Into Heaven We Go~

Where we left off, our two Angels, Lyla and Jared, were just taking the Ke'rahxi to heaven to give to the elder angels because they could not kill it! So, into Heaven we go~

Jared
As we walked in, I could feel the good energy surround me, pulling me into Heaven. I closed my eyes, and opened them once we were in and no trace of earth could be seen.

I could see.

I looked over at Lyla, glad to see her again. "Remind me, which way to the elders?" I asked her, looking around at the white, gold, and silver building all covered in snow, since it corresponded to earth seasons. I felt my wings unfold and the glamour fade away. I looked over at Lyla as her eyes changed to a light silver shade, her skin getting paler, and her hair becoming white. I could feel my appearance changing too. I grew another foot, my fingers growing longer and fingernails a bit sharper. I held onto the bag, making sure the creature wasn't trying to get away.

"Down this path, a left at the statue of Gabriel, and past the building of the earthbound angel school." Lyla said, already walking forward.

"Oh yeah, I remember now." I said. My accent had already disappeared. I followed her down the path.

The Ke'rahxi

And all of a sudden, everything changed.

All the vibrations I'd sensed from the previous area were instantaneously and drastically replaced. The bags they'd stuffed me in distorted the images, but I could still get a sense for everything. And I could of course feel the wings sprouting out of the back of the one who was carrying me. They really were angels, this really was heaven...and I was marked as a demon.

In that moment, I had the cold feeling that there really was no going back.

Then they started walking...to the elders, he'd said. What did that mean for me? What would they do with me? The dark, foreboding air grew with every step they took, and as it rose, my hope sunk deeper and deeper. I wanted them to slow down, to wait, to put it all off for a little longer. And at the same time, I wanted them to sprint with all their might just to get it over with. But of course I was stuck with the speed they chose--agonizingly slow, and far too rapid.

And so I was carried, tangled in the remains of one bag and held captive inside two others, through the streets of heaven.

Jared
"Oh, and there's the statue." I said, walking around the corner and continuing straight on. As we came up to the earthbound angel school, bells started to chime as kids of all ages came walking out. As me and Lyla passed by, they stopped dead in their tracks.

Each of the kids had a set of books, all with white, gold, and silver hair and clothes. Their eyes widened as they looked up at our fully grown wings.

"I really wish they wouldn't stare...." Lyla whispered. I nodded. I never liked people staring at me....

As small girl ran over, grabbing my leg, which was the only place she could reach.

"Hey Isabelle." I said, trying to hug her with the one hand available.

"What's in the bag?" She asked, pointing to it.

I bent down on one knee, trying to get to her height, and she came closer.

"Demon spawn."

She gasped, "Really?" I nodded, laughing at her reaction.

"Is it dead?" I shook my head.

"We're taking it to the Elders." I said, and she smiled.

"They'll take care of it! We don't want that thing around here! You'll make sure it doesn't get out, right Jared?" she asked.

I nodded, "I'll keep you safe sweetie. Now we have to go."

She nodded, "Okay!" As she walked away, she waved at Lyla and joined her friends.

"She's so cute...I wish I had a little sister." Lyla said, "Now let's go."

"Alright." I said, and started to walk down the path again. I saw a tall building in the distance, towering over the rest of the buildings. On the outside, in gold, were statues of the archangels, all holding up the building. Their wings created a canopy over the steps leading up to the giant golden doors.

"Been awhile since I've seen all this...." I said, walking up the steps to the entrance. Once we reached the top, we were stopped by two swords crossing in front of us.

"Name, Kind, Region, and business?" One of the archangel statues, Michael, asked.

"Jared and Lyla, Earthbound, Region 216. We have a demon spawn with us that won't die." I said. The swords moved, and the doors opened.

"Jared and Lyla, Earthbound angels of region two hundred and sixteen, you are granted permission to enter." It said, going back to it's original position.

"Thanks." i said, and walked inside.

