Pilgrim’s Journey: Faith Challenged: BOOK 2 (Chapters 1 and 2) (A Novel / Allegory)

This is a novel and an allegorical story about some knights who travel on a quest to reach a beautiful kingdom called the Kingdom of Heaven. As they go, they encounter giants, evil knights, swamps, perils, cliffs, dungeons, castles, evil Medieval lords, traps, dark forests, cunning enemies, and powerful weapons. They must fight for their lives and overcome all obstacles with the use of their weapons and armor, namely the Sword of the Spirit, and the Shield of Faith, and the power of God. 

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Pilgrim’s Journey: The Quest for Heaven

- BOOK 2 -

Faith Challenged

- A Novel / Allegory -

By: Justin Brown (a pen name)

Date Created: Jan. 23, 2019

Click here for the Table of Contents 

Chapter 1

Introduction

Markus Christian and his friends had set out on a journey toward Heaven in the first part of this story. Along the way, they had met up with some other pilgrims who assisted them in fighting many giants, and overcoming obstacles. They had passed through dangerous places, a deadly swamp, underground passageways, dark forests, and on giant-infested land.

All the while, they had seen God’s power manifested in various ways to assist them in overcoming foes too great for them. The power of darkness was manifested in various ways in the first part, but in this second part, you will see how these pilgrims in shining armor face new challenges, new foes, and deadly enemies. You will see how they either rely on God or turn their own way. You will see how grace will give them the power to overcome all obstacles. Or, by rejecting God’s grace, you will see how some of them forsake the truth and sadly perish.

Join us as we present to you the further adventures of Markus Christian, Andrew Strong-heart, Henry Willow, and their companions in Pilgrim’s Journey: Part 2: Faith Challenged.

Azul Cielo Mountains

After successfully repelling the attacks of the giants (See Chapter 8 of Part 1), the band of seven pilgrim knights continued walking down the path through the dense, hardwood forest. Dappled sunlight gleamed off their silvery armor as they traveled for some distance beneath the leafy canopy of oak, beech, and maple trees. Several hours later, the uneventful day came to a close and the men settled down for the night.

The second day passed by, uneventful, and saw them put more miles under their feet. But, on the third day, the pilgrims noticed that the path was climbing a hill toward a mountain range, which rose high above the surrounding terrain, majestic and beautiful.

Grey peaks rose up high into the azure sky, and portions of them were covered with glistening snow. A pine forest marched up the sides of the steep mountains and covered it in dark green needles. Near the peaks swirled some small clouds, which resembled sheep huddled together. It was a breathtaking sight.

“That is a sight I wish I could put on canvas,” Gregory White-peak said as he stood still and gazed at the distant mountain scenery, which matched his surname. Tufts of his prematurely-grey hair were stirred by a gentle breeze, which passed through the opened visor of his close helm.

“God has a way of creating mountainous splendor,” Markus Christian said, standing not far from his new friend. He scratched his chin, which sprouted short, brown stubble.

Of all the knights in the group, Gregory was unusual in that, being 27 and the youngest, he was the grayest, and his eyes were a light blue. Even so, his short beard contained some blond patches among the grey.

The group of seven knights was standing in a clearing, gazing up at the mountain some miles from them. Their pack mules were tied together in a column of seven. And, the animals brayed with some impatience to be underway. But, the knights ignored them briefly as they beheld God’s majestic creation.

The sound of plodding hoofs unexpectedly reached their ears from the forest ahead of them, beyond the clearing. Markus and his friends turned. From under the trees came a team of four horses pulling a flatbed wagon, which was laden with wooden barrels. Horses snorted as they pulled their burden through the meadow. In the driver’s seat sat a knight in silvery armor, much like what the other pilgrims wore. His sword was sheathed and he was holding the leather reins in his gloved hands.

[Close helm: The close helm, or helmet, was an authentic, late-medieval helmet style which fit closely to the head and neck of the wearer. It normally covered the entire head, neck, upper shoulders, and face of the wearer.

But, in this story, the close helmets worn by the pilgrims are modified so that the lower portion of each helmet (the bevor) is shortened to extend just halfway down the neck. With this modified, close-helmet design, the neck is protected by a stiff, leather collar, which has pieces of metal fastened to it. Certainly, the neck area of our fictional, close-helm design is weaker than in most close helms, but this fictional version of the close helm has more freedom of movement. The knight can now freely move his head.

The close helm often had a hinging visor, which could be raised up and lowered back over the face. Since it fit snugly, the helmet had to be put on by first unlatching and hinging open a rotating bevor.

A bevor was a piece of metal that (usually) protected the lower face, neck, and upper shoulders of the wearer. It shared the same hinges as those used by the visor. Once the helmet was on the knight, the bevor would be hinged shut. To secure it shut, pivoting hooks slid through slots in staples (i.e. U-shaped pieces of metal). Often, a strap was used for extra strength.]

When the driver saw them, he exclaimed, “Hello there. Are you pilgrims?”

“We are pilgrims heading toward the Kingdom of Heaven,” Andrew Strong-heart said as he stepped forward. Unlike Gregory, his facial hair was short, brown stubble, and he had hazel-colored eyes.

The wagon pulled up before the seven knights, and the wagon driver looked down at them with a smile on his face. “I am a pilgrim myself,” he said. “My name is John Stone-Hill.”

“I am Andrew Strong-heart,” Andrew said. “And, these are Markus, Henry, Gregory, Ahiezer, Javan, and Elam, from left to right--that is, your left.”

“Where are you heading?” John Stone-Hill said as he leaned forward to get a better look at their faces, which appeared through their opened visors, in their close helms.

“We are following this path toward the Kingdom of Heaven,” Markus said.

“Be careful, my friends,” the wagon driver said, admonishingly, with concern in his face. “Ten miles from here is a town built on a high hill--the town of Compromise. A castle overlooks it from a higher hill nearby. That castle belongs to Baron Tyrannous Entertainment. He is an evil lord who rules his subjects with an iron fist and cruelty. His wages bring death, and his hospitality brings destruction to any who follow his ways.”

[Admonish: To warn and advise. Advise means to give a personal opinion or information to help someone make a good decision.]

“How do you know all this?” Javan Mount-Jasper asked as he stepped toward the wagon rider and blinked his blue eyes several times, in curiosity.

“I’ve passed by that town many times and have heard much about it,” John Stone-Hill said.  “Many have gone to the town of Compromise and have never left it. When they arrive at the town, if they remain there for long, they are taken by Baron Tyrannous’s men and are locked away in a dungeon. God calls out to them, but most do not listen to Him. They don’t realize that only He can provide the way of escape from the dungeon. But, again, most do not want that way of escape because they love selfish pleasure and the worldly entertainment that the baron offers them.”

