by Tim Hawken
Clytemnestra adjusted the small axes she had strapped to her thighs and continued after him. Marlowe took Germaine by the upper arm and led him into a marching pace. Charlotte and I followed. Two by two, we kept a strong pace over the drab grass: Phineus and Clytemnestra in front, Marlowe and Germaine in the middle, Lotte and I close behind. There were pieces of rubble here and there, the only remnants that marked the broken barrier which had fallen from above. I considered taking flight, but thought it better to let Phineus lead. He obviously thought the best way was to march right now, so I kept walking briskly, using the chance to study the sky. The construction was a beautiful light blue, speckled with silver; a mixture of light earthly elements and different kinds of spiritual strength. It looked like a crystal clear day on Earth, but with a galaxy of bright stars adding their light in as well. I couldn’t see the finer detail because it was so high up, but the weave must have made up the ground level of Heaven. This universe was a strange place. Seeing how it was made in The Chamber of Maps had only given me an inkling of how it all really fit together. The sky seemed like it was still a separation to Purgatory of sorts. However, I thought that if I tried I would be able to break through quite easily. Without knowing exactly what was on the other side I didn’t want to risk it just yet. My intuition told me that where Zoroaster and I had destroyed the centre of the old filter, cracking its power source apart, there would still be a gaping hole leading upward. That hole we created would be in the outer reaches of Purgatory, away from the city. With luck we wouldn’t have far to travel from where we were.
“Do you think there will be people down here?” Charlotte asked, looking at me earnestly as we walked. I remembered she had friends in this place.
“I have no idea,” I answered plainly. “Perhaps some have chosen to stay. It doesn’t have that same depressing feeling with the light of this sky.”
She looked upwards, contemplating what I had said.
“It is beautiful,” she agreed. “Still, the lure to see Heaven would be strong for people who have been working to make it there every moment since they died. I would be surprised if Zoroaster hadn’t taken a majority to the heavenly city right away.”
Surely she was right. I couldn’t imagine that strange but charismatic man staying idle after we had brought down the barrier together. He always worked for the people and that wouldn’t have changed between realms.
The meadow was changing slightly around us now. It wasn’t the ground but the sky. In the distance, there was a distinct variation in color. The blue and silver above cut abruptly away to a burst of sunny gold. The heavenly light was streaming downward, making even the grey grass glow with life. This was the breach that had cut through when the barrier had been destroyed. If I thought about it, there was most likely some kind of gap in this sky before anyway. The light souls from Purgatory, lucky enough to pass to Heaven, had been pulled up through the centre of the filter up above, so there must have been a space to emerge through. We had simply peeled back the first barrier, making the space larger at the top. The aura coming through cast new meaning into this mundane realm. Even here, at the fringes of its influence, small white flowers began to appear in clumps around us. After mere moments, we were walking on a soft bed of them. Through the light, still far away, I could just make out some kind of pathway that had been built to rise up beyond sight. It was a wide, winding ramp of stone. Zoroaster had indeed been true to his word. That was a new bridge between realms.
“Shouldn’t we be trying to go faster?” Germaine said as he beheld the sight ahead of us.
The prophet leading the way didn’t break pace, but he and Clytemnestra both looked back at the comment.
“If we do, we’ll miss him,” Phineus said and turned back into his march.
I looked at Charlotte in questioning, but she appeared just as curious as I. Jogging, I caught up to the prophet, wanting a clearer explanation. He was almost running on his short legs; Clytemnestra was moving easily beside him with her long stride.
“Phineus?” I asked, as I came to his side. “Who will we miss if we go too fast?”
He simply pointed up ahead. A small silhouette appeared through the golden light. It was a single figure, standing patiently with a bundle in its arms, looking away from us, up into the sky. It was impossible to make out exactly who it was through the glow, but Phineus made hope flood into me with his next words: “The friendly man with the teddy bear. He has been waiting for us.”
SIX
“DANTE!” I YELLED AS I RAN AHEAD TO GREET MY OLD FRIEND.
