Prophecy of Heaven - Chapter Four

Chapter Four1

Beginning a Journey2

Angel licked Lyhavien's face and whimpered, wanting him to get up. Lyhavien yawned and sat up. "Time for me to wake up?" Lyhavien asked her. She wagged her tail and jumped off the bed, then ran downstairs. He laughed and did his routine before going downstairs. Lyhavien remembered the angel's words, "I will visit again tomorrow." When would she come? After breakfast, Lyhavien didn't have anything to do. His father didn't need his help at the stable, so Lyhavien was free for the day. He looked down at Angel who was eagerly trailing behind him like a duckling following his mother. Then Lyhavien had an idea. "You're going to come with me to the spring today," he told Angel.3

"Don't worry, I got you," Lyhavien said to reassure Angel who was whimpering and moving her legs around wildly. But soon enough she got the hang of it and started making her way around the spring on her own. He could already tell that Angel enjoyed it. When he was sure she could manage on her own he laid his head back and let out a deep breath. It was noon, the perfect time for going to the spring. Because the water was cool, almost warm and there were all the natural sounds not to loud and not too quiet. Summer would be coming soon but hopefully there would still be days where the spring water was cool and he could go there. He only had one more secret place that him and Norriul had went to very often, but mostly as small boys. And Lyhavien decided he wanted to go to that now. So he got out of the water and after trying for a minute he put on his clothes. "Angel, come on, come on," He called to her. She had been lapping up water but when she heard her name called she wagged her wet tail. She waddled her way out of the water and then shook off all the water, drops of it went flying everywhere. Lyhavien started towards the heart of the forest. As he was walking Angel spotted a squirrel and jumped up and down excitingly, discovering something new. The squirrel paused, stopped dead in it's tracks and stared at Angel. Angel leapt towards it and the squirrel jumped and scurried away. Angel barked and chased after it, but when it darted up a tree, Angel couldn't follow it anymore. She stood there a moment or two jumping up as if maybe she could make her way to the top to reach the squirrel. But the squirrel sat triumphantly on the highest branch and after a minute, Angel lost interest and ran after Lyhavien. Who was still walking towards the last secret spot that he and Norriul shared.4

After quite some walking, he finally reached it. Their tree house. They hadn't built it, no, they hadn't built it at all. But they had found it. Many years ago they had been playing tag and the had stumbled across the tree house. They climbed into it and found that it was abandoned. Nobody lived in it, so it was theirs. They claimed it and it had been theirs ever since. Wood planks were nailed horizontally into the trunk five inches apart all the way to the tree house and there was also a rope to hang onto that was tied to a thick branch, which you could grab onto to make sure you didn't slip on your way up to the tree house. The whole tree was very large and very thick. Lyhavien climbed up slowly, making sure the rope was still secure and the planks could still carry his weight and then went into the tree house. It was gathering quite a lot of dust, he hadn't visited the tree house in awhile. There were a few items, two quilts, an oil lamp, a book of stories that Norriul and Lyhavien had liked to read to each other in the late evening, as well as a few other items. All of which hadn't been touched for some time. After remembering a few memories he had about the tree house, he went back home. When he reached home he went back into his room and decided to read while he waiting for the angel to come as she had promised.5

"How is their progress?" Demorius asked.6

"Steady, master."7

"Good. Yes, very good. So all is going according to plans?"8

"Yes, master," Gaufridus replied and nodded his head.9

"Once we have it... We will gain control of their weapon and we will rule the world!" Demorius stated and cackled in his disturbingly evil way. Gaufridus gave Demorius a grim smile. "When we gain control of the Kingdom than all of the world will be at my feet, for me to do whatever I wish. Yes, yes. It will be perfect. I can picture it perfectly now... Then even the Creator Himself will have to bow down to me! I will be unbeatable, I will the the greatest and most feared king of all...! Now," Demorius said, trying to contain his excitement, "go. I must rest. I need sleep."10

"Yes, master," Gaufridus repeated quickly and turned to make his way out of the room. "We," he mumbled, "he doesn't mean we. He means he." When he reached his chambers he looked in the mirror. He missed his pure golden glow. Which had been gone since he rebelled against the Creator and agreed to serve Demorius. Since he had rebelled, his aura turned grey. A muddy, ugly grey. Like fog, or modern day pollution. He hated it, despised it. But he was on the dark side now and that was part of his punishment from the Creator Himself. He picked up the mirror and with quite an amount of force, threw it to the floor, where it shattered.11

