Elysium: Book Six of The Liminality

Chapter 36: Family

So I'm sitting in this circle of elevated souls fighting off a terrible case of impostor syndrome. These people want me to be part of their world-building operation. Me, build a world, the guy who couldn't even keep my Mom's backyard from turning into a jungle of kudzu and knotweed after my dad passed away. I can't help feeling I am some token representative of the realm of lesser souls, brought here only because I have some friends in high places.

Speaking of which, I'm watching the area where the two Ophanim landed and notice a pair of figures strolling in our direction: a man and a woman. The man is extremely lanky. I'm talking NBA basketball player—six foot nine at least. The woman is a good foot shorter, her long blonde hair trailing in the synthetic wind that only ever seems to blow in one direction. One glance is all I need to know this is Gaia.

My heart wriggles like a freshly hooked catfish as I bound up out of my adaptive chair. I resist the urge to run over and greet her. I tell myself it will be better if I play it cool. So I just stand there, wringing my hands and watch her approach.

There is a hitch in her stride but she walks with strength. I wave and she just tips her head with the slightest nod. Her eyes remain fixed on me as she approaches. She is smiling calmly and there is a hint of pleasure or relief in her eyes but her emotions seem so constrained that it disconcerts me because I am losing my grip on my thumping heart.

When she is a few paces away I lunge towards her. She opens her arms and we swoop together kind of awkwardly, sharing a firm but far too brief hug before she disengages and steps back. I'm kind of taken aback by how quick she pulls away. But I think I understand. We're in public and she's just trying to be professional. I think. But I sure missed being with her.

I can tell she's coming from some significant action. One eyebrow is partly singed off and her cheek in smeared with soot. A third degree burn festers and weeps along her jawline.

"Hello James. This is my colleague, Kadeem," she says, nodding towards the tall man, who had cheek bones like cleavers and a grim, vacant expression on his tawny face.

"You're hurt."

She gives a quick shrug and touches her face.

"This? Superficial. I just haven't had the time to attend to myself."

"Have you all come to serve on the panel?"

"Oh no. Not at all. Kadeem and came to seal a breach along one of the interfaces. The Powers-That-Be have swarms of avatars probing every corner of the voids. Every once in a while one gets lucky and penetrates the curtain. Since we happened to be in the area I thought I would check in. I am pleased to see you found your way here safely."

"So how've you been?"

"Busy. We've been everywhere. Zipping all about. The battle extends high and low, far and wide. It's keeping us on our toes. Our adversaries are conducting a much broader operation than we first anticipated. They intend a drastic restructuring of the vetting realms. As you might expect they've been much more gentle in their approach to remodeling the Upper Realms."

"Is it going well?"

Gaia took a deep breath and started to speak, but had to restart. "Not ... not exactly. Not ideal."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, just that our best laid plans have gone astray somewhat. One realm has been most. We've ceased operations to defend it. Several more remain under threat. But if things go as we expect them to, we should be able to salvage something, I am confident."

"Holy shit. That doesn't sound good at all."

"On the contrary, we will be able to save a considerable number of souls who would otherwise have been lost. I am quite heartened because we have gathered a formidable opposition of some very influential and powerful dissidents. Much more than we could have possibly hoped for when the resistance began. Our losses have been and will continue to be ... severe, but I can't imagine us being vanquished. No. Not entirely."