[1]Jesi left us after pointing in the direction we should sail. One moment he was on my ship, and the next, he vanished without a word. Since he gave no further instructions, we continued sailing as commanded.
He didn’t return until suppertime, when he used his metallic food box to provide for the ships. As we ate, Jesi announced that we were equidistant from several towns and that the fleet would split into different directions. Each ship is tasked with spreading word of his greatness to the towns.
Jesi handed the leader of each ship a scroll containing a map and instructions for where to travel next. The scroll was made from a material I had never seen before. It looked like papyrus, but it was much smoother, and Jesi claimed it was waterproof.
He explained that he would no longer travel with most of us but would check in from time to time. When needed, he would send someone he called a Lieutenant to deliver new instructions.
Before we parted ways, Jesi gave each ship enough supplies to last a week and a few coins to purchase more if necessary, reminding the leaders that it was their responsibility not to squander what their god had provided.
Our ship continued on its original course, leaving little for us to do. As the last light faded, I made a few notes in my diary and watched Jesi survey the ship before vanishing, as he had done many times before.
I couldn’t help but wonder where he went. Our ship was hardly comfortable, so did he retreat to a palace in the sky?
***
When I woke the next morning, Jesi was watching me with the same curiosity he’d shown the morning of the siege. As soon as I stirred, he asked, “The ability to write is rare. Many so-called leaders of towns and villages don’t even know how. So, tell me, how is it that a boy from a village in the middle of nowhere can write?”
Sitting up, I lowered my gaze and chose my words carefully. “Before you arrived, my family traded goods. It was important that I be able to read the posted commodities the city bought and sold, along with their recommended prices. Sometimes we traded under contract, and my father regularly quizzed me on understanding the terms.”
“We often stopped at the village you chose to bless with your presence. My parents planned to spend their final years there, to enjoy a peaceful life.” I paused, before continuing, “But their plans were cut short by your arrival, and now their new purpose is to serve you.”
Jesi seemed satisfied with my response. “I still sense great sadness about your family. This journey will be long, but they will still be there when you return. Despite the bitter taste of your feelings, I’m glad to have such a skilled laborer in my service.”
As the first light broke on the horizon, revealing our next destination, Jesi instructed us to eat a large breakfast. He declared that he would leave us soon to wage holy war against those who opposed his will. But he assured us that one of his Lieutenants would soon arrive to guide us to our next objective. Jesi warned of dangers ahead, but if we kept faith in him and followed his Lieutenant’s orders, we would overcome all obstacles.
When we docked, a man stood waiting with a small legion of uniformed servants. He bowed deeply to Jesi, whispering what seemed to be a short prayer. Jesi tapped the man’s shoulder, waved toward us, and then vanished… once again.
Despite his reverence marking him as subservient to Jesi, the man bore a striking resemblance to him. He surveyed us with a look of mild disgust before finally introducing himself as “Lieutenant.” He told us we did not need to know his name, for we were not worthy of it.
The Lieutenant explained that our task was to spread the glory of Jesi. He cared nothing for our personal well-being, and his only goal is to ensure we can perform our divine duty. He acknowledged the presence of large armies in the area and that some of us might die. We should not fear this fate, for we die in Jesi’s name.
We marched toward a city marked on the map. We could just barely make out the city in the distance when we were forced to make camp for the night.
The next morning, I noticed many more birds in the sky than the evening before. Some made strange noises and flew without flapping their wings. The Lieutenant and his servants looked at a shimmering tablet and grew visibly worried. He ordered us to climb a nearby hill, and once we did, we understood the cause for concern.
Two massive armies, several hundred thousand strong, were assembled in the direction we were headed. I recognized Roman banners, but the identity of the second army remained unclear.
Despite the Lieutenant’s advanced weaponry, it was clear the armies could easily overwhelm us. The Lieutenant pulled a black stone from his pocket, clasped it in both hands, and prayed, begging Jesi to send help.
The stone responded in a strange language, and the Lieutenant covered his face with a strange pig-like mask. His servants quickly followed suit.
We knew the Lieutenant’s prayer had been answered when a fiery angel descended from the heavens and exploded above the armies. The angel belched a cloud of death that engulfed the battlefield, spreading in all directions.
We could hear the confused armies within the cloud at first, but then an eerie silence clung to the area. When the cloud finally dissipated, we saw the angel’s handiwork. Where once stood two mighty armies, now lay a valley of corpses. Jesi had once again proven his might, calling down destruction from the sky.
The Lieutenant removed his mask and ordered us to continue our journey upwind of the killing field, warning us not to touch anything due to something called “contamination.”
[1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)
This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.
This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.
As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.
