by CJ Davis
Reese focused in on the little girl he heard earlier, she cried and buried her head into her father’s shoulders.
"As a closing thought for the hooded figures, Epicurus added. “Danger lurks around every corner in Asgelot, and even more so outside of its walls. You have a great journey ahead of you. Just remember that only the strongest survive. Listen to your guides and stay focused. Good luck to you all.”
The crowd cheered one last time, but this time it was much more subdued. The man’s death has had its effect.
“Come, we must get to the Blue tower and start your training,” Arshan said to the Blue hooded figures. He turned and made his way to their exclusive exit.
All the hooded Blue figures followed him. Reese saw two of the Red hooded figures glaring at him. It was Kublai and Hector.
Arshan grunted in frustration.
“Don’t let them get in your head Reese,” Arshan said. “That’s exactly what they want. Keep your head facing straight and don’t look at them.”
Reese turned his head and quickly studied the other Blues. Most of them had a very stoic look on their face, and oozed with confidence. None of them were going to let a group of Reds affect them. Reese knew he had to follow their lead if he was ever going to survive the Centennial.
Chapter 14
The bright sunlight stung Reese’s eyes as he exited the dark tunnel of the arena. He let out a sigh. His body was keyed up, ready for a challenge, but he could not even imagine what enhanced abilities might mean.
The group of Blue Centennial warriors walked in a tight two-column formation through the streets of Asgelot. They moved silently, keeping their hoods draped over their heads. A sizable crowd had formed on the streets between the coliseum and the Blue temple. Most just watched, but some cheered or booed when they walked by.
Reese’s buzz from the coliseum had not worn yet when they arrived at the Blue temple. Roughly the same size as the Red temple, the light blue building had architecture, closely resembling ancient Egypt. A soaring modern blue skyscraper shot up from the center of the building and disappeared into the clouds.
As the returning Blue warriors entered the great hall of the Blue temple, they were greeted with yet another crowd of cheering admirers. The warm reception made Reese glow inside.
A delightful smell overtook Reese as they walked by a rather large pool filled with a glistening metallic liquid. Many people were dipping their hands or cups in open elevated sinks around the pool to take a drink.
“That must be galorim.” Reese said to Arshan. “Nobody told me it smelled like fresh blueberries.”
“Yep, it’s a damn good smell isn’t it?” Arshan replied. “Just wait until you smell the pools past the city walls.”
Reese licked his lips. His parched mouth had never felt dryer.
“You should try some,” Arshan said.
“I don’t want to hold up the group,” Reese replied.
Arshan nudged Reese toward the pool.
Reese quickly walked up to the closest sink, while the others in his group stood patiently behind him. With all the buildup that he’d heard, he imagined that it had to be good.
The liquid reminded him of mercury, but had a much lighter silvery color. It was reflective, almost glowing from within. He scooped his hand in the substance, and his hand tingled. It was cool, but not too cold to the touch. Reese filled his cupped hands and held it to his nose. The blueberry smell alone gave him a little jolt. When he finally took a sip his lips tingled and his entire body filled with a very pleasurable buzz.
“Wow that’s amazing!” Reese exclaimed.
A couple of his teammates chuckled behind him.
His body continued to buzz for several moments after taking the small sip. “I’ve never had anything like it.”
Arshan just smiled and watched Reese like a father watches his kid try fudge for the first time. After a few more sips Reese was completely hooked on galorim. He certainly understood the galorim hype.
Arshan gestured to Reese to finish up so they could keep moving. Reese dried his hands on his robe and returned to his companions.
They made their way over to a glass elevator in the middle of the great hall. The cheering had died down but many Blues still watched them. Reese felt a little like he was a lion at the zoo.
As they stood there waiting for the elevator, Reese looked up and couldn’t see the roof of the center of the structure it was so high. He pulled his hood back over the top of his head.
“Getting you ready for the Centennial will be our main focus, but we must teach you about the different physical properties in the Afterlife,” said Arshan as they waited for the elevator. “For the most part what you hear, feel and see in the Afterlife is exactly the same as Earth, but there are subtle differences. For example, on Earth when you do strength training your muscles get stronger, but there’s always a limit to how strong you get. These limits are far greater in the Afterlife for somebody like you. For the most part, the physical limits in the Afterlife are only the mental limits you put on yourself.”
“So you’re saying all the Reds and Blues here are only held back by what they think they can do?” asked Reese.
“Yes, but most are still held back quite a bit by their own minds,” replied Arshan. “You see most people don’t let themselves pass a certain threshold. They limit themselves and their ability by their preconceived notions on what is possible.”
“Can you give me an example?”
“Well, while some deemed objects impossible to move, others would not accept the impossible as an option. Typically these amazing powers happen in the most desperate situations, where people are backed into a corner. I’ve seen everything from Reds jumping across ravines one hundred feet wide to Blues throwing car- sized boulders the length of the arena.”
