Chapter 4: The Heaven

Without any other choice, although without letting their guard down or trusting the stranger, the people present started to walk, including the little one who was not noticed by anyone, who also followed the group without separating much.

The footsteps could be heard echoing among the immense barks of the gigantic trunks, which seemed never to end. In the silence of the place, Wulfgang had to speak, for some questions were going around in his head and he could not remain silent. "You seem to have much knowledge of our children. More than we ourselves have. To what is this due?"

The Great Wise Wizard paused. Calmed, he put his hand to his beard as if recalling something in the back of his mind so he could decide to speak:

"Believe it or not, in her previous life, one of the sons she is expecting was known as Leonel. He, along with his two brothers David and Stephen, after the forced confinement of Hades, became known as "The Judge of Hell". He was given the task of separating the souls in sorrow. He let go of the innocent souls that did not serve as food for the demons to use the space with those that could serve the purpose."

Rey turned his head and looked up at Heroclades. He was relating the conversation of the moment to the one they had held previously. The guy with tanned skin and well-groomed beard was lighting up his face with a smile from ear to ear. He was happy because he was still hopeful. "Now everything fits," the little boy said to himself, "perhaps, this is why I remember him making so much emphasis on being my master. But if his enemies become mine too, he will bring me a lot of trouble... especially that Zeus fellow."

Heroclades, he said tactfully:

"The oracle to whom I had turned was not wrong."

No one spoke at the words of the man who wore robes of gold thread, but his comment was not taken well at all by anyone present.

The Great Wise Wizard continued:

"With time and effort, the reforms of hell, by this individual, became more and more noticeable. With the excuse of optimizing the entrance, the retention of those brought in and found guilty, except for Tartarus, the whole place ended up being an impenetrable plane for many gods, with the exception of a few entrance keys that are still out there, like the parchment I gave to Ambrogio. I also have answers to several other questions, come on. Let's not let silence be present on this walk."

Mijan, making use of his intelligence, added:

"Like what?"

"Won't you wonder for what reason," said The Great Magician, "Mr. and Mrs. here are the most persecuted couple of the moment? Regardless of all the trouble they caused in the background, don't you think it's a bit overdramatic that so many individuals were out to get their heads?"

"Because of the prophecies" stated Wulfgang. "I answer as if I know why to follow up with a question: how do you know so much?"

"It's just that I'm someone who appreciates listening and, in this very particular place, no one has secrets. Besides, as I said before, you are not the only ones who made it to the entrance of the circle. The scroll transported everyone who was enveloped in the light."

Heroclades, somewhat disappointed, added:

"What a pity, I thought they had ended up turned to dust. And what are the chances that they will return to meet us?"

"They are minimal, they must go through the lower circles to do so and even if they manage to do so, they also have to find a way to enter a place that is designed to prevent the entrance of the non-chosen... Returning to the subject, as I could hear, the prophecies of those who live outside are not composed of empty words, but by making the comparison with my knowledge, I could reach a conclusion...."

Katherine claimed somewhat impatiently:

"Give us the explanation at once. You don't need to lead the conversation."

"The Judge and Reconstructor of Hell, Leonel, despite being a legitimate son of two fragments of the transcendental spirit of the earth, made it so that, for humans, the chances of ending up in hell upon death went up to seventy percent, not counting the endless reasons that were added as characteristics to be eligible for a position in the circles of the place. "To new times new reasons to be damned," he said that. With this, mortals understand that the next incarnation is sure to be a threat to the race. Therefore, those on the outside felt the need to protect themselves in some way from what they feared and could not control. Isn't it ironic, the relentless persecution against you led them to this circle, the circle where everyone wants to be inside the place no one wants to get to?"

Ehimus said in amazement and almost unable to believe what her green eyes were seeing:

"Is that it, what I think I'm seeing!!!?"

Rey, who had been paying attention to the words of the Great Wise Wizard and already had humans on the list of potential enemies, as soon as he heard the elf's words hurried his pace to see what she saw.

Once at the front of the line, the little one that no one could see noticed how Ehimus, Katherine, Wulfgang, Heroclades, Maryam and Mijan stood in awe as they made out what they least expected to see in such a desolate and dark place. However, the little white-eyed one looked somewhat disappointed. He thought the bright illumination was annoying, he remembered that it took some getting used to and irritated his eyes. But the adults could not help but hasten their footsteps. They walked, ran and even jumped into the brightness that appeared at the end of the path. They exclaimed the word "Light!" as if it was something they hadn't seen in a long time.

