Chapter VIII
The Ophanim Plan

   I was disgusted by the sight of the now twin cities, Heaven and Paradise, embracing each other like jealous lovers. They were strangely below the normal altitude, and I wondered why it was so. It was true that the activity going on around Paradise was to worry about: masses and masses of Angels came and went, like tireless slaves, carrying huge pieces of diverse materials, let it be wood or metal. Giant structures were spread all around the fortress and gave the place a most unusual look.
   Once I was passed the barrier, I immediately got back in the messy and noisy mood of Heaven; its disorganised buildings, bridges that led to nowhere, and its endless towers piercing the clouds, topped by armies of flags. For a split second, it was obvious to me that I was going home, but then it occurred to me that I had no more home. I shook my head and headed up, towards Zhankiel's house. I hoped he had received my letter and landed on his balcony, exhausted by the long trip and the numerous packs I was carrying.
   While waiting for someone to answer the door, I closed my eyes and wondered what I would say to my friend; he had done more for me than anyone else ever did, and abusing of his generosity again was a terrible thing to do.
   But then again, I had no choice.
   The knob on the silver door turned and Zana's face appeared in the gap. She smiled at me and let me in, taking the occasion to embrace me tightly.
   --- I knew you wouldn't last long without us, she said, with a smirk.
   No one knew about my parent's death and no one needed to. At least not for now. I removed all of my layers, and followed her to the living room. It was strangely quiet in the house.
   --- Where's everyone?
   --- You haven't heard? Mivelris moved out with Dulciane, two weeks ago. Zhankiel's in the shooting gallery, you can go see him.
   And to say I wanted to see Mivelris so bad... I felt like if he had forgotten about me. It did not help my already morose mood. Fortunately, Zhankiel was quick to make me smile again: I waited patiently for him to empty his quiver before interrupting him. He was holding a practice bow and hardly never missed the centre of the target. He was indeed a very good archer. When he turned around, his face filled with a sort of tranquil expression, he gave me the feeling of being someone completely different, somewhat more secret and serious than the loud-mouth, party animal Angel I knew.
   --- I look like a myopic, invalid fool, next to you, I said while clapping my hands.
   My Seraphim friend smiled and walked up to me, making sure to hug me like if I had been absent for twenty years.
   --- My poor Saelius, you already are myopic! If I'm mistaking, then I really don't see why you're wearing glasses.
   We laughed and he invited me to take a try, with a light bow. I declined his invitation: I wasn't in the mood for any destructive activities, I had my share of violence in the last days. He, on the other hand, insisted to show me his favourite weapon, not without a hint of pride in his attitude.
   --- This, my boy, is a Maikole A-23 assault bow, the heaviest and most powerful thing you can find that is not a crossbow. By the way, it is twice as powerful as a regular crossbow and far more manoeuvrable. Care to see a little demonstration?
   I nodded and watched him lift the monstrous weapon with the ease of a master. The copper-coloured arc was almost as big as me, and was seemingly a semi-automatic one, with all sorts of little pulleys and devices.
   I shrieked in surprise when he let go of the string: not only did the thick arrow split the wooden target in two, but it penetrated the six inches-thick padded wall, behind the target.
   --- Of course, such weapons are hardly legal, he said on an embarrassed tone. Now, let's go upstairs, I want to hear what brings you back here. They say that once you've been to Heaven, nothing impresses you anymore.
   If only he knew.

