In the year 3061, Earth was a wasteland filled with people beyond despair. There was a great hope in the form of a utopian existence, a place called Olihran. The people of Olihran sent their emissary, RanAvin, to share the wonders of their world with the inhabitants of Earth. RanAvin made promises of a heavenly place where absolute freewill reigned and the impossible—the gift of immortality—was a reality for all. Many people yearned for this dreamscape, yet they doubted the promise of a heaven in any land. Few were chosen, despite their constant attempts to discover the mystery behind the selection process.
RanAvin was nothing less than mesmerizing. She had many talents; one of which was the ability to bi-locate. RanAvin's presence was calming and at times, hypnotic. When difficult questions were posed, she answered flawlessly and with great confidence. Over the decades, many had grown disenchanted with religion, but this did not discourage RanAvin. She was sagacious beyond their understanding and older than any human could imagine. She had answers and ideas that satisfied the 'chosen' ones’ curiosity, and they coveted her stories with all they had left.
The Duomo (as it was called) was built in a lush valley surrounded by Sequoya trees. The presence of the cathedral changed the feel of the land; it seemed bleak, and the air was thin like hope had been squeezed from it. With the promise of a new salvation, the Duomo had been named a sanctuary for the people who no longer recognized themselves and had grown accustomed to the shadows they had become. Its presence was so ingrained in the minds of the people that no one could recall it not being there.
The inside of the Duomo was encrusted with scarlet jewels. The ceiling was filled with a night sky; real or not, no human could tell. Instead of a pulpit, there was a sphere from which RanAvin would speak to the chosen few; a total of 613 souls. She was soft spoken, yet her voice could be heard so clearly, it was as if she was projecting her message directly into their minds.
RanAvin was ever present at the Duomo. If she was needed elsewhere, elsewhere is where she would be. Often, whispers were spoken of her ability to bi-locate by children who seemed immune to her hypnotic abilities. None of that mattered because adults rarely listened to the 'fantasies' of children.
The passage to Olihran was a wormhole, and its access point was within the sphere. The time had come for the 613 to fulfill their destiny, a choice they had made freely. RanAvin gave simple, yet detailed instructions on how to enter the sphere: three people at a time, all dressed in white and holding hands. Two hundred four sets of three crossed into Olihran. The last person, Lilith, held RanAvin's hand, and they met everyone on the other side.
Olihran was indeed everything that RanAvin had described. Some compared it to Shangri-La, while others thought it to be the true Garden of Eden. Life for the chosen ones was their paradise.
After the third week, there was an orientation meeting in Olihran’s main hall. Prior to this day, no one had seen any of Olihran’s inhabitants other than RanAvin.
After everyone was settled into their comfortable chairs, RanAvin introduced FeRiluc. He was extremely pleasing, a bright, almost glowing being. He had a presence that exuded compassion, love, and a strong, though gentle sense of control. FeRiluc compared himself to what the 613 would consider a counselor, someone they could trust for any and all their needs and desires.
After FeRiluc spoke, he introduced Milohe. Both FeRiluc and RanAvin showed an obvious deference toward him. Milohe's presence changed the atmosphere of the room from calmness to what could be described as the way a young boy respected and feared his militant father. Fear was something that the chosen ones had not experienced since they left Earth. The humans departed the meeting feeling shaken, but all seemed well in their new paradise, and they dismissed their instinct.
Free thinking and the act of defiance was no more. Even the few children who were curious about RanAvin's strangeness were now compliant creatures found to be pleasing and entertaining to their 'hosts'.
FeRiluc, RanAvin, and Milohe, known to the chosen few as Keepers, had been searching for unique beings they could control. They discovered this level of obedience in the chosen ones. Milohe was quite pleased with RanAvin's diverse collection of Earth creatures. FeRiluc looked forward to listening to whatever the chosen ones had to say. He was especially fond of Lilith.
FeRiluc hoped to increase Lilith’s happiness, so he wandered in his imagination and thought of an ivory tower surrounded by glowing asters. He imagined blue dragonflies floating on a soft wind near the tower, then manifested it into Lilith's reality. She believed the image to be of perfection. Often, he would fill her reality with the essence of bliss, and she would weep.
Being a jealous creature, Milohe took offense; he wanted Lilith for himself, but never challenged FeRiluc’s control. At times, he would show his displeasure by toying with the chosen ones whenever and however he desired. He was never discovered; the illusion of freewill to the chosen ran too deep.
The Keepers kept the truth about time in Olihran to themselves—an eternal illusion. Since immortality and eternity were gifts that the chosen accepted, this new Eden continued in minds of the 613 as an 'eternity' of their making. To the Keepers, their human exhibit has become their most honored possession. To the 613, their holographic promised land is their heaven and their hell.