Chapter Twenty-Five

A Choice without a Choice

No Savior can save a world without hope

Elisium

The Fifth Loop, Year 491, 5th February (5L/491/2/5)

"Wake up my girl. You can't go like this. Talk to your father."

George held his daughter in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. His friend Jacob sat beside him, face drained of color, staring into nothingness. A ghostly silence had engulfed the House of Almighty. No one there understood how or why George's daughter dropped dead, but they all saw the strongest man in Elisium weeping like a child. Broken. Shattered. The positive energy that had filled up the hall a few moments ago quickly dissipated. Just when hope had surged destiny floored it with a crushing blow.

The funeral got delayed due to this tragic incident but people decided it was time for the coffins to be taken to the graveyard for burial. They had to first bury their martyrs and then prepare for Jennifer's funeral.

The thunderstorms were getting nastier with every passing minute. A bolt of lightning lit up the night sky and almost turned the gloomy night into a bright day. It lasted much longer than usual but no one was scared of it. Any kind of light is a sign of hope for someone surrounded by perpetual darkness.

Someone gasped. A woman shrieked. A man pointed towards Jennifer's body. Everyone in the hall gazed towards her. Many people put their hands over their mouths. Others rubbed their eyes. George, who was weeping on a chair near Jennifer's body, was startled and slipped from his chair. Jacob pinched himself. Sometimes reality trumps the weirdest dream.

Jennifer, whose body had been laid down on a table, was now sitting upright with her feet dangling from the table and her eyes wide open.

People kept staring at Jennifer as if they were in a trance. Bewitched. A bright glow was emanating from her. Her face was radiant. She looked like one of those beautiful angels from the fairytales. A pinkish hue was radiating from her forehead—from the exact spot where Jacob had placed the ruby on Moses's forehead.

"This is unbelievable," Jacob cried. "A miracle."

"God! My girl is back!" George exclaimed and hugged his daughter.

***

Jennifer's soul was trying to get used to the confinements of her body and this mortal world all over again. Her legs almost gave way when she got down from the table and had to hold on to her father for support. She furiously snapped her fingers to clear her brain. Every eye in the hall was glued to her, the living miracle. It was time Jennifer told them about the new reality.

"O the people of Elisium!" Although her body was still shaking, quite surprisingly her voice was loud and clear. "We have gathered here to bid farewell to our martyrs and our much-awaited Savior. Moses was no Messiah, but he was our brother. He was given powers to lead us into the light, but fate snatched him away. Destiny tested our belief in these desperate times, and we clung to hope. We showed a will to keep fighting. That glimmer of hope and that strong will have given us a second chance.

'And this time, we will not fail. Together we will vanquish the tyrants and bring Elisium's glory back. To achieve that goal, the Supremes have chosen Jennifer, the daughter of George and the heir of David and Solomon to guide you toward freedom. Jennifer will show you the way through the powers of Adam, the fury of Noah, the wisdom of Abraham, the diligence of David, the bravery of Solomon, and the courage of Moses."

Jennifer looked at the blank faces in the crowd and smiled. Even rising from death wasn't enough to convince people that she had become the Transitioner. The human race is obsessed with miracles and no one believes in a Savior until he shows them one.

Jennifer took a deep breath and stared at the sky through the glass ceiling of the dome. A bright pink light emanated from her forehead and shot towards the heavens. The ominous dark clouds hanging over the Refuge dispersed. The thunderstorm vanished and the rains instantly stopped. A clear night sky with two moons and shining stars was now above them. David was known as the rainmaker, Solomon had famously held the weather during the Battle of the Capital, everyone knew the source of this power.

"When there is a will when there is hope, a miracle is always around the corner," Jacob quoted Adam's words that were still ringing in his ears. He bent his knee and bowed his head. "Let us hail the new savior, Jennifer the Reborn."

Everyone followed suit. Chants of 'Hail Jennifer the Reborn' echoed around the hall.

