The Supernatural World of Vladimir and Viktor, Chapter 56
Although they rode through the gate into the Portal to Heaven, Vladimir and Viktor suddenly realized they were walking and the people around them had vanished. The colors seen from the other side had all faded to white. And it seemed they were less walking as much as they were gliding forward towards a destination.
"Where'd the people go?" Vladimir asked Amazing Bob.
"Each of them had their own destination. You boys are not dead. You cannot see where they are going. You are going to your papa's destination." Amazing Bob said.
Tufts of green grass appeared along their path. And soon the grass expanded until they covered a vast hilly meadow.
"It's like it was on our way to Cluj," whispered Viktor, half-expecting a cowboy in a dress to ride by.
The path led up the side of a flat top hill with white buildings on it and they followed it into a brick plaza among the houses. There were some people in the plaza and among them stood Beryx watching his son's arrival.
Vladimir literally lifted up and glided forward into his father's arms and the area around them glowed.
Amazing Bob looked down at Viktor and said, "Your best friend is being reunited with his long dead father. Why aren't you joyful for him?"
The pouting Viktor looked up at Amazing Bob and rolled his eyes. "Beryx was mean to me."
Amazing Bob nodded slightly and let the boy be. Humans and their emotions. Viktor was still young.
So, while Vladimir sobbed and Beryx assured him that he was watching him and was proud of him and they would meet again in Heaven some day, Viktor looked around for something else to occupy his mind.
The people in the plaza attracted his attention, particularly one man that looked his way and smiled like he knew Viktor. Viktor walked towards him. As he got closer the man looked so familiar and once in the plaza he knew why.
"You look just like the pictures of Jesus in daddy's Bible Stories book," Viktor declared.
"That is who I am Viktor," the man said gently and still smiling.
"But the pictures are made up! You wouldn't look like that Jesus!"
"But if I did not look like the Jesus in the Bible Stories book, how would you know it was me? Were you there when I walked on Earth? Would you come to me if you could not recognize me?"
Viktor stood there looking with some suspicion into the man's face. It did not make perfect sense, but it made some sense and Viktor wanted it to make sense. It felt right so Viktor accepted the man's words and relaxed.
"Okay," Viktor said shyly.
They sat next to each other watching Beryx and his son.
"Did anyone tell you why you and your friend are here?" Jesus finally asked.
"It's our birthday," Viktor replied matter-of-factly.
"Ah, yes. Amazing Bob," Jesus said as he looked over towards the god of another universe. He could not read the god's mind, but discerned from his manner that he had not yet revealed all he wanted to share. He decided not to interfere with his amusement and let his scheme play out in his own time.
Jesus took another tack and asked Viktor, "So, what do you think about your friend getting to meet his daddy? I notice that you are not there with him."
Viktor scowled in a low voice, "I don't like his daddy. I happy for Vladimir, but I don't like his daddy."
"He was mean to you."
Viktor looked up at him. Jesus knew.
"Do you know I like to tell stories?" Jesus asked.
"Yeah, parables," said Viktor.
"Well, I would like to tell you a parable that is just for you."
Viktor sat upright in anticipation.
"There was a man who fished for his livelihood. If his catch was good, he ate well and shared with his neighbors. If his catch was poor, he went hungry.
"One day the man left his house to go fishing. But it was stormy outside with the wind blowing and the rain pouring. But the man had to eat so he went to the river to fish. Well, the river was angry and turbulent and all that the man could pull out of it's rough waters was branches and trash. So he went home hungry.
"The next day it was sunny out and there was a pleasant breeze. The man was more optimistic as he took his fishing pole to fish from the river. This time the river was pleasant and flowed slowly and smoothly. The man went home with plenty of fish and went to bed with a full belly.
"Remember, this parable is for you."
Jesus stopped. Viktor thought. He could not figure it out.
Finally, Jesus explained, "You are the fisherman and Vladimir's daddy is the river. The river does not decide how many fish you get. It does not decide if it is angry or peaceful. Circumstances that are greater than both of you makes it act angrily or peacefully."
Viktor had a guilty feeling, like he had made a mistake. One that needed to be fixed.
Jesus looked around and notice that, "It's sunny today, pleasant. It would be a great day to go fishing...and look! You won't even have to go to the river. The river is coming to you."
Sure enough, Beryx and Vladimir were coming their way.
Jesus called out to them, "Beryx, did you talk with Vladimir about his role in our plan for Earth's vampires?"