*****

   The lounge was the only orderly place in Zhankiel's house: it consisted of a few couches, and a low table, where we were sipping an excellent tea.
   --- I've been drinking so much tea lately, confessed he, it's the only thing that can prevent me from going crazy. This and practising my aiming.
   I asked him what was so stressful, for a wealthy and powerful Seraphim like him. He put his cup on the table and stared at me with grave eyes:
   --- You've seen the activity around Paradise, haven't you? The thing is, nobody knows what is being built there: there's been a large campaign to recruit workers, but even they don't have a clue what they are constructing. From the few rumours I heard, it's a vast building site, with technology and materials unlike anything we've seen before. Plus, only upper hierarchy Angels are allowed on the site. As you can see, no time nor methods are wasted, when it comes to Danërael's projects.
   That damned Angel! How I wanted him to die. He had taken away the girl I loved, killed my parents, separated me from my friends, and now, he was separating the Angels with his silly projects.
   While talking with Zhankiel, I learned all sorts of things: it seemed that Danërael was rebuilding the Academy, much at everyone's surprise, and that he managed no effort to boost his image. And like most cities in the Realm, Heaven was stuck with an alarming problem: disappearances. All over town, reports of missing Angels rotted at the bottom of the priority list for city administrators; it was obvious that all of those sudden vanishings were not the product of some occult coincidence: clearly, Danërael was discretely taking care of eliminating those who were a potential threat to his plans.
   Like he had done with my family.
   --- Plus, added Zhankiel, like if it wasn't embarrassing enough for me to have lost my job and my passion, this no-good, two-faced jerk started sending me money!
   --- Uh? Why?
   --- He believes that if he feeds me like a baby, I'll stop questioning his authority and that I'll keep my nose in my business, happy with a mostly lazy lifestyle. But there's no way, you hear me, no way I'll let him destroy us Angels! We are a proud nation, easily impressed it seems, but we won't fall in the hands of a megalomaniac fool like him.
   He banged his fists on the table. Zana entered the room and sat down with us. She asked me why I was back in Heaven, since Zhankiel was too busy with his own rambling to ask me himself. I didn't want to talk about what happened in Altacia, for I had trouble getting over my parent's death. I was an orphan now.
   --- Well, I said, trying to remain neutral, it just wasn't the place for me. Stuff happened.
   They looked at each other, so I concluded I wasn't a very good actor.
   --- Tell us about your hometown! Come on, Saelius, I've never been there, insisted Zana.
   She didn't know that every little allusion to that accursed place was like a stab in my heart. Still, I played my game:
   --- It's pretty... and calm.
   She seemed unsatisfied by my answer.
   --- You must have something to tell us! You've been gone for three months!
   I was clenching my fists under the table, holding back a terrible envy to destroy the place; I kept seeing Simiel's snarl, his hypocrite face; I could still smell the fire, hear the cries, feel the devastation in my heart, the total lost of hope, the feeling of powerlessness.
   --- How was your family doing? How are your parents?
   I got up and almost banged my knees on the table. Surprised, Zana and Zhankiel only stared at me.
   --- They're dead! They got killed in a fire set by my own brother, on Danërael's orders! Anything else you'd like to know?
   I stormed out of the lounge and locked myself in the guestroom.

*****

   I was looking through some of Heaven's most popular job advertising flyers when I heard the door slam, followed by Zhankiel's footsteps. He seemed in a hurry.
   --- Zana, he yelled, come here, I want to see you!
   A few seconds later, she passed in front of me and met her boyfriend in the hall. I didn't pay attention to their conversation. They were whispering, anyway. Suddenly, Zana let go of a little shriek:
   --- You think he really did it? But the Angel-Spirit has never killed before!
   I raised my head quickly: they were talking about Nervanael.
   --- I know, sweetie, answered Zhankiel, but that's what the papers are saying. Front page.
   I got up quickly and rushed into the hall.
   --- Let me see the paper, I said.
   It wasn't the official papers, but more of an independent one, called "The Black Feather Press". The story read as followed:

"Carnage on the Surface.
Heaven Sky City, Kashveh 27th, 2017
   A delegation of six Angels left Paradise this morning, but only two came back. Sent on a top-secret diplomatic mission on Earth, the Councillor of Interpolis Business, Yui Shaonolii and five other Thrones might have bumped into the dreaded Angel-Spirit of the Earth. While not much is known about this supposedly dangerous criminal, a six-hundred years-old law forbids anyone from ever getting in contact with him. The Council denies all proofs of an encounter with the Angel-Spirit, but one of the survivors confirmed to our journalists that he effectively approached the so-called guardian of the planet; according to his testimony, a terrible massacre occurred after a few minutes of negotiating. Only he and miss Shaonolii came back alive."

*****

   I was resting in one of the couches, in the living room. The sun was entering through the many, huge round windows and projected vast ovals of light on the floor. I didn't know what to think, and I took the time to order things in my head. I didn't feel that well, as if a permanent fog was hiding my thoughts; blurs of memories from Altacia were floating in my mind, and thoughts just rushed frantically, like annoying bugs. I sighed.
   My parents were dead. I had gone over it, but sometimes, I just asked myself if all of this story was nothing but a dream. Surely I would wake up in my apartment, on Mivelris' side, ready to go to work.
   As much as I tried, every time I blinked, I was still at Zhankiel's house, laid down on the couch.
   Speaking of which, I heard footsteps and dragged myself out of those depressing daydreams.
   --- You seemed so absorbed that I didn't want to disturb you, said Zhankiel, sitting down beside me.
   --- I was just thinking, I mumbled. You know, things...
   --- Your parents...?
   I lowered my head, and waited for him to pat me on the shoulder, like everybody else did. But instead, he stared at me with his deep, green eyes.
   --- Listen, Saelius, you have to accept the loss. They won't come back. And for preventing this sort of thing to happen again, we have to work together. I believe there's a way to bring Danërael down. He won't be able to get rid of all of the resistance movements.
   He handed me a small machine with a little metallic screen, on which moved a marble. I deducted there was a magnet inside the device, which made the ball move.
   --- But in order to achieve our plans... which I haven't really worked on, we have to get Nervanael on our side. If he's not with us, he's against us.
   I stared at the machine, blankly. And what if I got killed, just like that?
   --- Come on, you have to go before the anchor decides to drag him away from us again, ordered Zhankiel, on a tone that did not permit any reply.
   I grabbed the box with the clothes, put my Altacian coat on, as well as my scarf: the tracker showed he was in Siberia.
   Without losing a second, I rushed outside, exited the city, and headed North.

