ROTU: Chapter Forty-Two

As Kaelon continued to sleep, Jalena and Shamira spent the next two days training the Conduits with assistance from a group of Lumaña warriors. Without the convenience of the simulation room, Jalena was grateful for the additional help. Lyons, who had just recovered enough to walk without support, was busy exploring the city.

They are both happier and more in tune, said Shamira as she watched the Conduits work.

They have finally cleared their pain by finding purpose. Now they can utilize their power in the way they were meant to, Jalena replied.

Jalena's gladaé formed within her grip as she and Shamira prepared to demonstrate effective maneuvers for fighting against weapons. Shamira's gaze widened as she saw Jalena's sword.

Jalena followed her stare and paused to study the weapon in her hand.

In the middle of Jalena's gladaé held a gold light, mirroring the opposite of Gyan's, which possessed a violet light in the middle of his blade. Jalena didn't need to ponder why the change in her sword had occurred. She knew it was because their mirrored awareness was now shared equally. His gladaé had already displayed his intent when the transformation of his sword occurred at the master ceremony, meaning he had already made the choice to share all of who he was with Jalena. Her gesture of commitment was returned after she gave her life to protect Kaelon and was now reflected within her sword.

Jalena shared a smile with Shamira as she met her eye. I wonder…

Your sword has shared its energy, Shamira said. Has there been any change in your light shield?

Test me.

Shamira threw a strike and Jalena blocked it with the intent of using Gyan's shield. She looked down at her hands in surprise. Do it again.

Shamira came after her, throwing one blow after another, following with a final roundhouse kick.

Although Jalena blocked each move with the added resistance of the shield, the light felt different to her. It has weakened.

Do you think when you gave all to protect him, he absorbed some of his own charisma back?

Yes, but his body could not contain the full power of all of it yet. He likely has done it to help him remember who he is. Beyond what Malik said about Asteris not having the suppressive effects of the surface realm, absorbing some of his power probably helped to accelerate his evolvement, explaining his déjà vu, and the fact that he sounds like Gyan more all the time.

The two paused their conversation as another group of Lumaña came forward, staring hard at the warriors who were helping Sitara and Drisana train.

"Raku-ka, I have already told you, I do not agree with your thoughts," a female Lumaña stated. "I have the permission of the elders and will do as I please."

"What is it, Senli-ka?" Jalena asked.

"He is my brother. He does not approve of us helping the humans, but I do not agree with him."

"And what are your views, Raku-ka?" asked Shamira.

"No amount of training will ever help them turn away from their true nature," Raku stated. "We do not want them here. Senli-ka knows this." He stepped closer to his sister.

Shamira moved forward. "She wants to help."

"They will attempt to toxify the beauty here as they have done on the surface!"

"They are not the same as the others, Raku-ka," Senli replied. "They have to prepare for their role in transferring the shield. Besides, part of the reason that Earth is in the current state it is is because certain secrets have been kept from the humans."

"They are not ready. Their minds are easily warped—broken and manipulated because they do not possess the strength yet to invest in sacred knowledge. You know it is why the elders have kept the majority of the humans in the dark about the magic of higher vibrational living. To help them before they reach a heightened level of understanding would lead to even more disaster than what they have created thus far. Their egos would use the knowledge to gain power and dominate rather than for the nurturing of all. It is dangerous to teach them."

Sitara returned Raku's glare, her arms crossed, as Drisana watched wide-eyed from her place beside Jalena.

"I understand why you feel that way," Jalena said. "Part of this mission, Raku-ka, is to help them discover a new truth. The Conduits are worthy of a chance. Whether you judge them fit or not for their role in helping the Earth, is irrelevant. They already possess the power to do what they were born for and that fact alone makes them worthy."

He scowled. "How do you help them discover a higher level of being when their very nature is to reject the core truth of who they are? They have repeated the same cycle for centuries."

Tau approached the group as more Lumaña surrounded the warriors. "You are to help them, Raku-ka," he said, "as you were once helped by the knowledge that those in Elsaria brought to our people through your ancestors."

"Has the same battle against depravity for love and connection not been fought within the hearts of some of the Avehkal at one point?" Jalena added. "It was the reason for the war between the Lumaña and the Avehkal, was it not?"

