Eli and Jack treaded side-by-side down the luminous tunnel, which continued in only a single direction and had no end in sight. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the glare, Eli was able to make out the interior of the tunnel more clearly. He noticed that the walls formed right angles with the floor and ceiling, and he felt he was traveling through some elongated box. The tunnel’s interior was all white, except for some strange illustrations imprinted in a row along each wall, which were depicted in various colors. Eli still could not determine the source of the bright light, however.
Paying closer attention to the pictures on the walls, he found that they represented multiple worlds and timelines. Some illustrated glorious angels, with beating wings and lances of gold in hand. Some illustrated dreadful demon-warriors, with enraged eyes and malicious scowls. Others displayed images of people at war; more still exhibited royal families feasting in peace. As Eli scanned over these intriguing illustrations, he eventually found one on his right that was especially captivating. He stopped and turned to face it, observing it more carefully. It depicted an elderly but radiant woman. She had long, dark hair, and wore a confident smirk.
Cloaked in an exquisite gown of white and gold patterns, she stood with a commanding demeanor.
“What seems to be the holdup, son?” shouted Jack, who had stopped a short distance ahead. The slender Sentinel followed Eli’s eyes to the picture of the woman. “Ah, you’ve found the Judge!”
Eli’s eyes widened. “Is she the one who determines which realities people are sent to?”
Jack came to stand beside Eli. “Good guess,” he said with a smile. “But she’s actually just the leader of the Sentinels. It was she who arranged the meeting we’re headed for.
Remember hearing a voice in your head when you first arrived back in this world? That was the Judge directing you to the nearest soul-gate.”
“What’s a soul-gate?” Eli asked curiously. Jack removed his hat and scratched his head.
“It’s what we’re in now,” he replied. “but its nature is a bit complicated. Soul-gates do not actually exist in the Living World. Rather, they are scattered throughout the Void, serving as portals that join distant locations in another world, which in this case, is the Living World.”
Eli was puzzled. “I thought nothing existed in the Void.”
Jack placed his hat back upon his head. “For most purposes, nothing does,” he muttered.
“But there are rare exceptions. These portals are crucial for the transportation of Sentinels. They also, however, have limitations. For one, they can only be opened by the Judge, and she can only open one at a time. Additionally, the Judge can only open them at certain locations, hence why she instructed us to meet each other in the terminal.”
Eli nodded in comprehension.
“At any rate,” began Jack, turning to continue marching down the tunnel. “we’d better get going. Besides, I told you I would answer any other questions you might have. You’ve still much more to learn if you ever want to end up in Paradise.” Jack’s eyes glinted briefly toward Eli, beckoning him to follow.
Eli ran to catch up and listened intently as Jack began to speak.
“There are a few aspects of a Sentinel’s ways that are crucial for your understanding. For one, we remain ever under the watchful eye of powerful Angels, who ultimately determine when we are ready to enter Paradise. Be warned, though: They will not hesitate to banish us to the Void if they see fit to do so. They do not want us overly involved in the affairs of humans.”
As the two walked on, the tunnel floor began to decline steeply ahead. Eli had to slow his pace to maintain his balance on the sloping floor.
“You say the angels disapprove of our aiding humans,” Eli grunted. “yet such is supposed to be our very purpose as Sentinels – I’m afraid I am terribly confused.”
Jack seemed to be faring far better down the sharp incline than Eli was, gliding down effortlessly. “We are supposed to help humans,” replied Jack curtly. “We just have to limit how much we do so. Our positions of power mustn’t be abused; after all, the humans must find their own way in this world. We need only to ensure that they don’t fall too far.”
The soles of Eli’s feet began to burn from attempting to gain traction on the descending floor, which did not seem to return to its original plane anywhere ahead.
“Difficult to keep your footing, isn’t it?” chuckled Jack. “This steep stretch equates to miles and miles in the Living World; we’re headed for a secret chamber deep below the surface of the Earth. It lies unbeknownst to humans, as they do not dare dig so deep. There will be crowds of other Sentinels there when we arrive – perhaps you’ll meet some young people like yourself.”
