"Words build bridges into unexpected regions."
Adolf Hitler
(Mein Kampf, 1925, Twentieth Century CE)
A swirl of electrical static energy flashes through, creating a portal to another Realm. A figure appears, walking through a wormhole outside the gates of The Akashic Records, to arrive in The Astral Realm, a place where dreams are alive, where wonder and curiosity blossom like a lotus. A home for all. The Gateway to Knowledge. The Library is only accessible to life forms who are visiting The Astral Realm.
The mysterious figure carries itself with confidence and purpose. Their marigold headcover sparkles under the bright sunlight with every movement with red and various greens, covering its short, tightly coiled coarse black hair. With a quiet disposition, they walk briskly towards the doors of the great Akashic Records, their forest green shawl dancing in the breeze. It readjusts the cloth which conceals their face and extends from their head and around their neck. They walk through the city toward their destination, the gate up ahead. Their black jō hits the stone. They carry a large and worn black satchel by their side underneath their loose shawl. The straps lay across their chest and a loose black shirt which exposes part of their richly dark skin belonging to a Human with an ambiguous form. It carries with it some scrolls and books. The scholar looks up, their eyes not squinting despite the blinding rays, recognizing the shimmering gates from afar. They keep their face hidden and scan the area, paranoid they will be recognized by others as they are in no mood to interact with anyone.
The visitor's motive is to gather Knowledge and exfiltrate certain books and scrolls back to The Realm of No Light. Their Intention is to research and study Humans. And the perfect place to do this is here in The Akashic Records. The Library is an unimaginable and wonderful place that constitutes a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, and future across all entities and life forms. Humanity is but an infinitesimal speck in this vast multitude that is filled with everything that has ever been written, all the music that has ever been composed, all the stories that have ever been told, and far more information than could ever be imagined. They reach the entrance of the gate where countless bodies pass through the glimmering silver gates, separating the great Library from the outside. The city is filled with diversity, bustling with life forms of all shapes and sizes from all over the Universe. They walk past minds searching for answers both profound and trivial and everywhere in between, a googolplex of planets absorbed in deep thought, scholars debating and inquiring about the knowledge they have learned after visiting The Library, while countless others prepare to embark on journeys of intellectual discovery. It is a large and complex structure with countless levels, constantly expanding and building itself as though it were alive, supplemented by the hive of activity and inquiry of its denizens, sometimes conveying spontaneity, sometimes order and precision, perpetually moving and interacting within the colorful parvis that shines like crystals across the body of water surrounding the great structure. Yet instead of falling into the water, people walk across it, others glide. Those who are advanced in their abilities would descend gracefully from the sky to join others at The Library.
Looks can be deceiving from outside. The Akashic Records change with the Knowledge it houses. Perhaps it truly is alive. Certainly, it is the embodiment of the infinite because the Knowledge within is the collective Consciousness of the Universe, its epistemological inner sanctum. One can get lost if absent minded when navigating its vast expanse. It is constantly evolving, shifting as it grows, fissions, expands, and changes its appearance to best accommodate the bestowment of still more Knowledge to all those sentient minds that yearn for more wisdom, more advantage, more pleasure or more of whatever they came for. This monument of learning, made of white marble accented with gold and silver, nestled in nebulae, is placed at the center of a clear lake, its large towers tall and reaching towards the bright sky. The scholar readjusts their satchel, careful to keep it hidden. They observe its surroundings, watching people pass giant pillars and the entrance to The Akashic Records. Radiant golden light shines across the expanse of the great building, the rays kissing the giant walls.
The veiled scholar carefully walks up many familiar steps until those steps meet tall and vault-like wooden doors, mahogany behemoths carved with intricate symbols and designs throughout their expansive surfaces. The perfectly carved motifs represent knowledge familiar to many. The symbol of The Akashic Records is a perfect circle inside a perfect gold square. The circle is made of white stone with a deep blue inside its grooves and silver outlining the edges. It is a perfect representation not only of the gigantic abode of Knowledge as it currently stands but also the intention that animated its construction all those eons ago. The symbol is itself symbolically placed above the doors. The Library speaks to eternal and unchanging Truths, its walls seemingly never ending, the building vast not only in its vertical aspect but in its width, a giant cyclopean monument with an atrium at its center. The entire edifice shines resplendently, magnificently glimmering under the sunlight of The Astral Realm. The Shield Guardians protect The Akashic Records and enforce peace among all visitors, unyieldingly adhering to a universal principle of equal fairness regardless of species.
Sighing in disdain, the visitor sees the two familiar giant Shield Guardians, their bright and glowing blue and white energy swords resting in front of their long shields, stationed on either side of the entrance that towers over everyone. Their weapons and shields, fearsomely displayed in the aft position as though wielded by colossi, cover half their bodies. Their presence virtually demands a solemn sense of intimidation within the beholder.The eyes of the armored defenders glow bright white, menacingly anticipating the slightest trouble from any who might be foolish enough to challenge them or to cause a general ruckus that might disturb the other visitors, or—the much greater offense in their view—to steal from The Akashic Records. Dressed in pure white robes, they scornfully notice a familiar energy. They glare at the dark-skinned person approaching the entrance of The Great Library. The mercurial figure walks up the perfectly wide steps which bear no markings of age, despite the eternal throngs of feet that have traveled across them. They reach the entrance of The Akashic Records. They sense being Othered by the lack of welcome emanating from the Shield Guardians. But the Guardians are beings of duty first and foremost, and must allow the unwanted individual into the place of Knowledge in accordance with the edict that it is open to all life forms. They and the stranger engage in that timeless ritual of acknowledgement—to glower at each other in silence—until the unpleasant guest disappears inside the building. A slight glance is exchanged between the Shield Guardians before they return to their stony air of unassailable confidence.
