by Jared Teer
As they advanced, Hughes told Darion of the facility. “The Halls of Glory are not only a training facility for the Ascended, but also for the Supernals. The Supernals are those born of the Ascended—people born in heaven, never having lived on earth. The halls are an academy—basic training if you will—for those Supernals who wish to serve on the earthly plane.”
“Will I be training with the Supernals?” asked Darion.
“You will get a chance to train with them,” said Hughes. “You’ll find that the Supernals are exceptional physical combatants, having grown their entire lives in Ascended bodies. The head master of the Hall of Might is actually a relatively young Supernal. But mostly you’ll be training with me—one on one.”
Darion nodded.
“As you saw from the air, the main facility is in the shape of a capital H. The Halls of Glory are divided into five sections—the library, also called the Hall of Knowledge, and four great halls dedicated to the mastery of specific skills. Each of the four halls is home to a class of matriculated Supernals. The section ahead of us, the horizontal part of the H, is the Hall of Knowledge—the largest library in the universe. The writings of many wise beings can be found there.
“On our right, which would be the left leg of the H, is the Hall of Might—dedicated to physical combat.
“To the left, is the Hall of Creation—dedicated to applications of the Essence for altering and manipulating reality and bringing things into being.
“The hall to the rear of the facility, adjacent to the Hall of Creation, is the Hall of Destruction—dedicated to destructive and combative applications of the Essence.
“The rear hall, opposite the Hall of Might, is the Hall of Conception—dedicated to history, strategy, and tactics.”
As they neared the Hall of Knowledge, Darion admired the grounds. Large fountains stood on either side of the walkway, with tall, white, stone statues of powerful figures bowed in prayer. Many individuals were sitting around the fountains or on the ground, reading and meditating.
They approached the library and stopped just in front of the massive door. The door appeared to be a solid slab of dark oak, twenty feet high, with no handle or hinges.
Darion stared at the door and then at Hughes. Hughes looked back at Darion with a smile.
“After you,” said Hughes.
Darion looked at the door and then back at Hughes. “Uh … age before beauty,” he said with a smile.
“Come on,” said Hughes. “Are you going to let the fact that there is no way to open this door prevent you from entering it?”
“Teleport through it?” asked Darion.
“That’s one way, but unnecessary. Why teleport when you can simply walk through it.”
Hughes’s eyes began to glow golden. Suddenly he became translucent, walked forward, and disappeared through the door. Darion stood there for a moment gazing at the door, and then made his move.
Clunk!
Darion walked smack into the door and stumbled back. Hughes’s head emerged from the door, staring at Darion.
“What’s taking so long?” asked Hughes. “You teleported easily; the principle is the same. Think teleport, but not quite. Before teleportation, your body begins to dematerialize. That is the state you want to achieve to pass through matter. Let yourself go, as if preparing to teleport, but hold that feeling.”
Darion concentrated and his body began to flash back and forth from solid to translucent.
“That’s it,” said Hughes. “Right there, you’re permeable. Feel it. Maintain it. Come through.”
Hughes’s head disappeared back into the library. Darion walked forward slowly and passed through the door.
“Good job,” said Hughes. “You’re a quick learner.”
It was no wonder that the Hall of Knowledge was the largest library in the universe. The hall seemed to run indefinitely to either side. The entrance hall alone was an enormous rectangular expanse, with a reception desk in the center with many Bot attendants. Stairs on either side of the reception desk spiraled up hundreds of feet; some individuals were trudging up the steps, others chose simply to float up to their destinations.
“This way, Darion,” said Hughes. “We have to check in to receive lodging.”
They made their way to the reception desk and were greeted by a powerfully built silver Bot.
“Greetings, gentlemen,” said the Bot. “How may I be of assistance?”
“I’d like lodging for two, please,” said Hughes.”
“Excellent,” said the Bot. “Is there a preferred hall, sir?”
Hughes looked at Darion. “I want to begin your training with Creative Applications of the Essence. You will learn subtleties that will assist you in the mastery of the other areas.”
Darion nodded.
Hughes turned to the Bot receptionist. “We’ll be staying in the Hall of Creation.”
“Excellent, sir,” said the Bot. “Let’s see … you’ll be staying in suite 117 on the ground level. Would you like to go to your room now, sirs?”
“Yes,” said Hughes. “We should get settled in first.”
“Indeed, sir,” said the Bot, whose fingers fluttered as if typing, though there was no keypad before him. Suddenly, a small ring of light began to flash green in a panel on the reception desk. “Ready when you are, sirs,” said the Bot.
Hughes laid his hand flat in the blinking ring and was illuminated with a green light and then disappeared. Darion stood there staring at the Bot for a moment.
“Are you ready, sir?” asked the Bot.
“Oh … yeah,” said Darion. He placed his hand in the ring of light as Hughes had and then disappeared.
He materialized in the center of a living room area in a suite. There was a sleeping area to his rear, a wide kitchen area to the left, and a large golden curtain covering the entire wall to the right. The walls and carpet were white, as well as the sofa and recliners. The sheets on the two king-sized beds were white and gold. Hughes was standing by the far wall that was covered by the curtain.
