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REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 49
I had liked my plan better than… well this stinking cell. The great unknown of what tomorrow would bring was not something I looked forward to either. I fought to quell the negative thoughts that poured into me at the thought of the evil tomorrow could bring. If the Creator was the God of today, then He was also the God of tomorrow and if He was preserving my life today, then perhaps He would preserve my life tomorrow as well. My resolve strengthened some, but I still felt like it would crumble at any moment.My voice echoed slightly in the empty room, “Thy will be done, but I do ask this of You. Please help me rescue Zarsha and escape with her, Krista, and my uncle’s information to the Valley Lands. If your plans for me are different, then help me obey and fulfill them, even if it means losing my life. My life is yours to do with as You wish, but………..” I stumbled to say the last part, “I don’t want to die yet. Especially when everything seems like it’s turning out for the better.”My
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 50
I lost track of time and space. I knew only the next motion; I planned nothing, but fought and reacted instinctively. I was inflicting damage as a result of both my skillful fighting experience and the brute strength I was employing against my hated foe.I hadn’t inflicted any serious wounds, but the broken off javelin point in my left hand had left a half dozen jagged wounds in my opponent that were bleeding freely. I had not escaped injury, however. I was nicked up almost everywhere and there was a deep cut across my left thigh that hurt when I moved.I didn’t care; instead I used the pain to spur me on to greater effort. I was winning! Suddenly, something changed in the air around me and I found myself knocked backward through it. I skidded off the sandy arena floor several times before slamming hard into the arena wall. What had that been?I lifted myself up off the sand fighting for air, not understanding what had just happened. The wild man was upon me before I knew it and it was
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 51
“The truth is before you. Repent from your wickedness or in the end your fate will be as these creatures were which you will share for all eternity.”I turned from them and picked up a shard of the sword I had broken earlier and walked towards Zarsha. I cut her free from the pole and held her tenderly in my arms and cried like I never had before in my life.A little hand touched my face, “Why are you crying?”Startled, I opened my eyes. Zarsha smiled up at me and brushed the hair back from my forehead. “You were dead!” I exclaimed.“No, I wasn’t. I was sleeping. I had this wonderful dream that a man held my hand and talked to me. His words were warm and He was nice like you are. I wanted to know everything about Him, but He simply smiled and said that you would teach me about Him and that it was time to wake up.”“That’s all you remember?”“Yes, is there something more I should know?”“No! Praise God, no! Here, let’s get out of here and I promise I’ll tell you everything I know and we
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 52
Seven long weary days later found us near enough to the sea that we could smell the salt in the air and even hear the crashing of the waves against the rocks of the beach. Stiffly, I got down from Flin. It was well after nightfall. Zarsha was asleep and I lifted her down, careful not to wake her. I pulled the blanket roll off Flin and spread it on the ground near where I was going to make a fire. I laid Zarsha down onto the blanket and covered her up with it. I looked at her for a long moment as she slept peacefully. I was so grateful to have her in my life.“Why did you take on the responsibility of that little girl?”I turned towards Krista, who still stood by her horse. “I don’t know. I just did and I don’t regret it for even a moment. She’s added so much to my life already that it’s hard to remember what it was like without her just a few weeks ago. ”Krista was silent for a moment. “You’re a rare man Jasper . You don’t mind me calling you that, do you? You don’t think it’s forwa
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 53
“Where’s Krista?” I asked.From her blank expression I could tell she knew nothing. I walked over to where Krista had slept, hoping to find some trace of her disappearance. Her blankets were gone too, but there was a piece of white paper weighted under a rock lying on the ground where she had lain.I sheathed my sword and with a sinking feeling I reached down and picked the paper up and read it. “Dear Jasper , I hope you understand why I have left. You, of all people, must know what the desire for freedom is like. And as you fought to claim yours, so must I. I want you to know that I harbor no ill will against you. I know that as a slave I could have wished for no better a master than you. Sebastian was wise to give me to you and I know I have disappointed both of you by my actions, but I must pursue my dream of being free, whatever the risk may be. I feel that I will die inside if I give up on my dream now. I wish to thank you, Sebastian and the dear woman who raised me for several y
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 54
“Yes, this is true. But if our long time allies perish, then who do you think will be next to fall? It is better that we stay together and if need be, die together. I can assure you that I will continue to preach just that to my superiors until they have no cause but to see it my way as many of us already do!” Captain Jansa finished passionately.I offered my hand to the young captain, “I wish you luck in your endeavor as we could certainly use the help, but there is no shame if you don’t come.”Captain Jansa left me and returned to the bridge to directly oversee the pulling of the ship close to the shore line in the darkness. When we were far closer to the shoreline than I would have thought safe, Captain Jansa gave the orders to cut the sails and come about.A long, hastily constructed wooden ramp was hauled out over the side and secured with rigging. Zarsha and I mounted Flin and, with the click of his hooves sounding loud and hollow in the night air, I directed him down the swayin
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 55
I looked back at him steadily, “Oh, and what would that be councilman?”Turning to General Santaran, Councilman Oswald asked, “How many men can we field General?”The General looked morosely at the table for a moment and then said, “We’ll be lucky to find a hundred and twenty thousand experienced troops and perhaps another fifty thousand boys and older men that are capable of holding a sword and mounting a fight. I would say that would be an accurate assessment of the force that we can hope to raise.”Oswald continued on, practically not waiting for the General to finish talking, “This is what I think would be our best strategy. We defend Kingdom Pass temporarily with just forty thousand of our most battle ready troops and we send the remaining eighty thousand warriors or so to wait for the Attorgrons and cut them down in the passes. After they cut the traitors down in the passes they can return to Kingdom Pass and ensure its continued security against the siege of the Zoarinians. Our
REBIRTH OF A WARRIOR Chapter 56
It’s easy to dream up a battle plan, but knowing what the cost in lives could be….. would be, well it was the worst self awareness moment that I had ever encountered.The cold, calculated precision of the plan bore evidence of the hardness of my own soul. My plan could be my people’s saving grace in their gravest hour of need, but did that justify its methods?*****One Month and three days laterIt was raining softly. The pitter-patter of the rain drops splintering off the armor of the men standing silently in rank behind and around me made its own pleasant music as we waited. Then, like the obtrusive sound of a crow shattering the melody of a songbird in full trill, came the sounds of heavy drums from further down the pass.The drums announced the menacing presence of the enemy close at hand. The drums grew louder and louder until they reached a fever pitch of intensity. It was a performance of sound meant to instill fear in the hearts of my warriors. I saw the enemy for the first t