Inside, The Library is simply immense, expanding endlessly inside its own dimensions. One would need an eternity to sift through all its treasures. They have patience and time aplenty to look through it all. Countless levels above and below are accessible by winding staircases. Other visitors prefer to fly or teleport to the different levels. The patrons who catalogue and maintain this palace of Knowledge scurry about, assisting visitors with their needs and guiding those not familiar with The Akashic Records' constantly expanding halls and rooms. Books and scrolls beyond number fill majestic rows of mahogany shelves, ever-changing but always meticulously and flawlessly cataloged with each new accretion of Knowledge. There are levels that are hidden, with walls and rooms ethereally suspended above, such that you would have to fly or use the rolling Library ladder to access them. The ceiling is a giant glass dome with intricate designs etched in colorful glass depicting symbols of knowledge and wisdom from other worlds. The symbols are placed at the edges of the glass dome that meet the towering bright walls. The bright light shines down, revealing all those below.
Due to the expanse of the building, interacting with or coming across other life forms can be rather infrequent depending on where one is located. The Akashic Records is one of the few places The Commander of War can enjoy its solitude in peace, devoid of worries about the problems and hardships that normally plague its existence in The Realm of No Light. A way to escape from its duties. However, it is expected of him as The Commander of War. And like every Being of No Light, it is expected within their Faction that each members' duties and missions are to be fulfilled together in the war. The Commander of War can not fail and disappoint The Lord of No Light.
The Commander walks along the floor winding through the many bookcases, passing life forms who pause to read or search for certain rooms to explore. The Commander passes the 'Room of Music and Instruments' and the 'Room of Art.' They fly up to the floor above and follow the hall passing rooms specific to the contents held within. Further and further down the hall, it passes the 'Room of Memories,' and the 'Room of Fate.' Finally, The Commander arrives at the 'Room of Earth and Species.' They push through the enormous doors adorned with a large depiction of the planet Earth carved into the wood. They enter into a room of endless bookshelves. They visit every bookcase where the books and scrolls in their satchel were originally located in order to return them. The Commander of War arrives at the genre of 'Politics' and browses through the 'Political Theory' section. They find a specific shelf they had visited before. The Commander doesn't sense anyone in the vicinity. 'How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About our Future by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt' is retrieved from the satchel and swiftly placed back in the slot from which it was taken. The Commander remembers an interesting part in the non-fiction literature about Human laws known as a 'Constitution.' They learn that there are many types of Constitutions from one hundred and ninety three countries, except for the countries known as 'San Marino', 'Saudi Arabia', and 'Israel.' Countries who have partially codified Constitutions are 'The United Kingdom', 'New Zealand', 'Canada', and 'China'. Countries that have a Constitution are meant to have them as "checks and balances". They gather that "checks and balances" are meant to prevent tyranny. This entails the abuse of power by those in positions of authority who are above everyone else in their country.
The Commander of War finds the concept of a Constitution to be fascinating as the Human laws are subject to interpretations and can be difficult to enforce based on unforeseen future circumstances. They recall a specific entry describing Human Constitutions.
'...well-designed constitutions cannot, by themselves, guarantee democracy. For one, constitutions are always incomplete. Like any set of rules, they have countless gaps and ambiguities. No operating manual, no matter how detailed, can anticipate all possible contingencies or prescribe how to behave under all possible circumstances. Constitutional rules are also always subject to competing interpretations […] If constitutional powers are open to multiple readings, they can be used in ways that their creators didn't anticipate.' This is very different from their Laws where it can never be changed or misinterpreted.
It reminds them of the Constitution from the country of 'The United States of America'. A man in a position of power named Thomas Jefferson writes a letter to another man of power named Samuel Kercheval but who is well known by the name "Henry Thompson", on the matter of why their Constitution must have revisions. They find it intriguing that Jefferson believes it is necessary to make changes to such a document:
"Governments are republican only in proportion as they embody the will of their people, and execute it. [...] I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I think moderate imperfections had better be borne with; because, when once known, we accommodate ourselves to them, and find practical means of correcting their ill effects. [...] A well-informed electorate is a prerequisite to Democracy."
Jefferson was inspired by the era of the 'Enlightenment' ideals, which led to the writing of the Constitution. They think about the other letter he has written with the same ideas, but addressed to another man in power known as James Madison:
"Every constitution, then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of nineteen years. If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force and not of right."
The Commander finds it intetesting that Jefferson espoused such lofty ideals of freedom and liberty in many of his letters while keeping slaves. In the 'Preamble to the Declaration of Independence', Jefferson wrote:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
This is the cognitive dissonance The Commander has learned about Humans.
The Commander continues to search among the countless books for works to steal for its studies on the topic of Humans and their way of life, cultures and societies. They walk through the winding bookshelves and find a book that catches its attention: 'Justice by Michael J. Sandel.'
The Commander opens it and starts reading. 'To ask whether a society is just is to ask how it distributes the things we prize–income and wealth, duties and rights, powers and opportunities, offices and honors. A just society distributes these goods in the right way; it gives each person his or her due. The hard questions begin when we ask what people are due, and why.'