*****

   The anchor was in sight, so I put the little machine in my pocket and I folded my wings as tight as I could, to let myself fall, at more than three hundred kilometres per hour, towards the surface. Once the ground was clearly in sight, I slowed down and checked the surroundings: there was nothing but a harsh, frozen wasteland, on which nothing seemed to grow; in the distance, some mountains toped with snow, and endless, infertile valleys. Everything was grey and rocky, covered with a humid and thick mist. In this morose, monochromic landscape, it did not take me long to spot the Angel-Spirit, clashing with the rest of the scene, standing in the middle of nowhere. I was about to land near him, but due to the wind I was making, the fog cleared underneath my feet and I gasped in surprise: it wasn't the ground, but water.
   There was indeed an immense, dark lake, all around me. I doubled the beat of my wings, to gain some altitude, and sighed in relief: water was an Angel's death. There wasn't any way to swim with wings, and when they were too soaked, they weighed a ton. It's easy to imagine the rest.
   The shore wasn't too far, so I made a landing and watched in astonishment Nervanael walk on the surface of the water. It was a surreal sight, even for an Angel. Everything was quiet, almost dead, except him. He was almost shining from the inside, as he made his way through the thick mist and headed my way. I shivered and got ready for the worst, as Zhankiel had warned me. Nothing could tell he was in what sort of mood.
   His face was blank.
   I sat down on a white tree log, probably washed away on the beach centuries ago, and waited for him to arrive. I knew I could get killed at any time, probably without even knowing what had hit me. His footsteps starting to make some noise when he marched on the rocky beach.
   --- Malkeb, Nervanael, I said calmly.
   --- Malkeb, Saelius, he answered, with an awfully cold voice. What brings you here? The Academy? Danërael?
   --- No, I came on my... hey, wait, since when can you talk...normally?
   He didn't answer and sat down beside me, on the log. Fortunately, he didn't see me stiffen.
   --- Saelius, are you aware that I killed?
   I nodded slowly and wondered what the hell I was doing there. He seemed sad all of a sudden. Good, I said to myself, at least he has remorse.
   --- I have killed often in my life, he said on a dull tone. And never did it feel good. But it always brings me closer to the light, hidden by the clouds, in my head...
   He was right: he sounded awfully lucid for someone considered crazy from head to toes. And he seemed like he wanted to talk... the way he played with his hands, nervously.
   --- Why did you do it, I asked, on a firm tone.
   He lowered his head, and hid his face with his hands. I sighed and risked myself stroking his shoulder with my hands. He was incredibly hot for my frozen fingers. I reformulated my question and asked him what they wanted.
   --- Those foolish Angels, he stated, they think they know everything about the world. I do not want to be free amongst them. I'm tired, so tired... They offered me all the possible treasures in the "Realm" as you call it, as well as a chance to end my sentence.
   --- Did they say why? There's a revolution going on in Heaven, something very fishy. I'm just glad you didn't accept whatever they offered.
   He sighed and closed his eyes.
   --- Maybe I should have. Like I should have accepted the treatments, six-hundred years ago. Instead I killed and killed, just because I knew I had the power to. Saelius?
   --- Mm?
   --- Can I ask you something?
   --- Sure!
   --- Have... have people forgotten about me? Up, in Heaven?
   I took my time to answer. Had they forgotten about him?
   --- Well, I said, most people don't know you exist. Only scholars are aware of your presence on Earth. I, for myself, would've gone on, ignoring there was a prisoner on Earth. And to tell the truth, I really don't know why you're here...
   He got up, took a little pebble and threw it in the lake. I remained seated and waited for the rest.
   --- I was born as a Seraphim, six-hundred years and something ago. My mother died giving birth to me, due to the power she had lost during her pregnancy: I was like a vampire, sucking her magic from the inside, growing stronger everyday. I began studying at the Academy, under the close watch of the Headmaster, who was nothing but a fearful, paranoid individual, ashamed of being only a Principality Angel. At ten, I was so powerful that it compromised my health: I had ups and downs of energy, I could be catatonic to the limits, and destroy half of the house the minute after. The treatments didn't work. They said there was something evil in me.
   He took a pause and turned around to face me. I remained motionless: there was indeed something evil within everyone. Right now, I could only see sorrow and bitterness in his eyes. There was nothing evil left, I swear.
   --- When I understood I was different than the others... something changed. I knew I could be anything I wanted to, even if it meant threatening, lying, or... killing those who got in my way. My father was the first one to fall under my stupid ambitions. I killed him. And I'm still waiting for the remorse.
   "I don't know what I wanted. They say I lost it when I was about eighteen. Magic got to my head, literally, and I was no longer driven by my own thoughts, but rather by some violent impulsion. And I would fry anyone who dared say I was mad. But I was. I can't quite remember... I was about to do all of the Council members in, but... they caught me...injected me something. The next thing I know is I was shown a device, some sort of anchor. I couldn't feel a thing, so I followed them on the Earth. They turned my own, seemingly endless powers against me and used them to chain me to the Earth's core.
   --- Djimmeh... was all I could say
   --- Indeed, added the Angel-Spirit. It worked. In fact, it worked so well that even after six centuries, I'm still linked to the Earth. I'm a part of it: it won't let me die. There's nothing I haven't tried. Perhaps to make me feel better, nature has ornamented my with his most beautiful colours. Or was it to make me forget the past? Do you know what colour were my eyes before? I don't.
   --- I'll get on it, I promise. Nervanael, do you hate humans?
   He shook his head.
   --- Not as much as Angels... humans are just stupid, at least, they have an excuse. I've seen wars, destruction, but marvellous achievements as well, progress. The Earth, though, as well as me, only considers the destruction they bring. We suffer, in quiet. We can fight back with a few disasters, but they always find a way to get over them. Every tree cut is another wound. But they are animals, living things, thus, they have their place on this planet.
   --- You should write books, I said. He smiled and headed back towards me. I still didn't know what had driven him to kill, but it didn't matter anymore. I knew he was on our side.
   I showed him what was inside the box.
   --- Won't you look good in that, I snickered.
   He held the suit in front of him, and grinned.
   --- Of course, when there's no one to show it to... but thank you. I hope that they'll forgive me, up there.
   I thought of Yui, and wondered if she was hurt. I couldn't really blame him, though, but if it had been anyone else, I swear, I would've made sure he regretted his acts. In my head, it was impossible for Yui to die. She was too perfect, too smart, too strong.
   --- I don't know... but, by some incredible luck, the... woman I love, she got back alive. Otherwise, I don't know what I would've done.
   He looked at the suit with sorry eyes and said:
   --- If I could die, I would have let you kill me. I truly am sorry, I just cannot stand authority. I don't know what took me. I wish there was something I could do to repay my fault.
   I glanced around at the vastness of the frozen landscape and tried to imagine if his powers were indeed as immense. I was getting cold.
   --- There has to be a way. I'm sure you'll think of something.
   I took off, and I heard, from afar, a loud "thank you, Saelius!"

