The Book of Elements

by Cynthia Woods

  "What criteria?" Vin listened closely.

  "It is the strength of your emotional attachment, particularly to Caeli’s continuing life, that keeps you apart from the rest. Without that connection, you would have no cause to exert yourself in the manner we have asked of you, and you would have become a part of the One when you crossed."

  "I will grant you that my feelings for Caeli are very strong. If ever two people could truly be called soul mates, then I know it was us. I value her life beyond that of my own, even still. But, there must be more to it than that. I cannot believe that no others have felt the way we do, as strongly as we do, toward one another."

  "Yes. There are many factors. Strong emotions are only the first step. They are your connection to the other side of the barrier. Your talent with the air elements is another factor. From your lessons, have you come to understand this skill?"

  "Do you refer to the way in which I am able to stir a breeze or move the air around me? Yes, I understand how it works, though I am not fully competent in its use yet," his slightly hesitant reply offered a little certainty.

  Vin had been measuring his development of this skill and, in fact, had been making direct efforts to harness it and test its potential uses whenever they gave him time to himself. He already discovered that the skill was directly linked to his emotional state. The more intense his emotion, the stronger the potential response from the wind could be. Vin also learned that he could control the release of this energy, whether it took the form of a gentle breeze or a more turbulent gust of wind. The strength of his emotions determined the boundaries of his potency, but did not dictate whether he would employ those extremes or merely a fraction thereof.

  Yet, Vin felt that his most important discovery so far was the fact that he could use this new found ability on both sides of the barrier. Both Michael and Raphael warned him to be mindful of his emotions on this side of the barrier, but neither mentioned the potential duality of his skill. Vin figured that one out for himself when Caeli responded to his touch and the movement of the curtains and sheets verified his efforts.

  "And you thought to keep us from discovering your experiments? Why do you think I returned us so quickly? Have you considered that perhaps we allowed you the opportunity to perform these tests, to reach these realizations on your own, without our influence or interference? Had you honestly believed that we did not monitor your progress?"

  "Of course!" Vin thought. Raphael was correct again, as if he were ever actually wrong. Vin should have known that he was not hiding his actions. That was an arrogant assumption on his part. They were fully cognizant of what he was doing. This further reinforced the fact that they were, indeed, guiding and testing him along the way while they were teaching him the fundamental principles.

  Vin now knew with complete and utter certainty that much more was going to be asked of him once they thought he was ready. They could scrutinize his improvement by examining his thoughts and actions, but could not truly know the full extent of his development until he initiated specific deeds or asked the right questions, as he was doing now. With this understanding came a certain tranquil acceptance of the road ahead, as well as a new determination to succeed and obtain the answers he sought.

  "Was there a need for my skills that prompted my unusual crossing?" Vin asked.

  "In a manner of speaking, yes. We cannot yet speak of that need yet. I can tell you that everyone, to some small extent, possesses the potential to connect with the natural elements. You relate to the air. Other people may relate to earth, water, fire, and so forth. However, the days when such practices were common have long since passed. Now, the few who are aware of their abilities are not taken seriously. Modern day druids are scorned as nature freaks, and some truly gifted elementalists are punished or treated like lab rats just for being different than everyone else."

  "I knew someone who had a sort of ESP. She worked very hard to keep it a secret. Is that what you mean?" Vin remembered the way Caeli’s grandmother, Jaddah Mesi, spoke to Caeli mentally during a difficult situation. He also recalled the grief it caused Caeli to lose her grandmother later that same day. Raphael's response forced Vin to put away the sad memory so that he could pay attention to more pressing matters.

  "You are describing someone whose gift is less elemental and more in touch with the barrier itself. These people sense the presence of the barrier and those on the other side. They are often dismissed as fraudulent psychics, phony mediums, or paranoid schizophrenics who experience audio and visual hallucinations. Almost no one considers the possibility that, after weeding through the forest of pretenders and the truly disturbed, there really are such entities as ghosts. Magic, for lack of a more appropriately descriptive word, in its purest form, is real and potent."

  "Magic? What I’m able to do with the wind is considered magic?" Vin asked incredulously.

  "No, not at all. It is definitely not ‘magic’ as you think of magic. If you were sitting in a crowded auditorium watching someone on the other side of the barrier accomplish the very same tasks you have learned to perform, they would call it magic. In reality, you have merely tapped in to a natural force as a means to accomplish a goal. It may look like magic, though it is something else entirely. Unfortunately, laymen have perpetuated that word and other less appealing terms, such as witchcraft and voodoo, for so long, that it is difficult to find any other word that makes the point as succinctly as that one. Magic, Bah!"

  Vin couldn't help but laugh at Raph's poor attempt at ire. Without a true enemy, Vin just didn't think Raph had it in him to be angry.

  "Wow! This just keeps getting better and better. So, my love for Caeli connects me to the other side of the barrier and allows me to continue to be myself. My often underappreciated talent for stirring up an emotional ruckus is now my tool to accomplish some task you are going to ask of me," Vin smirked in amusement at the thought of this phenomenal change happening to him.