They proceed to read the summary and find the literature to be alluring since it correlates to the other books it has stolen. They quickly slip it into its satchel, a custom-made item it has fashioned for these jaunts and that is lined with an exotic material that prevents others from sensing the stolen contents within. Continuing down the political section it stops at 'Political History' and notices 'On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder.'
Inside it reads, 'Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do. Anticipatory obedience is a political tragedy.'
The Commander is intrigued by this. "Interesting," they think. The book slips into the satchel.
The Commander flies to the section of 'Dystopian Fiction' and returns '1984 by George Orwell.' They found this book intriguing despite it being fiction. This work deals with how Humans use technology to impose power on each other and to control their species. The Commander recalls how it centers on the consequences of totalitarian mass surveillance (as expressed by the phrase "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU") and a repressive regimentation of people and behaviors within society. Orwell's classic is restored to its slot.
Near the returned book it sees another fictional book written by the same author, 'Animal Farm'. Curious, The Commander flips through the pages and stops to read an excerpt:
'I have little more to say. I merely repeat, remember always your duty of enmity towards Man and all his ways. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. And remember also that in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal.'
An animal native to Earth, a pig called Major, says this to his fellow animals on a farm. One of the leaders of the animal revolt against the Humans, the pig Napoleon, approvingly quotes the abridged version of the 'Seven Commandments of Animalism,' that "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
This piques The Commander's interest and draws it into the story. They continue down the politics section and stop at 'Autobiography'. The Commander hovers near the upper extent of the bookshelf and returns 'Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler' in its original German. An interesting historical book and a manifesto of a powerful man who helped spark a great war known by Humans as 'World War II' and a mass extermination known as the 'Holocaust'. They fly to the 'Bibliography' section to return 'The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow', a work that assisted the Commander's understanding of the history of Humans at the beginning of their evolution. The book describes the diversity of early Human societies, and critiques traditional narratives of history's linear development from primitivism to civilization.
A part of the book is especially interesting and describes three important principles:
'We would like to suggest that these three principles–call them control of violence, control of information, and individual charisma–are also the three possible bases of social power. The threat of violence tends to be the most dependable, which is why it has become the basis for uniform systems of law everywhere; charisma tends to be the most ephemeral. Usually, all three coexist to some degree. Even in societies where interpersonal violence is rare, one may well find hierarchies based on knowledge. It doesn't even particularly matter what that knowledge is about: maybe some sort of technical know-how (say, of smelting copper, or using herbal medicines); or maybe something we consider total mumbo jumbo (the names of the twenty-seven hells and thirty-nine heavens, and what creatures one would be likely to meet if one travelled there).'
The Commander recalls reading about how Humans' knowledge can sometimes be "mumbo jumbo"--'a strange term,' it thinks.
They conclude that it means lies, untruth, obfuscation. Knowledge being used to deceive. The Commander doesn't lie, nor does their Brother, The Lord of The Realm of No Light. The Commander of War generally learns through their research that Humans lie. Often. Some Humans have a disorder–an illness in the brain–which turns one into a "pathological liar and a compulsive liar," people who naturally lie but not with full intentionality. The illness triggers an internal pressure in a Human to lie. The behavior stems from a compulsive need rather than a deliberate attempt to deceive for a specific gain. Whether with Intention or not, to lie is evidently Human Nature.
They find this fascinating. "Many Humans lie because their relationship to the truth is purely transactional," it thinks amusedly.
It passes many more bookshelves along with adjacent visitors and finds the genre of 'Military Strategy and Tactics'. An old wooden scroll catches their attention. The Commander hovers at the shelf, curious of the unusual scroll made of many bamboo slips bounded by silk. Each slip is the length of a chopstick. It reads, 'The Art of War by Sun Tzu'. The title of the scroll intrigues The Commander. This text will presumably help in learning the war tactics of Humans and the secret of how to conquer the species.
They gently open the scroll and read the Chinese logograph. 'The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.'
The Commander of War's attention is interrupted by the sound of falling books on the other side of the wide shelf accompanied by someone loudly sighing and gathering their mess. Slightly annoyed but sensing a familiar presence, The Commander deems the idiot is not a threat and ignores them, being too absorbed by the scrolls.
The Commander continues reading the classical Chinese text, curious to know more about the 'Five Constant Factors': 'The MORAL LAW causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.'
This reminds them of one of 'TheSeven Laws' from The Realm of No Light.
"HEAVEN signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons. EARTH comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death. The COMMANDER stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.'
The Commander of War snorts, smirking at the words "sincerity" and "benevolence" that a Commander should personify. They continue reading.
'By METHOD AND DISCIPLINE are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure. These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.'
The Commander proceeds to steal the book, which will help them understand and think as a "Human Commander of War" and thus how to preempt the Humans. He leaves the 'Military Strategy and Tactics' genre and flies to the 'Religions' section to return some of the many scrolls and manuscripts that are part of the compiled volume known as the 'Bible', which consists of seventy-three books. The Bible is made of papyrus and leather and has two main sections: the'Old Testament' in ancient Hebrew and the 'New Testament'in ancient Greek. They descend and land on the smooth stone floor without making a sound. The Akashic Records is very quiet and serene, something The Commander appreciates when studying and researching alone. They scan the shelves where they found the religious manuscripts and take more scrolls. They sense the same presence from earlier in the vicinity. Were they being followed? The energy they feel is still non-threatening. The Commander ignores it while continuing down the wide hallway between rows of bookshelves.
The Commander ponders a passage in the Bible, another work it is returning. 'John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.'
