“And
how else will it end? How can eternity itself be defeated? Imagine the absurdity
of the truth being defeated. All that opposes it is vanity. All actions that we
take that aren’t in line with who we truly are is vanity. Let us use our time on
this earth wisely, brothers and sisters, by serving love and seeking truth. The
smallest steps forward done in truth and love are more worthwhile than the
storied history of a corrupt king. The corrupt king’s history will be forgotten
and the results of his tyranny erased. Meanwhile, even the simplest man who is
true will build a legacy that will endure for generations to come. Continue
forward! Be brave! Together, with one heart, we will overcome falsehood, hatred,
and all that is evil. With one heart, victory is ours!”
A
Speech from True Progredi, Saint of the Laymen
Chapter 3 – The Loving Hand of
Correction
It’s a normal day in the gardens of
the school. Despite not being able to see the plants as they are, I still enjoy
the smells of nature, especially since I’m stuck inside for most days. While
reading, I lift my head every now and then to give myself a break and see the
people passing by. Some strange people catch my attention in the midst of the garden. They have
words such as nervous, possessed, dark, clouded, and even murderous intent. One
of them suddenly looks at me, pulls out a short sword, and starts to attack me.
Pulling out my dagger from my sleeve, I defend myself and disarm my attacker while
the guards and other students take care of the rest. This isn’t the end of it
as more sounds of violence come from inside the school.
What follows are many fights within
the school that ends in the deaths of many students, teachers, guards, and
priests. It's thanks to most of the students carrying weapons, having some
Heart Absolute ability that can defend themselves, and the many security guards
that the casualties were kept to a minimum. I'm thankful that I was able to
remember to carry mine. You never know if a conceited has snuck their way into
the school looking to cause trouble, a disgruntled student or group of students
are planning something evil, or if a spell has taken hold of someone or some
kind of other conceited power is used against us. These reasons are why the
school allows us to carry weapons and I'm more than glad that we have them.
The criminals that carried out the
attack that are still alive are brought to a secure area where they are to be
judged by those who can read hearts like me since we can see if there is
something left in them that's worth saving. A heart reader is typically used
after a trial to see if there is still value in a person's heart or if their
heart has completely warped into something unsalvageable. Those who have these
hearts are executed so that they don't cause further damage to themselves and
others and don't warrant a worse punishment in the Land of the Forgotten. I've
dreaded making a decision like this for a while. Even though I've been trained
to do tasks such as this, it feels like the task being suddenly dropped on my
lap is unfair and I should've gotten a warning before getting it, and yet, I
have gotten this warning through my training.
As I begin to start looking into
their hearts, I see that most of these people were possessed. In them, I see
the words jealousy, pride, inadequacy, and manipulation, but also regret
among all of them even the conceited. From what I see and hear from the other heart readers,
these people were manipulated by their fears of various kinds. Some were scared
that their ideology wouldn’t get noticed, that the changes they wanted to
happen wouldn't be heard out, that their loved ones would think less of them
for failing, that nothing they do here will matter, and more like these. The
conceited became what they are because they lost heart in who they were and
tried to become someone they weren’t to take over the school and eliminate any
opposition to their views. I understand why they’re afraid and why they did
this.
This understanding is both a benefit
and a burden. A benefit in that I can better understand a person’s suffering and
a burden because I feel their pain and temptations as well. I know the feeling
of wanting to do something important with the opportunities I have here and the
temptation to use my ability to read people as a way to manipulate them. Because
of the honest repentance in their hearts, we give them to the authorities to
serve out their sentence in jail. An execution would be too extreme since there’s
still a bit of truth left in their hearts and I pray that they do change.
The rest of the day passes and the
next one comes as if nothing happened. I go to classes and continue my studies
as usual with very few notable events such as votes or interviews in the near
future. At times, I wish the rest of my life was like this. I wouldn’t even
mind the simple life of a farmer or a house cleaner, to be honest. Thinking about
waking up early in the morning to do a job and resting after it’s done every
day makes me nostalgic for a life I’ve never lived. But I shouldn’t think about
what I don’t have. Instead, I’ll appreciate what I have.
Yesterday was a test for everyone
in the school and not just me. After seeing and feeling the hearts of the people
that attacked us, I’m glad that I spared them. Today and tomorrow’s studies,
exercises, and tests will help me in making future decisions and facing up to all
challenges. Even though they may not seem worth mentioning, they are integral
to building me up to be my true self. It’s just like an “I love you” said
to a loved one. Saying it all the time may seem unneeded, but every time is treasured
nevertheless as if each time were the first time it was said. As such, I will
say an “I love you” to the Absolute and everyone around me no matter who they
are with every action of my life that I offer up as a sacrifice for the betterment
of humanity and love of truth.
It doesn’t matter if I’m voting for
an important leader, doing a special interview, deciding the fate of a
conceited, studying, sleeping, praying, or talking with my peers, teachers,
family, and priests. All of it is an offering of love to the truth. Every
single event leads me to become my true self and my Absolute given destiny.
All of it I appreciate and value. The pleasures and the pain. Because what I’ve
learned is that every life is lived in service to what the heart has fallen in
love with. This is why I thank the Absolute for every day, blessing, and challenge.
Oh, great. Now, I think I’m reflecting too much on the fundamentals of living life
to the fullest again.
I have to do as the clowns that
inspired me told me to do and live in the present while continuing forward to a
bright future. Without further ado, here I go. Here I come, step by step to
that future prepared for me by the eternally loving hands of truth, the
Absolute, the master of all hearts, and the purpose of living for all lives.
The End
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