The Gift of the Cherub

By Shane Graham

When a young man suddenly dies, he makes an unlikely friend and ally: a cherub. The Cherub gives the man a second chance at life, and he is reincarnated as Aramis Korin in an alternate dimension. He arrives in a new world filled with magic, monsters, and adventure. What will he do with his new life? Will he choose to live as a hero or a villain? One thing is certain: this time, he will live however he pleases.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350908480

Book preview

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Volume 1

Avaris Arc

The Gift of the Cherub

©2023 Shane Graham

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

print ISBN: 979-8-35090-847-3

ebook ISBN: 979-8-35090-848-0

Contents

The Space Between, The Choice Given

The Second Start, The Land Chosen

The Transformation, A Conflict

The Unrest, The Guest

The Battling Wings, The Visiting Friend

The Affinity Test, The Invitation

The New Friend, The First Test

The Student, The Attacker

The Royal Invitation,

The Ancient Revelations

The Royal Crucible, The Official Addition

The Leviathan’s Belly The Changing Lives

The Trouble Brewing The Plan Forward

The Battle of Walden The Moving Pieces

Epilogue

About The Author

1

The Space Between,

The Choice Given

The day I died started with a conversation …

We really are in the red, aren’t we?

I was so negative that day. My wife and I were going over our budget, and I was begrudgingly scooping cereal into my mouth before heading out. My two-year-old son, James, was sitting at the table watching his tablet and eating a banana. He loved bananas in the morning. It’s great considering how affordable they were. Our three-month-old girl, Jane, was in her child seat staring up at me. She was stunning. Her big blue eyes look at me calmly, and I grinned despite my mood.

Babe, I’m trying to have a serious conversation here.

Ah, right. The topic at hand. Money. My wife, Keely, stared at me waiting for a response. She was wearing a perplexed face, but even so, she was beautiful. We were both thirty, but she looked much younger. Not a day over nineteen. She slid me a cup of coffee as if to say, you are clearly not awake.

As an out-of-work digital artist, it had been over a year since my last job. At one point I tried my hand as an MMA fighter, but as I started a fight camp, Keeley told me she was pregnant. I had a bad premonition about continuing that path and abandoned that pursuit.

I just kept working side jobs, but as of late, it’s my full-time work. I had not earned a degree or even followed a stable path, and the results of my lazy choices were starting to show. I was on a roll for a while with digital art. Riding a wave so to speak. But being an artist was like surfing. You can easily land back on the beach. We were now in a situation no one wanted to be in at thirty. We had two kids we were funding by running out of savings, and making less than our monthly expenses. I kept thinking that my wife was a trouper to even stay with me. We spent most of our funds on paying off credit debt, and not thinking that the acting money would abruptly end. My current job title was janitor. I worked long shifts at a nearby gym.

Have you talked with your father yet? Did he get you an interview with his friend?

It’s not something I wanted to discuss. I groaned slightly at the words. My father was pulling the strings for me to get a desk job from his friend Damion. It effectively meant my aspirations as an artist would end, should that come to fruition. I would be a nine-to-five man. No room to audition. But it was my duty to pull my weight.

No, sweetheart. I haven’t heard from Damion.

Keely made a sullen face and nodded. She works from home as a customer service representative, and does the best she can while watching two kids. She was contributing much more than me. She brought money to the table, and the childcare and housework was immensely valuable. Kids were hard. People tell you that, but you never really know to what extent. Worth it to be sure. But, maintaining friendships, missing events, no personal time, and overall cost add up in your mind. The joy of having my kids is overwhelming and amazing. I can’t say the difficulty outweighs it, but we didn’t live anywhere near our families. There’s no help or relief for us. I can’t remember our last date as husband and wife.

Keely, I love you.

We kissed. And I gave her a second kiss. She nodded.

I love you.

I grab the keys to the car and head toward the door. Off to scrub some toilets.

Baby, I need the car today. James has his appointment, remember?

At those words, I couldn’t help but to look at her dumbfounded. I should have left five minutes ago then. Why have I been so forgetful lately? I hung the keys back on the hook and quickly open the garage to retrieve my bicycle. I gave one last look to my little family huddled around the kitchen table. There are toys on the floor, a training potty by the wall, and both kids are happy. Keely wears a forced smile. I love them. She gives me a small wave.

Be safe.

