An Archangel's Ache

by Leo E. Ndelle

  KEERIM

  LET ME TELL you a story about what you loosely call ‘the universe.’ I say ‘loosely’ because no matter how much you think you know, you’re no smarter than the tiniest grains of sand on your seashores. There’s nothing wrong with being dumb in smartness or ignorant in wisdom. In fact, there’s nothing even wrong with just being plain stupid. But what I find morbidly repulsive to my… uh… let me see… what word should I use from your primitive language? Oh well! I’ll settle for ‘psyche.’ Okay! So back to what I was saying; what I find morbidly repulsive to my ‘psyche’ is the fact that you refuse to see beyond your eyelids just how limited your spheres of consciousness are! I mean, in all sincerity, despite your seeming complex constitution, you are no more than a pathetic vestigial aspect of Creation!

  Perhaps if you took a moment to descend from your petty egos and just realize that your cranial abode and all its contents cannot begin to comprehend even the most basic aspects of Creation, then maybe you could finally understand the extent of your ignorance. Maybe, just maybe, thence you can begin to cultivate the willingness to learn. Oh! Feeling offended? Did I step on your egos? Did I hurt your petty propensities you call ‘feelings’? Well, suck it up, you fools, and go cry me an etheric river! I forgot; you don’t even understand what I just said, did you? Of course not! Well, who knows more about the ego that the one who epitomizes it? Who knows more about illusion than illusion itself? Who knows more about chaos than Chaos himself?

  In every realm and dimension I’ve visited, there have been creatures who think they are the only intelligent species in the vastness of Creation. Some even go as far as to stipulate that Creation revolves around them and that there are no other sentient creatures outside of their realm or dimension. Talk about egomania steeped in ignorance! You are worthless creatures, all of you! You are abominations, all of you! You are insults to the cosmic conglomerate! And, I would spit on all of you right here, right now! You’re all lucky Akasha is still hot on my trail. She is the only reason why you are still in existence. But like the rest of you, her end will come… Just not yet! For now, I shamefully admit, I am a most wanted entity. If you dare tell anyone…! Well, I trust you won’t, because you can’t even hear me speak, can you?

  But, I digress, and for that, I apologize. Where was I? Oh yes, I was about to tell you a small story about what you call the ‘universe’. There are planets, moons, the stars, and all the labels you ascribe to the realms and dimensions of Creation. There is a lot more to Creation than gravity and electromagnetism. I can’t believe I’m using your terminologies, but someone has to dumb it down for you. I drew straws with me and myself on who would stoop to your levels and speak your vernacular, and I ended up with the shortest and only straw; hence, why I am introducing you to Creation 101. Stay on track, you!

  Okay, let’s give this one more try. Listen, Earth Realm, as I introduce you to Creation 101, concerning your realm. Your central star, the sun, revolves around the central star of the Orion Constellation. This revolution is split into twelve sections or ages, and this revolution is called The Zodiac. The hundreds of billions of stars in your galaxy, the Milky Way, are all arranged in what is called Cosmic Clusters. These cosmic clusters are governed by the Paradins living in the Realm of Zodica, which is one of the realms in the Dimension of Mueba.

  And speaking of realms and dimensions; these are pockets of Creation oscillating at specific vibrational frequencies. A dimension contains at least one realm and every realm in that dimension oscillates at the vibrational frequency of the dimension. In every dimension, one realm is selected to house the Zarark. It is not uncommon to find an uninhabited realm or dimension. But if there are creatures within any realm, then there is the possibility of that realm having a guardian chosen by Mother. A Hound of Creation usually heralds the selection of a guardian. Darn it! That was another digression.

  Back to the introductions! The Realm of Zodica is of a much higher vibrational frequency than the Realm of Celestia. As such, Paradins are of a higher vibrational frequency and level of consciousness than angels and archangels. Paradins are also gender defined; a male is a Cherub, and a female is a Seraph. Cherubim and Seraphim (plurals) work together at every instant to oversee each cosmic cluster in your Milky Way. Both periodically supply each cosmic cluster with the masculine and feminine versions of consciousness according to the dictates of the Cosmic Clock. As such, the basic duty of Paradins is to translate, transfer and transduce the cosmic mind unto cosmic clusters.

