“Did he say why Hurmaz wants to see me?” he asks. Lealy seems disappointed.

“I have no idea! Mart said that there is a meeting of the Saviour Circle… The First Disciple had asked for both you and Mart to attend,” she says wagging her hands.

“But only the second-tier disciples can enter the Circle meeting! Not me and Mart! Are you sure?” Tirad asks quickly before Lealy leaves. She doesn’t know and seems not to care anymore. Lealy sets off murmuring to herself. Tirad watches her leave for a few seconds and turns back walking towards the stairway.

Chapter 3

The Circle meetings are usually held in Hurmaz’s cabin. Tirad climbs down the spiral staircase to the lowest floor, three levels beneath the ground floor of the stranded Saviour Ship. The library and the largest cabin of the ship that belong to Hurmaz, the First Disciple, are located there. The lowest floor sunk in the sands of the Saviour Island is dark and there are only a few oil lamps that merely light up the staircase and the corridor to Hurmaz’s cabin. Although electricity has had found its way to the Island in the past years, the use of generators and even solar panels are still forbidden in the Saviour Ship. Tirad had asked the reason for this many times before. The best and most acceptable answer he was given was that there was no electricity in the time of the Saviour and its best that the Saviour Ship stays the same way as it was found many years ago. Any essential changes of the Saviour Ship could result in the aberration of Saviour Disciples. Tirad does not wish to be misdirected from the true ways of the Saviour. Therefore, he tries not to frown every time the malodourous smell of the fish oil lamps fills his nose. He bears the bad smell of the lamps and their dim light with the pride of a true Saviour Disciple.