The Choosing by Jeremy Laszlo, Ronnell Porter Read Free Book Online Page B

though he didn’t remember any of their names until now, but he had never considered joining a religion.  After all there were no places of worship in Vineleaf, and no one there that he could think of offhand that had worshipped any god.  Thinking over it a few minutes while Ashton prattled on about the differences between the two gods, and the differences in their worship, Garret came to the conclusion that if these gods were good enough for those under the banner of the armies of Valdadore, than certainly one of them would be worthy of his worship.  Only when it was Seth’s turn to tell of his hopes did their shelter seem a bit too small.  Seth told them he had no hopes what so ever of glory, or honor for that matter.  He wasn’t keenly interested in helping the injured, though he told Ashton it was indeed a worthy cause, just he wasn’t compelled to do it.  Seth, ruining the spirit of their camaraderie temporarily told them he just wanted to come home alive, after his five years of service.  He wanted it to pass quickly; doing whatever it was that he was chosen to do.  He did not want to put down any roots, did not want to burden himself with choosing a god to worship.  Most of all, if given a choice, as few were given at The Choosing; Seth wished he could perhaps do something for the families who would lose their loved ones in the Kingdom’s wars.  All were quiet for a few moments, taking in all that Seth had revealed about himself.  Ashton was the first to speak.
    “That’s awfully sacrificial of you Seth.”
    Seth refused to respond still consumed in thought.  It was Garret who spoke next.
    “How so Ashton?”  Garret asked as his face puckered up in deep concentration.
    “Well.”  Ashton answered.  “You are willing to sacrifice your life to the Kingdom by dying in battle.  I am willing to sacrifice my own life to save another.  Seth is willing to sacrifice happiness, to bear the burden of the Kingdom’s failures, the burden of families’ loses, the burden of broken hearts and anguished lovers.  Seth is willing to sacrifice himself over and over, while we are willing to do it once.”
    Seth spoke then in a low voice, trying not to let Ashton’s words sink in.
    “Let’s get some sleep guys, if we pick up the pace a bit tomorrow, we should be able to reach Stone Haven by tomorrow evening.”  Seth immediately lay down on his blanket, laying on half, covering himself with the other half and rolled over to face away from his brother and new found friend.  He hadn’t said much to them about his thoughts about The Choosing, and yet Ashton had seen right through his vagueness, and read what his soul felt, what his mind was loathed to reveal.  Ashton looked at Garret questioningly and Garret shrugged his large shoulders in response.  They too then lay down, covering themselves from the cool nighttime air, slowly drifted off to sleep.
    Seth lay awake a while listening first to Ashton’s words, playing over and over again in his head.  He had never thought of his choice as being self sacrificial.  Still it was hard for him to imagine it as a sacrifice, trying to help those that had truly sacrificed the most.  It simply felt to him as a good worthy cause, helping others heal their souls, not their bodies.  Bringing closure to the bereaved just felt like the right thing to do.
    Seth lay pondering his choices until he heard his brothers light snoring, as well as Ashton’s quiet even breathing.  Knowing that there would be no more conversation tonight, he relaxed his hold on consciousness and let his mind drift where ever it might go.  The last thing Seth saw before his consciousness was lost to darkness was an image of his mother smiling at him, that concerned look in her eyes.

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    Garret was the first to wake, and sitting up quickly as was his habit at home, smashed his face into a low hanging root, abruptly scaring him wide awake enough to yell at the top of his enormously loud