Reese tried to not think about a crazed Red attempting to kill him with that kind of speed and power.
“I know this is all a lot to take in, but be patient Reese,” Arshan said. “Trust me you’ll gradually discover all the answers during your training. Your training may not be the most pleasant experience, but it’s all worth it.”
He couldn’t tell exactly what Arshan meant, but it sounded like it was going to involve a lot of pain.
“Another very important rule in the Afterlife is that the depths of our minds have unlimited potential to make us powerful, the opposite is true as well,” Arshan continued. “Our minds have uncapped potential to do us irreparable harm. If we truly let pessimism and negativity into our thoughts, it will poison our minds and spirits."
“So how do we keep our focus on the positive aspects?” asked Reese.
Arshan paused and regarded Reese carefully, “You never let yourself get down. No matter what happens. This is why it’s so important to not succumb to the selfish ways of the Reds. Sacrifice, honor, perseverance, these are the things to focus on. You must be ready to face and fight any events that can pull your morale down. There are terrible things that can cripple your spirit in the Centennial, like losing friends or witnessing the many atrocities the Reds are likely to commit. If you let yourself be vulnerable to deep negative emotion, the Reds or the dangers of the conquest will destroy you.”
When the elevator arrived, the Blue Centennial warriors pressed into the small interior. With little warning the elevator shot up at very rapid speed. It caught Reese off guard a little and he stumbled.
One of his teammates removed her hood. She was a beautiful girl with soft brown hair. Reese got butterflies in his stomach as they smiled at each other briefly.
The view outside the elevator was blurry as they sped up.
“So when will we start our training?” Reese asked Arshan. The elevator already began to slow down.
“Soon, very soon,” Arshan replied. The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open revealing the impressive Blue training grounds.
Chapter 15
Reese sat on a couch in a large common room. The room was filled with ma
ssive windows that had an amazing view of the bright blue sky. A layer of clouds directly under the windows went on like the ocean for miles and miles into the horizon.
The man next to him is massive, a black giant with sharp eyes that miss nothing. “My name is Menelik, what are all of your names?”
“I’m Reese,” Reese offered.
“And I’m Anna,” said the woman on his left. She had her right arm draped over the top of the couch. Despite her slender athletic build, she took up a lot of space, sprawling out.
“My name is Rajiv and I don’t know about all of you but this is crazy overwhelming,” he said with his eyes wide open. His expression made the others grin.
“I’m not sure what you’ve all been told, but I’m still clueless on what kind of training we’re going to do,” said Menelik in a deep voice.
“Arshan mentioned some sort of weapons training to me,” stated Rajiv. “I can’t wait to get my hands on a battle axe!”
“I wonder if the Reds will train like us,” Anna said.
“I’m not sure, but I did hear about some of the differences in the Blue and Red living quarters, “explained Rajiv. “They live in a similar tower high above the clouds fairly close to us. I’m sure their training involves torturing babies.”
“Seriously, they probably actually do torture somebody in their training,” Anna added. Reese hoped that she was joking.
“Ugh… I hate the Reds,” said Menelik. “The way they reacted when the Green guy lost it. It made me sick.”
“Yeah, Arshan mentioned how Reds take a special pleasure in destroying Greens,” Menelik said.
Reese nodded.
“Watching the Reds in the arena made me boil inside,” Menelik said. “I know it’s strange since I’ve only been in the Afterlife for a short time, but it felt like the emotion I felt was rooted from lifetimes of hate.”
“Yeah me too,” Rajiv said. “I wish I can remember my past lives.” The others shook their heads in agreement.
“What a bummer that our past life memories are missing after our times on Earth,” Rajiv continued. “I guess I will remember everything eventually, from what I understand. Anybody remember anything?”
Reese thinks hard. Only flickers of specific moments from his most recent Earth life childhood flared up, like when a man in an Air force uniform came to his house when his Dad died in a combat mission over Iraq.
“I was a firefighter in my past life,” mentioned Menelik. “But I cannot remember anything from my other lives. How about you Reese?”
“Apparently I have some sort of rare amnesia, so I’m having a hard time remembering even my most recent Earth life,” Reese replied.
“That sucks,” Rajiv said. “Does anybody have any idea what it is?”
Reese leaned back and let out a sigh.
“No, I can’t seem to get a clear answer from anybody,” Reese said. “It is what it is.”
An awkward silence emerged.
“I was a consultant,” Anna said. “I also can’t remember any other lives.”
“I was a clown in the circus,” mentioned Rajiv with a straight face.
Everybody looked at him strangely. Rajiv burst out laughing.
“That was great,” Rajiv said. “You should’ve seen your faces. Honestly, you guys were like, seriously, we are fighting in the Centennial with a clown, great.”
Rajiv shrugged, “I don’t remember anything about my previous lives either.”
