Tribulation (39 page)

And then he
knew where he was.

Heaven.

The Utah
landscape disappeared altogether, replaced by a white, translucent
mist. Out of it, a winged figure appeared. White feathery wings,
burnished silver armor, long sword. It was, of course an angel. How
could it not be, here in Heaven?

Sam didn’t
panic as realization crashed in upon him. He was in Heaven. Samyaza
must have brought him here, must have rescued him as he plummeted
from the Chrysler building, lifted him up. Saved him. But where was
the Watcher now? And what was this angel doing?

As the angel
approached, Sam’s hands, without conscious thought, crept towards
the hilts of his swords. The being stopped a sword’s span away from
him. It was a male, and something about it looked familiar.

“Hi,” said Sam,
completely at a loss for anything better to say.

The angel
spoke. “It’s me, you idiot,” said the voice Sam had heard earlier.
“Samyaza.”

“But, you’re
…”

“Yes,” said
Samyaza impatiently. “It’s called a disguise. You’ve got one too,
by the way.”

Sam looked down
at his body. It had occurred to him that something was different.
It’s just that he hadn’t managed to put his finger on exactly what
it was. Sure enough, he too was decked out like Samyaza in silver
armor. He craned his neck and caught a glimpse of wings. Despite
everything, a part of him thought that was pretty cool. He reached
over his back, intent on playing with them but was stopped short by
the edge in Samyaza’s voice.

“My injuries?”
he asked. They were gone. Healed, like they’d never been.

“I took care of
them,” replied Samyaza curtly. “We’ve no time for this. This
disguise won’t fool other angels for very long. And, if I was you,
I’d pray that we don’t encounter any archangels. They’d see through
it straight away.” The irony of what he’d just said suddenly
appeared to occur to Samyaza. He smiled crookedly. Even in his
disguise, it was a smile that would have melted any human woman’s
heart.

Sam returned
it, feeling almost upbeat. Not only was he alive and whole, but he
was in Heaven. A place that he’d thought he never be able to see.
“How did I get here?” he asked.

“I brought you,
of course. I told you I could travel just as easily to Heaven as I
can to Hell. I’ve been watching you, waiting for an opportune time.
When you fell out of the building, I interpreted that as a fairly
opportune time.”

Sam smiled
ruefully. “Thanks. So, what do we do now?”

“Visualize
Aimi. You should see a glowing trail that will lead you to her.
Only you can see it, though.”

Sam did as he
was bid, picturing Aimi in front of him. Her long, dark hair,
shimmering in the sunlight of Hikari’s garden. Her perfect skin.
Her smile that lit up his heart. As he imagined her, a line
appeared before him, arrowing off into the mist.

“Got it,” he
said.

Samyaza – or
the angel that was Samyaza – nodded. “Lead on.”

Sam started
walking, Samyaza at his side, the mist parting compliantly as they
drifted along.

As they moved,
Sam looked around curiously. This was - and equally wasn’t - what
he’d expected in Heaven.

“Where is
everyone?” he asked.

“What did you
expect? Roads lined with mansions? People going about their daily
business? No. Heaven is much more than that. It’s a place where you
can re-shape your reality into whatever you like. It’s a place
where you can live out eternity in complete contentment and
happiness, simply by imagining whatever you like. Everyone else -
like you were you - is caught up in their own private
interpretation of what they consider Heaven. The mist around you is
like an operating system on a computer. It’s the foundation upon
which everything else is built upon.”

Sam thought
about asking the Watcher how he knew about computers and then
dismissed it as unimportant. “So where is Aimi now? Hikari? Is my
mother here?”

Samyaza shook
his head. “Aimi and Hikari are here. But understand - Heaven is
vast – essentially limitless. Think about how many countless
billions reside here. While space isn’t an issue, you cannot have
private Heavens stacked up upon each other. They still inhabit a
certain amount of room.”

“And my
mother?” Suddenly, he felt a little breathless.

Samyaza said
nothing for a moment as if pondering or even searching. Finally, he
shook his head again. “If she is here, I cannot detect her.”

