sensed a tugging on my arm and fought to gain consciousness, but my recovery was slow.
“It is time. We must go immediately. Wake up!”
My eyes focused on the massive frame bent over me. “Keef, is that you?” I asked groggily.
“Yes, my old friend,” Keef said. “The time has come to go home. Rise up and come with me. We are all going home!”
I thought I saw him return an object to his pouch.
My limbs felt as heavy as lead, but I managed to grab his arm, and he swung me to my feet.
“It is very good to see you, Keef.” I smiled and wiped away the sleep. “What is happening?”
“It is the King. He has called us all home to His kingdom. The Silent Warriors are spread throughout the land and are gathering the Knights of the Prince this very moment. Ships are waiting for us. We must move everyone quickly and quietly before the Dark Knight discovers us.”
I wondered how Keef and the other Silent Warriors would be able to orchestrate such a rescue and exod
us quietly and smoothly.
“Hurry, Cedric,” Keef said. “We must move quickly. Do not take anything except your sword. Move toward the ships at the docks. You must not speak to anyone until you reach the ships.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Shouldn’t I help you gather the knights?”
“That is not possible. You see, not everyone who claims to be for the Prince will be taken. The Silent Warriors have been watching everyone claiming to be a Knight of the Prince, and we know those who are truly His followers.”
Keef read my concern as I thought of all the people I had labored to reach for the Prince. Who would be missing when I got to the ships?
“I’m sorry, Cedric,” Keef said. “I must leave now and gather more of the knights. I will see you across the sea, my friend. Take care and do not waste any time. The Prince awaits you!”
“Farewell, Keef,” I said as we exited my home.
He turned north, and I turned south toward the docks. Please, let all my close brothers be there.
I walked a few paces and turned back to ask Keef a final question, but he was already gone. Did he say the Prince awaits, or was my mind still foggy with sleep?
There was a silent exodus of people out of the city. Men, women, and children sprinkled the streets and alleyways—all heading south to the docks. As I moved, I couldn’t help but increase my speed with each step.
Would the Prince be waiting at the ships, or must I wait until after the voyage to see my friend, my teacher, my Lord?
I recognized most of the people silently making their way to the ships and smiled a salutation.
I stopped to help carry a little boy belonging to a family with six children. The mother and father’s arms were already full of smaller sleeping children. It slowed my pace, but I did not care. We were all going home!
I wondered how we could possibly get everyone out of the city without being discovered. Surely someone would awaken and reveal our flight.
As these thoughts occupied my mind, I nearly tripped over a motionless body on the side of the street. I stopped to help, thinking this person was one of our own and was hurt. As I bent closer to the body, I realized it was a man sleeping so heavily that he nearly seemed dead.