People are abandoning their Earthly gods for a chance at a better way of life and prosperity in other worlds. Many philosophers think Buddhism’s Nirvana will be the sole divine promise realized throughout the universe.
Three previous Kings on Planet 444 have prepared the contemporary civilization to transcend. In book 3 of the series, the fourth King, Maha, has started implementing regulations for the ultimate effort. However, dark matter possesses its own methods.
In this four-book series, Cyborgs are experimenting with human DNA and biomechanical implants. Unfortunately, the planet used for the experiment isn’t healthy for long-term survival. The faithful Buddhists can’t find the needed sutras, and they have discovered no clues of the Buddha’s presence here. Or are they searching for awareness in the wrong places?
Canibus plants offer miraculous developments in fabrics and pharmaceuticals that are helping to make life better. But then, Cyborgs hide their conscious-supercomputer there, the spiritual leader leaves, Maha doubts himself, the Yogini calls out the universe, and only the Oracle sees all.
I saw Mark walking towards the coffee house. Actually, I spotted him earlier as he was outside of the Faust House. Today the house is used as a faculty hospital for Prague’s, Charles University, but the legend of Edward Kelly still attracts the alchemist curiosity-seekers. He’s been calling me and texting me for several days. Finally, my flat-white-coffee is ready, and as I finish my first sip, Mark walks through the door. After a quick wave, he spots me sitting here at the table directly in front of a large window where I can see the park across the street, the traffic and the pedestrians, and of course, the Faust House.
Mark pulls the shoulder straps of his backpack off his shoulders and lets it fall to the floor. “Hello, Airodia. Thank you for meeting with me today,” he says while giving me a bare-knuckles fist bump.
“Prague is the best place for our meeting, Mark,” I reply. “Would you like a coffee?” He tells me he’s already ordered his cup and asks if he can record our conversation. “Of course,” I say.
“Before we start, Mark, and I hope you won’t mind. I’ve seen the interviews with Drrea and Vallena that you have published. It looks like you ask the same twelve questions of everyone. This is pretty cool because you can treat the readers of the books with some common thread to compare our different personalities. But it’s not going to be my thing. Look, see what I got here is a place inside me with what an alchemist might call, a different brew or elixir.” Mark nods and shrugs with an accepting; it’s all good type of shoulder and head dance. I continue.
“Your first book, Starzel was a cataclysm of too many good stories and too little storyline. Don’t take me wrong, you can narrate a story, and your work’s composition is nothing short of impressive. Early onward, you are exceptional and elegant. But what you did to Trump and his lover was definitely on but since the remainder of the story was all meat and no potatoes, the read was laborious. Tedious may be the better word. Fittingly, here we are sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of what is the center of the art for telling stories. Prague is full of great stories from the occult to fiction and the purest fantasy. Spellbinders and hypnotic, every one of them. This is your city, man. If there was ever a location with a history appropriate for you, Prague is it.”
Mark’s coffee arrives, and he listens to me berating his craftsmanship while he slowly sips the elixir produced at the coffee shop.
“There was some adorable you told us about in your next book, Love Reincarnate. Book 2 made me feel even more confident in your storytelling. So actually, I’m going to tell you something I’ve never said to any other author. After reading through Book 2, I was proud to be part of the story. Then Book 3, Aware Consciousness, begins to materialize. The invocation of thought transcends to words and spreads like rain across a fertile field. The previously hidden message included in previous books begins to reveal itself. Opaque but within reasonable sight of the reader. A hint of its presence, possibly the scent of it. Listen, it can almost be heard. Book 3 is the lightning strike. The sound of thunder is coming.”
Mark sips his coffee, his expression is that of a man at a high-stakes poker tournament; he’s unreadable. I watch him watching me as I wonder have I been too cold or does he understand the compliments I intend? Should I tell him further my advice? Risking my fate in his ability to never invoke my character again in his pros, perhaps I should find an excuse to leave our meeting. But, on the other hand, I do so very much want to tell him to add in first-party retrospective and thoughts of self-doubt and questioning motives. Reading a character’s innermost motives can add fascinating mischief to a story.
“I’m acting in a play later this evening. Would you and Kimberly like to come to watch? It’s a magic show with blacklights, and though it’s not cutting-edge, breakthrough science, you guys might enjoy a few hours of entertainment. So here, I’ll text you the particulars and leave two tickets at will-call should you find the time.”
Of course, we would love to see your show, Airodia,” he says with a smile. The first sign of expression he’s shown since sitting down at the table with me. Thank you for the tickets and for taking the time to speak with me today.” He fastens his coat and slips the backpack over his shoulder. I watch him as he makes his way through the tiny cafe, and out he goes through the door.
