Chapter 17
Seth didn't say a word to anyone as they made their way up the winding road that led out of the village. He road in the back of the group while Strat led from the front, for some reason he wanted to be as far away as he could from Master Bannot. They traveled for most of the day past small evergreen orchards and fields of grain. It was a pleasant day with a slight breeze and only minimal clouds to shroud the area in shades of gray. It made the whole region seem like it was just alive with contentment.
It wasn't until a little after noon that they slowed to a halt for a short rest and to water the horses. But before Seth knew it they were back in the saddle and riding at a brisk pace. This gave Seth plenty of time to think about what all was going in his head and to sort out his feeling at finding out he was immortal.
It was hard for Seth to imagine never aging and only being vulnerable to wounds and sickness but it was now his life and no matter how long he lived he'd make it a worthy one. He could understand that what God had given him couldn't be squandered in immobility so he decided that after his work was done he would focus on helping others up the path of faith. Although he wasn't all that sure that he had all that much faith himself.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Isbis asked suddenly. Seth started slightly he hadn't even realized that she had dropped back to speak to him. And he didn't even feel the up and down motion of the horse anymore. That was how use to riding he had become.
"I suppose you know about me being like Master Strat, and Master Jack?" he asked looking over to where she rode next to him on his right.
"Well yeah Strat told us shortly before we left Hartshire. He said to give you some time to figure out how you felt."
"Yeah well I'm not too worried anymore about being immortal it's these other powers that I'm worried about. Based on what Strat did it seems like I'll hold an immense amount of power."
"Yeah you will, so what's the problem?"
"Well I'm not sure that I'm ready for that kind of responsibility," Seth sighed. Isbis took a deep breath then looked at him.
The sun was setting in the west and the sky was lit up in all kinds of soft reds, oranges, and violets.
But most of all it gave Isbis's fiery red hair a glow of sorts, that made her all the more captivating. Seth dry swallowed as he tried his hardest to hide the obvious blush that was probably forming on his face. It was obvious that Seth had failed to hide it when a smile spread across her face and she raised her chin at him a little. Then she seemed to realize she was going to tell him something.
"Seth listen, God wouldn't give you anything you can't handle. I mean he made you after all, he knows what you can handle, more than anyone." Seth realized that Isbis was trying to pull him out of his thought and back into the world and although he wasn't done sifting through his problems he put on a smile.
"Thanks, Isbis I really needed that."
"Anytime, Seth." She urged her palomino horse forward and retook her place in the line. They rode for about another hour and then Strat halted then on a hilltop with a clear view of its' surroundings. Strat paused as he examined the area to make sure it was safe. Seth also took his cue from Strat and scanned the area behind and around them at the rear. Seth scanned every part around him. They were mostly in a hilly plain that was dotted by small group of trees and rocky outcrops but there was no movement to speak of. Nothing but what the wind moved itself. Seth turned around to see Strat watching him waiting for his analysis.
"All clear behind," Seth told him. Strat nodded and then dismounted, motioning for the rest of them to do the same.
"Alright everyone, get the camp set up let's move quickly before night is completely on us." Everyone scattered to take care of his or her assigned duty. Since they didn't want any complications when it came to who did what when setting up camp, Strat, and Jack had set up a list of duties for everyone. Seth's job was to procure fresh water from nearby streams and to get wood if necessary. Seth turned and handed the reins of his horse to Mike, who was in charge of caring for the horses.
"Thanks," Seth told him.
"Don't mention it," Mike replied in a tired but cheerful tone. "After all it is the job I was assigned to do, and I have to pull my own weight as well." Seth just nodded his thanks and turned to head down the hill to a little stream that ran parallel to the hill and then made a giant S shaped curve before disappearing around the side of another smaller hill to the south of them.
Seth stopped remembering that he needed to grab the water bucket and turned around. But when he did he saw Strat standing there behind him with a fierce look on his face.
"Hey Seth, would you come with me for a moment?" Strat asked his voice firm but gentle. Seth tried to think of what Strat could want from him but in the end, he guessed it had something to do with why Strat had put on his little demonstration in Hartshire. So Seth just nodded and followed Strat as he walked down the hill toward the stream.