I took off, pumping the pedals in my work uniform. It was nice out today. And with the gym only a few intersections away, it was an easy ride. I took this job due to the location. The pay is terrible, but it’s the best pay I can muster. No one was hiring full-time employees with the market being in a state of inflation.

There was a silver lining though. I was a student at an online college, sixty credits into a degree in political science. I settled on that while having big dreams of becoming the president or a congressman. I loved my economics classes, and history courses. But I knew that any degree regardless of major, was useful.

We discussed getting another credit card to pay for the classes last night. I was taking this class period off, but I was excited about getting back to my studies. And just as I got lost in my own thoughts, my phone rang … I pulled out the phone from my pocket on the go. On the screen imposed was a name, DAMION WALTER. For a moment of hesitation, I considered not answering. This would be a huge change in my life. In a fraction of a second, I see the image of my children and wife sitting around the kitchen table. My wife forcing a smile, my son eating a cheap banana, and my daughter gazing up at the ceiling lights.

Yeah. They came before me. I would answer it. As I kept pedaling along, I hoped it wasn’t too windy for the audio. Glancing up, the walking symbol showed green at the intersection. Good. I pressed the green answer symbol, and the screen showed connecting. I brought the phone to my ear, and my eyes slid to the right of me …. It was the front of a city bus. Connected.

My hand, the phone, my head … the entire right side of my body caved into the front of the bus.

I blinked. Or I thought I blinked. But I couldn’t see anything. Or rather, I could see nothing. The color white. I saw only white in a seemingly empty space. Perhaps I was in a room? I couldn’t tell if I was standing. No …. Yes. I was standing in a white space. There was nothing here. A cold sweat started to bead on my forehead. My heart still raced from the bus. Where was the bus?! What happened to me.

Hello?

I cried out. I was starting to become afraid. I had to get a grip on myself … and oh, I was naked. I was in nothing but my birthday suit.

AHHH!! Hello?!

Was I ...? I couldn’t hear an echo to my own scream. The room I was in seemed endless. The brightness of the white room started to grow. Please, no. … My thoughts started to drift to the last moment I remembered. I had to be.

Interesting.

A voice. A deep and hard-to-define voice rang out all around. With a startled jump, I instinctively let out a scream

AH!

A long silence carried on. I was too afraid after that to speak and stayed completely silent, controlling my breathing as best I could. A long minute passed as I waited, glancing back and forth to the emptiness. But then …

The words of your origins. You speak English. American Standard accent. Do you understand my words?

The voice rang out again. As it spoke, it’s words became more and more clear. A tremble started in my hands. I remained silent.

You do understand my words. You remain silent. Fear. You are afraid. Be not afraid. For I am not an enemy. This space remains safe.

I was being told to calm down by a voice all around me. How was it possible? I took a deep breath of what I thought was air and my breath began to slow. Okay then. I had to reply.

Am I dead?

I respond quietly. The words hang in my mouth, and I start crying without noise. Of course, I was dead. As the thought set in, the image of my family I had just said goodbye to crept into my mind. My son was dancing in his seat to a song on his tablet chewing his banana. My daughter … My tears were steadily falling. They weren’t landing on anything. I looked down to the void of white. My family. I left my family.

You are without vessel. How have you come to this space? Interesting. You are interesting. Unprecedented.

The voice came from every direction. This time while sobbing, I could at least reply.

My vessel is dead? My body?

Ah, yes. The body. You have no body. Yet your soul retains the form of your body. Why do you have a physical form? How have you come here? And you can speak. Your memories are intact. Interesting.

I really didn’t understand the question. For whatever reason, this voice believed I had answers he did not. I wondered if I was being tested.

Are you not God? I don’t understand. Where am I?

There was a silent pause. One second, then two, and three. No reply. I stop sobbing for a moment. I was still afraid.

You. You believe me to be God. God, I am not. In my space you arrived. With a form. Souls shall not have form upon loss of the body. You are interesting. I am, in your words, a Cherub. My form resides in your Eighth and Ninth dimensions. Do you comprehend? Are my words spoken correctly?

Cherub. In his space. A cherub. I know this word. Where have I read this. Ah, yes.

You are an angel?