*****

   Exhausted but satisfied, I let myself fall in a big couch, in the living room. Three seconds after my arrival, Zana stormed in, very lightly dressed, with a towel around her hair.
   --- Saelius, she shrieked, trying to cover her body, you're back! Don't just sit there, get yourself ready!
   I stared at her peculiarly and asked her what she was talking about. She reached for a shelf and threw me an envelope.
   --- This came in the mail, while you were gone. Come on, up, up, the audience starts in less than an hour!
   I was about to ask her again, when Zhankiel arrived, shirtless, a comb stuck in his hair.
   --- It's stuck, again, he whined, could you help me, dear?
   He then noticed me, and ordered me to get ready. For what?! I got up, and retorted, angrily:
   --- Okay, okay, time out!! What's going on? Get ready for what??
   Zana was pulling Zhankiel's long hair, trying to untangle the comb, and with a grimace, he said:
   --- You haven't seen the banners outside? Are you that blind?
   Before I could reply, Zana hit him on the shoulder, ordering him to be polite. He apologised and told me what was happening:
   --- Mister Mischav, he said with a fake accent, has requested a nation-wide assembly. It's being held at the Academy's auditorium, you know, the big one, outside? Of course, I'm invited, so are you, and he'll be broadcasting whatever bullshit he has to say all across the Realm. I really don't want to know what it'll be. I have an awful feeling about it.
   I tried to understand as well as I could, but Zana pushed me on the back.
   --- I bought you a suit, for the occasion, she said. I picked it blue, since I know you like it. It's on your bed. And wash your hair, there'll be important people there.
   Stressed and offended, I went in the bathroom, and tied my hair with silver sticks, after a good wash. The suit fitted me perfectly, and I took a few seconds to admire myself in the mirror, before being interrupted by Zhankiel's shouts, telling me to hurry up. "And take your rings off, nobody has to know you're from Altacia, not after the incident."
   I wanted to see what was in the envelope, but Zana forbade me to, because we were almost late.

