The Plane’s Children – Chapter Two – Emersli1

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11 Minutes

It took three days of slogging now to get to the Heart of the Forest.

Alone remembered when it had only taken a day’s walk, but as the people grew and changed, so too had the Plane.  And now it took a determined person to reach the Heart.  A determined person with a deep need.

As Alone stepped into the open glade within the forest, they felt the air shift into something joyful and welcoming.  Quickly they shed their traveling pack and sank to the ground in the center of the clearing.  Dropping easily into their mental space, they reached for the Plane.

“Welcome Child.  It has been a long time since you sought my counsel.”

“Yes.  Too long, maybe.  There are many things in the settlement which seem to require my attention.”

“I understand, but I am always glad to be with you in this space.  What troubles you, dear?”

Alone though about the years and years of gatherings … the loneliness and heartache of failing again and again…

“Child, you have not failed.”

Alone wasn’t sure about that.  “I have never felt even a hint of an otherself.  I wondered if maybe I didn’t leave something behind when I became ‘self’.  If I wasn’t missing something important.”

“That is not failure on your part.  And no, you are not missing anything.  Indeed, you are whole, within yourself.”

The Plane’s words were confusing.  “What do you mean, I’m whole?”

“Time will tell, Child.  I know it is hard, but your time will come.  I promise.  And then you will understand.”

Alone did not feel greatly better, but they were at least reassured that there was not some terrible lack in them.  Maybe that would be enough to be going on with.

Gathering their things, they bid a fond farewell to the Heart … making a point to remember to come visit at least once a cycle.

And as they returned to the settlement, something world-changing happened on the lower plane.

A woman said, “No.”

It had been a few years.

Time was measured differently on the Plane, but Alone knew there had been at least four or five gatherings since their trip to the Heart of the Forest for answers.  Many of those who had found their otherselves had been called to the lower plane and were living with their spiritmates.

And they were still alone.

They had begun taking time each cycle to go to the Heart of the Forest, and gradually some of the people had begun to come along.  The Plane was happier to have a closer connection to their children, and the people flourished under that happiness.

Alone ruminated as they moved through the school room, putting things to rights before they left.  They hated coming into a mess in the morning, so spent a little time each day organizing for the next before leaving.

Suddenly a horrible sound filled the room, coming from outside.  Alone rushed to the door as the scream trailed off in a gasping cry.

Bursting through the doors, they saw others of the people running out of dwellings and work buildings, heading towards the green in the center of the settlement.  Alone ran as fast as they could in the direction of the terrible sound.

A crumpled bundle of cloth seemed to be discarded on the green.

Then the cloth moved and Alone realized it was a person.  Closing the last of the distance, Alone dropped to their knees panting beside the body of the one they called Flicker.

The wounds were terrible.  Deep, and rapidly oozing the essence that made them ‘self’.  “No, Flicker!  Stay with us!  We will get you help…”  Alone gathered the dear person close, trying frantically to stem the flow.

But the wounds were too many, the gouges and slashes too deep.  And despite the best efforts of Alone and several other of the people, Flicker unbecame … right in their arms.  

A despairing howl sounded from nearby.  Shadow, the one who had sheltered Flicker since their becoming, collapsed.  Many others were crying and confused.  And there, in the midst of people who had gathered, Flicker’s crossmate Steadfast appeared.

Steadfast wasn’t injured.  A quick check reassured Alone that they were physically whole.  Standing there with Flicker’s essence on their clothes, they tried to comfort their friend.

They expected the typical grief a separation from one’s spiritmate caused, but Alone was not prepared for the silent numbness Steadfast seemed to be entrapped within.  Alone was also not prepared for the absolute fury rising in themself.

Suddenly Steadfast seemed to shake themself.  “He … he…it was the dreams.”

“What dreams?  Who has done this abominable thing?  How did this even happen?”  While the people could choose to return to the Plane, never had one of them unbecome as a result of violence.  Alone had not thought anything on the lower plane could actually hurt them.  Certainly not to the point of unbecoming.

