In this universe where some people suffered and others were exploiting them, how could people still believe in God? Perhaps, it is a wonder in human nature. And this wonder crossed its limit through Light Acolytes. Yes, some people were not Light Acolytes but still believed in his majesty. But Light Acolytes were the exception, they were loyalists.
"They are them," Ilm whispered to his father. "Light Acolytes."
Acolytes started to interrogate people presented at the station and car-shed. They touched people and asked some things. If desirable answers were found, it was safe, but if it was not… they pressed the qi points and answerers fainted. People started to panic. But Acolytes were straightforward. Noise erupted. No sentinary came to stop them. From vendors to workers of car-shed, from some sentinaries to employees of Paradise Industry, all were frightened by them.
"You know, what they will ask. Don't you?" Pema asked her family. Ilm and Shakhai nodded. "Good. Try to calm yourselves. Keep your breathing stable and do not hesitate in your voice. They are sensing changes in bodies to detect lies."
"But Maa!" Ilm hesitated. Who could be calm in this situation?
Pema sighed. "Okay, I'll help you people."
Light Acolytes came to them. This time Ilm saw their appearance clearer. There was no single hair on their faces, heads, or hands. Their eyes were pink. Inside of their mouths were black… tongues and teeth all black. Ilm could not say if they were men or women, not even with their voices.
One of them grabbed Shakhai's arm. They took a deep breath and asked, "Do you believe in his majesty, the one who is above all? Are you his loyal servant?"
Shakhai felt nervous until Pema kept her hand on his back and controlled his blood pressure and breath. With Pema's hand, he became easy. "Yes, I believe in him and am his eternal servant."
The problem was not with Shakhai but Ilm. Shakhai believed in God—Bhagavat made him believe it. But unlike others in the family, Ilm questioned God's existence and sometimes completely denied it. If he said yes… it would be a lie… more offence to Light Acolytes.
"One last question, do you believe serving our Universal Government is our duty?"
A completely disagreeable question. But Shakhai answered yes. Ilm was surprised, but then he understood why.
Then they approached Ilm and asked exactly the same questions, but just like in Shakhai's case, Pema helped Ilm also. He was saved, even after lying. Pema's power nullified their lie-sensing. Only if she could save all the people in the car-shed from Acolytes' attacks, although she hoped people who fainted had nothing serious damage. Qi attacks paralyse someone for a certain time, and then they recover to normal—if not dangerously attack.
When they asked Pema, she calmly answered everything like it was nothing. Even some of them were impressed by her—like she was a true devotee.
Their interrogation with Bharatas ended so fast like how much time a piece of ice takes to melt in a hot desert. But their work didn't end there. They continued to ask others and paralysed the liars or deniers. But a rebellious mind was found.
All Acolytes went to a stationary shop and asked, "Do believe in his maje—"
Before they could complete the question, the shopkeeper roared, "NO! Why should I follow a fucking imaginary thing?"
Until now even non-believers denied God's existence politely, but the shopkeeper was something else.
"You people think serving the government is also a part of our duty. You are nothing but brain-washed dogs, loyal to Ahuras. Fuck the government and fuck your one."
"Do you know the consequences of your words? His majesty will punish you."
"There is no God. I can say what I want. I can do what I think I should. If your God truly exists, where does it go when children die cause of malnutrition, and people are tortured?"
"These are the punishments for what humanity did for long ages."
The shopkeeper started to laugh. "You all are brainless blinds. Then why do elite houses like Ahuras enjoy their luxurious life in Emerald? Aren't they humans? And if they are the representative of your God, shouldn't they go to those who suffered and save them? Try to protect them, even from themselves?"
The shopkeeper asked so many questions that Light Acolytes lost their straightness. The one who was asking questions looked at him directly. Their pink eyes were glowing. "You have sinned. So the punishment must be here."
Other Acolytes started to damage all the things in his shop. They were quick damager. Everyone in that car-shed hooked up with the scene. No one dared to interfere, not even Bharatas. But deep down, all wanted to rise against those Acolytes.
The shopkeeper brought out a knife from his pocket. He knew no one could help you if you couldn't help yourself. He targeted the questioner and inflicted with the knife. The right little finger was slashed opening a big cut. But instead of blood, it was golden fluid.
"Gold blood?" Ilm shocked.
The questioner looked at the shopkeeper and grabbed his hand which was with the knife. "How dare you, FRAGILE BEING! How dare you attack his majesty's faithful devotee."
The questioner's necklace was shining red. And then… lightning was zipping around the shopkeeper, electric current flowing through him. AAAHHH. He felt pain, hurtful pain. He was yelling. The torture was felt through his scream.
That was hurtful to watch. Rov hid his eyes being afraid. Pema and Ilm were surprised. They looked at each other. How? How can Light Acolytes possess the power of thunder?
The shopkeeper fell to the ground. And Light Acolytes left the place, the same way they had come.
As soon as they left, Pema dashed to the falling shopkeeper. She checked his blood pressure and breath. No response. He was dead. They killed him?
Shakhai was angry. He had never felt like this. It was like his blood boiling in his whole body. "Sentinaries! Why didn't you prevent them from killing a man? WHY? Answer me."
"It was not something that we could do. They were simply defending themselves," a sentinary said.
"Defending? Didn't you see what they were doing?"
"Sir, be calm. It is a devotee's nature to secure his God's position. And the shopkeeper tried to kill them, so they defended."
Hypocritic. But it is what it is.
"Please sir, return to the ship. We are going to depart," another sentinary said.
"How can they know about that?" Ilm asked.
"I don't know. How can I know?" Pema answered.
They were outside of their room, discussing the important topic. How do Light Acolytes know?
"I wonder if they know using thunder, they may know other elements. Or perhaps, they may know everything about Nawvara," Ilm said. "But how can they know? Nawvara is forbidden, right? Only Bharatas know about it. Doesn't it?"
"Even I thought that. But now I see there are others. Then how can they use it without any restriction?"
"Maybe, the government doesn't restrict them."
"Or maybe, because it is so old that the government has forgotten it was forbidden in the first place."
"If so, then why do we keep hiding it?"
Pema stared at him. She rethought and questioned herself, should I tell this to Shakhai? Then she said, "We must keep it hidden until we discover the whole truth."
At this moment, she was angry with her father for not letting her those books. If only, Baba was here. She thought to herself.
At this point, anything could be possible. Or… the government already knows about Nawvara?
Their starship slowly entered the wormhole near Pluto. The path to the other-side, to Boduin.