[Entertain: To amuse, fascinate, and interest an audience or person. Worldly entertainment does this through carnal methods and promotes sin.]

“The dungeon is pleasurable to them?” Javan said incredulously (i.e. with doubt) as he scratched his thick, black beard.

“There is a wide variety of entertainment available to the people in the dungeon,” the wagon driver said. “Baron Tyrannous gives prisoners video games, rock music, drugs, alcohol (to get drunk with), worldly movies, TV shows, and other pastimes. But, I’ve heard rumors that death is the only way of escape from that dungeon if one is not willing to call upon God for deliverance.”

[Note: These modern diversions (such as video games) are mentioned in this story to bring forth truth to the reader about our contemporary culture.]

“That is very troubling,” Markus said as he approached John’s wagon. “I don’t know what all those things are, but they sound bad. I want to seek God about visiting this town of Compromise.”

“Why would you want to visit it?” John said, surprised.

“It would be good to see if we could rescue the prisoners from Tyrannous’s dungeon,” Markus said. “God has given us the power to overcome giants and foes far stronger than we.” [Foe: An enemy.]

“Don’t bother trying,” John Stone-Hill said, shaking his head. “Baron Tyrannous is a giant thirty feet high. He is a monster larger than you could fathom. His armor is impenetrable and is as thick as my forearm. Crossbow bolts bounce off it, without making a scratch. He has an army of one thousand soldiers in his castle and in the town of Compromise. You have no chance of breaking people out of his dungeon. Just go on your way and forget about those prisoners.”

“I need to seek God about it, but if God is for us going, He will give us the victory,” Markus said simply.

“Suit yourself,” John said, puckering his lips. “I must be going.”

With that, he flicked the reins, and the horse team clopped forward. The barrel-laden wagon rolled through the clearing and disappeared into the trees on the other side. When the wagon was gone, Markus turned to face the other knights.

“Let’s seek God about this,” Markus said. “Then, we can meet back here in a couple minutes.”

“Good idea,” Andrew said.

Markus walked some distance from the others and calmed himself. Then, he said, “Father God, will you show me what to do. Should we go and attempt to rescue people from the dungeon of Baron Tyrannous Entertainment?”

“My son,” God’s loving voice spoke to his spirit, “I am with you and I love you very much. You are special to Me. I will show you that going into that dungeon to rescue the people you are able to rescue is a good thing. I will guide you in this. Now, go forth to your friends and journey to the town of Compromise. There, you will be able to conquer your foes. But, be cautious, for some of your men may want to fall prey to the devil’s snares.”

“Who might those men be, Father God?” Markus said, curious.

“My son, I am with you. I will never forsake you. But, some of the men in your group will turn their hearts away from Me and will pursue vanity. You will be able to pray for them and plead with them. Now, go and journey to the town, and I will never leave you nor forsake you. And, I the LORD your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

“Thank you, Father God,” Markus said. “I want to warn those men once I find out who they are.”

“You will know soon enough, My son,” God said.

The Town of Compromise

Catching a stiff breeze, bright, red and black banners flapped and snapped on tall poles fastened to high curtain walls, which surrounded the town of Compromise. The sleepy town boasted a population of over 3,000 people. It consisted of a muddle of thatch-roofed, half-timbered buildings, narrow alleyways, and crooked streets, which were not in a grid layout. The streets were winding and narrow, making navigating the town difficult.

“I wish this town had straight streets for once,” Henry said, dabbing his brow with a handkerchief as he walked down a meandering, cobblestone street. He was holding the lead rope of a train of seven pack mules.

“I couldn’t argue with that,” Javan said as he walked beside a mule, keeping the stubborn beast on course by steering it with its bridle.

[Curtain wall: a wall linking two towers or gates together.]

Ominous and powerful, a dark castle on a nearby, high hill rose loftily over the town. It reminded Markus of a lion crouching and preparing to strike its prey.

But, rising higher than the castle hill, and forming a backdrop to it, the awe-inspiring, white peaks of the Azul Cielo mountain range soared into the air. Pine trees marched up their steep sides until they reached the snow-covered upper regions. And, forming a vapory crown around the higher peaks, clouds swirled about the mountain range in various eddying patches.

“Those sure are glorious mountains. I wouldn’t mind hiking through them one of these days,” Henry said, looking up toward distant crags and scarps, which rose above some patches of pine trees.

[Eddy: Current in a stream of liquid or gas that forms a small whirl.] [Crag: A crag is a steep rock which is part of a mountain peak or cliff.]  [Scarp: A steep slope or cliff which results from erosion or some other process.]

Minutes ago, Markus and his friends had entered through one of the gates into the town of Compromise. They had been walking down the crooked streets, looking for a way to reach the castle, undetected by the castle guards. As they had entered the town, the pilgrim’s armor had miraculously become almost transparent. But, white tunics, white trousers, and leather boots had appeared underneath. [Note: The pilgrims’ armor became transparent because humans that are not pilgrims cannot see it.]

As Markus and his companions entered the town square, where farmer’s market activities occurred, Andrew approached him and said, “Markus, you’ve talked about putting on a disguise and sneaking into the castle.”

“I thought of many disguises,” Markus said. “We could go dressed as peasants selling things. Or, we could be disguised as castle workers, such as beekeepers or candle makers. But, every plan I can think of doesn’t look so great when I examine it more carefully.”

“But what would God show us to do?” Andrew said, studying his friend’s face.

“That’s a good question. Let’s ask Him,” Markus said. “Yes, let’s ask Him.”

“Father God,” Markus whispered, “what should we do? How can we sneak into the baron’s castle without being caught?”

Clump. Clump. Clump. A cart full of fruit noisily passed by him on the bumpy cobblestone street. It was pushed by a strong peasant man wearing brown and green clothing. When it was gone, Markus listened to God and waited for His reply.

“My son,” God’s gracious voice said, “don’t feel that you must disguise yourself in order to rescue the people from the dungeon. Just go in dressed as you are in your armor, and trust in Me, and I will give you the victory. But, not everyone will listen to you. And, not everyone will come. But, I will help you to deliver several men and women from the clutches of the devil. And, I the LORD your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

“But, how will we be able to get past the guards?” Markus asked.

“Just leave that to Me, My son, and I will help you,” God said.

“I’ll do that. Thank you,” Markus said.

