by A. Joseph
“In your previous place – the visual world where most people are there are also people who try to study such knowledge that is why you have such movements like meditations and prayer.” He continued as he took some more grapes and motioned William to try it as well.”
Eating instead a different fruit, one that he has not seen before “but I haven"t heard of anyone having an angel even see it with my own eyes,” he replied pleased with the taste of the new fruit.
“Not seeing something does not mean it is not there,” John replied putting in front of William"s eyes an orange.
“Just like this fruit. You don"t know what is inside nor can you eat what is inside unless you peal it. In the same way angels can only be seen when we remove our earthly desires and bring forth virtues.” Pealing the orange then eating it smiling at him.
“Does that mean every human being has an angel?” William asked as he took another fruit that he does not know but all of the fruits are delicious.
“Yes, each human being has a cherub - but I believe you know them as guardian angels. But you can only acquire angels or archangels when you practice virtues and only those who have attained truly the seven cardinal virtues can have its major archangel,” John replied.
“Does everyone have those archdemons as well?” William asked losing his appetite remembering the creatures and setting aside the fruit he just tasted.
“Just as everyone has their own cherubs, everyone can acquire a demon,” John replied picking up the fruit William set aside and eating it.
“However, demons are acquired through sins, desires and a price. Demons answer to the wickedness of the desire and sins and once the necessary price is paid any demon will do what is ordered. But only when one has imbibed the true nature of any of the seven deadly sins do they acquire the archdemons. The price for that is only their soul damned forever” John continued. “There are only seven damned ones with the seven archdemons at any time,” finishing the fruit.
“Does that mean there are people in my world who have acquired demons?” William asked.
“Yes, but they are not easily seen. Most demons are acquired unconsciously by individuals in your place, even angels. Since, they are acquired unconsciously, seeing them is not possible.” John replied standing up and asking William to follow. “Virtues and sins have to be recognized and imbibed truly for one to see the angels and demons.” He continued.
“And no one has been able to do that?” William asked.
“There are some, but relatively a handful,” John replied. “And these individuals once they have seen angels or demons become enlightened or damned and they leave the visual world to either go to an enlightened or damned city.”
“People in your place are just busy with other things that they don"t look or give importance to these things.” As he opened the doors and William saw once again the beauty of Inchora.
“Why didn"t you leave this place like Dad?” William asked.
“There are times when one is not meant to leave one"s home,” John replied as they walk down the stairs greeting Inchorans that they meet.
“Some need to meet other people and see other places to know more about themselves,” pointing to William to observe those in their homes. “While some people find it easier to understand things at the place where they are – with the people they love and so they choose to stay,” as he hugged an old lady who gave him a multi-coloured handkerchief.
As they continued walking towards Laurus William asked, “Which type do you think I am?”
“For that you"ll have to choose on your own,” John replied. “But do not worry about it for life would help you to make your decisions as long as you remain open to its signs,” as he pointed to William the entrance of Laurus.
William did not notice how long they had walked with all the knowledge he was learning. It had been a week already since his arrival and he has learned a lot already. But he knows there is much more to know and understand.
The tree was a welcoming sight as always as if its big trunks can protect anyone from whatever disaster, giving a sense of security like a mother holding its child. How he wished his mom can see him now.
“What year will I be in?” William asked.
“In here there are no years. You progress depending on your own pace. Rather than years you will attend lessons instead,” as they went inside.
“Once you have known the meaning behind the lesson you progress to another one,” John replied bidding William to follow him upstairs.
William saw the stairs as far as the top of the three like it"s engraved at the very center of the tree spiraling upwards. Each floor has a bridge that connects the stairs to the hallways.
And in every floor are rooms with no doors, just holes with leaves and vines covering the entrance.
“How many lessons do I have to take?” William asked as they walk on the halls of the first floor.
“It depends on the speed of your understanding and your openness to learn them,” John replied. “Sometimes we know what we need to learn but are not ready to accept them,” as they stop in front of a door with thick leaves and flowers in its vines.
“You advance and mature when you know and accept.” As John hugged him “This will be your classroom and your teacher is waiting inside,” as John kissed the forehead of William and bid him to go inside.
The leaves were quite thick and as William saw the inside of the room, he started to hear the voices of the students inside. The thickness of the leaves seems to prevent sounds from being heard outside.
“Good morning William,” a tall beautiful lady greeted William as he stepped out of the leaves. “My name is Sella” she signaled William to come to her.
“Children let us all welcome your classmate William” and all of them replied “Welcome William!”
She was a lovely lady better than the teachers he ever had. She is graceful like his mom, beautiful in her simplicity with a voice and gesture of care like his mom. She was like both a teacher and a mother.
„Learning will be nice with someone like her as the teacher," he said to himself.
