RPG Arena

[River Tam]

Leah, Hannah, and nurses

Rayford was hanging by a thread, clinging to life. Leah, Hannah and the doctors did what they could, but then they put him in the same tent as three others--Marta, Josef, and Arianna. The only one who knew what was going on was Arianna, and she was itching to uncuff herself from the bed.

The nurse who had been tasked to take care of Marta was now taking care of the other two. Leah and Hannah were taking care of Rayford, but that was a waiting game. The nurse didn't mind, since Marta was still drifting in and out of consciousness, barely aware her paralyzed husband was lying next to her.

Suddenly, she noticed a darkness fall over the tent. "Leah, Hannah, what's happening?" she asked the two older nurses.

Two young soldiers came in, checking on the few left in the infirmary. "All of you all right?" one of them asked.

"We're fine, what's going on?" Hannah answered.

"The artillery is pounding us, but not coming near the front lines. Our DEWs are frightening the horses."

Everyone jumped when they heard a crash of thunder. "What's going on?" the young nurse asked, frightened.

[River Tam]

Arianna

Thunder and lightning crackled through the heavens and all could see what was happening as if it was right where they were. Arrianna suddenly felt rejuventated as her cuffs fell off useless. She watched as a miraculous, large-scale healing filled the tents. Arrianna felt her heart fill with joy and ran out coming up by Jaiden and the kids as Jesus spoke.

She could hear the cries of joy from the saved and screams of terror from those who hadn't really believed or refused to except. She heard the death cries from Carpathia's army as Jesus spoke and the men and their horses began to explode into a lifeless pile of entrails as those who attempted to escape slipped in the mess and in many cases were next.

Arrianna looked back as the med tent emptied and continued to pray and worship with the others there. She could even see the joy on Mary and Matthew's faces. They were completely wrapped up in Jesus and his arrival, and they thrilled as they could hear Jesus say their names in their heads.

As Jesus and his army of heavenly hosts continued on, they and others followed Jesus at a run, never feeling an inkling of exhaustion. She could hear her voice and those of her family as they joined the throngs of voices praising Jesus.

[River Tam]

Marta and Josef

Darkness fell over the fortress of Petra, and thunder and lightning filled the air. Everyone, believers and non-believers, wondered what was happening, but the believers realized this was a prelude to Jesus' coming.

Arianna was still figuring out how to get out of the cuffs that kept her in bed, and the nurse rolled her eyes. She didn't know how Arianna was, that the young former agent couldn't stay still for long. The nurse just turned away, checking the monitors at Marta's bedside.

Josef's eyes fluttered open and noticed the darkness in the tent. "What happened? Where am I?" he asked sleepily. He had been brought in from surgery and put on his stomach to relieve pressure on his back. But the prognosis wasn't good--he would be paralyzed from the waist down.

"You were shot in the back, Mr. Weiss," the nurse replied. "They were able to get the bullet out, but you will be paralyzed."

Josef blinked, trying to absorb that information. Then he slowly turned his head and noticed the monitors connected to his wife. He turned the other way and noticed Arianna and Rayford and blinked back his tears. "I should have never left, Marta," he mumbled, turning back to his wife.

The thunder stopped, and the nurse went outside. Then she was suddenly blinded by a bright light in the sky. When her sight returned, she noticed not only that everyone else was looking skyward, but that a giant bright cross filled the sky.

She rushed back inside to tell the patients and stopped in her tracks. "Miss Night, you know you shouldn't be out of bed!" she shouted firmly when she saw the former agent standing next to her bed.

Arianna suddenly felt rejuventated when her cuffs fell off useless, but she didn't move. Instead she watched her fellow patients be miraculously healed. Rayford sat up and began removing the bandages that were now useless. Josef slowly turned over and sat up, watching his toes wiggling and feeling all of it. But all of them watched Marta as her lungs were suddenly filled with air and she exhaled loudly.

Rayford left first, itching to get back on a 4-wheeler and see what was happening. Then Arianna left next after giving Josef and Marta a quick hug, following Rayford to the action. Josef and Marta hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces. "Let's go and see our children," Josef said, scooping his wife's small form and carrying her out.

