Solo The Discipline of Death Pt. 2

[Aoren]

35th of Summer, 514 AV

Aoren arrived at the professor’s study earlier than was usual for their scheduled lesson time. Still, when he’d received the notice that she wanted to get an early start to the day he was certainly not going to argue. His instructions had noted that he was to come without the normal materials he brought every day. Only himself. With a polite knock upon the door to the room he stepped inside to find the professor donning a shawl. Beside her on the floor was a pack that looked to be filled. She smiled up at him as he entered.

“Good morning, Aoren.” He gave her a half bow bending slightly at the waist.

“Good morning, Professor. Are we going somewhere?” The elder woman grasped her cane getting herself situated.

“Indeed. We are continuing your lessons in Spiritism today. However, for this lesson we must venture outside the walls of the University.” Aoren stepped forward grabbing a hold of the pack without having to be told. He hefted it up over his shoulders slipping it on moving it about until it was seated comfortably on his back.

“To where?” The professor reached out to Aoren. He extended his arm helping her walk. It would be slow going but somehow he found that a slow stroll with this woman would be anything but dull.

“To the place where ghosts would most frequent, to the cemetery.” Aoren was surprised. The cemetery? He wasn’t nearly learned enough in Spiritism to actually to practice all that she had taught him. The professor must have noticed Aoren’s reluctance. She gave his arm a pat.

“Fret not, Aoren. I will not let harm come to you. Unfortunately this is an unavoidable part of learning the discipline. As with all magic, you can go only so far in discussing theories.” He nodded.

“What is it that we will be going over today?” The professor looked up at him for a moment as if gauging how he would react to the news.

“Possession.” Aoren stopped in his tracks. He stared at the elder woman open mouthed. A cold dread washed over him. He had been possessed before. He had been subject to the terrible manipulations of a deranged ghost. It had been a horrifying experience to have no control over himself. He had been nothing more than a puppet dancing on the ghost’s strings. It had taken every ounce of willpower that he possessed to free himself of the possession and even then he had managed it only just.

“Professor…” He struggled to find the right words. The elder woman gave him a sad smile.

“It is a frightening experience, I understand. To have your body invaded by another, to lose all control, I know just how difficult it can be to face that.” She reached out taking Aoren’s right hand patting it gently.

[Aoren]

“I have been possessed before. It was…all of that hate…” Aoren shivered. The ghost that had invaded his body had been filled with rage, hatred, and a seething bitterness that was impossible to forget. In his heart, Aoren was a kind soul. To be overwhelmed by that much darkness had been a traumatic experience for him. The professor studied Aoren for a moment then placed a finger upon the Lily of Avalis that rest on his right hand.

“Aoren. Think for a moment. Is not the world filled with people from all walks of life? I should think you know this better than most.” He nodded, still hesitant to the idea of visiting a cemetery to be willfully possessed.

“Would it not stand to reason that in death there are also just as many varied souls and experiences?” Again he nodded then took a few steps to continue along with the professor. He sighed. Professor Memry hobbled along beside him still holding on to his arm. It was hard to tell at this point whether he was the supporting her or the other way around. He felt as though this lesson, out of everything he had learned thus far, was going to be the most difficult for him to accept. For a time they continued in silence. The walk from Professor Memry’s study out of the University campus was a quiet one with the occasional nod from other students or staff.

“What can a Spiritist do once possessed?” A smile touched Agatha Memry’s face.

“As you become more accustomed to being host to a foreign spirit your body will be better equipped to handling the invasion. It will come slowly. With training and meditation you can simply block the ghost. As you become more proficient you can even force the spirit out of your body with little effort.” Aoren found himself relaxing slightly at the explanation of why a Spiritist underwent possession. If in so doing he could better protect himself from the effects of possession then he was less reserved about going through such an ordeal.

“The greatest of Spiritists can enter a dual relationship with a ghost. Where both Spiritist and spirit benefit from the possession.” Aoren shook his head.

“I do not know if I would want to have a spirit inside of me for that long.” The elder woman sighed softly. It almost made Aoren flinch. She sounded disappointed. Agatha Memry didn’t seem to Aoren like a woman who ever grew cross. In the time that he’d been her student it seemed that she was only saddened by the ignorance of others or their inability to grasp the world around them. Still, he felt as if she was not truly seeing this matter from his perspective.

“Professor, I understand that you have little in the way of reservations in dealing with Spirits. You have seen and done things that I can only guess at. But please, be patient with me. This is new to me. It is…it is hard for me.” He took a deep breath.