Jennifer raised Jacob and once again turned to her people. "Jennifer is no Savior, she is your daughter, your sister, just one of you. We must stop placing our hopes in one person and trust our strengths as a group. We made that mistake once and we shouldn't repeat it. We don't need any superpowers to win this war, we can win it on our own. Promise Jennifer, if she falls somewhere along the road, you will carry on this fight. Take a vow in this holy House of Almighty, over the bodies of our martyrs, that you will fight, right till the end."

"Right till the end," George cried aloud.

"Right till the end," Everyone replied in unison.

"Hail Elisium," Jennifer roared.

"Hail Elisium," everyone shouted back.

What had started as a gloomy funeral ceremony, turned into a historical gathering. Elisians' mindsets transformed. Their hopes soared, their confidence got a boost, and their enthusiasm was like never before.

The coffins of the martyrs were taken to the graveyard and buried close to one another. Jennifer stood on the grave of her cousin. Her eyes were moist and her heart was still numb but her mind was racing.

He departed this world and left you with a gargantuan task.

No matter how much Jennifer emphasizes not putting their faith in one person, Elisians still believe in the Savior.

And now you have to live up to that tag. And this might indeed be the last chance.

***

Jennifer was lying on her bed, with her head resting in her mother's lap. Cynthia was gently stroking her hair. Jennifer's mother reminded her of some grim ironies of destiny.

"Mother, you always wanted to fight these looters, beat them to a pulp."

Cynthia gave a wry smile. "Your father saw that fire in my eyes and that's why he fell for me. But even he couldn't let me in the army because in our world women are not even allowed to touch weapons let alone fight with them."

"But you always sent Jennifer to train with David at the army camp."

"You got a few exceptions because your father is the commander of David's army and your brother is his most trusted lieutenant."

"Now Jennifer has a chance to live your dream."

"Yes, Elisians will have to fight the biggest battle of their lives under a woman. Serves them right, I think."

Jennifer's eyes became heavy. It had been a long day.

"Now go to sleep my girl," Cynthia said getting up from the bed and turning off the lights. "You deserve some rest."

Jennifer closed her eyes but before she dozed off she replayed in her mind the bizarre incident that had occurred after she had dropped dead.

She had woken up in a very large, brightly lit hall that was devoid of any furniture except a large dining table and a few chairs around it.

Some elderly men, with royal looks, lavish robes, and exquisite ornaments, were seated on those chairs. Jennifer had never seen a king, but all these men in the room had that aura of nobility and authority around them.

Noah, as usual, was the first to complain. "I am really confused. I thought after Moses got shot, there wouldn't be any more conferences. But you are keeping us more than busy. This is our second conference in a single day," Noah said looking around the room. "And we are again in some new location. It is very disconcerting getting used to new surroundings every other time." Noah paused for a moment and then exclaimed. "Oh my God, this is not only a new location we are inside a new mind altogether. Whose mind is this?"

Adam pointed towards Jennifer, who was seated at the far end of the table. Moses was seated next to her. "I am pleased to introduce Jennifer to you, daughter of George and Cynthia, our great-granddaughter."

"A lady!" Abraham exclaimed, softly tapping the table. "That is a first in the history of these conferences."

"Quite a few things have happened in this Loop that has never happened before, like the Transitioner getting killed before the turn of the Loop," Adam added glaring at Moses. "So this is a desperate measure in desperate times."

"A welcome change. Hope lady luck will change the fortunes of these worlds."

What the hell is happening here?

How would Jennifer know?

First, they ask you to perform a ceremony for a cousin you barely know. And now this crap.

"Hello, excuse me. Where the hell is Jennifer right now? Who are you all? Don't you think Jennifer needs some sort of introduction here?"

"Every time your unnecessary rants get us off the track," Adam admonished Noah, curling his lips. "My dear Jennifer, let me introduce you to all our members. I am Adam, the first Transitioner, the person who forged the amulet...

"I think you can give her detailed lectures on your glorious history some other day," Noah hit back at his predecessor. "A brief introduction would suffice for now."

