Knowing Gods chapter 1

Chapter 1

Alara

I always wanted to know how the world was created… to know who was in control of our lives but most of all to know if we really mattered in the grand scheme of things. I never believed any kind of religion. How can that much happen to one person? How can you get pregnant without having...you know what? It’s just too silly; too made up and I’m too old to be feed lies anymore.

(16 years prior)

Adonai (also known as God or creator of life on Earth) walked through the trees to the Nevoo. Ancients, an old race that lived there among the trees, went about their lives. They were a race of proud and strong warrior men who were one with nature. Elders, a race of female healers, sat on tree stumps reading books or tending to animal’s wounds.

Adonai, having walked into the clearing, now stood before a grand tree, its branches swooped down so close to the ground a child could easily reach and touch them. The tree was so large it could easily dwarf a city like London and it was taller than the skyscraper in Dubai. Upon the soft pale cream bark, there were windows that showed rooms each individual to the person or persons who lived there. Pretty purple leaves fell from the heavens as he walked but in truth they had come from the trees enormous branches. These leaves hung like grapes from the wood, they appeared to glow in the bright sunlight. Vines of a deep purple covered and the width and length of the tree. They entangled themselves to anything, the flowers, the branches, even the walkways hanging mid-air within the great mass of the tree. Adonai could see children playing on the walkways and the hummock areas that they lead to. He felt fear for them, as usual, but he knew their parent’s eyes very left their precious ones. At the top of the tree, there was a balcony for the God and Goddess of these lands.

Alara was so majestic here where Adonai stood. Rivers flowed gently and birds tweeted beautifully in the crisp morning air. There were flowers upon the tree, all different varieties, lilies, roses, lotuses and so many that were native to Alara. All the flowers were the colour purple however they varied in different shades. Here in Alara, the season was changing from summer to autumn so nature itself had begun to change. The flowers were falling from the tree moving where the wind took them before landing gently on the water that surrounded the base of the tree. Ancients went about their daily duties trying to show the Elders their manliness. Some went off to hunt in their traditional leather garments and handmade weapons with finely carved details on them. While others sat around talking and crafting things for their children.

The native music of the Elders flowed through the air which was being played high up the tree. The notes were like a blessing to the tried Adonai (though he was always tried, I mean teleportation takes up a lot of energy) who knew he didn’t have much further to walk. However, Adonai had forgotten about the many flights of stairs he would have to climb to get to the top. The people of Alara didn’t believe in modern technology, so an evaluator was out of the question. To top that off teleportation in the Nevoo was strictly forbidden as it interfered with Mother Nature’s magic.

“You're late by six hours,” Someone behind Adonai said playfully. He turned around to see that part of the tree had opened up to reveal stairs leading up to the many levels of the tree. Now he remembered about the dreaded stairs and let out a slight groan. Jade, who had spoken just a moment ago, stood with her hand on her hip, staring at him with those bright eyes, which dazzled like green jewels. Her white hair shined like the rainbow when the light hit it and her youthful skin glittered like freshly lain snow.

She was one of the most beautiful people you would ever lay eyes on but that wasn’t surprising, she was a nature goddess after all. Behind her stood a woman who seemed incredibly gentle and sweet from appearance but he knew what she was capable of anything. She was strong and highly intelligent, taking on anyone who dared hurt her lady. This was Lily, Jade’s bodyguard.

“I’m just too tired to be rushed about. Anyway, a man like me needs to have time to think especially when you have a brother like mine,” Adonai sighed. What he meant by that was when you have the Devil as a brother, you never get a break from his evil plans to kill you and your followers.

Just before he was about to leave something terrible had arisen. The Devil had sent vampires and werewolves to attack one of his strongest shapeshifters on Earth. No one was hurt thankfully but what worried him most of all was that one of them was pregnant. To lose a strong shapeshifter would be a blow to Heaven but to lose Lucy would be more of a blow to Adonai. He loved Lucy so very much and the little one she carried. He knew that the baby would turn out to be just like her parents. He could sense it was a girl, even though he didn’t really know.

He had to put all Earth shapeshifters on alert so that there weren’t any more surprise attacks. Lucy had been moved to the Sarana and would stay there for the duration of her pregnancy. This was only for Adonai piece of mind; he knew that they could protect themselves.

He thought of the times when Lucifer had been a strong, young boy who knew what was right from wrong. It was a long time ago but he remembered it as clearly as if it were just yesterday. Lucifer used to have a good heart until he found the path of evil which engulfed his soul and would never let go of him. Adonai realized that Jade had been talking this whole time and he hadn’t been paying any attention. I hope she doesn’t ask me a question he thought to himself.

Adonai wondered if he should tell Jade of what had happened. He was conflicted on what to do because when the Devil started to move it may be reason for everyone to start dreading. It would only make Jade worry and that wasn’t a good thing. So that was that. It was in her best interest for her not to know anything about the Devil’s new movements.

On the way, Jade said goodbye to her bodyguard who slipped into a very plain and modest room. It was a long way to the top of the tree, passing many doors that had astounding patterns carved by a steady hand. It was like something from a dream, the tree was hollow yet it was still alive. The wood was smooth to the touch; it seemed man made but Adonai never dare ask for fear of upsetting or enraging the people of Alara. Adonai loved being here, to behold the greatest that was the Nevoo. He just wished it wasn’t so tall. “Just another 100 floors to go,” Adonai groaned under his breath which didn’t seem to be there anymore.

By the time they got to the top Adonai had counted 1045 doors, each with their own unique pattern. The room he was now in was homely, mostly containing animal skins and wood furnishing, done in a way that didn’t make it feel flung together. It still felt warm and lovely, with a roaring fire on the other side of the room. It gave him some comfort after walking all that way up the tree.

