Jackals, Ambassadors and other Aboders

Having drained the cocktail to the last drop, Noah did not hesitate. He rose from his seat with a slight, almost theatrical movement and, without saying a word, headed for the door. He glanced at Delia Asia Vieira and nodded slightly, waving his hand invitingly.

She followed him without showing any emotion, her steps precise and silent as always. Even though she was a robot, her presence in this house was becoming more and more real, her attention seemed to be fixed on every detail, every movement Noah made.

They passed through a small corridor, and Noah opened the door to his office. When Delia Asia Vieira entered the room, her gaze immediately caught the strange and completely unusual interior. It was not an office, but a real corner of magic and mysticism, albeit on a miniature scale. The walls were hung with antique fabrics, and on the table in the center stood numerous attributes intended for mystical practices.

The room had a warm, subdued atmosphere. Tarot cards lay on shelves and tables, crystal balls gleamed dully, and clusters of green and purple crystals sat on shelves around the room, peacefully coexisting with clouds of ancient books. It was all familiar, but in a smaller, perhaps less serious form. There was no gloom or esoteric horror here-it was more like a children's psychic fair-but there was something oddly compelling about the room.

Delia Asia Vieira took a few steps inside and stopped, analyzing the space. Everything was designed to give the client a certain feeling, as if he had entered a world of wonders and hidden knowledge. This was Noah's world - a world where reality and fantasy intertwined, but it was not always clear where one ended and the other began.

Noah, so familiar with the look of his office that he barely noticed the strangeness around it, silently settled down behind his desk. It was as if he lived in this world, surrounded by mystical artifacts that had long since become part of his everyday life. He reached into one of the desk drawers and, without saying a word, pulled out a videotape. His gaze was focused, as if he was doing something important, but Delia Asia Vieira felt that this was all just a continuation of some thoughtful ritual.

Noah held the tape out to her, keeping silent, not expecting any questions or comments. He knew it wasn't just any ordinary object. Delia Asia Vieira picked it up, and her attention was immediately drawn to the unusual label. "Omen IV: Awakening" - the inscription was supplemented by the strange phrase: "Chronicles of the fight against the Antichrist." These words caused her an internal uneasiness, although not supported by emotions. As a robot, she could not perceive fear the way humans did. But logic told her that something was wrong here.

At first she couldn't connect these words with anything familiar. She was used to rationality and simplicity, and now here was something that didn't fit into her program. Delia Asia Vieira looked up and met Noah's gaze, who was sitting there with an expression on his face as if he himself was part of this strange situation.

"What is it?" the robotess finally broke the silence, her voice neutral but her mind preoccupied with the question.

Noah didn't answer right away. He looked at her for a long time, as if he was wondering if he should explain what was behind it. You could read weariness in his eyes, but also some knowledge that he preferred to hide.

Delia Asia Vieira held the tape in her hands, her metal fingers sliding over it, but this time she didn't feel the usual clarity - she couldn't understand what was hidden behind all these mystical images and strange words.

Noah finally looked up and, as if deciding it was time to reveal the truth, spoke.

"You think this is just some movie, right?" His voice was low but confident. "No, it's far from that. It's much more complicated."

Delia Asia Vieira frowned slightly, but said nothing. She was programmed to accept facts, and it was difficult for her to accept something so strange without a logical explanation.

"It's not what you might think," Noah continued, his voice a little muffled, as if he himself wasn't entirely sure of the words he was about to say. "What's recorded on this tape are video protocols of scientific research by an institute of psychics who have been studying the issues of the Antichrist's coming to this world for several years.

Delia Asia Vieira froze. As a robot, she couldn't feel fear, but her logic told her that the situation was not as simple as she thought. All this talk about the Antichrist, the predictions and research, it all seemed more than just an abstract topic. Noah noticed her silence and continued.

"The scientists were very disappointing in their conclusions," he said. "They claimed that the Antichrist was to come every year, and that all this was predicted... But when exactly he would appear, where and in what guise - the eggheads could not answer this question. They only muttered something about jackals, ambassadors and other aboders.

Noah rolled his eyes, as if he himself was tired of this absurd scientific approach. Delia Asia Vieira, trying to digest what he had heard, listened attentively. She knew that Noah would not have simply shared such information if he had not been sure of its importance.

"Jackals and ambassadors," she repeated, somewhat dumbfounded, "what kind of beads are these?"

Noah sighed, rubbing his forehead as if answering this question was painful. He was clearly in mourning, but something about his answers was still alarming.

"It's some kind of metaphor," he said, his voice wistful, "or perhaps part of their delusion, but I'm inclined to think that it all has a much larger meaning. Much of what they said cannot simply be ignored. These 'ambassadors' may be the ones who will herald the coming of the Antichrist, and the jackals... perhaps symbolize destruction or violence.