by Shea Meadows
Silently, Ricky, David and teenage-Nory watched as points of light floating above the scene, waiting for the ascension of people being sent off to the parallel kingdom. It was a short wait. Soon they were following a magistrate who had been cleansed and buried under the direction of Luan Du, Ricky’s friend from the day before.
The ghost they followed was named Gao Yao, a politician with a large family. The sounds of chanting led him to the Celestial Gates created by the group belief of the Qin. He was greeted with drums, gongs and horns as he moved through the gate and was lifted into a traveling chair carried by commoners. He looked with pleasure upon the people who lined the streets, spotting familiar faces and nodding toward them. When he saw an adversary he had known in the physical world he turned his face from them and scowled sternly. So, his progression along the road was a strange mix of lifting his face and smiling then putting his face down and scowling.
At last, Gao Yao made it to a large ornate palace which glowed from within and changed shape from one style to another. Out of its door came tribal chiefs from diverse regions of the Qin. They contended with each other, shifting position, trying to get the attention of the new arrival. Their words floated up to the point-of-light observers: “Align with me. I can give you more power.” “No, I have the keys to the bars of gold; align with me.” “I can turn anything into gold. You need not have a supply.” “I have stables of horses.” “I have the most beautiful concubines; align with me.”
The shaman’s voice whispered to them, “Now we will look at the commoner in this heaven.” The observers changed perspective and floated above a man and wife farming the fields, much like they did their entire physical lives. The observers could hear the commoners’ dialogue.
“This field grows more quickly than that of the other kingdom, but we still have the same insects eating most of our crops,” the man said.
“Here I do not have children to watch over and enjoy. Nothing changes. Perhaps we were wrong in believing it would be wonderful in heaven. Is there someplace else for us to go? Something more interesting to do? We are still aware of ourselves as separate beings. Can we change into someone different?” the wife asked.
As soon as the question left her mouth, both of them shot upwards like arrows, moving into another part of the Celestial Kingdom where they sat with a sage who discussed what they might want to be next.
“We have been here long enough,” Milton’s voice whispered. “Let’s move on. Look for the chimera to take us to the Celestial Kingdom of the Han.”
A dragon-like creature with a lion-like body and a head with a single horn flew in front of them, leading them into the Han dynasty. They hovered over an altar near the burial mounds left by the Qin and watched as an animal was sacrificed for the release of the portion of the soul that the Han believed was left in the body after death. Upward the ghost flew, reunited with his earthly parts. The chimera followed the ghost, and the observers followed the chimera to the Han Celestial Kingdom.
The ghost walked with a proud stride into the gate and was surrounded by his loved ones who had arrived before. They bowed and embraced him. His relatives walked beside him to the family dwelling where a feast was in place. The animal sacrificed for him on the physical plane, a wild duck, was cooked to perfection and shared among them.
The man had been an artisan in his life and was well-respected in his class. His work was the creation of tiles in patterns that represented the principles of Confucianism, so he easily continued his craft in the Celestial Kingdom. His work became sublime. The observers watched as the artisan became more and more translucent and at last merged with his work, moving to higher frequencies of spirit world, eagerly planning his next incarnation.
“It’s time to go back,” Milton’s voice whispered. The observers moved back into their bodies to the sound of the drum.
Bonta smiled when she saw everyone was awake, including Nory who was back to being a baby. Bonta scooped up the baby and kissed her. “You are so lucky to have parents that do this stuff. It will be like growing up with my parents, something weird and wonderful every day.”
Milton got up from the floor, stretched then walked to the refrigerator and glanced toward his guests. “Want something to drink? I have pop, water and fruit juice.”
They opted for fruit juice and sat for a few moments, savoring the experience. “So what are your impressions?” he asked.
“There was a difference between the heaven created through the group morphic fields of the Qin and the Han,” David said. “Those in charge in the Qin universe were hung up on status. What they had, who they were, who was aligned with who, seemed the big concerns.”
Ricky nodded. “Very ego–driven, and the hierarchy was a pretty tight club. If you didn’t rule in the physical, you could forget about ruling in heaven. But then there were the farmers. They saw how ridiculous it was to be stuck in the same tasks they did in their bodies. As soon as they realized that, they moved on to another version of the afterlife and a new incarnation.”
Bonta held up the picture that came to her while the Clarks were viewing the Qin. It showed a pompous man being carried to the palace. But in her depiction of the scene, the palace was a locked cage and all the wealthy men looked through the bars. Outside the palace were fields filled with crops, and farmers working the land and a man and woman were seen floating away smiling.
Milton laughed. “Yes, that’s the essence of it. The Qin heaven is about status, and those whose egos were dropping away found it possible to go on to their next incarnation. So, what did you see in the Han heaven?”
“That one was more confusing to me, but certainly more pleasant. There was a sense of partnership among those already there. I also noticed the colors were brighter, and there wasn’t any sign of a palace or ruling class,” David commented.
“I noticed how the sacrifice that came from the people at the artists’ burial ceremony ended up as the feast he shared with the friends who met him there. As soon as he acclimated to the new setting, he returned to the work he did on Earth, but the quality was energetic. He became one with the energy of his art and moved forward to new experiences,” Ricky said.
