by L. M. Roth
She took them deep into the woods behind the village, even to the places where the Eirini were warned not to go. At first, Maelys had been nervous, and glanced around her as if expecting to see some unspeakable horror pop out at her. But Kyrene merely laughed off her fear.
“You must be strong and courageous,” she told the young woman. “For greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world. Remember that: you have received of the Spirit of Dominio, and there is no power that can stand against Him. But you must be pure of heart, or you will not be able to stand before your foe. I do not say that he will defeat you; he may, or he may not. But your own heart will quake in fear and you shall run and not stand your ground.
“And never forget that it is the Astra who are behind their enmity with you, as they inspire them to hate you, wrong you, and cheat you at every turn. But Dominio has already judged the Astra, and they are diminished in their power.
“The Tuadan, as your people call them, are nothing more than the Astra whom Dominio banished to earth. Even in your own legends their power is diminished as they dwell in the hills that men trod underfoot, and in the trees that men chop down. It is true that you can not fight them in your own strength, but it is the Spirit in you that will give you the victory if battle is engaged.
“Remember to examine yourself; be sure you are in right relationship with Dominio Himself. Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. Do not return evil for evil. Be kind and forgive, praying for those who war against you, for remember it is not flesh and blood that is your true enemy. They are only inspired to hate you by the Astra, who are your true enemy.
“And let me share with you what my mentor taught my friends and me: you will never defeat the kingdom of darkness unless you conquer the chambers of your own heart.”
“The very structure on which the Valeriun Empire was built had crumbled, and a new kingdom was rising in its midst. But not Dominio’s Kingdom of Heaven: no, the Emperor was taking the name of Dominio in vain and implementing a terrifying abuse of power that would bring death to untold thousands, all in the name of God.”
In Valerium the Emperor Iacomus implements a terrifying regime that destroys the foundations of the Empire, and places himself in the place of God.
Marcus Maximus is forced to hide from the wrath of the enemy, with help coming from a most unlikely source, and his children face difficult choices that will decide not only their destinies, but the survival of the Kingdom.
Dag Adalbart is forced to wait on the Emperor as his personal miracle man, while in Eirinia his children are left to confront the rising forces of evil around them as the countryside falls deeper under the spell of wickedness.
Quest For the Kingdom Part VII A New Kingdom Rises concludes the saga of Marcus Maximus and Dag Adalbart, and the tale of Logos, the fabulous Sword which must never be used in violence.
Quest for the Kingdom Part IV A Stranger Among Us
Table of Contents
Chapter I
The Stranger
Chapter II
Marcus
Chapter III
Trouble in Valerium
Chapter IV
A Royal Decree
Chapter V
Melisande
Chapter VI
Brenus Takes A Bride
Chapter VII
Forebodings
Chapter VIII
School In Solone
Chapter IX
A Romance Renewed
Chapter X
The Arrival of Felicia
Chapter XI
Lucius
Chapter XII
Retreat To Lycenium
Chapter XIII
A Most Unlikely Friendship
Chapter XIV
An Old Enmity Revisited
Chapter XV
Two Brothers
Chapter XVI
The Vortex
Chapter XVII
The Path
Chapter XVIII
An Unexpected Reunion
Chapter XIX
Forever Yours
Chapter XX
The Seer
Chapter XXI
Felicia Seeks Her Fate
Chapter XXII
The Return
Chapter XXIII
A Secret Revealed
Chapter XXIV
The Confrontation
Chapter XXV
Marcus and Decimus
Chapter XXVI
Lucius and Antonius
Chapter XXVII
The Rebellion
Chapter XXVIII
Flight From Solone
Chapter XXIX
The Cove
Chapter XXX
The Enchantment
Chapter XXXI
Rumblings of Discontent
Chapter XXXII
Spring Festival
Chapter XXXIII
The Mound
Chapter XXXIV
Distressing Tidings
Chapter XXXV
An Alarming Loss
Quest for the Kingdom Part V Rise of the Time of Evil
Table of Contents
Chapter I
A Confession Most Awful
Chapter II
A Terrible Revelation
Chapter III
