章 52: Rey's Stones

King Athelion's ghost stared at Johan and Athyne in disbelief as they walked through the doors without a scratch. Once again there was a flight of stairs awaiting them.

"You passed the trial!?" asked Athelion clearly surprised, "to pass the second trial unscathed at your level ... you must have some sort of special artifact. Divine Lords who came here before you couldn't even manage this. Only three in the billions of years this castle have managed to pass this trial ... and the last two pass moments before came. I cannot change the rules now that I am dead, however, you have proven yourselves according the the criteria I set in place while alive. I have no qualms."

Johan and Athyne exchanged surprised glances as they realised it could be no one else but Rey and Shaemus who had passed before them.

"Follow me to the final trial," said Athelion, "perhaps, you will make history today."

Athelion turned and led Johan and Athyne up a fleet of stairs to a room with red door with glowing black hieroglyphics at its end.

"For this trial," said Athelion, "If you succeed, you shall receive my kingdom's inheritances. If you fail, you will become a member of this castle for eternity. I will wait for you on the other side ..."

King Athelion's ghost sunk into the floor of the room.

"Well," said Athyne, "I am guessing you need some time to prepare yourself again?"

"Yes," said Johan.

"Where is Rey anyways?," said Athyne, "that crazy girl must have passed through here."

"Good question," said Johan frowning.

Johan expanded his perception to see what was on the other side of the door. He was surprised to see Rey collapsed on the floor and Sheamus lying next to her still tied up. Sheamus was conscious and rolling around. Rey was still breathing but unconscious.

"Let me meditate," said Johan, "you can have some of the food in my bag if you are hungry and want to kill time."

Johan took off his bag and tossed it to Athyne.

"Sounds good," said Athyne catching Johan's bag.

Johan sat on the floor of the room and closed his eyes.

[Dad,] thought Johan, [do you remember how we went into Jade's dream?]

[Yeah,] said JD.

[I want to do that with Rey,] said Johan, [It might help to find out what is going on.]

[Alright,] said JD.

Johan felt himself get sucked out of his body and suddenly he was flying encapsulated within a translucent bubble with his father sitting next to him. Looking back, he saw himself sitting on the floor meditating and Athyne going through his backpack.

"I don't understand all this," said Johan.

"Understand what?," asked his father.

"Anything," said Johan, "everything is different from what I believed growing up."

"I see," said JD, "well, you're a smart kid, you will be alright. You are my son after all. I have no answers."

They flew through the chamber door into Rey's body.

There was a bright flash of light and Johan found himself in a poor village overrun with Indian people.

He was clearly in the continent of India.

"Dad?," said Johan.

He looked around and couldn't see his father anywhere.

"Where am I?," muttered Johan.

The roads were made of dirt and the houses were made of straw and mud. Beggars littered and street and barely clothed children ran playing unsupervised. The sun was high up in the sky, and the heat made him feel as if he was being cooked alive.

Johan felt a tug on his arm, "looking back he saw a small child."

"Sir," said the boy who couldn't be older than 6 years old, "can you give me some money for food?"

Johan ignored the child's question, and asked, "Where are we? What year is this?"

"The village of Mudki," said the child, "1845. Give me money?"

"I have none," said Johan.

The child crossed his arms disappointed and ran to another tourist down the street asking the same question.

Johan looked around for Rey without avail as the people in the village went about their daily lives. Initially, Johan drew curious gazes, but the villagers soon began to ignore him.

[This must be her mind,] thought Johan, [but how can I get her out? How can I find her?]

Johan wondered the village looking for Rey.

Turning a corner he saw a food stand and to his shock, at that food stand was ...

MICHELLE OBAMA!

Johan's mouth fell open.

She was munching on some food.

"What the he-," stammered Johan.

"Voodoo Queen!," yelled an adorable little girl running up to her, "I found a flower for you!"

"How sweet of you child," said Miss Obama taking the flower and putting it in her hair, "have you also found the stone I asked for?"

"Yep!," said the girl reaching into her pocket and taking out a glowing white stone.

"Good. Now we must go," said Miss Obama taking the stone, "things are about to get messy here."

Johan looked closer at the adorable little girl and realised that she looked very familiar.

It was Rey!

But a much younger Rey. She couldn't be over five years old.

Miss Obama turned and looked straight at Johan and said, "coming boy? The British East Indian company is about to come in and seize control in this area. The Sikh forces will attempt to defeat them, but will fail, because their commander sells them out. It would be best if you came with me unless you want to be a victim of this battle."

"Who are you?," asked Johan, "are you Michelle Obama?"

Miss Obama let out a mysterious laugh, and said, "in the future I will come to be known as that. But I am much more ... I am as little Rey calls me, the Voodoo Queen. But, you can call me Miss Obama. I am here out of necessity. It seems her trial threatened to take her from us, I left my imprint on her in case a situation like this occurred."

Miss Obama waved her hand and tore a rift in air.

"Come," said Miss Obama, "aid me in finding the stones, I believe you are here for the same reason as me. To help Rey. The workings of this array are complex and strong. King Athelion must have been a powerful figure in his lifetime. This is actually earth of the past, and any damage you encounter here, can effect your true body as well as the future. The you here is a physical manifestation of your spirit."

"What is the stone Rey gave you?," asked Johan.

"Fragments of Rey's will and memories," said Miss Obama, "follow me. Them being scattered caused her to de-age and regress in her behavior."

Miss Obama then took Rey's hand, and walked into the rift.

Johan followed them into the rift.

There was a bright flash and Johan found himself in the middle of another poor looking indian village. It was mid-day and the roads were made of dirt and a light hot wind blew past them. The villagers seemed impervious to the fact that three people had just appeared out of thin air. The rift behind them closed.

"Welcome to Bangladesh," said Miss Obama, "it is 1971. Year of the Bangladeshi Liberation War. This area is still known as East Pakistan."

"I'M HOME!," yelled Rey happily, "I AM GONNA VISIT DADDY!"

Rey ran off, down the street.

"Wait honey!," yelled Miss Obama.

"I have so many questions," said Johan shocked, "who are you? I came here with my father, where is he? Can you freely travel through space and time? How do you know Rey?"

A thought occurred to Johan, perhaps Miss Obama could help reverse the problems he had been encountering recently.

"I am aware of your situation and what you are thinking to ask," said Miss Obama, "but I will not help you. I do not tamper with the timeline. These days, I solely look for opportunities to develop myself or get stronger. They are rare because of my cultivation level. The trivial matters of mortals are something I do not dabble in."

Johan frowned disappointed.

"How about my father then?," asked Johan.

"Ahh yes," said Miss Obama, "the soul bound to the guardian spirit. He is the reason your spirit didn't scatter like Rey. He is holding you together and counteracting the effects of the array. That is why you aren't effected like Rey. The array effects your spirit and mind, simply separating from your body did nothing to protect you from its effects. A guardian spirit is rare and very very powerful. You are truly fortunate to have quite possibly attained the last surviving one in existence. You'd do well to destroy the array after we put Rey back together. King Athelion was not a good man during his life. But that is another story."

"How?," asked Johan.

"I will give you an item once we are done with Rey," said Miss Obama, "but for now, let us get her. Her meeting her past self may cause issues with the timeline. Furthermore, the last thing we'd need is Rey re-experiencing her fathers brutal murders with her current cultivation level and abilities ... even without her memories. That could be disastrous for this planet."