Apocalypse: A Prestigious Ceremony ch 1

         It was hot today, smoldering really. I guess that is how it should be in the middle of summer, but today sweltered with an unusually sulfuric smell drifting on rare zephyrs of wind. Sulfur, the scent of battle, I could see it now. In my mind’s eye I saw the battlefield blazing with the infernal of a thousand hells, scared with blasts of heavenly light, mottled with motionless corpses melted to the Earth, seared and tortured to the end. I opened my eyes. Sweat beaded up from inside of my skin making a feeble attempt to cool me. Above, the sky was blue through the gaps of the large oak tree I sat under. It loomed over me shading me from direct rays of sunlight, however, it failed to shield from the overpowering heat. I sat up from my slumped position on the campus bench. The movement caused puddles of perspiration under my clothing to trickle down my body, flowing over me on its gravitational journey. It tickled a little as each hair sent shocks to my brain, though the discomfort was not enough to cause me to disturb my newly acquired position. I placed one hand on my face covering my eyes, trying, but failing to block the mental picture I had just experienced. It was awful. I couldn’t seem to shake it. The death that was all around, the destruction, to think somewhere far away from the school, to think, there was a place like that. That place, distorted and warped by battle. I suppose it would be more realistic in these times to wonder at the existence of the very place I sat. There are few regions like this one in our crumbling world. Our school with its peaceful normal atmosphere and appearance, protecting us, keeping us secure in this beautiful small part of our troubled mother Earth.

         A loud toiling from the distant time tower jolted me from my trepidations. It was time for the first step of my new life in the world, graduation. I stood up with a heavy sigh releasing tension from my chest and started toward the cathedral. Our campus for this very special school occupied an old Earth catholic school and cathedral, with great towers, walls with gargoyles and saints cresting the arches and tiers, and icy stone embracing breathtakingly intricate stain glass windows portraying glowing figures, peaceful landscapes, and supernatural battles between good and evil. The building itself was slightly rundown in some sections, but the more recent renovated parts were actually accommodating and comfortable. In a way being in this place is ironic to an extreme due to what we learn and what actually happens. The world may have “ended” some twenty years ago, but somehow the end brought on “a whole different ball game” as the saying goes. Our history is vague in its actual recorded information. But the events are very fresh in the minds of most. Some of us, me included, seem to have blocked out most of what happened in an attempt for our minds to remain stable, but what happened is no less real and alive in our lives. The story goes something like this: Not too long ago our world came to an end. However things functioned before this point are fuzzy in detail, but it is known, whatever happened was sudden and completely unexpected by anything that lived on Earth at the time. There are accounts of religions declaring times the world would reach this era, they were all mistaken, but when it happened, no one could have predicted the outcome. It was said that the end would destroy everything, something about fire, water, air, all natural elements causing the world to dissipate. Or perhaps an alien even or encounter would lead to an extinction of all life. No, that would have been the easy way out. And things on Earth are never easy. The day the world ended, it didn’t end per say. It altered in its existence. If there was one thing religions of the old world were right about, there is a heaven and a hell. And on that day, the gates to these two distinctly different other worlds was opened to ours. The occupants of both places spilled onto this surface like waves of two seas full of light and darkness and in such a violent and completely destructive clash of these seas they instinctively began to destroy one another. The battle of good and evil began instantly. Humans and animals of the Earth were caught between two hyper-powerful forces, and were destroyed. The land became barren. Not unlike the image I sensed only a few moments ago. Chaos blanketed our lives and fear bedded with us. There was no safe place to go, no way to escape our doom. However, in the worst of times the best of us rise to the occasion. Of the human population there were seven, seven that stood up to these intruders and fought for their lives and the lives of every living thing. At this extreme expression of leadership and power a group of heaven’s elite were drawn to the humans. In an ancient act they formed bonds with each other, vowing to work together to bring the new world to order. These seven with their bonded partners then became The Syndicate. This was the first and only organized attempt to govern the world and its occupants whether they are human, angel, or devil. This has been the way things are for over ten years, but it is not working as it should be. And so our school was founded.

