Heir Of Argranos

2

I gaped from Bellus to my father, back to Bellus, and then to my father again. I was sitting cross-legged on the hard, charcoal burnt floor of my room, while my father towered over me, as we argued about what I should and shouldn’t take with me to earth.

There really wasn’t much that I had to pack. Despite hoarding a lot of stuffs, the items I could take with me to earth were very few. And since I would be living disguised as a human being, all the mortal things I needed like clothing and hygienic whatever, would have to be bought once I get there.

It’s not like we have a shopping mall down here in the underworld.

“What do you mean I can’t take Bellus with me? He’s a puppy!” I protested, pointing at my cute little dog, which obediently crouched down next to me, wagging his tail excitedly.

Knowing what to do, Bellus gave my father the signature puppy eyes and whined softly, lowering his ears and tail, with bleary eyes pleadingly staring up at pops.

“That… thing; is not a puppy. It’s an inferior demon stuck in a dog’s form, and will undoubtedly devour the first human being it sees upon its arrival to earth.” My father said, taking a few steps backwards to put some more distance between himself and Bellus.

Bellus growled, and dropped the innocent puppy façade.

“Oh come on, pops… It’s just one human. Bellus deserves a treat. He’s been such a good boy!” I tried to persuade him.

My father glared at Bellus distastefully for the second time and shook his head ‘no’. “You can get another dog –a real dog, to replace that thing once you get to earth. They have places called pet shelters that you will love.”

Sometimes, even my extraordinary skills of persuasion aren’t enough to change my father’s stubborn and insistent decisions. I sighed and tried one more time “But Bellus is my bestie, and will keep me company… You wouldn’t want your daughter to be all alone and lonely on earth now, would you pops?”

Bellus barked excitedly, as if to support my words, and to say ‘don’t you dare separate me from my bestie you malicious bastard.’ His bark sounded like multiple Chihuahuas fighting over a treat, despite being a pure-breed Golden Retriever.

I mean, father keeps insisting that he’s a demon stuck in a puppy’s form, and it might be true, cause that would be the only way he could survive down here in the underworld. But a simple glance at Bellus’ light golden fur dissipated all the thoughts of him being something demonic.

My dog is perfectly fine. He only barks weirdly, but we all have our quirks that make us unique.

“Oh trust me, Harleah, the last thing you’re gonna be on earth is lonely. I’ve arranged for you to live with a very fun human being, and I assure you that you’ll find those earthly mortals quite interesting…” A wicked chuckle ensured, before my father added; “Just try not to kill any one of them. Hell’s population has been growing exponentially. I’d like to keep it at an average.”

I rolled my eyes. “You surely don’t expect me to live on earth for three hundred and sixty-five days, and not kill a single human. How do you think you raised me?”

“Don’t kill any human. That’s an order. If you do, I’ll strip you of your demon powers, and you’ll live out the rest of the days on earth as an inferior demon.” He huffed, smoke coming out of his nostrils and swirling around in the hot air surrounding us.

His chimney noses might scare his ministers and the other demons in the underworld, but it sure as hell doesn’t scare me. When I was five, I stuffed my fingers so far up his nostrils when he puffed out smoke, to the point that I gave him a concussion.

That’s right… I gave Satan a concussion. Be scared.

“Fine!” I agreed with a groan, not because I had given up on taking Bellus along, but because I knew this direct method of persuasion wouldn’t get me anywhere with my father.

I’d have to find someone that would smuggle Bellus out of the underworld and to earth for me.

“I’ll make sure no one agrees to smuggle Bellus out.”

Shit.

“You know what? Earth is starting to sound a lot like a vacation for me. At least I wouldn’t have someone constantly protruding his uninvited mind into my own to read whatever goes through my head!”

Argranos grinned mischievously.

“I’ll still be able to telepathically read your thoughts and communicate with you while you’re on earth. Unless you learn how to put up the barrier and guard your thoughts, everything that passes through your mind will be reflected in mine.”

“Come on, Pops! Give me a f*****g break!”

