Page 55 of Hidden Sacrifice
“So, you’re telling me my soul is beyond the veil. As in the same place, soul cores go when souls fracture?”
Anti-Jace, I think I’m going to call him AJ, put his finger to his mouth as if he was thinking. Overdramatic and a quick temper with extreme mood swings is what I was getting so far.
“No, soul cores do not go beyond the veil; they go in it. They go to a place filled with monsters, void of their memories. The fragments contain all the memories of each of their lives. When that part is broken off, all that remains is a ball of energy. The ball of power is the very essence of that being. But without the memories of their past lives, their soul starts entirely fresh, just a spark of life.
“Us gods can just collect a spark anytime we wish to create a new soul. Celestial souls are made with a god spark. Those are not given out lightly. But the god spark is what allows the celestial souls to become gods themselves one day. Once the soul testing is complete.”
“Soul testing?” I asked, not understanding most of what he was saying.
“Yes, understanding the meaning of life. When a celestial soul dies having completed their training, the soul does not fracture; it comes here.”
“But what happens to the celestial souls that fracture?”
“They go into the veil until a god puts them into a new celestial body one day. Gods are always creating new worlds, and we need new souls to put in them.” AJ slowly circled me as we talked. My feet still stubbornly refuse to move.
“When a core fractures and goes into the veil, it never comes back to the universe it came from?” my mind wandered to the wraith whose soul we fractured.
“No, they get moved to one of the newer universes. Enhanced gameplay, better graphics, advanced weaponry, all the perks of an upgrade.”
“You said this is my universe?” I gestured my arms around wildly.
AJ smiled, tucking his fingertips into the pockets of his slacks. “It will be, officially, once I give you part of my spark to make you a celestial. That is what this meeting was scheduled for.”
I wanted to take a step back from him but found myself entirely unable to. He moved towards me like a lion stalking his prey. If I were to believe AJ here, god power overpowered demonling-vampire power. He was moving ever closer, diminishing the gap between us. I feared he wouldn’t stop.
He didn’t, he walked right up to me and then into me. He passed through me like a ghost, bringing another shiver down my spine. He kept walking through me and further off until he disappeared altogether.
* * *
Opening my eyes, I gasped for air as concern-filled eyes greeted me. Just a moment ago, these same dark eyes were staring me down, explaining the inner workings of the multiverse. Now they looked at me as if I was salvation. My body still recoiled slightly, and I felt the wave of hurt as he backed away; confusion followed.
“Sorry, some asshole god used your face as his face when he made my soul celestial. He put part of his soul inside me by walking through me. The weirdest thing ever,” I exclaimed, moving to sit up.
I was surprised to find I lay in the middle of my giant bed at the palace. Jace had backed off me slightly, but his eyes never left me.
“I told the others you were awake, Darling,” Jace said, keeping his voice even. I think that made it worse.
“Just talk normally, please. He used your voice, but it was very businesslike. Just be yourself, and I promise I’m not traumatized from it.”
Jace nodded. His posture remained rigid as he wasn’t comforted.
“Hey, Fox,” Justice said, literally sliding into the doorway. “Oh, she hasn’t started experimenting with her form yet. Get in here.” He yelled back out into the hallway before bouncing up on the bed with us.
“Oh! I thought I needed the rune to unlock that ability,” I said, looking down at my arm, trying to imagine the color of my skin changing into something pinker. Absolutely nothing happened.
“Yes, of course, you need runes, and that’s why I am here.” The familiar feminine voice I knew to be Aggie caught my attention. She was standing in the doorway; I could faintly see Jax standing behind her.
She strolled in, taking a seat on the end of the bed, giving Jax enough space to come into the room. Both of his arms were stuffed full of bags. He put them down on the floor near Aggie’s feet, making me think they were likely hers. Jax crossed his arms across his chest, taking a few steps to the side so he could watch from the shadows.
Aggie got to work, hauling the bags onto the bed before dumping the contents. Boxes and vials and bones?
“What the hell is all that, Aggie?” I pointed to a long white needle laying ominously on the bed.
“Ok,” she said, grabbing a box first. “This holds a lot of pre-made spell cards. That way, I don’t have to take the time creating the spell before inking it into your skin; I can just pull it from the card. Neat, isn’t it. I came up with the idea all myself.”
I found myself nodding and smiling because she seemed so proud of it, and while it sounded cool, I didn’t understand what she was saying enough to be impressed.
“Where’s Jasper?” I asked suddenly, looking around.