  So why do I tell you this? Simple! It is a part of my grand plan. I am not just an anomaly. I am THE Anomaly. Let me remind you of my sole purpose. It is to undo all of Creation. Not some, not a little, not most! ALL of Creation! I don’t just unleash chaos. I AM Chaos. But before I do this, every part of the plan must be perfect. For me to execute my plan, the plan itself must be subtle to seem harmless yet strong enough to carry on a chain reaction across Creation. Most of all, for the plan to succeed, the moment must be perfect. And when is the perfect moment? When the Cosmic Clock goes through the Great Reset, and that reset is very, very nigh. This will be my first birthday and undoing Creation will be the perfect birthday gift. I am so excited I can barely contain myself!

  Keerim! My one and only puppet of a cherub! I remember the moment I won him over. He was the perfect cherub; they all are anyway. But provide a puppet with just enough purpose, and it prides itself on being a principality with unlimited power. Pathetic! They don’t call me a purveyor of purpose for nothing, do they? Well, that’s how I describe myself. Yes, Keerim is a part of my plan, just like Marlo, Maduk and Kazuk are my puzzle pieces on Earth, Nimbu and Hell Realms, respectively. Okay, I will end my rants now. I think I am consumed by so much impatience to the extent that I just may be losing my mind. The moment draws nigh, and all the pieces are not yet fully in place. That makes me concerned... That makes me worried… And I don’t like it when I’m worried…

  The Scribe then closed his eyes and ceased the ranting in his mind. In this state of existence, he dared not speak or make a sound, lest he be discovered. He was aware he was losing his composure and it frightened him. Fear was something he forged for the fearful. But right this moment, fear was also a luxury he certainly could not afford. No! Not when he was so close to succeeding. But what was he afraid of? He certainly was not afraid of failing. His ego would not concede to the idea of failure. Was it because he could not answer the question of ‘what next’ when it is all over? Purpose is purveyed, purpose is served, and more purpose is purveyed. So, what was he afraid of?

  The Scribe knew the answer. It was as real as his existence, and it made him shiver to a denser form, but still subliminal enough to remain undetected. He went to meet Keerim. He knew his tardiness would send Keerim to the edge, but he did not care for Keerim’s feelings. Frustration was a petty sentiment he had no intention of indulging in or entertaining. There was only one sentiment he could entertain at the moment: his fear. And The Scribe feared that despite everything that was happening, he was so madly in love with Akasha. He was not sure why, but he knew he was, and he feared his own petty sentiment just might put his plan in serious peril.

  ***

  Keerim was growing more restless and impatient. But he focused on his task as always. Although his essence had become tainted, he still was a great cherub and Vinath, his new seraph partner, greatly enjoyed working with him, as he greatly enjoyed working with her. His cosmic clusters floated within him and Vinath like tiny specks of multicolored dust particles, with each color and shade representing various levels in the collective consciousness.

  “Do you see that, Vee?” Keerim asked his partner.

  “Yes, Kay,” she replied and sighed.

  A group of green-colored specks suddenly turned bright red and then disappeared. Its effects spread to some nearby specks, but these specks did not change in color. What had just transpired was that various nearby realms had gone to war. One of the warring camps had used a weapon they wrongly thou
ght they could manage. The electromagnetic pulse released from the weapon was not enough to counteract the antimatter flux fallout and a black hole had been created, which engulfed the realm, its binary realm, and some of its neighbors. Luckily, the black hole was not self-sustaining and it collapsed into itself.

  “Just another moment at work,” Keerim said.

  Vinath nodded. Keerim brushed a finger close to the self-made cataclysm and absorbed any residual energy left behind from the carnage.

  “Awww, do you see this, Kay?” Vinath asked.

  A speck changed its colors from dark green to very bright violet, indicative of a significant elevation in the collective consciousness of the realm they were observing. Vinath was happy, and Keerim could not help but feel better after the senseless destruction he had just observed.

  “It is truly a beautiful sight,” Keerim remarked. “At least, all is not lost.”