He turned toward his friends and gathered them together. When all six of them were surrounding him, Markus said, “We made a mistake in not seeking God earlier about how to enter the castle. Andrew Strong-heart made me realize that I needed to seek God before making any move toward the castle.”

Turning toward Andrew, Markus said, “Andrew, did God share anything with you about what to do?”

“He did,” Andrew replied.

“What did He tell you?” Markus said.

“First, what did he tell you?” Andrew said.

Markus informed Andrew and the others about what God had just told him. Then, Andrew told the men about God’s words to him. Everything he said agreed with what Markus had heard. But, God had also told Andrew to let the pack mules go free because the Almighty had promised Andrew that He would provide for him and for all the pilgrims’ needs.

“That brings me relief,” Henry said. “These mules sure are challenging to deal with. It would be a blessing not to have to put up with them any more.”

The pilgrims removed the supplies from the mules and released them to run wherever they wanted to go. Then, they found some peddlers who’d be willing to purchase their supplies at a low price. [Peddler: A person who travels about selling goods.]

Once the goods were sold and loaded onto a peddler’s cart, a loud voice suddenly shot through the air, grabbing everyone’s attention.

A man’s voice cried loudly, “Attention citizens of Compromise, …”

Markus and his friends turned to face the speaker and noticed a man standing on a wooden box and holding a metal megaphone up to his mouth. He was the town crier. He wore the typical clothing of the Middle Ages: trousers, leather shoes, and a long tunic with a belt. 

“ … Baron Tyrannous Entertainment is looking for men and women who will come to his castle with me to partake in some marvelous and thrilling entertainment,” the announcer cried. “You will not be disappointed! Who here is looking for a thrill, for excitement, for a laugh, or for an escape from the monotony of life? Come with me to the good baron’s castle, and you’ll never want to return. Festivities and carnal pleasures await you.”

As he spoke, Markus noticed men and women gathering around him from all directions. Before long, townspeople were excitedly clapping their hands as the announcer finished his speech.

“If you are coming with me, just step this way,” the town crier said, motioning for people to follow him as he stepped off the platform and started walking away.

Over fifty villagers followed him as he walked down the street. From the shadows of nearby alleys came knights wearing dark-grey armor. Atop their heads appeared barbute helmets with T-shaped facial openings. They followed the procession through the town, forming an escort.

[Barbute: This was a 15^th century helmet which often had a Y-or-T-shaped facial opening in the front for breathing and visibility. Some had an arched opening, but the opening was still smallish compared to that of other helmet styles. Unique among the barbute designs, those with a Y-shaped opening had a projection to guard the nose.]

“Follow them, My son, and enter the castle, and I will help you to overcome all obstacles,” God’s voice suddenly spoke to Markus.

“Follow them?” Markus said in a whisper.

“My son, I will be with you. Go and pursue them. I will bring you into the castle and past the guards like I did for Peter in the book of Acts,” God said.

“Yes, Abba Father,” Markus said. Then, he said to the group, “God is showing me to follow those soldiers into the castle.”

“Let’s go then,” Andrew Strong-heart said with resolve.

The Castle of Baron Tyrannous Entertainment

With that, the men began trailing the rearward guards as they passed through the town, out a gate in the wall, and up a road toward a castle drawbridge. As they left the town, their armor unexpectedly reappeared, and the pilgrim knights drew their broadswords. [Broadsword: A double-edged sword with a wide blade which was mainly used for cutting.]

“It’s good to have the Ephesians 6 armor,” Henry said. “I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

“You’re right, Henry,” Andrew said as they walked.

The inner and outer gates in the large, castle gatehouse were opened. And, the drawbridge was lowered to admit the group of villagers and their escorts.

[Admit: To allow people to enter.

Drawbridge: a wooden bridge on a castle that could be lowered or raised. ]

Two giants stepped out through the opened outer gate and stared down at the humans walking across the drawbridge. Each giant wore a charcoal-grey sallet helmet over his face. The visors were closed, concealing their facial features. On their right and left rose the high, rectangular, tower-like structures of the gatehouse. Between these two protruding “shoulders” sat the outer gate.

[Note: These gatehouse structures were shaped like two large towers with rectangular cross sections. A short, rectangular building section connected them together. A portcullis (a heavy grating which can move up and down) and an outer gate kept attackers from entering from the outside. And, should attackers breach the curtain walls (which connect the defensive towers together), the inner gate (which faces the castle courtyard or bailey) would be shut and locked. Thus, the gatehouse could be defended if the rest of the castle were captured.]

Markus was feeling a little nervous as he saw the huge creatures standing on either side of the gate. The monsters had huge chain maces and shields. Spiked, metal spheres hung from the handles by short chains. Each huge mace head weighed 35 pounds and presented a threat to any pilgrim crossing paths with the menacing creatures.

The villagers passed between the giants, acting as if nothing was unusual about their great size. When the villagers were gone, Markus gulped and swallowed. He had faced powerful giants before, but he hadn’t face a huge, armor-destroying chain mace.

[Note: The chain mace was unpredictable and deadly. The spiked sphere could fly around and strike suddenly when an opponent wasn’t expecting it. Only the best of knights could wield them effectively since chain maces were not easy to master. But, those who could master them were very effective in combat.]

As the pilgrims cautiously approached the drawbridge, praying and asking God for help, Markus heard God speak to him.

“Markus, My son,” God’s voice said, “I am your Abba Father and God. You do not need to worry about those giants. They have deadly maces, but I will not let them harm you because you are following Me. Rest and walk forward. They will do you no harm because I have blinded their eyes to you. And, I the Lord your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

“Okay, Father God, I choose to trust you,” Markus said as he stepped onto the lowered drawbridge.

[Sallet: A style of medieval helmet that was popular during the 15^th century. This style often had a curved flange of metal in the rear of the helmet. Later sallet helmets had movable visors (to protect the face) and bevors (to protect the neck and lower face). The bevor was a piece of armor that covered the upper shoulders, the neck, and the lower face.]

The giants began swinging their chain maces in various directions, sending the spiked balls rushing through the air in tight circles. But, Markus determined he would trust God, and he continued walking across the bridge. His companions stayed back, except for Andrew who walked along beside him.

“Those monsters are going to hammer them,” Javan nervously whispered to Gregory. He was trembling in his boots.

“I pray that God will blind those giants’ eyes,” Gregory said.

“Deception, let’s see if you can do what I just did,” one of the two giants said with a booming voice as he swung his mace about.

“Lust, let’s give it a break,” Giant Deception said, relaxing slightly as he slowed his mace to a stop. “Then, we can test our swords out.”

