by David Walker
“That soul is a pillar? Which one?” Pythius asked, attempting to mask his desperation.
“I don't know. He's been deliberately hidden from us this whole time. I tried to reap him before it's too late.”
“Too late for what?”
“His illumination.”
“Even if he becomes illuminated, I have multiple threads set on him. I'll keep him in line.”
“Be wary of your games, trickster. There is something...familiar about him. He will be dangerous in the days to come.”
“Duly noted. Thank you for your time, Lord Metatron.” Pythius said. Metatron waved him away dismissively.
Pythius flew back into his domain within the cosmos. His thoughts dwelt on the pillars of life. It would take much work to reconfigure his pillar models. Notwithstanding, he was skeptical about the threat that the fiery soul posed. The soul did release the storm elemental Odei into the physical world, after all. Even so, Pythius would continue to keep a watchful eye on him.
* * *
Ordered Chaoz only sustained minor injuries after halting Operation Titan. Victor's armor sets provided them with crucial protection. This did not ease Shade's mind about the disaster that his guild narrowly avoided. While he admired Aftershock's thirst for justice, he felt that they were not equipped to handle Obfuscation. A single warrior nearly killed them all. What else was Obfuscation capable of?
Shade was even more concerned about the person that he was becoming. He never thought that he would come close to taking someone's life. Did the Maelstrom's Edge take him over, or was it his dark side that he had seen in the castle? What was the sparking, cloud entity? Shade noticed that a number of weather anomalies happened after he saw the being escape into the sky. What had he released into the physical world?
Shade was ambivalent toward his spiritual experience. He lacked confidence in what he had been taught about the spirit world. Were the blind leading the blind? Who were the black-hooded figures? Why did they want to kill him? Did angels really exist? Was he caught in the middle of a battle between good and evil? Shade became increasingly uncomfortable with his lack of spiritual knowledge.
He entered the Ordered Chaoz guild hall, looking for Victor. Seeing that Victor was absent, he went to go train in the training area until Victor arrived. Shade was surprised to see that Victor was in the training area himself, practicing combat forms that Shade had never seen.
“Ah, Shade. I'm glad you're here,” Victor said, as he finished an attack combination on a combat dummy. “I want to thank you for your bravery during Operation Titan. Even Trance admitted that everyone owed you their lives.”
“Oh...no problem. I wouldn't have been able to do anything if it weren't for the Maelstrom.”
“Ah, you've finally tapped into its power?”
“Yes. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about...I almost did something terrible when I tapped into its power. Something within me is...too dark for me to wield such a power.”
“We're all beings capable of great good and evil, light and darkness. The key is learning balance. I have no doubt that with proper focus, meditation, and training, you'd be able to properly balance your passions.”
“I appreciate your vote of confidence. Maybe you're right. Until that happens though, I need to give up this weapon,” Shade said, handing Victor the Maelstrom's Edge.
“I'm sorry to hear that, Shade. The Maelstrom's Edge will be waiting for you when you decide to take it back up.”
“Thank you, Victor. I appreciate all of the help and guidance that you've given me.”
“It's been my most distinct honor, friend,” Victor said, with a short bow of respect. Aftershock entered the training area. She looked concerned when she saw the Maelstrom's Edge in Victor's hands.
“Hey, hun. Is everything alright?” she asked.
“Let's take a walk,” Shade replied. Shade and Aftershock walked along the cobblestone streets of the Old Town district. It reminded him of their first experience together in Callisto.
“Are you leaving the guild?” Aftershock asked.
“No...well...I don't know. I need to take a break from all of this for a while and clear my head.”
“Okay...don't take too long. We need you.”
“...Honestly, I think we're in over our heads. We almost got killed.”
“We knew there would be risks. We'll get stronger, learn from our mistakes, and gather more intelligence.”
“I know. It's just...I'm not even sure what I'm fighting for or who I'm fighting...I need to figure out my place in all of this. I need to find my own path.” Shade explained. Aftershock stared silently at the ground and sighed. She looked at him and he could see sorrow, and perhaps, a slight disappointment, in her eyes.
“Just make sure you come back to us,” she said, kissing him gently on the forehead.
* * *
Shade sat in the garden inside of the opalescent dome and stared blankly at the fountain. He could not rid his mind of the angel's message: choose your path wisely or perish in the realm of death. What was the right path? What was he supposed to do?
Two bright figures clad in golden, translucent armors entered the garden. One of them had a lithe build with long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. The other had a muscular frame with a full head of white, woolly hair that looked like it was on fire. Their faces were illuminated with a warm glow. Shade entered a combat stance, now regretting having given up his Maelstrom's Edge.
“Who are you? How did you get here?” Shade demanded, eyeing them warily.
“My name is Isaac,” the figure with the ponytail said. He motioned over to the flaming-haired figure. “This is Nathanael.”
“We're not here to hurt you. We've come in the name of the King of Heaven,” Nathanael said.
