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Oh, cool! You told me a vague idea of what the story was about . . . and I’ve read a scene or two that you posted on here. It got eaten by your zombie computer, right? I guess you were able to finish it?
Oh, just reading other people’s guesses and your responses to them. Plus your trigger warning at the beginning (I already knew the fourth book was going to be rough, so I guess I should rephrase. I am concerned for your characters. 😆)
"Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ~ C. S.
6)Prepare for major fallout to begin from the Prince dying in the last book.
*nods happily*2)Nearly everyone we love will get hurt.
why would you ever think that?! 😢🤣
Mostly this.
"Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ~ C. S.
Oh! I forgot I told KP people about it. 😂
Zombie computer! I beg pardon. His name is Smaug and he’s a dragon.
😂
aha. I see.
well, you should be scared for them. Especially your favorites.
(who are your favorites again?)
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
Oh, haha. XD. Yeah, I think we talked about it briefly right when you were first starting it.
Leon and Julian, from the last book. (Plus Albee and Ian, but I don’t think they’re coming back . . . unless they do. That would be cool.) I have a lot of other favorites, but they’re not in the Empire, so I doubt they’ll have much of a role in this book. (Joseph and Amelia’s family, Sabina, etc.)
"Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ~ C. S.
Ah, so you like the MCs. Both of them.
Poor you.
😂
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
Then again, I have had a pretty good track record for the last two books. No MCs died! Yay!
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
His name is Smaug and he’s a dragon.
lol, my work computer’s name is Wheatley. It was the name of a robot in a video game; he’s nice most of the time but betrays the player character when he’s plugged into a corrupted mainframe. So I figured I’d name my computer that just in case there’s a robotic revolution or something and it starts refusing to do anything I want.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Oof, yeah no. I plum don’t like Victor Hugo’s writing, so I’m with you on that.
I don’t particularly enjoy heaven scenes either, but when an author takes a moment to show that God is actually with us down here, like when Aaron knew Jesus was so close and when the Maker talks to Janner at the Fane of Fire and felt the love of the Maker wrap around him at the end…that’s beautiful. It reminds us that even though we can’t see God, He’s very much active in this world He created. He’s God With Us, not a God that sets us in motion and sits back to watch us flounder through life.
It also reminds us of what Death actually is. It’s not something to fear (if you’re saved), but a door that must be passed through into life and light forever. It’s not an easy path to and through that door, but we don’t walk it alone.
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the GorkWell, thoughtesss…
It’s a dark before dawn thing. Maybe playing with the idea that the Empire has long, dark winters.
Fabulous armor. I love it. I’m happy done of the soldiers were saved so we can root for some of those suits of armor…. But there’s probably more bad guys in armor than otherwise.
The government is going to have it out with them.
You’re planning a plot twist for the series as a whole.
There are some great assassins/secret band of woodsy people with cloaks.
The wolves are hungry for blood. (Both human and animal wolves, so to speak.)
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
YES!! I am 100% in agreement with that! Those are the kinds of scenes that I love.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
Oooooo!!! I like your thoughts!!! Yes, I do have a weakness for armor. Go Lieutenant Roth and his guys!
(though one does start to wonder what’s going to happen when those soldiers came in contact with orders to hunt down the believers……)You’re planning a plot twist for the series as a whole.
Interesting…..
There are some great assassins/secret band of woodsy people with cloaks.
hmmm.
The wolves are hungry for blood. (Both human and animal wolves, so to speak.)
Ooo! I LOVE that! Great find on that one! Love you made that connection!
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
I don’t particularly enjoy heaven scenes either, but when an author takes a moment to show that God is actually with us down here, like when Aaron knew Jesus was so close and when the Maker talks to Janner at the Fane of Fire and felt the love of the Maker wrap around him at the end…that’s beautiful. It reminds us that even though we can’t see God, He’s very much active in this world He created. He’s God With Us, not a God that sets us in motion and sits back to watch us flounder through life.
Honestly, heaven scenes don’t really make sense to me anyway, cause no human alive today has been there and back and accurately remembers what they saw (that I know of, anyway). But feeling God’s presence in the human dimension, well…..That’s a little easier to portray, and it’s far more common.
