Adrium: Rebellion - Introduction

To My Son, Elijah, May you always trust in the faithfulness of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Introduction

HE gripped the gravel that lay heavy under him. Pressing his knuckles against the small, grinding rocks he slowly stood and stared ahead at the creature before him, human in appearance, pure evil in spirit, and you could see it in his grey eyes, shadowed from under the cloak that shrouded his head.

         He could feel the heaviness of those eyes' stare pressing on him with a pressure in his chest, as if the beast were attempting to rip his heart right out. He could taste the blood that was flowing from the cut inside of his mouth; it didn't feel too deep, but the taste slithered across his taste buds. His shoulder, feeling weak and throbbing, he favored it a bit.

          "Surely you see that there will be no end in which you are victorious, Son of Adrium," the vile creature spat. "Submit to me and you shall know, for the first time, what true liberty feels like!"

         Elijah wiped the blood from his chin, breathing steadily, without breaking his gaze. Adrium, where are you?

"Liberty? What do you know of liberty? All that you have was given by He who is above you. You cannot grant what you do not have. I submit, only to Adrium."

"Adrium, Adrium, Adrium!" the creature laughed. "And where is Adrium now, hmm? Perhaps he is hiding; shall we look for him?

Elijah's heart pounded in his chest, each syllable smashing into his ears like hammers. A tear crawled its way down his cheek leaving a streak of skin unblemished among the soot that lay on his face. His eyes went blurry with tears. He had asked himself that same question many times before this moment. Where was Adrium and why had He forsaken him during the hour in which Elijah needed Him the most?

The creature smiled at him. "Ah, so even His Son doubts Him? Tell me, can your faith in your precious Creator overcome, even, your own questions?"

Elijah stood, every muscle fiber flexed beneath his leather cuirass, sweat covering every inch of him and for the first time in his life he was unsure of what the answer to that question was. He tried hiding his uncertainty. With clenched fists he was frozen, as if his whole world were crashing down around him on the biggest platform he had ever stood on. "ADRIUUUUMMMMMM!"

1