For some reason, this passage troubles them. The more The Commander of War thinks about it, the more it upsets them. Yet, they couldn't put into words why this was so. After all, the religious text is clearly full of inconsistencies, errors, and contradictory passages. This lends the Bible to many interpretations and perspectives. The Humans' god from the Bible in the Old Testament is portrayed as being vengeful, unforgiving, judgmental, wrathful, and harsh. The god in the New Testament is completely the opposite and is portrayed as merciful, loving, and compassionate. This confuses The Commander of War. Why would anyone follow this religion and believe the Bible is true when it's full of lies? It knows its God is truthful, despite the cold truancy of its God's existence. Perplexed, The Commander finally locates the bookshelf where the scrolls were originally found. They fly up along the shelf and gently restore the Bible to its rightful place. They look through more scrolls not far from the Bible and find a 'Seger Torah' made from kosher animal skin.
It wonders, "Is this the same as the Bible?" They open one of the scrolls and examine the contents written in ancient Hebrew.
The Commander notices that the document is indeed similar to the Bible. They discern that it has some similarities to the Old Testament, but the religious text is based on a religion known as 'Judaism'. This piques their interest as they gather the scrolls and gently slide them into the satchel. It speculates why Judaism is a separate religion from Christianity when the religion derives from the same doctrines and is based on the same god. The Commander of War will soon find out.
It flies to the other side from where they stood to look for one more book to take. The Commander looks through the fictional section under 'Fantasy' and skims it. They enjoy the 'Fantasy' genre the most because the stories are entertaining. Stories from Other species are interesting to them. The things they create in their minds are diverse. Countless species craft fantasy as an escape from reality and all the terrible things that exist. The Commander of War is secretly embarrassed that they take comfort in reading fictional stories and would never admit to doing so. This indulgence helps them to cope and to pass the "time" in the reality of eternity.
Walking down the hall going through the list of titles, it notices a book as it stands out protruding from the shelf among all the other books. The book reads, 'Peter P–,' by J. M. Ba–.' unable tomake out the complete title or author. Out of curiosity, The Commander glides over and reaches for it. They realize the familiar energy it felt earlier and notice The One Between; and to their dismay, sees Her reaching for the same work. Surprised and bewildered, they both pause.
"Sorry… You can take it." She insists, "I don't mind waiting for you to finish reading it." She pulls out the book and holds it for them to take.
The Commander of War stands there in silence. It is taken aback by The One Between's kindness. Their face is emotionless compared to The One Between's with Her sweet smile and delicate youthful features. Her long, ash silver hair is braided on either side of her oval face, and wraps around underlying unbraided hair, tied together by a red ribbon. Her hair flows down along Her shoulders and back. Her olive skin glows in the natural light from above. The Commander stares at the innocence of Her violet eyes. The One Between takes the form of a Human woman, average in stature. She wears a black yukata with navy and light blue tones, neatly worn around Her body. The pattern on her kimono depicts the Milky Way surrounded by stars that appear to sparkle under the light, as if She is wearing the galaxy itself. The Commander notices the Arecibo Message in white threading placed on the front of Her navy blue obi. The thick and stiff cloth wraps around Her waist, secured by a white obijime braided cord with a crescent moon obidome brooch. The Commander of War is distracted by Her beauty and gentle Nature. They look away to stare at the title of the book in Her slender hands, 'Peter Pan and Wendy by J. M. Barrie'.
"It's a children's story," The Commander silently muses.
They quickly decide not to take it, feeling embarrassed while hiding their emotions well. The cover of the book depicts Human children flying through the night sky above a city. The cover art itself makes The Commander of War a little curious. Instead of taking the children's book, The Commander pushes the book forward on Her chest to imply that She should take it.
The One Between insists again. "It's okay. I've read it before. I like the story so much that I sometimes reread it but I can read it another time once you're done with it."
She pushes it back and places the literature into The Commander's sparkling dark hand. The One Between's stubbornness begins to frustrate The Commander of War as they refuse the book yet again and for the last time. They aggressively snatch the book from Her hands and firmly slide the children's book into the shelf. The Commander turns and quickly walks away without exchanging words. The One Between grabs the book and follows closely behind them. The Commander turns into another hall of bookshelves and She loses sight of them. As soon as She turns into the same direction as The Commander of War, but to Her disappointment, She sees The Commander disappear through a portal. She quietly stands there in an empty hallway surrounded by the Knowledge they both came to partake in. The One Between sighs loudly, bewildered by Her encounter with The Commander of War. She looks at 'Peter Pan and Wendy' in Her hands. The One Between decides to bring the children's book to The Commander of War when time permits, with a plethora of questions to follow.
"Why is The Commander interested in one of my favorite stories?" There must be a good reason, strange as it may be.
Curiosity gets the better of The One Between wanting to know more about this peculiar side of The Commander of War from The Realm of No Light.
