132

 

132.  Providence

 

Through pristine, pale pink shutters, a thin sliver of dawn crept inside the dark room. The light traced along cream-colored plaster floors, reaching a bed against the wall. On a soft mattress underneath cloth sheets and wool blankets slept Eden.

 

She slipped one eye open and glanced at the sun through the gap in the shutters on the opposite side of the room. Morning had come at last. Fall had just ended in this world, and daylight was becoming scarcer and scarcer. Not that Eden minded – she felt much more secure in the darkness these days.

 

Eden shifted her body a bit, moving the sliver of light off her face. All the sun reminded her of now were the blistering moments she had spent high up on that gilded spire, under the petrifying gaze of the angel, listening to the direct word of God, her father. Never had she felt such hatred toward a being. Simply remembering it made her sick, so she pushed it out of her mind, along with the memories of his servants. The daughter of God, they had called her. His tool, created to do his bidding.

 

Never again.

 

Eden slipped out of bed and moved slowly over to the closet on the adjacent wall. With a yawn, she exchanged her plain brown pajamas for simple cream-colored underclothes and a long white abaya, a robe-like dress with sleeves, heavy and loose. On top of that she donned a dark brown cloak, then finished her outfit off by wrapping her hair and head with an orange cloth.

 

The house was silent as Eden walked under the drape that curtained her chamber and entered a short hallway. Between her room and the next there was a small bathroom that contained an empty wooden tub, a ceramic sink, and a small shelf. Eden made a quick stop at the sink and lightly splashed some water on her face, then looked at herself in the mirror.

 

Her face looked stiff, but serene. Clear green eyes stared back at her, but her lips were taut and straight. She watched her body softly heave up and down as she breathed. After confirming that there was no inkling of anger or sadness on her face, she gave herself a small nod and moved on.

 

In the next room, a basket filled with fresh fruit sat on a stone table, while the northern wall was lined with small jars of spices and a large jug of rice. Eden had just moved to pull a banana from the top of the basket when a tall man with a long brown beard stepped out from a different hallway.

 

"Good morning, Eden," he said with a smile. "And may God bless this fine morning."

 

"Good morning, Tobias," she replied with a smile. "May the grace of God find you throughout your day."

 

As the two shared a breakfast, Eden thought back to the first time she had set eyes on Medina Abiat, the white-walled, perfectly circular city that existed beneath the spires of the Supernal Chapel. Shrieking, she had plummeted down from the sky, wondering if the clouds would ever end. Then she saw it – pristine buildings erected with plaster and white stone, clean cobblestoned streets, and robed figures walking to and fro.

 

As she alighted, sweating, heaving, eyes wide with fury, Eden had immediately gazed up at the sky, expecting to see winged pursuers with outstretched hands. But she saw nothing. Still panicking, Eden turned her gaze back to the townspeople, who had quickly moved up to look upon her. She was not prepared for what she saw.

 

An outstretched hand.

 

A warm smile.

 

"You're exhausted. Would you like some water?"

 

What Eden found at the bottom of the world was a city of peaceful, trusting people. Of course, it was a very hard pill to swallow. The bearded men and long-haired women of the city had auras that felt as soft and serene as the stillest forest brook, and they happily gave her food and water, without ever asking her any sort of intrusive questions. Eden accepted it, while still bracing for betrayal at every turn – yet one question continued to resonate in her mind.

 

How can they all be so happy?

 

Within moments, Eden's curiosity had become just as strong as her desire to flee. Hours later, she found herself breaking bread in the house of Priscilla and Tobias, a middle-aged couple who lived near the city center. After having difficulties with childbirth, the couple had found their calling through preparing and delivering meals for busier families. They invited Eden to stay with them for as long as she wanted, and suspicions never left Eden's mind, she soon found herself not wanting to leave.