Raku dropped his gaze. "Ralian-ka was wrong for turning on his own people—his own brother—but you are talking about an entire race."

"Not the entire race," Drisana said as she squared her shoulders.

"It is time for you to settle the prejudices within your heart, Raku-ka," Tau said as he gave Drisana a nod. "The humans live in the way they do mostly due to reinforced fear conditioning. The awakening of the Conduits means that the time has come for them to transition. It will not be a smooth road, but there will be great reward in helping them break through their limitations as we witness the beauty that will spread on the surface of the land once more."

Raku scowled but nodded as Tau put a hand on his shoulder.

After the groups separated, Senli smirked. "Don't mind him," she told Sitara and Drisana. "He's mostly angry at humans because he fell in love with one and shared knowledge of our realm without permission of the elders. When they found out, they forbid him to bring her back to Asteria. Soon after she betrayed him, so the elders wiped her memory of him and this place."

"Were humans once allowed here?" asked Drisana.

"Yes. Some still are, but only those of heightened awareness and those that contain a balance within their spirit as determined by the elders. When a person accidentally stumbles into a portal, they are generally sent back, but some are allowed to remain if they desire it."

"And what of their families?" asked Drisana.

"Sometimes they are pronounced dead. As you have experienced, much of the community on the surface realm is not like here. There is more separation than unity, even within families. Many who wish to remain in Asteria do not feel a sense of love in their life when in the surface realm. Most of these humans are connected to deeper aspects of their being and long for change. Sometimes these people choose to become teachers or leaders for the masses, others isolate from society, and then some find their way into Asteria."

Senli smiled. "You are welcome to remain, Drisana-ka and Sitara-ka, if you choose. I have already asked the elders. They replied that you will wish to come back and forth from the surface because once your power is fully awakened, you will desire to find the other Conduits and help them also."

Jalena smiled reassuringly at Drisana. "It looks like you have found the connection you have been searching for after all. Sometimes it is upon disconnection from a family that rejects us, that we find our true family."

Drisana smiled and nodded as she wiped the corner of her eyes.

Heavy clouds moved into the area and a light rain began to fall. Sitara stared up at the water in awe. She looked at the others, "The rain is—"

"—purple?" Drisana finished.

Senli raised her eyebrows. "You are seeing the colors within the water?"

"Yes," Sitara and Drisana replied together.

Jalena smiled.

"Your consciousness has opened to a new level," stated Senli.

"Finally, all this training is paying off," Sitara said. She shrugged off a smile and dropped her gaze as Shamira gave her a knowing look.

"Let's take a break," Jalena said as the rain increased.

The others filed past her, but she remained unmoving as she saw Kaelon standing in the distance, watching her.

Looks like he is awake, Shamira announced.

I can't even think of him in the same way, said Jalena.

Shamira laughed. I think that's the point. Just don't freak out, and you'll be fine.

She gave Kaelon a wave and hurried off as he approached Jalena.

Jalena gestured with her head for him to walk with her, hoping the cooling rain would help stabilize the spike in energy he commonly caused within her. "I found a place that I want to show you," she said.

He followed in silence into a dense group of trees until they came to an area where several fallen tree trunks and branches lay over a thick stream. As it fell over them, the colors of the rain shifted like those in the sky.

"I could look at the colors here all day," Kaelon said as the two walked.

She smiled, unsurprised he could see the changes. "There is a small cave beneath the stream's waterfall up ahead. It expands to the right, so you have a nice view of the fall and the surrounding area."

The two moved through the cave entrance at the edge of the waterfall. Jalena loosened her hair to squeeze the rainwater from it as Kaelon ran a hand through his.

"After I saw you fight Drasúl, my imagination started going overboard with scenes of you fighting and teaching…as you were today with the group," Kaelon said. "It is just like the other day…I had total déjà vu or something before I passed out. No one here can tell me why, but my mind still feels unfocused, like I do not have control of the visions that come and go."

She stepped back and nodded, unsure of what to say. She wanted to blurt out that it was because he was remembering but wasn't about to be the cause of any resistance within the process of him learning who he truly was.

"You aren't the only one feeling out of sorts at the moment." She gave him a small smile.

Kaelon's eyes dropped to Jalena's shirt, where the top of her scar was visible.

Jalena held her breath as he ran a finger lightly over it.

