* * *
They landed at Stiftung International Airport, and within half an hour they disembarked into the terminal. Since they had brought their luggage with them, there was no need to get them off the conveyor belt.
The group went outside to get into airport shuttles. The afternoon sun beamed down on them, and it was warm despite it being Myrdon, the first month of the year. Most of the students wore long-sleeved shirts.
They hopped into the small vans—it would take more than one trip to move everyone—and headed off to the hotel. When they arrived, they found it was a modern establishment, built out of steel and covered with round windows. The name “Beste Hotel der Stiftung” was emblazoned on the front.
It took a while to get everyone checked into their rooms. Naturally, Ev and Jaysin shared one, while Maya and CiCi shared another. Ev thought it interesting how theirs differed from Morovian hotel rooms. The beds were small and pressed up against one another, and they had triangular headrests. Also, the TV displayed content that would have been too racy for Morovian broadcasts. Jaysin liked it, but Ev was too embarrassed to watch.
“Come on, baby. Be a man,” Jaysin teased.
“I…I can’t.”
“Why not? You a gilt?” Gilt was Chrichton slang for a prude.
“I’m not a gilt.” In truth, a long time ago Ev had walked in on his parents having sex. His father had evidently insisted on it being as violent and disturbing as possible, and so Ev had been scarred by the event ever since. He was extremely uneasy about the whole idea of people getting carnal, and he couldn’t stand the sight of naked people. “It’s personal, OK?”
“All right, all right.” Jaysin probably sensed there was a story there, a story he didn’t want to hear. He said nothing more about it, and didn’t watch those channels again—at least, not while Ev was in the room.
* * *
That evening, the entire group had dinner downstairs in the hotel restaurant. While not quite lavish, it was certainly a nice establishment. Jaysin jokingly offered to pay for the meal—him being a future god of money—but Brandon and Freya expressly forbade it. The dinner was the Academy’s obligation to pay for, and they had allotted a certain amount of funds toward it.
Ev sat down at a table. Jaysin and Maya were on either side of him. “What do you think of Murnau so far?” Maya asked.
“Nice place,” Jaysin said.
Ed nodded. “Yeah, I thought it would be a lot more…what’s the word…sinister? I mean, the women here don’t look very oppressed.” He saw the look on Maya’s face and quickly said, “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. But try and keep your voices low,” she said. “Speaking out against the government is a criminal offense here, and the professors don’t want us getting into any trouble. This may be a modern society, but look past the façade and you’ll see the cracks.”
CiCi said, “It honestly doesn’t look that bad to me, Maya. The women here even have jobs.”
Whether that was a challenge to prove her point or not, Maya accepted it. “But who gets paid for their work? The head of the household. The husband; the father; the son. The man. Women are only a tool to be exploited. They tell themselves they’re making progress by getting jobs, but they’re deluding themselves. They haven’t made any progress within the past thousand years.”
A terrible question occurred to Ev. He didn’t want to ask it; he feared what the response would be. But he had to ask. “Maya…do you…hate men?”
To his relief, she shook her head. “I don’t hate men. If I did, I never would have joined the Academy. I know things are different in other countries. In other countries, women have careers and are loved and respected by men. Just not here. I’ll admit—when I was living out on the streets, I hated every single man in Murnau. But Professor Freya showed me a new world, a world of equality. That was when I discovered men weren’t all bad—just in Murnau.
“Amen to that,” Jaysin said.
Ev nodded approvingly. He was glad to hear it. Although he was reluctant to acknowledge the possibility to himself, he thought it meant he had a shot with her. However, he soon realized it also meant other guys had a shot with her as well. For all he knew, she already had a boyfriend.
Later that evening, when they were back in the room, he asked Jaysin about it. “Nah, I don’t think she’s seeing anyone.”
Ev decided to probe deeper. “Are you sure about that?”
