Chronicles of Logos Quest For the Kingdom Parts IV, V, VI, and VII Revised With Index (Quest For the Kingdom Set) Read online

  She took them deep into the woods behind the village, even to the places where the Eirini were warned not to go. At first, Maelys had been nervous, and glanced around her as if expecting to see some unspeakable horror pop out at her. But Kyrene merely laughed off her fear.

  “You must be strong and courageous,” she told the young woman. “For greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world. Remember that: you have received of the Spirit of Dominio, and there is no power that can stand against Him. But you must be pure of heart, or you will not be able to stand before your foe. I do not say that he will defeat you; he may, or he may not. But your own heart will quake in fear and you shall run and not stand your ground.

  “And never forget that it is the Astra who are behind their enmity with you, as they inspire them to hate you, wrong you, and cheat you at every turn. But Dominio has already judged the Astra, and they are diminished in their power.

  “The Tuadan, as your people call them, are nothing more than the Astra whom Dominio banished to earth. Even in your own legends their power is diminished as they dwell in the hills that men trod underfoot, and in the trees that men chop down. It is true that you can not fight them in your own strength, but it is the Spirit in you that will give you the victory if battle is engaged.

  “Remember to examine yourself; be sure you are in right relationship with Dominio Himself. Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. Do not return evil for evil. Be kind and forgive, praying for those who war against you, for remember it is not flesh and blood that is your true enemy. They are only inspired to hate you by the Astra, who are your true enemy.

  “And let me share with you what my mentor taught my friends and me: you will never defeat the kingdom of darkness unless you conquer the chambers of your own heart.”

  “The very structure on which the Valeriun Empire was built had crumbled, and a new kingdom was rising in its midst. But not Dominio’s Kingdom of Heaven: no, the Emperor was taking the name of Dominio in vain and implementing a terrifying abuse of power that would bring death to untold thousands, all in the name of God.”

  In Valerium the Emperor Iacomus implements a terrifying regime that destroys the foundations of the Empire, and places himself in the place of God.

  Marcus Maximus is forced to hide from the wrath of the enemy, with help coming from a most unlikely source, and his children face difficult choices that will decide not only their destinies, but the survival of the Kingdom.

  Dag Adalbart is forced to wait on the Emperor as his personal miracle man, while in Eirinia his children are left to confront the rising forces of evil around them as the countryside falls deeper under the spell of wickedness.

  Quest For the Kingdom Part VII A New Kingdom Rises concludes the saga of Marcus Maximus and Dag Adalbart, and the tale of Logos, the fabulous Sword which must never be used in violence.