Steadfast shook themself again.  “He walked in dreams, and fought with us there.  We could not stop him.  He was strange.  Wrong.  Not like our spiritmates.”

Abruptly, they looked at Alone.  “What will happen to our spiritmates, now that Flicker’s unbecome?  Will they die?  Or are we simply to limp along with a missing piece, day after day, until we rejoin the Plane?”

Alone realized they didn’t have the answers.  Looking around at the people gathered on the green, they didn’t have any idea what to say.  But their soul burned for Flicker.  For Steadfast.  For justice to be done for their children.

“I will go to the Heart.  I will ask the Plane how this has happened and what we should do now.”  Alone could think of nothing else they could do with all their fury and fear.  They certainly didn’t want to pour them all over their hurting and frightened people.

Running quickly to their dwelling, Alone tore off the tunic stained with Flicker’s essence.  They couldn’t bear to throw it away, this last evidence of the child they had taught and guided.  Instead, they hung it gently over the back of a chair, to wait for their return.

Grabbing a clean tunic and pulling it over their head, Alone grabbed their tent and traveling pack and ran back out their front door, only to almost run over Steadfast.

The young one was trembling and swaying where they stood, but determined nonetheless to come along.  “I am going with you.  I would hear for myself from the Plane what has happened to my crossmate, and what this means for our spiritmates.  I need to know…’

Alone considered briefly.  “It is a three day journey to the Heart.  You will need a travel tent and food.  Clothing.  And a traveling bag.”

Steadfast nodded.  “I have all those things.  I will get them now.”

Turning to move off towards the dwelling they had shared with Flicker in the in-between times, while waiting for their spiritmates to be reborn.  Suddenly turning back.  “Do not leave without me!”

Alone nodded.  “I will wait.”

As Steadfast moved off, another friend approached.  Sage had been the one to shelter Steadfast.  It was no surprise that they would seek them out.  “Should I come as well?”  Sage looked uncertainly in the direction of their child.

Alone gathered their friend into a comforting embrace.  “I will watch over Steadfast.  I promise.  But they need to find answers to their own questions.  You cannot do this for them, Sage.  However much you might want to.”

Sage nodded reluctantly.  “I will leave them in your hands then.  Bring them back to me.  We have lost Flicker …”

Steadfast approached with the things Alone had told them to fetch.  “We will be fine.  And hopefully back soon with information.”

One final embrace, and Alone and Steadfast set out into the forest … headed for the Heart.

Steadfast was silent as they made their way through the rough forest to the first camp.

Alone was at a loss for how to comfort the younger soul, so they gave them their silence as the only gift they could give.  Their mind kept going back over it.  They didn’t understand.

Flicker had made it back to the Plane.  Shouldn’t the Plane have healed them?  Shouldn’t Alone have been able to do something?  Something more than just hold the savaged body until it unbecame?

That first night passed in silence.

The second day of hiking Steadfast had begun to slow.  They were not accustomed to the intense physical effort of the journey, and they were already heartsick and grieving.

Alone tried to help, but Steadfast pulled further and further away every time they reached out.

The second night began in the same silence as the first.

Then suddenly Steadfast let out a howl of pure grief and frustration.  Alone quickly went to take the younger soul into a comforting embrace, only to be pushed away.

Moving back a few paces, they tried to speak to Steadfast … tried to give them some comfort.  “I am so very sorry Steadfast.  I know how much you must be hurting …”

“No!”  It was viciously bitten off, practically snarled at them.  “No, you don’t know how I’m hurting!  You’ve never had a crossmate!  You’ve never had a spiritmate!  So don’t tell me you know how I feel!  You have no idea how  much this hurts, you’ve always been alone!”

Alone felt all their breath leave them in a painful gasp.  They knew Steadfast was striking out blindly, in their grief and pain.  They tried not to take it personally, but … the years and years echoed with the truth of the person’s accusation.  They had always been alone.

“I did not mean that I knew what you were feeling.  I have always been alone.  But that is its own kind of pain.  I do know pain.  And hurt.  And I can recognize it.  While my loss is not the same as yours, I too loved Flicker.  I simply thought I might offer comfort.  I’m sorry if I increased your sorrow.”

