The innumerable force continued to chant their war cry; weapons raised above their heads. “Vicar! Vicar! Vicar!”
Pero turned back to Areion who had retracted his wings. Beneath the hooves of the qilin was the carcass of some dead animal or man, Pero couldn’t be sure which. “Where are we going?” Pero asked.
Areion snorted and directed Pero with his flaring snout. “That way, Vicar. To Eliade.”
Spread before them was a another military force dressed in blues and silver. Their faces were twisted and grotesque, some with only one eye, fat snotty noses, horns like devils. They snarled, spat, and hissed. Their numbers legion.
A righteous heat formed in Pero’s swelling chest, coating him with an invincible boldness. An unfathomable rage boiled and flowed through his veins. He hadn’t felt this strong in ages. The desire to have his own kingdom returned. A small snake of gold light appeared on the ground beneath his feet and moved outward towards his enemy before disappearing. Pero, following its lead, stepped forward, walking several places into the demarcation zone alone. He raised the sword defiantly and challenged the enemy with a roar. They responded with a chorus of incensed shouts and a spray of black arrows. The swarming flight arched high overhead before falling harmlessly around him.
“I am indestructible,” he thought before raising his sword even higher. “I am the most dangerous creature out here! I am neither God not monster but something worse! I am a phoenix of pain and death! My fire shall wade into you! I will break down your gates and slaughter your people! Every knee shall bend before me! My will! My Way!” And Pero led the charge. The army at his back rallied in support, screaming, and entering the fray moments after he did.
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Shimmer
In my book series, The Crystal Crux, we first learn of a place called Eliade in Chapter 18 of Book 2: Cold Knight, “Deific Fire”.
The mysterious crone, Herophile, who is also the Sybil of Cumae and one of eight women bearing the title, Crowned Women or Coronatus Mulieres, is scrying in a pedestal of mercury in her cave in hopes of visiting a place called Eliade. Her vision, however, takes a fiery detour into another cave where an ancient black dragon is seen gathering five supernatural crystals known as the Bellerophon Crystals, in order to conquer the world and renew a war with the Creator.
From here, Herophile’s mind reaches Eliade where she appears young and beautiful and free from all her mortal pains. There are seven other Crowned Women here as well, and they circle a burning bush through which the Creator communicates with them.
The women are all Sybils somewhere on earth, and I gave them the names from mythology simply to spice their personalities up. Herophile is, however, the name most often associated with the Sybil of Cumae in many ancient texts.
The Sybils use the knowledge they gain here to persuade and guide superstitious people, thus making them obey the Creator’s plans without them knowing they are obeying the Creator’s plans.
But what is this place Eliade and how did it come to be?
Originally, when I began writing The Crystal Crux Series, Eliade did not exist. It was originally a short story, a very short story. This whole journey Pero makes is far more expansive and enthralling than I had first imagined.
Eliade was developed much later on as I decided I wanted Pero to escape to a place somewhere between reality and dream when all his problems became too much to bear. And in this dream state, he can do mythical things as if he were a god, because in dreams, anything is possible.
Now behind enemy lines. he turned about to find that they had gone. With the end of the line came the end of the enemy. He was disappointed. He wasn’t faint from fighting. He wanted to rage on.
Areion trotted up to his side, his white coat splayed with blood and guts. The two looked to the horizon where the sun was beginning to western. Still miles away, a forest realm awaited, domed by a mysterious gold light.
Areion unfurled his left wing so Pero could mount once more.
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Shimmer
For Pero, Eliade appears to be a dome of gold light in a vast forest on a distant planet which is much like earth. He is surrounded by enemies here but doesn’t feel threatened by them. It is a form of heaven, security, safety, a place where one can retire to be a king and escape all life’s woes.
To Pero, the enemy here will never pose any real threat. And to those who for reasons he doesn’t understand, follow him without question, he seems like a god. He wades through their enemies with ease so they praise him and honor him and he feels respected and loved.
