The Curse-Broken Warrior

By Kevin Moore

Also by Author

The Dimensional Breach



And a sequel to The Dimensional Breach

The Queen’s Return


I hope you find the same adventure and fantasy in this book as a reader as I found the adventure in writing it.

~ Kevin Moore

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664166882

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 by Kevin Moore.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 03/31/2021

Xlibris

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CONTENTS

My Prayer for the Reader

Prologue

The Opening Question

SECTION 1

Basket of Faith

The Sky Is the Limit

Working Htiaf Mountain

Walking the Monster

The South Fence

Mount Htiaf

SECTION 2

The Southwest Corner Fence

A Fountain of Faith

My Verdict

Mount Htiaf

SECTION 3

The West Fence

The Dividing Line

Mount Htiaf

The Houseguest

SECTION 4

The Northwest Corner Fence

Mount Htiaf

A Sad Day in Autumn

Cakewalk

Mount Htiaf

SECTION 5

The North Fence

The Light Within

Trouble Is Afoot

Faith

SECTION 6

The Northeast Corner Fence

Powerhouse of Faith

Oasis of Life

The Cat Is Out of the Bag

SECTION 7

The East Fence

Journey of a Thousand Miles

Red Water Springs

The Night Watch

SECTION 8

The Green Neighbor

The Death of Dieike

I Surrender My Life, Not the War

The Last of It

SECTION 9

The Trial of Dieike

The Bride In Waiting

The Mountain Man of Htiaf

The Ending Question

MY PRAYER FOR

THE READER

Oh, Lord, grant the reader wisdom so they may better serve you. Knowledge so they may better hear from you and do your will. Keep them that have already yielded their life to you with favor in all they do. Save those who want to be found, and bless those who bless others.

PROLOGUE

It was my intention to hide as many nuggets of information throughout the stories of this book. Some stories were even inspired by God. I was not after the same old kill me, this is boring. While I was wanting to entertain you and hold your interest, I was still wanting you to receive the knowledge to start you on a powerful path.

There are two main arms throughout this book—the first one is The Outlands, which leans to the left. The story of Dieike is the story of the life of a believer and the wall of protection that God places around each of his children. Always testing that wall of protection, walking the fence line. Jumping over when no one is looking. As so many of us do.

The second arm, Mount Htiaf, leans to the right. The determination of Paddock to see the thing through and not give up.

Then to finish it off, I peppered in some other short stories and some words of wisdom to help you down the path you choose.

THE OPENING QUESTION

With each passing trial of this life, do the wounds you sustain mount as unhealed scars? Do you let the pressures of those injuries withdraw you from interacting happy and free? Would you compound the problem with the wrong solution and pour salt on your own wound? Or do you consider wise council and apply full adoption?

Your one true friend is not your enemy. If God is for you, then who could stand against you?

It is my hope that the words of this book will entertain you. But it is also my hope that it will move your soul to take another look inside. You just may have missed something the first time around.

You see, how great Jesus is in you is not the same as how great you are in Jesus. All his power is already in you. It is we that needs to get deeper into him that he may use us.

Jesus wants to be great in us. But we hold him back by our stubbornness. We must be willing to be used and obedient in all his ways. If not, we have less of Jesus in us than he would will, and his greatness is diminished. Now we are operating in the carnal, less of Jesus and more of ourselves. Now my question again. Are you as great in him as he is in you?

If you are not pleased with what you are offering up, what could possibly make you think that he is pleased with it?

Section 1

I thought to place this story first, for it is special to me. It was about two o’clock in the morning. I woke and got out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom. Standing in the bathroom, I kept one eye closed to keep out the light. I was going back to bed as soon as I finished. I did not want to wake up any more than I had to.

My attention was drawn inward. The only way I can describe this is I was eavesdropping on the Holy Spirit talking to my spirit man. I heard the words basket of eggs.

I opened my other eye and looked around the room. It was just me. I wanted to go back to bed, so I turned the light off and fell back asleep.

The next morning, I remembered that phrase and asked the Lord what it meant. As if I was allowed to climb up in my father’s lap, he told me this story. I will tell it to you just the way he told it to me.

