The Path of Decisions

by Mike Shelton

  However, the King and his father had sent him away, and in the end, he ended up being a leader in the King’s army. Wasn’t that what he had always dreamed of his entire life? Didn’t he want to protect the Realm and keep it strong? He’d marched to Denir and conquered the Gildanians. Then he’d marched to Belor, finding Kelln on his way.

  Poor Kelln. Darius had treated him like the enemy. He thought of their childhood antics—the library, the trip to White Island where they had brought back Christine’s Cremelino for her, the games they played. He must hate me now!

  Darius stood and began to pace the room. Maybe he was better off here, he thought, where he would do no more harm to anyone he cared for. He had become something he hated. He had not handled the power of his magic or leadership very well. What would Christine think of him?

  “Oh, God!” he said out loud as he pounded a fist on the cold hard wall. He tried to figure out where his loyalties were. He knew now that the Preacher had manipulated his feelings, but on second look, it probably wasn’t too hard for him to do so. Darius had just been looking for a justification for his own thoughts and pending actions. Who is right? Whom can I trust?

  Darius thought Sean horrible for using everyone, yet hadn't he done the same? He had used Leandra, Mezar, Kelln, the Preacher, and anyone else who got in his way. The thought scared him more than anything else had. How had he let his own power and insecurities rule him? Had he gone too far to be saved?

  “Trust me,” a small voice seemed to whisper to him. “Trust me,” it echoed through his mind and heart. Could he trust God? His mother did, Christine did, Kelln did, and Alastair did. So many people had failed him, but maybe it was because he had failed them. Maybe he should be looking at what he could give to others not what they should give to him.

  “Free me, and I will trust,” he said out loud. He knew it was an unfair bargain. But it was all he could do for now. Thoughts of his mother and Christine came to him—their smiling faces and their love for him. He breathed in deeply and let the love wash over him, for the first time in months. Peace overtook him again, and he lay down on the dirty cot. His body relaxed as his mind drifted further away. Peace, warmth, and love burned through to his soul, a purifying fire that washed away the anger and evil thoughts.

  As sleep engulfed him he felt his power once again flow through his veins, as pure and strong as ever before. It felt like light had infused his soul and chased the fear and darkness away. A content smile turned his lips. The rapture made him feel as if he would burst out of his body. But he couldn’t help but fall asleep, taking his power with him into his dreams.

  The next morning, loud noises outside of his dark cell invaded Darius’s slumber and brought him awake. Sitting up, he tried to remember what he was thinking before he fell asleep. He realized that the power was his once again. Smiling, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He felt at peace for the first time in the last year.

  The door opened, and Sean fell into the room unconscious. Kelln and Mezar stood behind him. Darius jumped from his cot to his feet, trying to put together everything he was seeing.

  A feminine voice in the hallway followed behind them. “Who are you? What's going on?”

  The men turned toward the sound.

  “Leandra!” Mezar exclaimed. He quickly grabbed and hugged her as he pulled her into the cell with them.

  With a weak reflection of a torch from the hallway they each looked through the shadows at each other in the cell.

  “Is he...?” Leandra looked at Sean.

  “Dead?” finished Kelln, “No. Just a little confused.”

  “Take me with you, please.” Leandra begged, looking at Mezar. Darius looked away, pain filling his eyes.

  “Kelln... how...?” Darius stammered. “And Mezar—”

  “We will explain later. We have to go before the other guards wake up. Do you want her along?” Kelln asked Darius.

  Mezar realized what must have happened. “You turned him in?” he said to Leandra.

  “I didn't want to... Sean made me.” She began to sob. “It was his plan all along. He threatened my family with harm. Please take me away. You can drop me off anywhere. I just don't want to be here when he wakes up.”

  The men looked at each other. Leandra’s fears were well founded.

  “Fine,” said Darius. “But let’s go.”

  They left Sean in the room on the floor, closed the cell door and moved around a guard lying on the floor. They wrapped Sean’s cloak around Darius to hide his face and moved to the outside door. As soon as they opened it, two guards approached them, demanding to know what was going on.

  Kelln glimpsed the faintest signs of morning brightening the eastern sky, sending small silhouettes of the large cedars into the front of the cave. The ground was wet, but the storm had seemed to blow away during the night.

  “Sean needs to go to Anikari. He is very sick,” said Kelln, pointing to the bent-over Darius. The guards saw Leandra and questioned her. She assured them it was all right. As the group turned to go, one of the guards saluted them with a shout. Darius, without thinking turned around too quickly, and his hood came off his head. The guards now shouted for reinforcements from the cave and began to run after them with swords drawn.

  With a calm look on his face, Darius lifted his right palm toward them, and a barrier of air blew into them. They stumbled to stay upright, fear covering their faces.

  “That’s fantastic,” Kelln exclaimed.

  The escaping party followed Kelln through the trees to where their horses had been tethered. Kelln and Darius hopped on Kelln’s horse, while Mezar and Leandra jumped on the other.

