A crowd of wagons traversed through the desert landscape as Seth and his trusted friends sat at the back, their horses carrying them all while gazing at the distant scenery around them. Dry heat blew through the air, and the hot sun overhead made it feel as though they were being baked in an oven.
Sand and dust billowed around them in gusts, briefly blowing into their clothes and irritating their skin. As the heat and thirst of traveling took their toll, their moods soured along with the weather, becoming increasingly impatient. The longer they travel, the more frustrated and weary they grow; their tempers begin to flare in ways that only make things worse.
But the Son of God and his brother, Genno Shinsho, were as calm as the wind themselves; their presence soothed any tension between them, while their carefree attitude was a welcome relief from the stresses of everyday life. Their laid-back attitudes helped keep things from becoming too hostile while also giving them some space when needed.
To Genno, his role was not one that required him to lead or manage others. He was a simple monk who taught others to accept the hardships they are forced to endure while also detaching themselves from desires to keep away from distractions in seeking enlightenment. In order to reach Nirvana, one must first understand the limitations they place on themselves.
As for Seth, he viewed himself more as a good shepherd, guiding others through their problems, listening to their worries, and offering advice and support where possible, all in hopes of helping them find their way in the name of the mighty one.
"How long until we reach civilization?" Solomon asked desperately, getting sick and tired of seeing nothing but sand and rocks as far as his eyes could see; his temper worsened because of this dreadful trip alone, not to mention they had to endure this crappy weather.
Bruno intervened. "The shortest route we are taking is only ten kilometers away from where we are," he told the boy, who was getting rather restless in his spot, wanting nothing more than to arrive already, "based on my estimation, less than two hours depending on the condition of our mounts," looking back at Solomon as he spoke.
Hearing that made him sigh in despair: "Great, just fucking great! We are likely going to die of thirst!" Solomon complained while glaring at Seth, "Why did we have to travel this far anyway?!" He said while pointing a finger towards him, "Don't we have magic teleportation or whatever to speed up the process?!" He yelled, demanding to know the answer to his questions.
Seth chuckled at this sight, confusing his allies with the unexpected gesture, "Friends, have you not forgotten?" He said in an amused tone while turning his attention to the boy himself, "Trust in me, and everything will be fine." As the holy man reassured the others, they looked at one another with unsure expressions before eventually nodding with reluctance on their part.
But Solomon wasn't convinced, crossing his arms together in protest. "Sure, yeah, whatever," he said in an annoyed manner, turning his face away from the holy man's view. While the others began to relax, he decided to take the initiative and express his thoughts.
"Still, this is boring," he groaned, shifting slightly in discomfort due to how uncomfortable the wagon ride is. "Why does it have to be this long?" He questioned while looking at Genno for answers, hoping the boy could get some good answers.
Genno, however, shook his head in dismay. "Patience child, it is necessary to bear these trials," he told while returning to close his eyes in meditation. This annoyed the young boy further, as he knew the monk would not respond anymore after that.
Silence was deafening to their ears, with nothing to distract them except for the occasional gust of hot, dry winds that whipped up the sand and dust in the air to the point that everyone had gotten used to it, not complaining about the current situation since they're focused on reaching their destination instead of dwelling on trivialities like boredom or irritation.
Solomon clicked his tongue and leaned back into the hard wooden seat that dug into his back while he rested his head on its edge, watching clouds pass by in the sky above him. He took in the warmth that radiated off the wood underneath his palms and spread through his whole body, enjoying the feeling despite the rough texture of it digging into him.
With nothing else to do, he supposes it is better to start a conversation about the topic of today because he himself is rather curious about finding the person responsible for their betrayal. It is better to start earlier than later, or they will not be able to locate the betrayer that soon. "Hey, Bruno..." The boy called out, waiting until his older ally responded to his call.
"Yes?" Bruno responded quickly, keeping his eyes forward while observing their surroundings in case danger arrived. "Is there something you want from me?" He inquired with concern written on his face, turning to the youth, whose eyes were filled with uncertainty.
The boy averted his gaze in thought before answering, "I wanna know how we'll be able to identify the person whose plan is to betray Seth," he said, his voice filled with skepticism at the whole thing that is happening right now.
Immediately, the poet began to sweat profusely from the amount of heat surrounding them. "It is too soon of you to ask such things," Bruno replied, wiping off beads of perspiration from his forehead with a handkerchief before looking at Solomon again. "Who do you think it might be if I may ask?" He asked curiously, hoping that they wouldn't end up wasting their time with someone insignificant.
Uncomfortable, Solomon scratched his neck sheepishly, "It's Mathias, duh! Didn't Seth tell us it was him already?" Answering in a nonchalant tone, almost like it was obvious all along that traitorous priest who acted all mighty and judgemental toward his father figure.