  "I guess the next question has to be the nature of that task. Can you give me a hint?" Vin’s thirst for more information fired up his enthusiasm.

  "Well, let's just say you might have to walk a while in another man’s shoes. I am pleased that you continue to press forward at such a surprisingly fast rate, yet we have not yet finished your history lesson. Please indulge me with a little more patience before we speak further about your task."

  "Yes, of course I will."

  "Bring to your mind the scenes which Michael showed you. Have you any idea what you were meant to learn?"

  "I’m not sure." Vin answered.

  "I understand that the Book of Elements, which was the trophy of the first encounter, could be a dangerous instrument in the wrong hands. It was written by two brothers who, at some point during their lifetime, discovered a secret that is the key to some vast store of power. They documented their findings in the Book of Elements. I have no idea who they were, why they wrote it down, or when they did this, but Michael said it was many centuries ago. The conquering group sought the power contained in the book and decimated the book’s defenders in order to obtain it. It was a brutal and senseless slaughter."

  "Excellent! And what did you learn from the second memory?"

  "Memory?"

  "Not your memory. The second scene, if you will."

  "Since the opposing force appeared to be medieval crusaders, I determined that it was some sort of religious-based quest or crusade to recover the Book of Elements. Unfortunately, though they did not slaughter its defenders as in the first battle, they were still guilty of taking by force that which did not belong to them and severely abusing those who possessed it. Whether they knew the significance of the book’s contents or whether they were simply following orders to retrieve it, I could not tell. I would like to assume they had at least some idea of its importance instead of blindly doing what they were told. Perhaps those who sent them to retrieve the book suspected its true potential."

  "Well done! Very well done, indeed." Raphael was pleased with
Vin's reasoning.

  "I would have preferred to see more and ask Michael a few questions, but my carelessness and his sudden departure denied me that option. While we’re nudging around the edges of that, can you tell me something? I know I was neglectful of his warnings, but can it really be possible for me to affect a past event?"

  "No, you cannot; not like that. You were not actually present during that past scene, but you were on the other side of the barrier in ...a unique environment… that you could have affected to a limited extent. It is much too complicated for you to understand at this point. So forget trying to cross the barrier for now."

  "Well, can’t blame a guy for asking, right? What else should I know?"

  "Knowing that the book exists and understanding the peril it represents if put to nefarious use is the key to everything that has transpired the past few days. You might have guessed that the book has changed hands numerous times over the centuries and has, at times, been all but forgotten. Now it is again being sought by those who are capable of misusing it."

  "What I don’t understand is why you haven’t just destroyed the book? That would resolve your problems nicely, I should think."

  "We cannot."

  "Cannot? What power on Earth is strong enough to prevent you from obliterating it?" Vin found he was almost afraid of what the answer to that question might be.

  "None, on Earth, but there is power within the book itself."

  "Oh." That was not reassuring. Vin didn't even know what to do with that piece of information. He was still missing too many pieces of the puzzle.

  "Let it suffice that we rarely destroy that which is made by man, and only those on the other side, alive, can physically touch the tome. Even then, only those who have the blood of the original authors running through their veins may touch it without being harmed. Each brother spawned a bloodline with an inheritance unique to that line. Only true descendants of either line are capable of locating and utilizing the tome and its contents. Over time, we have tried to decrease awareness of the volume by obscuring memory of it and perpetuating its mythical status. Unfortunately, such acts have been more effective than we anticipated insomuch as they have made it difficult for those now skeptical to believe the truth again. A most undesirable consequence."

  Raphael paused to give Vin time to take in everything he had been told. A blood descendant must locate, retrieve, and utilize the book. If Vin had inherited one of the brothers' bloodlines, which was the conclusion he reached, then he and his wife could have been targeted for a variety of reasons. It was practical to think that they might prefer to have Vin alive, to manipulate him, and make use of his bloodline. So why would they try to kill him? Of course, it was just as likely that at least one other living person carried one of these bloodlines and was searching for the book. Vin’s heritage was probably discovered during this search; and this power hungry kinsman must have decided that Vin, the competition, should be taken out of the equation. That would make sense if the car accident was intended to remove Vin from the playing field. The accident was not an accident after all. All of this was leading up to the task that was going to be asked of him.

  "So you want me to locate and destroy the book for you? But I’m no longer on the other side. Are you going to send me back? Is that possible?" Vin blurted out one question after another as excitement at the thought of returning awakened his desire to return to Caeli.

  "Alas, you know we cannot send you back. It is not possible, not by any power which we possess. You oversimplify what you have seen and heard, and that is my fault. You must understand that it was a rare and intricate confluence of events that allowed us to act so directly on the other side to retrieve you. We were watching, waiting, knowing the opportunity sought by the enemy. It took the strength of many, the strongest and most experienced of us, combined with the proper astronomical event, to enable us to protect you and your wife when the enemy might have killed you both."

