and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 KJV
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Jade and Idris sit down gracelessly in the library Eden had led them up to once he managed to form the words telling them to follow him. The trio stare at anything but each other, even Eden appears as if this is his first time in the room judging by how intensely he observes the bookcase he's leaning on. Unwiped tears remain streaked on Jade's cheeks, no more tears fall, but she can't find the strength to dry her face. She'd hoped and prayed to find Eden alive, but she never would've imagined that she'd be led straight to his doorstep. There's so much that she wants to say and ask, yet her mouth remains clamped shut.
Finally, Idris clears his voice loudly and rises from his seat on the couch near the library window which lends a view to the gorgeous waterfall a short distance away. Jade feels her heart panic as Idris turns to look at her from where she rests on a small staircase holding a book uninterestedly. His stern green eyes and quick head flick over to Eden telling her to get herself together, however, all Jade can manage in response is a pitiful head shake that she's not ready. Despite this silent conversation, Idris turns to Eden who'd been leaning his arm against one of the bookcases with a withdrawn gaze in his honey eyes.
"As lively and engaging as this conversation has been, I'll allow you two space to talk. Come and find me once you're ready to discuss the plan." Idris informs the two in a comfortable voice as he makes his way over to Eden and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. Eden seems to jump a bit at the contact and hesitantly looks up to meet Idris's eyes. Despite not actively bringing Eden up throughout the mission thus far, Jade can sense the relief Idris feels seeing him alive.
"I'm glad that you're safe, Eden." Jade hears Idris tell Eden before he makes his way towards the door and exits without another glance back. Upon his departure, Jade feels the silence of the room rise to a stifling level. Her head begins to feel overwhelmed with all the thoughts racing throughout, however, she stops her racing mind with the assistance of a deep breath and a quick prayer. Once she'd finished, Jade opened her eyes to find Eden still looking away from her, his fingers now tracing along the spines of the books.
Jade finds the strength now to wipe her face, and even offer a smile as she observes Eden's appearance. He'd grown slightly larger in muscle since she'd last seen him, and the once short hair now rests slightly past his ears and curls slightly at the ends. The former slit he'd gotten on his right eyebrow had grown out making them full once more yet doesn't at all affect negatively the natural charm his beauty offers. Looking at him now while he's inattentive of her stares, or at least not actively acknowledging them, Jade recalls the young man whom she'd inadvertently fallen for. However, her heart no longer wavers in knowing what it wants.
"You know it's impolite to stare, right?" Eden finally acknowledges in a light tone that further eases a bit of Jade's anxiety about the upcoming conversation to be had.
"So, I've been told. Regrettably, I don't have a canvas and some pencils with me to capture the pose you've been modelling the past half hour. It's remarkable how little you've moved; I almost mistook you for a statue." Jade jokes carefully as Eden smirks at her jesting before glancing in her direction with a disapproving snarl, engaging further with the teasing air that naturally jumped out of them.
"Well thank goodness for your lack of resources! I've seen your artwork before, and it wouldn't do me any compliments. The outcome would be so horrendous I'd more than likely be overcome by violent flashbacks of the abomination every time I step foot in this room." Eden answers in a dramatically egotistical tone as Jade rises to her feet insulted and places a defensive hand on her hips while slowly moving towards Eden's location.
"Now sir, I dare say I've never been so insulted in all my days!" Jade declares passionately as Eden smiles at Jade's dramatics. She waits for his rebuttal, but his smile slowly fades away as he shakes his head and looks to the floor now.
"We both know that you have been on my account. I'm so sorry Jade, I cannot say it enough." Eden apologizes while breaking character forcing Jade to do the same. It'd been so long since she'd seen Eden that she'd love for them to go back to the way things used to be, but for a plethora of reasons, it can not be so.
"You know...for a long time, I blamed myself for what happened. I regretted toying with your emotions and making you feel like the only way to move on was to run away from me." Jade starts as Eden quickly shakes his head to stop Jade from continuing.
"No, not at all! The fault was all mine. You were right to be upset with how I spoke to you, and how I conducted myself while claiming to love you. That's why I said I wasn't ready to have this talk, it hasn't been nearly long enough for me to feel as if I'd gone through any kind of productive change since our fight." Eden expresses remorsefully as Jade scoffs at the notion.
