Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 9-1

I realized that I was holding as tight as I could to William's hand. My eyes opened very slowly. We were here! We had finally come down from the mountain. More precisely, we had found our place in the room where we were from the start. To my surprise, nothing had moved. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling were still there, intact.

"I feel like I'm waking up from a horrible nightmare," I confided to William at that moment.

Without waiting for an answer, I immediately started looking for my friends. Lexy was sitting in the corner of the room, her head between her legs. As for Asarys, she was leaning against the wall just next Lexy. My whole body was still shaking while my legs were threatening to collapse.

"I can only congratulate you," exclaimed Issei, clapping his hands. "Few people have completed this exercise. You are ready!"

Lexy's hand slowly rose to the sky as if to ask to speak. Issei allowed her.

"What are we ready for?" she asked in an overly calm tone, her eyes filled with rage.

"To save the world, of course," replied the shaman in a playful tone. "Surpassing oneself is something very important and essential for success. Today, you faced your fears with a real team spirit. Remember all of that when you find yourself facing the dangers ahead. Your enemies are more numerous than you think. Think of all the positive energy in you. Feed it and tame it. The universe gives what you ask of it. I think you don't need me anymore. It's time for you to leave."

"Wait, that's it?" Asarys said.

"That's it?" repeated Issei, suddenly frowning. "You have just revealed a staircase more than three hundred meters above the ground. So no, no, that's not it!"

"No," Asarys said. "I just wanted to make sure we had nothing more to learn from you. Our interview only lasted a few hours."

"Yes, well, for me, that will be enough," pestered Lexy gently, still sitting on the ground.

"You have a lifetime to learn," replied the shaman. "What I explained to you today is the basics."

Issei looked carefully at each of us before he left definitively, without adding anything more.

"Zoe? Don't you want to sit down for a moment?" Ray asked worried. "You're very pale."

My legs were wavering without me being able to stop the shaking. The adrenaline rushed too quickly.

"I need to get out," I finally managed to articulate by running my hands through my hair in order to push it back.

"Yes, let's go!" exclaimed Asarys, pulling Lexy off the ground. "I can't wait to get out of here."

The sumptuous garden designed on the side of a mountain and descending towards the cliffs was all the more radiant at night. The light from the pools illuminated the waters. The reflections of the waves seemed to dance gracefully on each foliage and flower.

"Heaven must look like this," said Asarys in a low voice, breathless.

"After what we just experienced, I wonder if all this is real," grumbled Lexy, still reeling from our mishap.

I turned to William, who was looking away, lost in thought.

"Do you think this meeting will change our life?"

His azure enamel gaze plunged into mine, but he left me unable to read his mind.

"It will be necessary. Issei is right. Hatred only fuels war."

He turned his eyes to Ray and added,

"Let's turn on the radio and ask them to send us a car. We have to go back!"

Ray did so immediately. At the other end of the instrument panel, Inspector Barthey and the entire team seemed happy and reassured to hear us again.

"Yes, we are coming a long way, Inspector. We all can't wait to come back."