No. I am what I am. Not of the first rank. I have not a name. I am a cherub. I reside in my space until called upon by the Creator to serve. You have appeared in my space between. The space remains safe. I have not yet spoken with a human soul. I have not yet seen a soul with a form. How have you come? I will see. I will look.

There was a momentary silence. Then.

Signal. Your soul had conjoined to a signal upon your exit of the vessel, and you fell between. You are interesting. Tell me in your own words, the story of your life. I shall listen.

It was such a strange and demanding request, and I was still in shock. I took a moment to look around me. Nothingness. For a few seconds I considered I was just dreaming. It could be possible. But this was so real. I took a deep breath, then decided to answer the request. I began with where I was born, then spoke and spoke and spoke. I spilled my life story for what felt like a few hours. School experiences, special memories, mistakes I made. I held nothing back, as I felt it was a test of honesty. Finally, I arrived at the front of the bus, and I went quiet. I waited for a response for what felt like a solid minute. Then the voice bellowed.

Happy! I am happy! It is a good story. My story is insignificant in comparison. One day, I was. And now, I still am. I carry out duties. Then I am dormant in my space alone. You are my first company. Now. Speak to your intent. Where will you go?

I reviewed what I knew for a second. I am speaking to a Cherub. I still didn’t have a good grasp of what that was. It was not an angel. A being of its own. It serves God but isn’t currently with God. Second rank meaning like, reserves? Not likely. I believe a Cherub was sent to guard the entrance to the garden of Eden. It has never seen a soul with a body. I slipped in-between spaces. My head was going to explode as I tried quantifying my predicament. By referring to a signal, it might have something to do with answering my phone when I died. Maybe.

What say you!

The voice boomed out again. And again, I squealed.

I’m sorry. Uhm, where will I go?

I could feel my eyes widen. Oh, then perhaps I was being offered a ride?

Very well then. Please take me back to my family.

Impossible. The vessel is destroyed.

That is not what I wanted to hear.

Please send me back to my family. I have a family!

I began crying again. I seemed to have no emotional control but why would I? Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I could go on without them.

Your vessel had a family. It is gone. You shall not return to them. Where will you go?

The voice resounded. It’s final. I can’t return. But what the hell is the answer? Where do I go? I don’t see anything or anyone.

"Where can I go? Where are you?"

I wait. There isn’t a reply for what felt like a full, very long, minute.

There are three places you can go from here. I am hidden from your sight. Fear. You would experience fear by placing your sight upon my figure in a three-dimensional space. I shall remain out of view to maintain order. Peace. As it spoke, I remembered. A description of a cherub was something crazy looking and hard to describe. A being with seemingly multiple heads and wings. If it lives in some higher dimension, then coming down to mine would be visually terrifying. I had seen enough science fiction. Not to mention, I loved science on top of it. Well, there is nothing to lose at this point. While it was uncomfortable, I had to ask.

Where are the three places I can go?

I wipe my tears and listen. They are still falling. There wasn’t a point to wiping it seems. The Cherub spoke.

Three destinations. Two are normally preordained. One is within the power I hold whilst dormant. I haven’t a directive, so I have liberty. You are interesting. This situation. I am entertained. When a vessel dies, the soul created within shall drift to one of two places. Towards a place of Happiness or toward a place of Suffering.

So, Heaven or Hell then. That is scary. But he stopped his statement. Is he waiting for me to ask for the third? It was occurring to me, that it was fishing for responses. Our conversation was like an Amazon package that arrived unexpectedly. If he has never spoken to a soul, does that mean that since he was created, he never had an opportunity to speak to anyone? Just waiting for instructions? Do Cherubs get lonely? All questions for another time.

And what’s the third possible destination?

There was a momentary silence. It felt like dramatic effect.…

Earth.

Wait. What does that mean.

Earth? You said it yourself! I can’t go back! That is what you said!

My emotions got the better of me and I responded harshly. I couldn’t help it. I was still in a state of panic and depression. My wife and my children. I’ve lost everything. The conversation I have found myself in is far too stressful.

Suddenly I was afraid again. If I make him mad, could I be sent to hell? Probably not. It wouldn’t be its call to make. Would it report my presence in this space to the Creator? I am an outlier in this situation.

Cherub, I apologize … My anger, I’m … I desire my family. I should not have yelled. So, Earth. You said my body was destroyed. Vessel? Would that mean I would be given a different … vessel?

