Prince Michael and The Dragon
Page 13
CHAPTER 12
THE RESCUE
Michael quickly and carefully ran around to the winding path that led to the place of the dragon. As he ran he was intent on rescuing the young woman from the giant and the dragon. As he prepared to enter into the area, he looked up to make sure Aaron, Zachary, and Alexander were in place ready to come to his assistance.
Much to his comfort, they were all three looking down on him confidently motioning him on. As he saw them he thought briefly of how confident they seemed to be of his ability to handle the situation. However, he did not linger on this thought. Knowing the time for action was short, Michael pulled Avenger from its sheath and ran to the center of the arena ready to release the woman.
As soon as she saw him she cried out, “Please, sir! Don’t let them feed me to the dragon. Please rescue me!”
Michael was enchanted by her voice as soon as he heard it. For even in pleading she had a very pleasing and poetic quality to her speech, as if she sang her words.
Michael quickly made his way to her and raised Avenger to break the chains binding her. However, before he could take one stroke or continue thinking about her, the giant suddenly appeared and attacked him. Initially Michael was unaware of the danger, but as he raised Avenger to strike the chains, he heard a faint whisper which sounded like his brother, Lionel saying, “Michael, duck. Now!”
Without another thought, Michael obeyed the voice and ducked to the ground just in time to see a huge club pass over his head. At the same moment out of the corner of his eye, he saw his companions jump into the arena coming to his rescue.
The giant’s attack was such that with one swing of the club he immediately knocked Aaron, Zachary, and Alexander to the ground. Michael hoped to remain near the post to which the woman was chained, while the others fought off the giant.
As soon as the three were down the giant quickly came for Michael, keeping him away from the helpless and pleading woman. Alexander, Zachary, and Aaron were quick to get back on their feet and come back toward the giant, guardian of the dragon’s place.
The giant was ten feet tall and very muscular. His head was bald, and his eyes were crossed. He had an expression on his face that was both horrifying, yet pitiful. He had skin so white, it was as if he had never stood in the sun, and he was covered with so much dirt, it appeared he had never bathed.
The stench of the giant was almost overpowering in itself, but it was the great sword and club the giant carried that most concerned Michael and his companions.
The pitiful aspect of the giant was the impression he could have been a gentle soul, but he was trained to serve the dragon. He also appeared never to have been schooled, for each time he would swing at the companions, he would grunt as if that was the only sound he knew to make.
The four rescuers spread themselves out trying to keep the giant off guard. They constantly moved and would lunge at the giant each time he seemed to be ready to attack one of the others. It seemed obvious to them the giant was becoming confused and was beginning to tire. The giant continued to swing at each of them, nearly striking them from time to time. This kept them from becoming lax in their battle.
Though they thought he was tiring, suddenly the giant quickly and unexpectedly struck Aaron with his club, knocking him to the ground, unconscious. Next, as Zachary lunged at the giant with his sword, the giant caught him across his back with the club knocking him to the ground.
Trying to come to Zachary’s rescue, Alexander rushed toward the giant with his sword, actually cutting the giant’s side, but the giant, with a loud moan brought his own sword down upon Alexander, bringing his life to an end.
Now Michael stood alone before the most terrifying adversary he had ever faced. As he quickly looked about him, it seemed as if all his companions were dead, and his heart began to sink within him.
Then Michael heard the voice of the young woman saying, “Sir, you will not fail. The power is in you to destroy the great dragon and Diabolos’ power.”
Michael looked upon her face and she appeared as one of the King of Heaven’s messengers, more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen. Michael felt power come upon him, and he wielded Avenger against the mighty giant like he had never done before.
Michael battled the giant for what seemed to be hours, yet the giant did not give way and did not seem to tire from the fight. It seemed to Michael as if Avenger had lost its power, yet the giant could not gain a great advantage over Michael, either.
As the sun began to sink behind the mountaintops, Michael started to tire and began to give way before the giant. Just as Michael thought he had lost all of his strength, the young woman began to sing:
“Now shall the King of Heaven bestow
Upon his knight battling below,
His power and strength for victory’s command,
So that justice and truth shall dwell in the land!”
At the sound of her song it was as if the giant momentarily lost the power to defend himself and Michael felt completely renewed. Still, this was only for a moment, for as soon as Michael made some headway against the giant, he suddenly felt more tired than a moment before, and the giant seemed to him to have grown by another foot.
While Michael tried to defend himself and stay out of the giant’s reach, he could not help but ask himself, was this the end he was called to?
Had not the King of Heaven appointed him to slay the dragon? Now here he was about to die at the hand of the dragon’s guard. Having considered these thoughts, he took one last lunge at the giant, only to miss his mark and fall on his face. Exhausted and filled with disappointment, Michael waited on the ground for the giant’s sword or club to fall on him.
Suddenly Michael heard a wisp, thump and the giant fell to the ground. Raising his head and looking behind him he saw the giant lying dead on his back with an arrow in his chest.
Zachary then walked over with his bow in his hand and said matter-of-factly, “I don’t know why we didn’t think to do this sooner. It would have been a lot easier.”
Michael then looked over at Aaron who was rubbing his shoulder and walking in their direction. Over in a corner lay the body of Alexander. After trying to piece the scene together for a moment, Michael remembered the urgency of their situation. “Quick!” he said. “Break her chains! We must leave this place before the dragon takes us by surprise.”
At Michael’s command the companions quickly used the giant’s sword to cut through the chains that bound the woman. Once they had secured her release, they carried her out as well as Alexander’s body. As they ran down the narrow path, Michael glanced back wondering how they would ever be able to slay the dragon.