Except for the protagonists in the first part of the ceremony, all department heads from both parts of the city were present. Most of them had a plus one with them as Sam and Alex had suggested. Of course everyone from the intimate circle around the two Gods. Huge screens were hung in both halves of Dis and both halves of Paradise City so that everyone could follow everything. There was a nervous but festive mood, and everyone was looking forward to seeing their Goddess and God. What would happen today had never been seen before. Never before had a human been elevated to an Angel, never had an Angel or Demon been elevated in rank. Gabe opened the door to Alex's office and hand in hand with his Goddess God stepped to the thrones. He escorted Samantha to her throne after which he took a seat on his. Samantha spoke:
"Welcome everyone, you here in the room but also everyone following along on the screens around town and in Dis. This will be a wonderful day for all. A day filled with things that have never happened before. The ultimate proof that we have begun our new existence, our new future. Living together in peace and harmony for the four species."
At the screens, many went just silent after those last words. In a completely natural way, the Angels from both of the city's districts were mingling. Wanted to celebrate with each other. Some of his Angels had migrated to the other borough to celebrate with her Angels and vice versa equally the case. Most did not understand at all what Sam was talking about. As far as they knew there were only three species, so they waited in suspense. The Angels and Demons from Samantha's part of town who knew her and Alex all too well got a wide smile. They may not yet have known what the two had managed to pull off this time, so they were equally waiting in suspense.
"Yes, you heard correctly, four species. Angels, Demons, and Humans are already proving today that they can live together in harmony. But we also have Angels and Demons present today who want to take this to another level. Who decided that they not only wish to be together but also that they want to be part of each other. Those people are going to be our fourth species. They want to be the ultimate proof that we all belong together regardless of whether we are created or born a Demon, Human, or Angel. This fourth race finds its start with four couples, mixed couples between Angel and Demon. The Angel wants to become part Demon and the Demon part Angel because they love each other. Because they want to be with each other through eternity. Because that way they can have children as the ultimate proof of their love for each other. A new species a new name, Celestials!"
Just about everyone at the screens heard that news perplexed. The news sank in, they began to see where this would take them, and incredible cheers and applause broke out that could be heard in the throne room. Alex said silently to his Goddess:
"Well darling, apparently they digested this bombshell well out there."
He heard her giggle and took over:
"Will the guests of honor please come and stand before us?"
Beatrice, Ella, Azi, Crowley, and the four couples came to stand before the thrones. He smiled warmly at them:
"Free will is the highest good. Sam and I don't like it if anyone is being forced to do something they don't want to do."
With a sneaky smile on his face, he pointed to the children one by one:
"But you David, Sarah, Jasmine, Maila, Beatrice, and you too Honeybee are out of luck. If you don't want to go to school or do your homework, then my rule doesn't apply. It's go to school and do your homework or a can of whoopass!"
This statement was met with laughter both in the throne room and outside but the kids also found it quite funny.
"Because we think free will is so important Samantha and I want to ask you if you are here of your own free will today and if you want to receive of your own free will that which has been offered to you."
One by one they spoke loud and clear:
"Yes MyLady, yes MyLord."
"If that is your wish it will be given to you. No human being has ever been elevated to Angel. Today two will be. Samantha and I have decided for a special reason that the honor of becoming the first human to be elevated to Angel is bestowed upon Beatrice. Come sunflower."
As Beatrice stepped to the throne, Alexander saw from the corner of his eye Haniel working with something that looked suspiciously like a small digital camera. Something he wanted to get to the bottom of later, but he had more important things on his mind right now. He pointed her to the large red pillow that lay in front of the thrones. Trixie in her yellow summer dress stepped up to the cushion full of energy and knelt in front of Samantha and Alexander. He said:
"From today on all of Heaven and all of Hell is going to know and remember the name Beatrice Espinoza. And I'm convinced that in time the same will be true on Terra Nova. You are the first of what Samantha and I hope will be many. You are already a pioneer and a trailblazer Beatrice and what I have heard from the Goddess is that you have already claimed one of my spaceships while they are not yet built. Girl, I am sure you will be a pioneer, an example in more ways than one."
Alex placed his hands gently on her head. His eyes took on a dark glow, the darkness of the universe and if one were to look deep into his eyes one could see entire galaxies. His hands lit up gold after which Beatrice herself glowed up completely bright. A minute later all the light disappeared into her body and his eyes became perfectly normal again. Suddenly a pair of golden yellow wings shot out. Beatrice looked utterly amazed at her new wings.
"You see, Sunflower your nickname suits you perfectly. Angel of science, how could it be any different!"
