Black Chains and Death

Jorg is dozing off in his favorite spot at the library, seemingly asleep as he communicates with Kvothe via dream world. A nagging feeling kept bothering him ever since he learned the Soul Drive technique. After the near death experience, Jorg felt that something is amiss. That the sense of balance is wrong in the afterlife and has only intensified when he nearly died.

He can't help but feel that it might be related to Ralio's words on how he perceived Jorg's and the rest of the party's soul. Wondering if his mentor knew, Jorg proceeded to ask, "Master Kvothe, I'm sure you've seen my soul a lot of times now. I seem to be tied down by these black chains. And when I experienced near-death, I felt that something is wrong with the afterlife. It seems really off somehow."

Kvothe looked thoughtful, urging Jorg to continue his query. "How can I free myself from these chains like you are free?"

The older man frowned as he tries to come up with an answer to satisfy his protege's inquiry. "My knowledge in the arcane is not really specialized in soul-bending. As you know, my background in the Militus caste had me focusing on offensive, powerful, and damaging magicks."

Jorg looks crestfallen at his mentor's reply. But Kvothe remembers the time when he was dying, up to the point when the wild magic surge acted up to attach his soul to Jorg's. He had died, he knew he was dead for a really short while. The shock of death made the whole recollection hazy, but it was that moment of death, when he felt unshackled. It was only after that brief feeling of being free did he feel the pull of the wild magic which transferred him to where he is now.

He told Jorg what he thought about it. "I really didn't get the chance to pursue that train of thought. But I do agree that there seems to be a different feeling to our souls. But other than that, I am also at a dead end."

"Maybe I should kill everyone off in their sleep so we can be free." He mumbles but shakes his head at the stern look Kvothe gave him.

"Actually, something has been bugging me about the God Emperor and the whole religion that surrounds him." Jorg decides as he gathered his thoughts. "Mom has been a devout and ardent believer and I too, truly believed that the God emperor is the Almighty. But now, as we go along traveling, I realized how wretched this place is."

Out of habit, he made the sign that signifies Amadeus-the-God-emperor, thumbs intertwined and fingers spread. "If he truly is God, why are there people suffering. If he is truly almighty, why didn't he magic away all the bad people. He shouldn't be making mistakes in whom he should be imprisoning. This world should be good and perfect. But I only felt a tension of something else."

"I know how happiness feels." Jorg says as he smiles brightly in remembering fond moments with his mom and the amulet. The fluttery feelings he had when he hangs out with Lamb. The exaltation he feels when he casts a powerful magic potently and correctly. "What I felt there was definitely not happiness."

He continues his tirade. "The priests promises a good afterlife, but from what I had experienced, it wasn't near anything they had promised at all. That was no paradise. They said, if I do well in service to the God emperor, I will be rewarded when I die, but here they are hunting me down when I've been nothing but a devout believer until this happened."

Kvothe nods. He too, thinking about the corrupt Militus. "I do believe that it is not God-Emperor Amadeus who is causing the corruption. I firmly believe that the Shrouded Council must be the reason why there is evil in this world. It is our duty to cleanse this world of evil so that almighty God-Emperor may shine and bestow his blessings to us."

Jorg looks beseechingly, looking for the small hope of clinging to his faltering faith. Kvothe sighs and reassures Jorg, "Don't let your worries overcome you. We use our powers instinctively. We channel our powers and strengthen our spells on our will and emotions. If you doubt yourself, you will only grow weaker."

"I won't let this hinder me from growing stronger." Jorg decides, and went to catch up on Shepherd and Lamb for magic training.