I move onto a higher level simply by walking through to Level 11. The feeling is a mixture of relief and
wonderment as I can now make out some of what we take for granted as landscape such as trees and mountains, although these are less real and more hazier, I can still feel a threat but what exactly? I don't know. Tamia also says, she feels relief, I want to sleep, although I know I don't need it, strange how the astral body works, even after thousands of years needing sleep in the physical body, we also think need it when we pass over to the astral but we don't realize it. I can overcome tiredness, I know. I want to contact Sionn, but I can't, for some reason; I assume it is for my training. When I took this job on I assumed it would be fairly easy, as I had fought in the physical worlds, and also the other planes, so I thought this trip to the astral would be a picnic. I am beginning to think different as the meeting with the dark master was very scary, and I know he will be waiting to trap us on the other sub planes also. It made me think of the ex-Guardian named Kallo who I had to do battle with at the former Far-Station outpost, it was a place which he had turned into a another hell hole for a lot of poor souls, surely, this dark master can't be him? Kallo is locked up in a maximum Astral World prison which is protected by Guardians; also he was neutralized by Mannus himself!
I said to Tamia, ‘Can you contact Sionn?’
‘No,’ I was told we are on our own for the duration of the mission.’
‘Why?’ What is Sionn up to? Can it be he believes that this dark master will back off if he senses higher consciousness levels. I must admit, Tamia I’m finding it very hard to cope with the lower levels.’
‘This is where I come in, Dan, I have had many journeys into the lower worlds.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, I was a coworker on level 2 for a long time.’
‘Why did you take the job?’
‘My home planet was bombed out of existence after a long and bloody war with a cloned army of’...
‘Tourgen’s, I blurted out.’
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘Dan, we shouldn't really speak any more of the details in case whoever is out there is listening in.’
‘No, Tamia, I have a feeling this master is not that able, otherwise he wouldn't have given up that easy on level 10, I think he is an apprentice, he may be luring us into a trap.’
‘You know that we could get trapped for a long time on any of these levels, if we get caught out, Dan, don't you?’
‘Yes, and I also know that Kallo was very able when he trapped me for a time on one of the sub planes back at Far-Station, but I managed to get out, we know he has trained many students to follow him, I just hope they aren’t former Guardians otherwise we might be in deep trouble. A master like Kallo can promise to give you anything your heart desires without the hassle of doing service for anyone on any world; and on any plane of existence. I am beginning to adjust to this level now, Tamia, I feel good for the first time since beginning this mission, I miss Reeas though, she is an astonishing person.’
‘I know Dan; I accessed her records, why wasn't she allowed to accompany you?’
‘I really don't know, maybe Sionn thought I would try and protect her too much, which I indeed, would, but she also protected me. I really don’t know how I would cope if I lost her.’
‘That could be why he thought you would be better on your own?’
‘Yes, Tamia, but I also feel you are a good friend, and ally.’
‘OK, the marker for the next level is a long way off according to my calculations, what do you think, Tamia?’
‘I feel a strange urge to go East, over that large range of mountains although I am not in the astral body I sense a strong need to help someone.’
‘Maybe it’s a trap, Tamia. The marker is telling me to go west? Right, let’s check out your urge, Tamia, we can fly over the mountains. I have got adjusted to this level more now, so let’s go.’
As we reach the mountain range I can make out large numbers of people making their way from level 11 to 12; most are walking but some have carts and horses. The technology here is far from modern as the consciousness is low, but when they reach level 12 it will improve, or rather, the people have already upgraded, so to speak, now, all they have to do is walk across the gateway to a better way of life. Imagine being a prisoner for years in a cell with no light, then suddenly, someone throws open the door to release you, your eyes will burn, but you would, in time, adjust to it. That is how it is when moving from one plane to the next. Kallo, or whoever it is, is holding people back from the light
and I intend to make him pay again. That’s right; I put my Tourgen claws around his neck at Far-Station and just held him up till he died; if I get the chance this time, I will do the same. OK, you say, you are building up your karma, no, I say, it is balanced out by doing what I have been trained to do, I am a Guardian but I am also Dan Sherman, and Cloft the Tourgen, whatever I have to be, to get the job done.‘ I believe in you, Dan. said Tamia. I also want to help in any way, and I feel as though I may be able to contact Sionn soon.’
‘Great, I said, look, there is a sort of camp down there.’
‘Approach it with caution, Dan.’
The camp is about the size of a football ground, with various buildings about the place, as I get near the people start to run about in panic, I suppose it is only natural as I am still in the Tourgen body, and anyone would run from a flying tiger like creature who is eight feet tall, even more so, as I bounce off a sort of force field which is surrounding the place. Now, anyone who knows anything about the inner worlds knows that you can get hurt just by thinking you can. I know that I had hit something, but I also know I will be OK. I fall to the ground and simply get up. The people looked on in terror especially when I change into Dan Sherman. I can't hear any noise from the camp, it is, as though, they have been isolated. People are now staring out from behind their doors and anything else they can hide behind.
‘OK, I have to find a way in.’
‘I sense danger, Dan.’
‘Yes, I feel it also; but I don’t know where it is coming from, the dark master must be near. The next thing I know is I feel a sharp pain in my neck, and I'm paralyzed. I am then pushed through the force field into the camp. Nice going, Dan, trapped again. What am I doing in this Astral Hell Hole? I could have stayed with Reeas in our honeymoon suit in one of the beautiful higher Astral Worlds. It is a place where I am happiest, I deliberately chose the Austrian Tyrol, as the beauty of the place is hard to beat on any physical world. Now, where am I?
‘You are in my domain, Trainee!’
I can still see and hear, but that is all, I know I am in the presence of Kallo, the ex-Guardian.
‘How did you get out of jail?’, I said.
‘There are no jails that can hold me, fool. You have the astral body of Kallo in a security cell, but as you know, I am a master of all planes, so here I am. I can't believe they sent a novice such as you to capture me, Ha. Now you will pay for killing me at Far-Station, and no, you will not be able to locate me later with your consciousness scan, as you did at the astral base, for you, the implant I put in your neck will keep you here for as long as I want you, also the realm here is of my making, so there is no escaping. You will be killed in a few hours! Yes, that’s right, killed, how can that be? You ask. We are already on the Astral World, right? No, fool, we are on a world where I can manufacture life itself. Yes, this is a Physical World which I created inside the Astral World! When you die later, you will automatically come back to an Astral World of the same making. You will be trapped for eternity. Ha.’
‘You’re completely mad.’
Oh, am I? Just try to shift your consciousness to the Tourgen beast when I release you in five seconds.’
My God, he’s right, I'm stuck in a puny human body on a hell hole of a place with no chance of escape! Nice going, Dan, I think, what would Sionn say?