Legion--The Story of Eve Black

Chapter 4: Ashes, Ashes

The Prophet, from a bird's eye view, looked like an ant. Walking across the desert alone was not a good idea, and he knew that. With him, he carried his sword and blades. He was looking for his lost love: something he believed would turn up any moment, healthy and happy. As he walked in the direction she ran, towards Golgotha, he got a sick feeling inside his stomach. He could see the Temple of F.E.A.R. just barely on the horizon, and the town of Golgotha was fairly close.

He did not mean to scare the Duplicate off in that manner. He knew that one day she'd question why she grew up and everyone else stayed the same age; he knew that telling her the truth was going to cause her to run away in the most horrible of times; he knew that F.E.A.R. wanted her, and it made him queasy.

Thinking of Eve's final words to him made him feel unworthy of a second life. She was right when she called everyone in that room a liar, especially Andy. She was raging, and she wondered if Eve's other half could feel everything she did. They had to be connected in some way. Otherwise, what would be the point in Jophiel splitting the soul of his only daughter? To live in pain?

Andy remembers the first time he saw Evelyn. She was a baby, newly born. She dropped out of the sky with white clouds caressing her naked body. She fell from Jophiel, floating her way down. Andy remembers that the baby appeared in front of him, floating down to his arms with no other explanation. That day happened many years ago. So many that The Prophet hasn't bothered to keep count. Time doesn't matter in the afterlife; it is eternal.

Eve grew up as a village child. She was raised by everyone. She was brought up specifically to the Church's desires. They made her not question why she was the only one of her friends who grew taller--she was always shut out from public. The Mystic had a great role in raising her, and she always saw him as a father figure. She never questioned who her parents were. They brought her up to be polite, so she dared not ask.

When Eve was growing older and becoming sexually mature, Andy found himself wanting to be with her. Before, Andy had shut her out, only because Jophiel had commanded him to. Jophiel knew what was to become of their relationship, and he did not approve of this ruining his plans. But once Andy discovered his lust for her, it could not be helped. It was the one thing Andy ever sinned on: loving the daughter of his god.

No one knew of the connection between The Prophet and Jophiel. Andy was told by the god to tell no one that he spoke to him on a regular basis. Ever since Andy was spawned into the afterlife after his death, Jophiel secretly communicated with him. Andy was The Prophet--someone who was to fulfill a prophecy--and he was to listen to Jophiel's every word. Andy started The Church of The Wild Ones in Jophiel's name, since he had told him to. Andy never had any doubt in the god, for he sometimes even saw the man in the very flesh before him when the times were appropriate. He's only seen him three times.

The first time was when Eve was about to be delivered to the afterlife. Andy was told by Jophiel to care for the child, but not to love. He was told that falling in love with her beauty would be dangerous, and result in the downfall of The Wild Ones.

The second time Jophiel ever appeared in front of Andy was when Eve hit the age of maturity. Andy was beginning to fall in love, and Jophiel needed him to follow his orders. Though, Andy did not take his warnings as seriously as he should have.

The last time Jophiel had ever appeared to Andy occurred only a week ago. Jophiel warned The Prophet of the upcoming tragedy, and he told him to try and savor every moment with Evelyn before she was to have a horrible fate befall her. Andy was then told that if he hadn't fallen in love, Eve wouldn't have had to have the pain fall on her. This made Andy angered at himself.

Currently, Andy was walking the desert, as Jophiel commanded him to. He was told that in the desert towards Golgotha there would lie something for him to take back home. He was almost certain it would be an exhausted Eve. She would cry in his arms, and then he would take her home. Then, everything would be back to normal.