9 - Doom's Dream

PORT

"—I will kiss you,"

Doom suddenly stopped moving the cloud and smirked. "Fair enough, now do it," Doom said, leaning forward with protruding lips. My eyes widened upon hearing Doom's approval of my boon—that was supposed to be a joke!

I immediately jumped from the cloud chair and settled, letting out a considerable amount of air from my lungs. I could hear my veins throb wildly. Then, Doom suddenly disappeared from the cloud chair.

I looked for him around the room, but he was nowhere to be found. As if he evaporated from thin air.

"—are you looking for me?" I suddenly jumped when Doom's face appeared so close to my face.

I immediately stepped back. "Why are you doing this to me?" I said, almost shouting. I touched my chest, and it was beating so fast. I couldn't believe Doom was using his blessings playing around me.

"I find you interesting," Doom said, then winked at me. He suddenly jumped backward, and the cloud chair caught him. He's now hovering in the midair while I was petrified, confounded with what I heard.

"Okay, enough, Reaper! Can we now talk? You asked me to be here today in exchange for keeping my mistake from yesterday. And now I am here, but you're just playing with me." I blurted out.

Doom snapped, and the cloud chair suddenly split into two; the other part hovered toward me. I sat there and crossed my arms, looking sternly at the smiling Reaper. I raised my left brow, and Doom lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug. I gave him a narrow squint, then he giggled out of the blue.

I stared at him blankly, with crossed arms and clenched jaw. Doom stopped himself from laughing, letting out a fake cough, clearing his throat.

"The thing is, I've seen you many times already." A flush crept up his face.

"Wait, we only just met like yesterday!" I rebutted. I was confused by his statement.

"Let me continue!" Doom reacted. I leaned backward, resting my back on the cloud couch. I nodded in response, and so the Reaper in question continued. "I used to be a Weaver before I became a Reaper. Before, in my dreams, I always saw this angel that felt so close to me. I could see its face, but I didn't know its name. It constantly recurs in my dreams every night. I grew fond of that angel, and I think that's because I was a Weaver—as our blessings have something to do with emotions, maybe I couldn't use the blessings well that it controls me instead.

"So, I decided to be re-classed. I also find Weaving a boresome task. I always see entities fall in love while I am lost, looking for that soul to complete me. So, I chose to be a Reaper, and maybe—just maybe, it could help me suppress my fantasies over that angel I had never met. And it worked; since I became a Reaper, I never dreamt of that angel again. By the blessings of Archangels, I never saw it again in my dreams.

"Until one time, I felt so lost for the death of a subject years ago, I paused the time and then I saw you walking in our lair. You looked exactly like the angel in my dreams—no, it was really you! I lost count of the number of times I paused the time whenever I visited your Ville just to have a good view of you."

My jaw dropped from what I had just heard. I couldn't imagine myself showing in someone's dream when throughout my life, being an angel, I was lowkey and quiet, almost invisible. I never made any mistakes—even achievements just to remain hidden. And now, this Reaper telling me how I gradually show in his dream was beyond impossible for me.

Doom smiled awkwardly. "I can't believe I am saying this, but…can we date?"

My mouth opened ajar upon hearing Doom's question. I don't know how to respond if I would say yes or no. I was utterly shocked, and my mind was foggy. I closed my eyes and opened a portal beneath the floating cloud chair, I abruptly jumped off of it, and the next thing I knew, I was inside my room.

***

Wow. The audacity of that Reaper to ask me to be his date! He's acting like a terrene. I had never heard any angels in the realm falling in love and being in a relationship with other angels.

We are only a speck of light in a terrene form—that doesn't mean we can conform with the realities of their likes. How could he directly say that with a straight face?

For now, I have to avoid him. It's great that my Ville and his lair are entirely on the opposite sides of the realm. It would be safe to say that I would never get to see him again!

I heard a knock on the door; these might be the letters for today. I opened the door and saw a Herald outside my doorsteps holding a basket of letters.

"Hello, are you Port?" the angel asked.

"Yeah, and you are?" I asked. He's a herald based on his yellow-green suit, but I don't recognize him. "I am a rebirthed angel. I am Sòng; I am told to deliver this basket. Also, Archangel Memo told me to summon you."

"Oh, thanks for this, Sòng. I hope you find heralding a great task! Tell Archangel Memo that I will be there in a sec," I smiled. His eyes were lost as he smiled back, then he disappeared in the midair.

I was reminded of my first days as a trainee herald. Teleporting was my favorite thing to do. As a trainee, we are told to familiarize the different regions of the Heavenly Realm. Our realm was the third-largest after Pixie Realm and Hell.

Looking at the map, its shape resembled a back shell of the tortoise. The Keeper's Town was located in the North region with the most extensive boundary; the Weaver's City lies south. Our Ville is located on the west side, and the Reaper's Lair was on the east side. At the very heart of the realm lies a mountain range where the Superior Hall stood.

The Superior Hall resembled a Greek building from its massive columns, intricate panels, and detailed statues representing the different levels of hierarchangelical beings. It stood at the top of the ranges. Its huge built houses the higher hierarchangelical beings in the Heavenly Realm, such as Archangels, Principals, Authorities, sometimes a few Virtues, Lordships, and Elders. From my house in Herald's Ville, the Superior Hall was covered with clouds and impossible to view.

I arranged the letters like what I used to do before working. I sorted the letters and noticed that all letters are addressed inside the Heavenly Realm, which means I could finish the heralding in half the day.

As I readied the letters, I recalled that Archangel Memo asked to see me. I wonder what it would be? The last time he called me was when he asked me to assist him in training the young Heralds. I hope it's not the same this time—it's hard to teach newbies! I was not a good instructor.

In a snap, I was inside the office of Archangel Memo. He smiled at me as he saw me. I was always amazed by his fantastic build; he's a walking beast. As terrene would define it: sexy. I always find Archangel Memo an epitome of a gorgeous guy. His massive chest, broad shoulders, sharp jaws, and towering stand always make me envious. I look like a querubin on his side.

"How are you, Port?"

"Doing great," I replied.

"Well, I called you today to inform you that you are chosen for the intra-angelical training,"

"What's that?"

"Do you remember Ada?" I nodded; Ada was the senior who trained me when I was starting Heraldship. "It started last year; Ada was chosen to join the IAT. It's a training program that will help angels get an understanding of the works and ways of each class."

I didn't respond and just listened. "After the training, the chosen angel will be given a chance to train to become an Archer."

"What is an archer?"

"They are the trainees aspiring to become an Archangel,"

"Do you mean if I am successful with this training, I get a chance to become an Archangel?"

Archangel Memo nodded with a smile. "I recommended you because I know you have a clean record being a herald,"

I gulped; the whole Doom fiasco flashed on my mind. Instead of telling the truth, I bowed. "It's a great honor to be chosen, but I only aspired to be a Herald, nothing more."

"I expected you to say that. However, you still need to participate. It doesn't matter if you will proceed with Archership or what. I just think you are fit to handle the IAT."

"I will gladly accept what you think is best,"

"So, there are two angels from our class who will join this training, the first one will train other angels, and the other one will be trained from another class,"

"And what will be my task?"

"Lai is chosen to be trained from another class, while you will be the one who will train another angel,"

"Sure, that'd be great,"

"That angel will live with you in your house for a month. Is that okay with you?"

"No problem at all, as long as that angel will not complain of my diet,"

Archangel Memo laughed at my comment. He suddenly glanced at someone from behind, "Oh, here's your trainee."

As I turned back, my smile suddenly faded as I saw an angel wearing a black and white, one-sleeved suit.

"Hi, I am Doom."