“No, not really. But I’ve never heard her or anyone else mention a boyfriend. And there aren’t that many students at the Academy to begin with. We all know each other. I’d say you’ve got about as good a chance as anyone at scoring with her.”
Ev was elated at that declaration. Within his own mind, he did a fist pump.
* * *
The next day was the start of Murnau’s Season of Gratitude which lasted for six weeks. That morning they headed over to Stiftung’s First Church of Principal Orthodoxy, a massive glass structure with steeples and an arced ceiling.
They filed into the cathedral. It was the main room of the church, and it was huge. The long pews circled around a central table where the three church elders sat. The idea was that the elders had been chosen specifically by Bethos and the entire church was therefore centered around them. In addition, large stain-glass windows lined the walls of the cathedral. They depicted various important moments in Holoism. Many of them featured Bethos—at least, the tall white bearded version of him the church believed in.
The students, along with Brandon and Freya, sat in the pews facing the central table’s right side. Ev, Jaysin and Maya sat together.
This was all very new to Ev. The few times he had gone to church had been in Morovia, and in that church the pews faced the back of the room, and there was only one priest as opposed to three elders.
The elders themselves were dressed in black robes adorned with a lopsided H, the ancient symbol for Bethos. The also wore red pointed hats with that same symbol emblazoned on them.
The elder on the left, an old man with a gray unibrow and a slight pot belly, rose and began speaking in Murnauese. Fortunately, the visitors had each been given an earpiece, into which a church translator spoke. “Welcome, one and all, to this most blessed day. Today we begin giving back to He Who Created All.” They believed Bethos to be the sole creator of the universe. Now that Ev thought about it, he didn’t really know how the current universe had come into existence. Had the Lost Gods gotten together and simply willed it into being? Or had it simply arisen on its own from another Big Bang?
The middle elder got to join his counterpart. “Let us bow our heads in prayer.
“Almighty Bethos, we give thanks for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We are truly unworthy of your grace. Let us remember this day the many ways you have brightened our lives. Amen.” Everyone opened their eyes and once again focused them on the elder. “Let us give thanks to Bethos with the hymn of fulfillment, ‘Our Glorious God’.”
The congregation began singing a song in Murnauese. Ev wasn’t familiar with hymns to begin with, so he certainly didn’t recognize the one now being sung in an unfamiliar language. Maya probably understood it. However, when he looked at her, she wasn’t singing. In actuality, there wasn’t the slightest look of reverence on her face. She was probably thinking about these phonies who preached love and compassion but acted reprehensibly.
He leaned over and whispered to Brandon and Freya who sat behind them. “Why are we even here?”
“It’s important to understand religious traditions and mind-sets if you’re going to become gods,” Brandon said.
“That’s right,” Freya said. “You need to have a clear understanding of who we are, where we came from, and what people who will be praying to you believe. It’s all part of a divine education.”
“Oh. That makes sense. I guess.” Ev turned his attention back to the elders. Their religious texts taught that a woman’s place was in the home, and they should be seen and not heard in church. Sup
posedly, Bethos’ disciple Ku had preached this at some point, when, in fact, it had been added later by male disciples. If a woman dared to speak up during a church service, she would be unceremoniously silenced.
After the hymn, the third and final elder stood up. “And now we come to the part of the service where we repay almighty Bethos for his blessings. We shall pass around the collection plate.”
The plates—big, golden bowls, really—made their way around the room. Except fot Jaysin, none of the students put any money in them. After all, they had actually met Bethos, and they knew he wasn’t anything like the god being portrayed by this religion. Well, except for the kindness part; everyone agreed he was a pretty nice guy.
Next was the Sacrifice Play. A procession of toga-wearing figures came marching down the southern aisle. At the head of the grim parade was a bound and bloodied man. The translators identified him as Ku. Ev had to admit it was a pretty good approximation.
