"Faith must be truly novel, beautiful and timeless, so gives life to thee."
Act 0
Chapter 2 - Blessing in disguise.
"Priests must have faith." Phanuhel's voice was stern and unyielding, his gaze falling upon the young man who stood before him. This was Xavier, a man who had come to the church seeking refuge for his two young children.
Xavier's demeanor was worn and weary, his eyes red-rimmed with exhaustion and fear. He carried two baby children in his arms, a baby boy and a baby girl. Phanuhel led them in a small building somewhat far, behind the church. The boy was crying quietly, while the girl slept peacefully, oblivious to the tension that began building up in the room.
Phanuhel's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the young father. He could see the desperation in his eyes and the worry etched on his face. "Please, Father Phanuhel," Xavier's voice was trembling. "I have nowhere else to go. I have no one else to turn to. I promise I'll do anything you ask, anything. Just please, let my children stay here."
Phanuhel frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He studied the young father for a moment, his eyes falling on the babies in his arms. The boy had started to cry louder now, while the girl continued to sleep. "Why should I help you? I will heal your wounds, and let you sleep a night, but that's it." Phanuhel replied with a harsh tone.
Xavier's eyes widened with shock and desperation. He looked down at his children, then back up at Phanuhel. "Please, Father," he pleaded. "I'm not asking for a handout, I just need a place for my children to stay. Just a day or two, maybe a week at most. Just until I can figure something else out." Phanuhel raised an eyebrow. "And what about you? Where will you go?"
"..." Xavier didn't know what to answer. Phanuhel sighed and walked over to Xavier, looking down at the crying baby boy. "And their names?" he asked gruffly.
"Dubur," Xavier said, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips. "And this is Isabella." He shifted the baby girl in his arms, showing her to Phanuhel.
Phanuhel nodded, his expression softening. "They are beautiful children," he said, his voice gruff as usual but with a hint of something else. "Fine. I'll let them stay. But you must answer my questions first."
Xavier's shoulders sagged with relief, but his expression remained cautious. "Anything, Father," he said. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Phanuhel motioned for Xavier to follow him and led him over to a small chair in the corner of the room. Xavier carefully sat down, still holding his children in his arms. Phanuhel sat across from him, studying the young man intently. "What happened to you?" he asked bluntly.
Xavier looked down at his children, his expression becoming pained once again. "It's... it's a long story," he said. "But I can summarize it for you." Phanuhel leaned back in his chair, waiting for Xavier to continue.
Xavier took a deep breath and began to recount his story, starting with the events of his childhood. He told Phanuhel of "The Great Creature" and how he "granted" Xavier seven fingers on both arms and feet. The terror he had experienced. As he spoke, the babies began to stir in his arms and start to cry again. Xavier tried to soothe them, rocking them gently as he continued to talk.
Xavier's voice trembled as he spoke about his parents. "I barely remember them," he said, his eyes haunted. "They were killed by 'The Great Creature' when I was just a child. And ever since then, I've been nothing but a plaything for its experiments. Held hostage and subjected to all manner of torment for almost two decades. It felt like a lifetime of suffering, with no end in sight. But one day, I found the strength to escape. It was a miracle, really." Phanuhel listened in silence, his expression growing more and more concerned.
"How did you manage to escape?" Phanuhel asked. Xavier looked down at his hands, his expression pained. "It wasn't easy," he said. "I had to use my new powers, the powers that 'The Great Creature' had given me. It was tough, but I knew I had to do something. Something to stop it, to save myself."
Phanuhel leaned forward, listening intently.
"And what powers did 'The Great Creature' give you?" he asked, his voice low. "Out of what I heard, he gave you pain and only that."
Xavier clenched his jaw, bracing himself as he remembered the extent of his "powers".
"It was more than just pain," he said quietly. "The Creature gave me these," he gestured to the extra fingers on his arms and feet.
"And they're not just for show. I can use the extra fingers to manipulate objects, sometimes even people, just by willing it." Xavier looked down at the babies in his arms. "It's hard to control though. Especially when emotions are high."
Phanuhel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You can manipulate objects and people just by willing it?" he repeated. "What more?"