“Well, I hope we get our memories back sooner than later,” said Menelik. “It’s very frustrating not knowing.”
“So, a firefighter, a business owner, a consultant and a clown,” Rajiv said. “What an impressive collection. I’m sure the Reds would be shaking in their boots. The only thing we are missing is a Navy Seal and a Doctor.” The three of them chuckle a bit.
A double door slid open on the far side of the room. Reese swiveled his head to see a bald headed man of Middle Eastern descent. He carried a worn blue messenger bag across one shoulder.
“Regardless of what you did for a living, you all showed great signs of courage in your past lives. The fact is that your professions didn’t define you. We often find that Blues end up in truly unselfish and heroic jobs like Menelik and Rajiv, but I can assure you that none of you would be in those blue Robes if you were not extraordinary.”
Rajiv leaned back and spread both arms across the top of the couch.
“When are we going to find out the details of our lives?” Reese asked Horus.
“Soon Reese,” Horus said. He set his bag on the floor and pulled out a stack of e readers. “I’ve got journals for each of you to read that will give you the details. As you read, I’d like for you to keep an eye out for the themes and beliefs that affirms you as Blues.
“Yes, that’s right Horus,” said Arshan. He entered the room with a determined stride. A man followed closely behind him, the sun reflecting off his platinum breast armor.
“Laskious, I didn’t know you were coming,” Horus said.
The man commanded respect. Reese found himself rising with the others to greet him.
“No, please sit,” Laskious said. His voice was low, but commanding.
“Laskious just had a few words he wanted to share with you,” Arshan said. He leaned up against a wall by the door.
“Thanks Arshan,” Laskious said. “First, I wanted to welcome you to the Blue temple and congratulate each of you on your great accomplishments during your last Earth lives.”
Reese felt strange being congratulated for something he couldn’t remember.
"I believe that all souls in the universe should have a chance at prosperity and enlightenment, but he Reds believe otherwise,” Laskious said. “The four of you are the only thing standing in the way of yet another Red Centennial victory, that would likely result in all-out war.” Laskious paused, allowing his words to settle.
"The true power of the universe resides in the growth of all souls,” Laskious added. “We must stop the Reds. There is no other choice.”
“I want to recite a poem to you all, which was written by one of the greatest Blue council members,” Laskious said. “He wrote this poem his last time on Earth when he was a great American Indian Chief for the Tecumseh Tribe. I want you to think of these words over the next few weeks.”
“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
Reese’s pride was glowing inside him.
“These words perfectly represent everything we are fighting for,” Laskious said. “Arshan hand them their tablets.”
“In here you’ll find the complete details of your previous lives’ history, dreams and aspirations,” Laskious said.
Reese squirmed uncomfortably. His curiosity was tempered by the feeling that he might not like what he was about to read.
“There are many lessons to be learned in your training,” Laskious declared. “You’ll learn many of these lessons from your own accumulated history in your tablets. After all, you all are the authors of your own tablets.”
Arshan started to laugh and said, “Yeah a few thousand pages. Not to worry though. Remember what I told you about believing in yourself. Try believing in your ability to read fast and see what happens.”
Reese’s eyes lit up. Regardless of the uncertainty, he was finally going to get some answers.
Chapter 16
Cloaked in their blue robes, Horus and the four Centennial warriors made their way through the city to one of the biggest and most lavish gardens in Asgelot, modeled after the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. There were thousands of flowers, plants and statues throughout the area. The five of them made their way along a pebble path towards a vista overlooking a large galorim pool in the center of the park. The park was filled with people, who stared at the Blue candidates as they walked by.
Horus and Anna walked well behind the others, talking in low voices so that they wouldn’t be overheard.
“It was so good to read my journal,” Anna said. She looked down and laughed softly. “I guess we’ve had some good adventures over the years.” She bit her lip and shrugged. “Maybe all of it will help us get through this.”
Horus wrapped his arm around Anna’s shoulders. “It is quite remarkable,” he affirmed. He glanced up ahead at Reese.
“We both know there was no other choice,” Anna said with conviction. “If the Reds are able to discover the truth, they’ll stop at nothing to kill him, to kill us all.”
“Indeed,” Horus said. “They certainly have a close eye on him already after discovering him as a Green in the Red Temple.”
“I agree,” Anna said. “There’s no doubt that they’re suspicious. Did you see the way the Red Centennial warriors were looking at him in the in the arena?”
“Have you had a chance to talk to Rajiv and Menelik?” Horus asked. “Yes, they’re just as concerned as we are. Menelik truly believes the Reds will figure it out.”
Anna sighed, mentally forcing herself to relax. The garden was a giant circle surrounded by skyscrapers, with a small stream flowing through the middle. There were many little bridges and decorative plants. On the east side of the large galorim pool was an enormous tree with a multi-room tree-house half hidden amidst the branches. It was filled with several groups of Greens, mingling high above.