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by AJVega
Rated: 13+ · Book · Fantasy · #1877118
Paranormal fantasy set in 1930s. Elements of Reincarnation, Soulmates, Mythology & Nazis
#756086 added July 26, 2019 at 10:34pm
Restrictions: None
Chapter 2.3 - Spirit Elders

Earth Date: 5th of September 1340 CE
Location: Enroute to Aaru

Zarad observed the spirit world compress into a flat line of shimmering energy, amid a canvas of deep black. The line began to dim, traversing through shades of gray until it faded away, leaving him in a universe of complete darkness.

Startled, he realized that he was alone in this dark void and wondered if something had gone wrong in the transference. Had Vero accidentally thrown him into the wrong realm?

What is this place?

He searched the void for an answer, but there was nothing there.

His mind replayed stories he had heard in both spirit and Earth realms, about a place where broken souls go.

Cast by their negative karma into a realm of darkness that is filled with a vortex that sucks and destroys consciousness. A vortex that breaks down the soul into mindless energy... like a huge spirit grinder. Its scraps reconstituted into the Source, for the birthing of new spirits.

In incarnate life it was called hell. Among spiritkind it was called Tartarus. A place the Guides said did not even exist.

But it does exist, he thought to himself as he searched the darkness.

No sign of Vero, or any twinkle of light. No hint of a soul to guide him out of this place.

Instead, his gaze was drawn to a disturbance in the distance. A ball of pulsating dark energy.

Like a beating heart, it constricted and expanded, sending rippling waves of energy throughout the expanse... waves of negative energy.

So powerful the black beating heart, it rattled him-- the spirit energy within his ethereal body flickered. He struggled to keep its cohesion.

It is... Chaos...

His thoughts began to fade, a cloud of slumber washed over him. For the first time as a spirit, Zarad felt fear.

And just when he felt hope leave him, a warm presence touched his mind.

“Be calm, Zarad,” Vero said. “Do not let this place taint the pureness of your soul. We are almost there...”

A brilliant ribbon of energy launched out from the void, latching itself onto him. It was a spirit manifestation and he could see Vero’s unique signature within it.

The ribbon spoke to him, giving him a reassuring introduction of itself... and it was going to help him.

While still in mid-thought, it yanked him out and transported him into a new dimensional plain.

Sparse and weightless like his native spirit world, he immediately felt comfortable and at ease. He knew instantly that he was in Aaru, home of the Elder spirits.

As everything began to materialize, he found himself inside a vast, three-dimensional structure comprised of floors, walls and a ceiling. All around he saw shimmering beams crisscrossing to form the layers of material that held it together.

The beams themselves made a terse introduction of themselves, explaining that their purpose was to shield the council chamber from the dark void beyond the outer walls. He could sense a feeling of pride as they revealed the importance of their function.

While listening, he noticed the structure buckle inward, as it struggled to keep its shape.

The beams roared at him, quickly reassuring him that they were more than strong enough to keep the darkness outside at bay.

Taking advantage of the dialog, he pressed them on the subject, but they would not explain anything about the dark void.

“Was worth a try,” he said aloud.

Zarad dropped his gaze to look at the rest of his surroundings.

As with most spirit manifestations, the chamber was blurry and mostly featureless until one approached. He probed the structure with his mind, feeling the walls that spread out all around. He saw ethereal arteries stretch out along the walls, carrying white flickering energy that danced along their paths.

He followed an artery that branched out into veins that fed into a new area lined with rooms. Twelve rooms in total, each with a barrier that prevented his entry. Etched on all of them were symbols and writing he could not read. Neither the barriers nor the symbols introduced themselves.

Feeling that perhaps he was probing an area he should not have, he retreated away and back to the chamber, returning to his ethereal body. He focused on his immediate surroundings, allowing the chamber to reveal itself. A crescent-shaped table took form in the center. The table twinkled with light from the brilliance of countless stars that seemed to live inside it.

