Armor of God (Salvation of Solandeus Book 2)

by David J. VanBergen Jr.

  After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Arajin finally spoke. “I never lied to you,” he said quietly.

  “You never lied to us?” Mat shouted as he jumped to his feet and stormed towards Arajin.

  Michael and Persephonie intercepted him before he reached Arajin and pulled him back towards the other side of the tent. Arajin continued to stare at the dirt.

  He’s miserable. He might be telling the truth. We need to give him a chance to explain, Persephonie told Mat mentally.

  After Mat was calmed down and sitting again, Michael turned to Arajin and asked the question everyone was waiting for. “I think it’s time you told us the whole truth. Who exactly are you?” Michael asked.

  “You deserve that,” Arajin said. He looked them in the eyes one at a time before continuing. “My father, like Anton, was a ruthless man. He was chief of a small tribe in the Northern Kingdom. He had many wives, but my mother was his favorite. With a man like that, you don’t want to be a favorite. One night when I was about three, he went into a drunken rage and beat my mother to death.”

  Arajin stopped speaking for a moment and looked at the ground in front of him again. When he looked up again, he had tears in his eyes. “I barely remember my mother, but I remember what she told me that night before she died,” he said softly. “Run away, baby, run far, far away. So I did. I ran as far and as fast as my chubby little three-year-old legs would carry me. I probably only made it about a hundred yards, but it was far enough for someone to see me and take pity. My memories are fuzzy after that. I have vague memories of hiding away in a wagon and sailing on a ship. I eventually turned up at an orphanage in Westport about two years later. Everything else I told you about my life after that is true.”

  Persephonie walked over to Arajin and put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. She tried forcing a feeling of peace on him, but he was too bound up in strong emotions for it to do any good.

  “Anton was two years older than I was,” Arajin continued. “Even at five years old, he was a bully. I don’t remember a lot, but I remember fearing him. I thought I had left that life behind. Not only is it a terrible memory, it’s also something I am ashamed of. That’s why I never told you. I have never told anyone. I truly don’t understand how anyone even knew who I was.”

  “I’m sorry I got mad,” Mat apologized when it became clear Arajin was done telling his story.

  “You don’t need to apologize,” Arajin responded. “I deserved that and more. Not only did I deceive you, I may have jeopardized the quest.”

  “We don’t know that,” Persephonie said.

  “I agree with Persephonie,” Michael added. “Until we can speak with Charity again, we won’t know what they plan to do with us.”

  After that, the group remained silent contemplating this new information about Arajin and wondering what was going to happen to them next. They didn’t have to wait long. Within a few minutes, they heard the platform being placed over the pit, and armed men started flowing into the tent. They surrounded the group but made no move to restrain them. A moment later, Charity entered and all the men stood at attention awaiting her orders.

  “I see you have relieved yourselves of your restraints,” she noted.

  “Nobody told us not to,” Banji offered with a smile.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Charity replied. “You’re not going anywhere unless I wish it.”

  “What do you want from us?” Mat asked with a note of challenge in his voice.

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she replied. “That will largely depend on the story you tell and whether I believe that story. I would like for you to tell me that story over dinner.”

  “We are at your disposal,” Michael assured her before Mat could respond. “We would love to share a meal and tell you our tale.”

  She is not hostile towards us. Let’s see what she wants. She may even be able to help us, Persephonie thought to Mat who responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

  “I will make arrangements for dinner,” Charity told them. “The guards will accompany you to the river so you can wash. I am sure you are dirty from a long day and would appreciate the chance to freshen up.”

  They were escorted to the river and given towels to dry themselves after they washed. When they were done, they were led to a large area full of tables and chairs. Several old ladies were busy putting out plates, cups, and silverware. Next they brought out pitchers of water and cider then large platters of meat and vegetables. When the tables were set, Charity appeared with six others ranging from her 20 year old younger brother who sat at her right to her 70 year old grandmother. They were accompanied by a dozen guards, half of whom carried loaded crossbows.

  “Please have a seat,” she invited them. “This is the rest of my family. We do our best to lead this group of refugees.”

  “You mean bandits?” Mat asked sarcastically.

  “I will not apologize for doing what needs to be done to survive,” Charity retorted then took a moment to compose herself before continuing. “As I said, we are considered the leaders and, as such, will determine what to do with you.”

  “We will do our best to answer all your questions,” Michael assured her and glanced at Mat warning him to remain calm.

  “Before you tell us your story, I will tell you a little bit about us,” Charity said as they all sat down. “We used to be the ruling family in Sorgen. If you know anything about the history of that town, you know it was a prosperous, hard-working town. I believe we governed fairly, and the city was a good place to live. Anton killed my father and brother, because we resisted him. The rest of us fled before we met a similar fate.”

  “I tried to lead a rebellion, but we had no chance,” Charity’s brother, Brasco, added. “Once people started disappearing, everyone got scared and quit resisting.”

  “We help when we can,” Charity’s grandmother told them, “but the most we can do is sneak a few people out of town now and then. If we do anything more, the governor gets suspicious and punishes everyone still remaining in the city.”

