Chapter 20: Voices of the Wayfaring Spirits
(The Lab)
"Are you sure that tonight is a good night for this?" Tommy asked. He looked at Kat who finished piecing together an oil lantern and packed a few white candles in a small messenger bag.
Jason gathered a few shovels as Billy was preparing the coordinates for the group to teleport. The next night came and it was decided that they were going to look for the Orb of Artopros. From their little previous stunt in kidnapping and extracting information about the location of the orb from the high Dark Judge "The Executioner" the group had an idea of where to look. Using the gathered research materials of the past in terms of the Eltarian travels and also that of earth's historical accounts they developed a few leads. However, according to information they developed about the orb they had to wait until it was a full moon for them to attempt to retrieve it and luckily tonight was their night.
"Okay we're set but just so we could be clear of anything first one rule...do not by any means disturb any possible spirits, ghosts or apparitions that we're about to encounter," Kat said sternly, "That is why I have this...the coven refers to this as The Wayfaring Lantern."
"Tell us again what makes searching for this orb on a full moon special?" Kim asked curiously.
"Because according to Greek Mythology Artrpos, as one of the fate of the Moirae is the one associated determining life and death for people," Billy said, "However, in other accounts in terms of the Orb of Artrpos it's powers and abilities derive from the souls of the those are considered the wayfaring souls lingering in between here and the afterlife. In other words it's attracted to the energy of the souls stuck in a state of limbo or purgatory."
"That thing muttered something about channeling the wayfaring and it must preserving it beneath the grounds on unconsecrated land for which it has been spilled by blood," Kat replied, "What...that thing didn't speak English and when I casts the spell to communicate with it in it's own jibbing sod language it gave me some cryptic crap. They used that orb as a weapon of death but that orb's power draws from life and death. The energy it needs is the the souls of the living or dead...our living life force."
"So the compass has the ability to reveal lost things from the past; the mirror has the ability to reveal people that have special fates and destinies; and the orb determines life or death?" Tommy asked, "When we find this orb what happens?"
"According to the text it mentions something about showing us something...I don't know what," Jason said, "But the artifacts gives off the idea that it reveals the looking glass into the past, present and future whatever that means."
"Well there's going to be time for solving riddles later let's go find this orb," Kim said, "Huh I might want to ask for a minor question: what effects does the orb have on the souls who are lingering in a state of limbo and purgatory here on earth?"
"Maybe it's about crossing over," Adam replied, "Some spirits become attracted to a place that they can't crossover. They spend years wandering in purgatory gaining attention from the living. Many of them are lost souls wandering somewhere but they can't crossover into the afterlife that's why we need to be careful. Spirits can be unpredictable and wherever we're going to search for this orb we have to be careful not to disrespect them."
"So where exactly are we going?" Tommy asked.
"I set the coordinates on our communicators to four possible locations: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the area where the battle took place during the Civil War; Gallows Hills in Salem Massachusetts; Bodie, California and Bannack, Montana." Billy said.
"So basically we're heading to two ghost towns, the site of the most gruesome battle in the Civil War and a place where a bunch of innocent women were lynched because they were accused of being witches?" Kim said as Billy and Kat nodded.
"Anyone one of those places can bind wayfaring spirits then yeah I said we go do some ghost hunting?" Jason suddenly teased.
"We got a long night ahead of us let's go touch on some unconsecrated grounds then," Tommy said as they prepared to teleport.
(Search for the Orb)
Tommy and Kimberly along with Kat, Jason, Billy and Adam teleport spent the entire night teleporting from one location to another while maintaining communications with the others back at the house. Every location they visited brought upon an eerie and unsettling vibe in the air, especially to Kat whose Wicca powers became their valuable asset for their search. With the full moon shining in the night sky the six of them knew that encounter supernatural phenomenon throughout the night. Their first stop to Gallows Hills in Salem was like a case of shellshock for them encountering the spirits of the women hanged. However Jason was concern when they came upon the actual site where the lynchings occurred that the land itself was trying to call to his wife as the power manifesting in the area was strong. What they didn't anticipate is the belief the people who died on this land were real witches and their spirits were invoking Kat to harness their powers. That proved too much for the group when Tommy concluded that the orb wasn't in Gallow Hills and instantly contacted Trini to get them out of Salem for all their sakes.
Minutes later the six were teleported to Bannack, Montana one of America's haunted ghost towns. Kim found it extremely eerie walking around in a deserted ghost town in the middle of the night as she started seeing apparitions appear in random places throughout the town. As a witch Kat could tell that at one point or another the Dark Judges hid the orb in the town and the magic that manifested from it is drawing the wayfaring spirits to contact the living.
