Fan Fiction ❯ Prayer - Deus e Suas Crianças ❯ Riflessione ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Yeah, this one's shorter. But this is more of a `fill in the back-story' chapter. Enjoy!

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"Momma! What's this…`Radio Actor Mole Sir and Energy Shooter' thing?"

"`Radio-Active Molecular Surge and Energy Shooter', honey. It's a…a big gun."

"It's not just any gun, dearest, it's the RAMSES, and soon we can test it ou - "

"Mom!" Evan yelled, as if he were trying to warn his memories. He sat up, and remembered the night's earlier happenings. He immediately tried to get out of bed, throwing the plush covers off of him. It was then that he became painfully aware of how sore he was. His knees gave out, and at that instant Amadeo was beside him.

"A-are you okay?" he asked, "I heard you yell…is everything all right?"

"Yeah…just nightmares…that's all. Wait, what happened to the soldiers?" Evan inquired.

"Well…after they knocked you out with those…foul machines…they said they'd kill you if I didn't tell them where the scriptures were. I told them I didn't know, but that we keep our sacred items in the organ room. After that, they simply left the room. I'd have gone after them, but you needed to be tended to first."

"Oh…I'm sorry I couldn't help out more," Evan said sincerely. He laid back on the bed, and put his arm over his face.

"I-it's alright. The important thing is no one was killed, right?" Amadeo said, pulling up a chair beside the bed. "Say…what were you dre…having nightmares about? `A lending ear aids an aching heart'"

Evan peaked beneath his arm jadedly. He found it odd that someone that has barely known him for a day was worried about him. It was a weird mixture of comfort and awkwardness.

"You sort of look like a puppy when you do that," Amadeo said, chuckling. For his size and body frame, you'd expect his voice to be high, possibly bordering on counter-tenor, but looks were definitely deceiving. Amadeo's voice was a rich tenor, deep and high at the same time.

"I do not look like a puppy, priesty."

Amadeo calmed his laughter enough to talk. "Okay, okay, grinch. Now what were you dreaming about?"

Evan sat up, and furrowed his brow. "I…don't know. I think it was my childhood, but I'm not sure…"

"You're not sure? Don't you remember being a little boy?" Amadeo asked, his face showing a `deer-caught-in-headlights' look. Deeper and deeper, down the rabbit-hole, Amadeo thought to himself. Tonight's events were something out of Wonderland, and he felt like he was talking to the Cheshire Cat himself.

"My memories are really foggy up until I was eight-years old. I don't remember my family at all. The only thing I remember about them is my mother had long, shiny blonde hair and our family name was Guardian…"

"G-Guardian? As in the head inventors of Alexandria's military Guardians?" Don't forget Deo, curiosity killed the cat.

"I…don't know. Maybe. I told you I don't remember them…" Evan said, frowning slightly. He laid back down and closed his eyes.

"Well…what do you remember, then?" Amadeo queried. He was certainly interested now. It wasn't everyday you run across someone without a past. He could almost swear he was on the edge of his seat.

"The first thing I remember is a lot of light. Someone telling me not to worry, crap like that. Then, I was in this village just south of here. It's called Marble Village, ever heard of it?" Evan asked, opening one eye.

"Uhm…possibly. There are so many villages around Fatima City that I lose count, but please, go on."

"Alright. Well, the village chief took me in…I don't remember too much about him anymore, either. Just that he was old, strong, and strict. Anyway, his grandson, Zeke, and me were really close. We were like brothers, ya know? We used to play together, and he made me feel like a part of the family…"

Amadeo was beyond words at this point. He had his hands clasped together, resting them in his lap, and was obviously leaning over. All he could do was nod, and make a sound resembling a muffled encouragement.

"So one day we decided to go check out this cave in the back of the village. Oh! See, the cave is off limits to people. Everyone says there's a monster in the back…I, I never believed them till that day. But anyway, we got there, to the very back of the cave. It's called "The Forbidden Room". The chief used to say it was a place where `angels were afraid to go'. So we get there and…" he was about to continue, but he took in a deep breath, as if remembering was physically hurting him. He let out a tired sigh, wondering if he should continue.

"And?" Amadeo asked. He had never been this interested in someone's past, excluding the history in the Falsificado Tomes, of course.

"There was nothing there. Just a big painting on the wall…it was sorta spooky though. The picture was enough to frighten Zeke. I didn't think it was that interesting, myself. A hooded figure reaching for a ball being carried off by a horned dude doesn't really scare me." Evan said, opening both eyes to look at the ceiling. It was then he noticed the roof was marble looking: stone like with colors running through it like veins. I wonder if they got the marble from the village…it's practically the only place to find it these days.

"T-that painting…I've heard of it…" Amadeo muttered. Father Jonathon said that's the painting on the Seals of Darkness…I wonder…

"And then…all of a sudden…Zeke snaps. I've never seen him act so…wild. He was like a wild animal. He was saying something like `thus I repent' and insane crap like that. Then he came after me, and was accusing me of trying to mess up `everything', whatever that meant. Everything else is such a blur…I remember not being able to breath right, like he was strangling me. Then I think I grabbed something, and the next thing I knew, Zeke was on the ground…I killed him." Evan closed his eyes again, and his brow crinkled up as if he was angry. He took in another shaky breath, I wonder if priesty will throw me out too…wouldn't be the first time.

Amadeo was taken aback. He wanted to tell Evan why Zeke went crazy, but he couldn't find his voice for some reason. His heart did go out to the man though. He had to kill his best friend in self-defense…and he didn't even know it wasn't really his friend anymore…

"So the next thing I remember is darkness. Someone was whispering to me too, I think. It was just more crazy shit though. `Give into The Will, Bringer of - ' I forget the rest, but you get the idea, right? Then, I remember my body hurting a lot. I opened my eyes and two guys were holding me up while the chief did just about everything to me. I forget most of what he did, but it was stuff like…whipping me, beating me, and the whole time he was crying. He was crying and yelling out to, to `god', asking why he sent a demon in sheep's clothing to him. He was demanding to know why `god' took his grandchild from him, and spared the devil-spawn…demanding to know why your `god' spared me." Evan took sighed wearily, and continued, "After that, he threw me out of the village, telling me to go back to Hell where I came from…so not having anywhere to go, I decided to get by anyway I could. Since people always travel to and from Marble Village to get marble for building, I could always snatch food, money, and stuff from them. I even found a sword so I could hunt…but it broke. That's why I'm here. I came to buy a new sword…"

Amadeo wiped his eyes. They were watery, and the tears were welling up, threatening to fall. He couldn't begin to imagine suffering like that. He was a child, for God's sake! How could…anyone…that's horrible!

"Hey, don't go crying for me. Pity is the last thing I need, alright?" Evan said, sitting up. That's when he remembered the gold that was in his long lost pair of pants.

"I'm sorry…it's just…never mind. You should go to bed now. You need it." Amadeo said, gently pushing the man back down onto the bed.

"Alright, whatever."

Amadeo was about to turn off the small lamp beside the bed, when Evan reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Hey…priesty, I mean Amadeo…thanks."

Amadeo smiled gently, "Don't go thanking me now. Gratitude is the last thing I need." Amadeo said, obviously copying what Evan said earlier. He turned off the light, and Evan slowly fell back into slumber.