“And, Ms. Bonta?” Milton asked.
Bonta held up her drawing which had three levels. On the bottom were the people at the burial rites and the portion of soul moving upward toward the ghost. There was a trio of ancient faces watching the proceedings. The ghost moved into the second level where it became one in an energy web with his friends and relations, and then moved into the energy of his work.
“So much of your wisdom came to me while you were traveling. I had no choice but to put what you were teaching in my drawing,” Bonta said. “The faces watching over the people are those of the old Chinese gods that held the top spot in the lives of the people for generations before the Han dynasty. Even though the mandate was to move away from the practice of worshipping them, even the Emperor employed shamans and witches aligned with the old gods.
“The artisan represents the mindset of those following the teachings of Confucius, who is seen above the heavenly scene. Many of the common people had moved to this new philosophy, so there would be a blending of the two mindsets within the concept of the Han Celestial Kingdom.”
“I agree,” Ricky said. “That was lovely. It helps me to see what areas of tension might show up for the ghosts from both dynasties co-mingling in an artificial reality. The person that described it to me was a sorcerer of the Qin. His power came from the old chants, rituals and magic of the ancient gods. The person meeting him was the Han sorcerer who was pulled into the cube before Norton Reston died in Shanghai, their commonality being they both believed in the old gods. Their differences might have been threatening for the Han shaman. This was the man that set up the perimeter of how the ghosts would be entrapped in the replicas. I think his willingness to release Luan Du was his need to preserve his status as top dog of Bi Mo Chu country.”
Milton nodded. “Shamans can b
e territorial unless they have moved past that ego trap. This is why the Qin’s heaven concept is interesting. It’s all about status. People having left the physical with a significant treasure want it available in the afterlife. Those who never became attached to things can easily let the ego go. Not to say they didn’t ask for more material goods in the next life.”
“My memory of Luan Du’s description of inside the cube was a subdued space with a strong leader steeped in ritual. It sounded like a community that reflected what he was used to: people plowing the fields, servants in the castle, men practicing martial arts. The Han seemed dominant because the Han sorcerer had created that particular Bi Mo Chu and had drawn in the first ghosts.
“I think the probable social conflict might be that many of the Han believed in the principles of Confucius which weren’t around in the time of the Qin. As more Qin are released by Reston, more unrest might become evident. How that will help us isn’t evident at present. Any ideas on that, Milton?” Ricky said.
“We must go back to the original premise: this is about the agenda of Norton Reston. What is he trying to accomplish by releasing the ghosts from the replica figures of two different dynasties and storing them in the Bi Mo Chu? He must be aware they are within a virtual reality. Why start with the Han then add the Qin last? Is it about the numbers of ghosts he wants, or is it about ghosts of a particular talent or status or belief?” Milton asked.
Ricky shook her head. “My only glimpses of the man are through the observations of his children. Nellie was too young to understand what she heard and saw. William was biased against his father because of the danger he saw Norton bring upon them. The letters give us a more intimate look at the workings of his mind. His Akashic Record is full of holes. Moon is at a loss as to how Reston blocked so much of his activity in China. It might have something to do with what he learned from the ancient records of the Xia who made the first Bi Mo Chu. I don’t have any other sources of information, as far as I can tell.”
“There is one thing we can do, Ricky,” David said. “We can go to China. The scrolls remained in the Shanghai archives after he found them. All Reston had was professionally translated copies. If we find the original scrolls, we do have access to Siam Qian. And now you have the cooperation of Luan Du. Between the two of them, there is a gigantic depth of knowledge.”
“My biggest concern is how the emanations are affecting the energy fields of those around the house. It isn’t just about Nory. If more than one ghost ends up stumbling into the wrong house, someone may lose their life. It’s like a giant tumor in the neighborhood. And if he reaches the magic number of 10,000 ghosts, or whatever it might be, what happens then? Is he going to have them march on Washington? Take over China? Or is he planning to jump in the Bi Mo Chu and be the emperor of that reality?” Ricky questioned.
Bonta had been drawing throughout the discussion and pulled up her newest sketch. It showed a picture of a Chinese court with an emperor on an elevated throne. The man portrayed looked like Nory’s memory of Norton Reston. To the man’s right was a dowager empress who looked like the pictures of Emily Reston. On his left side was a woman who looked like teenager-Nory. She was dressed in silk and had a golden collar around her throat which was attached to the hand of the emperor by a golden chain. At the feet of the emperor were Ricky and Moon, kneeling on the floor with blank looks on their faces.
“This is what Norton Reston wants day and night. This is what he works toward every minute. He was once an emperor in another incarnation and wants to be one again. Nory will be his head concubine if he has his way. Ricky and Moon will be his witches, and the ghost army will be at his command. I am not sure where the battle will be staged, but Norton won’t stop until this is truth.”
Quiet reigned supreme in the room until Ricky finally spoke. “Bonta, thank you for your insight. You faced the truth that we were afraid to approach. There is no avoiding it. We have to go to China and get our hands on the scrolls. Our next step will be a visit to Moon: this is a threat to her as well. She may have some other solutions and resources. We are seeing Susan soon, and she has contacts in Shanghai. With their help, we must move forward while Norton is still building his court.”