A Mystery Most Baffling
Chapter IV
The Widow
Chapter V
The Tuadan
Chapter VI
The Return Home
Chapter VII
An Unexpected Encounter
Chapter VIII
A Love So Right
Chapter IX
Danger In the Forest
Chapter X
Encounter In Golida
Chapter XI
Greetings In Eirinia
Chapter XII
Strange Tidings
Chapter XIII
A Bitterness Remembered
Chapter XIV
The Rulers of the Wild Places
Chapter XV
The Secret of Melisande
Chapter XVI
The Plot
Chapter XVII
Dilemma In Golida
Chapter XVIII
Lucerna
Chapter XIX
Trouble In Eirinia
Chapter XX
Unexpected News
Chapter XXI
Journey Through Valerium
Chapter XXII
Land of Eternal Bliss
Chapter XXIII
A Peril Forgotten
Chapter XXIV
A Man of Importance
Chapter XXV
News In Lycenium
Chapter XXVI
A Ghost From the Past
Chapter XXVII
An Alarming Mystery
Chapter XXVIII
Antonius
Chapter XXIX
The Marriage
Chapter XXX
A Journey Together
Chapter XXXI
The Wise Woman
Chapter XXXII
Maiden, Mother, Crone
Chapter XXXIII
Reunion In Lucerna
Chapter XXXIV
Tidings of Woe
Chapter XXXV
The Fate of Logos
Quest for the Kingdom Part VI The Sorceress and the Seer
Table of Contents
Chapter I
Distressing Revelations
Chapter II
Valerium
Chapter III
A Destination Unknown
Chapter IV
A Secret Gift
Chapter V
Family Matters
Chapter VI
An Astounding Discovery
Chapter VII
A Kindness Returned
Chapter VIII
The Land of Healing
Chapter IX
An Expedited Destination
Chapter X
A Visit With Old Friends
&nbs
p; Chapter XI
A Desperate Decision
Chapter XII
An Identity Revealed
Chapter XIII
A Proposition
Chapter XIV
Tidings Too Terrible To Tell
Chapter XV
Where Three Roads Meet
Chapter XVI
The Emperor
Chapter XVII
A Haunted Journey
Chapter XVIII
A Blessed Voyage
Chapter XIX
Of Mystics and Diviners
Chapter XX
The Advent of Maelys
Chapter XXI
Revelation of A Sudden Horror
Chapter XXII
The Prisoner
Chapter XXIII
A Child Is Born
Chapter XXIV
The Sorceress
Chapter XXV
The Alexandrians
Chapter XXVI
The Pledge
Chapter XXVII
Of Bowls and Bewitching
Chapter XXVIII
Dirk Takes A Stand
Chapter XXIX
Disclosure
Chapter XXX
Justus
Chapter XXXI
An Unexpected Reprieve
Chapter XXXII
A Stunning Transformation
Chapter XXXIII
Torn In Two
Chapter XXXIV
A Father and Son
Chapter XXXV
A Miraculous Rising
Quest for the Kingdom Part VII A New Kingdom Rises
Table of Contents
Chapter I
A New Kingdom Arises
Chapter II
A Surprise In Lycenium
Chapter III
A Menace Brooding
Chapter IV
A Reprimand and A Revelation
Chapter V
An Evil Day
Chapter VI
Time To Forget
Chapter VII
A Difficult Choice
Chapter VIII
The Letters
Chapter IX
The Night Creatures
Chapter X
The Edict of Iacomus
Chapter XI
The Miracle Man
Chapter XII
Into the Caves
Chapter XIII
A New Beginning
Chapter XIV
A Miraculous Escape
Chapter XV
The Departure of Cort
Chapter XVI
A Colony Revisited
Chapter XVII
Training Young Warriors
Chapter XVIII
The Amulet
Chapter XIX
A Small Joy
Chapter XX
The Curse of the Wise Woman
Chapter XXI
Nolwenn Awakes
Chapter XXII
The Emperor’s Conclusion
Chapter XXIII
Cort Arrives In Darian
Chapter XXIV
The Prophecy
Chapter XXV
Haunted Dreams
Chapter XXVI
Shadows
Chapter XXVII
A Family Reunion
Chapter XXVIII
Summer Festival
Chapter XXIX
A Choice
Chapter XXX
No Easy Road
Chapter XXXI
In the Eyes of the Law
Chapter XXXII
Marcus Returns To Valerium
Chapter XXXIII
Dag’s Family
Chapter XXXIV
The Emperor and the Word
Chapter XXXV
Logos Lives On
Quest For the Kingdom
Part IV
A Stranger Among Us
by L. M. Roth
Text Copyright © 2013 L. M. Roth
All Rights Reserved
Preface
Urbanus looked him directly in the eye and Marcus felt a small quiver of apprehension.
“Yes, you have told me this already, and although I can not quite grasp such a concept myself, I have allowed you full freedom. But how is that you have never told me of your allegiance to another kingdom? You pledge your allegiance to a kingdom other than Valerium? How is that?”
Marcus swallowed hard. This was going to be worse than he thought.
“Our allegiance is to spreading Dominio’s Kingdom of Heaven on Earth as we share it with others. It is a set of laws that deal with our hearts, and we submit them to Him and declare Him the Lord of our lives.”
Marcus hoped that would satisfy Urbanus, but the Emperor now looked at him with the unblinking gaze of someone who is determined to bore a hole in his soul.
