Lions of Men

Chapter 24

This time, Eudarius was sure he heard the voice of the Lord. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself fast asleep on the floor of his quarters beside his bed. Beams of sunlight creaked through the side of the ship, and the aroma of salty sea air tickled the hairs under his nose. The Shirobethnian Prince had labored before the Lord all night long in prayer for his brothers and sisters in Christ.

"Arise Eudarius,"the voice of the Lord spoke to him. "I have heard thy prayers. Be of good cheer. For I have accomplished the same yearnings in thy brethren. They rejoice even now as I speak. For a time is coming that I shall breathe upon the nations of thy land. My spirit is with thee reap a harvest out of every kingdom, every tribe, every province, and every village. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out."

The presence of the Lord was so strong that Eudarius trembled. He bowed his face to the floor and listened intently.

"But hearken!"the Holy One spoke. "For dark times shall follow. Many shall resist you and bring persecution against my people. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

"And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But those who belong to me will hold fast to the faith. They shall not conform, nor bow to another. They shall call upon my name, and I will save them. I will deliver them from their oppressors and give water to those who thirst, sustenance to fill their bellies, and garments to clothe their nakedness. Yea, they shall have rest even in this life, before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Thine enemies will I require their blood. For vengeance is mine. I will bless those that bless thee. I will curse those that curse thee, and through thy testimony, many souls shall be saved."

Eudarius' head was spinning. Fear gripped him as he pondered in his heart the things that God just told him. But he dared not question him.

"Now arise. For I have called you hither to preach my word to a broken nation. You shall preach this gospel to the armies and kings that will gather in Gauz."

"But they will not hearken unto me, Lord. They will slay me if they see me!"

"Fear them not. For I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath. And it shall come to pass that whosoever calleth upon my name shall be saved. Be of good comfort. For all these things must be that many sons and daughters may be born again to my kingdom and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

***

"I don't understand you anymore, Rowen," Princess Kiherah told her husband, exasperated from their continuous quarreling. "When did you become this stranger I share a bed with?"

"What in Zeus' name are you talking about?" Rowen said, infuriated. "I told you I must go to Lagorah and that is that! I have a duty to the crown and my people!"

"The people who love you most are right here in our room, Rowen? What of your duty to your wife and children? You were once the kindest man I had ever known. Now you're consumed with so much rage. How much more bloodshed will you require before your thirst for vengeance is satisfied?"

Rowen stared across the room at his children sleeping in their basements. "Until every one of those monsters have been wiped from the face of the planet. Until I no longer have nightmares about the Mountain Men drinking the blood of our children."