Adam puffed smoke out of his nostrils, but then quickly completed the introductions. He then quickly explained to her the purpose of these conferences of Transitioners.

Jennifer patiently heard him out. "That sounds great. However, can someone tell Jennifer what she has to do with all this?"

"Because you have now been chosen to become the next Transitioner," Adam announced.

There was a hush in the room as everyone looked at each other. Abraham spoke first. "Holy Father, how is that possible? The Amulet can only be passed from father to son. Its true powers cannot be harnessed by any man, other than the true born son of the previous Bearer."

Adam gave the smile of a magician who has hoodwinked his audience. "Yes, its powers cannot be harnessed by any other man. Jennifer is not a man."

"You can always rely on Father Adam to tweak the rules as per his liking," Noah said rolling his eyes.

David waved his hand, trying to catch Adam's attention. "What about the other basic requirements of a Transitioner? Shouldn't the Transitioner be born on the first Day of the Darkness, three decades before the turn of the Loop? We all know that to become a true Transitioner one has to unleash the energies absorbed by the amulet on his thirtieth birthday, on the day the Loop turns."

Jennifer answered this query for David. "Jennifer was born on that very day."

Adam settled back in his chair. "It looks like destiny wanted to give us a second chance. Can you believe that another child was born in our lineage on that exact date and in the world where the Transition has to begin? Now tell me, is this a mere coincidence or some marvelous artistry of destiny?"

"We can't have two Transitioners in one Loop." Abraham was still shaking his head.

"The amulet has been dismantled and this Wheel of Transitions is going to stop. So, I urged the Supremes to provide us with a Super-Transitioner who can wield the powers of all his predecessors and bring in a Transition that is beyond anything that has happened before. Restore the balance in these two worlds before they are left devoid of any superhuman interference."

"These powers pass naturally from a father to his son, how will they pass from Moses to Jennifer?" Solomon asked.

"When we inherit the Amulet we become it and it becomes us. Parts of our souls reside in it. Since Jennifer hasn't naturally inherited the Amulet she is not yet a part of it. However, if her soul can somehow get attached to the Amulet, kind of absorb it, if somehow she and the Amulet become one, all these powers will get transferred to her."

"She can do that by wearing it, right?" Noah suggested.

"Only physical contact won't do it. It needs a deeper connection. Connection of the souls. That is why I asked Jacob to dismantle the Amulet and bring Jennifer close to it. The rest I left on the Supremes and Jacob's overwhelming emotions."

Moses raised an eyebrow when he heard Jacob's name. "Jacob's emotions? What do they have to do with all this?"

"After Moses was killed, Elisians gave up their hopes and no savior can save a world without hope. The Supremes wanted to see hope before they gave Elisians another chance. I entered Jacob's mind and roused his emotions."

"How can you enter Jacob's mind," Noah asked flashing his big eyes. "He is not even a Bearer."

"I being Adam the first, and the chairman of this Conference, have a few special privileges."

"Yeah, like misusing your powers to invade people's minds."

Adam took a deep breath, Noah was again getting on his nerves. "I didn't enter Jacob's brain for a stroll. I nudged him a little in the right direction and all his anger and enthusiasm boiled over in an inspiring speech that reignited hope in thousands of hearts. Amidst the resurrecting dreams, a miracle happened. The Amulet disappeared from Moses's body and Jennifer dropped dead."

Jennifer, who was so far silently listening to these great men discussing matters way beyond her understanding, was jolted upon hearing that. "Dropped dead? You mean Jennifer is dead?"

"Technically yes, because your soul is no more in your body. For the Amulet to attach to your soul and for you to become a part of us, your soul had to leave your body. It couldn't have happened in the physical realms but only in the realms of thereafter. Even this conference inside your mind was not possible when you were alive because you were not connected to us."

"But it is such a shame that you killed this young girl to make her join a league of dead men. She had such an exciting life ahead of her," Noah said, tongue in cheek. All color drained out of Jennifer's face. She pretty much resembled a dead person.