~~~~~
The Commander of War moves through the portal to reveal cold ashen ground and total blackness. In the Darkness is an unwelcome greeting party: a horde of their Brethren. The Beings of No Light have come to challenge their Commander out of jealousy and the desire to prove their Power and competency in service to The Lord of No Light. Each of the Brethren believes they should be the one to don the title of 'The Commander of War' and to curry The Lord of No Light's favor. It doesn't surprise The Commander to see them all fighting for this position. Everyone is envious of someone in The Realm of No Light. Countless times the Commander has been attacked for the top spot and every time the Brethren fail. The Commander will never let them win. They are 'The Commander of War', undefeatable. In The Realm of No Light you must earn your title and prove your worth to The Lord of No Light. The Commander won its title in service to The Lightless Lord through Pain and Knowledge, two Truths that awaken its Power from within their Being. The Commander has many skills acquired over eons, winning fights and leading battles against countless enemies and diverse opponents hailing from other dimensions and Realms. Their prowess and complete loyalty to The Lord of No Light in keeping and upholding 'The Seven Laws of The Realm of No Light' is deserving of acknowledgement, respect, and praise. The Commander of War's Power gave it a place by The Lord's side. There are no Council Members or Mentors. Mercy and Love have no place in the Darkness. Hope cannot save anyone. Only the comfort of despair and suffering can provide solace. All those who dwell here are intimately familiar with Pain. Pain from the Knowledge of Chaos that burdens all Beings of No Light. All who are condemned to this Realm will learn that Power is taken by any means necessary. And all abide by the rule that in order to gain Power, one must always win a fight no matter what it takes. That is the Intention of one warrior among the horde, The Informant. He excitedly anticipates fighting against his Commander and assuming their post. He is one of many Informants, but he is also the second strongest after The Commander of War. While eager to fight and brave by any reasonable standard, his Doubt is his weakness, which may prove fatal to his aspiration to topple The Commander.
The jō The Commander uses as a staff morphs into a glaive. A deep violet and blue electricity made of dark energy runs along the weapon in their hand. The Commander anticipates the fight as they scan the area for any creature ready to make a move, smiling at how much fun this will be as their body transforms into their original, physical form. Its human flesh begins to burn and changes into pitch black with shades of dark blue-violet. Its clothes disintegrate like ash and smoke into the freezing air. Naked, he wears no armor or protective uniform, for he has no need. His Power alone is enough. Only the weak wear protection. His body grows, assuming tremendous size, towering over the horde in preparation for the attack. The satchel filled with the stolen books from the Library is thrown aside far from where he stands. The Beings of No Lights' rage pulses through them, making them bigger. Their red glowing eyes peer through the surrounding black expanse. The weapons begin to electrically materialize from shimmering obsidian bodies of dark energy mottled with the hues of dark stars. Disembodied hissing sounds percolate through the frigid Darkness, through which Shadows of entities move like smoke rising up through the ashen ground. The little creatures are foot soldiers who serve their Masters. Their black bodies quickly slither in the Shadows towards their formidable quarry.
The Commander of War smirks at the horde and growls, "Come and get me."
His Power is immense and intimidates his Brethren, creating Fear among them. He mocks them to make it clear that this confrontation poses no challenge to him. Though momentarily cowed by The Commander's prowess, the taunting enrages the horde to new heights of murderous frenzy. The Commander assumes a fighting position to brace for their attack. The horde, composed of the Beings of No Light and their created entities, bellows and shrieks, dementedly rushing onward. The first group of Lightless Beings teleport and rematerialize in a circle around their Commander to try to land the first blow. The Commander's entire body shoots spikes of dark matter at his attackers. The shards pierce the middle of the black emptiness within the chests of The Beings of No Light, impaling them and ravenously absorbing their dark energy and life force. Watching the Siblings fight, The Informant is smart enough not to attack rashly as he waits for the opportune moment and is perfectly at ease with the idea of letting his Brethren assume most of the risk. Beings of No Light think nothing of letting others do their dirty work if it means so much as a split second advantage. The Informant anticipates The Commander of War's combat style and aims to go even lower.
The Powerful attacks of the Lightless Beings are neutralized with ridiculous ease and their bodies are reduced to husks who no longer serve any value to The Commander, and are promptly eviscerated and disintegrated. His energy spikes retract back into his body as he Instinctively blocks an attack with ease from above without looking away from the cinders of his mutinous Brethren. The Informant attempts to surprise The Commander of War with a rapid blow from above, but to no avail. The Commander throws The Informant far across the ash and snow. The Informant lands hard and slides across it for some distance. More Lightless Beings charge forward to fight. The Informant's spoiled attack leaves him frustrated and enraged as he glares at The Commander. He knows that he failed because he did not sufficiently reduce the signature of his unique energy to conceal his presence from The Commander of War. This is a skill that he still struggles to master and has been the bane of his existence. Sensing the energy of others and knowing with certainty who it belongs to, or suppressing one's own energy to prevent detection, are fiendishly difficult skills. The Informant raises himself up in silent rage. He despises his Brother, The Commander of War, for his Power. The Informant looks on in malice, waiting for another opportunity to strike.
The Commander swirls his glaive around him effortlessly before the entities and his Brethren can react, slicing them apart with eerie precision. He sees one of his Brethren trying to run away from him in the hope of keeping its distance in order to reposition itself for another calculating attack, but this pointless attempt at self preservation only annoys The Commander of War. He raises his hand and with his Power, takes hold of the Being of No Light despite being beyond The Commander's direct physical reach. With his telekinetic ability he pulls his hand back to brutally yank his victim towards him, impaling it instantly with the same arm, now transformed into a blade. His energy spreads out into spikes in all directions within the victim's body and all those near it. Roars and growls mixed with screams of Pain surround The Commander as he mercilessly cuts down every entity and the horde one-by-one, exterminating their delusions of fighting prowess and eliciting a guttural bellow of laughter from him. This is what he lives for. This is his purpose. His amusement only grows with each failed attack by these pathetic cowering weaklings. The Commander of War sets the standard for how to act as a leader by fighting ruthlessly and without a scintilla of Doubt or Fear. Taking control and winning every battle without remorse. Becoming more Powerful with each successful strike landed on an opponent. Reminding those in The Realm of No Light to always prevail in combat no matter the cost. Some of the entities grab The Commander's legs, attempting to hold him down as they jump on him like a swarm. The Informant seizes the opportunity to attack again. The Commander alchemizes his naked body into black smoke, which The Informant impotently slashes at.
