Kingdom's Dawn (18 page)
Authors: Chuck Black
“Yes, my King!”
Leinad remembered that his father had told him how the King Himself trained him. Now it was Leinad's time. The thought of being trained by the greatest swordsman in all of Arrethtrae and beyond, and being reunited with the sword, invigorated Leinad.
“What your father began, I shall complete.”
The King unsheathed a sword that had no equal â¦Â nor ever would. It seemed to glow in its magnificence, and Leinad stared in awe at its glory. So this was the sword that Gabrik and his father had talked of that day in Mankinâthe King's sword! Leinad felt honored and humbled at the same time. Who was he to have this honor bestowed on him? He relished the moment and was determined to learn as much as possible from the majestic King and His sword.
The training was difficult and demanding. The King seemed tireless. Each night Leinad fell to sleep exhausted and awoke to delicious provisions and a refreshed body. The King was always there â¦Â waiting patiently for the dawn to arrive â¦Â looking beyond the horizon to the future of His kingdom and His people.
Through the days and weeks that followed, the King brought Leinad's skill with the sword to a level of mastery never attained by any man born this side of the Great Sea. Finally the day came when Leinad's training was complete.
The following morning when Leinad awoke, the King was not nearby as He usually was. After some searching, Leinad spotted His regal form standing atop the basin hill, against the bluish-pink skyline. Leinad cautiously approached Him from behind, not wishing to disturb Him as He gazed into the distant lands of the kingdom. Though Leinad's approach was nearly silent, there was no surprise in the King.
“Leinad,” the King said, “with what I have given you, there is only one who can defeat you now.”
“The Dark Knight, my Lord?”
“No. The one I speak of is more dangerous than even
he â¦Â it is you yourself, Leinad.” The King turned and looked at Leinad with those eyes that burned like fire.
Leinad was taken aback and did not understand.
“If you begin to rely upon yourself and become arrogant in your skill, that is the day you will fall.” The King's gaze was hard and serious. “You must always come back to Me, Leinad. Never forget who you serve.”
Leinad knelt before the King.
“My sword is Yours, my hands and arms are Yours, my heart is Yours, and my life is Yours. I shall always be humble before You and before my fellow servants. On Your sword I swear it.”
The King drew His sword from His scabbard one last time. “You knelt as Leinad of Kerr and of Nan, but you will rise as Sir Leinad, Knight of the King!”
The King knighted Leinad in the harsh landscape of the desert, the only place where a man truly begins to understand his purpose in life. Leinad was a man in his own right, but he was a knight by the King's right. Although the future was not clear, the vision he'd been searching for was. For the first time in his life, Leinad did not question who he was or where he was going. Nor did he doubt the King he served. His path was set, his heart firm, and his mind secure.
Leinad journeyed to call his people to freedom, and the blades of one thousand warriors would not stop him. For as the King said it, so shall it be.
AT KINGDOM'S EDGE
Leinad's story is not over, but I am afraid I cannot tell its end just now. My own journey awaits me, Cedric of Chessington, and I must pause the tale to resume my own course.
The ship's crew is rising to their duties, and I can hear the anxious pawing and neighing of our mounts beneath the deck. They desire to feel the solid ground under their hooves again, for it has been a long journey. They need not wait long now. I can see a jagged break in the smooth, watery horizon. The shores of Arrethtrae await our arrival.
Ah, the knights on the flagship ahead are preparing to disembark. I hope you will join me again soon, for the saga of gallant Sir Leinad is the foundation of my own life and very possibly yours as well.
It is a story worth its telling indeed!
To further facilitate the understanding of the biblical allegory of this series, a few discussion questions and answers are provided below.
HAPTER
1
1. Peyton represents Adam, and Leinad represents the Old Testament prophets and devout men of God from Seth to Malachi. What does the sword represent, and why does Leinad question the training his father is giving him?
2. The Great Sea separates the kingdom across the sea, where the King resides, from the kingdom in which Leinad, his father, and the rest of the people live. What does the Great Sea represent?
3. Peyton tells Leinad at the end of
chapter 1
, “No matter what a man's occupation, he must be ready to fight for the King. One never knows if he will be called upon to serve the King in battle.” How are you preparing yourself for service to God in this ultimate battle between Good and Evil?
