This takes place after the end chapter of The Dawn Before the Fall, Veracity - Rise of the Fallen Moon.
Koa is feeling doubt about facing the Prototype, but then she receives a friendly reminder that she doesn't just have her new friends by her side.
Fear and self-doubt have always been the greatest enemies of human potential.
- Boan Trocy
It was quiet in the caverns, save for the springs of water running along the rocks. Though it wasn't enough to disturb anyone.
Koa, DogDay, CatNap, Kissy and the Ruined Critters were all huddled together sleeping. They decided to get a bit more rest before they made their way to the lower levels of the factory.
Koa was leaning against CatNap's abdomen, not enough to cause discomfort, just enough to support her upper body. DogDay was laying not two feet away, and Kissy was resting behind CatNap. The Ruined Critters were all huddled in small groups around them, with one Ruined DogDay resting on Koa's torso.
Though sleep was coming easy to the others, Koa found it uneasy. Thoughts of doubt kept running through her head.
'How can I defeat the Prototype? How can I get past all those other defenses he has? Yarnaby, a toy lion? Pianosaurus, and toy dinosaur? The Nightmare Critters? I'm grateful everyone is willing to help, but should I have them come with me? It's too dangerous. How can I ask them of this?'
Koa gave an impatient sigh and forced those thoughts out of her head. She needed to sleep.
Surprisingly, it came easy, as she was in the dream realm within seconds.
Or was it the dream realm?
….
….
Koa was in her dining room in her cabin. Though she was surprised at what she saw.
There, at the dining room table, was her parents, her older brothers, Joshua and Noah. Though they were younger. About twenty years younger. Her brothers looked about twelve years old. Her father no longer had his grey hair, and her mother looked younger as well.
And there, next to her father, was her.
She saw herself as a six-year-old little girl. Her hair was in pigtails, and she wasn't wearing her great-grandmother's gifted eagle feather.
This wasn't a dream, per se. It was a memory.
But why this specific memory?
She took a closer look, and saw everyone at the table had their own copies of a Bible.
"Did David really kill the giant with just a stone, Daddy?" Young Koa asked her father, her face showing amazed curiosity.
"He did, indeed, Baby Girl," Preston answered.
"That's so awesome!" Joshua shouted. "And when I become a cop, I'll take down the biggest bad guys there are!"
"Josh, please," Noah begged.
"How did he do it?" Koa asked.
Instead of answering, Preston gently constructed with a smile on his face, "read 1 Samuel 17:34-37."
Koa obeyed and went to her Bible.
(1 Samuel 17:34-37 NLT)
"But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the Lord be with you!""
"Very good," Preston praised. "Now read 1 Samuel 17:45-47."
Again, Koa obeyed.
(1 Samuel 17:45-47 NLT)
"David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven's Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord's battle, and he will give you to us!""
"Very good," her mother praised. "Now did you pick anything up from that?"
Young Koa thought for a moment.
"David says that God was with him," she answered, more like a question than a statement.
"Exactly," Preston and Shenandoah said simultaneously.
"With God, nothing is impossible. The battle wasn't David's. God sent David to protect His people. David trusted God wholeheartedly, and he defeated the giant, Goliath," Preston said to all three of his children around the table.
"And bears and lions!" Joshua shouted.
Shenandoah giggled at her son's excitement.
"But take this into heart, children," Shenandoah suddenly spoke up, "do not test God. Remember when Jesus was in the desert and He was hungry, and the devil tried to tempt Him?"
All the children turned to chapter three of the Book of Matthew.
"The devil told Jesus to jump off the temple so angels could save Him," Noah said.
"And Jesus said 'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord," Joshua added.
"Very good," Shenandoah said.
"God will provide you protection. But remember, don't deliberately put yourself in danger to make a point. Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble," Preston added.
"You quoted Mufasa, Daddy," Koa pointed out.
Preston chuckled and rubbed his daughter's head.
"Yes I did, Baby Girl," he smiled, but then became serious. "But seriously, my children, you don't do anything to tempt fate or God. But it's good to have faith that God will provide. Remember what Jesus said about faith?"
Koa raised her hand and spoke up, " "(…)"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."" (Matthew 17:20 NLT)
"Very good. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. As long as you have faith, anything is possible," Preston praised his daughter.
