Soul Census - War of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 3.2: Soul Sphere

Earth Date: 6th of September 1340 CE
Location: The Window Room, Soul Sphere

The journey to the Soul Sphere reminded Zarad of the disincarnating journey-- a white tunnel of light, a feeling of immense clarity in thought, and a projection of love pouring into him from all around. However, this moment of nirvana did not end as it normally would upon acclimation into his new surroundings-- instead the sensation continued.

Zarad was in an enormous chamber, hovering over a hexagonal symbol much like the one in Aaru that transported him here. The ground itself was composed of interconnecting, semi-translucent blocks that rippled like waves of water underneath him. Inside the aqua-colored blocks, he could see countless white flakes coursing through it.

As he turned, he noticed that he cast a purple shadow on the ground, which the flakes swam frantically under, like fish rushing to eat fresh chum. The flakes seemed to be alive, or some kind of spirit manifestation-- but their silence was unlikely to confirm or explain to him their purpose.

Zarad moved his gaze up beyond the ground toward the surrounding structure. He was inside a huge, translucent globe connected to an outer level by luminous, white and green veins of light. Zarad could see the veins expand and squeeze green energy into the surrounding globe. Globes of energy floated inward, merging with the magnificence that floated in the center of this construction-- the tree.

As he settled his gaze on it, the tree introduced itself to him. Zarad felt an immense outpouring of love and wisdom from it as it spoke, and he realized it must have been the source of the sensation of nirvana that he continued to feel. It called itself the Sacred Tree, others called it the Tree of Life.

Zarad tried to question it, but the answers it gave were so cryptic and complex that it was beyond his ability to comprehend. The tree may well have been trying to give Zarad the answers he sought, but he was not advanced enough to understand it. Its purpose would remain a mystery for now.

Despite the moniker, it was not really a tree. It was not organic, no bark on its trunk and no chlorophyll in its leaves. Yet, it did have a trunk and it did have leaves... and even fruits.

The center of the tree pulsated with a red, beating energy. Hanging from its branches like fruit were other worlds-- he recognized Earth on one of them, the red planet of Mars, and Jupiter’s moon Europa. The rest of the worlds were unknown to him, comprised of beautiful ringed worlds and some violent-looking orange and red planets.

Draped over each world was a translucent fabric that looked like a leaf. He noticed that Earth’s leaf covered it completely, while most of the other worlds had smaller leaves that did not so closely hug their worlds.

Zarad wondered if the size of the leaves had some bearing on the level of reincarnation taking place in each world. He knew from Vero’s teachings that Earth was one of the most heavily transmigrated worlds, a ‘boot camp’ for reincarnating souls to more aggressively advance their karmic progression.

At the base of the Sacred Tree was a massive trunk made of an intricate pattern of crisscrossing lines of yellow and red energy. It stretched down into a tunnel that shot past the periphery of the globe into a seemingly endless chasm of blackness.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice startled him.

Zarad focused his attention at the spirit that entered the chamber. It was hazy at first, but he could tell it was an advanced soul from the purple energy that pulsated from its core.

As it approached, Zarad could make out a humanoid figure with yellow feathered wings rising from its back. Two arms and legs, and a golden halo floated above its human face-- a face he recognized from a long time ago.

“Freya!” Zarad said.

Although she smiled, her towering angelic figure was intimidating to behold.

“Hello Zarad,” she threw her arms around him.

He felt her energy surround him, her warmth tickling the surface of his soul and exciting him-- he felt both embarrassed and guilty at enjoying that feeling with someone besides Aloli, but it was not something he was able to suppress.

“I missed you!” Freya said, releasing him from her embrace.

“And I you, sister,” Zarad said. “What are you doing here... this is the Soul Sphere, isn’t it?”

Freya nodded, her smile ever-present and never fading.

“Oh, indeed yes,” she said. “This particular chamber is the most important of all. It leads to the Axis Mundi-- the navel of the universe. It connects all the different physical and spiritual worlds together. Souls pass through the Sacred Tree on their way to physical incarnation.”

The description sparked a memory in Zarad, stories he remembered about the Sacred Tree and how it was supposedly the source of all physical life in the universe. Zarad was taught that physical life was created by the Elders-- was it possible that they created the tree as well?

“Why the form of a tree?” Zarad wondered aloud.

“Trees are everywhere in physical life,” she said. “the Sacred Tree’s roots reach out from here all the way into the physical world. Its presence sprouting out from every crevice of the Earth. From every plant, blade of grass, and underwater seaweed-- she is everywhere.

“It is ironic that to the living that trees seem as silent as the dead, yet they are the source of all life.”

Freya pointed at one of the worlds that hung off its branch.

“Earth is one of the juiciest of the tree’s fruits,” she said. “Beautiful isn’t it? I do miss being there.”

“These are beautiful manifestations,” Zarad said. “I think even Vero would be impressed by them.”

Freya laughed, for some reason her laughter made him think of what flowers might sound like if they could sing.

“Those are not bland spirit-made manifestations,” she said. “Those are the real thing.”

Zarad’s gaze jumped between the worlds-- Earth, Mars, Saturn and the others he did not recognize.

“How can that be? They’re so... small,” he said.

Freya pointed to Earth, never removing her smile off him. In that moment, the chamber lit up as countless stars and galaxies filled the room.

A cluster of stars and gaseous nebula floated near Zarad. On a whim, he reached a tentacle out to touch it. Although his hand passed through it, he felt within it the fury of stars radiating raw energy into the cosmos.

