Kingdom's Edge (5 page)

A DESPERATE FIGHT

Our training continued each day. Once we mastered a particular technique, the Prince would challenge us with a new, more difficult one.

On that day I was in just such a training session with a fellow knight and parried his oncoming thrust to the left. “Rob, your skill with the sword is impressive. You've improved dramatically since we last fenced.”

Rob caught my vertical cut and countered with a quick side slice. “Aye, and yours as well, Cedric. Remember though, it was only the third day of training when we first took up our clumsy swords and flung them at each other.”

Rob had also been one of the first men chosen by the Prince on that spectacular day in the square seven months ago. Rob was offensive to me at first. He was rude and brash, but I quickly saw a genuinely kind heart within him. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. His curly red
hair and fair complexion seemed always accompanied by a boyish grin.

“Yes, I remember well. The Prince is more than a teacher, for it took a miracle to make swordsmen out of us,” I said as I caught his slice and countered with my own.

“He is indeed a miracle worker, in more ways than one,” Rob said.

“What do you mean?”

Rob parried my thrust this time, and the flats of our swords met midway.

“Well, haven't you seen the joy on the faces of the people?” Rob said. “He has promised to heal this country and restore the people's dignity, and they believe Him! I know this much—if any man alive can do it, He'll be the one.”

We finished the session, and our swords found rest in our scabbards.

“I believe you're right, Rob,” I said. “The Prince seems to have all the ingredients to make just such a thing happen.”

T
HAT EVENING
, W
ILLIAM AND
I passed by a small shop on our way home. We heard a ruckus from within and decided to investigate. As we opened the door, a part of me wished we had chosen to walk on and ignore this place.

Two other occupants were inside the room. One, who I presumed to be the owner of the shop, was white and pale. I do not know if the lack of blood to his face was the result of fear or because of the large hand that nearly encircled his neck. The other occupant owned the threatening hand, and
a large hulking body to go with it. His back was to us, but it was enough to know he commanded enormous strength. He heard us enter and turned his head.

“If you want to live, leave this place!” His voice was deep and gruff, the mere sound of it as threatening as his form.

It was then that I noticed that the shop owner's feet were not touching the ground. Pain joined with the fear I first saw on his face.

“Release this man or face our swords,” I said as boldly as my own fear allowed.

I saw the grip on the shop owner tighten slightly before the beast of a man threw him into a corner as though he were a rag doll.

“Don't move!” the man said to the shop owner.

He slowly turned to face us, revealing all of his horrific grandeur. He stood nearly seven feet tall. His stringy hair hung to his shoulders, partly hiding a deep scar that swept from his left cheekbone down to his chin. His eyes were dark and filled with poisonous hate. His neck joined his shoulders and chest in a mass of muscle. His arms were as thick as a young cedar tree. The hand that had encircled a neck just seconds ago now held a gleaming sword.

But even this did not chill me as much as what I saw next. His tunic bore the mark of the Dark Knight … he was a Shadow Warrior!

So this is a glimpse of the evil force spoken of by the Prince
. I prayed it would not be my last glimpse of life itself.

His voice was thick with indignation. “You will regret that you chose to interfere. Now you die!”

He attacked us so violently and forcefully that I feared
he would spill our blood with hardly a fight. His blows were incredibly powerful. We retreated slightly to regain ourselves and spread apart to divert his attack. William caught a slice across his arm that bled but was not deep. I pressed an attack to bring the brute off William.

How could we escape with our lives let alone bring justice to this criminal?

William brought some hope to our cause as I saw him advance with a combination the Prince had taught us. In the throes of the Shadow Warrior's fierce attack, I was so preoccupied with defending myself that I had neglected to rely on the training the Prince had so diligently given us for just such an encounter.

We tightened our positions and ever so slowly began a methodical advance that soon had the Shadow Warrior on the defensive. His eyes spewed hate, but I saw surprise momentarily cross his face. He renewed his fighting and we gave, but only temporarily. Advance—retreat. Advance—retreat. Were it not for two of us versus one of him, the fight would have ended abruptly. Instead, it wore on.

