The Seer was right. The Stranger did not confide any of his companions. How can one place confidence in a person who is not devoted to God with all his heart; who hasn’t found their demons and defeated them having kicked them away from the soul, but is concerned with vanity. Under certain conditions the demons will find that person themselves.
The Stranger woke up but he was not eager to join his friends.
“Through the weak spots, unreason and flaws the Cover can use my teammates to disserve my mission. The Soldier is looking for the miracles and wishes to be a participant of the great events. The Medium is an easily carried away person; she is attracted by all unusual things. The Seer feels instinctively that he should not do any harm to me, but, perhaps, he wants to influence me by being near? I can trust the Hermit only. The worst that can happen, he will just step aside in case he disagrees.”
The Door opened slightly and he smiled to the Medium entering the room. The woman brought flavorful coffee and pancakes with honey, but the Stranger shifted gaze to her troubled countenance.
“You should leave the City as soon as possible.”
“Are you going to stay? Could it be not so bad in fact?” the woman looked at him hopefully.
“I can do nothing to change the situation. What does the Seer say?”
“He sees the calamity on the streets of the City.”
The woman left the room, closed the door quietly, leaned her forehead to the cool wall and cried silently.
The Stranger went downstairs to the living room. The Soldier slept on the leather sofa, the Seer sat in the chair and stared at the Stranger with a heart-searching look.
“Are you worried?”
“You should leave the City.”
“It’s not us you worry about. You don’t know why you are here.”
“I shall find out.”
“What if you are here to kill? They can order you to…”
“I shall not do this. One doesn’t give such orders to good people and I don’t want to become an evil one.”
“There is a lethal weapon inside of you. Do you know how to control it? Do you know how to constrain it?”
“I know, Seer.”
“How?”
“I must not fight with people.”
“You must not fight with people?” the Seer asked. “Will you hide the sword that pulls out of the scabbard by itself as soon as it feels prey or danger? Will you escape to the desert? Or do you fondly believe that your gift can be used against the human flaws only?”
The Stranger didn’t answer. He knew what the Seer was talking about and it worried him.
“I shall go for a walk. I need fresh air.”
“I’m with you,” the Soldier said in a sleepy voice.
“Don’t. Sleep. I shall not go far.”
“Why have you attacked him?” the Medium flung her arms up. “He’s gone through so many things in these few days. He takes it personally, as all of us.”
“Stop it. There is danger in the air. I feel as we are trapped.”
The Medium jumped into clothes and ran out. The crowd of people listened to the preacher on the street:
“Woe unto the city of Mages, woe unto the city of False Prophets, woe unto the city of Violence and wickedness.
Woe unto those living under the skies. Moaning is all over the Earth. They shall not drink wine and shall not sing songs.
A guest shall not enter the house and shall hear no fiancé’s voice and no happy bride’s whoop.
There shall be no joy, for tears are on the faces and there’s no comforter.
The arrows of the calamity are aimed on the City. The walls are shaking like the boat on the waves.
The nets of wickedness are spread and everyone is a prey and the lot of wrath is upon those left and outpourings of fury on those hiding. The bounds of death are around and there’s no escape.
And rivers of fire shall flow burning every fruitful tree and fruitless tree.
And the corners of the City shall shake and all those inside shall be stupefied with fear.
And the eternal foundations shall tremble, and the war of the Greats shall start, and there was no war alike from the beginning of time.
God!” the preacher exclaimed. “Be a wall for me and protect me from the disasters and storms.”
He stopped, fixed his eyes on a woman who approached the long-haired man and pointed the finger on her:
“The daughter of evil! I know you! Your pride will be your downfall. Your divination is bringing trouble. When you foretell future, you take the choice off people and give them the false hope that they can be saved without God and that they can escape death without the truth of God. You trap the souls with your strong nets, with the nets of the archenemy.”
The Medium became pale, the crowd surrounded her. It seemed they were on the verge of attacking her.
The Stranger was filling with the Wind. The Power emerged quickly in the City. He came up to the preacher.
“Do you see who I am?” the Stranger asked in an altered voice.
“Who are you?” the preacher suddenly shrank, astonishment mixed with fear appeared in his glance.
