David sat on the same grassy bank he use to as a child wishing that he was back with his family. He stares into the great void of his past imagining his father and mother playing with him, his sister, and brothers.
A swirling white light, shaped as a cube with a figure hidden within it, appears across the river. The cube slowly disappears. Snow starts falling, covering the ground around it. A hooded figure shakes off the snow covering his cloak. Two hands pull back the hood to reveal a face hard to make out from across the river. The figure looks down at the snow-covered ground and shakes its head. David watches the figure walk around, as it looks puzzled to its situation. The figure does not notice David sitting on the bank of the river across from where it is standing.
David wonders if he should speak up or not. Then David notices that he has a bite and might have a fish. He slowly pulls back on the pole trying not to disturb the figure’s concentration. He slowly reels in the fish but it fights back and makes a splash in the water, alerting the figure to David’s present. The figure turns its head looking straight at David, and the fish then disappears before David's eyes.
“Where did that person go?” David looks around while pulling the fish closer.
“I think that you mean: Where did who go?”
David turns around to see Merlin standing right behind him. They both smile at each other. The fish flops around some more then tries to get away from David's fishing pole.
“Do you need some help with that fish?” Merlin points at the fish flopping around on the fishing pole.
“Only if you can get it to the campfire over there,” David nods his head backwards.
“Sure, no problem,” Merlin says with a smile. He holds out one of his hands and creates a force field around the fish. The fish stops moving and becomes calm. Merlin walks over to the campfire and sets the fish down beside it. David stands next to Merlin in awe.
“Would you care to stay for lunch? I have two fish now, and I would be more than happy for the company,” David points at the other fish hidden in the basket.
“Sure, I would love too. I just got back from a long trip, and I am famished,” Merlin rubs his stomach.
Over the next hour David and Merlin talk about everything and nothing at the sametime. One question that David is dying to ask Merlin again. The two become quite as the conversation dies down and both stare deeply into the fire.
David breaks the silence, “Can I come live with you? I really do not have anywhere else to go. I promise that I will not be any bother to you. I will keep your home clean. Please let me stay with you!”
“I am sorry, but I cannot take you in. No one has been to my island or my house. I am very sorry, but the answer is no.” Merlin says with a heavy heart at not being able to tell him why.
“Then let me be your apprentice,” David tries a different angle.
“I cannot do that either. Like I told you before, there is only one of me, and there is a very good reason for that,” Merlin knows that he must leave now. He bids David farewell and disappears. David is left a campfire to look up at the clouds, guessing which one looks like what shape.
A couple of hours later, the fire dies down and night sets in. David gathers his belongings and heads back to the neighbor’s home where he is staying.
Thinking about the conversation with Merlin, David wonders, ‘What is he hiding? So he is a grand wizard. So what? Something is not right.’
A thunderous crash in front of David shakes the trees around him. Excitement and fear race throughout his body. David stops in his tracks as he looks ahead to see anything unusual. A faint, fiery glow appears through the dark forest where the crashing noise came from. David rushes to the spot thinking that someone is in trouble. He finds something he was not ready for. It is a fallen phoenix. David freezes at the sight of it. The phoenix lies dying looking back at David with its helpless eyes. David carefully walks over to the phoenix and kneels next to it.
David rambles as he glazes into the phoenix’s eyes as it becomes hard to look away.
“You lie here dying in front of me as I sit here slowly dying on the inside in front of you. I wish you could talk. I wish that you could tell me about what it is like to fly, to soar above all the suffering. I wish that you could regenerate me and heal all of the scars that plague me now. Yes, I have heard that phoenix's tears and blood could heal. You are lucky to be reborn from the fire. I died a little bit in a fire, only to wake up in a nightmare. It would be so fun to go places that you have gone. Your life is so much better than mine because you are free.”
David reaches down not caring about the flames coming from the phoenix's wings. He holds that phoenix close to him as he starts to cry remembering everything that has happened to him in his own life up to now.
“I would love to join with you so we can be one.”
With that last word, the phoenix looks up at David and winks.
David and the phoenix rise into the air. A whirling wind begins to create a funnel underneath them and lifts them up higher. The funnel becomes a class five twister that has lighting shooting out from it. As David watches the twister, he and the phoenix unite into a new dimension. Their actions do not distress any of the countryside around them. The phoenix becomes ashes that disappear in the twister. David looks at his hand and arm as they begin to glow. Tiny puzzle pieces form all over his body. Some are black; some are white; some are red, but all have golden lines separating the pieces from each other. David sees a golden phoenix with silver outlined puzzle-like pieces forming all over its body in front of him. David hears a voice say.
“We shall become one.”
Then he feels his soul tearing into puzzle pieces. David looks down and sees himself still holding the phoenix in his arms. He notices that there are pieces arranged from largest to smallest and some in between. Each piece of David's soul is joining with a piece from the phoenix's soul to create a new multi-colored piece. Then the new pieces begin to reassemble themselves to create a new David and phoenix soul. The last thing that David sees before blacking out is a knight with phoenix wings.
