Epic of Aravinda 1: The Truth Beyond the Sky (18 page)

Before Zahn could reply, she pulled all three of them up through the stone dome and through the rocky hill. They were happy to realize that moving through these objects wasn’t painful at all. In fact, it was almost pleasant and reminded Zahn of a ticklish feeling.

For some time, they could see nothing. After all, they were travelling through the solid obsidian stone of the hillside, but after a few seconds, the sight of darkness was replaced by the view of a massive triangular door of light. The girl touched the door, and it opened to reveal an expansive hall. The sight of the hall left Zahn feeling breathless, even though he knew, strictly speaking, that he’d left his breath back at the dome. When he looked over to the young girl, he saw that she was smiling warmly toward each of them, and something about the smile gave him an undefinably unique feeling of peace.

The hall was vast, extending taller than the tallest trees he’d seen on Aarava and stretching onward for what looked like forever, but it was difficult to tell because of a white haze that grew more intense with distance. They had arrived at one end of the vast hall where six entities were waiting for them.

Each of these entities was floating in midair, and the way they carried themselves varied greatly from person to person. Some were ‘sitting’ in midair with their legs crossed while others were holding their legs in various ways. Behind them, massive columns shimmered in a million hues of the rainbow, and a great distance above them a miniature galaxy slowly spun and pulsed with light.

Once the council saw Zahn, Asha, and Oonak, they flew over and welcomed them, tightly embracing each one of them. Zahn was shocked that such an advanced race was so affectionate and was so stunned that he didn’t react until the third hug, which was given by an older man with fine wrinkles.

Zahn noticed that, besides the young girl, there were three men and three women in the group, and with each hug, he felt more and more that this place was a fountain of loving energy.

When the welcomes were over, the young girl joined the group, and all seven joined hands and closed their eyes. And then, they spoke as one.

“We are the Council of Amithya: A Divine Light of the Galactic Sun.”

CHAPTER
26

THE GIFTS OF AMITHYA

“We would like to congratulate Oonak for being the first of Sumanas to reach Amithya,” the council said.

Before, these individuals had seemed approachable and unintimidating, but now that they were together, Zahn could feel power radiating off of them. Their combined voice was like a hundred rushing rivers, and he thought he saw their eyes glowing from behind their closed eyelids.

“Thank you, Wise Ones,” Oonak said as he bowed.

“We have searched your hearts and see that great efforts have been made to make this journey a success and for that we are proud. Whenever a child of the Confederation begins to walk, we are proud. We also see a residual energy that indicates your ship has been damaged by the Vakragha, and we are grateful that, despite your ship’s damage, you have reached us. Oonak, you have been out of contact for some time. What is the current status of your mission?”

Zahn looked over to Oonak in surprise and said nothing.

“Council, it is an honor to at last be in your immediate presence. Unfortunately, I bring disturbing news. If you are certain that the damage was inflicted by the Vakragha, then their Dominion is growing even faster than we had anticipated. The damage to Navika occurred in the Kuvela system, deep within the fourth band of the western spiral arm.”

“What can you tell us of the attack?”

“Navika has specific data about the attack that you may find useful, as well as data on the current spread of the Dominion. However, I am sorry to report that I was not able to see them with my own eyes nor gather much data about their vessel.”

“Do not be sorry to report the truth, Oonak. Continue.”

As they spoke, the sound of their voices harmonized in strange and beautiful ways.

“As you can probably tell, a fragment of my ship was sliced off while I was in orbit above Avani.”

“Why were you in orbit around a hatchling world? Yours was a survey mission that did not require any interaction beyond long range scans.”

Oonak’s face tightened slightly.

“Sumanas High Command thought that, in addition to the Confederation mission, it would be wise to survey worlds within a certain distance from my course, provided a strict cloaking protocol be implemented at all times. We never intended to interfere with such worlds.”

“And yet you have. Zahn is living proof of this fact. We are disappointed at your interference on Zahn’s world. Even though you took precautions to prevent any contamination, such precautions are not a guarantee, as you have learned. The introduction of foreign technology, such as yours, would have been damaging to Avani’s natural development. However, you have retrieved the fragment, and for this we are grateful. Is there anything further you wish to report about the attack?”

“Yes. At first, I thought that the vessel might have the ability to move even faster than Navika, but now I see that the evidence in Navika’s logs better supports my hypothesis that the Vakragha have a cloaking mechanism that is nearly perfect—one that allows them to attack while under cloak.”