"Seems weird that someone as powerful as you could ever be scarred.

"Well, even though we may be stronger than humans, we aren't immortal. At least not yet in our current state."

"I don't know. Seeing you come back to life after a blade through the heart seems pretty immortal to me."

Jalena smiled and shook her head. "When you put it like that, maybe so. Warriors on all levels can still carry scars. Although light warriors have the ability to heal their physical wounds quickly, scars that are tied to strong emotion often remain until the pain associated with them is healed."

"Like Shamira's scar on her face and neck?"

"Yes."

"A scar above your heart must relate to love."

Jalena dropped her gaze.

"You don't have to say anything. I know it has to do with that guy…Gyan. Look, Jess…I mean Jalena, a lot of people—er, humans, think that you don't get a second chance at a great love, but I don't really believe that even though I've never been in love. I mean, maybe we do. Who determines that anyway? I don't know what you believe on your planet or if it is even possible to fall in love or be with a human—I mean, maybe you have a block to it or something…"

A memory of Gyan confessing his true feelings for her for the first time when they stood on the Green Sea shores surfaced within her. She bit her lip to keep from smiling.

"It may be a disappointment to you even if you feel something now—you know, since I don't have the same powers or something… I mean… What do you think—?"

"Kaelon."

"I mean, I know I'm rambling, but—well, it's sort of making me feel crazy because I think you want to be with me too, but I'm not sure if we could?"

"Kaelon."

"Huh?" He took a deep breath. "Why are you smiling? Do you like watching me go insane?"

Jalena burst out laughing as Kaelon repeated almost the exact same words that Gyan had spoken on the beach long ago.

"You're laughing? Of course, you're laughing. I must sound ridiculous to you."

"You finished?"

"No. How could I be? I just—"

Jalena laughed again. "Let's sit. My turn," she said before he could say another word. "Love is never a choice, and it has no rules, so you would never be able to control it. It is the same for Elsarians." She adjusted so that she faced him. "Now, despite the strength of a feeling, we can choose to engage or not with the person we are in love with, whether it is human or someone of another species."

Kaelon looked relieved. "I see."

"The way humans search for love is somewhat strange to us. It is different from many Elsarians, as we have already discussed some when we talked about staying alone until we experience a rare connection. Many humans have this list of qualities they would like their partner to possess and adamantly seek out someone carrying those qualities as if finding someone is a chore or goal on a list they must accomplish. Then they commit to making the relationship work if it suits an agenda or fulfills a need. In Elsaria, it is more energy-driven rather than data-driven, meaning that it is based on the connection and the essence of the person who wishes to share their world with you. Nothing external, such as status or identity motivates the action to be together. A commitment is not decided or vowed, it occurs as naturally as breathing. We are drawn to someone who is a match to our own energy because we do not seek companions to fill a void or account for something we lack. Due to this, the chemistry or attraction is more intense and respected and is not easily discarded. Falling in love is expected to enhance your life and amplify more of what you are. However, we come from a world where connection and authenticity are valued. This makes it easier for us to establish connections without feeling as if we have to search so hard or force it."

"I like that. It seems sacred, like honoring what is already inevitable."

"There are always individual preferences and views as to how love is expressed as it is on this planet. However, many humans sort of scramble around in hopes that someone will love them without ever really loving themselves. Elsarians generally understand that if we choose from a heightened state of deprivation, we are not a reflection of what we desire. Without being a representation of what we seek in another, the connection cannot be sustained. We approach it from a sense of balance because we understand that assessing personal value through the love of another is conditional and unstable. In a sense, the fulfillment is borrowed or contingent on the behavior of another rather than established from within. Anything you borrow diminishes, but what you own never does. "

"I would love to study more of the perspectives of your people."

If you only knew, Jalena wanted to say. She gave him a soft smile instead. "Based on your interest and energy, you would certainly learn fast." She looked around. "You have already experienced much of what we know just from recent events. You have seen that circumstances are not linear–that multiple dimensions or elements exist and influence your life. Through your desire and belief in greater awareness, one could claim that you have altered your experiential reality to reflect more of Elsaria."

"To put it mildly."

