Chapter Twenty-Five Figuring It All Out

                             Chapter Twenty-Five
                                       Figuring it all out

          0 (After the Explosion)

         As the Supreme High One recovered, he remembered the people disappearing. He lost contact with all of them. After they vanished, all the other Hydranousians collapsed. Except for him. He remained. He scanned the survivors to check if they still lived. He was relieved to see they did. However, he noticed a change occurring in their minds and memories. Every single Hydranousian was having their memories changed. They were experiencing a trauma unknown to the Supreme High One.

         As he helplessly watched, he saw the erasure of the Hydranousians who disappeared. He did not understand what force caused this. He knew it was powerful, more powerful than all of the Hydranousians.

         But, why was he still there and untouched by the erasure? Was it because he was channeling all that power and it kept him immune? He did not know and did not like that feeling. As Supreme High One, he is to know all. Could a force outside of this planet cause this? But who or what could be this powerful? Had this happened before? How many Hydranousians have perished not to be remembered? When this occurred, he did not feel the touch of a sentient being. Could it have been caused by nature or something else?

         He began to walk the vast field of victims. He passed many Hydranousians he recognized. He saw others who he recognized by their mental signature. He noticed half of the Elders were gone.

         How do you explain this to the remaining Hydranousians? They would think he is going into madness. How could he go on knowing half of his people were gone? He needed to go somewhere where there were no Hydranousians. He needed time to think, to process what has occurred, and if it happens again, will he remember or be wiped of his memory?

         After checking all the thoughts of the remaining Hydranousians, he knew they would be waking up with no memory of what happened. He decided to step down as the Supreme High One. No one has ever done that. He needed to disappear.

         He could not. His coloring would alert people of his status. He needed to change color. He wondered if he could. With the Hydranousians waking soon, he had to act now or never.

         With all the concentration he could muster, he visualized his grey color turning the Color of the Hole of a MeeBee

, a very common color. He used all the energy available to him and focused like he never had before. Time seemed to slow, and the exertion was incredibly painful. When he could no longer channel because the pain was interfering with his concentration, he reluctantly stopped. He was afraid to look. He did not feel anything happening, so he believed it did not work.

         After finally preparing to look, the other Hydranousians woke. He did not know what to do, so he just stood there. He quickly masked his thoughts from everyone. He was still allowing thoughts to come to him but guarded the thoughts about the disappearances and his attempt to change color.

         A known friend came over to him and queried if he was ill. The Supreme High One answered he was not. The individual asked what he was doing in a field and how did all these people come together and fell asleep. He answered he was wondering the same thing, maybe it was a walking sleep, an uncommon event that happens when many minds are linked.

         I do not know. That sounds plausible. He felt a probe being done. He increased the blocking technique. Is there something you are looking for? he asked.

         I did not realize I was so obvious. I apologize. I was wondering who you were as we have never met, answered his friend.

         The Supreme High One glanced at his arm. It was not gray, but a dark Color of the Hole of a MeeBee. It had worked!

         Tell me, what was your last thought? he inquired.

         Going to a meeting held by the Supreme High One with my friends. I do not remember what happened, but an explosion occurred, I do remember. I came to look for him, we are friends.

         He remembers me, but not the disappearances of the others. Selective memory loss. This was indeed a powerful force. Before anyone else would question him, he needed to leave. He needed to blend into his society.

         Ho, Old One, did you suffer the fall like everyone else? Getting closer, he said, I apologize, I thought you were an Old One.

         Picking up quickly, I am an Old One. May I ask your name?

          I am called Zantis. Well met. We are looking for the Supreme High One. Have you seen him?

         Not since the explosion.

          That is what we are wondering. We can not feel his presence. It is hoped he is not One with the Planet. We will continue our search.

         The Supreme High One left. He did not rush, as to not garner attention. He did not know where he was going, only his new life just started as an Old One.

         As he walked, he heard an announcement from the Elders, The search for the Supreme High One is canceled. We find no trace of his remains. It is established that he was drawn into the window before its destruction. Keep this information within you. Do not announce until advised.