Upon gazing at it, the table spoke to him-- it gave a short and seemingly incomplete explanation of itself. The table housed a representation of the entire human universe, with planets, stars, and entire galaxies moving through space and time within it-- all of this observed by the twelve Elders who sat there.

The Elders’ purple energy dwarfed any he had seen before, so blinding he could not stare at them for long. Even Vero, who he thought to be the brightest soul he had gazed upon, was gray in comparison.

Vero hovered beside him, in his native ethereal form.

“I am sorry you had to experience that,” Vero said. “It is the realm in between, for which we must pass through before arriving here in Aaru.”

“What was that dark place, Vero?” he said. “Was that really Tartarus...?”

Vero held up his tentacle, a motion to be silent.

“Why are you here?” one of the twelve said-- so bright, he could not tell which one.

If Zarad had a throat, he would be gulping.

“I... because I was summoned,” he said.

“Not you,” the Elder said. “Vero.”

Vero moved toward the table, stopping at the center of the chamber.

“Nariphil,” Vero bowed. “I come to help facilitate. Zarad is not... ready enough to engage with the council alone.”

Zarad felt a presence touch his mind-- powerful... yet gentle and warm. Despite the power of this presence, he felt calmed by it. Soothed. He had heard stories about the touch of the Elders... how it would bring clarity and peace over any soul.

Despite the beauty of the moment, he found himself thinking back to the episode with Vero, the deer and the leopard. Vero calmed the deer’s timid soul with a mere touch. Could it be that in comparison to the Elders, he was no more advanced than the deer was to Vero?

“He bears the purple mark,” Nariphil said. “He is capable of engaging with us.”

Vero seemed to retreat... Zarad could almost sense embarrassment from him.

“But,” another voice said, this one was feminine. “If Zarad wishes it, Vero may stay to observe.”

Vero bowed, “Thank you, Cyra.”

“Zarad,” Cyra said, her powerful melodic voice seemed to paralyze him. “Do you want Vero to stay?”

Vero half-turned to him, apparently awaiting his answer.

“Yes... stay,” Zarad said.

“Switch places,” Nariphil ordered.

Vero retreated back as Zarad took to the center.

As Zarad stood there, he realized there was a hexagonal outline on the floor with symbols he could not decipher. Now when he looked back at the council he noticed that the Elders were not as bright-- something in the hexagon made them dim enough for him to make out some vague features.

More human than ethereal in appearance, white robes draped down their bodies and feathery white hair strung down from their heads, with a halo floating over each of them. Five of them had the hint of a bosom-- perhaps feminine spirits.

All twelve wore a necklace with a round pendant at the end. Etched in each pendant was a unique pictogram, mostly of earthly animals. It was identical to what he saw on the room barriers. Perhaps signifying that each room belonged to a specific Elder.

As he studied the pendants, he tried to engage with them, to hear an introduction from them-- but if these were spirit manifestations, they were as silent as the ones on the room barriers.

“Do you know why you are here, Zarad?” Nariphil said.

Nariphil sat in the center of the crescent table, the symbol of his pendant was an eagle. Like the rest of them, all of their faces looked identical-- mostly featureless, with two bright glowing eyes and a black slit that moved when he spoke. It was an unusual and somewhat intimidating visage to use... unless this was just their naturally-evolved form?

“I am told that I am to be offered a job,” Zarad said.

“No,” Nariphil said. “That is the vehicle by which you will grow, but not the reason.”

Zarad waited, hoping he would explain further.

“I told you he would not understand,” Vero said. “We should not push this on him yet...”

One of the female Elders suddenly raised her hand, apparently a silencing gesture. Vero stopped talking.

“Do you want to know the reason, Zarad?” she said, he realized now that it was Cyra. He would recognize her now from the rose symbol of her pendant. “The reason is so simple a thing, yet also so complex.”

Zarad shrugged his tentacles. He wished he could just leave here and go back to Aloli.

