| Chapter 50 Evi walked into the bedroom and sat down next to the bed. Brian was asleep, in the same position she'd left him in the night before. She reached down and picked up the wash cloth from the floor, placing it on the night stand. She looked over and stared at Brian. Even in his sleep there seemed to be a peace around him. It was something she'd never seen before, and something she wanted desperately. Her mind had kept her up all night, giving her every reason in the world not to just break down and ask God for forgiveness. But each reason that came to her only sealed the idea that she had been wasting her life and trying to fill it with the wrong things. But even as she reached that conclusion, she knew she still couldn't ask. Her fear was to great for her to get past it. She was stuck and she knew it. She would live the rest of her life in a place she hated and never find the peace that seemed to consume Brian. Evi sighed, resting her elbows on the bed and putting her face in her hands. She thought she was done crying, but as her tears spilled out she realized she wasn't. She didn't try to fight them, she just let them come. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Nick, their army is complete," Jarab said. Nick looked up, "Are they advancing?" "No, they're waiting just inside the gate," he answered. Nick looked to Micah and Gideon, "What are they waiting on?" "I don't know, but I don't like it," Micah said. "Neither do I," Gideon agreed. Nick stood up, "Get everyone in position. I want to know the moment they pass through the gate." Jarab nodded, then left the tent. Nick grabbed his sword, "Whatever it is, I guess we'll find out soon enough." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian woke to the sound of someone crying. He looked over, seeing Evi sitting next to him, her head in her hands. He slid his hand over and touched her elbow, "Evi?" She looked up, frantically wiping the tears from her cheeks, "Brian, I-I didn't mean to wake you." Brian grabbed her hand before she could get up and held onto it, "Talk to me. Tell me why you're crying." She looked away from him, a new batch of tears returning to her eyes. "I can't do it Brian. No matter how much I might want to, I just can't," she said. He squeezed her hand, "Look at me." She turned her head and looked into his eyes. "That's your fear talking. Tell me what your heart wants," he said. Evi took a shaky breath, "It wants what I see in you. What I saw in Nick before we turned him. I want the peace and joy I see in your eyes, but I ..." "Stop right there," Brian said, "No buts. Evi I believe that you being asked to take care of me wasn't just a fluke. I think it was for this very moment. You can have what your heart desires, all you have to do is ask." Evi stared into his eyes, finding love and peace in them. It was difficult for her to understand how he could have love for her soul after all the things she'd done to hurt his friends, but there it was, staring her in the face. She knew she couldn't listen to her mind forever. She'd been doing that for to long as it was. She was finally ready to let her heart lead her. "I just have to ask, that's all?" she said, timidly. Brian smiled at her, "That's all. Ask Him to forgive you, and He will come to live in your heart." Evi nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud pounding on the door. She looked at Brian, the fear back in her eyes, "Close your eyes, I'll try to get rid of him," and with that she quickly left the room. Brian closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. He heard footsteps coming closer, and almost jumped when the door to his room flew open. "I don't care," Hathath yelled, "Wake him up now!" "I can't," Evi said. "The army is ready to go, now wake him up!" Hathath insisted. "He's not ready," Evi countered. "Well, he's just gonna have to get ready," Hathath said, grabbing Brian by the hair and jerking him up into a sitting position. Brian screamed in agony at the sudden movement. Hathath stared at him, "I thought you said he wasn't awake?" "He I ... um, "Evi stammered, looking at Brian. "She didn't know," Brian said, "I've been faking it." Hathath looked from Brian to Evi, then back again. "Why do I get the feeling you're lying to me?" he asked, angrily. "I'm not," Brian said, "She didn't know." "Fine, on your feet now," Hathath ordered. Brian slowly swung his legs off the bed, sliding down to the floor. His knees gave way, but Evi caught him before he hit the floor. "He can't do this," she protested. "Then you will help him! Let's go," Hathath said, turning and leading the way. Evi wrapped Brian's arm over her shoulders and carefully held him at the waist with her other arm, "I'm sorry Brian." "It's OK," he said