"How is it that they can adapt to the brightness of the environment crowded by this light?" wondered Rey narrowing his eyes and covering his face with his hands as he strained to see the expressions the elders made.

Once he could see into the divinity of the place, to Rey the elders seemed to be saying they couldn't believe their eyes. And it was logical, those who had been surrounded by darkness, piercing screams, the smell of burning flesh and a haze of blood could not imagine such a change in such a short time.

"But how is it possible that there is such overflowing, lush beauty even under the stones?" said the green elf, stretching out her hands and dancing on the grass. "Lush vegetation full of life and glory. The sovereign scent of flowers fills the air, carried by the soothing and relaxing wind that pierces the horizon and touches our bodies. The most wonderful of skies bathes us with its light. Even the enigmatically captivating sound of rushing water. Nothing ever seen by me before, not in storybooks or legends."

To the little boy, the elf had a point. Stopping his eyes from narrowing, Rey had to admit that the contrast of the decrepit and hostile world outside, compared to all the different colors that made up the splendorous atmosphere, made the older man's reaction understandable.

The sound caused by the walking of spindly feet on the fresh grass moistened by a thin layer of water made way for an old woman's voice to be heard:

"Welcome to this, the lowest circle of Paradise, the Heavens. The following circles overlap each other at the top of the mountain and are known as the nine heavens."

The first name mentioned, even if it was a low circle, reflected in everyone's gazes a carefree future. Ehimus asked:

"Isn't there any more?"

The Great Wise Wizard continued:

"No. Above the nine heavens is the "Garden of Eden", and higher up the "Empyrean", which is guarded by a flaming sword and faceless beings of luminous yellow bodies and fiery blood... but that is not information you need to know."

He paused in his walk and lay down on the side of the path.

"I'm afraid that's as far as my humble guidance goes. I have other business to take care of, even so, I will make the time to be your quartermaster. That means I will solve any problems you have so that you can avoid having to interfere directly in any matter. I will come and greet you every morning from now on. Now, if you will allow me, I recommend that you follow the path, it will lead you to the house that will serve as your stay."

Rey noticed how the elders were happy, so happy that they could even jump for joy, including the muscular vampire. On the other hand, for some reason, Lobato Wulfgang's face didn't seem to fit. Curious, the little boy approached his father, the one who held his mother in his strong arms. From closer, it was obvious that he was trying to hide the sadness that so hungrily wanted to devour his eyes and bathe him in tears.

At that precise moment, Maryam raised her hand and touched her beloved's face. The thin-lipped, pale vampire whispered something in the lycanthrope's ear:

"I can hear your heart trembling. It burns inside you to know there is no turning back. Though I know that for you that will be no excuse for you to give up... Fang, eat of the fruit with me, share the path of your friends. You know that few can do "the right thing" when it really matters. I ask you..."

Wulfgang returned a whisper:

"Sadness is an irreversible current of grief when you realize you are about to give up the last chance to be there for someone... My heart trembles and aches. Not because there is no turning back and I am leaving that world with its problems to someone else, but because I know I am moving away from all the things I am to get closer to you and all the things you are." A whisper from someone humble, honest, noble and sincere, who was becoming a selfish liar.

Maryam, in a whisper, replied:

"And isn't that what love is? To love can be to sacrifice your happiness or that of someone else. Just because you are in a safe place does not mean that your responsibility as a father is over, who assures you that my future will not be in danger once my children are born and you are gone? Don't turn around, don't walk away and leave me here, even if I deserve it... Out of love I gave you everything without expecting to receive anything in return..... It's not that I didn't want to tell you, it's just that I didn't have the courage... Now, when I need you most, I'm asking you. Stay with me until they grow up or die, give me the chance to earn everything I want by my own means."

Wulfgang clenched his jaw and decided to turn a deaf ear so as not to end up in an argument with the vampire or worry those around him. The arrogant-bodied lycanthrope, with the first step he took on the soft grass, tore the regrets from his heart and moved on. Without looking back, worrying about himself and his own responsibilities, he acted as one who gave up the idea of returning to the other plane.