Beyond the Veil

Chapter 43

As Sera and Saul ventured deeper into the spirit world void, they walked hand in hand through the surreal and ever-changing landscape. The surroundings shifted unpredictably, but at all times it was still the same desolate desert, where gusts of ghostly wind sent ripples through the ashy ground.

But at least they had each other.

Their footsteps echoed softly in the emptiness, a rhythmic reminder of their journey. Sera marveled at the strangeness of this ethereal realm, and her grip on Saul's hand tightened. Being here was like being in a room with no windows or doors, or like standing on a raft in the ocean with nothing but sea in every direction.

Saul exuded a calm strength. He gazed at Sera with affection, his translucent features reflecting his confidence about control of the situation. He looked different in this realm, and Sera didn't know how she felt about it, but she knew that she found him very attractive.

As they walked, they passed by wisps of spectral figures that drifted aimlessly, like forgotten memories. Sera's heart ached for the lost souls she saw, and watched the void beasts that wouldn't come anywhere near Saul.

It was eat or be eaten in this hell hole. If she didn't have that bracelet she would have died for sure.

The bracelet is gone now... it made her sad to think such a beautiful gift was no longer with her.

"Do you know where we are going?" Sera asked Saul.

Saul nodded, "I do. We are going to the center of the void."

Sera looked around, every direction looked the same. "How do you know we are going towards the center?"

"The center of the void has an incredible deposit of energy there. It is completely untouchable to spirits, but it is a large beacon that pulls on us. It's like a compass if you will, except I am the magnet." Saul answered her.

Sera thought about that, "Why didn't I die when I went into the portal?"

"The charm I gave you. It prevented death from any spiritual means, which includes the portal." Saul answered.

"Huh, why don't we just put one on everyone?" Sera asked.

"The seal is hard to create, it takes a lot of energy." Saul replied.

Dread consumed her, would Saul have won against Tyler if he hadn't given her that bracelet?

"So if you didn't give it to me, you'd have lived?" Sera asked, anxiety filling her.

Saul considered it, like it was the first time he had thought about it, "I suppose that may be the case, but I doubt it. Everything happens for a reason. Things happened exactly as they should have, nature always balances itself out."

"I don't know if everything happened exactly as it should, isn't the portal still open? I didn't die so the seal didn't take a life." Sera considered the encryption on the portal "the heart', 'of the core', 'that death cannot hold'." The portal requires a soul, it needs to take a life, and it didn't.

"Yes, the portal likely is still open, but it will take months before anything gathers enough strength to leave here. It's hard to escape the abyss."

"What are we going to do?" Sera asked skeptically.

"I'm going to take care of everything." Saul replied, lovingly stroking the back of her hand.

It sounded nice to hear, but it didn't sound like a plan to her. Sera was scared. The world was still in trouble and it felt as though there was nothing she could do.

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Time seemed to escape her in the void, but she felt as though her and Saul had spent many days and many nights here.