บท 1: Mary Has Become Erect

"For those who are evil will be destroyed...., Psalm 37:9a. These are the words of our Lord and Saviour". The voice of a seemingly aged male echoed into Chen Yan's ears.

'Where am I?' his vision was temporarily disabled for quite some time. Rubbing his eyes a couple times, his vision became clear.

Chen Yan analyzed his surroundings and realized that he was no longer seated in the cafe across his apartment complex, with his favourite book 'Ancient Godly Monarch' in hand, nor his mp3 player set to his ballad playlist.

Instead, he was seated on a wooden bench, carved with various religious symbols in what appeared to be a small chamber around a desk that match the wooden bench.

He looked down on himself and saw a change in his attire. No longer was he dressed in fitting jeans and a sweater.

He wore an embellished cloak, tunic, leggings and trouser. On his cloak was a coat of arms showing two men piercing what appeared to be a half beast with tentacles as well as a woman in flames.

His arms were thin and pale. He rubbed his palms together and realized that they were unusually smooth when compared to his originally large and coarse ones.

"The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming".

Chen Yan's head snapped towards a middle-aged man, dressed in a white, long-sleeved tunic with a wool cincture tied around his waist; seemingly like a bishop. The man stood near what had appeared to be an altar.

"Your highness" the man clasped his hands and turned his attention towards Chen Yan.

'Your highness?' he turned his head and looked over his shoulder, thinking that the man was referring to another individual. Seeing no one, he turned his eyes towards the middle-aged man.

"Be enlightened. We are in the dark ages where evil roams freely on the earth. If we were not one with the Lord, we would've long been possessed by the devil. Let us continue to be firmly fixed on the Lord and carry out his will in procuring more souls for him."

Confusion masked Chen Yan's face which went unnoticed by the middle-aged man.

'Dark ages?'

'Possessed by the devil?'

'Procuring souls?'

'Did I get kidnapped by a religious cult?'

A tap reverberated throughout the room gaining the attention of both males. Chen Yan and the 'priest' turned their heads towards a small, arched door which slowly opened revealing a hunched, dis-figured figure.

"Blessed be the name of the Lord" It clasped its hand and bowed its head as it spoke.

"After carrying out our regular rounds, we have successfully caught another".

"Blessed be the name of the Lord indeed".

The priest' eyes lit up as he spoke and a hint of a smile was etched on his lips.

He turned his attention to Chen Yan; the spark in his eye intensifying.

"Prince Roland, this is the moment we've been training you for. It's time for you to see for yourself, the evil which roams the earth. The abomination, we're tasked with removing from this land".

He removed a book from the wooden fixture by the altar and walked towards the door.

"Let us go".

Thinking that the scene being played out before him was an act and that he was being brainwashed by a cult, 'Roland' stood up and walked behind the priest. He took this opportunity to properly analyze his surroundings.

'It looks I'm in a cathedral. The design is a dead giveaway. This place is designed rather intricately for it to be an act. I'm not religious but even I know how strict religious individuals are when it comes on to a sacred structure'.

As he took in his surroundings he had managed to get a rough idea of where he was.

It didn't take long for the trio to arrive at the main entrance. The 'priest' and the hunched figure stopped at the door and turned to 'Roland'.

With his back upright and facing Roland, the priest spoke:

"You have been locked away in the royal chambers all your life and so you are not accustomed to the situation that we are about to face. When we step outside, be prepared to face a test on your spirituality and mentality.

You must not give in whatsoever. You must fight as your life is on the line. Giving in may result in you sharing the same fate that is awaiting that thing which is outside these doors".

With a nod, the priest signaled towards the hunched figure, and it pulled the doors opened and they all stepped out.

"Tie her to the stake!"

"Burn the witch!"

"The Lord prevails!"

'Roland' was bombarded by the screams of protests the moment he stepped foot from the cathedral. He flinched as their shouts of protest reached his ears. He rubbed his temples as a mild headache developed.

'What on Earth is going on?'

He was shocked at the scene which was taking place before him.

He was led by the 'priest' towards a small square which was packed with individuals holding torches and wooden stakes in hand.

A small platform was set up not too far from where he was standing and upon it was a fair maiden who was scantily clad. With her body exposed, several men in the crowd seemed conflicted as to whether or not they wanted her killed. A handful was being reprimanded by their partner that was standing by them.

The woman looked on towards the crowd; on her face was a smile which caused a few men surrounding her to completely stop their protest. They were enthralled and unknowingly dropped their torch and stakes, whilst inching closer to the platform.

'Roland' was no different as he found himself being drawn to her. He felt an unknown force acting on him causing him to be partially hypnotized; he slowly lost control of his senses.

His facial expression was one of pure lust before it morphed into one of pain. The sudden pain knocked him out of the trance.

He looked down at his crotch and found his unusually baggy trousers tightening.

'Woe is me. This Mary has become erect'.