Sword of Spirit (Salvation of Solandeus)

by David J. VanBergen Jr.

  For the first time since he entered the room, Michael smiled and shook his head in amusement. “Oh my, I needed that,” he said. “I have been so caught up in the missing bracers, I have thought of nothing else over the last month, and it was really starting to take its toll on my mind. It’s nice to laugh a little. I don’t think I have even cracked a smile since I learned the bracers were gone.”

  “Ok,” Michael continued, “let’s get to that history lesson I mentioned. Many people have heard of the Armor of God, but they think it is only a religious reference to using God’s Word to protect a person from the evil in the world. What most people don’t know is that there really was, and still is, physical armor.”

  Michael went on to tell Mat about the history of the armor, including the last time it was seen together in one piece. That was 300 years ago at the Battle of Salvation. In that battle, the armor was worn by a man named Gideon who led a charge of 1,000 knights who turned the battle in favor of Solandeus and drove the barbarians back across the Great Divide. This was the last great battle before the building of the Wall of Salvation, which started the unprecedented period of peace in Solandeus that has lasted 300 years. Gideon disappeared during the battle and was never seen again. The Armor of God had also not been seen since then with the exception of the Bracers of Righteous Might, which had been at the Basilica Monastery under the protection of the knights stationed there.

  As he listened to the story of Gideon’s last battle wearing the Armor of God, Mat couldn’t help but think that the battle from his dreams was, in fact, that battle. He commented on that possibility, and Michael admitted there were definitely similarities.

  “There is a prophesy,” Michael continued, “that says the Armor of God needs to be reassembled in order to save the kingdom. The days of that prophesy are upon us, and I would say the Druid who took them certainly thinks you are the one destined to do it. Can you tell me when you were born?”

  “I was born on December 21 in the year 1200,” Mat replied.

  “December 21, the winter solstice,” Michael said, “the longest night of the year; some would say the darkest night. The only thing missing is royal lineage, and I’m guessing you will tell me that you are, in fact, royalty too.”

  “Well, my aunt is the queen,” Mat replied.

  “I would think that certainly qualifies,” Michael said, “but with prophecy you can never be sure. It’s important to be cautious when considering prophesies. They don’t always tell the whole truth, and not all prophesies come to fruition. Many times, you can’t even decipher them until after they are fulfilled.”

  “I understand what you are saying,” Mat replied, “but I feel like this one is at least partially accurate. I can’t tell you how I know it, but none of what you told me is surprising. It’s like I am listening to something I already know.”

  “If that’s the way you feel,” Michael said, “I have no choice but to pledge my service to you. I will be your guide and protector on this quest, and, if it turns out you are destined to wear the Armor of God, I will be honored to serve you. If we’re going to do this quest, we need to get started as soon as possible, but there are some things we need to take care of before leaving.”

  With that, the quest for the Armor of God was officially under way. Mat and Michael spent the next few days researching legends from all over the kingdom about the individual pieces of armor and putting together a plan on where to search first. They even came up with a scheme to trick the mysterious stranger who was following Mat into coming forward.

  Mat also learned that the Bracers of Righteous Might could reportedly be used by a righteous man to sense the location of the other pieces of armor if they were close enough. He wasn’t ready to try them on yet, but he knew that day was going to be soon, and he looked forward to that with both anticipation and dread. He knew that once he put them on there would be no turning back, and he couldn’t help but think that was more responsibility than any 17 year old should have to face.

  Chapter 11

  Mat and Michael both turned to look at the person who just stepped into the firelight. The stranger wore a black cloak with a raised hood; their face wasn’t visible, and they stopped just inside the trees, not coming any closer.

  “So this is the mysterious Druid who stole the bracers from the monastery and has been following you around for the last couple weeks,” said the knight, Michael. “I think it’s time you started explaining your actions.”

  Michael walked over to Mat and removed the chains that bound his hands together and told the Druid, “Depending on how good of story you tell, these may or may not get used on you next.”

  The Druid took two steps closer to the fire and pulled back her hood. Mat was surprised to see a teenage girl, probably only a couple of years older than himself. She was tall, almost as tall as him, and had long, dark brown hair. As their eyes locked, he felt like he already knew her and that she knew him. Considering he had sensed her presence several times already and she had been following him, he wasn’t surprised by that revelation.

  “My name is Persephonie,” she said, “and I am a member of the Druid Order. At least I was until now. All that may change because of this encounter. I have been researching the Armor of God, the prophecies related to it, and eventually Mat for the last three years. I did so against the wishes of my mentor, because I believed it was important, and now likely face banishment from the order. You have to believe me when I say that everything I did was for the greater good.”

  “Regardless of your intent,” replied Michael, “you still need to account for your actions. Please take a seat with us and tell us your story.”

