The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Eleven (these events are Twelve in revised scene list)

"Leliel and Samsiel are fighting of course. They have always been equal before, as Princes of the Ophanim, but when Raziel gave Leliel Regency of this new land, Samsiel became a bit disappointed. It's too bad, I rather liked her."

"I guess they'll compromise," Morpheus said.

"It would be best. Did you complete your tasks?"

Morpheus turned around and then waked slowly toward Zerachiel. "I did. Everything in order."

"That is good," Zerachiel said. She sat down in one of the large armchairs. She looked troubled.

"What is it?"

She said nothing but looked at the nearest table where a vase of lilies and a small card lay. Morpheus moved closer. It looked like it might be a Tarot card, it was a man hanging upside down between a boat and the sea floor. "The drowned man?" Asked Morpheus, "I've heard of the hanged man."

"It is the same thing," Zerachiel said, "This card is from a very old deck. I found it here. Raziel must have slipped in and left it, but my servants did not see him."

"What does it mean?"

"That Raziel is not minding his own business; that he thinks because he is so close to my twin that we should be friendly."

"What I really wanted to know was: what do you think the card means for you?"

"Oh," said Death. She picked up the card and held it close as she looked at it. "I know what he's trying to tell me. You see, along with any other things this card may symbolize, it is telling the story of someone drown in the deluge, in other words, Raziel is telling me something about one of the Nephillim Spawn. They suffered the greatest loss in that flood, proportionally. And yet, this card tells me of both the drowning of the self in that which is loved, and of a perfect child floating in the womb before time. There is only one Nephill Spawn that these things can possibly symbolize..."

"Yes, I think I know who you mean. He uses the name Shade."

"Yes, that's his taken name, not his given one, but perhaps everyone but me has forgotten that by now. You see, it is known to Raziel that I have attraction toward this person. And Raziel think he knows why I stay away. Raziel thinks I stay away because I fear a repetition of what took place between Duma and I. Fear? How can Raziel think I would fear something as low as that?"

"Has something happened to Shade? Is that why he sends the card?"

"Yes. Shade is living in Torment, he placed himself there to take the pain from another soul. As this falls under my control: the overseeing of just punishments, I could go and release him. Raziel would like this. He's rather fond of Shade and his son. Do you know what he calls Athen? He calls him Little Wizard, as if the boy were Raziel's own son."

"I never knew that," said Morpheus. "Are you going to release him?"

"Eventually. I will go and see if Shade has anything to say to me. But I have other things to do, least of all going to find what has become of this soul Shade accepted punishment for...his dead wife." Zerachiel placed the card on the table. She let her fingers linger on one of the lilies. "He sends these too, on behalf of my own twin, I've got her to worry about, to release when it is time, I've Nergal to make peace with, as he has given the lion to me in such a gesture, and there is Rahab to speak with, not to mention the overseeing of the souls."

"Could I help you with anything? Finding Shade's wife maybe, or speaking to one of the Angels?"

Zerachiel sat very still and silent. The lion came to her knee and she pat its head. She shook her head then. "Nergal and Rahab I must definitely see alone, I have kept them away from me since Duma fell, and I can't keep it up any longer. But, if you like you can try to find Shade's dead wife. She is here somewhere."