A loud disembodied growl in the bitter air surrounds what's left of the horde, intimidating the Lightless Beings as their shining red eyes search for The Commander. They sense his presence, feeling his energy-print and Power. The laughter taunts the attackers, but it only inflames their anger and violent Nature as they roar in defiance. Knowing his Commander well enough to be well acquainted with the ways of his destructive Nature and battleplan, The Informant maneuvers within a split second to dodge and escape the onslaught but is still thrown clear by the blast from above. A crackling streak of dark matter and dark blue-purple lightning shoots down and hits the cold hard ground, shattering the black ice. Smoke and ashes billow and convulse as if from the aftermath of an airstrike. A burst of dark energy and dark matter sprays out in an explosion from the aerial attack as his weapon pierces the broken ground. His rage-filled eyes shine red through the smoke as it clears, revealing The Commander of War standing at the heart of the crater. The blast from the force disintegrates all that is left of the horde except The Informant. The destruction The Commander wields is terrifying to most, proving he is the rightful one to bear the accolade of The Commander of War. The Informant Shields himself to make himself invisible to hide from The Commander, but he himself cannot see or sense his adversary. He plans a retreat in the hope he can escape with his body intact before The Commander consumes all of his energy and life force like he did the others.
The Informant doesn't realize he's been impaled by The Commander of War who suddenly appears in front of him. The Informant's red glowing eyes widens in surprise, failing to control his energy-print from again being detected. The Informant Instinctively materializes a longsword in defense only to be swiftly blocked by The Commander's other energy emanation connecting to him. The Commander's body fissions into a doppelgänger as it springs out from him blocking the attack with a short sword made of his energy. The Commander of War raises The Informant in the freezing lifeless air using a spear and pierces the life force hidden within his Black Hole of a heart, drawing his energy through the weapon and into The Commander. The Informant's face twists in Pain as he tries to Shield himself from his Brother's attempt to Rape him, but his Doubt overtakes him and the Rape begins to be consummated.
The Commander senses his underling's shortcomings and grins. "What's this? My cowardly Brother, the second strongest after me, Doubting his strength and Power?" The sound of his demonic chuckle provokes dread in the Informant. "Pathetic." He twists his weapon further into the struggling Informant's chest while spikes of energy slowly start to emanate from his weapon. The Informant realizes that The Commander is restraining him with his Power without touching his body.
He forcefully but slowly continues to absorb The Informant's energy and life force. "Do. You. Yield?" he growls, knowing The Informant will stubbornly refuse to admit defeat.
"FUCK YOU!" The Informant spits back in defiance.
The Commander pulls The Informant's face near his and grins. The Commander delights in his Brother's despair as his red eyes turn pitch black. He glares with his stellar black hole eyes at The Informant's, which are filled with terror. The Commander's tapetum lucidum shimmers menacingly, a fitting tribute to a world of predators who evolve and hate in the Darkness.
The Commander sighs. "How disappointing you are…" He stares at The Informant, enjoying watching his Brother struggle. "I'm going to have fun Raping you," The Commander whispers telepathically, not hiding the energy that reveals his arousal through the shifting colors of his body.
The Informant senses his Brother's titillation and panics. He tries for another pathetic attempt to break free. The Commander greedily rips the life force out of his victim. The Rape makes The Commander of War feel extremely good, enjoying the pleasure of The Informant's life force as it becomes part of his body, intoxicating his very Being. The Informant screams in Pain, his body of stars decaying into dead stellar remnants. His body glows and dims in a convulsive reaction. The Commander's voice lowers in a soft growl and whispers in The Informant's face to emphasize that there is no escape, deepening the Fear in him.
"Our existence is Pain to gain Power. All else is meaningless."
The Informant screams in agony as The Commander taunts him. "I'll drain you of your life force until you're nothing but dust and smoke. And I'll patiently wait for you to fully reconstruct yourself from the elements around. Then I'll beat your ass again..." He pauses, his smirk revealing his fangs. "...and again. I'm going to take great pleasure in your suffering while I consume your life force slowly each time to prolong your Pain."
He twists his weapon further into The Informant's empty chest as it penetrates him completely. He groans as he attempts to pull the weapon out, unable to Shield himself or to reverse the energy in The Commander's spear to absorb his attacker's strength, rendering his resistance completely futile.
The Commander continues his victory speech. "I will delight in watching you "die" over and over again."
In The Realm of No Light, feeding and absorbing the energy and life force of a Being of Light and No Light will not kill them. Death is a luxury afforded to all other life forms when their mortal bodies die. To be immortal is far worse than Death. The Commander of War envies them for that if nothing else. His weapon is reabsorbed into his body and defaults to his normal hand. His claws wrap around The Informant's throat and continue to hold him above the ground. The Commander brings his freezing hand towards his Brother's twisted face and caresses it. His subordinate flinches in disgust.
The Commander laughs, bringing The Informant to his eye level. "And I'm going to keep killing you until I become bored of you."
For this was the closest thing to truly Dying. The Informant tries yet again to resist and slip out of The Commander's iron grip. No chance.
"And once I finally have my fill with you…" The Commander slides his hand over The Informant's horns, then caresses them with his fingertips, down his cheek, and curling his digits under his chin, lifting his head up to force The Informant to look at him.
