Chapter One — Part 3

Fortunately, a diversion happened without my ever having to cause it. Perhaps Wisdom had planned it that way all along. He is, after all, capable of a sense of humor. In this case his sense of humor was incarnated in Fluff. I’d known Fluff all my life; he’s the second youngest angel beside myself. He’s a good two thousand years older than me, but he still acts like a kid. He caught me from behind, spun me around, and hugged me close. He rubbed his ideal little face against mine, whispering greetings. His breath was like mint, and unlike a lot of the transcendent angels, he didn’t have wings.

“It’s so good to see you again. How are things in Realspace?”

“Just wonderful.” I said sarcastically. “There’s going to be a war, you know.” He took my hands and spun me around as fast as he could, making me giggle with glee. My feet came off the ground, and my wings snapped back. I started laughing and at the same time asked him to stop.

He was the only child-like angel to reside in Otherspace, which was fortunate for perhaps everybody near him. The boy acted like a golden retriever on uppers, only with more energy. Before long I found myself pushed into a heated wrestling match. Mostly he was tugging me and harassing me into losing my considerable cool, and I was trying everything I could think of to shake him off before I got in trouble.

Trouble and Fluff, however, were merged at birth. I fought a losing battle, bumping into the tall angels and creating a little too much hoopla in their spotless and unchanging little afterlives. Somebody must have complained, because Father intervened. In a flash of brilliant light, Fluff and I found ourselves at the Heart of Transcendence, zapped there by one of the hierarchy of angels with greater authority.

“The girl’s here on business, so leave her alone.”

Wisdom’s voice, ever understanding, ever calm, was dismissive. Properly scolded, Fluff stepped away from me and raised his arms, vanishing in a burst of light. Wisdom turned his full attention to me, and I felt even smaller than I had just a few moments before. Father’s gaze, ever loving, seemed to bore straight through me. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, waiting for him to explain Tester’s previous comments.

“As it so happens, the fate of the universe sits on your shoulders, and yours alone. It will take courage, pride, devotion, and sacrifice to save what’s been created and survived until now.” I wondered what could possibly interfere with Wisdom’s Dream.

He answered, thus saving me the embarrassment of asking. “Alas, dear, it is not what, but who. I created the universe, started it rolling, and let it go. Occasionally I’ve had to take some physical form to see that the whole ball of wax doesn’t roll off track, but only when corruption’s involved. Sentience exists on a thousand million worlds throughout the universe, but no two races have such a potential for violence as the seventh and fifth magnitude right now.”

I looked stunned. The human beings of Earth were the fifth magnitude, and another alien sentience was the seventh magnitude. The two shouldn’t have met for a thousand years or more. I let my wings fall gently around my body, trying to hide my ignorance. I couldn’t remember the name of the race that was the seventh magnitude.

“The Seventh Magnitude are the Scandivats, and you’re really too young to remember everything we’ve taught you. It’s the corruption of one human, and not many, that’s brought this problem upon you. In thirty-three years, all life on Earth will be in jeopardy. You have twenty-seven years to make Tiffany worthy of being the governor of the Forever Children. If you fail, you’ll have to become the governor, and fulfill Tiffany’s destiny. If she fails, you’ll be Earth’s last chance.”

While I was trying to remember who the Forever Children were, Wisdom explained. “The Children that protect the worlds from harm. The ones who formulated Otherspace so angels could live separate from the rest of Humanity. There was a whole chapter in your history book on them. With your memory, Earth may be lost already.”

“No it isn’t, I was there just yesterday.” I said, confused.

“I was being humorous. Fact is, the Forever Children’s old governor has been assassinated. One of our Forever Children may have been killed as well. The salvation of the Scandivats now relies on you.”

I felt terribly stunned, as if I was about to faint. “I don’t want this job. Give it to somebody older, you’ve got a million angels here, and some of them may even be able to dust off their wings and do a better job.”

“I asked everybody. Every one of them said they were too busy. Because you’re my daughter, I get to tell you what to do. Remember, now, that you always promised to do what’s right.”

“I did?”

“Yeah.”

“Stupid promise.” I kicked at a puff of ethercloud. “I still don’t know why one of the big boys can’t get off their lazy butts and do this. I’ve got Tiffany to think of, and I can’t possibly hope to save an entire universe alone.”

“You won’t be totally alone on this. Those who’ve enlightened themselves will help you. And there’s always mother and me, and Fluff’s got a part in this too. Your mission begins at dawn tomorrow. When Tiffany wakes up, you’ll do what’s necessary to see to her safety, and you’ll watch and wait until it’s time to help her escape. Because of the damage to my universe, my options are growing more limited every day–and you’re my strongest asset.”

I felt my consciousness shift, and I started to shift out of Otherspace, back into Realspace. Wisdom was playing the part of the doddering old man who was powerless to help, when in reality he had the magic to make everything right.

His last words were curious. “Be careful when you wake up tomorrow, because you’ll be an angel in human form.”

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