Vrin_ Ten Mortal Gods Part 34

He s.h.i.+fted his weight and glared at me. "Oh I have to do this. It is my my creation that is being creation that is being perverted perverted by demons! But don't worry, I will create it again, and I will by demons! But don't worry, I will create it again, and I will not not make the same mistakes twice." make the same mistakes twice."

"And if your wife and daughter are are here?" here?"

"Then I will spare this world, and destroy the infestation." He held his hand out.

I gave up the box.

With his free hand, he withdrew an eyepiece from his pocket and touched it to the top of the cube. Hesitantly, he lifted the box to his eye and looked into it-- for a long long moment. moment.

Had the program found his wife and daughter? I looked at Kitaya. She stood with the gun behind her back, and gave a small shrug.

Finally gaza let out a sigh and pulled his head up from the box. At first his face was expressionless, but then quickly distorted into a look of rage. He stepped away from the rail, hauled the box back, and launched it over the edge. "ARRGGHHH!"

I covered my head and jumped back. "Now, Kitaya! Now!" "Now, Kitaya! Now!"

But there was nothing. The air became still. Did the pistol misfire? Was it out of bullets? I turned and looked at her.

She was there, quietly holding the pistol. Only, it wasn't pointing at Gaza. It was pointing, at me. me. Her lovely face lit up in a sweet smile. Her lovely face lit up in a sweet smile.

Then...

she pulled the trigger.

CHAPTER 30.

DANTRA.

001001011001110.

Being dead was not at all what I had expected. It was actually quite cozy. The red velvet surface beneath me was incredibly soft, and the sweetest melody from a flute was drifting from somewhere nearby.

Two faces appeared above me. One was Annie's; the other, my mom's. Both were crying.

"He looks good," said Annie between sobs. "Don't you think he looks good?"

"Yes." Mom sniffed. "Very handsome."

"I always loved that suit." Annie blew her nose. "The funeral parlor did a nice job with him."

Funeral parlor! I grabbed the side of the coffin, sat up, and hauled myself out. I grabbed the side of the coffin, sat up, and hauled myself out.

Mom and Annie continued to stare down at the body in the open casket. It was me-- and I looked dead. But I did NOT look good! good! Why do people always say Why do people always say dead dead people look people look good? good?

I waved my hand in front of Annie. No reaction. I jumped up and down waving my arms. Still nothing. Was I a ghost? Was my spirit bound to earth for some crime I had committed? I turned and scanned the room. Samuel and Rebecca were sitting in the front row, dressed all in black. If they saw me, they made no indication. I walked to the edge of the platform and looked down at all the sad faces-- row after row of relatives, friends, business a.s.sociates. "Huh." I shrugged. All things considered, it wasn't a bad turnout.

A face in the third row caught my attention. She looked familiar-- but I couldn't place her. Her clothing was odd, either foreign foreign, or out of date, I couldn't decide which. I recognized her radiant blond hair and piercing green eyes. Yes, I knew her! Ariel! From the Abby where I'd studied for my appointment as sky searcher. Sky searcher? Sky searcher? I knew the term, but, what did it I knew the term, but, what did it mean? mean? Ariel smiled at me. Could Ariel smiled at me. Could she she see me? I stepped down from the platform and walked up the aisle toward her, all the while keeping my gaze fixed on hers. see me? I stepped down from the platform and walked up the aisle toward her, all the while keeping my gaze fixed on hers.

The room began to warp and expand until I found myself alone with her in a dense forest. Her lovely face turned up toward mine. "I waited," she said softly. "I knew you were busy with your studies, but I waited."

I crouched in front of her and found myself saying, "I know it is difficult for you, but my workload is demanding."

"You will gain what you seek, Charm. I only hope I may share in your journey."

Memories like a distant dream began to surface. Memories of an entire life lived in a beautiful and peaceful world-- peaceful, that is, until the G.o.ds came.

I stood and took a step back.

Her countenance fell. "What's wrong?"

"I'm-- Sam Dejal."

"We don't have time for this," came a gruff voice from behind me.

I twisted around and was surprised that I was still in the funeral parlor. Standing before me, unmoving, was a priest with an annoyed look on his face. There was a long pause, and I began to wonder if he had spoken at all. I leaned in close-- looking for a hint of movement.

