Children of the Archangels

CHAPTER 28: JUSTICE UNDER GOD

Luke woke up in an asylum, or it might as well be one. He couldn't move his hands, his legs, his body. His shoulder ached in pain from the rock that pierced it. He was strapped to a dentist's chair inside an interrogation room with a door that had no handle from the inside. There were no windows, and the only light that illuminated the place was a candle that burned inside a lamp hung over the wall above the door.

Luke struggled to move. His shoulder was bandaged like a mummy. He twisted and fought against a chain that wouldn't budge and it only served to augment his pain. Each time he moved, the chain grinded against his skin and it felt like someone was trying to cut his body open with a butter knife.

Luke didn't know what happened. One second he was standing over Victor's unconscious body, and the next he was joining the unconscious club. He had lost control over himself. He was going to kill Victor.

But he would've done the same to you, a voice reminded him in his head. Still Victor could talk his way out of it. He dropped the rock spire and claimed he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Luke could've stopped himself from trying to kill Victor, but he didn't because he didn't want to take any chances.

What's wrong with me? He asked himself. What have I become?

Luke thought about Nellie and his friends back in D.C. He and Nellie had barely dated for more than a couple of weeks before he had to leave, and most of that time his girlfriend had been possessed by a demon, which he had to fight with the help of a priest named Father Matthew. He really wished he could be back there. Nellie would calm him down. Alex and Geo, his two closest friends, would've made him laugh; and Father Matthew would've given him some good advice on how to deal with this whole prophecy issue.

The prophecy, he thought. That's what's making him go crazy. He came here to find out about where he came from but all he got were tangent answers that led to more complicated questions. The idea that he, a young adult who couldn't even decide what he wanted to do with his life or what major to choose, would have to decide which side would win in the end...

It just baffled him. Why would God place so much power in the hands of a flawed man? Luke did not want this cup of responsibility. He'd much rather pass it over to someone like Sirius who was calm, smart, and powerful. Luke knew nothing about his powers, nothing about his past, and nothing about what he'll become.

The door squeaked open and fluorescent light spilled in from the hallway. A light switch went on and a light above Luke's head flashed on and blinded Luke for a second. When Luke's eyes readjusted to the scene, he saw Dean Ammon tapping his foot with his arms crossed as if he was running out of patience waiting for a train to arrive. The Dean's mouth slithered as if he was trying to pick a piece of lettuce with his tongue that was stuck between his teeth. He motioned to speak, but then stopped himself.

Luke decided to use this opportunity to apologize. He was never a troublesome student—ever. Now, things have changed. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't know what's gotten into me."

The Dean chewed the apology like gum, tasting the flavor to see if it was savory enough to accept or spit back at Luke. "Luke I've been the Dean of this school for many, many, many years, but never have I seen someone come so close to dying at the hands of another student in my own school—a student with the intent to kill." The Dean's voice was not so much angry, but more disappointed, which Luke felt was worse.

"He tried to kill me sir, and I lost control."

The Dean studied Luke like he was a difficult math problem on the board that he had to solve. "Never let anger turn you into a monster Luke."

"I know sir, I'm sorry," Luke said trying to blink away tears. He hated that he was so emotional, but stress and confusion did that to him. "It's that, the prophecy and everyone hating me..."

"Fear and hatred are two separate things Luke," the Dean said. "What you did in that arena didn't help your case in either department."

The Dean walked over towards a wall and stared at it lost in thought. "I was here when this school was founded centuries ago."

Luke thought some earwax was blocking his ear and he had misheard what the Dean said. Centuries? How old is the guy?

"For centuries we have instilled in students the qualities and skills necessary to serve alongside God in the final war leading up to the last judgment. Never has the war seemed any closer than the day you've showed up. People are scared. God's wrath will soon be upon us, and some feel they won't be able to withstand the heat to even be allowed to serve alongside God let alone be saved by Him."

Luke was confused. Wasn't that the whole purpose of this school? "Why would they think that?"

"Angels have fallen before. What makes you think we, descendants of them, won't fall just as well?"

Luke understood what the Dean was getting at. He was worried that some of the people he's training today will switch sides when the battle comes. If God will pass harsh judgment on them, they might as well fight Him to delay that as much as possible.

But it was a futile battle, right? After all, God is—He's God. No one can defeat Him. No one can defy His wrath.

Yet Satan has been doing so for ages. God could've destroyed Satan a long time ago. Why would he wait until now to fight evil? And how will God defeat evil? How will Jesus, the son of God and yet simultaneously God, return? Will he really be easy to recognize?

Stop it Luke, you'll blow up your brain with these questions. Baby steps.

The Dean turned back towards Luke and sighed. "You have JUG for one week and will sit out of your classes. If you use this time wisely Luke, this punishment will benefit you. I will warn you though, it will be rough."

The Dean pulled out a set of several hundred keys and went through many of them before finding the one he needed. He walked over to Luke and unlocked his restraints.

"I'm undoing these because I trust you will cooperate. I've seen what you did to save the school. You risked your life to take on that Iumenti. I see goodness in your heart. What happened in the arena was just a temporary lapse of judgment. Don't let it happen again. Otherwise, these unbreakable chains, once used to restrain level 5 Iumenti, will be back on you and a whole lot worse. Do you understand me?"

Luke nodded, glad that his wrists, legs, and body could breathe again.

The Dean turned and knocked on the door seven times and a guard opened it up from the other side. Before leaving, the Dean left one last piece of advice. "One tip: when they bring you your food in here—I suggest you savor it."

Then the Dean disappeared, the white fluorescent lights shut off, and Luke was back in his dimly lit darkness—just him and his thoughts.