Chapter 9- Burns

Over time, Shan and Razel went on with seeing each other often at the tree. Razel was kind to her but in his heart he wanted to be with her always. She’d never show it and never say it but she felt the same. These feelings started after seeing each other a little over a month. They knew everything about each other now. Shan know all of Razel’s secrets. She had learned all about the tragedies of his family, how his father was nowhere to be found even to this day. She also knew that the ribbon he kept with him had belonged to his older sister whom he’d killed when he was on Lucifer’s side of the war.

Razel told me of all his friends and adventures. She’d tell him of all her friends and all her adventures.  They were sitting under the same tree they were always at. Razel reached out and took the ribbon out of her hair and ran his fingers through her hair so the braid came undone. “Razel,” Shan said in a shaky voice. “Hush.” He said softly as he leaned over towards her. He put this ribbon in her hair and put her ribbon around his wrist. The two ribbons where identical except for the burn marks on Razel’s. “I want you to have this.” He kissed her cheek and Shan turned her face and accidentally ended up kissing him on the cheek. They both blushed and pulled away.

Not looking at each other, Shan was holding her hand over her mouth and Razel had his hand over his face to try and hide the embarrassment. “I-I’m so sorry Shan, I didn’t mean to…” He trailed off there and Shan looked back at him. She leaned over and with both of their faces still being red from blushing, Shan hugged him and he stopped blushing. Her arms where clutching to the arm of his that was closest to her, “Don’t be sorry.” She said softly. Razel turned back to her and hugged her back. “I wish I was still and angel.” He said in Shan’s ear. “I could stay with you forever if I was still in Heaven.” He seemed sad. Shan clung to him tighter. “It’s alright, I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.” Razel looked at the ribbon. “You never told me how you got this ribbon.” He said and Shan’s face seemed to drift downwards until she was looking at the ground. “Like you, I have a story for it. As a cherub I only had one real friend. We where friends until the day he went away and I still call him my friend…” Shan was thinking for what words to say so that she could express herself rightly. “Before you, he was the only one I actually really wanted to be near.”

“Go on,” He said to her softly. “I promise, I’ll stay silent about everything.” She nodded and went on. “He was a fellow student in the wind element and we were always together. One day he wanted to go to the ocean, you know about the ocean, right?” He nodded. “It’s the border of heaven and purgatory. If you fall in the water, you fall into oblivion and will never escape.” He said in a bit of a sad tone. “No!” Shan exclaimed. “That’s wrong, there is a way out. No one knows it so that it takes longer to get out. Shin will get out. Shin’ll come back to us. He promised he would find a way out...so he could get back to me…” She started to get weaker in her voice until Razel understood that this angel, Shin, gave her the ribbon. He hugged her and she was clutching him for support. It was something she’d never even told me. I only know Shin had fallen into oblivion from other angels who saw it. Shin had been messing around with Shan and she pushed him wish her shoulder and he stumbled into the water. Things didn’t look bad until it happened. Hands came out of the water and pulled him beyond the tide of the waves and that is where the ground stopped, Shin called for Shan, Shan was too terrified, Shin fell into the water as if there was nothing underneath it. He was gone and no one was able to save him.

“I’m alright.” She said as they let go of each other. Razel kissed her cheek. “Thank you for telling me.” Shan looked up at him and asked. “Didn’t you say you had to leave by noon?” He looked at her and then at the ground. The sun was directly above and there were no shadows, it was noon. “Shit!” He got up and then, realizing what he said he bowed. “I’m sorry for saying that. I have to go.” He kissed her cheek again. “See yah.” Shan smiled. “Bye Razel, be safe.”

As Razel ran from the tree, he knew he couldn’t make it by running. His black wings spread open as he ran. His feet lifted off the ground and a guest of wind appeared and Razel disappeared. “Wow…” Shan could see him as he vanished. She smiled. “He’s so…” But she couldn’t finish her sentence. She started to sense something from behind her. She turned to see a man in a black cloak. There was a high collar to it to cover his mouth and the man’s jet black hair was overgrown and uncut. He didn’t notice Shan but when he got to the tree, he fell backwards and on his back. Looking up at the sky, the man started to cough. “Are you alright?” Shan moved towards him.

