"Pick Up Your Sword"

 She looked up as the sky went dim, the sun itself seemed as if it was blotted out of the heavens, as the light flickered. Her eyes darted across the battlefield, seeking to find an end to this war. She didn’t dare join the fight for it was not a battle of flesh and blood but even so the screams that erupted through the air pierced her ears.

“I want to go home,” she whispered. 

Although inaudible to the human ear the girl that stood on the edge of the battle hoped her plea would reach the ears of the One who’d brought her here in the first place. Yet no one answered as she backed further from the clash of the swords. She trained her eyes on a warrior in the middle of the fight. His sword seemed to be made of light itself as he swung it over his head. His mighty wings dragged on the ground and his golden armor glinted off the light from his sword. His sword sliced through the air and met with the figures of darkness that attacked from every side. With a screech the faceless creatures dissolved into nothingness, not even leaving a shadow behind. The girl that hid on the outskirts of the battles was not dressed for war, she did not resemble the warriors of light that filled the chaos, yet she was nothing like the dark creatures that clawed their way toward her. She tried to run yet she was surrounded. She wanted to hide yet how can one hide on a barren battlefield? And more than anything she wanted to cry out to the King himself, have Him rush in on his mighty steed, and take her far away from this place. Her eyes widened in terror and she opened her mouth to scream as the creatures of darkness grabbed hold of her. Their icy grasp chilled her to her very soul. Before a sound could escape her lips the wings of the warrior landed before her, and with one swing of his sword the darkness scattered. He turned to the girl, his eyes danced with fury as he grasped tighter to his weapon’s hilt.

“How long must you wait to answer the call of your King?” he asked, his voice deep as he spoke.

The girl shook her head, “It is not a battle I was made to fight.”

“Tell me, Daughter of Eve, who are you to decide whether or not you were made for the King’s purposes?”

The girl did not answer the warrior but remained silent, knowing there was no way she could justify herself.

“I’m not strong enough or brave enough or–”

The warrior cut off her excuse, “Yet the King himself commissioned you for this fight. Does a good king send his warriors into battle unequipped? No, he has given you all you need, all that's left is for you to join the fight.”

The girl hung her head, ashamed that she wasn’t all that she needed to be. “I can’t,” she whispered.

The warrior's chest swelled as he turned toward the battle, his eyes aflame, “Look.”

The girl lifted her head to the chaos before her. Good battling evil. Light against the darkness. And in the middle of it all a clump of creatures that resembled the girl but stood cloaked in darkness. Chained by the very choices they’ve made.

“This battle is much bigger than you or I. We fight against Sheol itself, breaking the hold it has on those around you. Did you not think that when you were placed in darkness you were meant to shine light, the light of the King? You are where you’re at for this very reason.”

The figures of darkness had reassembled and were charging toward the warrior and the girl.

“Pick up your sword,” the warrior commanded, “It’s time for you to join the fight.”

As the darkness closed in, the girl looked down. At her feet lay a masterfully crafted sword. Forged from the metals of heaven itself. Rubies were inlaid into the hilt and on the blade were markings in the heavenly tongue. A language the girl could not understand yet, but soon would be able to speak fluently. Her appearance was transformed from one not fit to fight to a warrior of the King, clad in a suit of armor. The armor was solid gold yet did not weigh her down. As she lifted her sword high into the air she charged forward. Her sword clashed with that of the enemy shaking the battlefield. She had joined the fight but the battle had only just begun.