Previous Chapter...
"It's called The Amidst."
"The Amidst." I repeated more to myself. "What is The Amidst?"
"It's the cross between a physical and spiritual location where the afterlife and all other realms meet."
Suddenly my forgotten dream came back in vivid detail.
My dad!
It was really him!
"Do you remember earlier when my mother spoke of The Promphaopun Clan, having a second ability? Evasion?"
I couldn't speak, I merely nodded.
"Well, every single clan has a primary ability and secondary ability. My clan can heal rapidly making us practically indestructible. The Fire Clan (Earth) enhanced stamina, The Empath Clan (Fluke), precognition..."
"What's mine?" I knew the answer, but I had to hear it.
Boun seemed a bit hesitant, before replying.
"Your secondary ability may sound frightening Prem, but it's believed the reason that this is possible has a lot to do with being able to move between certain points in time. You see, your clan was able to move beyond time, where time no longer exists."
My heart began to pound, and I felt my face flush.
"Time travelers possess the ability to visit The Amidst. It's an extension of their secondary ability, they have the sixth sense, the supernatural ability to perceive that which is hidden to the normal five senses. But don't be frightened, it's not easy to do, some Time Travelers live their entire existence and never visit The Amidst...you have to be extremely gifted!"
I had seen my dad! It was really him! I wanted to see him again!
"Prem, are you okay?" My body started to sway, Boun grabbed hold of me so I wouldn't fall over.
A sudden buzz of merging whispers rippled through my ears. My eyes started to grow heavy.
"Prem!" Even though I was in Boun's arms his yells felt so far away.
My eyes closed and when I woke up, I was back on the beach sitting next to my dad.
"It's time you knew the whole story of what happened and why we were casted out of the celestial realm."
Prem's Point of View
"Shall we?" Dad helped me to my feet.
We walked in a comfortable silence for a while just as a luxurious home built on a long, low-lying pier extending from the water came to view.
When dad invited me in, I was taken aback by how nice the place was. The living room though it had a very elegant look to it, it also had a laid-back feel. Mirrored coffee tables, and nice décor accents all over. Growing up due to my dad's failing health, it was difficult for him to maintain a job, so we struggled financially. Although we had it rough, we had each other and just enough to survive.
His home even had a flatscreen!
"There's television shows here in The Amidst?" I murmured perplexed.
"Oh," My dad chuckled, seeing my confusion, "It's not your average television." Without so much as a command it flickered on, and instantly images from his life and mine together began to play, along with the moments after he passed away of just mine. "Some of your memories were so difficult for me. During your darkest moments, I felt so helpless at times. I would've given anything to be there for you. I'm sorry I couldn't."
I shook my head and smiled as happy tears streamed down my face.
"Don't apologize, its not your fault that you died."
A look of guilt flashed across his face.
"Technically it is." He exhaled deeply, as he poured us some tea. "Had I believed in the stories my ancestors past down and I called out to the healers, you would have never suffered and almost died. I just couldn't fathom something like that being true."
Who would?
"Honestly speaking I didn't believe it either, I was more desperate than anything. It was a last-ditch effort. My survival skills kicked in and..." I trailed off shrugging my shoulders.
"Whatever it was, I'm happy you did." He smiled warmly at me.
We sat down on the patio, a perfect view of the waves rolling in on the beach, as they faded among the wet sand of the shoreline.
"Dad, how did you end up here in The Amidst? Why aren't you in heaven...the afterlife?"
"Mortals and celestials alike who lead decent lives or died too early or unfairly are given the option to decide on being reincarnated into better lives or be granted the status of Divine Spirits, Spirit Guides and so on. Some of us remain here in The Amidst to help their living loved ones. Others remain by their sides as Spirit Guides. I couldn't give you the life you deserved Prem, but I can help you now."
"Dad, please don't feel bad, you tried your best you were so sick back then."
The last few years of my dad's life, he was practically bedridden.
I stared at the man who had been ill his entire life, struggling with his health and still working the minimal jobs other people didn't want just so he could keep a roof over our heads.
I saw him now, looking the picture of perfect health. I was truly happy for him.
After a long silence, I finally asked my dad to answer the one question others wouldn't.
