Chapter Fourteen: The Fourth Level
Ritual
Two months had passed since Majid's advancement to the Third Level, a period of
intense training and careful experimentation with his new abilities. The most significant
of these was the creation of temporal pockets—small spaces where time flowed
differently than in the surrounding reality. Under Layla's guidance, he had learned to
create these pockets with increasing precision, controlling both their size and the degree
of temporal acceleration or deceleration within them.
The applications were remarkable. He could accelerate time within a pocket to conduct
research or experiments that would normally take days in a matter of hours. He could
decelerate time to preserve perishable materials or to examine processes that typically
occurred too quickly for detailed observation. And most importantly for his immediate
goals, he could create temporal shields—pockets of altered time that could potentially
protect him during confrontations with Door Keepers or other temporal entities.
But as Layla had warned, these abilities came with risks. Each temporal pocket created a
small distortion in the fabric of reality, a weakness that could potentially develop into a
fracture if the pocket was maintained too long or made too large. And these distortions
attracted attention—not just from Door Keepers, who could sense temporal
manipulations within their territories, but from Void Walkers, entities that existed in the
spaces between timelines and were drawn to disruptions in temporal flow.
Majid had glimpsed several more of these entities during his training sessions, shadowy
forms watching from the thin places between his reality and the Void. Most seemed
merely curious, observing his manipulations of temporal currents with what felt like
academic interest. But occasionally he sensed more predatory presences—Void Walkers
that seemed to hunger for the temporal energy he generated, that pressed against the
barrier between worlds with what felt like malicious intent.
Layla had taught him to use stabilizers—crystalline objects that strengthened the barrier
when placed near temporal distortions—and to limit the duration and intensity of his
manipulations to avoid attracting the more dangerous entities. But the risk remained, a
constant consideration in his use of his Third Level abilities.
Despite these complications, Majid had made significant progress in his training,
developing a level of control that impressed even Layla with her decades of experience
studying Travelers. And now, on a warm spring evening, he sat in the back room of Al-
Kitab Al-Qadim, discussing the next phase of his journey.
"I believe I'm ready to attempt accessing my grandfather's hidden library," he said, his
voice reflecting the confidence he had developed along with his abilities. The subtle
luminescence of his Third Level status was visible even in the well-lit room, a faint glow
that followed the pattern of veins beneath his skin.
"The risk is considerable," Layla cautioned, her expression serious. "Samir Al-Zahrani is
the Third Guardian of the Door Keepers, responsible for protecting the Gate beneath the
house. Attempting to access your grandfather's library, even if it exists in a temporal
pocket that the Door Keepers haven't detected, will alert him to your presence."
"I understand the risk," Majid replied. "But according to Tariq, the library contains
knowledge crucial to understanding the Gates and potentially challenging the Door
Keepers' control. If I'm going to continue advancing as a Traveler, I need that
knowledge."
"And there's another factor to consider," Rana added. "The Fourth Level ritual. We've
been researching it based on Al-Qudsi's journal and other temporal texts, but the
information is fragmented, incomplete. Your grandfather's library likely contains more
detailed instructions, perhaps even prepared components similar to what he left in the
safeguard for the Second Level."
The Fourth Level—the next step in Majid's journey as a Traveler, bringing him closer to
the abilities he would need to potentially open the Gates and connect with the Observer.
According to the limited information they had gathered, the Fourth Level granted the
ability to perceive and navigate alternate timelines—to glimpse parallel realities where
events had unfolded differently and, with sufficient skill, to potentially move between
them.
It was a tantalizing prospect, particularly given Majid's encounter with Tariq, a version of
his family from an alternate timeline who had reached the Fifth Level and joined the
Observer. The ability to perceive and potentially access other timelines would expand
his understanding of the multiverse and perhaps provide insights into his own journey
that weren't available in his current reality.
"What do we know about the sacrifice required for the Fourth Level?" Majid asked,
remembering the memory sacrifice of the Second Level and the emotional connection
sacrifice that he had redirected in the Third.
