Chapter 49. The millennium

“The millennium war was the greatest and deadliest war this world has ever seen, it happened thousands of years ago. However, the damage that it had caused can still be seen in Ere.”

“Why are you going to Ere?”

“Do you know what it was that Miss Chartreuse prophesized for us?” The Pope asked Boss.

“Do you mean Julie?” Boss shook his head indicating he didn’t know what she had prophesized.

“This world is going to change; Apostles will descend and those who are worthy will become a Chosen.” The Pope stated calmly. He continued “everything a Seer sees and everything regarding the future should be taken with a grain of salt.” The Pope’s words surprised Boss; he had expected that the Pope would be a firm believer in prophecies such as these.

“Surprised? Don’t be. The Church of Future Heaven and Safe Haven was created centuries ago when the first people found these very murals you see here. What had come about were two major groups that eventually became a religion.”

“Prophecies foretold by countless Seers all stated similar things as miss Chartreuse. However, do you know why even though countless Seers stated the same things, two separate religion came out?”

Boss waited for the Pope to continue.

“They never saw what was past becoming a Chosen.”

“No one ever saw beyond that?”

“None.”

“The Church of Safe Haven believe these Apostles are here to destroy this world and that we should unite and fight against them once they come because we have no answers for what befell the Chosen. We the Church of Future Heaven believes that those who are Chosen ascended to a higher realm beyond this world’s limits. We believe that instead of uniting to fight we should unite to welcome.”

“Ere will be the continent that we will use as a platform to welcome them.” The Pope finished.

“Were you planning on going there since the beginning?”

The Pope tapped his cane on the ground causing the murals to slowly melt into the walls leaving only a blank canvas behind. “Yes.”

“When do you plan on leaving?”

“When it is appropriate.”

“Last question!” Boss energetically raised his hands. “Why are you telling a 10yr old all this?” Boss asked.

“Child, do you really believe you are what you say you are?” The Pope walked back to his seat and sat down. “I have known about you since the day you fell from the Heavens. You are also something no Seer has ever prophesized.”

“Eh?”

The Pope placed the cane and scepter down beside his seat and responded, “This entire forest is mine.”

Boss didn’t need to ask further questions. The entire forest was exactly what the Pope had said, it was his. It was in his complete control. Anything that entered this forest the Pope would be the first to know about it.

Seeing the look of understanding the Pope closed his eyes and softly spoke to the kid in front of him. “Why am I telling you all this? Because I believe only you know what will happen after the Apostles arrive and our Chosen are picked.”

“I just hope… that we are not wrong.”

Boss looked up the old man who eyes remained closed. He slightly nodded his head and turned around. Walking down the spiraling staircase with steady steps and out of the door. Only when Boss left the periphery of the forest did the Pope opened his pure white eyes and gazed into the direction of the murals… his brows furrowed.

Knock Knock BAM

Boss knocked twice and slammed the door to Samuel’s study opened. “Where’s mah meat ya got mah meat?”

Samuel raised his eyebrows at Boss’ sudden intrusion, he pointed in the direction of the kitchen with a quill pen in his hand. Boss quickly turned around and slammed the door closed again.

Angel arrived shortly after only to see that Boss wasn’t sitting at the seat in front of Samuel. She quickly walked into the kitchen only to see the meat they had bought from the market and stored into the kitchen for Boulderville’s feast was completely empty.

Benjamin turned around and bowed to Angel who walked in with hurried steps. “He is gone.” Benjamin stated.

Angel sighed, she wanted to ask Boss about Arthur’s training progress in Boulderville. She returned to Samuel’s study to express her worries and asked Samuel questions she had on her mind that she wanted to ask Boss about.

Samuel could only give his own assumptions as to how Arthur was doing causing Angel further to ask him how he knows. Questions and answers detailed to the tiniest points were made up by Samuel to appease his wife, he had no idea how Arthur was doing and why she is asking him all these questions. He quickly regretted he didn’t speak up when Boss asked about the meat and instead pointed at where it was.

Thud!

An enormous bag of meat filled with all types of animals from chickens to pork to beef were placed directly in front of Gran who was back at his home. Gran for the past hour was walking back and forth with worry in his eyes contemplating about whether he should kill his own cattle or not if Boss hadn’t returned.

To his surprise Boss teleported back in front of him with an enormous bag full of various kinds of meat chopped up and ready for anything Gran so desired. Gran almost immediately ran up and hugged the boy before he noticed the once lit sky was quickly setting.

