"Where are you taking me?!" Anne's voice wavered as panic crept into her chest, her heart racing in tandem with the speed of the car. Shukra gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white against the dark leather, navigating the streets with a confidence that belied the chaos swirling around them.
"I need to bring you somewhere safe," he replied, his eyes focused ahead, scanning the shadows as if they contained hidden dangers. "The dark lords have already received the news."
"Dark lords?! What are you talking about?" Anne gasped, the metallic scent of fear flooding her senses. "Who? Why? Is it because of those monsters?" Her voice trembled, recalling the horrific visage of the creatures she had seen earlier. "What do they want with me?"
Shukra remained silent, the tension palpable in the air as the car sped through the desolate streets lined with crumbling buildings.
Across town on a rickety old bus, Yosefu was lost in thought. The hum of the engine and the stale, musty air enveloped him, but his mind was elsewhere—worried for Anne. Anzu, seated beside him, cast a sidelong glance. "Don't worry, she's okay," he said, his voice steady yet lacking the warmth of reassurance.
"How do you know?" Yosefu replied, frustration bubbling within him. His pulse quickened, and he turned to Anzu, searching the other man's inscrutable expression.
"Anne is very important to my mission," Anzu explained, his tone transforming. It held a solemnity that pressed on Yosefu's chest. "I must protect you, but I must also see to it that she isn't harmed."
"Protect me? Why? A child of prophecy? A child I don't even know or met yet?" Yosefu's voice was laced with confusion and desperation. "Why would they take Anne?"
Anzu, ever calm, considered the question but held his tongue. As the bus jolted to a stop, he signalled, "Let's go. We have arrived."
Stepping off the bus into the dim afternoon light, they stood before a dilapidated tailor shop. Its sign, "Salus Tailor Shop," swayed in the breeze, rusty chains creaking softly. Yosefu lifted a brow, surprise etched onto his face. "An old tailor shop? This is the secret location you've been talking about?"
Anzu shrugged, his gaze fixed on the entrance. "I didn't say it was going to be fancy. Let's go."
As they entered, the musty smell of ageing fabric and dust assaulted their senses. The shop was unassuming, with an array of colourful bolts of fabric lining the walls. A sewing machine sat in the corner, its metal surface gleaming from a recent polish. Mannequins adorned with outdated garments stood like silent sentinels guarding the secret within.
"Mr Felix, what's up, my favourite tailor?" Anzu called out, his voice brightening the otherwise sombre air. Behind the shop counter, Mr Felix—a sprightly old man with bright orange hair meticulously combed back and sharp, dark eyes hidden behind thick-rimmed glasses—was busy stitching a piece of black fabric.
The tailor didn't look up from his work. "Don't mind him; he's always like that," Anzu said to Yosefu, a smirk tugging at his lips as he led the way through the clutter of the shop.
Mister Felix briefly lifted his gaze, his eyes narrowing as they fell upon Yosefu, yet he remained immersed in his task. Anzu guided Yosefu to the back of the shop, which was cluttered with old clothes, ghostly mannequins, and a scattering of forgotten junk. They stopped before a wall, its surface rough and speckled with age.
"Stand back," Anzu instructed, placing his hands against the wall. With a soft rumble, the bricks began to shift, crumbling away to reveal a dark passageway leading downward. "Let's go," Anzu said, stepping into the shadows, and Yosefu followed closely behind, doubt and curiosity battling within him.
Meanwhile, Shukra drove Anne to an abandoned library on the other side of town, a once-grand building now reduced to a mere shadow of its former self. Its imposing structure stood silent, ivy creeping up the walls as nature reclaimed its territory.
"Can you remind me why we're about to break into an old library?" Anne asked, her voice faltering, uncertainty swirling in her chest.
"This library holds the map," Shukra replied his tone grave as he stopped the car.
"Map?" Anne's brows knitted together, confusion deepening.
"Yes, the map to find the Light Bringer," Shukra said as he climbed out of the car, his seriousness almost tangible.
"The Light Bringer, as in the ones from the books?" Anne's heart raced, each word slipping from her lips like an incantation.
"Yes, the flaming sword," Shukra affirmed, stepping toward the skeletal entrance of the library, about to climb the stairs way "The child of prophecy will need it, as it is one of his important treasures."
"What child?" Anne pressed, her voice elevated in frustration. "Shukra, wait, stop!" Her patience finally frayed; he stopped walking and turned to face her, her eyes glistening with tears, as she had been stressed with everything that was happening. "I understand monsters are real and you're here to keep me safe or whatever wild tale this all is, but I need to know what's going on."
Shukra sighed still facing her, sincerity etched into his features, knowing that it wasn't fair to keep the truth from her. "Mary-Anne Theotokos, now changed to Anne Mariam," he stated, his voice steady. "You will be the one to bring forth the child of the prophecy, The child that will guide mankind to safety, so you must stay alive, You must live, survive and grow strong, as the future depends on you."
Anne felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her. Her mouth went dry, and she stared at Shukra, her thoughts spiralling. "What? Me?" Words failed her.
Shukra nodded, his expression never wavering. "Now, we find that map, then we go before they track us down. Find somewhere safe, then I'll explain everything." He turned, a sense of urgency pressing upon him "Let's get moving, those monsters are still lurking"
meanwhile
Back downstairs in the hidden room of the old tailor shop, Anzu and Yosefu arrived at a heavy, ornate door. The wood was dark and worn, decorated with intricate carvings that seemed to whisper secrets of the past. "We're here," Anzu said, the weight of the moment palpable in the air.
With a firm push, he opened the door, revealing a spacious office dimly lit, dominated by a massive desk. On the wall, a large screen flickered with images—a collage of disaster and chaos unfolding in various corners of the world.
As the woman turned to face them, Yosefu felt a stirring within him. Her glowing golden eyes met his, brimming with intensity. "Hello, Yosefu," she said, her voice warm yet commanding.
Yosefu felt like the floor had vanished beneath him. "Mother?!" he exclaimed, bewilderment flooding his senses.
In this moment of revelation and chaos, the destinies of Anne, Shukra, Yosefu, and Anzu intertwined, each grappling with their roles in the world to come. Each step they took illuminated the path ahead, unaware of the dark shadows lurking just beyond their vision—watching and waiting.