The city groaned under the weight of the crimson sky. Shadows twisted violently across shattered streets, illuminated by flashes of molten red from the fully risen creature.
Daniel stood at the center, golden light radiating from his eyes and chest. Around him, the awakened had formed lines, each holding the courage and gifts that he had nurtured in them.
Miriam’s voice was calm but urgent:
“Tonight, Daniel, everything is tested. The false prophet will unleash her full power, the creature will strike, and the city’s faith will tremble. You must lead them.”
Elara clutched the children close, whispering prayers. Jonah muttered, “I should’ve brought more than courage… maybe a baseball bat.”
Daniel closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The Listener’s gift pulsed through him like a tidal current, synchronizing every heartbeat in the city with his own.
⸻
The False Prophet Unleashed
High atop the tallest tower, the false prophet raised her hands. Her red eyes glowed like coals, and shadows surged outward, coiling around buildings, streets, and the awakened.
“Obey me!” she screamed, voice amplified across the city.
“Bow to the throne! Kneel before what is inevitable!”
Daniel stepped forward, golden light expanding like the dawn.
“You have no power here,” he called, voice calm but commanding.
“Your lies have no hold on the awakened. The Lord is our strength. His truth will not be overcome.”
The awakened responded in unison, raising their hands and voices:
“We will not fear! We will not bow! We follow the One True Light!”
Shadows collided with their courage, but Daniel’s golden light held the center, creating a protective dome over the children and the awakened.
⸻
Miracles of the Awakened
Daniel gestured, golden light flowing from his hands into the city.
• A boy stepped forward, sensing lies and deception, and spoke words that dissolved shadow creatures around him.
• A mother reached out, her prayer amplified by Daniel’s light, and healed a man pinned under rubble.
• Teenagers focused their newfound courage into protective shields around the crowd.
The miracles multiplied, each one flowing naturally from Daniel’s obedience, the Listener’s gift, and the awakened’s faith.
The false prophet shrieked in frustration.
“Impossible! How can mortals defy the throne?”
Daniel’s voice rang out above the chaos:
“Because they are not alone. The Lord fights with us!”
⸻
The Creature Fully Manifests
From beneath the city, the ground cracked open violently. The creature rose fully, massive and terrifying: molten wings unfurling, claws ready to rend, eyes like burning furnaces.
It towered over Daniel and the awakened, radiating fury and power. Its voice boomed into their minds:
“You cannot withstand me.
Obey… or all shall perish!”
Daniel’s chest tightened as he felt the creature probing his soul, testing his obedience, trying to force fear into him.
He took a deep breath, golden light flaring from within.
“I obey the Lord,” he said steadily.
“I will not bow to fear.
And I will not abandon those I am called to protect.”
The creature shrieked and lunged, wings slamming into buildings, shaking the streets, sending clouds of debris and fire spiraling.
⸻
The Hardest Choice
Suddenly, the creature’s gaze fell on the children Daniel had been protecting, particularly one—the youngest, fragile, clinging to Elara.
Daniel froze. His chest tightened. The Listener’s gift whispered the impossible:
“Sacrifice one to save the many… or stand firm and risk all.”
Tears streaked Daniel’s face. His heart wrenched, the weight of obedience almost unbearable.
He looked at the children, at Elara, at Jonah, at the awakened who had learned to stand with him.
He closed his eyes and whispered:
“I trust You, Lord. I will obey. I will not choose fear. I will protect all I can, and You will guide the rest.”
Golden light erupted from him like a sun reborn, blinding in its brilliance. The awakened channeled their courage and gifts through him, forming a massive, radiant shield around the children and the city.
The creature screamed in agony as the light struck it directly, forcing it to recoil. Its molten wings scorched buildings, but it could not breach the wall of obedience.
The false prophet screamed, rage distorting her features. Shadows lashed wildly, but one by one, the awakened pushed them back, their faith acting as a sword and shield.
⸻
The Turning Point
Daniel stepped forward, golden light streaming from his body, and called out to the city:
“Stand! Do not fear! The Lord is with us!
His truth cannot be overcome!”
The awakened shouted with him. The children lifted their voices. Even some of the city’s terrified survivors joined, their faith ignited by the miracles they had witnessed.
The creature faltered, molten wings folding, molten fury recoiling.
The false prophet screamed, her army breaking, unable to resist the combined force of Daniel’s obedience, the awakened’s courage, and the city’s faith.
Daniel’s chest heaved. Grief, exhaustion, and relief mingled, but he stood firm.
The first true victory had been claimed—but Daniel knew the throne had not yet fallen.
Divine Revelations 
Leave a comment