  With that, Persephonie joined them around the fire and told her story. She started with finding the prophesy three years earlier and being forbidden to interfere with kingdom affairs. She shared all the things she learned and how she determined that Mat was the one spoken of in the prophecies. Through it all, she appeared, to Mat, to be pleading for acceptance into their group, and he felt like she was making the plea directly to him. It was almost as if Michael wasn’t even there.

  When she got to the part about obtaining the bracers, Michael interrupted her. “If you believed your cause was just,” he asked, “why did you revert to deception to get the bracers?”

  “When I first went to the monastery, I had no intention of stealing them,” she replied. “I didn’t even know if they existed. When I found out the knights were out on a training exercise and that nobody would be able to answer my questions, I decided to snoop around on my own. I tried to be discrete, and I used my Druid talents to encourage people to forget about me even being there. When I found the bracers, I just took them and left as quickly as I could. I know what I did was wrong, but I believed, and still believe today, that Mat needs them.”

  As she told them this last part, she looked over at Mat, and he could tell from that look that she had complete faith in him. It made him feel good to think someone had faith in him, but he really didn’t know if he would be able to live up to her expectations.

  “I know I should have been open with everyone from the beginning,” she added, “but you have to understand that being a Druid is everything I have been since I was 12 years old, and I was afraid to give that up. By making contact with you, I have disobeyed a direct order from my mentor and will likely be banished from the order. The fact that I have chosen you over the Druid Order should prove my intentions are good. I will join you and openly help you now, if you will have me.”

  “Honestly, I have felt like you were part of the quest the whole time, because I knew you were following me. I’m glad you are officially with us now,” Mat said.

  “I have already decided to serve and protect Mat, so I guess I have to go along with his decision,” Michael agreed. “Welcome to the quest for the Armor of God.”

  “Now that you are one of us,” Mat said, “we need to tell you what we have learned over the last few days.”

  As the last few
remarks sunk in, a scowl came over Persephonie’s face as she said, “Wait a minute, you said you decided to serve Mat. Why was he in chains if you were serving him?”

  “Oh, yeah, we should probably tell you something,” Mat said. “We needed to know your intention, so we came up with the plan to pretend I was being arrested to see if you would come to my rescue. You did, so everything is good now, right?”

  Persephonie was now standing close and looking down at Mat. He stood up with the intention of calming her, but she shoved him back down with both hands and continued to glare at him.

  “What you did was not right,” she shouted at him. “You tricked me into giving up my life as a Druid.”

  “Ok, I think we have all been tricked or deceived in one way or another,” Michael said. “The key is that we are all on the same side now, and from here on out we are completely open and honest with each other. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” Mat said.

  “I don’t think I have much of a choice,” Persephonie added, “do I?”

  “We have a long trip ahead,” Michael said, “so we should get some sleep. We all have a great deal to think about right now, so I think we should wait until morning to discuss everything else. There will be plenty of time to talk tomorrow.”

  Michael volunteered to take the first watch, so Mat and Persephonie tried to get comfortable for the night. It was apparent that the group didn’t entirely trust each other yet, but that would improve with time.

  Before he closed his eyes to attempt to sleep, Mat turned towards Persephonie and said, “Thank you for coming forward to save me. Even if I wasn’t truly being arrested, it was nice of you to intervene.”

  She looked at him briefly, but didn’t say anything. She rolled over facing the other direction and ignored him. She knew what they did wasn’t done maliciously, but she was still mad at both of them. The fact that she felt somewhat guilty for what she had done only amplified her feelings of anger.

  As Mat closed his eyes to sleep, he thought about the mysterious Druid who thought he was destined to save the world, or at least the Kingdom.

  As Persephonie drifted off to sleep, she thought about the young man she had chosen to help. She knew it would probably mean her banishment from the Druid Order. At this point, she didn’t know if she had made the right choice.

  As Michael looked out into the forest, he thought about the two teenagers he was caught up with and wondered what the heck he had gotten himself into. Part of him thought he was making a mistake, but a bigger part of him was excited to be involved in something that could change the world. He hoped that they would be up to the challenges that were certainly coming their way, and he hoped that he could guide them on their journey.

  Chapter 12

  Persephonie woke shortly after sunrise. She had slept all night long because she had not been awoken for her turn to stand watch. As she sat up, she saw that Mat was still sleeping and realized that Michael must have stayed up all night standing watch over them. She didn’t see Michael anywhere, but saw that the fire was still burning.

  Persephonie stood and stretched to loosen her muscles after sleeping on the hard ground. While she was working the kinks out of her body, Michael emerged from the trees carrying a pot of water. He appeared to have a lot more energy than someone should after staying up all night long.

  “Good morning,” he said to her as he walked to the fire and hung the pot over it. “I got some water to make oatmeal with. I know it’s not much, but it will sustain us.”

  “I have been on the road for a little more than a year now and am accustomed to sparse provisions,” she replied.

  “Most days, it will probably just be oatmeal for breakfast,” he said.

  “Why didn’t you wake me for my turn at standing watch?” she asked with a bit of an edge to her voice. “We are all in this together, and you have to sleep as well. I have been on my own for over a year now, and I can carry my share of the load. You don’t need to protect me. I am not a child!”

