Chapter 2: Beginning of the War
"Hey! Wait up for me!"
I turned to see who was shouting at me. It was Ann, who had just ran out of the inn after me. It had been two days since the incidence with the Harvest Goddess, and I had now been taking a stroll through the town.
I smiled. "Hello Ann."
"What's up?" she replied.
"Not much," I confessed. "I was just taking a quick stroll through the town."
"So how have you liked Mineral Town so far?" Ann asked as she smiled back at me.
"Oh I love it!" I said enthusiastically. "Except for..."
"What?" Ann asked as I trailed off. "Except for what?"
I struggled to put the story of me meeting the Harvest Goddess into words.
"I met the Harvest Goddess two days ago," I said.
"Oh good!" Ann said. "Now she knows who you are so she can help your farm!"
Poor little Ann. She was very oblivious to what had really happened.
"I don't think she will help my farm," I said. "In fact, I think she will try to stop its productivity."
"What?" Ann asked, clearly distressed. "Why wouldn't she help you."
I sighed, and showed Ann the cross which hung about my neck, and reached into my rucksack, and pulled out my Bible.
"I am a Christian," I said to her. "Do you know what that means?"
Ann looked at me in a way she had never looked at me before. Now her eyes held a deep amazement, as if she had expected everything but what I had said at that very moment.
"It means," I began, "that I worship a different God than the Harvest Goddess. You see, God is my father. He cares about me, and I care about him. I would not be the man I am today if it wasn't for the sacrifices he has made for me. God is the one true God. The Harvest Goddess is not. The Harvest Goddess cannot help us from falling into darkness after death. God can. The only reason the Harvest Goddess remains the deity of the town is because she helps them with their mortal lives. But mortal lives don't last forever. The Harvest Goddess would have me forget my God, and worship her instead. That's like if a person came to me and told me to forget about my earthly father, and say that he was my father. I will not worship a being simply for the pleasures of the Earth."
"You have to worship her!" Ann announced in desperation. "I you don't, she will not help you."
"Yes," I said. "But no one claims that a complete stranger is their father because this stranger says he will help them with their chores if they do so. If you did this your true father would be heart broken to know of this. That is how God feels when people do not accept him. I will not be this type of person."
Ann stiffened a bit, as if she didn't know what to say. It was clear that she had not ever had her beliefs questioned. I was probably one of the first Christian to come to this town since my Grandfather had died.
"I don't..." she began. "I don't know what to say to you. I don't want you to leave this town. I don't want you to be hurt."
"But the Harvest Goddess intends for that to happen. Either that, or for me to give up the most important thing in my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I have had a wonderful life. I have traveled the world. I have made many friends. I have had incredible experiences. But all of that means nothing compared to my faith."
Ann looked up at me. "I've never met anyone who didn't worship the Goddess," she said. "At least, nobody but your Grandfather. But he was considered strange by the whole town, and I believed them. But I can't see you as being strange. I'd heard of other beliefs which existed outside of our town, but I always believed them to be bizarrely twisted cults. But the way you speak about your faith, you sound like a son talking about his father."
"That is how it is to me. None of this is about religion. Christianity is not about going to church and hating sinners. This is about a deep, meaningful relationship with God."
"But if you saw the Goddess is that not proof enough for you?" Ann asked.
"No," I said once again. "Even that could not destroy my faith. For I not only believe in God, and his angels, but also in fallen angels."
"Fallen angels?"
"Angels who have fallen from grace," I tried to explain.
"What are angels?"
"You don't know what angels are?" I asked amazed.
Ann gave me a weak smile.
"Angels are servants of God. They carry out his work. They are messengers, helpers, and warriors. They are supernatural beings. People often portray them as soft women with wings and harps, but this is definitely not accurate. First of all, Angels are mighty, creatures. They are mightier than any man. The very sight of an angel descending from heaven was so incredible that it can cause a man to fall down to his knees in awe at its might. But the thing is, God is mightier than even them. Angels are somewhat like people. They can easily fall to greed, and power just as we can. They can easily turn against God. Not as easily as we do, but still. When they do, they become Demons. They are then servants of Satan, the dark lord. Satan was an angel once as well, but he turned against God. Many angels followed him, and together, they all fell from grace. They know that they are going to hell at the end of the world, so they wish to drag as many humans down with them as possible. They are evil, horrible beings. They aren't mere trouble makers. They are dark beings. They are darker than the most evil humans on the Earth. And people can become very very evil. I cannot describe how evil Satan is. That is what I believe the Harvest Goddess is. I believe that she is the fabrication of Satan. Some demon who has taken the form of a friendly Goddess. For Satan is the great deceiver. He comes in the form of something good, but from his mouth come only blasphemies against God."