And isn’t that a fantasy we all can identify with, a place of ease and peace where enemies are easily quashed? A place where we command and others obey. Everything is golden, and everything we do is praised.
Eliade serves as an escapist heaven for Pero.
But is it real or spiritual or mythical?
Well, yes on all accounts.
Where did the name Eliade come from?
Mircea Eliade was a scholar of religion who helped develop the theory of heirophanies.
Heirophany is considered to be the manifestation of sacred or spiritual things in the real or profane world. This is how some people define the presence of miracles or unexplained phenomena when it enters our world. Heirophany can also relate to the appearance of a god-like figure or deity.
I decided to employ this concept into my books in order to mysteriously define the shifting walls between the real world and the supernatural world, and how, for Pero, they are breaking down.
I also purposefully chose to let the reader decide how much of this break is internal and how much is external, how much is happening inside Pero’s mind and how much of it is being shared by others. Is the real world being affected by his interactions with the spiritual world?
Heirophany believes what is sacred can give the real world value, purpose and direction.
Pero is a man in search of value, purpose and direction. He thinks he’s losing everything, and before he loses everything, he decides to give up and bolt for a fantastic finish to his life in a dangerous wood, Eagles Pass.
As Pero’s journey continues to Eliade and through Eliade, he is challenged by the things he values most, by the purposes he once had and the purpose he wants now, and what direction to take to get there.
Pero is quite confused to discover that suicidal quest won’t simply end him, and there is no other end to this journey of discovery. Whatever forces are propelling him, he is only getting more and more lost. And he’s nearly on the verge of going mad.
“I don’t understand, Ven. Avenel seemed well adjusted. He was riding Sylim and fought in the battle. He was talking with the minotaurs and laughing gregariously.”
“He was going through the motions for your sake, Pero. He is grief-stricken. It’s a mask. He heart is broken. Like you did today, he has done many times before. He has led our forces to great victories and he has received accolades, praise, women and song. But it was empty, vain. True purpose was still missing. He doesn’t know what he wants anymore, not since his mother died. In fact, he was all but withered when I assigned him this latest task, the task to fetch you.”
“I was important enough to pry him away from here?”
Ven touched the black oak leaf crest sewn over his heart. “Deep within each of us, Pero, there is a purpose only we know. No one can tell us what it is. Tuath De has placed it there and determined what it should be. Avenel’s spirit resonates with yours. I don’t know what this connection is or how it works. No one does. I understand much but I don’t understand everything. It is what it is. Each of us is endowed with foreknowledge of certain things. Instinct. We perceive connections where others do not. The patience to listen, to hear, to see, to take in everything around you, makes you wise. To see everything from all viewpoints is to be God. And the less we see and hear, the less of God we become.”
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux : Shimmer
I tried to create a wide range of mythical beliefs into Pero’s experience. Even though I am Christian (A follower of the Sacred Way through Yahweh and Yahshua), I don’t see Christianity as being an organized religious pursuit as much as a pursuit of the truth in Christ’s teachings. I believe there is a part of Christ’ ‘s truths to be found in all religions and even in the irreligious and the unbelieving. I personally think Christ can be found by everyone, even those who don’t want to find Him or believe in Him.
While I humanized Ven, I also kept him angelic in his bearing, teachings and duties. He is mysteriously serving, always serving. And right now, Pero is his task.
In the first book, Betrayal, we saw Ven briefly on another task. He was a simple soldier ithat appeared n the keep at Capua when it was under attack. He provides Francis Whitehall with words of comfort just before something awful happens to the Englishman. Ven also makes sure Francis has enough time to escape the siege.
Ven intervenes where it is necessary but doesn’t necessarily act or do anything we see in the real world. It is his words and his advice that carry the most weight. And it is his words and advice to Pero that carry weight now.
Ven wants Pero to understand that he, even in this angelic state, can’t save Pero from himself. He can’t save Avenel from himself.
Nobody can save anyone from themselves.
