Monsters & Fairytales (57 page)

“Jewish?
The ways of Jesus himself?”
The Minakai smiled. I didn’t understand.

“What?”

“Well, why wouldn’t you have said that before? Jesus was the most successful at restoring faith to humans; he was the only one whose direct influence brought them back to God. Of course, he later became their greatest downfall. But with you being Jewish, you have convinced me of your place here.”

“How do you figure he was their biggest success and failure?”

“H
umans eventually saw the power he had and took advantage of it. Today, the church is nothing but a way to ploy money and power from innocent lives. And all those who trust in Jesus as God, they are blind. They should have listened to him and seen his ways, rather than worship him as supreme. He never meant that
.

“
You, you have it right. You are worshipping Him as who He is.”

“
So, everyone worshipping Jesus and the Bible has it wrong?
”

“The Bible was intended as a book of guidelines, nothing else.”

“Stories, yes.”

“
This is His faith. Jesus did not write that book.
His sacrifice influenced mankind to tell a tale to forewarn everyone of what could happen. They were warned of the past and the first time it happened, and they were warned of the future. Men did not listen, and Noah chose to save his family, because he did.”

“
Then how could Noah be in the bible?” I asked. I was certain that story was in there

“
Were you alive before Noah?” The Minakai raised his eyebrow at me as his words slipped off his lips.

“No.”

“Then you should have listened when I said it was all a book written by man. Each time it was rewritten, it changed from the last. Each time someone added their stories of triumph and Gods power.”

“Does this mean that we were all actually from Noah’s family? Humanity really is inbred? Well, I guess we’d be inbred from Adam and Eve, but still.
Ew
.”

I shivered the more I thought about it.

“In a sense, yes.”
The Minakai said.

“
What about all these other religions, they’re all wrong?
”

“Not necessarily. In Christianity, Jesus existed, and he did a great thing for you humans. Those innocent souls, God will see the good in that. And all the other, ‘Religions’, as you called them, they abide by a supremacy of some sort. They hope for purity of the soul and happiness of the heart. They, too, will get their justice by God.”

“Clearly not, if I am all that was found.”

“Have you not been listening? Just because they believe, does not mean that they are worthy. They chose their place in Heaven with Jesus or
whomever’s
reign they are under. They did not choose to live for God on his Earth as you did.”

“But, I never went to the synagogue like I should have. And I only took it up with Rida. When she adopted me, she told me I was entitled to it, since she was Jewish. So I looked into it and celebrated it with her.”

I was panicking. Everything was making sense now; I just didn’t want it to. It was sort of how you only hear of stigmata’s in the non-believers. I was terrified.

“Mirabelle, can we take a walk together?” Sebastian asked.

He stood up and held his hand out for me.

“Now?”

“Yes. There is one thing you are forgetting, and I feel like I need to be the one to tell you.” He said calmly.

Great, I thought that I had understood it all. What was I forgetting? I looked at everyone, they didn’t seem to object.

“Okay.” I said, so low even I barely heard it.

He held out his hand and I cautiously took it. It felt good being there. I missed him. This wasn’t his fault. I needed to stop blaming everyone else and own up to my own responsibilities and my own destiny. Everything was happening for a reason; everything had happened for a reason. He wanted what was best for me. I needed to remember that.

We walked out of the dark quiet castle and into the bright open day. It didn’t even hurt my eyes to make the transition. Everything was so perfect in Aegyssus. I took a seat at the top of a hill and
laid
back on my elbows. The clouds were moving with no breeze to take claim. Creatures were twirling and zooming around, dancing to their own song. Lucy walked past me and munched on the top of a tree. Was there nothing wrong with this place? Even the bugs were beautiful and peaceful. I couldn’t be the only hope for humanity. What did I know? I was just a kid.
             

Sebastian was standing behind me against a tree. I wanted him closer. I felt so alone. This wasn’t fair. How did all of them know I was strong enough, but I constantly doubted myself?

“Because you are only human.”
Sebastian said.

“That doesn’t help.” I mocked my words from earlier.

“I know it’s a lot to take in right now, but there is a reason. You can feel that.”

“I told you about all those people, and you just stared at me.”

“I was not aware humans still knew of them. I did not know how to react.”

“You and me both.
I never thought they were real. The stories seemed just like stories.”

“How do you mean?”

“A man crucified on a cross, much like everyone else in his time, but he’s the only one that comes back? Then thousands of years later and we are still obsessed with him? Stories of the first humans, but yet they had belly buttons. And a flood wiping out humans but an old man was capable of building an ark to house two of every animal?”

“Belly buttons?” Sebastian asked.

“Yes. In all the drawings they have one, but if they had been the first, then they wouldn’t. See we only have one because it’s where our umbilical cords were from our mothers’ womb. They were supposedly never created in a womb, though.”

“Good point. We should have thought about that before sending them back, I guess.” He said.

“You sent them back? You witnessed it all just like the Minakai? How old are you?” 

“Being eternal servants to God leaves a lot to your imagination about my age. I can say that I have seen plenty of existence come and go, but to put a time frame on it is simply impossible.”

“But there were children? And you said your mother was dying?” I asked. My heart rate started going up. Were there really more lies?

