by Jarod Meyer
Her eyes followed the rest of the people as the shining light descended upon the crowd, stinging her eyes and blinding her. The light softly hit the stage. Angelica tried to watch, but it was too intense. Then, in a blink, the light was gone, and in its place stood a man. She didn’t recognize him, but like Permesius he too looked slightly older than the rest of them. His long hair was striped with gray, and he wore a simple, in silver raiment. A long robe dangled around his body, bunching up the stage and crystals shimmering in chains. His bare arms were raised to the sky.
The crowd stood still, in utter silence. Even Angelica realized that she was holding her breath. She released it slowly, until the man spoke, and she reflexively held it again.
“Young ones, we gather here on the dusk of a man’s life. This man named Permisius. He has graced us with his presence for many centuries, filling our world with joy, happiness, and a wealth of knowledge, matched only by his skills in architecture. I ask that you now honor him as he ends this stage of his journey, and begins the next.”
Angelica waited, thinking that the crowd may burst into applause, but instead, thousands of hands reached toward the sky. Some people even began to ascend into the air and floated amongst the crystals. Their palms were all facing Permisius, fingers together and arms locked. No one moved. Angelica spotted her grandmother in the crowd, with eyes closed like the others. The only people not raising their arms were the eight standing on the platform next to her.
The man with the long grey hair spoke again. “It is now in the highest traditions of the passage that the journeymen pass along his wisdom to nine of our youth,” he said loudly.
Without a second’s hesitation, Permisius swiftly turned and was upon the first in line. He stared into her eyes for a long moment, his face unreadable as he studied her. He leaned in and whispered something into her ear. She nodded gratefully and then bowed her head, closed her eyes, and extended her palms to the sky. Angelica was on the end, and figured to be the last person he would visit. She watched anxiously as he made his way from one to the next. The crowd, still motionless, watched intently with their arms raised.
It felt like hours passed, but she knew it was actually only moments before Permisius stood in front of her. He turned his intense gaze on her. His brilliantly blue eyes made her feel as though he could see straight through her. It felt as if he was inside her head. Memories began to surface. She saw her church, all the hours she’d spent studying the bible, and friends who were part of her faith.
The old man leaned down and gently put a hand on her face as he whispered, “Some use faith as a shield. But you, my dear Angelica, use it for nourishment. Such strong belief is not a weakness, but a gift from the creators. My wisdom to you, young one, is to hold your faith close. It is your most valuable possession.”
Angelica blinked, looking into his eyes, and then he was gone. He hadn’t gone far, just back into the center of the platform, where he sat cross legged with his head bowed. Angelica mindlessly put her hands in the air, but she could not take her eyes off of him. Too many thoughts were going through her mind and if she looked away she believed that she would miss something significant. The other old man spoke again in a voice that carried across the huge courtyard and out into the night.
“Gods, deities, and creators, we ask thee to receive thy child into your powerful embrace. Bless his passage and his renewal of life. For all his loyal millenniums of service to you, let him pass unto the next stage of being.”
Angelica jumped as the crowd began to chant. It was like a low, wailing hum that was passed around in a wave. She couldn’t tell what they were saying, which was unusual, because her professors told her that her mind would translate any foreign language in this world.
A swirling wind began to blow. It formed into a vortex and Angelica began to be sucked in. She screamed but the wind was drowning out all sounds. The man standing next to her grabbed her and held her to his chest. His eyes were still closed, and he continued to chant. The starry sky filled with dark, swirling clouds that form a funnel, and from the center a bright light shot forth. A pillar descended upon the tiny stage and everything became calm. The wind still swirled, but it was as if someone had slowed time. Her mind was working at the same pace, but her body was a prison. Like a bad dream, she struggled to move, but could not. She could see individual dust particles and small debris moving through the air, swirling slowly.
Everything was completely muted, at least within the light. Her head, that she could not move, was locked on Permisius, who stood bathed in the light, a smile upon his face, and his arms extended towards the sky. Angelica’s stomach clenched as a large piece of his body broke away, and like a bit of ash, floated away. That part of him was only light now. The rest of him soon followed, and slowly bit by bit his broken body floated into the light above, like autumn leaves.
Just as fast as it had begun, it ended. The light receded into the sky and the clouds dissipated in a swirl of wind. The wind swept upwards, and thankfully the stranger still clutched her tight so she would not get whisked away. As the light finally dissipated she closed her eyes in fear. Perhaps she thought that she would get devoured by it as well. When it was over there was complete stillness again. She opened her eyes and confirmed that Permisius was gone. The man who had spoken for him had backed off the platform, and was standing just next to it under a starry night.
Angelica sucked in breath, and then another. In another heartbeat tears were streaming down her face. Her legs buckled, and the man holding her gently cradled her to the cold, silver surface. Metriclus was there in an instant and her grandmother as well.
“Forgive me, Angelina, I did not know this was new to her. It was never my intention to frighten her,” Metriclus said urgently.
