I don't want to spoil things for you, but I had an uncomfortable feeling that all was not well. And, as we will see, I was right.
CHAPTER 25
Peace
The singing and music went on late into the night, making people in nearby castles turn sleeplessly in their beds. As Talora walked around with me, we could hear some of Nadia's friends who had stayed by the castle discussing what had happened. One of them worried whether the King's Son had really come in peace. Another thought maybe Nadia and her friends who had welcomed the Lord God would be asked to make too many changes, and not want to bother with them anymore.
The next morning the sun rose in a clear blue sky. I even remarked on the colour to Talora, remembering how this journey to Earth had started with a discussion on Eltor about whether a sky could really be blue.
In the early sunlight, the King's Son hugged Nadia and her friends -- Nadia now called them her special friends -- who had given themselves to him, and handed them the richest white robes to wear.
'These are royal robes,' the King's Son explained. 'They are made of the finest white linen.'
When Nadia knew for sure that the King's Son had come in peace, and had indeed forgiven her, she put on her robe and leapt and danced about, praising him.
In the end, Nadia became so overwhelmed with emotion that the King's Son had to hold her tightly in his arms. Then, with tears flooding down her cheeks, she knelt. A strange thing happened. The sky was still clear blue, but a gentle rain started to fall. I took hold of Talora's hand. We didn't feel the need to shelter, because the rain was so soft. It flowed down the walls and windows of Nadia's castle, and the castles of her special friends, washing them clean. I felt sure the Lord God had sent the cleansing rain to give them a clearer view of his Kingdom across the River.
The special friends ran back to their own castles to celebrate their new commitment to the King's Son, while I stayed with Talora outside Castle Nadia. As the rain stopped, a white dove flew down and settled on top of the castle walls.
The King's Son pointed to it. 'Look, Nadia,' he said, 'it is a sign that the Holy Spirit has come to live with you. My Father, the Holy Spirit and I are one. It is hard for you to understand, but you can trust me that it is so.'
Talora nudged me. 'The King's Son is right, Zephan. People who belong to the King believe it, but they can never understand it properly.'
'I'm not surprised,' I said. 'They've not been to Heaven yet.'
The King's Son pointed again to the dove and, as Nadia watched, a flag appeared with a dove emblazoned on it. This time it was easy to see that this was a genuine flag, not a homemade copy.
'There are some castles around that will be pleased to see this flag,' the King's Son told Nadia. 'But the owners of many castles will make fun of you.'
A group appeared, all dressed in white linen robes. Among them were Max and his friends, and Nadia's special friends who had turned to the King's Son for forgiveness. It struck me that this was a way in which Talora and I were allowed to see them. To each other, they probably seemed to be dressed in jeans and other casual clothes. The more I thought about it, the more I could see that this must be how the King's Son saw all his followers. The royal robes were his gift, white robes covering them with love and forgiveness.
The celebrations lasted throughout the day. The King's Son walked around, meeting everyone carrying a banner. When it was evening he stood outside the door of Castle Nadia, and raised his hands to Nadia and her friends.
'Be at peace,' he told them. 'It is time for you to get some rest. Tomorrow I will tell you the plans I have for you.' He turned to Nadia and pointed to Max and the crowd holding banners. 'Everyone here is your friend, Nadia. Keep close to them, and strengthen each other in your faith.'
The others may have felt ready for rest, but clearly Nadia didn't. She ran to the top of her castle and picked up a trumpet. I learnt later that each owner has a trumpet they can blow in times of happiness. Nadia blew hers so loudly, and made such beautiful music, that she disturbed many of the people in neighbouring castles, who grumbled at what they called unnecessary excitement.
Other people climbed onto the roofs of their castles and put out huge banners of welcome to the King's Son, wanting the whole world to know that the Son of the Lord God had rescued them and forgiven them.
By the time Nadia was finally at rest, Talora wanted to sit down with me and talk about everything that had happened since coming here. As we sat in the darkness, someone slipped past. For a moment I felt a chill of unease. It was difficult to see clearly, but he was overweight and looked like ...