The girl got tears in her eyes, jumped straight, and wanted to jump into his arms but her new wings caused trouble. The Gods laughed softly, and he caught her before she could fall. Sam said:
"I think you should be a little careful today girl. Laila will definitely be able to help you and teach you how to use them."
She rubbed gently between Trixie's shoulder blades who was now weeping, and the wings disappeared. Again, deafening applause was heard all the way to the throne room. Deliberately, Alexander said:
"Dan and Laila weren't you coming to get your daughter? She is a little emotional and could use you guys right now."
Laila got a red head at those words from her God but still came hand in hand with Dan toward the thrones to take care of the girl. In his head, he heard Sam's voice:
"If you continue like this Cupid then Cam will have no more work."
She heard him laugh:
"Love of my existence, when we are done, he is going to come running and complain that he has way too much work."
He looked at Ella:
"Ella Lopez, future Mrs. Morningstar, are you ready?"
"Yes, MyLord!"
She stepped toward the pillow and knelt. Before he began he said with a very wide smile:
"Do you remember in Casa Diablo when you asked me a little worriedly after Raffa scanned you what happened and I said I couldn't or shouldn't answer that for a while because otherwise free will would disappear in your destiny?"
She nodded yes and he continued:
"That you are kneeling here before us now is that destiny, dear Ella. Not just that you will become an Angel today, not just that you will marry my father today. I knew in advance that you are an Angel of joy just like Casiel. You are completely on the same wavelength that is why I advise you to incorporate that little brat into your new department as your right-hand woman."
For a moment they heard Cas gasp in the hall.
"Are you two going to turn Heaven and Hell upside down from time to time? Of course, but that is part of it, it is part of your essence spreading joy, happiness, love, and light. Everyone in Heaven and Hell is going to know you and your people at sight alone, without you and your people having to do anything, there will be smiles on their faces. You my dear Ella, with your people are going to be a balm on the soles of so incredibly many Angels, Demons, and Celestials. Your project is going to be a relief to billions of Human souls, cleansing their souls and going to make them feel like they are finally home."
Tears streamed down Ella's cheeks, he leaned toward her for a moment and kissed her softly on the cheek:
"All of us together could not wish for a better Angel, Angels for that oh-so-important work. It is time for you to join the Angelic Host Ella."
He put his hands on her head and exactly the same thing happened as it did to Trixie. She glowed all over with golden light that then disappeared into her body. Her wings shot out a few seconds later. They were the perfect match for Lucifer's wings. Divine white with a Heavenly glow. She got big eyes when she saw her own wings and really started crying now because she saw that they were identical to Lucifer's. He looked at his father and said:
"Dad, your future one needs you because she is a little overwhelmed right now."
Lucifer got down on his knees next to Ella and gently rubbed circles between her shoulders. Not much later, the wings disappeared, and she fell into her Devil's arms. He gently helped her upright and led her away from the thrones. When the people at the screens heard Alex's warm words and saw before them the picture of the future he was painting for Ella, everyone had gone silent. Suddenly someone began to chant her name after which in quick succession everyone began to join in. In the throne room, everyone heard more than clearly:
"ELLA...ELLA...ELLA...ELLA..."
Samantha had also shed some tears and he heard her say:
"Love, that was so powerful. Listen to our Angels they are already wild about her."
"Yep, like Samael said, apart from you and Molly those two are the youngest so let them break the city a little from time to time. Change is healthy."
With that, he received a gentle kiss from his Goddess which again elicited cheers and applause that could be heard as far away as the throne room. With a sneaky smile, he said quietly:
"Well apparently, they like you kissing me Red. I think you should please them more often."
This time the laugh was not only heard in his head but everyone in the throne room heard her genuine laughter. They did wonder what the reason for the laughter was, but Alexander's mischievous smile explained a lot. He looked at Azi and said:
"Aziraphael my friend, my brother, my dear idiot it is your moment to become Archangel, full member of the council and guardian of the written word. As long as there are Angels, Demons, Humans, and Celestials you will ensure that nothing from their written history is lost."
The Angel of low rank already had tears in his eyes and silently took a kneeling position on the pillow.
"Are you ready Azi?"
All he could do was nod as the crop in his throat did not allow him to speak. The same ritual repeated itself and from one moment to the next he was an Angel of the highest rank. Crowley was beside him very quickly and supported him toward his seat where they had each other in a firm embrace. Alex continued:
"And now we have four couples who have seen the future and want to embrace it fully. The first couple I want to bring forward to fulfill their wish are my left and right hand."
