Stand in the Gap

  There was a peaceful darkness as the citizens of Adiel slept. There was no moon in the night sky, but also no clouds to darken the night. They, the people, knew there was an enemy in their lands but their king had gone out to defend them.

***

  In the dark forest there was a sound of soft whinnying of horses and trampling of feet on the dewy grass. Some people were carrying pieces to a large trebuchet and a vast army creeping behind them. Their steps were softened by the leather soled on their armor encased feet. A large black stallion was walking alongside the carriers and a thin, straight, and dark figure seated upon it. The figure motioned a stop and then the soldiers carrying the large wooden pieces went on ahead to the edge of the forest where they began putting it together.

***

  Daavy was on watch. It had been his only job since he became a soldier, to be a sentinel on the walls of the great castle of Adielwhaurg; the castle of the King. Being young and of uncanny breed, he was just what they needed. Daavy had good eyesight, quick senses and reflexes, and he had the good luck of being able to hit - with his bow and arrows - any target he aimed for. Tonight though, there was something eerie about tonight. All were sleeping and even the local tavern was closed and the lights out… a bad omen. His attention was then drawn to a spark, a glow on the edge of Defe, the vastly immense forest that covered half the land of King Rigborne. He saw it was a flame.

  It was nothing suspicious really, there were travelers and merchants and traders covering the country side and filling the castle every day. What was so suspicious? Daavy called to his boyhood friend and asked for council about it. Gret was, like Daavy, also uneasy. Then both their eyes fixed on the flame being shot, flying through the sky towards the castle. In slow motion they both turned and ran; Daavy to the watchtower and Gret to his place where he left his horn. With excitement and fear of duty Davvy grabbed the rope and tugged on it with furious determination. Gret’s horn sounded as the great flaming stone smashed into a tower. The sentinels, in a panic, raced to get their arms and rushed to the secure the gates and call a siege.

  Daavy, who was still furiously ringing the bell, shouted to the world that there was danger. Fire suddenly caught on a straw roof of a simple shoemakers hut in the marketplace. The fire then started spreading and everyone in the state of sudden wakefulness rushed to put out the fires. Another tar smeared and flaming rock hit the castle, breaking a small hole in the enormity of the wall. But then another one closely followed and a part of the wall crumbled. The fires leaped through it like snakes, eating away at the mortar. Daavy realized the enemy’s plan. The army swarmed out of the forest silently. Flames burst out on the straw he was standing on. With his foot Daavy scooted the straw to the side and grabbed an empty sack, dumped it in water and began beating the fire out.

***

  The dark forces started making for the large gap in the wall, Dragte, a large black warrior reached there first. With a mighty leap he jumped over the moat and crashed on the side, then climbed up the embankment. As Dragte was picking himself up he noticed something he’d never seen there before. An awesome, huge knight stood there, filling effectively almost the whole gap. Dressed in silvery steel armor and helmet, a huge broad bladed long sword filling his hand and a great shield in his other, this great knight struck fear.

  The others across the moat that was with him felled some trees and were making their way across. The knight just stood there – watching – without as much as moving a muscle. Fearful at this lack of emotion and motion those who crossed watched him for a little while. One of them suddenly yelled and rushed forward and the others followed; what was one knight to them? The knight didn’t move. They came even closer when his sword flashed. A single swipe from that huge weapon and four fell.

  Dragte watched from the side as the knight fended off the weak attacks from his companions. He picked up a large spear beside him and hefted it onto his shoulder. Then he cast it, aiming right for the knight’s neck. The knight, in the middle of killing another one, raised his shield without even looking and the spear crashed off it. There was one thing for certain; this knight was never going to be moving from the gap. He sliced another one, then lifted a small silver horn to his lips and blew into it three times.

  The enemies listened to that noise and heard all the shouting and confusion become silenced in Adielwhaurg. The knight blew again. He was calling for help!

  Some of the cowardly soldiers threw down their weapons and ran back over the moat, some stayed, while some other blood thirsty ones crossed over to take the fleeing ones place.

***

  Daavy, still beating out the flames heard the call for help. In an instant he dropped what he was doing and rushed atop the wall to the place the horn came from. Never in his life had he beheld such a warrior before. The knight sounded on his horn again and Daavy reached for his arrows and un-slung his bow.

  Others came with weapons and women with pots and pans. Together, the knight and the people began fending off the enemy for good. Immediately a strong, wet gust of wind blew out the fire. Like a God somewhere up there puffed it out as one would a candle.

  “Repair the wall! Fill the gap!” The knight yelled above the clashes and clamor.

  The women began gathering mortar and sand in baskets and some of the men began picking up gigantic stones together and filling them in the gap, blocking the fighting outside.

  Daavy, Gret and some other of their friends manned the walls, ensuring extra safety and protection. The small Adielian army began fighting their way to the great drawbridge. Daavy then noticed a rather large dark soldier sulking in the wall and following them in the shadows. Daavy went to the place on the wall above him and picked up a large stone lying around from the debris and carried it in his arms. He dropped it.



Dragte looked up into the face of a black stone, falling …



  The gap was blocked halfway up and an even smaller group of fighters had made it safely into the city, the knight, however, remained outside. Daavy, Gret and the others watched him, what was he doing?

  They had fought past dawn and the morning sun was hidden behind some large angry clouds. A wind began blowing as the enemy soldiers retreated. The wind blew harshly, blowing away anything loose. The dark storm clouds threatened in the sky. Lightning flashed and the sky grew darker than ever as the huge rain-filled clouds rumbled together. The clouds, like a sponge, squeezed and rain poured out washing away the ashes, the ruins and filling the people’s hearts with renewed joy. They were so happy that they had conquered. Then the sun pushed its brilliant rays through the clouds as the rain died down. The crystals of water in the air vibrated with color as the sun’s rays flowed through it. A rainbow of peace was declared in the sky.

  Daavy smiled and looked back down, the knight was gone!

***

  The dark figure on the great stallion in the forest cursed savagely and questioned who the knight was. His face was like thunder.

  “The knight is mine.”

  He turned to see a frail bent old man emerge from a tree and walk slowly but boldly up to him. He had a long, scraggly white beard; he carried a walking stick in one hand, his clothes were dirty rags, but his eyes shone like blue fire.

  The men saw him converse with their king. It was rumored that this was perhaps the righteous old sage that reared the king until he became a man… a king. Then it was said that the courtiers, threatened by the old man’s influence, banished him out of the land. And his last, famous words to them were: “I have made a man, a king. You have taken my years work and you have in one year turned into a monster. Therefore let the fruit of your creation be upon you.” Within five years they had all somehow displeased the king and had died.

  Now they watched him conversing with his pupil. The old man made a sudden statement that the king drew back and then the sage disappeared.



  The king sat stunned on his horse as he reviewed the cryptic words that had just been spoken.

  “I have trained many men like I trained you. Thankfully not all have chosen the same road you have taken. I have raised you, what you do, I do. Now I release you, you are no longer mine.

  “I have many warriors I have trained and created, a whole army and I sought for a man among them, that should make up a hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it.”

  The king looked up through the tree branches in fear at the rainbow that reigned over his head. Somewhere, somehow, he had found himself fighting against God. Humbled and debased the dark king led his men away. Peace remained unconquered.



The End



I had to write a story using a verse in the Bible... Ezekiel, i think... or Isaiah. "...I sought for a man among them, that should make up a hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it.”