The Kingdom

The staggered line of Tricans let loose with a bellow that shook the dunes and bounded forward, horns lowered toward the fast approaching enemy line. It was a glorious charge.

I had never been a part of anything so unified of faith as this charge into battle and I reveled in it. My wife and children were safe and I was going to do my part this day to keep them so.

Unbelievably the Tricans, at the last moments before the clash of opposing armies, outdistanced the horses and were the first to smash into the enemy line. My big female swung to the right to gore a giant, only to toss him to the side in the next moment, as she churned on over the bodies of the enemy before her. I followed her into the fray of war and the greatest battle of our time began.

*****

Susori looked off to the West as she had all day, her lips moving in silent prayer. The sun hung low in the sky soon to fade from the world, only things began to suddenly get brighter. But the brightness came from the East and not the West.

In astonishment, all turned to the forest to behold a rider on a flaming mount appear overtop the trees. Instantly the faith of all was confirmed as the voice of One who needed no introduction said, "Come up to Me, you who have been faithful to believe, for even so your belief has been attributed to you as righteousness."

All had fallen to their knees at the voice, but now as one they hurried eagerly forward toward the light. Light pierced through the gloom of early evening as it radiated out from the Rider, who had dismounted and was beckoning all upward to Him.

A miraculous thing occurred then. All the leaves of the trees of the forest let go their hold and swirled in a myriad of color to form a shimmering pathway leading upward to where the source of all light waited patiently for all to come to Him.

As people mounted up the pathway into the sky, another wonder took place. The trees of the forest uprooted and floated upward. Even as they floated upward their masses twisted together to form boats of intricate design that was beyond any craftsman's ability who had ever walked upon Ayenathurim.

As people made it to the One, they filed past Him to the newly made ships that lay in readiness beyond, as they began to embark on their final journey to Shamayim.

*****

Ayaya looked on in awe as their convoy streamed into the encampment that was fast emptying of people. In sudden trepidation of spirit she made it to the pathway leading upward and began to climb.