Avenel is not someone Pero is familiar with until he finally breaks with reality, falls off a mountain and thinks himself dead, or ready to die.
Avenel has a real physical connection to Pero’s enemy in Parthenope (Naples) as well as a kindly old man Pero encountered in a sanctuary prison which builds a supernatural connection and tension between them.
Avenel is Gherardus and Turstin Fabbro’s older brother in the real world.
Gherardus is the one who ordered Pero to leave Capua for Eagles Pass, and ordered the destruction of Capua.
Turstin is a kindly old man Pero met in a sanctuary prison in the Eagles Forest. Turstin, over drinks one night, gave Pero some interesting inside information about the Fabbro past and Pero is torn on how he can use this information now that he’s trapped by the suicidal quest.
Is the information real? Is the sanctuary prison real?
The drive to find a purpose again and perhaps return home to Capua is always there but Pero lacks the faith, courage and resolve to repair his mistakes. He’s unsure if he can face the backlash and consequences of his bad decisions.
Avenel, who is rotting away here in Elaide because of a bad decision he made, is trapped like Pero. He made his mistake a long time ago now, and he is almost out of time. There is no going home for him ever again. He got caught up in the freedom and prestige of this other world, this dream state, and the vanity of it is wearing away. When there’s nothing exciting or worthwhile to do, he spends his free time weeping before a giant black obelisk raised in memory of dead mother, Meliore. He can find no peace for he was the cause of her death.
But for some unexplained reason, Avenel can find a bit of purpose in reaching out to help Pero.
I don’t think it is necessary to understand this connection as much as it is important to see that this kind of connection happens all the time in our lives.
We have people who come into our lives for a time and a season that we just connect with and can’t understand why we connect with them. It’s not meant to last forever but it gives a sense of peace and friendship to a moment in time when we required it.
“The brothers did indeed plot to assassinate their father and accidently killed their mother. They thought they had planned for all eventualities. They did not foresee their mother’s premature return. The fates had their fun and death had his day. Avenel was already wounded. He had lost too much. He couldn’t stand to lose anymore. He had reached his limit, and something snapped. He repents every day with his mouth but…” Ven stopped speaking.
“But what?”
“But pride, Pero. He still has too much pride, a cesspool.”
“There is nothing wrong with pride?” Pero snapped, defensive.
“But pride in one’s failures? In one’s mistakes? In one’s sin?”
“But you said he has repented. Confessed.”
“With his lips he repents but not with his heart. There is a distinction. Admission is easy but repentance without renewal changes nothing. The future is built upon the past and an unwillingness to repair the foundation leaves an unsteady structure. Gifted a thousand lifetimes and a thousand opportunities to mend the base, Avenel Fabbro would not. And he knows it. And that is what eats at him. He would conspire anew with Gherardus. He would not seek another option or do anything different. His fatal flaw.”
“A chink in his armor,” Pero whispered. “Achilles heel.” He let that thought simmer. “Are you saying that if I don’t find a way to pinpoint my weakness, my greatest mistake, and make amends for it, repent of it, I may end up like him, down on my knees groveling before a marker like this for someone I lost?”
“It was not so long ago, Pero, your recklessness drove you from Capua. Your mind was a mess. You surrendered everything and lost two men and your horse. You swore to build a kingdom and erect a monument to Anthea and she wasn’t even dead. In the sanctuary prison you couldn’t keep it together. You were untrusting of the goodness of a kindly old couple who never meant you any harm.”
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Shimmer
The reader is constantly being challenged by Ven as much as Pero is.
How many times have we made mistakes we feared to own up to?
How reckless have we become at times trying to disguise a mistake or hide a lie, and then keep them covered?
The crux of the paradigm for Pero here is Ven telling him that “gifted a thousand lifetimes” Avenel would make the same mistake over and over again. He’s trapped in time by this inability to change even when faced with the truth.
To find the way back home, or as hierophany teaches, the eternal return, a practice that can merge this life with the mythical age, Avenel can never find.
Can Pero find it?
