Children of the Archangels

CHAPTER 32: SAVING OR SINNING?

"Of course we're going to the Garden of Eden," Sirius said. "I thought it was obvious."

"I probably should've mentioned that," the Dean took another sip of his whiskey. Victor remained silent, absorbing the atmosphere.

Luke was connecting too many dots and he was not liking where they were leading. He looked at Nil who was silently staring at the ceiling with his white eyes that made him look almost blind.

After all, one gets blind when they try starting into the face of God.

"This—this is wrong," Luke said.

The Dean took another sip of whisky. Victor sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes as if trying to contain a harsh comment he wanted to throw at Luke's face.

Sirius was confused. "How? We're going to risk our lives to save this kid."

"Correct me if I'm wrong." Luke pointed to the map and explained. "We're going to escort Nil into the Garden of Eden in order for him to eat the most important fruit there—the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. This fruit will draw him away from this trance we label as a mental debility, but also introduce him to sin because he'll know evil."

"Well when you put it that way..." Sirius thought.

"Look," the Dean crossed his hands and pointed at the map. "You are not the first to think like this and you won't be the last. Is this the perfect solution? Maybe not. But the potential benefits far outweigh the risks."

"Like how introducing this child to evil can make him an enemy of ours in the future?" Luke pointed out. He couldn't see little Nil turning into someone evil, but the same might've been said about Hitler as well.

"That is the major risk we take. That is why we educate these children upon their return and show them that if they wish to return to the state of pure grace, they must fight for it."

"So we steal them from that state and then force them to fight to get it back?" Luke asked.

Victor finally spoke up. "Listen Luke, you too were taken to that Garden at some point and given the fruit. We don't know how or when," he turned to the Dean for a split second to see his reaction. Then he turned back to Luke, "But I bet you don't remember what it was like to be locked in the Gaze."

Victor wasn't totally wrong. Luke had these flashbacks—these dreams when he was encountering himself almost in the third person as he experienced this Gaze. But no, he didn't exactly remember what it felt like to lock eyes with the Creator, if that was what he was doing.

"The Gaze is a reward that should be fought for, not freely given," Victor continued. "It's more savory that way."

The Dean pointed at Victor as if he had hit the nail on the head. "And that is why we feed them the fruit. We don't wish for them to fall into a state of sin, but they must know the difference to make the choice for good meaningful."

Luke wanted to argue further. What if God didn't want these kids being introduced to sin? What if God had wanted them to remain pure?

But then again, whenever someone was saved from the Gaze, they were adopted by an archangel. That had to count for something. Does God only entrust certain abilities to those who have seen His face or at least the corona that shines about it?

Luke didn't know the answer, but he couldn't argue all day. He knew he had to go on this journey because he too had gone on it as a child. Maybe by going on it, he'll find some of the answers he was searching for. Maybe he'll get to meet Uriel again and ask him why he made his life so miserable by claiming him as his adopted child.

But Luke made it known, "I don't agree with this 100%, but I'll make sure Nil here eats the fruit."

The Dean sighed. "Finally. Now, one important tip about the Garden of Eden. The entrance to the garden is only open on the equinoxes and solstices, and it remains open for a single day. This means you need to enter the Garden Realm at the beginning of the Spring Equinox and leave before it ends. Time gets muddled in the Garden, so make sure you all are wearing these watches."

He hands out three watches, two white and one black, with a simple hourglass in the center and sand stacked on top. "Push the button in the center upon entering the Garden. Be out before the last particle of sand hits the bottom. Otherwise, you won't be coming back."

The Dean said that as if he knew that was the case. If the entrance opened and closed on the same day, couldn't a person wait it out four months until the entrance opened again?

Sirius seemed to be thinking the same. "What happens if you stay beyond the time?"

"The gate closes, and any human left inside will be slaughtered by the guarding angels of fire or the animals—whichever gets to you first."

What a way to kick people out of your house, Luke thought. Then he recalled the flashbacks to his own Garden Run. Angels were swinging swords of fire at Michael and Jurgen, two of his escorts. They had to abandon Luke to save themselves. Michael had promised to return.

But he never did.

Yet Luke was here breathing to tell the tale. If the angels guarding the Garden of Eden kill anyone who stays there beyond the day, why had Luke been spared?

Victor was staring at Luke intently as if he was listening into his thoughts. Luke shook his head and turned his attention back to the Dean. "In and out in one day. Got it."

The Dean opened the door to his office. "Head to the secretary's office to receive your clothing and supplies. Then meet me at the base of the mountain next to the security gate. I'll send you off there. Along the way, stop by the armory to take some weapons with you. You'll need them."

And with that, Victor and Sirius got up and shot towards the secretary's office. Already they had forgotten Nil and Luke.

Luke bent down and grabbed Nil's hand. He tried stepping into the view of Nil. He remembered seeing Michael do the same in his flashbacks through the images he was shown in his dreams. "I wonder what it is you're seeing right now," Luke muttered.

Then he escorted Nil to the secretary's desk.