 

No matter how she tried, Eden couldn't find a single true flaw. Priscilla and Tobias not only treated themselves with respect, but interacted with their neighbors and customers as if they were all part of one big, loving family. Priscilla, a tall, stout woman with long, curly brown hair, and her husband Tobias, who was balding in the front but had a long, bushy beard. She watched their every move, searching for something off, something that rubbed her the wrong way. Priscilla enjoyed collecting beads and making jewelry in her spare time. Tobias liked to drink beer in the evenings and play his lyre.

 

Convinced that they must have been some sort of anomaly, Eden went on a long walk through the streets. People greeted each other with care. One woman stopped to help a tired old man carry a wagon of lumber down the street. Children ran through the streets and played in the grass between buildings, and there was always an adult nearby, watching them and stepping in with a loving voice whenever there was any inkling of an argument or fight.

 

And through it all, God was everywhere. All good news was attributed to the grace of God. Sermons happened at all times throughout the many chapels in the town, administered by priests of all shapes and colors. People usually went to mass every day to worship, and prayer happened throughout each day.

 

Eden thought back to the Apostles – to the archangel Gabriel, and to the voice of her father. She thought about it all as she sat down in a pew and watched children, teenagers, and adults singing hymns together in a choir.

 

Am I the one who's wrong?

 

The more days she spent in the city, the more Eden understood. These people were neither brainwashed nor sedated – they got into arguments and felt frustration and exhaustion just like any other people. There was one big different, though – God was ever present, in every moment, in every conversation. When someone encountered hardship, they saw it as a trial from God, and they accepted it. Everyone seemed to live out every moment of their lives with the unflinching belief that they were under constant surveillance by the two big eyes in the sky, and that brought them the security and solace they needed to live in peace.

 

They've fully accepted it, each and every one of them, Eden realized. God is their master, and they trust that He knows best. They do as he says, and in return, he really does give them peace and happiness.

 

Eden thought back to the years she'd spent on Earth – visiting church with her foster parents, and the shock she'd felt when she uncovered the many hypocrisies about those who claimed to serve the Lord.

 

What's the difference? Why does everything work so well here, while nothing ever seemed to really work on Earth?

 

Then, they returned to her mind: the Apostles with their shimmering auras, Gabriel with his petrifying gaze, and the young, golden-haired Vincentius with his confident smile.

 

Absolute power. They've already dominated this world. They’ve long since won, to the point where the mere idea of defying them doesn’t even exist in the realms of fantasy.

 

It's as alien to these people as the idea of the sky being green.

 

Once this realization sunk in, Eden suddenly felt more confused and lost than she had ever felt in her entire life. Only days ago, she had been so sure of her identity, but a new reality had come in out of nowhere and shattered that all to pieces. It left her feeling paralyzed more than anything, and her curiosity and desire to understand compelled her to stay put for the time being.

 

And so, she spent days with Tobias and Priscilla, assisting them in cooking and delivering bread, rice, meat and vegetables to those who needed it. In the evenings, after everyone had gone to bed and Eden still felt the cogs of her mind churning without any sign of stopping, she would crack open one of the many Bibles contained within the house and read it. She started with Genesis, of course, but quickly made it through the other books as the nights continued. She read about how Moses and his people failed to reach the promised land, then learned all she could about Jesus, the first Messiah, and his twelve disciples.

 

Before Eden knew it, she had already come across the final book in the series: Revelation, where the description of Armageddon was forever imprinted in her mind.

 

The Second Coming. Eden turned each page with violent desperation. It painted a violent picture, concerning cataclysmic events, beasts, esoteric seals, and staggering amounts of blood. She followed how the "Lamb" stood up to the beast, ridding the world of Satanic blasphemy and preparing it for the new Heaven and Earth.

 

The beast. The false prophet... Eden worked hard to stop her mind from drawing personal connections to the imagery and continued, following the destruction of Babylon, the marriage supper of the Lamb, Satan's imprisonment, the raising of the dead, Satan's release, the final battle, and then finally, God's eternal victory.

 

"Shall I cook up some eggs for us?" Tobias asked, as he moved toward the kitchen. "We have a lot of deliveries to make today, but that shouldn't stop us from having a nice breakfast."

 

"Thank you," Eden said with a smile. "Did Priscilla already get up?"