The Ke'rahxi

Demon spawn. Demon spawn. That thing. Was that all I was? Of course--I didn't matter. Just a horrible creature, something to be slaughtered on sight. Why should they care that I had thoughts and feelings and a life and a soul? How could they even know? I couldn't speak. Without a mouth, vocal cords, and breath to use, my only forms of communication were the musical thread language and direct thread linking...and the only ones I could speak to that way were other Ke'rahxi.

That little girl...all her words hurt. They'll take care of it. We don't want it here. You'll make sure it doesn't get out, right? ...Despised even by children. It wasn't fair! Trapped in here, I could do nothing. Nothing to defend myself. I had no way to prove that I wasn't the monster they thought I was. And I wasn't...wasn't a monster...

Then we were at the gates. This was it...the place of the elders. Yet again, I questioned what they would do with me. Do to me. If I'd had a heart, it would've been racing. If I'd had lungs, my breath would've caught. But the fact was, I didn't.

I waited in silence.

...Lousy, gods-damned demon spawn!

Jared
I looked around the room, watching as the Angel maidens glided across the floor, leaving the room. We were in a large dome shaped place, with silver ceilings and walls and glass like floors. There were five giant podiums in the center, draped with silky white cloth. Above each of them were tiny balls of light, about the size of my fist. As the last angel made it's way out, every door closed, the balls of light coming down and shaping themselves to become more human like in appearance.

"We hear you have a demon spawn." The one in the center said. He looked to be only around 70 years old or so, and looked at us questionably. He had gold eyes, white hair to his waist, and a short white beard. He wore a robe of white like the other Elders.

"Yes we do, Elder Jon." I said, holding out the garbage bag.

"You say it will not die?" Asked a girl to the Elder Jon's right. She had gold hair to the floor, perfectly straight and brushed nicely, with small braids in it. Her eyes were the same gold shade as Jon's.

"Yes, Elder Laurel." Lyla said, "We've used the swords but it won't die. Our touch doesn't even affect it."

"Impossible. Give it here." Elder Zav said, his bright silver eyes and short silver hair glowing. I walked over and gave it to him, watching as he opened the bag and reached inside to grab it.

The Ke'rahxi

The vibrations as I was carried in told me that the place was quite large, with many smooth surfaces. Other people--other angels--were leaving as we entered. And those podiums...those must be where the elders sat. Or stood. Or floated. I had no idea. In the back of my mind, I wished I could actually see the room; even if these bags were transparent, I still wouldn't have been able to see. Then the elders just sort of materialized out of nothing. This was it.

And I was being presented to these elders in...two garbage bags and the torn, tangled remnants of a plastic bag.

At least there was no way they could possibly detect my shame.

As the elders were addressed, I made mental notes of which names corresponded to which bodies. So the angels' touch was apparently supposed to affect me somehow...that was new. When the third voice demanded to see me, I resolved not to struggle. If given an order, I would comply without protest. And in no way would I try to escape the area. If they thought I was an awful creature, then fine. I wasn't about to give them more reasons to hate me. In fact, I was determined to prove to them that I was a dignified, civilized, intelligent being.

And so when the third speaker took hold of me, I did nothing.

Jared
I watched as Elder Zav took the thing out of the bag, placing it on his podium and keeping a hand on it so it wouldn't run away. He watched it, furrowing his brow. It seemed to not move, and didn't attack or do antything.

"Is it dead?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. Anything but." He replied, taking it in his arms and stepping off of the podium. He walked over to the middle of the glass floor and set it on the ground. He straightened himself and peered at the creature, waiting for it to make its escape.

The Ke'rahxi

He carried me over, set me on the ground, and I sat there. Now that I was out of the bag, I could get a much clearer picture of the place and the people in it; I could actually "see" their facial features. For a brief moment, I just sat and took everything in. Then, to prove the fact that I was alive, I made a sound.

