Heart and soul: lucid dream ( English version)

CHAPTER 3

Aeli, the country where I lived with my family all my life and formerly known as the kingdom of Gaia, was particularly special. In this country, everyone had one thing in common. The primary goal of all life in this land was to find a soul mate, the person that the Gods had promised to every human who was perfectly suited to them. In this country, the very fact of having met one's soul mate was considered a social achievement and prestige. According to the writings left by Aeli's ancestors, finding a soul mate would be blessed in heaven and on earth. People all over the country therefore tried to follow the ancestral writings of Aeli in order to gain status in society. Even education and degrees were no match for the social status that could be gained by union with a soul mate. Indeed, many people met their soulmate, got married and then began to see happiness knocking at their doors, as if the Gods themselves had blessed them.

Every family generally tries to instill values in its children so that these values can help them survive in society. In Aeli, this famous meeting with the soul mate was so important to the inhabitants that parents explained to their children how and why to meet their soulmates from a young age. Once they were adults, the education about soul mates continued at school, where a course entitled "soul mates' ' was given regularly every week. The students in the country were generally very satisfied with this course but for me it was a load of rubbish. It was a load of crap that I was supposed to go to in the next few minutes. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have gone for anything. But I didn't want to risk worrying my father. So I hurried to get there.

I finally arrived at the classroom, ten minutes before my class was due to start, just enough time to catch my breath. I took a seat in the center of the classroom and as usual, the students around me dissipated as soon as I came around. I had never been sociable and I had never pretended to be something I wasn't just to have friends. To the people at that university, I was the girl with the "resting bitch face" who was hard to approach. I was popular, but not in a good way. Most students only saw me as the pretty girlfriend of the popular Dorion who was not to be approached. This reputation stuck to me wherever I went and it had the effect of isolating me from most students. But I didn't care what anyone said or thought about me. My real problem at the time was quite different.

No matter how hard I tried to calm myself, I couldn't. The man of my dreams haunted me. The man of my dreams was still haunting me. The softness of his lips was still present in my thoughts. His caresses, his body, everything was vividly present in my thoughts. I felt myself blushing. I would have been reassured if this was due to my little race to escape Dorion's suspicious gaze, but deep down I knew that I was not indifferent to the man who haunted me.

I barely had time to calm down when the class was already starting. Madame Divine, our teacher, was already putting her things on her desk. As usual, she was very cheerful and started to sing before she even spoke. It was as if she lived in a world other than our own. It was as if she had no personal problems. You could even see imaginary flowers forming around her.

- Good morning, my rubbers," she said in a cheerful tone.

Her smile faded as she realised that no one was really paying attention to her. The class was still in its usual hustle and bustle.

- You'll tell me if I'm disturbing you! she shouted in an annoyed tone.

The classroom was suddenly plunged into a deafening silence. The students were taking their seats again so soon.

That's better. She began to smile again. You see, we are all gathered here to talk about the wonderful subject of soul mates, the perfect match. This is the most important course in your school career. It will serve you for the rest of your life so you should pay attention.

She paused for a moment and walked over to the interactive board and turned it on. A newspaper appeared. Its main image showed two people in handcuffs and the headline was 'Two Erebus who fooled society by posing as Ethereals'.

She spoke again in outrage.

- Society is getting worse and worse. The number of Erebus is constantly increasing. It is a sacrilege! These people have no shame and are shameless. Just yesterday, a Soul service minister was fired for high corruption.

- Who would have thought that he too would be an Erebus? It seems they are masters in the art of camouflage. IGNOBLE!

Annoyed by his speech, I raised my eyes in the air. To hear her speak, you'd think she was talking about bandits or men of a sub-race. But she was talking about people who had blood and bones just like her.

Ethereal, a name taken from the word Aether, referred to higher luminous beings, just like the primordial God with that name. In Aeli, this name was used to designate people who had managed to find and unite with their other half. These people were the most privileged in society and were entitled to all sorts of services that normal people were not entitled to.

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Ethereals were the Erebus. These were the people who had decided to unite with someone other than their soul mate, but were aware of this fact. The name 'Erebus' was taken from the name of the Greek god Erebus. This name was associated with darkness and chaos. Thus, unlike the treatment of the Ethereals, the Erebus were stigmatised and rejected. They did not receive any social services. They were seen as creatures of Nyx and offspring of Velda, the original sinner.

In the case presented by Madame Divine, two Erebus had committed the irreparable. That is to say, they tried to marry without being Ethereals. Indeed, in Aeli, only Ethereals had the right to marry and in order not to make a mistake and unite the Erebus, the authorities had found an inescapable and indestructible means, the soulmark.

The soulmark was, according to the inhabitants of Aeli, a gift from heaven that made it possible to identify soulmates. Every person, without exception, was born with a soulmark, however, it only became apparent as the soulmates involved developed deep feelings for each other after seeing each other in lucid dreams. However, the Erebus on the interactive board had gone so far as to make soulmarks in order to unite. This was considered to be a crime resulting in a minimum of seven years in prison in Aeli.

Madam Divine continued her remarks.

-You know, my Boutchou, I wouldn't wish you to be Erebus for anything in the world. You are better than that.

She looked up at me.

-Especially you, Celestia. I think you're much better than that. I hope that the teenage crisis will eventually pass and that you will open your eyes. Your soul mate may be out there, all around you. But you're going to such lengths to avoid it!

I gave her a sarcastic smile in response.

She sighed. Ah, my poor child. You have everything to succeed, but the darkness keeps calling you. She murmured before continuing her lecture.

The reason she was indexing me was simple, I had a boyfriend. In general, Aeli's upbringing did not allow this. You had to save yourself as much as possible for your soul mate. Nonsense.

This law did not concern me. I did not intend to live by rules left by the gods. The mistress of my destiny was me and nobody else. I had decided that Dorion was my soul mate and I was not going to go back on my decision.