NOVEL FROG The Nether World
24
The Nether World
Now, the twenty-fifth realm had a portal that separated it from the other twenty-four realms of heaven. It was shaped like a balloon that was slowly expanding albeit not endlessly. It was destined to end. It was a dark and empty void that had depth. Yet light travelled through its vast expanse. It was largely a wild place. There was plenty of dark matter moving like clouds through this realm.
In its furthermost reaches where it was darkest, the King created a temporary world. This was for the mortals and other living creatures that would live their days out on the little blue stage moving swiftly along its destined pathway around the sun.
The heavenly beings witnessed what he had made. Jiàn Shēng and his followers went with the King to see this strange place.
It was a deep, well-shaped structure. Externally, it was made of a black, shiny mineral that camouflaged it in the dark matter swirling and carrying it through space. Its inner parts were well-structured and carefully planned out. The space within was immensely vast to serve its purpose.
As they descended into this dark well, it felt like they were entering a bottomless pit. Though it was round like a drum, it had two distinct portions separated by a central chasm. Both sides were divided into many floors.
‘This side is for the righteous people of every nation,’ the King said as he pointed to the right-side of the interiors. ‘And this side is for the evil and violent ones,’ he continued as he pointed to the left.
‘I have built it such that each floor shall belong to a kingdom and nation of the mortal realm. Further, on each floor, people will be gathered to their ancestors by tribes, clans, and families. Those on the right will enter a time of restful consciousness till they be awakened for the final judgment,’ the King continued, ‘Those on the left will know they are condemned and are awaiting the execution of their judgment. They will not have peace in this knowing. They shall likewise enter unrest with the wicked of their own nations, tribes, clans and families. Here, they will groan with regret and have no way of undoing what they did when alive,’ the King made it clear.
For this reason, the left portion of the pit came to be called ‘The Valley of Groaning.’
In later times, when people entered the left portion of the pit, it was to much jeering and mockery from those who dwelt on that side. The wicked were joyful in knowing that there was more company being added to their misery. When people entered the right side, even the spirits of the dead stood up to honor them regardless of their status, power or wealth in life. In the pit, their true worth became obvious.
There was another thing about the pit. It did not mean that those resting on the higher floors were somehow better than those below. The floors all had equal value and it was just an arrangement of order and distribution in this temporary holding space. Nothing could be done to move from one floor to another, let alone, cross the chasm and enter the other half of the well-like pit. It was also strange that though the place was in utter darkness, those who entered it could clearly see everything and everyone around them as if there was an unseen light that could not be overcome by the darkness around it.
As they travelled to the deepest end of the pit, they came to a place that sent shudders down the backs of Jiàn Shēng and all with him. It felt like a stronger, quieter, drier, darker, emptier place than anything they had seen earlier.
Someone picked the courage to ask, ‘And this place is?’
‘The bottomless pit,’ the King replied. ‘It is meant for those of you who may decide to commit some abomination in the mortal realm. Be warned. I will not hesitate to cast you in here. It will be your prison until the final day,’ the King clearly stated.
It was a great relief as they came out of this area and started moving upwards again. When they had almost reached the top, they noticed another floor that appeared covered behind a curtain of light that fell over its entrance like a shimmering waterfall.
‘This is paradise,’ the King informed them. ‘It is a special place of rest. The righteous dead who pledge allegiance to me as their King may enter here before the final judgment. Also, all the creatures of water, air and land shall enter here. They are innocent beings, and by virtue of their innocence they will be permitted.’
This place was extremely beautiful. It was just like the garden in which Zhì Rén and Yīn-er dwelt, without any of its dangers. It was also far larger and perfect in every way. Those who entered it were fully conscious unlike those on the other floors who drifted between rest and consciousness.
As they walked out of this fascinating place and exited the pit, the King placed a firm covering on the mouth of the well and locked it. When they returned to the heavenly realms, he informed all those gathered, ‘I have shown you the nether world which is called the grave and all that is in it. Jiàn Shēng, though you are the ruler of the mortal realm, the keys of the nether world will remain in my hands. You have no say in it nor any power over all who enter it, whether good or evil. All its matters are under my direct command for I am still King.’
Then the King elaborated on his plans for the mortals and the living creatures in their world.
‘Since the mortals are made of the dust of their world, like true living stones, their bodies shall return to dust. But they also carry two portions of breath in them. One belongs to me, and the other belongs to my beloved. When they perish, my breath shall be a gift to them and give them immortality. This will sustain them in the grave till the final day and beyond. The portion that belongs to my beloved, shall return to the one who owns it,’ the King said.
Then he continued, ‘Anything that is mortal cannot enter the immortal realms because their bodies are incapable of surviving in our world. They cannot even breathe the air that fills the heavenly realms. At the appointed time, all those deemed worthy of entering our realms will have to be submerged in the waters of Shēngmìng zhī hé so that they may gain an immortal body that can contain the immortal breath I have given them as a gift. When they walk out, they will have bodies of light just like us. They will remain male and female and recognize their loved ones but they will also have the power and gifts that we have. The light in each body will glow to the extent to which they lived righteously during their mortal life. The one more righteous will glow brighter like the stars in their skies.’
‘They may travel freely through all the twenty-four realms and do whatever we do. They shall bear responsibilities and spend their days doing the good that they love and are gifted in whether it be works of art, craftsmanship, caring for the creatures or the gardens, exploring the realms and making discoveries, there will be no limits. Only one law shall guide them as it guides us – the law of perfect love. Their dwelling will be in the southern realms with the Tiānshǐ,’ the King stated.
‘As for the creatures from their world, they will enter the remaining realms according to their kind. The water and air beings may enter the northern realms, the herds and flocks shall go to the east, and the packs shall go to the west. Each of them will also have new bodies and powers that are suitable for these realms. They may mingle freely with the living creatures and choose like them whether they want to be taken as soul beasts by the Tiānshǐ or by their once mortal stewards. It does not matter if they were wild, domesticated or belonged to the mortals as pets. Their manner and purpose of death also does not matter. They are innocent beings and did not ask to suffer, yet willingly bore suffering in the mortal realm. This will be their reward,’ the compassionate King said knowing fully well that the fate of all creatures mattered greatly even to his beloved.
The living creatures in the realms rejoiced and earnestly looked forward to meeting these strange new friends from another world.
All these were very careful plans elaborated on by the King and his beloved. They knew exactly what would happen in the mortal realm due to Jiàn Shēng’s rebellion and that it was unfair to those he would rule.
One’s mortal mind can scarcely grasp the way twenty-four dimensions work in the immortal realms. Since the entire universe is contained in what is like a regular balloon held in a single hand of an immortal, one can only imagine how vast their realms are.
The difference between a mortal and an immortal is like that between an ant and a mountain. The difference between an immortal, and the King and his beloved is like that between the mountain and the entire universe.
Also, the twenty-four realms are in a state of constant expansion and growth with new life forms being birthed by the energy pools of the King and his beloved.
All the life that ever existed in the mortal realm, past, present, and future, human or otherwise is merely a drop in the ocean and can hardly fill a fraction of such an expanse.
The creatures that would later be considered pests would be turned to beings of beauty like their counterparts in the heavens. The ones considered dangerous would learn the way of peace and fully forget all violence. What was there not to love about such a place? What would one be willing to lose, to gain such a life of immortality in a new realm that can never be destroyed?
Yet there were those foolish in the heavenly realms who were willing to trade what they had, their lives and their habitations for a venture that would not bring them any profit or fulfillment. Chief among them was Jiàn Shēng for he said to himself, ‘For her, I will trade all the realms and if they must burn for me to gain her, then let them burn!’