  “That’s enough about us,” Charity interrupted. “We are here to listen to your story and decide what to do with you.”

  It was impossible to ignore the implied threat in her voice and words, but Michael was diplomatic and began the story of their quest. He stuck to the truth when possible and left out details that would give away too much about their journey. He was truthful about their desire to stop the invasion of Solandeus and defeat Anton. He was vague about where they were heading next, but did tell them it was north of where they were currently located. For the most part the ruling family of the outlaws listened quietly without questions.

  “So tell me about the magical sword carried by the young hero,” Charity requested when Michael was done telling his story.

  “It’s a family heirloom,” Mat replied. “It has been in my family for generations. To some, it’s too heavy to manage. For others, like myself, it’s extremely light and makes for a deadly weapon.”

  “I suspect there is much you are not saying,” Charity told them, “but I do believe the core of what you are telling me. You may keep your secrets . . . for now.”

  “What about him?” Brasco demanded as he pointed at Arajin. “How do you explain traveling with the brother of that monster Anton?”

  “There is nothing to explain,” Arajin replied quietly. “These are my friends, if they will still have me as a friend, and I am here to help them put an end to the cruelty that started with my father and has been carried on by my brother. I have not seen my brother since I was three years old, and I doubt he even knows of my existence. In fact, I didn’t think anyone knew of my lineage, so I am at a loss for how you knew who I was.”

  “I can assure you that your lineage is known,” said the man sitting to Charity’s left. He identified himself as Charity’s uncle and appeared to have extensive knowledge of what Anton was doing. “Your exploits in Solandeus are well known to Anton, and he is very aw
are that his long-lost brother is traveling with a small group on some sort of quest. What he doesn’t know is what you are looking for. Do you care to elaborate?”

  I think we should trust them, Persephonie relayed mentally.

  “No,” Mat muttered under his breath with a quick glare at her.

  We don’t have a choice. If we don’t tell them, we may never leave. If we do tell them, we may have an ally, she responded silently.

  Mat looked at Persephonie, considering her silent words. She held his gaze and nodded at him with a smile as she could feel him struggling with the idea. Eventually he nodded back at her and turned towards the leaders of the bandit group.

  “As you guessed, there were things Michael left out of the story,” Mat said as he locked his eyes on Charity. Michael started to stand and interrupt, but Mat waved him off then continued talking. “Long ago, the Armor of God protected the people of Solandeus. There were seven pieces of armor and weapons, but they disappeared 300 years ago. We are on a quest to re-assemble the armor and use it to defeat Anton.”

  “Surely, you don’t believe a myth about magical armor?” muttered Brasco before a glare from his sister silenced him.

  “Not only do we believe in the existence of the armor, we have already obtained the bracers, sword, helmet, and boots,” Mat continued. “We currently seek the breastplate, belt, and shield. You have seen the power of the Sword of Spirit. I can wield it as if it weighed no more than a rapier, but it’s too heavy for others to even hold off the ground.”

  “So you believe the rest of the armor is in the Northern Kingdom?” Charity asked.

  “We found a map with the Helmet of Salvation,” Mat answered. “It didn’t tell us what may be hidden there, but it clearly marked a location in the middle of the desert north of here. I have faith that once we get close, we will find what we are looking for. If you help us, our chances are even greater.”

  “We haven’t decided if we are even going to release you,” Charity said bluntly. “While I am inclined to believe your story, I don’t know that getting involved with you in any way is beneficial for us.”

  “You have to see we are on the same side,” Persephonie said. She stood and took a step towards Charity and the other bandit leaders. She reached out mentally and tried to calm Charity’s fears and doubts.

  “Don’t think I am unaware of Druid powers,” Charity snapped at Persephonie. “I will not have you messing with my emotions. We need to discuss what you have told us before we make a decision. Guards, take them back to the tent and keep them under guard.”

  They walked back to the confinement tent in silence. When they got there, they found bed rolls had been left out for them as well as a pitcher of water and cups. After they were all inside the tent, the bridge over the spiked moat was removed, and they were effectively locked in for the night.

  “That might have been a mistake,” Persephonie admitted to the group once they were alone. “I was barely exerting any influence at all. I wonder if she sensed it or just assumed I was trying to manipulate her.”

  “I’m sure it was just a lucky guess,” Banji chimed in. “Besides, you never know unless you try, and you’ve gotten really good so you had to try

  “I agree,” Michael said. “She didn’t seem overly concerned so it could be that she is just aware of ways a Druid might influence thoughts and feelings.”

  “So now we just wait for our fate to be decided,” Mat stated.

  While the group had earlier forgiven Arajin, there was still an air of unease as they sat in the tent waiting. There was very little conversation, and it eventually became clear they weren’t going to get an answer before morning.

  As the rest of the group drifted off to sleep, Arajin lay on his back staring at the ceiling of the tent. He remembered himself as a three-year-old boy running as fast as he could to escape his family. He thought he had run far enough to escape, but he now realized there was no escaping his family tree. His only way out was to chop it down, and he promised himself that he would never give up until that happened.

