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Once upon a time, there stood a tree that bore luscious fruit.

The fruit had large leaves and split into finger-like shapes, radiating a green hue.

When the weather warmed, it bore fruit that glimmered with a hint of red; oh, how the fruit looked so tempting and delicious!

Look! Witness that beautiful figure, glowing with shades of red and purple.

Although modest in size, it was just perfect for holding in one’s hand, and biting into it promised sheer delight.

However, alas! The Creator had proclaimed that you must not partake of that fruit, and how could we, as loyal subjects, dare to defy such a command? Thus, it was only right to faithfully heed His words, distancing ourselves from the fruit and opting for something else instead.

This place is Paradise.

A Paradise devoid of hunger and cold.

[ Did God indeed say, “You shall not eat of every tree in the garden”? ]

Ah, among all the beasts He created, there was one with cunning above all.

It had a long tail and was covered in scales. It emerged from among the trees and whispered to the woman. Its voice dripped with cunning, selecting the perfect moment to whisper in her ear—how could one resist that whisper?

And so, the sly beast queried.

[ Did God indeed say, “You shall not eat of every tree in the garden”? ]

He said you shouldn’t eat from any tree in the garden— is that true? Is that really the case?

How can one ignore such guile?

How could one not have been seduced by such cunning!

[ Of the fruit of the trees in the garden, we may eat… but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” ]

We are allowed to feast on all the fruits of the garden. Only the fruit from that tree in the center shall not be touched, lest you face death!

Ah, that answer was indeed faithful and so good!

Yet within that answer lay mingled fear and curiosity.

How could one say they were not led astray by the serpent’s cunning?

Did you truly not fall for the snake’s sly whispers?

[ You will not surely die! ]

The serpent declared.

[ For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. ]

The fruit holds the power to open human eyes; thus, consumption brings about a likeness to the great One, enabling the discernment of good and evil, or so the serpent proclaimed.

Ah, how could one say no to that whisper?

How could that whisper be refused?

And thus, she plucked the delightful, enticing fruit, handing one to her husband while taking one for herself; oh, how sweet it was!

This is Paradise.

A land flowing with milk and honey.

* * *

“Gahh! Oh, God!”

A scream erupted from Kenneth’s lips.

His face was tinged with pain, and from all over his body, a sizzling sound emerged as smoke began to rise. The divine objects he harbored were horrifically heating up, bestowing upon him unbearable agony.

The clothes wrapped around him exuded poison, threatening his very life, while the various symbols inscribed upon them turned toxic, attacking him.

It was declared that idolatry is evil.

Thus, the tangible and the symbolic can both be deemed idols.

And so, the symbols embroidered on his garment, rather than empowering him, inflicted terrible suffering, as if compelling him to erase those symbols and strip away his clothing.

But that wasn’t the end of his nightmare.

Objects linked to the Abrahamic faith were inflicting harm upon him as well.

The rosary dangling from his hand burned bright red, causing burns upon his body, while the cross necklace hanging around his neck was not just scorching but actually catching fire.

But wait, there’s more!

The dagger adorned with a crescent moon was causing an allergic reaction, and the ring made from the bones of saints was tightening around his finger, threatening to sever it.

It was a sight that could only be deemed a nightmare incarnate.

The agony wrought by his own sacred objects was horrendous!

Gritting his teeth, Kenneth began to recite the invocation, word by word, in an effort to break the spell upon him.

“…He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye…”

…In the wilderness, the Creator discovered Jacob amidst the desolation and the howls of beasts.

He defended and cared for him, guarding him as His own.

Yet that invocation was not the exact method to break the spell cast upon him by the shaman.

After all, he couldn’t even identify what spell had been placed upon him.

Yet he could roughly guess how the magic operated and which symbols bound him, thus seeking to defend against the attempt to cast the symbol of original sin upon him, trying to turn him into an “infidel” with verses that suggested that the Lord was protecting him.

Perhaps it was not the precise method to counter the magic, but it could be considered an orthodox approach to escape.

But what is the flaw in an orthodox method?

It is that it is easy to predict.

[ I say this. I transformed into an ant to provide you with the corn hidden in the mountains. I have slain fearsome beasts, retrieved your bones from Mictlan, and shed my blood to create you. I am the creator and guardian of your calendar, arts, and culture, who bestowed grace upon you for this very existence! ]

[ I govern life and resurrect from death. Even if I hide at the horizon with the darkness of the night, I will shine forth again from the east; I am Tláloc, I am Ehecatl, my true name is Quetzalcoatl, your light, abundance, and beginning! ]

[ Let the feathers clothe you, show you are my child. Prove your faith and follow me. ]

[ Where light and abundance dwell in one body, life shall blossom within you. ]

[ Even if darkness descends, you shall emerge again from the east for you are destined to rise from death with me. ]

[ I am your Creator and the loving deity who cherishes you. ]

His predictions aligned with Jinseong’s expectations, and the magic was applied without hindrance.

Just moments ago, the serpent had been slyly whispering, enticing him to partake of the fruit, but now it began to speak with a majestic voice, raising its neck before Kenneth, unlike it had moments before. With a feather attached to its tail, it adorned his head, coiled down to his waist, wrapping around his body. Its length grew, resembling a serpent, displaying vibrant and colorful hues as if painted.

Along with that, magic enveloped him, bestowing upon him blessings.

With the name of Quetzalcoatl, light began to gather upon his body, and the glow of Venus from somewhere in the cosmos gently touched him. Thus, he was granted gleaming wisdom, vigor, life force, and regenerative power—surely, what could be called blessing if not this?

Although this blessing occurred at night and thus lacked visibility, had it taken place in daylight, its regenerative power would have been evident, a blessing unmatched anywhere!

This is the blessing of Quetzalcoatl, the Creator.

This is the blessing bestowed upon His creations by the feathered serpent.

Ah, what truly good fortune!

But alas, this spectacle did not align with His heart.

[ The Lord alone was his leader, and there was no foreign god with him… ]

Ah, His love departed.

It has truly left…

 

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