"Oh I forgot the bucket," Seth said suddenly remembering. He turned to head back up again but Strat stopped him with a touch on the shoulder.
"Don't bother. You should know that everyone has been just making the water bucket out of light and then giving it to you," He said as light flashed between his hand and in just a few moments later he held a medium sized iron bucket.
"Oh, well nice of them to tell me," Seth said not even bothered by the revelation that his comrades had been pranking him.
"Yeah, well they were testing you to find out when you'd figure it out and make it yourself." Seth didn't respond to that, because honestly, he should've thought of that.
"But I thought we weren't supposed to rely on our powers too much because it is an affront to our Lord Christ who gave them to us?" Strat shook his head and smiled like he was talking to a kid. The thing is, compared to Strat's age Seth was just a kid. So, it was no wonder that he sometimes treated people so.
"Well, yeah we aren't allowed to do stuff like make ourselves rich or popular. Our powers are meant to help others not ourselves. But something like making a bucket so you can gather water is not a problem not unless you started making them out of solid gold and selling them." Strat chuckled good naturedly, then turned serious. "Seth I'm sure you know why I wanted to talk to you right?" Seth didn't say anything because he didn't want to be wrong and to look even more dumb then he already did. "It's time we started training you to use the other power you possess. And we should start as soon as possible because we have no idea what could happen on this mission and you made need to use the power of the Elements." Again Seth didn't answer he just imagined a bucket in his mind and in a flash of light he was holding one. He reached down and started carefully putting water in the bucket. But suddenly the stream stopped flowing into the bucket it actually to Seth's amazement started flowing backward.
Seth looked back up at Strat who sat there with his arms crossed in irritation staring down at Seth. "I don't appreciate being ignored," Strat hissed at him.
" Yeah? Well, I wasn't trying to ignore you, I simply don't know how I feel about all of this." Strat shook his head.
"Then, how about you try it out and then you can see how you feel afterwards." It didn't look as if he was going to let Seth go without trying it, so Seth just stood up and faced him trying to not show how worried he really was.
"Okay what do I do first?" He asked resigning himself to a lot of training.
"Well first you must know the three states and principals of the element you wish to work with. Second, you must be have enough faith to use it." Strat paused and waited to see if he'd lost Seth. Seth nodded to let him know that he was fine, but then he spoke up to ask a question.
"I keep hearing that we have to have a lot of faith to do certain things, but what do you mean by that?" Seth watched as Strat looked around on the ground until he spotted a small brown stone by the water's edge. He bent over and picked it up handing it to Seth. Seth reached out and took it feeling it's smooth surface.
"Now I want you to imagine in your mind that stone breaking, and I want you to hold that picture in your head with your eyes closed." Seth didn't understand how this pertained to his question, but he did as he was asked anyway. He closed his eyes and imagined the little stone breaking right down the middle. He thought of the details of the break and held it in his mind as long as he could. There was an audible crack and Seth opened his eyes to see the stone had broken right along the line that he had imagined in his mind. Strat didn't speak he simply took the rock, enclosed it with both his hands and then when he handed the rock back to Seth it was whole once more.
"Now try it a second time, same thing." Seth didn't hesitate he did as he was told and once again he heard the sound of the rock breaking. Once again Strat took the rock from him but this time he didn't give it back he just looked at Seth with a smirk. "Now the first time I had you break the rock you were hesitant, and it took longer than it should've for you to actually break it. The second time I asked you to do it you didn't hesitate, and it took you only a moment to complete the task. Why do you suppose that is?" Seth was confused as to what he was getting at, but he tried to answer the question anyways.
"Well, it was because I had already done it once, so I knew it..."
"It was because you had faith that it was going to break," Strat interrupted. "When you have faith, anything is possible. Now enough of all this I'm going to start you off by trying to manipulate water." It was the same principal as the rock. But I want you to fill that bucket with only your powers, when you complete that then you can return to camp."
"But the others are waiting on this water so that we can cook dinner," Seth protested. Strat just gave him a smile.
"Then I guess you'd better hurry and finish before you get torn apart by a certain group of hungry and thirsty people we all know, and love." Without another word Strat turned and walked back up the hill leaving Seth to his own devices.