Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
Read Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart Online
Authors: Chuck Black
Praise for
Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
“With sanctified imagination, Chuck Black transports readers back to the days of chivalry and valor, clashing steel, and noble conflict—but ultimately he transports readers to the eternal triumph of the King who reigns!”
—D
OUGLAS
B
OND
, author of
Hold Fast in a Broken World and Guns of the Lion
“Chuck Black is a word crafter who is able to weave Kingdom principles into the fabric of one’s moral imagination. The characters he has created and the passions they exude will motivate readers to follow their examples, which have now been etched into their awakened conscience.”
—M
ARK
H
AMBY
, founder and president of Cornerstone Family Ministries and Lamplighter Publishing
“Chuck Black is the John Bunyan for our times!
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
is a reminder of the origins of the spiritual warfare we are to fight daily.”
—I
ACI
F
LANDERS
, inductive Bible study teacher and homeschool mom
“Not since C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia have any fictional books boosted my faith so much. They make me cry with joy for what the King and the Prince do. They let me see our world through new eyes. I can’t wait to read the Knights of Arrethtrae Series and experience more. The King reigns—and His Son!”
—S
OPHIA
, an avid reader
“I was so caught up in the books I would not do anything but read them. They were amazing…full of action, a little romance, and most of all, a love for the King and His Son. They made me feel as though I were truly traveling with the main character on his noble quest to spread the word of the King and His Son and standing in the middle of the Great Kingdom Across the Sea. I plan on reading the books over and over again. I loved the series so much!”
—E
THAN
, an avid reader
A
LSO BY
C
HUCK
B
LACK
THE KINGDOM SERIES
Kingdom’s Dawn
(Book One)
Kingdom’s Hope
(Book Two)
Kingdom’s Edge
(Book Three)
Kingdom’s Call
(Book Four)
Kingdom’s Quest
(Book Five)
Kingdom’s Reign
(Book Six)
THE KNIGHTS OF ARRETHTRAE SERIES
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
(Book One)
Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court
(Book Two)
I dedicate this book to all of the young men
and women who seek the truth of the Lord.
Be courageous, bold, and prepared,
and may your faith stand firm on the solid rock.
Kingdom’s Heart: An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae
Prologue: The Shadow of a Heart
Chapter 1:
The Piercing Shadow
Chapter 2:
Newcomers
Chapter 3:
The Seed
Chapter 4:
The Qualm
Chapter 5:
A Visit Home
Chapter 6:
The Attack
Chapter 7:
The Capture
Chapter 8:
The Prison of Distazo
Chapter 9:
A Desperate Plan
Chapter 10:
Fleeing the Dark
Chapter 11:
Return to Time
Chapter 12:
The Mysterious Mister Sejus
Chapter 13:
A Place of Beginnings
Chapter 14:
Dividing the Code
Chapter 15:
Sir Dalton, Knight of the Prince
Chapter 16:
Back from the Dead
Chapter 17:
Death Ravens
Chapter 18:
The Sword and Its Knight
Chapter 19:
A Warrior’s Blade
Chapter 20:
The Journey Home
Chapter 21:
Love Lost
Answers to Discussion Questions
“The Shadow Heart” (written for Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart)
An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae
Like raindrops on a still summer’s eve, the words of a story can oft fall grayly upon the ears of a disinterested soul. I am Cedric of Chessington, humble servant of the Prince, and should my inadequate telling of the tales of these brave knights e’er sound as such, know that it is I who have failed and not the gallant hearts of those of whom I write, for their journeys into darkened lands to save the lives of hopeless people deserve a legacy I could never aspire to pen with appropriate skill. These men and women of princely mettle risked their very lives and endured the pounding of countless battles to deliver the message of hope and life to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae…even to those regions over which Lucius, the Dark Knight, had gained complete dominion through the strongholds of his Shadow Warriors.
What is this hope they bring? To tell it requires another story, much of it chronicled upon previous parchments, yet worthy of much retelling.
Listen then, to the tale of a great King who ruled the Kingdom Across the Sea, along with His Son and their gallant and mighty force of
Silent Warriors. A ruler of great power, justice, and mercy, this King sought to establish His rule in the land of Arrethtrae. To this end He chose a pure young man named Peyton and his wife, Dinan, to govern the land.
All was well in Arrethtrae until the rebellion…for there came a time when the King’s first and most powerful Silent Warrior, Lucius by name, drew a third of the warriors with him in an attempt to overthrow the Kingdom Across the Sea. A great battle raged until finally the King’s forces prevailed. Cast out of the kingdom—and consumed with hatred and revenge—Lucius now brought his rebellion to the land of Arrethtrae, overthrowing Peyton and Dinan and bringing great turmoil to the land.
But the King did not forget His people in Arrethtrae. He established the order of the Noble Knights to protect them until the day they would be delivered from the clutches of the Dark Knight. The great city of Chessington served as a tower of promise and hope in the darkened lands of Arrethtrae.
For many years and through great adversity, the Noble Knights persevered, waiting for the King’s promised Deliverer.
Even the noblest of hearts can be corrupted, however, and long waiting can dim the brightest hope. Thus, through the years, the Noble Knights grew selfish and greedy. Worse, they forgot the very nature of their charge. For when the King sent His only Son, the Prince, to prepare His people for battle against Lucius, the Noble Knights knew Him not, nor did they heed His call to arms.
When He rebuked them for their selfish ways, they mocked and disregarded Him. When He began to train a force of commoners—for He was a true master of the sword— they plotted against Him. Then the Noble Knights, claiming to act in the great King’s name, captured and killed His very own Son.
What a dark day that was! Lucius and his evil minions—the Shadow Warriors—reveled in this apparent victory.
But all was not lost. For when the hope of the kingdom seemed to vanish and the hearts of the humble despaired, the King used the power of the Life Spice to raise His Son from the dead.
This is a mysterious tale indeed, but a true one. For the Prince was seen by many before He returned to His Father across the Great Sea. And to those who loved and followed Him—myself among them—He left a promise and a charge.
Here then is the promise: that the Prince will come again to take all who believe in Him home to the Kingdom Across the Sea.
And this is the charge: that those who love Him must travel to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae, tell all people of Him and His imminent return, and wage war against Lucius and his Shadow Warriors.
Thus we wait in expectation. And while we wait, we fight against evil and battle to save the souls of many from darkness.
We are the knights who live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. Though not perfect in our call to royal duty, we know the power of the Prince resonates in our swords, and the rubble of a thousand strongholds testifies to our strength of heart and soul.
There are many warriors in this land of Arrethtrae, many knights who serve many masters. But the knights of whom I write are my brothers and sisters, the Knights of the Prince.
They are mighty because they serve a mighty King and His Son.
They are…the Knights of Arrethtrae!