as they made their way out of the room. Hathath lead them through the city and to the fields beyond. Brian gasped when he saw the army assembled at the gate. There where thousands of them, all ready for war. As Hathath lead them to a group of demons, Brian could feel all their eyes on him. "Evi, no matter what happens to me...... you stay true to your heart, OK?" Brian whispered. She glanced at him and gave him a slight nod as they approached the group. Hathath turned around and grabbed Brian from Evi, shoving him to the ground, "Here he is." Brian looked up, seeing who he assumed was the leader of the army standing in front of him. Brian struggled to his knees. "How does it feel to know that you will be the downfall of all of heaven and earth?" the demon asked. Brian looked at him, "What do you mean?" The demon laughed, "Just like a mortal not to understand his significance in the war between good and evil. You are to content to live in your little world and not be bothered by such things." Brian slowly got to his feet, "I have no idea what your talking about." "Just as well," the demon said, turning to a group behind him, "Take him." Brian watched the group advance on him, and let them drag him over to another group. He couldn't figure out what they were doing, until the last group parted and he saw what was to be his fate. There on the ground before him was a large wooden cross. Brian looked back at the demon in horror, "You can't do this!" "Oh we can and we will," the demon spat. Evi had followed the group, and when she too realized what was about to happen she screamed. "No! He didn't do anything! You can't do this, please!" she yelled. She forced her way through the soldiers and grabbed Brian, crying on his bare shoulder, "I'm so sorry." Brian pulled his arms out of the grasp of the soldiers and hugged her. "Evi, don't fight them on this, it'll only get you hurt. If this is my fate, then so be it, but don't let what I lived for be in vain. Trust your heart, let Him in," he said, as the soldiers pulled him away. Evi turned and watched as they slammed Brian onto the cross and stretched out his arms. Brian didn't try to fight them, he knew he couldn't. Instead he watched them strip him down to a pair of shorts. He turned his head to see a large demon with a hammer in his hand place a spike in the center of his wrist. God, help me, Brian prayed, quickly scanning the crowd around him. He found Evi standing to the side, tears streaming down her face. He focused on her as the demon lifted the hammer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick was standing in the valley, looking over the army. He hoped his strategy was a wise one. He had sent half the army back to the city, with orders to wait there until called for. Tara walked over to him, "Everyone is set." "Good, now all we have to do is wa........" Nick started, then dropped to his knees in pain. Gideon and Micah rushed over to see what was happening. Nick screamed as another wave of pain ran through his body. His breathing was short and rapid, sweat beading on his face. "Nick, tell us what you see," Gideon prompted, seeing the far away look in Nick's eyes. Nick struggled to talk, "The army .... Evi's there...crying." "Can you see Brian?" Tara asked. Nick shook his head, "No ...... I can hear him ....screaming." The three looked at one another, worry and concern in their eyes. Nick jerked as a third intense wave of pain coursed through him, "God, what's happening?!" he cried. Tara pulled Nick to her, holding him, "I dunno." Nick lay in her arms for several minutes, finally the pain left him and he was able to focus on what was around him. He sat up, trying desperately to figure out what was happening to Brian. "Are you alright?" Micah asked. "I'm not sure. I've never felt anything like that before. Brian's in trouble, I know it," Nick said. Just then the watchers appeared. "Nick, they've come through the gate," one said. Nick got to his feet, "Is Brian with them?" "Yes, we couldn't see him, but we could feel his presence. We were spotted and couldn't stay ...." the man answered. Nick held his hand up, "It's alright. Take your places, it won't be long." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several of the demons had picked the cross up from the ground and where carrying it. They kept it in a horizontal position for easy travel. Evi marched with them, refusing to leave Brian's side. She walked next to him, keeping a hand on Brian at all times, trying to ease his pain. "Evi, you .... shouldn't be .... here," Brian said, struggling to catch his breath. "I won't leave you," she said, "You did nothing to deserve this." Brian closed his eyes. "Brian, you have to stay awake," Evi said, gently touching his cheek. