by Chris Wright
I could feel Talora close behind me. 'Keep going,' she urged.
'There's no way on,' I gasped. 'I think I'm trapped. You'd better go back -- if you can.'
Talora wasn't giving up. 'There!' She caught hold of my foot and gave it a hard push. 'See that light ahead? Just keep going.'
We squeezed our way on, past wet and slimy rocks, emerging from one of the holes I'd seen running under the walls of Castle Nadia. The bright light hurt my eyes, and a crowd of people rushing past nearly knocked us over as I stood up. Round here, flying was definitely safer than walking.
'Who are all these people?' Talora whispered, as she wiped the mud from our white clothes. Fortunately it came off easily.
Indeed, yes, where had everyone come from? They were about Nadia's age. I decided they must be her friends who lived inside some of the many castles around the countryside. I couldn't see Max.
'The Magnificent Great-Hopes is about to speak to the enemy,' one of them told us excitedly, obviously not noticing our white clothes -- or even our wings for that matter. 'Are you coming to watch?'
Then, before either of us could answer, we found ourselves being whisked along by the crowd. Everyone seemed to be making for the door of Castle Nadia where the Magnificent Great-Hopes waited impatiently. He didn't notice us, which was just as well or he'd have thrown us back in the dungeon with Conscience and Understanding -- probably in chains this time. Then, to much cheering from everyone, scruffy Great-Hopes made his way over the rocky ground and down to the valley to where the King's Son now stood, having left Mount Freedom.
'See brave Great-Hopes?' a girl shouted. 'He's not afraid of the enemy out there.'
Talora looked at me. 'Not afraid? Look, he's shaking with fear before the Son of the Lord God. Come on, Zephan, if we fly down we'll be able to hear what they're both saying.'
I had other ideas. 'We can't let people see us flying. I can't understand it, but they haven't realised yet that we're angels.'
Anyway, we found we could hear the conversation clearly from where we were, although a few of Nadia's friends had to run closer.
'I know that you are the Son of the Most High God,' Great-Hopes told the King's Son, 'but Nadia wishes to have no contact with you. I have treated her well with many promises, and she has no fear for her future. I beg you, go away and allow me to keep this castle for myself.'
'Go back and tell Nadia I love her,' the King's Son said. 'Tell her I want to forgive her for everything she's ever done wrong, and then live with her and care for her, to fill her with my love.'
One of Nadia's friends tugged my arm. 'See? The man on the horse will be telling Great-Hopes that this castle is doing just fine, so he's promising to leave Nadia alone.'
Well, she certainly couldn't hear as well as us, if that's what she thought was happening. This made me even more certain that angels have fantastic hearing. Or maybe we can hear things in some special way. I must ask sometime.
Great-Hopes finished his conversation and turned away, looking furious. He crawled back up the hill and spoke to Nadia and her friends in front of the castle. 'People,' the shabby man shouted to the crowd, 'the King's soldiers out there have no love for anyone. Their leader says he is going to attack, and he will destroy anyone who puts up a fight. Be quick, defend Castle Nadia!'
'You're wrong. I heard him tell you that he's coming in love,' a girl said breathlessly, hurrying back up the hill from where she'd been listening.
Great-Hopes shook his head. 'You shouldn't eavesdrop on private conversations,' he snapped. Then he seemed to think about it. 'Well, yes, that may be what he said, but it's not the point. What he really meant was that he's coming to attack and destroy.'
'Why should anyone attack Nadia?' one of her friends asked from the front of the crowd. 'She's done nothing wrong.'
'Let's send another representative to talk to the King's Son,' an older boy suggested.
Most of Nadia's friends seemed to like this idea.
'I could go,' a voice said.
Everyone looked to see who had spoken.
'I am Good-Deeds.' A young man pushed his way to the front. 'I have been ever so busy lately, helping Nadia to be a nicer person.'
I have to say I thought young Good-Deeds sounded full of himself, but a murmur of approval swept through the crowd, and some of Nadia's friends started to clap.
'Good-Deeds will go for me,' Nadia shouted.
Before long all Nadia's friends had taken up the cry, cheering wildly in support of Good-Deeds. I guessed he must be one of the best-known people in the whole country.
