They left so quickly; Father Timothy had such a concerned look on his face after the other Priests whispered something into his ear. I hope everything's ok. Bell thought as he cut his hair with scissors.
"Bell, you should cut that pink hair of yours. Its grown rather long, be sure to keep your word now."
He's been going away a lot lately. I didn't even get to tell him about the dream I had last night. He thought.
He tries recalling his dream, remembering the shriek he heard hidden behind the fogs of his mind.
"What was that?"
Bell walks down the Hallway on his way to his room deep in thought. He accidentally bumps into someone and falls back landing on his rear.
"Ow"
He looks around seeing books covering the floor. He glances up and sees a familiar face, a woman with long blond hair, fair white skin, deep scarlet eyes and a claw shaped scar under her left eye. She stumbles towards him and puts out her hand and helps him up.
"Bell, I'm sorry I couldn't see you with all this stuff I was carrying. Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I? Oh, Father Timothy's going to kill me!!" she exclaims dramatically.
I swear this Woman is the personification of a Hyperbole. He thinks to himself.
"I'm ok Marry, no need to worry about me, here let me help you with these." Bell said as he helped her stack the books again.
He picks up the books one by one stacking them on top of one another. He sees one lying flipped open and reads some of the page. "The True God" he read.
"True God..."
Marry looks over to him and gently takes the book out of his hands.
"Sorry Bell but you're uhm not allowed to read these, not yet anyway. Just forget about what you read and focus on your studies. By the way, what does Father Timothy have you doing these days?" she asked hastily.
"Oh, ok I'm sorry Marry, and right now I'm focusing on Alchemy, but I do other things like Mathematic, Literature, History, Philosophy and bits of Magic every now and then." Bell explains.
Marry smiles slightly.
"Someone's been busy, hope Father Timothy goes easy on you at least, you are still a child after all. Wait isn't it your birthday!?" She yells, grabbing and hugging him tightly.
She kisses him on his cheek, flustering him and making his pale white skin turn deep red.
She lets go of him and he struggles to regain his balance.
"Your Thirteen now, you've grown so fast Bell." Marry said with tears forming in her eyes.
Here come the tears. He thought to himself.
"Don't cry Marry, please." Bell pleaded awkwardly.
She dries her eyes and picks up the stack of books.
"I'm proud of you Bell. Father Timothy has a lot of faith in you, don't let him down please, work hard." she said as she walked away carefully trying to juggle the books.
He walked away to his room again and studied the Alchemy notes Father Timothy assigned him for the next hour but was interrupted.
"Ahh, hard at work are we. I think that's enough for now, don't you Bell? You need to balance your work equally come now it's time we continued our history lesson." Father Timothy said with a smile on his face.
Bell closes his notebook and follows Father Timothy without saying a word. As they walk his mind wonders, thinking about what he saw in Marry's book.
"Father, may I ask you something?"
"Only if you're ready to hear an answer, Bell."
Bell looks at Father Timothy as they walk to the library.
"Can you tell me who "The True God" is?"
"The True God, where'd you hear about that may I ask?"
Bell looks down to the ground.
"I bumped into Marry earlier and she dropped a bunch of books. I saw it one of the books."
"I see, "The True God" I believe it's... no I'm sorry Bell you'll have to wait a while for that question to be answered. Erase it from your thoughts for the time being."
Bells face looked disappointed at hearing this answer.
"Not the answer you were expecting?"
"Not entirely Father."
"I'm sorry Bell, but sometimes you will get answers your happy with or ones that burn your soul. And other times you're left in confusion from not having an answer at all. You shall learn in due time, have patience."
They continued with their history lesson for the rest of the morning.
"So, to sum it all up there are multiple minor religions today, but only three that can compete with "Order" there's the "Knowledge Speakers" and the other one is known as the "Lightless", and us the "Feathers" religion" Bell summarizes.
"Yes Bell, very good. Now we three are the only ones that hold influence that could rival them."
"Father, why is the "Order" religion so powerful? And if they're so powerful why is there a need for us to stand against them."
"" Order's" influence mainly stems from the fact that they're directly related to the House of Order." Father Timothy explained.
Bell's expression became overclouded by confusion.
"But that's unfair isn't it, Father? Just because they're tide to the Royal Family doesn't mean they should be the most influential."
"Thats just the way the world works Bell. There are naturally people who are born in advantageous positions. But that does not mean that those at the bottom cannot rise to the top either. Afterall Bell, that's one of the reasons I created Feathers, to remind people that they can reach their individual dreams."