*****

   The Academy's main auditorium was the vastest public place in all of Heaven: it was round, with stair-like seats, and a stage, at the bottom. It was marvellously well decorated, and almost all of the seats were taken. The sun was high in the sky, and between hundred of pairs of wings, I recognised pretty important people. Zhankiel and Zana were talking with ministers and I was bored out of my mind. Suddenly, between shouts and sound tests, I heard a more than familiar laugh, which betrayed a strong accent from Notabalquo.
   --- I'll be gone just a second, I said to Zhankiel.
   I made my way between feathers and expensive clothes and jewellery, and climbed up the stairs, all the way to the top of the auditorium, where were seated a gang of mechanics, still wearing there denim jump suits.
   It did not take me long to recognise Mivelris, in the lot. Laughing and trying to contain my joy, I waved at him, and when he saw me, his face was lit by a smile. He signalled me to come meet him, so I did, and I threw myself in his arms.
   --- Sal! It's been so long! What are you doing back in Heaven, mate?
   --- It's good to see you, Miv. I'll tell you all about it later. We have to go have a drink at the Windy after, okay?
   He accepted, and I took this occasion to notice how much he had changed: he looked much tougher than he used to, and his broad shoulders showed he had been working hard. People were starting to take their seats so I hurried down the steps and took my place, on Zhankiel's side. We were in the first row, as guests of honour. On the stage stood a bunch of bodyguards, armed with crossbows, all wearing the same uniform; it felt very awkward.
   When Danërael stepped on the pedestal, the crowd began applauding. On his side, a little further in the back, was seated Yui. My heart started pounding at her sight. Damnit, why had she this effect on me? Was I so weak?
   The loud sound of Danërael's amplified voice echoed in the assembly and made me forget about her curls for an instant.
   "Angels of the Realm!"
   The crowd was silent, but the air was filled with a sort of effervescence. He observed his people with piercing eyes, like an eagle over a potential prey.
   "For millennia, we hid from the creatures of the surface. But I ask you, what do we have to hide? Are we ashamed of those wings, which allow us to live in the clouds? Or is it of these powers that flow in our veins? Are we ashamed of our blood?"
   The crowd howled but Zhankiel remained emotionless. I, for my part, wasn't impressed at all.
   "We are the superior species on this planet, we have shown it by keeping from hurting the Earth, or by giving our aid to the inhabitants of the surface. The humans didn't. They pretend to be on top of the evolution pyramid, but they are ruining their land, they are killing each other, killing all life forms, like a disease, a plague. Humans are the plague of this planet!"
   His last words were covered by the roar of the assembly, fists raised and cheering for more. This was unbelievable. What had he done to the Angels? We used to care for humans, like we cared for each other!
   "We've been pictured as saviours, like salvation spirits from above! It is time to reveal our true nature: we will save the world, and rid it of its illness, humankind!"
   Zhankiel closed his eyes and I got up to yell a load of insults at him. This wasn't real. Destroy all of humankind? Superior species? What kind of genocide was he thinking of?
   Unfortunately, my attempt to say what I wanted to say since forever was drowned by the cheers of thousands of Angels, now standing up and rooting for that monster, that murderer. I was so mad, I felt my cheeks burning with rage, and my fists tingling with magic. I could kill him right now!
   My Seraphim friend grabbed my hands and lowered them when they started glowing.
   --- Come, we have nothing left to do here.
   From the top of the auditorium, I caught a glimpse at a large banner which had been unrolled, showing everyone what would destroy the humans; it was the plan of a cannon of some sort, probably the most horrible thing I had ever seen. According to Danërael, who was now talking with much enthusiasm, it was named the "Nemesis".
   I looked at Yui, and when she spotted me, I lowered my eyes.
   The last words I heard before taking off with Zhankiel and Zana were: "Those who are not with me, are against me! This is it, Angels, this is the Ophanim Plan."
   "This is the beginning of the end."

© 2002 Cab