Danger Was Close – Stories Retold

The warrior stares into the dark; it’s unclear what he is looking at. Yet his gaze is firm with an air of anticipation. His hair is unruffled by the calm sea breeze, his friends are quiet- the expressions on their faces betraying admiration and astonishment. A few minutes ago, he had been asleep seemingly oblivious to the surrounding. At first the boat had been a bust of activities jokes here and there, testimonies and laughter. That is until the weather had turned for the worst. The storm was wild and furious, their maritime skills and experience bearing no match. You could read the fear from the faces of the experienced sailor’s danger was close.

The prisoner woke up with a startle; it was the second time he had woken up with a tingle of terror in his heart. He was not accustomed to fear of his surrounding except for that which tormented him from within. The broken shackles by his side were proof of this. The inhabitants of Gederenes had tried to tame him but their efforts had succumbed to naught. So they had left him alone. He stared towards the shores; something was coming or someone- a greater legion perhaps. Whatever it was it must exude great strength to cause even his masters within to shudder with fear. Danger was close.

The Warrior’s friends had been shocked by how he had handled the storm. Such a deed was unheard of even in the writings. If there was for sure somebody would have mentioned it in the stories. He had commanded as if he was telling a little child to be quiet. The waters and the wind had instantly obeyed to the command and here they were safe. What kind of man was this?

The prisoner resigned to the hope of getting any sleep. The fear was too great. He fully stared towards the sea with a reluctant anticipation to the coming challenge. His masters within now terrified. Yet why couldn’t he just take off if his enemy was invincible, no! Something else was keeping him here. Surely what is coming?  His troubled mind pondered, was it a beast or a man and if a man what kind of man was this?

The warrior stepped on to the shore fully conscious of his surrounding both seen and unseen. His heart, a magnet to all those who believed in him and at the same time a consuming fire to all those who defied him. He had seen him before he came into the open. His heart had burned with anger at his captors. He would fight for his freedom, which was why he came. His rule of engagement being love.

The prisoner moved forward not being in any control of his movements. This was not strange to him, it had been his life for so long. He was a prisoner to a dark and cruel force. He had long lost the hope of freedom. As he ran towards the group of people at the beach his attention was captured by one of them. He seemed a normal human yet there was something else that drew him yet devastatingly tormented his masters within. He could only think of one word which he has heard but had never known or experienced -love.