If what Father says about people is true, then the inverse is true as well. He thought to himself.
"How are "The House of Order" and "Order" connected Father?"
"Thats a lesson for another time you have some Alchemy to get back too." Father Timothy said with a grin on his face.
"But I must warn you child, "Order" can be cruel and their God "Orden God of Order" is a sinister being, even with our influence we have yet to birth a God of our own. Until then do not do anything to draw too much attention too yourself, us or any other religion, nothing good ever comes from it."
"They have their own God?! Cool!" Bell said excitedly.
The old man rubbed Bells head again.
"Don't worry, before long we'll be blessed and have one as well."
The old man let go of his head and walked Bell back to his room to continue his studies.
Three years passed like birds in the sky.
Bell spent this time studying and working under Father Timothy's wing,
He grew slightly taller, and his eye color changed as time flew by from a dead black, to a lush deep green.
He undergoes many trials but finally decides to become a Priest in The Free Feathers Church.
Father Timothy is very pleased with his decision and applauds his hard work.
Bell opened the not so large wooden door and walked towards the bird-shaped chapel where Father Timothy stood reading deeply with a few more grey streaks highlighting his now fading black hair.
"The reception was very uplifting and inspiring today as always Father, what did you want to see me about?" Bell asked.
Father Timothy looks up from his book, and notices Bell.
"Thank you, Bell. I have a request that I'd like to ask of you."
"Of course, please Father ask me anything you wish." Bell replied.
Father Timothy stepped down from the bird shaped chapel and walked towards Bell.
"In two days', time I will be hosting a special conference with some old... friends, I will be gone for a while, and I would like it if you joined me."
"Friends...?" Bell says.
"Of course, Father. May I ask why? I'm sure that there are better suited disciples then me, what about Marry or Benjamin?"
"I'm entrusting those two to watch over the church while we're gone. You may have grown a lot in the past three years, but you're not quite ready to watch over the church by yourself." Father Timothy says confidently.
"Will you join me?" he asks in a soft gentle voice.
"If you believe me well suited Father, I'll come along with you."
I can't let him down, Fathers done too much for me. He thought to himself.
The old man smiled and dismissed Bell for his afternoon lunch, he heads to the dining hall and gets his meal from the cook and sits down with Marry, Benjamin and a few other Priests.
"So, Bell has Father Timothy told you about what he decided for you two yet?" The thick bearded man with an eyepatch asked in a friendly tone from across him.
"About the conference he's attending?"
"Yes, you'll be joining him. Be sure to behave accordingly now." The man replied.
"To be frank, I'd prefer it if you or Mary went along with Father Benjamin." Bell said in a nervous tone.
Benjamin stroked his thick beard and Mary put her arm around Bells shoulder and gave him a tight hug.
"It'll be fine, don't worry about it so much you two. The decisions have already been made nothing any of us can do about it now anyway." Mary said light-heartedly as she let go of Bell.
"Mary's right Bell we can't change what Father Timothy has decided for the trip." Benjamin said.
Bell nods his head and eats his food quietly, the pressure of the trip weighing down on his shoulders.
He cleans out his plate and puts it away and heads to his room quietly.
"Poor kid's sure overthinking about this whole trip thing." Mary said.
"Well, I'm sure he doesn't wish to embarrass Father Timothy, or Feathers. But with the crowd he's going to be introduced to, I'm sure Bell will benefit greatly from it." Benjamin replies.
"You think so much about those old men and that old hag Janet. I sure hope you're right and he does learn something about the world from this experience. Father Timothy has always been a bit too overprotective when it came to him, I guess all we can do is pray."
"If only we actually had a God to pray to." Benjamin replied.
Benjamin and Mary continued with their normal work for the day and Bell continued studying. Bell read over texts for the remainder of the day exhausted until he finally fell asleep at his desk.
A loud shriek wails, its voice creating life, death and all that lives. Existence stares at the voice and bowed before it. The voice bestowed power and freedom onto them. Then into infinity he vanishes and is forgotten.
Bell opens his eyes in awe, he stares into infinity with all its gleaming lights and distant bodies. He looks around him equally astonished at every turn. From the bright glows of twilight to the distant voids of darkness shrouded in the fog of uncertainty, to the endlessness of the vast beauty glaring back at him.
It's the same as back then...