         As I headed toward the cathedral in the north east side of our campus the heat of the day grew more intense. It would be terrible in that relic of a building. The amazing glass windows would act as a amplifier for the heat and I was not looking forward to this. I have heard from several of the classes before us that the professors can be unbearably long winded during these events, and despite my best efforts in the best of circumstances I can scarcely sit still though an hour lesson in a cooled room during a distraction less day. And as things were with the temperature and being summer and with all that was on my mind, “Ugh” I let out a groan.

“Not looking forward to graduating? Am I right? I thought so.” the voice startled me and I turned to see Angela, one of my friends in our class trotting up to me from the direction of the female dormitories. “Yes.” I said glumly, she was often right about my thoughts. I suppose I am easy to read, but it is not like I try to be mysterious or anything.

“You are not mysterious at all. But that is what I love about you.” Her smile gleamed at me as she linked her arm with mine and snuggled up to me. “I heard it is going to be a long one this time. The Dean is going to speak to us. Isn’t that exciting? He seldom leaves his quarters and now we get to hear from him. I can’t wait.” Her enthusiasm was not reciprocated. All this meant was I would be stuck in that room for even longer than I had anticipated. I groaned again and Angela giggled. “I just knew you would love to hear that.” Her grip became tighter about my arm. She continued to talk the whole way to the church but my mind drifted. It was so difficult concentrating on any one thing for a long period of time. But I’m sure she knew this. So it didn’t bother her if my mind wandered. I was lucky to have such an easy going friend. Most of the students didn’t share her ease if I didn’t listen to their concerns or exciting events. I just couldn’t concentrate. It was as Angela would say my biggest flaw. As if the rest of me was perfect in its entirety. I knew this was not the case. My physical appearance proved this false right away. My hair neither brown nor blond was a muddy shade. My eyes also muddy, a mix of green and brown. I suppose my height was okay, at five foot nine I was not the shortest in the class, but then I wasn’t entirely elegant. My build was normal, not thin, and not plump. There were no truly distinguishing features about me. All in all, average. I overheard some of the boys in the class rating the girls, and chance to catch my rating, a five out of ten, average. It didn’t bother me much. I would like to be beautiful and slim, maybe have fine hair and light skin, or be bronze and have long dark hair. I wouldn’t mind scoring above seven even on the hot or not rating. But it is like Professor Burswood says “If wishes were fishes we’d have a good fry.” I think that is valid in this case.

         Though wishing didn’t hurt anyone. And I wished often to be beautiful. Or even if I wasn’t gorgeous if I could look like… Angela. Angela may not be breathtaking, but with her dark brown hair, sweet oval eyes and long lashes, and heart shaped face she at least had the appealing factor. Her figure wasn’t bad either. She was slightly shorter than me at about five foot six and very slight. Her frame was wiry and a little too thin in some places, but she look nice. I especially loved her elegant hands so soft and dainty. She often complained about her tiny hands or her thin fingers, but I adored them.

“Clare, Clare we’re here.” Angela was standing in front of me waving her hand inches from my face. “You were really gone this time. I have been calling your name for a while now. What were you thinking about?”

“I’m sorry. It’s nothing.” She gave me a knowing grin and asked where I wanted to sit. The cathedral was filling up with all the students from our class, some visitors from the town a few miles away, and all the professors and their partners. Some of the partners I had never seen before. They were amazing. Some of their forms were beautiful in a way that only their kind could be, and others so monstrous and strange not unlike the gargoyles that adorn the institute.