[River Tam]

Arianna

Reunited with her family, Arrianna's voice continued to join the throng of voices singing praises to The Lord with renewed vigor as their Savior's arrival was noted. As the throngs began to follow Jesus so did they.

The whole time no fatigue was felt and the children were completely captivated by Jesus. They continued to shout hallelujahs and sing songs of praise as the advancing hoard of Carpathia continued to attempt to flee what it could not.

[River Tam]

Marta, Josef, and Erich

Josef and Marta didn't get much time to enjoy their sudden recovery, their neighbor helped them get things together to evacuate to the fortress. They got the children and moved out, then they stopped, mesmerized by the cross still in the sky. "Kreuz, Mama?" Peter said, pointing to the sky.

"Ja, Peter, Jesus kommt," Marta answered, telling her son Jesus was coming. Then she thought about something--or someone. "Erich, where's Erich?" she asked Josef.

He gave Martin to his wife. "I'll find him, liebe." Before she could stop him, he was off, running toward the battle.

His phone went off when he was almost to the vehicles. "I am well, Herr Weiss," Erich said. "We are in the middle of the army, and we are unharmed."

"I'm coming to get you," Josef said, saying nothing about the miracle.

Erich figured it out. "So you are healed?" he said, then he added, "I'll find you when Jesus appears. Go take care of your wife and the little ones."

Josef returned to Marta, who was still in front of their tent. "Erich is fine, our defenders are unharmed," he assured her.

"Yes, Jesus is coming soon," Marta whispered.

"We should still go, Josef," Marta suggested, shifting Therese in her arm. She had Peter in the other arm, but Josef took him, now carrying both twins.

Josef nodded, following the crowd. They found Arianna and her family and stood next to them, still looking skyward. They saw the Unity Army gathering and stood firm, starting to sing hymns to God. They heard the artillery, the bombs, the bullets, all aimed at them.

Josef and Marta closed their eyes, expecting to die where they stood, but nothing happened. Then Josef heard his phone, it was Erich. "They're firing at you again, but nothing is happening!" he shouted.

"Praise God," Josef answered, then hung up.

Then the heavens opened up, and Jesus came down in triumph, His words striking down the Unity Army as it retreated. But Josef and Marta just stood in awe, realizing they had been healed so they could see this moment.

[River Tam]

Arianna

Arrianna felt exhilaration fill her, being combined with joy, as she and her family followed Jesus. She felt no pain no fatigue, for the first time in her life she was completly healed. All the old pains from old injuries and just as she saw Rayford's old sports injury had healed, she knew that He'd performed a miracle in her and she could feel her uterus and all was finally restored. They could give Mary and Matthew siblings if they liked.

She was so excited so grateful as she followed Jesus and she could hear her little ones as they were fully enamored of him as well. She could hardly wait to see what happened next as they continued to follow Jesus to Jerusalem.

[River Tam]

Marta and Josef

Marta and Josef was with the rest of the remnant and followed Jesus everywhere. Josef put down their both twins, and Marta was carrying Therese. Neither one was tired, though, they kept on going faster and faster. Their small sons were keeping up with them also, another incredible feat.

They saw Jesus cut down the Unity Army with his words, but they heard someting else. "Josef, He's speaking to me," Marta whispered to her husband.

Josef nodded. "He's speaking to me too, and in Hebrew."

"I'm hearing him in German."

Martin shook Josef, pointed to the bright light still in the sky and said, "Papa, er spricht." Josef smiled, realizing his twin sons were hearing Jesus also. His daughter was probably hearing Him also, but she was too young to say anything.

Josef heard his phone again and found it was Erich. There was a small contingency in Jerusalem with Rayford. "It's a ghost town, Josef," he said. "The rebels have been repulsed, captured, and now they're being tortured."

"Ari, have you found him?" Josef asked.

"We think he was captured again," Erich answered.

