The Book of Elements Read online

  Caeli, on the other hand, was not so lucky. She was unconscious, so Vin could not tell how badly she might be hurt. He reached over to attempt to help her, but his seatbelt held him back. He unbuckled the restraint and tried again. As he reached across, he was distracted by a bright flash of lightning that struck the ground two hundred yards through the trees ahead. Vin heard the brittle crack of branches breaking as a large tree fell. The wind stirred again, stronger and centered around the same area where he saw the lightning strike. On the third attempt to aid his injured wife, Vin succeeded in confirming a knot on her head as a result of the impact with the window. He tried to unfasten her seatbelt, but it was jammed. Vin reached into his pocket to retrieve his utility knife only to discover that the bottom of his pocket was ripped and the knife had fallen out.

  Another lightning strike, this one a scant few feet in front of the car, increased the urgency of Vin's need to free Caeli and get her to the nearest shelter he could find. He was sure by now that this was worse than a mere thunderstorm. If he could look directly up at the sky above the car, Vin assumed that he would see the clouds circling. Though such weather was rare in this region, it was certainly not impossible. It seemed to Vin that it was just his luck to be caught directly beneath it.

  Vin opened the driver’s side door and stepped hesitantly out onto the soggy ground. The wind immediately rallied around him while the lightning directly overhead seemed frantic. He slammed the door shut so the rain would not blow inside. Vin struggled against the strong wind and worked his way around to the opposite side of the car. But he forgot that her door was blocked by the tree they slammed against. He could not reach Caeli from that side.

  He worked his way around the front of the car, returning to the driver’s side to re-enter and try using his cell phone to call for help; but the wind began to severely hamper his movements before he reached the door. Each step Vin took toward the door incited the wind to push him further away, beyond the front of the car. It briefly crossed Vin's mind that he might get to see firsthand what the center of a forming tornado looked like.

  Vin's already waning strength was beginning to fail as he fought to regain the safety of the car. It was another losing battle. The wind finally succeeded in propelling him backward, lifting him from his feet as it took him further away from the car and Caeli. Despite his best efforts, Vin was carried a good distance off into the heart of the woods. He tried unsuccessfully to grab hold of passing tree limbs, but they eluded his grasp. Vin soon found himself in the middle of a clearing where a huge tree, which must once have stood over sixty feet tall, now lay smoldering on its side across the center of the glade. This had to be the tree he heard fall a few minutes earlier.

  The wind unceremoniously dumped Vin in the middle of the clearing, and he was at last able to put his feet firmly on the ground. The air still swirled around him, grabbing up leaves and debris and tossing them in angry eddies. Perhaps he had hit his head after all, because Vin thought he heard voices, faint and indiscernible, coming from within those winds. He tried to take a few steps in the direction from which he had come, but the wind would not permit it. After the first step, he felt resistance. Vin tried a different direction with the same results. How odd that a tornado would form around him and continue to encircle him, keeping him contained in such a manner. His anger was building at his inability to help his wife. All he wanted to do was make sure that Caeli was all right and get her to a safe place where they could wait out the storm.

  Yet there was nothing for him to rage against except the storm itself; nothing that he could do except stand where he was and wait for an opportunity to escape his predicament. In the meantime, Vin hoped the wind could do as good a job of keeping the encroaching lightning strikes at bay as it was doing holding him prisoner.

  The murmur of voices stilled around him. A mist separated itself from the swirling wind, and one voice became clear.

  "Brother, do not fight against us." It was a commanding voice, but not unkind.

  "Who are you?" Vin asked incredulously of the disembodied voice speaking from the mist.

  "What is this? Why are you keeping me from Caeli? Please let me go to her." From those few words, Vin quickly surmised a change in his situation.

  "It is a complicated situation which requires a lengthy explanation. You do not have time for that now. You must simply let her go."

  "Let her go? Caeli? Are you saying that I have to leave her? Am I going to die?"

  "That is not for us to decide."