'What's the matter?' Talora asked.
'I saw ... No, it can't have been.'
'Tell me who you think it was,' Talora insisted.
'You remember Won't-Believe in Mansoul? A big man. He was holding the Ear Gate shut.'
'You've seen him here?'
'He just ran past. Come on, let's use our wings and follow him. I want to see where he's going. Don't talk any more.'
As we flew above the running figure, I could see that it was indeed Won't-Believe. We stayed with him as he puffed his way up Shadow Hill, muttering to himself that he had to find his old friend Diabolus. He entered the Shadowed Wood, crashing past the sickly trees until he reached a cave underneath a high rock.
We landed quickly and started to walk cautiously. The ground underfoot was soft and slippery with moss, and the lower branches of the trees reached out as we pushed past, snapping at our arms and legs like greedy fingers.
I began to feel anxious, for I could detect great evil in the air. A shadow angel stood guard at the mouth of the cave. This definitely was not a safe place for ordinary angels like us. Even so, I wanted to know what was happening inside. Trusting the Lord God to keep us safe, we found a gap between the rocks at the entrance where we could hide, and hear and see everything inside. Holding our noses against the stench, we listened in horror.
Diabolus himself was there. He sounded furious as Won't-Believe described what had happened. Then he leapt to his feet. 'Do you mean to say some of my friends at Castle Nadia have been killed?' he stormed.
Won't-Believe replied that it definitely looked that way.
'Very well,' Diabolus said, calming down just a little, 'I am going now, and you will wait here patiently. Nadia may think her castle is strong and easy to defend, but the time will come when she will forget about the King's Son and all he has done for her. She will soon wonder if she has been forgiven, and even doubt that there really is a Creator God who cares for her. And when that happens, and it surely will, you must let me know at once.'
CHAPTER 26
The Enemy
We had not tried to stop Won't-Believe on his way to the cave. This was something I now regretted, although I think the King's Son would have told us to do it if he wanted Won't-Believe stopped. Anyway, I could see that this creature was going to cause a lot of trouble.
The next morning I went with Talora to help Nadia and the Lord God's warrior angels capture four of these enemies of the King who were still hiding close to her castle. The soldiers put them in chains and brought them to the front of the castle where the King's Son said they must stand trial.
Nadia's new friends, a large group carrying white banners, were already there, offering Nadia support. Max was there too with his friends. The prisoners on trial were Hate, Anger, Greed and Dishonesty. Each was charged with helping turn Nadia against the Lord God.
The prisoners tried to defend their deeds, but when the King's Son asked Nadia for her verdict she declared all of them guilty -- and everyone cheered loudly.
'What happens now?' I asked, as soon as the last prisoner had been convicted.
'Ssssh,' Talora whispered. 'We mustn't talk during the trial.'
The King's Son stood up. 'Nadia,' he said, 'you have found these prisoners guilty. What is your wish that I should do with them?'
'Put them to death,' she said quietly.
The King's So
n nodded. 'I will help you deal with them.'
I watched the prisoners tremble with fear when they heard this, but Nadia showed no pity. This was certainly not the hesitant Nadia who'd been running around in panic yesterday, unable to decide what to do. The King's Son handed Nadia a Sword with a flashing blade.
'I don't think I'm going to like this,' Talora said, turning away.
The King's Son noticed Talora standing with me, and came across. 'There is nothing to fear,' he assured her. 'These prisoners are companions of Diabolus, my enemy. It is right for Nadia to use my Sword to destroy them.'
Talora turned back to see what was happening, but too late. All four creatures lay dead on the ground, and Nadia was wiping the Sword on the grass. No one seemed upset by this. In fact, another loud cheer went up from Nadia's new friends. I could see some words engraved on the blade of the Sword in shimmering letters, but we were too far away to read them.
'Do not worry,' the King's Son said. 'They will be buried out of sight. Tell me, Talora, are you glad for Nadia, or are you sorry for the prisoners?'