“Man,” said Darion. “This is a lot nicer than the barracks!”
“Just a little,” laughed Hughes. “How about some more light?”
Hughes pulled the curtain back to reveal a glass wall through which the grounds could be seen.
“Nice,” said Darion.
“Darion,” said Hughes, “before we begin your training, I need to let you know what it entails.”
Hughes walked over to the living area and sat in a recliner. Darion sat on the sofa.
“How do you feel, Darion? We’ve been doing a lot of running around.”
“I feel great. I don’t feel tired or anything.”
“That’s because the Essence sustains us; our bodies don’t require sleep to rejuvenate. We can rest or sleep to collect our thoughts and relax the mind, or if the Essence is so depleted that it requires regeneration.”
“I see.”
“So, you are eager to begin your training?”
“No doubt. The sooner I can help my friend—help people—the better.”
“Good. I like your enthusiasm. The training will be difficult at times, though I think it’s mostly fun. Learning to utilize your powers can be exhilarating, but trying as well.”
“Whatever it takes, Hughes.”
“Good.”
“I have some questions, Hughes,” said Darion. “You said that the halls are an academy for the … Supernals. So I’ll be like the new kid at school or something?”
“Don’t tell me you’re nervous,” laughed Hughes. “You needn’t be worried. You have lived through what the Supernals are here to learn about. To the young Supernals, you’re like a survivor, a veteran—someone who has actually lived through the trials and pains of the earthly realm.”
“That’s sort of a relief,” said Darion. “But why would I be anything special to them? Their parents are Ascended from earth. Why would they need to come here to learn about it?”
“The fact
that their parents are Ascended doesn’t reduce their curiosity. They love to hear stories of what it was like on earth. They learn about the ways of the world here, but what they truly come here to learn are the arts of combat. This is the best training facility in the universe. Many of the Supernals are born to parents who have chosen not to serve directly in the Host, parents who can’t really instruct them in the intricacies of transphysical combat. Supernals grow up hearing stories about earth from their parents, and many wish to become involved in the affairs themselves. At eighteen, they can join the Host, and they come here to train.”
Darion nodded. “Okay so how do things work here, the training?”
“For the Supernals, training lasts one year, divided into three-month quarters for each hall. Upon completion of their training, they can take on staff positions at headquarters or field apprenticeships.”
“I’ll have to be here a year before I’m any use?”
“Hardly. Unlike the Supernals, whose training consists of classes with many students learning from a few teachers, you’ll be receiving instruction directly from me. With direct apprenticeship, students learn more information in a shorter time. The Supernals are also learning history and the ways of the world here in the Hall of Conception, which you need not bother with.
“We’re primarily here to use the training facilities, the Oneiric Chambers, and for sparring. You’ll get to interact and do a little training with the Supernals and other apprentices; it will be mutually beneficial for you to test your skills against each other.”
“Great,” said Darion. “So when do we begin?”
“Right now,” said Hughes. Hughes rose to his feet. “Come. I’ll show you the training chambers and we’ll begin your first lesson.”
The training chambers were accessed by teleportation platforms on each floor. They made their way down the hall through the visitor’s wing, past the Supernal student dorms to a circular clearing that seemed to emanate a golden light.
“This teleportal leads to the subterranean training chambers,” said Hughes. “Just stand in the circle and we’ll be teleported down.”
Darion and Hughes stepped onto the radiant clearance and stood side by side.
“Creative Applications,” said Hughes and they dematerialized.
They reappeared on a teleportal on the edge of a large circular hall. On the top level rounding the hall were many arching, golden doors. The hall resembled an auditorium, with descending seats that encircled a lower platform. There was a man in the midst of the platform who appeared to be giving a lecture to the many individuals filling the stands.
“Creative Applications seminar,” Hughes said in a low voice. “These doors going around the hall lead to training rooms. Just walk through like you did before.”
Darion nodded and they made their way to the nearest door and were about to dematerialize when a shout came from the platform below.
“Joseph! Joseph Hughes!” called the man on the platform.
“Just ignore your old buddy, huh, Hughes?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt,” replied Hughes.
“Bull,” said the man. “No interruption. And you have an apprentice. Come down. Introduce us.”
“Come down,” said someone in the stands, which led to applause from the whole assembly.
“All right, all right,” said Hughes.
With smiles on their faces, Darion and Hughes made their way down the steps as the assembly continued to clap and cheer. They reached the bottom and Hughes and Darion levitated up to the platform.
“All right,” said the instructor, a lean, muscular, black guy in white robes trimmed with navy blue. “Settle down. This man here is an old friend of mine and one of the most powerful warriors of the Host, almost on par with yours truly—Joseph Hughes, ladies and gentlemen, Joseph Hughes.”
The assembly clapped.
“We ascended around the same time, class of ’65,” the man continued, “and took on some pretty tough missions. Luckily, he had me to watch his back.”
Hughes laughed.
“Darion,” said Hughes, “this is my good friend Adam Jones. Sorry … Master Jones. Jones, this is Darion Elmore.”
