Chapter 31: Bad Breath

Trint opened his physical eyes and immediately puked. Hacking and clearing his lungs. He continued painfully expelling thick chunks and fluid till a small pool of blood ran from in front of Trint and into the pristine pond he had been sitting in the middle of.

His entire body hurt. Like when your leg falls asleep, it is all pins and needles.

“Trint, are you ok?” Iliana said. Trint had not noticed, but she and Jung were each on his side, holding him up to avoid laying in the pool of filth he had spewed.

Throat raw and pained, he said, “Yeah, I think so. I feel like my body hasn’t moved in a week, and I haven’t breathed the whole time. How long was I gone?”

“Trint, you should have been unaware of the passage of time here and only actually been gone an hour or two,” Jung said. “But as you know, you shattered my expectations when you disappeared from my awareness and reappeared at the edge of Sovereign waters.”

“You have been unmoving, not breathing for two days.” Iliana inserted.

“Anyone else might have assumed you died,” Jung pointed out, “But we hoped you would pass through the waters. You proved our hopes correct. I would ask what happened, but I imagine that is not my place to know. Let us help you to your room. I will watch over you tonight and have a meal brought for after you clean up.”

Trint ended up sleeping for two days. He dreamt of his wife but waking up, he felt the pain of separation. The reality was far worse than his dreams. Trint looked around.No one was in his bedroom, but he sensed a servant in the lounge. Trint took care of his bathroom needs, washed his face, and dressed. Then he went to the lounge and greeted the servant who had watched over him during his recovery.

“Master Trint, you are welcome to continue resting,” The man said. “But if you are ready, the master of the house would like to see you.”

“I’m ready.” Trint portrayed confidence. “Please, lead the way.”

Trint was guided to a new area. This was a martial arts training area. It was what Trint imagined when he was told they would learn from a trainer. Weapons adorned the wall. All kinds of swords, spears, axes, and a lot Trint had never seen before. All the walls contained weapons and some armor. The room was square with an area the size of a tennis court filled with sand. The sand ran to 5 feet from each wall. The sky was open over the sand area.

“Welcome, Trint,” Jung called from his seated position in the center of the sand. “I found this a more peaceful place to meditate, given the smell you left at the pond.” Jung laughed at his joke. He wasn’t upset.

“Yeah, sorry about that, Jung,” Trint apologized.

“No need to apologize,” Jung affirmed. “I led you down the path. I am happy to clean up the pond. I am certain the cost to you was greater than mine, but your rewards should eventually outweigh that cost.”

“I believe it will, too,” Trint agreed. “What do you have in store for us today?”

“Well, to begin, let’s head to my study,” Jung was already headed out the door. Trint following. They went to the main building they ate in but to a set of stairs and ascended to the second story. There were several rooms they passed, but they entered a beautifully adorned study. There were incredible items on shelves, ancient books, a few weapons in glass cases, and a small bare desk. The desktop was empty except for a single sheet of paper and the book from his time in the Spirit void. Jung carefully lifted the sheet and the book.

“Please sit,” Jung directed Trint to a pair of chairs facing each other but slightly angled towards the fireplace.

“I have these for you,” Jung passed Trint the sheet.

“What is this?” Trint took the sheet.

“I don’t know,” Jung admitted. “I was hoping you would.”

Trint looked at the sheet. It was sturdy, like a piece of steel. But it was also flexible like paper. It was strange to know it was both so strong and yet could be rolled up.

“Why is it blank?” Trint asked, having flipped it over several times and seeing nothing.

“That was my question too.” Jung agreed. “I was asked to give it to the one who was coming. Which I believe is you. So please keep it.”

Trint placed it in his ring.

“What are your thoughts on the book?” Jung asked. “Do you think the sheet I have been holding relates to the book you brought from the Spirit plane?”

“Wait, you just called it the Spirit plane,” Trint was confused.

“Yes, there are many names, but in my experience, it should be considered a plane. There is depth but compared to the Soul Dimensions; the plane is more three-dimensional but flat and nondescript than what exists in the Soul. Spirit is like a void with a few things floating in it. Where Soul is a vast galaxy populated with many interesting things. I am getting ahead of what is helpful for you now.”

“I am overselling the Soul before you even learn the importance and place that Spirit holds,” Jung corrected his focus. “Soul, as great as it is, cannot exist for anyone without Spirit. Spirit will fill and bridge the Soul. For the Soul to flourish, it must gain life and breath from somewhere. That is one purpose of cultivation. To condense and expand your Spirit to fuel and fill your Soul. They are distinctly different but intimately connected.”

“I am certain you will be an exception to most rules, but I am here to share my knowledge and experience,” Jung restated. “I will also use it to help when you encounter something new. Please take the book and paper. Maybe they will be of use. But either way, they are yours and should be protected.” Trint took them and added the book to his ring.

