Chapter 9 - chapter 9

Chapter 9
“Uhhh...then that one guy created everything along with those other people and then chose heirs to keep ruling Heaven and greeting the dead. Those heirs would be the council members. The original council members then disintegrated themselves and turned into new matter.” I recited, screwing up my eyes trying to remember the bit of the History of Heaven I had just learned.
“Yeah. You are going to need to know those people’s names though.” Said Akhom.
“Right. Got it.” I said.
“No you don’t.” said Akhom patiently. We had been studying for the entire morning and most of the afternoon. Now the sun was setting and we had learned some of the History of Heaven. Akhom was now quizzing me on what we had gone over. It was actually pretty interesting stuff. I learned that when council member’s lifetimes in Heaven are over, they disintegrate themselves and form together to make new matter. That new matter goes onto earth and joins in with everyday matter. I also learned how Heaven was created and why. Akhom had been explaining that to me the entire day. He was being very patient with me. I kept stopping him and asking him questions. Every so often he would get up and pick out a book from the many shelves in the library we were sitting in and bring it back to the large desk we were sitting at. He made me read passages and explain them in my own words. It was all very complected.
“Ok,” he sighed, shutting a book after I had finally figured out what those people’s names were. “Time to eat dinner.” I realized how hungry I was as I hadn’t eaten all day.
I helped Akhom cook some chicken and we ate at the kitchen table again. I told him more about my life but when I pressed him, he told me nothing more about his. He just shrugged the questions off and changed the subject. He walked me to my room after we ate and I fell asleep again. I was sensing a routine in the making here.
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In the morning I woke up early and went in search of a bathroom with a shower. I found one and some towels and took my first shower in days. Gross huh? I dried off and put on my clothes again.
I carried my towel back through the carpeted hallways and put it in my room. I then went downstairs to find Akhom and start studying again.
That day we learned about the History of Hell. I learned about the creation of Hell and of the one ruler of Hell. It was a man and a woman at the same time and could change it’s shape at will. It was advised by two other demi-gods of hell. One female and the other one male. I also learned about the different spellish things that they did. They had ones to make people forget what they are supposed to be doing, they had one that enabled them to control a person if they had their DNA, like a lock of hair or a fingernail or a piece of skin. Heaven had spells too of course but nicer ones like making a tree grow stronger, or making sure a mother gave a healthy birth and stuff like that.
Once again after we were finished with Hell, the day was pretty much over again. We once again cooked and ate dinner, talked a little and went to bed.
The next day we learned about the History of Earth. I learned how once the original main rulers of Heaven and Hell were once lovers. They decided to make a monument to their love so they created a huge green and blue sphere. Eventually plants and animals and humans evolved and made their homes on Earth. But Heaven and Hell started fighting over who would rule Earth. They almost killed each other but their friends form their homes stopped them at the last minute. Their hatred for each other grew and grew and they passed on that hatred to the next generation. And the next. And the next.
I studied and studied and slept and ate and talked. That was all I ever did. All of that learning stretched out for what felt like, at least three weeks. I had lost track. I went through the days in a fog, like a dream, trying not to think about anything but the lessons, not sure this was all really happening. But at night I couldn’t help myself. I thought about Mark. I had just met this guy and he was a complete jerk but...well...I still wasn’t ready to admit anything to myself yet.
Akhom insisted that we go back to Heaven, Hell, and then Earth again, saying that “we just covered the basics. You have so much more to learn.” and indeed I did.
I learned everything about the original rulers’ lives except what they ate for breakfast every morning.
I remember during one day of hard studying I got so frustrated that I slammed my book down and walked out of the library.
“I can’t do this! Find someone else! Why do I need to know all of this anyway? How is this going to help me?! I’m going back home.”
I felt a hand wrap hard around arm and spin me around. Akhom stood there looking furious. He leaned over and bit my shoulder. His sharp beak sank into my skin as easily as if my flesh was warm butter. Blood welled up from the wound and stained my shirt.
“What did you do that for?!” I screamed at him.
“To remind you why you are learning this. Are you going to just walk away and let Earth, Heaven, and Hell crumble? Are you going to let everybody around you die without even trying to do anything? Are you just going to lay there and let yourself die? You need to know what I am trying to teach you so you can learn from the past. You need to know what the reason of this war. Do you know what the reason is?”
I was too scared to say anything so I just clutched my wound and shook my head.
“Hate. The reason is hate. If Heaven and Hell had just learned to forgive each other and not hold grudges for all of those years none of this would be happening. Kind of corny yeah? But true. We would be living in harmony and peace. You would probably still be alive. You have to understand this. You are the only one who can save us.”
I stared at him. After a couple of seconds I started crying.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ve been so selfish! I don’t-” I wiped my eyes and stood up straight.
“I’m sorry. Let’s go back to studying.” I said in as clear of a voice as I could. I had gained a new resolve. No more breakdowns for me. I would work and learn and learn and do whatever it took to win this war.
“That’s my girl.” Akhom said, the friendliness returning to his eyes. “Now let’s bandage up that arm and then we can return to studying.”
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“We are finished here.” Akhom said one day in the middle of a lesson. “I have nothing left to teach you.”
I gaped at him. “But...I don’t feel like I’ve learned all that much.”