"That's one of the gaps in our knowledge," Layla admitted. "Al-Qudsi's journal mentions
a 'surrender of certainty,' but doesn't elaborate on what that means in practical terms.
It's one of the reasons accessing your grandfather's library is so important—we need
more specific information before attempting the Fourth Level ritual."
Majid nodded, his determination solidifying. "Then we proceed as planned. I'll attempt
to access the library beneath my grandfather's old house—beneath the Al-Zahrani
property."
"We'll need a strategy," Rana said, always the practical one. "A way to get you close
enough to the house to detect and access the temporal pocket without being
immediately confronted by Samir."
"I've been thinking about that," Majid replied. "The park behind the house—where we
performed the blood ritual to retrieve my grandfather's safeguard. It's close enough for
me to sense temporal anomalies on the property, especially with my enhanced Third
Level perception. If the entrance to the library responds to my bloodline as Tariq
suggested, I might be able to activate it from a distance."
"It's possible," Layla acknowledged, though her expression remained concerned. "But
the moment you attempt to access the temporal pocket, Samir will sense the
disturbance. You'll have very little time to enter the library and find what you need
before he responds."
"That's where my temporal pockets come in," Majid said, a slight smile playing at the
corners of his mouth. "I can create a decelerated field around the area where I'm
working—slowing local time to give myself more opportunity to access the library before
Samir can reach me."
"And if he breaks through your temporal pocket?" Rana asked. "The Third Guardian is
powerful, Majid. He may have abilities we haven't anticipated."
"Then I retreat," Majid replied simply. "This is a reconnaissance mission, not a
confrontation. I get in, gather as much information as possible about the Fourth Level
ritual and the Gates, and get out. Direct conflict with Samir comes later, when I'm better
prepared."
Layla and Rana exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them.
"Very well," Layla said finally. "But you won't go alone. We'll accompany you, provide
support and distraction if necessary."
"No," Majid said firmly. "The risk is too great. If something goes wrong, if Samir captures
or incapacitates me, the Balance Keepers need to remain free to continue the work. You
have knowledge and resources that can't be lost."
"He's right," Rana said reluctantly. "Our direct involvement would only increase the risk
of detection. But we can monitor from a distance, be prepared to intervene if absolutely
necessary."
After further discussion, they settled on a plan. Majid would attempt to access the
hidden library the following night, during the new moon when darkness would provide
additional cover. Layla and Rana would position themselves at strategic points around
the neighborhood, ready to create diversions or provide assistance if needed, but
maintaining enough distance to avoid immediate detection by Samir.
The next day passed with excruciating slowness for Majid, each hour seeming to stretch
into eternity as he maintained his facade of normalcy—attending school, interacting
with family and friends, giving no indication of the dangerous mission planned for that
night. He told his parents he would be staying late at a friend's house to work on a
school project, ensuring they wouldn't expect him home until morning.
As darkness fell, Majid made his way to the agreed meeting point—a small café several
blocks from the Al-Zahrani property. Layla and Rana were already there, seated at a
corner table with cups of coffee that provided a plausible reason for their presence.
"Any signs of unusual activity around the house?" Majid asked as he joined them,
keeping his voice low despite the ambient noise of the café.
"Nothing obvious," Rana replied. "Samir's car is in the driveway, suggesting he's home.
His father appears to be away—the main bedroom lights haven't been on all evening."
"That's both good and bad," Layla observed. "Good because there's one less person in
the house to notice anything unusual. Bad because it means Samir is the only one there,
free to respond to any temporal disturbance without explanation to his father."
They reviewed the plan one final time, synchronizing watches and confirming
communication signals. Then, with a final nod to his mentors, Majid left the café and
began making his way toward the park behind the Al-Zahrani property.
The night was clear and cool, the new moon leaving the sky dark except for the distant
glow of stars. Majid moved quietly through the residential streets, using his Third Level
perception to scan for any temporal signatures that might indicate Door Keeper
surveillance. He detected nothing unusual—either they weren't monitoring the area
tonight, or they had methods of concealment beyond his current ability to perceive.
