Battle for the Afterlife Saga, Blue Courage (Action & Adventure Fantasy): Part 1, 2, and 3 Bundled

by CJ Davis

  Arshan didn’t miss a beat. “Hey, just be glad that it’s not too windy today.”

  “So you really expect me to complete this course in less than fifteen minutes? Reese asked after a few more careful steps. “That would be hard for me to do just running the distance of these beams.”

  “You have to forget about what you could do on Earth,” Arshan admonished. “Your powers in the Afterlife will elevate your physical abilities. You just have to trust in the process. Now let’s go. No more talking for now.”

  Reese sucked it up and moved again with a little more haste and focus. One foot in front of the other is all I need to do, he thought to himself.

  After nearly an hour, the darkness of the finish platform emerged from the clouds, with a blue beacon light blinking in a slow rhythm. Reese laughed out loud. He was almost there.

  Without warning, an intense beam of red light shot up through the clouds flashing brightly.

  “Damn!” he cried as his left foot swung wildly, missing its purchase on the beam. He flailed his arms wildly, but to no avail. With a desperate twist, he allowed his body to drop and hit the bar with his chest. He wrapped his arms around the metal and hung on for dear life. His legs dangled helplessly in midair.

  “Congratulations Reese, you survived the Red Beam exercise.” Arshan floated just above him with a large flashlight in his hand.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Reese demanded.

  “Training you,” Arshan replied. His calmness was infuriating. “The exercise is meant to unlock one of your most important physical abilities in your arsenal, quickness. Forgetting the limitations of your past Earth life is very difficult to do, because the mind simply doesn’t want to let go of the ways you were doing things for your entire life. Unlocking quickness for a Blue Centennial warrior is the building block to many of your other powers, and also something that you can only improve with the more training that you have. This is why it’s necessary to put you in the situation I did this early in training. I know you’re probably a little scared and angry, but before you get to mad, stand up on the beam and try to move along it.”

  Reese gave Arshan a look of dark disbelief. Reluctantly, he pulled himself up on the metal bar and stood up. The bar seemed remarkably stable. Why was he worried about walking on it? One step, two. A little bit faster. Was a jog possible? A run? Reese laughed at his newfound abilities. Not flying yet, but what a great achievement!

  “This is incredible!”

  “You’ve now officially unlocked the first of many abilities,” Arshan said with a smile. “Your quickness is crucial for the rest of your training. The other courses are designed for Blues with this ability.”

  “All right, let’s finish this course,” Arshan declared with confidence.

  Reese looked at him and grinned, then set off at a brisk trot.

  At the end of the last metal beam there’s a final platform where Menelik, Rajiv, and Anna were all waiting for him.

  “I hope my encouraging didn’t distract you Reese,” Rajiv said. Menelik nudged Rajiv’s arm. “I was just trying to motivate you.”

  “Remind me to return the favor,” said Reese. He couldn’t stop grinning.

  “What courses have you all completed?”

  “Menelik and I completed a very intense ropes course,” Anna offered.

  “You’ve all now completed your first training session,” Arshan stated, landing gently in front of them. “You should all be proud of what you’ve already accomplished. The initial arrival transition combined with the weight of the Centennial can be a very difficult time for the soul. Be ready to work hard but also be prepared to support each other in your training. It’s nice to see the four of you getting along so well.”

  “Can you share with us any details of your last transition and Centennial?” Rajiv asked Arshan as they walked toward the elevators. “Maybe something specific about Cyrus?”

  Arshan stopped in his tracks.

  “Rajiv, for shame!” said Anna. “Arshan, I’m sorry for Rajiv’s stupid remarks.”

  “No, no, problem, Anna,” said Arshan turning to Rajiv. “I always get questions about Cyrus’s betrayal. Everybody knows how close we were before the war. I completely understand and don’t blame Rajiv for asking. Who wouldn’t want to know more about a powerful Blue that loved his best friend’s Inseparable, and went mad when she wouldn’t reciprocate that love? Let me just set the record straight though.” He nodded his head, and considered each of them in turn. “I never ever talk about Cyrus.”