"Eden, you're leading a secret rebellion underneath Jeniah! I think that's a pretty big change since we last spoke." Jade points out as Eden shakes his head and sits down on the couch prompting Jade to follow and do the same, though all the while maintaining a respectable distance from him. She recalls for a moment the anger flashes and insults that had been thrown her way due to Eden's unaddressed spiritual battle, yet her heart holds no hatred towards him. Despite her better judgement, the longer she sits with him, the more relaxed she begins to feel.
"I may be involved with them, but I'm not leading them. I can't..."
"Why not? You're more than capable of doing so and it seems that you've already had a sizable influence on them, and their cause is just. Why are you hesitating?" Jade instigates as Eden once again falls into a faraway gaze. He's notably not as rash with speaking as he'd been in the past, which in and of itself proves that at least some positive change has happened in their month or so apart, at least slightly.
"I'm scared to fail them. Like how I failed you and Amos...speaking of which! You two are a thing, right? Like officially?" Eden asks now turning the tide of the conversation over to her with a burst of energy that Jade recalls him using to deflect from topics he wishes to ignore. Jade bites down on her lip and nods while looking away from Eden unable to look him in the eye as she confirms her heart placement.
"I fell into this deep sadness after your disappearance for a week or so after you left. When I wasn't sitting around crying, I was cramming myself with a million other tasks to try to keep my mind off what I'd done. Amos snapped me out of it. I felt so guilty that I could barely allow myself to be happy in something that brought you pain." Jade confesses as Eden's excitement drops and he sighs heavily.
"I'm so sorry I made you hesitate. I always knew how you two felt about each other, and frankly, I'm proud of Amos for pulling you out of doing something as stupid as getting depressed over me, I'd kick his butt if he didn't make a move sooner or later. I trust that he's treating you well?" Eden investigates as Jade smirks and nods while subconsciously fiddling with the ring he'd given her. Eden takes note of Jade's fiddling and for the first time since they'd been reunited, she sees a genuine smile cross his lips.
"Let me guess, promise ring?" Eden takes note of as Jade nods and lifts her hand to allow him to examine the ring which he does while letting out a low whistle. Upon their first moment of physical contact, Jade feels a strange jolt of energy flows through her body. His touch and presence are familiar, but there's a definite change in terms of his mental and spiritual state that she can't pinpoint. It's too soon to say for sure, but she doesn't sense any darkness around Eden as she had before.
"Hmm, not bad. I was scared I missed the wedding for a second there, but I can't visualize the two of you doing anything that spontaneous in a month. How has it been so far though? Is he giving you the love you deserve?" Eden inquires appearing genuinely curious though Jade still feels the need to hold back for the sake of his feelings.
"Honestly, I think I'm the one who still needs to learn how to care for him better. He's always so understanding and supportive, yet I left in the middle of the night just to come with Idris so that he wouldn't get caught or worse." Jade reveals as Eden jumps away from her as if she'd shocked him.
"Timeout! You didn't tell Amos you were coming to Toph?" Eden exclaims as Jade manages a tight-lipped smile before shaking her head. The more she hears other people verbally confirm her choice, the more she fears that she should've at least spoken with Amos face-to-face before leaving even if he did try to stop her.
"Nope. Well, I mean I left a note... learned from the best I guess." Jade replies in a forcefully joking tone, adding a wink for good measure as Eden cringes at the mention of a note before running a hand through his hair. He gets up to begin pacing around making Jade sigh and lean back on the couch until he's finished.
"There's no way Amos is just going to take that, surely, he'll come after you or send someone to look for you. What is he going to think if he finds out that you found me? What if he thinks that you ran away to elope with me or something?! He'd kill me!" Eden begins to panic as Jade rises to her feet in an attempt to comfort him.
She can't imagine Amos jumping to such a ridiculous conclusion, but Eden's clearly not ready to see Amos again. To be fair, neither is she. She'd grown to be comfortable with the present-day Amos, but his pre-Christ demeanour remains a fear in the back of her head on how he may choose to handle her actions.
"Trust me, we have other things to worry about besides a marriage side plot. I didn't come here just to look for you Eden, I came here because Aria is on the verge of a conflict instigated by Princess Harmony." Jade reveals finally, the mention of the princess sobering Eden and seeming to crash him back down to reality.
"What did she do now?" Eden asks exasperatedly as Jade takes a deep breath in an attempt to not get worked up by the memory of what she's about to recount.
"Herself and King Daniel would visit Aria multiple times after the night of the ball. It turns out that King Daniel was attempting to pepper the favour of King Vernon so that he'd agree to marry Harmony and Amos. Of course, King Vernon declined the offer because of Amos and I dating, but while that was happening Harmony had..." Jade can sense herself getting riled up at the next part of the story, but Eden waits patiently until she's ready to continue.
