The Ether

by Laurice Elehwany Molinari

  “Entering dreams is one of the toughest tasks for an angel, but you’ll learn soon enough,” Uriel said.

  The soothing sound of wind chimes echoed through the temple.

  “What’s that?” Vero asked.

  “First period bell.”

  “Much nicer than the bell at my school,” Vero said.

  Hordes of kids suddenly streamed out onto the balconies and down the steps. Some looked as young as six or seven; others were Vero’s age and older. Though none of them had their wings extended, Vero suspected they were all angels.

  “What is this? Angel school?” Vero asked.

  “Yes, it’s all part of your training. You are now standing in the Cathedral of Angels for Novice Development, Learning and Edification. Or C.A.N.D.L.E. for short. You will be one of the fledglings.”

  Vero smiled. “I get it . . . a fledgling is a young bird that’s just gotten its wings.”

  “Correct.”

  “So all of these fledglings will be assigned a person to watch over, right?” Vero asked as he watched the angels walk across the marble floors to the different classrooms.

  “Yes.”

  “Well then, who watches over that person until we’re able to?”

  “The Holders. They’re an experienced group of guardian angels who fulfill your duties until you’re ready . . . unless, of course, the soul hasn’t yet been born on earth.”

  As Vero took in the hustle and bustle of the temple, someone bumped into him hard, knocking him to the ground. He looked up to see a female angel about his age. She was tall and athletic with short brown hair shot through with blonde streaks. She had three small hoop earrings in each of her ears. And with her faded jeans, chunky boots, and forceful attitude, she looked every bit the way he imagined a fierce warrior angel would look. Vero reckoned she was not a person to be messed with. She walked away without so much as a ‘Sorry.’

  “I thought angels were supposed to be nice to each other,” Vero said.

  Uriel watched the retreating figure of the rude angel and shook his head. “Sure. But it doesn’t always work out that way.”

  Vero and Uriel walked through the temple until they reached a small open courtyard under a bright sky. A few angels sat on benches surrounded by meticulously manicured shrubs. A fringe of mature, leafy trees ringed the courtyard.

  “This is your classroom,” Uriel said.

  “Really?” Vero asked, turning in a slow circle and scanning his surroundings.

  “Students learn faster in a natural, relaxing environment.”

  Recalling his stuffy, crowded classrooms on earth, where he’d been forced to sit in a straight-backed chair for hours, Vero said, “Can you give my principal a vision of this place?”

  Uriel chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Vero recognized the other fledglings. Ada was sitting next to Pax on the bench, his glasses slightly askew. X was lying on a bench with his dark face turned up toward the sun. Kane sat on the ground, leaning comfortably against a small tree. Uriel waved his arm toward the others. “And these are your classmates, Vero, whom I think you already know.”

  The other angels looked over at Vero. He nodded, acknowledging them.

  Suddenly an angel flew into the courtyard with the velocity of a comet breaking through the atmosphere. As the angel slowed to a stop, he relaxed his wings and shook his head, trying to regain his equilibrium after his rapid flight.

  The angel wore a light blue iridescent cloak that went down to his ankles. He had an angular face with a distinctly bent nose and a white goatee, and his short white hair looked wild and untamed. This angel was much bigger than Uriel, and more muscular; yet they shared the same violet-colored eyes. When the mighty angel regained his bearings, he turned and looked at Uriel with an intense gaze. Vero could tell by their expressions that the two were conversing mentally about something serious. Vero wished he’d learned how to tap into his inner angelic ESP. And just as that thought crossed Vero’s mind, the impressive angel’s gaze landed squarely on Vero.

  Were they talking about me?

  Pax’s head quickly turned in Vero’s direction. Had Pax tapped into their conversation?

  Uriel then bowed his head to the angel and turned to the class. “For those of you who don’t know him, this is the archangel Raziel. He will be instructing you today.”

  Raziel nodded to the group.

  “Before I leave, remember this — trust the voice inside each of you, for it is Truth itself. We call it Vox Dei. That’s Latin for ‘God’s voice.’ ”

  As Vero reflected on Uriel’s words, Uriel unfurled his wings and disappeared in a blur.

