"Blind with jealousy you will kill your brother, that is your destiny. You will run away and never come back. The first person you meet will try to kill you. You will be avenged seven times, because you will not die here.

Word of the Oracle Pârisis to Cain, The Forgotten Times

***

These days Caleb juggled between his room, the corridors and the library to fill in information about this world. The research he had done on the In-Between was useless. One day, as he was coming out of the bathroom, Caleb found himself facing two large men, who had appeared in his room by some trick. Fearing that he was hallucinating, he immediately closed the bathroom door and reopened it. But Samael and Mickaël had not disappeared and were standing there in the middle of the room. Coming to his senses Caleb asked:

-May I ask what the hell you two are doing here?

- I was ordered to take you to the oracle and that little demon chased me here. Isn't that right, little one? Michael asked, obviously looking for trouble.

The silver-haired demon did not flinch at the angel's pique and with a toothy grin, he threw to Caleb facetiously:

- Little beauty, it's time to stop looking at me, I know I'm beautiful...you have more important things to do I think. Unless you want to stay in a towel all day? 

Not taking into account the likeable? Joking and exasperated by these words without more sense, Caleb went to the cupboard, took his clothes and left in the bathroom followed by an amused laugh. When he was ready and covered with his scarf, Caleb followed the two supernatural beings.

- Why do I have to go see him? Have you met him before?

- Because he is the one who might be able to give you the answer you are looking for. And no, I have never met him. All I know is that he's probably pretty shy," Mickaël answered seriously for once.

- However, there are several rumors about him. Some say that he's an old man with a hunchback or that the oracle is so disfigured that he doesn't dare go out for fear of scaring the others," added Samael without any implication.

But hurt by these words that were not intended for him, Caleb took the blame and tried not to retort, thinking that it was only a rumor. But the words spoken showed the malice of the people behind the gossip and a desire to hurt just for the sake of it.

- And you think it's okay to let these rumors go around!? Think about it... !

- Caleb. Anyway, the principal didn't do anything to stop them. I don't think he ever heard them, so why bother," Samael cut in with a frightening coolness.

Caleb wanted to shout, to scream, to say something but what could he do against this demon and this angel without human emotions! These small noises of corridors, we hear them in spite of everything! Of course he knew them, it would be impossible not to! But Caleb was silent. Caleb didn't say anything about what he thought, about his hatred, about his despair in front of words that no supernatural creature could understand. So Caleb hid his dark thoughts, his self-deprecations that had surfaced during the exchange.

Michael had said nothing, thinking the same thing as Samael. He stopped in front of a pretty wooden door and pulled the handle. He entered followed by Samael and Caleb who had a dark expression that could be seen at a glance. It was only when he looked up that his dark thoughts disappeared, Caleb found himself in front of the most wonderful and beautiful thing he had ever seen. A fairy garden all dressed in color. To his left was a pool where a fountain flowed crystal clear water filled with brightly colored carp. Pines and violet vines were placed all around a rose garden with thousands of colored flowers. The shimmering green grass swayed serenely in the breeze. On the right, one could observe a small wall of gray stone adjoining a staircase made of the same material that descended to a nursery.

Surrounded by hollyhocks, a pure white lily was revealed in the soft sun of the garden. He could also see some old ruins of an ancient tower and no doubt a temple.

His two guides stopped in front of a stone door and let him enter. Through the opening Caleb found himself in the middle of a virgin forest. As he went on, the atmosphere became more taciturn. He found himself in front of a fanum with black stones protected by two huge white pillars. A man in white clothing, with bangs and long blond hair like wheat, stepped forward with an airy grace. The majestic atmosphere suddenly collapsed when he stumbled. Caleb rushed to him and helped him up.

- I... I've been waiting for you," the man groaned, rubbing his forehead. Please follow me," he said in a soft voice.

He sat Caleb down on a chair and said:

- I sent for you today because I have something to ask you. For this I will need your hands. Can you please give them to me. Ah... There is no danger.

Caleb held them out to him, suddenly wanting to believe the man in front of him. As they were clutched in the slender fingers of the man in front of him, Caleb became dizzy. He collapsed on the chest of his opposite number and then began to see bloody images. He had become the innocent spectator of a horrible massacre.

"A bloody red and gold throne, a dimly lit room.

On the floor, broken dishes, scattered copper glasses.

Corpses of flowers trying to hold on in chipped vases

Food rotten with the blood of mutilated and inarticulate bloody bodies.

Severed heads with frozen, horrified expressions.

Then voices. Two voices, one deeper, the other higher. That of a child, an adolescent torn apart by sadness, torn by fear.

- Why? asked the trembling child sitting in the middle of the scene of carnage. Why? he asked more bravely, with strands of silver hair sticking to his pale face.

- Why? You ask me why? answered the black figure in front of him, laughing. Of course you cannot know my poor darling answered the mysterious shade, of a false concern. Come. Come and see your father," she said with a frightening smile on her cracked lips.

The tremors of the teenager took again of more beautiful at the same time as those of Caleb who looked helplessly at the child approaching slowly the man.