“Do you wish to discuss your time in the void?” Jung hesitantly asked. “Don’t feel pressured to share. I will not press you, but I am willing to listen and offer my thoughts if you wish to hear them.”

“I would like your thoughts,” Trint responded with acceptance. “I don’t believe I am restricted from telling you all that happened. As you said, I believe I arrived at the Sovereign pool. Though it wasn’t a pool, it was an ocean. You said I would have to sacrifice for my family. And I did. I drowned in a sea of blood.”

“I don’t know how but the blood I heaved out when I came back to you was from that place.” Trint’s expression mirrored his thoughts of disgust. “I can still taste it. Thick and overpowering. Yet I know in that death I became more. Somehow that death fueled a change in me on a deep level. But if the death was weird and painful, the trip back to life was even more surprising. I met my benefactor or new father, I should say. Father was the one I saw when I awoke. There was no one else around. We spoke briefly then he gave me a key and this book. Then he was gone, and I went to a giant door. The key unlocked it but left its mark.” Trint looked at his palm, not for the first time since coming back. It was branded with the symbol and scared from the cut. But it was healed over as if it happened long ago. It perfectly healed, but the scars were distinct.

“May I see your hand?” Jung inquired. Trint offered his palm. “Yes, this is unique. Most cannot extract more than memories and experiences from the Spirit Plane. Till your exit, I had not seen an item, let alone multiple, leave there. You brought a book, blood, and a scar from your trip.

“The other reason I brought you here was to discuss your plans for staying with us,” Jung said casually. “We, my wife and I, would like to extend an invitation for you to live in our home. You would be our honored guest. We will care for you for whatever length you stay here.”

“We also suggest that you learn a profession and begin your work on cultivation and class training. Typically a profession that has synergy with your class will be best.” He paused after his open offer.

“That is most generous, Master Jung,” Trint tried to be sincere and formal. “Your hospitality is very generous. Iliana and I planned to focus on those same pursuits. Having your guidance and a place to train would be a gift we cannot afford to repay now. May we offer to work in your shop?”

“Oh, Trint, stop being so formal.” Jung chastised. “I saw you sit still for two days, then scare me to death as you puked up a lung—no need for formality. Also, you are family. We will allow you to assist in the shops. It is welcome but unnecessary. We have staff and other employees that make the day-to-day operations smooth and let me and Befiny have time to pursue our hobbies and find ways to pass the time.”

“So, it is safe to assume you will be with us for a while?” Jung asked

“Yes, I’d like to begin training, but I’m hesitant to jump back to the Spirit plane any deeper than just viewing my internal structure and grid?”

“There is nothing to fear,” Jung reassured Trint. “You have passed through the blood and won’t need to do that again. The path before you is now open. But what do you mean grid?”

“Well, I believe you won’t be able to see it,” Trint supposed. “Let me check on something?”

‘Pneuma, I didn’t mean to mention that, is that something I can or should try to show Jung?’ Trint felt foolish for that slip-up.

‘Trint, you have accomplished more than I ever imagined in just a short time,’ Pneuma admitted. ‘If you think you should or want to, share with Jung. He will not betray us. But still, keep me a secret, at least for now.’

“I believe I can explain or try to show you,” Trint said to Jung. “Can we find a good place to enter my Spirit Plane?”

“Yes, let’s go to another room,” Jung said and then led trint to a smaller room filled with plants and a window overlooking the central courtyard and its gardens. “Please sit on either cushion and close your eyes. But before you enter, I suggest you ask the system to let me enter your personal Spirit Space. That is your closest, personal view of your Spirit. Kind of like seeing things from your eyes, not how I would see you, but you see yourself. If it is possible, the system will help you permit me. If you wish, then I will await your invitation. If not, then we can work on something else.”

Trint had decided and willed the system to follow Jung’s suggestion. He was then taken to his personal view of his Spirit Space. He saw from the point of view of his Spirit Body. But he quickly took his view out of his body and looked around. He saw his Spirit body floating as if in space, unmoving and suspended. He looked behind his floating body and saw the sphere shape made of 110 hexagons and 12 pentagons. He examined them and saw no changes. Then he received a system message. It read as follows.

System Contract: Sovereign Contract Automatically Enforced

Upon granting access to the Sovereign’s personal Spirit or Soul Space, a contract was created and offered to the recipient. Any granted access must agree to be held liable for any breach in knowledge about the Sovereign. Anything obtained during admission, including knowledge and the offer, must be kept confidential indefinitely unless the Sovereign removes the contract stipulation. This is system enforced, and penalty for breach will be immediately carried out.

Do you wish to see this system message in the future?

Yes or No?