“Okay,” Giant Lust, the other monster, said. “That sounds good.”

When the maces were not in motion, Markus and Andrew passed between the giants and entered through the gate. Somehow, the huge guards didn’t notice them or pay any attention to the humans below them.

“The giants didn’t see them. That is amazing. God must have blinded their eyes,” Henry Willow, a brown-bearded 50-year-old, said with excitement. “I must not be a coward.”

He hustled across the bridge and passed through the outer gate and down a corridor toward the opened inner gate. The giants had not seen him either. Then, the other pilgrim knights took courage and stepped toward the open doors. They quickly passed through both the outer and inner gates, and jogged out into a grassy bailey.

The bailey, or courtyard, was surrounded by high, stone curtain walls and towers. In the center of the bailey, a huge, five-storied castle keep, which connected to a curtain wall, rose high above them. Lining the surrounding curtain walls, half-timbered, thatched-roofed buildings filled the courtyard. 

[Half-timbered building: A building constructed so that framing beams can be seen. Space between the wooden beams was filled with wattle. The wattle was made of thin poles interwoven with sticks. Daub was applied to the wattle to make it waterproof. Medieval daub was a mixture of clay, horse hair, and animal dung. It was plastered onto the wattle. To seal daub, lime was painted over it. Medieval buildings sometimes had roofs made of oak shingles. But, thatched-roofed buildings were more common.]

The pilgrims walked toward a steep set of stairs rising up the side of the keep toward an opened door on the third floor. They climbed the stairs quickly and passed through the keep door. Now, they were inside a torch-lit, stone hallway. Markus had no clue where the villagers and the town crier went. But, he knew One who did.

“Father God, where did the villagers go?” Markus said.

“I will show you, My son,” God’s kind voice said to his spirit.

[Keep: A large, fortified building used to protect the owner or lord of a castle compound. This tall building often had a wide, rectangular base and square towers on each of its four corners.] [Bailey: An outside court within castle walls.]

After seeking God about his questions, Markus turned toward his friends and said, “God is going to guide us to the people. Come this way.”

He started walking down the stone corridor, and his friends followed. After passing down a few hallways, and descending a long set of spiral stairs, they came to an ajar door which was of interest to Markus. He pushed open the oaken door and saw through it a long, spacious room, which was filled with people and strange equipment.

Chandeliers produced a flickering, orange glow that brightly illuminated the stone chamber. Standing attentively below the light fixtures, the villagers were listening to the town crier talking to them.

“Friends, you are gathered here to enjoy all that Baron Tyrannous Entertainment has to offer you,” the crier said. “First, you must give us your hearts and lives. Will you do that?”

“Yes,” the people responded.

[Medieval spiral stairs: A set of stone stairs that spiral around a central point or axis. They are made of individual stone steps that are cemented one on top of another.]

“Will you pledge your allegiance to the baron?” the crier said.

“Yes. We pledge the baron our allegiance,” they replied.

The crier snapped his fingers and servants brought in some tables containing objects covered with tapestries. The tables were set down before the crier, and he had the servants stand at attention.

Then, he said, “Do you want to know what is under these tapestries?”

“Yes,” the villagers said, with excitement in their voices.

“This is technology you have never seen or experienced before. It is mysterious technology you will die to have, I’m sure. Do you still want to see it?” the crier said.

“Yes!” they shouted.

The crier snapped his fingers again, and the servants drew off the fabric, revealing an array of technology and gadgets never seen during the Middle Ages. As Markus and his friends stood near the door of the room, their jaws dropped. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing before them.

Strange Things to Come

Tall, thin, upright boxes with glowing surfaces (i.e. TV sets) rested beside black, horizontal boxes from which cables emerged (i.e. video game consoles). Thick, black and grey, opaque goggles (i.e. virtual reality goggles) were piled together on another table. Decks of playing cards were stacked on a different table.

“Come forward and take a game system and a TV set,” the town crier said, “or take a pair of virtual-reality goggles with you. We also have card decks if you want to do some gambling or fortune-telling.”

The people slowly approached the tables, curious and somewhat frightened of the contraptions resting atop them.

“There is no need to be frightened,” the crier said, reassuringly. “These will do you no physical harm.”

After a minute or two, the people had enough confidence to pick up some of the devices and look at them up close. As they did, the servants set up low, cushioned seats on the floor and placed video game consoles and TV sets in front of them. Then, they connected the power cords to briefcase-sized battery boxes and turned on the electronics. Greatly surprised, the villagers shrieked with a mixture of fear and delight. The technology was completely foreign to them.

But, after some cajoling and demonstrations (by the baron’s servants) of how the systems worked, the men and women began playing video games and watching movies on the TV sets. Others were awed by the virtual-reality goggles and the computer-generated graphics, which were beyond their wildest imagination. [Cajole: This means to use persistent arguments and flattery to gently persuade someone to do something or believe something.]

Many minutes passed. Then, Markus and his pilgrim friends, who still stood beside the door, noticed a change in the people. The villagers, who played the video games and watched the movies, were mesmerized by the technology and by the images they saw on the screens. They laughed and cried with excitement, or wept, or just stared with intensity at their TV screens. And time passed by.

Eventually, they became so engrossed in the movies and entertainment that they didn’t notice a humming sound coming from the floor beneath them. It was a whirring sound like the sound of hydraulics in action. Suddenly, sections of the floor, where the villagers were seated, began to lower downward. Each section held one villager, and each was descending toward some chamber beneath the floor.

Chapter 2

Descending

Markus, feeling both troubled and curious, suddenly ran forward toward the edge of a hole that had just opened in the stone floor. Once he reached it, he cautiously gazed down into the depths below. He could see the floor section with a villager lowering into darkness. This was unlike any castle chamber he had ever seen. It was technology that didn’t exist in other castles Markus had visited.

The baron’s servants had made sure that each lowering section held only one villager. And, Markus was sure something evil was about to happen to them. So, he cried out to God and said, “Father God, what is happening? What should I do?”

“My son, go in after him,” God replied.

The lowering section was only 12 feet below the surface, so Markus moved into action. He dropped to his knees and crawled up to the edge of the lengthening cavity. Then, using his hands to hold onto the edge of the shaft, he lowered himself down partway, paused, and dropped.

He landed with a heavy thud, but he was unharmed. Then, rising to his feet, he looked at the villager with amazement, for the man was still playing a video game, oblivious to the fact that he was lowering down a shaft. He was also oblivious to Markus landing heavily a couple feet away from him.