Eli breathed a sigh of relief as the floor finally began to return to its original level a few meters below. “Apparently, this is the first time that every Sentinel has met in one location,”
said Eli, recalling the Judge’s words. “I wonder what the meaning of it is.”
Jack shrugged, now treading along a level floor. “It’s either something very good… or very bad. I fear that your transition to the role of Sentinel may be rougher than you anticipated.”
Eli noticed that the tunnel had widened, alleviating the cramped feeling he had experienced before. The images on the walls disappeared, and the tunnel’s glow grew more intense.
“Won’t be much longer,” muttered Jack quietly. “We’re almost there. Got any last questions?”
Eli thought carefully for a moment, his eyes narrowing against the increasingly blinding light. “Can Sentinels die in the same ways that humans can?”
For a moment, Jack’s face grew dark, and he paused. With a seemingly forced smile, he eventually replied.
“Not usually. In fact, I can’t say I can recall the last time something of the sort occurred.
I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Eli didn’t ruminate on Jack’s response for long, as a large, bronze gate came into view ahead. A solemn figure stood in front of it. He was a male – about the same size as Eli. His head and face were shaved, and his skin was a very dark brown. His eyes were tinged with some strange golden glow, which seemed to compliment the golden breastplate and protective leggings he wore. Eli noticed that he also had an unusual tattoo on his forehead: It appeared to depict a baby bird driving its head out of an egg.
The guard maintained his stoic expression even as Eli and Jack came within an arm’s length away from him.
“Names?” the guard inquired in a deep, bellowing voice.
“It’s me, Jack,” replied the old Sentinel. He nodded towards Eli. “The boy is with me.
Let us pass.”
Without further questioning, the guard rotated a large metal wheel at the center of the gate and slid it open with a slow groan. Jack marched straight into the opening with no hesitation, and Eli followed nervously.
Upon passing through the opening, Eli’s jaw grew slack in dumbfounded amazement.
The chamber he now stood in was as large as a sports stadium, with walls of gleaming bronze climbing high toward a domed ceiling. At the center of the chamber stood a massive boulder that glimmered orange, blue, white, and green. The boulder’s top was flat, and a row of four chairs rested on it. The rest of the chamber consisted of large sections of chairs, which were likely made from some dark, polished wood. They surrounded the boulder in groups of orderly rows; many of them were already occupied with other people. Jack had taken a seat at the rear portion of the section on their right, and Eli walked over to sit next to him.
“Welcome to the Chamber of the Judge!” exclaimed Jack. “This is not my first visit, but I’ve never seen so many Sentinels here before. And more will come still!”
Eli curiously observed his surroundings. Jack was correct: Most of the seats in the chamber were filled, and Sentinels continued to file in from entry points all along the circular wall.
Taking note of the Sentinels who entered, Eli realized that many of them were elderly, like Jack. Although they exhibited features typically associated with old people, such as wrinkles and gray hair, Eli would not necessarily describe them as “old”. An inexplicable liveliness shone in their eyes, and they moved about freely and easily. In addition to these aged sentinels, younger Sentinels of various shapes and sizes filed in. They represented diverse races and cultures, but Eli was most interested by those who resembled the guard at the gate. These Sentinels also varied in race, as well as in size and gender. However, they all bore unusual tattoos on their foreheads. Their heads were shaved, while their eyes flashed exquisite shades of light.
“Who are they?” asked Eli, puzzled. “The Sentinels with the tattoos, I mean.”
Jack followed Eli’s gaze, his arms and legs crossed casually.
“Those are individuals who died in infancy,” replied Jack, with a tinge of sympathy in his voice. “They are granted random spiritual forms when they enter the Maw, since the likes of a newborn would not be fit for the role of a Sentinel – granted they succeed, of course. The tattoos on their foreheads serve as indicators of their origins.”
Eli had not considered what became of children who passed on from the Living World.
As he grew aware of a few school-age children amongst the masses of Sentinels that filled the
chamber, a feeling of admiration rose within him, as he struggled to imagine how such young souls could find the strength to overcome the Maw.
Eli’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a voice on his left.
“Excuse me, are you two Eli and Jack?”
