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

Fourteen

Sleep was holding court, reclining on his black couch while servants fanned him with black plumes, so many silent timepieces behind him. He held the poppy stalk in his right hand. Morpheus had arrived just a moment ago. His brother Icelos was there, and near him, Phantas, skin shimmering, as he sat sprawled in an ebony chair. The court all looked at the sleeping beauty enshrouded at Sleep's right side. Usually, Laudanum stood near his mother, but no one was there. "Morpheus, pay attention," Icelos said. Morpheus looked up and realized the scepter was pointed at him.

"Morpheus, you will bend to the sleeper's lips and hear her prophesy," said Sleep. Just at that moment, Mother came from the right side of the room.

Morpheus made his way to the couch, made a bow, and then went to Metro's bed.

The scepter was pointed at Metro. "My sleeping love, give us your prophesy," said Sleep.

Morpheus bent an ear to Metro's shrouded lips and listened. Her voice was thin and raspy, her lips barely open. "A perfect child, a building full of pain...."

Morpheus relayed her words to the court.

Metro went on: "the rebel Angel will surrender...creatures on the walls of the building...the son of Paris arrives from across the sea, and leads half the creatures west...."

Again, Morpheus repeated her words.

"Beware!" Metro gasped.

"What does she say?" Sleep asked.

"Beware," said Morpheus.

"More, Metro, my sleeping love!"

"A sleeping beauty lies in The Empty World...beware jealousy...a book stolen...war comes to the famous ones...the Jewel of the East...nothing...I see nothing! Help me! My sight fails me!"

Morpheus stood, and turned away from the sleeper. He repeated her last words.

Sleep fell lower on his couch. "What can this mean? Metro has never lost the visions before, what could cause this?"

Mother spoke to Father, "Perhaps, if we find the meaning of her other prophesies, we will have a clue."

Sleep held his scepter aloft. "Who knows the meaning of these words?"

"Father, I may know what certain parts mean," said Morpheus.

Sleep aimed the scepter at Morpheus.

"I remember once, Death explained how she interpreted a certain Tarot card. The 'perfect child' is possibly Shade. It makes sense, because he is going to New York to the headquarters of the Humans called Redjackets. That could be the building Metro saw, full of pain, because they torture Halfangels there. Those climbing the building may be those Halfangels lead by Mazaret of the Lilim.."

Sleep sat up, then made a nod toward Morpheus. "Anyone else?"

Mother spoke again, "The 'rebel Angel' is not hard to figure, if Morpheus is right. Shade's child-in-blood is sometimes called Angel, and she rebelled against him by taking the side of the Humans."

Sleep nodded slowly. "Then, I know who the 'son of Paris' is. Metro speaks of the Nephillim Spawn Athené. Shade was known to Metro as Paris."

"Sleep," said Mother, "If Angel surrenders, and both Mazaret and Athen join Shade, I've no doubt Metro is predicting the fall of the Human organizations that persecute the Halfangels. Seems logical a lot of Halfangels would choose to either stay in New York or move on somewhere, so long as they keep safety in numbers."