The Tree of Life?
"What do you mean?" I asked, doubtful of my own hearing.
"It's as literal as it could get," He replied. "You're standing before the Tree of Life."
That's nonsense.
"I..I don't think so." I retorted.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Because I don't know who you are."
"....."
Father James kept silent for a while before speaking.
"Who do you think I am?"
"That's the wrong thing to ask," I answered. "Right now, I, the oblivious one, cannot help my distrust of everything."
"I guess I'm part of your 'everything'"
His gaze wandered, and his eyes were now settled on the apex of the tree.
"What do you think I am?"
That was indeed my question. Ever since his sudden appearance, I had been doubtful—even just a little about the true nature of the person who stood.
Nothing made sense. His visit made it even less sense.
"I don't know what you are," I answered. However, in truth, I was fearful of misidentifying him as an ally of the Devil.
He didn't have the horns, so I assumed he wasn't the Tempter himself. But the things he did and the very words that left his mouth…
They baffled me.
The pressing issue, unfortunately, was the fact that I knew little to nothing about Father James, having met him only recently. In the hypothetical scenario that 'Father Azrael' appeared and did the same thing, I'd be unhesitant to point my fingers and rebuke him. Or rather, 'it'.
Because I knew who Father Azrael was.
Was this Father James?
It doesn't feel like him. But I can't trust my gut.
But then, we have the tree. And the actions he took. Even his words are highly questionable.
Could it be that there's something I do not know…or could it be that this isn't Father James at all?
"Joshua." Father James called.
"Sir?"
"What do you think this tree is?" He questioned.
"I have no idea. That's why I asked."
"So you accept that there are things you do not know?"
"Certainly, yes."
"Then why do you fail to believe my words?"
"Mere, unreliable instinct, Sir. These things are too strange for me to fathom."
"Are my words unbiblical?"
"Sir, the mysteries of the Word are even harder to comprehend."
"How do you think we, Crusaders, survive?" he posed. "Why haven't we perished yet?"
"God's grace, I believe."
"You're right." He answered. "This marvel of nature behind me is God's magnificent gift to us, Christians. And the greatest manifestation of his grace made known to us. Second to Christ's sacrifice, of course."
"...."
I find that very hard to believe.
"Why am I just hearing of this?" My question was as logical as it could be, as I relentlessly strived to shut aside my sentiments.
"Because you didn't know earlier." He teased, watching to see if I'd crack a laugh. But seeing as my face remained deficient in emotion, he answered properly.
"It's known by a select few." He responded. The higher-ups and a chosen few. You are rather lucky to have stumbled upon this place."
Lucky?
That doesn't sound right.
"God's grace should be available for all," I argued, seeing a great contradiction between his words and the Word.
…If truly it is God's grace.
"Humans are selfish." He responded.
"The gift of Grace cannot be affected by mortal desire." I disagreed.
He sounds increasingly heretic by the second.
"Are you retorting my words?" Father James interrogated.
"No, Sir. I simply seek understanding. What is this tree? What advantage does this tree provide? Why is it here? What even is this place?"
The unknowns were endless.
Father James nodded at my question and crossed his arms.
"The Tree of Life provides eternal life, as said in scripture." he answered, intentionally dodging my first question.
"I thought only Christ could provide eternal life?"
"He already has." Father James replied. "You see it right now."
"...."
This…doesn't make sense.
"Are you saying anyone that eats of this tree would live forever? In physical bodies?"
"Oh no, dear." He denied, "For that would be blasphemy."
"Are you then saying that those who do not eat of this tree, despite being Christians, would not attain eternal living in heaven?"
"No. Once again." He responded. "You see, this tree is a gift. A special one."
Father James began walking forward. "We Christians are like lambs before merciless slaughterers. Each day we die, and our lives are forgotten. But although we are killed, we do not die. Our works live on, carrying our identity as well as our suffering, in order to bring increase to the Kingdom."
So..?
"This tree protects the chosen ones from any form of persecution. It's the reason I am alive today, to tell you this." he concluded.
"But..the bible says otherwise about the tree of life." I disputed. "It calls it a source of eternal life for mankind."
Father James sighed.
"If only you believed the words of my mouth. And accept them. You would never be killed."
"...."
"Do you realise the golden opportunity that sits before you today? You will no longer fear death by the hands of man. You would live till old age, and even bear children that would carry on your work for generations upon generations."
"...."
"Your bloodline would be shielded by the Tree. You will never grow tired for the Tree will always supply you strength. As you fix your hope in Christ, the Tree will nourish you."
"But…" My heart was conflicted. "The bible…It doesn't-!"
Father James countered me before I could even stop talking.
"Those that wait upon the Lord, he shall renew their strength." He proclaimed, telling a verse. "That renewal," he added. "for Crusaders today, has been made available through the Tree."
Undoubtedly, that was a verse in the bible. However, he was yet to say anything about the nature of the Tree itself, and he had not answered why it contradicted the biblical description of the Tree of Life.
Aside from that, everything else sat right with me.
"The Tree was modified, or so I think." He explained. "I know little of God's actions, but his works are undeniable and evident."
"...."
To be honest, even if he biblically proves all of his points, I still find it difficult to believe.
If I think hard enough, more questions would arise. Even without thinking, there are some things left unsaid..
"Why should I believe you?" I inquired. "I'm still not sure that you're Father James."
"There's no real way to know, is there?"
"Earlier, what did you mean when you said 'beware of the wolves'?"
"The wolves are Satan and his demons." He said. "They loiter about to stop chosen Christians such as yourselves from eating of the Tree by leading them on a path of no return—the path which you saw to be opposite to the Tree."
Something still doesn't add up. It wasn't even a question about why they were here in the first place. Rather, it was more…subjective.
"But then, why would Satan tell me the same thing? He said it before vanishing and he didn't make any further effort to lead me astray."
"He probably gave up. As for why he warned you, he might have been trying to paint me as the evil person."
"Hmm…"
"That must be why he tried making you question your faith and the Word. To paint us Crusaders as the bad ones. You know, the tactics of the enemy.."
…..
At that moment, I came to a bothersome realization. It started out as a fleeting thought, then piecing things together from the events that happened recently, it grew into a possibility worth considering. But Father James's statement sealed the deal.
How…?
"How did you know that?" I asked, quickly growing frightened.
"Know what?"
"What the Devil told me. Not just that, back then, even without me saying it, you somehow knew that I was following the Devil. How?"
Right after Satan's departure, Father James appeared behind me. And he asked me if I had followed the Devil—who I had not made mention of.
And now, somehow, he seems to know of my previous conversation with Satan.
"How. Did. You. Know?"
"..."
"..."
Satan sighed.
"You're a difficult one."