The airport was packed with people, as always. Some were eagerly awaiting the arrival of relatives, while others argued with the staff over yet another flight delay. Businessmen were holding up signs with names on them, foreigners speaking other languages as they fetched their luggage, and, of course, folks sleeping on the seating. A totem in a corner, next to a door, indicated the meeting place for the 1988 Hair Spray Convention. Through the airport windows, planes could be seen, parked, awaiting the next assembly of passengers to board.
In the crowd, one family, like many others, was saying their final goodbyes. The father, a brawny man, with thick eyebrows, and the mother, an elegant woman, with black hair and red lipstick, looked to be in their 40s. The older sister, who had her father's curly brown hair and her mother's dark tan, was perhaps in her early 20s. The younger brother, who had messy brown hair, didn't look a day over 16. Of the four, he was the only one with blue eyes and fair skin.The mother seemed anxious, looking through all the luggage, "You have your guitar with you, right?""Right here," the boy replied, indicating the guitar-shaped case at his back."Good. Now, Derek," she went on, "don't forget, I wrote our home number and the restaurant number on the little notebook I gave you, just in case you forget. Call us as soon as you get there, okay? You can call us whenever you feel like it, even if it's just to hear our voices. Do you have it with you, the notebook?"He pulled it from his jacket's pocket, "I have it, and I won't lose it, I promise," he hesitated, then said, "Thanks, Sue, I won't forget." He was clearly very emotional, holding back tears.The mother turned to the father and asked, "Greg, do you have his passport?"He smiled at her, "Sue, the passport's with him already. Relax, we've double-checked everything." He turned to the boy, "You know I'm proud of you, right, Derek? I couldn't be prouder.""I know," Derek replied confidently.The sister nudged the boy's chin and said, smiling widely, "I'm gonna miss you, Dee. You know, the restaurant's not gonna be the same without you. It'll take a miracle just to find someone who'll fill ONE of your shoes, let alone both of them. We're losing our best waiter."He chuckled, "How can I be the best waiter when you're the one who taught me everything? You're the best waiter, Kim.""Yeah, I know," she joked, "I was just being nice.""Are you sure you'll manage without me?" Derek wondered, looking around at them."Don't you worry about the family business," the mother reassured him, "We'll be fine. You have your future to focus on now."The sister went serious, choking up a bit on her own emotions. She began to cry as she added, "We'll be okay, but it's really not going to be the same though. I'm gonna miss you, little bro.""I'm gonna miss you guys," his eyes watered up, "I'm gonna miss you all so much."They all hugged him tightly, standing together in a huddle.A woman, with long wavy brown hair, bright brown eyes, and light bronze skin watched them, with a kind smile on her face. She looked to be in her early 30s or perhaps late 20s. She was wearing a nice overcoat and holding a small suitcase, like a businesswoman. Clearly, she was waiting for them to finish saying their farewells, and she did so patiently, respectfully.When Derek pulled away from his family, the father placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Derek, I..." It seemed whatever he was trying to say didn't come easy. "I just want you to know, no matter what happens, you can always count on us, all of us, for anything... I... I know we don't talk much about your folks... We all grew up together, James, Lilly, Sue, and I... Your dad was my best friend and, when he passed away, I took you in out of loyalty to him. But I want you to know, this family... it's YOUR family. I know you sometimes felt you were a burden to us, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I feel blessed to have you as a son.""We all do," the mother quickly added."Yeah," the sister joined in, "You're the best brother I could have ever asked for. And I'm sure, wherever you go, whatever you do, you'll be great!""And I know," the father concluded, "wherever your dad is, he's proud of you too."They hugged again and Derek said, sobbing, "I-I love you g-guys. I'll ne-never forget you, ever."Then, they all looked at the curvy-haired woman.She was still smiling as she asked Derek, "So, are you ready?"He glanced back at his family and then nodded at the woman, "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.""Hey, Miss Valari," said the father to the woman, "you take good care of him, huh? Derek's a good kid! Don't let the world out there brake him.""I won't," she replied confidently, "he'll be in good hands, I promise you. Besides, you've done a magnificent job bringing him up. He's stronger than you know. He won't be so easily broken."They waved each other goodbye all the way to the boarding corridor. Then, he stopped, watching their teary-eyed faces."I still can't believe it," he commented, "that I'll never see them again..."He waved one last time, then took that final step, making them go out of sight. He cried as he followed Valari down the corridor, he just couldn't stop. He had been preparing for that moment for five months, ever since he had first met Valari, but nothing could have truly braced him for it.They boarded an odd-looking airplane. It was very small, but also very roomy, like a private jet. There were no other passengers in it, nor flight attendants. Derek placed his luggage in a spacious side compartment, passing his hand over his guitar case, before closing the door. Then, he went and sat on one of the luxurious-looking chairs and stared at the wall, there were no windows there either."Kaylan, do you need a moment?" Valari asked him softly.He turned to her and said, "That name's still weird to me... even after all these months...""Would you rather I call you Derek?" she asked him politely."No," he