  “Indeed, Kay” Vinath agreed. “And is everything alright with you?”

  Vinath asked suddenly, without taking her eyes off her clusters.

  “Yes, everything is alright with me,” Keerim tried to sound normal. “Why do you ask?”

  “Nothing,” Vinath replied. “Just seems like you’re getting attached.”

  “No, I’m not,” Keerim replied confidently. “I think I’m going through the phase a little earlier, with the upcoming cosmic shift.”

  “Oh, please don’t remind me about that,” Vinath said as she injected a tiny dose of love vibration into a cluster that was struggling to leap forward in consciousness.

  It worked, and its color changed from dark orange to pale blue.

  “We can’t run away from it, can we?” Keerim said, and they both laughed.

  “And where is that Scribe?!” Keerim thought. “His tardiness is annoying!”

  “You know, you really should watch your colors,” The Scribe said telepathically in a sub-Paradin frequency. “Your lies can be spotted from across the dimension,” The Scribe added sarcastically.

  “And don’t you ever sneak up on me like that again, Scribe!” Keerim replied in the same sub-Paradin frequency.

  Vinath was oblivious of the conversation between Keerim and The Scribe. Neither Vinath nor Keerim could see The Scribe.

  “My sincere apologies, cherub,” The Scribe spoke with enough sarcasm to irritate Keerim some more. “Personally, I prefer not to make a grand entrance when I’m about to hold a secret meeting that would lead to you betraying your kind. I can only hope you understand my position, oh great and mighty cherub.”

  “Let’s get on with it, shall we?” Keerim replied, choosing to ignore The Scribe’s insult. “Do you have it?”

  “Not yet, Keerim,” The Scribe replied nonchalantly. “It is not yet-”

  “You mean you still have not obtained it, have you?” Keerim retorted.

  “Alas, no, I have not yet obtained the Zarark,” The Scribe conceded.

  Paradins suffer a lot from unstable vibrational patterns at the cusp of a new cycle. During such instability, they become open books and very transparent. Keerim did not want to become an open book. He needed to keep a secret of his past secret and would do anything to preserve that secret. But The Scribe was aware of both Keerim’s unstable psyche and secret, making Keerim the perfect candidate for keeping the Zarark he planned on obtaining from Celestia and serving as another catalyst in his plan to undo Creation.

  “There is something off about you, Scribe,” Keerim said. “This confirms what they are saying about you! You are becoming sloppy!”

  “Who said that?” The Scribe asked, unable to hide his irritation.

  “Irrelevant, Scribe,” Keerim taunted and enjoyed doing so.

  It felt great giving The Scribe a dose of his own medicine.

  “Are you sure everything is alright?” Vinath asked again, this time with more concern in her voice than Keerim had ever heard before.

  “Yes, Vee,” Keerim replied, trying desperately to sound casual.

  “Maybe I’m asking the wrong question,” Vinath said. “I meant to ask, is everything alright with you and I? Do you like working with me?”

  There was a professional sadness in her tone that caught Keerim off guard.

  “Vee-” Keerim made to reply, but Vinath cut him off.

  “Please, let me finish,” she said firmly. “I know I’m new here and given what happened with your last partner, I just wanted to make sure that you’re not averse to working with me based on a past situation with someone else.”

  Keerim was deeply touched.

  “Vinath, I am truly sorry if I have, in any way, communicated such sentiments towards you,” his apology was genuine. “Rest assured that I truly love working with you and I would ask for no other partner unless the Elders decide otherwise. Even then, I would do my best to maintain our status quo. Where you go, I go, Vee. Working with you so far has been a wonderful experience. It’s just the upcoming cosmic shift that is messing me up more than usual. That’s all, I assure you.”

  Vinath smiled, thanked him and went back to work.

  “Wow, that was some speech!” The Scribe said in the sub-Paradin frequency. “You’re so good at this that I don’t see why you even need the Zarark!”

  “You really are getting sloppy, you imbecile!” Keerim barked.

  Keerim was erring towards anger, but he had to watch himself lest he accidentally unleashed his anger unto a cluster. Such an action would translate to annihilations of cosmic proportions. An inquiry would ensue, and he would be doomed. He could not afford that at the moment. So, he decided to calm himself down.