“Can we really take the baby to China?” David asked. “She’s twelve weeks old. If we go, it would be without her.”
Ricky got up and took the baby from Bonta and brought her away from the group for a diaper change, sniffling and wiping tears from her eyes as she did. “This is scary, David. Even though I know Nory will pop up in another body so she wouldn’t be gone if something happened to her. But I really enjoy being her mom. Even though we could still hang out in spirit world, I want to watch her grow up and be a teenager in this reality and find love and get married. I know she’s looking forward to it, too.
“I know with every fiber of my being that I can’t go to China and leave her here, even with someone I trust. The Bi Mo Chu is no more than five miles from where we’re living. If she comes with us, Moon will be following closely; otherwise her attention will be divided between us and Nory. We have to devise some way to travel safely.”
“Mom, Dad, you’re talking about me as if I can’t decide for myself. I have to be there. My former father thinks of me as the daughter who shared his interest. You will have more potential to neutralize him if I’m there. Talk to Bonta about this. She’s been drawing about this while you folks are having a meltdown. She figured it out weeks ago.”
“Nory, I know I sound like an authoritarian, but this is something parents have to figure out for you until your body is big enough,” David said.
“Daddy, I came back to be your daughter, but the strange vibrations in the cellar were also big on my agenda. So, what you’re saying is I should forfeit my life purpose so you don’t have to worry about me? Get used to the fact that your baby is conscious of her life purpose and is insisting on being involved, even with a little body.”
David sighed. “Okay, you win. But first we have a conference with Moon and her group to decide how to make this as safe as possible.”
“Like I said before, look at Bonta’s drawing. She has it all spelled out for you.”
Ricky pulled the baby into her onesie, still sniffling, and went over to sit beside Bonta. “Your divination skills have been highly recommended by my daughter. Show us what you’ve got.”
“It’s a series of pictures,” Bonta replied. “Here is the first one.” She pulled out a picture of the deck on a ship with Ricky sitting and holding Nory on her lap. Nory looked to be about six months old. David was standing near them talking to Bonta and a woman with spiky, henna-tinted hair that looked like Susan Fry. Over a few feet, looking over the side of the rail, was George Banner. Bonta had drawn Moon, Siam Qian, Luan Du and another Asian warrior floating above them, guarding and advising.
“Oh. All those folks are going with us? It looks like a cruise ship. Are the guides advocating that as the safest way?”
Bonta shrugged. “This is what I’m getting. Not sure if it will change but I usually get the final result of all the planning. Notice that I’m going with you?”
Ricky nodded and smiled. “I guess school isn’t on your agenda until January. Weren’t you the one who showed us an ad about a cruise to China?”
“I did. I could feel this coming but didn’t think I’d be going with you,” Bonta answered. “Look at the next one.” She pulled out the next drawing. It was Ricky and David looking at objects that were hard to identify in a dark, crowded place that appeared to be storage area. Moon, Sima and Luan floated above them.
“Will we find the scrolls?” Ricky asked.
“Can’t tell at the moment. You find something of interest, but nothing definite. I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” Bonta answered. “Now here’s the last of them.”
Ricky, David and baby Nory were in a dark cave with the ghost of Norton Reston holding an object over them, David moving towards him, and Ricky protecting the baby. “Now this could be the
end of it, but I can’t say for sure. But you all are there and you’ve found him. Is this helpful?”
Ricky handed the pages to David who looked them over then turned to his wife. “You’re seeing Susan in two days? Maybe bring these along and see what she thinks. It looks like we have a month or so before we go, considering the size of Nory in the pictures. We have to get the rest of our business in order.”
David handed the pictures to Milton who reviewed them carefully. “It looks like she’s seeing truth. The next step for you is a trip. I wish I could go but my health won’t let me. I can work in the upper world for you. Please know that I will do anything possible to help you accomplish success.”
“It’s time we get home,” Ricky said. “Thank you so much for your magnificent help. David is teaching a class tonight at the house, and we should check in with Moon. I have no doubt that she knows what’s going on but it does me good to see her face and feel the higher frequencies.” They hugged Milton and left.
* * *
Chapter 13
He walked among the clay witches, feeling their essence moving in response to his touch. He could hear them singing in the dialect of the Qin. “Pick me master. I am ready to serve. Bring me to your domain.” He listened and laughed.” I will have better witches than you. They know more of many worlds where you know only of the Qin.”
He had been watching. They were coming to China and bringing his daughter. What he had worked towards was coming into being. The ghosts had formed a strong community and an unbeatable army. Soon everything would be in place.
* * *
Chapter 14
Susan Fry lived in the east unit of a twin home in Edina. Her next-door neighbor was a pro wrestler who toured the country and wasn’t home for weeks at a time. Periodically, she watered his plants and made sure nothing was malfunctioning in the house. In return, he provided her with the use of his season-ticket box seats to Twins games. With her busy schedule, she seldom went, but her friends had her cell number on speed dial so the seats were rarely empty.
