Chapter 1

1246 0 0

The Temple of the Lamb is where followers of God congregate. They worship the Lord through prayers. Here, the founder of this place shared its teachings across the land. It is a place to help people live peaceful and fulfilling lives. It has also become a center of attention for travelers, so all would gather here to learn and understand their religion.

And yet, many believers have their own views on the faith itself. Some are outlandish or questionable; others are heretical to the main doctrine. Because of this, conflict can break out between two sides that is often irreconcilable. These disputes rarely escalate to physical violence, though they usually involve yelling insults or arguing for hours until the church leader and fellow disciples of God mediate between both factions.

Despite that, everyone here is generally content with their daily lives, for they are taught to be tolerant and not be prideful, no matter how much they believe. all in order to avoid falling prey to temptation from the demonic influences of the world.

When morning came, Seth, the founder of the religion in this world, sighs tiredly as he stands in his lonely bedroom, staring directly at the mirror in front of him with saddened eyes, reflecting his appearance. He wore his priest garbs in pure white along with a cross necklace, feeling himself more torn about how to get everyone in the temple to simply understand one another.

It has been ten years since he defeated the dark lord, having also lost friends and family alike who died in order to achieve their goal. Now in his mid-twenties, he had grown up as a responsible man, as his disciplines expected him to become a leader to help guide them through whatever trials arose.

He is thankful for their trust and grateful for being able to fulfill his responsibility as someone who follows the Lord. However, lately, some things weren't right with Seth, for he couldn't sleep properly, and sometimes he gets nightmares about his death.

A nightmare of himself being killed in a dark place. He is sure it's nothing more than a dream, but deep inside he feels unsettled by it. Especially the part where he gets tortured before dying horribly over and over again as he places his hand on the mirror.

"Being a follower of God isn't easy work. Sometimes it's hard for outsiders to understand our faith; it's difficult to make them comprehend such concepts, especially when they don't see them in everyday life," he said, more to himself, as his expression changed slightly before regaining his composure.

"How can I preach the Lord's message without causing trouble among ourselves?" Seth mutters silently, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His vision was blurry as tears began to form at the corner of his eyes, slowly trickling down his cheeks while his body shook slightly in sorrow.

Seth fully believed in spreading the Father's will into this sinful world, and yet those who follow still sin, no matter how many times they repeat prayer, confession, or sermon itself. In fact, there have been constant arguments in the temple recently between different groups, with some wanting to change certain things about the teachings and others trying to stop them from changing anything at all.

For everyone here who took up the cross and followed God, there are theological students, priests, and nuns who devoted their lives to serving and learning from him. They study and practice understanding and following scriptures, teachings, and values, as well as seeking out new ways to express them through worship services, liturgies, music, and dreams.

But with all these wonders, he can't fathom the nightmares he's getting. "Is God telling me something?" Wondering what the repeating dreams he has been getting ever since he made his home here, "What is it you are trying to tell me, father? Is there a reason why you're tormenting me with these nightmares every time I go to sleep?" Trying to understand why these things are happening to him, "do you have something important to tell me? Why are you haunting me and showing me things that make no sense?"

Or could it be something else, not from the father himself? Perhaps a demon, maybe even the devil himself, is tempting and tempting. Tempting Seth into abandoning his duty in order to bring others into eternal damnation because he won't bow down to Satan's will like some pawn on a chess board

Because Seth refuses to give in and be enslaved by the lusts of the flesh. He refuses to allow himself to fall prey to his enemy's temptations of Lucifer as he leans his forehead onto the mirror, breathing heavily through gritted teeth.

Ever since he had finally grown up, the act of committing necrophilia to a person he once considered a mother figure was the most heinous and disgusting sin the young man had committed when he was a simply broken boy all those years ago.

It did something to him—not just constant guilt weighing behind his back but these horrible thoughts entering his mind that make him disgusted in himself, even sometimes hearing voices whispering in his head on occasions.

For God can’t be tempted by evil, and the LORD tempts no one.

Closing his eyes, he bared his teeth to see the images of lust and flesh. These visions made him sick to his stomach. He shivered involuntarily with disgust while swallowing nervously before forcing himself to relax, taking a few deep breaths as he cleared his throat several times.

The intrusive thoughts sometimes lingered, but the child of God shall never be tempted by demons. He knew what the devil wanted. He seeks to destroy lives and bring despair. He also desires to turn men into savages, depraved beasts acting upon impulses fueled by base desires rather than reason.

Taking a couple of steps backwards, he kneeled down in a praying position, hands closed together with his eyes shut. "Oh almighty and all-knowing being of creation, forgive me for having committed adultery. Oh father, please forgive my sins," I recited in front of the mirror.