  “First of all, it was not an act!” Keerim continued. “This upcoming shift is having a different effect on me this go-round and I’m not sure why-“

  “It’s the Great Reset,” The Scribe interjected. “That’s why it feels different because it IS different.”

  “Uh huh!” mocked Keerim. “You have officially lost your mind, Scribe. What in the name of Creation is a Great Reset?”

  Keerim shook his head and scoffed. The Scribe shrugged. Why even bother to explain something so important to someone so stupid!

  “Back to what I was saying before you cut me off,” Keerim said. “Second of all, I can only pretend for so long. You see for yourself! She is already picking up the fringes of what I am going through. That is why we need the Zarark as in right now, and you are not playing your part, you incompetent buffoon!”

  “I’d suggest you watch your tone, cherub-” The Scribe admonished.

  “Then stop joking around and do your job, Scribe!” Keerim ordered.

  The Scribe closed his eyes and tried nurse his bruised ego.

  “There is a plan in place, and it will be effectuated soon,” The Scribe spoke slowly. “I needed a few more moments, but I can speed things up a little. In the meantime, please just hang in there, and I will address the situation.”

  “Finally, some positive news,” Keerim replied. “Still doesn’t change the fact that you are losing it, Scribe. I am not sure what is happening to you, but I hope it has nothing to do with my initial suspicions.”

  “Thank you for your word of counsel, but I’ll be fine,” The Scribe said.

  “That’s a phrase you’ve never used before; ‘I’ll be fine’,” Keerim added.

  The Scribe knew the cherub had just made a solid point, to which he had no rebuttal. He chose to stay silent.

  “I’ve sacrificed too much already and will sacrifice a lot more if need be for this plan of yours,” Keerim continued. “So, this plan better work or else I’ll be a cherub with nothing to lose. And rest assured, Scribe, you do not want to experience that side of me.”

  “Is this really all for her?” The Scribe asked as calmly as he could.

  Keerim said nothing. The Scribe chose to ignore Keerim’s threat; not that he thought it was not important. It was more about letting the cherub think the cherub was in control. Nothing wrong with a little bit of motivation every now and then. After all, The
Scribe was just doing what he does best; purveying purpose. Keerim’s first and only mistake was that Keerim had believed and trusted him in the first place.

  “Tell me cherub! Is this really all for her?” The Scribe asked again.

  Keerim remained silent.

  “What do you hope to achieve? Forgiveness? Redemption? Maybe a blend of both?” the Scribe pushed on.

  The Scribe was relishing the moment. After all, Keerim had just spent the past moments doing nothing but bruising his ego, his very nature. It was only fair that he returned the favor in like manner or even better. He was only being himself, anyway.

  “It was not my fault,” Keerim offered a weak counter.

  “Of course, it was your fault!” The Scribe was relentless. “Whose fault was it, if not yours? No Paradin has ever fallen in the history of Paradins! Yet, you succeeded in achieving the unachievable.”

  “It was out of love-” Keerim attempted another rebuttal.

  “Well, good luck trying to explain that to her, cherub,” The Scribe said.

  “Is that what this is all about for you as well?” Keerim asked. “You think she will love you back if you just make her understand?”

  “No, Keerim, this is not for her or about her!” The Scribe replied firmly. “This is for me and about me! This is about what I want because I am Chaos. I am living up to my true nature, and I am inviting you to partake! You will get your prize as promised! If there is anything I do not do, it is to lie, and you know that!”

  The Scribe prepared to leave.

  “You know she will end you the moment she lays her eyes on you, right?” Keerim taunted, but Chaos remained unfazed.

  “I’ll be back with the Zarark, and you will have peace of mind,” Chaos decided to change the subject. “You let me worry about everything else.”

  The Scribe vanished from Keerim’s sight.

  Keerim was pleased to see that the spark had returned in The Scribe’s eyes. For a moment, he had been concerned that The Scribe could slip, make a mistake and jeopardize everything. But never underestimate the power of a very humiliated interdimensional entity.