  The four of them looked at the ground.

  “I will share with you that there came a time, you know, when you don’t have to go through the transition. Your abilities are just there. They awaken instantly upon your return.” He paused and muttered, almost to himself. “Not that they did much good for many of our warriors.”

  “Is this the case with Cyrus?” Rajiv asked.

  Arshan turned sharply and walked through the sliding doors.

  “Enough questions for now,” Arshan ordered over his shoulder. “Let’s get back to training.”

  Chapter 18

  Reese and Rajiv stood alone on the floor of the massive Blue training grounds. The bright moonlight pierced through the giant skylights illuminating the area with soft light.

  Earlier in the day Rajiv had shared with Reese his fondness for the Indian blade called Ghurka Kukri Fighting Knife. Arshan had managed to get wooden practice blades made. Still smelling of freshly carved wood, the two had wasted no time in trying out the newly crafted weapons.

  “Nice job Rajiv,” Reese said as he caught his breath.

  “You too,” Rajiv replied. “You’ve got a ways to go on your footwork, but you are a natural. Are you sure you haven’t worked with the Ghurka in one of your previous lives?

  “I’m not sure,” Reese replied. “It just sort of came to me. You almost took my head off after that last spinning maneuver. How did you even know to move like that?”

  Rajiv spun the blade by his side. He grinned at Reese.

  “Do you remember when you learned to fight with the Ghurka? I can’t remember much about curved blades,” Reese asked as he tried unsuccessfully to spin his blade like Rajiv.

  “They were mostly used in ancient India. I learned about it from my journal, but now the real memories are coming back.” Rajiv said. “It’s a long story, so I will give you the short version. I was a prince and first in-line to be king of a great kingdom, but was banished by a stepmother who wanted her son to be king instead. My father’s hands were tied by a promise he made to my stepmother to grant her one wish when they got married. So, I upheld his honor and did my duty. My wife followed me into exile where we lived for fourteen wonderful years. Our time in the jungle was filled with adventure and excitement. I thought we would live their unscathed for our entire lives, until our joy was suddenly erased when she was kidnapped by another king, from a faraway land, who had heard of her great beauty.”

  Rajiv paused. “What happened next?” Reese asked.

  “It took a while, but I was able to track the kidnappers to the kingdom where my wife was being held,” Rajiv continued. “I quickly learned that the only way I was going to rescue my wife was through force. With soul crushing determination I sought out to raise an army strong enough to defeat him. With good fortune and old friendships that I had made when I was prince, I called on favors that helped me raise the funds for a small army including three elephants. Armed with weapons of all sorts, I finally stormed his massive palace. It was a fierce battle that lasted ten days and nights. Many times during the fighting I thought for sure I had been defeated, but I persevered. After many lives were lost, including the slaughter of my elephants, I was finally able to defeat the evil king and rescue my wife. Seeing my wife unharmed after our siege is something I do remember now.” Rajiv shook his head. “She was no beauty, mind you, but I’d give a ransom just to see her again.”

  “I’m sorry.” After Rajiv’s constant joking, it
took a minute for Reese to realize the man was baring his soul.

  “After our great victory, I heard that my father had died, and my throne had been stolen. My men were filled with fighting fever after the victory, for I had allowed them to plunder the king’s palace. When I asked if they would follow me to claim my birthright, a great cheer went up. A swift victory followed.

  I then went on to rule the Kingdom I was destined to rule for many years. Our people loved us and we brought prosperity to them that would last for several generations. It was quite an amazing life. That very next Afterlife I became a Blue.”

  Rajiv paused, inspecting his blade.

  “The crazy part,” Rajiv said. “Out of everything that happened in that Earth life, I was most proud of upholding my Father’s honor. I loved him very much, and I didn’t want to see his reputation or his ability tarnished by what was happening to me.”