The man was sitting on an upholstered chair, holding a video game controller in his hands, and raptly staring at a TV screen as if nothing else existed. Markus wondered if the man would notice his presence if he shook the villager. [Rapt: Concentrating on something and ignoring everything else.]

“Sir, what are you doing?” Markus said, wondering how the man could be so engrossed with his fascination.

“Sir, are you alright? You haven’t answered or noticed me,” Markus said.

No reply came from the man engrossed with the video game. Markus existed in another world, as far as the villager was concerned.

Suddenly, the lowering platform shook as it thumped into a stone floor. Markus gazed upward and saw that he was at the bottom of the shaft. Far above him appeared a square opening with orange light coming through. Suddenly, the wall to his right began to move. Inch by inch, it crawled toward him and the villager. Markus turned toward the left and saw a wide, barred door rising upward to form a huge, square opening.

Now, it was clear to him that the moving wall to his right was going to push them into the square opening. So, Markus quickly walked over to the wide opening. He gazed in and saw that a prison cell appeared within. On the stone floor of the cell lay a sleeping pad, a blanket, and a pillow stuffed with straw. Two doors appeared in the walls of the cell. One was a small, wooden door and probably led to a lavatory, he surmised. The other was a barred, iron prison door, which was made of vertical and horizontal bars.

Just as he was looking at the room, the villager, his TV, a battery box, and his game system were shoved rudely into the cell. Then, the moving wall began to recede toward its former position in the long shaft outside the cell. As the wall slowly receded, the wide door that rose upward now quickly slid down. It thumped against the floor and made a dull, heavy clicking sound as a locking mechanism anchored it shut.

The Cell

Now, both Markus and the obsessed villager were locked in the cell. Even so, the villager didn’t seem to notice. It was as if the cell didn’t exist, to this man. His love was now on the virtual, video-game realm displayed on his TV set. The cold cell, the damp environment, and the presence of Markus were not part of his virtual, video-game world. So, he ignored them as he played.

“Friend, we’re trapped in a cell. Are you aware of that? Hello? Are you there?” Markus said as he stepped toward the man.

He ignored Markus again, concentrating on beating a video game level. So, Markus boldly walked closer and stood between the villager and the TV set. As he did, the man looked up at him, for the first time, and glared at Markus.

“What are you doing?” the man said rudely with an angry expression on his clean-shaven face. “You’re interrupting me. I’m playing something right now. Get out of my way.”

“But, sir, this technology you’re using--whatever it is--is not beneficial to you. You are engrossed in this as if it’s a god to you,” Markus said.

“How dare you accuse me of serving a false god!” the man said angrily. “I am a Christian. I go to Church regularly. And, I am entitled to do as I please and go where I want. You are not my master. Who do you think you are?”

“What is this thing you’re doing?” Markus asked him. He had no clue what it was that the man was doing, except that it seemed to turn the man into a slave.

“It is a video game. That is what the servants of Baron Tyrannous Entertainment said. It is powered by a mysterious agency called electricity. It uses tiny particles inside metal pathways to send messages to produce light and sound. The electricity is like a messenger or a carrier pigeon. The TV screen I am watching is made of a transparent material like glass. It has thousands of components that produce various colors as the electricity moves through them in various ways.”

“That’s strange,” Markus said, scratching his stubbly chin.

“And, there is something like a trumpet which is called a speaker. It makes sounds as electricity moves through metal wires in the base of a flexible cone. The cone produces the sound this way. It is not black magic, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“But, it is captivating you as if it were a god, isn’t it?” Markus said.

“Just leave me alone,” the man said, gritting his teeth. “I don’t know you, and you don’t know who I am. Just let me do as I please, and I will leave you alone.”

“Sir, may I just quote a Bible verse?”

“Just be brief,” the man said tersely.

Markus spoke with a gracious and calm voice, “The Lord Jesus Christ said these words in Matthew chapter 6:

‘[22] The light of the body is the eye : if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness ! [24] No man can serve two masters : for either he will hate the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’”

“Are you saying that this video game I’m playing is a different god?” the man said angrily. “Are you saying that I’m serving a false god and that I hate the true God?”

“You only know your own heart,” Markus said. “This is just scripture.”

The man stood up and set his controller down. His eyes burned with hatred as he stared at Markus. He clenched his fists and glared at him for a few moments longer before he said, “Don’t speak to me anymore about this! I don’t want to talk to you because you are one of those religious, straight-laced people. Just keep your mouth shut and go away.”

Markus moved out of the way of the TV set and backed up several feet. He held up his hands, palms up, and said, “I’m sorry to make you feel that way. I won’t talk anymore about this to you.”

“Good! Then, don’t interrupt me anymore,” the man said. Then, he sat back down, turned up the volume of his video game, and kept playing.

After half a minute had passed, Markus said, “Father God, what do I do now? I’m in this cell and the man I am with will not talk to me. He loves his video game. But, he is a Christian, he says. Why doesn’t he act like a Christian? He is very cold toward me.”

“My son,” God’s kind voice spoke to Markus, “this man is very hardened against Me. He was a Christian, and he did know Me at one time, but he is so hardened now that he will not repent from his sin of idolatry and of putting things before Me. The video game he was offered by the men of the evil lord is just another idol in his life. Before he came to this castle, he was in love with gambling, alcohol, and lusting after women. He was an immoral man, and he fell away just a few months ago. You will now see that I have called out to him so much, but, sadly, he would not repent. So, you will now see what will happen to him. Watch and see. And, I the LORD your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

Markus noticed sadness in God’s voice. He sense it was a deeper and greater sadness than any he had ever felt. Markus also sensed that God’s heart grieved over this deceived soul more than Markus fully understood.

Half an hour passed, and Markus prayed and talked with God in a corner of the room. He tried not to stare at the video-game enthusiast. But, he prayed for the man’s soul that if at all possible, he could be saved. As he did, Markus sensed from God’s Spirit that the man was too hardened against God to want to repent.

Suddenly, the barred prison door clicked. Markus looked up and saw two soldiers wearing dark-grey armor standing outside the door. One had inserted a key. Black and red surcoats covered their breastplates and came down to their waists. They pushed the door open, and it squeaked loudly.

Without speaking a word to anyone, they grabbed the villager who was still playing the video game.

“What are you doing?” he screamed as their strong hands tightened around his arms.

“Be quiet and hold your peace, or you will suffer,” one of the guards said maliciously. His face was concealed by a charcoal-grey sallet helmet, with a closed visor, and a bevor. [See Chapter 1 for a description of the sallet and bevor. The description is in the section titled: ‘The Castle of Baron Tyrannous Entertainment.”]

