What's happening? What's happening? What did you see?
(Said Zarathoz, slightly agitated)
Luzbel didn't respond. Even with tears streaming down her face, she smiled, and her eyes, now lit with an unusual glow of happiness, seemed to hold an entire world of hope and pain at the same time. With warm delicacy, she gently caressed Morgan's face, conveying tenderness.
He is the proof that she was not wrong… he is the proof that she was never a mistake!
(Said Luzbel, sobbing forcefully)
Zarathoz, confused, stepped forward. Her eyes reflected disbelief and impatience, yet at the same time, she appeared deeply excited.
What did you see?
Luzbel remained silent, letting the air fill with tension. Finally, she positioned herself in front of the bed, face to face with Zarathoz. With a slow gesture, she wiped her tears and spoke in a deep, firm, and threatening voice:
Tell me… what will you do with him once I tell you what I saw?
The atmosphere grew heavy, almost oppressive. Every breath seemed to echo against the walls. Zarathoz, with her usual indifference, responded in a tone of total nonchalance:
Ah, I don't know… that depends. I mean, if you didn't see anything truly important, I could simply let it pass. We could even keep him here as just another student… but if it's what I imagine…
(Said Zarathoz, with a cheerful, almost playful tone)
I could take him to the central crown.
(Finished Zarathoz, smiling threateningly, her voice filled with danger and playfulness at the same time)
Zarathoz raised one of her arms, ready to make a gesture. But her hand stopped. She froze, as if the air itself held her. She tried to react, but her body was paralyzed; she couldn't even move her eyes. Luzbel, firm and threatening, spoke:
I cannot allow you to do that. He is the proof that my sister's dream is possible, not a mere fantasy or mistake. I cannot allow anything to happen to him.
Luzbel slowly raised her arm. On it, a grayish light symbol began to manifest, in the shape of an ancient clock, suspended in the air.
So I cannot allow you to take him with you.
(Said Luzbel, more serious and threatening)
Heat began to intensify within the room. Luzbel's forehead and body started to sweat; the atmosphere became almost unbearable, growing hotter by the second. Her gaze swept the room in every direction, keeping her hand raised, pointing at Zarathoz. Morgan, still asleep, began to sweat excessively. The room had turned into a giant furnace.
The heat wave emanating from Zarathoz reached extreme levels. Despite being completely immobile, she somehow managed to make the air around her ignite; the heat became so intense that Luzbel had to lower her hand, suffering minor burns in the process.
Finally, Zarathoz could move. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled, releasing a cloud of vapor from her mouth and nose.
How naughty… that wasn't very kind of you, Luzi.
(Said Zarathoz, sweetly, but with a tone of seriousness that cut like a knife)
Why? If I completely stopped your time, why can you still use your abilities?
(Said Luzbel, annoyed, bringing her hand to her chest)
You just said it yourself. You stopped my time… but not the environment around us! My body stopped, yes… but my heart kept beating. I accelerated my heartbeat to pump more blood, raising the temperature of my entire body. And as you know, the heart of my kind is made of pure heat.
(Said Zarathoz, touching her chest)
You disappoint me, Luzi… these are things you should already know.
(Said Zarathoz, disappointed)
Now tell me what you saw… or this time I'll get really angry, Luzi. And I don't think you want me to get angry, right?
(Said Zarathoz, sweetly, but with a threatening tone that made the air tremble)
Zarathoz approached Luzbel, slowly extending her hand. Luzbel could see how the air rising from Zarathoz's palm began to ripple from the heat, dangerously approaching her face.
So… be a good girl, and tell me what you saw.
Zarathoz was about to touch her face when, suddenly, Morgan rose from the bed. His eyes still seemed lost, sleepy, but his body lifted. Luzbel and Zarathoz stood open-mouthed, unable to react.
Nothing surprised them as much as what happened next: Morgan fixed his gaze on Zarathoz. He extended his arm, fist clenched, pointing directly at her. And both heard, astonished, as he began speaking in a language they had never heard before:
Sixty-sixth representation: Pheropsophus verticalis.
Morgan's body began to transform before them. His skin was covered in black armor with orange patterns. His face was partially covered, leaving only his eyes and two sharp mandibles exposed. Antennae emerged from his head, falling backward. The fist pointing at Zarathoz transformed into a hollow cylinder, resembling a cannon.
Threat detected… eliminating threat.
As soon as he spoke, the cylinder on his arm began to spin and heat up to a glowing red. Zarathoz remained paralyzed with shock, while Luzbel realized what was about to happen. With a swift movement, she lifted Morgan's arm, and immense energy shot out from the cannon. A huge hole opened in the ceiling; the energy rose to the skies, tearing the clouds apart and producing a roar that echoed across the kingdom, and the explosion's cloud was so massive that everyone nearby could see it.
Exhausted, Morgan fell unconscious into Luzbel's arms. Zarathoz's breathing quickened, but she couldn't help smiling. Between nerves and astonishment, she murmured:
What… was that?
End of chapter.
Next chapter: Curiosity.