[Aoren]

“I did not choose to become a Spiritist for want of power. I have been attacked by spirits. I have met mischievous ones. I have seen spirits consumed by madness. I chose to learn Spiritism to protect myself and others from the reality that while benevolent spirits do exist, malicious ones exist as well.” His words must have reached the woman on some level because she looked up at him with a curious expression on her face.

“You are right, Aoren. Do forgive me. I get carried away sometimes. Often when one has learned so much we forget that there is yet still more to be understood.” She chuckled shaking her head.

“There is wisdom in you, for a man so young.” Aoren could offer only a humble inclination of his head. He was not very good at accepting compliments. He never knew how to repay them. The rest of their walk was filled with small reviews of the things that Aoren had learned under her tutelage. When finally they came to the cemetery it was a quiet place. It was well tended with not a sign of debris or decay. Aoren couldn’t imagine that the people of Zeltiva, proud as they were, would allow such a dishonorable thing to take root in the place where they paid homage to the dead.

“Close your eyes.” He quirked an eyebrow at the professor’s instruction but did as he was told. “Take in the feel of the area. Extend your senses to the world around you. There are Spirits here. Can you feel them?”

“What is it that I should feel?”

“You will know it when you do.” Aoren concentrated. He worked to empty his mind of any distracting thoughts that he might take in the feel of his surroundings. He heard the chirp of birdsongs. The wind brushed through the landscape whispering as it went. He stood in silence for several chimes when on the winds he felt a cold water slithered across the length of his left forearm. Aoren jerked in surprise opening his eyes.

“What was that?” The professor motioned for him to follow her.

“You have been working with Soulmist, Aoren. You have been exposed to the essence of spirits. You have been touched by their power and thus will be able to sense their presence. Right now it takes focus but with time it will become second nature.” He rubbed at his forearm then adjusted the pack on his back. It had been a strange sensation. Then again when dealing with the dead, Aoren felt as though a great many things would be strange. The professor came to a stop near a collection of graves.

[Aoren]

“Let us be seated, hmm? There is a blanket in the pack.” Shrugging off the pack, Aoren knelt down reaching inside. He didn’t have to dig far. Grabbing the aforementioned blanket he unfurled it providing a somewhat comfortable means of sitting on the ground. Without having to be told he began taking out the various other tools that rest within the pack. A few vials containing the glowing gel that was the professor’s soulmist, a string of beads, a damp cloth wrapped around what appeared to be freshly made dough. When he had finished unpacking he assisted the professor in sitting then took up a position directly across from her. As soon as he was situated she grasped one of the vials and uncorked it waving it slightly in the air. Aoren arched an eyebrow.

“Ghosts can smell the soulmist. If we are patient one of the spirits here will be attracted to it and then we can negotiate a few brief lessons that you may learn.” The Drykas fidgeted. It was still an uncomfortable thought to know that he would be willingly allowing a spirit to enter his body. “In the meantime, I want you to meditate. Calm your nerves and open yourself that the transition might be less uncomfortable.”

Nodding, Aoren folded his legs beneath him resting his hands in his lap. He closed his eyes directing his thoughts and awareness inward. With his first intake of breath he collected all of the thoughts that were distracting him. He gathered up his fear, his hesitation, his doubt and with his exhalation he envisioned such things flowing out of his body. He repeated the exercise a few more times before he settled into quiet reflection. Aoren’s mind drifted and as it did he felt the cold brush against his body from the right, a dim awareness that flashed across his senses only briefly. He followed it, searching for that sensation again that he might be more aware of the spirit that was lingering on the edge of his awareness.

The cold flittered across his senses once again and again Aoren followed it. It darted in and out of his consciousness but no matter how much he tried to focus, he could not take hold of that awareness on any solid level. It came in spurts and each time it felt as if the spirit were drawing nearer.

“Hello.” Aoren opened his eyes turning his head to the right. A young man stood just a foot or so away from both he and the professor. He appeared to be roughly Aoren’s age with long hair and a lean build. He was observing the both of them curiously. What set the Drykas on edge was the translucence on the edge of the young man’s form. He was a ghost.

“Hello, I am Agatha. This is Aoren. To whom do we owe the pleasure of meeting?” The young man gave a tip of his head to each of them as the professor introduced them.

“Peter.” Professor Memry nodded to him, Aoren did the same.

