CHAPTER 38

Dispelling the Darkness

Jabin groaned and rolled over in his bed. “Master!” He heard a voice calling, but it seemed thin and far away. He reached for another bottle, but nothing could erase the memory of the blinding light or the blow that had physically thrown him across the balcony. When he had finally crawled to his feet, he could not even see his daughter, for she was bathed in a dazzling light that forced him to shield his eyes and dart for the door. Staggering down the hall, he kept asking himself, What happened? It did not matter how much he drank. He could not escape the memory of his daughter or the light.

“Master!” the voice called again.

“Yes,” he mumbled.

“Guards have spotted movement on the plain,” the messenger said from the hallway. “They want you to take a look.”

“Very well.” Jabin tried to clear his mind. A walk in the fresh air would do me good, he thought. He poured a glass of brandy and gulped down its contents. It burned in his stomach but did little to warm him. “I’ll be right there,” he shouted, setting down the glass and lifting the bottle to his lips.

The night was cold and clear upon the battlements. Jabin shivered as he watched a curious movement of lights below on the plain. Two sets of lights marched down the forest road. One set turned right and the other left as they entered the plain where slaves had labored to feed the kingdom of Endor for a generation. The night was dark, and none could determine the nature of their visitors, for all were clad in dark cloaks.

“What do you make of it, sir?” the sentinel asked Jabin.

Jabin said nothing but continued to study the movement of the lights. When the western arc of lights came to the river, it did not stop but crossed the river and moved along the opposite bank.

“It appears to be a ring of fire,” the sentry said, a bit disconcerted by his master’s silence.

“A ring of fire,” Jabin mumbled, and then he straightened. “That’s it,” he said. Stafford had broken through Jabin’s lines and was trying to hem him in. The fool! He was using torches, telegraphing his every move. Jabin would have used darkness and surprise if the tables had been turned.

Jabin turned to an aide. “Assemble the officers in the galley. We will ride in ten minutes. The north road still appears to be open.”

“That’s right, ma’am,” Benhada said. “Hold the torches as far from your body as you can. It will appear that two men are marching side by side.”

“Will we be attacked?” the woman asked.

“I don’t think so, ma’am,” Benhada replied, hoping he was right.

“Will we need to cross the river?” she asked.

“No,” the captain said. “We have Watchers on the other side.”

“How long will the torches burn?” she asked.

“Long enough,” Benhada said, hoping to heaven that he was right.

Thomas, Seagood, Mathias, and Rudy were hidden near the ramp leading to Endor’s gates. Their horses tugged at the reins, nervous and ready for action.

“I hope this works,” Rudy whispered.

“If it doesn’t,” Thomas said, “I will have blundered again.”

“I don’t know what they are thinking inside, but if I saw these torches, I would assume a great army had arrived and was about to set siege to the castle.”

“I hope that’s what they are thinking,” Thomas said. “If Jabin is scared, he may make a run for it.”

“We may lose him,” Seagood warned. “He should pay for his crimes against humanity, to say nothing of our young friend, Wart.”

All four men grew silent at the thought of their fallen comrade.

After some moments, Thomas spoke. “Our young friend wanted to free the slaves from this place. We may indeed lose Jabin tonight, but if he leaves, I feel certain that those left behind will surrender. Then we can set the captives free.”

Seagood shook his head. “If we achieve that, Wart will not have died in vain,” he said with a sigh.

“Hush,” Mathias whispered. “I hear someone coming.”

Iron hinges groaned as the dark doors of Endor began to swing open, followed closely by the clatter of hooves as thirty or more horses quietly descended from the gates above. When they hit the level, they turned north toward the only road that yet appeared to be open.

Rudy was glad Jabin’s men were turning to flee. He did not like the thought of four men fighting against thirty in the daylight, but such odds in the dark were unthinkable.

“Gentlemen,” Thomas said aloud, making Rudy jump in his saddle. “Shall we escort our guests to the border?”

The question why came to Rudy’s mind, but Seagood said, “I’ll even make the introductions.” In one swift movement, he raised a bow, placed an arrow to the string, and fired. The arrow whined through the air and sent a chill down Rudy’s spine.

“Ho ho!” Thomas laughed aloud and nudged his mount onto the road.

Jabin’s men heard the voices and the arrow and spurred their horses into flight.

Rudy shrugged his shoulders to ease a pain in his back. He suddenly felt disoriented and shaky. Maybe he was just tired. They had ridden all day and marched all night, only to lose Wart at this very gate. It seemed foolish to be making this midnight ride.

He watched the others disappear. How could they keep going? He slid from his saddle and began to walk, his head spinning. He rubbed his eyes. It seemed so dark! Disoriented, he suddenly felt afraid. “Where am I?” he asked aloud.

“Shh!” someone whispered nearby. “Not so loud.”

“Who are you?” Rudy demanded. He tried to find the speaker. “Where are you?”

“Rudy,” the voice called, “you’ve got to warn our friends!”

“Who are you?” Rudy asked again.

“More riders have left the castle,” the voice said. “Our friends will be caught between the two groups. If you run, you will catch them where the road turns east. Now go!”

Rudy had never been quick on his feet, but now as he began to run, he could not believe his speed. He leaped over rocks and boulders in the dark as if they were not there. He scrambled up inclines and raced through fields of beans and potatoes. Suddenly he could see the riders of Jabin away to his right, and not far behind followed Seagood, Thomas, and Mathias.

Charging forward, he came to a place where the road turned east and found himself between Jabin and his friends. As they rounded the bend, he began to shout and wave. “Get off the road,” he yelled. “You are being followed.”

The three men reigned in sharply. “Rudy,” Seagood demanded. “How did you get here, and where is your horse?”

“There is no time,” Rudy panted. “There are riders behind you. Now follow me.” He leaped off the path and led the others deep into the brush along the road.

The three men hurried into a shallow valley and stopped to listen. Above them on the road thundered the hooves of a hundred or more horses.

When Jabin’s cavalry had passed, Seagood turned to ask, “Rudy, how did you know?” But the three men were alone.