Benjamin turned his head, looking at Arthur, who was surrounded by doctors and nurses in the ward opposite him, said softly, "My only hope is to become Arthur's guardian angel, to stay by his side forever.. watching him grow up, meet new friends, integrate into a new family, have a new life.. being surrounded by grandchildren in his old age, sitting in a rocking chair basking in the sun, closing his eyes before he knows it.."
You have always been his guardian angel, in the past and in the future.
Thank you.
—By the way, the foster parents chosen by Boss Jason for Arthur will arrive in New York next week. They will provide Arthur with a warm new home; you can move to the West Coast with them—the Misha couple possesses slight Spiritual Vision and can sense your presence.
Really? This arrangement is incredibly thoughtful!
Benjamin broke into sobs once again, wiping away his tears as he said, "Thank you! Thank you for arranging such wonderful foster parents for Arthur. Thank you for protecting Arthur so perfectly, for ensuring he would never know that cruel truth. Thank you.. Thank.. thank you.."
Save the thanks for later—hurry to Arthur's room for one last meeting with him! He lacks spiritual vision and won't be able to see you now that you've become an Angel.
Yeah.
Half an hour later—
I..
In the hospital ward, the awakened Arthur looked at his best friend with excitement, "I had a terrible dream. In the dream, I.."
I know, I know everything.
Benjamin reached out, his increasingly transparent fingers lightly brushing through Arthur's hair.
I am here to tell you some good news: you will have parents very soon.
—What did you say!
Arthur was shocked: "Someone wants to adopt me?"
It is a kind couple from the West Coast.
What about you? Will you come with me to my new home?
I can't.. I have to go to a place where I must go alone for now.. It is very, very far away.. But one day, we will meet again.. in the Lord's garden..
Benjamin spoke softly, white tears streaming down his youthful cheeks.
“Arthur, I love you.. I hope you will be happy and blessed forever..”
Me too.. I will love you too, Ben..
Arthur spoke through his sobs, clutching Benjamin's body tightly.
He was not entirely ignorant of the truth; he had already had a vague inkling that his best friend Benjamin might not be—
But so what?
He loved him, he loved him; they were best friends, best partners, best..
One day, we will meet again in the Lord's garden..
Clatter—
The curtains were drawn open, golden sunlight flooded the hospital bed. Benjamin, who was already semi-transparent, suddenly became exceptionally translucent, as if he might dissipate into the Morning Light at any moment.
You look like an Angel from the murals in the Church..
Arthur said, unable to help himself.
Arthur, because you believed so firmly that I was your guardian Angel, I grew wings and became an Angel.. You might not be able to see me whenever you want in the future, but please believe that I have always been by your side.. I will watch you grow up, meet new friends, date girls, enter society, embrace a wife and children, have a happy and beautiful life in the mortal sense..
Benjamin spoke softly, as the golden sunlight passed through his nearly transparent body, casting a delicate, pale gold shadow of wings upon the wall.
.. As long as your heart remains strong, optimistic, brave, confident, we will surely meet again.
“I promise you! I will always be strong, optimistic, brave, confident.. Ben, you are my Angel, my eternal Angel.. I will never forget you.. forever.. forever..”
Arthur spoke through sobs, clutching Benjamin's completely transparent hands, as tears gradually blurred his vision..
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to readers "Hua Guan", "Qing Yun", "Gu Lu Gu Lu", "Hua Guan", "Qian Duo", "If the Moon Doesn't Come", "Li Yu", "Kong", "kiki", "Yun Shen Jian Qiu", "a", "Lan Mei Xiao Yang", "Shi Yi", "Yue Xia Yin Cha", "Lan Wu", "Riyue Tao Sanhuan", "Yuan Zhong Ren De Yi Yu Zhong Li", "Lei Zhuang", "Half City of Sand", "Raise a Feifei-ing", "Min", "Liu Yi Si" for the Irrigation Nutrient Solution.
Next chapter, officially dealing with Gabriel~
Chapter 30 Gabriel and Gargoyle (End)
.. So touching!