"Yes, she went out for an early run," Tobias replied as he prepared the stove. "You know how she is – early to bed, early to rise, just like the sun."

 

The light conversation was followed by a light breakfast, and after some quick cleaning, the work day had finally begun. Eden loaded the deliveries into an ice chest on wheels connected to the back of a four-wheeled pedal car, and she was off.

 

Throughout the morning, she made a few deliveries to some of her usual customers, and they each greeted her with delight. Eden had not divulged anything personal to the people in the town, but she had long since realized it didn't matter. They trusted her, and of course they did. Why would they ever need to fear anything under the vigilant eye of the God and His apostles?

 

Noon came, and Eden stopped for a break in a nearby park. As she unwrapped a sandwich, she watched a mother guide a small child over to a tree. As a bird hopping on some branches crossed the child's eyes, the mother's face lit up in pure glee.

 

"This tree, its leaves, and the little birdies... God made it all, Bethany. He made it all for us, so we could enjoy His kingdom. Isn't that amazing?"

 

"God's amazing," the child said, as she gazed back up to her mother with proud eyes.

 

Eden slowly ate her sandwich as she watched. Soon, the mother and daughter left the park, hands clasped together as they continued their stroll through the city. Connection. Warmth. In her moments alone, Eden's thoughts were drawn to Victoria, Vance, Cliff, and Azuka, phantoms that clung on to the stormy cliffs of her hollow mind. Then, she felt a shadow blot out part of the light.

 

"Hello, Eden."

 

Hearing her name, Eden quickly glanced up to see a face partially obscured under a white hood. The man pushed the hood back a bit, and her eyes instantly focused in on his – two dark, irisless pupils, deep-set in a long, bony face with spotless, pale skin, encased by shimmering blond hair.

 

Recognizing the Apostle, Eden dropped her sandwich and shot up from the bench.

 

"Wait," Vincentius said, reaching out to her elbow. "I just want to talk."

 

The moment his finger touched her elbow, Eden shuddered, then punched him in the cheek. Vincentius took the blow, allowing her fist to push his head to be pushed to the side, but his body did not flinch.

 

"I understand your reservations," Vincentius continued on, as calm as he had sounded from the start. "But I swear to the Lord, I've only come here to talk. And if I'm lying, may God strike me down right where I stand."

 

Eden kept her arm outstretched in front of her, watching the serene expression on the wounded man's face. Blood slowly dripped out from the inside of his mouth.

 

"What took you so long?" Eden asked, cold eyes following the thin trail of blood as it began to stain the man's white robe. "This is your city, isn't it? I know you've been watching me."

 

"I thought you deserved some time to enjoy Medina Abiat," Vincentius slowly pulled his face away from her fist, watching her intently. "What do you think of our city?"

 

Eden pulled her fist back, allowing her citrus aura to slowly spill out from her pores. "What do you care what I think?"

 

"I care a great deal," Vincentius brought a pale finger up to wipe the blood from his mouth, swallowing the rest. "I'm eager to learn your opinions on a variety of matters. Like I said, Eden, I'm only here to talk."

"About what?" Eden crossed her arms, keeping her gaze fixed on him, letting him know this moment wouldn't last for long.

 

"I know what it feels like to be alone," Vincentius began, never losing his serenity or averting his gaze from her eyes. "My mother abandoned me right after she gave birth to me. I was consumed by hatred, anger, and a desire for revenge. It pushed me a great deal in my youth, but it also polluted my mind."

 

Eden studied Vincentius' face as he spoke, noting his facial features, and the way his mouth twitched a bit in between phrases, accentuating every small emotion that peppered his words. She wondered how much of it was true, and what exactly he wanted from her.

 

"In the end, Eden, I defied Him," Vincentius continued, pointing a finger up to the sky. "I fought against God."

"And what happened?" Eden blurted out all of a sudden. "What did he do to change your mind?"

 

Vincentius gestured to the tranquil city streets surrounding them. "He showed me a better way. He showed me the light."