Eli looked up to see a young female Sentinel - about Eli’s age - with blonde hair and green eyes standing next to him. She smiled warmly, but the two Sentinels who stood behind her wore intense expressions. One of them was another female Sentinel, probably just slightly younger than Jack. The other was a burly male with dark stubble on his face.
“Yeah, and who would like to know?” grunted Jack.
The older female Sentinel peered from behind her young companion.
“The Judge informed us that we would be assigned to a group with the two of you,” she stated, sounding slightly irritated. “Apparently, all Sentinels are being asked to form alliances of four or five members, but for what purpose I do not know.”
“Well then,” replied Jack. “I am officially intrigued. Please, do sit down.” The trio of newcomers occupied the three seats to Eli’s left. Jack, now seeming much more agreeable, eagerly questioned the three Sentinels. “So,” he chirped. “are you three well-acquainted with each other?”
The two older Sentinels, who were whispering to each other mysteriously, ignored Jack, but the girl gladly responded.
“No, actually,” she said. “We just met up earlier today. We received word from the Judge that we would form a team with the two of you.”
Jack nodded slowly. “All Sentinels being assigned teams…” he began. “But what for, exactly? Something big, no doubt. You sure you don’t know anything more?”
The girl shook her head, and Jack just turned away in disappointment, staring at the boulder at the center of the chamber. The young Sentinel then began to chat with Eli.
“You probably get this a lot,” she said tentatively. “But how did you end up here? Like, what killed you?”
“It’s alright,” responded Eli. “I just became a Sentinel, so I don’t get asked anything a lot… yet. In any case, I was killed in an automobile accident.”
The girl frowned. “So sad,” she whispered. “But I guess everything happens for a reason. Think about it: If that accident hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t be a member of this team.
The Judge may have had to find someone else to fulfill the role – perhaps someone less fit for the position. And who would fill the space left by that person? It could be that in your absence, we alone would not be sufficient to complete whatever challenge confronts us. But things always seem to have a way of working themselves out.”
Eli was perplexed and overwhelmed by the rambling of the young Sentinel. “
Well, I suppose so,” he muttered. “Don’t set any high expectations for me, though. It still seems that no one even knows what we’re going to be doing.” Sentinels had mostly stopped entering the chamber, as its seats were presently filled. “By the way,” continued Eli. “you never told us what your names are. We’ll need to know if we are to work with each other.”
“Yes, how rude of us!” exclaimed the girl. “My name is Rachel, and my companions are Ana and Victor.”
Ana and Victor both ceased their whispering at the mention of their names. They flashed brief smiles toward Jack and Eli but quickly replaced them with their stern scowls.
“Don’t mind them,” said Rachel in exasperation. “They both seem to take their responsibilities as Sentinels very seriously. I bet they’ll come around once they get to know you better.”
Eli nodded in understanding. “You asked me how I died in the flesh,” he began. “and I provided an honest answer. Now, it is only fair that you do the same. How did you come to find yourself here?”
Rachel’s face quickly grew dark, and she gulped. “I… I took my own life,” she stammered. Eli was taken aback by her response; he had expected no such answer, and he did not know what to say.
“Come, child,” interrupted Jack. “You needn’t make up such stories; just provide an honest answer. Any Sentinel knows that someone who takes her own life cannot return to this world. After all, if she cannot tolerate the Living World, how can she withstand the Maw?”
Indignation glinted in Rachel’s green eyes.
“I’m not making it up!” she shouted. “I was experiencing tough times. Things weren’t going well with my friends, and my father was becoming consumed by alcoholism. I felt like the world was closing in on me, like there was no way out. I just… I just had to escape. It seemed like the only option, and I felt there was nothing left to live for.”
She clenched her fists.
“I followed through, and I ended up in the Maw. I was terrified – in no condition to fight for freedom. I remember wandering aimlessly and eventually crawling beneath some boulder.
As I cowered in my place of hiding, I peered out from beneath the rock, watching as others fought against the terrors of the Maw. One after another, they were butchered mercilessly by demon-warriors. They fought back, though. Not only that, but they did it with a ferocity I’ve never seen. Even if they had just witnessed the demise of their brothers and sisters, even if they were surrounded by demon-warriors, they would lash out in a blinding wave of fury, fighting with whatever they could.”