"Harmony made a somewhat forceful move on Amos that made him immensely uncomfortable. With both royals rejected we figured that due to Harmony's petty nature, she'll want revenge on Aria. That's why Idris was sent to quietly get inside and see if this is a true threat or not." Jade finishes through clenched teeth as Eden remains silent after once again sitting down on the couch and leaving Jade on her feet. The room falls silent for a few minutes before Eden sighs heavily and shakes his head, his eyes now glowing with regret.
"How is Amos doing after that? I know that he's always been a bit uncomfortable around women alone, but I don't know specifics as to why that is...but I know how pushy Harmony can be." Eden reasons while giving Jade a glimpse into that protective nature that she recalls. Eden had always been just as protective of Amos as she was, Amos may not have shared what happened to him, but Eden must've picked up on the hints a long time ago.
"He...wasn't in the best state when I found him. Truthfully, when I first set out here, I wanted nothing more than to kill Harmony myself for putting Amos through that." Jade confesses as Eden raises an eyebrow at Jade's dark tone change which she quickly tries to wave off. It's not the proudest thing to mention that she'd almost fallen prey to her desire for revenge, but Christian or not, she knows that her faith alone doesn't make her perfect. She's still learning and messing up, but she's grateful that she was checked by Idris before she got to Harmony.
"Of course, that goes against who I've become in my faith. Though I'd be lying to myself if I didn't say that deep down, I'd still prefer the world to be rid of her." Jade reveals as Eden smiles empathetically before shaking his head.
"This is all my fault." Eden discloses as Jade frowns confused.
"How so?" Jade blurts out as Eden pats the seat next to him which Jade descends upon while Eden places his elbows on both his legs and leans forward intently.
"You know how Harmony and I had an intimate relationship of sorts?" Eden begins as Jade pushes down her desire to make a sarcastic remark about how she could forget and settles for a head nod instead.
"Well, if I didn't play with Harmony's feelings, none of this would've happened," Eden reveals while fiddling with his hands as Jade gets comfortable on the couch sensing that a story is coming.
"Go on," Jade gently pushes as Eden sighs heavily. His head falls in his hands as he covers his face and shakes it before sitting back upwards and sighing once more.
"During the first ball after the war, that was the first time I met Harmony. I had gone through so much during the war that being back around the ladies had filled my head. Once I saw Harmony, I convinced myself that I could easily pull a princess, I was right. That same night we began our...special friendship. At first, we were both just using each other to blow off steam, I'd sneak into the palace now and then and keep my identity hidden."
"That's how all this Kitsune stuff started right? The fox mask sightings?" Jade chimes in as Eden nods.
"Yeah. After doing this for almost two whole years, it wasn't shocking to realize that she'd developed feelings for me. However, I was holding onto my feelings for you, so I did the immature thing of stringing her along." Eden confesses as Jade sighs softly.
"Oh, Eden..."
"Yeah, I know it was a cruddy thing to do. The trouble is I didn't realize how petty Harmony could get until she started fawning over Amos to make me jealous. She'd say she was done with me, but we'd end up together again by the end of the night." Eden reminisces. Despite his initial discomfort around the topic, Jade can see the faintest hint of sadness in Eden's eyes.
"It wasn't until you came back home that I truly tried to cut her off, and of course, she didn't respond nicely to that. I told her that I was done, and she told me that she loved me. I said that I didn't..." Eden trails off as Jade silently watches his dejected expression. He talks about Harmony as if their feelings were one-sided, but his eyes tell another story. He's been unusually open about pouring out his heart to her about the situation, whereas a month ago Eden would've danced around the topic until it was too much to bear.
"If I wasn't such a horny jerk to her, she wouldn't have her eyes set on Amos to get back at me. When I left Aria, I came straight here needing to see her, but she refused me. She seemed to finally be fed up with our agreement and dug in her heels and tried to get her father to set up a union between her and Amos to get back at me. I know she doesn't care about Amos, which I guess is a bright side, but on the other side her hatred for you is very much real." Eden finishes as Jade hums softly at the information.
"Thank you for sharing this with me so openly. I'm glad that her feelings for Amos aren't true, but what are your feelings about all of this?" Jade asks as Eden sits back on the couch and puffs up his chest dramatically.
"I'm upset of course. I didn't mean for this to happen to Aria or you and Amos..."