“The meditation of your heart invited us into your heart realm,” Isaac explained. Shade dropped his guard. He had the feeling that he would be no match for these two anyway. They both exuded a power that was comparable to the mighty angel that he had seen.
“So, this realm is connected to my heart then,” Shade mused.
“Yes. There is much that we can teach you about the spirit world,” Isaac said.
“No offense, but why should I trust you two? You guys just popped up out of nowhere.”
“Because we come bearing the seal of the King of Heaven,” Nathanael said, holding a white parchment in his hands. He handed it to Shade. The parchment was sealed with a red, lustrous seal. Shade opened the parchment and read its golden letters:
“To my beloved Matthew. It has been a delight watching your life blossom. You've carried yourself with a sense of honor and integrity. I've allowed you to freely explore the world for a long time. Now, you must serve in my army. There are perilous times ahead and I need my greatest assets ready for the battle that is to come. Heed the words of my servants Isaac and Nathanael.”
The words dug deep into Shade's heart. When he read them, he felt a familiar presence overshadow him. An ethereal presence that seemed to have been with him for as long as he could remember. A presence that silently guided and comforted him. A father-like presence, giving him the strength that he needed to make it through all of the all pain that he had endured in his life. He nearly broke down into tears.
A sharp sense of cynicism stirred up within him, preventing him from giving in to the emotional moment. The King of Heaven? The same King of Heaven that men claimed to serve when they enslaved his ancestors?
“How many people have killed, enslaved, or raped in the name of the King of Heaven?” Shade asked coldly. He saw anger flicker in Nathanael's eyes. Isaac shot Nathanael a look which seemed to restrain him.
“Unfortunately, not everyone who comes in the name of the King of Heaven is sincere. The hordes of hell are responsible for this deception. They are the enemies that the King of Heaven calls you to fight,” Isaac said.
“Didn't the Clave use the King of Heaven to create a religion to manipulate the
masses?”
“Yes. However, the Order of the Clave does not reflect or represent the kingdom of heaven,” Isaac answered.
“Instead of complaining about the evil that's done in the name of the King of Heaven, you can help us to get rid of those who are tarnishing his name,” Nathanael said bluntly. Shade stood silent for a while.
“I suppose you have a point. What's the requirement to join the King of Heaven's army?” Shade asked.
“You have to submit wholeheartedly to the King of Heaven. You must be willing to give up your life to serve him faithfully, all of your days,” Isaac answered.
“Wait, I have to submit to him? As in yield my free will over to him?”
“Yes,” Isaac and Nathanael said simultaneously.
“Isn't that a bit tyrannical?” Shade asked.
“He is the King of Life. Without him, you wouldn't be able to live. Life is his realm. You are a living being. Thus, you are subject to his rule. In order to reap the benefits of life, you must submit to the ruler of life. This isn't tyranny; this is only fair. If you fail to submit to the King of Life, at some point, you'll lose the protection of life. Thus, you will be cast into the realm of death,” Isaac explained. Shivers of fright went along Shade's spine when he was reminded of the realm of death.
“Well...can I at least meet him first?” Shade asked.
“It is a great honor to have an audience with the king. That isn't something that we can just arrange for you,” Nathanael said abruptly. Shade took time to ponder the situation. Would he surrender his life to some unknown king? The King of Heaven did save his life through an angelic guardian; so technically, he owed the king his life anyway. Even so, Shade was not ready to make such a serious commitment.
“...Can I have some time to think this over?” Shade asked.
“Of course. Should you decide to submit to our king, we will meet you here and begin your training,” Isaac said, as he and Nathanael vanished into two pillars of light.
* * *
Matthew spent the next couple of days lounging around his apartment. He watched a few of his favorite movies. As he watched them, the theme of good versus evil took on a different meaning for him. He could see that the battle was, in actuality, heaven versus hell. At the end of the day, he could not see himself as anything other than one of the good guys. Even if that meant that he had to give up his life as he knew it.
However, there were multiple avatars of heaven: The King of Heaven, Queen of Heaven, Priest of Heaven, Prophet of Heaven, Servant of Heaven, and Beast of Heaven. Each avatar had their own philosophy and unique criteria for differentiating right from wrong. Who was to say which one of the avatars inspired the true force of goodness in the world? Who was the true ruler of heaven?
Shade had a vivid dream that night. He saw himself in a pearl-colored, iridescent armor rimmed with gold. He also saw an aura that surrounded his body. The aura was spherical and its outer edge was lined with a prismatic halo. The top half of the halo had vibrant, glowing rainbow colors whereas the bottom half had darker versions of those colors.
Shade saw himself in several random social situations. When he lied to someone, the dark blue color of the halo glowed, while the vibrant blue color faded. When he lost his temper with someone, the dark red color of the halo glowed, while the vibrant red color faded. When he thought that he was better than someone else, the dark violet color of the halo glowed, while the vibrant violet color faded. Shade realized that the colors represented his morality.
Shade's dream shifted to an area where he saw religious figures, each wearing a mask of one of the avatars of heaven. He could also see their auras. Each of their auras had a combination of vibrant and dark glowing colors. The religious figures were doing various acts of charity, spreading hope in their communities. A horde of different colored demons descended around them from the sky. The demons began to destroy those same communities.
