Short story needs direction

THE FOLLOWING IS A BEGINNING OF A SHORT STORY BUT I AM STUCK AS TO THE DIRECTION IT SHOULD GO. ALSO I NEED THE OVER-ALL MOTIVATION FOR THE 2 ANTAGONIST AND WHAT IS THE OUTCOME OF THE STRUGGLE. ANY ADVICE AS TO THE ISSUES HERE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Aeternus eternus mentis! What if one in a billion persons had the ability to carry thought beyond the living of one life and into another, had the insight of awareness from the womb? Spanning six thousand years of history, since before the time of the Pyramids is the memory of Lucian.

Who is to say when a memory begins? When does thought become awareness? Science and medicine states that on day twenty-one the heart begins beating and the nervous system begins development a short time later. Medicine and science dictate that it is impossible to retain our thoughts and carry our ideas to the grave. Medicine and science teach us that memory, thoughts, and ideas of cognitive concepts occur at the age of two, but what if that was not true?

Every life ended differently, sometimes old age and natural causes other times through war, and twice Lucian was in the wrong place at the wrong time being murdered. Before he really understood what was happening and coming to an understanding that what he had was a gift and not a curse he took his own life perhaps a half a dozen times. He lost track of how his physical body had come to an end. The mechanism although different, the process was always the same. Even though he knew he was coming back there was always the separation and the loss of control and the pain. Pain of both a physical nature and always the pain of an emotional nature was part of the equation. In time though that too faded and his emotions became calloused. But no matter how his life ended the seconds after his heart stopped beating the beginning of a new life was always the same.

He would always find himself as if floating through a tunnel lined by intense glowing spheres and orbs of pulsating lights with warm waves of energy surrounded his “physical thoughts” or essence. Depending on what era or how many years would pass between lives was related to the travel time through the “Tomorrow Tunnel”, as he would call it after the life bridge. Once, when he floated for what seemed like several minutes he found himself being born in a thatch hut in France 1245, his last life had ended as a Viking sailing to a new world some six centuries before.

And always even to the point of being boring and frustrating his life would begin as a normal infant; his physical body being an obstacle to his expanding mind and growing thoughts collected while living the through the ages. He would pretend to be a normal child listening to his parents who were dullards in his own mind but he loved them all always he knew instinctively not to let on to his experience or knowledge. He learned patience, in every life, he feigned ignorance when it was called for and in all the bodies Lucian occupied he only told his secret once and that had disastrous consequences. In Salem, Massachusetts, 1685 he confided in his wife of his abilities; who in turn reported him to the town elders who then burned both of them to the stake for witchcraft. That was the first and the last time Lucian told anyone of his ability and that was the last time he took a spouse it was just too difficult to get close to people then have to say goodbye to them when they died. He was never able to have children he assumed it was because of his “gift.” Once in ancient Egypt Lucian was an Egyptian Prince the woman he had grown to love fell from a horse breaking her neck. He mourned her for three life times, almost two hundred years.

As each life neared its end he would make provisions for his next life; he hid treasure and valuables that he would later return (on average thirty years later but occasionally longer like 600) to build on his fortune making a secure future no matter what time or place he found himself. Sometimes he would have setbacks and his fortunes would be found by others or lost through the misfortune of being a victim to the powers that be or rulers of the age.

Now in the twenty first century Lucian finds himself and for the six thousand years of his existence he had thought he was the only one with the capability of traveling from lifetime to lifetime with knowledge and memories of past lives, until an eventful winter day when walking the snow covered sidewalk in Berlin, Germany.

From behind and to his left he noticed in his peripheral sight a tall, athletic looking woman with shoulder length blond hair. Her voice barely a whisper and the frosty condensation from her breadth was the only clue that she was speaking. Lucian turned surprised to see this beautiful stranger with cold steel blue eyes-only inches away. Again she whispered in hurried English, “Lucian come with me at once you are in great danger.” Without hesitation or thought her words summoned him as if he were a sleepwalker he complied. Only after following her for a short distance did it occur to him that she knew his name and he was sure he a had never seen her in any lifetime. A woman like this you didn’t forget and besides he had a photographic memory he was able to recall everything from every life with crystal clarity. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage Ms....”

“My name is not important right now the only thing is your safety. You are not the only one of your kind but our numbers are dwindling.”

“Our kind?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, did you think you were the only Reincarnator?” She whispered as we boarded the subway near town center.

Reincarnator? Puzzling, I thought. I had a moment to study and really have a good long look at my new mysterious friend. She was perhaps thirty, fair complexion, with thick, straight blond shoulder length hair that outlined her pear diamond shaped face. With a narrow chin and forehead, and wide cheekbones that accentuated her full red pouty lips. This mysterious stranger, possible abductor was truly striking and to the words, stunningly beautiful! Dressed in a long leather coat and knee boots, she wore a fur ski hat and black gloves. Even though no jewelry could be seen her looks dripped wealth and extravagance. The head to toe survey lasted microseconds when she spoke again.