"Yeah, that's all good and well, but I meant how do you feel about her?" Jade clarifies as Eden looks at her visibly taken aback.
"W-what do you mean?" Eden stammers as Jade stares unconvinced at him until he breaks. The duration of the staring contest lasted no more than twenty seconds.
"So, you appear in my secret hideout completely unannounced and just expect me to talk about my feelings, just like that?!" Eden blurts out defensively as Jade crosses her arms in front of her chest and shrugs.
"Surprisingly this wouldn't be the first time I've done that within the last twenty-four hours," Jade reveals with a tiny smirk as Eden raises a questioning eyebrow before shaking off the curiosity.
"So, in my absence, you've gotten more in tune with your emotions huh? That's good."
"Stop trying to change the subject Lover Boy 2.0."
"Who's the original lover boy?"
"Idris. Now, stop stalling Eden. There's no way after everything you've told me that you don't have some feelings for Princess Harmony."
"Of course, I do!" Eden finally yells as Jade flinches a bit taken aback Eden sighs and runs an agitated hand through his hair.
"I'm sorry for yelling, it's just...I know that Harmony is a terrible person. She's egoistic, malicious, and controlling...but I know her body better than I know my own. For a time, things between us were fun. She was softer around me, happier. I could see it and it terrified me because I'm a terrible person deep down too." Eden reveals in a whisper as Jade remains silent, immediately regretting pushing him so much. Instead of leaning on God after everything that happened during the war, he went to Harmony for comfort. WIth the little Jade knows of soul ties, she can't help but wonder in the back of her mind what that relationship did to Eden and if it had any influence in his spiritual battle.
"I'm sorry Eden, I shouldn't have forced that out of you." Jade offers earning her a passive head shake from Eden.
"It's alright, if you didn't, I probably never would've let it out. It's one of the other reasons I can't lead this rebellion, these people want the Valdezs' dead. I know that there's no future for the two of us, but I can't kill her Jade." Eden discloses as Jade places a finger on her bottom lip and begins to pace while deep in thought.
"I'm voting for as little bloodshed as possible, if the Valdez dig in their heels and refuse to step down, we could always just lock them away. No rule of war says the loser must die." Jade suggests as Eden thinks it over for a time, his face seemingly running through a mixture of emotions before sucking his teeth with an expression stuck in contemplation.
"It's unlikely that the Valdez have any allies who would try to bust them out of prison if we managed to lock them up. Though, maybe I could try one more time to talk Harmony out of this now that I know the full story. But..." Eden trails off leaving Jade waiting in anticipation for him to continue.
"But?" Jade pries snapping Eden out of his trance as he turns to her with a tight-lipped smile.
"But we'd need to convince the others to try the peaceful route." Eden finishes with a grimace as Jade rolls her eyes and makes her way to the library door.
"Alright, well round them up, and let's talk," Jade announces cheerfully as Eden abruptly grabs her hand to stop her from leaving. The action sends an uncomfortable chill up Jade's spine, she almost felt hostility to stop her. Jade glances down at his grip on her wrist which quickly prompts Eden to let go and apologize, the weird energy between them also quickly slinking away.
"Jade, I don't think you understand. These people are dead set on killing them, they likely won't dial it back for a Christian girl from Aria. They mean well trust me, but they've been pushed to act in aggression to save their families." Eden warns as Jade turns around and places her hands on her hips to stare at Eden disappointed.
"Jeez, it's only been a month or so and you've already forgotten who I am? This Christian girl has years of experience as a trained assassin and is set to become the future Queen of Aria. I am not scared of some rebels, let's remember here that I'm choosing the straight and narrow not because I'm incapable of winning this war, but because God wants me to trust Him to handle it." Jade reminds Eden who throws his hands up defensively.
"My apologies, Your Highness, I only thought it imperative that I warn you of the group you're about to encounter," Eden remarks in a snarky tone making Jade chuckle.
"You're forgiven, but seriously Eden, the quicker we get to the palace the better," Jade notes a bit impatiently as Eden smirks.
"Well, how about tomorrow night?"
"I beg your pardon?" Jade answers as Eden pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and hands it to Jade who examines the contents thereof and smiles in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me." Jade groans as Eden starts to chuckle.
"Not at all, why not finish it how it all started? At a ball." Eden chortles as Jade sighs heavily. She'd been happily content with the lack of parties thrown in Aria as of late. Her feet ache almost immediately at the remembrance of the extra dance lessons Mr. Barkley put her through to ensure she had the trained elegance of a Queen. Not to mention the thought of being at a party without Amos to lean on for mental support to ease the pain of social chatter doesn't help.