“Thank you for this information, Oonak. We will consider it and notify all Confederation worlds that the Vakragha influence has now spread to the Kuvela system. We will also repair your timespace components and recalibrate your cloaking cells so that you may make the trek home in much safer conditions. We now wish to speak to the one known as Asha.”

Slowly, Asha moved forward. All seven of them glowed in each of the seven colors of the rainbow now.

“Yes?”

“What are your intentions? Why did you take the risk in accompanying these spacefarers?”

“Council, my father’s outpost was attacked while I was assisting Oonak with repairs to his ship. There was no time to return to my home before my father was forced to activate lockdown. We barely escaped with our lives.”

“Indeed, we see into your heart. This has been more difficult for you than you feel you can show to the others, hasn’t it?”

“If you’re asking me if I miss my father, then the answer is yes. But when we were separated, my father told me to align my heart with my mind and I would be unstoppable. I now know with every fiber of my being that helping Oonak and Zahn is the right thing to do.”

“Indeed, the Stewards of the Portal tell us that you were the one who solved their riddle. The portals are the only way to reach our world, so you have been of great service to your friends.”

Zahn whispered to Oonak. “I told you it was a riddle.”

“Shh,” Oonak said.

“Well, I calmed my mind, and it came to me.”

“We see that your intuitive potential is powerful, Asha. Yet it has not been properly cultivated during your time on the outpost. We must ask, have you considered healing living beings instead of repairing non-living machines? Does this interest you?”

“Back on the outpost I sometimes counseled pilots who had been traumatized in marauder attacks. They told me that talking with me helped them feel better. Do you mean something along those lines?”

“That, and more. You have the healing potential, and with this potential we could teach you how to bring life to the dying. Are you interested in this?”

“Yes! Yes, I am.”

Three other figures appeared out of the mist. Each were wearing green robes, and they looked ageless.

“We are pleased to hear this. Follow these healers and they will help you along your path.”

“Oonak, can I meet you back at the dome?”

He smiled and then nodded.

There was a hush upon the room, so Zahn simply waved to Asha as she left. She waved back as she followed the three robed figures, vanishing into the mist.

There was a brief silence, and the council spoke again.

“We now wish to speak to the one known as Zahn.”

With some hesitation, Zahn moved forward. He wondered how much they could really see. Could they actually see the past or just what was in someone’s memories?

“As we have said, we can plainly see into your heart and we understand your pain. Your guides have informed us that your world was breached, and the free will of many you love was severely violated. We see the pain that you have felt and continue to feel over the loss of your mother.”

“My guides? Do you mean like spirit guardians? My mother believed each person got two guardians when they were born, and it always felt true to me. So, it is true?”

“Yes. All beings of your density are assigned at least two guides for each life cycle, and sometimes additional guides are assigned for shorter durations.”

“What can you tell me about my guides?”

There was a moment of silence.

“Your guides have decided not to reveal themselves to you at this time. They feel that you are not quite ready to remove the veil that has been purposely raised between your kind and their realm. However, they wish to relate that they can always hear you when you speak to them, be it inwardly or outwardly. Indeed, they are quite powerful and have already been instrumental in the events which led you here.”

“Really? What did they do?”

“They are not permitted to say, as such information would violate your free will. However, we do sense another more pressing question within your mind.”

“Yes, there is a question. A question that I’ve carried for many years.” Zahn breathed in deeply. “Is my mother really dead? Her name is Darshana. She was a beacon of kindness and brilliance on my world, and she went missing twelve years ago. Is there any hope that she’s still alive?”

“What does your heart say?”

“For a long time, I wasn’t sure. I was beginning to wonder if the only reason I was holding onto hope was because it was easier. But now that I’m here, the situation is somehow clearer. Honestly, I’ve always felt that she is alive, even if I never had any evidence for it.”

“We are pleased you have reached a level of clarity, as clarity is most advantageous in reducing suffering. We may be able to help you. Do you have anything that your mother owned or came into repeated contact with? We could tell you more if we had an object to focus onto.”

Zahn considered this, but felt frustrated when he couldn’t think of anything he had that his mother had owned. Nothing in his backpack was his mother’s, and all he had in his pocket was…

The lens!

In a flash, he reached deep into his pocket for the small lens. Yet to his surprise, he discovered that none of his pockets had anything in them. He looked down to his pants and noticed that his legs were still partially transparent.

“Oh, that’s right. I’m not really here.”

“What do you mean?” the council said. “You are indeed here. All that comprises of your true identity is here, in this place.”

