Caza, the pseudonym for Philippe Cazamayou, is a French comics artist.
Caza began to publish work in Pilote magazine, starting with his series Quand les costumes avaient
With the emergence of the magazine Métal Hurlant in 1975, Caza began to supply work within the science-fiction genre, with titles such as Sanguine, L'oiseau poussière, initially working with an exhaustive black and white dot technique. This was later abandoned for a style of colour use which would become a trademark, as seen in later work such as Arkhê, Chimères and Laïlah.
THUS WAS N'OMANE, THE CITY AT THE WORLD'S EDGE: A BASTION AGAINST THE NIGHT, SURROUNDED BY IMPOSING RAMPARTS AND FIERCELY PROTECTED BY DIKES, BREAKWATERS AND BUTTRESSES.
EACH WALL WAS STRENGTHENED WITH INFRANGIBLE METAL, EACH BLOCK OF STONE WAS SEALED WITH LEAD, AND EVERY ARMORED GATE TRIPLE-LOCKED.
N'OMANE, THE CLOSED CITY, WAS PROTECTED AND INACCESSIBLE.
(FOR OUTSIDE, AT THE WORLD'S EDGE, AT THE FOOT OF THE CITY'S IMPENETRABLE RAMPARTS, WAS THE SEA-- THE VERTIGINOUS SEA.)
(FOR OUTSIDE, AT THE WORLD'S EDGE, AT THE FOOT OF THE CITY'S IMPENETRABLE RAMPARTS, WAS THE SEA-- THE VERTIGINOUS SEA.)
THE 'OMS, THE INHABITANTS OF N'OMANE, HAD TURNED THEIR BACKS TO THE SEA.
ROCKED INTO HYPNOTIC STATES BY THEIR MECHANICAL HOMES, BARELY DARING TO BREATHE (PROBABLY FEARING THAT THE WALLS WOULD CRACK AND COLLAPSE), THE 'OMS, WITH PETRIFIED SOULS, HAD STOPPED HEARING THE SEA'S LOUD CLAMOR.
YES... THE 'OMS HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT THE SEA-- THAT YAWNING GULF, THAT IMPPOSSIBLE CHAOS...
THE 'OMS HAD FORGOTTEN THE SURGE AND SWELL--
THE SEA'S BREATH...
THE 'OMS HAD FORGOTTEN THE TIDES-- THE SEA'S STEPS...
IN N'OMANE, THE CITY AT THE WORLD'S EDGE, LIVED MORGONE, A STRANGER AMONG THE 'OMS...
IN OTHER TIMES, MORGONE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE DAUGHTER OF A KING, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS A FAIRY, OR A WITCH...
MORGONE HAD PALE SKIN AND THE SILVER EYES OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON.
MORGONE WHO NEVER WENT OUT BEFORE DUSK, AND STAYED OUT ALL NIGHT...
(AND EACH NIGHT IN 666 IN THE ERA OF THE 'OMS, WHEN THE EARTH HAD SLOWED DOWN, WAS AS LONG AS A LUNAR CYCLE).
AT NIGHT, MORGONE WOULD STAND ALONE ON THE RAMPARTS AND SING... (SHE SANG EVERY NIGHT, FOR MANY MONTHS, WHILE THE 'OMS HUDDLED IN THEIR CAVES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND FORGOT THE SEA.)
(... MORGONE SINGS... )
(... AND THE SEA LISTENS... )
THEN ONE MORNING-- ONE OF THOSE SLOW, GRAY MORNINGS WHEN THE DAY SEEMS TO DAWN UNWILLINGLY...
NUH! NUH!
... ONE MORNING IT LAY THERE...
LIKE A BEACHED GOD...
THE ARMORED GATES WERE THROWN OPEN LONG ENOUGH FOR THE TRACTION MACHINES TO HAUL THE MONSTROUS CARCASS INTO THE RAMPARTS.
THE 'OM-SCHOLARS EXAMINED THE BEAST. THEY MEASURED IT, TESTED IT IN THOUSANDS OF WAYS, AND DECIDED IT WAS MOST CERTAINLY DEAD AND HENCE HARMLESS... THEN , EXHAUSTED BY THEIR ACTIVITIES, THEY WENT BACK HOME.
THE 'OM-BUTCHERS DECLARED THAT THE BEAST WAS UNFIT TO BE CONSUMED SINCE IT WAS CRUSTED OVER WITH SALT AND SILT... AND THE 'OM-BUTCHERS WENT BACK HOME.
THE 'OM-CHILDREN PLAYED FOR A BIT WITH THE VANQUISHED MONSTER. THE MOST DARING HELD ON TO ITS SIDES FOR A WHILE... THEN THEY LOST INTEREST.
THE 'OM WOMEN KEPT SILENT.
AT DUSK, EXHAUSTED AND DISAPPONTED BT THE INCONGRUOUS FESTIVITIES, THE 'OMS WENT BACK HOME TO FORGET THE SEA.
THE LEVIATHAN STAYED WHERE IT WAS... LIKE AN IDOL ABANDONED BY ITS WORSHIPPERS OF A SINGLE DAY...
(... THAT NIGHT, MORGONE DID NOT GO THE RAMPARTS TO SING...)
...BUT...
... AND THEN THEY BEGAN TO SING...
... THE PALE WOMEN WALKED THROUGH THE CITY SINGING...
THEY SANG AS THEY KILLED THE GUARDS...