Sella pointed out to William his seat. The seats are just circular wooden beams that came out of the wooden floor. It had different heights making those at the back higher than those in front of them like an amphitheater. The students are already arranged according to their height with the smaller ones near the front and the taller ones at the back. His seat was at the middle part and he noticed how the table and chair has the right height for him to sit and write.
“Don"t worry William,” Sella said to him “the branches grow as you grow,” she continued smiling.
“Why didn"t you just make portable chairs from the wood?” William asked and all the children were shocked and looked instantly at him surprised.
“We do not cut any plant or tree in Inchora William.” Sella replied as she hushed the students and told them to stop looking at William as she walks towards him. “The plants and trees are living beings like us William. They can adjust if we only remain patient and wait for them,” as she guided the hand of William slowly to touch the wooden table as it adjusted to his height.
“Living beings can live harmoniously without killing each other,” she smiled at him. “Plants always gives us what we need William,” Sella whispered to him. “Sometimes we just want more than what we need,” as she touched his cheeks and walked back to the front.
“She"s my favorite teacher too you know,” says a boy as tall and big as William with brown hair and eyes seated beside him. He looks like his father and uncle with tan skin and muscular built.
“My name"s Matthew,” reaching out his hand. “Nice eyes.”
“Thanks, William,” he replied shaking his hand.
“Welcome to Inchora William. If you like I can give you a proper tour of the place after class,” Matthew said.
“That would be great,” William said.
“Prepare to be surprised later,” Matthew exclaim
ed.
„I already am," William said to himself.
CHAPTER 9
AQUA
“What does the future tell wise one?” Paul asked emerging from the shadows behind Lunasul.
“The future is always uncertain,” Lunasul replied but it is now red filled with blood.
“As I hope it will be,” Paul said looking down at the Ardans working beneath the rock where they stand. “Don"t you feel proud of them right now that they are doing something and not just staring at the desert sand waiting for their death to come?” he asked.
“Indeed they are working on something but how I wish it was for their hopes and not of their hates and desires,” Lunasul replied. “They"re rushing to their deaths than working to build life for the next generation.”
“I did not force them, they came on their own free will and continue to do these tasks on their own,” Paul said.
“Hate and desire makes us do a lot of terrible things,” Lunasul said bowing his head and looking away at the sight of his fellow Ardans in the burning heat of melting metals.
“Do I feel regret now Lunasul?” Paul asked.
“I should have and could have done something more to prevent you from taking advantage of their hatred and desires but that is all in the past now,” Lunasul replied looking at Paul. “I can only offer them a home to return to when all of this has come to pass, that is what a guide and friend can only do on these circumstances.
“Sometimes people need to suffer and be responsible for their actions to realize the importance and goodness of the things they already have.”
“I won"t fail Lunasul,” Paul said angrily.
“I don"t say you will nor do I care if you succeed or fail. My fellow Ardans joined you for a reason they believed in. They have all the right to fight for such a cause even if you are not the leader,” Lunasul said as he walks away.
“I merely welcome them anytime in Arda - their home, which they have built all these years. Do you want to see how much has changed in this place? What they have worked hard for and what they are giving up for the desires you magnified in them?” he asked.
“Show me then,” Paul replied.
He followed Lunasul as they go deeper in a part of the cave that Paul never saw before. As they go deeper Paul felt the temperature getting cooler. Looking at the walls he saw moisture and as his hand touched the walls he knew this was just dug up and was not part of the original area he knew before. The walls are soft and not as hard as the ones near the opening of the cave dried by the scorching heat of the sun.
“This is a new place you"ve found,” Paul said as he continues to scan the walls.
“Sometimes, to find the answers that you seek damned one you just have to look deeper to what you already have… to who you really are,” Lunasul replied continuing to walk deeper and deeper into the cave.
Paul is irritated of the wise man but he cannot deny that the words are true.
„I will make you regret letting me see this place Lunasul," he said to himself.
As Lunasul"s footsteps go slower, Paul realized that the walls are getting wider.
CHAPTER 9
He can see from the distance already a large opening that seem to be illuminated by a sparkling light. As they reach the end, Paul saw a small pool of water at the center and he knew it contained water he knew. He noticed there are also paintings at the ceiling of the cave. Simple but beautiful like the mosaic glasses of Inchora.
“What is this place?” Paul asked.
“This is what the hopes of Ardans are made of,” Lunasul replied. “My father started this before he died. He knows the founder left something more for the Ardans. By following the moisture and scent of water we dig for years to this point finding the small pool you see.”
“And what of these paintings in the walls,” Paul asked.
“These are the hopes and dreams of the first true Ardans that rests in God"s embrace,” Lunasul replied. “Their hopes and dreams remain in these walls to inspire the next generation. It has been disregarded by the past guides of Arda.”
“That"s why they were so eager to take Inchora,” Paul laughed. “Because they got a taste of Aqua with what you gathered here,” and he laughed at his luck.
