"Prophet"
The room was nothing like a prison cell. Bright walls, a spacious bed, a bedside table with a lamp, a desk, and a door to the restroom.
A man was sitting on a chair, leaning over a book. Not young, not old, he looked around thirty, maybe thirty-five. His hair was silvered with gray, his clothes tidy and stylish. Lina and Sam froze in the doorway, studying him.
"Welcome," said the prophet, rising from his chair.
You couldn’t call him handsome: his nose was too broad, and the huge scar on his cheek spoiled his looks. However, the curious sparks in his blue eyes, his strong posture, and the ironic, characteristic smile for a dark one compelled one to involuntarily admire him. Lina almost wanted to hide from his penetrating gaze, to step behind Sam and stand there, feeling completely safe.
"Samael, Lina," the prophet nodded as a greeting.
"Hello," the man replied rudely.
He clearly lacked manners, unlike the captive.
"Have a seat," the prisoner offered.
The dark one immediately pulled the girl towards the bed. Once they were seated, he initiated the conversation:
"I suppose you know why we're here."
"I can guess," smiled the blue-eyed man. "Tea?"
Lina shook her head in denial; she wouldn’t be able to swallow even a sip of water right now. After all, her fate was about to be decided. She would learn the truth, and all doubts and fears would disappear.
"What the hell tea, tell us what's going on, time is short," Sam barked.
He clearly didn't like being in the same room as someone Lina found attractive. His animal instinct was taking over, suggesting a manner of behavior: rude, unfriendly, to immediately show who was in charge.
"As you wish," the prophet took a chair, placed it opposite the bed, and sat down, clasping his hands together. "I’m listening."
The dark one was about to shoot off something inappropriate again, but Lina timely interrupted him:
"Excuse me, what is your name?"
"Amos."
The captive smiled warmly again, which made the dark one grit his teeth. He was in an extremely negative mood.
"Tell us everything you know about the apocalypse," the girl said, soothingly stroking the man's hand.
What he wanted now was a fight...
"What I know is well-known to you as well. 'And the time will come when the world will need cleansing. And the earth will cry out to all humanity, for the seas will blaze, the forests will darken, and earthly creatures will vanish. Then, in terrible pains, a woman marked by darkness will give birth to a child, from a man marked by light. And this child will come into the world to save it...'" - quoted Amos.
"We've heard that already!" the dark one exclaimed. "You'd better explain how to avoid this, so that both the world and Lina remain alive."
"That's a question that has no answer."
"Meaning, there’s no answer?" the girl paled.
"Are you mocking us? You wrote this stupid book, you see the future, and you don’t know how to avoid the prophecy?" Sam fumed, a vein bulging on his forehead, his eyes clouded with darkness.
"Precisely. Everything I know is written in the book. No more, no less."
"Then explain – where did this stupid theory about the Abyss of Abaddon come from? If Lina jumps in there – will she die?"
"I don’t know, she might die, she might not," the prophet shrugged.
He didn’t look surprised at the guests' reaction; it was as if he had foreseen that they would come and inquire about the apocalypse. He sat calmly, not a single muscle on his face twitched as Samael was on the verge and ready to pounce on the prophet at any moment.
"Then why are we here..." Lina said dully, in a state of absolute disappointment.
She had hoped with all her heart to hear something like: "The apocalypse can be avoided if you control your powers. And everything will be fine. A happy future with Sam awaits you." However, the hopes were dashed. All this journey was in vain. In fact, everything happening was in vain. There was no hope, they were crushed to bits in a matter of seconds.
"Not all is so bad," the captive said. "You will still find answers to your questions. The only thing I can say: the light ones and the dark ones didn’t just come up with this theory... It has a right to exist. Therefore, the only thing you have to decide is who will live: Lina or the world."
Samael couldn't take it anymore – he snapped and, grabbing the unfortunate prophet by the collar, pressed him against the wall.
"Stop speaking in riddles!" he seethed through gritted teeth. "What do you know? Speak up immediately!"
"And what if I don't?" Amos asked indifferently.
"You'll regret it."
"No, I'll be just fine, but the girl is upset. So I’d advise: instead of getting physical, you’d be better off taking care of her. You have very little time left... You know how the time differences work between Abaddon and Earth."
The dark one froze; darkness swirled around him, and Lina sat clutching her knees with her hands. Her heart shattered and broke in two. Either her or the world. Either her life or Samael's. They would never be together. It was impossible...