  "You mean Caeli could be dying? No! I won’t let that happen. I can’t let that happen. Let me go to her. I can save her. She isn’t hurt that badly. I can get her to a hospital. Why won’t you let me return to her?!"

  Vin was now angry beyond reason, spurting out questions and assumptions without waiting to hear any responses; jumping to the conclusion that the being whose voice he heard was responsible for preventing him from helping Caeli. Now Vin had someone at which to vent his anger, though he doubted it was going to have much effect. As a sense of desperation overwhelmed him, the winds kicked up their fury once more.

  "You must let her go. It is the only way you can help her. Stand down, Brother. Do not fight us."

  "This is ridiculous!" Vin yelled at the air.

  "I will fight you to my last breath! I will not leave her hurt and alone! She needs my help, and I will see that she gets it," Vin insisted.

  With that, Vin renewed his effort to fight his way through the strong winds, wanting to run back to the wrecked vehicle and save his wife. Just as he turned around, Vin saw Caeli emerge into the clearing, stumble, and fall. Somehow, she managed to free herself from the car and find her way to him. In that instant, Vin's heart soared with pride and love. Caeli was a determined and resourceful woman, but he could see that she was in bad shape.

  Vin lunged once more and finally managed to break through the surrounding aerial barrier and reach Caeli's side. She was barely conscious and fading fast. It looked like she may have banged her head for a second time when she fell. Vin was now certain that someone or something was determined to separate them today by taking him away or allowing her to perish. Though he wasn’t sure which scenario was true, Vin was more determined than ever to prevent it. He could feel the winds gathering at his back as he hovered protectively above Caeli’s semi-conscious body.

  "This is unfortunate, but events have been set in motion. It must be so."

  The howling of the wind was reaching its apex. Vin knew the time was at hand. Death was afoot in the forest.

  But, there was something more roaming within the trees. Another force was tugging at him and Caeli. This one chose not to converse or bring further awareness of its presence. It was trying to conceal the fact that it was there. This indefinable force seemed to oppose whoever spoke to him, for it pulled in an entirely different and unpleasant direction.

  For reasons known only to these entities, they had attempted to separate Vin and Caeli before this final parting. It seemed the very fact that they still managed to reach each other, regardless, somehow forced these beings to change their plans. In Vin’s mind, he knew that either he or Caeli was about to die, but he refused to accept it.

  Vin stood defiantly over Caeli, trying to face the direction from which he believed the voice was coming.

  "No! You will not have her, nor will I go with you. You will have to go through me to get her. Trust me! I will make sure it costs you dearly if you touch her. We have done nothing to deserve this. Caeli certainly doesn't deserve to be treated like this. I don’t know who you are or how I will do it, but I will prevent this from happening." Vin’s assertion left no room for compromise, and his determination made it abundantly clear that he was prepared to enforce his words by whatever means he could devise. The winds around him seemed to sigh in resignation.

  "So be it."

  The absolute finality of that statement startled Vin. He experienced a momentary flicker of panic, wondering if he had just angered Deat
h himself and what consequences he might endure as a result. But, it was a fleeting feeling. Death was nothing to him if it meant defending Caeli’s life.

  Without further discussion, the air around Vin thickened and the breath was slowly squeezed from his lungs. Vin knew that the decision was made, and he would have to leave her. Just before he lost consciousness, Vin felt hands take a hold of him and, feeling as if he was being ripped apart, Vin was pulled away from Caeli. Before his mind completely shut down, Vin knew something was wrong. He felt a sinister anger in the air and a greater force holding it at bay.

  Vin desperately hoped that his sacrifice had given Caeli a chance at life. He felt abundantly lucky for the time they had spent together. He was still amazed that they had been able to share this much of their lives with each other. To find such a perfectly matched mate was the best gift Vin had ever been given, and his appreciation of that present had grown every day. His love for Caeli was boundless, and Vin had no regrets giving up his life so that she could live. Darkness engulfed him and discarded whatever his next thought might have been.