Steadfast growled, and turned their back, pretending to sleep.

Alone did not sleep that night.

Late in the next day, the quiet pair came to the Heart of the Forest.  Unlike all previous times they had been here there was no welcoming warmth.  Instead a cold, still waiting settled around Steadfast and Alone as they sat in the center and dropped into their mental spaces.

The Plane met them there in a freezing fury that matched the feeling Alone carried.  Perhaps Steadfast experienced it as a raging fire?  Each had their individual perceptions, even in a shared space.  “Why?”  That question seemed to encompass everything Alone needed to know.

Steadfast was not so brief.  “What happened to Flicker?  Where did they go?  What will happen to our spiritmates, now that Flicker has unbecome?”  Then quietly … “How do I return to my spiritmate?  How do I comfort him now that his pair has died?”

Alone hadn’t realized that Steadfast’s spiritmate was still alive on the lower plane.  So, all their grief and rage must be for the both of them.  No wonder they were so overcome.

There was a moment, and then the Plane responded to their children.  “I do not know why or how this could happen.  Those answers lie in the lower plane.  But I can tell you that Flicker is safe.  They have returned to me, and are not in pain anymore.  I can tell you only that shared grief is its own kind of comfort.  Steadfast, return to your spiritmate.  Mourn your losses together.  And then when it is time … come home.”

Steadfast shivered once.  “Alone, will you tell Sage where I have gone?  They will worry when I don’t return.”

Alone agreed at once.  “I will tell them.  Be safe.”  They could think of nothing else to say.

Steadfast nodded, and then vanished from both the mental space and the Upper Plane.  Returned to the lower plane to accompany their spiritmate through what remained of his life.

Now the feeling in the mental space grew colder.  “Alone, it is your time.  Return to the settlement.  Keep your word to Steadfast.  And then descend to the lower plane.  Your spiritmate awaits you there.”

Alone was confused.  “But I haven’t othered.  How will I connect with them?  How will I even find them?  I don’t understand.”

The Plane answered.  “There is no time to wait for a gathering.  You must go now!  Your spiritmate will need every advantage if they are to find the answers we need.  Find Steadfast.  That will lead you to your spiritmate.  And you will understand then … why you have always been Alone.”

The implacable voice softened.  “And I hope you will begin to remember the time before you were Alone… your first Name.  And I wish you all success and joy.  Be careful, for there is something very dangerous moving through the lower plane.  Stay safe.  I love you Child.”

Alone abruptly dropped out of their mental communion with the Plane.  Gathering up Steadfast’s belongings and adding them to their own, they began to make their way back to the settlement.

There had been no answers, but at least they had instructions.

Alone just hoped they were strong enough to carry them out.

When they returned without Steadfast, Sage was frantic.

“It’s alright my friend.  The Plane sent Steadfast back to their spiritmate.  They are safe, or at least as safe as they can be right now.  But … I have to go.”  Alone was still uncertain of how to find a spiritmate without an otherself, but the Plane had demanded it, so they would do their best.

Sage looked horrorstricken for a moment.  “No!  You can’t leave us now!  We need you!  Please don’t return to the Plane now.”

Alone gathered her friend close.  “No, not to the Plane.  I must go to the lower plane.  I was told my spiritmate is there and will need me to find our answers.  I am to find Steadfast, and from there I will find my mate.  That’s all I know.”

Somewhat reassured, Sage gave the matter some thought.  “If your spiritmate is the one to find the answers, then they must be asking questions of Steadfast’s spiritmate.  That is where you will start your search.  Hopefully it will be a short one.  And just think … this is your chance at last.  To join with a mate.”

Alone was a little less enthused at the prospect.  “But if I have a spiritmate, why have I not been called?  Why have I not othered?  There is much I don’t understand, but I will do my best.”

Slowly, as if the promise had been some signal, Alone felt themself sucked away from the Plane that had sheltered them their whole existence.

Then for a time they knew nothing.