The Soul Prophecy, page 11
Caleb chats away freely as we stroll along a winding gravel path, his cane tapping lightly with each step. ‘This garden is an exact replica of the one I tended for Daimyo Takeda at his home in Kai province,’ he says. ‘I even had a cherry blossom tree imported from that very same region in Japan.’ He waves his stick at a flourishing pink-white tree further along the path.
‘It’s beautiful,’ I say, feeling immediately at home in such surroundings. My own Glimmer as the samurai Miyoko comes back to me and I recall meditating in just such a garden some five hundred years ago … My hands cupped in my lap, my eyes closed, the sweet scent of cherry blossom in my nostrils, listening to the ripple of water and the soft tinkle of a wind chime as I focus on my breathing and clear my mind of all distraction, my katana always close at hand –
Caleb stumbles slightly on the path and I catch him by the arm; the Glimmer vanishes, along with the tantalizing reminder of my samurai skills. ‘Are you OK, Caleb?’
He nods, his face crinkling with a pained smile. ‘An old war wound,’ he explains.
‘And which war was that? I ask without irony.
‘The First World War,’ he says. ‘I was shot in the knee. The trauma of the injury carried over to this life, as they’re sometimes wont to do. But that’s the least of my ailments. Due to my Soul Sight, I’m electro-sensitive. Any magnetic field, Wi-Fi or radio signal disturbs my aura. Of course, that wasn’t a problem in the past, but nowadays this modern, high-tech world gives me headaches, nausea and crippling pain if I’m exposed to it for too long.’
‘Is that why you built Haven here? In a dead zone?’ I say, remembering what Jude told me.
‘Partly,’ he replies. ‘But there’s a far greater reason for choosing this place.’ He points to the six colossal pillars of red stone that dominate the valley. ‘This is a powerful and ancient spiritual site. A natural stone circle of immense cosmic energy. The local Mojave people gave their blessing to build Haven here within its protection. We’re on sacred ground.’ He looks at me. ‘You must have felt it yourself upon entering?’
At his words I once more become aware of the warm tingling in my limbs. ‘Yes, it’s like … it’s strange, but it’s like liquid sunshine from within.’
Caleb smiles. ‘The stone circle is feeding your Light,’ he explains. ‘And that sensation will only grow stronger the longer you’re here.’
‘But what is this Light? Why am I carrying it and what am I supposed to do with it?’ I ask. ‘My Soul Protector, Phoenix, told me I’m a First Ascendant, but I still don’t really understand what that means. Am I a god or something?’
Caleb chuckles. ‘So many questions,’ he says, guiding me along the path towards the glass pyramid. ‘Perhaps it’s easier just to show you.’
20
For a moment I’m almost blinded. Then my eyes adjust and it appears as if I’m standing inside a huge prism. The glass panels of the pyramid refract the golden sunlight, casting a multitude of rainbows over my head like a kaleidoscope. I feel dizzy and intoxicated by the sight, my skin tingling and my nerves buzzing as if a small electric current is running through me.
‘This is the Sun Room,’ Caleb announces proudly. He notices my wide-eyed expression. ‘Don’t be alarmed at any heightened sensations you may be experiencing. They’re a natural consequence of bathing in the Light.’
‘Why is the feeling so strong, though?’ I ask as I rub my tingling hands together.
‘The glass pyramid focuses and magnifies the sun’s energy,’ he explains. ‘Combined with the power of the stone circle, you’re absorbing the Light at a higher rate than normal. But you still really haven’t experienced anything yet!’
Caleb leads me across the pyramid’s white marble floor, its smooth surface polished to such a high sheen that it’s like a mirror and gives the impression of walking in mid-air. I notice that Caleb’s no longer limping, his cane left behind at the entrance, and I assume the Light has temporarily strengthened his knee. I remember when fighting Damien within Havenbury’s stone circle that my own muscles felt strangely empowered and that Phoenix’s life was even saved by its restorative effects. In fact, my injuries from yesterday’s escape from Damien and his thugs at the building site have all but disappeared – the aches are miraculously gone and the bruises are fading before my very eyes.
