Ugh...!
Proverbs 11:5-6 (NIV):"The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires."
That verse... again?
Why do I keep seeing this verse? And... what scripture even is this? I'm a former Buddhist—I wouldn't know.
"Kid, you're seeing it on purpose."
A voice—unfamiliar and unplaceable. The moment I heard it, a wave of nausea surged through me. My vision blurred, spinning... Then everything faded—twisting into a grotesque distortion.
Ugh...!Ugh..!
"Shh."
Huh? What's that sound?
"Wake up, kid."
Where am I...? What is this place? It looks like... a cemetery? What the hell?! Am I dead?
But why is it so cloudy? Are cemeteries like this nowadays...?
"You're in a dream."
"Who are you? And how can you read my thoughts?"
"You collapsed, Quo Li."
"How do you know my name?"
"Hahaha. You'll understand later. Come—I'll show you the truth you've been seeking."
"But—"
"Stop questioning. Just follow me."
And so, I followed. A creature—if you could call it that—drifting ahead of me in the form of a glowing orb. It hovered, radiating soft, golden light. We passed through the fog-drenched, haunted graveyard, until an immense, ancient structure loomed before us.
A door—at least three times the height of an average man—stood like a silent sentinel. Atop the building, a cross stretched toward the heavens.
Could it be... A church?
Now that I think about it... I've seen a similar structure in a book I read once. If memory serves, it was titled "Christianity in Southeast Asia."
Though I lived in near isolation from the outside world, I happened upon that book buried in the temple archives.
"No, we're not going there," said the orb abruptly. "We're headed into that cave."
A cave?
From the outside, it looked unremarkable—just a hollow opening in the rock. But as we stepped inside, torches flared to life in perfect sequence, casting an ethereal glow along the stone walls.
Cool.
With light now guiding our path, the cave's interior slowly revealed itself. Statues—carved with intricate detail—lined the walls.
"Kid."
"Um, yes?" I replied, trying to remain composed.
My deep train of thought shattered. Darn orb—you startled me!
Then, before my eyes, the glowing sphere began to shift. Its form expanded, the light growing broader—until it began replicating limbs, a torso, a face...
A human form emerged. He knelt. Clasped his hands. Bowed his head in solemn reverence.
Was this a prayer? A ritual?
Suddenly, the entire cave shook with violent force. But I didn't panic.
I was trained for this. I was taught to remain calm in—
The statue in the middle— its mouth opened wide!
Wait, there's something inside
I walked toward the statue, then I slowly take a peek inside its mouth
A rolled ancient paper, tied with leaves.
𝐴 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑙?
Before I could ever react, the glowing ball stealthily grabs the scroll
The creature opened it nonchalantly, as if it's nothing extraordinary.
"Kid, read it aloud"
A slight sign of doubt became obvious in my face—feeling hesitant.
But, there's nothing that I can do right now. Alright, I'll read it!
"The World Will End"
Huh? What is this....?
"Continue" The glowing orb ordered authoritatively
"2 ways to end the world"
"1. Oversophisticated technology"
"2. Wickedness"
The lights in the cave flickered—plunging everything into darkness
The statues that hadn't moved before… they're gaining consciousness!
What's happening?!