Hearing that, the villager gulped, swallowed hard, and closed his mouth tight.

Then, they locked his hands behind his back, using handcuffs. For some reason, neither of them noticed Markus. And, the pilgrim knight felt a prompting from God to follow them. So, with a little hesitation, Markus did, walking out the opened prison door behind the last guard.

The guards and their prisoner marched down a cold, damp hallway past rows of burning torches. Every so often, tiny pieces of burning material dropped from the torches and died on the cold floor. 

After traveling for some distance, the two guards and their prisoner stopped before a solid, metal door which had no bars. One guard inserted a key into a keyhole. Then, after it clicked, they opened the door. The prisoner screamed with terror as he beheld way lay beyond the door.

“Don’t make me jump off that ledge!” the man cried.

“You already did when you committed your life to serve us,” a guard said.

“How did I serve you? You are a demon! I don’t serve you. I am a Christian,” the villager said with agony in his voice.

“You were a Christian, but you are now our slave, and we will torment you,” the guard said coldly.

“Your time has come to perish in Hell,” the second guard said before he suddenly shoved the man through the door and into the darkness beyond.

The villager screamed in terror. But, his voice soon faded into silence. The soldiers laughed wickedly. Then, they turned and walked toward Markus. He tensed, drew his broadsword, and held up his shield. But, they walked right past him, without noticing him.

“My son, look through the door,” God’s voice spoke to Markus.

Markus walked toward the metal door and reached for the handle. He was curious what lay beyond, but was also a little scared. Then, forcing himself to take a peek, he grabbed the handle and pulled. It was unlocked and it swung open easily enough.

Markus inhaled quickly. He was shocked and astonished at what he saw through the door. A huge, steep shaft appeared before him, plunging into a pit filled with lava far below. The glowing, red lava frothed and bubbled like a pot of hot water as it allowed gases to escape. The molten rock devoured anything thrown into it like a hungry monster that would never be satisfied. [Lava: This is molten rock that comes up from the mantle of the earth. The mantle is a very hot region of rock that extends from the crust of the earth down to the core.]

Markus felt some vertigo (i.e. a dizzy feeling) as he gazed down over a drop off. He couldn’t stand the heat and the ghastly sight for more than a few seconds. So, he pulled his head out of the doorway, shut the metal door tight, and backed up several yards. He was relieved to be away from such a horrible spectacle. But, he was saddened and horrified to think that the villager had been shoved down into that pit of bubbling lava. [Ghastly: It speaks of something horrifying, shocking, or frightening.] [Spectacle: Something disturbing, or unusual, or impressive, which is seen or observed.]

“My son, that man would never repent,” God’s voice said with kindness and compassion. “He is in Hell now, for he refused to turn to Me and make Me his all in all. He wanted to please his flesh rather than please Me, and he showed that he hated Me by his actions and words. Now, I will show you how to get out of this dungeon. And, I the LORD your GOD and Abba Father have spoken.”

Helping a Poor Soul

Markus followed his Heavenly Father’s voice as the Almighty God gave him directions. After minutes of walking, Markus was now in a section of the dungeon near the entrance to a spiral stairwell. He had just opened the metal, stairwell door when he heard a loud moaning coming from within a prison door a couple yards behind him. Turning, he approached the barred door and peered through the gaps between the metal bars.

In the subdued light of a hallway torch, he saw a man of about age 50 holding his hands to his head and shaking his head back and forth in agony and despondency. The man looked miserable as he sat before a TV set. On the floor rested a video game controller and a pile of worldly novels. [Despondency: The state of being discouraged and very gloomy.]

“What’s wrong, sir?” Markus asked, hoping the man would be more friendly than the last prisoner he had met.

The man continued moaning, so Markus stood up against the cell door and repeated his question louder.

“What? Who is there?” the man said, startled, springing to his feet. He lowered his hands from his head and gazed out through the prison door at the pilgrim knight. His brown hair was longish and fuzzy, coming down to his chin, and a long beard flowed down his chest. His clothes were light brown and somewhat ragged.

“Who are you?” the man said, full of surprise at seeing a knight with silvery instead of dark-grey armor.

“I am Markus Christian, a pilgrim knight in the Kingdom of God. Would you like to escape your cell?”

“Would I like to escape?” the man with the tattered clothes said. “You’re asking me if I’d like to escape? Aren’t you going to haul me off and kill me?”

“I would never do that. I am a follower and lover of God,” Markus said warmly. “I serve the living God who created you, and He has a purpose for you. The true and living God desires for you to repent and receive Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, as your personal Savior and Lord.”

“If Jesus is going to save Me, wouldn’t He have done it by now?” the man said with a sad look in his eyes. “I’ve been in this prison for thirty years, sir. And, I haven’t seen Him rescuing me all that time.”

“Did you ever call upon Jesus Christ, and repent, and receive Him as your Savior and Lord?” Markus said.

“No, I didn’t make Him my Savior and Lord,” the man said, “but I asked Him to deliver me from this prison. And, He didn’t answer me. So, why should I call upon Him now?”

“God loves you,” Markus said with compassion. “He wants you to be saved. But, He cannot deliver you from this prison until you turn to Jesus and make Him your Savior and Lord. For, sin is strong and powerful until it is broken by the blood of Jesus Christ.

“Sin will entangle you, and destroy you, and bring you into bondage. And, God cannot go against your own will and force you to follow Him. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ can you be saved. And, only by His blood can you be cleansed. You can be freed from sin, by His blood, and made a servant of righteousness, instead of a servant of sin. I warn you that sin will destroy you if you refuse Jesus. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. God is lovingly calling out to you. Will you repent?”

“Well,” the man said, hesitating. “I, I guess I need the blood of Jesus. Uh… Yes, I do want to be saved through Jesus. What do I do to be saved?”

“You believe,” Markus said, “that Jesus Christ died on a cross to pay for your sins (and mine) with his own blood. Trust that He died and rose from the dead on the third day, as the Bible says. Realize that your works cannot save you, and that only the blood of Jesus saves the one who believes on Jesus. And, make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior. For, if Jesus is not your Lord, how can you be His own? He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. And, His sheep follow Him, as He said in John chapter 10. If you feel convicted about sin, repent. That is following the Good Shepherd.”

The prisoner then said a prayer based on what Markus had just told him. And, the pilgrim knight could tell that the man’s prayer was heartfelt and sincere. After that, the prisoner’s eyes widened and a look of peace touched his worn face. He slowly began to smile.

“Sir, I feel peace. I feel a slight change,” the man said, blinking. “I have a sense that God loves Me.”

