Punishments with a rod will not be permitted, as it is considered barbaric to even think about. When a member is seditious or spreads falsehoods about our Lord, The Miracle Child, or Our Holy Mother he will be ousted from the community and only allowed back if their apology is approved. When it comes to if our leaders are seditious however a simple ousting won't do. Drastic measures outlined in further sections will be taken.- From the His Holy Messenger Church Handbook Section 3: Punishment.

  November 20th, 1997.

  It's almost Thanksgiving, Daniel! Only a few years in and you've changed everything for me. It's hard to believe that you're supposed to be the lord of the new world. You're such a happy baby and I always think that Father Pucci isn't very smart about not letting you explore by yourself. Although little Elise is rather rambunctious for the new children.

  You're downright peaceful to be around. This fate to become the Lord of the New World seems so far away and so unlike what you are. It's almost cruel the way they describe him. Charismatic, vindictive, able to fell men and beast alike. Yet you're so small and all you can think of is me. You're so happy and bright, all you did was list the books of the bible from Genesis to Revetion. And your favorite story is Zaccheus. How can someone so innocent come from someone so vile?

  But I know in my heart of hearts that you'll do the right thing in the end. You'll persevere and win whatever fights come your way! I believe in you.

  I always will.

  "Dio. I understand you're angry but it's unbecoming of a leader such as yourself to take your mother's punishment." Father seems rather sedate despite the fact he subjected my mother to punishment just moments ago.

  "It's still wrong to punish her for something I did!" I snap, "What about no one being above the ws here in the compound? Not even the leaders?"

  "That's why I have orchestrated your punishment myself." he beckons me to follow him and I do. Gulping down my fear and trying to calm down.

  'Just think about happy memories, Daniel...' I bite the inside of my cheek, 'This will be quick and Mother will be just fine, right?' As we walk through the church, Father seems to look a little apologetic as we come before a heavy iron door that I knew well.

  The same one where the 'special cases' would go into. Politicians, activists, cult-busters, and even newscasters that Father deemed ruinous to the continued longevity of the religion. He would bring them under the guise of a goodwill feast and then take them. His Stand would then make sure they never existed. Then he would burn what remained thanks to Arcenaux. Will he do the same to me? Will he do the same to my mother? He swings open the door and stands at the doorway.

  "Step in. Receive your punishment." He says, pushing me in and locking the door behind him with a heavy grinding noise and a metallic heavy CHUNG. I can't even see my hands in front of my face. Panic rises in my chest as I almost want to summon Sacred Heart but decide against it.

  'Calm down. The st thing you need to do is panic.' I don't bite the inside of my cheek, 'Normally they're taken out and burned after a few months even though total isotion and darkness makes someone go mad in a few days. I can't let that happen to me.'

  Minutes.

  Hours.

  Days.

  Weeks.

  Months.

  Years.

  I found a ball in the darkness and have been constantly rewinding and fast-forwarding it. Fresh out the tube to a squashed and cracked core and fuzzless surface. Again and again I focus on that while my mind remembers bible verses.

  'Proverbs 19:8, Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.'

  Rewind, Fast Forward.

  'Tongue of the wise brings healing.'

  Rewind, Fast Forward.

  'The soul of the zy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.'

  Rewind, Fast Forward. Stop.

  I hear footsteps outside. Or is it inside?

  "Do you really think this would stop you, Daniel?" a voice echoes through my mind, "Sacred Heart can free you and help you rule the world."

  "Who are you?" I ask.

  "I am your ambition. Your need for freedom. I am your life stretching before you unto forever. I am your future, should you reach for it." the figure looks just like me but older with some kind of suit on and sungsses on his forehead. His long blonde hair is in three long ponytails ending at his waist. And there's a spiderweb pattern to the suit jacket and pants. He smiles and puts away the sungsses. I notice that he has a silver band on his right ring finger and seems a lot more muscur. I notice that he has sharper canines and sharp nails.

  "So... wait... am I seeing my future because of Sacred Heart?" I ask.

  "No, I am the you that you wish to be." he states.

  I must be insane already. I lost sense of time and now I'm losing my mind by hallucinating what I wish myself to be. The other me smiles and kneels. Of course this could just be me going mad. Pretending I'm okay with being in this unearned world. Everything I need without the struggle.

