The Kingdom

I had far more sentries posted than even wartime would require. I even had kill teams patrolling out in the moonlit landscape. If I could keep the hounds on the move instead of letting them form into larger packs, my hope was that they would be unable to mount a massed attack and pass beyond the sentry lines and claim the innocent lives of children.

What I did now by walking out into the dunes alone was foolish by even my own standards, but I felt driven to do it. I stared at the forest in the distance off to the East.

We had been camped here in this low depression in the Wastelands for two days twiddling our thumbs. My scouts told me that Ephanum was on the verge of collapsing against the fast-moving forces that had been trailing us. It was as if all had been overcome by darkness in but the matter of a few hours.

The enemy would be here soon. Troubling also was the fact that Ayaya was several days late and my scouts had reported no signs of a party of Yesathurim coming up from the south to join with us. I was at a crossroads once more as to what to do.

"El Elyon help me," I whispered out into the chill desert air.

The figure of a man began to grow closer to me, coming across the sands of the Wastelands from the East. Somehow I knew who it was and my feet took flight as I ran with all my strength toward the oncoming man, who had likewise broken into a run towards me.

I know Kuri would've embraced me as his brother, but I threw myself at his feet instead, "My Lord! My Lord!"" I said over and over as I was completely overcome with emotion.

Kuri pulled me to my feet and embraced me tightly to him as one greatly loved, "My friend! My faithful friend! How I have longed for your company again Benaiah!"

Kuri pulled back to regard me and I saw the truth of all things to be seen within his eyes like never before. He had come back as foretold by the Holy Scrolls!

Kuri shook his head, "This is a dream Benaiah. Even now you lie beside your wife in a deep sleep."

"I don't understand," I said, at a loss as to how what I was experiencing was not reality.

"The prophecies have not yet been fulfilled. The people are not yet one. I need you to finish your witness of faith in this life. Gather my wayward sheep into the fold and then come to me."