148 Rainbow 3

Cold breeze reached her face, opening her eyes she looked at the thick white mist. If she didn't have good eyesight, perhaps, she wouldn't notice at the enormous brown gate across her.

Walking slowly following the gate direction, she realized in front of her there stood two men with their faces censored with light. Another mean, she couldn't define their faces. They wore a long white robe, white wings attached on their back while holding spears on their right hand. They weren't a human, right? What were they? Angel?

Looking baffled, this was the first time she came to heaven, no, why did she even think to come here alone in the first place?! Freaking out, she was hesitating to continue. She didn't know how their face looks like, she got a feeling that those two men were watching attentively to her.

A slight goosebump invaded her body, she was thinking weirdly, but she swiftly diverted the thoughts, remembering her original purpose, she tried to get back to reality. Bracing herself bravely, striding her legs to the two men, yet she halted her steps when abruptly, a piercing sound reached her ears.

She looked down at her neck. The blue pendant from the Great Flower Spirits was glowing, then broke into pieces, vanishing as it left a blue flower tattoo on her neck. She touched her neck which slightly hurt but then dissipated in a second.

She heard the tree's voice giving her last messages, [Show them your flower tattoo, it will be your token pass to get in, tell those guards that you want to meet Elway, they will show take you there to him. Don't worry they are nice guards.]

After nodding from the Great Flower Spirits's bits of advice, she took a quick breath and strode her leg to the weird no-face creatures. The two men turned their eyes to her. She heard one of them said, "Human? What are you doing here?" His voice was deep so deep as if making you drown under the ocean.

Flinched, It brought her shivered, but Tereza quickly showed them her flower tattoo. The two men glanced at Tereza's neck, the other one joined commenting, tilting his head slightly, "You're the representative for Great Flower Spirits? Ah, I remembered, so you're that woman. Okay then, what is your business coming here?" He said while chuckling. Contrary to the previous one this man's voice was much normal than she thought.

She was confused about the normal voice man words, 'you're that woman?'. What did he mean like that? He said as if he saw her before. Answering his question, Tereza asked for permission, "I want to meet Elway, the Life Guardian Spirit. I've some business with him. I want to ask if you can guide me to his place?"

Answering, the deep voice man shouted furiously at her. "How dare you say you want to meet him! State your purpose!" Inside, he was angry because of this little impudence human to call the one of the new God by his name! Also, the Life Guardian Spirit was a busy God. How could he make a spare time just for this woman?

She didn't know when her confidence back to her track, she explained without slight nervous, "It's a secret. I can't tell you, but it is important! I have something to tell him! Please let me get through!" Her voice on crack, her throat slightly dried because she ate the cold air.

"You!"

Intercepting his shouted, the normal voice man trying to calm his brother anger down, he said, "Now, now, Rydt, just let her get inside. Besides, she had the passing token already. If you don't want to take her, I will take her, alright? I know you are loyal to the Gods, but you can't do that to the human. Did you forget our heaven regulation? Look, she's scare due to you." The normal voice man told Rydt calmly yet firm.

"But Wayne! That's not what I intend! I just!"

Wayne shook his head and made a 'no-no' gesture with his left hand. "No excuse! Just stand here, guarding this place and wait for me, I'll be coming back soon, " turning his head he stated, "and you, human, your name is... Tereza, correct?"

"Eh?" How did he know her name?

Wayne laughed teasingly, opening the gate with his spear, a white burst of light luminously on her view, blinding her as she fastly closed her eyes. Rydt looked at his brother annoyingly, ignoring him, he was sulking and standing rigidly at the side of the door.

Wayne shrugged from his responded, he bent down slightly, reaching his lips near her right ear, he whispered, "Hold my hand, I will take you to Elway's palace." Without much thought, she took his hand and flew with him.

When the dazzled light was over, she aware that she was floating, viewing her surrounded, she was awed by the sight. Was this heaven look like inside? She couldn't describe it really well, it was like natural scenery on earth, yet it was more beautiful and it had a different kind of feeling.

She felt astonished from all of this, but she reminded herself why she came here. She didn't have time enjoying this as if she was on a school trip. Wayne noticed her gleaming eyes turn to indifferent, he didn't say either and watched her as she began lost in her own thought.

After a few minutes, they both arrived in Elway's palace. Letting go of their hold, Wayne guided her inside the palace. The palace was wide with five courtyards, a lot of walls were carved with gold golden dragon and red painted. It gave a fierce, aloof, strong aura as if asking them to not coming here uninvited. It was quiet and there were no people inside. Mirrors were also attached on every corridor they walk through, it reflecting her and Wayne being.

Wayne was in front of her, she could see his broad back as he told her about the palace map, and while she looked around, a realization hit her. Just like the scenery she witnessed a moment ago, although it was stunning, there were no people, angels, spirits or even Gods. In this palace as well, there was no sign of life, dead and dark.

The only thing she could do was following the ray from Wayne's body and light from the window. What was going on? Was this really Elway's palace?

Before she asked Wayne her doubts, he preceded her fast with his question. "What do you know about Life Spirit Guardian?"

"I don't know about his personality well, but the Great Flower Spirits told me he's a scary God," Tereza answered truthfully."

