H a l o s and F e a t h e r s

Lesson 01

Brightness. It had filled her vision suddenly, replacing the blackness and forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut. The woman hadn't even realized she had had them opened to begin with. When several minutes passed she finally hazarded opening an eye to view her surroundings. Whatever she had been expecting it had not been what greeted her eyes.

Silvers, grays, whites and all manner of pastel colors painted the world around her. Buildings reached high into the sky and looked to be made of beautiful marble of all colors - a lot marble was colored in such colors that the woman was very much sure that particular stone didn't form in. Golden archways reached far across the metropolis though the woman couldn't say what their purpose was or if these structures even had any. Beautiful stone statues adorned the streets that were lined with cobblestones.

What mesmerized her the most however were the crowds. They were human in form that much was clear to her though each and every one of them sported a pair of feathery white wings that looked soft to the touch. Some were even soaring through the skies with them and successfully destroying any idea she may have had over the wings being purely costume. Some of the people spared her a glance and even a smile and a greeting.

She could only return them in a daze. Her mind was whirling trying to process what it was she was seeing. A hand clasped down on her shoulder causing her to jump and the startled yelp that would have escaped her was killed only by the fact that her throat closed around it choking it into silence before the sound had even begun to exist.

"Wonderful isn't it, Leanne?"

Leanne blinked owlishly at the man that smiled down at her. He was tall and rather well built with a kindly face. His eyes were his defining features - a beautiful sea green color that seemed to glimmer with some inner warmth and joy. He, too, sprouted a pair of wings though his were large in size compared to many of those milling around them.

"H... How do you know my name?" she asked warily, stepping away from the winged man. His hand fell from her shoulder as she did so hanging at his side. His smile didn't fade however.

"My apologies, I may be a little overeager. My name is Maika and you have arrived at what is commonly called heaven."

"Uuh... What?" A nervous smile stretched over Leanne's face, her brown eyes clouded with confusion. This had to have been a sick joke or at least she hoped it was. The memory of her own death was still fresh in her mind however and she quickly glanced down at herself. The wounds were no long there though she was still dressed in the messy and dirtied clothes she had died in. Compared to the lighter clothes of those of the angels around her - for they could be no other such thing if this was indeed heaven - she stuck out even further.

"You've been sent to heaven. Allow me to welcome you properly!" Maika threw his arms up gesturing to the beautiful buildings and statues around them with a flourish. "Of course before you can properly enjoy your stay there are things you have to do first!"

"Wait!" Maika stopped, the smile slipping from his face for the first time at Leanne's demand. "I'm in heaven? Me - of all people? There is no way this is heaven!"

"And why do you say that?"

"Because I am a giant douche! There's no way I'm supposed to be here!"

"Why argue so hard against something good?" Maika reasoned gently, resting a hand on her upper back and steering her towards a large building with many reflective glass windows that stretched high into what Leanne assumed was the sky. She honestly had no answer for his question.

"I repeat; welcome to heaven! You're stay here, sadly, must be broken up with a task or so I'm afraid."

"Task?" Leanne echoed. She didn't receive an answer.