“There you go with those human curse words again…” He said disappointedly, shaking his head and going ‘tsk tsk tsk…’

I scoffed. “Well, they’re finally gonna be useful since now I’m being sent to Earth against my will for doing all of Hell a favor. At least I won’t be able to only swear in Hebrew and look like a weirdo.”

“Killing Mammon was not doing all of Hell a favor.” My father replied, rolling his eyes like I had done earlier and crossing his four arms over his chest. In his demon form, he towered about five feet taller than me… which is saying something, because in my own demon form, I’m barely above seven feet tall. “And you’re gonna be a weirdo either way.” He muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?”

Pops cleared his throat. “It’s time to go.”

Bellus whined.

“No, you were saying something about me being weird without having to curse in…”

He banged his pitchfork on the floor twice, and called out “Away with her, Erlik!”

Before I could protest, or even finish my sentence, Erlik; the demon of portals and hellish transports heeded my father’s command, and my humongous bedroom began to melt away, along with my father and Bellus.

In an instant, darkness consumed me, and I was forcefully yanked away into a portal that felt like being in a bubble travelling a few million kilometers per second. One misstep and I would fall through another dimension. I stayed carefully still and mentally thought about how to make Hell’s transport system better once I’m Queen.

“Focus on the year ahead, Harleah.” My dad’s voice echoed through my mind, and in a split-second, it was like being transferred to his consciousness, and I could see through his eyes, a sad and miserable Bellus…

“I hope Bellus bites your wiener, again.”

“Harleah! Don’t give him ideas!” He replied, and I could hear his quick retreating steps, and Bellus’ cute puppy growls.

Like black smoke being blown away by the wind, the darkness around me cleared, and observed my surroundings in awe and amazement.

I’ve read a lot about earth, and I’ve seen pictures, postcards, and even a demonic stimulation of how earth looked like. But nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for the gorgeous view that I could now see, in real life. Directly in front of me, a large, two-storey mansion completely engulfed my view. It wasn’t just the architectural design, and the spotless white paint that riveted my attention to it. I had seen various designs of architecture in postcards and pictures. But this mansion had vibrant green vines littered with violet flowers creeping up the ginormous walls.

I had never seen flowers in real life before, because they can’t grow in the underworld.

The transparent glasses making up the windows and the balcony, coupled with the spotless pool by the side of the house and the small white fence overlooking a garden growing in the backyard made the place look like heaven… that’s… giving a wild guess since I’ve never actually been to heaven.

I made a three hundred and sixty degrees turn, facing the houses on the opposite side of the white mansion. The neighboring homes weren’t as magnificent and beautiful as the heavenly miracle of architecture, but they were also unique in their own way, and for the most part, really interesting because I could see human heads peeking at me through the windows.

A large path of hardened concrete and asphalt snaked through the distance separating the opposite assembled houses. A human being of average height with a head that seemed too large for his body, cycled past me on a brilliantly constructed pieces of metal with two wheels and a pedal that moved in circular motions.

A bicycle! So this was how it looked like in motion!

The person the bicycle steered to the right, glanced at me, steered to the left, and almost fell off the two-wheeled thing. A bright red flush appeared on his pale cheeks, and when he regained his balance properly, he pedaled faster on the bicycle and soon zoomed out of view.

“The locals here never mind their f*****g business.”

Startled, I whirled around to the person who just spoke.

“I have a feeling you’ll ask how long I’ve been standing here. Don’t. It was long enough to see you ogle and drool over… well, everything. How did you not even notice me standing here?”

“I…” I stammered, simultaneously shrugging and making useless hand gestures, as my brain tried to think of how to explain that I’m overwhelmed by experiencing earth for the first time.

She vigorously shook her head and cut me off. “I don’t even wanna know. Are you Harleah? My benefactor said he had someone he wanted me to take care of, and that he’d send them over today. I’m assuming you’re the person. Are you Harleah? You should be… I mean, why else would you be standing on my porch looking more lost than a guilty puppy, right? Did Mr. Sonargra send you?”

So my father couldn’t even pick a proper name to use on earth, and he goes by Sonargra? Spelling his name backwards… now that’s just plain lazy.

“Yes, Mr. whatever sent me.”