Hearing their conversation, Seth decisively chose to take part in this curious conversation. "Do not assume it was him; merely, I only predicted who would turn their back on me in the future," he answered calmly, letting the youngster learn for himself that judging people hastily will blind them to seeing the truth.
Clenching his fists, the young lad wanted to disagree with this but knew the man was right all along: "You! Ugh, fine." defeated and exhausted, Solomon surrendered while shaking his head. "What makes you sure it isn't that prick?!" He snapped with irritation, not understanding why Seth still trusted people after one of them turned their backs on him in the first place.
A smile then graced his lips. "The Lord gave us the ability to choose our own destinies; there is no need to discern who has pure or impure intentions; I am certain that friend or foe will always exist in every aspect of our lives," Seth revealed, surprising everyone except the meditating monk who was currently occupied at the moment.
Solomon looked down at his own feet, contemplating what he had learned from Seth. Was it wrong of him to be so negative all the time? To always judge people without ever giving them second chances? Maybe not. However, how can we always be sure when he is always questioning and doubting their motives? How can he be so confident in trusting everyone when they might betray him later on?
He doesn't have the answers to those questions; he is his only child and has lost many people in his life, including his precious mother. It is wiser to listen to the holy man, who has seen what humanity can do, before acting on impulse.
While thinking of the lecture Seth just gave, the poet began to notice a large canyon in the distance. The area itself appeared to be lifeless and barren, devoid of any plants or animals. The rocky walls towered above the desert floor, their jagged edges glistening in the sun's rays that poured down on them. Atop the cliffs stood strange ruins that resembled pyramids, with a mixture of giant towers sticking out at different angles.
"It seems like we found ourselves a shortcut!"
Bruno cried out while pointing toward a narrow gap between the two opposing cliff sides that lay in front of them. Good sign indeed, considering the last thing anyone wanted right now was to get there faster than possible. In spite of this, Solomon groaned, resting his face within his hands as he let out a sigh of irritation.
However, at least everyone is going to be out of this scorching, suffocating sun in this infernal climate they are in. If not, they're not going to last that long before perishing under the harsh rays. "So how long now until we reach there?" He asked Bruno, hoping it wouldn't take too long as they were starting to suffer from extreme thirst.
Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he turned to the boy with a smile and said, "One hour, but if we are lucky, around thirty minutes." The answer is pleasing for him despite the fact that the desert temperature has decreased in such vast amounts due to the fact that the sun is no longer directly above their heads, casting its unbearable heat upon them.
Because of the towering cliffs shielding most of the sun's rays, the sand that was once blistering hot is now cool and soft beneath their feet. The refreshing breeze felt wonderful as it brushed across their flushed cheeks, relieving them of any remaining traces of the intense heat that was previously present moments ago.
A good sign indeed, for it means the worst of their journey has passed. Causing Seth to smile at seeing their relieved faces, "God has granted us aid in this vast, desolate land; so let us thank him for his generosity," he encouraged with cheerful expression, causing Genno and Bruno to nod in agreement, although Solomon rolled his eyes at this.
"God this, God that," Solomon muttered with annoyance as he shook his head in disbelief. How many times has he heard this same phrase come from their mouths since they set off? There are too many to count, if he's honest. However, the holy man didn't seem bothered by his childish behavior. "Why don't people just get to the point? Stop beating around the bush or whatever you call it?!" He exclaimed while gesturing wildly with his arms in emphasis.
Seth looked at him with sadness. "Religion has always been with us since the day mankind invented writing and likely before so." His expression became somber as he reflected on all those who came before them. "It is the source of hope and strength, as well as a source of fear and hatred that drives us to explore new worlds and expand our knowledge in searching for the truth," he explained, closing his eyes as he reminisced about his fellow brothers and sisters who took up the cross under the Lord's banner.
The boy doesn't know what else to say, as he himself isn't accustomed to or comfortable with philosophical talks about reality around them. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, we should probably focus on finding the one who'll betray you since we don't want to waste our time in—"
"Therefore, I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life—what you will eat or drink—nor yet for your body—what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" The holy man interrupted his companion, smiling brightly as he gazed into the youth's soul through their shared eye contact. "See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?"
His three companions stared at him, curious faces mixed with uncertainty, while Seth's gentle demeanor became stern. "Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t toil, nor do they spin, yet I tell you that even Jedidiah, in all his glory, was not dressed like one of these," he explained softly, his voice laced with warmth that comforted those around him.
No one dared speak for the next few seconds. Each person absorbed the holy man's words as if they were being drawn in by magic, absorbing them like sponges while mulling over what was said: "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?" Seth continued with a reassuring smile, which eased their worries about being betrayed.
"Therefore, don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Silence returned once again as the trio continued to reflect on Seth's wisdom, each person lost in their own thoughts as they considered what was said. The only sounds that broke through the silence were those of hooves hitting dirt and sand while the wagons creaked with every bump in the road.
"Therefore, don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient."
