If you have not yet read the first chapter of this series, you can find it here:
Name Meanings
Drystan (changes to Delight) – full of sorrow
Abaddon – Satan
Ares – ruin
Alyse – truthful
Leien – lie
Sephtis – eternal death
Joshua – God is salvation
Soteria – salvation
Bibleja - Bible
Bara (brother of Amia) – free
Ean – Yahweh is gracious
Jillian – child of God
Amia (sister of Bara) – beloved
Dhanin – wealthy
Bowdyn – messenger
Hyll – ugly
“Are you sure we are going the correct way?” Bara questioned a second time.
“Bara, if you ask one more time, I’ll lose all my patience,” Jillian sighed.
Delight ignored Jillian and answered Bara’s inquiry. “Yes, friend. I am confident the way I travel is the proper way.”
Amia took hold of Bara’s hand. “Brother, I believe Delight is correct.”
“How are you so sure?” Bara asked, looking ahead.
“Our King made her our leader. Do you not remember what He said?”
Bara smiled at the thought of King Joshua. “Yes, I do recall his words. He said, ‘The one you wait for shall lead you through the valleys. She shall take you through the mountains and forests. Heed her, for I have put her in charge over you.’”
Amia squeezed Bara’s hand. “There. Now, do not be so restless. King Joshua would wish you not to be so.”
Ean suddenly pointed ahead. “There is a path over yonder!”
Bara released Amia’s hand. “It appears our leader was right,” he mentioned with a slight smile.
Amia laughed. “And I’m sure that wounds your pride?”
Bara chuckled. “Only a little.”
Delight glanced at her map and pulled the group together. “My map reads something different.”
“And what is that?” Bara questioned.
“If you only wait one moment, Bara, she will read it,” Jillian groaned. “Your impatience shall be the death of us all.”
Delight once more ignored the argument. “It reads, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’”
Studying the path, the young woman placed the map into her satchel. “I do believe this is the way we must take.”
Bara tapped his fingers against his pants. “Then, let us go.”
Jillian opened her eyes wide and heaved a sigh. “Must you always be on the move?”
Ean decided to intervene. “Delight, lead the way!”
Longing to avoid another tiff between Jillian and Bara, Delight complied with Ean’s demand and stepped forward onto the path.
***
Bara and the other youth trudged along. “My feet ache,” the young man complained.
“So do ours, but you do not hear us whining,” Jillian replied hastily.
Before Bara could come back with an intelligent remark, Ean spotted something ahead. “Delight, look yonder!”
Glancing upward, happy to have yet another argument interrupted, Delight glimpsed two middle-aged men.
Delight gently brushed the hilt of her sword, reminding herself that its use may come in handy. On the other hand, Bara saw no danger. “Oi! Over here!” he yelled ecstatically. Overjoyed, he thought how wonderful it was that others besides them should be traveling the road.
Amia quickly hid behind her brother. “Please don’t, Bara. I do not like the look of those men.”
“Why? They appear to be very kind! Look at their clothes! I’ve never seen anyone wear anything that looks so expensive. Anyway, it’s too late now. They’ve seen us and are coming this way.”
Bara dashed ahead.
“Bara! No!” Delight called out. “We do not know if we can trust them.”
The young man ignored his leader and rushed up to the men. “Hullo! Who do you two serve?”
“What a delightful lad!” exclaimed one of the men, taking Bara’s hand and shaking it. “I am Dhanin, and this is my fellow companion Bowdyn. We are servants of King Joshua, as I’m sure you can tell by our pendants.”
Delight caught up to Bara, her sword drawn and ready by her side. “Who do you serve?” she questioned, pushing Bara out of the way.
Upset, Bara pulled Delight back. “Delight! Do not be so rude.”
The young woman turned to look at her companion. “Bara, you know one cannot be too careful on this road and journey.”
“Alas! Sadly, you are correct,” Bowdyn expressed, reaching forward and taking Delight’s hand in his own. Gracefully, he leaned forward and kissed her hand.
Delight did not fall for the man’s charm. “I asked you a question. Could you please be so kind in answering it?”
