I don't get it.
Why is Filiberto appearing like that, dressed in golden robes and with a tear that... 'bleeds' light? Who's this 'Madza' guy he's talking about, and why did he called him with so many words? And, most of all, where am I?
I decide that the best way to deal with it is to ask to him.
"Uuummm... hello Filiberto, where am I exactly, and why do you look like that? Is it connected with Ahura Madza, whoever he is?"
He turns around completely, showing that he has a little brown book in his hands. His shirt is white with several ruby-encrusted gold plates an buttons made of what it looks like obsidian. Also, the choir singing in the background had started to sing a bit louder and with more passion. I can understand that the words have changed, but I still cannot understand them.
"You are in the mind of your host, Diamond Tiara. My appearance is like this due to the fact that my essence left the body while I fought for the Faith and the good of one of my kinsmen, and, yes, this is my eternal reward received from Ahura Madza, Merciful and Just Judge."
I look at him, even more confused. Why was he talking like that all of the sudden? He used to speak much more simply, what happened?
"Uuummm... what? I really don't understand what are you telling me, cousin..."
"I did," Tiara suddenly says, coming apparently from nowhere "He said that he's dead, and Ahura Madza, which I guess is his god, has granted him a special status in the afterlife because he died for his religion and while he defended a relative."
"That is what my words were trying to express, oh generous maiden," Filiberto says.
I feel scared, sad, confused and annoyed at the same time. If he's dead now, when did he die? Why did he die for somebody of my family, and who is it? Did he got a funeral, or did he not? Was he happy now?
Well, since I have him at hand, I could ask...
"Filiberto, can you tell me how did you die?"
He sighed, as he closed the book, and as the choir shut up all of the sudden.
"I would tell a white lie to you, oh my dear Luisa, for the teale of my death is not for the eyes and ears of the tender children. Unfortunately, Asha purified my essence from the ability of tell lies and od impurities of every kind. So, you shall receive the most honest answer."
I tense up, scared about what he was going to tell me. Tiara was not o the same opinion. "Do tell me. I'm curious now."
Filiberto sighed, as he made a downwards-upwards gesture, creating something that looked like a cinema's screen out of thin air, before speaking up.
"The fight that brought me to my demise did not break out during a war, but after the end of a happy event," the image of Filiberto dressed in trenchcoat and boots, walking behind a small figure in his shadow, appeared on the screen made from nothing by Filiberto's gesture.
"I was returning from the celebrations of one of my following kinsman's friends. I had given my gifts, I did the customary rituals, and I had tied the kusti one last time before leaving. A tranquil return was seemingly awaiting me," on the screen, three shadowy figures appeared in front of the little figure, which stops dead in its tracks.
"However, I did not account for the presence of the vilest, most unholy creatures in the land of the living: the worshippers of angra maiynu." he said that name in a low voice and with a nasal tone, as the screen showed one of the figures grinning and dragging the small figure by the hair towards the other two "They had stopped my kinsman and, after finding a bronze faravahar tied to the neck of their captive, they shouted that Ahriman was going to be pleased for the sacrifice of a child of a Madzaist."
Filiberto, on-screen rushed forward, punching one of the figures in the face and stealing a knife in its hand, and stabbing him in the guts. Another figure rushed to Filiberto, but, after kicking it away, he made a slicing movement in its lower torso. The sight of this much blood made me gag a little.
"I could not allow that, if not for the value of my kinsman's life, at least for avoid that the dirt-eating god could get any power. I disarmed one of them, and, with the weapon they wanted to use for the sacrifice, I sent one of them to his oh-so-yearned malicious protector, and, when another one tired to stop me, I swiftly reacted by slicing away his vest and the lower part of his body. He lived very shortly after begin injured, because he soon collapsed to the ground, bleeding and invoking his mother to save him."
I see the actions described, as the one keeping the little figure in hostage finally reacts by hitting Filiberto in the back, causing him to collapse all of sudden and cough out blood, to much of my disgust. As he unites his hands, the attacker takes the little figure in his hands, moves the knife near its neck, then slices it in a spray of more blood, as the little one screams in pain and cries for help. The sight makes me finally look away and try to puke my breakfast out, to no success.