"Then how could the Goddess make miracles?"
"You forget. Demons are supernatural creatures. They are not bound by physical laws. There are people who, with help from demons, can do the impossible. Witches and Sorcerers bow down before demons, and by bowing before demons, they are bowing before Satan."
I could tell Ann was disturbed at the thought that she could be worshiping some dark, evil being. But I could also see a glimmer of fascination in her eyes.
"That is very, very interesting," Ann said. "What sacrifices has God done for you?"
"Well for one thing, his son Jesus..." I smiled, and then frowned.
"What?" Ann asked me impatiently.
"Meet me at my house tomorrow at seven," I said, "and I will explain."
I walked off feeling great. I was already reaching out to a person in the town. I was even happier that Ann hadn't become defensive when I questioned the Town's religion. She was very opened minded about this, and that made me happy.
Back in the mountains three dark beings discussed the new disturbance. This was a threat to the master plan. It was day, but an abnormal darkness had come upon the place. Now it seemed as if the darkest moments of night covered the land like a blanket of blackness. The happy atmosphere was gone as foreboding filled the air. The plan had never been hindered so greatly before no. But things would not remain this way. The plan would not be stopped. The fate of the town had been sealed, scrawled on a dark parchment with the blood of the townspeople years and years before. The dark beings finished their conversation, and parted. The decision was made.
I went to the Supermarket after talking to Ann. When I entered, I saw a dark haired man standing behind a cash register, as well as a girl about the same age as me. The man was obviously her father. The girl had brownish blondish hair, with two pure blond bangs.
"Hello," she said when she saw me. "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Who are you."
"My name is Zach," I said as I extended a hand. "My Grandfather was the owner of the farm. I inherited it."
The girl shook my hand. "I'm Karen," she said. "I'm very sorry about the death of your Grandpa. He was a very nice man. What have you decided to name the farm?"
"I don't know yet," I said. "I am still deciding."
"Have you met the Harvest Goddess yet?" Karen asked.
I winced. "We had a frank exchange of ideas."
Karen inquired about this, and I tried my best to retell what I had already told Ann. But unlike Ann, Karen didn't take the news of my faith so easily. I could see disappointment, maybe even anger in her eyes. As I was leaving, I thought about Karen. She was a nice person, but their seemed to be something different about her. Maybe it was how she reacted when I mentioned my faith. Otherwise, she was a friendly person. She was quite beautiful too, but not as beautiful as Ann. Ann had a happy, playful, fun loving nature that attracted me. Karen was more serious.
I spent the remainder of the day with Cliff playing cards at the Inn. We were playing Thirty One. Doug came over to our table.
"Do you boys want to order something?" he asked as he smiled broadly.
"I'll take a beer," Cliff requested.
"Could I get some of your pineapple juice please?" I asked.
Doug nodded, and handed us our drinks.
"That's a wimpy drink," Cliff said gesturing at my juice.
"Hey," I said playfully. "Just 'cause it doesn't make you drunk doesn't mean it isn't good. Besides, I don't want to get drunk."
"Hey," Cliff continued, "I'm not going to get drunk or anything. I'm just going to enjoy my drink."
"Your under age my friend," I said.
"What are you talking about?" Cliff joked. "The legal drinking age in Mineral Town and the surrounding area is 17. The two of us are both of age."
"Sorry," I said. "I'm from the United States, where the legal drinking age is 21."
"But here it isn't."
"I don't give a crap," I said.
Cliff gave me a sideways glance.
"I'm not a drinker," I said simply. "I don't drink for ethical reasons. I mean, I'm not saying its bad to drink alcoholic drinks, but I think it should be taken in moderation, to avoid... drunkenness. That is why I don't drink at my current age."
"Thirty one!" Cliff shouted as he slapped his cards onto the table triumphantly.
"Dang, and I had thought that I had a good hand," I said as I tossed my cards onto the table.
Cliff smiled, and began collecting up the cards.
"Hey Ann!" I shouted. "Why don't you come join us?"
Ann had been standing over behind the counter looking bored for the entire time we were here. Cliff stiffened up a little when Ann walked over and sat down. We passed out the cards, and played Egyptian Ratscrew.
Surprisingly Cliff didn't talk very much throughout the rest of the game. I mean, he had always been shy, but it didn't make sense to me to be this shy. When the game was over, Cliff got up and left, leaving Ann and me alone.
"You are coming tomorrow aren't you?" I asked Ann.
"Of course," Ann said as she smiled.