 

"I know what you want from me." Eden felt her voice begin to seethe. "You want me to just accept Him. All his rules, the reason I was made. You want me to join you, so you'll be more powerful. That's why you're being so nice... That's why you didn't chase after me. You're sure I'll come around eventually."

 

"Of course we're happy to have you home," Vincentius said with a warm smile. "But power? Come now, Eden. After all you've seen...do you really think any of us lust for power?"

 

At that, Eden faltered. He's right. Not even Grayson could take on the Church... and that archangel, whatever it was... It felt more powerful than anything I've ever encountered. No one can stop them... They have no reason to want to use me as a weapon.

 

Vincentius went on. "Father Zeigfried was overjoyed when he located you. You were supposed to grow up here, after all. But Victoria stole that from you. She kidnapped you and polluted your mind, just like she polluted the mind of the Seneschal of the Guild. Teaching you that God and the Church is something to fear... Teaching you to see rebellion as the only means to find true freedom."

 

"Victoria loved me," Eden stammered.

 

"I'm sure she did, as did the Seneschal. All living creatures have the ability to do good. We'd even let them all live here if they wanted...if only they'd agree to accept God in their hearts."

 

"Why do you have to force things on people?" Eden asked. "Can't you just let them practice what they want in peace? Why is it such a big deal?"

Vincentius let a wan smile cross his face, and he glanced down at the ground before joining eyes with Eden once more. He gave her an expectant glance, as if hoping she would answer her own question before he had to.

 

"Eden, you've seen our city," he said. "I'm fairly confident you've never been in such a peaceful place. And surely by this point, you've figured out why we're able to maintain such peace. Imagine what would happen if only one person who didn't truly believe in God were to live among their midst. Just one person who didn't play by the same rules. What would happen?"

 

Eden took a deep breath as she listened. She knew he could see that she knew the answer, even though she didn't want to say it.

 

"We were put here and given our powers to make peace – to bring people to God. That is and always will be our mission, across all dimensions. Anyone who rejects God rejects that peace. They threaten not only us, but every innocent believer who exists."

 

"So people are either with you or against you," Eden said, following it with a dark laugh. "And I'm sure God's the same way. Do as we say, bend to our will...or we'll break you."

 

"You either obey God, or you don't, Eden," Vincentius said with a light shrug. "There's no in-between when it comes to obedience."

 

Silence permeated the park as the two continued to stand, looking each other deep in the eye. Perhaps due to chance, or due to some unseen preparation from Vincentius' side, no one walked by to interrupt their sudden meeting.

 

"What are you so afraid of losing by obeying God, Eden?" Vincentius asked. "I completely understand your anger at growing up alone, and at the people who tried to use you along the way. I want to help make sure it never happens again. I want to support you, and see you become the person you've always wanted to be."

 

"You don't know me."

"Then teach me."

 

"You first," Eden shot out, nearly a growl compared to the previous lines she'd spoken.

 

At that, Vincentius replied with a gracious nod. "Very well. Allow me to guide you to the place where I first began, Eden. The center for those who hate God and oppose him – a den of devil worshippers who have made it their life work to desecrate and destroy all that is holy."

Eden furrowed her brow. "Devil worshipers? Here?"

 

"Not on this dimension. We would never allow such a thing," Vincentius said, shaking his head. "They have their own world, protected by the demons of Hell. Yes, Eden, I suppose this is a good time as any to show you the other side. Who you will have to sympathize with you, should you choose to turn your back on God."

 

With that, Vincentius ran his finger through the air, creating a golden gash in the fabric of the dimension of Eretz. After pulling it apart, he moved a palm over his own face, instantly transforming it into that of another. His blond hair was now jet black, his forehead, cheekbones, nose, and chin had become more pronounced, and a short beard now decorated his face. Everything about him looked completely different – save for those irisless pupils.

 

Vincentius gestured toward the shimmering portal, then extended his other hand toward his new traveling companion.

 

"Come, Eden," he said. "The Coven of Profane Clarity awaits."

Next: Bakersfield Babylon