'Please allow me to pass,' Good-Deeds said politely. 'Nadia deserves my help.'
I mentioned a moment ago that Good-Deeds sounded full of himself, but now his voice was changing to one that seemed ever so humble, although somehow it didn't ring true. I guessed he was really a proud young man.
'Make way for Good-Deeds,' Nadia's friends shouted. 'Make way for Good-Deeds.'
We watched Good-Deeds run down the hill, a confident look on his grinning face. He obviously expected a good reception.
Once again we listened carefully.
'I have already told Great-Hopes that Nadia must surrender to me completely,' the King's Son told Good-Deeds. 'You have come here to win my friendship by telling me of Nadia's good behaviour, but I have come to offer her forgiveness as a gift. Nadia can accept it or she can refuse it, but she cannot use you to buy it. Return to the castle, Good-Deeds, and tell Nadia that you count for absolutely nothing in my sight. And tell her that I come with love.'
A sad looking Good-Deeds crept back up the hill to break the news to Nadia and her friends. He looked around, probably expecting to see Great-Hopes, but the shabby creature had returned to his equally shabby shed behind the castle.
Good-Deeds then called for one of his young friends, named Unchanging. Everyone thought Unchanging would be a great choice. He would defend Nadia because he'd never once altered his mind about anything.
'Nadia must refuse to surrender,' he shouted, and Nadia's friends immediately elected him leader.
Then, to our surprise, instead of going to the King's Son, Unchanging marched round to the back of the castle, keeping his legs stiff and straight like an old-fashioned mechanical toy.
'I must speak with the Magnificent Great-Hopes,' he told Captain Boasting, who was still keeping guard outside the filthy hovel.
The captain blocked the door. 'The Magnificent Great-Hopes will see no one,' he barked.
Another soldier appeared. 'What's going on,' he demanded.
'Stand back, Captain Secure,' said Unchanging, who had obviously made up his mind to see Great-Hopes, and wasn't going to take no for an answer. 'It is vital that you let me in.'
A voice came from inside the hovel, and Captain Secure nodded. 'The magnificent one says you may enter.'
I held Talora's arm and we slipped inside with Unchanging. We were good at that now, and we stood motionless in the gloom in one of the corners. Great-Hopes sat upright on the rickety chair he used as his throne, looking decidedly anxious. But he smiled when he heard that Good-Deeds had spoken to the King's Son, and that Nadia had elected Unchanging as temporary leader. And he smiled even more when he knew Unchanging was about to make a visit to the King's Son.
'I have a clever plan,' Great-Hopes said, trying to sound cheerful. 'Listen carefully, Unchanging. I will tell you exactly what you must say.'
CHAPTER 21
Unchanging
We followed Unchanging as he strutted from Great-Hopes' so-called palace, round to the front of the castle. 'I am taking a message from Great-Hopes to the man on horseback,' Unchanging told Nadia and her friends.
A thin man clapped his hands. I knew immediately who it was. Choosing's bony body looked exactly the same as when we'd seen him in Mansoul. We'd probably have the whole gang here soon.
'Keep back, keep back,' Choosing croaked, his voice as weak as ever. 'Allow Unchanging to get through.'
I shook my head and t
urned to Talora. 'What's the use of sending Unchanging? He can't even bend his knees enough to get over the rough ground on the hill.'
'He's fallen over,' Talora said, laughing. 'But look, the King's Son is coming up to talk with him.'
I wanted to fly down to hear what they were saying, but Talora held me back. 'No, Zephan, you were right just now. We cannot risk being recognised. Anyway, someone like Unchanging will speak so loudly everyone will hear. You wait and see.'
Even in front of the King's Son, Unchanging refused to bow his head -- or more likely he was unable to. 'Great King,' he said proudly, 'rather than go to war with you, Nadia makes an offer of peace. You may take one half of her castle as your own, and the Magnificent Great-Hopes will rule the other half.'
The King's Son shook his head. 'The castle is mine. Search the ancient records, Unchanging, and you will discover that I bought these castles many years ago. I will not accept just half.'
That's when I realised that although every castle had been bought and paid for by the King's Son, he couldn't take possession of them until the occupants surrendered completely to the King. It all made sense now.
