And we will be as one god, and we will be as one people...

[forissancta]

There's a building in a not-terribly bad area of Chicago that's been being transformed, one step at a time, into a place for people to live and work and worship. It's not an ideal location for the purposes it's being used for... A building with its own Rift opening would be perfect, but those are in short supply

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[nosparkofhope]

And through those doors comes a devoted follower of the faith, himself. Where Eli's been is probably anyone's guess- more than likely just exploring the city and getting a feel for such a place that holds so many of the Chosen People. His time in Rome taught him about the Rift and its wanderers, but Rome was little compared to this city in sheer scale. It's magnificent, really.

"Did they respond the way you anticipated?" He asks as soon as he's close to the Prophet's wheelchair, nodding at the journal and frowning just a little. He knows what he'd like the answer to that question to be, but he has his doubts.

[forissancta]

"They did," the Prophet says, smiling sadly. "But at least they're responding, Eli." He reaches out to place a hand on Eli's arm. It's a gentle touch, no deeper purpose other than contact and reassurance. "They read what I had to say, and they thought about it, even if it was only to scoff at us. So now we act. We show them in every possible regard that we mean what we say, and we do what good we can. And they'll remember this, and perhaps a few of them will start to think, and believe."

It's not much, but it's something. And, one way or another, things will happen as they must. All the can do is offer support, and what guidance he can to make the coming changes easier on everyone.

[nosparkofhope]

Eli nods slowly. "No one responds favorably to anything overnight, at any rate. If they did, I'd doubt their sincerity." And sincerity's really what they're looking for, among other things. People who take this faith seriously and come of their own volition to accept their destiny and what have you.

He gently places his other hand over the Prophet's in equal reassurance. Not that the Prophet needs it. More or less, the gesture is meant to convey that he understands.

"Scorn is better than apathy," he concurs, with something of a small, pleased smile. "And skeptics tend to find it very hard to keep away from that which they might disprove."

Not that there's anything there for them to disprove if they can't prove what the Rift is capable of in the first place. Who really can say what the Rift is and isn't?

[forissancta]

"Exactly." The Prophet's smile turns warmer, at both the words and the contact. "If we truly are right, then that should prove self-evident."

Of course, there's no doubt in his mind that they are. Therefore, the truth will be made clear. And while no one can say for certain what the Rift is and is not, the fact that the Prophet's an Emim does help in that regard.

"Tell me what it's like out there."

[nosparkofhope]

Eli gently steps back, pulling away from the contact gingerly to examine the open doors. "Magnificent. I've counted at least three permanent Rift openings- all, of which, unfortunately, have been claimed, although no one seems to have claim over the warehouse if you particularly wanted it." He pauses, thoughtful. "Given the number of stable openings, plus the number of unstable, I suspect that given a few years time, the number of Riftcomers will greatly outnumber Chicago's general population."

Which is less anything he might have seen in a vision and more common sense. Sooner or later, the average people will move out of the city given all the strange occurrences and then the city will be left those who understand her best.

"And oh won't that prove something to them, when it's only them in one of the most populous cities in this country. Perhaps one day it will almost be like a Promised Land to them."

[forissancta]

"We watch the warehouse. We don't reclaim it right away." Yes, the Prophet's been giving that a great deal of thought. "There are too many bad memories connected to that place for us to move in until we've established ourselves as benign first. To do otherwise might well invite action against us, and we are not prepared for that."

He shakes his head at Eli's next words, though. "I'd be sorry to see that." Not that I will. "The Riftcomers are the Chosen People, yes. But the change they bring is a result of interacting with this world, making it more and better than it is. Good and bad, they need to know this place, and its people. Unity, Eli, remember