Ku had been betrayed by his best friend Septimus who turned out to be an agent for the Dark Cauldron—fallen angels whose chief desire was to corrupt mortals and otherwise lead them astray. Ev knew from his classes that the Dark Cauldron was actually Zero Grade. However, Holoism refused to acknowledge there might be other beings as powerful as Bethos, so they made them into mere fallen angels.
The procession soon arrived at the space in front of the central table. The elders left and a man with cold eyes took his place behind the table. He then addressed the procession. “Who is this man?”
The standing next to Ku shouted, “He claims to be the One True Disciple.”
The congregation, who seemed to be playing the part of an historic gathering, gave an exaggerated gasp. “It cannot be!” they said.
The accuser continued. “Truly, it is not. He cannot be the One True Disciple. That would make him divine. Yet he lays claim to this title. That is a criminal offense.”
“What say you?” the main behind the table said to Ku. “Art thou the One True Disciple?”
Ku stared at him with dead eyes. Ev decided it was a very good performance. “So you say.”
The judge—at least, Ev thought he was a judge—considered this for a moment and then said, “That is not a true confession.”
“Neither is it a denial,” the accuser said.
“Either a confession or public consensus is needed,” the judge said, citing ancient law. “What shall be done with this man?”
The angry mob roared in unison. “Kill him!”
“Art thou certain?”
“Aye!”
The judge seemed to sigh. “Very well. Ku of Ghohemia, I am sorry, but thou art sentenced to death.”
The mob rejoiced. For his part, Ku did not appear to be angry; only saddened at the lack of humanity being displayed.
“However,” the judge added, “by law, let the ones who demand death be the ones to supply it.”
The congregation grabbed papier-mâché rocks from under their seats and began hurling them at Ku. The man played along, acting as if he was being struck by actual stones.
When all the faux rocks had been thrown, the accuser withdrew a knife and marched confidently up to Ku. He brought the blade mere inches from his throat.
A voice suddenly cried out from above. “Enough!” Everyone looked up to see a handsome bearded man—obviously intended to be Bethos—in white robes descending majestically from the balcony on wires. He stopped six feet above the floor and pointed an accusing finger at the man with the knife. “Thou has wronged thy brother!”
The people that had dragged in Ku fell to their knees. “Please forgive us, Almighty. We did not know!”
Bethos’ finger swept over them. “My most loyal disciple wronged you not. Yet thou were prepared to take his life. Hast thou no respect for life?”
They began groveling in an exaggerated display of angst. “We shall do it no more!”
“Indeed!” Bethos shouted. “Because I am taking him back to Vaeres with me.” Vaeres was the eternal paradise where Bethos and all the angels supposedly dwelled.
He maneuvered behind Ku. A wire came down from the ceiling which he attached to his disciple’s clothing. Both of them then ascended to the balcony, or Vaeres.
The congregation erupted in thunderous applause which lasted for a full minute. “Every year,” Brandon said.
“It’s tradition,” Freya added.
Ev looked at Maya. She still didn’t appear to be moved by the play that had just enfolded in front of them. Oddly enough, it was her icy expression that made him want her more. He thought he could be the one to make her happy. So with that in mind, he decided to tell her how he felt.
* * *
After they got back to the hotel, Ev managed to work up the courage to go to Maya’s room. He knocked on the door. CiCi answered. “Hey, Ev.”
“Hey, CiCi. Um…listen…can I talk to Maya?”
“Sure.” She diverted her attention to the bathroom. “Maya! Ev’s here. He wants to talk to you.”
There was silence. Then: “Coming.” Maya emerged from the bathroom. “What’s up?” she said.
Ev fought against his stomach’s insistence he flee this encounter before it was too late. No easy task, to be sure. He was honestly terrified. He’d done this before with other girls, but it never got easier. “Can I…uh…can I talk to you out in the hall.”
A slight look of apprehension darkened her features. Nevertheless, she said, “Sure.”
