2178.
"The year our world was divided into two great nations".
"Pantheon the land blessed by God".
"Elegia the land that turned away".
"Teacher," a student asked, "why is Elegia considered evil?"
The classroom was silent.
"Because they refused to submit to God," the teacher replied.
"They abandoned His design and chose to worship intelligence without a soul—machines created by human hands."
He closed the book.
"They traded obedience for comfort.
Faith for pleasure.
Creation for control."
"That is why," he said, "they are never to be forgiven."
Teacher," I said, "why didn't God didn't gave my brother blessings power, Why he was sent to heaven?"
A sharp pain exploded across my face.
I staggered back before I realized what had happened.
"Oi, Rudra!" Amit shouted. "How dare you question our God, you bastard!"
"Silence," the teacher said sharply.
Amit froze.
The teacher looked at me for a long moment.
"Rudra did not mean it that way," he said calmly. "But doubt is a stain on faith."
He turned toward the class.
"To cleanse his heart, Rudra will clean the temple for the next seven days."
He looked back at me.
"You will ask forgiveness. God is merciful."
For the next seven days, I had to clean the temple.
All of that—because I asked a simple question.
My name is Rudra.
I am sixteen years old, a citizen of Pantheon, where God is absolute.
In Pantheon, some children awaken a power known as the Blessing of God.
When it happens, a mark appears on the forehead.
That mark is sacred.
It is proof of God's favor.
It is the symbol of Pantheon itself.
But not everyone receives it.
There are unfortunate ones whose mark never appears.
Those people are sent to a place called Heaven to be purified.
No one who goes there ever returns.
Two years ago, my elder brother was sent to Heaven.
His blessing never awakened.
They said it was God's will.
He was the only family I had left.
Our parents were martyred during the holy war between Pantheon and Elegia.
I don't want answers.
I don't want to challenge God.
I just want to meet my brother again