“I brought you, of course. I told you I could travel just as easily to Heaven as I can to Hell. I’ve been watching you, waiting for an opportune time. When you fell out of the building, I interpreted that as a fairly opportune time.”
Sam smiled ruefully. “Thanks. So, what do we do now?”
“Visualize Aimi. You should see a glowing trail that will lead you to her. Only you can see it, though.”
Sam did as he was bid, picturing Aimi in front of him. Her long, dark hair, shimmering in the sunlight of Hikari’s garden. Her perfect skin. Her smile that lit up his heart. As he imagined her, a line appeared before him, arrowing off into the mist.
“Got it,” he said.
Samyaza — or the angel that was Samyaza — nodded. “Lead on.”
Sam started walking, Samyaza at his side, the mist parting compliantly as they drifted along.
As they moved, Sam looked around curiously. This was — and equally wasn’t — what he’d expected in Heaven.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“What did you expect? Roads lined with mansions? People going about their daily business? No. Heaven is much more than that. It’s a place where you can re-shape your reality into whatever you like. It’s a place where you can live out eternity in complete contentment and happiness, simply by imagining whatever you like. Everyone else — like you were you — is caught up in their own private interpretation of what they consider Heaven. The mist around you is like an operating system on a computer. It’s the foundation upon which everything else is built upon.”
Sam thought about asking the Watcher how he knew about computers and then dismissed it as unimportant. “So where is Aimi now? Hikari? Is my mother here?”
Samyaza shook his head. “Aimi and Hikari are here. But understand — Heaven is vast — essentially limitless. Think about how many countless billions reside here. While space isn’t an issue, you cannot have private Heavens stacked up upon each other. They still inhabit a certain amount of room.”
“And my mother?” Suddenly, he felt a little breathless.
Samyaza said nothing for a moment as if pondering or even searching. Finally, he shook his head again. “If she is here, I cannot detect her.”
Sam nodded sadly, somehow suspecting no less. He hadn’t really expected to find her here. Despite her goodness, he doubted whether her truck with demons would be forgiven that easily. It was a crushing blow but one that he’d almost come to terms with. He resolved to find her though, no matter what — even if it involved another trip to the deepest pits of Hell, even if he had to defeat all the demons of Hell.“How long will it take to find Aimi?”
“I do not know,” confessed Samyaza. “You may as well ask me how many demons are in Hell. Time will tell but we must make haste. As I mentioned earlier, this disguise will not last.”
They travelled in silence for a while. After a time, Sam began to feel distinctly unwell. Pain started gnawing first at his outer limbs and then slowly progressing into the rest of his body. It was a heavy, aching pain, almost like tooth ache but in his whole body. He almost recognized it. It was like a sluggish version of the searing pain he got from touching a bible or entering hallowed ground.
Samyaza must have seen the pain on his face. “What is wrong?”
When Sam told him, Samyaza pursed his lips thoughtfully. “I was afraid of this but thought that because you were only half demon — a Cambion — Heaven would not affect you so. This changes things. We have even less time than I thought. The pain will only get worse. Soon, it will become too difficult to bear. We must hurry.”
They picked up the pace. Pain continued to build in Sam’s body but stoically, he tried to ignore it. It felt like his arms and legs were being dipped in acid.
They must have walked for what seemed like hours, the mist all about them, following the trail that only Sam could see. Suddenly, it was gone — not only the trail but the mist too. It was replaced by a scene that Sam immediately recognized. Hikari’s garden.
It was summer. The strawberry and tomato plants were ripe with fruit. A dazzling variety of plants created an explosion of color all around — color that he hadn’t seen in his ash-covered grey world for years. Just the sight of it brought a surge of hope and fond memories to Sam. This was where he’d spent some of the happiest moments of his youth. Then the smell of the garden hit him, the rich bouquet almost overwhelming to his dulled senses.
In a sheltered area off one of the paths that weaved through the garden stood Hikari. Sam’s first impulse was to run over and hug the man but he didn’t want to interrupt his master. Hikari was clearly busy, practicing his craft of bonseki, sprinkling colored sand and pebbles onto the surface of black lacquered trays.
Before he could move, he heard his name shouted and then suddenly Aimi was there, hugging him, kissing him, crying.
“Sam! What are you doing here? I can’t believe you’re here! Did the angels let you in? Of course they did! No-one deserves to be here as much as you do.”
Reluctantly, Sam pushed her away. “Aimi, listen to me. I wasn’t allowed in here. Samyaza brought me. Brought me so I could rescue you. Take you away from here. So we can be together.”
Aimi looked confused for a moment, her eyes darting from Sam to the Watcher. “You came to rescue me? Oh, Sam. From what? Do I look like I need rescuing? It’s beautiful here — exactly what I’d always imagined. Why don’t you stay?”
“Because he can’t, daughter. You of all people should understand that.” Unnoticed, Hikari was somehow standing next to Aimi. Sam hadn’t seen him move.
“Sensei,” said Sam, hugging the small man that had made such a huge impact in his life. Hikari returned the hug, squeezing Sam harder than such a diminutive figure should.
“You should go, Sam. Take Aimi with you. Keep her safe but go now. You shouldn’t be here.”
Sam nodded grimly. “I know, Sensei. But I had to come for her. And for you, if you’d like.”
Hikari shook his head sadly. “I belong here, Sam. As does Aimi, though her soul is conflicted by her desire to be with you. Until her soul is at peace, I believe the right thing would be for her to go with you.”
“If you can’t stay, then of course I will come with you,” said Aimi. “It’s not right for the angels to keep us apart like they have. You of all people don’t deserve it.”
“You know what it’s like down there, though?” said Sam. “Are you prepared for that?”
Aimi smiled at him. “Not really, but if we’re together, I’m sure we can manage. Right, Samyaza?”
Sam looked over at the Watcher. He was frowning. “What do we look like to you, Aimi?” he asked.
Aimi looked confused. “Like Sam and Samyaza, of course.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” said Samyaza. “My glamor has worn off. Anyone can see us for what we really are now. We need to leave, right now!” Sam heard the urgency behind the words. And the fear. Samyaza was afraid.
Almost on cue, Hikari’s garden disappeared like a curtain had been parted. Sam was alone in the mist save for a solitary Angelic figure.
“What are you doing here?” demanded the figure in a voice ringing with power.
“Who?” said Sam, feigning ignorance, trying to buy some thinking time, conscious that his escape route in the form of Samyaza was no-where to be seen.
The figure stepped forward, revealing a handsome male angel. Every part of him seemed to ooze authority. Sam had no illusions that he was now in the presence of an archangel.
“Do not play games with me, demon spawn. You do not belong here and you know it. The Grigori you were with has already been banished but you have piqued my curiosity. Gabriel has told me much about you.”
“I’m sorry,” said Sam, “but who are you?”
“I am the Archangel, Michael.”
“I don’t wish to appear rude, but can I speak to Gabriel? I need to see her.”
Michael shook his head. “We are not at your beck and call. Regardless, Gabriel is not available.”