  One of the guards stood back up and shot an arrow at them. It hit Leandra in her shoulder, and she yelped with pain. They couldn’t stop riding but pounded north through the forest at a breakneck speed. Soon others would be after them.

  Darius breathed in the morning air. Never had it felt so good to him. His head seemed clear. His power was back, but with more purity than before. He almost felt giddy with excitement. He would have to set things right, but his life had been spared.

  There is a God!

  Chapter 18

  RETURN

  Jain was eating ham and bread in the kitchen when Christine walked in. Her hair was combed and, although she looked more gaunt than she used to, she was clean again. It had been two days since the councilor approached her. She hadn’t said a word to Jain since returning home that day.

  “What did the councilor want from you, Christine?” Jain broke the silence.

  Christine didn’t want to talk to him. “A truce.”

  “A truce? Really? And you agreed?”

  “Yes. For a few days.” Christine sliced a piece of bread for herself. She had spent the last day talking to a few others in the farmlands and deciding on how she would stop the fighting. She didn’t have control over everyone anymore. Some of the younger farmers were hotheaded, still rearing for a fight.

  “Can you do that?”

  “I don’t know, Jain.” A deep sigh escaped her tight lips. “But I guess I owe the councilor a chance. He did come to me.”

  “Christine…” Jain opened his mouth to say more, but Christine stopped him.

  “Jain. We don’t have time to get into this now. Later.” Her eyes flashed at him. She knew he felt bad at what he'd done, and they would work through it eventually, but not now.

  “I am going to the gates to see what is going on,” Jain said.

  “I will be there soon,” Christine informed him. “But don’t let them start fighting.”

  Her mother walked into the room as Jain left. “Christine, will it stop?”

  “I don’t know,” Christine said softly. “Maybe earlier something could have been done. But it might be too late. The councilor was adamant that some news may be coming that would stop the fighting. I can’t dream of what that would be, but for the sake of Darius, I will honor his father’s request.”

  Christine left the hous
e, closing the door softly, and went to the barn to get Lightning. On her Cremelino it would be a short trip to the city gates. The road was still muddy from the rainstorm the previous day. Brown mud kicked up behind the white horse as they approached the crossroads in front of the north gate to the city.

  Jain stood in the middle of the road. A group of farmers were marching in from the farmlands. Suddenly a loud crash turned Christine’s attention towards the gate. A group of soldiers emerged. At least a hundred of them. Armed and ready to fight. Her heart pounded. Had she brought them to this point? The city soldiers would slaughter the farmers.

  Down the road toward Forest View a group of farmers pulled down a man from his horse-drawn cart. He had most likely been trying to get food to the city. A few other city dwellers were running toward the gate, trying to get in before the other group of farmers caught up to them.

  Jain seemed to be caught in the middle of everything. He yelled for the farmers to stop their approach, but of course, they wouldn't listen to him; he was just a boy in their eyes. These were Christine's followers. They were ready to fight.

  Then Christine saw a large horse ride up behind the soldiers at the gate. Richard!

  She galloped out to join Jain.

  “You promised to stop this!” Richard’s voice floated to her over the din of gathering men.

  “Call your men back!” she demanded of Richard.

  The councilor looked shocked at the command but turned toward his men and repeated the command to return into the city gates.

  With dragging steps, the city guard and the few other townspeople in attendance obeyed their Senior Councilor. Down the road, small skirmishes still arose between soldiers and farmers. Christine galloped down to stop them. One of the farmers left ranks and ran to help his friends. That brought a yell from the group of soldiers.

  “Get back!” yelled Christine at the lone man. “You'll get yourself killed!”

  Another farmer ran to help, and others followed him. The soldiers stood looking at Richard for direction.

  An arrow shot out from the midst of the soldiers. It hit Christine’s horse in the thigh. The horse reared in pain, and Christine slid off into the dirt and mud.

  I’m sorry, Christine.

  Christine jumped up and ran back to her horse. Don’t be sorry. Are you hurt badly?

  I will recover, but we must stop this. You must do as the councilor wants. It’s the only way. It’s coming closer.

  What is? What do you know that you’re not telling me? Christine could feel the pain from Lightning as she stroked her. She could tell the horse was trying to hold it back.

  I know something important is coming. Something that will shake the Realm. Something that will change you forever. The Prophecy is at its crossroads. Decisions are being made.

  What are you telling me?

  Soon, Christine, soon. He comes quickly!

  Seeing Christine fall off the horse was all it took to move the other farmers to action. The main band of farmers ran forward toward the soldiers at the gate. Christine tried to call them back. She really did. In her mind she saw them running to their death against the highly trained city men. Tears streamed from her eyes. She couldn’t let it end like this. She mounted Lightning and mustered all the strength she had.

  “No!” she yelled as loud as she could. Drawing on the power from Lightning, she yelled again, and her voice carried across the field of men and filled the air louder than any normal voice would carry. The sound stopped the men in their tracks.

  Richard turned toward Christine with silent thanks in his eyes. He ordered his men into the city again.