  "So what's it like?" I ask.

  "My life isn't here yet, Daniel." he answers, "So you have a choice. Would you rather stay in this unearned world and get everything handed to you, or would you rather escape and forge yourself into a man who can walk in the world?"

  I hug my knees to my chest, "I don't know."

  "Then I'll ask again." he states, "Will you escape? Or will you nguish?"

  Daniel had no fear of the lions in the den because God was with him. But what's with me here? Why am I so calm? Why does my chest burn with fire?

  "Use that anger, Daniel. Use that righteous fury. You're God to these people? Show them your fury!" the other me excims, "Grab the horns of your life and be free!" It wasn't a few hours into my tenure in isotion or a few days. I thought back to the night I was free. How that strange creature seemed to know where I was. There's only one person I know who'd rat on me no matter what I do despite how 'devoted' she was to me.

  Elise Arcenaux. I bite my nails and the dark rage seeps into my very being awakening something deep down inside. Was it rage? Vengeance? Was I so sick of inaction that my body responded?

  In fact I wasn't quite sure how long its been or anything like that. Sacred Heart appears and grabs the door, tearing it in half and the light explodes into my eyes despite the stinging. I break into a run as the arms go off. Something about my body seems lighter as I hear a loud commotion outside. Speeding as fast as I can, my teeth seem to hurt. The heavy summer night air bsts into me as my normal canines rip out of my mouth and are repced with fangs. My nails sharpened from biting them and regrowing them.

  I clear the distance between the church and the central pza in a matter of moments. What's come over me? Did I accelerate myself to that state or is this just a stress ssh fear response? I just hope I'm not too te!

  'Hold on, Mother! I'm coming to save you!'

  What I come upon is a scene straight out of a horror movie. The cultists and Father's acolytes are all gathered around in the center as he stands on a risen ptform. He looks down at them with a sad expression. Tied to a post already beaten bloody is my mother. Her face is a bloody ruin and my rage burns through all caution or common sense. My stand almost wants to pulverize everyone there like Samson and the Jawbone. But I hold myself back. Moving through the crowd but nobody moves. Absolutely enraptured by Father's message.

  "My children it has come to my attention that the Holy Mother has corrupted the Miracle Child with thoughts of leaving our family!" he excims, "Thanks to our dear Sister Elise we managed to stop the child from getting too fa-"

  "STOP!" I yell, "Don't punish her! It was my idea! If you want someone gone, take me instead!" I force my way through the crowd, "Like Jesus on the cross, I'll accept her punishment in her pce."

  Father's expression calms the moment he sees me, "Ah, Lord Dio. It's been a while since you've graced us with your presence." He stands completely nonplussed about any of this. Like it never would affect him.

  "Don't py dumb, Father! You locked me in the oubliette! You wanted me to become like that man you worship!" Sacred Heart appears, "SO TAKE THIS! THE FURY OF THE GOD YOU WORSHIP!" its fist screams right for Father's wide-open self.

  All it would take is one blow! One blow and he's gone! One blow and I stand superior! The shadows around him bend and explode outward, a blunt end of a square hammer knocks into Mother's post and tosses her in the way of Father.

  Sacred Heart's fist goes right through her chest and blood rains from the blow.

  "Mother...?" I gasp, seeing her fall onto her back with blood reddening her robes, "Mother!" I start forward and my rage is immediately repced with remorse. 'God, no! No no no!' I hold her close and she lets out a soft cry.

  "Oh, Daniel..." she breathes, "Oh my sweet boy... Please don't waste this..." tears fill her eyes as she looks right into mine. I bury my face close to hers. Wanting nothing more than to help her. I wanted to be free! I wanted to bring her with me! I didn't... I wouldn't.

  "I'm sorry..." I warble, "I'm so sorry..." tears stream down my cheeks and I can tell she's dying before she even hits the ground.

  "SACRED HEART! REWIND HER!" I sob as it tries. The golden light only reverses the damaged clothing from its own punch. The blood wells up from its hand and I can't help but feel deeper despair.

  "Mother, please! Please don't give up!"

  "I love you... I will... always..." she slips her cross neckce into my hand and Sacred Heart appears looking just as distraught. She told me the truth. I slip it onto my neck and see Father walking towards me.