         With this information, he decided to go into isolation to ponder the attack. As he made his way, he lightly touched the minds of the Out of Phase ones. He noticed confusion among them. He listened to their thoughts.

         What has happened?

         Where is the Supreme High One?

         He vanished.

         Is he One with the planet?

         Where is the Supreme High One?

         Their concern touched the Supreme High One. He wished he could calm their concerns, but that would require him to expose himself to the Collective.

         A pond of liquid eterinite. Many Blessings, he thought. He could refresh his essence and replenish his reserves. As he sat in the pond, he thought of a solution to his diminishing reserves while not in a pool of liquid eterinite or at a retreat. He would attempt to lightly immerse his mind into all the minds of the Collective. He knew of an ancient method to do this. It would require him to open his Emptiness and allow the Collective in.

         The Emptiness is within all Hydranousians, yet they do not know of it. It is believed to be the place where Afflicted Ones go when they become One with the Planet. The Supreme High One knew of it because he was with an afflicted one when they become One with the Planet. It is a Place of Quiet.

         The Supreme High One thought he knew how to tap the Place of Quiet to mask his connection. Because there is nothing in the Place of Quiet. His thoughts would not be heard for the connection would be one way. He would be able to siphon small amounts of essence and strength from the Collective. If anyone were strong enough to feel and investigate the siphon, they would encounter the Place of Quiet and find nothing.

         Slowly he opened his essence to the Place of Quiet. It was vast, so vast he did not see an end. He could begin to see very small dots. They were of wondrous colors and brightness. The color around the dots was the color of One with the Planet. It was everywhere. He opened his essence a little more. Soon the colored dots became larger and more dots appeared. There was no end to the colored dots. Everywhere he looked there were dots, some larger and some smaller.

         As he looked around, he saw an empty place the color of One with the Planet, but denser. The more he looked, the more certain that was a place of no color. It also made him feel despondent. This requires further investigation, but not today. Today he needed to be focused on creating a connection with the Collective.

         He reached out his essence to the void and opened a doorway between him and the Collective. It was small, so small travel was possible in only one direction - to him. Within the void, he was undetectable. Once he had the link firmly placed, he sat back in the pond. He soon would see if it worked.

         A sudden overwhelming surge hit him. If he was not sitting down, he would have staggered. The raw power was incredible, more than he could have imagined. He gathered himself and began searching for anyone looking into the power pull. He found no one.

         When he pulled his attention away from his essence and back to his body, he noticed someone sitting across from him. Did they suspect anything? Did they tap into his thoughts?

         Well met, Old One, the stranger said.

         Well met to you as well.

         I had not seen you enter, I was deep in thought, he stated. I do not seem to recognize you, but your essence is familiar to me.

         The stranger offered, We may have been together offering the Supreme High One our essence. That is until he became One with the Planet. he somberly stated.

         I was not aware he was, began The Supreme High One, but I was unaware the search ended. I did not hear of the cancellation of the search, he lied.

         It was only given to the Elders. We will pass it along to all in a cycle.

         That is a long while, will not the information leak out if someone probes for it? he asked.

         We have put our defenses to prevent this. We will need to wait until a new Supreme High One is created. With the termination of the previous Supreme High One, a new one is surely coming, he stated. I must leave you now. It is time for my Out of Phase to begin. I apologize for disturbing your concentration. May the Blessing be with you.

         And you as well, the Supreme High One offered.

         After he was left in the pond alone, he secretly celebrated his plan. It had worked better than he hoped and was now receiving the full benefits of the Collective. In a short while, he left the pond and began his journey again.

         He wandered for many cycles. Exploring his realm like he could not have done before. Instead of seeing it behind the eyes of another, his feet were bringing it to him directly.

         He met hundreds of survivors from the fateful day. He wondered whom they had forgotten. His sadness turned into resolve as he began to try a piece together what had happened that day.

         As he walked, he once again wished to explore the place of the color of One with the Planet. It would be best if he would find a retreat or other shelter, preferably one with liquid eterinite away from the suns. Until then, he could wander without losing essence due to his connection with the Collective.

         After a cycle more, he found what he was looking for: a cave in the side of a mountain behind a liquid eterinite dropping. It was secluded, comfortable, and now, his.

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