Carpathian Read Free Page B

intent. The leader of the Jeddah knew Joshua as the most knowledgeable of men. Far more clever than even the prophet Moses when it came to the long-term plans of the children of Israel. Kale waited for the truth of his visit.
    “After the fighting has finished in this land awash with water, tree, and fruit,” Joshua explained, “I fear the people will never have true peace even then. I fear it was not meant to be so.” Joshua went to Kale and touched the large man’s shoulder and the Jeddah leader turned to face his old friend. “The people’s treachery against God at Sinai has angered the Lord of Hosts and his punishment against his people for arrogance will be centuries of battle against the people and tribes of Canaan.” Joshua looked at Kale with pleading eyes. “Only two of the Golia will be risked for the chance at not only life for God’s beasts, but life for the Jeddah and a lasting chance for the people to have their heritage saved for them. In future battles we could lose our greatest treasures to the peoples of this land. After the fall of the city you will take that heritage with you and you will allow no man of any land and also no man of the chosen to ever know where our heritage lies hidden. That is your task. Leave us for your great stone mountains and I swear no man shall follow the Golia and the Jeddah. Two Golia and the casting of the spell—that is what I ask of the great Kale.”
    “You swear on the stone tablets that you and the chosen will not follow my people and the Golia to the north?”
    “After this night the Jeddah are free to take the Golia and Pharaoh’s artisans and engineers to erect the greatest temple in all of creation for the heritage of the people. Hide it well and you will never come to harm from the people of Israel.”
    “What are you doing, brother? You are giving away king’s ransoms and our greatest gifts from God for what? So they will not be taken from the people when other greater armies come for you in the land of Canaan?” Kale stepped up to his old friend. “You lie to me, brother, why?”
    Joshua turned away from Kale and removed his sword and then looked at it in the weak light cast from the oil lamps. “Because if we don’t hide away forever that which has been taken as spoils in battle and the gifts from God himself, the people will never become one with the land and we will be fighting the Canaanites for a thousand years to keep this land. As long as the riches of Egypt and the gifts from God remain with the people we will forever be fighting to protect that which is not important for life.”
    “You may not speak with God, but you truly speak for the people of God. If they discover you have given away the greatest gifts God has bestowed upon the people, they will curse your name, brother. You give the Golia and the Jeddah the gifts from God to hide among the rocks and ice of the north and you will be cursed.”
    Joshua laughed for the first time in what seemed like years.
    “What could be worse than the gift of leadership that was bestowed upon me by Moses? No, my friend, I will not be killing my people off to protect treasure and heritage when it could all just vanish with you and yours into the night. The people fear the Golia, they will not follow. Build me my temple in the great stone mountains in the land of snow and frost and bury the treasure forever.”
    “I will instruct the Golia. I will inform you of the plan of attack. After this night Jericho will fall, Brother Joshua. Then I will take my people and the Golia and leave this place of death forever.”
    Joshua nodded. The deal had been struck and the Jeddah would do God’s bidding one last time. He gestured for Kale to look upon the map of the great city and he pointed out his plan for the final battle of the Golia for God’s chosen people.
    In less than an hour Kale had summoned his two finest warriors for the casting of the spell and the link with the Golia.
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