Deep within the sea of sand and brush of the Sage Desert, the Grand Temple glowed with the mystical radiance of an eternal sunrise. The enormous structure resembled a mountain of black stone populated by a flock of monstrous winged statues. The Temple's sacred aura saturated the air, bathing all who entered with a feeling of peace and tranquility.
The Chosen Ones who maintained this shining holy place were few in number, but they were mighty in faith. They lived and worked inside the mountain of stone like a swarm of bees, engaging in profound practices that they hoped would one day culminate in the world's salvation. Their sacred duty as Chosen Ones was to pass along the truths of the faith to those who walked in darkness, and to accept those who were capable of bearing the light.
And, to that end, a work team of proud young men and women were busy transforming the Temple's entrance hall into a model training facility for new recruits. The acolytes scrubbed and polished the stone floors, swept the golden sand, set up beds, restroom facilities, and kitchens. They laid down fresh white carpets, hung up banners, and erected guideposts and signs to help visitors navigate the complex without getting lost. In short, they did everything they could to prepare the ground for the many lost sheep who would soon be pouring into the desert in search of the light.
One young man, a former Animal Brotherhood member named Corpse Cricket with a lean body and a soulful face, was assigned the menial task of hauling an enormous collection of menacing statues out of sight and putting them into storage. It took all the muscle power in his arms to slowly drag a monstrous skeleton through a series of hidden doors to its new home deep inside the Temple. He sighed in disgust and leaned against a nearby support pillar, resting a little before getting back to work.
"Whew."
Corpse Cricket needed a break. He had his eye on a set of horned stone children that were going to be pretty easy to carry...
"Great job, Corpse Cricket! Do you want to help me get this big winged demon from the lobby next?"
A young man with messy long hair called to him from across the vast darkness of the Temple’s halls, his voice full of enthusiasm and good cheer. The analyst and true believer of the Chosen faith Gordon wasn't content with merely coming up with a plan of action. He loved the idea of serving God and spreading Llamoomoo's holy message, and he wanted to devote every ounce of his strength to the cause. He was strongly considering breaking things off with his fiance, giving up all of his worldly possessions, and living out the rest of his days in the Temple as a humble acolyte.
Corpse Crickets' shoulders sagged at the prospect of more heavy lifting, but he didn't complain. He was trying his hardest to try and get promoted out of the general labor pool and back to a real division as soon as possible, and he wanted to make a good impression. He straightened his spine and wordlessly lifted a corner of the demonic statue, and Gordon helped him carry it away with an enthusiastic, "Let's do this!"
The work was hard and seemingly endless in scope, but Gordon never let on how exhausted he was. He was determined to see the work through to the very end to show God how dedicated and sincere a disciple he really was. He felt so good and proud about what he was doing that he just couldn't help but smile as the work dragged on long into the night.
The team was getting ahead of schedule. Gordon was setting a heroic example, using his power of 'Autohypnosis' to force himself to stay positive and focused on the tasks at hand instead of dwelling on the fatigue he was experiencing. It worked wonders, but he knew that if he continued pushing himself this hard, his muscles were bound to give out sooner or later.
The other members of the team were starting to run out of willpower. The fatigue and stress was starting to take its toll on everyone. In the face of the monumental task of renovating the Grand Temple, even the greatest Chosen Ones would eventually find their strength beginning to fail them, their minds unconsciously beginning to wander, and their spirits inevitably starting to sink.
But they didn't give in. They had someone special on their side to help them push through. It was Gordon's friend and long-time colleague in the research division, Erica.
"W-w-we're almost done setting up the kitchen, Gordon! What do you want us to do next?"
"Get the girls to go assemble these benches and tables! I'll get the guys to seal off the Stairs to Nowhere!"
"Hang in there, Gordon! We're almost done!"
Erica had been Gordon's biggest supporter for the past week, and he was deeply moved by her efforts. She had overcome her natural shyness and became a model worker who inspired all those around her. The cute young lady with shining black hair was always smiling and eager, helping him out with everything from painting walls to sweeping the floors to installing toilets. She cheered him on, encouraged him, made jokes to lighten the mood when the work got too difficult, offered helpful suggestions, and generally treated everyone around her with kindness and compassion.
She was nothing like the Erica that Gordon thought he knew. For the entire time they'd worked together as analysts, Erica was a shy girl who was scared of strangers, a nervous wreck who ran into the bathroom to cry when something went wrong, a timid, fragile, easily embarrassed mess of nerves who couldn't bring herself to look people in the eye and couldn't stand to speak unless she had to. It was easy for people to underestimate her, ignore her, even make fun of her to her face and send her running away with tears streaming down her face and hurt feelings stinging in her chest.
And then a few days ago, seemingly out of nowhere, this sheltered and reserved little girl was transformed. Erica became bold and selfless, a confident leader, an unbreakable, unflinching person who was always looking out for him and everyone else. She never told him what changed about her, and he was too nervous to ask. But he suspected the God of Destruction Llamoomoo appeared in her life and spoke to her heart directly, just like what happened to him.
"O-oh, that was easy!"
"Keep it up, Erica! We're not quite finished yet! We've got a long, long way to go!"
