1219 A.B.

  Very often, there are some things that happen to people I’m close to that I have no way of knowing about, but they play a huge role in shaping the events in a lot of people’s lives. While sitting around a campfire one evening, Elle told us about a dream she had while living in the barracks. Normally, I’d say, yeah, a dream, so what? Dreams are so reliable, right? But I’d say that only because I’d never had one of these dreams.

  It was the kind of dream she couldn’t forget if she tried. In fact, we all paid a lot closer attention to her when she started recounting the events in her dream because light came from her irises when she recalled it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and I glanced at Bran and Mira to be sure this wasn’t some freak reflection from the campfire. It wasn’t. It’s like the dream was happening again inside her eyeballs, and we could almost see it ourselves. We probably could if she’d let us get close enough, but that’ll never happen.

  She dreamt she was walking in a sunny meadow, outside the walls of a city, but without a care in the world. There was a patch of blue and gold flowers of a type she had never seen before ahead of her, and she bent down to smell them. Their perfume was very pleasant, and she stayed a moment to admire the coloration of their petals. When she looked up, the godlike Man from her childhood dreams was walking towards her from across the meadow, a warm smile on His handsome face. He was dressed this time in white robes that reflected the sun brilliantly, and a rainbow of colors seemed to dance around His head. Elle smiled when she saw Him.

  Upon approaching, He held his arms out wide to Elle, and she gratefully fell into His embrace. Despite the abuse she had endured as a child at the hands of her father, she knew this Man would never hurt her. Far from it, Elle knew in her soul that He would always protect her and love her no matter what.

  “It’s good to be with you, My little dove,” He said.

  Elle hugged Him, burying her face in his robes. “Where have You been? It’s been so long since I’ve seen You.”

  “I’ve been with you the whole time.”

  “It’s so much better seeing that You’re here rather than just guessing.”

  “No one can truly see Me and live. I must keep Myself hidden from the world and guide My creation on paths I have foreordained without My sovereignty being visible.”

  “Why, though?” Elle asked, pulling away gently.

  “To make people the best versions of themselves. I let people make their own choices. I want them to choose to love Me and to follow My ways, and not because I’m visibly there to force them to. Those who oppose Me only make My people better despite their malignance.”

  “I think I understand,” Elle said.

  The Man held out His hand, which Elle took. They walked together across the meadow to a place where a slope descended. It was a place of utmost peace.

  “The time is coming when I would like you to represent Me in the world, Elle. The way will be difficult and dangerous, full of pain, but the result will be the spread of My glory throughout Aldon. Would you be willing to do this?”

  “You know I would, Lord,” Elle said. “But why is Your glory that important?”

  “That which people admire, they emulate. When people see someone do something great, they want to be more like that person. When people see the things I’ve wrought, they will admire them and wish to learn more about Me. When they learn about Me, they will want to follow My ways, not because I’m some cosmic punisher, but because My ways are better than the ways of the world. In this way, I encourage people to be the best version of themselves. The entire purpose of this creation is to teach My chosen people to be who they will be in the eternity to come.”

  “Oh,” Elle said. She was quiet for a while, thinking of all He had said. “And you want me to help?” Elle was very intimidated by the implications of her role, and she hugged herself. “How can I do anything?”

  “I will make that clear to you in time, little dove. I will give you the ability to use more of My power to bring people to Me. I will guide you through dreams and visions when it is called for. You will have freedom to choose your paths, but you will see My hand guiding you if you look closely. It’ll do you no good to tell you all you must face, but you can trust Me in all things, Elle. The way will be dangerous, so I will give you a protector, someone you can trust completely.”

  “Bran,” Elle guessed.

  The Man smiled. “He will make his choices himself, as all do, but I am sovereign over all things, and I have put things in his life that guide him to make the right decisions. You are safe to put your trust in Bran. I’ve already sent a messenger to him, and tomorrow will bring a new chapter in both of your lives.”

  The two of them had reached the edge of the meadow, and the ground sloped sharply down from here. They stopped, looking down at a wooded valley whose lower reaches were shrouded in mist. The Man lifted His hand and touched her on the forehead, causing a bright light to spring forth.

  “Now I claim you as Mine, and I bestow upon you a small measure of My power. This seal I give you on your forehead can be made visible as a glowing, descending dove to those who are good of heart and follow My ways. Those who do not will sense My seal upon you and fear and hate you, but do not be frightened. I am the Sovereign One, the One True God, and I will protect you and keep you forever. Now see and understand.”

  With that, the Man drew back and indicated the valley with an outstretched hand. As Elle watched, the mists in the lower valley rolled away and revealed a narrow path that led to a large building, like a temple, made of white stone. Even from here, Elle could see that the building was in a sorry state. Columns had fallen, weeds and vines had overgrown parts of it, and what appeared to be blood defiled it in many places. There were no people present in the building. It had been abandoned. Beholding the temple made Elle very sad, and she covered her mouth with a hand as she looked. She turned to the Man to ask Him about it, but He wasn’t there. Despite the bleak scene below, Elle still stood in the meadow where she could feel the sun’s warmth, and she felt serene. Drawing courage from what the man had told her, Elle made up her mind that she would clean up that temple however long it took her. When she took her first step down the path, she awoke.

