APOCANGELICA Wild Beasts

Chapter 9

 "I welcome you all to the Stormy Manor" said a square-built instructor with a frowning look. "The first Directive is, to quote the training manual, chapter two, rule thirty-four: all nicknames, monikers and other diminutives must be eliminated. Upon birth you was given a name that identifies you in the celestial hosts and of this name you have to be proud of. Your state of chosen ones differentiates you and raises you from the lower creatures of Creation. So forget the mortal custom of distorting names! No more: Jimmy, Lucy, Nick, Sue and other mangling so in fashion amongst you youngsters." He began to walk among the boys, grinning as he experienced the faces of the students: there were those who were holding their breath, some were looking down, while others nodded pretending unconditional approval.

"I am Galghiel, your instructor," he continued to bark. "You can call me Mr Instructor or Mr Instructor Galghiel... I know what you are thinking but I'm warning you: the last student I heard call me Galghy spat blood for the rest of the course, i.e. for eighteen long months! And I assure you that every day I made him curse a thousand times the moment he called me that way! Since then no one has ever insulted me in that manner again, me, Mr Instructor Galghiel!... Does anyone want to interrupt the magical period and be remembered by the students to come as "the one who tried last" Huh?!?... Has anyone got the balls to do it?... I guessed so! Scaredy-cats!"

"This place in which we are now gathered is the parade ground! Every morning, at the sound of the drum you will all gather here to reiterate the solemn oath which you made to the Movement a few hours ago!"

Evi looked around: the parade ground was a large courtyard paved with stone slabs and surrounded by a colonnade of dark marble, veined with dark red streaks. Beyond the colonnade, there were four low, wide buildings, two on the left side and two on the right. On each of these there was a different colour banner: crimson, gold, silver and black. The boys had been divided into four teams of fifty students each; each team was led by an instructor who was holding a banner of the same colour as the one on the buildings. They were under the black banner.

"In front of us" yelled the instructor while indicating an imposing four-story building of dark marble "Stands the chancellery of the Movement of the Holy Angelic Youth: the offices of the Chancellery are on the fourth floor and access is denied to you students. On the third floor we find the personal residences of His Excellency the Chancellor Trinkiel, who is the person that has just given the welcoming speech to you students; also at this level, the presence of a student not expressly invited is a serious violation of the school rules."

Jörg stared amazed at the imposing architecture of the building, which seemed made to inspire reverential fear. At his side Evi grimaced in disgust and whispered, "It gives me the creeps."

"On the second floor there are the shacks of the Judges" continued to rant the instructor "it's unnecessary to let you know what will happen to you if you are caught on this floor of the building and you are not a judge! Who are the judges? The Judges are the crème de la crème amongst you students and as such have privileges such as being housed in a more comfortable manner, but they follow the training along with the rest of the team from which they are selected. These will form four patrols of five elements. The patrols will be formed as soon as possible with those who most deserve to belong to them. "What do the judges do? They watch over all the other students! They will report the disciplinary failings to the instructors and to the leaders of the school that will then administer the necessary sanctions. All students must respect and give obedience to the Judges because they represent a direct emanation of the authority of the Movement and of His Excellency the Chancellor Trinkiel. Finally on the ground floor are the study rooms. Tomorrow we will be describing the training courses and we will list the training activities that you will follow in the next eighteen months. Is everything clear?"

A submissive murmur of assents rose from the group of young angels.

"Very well!" said the instructor. "And now follow me," and walked toward the building surmounted by the black banner.

Jörg was enthusiastic and confident for the start of this new dazzling adventure. Evi, tense and nervous, remained glued to him.

The instructor pushed the heavy wooden doors that creaked on the hinges with a shriek that made more than one boys skin crawl.

"Everyone choose a folding bed. In one hour there will be a gathering in which the uniforms will be distributed. You'll have to learn to adapt to your classmates and, all together, to the beliefs and directives of the Movement of the Holy Angelic Youth" concluded the instructor Galghiel while dangling in the middle of the big room, waiting in case some student asked any questions to which he was anxious to respond with denials and prohibitions seasoned with screams and threats of sanctions and punishments more or less heavy.

The room was large and spacious but didn't leave much space to privacy. The single beds, made in seasoned dark wood, were lined up against the walls forming two rows from the entrance to the other end of the room. At the centre of the dormitory there was a hologram immersed in a beam of golden light. Wherever you turned in the room you would be facing that bust figure.

"At the centre," began to explain the instructor, noticing that more than one of the guys was hypnotized by the effigy "you can see a representation of the leader of the Movement of the Holy Angelic Youth, the commander Stormriel, while he is inundated by the Divine Light that designates him as the chosen bearer of the Absolute Word amongst the angels, guiding them towards their bright future! Look at him now, and every time you feel faint, both physically and spiritually: he will be a spur in the difficult moments of the course."

"Come on Jörg" said Evi pulling him by his arm to one side of the room.

"Let's settle down here" and having unpacked her luggage began to put her things inside the metal cabinet located next to one of the folding beds.

Jörg also began to arrange his things, among the noises of the other guys.

"I a a am Dug" babbled a chubby boy that was settling on the bed beside his. Jörg turned to look at him: he was introducing himself to the boy whose bed was next to his, a boy with a tiny physique, almost frail. "I'm Tim," he replied back.

The instructor Galghiel came storming upon the two boys like a fury.

"What the fuck did you say your names were?" He shouted loudly.

The whole dormitory immediately went silent. The two boys turned pale.

"Have you both become dumb?" shouted the instructor. "I want to hear what your bloody names are and I want to hear it right away unless you want to do two hundred laps of the parade ground!"

"Ehm, Du Dughiel" stammered the chubby boy.

Instructor Galghiel placed himself at ten centimetres from his face and bent down so as to scream in his face: "Your name is "Emdudughiel" student? A very strange name, I would say! And yours?" He shouted, turning to Tim.

"Timiel, Mr. Instructor" replied promptly the other guy.

"Very well then. Students Timiel and Emdudughiel: I will keep an eye on you two!" and then lowering himself once again towards Dugs face hissed to him "As for you, student Dughiel. From now on, you will be called Emdudughiel and as such you will introduce yourself!"

The instructor walked away and Dug, all sweating, frew himself onto his bed, recommencing to breathe.

The noise in the room resumed. Jörg turned towards the bed chosen by Evi. A petite girl with blond hair worn in braids was introducing herself to his friend: "My name is Ophiel, pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you Ophia" he heard his friend answer softly. "I am Evi!"

Jörg sighed. "Evi will never change!" He thought, shaking his head.