Talora smiled. 'Glad for Nadia of course. Yes, I was wrong to feel pity for the prisoners. But some of them escaped last night.'
The King's Son nodded. 'There are many who have escaped, but at the moment Nadia is feeling pleased that these companions of Diabolus have been dealt with.'
'I was wondering about the Shadowed Wood,' I said. 'There's a cave there where Won't-Believe and others are hiding.'
'What do you have in mind, Zephan?'
'I thought that ... well ... that we could go there and kill Won't-Believe -- if you want us to.'
The King's Son shook his head. 'I have to wait for Nadia to ask before I can do anything,' he explained. 'Today she wants me to rebuild the castle. She may think it is in a good position, but we need to make it strong and well defended against my enemy. I have appointed Understanding to lend a hand, and I am appointing Knowledge to be the Keeper of Wisdom. I am sure you remember Knowledge from Mansoul.'
'I thought Conscience would get that job,' I said in surprise, for I could remember both of them in Mansoul. No, that's not quite right. It seemed to me that there were lots of these creatures sharing the same names. Maybe each castle had a set, some whispering good thoughts, some whispering bad.
'You are right,' the King's Son replied. 'Conscience should be an excellent choice, but he has suffered in that dreadful dungeon and may not be too reliable at present. Knowledge is a good friend of mine, and understands what I want for Nadia.'
That afternoon, outside the castle door, a healthy-looking Choosing stood with Nadia as she apologised for her past mistakes. The King's Son assured Nadia yet again that he had given her a full pardon. Nadia's new friends clapped loudly, for Choosing was seen as the one who had finally helped invite the King's Son into the castle.
'Choosing, you ought to be the Keeper of the Door for Nadia,' a friend who was holding a white banner called out, and the others joined in.
Nadia smiled. 'Yes, Choosing, be the Keeper of the Door.'
Choosing said he'd be pleased to agree to the position, and Nadia's new friends arranged a party for that evening, with tables laid out in front of the castle. They invited the King's Son as guest of honour. When he accepted the invitation, he told Nadia and her friends to sit down on the grass. Nadia told Max and his friends they would be welcome too.
'Nadia, my own castle,' the King's Son said, 'in the name of my Father I have granted you free, full and everlasting forgiveness for all the wrong you have done against me, against my Father and against the Holy Spirit, against your family, your friends, your neighbours, and against yourself. I have already let you use this Sword, and now I want you to keep it.'
I stood on tiptoe to see the King's Son hand Nadia not a Sword, but a copy of the Lord God's Holy Book, the Bible.
'This is a powerful weapon,' the King's Son explained. 'It is a Sword that will protect you, a Light that will guide you in the right way, and Words that will instruct and comfort you. You may talk with me whenever you wish, and one day my angels will bring you to live with me around my Father's throne.'
Nadia's new friends interrupted the speech by cheering loudly, shouting praises to the King's Son.
Talora touched my arm. 'I'd like to help take Nadia to Heaven when the time comes,' she whispered.
No one can keep a secret from the King's Son. He caught Talora's eye, smiled and nodded. Waiting until the praise had died away he spoke again, sounding serious. 'Nadia and friends, Great-Hopes dug many hiding places around the walls of your castles while he was in charge, because he knew the day was coming when I would attack. I am giving you orders to go out every day and destroy the enemy. Wear the armour I am giving you, and deal with the enemy with your Swords -- but never, ever go into battle without me.'
When they heard this, Nadia and her new friends waved their Swords in the air, and again I could see the flash of letters on the blades, for the Books had again become Swords.
'I want you to visit other castles in the area,' the King's Son continued. 'Some of them, like Castle Max, fly my flag. Talk with the people who live there about me. Some castles are in the hands of the enemy. If the people will listen, tell them what I have done for you -- and what I want to do for them. And remember, I am with you always, to give you peace.'
Then the King's Son took Nadia inside and showed her a secret room in the heart of her castle. 'In this room,' he explained, 'the Holy Spirit has now come to live. He will give you grace and strength.'