"Can we speed things up!"

"Whoa!" I leaped back.

The priest rolled his eyes.

I squinted at him. "Do I know you?" I asked.

"My name name is Clayton P. Wentworth," he said gruffly, "but you know me as Humphrey." is Clayton P. Wentworth," he said gruffly, "but you know me as Humphrey."

I let out a laugh. "That's right! Of course you're here. You're dead too!"

"You're not dead, ya dope!"

"What?" I looked around. "Then, what's all this?"

"It's not real. You're creating this out of the substance of Dantra."

As he said the word, there was an impression. I knew Dantra. I had been here before. In my mind I saw a wide white bridge with a mult.i.tude of people moving across. Angels of G.o.d in brilliant orange flame were flying beside the bridge, protecting us from the fallen ones. Explosions of yellow plasma erupted as the ancient ones did battle. G.o.d had called us to save one man, Robert Helm.

Humphrey smiled. "That's it, that's a good memory. Hold on to that one. And let's go!"

"Please, Humphrey, I need more."

Humphrey looked past me and his brow furrowed.

"What is it?" I glanced behind.

"I have been reminded that time is not an issue, and--" his voice lowered and he looked away, "that I need to be more patient."

"Who reminded you?" I looked around the funeral parlor.

"Someone who knows and loves you," said a female voice. I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and turned to see a familiar face. Her eyes squinted as she produced a smile.

"Becca!" I gave her a long hug, then pulled back slightly. "Are you you real?" real?"

"Yes." She laughed. "I'm real. What you saw before was a creation of your mind, but I'm real."

I gave her a puzzled look. "How..."

She smiled. "I'm here to explain that, but we will have to take it slowly, because there is great pain if you are s.h.i.+fted through thought too quickly here. It isn't like your dreams. Here in Dantra, your thoughts become reality."

This idea made me uncomfortable.

"See. You are already beginning the struggle." She rubbed my shoulder. "It's okay. Humphrey and I are here to a.s.sist you. We're sharing your reality, and the angels are here as well."

Humphrey interjected. "Remember Arganis?"

It took me a second, but the memories were there. "Yes. I remember him."

"He taught you how to control the energy coming from The Circle of Ghosts while you were still in Vrin."

I squinted at him. "Where?" "Where?"

"Vrin." He began to pace. "The place he created from the energy of Dantra, the energy surrounding us now, thought thought energy." energy."

I stared at him.

He grunted, then tried again. "Vrin "Vrin is made from thought energy. It is real, because in Dantra thought becomes real." is made from thought energy. It is real, because in Dantra thought becomes real."

"So-- is Vrin Vrin a shared hallucination?" a shared hallucination?"

"No." He frowned. "But that's pretty close."

Rebecca spoke up. "Let's see if you can follow this. I will stop if I sense any discomfort."

I nodded.

"Beyond our dreams and past the darkness is a spirit plane called Dantra. We are in Dantra right now. Here, G.o.d teaches us about ourselves, and we carry that information back through dreams. It is why why we sleep. Do you understand?" we sleep. Do you understand?"

"I-- think so."

"Well a man named Doctor Solomon began an experiment intended to create a connection between the comatose mind of his friend, Robert Helm, and the physical world. But it did not go as expected, because the scientists had no no idea what they were tinkering with. Each time the computer prodded Robert's mind, Robert created substance from the energy of Dantra, and as a result, Vrin came to be." idea what they were tinkering with. Each time the computer prodded Robert's mind, Robert created substance from the energy of Dantra, and as a result, Vrin came to be."

"Vrin, yes, now I remember. That's where we were going on the white bridge." yes, now I remember. That's where we were going on the white bridge."

"Exactly! G.o.d sent you and the others there. So from that time on, whenever you slept, you went to Vrin instead of Dantra. And in Vrin you lived another life, a life completely completely separated from the one you were experiencing on Earth. Each night, Thomas Tardin went to sleep and became Charm. But then Thomas had an accident and was unable to wake up, which made sleeping very difficult for Charm. Because when Charm went to sleep, he could go only as far as The Separation, but was not able to get home. separated from the one you were experiencing on Earth. Each night, Thomas Tardin went to sleep and became Charm. But then Thomas had an accident and was unable to wake up, which made sleeping very difficult for Charm. Because when Charm went to sleep, he could go only as far as The Separation, but was not able to get home.