"Our ability as light warriors to transform energy may seem like magic to you, but it is simply an advanced understanding of how energy works. Though we are born with a different internal structure to allow for higher level manipulation of that energy, it does not mean that the same potential is completely absent in humans."

"I had no idea that a super warrior could also be so reflective and philosophical."

She smiled. "We are just mirrors of the same. That's why we found each other."

Kaelon's smile brightened his eyes even more, which held a look of unmistakable adoration. He dropped his gaze and reached out to hook his fingers within hers as he fell silent. Jalena used the moment to study him, observing the way he was similar as well as different from Gyan. Their hair was alike—thick with a relaxed wave, except that Gyan's was darker and longer whereas Kaelon's was more auburn. She smiled to herself as she noted a rogue curl that hooked behind Kaelon's ear on the left side of his head. The facial features and build were identical with Gyan being several inches taller. Though they differed in color, Kaelon's eyes carried the same piercing intensity as Gyan's.

Jalena shut her eyes and let the knowing that she was once again with Gyan fill her. She felt as if she had an advantage in perception at the moment—knowing what they had shared in both dimensions, how rich their story truly was. He was unaware of their history and the true depth of connection between them. Experiencing who he was on Elsaria as a warrior only increased her curiosity about how he expressed himself as a human. Although somewhat surreal, it was a gift to know so much about someone from multiple vantage points. She found it fascinating that he would carry the same behaviors and mindset across dimensions in different forms.

I had no idea you could be this philosophical, Gyan. She had said those words to him the first time they had spoken in depth at the Tran Ceiabré. The experience of their union was identical, just mirrored within a different world. She couldn't help feeling elated about knowing that they always would find each other no matter the dimension or circumstance.

"Jalena, what were you thinking of just now? I don't think I have ever seen such a contented look on your face."

She opened her eyes and cleared her throat. "This… how we are now. Our conversation just reminds me of a very special time on Elsaria."

"You miss those times?"

"I appreciated them more now. Time moves differently here than on my planet, so it feels like I have been gone a very long time from home. I have sorely missed it during my stay on Earth, but it seems as if everything is falling into place as it should."

He grinned. "That's a relief."

Wanting to prolong their time together, Jalena laced her fingers the rest of the way through his. "So, after all that you have witnessed since the time you arrived in the field and met Drasúl, tell me about those streaming thoughts going through your head. I'll share all that I can."

Kaelon asked questions about Elsaria as the rain lightened to a drizzle. Jalena matched his curiosity as she attempted to learn more about his life on Earth. The two engaged in continual conversation until the colors of the sky darkened, and the gems embedded in the stone of the cave walls began to glow.

Jalena's stomach tightened as she watched the gems around them pulse with light. The memory of when she and Gyan had traveled to the Cave of Three Songs surfaced, extending her sensation of living within two dimensions at once. The two did not leave their spot in the cave for the remainder of the night as their conversation expanded to recent events. They talked until they both fell asleep, hand-in-hand.

Hours later, Jalena opened her eyes to find Kaelon watching her. The realm's rising sunlight reflected off the crystals winding along the bordering trees.

"Jalena, yesterday they told me that Lyons and I must return to the surface soon," he whispered. "Please don't let them take my memory of this…or of you. I don't want to forget. Even if they did, it would haunt me as a shadow, making me wonder why I felt so sad."

She studied Kaelon's serious expression, remembering how unsettled it felt when she had forgotten who she was. "I know what you mean." She propped herself up on her elbows. "I would never—I won't let them."

He sighed. "I don't want this to end, Jalena. I need you to find me again." He looked at her fiercely as tears filled his eyes. "Promise me. Tell me how to keep you with me because I can't lose you."

I cannot lose you.

Jalena's throat tightened as she remembered Gyan desperately clinging to her after hearing the first message of his Reserve.

She resolved right then that she would find a way to take Kaelon back to Elsaria, whether he gained his memories back or not. And in that instant, she was talking to Gyan.

She locked his gaze with her own. "You cannot lose me, Kaelon, because you can't lose something that is forever ingrained…something that never truly separates. I don't think it ever was or will ever be possible to be separated from you—"

Her words disappeared in his kiss. She met his passion without hesitation, clinging to him as he drew her in tight.

"Nothing will ever take you away from me again," she whispered.

"I love you, Jalena…"

Her voice joined his, "…with all that I am."