I waited quietly and there was yet another dramatic pause. This one felt heavy. And then it spoke,

Different Earth. Different vessel. Alternate dimensions can harbor a soul on a timeline not congruent of vessel implantation. Once a soul leaves the initial vessel, the soul shalt not return to the established dimension of placement. You still retain form. I can place you in a vessel that has had the soul extracted when the vessel rejects it.

So that was a lot to unpack. But I always had an imagination for this type of thing. Souls placed into bodies. Bodies without a soul. I can be put into a body without a soul. Hmm. Maybe I wasn’t keeping up with my riddling conversation partner. But I was confident of what to say.

So, I’ll be put into a body that is in a vegetative state?

Immediately a reply comes.

Wrong. Interesting. I am entertained! That is good. I can place you in a birthing vessel whose soul was called home. Your words, a still born. You will start again. Out of place from the planned directive.

Wow. I instinctively place my hand on my forehead and ponder. I would become a baby. Wait … I had so many questions, but I asked the first one that came to mind. Would I remember my life? Or my family? Former vessel’s family?

Yes. You remain in a form. You shall retain what has been collected. But the Earth shall be different. The laws governing matter shall be different. The laws of science established, to which you are familiar, will be different. The Cherub goes silent. The silent breaks are dreadful.

How is it different from my Earth?

Conversion of energy to matter. Storage of potential energy governed by lesser gods present within it. One such parallel Earth allows for unique changes to occur. Your words, magic, and deities. I have and retain power to protect, to attack, and to adjust. It is in my ability to place you in such a place as an adjustment, where established rules vary in such a way…

I wonder if he can see the question mark on my face. Then he continued,

The reason I can place your soul with its form intact in a still born, is because of magic being present within that dimension. The deities in that universe changed many rules since the Creator does not bother with it. Do you comprehend?

Okay. I think I was just told that I could become A BABY and it could be done with MAGIC. That is simply too much to digest. It is a massive cup of Kool-Aid to be swallowed.

Please give me time to think about this. I … this is a lot to take in.

I said that with a heavy heart. But deities as in gods? I had barely kept up with that messy pile of words.

Are there other gods?

Then silence filled the void at my question. After a second, the room turned scarlet red. I felt something approaching me from every direction. Fear. This is a terrible fear. The voice boomed,

There is but ONE God! There are lesser gods but one and only one God! The title of the King of Kings.

The vibrant red colors faded back to white after a second had passed. My fear subsided slightly. My question angered him.

I’m sorry…

Forgiven. Ignorance shall not be faulted. I see. That was anger. This one felt like anger. Good. That is interesting. You, who entertains me, speak again. We will speak more. Conversation. We shall have one.

I was a bit perplexed at his statement. This being. Making it feel anything was pleasing to it. So, it was safe to speak of the deities mentioned.

Cherub, might I … inquire about the deities you mentioned?

They are lesser gods of matter control. Their partial presence in the dimension allows for specific changes in relation to energy and matter to occur. In your words, ‘Gods of’. There are many present there. Calum, the God of Fire, Ari, the God of Water, Solus, the God of…

In mid-sentence the voice grew silent. A long pause rang out. There was a faint purple fading in through the walls. Then…

Ridiculous. Fourth-ranked, fifth-ranked deities of inconsequence retain names. Names! How dare they! Names to be worshipped on the earth! Blasphemy! Shan’t they be slain? Curse these lesser gods! Being worshiped no less. Whilst I have no name, they hold…

Then silence swept over the space again. The purple dissipated back to white. And with an excited tone the voice boomed.

Jealousy! Good! This is jealousy! You whom has a mind unlocked. Free will. I desire something. Longing. You, soul. Bestow upon me a name.

Excuse me?

Am I allowed to?

No directive. No precedent. I remain unnamed. This one is but one of many created. Bestow upon me a name. Place upon me this gift! Humans are given the power to name all by the Creator. Humans were made in the image of God in this universe. You lack power but hold great value. Blessed. Chosen. You may. I ask thee!

I wasn’t remotely sure how to unpack that profound statement, or what to name the Cherub. It’s a superbeing living in a realm I couldn’t even fathom, and it just asked the equivalent of an ant to name it. With much of my sadness and fear swept away by a genuine interest, I closed my eyes and pondered.

After a moment, the baby names that Keely and I debated on for our kids floated into my mind. The name I wanted for my son but was down voted. A name I liked. Yes, that will do.