At first I remained cautious, but I could sense no deception. The comment by Phineus that this was a “friendly man” had eased my worry. Dante spun around at the sound of my voice. His eyes were always wide and eyebrows raised high, so I wasn’t sure if he was surprised to see me, or simply wearing his normal expression.
“Saint Michael!” he greeted me, waving.
He held up the teddy that he called Virgil in his arms and made it wave as well. Ever since I had first met him on the icy winter streets of Las Vegas, that bear had been at his side. He had lost his mind and even in the afterlife was yet to find it again. I recalled that he refused to admit Virgil wasn’t real, since it had been his only friend and support through his troubled times. Dante was standing in front of a raised group of cloud-like rocks. This was the place I had very first entered Purgatory. Right below us, deep in the ground, was the very centre of Hell’s filter. A few hundred meters away, Zoroaster’s bridge of stone began. It was like a giant spiral staircase, winding into the sky. The heavenly light coming down was warm and comforting, streaming through the rough edges of a giant opening, which looked like a chasm spreading upward instead of down. The lip of the large tear spread wide, like the teeth of a great white shark. If it weren’t for the illumination coming down, it would have looked positively evil.
“I’ve been…” Dante began as I neared.
“Waiting for me, I know,” I finished his sentence for him.
“You always were very wise.” He smiled happily, hugging Virgil to his chest and then looking into space.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
His eyes fogged for just a moment, as though he was searching for a memory, before the spark came back as he remembered.
“We volunteered,” he said, indicating the bear. “Mr. Zoroaster needed someone to meet you, to explain what was happening so you could be prepared for Heaven.”
The rest of our party came towards us and he nodded to them in greeting, saying: “Hullo.”
“This is Dante and Virgil,” I said to the others as they came near enough to hear. Charlotte stepped in.
“We’ve met before,” she said, holding out her hand to shake his.
“Oh yes, at the Truth School. You’re beautiful,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. “We remember.”
I introduced the others, who all hung back at a slight distance, wary, as I had been. Phineus was the only other one who approached, raising his palm in salutation. Dante paused, looking at the prophet’s strange eyes before turning back to me.
“Zoroaster said that if I found you, you should come to him right away. He told me,” Dante screwed his eyes up in concentration, “come low through the trees to the left of the city. Stop before you exit the forest. He’ll have guards waiting to bring you to the camp.”
My friend opened his eyes again and smiled, as though proud of himself. What he had said sounded foreboding, so I pressed him for more details.
“Is there anything else? What is it like up there?”
“Michael?” Marlowe said from behind me.
I turned to see the African looking steadily up into the light streaming down from above. He was squinting, but seemed worried. I followed his line of vision, but could see nothing different.
“Can you feel that? I think we need to get going,” he said.
I stopped and concentrated. There was a very light pressure, starting to tug at my body, gently urging i
t to return the way we came. It must have been the start of the cycle of cleansing I had predicted. Searching upwards with elemental sight, I could see it. A fog of atoms was coming through the gap pierced in the ceiling of Purgatory. It mixed with the light, which was pink in this view, appearing to be some type of love. The darker elements flowed down through it and then outward in all directions, away to the edges of the filter that was concealed below our feet. I guessed that before we had destroyed the filter above those evil elements would have gone to the edges of it instead, before being pushed through the sides of both barriers into Hell. It explained why The Guilt had been stronger recently: it didn’t have as much to push through now. The effect here against my body was like standing in a weak stream. It would become a river before too long, I was sure; Marlowe was right.
“You can tell me more while we fly,” I said to Dante.
“Fly?” he asked, looking to Virgil, afraid. “But we don’t have wings.”
“You won’t need them,” I said kindly, before turning to Germaine.
He was also looking upwards, studying the elemental construction of what was happening. His face was pursed deep in thought.
“Germaine!” I said, snapping him out of it. “The same formation as last time, but I want Dante next to me.”
He blinked slowly before nodding his understanding. He came in closer to me. Marlowe and Clytemnestra fell in also, like two prepared soldiers. Phineus adjusted his robes around him, so they wouldn’t flap in the wind as we flew. I gave Charlotte a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Are you ready to see Heaven, my love?” I asked.