He looked over to where the man sat by the fireplace. Ash looked like any normal Ancient that lived there. The dark brown hair, pale skin and blood red eyes. However, he had an air about him that said he was much more powerful. Beside him sat what appeared to be a monster but Adonai knew that this was a very kind hearted nenoba, sort of cross between many different kinds of big cats. The animal lifted his head and fixed Adonai with cool, intelligent eyes.

“Adonai, it lovely to see you again,” the nenoba said gently.

“You too, Hu.”

“Uncle, shouldn’t you be doing something productive, I know you’re a cat now but you don’t need to act like one.” Ash joked. Hu had once been a person only 20 million years ago until a demonic raid damaged his body beyond repair. His body was transferred into the nearest thing, a folly of love some would say. Though if Ash heard them say it they wouldn’t be talking for a long while after.

They talked for many hours after that. Adonai found it difficult to keep the secret from them, they were his friends as well as his allies and he couldn’t something this big away from them. So he told them. Ash took the news better than expected, his warrior nature playing a role in his calm exterior but Jade, well she was being a mother… and it is was terrifying.

“Hey, Willow what are you writing?” Said Leah from the doorway, “Your mum let us in by the way.”

I looked up from what I was writing in my diary and tried to shake away the dreaminess in my eyes. It wasn’t much; nothing had really happened lately that was worth telling my diary. Looking across my messy room (still, I know where everything is) I noticed Uri stood in the centre of it. He had ruby coloured hair that had that cute flick that covered one of his eyes, eyes that were ablaze with flames. Leah was by the door looking flustered, looking at the time on her new watch. I took that as a hint and started to get myself ready for school.

“Bye mum, bye dad,” I said with a mouthful of toast, rushing out the door to catch up with Uri and Leah who were standing in the corridor waiting for the lift.

“Come on we are going to be late!” Exclaimed Leah in a frantic voice. Leah, my best friend, hated being late. Most people thought she was a teacher’s pet, a goody too shoes. All I thought the first time I met her was wow, this girl is crazy! I guess that’s what drew me to her.

My family moved to London when I was 12 years old from a small village called Grendon. It was big difference changing from a small village to a huge city and I found it hard to fit in because my parents had home-schooled me from the age of 5. Uri’s family had moved with us, he always seemed to follow me where ever I went, looking out for me like a brother.

I was finally into the fresh air and out of that stuffy lift that smelt like ham and wobbled from side to side when you neared the next floor. As per usual I drifted back into my head for comfort but was sorely awoken by the sound of a very high-pitch, annoying voice.

“So I was like OMG you are totally not wearing that!” Oh great. Emma was here. The one girl that I have an almost uncontrollable desired to punch in the face. So I zoned out, again, into my own little world, where there is no one like Emma or worse. I always went into my daydream, it is so much better than normal life. My dad said it made me creative, my teachers and mum said it made me lazy and hard to work with. Well, you can’t please the masses.

We were at school within a couple of minutes, thank God. Another few minute of listening to Emma complaining about life and I might have gone insane. Uri stood at the main gate having gone ahead from the main group. Probably so he didn’t have to be anywhere near Emma which was a good plan. While I approach him I noticed how people were staring at him, whispering to each other. Most likely about the way he looked but I don’t think he cared.

They would say things like “why would he chose to look like that, freak,” or “what a weirdo, he should start living in the real world.”

They thought that he chose to look like that, that he was wearing red contacts and dye his hair red. The whole year thought that he was living in some fantasy life that he was trying to get attention, though apparently to them everything is done for attention. What many people didn’t know was he had been that way his whole life. In pictures of him as a baby, he had always had those impressive red eyes with a little tuft of red sprouting from his head.

He may not notice (or chose not to) but I did. All I could was notice the hateful comments; it really made me despise the people in my school. They weren’t worth my attention if they wanted to act like that. The one I hated the most was my brother, Markus, the heartless monster. He would, every day, have some sort of insult up his dirty sleeves ready to bring Uri down. I wish I wasn’t a twin or at least to him.

“Miss Evans is going to be mad at us if you don’t hurry up slowcoach.” I hadn’t realized that I had stopped and was now just looking at Uri. I shook my head, trying to get my focus back. I should really stop thinking about it; it would get me down every time.

Walking through school I notice that something was odd. Something not quite right. It was Uri. He seemed more shifty than usual as if something were bothering him. It couldn’t be that he heard what the people had said; he never reacted like that before. I tried to forget about it but today was the most boring day of the week. No music, art, drama, just boring old lesson with boring teachers. No way of expressing myself or taking my mind off things by laughing at my music teachers funny jokes. I couldn’t talk to Leah about it, she would just tell me I’m being paranoid or something like that. So forgetting was easier said than done.

I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about it so I decided I would go talk to Uri about it at lunch. I told him it was bothering me and that I was worried. Instead of getting I’m ok or not or thanks for worrying, he just said it was none of my business and wouldn’t listen to what I was saying. Something was definitely wrong here. Uri didn’t talk to me for the rest of the day even though I sat right next to him in all my lessons. If that wasn’t bad enough I had a detention with Miss Ugly faced Evans. Oh great!

It was the end of the school day at last. I stormed off towards the little alley that I normally don’t go near. It was so dark down there even if was sunny. It looked like it was from an old horror movie with water coming out of the broken pipes. Old rubbish and possibly some rotting animals were down there making the place smell like hard boiled eggs.

My mum said never to take this way because a lot of bad things had happened here. People had been killed, mugged, and worse, more than normal for an alleyway in London. I promised my mum that I wouldn’t every go down there even if I was in a hurry to get back home. I had kept that until now. I couldn’t help it; it felt like I was being pulled in like someone was tugging on a rope to move me towards the alleyway.