THE REALM

Chapter Sixteen

  I sighed inwardly. My bask in the glow of a great victory was over and I was once again humbled. Why did the circumstances of my life have to move along so fast?

  Why couldn't things proceed at a bit of a slower rate than they did?

  Glancing at Kuri I felt a moment of guilt. It wasn't right to question his teaching methods and I was sorry for my thoughts. I trusted Kuri and yet why couldn't there just be a moment of rest now and then?

  "Benaiah?"

  I glanced up, knowing that he already knew what I had been thinking. He spoke softly, "Come down to the ground." As Kuri spoke the bull he rode inclined its horned head lower and Kuri gracefully stepped down onto the desert sand.

  I slid inelegantly down the side of my ride to tumble into the sand. Apparently I was as mentally tired as I felt physically in order to have misjudged how dismounting in such a fashion could've been a good idea.

  Kuri helped me up as the two Tricans moved off. The big female stayed abreast of the bull, who was the herd sire. Her actions this day had just vaulted her, at an early age in the life of a Trican, into the dominant role of alpha female of the herd.

  I was glad for her. It was nice to see her rewarded in some way for her gallantry today.

  My eyes drifted to Kuri standing beside me. I'd reached my full height now and I could stare him right in the eye. There was a wealth of unsurpassed knowledge tempered with the warmth of a friend in the way that he looked at me. He made me feel special in a way that needed no words to express.

  He spoke and I listened carefully, "Reward is coming Benaiah. But first, there is a war of the spirit to contend with that has spilled over into the lives of men. There are few willing to take up the sword and fight. I tell you now, Benaiah, that in the courts of Shamayim you are already known for your willingness to do what is right."

  "One day you shall have great reward, but first comes the war of this life, for that is the will of El Elyon. The covenant enacted of old shall be completed and the separation of those who believe in that new covenant from life eternal will be abolished. The time is short, Benaiah. While there is yet time we labor. I know what I ask entails sacrifice, but it is the life of a servant of the Most High that you and I have embarked upon."

  Quite honestly I said, "When you put it all like that Kuri it doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice."

  "Oh it can and it will be a sacrifice, Benaiah. The road we travel can cost us everything and yet we gain everything that there is of value to be had, which are not things of this world."

  I shook my head and asked a question that I had always wanted to, "Just who are you Kuri?"

  He simply smiled and slapped me on the shoulder and said, "Your teacher, your fellow servant and your friend. Now, I do believe that our rides are here."

  Not understanding, I turned to look back out into the wastelands only to see two horses coming toward us, dragging their reins. I glanced quickly to Kuri. This wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. How he had so much foreknowledge about everything I did not know, only that El Elyon must reveal it to him somehow.

  As the horses came closer I couldn't but help notice that they weren't quite my picture of how I had envisioned my first ride into greater civilization. One was an older looking gelding and the other was a mare.

  "The mare will be your mount. I'll ride the other."

  My face wrinkled a little in disdain and Kuri noticed, "What is it Benaiah?"

  I hesitated, but then spoke, "I just sort of imagined myself riding something a little more lively and bold like a stallion."

  "You didn't object to riding a female steed earlier today."

  "That was different and you know it!"

  Kuri chuckled and gripped my shoulder, "The time of war horses is coming, but for now you are working on, among other things, the art of diplomacy. I think you will find that we will attract far less notice in the places we are headed by riding mounts such as these than steeds of war."

  I turned from the horses to Kuri, "Is there anything you don't already know?"

  Kuri spoke slowly, "I know all that is given to me to know." He mounted the gelding and I turned to my mare. He hadn't really answered the question, but that didn't really matter now. A new adventure was beginning.