On the opposite side of the United States, precisely the opposite was occurring in respect to efficiency and focus. The Agent went about re-building his vortex amplifier, between spasms of manic behaviour, and flights to destroy buildings and people in his space ship. One thing did occur through all his episodes of mania, and construction and destruction. The Agent was creating a plan. It was a plan not so well planned, but nevertheless, it would come together in what he saw as his way of creating an axiom of apathy. The moment he was able to connect his repaired amplifier and then make the connections he had designed for allowing him to use it in his craft as he flew, it would be time. All those who ever dared consider him a failure or who had ever dared now thinking his power was lost, were to suffer unimaginable despair through his new creation. But…time was on their side, as he was still largely manic, and so progress was slow.
Seattle had turned to ruin in the days after John had stolen the Torus. His first act of vengeance was indiscriminate, as he set about flying over the city, picking off groups of people, and laughing as he watched occupied buildings crumble to the ground. The laser cannons on his ship were glowing red by the time he was finished with each flight, due to the countless firings he rained down on those below until the charge ran out. Forced to return to his base at the jet factory, he would relinquish to the inevitable with bouts of manic flying in and around buildings, whilst feeding his hatred and deciding on targets he would return to the next day. When he was finished, the central high-rise contained only two full towers of the original eight, with the others left as smouldering wrecks of both rubble and bodies.
On the fourth day, he decided to spend more time at his base to work on his new amplifier. Given his propensity to mania and with only a means to dispense suffering through flights of destruction, he reverted to long periods of sheer madness, where even his minions could not approach him, or begin to make any sense of his actions. Each night was spent on the floor of his main control room, where he fell asleep wrapping his body around the loose components, and the partially re-built vortex amplifier.
After two weeks of this behaviour, he considered his task of re-building complete. The amplifier stood once again at the top of his array, but it lacked the vital ringed Torus in the centre, so when he engaged it for the first time, it gave nothing back to him other than anger and hatred firmly directed at John.
Chapter 27
On the evening of the last day of the year 2096, everyone at the farm gathered in the one remaining vacant barn to welcome in the coming of the new year. Festivities amongst the sixteen adults living at the farm began early prior to the sun setting between the rock formations at the narrow opening to the valley. Chan and the others had made significant progress in their recoveries, and were now able to contribute to working the fields each day, other general farm duties, and to help organise the night of celebrations ahead. When the sunlight had almost disappeared from sight, the valley took on a soft orange glow, surrounded by the towering peaks around them, still bathed in rays of gold amber light.
Carmel let of five whistles from her steam engine they had situated in the middle of the barn to run an array of lighting John had built. There was no electricity other than what they could generate themselves, which meant on most nights, all residing at the farm relied on steam driven light and candles. Juan had been particularly interested in Carmel’s engine, and they had spent many hours discussing what she had done to restore it to such grandeur, and about what he had done to restore the three larger steam engines on the property they used to drive some of the mechanisms.
As if on cue, the last filaments of sunrays filtered through the trees at the narrow valley opening, reaching out to illuminate the steam, before they then faded away to be replaced by the soft light from the array. Carmel was already in high spirits, and upon seeing the transition from day to night, she went about organising the last few things at a table against a wall, all the while singing in soft melodic voice.
Only John had heard her singing for a brief time before they set out from her house north of San Francisco, but this time, he and the others were captivated by the angelic essence in her voice, causing them to stop what they were doing and just listen. Her song was from the heart with words of connection to spirit, of endurance, and of uplifting awareness, and in particular, Chan was listening the most intently. Since their meeting with Carmel at the Agent’s lair, she had moved him, much more than at the time they had encountered her as Superior Officer One in Germany many years before. Then he knew something was stirring within the group and within her as they extended their awakening outwards where she could feel similar. Now he was certain on his intuition upon hearing her song, which he could feel, was an outpouring of giving in what it offered to him and to the others. He could feel both his and their responses. Without looking, he reached into his pocket where his hand found the object he was subconsciously directed to retrieve, and when he revealed it to himself, the Torus of Eternity radiated its brightest pink hue yet. As the others sensed his movements, they turned to see Chan holding the Torus in front of his face. They were drawn somehow deeper into the moment, and those who had not yet been shown the object, were immediately entranced with its beauty. During her song, Carmel realised something had changed in the barn, and so she stopped her singing and turned to face all the others. She looked at the Torus, for this was her very first vision of the eternal object. Inside she felt a knowing and a connection, and as this grew and grew, so too did the smile light up her face as if too it was one of an angel.
Lolita, Kerry Ann, Pablo, Manuel, Juan, Diego, and Ricardo marvelled at the object Chan held. They expressed their wonder at seeing an object of such beauty offering warmth yet without touch, and knowledge, yet without instruction. To each of them, the Torus was immediately a connection of within and of outward in fulfilment of experience, as if their lives were given a deeper sense of purpose and intention.
