Ragna insisted on accompanying them in the search for his sister, wherever the kidnappers might have taken her. Ragna was with Elara and three other people. They were passing through an area where the Fall had left a huge impact.
What is this place?, Ragna asked.
Welcome to Greeper, Elara said, dodging burrows and rubble on the ground. "This is where the few other survivors have gathered. They built a home here."
Hmm.
People here claim to have seen someone who matches your sister's description.
Is that why we're heading here?
Yes.
There was silence for a moment.
"Every time I pass around here, I always hear songs and prayers," Elara said. "The people of this place seem to be very religious."
You sure they're not fanatics? The question struck like a nerve.
No!, Mira responded almost immediately.
The people here are kind and sweet. They are good people."
Okay, Ragna said.
Say, do you have anything against religion?" Mira asked, staring coldly at Ragna. "Why do you think every religious person is evil? Just because they believe in something, that makes them evil?
I never said that, Ragna retorted.
Hey, everyone, calm down, Elara intervened.
No—hey, boy—just because people believe in God doesn't make them evil, alright? God is not evil!
Alright, Mira, we get it, Elara said.
I don't know what you did with your life before The Fall, and I don't fucking care, but don't go calling something or someone evil just because they're not anything like you.
I said that's enough, Mira! Elara yelled,
Eyes forward!
Ragna remained quiet. He just stared at Mira.
Moments later, as they pressed deeper into the scarred paths toward their destination, they came upon a group of survivors praying in unison. The worshippers knelt or stood with heads bowed, facing a lone man elevated on a makeshift altar.
The altar was a crude, towering accumulation of salvaged ruin: broad, cracked concrete slabs formed the uneven base, scavenged from fallen walls and buildings.
Above them rose a haphazard pyramid of bricks, broken masonry, and river-worn stones, loosely cemented with dried mud and clay.
Rusted rebar protruded like twisted bones; a simple cross—two weathered planks nailed together—leaned at the center, draped in frayed strips of cloth that caught the crimson light like faded banners. At the front, a single oil lamp fashioned from a punctured tin can sputtered weakly, its flame dancing across the rough surfaces and the fervent faces below.
…And lead us not into temptation, but guide us in Your path of righteousness…
The murmured words hung in the air as the group passed quietly, boots grinding against loose gravel and dust.
A little further on, another cluster of people gathered around a different preacher, this one standing on a low platform of piled rubble and salvaged beams beneath a sagging canopy of tattered tarps. His voice rose sharp and urgent.
The Lord has given grace to us this day by letting us live—but not for long. He paused, letting the silence press in.
For those who continue to live in sin, they shall be purged by The Fall. A greater doom is coming—one greater than The Fall. Yes, the incoming disaster will wipe out all of humanity except us… we, the believers of the Supreme Ruler…"
Horus! a voice shouted from the crowd.
No—it's Buddha!, another countered.
That's a lie! It's Baldur! a third yelled.
A man shoved his way forward. "What are you people saying?! The Supreme Ruler is obviously Zeus, the God of Gods!
"Shut up!"
The argument exploded—shouts crashing over one another in raw frustration.
The broad-shouldered man standing beside the preacher stepped forward and bellowed,
Enough!
The noise snapped off like a cut wire. Every face turned toward the altar.
The Supreme Ruler, the preacher resumed, voice steady again, whoever He is…
Let's go, Ragna said, low and flat. "We didn't come here to listen to this. We need to find Mimi.
They moved on without another word.
Soon they reached a guarded entrance—not far from the preaching ground. Two men stood watch, one clutching a length of pipe sharpened to a crude point, the other cradling a battered rifle. Their eyes tracked the newcomers warily.
"Wait here," Mira said. She approached; one guard raised a hand to stop her. They spoke in hushed tones for a few seconds. Then the guard nodded and motioned her forward. Mira stepped inside ahead of him.
Sorry about that, Ragna, Elara said quietly, breaking the heavy silence between them.
Ragna glanced at her.
I didn't know Mira was so religious, she continued. She was always so carefree, you know.
It's okay, Ragna replied. "It didn't bother me.
Still… I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive her. Mira's actually really likeable once you get to know her. I can ho—
"Sorry," Ragna interrupted, tone even but final, "but I didn't come here to build relationships. I came to find my sister."