Chapter Seventeen: The Ultimate
Sacrifice
The chamber within the Void was unlike anything Majid had experienced before. It
wasn't a physical space in the conventional sense, yet it had structure and boundaries
that his consciousness could perceive. The walls—if they could be called that—seemed
to shift and flow, composed of swirling patterns of energy rather than solid matter. The
floor beneath him felt simultaneously solid and insubstantial, supporting his weight
while reminding him that he existed in a realm beyond normal physical laws.
Most striking was the light—not emanating from any specific source but permeating the
entire chamber, a soft, pulsing radiance that shifted through colors beyond the normal
human spectrum. Through his Fourth Level perception, Majid could see that these color
variations represented different temporal currents, different potential realities
intersecting at this nexus point within the Void.
And there, at the center of the chamber, was a presence—vast, complex, composed of
countless intertwined consciousnesses yet somehow unified in purpose. The Observer,
the collective consciousness formed by Travelers who had reached the Fifth Level and
chosen to transcend physical existence entirely, was here in a more direct, immediate
way than during their communications through the Void Lens.
"Majid Al-Harthi," it said, the communication manifesting not as sound but as direct
impression upon his consciousness. "You have opened the first Gate. The beginning of
liberation."
"The Door Keepers will respond," Majid replied, aware that Samir Al-Zahrani was likely
already summoning the other Guardians to contain the breach he had created. "They'll
try to close the Gate, to prevent further access to this chamber."
"They cannot close it immediately," the Observer confirmed. "Once opened, a Gate must
remain accessible for a minimum of seven days before it can be sealed again. During this
time, others with sufficient ability could follow your path, could enter this chamber as
you have done."
This was valuable information—a window of opportunity that Majid hadn't anticipated.
"Layla and Rana," he said, thinking of his mentors. "They're Third Level Balance Keepers.
Could they enter the Gate?"
"With your guidance, yes. The path you've created makes subsequent transitions easier
for those with temporal sensitivity, even if they haven't reached the Fourth Level
themselves."
The implications were significant. If Layla and Rana could enter the chamber, could
communicate directly with the Observer as he was doing, it would accelerate their
understanding of the cosmic struggle they were engaged in, would provide knowledge
that might be crucial in opening the remaining Gates.
"But time is limited," the Observer continued. "The Door Keepers will establish barriers
around the physical location of the Gate, will prevent access to the house while they wait
for the Gate to close naturally. If your allies are to follow your path, they must do so
quickly, before the Guardians converge on the location."
Majid nodded, already calculating how to contact Layla and Rana, how to guide them to
the Gate before the Door Keepers could establish their blockade. But there were more
immediate concerns, questions he needed answered while he had this direct access to
the Observer's vast knowledge.
"My grandfather," he said. "Abdul Karim. You told me through the Void Lens that he exists
here in the Void, neither fully part of your collective nor entirely separate from it. Can I
speak with him now, directly?"
The Observer's presence shifted, portions of its collective consciousness reconfiguring in
a way that Majid's Fourth Level perception interpreted as a gesture of affirmation. "Here,
in this chamber, direct communication is possible. We will withdraw partially, allowing
his individual consciousness to emerge from our collective."
The vast presence receded slightly, its unified awareness fragmenting into distinct
components that remained connected but no longer spoke with a single voice. And from
this reconfiguration emerged a more focused consciousness, a specific identity that
Majid recognized immediately despite never having encountered it in this form.
"Grandfather," he said, the word carrying all the complex emotions he felt toward this
man whose legacy had shaped his journey so profoundly.
"Majid," came the response, the communication still direct consciousness-to-
consciousness rather than verbal, but now distinctly individual rather than collective.
"You've succeeded where I failed. You've opened the first Gate."
The presence that was Abdul Karim Al-Harthi manifested more clearly now—not as a
physical form, but as a concentrated pattern within the swirling energies of the chamber,
a specific configuration that Majid's mind interpreted as his grandfather despite the
absence of conventional visual cues.
"With your help," Majid acknowledged. "The safeguard you left, the hidden library, the
knowledge you preserved—all of it guided me to this point."