Caleb stops beside a white marble pedestal in the centre of the room. Chest-high and octagonal-shaped, the altar is the only solid object in the whole pyramid. Its sides are engraved with mystical symbols and hieroglyphs. With my Egyptian Glimmer still fresh in my mind, I immediately recognize the protective Eye of Horus and the loop-headed ankh cross that represents life. Below these, there’s a circular yin and yang sign, letters in ancient Arabic, and an unusual triple spiral that I haven’t seen before. Mounted on top of the pedestal sits a large, clear crystal cut into the shape of a pyramid capstone. I catch my reflection in its shining surface and am taken aback at the blazing blue gleam to my eyes. I’ve never seen them so radiant and star-like!
‘Genna, I intend to show you your deep past,’ says Caleb in a reverential tone, his eyes even more brilliant than mine. ‘Watch and learn as I guide you on this journey. I warn you, though: the experience can be quite intense. It’ll be more of a Glare than a Glimmer.’
He runs his fingers along the top edge of the altar, as if it were a tablet screen, and the solar panels of the glass pyramid adjust to redirect the sun’s rays. The kaleidoscope of rainbows coalesces into a single white beam that strikes the very tip of the crystal capstone. The clear jewel bursts into life and a miniature sun burns bright at its heart. So dazzling is its fire that I’m amazed I can even look at it without losing my sight.
‘Are you ready? Place your hands upon the crystal,’ instructs Caleb, who stands opposite me, his palms flat against one side.
Hesitantly I reach out, expecting the surface to be scorching hot, but discover to my surprise that it’s cool to the touch. Then the hairs on the backs of my arms rise, and a second later a surge of energy floods my body. My heart pounds, my blood roars and my amber skin begins to glow from within. The sun inside the crystal expands until my vision is consumed entirely by its bright golden light …
Everything … is Light.
Glorious, blissful and infinitely peaceful.
The Light sings, swirls and soars. Flowing freely and forever –
‘What is this Light?’ I say, my voice echoing through time. My spirits lift like a feather borne high upon the warmest, softest breeze.
‘Love, in its purest form,’ comes back Caleb’s reply from afar. ‘The origin and essence of the Universe.’
All of a sudden a rip appears in the Light. Its shimmering curtain is torn apart by an explosion of Darkness. Particles of Light are flung into the furthest reaches of an ever-expanding void – a billion trillion sparks floating away in an endless sea of black –
Just as suddenly a great sadness seems to suffocate my heart. ‘What just happened?’
‘The birth of Tanas,’ replies Caleb in a mournful voice.
All around, the Light is slowly dying, the sparks blinking out, one by one.
Eons of time pass, the Darkness spreads and the Universe grows colder.
Then glints of Light begin to reappear, shining bright and bold in the Darkness, and we are born –
‘First Ascendants are not gods. They are carriers of the Light,’ explains Caleb. ‘Your soul is the essence of that First Light. And it is this essence that’s reincarnated from life to life, body to body, in the same way that one candle can be used to ignite another before it is extinguished.’
‘But am I … human?’ I ask with some trepidation.
Caleb nods. ‘You’re as human as anyone on this planet. But you’re also a spiritual being. You see more, know more and feel more. Your presence, along with that of other First Ascendants, brings much needed hope, love and Light to Humanity.’
I stand upon the hilltop, facing east across the Great Rift Valley. The night has been long and cold, but the promise of a new dawn shimmers on the horizon. A soft orange glow slowly pushes back night’s black mantle. I take my mother’s hand, then my twin sister’s, who in turn takes my father’s, and we raise them to the sky. Across the hilltop the rest of our Ascendant tribe do the same. We raise our hands together to greet the coming sun –
‘I have a sister?’ I murmur in astonishment. I think back to what I said to Mei about her being like the sister I never had and, for the first time, I understand the deep yearning in my heart for a sibling.