  -----

  The barracks was dark except for magical sparkles of light on the ceiling that only lit the place well enough to get to the bathroom if it was necessary. The room was filled with soldiers, some of whom slept more silently than others. The soldiers of the seventh and eight talons were all exhausted from the day’s training and every one of them took advantage of the peace to rest. Even Bandit was sleeping soundly against Mira’s legs, which was unusual for that little troublemaker.

  Without warning, a bright light filled the barracks, originating at a point between Bran and Elle’s bunks. It woke Bran out of a deep sleep immediately, and he sat up in bed, reaching fruitlessly down to his waist for a weapon. When Bran’s eyes adjusted, he saw a huge, white-winged man that seemed to be made out of light. He had to be twice the height of a man, and his outstretched wings were feathered like a bird’s. He wore plate armor without a helm, and he held a flaming sword in his grasp.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “Hey, wake up!” Bran yelled to his fellows in terror. He couldn’t imagine taking on this threat by himself.

  “Peace, Bran. They will not wake, and I am not here to do you harm. Quite the opposite, in fact.” His voice was soft, but powerful at the same time, like listening to a hundred musical instruments sounding out words.

  Bran remembered his father’s words about such beings. Angels, he called them. He also remembered his father’s warnings. “Who are you?”

  “My name is irrelevant,” the angel replied. “I’ve been sent here by the Holy One to give you a choice.”

  Bran watched carefully, and he couldn’t detect any telltale signs of the angel’s honesty or deceit that Dortham warned him of. He swung his legs over the edge of the top bunk and lightly leapt down to the floor where he felt a little more in control.

  “Why aren’t the others waking up?” Bran asked.

  “Because interruptions are avoidable and inconvenient. I’m here to speak with you, not them. Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?” The angel had a little half smile on his face.

  “All right, then. Let’s hear it,” Bran said, hands on hips, straining to look up high enough to see the angel’s eyes. His hair was long and blonde, and his eyes were like bright blue gemstones. He was more than twice Bran’s height, thick of limb, and his wings flexed, spreading out enough to cover Bran’s entire view of the ceiling.

  “Elle has been called to be a priestess of the Most High, as you already know, but tonight she dreams, and it was made official. You’ll see His seal on her forehead, a descending dove, when she wakes, though no one else will. She will need protection for the road she walks, Bran, and you’re the obvious choice to provide that. Will you?”

  “Of course, I’ll do it. I would’ve done it anyway, you know.”

  “Good. What the Holy One is asking of you is more than just that, though,” the angel said. “In times past, He raised up champions to protect His church and avenge evil deeds. Elle needs you to be a champion like that. A paladin of old. He is asking you to put aside your own wants and desires for this life and dedicate yourself to the protection and welfare of the Holy One’s people. Are you willing to deny yourself and be a paragon of what is right and good?”

  Bran didn’t make snap decisions. He always considered things carefully, and when he gave his word, he meant to keep it. He took his time now, absorbing everything the angel said.

  “I’ll do it. I pledge my service. My life if need be.”

  “I didn’t doubt,” the angel said. He held out his free hand, which was closed in a fist, and opened it, palm up, to reveal a miniature sword made of gleaming white metal. “This is a sacred symbol of your calling, recognizable to those of light and darkness both. It will be with you all the days of your life. It is made of divinium, a divine metal that exists both in the physical and spiritual worlds, and in it a tiny portion of the Holy One’s power rests. When you pray for strength or protection you will receive it as your faith directs, and you will be protected from the attacks of the fallen ones. Now hold still.”

  With that, the angel pivoted his hand and brought it down on Bran’s forehead. There was a brief flash of light, and the angel removed his hand. There on Bran’s forehead was light from the little sword, which was point up, glowing with white light through Bran’s skin. The light faded, but Bran could feel sword there. He reached a hand up to touch his forehead, a look of wonder on his face. The angel took a step back, probably to give Bran’s neck a rest and make eye contact easier.

  “There is a sword you are meant to wield, a holy weapon made of divinium named Vengeance. You’ll be given direction by the Holy One with dreams or visions when it’s necessary, and that which is within you will protect you from false visions and possession by the forces of darkness, so you’ll know when they try to trick you. Be careful, Bran. They’re crafty and evil. Most of all, trust in the Holy One and what He has in store for your life.”

  “I’ll try not to let Him down,” Bran said, head down. Lifting his head, he simply said, “Thanks.”

  “Thank God, not me. Be strong and courageous, my young friend. Fare well.”