With each sentence he spoke, apologizing for his mistake, he saw more vividly those who had corrupted themselves with vile pleasures and lust. Sex, violence, torture, and feeling himself becoming aroused by the sight, but with all those things bringing him harm.

He isn't alone; God will always be there in comfort to reassure Seth that everything will be okay; his heart will stay pure while remaining strong and faithful to resist whatever evil threatens him. He shall never falter from faith itself.

Seth has taken an oath of chastity and temperance. Being abstinent is both healthy and helpful in living life to its fullest potential while also avoiding temptations. Never having sex again and resisting primal urges to copulate with the flesh, it is vital to remain focused on more important goals, where satisfying physical needs is only a temporary solution to a problem that seems far too complicated.

"While my flesh craves carnality, I will keep myself pure and continue to carry out the Lord's will in staying strong to become a better man, bringing my body and submitting it to chastity so that nothing can pollute me, infecting my soul, and destroying what it means to be human. May the Father grant me strength in resisting all forms of debauchery, so that I shall always remain who I am in this world." Standing up from kneeling, he opened his eyes in new-found determination and hope.

The strength of ignoring temptation and staying true to his word is paramount in all aspects of life: sexual abstinence, material possessions, and selflessness. It is a commitment towards purity that requires a firm resolve to achieve the goal regardless of the difficulty and pain that one experiences, reminding him that humanity will always sin.

However, they can all show perseverance to become better individuals, as the Lord shall always forgive every sin, despite how grave or terrible it is.Thank you, "Father, thank you for listening," Seth smiled fondly before turning around, sighing in relief of having this gotten over with.

Being reminded of God being always by their side is what gives them strength. like an encouraging father cheering them on and helping them achieve the goal, even if it doesn't seem possible. The almighty being is always by their side, and they remember him in their hearts and souls, for he gave them life to walk onto earth.

No matter what happens, it'll never change who they are. They are humans, and they'll continue to be humans through everything that is thrown at them. Whether it's good or bad, it's in their blood to be stubborn and determined. They can get through anything, whether it's problems they face or obstacles they need to overcome.

The bedroom is sparsely furnished, but the bed is in the corner of his right with a window attached to the wall. There is a small closet, a chest of drawers, a dresser, and a desk with a chair. Moreover, another window could be seen in the corner of his left eye at the back.

Aside from the carpeted floor and door at his front left, Seth has designed this room to have copies in every resting quarter for each priest or nun residing here. His taste is simple and elegant enough that it makes sleeping here comfortable while being less stressful with decorations.

Feeling calmer than before, Seth walks past the window on his left, opening it to smell fresh air and greeting his nostrils while enjoying the sunshine beaming on his face along with hearing birds chirping outside and saying, "A new day is here," inhaling the fresh scent.

The outside was always filled with tranquility that calmed the mind. Seeing birds flying and chirping, grass swaying back and forth on the wind, the trees rustle leaves together. It was peaceful, as the scenery of nature helped soothe away any stress or worry that might linger within him.

His eyes softened at the sight. He took pleasure in seeing these things around him, for it shows how beautiful things can be outside of walls around him. Seth closes his eyes momentarily while breathing deeply before exhaling out in slow motion, savoring his surroundings for a moment longer.

After a few seconds had passed, Seth was grateful to God for creating a beautiful world for all the horrors that man has caused to its nature and themselves; people can be so cruel, corrupt, selfish, and greedy. It makes Seth sad to know how easily human beings fall into sin.

In the midst of evil, men can still be selfless and kind. It just takes one person to do something extraordinary. One person can inspire others around them to do likewise; it starts off small at first, but it grows eventually until eventually they

A gentle knock from the door snaps the young man away from his thoughts. "Come in!" He said loudly before turning around, praying for God that this isn't going to be some horrible news or fight breaking out among themselves, "the doors open."

He is tired of having to deal with others in trivial matters that are petty. But he loves them all, even if they are selfish and self-centered most of the time. They need love and compassion from him or anyone who cares about their well-being, despite how much it bothers him on occasion.

Most of all, people need to learn God's love and compassion for the world in its entirety. Without that, they'll become lost and empty shells of who they are without the divine lord in their hearts and minds. like an empty void seeking something to fill it up until they find what they've been missing for so long.

The door slowly opened, and the person who entered was Sister Tera, a elderly nun whom Seth wasn't expecting. She held a smile on her wrinkled face when she noticed that her good friend was already wide awake. "Good morning," she said, her voice soft yet confident at the same time.

Please Login in order to comment!