"Explain to me how the Wayfaring Lantern works?" Kim replied shaking with fear, "This place with it's already eerie reputation is making the hairs on my arm stand."
"According to Celeste, head witch of the coven the lantern is used to draw the spirits who are attempting to escape their state of limbo and purgatory to the afterlife," Kat explained, "In order for that to happen you have to light a white candle in the place they materialized. The lantern is a representation of lighting the path towards the afterlife for them." She held the lantern as she started walking towards an abandon saloon and lit a candle. "I'm trying to pick out from all the voices of the wayfaring spirits on what they're saying. One woman says her husband is fighting in the war. She is not from around here and keeps on mumbling something about him finding his way back to her. She thinks she is still among the living."
"The flame in the lantern is glowing blue what does that mean?" Tommy asked.
"It's their way of communicating to us, trying to tell us what they want and where they want to go," Kat said concentrating, "The flame in the lantern changes depending on what the situation is. They're drawn to it because they want us to know their business. This woman wants to find her husband...it's like if she find him then she can crossover."
"Spirits have unfinished business don't they?" Billy said, "The ones who still linger between here and the afterlife can't fulfill crossing over until they achieve what they want. The locations where the orb was stashed at one point or another is causing these spirits to manifest and haunt these places. We can't provoke them but we should show them respect."
"You're right the last thing we don't want to do is piss off the dead," Jason said looking at Kat, "Are you picking up anything?"
"Nothing...it was here before but all we got are a bunch of restless spirits," Kat said looking at the lantern, "I think we should get leave because they don't take kindly to outsiders in their town."
"Come on let's teleport to the next location," Tommy replied as the six of them teleported out of the Bannack. They contacted their friends to teleport them to the next location, the ghost town of Bodie, California. The six strolled along the ghost town they read about that was known as one of the top settlements during the era of the gold rush. What they encountered in Bodie was the spirits of old settlers who came looking for fortune and eventually were corrupted by greed and lust of riches. Not one of these spirits drew kindly to people they suspected that will supposedly steal their riches and treasure from the indication of the lantern flame turn red. Kat used an incantation to exorcise the hostile spirits to the afterlife telling them that they no longer should linger here.
With another dead end in Bodie the six of them prepared for teleportation to the last possible location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Once the six touched down in Gettysburg they noticed the lantern's flame intensifying meaning that they teleported right on the very battlegrounds that took place during the civil war. The air got cold around them and although all of them weren't in tune with the spiritual realm like practicing Wiccas they could sense the presence of all the deceased soldiers and settlers on the land.
"Is it true when they say that if it gets really cold in a haunted place it means there are ghosts around?" Kim asked.
"Well this is Gettysburg, the place where the most bloodiest battle in the American Civil War happened," Adam replied as they continued to look around, "I remember coming here as a kid on a family vacation and some of the tourists mentioned hearing gunshots in the distance. They believe it's the ghosts of the soldiers who died." Moments later as they continued walking they could hear the sounds of gunshots and canons going off. Even at a moment they thought they heard the sounds of calvary soldiers marching and riding in the distance.
"Anyone ever visited Gettysburg and went on that haunted tourist ghost tour?" Jason asked.
"In my opinion bro I know there is an afterlife but the last thing we shouldn't be doing is angering ghosts," Tommy replied, "It's hard for them to be haunted a place and for them to be stuck in a state of limbo and purgatory. They all died horrific deaths because they were fighting on opposing sides. Over a hundred thousand men bled on these lands so it's safe to say that most likely we'll find the orb here."
"On a land where the ground is unconsecrated and has been stained with the blood of the wayfaring," Kim sighed holding a shovel.
"So since this place is riddled with many wayfaring spirits where do we exactly start looking?" Billy inquired as they all looked to Kat.
"And everyone looks to the Wicca for a lead," Kat replied looking at the lantern, "It's going to be difficult trying to tune out the spirits of over a hundred thousand wayfaring soldiers but most likely it's here. They're responding to the magic of the orb wherever it is. As a precautionary procedure if these spirits start getting restless, recite this incantation by lighting the white candles it's their only way they'll crossover. Remember they've been lingering too long in between and they can't go to heaven or hell because of unsettled accounts."
Their investigation at Gettysburg proved to be a challenge as Tommy, Kimberly, Kat, Billy, Jason and Adam struggled with the increasing amount of paranormal activity going on. The Wayfaring Lantern's flame kept on changing colour as they continued to walk along the unconsecrated grounds of the battlefield of Gettysburg. "Hear us elders and hear us spirits, hear our words and hear our lyrics. Protect us, do this now so let it be!" they invoked as they were nearing towards the Devil's Den, the rock cliff formations used for sharpshooters many years ago.