The being approached his hands of the child's face and caressed his hair in the same way as a mother cuddling her toddler. Suddenly this wrinkled hand took a handful of hair then the voice from beyond the grave exclaimed:

I will tell you everything at the right time. At the time of your death of course, my darling. But now! It's your turn, like your father's, your grandfather's and your great-grandfather's before you. He replied with a sardonic laugh. Listen to me," said the cruel man, bringing his mouth close to the trembling boy's ear.

He whispered a few words that Caleb could not hear, but the teenager's wide-eyed horror meant everything. Then the man finished his words and threw the boy to the ground, who slipped on a bloody body. Finally the shadow with the frightening smile turned to leave and before he could pass the door he turned around and met Caleb's empty eyes.

Horrified, trembling, even crying, Caleb woke up instantly, pushed by an unknown force. His dark thoughts flooded in, engulfing him. His desire to die reappeared as quickly as a receding hurricane, trapped in invisible chains, which were retaining him, his freedom, his poor self-love. His hypomania was suddenly stopped by a cool hand on his cheek. Slowly catching his breath, Caleb looked at the blond-haired man in front of him. And with his pale hands dried Caleb's tears of despair that had fallen down his whitish face.

I know that... you want... I mean, can you tell me... What you saw? Please? the Pythia begged in a soft, shy voice when Caleb had calmed down.

Finding the strength to speak of his vision, Caleb described the atrocity of the scene, the omnipresent blood, the mutilated bodies beyond recognition.  And the scene between a man and a youth...

- It was awful, horrible," Caleb said, flinching, "and towards the end I saw... I saw the same look," he shuddered, "the same pressure I felt in the doll room.

- You knew... the place? The one you were in?

- Now that you mention it... I mean, it's just a feeling, but... do I know it? I must have seen this throne somewhere... But where? I...

- It doesn't matter, answered his interlocutor gently, it will come back. Come and see me when you know... more.

Excuse me... um, what's your name? Since you already know my name, Caleb asked with a little smile.

Oh, I forgot, I'm sorry," apologized the blond with a sheepish look. My name is Han. I am the oracle and the guardian of this garden. The reason you are here... Hmm let's say it's fate? D, sorry I can't think of anything better... However what seems strange to me... I'm sorry, this looks suspicious, I... can't see your future? Sorry I suck," Han apologized for the third time. All I can tell you is that "the truth is not necessarily the truth. You have all the cards in the world to escape this one.

As the Oracle said this, a cool wind blew in and gently lifted their hair. The fringe that hid Han's eyes was blown away and Caleb found himself facing two eyes of a translucent blue, beautiful, but surrounded by red blisters, as if branded with a red iron. Quickly refixing his bangs, he asked with a sad smile on his lips:

- It's disgusting isn't it?

- Not at all! Caleb exclaimed a little too quickly. What I mean is," he began uncomfortably, unaccustomed to the words that would come out of his mouth, "at least there are two of us... In fact I really like the color of yours.

- Oh thank you! Answered Han surprised. Sorry... It's the first time someone told me that. I'm very touched

- I knew it, these damned rumors blew Caleb overwhelmed.

- So happy! It's also the first time someone has taken my side! replied a cheerful Han. And... he continued, on the contrary I like your eyes very much, answered the oracle by joking.

Caleb and Han considered each other. A glint of appreciation emerged in each of their pupils. Finally someone who looks like me, they both thought.

Faced with this adorable Oracle, Caleb's distrust had eased by a small millimeter.

For Han, it was the image of an abandoned cat, which had come to his mind first when he had met Caleb. A cat that was incredibly defensive, but became soft when that distrust was softened even a little bit. They both felt that an indefinable bond had been created during that first meeting. When it was time to leave, an hour had already passed. Before he could get up, Han said to him:

- Remember that, whispered this one while approaching the ears of his almost friend

- Noted, Caleb replied once the word was out. I'll come see you as often as I can. And thanks for the help," Caleb finished with a wink. See you, Han.

Turning away from the Oracle, Caleb went to find his two guides waiting for him where he had left them last time. He found them bickering.

- Are you always like this? Caleb asked when he got close to them.

- Honestly? Of course we are! they replied in unison.

Caleb raised an eyebrow and replied sarcastically:

- Is there anything to be proud of?

Samael laughed:

- After all, he's my little sugar~.

Mickaël's face darkened, before he threw a kick, which Samaël avoided easily. The demon then began to run, pursued by the purple-haired angel, making the quiet, soothing place much noisier. Disillusioned Caleb sighed and left, letting them fight like kids. Damn, they're exhausting, he thought.

Walking through the long corridors, Caleb followed the manila lamps towards his room. As he opened the door, what caught his eye was the black book that, by some trick, had ended up on his bed. Taking the book at arm's length Caleb stretched out on the mattress and lazily began to leaf through it. But only the front page was covered with fine handwriting revealing these few lines:

"Truth is only a lie

The lie is only truth

There is no falsehood without a semblance of truth

Remember this my child

My Ab'Lüeis "

Sheol, Guardian of the Truth

 

 

[/author]ML is here! Guess who is it hehehehehe[/auteur]