Eternity In a Moment

Scary! The power went out today and when it came back on my computer didn't
want to turn on. And if it hadn't everything would be on hiatus until I figured
it out. Thank goodness it turned on after being unplugged.

This was edited and groomed and combed over by me. No beta, sorry. I want to
keep the flow consistent but characters seem to like running amuck on me.

Remember, I don't want flames about the religious content of this story (And
I haven't gotten any yet, I'm just reminding)

Read, Review and enjoy, as always.

Dim lighting, quiet murmurs, clean sheets and a curtain met his senses when
he awoke. There was no smell of antibiotic, no beeping of the patient next to
him. It was so much better than being on Earth. Than being alive. He had been
in a hospital when he died. It was a terribly lonely place to die.

He knew who would come through the curtain.

And the person came but the face was completely unfamiliar. He recognised
the shoulder length blonde hair that he had only seen in glimpses, in his
moments of perfect sight. The feeling of the mind that presented itself to him
was so utterly familiar, comforting and amazingly open. He had an ability to
move into a personâ??s thoughts but usually he had to struggle to get there.
This person opened and showed him the damage that had been done to his body,
cocking its head with a small, sad smile as colourless eyes peered into
Johnâ??s.

â??Welcome home, Affar.â?

â??John.â?

â??John is a human name. Other humans would get arrogant if there were an
angel named John.�

â??Arrogant enough as it is.â?

â??My thoughts exactly.â?

â??Raphael?â?

â??That is my name,â? the angel of healing laughed at the shock that played
across Johnâ??s face, â??oh my! Emotion is something that is so strange seeing
upon your face little one.�

â??Iâ??m not little any more.â?

â??So you have been telling me for the past fifty years. But compared to me
you are young indeed.�

â??Whereâ??s Lucifer?â?

â??In Council Chambers. Heâ??s making sure that someone else pays for the
damages done.�

â??There is no monetary system in place, thatâ??s what Dante said.â?

â??And he spoke the truth. But you know Lucifer. Besides, those dogs
shouldnâ??t have been there.â?

â??Those were dogs?â? John began the long process of becoming acquainted
with his body, clenching and unclenching his hands and eventually making his
way to sitting up. All under Raphaelâ??s watchful eye.

He found himself dressed in a simple white shirt and an equally simple and
white pair of pants.

â??Donâ??t go willing clothing into existence. After sixty-five years of
creating your own clothing most nights you have a wardrobeâ?¦ how do humans say
it, fit for a king?�

â??Yes, thatâ??s how we say it.â?

Raphael helped John-Affar to his feet and steadied the young man carefully,
â??as far as angels are concerned you are nothing more than a young boy. But
given circumstances Iâ??m sure the council will make an acceptation and keep
you on as a ward.�

â??Iâ??d rather not be a ward any more,â? Affar muttered sadly.

â??Apprenticeship can be much more unpleasant than being a ward.â?

â??Iâ??d rather be a trainee again.â?

â??Humans are trainees. They are trained to use the power of their mind and
to. Well to not be arrogant assholes all the time.�

â??Not all humans are arrogant assholes.â?

â??The ones chosen to be trainees are. Why do you think they are trained to
<I>not</I> be assholes?�

â??Should an angel be swearing?â?

â??Should angels have sex? Or gender? I was under the impression that humans
were under the impression that angels were either its or all male. Because
females are bad, donâ??t you know?â?

Affar stared at Raphael for a long moment before it sunk in. Raphael
wasnâ??t a male, nor was he a male inclined it, he was a she. Breasts aside,
which were barely noticeable through her robe, her face was far too slender and
soft to be a maleâ??s, even a girlish looking male. Hips wide and voice softer
than Affar had imagined it would be.

â??I- I thought you were male.â?

â??Most humans do. Preconception that some church down there force feeds
them-�

â??Raphael, I was part of that church.â?

â??Until you came to us.â? Raphael waved her hand, â??Although I was male
at one time. Angels can change their sex with special permission. Some change
it like fashion. I prefer being female. The humans donâ??t pester me to heal
them and all that nonsense. Just because Iâ??m a healer doesnâ??t mean I have
to aid them.�

â??It does on Earth. That would be like Lucifer saying just because heâ??s a
hell demon doesnâ??t mean he wouldnâ??t torture you given the chance.â?

â??Ah. The wit of someone who has been taught by that arrogant man. That I
didnâ??t miss.â?

