I felt a sense of estrangement from this sight, despite the strong emotion that it was a part of my memory.

It seemed I was walking through a corridor, situated in a church of sorts. There were people gathered in multitude to attend what seemed like a funeral. While I could not recognize anyone lest know their names, I did not feel as if they were strangers. I led myself unconsciously to the open door, and a grand pattern revealed before me. The seven colors of the rainbow were arranged to illustrate light through broken glass. Above, on the ceiling, was a pictorial representation of the seven angels loyal to Immanuel, which seemed to extend infinitely towards all corners.

In front of me was the statue of the Heavenly Lord, put on a cross, and one of his arms extended outwards with the calligraphy of judgement written on its palm. There was, in addition to the grand sight, unfamiliar music playing, which I had not heard earlier. I caught one of the lyrics: “Like a lullaby come by,” which went perfectly with the Irish melody. Then, it suddenly stopped, as an ominous figure, black-cloaked, entered onto the stage.

“I hope each soul here is gathered for the sole purpose to welcome Immanuel onto the throne!”

A loud clap ensued. I had not batted an eye on others till then, and when I did, I noticed that every person held a candle in their right hand. I did not possess any.

“Everyone, put out your candles!”

In unison, candles were put out. The air had become solemn. Now, I noticed coffins were put below the statue of Immanuel. An ominous air seemed to spring out of them, and an odour spread across the room. The room had become completely dark, until the bright sight revealed itself.

A sudden bright light came from the shattered glass pattern. It beat the darkness, and came striking into the eyes of the crowd. Still, I felt nothing of benevolence from there. It all felt superstitious to me, and I could not pinpoint it to a reason. It felt strange to me how anyone would be convinced of such a grand facade.

Suddenly, the statue also lit golden, and the seven seats of the Angelic Order were visible behind it. All seats revealed figures, with not a single vacant seat. The people were awestruck. But, one of them lit the candle again, as I could see in my hindsight. His face revealed to be a middle-aged man, who seemed to be fear-stricken. He looked around his sight in haste as if he was paranoid that someone might murder him.

“And there I saw all of time in one place, as if I was omniscient.” I felt a voice echo in my ears. I heard then someone shout the name of Oulanem, referring to him as “The Spiritus,” although I did not hear the exact words completely. And then the crowd followed, while the voices became less and less clear. I felt sickly at this, as if I was about to vomit.

I felt confused as to the motive of the man’s rebellion.

“It seems you have lost your way.”

A man of tall height, with grey hair and eyes completely black came beside me.

“What do you mean to say?”

He lit a smoke, and seemed to have a tipsy voice albeit it was more clear than the rest of the noise. It felt like it was almost identical to my own voice.

“Why do you believe people have fought for this scene?”

I saw the scene again, and the shouts of Oulanem seemed to become audible. The coffins stood as it is, unbecoming of the miracle of the rising of the dead that was about to happen. The Heavenly Lord did not rise, and the rebellion of the Spiritus was the cause of it. Then, I remembered the showing of the reversed cross, which seemed to perplex me for a while.

Then, I saw the clock and it had become the 7th hour of Dusk. Before me stood the same paranoid figure.

“Was it you who rebelled against Immanuel?”

I started to doubt my senses. I scanned my memory, trying to discern the answer. I saw the scenery of war in my mind. I gazed at the hand of the Heavenly Lord, which had now the reversed cross inscribed on it. All people looked at me in mockery, as if they knew who the culprit of this nefarious rebellion was. I let out a laugh at this.

“It seems you have realized now.”

It seemed one of the spirits had come in front of me, as I identified the person who stood besides me to be.

“The second rising of the spirits will happen.”

It seemed I was trapped in a cage of my own mind. I was riddled with delusions about my standing as the master of all spirits. Despite grasping the full reason of why the spirits had rebelled against the Heavenly Lord, I assumed my position to be righteous. That was my biggest mistake.

“The Divine will rise onto the Hour!”

A distant voice came towards me as a whisper. Then, the entire crowd started to repeat the same words.

“Murderer! Murderer”

It was still not clear the exact reason for me being called the murderer, but the label I thought must be correct.

I woke up suddenly from this dream. The train rushed away from the border, and it silenced the trumpets of mourning coming from the neighbouring Kingdom. It will now become a month that the reigning monarch of our neighbor had ended her life. On her body, the reversed cross was inscribed on it. It seems I must now think of my position in this game well. Was I truly the savior that I thought I was, or the villain in the making. 

A question left my mouth with fear, and doubt in my mind: Whom should I trust?