Our school was founded not too long ago as a solution to a void The Syndicate couldn’t fill. Humans and Angels working together are fine, but when Demons are concerned, they have some abilities that can only be countered by one of their own kind. Angels refuse to work with Demons however, thus limiting the ability of the government. That is why the Usufrim was born. Noticing the missing links in the government’s protective defensive abilities, a group of humans found a way to change the old ritual the founding seven Syndicate leaders used to bond themselves to each other, and instead, they would bond themselves to Demons. The suggestion of this was rejected by the Syndicate and they sent the humans away to a remote village where they assumed these “trouble makers” would reconsider their actions. At first, they did think to forget the matter, but one ventured west of the village and discovered an old church, this old church. It became clear, they were meant to find this place, to build a new form of government. One that can make up for what the others cannot do. Our school is the Usufrim. The Professors are those that were sent away to the village in the east. The Dean is the one to find the cathedral. Here they completed the ritual and bonded themselves to Demons, who then became their partners in the attempt to achieve peace. Such great people and creatures graced this ancient room tonight. Then I saw Professor Burswood. He was our homeroom teacher. I recognized Pyralis as well, Burswood’s partner, a demon of fire. His horns ebbed with a volcanic molten light and his human shaped body a polished black color gleamed in the light. He wore his usual black button up shirt and black dress pants, for a Demon Pyralis often dressed very formal in Human attire not unlike Burswood who wore a white button up shirt with tan pants. They were quite the pair, but when it came to homeroom, I would take the wrath of Pyralis any day over the middle aged human’s. Burswood was very strict with the students and he particularly didn’t enjoy my inescapable daydreaming. If Angela didn’t catch me in time to warn me, I often was brought too by a heavy handed strike to the back of my head. There should be a law against that.

“Thinking of Burswood again? He does hit you pretty hard sometimes.”

“Tell me about it.” She was right again. And we both looked in his direction. He would be a speaker today so he took a seat where the choir would sit near the pulpit next to Professor Matilda Grady one of the most compassionate people you could meet and they started chatting, Pyralis vanished as only Demons can and I assumed he would be somewhere close by. We walked a little too close to the first row for my liking so I darted into one of the benches and took a seat near the middle. Angela giggled and said something about my fear of the front row and Burswood being upset that I wasn’t up there paying attention, but again I was drifting. I liked the chapel. It was always a quiet peaceful place. I rarely saw the images I had earlier here. It was as though the ancient walls with their many brilliant glass worlds shielded my mind from everything, though this often resulted in a very peaceful nap, and then a tardy in class, and an aggravated Burswood. Again my mind was mulling over the punishments, cleaning duty, an extra essay on a specific category of Demon, grading worksheets on the hierarchy of Demons, or worse concentrating on the time piece that sits on Burswood’s desk for hours without moving. It literally drove me crazy. Luckily that has only happened twice. Once for falling to sleep in class, and the other time I am not sure why I got that punishment. I wasn’t late or anything. We were doing a simulation of the Demon Room, basically a mock bonding.  A student enters a room where the professors then send their Demons to “simulate” how a bonding happens. The student must concentrate on an ancient barrier that comes from the symbols on the floor and protects the one inside from what is outside. The Demons then enter and move about the student in a counterclockwise motion. Supposedly in the real thing, the Demons that participate could be there to bond or to harm the human, but they can’t get in the barrier as long as it is up, unless a bond is made. Sound simple enough. And that is just what I said while watching another student in the simulation. That was when Pyralis tapped me on the shoulder and said without using his mouth, but some demon method of speech, “Burswood would like to talk to you Clare, please follow me.” I had no idea what was happening until it was too late. Three hours later I was escorted back to the dorms by Pyralis. He was saying some nonsense about his partner meaning the best for me, and something about concentration is very important. But all that meant was Burswood gets a kick out of torturing me. Just thinking about sitting in that chair motionless staring at that stupid clock makes me squirm. A shiver raced down my spine causing me to jitter in my seat.