A slender, slightly-arched blade appeared in Shade's hands. Instinctively, he slashed the blade toward the demons, and a crescent of blazing light followed the arc of his swing. Scared of the light, the demons jumped into the bodies of some of the religious figures. The light transformed into a raging inferno which turned the demons, along with their host bodies, into a pile of ashes. The religious figure with the mask of the King of Heaven was the only one left standing.
Shade was perplexed by the lone survivor. Her aura's halo had a glowing, dark-green color, and he wondered why she did not get possessed by one of the green demons. The other religious figures were possessed by demons that matched their aura's glowing, dark colors. Suddenly, he saw the King of Heaven in the sky. A focused beam of light projected out from the king, landing on the woman. The woman's vibrant green color glowed, while her dark green color faded.
Shade, then, understood what had happened. True harmony in life could only be achieved when people treat others the way they want to be treated themselves. This was the golden rule that every religion acknowledged. For whatever reason, it was impossible for humanity to do this. However, through her submission, she had allowed the King of Heaven's perfect character to shine through her.
Shade's dream shifted again as he found himself in a vast field of dead foliage. Again, the King of Heaven appeared in the sky. Another focused beam of light projected out from him, hitting an invisible prism, refracting the light into a spectrum of colors. As the colors shined on the dead foliage, beautiful, new, plant-life began to replace the barren vegetation. Shade looked at the colors and knew that they represented the true subjects of the King of Heaven.
Shade experienced an epiphany about life. It was not meaningless, but it was governed by laws. These laws were not simply a petty list of rules that determined what was right and what was wrong. They were the boundaries that made it possible for the order to exist in life. They were the operational protocols of life itself. These laws not only governed morality, but they governed time, force, energy, authority, resources, knowledge, and many other systems. The world was a miserable place because few acknowledged or respected the Laws of Life.
At that point, Shade felt as if he could look into the King of Heaven's heart. The King of Heaven wanted to enforce the Laws of Life for the good of his subjects. He loved his subjects. The laws were not meant to oppress them, but to protect them. However, he could only protect those who would allow him to protect them. The King of Heaven was noble and pure, beyond anything Shade could ever imagine. Immediately, Shade clutched his hand to his heart and offered his sincere submission to the King of Heaven.
Shade woke up in the garden of his heart realm. His spirit body was no longer nearly transparent but it was filled with warm light. He was clothed in bright, white robes. The opalescent dome expanded until it reached the borders of his heart realm. Streams of light pierced out from his spirit body, shining all over his heart realm. Just like in his dream, the light transformed the dead and broken foliage of his heart realm into lush, new greenery. The murky waters were cleansed, the lava turned into a beautiful waterfall, and the floating castle glimmered brilliantly in the sky like a diamond.
The transformation of Shade's heart realm reflected his own change of heart. He felt himself let go of much of the bitterness and hatred that he had kept inside. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of serenity and uncircumstantial joy. He wept, feeling a deep cleansing of his soul. Shortly afterward, Isaac and Nathanael entered Shade's heart realm and approached him. They stood in silence for a while and looked around in awe.
“Magnificent. I told you he wouldn't be a total disappointment, Nathanael,” Isaac said, winking at Shade. Shade could not help but laugh. Though he hardly knew them, Shade felt a strong connection with Isaac and Nathanael. They were now his brothers in the kingdom of heaven.
Chapter 7
Matthew took an extended vacation from his job. Isaac and Nathanael had told him that the King of Heaven himself had instructed them to train him in the combat arts of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew want
ed a few weeks off of work to focus solely on his training.
Shade entered a rift into his heart realm. The old, rickety stairway that led up to the castle had turned into a solid, rainbow bridge. As Shade made his way up the bridge, he prepared himself for a potential encounter with his doppelganger. When he reached the castle's barbican, he saw an open gate where the portal used to be.
Shade was awestruck when he walked through the gate and entered a grand hall. The interior was fashioned with pearl and fine gold. An embroidered, ruby carpet was stretched along the floor, leading up to a golden, spiral staircase at the end of the hall. Aromatic candles were formally arranged next to glistening, crystal pillars. Giant paintings of beautiful landscapes were hung on the walls. The hallway was lit by a pair of opulent, floating chandeliers that slowly rotated around each other.
“It's a beautiful hall,” Isaac said, as he and Nathanael approached Shade from behind.
“Oh, hey guys. Thanks. I've never been inside the castle before. There was a guardian here before that blocked my way in. He looked just like me,” Shade said.
“Ah, yes. That was your shadow. Let's explore the basics of the human composition so I can explain to you what a shadow is. Like the four elements, there are four components in the human structure: body, heart, soul, and spirit. The physical body is associated with the element of earth, the heart is associated with the element of water, the soul is associated with the element of fire, and the spirit is associated with the element of wind,” Isaac explained as he waved his hand in the air, forming floating spheres composed of each element.
