Go to the temple and listen to a very big reveal

(AN: Some gay stuff happens in this chapter.)

I stand in front of an inconspicuous wooden double door. The temple lies within. The belly of the beast, so to say. It's supposedly a very important place to the locals, so I'm concerned about accidentally offending them and thus causing a scene. Am I wearing the wrong types of clothes? Is this backpack rustling too much as I walk around, making noise? Should I cover my cock? Even if any of this is true, I'll dare to be different. Ruby didn't remark on any of it, so I'm guessing it's fine.

Before I enter, I take a closer look at the engraved design on the door. Again, that weird sigil that looks like a windowpane is there, the same one I saw on Teng's robe. That and what look like Chinese characters: 鬼口. Like I know what they mean.

The doors creak and leave marks on the parquet as they swing open. Behind them- I can't believe my eyes- is a dimly lit hall adorned with statues, symbols, stone tablets, scrolls, candles, incense... This really is a temple. Nothing modern about any of it. It doesn't look like any place I've ever been to before... And how does it fit into a building that looked so small from the outside? I'm a little humbled to be here, so I take slow, careful steps forward as I marvel the carefully arranged environment. There's only one other person here, a young man who's contemplating something with his eyes closed, sitting on the carpeted floor near the main altar opposite to the door.

Deciding to make contact with him, I take my backpack off and set it down on the floor, and then sit next to him. He hardly reacts. Probably not a shackled that somehow wandered in here, as he's only wearing these very strange, colorful, and elaborate clothes. Looks like some toga that's wrapped over his shoulder, his waist, and one of his legs, doing nothing to hide his genitalia. His complexion is pale, his features subtle and feminine, his frame average, his blonde hair short but neatly tied up in a nub of a ponytail. Eerily beautiful, as if some angelic being. I can't help but be a little aroused again, as the little experiment with that William guy back at Times Square left a pleasant mark on my psyche. Still, to have such feelings in a place that looks so... Holy. My bible-thumping grandmother didn't even like me coughing in Sunday church, how would she like to see me now, getting a bared erection for an another man, right in front of this statue of... Buddha? No, it doesn't look at all like him, but... I swear I see some resemblance.

It's exciting, though. Can't help but take it a little further. I bring a hand over his belly and stroke it, and then over to his inner thigh, which makes his sizeable cock twitch. Damn, he's still doing his thing, not reacting to my advances. Wonder what would happen if... I straight-up grab his dick and start really fondling it, not forgetting about his balls. He arches his back ever-so-slightly and his breathing picks up to suggest he's at least somewhat aware of what I'm doing as his member involuntarily hardens. He looks amazing like this, so graceful yet sexy... If he snaps out of it and starts berating me, I'll end up crawling out of here with a blush brighter than the fucking sun. It's now twitching in place, fitting onto my palm quite snugly while I bring both of my hands to work. Is he testing me, or himself? What is the point of this act? He's Released, isn't he? Am I the one acting? I take my hands off him and watch him meditate for about a minute. His cock stays hard and even leaks a bit of precum, but he does nothing. Seeking answers, I try to wake him up: "Hey, mind if we talk?"

He startles me as he immediately responds with a soft voice: "Not at all. Shoot."

Damn, he LOOKED like he was in a trance. Live and learn. I ask: "You are Released, right?".

His tone remains calm: "Of course. What's your name, brother?"

Brother? Is he a monk? No, he would have said so, instead of just Released. That, and his clothes- if you can call them that- don't look like something a monk would wear. I say: "Lewis. Lewis Edam. Was Released just yesterday."

Then, when I least expect it, he leaves his relaxed posture and leans toward me, embracing me in a skilled kiss. For those seconds, I swear the entire universe just disappeared. I've fondled a cock, even sucked one, but I've never kissed a guy. That's really, really gay. Then again, his breath is fresh enough and his lips feel so soft, his tongue delicately dancing on mine... Ah, fuck me, he's amazing. I completely relax in his grasp, my arms falling limp and my dick getting even harder than it already was. The candlelight and gentle smell of burning incense makes the whole situation more romantic than it has any right to be. He pulls away from me when he notices I've relaxed and stares into my eyes as he introduces himself: "I'm Siang. Just Siang."

It takes a while for me to put myself together after that. Now we're very intimately sitting face-to-face, dicks up and waiting, but I feel like I should keep the questions coming despite the sexual tension: "You don't have a family?"

He answers: "I do, but I gave up my old name a few years ago."

"Why'd you do that?"

"Well... It was when I decided to become a Disciple. I've been Released for six years now, and on the second year, I decided I wanted to dedicate myself to Phantom Window. With that dedication come these clothes..." -he lifts his arms to show off his garb- "...And me needing to spend most of my time reading scriptures, conducting sermons, listening to the troubles of people who come here, and keeping the temple in good shape."

"So what you're getting at is that you're a monk."

"No, not yet. Real monks and nuns are seldom seen. We Disciples hope to become one of them one day."

"Oh, I see. I'm guessing all of Phantom Window are celibate."

"That is right, but sexuality is a very important part of being Released, so I'm sort of stuck in-between. Gotta give it all up when I graduate." -he chuckles a little with those last words.

"That's what I never got, though. What is it with sex? Why are all the Released automatically like this? Including me?"

"Well... Long story short, Phantom Window and by extension those who follow them believe that human nature is not- as the Shackled believe- a greedy and reserved one, but rather it's generous and open. That is why we exist: to build a new world where people love and respect each other. Free, casual sex is just the most obviously visible part of that love..."

It's all falling into place now. You've done it, Lewis. You've found the secret.

Siang continues: "...We believe we can build this world by taking those who have experienced great emotional shock and bringing them over to an environment where they are free to do however they'd wish without disturbing anyone who hasn't also been through what they've been through. The effect on psychology creates a spark in the heart- a sort of 'seed of compassion'- that can never be lost. If all humans had this seed, then there would be no wars, no conflict, no alienation."

What he's saying is equal parts frightening and amazing. I can't help but begin jerking him off again as I ask: "How long has Phantom Window existed?"

He answers without even blinking from me giving him a handjob: "About five centuries."

"And how many Released are there alive right now?"

"About twenty million around the world, in addition to Phantom Window, of which there's about five million. Disciples, I don't know. This process takes time, you see."

"Are the children of Released also Released?"

"Of course... And once there are no Shackled left alive, Phantom Window's job is done."

It doesn't seem like there's any way they could fail. As far as I know, world peace is inevitable. The sad part of this is that we can't tell any of the Shackled about it. One last question: "What does it take to summon a monk or a nun? One of your higher-ups?"

He nods: "Regularly performed prayers at one of these temples by a group of at least eight people for a period of three days."

Wow. Teng could have been a bit more specific. I could have spent hours, even days, trying to get in touch with her or an another one Phantom Window proper, to no avail. Good thing I thought to seek others... And that they have some less important people hanging out among us mere mortals.

Siang coughs and says with an amused tone: "Excuse me, Lewis, you're about to make me cum." I take my hand off him, realizing that I've been totally lost in the act. That makes me wonder: do I want his load somewhere in particular? Or should I just leave him as he is and find someone else? It doesn't seem like he'd be bothered by the interruption.