Unchanging turned awkwardly to make sure Nadia, who was now on the flat castle roof, could hear him as she poked her head over the battlements. 'I am authorised to make a further offer,' he said. 'You may possess the castle.' He paused. 'As long as the Magnificent Great-Hopes and his companions can keep just the smallest part.' He smiled at Nadia's friends who cheered enthusiastically.
'The whole castle is mine,' the King's Son insisted. 'Go and tell that to Nadia.'
Unchanging hadn't finished. 'My master Great-Hopes is a very generous person. I am authorised to make a further offer. If you allow Great-Hopes and his companions to live quietly round the back of the castle, Great-Hopes will not claim to be king, and none of us will play even the smallest part in ruling this castle. We only want to live here in peace.'
The King's Son shook his head firmly. As soon as Nadia's friends saw the rejection of the offer they began to shout and jeer angrily at the King's Son.
'Our leader, the Magnificent Great-Hopes, is willing to move away from the castle,' Unchanging said hurriedly. 'And we will go with him.'
'That is good,' the King's Son replied.
'Ah, yes,' Unchanging added, 'but you must allow us to return from time to time to visit our old place for a day or two -- or a week, or even a month or two -- whenever we are passing this way.'
'And why should you and Great-Hopes want to do that?' the King's Son asked.
'Well,' Unchanging explained, 'there may be times when our advice and friendship is needed.'
'No,' the King's Son said firmly, 'I could never agree to that. If Nadia invites me into her castle, I will come as the only ruler. You and Great-Hopes and your other companions must be banished for ever.'
'You are a hard sovereign,' Unchanging said. He turned to Nadia who had come down from the roof and was now with her friends outside the castle door. 'This man has no feeling for you,' he called to them, and they started to jeer again.
'Will the King's Son leave now?' Talora asked. 'I know I would.'
'Not if he loves this castle -- and I'm sure he does.'
The King's Son stayed talking to Unchanging. 'How can you come and go when your buildings have been destroyed?'
'Destroyed?' Unchanging looked shocked.
The King's Son sighed. 'If I leave your old buildings at the back of this castle, what is to stop you slipping back to live there again?'
'Tell me,' Unchanging said, still proud and unbent, 'will you require changes inside Castle Nadia?'
'If I am to come in, all trace of you and your companions must be swept out.'
Unchanging jumped back in alarm. 'How could Nadia do such a thing to us?' he demanded. 'Why, no matter how hard she tried, there might be some trace left in a dark corner.'
The King's Son smiled. 'Nadia is to leave the cleaning to me. You are right, no matter how hard she tries she will not be able to clean her own castle, or her clothes. Not even your young friend Good-Deeds could do that for her -- especially not Good-Deeds.'
I noticed that Nadia looked badly shaken as she listened. Her friends told her it was unfair of the King's Son to talk about cleaning. Surely there was room for a bit of give and take, they said -- a part of the old days left here and there.
Choosing shook his head sadly as Nadia's friends watched to see what he would do now. 'This is a bad day for you,' he told Nadia. 'If the King's soldiers invade, you will be the most miserable of people. You and your friends must be strong and defend your castles -- even if it costs you your lives.'
With that, Nadia ran back indoors, noisily locking and bolting the door. I stayed to see what the King's Son would do next, while Nadia's friends swept Talora away as they ran around in panic trying to defend the castle door. There seemed to be no organised plan of resistance. A few minutes later Choosing and Unchanging clapped their hands and took charge.
Talora managed to break free, scrambling up next to me as the King's Son came close to the castle. He called out one last time to Nadia with his offer of peace and total forgiveness.
The door of Castle Nadia stayed shut.
CHAPTER 22
Mount Justice
Nadia's friends hung around outside her castle for the rest of the afternoon, while the King's Son returned to Mount Freedom with his soldiers. Nadia stayed inside, out of sight. I sat down with Talora in the shelter of some dense bushes, exhausted, intending to think things through. The dried leaves made a comfortable cushion, and we must have fallen asleep -- rather like giskos in a cosy nest, I suppose.
We woke in the early evening to see five men in shining armour standing outside Castle Nadia holding flags. You may remember that we'd met them here earlier: Captain Trust, Captain Good-Hope, Captain Love, Captain Innocent and Captain Patience.
