The Traveler

Location: Central Waters, Heaven.

He was on an old fashioned steam boat, on his way to Central Heaven. He was wearing a brown hooded cloak that completely covered his body. Underneath it was what seemed to be a metal armor. The view in front of him was as if a great big plate was placed on a great big tree trunk that was half submerged in the sea. The great big plate was Eden, and the rest beneath it was actually known as Trunk.

This was what Central Heaven was. Certainly a breathtaking view. He let out a sigh as he seemed to get nostalgic memories about the place. He was standing on the front deck of the boat, as he murmured, letting out a small breath of mist;

“It hasn’t changed at all...”

It had been 10 years since he’d last set foot in Heaven, as he’d gone traveling around the world trying to search for his own identity. Time had passed. Heaven he saw now wasn’t the Heaven he’d seen back then. This “new technology” thing had brought upon a vast change on the island. There was this new thing people used to communicate with each other, and this “ID card” that was needed for transportation and many more facilities Heaven had to give (Which was why he was on an old boat). He had of course seen such marvels in many human kingdoms he had been to.

As the boat went closer and closer to the trunk, and now was almost at the docks, a big bright light flashed over. The whole boat that had been half camouflaged by the darkness lit up. He brought his hands before his eyes to cover the unexpected illumination.

"Stop right there! This area is restricted for civilians”, came a loud voice from above.

"I told ‘ya this won't work. Now give me ma charge", came another voice from behind him. That had been the charterer of the boat. Now, no unauthorized boats or air ships were allowed close to Central Heaven, so he had promised the old man a handsome amount of payment, which was of course accepted with delight.

"Identify yourself now!", demand the voice from above.

He who was standing on the deck, glanced up towards the direction where the voice came from. Next he loosened the knot close to his neck that was keeping his hooded cloak in place, and let the ocean wind blow it away. Thus his armor was revealed.

The white armor clung perfectly to his body. There were also strange carvings on the chest area of it. His not-so-long brown hair swayed about as he strapped his sword more firmly to his back, with a slight smirk on his face.

A brief moment of silence passed.

"Y-you can pass...", said the voice from above.

"Who...the, who are you?", said the baffled old man from behind.

"Just an old traveler”, he said nonchalantly. “Now, shall we proceed?”, he asked gesturing his hand towards the dock in front of them.

He payed the old man as he promised before and got off the boat.

He now was on an elevator. It was a broad, circular-shaped metal block that worked using principles of elector magnetic levitation, with a hint of magic that helped it defy gravity.

Before he had got onto the elevator he'd noticed the awkward faces of some guards who seemed to recognize him. He didn't know the reason why they were afraid of him though.

As the elevator ascended to the top and the door slid open, he was embraced by the majestic Central Palace. It was the largest palace in Heaven, and almost looked like a half an eclipse that stretched from either side, with many pillars and arches in its surroundings. The sunrise gleamed through its crystal clear windows, also lighting up everything else around him.

Even though it was early morning, everyone around seemed to be in a hurry. Most of them didn’t notice him as they happened to be too busy that day. Royal guards were everywhere, but strangely no knights. Although they may had noticed him, none of them dared to utter a single word.

He walked into the Palace. In front of him was a great big door. It opened from inside, and he was welcomed by a gigantic hall. In the corner of that hall was an elevated platform with a large chair on it. As he approached he could see someone sitting on it with his chin resting on his arm. He was an Albino with stunning golden eyes. He looked like a high-schooler, and was dressed in a gold plated armor. On both sides of him were six other people, all with similar crests on their armor as of our sudden guest. Their faces looked worried, specially the guy in the middle. He smiled lightly as he noticed who had come, like he’d expected to see him.

“Your majesty, look who’s here!”, said a woman with long red hair. She too were in armor.

“You look the same as you were, before you left heaven 10 years ago” the Albino smiled from the corner of his mouth whilst fixing his posture. “So. Have you completed your quest?”

“That I have.” He then knelt courteously as he uttered “I, Napolian Whirlwood, report back to your service as an Honorary Night of Heaven.”

“My my, so formal as always. You have not changed the least bit old friend.”, said the Albino approaching him and tenderly holding his shoulders while he stood up. Then suddenly hugged him tight as if hugging someone you had missed a lot.

“My king..!?”, said a surprised Napolian.

“How much I- no we, have missed you.”, he said, now with a smile spreading across his face as he made his way back to his throne.

The others that stood besides the throne wore welcoming smiles in their faces. They were old comrades that once fought side by side. They were all Knights of Heaven, or more widely known, Arch Angels. The Albino was none other than the High King of Heaven. You could also call him… God.

There was a certain person Napolian had wanted to meet since the very moment he had set foot in Heaven. That was his very best friend’s daughter he never had seen.

“By the way, my king. Whe-”

“Ah ah ah! Please drop the honorifics.”, the king said swaying his index finger.

“Uh..um..ok..ahem. Lucico, about your daughter...”

As soon as the word ‘daughter’ left his mouth, the whole atmosphere in the room went sullen. He could see the depressed faces of others. Lucico froze in his tracks.

“About my daughter…”

“Yes, about your daughter, the Princess. Heard she was in Heaven since last month. I would like to meet her”, Napolian muttered.

“Yes… about that…”, Lucico kept hanging on the inevitable.

“Sorry but, you won’t be able to find her here”, said a man with spiky yellow hair. Napolian’s brows furrowed.

“Why?”

“Because she ran away…”, answered another man, a bit more heavily built than the other.

“It was all his fault.”, said a lady wearing a large pointy cap, standing right besides Lucico.

Lucico as he was in a lot of stress both about his daughter, and his wife. If she got at least a gust of this news Lucico was sure he was done for. She had entrusted her daughter to him. Then he thought about his friend, how disappointed he would be in Lucico and sad that he won’t be able to see the one person he might have yearned to see all these years.

“I am really sorry, Napolian. Please don’t be mad. After all this is my territory. Fear not. We would definit- Wait. Are you laughing?”

“Heh… heh heh heh”

“Why are you laughing?! I thought you’d remorse about this.”

“Heh heh heh, why should I be sad, but happy? You should be happy too.”

Everyone was puzzled.

“Why your highness...wasn’t that exactly what you did when you were at her age?”

“Hey! That was...”

“Like father, like daughter”, said Napolian with a smile in his face.

Just then the great big doors slammed open, and they all looked at the direction.

A solder came running, shouting;

“THE PRINCESS HAS BEEN LOCATED!”