People began to make their way into the firelight to be greeted by those already gathered there. The strangers in the night were Cronians!
I ran out into the darkness calling, “Susori!”
I heard a baby crying and somehow I knew. Susori came out of the darkness then with tears streaming down her beautiful face.
I rushed to her even as she held our child out to me, “Your son, my love!”
I hugged them close with one arm as my other hand pressed against my daughter’s back where she stood encircling my one leg tightly with both of her arms.
I was crying. I was happy. I was overwhelmed. I never wanted to be without them again!
Pulling my face from Susori’s neck, I looked down into the face of a boy regarding me studiously, “A son.”
“Yes!” she said, pressing my son into my arms. The world was falling apart all around me and yet my world had never been more complete than it was now.
Susori leaned against me tiredly and slowly, as not to dislodge my still attached daughter, I moved back towards the fire. Tomorrow we would leave for Thyana, but that was far away right now.
I laid down by the fire with Susori beside me, our son between us and my daughter on top of me. We were together again. I whispered praises to El Elyon for much of the night as I held my family close, not caring for a moment about all the other things that had been put under my care.
*****
The caravan of people I led numbered about five thousand. They represented a smattering of individuals from all walks and positions of society, but that said, the majority of them were of the poorer classes. It would seem that they had an easier time giving up their meager riches than those long attached to greater wealth.
We had entered Thyana a day ago. Four days before, I had sent riders to alert the people of this kingdom of the need to flee. By afternoon we would be at the border of the Nicationer Nation of Faquanna.
I expected there would be no trouble from them, but the Kingdom of Poretani on its eastern border was likely to be a different matter as they had been in outright war with the Kingdom of Ephanum for over a year. Our choice of such a dangerous of route couldn’t be helped. There was no other way to reach Ephanum and Smirnaz.
Thinking of Smirnaz I wondered if my people would leave their lands at my command and trudge off trustingly into the desert sands of the Wastelands to the mythical Forests of Darkor? I could only hope so.
My personal army that had fought for me these past few years would. They would follow me anywhere. How I wished I had them with me now!
I would wait for the Thyanians for one day at the border before I headed for Ephanum.
The next day I was blown away as over four times our current number came to us from the lowlands of Thyana. It would seem my reputation lived on here as few would talk of anything else. In fact I heard Thyanians, speaking to other Kingdomers around the fires at night, say that I first got my notoriety as a warrior within Thyana and that I was sort of a national hero to them.
I would lay no claim to that, but at least the notoriety had helped motivate many of them to come. I was glad for that.
The Thyanians confirmed that five days previously a large party of Yesathurim had slipped across their borders enroute for the Sarran frontier and no doubt the Holy Mountains beyond. I prayed for Ayaya’s success and that it would be greater than my own to date.
I wished that more kingdoms would choose to embrace the future as so many of the Thyanians were. And yet almost nine out of ten Thyanians remained within Thyana. So many world wide gave so little credence to the prophetic warning of the Holy Scrolls.
*****
The Faquanna border the next day
I stared across the invisible line in the grass into the foreign country's realm. I had no army to repel an attack as most of those following me were of the simpler folk and a large part of them were women, children and older men. For the hundredth time I debated over the wisdom of going this way.
It was a much longer journey to go north along the shore of Lake Orlone in order to reach Ephanum, but surely it would have been safer. I could not be sure of that though. A rider had brought news that the invasion of Philanthia had already begun, but worse than that was the news that the Kingdomer nations of Sartorry and of Lancandia had already made a deal for peace, in which they had agreed to forsake the Kingdomer faith and willfully burn all their copies of the Holy Scrolls in exchange for not being invaded by the armies of darkness that had, it seemed, come from underground almost everywhere.
It was hard to believe Kingdomer Nations could stoop so low as to deny their faith, but it was the way of it. The Kingdom of Sartorry had always been more liberal than the other kingdoms when it came to matters of religion and morality. With Sartorry given over and both Perganel and Philanthia already engaged on multiple fronts, the way north was a risky one at best.
I had only a few more days to line up with the timetable that Ayaya had given me. If I had more time it would have been a tempting option to take several days to build rafts and sail across Lake Orlone and avoid confrontation altogether, but I had rejected it as too many of the people would be lost in the tempestuous waters of the lake and I had no time to build the rafts anyway.
I glanced away from the border as a shout rang out. Another rider bearing ill news, no doubt.
The rider brought his foam flecked mount to a stop before me. His face echoed the horror of the words his voice hadn’t even given birth to yet, “Philanthia has fallen!”
The others around me gasped in horror, but I couldn’t say I was all that surprised. They had been great in number, but poorly led. I hadn’t thought they would last for long after hearing how Crona was overcome in a night.
“How long do we have before enemy advance troops are here?”
The man shrugged in exhaustion, “Maybe a day, perhaps a little more. They move so fast! It’s inhuman!”
I nodded and was about to speak when he said, “That isn’t all. The Kingdom of Sartorry has signed a peace agreement and she has been joined by Lancandia.”
That I knew, but I wasn’t prepared for what he said next.
