Eternally Yours

Lilies And Hurricanes (Part 2)

"The soul is a mirror that reflects your desires but rather than see what you want, you see what you don't want and a misconception of what is needed for completion sprouts up in your mind, leaving you to doubt your basic instincts and desires," The red said as well.

"I absolutely have no idea what any of what you've said means," Garin responded.

"There's no need to listen to words that your feeble mind cannot comprehend. Look into the bowls and make your choice but be warned, once a choice is made, it cannot be unmade," The red said.

"Once a path is chosen, it cannot be unchosen and the journey to determine which plane your existence will continue begins and cannot stop," The white said.

They backed away from the bowls and Garin went closer and stared into the white.

When he looked inside it, he saw the worst parts of the life he had lived while on Earth. He saw his pain and suffering, he saw his loss and grief, and he saw his disappointments and regrets. The more he looked, the less he wanted to see but he couldn't look away. He saw his life in Amania and it felt unfulfilling as it was the same boring routine over and over again. The white bowl stopped showing him those visions and he was now able to look away.

He walked over to the red bowl and when he looked inside it, he saw the best parts of the life he had lived while he was still a demon. He saw himself soaring through the clouds, freer than a bird. He felt the magic in his blood and the peace that came with that level of power and majesty. He saw himself with his brother, Sader, the only one who ever treated him like family and he remembered how much fun they had tormenting their other siblings. The red bowl stopped showing him those visions and he looked away.

"Make your choice, Garin," The red said to him.

"...and when you choose, dip your hands into the bowl and let the water wash you into your true existence," The white added.

Garin didn't feel conflicted at all because the answer was obvious to him. His choice was clear and his mind was already made up. He reached for the red bowl and was about to dip his hands into it but then, he hesitated.

"Make your choice," the red said again, "Why have you stopped?"

"Do you hear that?" Garin asked and strained his ears, trying to clarify what he was hearing.

The sound was faint and it was coming from the white bowl. He wasn't sure what he was hearing but for some reason, he felt drawn to the sound.

"Make your choice," The white urged him.

"I will, just give me a minute," Garin told the creature.

"Garin," The sound he was hearing was his name but he still couldn't make it out.

"Garin," It said again and it was more audible than before.

He moved over to the white bowl and then, "Garin" was said again and he could hear it properly now.

It was Hannah's voice and she was calling out to him in the physical world but it was powerful enough to break through the barriers and into the crossroads of existence.

"Hannah?" Garin called out back.

"There is no Hannah here. There is only Life or Death. Now, choose," The white said.

Garin heard Hannah's voice again but this time, he heard the sound from behind him and not from the white bowl. He looked back and felt something pulling his soul back from whence it came and then, he realized the reality of his situation.

"This is a trick," he whispered and then, he stared at the white and red, "This is a trick," he said louder.

"Whatever bowl I choose, I'll still die and nothing promised will be given. You're not life or death, you're just death in two different forms and no matter what I choose, there will be no happy ending. The only happy ending is going back towards the sound of her voice. She is my life, she's what I need, she's my greatest desire and I choose her. I choose only her, now and always. I choose her. She is my choice," Garin said.

The two bowls fell to the ground and broke into pieces. The white and red creatures blended into each other and became one dark creature; the Grim Reaper! Death himself.

"Well done, ex-demon. It would seem it's not your time yet but when your time comes, I will come again," Death said and blew him away.

Garin flew through the plane and tore through it, out into the physical world. His eyes shot open and he found himself back in the storm and Hannah's voice was still calling out his name.

He got up to his feet and followed the sound of her voice, calling out her name as well so she would find her way to him too.

"Hannah," he called out.

"Garin?" She asked when she heard his voice.

"I'm over here, My Love," he screamed and moved as fast as he could.

Hannah followed his voice and finally, she was able to see him and he saw her as well. They ran to each other and at that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just another obstacle toppled and when their skin touched, it brought not just warmth but also a feeling of certainty that they would survive and their love would last for all eternity.