“That’s right, sir. God really loves you,” Markus said, smiling warmly. “And, He lovingly calls out to all people on the face of the earth.”

“My name is Elihu Coppersmith,” the man said.

“I am Markus Christian,” the younger man said, continuing to smile.

“It’s good to know your name, sir. Now, I am a pilgrim like you. But, how do I get out of this cell?”

Just as he asked the question, Markus turned around to see if there was anything he might use to attempt a prison break. When his face was turned from away from Elihu, he suddenly heard a loud exclamation come from the cell. Markus quickly turned back and was surprised to see Elihu in his cell wearing a full suit of shiny, silvery armor. The man was rejoicing with great excitement and surprise. He now carried a shield on his left arm and a sword in his right hand.

“Elihu, where did you get that from suddenly?” Markus asked, bewildered.

“I don’t know, Markus. But, praise God! It just suddenly appeared on me. I don’t know how. One moment I was wearing my old clothes, and the next moment I found clean clothing and armor on my skin. This is wonderful! I now have the same type of armor that you have.”

“Praise the Lord God Almighty! What a wonderful, loving Father He is!” Markus said joyously.

“Oh, what’s this,” Elihu said suddenly, stooping to the prison floor. He picked up a shiny, metal object on the ground.

“What is it?” Markus said squinting to get a better look.

As he stood, the 50-year-old said, “It’s a key! I’m free! At last, I’m free!”

He placed the key in the lock and turned it. The lock clicked, and Elihu pushed the door open. It squeaked on its rusty hinges as the jubilant man burst out of the cell. Outside the chamber, the freed captive clapped his hands and stomped his feet with great joy. He sang praises to God for the deliverance and continued doing so for a couple minutes. Markus began rejoicing with him because Elihu’s joy was infectious.

At last, the middle-aged man settled down, and laughed. “I can’t wait to get to Heaven and see the face of Father God,” Elihu said. “What a loving God He is! He really loves His children.”

After placing his broadsword in its scabbard, Elihu placed a hand on Markus’s shoulder and said, “Come, Markus my friend, let’s tell the other prisoners in this dungeon about Jesus!”

Leaving the Castle

The two set off and began telling the other prisoners about Jesus. Some hours later, they had rescued 5 men from prison. These new pilgrims now wore silvery suits of armor and carried gleaming broadswords and shields. They laughed, rejoiced, and talked amongst themselves as they emerged from a sally port, which was located in the base of one of the towers in the curtain wall of the castle. Each of them dropped to the ground and softened his landing by bending his knees as his feet hit the turf.

[Sally port: A high door in the outer wall of a fortress from which soldiers can make sallies. Soldiers might use ropes or wooden ladders to descend from a sally port. A sally is a quick attack by troops briefly leaving a defensive position.]

A minute later, the same sally port--a small wooden door--squeaked open. And, from it emerged Henry Willow, Andrew Strong-heart, and Gregory White-peak. Markus Christian turned to see his companions dropping to the grassy ground at the base of the wall.

“How did you follow us in that maze?” Markus said to the three who had just emerged.

The newer pilgrims walked toward Andrew and his group.

“We heard talking and I recognized your voice, Markus,” Andrew said. “Your voice was echoing down the halls of the dungeon. We followed you folks across the bailey and into the tower entrance. Then, we came out this sally port shortly after you. We kept quiet because we wanted to surprise you.”

“I had thought I would meet you outside the castle,” Markus said.

“Yes,” Andrew said, lowering his head, “but sadly three of the pilgrims left us and strongly desired to play some of those strange things they call video games.”

“We should get them back to us,” Markus said, with some urgency in his voice.

“We tried,” Andrew said. “Gregory, Henry, and I pleaded with them to forsake the worldly entertainment, but they wouldn’t listen. Now, Baron Tyrannous’s men have captured them, but they are acting and behaving as if nothing but the video games exist.”

“I know what you mean by that,” Markus said sadly. “We can pray for them, but I guess we can’t do much more right now.

“Markus, I understand from seeking God that we must be moving on,” Andrew said gently.

“You’re right, Andrew,” Markus said, sighing. “While in the dungeon, I sought God about where we go next. I believe He has been showing me we need to head down a path toward a certain bridge. It will be half a day’s journey from here, according to what God has shown me. I think it will be a fortified bridge which is strategically important to the evil lord who controls the land it is situated on.”

“Let’s go around the town of Compromise and head back onto the trail,” Markus said.

“I’m eager and ready to leave this miserable place and go where God sends us,” one of the new pilgrims said.

The Fortified Bridge

The next day, after having traveled for a long walking distance, the group of 10 pilgrim knights reached a valley where they noticed a large and impressive structure straddling a river. Imposing, stone towers with crenels and arrow loops rose up on either side of a large, sturdy gate.

[Arrow loop: A slot in a castle wall or building through which arrows were fired. This allowed an archer to be protected as he fired at attackers.] [Crenel: This is an opening in a parapet which used for shooting arrows or other projectiles.] [Parapet: In castles, a parapet is a low wall built on top of towers, fortified buildings, and defensive walls. It protects archers when they fire arrows down at enemy soldiers.]

Flying from flagpoles on the towers, black and red standards flapped and snapped in a light breeze. Across the landscape, pine trees shuddered and rustled in the wind. Evergreens nestled up against green pastures where farmers kept livestock, such as cows and pigs.

[Standard (medieval): A special flag that flew from poles on castle towers. It displayed the coat of arms of the lord of the castle. Sometimes, standards were carried on poles by servants of a nobleman. The coat of arms is a design representing the name of a noble family.]

The fortified bridge was menacing and intimidating, but Markus was not about to let it deter him from his goal of reaching the Kingdom of Heaven.

“We must go forward, brothers,” he said. “The correct path takes us right across that bridge and through those locked gates. But, God will help us get through. It is only through Him that we are able to overcome all that comes our way.”

“That guarded bridge belongs to Baron Conniving Unbelief,” Ahaziah Bronze-smith, a new pilgrim, said. “He is a strong and powerful giant over 15 feet in height. I don’t want to try to fight that tyrant.”

“You will not have to face that giant until you are ready, friend,” Markus said, turning to face to worried man.

As he spoke, the large double doors of the nearest bridge gate suddenly swung open and out came foot soldiers of average height. They were dressed in the standard dark-grey armor of the enemy and wore sallet helmets and bevors. Moving quickly, they formed up into two lines, with one line of troops in front of the other. [See Chapter 1 for a description of the sallet and bevor. The description is in the section titled: ‘The Castle of Baron Tyrannous Entertainment.”]

