99 YEARS AGO
My eyes flew open. I remember being tired. Completely exhausted. This place wasn’t my home. Home was the last place I remember being in. Instead, I was in a room with a ring shaped table. I was in the centre of the table, sitting on a small uncomfortable wooden stool. Majestic ornaments decorated the brightly lit room. There were ten different people sitting around the table. No, not people. They were incredible. Ethereal. Not human. One of them looked like an angel. Another looked like a beast created from different parts of many different animals. Some of them looked like the artworks of different gods and goddesses that I had seen in a museum, only more otherworldly. The golden light, the warmth, the ability to feel slowly returning to my body... I thought it was heaven.
“She is awake”, the voice of the angel boomed loudly. “As you all know, the council of one hundred has been reduced to only ten members due to the sensitivity of this case. We have included Aarav, creation of the goddess Selene and the god Helios. We hope he can make an unbiased decision. The human being in our presence is Kahira Ghali, descendent of Ketura and Aarav.” Murmur arose across the table. One of the members remained stone faced, and never uttered a word. All the other attendees glanced at him inbetween whispers, and hushed jeers. This was Aarav. He wore a black and gold armoured suit, and his thick beard made his frown appear even deeper. “Silence. This meeting is to decide the fate of the last descendent of Ketura and Aarav. We are here for a fair and just hearing.” None of this was making sense to me. It felt as if I was in a dream. Though, even my mind had limitations. This was too real.
Everyone at the table seemed to be either uncomfortable or upset. Even the angel that was doing all the speaking seemed a bit unhappy. “As a council, we must determine whether this human should reincarnate, or if her life cycle must be permanently terminated. Her bloodline has been sent to The Valley to be punished without end. A fate worse than hell. However, as the last of her lineage, we must decide wether to end her existence along with them all. Or if we should give them a chance to live freely.” Aarav’s stone face and hard demeanour faltered for a second, and I could see a look of sorrow flash over his face. Wait. Permanently ended? They were deciding whether or not to end my existence. Not just mine. My whole bloodline. My family! The Valley? Is that where they are now...
After what had happened, I just didn’t want to be human anymore. I didn’t want to partake in that cruel nature. A part of me still wanted to exist, but I didn’t want to be human. I wanted to be with these beings, as ridiculous as it sounds. The feeling of peace and power that surrounded them was so beautiful, so entoxicating. It felt like going to sleep in a luxurious room, with a comfortable bed, and knowing nothing could hurt you. And if anything tried, you had the ability to eradicate it. I wanted to give that feeling to my family too. They don't deserve whatever punishment they are being given. They deserve to have a better life! Everything I did in my life had been for them. And if it was all for them to cease existing, it would be for nothing.
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“Excuse me,” my voice seemed too light and airy after hearing all the booming from the angel, but I was too weak to make it any louder. All the beings stared at me, as if they only just remembered that I was sitting there, right in the middle of them. “If my fate is being discussed, I believe it’s only fair that I add my piece. I have no idea about what my ancestors have done. But my family and I don't deserve to pay for their sins. Especially if it is the sins of only one! I want to exist. I just… I don’t think I can be human anymore. You have no idea how awful it is. It's probably something you view as pathetic. Hell, even I view it as pathetic... Look, I don’t know why you are all so enraged, but please, have mercy on me and my family. Please, give us a chance.”
They all shuffled uncomfortably in their seats. “She speaks the truth,” Aarav spoke up. “Why should she pay for the sins of people that lived hundreds of years before her? We've punished everyone from this bloodline. People that didn not deserve such harshness. And now you’ve ended the reincarnation cycles of all her descents, taken away all of their chances to find love and happiness, any chance for them to be normal humans. You have given so much hurt to her, and her lineage. The least you can do is fulfil the wishes of her- our last decedent. Has she not gone through enough? This human was just murdered mercilessly, and all of you are judging her based on the actions of Ketura? Ketura is no longer here! Let us let go of the past!” As Aarav sat down, the whispers around the table grew louder. “Aarav, you promised to not be biased.” A very beautiful goddess, dressed in all shades of blue, entered the conversation. “I agree with you, but do not let your emotions take control. The human says that she wishes to exist, but not be human. Is this possible?”
“It is possible. She can be reincarnated as an animal or insect, or as a spiritual being… however she does not fit the criteria for any of those options. We cannot send her to The Valley either. As the last of her bloodline, she holds the key of their fate.” the angel’s voice boomed. “I have an idea,” said Aarav. “Make her pay for Ketura’s sins.” Everyone at the table gasped, including myself. I thought he was on my side! “What do you mean, Aarav?” piped a very elderly looking deity.
“Ketura killed many humans. And many of your servants as well. Her heart became cold, and it became a hazard to keep her alive. It was not her fault. It was the fault of the gods and Higher Beings. It was my fault. But she still sinned. In our last meeting, we spoke about the outrageous rise of chaos and evil in the human realm. We can send Kahira to Earth, her mission will be to aid in the reduction of their depravity.” Aarav looked pleased at his own idea. Half of the members were deep in though about it, the other half seemed to be horrified.
“That is a terrible idea! Who can say what this human will do if we give her such a responsibility? She might become just like Ketura! Aarav, you are the one that gave Ketura power and control! Do you wish to repeat history?” roared the elderly deity. “I don’t agree,” said the beautiful blue goddess. “The situation with Ketura did not happen because of her power, it happened because of circumstances and the pressure she was under. If we put Aarav’s idea into action, it could be a win-win situation. The human will be happy, and we will be happy. Our hands will be clean. No direct involvement with the human realm. Putting the world back in balance without overstepping our boundaries has always been an issue, but now we have a bridge. If the human shows signs of being a problem, we cut her off. Simple.”