  “Gather ’round,” Raziel said abruptly, motioning toward benches arranged near a podium sitting on the grass. “Come on, come on.”

  X sat up, and Kane took a seat on a bench. But Raziel’s intense scrutiny had made Vero uneasy, so he hesitated a moment.

  Raziel noticed Vero’s reluctance. “Do you want a separate invitation?”

  Vero felt his face burn. “Sorry, I was just, uh, looking for a seat.” He quickly sat next to Ada. Here it was his first official day of lessons, and he was already on the teacher’s bad side.

  Raziel seems to be a bit more high-strung than Uriel. No sooner had Vero thought this then Raziel silenced his thoughts with a glare. Vero shrunk down in his seat.

  Raziel peered at the fledglings. “I am Raziel. I will be your teacher in basic angelic knowledge and understanding.

  I expect your full attention at all times because it is my job to provide you with a complete grasp of who you are and what is expected of you. Should I fail in my attempt to educate you, it would be a great loss not only to you, but also to the heavens.”

  “What do you mean?” Pax asked.

  “Not all angels make the cut.”

  The fledglings exchanged worried looks.

  “Should you fail in the training process, then you automatically forfeit becoming a guardian. It’s over.”

  “But what happens if we fail?” Ada asked. “I thought we’d die on earth only when our training is completed.”

  “Yes, that is true. But your training is ‘completed’ in two ways . . . pass or fail. Should you fail your training, you will not be allowed back into your human body. To those on earth, you will appear to have died as per your most recent transition to the Ether, and your body will be buried. You will never become a guardian, and you will be assigned to the choir of angels.”

  “Is that a bad thing?” Kane asked.

  “Of course not. Singing praises to the Almighty is a noble and joyous calling. But you’d better love to sing.” Raziel paused a moment before continuing, “As you train, you will be judged according to your bravery, strength, character, combat skills, compassion, and, most importantly, your faith. Each of you has a crown waiting for you in heaven. Every time you do well, a jewel will be added to it.”

  “So the goal is to fill up the crown?” Ada asked.

  “The goal is to get as many jewels as you can,” Raziel answered.

  “So are we in competition with each other?” X asked, a bit confused.

  Raziel looked around at the group. “Don’t think of it as competition, but rather as pushing each other to excel, to reach his or her full potential. Only the best can be guardians.” For a moment, his expression seemed to soften. “This might be one of the hardest concepts for young angels to understand,” he said. “I myself have struggled with this.”

  Vero mulled that over. He thought about the Navy flight school his father had attended. Since his childhood, Vero’s dad had desperately wanted to become a Navy pilot. After college, he’d been accepted into Navy flight school, and he trained with a group of guys who all became close buddies. But even though they all trained together, only the best of the best would become pilots. So ultimately, the guys were competing with one another.

  During flight school, for each maneuver mastered, his dad received an “attaboy” that went on his record.
Though he received a decent number of attaboys, some of the other guys received more. His dad washed out of flight school, and the Navy assigned him to the job of supply clerk. His childhood dream to fly for the Navy went unfulfilled. After his father’s tour with the Navy ended, he traded in that desk job for another desk job at the World Bank.

  It had always bothered Vero that his father had been so close to getting his “wings” but had ended up sitting behind a desk.

  “There are a lot of misconceptions about angels,” Raziel continued. “First of all, we don’t walk around with halos over our heads. Second, very few of us play the harp. Third, we don’t lounge around on the clouds eating marshmallows all day. We are warriors — the fiercest of all warriors — because the enemy is always ready to strike, and the Fallen won’t go easy on us. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, so you will need to learn to defend yourself.” Raziel’s eyes rested on Vero. “Because we won’t always be there to save you.”

  Vero’s spirits dropped. Was Raziel angry with him because Uriel had to save him from the maltures on the roof? Does Raziel doubt he has what it takes to become a guardian?

  “Vero, tell me some of the tasks that guardian angels per-form,” Raziel said.

  “Uh, we protect humans . . .” He thought of the prayer grid. “We answer prayers once God gives the okay. We’re messengers. We try to influence humans . . .”

