Читать книгу Beautiful Revenge - J L Morris - Страница 10

Chapter One: Higher Learning

Kaarl watched as L.A. began to brighten in the dawn’s light. From his top-floor office in Synergy’s headquarters he had the best view of the city that money could buy. Even after seven years in the Mortals’ realm the sight of the sun rising and setting had not lost its appeal.

Perdition’s Sky of Fire was a poor substitute, he thought.

Kaarl immediately regretted doing so; it was a shame that memories of that place still wormed their way into his thoughts. They had decreased over the years since his defection but it was hard to put Hell completely behind him. Kaarl had lived in Perdition for five centuries, his entire childhood, and those memories made up the majority of his past. Having a constant reminder of the place burnt into his flesh didn’t help matters either.

The eight-pointed star branded on Kaarl’s forearm made sure he never forgot where he came from. Out of sight, out of mind just didn’t work with the Mark of Lucifer, a “gift” Kaarl had received from the Master of Perdition before his first moments on Earth. Kaarl’s shirt sleeve would brush against it or his hand would drift to it and memories of Perdition and his past would soon follow. It was as if the lines scorched into his skin actively sought to ruin the small moments that made his new life so enjoyable. The Mark reminded Kaarl of the souls he had claimed in Lucifer’s name, the hundreds of thousands that he had made Damned. Those Mortals would never be able to find true peace and their fate was little more than a game to Lucifer.

To Lucifer – the Light Bearer and Son of Morning– it was merely a race to accumulate more of the Mortals than God. His “Game of Souls” was played for one purpose: to prove the Mortals flawed beyond redemption and Lucifer wasn’t above pushing them down the wrong path to win it. The Damned wouldn’t know what they’d lost; Perdition had more than enough distractions to keep them busy and content. Kaarl had seen both sides of the coin though and he knew exactly what he had taken from them before the Demon had been offered his chance at redemption.

As he turned his head to survey the city that had become his home he caught glimpses of Michael King reflected in the glass. The vessel he used in the Mortal world had black hair, deep blue eyes and a face and body crafted to excite and influence. He had used it when he’d worked for Perdition and for a time it had been his face in Paradise as well. Kaarl had shunned his Demonic appearance at first in an attempt to fit in. It had not taken him long to realise though that Paradise was not nearly as callous or shallow as Perdition. Appearances didn’t matter up there, only actions. Kaarl and his friends, the twin sisters Verin and Vetis, had done a lot to make amends for their past.

Synergy, the media giant the trio had originally built in Lucifer’s name, had been created to influence and tempt, to lead the Mortals down to Perdition. It had been so effective, so subversive that Kaarl and the twins had caught Paradise’s attention and that of its greatest guardian, Gabriel: God’s Champion and the Bane of Demons. The Council of Virtues, Paradise’s governing body, had seen something else in Kaarl though; the compassion and understanding that he had suffered for in Perdition. They were the very same traits that allowed him to understand the Mortals when the rest of his realm had lost touch and Lucifer had taken full advantage of Kaarl’s gifts.

Kaarl and the twins had been given a chance to turn things around, to stem the tide of Mortals they were sending to swell Lucifer’s ranks. It had been three years since that defection and the battle for the company that had almost claimed the trio’s lives. Synergy had proven itself an invaluable asset to Paradise and its work in the Mortal realm. With its shows, music and movies Synergy was demonstrating the path that led to Paradise without being preachy about it. If Mortals wanted sermons and scripture they knew where to go for them. Kaarl’s job was to reach the ones that shied away from churches, those who saw no relevance to their lives in tales that were hundreds of years old.

Kaarl gave those Mortals what they wanted: gripping stories, realistic settings and high definition. They craved attractive young stars they could identify with, with no hints of religion or blatant lectures on morality. Kaarl and the twins made sure they delivered. With its vast profits from the entertainment industry Synergy was funding humanitarian projects all over the globe; leading by example on screen and in the real world. The souls taken in ignorance and at Lucifer’s behest still haunted Kaarl but on reflection there was a lot to be proud of as well.

The door to Kaarl’s office flew open and Verin and Vetis stormed in, ruining the small measure of peace he had only just reclaimed. The girls were identical with long blonde hair and striking green eyes. Their clothes, a look the girls referred to as “sexy corporate”, complemented their every curve and left very little to the imagination. Their usually alluring faces were ruined a little by angry looks and furrowed brows.

‘So you know,’ said Kaarl, turning around and walking back towards his desk.

