People had started to act more on their beliefs than their morality, though the two were often intertwined. Ezekiel didn’t know how to cope with it. It was like the world was in the midst of another pandemic, but this time it was a religious one. After Covid, society was now teetering on the edge of a religious war. Why was everyone suddenly turning to a belief they had never wanted before?

Ezekiel understood why. A new God had risen—Illuvor. In just a year, people had begun converting, and he was no exception. Once a preacher, Ezekiel soon questioned his role. At first, he thought he was hallucinating when the God spoke to him, but it was real. Warmth and flattery filled him as he received divine messages, but soon, he realized the God’s plan was far from pure.

California, Santa Ana. INT. True Heaven's Church - DUSK

Ezekiel sat in the church, paranoid, feeling the chaos Illuvor had caused. Though he knew the God was responsible for the war and destruction, he still found himself praying—out of habit, for comfort. It filled him with guilt, yet he couldn’t stop.

On his knees, Ezekiel whispered, "Please… I beg you, stop. I can't take this anymore. These thoughts... they keep tearing me apart. Why can't I just be at peace? Why do you keep filling my mind with such terrible things?" He paused, his head bowed forward. "I've tried to be good. I've tried to make things right. Why does this darkness keep chasing me? What do you want from me? I can't keep fighting it on my own." He begged, his eyes tinged with tears, "Please, I just need it to stop. Please, take it away. Let me breathe again. Let me have some peace... before I lose everything." Ezekiel whispered with a wavering voice. "Please… help me."