The sounds Ke'rahxi made were unlike anything any other living creature produced. They were akin to a few violins playing a few similar but different notes; a little dissonance and a little harmony, but nothing sour or grating. In fact, they were rather pleasant tones--at least, I thought so. And I actually played the violin. ...In my human form, of course.

So that was the sound I made, a short "Hnn."

Jared
I stared at the strange creature. It didn't try to run away...but why? Had it surrendered or something? I just couldn't make sense of it. I looked up at Elder Zav as he studied it, watching it move and probably just as confused as I was.

I listened as it made its tune, it was almost like the sound of violins, but definitely no sound a normal one could make. It sounded...beautiful in a way. I wondered to myself how something like a demon spawn could sound so...nice.

"I wonder if it's talking...." Lyla said, glancing at me but looking back at the creature on the ground. I waited for it to move, or make another sound, or something. Elder Zav looked curiously at the creature.

"It's an interesting one...I think it's afraid of us." He said, "Probably surrendering. Let's figure out the real problem. How to kill it...."

The Ke'rahxi

Talking...not really. Talking would be useless. I knew that full well. And afraid of them? Not hardly...I'd faced far worse. As for surrendering, how could one surrender if one was already captured? And killing me...that was nigh impossible now. Ke'rahxi were virtually indestructible.

I did want to speak to them, though; I felt that I was entitled a say in all this. In my current form, I was limited to written communication only...so I extended my threads and started to spell with them.

"Excuse me."

Lyla
I looked down at the creature, wondering what it was thinking. It had to be thinking something right? I mean...it was a creature. A demon spawn, yes, but demon spawn was a creature. And then I heard the word kill. I whispered to Jared.

"Do we really have to kill it?"

He looked at me like I had gone mad, "Of course."

I nodded sadly. I hated killing. Hurting that demon was even hard....

"Let's see, shall we burn it? Drown it? Make it freeze to death? Pour some acid on it?" Elder Zav asked the room. I heard Elder Laurel say something like "All of the above." And I glanced up at her.

When I looked back down, I saw the creature writing something with it's tendrils.

Excuse me.

Wait...it knew how to write? It knew how to communicate?

I looked up at the others, who hadn't realized the spawn had done anything.

"Jared. Look." I said, pointing to it's words.

Elder Zav looked down with Jared, both of their eyes widened and the elders gasped.

"Amazing...it communicates...." Elder Jon said, getting down from the podium and walking over.

"What do we do?" Jared asked.

"Talk to it?" I said, bending down and looking at it. "Um...yes?" Everyone stared at it.

The Ke'rahxi

For angels, these people were impossibly prejudiced. Kill a living being for what it is, rather than for what it's done? I hadn't committed a crime, and yet they wanted to issue the death sentence. And really, the only ones in the room guilty of any crime were them. Abduction.

Of course, none of their supposed killing methods would work on me anyway...but that was another story.

If I'd had eyes to roll, I would've rolled them at the angels' amazement. Sentient beings are generally capable of communication, idiots. Finally, I was addressed directly. It was the girl who'd gotten the bags to shove me in, Lyla. In fact, she was also the one who'd initially encountered me and shortly called her friend. So she was pretty much ultimately responsible for this whole situation.

When I started spelling out words again, I had to fight with all of my willpower to remain polite.

"May I please have something to write with? That would make this much easier."

Lyla
After everyone in the room saw and read the message, Elder Zav turned to me.

"Well? Go get it something." he said, pointing at the desk near the front of the room. I walked over and grabbed a pencil and paper that was meant for the sign in sheet. I took it over to the creature and set it down in front of it.

"Er...here...."

Elder Zav didn't take his eyes off the thing. He watched it with a furrowed brow, most likely very curious of what it was going to say.

The Ke'rahxi

I retracted my threads, pulled the paper close to me with one tendril, and wrapped another tendril around the pencil.