"What do you think?" Lyhavien asked Angel. She wagged her tail and looked up at him with eyes that sparkled. "Do you think I'm the chosen one?" He asked her. For a second he thought he saw her smile, just like a human does, but then he blinked and what he had seen was gone. Lyhavien looked out the window, it was getting late. The moon was up and shining, the sky was dark and blue. When he turned around, Alitia was standing there as if she'd been there all along.12

"Good evening, Lyhavien."13

"And the same to you," Lyhavien replied.14

"Have you thought about what I said?"15

He nodded.16

"The journey you must take, will not be easy. It will take strength, faith and knowledge to do what you must do. Are you ready?"17

"I don't know," Lyhavien said.18

"Why do you doubt?" Alitia asked.19

"What if I fail? What if I can't do it? I can't be responsible for the whole world!"20

"All shall turn out as it is fated to be. No one can change their fate. We must all accept what God has in store for us. We should not doubt, God knows what is best for us. We are all part of one big plan, we are only puppets. We do what he wills us to. Even when you think you should do one thing, but do the other to try to change fate, even then, you are doing what God is having you do. Once he plans something for you, there is no escape. You can either make that easy for yourself, or make it hard. That is your choice."21

"Then no matter what, I have to do this?"22

"More or less so, yes."23

"What must I do first then?" Lyhavien asked confidently.24

"Prepare. You must journey to the Kingdom of Heaven to find The Weapon. Once you have found it, keep it safe. I will find you and then I will tell you what you must do next."25

"But my parents will never believe me."26

"Then I will make them believe. Let us go, and talk to them now," Alitia said. She walked gracefully out of the room and down the hall, Lyhavien followed and Angel trailed behind Lyhavien. Alitia walked on the floor as if she were lighter than a feather, the wood did not creak or make any sound beneath her feet. Each step she took seemed fluid and beautiful to Lyhavien. He watched in awe as she made something so simple seem so beautiful. Time itself seemed to go slower while she was in it. But Lyhavien cherished those moments. When they made it into the living room, where Lyhavien's parents sat across from each other, Alitia walked out in front of them. She was standing in front of the fireplace, which added a glow to her, so she seemed even brighter. Lyhavien's parents stared in awe. They had never even dreamed of seeing an angel. "I am Alitia, one of the angels still under order of the Creator. I have come to you to tell you your son, is the chosen one. He must find the Weapon."27

"My little boy?" Lyhavien's mother asked helplessly, hardly daring to believe it.28

Alitia nodded. "I have watched him since he was a boy and I have no doubt that it is he who must take the journey that has been spoken of for ages. I have talked to him twice now, without your knowing of it, but he feels that you will not let him go on this journey unless you believe he is the Chosen One. So I am here to convince you."29

"It wasn't all a story?" Lyhavien's father asked.30

"No. No man could make up such a story. It is real and we are about to start it. That story, is coming to life."31

"When must he set off, for the Kingdom of Heaven?" Lyhavien's mother asked.32

"I am glad you are familiar with the prophecy," Alitia said and smiled, "He should set out as soon as he possibly can. But only when he himself says he is ready, can he begin," she said. All eyes turned to Lyhavien and he shuffled uncomfortably.33

"Give me a day. Tomorrow, I would like to go to a few places before I leave. After tomorrow, I will be ready."34

Alitia nodded. "Then I shall return then," She bowed slightly and then disappeared. Just like she had before.35

"This is my last day of freedom," Lyhavien joked. He scooped up Angel and headed out the door. He was going to his three secret places today. To visit them one last time before he left. His mom filled a basket with food for him and Angel so they would have food and wouldn't have to come home until the next day. Until then, his parents were going to figure out what they would give him to take on his trip. Lyhavien hoped that at least he'd be able to take Angel with him. With the basket in one hand and Angel in the other, Lyhavien headed for the spring. He was almost sorry that he may never see it again. When he got there he placed the basket up in a tree so that Angel wouldn't get into it, put Angel down and then undressed himself. He jumped into the water and laughed at the big splash he had made. Then he laid back, floating on the surface of the water and looked up at the sky. Angel swam up to  him and climbed up onto his chest and laid down there. Lyhavien laughed as she closed her eyes as if she were going to fall asleep. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace that was around him. It was very quiet and yet subtly noisy at the same time. But he loved it. He relaxed for so long, just floating, that he nearly feel asleep himself. When the sun started to fade he went to the tree house for a few hours. There -- after scrubbing the place and dusting off the blanket -- he took a nap. When he woke up, it was dark. Angel was curled up underneath his arm and the blanket he had started out with when he had first gone to sleep, was now on Angel. "That little sneak!" Lyhavien laughed. Angel, startled, opened her eyes and looked up at him innocently. He picked her up and climbed down from the tree house with his basket of food. Then they walked to the hill that nobody liked to go onto. There Lyhavien sat down, making himself comfy and started to dig into the basket. There were some dried strips of meat, which he gave to Angel and some bread and raw, peeled carrots for him. He looked up at the stars, which were bright. He wondered if they were indeed brighter than usual, or if it was just his imagination. Angel ran around him in circles, shaking her head back and forth as if trying to rip the meat apart. She laid down and put her two paws over one large piece of meat and then yanked at it with her teeth until part of it came off. Lyhavien wondered if he'd ever see home again. If he'd ever sit on this hill again, gazing that the beautiful sky. He wondered if he'd ever think the same kind of thoughts as he was thinking right then. But no, he knew that after tomorrow, his life would change, he would not have the simple thoughts he had then. If he made it through all this, if he defeated the fallen angels... if he ever went home again, he would be a different man. Wondering if he'd ever see his best friend, Norriul, ever again, he fell asleep.36

