Chapter Thirty-Two

“Since the beginning of Time there had always been four Oracles, those who had been chosen by God himself to guard all Time. They were granted infinite power. But what happens when one of them wants even more power? That is what happened thousands of years into Time.

“Ilias, who had been one of the Lord’s angels before granted the title of Time Controller, didn’t like where Time was heading. He knew what was to become, what wars would be fought, and so forth.

“He took it upon himself to use mortal dreams to travel within Time. By using the Time Circuits and people’s dreams, he found that he could live forever. There had come a time when Ilias had forgotten just how powerful he was and that he was, in fact, immortal. He must have known that God was angered by his acts and that must have been the reason he sought immortality.

“It was the other Oracles who had challenged Ilias, not God. They were so immersed by the notion that Ilias and the dream net could become useful. They confronted him on the issue and that was when Ilias revolted and segregated himself from the others. He fled the Time Circuit Chamber where God had placed them and was never seen again by the three others.

“There being four seasons, there needed to be four Oracles. God replaced the rebellious one quite quickly as if nothing had happened at all.

“And that was what infuriated Ilias. God acted as if nothing had happened; as if Ilias had never happened!

“Ilias came up with the perfect plan to strike back at God. He met a young child tending to his garden one afternoon and struck up a conversation with him. He liked the boy a great deal.

“He told the boy that he would give him powers unimaginable. He would be able to travel within people’s dreams. He would be able to convert others to do the same. He would be able to convert those chosen to become his army. And with that army, he will have the power and strength to take over the world.

“Ilias explained to the young child that, in time, he will become the first Dream Crusader and have many battles.

“What young boy wouldn’t want to fight like his father in the King’s army? Of course the boy accepted the gifts which Ilias had proffered.

“Being controllers of the Time Circuit, the other Oracles were deeply concerned with the boy. They came to the realization that he had been given gifts beyond mortal abilities and knew that it must have been either Ilias or Satan himself who had given them.

“They took it upon themselves to keep watch over the young boy who, as he was growing to adulthood, had named himself Fear. Once they had witnessed what the boy had done to his father, the boy changed his name to Orion.

“They came to the Dream Crusader one night in his own dreams and invited him to visit them in the Time Chamber. They had promised endless use of its power of Time-seeing. And like the first gift, he could not pass up this offer as well.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“The Oracles knew that they would have a better chance of watching this person if he were on their territory. It was their intention to lure Orion to use his powers to do good. Perhaps they wouldn’t have to be too concerned about the Forbidden Realms being tainted; because they knew it would happen.

“Unfortunately for them, Orion began misusing the Time Circuits and he began to become like Ilias. They tried many times to lock the door to the chamber, but Orion continued to force his way in and eventually created an antechamber where he could remain if he wished, almost as if torturing the Oracles.

“There came a time when they realized that Orion could not be the one to spread good into people, as they had hoped for him. They stepped aside, fearing that he was given powers of the immortals, and let him have his way with the Time Chamber.

“They continue to control the Circuit, but they keep a close watch on Orion.

“Then comes us. When Orion made Eric and me, the Oracles came to us the moment Father left us alone. They believed that, being newly born unto Orion, that we would be able to save Orion’s soul and coax him to listen to them.

“It might have been easier had he not found the key to the Forbidden Realms, because when we tried to reason with him, he showed them his new powers of the divine. He leveled the chamber with just his mind.

Yes, the Oracles are still in charge of Time, and always will be, but they fear tainted blood eating from the Tree of knowledge. What would happen?”

Here Beth ended her tale and let Vince absorb all that had been said.

He sat quietly for a moment and finally nodded. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked out into his night world. It felt strange to have all this conversation and it still being his dream. He glanced back at them. “With this information, how do you think you can help fight Orion?”

It was Eric who had approached Vince and he placed a hand up on Vince’s shoulder. Eric could feel Vince tighten from the uneasiness and he gently squeezed his shoulder. “You do know that I could turn this shoulder into dust if I squeeze harder?” Vince looked into the Dreamkillers eyes, the anger returning to him, and he nodded. “And you will now understand that I will never do that. Mykella Brown will become a new Light and you are the Light’s Protector. We will never hurt you,” he said and slowly felt Vince’s muscles relax.

“The truth is, Vincent, we don’t really know if we can help. Prophecy and Time both suggest that Orion will enter Eden. What we are offering is to become your protectors. Perhaps we can, after all, win back Orion’s clean soul. Who knows?” he explained in a sympathetic voice.

“Go now,” Beth said as she stood up. “You need to get to Samantha. She is still safe, but I fear Father is up to something again.”

“What more can the Bastard do?” asked Vince behind a sarcasm that brought a smile to her reddened lips.

“Tell your Professor that you have met us and that we will be ready when war breaks out,” said Eric and Beth walked up next to her brother.

“I will. And,” Vince nodded and looked them both in their eyes individually. “I am sorry that I didn’t trust you.”

“Trust us?” It was Beth’s turn to be sarcastic. “I am still a ruthless killer – I killed a dozen people before tonight. I don’t care for those I slaughter and writhe in their blood. It’s you and Mykella I care about. Maybe if Orion is out of the picture, there will be a better place for my kind. But, then again, maybe his way is better.”