"You've advanced quickly," Abdul Karim observed. "Fourth Level already, and with
remarkable control for one so recently transformed. Your temporal sensitivity exceeds
even what I anticipated when I prepared the safeguards for my descendants."
"I had motivation beyond just following your path," Majid admitted. "My consciousness
traveled back from a future timeline, giving me foreknowledge and purpose that you
couldn't have anticipated."
"Ah," his grandfather's presence seemed to pulse with understanding. "That explains the
unusual temporal signature I sensed when you first accessed the safeguard. You're not
just advancing through the levels—you're a displaced consciousness, anchoring yourself
in a timeline different from your origin point."
"Yes. Though my emotional connection to that original timeline was sacrificed during
the Third Level ritual. I remember it intellectually, but feel no attachment to the life I
lived there."
"A significant sacrifice," Abdul Karim acknowledged. "But perhaps a necessary one for
your journey. The emotional burden of displacement can be... distracting."
There was something in his grandfather's communication—a resonance, a familiarity
with the experience being described—that caught Majid's attention. "You speak as if
from personal knowledge," he said carefully. "Were you also displaced? A consciousness
that traveled back in time?"
The energy pattern that represented Abdul Karim shifted, a reconfiguration that Majid
interpreted as hesitation or consideration. "Yes," came the eventual response. "Though I
never revealed this to anyone during my physical existence. My consciousness originated
in a timeline approximately fifty years ahead of the one where I lived my life as your
grandfather."
This revelation was stunning—a connection between them that Majid had never
anticipated. "What caused your displacement? Was it intentional, like mine?"
"No. Mine was the result of a failed Fifth Level ritual. I had advanced through the first
four levels in my original timeline, was attempting the final transformation when
something went wrong. Instead of ascending to the Fifth Level, my consciousness was
thrown backward, anchoring in my younger self decades earlier."
"And you began again," Majid said, understanding dawning. "Advanced through the
levels a second time, using your knowledge from your original timeline to progress more
quickly, more efficiently."
"Yes. But the Door Keepers sensed something unusual in my temporal signature,
became suspicious of my rapid advancement. They monitored me more closely than
they might have otherwise, intervened before I could complete the Fourth Level ritual in
my second journey."
This explained so much—why Abdul Karim had been so well-prepared, had created
safeguards and hidden knowledge with such foresight. He had been living his journey as
a Traveler for the second time, had anticipated obstacles and opposition based on his
experiences in his original timeline.
"What went wrong with your Fifth Level ritual?" Majid asked, curious about the event
that had caused his grandfather's displacement and wondering if it held warnings for his
own potential advancement to that final level.
"Interference," Abdul Karim replied, his communication carrying a resonance of old
anger and frustration. "The Seventh Guardian of the Door Keepers disrupted the ritual at
its critical phase, causing my consciousness to be thrown backward rather than
ascending. It was a calculated attack, designed to prevent my advancement while
avoiding the direct murder of a Traveler, which would have violated their own codes."
"The Seventh Guardian," Majid repeated, remembering Tariq's warning about this
specific Door Keeper. "Who is he? What makes him different from the others?"
"His name is Malik Al-Faisal," Abdul Karim replied. "And what makes him dangerous is
his true nature—he is not merely a Guardian but a Failed Ascendant, a Traveler who
reached the Fifth Level but whose transformation went wrong, leaving him trapped
between physical existence and transcendence."
"Like you were trapped between timelines," Majid observed.
"Similar but more severe. My consciousness was displaced but successfully anchored in
a new timeline. Malik exists in a state of partial transcendence—physically present in
normal reality but partially extended into the Void, able to perceive and manipulate
temporal currents in ways the other Guardians cannot."
"And he leads them? The Seventh Guardian is their commander?"
"Not officially. The Door Keepers maintain the fiction of equality among the Guardians,
each responsible for their geographic region and the Gate within it. But Malik's unique
abilities and extended lifespan—he has existed in his current state for over two centuries
—give him influence beyond the others. He is the true power behind their organization,
the architect of their shift from protectors of reality to maintainers of their own
authority."