“Everything is small,” Freya said. “When observed from something so big. Only a few have had the opportunity to view things from this perspective. You are part of a privileged circle now, brother.”

Zarad returned his gaze to Earth. Despite the celestial crowd around them vying for attention, the blue planet still stood out.

“Ironic that such beauty could also hide such cruelty and sadness,” he said. “I must disagree with you, sister. I don’t miss being there at all. I prefer the sanctity of home.”

Freya flung her arm around him. Zarad quivered from the energy in her touch.

“What is home to you, my brother?” she said.

Zarad felt surprised at the question.

“Well, the Spirit Realm, of course...”

Freya leaned in close, still smiling.

“A place where you are forced to do nothing but study,” she said. “Read life books, create false replicas of Earthly existence in an attempt to experience the magic of physical life.”

Zarad saw a fire her eyes, it reminded him of the same fire he saw in Vero’s eyes when he spoke of the plan.

“And then even when embarking on the beautiful journey of incarnation,” she said. “It is laced with the sadistic plans of the council. Pressured by them to orchestrate future lives in which you might be asked to play the role of a murderer or a victim of murder, all in an effort to balance karma... as if balancing karma was the only way to the Presence. Is that existence truly sanctimonious to you?”

Zarad froze for a moment to take that in. He had never thought of the Spirit Realm in such a way before. Although her words were intense, she never seemed to lose her smile.

“That world,” she said, pointing to Earth again. “Has more to offer in one life than an eternity of studying in the safety and coddling of that illusion the Elders put together.”

Zarad saw her smile flicker a bit at the word Elders.

“We are taught that physical incarnation is an illusion,” she continued. “But it’s really the other way around.”

Freya flapped her wings, flying up to the tree. As she hovered, she caressed Earth with her hand.

“The chaos in this blue globe shatters the illusion of the Spirit Realm, and its fragments fly in the face of the Elders. The foundation of the Spirit Realm is built on an illusion. An illusion created by the Elders to hide the truth that they are afraid of anyone discovering.”

As Zarad listened, he could not help but hear Vero in her words.

“The truth about the Presence,” Zarad said.

Freya flew back to his side, her smile fading for the first time.

“We will all have to go to Earth soon,” she said. “Our Circle has been graced by the Presence with an important mission... a crusade to topple the grand illusion. You must be ready to return there when the time comes, even if it is without Aloli.”

“What do you mean without Aloli?” Zarad said, feeling his energy erupt with anger. “Vero said I would be going back to her!”

Freya put her hand on his shoulder, and he immediately felt a soft calm penetrate him.

“There is something that threatens our plans,” she said. “You have seen the dark void surrounding Aaru?”

Zarad shuddered at the reminder of that place.

“Yes...” he said.

“The Elders, in their attempt to strengthen their bond with the Presence, awoke a sleeping evil,” she said, a grave look on her face as she faced him. “One they cannot control, which possesses the power to destroy us all... the power to send us to ethereal death.”

Zarad felt his energy go cold. He did not think such a thing was possible... the death of a soul?

But he saw it himself, he saw Tartarus-- the great destroyer of spirits. Even his worst nightmares were possible now.

“What does this have to do with Aloli?” he said.

Freya held her hand out to the tree and the room darkened.

A black cloud spread out and covered the spherical chamber, obscuring both the stars and galaxies from view. Despite the murky clouds, the blue of Earth leaked through.

“The black void threatens it all,” Freya said, motioning around them. “Tartarus grows through the Elders’ failed attempts to control it.”

She drew closer to Zarad, pointing toward Earth.

“Its dark tendrils reach out to destroy everything, yet Earth resists it.”

Freya turned to look at him, an intense gaze absent of levity.

“The war will start on Earth. Its outcome will decide the future of Earth and the Spirit Realm. Waiting will be forces that lurk in the void.”

Freya looked into his eyes, the blue of Earth reflected off of her golden halo.

“Aloli is in danger because she is not advanced enough,” she said. “There will be a time soon where only the strongest of us will survive the coming of Tartarus. That is why you are here, brother.”

She waved a hand and the void disappeared, the chamber returning to its original splendor.

“You will take my place here,” she said. “You will be the Caretaker of the Soul Sphere so that I can return to Earth, to help prepare those souls who are not ready for what comes.”

“You will help her then?” Zarad said. “You’re going to save Aloli?”

“Yes,” she said, putting her hands around her halo. She then took it off her head and presented it to him. “And you will save the rest of us, by taking over this place.”

Zarad looked at the halo, uncertain as to what he should do.

As flawed as the council was, it seemed fundamentally wrong to go against them. But at the same time he could not let Aloli suffer. And then there was the evil of Tartarus-- if it is true that Tartarus is growing, it could be the end of everything.

Zarad put his tentacle hands on the halo, as he did so he felt his form changed.

A face, a human body, white robes covering him, a golden sash with a scabbard and sword, and from his neck hung a medallion, similar to Vero’s. And just as he changed into an angel, Freya returned to her native ethereal spirit form.

“I miss your wings,” Zarad said.

Freya smiled and pointed a tentacle at him.

“They look just as good on you,” she said.

Zarad felt the wings coming out of his back now. He flexed them and noticed that the yellow feathers glistened with the sparkle of encrusted diamonds.

“I must go,” she said. “The Soul Sphere is your responsibility now. Follow your duties and expect a visitor before the time comes.”

“Duties?” he said. “But I don’t know what to do...”

“It will be fine,” she said and then blew him a kiss. “Farewell, Caretaker...”

And with that, Freya vanished, leaving Zarad alone to begin his assignment on the Soul Sphere.