"...I'll throw you into the Void." An animalistic chuckle erupts from his chest, grinning as he watches his Brother cry in anguish from his threat.
The Informant roars in frustration and helpless rage. The Commander smirks, entertained by his pathetic Brother's weakness and his sad attempt to avoid the inevitable. His body quivers with waves of excitement as he anticipates torturing and syphoning his Brother until he is reduced to a cinder. The Commander's eyes shine like a predator in the Darkness. The Informant's reaction delights The Commander. The Informant finally cries and pleads for mercy when his Commander continues to torture him. The Beings of No Light know only too well that their existence is one predicated on inflicting, feeding, and experiencing Pain. The Commander of War is an expert in the ways of Pain even among this exalted fellowship of suffering. He chuckles again and grabs his Brother's Black Hole of a dead heart where the flame of Light once dwelled and pulls at it callously. A deafening sound of agonizing screams fills The Realm of No Light, each wail an exquisite musical note in a symphony of torment. The cries travel afar to the palace of The Lord of No Light. A fitting gift from The Commander of War as the Lord takes pleasure in the music of despair.
Glossary of the Alien Language
1 The Akashic Records/The Library is the great Library of the Universe in The Astral Realm (See The Astral Realm). It's accessible to all life forms in the Universe.
2 The Astral Realm is many realms and dimensions stacked together. The Astral Realms are a second home (for all life forms in the universe) and is a society and culture of its own with the immense diversity there. Think of it as the heart of the Universe connecting all creations within the Universe like a community market/commune/home. It's also connected to The Realm of Dreams (See The Realm of Dreams (and Nightmares). Beings of Light and No Light and other life forms can fight, interact, study/learn and eat in both these realms when encountering each other.
3 Library See The Akashic Records.
4 Intention means the life form is consciously aware and competent about their intention of what it's doing without mental illnesses in the brain/Consciousness/mind (e.g., Alzheimer's; pathological liars; psychopaths/sociopaths; down syndrome; tourette's syndrome; bipolar disorder; narcissists; depression; CPTSD/PTSD; etc.) (See Consciousness).
5 Knowledge is facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation and gathering of information. The body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time by the Beings of Light and No Light. Something that is or may be known or the sum of what is known by the Beings of Light and No Light. Humans and other life forms are barred from learning and knowing this Knowledge unless the Beings of Light and No Light choose to share their Knowledge. This also refers to The Akashic Records (See The Akashic Records) of all the Knowledge stored there. Moreover, Knowledge is neither good nor bad, which pertains to how it is used.
6 Consciousness/Conscious is one of three absolute forms that represent the Beings of Light and No Light. Consciousness represents the mind/brain and Soul as One Being (See Soul; See One Being). It is an enormous sphere of Energy/life force that houses all memories, thoughts, wisdom, Knowledge, identities, and experiences of all life forms. For the life forms, it's what makes them who they are, a living entity acknowledging its existence and a formed intelligence.
7 Truth/True is a fact and can only change with new evidence/fact(s), and/or the deepest identity of oneself or others. It can also mean Knowledge or your personal truth. This can also refer to The Absolute Truth (See The Absolute Truth).
8 Shield Guardian/Shield/Guardian is a protector and/or guard of a life form, place, and/or thing. They can be warriors/soldiers in combat to protect a place and/or life forms and/or battle in a war. It depends on the situation and context. They can be assigned to guard and protect other life forms and Beings of Light and No Light until released.
9 The Other/Outsider can be an insult if the Being perceives it that way. It describes another life form as an outsider that is not part of their community, world, and existence. They refuse to accept them and block them from their life or existence. Severing their Connection (See Connection) and being ostracized.
10 Group/Circle/Web/Faction is a collective of individual Beings who work together toward a common goal. All of their successes and failures are shared. There are heavy personal responsibilities and penalties for mistakes, but at the same time, unless it's egregious, the entire Group they're affiliated with takes the hit with the Being(s) who made the mistake(s). There's a massive social pressure to do well for their Circle. The Beings of Light and No Lights' culture believes in the idea of going against the moral law, which does not support the whole Faction and the individual Groups, is nonexistent (i.e., a Being doing whatever they want outside their Web that doesn't support the Circle and more broadly among the Beings).
11 The war/Human war started by humans against each other in a class, cultural, racial, and environmental resource and technological race. A global war (WWIII) to survive extinction on a dying planet. The aliens (Beings of The Realm of No Light and the Beings of Light) are involved with humans as enemies or allies.
12 The Law is the law of the Beings of Light and No Light. All Beings from The Realm of Light and No Light are to abide by it to keep the balance in the Universe and to prevent it from unraveling into chaos. The Absolute Truth and Truth are connected (See The Absolute Truth; See Truth/True). The Law creates and establishes the rules that are there for the safety of all life forms and creates a balance of unity. The Law cannot be changed or modified and is final. If the Beings of Light and No Light violate a Law, it will result in banishment or a punishment that fits the crime, depending on the gravity of the Law that is broken and is considered serious/egregious. If it's serious, then that Being is "dead" to them and the Being of Light is Othered (See Other/Othered) and is no longer part of the Group (See Group/Circle/Web/Faction) (is ostracized/cast out) and the Being will have to rebuild their life again.
13 Nature is the body, behaviors, and emotions of all life forms, which are unique to each species, society, culture, and biological entity. However, The Absolute Truth (See The Absolute Truth) is that this Nature identifies each species, culture, etc., and that it represents a constant that unifies and characterizes them.