         The chapel was full now, a loud hum of voices danced to the vaulted ceiling. Excitement and anxiety were the prominent emotions swirling in the air, and despite what I had thought earlier it was rather cool and comfortable in the cathedral. I suppose it had something to do with the residing ice Demons who appeared preoccupied in their seats. There were not many Demons who remained when the time drew closer to the start of our graduation. These ceremonies didn’t mean anything to them. They were probably preparing the Demon Room for later. Or maybe they were playing Demon games. I couldn’t help but chuckle out loud at the thought of Demons playing little children games in the gardens surrounding the school. Angela looked at me confused for once by my inner dialogue, but she collected herself once more with a wide grin and elbowed me.

“Look who is watching you.” There was someone watching me. Devin Markesan was sitting two benches in front of us. His right arm rested on the back of the bench as his body was turned ninety degrees. His blue eyes watched me and as I looked at him a half grin tugged on his firm attractive face. He was one of the better looking guys of our class and I could feel my face getting hot. His grin broadened and I turned away looking down at my feet. Giggles from beside me let me know my embarrassment was not well hid, and I could hear a couple others next to us had noticed my reaction as well. “I think he likes you.” I heard whispered in my ear. The heat in my cheeks flamed to my ears. Again a giggle. “Don’t worry Clare, I won’t tell him you like him back. I will let you do that on your own.” I sat up my face still scarlet “I don’t like him, okay!” Everyone within a four row circle about us stopped their conversations and gawked at me. My red became white as the realization of how loud I had spoken became apparent. Angela clasped her hands over her mouth and crumpled, her body trembling with glee. I however was chilled to the bone as one by one the other students turned and resumed their conversations, except for Devin and his two friends sitting next to him. They were all smiling, but Devin; Devin had a pleased sort of satisfied look that caused an odd sensation to squeeze my stomach. I couldn’t look at him. But there was no were to hide. I was pressed tightly between Angela, still doubled over with muffled animal like snorts and giggles coming from her compressed face, and a girl on my left who I recall seeing around but couldn’t pinpoint her name. I had to distract myself from looking at him. This wasn’t the first time I felt this peculiar feeling around Devin but it was the first time being so blatantly humiliated in front of him and so many others. But to have him eyeing me as he was I felt self-conscious and I wanted to run. I wanted to jump up and race out of the room, but as it was with graduation starting and moment, and the confined space. I was going nowhere.

         Much to my relief, Professor Farr stood up and positioned herself in front of the pulpit. “Attention, attention students. Please give me your...” she stopped mid-sentence as everyone including my tormentor had straitened in their seats and became uncomfortably quiet. She cleared her throat and began, “I am Professor Farr and I am honored to open our twenty-seventh graduation ceremony. To all of you students, I am so very pleased with all the hard work and many accomplishments you have…” she paused, “well, accomplished.” The room resounded with muffled laughter. As the other teachers made gruff noises to bring everyone to order. Farr then continued “I see you are all in high spirits tonight. That is good. Keep those spirits lively and free as you join with your new companion.”

         Her voice seemed to trail off as my mind wandered about the room. Watching the different Professor’s faces, then scanning the students about me, and then, focusing on the back of his head two benches in front of me. His golden blonde hair swirled and wisped about his ears and face. It was a little long for a boy, and had a slight curl to the ends. I thought about reaching forward and twisting those curls with my fingers. How soft his hair must feel? From his hair I saw his neck muscles clench and relax. He often worked out with his friends; they went running and would lift some of the stone weights at the training grounds as well as pull ups and the like. I could see he was very well formed. His shirt was a dark grey and hung nicely with his back. I could make out his shoulder blades a little. I recalled the cologne he used. It was spicy and woody, a really outdoor like smell that reminded me of going hiking or when we had tracking training. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could almost smell it now. A nudge from my right startled me. My eyes shot open and I was dazed for a few seconds. Professor Farr was seated now, and our only honor student of our class was talking. I looked at Angela and she pulled a prim face and mouthed the words. I smiled at her antics. Chandra was not highly esteemed by her fellow classmates, but she was admired for being the only student to receive superiors on all of her work. Most only achieved complete. But Chandra was eccentric in her desire to go above and beyond what was acceptable. I leaned close to Angela “The prim princess would like to encourage us all to do our best.” I said attempting to mimic her words as best I could. Angela clasped her mouth again, and I continued, “We are all the future of this world. We must understand the responsibilities that come with that solemn privilege. Let’s all work together to become a better example for everyone.” She couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a loud giggle. Some around us joined in, knowing full well what the joke was. Chandra stopped her prepared speech and glared in our direction. The Professors again made their “settle down” noises and we became quiet once more. The speech continued on and on. Seated on the row in front of me a girl with brown hair began to nod as she struggled to stay awake. I was glad I was not the only one having a hard time tonight.

