"Hey J. The Almighty is looking for you." a pink-winged cherub popped up from the cloud next to where he was sitting. It's only been a few years since he managed to get that much free time. He's been learning a lot while he was up here. And his "training" has been harder than some but very fulfilling. He had to let some of the darkness from his soul.
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Unlike what he's been taught, in Heaven you are granted passage even if you think you don't deserve to go there. That's the first thing he learned when he got there. That God's mercy and love was that huge that it doesn't matter what you did on earth. If you believe in God or not, you get in. Just as long as you have loved and loved well while you were on earth. If you didn't, then asking for forgiveness is the key. He smiled thinking that he was so worried about it when he was still down there that it ate him up.
But coming here was like coming home to a home you never thought you had. Like a vacation that never stops being interesting. He's talked to so many musicians, believers and scholars up here that he feels like eternity would not be enough to learn everything they can share to him.
He did hear about something unbelievable, he could come home and see his family and friends until he gets his next chance to be reborn. But he had to apply to be a messenger if he wanted to do that. "You need to earn wings." one of the scholars told him. He asked why that scholar never tried to get wings. To which the scholar said, "I've been dead for centuries. Who would I visit? Going back would just tempt me to stay. I am too wordly a soul not to beg to be allowed to stay. That's how angels fall." Jonghyun looked confused. "They are souls that became angels who chose to stay on earth, refusing to come back. They stay and wander. Some get to come back but only through a painful mission."
"What painful mission?" Jonghyun asked.
"You, of all souls, would not want to hear about that mission. So just leave it for now." Although he was really curious, Jonghyun figured the scholar would tell him within eternity what he was talking about.
"So how do I ask for wings?" The scholar shook his head.
"You are granted wings if the Almighty believes you are fit to be sent back to be a messenger. But if you can't get rid of the darkness in your soul, you can't go back. It's like sending a soldier to war without the right kind of armor. And the world, as you very well know, chips at a soul faster than a soul can hope to heal on their own."
"How can I be granted wings?" He asked again.
"Each prayer that is given to you by any human on earth, becomes a feather in that wing. But the wings of an angel is made of light. So those tiny bits of light come from the heart of the people who will be praying for you. If enough of them are put together, a pair of wings will come to be and will be granted to you by Him who grants all prayers."
"Wow. That might take a while."
"Sure does. People don't know about this either. They just think prayers are for wishing for things for themselves. And sometimes they pray for the dead to go to Heaven. They don't know that we can always come here as long as our soul is granted passage. And those with darkness in their soul, they can't come in not because they are not welcome but because the darkness in their soul is pulling them down."
"What about the darkness you said I have in my soul?"
"Yours was borne out of pain of living. But prayers heal those too." The scholar looks at Jonghyun. "Soon all of it will be cleansed away by those prayers. I heard you touched many lives when you were alive. That should help."
Jonghyun smiled. He remembered his 40 days journey. It was both eye-opening and healing. He felt so much energy come to him from people gathering to pray for him that it was sad that he was no longer among them to dry their tears.
"So these messenger missions, are they hard?"
"Nothing is easy even after you reach eternity. Some souls get bored. They ask to be born again. Others like you, want to visit but need wings. Others just want to stay here and wait for their soul to be called back to live again amongst humans. But souls like me, we don't get reborn." Jonghyun wondered about that.
"Why are some souls not reborn?" It didn't seem fair for them not to have that chance.
"It's because we are all given a mission when we are created. Some souls live through the missions that they are asked to do on earth. In my case, I was tasked with bringing some truths in the world. And I was meant to be a teacher of men who would teach other men who would teach other men who would continue to teach the truths I shared. And I completed that mission in one lifetime. So I can retire here for all eternity."
"That's pretty cool."
The scholar laughed. "Being here is also part of the mission. I am one of the many souls who can school other souls like you. Your mission is not yet complete. So you have to come back, someday." Jonghyun felt excitement.
"Do I get to sing when I come back?" the scholar expected that question.
"If the Earth you return to still needs music then yes." The scholar mused.
"How can humans stop needing music?" Jonghyun was suddenly worried that music might not be around when he gets called back.
"Well during my time they read the stars instead of text messages. So who can predict what truths the Lord would allow humans to gain?"
"Maybe I should just work on getting reborn." Jonghyun was on the fence now.
"If you are reborn, you lose all your memories for a brief period. For a lifetime, at least. Very few get to keep their memories since that can interfere with how they live their lives. If their mission requires that, they can keep some of their memories, the lingering ties of love they had in their past life. But for the most part, people who failed their mission the first time, they get a clean slate."
Jonghyun didn't want to forget his brothers, family and friends just yet. He looks out at them whenever he can. It's just visiting them in dreams takes a lot of effort. And the feelings that the people get after dreaming of him is out of his control. He didn't want to see them cry so he visited only when it was necessary.