The man’s brown eyes where only half open. Because he was lying down, his hair was out of his face and you could tell this man wasn’t that old. With no facial hair and no scars the man looked rather young. His hair was a little above his shoulders in the back and was at this chin in the front. He looked out into space until Shan knelt down next to him and touched his arm slightly. “Can you speak?” The man’s eyes drifted over her way and went wide. He pushed her away from him and covered his face. Shan was now a little away from him and on her butt. the man was on his side with his back to her. “Don’t look at me…” His voice was weak, deep and a little scratch. The man started to cough again. “Please, have some water.” She put her canteen out to him. The man looked back and reached out for it. He took it slowly and took a small sip before extending his arm back to her. “Thank you but that is all I need.” He was lying and Shan could tell. “No one with a cough like that could be fine with that little sip. Have as much as you want.” Her smile reassured the man as he took a much greater gulp of water. His skin became moister and the skin on his hand looked less wrinkled and fuller as he drank. When he was done he sat up all the way.

“Thank you very much.” He handed the canteen to her. His cloths where visible since his cloak was not covering him anymore, a black vest and what looked like leather pants. There was no shirt under his vest and there where bandages around his arms, fingers, and his abdomen. He was catching his breath from coughing and then the long drink.

Shan smiled at him as she took the canteen back. “You are very welcome. My name is Shan.” The man looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. “I see…” was all he said before trying to get up. He cringed in pain and fell on his back. Panting to catch his breath, Shan got closer to him. “Hold on there,” She put her hands over the bandaged part of his arm. “You’re bleeding.” Green light slowly came from her hands. The man looked frightened before he pulled away. “Miss Shan,” He said as he rolled over and managed to his feet. “I suggest you forget you met me and don’t come near again.” Shan was confused as the man went on talking. “I’m not the kind of being that is worth being remembered these days.”

“Why?” She needed to know why someone would want to be forgotten. She couldn’t understand and she wanted to understand. He looked over at her and Shan’s eyes went wide, she thought she’d seen him before and at this moment it hit her. “You look like him…” She said slowly. The man’s look went to one of curiosity. “You look like Razel…” The man smiled. “Do you know him?” He asked Shan. She nodded. “Do you know a girl named Ikioi?” She nodded again. “Rio, Yuri,” She shook her head no and the man’s smile vanished. “How are Ikioi and Razel?” He took as step away from her. Shan smiled. “Ikioi is doing wonderfully in Heaven and Razel is doing well in Hell.” The man nodded as he walked away. “Thank you.”

“Wait!” Shan ran after him. “Who are you?” She and him where in the middle of nowhere since it took him a while to stop walking and Shan had just kept following him, the tree was no longer in sight. He stopped for a moment and then turned around sharply and pulled Shan towards him by her arm. “You should have left while I was still sane.” He still seemed gentle but he was starting to act strange. He was holding Shan close to him with one hand and running his fingers through her hair with his other hand. “You remind me of someone I once loved.” His voice became weaker. “Her name was Jun. She looked so much like you, Shan.” His eyes become darker. “But then she died after having my fourth child, Yuri.” Shan was starting to get a little scared. “I got her sick. She died because of me and no matter how sad I am or how much I want to die I keep living, like it’s a curse. And now I am the last of my kind, true demons who have lived in hell long before Lucifer’s time. I have no home; I have no friends, no loved ones that even know I exist. Do you know how that feels?” He looked down at her and a tear fell from Shan’s eye.