Dhanin smiled. “Of course, where are my manners? My lady, we serve the mighty King Joshua!”
Delight was still not sure of the men. “Where are your pendants?”
“Oh! Of course! How could I forget?” Bowdyn laughed, pulling a necklace from his shirt. In the center was a serpent that had a red glint to it. Appearing to be made of gold, it was more of a medal than a necklace.
Bara gawked at the sight of it. “You must be high in the King’s rank with a pendant like that!”
“Indeed, we are!” Dhanin confirmed. “We were sent by him to proclaim His gospel.”
Jillian came up from behind Delight. “And what gospel is that?” she questioned, not ready to trust the men first-hand.
“The same as yours, of course!” Bowdyn confirmed.
Delight moved forward to continue questioning the two men, but Bara pushed her out of the way. “Would you mind if we journeyed with you? “
“We would not mind at all, Master… I don’t believe I know your name,” Dhanin answered.
“My name is Bara.”
Before the conversation could move along any farther, Delight pulled Bara aside. “Do you forget how careful we are to be on this road? I’m sure many pose to be the King’s servants.”
“Delight, you are overly cautious.”
“When you have to lead, you have the right to be so. I have to watch over all of you. If I make one mistake, it’d be on my head. Do you understand that, Bara?”
“I don’t think these men are in any way dangerous. Why don’t we travel with them only for a while?”
“You have just met them, Bara! How do you know whether they are dangerous or not?”
“There is something about them that helps me know.”
Delight sighed. “We will travel with them, but only to the next city.”
Bara smiled. “I do not think you will regret it, Delight. Soon, we shall be encouraged to have more servants of the King joining us. It will be a breath of fresh air.”
“We shall see.”
***
The group had traveled for many hours. Much of the group had avoided walking with the two other men. Bara was the only one who walked at their side.
“They walk too slow!” Jillian noted.
Delight glanced back. “They do indeed walk at a leisurely pace. Do they not know how important it is that we travel fast?”
As Jillian and Delight discussed their worries, Bara was having a wonderful time with the two men. He believed that they had so much to teach.
Dhanin pulled a map out of his satchel, much like Delight’s. “Let me show you our Gospel,” the man offered.
Bara excitedly focused on what the man had to say. So far, he had shown profound wisdom.
“The King gave us this message to preach at every city we come to.” Words began to form on the scroll. It read, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
Bara’s heart filled with happiness. The King wanted them to prosper. He was broken out of his train of thought when Delight called to him. “Bara, hasten here! A new message has appeared on the map!”
Without excusing himself, Bara moved away from the men and dashed to Delight’s side. “The men have shared their message with me! The King wishes all to prosper and be in good health.”
Jillian winced. “Bara, that message sound questionable. The King told me that I would face difficulties and hard times.”
Ean nodded. “Surely, he does wish for us to prosper, but this journey will not allow us to.”
Amia turned to Delight. “Why don’t you read to him what was written out on the scroll?”
Delight, worried for Bara, slowly read what was before her. “’Delight in weaknesses, in insults, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when you are weak, the King is strong.’”
Bara bit his lip. “Are you sure that’s what it reads?”
Dhanin and Bowdyn came up behind the young man and put in a word. “You will face those things if you have not faith.”
“Pardon me, but that is not what the scroll reads,” Jillian exploded.
“Jillian, be polite! I’m sure these men are right. Surely their message coincides with ours,” Bara interjected.
A tear slipped down Amia’s cheek to see her brother so deceived.
Delight once more pulled the young man aside. Studying his eyes, the young woman filled with anxiety as she saw a confused haze as if Dhanin and Bowdyn had put her friend under some evil spell. “Bara, listen to me. How do you not see how those men are lying?”
“They do not lie. I believe what they say, and that’s that!” Rushing away from his leader, Bara muttered, “Let us keep going.”
***
Bara’s eyes only revealed half of what he was feeling. A fog so thick that he could not see several feet surrounded him. Obstacles kept appearing in the road, and he kept tripping.