Although, I’ve only ever seen two heaven scenes, and both were for comedies. So they weren’t particularly trying to be 100% accurate. I cut them both slack for that.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
@hybridlore @koshka @keilah-h @elishavet-pidyon @liberty @linus-smallprint
FIRST SECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dawn Will Come
Draft 4
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the dawn,
more than watchmen for the dawn.~Psalm 130:6
The seventeenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
January 30th
The EmpireWe arrived in Landstraten late last night. We are in the home of Erich and his wife Helene. Mr. and Mrs. Stein were informed of our return this morning, and already Erich, his father, and Hue are out telling the other believers. We will all gather in Mr. and Mrs. Stein’s home in an hour or so and speak with the church of Landstraten. I am sad we must come bringing such news, but God will give us strength. It has been so, so hard now that I have had time to think of our loss. Not only have we lost two dear friends in Marius and Prince Dietrich, but we have lost the heir to the Empire’s throne! We had hoped and longed for the day when Dietrich would take the throne and begin to turn the country to God. Now, he is dead. Who will take his place? Oh, we have lost so much by this. It is so hard, Lord, for I had such hopes for our country. Help me to trust You, and to know that You are in control. I know Marius and Dietrich are safe with you, Father. One day, I will see them again. Help me to trust You, even in this time of darkness.
~Leon
Leon closed his journal and leaned back in his chair, staring out of the bedroom window. His mind replayed the events of the last few days over and over. The moment when the secret messenger had delivered the news of Dietrich and Marius’s deaths, the frantic hours that followed as he, Julian, Rolf, Aelic, and Roland spread the warning through the Capital. The gathering in the blacksmith’s basement. The horrible decision to leave or stay. The appointment of elders to lead the church in the Capital. One last prayer together, and then the escape.
Leon got to his feet and walked to the window. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and stared out over the snow. Should he have run? At the time, Leon had been so sure. He had been positive God was telling him to leave the Capital. As sure as if they had been standing face to face and God said, “Leave.” But now…
Leon shoved his hands into the pockets of his britches. What if that assurance had really been his terror speaking? The Empire had just murdered her own prince, the sole heir to the throne! They would stop at nothing, and if they found out he was one of the main leaders… Leon shuddered.
He withdrew his hands from his pockets and clasped them behind his back. He began to pace up and down. He didn’t want, but his mind insisted on racing over the list of charges the Empire could lawfully level against him. Deserter and traitor from when he had fled the army in Ardenta, transcribing and spreading of sedition for handing out copies of the scriptures, both then and in the Empire. Seeking shelter and fraternizing with the enemy in a time of war. Illegally crossing boarders. Speaking out against the gods. Taking over a university of the Empire with propaganda and turning the students to his ways. Overturning a profitable slave market. Speaking to the prince of the Empire. Trying to turn the prince to his ways. Succeeding in said endeavor… The list went on and on.
Leon knew they could easily put him to death for every single one of those things alone, and they would have the law and the people with them. But faced with such a list as that… death would be a mercy.
The door opened and Leon jumped. He spun about and saw Julian. Leon’s shoulders relaxed and he let out a slow breath. “Is something wrong?”
Julian raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure. Is there?”
“I’m fine,” Leon said, evasively.
“Everyone is gathering, I thought you’d like to know.”
Leon nodded. “Of course.”
Julian leaned against the doorframe, blocking the exit. “What’s going on?”
Leon shoved his hand through his hair in an agitated motion. He turned and looked back at the window. “Did we make the wrong choice?”
“If we stayed, they would have caught us and we would have been killed, there’s no question about that,” Julain said, soberly. “We both knew God wanted us to leave. He obviously has more work He needs us to do.”
Leon sighed. “Then why do I feel so guilty?”
“Maybe because of those who chose to stay,” Julian replied, quietly. “I feel it to, Leon. Yes, we’re warning the other churches, but anyone could have done that. We were the ones who led those churches, and now we’ve turned and run at the first sign of real trouble.”
“Exactly,” Leon agreed.
