As the years rolled by, Vade grew more confident and powerful. His mind expanded at a rate that was unbelievable even by beings from a distant universe. In time, he established the dynamics of his relationship with Uriel. Uriel was his adviser and consigliere, nothing more. Uriel was under his control and he could summon or dismiss him as he pleased.
However, this wasn't entirely true. For Uriel simply obeyed the boy's command for he knew that was what was necessary for the child's growth. The child needed to be proud to the extent of arrogance, confident to the extent of hubris. For only a man who is driven absolutely mad by pride would believe that he can go against Gad and win. And so it was that Uriel stood by Vade like a lowly servant, for he knew that even when Vade ascended the throne, he would still be nothing more than a lowly servant and chief advisor. Or at least that was what Vade and the rest of existence was going to think. For Uriel from the position of lowly servant was perfecting the process of manipulating the child like a puppet. Uriel had no plans to be a mere servant or consigliere, he wanted to be the puppet master that controlled Vade. After all, he already held the title of adviser of Gad. He wasn't going to go through all the trouble of usurping Gad just to remain in the same position.
In time Uriel learned how to make the boy do things while convincing him that it was his idea. However, ideas and intelligence weren't all that Uriel thought the young boy and they weren't all that the young boy excelled in.
At the age of five, Uriel woke Vade up in the middle of the night and carried the young child in his arms to a clearing in the forest outside the city.
'What are we doing here Uriel,' Vade asked clearly annoyed that his slumber was interrupted.
'Training,' Uriel said as he set the boy down on solid ground.
'Training,' Vade asked, his eyes squinted in confusion. 'Tell me, Uriel, what sort of training required you to steal me from my bed and bring me to this vile forest.'
'Magical training,' Uriel said, unleashing some of his power so he towered over the tiny child. This was very important as he was going to need to protect the world from the unleashing of the child's power. He wasn't in his full form yet but it was the first time that he was showing himself as more than the quiet man who appeared and disappeared from time to time. Vade's jaw dropped and it took a few seconds for him to speak.
'You are an angel.'
'Yes,' Uriel said, amused by the effect that he had on the boy. The boy's blue eyes sparkled with wonder and his jet black hair seemed to shine from the light that radiated from Uriel's presence. 'Now,' Uriel continued. 'Let's begin.'
'Begin what,' Vade said, recovering from the awe that had struck him and adjusting to Uriel's new form. 'I don't have magic that needs training. I can carry out a few tricks at best as that is my destiny as written by the fact that my parents are slightly blessed. My father is a fire mage but the best he has is a few fireworks and the ability to keep the furnace of his tiny factory working twenty-four hours. And yet he is a god, compared to my worthless mother who is a water mage and her neatest trick is filling the tub in one swoop.'
'You are a bit harsh on your parent's Vade.'
'No, I am not. I am being honest. And if my tone seems spiteful or bitter, it is because I am mad that you brought me out here, in the middle of nowhere, to waste my precious time on something I have no talent for. Time, that could have been spent sleeping and recovering strength, or better yet, time that could have been spent acquiring new knowledge.'
'Fine, you want us to be honest and factual, lets do it then,' Uriel said, returning to the form that Vade was familiar with so he could discuss with him more easily. He knew that he wasn't going to get Vade to put in real effort if he didn't convince him properly.
'Tell me Vade, why are you intelligent?' Uriel asked as he stood right in front of the tiny boy.
'Pardon?' Vade replied, confused.
'Well, from your argument which you have so tactlessly and gracelessly presented, your ability is based on the ability of your parents. Your parents are poor magicians, therefore you can't be a great magician. Using that same argument, you should be only a few brain cells above imbecility. For your mother is bother line an imbecile and your father is a few points below the average I.Q. I mean he is smarter than your mom but he isn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox. And yet here you are, a freaking genius who challenges the intellect of an angel such as myself, despite being only five years of age.'
'I see your argument but your point eludes me. You have taken the liberty of insulting my parents, clearly, this point of yours is worth it.'
'Come on Vade, you are smart enough to understand what I am saying. Even your mother would have gotten my point by now.'