"Will you shut up?" Adam had had enough of Noah's jokes. "You are freaking the girl out. But your dumb sense of humor reminded me of the fact that we are running out of time. Jennifer is dead in her world and she has to make a decision before they go and bury her body."

"What decision?" Jennifer asked.

"The decision to accept what we have chosen you to become. You don't necessarily have to agree to this. The choice is yours."

"You mean Jennifer can say no and walk out of here?"

Adam nodded. "All people who are present here were born with this responsibility and they didn't have a choice—still, they had to make a lot of sacrifices. It is not easy to become a Savior. Salvation comes at a price, and when you are looking to save a whole world, you can't even imagine the sacrifices. Your life will no longer be yours, you will face challenges at every step and sometimes crave for basic joys of life but might never get them. We all didn't have a choice but if you choose to willfully tread this path, then prepare yourself for the sternest of examinations."

"Holy Father has just blown it away," Noah whispered to Abraham. "Why would you tell all this to an already frightened girl? If I were Jennifer, I would politely say 'Dear grandpas, pleasure meeting you all. But now please send me back and I don't want any of this.'"

Adam heard Noah, even though his voice was barely a whisper. "I don't want to trick her into this Noah. She will only go down this path after she fully understands the consequences of her choice."

Jennifer just sat there in silence.

This is too big for you. Being the Savior means carrying the hopes of millions on your shoulders.

Since her childhood, Jennifer has seen the misery of people around her. Jennifer always wanted to fight for them. This is her chance.

You just wanted to take revenge for your mother's banishment. But sacrificing your whole life for your mother's dream, is that worth?

It's not about revenge. This is about fighting for justice.

Moses walked to her chair and bent down in front of her. "Sister, we have seen the condition of people in the Refuge from up close. We know this has to end. The balance needs to be restored and this is our last chance."

"But Jennifer is just a young girl. She doesn't have that kind of courage or experience to pull this off."

Solomon put a hand on her heiress's shoulder. "We all were your age when we did what we did. All you need is a strong will. And of course, we all will be with you, within you, as a part of you to guide you whenever required."

You have been given a choice without a choice.

If Jennifer says no, her world will be sentenced to unending misery.

You can't let that happen so jump in the fire. You can do nothing else.

"Okay, tell me what I have to do."

Adam let out a sigh of relief. "Your sudden death blew up the effects of Jacob's speech. You might need to show people a miracle or two to make them believe again."

Solomon had an idea. "Your resurrection from death will be a miracle in itself. Seeing the current weather in the Refuge, I can show you how to perform another miracle. I used this weather control tactic to good effect during my days."

Adam then placed his right hand on Jennifer's head and chanted a few verses in an unknown language. A pinkish hue started to emanate from her forehead and she felt a heaviness in her chest as if someone had placed some weight upon it.

"The Amulet is now a part of your mind and your heart," Adam said, removing his hand from her head. "It will stay there and return to its roots once you leave your body and join us in the eternal abode. Now go back and inspire them. Try not to make them too reliant on you. If you end up doing something like Moses, then there will be nothing more I can do."

Everyone in the room raised their hands to bless Jennifer.

"One last thing," Adam added, then paused for a moment. He opened his mouth but again no words came out of him. Finally, he let go of it. "I thought I would break this to you some other day, but I can't hold back the truth. The Supremes granted us this chance on the condition that the true line of kings must end after this Transition. There shouldn't be any superhuman interference in these worlds anymore. Jennifer, your powers must not be inherited." Adam stalled again, searching for words, and then blurted out. "And for that to happen you will never be able to have kids. This is the first of your many sacrifices."

Tears welled up in Jennifer's eyes. She wanted to say something, but the lump in her throat made it impossible for her to speak. Everyone in the room looked at Adam then at her, then they quietly raised their right hand to bless her and vanished from her sight. Jennifer's body sprang back to life in the House of Almighty.

Tears trickled down her cheeks when she remembered this lying in her mother's lap.

The start of her journey as a Transitioner had taken a big chunk out of her heart.