  - - - - - - - - - -

  They awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking and the sounds of the camp starting another day. Mat opened the tent flap and asked the guards on the other side of the spiked pit for some breakfast, but he was ignored. After several unanswered requests he let the tent flap fall closed and paced around the tent like a caged animal. The rest of the group shared his uncertainty over their situation.

  After a few moments of pacing, Mat stopped and turned to Arajin. “I want you to know that I’m not angry anymore,” he said. “I am a little hurt that you didn’t trust us with your secret, but I understand why you would keep it to yourself.”

  “I am truly sorry,” Arajin replied looking at each of his companions as he spoke. “Can you find it in your hearts to forgive me?”

  “Already done,” Mat said instantly, “and no matter what happens today, I will stand by your side.”

  After Mat spoke, everyone else agreed and asserted their forgiveness. They expressed their sorrow at what he had to go through and vowed to stand with him that day and in the future. Their reconciliation was cut short by the sound of the bridge being placed over the pit. A moment later the tent flaps were pulled open, and two girls entered carrying trays of fruit and bread as well as pitchers of water and milk.

  After the girls delivered breakfast, they quickly left the tent and were replaced by Charity and her brother, Brasco. “I am sorry that we kept you waiting all night,” Charity said. “We talked late into the night and even after we reached our decision, we needed to sleep and reconsider again this morning to be sure we were doing the right thing.”

  “The right thing would be to let us continue on our journey,” Mat said optimistically.

  “On that point, we agree” Charity replied, “but there is more to our decision than that.”

  “Like what?” Mat asked suspiciously.

  “We need to make sure your actions do not endanger us,” Brasco stated boldly, “and to make sure of that, I will accompany you on your journey.”

  “I appreciate your concern,” Michael told them, “but I assure you that nothing we do will endanger you. On top of that, we don’t know what dangers await, and I don’t want anything terrible to happen to you because of us.”

  “I can take care of myself,” Brasco insisted.

  “This point is not negotiable,” Charity stated before more discussion could take place. “If you wish to leave this camp, you will take my brother with you, and you will vow to treat him as a full member of your party.”

  “Are there other conditions?” Mat asked with a glare.

  “Only that you return here with my brother after you complete your quest,” Charity answered.

  “We need to consider your offer,” Michael told her before anything else could be said. “May we discuss your terms over breakfast, then give you our answer?”

  “You may,” Charity answered, “but I really don’t see that you have much choice.”

  “You may be right, but we would like to discuss it all the same,” Michael told her.

  With the conversation ended, Charity and Brasco left the tent. They closed the tent flaps as they left, and the sound of the bridge being removed could clearly be heard inside the tent.

  “So what do we need to discuss?” Banji asked as soon as they were alone. “We’re gonna take him with us and get out of here, aren’t we?”

  “Of course we are,” Mat said, “and as soon as we are clear of the bandits, we leave him behind and finish the quest.”

  “We will not,” Michael roared.

  The silence that followed was absolute. The look of disappointment on his face was enough to force Mat to look away. After a moment of silence Arajin moved to stand beside Michael and look at the rest of the group.

  “Michael is right,” Arajin said. “We cannot act with deception.”

  “Without honor, there is nothing to separate us from Anton,” Michael said s
ternly. “Mathias Vanderwall, if you are going to lead people, you must be absolutely trustworthy. If people question whether you are going to break your word as soon as it’s convenient, they will not follow you for long. Or worse, they will betray you, because they fear you will betray them.”

  “But how do we trust him?” Mat asked. “This is a group of outlaws. They have no right to make demands of us.”

  “We have been traveling with men who were actively trying to betray us,” Arajin said. “This can’t be any worse than that. We just watch him closely.”

  “So you are in favor of taking him, Arajin?” Mat asked. After he his friend nodded his agreement, Mat looked to Persephonie who nodded her agreement. Banji did the same.

  “Then I guess it’s settled,” Mat said reluctantly. “We take the bandit with us.”

  “Who knows,” Banji said cheerfully, “maybe he will be a help. We could use someone who knows his way around. He may be able to keep us out of trouble.”

  Once the group was in agreement on bringing along Brasco, they enjoyed the breakfast left for them. Mat ate silently wondering if they were making a mistake. He felt shamed by Michael’s words and understood the importance of acting with integrity, but he still questioned whether they were doing the right thing.

  Chapter 15

  Five days after leaving the bandit camp, Mat stood at the edge of a seemingly endless desert. There were no discernable landmarks from where they stood and nothing to guide their journey from there other than the location of the sun. He had no idea of how to find a specific spot in the desert. As Mat looked back at the rest of the group that now included the nobleman turned outlaw, Brasco, he thought back over the days since leaving the bandit camp.

  The first day of travel had been tense, and there had been virtually no communication with the newest member of the group. Brasco had drawn last watch and, when the group woke in the morning, they found no sign of him. There was immediate concern of being betrayed, but while checking to see if anything was missing, they found a note scribbled on the back of a wanted poster listing Brasco and the rest of his family on the front side.