'I know what you are trying to say but I would like you to spell it out.'
'Why?' Uriel asked angrily.
'Humor me,' Vade said with a sneer.
'I am not a toy or a pet for your entertainment.'
'Then what are you?'
'An angel,' Uriel shot back.
'No, you are not. I have been reading the books of old, the legends and the myths. Lucifer's rebellion, Michael and his fists, Gabriel with the scrolls and mankind with all his gifts, and I don't see you in all of this. So who are you?'
'Uriel,' Uriel said growing infuriated for the first time since he met Vade. 'I am an angel of Gad. Clearly, you must have heard about me in the books. Clearly, there were some mentions of me. The one who guarded the Garden of Eden with his flaming sword. That was me.'
'Oh yes, I remember. The angel who lingered between the realms of slight usefulness and absolute mediocrity,' Vade said, enjoying the way he was taunting Uriel. 'But you don't seem like him. For one he wouldn't waste his time with the child of a mortal.'
Uriel squinted as he tried to understand what Vade was trying to do. The boy was rude and obnoxious, that was always clear and that made him special. But today, the child had an agenda. Uriel thought hard for a few long seconds before seeing through the ruse of the devilish boy. He smiled, impressed and amused as usual. The boy was scared of failing. Vade had been so impressive that Uriel had almost forgotten that he was but a boy. The child was scared of disappointing Uriel by trying magic and failing woefully.
'You are scared,' Uriel said.
'No I am not,' Vade shot back angrily and Uriel knew for sure that he had struck the nerve of truth.
'Yes you are, and that is a sign of intelligence. Although, in this case, it is on the verge of holding you back. See a lot of people fail because they estimate their abilities and draw conclusions about what they can or cannot do. In the past, it was a good thing. It stopped members of your race from jumping off high cliffs time and time again, hoping they could fly. Although some were quite stupid and they kept trying even after the death of those who had tried before them. Although said follishness can be called experimentation and experimentation is the basis of science. Then there were those who turned to technology and cracked the code. But that's by the way. Point is, it was a good thing to estimate your powers and stay within your limits. But that isn't the case today neither is it the case for you.'
'I don't understand,' Vade replied. 'There are laws that guide the universe.'
'True. However, those laws are a bit flexible, provided you know how to bend them. Tell me Vade, what do you think magic is?'
'I don't know,' Vade replied, looking down in shame.
'Don't be ashamed, young one. Most humans don't know what magic is and those who do only know a deeper layer of it and don't know what to do with that deeper layer of information. But no one on earth except me knows what magic and blessings are at their core. But let me tell you this, magic is Gad's gift to mankind.'
'Pfft,' Vade hissed. 'Pathetic. I thought you were about to say something profound, not dogmatic brouhaha. You sound like my mother, and that is in no way a compliment. If I knew that you wanted a textbook definition of magic I could have given you twelve without thinking twice'
Uriel smiled. Clearly, the boy wasn't ready for the deepest of truths so he told him a lie that would help him for the time being. Like training wheels so that Vade would at least learn how to ride.
'I know in your mother's church they say magic is Gad's gift. And whether they are right or wrong is none of our business for today. I also know that in your school they have thought you that magic is the channeling of energy to control elements. But today, I shall tell you the truth about magic. Magic is the manipulation of reality. Your parents are fools who tried magic once, had a pitiful result, and immediately believed that they were bad at it. This belief was solidified by society and now they can't progress as magicians no matter how hard they try. That is why I brought you here before your determination. You are young and your mind is flexible. You can believe anything and that my dear boy is more important than you know. For I swear by myself that if you can believe anything, you can do anything.'
'Including falling for scams like a fool,' Vade said jokingly.
'You are too smart to fall for scams. But you are also smart enough to see unbelievable things that are true and believe in those things.'
'You speak in complicated parables and I detest it. I have some understanding of what you are getting at. You are walking on a tight rope that lies between wisdom and foolish dogma. But you walk the rope quite well like a cat. Anyways, you have brought me out here, I might as well give this foolishness my best shot,' Vade replied as he pulled off his shirt because he believed that would be neccessary and preparedhimselffor Uriel's instruction.