“Get outta here with the master jive, Hughes,” laughed Jones. “Call me Adam, or Jones, Darion.”
Darion and Jones shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you, Adam,” said Darion.
“So, how did you get it?” Jones asked Darion. “Iraq, I suppose?”
“Uh … yeah,” said Darion.
“Small arms? IED?”
“Suicide bomber,” said Darion. “Grenade.”
“Nice,” said Jones. “I was blown to bits in Vietnam. Land mine. Messy, messy.”
Darion didn’t know how to react to that information. He decided to smile.
“So, taking on an apprentice?” Jones asked Hughes.
“I figured it was time,” said Hughes. “You know how it gets in the field. You can lose sight of things sometimes. Having an apprentice tends to keep one grounded.”
“I hear ya,” said Jones. “That’s one reason I took up here as an instructor … that, and affirmative action—had to get some brothas up in here, Hughes.”
Hughes shook his head and chuckled.
“You hear that, students?” Jones said as he looked around at the assembly. “Even the best of us can grow weary from the challenges of field duty. Hughes here is a master in his own right. He has fought in legendary battles with the forces of the Enemy, but even he is not immune to the disheartening nature of the struggles of the earthly realm. Know that, students. To serve on the earthly plane is to open yourself to sorrows you could never imagine. But … that’s why we are here, to prepare you for such things.”
“Sorry, Hughes,” continued Jones. “I know you’re here to conduct training, it’s just always good to see an old friend. Before you go, how about a demonstration of Creative Applications? How ’bout it class?”
The assembly clapped enthusiastically in approval; even Darion started to clap. Darion thought it was funny that the formidable Hughes was actually blushing.
“All right, all right,” said Hughes, and the crowd hushed. “This is a creation technique that has many combative applications as well. It’s come in handy for me in a number of battles.”
Hughes extended his arm with his palm up as if holding a ball. A small ball of churning yellow plasma—about the size of a golf ball—materialized just above his palm. There were murmurs of awe from the crowd.
“What I have here is a sphere of stellar, nucleosynthesizing plasma,” said Hughes.
People in the crowd looked questioningly at one another and at Hughes.
“Sorry,” said Hughes. “It’s a little star. To bring it into being, one must form a mental image of the object, and then concentrate on it with such determination as to make it manifest. It can be made larger … ” The small sphere of light grew to the size of a basketball. “Or smaller.” It shrank back to its original size.
“A handy technique,” continued Hughes, “whether you’re forming a galaxy, or looking to hurl it at an enemy.”
Hughes closed his hand and the ball disappeared. The crowd applauded raucously, and Hughes responded with a slight bow.
“Thank you, Joseph,” said Jones.
Hughes nodded.
“Well,” said Jones, “I’ve taken enough of your time. I’m sure you and Darion are eager to begin training. Don’t be a stranger, Hughes.”
“I won’t,” said Hughes. “It’s good to see you, Jones. Take care.”
“It was good to meet you, sir,” said Darion.
“Take care,” replied Jones.
Darion and Hughes waved good-bye to the assembly and made their way back up to the training room. They got to the door and stopped. Hughes looked at Darion with a raised brow. Darion gave a smile, dematerialized, and passed through the door, followed by Hughes.
Darion thought something had gone wrong with his dematerialization when he stepped into
the training room. Except for the arching, golden door protruding from nothingness, the room was an expanse with no visible walls, ceiling, or floor—just white space.
Darion turned to Hughes with a confused look on his face. “It’s just a lot of nothing,” he said.
“Exactly,” said Hughes. “It’s Oneiric space. This is a Creative Applications training room. We create from nothing.”
“Cool,” said Darion.
Hughes smiled. “Perhaps this is more to your liking,” he said, and suddenly they were standing on a plane of green grass, expanding in every direction as far as the eye could see into the nothingness.
“How about a sky, Darion?” said Hughes. “Concentrate. Think of a blue sky in your head—picture it. Now expand your thoughts, that picture, outward. Make your thoughts reality. Make reality your thoughts.”
Darion closed his eyes and pictured a blue sky above the green plane. He opened his eyes and the white nothingness flickered and then turned blue.
“Excellent,” said Hughes.
“Would I be able to do this in the real world,” asked Darion, “or just in the Oneiric Plane?”
“Both,” said Hughes. “The same laws apply in the Oneiric Plane as in the material universe.”
“So I could change the color of the sky on earth?” asked Darion.
“Not the whole sky, but to a degree,” said Hughes. “It depends on the potency of one’s Essence. You can see that you have manifested a blue sky from nothing, but if we were to travel a few miles in any direction, you would see that the blue sky fades back to nothingness. Though our Essence and powers can be greatly increased through practice, what one created being can do still has its limits. That is why it took a host of celestial beings to fashion the universe.”
Darion nodded.
“Now,” said Hughes, “Creative Applications. As I said before, through Creative Applications you will learn subtleties that will assist you in the mastery of the other areas—destructive applications and physical combat. For instance, earlier I demonstrated the manifestation of solar plasma, an act of creating energy from nothing. As you can probably imagine, burning solar plasma can have numerous destructive applications.”