Once they were alone in the corridor, he struggled to get his breathing under control. “Look…I…uh…wanted to tell you…”
She stared at him nervously. “Y-Yes?”
He decided the best—perhaps only—way to do this was to just act without thinking. So he blurted out, “I really like you!”
“Oh!” she said. “Well, to be honest, I kinda figured that’s what you were going to say. We do have sort of a rapport. But…to be honest…I really don’t think it would work out between us.”
He heart sank to the coldest, darkest abyss. “What? Why?”
“I…” she started to say. Her mouth hung open as she summoned forth the words. “It’s…I can’t explain.”
“Why not?”
“It’s complicated. Look, I really like you and I think you’re great. I just have a lot on my plate at the moment.”
Ev was desperately looking for some hope to grab onto, and he thought he may have found it here. “But when you don’t have as much on your plate, you might consider going on a date with me?”
“Well…” She seemed reluctant to accede to this. “Yeah…maybe.”
That would have to do, he decided. “Great! I’ll be sure to take you up on that. For now, though…let’s just be friends.” His plan was now to slowly build up a relationship with her, and then capitalize when the time was right.
She gave him a weak smile. “Sure.”
Suddenly Jaysin emerged from the stairwell. “Hey, Ev! Been looking for you.”
“What’s up?”
Jaysin slid up alongside him. “We’ve got some free time, and there’s a great place in the city I want to visit. You in?”
“Uh…sure, I guess.”
“Fantastic! What about you, Maya? You and CiCi want to come with us? I’m trying to get the whole group to come.”
Maya thought about it for a moment. “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Excellent,” Jaysin said with a grin. “You won’t regret it.”
Chapter XI
Within the hour they arrived at Victory Square. In addition to Ev, Maya and CiCi, Jaysin convinced Daryn to come along.
Victory Square was, as its name implied, a large area in the middle of Stiftung made out of stone slabs and surrounded by a seven-foot metal fence. It was five hundred square feet.
The group of five made their way to the Square’s center where a twenty-foot-high granite pillar stood. “Interesting place,” Ev said.
They kept their eyes on the ground as they walked. Marked into each slab were the n
ames of everyone who had lost their lives in Murnau’s War of Secession. Centuries earlier, Murnau was founded as a Morovian colony. However, dissatisfied with the religion doctrines of the homeland (Morovia had an official religion which, by law, everyone had to observe) they declared their independence and fought a war to live the way they wanted.
When the group arrived at the central pillar, they discovered it was dedicated to the military leaders who had led the colony to victory during the war.
Maya merely shrugged at the sight.
“Guessing you’re not impressed, Maya,” Jaysin said.
“You guess right. Do you know why they wanted their independence? The answer is simple. The main sect of Holoism is too nice to women. Murnau wanted to be able to control us completely. So they started that stupid war to get their stupid way.”
“I hate bullies,” Daryn said. There was genuine anger in his voice, and Ev feared he might explode again. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to bring him.
“No need to convince me, that’s for sure,” CiCi said.
“I mean it,” Daryn said. “I had enough of bullies growing up. I put more than a few in the hospital.” Of that, Ev had no doubt.
Ev turned to Jaysin. “Why did you want to come here so bad, anyway?”
His friend shrugged. “I thought it’d be fun.”
Suddenly, a multitude of black shapes rose up from the slabs like horrifying ghosts. They recognized them immediately.
“Refghasts!” Daryn yelled what they were doubtlessly all thinking. In the light of day, the things were even more hideous. Their oily black bodies seemed to have an unholy sheen to them.
Even though the students had been caught off guard, they certainly weren’t going down without a fight. All of the students conjured weapons into their hands, except Ev (he hadn’t learned to do that yet). Maya had a bow; Jaysin, a staff; CiCi, two chakrams; Daryn, a war hammer. They proceeded to do battle with the demonic beings.
* * *
Brandon and Freya searched the floor where the students’ rooms were located. They had grown concerned when they couldn’t find some of them.
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