text: [Themes: edutainment]
  
  You slowly open your eyes.
  
  You are lying on the ground in complete darkness.
  
  Feeling gradually returns to your aching body. You stir your fingers, then your toes, and your arms, then your legs. After a few moments, you roll over onto your side. You groggily steady yourself up to your feet, and look around.
  
  You are cold and alone. In the distance, you can make out a faint, flickering light.
  
  > stay where you are.
  The chill of the darkness is unrelenting and oppressive. The cold is unbearable. You walk toward the light.
  
  > walk to the light.
  After walking for a while, you lose count of how many steps you have taken. Your surroundings seem to be getting brighter, but it is impossible to tell for sure from one step to the next. You still cannot fathom what the light might be.
  
  Out of the corner of your eye, you see what appears to be an old man walk out of the darkness. The figure walks up to you, and stops.
  
  He stands ominously before you. "Do not go any further, young man. The way is perilous and filled with dangers. You will be safe, as long as you do not walk any farther toward the light. It entices, but you must remain here," the old man says.
  
  "Where am I?" you ask him.
  
  "You are in a test. A test of your will, against temptation. You must resist the urge to walk closer to the light. There are dangers on the way even your nightmares cannot conceive of."
  
  "How do you know all of this?" you ask.
  
  He deeply sighs, exhaling a long, regretful breath. "I was once in the test, like you are now. But I did not listen to them. I did not heed their advice. That is why I am now...."
  
  The man's image slowly fades and disappears, as if he were an apparition. The ghost vanishes, and you are alone, once again.[Themes: fan fiction, biblical, romance]
  
  Some say fields of flowers during a red sunset are the most beautiful sight to behold, but they are wrong. I say it is the battlefield with men on either side being in perfect silence. Yes, there are those who yell, but in moments like this, we all are hushed.
  
  I turn to Achish. He stands by my side with a face like a stone. Forwards he glares at the walls of the enemy. Bir Kale is the only step before victory and glory.
  
  "What do the other commanders say?" I ask Achish.
  He doesn't turn his head when he replies, "Sir, they are in disagreement. Neither can decide whether we should lay siege or attack them now. They agreed to follow your word."
  "What do you think?"
  "I agree with the others."
  
  I stare at the walls. They are not too high, but the gate is thick. Long since my family launched our campaign, I hear whispers of this fortress. Too many raiders or armies of days' old have squandered their forces upon it like waves on a cliff.
  
  But, I yearn for the feel of battle, and for it to be done so that I may set it safe. Sitting idle will do me no good. We could storm the walls with any manner of strategy, yet my men would fall. How much glory would I give if I make only conquered lands and coffins? Though, how much glory would I bring if I sat with my army a year to starve out the bravest of my worthy foes?
  
  "Don't tell the men to expect war tomorrow. I need to think more," I say, "We have come too far to squander the gods' favor. I will retire to my tent."
  
  Achish nods and leaves to relay the orders. I walk to my tent and lay my sword down. She whispers her unquenchable thirst into my ears, but I cannot let her sway me.
  
  I law down and close my eyes. Maybe a rested mind could find the solution to my problem. My mind wanders.
  
  "My lord," says a voice. It is one of my guards. "The priest Mahlon is here."
  "Come in," I say.
  The priest and his flowing robe enters. He asks, "May I offer you my opinion?"
  "Surely," I say to Mahlon, "Though you are older than my father's father, your wisdom is more potent than a young man's fury. I will never rebuke brethren who've traveled through all with me."
  "Attack." His gaze holds no sign of humor.
  "Excuse me?"
  "Attack, slay them all. Savas wishes for you to lead your attack in three days. Then, he will grant you a worthy victory."
  I stand and nod saying, "I will take your words to heart. Thank you for revealing Savas' desire."
  "My pleasure, my lord," says Mahlon. He nods and leaves.
  
  I lay out two maps on the floor. One if of the city and the other is of the land. My chariots and horses will be of little use. That is certain. I also won't have enough time now to build the proper tools. Well, we could build a battering ram. All I truly know is that Savas is smiling on me. The Warrior God always favors me, and now he has given me his wisdom.
  
  "My lord," says Achish, "A messenger from our Lord the King approaches." I exit the tent and see my most trusted friend with a rare expression on his face. He shows worry.
  "Let us speak to the man to see what my father has to say," I reply.
  
  > The Messenger
  We walk hurriedly to the edge of our encampment. There, a man bearing the Great King's emblem dismounts his horse. He wears bright clothing and his boots are clean, so he stands out easily from my men.
  
  I say to the messenger, "What is it that my father has to say?
  Does he not know we are about to overtake Bir Kale and thus the Insanlar?"
  The young man clears his throat and lets out in a booming voice, "The Great King himself has given his final order to the Prince Darius. The Great King will give his throne upon his soon death from fever if Prince Darius takes and presents his wife to the Great King himself. If upon inspection the Great King finds the wife of the Prince to be unsatisfactory, then the Prince will lose his inheritance. If the Great King finds the wife of the Prince to be satisfactory, then the Prince will inherit the kingdom."
  "My father is dying? My soul is greatly troubled."
  "Um," says the young man, "Yes, the Great King might be dead already. When I left, the Great King coughed up more blood than any mortal man has, or that's what I heard from the good doctor." His composer is fading.
  "Damnation," I mutter under my breath, I say for others to hear, "I have neither wives nor concubines."
  "I have noticed that, my lord. But, could you please spare the life of your humble servant? I wish no ill will upon you or your house."
  "No ill will is given," I reply, "I do not sleigh those who bear heavy words."
  
  The man nods and mounts his horse. He spurs the animal and rides away quickly. Dust and sand fly in the air behind him. I look to the sky and see the sun beating down upon me without mercy. I silently curse Savas and my father.
  
  I say to Achish, "Let us enter my tent, so we may discuss this." After we enter, I lament and tear my clothes in anguish.
  I continue with, "I cannot defy the wishes of my father without being declared a heretic, yet I cannot let my men be left without their leader. Savas wishes for me to lead them in three days time, but our Lord the King must have me near immediately."
  And Achish answer me saying, "This is your burden, my lord, that you must make this decision. I am merely your subordinate."
  "Speak freely," I say.
  
  "Your father is possessed by a demon, or he wishes to keep your from your throne."
  "Yes, I find your words to be true. Words of his slow death are sweet to my ears, but his final order pains me greatly. You have ascended from the rank of slave by my hand, for your whit and understanding are blessed by the gods. Please, what advice do you have to give?"
  "You cannot defy our so-called great king and keep the throne. Thus, you must either present a wife to the king or flee. If you flee, then I will kill you and reap the rewards. Oh noble Darius, you are wise, yet you are a fool. You sink your blade into the flesh of men. Now, your father wishes for you to have a wife to qualm your desire. Would it not be better if you had taken one as I had said?"
  "Why?" I lament, "Oh, the battlefield is without the bickering of gods and the desires of old fools. Only Savas has his sway, but now my father wishes for me to leave. I will lose favor in Savas' eyes and my men will be abandoned."
  But Achish notes, "You will lay down your sword to pick up the scepter. My lord, you have done great works for your army already. The men wish to return to their wives and households, but they wish to return after they have completed their duty to you. You have a duty to continue your line so that the throne may continue.
  "Achish," I reply, "Your words are like those of a thousand priests to my ears. Perhaps Bigelik Herself has imparted divine wisdom upon my soul through your words, yet I now know what I should do. I only wish that Savas would allow for me to attack now. Then, my problems would have been out of my mind."