  “I know,” he said, “but I had a lot to think about and pray about last night. By the time I sorted through my own feelings, the sky was already starting to get light, so I decided to get started on breakfast.”

  “Ok,” she replied, “but from here on out, we are equals on this journey. Each of us must carry our own weight.”

  “Agreed,” he said, “let’s wake up Mat and get ready to go.”

  “Mat’s already awake,” a voice said from behind them, “and he agrees that we each should carry our own weight. I am appreciative for the full night’s sleep, but we all need to contribute to this quest if we are going to be successful.”

  As the group sat around the fire eating the breakfast Michael had prepared, they discussed their plans for the first stage of the quest. Michael did most of the talking, and Mat occasionally commented on what he thought. Persephonie was still upset about being tricked and didn’t respond, but she did listen to what was being said.

  During their days of research before leaving the monastery, Mat and Michael had found many legends in the archives. They were planning to look for the Sword of Spirit first. Multiple stories spoke of a mystical sword sitting at the bottom of a large lake somewhere northwest of Port Ludenberg. The biggest problem was that there were many lakes in the region, and none of the legends around the Sword of Spirit said which lake it was supposedly thrown into.

  One legend spoke of a lake that mysteriously changed from being crystal clear to impenetrably murky. This supposedly happened about 300 years ago. That lake was called Stone Lake, and that was the first place they were going to search.

  “When I first read that legend,” Mat said, “I thought that the murky water was a way to keep the sword hidden. Something about the legend just seemed to be right, so I thought it was a good place to start.”

  “I am less certain,” Michael said, “but if Mat is the one destined to reassemble the Armor of God, we are going to have to trust his judgment.”

  Stone Lake was about a day’s journey from where they currently were, and they hoped to camp on the lake’s shores that night. With their course set and breakfast done, the group of three packed up camp and prepared to leave on the first leg of their journey. There was still underlying tension among the group, but that should get better as they traveled together on the quest.

  As they left camp, Michael led the way. He had never been to Stone Lake, but he had traveled the area extensively during his 20 years at the Basilica Monastery. As they rode, he thought back over the last two decades. It was something he rarely did, but he now thought back to his first days at the monastery. He had been Mat’s age when he first arrived asking to train with the monks and become a Basilican Knight.

  He had grown up an orphan in a small town near Port Ludenberg. The townsfolk were nice enough to him, and he always had a place to stay and food to eat, but he never truly belonged. Nobody knew who his parents were. He had simply shown up one day when he was a couple of years old. He didn’t know his exact birth date, but sometime around his 16th birthday he left that small town and found his way to the monastery.

  Living at the monastery had given him something he had never had before: a home. In his first days there, he learned about God, and for the first time in his life, he felt like he had a home, felt like he mattered, and felt loved. He dedicated his life to learning, training, and serving. Within two years, his hard work and dedication paid off, and he officially became a Basilican Knight. He quickly rose through the ranks and had been the Knight Commander for the last 10 years.

  Through all his years as a knight, things had been relatively peaceful. There had been only a few small incursions of barbarians from north of the Great Divide and an occasional group of bandits harassing travelers on the mountain roads. His skills had been tested in battle only a half dozen times over those 20 years, but he was always ready when it was required.

  He knew the days of peace would come to an end, and that was what he and his order trained
for. Now that it was possibly at hand, he couldn’t help but wonder if he could have done more to prepare.

  As Knight Commander of the Basilican Knights, he had access to all the legends and prophecies. He had told Mat he was head of the order tasked with protecting the Armor of God, but he didn’t tell him their whole purpose. The order was formed to prepare for the violent days foretold when the armor would again be needed. If the Armor of God was again being reassembled, it could only mean that war was coming; this war would be unlike anything previously known.

  The prophecies were very clear, in many cases, as to what would need to be done and the suffering that would follow. This knowledge had always haunted him and now that he was traveling with the young man who might have to fulfill those prophecies, it was going to be even harder to keep the secrets to himself.

  For now, this knowledge was a burden on Michael’s heart that he had to bear alone. There was no reason to share this with Mat and Persephonie yet. In fact, there was still a chance that the prophecies were wrong and now was not the time of prophecy at all.

  He actually hoped that they would be unsuccessful finding the armor; that would mean that now was not the time of prophecy and the Kingdom could continue to know peace. But even as he thought it, he felt in his heart that the time of prophecy was quickly approaching. He just hoped that his young companions would be up to the challenges they would soon be facing. He knew it was up to him to help them be ready.

  Chapter 13

  It was long after sunset when the weary group of three finally made their way to the shores of Stone Lake. At least, they were pretty sure it was Stone Lake. There were several distinct landmarks that would confirm it was the right lake, but it was too dark to see them. Fortunately, there was a clear sky and full moon which provided enough light to follow the trail or they would have had to make camp hours earlier.