“There were young, yes, and she did technically die. Just because we are given eternity doesn’t mean the bodies handed to us can withstand it.”

“You are constantly reborn?”

“Yes.”

“So why was it so imperative that Carlyle be there for your mothers passing?”

“Each body gives us a new role. Just because she was my mother before does not mean she will be my mother again. I will miss her.”

“I guess that helps to keep things from getting boring.” I sighed.

I couldn’t imagine eternity, but if they got to relive a new life each time, while remembering the old one, I could handle that. Well, now that I did know that, I wasn’t sure how I felt.

Another rock
fell
victim to my toes. It rolled into the perfect pond at the bottom of the hill. I watched the ripples spread out to the other end and cast rainbows against the sky.
Life’s a giant pool and the rock was the Zahn.

“That’s what I needed to talk to you about. Did you ever wonder how you could rebuild your race if you are all alone on Earth?” Sebastian asked.

“I guess it didn’t occur to me.”

“Do you want to know?”

“Does it matter?”

“You wouldn’t be alone.”

He took my hand.

“That’s impossible. You are one of them. How could that work?”

“Just like you, I could give this up.”

“How is that even possible?”

I stumbled down the hill and sat at the edge of the lake. There were tons of perfect stones around its edge. I picked up a few and tried skipping them across the top. I needed to just turn my mind off for a few moments. I couldn’t let him give up this for me. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted. I wasn’t even sure if I thought it was worth it.

“It wouldn’t be up to you. Well, not in that sense. If you love me, I have the choice. God is very kind. Together we could be the start of a new race.”

“Would they even be the same? You are not human. I don’t even like you in human form.”

“I could be whoever you want me to be.”

“That’s not fair. I can’t ask that of you.”

“Mirabelle, you think I want to give you up for the rest of eternity? It’s hard enough to look at you now and know what I did to you.”

“Don’t say that.” I interrupted him.

“That’s the point. What I did was so awful, but it had a purpose. There was a reason I tried to dissuade my brother, there was a reason I tried to keep you here with me. It was all so I could see that even I was meant for bigger things than this. We belong together.”

He grabbed me and forced me to face him. I wanted to deny it. I wanted to be alone. It was easier that way. But he was right. He kissed me, and I knew he was right. I shouldn’t go through it alone. I didn’t have to, anymore.

“If I stay here, they will all be lost.”

“You really want that?”

“It’s the only way you will be you.” I admitted.

“But you wouldn’t be who you are.” He grinned, rubbing my cheek.

“It’s not up to you to decide that. And like you said, I was meant for bigger things than this. Maybe I always had a place here.”

“If that is your choice, I will not stand in the way.”

“You want me to choose you over the world, still?” I questioned his morals once more.

As much as I knew he thought I was testing him, I wasn’t. I had to get it all out. Questioning him was the only way for me to get to the bottom of my reality. I needed the grounding.
             
“You are not choosing me over the world. The world has already been lost. It is our turn to make it right.”
             
             
I was satisfied with that. I knew that in his heart of hearts, everything was for us. Everything was for me to be happy. There was one thing he could never protect me from though.
             
“The Zahn will still claim me no matter what I decide. Have you been through it?”

“A long time ago, yes.”
Sebastian answered.

“What was it like for you?”

“It was terrifying.” He smiled.

“Oh, well, that’s comforting.” I laughed. I needed that.

“It’s different for everyone. Do not be afraid. Your faith is strong.”

“What’s the option where I might not have to face it?” I asked, just out of curiosity.

“Do not worry, my love. You must give yourself more credit.”

“Jesus stayed and was still claimed.”

“He wanted to give himself up for them. Adam and Eve went through it, too. They learned everything they knew to carry on life. They were spared. Jesus spared humans for a lesson.”

“
And everyone still believes in him. What if I sacrificed myself for them only to find a few thousand years later they are right back to where they are now?
”

“
As good as it is for humans to learn their
lesson,
we can’t always decide the fate. Then we would serve no purpose here. Free will allows their lives to falter and swerve to their own ways. People have that greed and power you talked about. They are driven for the wrong reason under true pretenses. Each time they are reborn, we can only hope.”

“Hope.” I snorted.

“Without hope, there is no purpose.”

“Why now? If He can’t see the outcome, if there is no certainty to the path of free will, how does He know it won’t convert on its own?”

“
You humans have one thing in common, your hearts. No matter the wrapping, no matter the damage, no matter the wounds, it still beats the same. Everyone sees their life their way. We cannot change what is set in your hearts. The site of the last pure heart, the last reason for hope, we must hold on to that.”

With his last words, he twisted his fingers around mine.

“And you are certain?”

“He brought you here, didn’t He?”

I looked up in the sky. I didn’t really know where God was, but I knew he was there. He was watching me. I wasn’t sure how to react to it all. It was a huge weight on my shoulders. That must have been how Jesus felt.
             

My heart skipped a beat. Was heaven there, too? My mother, she had to be listening. I wondered if I could talk to her. The fate of the world was a pretty important decision, something I felt she could help me make a decision on. I felt the tears start to swell in my eyes. This was too much. It was impossible.