Xavier hesitantly continued. "Well, there's also this power... this ability to absorb and release energy. It's hard to explain, but I can absorb the energy of other creatures, and release it in different forms." Xavier looked up at Phanuhel, a haunted look in his eyes. "I didn't ask for these powers, Father," he said quietly. "I didn't want them. But I had to use them to survive."
Phanuhel shook his head, disbelief still on his face. "I've heard about powers but I've never heard of something like this before," he said. "Continue."
Xavier took a shaky breath. "There's one more thing," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Something I discovered quite recently. I-I can... I can see." Phanuhel's eyes widened in surprise. "You can see?" he repeated. "I thought you were blind?"
Xavier nodded. "I was," he uttered quietly. "But recently, I've been able to see. Not as well as you or anyone else, mind you. Everything is hazy and blurry, but I can see shapes and colors. It's like everything is underwater." He paused, his expression pained. "It's... it's terrifying, Father."
Phanuhel studied Xavier's face, reading the fear and confusion in his expression. "Why is it terrifying?" he questioned with a gentle voice.
Xavier swallowed hard, his hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. "Because it feels wrong,"he grunted, clenching his teeth. "I've been blind for so long, and suddenly, I can see? And it's not even normal sight. It's like I'm seeing things that aren't really there. Shadows and shapes that don't make sense. I can't tell if it's a blessing or a curse."
Phanuhel leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Tell me more about these shadows and shapes," Phanuhel declared, expressing his interest in Xavier's abilities.
Xavier closed his eyes trying to concentrate. "They're like... movements, figures, shadows that I see out of the corner of my eye," he said. "But when I turn to look at them, they're gone. And sometimes, I hear whispering, almost like voices. But I can never make out what they're saying. It's maddening."
Phanuhel stroked his chin, mulling over Xavier's words. "Have you always had these hallucinations, or did they start recently?" he asked.
"They started recently," Xavier said. "Around the same time I realized I could see. It's like they come hand in hand. One can't exist without the other."
"..." Phanuhel went completely quiet for a minute, and continued. "Well... It's not like it's my business... but I reckon you might be able to find answers to why these hallucinations began if you try to remember everything that had happened to you in detail. And I still have questions" As Phanuhel coughed and his face turned more faded. "I'm.. I'm not used to talking to people, you see... Well... Forget about it."
Xavier watched Phanuhel, concern etched on his face. "Father, are you alright?" he asked. "You don't look so good."
"I might tell you about it one day. If you live long enough. Now forget about it." He said bluntly. "Answer shortly. I don't have all day for this. What is your name?"
Xavier blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of Phanuhel's comment. "My name... It's Xavier Fendinza," he grumbled with his voice hesitant.
"Fendinza, eh?" Phanuhel repeated, his eyes narrowing. "And are you a believer of the "The Great Creature"? "
Xavier shook his head vehemently. "No, Father," he said, his expression one of disgust. "I don't believe in 'The Great Creature'. The one that tortured me and gave me these powers. It's... it's a monster. A monster that pretends to be a god."
"Seems like you misunderstood my question. Have you ever heard about what has happend many years ago?" "...." Xavier didn't respond. Phanuhel sighed. "You see... eh.. I am of the so-called 0-generation, the oldest humans left alive."
Xavier's eyes widened at this revelation. "You... You're from the 0-generation?" he questioned with disbelief in his voice. "But... that would make you over eight hundred years old, wouldn't it?"
Phanuhel chuckled humorlessly. "Right on point, my friend," he said. "Although, I'd say closer to nine hundred. But who's keeping count?"
Xavier was stunned. He looked at Phanuhel with a mix of awe and disbelief. To think he was talking to someone who was over 900 years old was unfathomable. "But... how is that possible?" he managed to ask.
"Oh... I'll tell you everything later, but there's something that you'll have to know now," Phanuhel took a deep breath and continued "once, a very long time ago, I was also an experiment of the Great Creature."
Xavier's eyes widened further, his expression one of shock and confusion. "You... You were an experiment too?" he stuttered with his voice barely above a whisper.
Phanuhel nodded, his expression solemn. "Yes," he said. "I was one of the first." He paused, as if recalling memories from centuries ago. "I was... I was a fool then. Young and naive, easily taken in by The Creature's promises. It promised to grant me power, immortality, and freedom. All I had to do was submit to its experiments, allow it to mold me into a tool for its own purposes."