Reaching the mouth of the tunnel I proceeded into the water tunnel, surrounded by the men who had overcome themselves and become seasoned warriors of righteousness. Not one of them had fallen and not one of them would ever be the same again.
We all now knew, if we had not before, that there was a God in Shamayim, who yet cared for the predicaments of those who entrusted their lives into His safekeeping. No words were said as we cleared the other bank of the river. We turned and watched the river crash down on itself and engulf the riverbed once more with its turbulence.
I raised my sword, "To El Elyon be the glory!"
The others raised their swords and echoed the same. Now, as life is full of obstacles and challenges, I now turned to the task of dealing with several hundred children.
Susori stood surrounded by a solid mass of them. As I approached her a little girl stepped forward and lifted her arms to me and I picked her up. She pointed upwards into the air and said something I couldn't make out.
I turned to Susori whose face was awash with tears. Susori spoke, "She wants to know if the God you serve would love her too?"
I turned back to the little girl and nodded emphatically and said, "The promise of the new covenant is to all."
I knew she didn't understand my words, but her face split wide in a grin, as she read the emotion of my answer and she hugged me with all the strength that she had, as seemingly all the days of her harsh captivity melted away as if they had never been.
As we came out of the gorge and back onto the plain I was greeted with an unseasonably warm wind. I started the journey to the south that would return these children home. I prayed this day would be the changing point for the nation of Crona, to stop their fallen ways and instead usher in an age of grace.
Whether they chose to change or not, I thanked El Elyon for the lives of these children and the new steps of the faith I had taken in my life. Susori, holding a child in one arm, took my freehand with hers and looking to her I saw a joy that made her only more beautiful than before.
"I understand now. I worship Him too."
Feeling a tear course down my cheek I said, "I'm glad!" And together, hand in hand, we walked south with the innocence of an entire nation following behind.