  Once the soldiers started to retreat, the farmers become bolder and, despite Christine’s yelling, pursued the soldiers toward the city gates. Christine knew it would be a slaughter. Was this what she had led her people to? How had she been so blind?

  Jain stood next to her in silence. She knew he hurt also. Their friends were going to die.

  The soldiers scrambled inside the gate, but it was too late. The farmers attacked the back row, and the soldiers turned to defend themselves. Richard stood up in his stirrups as high as he could and yelled for the gates to close. He rode in behind his men, the last to enter the gates before they were closed and locked.

  As they closed, Christine heard horses coming down the road from Forest View. She could tell by the sound that they were traveling fast, but she couldn’t see who it was over the other farmers and remaining skirmishes. One of the men in the new party drew his sword and tried to break up a few fights on his way towards the gate. Another man sat at his back. As the horses came closer she could see two others on the second horse, but one, a girl, leaned against the man as if she was hurt.

  The horses were heading straight toward Christine, Jain, and Lightning when the man in back on the first horse shouted to the other. “The west gate. Go around the city. That should be safer.” Then only a moment later he yelled, “Kelln, stop!”

  “What? We'll be killed. We have to—”

  “Just stop! It’s Christine.”

  The second horse skidded around the first and kept going along the road, but the first horse stopped in front of Christine.

  Christine and Jain looked up in response to hearing her name yelled. Her dagger dropped to the mud in surprise. Jain stood with eyes wide.

  She recognized Kelln and his red mop of hair, but it was the man behind him who caught all of her attention. The man Christine looked at wore a tattered uniform and his hair was longer than it used to be. He looked older and hardened. But seeing him almost made her fall back to the ground. He had returned.

  “Darius?” Christine said in disbelief. “What—Where—” Tears came unbidden to her eyes.

  “I don't have time now. What are you doing here?” he asked, pointing to the group of fighting men still trying to get into the city gate.

  “Darius...” urged Kelln with a small smile at Christine. He had changed also. There were dark circles around his eyes, but his red hair still sat unruly on his head.

  “Christine, we’ve got to go. I....”

  She watched him not knowing what to say. Tears came to his eyes, but he brushed them away with a dirty hand.

  He looked over at Lightning for a brief second. After a short pause, Darius laughed out loud.

  “What?” Christine didn’t understand what was so funny.

  “I’m sorry, Christine. Lightning has a puzzling sense of humor sometimes.”

  “You can hear her too?”

  Darius smiled a real smile of joy now. Lightning limped forward. Darius leaned over and placed his hand over the horse’s wound. He closed his eyes, and a smile came over his face.

  Christine’s eyes widened as she saw the arrow fall out and the wound close up and heal.

  “Darius, we have to go.” Kelln urged the horse forward. “Mezar won’t be able to get in the gate without us.”

  “Meet at the field at sunset,” Christine yelled after him. She barely saw him through her tears. She couldn’t believe it was actually him. Oh, Darius! Her heart pounded, and her legs shook.

  I told you something important was coming. Christine could feel Lightning’s joy.

  “Our field!” Darius shouted over the noise of the other farmers.

  That was all she had to say. Memories flooded back, forcing tears to run unashamedly down Christine’s face. He is back. She thought about the fighting she had started. Oh, Darius. Will you still love me? She stood watching the back of Darius until he rounded the corner and the dust disappeared.

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  Darius turned around only once as they rode away toward the west city gate. Christine was still standing there next to Jain and Lightning. His heartbeat raced and wouldn’t slow down. He breathed deeply to stop himself from being too emotional. He didn’t know what to think. Upon seeing Christine again, his transformation from the prison cave now seemed complete. Joy ruled his mind rather than despair. Love controlled his powers r
ather than anger. However, he had changed, and Christine didn’t know who he was anymore. He hardly knew who he was. Would she even care for him anymore?

  “Kelln, why did you come for me?” he asked from behind as they rode toward the west gates. The large horse was slowing down, tired of carrying the two men.

  “Your father asked me to.”

  Darius frowned.

  “And because I wanted to.”

  “Why? I was willing to have you killed in Belor.”

  “That wasn't the real you.” Darius could hear Kelln smile. “I know you too well.”

  “Who am I? I don't even know. How can you? Someone or something deceived me into thinking I could take over Denir, Belor, and then Anikari. For a while I wanted to rule the Realm, to show the King and my father they couldn’t push me around. Isn't that crazy?” Darius laughed heartily and slapped Kelln on the back.

  Kelln stiffened in silence. He still held the secret. His poor friend!

  Mezar and Leandra sat waiting for them on the other horse as they approached the west gate. The guard stopped them. “Sorry, orders are no one from outside is to enter.”

  “Whose orders?” demanded Darius.

  “Councilor Williams.”

  “Well I am the Councilor’s son, Darius San Williams, and commander of the King's Elite Army.” He showed the guard his personal signet ring.

  The old guard opened his eyes wide, bowed awkwardly, and stuttered before letting them through. Darius watched the old guard eye Mezar with suspicion as he rode through.