"Why's your head always in the clouds?"

Although it was now behind the brothers, Joaquim took another glance at the breathtaking sahn outside. Beyond the prayer hall's entrance and past his Alkrezian neon mask was gleaming white porcelain seaming into every portico. The courtyard's architecture was designed to capture all of the light it possibly could from the sullen sky Visard was adrift in, and the captured light gave the courtyard an ethereal aura. Clearly Prophet Ameen's numinous prayers restored all of the vandalism caused by Byza. However, a strange monolith that broke some of the tiled porcelain floor a long time ago still remained undisturbed.

"You did it again."

Before he could wonder whether the stygian monolith the Alkrezian inquisitors kept a parental eye over could attract or manifest an earthplexus leyline, or if it had any relation to the strange tree from earlier, Joaquim finally brought his attention to his brother that was speaking the whole time. Joaquim only listened to what Gabe said twice.

"Head in the clouds?" Joaquim asked.

Gabe raised an eyebrow, or a very faint unibrow when Joaquim peered hard enough. Joaquim's older brother pretty much finished puberty at seventeen. His mustache and soul patch were growing back already. "You never heard that phrase before?"

Its meaning became clear when Joaquim realized how much boisterous yelling he tuned out from the prayer hall. Indeed, the youth flocked all the way to the mashrabiya. The ruckus came from the unconverted exclusively.

Well, except for Farouq of course. The only inquisitor-candidate that had the gall to be casual with Prophet Ameen. While thinking of the messiah while Farouq chatted and threaded partway within the crowd, he had arrived. Astonishingly his presence already caused the ruckus to simmer down, Joaquim did not even have to turn around to discover who entered. Within the corner of his eye he espied the appreciable silhouette of the jet black priest gown the messiah donned. He had that presence even among those that have yet to devote themselves to him.

"There's no need to be so... somber," Prophet Ameen said as he scanned the prayer hall. Either way, teenagers donning shipshape thrift clothes moved aside, creating a pathway to the minbar. Those with more traditional wear like kameezes were closer to the usual praying rows. "I know past missionaries gave reluctantly-attended sermons."

"We could not come in here for weeks!" a child yelled.

"I know. Farouq told me about the uninvited guests that were here," Prophet Ameen replied.

Did Farouq use his esper powers to tell him... or did he use the earthplexus? Joaquim wondered.

Another appreciable man came in with Prophet Ameen, someone Joaquim was sure he recognized from an earthplexus site, yet no name came to mind. He did not mask himself with the plaid-cloth masks that inquisitors were known for, but he was an inquisitor that did not need to announce his role amongst the Alkrezians and non-believers. Especially non-believers. Simultaneously his warm smile was both inviting and imposing, yet it was not as warm as the sepia irises that captured the spectral light bleeding in from the mashrabiya.

"Who's that with Prophet Ameen?" Joaquim whispered to Gabe. Unfortunately he only realized he was the only one speaking after that question left his lips.

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"Naomi!" Prophet Ameen called. "I am surprised that you are still speaking, however there is no need to be so quiet."

"He was asking about Camilo," Gabe said. Joaquim noticed his brother addressed him the way he wanted to be addressed.

"Ah, my inquisitor," Prophet Ameen said, glancing behind him. "I do want to touch on another topic before I introduce Camilo to everyone."

The messiah stepped up to the edge of the minbar when toddlers shuffled closer while Farouq, Joaquim, and Gabe were not too far behind from them. Now that the crowd outspread across all the available space instead of gaggling into big groups, the cyan prayer rugs beneath them revealed themselves between sandals and bare feet walking away.

"Why do we pray four times a day instead of five Prophet Ameen?" a child murmured.

Prophet Ameen smiled at the boy. "I can answer that after my sermon."

With more teenagers either taking a seat on the floor or leaning against the wall, the seeping lights from the mashrabiya reached Prophet Ameen and the inquisitor he had yet to introduce.

"Wait... we have yet to eat anything," Gabe said.

"We? I was first at the table," Farouq said.

"Do not worry," Prophet Ameen assured Gabe before raising his voice. "Gentlemen sitting on the table, could you please stand by the side so I can take a look at the rations and water from here?"

The row of teenaged boys looked at each other before walking to the side of the banquet table, and the table was cleared of both.

"That tells me most of you came because you were famished and thirsty," Prophet Ameen said. "If you have no further reason to stay, please do not feel obligated to do so. If you were to devote yourselves to God, you must come here due to your own volition, not because you are coerced to do so."

Joaquim briefly remembered that those that reached the age of adulthood would essentially be coerced into becoming Alkrezians. I am only fourteen so I am fine. I am starting early. Gabe... how long have you been an Alkrezian for?

It was difficult to survive in No Man's Land; the lack of nourishment made the mind such a fickle piece of flesh hardware. That must be the reason Joaquim had contradicting memories of Gabe's conversion.

"Actually, just stating it so is not good enough. I ask all of you to be frank with yourselves as the truth shall always set you free. Please raise your hand if you only came here to nourish yourselves," Prophet Ameen requested.

Expecting hesitation at first, Joaquim felt silly once his red dress waved so gently from Farouq raising his hand in an instant. "I only came here for the food to be honest."

The youth in the prayer hall laughed. With Farouq's sincerity making it easier for others to be sincere, more hands shot up. Even Gabe raised his hand.

"What?" Joaquim asked in shock.

Gabe shrugged. "Sermons and prayers... can be boring. I still do them to be a good person... but if I were to be honest with myself... I don't always want to come."

"Have you attended one of Prophet Ameen's sermons?"

"Not face to face."

Most of the room did not raise their hands. Noticeably Camilo did not. However, Joaquim was the last one to raise his hand.

"Huh?" Gabe asked.

"There's a part of me that..."

Joaquim gulped and lowered his head. Although he did not want to meet Gabe's gaze to finish that thought, his wariness as to whether there was anyone turning eighteen that had their hand up and his curiosity as to whether Prophet Ameen's was displeased with all the arms raised motivated him to tilt his head back up to find... Prophet Ameen beaming.

"I want to simply tell you all that this is normal," Prophet Ameen said. "Spiritual growth starts with being honest with yourself and bringing your true self, then questioning yourself as to why you do not want to deepen your relationship with our creator. Let it be known that no matter what ails you, as long as you devote your true self to the Lord will make sure to always feed you, protect you, and clothe you the same way I have done here and will do again now."

Could I bring my true self to you?

|name i_am_that_i_am

While Prophet Ameen performed another miracle to replenish the canteens and spawn more rations, it was impossible to tell if it was the utter awe upon Joaquim or another force beyond understanding accelerating time. It was too late to deduce whether time was flying within his mind or the outside world.

The sky shapeshifted.