“May we request a favor from you, Peter?” The ghost quirked his head to the side. “Aoren is my student. I am teaching him the many paths that a Spiritist must walk. Today he is to learn about the relationship that can exist between a spirit such as yourself and a Spiritist through possession.”

[Aoren]

Peter smiled eyeing Aoren curiously. He stepped closer before dropping down to the ground taking a seat at the edge of the blanket.

“I’ve done that before. The Envoyers in the cemetery often ask me for help.” He eyed the vial in the professor’s hand. She extended it slightly.

“Would you be willing to help us? I will reward you with a third of a vial of my soulmist if you do.” Aoren watched as Peter seemed to consider the offer.

“What about a full vial?” The professor pondered for a moment.

“Three possession for a full vial. I am certain that you can sense the quality of what I am offering. Would you not agree that is a fair price?” To Aoren it felt as if he were entering a business negotiation. Then again, from what he’d learned they couldn’t exactly force the spirits to do their bidding. It had to be done willingly. He could see where being a sound negotiator would come into play. The ghost considered the offer for a moment then nodded enthusiastically. Professor Memry smiled.

“Excellent. I will reward you for assisting us after each successful possession and the safe release of my student. Does that sound fair?” Peter extended a hand to the professor which she took.

“You have yourself a deal, Agatha.” Both of them turned their attention to Aoren who had remained quiet through this whole exchange. It was better to observe than to interject. Peter gave Aoren a friendly wave.

“Don’t worry, friend. I’ve done this often enough. You have my word I will bring you no harm. Besides, I’d be a fool to try and slip past the good lady here.” Aoren swallowed the hesitation that had been building in his throat.

“Forgive me if I seem hesitant. Just, take it slow okay?” Peter nodded followed by a few words from the professor.

“I will be here to guide you through the process. Do not be afraid.” It was difficult not to be but Aoren would try. He took a few deep breaths.

“Ready?” Aoren looked to Peter shaking his head with a laugh.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be ready. But let’s try.” The ghost chuckled standing up then coming to kneel behind Aoren. The Drykas felt a chill touch his shoulders and Peter’s voice in his ear.

“Don’t fight me. It will only make it more difficult for both of us.” Aoren nodded exhaling steadily to calm his nerves. He closed his eyes straightening his back taking a few more calming breaths.

[Aoren]

“Okay. I am ready.” To describe the sensation of a ghost entering his body was like being submerged in freezing cold water. Aoren shivered as he felt Peter step inside of him. The instinctual urge to push against the force entering his body made him tense. As soon as he did the professor spoke.

“Relax, Aoren. Open yourself to Peter. Let him inside. Do not resist, rather seek to balance.” Aoren felt a dim acknowledgement from the ghost attempting to slide seamlessly into his body. The Drykas urged himself to ease the tension in his shoulders, to relax the muscles that had bunched up in resistance to the foreign being. After a minute the cold feeling settled over the whole of his entire body.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” He felt amusement emanate from the spirit within his body.

“Easy for you to say.” Peter chuckled or at least Aoren felt as though he was chuckling. Speaking to another person using only his thoughts was a strange thing.

“We are going to do a series of exercises, do both of you feel ready?” Aoren lifted his gaze to the professor who was observing him quietly. She held in her hands the string of beads and was rolling them between her thumb and index finger. Aoren, the fledgling Spiritist, nodded.

“Ready.” He managed a smile.

“Peter says he’s ready too.” That won a smirk from the professor.

“Peter, I want you to assume control of Aoren’s right arm. Aoren, I do not want you to resist the control. Work to understand where it is stemming from.” He was a little startled when his right arm began to rise without him being consciously aware of the movement. Naturally, Aoren instinctively wanted to wrest control of his arm away from the ghost inside his body. His arm twitched.

“Calm. Stay calm, Aoren. I’m not going to throw any surprises at you. I’ve got a good deal waiting for me.” Again he felt mild amusement stemming from Peter. It brought a little comfort to Aoren despite himself.

“Breathe. Visualize the thread of Peter’s influence in your body. Do not try to sever the control, visualize a wall being formed between your arm and Peter. If you try to force him out you will only hurt yourself and him. Redirect him by channeling the flow of energy in your body to form a wall.”

Aoren closed his eyes trying to envision the stream of energy that the professor spoke of. It was difficult given that his whole body felt as if he were beneath the waters of a cold stream. He furrowed his brow focusing on making some sort of differentiation.