"Thank you. And I apologize in advance if these words are mostly unreadable--it isn't easy to write when you have no eyes to see what you're writing and no fingers to hold the pencil better. The easiest way would of course be for me to speak to you directly, but that can't happen since my body was destroyed. I would never inhabit anyone else's.

"This treatment is completely unfair. Your forces--are they your forces?--had no right to bring me here. This is kidnapping. I have done nothing wrong. Lyla attacked me, not the other way around. Are you truly going to try to take my life (which, I can tell you right now, won't work) for merely existing? I realize that I am in no position to make demands; I therefore implore that you release me and send me back to Earth."

I hoped I'd phrased things eloquently, but I mainly, simply hoped that they would be able to read it in the first place. I mentally cursed the strange man who'd blown up my former body, cursed myself for not reacting in time. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn't even be in this situation if I still appeared human. It was so much easier to condemn the awful creature than it was to condemn the sixteen-year-old boy. At least, I assumed it was.

Lyla
Elder Jon picked up the paper, reading aloud what he could. A few times he struggled to make out exactly what the spawn had put, but he skipped certain unreadable parts and guessed in certain areas. He looked up at me.

"Is it true that the creature did not attack you?"

I nodded, "It's true." I then looked down at the creature. It must be very intelligent. One of the newer species possibly? Most of the creatures could hardly think. But this one could. It could write, even, which was very surprising.

"Maybe we should ah, talk to it first? Take it to one of the empty rooms in the back and question it? And...possibly release it?" Elder Jon said.

"Um, no," Elder Zav said, "I am the head of Demon and Demonic Creatures Control, and I say we kill it."

"Wait what? You're not going to consider even after its tried to talk to us?" I asked. He gave me a look like "Why are you talking?"

"Of course not. It's a demon spawn. Anything related to a demon needs to die. You should know that. You've been taught that since you were small. To make the world better, we must dispose of them."

I looked down, knowing to never talk back to an Elder. I heard Elder Jon speak next.

"I say we listen to what it has to say," I looked up as he turned to the other Elders. "Who says we kill the creature, say 'Aye.'"

Elder Zav and another, Elder Jaci said "Aye."

Elder Zav frowned. Jon smiled and continued, "And those opposed?"

Elder Laurel, Jon, and another who's name slipped my mind said "Nay."

"Majority rule." Jon said.

The Ke'rahxi

I felt myself sink a little with relief. I knew they wouldn't be able to kill me in any of the ways they'd mentioned, but I didn't know--or want to think about--what other consequences for existing they'd come up with. And I'd finally get a say in what was done with me. Since they'd taken the paper away, I spelled out with my threads, "Thank you."

That elder who was apparently the head of demon control was still obnoxiously narrow, though. And angels were supposed to be pure and holy... Bigotry of this level wasn't benevolent by any stretch of the imagination. Demons had to die just because they were demons? Bullcrap. I made a mental note to figuratively keep an eye on that elder... Something told me that he wasn't to be trusted. I had a feeling that despite whatever decision was reached, he could very well go behind the other elders' backs and take the matter into his own hands. The gods knew, I'd dealt with exactly that sort of person before, several years ago. Someone with unparalleled prejudice and a fierce determination to eradicate the object of this prejudice, regardless of anything that stood in his way.

I'd hated that man.

So I remained wary. Presently, I sat and waited to either be given my writing materials back or to be taken to an interrogation room like Elder Jon had mentioned. Hopefully, this would all be over soon.

Lyla
"Alright, now that that's settled..." Elder Jon said, glancing at some of the other angels in the room and eyes settling on the creature. "Let's take it to the back."

Elder Zav was clearly not happy with the decision. He stood there, silent, knowing he couldn't change the choice the other elders made. He looked down at the spawn, kind of glaring at it, but looked up before anyone could really notice.

Both Jared and I were silent, I was wondering if we would be able to some to the room with them or if we would be excused and go back to earth while they took care of it.