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She had an urgency in her eyes, "How much to you know about crucifixions?" Brian shook his head, "Not much." Evi leaned closer to him as she walked, "Brian when they put the cross in a vertical position you won't be able to breathe. You will have to push yourself up with your legs to get any air. That's why crucifixion was so cruel, it suffocates you. Sometimes people would last for days on the cross before they died. Often the soldiers would break the persons legs so they would die faster. Just remember to exhale as you push up, and take a deep breath before you let yourself back down, hold it as long as you can before you push up again." Brian nodded, "I never .... thought I would .... feel this." "Feel what?" Evi asked. "What Jesus went .... through when He ... died for us," Brian answered. "Just hang on Brian, I'll try to help you as much as I can," Evi soothed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Everyone looked up when they heard the drums, keeping the beat to the march. Nick moved to the front of the army, Tara, Micah, Gideon, and Jade standing behind him. He drew his sword and waited for the opposing army to appear in the valley. He watched as they appeared some distance from him. Nick quickly scanned the army, looking for Brian. He couldn't see him, but as he scanned across a large mass of demons near the front of the army, he could feel him. The leader of the demon army took a few steps forward and glared at Nick. "So Nickolas, we meet again," he said. Nick stepped forward, "Yeah, we've got to stop doing that. It's getting really annoying." The demon laughed, "You always where cocky." "Cut the chatter, where's Brian?" Nick demanded. "Oh, you mean the mortal we've been keeping?" the demon taunted. "You know who I mean, show him to me!" Nick yelled. "Of course," the demon said, turning and waving his hand. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As soon as the army had stopped moving the demons had lowered the cross to the ground. Several of them had begun digging a hole at the base of the cross, others stood around with what looked like supports in their hands. Evi could hear Nick and the head demon talking, but she couldn't see them. "Brian, they're about to lift you up," she said. He nodded, trying to prepare himself. Brian looked at Evi as several demons gathered around, getting ready to lift the cross. "Remember .... all you have ....to do .... is ask," he said, as the demons positioned themselves to lift. Evi let a tear slide down her face, "Take a deep breath, this is it." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick watched as the mass of demons parted, and a cross was lifted into place. He almost dropped his sword when he realized Brian was nailed to it. Nick winced as the cross dropped into the hole with a loud thud, followed by a pained cry from Brian. The demons quickly supported the cross, then moved away from it. Evi was the only one left standing at the foot of it. She could barely reach the bottom of Brian's feet, but she stretched, touching them, trying to ease his pain. Nick blinked away tears as he saw the blood from Brian's wrists and feet drip down the cross to stain the ground below. The head demon laughed. His plan had worked. The entire army of God was standing in his midst, stunned and speechless. They where completely transfixed by Brian's form on the cross, many of them openly weeping. "How does it feel Nickolas to know that this innocent life is suffering because of your mistakes?" he asked. Nick looked over at him, anger filling his eyes. "Because of you Nickolas, your friend is gonna die. Brings back memories doesn't it?" the demon spat. Nick shook his head, "Stop it!" "Come now, what good is a leader that can't own up to his mistakes? You started this long ago. Every life that has been lost is blood on your hands," the demon mocked. Nick looked back up to Brian, watching him struggle to push himself up to get air. "This innocent life is dying for your sins Nickolas, how ironic huh?" the demon laughed. Nick turned around, facing his army. They where all in much the same condition as he was. He never thought in a million years this would happen. He knew he had to do something before they where all overrun by the demons taking advantage of their weaken state. "Gideon, sound the horns," Nick instructed. Gideon pulled his gaze from Brian, and quickly sent the signal. The horns sounded throughout the valley, startling the army back into focus. Nick turned around, gripping his sword tighter in his hand and glared at the demon, "You came for a fight, and now you're gonna get the fight of your life. CHARGE!" Nick said, running towards him, followed by his army. Chapter 51 |