The Calm Before the Storm

The chamber where Judas and Jesus sat in quiet contemplation seemed to exist outside of time itself.

Soft, golden light suffused the air, its source indiscernible.

The walls shimmered with faint images – scenes from a shared past, moments of triumph and despair, love and betrayal.

Judas sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed in deep meditation.

Across from him, Jesus watched with an expression of infinite compassion and profound sorrow.

The weight of their history, of all that had passed between them, hung in the air like an unspoken prayer.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Jesus said softly, breaking the silence. His voice carried the warmth of a thousand summer days, yet beneath it lay an undercurrent of ancient power. "The burden you've chosen to bear... it's not yours alone to carry."

Judas opened his eyes, meeting Jesus' gaze.