Chan noticed how they simply stared at the Torus as he held it, “You see what is before you as an object, yet it is not so much an object, as a reflection. For all life is toroidal with infinite progression, and such is the progression of our very natural elemental intentions, we are gathered here to witness and feel this moment together.” He turned to Carmel, “And Carmel, how graceful your song to enlighten these moments for us all to share.”
She was a little shy of this attention for a brief few seconds, but she knew Chan was right. It was not an egotistical assertion within her. Rather a realisation of authentic presence being a comfortable acceptance of her place, and of her intent. She was glad to be able to share this with the others, whilst at the same time doing what she could to share it with Tim whom she loved so dearly wherever he was – far or near, for deep inside her their connection was like quantum entanglement where she felt they could never be separate.
“Ok. Shall we eat then?”
“Of course,” Lolita said coming out of her trance-like state. “Let our celebrations begin!”
Pablo, Ricardo, and Manuel performed a collection of traditional Peruvian songs and musical pieces to entertain them all, after the dinner had finished. Lyle and Jenna took to dancing as they rekindled spirits of moments past, yet present, from their times together in San Francisco. Tobias and John were a little reminiscent watching them dance together, as they too though of times they had spent with Asper and Lorraine at the wharves by the bay. Chan could see their downward trend, so he prompted Carmel and Raynie to take flight with them on the dance floor, and help them dance away their worries. Steve grabbed Kerry Ann’s arm giving her no choice in joining him to move with the excited salsa rhythms, as did Lolita with Jake, leaving Juan, Diego, and Chan to watch and talk quietly amongst themselves. For a couple of hours, the scene was one of swapping dance partners, heightened laughter and broad smiles, where Chan was even coaxed to join in by Raynie. She held the man dear to her as did the others, but she felt a sense of connection from how he had helped her the most through those dark ye
ars with the Agent. He had felt she was the most of the five to be susceptible to the burdens of life he had placed on them, and so he had taken to giving her special guidance and inner strength to join the others in overcoming the abandonment she felt during those long periods of darkness and frail physical health.
When the music ceased through sheer exhaustion felt by all, and they had taken to sitting quietly in a close huddle around the steam driven lights, they pondered what possibly lay ahead in the newly arrived year of 2097. Chan asked more of the nearby Petroglyphs and proposed they all could take a journey to visit the site sometime soon.
“It is a journey of at least two days return by horse and cart as opposed to just a single day on horseback,” Juan told them. “We have been there before. It is an interesting place to see, but I think it best some of us remain here at the farm whilst the others travel. There is work to do, horses to feed, and we should remain vigilant against unwelcome visitors. Perhaps if you go as a group of ten, it might serve us well?”
“Maybe. Perhaps it is best if a few of our group remain here as well, and then the others can return and tell us all about it,” John replied. “I have some things I want to look into now we are established here and there is a little spare time away from farm work. What do you think Tobias? I would like your help.”
“Yeah, sounds Ok to me. Anytime you might want me to help you with a bit of tech, just ask. You know that.”
“Sure mate... and thanks.”
“And you Steve? You look a little like you are not wanting to travel.” Chan remarked.
“Hmm. It sounds interesting, but…maybe I’ll stay. You guys will likely glean more from such a thing as I would.”
“So it is no then?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“And you Kerry Ann? How do you feel about travelling to this place?”
“I’m with Steve on that one Chan honey. I like this relaxing atmosphere, so the thought of more horse and cart travel does not sound good for me at the moment. Another time maybe.” She gave Steve a quick glance and a smile. Kerry Ann was growing to be very fond of the one-time military man who had softened to become more gentile, yet still retained a sense of strong determination.
“It is probably best that only a small group goes anyway,” Diego added. “There can be an attraction to larger groups by those who are not so welcoming to strangers. Even with large numbers, they can see larger groups as worthy targets for stealing. They see more people, means there are probably more items or food with them, and so they target them regardless. It is not a common thing, but there have been a few of these things happen in the past year.”
“I see,” John became a little concerned at this news, as did Steve. “Take a pulse rifle with you just in case.”
“Ok John. We will be careful. Chan, I suggest we leave in the morning and make the first day of the new-year an adventure of sorts.”
Chan glanced around at the others who were intent on taking the journey, “All right Carmel. In the morning then.”
Frieda led the way towing their cart as they all walked beside her out of the valley. The journey ahead would see them arrive at the ancient site by days’ end if they made good time, where they planned to spend an entire day there, before returning on the third day. After some hours of travel, they decided to rest for a time at the start of the white pathway marking the start of the road to Toro Muerto. Carmel had taken to reading some of the material Diego had provided about the site.
“It is said, the Huari, Wari, and Collahuas people were likely the ones who made the petroglyphs. Some of the images carved into the stones have lost parts of their face, or all in some instances. Then other petroglyphs were carved over and around them. It is suggested in this text compiled during studies of the area that the loss of the faces was symbolising a ‘loss of face’ of those who carved the first sets of imagery.”