[Aoren]

“Don’t try to focus on all of me. Focus on the part of your body you want walled off. Think of it like a pillar of sunlight streaming through a window. Latch onto the warmth from that sunlight then let it spread to your whole arm.” It was surprisingly insightful advice from the spirit who was residing within his body. Nevertheless, Aoren believed it better advice than what he was attempting to achieve prior to it being given. He focused on his right arm. It felt numb. It felt as if it weren’t even part of his body. He began to fill his mind with thoughts of warmth and gentle sunlight. His nerves were still on edge if only because the memory of his past possession threatened to drag him into a state of panic. He pushed it back. He would get nowhere by losing focus and giving into his fears.

“Sunlight. Warmth.” A dim acknowledgement from Peter.

“Yes. Don’t focus on the cold. The Envoyers say if you focus on the cold then that’s all you’ll feel. That’s all you’ll be able to understand.” Aoren nodded. He took a few more steady breaths then envisioned his arm being bathed in Syna’s light. The warmth of a rising dawn after a cold evening or the comfort of a summer day spent on the beaches of Zeltiva. The cold resting at the tips of his fingers abated slightly. Aoren opened his eyes turning his gaze to his hand. The professor sat forward watching closely.

“You’ve found it? Concentrate. Gently, slowly. Do not rush it but work on spreading the feeling back to your arm. Peter, I want you to give a small amount of resistance to Aoren’s efforts. Just enough to push back.”

Aoren continued to envision the wall of light slowly spreading over the length of his arm. As instructed, he felt Peter push back at the warmth that had gathered at the tips of his fingers. Immediately the cold surged forward covering his fingers eliciting a shiver from Aoren.

“You can do it. Just focus.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve done this before.” More amusement stemmed from Peter but Aoren concentrated. He clung to the vision of the wall of light pushing back as the cold that numbed his body. Slowly he began to feel the warmth return to his fingers. As expected he felt Peter resist by pushing back. Aoren did not let this distract him. He held on to that vision urging the wall to continue passing over his arm. The result was slow. He eventually found that warmth returned to his hand. Little by little it began to flow down his arm until it stopped at his shoulder. Aoren’s brow was furrowed but he lowered his arm back to his lap. It felt as if it were the only warm thing in his body at that moment. He looked to the professor and gave her a strained smile. She returned it with a smile of her own and a nod.

“Peter? Please exit Aoren’s body.” The feeling of the ghost leaving his body was just as strange as when it entered. The rush of warmth back to his torso and limbs made Aoren shiver. He looked up to see Peter drift over to the edge of the blanket near the professor. He gave a firm nod followed by a wink.

[Aoren]

“Not bad, my friend.” The professor retrieved a cup from within the pack and poured a portion of the soulmist from her vial into it. She placed it in front of Peter.

“As agreed.” The spirit gave the professor a nod.

“Much appreciated, ma’am.” He picked up a bit of the soulmist and began eating it emitting a sigh. “That’s some good stuff. Thank you.”

Aoren rubbed his hands together. Despite the summer warmth he felt as if he had just awoken in the dead of winter. When he felt his hands were sufficiently warm he moved to his shoulders.

“Is it always this cold?” Professor Memry shook her head.

“There will come a time when the experience is not so strange for you.” He had a hard time believing that. The feeling of another being, another soul within his own body was not something he enjoyed. He couldn’t see himself ever wanting to keep a ghost in his body for longer than was necessary. It only took a few minutes before he was feeling mostly back to normal.

“I think I’m ready to try again.” Peter finished the last bit of soulmist that had been given to him. He nodded making his way back over to Aoren.

“Same as the first time, my friend. Try to relax.” The urge to grumble was strong but Aoren managed to subdue it. When Peter began slipping into his body for the second time, he still tensed up but immediately began working on relaxing. When Peter was once again completely housed within him he gave the professor a smile.

“Peter, please raise both arms this time.” The disconnected confusion that followed seeing his limbs move without his input nearly sent Aoren into a panic. His mind flashed back to the traumatic experience with possession that he’d suffered.

“Calm. Breathe. Stay calm, Aoren. I’m not going to hurt you.” Aoren nodded breathing steadily as he pushed back his fright. He concentrated on his breathing. That was something to focus on. Move beyond the cold. The professor’s voice came to him.