  Quest for the Kingdom Part IV A Stranger Among Us

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  The Stranger

  Chapter II

  Marcus

  Chapter III

  Trouble in Valerium

  Chapter IV

  A Royal Decree

  Chapter V

  Melisande

  Chapter VI

  Brenus Takes A Bride

  Chapter VII

  Forebodings

  Chapter VIII

  School In Solone

  Chapter IX

  A Romance Renewed

  Chapter X

  The Arrival of Felicia

  Chapter XI

  Lucius

  Chapter XII

  Retreat To Lycenium

  Chapter XIII

  A Most Unlikely Friendship

  Chapter XIV

  An Old Enmity Revisited

  Chapter XV

  Two Brothers

  Chapter XVI

  The Vortex

  Chapter XVII

  The Path

  Chapter XVIII

  An Unexpected Reunion

  Chapter XIX

  Forever Yours

  Chapter XX

  The Seer

  Chapter XXI

  Felicia Seeks Her Fate

  Chapter XXII

  The Return

  Chapter XXIII

  A Secret Revealed

  Chapter XXIV

  The Confrontation

  Chapter XXV

  Marcus and Decimus

  Chapter XXVI

  Lucius and Antonius

  Chapter XXVII

  The Rebellion

  Chapter XXVIII

  Flight From Solone

  Chapter XXIX

  The Cove

  Chapter XXX

  The Enchantment

  Chapter XXXI

  Rumblings of Discontent

  Chapter XXXII

  Spring Festival

  Chapter XXXIII

  The Mound

  Chapter XXXIV

  Distressing Tidings

  Chapter XXXV

  An Alarming Loss

  Quest for the Kingdom Part V Rise of the Time of Evil

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  A Confession Most Awful

  Chapter II

  A Terrible Revelation

  Chapter III

  A Mystery Most Baffling

  Chapter IV

  The Widow

  Chapter V

  The Tuadan

  Chapter VI

  The Return Home

  Chapter VII

  An Unexpected Encounter

  Chapter VIII

  A Love So Right

  Chapter IX

  Danger In the Forest

  Chapter X

  Encounter In Golida

  Chapter XI

  Greetings In Eirinia

  Chapter XII

  Strange Tidings

  Chapter XIII

  A Bitterness Remembered

  Chapter XIV

  The Rulers of the Wild Places

  Chapter XV

  The Secret of Melisande

  Chapter XVI

  The Plot

  Chapter XVII

  Dilemma In Golida

  Chapter XVIII

  Lucerna

  Chapter XIX

  Trouble In Eirinia

  Chapter XX

  Unexpected News

  Chapter XXI

  Journey Through Valerium

  Chapter XXII

  Land of Eternal Bliss

  Chapter XXIII

  A Peril Forgotten

  Chapter XXIV

  A Man of Importance

  Chapter XXV

  News In Lycenium

  Chapter XXVI

  A Ghost From the Past

  Chapter XXVII

  An Alarming Mystery

  Chapter XXVIII

  Antonius

  Chapter XXIX

  The Marriage

  Chapter XXX

  A Journey Together

  Chapter XXXI

  The Wise Woman

  Chapter XXXII

  Maiden, Mother, Crone

  Chapter XXXIII

  Reunion In Lucerna

  Chapter XXXIV

  Tidings of Woe

  Chapter XXXV

  The Fate of Logos

  Quest for the Kingdom Part VI The Sorceress and the Seer

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  Distressing Revelations

  Chapter II

  Valerium

  Chapter III

  A Destination Unknown

  Chapter IV

  A Secret Gift

  Chapter V

  Family Matters

  Chapter VI

  An Astounding Discovery

  Chapter VII

  A Kindness Returned

  Chapter VIII

  The Land of Healing

  Chapter IX

  An Expedited Destination

  Chapter X

  A Visit With Old Friends

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  A Desperate Decision

  Chapter XII

  An Identity Revealed

  Chapter XIII

  A Proposition

  Chapter XIV

  Tidings Too Terrible To Tell

  Chapter XV

  Where Three Roads Meet

  Chapter XVI

  The Emperor

  Chapter XVII

  A Haunted Journey

  Chapter XVIII

  A Blessed Voyage

  Chapter XIX

  Of Mystics and Diviners

  Chapter XX

  The Advent of Maelys

  Chapter XXI

  Revelation of A Sudden Horror

  Chapter XXII

  The Prisoner

  Chapter XXIII

  A Child Is Born

  Chapter XXIV

  The Sorceress

  Chapter XXV

  The Alexandrians

  Chapter XXVI

  The Pledge

  Chapter XXVII

  Of Bowls and Bewitching

  Chapter XXVIII

  Dirk Takes A Stand

  Chapter XXIX

  Disclosure

  Chapter XXX

  Justus

  Chapter XXXI

  An Unexpected Reprieve

  Chapter XXXII

  A Stunning Transformation

  Chapter XXXIII

  Torn In Two

  Chapter XXXIV

  A Father and Son

  Chapter XXXV

  A Miraculous Rising

  Quest for the Kingdom Part VII A New Kingdom Rises

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  A New Kingdom Arises

  Chapter II

  A Surprise In Lycenium

  Chapter III

  A Menace Brooding

  Chapter IV

  A Reprimand and A Revelation

  Chapter V

  An Evil Day

  Chapter VI

  Time To Forget

  Chapter VII

  A Difficult Choice

  Chapter VIII

  The Letters

  Chapter IX

  The Night Creatures

  Chapter X

  The Edict of Iacomus

  Chapter XI

  The Miracle Man

  Chapter XII

  Into the Caves

  Chapter XIII

  A New Beginning

  Chapter XIV

  A Miraculous Escape

  Chapter XV

  The Departure of Cort

  Chapter XVI

  A Colony Revisited

  Chapter XVII

  Training Young Warriors

  Chapter XVIII

  The Amulet

  Chapter XIX

  A Small Joy

  Chapter XX

  The Curse of the Wise Woman

  Chapter XXI

  Nolwenn Awakes

  Chapter XXII

  The Emperor’s Conclusion

  Chapter XXIII

  Cort Arrives In Darian

  Chapter XXIV

  The Prophecy

  Chapter XXV

  Haunted Dreams

  Chapter XXVI

  Shadows

  Chapter XXVII

  A Family Reunion

  Chapter XXVIII

  Summer Festival

  Chapter XXIX

  A Choice

  Chapter XXX

  No Easy Road

  Chapter XXXI

  In the Eyes of the Law

  Chapter XXXII

  Marcus Returns To Valerium

  Chapter XXXIII

  Dag’s Family

  Chapter XXXIV

  The Emperor and the Word

  Chapter XXXV

  Logos Lives On

  Quest For the Kingdom

  Part IV

  A Stranger Among Us

  by L. M. Roth

  Text Copyright © 2013 L. M. Roth

  All Rights Reserved

  Preface

  Urbanus looked him directly in the eye and Marcus felt a small quiver of apprehension.

  “Yes, you have told me this already, and although I can not quite grasp such a concept myself, I have allowed you full freedom. But how is that you have never told me of your allegiance to another kingdom? You pledge your allegiance to a kingdom other than Valerium? How is that?”

  Marcus swallowed hard. This was going to be worse than he thought.

  “Our allegiance is to spreading Dominio’s Kingdom of Heaven on Earth as we share it with others. It is a set of laws that deal with our hearts, and we submit them to Him and declare Him the Lord of our lives.”