Outside the ward, Peterson and the others, moved by the friendship between Arthur and Benjamin that transcended life and death, could not help but clutch their tissues to wipe away their tears. Wood also felt the urge to weep, however—
—How do you feel?
Gabriel's voice, cold enough to completely strip away all rationality, suddenly rang out in his mind.
Wood instinctively scanned his surroundings.
[—Do not look around; only you can hear my voice here.]
（..）
At this moment, you must have many questions for me, you might even be filled with panic and anxiety.. Leave the building immediately and arrive at the location I designate, following my orders.. During this time, you must not use any means of communication to contact anyone, especially that guy.. Fine! Considering that guy has secretly placed various tracking methods on you, this meeting might become another long-distance confrontation between us and that guy.
(.. Does this guy even know what he's saying?)
Wood was full of doubts.
Alright, let's begin. Within three minutes, exit the building, or else—I will randomly kill something near you!
(—Hey! Hey! How can you, as an Archangel, act like this..)
Wood was speechless.
Having barely survived with the help of Boss, he knew clearly that although the image of Angels came from the collective imagination of believers, they did not necessarily possess the holy virtues imagined by those believers—they were colleagues of Demons, both serving God.
What? Still not moving? Or do you think I won't..
Gabriel's voice grew increasingly stern.
Wood felt helpless. He made up a random excuse to leave Peterson and the others, then quickly walked out of the Hospital building. Following Gabriel's voice, he arrived at a makeshift shack made from abandoned shipping containers located by the Coast.
—Is this the meeting place you specified?
Yes, it is here.
Gabriel's voice rang in his mind once again, issuing a command.
[Use the key hidden under the flowerpot to open the container, then walk inside.]
Understood.
Wood obeyed Gabriel's command, found the flowerpot in the trash heap, took out the key, opened the container.
What's next?
[Take off your clothes.]
Huh? Why?
Wood froze.
We are very interested in you right now and would like to conduct a thorough and complete examination.
But..
Life is born without clothes.
That's also..
Don't you want to know what secrets that fellow has carved into you?
“..”
Take off your clothes, then we will appear.
As the words fell, the Container's door closed silently. At the same time, white light burst out from the top, bottom, left, right, front, back of the room, illuminating the empty interior.
I.. I think..
Or would you prefer someone to help you undress?
A slightly flirtatious and cruel voice rang out. With a "poof," a ball of fire appeared before Wood—a Stone Demon, or rather, one of the Twin Demons of Gabriel, flickering in and out of the flames.
Take off your clothes and submit to an inspection, or else—
Or what?
Wood's voice trembled slightly, deep within his heart—
(Boss! Boss! Can you hear my voice! Please, sense my location! Please, come and save me!)
Are you afraid?
The Demon extended a finger from the flames toward Wood's face, Wood instinctively recoiled, falling into Gabriel's rock-cold control.
You are truly interesting, so interesting that we want to know what you are right now.
—What are you going to do to me? Dissect me, or.. or..
Wood was so terrified that he was at a loss, his mind filled with all sorts of horrific and perverted urban legends.
I don't know what you people are, but I.. I must tell you in advance, I.. I am not some normal human, my Boss is even more.. even you wouldn't dare..
[Didn't he say before that he was just an ordinary human?]
You said you love the feeling of being a Hero in the spotlight, that you would even kneel and lick his boots just to maintain the illusion of being a Hero—if that's the case, why not proactively become one of us? We can grant you true power, so that you are no longer just a mere vessel for that guy's power..
You are indeed a special existence, but there are billions of people on Earth, every day, new and unique souls appear—if you do not possess true power and are merely a Vessel for receiving power, one day you will be replaced by an individual who is more special and more favored by That Guy than you, becoming nothing more than rotting trash..
Are you content to never have your own power, to forever be nothing more than That Guy's Vessel?
..
The words of Gabriel and the Demon echoed in his mind and at his ears, every single word piercing deep into Wood's heart.
Lies cannot change fate; you must make yourself strong..
Join us, we can give you true power..
[—Wood!]
—Get away! I don't need you!