“Love,” Cyra said. “Love brings you here. Your love for Aloli, and hers to you. You have been inseparable for hundreds of human lives... bonded by the force of love.”

“To your detriment,” Nariphil said. “Both of you... but you especially.”

“Disappointing,” another said. “Transformation is the purpose of the Cycle. Without change and challenges, transformation cannot be fostered. You are old enough to understand this, yet you continue to hold yourself back... chained by this weakness.”

They remained silent for a moment, perhaps waiting for him to say something.

“Love is a wonderful thing,” Cyra broke the silence. “We have all loved...”

“So long ago,” another interrupted. “In our youth when we knew no better.”

“No,” Cyra said. “Love creates. Do not forget that it is love from the Presence that spawns all light. Do not discount its role in the Cycle.”

There was another brief silence, nobody seemed to challenge her. He could see that she held a high rank in the council. As if almost reading his thoughts, she gestured to him.

“There are times young Zarad,” she began, “that you must experience a break from this attachment in order to experience personal growth.”

“No,” Zarad said. “Aloli is my soul mate. I will not be parted from her!”

He could sense Vero taken aback by the outburst-- but he could not contain himself.

“You would later be reunited,” Cyra said, her voice was like a blanket of calmness thrown on him. “And you will both be stronger and closer to each other when you do.”

Zarad realized that no matter what he said, he was not going to sway them.

“What is this punishment going to be that I must endure?”

Nariphil did something uncharacteristic of a higher spirit, he laughed.

“Punishment?” Nariphil said. “Punishment? It is an honor that we are gifting to you.”

“And a great responsibility,” Cyra said. “One that many souls aspire for on their way to becoming Guides and Elders.”

“So ungrateful,” another one said.

“No,” Cyra said. “He is just young, but he will learn.”

The conversation continued, with rapid exchanges between the Elders. He tried to follow the conversation, but eventually it was too fast and complex for him to understand.

Feeling a bit disengaged, he found himself probing through the structure again. His mind reached out to the area where the arteries branched out. Following them, he latched onto one that led him into a distant room.

Upon entering it, he felt a strange thickness in the atmosphere that vibrated through a wide range of frequencies-- from a low hum to a high pitch and then back down again. In the center, rising from the floor was a translucent bubble that partially reflected the surroundings.

Inside the bubble he saw what looked like a miniature tree inside it. The roots of the tree stretched out past the bubble. In its trunk was a black hole, as black as the void outside. As he stared at it, he saw something stir in the tree hole-- something with red colors...

“Good,” Vero said, snapping Zarad back from his venture. “They are going to continue with the plan.”

“What plan?” he stammered, returning to his body. “What is this thing they want me to do, Vero?”

“Something that will greatly advance you,” Vero said. “It will give you a preview of the gifts of the Elders.”

Vero and the Elders resumed their chatter. He tried to listen in, but as before it was too fast for him to follow. Curious about the strange room, he sent his mind back out to it.

He approached the bubble again, peering into it at the tree. He tried to get it to speak to him, but it was silent... except for a bit of movement inside the hole again. As he stared at it, something rose up out of the hole, it looked like an ethereal being, but instead of white energy, its colors were a deep red.

The tiny being floated up to the bubble’s membrane. Curiously, he put himself practically on top of the bubble. He watched the red being get closer, until he was able to see... a face! It was alive!

Excited, he tried to connect his mind to try and speak with it, but at that moment he felt a presence enter the room. Afraid of being discovered, he retreated away and returned to his ethereal body.

“Good— good!” Vero said. “They decided to give it to you.”

“They decided to give what to me?” Zarad said.

The cacophony of conversation between the Elders suddenly stopped.

Above the council table, a cloudy mass appeared. Vaporous white energy rotated and swirled around it until it materialized into a familiar place-- it was Earth. The bright blue of the planet tugged at him, reminding him of the fun that him Aloli had as humans. Around the planet he could see a small moon... it did not look like Earth’s moon though, it was something else.

