The missionary

"The Missionary" by Jesse F. Bone is a science fiction story set in a time of clashing ideas, where belief is put to the ultimate test. It follows an Adept from the Promised Land, a deeply religious place, who is seized by a man named Wolverton. Wolverton represents technology and worldly knowledge, challenging everything the Adept believes in. As a prisoner, the Adept not only deals with physical pain, like a broken leg, but also faces Wolverton's enticing arguments about changing a world struggling with too many people and lost cultures. The Adept's strong beliefs start to shake as he sees Wolverton's world and learns about human history. This leads to a big moment where he questions what he knows to be true and realizes that Wolverton might not be the bad guy he thought he was. The Adept goes through a big change, coming out with a new sense of what it means to lead and be responsible in a complicated world.