Shadow of Intake Day
Originally Published by Jason Cochrane on May 25, 2016 at 08:13 AM
Shadow breathed deeply. She sat calmly in lotus. The Zen garden surrounded her. It’s delicately raked sand was dotted with manicured miniature trees.
Clear the mind.
Release your grip.
Become nothing.
Be nothing.
Hold nothing.
Become an empty vessel.
Be no one.
Shadow continued to breathe deeply. In her mind’s eye Shadow could see a cloud of swirling lights biting at her. Their constant nibbling away at her sense of self, her very soul.
Breathe.
Release.
As Shadow become nothing the spectral gnats slowly dissipated. The echoes of others, traces of personality if you will, calmed and shed.
Breathe. What was once Shadow sat in meditative peace with the universe. The sound of a gong reverberated. Awareness returned to the vessel that was once Shadow. Shadow was gone. Simone was once more simply herself.
A paper door was gracefully opened. A delicate woman in a jade green kimono glided to Simone and presented her with a cup of steaming green tea. Simone nodded in thanks and inhaled the pungent smells.
“I am pleased you have returned to us Ms Simone” the jade clad woman purred. “The Mistress feared you had become ensnared in the claws of Sheut and Lord Anubis had cast you to Ammit.”
“Thank you for your concern Ruri.” Simone sipped the tea and felt it’s refreshing heat spread through her weary body. “Sheut did not take me. Although I concede that remaining Shadow that long was perhaps unwise.”
The juxtaposition of ancient Egypt and ancient Kalapa might seem jarring to some but Simone found it to be an oddly comforting fusion. Both cultures were steeped in ancient mysticism and wisdom. Egypt’s spiritualism was legend. Kalapa’s restraint and focus were of similar stature. If Simone was to avoid the fate of her predecessors she needed focus. She needed restraint.
To take the power of Sheut, or the Egyptian Shadow Soul, grants immense power but at the risk of one’s own self. As Shadow, Simone could imitate anyone. As Shadow she could telepathically copy personality, mannerism and surface memories. As Shadow she could change shape to match physical form and, to a limited extent, utilise power replication. In short, the power of Sheut allowed a person to subvert their own soul and replace it with a facsimile of another.
The difficulties associated with such power were many but one danger loomed larger than any other. The longer a person uses Sheut the more their own self fragments. Little pieces of other personality, memory, habits, even physical features snuck into the host. It was deceptively easy to quickly lose who you were and become simply a composite of what you encountered or copied.
Simone wouldn’t be the first to succumb to the dangers of Sheut. It is said that Anubis sit in judgement of a Sheut. If the jackal god finds the Sheut wanting he is said to cast that soul into oblivion or Ammit. In Simone’s mind the destruction of self fit the bill of Ammit and it was something to avoid. Since “inheriting” the power of Sheut from an errant soul fragment of her unknown predecessor she had received cryptic guidance from “Anubis”. Despite these instructions Anubis neglected to provide any way to starve off the Sheut.
Fortunately for Simone, an avid “collector of antiquities”, she had crossed paths with the incorrigible part time sorcerer Thomas Rhymer. After some negotiation Thomas provided Simone with instructions to seek the Mistress of the legendary Kalapa. The journey to Kalapa and quest for acceptance were long and arduous but Simone had succeeded.
Breathing deeply she once more gave mental thanks to the Mistress and her techniques. Simone had purged the lingering soul destroying traces of Sheut and could once more carry on her life.
Simone rose, bowed deeply and returned to her room. The Spartan room contained a few choice anachronisms. One was Simone’s digital tablet which lay on it’s solar charger. She gracefully removed the device and opened the calendar. AEGIS Intake Day was fast approaching. She would have to commence her journey today if she was to make it. Director Thorne would be most displeased if Simone was tardy.
Originally Published by Jason Cochrane on May 25, 2016 at 08:13 AM
Shadow breathed deeply. She sat calmly in lotus. The Zen garden surrounded her. It’s delicately raked sand was dotted with manicured miniature trees.
Clear the mind.
Release your grip.
Become nothing.
Be nothing.
Hold nothing.
Become an empty vessel.
Be no one.
Shadow continued to breathe deeply. In her mind’s eye Shadow could see a cloud of swirling lights biting at her. Their constant nibbling away at her sense of self, her very soul.
Breathe.
Release.
As Shadow become nothing the spectral gnats slowly dissipated. The echoes of others, traces of personality if you will, calmed and shed.
Breathe. What was once Shadow sat in meditative peace with the universe. The sound of a gong reverberated. Awareness returned to the vessel that was once Shadow. Shadow was gone. Simone was once more simply herself.
A paper door was gracefully opened. A delicate woman in a jade green kimono glided to Simone and presented her with a cup of steaming green tea. Simone nodded in thanks and inhaled the pungent smells.
“I am pleased you have returned to us Ms Simone” the jade clad woman purred. “The Mistress feared you had become ensnared in the claws of Sheut and Lord Anubis had cast you to Ammit.”
“Thank you for your concern Ruri.” Simone sipped the tea and felt it’s refreshing heat spread through her weary body. “Sheut did not take me. Although I concede that remaining Shadow that long was perhaps unwise.”
The juxtaposition of ancient Egypt and ancient Kalapa might seem jarring to some but Simone found it to be an oddly comforting fusion. Both cultures were steeped in ancient mysticism and wisdom. Egypt’s spiritualism was legend. Kalapa’s restraint and focus were of similar stature. If Simone was to avoid the fate of her predecessors she needed focus. She needed restraint.
To take the power of Sheut, or the Egyptian Shadow Soul, grants immense power but at the risk of one’s own self. As Shadow, Simone could imitate anyone. As Shadow she could telepathically copy personality, mannerism and surface memories. As Shadow she could change shape to match physical form and, to a limited extent, utilise power replication. In short, the power of Sheut allowed a person to subvert their own soul and replace it with a facsimile of another.
The difficulties associated with such power were many but one danger loomed larger than any other. The longer a person uses Sheut the more their own self fragments. Little pieces of other personality, memory, habits, even physical features snuck into the host. It was deceptively easy to quickly lose who you were and become simply a composite of what you encountered or copied.
Simone wouldn’t be the first to succumb to the dangers of Sheut. It is said that Anubis sit in judgement of a Sheut. If the jackal god finds the Sheut wanting he is said to cast that soul into oblivion or Ammit. In Simone’s mind the destruction of self fit the bill of Ammit and it was something to avoid. Since “inheriting” the power of Sheut from an errant soul fragment of her unknown predecessor she had received cryptic guidance from “Anubis”. Despite these instructions Anubis neglected to provide any way to starve off the Sheut.
Fortunately for Simone, an avid “collector of antiquities”, she had crossed paths with the incorrigible part time sorcerer Thomas Rhymer. After some negotiation Thomas provided Simone with instructions to seek the Mistress of the legendary Kalapa. The journey to Kalapa and quest for acceptance were long and arduous but Simone had succeeded.
Breathing deeply she once more gave mental thanks to the Mistress and her techniques. Simone had purged the lingering soul destroying traces of Sheut and could once more carry on her life.
Simone rose, bowed deeply and returned to her room. The Spartan room contained a few choice anachronisms. One was Simone’s digital tablet which lay on it’s solar charger. She gracefully removed the device and opened the calendar. AEGIS Intake Day was fast approaching. She would have to commence her journey today if she was to make it. Director Thorne would be most displeased if Simone was tardy.
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