His master chose that time to enter the curtained area. Habit made him turn
to Raphael and exchange whispery words with the healer. The whispery words that
Affar had always been forbidden from learning yet had picked up a few here and
there. He was adept at languages. Humans couldnâ??t learn the language of the
angels, for the angels must retain their separation from humans. Humans may not
eat nor drink of the foods and waters of heaven. For the same reason Persephone
was not to eat nor drink during her stay in Hades, Affar assumed.

When words were exchanged and Lucifer was satisfied he turned his dark eyes
to Affar and lifted an eyebrow, â??Is it necessary to warn you off being
stupid? I should think you would know by now that you are entirely here and
that things <I>hurt</I> now.�

â??Things hurt before.â?

â??Not in the past three years, you were fairly good.â?

â??You were afraid of killing me and having to deal with me every damn day
instead of once a month.�

â??We are on the clock, Affar.â?

â??I apologise Master.â? Be kind and pious. Donâ??t smile. Donâ??t contract
words. Proper English only. Obey. One worded commands mostly that Affar had
spent so long listening to that he would respond without thinking. Donâ??t
question. Watch your thoughts, a small voice whispered as his mind brought up a
memory of what it was like to be within swinging range of Lucifer when he
happened to think something about his master that hadnâ??t been appreciated.
Affar couldnâ??t remember what it was but didnâ??t want to test and find
out.

Punishment was never pleasant, and he doubted the rule about not being sent
to the Discipline Hall still counted since he had joined theâ?¦ angelic?
ranks.

â??We will take a small walk, then I will show you where you will be
staying.�

â??I had a place before.â? but the instant he spoke the words, Affar
completely forgot where he had stayed or who he had stayed with. It was as if
most of his memory was gone, â??What. Whatâ??s wrong with me?â?

â??You died. Humans lose memories when they die but they can be regained.
Not right now though.� Lucifer motioned with his head and opened the curtain.
It was a motion Affar had always thought he had imagined. The Lucifer he knew
was not kind, was not gentle on an every day basis. Energy was rarely wasted on
movement unless it had some kind of greater purpose.

Despite his ponderings Affar reacted as he would have before his death, he
left the curtained area and moved to the center of the two rows of beds that
made up the Healing Hall. Perhaps there was another place of healing somewhere
else in Heaven. There must have been, because there were no more than fifty
beds in the long room and only three of them had the curtains pulled tight
around the bed.

Lucifer soon joined him, â??Follow.â?

The black haired angel led the way as Affar followed meekly behind. He felt
utterly out of place, never before had there been so many unfamiliar faces in
the hallways. All of them staring at him. Some of them whispered. About him. He
immediately hid his mind from such thoughts and pulled within himself to keep
his wandering confined to his own mind.

It wasnâ??t that use of power was forbidden to wards. It was that Lucifer
despised those who used the power of mind to pry into anotherâ??s privacy. To
manipulate and take over and force and spy. That was the purpose of Affarâ??s
power and the moment it had presented itself Lucifer had sworn to beat it out
of his ward.

The two of them moved into an elevator that was occupied by a gruff looking
stone demon and a very frightened soul in shackles. Luckily the elevator was
bigger than Affar had thought and could carry the four of them comfortably
without him having to get too close to the soul.

He might prefer Hell, but he couldnâ??t stomach the screams of souls being
tortured for their crimes. Angels were worse. The angels had just seemed more
real when he had been alive. It was easy to dismiss a soul as an illusion but
an angelâ?¦ their screams had given him nightmares and had caused him to vomit
more than once.

The stone demon and its prisoner got off on one floor, Lucifer and Affar on
one below that. The floor they stepped onto was carpeted in thick red rugs. The
walls showed what looked like real grains of wood, all down the hall way was
one huge piece. In some places carvings and been made, small and delicate and
usually of faeries and elves.

Several doors led off to various places, all of them a dark colour, almost
black. A few benches sat against the walls, several of them occupied. As they
walked by, the door nearest to the elevator opened and an ash blonde man peered
at Affar for a moment longer than was polite before he turned, swallowing
whatever words he might have had for the ward, and motioned for one of the
demons to enter his room.

They moved beyond the man and to another door. Lucifer knocked and Affar
took the time to look back at the man with the ash blonde hair. He wasâ?¦
familiar. Definitely handsome, high cheekbones and a rather soft face with
brilliantly blue eyes that watched Affar back. But no name came to mind, and
Affar had had to sit down and talk to many of the so called lords of Hell.

So he forced his attention back to Luciferâ??s back only to find that his
master had turned to face him. Affar moved his eyes to the floor in a
submissive gesture as Lucifer looked down the hallway.

â??The one you called the â??High Lordâ?? will see you now.â?