Bell looks around and sees a massive glowing light as he floated aimlessly amongst the bodies of the sky.
No, it's different than before, that light, what is it? He thought to himself as he attempts to move towards the light.
"I can't move..." Bell said to himself.
"Guess I'll just have to float here and watch."
"Indeed" A voice emanated from the massive light floating in the sky.
Bell turned to the light and saw nothing different; he looked around and saw nothing as well.
"Is someone there?" he asked softly.
"An interesting question, mortals always have been very grounded. But you could say that, Bell." The voice uttered again.
There's a brief silence, Bell attempts to find where this voice is coming from but falls short. He thinks to himself for a while.
"Well, isn't that what makes us unique. Better to live in the known then wonder obliviously." Bell replies while looking around him.
"A foolish ideal to say the least. Your given freedom yet you live a mundane and truly meaningless life."
"Meaningless?" Bell asks.
"You're too young to understand I assume. With time you will grasp the truth, go now and continue living your meaningless life, Bell. The True God would be displeased... farewell." The voice vanished.
Bells eyes opened widely, and he raises his head slowly with a confusing expression on his face, he holds his hand on his forehead and notices the blanket on his back.
"Mary must've been here..." He smiles warmly and holds the blanket closely.
With the blanket loosely laying on his back. Bell stares out the window into the clouds deep in thought about what the voice had said to him in his dream.
A meaningless life...? He thought.
Bell contemplated these thoughts for the rest of the day. What made life have meaning? What am I lacking in my life to give it meaning? What was that being?
At the end of the long day Bell couldn't come to an answer no matter how much he struggled contemplating about what the dream told him.
It was near sunset; a soft knock came from the door.
"You can come in." Bell answered.
Benjamin walked through the door with a touch of haste at his heels.
"Bell, Father Timothy has sent me to fetch you urgently. You must gather yourself and meet him in front of the Church" Benjamin said.
Bell took out a robe change and started dressing himself.
"Is something the matter? Has something happened to Father?" Bell said softly with a hint of concern in his voice.
Benjamin's face changed. Oh, guess I made him worry shit. He thought to himself.
"No Bell nothing has happened to Father Timothy. The meeting you two were going to has been moved to today suddenly. We're not sure the reason behind this but the other Churches wouldn't call for this action for no reason. So, you and Father Timothy need to hurry." Benjamin said calmly.
Bell sighed relieved, the thought of something befalling Father Timothy naturally weighs heavily on his soul.
"Ok, I'll be there shortly please attend to whatever you need to before our departure, make sure that the other Priests are informed, and that respective duties are assigned to everyone." Bell said seriously.
Benjamin smiled slightly.
So that's why Timothy. He thought to himself.
"Get ready Bell the world you're walking into will be... difficult."
He put his hand on Bell's shoulder.
"Goodluck."
Benjamin looked at him with a smile on his face, then walked out the door barking orders loudly.
Bell smiled brightly when he saw how much effort Benjamin put into running the Church, it made him feel warm inside.
He finished dressing himself and began rushing towards the front doors. On his way he was greeted respectfully by all the Priests of the Church. He reaches the front door rather quickly. Bell opened the doors and exited. The first thing he noticed was the light of snow slowly falling, and Bell admired its simplistic beauty for a moment.
"I doubt it'll stick sadly... You always loved the snow." Father Timothy said as he walked closer to him.
"Thats disappointing."
But at least I can take it all in right now. That's something to be grateful for, I guess. Bell thought with a light smile as he held his hand out.
The loud stomping of horses near the front of the Church, a horse drawn carriage emerged from the distance. The driver stops in front of the Church, and both climb inside, sitting opposite each other.
As the carriage finally starts to move, Father Timothy sees Bell lost in thought staring out into the snow.
"Bell do not fear child, you have grown much. Whatever you have on your mind, I'm sure you'll find your answers eventually. You don't have to find answers immediately. Perhaps learning some patience would benefit your more in the future child." Father Timothy said to him calmly.
Should I ask him about it? No, I must find the answers for myself. He thought to himself.
"Yes Father." Bell replied.
"Father, what will be expected of me in this meeting of the High Priests?"
"Nothing much Bell, just sit back and listen for the most part but make yourself known if you feel it necessary." Father Timothy said.
"Yes Father."
Maybe I can ask one of the High Priests about my dream's. But for now, I just want to take all this in. He thought to himself as he smiled at the little flashes of twilight floating, then fell to the ground.