"He will be delivered again, we know that." Josef said a small prayer for his friend in Jerusalem and hung up. Then he took Therese from Marta and turned with the rest of the remnant to Jerusalem.

[River Tam]

Josef, Ari, and Marta

The remnant stopped outside Jerusalem, saddened by the fall of the city. Josef was sad for his friend Ari, but the need to fight was gone. All he wanted to do now was stay with Marta and his family. Erich had put down his arms and came up to them, taking Therese from Marta. Benjamin found them also, standing next to Josef.

Then the ground shook violently. "What's happening?" many of the remnant asked, looking around. They found the ground was being leveled out, the mountains were becoming one with the valleys.

All except Jerusalem, the city was still filled with destruction. Carpathia and his army was taking care of the last of the rebels and consolidating his forces. Carpathia knew what was going to happen, but yet he still thought he could win the battle of the ages.

The remnant moved near the Mount of Olives, far enough away to be out of harm's way and close enough to still see what was going on. They heard Carpathia shout "Attack!" as Jesus came from Heaven down the Mount of Olives, the Unity Army destroyed again by His words.

There was another earthquake, turning the Mount of Olives into a valley and raising Jerusalem up. Carpathia and Leon were running scared, but that wasn't what the remnant was looking at. They were looking at the prisoners streaming down the valley.

Ari ran to Josef and hugged him tightly, then looked at Therese. "How could you leave this, my friend?" he asked Josef. All Josef could do was shrug and laugh.

[River Tam]

Arianna

Arrianna was caught up in all the excitment of Christ's return as they returned to the Holy City. She saw Carpathia's people fall to the Lord's army and watched in exhilaration as the prisoners ran to meet them.

She watched as the city was lifted up and wiped clean in only moments and she could only think to thank and praise God. Jaiden continued to thrill at all that was happening and the elation he saw in the faces of Mary and Matthew.

They continued to sing praises to the Lord as the followed him into His Holy City, and all continued to be thrilled at the sound of the Lord's voice as all continued to hear it in their own language.

[River Tam]

Marta

Marta couldn't say anything at this moment. She was standing next to her husband, holding her daughter and feeling her twin sons next to her. Ari had returned to them after the defeat of Carpathia's unholy army. Jerusalem had been raised up above the now level land.

Now she walked behind Jesus as He entered Jerusalem again. This time it was as God's Son, the Light of the world, coming to establish His kingdom on Earth. She took Josef's hand and squeezed it tightly, her emotion saying everything in that one action.

She had endured much in the years after the Rapture, coming to this moment, and it wasn't over. Carpathia and his false prophet hadn't been fully defeated yet, but their time would come. Marta couldn't wait for that moment; after that she hoped to see her friends and family again.

[River Tam]

Marta

"Marta, come to me," Marta heard a voice in the crowd. She turned to Josef, but her husband was walking toward Christ as if he heard the same calling.

"No, I can't," Marta said, shaking her head.

"I know of your past devotion to the Catholic Church, Marta, and the sacrifices you made for your family," Christ said to her. He was speaking to her as if she was the only one there, but she was one person in the large crowd outside Jerusalem. She also heard Him in German, her native language.

"I was with you when your father questioned Me when your mother died," Christ went on. "I was with you when you left school to take care of your father in his sickness. I heard you question your father when he accepted Me and asked you to accept Me. Still you remained devoted to the Church, confessing to an imperfect man and asking for forgiveness.

"I was with you when Jürgen Spielmann tried to convince you I was the light you were seeking, and I was with you when you discovered that. I was with you when your children were born, and when you married your husband."

"I am so unworthy," Marta said, wanting to bow down and ask for mercy.

"But I still love you, Marta, I have always loved you." Jesus put a hand on her shoulder, patted Therese's little head. "You have fought for Me, and sacrificed for Me. That makes you worthy of My forgiveness. Go in peace, Marta."

Marta stepped back with tears in her eyes, smiling at Jesus. She glanced over at Josef, who had the same look. "I love you, Josef," she whispered.

"I love you too, Marta," Josef whispered back.