Sam nodded
sadly, somehow suspecting no less. He hadn’t really expected to
find her here. Despite her goodness, he doubted whether her truck
with demons would be forgiven that easily. It was a crushing blow
but one that he’d almost come to terms with. He resolved to find
her though, no matter what - even if it involved another trip to
the deepest pits of Hell, even if he had to defeat all the demons
of Hell.“How long will it take to find Aimi?”

“I do not
know,” confessed Samyaza. “You may as well ask me how many demons
are in Hell. Time will tell but we must make haste. As I mentioned
earlier, this disguise will not last.”

They travelled
in silence for a while. After a time, Sam began to feel distinctly
unwell. Pain started gnawing first at his outer limbs and then
slowly progressing into the rest of his body. It was a heavy,
aching pain, almost like tooth ache but in his whole body. He
almost recognized it. It was like a sluggish version of the searing
pain he got from touching a bible or entering hallowed ground.

Samyaza must
have seen the pain on his face. “What is wrong?”

When Sam told
him, Samyaza pursed his lips thoughtfully. “I was afraid of this
but thought that because you were only half demon – a Cambion -
Heaven would not affect you so. This changes things. We have even
less time than I thought. The pain will only get worse. Soon, it
will become too difficult to bear. We must hurry.”

They picked up
the pace. Pain continued to build in Sam’s body but stoically, he
tried to ignore it. It felt like his arms and legs were being
dipped in acid.

They must have
walked for what seemed like hours, the mist all about them,
following the trail that only Sam could see. Suddenly, it was gone
– not only the trail but the mist too. It was replaced by a scene
that Sam immediately recognized. Hikari’s garden.

It was summer.
The strawberry and tomato plants were ripe with fruit. A dazzling
variety of plants created an explosion of color all around – color
that he hadn’t seen in his ash-covered grey world for years. Just
the sight of it brought a surge of hope and fond memories to Sam.
This was where he’d spent some of the happiest moments of his
youth. Then the smell of the garden hit him, the rich bouquet
almost overwhelming to his dulled senses.

In a sheltered
area off one of the paths that weaved through the garden stood
Hikari. Sam’s first impulse was to run over and hug the man but he
didn’t want to interrupt his master. Hikari was clearly busy,
practicing his craft of bonseki, sprinkling colored sand and
pebbles onto the surface of black lacquered trays.

Before he could
move, he heard his name shouted and then suddenly Aimi was there,
hugging him, kissing him, crying.

“Sam! What are
you doing here? I can’t believe you’re here! Did the angels let you
in? Of course they did! No-one deserves to be here as much as you
do.”

Reluctantly,
Sam pushed her away. “Aimi, listen to me. I wasn’t allowed in here.
Samyaza brought me. Brought me so I could rescue you. Take you away
from here. So we can be together.”

Aimi looked
confused for a moment, her eyes darting from Sam to the Watcher.
“You came to rescue me? Oh, Sam. From what? Do I look like I need
rescuing? It’s beautiful here – exactly what I’d always imagined.
Why don’t you stay?”

“Because he
can’t, daughter. You of all people should understand that.”
Unnoticed, Hikari was somehow standing next to Aimi. Sam hadn’t
seen him move.

“Sensei,” said
Sam, hugging the small man that had made such a huge impact in his
life. Hikari returned the hug, squeezing Sam harder than such a
diminutive figure should.

“You should go,
Sam. Take Aimi with you. Keep her safe but go now. You shouldn’t be
here.”

Sam nodded
grimly. “I know, Sensei. But I had to come for her. And for you, if
you’d like.”

Hikari shook
his head sadly. “I belong here, Sam. As does Aimi, though her soul
is conflicted by her desire to be with you. Until her soul is at
peace, I believe the right thing would be for her to go with
you.”

“If you can’t
stay, then of course I will come with you,” said Aimi. “It’s not
right for the angels to keep us apart like they have. You of all
people don’t deserve it.”

“You know what
it’s like down there, though?” said Sam. “Are you prepared for
that?”

Aimi smiled at
him. “Not really, but if we’re together, I’m sure we can manage.
Right, Samyaza?”

Sam looked over
at the Watcher. He was frowning. “What do we look like to you,
Aimi?” he asked.

Aimi looked
confused. “Like Sam and Samyaza, of course.”