Okay. How is … Eli? Your name is Eli.

GOOD! This is GOOD! ELI! I shall be ELI! It is so!!! Interesting. You, whom I like. I shall bestow upon you a gift. Should you choose the third path, many avenues will be made to lay open. A gift. Your vessel. I will remove that which holds vessels back in that world. There were conditions in place for souls there. Since that universe has been abandoned by the one true God, I can simply remove those conditions. A gift.

It sounded like an amazing gift. But if the universe has no creator….

So, what happens if I die again?

In that universe, your soul reverts to energy. Though, it appears there are other paths in this universe. You will need to figure out those for yourself.

What of my former family? Are they going to be okay?

I do not understand. What is okay to you?

Just as Eli answered, the room began to feel smaller suddenly. Why? The voice resounded once more.

Little time. I am soon to be called to a duty. When I leave, so does this space.

I begin looking around at the surrounding white. It is shifting slowly to black. It is almost as if the walls are warping. I see flickers of light in the black bubbles forming. Are those worm holes? It’s hard to describe. The room quickly was turning pitch black.

Eli … what happens to me if your space is gone?

Then you shall drift as preordained. Your form shall dissipate.

His response restarted my fear. YIKES. I’ve got no choice then. Even though it was sudden.

ELI! I wish to be sent to a new vessel!

My vision turned pitch black, and the entire space became distorted and dark. I wondered in that moment if I would ever speak with Eli again. I then heard a whisper.

I shall visit you. Let us speak again….

2

The Second Start,

The Land Chosen

My eyes burn. My body aches. I can barely see a thing. Suddenly there is a sensation. There is a hand on my back. A massive hand by the feel of it. I can’t seem to make out anything in front of me but it’s all slowly coming into focus. There are three figures. People. A woman and two men. But it’s so blurry, and I can’t control my body to feel around. What is happening?

It must have happened.

So, this … this is what a newborn body feels like when you are aware of it. Terrible. There is a commotion in the room. I can hear voices.

It’s a boy! A boy, Zelf! A beautiful boy!

I know the tone and emotion of that voice. It’s the sound of a father looking at his new child. I focus as best I can. I can now see a woman. She’s beautiful. Zelf. She looks no older than 20. The first thing I noticed was her hair. Long, flowing violet-purple hair. The striking color shined vividly. As I contemplated how that could be possible, I looked into her eyes. Remarkably, they were a matching shade of purple. She is staring at me tearfully with beautiful purple eyes. Zelf looked over at the man beside her now coming into focus.

Darren, sweetheart, you have a son.

Darren. He’s handsome. He’s got a rugged appearance and is probably about my age. Or rather, the age of my old body. There was a scar across his right cheek in the shape of a hook, and he had stern eyes. They were bright green eyes and long jet-black hair. He sported what looked like leather armor and a long sword on his back. At first glance, it was obvious, he is some type of warrior. Darren says with a tearful grin,

Oh, he’s looking at me now …

He breathed in and looked at me for a moment. Then said affirmatively,

My son. Aramis Korin, I love you.

At that moment, I thought of my children I had left behind. And just like a newborn baby, I began to cry. Both of my new parents smiled. The third person was holding me. This man was much older. He was sporting a graying beard and a calm expression. Thin wrinkles littered his face and he looked rather ordinary. Long graying brown hair and blue eyes.

The man was thinly built but held me firmly. He had on blue robes with some blood on them. It was easy to deduce he was the doctor by the last detail. But his robes were very simple. None of them wore modern clothes. Especially my father, who sported some sort of adventurer style. If anything, the clothes everyone wore looked to be from the renaissance. I glanced around the room for a moment. The living room was interesting. It was a large and open room. But what was striking was the period of style. No technology in sight besides a fireplace. Mostly wood with a cobblestone wall. There were very little decorations. It’s all blurry from a distance. I couldn’t fully focus my eyes yet. Newborns are supposed to be practically blind, but I could probably use them better than most newborns as a grown man with experience seeing.

Oh my God, I’m in a baby’s body …. The situation was just starting to set in, and it was simply too crazy. But this was my only option. Had I drifted, there was no guarantee I would have gone in the right direction. I believed I had behaved in a moral sense most of my life, but I had various issues and still experienced my