Nadia was so glad to know the Holy Spirit was living with her that she cried out again with praise. She said the Holy Spirit looked so like the King's Son that he must be the same person. The next moment she said she could tell he was the Creator God himself come to live in her castle.
The King's Son looked at us and smiled, for he knew we understood how One can be Three, and Three can be One. Then he spoke to Nadia again. 'The Holy Spirit will teach you. He has brought many useful gifts, but you must ask him for them. Love him as you love me.'
Nadia's new friends who were busy laying the tables outside the castle cheered once more, and I found myself caught up in the praise offered to the Lord God, the Creator. Talora looked overjoyed.
But part of me still felt uneasy.
CHAPTER 27
The Cave
I felt there was trouble brewing from the creatures living among the unhealthy trees on Shadow Hill. As soon as the party was underway, I suggested to Talora that she stayed where she was, and I'd fly to the cave where Won't-Believe had run last night.
Already it was getting dark, but the group at the party with the King's Son and Max outside Castle Nadia was likely to stay there well into the night, celebrating by the light of burning torches. After leaving the castle I reached Shadow Hill and saw the companions of Diabolus below me, slipping through the sickly trees like snakes.
I flew back to Talora, who looked at me in surprise. 'Your face has gone pale,' she said. 'Is it the torchlight?'
I assured her it wasn't.
'Then what's the matter?'
'There's a terrible evil out there.'
Talora shook her head. 'While you were gone, I've been watching everyone dancing in their white robes. What could possibly be the matter?'
I held onto her arm. 'Won't-Believe and his gang are moving in the wood.'
'Are they coming this way?'
I shrugged my shoulders -- well, my wings really. 'They may be. I didn't wait to see.'
Talora laughed. 'You're being foolish,' she insisted. 'They won't be coming here. This is the happiest day I have ever known. It reminds me of times around the throne of the Lord God -- but even better, because the King's Son has rescued Nadia and her friends. And now they are all part of one big family.'
I pulled Talora away from the tables. 'Stand still,' I told her. 'Now, do you feel anything bad?'
Talora said nothing, and shook her head.
'Remember when we first arrived on Earth
, Talora, and the shadow angels came looking for us?'
Talora closed her eyes and turned her head away from the castle wall. 'Yes,' she said at last. 'Yes, Zephan, I think you're right. I can sense the enemy now.'
'That means they're getting closer. So what are we going to do?'
The answer to my question came from the far end of the tables in front of the castle. The King's Son looked up and caught sight of me talking to Talora. The smile faded from his face as he understood what was in our minds. He called us over, and without anyone else hearing told us to go and seek out the enemy and then report back.
The celebrations continued as we stood up to leave, the exciting atmosphere helped by the flare of a hundred burning torches.
'I'm a bit scared,' Talora admitted. 'Where are we going first?'
'Let's fly up high above the castle,' I suggested. 'I know it's dark, but there's a moon. We may be able to see what's happening from up there.'
'Perhaps the companions of Diabolus aren't coming here after all.' Not that Talora sounded as though she believed it.
The moon went behind a thick cloud, so no matter how high we flew we could see nothing but deep shadows below.
'Let's go down and listen,' Talora suggested.
Back on the ground we stood still and listened carefully. A sound like whispering came from the long grass growing along the foot of the castle walls, but we decided it was just the breeze.
'I'm going to fly to the Shadowed Wood for another look,' I said at last. 'The enemy may still be there.' I have to admit I was getting nervous, even though I wanted to do something to help. 'You don't have to come with me.'
Talora held onto my arm. 'We'll go together. And we'll go in the name of the Lord God.'
'You're right,' I said. 'But we may still get injured.'
Talora moved ahead of me. 'The Lord God has sent us here to do his work, so I'm not afraid of what the enemy does to me.'
Talora made me feel extra bold. We swooped over the banqueting tables and the flaring torches, then rose high in the air. A few minutes later, as the moon came out from a gap in the clouds, we landed on Shadow Hill.
For a moment I felt anxious as the moon disappeared again and the darkness closed in around us. Cautiously, I led the way between the trees with the clutching branches.