“As before, gently block Peter’s access to your arms. Peter, I want you to push against Aoren’s effort with a bit more force than last time.” He felt a dim acknowledgement within him. Aoren braced himself for the amount of effort he was going to have to put into blocking the spirit. He held onto the notion of warmth. He glanced skyward using the actual sunlight to help him envision the light that would pass through his body to wall off Peter’s ability to control that portion of himself. As soon as he began focusing on filling his arms with warmth he felt the push of Peter resisting it. The exertion took all of Aoren’s focus. He devoted every ounce of his attention to the effort to the point that his body began to shiver. His arms shook as he struggled to regain control of them. His breathing elevated. His heart beat faster in his chest.

[Aoren]

“I know it is tiring, Aoren. Focus. This is a trial that all Spiritists go through in one form or another.”

The Drykas felt the oddest of things then. His body felt out of place. It was as if a piece of him, a stream in the energy that he envisioned, were flowing in the wrong direction. Aoren followed this subtle feeling within himself. He concentrated on it though as he did the cold began to push back down his arms. Still, he followed the feeling and slowly began to work on directing that odd sensation back into place. It was difficult for him to describe but he thought on a river. He saw a stream of flowing water with something blocking it. In his mind, Aoren saw himself removing that which was blocking the river. Little by little he worked at it and when finally it was cleared he felt a surge of warmth flow over both of his arms. He blinked in surprise.

“That’s how you do it!”

He gasped, his arms dropping to his sides. Aoren rubbed his wrists. The professor nodded.

“Peter, if you please?” Again Aoren felt the ghost leave his body sparking another shiver. He nodded to Peter. The ghost pat him on the shoulder going over to the professor as he was given another portion of the soulmist.

“How are you feeling, Aoren?” The fledgling Spiritist shook his head.

“I don’t know if I can do that again.” Professor Memry nodded extending the beads that she held to him. Aoren took them. She picked up the second vial of soulmist that she had prepared also handing it to him.

“I want you to rub the soulmist onto the beads.” Aoren uncorked the vial scooping out a dollop of the soulmist then began rubbing it over the beads as instructed. As with the knife the soulmist immediately began vanishing as he rubbed it into each bead.

“Peter, would you mind instead of performing another possession demonstrating the effectiveness of a safe zone?” The ghost nodded.

“Been in one of those before. Frustrating place to be. I couldn’t move all that much but what’s the harm?” He shrugged his shoulders still nibbling on the soulmist that the professor had given him. When Aoren finished coating each bead he looked to the elder woman.

“Form a circle with the beads around Peter.” Standing up, Aoren began laying the beads in as complete a circle as he could around Peter. The ghost offered no resistance to the process but watched Aoren carefully. When it was finished Aoren took a step back.

“This is a safe zone, then?” Professor Memry titled her head to the side.

[Aoren]

“It is one of a variety that can be formed. A safe zone is an area created to either contain or block a spirit. They are made using either strands of weighted beads called Ghostbeads, spikes driven into the ground connected by strands woven together using a Spiritist’s hair, or perhaps a door imbued with the necessary properties. Really it is limited only to the tools at your disposal. You must fashion a safe zone using your Soulmist. The idea is to create an area that can either block or contain a ghost.” That was something Aoren wished he had had at his disposal on several occasions. The professor continued her small lesson.

“Safe zones are deterrents. They offer a great deal of protection in the way of keeping the spirit themselves in or out though other objects are not barred. Be warned though, a clever spirit can bypass most obstacles in their way if they are determined.” She nodded to Peter. The ghost stood up then drew back a fist. He threw a punch at the air directly over the beads, his hand coming to an abrupt halt as if he’d hit a wall. The demonstration over, Professor Memry reached over and broke the circle created by the beads winding them over her hand. She deposited the rest of her soulmist into the bowl for Peter to enjoy.

“Thank you very much for helping us today, Peter.”

“Yes, thank you. It was strange but I do appreciate the help.” Aoren nodded his thanks to the ghost who smiled at them both.

“Any time.” Professor Memry reached into the pack withdrawing half a loaf of bread. She broke it offering a portion to Aoren.

“I think that is enough for today, don’t you?” The Drykas nodded in agreement. He accepted the bread immediately tearing into it with his teeth. He chewed quietly not realizing how hungry he’d been.

“I still have a great many things to learn, don’t I?” The professor inclined her head as she nibbled on a piece of bread.

“There is always more to learn, Aoren.” Peter nodded in agreement. Aoren certainly had no room to disagree. It had been an eventful day one that he would learn from. Still, it was stranger yet that there he sat with an old woman and a ghost enjoying a makeshift picnic in the middle of a cemetery.

Magic lead one to weird places. Something told Aoren though, he was bound for weirder places down the road.