INNEREAL ADVENTURES - ONE

THE FOURTH ORB

THE FOURTH ORB

   Byron walked quietly into the night back toward the tree and even though there was no visible sun during the day in his innereal world, there most definitely was a myriad of visible stars in the sky during the night. And, of course, they were the most amazing looking stars that he had ever seen. While he had seen the occasional shooting star during his life back in the other world, in his innereal world a great number of the stars moved quite a bit. They traveled across the sky, or moved in circular patterns (like Van Gogh’s Starry Night). Some had tails following them like comets and some blinked off and on. So, Byron was satisfied to be walking along in the night and taking in yet more and more wonders of his innereal world.

   It was into this delightful rapture that the sharp interruption of Cotler’s cold voice fell.

   [“What is a rapture, Daddy?” came the backseat voice. “Well, a rapture in this case is just a happy moment or experience. Byron was just peaceful and oblivious to everything around him except the stars above him.” “What is oblivious?” “It’s like you are just not even aware of things,” said the one in the seat next to mine. “Like it’s not even there. Now, what did Cotler say, Dad? How did he get there?”]

   Byron was not at all surprised to see Cotler appear up ahead of him in the middle of the path. He fully expected Cotler to use some power stolen from the orbs to come out and confront him about leaving “The House of Jacobis.”

   “You really should reconsider your decision to leave the house,” said Cotler, coolly. “I am quite certain that you are meant to be a part of it all. In all of the time that I spent under Ajobis’ leadership, I never saw anyone like you. And, certainly not anyone with three orbs… or more.”

   Byron just remained quiet and did not grace Cotler with a response.

   “It could be all yours, Byron,” Cotler continued. “I learned well from Ajobis. I know how to extract power from the orbs. And, the amazing thing is that the other boys and girls are happy to part with them. They are all just content with being a part, their own unique part, of the overall community. We all really do work together as one there at the “House of Jacobis.” We are one. And, Narrie was quite instrumental in creating that type of cooperative environment. She really is quite an amazing and gifted girl, Byron.”

   Even though it was obvious to Byron that Cotler was trying to use his love for Narrie against him, Byron could not keep quiet.

   “If you so much as even dare to lay a finger on her… ” threatened Byron, but then he caught himself and paused and took a deep breath, and continued, “It won’t take Narrie long to see through your façade and start to understand what is really going on in the house. She is pure and wise and powerful. Way more powerful than you could ever even dream of being.”

   “And you are being a fool, Byron,” interrupted Cotler. “You are giving up the opportunity of a lifetime. You are giving up the opportunity to be your true self – to rule “The House of Jacobis” with all power and authority. Only you can make it the beautiful place that it is intended to be – a community of loyal and content followers with Narrie right there at your side, and… ”

   “Enough!” said Byron, firmly.

   Cotler then squinted his eyes and stared sternly at Byron and raised his walking stick off of the ground with his right hand. As he did so, an orb at the top of the stick began to glow and shoot light down the shaft to the bottom end of the stick. Then, the walking stick transformed into a sharp metal spear.

   “Still trying to use spears to make your point?” quipped Byron, sarcastically.

   “Oh, this is much more powerful than a mere spear,” sneered Cotler, as he raised it above his head and shafts of lightning shot out of the orb at the top. Then, Cotler’s entire being started to transform and fill up with shafts of lightning.

   But then, to Byron’s surprise, he felt something moving in the pocket of his vesture. The fourth orb came out of the pouch and hovered in front of him. Instinctively, Byron raised up his walking stick in his right hand.

   “I knew you had more!” screamed Cotler, with lightning in his voice.

   The fourth orb then shot around Byron in an orbit to the right around his body and then embedded itself in the top of his walking stick. Byron felt an exhilarating power throughout his entire body as clear blue lightning shafts started to shoot out of the fourth orb.

   Cotler went into a crazed fit and started shooting lightning shafts out of the end of the metal spear at Byron. But, to Cotler’s amazement and frustration, Byron was unfazed by the attack. And, to Byron’s amazement, he was completely at peace. There was no sense of feeling threatened at all. It was as if someone were trying to attack him with a single lit stick match and he knew that all he had to do was blow it out with a simple puff of his breath.

   It was not anywhere near a battle at all. Cotler was getting more and more agitated and frustrated, but Byron was still just standing there peacefully in the midst of all of his gyrations.

   Byron then merely raised his right arm in front of him and turned his walking stick horizontal to the ground. He heard the voice of Jacobis in his heart telling him to keep walking, so he stepped forward and just continued down the path.

   Cotler and all of his lightning activity simply divided above and below Byron’s walking stick and he passed through them with no resistance whatsoever.

   Cotler found himself unable to come after Byron, and Byron didn’t even bother to look back to see that Cotler merely disappeared as a puff of smoke into the night.

   Then, Byron just kept walking.