The man looked surprised. He didn’t mean to make her cry. “No, I don’t know how that feels. I have a home in the city, my brother and friends like the elder and Ikioi and other loved ones like Razel. They all care so much for me. I can’t even start to understand how it feels to be alone.” She looked up at the man. “But you don’t have to be alone because there are others in the world, we can be your friends and family. If you have family, then let them know you exist and let them know where you are. They won’t push you away, I know that. And if you can’t actually get to them, you can hope. You can think and wish and you can wish so much that you’re thoughts and wishes reach the wind and the wind can carry those thoughts and wishes to those you love.” The man’s eyes got lighter. The white in his eyes had been turning black but now they were turning back to white. “And if you need a friend, I’m always at that tree…” She smiled at she was still crying. “I can be your friend and bring you water when you need some.” The man looked away from her and let her go. He didn’t move but then, a smile formed on his face. A tear fell from his chin. “Thank you child…for opening my eyes,” He patted the top of her head. “You’ve given my new hope.” He turned back to her with a much happier expression. “Can you do something for me?” His voice was stronger now and his eyes seemed brighter. She nodded and the man pointed at himself. “My name is Takeshi. Can you tell Ikioi that this is from Takeshi?” He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small box. It was green and was held together with a strand of twine. Shan nodded and took the box. “And can you give Razel this letter?” He pulled a letter out of another pocket. It was paper but it was a little brownish and torn as if it was old. It was folded several times as well. Shan took it and said. “I’ll make sure I get these to them.” Takeshi pointed to his right. “That is the direction of Heaven. Just keep walking that way and you’ll see the gates over the next hill.” Shan looked that way and nodded. Not looking back at the man. “What about you Takeshi, what will you do?” The man took a step back. “Well, there’s no place for demons in this place anymore, especially since y’all call those fallen angel’s in Hell ‘demons’. I was thinking of going to Earth. I’m not that bad looking and I can control myself. I’m pretty smart so I should be alright down there.” He said and then smiled. “But I would worry about yourself more if I were you. Shan just remember one thing for me,” Shan turned around and the wind blew a little. Takeshi was gone but she could hear his voice in the wind. “Not everyone is as trusting or nice as you are.” Shan looked around and then looked back in the direction Takeshi had told her was home. “But if I were to take your advice, Takeshi, how could I trust you?” But no matter how much she asked that he would never answer her and she would always trust him.

…

By the time Shan finally moved and went home, it was almost dark by the time she made it to the gates. Shan ran from the gates and started to run so fast, she let her wings out and started to fly. She made it to the tree of life as fast as she could, her face was lit up with excitement. “Ikioi,” She called out as she landed and kept running. Ikioi, who was at the base of the tree, turned to face Shan. Holding out the box, Shan made it to Ikioi. “I have something for you!” She exclaimed. Ikioi looked at the box before taking it. “This box….its looks like…” She smiled and her eyes welled up with tears. “When I was a child, I would get a box like this every year. My mother used to tell me it was from someone that loved me very much. But when my mother died, the boxes stopped coming. I figured they had been from my mother…” Ikioi looked up at Shan and asked in a soft voice. “How did you get this?” A grin appeared on Shan’s face and she wagged her finger. “I’ll tell you once you open it.” Ikioi smiled and nodded as she opened the box.

Undoing the tie on it, the box fell open in her hand. From the tinny, brown box came a soft blue light. Ikioi gasped as she saw a small, silver bell with a blue ribbon an it. There was a little card on the ribbon. It read, “To my baby girl, I hope you didn’t think I’d forgotten you all these years. There has never been one day I’ve not thought of the five of you but this is something just for you. Happy birthday Ikioi, as long as this bell still rings, the one you are thinking of still lives.” Ikioi picked up the bell and closed her eyes. “Father…” She said as she shook the bell a little, it rung loud and clear. Shan was amazed. “Do it again Ikioi,” She nodded. “Shin,” She shook it again and it ran but the sound was duller and a little softer. “I think that’s enough for now, would you say?” Shan nodded. “I met him, Takeshi. He gave me the box to give to you.” Ikioi nodded. “Thank you.” Shan reached in a pocket she had and bought out a letter. “And this is for your brother, Razel.” Ikioi was confused. “Can you make sure this gets to him?” Shan asked Ikioi. To this day I still don’t know why she did this. Maybe Shan could tell what the next day would hold. Maybe she thought it would give Ikioi an excuse to see her brother. I guess I’ll never know why Shan asked this of Ikioi but she nodded and took the letter from Shan. From where, Shan left to go home but Ikioi stayed at the tree of life for a while longer. She sat under it for a long time, just looking at the bell. “Father…” Escaped her lips before another angel came to tend to the tree, meaning Ikioi had to go home and rest so she’d be ready for tomorrow.