T.O.R.N.: There's Only Right Now

Chapter 14 The Exchange

Tiki torches lit the path to the third and largest cliff at the Eslan Institute. On a clearing, more torches lit the ocean night air in a circle of twelve lights. Asante looked around the circle. The faces new and old greeted her gaze with a warmth that was somehow familiar. She was home. However, she also felt a sense of expectation in each one's visage. Do they think I am The Aurora? Although no one expressed this possibility explicitly to her, she could sense it in how they looked at her. It didn't matter now, what was in front of her was getting her father out of Sing Sing.

Marie had explained that the best weapon they had in freeing Michael was Michael himself. They needed to create a path from the delusion The Sephiren had him believing back to The Now. Where he would be able to access who he is and walk himself out of Sing Sing. He apparently was that powerful while integrated. She was still murky on how this was going to work, but she was as ready as she was ever going to be as Nyrraw began to speak.

"Marie has told us that Michael believes Asante and Aissa are dead. The Sephiren has manipulated his mind into believing that he is responsible for their deaths. He is lost in his own guilt of abandoning them which is fueling the lie that they have constructed. Marie will create a connection to him through his dream state and when his consciousness links with her own, she will travel here with him via the astral plane. He will only be present and visible for a moment or two max."

What is an astral plane? Asante wondered.

"It's a dimension without physical form. Where our consciousness or soul experiences itself amongst the formless. I found an entrance or portal to it within my mind while I dreamt one night. I can access it and travel there while I'm integrated in order to locate and communicate with anyone still in form via their consciousness while they are dreaming." Marie expounded. "You are literally a dream-walker."

Asante couldn't believe it.

"Asante, you'll have to be integrated in order to guarantee that he sees you. Do your best to stay out of your head and into what you are experiencing now." Nyrraw interjected.

"Got it, now," Asante responded confidently though it was the furthest thing from what she felt.

Marie stepped away from the light of a tiki torch and into the center of the circle. She bent down and sat with her legs crossed and her hands on each knee, with her pointer finger and thumb touching in the direction of the sky. Everyone in the circle followed suit, as did Asante, though she didn't know what she was doing.

She instinctively closed her eyes and as she did, the rushing of wind started to blow in her ears. Then in her mind's eye, she saw Marie tapping the back of her father's shoulder in a space that was full of dancing light.

When he turned around he was annoyed to see her and started to brush her off, "I told you, woman, you need to prove that you are real if my daughters aren't dead, where are they?" Michael said turning his back to Marie once more.

"Michael, I have them, I just need you to come with me," something Marie had never been able to offer in the past without Asante's presence.

Back in the circle, Aissa got up, walked to Marie and sat down in front of her while she held her hands.

"Can you feel Aissa, she is sitting with me where I am at Eslan?" Marie asked Michael.

"How do I know it's her? Where's Asante?" Michael scoffed.

"Please travel back with me through the astral plane to Eslan and I promise she'll be there."

Michael turned back around in the swirling light toward Marie. Asante saw the pain in her father's face, he was so old and despondent, not how she remembered him at all. He reluctantly took Marie's hands. Asante opened her eyes and in the middle of the circle sat Marie and Aissa holding hands. Everyone else was still seated around the circle with their eyes closed but nothing else.