"I thought you said earlier that following you could lead to my death?" I asked in consternation.
"This is true, but it changes nothing of what I have said."
"I'm confused," I exclaimed out loud.
"That's because you lack understanding, but cheer up Benaiah, with experience comes faith."
"Faith in what?" I asked blankly.
"Faith in whatever El Elyon has purposed for you to do in life."
"I still don't understand."
"And yet you will. It's as simple as that and yet for some it is too much."
I shook my head, "It's as if you speak in riddles."
"Tell me Benaiah, what is it that you are wanting of me to say?"
I debated on it and decided it all boiled down to one thing, "Can I trust you?"
"Yes, Benaiah. I never go back on my word. Does that satisfy you or do you need to know something more?"
I shook my head, "If I can trust you then I guess the rest of what I don't know doesn't matter."
His hand reached out to pat my back warmly, even as his words rolled out authoritatively, "And thus faith is built."
That seemed to be indicative enough of how far we'd both come in such a short time together.
"How do you end a spiritual war?" I asked curiously.
"Through prayer and the right application of strength."
"I'm not much for prayer," I admitted.
"And yet a man can change if he wishes."
"I'm only fifteen."
"And yet I say you are a man now. It's for you to choose, be the man or be the child in need of milk to sustain itself."
I fell silent.
We walked on and I drank some more water from the skin of water that was draped over my shoulder. There was one thing I knew. I certainly didn't want to be a child in need of milk. It was time to become a man. A man with a new name and a peculiar sounding purpose.
*****
I missed my horse. It really hadn't been mine, but for a while at least it had been in my possession. I really didn't have anything that was really mine.
"You have your soul, which is of great value Benaiah."
I glanced to the side at my benefactor as I gestured angrily to my head, "What's up with this reading my thoughts all the time? Don't you have something better to do?"
Kuri glanced around the still desert scape that we were wandering through before his gaze finally came to rest on me, "It would seem that I don't."
I shook my head disgustedly and looked away. Well, at least he was honest.