Conflict Between Believers
A Hai's confusion and Xu Huo's questions seemed to irritate the believer, who stopped talking to them.
A Hai still couldn't accept it. "The date of God's Birthday can be changed, too?"
He had grown up hearing stories about the Goddess and their ancestors, and had come to regard the fixed holiday as sacred. This date was especially significant: it marked the moment when their surviving ancestor had fought back against all odds. It symbolized the ancestor's courage and spirit, and embodied the qualities passed down through generations of their people. Their country had continued to improve because of the selfless sacrifices of those who came before them. Changing the date of God's Birthday seemed to change the very meaning of the Goddess Cult.
The two remained silent as they entered the city. Since Xu Huo was from an outer district, his pass allowed him to take a direct route to the Holy Land's temple. He could visit the areas along that route, but he was forbidden from entering any of the Holy Land's other districts.
A Hai was a local and faced no such restrictions.
But this time, unlike before, A Hai didn't eagerly head for the temple. Instead, he suggested they find somewhere to eat and rest.
"Do you know who that ancestor was, the one who turned the tide?" A Hai suddenly asked as they ate.
Xu Huo was all ears.
"I heard the old Doctor talk about it. That ancestor was actually a girl with a limp. Her family and her fellow countrymen had all been killed in battle. She was a Survivor, and the country's last hope, but she didn't hide. She chose to stand up and fight. Her conviction, even as she lay gravely wounded and close to death, moved the