"Good," I said as I drank the rest of my pineapple juice.
"So..." Ann began as she stared back at me.
I waited.
"Yes?" I asked.
"How are you doing with your farm?" Ann asked me smiling, but I could see through it. Their was something else that she wanted to ask me, but she couldn't bring herself to ask it.
"Is something wrong Ann?" I replied.
"No," Ann said abruptly.
"Something is," I said. "I can tell."
"No," Ann said again as she shook her head. "I'm just..."
"Just what?" I asked.
"...worried. I'm worried about what could happen to you. The Harvest Goddess..."
"Oh come on," I replied. "What's the worst a little Goddess like her could do to me?"
Ann still looked worried, but I smiled to reassure her.
"I can take care of myself," I continued. "Really. She can make it rain all she wants, and it will only help my crops grow. And I know that she won't stop it from raining, for then she would be punishing those who followed her. What is there to be worried about?"
Ann looked down at her feet. "Its just... its just that your grandfather didn't worship the Harvest Goddess either. And his farm never produced much. He only produced enough crops to live on. He was never as successful as you would think a man like him would be. You notice how run down his house is? One time a Typhoon severely crippled it. But your Grandfather couldn't pay to repair everything. Just the basics. Sometimes he would come to the Inn in the early morning, his face etched with fear as if something horrible had happened to him. Sometimes he refused to leave his house, even on festival days. But he never turned to the Harvest Goddess. He never worshiped her, or sacrificed to her. I am one of the few who knew that, for your Grandfather rarely left the farm."
I was stunned. "But my grandfather was a happy man. If your suggesting he lived his life under constant fear and depression-"
"No. Your Grandfather was a happy man, and he had his happy times. But he still was plagued by something every now and then. I never understood it. No one did. I don't know if your Grandpa did. But he was troubled inside. By something. Something that I know nothing about. Then you come here talking about how you worship God, and not the Goddess, just like your Grandfather. You think that all will be alright. Just like your Grandfather must have believed. You think that the Harvest Goddess can't do anything to you. Just like your Grandfather. You are traveling down the same path as your Grandfather did. I don't want you to end up the same way he did."
"What do you mean the same way he did. My Grandpa ended up just fine. You heard the words in the will. He was fine. He lived long and died in a ripe old age. He was fine."
Ann just shook her head. "No."
"What do you-"
"Your Grandfather... he... he didn't die normally. He didn't die of old age."
My eyes widened at this. "Then what did he die of?"
Ann gave me a look of horror so great that you would have thought that the very spawn of hell stood before her.
"I don't know exactly," Ann said. "The Mayor found his dead body lying on the floor in his home with a look of pure terror in his eyes. You'd think that if he had died of old age it would have been in a more peaceful manner. But there were no wounds or anything, so we know that he wasn't murdered. Maybe he died from shock. But what could cause such shock?"
I then recalled the dark feeling which I had always had since I had arrived on the island. I remembered how I had felt uncomfortable walking alone outside during the night. Something was definitely wrong with this town. But I barely had any idea what it was.
That night when I returned to my house, I found a note lying on the desk next to my bed which I hadn't noticed was there before.
It read: "Zach. I could not put this in my will because it is private, only meant for you to know. I will be dying soon, so I am leaving this here, for I know that you will find it when you come to receive your inheritance. Know this. I did not die from natural causes. I am writing this a day before my life will surely be stolen. Do not worry about me, for now I am probably chillin' (as you would say) in heaven with God and Jesus. I'm sure you have heard about the town's religion, and know that I was never a part of it. I tried to warn the people of the town about this, but they wouldn't listen. I tried to warn them of the darkness that lurks just outside the village. I tried to warn them how it is manifesting itself slowly into the town. I tried to warn them about the evil which is taking hold here. But they wouldn't listen. I am the only one fighting the battle. That is why I know that I will die soon. I know that you will not fail to see the darkness as the people of the town have done, that is why I am warning you about all this. Never give in, for you will regret it after death, but be prepared to fight in life. You are hope for the town. You can open their eyes to the truth. It will be hard, but not impossible. Remember, this town is cursed. Beware the creature of the mountains, and the man in the yellow coat. Never underestimate the power that you face. Don't be alone for long periods of time. Beware the evil in this region, and never, ever go outside at night. Love, Grandpa."
So, how did you like the second chapter in this great series? Good eh? Bad? Please tell me in a review. Now a letter, warning of dark things, what could this mean? Who is the man in the yellow coat, and what is the creature of the mountains? I am sorry that this story has gone in rather slowly, but fear not, next chapter will drive in the adventure and supernatural genre of this story. Farewell good readers.