'It's looks as though the King's Son hasn't given up on Nadia,' I told Talora.
'So why is she keeping her door shut?'
'Probably because she doesn't want to make any changes. We can blame Unchanging for that.'
In the distance, watching from the shelter of some trees on Mount Justice, I noticed the four powerful captains who had visited Mansoul in the vision: Captain Boanerges, Captain Conviction, Captain Judgment and Captain Justice. I recalled Captain Justice, with his axe for cutting down dead trees. I pointed out the captains to Talora.
'I hope they're not coming here,' she said anxiously. 'Nadia is so stubborn.'
As I looked around, I caught sight of Castle Max in the dip. I jumped onto a high rock in excitement, and without thinking used my wings to get to the top of it quickly. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice. 'Look! Max has taken his flag down. Does it mean he's like Nadia, and only flies it when it suits him?'
'Nadia has a home-made flag,' Talora reminded me. 'Max has the real thing. Anyway, he's coming this way. And he's carrying his flag with him. That's why it's not flying on his castle.'
Yes, that made sense. Max held his flag high above his head by two corners, and it streamed out behind him in the breeze as he ran towards Castle Nadia.
People came out of other castles that had been flying white flags, marching behind banners and carrying Swords. You'll notice that I'm using a capital S here. I'll be telling you more about these special weapons as we go on.
Some banners showed the white dove of the Holy Spirit, others had a crown, a Lamb, crosses -- and a few had a fish, the coded message for the name of Jesus, the King's Son. Everyone marched up the hill to join the soldiers. Max stood boldly at the front, carrying his Sword.
The Swords weren't the ordinary weapons of war, but part of the armour supplied by the Lord God. Some people see the Swords as interesting but not very useful. Believe me, they are powerful weapons when used correctly.
At that moment I saw a great commotion between Nadia's friends and Max and his friend with the banners. Her friends who had been there all along, the ones without f
lags and banners, pushed their way angrily to the front. I thought there was going to be a fight, but Max and his friends stood back and kept calling out to the King's Son to be patient with Nadia. Then they called out loudly to Nadia to surrender. But Nadia's other friends shouted to them to be quiet, and told Nadia not to listen.
I have to admit I was shocked to watch the soldiers push the golden battering ram forward. But before using it they fired one of the enormous catapults, launching a huge rock at the castle door, scattering splinters of stone and wood. This hardly seemed like a loving approach.
Talora put her hands to her face. 'We can't stand here,' she said. 'The soldiers are loading another rock, and I don't want to get hit in the eye by bits of wood.'
I told her to stay where we were. We seemed safe enough, and I wanted to get a good view. 'I don't understand it,' I told Talora. 'I thought the King's Son said he wouldn't force his way in.'
'Look over there!' Talora had now uncovered her eyes. 'Max and his friends with flags and banners are still calling out to the King's Son to help Nadia.'
We watched as Max directed the soldiers working the catapults where to aim -- no longer at the castle door, but at the hovel where scruffy Great-Hopes lived.
'And there's Nadia!' Talora pointed to a figure standing on the flat roof of the castle, leaning over the battlements. 'I hope she won't keep the King's Son out for much longer.'
The rock from the catapult fell just short of the Magnificent Great-Hopes' hovel. The rock shattered as it landed with a mighty crash that shook the ground, pelting the door with fragments of stone.
Great-Hopes came rushing out, ordering his two sentries, Captain Boasting and Captain Secure, to make his palace safe while he ran off to hide. Did I say palace? If you could have seen it you wouldn't have put a stray animal in there for the night, it was in such a state. As Great-Hopes rushed past, I put my foot out and sent him sprawling on the ground.
Several of the King's soldiers drew their bows. Captain Boasting, who was calling instructions up to Nadia on the best way to make the castle stronger, received an arrow in the chest. He dropped down dead. Another warrior angel drew his bow and hit Captain Secure. He fell to the ground outside the castle door, but the arrow had only entered his leg, and he rolled about in pain.
'We shall not be taken,' he called to his companions, as he pulled himself to his feet. 'You must all ...' A second arrow hit him, this time in the heart, killing him instantly. He fell back, his eyes wide open in surprise.