This information added a new dimension to Majid's understanding of the opposition he
faced. The Door Keepers weren't just a conservative force maintaining what they saw as
the natural order—they were led, albeit unofficially, by a Failed Ascendant with personal
reasons to prevent others from achieving what he had not.
"Will he come?" Majid asked. "Now that I've opened the first Gate, will the Seventh
Guardian respond personally?"
"Eventually," Abdul Karim confirmed. "The initial response will come from the other
Guardians—those geographically closest to the breach. But if they fail to contain the
situation, if more Gates are opened, Malik will intervene directly. And that confrontation
will be... challenging, even for a Fourth Level Traveler with your abilities."
"Then I need to prepare," Majid said, his determination hardening. "I need knowledge,
advantages he won't anticipate."
"Yes. Which is why I've maintained my individual consciousness within the Observer's
collective—to preserve specific knowledge that might help my descendants if they
followed my path." The energy pattern that represented Abdul Karim intensified,
focusing more directly on Majid. "There is a way to accelerate your advancement, to
reach the Fifth Level more quickly than the traditional path would allow."
"How?" Majid asked eagerly, the prospect of accelerated advancement to the final level
of temporal mastery immediately appealing.
"By using the Gates themselves," Abdul Karim explained. "Each Gate you open creates a
connection between normal reality and the Void, a channel through which temporal
energy flows. This energy can be harnessed, can serve as a catalyst for the Fifth Level
transformation if properly directed."
"So opening more Gates doesn't just free the Observer's knowledge—it provides power
that can accelerate my own advancement?"
"Exactly. With three Gates open simultaneously, you could perform a modified Fifth
Level ritual that would bypass some of the traditional requirements, would accelerate
your transformation significantly."
It was a tantalizing possibility—a way to potentially reach the Fifth Level before
confrontation with Malik Al-Faisal became inevitable. But Majid's Fourth Level
perception, his ability to glimpse potential futures and their probable outcomes,
suggested complications his grandfather wasn't addressing.
"What's the cost?" he asked directly. "Accelerated advancement must require sacrifices
beyond the traditional path."
Again, the energy pattern shifted in a way that suggested hesitation or consideration.
"Yes," Abdul Karim finally acknowledged. "The modified ritual requires a more profound
sacrifice than the traditional Fifth Level transformation. Instead of surrendering a
physical sense—the traditional sacrifice for the Fifth Level—you would need to surrender
a core aspect of your humanity itself."
"What aspect?" Majid pressed, needing to understand the full implications before
considering such a path.
"Your capacity for certain emotions—specifically, love and compassion. These would be
extracted completely, leaving you with intellectual understanding of these concepts but
no ability to experience them directly."
The implications were disturbing. To lose the capacity for love and compassion would
fundamentally alter his humanity, would transform him into something colder, more
calculating, potentially dangerous in ways that transcended mere power.
"That's a significant cost," Majid said carefully, considering how such a transformation
would affect not just his abilities but his very nature as a person.
"It is," his grandfather agreed. "And not one to be accepted lightly. I share this knowledge
not as a recommendation but as an option—a potential path if circumstances become
desperate enough to justify such a sacrifice."
Before Majid could respond, he sensed a disturbance in the energies of the chamber—a
shift in the temporal currents that suggested activity around the Gate, changes in the
physical reality where the portal was anchored.
"The Door Keepers are establishing their blockade," the Observer's collective
consciousness communicated, partially reintegrating as Abdul Karim's individual
presence receded slightly. "Samir Al-Zahrani has been joined by the Fifth Guardian,
Helena Vasquez. They are creating temporal barriers around the house, preventing
physical access to the Gate's location."
"My allies," Majid said urgently. "Layla and Rana. Can they still reach the Gate?"
"Not through conventional means," the Observer replied. "The barriers would prevent
their physical approach. But there is another way—you could extend your consciousness
back through the Gate, could create a temporary connection that would allow them to
transition directly from their current location to this chamber, bypassing the physical
portal entirely."