As he gazed at the manifestation, it suddenly introduced itself. It described the meaning and purpose of the things he saw. It was not a moon orbiting Earth, it was something much greater-- the source of his new job...

“Soul Sphere!” Zarad said. “You want me to be the Caretaker of the Soul Sphere?”

His mind raced with thoughts, it was indeed an honor and an opportunity. It would have been one he would have loved to share with Aloli.

Aloli... his mind drifted to thoughts of her. He could not share this with her, share this experience with her. He would be going it on his own-- alone. His heart sank at the thought of being stuck in the Soul Sphere for probably a millennium before he could see her again.

“This is a critical time in human history,” Cyra said, waving her hand over the table as she spoke. Within the table, the imagery changed to show a close-up of the lands of Earth and its peoples. He saw armies fighting, ships on the ocean, and cities forming.

“Humanity is approaching the end of the Dark Ages,” Cyra said. “A Cycle filled with advanced souls will join this next Harvest of young souls who will help usher in Earth’s next age.”

“We have foreseen this,” Nariphil said. “A new age of renaissance and discovery.”

“And enlightenment,” another added. “So many cycles and we now finally see the results...”

Zarad wondered if Aloli would be down there, she was due to for an incarnate life. He felt sad again at the thought of her in a new life without him beside her. He imagined her being born, growing up in a circle of their closest souls, who would likely take the role of parents or siblings.

She would then continue on into teenage life and adulthood, eventually finding another mate... a husband. Then she would grow old with him and die. Zarad felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of someone else holding her love.

“You will have a critical role to play,” Vero said. “As Caretaker, you will monitor this Cycle from the Soul Sphere and report your records to the Research Council. And you won’t be completely alone there, I will be able to pay you a visit from time to time.”

Zarad thought it over and decided to ask a daring question.

“Do I have a choice in this?” he said. “Can I refuse this assignment?”

Vero bounced back and shrunk inward-- the ethereal version of being startled. It was not a reaction he had seen from Vero, who usually was so calm and collect in any situation.

“You can,” he said. “But you really can’t...”

“It is his decision,” Cyra interrupted. “This is not incarnate life, you can do anything you want.”

“Even if it means stunting your progress,” Nariphil said.

“You should do this,” Vero said. “This is a rare opportunity.”

Zarad could sense from him deep disappointment, probably from putting his reputation on the line. Zarad felt ashamed at the thought of hurting his mentor.

“You do not have to decide now,” Cyra said. “Please meditate on this and return with a decision when you are ready.”

Zarad did not want to meditate, he just wanted to find Aloli... see her one last time.

He looked at the Elders and bowed.

“Thank you,” he said. “This is a great honor. I will meditate on this.”

The Elders rose from their seats and gave a slight bow and began fading away. As they disappeared, they seemed to take most of the light in the chamber with them, leaving the room several shades darker in their absence.

So now he would need to return to his home and meditate. He looked up at the black void outside, shuddering at the thought of having to travel through that place again.

“I guess we have to go through,” Zarad said pointing a tentacle up. “That place...”

“No,” Vero said. “We cannot go now, it would be unwise.”

Although he felt relief at delaying the journey, he wondered what he meant.

“It is not good to go now,” Vero said, probably sensing his bewilderment. “The darkness had a taste of your light... it stirred up the... forces in that place. It will make the journey more... dangerous for you.”

“I don’t understand,” he said. “What is in there? What might happen?”

Vero’s ethereal body shifted, reforming into his human visage. Strangely, he beckoned for Zarad to follow suit.

With some reluctance, Zarad began the process of changing himself into the human Buddhist form. As he completed the metamorphosis, he felt something very different about it. It was more real, too real. Something about this place seemed to amplify the integrity of the human form.

“Come,” Vero said. “I will take you to a private meditation space and explain things along the way. There is much I have not told you...”


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