Heaven or Hell

Chapter 1 Maez

2 days earlier

(Please read Prologue)

Maez paced frantically in front of Queen Adelphia's room. His best friend Duke was leaning against the wall, watching Maez. His eyes seemed to be following a ping pong ball. He startled Duke, making him fall, by suddenly saying, "I am going in there, she has been in there for almost three hours!" Duke smirked, standing up. Maez realized how that sounded. He flushed. "W-w-what? I am a soldier; I am supposed to protect The Royals!" Duke just kept on smirking, creeping Maez out.

He glared at Duke and was about to walk into the Queens chambers when Duke stopped him. He gave Duke a questioning look, and Duke laughed and shook his head like he was a kid asking for an expensive toy. Duke said with his usual low volume, "She may be changing, or going to the bathroom, or showering, or... doing female things." Maez nodded. Suddenly Maez's stomach growled. Duke nodded his head toward the kitchen, meaning let us go eat.

They walked silently. When they arrived outside of the kitchen, the smell of potatoes and steak emanated from through the doors. Duke and Maez shared a look. They both smirked. And, like they always came into the Royal kitchen, they pushed through the double doors, and grabbed everything they saw. Head Cook Manja glared, but she could not stop them. Maez and Duke were Royal Soldiers. She was just a cook. Duke had such a nerve to walk right in her face and hang a chicken leg right in her range of scent and sight. This angered her, but then suddenly she looked very smug. Maez knew what this meant and hid behind a barrel. Duke caught on too late, and paled. The King marched in.

"Well, isn't it the infamous Duke Cone. Where's your little buddy Maez Corton?" King Gando sneered.

Gando was notorious for abusing the Queen. He was also known as the bully of the town as a kid. Only reason he was King was because of arranged marriage. Adelphia originally loved a man named Luke, but he was killed by Gando in anger and jealousy. Gando had had a crush on Adelphia since they were kids. Adelphia hated him since they were little. When Gando had heard about Luke, he burned him alive in front of Adelphia. He bullied her since. Mean and merciless husband, am I right?

" Your m-majesty, I was just h-having a snack, as y-you can s-see. I w-was getting s-some for M-Maez t-too!" Duke stuttered. He looked around, and then bowed. "I will be on my way your majesty, if you like."

Gando nodded. Duke backed out of the room, still bowing. Maez was about to sneak out of the kitchen, when Gando looked around and then kissed Manja. Maez's eyes widened to saucers. Manja kissed him back. Maez decided that meant his leave and snuck out. He found Duke waiting for him. Staring daggers.

Maez glanced at him, and then sauntered off. He called over his shoulder," Come on, we're gonna be late for training!"

                                                                                       ...

Hammer Punch. Kick. Dodge. Kick. Dodge. Punch. Round-House kick. Ah, shoot he's turning. He got my leg. Shake. Push. Dodge. Grab his fist. Push.

"Good job, Soldiers! In line!"

"YES SIR!" He didn't understand why they called Captain Shina sir. It should be ma'am. Whatever. She is his Captain. He can't argue with her. She made it clear she was sir.

He joined Duke and the others in line and saluted as she walked past. Shina nodded.

"Alright, soldiers. General Shane has told me that we need to get ready for war. And you children are not ready for war. So, I have decided to train you-mind you, against my will. Any questions?"

"NO SIR!" They said in unison.

She nodded again. She hesitated with what she was going to say. Suddenly she lifted her left hand and pointed to the left. This surprised everyone. That way was too the HARDCORE guys. Duke and Maez shared an excited look. They had never gone over there before. Never been allowed too. And so, everyone turned in unison and marched to the left.

"Wrong way soldiers! That way is where you will be going in a week. And that is still if you pass the test. And I am doubtful of that." Yep. That was Captain Shina for you. Hard as rock, and as cold as one. Some say Queen Luna ripped her heart out–with only a couple pieces left-before she was taken prisoner for attempted treason. Of course, she escaped with her life, and a large bounty on her head. Never seen since and the bounty disappeared.

Everyone turned to the right and marched that way. Captain Shina smirked. Then she stalked over to her boyfriend on the other end of the field. Captain Kan. Almost as mean as King Gando. But bigger and much more of a bully. Some say they are brothers. Only person he is nice to is Shina. Those last pieces of her heart belonged to Kan and war. You do not want to be put in his group. If you do, everyone gave you sympathy. Unless you are in that group. If you are in that group, you bully so that you can show Captain Kan how mean you are.

Luckily, Maez was not in his assembly. But his ex-girlfriend had been in there, disguised as a boy. (Pretty easy for her; she was a tomboy) Of course, Kan caught her and punished her. In fact, the punishment was so bad, she died while Kan was whipping her.

                                                                                                   ...

Duke and Maez, panting very hard, did their last lap around the grounds. As they slowed to a stop, Shina glowered at them. She rolled her eyes and walked away. He shared a bamboozled glance with Duke. Maez shrugged. Duke shook his head and pulled him towards the other guys in their group.

As they approached, their bullies Indu, Yuni, and Wisk snickered and pointed them out. Indu spoke up.

"Will you look at that? The weaklings finally made it to the end! Someone get tissues; they're gonna need to weep for their sore feet!" Everyone burst out laughing except for Maez, Duke, and Duke's brother Datsun. Maez tried to think of something snarky to say back, but Duke beat him to it.

"I heard you cried so hard Indu when you broke your ankle you formed a new part of the Ookinete River." Everyone gasped and started laughing again. Of course. Ookinete River is the biggest river in the world that runs across the Universe from Heaven to Hell. But it also branches off to the other realms and worlds. Some say that one mini river leads to another Universe called Milky Way. At that moment, he wondered if that was possible. That there were other Universes than Andromnda.

Then he snapped back to reality. He had sub consciously followed Duke and Datsun to their private table off the left. He sighed quietly when he realized they were bickering again. He tuned them out and considered taking a nap. As he was about to doze off, he heard Datsun mention Indu's mother.

"Did you hear about Indu's mother? I heard she got that human disease called cancer. But no one was surprised, as she is a messenger to Earth." Maez rolled his eyes and went to sleep.