Read Online Kingdom's Dawn by Chuck Black - Free Book Online Page A

people and tell them to flee to the hills and hide until this passes.”
    â€œListen here, boy!” the prefect said. “I govern these people, and nobody tells me what to do! I have no reason to believe anything you have said. And as far as the King is concerned, if He even exists, we run things our way.”
    By now the square was full. Leinad knew that the prefect would not listen, so he risked offending him further by addressing the people directly.
    â€œPeople of Mankin!” Leinad shouted to reach the entire crowd with his words.
    â€œSeize him!” the prefect shouted to his aids.
    Leinad knew he had but one chance. “This morning my father was murdered by the Dark Knight!”
    The approaching men and the crowd fell silent and still. It gave Leinad the opportunity he needed. However, the message he delivered was hard to speak, and the emotions began to swell within him as he thought of his father.
    â€œThe Dark Knight is a myth!” a man shouted from the crowd.
    â€œNo!” Leinad said. “I have seen him with my own eyes! He is very real and every bit as vicious as the stories portray. Though he is evil and powerful, even he was preparing to leave this land because of the devastation that is about to occur. Your lives and your children’s lives are at stake! You must flee to the hills if you want to live. The Vactor Deluge is coming and will devour every living thing in its path, including you. It may be approaching the city even as we speak. You must believe me!”
    The silence that followed Leinad’s urgent warning slowly became a low rumble of indistinguishable voices.
    The prefect stepped forward. “People, people! Have I ever allowed this community to be harmed in the past? No, of course not.” He quickly answered his own question. “How many of you have ever heard of such a thing as these Vactor creatures?” He paused and scanned the crowd. “That’s whatI thought. Well, neither have I. This morning we awoke and began celebrating a wedding. Tonight we will continue that celebration on into tomorrow. This boy is trying to frighten you into leaving Mankin and all of your belongings behind. How do we know he is not part of a band of thieves that will rob you once you’ve left? Do not worry. Life will continue as it always has.”
    Leinad felt the people slipping into apathetic disbelief. “If you do not leave the town now, you will die! This warning is from the King Himself.” Leinad felt as if he were trying to warn a sleeping drunk of an approaching flash flood.
    â€œHow do we know it’s from the King?” shouted another man from the crowd.
    â€œYes!” exclaimed another. “Give us proof, and we will believe you.”
    Leinad hung his head, closed his eyes, and clenched his jaw in frustration. How could he possibly prove that he was a messenger of the King?
    The crowd began to murmur again. He heard sporadic ridiculing laughter, and he felt like a fool. He began to question himself.
    Maybe this
is
all a big hoax after all
, he thought.
I haven’t seen the King either
. Leinad opened his eyes and saw the gallant sword within its scabbard at his side.
    â€œI will give you a sign that what I am telling you is indeed from the King,” he said boldly.
    He withdrew the magnificent sword and held it high above his head, showing all the people the insignia of the king in the pommel. The crowd hushed again to silence and stared in awe at the beautiful sword.
    â€œThis proves nothing!” the prefect shouted. “We all have seen swords as splendid as this one even among the thieves that raid us. Be gone from us, boy, and take your pretty little sword with you!”
    Some of the crowd began to jeer at Leinad. Soon the entire mass of people had turned their backs on Leinad and the warning he carried. The sword slowly descended and came to rest limply at Leinad’s side.
    â€œGet out of my town,