         The sun was gone as twilight crept through the windows. The cathedral had no lights and would soon be completely dark. I wondered at this idea for a while leaning my head back and gazing into the haze of nightfall above me. Small flickers appeared then, and grew into orbs of flame, eight of them, lining the ceiling bringing light throughout the room. The fire Demons now replaced the Ice Demons of earlier. Pyralis was among them. I found it amazing the differences Demons had from each other. Even if they were technically considered the same in their abilities they were so different. I suppose it is the same with humans. Some of us have blond hair others brown, some are tall, others short. But to see horns and wings, hooves and paws like dogs. These differences I can never get used to. And there were so many varieties of Demons. Fire, ice, wind, water, shape shifters, these were only a few. And they all needed different things to survive. That was part of the bond. The purpose of the Usufrim and bonding with Demons has been to use the powers of the Demons to fight or protect against other Demons. But Demons need things in return. Some like Pyralis consume a certain kind of stone, or plant, or perhaps need some kind of water. Then there are others that survive off of more draining methods. I hear that some Demons are vampiric. They feed off of their partner’s blood. Just the thought makes me queasy. I hope my Demon doesn’t need that kind of nourishment. I couldn’t’ do it. Though the bond is suppose too bind the Demon to only feed from its bonded human. I couldn’t starve my Demon, but… no, I can’t give it that. Maybe I will simply need to provide dirt or something. That would be easy to do. But what kind of Demon would eat dirt?

         Again my attention drifted and soon it landed on the speakers face. Burswood. I became very attentive as an instinct of many a smack on the back of my head. He was in the middle of his speech and I could see he was asserting a lot of effort into what he was saying. “Demons may be the way to fight Demons, but you are the way to unite the people in this dark time. That is the sole purpose of this school, of this society. To unite all races to one goal, and see that goal become reality. We founded this school, this government to bring peace to the world. Much like The Syndicate is trying to do. We are the missing link that will guide this world into a new age, an age of understanding and compassion, an age without war and bloodshed. You are the ones that will be sacrificing for this. You must be ready for that sacrifice. Are you ready?” The whole of the congregation ascended to the occasion with a confident “Yes!”

“I hope you know what you are up against. I hope you all have the deep understanding that you will need in order to do what you must. In this world there are forces out there that are growing stronger every day, forces that grow unchecked and unopposed. These forces the The Syndicate cannot control on their own, forces that the Usufrim cannot control on their own. There are such things that no strength on this Earth can suppress, unless, we work together. To combine our efforts with those who have the same goal. Peace on Earth. That is what we must do. We stand a greater chance if we stand together. No one person weather human, demon, or angelic can succeed in this world on their own. In all reality, we could all be removed from the face of the Earth in an instant. Despite working together we may fall short in our ability to survive. But we will rise up none the less, we will go forth with vigor in our stride and joy in our hearts, we will fight just the same as if we would be victorious. If it is the end for us then at least we were there fighting the last fight doing what we can with what we have left to us, at least there are some who will try to fix what was destroyed so long ago farther back than the end in a world that knew not what it had until it was too late. We are the future of this world; we are the legacy of those that came before us. This is our day, our time to bring to pass a future of peace and harmony, a future worth being around to see. This is our time and our world. And it is the only one we’ve got.”