“Quickly let’s go, we’ve got a feast to prepare!” Gran waved his hand causing the entire bag of meat to float into the air. He ran out of the estate with an enormous bag trailing from behind.

Boss shrugged his shoulder, he wanted to check on the kids first before he left for the feast.

Knock knock

“Come in, it’s not locked.” A girl’s calm voice could be heard from behind the door.

“How’s the kid?” Boss asked after walking in making his way over to the bedside. He’s been gone for roughly three hours and Arthur still hasn’t woken up.

“Young master is doing well.” Shelly was meditating on Michael’s bedside this entire time while monitoring Arthur. She continued “He seemed to be struggling with something earlier. You don’t happen to know what it was, do you?”

“If I say I don’t will you believe me?”

“I won’t”

“Then I won’t say anything.” Boss continued to scan the sleeping kid with his eyes. “What do you think happened?”

“Young master has found it.”

“Mm yes and no” Boss replied.

Shelly wanted to ask what Boss meant, but the boy didn’t seem like he’ll give her an answer yet. She turned her head over to Arthur and asked, “Do you think he’ll be awake anytime soon?”

“Before the feast.” Boss replied instantly.

Shelly was surprised she wasn’t expecting Arthur to wake up that soon. However, Boss’ was completely right.

Boss’ hands motioned towards Arthur’s nose plugging it with his finger and blocking Arthur’s airways. The kid who was fast asleep started to show signs of struggling before his eyes opened shoving the hand away and gasping for air.

The little boy looked around only to see two pair of eyes staring back at him. He smacked his lips twice and closed his eyes again preparing for another round of sleep. However, a loud voice that came from the left side of his ear startled him awake completely. “Oh good! you’re awake!”

Boss pulled away and clapped his hands in joy, he paid no mind to the squint coming from Shelly’s eyes judging him. “You almost missed the feast!”

Arthur rubbed his eyes sleepily and replied with a yawn “A feast? What for?”

“Don’t you remember? You were scaring people!”

Arthur’s eyes squinted as he thought back to a few hours earlier. “Oh yeah! How many did we scare?”

“All of them! We did so great that Gran couldn’t help but throw a marvelous feast for us and everyone else!” Boss maintained his loud voice as he replied.

“When is it?” Arthur asked.

“In about 30 minutes, go get ready!” Boss exclaimed.

Arthur turned over to look at Shelly, his entire face was asking “Is it true?” Shelly half nodded indicating what Boss had said was mostly true. Arthur yawned once more and got out of bed, heading towards the toilet.

“I’ll be outside, young master.” Shelly stated and hopped off the bed. Arthur waved his hand weakly in the air in reply indicating he heard. Boss followed Shelly out and waited outside of the door.

They were giving Arthur some privacy for him to get dressed and use the toilet.

Ten minutes passed, with no signs of Arthur making a movement inside the room.

“Oh my gosh, he went back to sleep!” Boss complained outside of the door. He continued “Ima go get him. You stay out here. Don’t come in unless you want to see your young master naked.”

Shelly gave Boss a curious look and nodded her head.

Boss walked in and half closed the door behind him, not even trying to stop Shelly from peeking inside. His words and his actions were completely opposite. He was physically telling her to look inside.

Shelly instantly noticed that something wasn’t quite right. However, she had her doubts considering she didn’t sense anything malicious. She opened the door softly hoping to not see anything indecent in doing so.

Her eyes first saw Boss who walked inside beforehand, his body was standing still staring up at something. Shelly’s eyes followed and looked up towards the ceiling. A winged-humanoid, spider-like creature with it’s head upside down was staring in the direction of the bathroom, with no movements at all.

Its jagged teeth were creeping into a ravenous smile as it kept is eyes glued at the door.

Even with the appearance of Boss and Shelly it didn’t seem to notice their presence at all.

Shelly let out an audible gasp, the thing stuck to the ceiling of the room was nothing she’s ever seen before. It looked like the Seraphim statue yet, it had 3 arms on each side and its mouth and forehead completely swapped places. No, to be more precise it’s entire head was snapped upwards and twisted reforming to its current appearance.

Shelly tried to walk closer to Boss, but he waved a hand telling her to not move. He kept his eyes glued on the creature and turned to look at the silent bathroom door.