Ahaziah’s dark mustache and long goatee twitched nervously, and his eyes were filled with fear. “We are doomed,” he said. “There is no way we can fight all those soldiers.”

“There is nothing to fear, brothers,” Markus said, turning back to the men. “We have God on our side. And, He will help us win this battle. He will send us help when we ask Him.”

“Luh, look!” said a knight named Jehoiakim Iron-fist. He was pointing toward the bridge gate.

Markus turned around toward the tall, bridge towers and saw a huge knight in shiny, black armor stepping through the gate. Rising over 15 feet in height, the monster walked forward with heavy steps and stopped right behind the last row of his soldiers. A great helm covered his head and neck. To give a devilish impression, two ox horns were fastened to the flat top of the helmet, and a tattered, red cape hung down his back.

The weapons he carried in his hands made that diabolic impression stronger. In his right hand he held a scythe, and in his left he wielded a huge hammer.

[Great helm: This was a strong, bulky, heavy helmet that fully protected the head and neck of the wearer. It was worn by crusaders and other knights in the Middle Ages. Small eye slits and breathing holes appear in the front of the big helmet, which sometimes was called a “barrel helm.” Unlike the close helm, the great helm could be removed by simply pulling it up.]

“You pilgrims are no match for me,” the giant bellowed in a deep, booming voice. “I am Baron Conniving Unbelief, and I am here to withstand you and prevent you from reaching the Kingdom of Heaven. Turn around and go back, lest I destroy you with my mighty scythe.”

“You cannot stop us because God is for us, and we are trusting in Him,” Markus said boldly.

“You will soon learn that I am more powerful than your God,” the giant said arrogantly in a loud voice.

Turning back to the other pilgrims, Markus said, “Be ready for when they come.”

Just as he said that, the giant roared, “Attack them!”

The first row of 20 soldiers charged toward the pilgrim knights. Markus and his friends drew their broadswords and held their shields up. In several seconds, the wall of enemy troops was upon them, striking their helmets, swords, and shields with vicious sword and axe blows. Clang. Ding. Ring. The clashing sounds of metal against metal filled the air.

Markus began to pray as he fought. Since he had been learning and growing in his walk with God, he was better able to ward off the attacks of the enemy. He began striking his foes with the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Clang. Clang. Ping. With blow after blow from his powerful sword, he claimed and believed God’s promises.

Markus looked at the evil knight he fought with, and said, “Psalm 91:2 says, ‘I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my God ; in him will I trust.’”

“I will destroy you,” the wicked knight said harshly through his closed, sallet visor. “You will perish, Markus.” [Perish: To be destroyed, to die, or to come to nothing.]

“I will not perish, for God is with me!” Markus said louder. “I agree with Psalm 91:2. God is my refuge. He is my fortress, and I will trust in Him!”

He struck the soldier’s helmet with greater power than before and a crack appeared in it. Feeling his helmet crack, the soldier held up his shield, but Markus attacked that with intensity.

“You will be destroyed, pilgrim!” the evil knight said from behind his shield.

But, Markus kept hitting his enemy’s shield with his powerful sword. As he attacked, he said, “Psalm 18:2 says, ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer ; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust ; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.’”

The foe’s shield began to bend inward. Markus knew that this was due to God’s supernatural power and that it had nothing to do with Markus’s own strength.

Suddenly, the shield cracked. Seeing his armor failing him, the enemy knight turned and hustled back toward the bridge gate. As he ran, a few more enemy soldiers turned and retreated. It seemed the pilgrim knights were making some progress in the battle.

But then, the giant came thumping across the ground straight toward Markus. His eyes were locked on the godly knight. A venomous plan was in motion, in the monster’s heart, and destruction was his goal. Feeling a little nervous, Markus began praying as the 15-foot giant neared him.

As he drew close to Markus, the towering being said, “Markus, you surly don’t think you can get past me, do you?”

“With God’s help, I can,” Markus said bravely, trying to ignore the feeling of fear.

“You are a weakling compared to me,” Giant Baron Unbelief said, chuckling. “Your God cannot help you. I am greater than He.”

Then, the giant suddenly swung his giant scythe toward Markus. The huge, curved blade whistled toward the pilgrim with its razor-sharp edge facing him. Markus dropped to the ground and the heavy blade rushed past him. Then, he jumped to his feet and struck the giant in the shin with his broadsword. But, the blade merely ringed against a steel greave (i.e. lower leg armor).

Before Markus could decide what next to do, the giant’s hammer unexpectedly came down swiftly and landed a heavy blow–bong–squarely on his Markus’s armored back. He fell to the ground, aching from the powerful hammer strike. The giant placed his left sabaton (i.e. armored shoe) on Markus’s back plate, pinning him to the ground. Then, he gave a deep and hideous chuckle.

[Greave: Armor for the lower leg. It went from below the knee down to a sabaton (armored shoe).] [Sabaton (singular noun): A sabaton was a jointed piece of metal foot armor (for each foot) that was designed to articulate (or move like a hinge) as the knight walked. Poleyn were armored knee guards.]

“I have you under my foot after making just two moves,” the giant said with pride in his deep voice.

Markus wheezed with the weight of the giant’s huge foot on his back. “You are not stronger than the true and living God,” he said hoarsely.

“What did you say?” the giant said with a laugh as he leaned toward Markus.

“Father God,” Markus said quietly, “please give me the strength to overcome Giant Unbelief. I cannot do it without your strength. I choose to believe you even though I feel lots of doubt right now.”

“I will help you, My son,” God’s kind voice spoke softly to him.

A scraping, metallic sound came from the air above Markus. He tried to crane his head to see and he caught a glimpse of a large dagger being drawn from a scabbard on the giant’s belt.

“I will destroy your armor and take your sword and helmet, pilgrim,” Giant Unbelief said as he prepared to use his dagger. “Then, I will cause you to perish.”

Click here for the Table of Contents 

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[Read BOOK 2: Chapters 1 and 2 here.] 

[Read BOOK 2: Chapters 3 and 4 here.] 

[Read BOOK 2: Chapters 5 and 6 here.] 


[Read BOOK 2: Chapter 7 and 8 here.]


[Read BOOK 2: Chapters 9 and 10 here.]

[Read BOOK 2: Chapters 11 and 12 here.]

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[Read BOOK 1: The Quest for Heaven: Chapters 1 and 2 here.] 

{Read -- PDF File: Pilgrim’s Journey: Faith Challenged. BOOK 2.}

{Read a PDF version of BOOK 1 here.}