It was morning, the day that was the beginning of Lyhavien's journey. He stood up, Angel was still sleeping, he picked her up, and she stirred, but fell back asleep. Then he picked up the basket and carried Angel home. He wondered how she'd cope with the journey if he took her. When he stepped into the house, he could tell his parents had been busy preparing for him. In the kitchen, his parents and Alitia stood. They had been busy talking, but when Lyhavien walked in, all went silent. They all stood there quietly for a few minutes, until Lyhavien broke the silence. "I am ready," He said.37

"Good," Alitia replied and smiled.38

"Oh, Lyhavien," his mother said and ran to him. He was a few inches taller than her now. She hugged him close and began to cry. Wet tears fell onto his shirt. He felt a bit embarrassed, standing there with Alitia watching, but he wrapped his arms around his mother, knowing it was the last time he would see her for a long time. His father stood back, but he also looked a bit grim. His parents knew -- but until that moment didn't seriously think about it -- that their son -- who had once been so small they could hold him in one arm -- was now grown, and he was to fill a prophecy that had been talked of for years and years. Though, how that prophecy would end, they didn't know. Their son had grown up strong and intelligent, but still they couldn't help but think of when he had been no taller than Angel was then. After another minute, Lyhavien's mother took a step back, grabbing Lyhavien with her hands, holding his arms, observing him. She smiled and went to stand with her husband.39

"Sure you want to do this, son?" His father asked.40

Lyhavien nodded nervously. Suddenly he had a pit in his stomach.41

"You know, I'll miss you," His father said, "Won't have my little one helping me at the stable anymore," he laughed. Alitia smiled.42

"Take this," his mother said and handed him a sack. "Food for your trip," She said and smiled.43

"You'll need this," his father then said and handed Lyhavien a pouch of coins.44

"Let me fill this up again," his mother offered and grabbed the basket from him, that was now empty. She hurried off to the kitchen.45

"We decided something. I have one other thing for you to take with you," His father said. "Stay here. I'll get it."46

Alitia smiled widely now. Lyhavien's father went outside. Lyhavien wondered what he went to get. His mother came back now and handed him the basket. It was fairly heavy now. He took a peek and saw it was filled with fruits and raw vegetables. "Thank you mother," he said and gave her a hug. Alitia observed all of this, with a smile on her face. She always loved to observe the love a family had for one another. As his father approached, Lyhavien heard hooves. And the snicker of a horse. "Come on out son," Lyhavien's father said. Lyhavien stepped out quickly and Alitia and his mother behind him. Before Lyhavien, being held by his father, was Benadonian.47

"Father--"48

"I thought you should take Benadonian."49

Lyhavien's eyes widened. His father knew he had named Benadonian? "How did you know?"50

"Overheard you whispering to him a few times," his father grinned.51

Lyhavien's face flushed. "Thank you father," then he and his father embraced. A tear trickled down Lyhavien's face.52

"I reckon you should take that puppy of yours too," his father added. Lyhavien laughed. "I got Benadonian ready for you last night, so he's ready to go."53

"It's time to leave," Alitia said. Lyhavien got onto Benadonian's back. Angel was whimpering and trying to jump onto the horse. Lyhavien's father picked up Angel and lifted her onto his lap. His father quickly roped Lyhavien's things onto Benadonian's back. His mother gave him a sack with all his clothes in it and then he was ready to leave.54

"Mother, father... thank you. I love you both. I'll come home again, someday. I promise," He said, though he wasn't absolutely sure that was a promise he could keep. Benadonian started off, Lyhavien waved to his parents and they waved back. Alitia disappeared, deciding to visit him later, once he had stopped for the day. And Lyhavien went down the road, dust floating behind him. He was starting his journey.55