The man stared up at the palace, gleaming with the purest of whites, the sun lighting it up so that it looked surreal. It towered over him in a way that made it look powerful and fierce, yet safe and welcoming at the same time. It was so close but the he was unable to get across the cliff onto the pathway.

After a nine day journey he had hit a dead end. There was only one other way to the castle, but that was a dangerous, narrow path that he had avoided, and the man didn’t have enough supplies to turn around and head down that road. He stood there for a moment, considering whether to call out for help, when a large figure swooped out of the sky and headed towards him.

Seconds later, a beautiful bird almost his height stood in front of him. It had shiny black feathers tinted a deep royal purple and intense violet eyes that studied him with a fierce expression. “Traveler, why do you stand here with no purpose? Has not your king commanded you to come?” It asked with a sharp, female voice that sounded almost like the faint tinkling of bells.

“I come here because the king requested all able men in the nearby lands to serve his army, but, as you can see, I’m not able to get across this fallen bridge.” He said, trying not look look into her intimidating eyes. She regarded him haughtily. “Then why do you linger here pointlessly instead of turning around?”

The man wasn’t sure what to say. “Er, well, I was hoping you could help me get across,” he said sheepishly. The bird clacked her beak impatiently. “I am not your private ferry, nor a bird of service. Do not ask me to fix your own mistakes.” The man nodded apologetically. “Then how must I enter the castle?”

“Turn back, fool, for those who enter the kingdom of heaven do not take the wide easy path to destruction, but risk the hard narrow path to eternity with their king. The king only needs brave knights who are willing to suffer and work hard for him.” The bird said, ruffling her dark feathers.

And the man turned back disappointed, knowing he had failed his duty and would not be able to enter the kingdom. He had scarcely any supplies and dangers lurked in the long journey ahead of him. If only he had chosen the narrow path.