Free Kingdom's Call by Chuck Black Page B

into the clearing atop a gallant white steed. The horse reared, and the streaks of sunlight that penetrated through the forest trees gleamed off the shining silver armor of this nobleman.
    â€œNot Him!” Gavin heard one of the warriors say.
    â€œHe is alone,” the leader replied sharply, but this did not seem to assuage the warriors’ obvious fear.
    The rider dismounted and walked toward the gruesome line of dark warriors. The guard on His helmet was raised, and Gavin wondered if perhaps this was their leader, for He had not drawn His sword and did not appear fearful at all. He soon realized this was a false assumption, however, when the warriors raised their swords and began to spread apart to form a semicircle about the man.
    â€œLeave at once!” the powerful voice commanded.
    The leader of the dark warriors sneered. “You are severely outnumbered, fool. If I were to kill You, my power would become great.”
    There was a moment of silence as the five brutes finalized their positions around the gallant knight. They all attacked Him at once. In the blink of an eye, the man drew His sword, defended a cut from the nearest threat, and thrust His sword through the chest of one of the warriors. In a blur of motion, His sword flew to meet the onslaught of powerful blades.
    Gavin was in awe. After the first warrior fell, he could see that the others were hesitant to fully commit to the fight, as though they knew that the next closest would fall as quickly as the first. After another quick parry and thrust, Gavin heard a scream as the man’s majestic sword penetratedanother warrior’s upper arm, causing him to drop his grisly weapon and back away from the fight.

    The fight paused, and the leader looked at his wounded comrades. The other two warriors took a step back.
    â€œFight Him, you cowards!” he yelled.
    They lowered their swords. “You fight Him,” one of them replied.
    The leader cursed and stepped back. “Get them on their horses!” he said and pointed to the two wounded warriors lying on the ground.
    â€œWe are not finished with You!” the leader said.
    The man raised His chin slightly. “Of that you can be sure!”
    After a few moments, the dark warriors disappeared into the forest, and the clearing became peaceful once again. Gavin’s pain seemed to increase as the tension of the situation abated.
    The man came to Gavin and stood over him. “Gavin, why do you fight against Me?”
    â€œWho are You that I have offended, my Lord?” Gavin looked on the noble form of his deliverer and felt ashamed and insignificant, for this man was clearly of royal blood that transcended any man born in Arrethtrae.
    â€œI am He whom you persecute daily. I am He whom you wounded and killed,” the knight said as He removed His helmet. “I am the Prince, the Son of the King of Arrethtrae!”
    Gavin stared at the man in shock.
How can this be?
he wondered. Had he too already passed the doors of death? The pain in his body reminded him that he was indeed alive, andyet he knew within his heart that this man before him truly was the Prince they had killed. The last time Gavin had seen Him, His face was beaten and bruised, but now there was only a countenance that radiated true nobility and royalty. The pain in Gavin’s arm was momentarily forgotten as he searched for words and found none.
    The Prince knelt beside him, and Gavin tried to retreat into the dirt beneath him. He trembled, not for fear of what the Prince would do, but for the recognition of his own misdirected life.
    â€œLook into My eyes, Gavin,” the Prince said. “I have been calling you. The peace you seek you will find if you follow Me.”
    Gavin looked into the Prince’s eyes for the first time and fully understood what Demus had said about Him. He felt as though his soul had been split open for the entire kingdom to see. He was ashamed, humbled, and excited all