  CHAPTER 3

  Vin woke, surprised that he thought of his death as waking. He immediately sensed that he was not alone. He could feel the presence of several others near him, wherever he was. His senses seemed to be functioning properly. He had been lying down on what appeared to be a flat, solid surface of unknown composition. He tentatively moved to stand up. Vin could physically see, but could not discern anything in the immediate vicinity; just a soft whiteness surrounding him in every direction. It blocked his view of what lay beyond as if a dozen searchlights were pointed straight at him. Yet the light did not hurt his eyes. Vin felt a bit awkward, exposed like a pet rabbit in a cage being stared at by its owners.

  "Fear not, Brother. All is well." The voice was reassuring and authoritative. It left no room to doubt the words.

  "Where am I?" Vin asked calmly.

  "You have crossed the barrier." This was a different voice, gentler and with a touch more compassion in its tone.

  "I don’t understand. Is this heaven, the afterlife?"

  "This is the other side of the barrier. The life you knew is on one side, and this side is all else. You have crossed the barrier." The second voice continued to explain.

  "Most who come home are reintegrated into the larger scheme; their individual identities are combined with the whole, at peace until called again. There are a few who cross, under special circumstances, and retain their uniqueness. They are not at peace with the One. This is your condition."

  Vin considered the idea. If he was correctly assimilating the facts, then this barrier was akin to the passing between life and death, and yet it was more than that. Unfortunately, understanding what more it might be was currently beyond his grasp. Vin could comprehend that he was dead, that he had crossed the barrier. Since he could not remember walking or moving of his own volition, Vin surmised that he must have been pulled across by his unseen hosts.

  He had definitely lost consciousness during the crossing. The fact that his physical body had not died, at least not that he could recall, on the life side of the barrier could be the special circumstances that allowed him to retain his sense of self on this side. Even still, Vin's main concern was not for himself at all. He wanted to know if Caeli was all right.

  "She will be fine. It would be best if you could set aside your thoughts of her for the time being."

  "That is asking a great deal of me. I doubt that I will be able to oblige you," Vin said. He was greatly relieved to know that Caeli survived, but his heart ached to see her. The severity of the loss he felt increased with each passing moment. The mere thought that he would never see her again nearly overwhelmed him. Vin reflexively grabbed his chest and fell to one knee in pain. He felt as if someone ripped out a piece of his heart, perhaps his soul.

  "Easy, Brother. Emotions are powerful. They can do great things, but can also cause great harm. You must put such strong feelings out of your mind until you learn how to cope with their effects." Vin felt a comforting energy swirl around him. It took a few minutes, but he was finally able to regain his composure and consider what he was being told.

  The implications were staggering. What was more, Vin knew there was additional information yet to be sorted out. He would need more time and a lot more information to see the bigger picture. Time, he expected, would be in abundance here. Vin wondered idly how long he had already been on this side.

  "Time flows forward, but its measurement matters not." This was the strong voice again.

  "You hear my thoughts? Of course you do, you’re an angel, right?" Vin posed the question as soon as the realization came to him.

  "Naturally, you have skills and talents beyond those of mortal men."

  "Angel is a common name we are given. It is sufficient. Our abilities are derived from the elemental knowledge of both realms, but we have no need to compare it against those on the other side," replied the comforting voice, obviously trying to offer Vin a foundation on which to build his further understanding.

  Vin’s mind immediately latched onto the mention of both realms. If they brought him here, then perhaps they could send him back. Maybe he was just having some sort of out of body experience. Many stories of angels portrayed them as helpers to those in need. Vin was beginning to consider that possibility when the voice of authority interrupted.

  "Yes, we are able to cross the barrier when necessary, but do not ask us to return you. We will not." That assertion left absolutely no possibility for dispute or negotiation.

  Vin had listened carefully, and now he had questions which he decided to ask. How else would he be able to learn about this new existence and those to whom he spoke?

  "You answered a question I had not even fully formed much less voiced. Either you really can read my thoughts or you can foresee the future. Care to tell me which? Or perhaps you can do both." Vin waited, hoping he had not gone too far or presumed too much with his question.