“Yet you declare allegiance to this “kingdom”? Even a greater allegiance than to the Empire of Valerium?”
Marcus’ mouth went so dry that he found speech difficult. His heart now pounded so loudly that he was surprised that Urbanus did not hear it and remark on it.
“Yes, Your Grace: my allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven is even greater than my allegiance to the Valeriun Empire,” he finally managed to speak through lips that felt like rubber and the sound of his voice distant to his own ears.
Urbanus looked at him with eyes wide in disbelief. For a very long moment he looked at Marcus as if seeing him for the first time. Then he slowly shook his head.
“And what of your allegiance to your Emperor, eh? What about your allegiance to your old friend, he who restored your estates to you after they had been taken by my cousin Aurora? Does that mean nothing to you?”
Marcus could have wept, as he felt torn between his faith and his friend. Yet he gave to Urbanus the only answer possible to him.
“Believe me when I tell you how grateful I am for your favor, and how thankful for your friendship. It is something I treasure dearly. Yet the Kingdom of Heaven is not an earthly rival for power to Valerium. It is a state of heart that submits to the rule of Dominio and obeys His holy laws and surrenders the desires of the flesh to His Spirit. It is not a kingdom that you need fear, my gracious lord and old friend.”
Marcus hoped that would suffice, but even as he finished speaking he saw in the eyes of Urbanus what his response would be.
Urbanus paused a moment as though reluctant to proceed, then exhaled slowly.
“My good Marcus,” he began, “in view of our long friendship and the regard I hold you and your family in, I wish I could leave this matter alone. But I have been informed that your entire sect believes this, and that they pledge themselves to a power that they hold to be superior to the Valeriun Empire. Is this true?”
Marcus was usually poised and in control of his emotions, but the accusation caught him off guard and he found himself sputtering for the right words to appease his friend.
“Well, yes, in a way they do,” he finally managed to speak. “That is they, and I, vow to serve Dominio, the One true God, and pledge our lives in service to Him.”
“Ah ha!” Urbanus pounced on the words. “Then they do pledge allegiance to a greater power than the Valeriun Empire! That, Marcus, is treasonous, and will not be tolerated. I have allowed you to meet openly, but no more. You will cease such seditious talk or find yourselves in disfavor with the Empire. And its ruler!”
And with an imperial flick of his hand he dismissed his old friend from his presence.
Table of Contents
Chapter I
The Stranger
Chapter II
Marcus
Chapter III
Trouble in Valerium
Chapter IV
A Royal Decree
Chapter V
Melisande
Chapter VI
Brenus Takes A Bride
Chapter VII
Forebodings
Chapter VIII
School In Solone
Chapter IX
A Romance Renewed
The Arrival of Felicia
Chapter XI
Lucius
Chapter XII
Retreat To Lycenium
Chapter XIII
A Most Unlikely Friendship
Chapter XIV
An Old Enmity Revisited
Chapter XV
Two Brothers
Chapter XVI
The Vortex
Chapter XVII
The Path
Chapter XVIII
An Unexpected Reunion
Chapter XIX
Forever Yours
Chapter XX
The Seer
Chapter XXI
Felicia Seeks Her Fate
Chapter XXII
The Return
Chapter XXIII
A Secret Revealed
Chapter XXIV
The Confrontation
Chapter XXV
Marcus and Decimus
Chapter XXVI
Lucius and Antonius
Chapter XXVII
The Rebellion
Chapter XXVIII
Flight From Solone
Chapter XXIX
The Cove
Chapter XXX
The Enchantment
Chapter XXXI
Rumblings of Discontent
Chapter XXXII
Spring Festival
Chapter XXXIII
The Mound
Chapter XXXIV
Distressing Tidings
Chapter XXXV
An Alarming Loss
Chapter I
The Stranger
The May evening was warm with inviting breezes that wafted through the garden of the Maximus estate. Birds called out to one another as if rejoicing at the loveliness of the spring weather. Their song seemed to express the jubilation of the people now spilling into the garden.
The Alexandrians of the city of Potentus were assembling for their weekly meeting. It was Tullia who suggested they meet outdoors on this night to celebrate the glory of creation as revealed in the return of fragrant flowers and birdsong trilling through the mild air.
As they greeted one another exuberantly and gathered together, Marcus noted a change in the air current. The gentle breeze was gaining momentum and quickly evolved from a refreshing whisper that cooled one’s cheeks to a hearty gust that lifted the fallen petals of the first azaleas of the season and sent them spiraling upward, where they remained suspended briefly before falling back to earth. His friends greeted the shower of petals with delighted cries, and laughed with the joy of children who have witnessed a new marvel.