  “Mainly through . . . ?”

  “Dreams,” Ada jumped in. “We enter dreams to deliver messages.”

  “Good. Someone else?”

  “We interpret visions,” X offered. “We carry out God’s commands, whether it be destroying entire cities or helping a person with a flat tire. We also assist humans at their death, helping them cross over.”

  An unfamiliar voice shouted from behind them, “We slay demons!”

  Everyone turned to see that a new girl had entered the courtyard. It was the angel who’d rudely bumped into Vero inside the temple.

  She sat under a tree.

  “So nice of you to make it, Greer. Wouldn’t you rather join us over here?” Raziel asked. The voice was polite, but the command was apparent.

  “No. Not really.”

  Vero looked at Ada with raised eyebrows, awaiting Raziel’s response. Vero was sure that Raziel wouldn’t let her get away with it. His eyes scanned the outdoor classroom, trying to figure out ways Raziel could punish her. But there was no corner to stand in or chalkboard to clean or even sheets of paper for writing essays.

  Raziel silently stared at Greer for a moment, then said, “All right, let’s continue.”

  Vero’s forehead creased. That’s it? Raziel had humiliated him in front of the whole class! He opened his mouth to protest, but Ada kicked Vero’s leg and shook her head. Raziel’s eyes flitted to Vero, then back to Greer. “Yes, you are correct. Slaying demons is another role of guardians. Our enemies’ influence over humans can be strong. And often, slaying the demon is the only way to save them.”

  Kane raised his hand. “When do we learn that? When do we get our swords?”

  “When you’re deemed to be ready. And then Michael will instruct you,” Raziel answered.

  Vero’s eyes lit up when he heard the name Michael. He knew about Michael from Sunday school — the archangel leader, a fierce warrior who cast Lucifer and his fallen angels out of heaven and banished them into darkness. From his studies at school, Vero knew about the Renaissance painter Raphael and his painting of Michael standing courageously with his mighty sword drawn, crushing the head of the fallen Satan.

  In the Bible it was prophesied that Michael would slay the dragon and defeat Satan’s army in the end times. Excitement rose in Vero’s chest knowing that at some point in his training he would actually meet Michael. Would he be worthy to be in Michael’s presence?

  “And I’m not good enough for you?”

  Vero snapped out of his thoughts to see Raziel standing over him, piercing him with a scornful look.

  “Are you bored in my class?” Raziel asked.

  Raziel can read my thoughts! Did Vero’s admiration of Michael offend Raziel? Had Vero hurt his feelings? He suddenly felt totally exposed.

  “I’m not worthy enough to hold your attention?”

  What’s Raziel’s deal? Vero was beginning to realize he didn’t like Raziel much, but then he immediately regretted the thought. The narrowing of Raziel’s eyes confirmed it . . . he was reading Vero’s mind.

  “I’m not bored,” Vero quickly said. Then he deliberately thought, I’m happy to be here.

  “Then it will do you good to keep your mind focused on the lesson,” Raziel said.

  Vero heard Greer snicker. He looked over at her, and she flashed him a smug smile. Vero turned his head back to the lesson, not wanting to incur any more of Raziel’s wrath.

  “All of the mentioned tasks of the angels are correct. But the one that you failed to bring up is probably the most important. The one which must be obeyed before all others.”

  The young angels leaned forward eagerly — except for Greer who idly plucked blades of grass from the ground.

  “The most important task for all angels to master is learning to accept God’s will over your own,” Raziel said. “Accepting God’s will above your own is the ultimate expression of faith and love. It is also one of the hardest of our tasks. And why is that?”

  Raziel looked out over the class. No one raised a hand, but Greer stopped pulling grass blades and focused her eyes on Raziel.

  “Because it involves trials and tribulations, pain and suffering,” Raziel said solemnly. “It will require you to deny yourself for the sake of others or for the greater good. It will not be easy. At times, your heart will shatter when you witness man’s injustice and cruelty to one another — especially when all you can do is sit back and watch. You are powerless to stop it because you trust in the will of God.”

