The Great Deliverance

Terinth peered behind him as rode in the huge caravan retreating for burning houses, crop fields, cathedrals and most devastating thing, the Grand Citadel. Mothers and children wept, emotionally damaged and disturbed at the destruction. It was the season of Spring that was ironically to be the days of rebirth and joy, but now, it was a day of gloom and shame.

“How long until we go to Wrethmire mother?” said Terinth.

“The destination we seek is a four-day journey. We must leave the past behind us-as hard as it may seem.”

“Will we be safe from the Spirit Spawns there?”

“We should be, Terinth. I overheard the king saying that Wrethmire worships a God that can thwart them. I have never heard of the Spirit Spawns harming Wrethmire.”

The entire kingdom of Evercrest traveled in solemn silence, except for the weeping and sobbing. Twilight approached and King Trophimus sent out word to the vast amount of people.

“Marry, we have been instructed to make camp,” Terinth’s father, John, said Terinth’s his mother. John halted the wagon and unpacked item. Two flint stones started a fire where he had brough wood as well.

Marry, John and Terinth sat around the fire.

“Mother, tell me about the God of Wrethmire.”

Marry frowned and tilted her head. “There is as sacred text they abide by.”

“Why couldn’t the gods we serve save us?”

John and Marry looked at each other and paused.

“I…” John began. “I don’t know son. I did not think of that.”

“Son, and you too husband as well, I never held very much homage to our gods.”

“Maybe you had a good reason,” said Terinth.

“I don’t know if I should upbraid you for what you just said,” said John.

“I’m getting tired,” said Marry.

“We should sleep too,” said John. He stretched and slipped into a sleeping sack as Marry and Terinth did so in theirs.

After his parents fell asleep, Terinth mulled things in his mind. He sighed and stood and made for a small grove on a small hill. Inside the grove was a pond with a bright moon reflecting in the waters with geese on it. He smiled and went to its edge. On the other side of the shadowy grove, two or more charactersentered the grove.

Terinth took three steps back. Three elderly figures came into the moonlight-all dressed in grey cloaks.

“Do not fear! We come in peace,” said a bald-headed man in the middle.

“Who are you!”

“We are priests of the one and only God,” said the grey-haired one on Terinth’s right.

Terinth’s nerves calmed and he exhaled. “I think I have heard of this deity. Is it the one that dwells in Wrethmire?”

“Indeed,” one on the left said with a warm smile. “On your journey, you will encounter the dark ones.”

“You mean the Spirit Spawns? What are your names? Where are you from?”

“I am Silas,” said the bald one in the middle. “To your right is Erastus, and on your left is Namen. We dwell in a hut in the wilderness. The destruction of your kingdom is tragic. But this was done so your remnant people may know He who is overall.”

“We come to give you this,” said Arastus as he unveiled a staff. “This is the staff of Moses. It is infused with the power of the Almighty.”

Namen spoke last. “Use it to deter the Spirit Spawns.” Namen threw the staff like a lance into the ground, next to Terin. “Now we must leave. Take heart and trust in He who lives forever!”

The three priests stepped back into the darkness.

“Wait! Stop!”

But they were gone.

Terinth studied the staff and slowly stretched out to grab the top. He felt an overwhelming essence or power that coursed through his body. It made a single jolt and it was as though he was transformed somehow.

He returned to the camp and laid the staff by his sack and slipped it to sleep.

Terinth and his parents awoke to the sound of a horn. They stood and gathered their items into the wagon and marched onward with the rest of the massive caravan.

“Where did you get that stick, son?” said John.

“I…thought it made a good waking stick.”

John nodded. “Very well, then.”

A man with a ram’s horn spoke through it, his voice reverberating. “The king demands us to halt!”

People murmured and whispered.

Terinth sensed it-a malevolent ebbing or a dark presence among them all. Immediately, Terinth was prompted to go to the head of the progression. He began to run but his mother called out to him. “Where are you going!”

“The Spirit Spawns are afoot! I must go so that I may cause an incident that disrupts the plan of our adversaries. I must go!”

As Terinth ran with the staff to the front of the procession he felt and saw the enemy!

Dark, nebulous figures blocked their way. Terinth charged to the line of dark foes and brandished the staff and they shrieked in pain. The first row of Spirit Spawns convulsed and dissipated into the air like ash.

Terinth swung the staff, sending a wave of light that sent multiple Spawns flying back into the air and turn into black mist.

The dark ones retreated but Terinth was on their rear flank, cutting down scores more into oblivion. But not even one escaped.

The people gasped and stared with jaws open. John approached him. “Son! What…have you become! What did you do!”

“The God of Wrethmire empowered me to do this. And when we reach that place, we all will know Him!”

King Trophimus approached Terinth. “You are like the very priests I have heard of from kingdom of Wrethmire. You will be honored for your deed.”

“Soon, as I said, we all will have the power I exercised.”

The people shouted and embraced one another-for their deliverance and the future of the people of Evercrest.