Soul Census - War of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 2.4 - The Plan

Earth Date: 5th of September 1340 CE
Location: Aaru, Spirit Realm

The two of them walked in silence for a moment, their hooded brown robes contrasted starkly against the white of this otherworldly place. As they reached the end of a hallway, it extended out further, essentially creating itself upon approach.

“This place-- Aaru, allows all manifestations to seem very real,” Vero said. “I come to Aaru to practice my craft. Test ideas before attempting them in lesser settings.”

Zarad wondered if that is one of the reasons Vero was such a good Ethereal Artisan; all of his creations back in the Spirit Realm were renowned for their authenticity. Even so, nothing he had ever created matched this human body.

With each step, Zarad felt what it was like to really be human-- the breathing, the vulnerability, the aches, the very density of moving a physical body... it was akin to wearing a really thick and uncomfortable coat.

And then there was the dulling of the senses-- his sight narrowed to a mere 120 degrees... may as well be blind when compared to the clarity and infinite sight of the soul.

Hearing was also restricted, but this wasn’t actually a bad thing. Coupled with the inability to telepathize, the deafness was a welcome blanket of silence that would make meditation easier.

“Why are we in this form?” Zarad said.

Vero pointed to his forehead.

“The silence makes our talk more private.”

So that was the reason. Human form made it difficult for spirits to read his thoughts.

“Thank you,” Vero said. “For accepting the assignment.”

Zarad cocked an eyebrow at him, the human gesture seemed so automatic-- amazing how quickly the soul integrates with the body.

“I never said I accepted. I said I would meditate on it.”

Zarad could see a slight smirk from within Vero’s hood. Sometimes Vero seemed to know him more than he knew himself.

“Of course,” Vero said. “Thank you nonetheless.”

They soon reached a hallway that ended without expanding further out. Instead it became a barrier door, with a medallion at its center containing writing and symbols-- similar to the doors he had snooped earlier.

Vero reached into his robe and pulled out a hidden medallion of his own, pressing it against the door. The barrier then caved inward, allowing them passage. The room on the other side looked like a featureless haze, which would probably reveal itself to be more once entered.

“What are those symbols, Vero?” he said.

Vero stepped in first, Zarad following.

As expected, the room change upon entering. It was now a human-like dwelling; complete with couches, chairs, and even a fireplace that crackled alive. Random artwork and other adornments painted the walls.

“The doors have a special language,” Vero said. “Only known by the Elders.”

Zarad grinned. “And some Guides too?”

Vero turned to him, a stern look on his face. For a moment, Zarad wondered if he said something wrong.

“Yes,” Vero said, forcing a smile. “Some Guides as well.”

He then sat at one of the couches facing the fireplace, then gestured for Zarad to sit as well.

Zarad sat in the other couch, feeling the repelling force of the cushion against his body-- it was a strange feeling not being able to pass through matter.

“I do not really agree with the council,” Vero said. “I do not believe you are ready to be parted from Aloli for this assignment.”

Zarad felt shocked at his words. For whatever reason, he could never predict Vero’s way of thinking.

“Why did you vouch for me then?” he said. “I can tell that you pushed hard to get me here... why?”

“There were two reasons,” he began. “One was the alternative that the Council proposed. They wanted to impose a special Fugue on you, one that would continue even as you are disincarnate-- it would have erased your memories of Aloli. I rejected this as I felt it was completely immoral.”

Zarad tried to imagine how that could even be possible. The Fugue is the amnesia applied to mortal, incarnated life-- but not a soul’s memory!

“I did not think that was possible...” he said. “A Fugue for the soul?”

“Unfortunately, it is,” Vero said. “It is a barbaric practice, reserved only for very heavy, troubled souls... and only as a last resort.”

A last resort... he wondered if the alternative was casting them to Tartarus.

“You said there were two reasons you vouched for me. What was the second?”

Vero stood up and went over to a pile of split logs, he picked one and then tossed it into the fire. The wood crackled and embers flickered. As he tended it with a fire iron, smoke began to fill up the room. Zarad coughed and turned away.

As he cleared his lungs, he wondered if it was possible to feel death within this very realistic human body.

As the wood got heated, the fire began to settle down and the smoke in the room cleared up. Vero sat back down and spoke.

“Tossing a seemingly young, wet piece of wood into a fire can yield unpredictable... chaotic results. But as you can see, if you are patient and allow the wood to burn long enough it, will become one with the fire-- calming it... even as it is consumed by it.”

Zarad gave his Guide a raised eyebrow.

“Are you comparing me to a wet piece of wood?”

Vero smiled.

“I have mentored you for many Cycles, Zarad. I saw your Circle birthed from the Source. I watched you and those from your Circle advance... you, Freya, Anundr and of course, Aloli.”

Zarad never realized that Vero was around for so long-- that he even saw his Circle... his family’s birth. Vero must have been much older than he realized. Someone so advanced and wise, why hadn’t Vero already ascended to the Council by now?

“You were the wettest wood,” Vero continued. “But I saw in you the potential to kindle the brightest fire.”

Vero leaned in closer to him, almost whispering.

“The Soul Sphere has many powers. Many secrets as well. Not all of which even the Elders know about.”

Vero reached into his robe and showed him the medallion.

“I can show you how to read these symbols and craft your own medallion. And with it you can learn the secrets of the Soul Sphere. Together we can use it to contact Aloli, Freya, Anundr-- your entire Circle, while still tending to your assignment as the Caretaker on the sphere.”

Zarad’s thoughts raced with excitement. He had never even considered the possibility of being able to contact Aloli during his assignment.

“In exchange for this,” he continued. “You must do some things for me, and your Circle. These tasks are of great importance to the future of humanity and spiritkind. But we must keep this secret from all others... even the Elders.”

Zarad felt a bit of shock at those words.

Secrets? Ethereal beings seldom kept anything from each other.

“But...” Zarad stammered. “How would we protect such secrets... and why?”

Vero pulled away and gazed back at the fire.

“I am about to tell you a great secret that the Elders are afraid of admitting. Something only a few of us Guides and Grandmasters know about.”

Vero paused a moment before continuing.

“Aside from my teachings, which were few on this matter, what do you know about the Presence?”

This conversation was becoming more and more unexpected.

“The Presence?” Zarad said. “Well, it’s simply a fact of ethereal existence. The Presence simply is, what else was there to know about it?”

Vero chuckled, something he had never heard from him.

“A very textbook answer. The Presence is not a mere fact, nor is it an intangible myth. There is an unspoken hierarchy in the Spirit Realm, Zarad. The spirit councils provide teachings and pass down assignments to souls, as well as support to the Guides. The Elder Council is the highest sentient authority, they push down the strategic spiritual guidance to the lower councils and are supposed to be receiving their divine instruction from the Presence itself.”

Vero hunched over in his couch, staring intently at the flames.

“The secret that I am telling you is that the Elder Council does not speak to the Presence, or perhaps more so, the Presence does not speak to them.”

Vero turned to him, yellow and orange flames reflected in his eyes as he spoke.

“The Presence does speak to some of us who are not on the council. And it has told us that we must start a divine crusade. One that the rest of your Circle has already begun, down on Earth.”

He put his hand on Zarad’s shoulder.

“As Caretaker of the Soul Sphere, your part is the most important. Do you trust me, Zarad?”

“Of course, master... of course I do.”

Vero smiled and nodded.

“Listen to me and I promise that you and Aloli will be reunited at the end of this. And together we will advance spiritkind to a new level of ascension.”