Jon looked down at the spawn, "Would you like to be carried or walk yourself?" He was clearly trying to be polite, though there was a sort of hesitance in his voice. It seemed he he had never been in this situation before, and was confused on what to do.

The Ke'rahxi

I started to spell with my threads again. "Thank you, but I can go by myself." I then waited a few moments so he could read the statement before retracting them once more.

Naturally, "walking" didn't describe my mode of travel; I made my way about by collectively slithering. And while it might've actually been simpler to have him carry me there, I still had my dignity to uphold. What little I had left, anyway. I didn't need to be carried like a child. ...Although, now that I thought about it, I technically was a child. While I'd existed for sixteen years already, I'd only been a Ke'rahxi for a handful of days. Putting it that way, I was an infant. ...Super.

I pushed the thought out of my mind, not wanting to deal with it.

Lyla
I watched as Jon walked a few feet ahead of the spawn, Zav stayed a few feet behind it. Elder Jon turned around to look at Jared and I, who were still standing there unsure of what to do. He motioned his hand for us to follow him. I looked at Jared with a smile and skipped behind them and heard Jared's footsteps following us. I looked at the other elders, as they watched us go. It seemed they were staying here, probably just in case someone needed them.

Jon opened up a door near the back of the room, holding it open for us to go inside. I walked in and looked around, kind of excited because I had never seen this part of the building. Once we were inside, Zav closed the door. The air seemed a bit colder in here. I looked around, examining the place. It was a long hallway, with gold doors and white walls. Each door frame had small carvings in it that looked like some odd language. As my eyes adjusted, the letters moved and switched, allowing me to read it. Above one of the doors it said, "Heads of Earthbound Angel Departure". The next one read, "Heads of Earthbound Angel Schooling". Each door read something that had to do with some part of the angel world. We finally stopped at one door that read, "Special Room". Elder Jon opened the door, letting us in. It was a simple room, with a desk, two chairs, some counters, and different supplies all neatly stacked in places. The room had a smell to it...a new smell, like it hadn't ever been used. Elder Zav came up and picked up the spawn, placing it on a table that was in front of the chairs. Jon grabbed some papers and set it in front of the creature. Then, both elders sat down, while Jared and I stood.

"First of all," Elder Zav started, "How long have you been...alive?"

The Ke'rahxi

I involuntarily squirmed and "kicked" a little when the Dangerous Elder (as I'd heard no actual name yet) picked me up, but I forced myself to relax. It was more the suddenness of the action than anything; it had been the encroachment on my personal space that had warranted the dissatisfied noise I made as he set me down again. Manhandling... Not alright. Not alright at all. I may have been a child by Ke'rahxi standards, but I was still perfectly capable of pulling myself onto a desk...I think. Screw it, I would've found a way.

I pulled the papers close to me and started to write.

"I'm sixteen, or at least I was. I suppose that doesn't really count anymore. Put it this way, I was sixteen when I was still human. As for how long I've been this creature, it's been...at least five days? I'm not really sure.

"Also, while I technically have no gender, I identify as male. I was male when I was a human. In light of that, I would appreciate it if you stopped referring to me as an 'it.'"

I almost went to add my name as well, but I found myself hesitating. For some reason, it just didn't feel right. I had no idea why. I just...had a strange desire for a pseudonym. I then remembered Karson--the man who, biologically speaking, was my father...and, biologically speaking, wasn't truly a man--asking me if I'd picked a pseudonym. Was this a Ke'rahxi thing, or...? I realized at that moment (though it had been at the back of my mind) that there were probably loads of things about the Ke'rahxi that I had no idea of.

There was no time to dwell on it, though; I decided against providing any sort of name.

Lyla
Elder Zav got up from his chair, walking over to the creature and taking the paper. He read it, squinting his eyes every once in awhile to try and make out a word. He set the paper back down, and stood by the creature. He seemed to not want us to know what was on the paper, because he didn't even glance at us.

"Elder Zav, may I please see the paper?" Elder Jon asked.

