ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕥 : 𝕂𝕖𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕣- 𝟚𝟚𝕓
𝕃𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 : 𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖 (𝔸 𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖 (𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕 '𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕦𝕞') 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝 𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕤𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕤 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕒𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕖)
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"Why don't you understand? That's not how it works..." Evangeline, who had the palest skin, with paler eyes and hair (in the entire world i.e In the entire Kepler's world) said in an exasperated voice. She, who had it all, inside and outside, desired nothing and thus, was deeply favored by everyone as the next-in-line saint. 

"Why do I have to understand how others work? Like, I've my own feelings to think about..." Her best friend replied in a frustrated manner. Lennox, was an unique child, even for this world.

"But we live in a society Nox. It's not right to act without the rules."

"Rules? Society? Are you serious Evan... Like the same society who shunned me for God only knows what crime? You want me act accordingly for them? Tell me is it my fault that the tree produced me out of nowhere?" His resentment was pretty evident.

"I agree that it was tough for you but rebellion like this won't take you anywhere. Know that. Loving a girl? How could you forget you're a Man! A person of masculine gender!"

"Is it my fault? It's not possible to control your feelings when it comes to love. There shouldn't be a time limit or required amount of time. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen whether you like it or not. What's my fault if I don't love someone like me?" He replied, somewhat sad about her not understanding his situation.

"I know..."

"No you don't! I'm not even putting a fight for that girl's love. I get that she has a soulmate and she loves her, not me. Then why is everyone so hung up on this?"

This world, Kepler- 22b, was a strange place with even stranger rules. Everyone was expected to abide by these set of rules without any exception and, till now, nobody was unsatisfied with anything. That was, until he came... In a world where a guy can't love a girl, and vice versa, he was the only one to have ever fallen for someone of opposite sex. Of course, his feelings weren't returned because it was not only absurd to see some guy loving a girl, but also, because she was already destined to be with someone else.

Yes... It was a place working with concept of 'destined partners'. Two people of same sex developed similar marks on their 18th birthday. They had to register their mark and identity on Temple's holy book, from where their other halves were found. When these two people are ready to proceed in their life together, they receive holy blessing from the sacred tree with a date. On that date, they've to come again at the temple and perform a ceremony where they dip their hands near the roots of sacred tree. At the end, sacred tree blesses the couple with children, emerged from its roots.

That's how it normally worked. But, Lennox was an exception. He wasn't born to any couple, rather, he was once found near the tree's roots anonymously by the head saint, Tanith. He was raised by her like a son. For a saint like herself, who lost her fated mate not long after they wed, he was like a miracle given by God. But, things weren't so simple for him as he had no mark on his body even after turning eighteen or even proper parents. Thus, everyone started distancing themselves more from him and he was almost always alone. Maybe that's why he couldn't relate to other people.

Evangeline was equally mysterious. Her parents died shortly after she became five and thus, she was raised by Tanith in the Temple. A mark did appear on her eighteenth birthday but, her soulmate was yet to be found... For there were none with the same mark as hers.

"But, you've got to have someone too..." Her voice faded. Her heart ached to see him happy with someone he loves. But, it was impossible in this situation.

For now, she was trying to make Lennox understand that loving someone of opposite gender was sin and so, he should move on with finding why there's no mark for him yet. But her conversation wasn't so fruitful. Suddenly, her mark shone and she yelled in pain. The light was so bright that it could blind Nox but he tried to reach towards her hand which seemed to grow farther.

Tanith rushed hearing her children's cries. When she reached there, the bright light suddenly disappeared leaving a collapsed Evangeline there. They rushed her to her room. Tanith immediately went to pray for her while Nox waited outside of her room. While waiting for her to wake up, a sudden bright red light started coming out from her room. Seeing that, he rushed inside only to witness something he could never believe.

On the place of Evangeline, lay someone completely different. Her figure small and fragile, as if a mere touch would break her. Her hair was of very different shade, somewhere between red and brown... He rubbed his eyes to calm himself in case he may be hallucinating. But, he wasn't.

Tanith also rushed after finishing her prayers and she was equally shocked, if not more. Lennox stumbled towards her as if trying to see if 'she' was real or not. His hands moved towards the sheets covering her small frame and where his hands touched her, he felt some wetness. It was blood... Her blood.

He couldn't understand what was happening and why was that happening. Did God decide to punish him for not abiding by rules, by taking his best friend away? It must be karma...

𝓓𝓲𝓭 𝓲𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 (𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼𝓷'𝓽 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸)?
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Number of words (excluding Author's note) : 962
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Author's Note :

It's a double update! I really wanted to introduce all the important characters today so, I had to push myself a little for this chapter but, at the end, I'm kind of glad that I was able to do it.

Anyways, now that every important character is introduced, let me know your thoughts on them.

What are your thoughts on the Sacred tree and Temple as well as Kepler's (Kepler- 22b) 'rules'?

A world where LGBT people and love is welcomed, as a natural 'type' of love, is indeed a dream world... But, just like everything, Kepler has it's fair share of problems. The biggest being the fact that not all 'types' of love is welcomed there.

Find out more with the now swapped bodies and how, did it happen?

Was it truly karma? Was God punishing him? If yes, why? What's his crime? Falling in love with a woman...