Malcolm expected to feel uncomfortable, sitting in for a sermon of a belief system he didn’t share, but there was something very calming about it.
“We are the Awakened Children, though we do not take this name to imply that others in the world are asleep, or have lost their true purpose in life. We take this name in honor of the star touched who walk among us.”
“Stars guide us,” chanted the congregation, in unison.
Malcolm folded his arms, considering where her words were taking him.
Is she talking about champions? Or…?
“Demons and sprytes,” said Rion. “Monsters, as they are known in sleeping society. These are the true descendants of the holy line, sent to us now in humanity’s time of need, to show us a way forward, into a better future.”
The congregation repeated something else back to her, a word that sounded half mumbled that Malcolm couldn’t make out.
“We here, in the Awakened Children, we ask for guidance,” said Rion. “What was the question sleeping society asked of the star touched?”
The room went deathly silent.
“Sleeping society asked the star touched how much blood they would unwillingly give,” said Rion, her voice sharp. “Sleeping society asked how many of the star touched could be made into false sacrifices to placate the true evil in this world.”
Rion took a slow breath. She ran her hands down the front of her robe, as though wiping some of the blood she’d just been speaking of off.
“The sleeping men, women, and children, even if they do not aid directly in the genocide taking place, do little to stop it,” she said. “They sit and watch on their televisions. They pay taxes to a government of liars. And they let their salvation and ours be slaughtered in front of their eyes.”
Rion breathed out sharply. She let her gaze scan across the congregation again, pausing as she made eye contact with Malcolm. He felt his cheeks flush slightly at the attention.
“Demons and sprytes,” said Rion. “The heroes of the Zodiac. Our salvation, finally come to us, and yet the sleeping men and women of the world rebel against the message they bring!”
Rion slapped her hand down hard on the altar. The silence of the rest of the room was absolute. Malcolm scratched his head, unsure of how to feel.
“The message we’ve been brought by the heroes of the Zodiac is one of peace,” said Rion. “And yet, the sleeping society rebels against it at every turn? Why, I ask you? Why is it that they refuse to accept the bright future we’ve been presented?”
Rion waited for a moment, looking up at the stained-glass window inset into the wall over the main doors.
“The Illuminati,” she finally said. “And the New World Order…”
Malcolm blinked a couple of times.
“The Illuminati,” repeated Rion. “The true source of the evil, hatred, and propaganda that defines our time. The Illuminati, aided by agents who’ve infiltrated not just our country, but our entire planet
Why is it always the Illuminati?
“They move through both the day and night, unseen,” said Rion. “They shapeshift their form, replacing our leaders, corrupting the political system. They poison the sky with their emotional toxins, and pollute our society with sinful drugs.”
“Stars guide us,” chanted the congregation, in unison.
Malcolm wondered how they knew just when to chime in with that. He looked around the pews, trying to find someone whose expression shared the same confusion he felt. Everyone else had their eyes glued on Rion, their faces serious and resolved.
“For us to hold onto the truth,” said Rion. “The Illuminati and their agents must be routed out. They have the advantage. They travel freely through time and space, read our thoughts and feel our emotions. They kill without killing, talk without talking, and exist without existing. Only through the guidance of the heroes of the Zodiac, the star touched, the ‘demons’ and the ‘sprytes’, can we follow the path of the righteous.”
Malcolm sank a little lower into the bench. He glanced down at his shadow, wanting nothing more than to get Rose’s perspective on the over the top sermon.
For the next few minutes, Rion veered into more traditional religious territory. She spoke of helping men and women in need, and always finding ways to improve oneself through small feats of will and dedicated habits. Malcolm relaxed slightly, though his mind was still overloaded by conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific mumbo jumbo.
“The star touched will lead us forward,” said Rion. “And we will worship them by any means necessary.”
“Any means necessary,” repeated the congregation.
“May you all walk with blessings,” said Rion.
CHAPTER 13
Rion stepped away from the alter, disappearing into the church’s back room for a moment before reappearing with a wheeled cart in front of her. It was laden with tiny squares of chocolate, along with several bottles of wine and a few dozen glasses.
Chocolate and wine? Alright, maybe I could get behind this…
“Please, feel free to come up as you like and enjoy the communal gifts,” said Rion. “Thank you all for being patient with your salvation, today.”
That seemed to be the cue for the congregation to loosen up. People began chatting with one another, some staying in their seats, others standing and forming small cliques on the side of the room. Malcolm slid down a little lower in his bench and glanced down at his shadow.
“Rose,” he whispered, hiding his mouth with his hand. “I think we’re good.”
“Distract the priestess lady,” said Rose. “And walk by one of the shadows in the corner on your way there. I’ll slip away from you and see if I can find my sister.”
Malcolm nodded.
He took his time heading down the aisle, moving through several shadowed spots that Rose could use. He wasn’t sure which one she ended up picking, and tried not to look back over his shoulder as he reached the food cart and helped himself to chocolate and wine. Rion was standing nearby, and she smiled when Malcolm’s eyes met hers.
“I appreciate the fact that you were so polite and respectful during the sermon,” said Rion. “Oftentimes the walk-ins we get tend to… make distracting comments.”
Malcolm chuckled.
“Well, it was… certainly something.” He scratched his head. “So… the Illuminati?”
He didn’t know if there was a polite way to ask someone if they really took what sounded like a crazy conspiracy theory to be their religious gospel. Rion’s smile didn’t falter, and she gave an encouraging nod.
“I’m sure if you looked closely, you would see the effect they have on your life,” said Rion. “It’s tragic that society, as a whole, refuses to open its eyes.”
“Do you mean that in the sense of like… a metaphor?” asked Malcolm. “Like maybe, evil has many faces, and it’s represented in your religion by… well…the legend of the Illuminati?”
Rion’s eyes narrowed a little bit. Malcolm felt like he was bending over backwards to have her philosophy explained to him in a way that didn’t sound crazy.
“This was just an introductory message,” said Rion. “I am sure if you continued to listen to our teachings, you would slowly begin to understand the truth of them.”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” said Malcolm.
“We are still a small movement,” said Rion. “The truth we carry with us will, undeniably, change the world. Mister Malcolm, you should know that you are a prime candidate for awakening.”
“Thank you,” he said. “I think? I didn’t realize I was asleep. Usually there are more signs, missing pants, monsters chasing me, that kind of thing.”
Rion let out a small, amused laugh.
I’ll give her one thing. She’s as patient as a saint. Or a priestess, I guess.