Part IV
“I’m sorry Mao, but I have to leave you.”
“What?! Why?!”
“You’re smart enough to figure that out on your own.”
A pillar of light takes Bella into Heaven, which leaves Mao completely alone.
“Why?!” Mao yells to the skies, “I’ve done everything that you’ve told me to! What else is there I can do besides fix the entire world?!”
Nothing and no one gives him an answer to his questions. He doesn’t know which direction to go and for what reason, so he just paces back and forth. Thinking that he’s still supposed to do something, he goes in a direction that feels like its pulling him its way. Along the way he finds a couple taking a morning walk. Jealous of them, he attempts to intervene in their walk, but is blocked off by an invisible barrier. Mao can only watch as the two enjoy each other’s company.
“There has to be a reason I’m seeing this. I have to be learning something!” Mao says to himself.
He quickly escapes the couple’s presence as it becomes unbearable and enters a village. Mao and Bella usually get into interesting situations in places like this, so Mao hopes something will happen as he sits down on the streets. There’s nothing about him that is different from a common beggar. Mao begs for something to happen to give him purpose. He hopes that someone will extend their hand to give him comfort and attention. As his frustration and depression increases, he feels the need to judge the people of the town for ignoring him. His abilities, however, are restrained for whatever test he’s going through, so he just sits in the dirt alone, angry, sad, and isolated from the one he loves. Eventually he passes out and awakens in a church.
The hooded pastor says to him, “It’s good to see that you’re awake my son. Eat and drink this so you can feel better.”
Mao eats a piece of bread and drinks a small cup of water that the pastor gives him.
“Why did you help me?”
“Because I try to help all of my children.”
“Well you didn’t help much.”
“What do you mean? You were hungry and thirsty, so I helped you there didn’t I?”
“That’s not the most important part.”
“Then what is?”
“My wife is gone.”
“Gone?”
“Heaven took her.”
“That sadly happens to every husband unfortunately.”
“But she’s my moral compass, my source of happiness, and the person that kept me going.”
“God usually fills that role for most people.”
“Heh. That guy and I have a complicated relationship.”
“How so?”
“He’s the reason I’m still alive to make up for my past, let’s just say.”
“Shouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“Not when I don’t have my wife with me. She’s everything to me.”
“You shouldn’t deify her.”
“I understand that God is our source of morality and the main reason why she is the way she is, but…”
“But you make your wife the center of your world. Let me help you see how things really are.”
The hooded pastor helps Mao up and brings him to the front doors of the church. The village is bustling with happiness, goodwill, and love as if everyone’s worries and pains went away in an instant.
“This is the world I wanted to see every day,” Mao says as he watches everyone.
“How were you going to make it this way?” the pastor asks.
“Drag out the evil people and execute them one by one. Don’t ask how I know, but that doesn’t work.”
“Did your wife changes your ways?”
“She did. She showed me the beauty of the world and how to be a better man. I’d probably be in hell right now if it wasn’t for her.”
“But she wouldn’t be a good person without…”
“I know, I know she taught me that, but God shouldn’t diminish her importance.”
“He doesn’t. It’s you who diminishes His importance.”
“I’d like for Him to give me a reason to not do so.”
“Your wife. Your continued life for a chance at redemption. Any more that I need to mention?”
Mao doesn’t want to say anything else.
“Let me show you a world that you would’ve created.”
The pastor closes and opens the door to reveal a village burned to the ground with bodies gored all over the ground.
“How did you do that?!” Mao says out of astonishment.
“Does it look familiar?”
“Who are you?!”
The church doors close.
“You already know.”
“You?! I have a few things I have to get off my chest!”
“Then do that if you haven’t already.”
“Why did you take Bella away from me?!”
“As we were talking about, you deified her. I think it was time we fixed that.”
“What about my children?! Why did we send them to hell?!”
“Because of their deeds and refusal and accept my help. You were on a similar path to theirs until you changed.”
“And why was I able to change, but not my children?”
“They had your wife’s persistence.”
“…You got me there, but why keep me here on earth? Haven’t I done enough already?”
“Do you think you are just here for redemption? Did you not think that the acts you have done are not for some higher purpose or to answer prayers?”
“Enough of this!”
“Didn’t you say once you would fight me?”
“I did.”
“Since you can’t beat me in a game of intelligence, how about we go with strength? What weapon will you use? The strongest weapon you have is a blessing from me and doesn’t work on me. So what are you going to use? A sword crafted with human hands?”
“I’m defeated okay?! You got me from turn zero, so let your will be done on me! Strike me down and let my life be yours!”
Mao falls to his knees and closes his eyes as he waits for his execution. Instead, he is hugged and brought to his feet.
“Now you understand my son.”
Love and tranquility fills Mao as a light envelops him and he is teleported to a field with a small lake. There he finds Bella who was waiting for him. The two yell for each other then embrace with a kiss.
A light from Heaven says, “You have already achieved your redemption, but there is still much to do on earth. What do you want to do?”
“You know better than I do lord.”
Mao closes his eyes again and lets whatever happens, happen. He gets lifted up into the air with grace and elegance then dropped into the lake.
“Take a bath,” the light says before fading back into the sky.
Bella joins Mao for a bath. The two splash water at each other while enjoying their reunion together with Mao enjoying it the most. After being cleaned, they dry up in the sunlit field.
Bella turns to Mao and asks, “What do you want to do next my love?”
“We continue helping the world together,” Mao answers, “What better thing is there to do?”
“Enjoy each other’s company alone for a bit longer.”
“I like it, but you know we have forever together.”
“Of course. So, should we get moving?”
“Yes and let the lord’s will be done.”
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