  "What event? Protect us how?" Vin did not fully understand.

  "Not only did we battle the enemy, the other presence you felt that night, but we also had to struggle against you. You acted on what you believed to be the right thing to do, protect your wife. The strength of your determination ignited your previously dormant aerial skills. Because you were unaware of this, your gift raged completely out of control. Strong emotions set up strong defenses, but you did not guide or control them. Thus, you confused your enemy. It was a weapon he had not anticipated. But, it also cost you more than you knew, for it hampered our aid as well."

  "I had no idea," Vin responded flatly.

  "It was the extravagant efforts of Michael himself that finally extracted you and pushed the villain far enough away so that Caeli would be safe until mortal help could reach her. It was no simple feat, and not one that is likely to be repeated any time soon."

  Vin was stunned by the vastness of the ordeal as it was now made clear to him. In hindsight, he regretted having hindered Michael and the others. Vin did his best to steady himself and firm his resolve because he knew there was still more to be heard. There was more to the story, and Vin wanted to hear it now.

  "The comet that Caeli and I were there to see was the astronomical event, right? What is the significance?"

  "Each time an event initiated beyond the Earth’s boundaries passes within the planet’s gravity or when some event shakes the core of the earth itself, such as a large storm or earthquake, it has a significant impact on all of the planet’s weather and natural forces. These forces are delicately balanced, but it is the barrier which protects that balance and the planet. Thus, when these extraordinary events take place, the barrier's energy is diverted to handle them. The barrier is weakened during these times. That is why we were able to help you by reaching further onto the other side of the barrier than is normally possible. However, it was still not easy to do."

  Vin could understand that much at least. It sounded more scientific than anything else he heard so far. Not that science was important, just more relatable. The combined strength of what he determined must have been at least two undeniably powerful archangels, and some additional help from others, was almost inconceivable as Vin contemplated such a scenario. Even though he had spoken directly to Michael, Vin was nonetheless awed by the tenacity which the angel had reportedly asserted to accomplish Vin's rescue.

  Each new detail added to Vin's understanding, but also generated more questions, so many more questions. He imagined this must have been what Alice felt like after she fell down the fabled rabbit hole.

  "Raph, how was it possible for us to visit Caeli earlier? If it requires such exertion and a cosmic event, how were you able to take us there without any apparent effort?"

  "Another good question, Brother. I did not do it entirely on my own, and it was not undemanding. The comet still has not yet traveled beyond the planet’s sphere of influence, and I drew on your connection to your wife. Pardon me for doing so without your consent. It was both of these things that enabled me to offer you that small bit of comfort."

  "I appreciate it even more now that I have a better understanding of the principles involved. Your compassion becomes you and your brothers. I sincerely thank you." Vin was genuinely touched by the intensity with which his new friends acted on his behalf, even before he was aware of it.

  Vin learned a great deal from this conversation. He now knew that his accident was the result of a premeditated plot designed to kill him. The true reason for this, Vin did not yet know. Thanks to the foresight and vigilance of the angels, Michael was able to pull him out of the hands of the enemy and save Caeli from the same fate. This unknown enemy was the source of the other presence Vin had felt in those woods. It must be another blood descendant who discovered his own heritage and elemental talents while still earthbound. Now the angels wanted Vin's help prevent the Book of Elements from being misused, probably by this same unknown person.

  This conclusion held a few incongruent segments that Vin could not yet fit
together. If only someone on the life side could touch the book, and the angels were not able to return Vin to that side, then how exactly was he going to be able to help? Was he supposed to use his gift to engage with those who currently held the book? That was a possibility, given that he discovered his ability to interact with Caeli on that side. Vin was sure that his connection to her was vitally important. That must be why the angels needed him, specifically. They needed the rare combination of his gifted bloodline and strong connection to Caeli. Yes, of course, that was it! That is precisely what Raph told him, but for some reason, puzzling through the facts and reaching this revelation independently seemed more profound.

  But none of that explained why the enemy waited for the comet before trying to kill him, especially if he knew anything about the angels’ ability to intervene during such an event. That was yet another enigma to ponder. Yet before he would be of any help to anyone, Vin had to learn how to survive in this new realm, how to become proficient with his new ability, and must learn what was required and expected of him. It was time to get back on track.

  "Indeed. We have given you a great deal to consider. It is only your third day, and already your development exceeds our anticipated timeline. You are doing well, but you are not yet ready. Unfortunately, I must leave you for a while to tend other matters. I will return when you need me. In the meantime, you should rest and take the time to review what you have learned. Simply close your eyes and your mind to everything around you, and your rest will be undisturbed until you choose to rejoin us. It has been pleasant to talk and share with you Vin. Let peace surround you as you rest."

  "Thank you for everything, Raph. Your training and companionship have been invaluable. I hope we will work together again soon." Vin felt strangely alone after Raphael departed, but he was not in a mood to rest. There were still too many unsolved mysteries bouncing around in his mind. Until he could resolve some of these perplexing quandaries, rest would not be forthcoming.