The Shadows of Nature

28. It Pervades Everywhere

Thet dearly wished it wasn't true.

Two great forces had disappeared, leaving behind what felt like an eternal void. Thet didn't think she would actually leave and in such a way... would she be able to return when the time came?

"With your help she certainly will."

Pranetra's gentle tone reminded Thet of the prior discussion in regards to Mildred's energy. That name had always spread an emotion of fierce amity and assurance within him as a friend, and duty as a Shadow. No other name could ever do that.

"She will return after three millenia, if you help now."

Thet showed no hesitation, immediately transitioning his focus to solely remain on Pranetra's energy. The latter tuned out of all existence other than one space, her vessel vanishing. A lighted connection formed between the two, it's glow invisible but felt by its vigour. Perhaps Mildred let the two borrow the essence of her Yuran for they saw absolutely nothing, knew that it was all that existed and yet at the same time, they could feel all sorts of energies and acknowledge all information and emotions. Every bit was mellow but it was there.

No personal sensations were felt other than the sense of duty and perhaps for Thet to aid others. His charged sight fell on Genal's brightened sphere of zeal, gradually suffusing among the period that he would borrow for his friend. Oblivion had done the same for Hearth once before but it never minds because Hearth maintains so much.

He paused, gathering his power. The moment his aura impacted the energy sphere, two distant visions overcame his mind. A young girl sat on a black bench, the short strands of her dark hair giving a rather sombre but sincere and compassionate aspect to her smile. Immense comfort emanated from her, reaching the young boy who sat beside her. Thet did not understand where those emotions came from but it was simple and sincere, remaining at every point in time.

Subtly but quickly the sight changed, blurred figures of a number of grieving shadows appearing amidst powerful flames. The boy was a young man, now. He, along with an elder and a wounded man was the only one to express no sorrow, though Thet easily knew that he overcame many heavy emotions. His energy was spread to shield the Shadows from the sights of the hooded figures around them if only a little, and he spread a sense of learning and oneness among his friends.

The scene shifted once again, a dark wave of power approaching a powerful but humble being. Blazing light was in her eyes but she couldn't protect herself due to her duty to others. However, before that power could do anything the same man appeared, a composed and alleviating expression on his face as he deflected it effortlessly. Thet could sense that deep within, that power had affected him but surprisingly not in a negative but rather respectful manner.

They'd eyes suddenly opened and he saw himself stand in the endless garden, the soft and dim rays of the sun being reflected of the life of the headquarters. The leaves and the flowers swaying in the gentle breeze that carried profound melancholy and the memory of altruistic beings that had left existence.

Thet immediately senses the presence of five other Shadows standing behind him, and the peaceful slumber that the others rested in, for now safely in the headquarters and across Earth. His movements were slow, a quiet sense of hesitation in his eyes. Everyone's expressions confirmed that what had happened was a reality.

Thet's gaze travelled to the astral sky, a sight that welcomed him to existence in contrast to the void he was previously in, yet the darkness and a sense of the unknown was what connected his experiences. The aura of the abyss of Earth momentarily elevated and, in that moment, sorrow flooded Thet's mind. A powerful emotion he felt and understood because Shadows did not express and that's one of what made their entire aspect of energy so different from general existence.

The remaining Shadow council stood close together, their heads high but their eyes closed as they paid their respects to the departed beings, the Demons, Vlad, and the shadows of future. A new sense of duty diminished their grief, the memories faintly echoing in their mind as it threatened to be forgotten, but its strong aura and the unity of the Shadows bonded as they were forever imprinted in the minds of these vessels.

Their eyes opened and the sunlight had now filled the sky; a lot of time had passed in that moment, but it was needed. In silence they walked towards the headquarters, setting their gazed upon an unchanged setting that really was a beginning. Gradually the Shadows woke up to continue with their daily routine, silence and a sense of unity and duty remaining though it all suddenly seemed fragile. Their actions and the usual composed aura reflected that they remembered nothing but even so, their mind's information had certainly been tampered with and some trauma had been imprinted within it. A distant sensation that would subtly rise over the years; the vulnerability of kind human instincts. But until something worse didn't happen, no one would appreciate the integrity of the past, the learning's of the present and the composed anticipation of the future.

Time was indeed funny. Being in the four-dimensional existence, Shadow Beings has always respected it.

Perhaps that setting would largely remain the same, though. The same flowers from different families blooming in their own environment, each fragrance invoking a different emotion. The three Trees of Remembrance and it's traditions - Thet just remembered that the Annual Ball would be held four days after the present. The quintessential aura of Sylva Vita that was the only proper mix of Shadows and Nature and their one spirit within the tree, Paliv Verasel. Thet didn't realise when he had reached that point, the entirety of the council parting ways a long time ago. Mildred's silhouette momentarily say beneath the tree, flickering away as quickly as it crossed Thet's sight. As his vision settled he realised that Joha stood right by the boundary, wearing a tranquil expression of melancholy. In that moment Thet wondered how true their Truth was and how aware they were of it, living so long amidst this universe's nature. The reasoning of Vlad's perspective began to dawn on him, his mind suddenly heavy with guilt. He now stood beside Joha who sensed his adversity, holding his hand with a gentle bit firm grip. An alleviating sensation seemed to come from Paliv Verasel and Thet accepted the aid without hesitation; it was the fruit of his own actions.

Thet understood the vitality of emotions. Each one was important, however dangerous or venomous it could be. Without the negative parts the positive wouldn't exist and without the growth and reasoning of these feelings, there would be no learning and gaining of wisdom. It was a notion that far exceeded intelligence; perhaps a mix of common sense and humble knowledge, something that Thet respected deeply. The learning of nature's abstract notions had begun, and the Shadows would walk along.

The entire council soon stood by the border, the bright sky providing life to the solace of the breeze that blew. A single sensation was monotonous throughout Sylva Vita but every Shadow interpreted it in a different manner, the differences minimal but present. Little negativity, little positivity but mostly equilibrium. In the future the degree of divergence would be greater, but realisation wasn't always kind.

Their eyes were closed, allowing the memories of all that had occurred cross without the barriers of time. So much information, so many emotions and glimpses of their concept and respect of Truth and Time. All were the manifestation of that which pervaded everywhere.

Their eyes opened to a sky of the same monochromic tone, but oddly, they saw colours beyond the human spectrum. Perhaps it Kaczie's kind illusion, Brier's painting of nature, Zindel's play with radiations or simply, different interpretations. Yes, that was what it was.

Perception was what blocked the path to Truth, but it was beautiful. That was why it was for Nature.

Thet sympathised with Vlad and would eventually fulfil his wish. Shadow Beings would return to the past in an era of the future. Balance would return and Nature would continue learning.

Evolution was often invisible.