The next few months in the mine were grueling for all the slaves. The work was hard and dangerous, and many of them fell ill or were injured. Despite the difficult conditions, they continued to work, driven by the knowledge that if they dared to stop, the Miners would show no mercy. Every day was the same: they woke up in the darkness of the mine, worked until their bodies were exhausted, and then collapsed into a fitful sleep, only to repeat the process the next day. They pushed themselves to their limits, knowing that their lives were on the line. As the months passed, rumors began to spread among the slaves that something was amiss. They whispered of strange occurrences and unexpected shapes forming in their heads. Some even claimed to have heard deep, grinding voices in their minds. The slaves were confused and frightened, not understanding the meaning of these strange happenings. Finally, one day, all the slaves still alive were summoned to a large chamber deep within the mine. The higher-ranked Church Miner stood before them, a symbol of power and authority.
> “My dear subjects,” he started saying with force in his voice and a wide grin on his face. “My dear subjects, we gather here today to confess our sins and to ask for forgiveness.
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> For we are but mere beings, prone to the temptations of the flesh and the deceits of the devil. But know that through our trials and tribulations, through our suffering and pain, we are being purified. We are being made anew, in the image of our lord and savior.
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> For it is written, 'b'ǎd'i yœ ĉhœd'u yœ b'ǎm.' And so, we endure, for the sake of our salvation. We mine the earth, for it is the Lord's earth, and it is our duty to extract its riches. We bear our burdens, for they are the trials that make us stronger in our faith. And we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service. And yet, there are those among us who still cling to their old ways, to their old gods. They are the antithetical, the heretics, who reject the true faith and instead put their trust in false idols. But fear not, for through the fires of the inferno, through the purifying flames of resurrection, they too shall be made pure.
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> For it is said, 'And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.' But for those who confess and believe, for those who accept the mark of the inquisition, there is eternal life. So let us confess our sins, and let us accept the new way, for it is through this sacrament that we are saved. And in two fortnights, when the bell tolls for the final time, you shall rise again, resurrected in the glory of the Lord, because you will die tomorrow – again.”
The Antithetical and the remaining slaves were shocked in disbelief. Loud shouts with protest, disgust and sheer hate filled the halls, but the Church Miner just smiled and waved them off. Then the Miners had a short talk, and, to the surprise of the slaves, everybody was escorted to the cell where they woke up months ago. He spent the coming days in his cell, pacing back and forth as he frantically tried to come up with a plan for escape. He knew that time was running out, and that he needed to act fast before it was too late. Furthermore, he thought about using the pickaxe as a weapon, but quickly dismissed the idea as being too risky and unlikely to succeed. Not only that, but he considered trying to dig his way out with his bare hands, but the walls were made of solid rock, and he knew it would take too long. He even considered trying to bribe one of the Wardens, but he knew they were fanatically devoted to their religion and would never betray their masters. As the days passed, the Antithetical grew increasingly desperate. He knew that his time was running out, and that he needed to come up with a plan soon. He thought about making a run for it during the next meal, but he knew the Warden would be on high alert and he would likely be killed before he even got close to the door. He also thought about trying to overthrow the Miners, but he knew he was outnumbered and outmatched. Trapped with no way out, he knew it was only a matter of time before the executioner arrived to take him to his death. He wondered how often he was in this situation, how often he had died, how often he had resurrected, and how often he had been declared a heretic. Then he heard drums, drums in the deep. They were coming.