replied, frustrated, "they're both weird to me now. You better just call me Kaylan, it's going to be the name everyone else calls me from now on. I better start getting used to it."She sat in another fancy chair and waited calmly on him."They know, don't they?" he asked her directly, "Somehow, they know they'll never see me again. Do they know they'll forget all about me too?"She took her time answering him, "In a way, they can FEEL it, yes, but it's not the same as knowing it. These moments have a profound impact on people. Even after you're gone, though they might no longer remember you, you will remain a part of them, just as they'll remain a part of you.""Why is it like that?" he seemed angry, "Why can't they just keep their memories of me?""To be honest, I don't really know," she admitted, "this is just how it is. Once you leave this reality, it'll change, healing itself by erasing you from its existence. I like to think of it as a kindness to those who stay behind. Instead of mourning your loss, they can go live a new life, free of your absence. Wouldn't you want that for them? They clearly love you very much and would suffer greatly not being able to see you ever again.""I suppose so," he considered, "Maybe I'm being selfish, but... I just hate that they'll simply forget me. I know I'll never forget them.""They won't truly forget you, Kaylan," she reminded him, "Their memories of you will simply be stored away... until they are ready to ascend themselves. After all, it's everyone's destiny to one day ascend.""Yeah, but when will that be?" he asked her frustrated, "You told me it could take forever.""Yes, that's true," she lamented, "and I'm sorry, but none of us get to choose the timing of our ascensions, we simply do so when the time is right, when we are ready. The truth is, your family will probably live many lives before they arrive at the moment you have. You yourself have already gone through innumerable incarnations to arrive at this moment. We simply have to respect each individual's pace."He stopped and thought about it for a moment, then asked, "I know you can't tell me, but do you know how many lives I've lived?""No, I don't," she answered him candidly, "Kaylan, it's not my place to look into your past, it's yours and yours alone. I'm merely a guide, I'm here to show you the way. You must tread it.""Do you know when I'll start to remember my past lives?" he wondered stubbornly."No," she told him, "but it takes more time than you can currently comprehend. You're used to thinking in days, weeks, months... maybe even years... But in the middle plane, we measure time in cycles, eons, and ages. You will live longer there than you can possibly imagine. You might just as well have infinity to look forward to.""Infinity? I don't get it," he frowned at her, "I thought you said cycles were kinda like years.""They are in the sense that we use them to measure time," she explained, "but a year here in the low plane doesn't feel anything like a cycle in the middle plane. You see, time flows differently up there. It's something you'll have to experience for yourself, I'm afraid.""What about the high plane?" he asked her curiously, "How does time work up there?""That I can't say," she replied, smiling pleasantly at him, "Just as low-planers are unaware of the middle plane, we middle-planers are unaware of the high plane. No one who's ever gone there has returned to tell us what it's like. In any case, before you start worrying your little head about the high plane, you better start learning about the middle plane, right?""Right," he accepted, "So... now can you tell me... what's it like up there, in the middle plane?"She raised an eyebrow at him and said, "I suppose, since we're on our way there..." She chose her words carefully, "It's a little like Star Wars, with a bunch of different alien races, ships, and lightsabers... except we just call them swords... and everyone is a Jedi." She focused on a glass of water that was sitting on a table in front of her and made it float up and over to her hand. "We can all use the force... Of course, we call it ETHER... But... it's also a little like Lord of the Rings, with magic rings, spells, dwarves, orcs, and elves, like me."That reminded him, "Can you show me what you really look like?""No, not yet," she denied him, "It's best not to disturb this reality with things that don't exist within it. Once we get to the middle plane, I'll remove the illusion spell and show you my pointy ears."He sighed disapointedly and she went quiet again, waiting on him.But he quickly realized it and declared, "I'm ready. Let's get this over with.""Are you sure," she inquired, studying him."Valari, I'm sure," he insisted, "There's no more closure to be found here. I fully understand that once I ascend, there'll be no going back. But, if this is what's supposed to happen, then let's just let it happen."Valari watched him closely as he spoke, taking in his every gesture, analyzing his state of mind. Satisfied, she spun her fancy chair to face him and said, "Very well, let's begin then." Extending her hand, she made his chair turn to face her as well and assumed a soothing tone, "Now, focus on the calling you've been feeling... sense where it leads you, allow it to show you the way... I will be with you ever step of the way... Now... let go of your physical self... and embrace the light...""Should I close my eyes?" he asked curiously, not yet feeling much of anything."If you wish," she answered softly, "the important thing is to quiet your mind."He exhaled and tried to do as she oriented. But his mind went back to his family and all the moments they had shared together. In his head, they were still there smiling at him... except there were no longer any tears. He wondered if that meant he was truly ready. He had spent his whole life wondering what could have been, what his life would be like if his parents hadn't died in that accident. It happened when he was so young, if it weren't for the crumpled up photo he had, he