The Chosen: the Age of Corbin Tyler the Undying

Chapter 14

I opened my eyes and saw sand. I felt heat on my back, as well as an immense pain.

I writhed - or tried to - in pain. But there was an immense weight holding me down and still. 

I heard footsteps and the sound of something being dragged through the sand. 

"You got stuck again," the Lord told me. 

"I'm sorry."

"I appreciate and accept your apology." He reached down and pulled the weight off my back and whatever had been causing the pain in my back.

I struggled to my feet.

"You cannot walk the path that I've laid out before you if you do not place your faith in Me."

"I have placed my faith in You!"

"You must have complete faith in Me, and the fact that you cannot do this on your own."

I sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't live up to what You had planned for me. But I've died now," I looked away into the desert dunes, warped and wavering due to the heat in the air. "Haven't I?"

He started moving again. "Yes." He motioned for me to follow.

"Is it my punishment for being unfaithful to wander these dunes for the rest of eternity?" I asked walking slightly behind Him.

"Walk with Me," He instructed. "Not behind Me. This is your path to walk, I am here to guide you down it, as I have been here many times before."

"So, I'm not being punished?"

"Your punishment was the death that met you," He told me. "The death that is now behind you. But I have more in store for you, if you walk with Me."

"How much more?"

"If you walk with Me, never again will you need to learn, only adapt. You will be given liberties in accordance to your faithfulness. Granted control over more, granted more skill. However, eventually, you will reach the mortal limit, and will be unable to survive any more power. But if you should need it, it will be available to you at the cost of something from you. Too much excess will kill you. And I will not bring you back."

"I understand." 

"Then, if you want to walk this path, you will need to walk in faith. So I ask you to hold out your hand, take this cross, take everything off of it, and stand where I am and walk."

I hesitated but did then do as He said. I held out my hand and He laid the cross in it. I pulled all of the hooks out and threw them into the sand. Then I slung the cross over my shoulder and moved toward Him. 

I expected Him to move, but He did not, I simply stepped into His form, and then I started moving. Moving with this heavy thing on my back. Something I wouldn't have had the strength to carry without Him.

"Thank you, Jesus," I said.

"You are most welcome, my child."

-

I opened my eyes to see that blood had stopped flowing from my wound. 

I reached up shakily and grabbed the spear.

Diana was taken aback. "Still alive?"

I gripped the spear and pulled it out, gasping for air as little droplets of blood fell from her weapon. 

I felt the hole in my chest closing. 

"I really need to stop letting this happen," I muttered.

I reached down and picked up my sword.