"Tell me dad, what happened all those centuries ago?"
Dad exhaled deeply before speaking.
"Boom of the Chawalitrujiwong Clan was one of the most gifted time manipulators that ever existed and only came in second place to his mother Sect Leader Nune."
Boom
Nune
My father leaned forward clasping his hands together.
"Though time travelers abilities are vast, and they can make the impossible happen, there are rules that can never be broken. One may not use their abilities for their own needs. It must be done for the greater good of mankind."
I nodded in understanding and gestured for my dad to continue.
"During one of Boom's assignments to the mortal realm he took special interest in a human male named Peak. He was only thirteen at the time when they first met, Boom was a grown man in celestial standards. But when he knew the moment he saw Peak, he was his twin flame."
Peak
A/N: I love Boom and Peak, so I'm using their ship.
For some unknown reason I felt a strange pang in my chest, though my dad hadn't finished telling me the story, I knew deep down that Boom and Peak's love story had a tragic ending.
"Though being with a mortal isn't forbidden, it's still taboo and always leads to tragic endings. Celestials don't age like mortals. Can you imagine Prem, how devastating it must feel to watch your one true love age and deteriorate before your very eyes?"
That same pain in my chest palpitated once more.
"Though celestials and humans look alike, their innerworkings are vastly different, reproducing with humans slowly poisons our bodies..."
"Is that what happened to us?" I interrupted, "We became ill from reproducing with humans even after being casted out?"
My father nodded grimly.
I sat back in my chair and heaved a deep breath.
"Boom was in an arranged engagement the Prince of the Hargate Clan, back then The Hargate was in control, he was a cruel leader, a tyrant and no one went against him, if you did, he would burn you to mere ashes."
A cold chill ran down my spine at the very thought.
"When Boom's father initially refused the arranged union, that was the punishment that he was given. For the safety of his mother and clan, Boom then agreed to go into union with the prince. Still, he couldn't let go of Peak. He would secretly enter the mortal realm and visit him as often as he could. They were best friends in the beginning since Peak was so young, but once Peak was old enough, the twin flame bond grew stronger, and their friendship blossomed into romance."
My heart swelled with love and adoration as I thought of Boom and Peak's twin flame bond.
"Son, you must know that time controllers/travelers are forbidden from changing one person's future, because the universe reacts adversely to it. Many of the wars, plagues, and natural disasters occurred because a time controller reversed the demise of their one true love."
I felt a strange trepidation in my heart.
"Is that what Boom did?" I asked nervously.
My father nodded once more.
"Peak died in a tragic accident. Boom was so devastated that he reversed time and saved Peak's life, but it caused a terrible tsunami. Thousands of mortals perished."
I could feel the inner turmoil mentally debating going against everything you've been taught, to save the one, you loved most.
"King Hargate was livid, he demanded Boom turn himself in to face trial and punishment for not only causing the death of thousands, but for also breaking his son's heart."
I knew the rest from there.
"But. The Chawalitrujiwong Clan refused to turn Boom in, so the entire clan was casted out of the celestial realm." I finished.
"No, that's not what happened." My father said vehemently.
Wait...what?
"But I was told,"
"Come inside, son. I want to show you something."
The flatscreen flickered on once more, and I was flabbergasted.
There kneeling before King Hargate was Sect Leader Chawalitrujiwong and her son Boom in restraints.
"King Hargate, you've stripped my son and I of our celestial power, we will accept punishment by entering the mortal realm without argument."
I could hear the fear in Sect Leader Chawalitrujiwong's voice, and it made my chest ache.
"We humbly beg you, please spare the rest of our clan."
King Hargate merely laughed.
"What kind of punishment is it, to cast your precious son into the mortal realm so that he can live the rest of his miserable life with that mundane of his. You chose that weakling over my son and your arranged union!"
Boom took several ragged breaths before speaking.
"King Hargate, I will honor the union now, I will never enter the mortal realm again, that is the ultimate punishment for me, to never see my beloved again."
Tears streamed down Boom's eyes. He sounded broken and dejected his head hung low.
My heart was shattering watching this scene unfold.