Seconds passed by and the creature on the ceiling started to show signs of changing. It’s creepy smile grew wider as its incisors tripled in size forming fangs. The eyes on its upside-down face started to pull apart from each other, with new eyes appearing at where the old ones used to be. This spider angel human was turning into more of a spider before their very eyes.

Shelly’s face was starting to show signs of worry, the energy within the creature was growing at an alarming rate. Her eyes darted to the door, she believed something may have happened to Arthur.

The moment she was about to make a move, Boss’ loud voice boomed within the room. “Arthur!”

“RAWR”

The monster roared at Boss’ loud voice, but the little Boss paid it no mind and shouted again. “Arthur! Wake up!” As if it knew it what was happening the monster released an unyielding screech in response to Boss’ shout.

“GRRRRRROAARRRRRR!”

The monster was disappearing and reverting to normal at an alarming rate, it’s eyes that were split into four rapidly returned to two and its head twisted back to correct shape. The fangs turned back to regular incisors and the 6 arms of it quickly turned into four and then back to two. Its entire face was the Seraphim, except, only the sharp jagged teeth remained clearly visible by the time it vanished into particles.

The moment the creature disappeared, Boss paced quickly over to the bathroom door and opened it. A little boy completely clothed was hunched over on the seat. Boss slowly lifted the head of the hunched over boy, cold sweat could be seen dripping down the silver haired kid’s forehead sliding down his pale face. His breathing was short and rapid as if he was slowly suffocating.

Shelly quickly arrived to Boss’ side the moment Arthur’s head was lifted up. His pale complexion and blue lips were signs that he wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

“Breathe Arthur, breathe.” Boss’ calm voice instantly calmed the boy before him, the boy’s breathing became fuller and his pale face started to regain some color. “That’s good, keep it up. Shelly and I are here for you.”

Boss slowly released the boy causing him to hunch back down, however the boy was breathing normally this time. He closed the door in front of Shelly indicating to her to wait for Arthur to wake up.

A strange scene started to appear again the moment they turned around. There were movements on the bed that instantly attracted their attention. Both Boss and Shelly walked over only to see miniature versions of themselves no taller than the size of a thumb was locked in combat with the equally sized Seraphim.

Miniature Boss pulled a sword out of nowhere to hack and slash at the creature in front of him causing it to fall on its knees. Miniature Shelly pulled out an enormous javelin from thin air and impaled the creature headfirst all the way into the bedsheet, splitting into two.

The miniature creature exploded into particles and disappeared into vapor. A small VICTORY floated over the head of miniature Boss and Shelly as they looked up at the larger versions of themselves.

Little Boss’ index and middle finger opened out creating a V shape in victory as he smiled at the bigger Boss. Miniature Shelly curiously looked at the bigger version of herself and nodded her head knowingly. Both the little versions of themselves turned their head over to a slowly materializing translucent figure of Arthur standing beside them.

The two little figures bowed in worship as the translucent Arthur’s smile grew wider and wider.

The actual Boss and Shelly shared glances with each other and continued to stare at the scene. Little Boss and Shelly started reenacting the scene they had with the Seraphim and telling silent jokes only the translucent Arthur could hear causing him to laugh.

The face on the translucent Arthur released a satisfied smile looking down on the two figures beneath them. He held out his hand and the two figures hopped directly onto it one on each palm. The kid held the two figures close to his chest and smiled.

All three vanished into thin air leaving only a toothpick sized hole torn straight through the bedsheets as a reminder that they had existed.

Moments later, Arthur slowly walked out of the bathroom door rubbing his eyes with a stupid smile to his face only to be startled awake by two pair of eyes who was staring back at him.

“W-weren’t you guys supposed to be waiting outside?” The silver haired stuttered to ask.

“You took too long, so we went to check on ya.” Boss replied.

“I-I’m fine, I need to change now, so go outside and wait.” Arthur pushed Boss out of the room. He then turned to look at Shelly who nodded her head and excused herself right after.

Arthur didn’t know why he was startled when he saw Boss and Shelly after he woke up. He just felt unusually happy and excited as if he had an amazing dream, and the moment he saw Boss and Shelly standing there right after he woke up, his entire body was subconsciously embarrassed as if what he dreamt about was about the two of them causing him to instantly panic and push them out.

Seconds turned into minutes as the boy stood there thinking about what his dream could’ve been.

Knock knock

“Hurry up Arthur! the feast!” Boss’ voice could be heard coming from outside of the door. Arthur instantly came to and rushed over to the drawer and put new pair of top and bottom.

“I-I’m coming!”