  He was uncharacteristically calm and unquestionably intrigued with the conversation. Yet there was still a nagging at the back of his mind, causing a disturbing undercurrent of concern. That concern was growing slowly stronger as Vin continued to come to terms with his current situation.

  "Any story about that which is unknown is told and interpreted by the individual. The truth derived from such a tale is also, thereby, unique to the individual. Nonetheless, we did not foresee your future. We merely followed your linear thoughts to the next point and proactively removed the burden of that inquiry from you," the kind voice explained. Then the stern voice continued.

  "Now, it is important that you set aside such distraction. That breeze surrounding you right now is not of our making. You must calm down and allow it to dissipate."

  "What? I’m creating the wind?" Not only was Vin astonished to notice the breeze, but he was also astounded to think he could be creating it without even knowing that he could do so.

  "No, not creating it. The wind is a natural force to which you have a strong, elemental connection, and it is stirred by your emotions. You need to focus on understanding this and accepting the new environment around you. The quicker you can accomplish this, the smoother your transition will be. If it will help put you at ease, then as a matter of time, you have been on this side for three living hours since you departed the other plane."

  "Thank you. I am trying to comprehend everything you’re telling me, which is considerable. That simple measurement does indeed help. I need a frame of reference that I can relate to, even though it may ultimately become irrelevant. The life I left behind is still very near to me, and I cannot readily detach myself from it. I did not wish to leave it."

  Vin began to wonder at the thought of speaking so directly with angels. It somehow seemed a bit surreal, yet here he was doing exactly that. How does one lowly human properly address this sort of superior being?

  He always had faith in God as a higher power in a hierarchy of existence beyond t
he frail, mortal lives of men. Vin believed that earthbound spirits simply did not possess the faculties to truly comprehend the entire realm of that higher existence, but would occasionally be granted brief glimpses into the mystery. Vin never pretended to know the purpose of sending spirits to an earthbound existence until such time as they were called back to the higher plane. Only God could know, and only He could comprehend it all. Now, miraculously, Vin found himself faced with confirmation of what was previously taken on faith. If he wasn’t careful, the enormity of that realization could easily overwhelm him.

  Once again the stern voice, with a kindness of its own, replied to his thoughts.

  "Your mind wanders rapidly across complicated subjects, seeking a resolution to each. That is a good trait, but a complicated task. You will need to learn much, very quickly. The understanding you seek is here for you to discover, but you must have guidance. And for the record, Brother Eyvindr, you may address a being such as myself as Michael, for that is my name."

  Vin was stunned! Then he smiled stupidly as another enigma became suddenly clear to him. Michael, supposed leader of the Archangels and defender of righteousness, was no longer a myth. He was here, speaking to Vin as if they were equals, and Vin was profoundly honored. Vin knew now that the commanding voice had been Michael’s, and it was well suited to the radiant figure of the warrior angel suddenly standing across from him.

  "Welcome, Brother. It is good to have you home again."

  Vin felt a sudden stir in the air around him. When it ceased, he could tell that only he and Michael remained. The others left or were at least no longer close enough for Vin to notice. Certainly such beings had more important duties to perform than babysit the recently dead.

  Michael appeared before him as a tall man, perhaps six and half feet in height, with a well-muscled frame perfectly accentuated by the contours of his form fitting, shiny armor. The plates appeared to be made of a silver metal that looked thin and lightweight, almost fluid, but gave the impression of unyielding strength. Michael was poised and confident, as commanding a presence as Vin had ever witnessed. Yet his stoic manner held no trace of arrogance. Michael’s sandy blonde hair, held away from his face by a thin silver band of the same alloy as the armor, reached just below his shoulders and framed a face with a prominent bone structure. From the edges of his high-set brow, down the chiseled jaw lines, to the squarish protrusion of his chin, his face was the epitome of classic elegance such as had often been attributed to the ruggedly handsome icons in Greek mythology. The only difference was the lighter skin and hair tones.