Michael and Celine moved toward the throne and knelt before the Gods.
"Michael and Celine without you two none of this would have been possible. Without you two I could never have accomplished this. Your names will never be forgotten because Samantha and I will not allow them to be forgotten. On the first page of the book that will be written about our epic journey, the first sentence, the first words will be Celine and Michael without whom Alexander could never have done this! You will become a new species, but nothing will change. You will look the same, you will feel the same in your hearts, and your thinking will not change. The only thing that changes is that your DNA is tweaked a bit."
He placed a hand on each head, and everything repeated itself again. They knew nothing had changed and yet they felt different, they felt one. Alex smiled and said:
"Oh yes, Celine, I raised you in rank at the same time. Unfortunately, I couldn't make you an Archdemon anymore, so I kept it to Arch-Celestial and for you the same Michael. Congratulations, you are not only the first of your kind but right away the first of the Arch-celestials."
They looked at him with wide eyes. A warm smile appeared on her face and suddenly she bowed her head to Samantha and then to Alexander as a sign of utmost respect for her Gods and gratitude. The next in line were Gabe and Anna. As they knelt on the pillow Alex spoke:
"Gabriel, my best friend you have meant so much to me over the last few thousand years. Your friendship sustained me emotionally when I was struggling. The friend I could always lean on when I needed it. Yet you betrayed me the moment we reached our goal."
The Angel looked at him startled and uncomprehending, and everyone had fallen silent. For a split second everyone feared something was wrong. Except Sam, of course, who knew what he was up to. But everyone soon saw the mischief in his eyes.
"Yes Gabe betrayal, my little sister was only just in Heaven, and you stole her! And you little Anna should not smile like that because you are happily conspiring with Gabe. However, this is a day of celebration so unfortunately, I cannot punish you. Tomorrow is not a day of celebration so may I urge you to keep in mind from tomorrow on that the only way you can make up for this conspiracy is to make sure that Samantha and I will be godfather and godmother to your firstborn in the future!"
The two looked at each other for a moment and Anna said softly:
"MyLady, MyLord the honor would be ours."
Alex placed his hands on their heads and the process took place once again. Gabriel was no longer an Archangel but an Arch-Celestial and Anna a Celestial. Paradise City and Dis slowly began to shake on their foundations because of the joy that reigned among the Angels and Demons. With an arm around each other's waist, they walked back to their seats. Alex called Azrael and Bearus forward. The two took their places on the cushion. Samantha addressed Rae Rae:
"Since we first met you ten years ago, we have become such good friends. Alex was so angry with your father when you told us how he had punished you. His temper had the upper hand for a moment, preferring to have already stormed Heaven that day and expelled him. When, after a journey of six thousand years, he was finally able to undo your punishment and his father's punishment, it was a relief. Balm for his soul one can say. He loves you like a little sister Rae Rae and I absolutely do too even though I am so unbelievably much younger than you are."
Alex said:
"Rae Rae, my little spy. Without you, I wouldn't have known where to start so you really were the first domino to fall. Bearus my general. You and Belios held me steadfast in Hell as we began to renovate it. In the moments when I was discouraged. Moments when it seemed we were taking one step forward and two backward. Since the fall of my father, you and Rae Rae have known that you belong together and, despite everything, remained steadfast in your belief that one day you would be able to be together. Well, that day is today. The first day of an eternity as equals."
Again he placed his hands on their heads and the process took place again. The last couple were Belios and Jophiel. He invited them to kneel before the throne. Thanked Belios in the same way he had thanked Bearus. To Jo, he said:
"My dear Jo since my arrival, since the day our beautiful children came into our lives you have never been far from them. With all the craziness that has taken place in such a short time Sam and I are sure we could not have managed without your help. Therefore, in the name of the children, Samantha and myself thank you for everything from the bottom of our hearts."
She looked at them with watery eyes and said:
"MyLady, MyLord the honor is truly mine. It is a privilege to be able to serve you and continue to serve you. I am sure there is not one Celestial, not one Demon, not one Angel, and not one Human who is not going to say the same thing. You have given thousands of us freedom and given all of us an almost blinding future."
Sam replied:
"Thank you Jo for your Sweet words."
After which Alex repeated the process yet again for the last couple and two more new Arch-Celestial were created. And then there was only one more. Alex said:
"Anthony J. Crowley come forward please."
The Demon who for once had abandoned his usual tight clothes and wore a dark tailored suit knelt before the Gods. Alex spoke but at first addressed not the Demon directly but everyone:
"Crowley claims that the J in his name doesn't stand for anything. That he just added it to his name tag because it looked cool. I can assure you all that this is not true. That the J does have a meaning."