Zav hesitated, like he hadn't heard Jon at all. But he grabbed the paper and gave it to him. He didn't speak a word, only watched Jon.

Elder Jon read aloud the parts that he could understand. Zav's gaze settled on the two of us as Jon read the paper. I felt like he was watching me. Every move I made, I was hesitant of. I looked directly at the paper, trying to ignore Elder Zav and his silver eyes, staring at me from across the room. Once Elder Jon was done, he handed Elder Zav the paper. Zav gave him a fake looking smile, and put the paper back down by the creature.

"So, you were a human before? What happened to make you like this?" Elder Jon asked. Zav looked at him distastefully, it seemed he didn't like other people asking the questions. Wait...was that a glare that Zav was giving Jon? I think it was. My eyes widened a little, but I stayed silent.

The Ke'rahxi

"Another one of these beings force-fed me a black cord. The cord then started taking over my body, which took a little over a week. It wasn't until it took over my brain that I was actually sucked out of my human body and pulled into this one. My life and soul reside in this body now; I am now this creature. It's not as bad as it sounds, really. I have many enemies who are all out to kill me, and being this creature basically eliminates all chances of being killed. And I wasn't ordinarily in the state you see before you, either--I still inhabited and controlled my human body, which I did up until a crazed lunatic exploded it. I'd been hoping to find a friend who could restore it with magic."

Really, the only problem being a Ke'rahxi had caused for me so far was that it led to my being kidnapped. But at any rate, I at least had a name for the Dangerous Elder now: Zav. Yeah, I'd definitely have to be careful around that one...

Lyla
Elder Zav took the paper again, reading it and pausing. His brow furrowed as he handed it to Jon.

Elder Jon took it, and read it aloud as he did the other times. After he read it, my mind was racing. So there were others like it, ones that made innocent humans into these things! That was terrible! We had to find this person and get rid of them. I glance over at Jared to see a concerned expression on his face. He was worried, I could tell. I looked over at Zav, who now had the paper again. He set it down and got another, since that one was full, and set the new one in front of...him.

"Do you know where the thing that did this is?" Elder Zav asked, glancing back at us. Elder Jon was watching the creature curiously. Zav then looked back at the spawn, he didn't have any bit of sympathy in his eyes. He acted like he still wanted to kill him, even though it was a human!

The Ke'rahxi

The answer was a simple "No." I had no idea where Karson went when he wasn't around, and even if I had known, I wouldn't have said it. As strange as it was, he was still technically my parent, and because of that I felt a sense of loyalty towards him. Filial loyalty? At any rate, he'd made me what I was, and I was actually grateful for it. Also, he seemed to care about me--after all, I was his spawn.

...That was a strange idea.

As I thought more, I realized I probably shouldn't have told them specifically that I'd been force-fed; I could've said that the cord had jumped inside of me and they would've believed it. I blamed the error on my reasonably agitated nerves...but I was still mentally cursing. I tried to assure myself that it wasn't too bad of a mistake since they wouldn't likely be thinking to look for someone like Karson; they'd probably be on the lookout for "natural state" Ke'rahxi like me, which was not the state in which Ke'rahxi were often found. To my knowledge.

Lyla
Elder Zav took the paper and looked back at the creature with a sigh. I guessed that he had said no, and Zav was frustrated. I was right.

"Really? You don't know?" He shook his head and put the paper back down in front of the spawn, looking at Jon with raised eyebrows.

"Now can we kill it? Since it seems to have no information that we need?" He asked Jon.

"Not yet, Zav. Patience." Jon got up and walked over to the spawn's other side, speaking in a nicer tone than Zav. "Okay, first of all, would you like us to call you by anything? I'm sure since you don't like 'it' then you don't like some of the other names we give you."

Zav looked at him like he was crazy. "Why should you let it choose what we call it? It's a spawn, a creature. It doesn't need a name." I gaped at Zav. I had never seen an elder talk like this.