BASKET OF FAITH

This was at the time when the country was wide open. Farmland filled the landscape, and small town was the way it was. Just on the edge of one of those small towns lived a family of three. The father named Eugene Woodson, the mother named Rose, and their only daughter named Kitten. They both hoped for a quiverful, but it seemed she could have only one child.

In the past, the father’s farm produced much corn crops in the fall. This always helped to see them through the hard winters. The mother was famous for her canned preserves. She would sell them to the townspeople, helping out the homestead she and Eugene had established.

Eugene woke before the sun rose every morning, making the most of his day. He tended to his livestock and the chickens every day of the week. He had no days off.

On Sunday Rose and Kitten went to their small-town church. But Eugene stayed at home tending to the farm and the keep of it. Oh, many fights were fought over Eugene’s decision to stay out of church. Then that is a battle we can still fight today.

This was a very hard time for the Woodsons’ farm. They were deep in a drought, with no rain in sight. One day, Kitten overheard her father and mother talking about the trouble the farm was in if it did not rain soon. Eugene’s biggest fear was that he would lose the farm.

One Sunday after church, Kitten asked her mother if she could have the old egg basket. Rose agreed, and Kitten went straightway to the chicken coop. She picked up three of the biggest eggs she could find unattended. She laid the eggs in the basked and began to mother them.

Kitten was out of school for the summer, so she had all day to attend to her eggs. She held each one tightly in her cupped hand until the egg was warm enough to place back in the basket. Then after covering it up with a blanket to keep it warm, Kitten reached for her next egg and repeated the process all over again. That basket went with her everywhere she did. She never left it unattended. Even out playing, she knew the hot summer sun would keep the eggs warm. Eugene and Rose were way too busy to notice Kitten’s project. Rose thought Kitten was playing good, and since she was not underfoot, they were not going to wreck a good thing.

One day, several weeks after Kitten started playing mother hen, Rose was in town on some errands for the farm. Not feeling up to her normal self for a while, Rose stopped in the doctor’s office. To her joy, she found out she was going to have a baby. Rose thought after dinner that night, she would tell her family.

Back at the homestead, Rose kept turning her attention to Kitten. Wondering how she was going to take the news of a new baby brother or sister. That was when Rose realized that the basket and Kitten had become inseparable. All that day, Rose kept turning her attention over to see Kitten holding each egg, warming it with her hands. Then placing it back in the basket, covering it with that old blanket.

Eugene walked up from the barn, seeing Rose on the front porch looking out at Kitten playing. Eugene walked up from behind Rose and wrapped his arms around his wife, saying, What you looking at?

Rose smiled and replied, Just wondering what our daughter is doing with that basket I gave her.

Eugene changed the subject, saying, I just heard the weather report on the radio. They’re saying it won’t rain for weeks. It does not look good.

Rose turned in her husband’s arms and kissed him. Then said, I had better start dinner.

At dinner that night, Rose wrestled with what subject to bring up first. With more of a concern with her daughter and the egg basket, she asked Kitten, How long have you had those eggs in that basket?

Kitten put her fork down, saying, Tomorrow church will be three times.

Eugene quickly replied, What does three times mean?

Rose pushed off from the table and stood to her feet, saying, You have been mothering these eggs and keeping them warm for three weeks. Oh, Kitten, they’re not going to ever hatch. There was no rooster in that chicken coop.

Eugene pushed off from the table, saying, Give me those eggs. If one of them breaks, it will stink to high heaven.

Kitten grabbed the basket up next to her chair and clutched it to herself as she started to cry. Rose quickly stepped in, saying, Let me handle it, Eugene.

Eugene was a hard farmer and was not going to be swayed by tears. He reached across the table, placing his hand on the basket handle and saying, Turn loose now, Kitten.

Kitten cried even louder, but knew her father was serious and she would have to obey his wishes. Rose stepped in and placed her hand on the basket, saying, Eugene, you’re upsetting our daughter. Let me handle this please.

Just then, a peal of thunder split the evening sky and shook the farmhouse. The three froze with their hands on the egg basket. Kitten stopped crying and started to smile instead. Eugene looked up at the ceiling and whispered, Rain.

All eyes looked straight down into the egg basket as if they were told to look. When one of the eggs started to move, Eugene and Rose turned loose of the basket in an instant. Kitten set the basket on the dining room table, and the three leaned in to watch a crack start to form.

