"So its impossible?}"

"It can't be impossible; I've done it before." Adam began

Chal had long since drifted below the horizon, and Naktan's mountaintop sanctuary head been plunged into a deep evening shadow. The sky overhead faded slowly to purple and then to a deep blue.. From here the distant sound of fire reached them from the slopes of the holy mountain as blue sulfuric flame licked perpetually up from the depths of the earth.

Firelight flickered gently over them as they sat in a loose semicircle near the entrance to Naktan's cave.

He lay on his back in a bed of moss, Krill sitting at his side to carefully monitor the Drev shaman's vitals.

Turns out restarting someone's heart isn't like how they show it in the movies.

It tends to take a lot out of a person.

Naktan had awoken a few times but had been mostly incoherent. His half exhausted sleep deprived brain having a difficult time articulating into words.

So they let him sleep.

Adam sat shoulder to shoulder with Sunny atop the field of white moss, and looking around he imagined her training her under the tutelage of Naktan. All of that seemed so very long ago,

The drev shaman shifted slowly, rolling onto his side to lever himself up with one arm. Krill moved forward insisting he lie back down, but Naktan waved him away. His movements were slow and painful, and he kept one hand resting gingerly atop his chest where they had performed compressions.

Everyone shifted forward in their seats.

Waiting.

Naktan adjusted himself in to a cross legged sitting position, which krill grudgingly deemed fine as he backed away.

"that was, enlightening." The Drev said, a hint of irony passing into his voice, "If I had known I might have tried dying sooner." He laughed to himself though the rest of them remained silent looking on in concern as he spoke.

Naktan looked at them and sighed, "Very well ..." He rested his hands gently on his lap, "The path which we are trying to tread is impossible."

A chorus of protests rose around the circle.

"What do you mean impossible."

"So this was all for nothing."

Adam felt himself rise up a bit, heat coloring his face, "I know its possible, I have done it before."

Maverick chorused him.

Naktan Raised a hand and they all went silent, "You all saw what I saw, the bridge and the three in the sky."

Ramirez shrugged, "I mean yeah, but is that supposed to mean soemthing?"

"Yes, It...." Naktan paused and took a breath, "Here, let me see if I can explain this as far as I understand it." He shifted in his seat and Krill went o stop him, but the Drev waved him off settling into a more comfortable position as he began to speak. He raised all four of his arms illustrating his point as he spoke.

"When the Architect and the Makers designed the constructs, they needed a vessel to contain the Anima. The body is basically like an elaborate prison, a labyrinth of courts designed to dampen and contain the power. Parts of the vessel inhibit certain powers or certain parts of the anima. The brain, while being the nerve center of the body, is also a macrostructure specifically designed to house and confuse the anima until death, which is why you see only sentient species with anima, or at least anima as powerful as w understand them. The more anima the more brain that is required to contain it hence sentient species having larger or more complicated brains."

Krill was leaning forward now. This anatomy explanation was in his wheelhouse, and he seemed quite eager to learn.

"As I mentioned before, each part of the brain or body serves as a dampening on inhibition mechanism against some part of the anima. Physical structures designed to thwart spiritual structures. However, physical structures can be damaged, which is why you see some disparities between species and even within species." He turned to look at Adam , "Makers can speak telepathically , but somewhere in the human brain there is a structure that inhibits the ability. When you received your brain injury, the metal rod likely destroyed the structure that was connected to an inhibited Anima allowing you to receive transmitting telepathic communications."

Krill was shaking his head now in disbelief, "This is impossible. Plenty of people receive traumatic brain injuries, and the vast majority of the time I can assure you it does not give anyone mystical powers.'

Naktan held up a hand, "peace doctor, and let me finish my explanation."

Krill went grudgingly silent, but didn't say more.

Nakta continued, "There are probably plenty of people with people similar to Adam, but they have simply never met a Starborn to test the theory. Whatever mechanism allows the transmission of thoughts is clearly not the same as the structure that inhibits the interception of thoughts. Additionally I think its only very specific changes that are going to allow the Anima to leak through. In most cases damage to the brain structure will cause either no change, or a change in the opposite direction, clamping down harder on the anima resulting in difficulty speaking, or doing other tasks as a result of brain damage. In many cases what we might see as common illnesses might have a component of the mystical within them. Perhaps traumatic brain injury that results in heightened anxiety is a side effect of an unstable Anima connection leading the person to believe the yare on the brink of dying."

