It was nearly daybreak when the rain finally stopped and the clouds floated away, taking with them the uneasiness of the night before. The stars started to shine again and the fireflies began to twinkle again. Soon the clouds uncovered the moon and his shadow once again became his only companion through the verity field.
In the calmness after the storm Nathan heard Nuncio’s familiar voice. “What have we been up to this evening?”
“Well I have been up to a rainy, muddy, and otherwise terrifying evening. And you?” he asked in mock sincerity.
“Terrifying?” Nuncio asked with great interest.
“Ya terrifying. Some woman tried to trick me into her house and when it didn’t work, I was chased by these monsters.”
“You didn’t leave the field, did you?”
“Well ya. I didn’t know that I couldn’t leave the field. I was just looking for shelter from the rain and some food.”
“Why? Were you cold and wet?
“Well, no.”
“Were you hungry?”
“No. But I didn’t realize that I wasn’t cold till I got to the forest and I didn’t realize I wasn’t hungry until I smelled the biscuits.”
“So why did you go.” Nuncio asked feeling the verity and looking into the glittery sky.
“Habit maybe or instinct told me that I needed to get out of the rain. I don’t know.” Nathan replied hesitantly.
“The enemy knows just what will spark your attention and how to get you off the path. Be mindful of those that would lead you astray.”
“She seemed like a pleasant woman though, I didn’t think she…”
“It’s not always easy to see ones intent through their disguises. Although the enemy will try to pull you off this path, he cannot touch the field of verity. However, if you have noticed, the Forest of Bane comes closer to the path on each side, the further you travel. Also the forest is always just behind you at all times.”
“I don’t understand how the forest can move with me like that.” Nathan said
“In this place, things are not always as they appear. You have walked for many miles but because there is doubt and uncertainty in your heart you have allowed the forest to stay close to you in case you feel that have made a mistake in your choice of paths to travel on. Your doubt may remain allowing the forest to remain or you will find confidence in your choice and the forest will fade into the distance.
When you first made the choice to go this way, you were full of determination and the field was wide and vast. Now it has become familiar and your determination has been replaced by routine, you have been walking this way so you will keep walking this way, rather than being focused on the destination.”
“Well Everett said that what I wanted most was this direction. I haven’t seen anything and the end is nowhere in sight.”
“Nathan, listen very closely, you can’t see the destination from the outside. It is hidden from those who would try to attack it and from those that don’t believe in it. You wouldn’t know you are there until you walked right into it. However, if you believe in it, the forest will fade completely and it will be revealed.
“I’m still on the path, isn’t that enough to prove I believe?”
“No, hoping that it is there is not the same as believing it is there. If you believe completely, you have faith, if you have faith in something you give you heart to it completely. That is what you did with Kathleen.”
“The issue that you ran into is that you gave your heart to Kathleen and had little left for anyone else. Kathleen gave her heart to the Father and he magnified it so she could give it to you and her children and her friends.”
Nuncio placed his hand on Nathans chest. “Your mind will direct your body to the place that your heart already is. That is faith. Your heart is always looking for home. Since you gave your heart to Kathleen and she has moved on, it is without a home now. If it doesn’t find a new home, it will always be searching and the enemy will keep trying to tempt it and capture you.”
“What will happen if he captures me?”
“It is very difficult to escape because the longer you are held captive, the less you want to escape. Eventually you are released and you help trap others for the enemy’s army.”
“Ok, I think that’s enough for now. I’ll keep walking and maybe I’ll find a way to believe. But for right now all I can do is walk that way.” He said pointing down the path.
He continued down the path as the sun rose over the forest behind him. The warmth felt good and he could feel the fabric beginning to dry. A few birds flew across the field and the critters that ran for cover last night were out and about in the field.
As he came over another hill, he saw a young deer sipping from a river. The river ran through the field and directly across the path. It came out of the forest on his right and into the forest on his left. He couldn’t believe it. His clothes were nearly dry and now he’d have to swim across a fifty foot wide river with no idea how deep it was or if the current would drag him into the forest.
He looked up and yelled, “Are you kidding me?”
The young deer jumped and took off running to the edge of the forest.
“I’m sorry little fella.” He said as he watched the deer run into the forest and stop.
The deer waited for a moment then nibbled on a shrub. His little head popped up to see if Nathan had followed him. When he saw that he hadn’t, the deer walked toward the river where to Nathan's surprise, there was a bridge that crossed the river. Sure it was in the forest, but only a few feet.
He could get near it and if there wasn’t anything there, he’d run across and back into the field. He quietly sneaked through the verity and halted by the edge of the forest. He scanned the trees and gaged his distance to the bridge. It was a little deeper than he first estimated but still close enough that he felt confident that he could make it with ease.
He walked slowly into the forest, taking great care to watch where he stepped. He didn’t want any twigs breaking, alerting anyone know he was there. About fifty feet to the bridge and all was quiet. He crept along scanning the forest and the ground. He made it to the bridge, a wooden plank bridge with a tree limb hand rail. He stepped softly feeling the boards twist and move slightly, creaking softly. When he reached the center of the bridge he stopped to admire the bright green trees, the small waterfalls and moss covered rocks. It was quite beautiful.
As he stood there admiring the scene, beautiful young woman, appeared beside him. “Can you help me please, kind sir.”
Nathan spun around and gasped. “Where’d you come from.” He asked as he took a small step backward.
“My sister has fallen and she cannot walk, and we are trying to leave this retched place. Please help us.” She begged.
Her beautiful face and golden eyes were hard to resist. Her delicate hands reached for his. He longed to help this divinely exquisite young woman and reached for her as she too stepped backward. By her third step backwards Nathan slid his foot forward toward the girl. He was inches from touching her pale tiny hand as he continued to follow her. Her flowing green and blue gown flowed around her like ripples in a lake.
Nathan ached to just touch her finger and he lost focus on anything but this feminine creature. He slid his foot once more catching it on an uneven board on the bridge. He stumbled forward and his finger touched hers. There was a shock and a burning then nothing, his hand and arm went limp and the trance was broken. He turned and ran the way he had come but there was a hideous beast at the end of the bridge. It let out an ear shattering roar, arching it’s back and then charging at Nathan. He turned and saw another at the other end of the bridge where the girl had been. It also let out a roar that shook the trees.
The beasts ran toward him on their thick hairy legs and gruesomely mangled and filthy feet. They had faces like cattle with huge horns and fangs at least six inches long. They had the body of a giant men and arms to match the
ir hands were more like the paws of a tiger. They had a leathery spine that trailed down their backs to a thick, long hard lizard-like tail.
Nathan didn’t hesitate; he jumped over the railing and into the river which carried him into the field. He swam to the path on the far side of where he had been and pulled himself up on land.
It was this view from near the river that revealed to him a line of rocks crossing the river that would have made a fine way across.
Nathan sat on the path laughing at his stupidity and wet clothes. Then he knelt by the river and took a long drink of the clear, cool water before continuing on his expedition.
Once again he let the warm sunlight dry his clothes and hair. And once again he felt foolish for not finding a way to stay on the path. That was the second time he had nearly been attacked by those beasts. He didn’t want there to be a third.