“We should be safe here for the time being,” She said as we both sat down in the nearly empty train car. In the middle of the afternoon this was not unusual for the city town center. I noticed a mild yet familiar fragrance as I sat next to this unknown beauty. The perfume she wore was Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty, $215,000 dollars for a sixteen ounce bottle. This woman wasn’t just dripping wealth she was the epitome of the elite status, maybe top one hundred wealthiest in the world?

My face must have betrayed my thoughts because I literally was at a loss for words.

“My name is Morgan. I like you am a Reincarnator though some of us prefer the name Oracle. I like you have lived for over six thousand years. I saw you once before in ancient Greece before you set sail for Persia. I heard you had died when the ship you were on caught fire from the Persian archers near Cappadocia. That was the first time I had actually seen someone like myself.”

My mind was spinning and now after all these years of thinking I was the only one I meet someone who tells me that there are others like me but more importantly that I am in danger. How could I have been so blind as I was here was a woman who saw me 2500 years ago and knew what I was and I had no clue! I cleared my throat and thought silently for a moment longer then I asked,

“Morgan you said some of us prefer the name Oracle, how many are there of us and how am I in danger?”

“Counting you our number is twelve, six men, six women, ranging in age from twenty to ninety one but all of us have been alive for over six thousand years. We have managed to incorporate and protect ourselves in a closed secret society called the ‘Protectors’, the oldest known Order known to exist with the exception of our adversaries the ‘Immortals.’ They, like us, also live without dying, but with one very important exception, they are capable of taking over or inhabiting other physical bodies as they approach death. In other words it’s their act of possession that allows them to live on and never die. And because of this they have no soul.”

“That is all very fascinating Morgan but I still don’t understand how I am in danger?”

“The Immortals want what the Protectors have.”

“And what might that be?” I asked thinking the entire conversation a little more than bizarre.

“We are from the eternal light they share and walk in darkness. We try and benefit mankind they destroy and try to erase the existence of good. Their desire is to rule and control ours is to learn and benefit not only culture but also mankind as a whole. As I said they have no soul there in lies the difference.”

“But again how am I in danger?”

“By destroying the Protectors, or you, they can capture the soul, our essence of being and that would terminate our existence for all of eternity.”

Morgan’s words: “For all of eternity,” had a chilling effect and raised the hair on the back of my neck like a cold wind. I looked deep into her radiant blue eyes and there was a glow for an instant that I felt and the inner warmth of her being surrounding me. She must have known what I was thinking or feeling and moved in closer to whisper in my ear.

“You are viewing my soul and living in my memories… now you know how I remembered and how I was able to find you. You’re aura is in every aspect just as bright as mine.”

I had an aura? I had no idea, the only reason I saw Morgan’s was because I was looking straight on at her.

The train was slowing coming to the end of the line we had arrived at the last stop, the Berlin Zoo. The sounds and distinct odor making its way down the access tunnel was unmistakable. As we exited the car the sounds of children and animals gave the impression we were somehow in a dream and that the next step or right around the corner lurked some dangerous foreboding beast ready to devour us. I turned to look at Morgan as the escalator brought us back up to ground level and her beauty was indeed striking she drew attention to herself without attempting to do so. I started speaking with out knowing what I was going to say.

“Morgan I believe you.” That very statement seemed to be a relief to her and the visible burden of worry lifted albeit for a moment.

“Why do the Immortals want what the Protectors have why don’t the two groups live in harmony?” Morgan looked at me as if she were talking to an idiot; I actually thought she was going to begin speaking by saying “Once upon a time in a land faraway…”

“Lucian, they are evil and their heart is dark with the greed of desire and avarice. They want what they do not nor ever will have, a soul. This truly is an epic battle between good and evil that has lasted over six thousand years but we feel that it is coming to a head and the Immortals are preparing for an offensive.”

“Why now after six thousand years of time?” I asked in earnest while watching a small band of children running up to a food dispenser for the Zoo’s animals.

“Oh don’t misunderstand they have tried before, many times and each time before they have failed. The last attempt was in 1960. They almost succeeded we lost four of our people.”

“Morgan, how could the Immortals kill the Protectors?”

“Physically we can die like any normal person but when they destroy our memories our essence it destroys us. We stay hidden an in seclusion for our protection when we die we return to the womb and it’s at least fifteen years before we can come back to the Order. If nothing else the Immortals create havoc and disruption by sending our physical bodies back to childhood before we are prepared.”

“How do they destroy your soul and essence for all eternity?” I asked thinking of the darkness and utter fear of really knowing that was final.