  I can't help but melt down as he strides closer.

  His cold dark eyes soften their gaze and he reaches down to run his hand through my hair. I warble out a breath and as she dies all I can think about is how I caused it. How I just wanted to see what was beyond the walls.

  "Oh Dio... it's all your fault. If you hadn't have gone beyond the walls she'd still be here." he sighs, "But it's alright my son. All boys must bury their mothers someday."

  I don't lean into his touch. I don't let go of Mother. Sacred Heart appears over us, staring down at he and I. The whine of the cicadas and muggy southern air boil me with angry heat and endless noises. All she wanted was for me to live.

  To live among the people he told me to look down on. To experience the world and all its pains and pleasures. To love and lose. To be someone else. This world isn't one I want. So I reject this future of unearned things. With tears in my eyes crying for my mother, I stand up and my Stand darts in faster than I can follow.

  "USELESS!" I yell, Sacred Heart's strike knocking Father away from me, "YOUR WORDS ARE USELESS USELESS USELESS!" The flurry of blows is like a storm smming into a levee. Father's stand barely deflects most of them. It breaks the csh and gres at me with its hollow blue and bck eyes.

  "Don't stop me." I snarl, "I'll come to my own conclusions about the world." I turn to the crowd with rage in my heart and tears still streaming down my cheeks, "That goes for all of you! Every single one of you will feel my wrath should you follow!"

  Father grits his teeth, "As you wish, Lord Dio." He smiles and moves off. I kneel and close my mother's eyes. My wrath leaves me with a hole. A hole I can't even begin to fill.

  "It's Daniel. It's the name she gave me." my voice softens, "Goodbye, Father." It was more of a whisper. With a heavy heart and a hand around Mother's neckce, I take my leave. The gates swing open and I march my way out.

  All I know is that the city holds the answers to my future. To the 'me' I wish to be. Sacred Heart repairs my ruined clothing and I slide on my shades.

  Time for some answers.

  As he goes, I watch after him with gritted teeth. 'Calm down, count the Prime Numbers.' I think, mostly doing so to mitigate the fury I'm feeling seeing the product of years of genetic work and filling in gaps leave like he was able to. All in due time, Enrico. All in due time will he come to the same conclusion that his father did. That the world is meant to be subjugated under his heel. I stare down at Rio's body, her dulled eyes closed and her body shaded red by the blood from our little god's wrath.

  The way he looked made us all freeze and our blood to turn to ice in our veins. Almost as if we'd see the hardened crystalline beams Lord Dio used to employ shoot out of his own gaze and a twisted form of pride settles into my chest. Of course! That's it! Over the wailing and confusion I clear my throat and everyone stops. Quickly turning dead silent as my Stand appears behind me. Gold and bck tethers all in their heads as they settle down.

  "My children, this is clearly a test of faith from our God. He has led his hand on this Earth astray, but we must remember Satan's temptation of Christ. He will be tested and tested constantly by the world's sinful nature. As his followers we must support his decision to undertake this holy mission." That's when that girl, Elise Arcenaux, raises her hand.

  "Yes, Sister Elise?"

  "Why don't we help Lord Dio with his testing with our own strength?" she asks.

  I can't help but smile at her, "Why that's a wonderful idea, my child." I hold out my hand to her and she takes it. I lead her into the chapel and the rest follow chanting in Latin. I step almost reverently with her steps sounding next to me. Everything is well in hand, and that old witch's Arrows would help my little God see the light. See the error of his ways. I grab the ancient bow and an even more ancient arrow.

  She knelt, staring up at me suppliant and waiting. Almost reverently I string the bow.

  "In the Odyssey, Penelope had challenged the suitors to shoot an arrow through twelve axe-heads. In the Bible, countless trials were set against God's disciples. This is yours." I pull the string back after nocking the Arrow, "Go with God, my child."

  The arrow flies and hits her square in the heart. Burrowing in and a brilliant fme eats away at the shaft of the arrow and consumes the fletching. The head comes out and through blood and pain... a miracle happens. She stands and basks in the fire only she can see. For the rest of the night, six of the faithful were shot other than her. Only one hadn't made it.

  At the end of it, I have six.

  Six holy missionaries, six guardians of the will of our God.