The Kingdom

"You know I could kill you, right?" Urtholan asked.

"Aren't you my guardian? Or was that a lie?" I stormed back in reply.

The cloaked individual I wrestled with on the ground freed an elbow and smashed it viciously back into my side. Grunting with the pain of the blow I changed my hold and body slammed Urtholan into a stone slab. It seemed to have no effect on him.

This was crazy, to be wrestling with one of El Elyon's Malachim! But Kuri had once told me a story of such an occurrence happening so I knew it was possible to achieve a favorable result out of this night.

Urtholan's head smashed back into me and I saw stars in the darkness. I almost let go, but one fist remained gripped fast in Urtholan's cloak. It was all I could do to manage to hold on as punches and kicks of a much greater power than my own rained down upon me with deadening impact.

I managed to jerk him forward against me with my grasp on his cloak and I punched him as hard as I could. Having said that, it was hard to manage any kind of an attack as every one of my ribs felt broken.

He broke off from hitting me and my incoming swing met with empty air before then slamming into a rock. I felt the bones in my hand snap and I cried out in agony. I fell backward and the desire to let go and nurse my busted up hand was a palpable emotion to be warred against.

I was drug forward across the ground for a distance of several feet, the pain of which was excruciating, as I jostled over the rough terrain of rocks beneath me. I was on the verge of blacking out when Urtholan finally stopped dragging me.

"Let go Benaiah."

"No," I gritted out into the dust.

"Why?"

"Because I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"But I choose not to!"

There was silence for a moment.

"What is it that you want to know?"

"How do I defeat the Gargons?"

"I don't think that is a question that needs asked."

My mind fuzzy with pain I asked in confusion, "What?"

"The question, Benaiah, is what won't be held back from you now?"

"I don't understand."

"Things are different now, because of your insistence on receiving the promises of El Elyon. To those who ask of El Elyon, even shall they receive their desire of Him."

"Receive what?"

There was no answer and suddenly I gripped hold of nothing. I lay there in the dirt, completely spent, and for a moment I was at a loss as to what, if anything, I had achieved out of this fight.