wouldn't even remember their faces... Now, all he could think about was what it would be like without Greg, Sue and Kim... He wasn't just leaving them behind, he was going to a whole new plane of existence.As his thoughts wandered, he finally began to feel that calling again, the one he had grown accustomed to during the past few months. It was the middle plane beckoning him. He was ready.The world around him began to shift and slowly melt away. Solid shapes turned first into blotches of color, then to smoky wisps. Through the abstract painting that the world had become, he thought for a moment that he caught sight of his family... it wasn't clear, but it felt like them... though they were slightly different. At first, he couldn't tell what it was, but then he realized... they were all older. Greg had grey hair... and Kim was pregnant... Then, a man stood by her, as she held a baby in her arms... Her parents became even older, peering over her shoulder at their grandchild... The baby became a young girl... and Kim got pregnant again... Greg and Sue both had white hair... Kim's kids grew into teenagers... and went off to college... Then, they were all at the cemetery... all except Greg, who had passed away... Sue joined him a few years later... Kim's daughter got pregnant and she became a grandmother... Many years after that... it was her name on the tombstone... They had all lived full lives... happy lives... but they were all gone... Kaylan cried tears of joy for them, hoping that wasn't just his imagination, but what had really happened to them. He could think of no better fate.Once those visions were over, there was only light, a seamless bright orange glow. It was soothing, akin to being under a warm blanket, or perhaps in a womb, unable to see or hear anything outside. There was no sense of up or down, no pull of gravity, no point of reference for the senses. There was only that endless, everlasting peace. But slowly something came alive, as if waves of destiny were washing away the invisible barrier enclosing him. He wasn't alone, Kaylan could sense Valari's presence. Somehow, she was there, guiding him, just as she had promised. The capsule broke and he felt himself leaving his physical body, as it faded away.He momentarily became a being of pure light, before a membrane began to appear, enveloping him again. It was a much tighter fit than before, like skin, giving him his new form. First, his hands and feet became discernible, then arms and legs. His new skin grew over him, covering his thorax, until it reached his head. He felt his face take shape again, his mouth, his nose, his eyes, even his hair. Then, it slowly darkened, becoming thicker and keeping the light within him from escaping. Looking at his hands, he could see them clearly. Oddly, though they felt very different, they looked just like his old hands, of flesh and bone. He twirled his fingers, examining how they moved. Glancing down at the rest of his body, it too looked exactly like the old one while feeling quite different.He then realized he was naked.Around him, a new reality slowly took form. The warm blurry light flickered and morphed, revealing a floor under his feet, with a circular design. He was floating over the very middle of it, as gravity began to come back on, forcing his feet upon it. Pillars rose from the ground, walls appeared behind them, with tall windows, and a beautifully detailed roof grew over him. It looked like a temple of some kind.Valari was standing in front of him, but she was no longer wearing her cool overcoat. Instead, she had a beige robe, with blue rims. It made her look a little like a sorceress, or a priestess... some sort of magical art practitioner. She took a step towards him, smiling, and pressed something to his chest, a large ring. It was a bit too big to fit a human finger, but not big enough to be a bracelet. To his surprise, the ring glowed a little and melted right into his skin, disappearing completely inside him. Before he could ask what it was that she had just done, a layer of cloth sprung from the point where the ring had entered. It magically and quickly clothed him completely. He was wearing a robe, much like hers, beige, with blue rims."Welcome to the middle plane, Kaylan," she declared softly, "You are now a luumi, a being of light, like me.""You still look human," he pointed out."Oh, that's right," she remembered. Holding her hand out, with her palm facing upwards, she made another smaller magical ring emerge from the skin of her wrist. As it floated there, she turned it with her mind, switching it off. The moment she did, her appearance changed from the beautiful woman he was used to seeing, to a beautiful elf. Her hair and skin were the same, but her irises were huge, nearly covering all of the whites of the eyes. And, as promised, she pulled her hair up, showing him her pointy ears, "Is this too weird?""Weird???" he cried, "Valari, it's freaking awesome! You're an ELF! I'm looking at an actual elf!""Actually, I'm not an elf, I'm a LOREN. Elves are of human invention," she commented, "Though there seem to be quite a few human inventions that echo things that exist in other realms.""Like dwarves and orcs?" he wondered.She nodded, "Yes, though they too go by other names. Some say humans are particularly attuned to the ether somehow, perhaps through their dreams.""So, we see other realities in our dreams? And here I thought it was all a product of our superior creativity." He then looked around and asked, "What is this place?""This is my humble base of operations," she informed him, "the Temple of Ascension. Everyone who ascends comes through here... well, everyone that I guide. There are other guides and they each have their own temples."Through the tall windows, he could see green trees waving in the breeze and puffy clouds. There was a door behind Valari, like that of a cathedral.Seeing his interest in it, she stepped aside and suggested, "Go ahead."He walked past her excitedly and pushed the doors open.