Eugene looked up to Rose, saying, How did this happen? We lost the rooster three months ago.

In a split second, the crack grew and ran around the egg, splitting the egg in two halves. Both halves fell away from each other, but there was nothing in the shell. Just then, the bottom fell out, and the rain poured down. Eugene ran to the window and looked out, saying, It was not even cloudy when we came in for dinner.

Rose turned to her daughter, saying, What is going on here? What are these eggs?

Eugene slowly walked back over as Kitten said, It was a prayer to the Lord. I heard you and Daddy talking about needing rain or the farm would be lost.

Eugene and Rose looked at one another, puzzled at what had just happened. Rose looked into the egg basket and knew there were two more prayers. She reached in the basket and pushed one of the other eggs around, saying, What was this prayer to the Lord for?

Kitten replied, That the Lord would give me a baby sister.

Rose’s eyes welled up as the egg split in two. Looking up at her husband, she started to cry.

Eugene quickly said, What is it?

Rose pushed back her tears so she could talk, saying, I was going to tell you after dinner. I am with child.

Eugene wrapped his arms around his wife, and the two of them started to cry. Eugene pushed his tears back, saying, Maybe I misjudged a few things about that church you go to.

Eugene looked down into the basket at the last egg. He reached in and pushed it with his finger saying, What is that prayer for?

Just then, the last egg cracked and split in two. Kitten smiled and looked up at her daddy, saying, That one was for you, Daddy. That you would start going to church with us on Sunday.

A WARRIOR’S WORD

Eyes Open

Everyone is subject to something. What would make you think you are above the laws or subject to no one but yourself? What makes a man think he is above God’s law, or even worse? They would go it alone through life.

All I know as my life has unfolded is that he has interceded on my behalf more time than I can count. And I for one want to repay him with my obedience and honor.

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

They once had a saying, The sky is the limit.

That was until man learned to fly!

Seems to me the sky is but the beginning of things. In that which are concerning the things of God.

When a bird learns to fly, what is it that can convince him he cannot? If a man needs to learn to crawl before he can walk and walk before he runs, then surely, an adopted child of the most high must submit to the things of God before he could be used. To kneel in his will is to yield in your own ways.

Everyone will submit to something in this life. You have no choice but to yield to what you rationalize to be the truth. Whether it is the truth or not.

Kneel to God with a free will now in this life, and the sky is but the beginning of your journey!

Submit your life to Jesus.

Kneel your will to God.

Yield your thoughts, and be renewed in your mind.

If you do not submit your spirit to God, you will submit your flesh to self.

Take him in to yourself. So he can take you in before the Father. For no man comes unto the Father but through the Son.

WORKING HTIAF

MOUNTAIN

Mountains are meant to be climbed or tossed into the sea. This mountain should have been bulldozed down flat! Throwing it into the sea is way too good for it. What! You never heard the story about Htiaf Mountain? I’m not surprised! How is someone going to tell a story on a name you cannot pronounce?

Let me start with this warning. Never climb this mountain unless you’re determined. It can be a beast. They almost fenced it off from climbers after this first story you are about to hear. There are several stories concocted about this mountain. I’ll tell you a few of the good ones throughout this book. This is the one that got him his reputation.

It was midsummer, the morning of the biggest climb ever. One hundred mountain climbers ascended on the campsite, and all of them were certified to tackle and climb it. The climb had been set in motion for months. All that morning, they pulled up to Htiaf. Stood at its base and wondered what this mountain was doing here. It just seemed out of place! As if it pushed up out of the ground twice as high as all the mountains around it.

For years, geologists have crawled over this beast with different theories. Some say it’s a dead volcano. Others claim it is still forming. Then a few others say it is a mountain alive to itself. It is not the biggest in the world, and it is surely not the scariest. But then, there is a presence that everyone feels when you got on its slopes.

After setting up their base camp and housing over two hundred souls, they all decided in the morning it would begin, and so the mountain agreed.

The next morning, one hundred climbers started up the west side of the mountain. Working their way up the hard graded slope along a deep trench. The one hundred reached the wall of rock and began to climb straight up its side. Working in teams of four and five, they scaled the five-hundred-foot-high wall in record time. It was if the mountain was leading them into something.