“There is an uncanny link there between the ‘loss of face, and the ‘dead bull’ name for this place, if you consider the recent events in Seattle,” Chan added. “The bull was the Agent’s imagery and now we travel to a place known as dead bull where there is also the element of losing face, which can be considered as losing honour. Yet the Agent has no honour, but…has lost face in regards to the fear he is now able to generate.”
“He could never be attributed with such grace as honour Chan. This document also mentions the geometric figures of symbology and people interacting. This could be a very interesting destination.”
“I think, like at other times, there is some reason for our travels as yet unknown to us, but perhaps if like those previous times, the reasons may become apparent as we explore.”
“There are the lines of Nazca not so far from here as well I believe,” Lyle added. “From my recollection, the descriptions of those petroglyphs and lines are associated with the geometric flow of water and rituals to summon water. Some are even said to be astronomical calendars.”
“Yes, this region does appear to be one where the people were quite eager to illustrate their relationships with nature.”
“The Toro Muerto is also the largest rock carving site on Earth, and there are said to be instances depicting a head figure known as the Doorway God.”
“Ah, this Doorway God may perhaps be something we could consider in context with all we have learned and practiced through activation of the Torus. Again, there is connection through representation, and whilst it may not have direct relationship, as I have said previously, there are instances from cultures in many places where they each form a part of the understanding of humanity.”
Ahead of them lay the ascent onto the desert plains of volcanic rocks and ash, surrounded by distant conical peaks capped with snow. The day was a brilliant blue as it was most days of the year, being relatively close in proximity to the Atacama Desert – a place where it almost never rained. When the day was near its end, they had been welcomed by the owner of a farm very near to the site. He was most giving, telling for them they could stay as long as they chose.
“It is not very often I see visitors. Most people are too busy just trying to survive. I welcome you so long as you are not here to steal from me.”
“Oh no. We are interested in looking at the petroglyphs. That is all. And thank you for your kind offer.”
“You are welcome, but I can only offer you to stay in the barn with your horse. My house is much too small to accommodate so many.”
“Your barn is fine thanks.”
Despite the chill in the air, they had all chosen to sit around a small fire under a vivid carpet of stars. The view to the heavens was stunning with the Milky Way forming a ribbon across the sky from horizon to horizon, studded with thousands of glittering lights. This was the first time that was reminiscent of their travels over eight years before, when Chan had led them across China, to Europe, and then into Africa.
As they sat quietly talking about where they had been since, their strengths to carry on their survival at the hands of the Agent, and now what potentially lay ahead of them, their relations with Carmel also took on new meaning. The irony of her now being with them and how they considered her a close friend was in contrast to the times when she was Superior Officer One in charge of the Agent when he was known as Agent Eight, was not lost. Chan had remarked on the activation of the Torus being more than just the physical object, where it was a reflection of the energy and intentions they were sending far beyond their own physical bodies. He had shown the others the way to this understanding in being compassionate to Carmel when she had encountered them in Germany, through explaining the sub-conscious construction of events many saw as coincidence.
In response to the meeting at the fringe of the Black Forest, Carmel had seen the path of circumstances leading to the very chance event, and in herself she had begun to understand the giving nature in realisation of who she really was. Raynie and Jake had given to her despite their arduous incarceration at the facility deep underground. They had not realised thi
s at the time, nor had Carmel seen it unfolding before her, but regardless of anything their minds attributed to their paths in life crossing, their eternal hearts spoke a language of alignment and of endearment. With their gathering under the splendour above, they all could feel the connection building upon the essence of their intentions, and so in part, the beauty of the cosmos above, was a reflection of themselves.
“We are all actively choosing this as we proceed,” Chan said, breaking the temporary silence as they all gazed skyward. “The stars above us are connected. The winds gently caressing our flame are winds eternal in progression, and the beating of our hearts is aligned with the wave forms and geometric vortexes within. As is life in form of infinite progression, so we hold the Torus of Eternity again through the efforts of John to help us proceed with our activation. Beyond here is simply not a place in time or in situation, for beyond is a notion of awareness and intentional alignment with the giving nature of what we are.”
“He is a person for endearment. His strength when we travelled from my house towards the eastern sector was our greatest asset.”
“Ah, what you say Carmel is true in a sense, but think too of the strengths of intention from both of you, for you both took on such an undertaking through your intentions of continuing progress. So often in these times, many are forced as they think to only survive, whereas, there always remains the element of intent to progress. It is just so many overlook this as their minds are dominated by those they fear, be it the Agent or the authorities. Then, as you travelled you were separated, yet John continued on as it was of both of your intentions. And so he met Kerry Ann, and she assisted the way for them to meet up with Tobias, who had already begun to seek the path, which he and us are now on. Without any notion of destination aside from a rough idea, the openness of being alert to situations of progression has brought us all together once more where we can continue our explorations of activation.”
Höllenbadt: Book two of the Torus Saga Page 24