“I mean my body. I brought a lens. It’s in my pocket back with my body. Can you tune into that?”

Abruptly, the council vocalized a single note. The note changed until it sounded like seven distinct tones, and just as abruptly as they began, they ceased chanting.

“This object is a small disc?” they asked.

“Basically, yeah. It’s a small, colorless lens.”

“One moment.”

The Wise Ones huddled together, and Zahn thought he noticed them growing brighter than before. Then he was sure of it. There was a light forming in their midst which soon spread to all of the walls. Tiny pathways of light lit up all around them, and then there was a flash.

They turned toward him again.

“Your mother is alive, but only faintly.”

“Really?! Are you sure? How? Where?”

“Calm yourself, Zahn,” Oonak said. “If you become too excited, you might trigger your body into waking up and disappear from this place.”

“Calm down? Calm
down
?! My mother is alive. How can I remain calm?”

Oonak put his hand on Zahn’s shoulder.

“By telling yourself to, because you have to. Do you want to leave the council before we find out where your mother is? Breathe deeply.”

Zahn breathed deeply.

“But this isn’t real air. It’s just—”

“Shh! Be calm. Breathe.”

“Okay.” Zahn took another breath. “Okay. I’m calm. I’m on the beach. There might even be birds. Now, where is my mother?”

“Under most circumstances, Universal Law would not permit we of the council to reveal an entity’s location without that entity’s consent. However, given the unique circumstances, we will permit this information to be related.”

“Good. Where is she?”

“She is being held within the Nirananda Nebula, on the edge of the Vakragha Dominion. We have relayed this information to your ship. However, we must also warn you that the Vakragha often reduce their prisoners to a delirious state by absorbing their vital energy. Even though she may yet live, her condition is unknown. She may never be fully conscious again. If you find her, you must be prepared for this.”

“Thank you for the information…” Zahn tried to be grateful for their help but felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Council,” Oonak began. “Is there any way you can assist us in helping Zahn’s mother? If she is alive, then other captured Avanians may also be alive with her. Is there anything you can do to assist us?”

Zahn looked at Oonak in surprise.

“You’re volunteering to help me? But you’ve come so far. Don’t you want to return to your home? I’m sure the council has someone else that could help me. Don’t feel obligated, Oon.”

“On the contrary, Zahn. I would like to repay you for your patience and your kindness. You never had to join me on my quest, but by doing so you’ve made success possible. We will rescue your mother together.”

“If you desire,” the council continued, “there is a creature called a jagrul that you may take with you. Although you may perceive it as an animal, it is only partially in-phase with your reality. It is a rare organism, capable of seeing hidden truths. If you give it Darshana’s lens, it will perceive her location. However, it must be cared for, and you must return it when you have finished your quest. It is important that it not fall into the wrong hands. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” Zahn said.

But he had not stayed calm.

This time, Oonak didn’t reach Zahn in time to help keep him anchored, and he vanished from the room. In a few moments, he would wake up back in the dome room.

“I apologize for Zahn. He has not been trained in the art of controlling his emotions. Although, I will say he seems uniquely aware for someone from a hatchling world. He helped Asha and I come to our senses when we were submerged in a dream world on Aarava.”

“Yes. His guides have shared this with us. Indeed, he is growing along his path quite well, and in much the same way Zahn is learning balance, you ought to be mindful of extremes, as well. Avoid relying solely on reason, Oonak. Remember to trust your heart. For maximum growth, you must cultivate inner balance between these two sides.”

“I will remember. Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Yes. Be wary of using the ancient gate system. Indeed, with your repaired timespace drive, the ancient gates will no longer be necessary. Yet we feel it important to relate that these gates were made far before even the Transcendent Worlds came into being. Because of their fantastic age, some gates are not functioning properly, and many are dangerous.”

“Indeed, we have already been ambushed while using them.”

“Be also mindful not to underestimate the cleverness and speed of the Vakragha. They are without mercy or honor, and to survive against them you must anticipate their thoughts before they act. Avoid direct conflict whenever possible and continue to gather as much information as you can. Sumanas is not alone in this fight, and you have many galactic brothers and sisters that you will meet in the future.”

“Yes, you have told us that each great civilization of this galaxy has a sibling world. A world that shares its heritage in the galactic family. Did we understand your meaning correctly?”

“You grasp correctly.”

“Then I must ask. Council, since I have come so far, have I not proven my world’s worthiness so that we may learn of the sibling world to Sumanas? What is its name?”

“Search your heart. You know the answer.”