‘You had a whole First Ascendant family,’ Caleb says warmly, ‘and together you harnessed the Light …’
We begin to chant our soft subtle spell, a chorus of birdsong accompanying our ceremony. The low rhythmic notes of hoopoes mix with the higher-pitched calls of cuckoos and kingfishers along the broad banks of the river, where hippos grunt and a knot of gazelles gather quietly to drink from its waters. A symphony of sound that sends the night into retreat. At last the great red disc of the sun crests the horizon, its golden rays spilling across the bountiful savannah. Elephants, zebra and wildebeest roam free. A herd of antelope stir as a lion prowls through the long grass. Flocks of birds take flight. Up on the hill we are bathed in the Light, and the Earth comes to life –
As the deeply ancient vision passes, Caleb’s voice once more resounds in my head: ‘By upholding the Light, you help protect humanity and all life on this planet from Tanas and his Darkness.’
My chest tightens to the point where I’m almost unable to breathe. ‘Are you telling me that the fate of the world is in my hands?’
‘You’re not alone in this task,’ Caleb assures me. ‘All Ascendants share this duty.’
‘Still, that’s some responsibility,’ I say, the idea weighing so heavily upon me that my body trembles at the very thought of defying Tanas. ‘How are we supposed to uphold this Light?’
‘Primarily by passing your soul’s flame on to its next incarnation and thereby keeping the Light burning … and the Darkness at bay.’
Having confronted Tanas once already in this life, I know this is no easy task. My Light has been on the point of being snuffed out forever on more occasions than I’d care to remember. ‘Does every soul carry the Light?’ I ask, hoping the burden is spread wide.
‘No, only those that were born of the First Light.’
‘But do any other souls reincarnate like us?’
‘Some,’ responds Caleb. ‘It depends on their journey, what stage they are at and what they still need to learn. Certain souls are very ancient, others are fresh and new. They’re the ones that need the greatest protection and guidance. For those that have come after the First Light are sparks that can either be fanned into flames to help our purpose – like Soul Brothers and Sisters – or else be put out.’
‘What do you mean, “put out”?’
‘Their souls blackened and turned by Tanas to become Incarnates,’ Caleb explains grimly. ‘You see, Tanas lurks in the night claiming the souls of the lost. He feeds off their despair, drawing them in with false promises and making it easy for them to be enticed by the Darkness. So the more evil that is committed in the world, the stronger he becomes. And while his army of Watchers and Hunters continues to grow, the sparks die and our Light dwindles …’
A storm thunders in the heavens. Lightning cracks and rain cascades down in torrents. Out of the darkness an army of black-eyed warriors marches across the plain towards our settlement. We are unprepared and unprotected. Not even the first of the First among our tribe predicted that Tanas would be able to incarnate himself on Earth, or draw such numbers of followers to his evil cause.
As strong and mighty as a silverback gorilla, Tanas sits high up on a colossal tusked elephant. He wears a lion’s skull on his shaved head and the pelt of a leopard on his back. His tattooed skin glistens with rain under the stark flashes of lightning and in his hand he clutches a long spear, its vicious spike carved from a human thigh bone.
The screams of Ascendant men, women and children fill the air as we try to flee his army of Incarnates. But they lay waste to our settlement and slaughter everyone in their path. Leading the charge, Tanas targets the brightest of the Ascendants, spearing them through the heart with his fiendish weapon and laughing cruelly as they die –
‘W-was that Tanas’s first attack?’ I ask in a faltering voice, the sharp, icy fear of that moment as fresh and fierce as I felt it all those countless millennia ago.
‘Yes. The first of many.’
I swallow hard, trying to suppress the instinctive urge to run, reminding myself it’s only a Glimmer. ‘But how did we ever survive?’
‘Be patient, Genna, and you shall see …’
21
I stand amid the carnage, terror rooting me to the spot while my fellow Ascendants are murdered before my eyes. My mother and father scream for me to run, then they too are caught up in the massacre. Like bloodthirsty lions hunting down a pair of gazelles, the Incarnates pounce on their prey and tear my parents limb from limb. I feel their brutal deaths like a stake through my own heart, the Light of the world dimming as they are lost.
Then I see my twin sister, Lakeisha, cowering in our hut, trying to hide from the bloodbath. Tanas goads his elephant with the tip of his spear. The enraged beast rears up and knocks the hut down, pinning my sister beneath the wreckage. I have to get her out before she’s trampled under foot. In an instant I’m by her side.
Her starry eyes are wide with pain. ‘Tishala, I can’t move my legs!’ my sister gasps.
