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REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 17
I had been soaked in sweat, as if I had just come through a grueling ordeal. My actions had seemed to amuse him and he had started to laugh with an inhuman squalling cackle that was nerve jarring. He’d cackled insanely the rest of the time that remained before his match began.Coming back to the present, I continued studying the hooded figure within the room, noticing the similarities I felt he shared with the crazed arena fighter from the past.Suddenly, he spun in my direction seeming to sense my study of him somehow. I ducked below the window sill, and even though I was sure that I hadn’t been seen by him, I still felt exposed to the whole world as I clung to the side of the citadel beneath the window.A pain filled cry emanated from inside the room, “Run Jasper! Save yourself!”After a brief moment of hesitation, I flung myself recklessly back down the way I had come, vowing to myself to avenge Treorna’s suffering, if it was the last thing I ever did. I leaped onto the remaining ho
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 18
“Jasper.”I watched a spark of recognition pass across her eyes for a moment and then it was gone and she turned to the girl and said, “Dorie, get the soup for Jasper, if you would please and make sure to bring some of the bread that I made this morning too.”A big man stepped into the room. He had to be over six and a half feet tall if he was an inch, but it wasn’t his height that was solely impressive. The man was built like a bull with corded, bunched up muscles that stretched out the seams of his shirt. His voice sounded like the rush of a blacksmith’s bellows when he spoke, “My name is Eliak. This is my wife Samantha, my daughter Dorie, and my sons Elim, Jash, and Niall.”Besides the little boy I had seen before, I saw two older and stalwart looking boys standing out in the hallway beyond their father.“Eliak, this is Jasper,” Samantha said.When she said my name a similar look of recognition also passed across his features, which caused me to wonder what they knew about me. Had t
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 19
“That was how it was with my father, too. I made sure to not let that distance happen between my children and me,” Eliak said.“You have been very kind to me, Eliak. I wouldn’t have made it without your help. Thank you.”Eliak ignored my outstretched hand and reached out and enveloped me in his mighty arms in a bear hug that surprised me.Drawing back slightly, until his hands rested on my shoulders, he said, looking deeply into my eyes, “The best advice I can give you is to trust in the Creator and follow His direction. It has served me well all my life. The time in your life will come, Jasper, when all hope will seem to fade. In that moment, look to the Creator and He will fight for you and lift you up to a place of honor. But, like your father, I hope you give the glory that you receive back to whom it truly belongs. It is the Creator’s strength and not any of your own that will sustain you in the harsh moments of life and help you to do what you are destined to do for His kingdom.”
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 20
Hearing the murmur of voices coming from behind me, I turned as best as I could within the tight confines of my suspended prison, still not comprehending the situation well. A cold liquid sensation engulfed me from my head down as I saw a figure off to my right throw something at me. Coming to a full realization, I looked around me as water dripped off my face.A large group of angry people were gathered along a narrow bench in the lee side of the hill that overlooked the Kurt’s family farm in the valley below. Near the edge of the gorge, surrounded by Zoarinian guards, stood the Kurt family. Gripping the bars of my cage with white knuckled fingers I tried to call out to them, but was stopped by a voice off to my right.“It won’t do you any good to cry out to them, Jasper. Besides, haven’t you caused them enough trouble already?”I turned my attention to the voice’s owner and saw the robed figure from the citadel, who had tortured Treorna. Every fiber in my being united in that instant
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 21
The crowd and guards drew back in fear. Marfoul, seemingly coming unhinged by the fast approaching storm, screamed at the guards, “Kill them now, you carrion swine!”The guards, coming out of their daze, moved back towards the Kurt family, who hadn’t moved the whole time nor ceased from praying. The guards, now more afraid of Marfoul than the approaching storm, rushed to do their assigned task with swords lifted high. The storm hit the cliff top and out of it materialized beings clothed in flame. They strode purposefully from the storm towards the cliff top. Each fiery being intercepted one of the guards headed for the Kurt family.Their appearance was fierce and terrible, and as they approached they lifted one hand and withdrew swords that seemed to be made of light itself from behind their backs. In one fluid overhand, downward motion, they ended the lives of the stunned guards. As the guards hit the ground, the warriors of the storm turned towards the crowd and advanced purposefully
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 22
Feeling released by the Holy Spirit I stood, but it would have been nice to stay in that place of oneness with my Creator forever. I walked over to the cliff’s edge and peered into the valley below. Smoke still rose from the ashes of what had once been the Kurt family’s homestead. Anger at the senseless destruction of a place that had been like a home to me these past few weeks caused my fists to clench tight. People like Marfoul, that could commit such atrocities, had to be confronted and now I had the heavenly authority to do it. Turning from the cliff’s edge, I looked through what had been left on the cliff top.I personally didn’t care for any of the poorly made weapons the guards had on them and I had all but given up hope, when I came across a set of three Nizak fighting knives on the last guard. Forged by the hill tribesman of the Khartian Mountains, they were excellently made. They measured a little over a foot from hilt to point and were slightly curved up towards the point, b
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 23
His big hand resting on my shoulder had squeezed hesitantly and then, after a long moment, he had said, “We’ll start in the morning.”I never again looked at my father in the same way after that experience. He was more than just a father that cared for my needs, now he was also a force to be reckoned with. He was dangerous. I had wanted to be dangerous like him.Coming out of my reflections of the past, I eased Flin towards a small brook up ahead of us that ran along the base of an upthrust of rock. It was dark in the shadow of the cliff that I had chosen to make my camp under, which was good because it would obscure my plans from any prying eyes.Normally, I would never make a camp in a spot like this and I was hoping that whoever was stalking me did not know me well. My reasons for not liking the camping spot would have been quite obvious to an experienced traveler. I had been on the run from the authorities for years and I’d picked up some tips on what not to do during that time.Bu
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 24
Grimly, I watched the fallen rider struggle to rise only to fall back to the ground. It gave me no pleasure to kill, but these men had asked for it by tracking me down. I collected my knives, not wanting to see such fine weapons rot in the undergrowth of this dark forest. Reaching down to retrieve a knife, I winced as the arrow wound reminded me of its presence. My fingers found the wound on my side. The arrow had hit nothing vital, but it had left a nasty gash where it had skidded off my ribs, and the wound was bleeding profusely.Flin perked up an ear at my reappearance and even looked halfway interested that I had returned. Gathering the reins I led him through the forest and out to where the last soldier lay. The warmth of the afternoon sun felt good after the cool, moist darkness of the forest. Blood dripped off my fingers, which held a wadded up piece of rag to the wound in my side, as I approached the last soldier in the meadow.The man was still conscious, but he didn’t have lo