He laughed at me again. “Oh but you did! You learned the entire recorded history of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. We’ll go to the council tonight and you can take your test.”
“Where is the council’s meeting place here?” I asked, feeling my heart rate go up. It had nothing to do with the upcoming test.
“In another, larger castle. It’s pretty far away so would it be all right if we flew?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“So we’ll leave right before twilight.” He turned his head toward me as he got stood up to start putting books back. “I’m going to miss you. I don’t have company at all really.”
“I’m going to miss you too.” I said truthfully. “When this is all over and we both survive I will definitely come and visit you.” I promised.
“I would like that.” he said. “Now let’s put these books away and go get something to eat.”
We re-shelved the history books and walked down to the kitchen.
It was almost time to leave by the time we finished our hunks of bread and cheese. We walked outside talking about random stuff. Akhom felt like a brother to me and I really was going to miss him.
Was this how it was going to be? Would I keep making friends only to lose them? Never to see them until the war started?
“Ready?” he asked.
“No,” I said.
He laughed again and I grinned nervously up at him.
“Let’s go.”
I heard that sharp cracking noise and Akhom’s large, feathery, golden, hawk-like wings snapped out of his back. He grabbed my arms and we lifted off of the ground.
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“Hello, Allison.”
“Hello, Mark.”
I stood in a plain stone room in front of Mark, and Akhom.
“Where’s the rest of the council?” I asked glancing around.
“On their respective levels.”
“Ahhh...”
There was a pause.
“Oh!” I started, pulling off his cloak from my shoulders and holding it out to him. “Here’s your cloak.”
“Keep it.” he said, gesturing to the new cloak on his back.
“Oh, ok.”
“So let’s get started,” he said after an awkward silence.
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For the next hour I was bombarded with difficult questions about the history that Akhom had been teaching me that past week. Mark administrated the questions without the slightest pause or indication on whether I was right or wrong. I answered them as best as I could, hoping that I was doing alright.
Finally it seemed as if Mark was finished. He shut his mouth and nodded.
“You pass.” he said.
“Yes!” yelled Akhom, jumping up in the air. I beamed at him and then at Mark.
“Thanks,” I said smiling even wider at him.
“Uh you’re welcome.” he said turning away.
“So, onward to the third level?” I asked.
“Yep. Ready?”
“I guess.”
“Let’s go.”
I turned and ran to Akhom, throwing my arms around him. I felt the scar from his bite stretch and winced. I ignored the pain and pulled away from Akhom. I saw the sadness in his eyes.
“I’ll see you soon.” I said, “I promise you that.” The words came out with such force that I surprised even myself. I hugged him again.
“Goodbye,” I murmured.
“Farewell,” he replied.
I walked away from him and stood beside Mark.
“I’m ready.” I said even though I wasn’t.
Mark’s wings snapped out of his back and he grasped me around the waist and we were off.
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“So what am I going to learn on this level?” I asked, trying to make small talk.
“How to be the leader of a war. What to say to your troops. How to be brave enough to lead your army into battle.”
I gulped.
“Oh.”
He laughed and continued flying upward, the moors shrinking underneath us, the gray sky growing closer.
“I’m sure you’ll do fine. You were destined for this so I know you’ll be fine.”
“Destined?”
“Yeah, the only reason you were put on Earth was to lead us against Hell.”
“I know what ‘destined’ means.” I said annoyed. “Why me though?”
“Nobody really knows. All of this was up to fate.”
“How do you know I’m the one though?”
“You’ll find that out later in your training.”
“Oh come on!” I glared up at him.
“Sorry!” He laughed. “Oh, hey, get ready...”
“For wha-AHHHHHH!”
We crossed that invisible barrier again and several waves of pain crashed over me, drowning me. I screamed and closed my eyes tightly against the creepy shadow creatures lurking in the gray clouds. It was longer than the first time.
Finally it ended and we landed on solid ground.
I struggled to disentangle myself from Mark’s arms and get to my feet.
I wobbled unsteadily and Mark grasped my wrist, steadying me.
“Thanks,” I said weakly.
“You ok?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
I looked around.
“A city?” I asked Mark, confused. “I’m going to be taught how to lead my troops in an office building?”
“Yep.”
We started walking though the gray concrete city. The sky was a summer colored blue with only a few wispy clouds drifting across it. It was quite warm and a slipped Mark’s cloak off and draped over my arm.
“There’s the building we’re looking for,” Mark pointed to a building that looked identical to the rest of the buildings.
“Whatever you say.”
He held the glass door open for me. I smiled at him and walked inside, looking around at the high ceilings and plain gray walls.
“Now, what?” I asked turning around to face him. He was still standing outside.
“You coming or do you have to abandon me again?”
“Well, ummm...yeah.”
“Oh well, that’s fine, go right ahead. I’m sure I’ll manage somehow. Although I might trip without your help and fall into an empty elevator shaft and die horribly.” I said sarcastically.
“What?” He asked, shocked.
“I was kidding. God, calm down” I laughed at his terrified expression. “I’ll be fine I’m sure.” I assured him.
“Ok, well bye.” He unfurled his wings and, with one last worried look back at me, flew high and then arced back down to disappear into the ground.

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