“Even now Lancandia, per the request of her new dark overlords, sends a force to intercept us here! I heard this straight from a Lancandian believer several miles back trying to catch up with your group.”
A Kingdomer Nation coming to hunt down her own flesh and blood. The world had gone mad!
The unthinkable had happened and I was suddenly without choices anymore, “Give the order for all wagons to proceed over the border. No one stops until we reach Ephanum!”
Those around me stared at me aghast before one said, “It will take at least two days! How can we ask so much of the animals to go without rest?”
“We can and we will or else I fear we won’t reach Ephanum at all.”
Shouts of my order rang out as well as word of the loss of Philanthia and the heavy laden carts started forward quickly into the terrain of the unknown borderlands.
*****
I rode beside the cart that Susori was in. I stared ahead, waiting for the inevitable to occur. The border of Poretani was just ahead and my scouts had reported a massing of troops there. I had close to thirty thousand people in this caravan, but only about seven hundred had any fighting experience. It was a problem that I attacked relentlessly in my mind as I rode.
No matter how I figured it, I couldn’t see a way through what was waiting ahead across the border, barring the miraculous.
“Dear, if those worry lines are etched any deeper I fear they may become permanent.”
My eyes found Susori and I smiled tightly. The sight of my son held in her arms though brought all my fears back into sharp focus.
My headache began to pound in earnest. What was I going to do? What could be done?
“I think you’re approaching the future in the wrong manner, my husband.”
I looked to Susori, eager for any wisdom she could impart to me, “You’re
right. What should I be doing?”
Her gaze turned reflective as she looked off toward the horizon behind us, “When I was running for my life in the city, I was choked with the fear I felt for our children. It didn’t matter that the night before I was told by one of the Malachim that my future and that of my children was secure. That was all forgotten in my moment of panic. All I could think of was the Gargon down the street from us. It occupied all parameters of my mind until I couldn’t think of anything else. The baby cried out and I knew it was all over in that moment except…… except for the truth of El Elyon’s hold over the realities of my existence. I told you what I did next and what happened.”
I nodded in remembrance of her amazing story.
Her eyes came back to mine, “In a way I’d say the situation facing us at the moment bears some resemblance to my experience in the city wouldn’t you say my love?”
I stared at her for a long moment as her words sank in. Leaning forward out of the saddle I kissed her.
Drawing back from her I felt peace come into me and I said, “You are an amazing woman.”
Her smile turned teasing, “I’m so glad you noticed.”
Smiling at her, I straightened in the saddle and rode Phalon forward. Reaching the forward point of the caravan I came alongside of Falarin. I gestured to his lance and he obligingly handed it over to me.
Reaching back to my saddlebag I pulled free a silken banner. The banner wasn’t in commemoration of any one Kingdomer Nation, but rather it was a universal symbol of the Kingdomer faith being itself in the shape of an unrolled scroll with silver etched words set against a blue background.
Falarin watched me curiously as I fixed the banner to the end of the lance. Banner in place I held the point of the lance aloft and the banner took flight in the breeze.
“Falarin, you’re in command until I return. Keep the caravan moving at its present rate and whatever you do don’t stop for any reason.”
“Where are you going to be?” Falarin asked in alarm.
“Claiming promises.” With that said, Phalon launched forward with little urging. We soon left the caravan behind and within the half-hour they were completely out of sight.
I rode onward. Cresting a rise I stopped as I took in the army of Poretani arrayed in formation below awaiting the caravan. There was a flurry of activity as they noticed me on the valley rim.
I heard harsh commands issued and the force of roughly ten thousand soldiers began to march forward. I stayed where I was on the valley’s rim with banner held high.
The movement of the army was abruptly arrested to a standstill as I watched several forward scouts return to report their findings. Minutes went by and then in the relative silence of the morning a sound broke forth from the enemy host that gained in strength as the news spread throughout the ranks.
They were laughing. Laughing at the prospect of but one man arrayed against them. Their first mistake was in standing in the way of El Elyon’s purposed plan. Their second mistake was in believing that I was alone.
I was never truly alone in life. A fact of which I often forgot in moments of trial, but thanks to my wife today was not such a day. I raised the banner high into the air, as high as I could, and then I urged Phalon forward toward the laughing ranks of the enemy.
Phalon lunged over the bank of the valley, at full stride within but a few steps, as we charged full tilt for the enemy’s center. The laughter rang louder, only to stop a moment later even more abruptly than it had started up.
I continued to race down towards the enemy’s center line as ten thousand riders clothed in fire rode off to either side of me in perfect formation. No force on Ayenathurim was going to stand in the way of El Elyon’s people reaching the Kingdom. The struggle of getting them there was not mine but rather El Elyon’s and to His glory I rode.
I drew my sword from its saddle scabbard and held it out in readiness to bring it down upon the enemy that stood still in horrified disbelief at what was occurring. In that moment, every member of the Nicationer army fully realized a thousand times over the folly of their beliefs in gods of falseness and immoral deceit.