After seeing their will to live, something inside me changed. I suddenly gained a new perspective on the very concept of life; I learned that it is precious and that it must be guarded at all costs. After all, if these poor souls would fight to the bitter end against all odds, life must be something worth fighting for indeed. With a newfound sense of courage, I crawled out from beneath the boulder and vowed to find my way through the Maw. I regretted my selfish acts of the past, especially my act of suicide. I understood that my existence is a privilege; I knew that I would never take it for granted again. It took decades, but eventually I escaped from the Maw, and just a few weeks after my escape, here I am.”
Eli had remained completely silent as he listened to Rachel’s account of her experiences in the Maw. He was astonished by the profound intensity of the tale, and even Ana and Victor had been listening closely in silence.
“What do you know!” grunted Jack, who had also been listening carefully. “I guess there’s hope for everyone, then. You surprise me almost as much as Eli here. He may have been too modest to mention it, but he escaped the Maw in only three years’ time.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. “That’s not possible,” said Ana, in her harsh, gravelly voice.
“No one born in this age of slothfulness and low morale would ever escape the Maw so quickly.
They would have to slowly learn the best methods of confronting the various threats there and receive a good deal of luck along the way.”
Victor interrupted the conversation with a low, deep-throated voice. “The time for talk has ended, for the time for listening is at hand. See for yourselves: the Judge stands upon the great rock.”
All throughout the chamber Sentinels had ceased their chatter, as they now looked towards the stony mass at the center. The four chairs atop the boulder were now occupied by Sentinels in dark gowns, but Eli barely noticed them.
Instead, he was fixated upon the woman who stood in front of them, gazing out upon the crowd assembled below. Eli instantly recognized her as the one he had seen depicted on the wall of the tunnel he had passed through. She had the same radiant beauty and exquisite white and gold attire, but she was even more impressive now that he could view her in reality. Somehow, unlike the other Sentinels, she exerted some form of intense aura, much like the heat generated by a raging inferno.
Before Eli could begin to finish contemplating her majesty, the Judge began to speak.
“Greetings, brothers and sisters,” she began with a booming voice and a warm grin. “I never once believed I would see the day when each and every Sentinel sits before this great rock.” She let her eyes drift over the assembled Sentinels. “Many of you I recognize as familiar faces, yet others are completely foreign to me. Alas, I so dearly wish I could present good tidings to all of you on this momentous occasion.”
Her smile faded and her eyes grew serious.
“As several of you have undoubtedly suspected, the cause of our meeting is, unfortunately, a dire threat. The Angels have informed me that the entire human race is in grave danger.”
Immediately, a young red-headed Sentinel rose from his seat at the front of the crowd and to Eli’s right.
“Hold on!” shouted the seemingly obnoxious youngster. “A message from angels? What nonsense you speak of! How are we to believe a word of it?”
“You would do well to learn your place, boy,” responded a middle-aged female Sentinel seated beside him. “I and numerous others among us can testify to the consistent reliability of the Angels’ messages. Our Judge is well-versed in communicating with them.”
The volatile Sentinel returned to his seat, and the Judge continued speaking.
“As I was saying,” she boomed. “the humans, whom we are responsible for safeguarding, face imminent extinction. A virus has begun to proliferate in a number of locations throughout the Living World. In time, it will claim the entire race, as there is no cure for the ailment.”
Jack leaned over to whisper into Eli’s ear.
“Guess you were right about that virus,” he said. “I told you we were in for some bad news.”
Throes of unrest gripped the assembly of Sentinels, and they mumbled amongst themselves nervously.
“Then that’s it!” came an alarmed voice from Eli’s left. “We’re doomed; without the humans, we’ve no purpose. The Angels will send us all to the Void.”
“Will you fools quit your racket!” shouted another voice, the origin of which Eli could not determine. “Why would the angels have notified us if our failure is inevitable? Why do you think we’re gathered here? Clearly, there is something we can do to address the crisis.”