  “I can understand that,” Reese said. “My father meant a lot to me too in my last Earth life. I suppose I would have made the same sacrifice you did. ” Reese lowered his head and frowned. “The last time I saw him he was leaving for war.”

  “Wait, have you not seen him in the Afterlife yet?” Rajiv asked.

  “No, not yet,” Reese replied. “I was told that he would find me, if it was meant to be.”

  “Asgelot is enormous, I’m sure you’ll find him eventually,” Rajiv said. “I still miss my father, who turned out to be a very powerful Blue warrior.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “He was destroyed by the Reds when the 400 Year War broke out. He was overwhelmed by a group of Reds while defending the Blue temple during the Red’s first major attack on Asgelot. He was able to destroy many of them valiantly, but was eventually cut down.”

  “I’m sorry,” Reese said. “He sounds like he was a very brave warrior.”

  “We lost a lot of great Blues during that war,” Rajiv said.

  “Let’s catch a quick meal and get back to work.

  “Great idea,” Rajiv replied. “I hope you can stop me, because I’m getting better by the minute.”

  “You’ll have to prove it!”

  Chapter 19

  Arshan sat with Reese at a table in the Gardens of Babylon. Near them towered a statue of Arshan and Pantea going through their final moments in the last Centennial. It was the most beautiful statue Reese had ever seen. Made completely of marble, Arshan rested on one knee, clutching Pantea’s dying body in his arms.

  Reds, Greens and Blues filled the gigantic garden plaza, all going about their business. Reese and Arshan sipped on galorim and were trying to relax after some intense training sessions over the last couple of days.

  “Ah, that hits the spot.” Reese declared. He took a gulp of the platinum liquid. “I don’t believe I’ve ever had anything this refreshing.”

  Arshan smiled at Reese.

  “That’s an understatement,” Arshan said. “Earth’s food tastes like sand compared to galorim."

  “Well, tell me how you really feel about it,” Reese quipped sarcastically.

  “I’m serious,” Arshan said. “At one point I dreaded going back to Earth, because I knew I would not get to drink galorim for awhile.”

  Reese looked at the older man from the corner of his eye. He lifted his cup and concentrated on another savory sip of the refreshing liquid.

  “Unbelievable,” Reese declared. “Every time I take another sip it gets even better.” He closely examined the liquid. "Still, I'm struggling with the idea that this liquid is the cause of so much conflict. I mean if you really boil it down, we're all risking our lives for this glorified Gatorade."

  "I know it's hard to believe," Arshan said. "But it's a lot more than that. Sometimes I wish we never discovered galorim."

  "Yeah, I can believe that,” said Reese. He set his glass down and looked across the plaza, only to find two suspicious Reds glaring at him intently. The pair quickly averted their gaze.

  “I see you’ve finally noticed them,” said Arshan. “They’ve been tailing us ever since we entered the garden. I wouldn’t worry. It’s very common for the Reds to keep a close eye on us, especially this close to a Centennial.”

  “Will they attack us?” Reese asked.

  “You never know,” Arshan replied. “But I doubt it. They wouldn’t risk breaking the truce.”

  “Good.”

  “Never let your guard down though,” Arshan replied. “As you learned intimately their pledges can still attack us.”

  Reese relived the nightmare for a moment as he briefly recalled the incident.

  “You have to learn to stay alert,” Arshan added. “This is why we bring you outside of the Blue temple. It is a critical part of your training.”

  Reese continued to scan the area. He noticed an entrance to a gigantic hedge maze across a small field to his right. The walls were twelve feet tall, and a sign was displayed that read ‘Enter at your own Risk.’

  “What's up with that?” Reese asked as he points toward the maze entrance.

  “The Garden of Babylon Hedge Maze can be a very dangerous spot,” Arshan replied. “Even experienced souls can get turned around in there if they’re not careful. There are miles and miles of trails in the enormous maze, and there’s no easy way out. It truly is a terrible fate for somebody who gets turned around in the maze. After spending months trying to find their way out, they eventually turn into a Lost Soul. The worst part is that most people don’t turn into Lost Souls, but instead are hunted by trapped Lost Souls. The creatures will chase you down until they wear you out. No matter how determined you are or how scared you are, the fact is, you can only run for so long, before the flesh eaters catch up with you. Every once in a while you’ll see a flash deep in the maze in the garden at night. This is the result of a hedge maze Lost Soul catching its victim.”