The park was deserted when he arrived, the play equipment casting strange shadows in
the ambient light from distant streetlamps. Majid positioned himself at the point closest
to the eastern corner of the Al-Zahrani property, hidden from view by the same cluster of
ornamental bushes they had used during the blood ritual months earlier.
Closing his eyes, he extended his enhanced perception toward the house, searching for
any temporal anomalies that might indicate the presence of his grandfather's hidden
library. At first, he sensed only the normal flow of time around the physical structure—
the gradual aging of materials, the subtle temporal currents that affected all matter.
Then, as he focused more intently, he detected something unusual—a distortion in the
temporal flow beneath the eastern corner of the house, exactly where the sealed cellar
should be. But unlike the cellar itself, which existed in normal space-time despite being
physically inaccessible, this distortion suggested a pocket of reality that existed slightly
out of phase with the surrounding environment—similar to the hidden drawer where
they had found Al-Qudsi's journal, but on a much larger scale.
This had to be the entrance to his grandfather's hidden library—a space that existed
partially outside normal time, invisible to conventional perception and inaccessible
without specific temporal abilities. According to Tariq, it would respond to a Third Level
Traveler of the Al-Harthi bloodline, recognizing the unique temporal signature of his
grandfather's descendants.
Majid focused his concentration on the distortion, reaching out with his consciousness
to establish a connection. The pendant at his throat grew warm, responding to his
intentional use of his abilities, and the luminescence of his Third Level status intensified,
his skin glowing more brightly in the darkness.
He felt a response from the temporal pocket—a recognition, an acknowledgment of his
bloodline and his level of development as a Traveler. The distortion began to shift, the
barrier between normal reality and the hidden space becoming more permeable.
But as the connection strengthened, Majid sensed another response—a sudden
alertness from within the house, a flare of temporal energy that could only be Samir Al-
Zahrani detecting the disturbance. The Third Guardian was aware of his presence, was
already moving to investigate.
Working quickly, Majid created a temporal pocket around himself and the area where
the distortion was manifesting—a bubble of decelerated time that would slow Samir's
approach, giving Majid more opportunity to access the hidden library before
confrontation became inevitable.
The barrier between realities thinned further, and Majid felt a pulling sensation—an
invitation to cross over, to enter the temporal pocket where his grandfather's knowledge
was preserved. He hesitated for only a moment, then surrendered to the pull, allowing
his consciousness to transition into the hidden space.
The experience was disorienting—not quite physical movement, but not merely mental
projection either. It was as if his entire being, body and consciousness together, shifted
sideways through reality, entering a space that existed adjacent to normal time rather
than within it.
When the disorientation cleared, Majid found himself in a vast circular chamber, its walls
lined with bookshelves that reached from floor to ceiling. Tables covered with strange
instruments and maps marked with symbols he didn't recognize occupied the center of
the room. And everywhere, there were books—ancient tomes bound in leather, scrolls
preserved in glass cases, modern notebooks filled with handwritten observations.
This was his grandfather's hidden library—a repository of temporal knowledge that had
remained undiscovered by the Door Keepers despite decades of control over the
property above. The air was perfectly preserved, without the mustiness one might
expect in a sealed space, suggesting that time flowed differently here, perhaps not
flowing at all in the conventional sense.
Majid moved quickly through the chamber, scanning the shelves for anything related to
the Fourth Level ritual or the Gates. He was acutely aware of the temporal pocket he had
created outside, of Samir's approach slowed but not stopped by the decelerated time.
He had minutes at most before the Third Guardian would break through his defenses
and detect the entrance to the hidden library.
On a central table, he found what he was looking for—a leather-bound volume titled
"The Five Levels: A Complete Guide to Temporal Advancement" in his grandfather's
handwriting. Beside it lay a wooden box similar to the one from the safeguard, carved
with the now-familiar spiral symbol that matched his pendant.
Majid grabbed both items, then continued his hurried search of the library. On another
shelf, he found a collection of scrolls labeled "The Seven Gates: Locations and Opening
Rituals." These too he took, rolling them carefully and securing them with the attached
ribbons.