‘Yes we know,’ snapped Verin, slamming the door behind her. ‘When were you going to tell us?’

‘Today, now in fact. Just before we left.’

‘Why would you keep this from us?’

Kaarl folded his arms and leant on the back of his chair.

‘Because I didn’t want to put up with three months of moaning.’

‘You’ve known for that long?’ asked Vetis.

‘It’s not that big a deal. We’re at the age when Angels have to go anyway so it’s sort of lucky if you think about it, good timing really.’

‘It’s school,’ said Verin. ‘There’s nothing “good” about it.’

‘It’s college actually.’

‘We’re running a multinational media empire.’ said Vetis, taking a seat. ‘This isn’t some part-time job flipping burgers to make tuition. We have more than enough work to do here.’

‘I couldn’t imagine you two flipping burgers,’ replied Kaarl. ‘If you had to work your way through college I’d have thought clear heels and silver poles would be more your thing.’

Vetis reached for the closest thing on Kaarl’s desk. A bright yellow stress ball bounced harmlessly off his cheek and rolled along the floor.

‘We have to go,’ Kaarl continued, moving his stapler before Vetis could get her hands on it. ‘Sophie said it’s mandatory for everyone our age and with our…unique background it’s even more important.’

‘You’ll pay for this,’ said Verin. ‘I’m going to complain twice as long and twice as loud now, even if I don’t have anything to complain about.’

Kaarl glanced at his watch.

‘You do that anyway,’ he said. ‘The ceremony will be starting soon. You two better hurry or you might get detention or whatever.’

Kaarl shifted realms before the sisters could say a word in reply.

***

Unlike Perdition, the vast stone city that shared a name with its realm, Paradise’s settlements were spread far and wide. Some were built in and around the tops of trees and others nestled in meadows or sat close to the sun-drenched shores. Far from the forests and mountains, beyond the grasslands, lakes and beaches lay the Sea of Serenity. Kalmore floated above its clear and perpetually calm waters and was considered by many to be the greatest city in Paradise. It was also home to Heaven’s only centre for higher education. The Halls of Knowledge had been there since Humanity’s creation and were the training, testing and proving ground for Angels who wished to work directly with the Mortals on Earth.

It was tradition for the city to turn out in droves and cheer on the new arrivals and Kaarl, Verin and Vetis were the centre of attention as they made their way through the cobbled streets to the orientation ceremony with their fellow students. It was the first occasion in the school’s long and illustrious history where ex-Demons were on the roll. The twins sulked and glared at the crowd as they followed behind Kaarl. The girls’ true forms did not differ much from their vessels on Earth, the only noticeable difference was that their hair was black and their skin tones a deep, rich red. Kaarl was almost eight feet tall, as black as a moonless night with wings even darker. His eyes were soulless white orbs and his teeth belonged on a Great White Shark; better suited to savaging corpses than smiling at crowds. Nevertheless he waved at the well-wishers and warmly returned their grins. To his delight no one screamed or pointed at him in horror. Even though Kaarl had found the courage to be seen in his own skin he still feared that one day the sight of him might send a child running away in tears.

All of Paradise had heard of the trio. They knew of their past exploits and the lengths they had gone to in repairing the damage they’d caused. They were celebrities and more importantly, proof that no one was beyond redemption. Before the Rift, the war that had seen Lucifer and his Fallen cast from Paradise, they had all been one. The sight of the trio gave them hope that even the oldest of wounds had the chance to heal.

‘They’re all staring at us,’ said Verin. ‘Don’t these people have better things to do?’

‘You two never cared about being in the spotlight before,’ replied Kaarl. ‘If anything you sought it out. Perhaps if you wore clothes they might have less cause to stare.’

‘Don’t try to change us,’ replied Verin.

‘I’m not trying to change you.’ said Kaarl. ‘I was offering a solution to the attention you suddenly don’t want anymore. Clothes might help.’

‘Those Chinos make you look fat.’

‘Really?’ asked Kaarl ‘You’re starting this crap already?’

‘I told you you’d pay.’

Kaarl shook his head.

‘This is childish, Verin, even for you.’

‘Your face is childish.’

Kaarl braced himself for a long and excruciatingly annoying day.

The crowd began to thin out as the procession reached the entranceway to the Halls of Knowledge, a massive pair of gates set between two bronze Angels. The statues’ hands stretched above their heads and they held a large tome between them.

‘That’s so typical,’ said Vetis as they passed under the statues. ‘A girl and a boy so no one feels left out and they’re holding a book because it’s a school.’