Ironically, it was Kimberly who suddenly heard a faint sound of a young man singing deep within one of the rock caves. It was like they can sense the power of the orb and something was drawing them towards the caves but the activity outside was too strong for them to fight it. "Remove us now from there Sights, Be it day or be it night, Cloud there vision so they Can not see. Keep us hidden from those who would hurt us, By the powers of the Morrigan, And three times three, As we speak it so shall it be!" Tommy and the others chanted as they ventured into the caves.
With the lantern being their only source of light, Jason, Tommy and Adam used the three shovels they brought to start digging while the others continued to use the lantern to communicate with some of the non hostile spirits. In spite of an eerie vibration of hearing the sound of a wayfaring spirit inside singing, they knew it wouldn't harm them as they continued to dig. After a short while, the six of them were drawn to a shiny green sphere object glowing in the middle of the cave. It was the orb and as they glazed upon it Billy placed it in a magic container that will block off the orb's magic from anyone effected by it. Despite it being in containment, they quickly exited the cave but before that, Kim left a lit up white candle by the entrance to the wayfaring spirit that dwelled inside. Once they were away from the Devil's Den, Tommy contacted their friends at the boarding house to teleport them home.
(The Boarding House)
A little while later Tommy, Kim, Jason, Billy, Kat and Adam landed safely back in the boarding house with the orb in their possession. The six of them were down in the lab with Trini, Rocky, Zack and Aisha as they sealed the Orb of Artrpos in a magic barrier container. The ten veterans stared in awe at the three artifacts sealed in three separate containers: The Artifacts of the Moirae. It was a victory they relished in for a moment realizing that they were at a slight advantage.
"Well we did it you guys we got all three Artifacts of the Moirae," Tommy said staring at the containers, "The next question is how do they work?"
"And it took mingling with the voices of a bunch of wayfaring spirits to get it," Kim replied, "I hope that guy in that cave...does find his way to the afterlife."
"Hopefully using the lantern we lit the way for him," Kat added.
"Why do you think it's difficult for them to crossover?" Rocky asked.
"It's the belief that they've been bound here for too long that they can't either go to heaven or hell," Tommy said, "That spirit in the cave we heard singing there was something about it. That song it kept on singing...it was a an old southern song."
"Maybe he was a deserter or someone wanted to leave and go home but couldn't," Billy said while at the computer with Trini.
"I think he knew...he was dead but couldn't find his way to the afterlife," Jason replied, "Wayfaring Stranger...it's a name of a traditional old southern song."
"I am a poor wayfaring stranger. Travelling through this land of woe. There is no sickness, toil nor danger. In that fair land to which I go," Kim recited the first part of the song.
Kat put the lantern down and let out a slight smile. "He'll find his way to the afterlife, just like the ones that the lantern lit the path for tonight. I think that song meant something to him as it was a reflection of his journey through life. The lantern works depending on what they want, the spirits I mean but it did lead us to the orb."
"That's what counts and hopefully the spirits can rest in peace someday...the ones who still linger in a state of limbo and purgatory," Tommy said.
Deciding that they had one night in regards to chasing spirits and discussions about the afterlife and purgatory the Rangers decided to call it a night. Tommy and Kim headed upstairs for the night and it wasn't a surprise that they encounter a few potentials still awake late in the night. The two of them saw Penny and Rosaline along with a few other potentials finish up a game of pool as they headed to their rooms for the night. While everyone waited in line for the bathroom, Rosaline quickly went to say goodnight to her parents in their bedroom. However, the moment was interrupted when they heard a scream that alerted the whole house.
"ARGH!" they heard Penny screaming. Rosaline quickly ran out of Tommy and Kim's room towards her shared bedroom with her roommates. "Rosie! Bi! Shi-Ann get in here! I need help!"
"Penny for the love of...ARGH!" Rosaline let out a terrifying scream once she reached the room only to be joined by Bianca and Shi-Ann to get the same reaction. The four young teenage girls started tearing up in shock once Tommy, Kim and Jason were alerted by screams of the young girls.
"Girls it's the middle of the night what's going on?" Tommy's eyes were diverted as he gasps at the object that was dangling from the ceiling. His eyes are focused on the bed sheet twisted around the object completely still and limp. The object turned out to be a potential Ranger...who had took the easy way out.
"Oh my God...Tommy...is she..." Kim was too stunned to even say it as everyone continued to stare at the potential Ranger Ellie hanging from the bedroom.