Little did he know, but the enemy had sent upon him the Masked Mist. This fog was one of the enemy’s most potent weapons, for it covered up the truth. Usually, it would cause believers to fall into the enemy’s lies for they would get tired of trying to outrun the fog.
“There is a city ahead!” Amia called out in joy.
Of course, Bara could not see the town ahead, but he was thrilled to hear the news. “Maybe now, this fog will leave me alone.”
“Something new appears on our scroll!” Delight exclaimed.
“What does it say?” questioned Jillian, anxious to know.
“We will move ahead and begin to preach our gospel,” Dhanin proposed. “Bara, would you like to travel with us?”
The Mist still followed the young man, and he was becoming disoriented. The only thing he could see was the two men who had deceived him. Slowly, he nodded and followed them.
Delight reached forward and grabbed Bara to try and stop him. “Bara, stay with us. You cannot go with them.” But Bara saw no one and did not know what held him back, so he moved on and followed Dhanin and Bowdyn.
“He will return,” comforted Amia. “He always learns the hard way.”
Delight shook his head. “I think it is different this time, Amia. He may fall.”
Amia’s face went serious. “Should I follow him?”
“No, I cannot lose another.”
Jillian and Ean glanced at each other. “Maybe what is on the scroll will help us in our predicament.”
Delight’s face lit up as she remembered the new message. Unrolling the paper, she read what was upon it out loud. “'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in the Kingdom: and come and follow the King. If any man will come after the King, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow the King.’”
“That is the message we are to spread to this city!” Ean shouted excitedly.
“Let us go with haste!” Jillian agreed.
***
Delight cried out in the street, but not many listened. When entering the city, the group of young people had found it to run down. Every house was more like a shack than a building. Wild dogs ran about everywhere, threatening little children. People were digging through trash to find food. Well, only those who were not running to a square.
“They all seem to be running over to that there!” Jillian prompted, dashing to follow a young woman. Her dark black hair flowed behind her as she ran. Precariously, she lifted her long, patched-up skirt so she would not trip.
In good time, Amia, Delight, and Ean hastened after the young woman to see what was going on in the square. They were disappointed to find Dhanin and Bowdyn preaching to the people of the city of Hyll. Bara stood to the side, staggering like a drunk man.
“I’m going to kill those men,” Jillian reiterated, flinging herself forward.
Ean caught her just in time. “No, Jillian. That would only prove that we do not practice what we preach. Raise your voice and share the words of the King.”
As Jillian spoke, the crowds and men went silent. “People of the city of Hyll, hear my words. The King is gracious, but He would have it that you would leave all behind if you were to follow Him. That would mean that you should leave behind your wealth and health if He asked it of you. Deny yourselves and take up your cross! The King awaits for those that would follow Him.”
The young people did not notice it then, but the cloud that surrounded Bara dispersed. Hearing the true Gospel of the King, he realized that he had been lied to. Quickly, he left the side of Dhanin and Bowdyn and dashed over to his friends.
Before Amia could hug her brother or Ean could give him a friendly slap on the back, the crowds roared like an angry lion. “Throw them out!”
“They are unloving!” shouted out Dhanin and Bowdyn together. “All the King wishes for his people is to prosper!”
“Throw them out!” someone from the crowd yelled. “They are preaching lies!”
Several of the men moved forward and attacked Bara, Delight, Amia, Ean, and Jillian. It only took them several minutes to shove them out of the city gates. “And never think of coming back!”
“Don’t worry. We won’t!” Jillian cut back, brushing dust off her skirt.
Bara was still shaking off the mist. “What happened?” he questioned.
Amia embraced her brother. “You were gone for a little while, brother, but you have returned.”
Bara didn’t fully understand his sister, but he returned the hug.
Jillian finished brushing off her clothes. “This is indeed nice, but could we continue on our way?”
Ean and Delight glanced at one another and smiled. “Yes, Jillian, we may!”
“Good! Adventure is ahead!”
I love where this story is going! Can't wait to read the next chapter! Thanks, Debi!
great job with this i love the names