Mitchell opened his spiritual vision as widely as he could. Before him he saw six impossibly tall, winged angelic beings. Each of the angels appeared to be some 50 feet in height. Their wings were burnished gold and they wore no discernible clothing. They were neither male nor female in appearance. Their skin was bronze in color and glowed with an inner light that seemed to emanate from the entire bodily structure. Each figure formed a sacred mudra with its hands. The mudras were different for each angel.
The space surrounding them was almost indescribable. The stars seemed to hover around them like pinpoints of light flickering in the forest on a dark night. The sky was illuminated with a bluish-gold glow that held the angels and the stars in place. A thick, sweet, intoxicating aroma filled the expanse; it almost took Mitchell’s breath away. He focused his awareness on the bluish-gold light and steadied his energy.
A voice emanated from the bluish-gold energy. The words took form of their own accord with the benefit of a body to hold them. The angels did not move as the words filled the expanse. Mitchell instinctively kneeled as the words entered his consciousness.
“In your last lifetime, you had mastered the movement of your vessel to a much greater degree.”
Mitchell held his kneeling position and answered without raising his head.
“This vessel is young, my lord. In time, I will master the work."
“Rise, my child. I would speak with you.”
Mitchell slowly lifted his head and rose to his feet. He saw the angels begin to shimmer and glow. Each one gradually softened in appearance and, within moments, they disappeared. Mitchell was alone in the expanse.
A large, solitary figure formed above him. The image was vaguely human in shape, though there were no discernible features that would identify it as male or female. The voice, however, was unmistakable. Each syllable carried the sensation of love, power, and grace. The force of the words battered Mitchell’s tiny form like a small ship in the grip of a storm at sea. Mitchell drew more energy from the bluish-gold expanse that hovered above him in order to steady his form.
The figure descended and shrank in size as it neared Mitchell. Within moments, the figure had assumed the mien of a young man, about 25-30 years of age. His skin glowed with the same bluish-gold energy that filled the expanse. His eyes sparkled like diamonds. He was the same height and build as Mitchell, but his race was clearly indeterminate. He could have been Asian, African, Caucasian, Indian, Hispanic, or some admixture of all of the above. He looked Mitchell in the eye, smiled, and took his hand.
“Walk with me.”
Instantly, they were transported to a tropical beach lined with palm trees and a large mountainous cliff that jutted over the bay. The sand was warm and soft under Mitchell’s feet. The wind kissed his face with the smell of fresh sea air and the promise of warmth.
Mitchell had been on this beach many times. Each time, however, was just as magical as the last.
“A great storm approaches you, my child. The force of darkness threatens your world in a way that you have never before seen.”
“Father, I have seen crimes that point to a new darkness. Can you tell me what it is?”
“You know the answer to that question. I can tell you that you will need the assistance of one whom you have recently met.”
“May I ask this person’s name?”
“Her name is Patricia Morton.”
“She has only recently lost her entire family, Father. How can she help in this work?”
“Within her soul resides a seed that must be nurtured. You have seen this with your own eyes. Her gift is the key to understanding the power that is the center of this darkness.”
Mitchell thought back to his first meeting with Patricia Morton. He recalled the gold color that adorned her aura.
“How may I be of service, Father?”
“Recruit this soul. Train her. Bring her gifts into your world.”
“She has no experience or training in this lifetime, Father. And, she is in mourning. This task will require much time.”
“You must perform this work quickly, my son. Her gift has been placed in your hands. Use your knowledge.”
“Yes, Father. I have one question.”
“Yes, my son.”
“If she refuses...?”
“She will follow her destiny. You must show her the path. Return now, and remember that I walk with you always.”
“Yes, Father.”
The figure slowly dissolved and Mitchell felt himself being drawn back toward his physical body. In a few seconds, he stood again at the feet of the six silent angels. He looked up at each one and bowed his head in thanks. The figures did not move nor did they seem to acknowledge his presence.
One of the pinpoints of light that Mitchell assumed were stars began to grow in size. The light descended from the firmament and assumed a familiar form. The figure was covered in armor that seemed to be composed of a material that was at once metal and sunlight. The material seemed to pulsate with a life of its own. Mitchell recognized the being immediately.
“I will escort you back to your world, Mitchell.”
The figure’s voice filled Mitchell with the same joy and elation that he recalled from their meeting earlier that night. Once again, he could barely control his desire to cry out in exultation.
“Master, I would be honored.”
“The Father has permitted me to speak with you on this matter. There are several facts you should know before you approach the woman.”
As the angel spoke, Mitchell felt the energy around his tiny spiritual form grow and expand. His sense of perspective changed and he had the feeling that he was moving at immense speed, though he did not see the movement reflected in the stars and planets around him. He felt that he was at once being escorted back to his body and filled with some sublime form of healing energy. He had never experienced the sensation during his many journeys with the angel.
“You speak of Mrs. Patricia Morton?”
“The woman is in possession of a unique and rare gift. It is known as the power of assignation. When a being is to be born in your world, it is granted one soul for the purpose of completing the work of that lifetime. With her power, Patricia Morton may gather souls from whomever she chooses and assign them to any being she may choose. There are powers within the darkness that would seek to use her gift to gain entry to your world.”
“If she does not know of her gift, how can she be of use to these powers?”
“You will understand this and many other questions in time. But know this, she must be trained and made aware of this gift. Do not underestimate the importance of this task.”
“I will train her, master.”
Mitchell began to feel the familiar tug of his physical form. His spiritual vision began to fade and his physical eyes began to flutter. The angel smiled at him and disappeared. Mitchell descended into his body, drew a deep breath, and shook his head briefly. He opened his eyes and smiled at Kathy, who sat quietly awaiting his return.
“How long was I gone?”
“About five minutes.”
“I can never discern the passage of time properly while I am with him. It seemed like I was gone for hours.”
Kathy smiled and helped Mitchell remove his feet from the bucket. He stood slowly, walked around the meditation room for a moment, and knelt in front of the altar.