"No," said Beryx. "He learned at the gate about plans for the vampires in Purgatory, but I didn't add anything. We didn't discuss more than just ourselves so far."
"Well, let me push the issue along. The new law I set in place will guide any vampire who receives Beryx's blood on their path to Heaven. But the law reaches to Earth, too. Your blood, Vladimir, and your mother's blood now have the same powers. So any living vampire that receives the blood of either of you will shed their vampire soul, be forgiven for that life they did not choose, and they will start anew from the point in time that they had been turned. The Vam San, as Beryx calls it, will be an important part of the plan because the newly restored souls will not recall what happened while they were vampires not under the influence of the blue solution. For most that will leave a gap in memory-for some of them many centuries-and they will need help fitting in to human life in the new world."
"Am I leaving out anything, Beryx? Like maybe protecting the operation?" Jesus hinted.
"Protection, yes!" Beryx joined in. "There will be enemies who won't want the plan to succeed and try to harm Vladimir and his mother. That's where Viktor will be important."
Viktor sat up straighter, "Me?"
"Yes, you. You're a dragon! And I haven't said it before, but I've watched you and you learned to control your powers extremely well. And brave! I cannot think of anyone else I would want more to protect my son and his mother than a brave and powerful dragon. Would you stay with Viktor and protect him when he's in danger?"
Vladimir leaned towards the nearest being, which was Jesus, and whispered. "He's like a puppy. We're already bonded forever..."
Jesus leaned back in laughter, then whispered back, "I know. It's a joy to see such devoted friends."
Viktor did not hear him. He had been taken aback by Beryx's compliment. But he stood straight and declared that he would watch after Vladimir and Anica and make Beryx proud.
Berxy pulled both boys in and hugged them together.
"I'm already proud of you Viktor. Remember that when you go back home. I have every trust in you with my boy and his mama."
"Come on! Come on!" Amazing Bob interjected, "Jesus has more business to deal with than just us. Let's go Vladimir, Viktor."
During their exit, Vladimir asked Viktor who the glowing guy was.
"Jesus Christ!" exclaimed Viktor. "I was sitting with Jesus Christ. He gave me my own parable."
"He still has the holes in his feet."
"Oh, that's only for show. So you wouldn't doubt me."
"How do you know that?"
"I'm smart! Didn't you notice?"
As the trio disappeared, Jesus looked directly at Castiel, who until that moment thought he was invisible to everyone.
"Castiel! Come join me. Sit and let's chat." he called.
To Beryx he said knowingly, "And thanks for not bringing up setting fire to the Van Sam when you talked to Viktor."
"Yeah, I feel bad about being such an ogre about that. Everybody there let me know, too. I'm glad to have had a chance to correct that. All that I said was true," Beryx affirmed.
Jesus turned his attention back to the angel beside him.
"Castiel, your battalion watched over the holy family two thousand years ago and guarded me until I was ready to face Satan alone. You returned to Earth several years ago and even acquired a grasp of humanity. What do you think about how humans have fared since I came to bring the Creator's message?"
"The universe is a mess!" scowled Castiel. "Humans don't have a chance!"
"I noticed. God's universe in general is fine. But it is infinite, and infinite possibilities allow for pockets of influence from gods of other universes. Amazing Bob is one of the influences. He meddled with the angelic hierarchy when he contracted with arch demon Eufrendus and destroyed it. God's essence in the pockets was warped into Amazing Bob's concept of godliness. And his concept of God, "Chuck," was a loveless one.
"But Amazing Bob in turn was influenced by humanity and that changed the god from another universe for the better. When you do destroy Eufrendus, his contracts all end in all of the pockets of the universe that Amazing Bob took advantage of and he had agreed to pull out of God's universe to attend to his own.
"Angels, including those in your battalion, will be restored because they were never actually destroyed. The pocket will again recognize its true Creator. No more ''Chuck.'
"You are unique being an angel with free will, and an enhanced one that Amazing Bob has gifted with the ability to cross all barriers. God agrees that you will not be changed. But you should be aware that Amazing Bob will want you to accompany him back to his universe. You have the free will and ability to do that and you will not be blocked if you do. That will be up to you."
Castiel's decision was immediate. "I intend to stay. I am fond of the humans on Earth. I am drawn to them."
"Then our Creator will protect you. I promise, " Jesus said. "Now, let us deal with what you came here for. Let us find Hank and prepare him for his return to life."