‘Not to mention the bronze,’ added her sister. ‘Even red people can’t complain about racism when you use metal.’

‘Yet in a way you still are,’ said Kaarl.

The Halls of Knowledge were large, impressive sandstone buildings. None of them stood higher than four stories but what they lacked in height they more than made up for in width. In front of the arched entranceways stood statues denoting purpose; a globe for Geography, a large clock for History and so on. Kaarl struggled to think of a likely subject for the two statues hugging in front of one of the doorways.

‘Might be Sex Education,’ said Verin, looking over his shoulder. ‘If that’s the case I’ll be teaching that class before the end of the day.’

The quad in the centre of the campus was a lush expanse of perfectly manicured grass. As the trio took their seats on the ground, the twins surveyed their fellow academics. With so many students talking at once the noise was chaotic. While the sisters were rating boys and making snide comments about the other girls Kaarl took his own chance to evaluate their peers. White seemed to be the preferred colour of choice for Angels however there were emerald greens, sapphire blues and even some midnight blacks dotted about. Although the masses were a riot of colour there seemed to be no red beyond the wings of a few Angels, and they certainly weren’t as vibrant as the girls’ shading.

The twins will be happy that they’re still special little snowflakes, Kaarl thought.

The conversations began to die down, starting with those students closest to the stage. It appeared that a heat wave was making its way across the wooden platform but the blue flashes at head height gave away the distortion’s true nature: Sophie, the Angel of Wisdom and member of the Council of Virtues. Her body was crystal, something resembling diamond but with a much higher clarity. It made her transparent and had the effect of distorting everything when one looked at, or rather through her. Her eyes were a fluorescent blue and the only way to tell it was actually Sophie rather than the first signs of a cataract forming.

‘Welcome,’ Sophie said once she had reached the centre. Her voice brought an end to all but one of the conversations amongst the students.

‘He’s a seven at the best,’ said Verin, drawing disapproving glances from the students around her. ‘Unless you’re drunk. Are you drunk? Why aren’t you sharing?’

Kaarl gave Verin a gentle nudge and she scowled at him before turning her attention to the stage.

‘I am Sophie,’ the Angel continued. ‘As many of you know I am a member of the Council but more importantly, for your time here anyway, I am the Chancellor of the Halls of Knowledge.’

‘Another job,’ Vetis whispered, ‘only a single mum would work that hard.’

‘I didn’t think she had kids,’ replied Verin.

‘These Halls have existed for almost as long as we have,’ Sophie told the students, ‘and it is within these walls that you shall learn about everything from the Rift to the Mortal realm as it is today.’

In Perdition, the Rift and the reasons for it had been a closely guarded secret. Kaarl had been given a brief explanation before Lucifer had sent him to Earth but he was under no illusions; most of the things the Light Bearer had told him were probably lies. Learning about the Rift, the war that had seen his parents cast from Paradise, from a more reliable source would be interesting.

‘If you wish to help Paradise and the Mortals then what you learn in this place will be essential,’ said Sophie. ‘There is a fine line between guidance and manipulation, a line that can blur depending on the situation you find yourself in. You will need a solid foundation to recognise the difference between the two and act with integrity.’

‘Been there, done that,’ said Verin.

‘During the next three years we will observe your progress closely. Your learning plans have been individually tailored, focusing on areas we feel you need guidance in. If, after your final exams, we feel you are not ready to represent our realm on Earth you will be forbidden to put a foot down there until you can prove yourself suitable.’

‘You didn’t tell us that,’ hissed Verin.

Kaarl shook his head in disbelief.

‘I didn’t know.’

Kaarl struggled to focus on the rest of Sophie’s speech. No matter how slim it was, there was a chance that he would be banned from returning to the Mortal realm. Paradise may have been his new realm but as far as Kaarl was concerned Earth was his home. He had worked hard to get there and even harder to stay. Kaarl had been under the impression that Angels could come and go as they pleased between Paradise and the Mortal realm. He had even used it as a selling point when convincing the twins to join him in his defection.

‘You said we could live in either realm,’ said Vetis.

‘That’s what I thought,’ replied Kaarl. ‘I mean, everything I was told –’

‘Enough,’ said Verin, cutting him off. ‘Don’t get us wrong, Paradise is OK but if we have to spend all of our time up here we will go nuts. We need Earth; it has just enough grime so we don’t lose the plot and go on a rampage.’

‘I’ll sort it out,’ Kaarl promised.

