He is doing something against all nature. He helps himself to vanity beyond the skies to the sight of after. There is no stopping him now.
All night She whispered to Ethan as he lay in the sanctuary staring at the always moving image of the aurora. The message was always the same and it bothered him worse than the nightmares he often had about his brother, Charles. The message was too vague for him to figure out and his thoughts from the already restless nights. And still Ethan had little time to speak with Gaia. The role of a public figurehead idolized as a leader encouraged him to actually lead and teach.
This night, however, Gaia sought him to warn. With the constant worry of vanity, Ethan wondered which aspect She alluded to: vanity as a leader, a man, or a powerful being.
"Alright," Ethan whispered allowed, stirring the curiosity of Sarah and her pupil. Gaia stopped pressing for his attention.
Sitting up, Ethan rubbed his shoulders gingerly as he twisted his head around to see who was noticing his departure. It was early in the morning; the moon's light filtered through the canopy and mingled its pure silvery light with that of the aurora above. He slowly stood and shuffled silently to the exit--
--to be greeted by hundreds of Blue Morpho Butterflies queerly flocking around the exit. They fluttered together in unison to the beat of the Earth's spirit. Gently, they moved away, leading Ethan away from all other humans. They floated south towards the tip of the island which raised to overlook the oceans. Dark clouds billowed majestically with flashes of lightning interspersed with an orange glow. The resulting rumble coincided with the mellow beating of wings that continued to flutter before Ethan.
Across the ocean waves, a strong wind carried mist up to the butterflies; and though they must dislike it, they remained in the mystical formation. Half mesmerized, Ethan waited to hear from Gaia while watching the flashing of blue against the dark sky. Its juxtaposed beauty turned into a delicate balance portraying the worry She felt.
Suddenly, her voice came through the air and shocked Ethan into a trance. He is doing something against all nature. He helps himself to vanity beyond the skies to the sight of after. There is no stopping him now. Ethan saw the Earth's flow of energy in a field of vision that directly mirrored his terrestrial sight, but the butterflies were a face of blue surrounded by reddened black hair rippling in a breeze.
"What is he doing?" Ethan asked, trying to form himself into a coherent vision of himself within Gaia's frame. He slowly appeared as a chrysalis readying itself to open, and within seconds it did, transforming into a magnificent and old Monarch butterfly.
Akakios draws upon Helios to change the laws of Me.
"His vanity..." and it clicked for Ethan. "Charles is concerned with his power, his influence, his leadership and is trying to reverse the natural aging process... That's your law." Ethan felt himself shaking his head on his physical body, but it didn't translate into the trance world. "That's crazy. Suicide."
He has an apprentice to guide his working. He is of the sun, and Helios is his patron, and the energies will assist him.
Ethan remained silent. Thoughts flew through his mind, desperately searching for a solution that Gaia couldn't see in Her feverish panic. "We have to stop him," he stated plainly.
There is no stopping him.
"I will stop him. I must stop him. He could ruin himself in the process."
Or unleash Helios upon Me and destroy everything we are attempting to restore.
Ethan knew there had to be a way to stop him. Even if one of his apprentices was assisting Charles, Ethan could certainly get past them without much difficulty. However, if Charles did get wind of such a struggle even with his own attention diverted, he would be a force to reckon with once connected to Helios. "Is his plan to attack us? Do you know?"
No. Merely seeking himself in vain does he plan this reckless adventure.
"What can I do then?"
There is no stopping him.
"Why do you need me to simply inform me of his actions?"
The mindscape shifted abruptly and the image of a blue butterfly face and burning, billowing black hair disappeared; replaced by the simple image of an Earth long ago destroyed. I give to you my final, most precious gift. Not even your father knew of its potential. No other being, save Us, know, and We discourage its giving highly unless the laws for which We govern are put to waste.
"What do you speak of?" Ethan waited, his Monarch butterfly avatar still slowly fluttering in the emptiness. The wind of Gaia's voice brushed his wings and caressed him. Though worry and doubt filled both of their senses, the peacefulness of their interaction calmed Ethan.
Akakios strives to break the linearity of time upon the flesh and mind and give himself an upper hand. We have decided to give you an equal foot, and give you immediacy in your thoughts and actions when working with all energies. You and I. We shall be together and one, and my Essence shall be yours as yours mine.
Ethan couldn't think. This idea felt tragic that events should come to something like this. New doubts permeated all his being: to be connected with a Goddess and have her powers at his free will and touch. What if something should happen to Ethan, would it then happen to Her? To the Earth? To life?
And talk of an Us? A We, and certainly not speaking of the small pockets of humanity that survived with few able to commune with any of the great spirits for which Ethan only knew of a handful. Many questions began to fill his mind and the image of the Monarch faded into the immense blackness slated for the mindscape.
Then, as the questions solidified and brought the facade of Ethan into the darkness, a singular Blue Morpho Butterfly appeared and descended toward him. When it landed on his body, a sharp breath brought in what felt like an immense surge of electrified water.
Opening his eyes, Ethan found himself standing at the southern most tip of the island, overlooking the oceans outstretched to the protective barrier holding back the blackness. The sky above him started turning a lighter shade of grey. Ethan stood there, breathing slowly and searching the horizon for a sign of Charles' blasphemous working.
Quiet footsteps approached. "Elder Adair? Is everything alright?" Alexis stopped and waited patiently, feeling the cool sea breeze through her hair. "None of us have been able to speak with Gaia since you left the sanctuary. We assumed you had Her sole attention..."
"I have..."
"Is everything alright?"
Ethan turned to look at his former apprentice. "Unfortunately, things are not alright. Charles has offended Her... and She has taken action... Strange action." He sighed, and heard the wind pick up off the coast. "I'll tell you what is happening as we walk back. Come."
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