  Reese swallowed hard.

  “That sounds awful,” Reese said. “I will stay clear of the depths of the hedge maze.”

  Arshan nodded in approval.

  “Speaking of the Lost Soul system, all the Greens in this garden look very active,” Reese said. “The system seems to be a very strong motivator. Do Greens ever get to relax?”

  “Yes, they relax all the time,” Arshan said. “They just have to put in a full day of work a few days a week. One of the reasons Greens look so busy all the time is because they drink too much galorim, and it makes them restless.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Reese said. “I would love to sit around the park and drink galorim all day. It’s not surprising to hear that some souls have been here for hundreds of years.”

  “Yes, but that lifestyle is very tempting,” Arshan said. “The more lounging you do, the more likely it’s to lose your motivation to work, and not working increases the chance one might slip into becoming a Lost Soul.”

  A man yelled by one of the large beautiful trees in the park. By the time Reese spotted the Green, he was on his back holding his hands in front of him defensively. Two Red pledges stood over him laughing. They kicked dirt on him.

  “Given their nature, it’s hard for me to believe that the Reds agreed to a truce to the 400 Year War,” Reese said in a questioning tone. “How is it possible that they walk amongst us and not cause conflict? Constant fighting just seems like a part of their nature.”

  “There’s nothing to gain from any conflict, and don’t underestimate the patience of the Reds,” Arshan said. “They can be very cold and calculating. We learned this costly lesson during the 400 Year War. Those were dark times. At its worst, Blues and Reds were being destroyed within minutes after arriving in the Afterlife. If we didn’t stop the war, it was clear that we were eventually all going to be destroyed. The Reds understood this.”

  Reese digested what Arshan told him. He sipped his drink. He had to admit that there was still so much he didn’t understand about the Reds, and he was so grateful to have Arshan to help.

  “You know, our conversations seem so familiar to me Arshan,” Reese dec
lared. “I swear I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

  Arshan paused; a strange look crossed his face.

  “What is it?” Reese said. “What did I say?” Reese wasn’t sure if he offended Arshan.

  “I actually brought you to this statue to talk about sacrifice,” Arshan continued.

  Arshan struggled for a moment as he looked upon Pantea.

  “I come here often to think of Pantea,” he added. “This is my favorite statue of her. It really captures her essence.”

  Reese looked carefully at the woman’s face. Her conviction and passion as a great Blue Centennial warrior was displayed perfectly. She was very beautiful.

  “Many Centennials have come down to sacrifice,” Arshan said. “One of the reasons the Reds have dominated the Blues in the Centennial, is because of their innate ability to decisively sacrifice their teammates.”

  Arshan spoke thoughtfully, as though it was difficult to keep his composure.

  “This statue is a reminder for all Blues what is at stake if we too cannot make the most difficult sacrifices,” Arshan added. “I’ve noticed you’ve already developed solid bonds with Anna, Menelik and Rajiv.”

  Reese nodded.

  “I know it’s difficult to think about, but you have to be ready to let them be destroyed in the Centennial,” Arshan said.

  Reese imagined losing his friends, and it was difficult. He had not realized how much he cared for them.

  “What do you want me to say?” Reese said.

  “Nothing,” Arshan replied. “Just prepare yourself for the worst. I wish I had been more prepared.” Arshan looked up at the statue.

  Reese took a sip of his galorim.

  “I know this sounds kind of crazy,” Arshan added. “But sometimes I can really feel her presence when I’m by this statue. I know she’s gone, but I honestly feel something.”

  “What do you mean?” Reese asked.

  “It’s hard to explain,” Arshan said. He crossed his arms over his chest and admired the giant marble figures.