Despite his victory, he already felt multiple bruises, cuts, and abrasions crying out their pain from all over his body.
He heard singular, measured clapping and looked up toward his captor. Rommil finished his mock applause with a disgusted smile. “Well done, priest of Shaddai. You have bested Legion.”
The fear so apparent in his men barely crept into Rommil’s eyes as he looked down on him from the main deck. Gideon held onto quiet satisfaction, but said nothing. He hadn’t actually gained anything, after all. He was still a prisoner.
“General Rommil, Jericho, is pleased,” a voice emanated from Stan’s body, even though the man didn’t move.
The name-mentioned by Isaiah before-caused a chill to run up Gideon’s spine. The leader of demons had been watching him-perhaps, the very same Ethan had been defeated by in Mordred’s palace at Emmanuel. Fear began to creep from the recesses of his mind.
Rommil seemed to find something changed in Gideon’s expression at the mention of the name. He smiled. “I see you have heard of his fame?”
Gideon’s face became stone. He wouldn’t give Rommil the satisfaction.
Nevertheless, even that appeased Rommil’s curiosity. “I see. Well, my lord feels you will make him a worthy servant. He would have me to offer you a pain-free contract into his service.
Gideon fumed with indignation and let it show on his face.
“Do you refuse his generous offer of employment?” Rommil asked with mock bewilderment.
Gideon mustered his reserves, pushed fear back out of his mind and answered loud and true. “I do refuse to worship or serve any but Shaddai, The Lord Almighty, my rock and refuge.”
Rommil smirked. “Very interesting. We shall see, priest, we shall see.”
The blow came from nowhere, sure and fast. An unseen fist sent Gideon crashing through a packing crate full of bananas. He fought unconsciousness and started to raise himself up again, the sickly sweet smell of crushed fruit covering him. Another pummeling came from thin air. He hit the floor of the cargo hold hard and remained there.
WUNTIAN SENDOFF
Bombil led Ethan and his party away from the main village toward the sea. They passed through dense vegetation, coming upon a serene, sandy shoreline. A beautiful lagoon lay before them with long palms bent gently toward the sea on all sides. Clear, blue water rolled over the sandy beach while white gulls with gray spots surfed the thermals rising above them.
Just off shore, a ship bobbed gently with the current. It was a sleuth anchored at the mouth of the lagoon. “Our ship will take you back to the mainland so you can rescue your friend,” Bombil said. “It is not very large, or well armed, but it is fast.”
Ethan smiled at the Wuntian villager. “We are in your debt, Bombil, for your help, your hospitality, and for taking charge of the Word.”
Bombil looked at Seth. “You can thank Seth for that. He risked his life and lost his sight to ensure that we Wuntians had preaching and teaching after our conversion to faith in Shaddai.”
Seth did not smile, but stood humbly, allowing the praise to pass.
Ethan reached out and took Seth’s hand. “Believe me, I am very grateful to Seth,” he said to Bombil. “You saved my life, friend.”
Seth only nodded as he returned the handshake.
“As a matter of fact, I’m sorry that we have to be leaving so soon. I would very much have liked to hear about your journey here to Macedon for The Order and all that has happened to bring you here now. But we have to hurry to find Gideon in time. There’s no telling what will happen to him at the hands of General Rommil and Mordred.”
“Exactly,” Seth said. “That’s one reason why I feel I must come with you.”
Ethan smiled. “Are you sure? What about your work here on Macedon?”
Seth smiled now. “I have completed the task I was given by The Order of Shaddai. I brought the Word of Shaddai to this island, and now it is in the hands of the people. They have been trained in its teachings and are well able to distribute its truth to those on Macedon who have a willing ear to hear it.
“My work here is finished, and it is time that I reported back to my Order. Besides, if Mordred happens to gain the victory, then he will have Macedon as well and that won’t help the work here. So, I will go with you and do what I can to help Shaddai’s Deliverer in his appointed task.”
Bombil stepped forward, clasping a large hand on Seth’s shoulder. “The ship is laden with provisions for your journey. I cannot say that I am pleased by your decision, Seth, but neither can I say that I am surprised by it. Go in peace, my friend, and may the Lord bless your every step.”
The two men embraced as brothers, then Bombil led them toward the small boat which would take them out to the sleuth. Weeks of uncomfortable sea travel lay ahead of them, but Ethan couldn’t help wondering how Gideon faired. What he must be going through-Ethan shuddered.
They had been at sea for hours. The sun had just dipped below the western horizon, leaving an aurora of oranges and pinks in its wake. Ethan sat upon the main deck, allowing the wind to wash over him.
He felt so tired-not only in body, but in mind. It seemed that so much had happened to him in so short a time. He’d been chosen for this before he was ever born, and yet he had no idea why. What was he? Not a hero, still only a boy. But he felt already that his childhood had slipped away from him.
Perhaps it was during his and Elspeth’s time with Mr. Howinger, or when he met Gideon, soon discovering his unusual gift. No, it had to have begun fading away when Mordrid first arrived in his village of Salem-when he had seen a demon for the very first time as it walked virtually unseen among his people.
His father and mother had been torn away from him by the Wraith Riders. Then Elspeth had been taken and now his best friend. As weary as the journey had already been, Ethan knew it would only get worse from here on. Still, he could not surrender to discouragement. If Shaddai had chosen him for the task, then he surely had been equipped to dispense his will. Whatever happened, he intended to see this prophecy through and trust in the one whom had chosen him.
Ethan reached for a piece of fruit from a bowl he’d been given by one of the crew members. Dung sat near the bow of the ship grooming his fur. He did that a lot, causing Ethan to wonder if his new friend wasn’t cleaner than the humans he had chosen to travel with.
Levi came up on the deck by a set of steps. Seth followed him. Levi watched the rat for a moment and then walked toward Ethan. “I don’t know why we had to bring him along,” he said, jerking his thumb in Dung’s direction.
The rat must have sensed in some way that Levi spoke of him because his head lifted from his grooming to look at the three of them. His nose and whiskers twitched several times as he sniffed the air, before returning to his grooming.
Ethan tried to suppress a smile. “I think he likes you.”
Levi picked up a piece of fruit and shivered at the prospect of the giant rat getting anywhere near him.
“He did save your life you know,” Ethan reminded him.
“He’s right, Captain,” Seth said. “You might have been fermenting in the belly of a Kung lizard right now, were it not for our new friend.”
Levi accepted the reminder grudgingly. “Yeah well, he still gives me the creeps just looking at him.” He tossed his piece of fruit over his shoulder. “Here’s a thank you for your trouble.”
Dung caught the fruit as if he’d simply been waiting for the captain to finally toss it his way. He chattered a moment toward Levi, then ate the fruit.
Ethan smiled. “See, I told you he likes you.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “On to business, lads. We need a plan of action.”
Seth straightened up. “I agree. It will be very difficult to get Gideon away from Rommil-especially once he