“And you abused their hopes and dreams,” Lunasul said looking angry at Paul who can"t stop laughing.
“Indeed, wise man. Because that is who I am,” he said. And he stopped laughing and walked towards the pool of water.
“What are you doing?” Lunasul asked but as he walk towards him the archdemon Hismael appeared and pinned him to the ground. “Do not destroy this place, I beg you!” he shouted as the demon held him tighter burning his skin.
“Don"t worry old man, I intend to go to Inchora to steal some Aqua but you"ve made it easier for me,” Paul said.
He got a small bottle from his pocket and filled it with water.
“I won"t destroy the source of what I need,” Paul continued smirking at Lunasul as he bit his finger and dropped some blood on the bottle of water.
As soon as his blood mixed with the water it became dark and sticky as oil.
“What did you do?” Lunasul shouted.
“I simply put some of my essence in the water. Aqua reflects our very nature and with my blood it becomes the greatest of poison,” Paul said laughing.
“And you just gave me an enormous supply,” and he ordered Hismael to release Lunasul as they went back to call their Ardan slaves to harvest the Aqua and build their new weapon leaving Lunasul behind in tears.
CHAPTER 10
POSSIBILITIES
“Isn"t Laurus that way?” William asked “Yes, it is,” John replied, “but today you"ll have a game instead.”
“Is that part of the lessons as well?” William asked.
Matthew had been a great friend these past weeks helping him with the assignments, showing him around and introducing him to a lot of Inchorans that became his friends. Their presence has helped him to cope well with the longing for his parents. The lessons in Laurus also occupied much of his time from studying plants and the effects of Aqua, to building mosaic glasses and proper farming. But the most enjoyable was whenever they take a swim at the lake of Aqua with its crystal clear waters and its friendly fishes.
“Yes, and you"ll be surprised how much you could know about yourself and about other people through a game,” John replied smiling.
“Matthew has a surprise again, right?” William said seeing the smile.
Sometimes they would surprise him from a dozen baskets of fruits, torn robes, different animals and even magnificent fireworks. But he knew they are just helping him to recover from the tragedy he experienced and he is very grateful for their help and presence.
As they continued past Laurus they reached an open field just at the back of its roots.
Matthew never brought him to this hidden field. Its big roots served as walls that hid this part that he never saw it even when they passed by this area several times.
“I didn"t see this in the tour,” William said.
“I guess Matthew wanted to surprise you about this game. He"s one of the best keepers we have,” John said.
“Keeper? What game is this?” William asked. He can see Matthew had an athletic body like his dad and uncle like all Inchorans but he never saw them play sports.
“It"s football,” John said. “I know you"re good at it and maybe you"ll do better with our version,” he continued smiling. “Your father was the best player Inchora ever had.”
Looking at the field William saw the usual football field with goal posts at each end on the ground.
„No wonder dad was good at playing football,"he said to himself.
“Seems like a regular football field to me,” William said.
“Indeed, it is,” John said. “We don"t change the rules of the games, but what makes the game better is how we play it,” he continued laughing. Upon seeing William, Matthew ran towards them leaving his group behind.
“You are going to love this game!” Matthew said dragging William to the group.
“And you haven"t shown me this the last time we had a tour,” William said.
“It wouldn"t be a surprise if I did,” Matthew said laughing.
“Guys, this is William,” he introduced him to a group of young boys of various age and height.
He does not know any of them but he saw some of them before in Laurus. They were all friendly and welcomed him right away to their team.
„This might not be a bad game after all," he said to himself.
“He will be the substitute for Carl,” Matthew said.
“What happened to Carl?” William whispered to Matthew.
“Got a broken rib from falling too high,” Matthew answered.
“How can he fall from playing in the ground?” William asked again.
“Ahhh… yes I forgot about that,” Matthew looked around and upon seeing John on the crowd waved his hand to get his attention and shouted
“Who"s cherub will William use?”
John then walked towards them “I think mine will be compatible enough,” he said,
“What cherub? Why would I use a cherub?” William asked.
“Your wings my friend,” Matthew said tapping him on the back. But don"t worry I"ll lend you my lucky shoes as he went to get them.
“What wings?” William asked John.
“A cherub can grant you its wings,” John replied. “You"ll know later,” as he drew a sign on the air and called out “Clemens.”
CLEMENS Upon saying the name, a being emerged from the brilliant light with wings on its back. The wings looked like that of the archangels of his uncle but smaller.
It looked like a small two year old boy with blonde curly hair. It was wearing plain white robes and was barefooted but it didn"t seem to be touching the ground and was actually floating in the air.
“Say hello to Clemens he will be your wings for the game in the meantime. Since we are blood relatives you can borrow him for a while,” John said.
“I can fly?” William asked. “Yes you can, for a time with my cherub,” John replied.
