Chapter 2: Chapter 1: Belief
The cantor preached his homily in front of his audience. Many were captivated by the words and the message. The priest behind him looked unfazed and unimpressed but needless to say he had to wait for the siphoning to be finished. The bell rings and then the Gems of Void were then presented to the crowd.
"Offer your inner strength to our god. He who resides in the farthest plane that soon he shall arrive to save you!"
The priest stood up after reciting a short prayer and then raised his hands. An invisible energy was drawn from the crowd to the crystals. All but one can see the energies that are being sucked into the Gems and as the prayer was finished everyone in the front row fell to their knees.
As usual the young man sweats a lot and feels uncomfortable.
"Are you alright young man?"
Asked an old lady at the back of him.
"Yes, auntie. I am fine!" He pretended to be fine but deep inside he was always troubled after the ritual of siphoning.
After the service, the man was on his way home but was called by his friend behind him.
"Alex, how have you been?"
"Haven't seen you in ages bud!", Alex replied with a smile to his friend.
"That ritual always leaves us with an eerie feeling."
"You bet George, even I feel uneasy as they do that." Alex replied and then asked George a question, "By the way George, have you by chance knew about the last explosion?"
"I heard of them, it's terrible!" George fixes his collar and looks uneasy.
"What do you mean by "them"?"
George replies to Alex who looked puzzled with what he said earlier, "Did you know that several Temples have been bombed worldwide. Not one claimed responsibility for the incidents, but now the Federation of Arnhemia has determined that only one mastermind is behind all of these incidents."
"No way!" Alex paused a bit while thinking, "It wouldn't be a religious war or some sort?"
"None of that is proven so far." George replies near his car after the long chatter and walking with Alex.
"I have to go now, I have some business to attend. If you need something give me a call. Got it?"
George turned on his car and waved before his friend and then left.
When George was far away, Alex grabbed his phone from his pocket. He contacted a number from one of the contacts in his phone. After the phone rang a woman replied to his call it was Stephanie his childhood friend.
"Hey, I was wondering how Brian was doing. Do you have any news about him?" Alex asked in a concerned tone.
"He hasn't gone to school. Usually he should be early. The loss of his uncle from the latest terrorist attack in our city really struck him. I feel sorry for him." The woman replied to Alex.
"It has been a week. I believe it's time for me to go on and check on him."
"You should do so Alex. Aside from the bullying that he experienced in school and the loss of his only family. He needs someone right now at least to console and ease his pain.
"Thanks Stephanie, I will contact him."
"Keep in touch Alex!"
"I will, thanks!"
Alex ended the call and went to his apartment. Then he walked straight but he had not noticed that someone was following him. He kept his eyes fixed on the road and stopped in the corner.
"It must be his place."
Said the strange person that was tailing on Alex. Before the person could move he suddenly squirmed when he was tased by somebody at his back. The commotion caught the attention of Alex and went to investigate.
Upon his arrival he saw two police officers and a strange person that was apprehended by them.
"Police officers, if you don't mind..."
Before Alex could say a word the lady police officer told him, "We heard rumors of people being harassed lately. They tail people and then they suddenly attack and then mug them on their apartments or homes. Be extra careful young man!"
"Thanks and thank you for your service!"
"You're welcome!"
Alex left the scene and continued on his way home. Upon arrival, he noticed something was different in his surroundings. Everything looked fine but the air and everything looked off. He quickly went inside of his unit and closed the door immediately.
Moments later someone knocked on the door which caught his attention. Alex then checked the security camera of his unit and saw a familiar face from the outside. It was Brian he was wearing a hood, denim jeans and sneakers.
Alex opened the door and let Brian in. After Brian is inside he suddenly spoke to Alex.
"I found it all, the culprit to the killings and explosions of every Temples. This is no terrorist attack, this is a holy war!"
Alex could not believe what Brian and thought that he was making a prank. As Alex looked at Brian's face he was dead serious.
"My uncle knew something and he knew that they would come to hunt every believer they saw. You should also stop attending services. That way they would not find you and it will preserve your life. For every hour you'll be exposed by the Gem of Void ten minutes of your life is taken from your lifetime. Hear me out my friend..."
"Stop! You are not making any sense." Alex interrupted, "What are you talking about? This is not the movies or video games. There's no such thing as a conspiracy or whatsoever!"
"If you don't believe me, I'm outta here. I won't waste time convincing but mark my words. When the hunters arrive, no one would save you. They hated the Ivukku to the core!"
"Ivukku? What's that?"
Brian opened the door and did not answer. He ran away from Alex's apartment. Brian's word left Alex in so many questions but he did not let it bother him.
"Probably he's drunk or high. I should have not left him on his own." Alex comforted himself seeing the condition of his friend.
Alex fell asleep on his couch after his brief encounter with his friend.
"There's still time to make amends!"
Alex suddenly woke up upon hearing those words in his dreams. He quickly stood up and went to his laptop and searched the words related to what his friend Brian told earlier.
"www.hearsearch.com"
"Search: Celestine Order Church"
"The Celestine Order Church was founded on the 21st of the 3rd Month of 1890 E.C., and was lead by Inoria a devout preacher who broke away from the Catilan Church. The Church of Celestine was shrouded with controversies..."
There was nothing peculiar that Alex found in the internet until he found a strange link that is popping up from the screen.
"Shall I click this one?"
Alex clicked in thinking that it could lead to more answers but much to his disappointment it only lead him to bogus offers.
"1500 Dineros if I register my name and win the raffle? What a scam!"
Convinced that his friend was giving him false information. Alex then tried to look at phone numbers for self help and a psychiatrist. There was a lot in the list and found a certain "Doctor Osbourne, Powell". He wrote his number and decided that he would call him to seek advice and refer his friend to the doctor.
"The number that you had dialed cannot be reached. Please try your call again later..."
Alex tried to call his friend Brian but didn't respond to the call.
"What could have happened to that guy? I understand that he had no family. But living like that would not give peace to his late uncle nor give him a better life."
Alex was referring to Brian who was his close friend. He was also troubled with what happened to his friend and what his friend told him earlier. Something seems strange and Alex wants to investigate the matter also further. The safety of his friend however is his top priority as of the moment.
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