Gabriel's Armada

Chapter 10: Gabriella "The chosen one"

“That can't be true!” Gabriella moaned, grabbing her hair, “I can't be in hell.”

“And why the hell not?” the hooded figure asked with a chuckle.

“While on earth, I was a good person. I said my prayers, attended services and gave what little I could to the poor. There's no way I'm in hell.” Gabriella said confidently.

Beelzebub began to clap, “It's the confidence for me.”

Walking up to where Gabriella stood like a lost lamb, Beelzebub placed a hand on her shoulder, “It's always those who thought they'd make it to heaven that end up with us.”

Hearing Beelzebub's words, Gabriella burst into tears, covering her face with her hands.

“I can't believe it. After suffering on earth, I'm still going to suffer in hell.” Gabriella sobbed.

“Yes,” Beelzebub said, checking out his reflection in the golden walls of his palace, “It usually works that way.”

“Please, I don't want to suffer,” Gabriella wailed, moving further away from Beelzebub and the figure, “Please, give me another chance on earth.”

“I'm sorry, that's beyond us.” the figure replied.

Beelzebub glared at him but did not counter him. Instead, he said to Gabriella, “If you get another chance on earth, what would you that you didn't already do?”

Before Gabriella could respond, he continued, “I know the stories you hear on earth, about how hell is a world of suffering and torture where people would gnash their teeth and cry in pain.”

Gabriella nodded.

“I won't tell you the stories are false, because they aren't,” Beelzebub said, approaching Gabriella once again, “but it isn't that way for everyone.”

Gabriella stopped sobbing and looked at Beelzebub, “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Beelzebub replied, slicking his hair backwards, “that not everyone in hell suffers. In fact, those whom I need enjoy more than some souls in heaven.”

“Blasphemy!” Gabriella raged, spittle flying from her mouth and on to Beelzebub's face.

Beelzebub made a disgusted face and wiped the saliva off his face.

Before a second passed, he struck Gabriella so hard, she slammed her head against a wall before she landed on the floor with a huge thud.

“Next time, you mind how you speak to me!” Beelzebub shouted and walked up to where Gabriella lay dejectedly. He jerked her to her feet by her and said, “As I was saying before you stupidly interrupted me, even the souls suffering in hell are enjoying, compared to the souls in heaven.”

Gabriella's eyes showed her disbelief, but this time, she kept mute.

“I know you still don't believe me, so I'm going to show you.” Beelzebub said.

With a snap of his fingers, a floating screen appeared, showing a graphic video of demons killing angels and destroying cities.

“Oh my God!” Gabriella exclaimed, bursting into tears again, “this can't be true.”

“It actually is,” the figure said quietly.

“Now, that we've established this,” Beelzebub said, “let's continue.”

Letting go of Gabriella, Beelzebub put his hands together, “You're supposed to be in a torture chamber with a death demon, screaming within an inch of your life.”

Gabriella fell to her knees and began to plead, “Please, spare me. I'm so sorry.”

Beelzebub clutched her hair and jerked her up forcefully again, “Stop. You won't be going to a torture chamber, that's beneath you.”

Gabriella stilled, “What do you mean?”

“You see, Gabriella,” Beelzebub grinned, “There is an age-old prophecy about you. It says that you are a formidable warrior who will help us defeat the heavens in a celestial war.”

* * *

Teres, the Underground City.

Gabriel cursed under his breath as he walked to his class. He knew the other students were gazing at him and he felt like the awkward new kid. He did not know his timetable and so he did not know which classes he had or the venues where they were supposed to hold.

Thaddeus, his roommate had left the room before he had woken up and was nowhere to be found, and that was why he was wandering the halls of the Celestial Academy aimlessly, afraid to ask anyone for directions.

“If I pass these halls again, they're going to know that I'm lost, and they're going to pity me, and Gabriel Sinator doesn't do pity.” Gabriel mused.

“Gabriel!” A clear loud voice rang out from behind him.

He turned around and came face to face with Zachariah. The huge angel beamed at him, “I'm so glad you decided to join us today.”

“My curiosity got the better of me,” Gabriel lied with a shrug. It was actually his fear of Dina that had gotten the better of him.

“So, what class do you have now?” Zachariah asked, with his hands behind his back.

Students passing stopped to bow to Zachariah and regard Gabriel with a mixture of fear and awe.

Gabriel sighed, “I have no idea.”

Zachariah laughed, “That can be easily rectified.” He snapped his fingers and one of the students scurried over.

“Yes, Chief,” the young angel shouted on top of her lungs.

“Could you direct Gabriel here to his class?” Zachariah asked with a smile.

“Yes, Chief,” she replied enthusiastically.

“Good,” Zachariah replied. To Gabriel, he said, “Follow her.”

Gabriel looked at the girl, noting that she didn't look to be more than twelve years. He pulled Zachariah aside and whispered to him, “Why should I follow her?”

“Because she's your classmate,” Zachariah replied, looking around.

“Excuse me? How? Why?” Gabriel asked, not grasping that he was supposed to be in the same class with a twelve-year old.

“Look, around here, classes progress quickly. If you had started classes earlier, you would've have been in combat training with Thaddeus and the rest.” Zachariah explained.

“What?” Gabriel asked, shocked, “Thaddeus is in combat training?”

“Of course.” Zachariah nodded.

Without thinking twice, Gabriel fell to his knees and began to plead with Zachariah, “Please, let me just skip to combat training. I promise I won't slack or perform badly.”

Zachariah smiled down at him kindly, “I'm sorry but the rule here is that you have to work up to combat training, and we don't make exceptions, not even for you.”

* * *

Two weeks later,

“Gabriel Sinator, late as usual.” was what Gabriel heard as he entered the class. He didn't even bother with an apology to Mark, a scholarly angel, who taught the cadets Celestial History.

Instead, he trudged to his favorite desk at the back of the class and plopped himself down. His classmates who all looked way younger than he was turned to look at him and he glared back, “What the hell do you think you're looking at?”

“Language, Gabriel,” Mark cautioned disapprovingly, and again, Gabriel didn't bother apologizing.

“If you want to graduate to the next level, you have to come to class earlier and perform better in your tests.” Mark said to Gabriel, who rolled his eyes and began to scribble with his quill on an empty scroll.

“As I was saying,” Mark continued, “The angels saw how beautiful mankind were and descended to mingle with them. They bore children with human women.”

Gabriel closed his eyes. This was nothing but torture.

“Why would they do that?” A freckled boy in front spoke up, “Humans aren't that good-looking.”

Before Mark could reply, a girl chimed in, “That's a lie. There's a particular human called Kim Taehyung. He's very good-looking.”

Gabriel groaned out loud. Kim Taehyung had fans even in heaven? This was worse than he thought.

Gabriel raised his hand up.

Mark smiled, “Yes, Gabriel. Do you have any contribution to make?”

“I have to pee,” Gabriel said, standing up.

“Come on,” Mark said angrily, “You don't pee now. If you want to ditch my class, just say so.”

Gabriel looked sheepish for a moment before his face hardened, “Fine, I want to ditch your class.”