“Save your apologies, kind sir, my granddaughter is made of tougher stuff than that. She is not frightened by a little wind and a light show.”
Her grandmother cupped her face in her hands and helped wipe away some of her tears. “Now you are not frightened, are you, child?” her grandmother asked.
Angelica thought for a moment. Yes, the ceremony was terrifying, but she didn’t think that was why she was crying. Permisius’s words had moved her down to her very core. Her faith had been her nourishment to all the atrocities of the modern society she was born into. When she crossed over, that nourishment had been stripped away, but thanks to his words, she felt like she could be whole again. She could wrap herself in faith and learn to grow in it once more.
“No Abuela, I am weeping for joy. Permisius’ wisdom was exactly what I needed.”
Chapter Nine
The Archons
William came out of his nightly trance later than normal the next morning, and quickly realized he was already late for his studies. For the better part of twenty hours every morning William was studying the most extraneous subjects.
There was still the lingering question on his mind of why a priest would want to become a soldier when in his previous life he had been devoted to peace. He raced up and down the corridors, trying to remember where his lectures were supposed to be, but it seemed like they were in a new room every day. When he finally found the correct room he eased open the massive doors as quietly as he could to avoid interrupting the class. But his efforts were for naught, for everyone was looking at him as he entered.
His teacher had been a historian in his previous life, and now taught not only Earth’s histories, but also Archonian as well. He stared at William in silence, watching as he entered and sat in one of the padded, leather chairs.
He was a short man, with a round face and shaggy, blond hair that was never properly combed. It was as if the only thing he cared about were his history books. William liked him for that. He had something that he truly loved, and wouldn’t let anything or anybody stop him from doing it. He also wore bifocals, which was odd, because in Archonia nobody needed corrective lenses. Perhaps he wore them out of habit.
“I’m sorry I’m late, professo
r Echard.”
Laurence Echard had been an English historian in the mid-seventeenth century. With his time on Earth and even longer time here he had become one of the most avid chroniclers in the history of Archonia. There were a few that were more knowledgeable, but they taught at the University of Socrates.
He didn’t respond to William, instead, simply continued where he left off. William settled in, preparing his mind for more information that he couldn’t possibly ever use. Not only were they studying Archonian philosophy, but they also studied the physics of the mortal universe as well.
William sat up, cursing the chairs and their unnecessary comfort. He was already fighting not to slip back into a meditative trance. He tried to listen intently.
“There were nine Archons in the beginning. Little more is known on the subject, because the last remaining Archon refuses to speak of it. Not even the Archons know the origin of this beautiful world, and they were born into it. What is known is that after many millennia they grew restless here, and began to create something entirely different. They focused their powers and together created an entirely new plane of existence. The Archon Allah created a vast void that could hold immeasurable amounts of matter. So great was this space that it would take even the Archons themselves days to travel from one end to the other.
“Matter itself was not a new concept to the Archons, but it took immense power to fill this new universe with it. Gaia, who in many Earthly histories was the mother of Earth, quite literally was the creator of all matter in the universe. This matter took on many forms: solids, liquids, and even gases. They possessed their own size, mass, and colors, combing to create anything from beautiful minerals to soft malleable soil,” professor Echard stated.
William sat up, his interest piqued. He’d never thought about the creation of the physical universe. He’d always just assumed it had always been there. He listened intently.
“The matter the Archons created did nothing, however. This of course was boring to the Archons, so the Archon Ammun gave this universe energy. He gave Gaia’s atoms different properties and rules, letting them to bond and react differently to one another, allowing for limitless potential energy. Unfortunately, potential and kinetic energy was very unstable, so with the help of his brother Brahma, they were able to use boundaries such as force, mass, gravity, and magnetism to give life to the universe. They spent lifetimes designing and creating, yet never imagined what it would eventually lead to,” Echard said.
William and the others in the room knew exactly what it led to. The exciting question was, how?
“Naturally, the Archons grew tired of this new realm. The Archon’s Othin and Kronos, who were wilder than their brethren were sparring with one another in the vast void, and by accident caused a massive explosion across the endless expanse. The balls of gas in the surrounding area ignited and sent trillions of particles flying all around the universe. Like a domino effect, the chaos that ensued was beautiful, yet unpredictable, unlike the order that they had created. Stars formed. These stars held substantial gravity, and thus were able to hold large quantities of matter in an orbit and form spheres,” professor Echard continued.
William almost cursed in astonishment. Not only was religion correct to an extent, but scientists were correct as well. The big bang theory in fact had merit to it. William barely contained laughter. Scientists and religionists had wasted so much energy fighting amongst each other about the idea of creation. And in the end, they were both correct to an extent. He continued listening with enthusiasm.
“One day, while traveling through a cluster of stars, the Archons Lucifer and Prometheus discovered something wonderful. A tiny sphere held in orbit by one of the stars actually possessed the necessary conditions to form life. They found tiny, microscopic single cell beings. They were simple, but they were alive. The two brothers excitedly told the other Archons, of the miracle. They had created life. The first living creatures, in fact. The Archons took great pleasure in watching these creatures evolve and grow.
