I nodded, appreciating the honesty of all of them. "Okay, you five over here," I said, motioning off to my right.
The five moved to my right as assigned by me and I addressed all of them again by asking, "Now which of all of you thinks we have a chance of overcoming the enemy today? Those of you who feel that's possible I want you to move into a group over here on my left."
I waited patiently, but none of the young men moved. I nodded after a moment and said, "There is both a unifying factor apparent in all of you and a division. You all believe defeat is certain and yet only five of you believe you're destined for life after this brief existence we share is over. There's a big problem here. What do you think it is?"
One man in the larger group asked by way of answering, "That we're not all ready to die?"
"That is a problem, but not the main one. Anyone else?"
Silence dragged out for a moment, then one of the scouts I had harangued harshly for his ineptitude on the job spoke up hesitantly, "That we're not confident that El Elyon's power is greater than the evil before us."
"That's it! That's the problem. While continued life isn't guaranteed to any of us, eternity is guaranteed to those of us who have chosen to believe as the Holy Scrolls have taught, but all that aside, what happens now is how we are defined in our mortal existences on this planet. None of us possesses any special ability to overcome forces greater than our own strength. Five of you are ready to die, but none of you are ready to live in a spirit of power and the freedom that comes with it! No one wants to die and yet the only faith you are all exhibiting is that you will die if we take one step further. We are deep in enemy territory far darker than I believe any of us have ever experienced. Who here wants to approach this situation outside of a spirit of fear?"
Instantly all of them raised their hands plus one. My gaze shifted to Susori who had timidly lifted her hand as well.
"All right, come here everyone."
They all drew close to me. I stooped down and picked up a rock and asked, "Who made this?"
"El Elyon," several of them said.
I nodded. Then I drew my sword free and held it up to the sky and asked, "The metals used to forge this blade, who put them in the hills and deep places of Ayenathurim to be found and made thus into this creation of man?"