"Chakras?" Eckxio raised an eyebrow. He had never heard of the term. "I will definitely have to remember that word."
"Now it is my turn to ask a question," Uvaris said and touched Eckxio's nose. They shared the same height. "Why have you come to the realm of light? It has been a long time since an Elf entered this realm."
"The Effeelions helped me enter this realm because I need to find the Angel Valiarmos," he answered.
Uvaris gasped covering her mouth and eyes widening. Eckxio wondered if it was prohibited to ask for the Valiarmos. Maybe I should not have said that, he thought. "What is wrong?" He asked.
"The Angel Valiarmos," she whispered and came closer to him. "You came here in search of the Valiarmos."
"That is what I just said," Eckxio replied and crossed his arms. "The Effeelions gave me this thing called the Pass of Hope but..." he then realized that he did not possess the item and began to panic. "Oh no, where is it?" He searched his pants pocket and inside his broken silver armor. Did I drop it, he thought. Oh fiendish luck. Don't tell me it fell over the golden path.
"Are you talking about this," Uvaris said and with both hands causing a spark, the Pass of Hope appeared.
"How did-did-did you? I thought that it...it...it," Eckxio stuttered.
The Pass of Hope floated towards him. He grasped it and was relieved, "I thought I had lost it."
"I picked it up while you were sleeping on the path," Uvaris said.
'Thank you," he replied.
"No worries, and, if you are searching for the Angel Valiarmos, then I must guide you to see Siddhartha," she explained. "Come with me." She gestured then grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
"Easy now, I can't fly like you!" Eckxio said, almost tripping on a protruding gold brick on the path.
"This is so exciting," she shouted. "Another Elf has come to claim the Valiarmos."
Why is she so happy? Eckxio wondered. Who is this Siddhartha she speaks of?
Uvaris swirled aloft leaving a trail of golden light. She dove into the clouds then rose again. She circled a floating island with sapphire monoliths. Eckxio laughed seeing her so happy. She reminded him of Willow when she would wildly move through the forest. Uvaris returned from her wild flight and orbited Eckxio again.
"What is this lovely sensation that you are feeling?" She asked, staring at him seductively.
Eckxio felt naked hearing that question. The moment he thought of Willow his blood pressure rose and warmth circulated his body. How does she know?
"It is nothing. I just thought of someone, that is all," he said timidly. His cheeks turned red and he looked away.
"Who is this Willow you were thinking about? Is she a special friend of yours?" Uvaris asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him with a long smirk showing her bright white teeth.
"Wait! How did you know that?" Eckxio was stunned and stepped away from the Lumnos. "You can read my mind?"
"I can read your emotions," she answered and giggled. "You recalled a memory just now and I felt this lovely sensation rising. Then the image of this blonde woman in the forest appeared in my mind and I could feel how strongly you feel about her. Perhaps you wanted to get the Angel Valiarmos for her."
"That is enough," Eckxio snarled. "You are embarrassing me."
"I am sorry," Uvaris apologized and her cheeks turned red.
The golden ring on her back began to flicker. Uvaris looked at the horizon and Eckxio curiously gazed in the same direction. Ahead he saw more of them. More Lumnos flew his way. All with disc-like suns on their back. They only wore enough clothing to cover their private parts. Ten of them approached and some of them seemed to be carrying some kind of instrument.
"Oh, and here are some of my friends," Uvaris said, smiling. She waved at her fellow Lumnos and they came over to them.
Eckxio stared in amazement with eyes widening. The Lumnos danced amongst the clouds and he could hear them laughing and bantering with each other. Uvaris joined the fun and played with them, tossing gemstones. There was one with long white hair, who used a bow and arrow to shoot gemstones in the air. Others carried harps and flutes, playing music, a lively song to match their joy.
Uvaris gestured at him as she spoke to them from a distance. Perhaps they are afraid of me, Eckxio thought. Some of them had smaller rings on their backs and others had wider ones. Two Lumnos had blue rings on their backs. Eckxio assumed the color had to do with their ranks but then wondered if there was such a thing as ranks in this realm.
Uvaris was speaking to a Lumnos with a red ring on his back. A male about six feet, tall with brown hair, dark eyes and bronzed skin. Uvaris returned to Eckxio with the group of Lumnos with the red one at their lead.