14 Brethren/Sibling(s)/Brother(s)/Sister(s) represents all Beings of Light and No Light as siblings to each other. They are separated by The Line (See The Line) between their respective Realms: The Realm of Light and The Realm of No Light. All Beings of Light and No Light are Connected (See The Connection) and related to each other like Family without biological relation. Incest is not part of their language, and therefore can be intimate Partners/Lovers (See Partner/Lover) with each other.
15 Power is a very powerful weapon (indeed, the ultimate power) and can be difficult to wield and control depending on who holds it. It can be used to harm and Rape others (See Rape) or help others. Power can be chaos or can bring balance, depending on how it's used. Power is mostly used as a weapon in The Realm of No Light (See The Realm of No Light), but for the Beings of The Realm of Light it's mostly used for good and to maintain the balance of the universe. Beings of Light use Power on others only after being given consent or to force a life form to carry out an action that the Beings of Light believe is necessary for the good of that life form. They do not abuse Power to harm and control others like the Beings of No Light. Too much Power leads to destruction, chaos, and imbalance when used irresponsibly.
16 Mentor(s)/Teacher guides their Pupil/Student in their life (See Pupil). The lessons are individualized, specifically based on the Student's role and the function assumed in a given action or process. Oftentimes, the Mentor uses unconventional teaching methods. This also entails the strengths and weaknesses of the Pupil/Student to overcome challenges and improve skills. Mentors continue to teach and educate their Student(s) in all subjects the Mentor deems necessary: mathematics; science; history; humanities; physics; biology; economics; culture; astronomy; combat/fighting; etc., for their Student(s) to grow in their Knowledge (See Knowledge) and understanding of the world around them. Mentors are responsible for their Pupil(s) and guide their Students to prepare them for their missions and their journey in life (i.e. in realms; dimensions; past; present; future). This also entails the Pupil learning on their own without the Mentor's guidance.
17 Love is unconditional and compassionate. It is the purest form of love and is incorruptible. It is an Absolute Truth and a Powerful weapon (See The Absolute Truth; See Power). It is one of the Powers to defeat Darkness (See Darkness).
18 Hope is a powerful weapon like Love (See Love) and is one of the things that survives a terrible event and experience. It is one of the powers to defeat darkness and is an Absolute Truth (See The Absolute Truth). Hope is incorruptible.
19 Informant is a spy who gathers valuable information and supplies social or cultural data in answer to the questions of an investigator. Informants play an important role and are sent to collect Knowledge (See Knowledge) that is difficult to attain.
20 Doubt is tied to Fear and is the deep feeling of one's true ability, identity, and anxieties of oneself, manifesting as uncertainty that all life forms experience. Doubt creates a strong weakness in the individual and can hinder them in every aspect, to where it can be detrimental and dangerous, and lead to guaranteed failure. Doubts are like lies to oneself. It challenges your Instinct and hinders you from acting on Instinct. Instinct can overcome Doubt if the Beings of Light and No Light have a strong will and know themselves completely.
21 Darkness is another way to describe The Realm of No Light. It is the completion of darkness where no light will ever shine and where the creatures of darkness reside. Any place with darkness is a doorway for the Beings of No Light and their creatures/monsters to pass through as a natural form of transportation to a place where darkness is already found (such as the inside of a cave). It also represents the negative energy and darkness one holds inside themselves. It will or can corrupt if not controlled, and the individual doesn't acknowledge it and heal. The darkness can overpower and turn the individual into a Being of No Light if they lack the strong will to overcome it.
22 Shadow(s) are where entities/creatures come from and are called upon by the Beings of No Light. Beings of No Light create and control Shadow creatures/entities. The Shadows are also another form of travel for Beings of No Light and the entities/creatures to other Realms and dimensions where shadow is present. The Shadows can be used to hide oneself and another form of Shielding (See Shield).
23 Siblings See Brethren/Sibling(s)/Brother(s)/Sister(s).
24 Pain is experiencing great suffering and despair that would make someone want to cease to exist. Pain can also be used as a weapon if one has the Power to wield it.
25 Shield is an energy/force-like barrier that shields the body and mind from harm. Beings of Light and No Light have this ability naturally but vary in how strongly they can wield it. It can also be used to protect others.
26 Black Hole represents the Beings of No Light life force as a black hole (absent of Light (See Light) located in the middle of their chest. The Beings of No Light are without a Light, and it represents their incompleteness and symbolizes having no Soul.
27 Rape is translated to "power, control and violence" and does not only encompass the human concept of rape (sexual assault and sexual violence).
28 Fear is the deepest, most terrifying fear. The emotion of Fear universally applies to all life forms (everyone has experiences based on Fear(s)). It is the fear life forms will not admit to and will hide from. Fear is tied to Doubt (See Doubt). Fear can be destructive and violent. However, Fear can lead to protecting oneself out of survival. Fear applies to The Law and The Absolute Truth (See The Law; See The Absolute Truth). Fear and Knowledge (See Knowledge) can cause one to lose their Light/Soul (See Light), or it can help an individual grow and change as a person. Fear can both lead to destruction and chaos, or it can lead to progress. Fear can lead to solutions towards peace and keep the balance in The Universe if used for the right reasons, depending on each individual and their circumstances. All of creation shares the emotions related to fear and logic based on their experiences.
29 Death/Die is the final Death. This means the life form(s) would cease to exist. The Beings of Light and No Light cannot die because they are immortal.
30 Dying See Death/Die.
31 Void is The Realm of No Light's prison where it is nearly impossible to escape.