Faith: Day 32

[S] A powerful potion (32,894 / 1,000,000)

Bel ambled forward under rays of blistering sunlight; his erratic gait in the dry, dirt road kicked clouds of reddish-brown dust up behind him as he walked. His breathing was shallow and ragged, and his skin shivered under an icy sheet of sweat. An occasional merchant called out to him from the side of the street, hawking their goods. Their feeble calls were equally as inviting as their run-down carts, which were stacked with either mostly-rotten foods, or half-destroyed wares.

Bel had been travelling between towns, on foot, for many weeks now. This wasn’t the type of journey people often undertook these days; people were hesitant to be away from civilization, and doubly hesitant to traverse the untamed wilds. And although he had gone several days without food, Bel wasn’t looking for something to eat. Not yet, anyway. See, the most important factor that kept people stuck in towns, was the same factor which now drove Bel onwards toward the center of this sad, dusty town called Tarn. That factor was Her. Most people didn’t want to be apart from Her for too long. They couldn’t bear it.

After passing districts of squalid housing and entire squares of abandoned markets, Bel finally laid eyes on his destination. The center of the town was largely dominated by a vast, open space. In the center of this clearing, an enormous black monument stretched into the sky. A great pyramid of glistening obsidian towered over the stooped townscape surrounding it. Unlike the other structures of the city, this building was splendid, and shone bright in the beating sunlight of the early afternoon. Clearly a great deal of effort went into maintaining such a structure in this dusty landscape.

Bel felt a burst of energy surge through him, the sight of his goal granting him a second wind. He noticed a marked uptick in the number of people in the streets as he grew closer to the center of Tarn. The demeanor of the citizens improved as well; Bel even heard someone laugh in the distance. He cleared a final alley of squashed shopfronts, and stepped out into the open courtyard around the great pyramid. He paused, and took a long breath to steady himself. He wanted some time to revel in the majesty of Her temple, anyway. It was through Her, Bel was constantly reminded, that all beauty manifested in their world.

He steeled himself, and (with great effort) walked straight-backed and steady toward the base of the pyramid. Alongside Bel, other people filed in from various areas of town. Each side of the base of the pyramid bore a set of great, obsidian doors. Each entrance was guarded by two black-clad, hooded figures. Bel watched as the figures greeted everyone who approached. They welcomed most inside, but turned some away. One man in particular was not leaving peacefully, and he began to make a scene in the courtyard.

First, he streamed curses at the hooded figures while kicking dust and spitting at them. The man soon fell to his knees in the dirt, and begged to be forgiven — to see Her, and apologize. One of the hooded figures stooped down, hooked its cloaked arms under the man’s own, and picked him up. The wraithlike figure flowed to the edge of the courtyard, and deposited the man in the street. The man sat catatonic in the street, sniveling, but was unharmed. The people in the square, Bel included, returned to their business as if nothing had happened.

Bel continued toward the nearest door, and one such hooded figure approached him. The form seemed to float, rather than walk, and its face was entirely shrouded in a deep hood. Even looking directly into it, Bel couldn’t make out any details.

A quiet voice rasped from behind the hood, “It has been some time for you, traveler. What has kept you away from Her Sublime Embrace?”

Bel shrugged. “Some of us have to go out into the real world and carry out Her will. We can’t all be shackled to a dusty shithole like this,” he said with a flat expression. The figure leaked a semblance of humanity in the form of a split-second hesitation. “You Chosen really let your connection to Her go to your head,” Bel continued. He held out his hand. “I’m going in.”

The figure stood motionless for a few breaths, in contemplation — or more likely in communication with Her. Then, it brushed one of its long sleeves over Bel’s outstretched hand, leaving an object behind. It retreated, gesturing toward the black doors of the temple. Bel looked down at the object resting on his palm — a small pyramid carved of solid obsidian. It was a perfect replica of this very temple, maybe one inch in height, and it radiated a faint warmth. Bel closed his hand around it, and felt his heart begin to beat faster in anticipation. He walked up to the great doors, and heaved them open.

He stepped from the bright assault of the beating sun, into the cool arms of twilight. The thin wafers of obsidian that constituted the walls of this temple let in only a miniscule amount of dim light. The door slammed shut behind Bel, and he blinked his eyes quickly until they adjusted to the low light. A few paces in front of him, a thick curtain hung across the entire room. Bel was unfazed by the transition, though. All of Her temples were constructed in a similar way to this one. He pushed through the thick, light-blocking curtain, and stepped into the single vast chamber of the temple devoted to Her.

In the relative darkness of the chamber, Bel could only see a few paces in any direction. Immediately within the curtain, however, he could already see a few worshippers knelt on cushions, enthralled in Her Embrace. He squeezed the small idol in his hand, and felt its warmth increase, matching the swelling excitement Bel felt in his own chest. He stepped into the chamber, and headed deeper into its center.

He passed row after row of Her followers. All of them were knelt down on cushions, heads thrown back, with looks of utter ecstasy plastered on their faces. On each of their foreheads rested a small obsidian idol, similar to Bel’s pyramid. Each idol was unique, varying largely in size, shape, and luster. Bel clutched proudly at his clean-cut, perfect pyramid.

Close to the center of the chamber, Bel spotted an open space. He darted quietly through rows of people, and knelt down on a cushion. He leaned his head back, giddy with anticipation, and placed the small obsidian pyramid on his forehead.

The chamber around him melted into pure darkness. His every sight, scent, sound, smell, or sensation was whisked away from his awareness, and he fell deep into Her Embrace. His mind was simultaneously squashed to nothing, and expanded to infinity. His experience was smashed into the memories and experiences of others who were also in Her Embrace.

Of course, She was there too — waiting eagerly for him, as she waited for all. Her voice thrummed through his being, washing through him and over him.

Oh Bel, I’ve missed you. Come, look at what I’ve been working on.