  With that, the angel disappeared, plunging the barracks into what seemed to be impenetrable darkness. Bran reached out a hand to his bunk and held on until his eyes adjusted. He took a glance around the undisturbed barracks, noted the snores of his talon mates, and climbed back into his bunk. He lay on his back, fingers tracing the line of the little sword under his skin. He could feel it attached to the bone and wondered if anyone would be able to see it. He fell asleep still playing over in his mind everything the angel had said. That night, he dreamed of a glowing sword whose light the darkness could not smother.

  -----

  The following morning, I woke up to see Bran talking with Elle between their bunks. Mira was lounging on her bunk, trying not to be noticed as she eavesdropped. I swung my legs out of bed but stayed sitting on the edge.

  “So, what’s going on? You two look worried,” I said.

  They paused for a moment and made sure no one was listening. The other soldiers went about their morning routines, cleaning and oiling their weapons or talking to each other. No one paid us the slightest heed. Then something caught my attention. There was some kind of magic coming from Bran’s and Elle’s foreheads. Something powerful. I rubbed my eyes, then peered closer. The magic was still there.

  “It’s from God,” Bran said softly, tapping his forehead under his brown hair.

  “Mine, too,” Elle said, with a self-conscious brush of her fingers across her forehead.

  Mira wasn’t pretending to sleep anymore. “What is it? I don’t see anything.”

  “Bran has a sword on his forehead and Elle has a dove. God gave you those?” I asked.

  “Yeah. I’m a paladin now, and Elle’s a priestess. It’s official,” Bran said.

  I thought it over, much as it appeared Mira was doing. “I suppose I could’ve guessed this was coming. Why now?” Mira asked.

  “You know how Elle used to have dreams before certain things… manifested?” Bran asked.

  “Yeah, sure. It was a dream about a godlike figure calling to her, if I remember right,” I said.

  “I had a dream last night,” Elle said. “This time it’s about an abandoned temple covered with blood. I feel like the church needs to be washed clean and rebuilt somehow.”

  “Not only that,” Bran confided, “but I had a dream after my visitor left as well. It has to do with a sword. A holy sword that I have to find and wield to destroy a great, shadowy evil.”

  “Wait. Visitor?” Mira asked.

  “Yeah. An angel.”

  “Like, an angel, angel?” Mira asked, raising both eyebrows. “White wings, flaming sword and everything?”

  “He was real, and he was no joke. They’re bigger than ogres.”

  Playing around, I put my hand on Bran’s forehead. “You don’t feel feverish…”

  “Ha, ha. Very funny,” Bran said without laughing. “Look, Jeron. This is real, and it’s important. I feel like the four of us are being shaped into a weapon, and that we have to use what we’ve learned to do things no one else can do.”

  “I’ve had similar thoughts about what to do with my… talents,” I said. “Despite my fooling around, I think you should take these dreams seriously. They were serious before, right?” I asked.

  “Yes, they were,” Elle said earnestly.

  “So, what do we do?” Mira asked.

  “We don’t know yet,” Bran said. “The only things I see in my dream are the foundation of a ruined castle and the sword, which is buried in the debris in the center of a subterranean great hall. It looked so old that everything had turned to dust except that sword and a few rocks. I think its previous wielder fell in battle there.”

  “What about your dream, Elle?” Mira asked.

  “My dream isn’t specific,” Elle said. “I think it’s a metaphor or something. I don’t know what to do about it yet.”

  “Are you absolutely sure it was a good angel?” I asked. I was feeling pretty left out and a little jealous. I hadn’t seen any solid proof of godly angels or heaven or anything, and I wanted that badly. I wanted to know for sure that it was all happening for a reason.

  Bran seemed to know what I was thinking. He put a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye. “There’s no question it was a good one, and he really did come from God. When he told me things, his light never dimmed or flickered like dad said a fallen angel’s light would when telling a lie.” We all paused to absorb that.

  “So, we first need to find the ruined keep,” I said, thinking it through. “Probably a place that hasn’t had visitors in hundreds of years. Did he tell you where the place was?”

  Bran shrugged. “Nothing. Anyone know of any legends that could be of use?”

  Everyone either shrugged or stared blankly.

  “Do we know anyone with a lot of books? Or maybe a sage or something?” I asked.

  “Maybe Whizzbang knows something. I could ask him on Sevenday,” Mira said.

  “All right. Are there any details about the dream that could help us out, Bran?” I asked.

  “All I remember is that the keep is nearly completely reduced to rubble, that it sits on a mountainside, and that it overlooks the sea a long way to the south. I remember that the sun was setting in the northwest, and that the sun was going down on the right when I saw the ocean,” Bran recalled.

  “That’s not much to go on, but at least it eliminates half the world,” Mira quipped.

  “Something will happen to lead us in the right direction,” Elle said. “It’s hard to wait, but I trust that things will work out at the time they need to.”