"How?" Majid asked, immediately focused on this possibility.
"Through the Void Lens," Abdul Karim's consciousness explained, partially emerging
from the collective again. "It's attuned to your temporal signature, creates a connection
between your consciousness and the Void. If they possess the Lens, you can establish a
link through it, can guide them here without requiring physical proximity to the Gate."
This was crucial information—a way to bring his mentors into direct contact with the
Observer and his grandfather, to share the knowledge he was gaining and plan their next
moves collectively. But it would require communication with Layla and Rana,
instructions on how to use the Void Lens to establish the connection.
"Can I send a message from here?" Majid asked. "Can I communicate with them while
remaining in this chamber?"
"Yes," the Observer confirmed. "Through the same connection that allows your
consciousness to maintain its link with your physical form. Focus your intent on the
recipients, and your thoughts will manifest as communication in their minds—similar to
how we are communicating now, though less direct due to their distance from the Void."
Majid concentrated, focusing his consciousness on Layla and Rana, visualizing them
receiving his message. He explained the situation—the open Gate, the Door Keepers'
blockade, the possibility of using the Void Lens to bypass the physical portal and join
him in the chamber within the Void.
The response came minutes later, a faint impression rather than direct communication—
Layla acknowledging his message, confirming that they had the Void Lens and would
attempt the connection as instructed. They would need time to reach the secure
apartment where the Lens was stored, to prepare for the transition he had described.
"They'll be ready in approximately two hours," Majid reported, returning his full
attention to the Observer and his grandfather. "In the meantime, I need to learn
everything I can about the remaining Gates, about the Door Keepers' likely responses to
this breach, about the potential confrontation with Malik Al-Faisal if it comes to that."
"Then let us share what knowledge we can," the Observer's collective consciousness
replied, expanding to encompass him more fully. "Time flows differently here than in
physical reality. What seems like hours to you will be perceived as minutes by those
outside. We can provide extensive information before your allies are ready to join us."
What followed was an extraordinary download of knowledge—not conveyed through
words or images but transmitted directly from the Observer's collective consciousness
to Majid's, a sharing of understanding that transcended conventional communication.
He learned about the remaining six Gates—their exact locations, the specific Guardians
who protected them, the rituals required to open each one.
He learned about the Door Keepers' organization—their internal structure, their
methods of communication, their protocols for responding to breaches like the one he
had created. Most were Fourth Level Travelers themselves, though none had the unique
status of Malik Al-Faisal with his partial extension into the Void.
And he learned about the Fifth Level—what it truly meant to reach this final stage of
temporal mastery, to gain the ability to enter the Void at will while maintaining
individual consciousness, to potentially transcend physical existence entirely and join
the Observer's collective if one chose that path.
The traditional Fifth Level ritual required the sacrifice of a physical sense—sight, hearing,
touch, taste, or smell—creating a void in conventional perception that opened space for
the expanded awareness of the final transformation. It was a profound offering but one
that left the Traveler's emotional and moral nature intact, preserved their essential
humanity despite their transcendent abilities.
The accelerated path his grandfather had described, using the energy of multiple open
Gates as a catalyst, required the more disturbing sacrifice of emotional capacity—
specifically, love and compassion. This created a different kind of void, a space in the
Traveler's consciousness that allowed for more rapid expansion of temporal abilities but
at the cost of fundamental aspects of human connection and empathy.
As this knowledge flowed into him, Majid's Fourth Level perception allowed him to
glimpse potential futures branching from different choices, different paths he might take
in his continuing journey. Some led to power but isolation, others to connection but
vulnerability. Some ended in confrontation with Malik Al-Faisal, others in alliance with
unexpected forces. The multiplicity of possibilities was both liberating and
overwhelming, a reminder that despite his growing abilities, the future remained
undetermined, shaped by choices yet to be made.
Eventually, the flow of knowledge slowed, allowing Majid to process what he had
received, to integrate it into his understanding of his situation and options. The
Observer's collective consciousness receded slightly, and Abdul Karim's individual
presence emerg