Issac woke up with a jolt, gasping for air. He thought he was dead for sure. A wave of nausea hit him hard, making his stomach churn and his head spin. It was worse than any hangover he ever had. He leaned over and dry heaved for a while. He knew now that he wasn't dead.
"Oh, it seems one has awoken." A sweet voice echoed through the room.
He looked up and saw that he was sitting in a pew in what looked like a church. He was in the third row and in front of him was another person in full armor, hunched over as if sleeping. He glanced around and saw three other people passed out in the room.
He wondered where he was and how he got there. He didn't recognize this place at all. It was massive and grandiose, with twenty-four rows of pews stretching back to six statues of important-looking people. The walls on either side were lined with torches that burned with blue flames, casting eerie shadows on the wall. He looked behind him and saw a giant wall of blue stained glass with water flowing down from the ceiling into a large half-circle pool at the bottom. In front of the pool stood a throne made of sapphires that sparkled in the moonlight.
He felt awed and intimidated by the sight. He wondered who lived here and what they wanted from him.
His gaze met hers and he felt a jolt of shock. She was a woman of stunning beauty, with jet black hair that cascaded down to her shoulders, framing her flawless face. Her eyes were a piercing blue that contrasted with her pale skin and dark lashes. She wore a blue silk dress that hugged her curves and showed off her long legs. She looked like a goddess among mortals.
"Are you ignoring me?" she asked, her voice sweet but commanding.
He saw a slight movement to her right and his blood ran cold. Black smoke rose from the floor and revealed the man in the gray cloak. It was him. The man from the forest who had almost killed him. He felt a surge of fear and dread. He wanted to run as fast as he could.
"Approach, Isaac." She said.
He heard a hint of frustration in her voice and knew he had no choice. How did she know his name? He would remember meeting a girl like her.
She walked in front of the altar and looked down at him with a smile. Their eyes locked and he felt a strange sensation in his chest.
"Hello, Isaac. My name is Azora. It's a pleasure to formally meet you." She curtsied and beamed a beautiful smile at him.
He stared at her in disbelief. How did she know his name? He had never seen her before in his life. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
She chuckled and reached out her hand to him. "Come on, don't be shy. I won't bite."
He flinched and pulled back his hand. He didn't trust her at all. She seemed too friendly and cheerful for someone who had brought him here against his will.
She frowned and tilted her head. "What's wrong? Don't you like me?"
He shook his head and tried to sound brave. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm Azora, the oracle of this church. And I want you because you are my guardian."
He blinked and felt a surge of confusion and fear. The oracle? A guardian? What was she talking about?
She smiled again and leaned closer to him. "Don't worry, I'll explain everything to you soon enough. But first, let me introduce you to my friend."
She gestured to her right and he turned his head slowly. He saw the man in the gray cloak standing next to her throne. He was still holding his walking stick and his hollow eyes were fixed on him.
He felt a chill run down his spine and his heart beat faster. He recognized him as the man who had attacked him in the forest and almost killed him.
He gasped and tried to get up from his knees. He wanted to run away from him as fast as he could.
But before he could move, he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Azora holding him down with a firm expression on her face.
"Stay still, Isaac." She said in a stern voice. "He won't hurt you anymore."
He looked at her incredulously and felt a surge of anger and betrayal. How could she say that? How could she be friends with that monster?
He glared at her and spat out his words. "Let me go! I don't want anything to do with you or him!"
She shook her head and sighed again. "I'm sorry, Isaac, but I can't do that. You see, you are very special to me. And to him."
Azora paused for a while as she looked into Issacs eyes. Then she began to laugh.