“Many lifetimes passed, and they watched as the tiniest bacteria became amoeba, which began to grow rigid skeletons. They all started as water beings, and eventually adapted to breathe air, and moved on to land. For millions of years they eagerly watched. These creatures began to eat other living beings and then died to feed those that they ate. It was an endless circle of reproduction. The only Archons that seemed to lose interest was Lucifer. He watched the creatures live and die and became angry,” the professor droned on.
Well of course even William could guess that this evolution would eventually produce mankind.
“It was Prometheus who found the first beings using tools. And, amazingly enough, they began to look like the Archons themselves. Prometheus and Gaia fell in love with them. However, Othin, and Kronos expressed their deep seeded concern. They had traveled through the rest of the universe, and nothing like this had yet happened anywhere else. Gaia took this as a sign from their creator that he had finally given them the chance to be mothers and fathers, a luxury that the Archons did not have. They could not reproduce as these creatures did, just as they could not eat, sleep, or die like these creatures did.
“It was Lucifer’s envy of those very things that caused his downfall. Eventually the tool users began to stand upright, and created homes and clothing for themselves. They became smarter. They were the first in millions of years to possess more than simple instinctual thoughts. And now in a few thousand years these creatures had jumped in intellect. It was decided that each of the Archons would descend into this world, and teach the small tribes of tool users about Archonia, and where they had come from. They also taught them to follow basic rules of conduct so that they could coexist in symbiotic relationships with one another free from strife.
“It was not long, however, before the other Archons discovered that Lucifer was trying to live amongst his tribes like a king. They built massive monuments in his honor, and were sacrificing themselves to appease him. Prometheus was appalled at what Lucifer had done, and set to destroy the tribes and wipe clean his sickening corruption. Lucifer became enraged and attacked Prometheus, mortally wounding him. Prometheus barely made it back to his tribe, collapsing into the arms of a woman he had loved above all others. He used what power he had left to impregnate her with a child, so he might carry on his existence in the mortal plane. The other Archons found Prometheus’ body, and cursed Lucifer.
“Kronos and Othin banished Lucifer from Archonia, telling him that he could never return. Then something incredible happened. They watched as Prometheus’ son was born. He was not like the other tool users. They could see a glow within him, not unlike like the projections of Archons. They watched him mature into a man, grow old, and eventually, die. And yet, when he died, he continued to live on. He took on a form like the Archons, and they brought him to their world to live.” The ancient historian paused for a moment to take a drink of water.
It all made perfect sense. It explained why there were scientists on Earth who believed in evolution. It showed that religions were correct about some things and incorrect about others. Each Archon had been influencing different tribes, explaining the different customs, and languages. The truth of history was amazing, and William scribbled down as much as he could.
“Lucifer was banished to a realm created by his brother, Kronos. He split the land of Archonia in two, creating a lifelong prison for his treacherous brother. It was named Dichonia. Lucifer was an Archon however, and even this prison could not prevent him from entering the mortal plane. And so Lucifer was forced to watch as the sons of Prometheus were born and ascended to Archonia, his former home.
“As many know the evolution of mankind was brutal. These early humans were exactly the same as any of the other creatures born to this world. They felt hunger and fear, and if threatened, they would kill each other. Lucifer liked this, and used his influence to create violent tribes of men. Their Archonian souls became darker as they were tainted by the violence and
hate. They became more perverse, sacrificing themselves and laying waste to enemy tribes, all in their dark father’s name.
“When they died the remaining Archons would not allow them to live amongst the pure souls of Archonia, so their tainted souls were thrown into Dichonia, where they became only more and more twisted. Soon Lucifer had amassed a massive army, which he used to attack the lands of Archonia. He himself could not pass the borders of his domain, but these twisted souls could,” Echard said.
“Professor?” a man sitting near the front of the lecture room inquired. “Why did the Archons not simply destroy Lucifer?”
“Could you kill your own brother, young one?” the old historian asked, looking over his bifocals after readjusting them with a finger. “In fact, one of them decided to do just that. The Archonians were hopelessly outnumbered, and were nearly defeated. The Archons Othin and Kronos faced a difficult decision. Kronos finally decided that Lucifer needed to be destroyed. However, Othin thought that if they forgave Lucifer, and let him come home that he might help them destroy the very abominations that he had created.
“There was a terrible battle between the two mighty beings, and the result was devastating. When they clashed, desolation fell across both worlds, and many souls were lost. They had destroyed one another in their struggle along with one of their sisters, Allah, who had tried to break up the fight,” the historian said, standing before the questioning student.
The room fell silent. William finished writing, catching up with his hastily scribbled notes.
“What happened to the other Archons?” William asked, breaking the silence.
The young looking chronicler responded thoughtfully, “Ammun and Brahma gave their lives to create a barrier between our worlds to keep the twisted souls of Lucifer out, and in Dichonia,”