"Perhaps the best punishment is to cast you into the mortal realm, since your precious won't be there."
Boom's lips trembled.
"What did you do?"
"You caused quite the debacle in the mortal realm when I killed him the first time in the 'hunting accident'." King Hargate sneered.
I felt a pit of anger stir within my stomach.
Th rage in Boom's face was undeniable.
"You killed him!"
Boom tried to break free of his restraints, and damn it I wished he could.
"Yes, I did." He replied with a wicked smile, and lean forward, "Twice. He's dead and buried now and without your abilities you cannot bring him back this time."
"You broke the ultimate rule, it was you who harmed the mortal first!" Sect Leader Chawalitrujiwong exclaimed, "It was you who committed treason! My son merely reacted because of your actions! I will tell the eight clans!"
King Hargate cackled manically.
"No, you won't."
Within a blink of an eye, both Boom and Sect Leader Chawalitrujiwong were in flames.
King Hargate looked over at his shocked guards.
"Activate the militia, gather every time controller, strip them of their celestial powers and cast them into the mortal realm. Spread the word that Sect Leader Chawalitrujiwong refused to turn in her son, and he went rogue."
I watched in horror as my clan's powers were stripped, some were burned to ash, and the others were casted into the mortal realm.
Soon the screen went black.
I had no idea I sat there in stunned silence before my father spoke again.
"It was all a lie." My father exhaled.
"My clan, my entire bloodline died off because of a lie."
I felt helpless, heartbroken, and so angry.
"The Guntachai Clan convinced three of the seven remaining sects that King Hargate was far too cruel of a ruler. The war lasted for hundreds of years, but eventually the Hargate were defeated, and since The Guntachai played such a crucial role in defeating them, they became the new royal monarch of the celestial realm. But the sects are divided now. Some siding with The Hargate Clan and other sects siding with The Guntachai Clan."
I slowly rose as my anger radiated deep within.
"But if the ones that sided with The Hargate knew the truth, they wouldn't! In a way, you were murdered, dad!"
My father stood up also.
"And history has a strange way of repeating itself." He said eerily.
"What do you mean?"
"I can't tell you outright, but The Hargate is going to try and convince the sects that you are incapable of ruling over the celestial realm."
I looked at my father worriedly.
"How do you know this?"
"Because I told him."
There standing in the doorway was none other than Nune the very last sect leader of our clan.
She was even more regal and beautiful in the flesh.
She extended her hand to my father, and he led her inside towards me. The way my father and Nune looked at one another, it was clear that they had some sort of familiarity with one another.
Could it be? Did my father finally find love? I would have to ask him about this later.
When Nune focused in on me, she smiled warmly, but I could see a deep sadness in her eyes. Though we only just met, I felt the unrelenting need to comfort this celestial woman, who had been unfairly murdered long ago.
"Are you...a Divine Spirit too?"
"Not quite...." She was staring at me in a way I couldn't really interpret, and I felt these strange kindred emotions for her.
Hug her!
Those two words kept repeating over and over in my head until I couldn't hold back anymore.
I rushed into her arms and relished in her maternal warmth. The one thing I never had in this lifetime.
"Nune, was gifted with the ability to move within all realms. She's a Spirit Guide...your Spirit Guide." My father explained.
"Mine!?" I yelped gesturing to myself. Was this why I felt like I knew her?
"I've been with you for many lifetimes Prem." Her voice was thick with emotion as she held my face in her hands and wiped my tears. "I failed you more than once, and for that I am truly sorry. Please let me help you now."
"How?" I whispered defenselessly.
"Sect Leader Hargate is the granddaughter of King Hargate; she wants to start an uprising, by convincing all sects that you are not fit to rule by Boun's side."
"What if I'm not?" I didn't even know how to use my ability.
"You are." My father and Nune both said simultaneously.
"If you allow me the honor, I will train you to become the most powerful time traveler/controller that ever existed."
It didn't take long for me to make my decision.
Alright my lovelies, I'm sorry I didn't get to add any Boun/Prem fluff/smut, but I will in the next chapter. I had the set the plot a bit more.
Thanks again for reading.
Tender Loving Care readers: Update coming soon. You'll need tissues...again.