The shop owner was still a puddle in the corner. I did not know if he was dead or if he feared that the Shadow Warrior was toying with us and thus dared not move.

For all we were worth, William and I could not bring this brute down. We were tiring, but the Shadow Warrior's energy seemed inexhaustible. I knew we were slipping. I'm sure the Shadow Warrior knew it too.

“You fight like my enemy of old,” he growled at us. “Tell me who your trainer is before I end your miserable lives.”

A floorboard creaked at the entrance of the shop, and my heart sank. Had another Shadow Warrior entered from behind? Was this to be our end?

“I am!” came the familiar voice of the Prince in response to the Shadow Warrior's question.

At last
, I thought.
With three of us, we will have a chance of defeating the massive warrior
. What a foolish thought it was.

For the first time, I saw fear on the face of the Shadow Warrior. Not just a glimmer of fear, but fear that comes from deep within and stays. His fight immediately left him. The once flashing, powerful sword now hung limply in his hands.

“I know who You are, Son of the King,” the Shadow Warrior said with a quaver in his voice.

William and I slowly backed off in amazement. This Shadow Warrior could defeat any one of the Noble Knights within seconds, including Kifus, yet the mere sight of the Prince turned him into a cowering fool. At that moment I began to realize how truly awesome the Son of the King was.

The Prince placed His hand on His majestic sword. The Shadow Warrior withdrew two steps, his sword still lowered.

“Let me live,” came a weak, gruff plea.

“Lay down your sword and go!” the Prince said.

The Shadow Warrior did not hesitate. He dropped his sword and moved quickly toward the door. His eyes never left the Prince until he was safely in the street. He turned and ran into the darkness.

The shop owner threw himself at the feet of the Prince. “Thank You, my Lord. You have saved my life this night!”

“What is your name?” the Prince asked.

“My name is Barrett, my Lord.”

“Rise up, Barrett.” The Prince lifted Barrett by his arm. “Tell Me, how did you fall victim to the likes of this gruesome man?”

Only now was the color coming back to Barrett's face. He started to talk but coughed and choked on his words. I offered him water as he tried to regain some composure.

Barrett was slightly shorter than I with an average build. His coffee-colored hair had receded to the top of his head, and his face was clean shaven. His eyes darted nervously left and right. I wondered if this was a lifelong mannerism or a consequence of his recent near-death experience. Barrett was ready to try once again.

“A few months ago, this same man entered my shop and offered to buy my geese and fish at a price higher than I could get from anyone in the city. His only demand was that I tell no one about him or our exchange. He seemed fair enough, so I took his offer. A few days later, he returned with nearly the same offer, so I agreed. This continued for some time, but each time his price got lower and his demeanor became more fierce. Before long, he demanded the food at a fraction of the market price and threatened me and my family if I didn't agree.”

Barrett paused and took another sip of water. He took a deep breath and continued.

“Eventually, I was giving him the food, and he was also demanding money. I told the Noble Knights, but they seemed too afraid to even confront him. I do believe he would have killed me tonight had these gentlemen not
intervened. Thank you for your bravery, kind sirs. Please take this money in payment for your services.”

The shop owner offered a bag that jingled with the sound of coins—coins the Shadow Warrior had apparently hoped to steal.

“We accept your thanks but not your payment, Barrett,” I said. “We cannot receive money for doing what is honorable and just.”

Barrett turned toward the Prince, and fear surfaced once again on his face. “My Lord, how can I be sure this brute will not return?”

“If he returns, Barrett, you can be sure he will not return alone. He will bring other warriors more fierce and wretched than himself with him,” the Prince said.

Barrett looked desperate.

“There is only one way you can protect yourself and your family. Follow Me, and I will train you, equip you, and protect you.”

“I will follow You this very night, my Lord,” said Barrett with renewed hope in his eyes that only moments ago were full of fear and desperation.

It was clear that I still had much to learn from the Prince!

MASTER OF THE SWORD

We were not experts with the sword by any stretch of the imagination. However, the Prince felt we had learned enough of the sword to add armor to our training. On one particularly warm afternoon, He chose to teach a few of us how to use the shield.