For a time, Charm was plagued with sleeplessness, but was otherwise fine-- until one night when he was sitting up late reading Davata Notrals and his consciousness was ripped from his body. His mind was pulled into the void because at that moment, the same computer that had prodded Robert Helm began communicating with Thomas." Rebecca paused. "Are you remembering?"

I nodded slowly. "It's coming back-- though I'm not sure I want to remember."

"Should we take a break?"

"No. I need to know."

"Alright." She gave a warm smile. "When the computer first began communicating with you, you were terrified because you had no control over what was happening. But eventually you adapted and created an environment in Vrin, which brought you peace. It was then that Sam' Dejal came into existence. And since time does not exist in the void, it appeared that Charm froze at the exact time you became Sam' Dejal. And for a short time you were a G.o.d-- or so you thought.

"Sam' Dejal." An image flashed in my mind. "Yes. But I wanted to be called Jason."

"Because it was a familiar name to you. But actually, you didn't know who who you were, and in your attempt to find your ident.i.ty, you became entangled in a conflict that was not your own. And with your new abilities, you began to believe you were invincible. This led you to ruin. But when you finally came to the end of yourself, G.o.d allowed you to return to Thomas Tardin." you were, and in your attempt to find your ident.i.ty, you became entangled in a conflict that was not your own. And with your new abilities, you began to believe you were invincible. This led you to ruin. But when you finally came to the end of yourself, G.o.d allowed you to return to Thomas Tardin."

"Yes. But only after after I asked for help." I asked for help."

"Exactly!" Rebecca flashed a brilliant smile.

I stood thinking, and the memories continued to surface. "I returned to Thomas, but-- I was in some sort of danger. Right?"

"Yes. At the center Thomas' life was in danger, so Dr. Solomon helped him escape. But But that was all Thomas needed to do; to expect any more from that was all Thomas needed to do; to expect any more from him him would have been asking too much. His life was riddled with poor choices, because it was tailored to create the man Thomas Tardin would become. But don't feel bad. G.o.d knew there would be a Vrin, and he knew there would be a Charm, and Charm's life was fas.h.i.+oned by G.o.d to turn would have been asking too much. His life was riddled with poor choices, because it was tailored to create the man Thomas Tardin would become. But don't feel bad. G.o.d knew there would be a Vrin, and he knew there would be a Charm, and Charm's life was fas.h.i.+oned by G.o.d to turn you you into a hero. All Thomas had to do was fall asleep. You returned to Vrin, and it was once again up to Charm to complete the will of G.o.d. into a hero. All Thomas had to do was fall asleep. You returned to Vrin, and it was once again up to Charm to complete the will of G.o.d. And And Charm was doing great-- right up to the point where he got shot." Charm was doing great-- right up to the point where he got shot."

"Why don't I remember that?"

"It will come."

"So-- who am I now?"

"You are the sum of all." She smiled. "And, Dad, although you have made some poor decisions, I love you anyway."

"Thanks. I guess." I gave her a quizzical look. "So how do you you know so much?" know so much?"

"Because I have come to the knowledge of the truth. It is in the understanding of who G.o.d is, and of what he has done for us, that we may finally see Dantra for what it is. I no longer have to struggle against myself, I can now focus on the real war. But not all who come to Dantra see it for what it is, and that brings us to Constance. She needs you."

"--Who?"

"The daughter of Robert Helm."

"Why does she need me?" me?"

"You are the only one she will listen to."

Humphrey broke in. "It's time to go. You have what you need to s.h.i.+ft through Dantra. And we have work to do."

"But, I still have questions."

Rebecca gave me the most wonderfully loving look. "Humphrey's right, you need to go. But I want you to know, I am so glad to have you for my father. I'm proud of you, Dad, and I will see you when you return." Her form began to s.h.i.+ft and flutter into ghostly transparencies, until she dissolved away completely.

My heart sank.