Damned Souls

Time is simply a function or tool invented to measure the length of the interval between events. As a result, we can only physically exist in this present existence. But what if I told you that the past, present, and future exist simultaneously in another realm. Once The Energy leaves a dead body, it only takes a matter of time until it enters a new one. This Energy that mortal beings came to know as a soul constantly transfers back and forth, taking on many forms. A consciousness capable of assuming various identities, travelling through time on a predetermined path. Imagine having to relive the same loss and pain repeatedly, constantly being haunted by the memories of all your previous lives, unable to escape from a cycle of suffering. And no matter how hard we try to prevent past occurrences from reoccurring, it's impossible to outrun our written destiny. Most stories begin when we are born, but mine began after my death. I'm fated to perish at the hands of the man I came to love. My soul was bound to his through space and time; be born, fall in love, and die tragically. It was our punishment for disobeying the rules and betraying our own. But, for this story to make any sense, we must start at the beginning—the start of my existence.

Like all living things, our universe has not existed forever; it was born through a giant explosion that humans have referred to as the Big Bang. Over time, space continued to expand at an incredible rate, creating many other stars, planets and galaxies. But how did this explosion occur in the first place? Unfortunately, no one truly knows the true story behind the birth of all, except for The Judges. They are our rulers and the most powerful beings in our entire Cosmo. They watch each civilization and maintain peace and balance between each universe. They are the first, and as such, we serve and worship them. In the beginning, they were the only ones in The Void until the first war—a dispute between The Judges that ultimately created entire universes. In times of war, soldiers are needed, and that's how I came to exist. I don't even have a name; The Judges created us to obey and fight. Mortal beings have come to know us as many names throughout the centuries, but we like to call ourselves Celestial Warriors. We each have our unique gifts and powers practical to serve The Judges. We were created in their image, powerful enough to destroy entire planets but not strong enough to overthrow them. We have no sense of good nor evil; we observe, follow and heed. But everything changed during my first mission to Earth.

My orders were clear; find and kill another Celestial like myself that had betrayed us and found a way to hide amongst humans. It wasn't the first time one of us had tried to rebel against The Judges. But it was the first time anyone had found a way out of The Void without them noticing. Leaving The Void is a painful and long journey that one can only take with the blessing of The Judges. A trip so dreary even Celestial Warriors are frightened to go through it. Falling was the first thing I felt, and the distant voices of the orders I received echoed in my head as I made my way to Earth. But nothing compares to the distress I sensed when my consciousness connected with the mortal body. Everything felt foreign and strange as I opened my eyes and dusted myself up. I had finally arrived at the most talked-about planet of all universes—Earth. Human beings were a controversial topic between The Judges, and this was finally my chance to understand the big fuss behind this species. From what I've learned, they have no specific powers and are known to be a nuisance for their planet. They destroy everything around them and have no consideration for life. If they weren't contributing to the well-being of our universe, I've often wondered why The Judges even kept them around. I've seen them destroy planets and civilizations that were less hassle than these humans.

I ultimately took the time to glance around, and I realized I wasn't alone. ''Miss— Are you alright?'' I suddenly heard a husky voice behind me. I swiftly turned around and gazed at the first human I had ever encountered. He was shorter than I was and looked old and frail; he kept glancing down nervously. ''Miss— Y-you might get sick. Did someone hurt you?'' He studdered while keeping his gaze fixed on his feet. Why was this human so concerned about my health, and why was he behaving in such an odd manner? When I finally looked down at my new figure, I understood his reaction. I believe he didn't feel at ease with my naked form. It was a new experience for me; I'd never possessed a mortal body before, so I'd never given much thought to clothing. So when I felt the sudden touch of his hand on my bare shoulder, I was taken aback. I grabbed his wrist in shock; without thinking and not knowing my strength, I fractured his arm in an instant as I heard his cries of anguish. Hearing his screams made me panic, so I did the only thing I could think of to quiet them down quickly. It took only a split second for his face to turn pale white and his lifeless body to fall to the ground as I released his neck. These humans were more fragile than I thought; how they managed to survive this long is beyond me. I felt a pang in my heart at the thought of taking his life; I couldn't bring myself to understand the feeling of regret I was experiencing. An emotion that unfortunately came with this new form. He was an unfortunate casualty to my presence here on Earth, but this mission was more important than a pitiful little human life. I had to get as far away as possible from his corpse before anyone could see me. I was on Earth for one reason, and keeping my identity hidden and blending in with humanity was my safest bet. I quickly changed into his raggedy clothes, stepped out of the dark and lonely street corner where I left him to rot and made my way to the crowded city in search of the Celestial traitor.