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"Your wings are ready." Jonghyun was surprised when he heard the holy news.
"Thank you so much!" He was excited to be granted wings. "But doesn't this come with a fine print or something?"
He heard a bellowing laugh that filled him with a gleeful light. "You are a funny one, Jonghyun."
"You made me this way." He smirked and did a V sign at God.
"That I did." The light that was in front of him wasn't blinding. But Jonghyun was happy to be in His holy presence. "Your mission is to send messages to certain people whose hearts have gone cold, astray or lost. You have to return them into my loving arms. Do you think you can do that?"
"Your wish is my command." He bowed.
"You will be granted not just wings but a guide. You will see things and feel the human condition even more than they can. As a soul whose darkness have been eased by prayers you will encourage more to do the same. I warn you of one thing, Jonghyun."
"What is that, my Lord?"
"Free will is something a human has but an angel does not. You will find that this gift I gave to mankind, can...lead to complications in completing your mission." Jonghyun nodded. He knew more than any soul there how free will can turn one into the wrong path.
"I am not going to be a grim reaper right? Coz I actually prefer light-colored clothes this time around." Once again the Lord laughed.
"You shall do all tasks that I will give to you, my angel J."
"So I can't use my name?"
"If a human learns of your name, then you have to grant them one divine intervention. So be careful not to give your name to anyone who would use that intervention for ill causes."
"So how do I know who I am supposed to send messages to?"
"Your guide will tell you." Jonghyun bowed in gratitude and then he felt something pierce his back. When he looked back two wide wings were coming out of his robes. They were so big that they touched the clouds he was standing on.
The knowledge that prayers made these massive wings made him unbelivably grateful. "I will use them well, my Lord. Thank you."
"No need to thank me. Thank your Shawols for your wings. I grant wings, I do not make them. May your wings take you on a safe trip." The clouds opened up from under his feet and Jonghyun started to fall.
"I need to test them fiirrrrrrsssssssssssssst!!!" He landed on the ground faster than he could flap his wings once.
"Thank God pain isn't an angel thing." Even though he didn't feel any pain Jonghyun still rubbed his butt.
"Well, that depends on you Angel J." he turned around and saw a young person with hot pink hair.
"Are you my guide?" he asked.
"Yep."
"Are you an angel too?"
"Nope."
"Are you a ghost?"
"Nope."
"What are you?"
"I am a restless*."
"What's a restless?"
"I'll tell you later." She touched his wings and they disappeared. "Let's tap that out and get you changed. Some humans can see angels in their true form so your outfit stands out too much." She walked into a shop that looked like a cat cafe but when they got inside it was a big warehouse of what looked like all the clothes that ever existed.
"Let's chose something more 2028."
"Wait. Did you just say 20-28?"
"Yep. It's been ten years since you passed away. Don't expect things to be the same."
"Do we have flying cars now?"
"Why is it modern angels, having already been granted wings, ask the same silly question?"
"Well, flying cars are cool."
"So is this." The restless gave him a leather jacket and denims jeans.
"Those do not match." Jonghyun shook his head and proceeded to choose an outfit.
"Great, another fashionista."
"What's your name, by the way?"
"Just call me S. I can't give you my name. You know you can't just give your name to anyone right. Human or not." S was very adamant in reminding him.
Jonghyun nodded. He put on the clothes he picked out and folded the robes he came in. "Why is it a bad thing?"
"Because humans can't differentiate between miracles and wish-granting." S waved her hand and Jonghyun's hair went from black to blonde. "Much better."
"So what's my mission?"
"You need to save a life." S took his hand and walked him out of the place. "But first. I need to eat."
"Do angels eat?" Jonghyun asked.
"Nope all. But restless do. I can't guide you if I can't eat."
They walked into a funeral home and saw many people there. Jonghyun didn't feel all that comfortable being there. What do the restless eat? He figured it would be food offerings there. But when S sat next to the woman bawling he realized they fed on sadness and despair.
S began to absorb the dark energy of sadness from the woman who was crying. It was like a wispy smoke coming out of the woman's body.
"That's disturbing." He told S.
"Girl's gotta eat. What can you do?"
"Now Angel J, let's go visit IU."
"IU?"
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I hope you like this chapter. Let me know.
P.S. I am Catholic so dogmas here might be variations of what I know.
But I am pretty interested in other belief systems.
This story won't be about religious truths or any of those properly considered myths.
I will choose those of which I would borrow thoughts from to fit my story.
So I hope nobody gets offended or confused if it doesn't match conventional knowledge.
The things that I make up will just be explaned in the footnote part.
*Restless (noun) : an earth-bound angel that feeds on sadness, despair and negative human emotions.
They often guide new Angels on their first mission. They are guardian angels of angels.