He looked Anthony straight in the eye:
"My dear idiot, my friend, my brother, the J in your name stands for Juggernaut. Someone who is unstoppable, who cannot be taken away from his belief in what is good and right, who is unshakable. That's you along with your future husband."
He put his hands on Crowley's head and said:
"It is my honor to elevate you to Archdemon."
Once the process was complete, he bent forward and whispered:
"Go, and get into a little mischief..."
With that, the Demon got a rather mischievous smile and Alex winked at him. Sam who had seen everything happen asked silently:
"Alex, what did you whisper to our idiot?"
"Nothing love. Well, it could be that Samael might experience some heartburn again in the future."
And again she could not hold back, and her laughter echoed through the throne room and the big screens. Should the Demons and Angels not have been sold yet, that laugh and what followed was the deciding factor. Alex had risen from his throne and took his soon-to-be in his arms. He kissed her softly on the mouth and for a moment they danced very slowly to music that they could only hear in their heads. Suddenly he heard her voice again in his head:
"Alex we do have some sad little faces in the audience."
He turned and saw David, Sarah, and Jasmine looking at him. Sam heard him say:
"I think I know what this is about. Fancy another ride on the throne darling?"
"With you always love."
They sat back down, and Alex said:
"David, Sarah and Jasmine come over here, will you?"
The three came to stand in front of them. Sam asked:
"What's the matter, you guys look so sad when it's a day to celebrate."
David said softly:
"Trixie has her wings and so does Grandma Ella. When will we get our wings?"
Alex replied:
"We think it's going to be like your mom who got her wings around age 12."
Jasmine got a frown and said:
"But you guys say I have to be fourteen then why don't I have my wings yet?"
Everyone had become dead silent, not wanting to miss a second of what was going on.
"Good question Jasmine. It's because you've only had a body for a very short time."
The three continued to look bewildered. Alex and Sam looked at each other but no one could hear what they were saying to each other.
"Love, do you think it's a good idea to give them wings?"
"Trixie has them too, they can all four learn to fly together. And I have just decided that Muriel is the perfect person to teach them how to fly, so Micky will get a piece of it too. Can you already see him flying after four fired-up kids?"
"That's mean Alex so yes let's do that!"
The attendants saw that just about at the same time they got the familiar sneaky smile on their faces and Alex said:
"You know what kids, I could give you your wings today so you could learn to fly together with Beatrice but on one condition. All four of you have to..."
And he pointed to Muriel standing hand in hand with Micky:
"Ask Aunt Muriel over there if she would teach you to fly."
The four stormed toward Muriel and Micky, and the big broad warrior suddenly felt himself in the absolute minority with four kids around him who were working his girlfriend with please, please, please. Muriel agreed, seeing exactly what the intentions were of Sam and Alex when she looked into their eyes and finding it quite a pleasant prospect as well. The three just about came sprinting back and stood waiting in front of the throne. Alex said:
"Come, David, take your place."
The boy knelt before his father, who placed a hand on his head. After the light disappeared, two blood-red wings suddenly shot out with green and blue accents clearly visible. Alex took a deep breath; these were his original wings. The blood red of Hell was complemented by the green Samantha always wore and his preference for blue. Then it was Sarah's turn. With her came beautiful green wings with red and blue accents. At the sight of the two of them having their wings, Sam got watery eyes. These were her wings with the red of Alex's wings and the blue he always wore. Last was Jasmine and she had formidable wings that seemed to imitate a Jasmine.
This ended the first part of the ceremony. Everyone was given an hour's break. Those in the throne room to recover from the emotions. The Angels and Demons to process everything they have been shown and no doubt would talk about it excitedly with those around them at the big screens. There was something that struck Alex more and more. All morning he had seen the six children near each other from time to time, busy whispering. Although he found it strange, he didn't seek much behind it given the day's festivities. Little did he know that David was his son in more ways than he had previously thought. After fifteen minutes, Azi and Crowley disappeared towards the garden to get ready for their wedding. The kids followed the two closely. Seemingly they had decided to play their part in all three weddings. Fifteen minutes before it was time, the others left the throne room. Alex suddenly felt himself getting nervous again. Samantha noticed and asked:
"What's the matter sweet?"
He grunted softly:
"I thought I was over it but now I'm starting to get nervous again."
She gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek and said:
"That's normal dear, you are going to bless two friends, two brothers their marriage, and then your dad and Ella. Everything will be fine."