“I am the Stranger. Listen to me. This woman is wandering in the dark, as well as other sons and daughters of men. We are stumbling upon each other like blind kittens while vainly trying to find the escape. But how can we find it? We just interfere with each other and spend the precious time on pointless conflicts. You are right, there is a calamity approaching, the grief is coming for every creature. By immolating the reprobates you will not save yourselves. By immolating the good you will make the calamity closer and close the way to salvation. This woman is helping me. It is not for you to blame her.”
The preacher exclaimed,
“This is the true messenger! I am glad to welcome you, the man of God.”
The Stranger got breath. He was reeling a little.
“I shall take her home and come back,” he promised.
“They are unfair to me,” the woman trembled. “I am not the daughter of the evil. Everyone has their own way. I saw the mistakes of people, I corrected them, I took off the generational curses. I helped, I didn’t harm. That prophet is a fanatic, he knows nothing. I should really leave the City otherwise they will kill me.”
“Everyone should leave,” the Stranger agreed.
The Soldier approached. He was a bit strained but walked with light step.
“I felt worry, asked the Seer and he said, ‘They will deal with it themselves’. How’s that? Without me?”
“It’s OK, Soldier,” the Medium calmed him down.
“Who hurt you?”
“Nobody. It’s just dangerous to leave the house.”
“See her safely home. I have to come back,” the Stranger told him.
“How did it happen that the preacher took me to be the messenger of the God with no doubts,” he was plagued with this thought.
The preacher rushed to the Stranger hardly had he seen him.
“I know who you are. I am the Mediator, the prophet and the preacher of the community ‘Power of Light’.”
“And I am nobody,” the Stranger smiled. “I do not belong to any community, order or party. I serve God in spirit and do not depend on the people’s rules. Your multiple communities are just clubs. You give magnificent names to common and undeserving things and by doing this you abuse the power of Light. Still you can be useful. People with broken souls need help like people with broken hands need plaster cast, but don’t forget that it hinder movements. It’s a temporary measure but you wear it forever.”
“Aren’t all people have broken souls? When sheep tramp the field and there is no shepherd with the gun, lash and dogs, the wolves will eat them!”
“Your shepherds take off the fell of their sheep and make kebab of them. It’s enough talking about it. How did you know about me?”
“A vision. A man in white clothes appeared and said, “A man of God has come to the City, soon yo
u shall see him”.
“Is it all?” the Stranger asked.
“Is it not enough?” the prophet was surprised. “I want to introduce you to brothers. The spiritual center of the community is situated not far from here.”
“Are you sure it was about me?”
“Of course. I can interpret the visions.”
“Have you seen that man in reality?”
“No. I was between the dreaming and awakening, in this state the visions are as real and bright as in reality but it’s not so dangerous.”
“Why did you fly upon the woman? We could have been killed because of your words. How can one hold the vengeful crowd?”
“I didn’t want her being punished. I see you don’t know what is going on. Everyone is in fear and despair. The prophets are talking about the calamity; they go to the streets and preach for contrition. Maybe God shall have mercy on us and protect us. And now, you are here. I believe you can help, God have given you the power to expel the Exterminators.”
“What Exterminators?” the Stranger grew wary.
“The ancient prophesies of the Alien people invasion become true: “The strong unmerciful people shall appear on the earth and all the inhabitants of the universe shall moan and thrill with horror. They shall go through the walls and climb upon the roofs. Their very appearance shall make everyone lose heart and bend knees and no one shall confront them for everyone shall be corroded with fear and despair.”
“That’s right,” the Stranger confirmed. “The prophecy is to become true. ‘For he shall hack his sword on their heads: those running shall not escape, those seeking salvation shall not be saved.’ Is it possible to avoid the trouble?”
The Mediator shook his head:
“We need to fight for there is another progression of events. The Exterminators are the echo of our crimes. We need to look for the seeds of our disease. We have to find and to exterminate it.”
“Do you know what is to be found?”
“The ancients knew. We are studying their recipes.”
“The ancients knew how to prevent the disease, they were able to avoid it, but when it emerged it was too late. I was glad to meet you, but I should go now,” the Stranger stretched his arm.
“We shall look forward to see you.” The Mediator put a booklet with the community’s address into his palm.