As he was about to leave, something else caught his attention—a small crystal sphere on
a pedestal in the corner of the room, glowing with an inner light that pulsed like a
heartbeat. It was similar to the stabilizers Layla used to strengthen the barrier between
worlds when Void Walkers were detected, but more complex, more powerful.
Acting on instinct, Majid took this as well, sensing its importance though not
understanding its specific purpose. He placed all the items in the backpack he had
brought for this purpose, then prepared to transition back to normal reality.
But as he focused on the return journey, he felt a disturbance in the temporal currents—
Samir had broken through his decelerated pocket and was now searching for the
entrance to the hidden library. The Third Guardian's temporal signature was powerful,
focused, radiating a determination that Majid could sense even through the barrier
between realities.
He needed to exit at a different location than where he had entered, to avoid emerging
directly into Samir's path. Concentrating on the temporal distortion that marked the
boundary between the hidden library and normal reality, Majid searched for a weak
point, a place where he could create his own exit rather than using the established
entrance.
He found it—a thinning in the barrier near the western edge of the property, far from
where Samir was currently searching. Focusing his Third Level abilities on this spot,
Majid created a temporary opening, a doorway between realities that would allow him
to return to normal space-time.
The transition back was more difficult than the entry had been, requiring intense
concentration to maintain the opening against the natural resistance of the barrier. But
finally, with a sensation like pushing through a membrane, Majid emerged into the
physical world—not in the park where he had started, but in an alley behind the row of
houses, nearly a block from the Al-Zahrani property.
He immediately sensed Samir's reaction—the Third Guardian had detected his
emergence, was already moving to intercept him. Majid didn't hesitate. Creating another
temporal pocket, this one accelerating his local time rather than decelerating the
surrounding environment, he moved with preternatural speed through the alley and
into the adjacent street.
The effort of maintaining the accelerated pocket was intense, sweat beading on his
forehead as he pushed his abilities to their limit. But it gave him the advantage he
needed, allowing him to put significant distance between himself and the pursuing
Guardian before the pocket collapsed and his movement returned to normal speed.
By the time he reached the rendezvous point—a 24-hour convenience store several
blocks away—he was certain he had lost his pursuer. Rana was waiting in her car across
the street, engine running, ready for a quick departure. Majid slipped into the passenger
seat, the backpack containing his grandfather's knowledge clutched tightly against his
chest.
"You got it?" Rana asked, pulling away from the curb before he had even closed the door
completely.
"Yes," Majid confirmed, his voice breathless from the exertion of his escape. "Books on
the Five Levels, scrolls about the Gates, and something else—a crystal sphere that I think
might be important."
"And Samir?"
"He detected me, pursued me, but I lost him using an accelerated pocket. He knows
someone accessed the hidden library, but I don't think he saw me clearly enough to
identify me specifically."
Rana drove them to a safe house Layla had prepared on the outskirts of the city—a small
apartment rented under a false name, stocked with basic supplies and shielded with
temporal dampeners that would help mask their presence from any Door Keepers who
might be searching for them.
Layla was already there when they arrived, having left her observation post as soon as
she received Rana's signal that Majid had been extracted successfully. Her expression
was a mixture of relief at his safe return and eagerness to examine what he had retrieved
from the hidden library.
They spread the materials on the small dining table—the leather-bound volume on the
Five Levels, the scrolls about the Gates, the wooden box carved with the spiral symbol,
and the crystal sphere that pulsed with inner light.
"This is extraordinary," Layla breathed, carefully opening the book on the Five Levels. "A
complete guide to temporal advancement, written by a Traveler who reached the Third
Level and documented the requirements for the Fourth and Fifth. This is knowledge the
Door Keepers have been suppressing for centuries."
"What about the Fourth Level ritual?" Majid asked, his primary concern still the next step
in his own journey. "Does it explain the sacrifice required?"
Layla turned pages until she found the relevant section, her expression growing
increasingly serious as she read. "Yes, it does. And it conf