"Eckxio, these are some of my fellow Lumnos," she said gesturing to them.
Their feet never touched the path. They hovered around Eckxio and greeted him with hugs and the females kissed him. The females wore a white skirt and bras shaped like wings while the males only wore armored skirts like tassets.
"It's a pleasure seeing an Elf here," one said.
"Oh my, you are a handsome one."
"I feel blessed to see you."
"I have never been praised this much before," Eckxio confessed.
Such a wonderful welcome and yet Eckxio felt as if he did not deserve it. He never remembered being treated with this much attention, not even when he was a child. Either way he was happy, for now. The Lumnos were peaceful and graceful creatures. Their eyes were like beautiful marbles with no pupils marring the colors. According to Uvaris, the Lumnos were spirits chosen by the dragon god of light. A person that reached the realm of light could become a Lumnos. They were watchers, guardians and they guided spirits and other visitors to their destinations. Uvaris had explained to the others of Eckxio's purpose in Elysious. They were all excited to see a new Elf arrive to claim the Angel Valiarmos.
"He who wears the Angel Valairmos is a warrior of light," a Lumnos said. "Our purpose is to enlighten other creatures and help them move towards the light. To help them see the good and the divine that is already within."
"Amazing," Eckxio said.
"Let us take you to Siddhartha," said the one with the red ring. "He is an ascendant master. He will show you where the Valiarmos is."
"I am ready when you are," Eckxio said.
They flew following the golden path and Eckxio ran behind them. Uvaris flew next to him. She winked at him and blew a kiss. Eckxio blushed and looked away. He never really paid attention to other women except Willow. It was hard to deny the fact that the Lumnos women were more beautiful than Elven women, at least in his eyes.
They soon reached a forest of diamond pillars. There were some trees that grew from the clouds but had no leaves, instead they grew strings that glittered in many colors. He saw a Lumnos couple making love under the trees. Uvaris and the others played their flutes and harps and sang as they flew towards their destination.
A new soul rises, an Elf from another land walks through the darkness.
A young soul shining, many burns and scars yet he keeps on thriving.
He comes from another world to find power.
But we still need to see where his heart is.
Although the lyrics weren't that pleasant, Eckxio loved the music. He also noticed that he was not tired after running for so long. Even after passing through the long forest of diamond pillars his body continued without using too much energy. No sweat, no heavy breathing. "This is incredible," he said.
"Here in Elysious, no one gets tired," Uvaris explained.
"Were you reading my mind again?" He asked.
Uvaris only giggled and flew away, flying under and over the golden path. Eckxio continued and soon the Lumnos that guided him ceased their music. He wondered why they had stopped but did not ask. The path turned into a hill and, when he reached the top, he slid down a long slope. Eckxio realized that he could not use any magic at all. Not that he knew any spells but his extromancy did not work. He tried extracting maju f
rom the giant gemstones on the floating island but it did not work.
"Uvaris, why can't I use magic here?" He asked his new friend.
"Because you are still in your physical body in the solid world," she answered. "Here you have to be in tune with your spiritual energy. That is why the Effeelions are able to use magic here. However, not all spells work since the laws here are different."
"I see."
The Lumnos played, throwing gemstones at each other. They would test their aim with bows and arrows to see who could shatter more jewels as they fell. One of them missed a target and the arrows struck the golden path and split it. Eckxio had to jump to the other side. Another Lumnos missed his target and struck a diamond pillar. The angelic arrows could pierce through the thickest and hardest mineral. The pillar fell making Eckxio panic and run, looking behind himself to see it land and break the road.
"I am going to tell 'you know who' about what you did!" Uvaris shouted at her fellow Lumnos.
"We will fix it, don't you worry now," said one of the archers.
"And you scared our new guest," she added.
"I said I was sorry," they replied.
Eckxio laughed wishing that he was as playful as them. He couldn't remember the last time he had experienced that much joy. A tear left his eye thinking about it. A tear for the times he was outcast by the Elven children when he was young. A tear for when he was exiled at the age of fifteen after his younger brother framed him. A tear for the lonely years he spent in exile with only his sword and shield. Joy returned to him again when Willow came into his life five years ago. He looked at the Lumnos and thought, I am going to save Odealeous and return to my village to see the Elves dance and play like they do.