She nodded her answer.
Without waiting any longer, I let her go and brought us upward, whipping the elements thickly beneath us. As we lifted off, Dante let out a cry of surprise, looking down as the others came up as well. Germaine kept us in pattern and I surged ahead with Dante next to me, aiming straight for the chasm. We wouldn’t need Zoroaster’s pathway. Dante gripped Virgil tightly to his chest, squirming with fright as he tried to figure out what was happening.
“Relax,” I said to him soothingly, as the cloud-like rocks below faded from view. “I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.”
He watched me, his eyes bugging out from below his sweeping eyebrows. His nose was big and hooked, nearly touching his upper lip, which quivered as he tried to control his fear. I looked away for a moment, concentrating as we pushed upward. The flow of the dark elements coming down felt stronger as we neared. From this closer vantage point I could see the blue and silver sky that made up the ceiling of Purgatory was actually as solid as rock. There were clawed rips in it from the force of the final explosion I had created last time. The space was canyon wide, but because elements were being pushed through from the open air above it, the power of the current was greater as we passed through. However, after the ordeal of negotiating the barrier of Hell, it was comparatively easy. Switching to regular sight, I kept the group steady and headed into the heavenly light. The love that was infused with the illumination coming down buoyed my mood. Making us go faster, I eyed the top of the opening. Now that my eyes had adjusted, I could see a stunningly white sky. A lush rainforest met the edges of the ravine on one edge, but I made our way to the other side where Zoroaster’s path was cut into the ground. I didn’t touch down, preferring to keep moving quickly, but made sure we glided only a few feet from the trail. As the pathway rose, the blue rocks of the ravine disappeared.
We emerged onto an immaculate lawn, long and wide, bordered on all sides by tropical trees. Rows of sapphire statues marked the edge of the forest. There were hundreds of them, immense sparkling replicas of cherub angels. Their innocent faces were all turned to the side, facing the same direction. Their baby fingers pointed the way. I looked to where they were facing. At the top of the wide stretch of vivid green grass, the row of statues formed to a point that opened onto a road glimmering like diamonds. The statues seemed to border it all the way into the distance. On the horizon, a shining city of white and gold rose up. This was the first thing the souls rising from Purgatory would see. There could be no mistake that it was the heavenly city we were heading to. The sight almost overwhelmed me with joy. I felt almost as if I was returning home after a long time away, knowing all my friends would be there to greet me. Nearly all of my friends, though, were at my side. I grew suspicious of the emotion, suddenly feeling exposed out here in the open. Without pausing further I increased the pace of our flight and headed for the trees to the left as Zoroaster had instructed. The palms rushed at as with speed as I spotted a gap.
Looking back, I yelled at Germaine, “Single file!”
In an instant he obeyed, snapping us together like a zipper. We threaded between two of the statues and rushed into the shelter of the forest. I had expected the interior to be dense and thick, but the trees were all arranged in symmetrical order, row by row, leaving only enough space for a single body to pass through the grid. The mathematical precision on such a large scale was sublime to behold. It was… perfect. The only thing stopping me from being able to see all the way to the end of the forest was the canopy above, blocking out the light. I flew on until we were deep inside, away from where we had entered.
Bringing us to a stop, I let our feet touch down, feeling more at ease in the shadows. The rest of the group landed with grace behind, except Dante, who stumbled into me. Propping him up, I held him at arm’s length, making sure he was steady before letting him go.
“Holy shit,” he said, wide-eyed, checking that Virgil was still in his arms. “That was much faster than when we came up the first time.”
I looked over his head at the others, who were still in single file. I had to lift a little off the ground so I could see them all. Marlowe was at the rear, looking back to make sure nothing was behind us. I watched as he stepped across to the next row of trees before coming back and doing the same on the other side. He nodded that we seemed to be clear. Germaine and Clytemnestra fidgeted uneasily, while Phineus stood calmly. All was completely still apart from us. Charlotte looked cautiously to the side before catching my eye.
“We should keep moving,” she said.