HAPTER
2
1. In
chapter 2
, the character of Gabrik is introduced. Who does he represent?
2. Many of the names within the Kingdom Series are formed from arranged words and letters derived from representative words. What words were used to form
Arrethtrae
?
3. Gabrik responds to Leinad's question about the sword with these words: “The sword is for one who is willing to serve the King â¦Â and the people.” What does this foreshadow?
HAPTER
3
1. In this chapter we learn that Peyton and Dinan were chosen by the King to establish a new kingdom in Arrethtrae. What does this part of the story represent?
2. Why does Peyton feel responsible for the destruction of the new kingdom when it was Dinan who accepted the gift from Lord Sinjon?
3. Leinad and Peyton discuss the training Leinad received from his father, and Peyton asks Leinad which of the teachings was most important. Leinad responds, “To be loyal to the King, even unto death, and to have compassion for my fellow man.” This statement is the heart of the Code; what does it represent?
4. We learn that the King doesn't want to rule over Arrethtrae by force, but wants the kingdom to submit out of the people's own desire. This symbolizes a very important aspect of God's character. What is it, and why is it important to know this?
5. Leinad realizes that his father trained him carefully and purposefully. Can you think of times in your life when God was training or teaching you for a specific purpose?
HAPTER
4
1. In
chapter 4
, Leinad is captured by an enemy army but is given the opportunity to fight with a scarred man. Who does this man represent?
2. At the end of the chapter, Gabrik says the hope still lives on even though Peyton is dead. What does this mean, and what does it represent?
3. Leinad and Zane fight in this chapter. Because of Leinad's extensive training with the sword, he is able to survive
the fight. Christians often experience trials because of their faith. Have you ever felt that you were at odds with the world because of your faith in Jesus Christ?
HAPTER
5
1. Leinad asks Gabrik, “What is the promise and where do I find it?” This is the key question in
Kingdom's Dawn
and
Kingdom's Hope
. What is the promise?
2. Leinad's first assignment from the King is to warn the people of Mankin about the Vactor Deluge and to help them flee to safety. What does the Vactor Deluge symbolize, and who does Leinad represent here?
HAPTER
6
1. Leinad and Tess ride Deliverance to safety in the Tara Hills Mountain Range. What does Deliverance represent?
2. Leinad becomes very discouraged when the people of Mankin ignore his warning. Only when Tess speaks words of encouragement does Leinad remember his responsibility to Tess and to the King. Can you think of a time in your life when a brother or sister in Christ encouraged you? Try to be a Tess to someone you know.
HAPTER
7
1. In this chapter we are introduced to “a man from a distant land” who saves Leinad and Tess from starvation. Who do you think this man is? Who do you think he represents?
2. Who does Leinad represent in this chapter, and why do you think so?
3. The man from a distant land gives Leinad his next assignment from the King: He and Tess must travel to the Valley of Nan. Why doesn't Leinad doubt this man?
HAPTER
8
1. In this chapter, the biblical character Leinad symbolizes changes again. Who is he now?
2. Leinad despairs and doubts that the King is truly powerful enough to rule over Arrethtrae. He questions whether his misfortune is a part of the King's plan. Not until later in the book do we see that it really was in the King's plan for Leinad to go to Nyland. Have you ever felt that God wasn't big enough to be in control of your life? Find passages to help you remember that God is good, just, powerful, and always in control.
HAPTER
9
1. Tess survived an attack by vicious raiders, later identified as Eminafs, who had no purpose other than to “kill people and steal things.” What do the Eminafs represent? (Hint: Rearrange the letters.)
2. Although she becomes a slave, Tess is preserved because she flees the destruction of the Eminafs. At this point in the story, what biblical group of people does Tess represent?
HAPTER
10
1. During their duel, Leinad impresses Fairos with his swordsmanship. What biblical event does this portray?
2. When Fairos orders Leinad to kneel and swear his allegiance, Leinad refuses because he already serves the King. Leinad recognized that “no one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Is there anything in your life that demands your time and energy and diminishes your devotion to God?