Eckxio continued following the golden road with Uvaris by his side. It seemed as though it would go on forever. "We are almost there," Uvaris said and it only made Eckxio more anxious. Flying whales jumped over the road and his eyes swelled with awe. It felt like an hour when orbs like pearls surrounded the road. The Lumnos began to shoot them with arrows that split them into more orbs. They were the size of houses and the Lumnos ricocheted from one orb to the other. Eckxio looked below and saw a forest of trees that grew glittering strings, beads and braided blue vines. Spirits danced around the trees and the water below took a cylindrical shape and coiled like a snake upwards. The water split and took many forms, a human shape, a dragon shape and even a sword. The aquatic shapes melted and fell back in the ocean then rose again with new shapes.
"It's expressing itself," Eckxio whispered.
"Yes it is," Uvaris agreed. "Oh, look ahead." She pointed straight ahead following the golden road.
Eckxio squinted and saw what appeared to be a lotus flower woven of crystal. More Lumnos were flying out of the enormous flower. It was larger than an amphitheater. It gleamed beautifully and it rested on a hand sculpted of marble twice its size.
"That has to be the biggest structure I have ever seen in my life," Eckxio said as he ran to the lotus flower.
"That is where Master Siddhartha resides," Uvaris told him. "Make haste."
It was a long run to the crystal flower. Eckxio scampered up a pair of stairs that were carved in the wrist of the hand that carried the flower. He walked on the palm of the marble hand and entered the lotus flower with Uvaris guiding him. All the Lumnos flew towards the center. Its crystal petals were as tall as Kapok trees. Eckxio could see his reflection on the clear walls like glass and the floor was like ice. Everything looked slippery but it felt as safe as concrete. He gazed up at the petals and they reminded him of his Tharos sword.
"Eckxio! over here!" Uvaris called.
In the center of the crystal lotus flower was a man with bronze skin. His hair was black, styled into a top knot. A third eye blinked on his forehead and, instead of a golden disc on his back like the other Lumnos, Eckxio was surprised to see a mandarak like the ones mages used for casting spells and summoning creatures. The mandarak had the illustration of a lotus flower with an upward arrow. He wore a green tunic with yellow underneath, much like Caim. Around his neck hung a winged silver pendant with a round diamond piece hemmed with gold. He kept his eyes shut with a slight smile. Eckxio could see his kind aura. It was white and clear. The Lumnos gathered around him like bees to their hives. Perhaps he is a high ranking Lumnos, he thought.
"Welcome, Elf from Odealeous," the angelic man said. "It is a pleasure to have you here."
Eckxio was hesitant but he took a slow step forward, feeling like he did not belong.
"Please do not be afraid," the man said and beckoned.
Still Eckxio was hesitant, not out of fear but out of insecurity. Uvaris came, took his hand and pulled him towards the being of light. Eckxio bowed and was afraid of making eye contact.
"Relax," the man whispered. "Uvaris, please help our new friend feel more comfortable."
Uvaris quickly flew out of the lotus flower and within seconds she returned with a piece of cloud in her hands. She placed the cloud on the crystal floor and invited Eckxio to sit. The Elf slowly sat on the cloud thinking he was going to fall but, when his body touched it, it felt like a pillow. It was comfortable and put him at ease. He took a deep breath and finally relaxed.
"You are a shy one," the angelic man said.
"Well, it is my first time here," Eckxio confessed.
"My name is Siddhartha," the Lumnos said. The lotus flower in the mandarak on his back spun lazily. "I am a Lumnos just like all the others."
"A Lumnos?" Eckxio questioned. "Why do you have a mandarak instead of a ring?"
"Because I decided to take on more responsibilities in this realm," Siddhartha said. "The dragon god of light took my halo and gave me the lotus mandarak as a symbol of my duty to help those who seek the light and move out of darkness."
"Such as me," the Elf replied.
"Yes and with divine permission I am allowed to move through realms," Siddhartha explained. He sat in the lotus position on a golden pedestal, a foot higher than Eckxio. When he finally opened his eyes, his third eye closed.
