Begin your time together by sharing a time when you were wrongfully accused. How did the situation play out?
The General tortures Larus, accusing him of being a traitor and trying to switch sides back to Administration. He says they were on the verge of launching their most potent weapon, when suddenly the world was buried in water, and Larus just happened to be safe in Raina’s interview room, as if he knew what was coming. Thee General says that when they were building the tower, just days before it was going to be “operational,“ it was struck by lightning, Cadan’s favourite mode of transport. And in the “Battle of Firemountain,“ the biggest battle since the expulsion, the General accuses Larus of going missing during the worst of it to deliver Cadan to the Valley of the Song, then trying to hear the song for himself. Larus admits Cadan is his brother, but denies the charges, maintaining that he’s loyal and would never betray his “family.“ But the General asks how Administration could ever take him back after all the horrible things he’s done, and plays recorded clips of Larus giving hints of the General’s strategies to Raina during interviews. When the General threatens his life, Larus gives what he believes to be inside information about the “loophole,“ the “game—changing Operative“ that Administration is sending. The General counters with his own offer of “hope“ for the savages, demanding that Larus pose as the dead, comforting remaining loved ones. He calls it a “temporary fix,“ while they work on discovering the power of creation. He explains that humans are weak because they have lost their light; they are hollow and can be easily possessed. But filled with Administration, they are “the most powerful weapon ever devised.“ The General goes on to demand Larus prove his allegiance and neutralize the “Operative“ to come. Having removed his choices, he asks Larus: “Do you like your freedom?“
1. Why are they torturing Larus? List some of the things the General is accusing him of.
2. What is the first question the General asks? Why do you think he keeps repeating this question?
3. How does the General use Larus’s relationship with Cadan to taunt him?
4. What does the General mean when he asks Larus about his time at the Canyon?
5. Who is the “operative“ that Administration is sending? Why does Larus refer to a “loophole“?
6. What is the General’s command to Larus? Why is Larus uneasy about it?
7. What does the General say that humans have lost?
8. What does the General mean that humans are “the most powerful weapon ever devised“ once “possessed by Administration“?
1. Have you ever heard a story about someone returning from the dead? What did you think of that story?
2. Have you ever felt hollow? Like something is missing within you? How have you attempted to fill that void?
3. Up until this point, Larus has tried, in a sense, to be on both sides. Have you ever tried to have things two ways? How did it work out?
Death is one of the most painful pieces of the human experience. Saying goodbye to a loved one is unbearable. But the whole story of the Bible involves resurrection and hope. Take some time to pray for those people in your life who are currently, or have recently, had to cope with the loss of a loved one. Pray for strength to claim the promise of hope found in Jesus, who wants to fill you with light.