  Vero’s mind drifted back to the track meet. He thought about how he’d failed to deny himself for the greater good, about how he’d humiliated Danny in order to impress Davina. He’d been cruel. Then Vero recalled the giant angels he’d seen guarding the skyscrapers in New York City. They stood with their swords drawn protectively around tall buildings. He could only imagine their grief when they had to step aside, lower their swords, and allow two airplanes to crash into the tallest high-rises in the city on that fateful day in September many years ago. Their hearts must have shattered into a million tiny pieces. The pain would have been unbearable. Yes, accepting God’s will would not always be easy.

  The group was silent for a few moments as Raziel’s grave words and the enormity of what was expected of them sunk in. Before Greer dropped her head and resumed picking at the grass, Vero caught a look of trepidation on her face. He noticed her fingernails were bitten down to the skin. Perhaps she wasn’t so tough after all.

  “How can you tell if something is the will of God?” Kane asked. “I mean, how will we know?”

  “First of all, you have to be open to it. Next, you free your mind of any hateful thoughts. It helps to put your right hand over your heart and spread your fingers like this . . . ” Raziel demonstrated the gesture for them. “And then . . . just listen. On earth the humans call it intuition. Here, it’s Vox Dei — a sixth sense, an inkling as to what you should be doing. It is the voice of God working in your heart, directing you in times of question. But you must be open to that direction. You must be willing to listen.”

  Raziel’s face grew even more sober.

  “But not all messages come from God. The great deceiver can gain access to your minds in moments of doubt and weakness. If you give him any sort of opportunity, he’ll seize the moment and hold great influence over you. His maltures will poison your minds.” Raziel looked at each of them in turn to drive home his point.

  “So for your lesson today, you’re going to put listening to God’s voice into practice, letting it guide you.”

  Raziel spread his wings
. He flapped them in a graceful manner and began to rise into the air.

  “Follow close behind.”

  The fledglings rose and released their wings. It felt good to stretch them. Vero admired the ease with which Raziel ascended into the current, like sails on a sailboat, flapping in unison with the wind. Vero was still awkward with his own flying skills. He didn’t want to give Raziel any new opportunity to criticize him, so he prayed he could keep pace. As he fluttered his wings, Vero instantly felt lighter on his feet. Up until this point, he’d needed a good jump off a cliff to get airborne. He rose into the air, but only hovered. He watched as Raziel and the others were getting farther away from him. A feeling of dread overtook him because he was going to flunk his first real lesson. Without warning, Vero felt a forceful tug on his back. Someone was pulling him up by the back of his shirt collar! As he rose higher into the air, Vero cocked his head and saw Greer dragging him along.

  “Humiliating, isn’t it? Having a girl save you?” Greer snickered before she dropped him into the air.

  It was, Vero thought, but he dared not admit it out loud. Then he felt his face turn bright red, betraying him.

  Raziel and the class flew over an area of the Ether that Vero had never seen before. It wasn’t the plush, green landscape he’d come to love. Rather, it looked brown and devoid of any sort of life. From Vero’s vantage point, the ground looked like desert — barren and rocky. Uriel had warned him that not all parts of the Ether were wonderful; looking below, he now believed him. Even the brilliant light that normally lit up the sky seemed to dim. Vero hoped they were just flying through this area because he really didn’t want to sightsee down there. But then Raziel beat his wings a little less furiously, and Vero knew they weren’t just passing through.

  As he landed, Vero saw the area was much worse than what he’d glimpsed from above. The sandy ground teemed with jagged rocks so sharp that Vero could feel them through his shoes. He experienced pain with every step.

  Suddenly, he was overcome with thirst. His mouth felt unbelievably dry. He’d do anything for a cool glass of water. But looking out over the barren land without even so much as a cactus in sight, the hope of finding refreshment seemed impossible. Vero glanced at the other fledglings and could tell they were equally miserable. X grabbed his stomach as dehydration overtook him. Ada stuck out her tongue, panting. All of them looked dazed and confused. All except for Greer. She seemed to be alert as she took in her surroundings. It was as if she was immune to the harsh world around her.