Chapter Eight

*I apologize for not appearing on this beautiful (and happily staying open, thank you James!) website for somewhere around four months….alas! I think I have failed as a monthly writer….anyway, here is the next chapter*

We were separated by the width of the opening to the courtyard. We drew our gazes to each other for a moment, and I whispered:

A New Chapter of Life

Thank you for your kindness

Thank you for your compassion

Thank you for your hugs when I needed one

Thank you for your trust in me

Thank you for scolding me

Thank you for comending me

Thank you for your good

Thank you for your ugly

Thank you for your cheer

Thank you for believing in me

most of all

Thanks for the lessons

When I grow up

I want to be just like you

But I am grown

But still feel like I haven't grown up yet

            Ntraex stopped in the middle of the forest in a glade surrounded by thick bushes. “Set them down in the bushes and perform death checks,” he ordered.

                The other soldiers disposed of the bodies in the bushes and drew out their spears. Each of them stabbed the bodies three times.

                Damon twitched briefly before being still.

                “Stab him one more time,” Ntraex told one soldier.

                The soldier obeyed, and Damon did not move again.

{Lately martyrdom has been on my mind. Stay tuned on my blog to find out why. But then I caught a stomach bug and was quite miserable. The next day I listened to a sermon by Eric Ludy called "Extraordinary Courage" ... which really stepped on my toes. My thoughts, Mr. Ludy's, and some of Richard Baxter's are included in this prayer}

‘Tis so easy to romanticize
The notion of martyrdom.
The longing inside with the prayer
"Thy kingdom come.”

‘Tis so noble to want to die
For His glorious name,
Yet when the pain comes

"You mean Karoy's going to die?" Danid demanded. "How would you know?"

"Does that happen every time too?" Rynere said, running to catch up.

"Good and the bad, darling," Tass said without looking back.

"How do you know when it happens? Why?"

"Leave the 'why' to someone a bit more long-lived than me."

"But how do you know when it will happen? You said it was earlier this time -how do you know you're not -"

    Termination Demon General Praetor Kharan turned to the soldier Demon behind him. “What do you want?” he asked, the words ripping out in a harsh, alienist voice.

The soldier flinched slightly. “The Supreme Aoran requests your presence in the Main Room, Master.”

                “What for?”

                “I know not, Master.”

                Kharan rolled his red, unblinking eyes. “You are dismissed, soldier.”

                The messenger gratefully scurried off.

You stick your head out the window,
While it rains,
Even though its the beinging of winter,
You do it all the same.
The cold wet wind hits you,
Like an icy grip,
And all about you, you hear drip, drip.
You look out at the forest,
Right outside your window view,
Then you look at the plastic pond,
With the floating shoe.
The rain falls steadily,
You too, are being soaked,
And you hear the music so lovely,
That gives your heart a poke, poke.

Chapter 6

Such is life

Lampsted jumped off his steed and led Arrow to a log that was on the ground inside the clearing, that they had chosen to hunker down in.

Yelismen helped Lampsted pitch the tents and scout out the area. While Malva set to work unloading things, like pots and pans and cooking supplies, and of course their food.

"Phorknere!" Malva cursed angrily, "I forgot cooking tongs!" Lampsted and Yelismen gasped. Malva looked questioningly at them, "What!"

"You ... You.....Y-"