For weeks, Anji did nothing but attempt to locate naturally occurring rift cracks in this highly volatile spiritual space. She ca to form two theories about the barrier between worlds.
Firstly, if two or more powerful and opposing spiritual energies from the spiritual world collide, a temporary crack in the barrier will occur. The destabilised force could pull or push energy through the barrier, causing things like souls from the physical world to be spirited away, as she first found the Golden Dragon. It always flows from the physical world to the spiritual world in these cracks for so reason. Anji learned that the density of spiritual energy in the spiritual realm is much lower than that of souls in the physical realm. However, if a soul from the physical realm does not return on ti, the body in the physical realm dies.
Her second discovery ca a little later. While the barrier can occasionally crack and repair itself over ti, it can be forcibly opened. Locating a rift crack was much harder than opening one at a fixed location. However, it was much easier to guide souls towards an open rift than to create a barrier crack, as a huge sacrifice or price must be paid to open this gate between the two worlds. The only problem was when souls did not follow Anji to where the rift crack was. Not all souls could leave the place they were bound to, and Anji finally t one who was so stubborn that it could not be convinced to move from the place it was found.
This shimring weak soul orb was the first that Anji encountered that would not leave the rock it was guarding. It might hover for a distance, but it always returned. It did not act hostile towards Anji, even as she approached and touched the rock it guarded. However, it would beco livelier and brighter when Anji interacted with the object it guarded.
It was an odd soul. Anji found it amusing because no matter how far away it went, it would zip back to the object it guarded if Anji touched it, almost like a magnet. Although the soul fragnt no longer manifested intelligence, its protective instincts were still intact. If there was a soul who proved that true loyalty existed even long after death and purpose, it would be this oddball Anji discovered. He was the only one who kept his promise, even long after everything had been forgotten. Perhaps souls had personalities too.
The new discovery made Anji stop her side tasks of guiding other lost soul fragnts into the spiritual realm. For the next few days, she experinted with different things and learned a few new traits about souls bound by duty to the physical realm.
Firstly, these souls, while lacking mory and intelligence, were capable of sustaining themselves through constant interactions. Unlike the other souls that faded with ti and beca weaker in presence, so that they needed to return to the spiritual realm, this particular oddball never flickered into nothingness. Sothing about it never diminished past its mindless self to hover around this particular stone.
Secondly, the stone that this particular soul guarded was actually a tomb. An actual tomb of soone important. Anji had no idea if the tomb belonged to this soul or if this soul was guarding soone else’s tomb. However, she knew that not all departed souls were as attached to their own living identity long after death. Sure, they would linger for a while to mourn their passing. However, many would eventually accept reality and move on. The fact that there were still this many lingering souls ant that they had not accepted the reality of their deaths. Either that, or they had another purpose to remain long after their body had decomposed.
Thirdly, Anji concluded that while not all souls had personalities, this particular soul did. Loyalty was not the only trait it had. After Anji imbued a little of her own energy into the tombstone it guarded, the soul grew stronger and began manifesting traits previously absent. It was this particular discovery that made Anji curious if souls could be restored.
Hence, she attempted to feed other souls, but not all souls were capable of accepting energy. The difference made Anji more curious about this oddball.
In fact, the oddball was not the only one in this crypt that acted like that. Anji travelled a little further and found more oddball souls. They were usually discovered in unexpected places. However, Anji could not abandon them.
After guiding most of the lingering soul fragnts into the nearest rift cracks, she returned to these stubborn souls and fed them energy.
Eventually, one soul gained enough fuel to take a more material form. It still appeared like a wavy mist to Anji. However, it started moving with more clarity. Yet, this was the extent to what these souls could do. It could not speak, transmute thoughts or affect the physical environnt. The more conscious soul was able to create a defensive barrier with its form, becoming a line when it wanted to guide Anji to a place it wanted Anji to go, and enveloping Anji for so reason. It appeared to have so form of minor intelligence, even if its mory was still very muddied.
In the tedious attempts to communicate with these souls, Anji learned a few things. The souls do not rember their nas or identities. They do not understand why they were here. They do not rember who they were guarding. However, they knew why they had chosen to remain behind.
All of them said similar things and told Anji they were guarding. The act of standing vigilant even in death for soone important enough to forgo their own salvation kept them here. It was an act of unconditional love that transcended death. More interestingly, it was a kind of love born from so type of worship.
To think that devotion would be a cause stronger than love in death, Anji wondered who these souls were worshipping. She could not wait to et the one responsible for this oddity.
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