The group mulled this explanation over for a minute.

Krill still didn't look sure and the rest of them were skeptical, but it wasn't a horrible explanation they supposed, "I am no doctor of course, so take my examples as you will, but the idea stans. If the structure of the body is damaged than the functioning of the anima is damaged . Damage to the brain may inhibit social ability or communication. However without Anima present you would have neither social interaction or communications. This does not change what we understand about how the body works only adding another dimension to it. Damage to the vessel decreases the functionality of the Anima to control or otherwise be housed properly ."

Krill looked like he wanted to argue, but couldn't find the words to do so. Naktan was not changing the argument at all. Brain damage could still lead to difficulty in communication or speech or whatever else, but to think it may also include inhibition of the Anima was an interesting topic.

"Most often issues with the vessel are going to cause dysfunction in the body, but on certain rare occasions, the perfect piece is severed, and a bit of the Anima's power leaks out. I seem to recall the makers having a word for this, it was like power leakage or soemthing similar, but my point stands. Adam lost the part of his brain that inhibited the Anima power to receive communications telepathically. The anima also has the ability to perceive that which is spiritual. Some people have no ability in this real, while others do, which in my argument means that some people lack the structure to inhibit this ability."

They were all warming up to the idea somewhat.

"Ok, so the brain acts as an elaborate trap for the Anima to make sure that it doesn't escape before it is ready, and damage t the trap can cause bits and pieces of the Anima to escape, or may also dampen the power of the anima too much resulting in other related issues." Maverick said

Naktan nodded once, "precisely."

"Scientists have been arguing about the body mind or body soul connection across species for billions of years and you claim that the idea has now been proven." Krill lsaid, arms crossed over his torso.

"This should come as no surprise you doctor since the existence of the soul has been known for almost three years now."

Krill still did not seem convinced.

"Of course, I believe that there is a place in the brain where the anima is tethered to the body permanently, held in place where it can move around but it can't escape. When the body dies this connection is severed allowing the anima to escape rand we see this as the lack of brain activity. I also believe that this part of the body can be severed prematurely resulting in a living vessel but an absent Anima."

Adam shook his head, "So, how does that explain people dying and then being brought back to life."

"Simple." Naktan began, "The structure is physical in part and spiritual in part. Just like how the heart can be restarted, a tether can be repaired, but as I am sure you know doctor," he gave Krill a look, "Restarting someone's heart and bringing them back isn't easy, and to do it without damage to the brain is even more difficult. Often reattaching the anima to the body will result in attachment difficulties later on. The faster the anima is attached after it is detached the easier it is. Additionally I believe that this tether can stretch allowing the mind to leave the body on certain occasions. Assume for example the idea of astral projection, or the occasional out of body experience. Someone who experiences frequent detachment from reality and out of body experience may be doing so as the result of an Anima mind connection that stretches too much. Again, much of this is pure speculation but my point remains. An anima can give more power when it stretches outside the body but may and remain alive because it is still attached, and a severed connection causes the anima to flee back to Revelation. You see."

"This is accurate." There was a pause and they all turned sharply to look at Conn who was sitting uncharacteristically somber at the fringes of the group.

"What makes you say that." Sunny asked

Conn shrugged, "I have seen it. I have seen the thread inside the mind that connects the spirit to the body. If you go deep enough into someone's thoughts you can find it though it is not soemthing I would relish doing.... It is strange that deep inside the mind."

The circle gawped at him.

Adam closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, "Ok, ok I think I understand, maybe, but how does that helps us? We learn how to astral project, to go outside our bodies without severing the connection. I am assuming that is what we have done I the past."

Naktan thoughts about the question for a moment gently tapping his chin with one finger, "There is, a third option...."

"Go on." Eris urged.

Naktan lifted his head, "The vessel requires the anima to function and when the vessel dies the anima cannot stay, but we do know that the vessel can continue to function after the anima is gone. I believe that the presence of the Anima is the only requirement. If we can artificially forge a new connection, perhaps we could sever the original connection keeping the anima in the body , while simultaneously releasing it from its cage so to speak."

Krill snorted, "Are you suggesting spiritual brain surgery?"

Naktan did not smile ," In the vernacularA of the human culture I would say..... did I stutter?"