Where All My Hope Is

Reborn

I opened my eyes and the dark abyss was gone. Tears filled my eyes as I blankly stared at the wall. I turned to Immanuel salty drops rolling down my cheeks, "I was so awful to him. How will he ever forgive me?" The flood gates opened and I began to sob, I ran into Imannuels arms. "I should have believed him. He said it was a lie, he told me it wasn't true." painful cries racked my body as Immanuel rubbed my back.

"It's ok my dear child, you have forgiven him, he does not blame you for what has happened." He took a step back and placed his hand on my shoulders, looking me in the eyes, "He blames himself, and we must find him before he wanders down a dark path."

I nodded, determination burning in my tear filled eyes. I wiped my face and beckoned towards the door. Immanuel grabbed the handle and opened it, revealing Asher and Sarah leaning against the wall, bored looks on their faces. "It's time to go." I said, and they nodded in sink, falling in pace with my purposeful steps as I followed Immanuel through the winding halls to a small, secluded door which opened into the outside world.

The sky was full of smoke and ash, not allowing a single ray of sunlight to peek through.

We walked towards the forest's edge, the trees closest to the castle all looked sickly and gray as if they had been infected with a disease. My heart was saddened by the condition of the forest.

We reached the first tree and I paused, extending my hand out to touch the brittle bark. I turned to Immanuel with tears in my eyes, "What is wrong with them?" I asked.

A sad smile played with his features, "Sin kills everything it touches, and the cruelty that takes place in that castle is so great it affects anything and anyone that draws near to it. Even you, while you were trapped within those walls you were overtaken by rage and hatred." He reached one of his hands towards me and placed the other on the tree, "However, when you are saved by Adonai," his hands began to glow and the tree erupted with life. The brown leaves unfurled and turned green, and the bark regained its color. "You are reborn." And just then, I felt something change within myself. All the anger and hatred I had previously felt fled, replaced by a sense of peace and belonging.

"Wow, I—" I was cut off by the sounds of battle erupting from the other side of the castle. I'm not sure how I hadn't noticed it before, the clang of sword, the firing of cannons, and...the cries of fallen soldiers.

Asher and Sarah both shot worried looks at Immanuel who responded by saying, "We must go."

Before he could take more than two steps I called, "Where are we going? We don't even know which direction Ezra went in!"

Without missing a beat, "We aren't going after Ezra."

I stopped mid stride, "What? But you said we needed him!"

This time Immanuel did turn around, "We do need him, but I have told him that he has to stop running. He is going to the Adrielan's Guard's base.We will meet him there." He turned around and continued walking. "If we walk quickly we can make it there before dark."

After a few hours we took a short break and then continued walking. Just as the sun started to set, the mountain in which The Adrielan's Guard's base was hidden rose into view.

I sighed in relief and ran towards the entrance which had been left open. I slowed down and cautiously walked towards it. Nothing seemed to be amiss so I entered the tunnel. Asher followed close behind, but Sarah was a bit more reluctant. Immanuel took her hand and whispered a few words into her ear, drawing a smile to her face. And they walked forward together.