Intense and yet gentle and giving. I can imagine that’s how anyone who has ever had the privilege to speak to Kelv feels. By the time he was finishing the answer to question four, Are you Gender Specific, I somehow understood the depth of his one-word answer. He’s trying to separate the ego identity of gender naming. I recall the story of Tara when she was criticizing the monks for not allowing a female into the Arhant group. The chief monk said to her, there could never be a female monk. Tara understood right then and there that she labeled herself to be excluded from the ranks by her own label. Kelv said all that in his one-word answer. Please enjoy this interview with Kelv.
Who is your favorite band? Music is a different source of mental stimuli. It both arouses a sense of comfort, and at the same time, you can become highly energetic. For me, I like to listen to keep me moving toward a boom. That’s what I call the accomplishment of repeating a mantra 125,000 times. Buedi Siebert composed an album, Om Mani Padme Hum. I used to listen to the songs, but I haven’t listened to music over the last seven years.
What’s your name? I’m Kelv. It is customary in our civilization to introduce ourselves with our family number. The number represents the order the Cyborgs used to recruit the forty-four scientists they chose for their serum experiment. Each number represents the law from the Buddha’s laws for community living. Anyway, my family is twelve. Our law is, we will be of right intention here. The twelfth family is also the last family for the royal caste.
How old are you? In this form, 23.
Are you gender-specific? No.
Are you related to anyone in the story? No. I suppose if things had been different. That is, if I hadn’t taken the Bodhisattva vow, I would have married Vallena. But, intention is everything, so I guess I’m her husband; she’s my wife in a karmic sense. I’ll make sure to tell her when we land in the Buddha Fields.
Where does your accent come from? I don’t have an accent. That’s an off-the-charts question, Mark. What made you ask that one? Do you ask these same questions of everyone?
If you were to define one or two of the most crucial problems facing you, what are they and why? First, the experiment is doomed to fail. Human suffering requires all five senses and the reaction to the senses are Karma. To transcend the trapping of Samsara all the karmic energy has to be used up. Without anger, we can’t burn up the karma of anger. Just because we can sense or be aware of anger doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. The serum deforms the DNA and handicaps the senses. It’s a crime. But what the Buddha told us is that Dharma doesn’t know karma, and if we can ascend to dharma living, all karma is dissolved. It’s a paradox within the paradigm.
What would a perfect world look like to you? It looks like this, chibusa! Everyone gathered in one place, chanting the lotus, emptied minds. Like I said, chibusa!
What needs to happen to get from the problems to the perfect world you defined? The King has no clue how to motivate the people to the river’s edge. Much the less how to get us all across the river. If Mahá was the King, and I trust one day, he will be. There would be a chance. The first thing I think we need is a sutra to guide us across to the other shore. That’s what I’m searching for out there. I’m making myself available to divine guidance. Sounds mental, I get that. But I couldn’t think of anything more important to do with my life.
If you weren’t a character in this story who would you be in real life? Sarvashura, maybe Bhaiṣajyaguru, or Manjushri.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change? I would have the supernatural powers of the Arhant and the Buddhas so that I would know how to take the people out of Samsara and back to the source.
What would you like to say to the reader? Thank you for taking the time to open your heart to our struggle. I pray that you will be free from all your suffering and the causes of your suffering.
If a story could be described as powerful, this one is. I enjoyed reading Starzel In my opinion, the story's main strength lies in its compelling storyline, multi-genre infusion, immersive descriptions, and compelling characters. Niskak Edet
Starzel is a really exciting story. I was really entertained by how you took events that have happened recently and pulled them together into this really dark potential future. Fingers crossed we don’t go down that road, though honestly, I wouldn’t be too surprised. Allison Collins
The most striking and intriguing part of this story (The Dot) for me was the unique fusion of science and Buddha principles. I found it very engaging and enjoyed how the science and Buddha principles were consistent throughout the story. It was a unique point in a futuristic story such as this being that some civilizations in the future came not just to reconcile science with religion but also to make them complement each other.
R. Dawson
Amazing storyline! The storyline was unique and easily engaging after I read The Dot’s introduction, I became increasingly interested in the story. Although I feel the prologue and introduction need to be tightened up more, They achieved its purpose of capturing my attention and building interest in the story.
S. Stewart
The conversation style was fluid and very easy to follow. I liked the simple prose of the story; it made the story very easy to read, such that I understood the thoughts and actions of the characters. Although the discussions included the scientific details involved such as quantum fields, vector, scalar, and even vibrational frequency which may be hard for non-science-inclined readers to follow, the overall narrative helped readers to easily grasp what it is about.
K. D. Montoya
Interesting Characters! The Dot is packed with distinct and well-fleshed-out characters. Each character felt distinct from the others. This is something I find most authors struggle with. For instance, Kelv’s calmness radiates and fits his character. Also, Zosimos is superior but then still has some weaknesses which he built on throughout the story. The characters were vivid and relatable.
