The Sword and the Word: Two Boys, One Story, Endless Lessons

By Ben Patterson

When two farm boys, Billy Carter and Hank Reynolds, stumble upon The Sword and the Word, an old book gifted to Billy by his dad, they find themselves drawn into the tale of a lone warrior’s journey of faith, strength, and self-discovery. As they follow the hero’s struggles against impossible odds, the boys begin to see how the lessons of the story reflect their own lives. Inspired by the warrior’s grit and guided by the wisdom of those around them, Billy and Hank confront their own challenges—bullies, self-doubt, and the question of what it means to earn respect. This is a story of growth, responsibility, and faith that weaves fiction and reality into an unforgettable tapestry of courage and conviction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781300804109

Book preview

The Sword and the Word is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The Story:

When two farm boys, Billy Carter and Hank Reynolds, stumble upon The Sword and the Word, an old book gifted to Billy by his dad, they find themselves drawn into the tale of a lone warrior’s journey of faith, strength, and self-discovery. As they follow the hero’s struggles against impossible odds, the boys begin to see how the lessons of the story reflect their own lives. Inspired by the warrior’s grit and guided by the wisdom of those around them, Billy and Hank confront their own challenges—bullies, self-doubt, and the question of what it means to earn respect. This is a story of growth, responsibility, and faith that weaves fiction and reality into an unforgettable tapestry of courage and conviction.

The battle had drained me. My breaths came in sharp, ragged gulps as I knelt on the rocky ground, my sword tip pressing into the earth to support my weight. The taste of iron filled my mouth, and sweat poured into my eyes, blurring the stark figure of the woman who stood before me, untouched and unbroken.

Her white armor gleamed in the fading sunlight, every buckle, every curve as pristine as when the fight began. Not a scuff marred her boots, not a scratch adorned the gauntlets that had parried blow after blow with impossible speed. Her blonde hair flowed like a cascade of molten gold, undiminished by the fury of our duel. I was spent, muscles trembling, lungs burning—and she stood there, statuesque, as if the past hour had been nothing more than a casual exercise.

My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword, though I hadn’t the strength to lift it. All I could do was watch her through half-lidded eyes as she turned away, her violet-lined cape billowing gently in the breeze. Without a glance at me, she stepped to the edge of the cliff, the village below us sprawling out in the evening’s haze.

Her movements were unhurried, deliberate, as if the battle hadn’t been a life-or-death struggle but a prelude to… something else. The air between us felt heavy, charged with unspoken intent. Yet she didn’t turn back, didn’t speak, didn’t strike the final blow. She simply stood there, her gaze fixed on the world below, her silence more commanding than any word she could have uttered.

I struggled to steady my breathing, the pounding of my heart deafening in my ears. She had beaten me—utterly, unquestionably. And yet she left me there, alive and broken, to wrestle with the why.

Billy sat cross-legged on the barn floor, the thick book propped open on his knees. The summer sun spilled in through the wide barn door, lighting up the dust motes floating lazily in the air. His best friend Hank sprawled nearby on a bale of hay, idly chewing on a blade of straw.

Alright, Billy said, squinting at the page, so the hero’s fighting the warrior lady, right? She’s all in white leather and crazy fast. He’s givin’ it his best, but she’s got him beat. He’s down on one knee, gaspin’ for breath, and—

So she slices him up into itty bitty pieces, Hank interrupted, waving an imaginary sword. Die, succah!

Billy rolled his eyes and slammed the book shut. Okay. Let’s go with that.

Hey, I was kidding! Hank sat up, spitting out the straw. What happens next? Read more!

Billy sighed dramatically but flipped the book open again. Alright, alright. Don’t get your overalls in a twist.

When she turned back to me, her face betrayed nothing—no triumph, no pity, no malice. Just calm, as though the clash of steel between us had been a passing breeze. She regarded me for a moment, her violet-lined cape swaying with the wind, then spoke, her voice as steady as a blade drawn from its sheath.

Wait here.

Before I could muster a reply, she was gone, her white boots carrying her down the trail toward the village below. For a time, I simply stayed where