Nodding slowly, he retorted, "Right, but it's not right."

"Not right? What do you mean?" Wondering, confusing, without her notice, they arrived in the small garden inside the palace. Bright light radiating them from above, he stopped his steps and turned his body to look at her.

He said softly, "Let me tell you a secret, in fact, there is no one knew about his face besides the major Gods and five main spirits. Scary? It just a rumor from the minor spirits who liked to exaggerate. I will tell you this, he always concealed his being with any kind of forms. He's a little complicated God, yet that new God is a little special."

"Do you know that he was being appointed as the second-in-charge for life and death soul matter from the highest authority as well? And do you imagine his life who originally spirit suddenly turn to be a God? It was a shocker. That was why he became hectic recently."

Tereza didn't comment on his words. She stared at the man with no face on it. His ray light turned stronger than ever, yet it didn't make her squinted her eyes. Tereza watched his bright face, turned to dim, and showing a beautiful man face.

His body was sparkling but his face was calming the soul. His black hair contrast with his beautiful made her question her own gender. His long white robe turned to red and gold while his spear change to a silver crane. She heard him saying as he smirked, "I want you to change your view about that God."

Taking a step back, staggeringly, she finally realized what just happened. Wayne was Elway. From the start she stepped inside, she was in fact, in his territory. So why did he have to pretend to be the guard on the first main gate? Was he really that scary? Why he seems so nice? Was he testing her? So many questions she wanted to ask, but she buried all of the curious questions in her mind.

She didn't have time, she needed to do something important first. She was asking help, "You're Elway, the Life Guardian Spirit, I have a favor to ask you."

Blinking his eyes, he chuckled as he replied, "You're so straightforward. Don't you want to know why I know about you or why I let you inside my strict-forbidden palace?"

Tereza answered, "No need. You're a God, you may have all of your eyes on earth watching me. So I can't explain more accurate reason than this one. Am I correct?"

He shook his head, sighing, he flicked his finger and magically two chairs came in the garden, he urged her, "Let sit down first and let's talk." As they both sit down, Elway was tapping his crane to the ground rapidly, he squinted his eyes while looking at Tereza. They both were silence not until Elway let out his voice first, he told her, "I first saw you in Haresora City. Didn't you remember?"

She stated it short, "No."

"Well, of course, you weren't. Because I was in my other formed~ Can you guess?" Elway teased her, as he looked at Tereza's somber face, seriously thinking. Looking back a year ago, she almost forgot all about the good memories she spent.

Tereza sighed, "I don't know. I can't remember all the thing I do last year in Haresora City besides picnic with my son and husband, and then, Ringo almost got eaten by a bear who suddenly vanished during pursuing...with no trace...and," Her tone became lower and lower when she tried to tell. Recalling the profound eyes that bear showed at her, her thoughts began wandered.

Opening her eyes shocked, guessing, she asked to confirm, "You were that bear?" He grinned without words, he fixed his posture and let his back lean on the chair.

He elaborated her, "At that time, I notice a familiar power within you, and I could guess, it was from the Great Flower Spirits blessing. You are wondering why I let you came inside? Simple, It's because I'm a good friend of Great Flower Spirits before I became a God. That's why, as a thank you for helping my friend finding their true form once again, I let you come to my palace. Is that satisfying answer?" He chuckled.

In truth, there was more than that. But, Elway couldn't say it to her.

Tereza tried to understand, but to think again, she was dubious, "So why the Great Flower Spirit said you are scary if they are a good friend with you?"

Elway clicked his tongue and stated, "Oh, I'm originally a God who people fear and ferocious despite I'm a new God. Remembered Rydt in front of the main gate? That's also me who was in a bad mood. Rydth is a part of me. To make you understand, he's like my clone. But, today I let him guarding the main gate because I want to have a serious alone conversation with you. That's right, not only you who has something to talk about, I'm as well. So, let me hear what do you want to say first, Tereza."

After he said the statements, Tereza was trembling cold, she was afraid, what if this last chance failed? What if Elway couldn't help her? So what should she do from now on? Accepting Han's death? No! No!

"I-I want you to help me to grant this one wish!" Tereza stood from her chair and began kneeling on the ground. "Elway, please, I don't want to waste my times, so I will say it directly! Please help me! Help me to bring back my husband to life again! That's the only request I want you to fulfill. Please, you're the only one I can hope for!" Tereza bowed to him to show her sincerity, she forgot to persuade him as she let out all of her pride to fall.

Sighing, Elway looked at the sand time he held, he said with a depressed tone, "You know, in your human world I could be called as a vice president in here. While the highest Gods were the CEO. Another word, I'm just a newbie God..."

"So, you can't help me?" Tereza asked with her voice started shaking, she was trying her best to not cry, as she heard his explanation. She let down her head, as she expected, it was impossible. 'Impossible. Impossible. Han, I'm sorry.' She apologized inwardly.

"Who said, it's 'impossible'?" He assured her.

"Huh?"

He smiled slightly, "There's a way I can help you. Like you heard about me, I'm a special God, I have my own privilege. But because this way is most likely breaking a few of the heaven rules, there will be consequences, are you okay with that?"

Without second of thought, Tereza nodded slowly, she answered, "I'm fine with it."