Heaven's Entryway (Part 2)

After I agreed to leave the life I knew behind, and pursue this strange adventure, the Greeter filled me in on a few details. First, his name is Nestor, and it represents an important quality: wisdom. Second, Heaven's Passage-Way is designed to look peaceful and familiar, and so that's why it is a flourishing park. People have been most calm and receptive in a setting that is most familiar when passing through the realms. Third, Heaven is not what humans had imagined it to be, and when you pass through the realm, you lose your original skin, and transform into your soul's form. I haven't made it that far yet.

I'm not the only one who has been plucked from their life to complete this mission, there are three others. All together, there are two of us females, and two males. We must work together in order for the mission to be a success. There's no room for error, or failure. We must succeed. We basically don't have a choice.

After Nestor finishes up with some basic details, he takes a hold of my hand. We look each other in the eye for a moment before he speaks.

"Don't worry. I believe in you." Nestor smiles and kisses my hand. He's really kind and comforting. He pulls my hand, and we start walking in unison.

"There's a dark force, that's been hidden for most of eternity, but it has begun to unfurl, and if we don't contain it, it will encompass life as we know it, causing us to diminish forever." Nestor stops, wedges my book between his arm and side and takes both of my hands in his. "I know this sounds like a lot to you, because life itself depends on you and this mission. Please, understand, that you truly are our last hope."

I don't know what to say, to think, or even feel. I'm just standing there, blank. It is a lot to take in, and to grasp, for a simple girl like me. I'm curious about the others, and the part they play in all of this.

Nestor lets go of my hands, and grasps my book, looking me in the eyes, waiting for a response.

"Tell me about the others."

"There's three others, all here for the same mission, all in the same circumstance as you. They are just like you, with a greeter, having everything explained to them. Though you'll find this interesting... each of them are from another universe."

"Another universe? Wait a minute, there are other life forms?" I shout out, not able to contain a word.

Nestor smiles and chuckles. "Yes, yes, but none of that Alien crap you people from Earth believe. They're not referred to as aliens. Actually, they look just like you. Just another person. The only difference is that they each are from a different universe with different living styles." he continues "There's much for you to learn, but it is time we lack. I will answer as much as I can though you should look towards your team for additional knowledge along the way."

He turns around and begins walking. I stumble a moment and begin to follow him. I guess the stupid question is "What now?" Nestor laughs some more and responds, "Your mission begins, Kyra."

I stop, abruptly. I never even thought to ask him if he knew my name. Yet, he knew it. It shouldn't be shocking, but it is.

"Ah, I almost forgot something important! Silly me." Nestor turns around quickly, clutching something in one hand, my book in the other. He opens his palm to reveal a beautiful purple stone, encased in metal. He places the stone in my hand, which I now noticed is attached to a rope. It's a necklace.

"Put this on." Nestor instructs me, "This is called a Realm Stone. It will give you access to travel through the realms."

I place the stone necklace over my head, and look down at the stone resting on my chest. It's beautiful, and full of life. It's glowing, and the different shades of purple move gently through the stone, as if it has magic captured inside.

"Notice the bright glow it carries. When it is charged, it gives off a beautiful radiance. The more you travel through realms, the more dim your stone will grow. Pacing your travels in a timely manner will give the stone time to collect magic and recharge. Traveling too much, and too frequently will drastically drain your stone, eventually burning it out beyond recharge. Once a Realm Stone is burnt out, it is no longer of use." He pauses a moment, and then continues.

"There is a catch, or two. If your Realm Stone burns out, leaving you unable to travel, you may not, by any means, use another's Realm Stone to travel. This has serious side effects, and could even cause you to dissipate; your soul scattering between realms and universes. This essentially truly means death. The second catch is, you must allow your Realm Stone time to recharge, yet you and your team do not have much time for this mission. So travel between realms wisely."

Nestor's glance moves to the left. I follow his glare. A huge platform sits, engulfed in a cloud of white rays and specs floating around. That was not there before, it was nothing but fields. This appeared out of nowhere.

"Your Realm Stone gives you sight that you once did not have. These platforms are the doorways between realms. Use these to travel back and forth, between and through. But be wary, there is no map. You don't have much time, Kyra." Nestor clutches my book close to his chest, and extends his other arm toward the portal, gesturing for me to enter the cloud of white and specs atop the platform.

"How will I know what to do" I ask, confused and scared. I've learned nothing of this mission except for the fact that it's life-threatening, and there isn't much time!

He smiles, genuinely, and responds "You'll know." Nestor raises his eyebrows and gestures his hand towards the platform.

I step up, with one foot, onto the platform, and turn back to Nestor, "Why me. What if I cannot do it, you know, the mission?" I look down at the stone, and back at Nestor, as I place my second foot up on the platform, the white cloud of rays and specs floating gently around me.

We look at each other, and I ask "What if I fail you?" I grasp the stone in my palm.

Before Nestor can answer, the cloud around me builds as if it is a tornado, becoming thicker than a fog. My hair begins to whip around in the wind caused from the portal. The gusts of wind are loud, and I lose sight of Nestor due to the thick cloud around me.

What is happening? I feel my body begin to lift off the the platform. I struggle to keep my eyes open, and begin to use my arms to block my face. Right before I feel my body launch upward, and fast, I hear faintly through the loud gusts of wind Nestor's Response,

"You won't."