“Indeed, you are correct,” responded the Judge smoothly. “The Angels did share the key to averting this catastrophe. I have been informed that our salvation lies in the hands of a small child, who is destined to rid the Living World of this scourge. However, we must locate this child of our own accord.”
Ana rose from her seat confidently.
“So this is why we have been organized into groups,” she called out. “You want to disperse a series of search parties to hunt this child down. Tell me, though: Why do we need to find her in the first place? You say that it is already her destiny to save humanity, and surely our actions cannot alter the declarations of Angels.”
The Judge nodded in understanding, her dark eyes fixated curiously on Ana.
“You are wise in your skepticism,” she said. “I must admit, I did not report the prophecy in its entirety. The Angels have suggested that this child will save humanity, but only in the event that we save her from her own imminent death. If we do not locate her relatively quickly, she will perish, according to the prophecy. The nature of her potential demise is unknown, so all we can ensure is that she is brought here safely and in good health.”
“And I assume you have information regarding this girl’s appearance and location?”
inquired Ana.
“All that can be confirmed is that she is a young Saint, the last remaining human with two parents who are also Saints,” the Judge answered.
Eli, who had been somewhat puzzled throughout the discussion thus far, was now utterly befuddled.
“What does she mean by Saint?” he asked Jack.
“Remember when I said there are people who can see us Sentinels?” muttered Jack, still attempting to follow the discussion. “They are called Saints, and there are two ways a human may achieve this status: One way is through committing a series of benevolent acts, and the other is through being born to a pair of Saints. The former is far more common than the latter, though it appears the latter is true in this case.”
Eli glanced about, studying the surrounding Sentinels. So that’s how we find her, he thought. Find the first person who can actually see us.. still sounds pretty difficult.
“Oh yeah,” continued Jack, leaning closer to Eli. “Fun fact: Saints, upon dying, do not pass through the Maw or the Void; they get a one-way ticket to Paradise.”
Eli’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
“You mean a person can bypass the Maw simply by having a particular pair of parents?”
he gasped.
“Well,” replied Jack. “it would be expected that such a child would be morally exceptional and pure, considering that her parents are both Saints. But like I said, usually Saints earn their statuses by themselves.”
Eli ceased questioning and redirected his focus to the Judge.
“Since I was only provided with a very general location, we will need to survey an area of up to 60,000 square miles,” she was saying. “so even with our great numbers, the task will prove challenging. Given the part of the world we have been assigned, I assume that the child will be present at her local school during daytime hours. Thus, I recommend directing your search to school buildings. I will send you all in your groups to various points within the vicinity reported to me by the angels. I will then relay communications with your group leaders to promote efficient and systematic seeking of the target.”
“If I may,” piped Jack. “I’d like to review our objective: You plan to send us to a specified area, which could require a good deal of time to scour. Specifically, you would like us to explore schools to find our target, but we should also attempt to identify her parents to ensure we have found the right Saint. Finally, we simply contact you so you can allow us all to return here.”
The Judge began to raise her arms above her head slowly, causing her gown to shimmer with white and gold.
“You are correct,” she bellowed, quickly thrusting her arms downward again. “Now, without further ado, I believe it is time to get started. Remain close to your appropriate groups.”
The chamber soon began to resonate with the same low hum that Eli had heard in the subway terminal. As the Judge continued to oscillate her arms in some form of bizarre dance, a patch of white light appeared on the surface of the boulder’s base. She must be opening a soul-gate.
The four Sentinels seated behind the Judge, who had remained silent until now, rose to their feet.
“Division A1,” announced one of them, a short male. “Please proceed through this soul-gate; it will transport you to the outskirts of a metropolitan area. We recommend that you disperse upon your arrival to explore every portion of it as quickly as possible. You will be able to communicate with your group leader through the medium of your consciousness.”
A group of five Sentinels seated at the front of the crowd rose and marched uncertainly to the patch of light on the boulder, which had now grown large enough to easily accommodate an adult-sized body. Their leader came to stand hesitantly before it, gulped, and eventually walked through it. His fellow division members followed suit, with the soul-gate diminishing behind them.