Chapter 31
“Water get me hot water! And lots of it now!” Nicklaus Turner screams at the top of his lungs. His wife, Halie, is lying in their elaborate bed breathing heavily with her doctor holding her wrist as he checks her pulse.
The bedroom is filled with over-sized cabinets and dressers, overflow with warm clothing from local shops, gifts from their first wedding anniversary. Their home is filled with presents from their many friends and some of the businesses they help every day.
Bijou, the maid, has been with the Turner family since their first child was born. Paddington, the butler, came into their family two months after the second child was born. Both would do anything for the Tuner family.
Bijou and Paddington rush out into the hallway and race towards the kitchen. Turning the corner, Paddington barely misses the midwife, Engla. She is carrying a pot of hot water and heading back to the bedroom.
“There is more heating on the stove,” Engla yells back at the two as she rushes into the bedroom.
Upon entering, she asks the doctor and Nicklaus, “How is she doing?”
“She is holding up pretty good,” Nicklaus Turner replies.
“It is almost time,” Doctor Markram says.
Halie lets out a sigh and starts to shed tears of joy for the birth of another Turner.
Contractions start again followed by a shriek loud enough to startle their kids playing in the backyard.
“This will be your fifth child?” Doctor Markram asks Nicklaus.
“Yes, it will be! It doesn't look very good now because she has been bedridden for almost the entire pregnancy. It has been an up and down ride this time. But I am not worried because God is on our side,” He puts a warm, damp towel on his wife's head and kisses her cheek.
The housekeeper and butler enter with towels draped over each of their shoulders. They race into the room with a couple of pots of hot water.
The housekeeper nods at the butler in confirmation that they have not forgotten anything.
Standing and watching, invisible to the human eye, the Archangel Elijah waits for the birth of this new baby.
Engla announces, “Doctor, it is time. I can see the baby's head starting to poke through.”
“Good! Let's have another safe delivery,” The doctor turns his head at Halie. “Are you ready?”
Halie nods her head as a tear runs down her cheek. 'This is just like my first-born child. God this hurts.’
Engla looks up at Halie, “Now, dear, every time that you feel one of those contractions coming on I want you to push with all of your might. Take all that pain and concentrate on pushing this baby out.”
Halie nods her head at Engla as she starts to breathe faster. Revving herself up for the part of being pregnant she hates. Nicklaus bends over and kisses his wife's forehead.
“I love you and always will,” whispers in her ear. Her breathing gets heavier than she lets out a scream.
“Good, now push with all of your might,” Doctor Markram says.
Halie screams.
“Good. Now another,” Engla yells.
‘God give me the strength and please let this be a healthy baby,’ Halie prays in her head.
“Here we go,” the words fall out of Halie’s mouth.
“You are doing great. The head is almost out. One more good push and we will have a healthy baby,” Engla replies.
'This hurts like hell!' Halie thinks.
“You’re doing great; I love you, just a bit more...” Nicklaus squeezes her hand. Halie is exhausted and on the verge of passing out. With one final push, Halie and Nicklaus hear the sweet sound of a baby’s cries.
“Congratulations! You have a new baby boy!” Engla tells the proud new parents. “What is his name?”
“David,” Nicklaus replies as he reaches down to pick up his new baby boy. Halie’s legs collapse on to the bed like Jell-O. Nicklaus brings David over to meet his mother for the first time.
“See that lovely young woman laying right there. That is your mother. She is very happy to see you as so your bothers and sisters. You are the fifth child that we have, and I think that you are the cutest one yet.”
“Nicklaus, please don’t give him a complex just yet. He hasn’t been in the world for more than a couple of minutes,” She reaches for David to hold him for the first time. “Come to Mommy.”
“Baby boy, David Turner, born at 08:08 p.m., on the night of the sixth, a Saturday, in the year 1500. You got that Engla?” Doctor Markram says.
Engla writes the information down, “Yes.”
Archangel Elijah looks David over, ‘Maybe, we will just have to wait and see.’
Then she vanishes with no one knowing that she was even there.
Chapter 32
Black and blue striped puzzle pieces float through the void, bumping into floating stones with spirits chained to them. Blood red pieces float in the same direction as the black and blue striped ones. A few stray white puzzle pieces bump into the black and blue striped ones. Those pieces combine to form substantially larger, multi-colored pieces. The bigger pieces bump into the blood red puzzle pieces and golden sparks fly off the even bigger piece. The multi-colored blob acts like a magnet. More pieces are drawn closer as it becomes stronger and larger. One of the last parts to join this new soul is a deformed black ball with golden lines. A sphere is formed around the chunky puzzle piece blob. It is semi-transparent with golden lines keeping it together. A figure begins to form within the sphere as hands and feet are seen first. Legs and arms are formed with the body. The head comes last as the soul becomes whole. Red eyes peer out from within the sphere to see the world they are born into. The new soul's skin hardens, and it becomes aware of its surroundings. Moving its hands, it breaks out of the transparent sphere and braces its feet against the other side of the sphere. The transparent sphere shreds apart to release the new soul.
