‘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.’