As the Judge’s strange arm movements and the steady humming sound persisted, a new soul-gate almost immediately replaced the first on the rock.
“Division A2,” continued the Sentinel. “Please proceed through this soul-gate.”
Eli noticed Ana shifting her feet impatiently.
“This could take a while,” she grunted. “I was informed that we are Division C4, and taking into account the number of Sentinels present, there will likely be many who enter before us.”
“So you’re the one who was given our identification information,” responded Jack.
“Then I take it you’re our group leader? Would’ve been nice to let us know earlier.”
“It makes no difference now,” Ana retorted. “What I’m concerned about is the reliability of the communication method we have been given. How in the world do we communicate through our consciousness?”
“Well,” mused Rachel. “the Judge does it. I suppose it is not much of a stretch to assume she can bestow this ability unto you.”
“I believe you are all oblivious to our primary crisis,” Victor interjected. “We are clearly short on time. It is not certain what threat our target is facing, and we cannot be sure that she is not dead already.”
“Exactly,” growled Ana. “That’s why I’m champing at the bit; we must get on with our mission.”
“I can’t believe I have been assigned to collaborate with such an impatient bunch as this,”
scoffed Jack. “Just keep your composure. The Angels do everything for a reason. I am certain we will be given a fair chance to preserve our occupations as Sentinels. The only way we’ll fail is by doing something stupid.”
The Sentinel atop the boulder proclaimed yet another announcement. “Division B4.
Please proceed through this soul-gate.”
Jack slapped Eli’s back.
“Too bad, son,” he said. “It’s your first day as a Sentinel, and you won’t receive any opportunity to experience the beauty of the responsibility. There will be no averting wars, no saving children from drowning… instead, you’re tossed right into a desperate struggle for survival. Can’t be too hard, though; all we need do is retrieve a small child. I think everyone is acting a bit overdramatic.”
Eli watched carefully as another group of Sentinels disappeared into a soul-gate.
“I still don’t understand how this child will save humanity from the virus,” he stated. “Is she going to develop a cure as an adult? By that time, the world could be cleansed of human life.”
“No,” replied Jack. “Saints tend to possess unusual abilities. Moreover, it is said that there are rare spiritual sites scattered throughout the world. When their powers are invoked by Saints, they can produce drastic effects, such as the reversal of natural disaster damages or the diversion of comets on a collision course with Earth. There is undoubtedly some way this girl will be able to rid the world of the virus through her status as a Saint.”
The ongoing hum pulsating throughout the chamber had begun to aggravate Eli. Much like Ana, he was eager to proceed with the mission. Though he had previously been apprehensive, he was no longer daunted at the prospect of locating the girl. After all, as Jack mentioned, the task cannot be particularly difficult.
“Division C1,” announced the short Sentinel. “Please proceed through this soul-gate.”
Jack hopped twice in exhilaration.
“We will be called upon soon!” he cried, like a child on his birthday. “Our wait is almost over. Is everyone ready to go?”
Victor just snorted. “Where are we headed?” he asked Ana.
“I didn’t get many specifics,” she responded. “I suppose the only logical option would be to disperse across our assigned area. I dare say we needn’t stick together; we aren’t likely to encounter any dangers.”
“Exactly,” added Jack. “I mean, what could harm us? We’re Sentinels… right, Eli?”
He smiled humorously at Eli, who responded with a hesitant nod.
Without any further warning, the Sentinel proclaimer called upon their division.
“Division C4,” he said, as a blinding soul-gate appeared on the front of the great rock.
“Please proceed through this soul-gate. You will arrive beside a road with towns set toward its northern and southern ends. Explore them both quickly, then follow the road past the northern town if your initial search yields no success. There will be more human settlements beyond.”
Eli and his group quickly approached the soul-gate. As he drew within a couple meters’
distance, he paused briefly. Ana, Rachel, and Victor passed him without hesitation and disappeared into the portal; Jack halted beside Eli.
“What’s the holdup?” he jeered. “You’re not afraid, are you?”
“No,” Eli said in defiance. “I’m not.”
He plunged into the gate and felt Jack dive in after him.