“That’s what I
was afraid of,” said Samyaza. “My glamor has worn off. Anyone can
see us for what we really are now. We need to leave, right now!”
Sam heard the urgency behind the words. And the fear. Samyaza was
afraid.

Almost on cue,
Hikari’s garden disappeared like a curtain had been parted. Sam was
alone in the mist save for a solitary Angelic figure.

“What are you
doing here?” demanded the figure in a voice ringing with power.

“Who?” said
Sam, feigning ignorance, trying to buy some thinking time,
conscious that his escape route in the form of Samyaza was no-where
to be seen.

The figure
stepped forward, revealing a handsome male angel. Every part of him
seemed to ooze authority. Sam had no illusions that he was now in
the presence of an archangel.

“Do not play
games with me, demon spawn. You do not belong here and you know it.
The Grigori you were with has already been banished but you have
piqued my curiosity. Gabriel has told me much about you.”

“I’m sorry,”
said Sam, “but who are you?”

“I am the
Archangel, Michael.”

“I don’t wish
to appear rude, but can I speak to Gabriel? I need to see her.”

Michael shook
his head. “We are not at your beck and call. Regardless, Gabriel is
not available.”

Sam inclined
his head respectfully, aware that he was now in Michael’s domain
and as such, had to play by his rules. It was a pity he couldn’t
see Gabriel but surely one Archangel was the same as any other?

He winced as
the pain suddenly returned. Or maybe he’d just been distracted by
his reunion with Aimi and Hikari? It washed over him much more
strongly than before. It seemed that Heaven was still punishing
him. “I will be happy to leave. Just allow me what I came for.
Aimi.”

Michael’s
expression didn’t change but the mist, as if sensing the tension,
began to whirl more excitedly about the two of them. “You do not
make demands here, Demon. This is our realm. Not yours. Aimi
belongs here with us.”

Sam shook his
head, trying not to reveal the pain and discomfort he was in. “I
regretfully disagree, Michael. Aimi and I belong together. Surely
it’s in your power to grant me this one wish after all I’ve given
up for you?”

Michael
laughed. “After all you’ve given up?” he echoed scornfully. “What?
You expect a reward? Where is your sense of self-sacrifice? Only
the worthy receive such rewards. Do you really count yourself
amongst them?”

Sam couldn’t
believe this. How could an angel – no, not just an angel, an
archangel – be so unreasonable? He wasn’t asking for much. Hadn’t
he suffered enough already? Didn’t he deserve just a little bit of
comfort; to have the woman he loved by his side?

“I’ve helped
where I could. Done what I was able to do. I hoped it would be
enough,” said Sam, humbly, desperate to control his temper.

“The Demon in
you is coming to the fore,” said Michael. “Who else would demand
that the person they loved be subjected to the Hell that awaits
them on Earth? To tear them from this place of peace and love?”

“Aimi wants to
come with me,” said Sam through gritted teeth. “It’s her
choice.”

“No,” said
Michael, shaking his head. “It’s not her choice. It’s mine.”

“What about
free will?” demanded Sam. “What about people being able to make
their own choices?”

Michael stamped
his foot. The seemingly insubstantial footing shook with the blow.
“Do not presume to lecture me, Demon. Not here, in this place. You
have no right.”

“I have every
right. For the woman I love. I would do anything for her. Look into
my heart and mind. You know this is the truth,” said Sam, angrily.
He was shouting now but he didn’t care.

“Control
yourself, son of Satan,” warned Michael. “What you say and do now
will be tallied up at the end of days.”

“I don’t care,”
said Sam carelessly. He took an angry step towards the archangel.
“Give me my Aimi back.”

“I will say
this for the last time, Samael. No. You may not have her.”

Sam threw back
his head and roared. It was an animal bellow of rage and
desperation. He felt sick. Sick from the continual pain that his
presence here brought. But sick also with the knowledge that Aimi
was lost to him. Without thinking, his hands plucked forth his
swords, a move fraught with anguish and despair. He felt compelled
to do it, almost like he had no choice.

As his swords
cleared their scabbards an impact slammed into him, so powerful
that it struck him completely senseless, knocking his cherished
blades from his grasp. A force washed over him cracking his
bones.

“YOU DO NOT
DRAW BLADES ON ME HERE, DEMON. FOR THAT YOU WILL PAY THE
PRICE.”