... THEY SANG AS THEY OPENED THE GATES...
(... AND THE SEA LISTENED)
(... AND THE SEA RUSHED THROUGH THE GATEWAYS AND FLOWED INTO THE CITY...)
(... AND THE SEA TURNED THE STREETS INTO CANALS AND FLOODED THE SQUARES...)
(... ALMOST SILENTLY, THE SEA ROSE, COVERING EVERY LEVEL OF THE CITY, STEP BY STEP...)
(... SWALLOWNING BALCONIES AND STAIRWAYS...)
(... TERRACES AND ROOFS...)
ALL NIGHT LONG, THE WOMEN WALKED THROUGH THE CITY, SINGING, AND THE SEA FOLLOWED THEM...
... TO THE TOP.
WHEN THE DAY DAWNED ON THE SURFACE OF THE WORLD THAT HAD BEEN FINALLY CLEANSED, THEY WERE STILL SINGING...
(... AND NORGONE SANG WITH THEM...)
EPILOGUE
THAT NIGHT, IN N'OMANE, THE SUBMERGED CITY, AN 'OM-CHILD WAS BORN OF A SUNKEN INCUBATOR...
... A CHILD WITH GILLS.
IN N'OMANE, THE CITY AT THE WORLD'S EDGE, LIVED MORGONE, A STRANGER AMONG THE 'OMS...
IN OTHER TIMES, MORGONE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE DAUGHTER OF A KING, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS A FAIRY, OR A WITCH...
MORGONE HAD PALE SKIN AND THE SILVER EYES OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON.
MORGONE WHO NEVER WENT OUT BEFORE DUSK, AND STAYED OUT ALL NIGHT...
(AND EACH NIGHT IN 666 IN THE ERA OF THE 'OMS, WHEN THE EARTH HAD SLOWED DOWN, WAS AS LONG AS A LUNAR CYCLE).
AT NIGHT, MORGONE WOULD STAND ALONE ON THE RAMPARTS AND SING... (SHE SANG EVERY NIGHT, FOR MANY MONTHS, WHILE THE 'OMS HUDDLED IN THEIR CAVES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND FORGOT THE SEA.)
(... MORGONE SINGS... )
(... AND THE SEA LISTENS... )
THEN ONE MORNING-- ONE OF THOSE SLOW, GRAY MORNINGS WHEN THE DAY SEEMS TO DAWN UNWILLINGLY...
NUH! NUH!
... ONE MORNING IT LAY THERE...
LIKE A BEACHED GOD...
THE ARMORED GATES WERE THROWN OPEN LONG ENOUGH FOR THE TRACTION MACHINES TO HAUL THE MONSTROUS CARCASS INTO THE RAMPARTS.
THE 'OM-SCHOLARS EXAMINED THE BEAST. THEY MEASURED IT, TESTED IT IN THOUSANDS OF WAYS, AND DECIDED IT WAS MOST CERTAINLY DEAD AND HENCE HARMLESS... THEN , EXHAUSTED BY THEIR ACTIVITIES, THEY WENT BACK HOME.
THE 'OM-BUTCHERS DECLARED THAT THE BEAST WAS UNFIT TO BE CONSUMED SINCE IT WAS CRUSTED OVER WITH SALT AND SILT... AND THE 'OM-BUTCHERS WENT BACK HOME.
THE 'OM-CHILDREN PLAYED FOR A BIT WITH THE VANQUISHED MONSTER. THE MOST DARING HELD ON TO ITS SIDES FOR A WHILE... THEN THEY LOST INTEREST.
THE 'OM WOMEN KEPT SILENT.
AT DUSK, EXHAUSTED AND DISAPPONTED BT THE INCONGRUOUS FESTIVITIES, THE 'OMS WENT BACK HOME TO FORGET THE SEA.
THE LEVIATHAN STAYED WHERE IT WAS... LIKE AN IDOL ABANDONED BY ITS WORSHIPPERS OF A SINGLE DAY...
(... THAT NIGHT, MORGONE DID NOT GO THE RAMPARTS TO SING...)
...BUT...
... AND THEN THEY BEGAN TO SING...
... THE PALE WOMEN WALKED THROUGH THE CITY SINGING...
THEY SANG AS THEY KILLED THE GUARDS...
... THEY SANG AS THEY OPENED THE GATES...
(... AND THE SEA LISTENED)
(... AND THE SEA RUSHED THROUGH THE GATEWAYS AND FLOWED INTO THE CITY...)
(... AND THE SEA TURNED THE STREETS INTO CANALS AND FLOODED THE SQUARES...)
(... ALMOST SILENTLY, THE SEA ROSE, COVERING EVERY LEVEL OF THE CITY, STEP BY STEP...)
(... SWALLOWNING BALCONIES AND STAIRWAYS...)
(... TERRACES AND ROOFS...)
ALL NIGHT LONG, THE WOMEN WALKED THROUGH THE CITY, SINGING, AND THE SEA FOLLOWED THEM...
... TO THE TOP.
WHEN THE DAY DAWNED ON THE SURFACE OF THE WORLD THAT HAD BEEN FINALLY CLEANSED, THEY WERE STILL SINGING...
(... AND NORGONE SANG WITH THEM...)
EPILOGUE
THAT NIGHT, IN N'OMANE, THE SUBMERGED CITY, AN 'OM-CHILD WAS BORN OF A SUNKEN INCUBATOR...
... A CHILD WITH GILLS.
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