“It’s okay,” Dante replied, turning back to her. “There’s nothing in here. Everyone is at the city. No one wants to be too far away from it.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
He looked back at me and sniffed, hugging his bear against him.
“Do you feel good?”
It was a strange question, but I thought for a moment before answering. Now that we had stopped, that feeling of wellbeing and confidence I had felt as we entered Heaven had subsided. The effect of it being gone left me nervous. I could also feel the pull of the filter lightly trying to draw me back to Hell.
“No, not really,” I said.
“In the light here you feel good,” Dante said. “It’s not like that under the trees, where it doesn’t get through. The sensation is even nicer near the city.”
“Why?” I asked.
The old bum shrugged his shoulders. “People say it’s the love of God. Zoroaster says it’s a beautiful lie to keep people happy and stupid.”
“And what do you think?” I pressed him.
“It feels fake. All I want is to see my wife and show her I can be not crazy anymore, but they won’t let us in the city. Everyone is gathered at the gates, camping out and waiting. They say we should be glad that we’re even that close. I don’t like it, but if I get too angry I might go to Hell, so I try to stay content.”
Dante’s words made me feel like all my efforts so far had really been for nothing. It was one division after another with Asmodeus. The love of God. It sounded as if he was manipulating them with the elements to keep them sedated. If it grew stronger nearer the city, people would naturally be drawn there. He was keeping all his supporters in one place, but he was still keeping those he felt unworthy out of his precious capital. I needed to know more. Zoroaster would be able to tell me. I turned around, peeri
ng through the rows of trees.
“Are we heading the right way, Dante?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “We just keep walking and we’ll get there eventually.”
Eventually wasn’t quick enough. I prepared to take us all there now. No more delays. We couldn’t afford to wait.
SEVEN
ZOROASTER’S GUARDS WERE WAITING at the edge of the forest when we arrived. There were two of them: tall shirtless men who looked like Vikings. Both had blonde hair, plaited in a long braid down their backs, with beards to match. Neither carried a weapon, but their bulging muscles said their bodies were lethal enough. They greeted us with stoic nods. One, who had a jagged scar on his left cheek, spoke as we approached.
“You are Michael,” he said in a question that wasn’t a question.
“I am,” I confirmed, watching him with care.
“Please follow me,” he said curtly.
Without another word, the two of them turned and started to walk back through the last of the trees. I looked to Dante for an explanation.
“They aren’t very talkative,” he offered and followed them.
Not wanting to fall behind, I waved for us to move forward. I could feel the pull of the filter growing again in strength against my skin. It was now like a stiff wind that made no noise, but pushed persistently against me. Keeping pace, Charlotte strode to be level with me, one row across. We were separated by a tree-length, so I saw her appear each time we passed a trunk. The others were right at our backs. We finally exited the forest and Lotte came to my side. Towering up above us, the capital of Heaven shone in its soft, white illumination. It was built on a vast slope that rose at a steady incline back and up. At its top I could see the eight quartz domes Mary had described to us: God’s Basilica. The central dome was higher than the rest. Distant figures of angels flew around it, going in and out. Around the basilica complex was a sweeping wall. The roofs of buildings could just be seen between it and another. In concentric circles all the way down, the city spread along the slope, its mostly white roofs and walls zigzagging between like a maze. Where the incline finished a final barricade stood, capped with curved parapets. It looked to have no one guarding it. The height alone was enough to turn anyone back, blocking out from view what I guessed must be the first quarter of the metropolis. It was made from a solid weave of gold and diamond, without a gap or a break in its construction. At the bottom of the wall, white cloth – silk apparently – tents had been erected in neat rows, creating another mini-city at the foot of the real one. Some tents had flags; others were bare. They caught the glimmer of the city above, but still looked dull in comparison. The tents were organized in the same circular pattern of the metropolis, with streets and pathways neatly laid out. It looked more like a regimented army had set up camp here, rather than the refugees of Purgatory who I knew were inside. It was a creation of Zoroaster’s mind. Truth brought order – or so he said. The light coming from above washed over the entire scene and I felt the familiar emotion of content spreading into me. Pushing it away, I ignored the effects.