The Onslaught

Here I stand under serious attack. Against my countless enemies, I've struggled for as long as I can remember. At first, it seemed to be impossible. No matter how many of the enemy I overpowered there were always more to take their places. These enemies were fierce and took advantage of my every weakness. If I became weary or distracted, they would wait for my guard to waver and then attack in full force. If I became thirsty or felt the pangs of hunger encroaching, I would be tempted by the sound of nearby water or the scent of delicious food. I would follow the sound or hunt for the source of the smell and find myself in the middle of an ambush. My enemies would swarm me, beating me and scarring me. This was my plight: to forever battle and to continually fail. I despaired and lost all hope. I began to give up the fight and allow my horrible enemies to overcome me.

Then everything changed. I gained an ally, a friend, a comrade in arms. No matter what I may have titled him, he was one thing above all else, my salvation. To watch him fight was an amazing thing. The sheer power he used led me to believe he was in the prime of his life, but the skill and wisdom with which he fought surpassed the knowledge and wisdom of the oldest and wisest men I knew. It seemed that no matter how numerous or how skillful the enemy was, he always showed himself to be stronger and wiser. The flow of battle turned completely. I no longer found myself beaten and defeated at every turn. If I became weary, I could rest and he would defend me fearlessly. When I needed food or drink, he always knew the best places to find them. I would have gladly defended him while he rested, but he never seemed to need rest. My attitude took on a completely new face. I no longer found myself despairing. I lived in hope and joy. I knew what it felt like to have victory over my enemies. However, over the years things began to change. I got comfortable and even bored with the struggle. I found myself falling for my enemies' tricks once again. Even though my ally would warn me not to fall for the trap, I would walk right into it and find myself once again defeated. This happened for quite some time and with increasing frequency.

Then one day I realized that I didn't have to fall for these stupid traps. I came face to face with my stupidity. I was leaving the company of my truest friend and the safety of his protection. When I believed the deceit of my enemies I allowed them to rule over me. That day everything became different. I still fell for a trick here or there, but I was never really defeated. I would cry out for help and it would appear. From that day out, I had a new understanding of victory. It didn't mean that the enemies stopped coming or that I won every battle. Victory meant that every time I lost a battle, I picked myself up and plunged into the next one. In the end when my friend and I have won more battles than we've lost and he takes me to his kingdom where the enemy has no presence, I will truly know victory.