As the applause for Sophie’s speech tapered off Kaarl launched himself up and headed towards the stage.

‘I thought you would want to see me,’ Sophie said as he landed.

‘And I’m sure you know why.’

The Angel of Wisdom politely waved away a few other students as they approached.

‘We make allowances for essential travel and your task in the Mortals’ realm definitely qualifies,’ said Sophie. ‘You will need supervision but we have given that role to Gabriel so it is not a major change. The only difference is that you cannot live there; when you are not working you will need to be here. Until your studies are completed of course.

‘I was under the impression that when we joined you both realms would be open to us. I told Verin and Vetis as much when I asked them to come with me.’

‘That was not the reason you chose to embrace our cause,’ replied Sophie.

‘No it wasn’t; you showed me what I was doing in a different light and I knew it was wrong. Verin and Vetis saw that as well but freedom was a big factor in their decision to join me. They like it here but they need the chance to cut loose now and then. It’s just not in them to stay cooped up in Paradise.’

‘I am sure the twins will do everything in their power to pass their tests,’ replied Sophie, ‘and when they have done so they may come and go as they wish. I know these new restrictions will be difficult to adjust to but it should be enough to keep them happy. If worse comes to worst they’ll just have to re-sit. It is not like the door will be forever closed to them.’

‘It still feels like we were lied to,’ said Kaarl, crossing his arms. ‘Well, like I was lied to and I passed it on.’

‘It is true that you are free to move between realms, after you pass the tests.’

‘That’s a pretty important detail that was either left out or glossed over.’

‘I have every faith that all three of you will pass the first time around,’ replied Sophie, ‘so it is not that important. There was no attempt to mislead you, Kaarl; this has been our way since Paradise’s first dealings with the Mortals.’

‘That would have been a good thing to know before today.’

‘Would it have affected your decision to join us?’ asked Sophie.

‘No, but it would have been nice to have the full story. It was a big shock finding out like this.’

Sophie’s finger made a faint clinking sound as she tapped her chin.

‘I can offer to tutor the three of you personally if you are struggling,’ she said after a moment. ‘The fact you were born in Lucifer’s realm should be taken into account and compensated for.’

‘That seems fair,’ said Kaarl. ‘Verin and Vetis will probably still complain but it should go some way to smoothing this over.’

‘It will have to do for now,’ the Angel of Wisdom told him. ‘Sorry to rush you off but there are others waiting to see me and I have a lot to do today. If I think of anything else that we should have explained to you in detail I’ll let you know.’

‘That would be nice,’ said Kaarl, flaring his wings and rising up. ‘I’d better go find the twins before they break something.’

One of the benefits of Verin and Vetis’ unusual colouring was that they were easy to spot from above. The sisters were talking to three Angels as Kaarl swooped in beside them. The apparent leader of the girls was stunning; long-legged with skin of polished silver that glittered in the sun.

‘Listen,’ said Verin to the silver Angel. ‘I don’t know who you are or what your problem is but–’

Her sister pulled her aside and whispered in her ear.

‘Oh, you’re that Sasha. You got your boyfriend back when I was done with him so I don’t see what the big deal is. Get over it.’

‘I don’t think you realise who you’re messing with,’ replied Sasha, her delicate hands balling up into fists.

Verin stepped forward and smiled.

‘It’s you that should be careful,’ she told the girl. ‘I was born in Hell, I count Lucifer, Light Bearer and Son of the Morning, amongst my close, personal enemies and I’ve seen Million Dollar Baby like six times. Unless you really like hospital food I’d leave if I were you.’

Sasha gave Verin a long, venomous look before turning on her heels and storming off.

‘Making friends already?’ asked Kaarl.

Verin shrugged.

‘Not my fault she can’t hold onto her stuff.’

‘What did Sophie say?’ asked Vetis.

‘The good news is we still get to go to the Mortal realm for work,’ Kaarl told the twins. ‘The bad news is it’s only for work. The tests, and the ban if we flunk them, apply to us as much as anyone else. Sophie said she is sure we’ll pass though and she is willing to tutor us if we struggle.’

‘I guess that’s something,’ said Verin. ‘If we need a tutor we probably can’t do much better than the Angel of Wisdom.’

‘No moaning or sulking?’ asked Kaarl, unable to mask his surprise.

Verin’s eyes were firmly fixed on Sasha’s back as the Angel walked away.

‘It’s the first day of school and I’m already enemies with the most popular girl here,’ she replied. ‘I’ve got bigger things to worry about.’