“Serves the selfish bastards, right!” Knox shrugs, shooting me a wink.
Zayne shakes his head, but continues on.
“As these original souls live their lives, they’d sometimes create other souls through their offspring. And although these new souls still had all the emotions and representations of the Originals, they never shone as bright. They are known as Descendants.”
“Rinse, lather, and repeat, if you know what I mean,” Knox adds, taking a swig of his water.
“Bro, would you shut the fuck up?” Zayne snaps.
“What?” He shrugs. “This shit is heavy, and I’m just trying to help.”
Zayne grumbles under his breath and turns to me.
“Does this make sense so far?”
“I think so.” I nod. “So, everyone is technically a descendant of the Original souls, correct?”
“Correct,” he replies. “Unless you are an Original yourself.”
“Which is incredibly rare,” Knox adds, this time quietly.
“But we all go to the same place when we die?”
“No. I’m afraid it’s a bit more complicated than that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Originals and Descendants would move on from afterlife to afterlife, with the Gods watching their story like reality TV show. Not everyone would move to the same afterlife however.”
“What do you mean? Why would it be different for some?”
“Because there are different dimensions and multiple versions of the afterlife. Rarely do two souls progress to the same afterlife.”
“Well, that’s depressing,” I say softly. “Most people want to see their loved ones when they die.”
“Remember, most people are Descendants. When a Descendant dies, they lose all emotional connection to the life and people they had in this world. There’s no pain, or feeling of loss or longing, because there is no feeling whatsoever. Their soul simply progresses to the afterlife to start again.”
“Unless you’re an Original,” Knox interjects. “Then it can be different.”
“Different, how?”
“Originals can sometimes remember their past lives,” Zayne explains. “Or feel a connection to their soulmate.”
“What kind of connection?” I ask, my throat going dry.
Zayne stares at me, his face full of an emotion I cannot place.
“It’s rare for soulmates to find each other. Many lifetimes can pass between before they reconnect. But their souls are bonded, tethered to one another across space and time. And when they finally find one another, there’s an inexplicable pull between them. A sense of knowing and belonging that defies reality.”
He pauses, inhaling deeply.
“Basically, when an Original crosses paths with their soulmate, they would feel as though they are familiar. As if this person has always been a part of them—because they are.”
“I see,” I whisper.
My eyes find Zayne’s, and suddenly the room around me feels as if it’s pulsating.
I can’t help but wonder if this explains all the intense feelings I’ve had since Zayne has entered my orbit. I mean, I’m no stranger to relationships, and I have had boyfriends, but I’ve never had this kind of pull towards another like I do with him. This attraction is almost uncontrollable. It’s as if my own soul calls out to him. Being in his presence, if I’m honest, has made it difficult to concentrate on his words, but I remain focused.