They pushed past the wall of rock. Thinking the climb would only get easier. But it did not. That was where the mountain let them know it was there.

It was on the second plateau where it all started. All one hundred climbers became sick at the same time. It could not have been something they ate. They all did not eat the same thing, nor did they eat at the same time. Maybe it was some kind of poison gas lingering in the air, escaping from deep within the mountain.

Twenty-five climbers gave up the fight and turned back at that moment. The rest of them pushed on sick.

As they started up the next section, the mountain shook with their forward progress. Like a dog trying to shake the fleas off his back. The mountain got their attention.

If that was not enough, rock slides were everywhere from that moment of shaking. Boulders that had been broken loose made their way down the mountain. It was like the mountain was throwing itself piece by piece at each climber.

At one point, three boulders bounced onto one another to form what looked like a boulder snowman. Coming down the mountain like that. The snowman took a look at where the climbers were. It fell apart, and the whole rock slide changed direction toward the climbers.

The climbers were forced to move back to the ledge, and the seventy-five took cover behind a wall as the avalanche of rocks moved past them.

When all was quiet with the mountain, the seventy-five continued up the west face to the third plateau. Almost halfway up the mountain now, they finally reached a flat ledge, big enough that would hold their campsite for the night.

That evening a storm moved in from the north. It was the wrong time of the year for such a strong cold front. No one could explain how everyone missed this weather report when they all checked the weather before they climbed.

Strong, cold winds raged all that night. Every climber swears he saw shadows moving around the camp in the moonlight, voices calling to each climber by name. It unnerved the climbers so much no one got a good night’s sleep.

The climbers woke with the light of morning, exhausted from the rough night. They pushed out of their tents to find the camp was relocated to their original base camp at the bottom of the mountain. Every stack in place just the way they had set it up on the third plateau.

The twenty-five climbers who dropped out of the event and the base camp member woke to find the seventy-five climbers that were supposed to be on the mountain. They somehow had slipped back into the base camp without being noticed sometime during the night. They set up their camp and never even woke a soul.

But the climbers insisted they did not. We set up the camp on the mountain. We fought a cold north wind all night long. We woke down here, said one of the climbers.

The camp argued back and forth, not believing such a tall tale. A member of the base camp said, Don’t give us that, it was a pleasant warm night. You just don’t want to admit you got scared.

The thought that ran through the climbers’ minds at this point was, how could anything move a camp of sleeping people down a mountain and relocate all the tents? Everyone there stopped and looked up at the mountain, wondering what they were dealing with.

A WARRIOR’S WORD

Instant

For one to do the will of the Lord means you’re fighting the good fight when no one but God is watching. Start that work in this phase of your walk with Jesus.

Yet out of season, you are still pleasing to him. Then when the Lord calls on you for a task, you will not fight this war as well. That battle was already fought. There will be no difference from out of season to in season.

To be instant in season means you’re instant out of

season. Act instantly on the Lord’s behalf. For the one

who keeps practicing is one who learns to win.

WALKING THE MONSTER

Once was enough, but no one learned from it. Twice was too many, and still no one had seen. So it still goes on today, and it has for a thousand years; and still, you do not know what I mean.

So I’ll start at the beginning, and I’ll try not to lose you. I’m only saying this once; don’t make me do two. So listen this one up, and hold yourself down. Continue to read, and the truth will be found.

You see, Piego was his name, and a monster he did own. It was hideous and ugly and squealed as it moaned. He kept it in a dark place and fed it when he could. It was small, but it was growing as all monsters would.

He took it on walks, so others could have seen. What they saw was a thing that was evil and mean. On a leash they did walk as Piego led the way. And his monster destroyed everything that got in his way.

He tugged on the chain, and his monster would obey. Piego showed everyone his creation, this thing that he had made. He could control it with a pull, a twist, or a jerk. He could make it walk in circles or dance to the jerk.

If he didn’t like someone or they got in his way, he turned his monster loose, and you know it did not stay. It would run down its victim. This thing was not playing. He took money from everyone and got those that were not paying.

Well, this went on for years. Until his monster grew up. Now his