Clearing the debris, I discover she’s trapped under a wooden beam. I grab hold of it … but it’s too heavy. ‘You’ll have to lift too,’ I tell her.
Lakeisha nods and begins to push with her hands. My teeth gritted, I strain with all my might as Tanas charges back our way. Seeing the elephant thundering ever closer, I let out a yell of fear and fury. At the last moment the beam shifts and my sister wriggles free.
‘Lakeisha, run!’ I scream.
The huge elephant is almost on top of us. Lakeisha hobbles away and I dash in the opposite direction, frantically waving my arms to draw Tanas’s attention. The distraction works, but the large elephant is deceptively fast and before I know it a tusk has gored my side, flinging me through the air to land, broken and bleeding, in the mud.
Leaping from his mount, Tanas strides over to finish me off. I try to crawl away, but I slip and slide in the rain-soaked red earth. He looms over me, his bone spear raised high above his head. A flash of lightning illuminates his dark demonic face, revealing two bottomless pits for eyes, and a scream wells up in my throat at his empty soulless stare. I know all hope is gone. Around me, the Light is being extinguished flame by flame, soul by soul, and I’m next –
‘I thought you said we survived!’ I gasp, my body trembling from a primeval fear. My side throbs painfully as if it has been gored anew, and my skin is as goose-bumped and chilled as it was long ago on that fateful night. Even in the glaring brightness of the Sun Room, I can sense Tanas’s dark shadow looming over me.
‘Be patient, Genna. This Glare is not yet over,’ Caleb assures me. ‘The tide of battle is about to turn …’
As I lie defenceless at Tanas’s feet, I glimpse a forest of burning torches moving from the east. A war cry sounds and a host of axe-wielding warriors charge out of the night. Taken by surprise, the Incarnates are driven back and forced to fight these new invaders.
Tanas goes to spear me through the heart when an axe blade cleaves his weapon in half and a bare-chested warrior with braided black hair knocks him flying. Flipping back to his feet, Tanas roars in fury and advances. Undaunted, the warrior swings his axe to behead him. At the last second Tanas ducks, then smashes the shaft of his broken spear across his opponent’s arm, knocking the axe from his grasp. The warrior responds with a barrage of punches and disarms Tanas of his broken spear. They fight hand to hand – brutal blows, the battle like a clash between two great lions – but Tanas’s superior strength gets the better of the brave warrior. Tanas kicks him to the ground, then stamps on him so hard I hear ribs break.
Leaving the man gasping and writhing in pain, Tanas picks up the dropped axe and turns back to me. Unarmed, half his size and badly injured from the elephant’s tusk, I’ve little hope of fending him off. But then I spot a gleam of white bone in the mud – the broken spear tip! I scramble towards it, but Tanas seizes my ankle and drags me away. He flings me against the remains of a stone wall, knocking all the air from my lungs, before laying me across it like a sacrificial goat.
‘You can lose your head before your heart!’ he growls, raising the axe.
Suddenly his pitch-black eye sockets widen and he grunts in pain. Keeling forward, Tanas collapses face-first into the mud, a gleam of white bone protruding from his back – the broken tip of his own spear – and there, standing victorious over his dead body, is the braided warrior. Rain drips down his blood-soaked face and he has his arm clasped round his injured chest, yet the warrior offers me his hand. I grasp it and he pulls me to my feet. In that moment our eyes lock and a spark of Light passes between us. His deep-brown eyes take on a blue starlit hue and I know that from now on and forever more we’ll be connected –
My breath catches in my throat and my pulse quickens at the memory. ‘So that’s how I met my Soul Protector?’ I say.
‘Yes … the Hakala warrior tribe from the mountains came to your rescue,’ explains Caleb. ‘That fateful night each warrior who saved a First Ascendant became their Soul Protector and an eternal bond was forged between their souls.’
‘But we lost so many,’ I say, tears brimming in my eyes with an ancient grief as I recall those who died, my First mother and First father among them. Their deaths weigh even more heavily on my heart than those of my present-life parents and for a moment I feel ashamed that my grief can make such a distinction between them, but then I realize my First mother and father were part of me in a way my present-life parents could never be.