Chapter 33
The new soul arrives on earth in a dense part of the woods near a lake. It drifts over to the lake. It sees its reflection shimmering back in the water. The new soul leans closer to make out what it looks like. It only sees two red eyes from a shadowy figure glaring back. The dark figure walks along the riverbank taking in all that its eyes can see. It comes to a clearing with a sandy beach and an old man in a black robe sitting on a log gazing up at the sky. The dark figure floats within five yards of this old man. The old man pays no attention to this shadowy figure that is watching him. He just sits there staring up at the sky watching all the clouds change shape and float by.
“Pretty aren't they? I especially like that one right there because it reminds me of a little white rabbit hurrying along,” the old man says out loud.
The evil spirit moves closer to him, wanting the old man to talk some more. Floating motionlessly, its red eyes peer through the old man’s face as it waits for him to speak.
“I'm sorry I did not introduce myself. My name is Donald, and I am a wizard for the great king. That is why I can see and talk to you.” Donald turns to look at what the spirit. “So, you are a lost soul? I have heard of your kind before but not for a very long time. You are wondering what this is place and why are you here. Well I can answer one of those right now. This place is called Cardoon Forest, and it is the backyard of the mystical castle of Griddoff.”
The dark figure nods and floats closer to Donald. Donald stands up and walks to the edge of the riverbank. He looks one way then the other to make sure that it is just the two of them. Donald turns around and faces the dark figure.
“Do you know how to speak?”
The dark figure shrugs its shoulders and shakes its head.
“Don't worry. It shall come to you in time. I wish I could remember the spell to give you your speech back, but I am getting to old to do much of anything,” Donald rubs his head.
The dark figure cocks its head to one side and copies Donald. Donald stops and the dark figure stops. Donald puts both of his hands in the air. The dark figure repeats it.
“You are a very quick learner. I am very impressed. I think you should come home with me. I have not had many guests over the last couple of years. It would be nice to talk to someone,” Donald walks in the direction of the castle with the dark figure trailing slowly behind him.
They arrive at the castle shortly after dusk. Donald walks up to his study and stops in front of the door.
“Hubert the Magnificent.”
The door unlocks and opens. They walk into Donald's study. Donald waves his hand and the door closes.
“The code word was an old nickname, a running gag with the other wizards back when I was just a young boy. They would call me that and try to tease me all the time, but I just kept my head down and studied all the time learning new spells, incantations, and potions. Well, you get the idea.”
Donald sits down on his chair by the window overlooking the courtyard and the riverbed they just came from. He motions the dark figure to do the same thing in a nearby chair.
Donald continues to rattle on, “There was a time that I got into a little bit of trouble with the local gang of wizards. They chased me down an alleyway and backed me into a corner. What they didn't know was that I just completed the last of the final book ever written and memorized it all,” Donald begins to laugh. “You should have seen their faces when I changed the first boy into pig. I thought it was only fitting for someone of his size.”
Donald laughs harder, and the dark figure begins to do the same.
“I turned all of those boys into some kind of animal. After the last boy had changed, I walked right past them singing. I never heard from them again.”
The dark figure smiles at Donald with a friendly face. Donald sticks out his hand and motions for the dark figure to do the same.
“Ha, he, he, h, h, Hi mmmy nnname isss Dev.... van, Devan.” The dark figure begins to speak. Donald is stunned by how fast it is learning. “I, I, I remem...ber mag..
..ic, magic words.”
Donald leaps from his chair as he is ready for anything. The dark figure continues to speak.
“I call upon the dead souls of the past, present, future. The souls that have no voice, the body that can not rest. I call upon you, lost souls, to help me with this spell. Take this man's soul and leave me his magic and body so I may do your bidding”
Donald immediately chants a counter spell. He waves his hands to create a shield around himself and watches every move that the dark figure makes.
“That will not help you, old man. Pieces of my soul command me to do this. These pieces are more powerful and older than you can ever imagine,” Devan floats towards Donald and reaches towards him. Their eyes lock, never looking away for a second. Donald hears the pounding of his heart echoing against the walls of his chest. Devan's hands tear open his shield. Grabbing Donald by the throat, Devan begins to cast the last spell.
“Donald your body is strong, but your soul is weak. I shall release you to free from this body to die in another plane of existence. Don't worry, old man, this will be over before you know it. Then I shall do the bidding of the souls of the dead as they command me to do.”
Devan puts one hand to the sky while the other still holds Donald's throat.
“By Death's hand, I extract your soul from your body, along with your magic, and replaced it with my soul. Let the pieces of your soul tear apart and your magic shall remain with me, trapping you to the soulless wastelands. You shall exist on this plane no more. Never to be made whole again.”
Donald's skin slash open with cuts and rips covering his body. Three-dimensional puzzle pieces begin to leak out. The warmth drains from his eyes and turns to blackness. The smell of burning flesh fills the air and spills out windows to cloud the air of the castle. Two guards walking by the door in the outer chamber become ill from the stench. One of the guards notices where the smell is coming from and knocks on the door. Devan knows that he has only minutes before they come barging in. His dark figure breaks into a thousand pieces and slips into Donald's body. As the cuts and rips seal up, Devan concentrates so he can change his appearance. The guards pound on the door yelling into the room.
Enigma of the Soul - Book 1 - Pieces Page 8