"I assume you already know why I am here," Eckxio said.
"The Angel Valiarmos," Siddhartha responded.
Eckxio nodded and leaned forward on his cloud. The Lumnos around him came closer.
"I can help you obtain the Valiarmos that Hettakus Kollos gave us, but you must first pass a test," Siddhartha said. "I myself wore this Valiarmos long ago. If you are to fight against those whom you believe to be bad or evil, know that your intentions are most important, for it will only respond to those with kind intentions. The Valiarmos will become part of your soul when you wear it and the moment your intention switches from light to darkness then it will no longer respond to you."
Eckxio began to think, What do I have to hide? He could not think of any flaw within him except that he was now weaker than before without his Tharos sword and shield. He knew that his intentions were good from the very beginning, or so he thought.
"I want the power of the Valiarmos so that I can protect the world from destruction," he confessed. "My love was taken from me by masked fiends. My village was destroyed and I am now weaker than before. I can't cast any spells and my ability, extromancy, is limited to what is outside of me. I need power to destroy my enemy. I need the Angel Valiarmos."
"The Angel Valiarmos is not about power," Siddhartha said. "It is about slaying the darkness within yourself first, then externally."
"How can I do that when there is nothing but darkness around me?" Eckxio asked feeling frustrated. "I cannot even help my friends. I am weak now and I could not even help Willow. That is why she was taken from me, because I was too weak. I could not save her when the Specters took her soul."
"Do not treat yourself in such a way," Siddhartha said. "You must learn to forgive yourself. Failure is not the end. You remind me of myself when I was human."
"Really? You were a human?" The Elf asked. It was difficult to imagine this angelic being as a human. He seemed so perfect and comp
lete and Eckxio was so broken and desperate.
"Yes. It feels like a dream now but I too was once an Elf living with the Effeelions," the Lumnos explained. "My friend Nehushine and I both competed for the Angel Valiarmos. He decided to stay in Odealeous and I ascended to the realm of light as part of my calling. The dragon god of light invited me to become a Lumnos without experiencing death, so I grasped the opportunity."
"Nehushine? You knew Lord Nehushine of the Effeelions?" Eckxio could not believe the connection between the two, yet it made sense to him. The floating islands in the realm of light reminded him of Kazenolumos too much. He guessed that the Effeelions got their idea from this realm. And of course, Nehushine being the leader, he had to have met with Siddhartha at some point in his life. After all, the Effeelions could astral travel to the realm of light. "Why did Nehushine lose?" He asked curiously.
"It is a long story, but to make it short, Nehushine was not prepared to face the danger that threatened Kazenolumos during that time," Siddhartha explained. "It was a battle against an old foe that haunted their history and theValiarmos chose me to defend the city. The Valiarmos has only had two masters since it was created two thousand years ago."
"I see," Eckxio murmured and mulled.
"Are you ready to be tested?" Siddhartha asked solemnly.
Eckxio nodded and clenched his fist. Siddhartha closed his eyes and his third eye opened. The lotus in the mandarak spun faster. "Lay down on the cloud," the Lumnos instructed. Eckxio's cloud became larger. He lay back on it and began to feel drowsy.
"You must face your own darkness," Siddhartha said. "Only when you defeat your own darkness, the Angel Valairmos will yield to your command, and even when you become its master you must continue to fight the darkness within you. Are you ready?"
"Yes," the Elf replied and his eyes felt heavy.
Eckxio saw Siddhartha's hand over his face then everything fell to darkness. He found himself in a pitch black world thinking that he was asleep, yet he felt wide awake. He looked down and saw light coming from where he stood. The light expanded revealing the world in which he stood. Grass and trees grew around him then the light of the sun shone from above in the blue sky. Soon Elves started walking around him. All of them five feet tall of different classes. Mages, blacksmiths, scholars, archers, fishermen. They walked into their homes built inside enormous trees. Bridges connected to trees and the Elves walked to different floors up to five stories high. Their homes were like a web of bridges much like the Greamos in Mouah Cross. A river coiled through the village and children swam and played in it. Elven mages walked around with staffs and some of them practiced the sword and shield style martial arts that Eckxio had introduced.
Spirit of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 2) Page 22