"Who throws a ball to celebrate going to war?!" Jade complains as Eden takes back the paper and folds it up before placing it back in his pocket.
"Harmony does, the Valdez love their parties and will use any excuse to host one. They enjoy being in delightful drunken stupor, I'm almost certain that most of that palace is constantly intoxicated to cope with the reckless decisions of their leadership. I intended on bringing this up in the meeting in a few hours anyhow, let's hope the others listen to your plan." Eden says while crossing his fingers as Jade nods.
"They will, I'll convince them. Now, let's find Idris and fill him in before this meeting." Jade closes the conversation before finally being allowed to exit the library followed a short distance behind by Eden.
"The team gathers late in the evening, usually after they've put the kids to bed. I'm sure you've had a long day; you should get some rest before the meeting. I'll show you to one of the spare bedrooms and fill Idris in when I find him." Eden offers as Jade hesitates.
"He'll be fine Jade; Idris is more capable than you're giving him credit for. He may not have spy experience, but he's one of the best royal guards there is. He doesn't need a babysitter, he's as welcome to explore this hideout as you are." Eden tells Jade who opens her mouth to respond, but quickly shuts it guilty of being so easily read. Eden leads Jade down the second floor of the mansion and towards a hallway full of doors. As much as she wants to ensure Idris's safety, her fatigue from the long hectic day get the better of her and Jade knows the importance of resting while she can.
"This room will be yours for as long as you need it. I'll make sure Idris is right next door once I find him." Eden informs Jade after he stops in front of a dark blue door with a golden handle. Above the doorframe is a cross that Jade pauses to stare up at. Eden answers her question before she can inquire about its origin.
"Some of the others use this room to pray. I haven't used it personally, but I figured you'd like it while you rest up for later." Eden elucidates as Jade turns to face Eden and smiles warmly. He said he hasn't gone through enough change since their last fight, but Jade can't help but feel hopeful that he potentially had time to sort out at least some of his feelings towards God.
"Thank you, Eden. I know today was unexpected, but I'm glad we could talk a bit before carrying out the mission. For the record, I won't tell Amos that I found you. I'd prefer you to choose when you're ready to see him. We both missed you back home Eden." Jade offers with a gentle smile as Eden looks away awkwardly.
"Thanks for saying that, Jade. I've still got some things I need to work out, I can't promise that I'll go back with you when all is said and done." Eden responds hesitantly as Jade rolls her eyes.
"I never asked you to." Jade blurts out as Eden frowns visibly shocked by her bluntness.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if you came back home, but what I wanted more than anything was just the knowledge that you were alive and safe. I see that you are, and that's more than enough for me right now. You're still one of my best friends Eden." Jade continues as Eden's smile starts to wobble and tears begin to form in his golden eyes.
"You still care about me? Even after everything I said before..."
"That stuff is in the past, I forgive you," Jade reassures Eden who chuckles and shakes his head seemingly skeptical of the quick reconciliation.
"How can you forgive me so easily?" Eden whispers as Jade smiles distantly and hears something be whispered into her spirit to say aloud. She almost hesitates to speak what she heard, but his reaction to her words will give her a further glimpse into where his head is at.
"That's what Jesus tells us to do. Everything He says to do and not to do is meant for our protection and well-being. It doesn't benefit us to keep grudges, it doesn't make me weak, it means being the bigger person and allowing us to start fresh. How that plays out depends on you." Jade proclaims as Eden looks away from her eyes a chuckles. He remains silent for a bit before nodding his head slowly.
"I'm glad you faith makes you happy Jade, and that you're willing to give me a second chance because of it. I just...still hold true to the fact that you and Amos would be better off without me." Eden reaffirms as Jade holds in her slight disappointment but nods and respects his feelings.
"Alright, I won't push. See you in a couple of hours." Jade whisper before turning around to open the door and gently closes it behind her and presses her back against it. Once alone, Jade falls to her knees and lets out a deep sigh. The weight of worrying about Eden has been lifted and she and Idris are still alive and in Toph safely. She knows the mission isn't over yet, but right now, she can't help but cry out to God in thanks for what He's done thus far, and what she knows He's yet to do.
***
Jade feels herself being gently lulled awake by a recognizable voice continuously calling her name. The presence of the unidentifiable person is oddly soothing, she feels safe in this person's presence and allows herself to indulge further in being cooed awake.