Julian let out a long breath. “I don’t know what God is doing, Leon. I don’t know why He let the prince die, I don’t know why He told us to run… to be honest, I don’t like anything He’s doing right now. But that’s not our place. Our place is to trust Him and obey without question. That’s what I had to learn when you and Rolf were captured.”
Leon nodded slowly. He took in a breath and turned. “Well, we had better join the others. I’m sure they’re waiting.”
***
The seventeenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
February 2nd
The EmpireWe have been here for three days now. The reunion with the church was a sweet time. We prayed and worshipped together, and it was good to be among our brothers and sisters. When we told what had happened in the Capital they were stunned. Somehow, I found a bit of comfort in the moments that followed. Grieving with them seemed to ease the pain of our loss. The time spent with the Stiens has been one of encouragement and joy. Hue and Aelic have spent hours together, and Aelic really seems to come alive around Hue. I’ve never seen him laugh so much.
We plan to leave tomorrow for Clonabay. We will warn the church there and then continue to go on to the next and the next until we reach Rolf and Roland’s village. From there we will decide what to do.
God, please guide us, and make our path clear.~Julian
Julian set down his pen and looked up as Helene entered the room with her and Erich’s little girl, Eden, in her arms. She set the child down on the floor with a little doll and then hurried to tend to the pot in the kitchen. Julian got up and walked over to where the one-year-old played. He crouched down and gently tussled her hair.
It was not long before he was full-length on the floor, playing with Eden and helping her to build with several wooden blocks. She constantly knocked down the tower, laughing in delight. She reached out her tiny hand and held tightly to his large, rough one, laughing softly to herself. Julian felt tears come to his eyes, for the little girl brought back so many memories. He wondered if he would ever have a child of his own, and if there was a young woman out there waiting for him, as Liesl waited for Roland.
“She likes you.”
Julian quickly ran a hand over his eyes and turned to see Erich smiling down at him from the doorway. “She’s a treasure,” he replied.
“Yes, she is,” Erich smiled, coming into the room. He sat down on the floor, and Eden let go of Julian and threw herself at her father. Julian smiled and swung his legs around into a sitting position.
“I’ve been thinking about what happened in the Capital,” Erich said, gently fondling his daughter’s hair.
“And?” Julian prompted.
Erich hesitated a moment and then dropped his voice low. “I’m going to take my family away from here. It’s too close to the Capital, and I want my daughter and wife to be safe.”
Julian nodded, smiling slightly as Eden began to play peek-a-boo with her father’s hand. “When will you leave?”
“I don’t know,” Erich replied. “Sometime soon. Perhaps next week, or the week after.”
“Where will you go?”
Erich sighed. “I don’t know yet. Perhaps we’ll go as far as the University. I hear their whole town believes, and it is far from the Capital.”
“But what happens when they come there?” Julian asked. “They plan to ‘purge’ the whole land.”
Erich looked at Julian. “I want to get out.”
“Get out?” Julian repeated in surprise.
“Yes. I want to try and make it across the border to Ardenta, and perhaps beyond even that. Far away from the Empire, so that my daughter may grow up worshiping God in freedom,” Erich paused and swallowed hard. “She is so young, that if Helene and I died, no one would teach her the truth, and she could grow up serving the gods of the Empire. I will not take that risk. God has given her to me to protect, and I will do that.”
Julian was silent for a long time. At last, he asked, “Does Helene know?”
“Yes,” Erich replied. “She is in agreement.”
“Will you try the border this winter?”
“I want to wait until the snow melts, but if things get bad, then yes,” Erich replied.
Julian thought of the danger of such a journey. He looked at Eden, her innocent face full of smiles. He looked back at Erich and saw the same worry reflected on the young man’s face. Julian let out a slow breath. “If you do get out, go to the home of Joseph Conway. He will help you. Tell him I sent you. I have known him since he was a child, and he is a strong and courageous man of faith.”
Erich nodded and smiled slightly. “Thank you.”
“I pray you will get out,” Julian managed.
“Thank you,” Erich whispered. He blinked against tears and swiftly pulled Eden into a tight hug, resting his chin on her head.
Julian stood and quietly left the room.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
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