  Marcus hoped that would satisfy Urbanus, but the Emperor now looked at him with the unblinking gaze of someone who is determined to bore a hole in his soul.

  “Yet you declare allegiance to this “kingdom”? Even a greater allegiance than to the Empire of Valerium?”

  Marcus’ mouth went so dry that he found speech difficult. His heart now pounded so loudly that he was surprised that Urbanus did not hear it and remark on it.

  “Yes, Your Grace: my allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven is even greater than my allegiance to the Valeriun Empire,” he finally managed to speak through lips that felt like rubber and the sound of his voice distant to his own ears.

  Urbanus looked at him with eyes wide in disbelief. For a very long moment he looked at Marcus as if seeing him for the first time. Then he slowly shook his head.

  “And what of your allegiance to your Emperor, eh? What about your allegiance to your old friend, he who restored your estates to you after they had been taken by my cousin Aurora? Does that mean nothing to you?”

  Marcus could have wept, as he felt torn between his faith and his friend. Yet he gave to Urbanus the only answer possible to him.

  “Believe me when I tell you how grateful I am for your favor, and how thankful for your friendship. It is something I treasure dearly. Yet the Kingdom of Heaven is not an earthly rival for power to Valerium. It is a state of heart that submits to the rule of Dominio and obeys His holy laws and surrenders the desires of the flesh to His Spirit. It is not a kingdom that you need fear, my gracious lord and old friend.”

  Marcus hoped that would suffice, but even as he finished speaking he saw in the eyes of Urbanus what his response would be.

  Urbanus paused a moment as though reluctant to proceed, then exhaled slowly.

  “My good Marcus,” he began, “in view of our long friendship and the regard I hold you and your family in, I wish I could leave this matter alone. But I have been informed that your entire sect believes this, and that they pledge themselves to a power that they hold to be superior to the Valeriun Empire. Is this true?”

  Marcus was usually poised and in control of his emotions, but the accusation caught him off guard and he found himself sputtering for the right words to appease his friend.

  “Well, yes, in a way they do,” he finally managed to speak. “That is they, and I, vow to serve Dominio, the One true God, and pledge our lives in service to Him.”

  “Ah ha!” Urbanus pounced on the words. “Then they do pledge allegiance to a greater power than the Valeriun Empire! That, Marcus, is treasonous, and will not be tolerated. I have allowed you to meet openly, but no more. You will cease such seditious talk or find yourselves in disfavor with the Empire. And its ruler!”

  And with an imperial flick of his hand he dismissed his old friend from his presence.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  The Stranger

  Chapter II

  Marcus

  Chapter III

  Trouble in Valerium

  Chapter IV

  A Royal Decree

  Chapter V

  Melisande

  Chapter VI

  Brenus Takes A Bride

  Chapter VII

  Forebodings

  Chapter VIII

  School In Solone

  Chapter IX

  A Romance Renewed
/>   Chapter X

  The Arrival of Felicia

  Chapter XI

  Lucius

  Chapter XII

  Retreat To Lycenium

  Chapter XIII

  A Most Unlikely Friendship

  Chapter XIV

  An Old Enmity Revisited

  Chapter XV

  Two Brothers

  Chapter XVI

  The Vortex

  Chapter XVII

  The Path

  Chapter XVIII

  An Unexpected Reunion

  Chapter XIX

  Forever Yours

  Chapter XX

  The Seer

  Chapter XXI

  Felicia Seeks Her Fate

  Chapter XXII

  The Return

  Chapter XXIII

  A Secret Revealed

  Chapter XXIV

  The Confrontation

  Chapter XXV

  Marcus and Decimus

  Chapter XXVI

  Lucius and Antonius

  Chapter XXVII

  The Rebellion

  Chapter XXVIII

  Flight From Solone

  Chapter XXIX

  The Cove

  Chapter XXX

  The Enchantment

  Chapter XXXI

  Rumblings of Discontent

  Chapter XXXII

  Spring Festival

  Chapter XXXIII

  The Mound

  Chapter XXXIV

  Distressing Tidings

  Chapter XXXV

  An Alarming Loss

  Chapter I

  The Stranger

  The May evening was warm with inviting breezes that wafted through the garden of the Maximus estate. Birds called out to one another as if rejoicing at the loveliness of the spring weather. Their song seemed to express the jubilation of the people now spilling into the garden.

  The Alexandrians of the city of Potentus were assembling for their weekly meeting. It was Tullia who suggested they meet outdoors on this night to celebrate the glory of creation as revealed in the return of fragrant flowers and birdsong trilling through the mild air.

  As they greeted one another exuberantly and gathered together, Marcus noted a change in the air current. The gentle breeze was gaining momentum and quickly evolved from a refreshing whisper that cooled one’s cheeks to a hearty gust that lifted the fallen petals of the first azaleas of the season and sent them spiraling upward, where they remained suspended briefly before falling back to earth. His friends greeted the shower of petals with delighted cries, and laughed with the joy of children who have witnessed a new marvel.