Koa watched the scene before her. Her eyes flooded with tears. She shut her eyes tightly…
….
….
Her eyes snapped open. She looked around her.
She was back in the caverns. CatNap, DogDay, Kissy, and the Ruined Critters were still asleep.
With a sigh, she thought about her dream… no, her memories.
Her eyes started to flood with tears.
She understood why she relived it.
She felt it inside. Her doubts were gone.
She was still afraid, but still, she was much more confident than she was before.
She glanced up, and the tears streamed down her face.
She thought about everything she's been through for the past week now. It is truly by the Grace of God that she was still alive. And her dreaming about her childhood Bible Study was a blessing. A wake-up call she really needed.
She needed privacy for a little while.
She glanced down and saw a Ruined DogDay was still asleep on her torso.
Being a plush sized toy, Koa carefully scooped up the little toy and set him down with a group of others. Fortunately, he didn't wake.
Koa carefully stood up, and as quietly as she could, she walked away to find somewhere quiet.
CatNap shifted slightly before he woke up. He looked to his side and saw Angel was gone.
Panicked slightly, he looked over and saw a glimpse of her a few yards away before she disappeared behind some collapsed platforms.
CatNap stood up, careful not to disturb anyone, and followed Angel.
After a few minutes, he rounded the corner where Angel disappeared behind the debris.
Then he paused.
There was Angel, on her knees. CatNap couldn't quiet hear her, but he knew she was quietly speaking.
After a few minutes, Angel made a gesture with her hand, and she stood up and turned around, and froze when she saw CatNap.
"CatNap! I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She asked apologetically.
CatNap shook his head as he slowly approached her.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah I'm fine. I just needed some privacy for a little bit," she explained.
CatNap tilted his head. Something seemed… different about Angel.
She seemed more… confident than she had before.
"What's wrong, Angel?" CatNap asked.
"Nothings wrong," Angel stated honestly. And she gave a smile, "You could say I had a wake-up call, if you will. A friendly reminder about something."
"About what?" CatNap asked as he sat down next to her.
"About how I'm not doing this alone," she said.
CatNap tilted his head again.
"Of course you're not alone in this. Not anymore, Angel. You have us to help you," CatNap stated honestly.
Angel chuckled.
"That I do, that I do," Angel said. "But I was referring to Someone else."
She glanced up with a smile. CatNap followed her gaze, but only saw the cavern ceilings.
"The One True Lord, CatNap. That's Who I mean," Angel explained.
CatNap looked to her.
"By His good graces, I survived this far. And I know He will help us through this," she explained further.
"How do you know?" CatNap asked.
"Because I feel it," she said, holding her hand to her heart.
CatNap shifted around. Angel didn't fail to notice.
"I know what you're thinking, CatNap. It's okay," Angel said.
"It's just… I worshipped the Prototype," he shuddered at the name, "as a god for over fifteen years. I don't know who to trust like that other than you."
"CatNap, please don't think of me like that. I'm not the one you should worship. In fact, I understand know, that perhaps He did send me here to fix things in any way I can. I survived this long and saved those I could. Including you. I know it's a fools errand to believe I can save everyone, because not everyone will want to be saved or they're simply too far gone."
Her tone became melancholic and her gaze went to the floor.
"You all were robbed of a promising future. Children are the most precious gift God bestows to the world. And… those pigs… treated you like lab rats. Worse than lab rats," she paused and looked to CatNap as she continued. "I'm so sorry. I promise to right the crimes that were committed against you all. I meant what I said. I'm not doing this for Poppy. I'm doing this for all of you."
CatNap stared at her for a moment, and then gently placed his head in her shoulder, and held her with his paw, minding his claws. Angel reciprocated the hug.
"I believe you, Angel," CatNap whispered sadly. "And I thank the true God for sending you here."
Angel smiled and hugged CatNap tighter. After a while, they released each other and returned to the group, thankful to see they were still asleep. Deciding to get a bit more rest until everyone woke up, CatNap and Koa returned to their original resting spots.
CatNap laid next to Kissy, and Koa carefully rested her upper body against CatNap. The Ruined DogDay woke up and returned to his original spot on Angel's torso.
Koa chuckled briefly before returning to sleep. And she felt at peace.
God can restore what is broken and change it into something amazing. All you need is faith.
- Joel 2:25