Pero must find a way to repent with more than just his mouth and vanity. He has to let go of all his pride and fear and truly own up to what he has done and who he has harmed. And for Pero, there is one person he swore he would never ever hurt, and he’s not sure he can ever make that right again.
“Most who come to Eliade rebuke what is common and orderly to embrace what is ludicrous, strange and fantastic. They would have seized the moment and done vulgar things, dishonest things, questionable things.”
“Why? Why would they do that?”
“Because we are not real to them. We are inhuman. They create us so they don’t have to care about us. It is in their evil hearts to exploit and use people, to take from us what they can’t receive or achieve when they are awake and at home. Power. Riches. Lust. Fantasy. It makes them feel stronger and more secure.” Lure wrapped her arms tightly around Pero’s arm and held his hand. “You have the light, the gift. It works in tandem with your mind. It affords you a special balance that makes you a Vicar. Take that unique light home and brighten your world.”
Fo-Gee tapped the top of his hat. “Yer a leader. Now go and lead.”
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Shimmer
Lure, a beautiful tempting woman who exists in Eliade, who has the god-like power to lead wayward men astray, was instructed by Ven not to lead Pero away from his love for Anthea, not this time.
So Lure inserts the notion that this world Pero has entered is only a dream and all the characters in it are manifestations of the dreamer.
So, is Pero only dreaming about Eliade?
Is it another world, a spiritual place, a physical place, or is it just the manifestation of his unconscious mind?
I wanted the reader to be challenged by the characters themselves because like people in our life, some lie, some cheat, some speak in a manner we misunderstand even if they are telling the truth. Some people’s advice is only partly true. How do you know who to trust?
Does Lure know enough about Eliade to offer Pero this piece of advice? And if she is just part of his dreamworld, is her very existence a part of him? Is this a secret paramour to help him escape the responsibilities of his relationship with Anthea?
And is she now, in a moment of his own weakness, become his conscience and pointing him back to his true love?
I didn’t want Eliade to ever be self-explanatory.
As stated in Deific Fire, “Eliade was and is and will forever be the band of life-energy careening ceaselessly between space and time, binding them together.”
Lure strutted away to where the sand met the water and removed her gown. Naked, she waded into the sea up to her hips and turned about. She raised her hands in glory. “Live free, Vicar. Rejoice and dream. And if you know what is best for you, you will forget this place for it is mostly selfish like me. Fantasy will turn and bite you, steal from you and never give back. It does not satisfy. It is a drug, and it is temporary, and no matter how much time and energy you invest in it, it will never be yours and you will lose everything. You will believe you are finding yourself while you are getting more lost. I beg you not to return to Eliade. We might not be so kind next time. We might be more difficult to resist. Look at us. We are quite attractive, are we not?” Lure blew Pero a kiss before dissolving in a glistening mist of golden sparkles that melted into the water and was no more.
Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Shimmer
Before I end this, let me add that I am in no way endorsing the works of Mircea Eliade. I’ve never actually read any of his works and despite his interesting dive into hierophany, he had connections with fascism, including Christian fascism.
I’ve never been able to understand the mind of a Christian fascist because for me, it’s the furthest thing away from the teachings of Christ that a person can be. I do not endorse anything of Mircea Eliade. I only decided to use the surname for a mythical place in my epic fantasy tale.
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Several dark grains in the door began to glow with a golden shine that seemed to be trapped inside the wood itself. The light continued to intensify as the sinewy rays warped and wrapped themselves around one another like snakes until they formed the letter R twice. The door was too thick to have cracks deep enough to allow this kind of light through. The light had to be in the wood itself. Pero felt dizzy staring into the anomaly. His legs started shaking. There was silence for nearly a minute before the golden letters burned in the wood grain straightened themselves back out and the door went all dark.
“It is time to just end this,” he thought.
– Excerpt from The Crystal Crux Series : Betrayal
Allen M Werner is the author of the epic dark fantasy series
THE CRYSTAL CRUX
Author Allen M Werner 
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