There was no denying that the source of my faith in El Elyon was justified. Their gods were no gods and it was their undoing this day.
Some of them made to run while most continued to stand still in horrified wonder, too paralyzed by fright to move a muscle. I crashed into the enemy ranks even as fire seemed to consume them in a solid front of epic power previously unseen on the battlefields of man.
It seemed that in less than a minute the enemy host lay fallen within the valley and I and Phalon were alone once again. I pulled Phalon up to look over the devastation, even as scores upon scores of vultures already hovered within the air as if pre-alerted of the bountiful feast to be had this day. El Elyon truly did know all and orchestrated the beginning from the end.
I waited for the caravan silently, still marveling at what El Elyon could do. In an hour’s time the caravan appeared and slowly made their way around the scene of divinely purposed conflict. The faith of all was increased as one and all realized the depth of the Father’s love for us who had forsaken all to follow where our faith had led us.
I came up alongside my wife’s cart and tied Phalon off to it. I handed the lance with the banner to an old man sitting beside the driver and climbed on past him into the wagon.
How I could think of sleep in a moment like this after what I’d just seen I wasn’t sure, but I had let fear wear upon me for days and now the peace that I felt told me it was safe to rest. I lay down beside my wife, who slept on, blissfully unaware of the larger engagement that had just occurred.
Lavaya appeared at my shoulder with a grin and I knew what she wanted. Tiredly I smiled up at her and said, “Daddy needs rest, but then I promise I’ll give you your first riding lesson.”
“Yes!” Lavaya crowed out jubilantly.
Smiling I fell asleep, even as my son claimed my finger with his tiny hand.
Chapter Nineteen
Vision in the Night
Poretani was behind us and so were the hosts of Sheol. We’d reached the Kingdom of Ephanum with not a moment to spare.
The caravan was already pressing northward toward the Kingdom of Toll. The Kingdom of Toll was largely friendly to us and I expected to meet with no resistance to us passing through their lands to the Wastelands beyond.
The King of Ephanum was drawn off to the side of the caravan’s passage surrounded by a group of his military commanders. When we had reached the border it was to be greeted by most of the Kingdom of Ephanum’s army.
I drew up beside the King, who looked me over somewhat coldly before saying, “Glad to see you made it through Poretani.”
Sure, he was, I thought to myself sarcastically. The kings of Smirnaz and Ephanum had never been on the friendliest of terms and I now filled that role.
It was hard to think of myself as a king and yet the fact remained. The fact also remained that the King of Ephanum had known that I had to make my way through Poretani. He had been at war with Poretani and it would’ve been a thing of ease for him to keep a force on the border so that Poretani could not have mustered a second force to come against us without exposing themselves to an invasion from behind.
Instead the King had waited within his own borders and held back his troops from the border. Such actions were not the act of a friend.
“Are you ready to evacuate your kingdom sire? The enemy’s outlying scouts aren’t but a few hours back of us.”
“We’re not leaving. The Wastelands hold no refuge for us or for you, but go if you must. We will cover your retreat from the field of battle,” the King said dismissively.
His response was not surprising, but I felt that I had to try anyway, “How do you hope to stand, sire, where five other kingdoms have failed to do so?”
“Ephanum has always been alone in our fight for independence with the other kingdoms so far removed from us and Smirnaz, cursed with
perpetual witness to the north, being of no help to us.”
It was a direct insult and one I would not let pass, “Who has done more for Ephanum then Smirnaz of late? We rid your northern border of giants, but go ahead and sit on your border and wait for certain destruction even as you doom your people to the monstrous appetites of the host that approaches! You will have your wish in being alone as I will not allow one resident of Smirnaz, who believes in the new covenant, to remain within the reach of the evil that is coming!”
With no further words I steered Phalon away from the King’s group and headed northward to Smirnaz to oversee that very commitment as the caravan headed for Toll.
It was early in the morning of the second day of my ride north that I saw the banners of a people on the march. The people of Smirnaz were leaving their ancestral lands. From the size of the caravan of people it looked as if everyone was coming.
I rode toward the column of refugees, closely watched over by elements of the army. Cheers broke out from soldier and commoner alike as I drew close enough to be recognized.
I rode through the ranks of civilians and soldiers to the tune of shouted praise. I was a hero to these people. The rest of the world was in dark times, but for Smirnaz, times of late had been the best it had ever experienced as a nation.
They were willingly forsaking all that now, because of how much they trusted me to not lead them astray. The pressure to not let them down was enormous, but one I accepted.
The morning sky was stained with smoke and distant fire. I rode on, concern mounting within me. It took a while to get past the seemingly endless droves of people, yet I saw more approaching across the smoke-filled plain in the distance. Were they enemy or friend?
I rode onward, assuming the latter, and was rewarded with the appearance of Thanuel and others of my trusted friends. Thanuel and I embraced briefly.
I gestured to the burning horizon, “Surely the enemy has not advanced so quickly?”
“No, but they’re not far. I didn’t feel that you would want to leave them with anything so I burnt the entire kingdom. I’m sorry, but it would appear that you are King over very little now.”