         The only one we’ve got? A shiver ran down my spine. I remember something. I remember a time when I was with my grandmother. Her figure stood next to me withered with age, but thriving with life and an inner youth. We were in a tall building, a large shopping center that reached to the sky, a skyscraper, that was what they were called. We were on the third floor some forty feet above ground. I was buying her a pair of mittens for her birthday. They were soft and warm. Black… no… wait, I can’t… something happened. Somewhere below us, there was an earthquake, no, an explosion? I’m not sure, but the building collapsed. We sank to the earth so quickly. Dust shot up from the ground, glass, metal, debree of all varieties swirled about us. I could hear screaming. I blacked out, but woke up unable to move. Something was pinning me down. My head was sticky with warm liquid that was getting in my eye, clouding my vision with a red filter, pataly causing my eyelashes to stick together. I was with someone. Who? My grandmother! Where, where was my grandmother? I tried to move. My side flamed with pain, I felt nauseous. My head swirled threatening to black out once more when I saw something. There was a figure standing over me. It was so bright. My eyes stung viciously as I tried with all my might to focus on the glowing personage. I opened my mouth and managed to ask for help. I begged, please, please help me. My grandmother, please help us. The being walked closer to me, it would help. It looked as though it were pulling something from behind its back. Its back, it had wings. Great beautiful white wings, was I dead. No I was in too much pain to be dead. The figure raised something, something shiny and glowing. It was metallic. A sword? It took the sword by the hilt with both hands, the blade facing down, right above me. No! Don’t! I couldn’t say anything. I was frozen there in the last moments of my life. I could hear a beautiful song like voice say “With this blade I do purge the earth of all evil.” Just as the blade came down a dark shadow bolted from behind me, right into the menacing point that sought my life. Dark liquid dripped on my face from the shadow. Shadow’s bleed? It stood up now from it’s crouch over me and with its arms tore the wings from the shining form. New blood bright golden flowed from the being as it screamed such a terrible cry. The cry rang in my ears; I tried to cover them with my hands, but the pain in my side. I crumpled and… and.

“Clare!” someone… someone is calling me? “Clare, hey are you okay?”

“Angela.”

“Yeah, what happened? You fell off your seat. You’re lucky you didn’t hit your head.”

“What… Where am I?” Then I remembered. Oh no. Did I stop the graduation? Was it in the middle of Burswood’s talk? Am I in trouble again?

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re not in trouble. I don’t think anyone heard you.” I could see she was simply being considerate. The students on the row in front of me clearly heard and were turned staring at me with concerned eyes. And the girl to my left as well as the girl on her left was staring, those behind me as well. This was a nightmare. Nightmare? Did I? I thought I remembered something important just now, but. I can’t recall.

“Just don’t scare me like that again, okay. Honestly, there is a limit to how far your daydreams should go, don’t you think? We are almost done with the graduation. All we have left is the Dean of the school, and then the bonding. Do you think you can stay with us long enough to...”

“I’m fine. I won’t do it again.” I was embarrassed and a little confused, but I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I tried to focus on the pulpit as the Dean stood in front of us. He looked old with silver hair slicked back on his head revealing a retreating hair line above a wrinkled face. He stood tall though and held himself like a thirty year old would. As he spoke his voice sounded youthful, and I questioned my first impression of him.

“I will make this short and sweet, as the hour is late, and those who spoke before me gave you all the encouragement, advice, and warning you will need for tonight and the rest of your lives.”

“Warning? What warning?” I whispered to Angela, and she snickered quietly.

“You are hopeless you know that.” She said. I sighed and turned my attention back to the Dean

“All of you are important. But it is up to you to know why. Who am I, or any one to tell you why you are here? Why you survived what you have, in order to be here today? I am merely a luck old man who chanced upon something that allowed all of this to transpire. This day was meant to come, and it would have come with or without me. I just happened to be there, to help it along. The question is, will you be there? I believe you will.” With that he stepped down and one of the Professors resumed his place. He thanked the speakers and congratulated us on our success. Then the Professors stood and began the procession through the school to the opposite side of the building, the south-west side, to the Demon Room.