The Warrior's Beckoning Read Online Free

purely spiritual form. In a flash, I flew across the landscape. The demonic army was marching. A great shadow loomed over the forest. My own army was hidden well; the enemy had not located them. Not yet.
    I felt myself hurtling through nothingness, as if in a dream, and then suddenly I was standing before my army. Cheers followed their shocked glances.
    The forest’s name was well deserved. It was made up of gnarled, black trees, devoid of all sense of home. Yet some light shone within its dark aura—the light we cast and reflected. Hope shone brightly, and we were its mirrors.
    “Sire!” my general said to me as he approached. “The demon lord has entered the Forest of Anguish and dispatched our rear guard. What are your orders?”
    “Form a defensive line facing north. That is where the demons march. I will face the demon lord personally, along with the aid of our most powerful angel,” I said, holding out my hand to Ahadiel. He picked up his sword and walked by my side. “Each of you will carefor the warrior next to him; we operate as a single unit for a singular purpose. May God’s will be performed today. Go with faith.”
    The men roared and took up their formation. Ahadiel and I went in the opposite direction. The demon lord was said to be extremely powerful. Could a mortal and an angel overcome him? I would soon find out.
    “Ahadiel, I will battle him first. If he should overcome me, you will be the faithful’s last hope,” I said to him as we entered a clearing. Nodding, Ahadiel stopped at the tree line; I kept walking.
    Across from us stood the demon lord, a massive figure. Every part of him inspired terror. His flesh, hidden by heavy black plate armor serrated on the torso and gauntlets, emanated a black aura. He stood eight feet tall, over two feet taller than I, with a broad form and powerful presence. His eyes glowed sinisterly from behind a misty black veil; his breath as cold as I imagined his heart to be. He wielded a massive bastard sword, its black blade etched with symbols. His armor bristled with spikes at the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
    I could have sworn I heard his armor whispering to me, but I had not come to be dismayed; I had come to challenge the demon. And challenge it I would! Raising my sword, I prepared to charge. The sword that I wielded seemed at first glance to hold no special attributes. It appeared plain and ordinary, seemingly just as any other. As I gripped it and held it high, however, it began to glow. My sword called out to his sword, challenging it.
    “You will not prevail,
King
,” the demon lord shouted in a voice filled with such hate that it would make most men fall to their knees, its endless echo piercing their courage. But…I…would…not. I…
could
…not…
    “I will stand against you to whatever end!” I cried, my voice filled with defiance. The demon lord laughed. I drew strength from his mocking laughter. My aura strengthened, and I charged him directly.There could be no hesitation, no doubt. Action and reaction. The time for thought was over.
    I swung my sword, thrusting toward his chest. He blocked my blow, but to his surprise, he was pushed back slightly.
    “Humph. You are more powerful than you appear,” he said, almost with respect. Pushing his sword forward, he knocked me back. I recovered quickly, swinging for his side. Again he blocked and pushed me back. He brought his sword down on me, and I blocked him. He was incredibly powerful. My strength slowly gave in, until I could feel the cold of his blade as it neared me. “You are resilient, yes, but just a mortal nonetheless. I shall consume your people.”
    Ahadiel looked on, just as I had ordered him. All around us, we heard the sounds of war—swords clashing, soldiers screaming, and demons roaring. What would happen if I lost this battle? Would Ahadiel be able to defeat the demon lord? Would my army prevail? Behind the demon, I saw the corpses of my men piling up, stripped of all honor,