"Come on Jade, it's time to wake up." The voice lulls as the iron-rich scent of blood fills Jade's nose prompting her to open her eyes. Jade gasps sharply as she finds herself lying on the damp cold ground of a muddy field. The sky above her is a dark grey, filled with clouds that release their store of water which falls upon the earth around her furiously.
A sharp flash of lightning followed quickly by a booming crack of thunder made her jump to her feet in search of shelter from the fearsome elements. However, Jade is once again led to pause as she observes the condition of those around her.
As far as the eye can see, lifeless bodies lie upon the ground, the earth coated with the blood of those who'd fallen in a battle. Despite her lack of knowledge of the battle that took place, Jade takes note of a frighteningly familiar body laid directly at her feet.
Jade doesn't have to step closer to observe the person's features, the fallen crown next to their head is all the confirmation she needs, as well as the identity of their killer. Jade's hands hold a blade unfamiliar to her, its tip coated in blood despite the pouring rain. The weight of the sword only seems to strengthen the deeper she feels her mind sink into despair at the realization of what she's witnessing.
"This is where revenge will take you, Jade." A soft still voice calls out from behind Jade. She spins around to greet the person who spoke and finds herself face-to-face with a man she does not know. The man is unaffected by the storm around them, a soft light and warm presence surrounds him making Jade pray that he is a friend and not a foe. She cannot decipher facial features due to the light, but she faintly notes the apparel of white robes.
"What do you mean?" Jade aks the man who takes his eyes away from Jade to survey the wasteland. Upon further observation, Jade notes this land as the outskirts of Jeniah, a vast field once rich in nature now destroyed by war and carnage. The palace can be seen a far way away in the distance, yet even from here, Jade can see how it lies in ruins.
"Look around Jade, where are the victors of this battle?" the man asks as Jade struggles to look out through the fog lifting but can't see a single person around save herself and the man. She searches amongst the bodies for anyone with whom she's acquainted, thankfully, the faces are unrecognizable.
"I don't see anyone."
"Exactly, there is no victor in this war, but God allows certain things to happen for a reason," The man tells Jade who feels her heart thump heavily against her chest. The sword she had been holding suddenly triples in weight pulling Jade downwards as it sinks deep into the mucky ground. It's only now that Jade realizes that she's unable to release the sword. She yanks and yanks, yet her hands will not be removed from its grip, nor can she lift it out from the ground.
"I...I'm not strong enough to pull it out," Jade confesses as tears fill her eyes and her mind begins to fill with doubt and panic. The man doesn't say anything for a while as Jade struggles, but slowly makes his way over to Jade and places a gentle hand on her shoulder. Immediately Jade feels an indescribable power flow through her at the man's light touch.
"He will strengthen you and lead you in the way which you shall go. Trust Him as you've done up until this point, and do not take your eyes off Him. He would not lead you here just to let you handle this battle alone. Walk in His strength, not your own." The man relays to Jade who can hardly form words through her trembling lips.
"I don't want all these people to die. I don't want to kill anyone again. I don't want more blood on my hands." Jade whispers faintly as the man smiles, though the smile has a hint of sadness in it.
"He does not need your combat knowledge; He needs your obedience. Trust in Him and you will have victory." The man informs Jade as the storm begins to clear in the distance allowing a faint yellow light to slowly push away the darkness. Jade finally feels her hands release the sword allowing her to stand upright and wipe away her tears. Jade takes another look around her before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"No matter the challenge, I will be with you." Jade hears the voice whisper as her eyes burst open. She jumps up in bed and clutches her chest to slow her heart from its attempt to leap out of its place. Jade's eyes dart around the guest bedroom before settling down at her hands which hold strange marks like those which would be left if she truly had been gripping a sword. The sight sends a chill down Jade's spine, her eyes lift to the ceiling as if hoping the man she spoke to would be there.
"What did you really send me here for?" Jade asks in the darkness of the room. She recalls her dream vividly, and while she can gauge the words spoken to her, there was something more she felt she was being warned of. As expected, her question does not receive an answer. Despite this, Jade slides off the guest bed and takes note of the Bible lying on the nightstand.
"Faith, right? If I got all the answers upfront, I wouldn't learn anything, right? OK God, whatever it is you want to teach me, I'm ready." Jade declares aloud as she picks up the BIble and beings to flip to the book she recalls studying before she left home. Though in the back of her mind, Jade can't shake the feeling that the upcoming lesson will be more than she can bear alone.