"Alas, I could not stop the last, for he stabbed e in the back, ending my deed. However, the hit allowed me to say one last prayer, before pass away and join my illustrious ancestors. As I prayed, the last vile cultist of the group killed my kinsman in cold blood, likely reciting pointless prayers to angra mainyu. But he was doomed, for that the noise caused by the fight attracted the nearby inhabitants like bees on honey, and the sight of that mean display brought many to call in the Civic Guard, allowing earthly justice guided by the hand of the divine one to capture him, once again prevailing over injustice and chaos."
"I've seen worse in certain B-movies. Pretty intense way to die, thought," Tiara says, as I recollect the courage to look at the screen again "who was the one you were protecting anyway?"
My cousin Filiberto let out a sigh, as the screen showed his body brought on something looking like a gurney moved by four black-clad people, dressed in tuxedo and with the scimitar he had hung in the living room of his house firmly in his dead hands. He was begin lowered in what it looked like a big concrete cube carved into the ground. Said hole was surrounded by many people. Some, like my mother and father, and Filiberto's parents and siblings were familiar to me, but others were not familiar to me. I also see a bearded man wearing white that drops what, I think, are ashes onto Filiberto's chest, and delivers a speech I can't hear.
"I died in the attempt to save the here present Luisa from a very untimely demise to the hands of a cult that should have been eradicated long ago. I failed, but I was still rewarded for my attempt."
Then the screen goes black for a few seconds, and then goes back on. This time I see myself, better yet, my body, laying on some kind of gurney, my neck stitched up and a white dress on me. I also see that I have two of my favorite plushies, Applebloom and a monkey to be more precise, at my body's sides. All my classmates were following behind the gurney while carrying a lily in their hands.
I see Aldaberto, my boyfriend, and all my three best friends, Guglielmina, Francesca and Jeanne, crying while walking behind, while the rest of my classmates look almost unaffected as they walk. My body is also lowered in a hole similar ot the one where Filiberot was buried.
I start to whimper, sob, cry, looking away from the screen, and attempting to rush to Filiberto for an hug. However, as I try that, a wall of fire creates itself between me and Filiberto, causing me to jump away startled.
"I am sorry, but, as pure soul, I am not allowed to get in bodily contact with the living. Not even the projection of a mind can get directly in contact with a soul freed of the ability to do impurities. However, as you can see, I can comfort you with promises and sights."
I just don't know how to react to all of that... I just... wanna cry.
Well, that was interesting to see. Basically, I had the soul of a dead alien in my head, and, apparently, one of the relatives of this alien died in while fighting. Well, this sounds like the plot of a cheap B-movie, but aren't B-moves entertaining from time to time?
"Interesting," I said, while Luisa (that's how I think my invader was named) cried her eyes out "you know, I kind of admire you. But, let's not lose ourselves in petty chatter: what was the message you wanted to deliver to your cousin?"
He inflated his chest a little, before sighing a bit sadly.
"I wanted to tell her," he said "That the reason for her condition as a soul that has to live inside your body, oh magnanimous Diamond Tiara, was because, while she traveled upon the bridge of the Underworld to be judged, Ahriman tried to reclaim her soul for himself, despite the integrity of the bridge at her passing. The following clash of divinity and bestiality resulted in a tie, as Luisa's essence was thrown in a random place, which happened to be your body, oh Tiara. I was informed of your thanks to the restless, limitless and omnipresent watch of Ahura Madza on all his creations, for He is XratuĊĦ, and thusly aware of your name and Luisa's place."
So... not only I had the soul of a dead alien in my mind, not only said alien was relative with another alien that was apparently able to fight, but I was also an important part of a conflict between opposing deities? Well, I'd be foolish to think this isn't something that puts me in the center of the attention!
I'd better try to find way to get Luisa out, thought. I will ask to this agent of this Ahura Madza about what to do, when the idea of having to share my body will start to bore me
"Uuum... interesting, I have to say. I do wonder, is there anything I can do for help?"
"Yes, you can," he said "You will have to watch over her actions. Keep her from having bad thoughts, do bad actions and say bad words. Make her avoid the oens wanting to corrupt her."
"Ah, I see. Thought that's not very detailed Can I know more?" I asked, as Luisa reduced her cires to sniffles.
"You will have to wait a bit, for I will have to tell her what to do for leave this fine but fleeting abode of your mind."