The day for our first excursion had come, I had completely forgotten what a dark realm looked like until I flung a glance at the set of directions I had gotten a few seconds ago – Jewell had warped a white and golden piece of paper onto our dinner table, surprisingly welcoming us into our next adventure.  We were going to the swamps to meet up with Alegra – a spiritual goddess who was going to teach us to see the beauty in all things, no matter their nature.

After having breakfast in the comfort of the morning sun and some drowsy conversation we had woken up completely and made ourselves on our way. The path through the housing area became sleeker and smaller until eventually the winding path was a mysterious walkway leading through dense vegetation as if it were hidden from the general plain of sight. Eventually it ended at a blackened hollow trunk with a winding stairway in its centre. Yellow lamps illuminated the way down; the air was damp and the metal handrail was moist to the touch. It took quite some time to reach the bottom where the dark green forest floor already gave us an idea of where we were going. The plants here were smaller and ones view extended further than I remember the forest floor was in other parts. The walk there was long one, with a progressively darkening outlook as we passed along. The general vibe became eerie and then later on almost spooky – we sensed the presence of animals lurking in the brush that dare not attack us – this feeling of being watched was rather disturbing. We felt as if at any moment we would be forced to defend ourselves against a lurking predator – something nearly starving to death, taking a chance at us out of desperation. Yet alas we finally saw the walkway be lit by torches at either side in the distance – a sprint was almost in order but we stayed our fear and trusted in the knowledge that no evil would befall us and walked the final stretch.

The building was a small circular shaped dome that had stone stairs lead us down to a wooden door.  I knocked three times after which the door was opened by a smallish lady dressed in black with gems of all colours sewn into the fabric – she reminded me of a witch although she had a lot more class.

“Hi and welcome – I am Alegra; you must be Liza (her nickname) and Dravinn.”

“Yes, thank you” Leeza answered as we stepped inside.

“You came just in time; we were just getting finished with setting up – tonight is a ritual we practise before the day of offering – its already nightfall – you travellers must have forgotten the passage of time – most on foot do, its that never ending stairway and the dark green vegetation that only darkens in colour. We have enough time for a discussion and thereafter we shall have dinner. The ritual does not start until an hour afterwards – when our bodies have digested and our spirits are enlightened. You will stay over and then join us on our excursion of peace offering to the dark ones. When the final ritual is done you may return to Izuh’goll and bask in the niceties the life on the forest canopy provides. For now glee has to stay in the immediate future and your sleep, at all other times open your receptors for maximum learning and attentiveness. Let me show you your rooms.”

The building extended into the ground, 3 floors, we went all the way to the bottom and thereafter we were lead into her study on the second underground floor – the first beheld the kitchen, the living room and the dining room, with a fireplace and a warming, comforting aura.

I was glad the journey was over and that it ended with the sight of a warm fireplace and even warmer company – these next few days were going to be an adventure into the unknown and without some friends nearby the eeriness would get the better of me.

We sat down in big leather chairs and Alegra sat behind her big wooden desk packed full of scrolls and books. There were shelves of even more books behind her and the walls were made of stone –the place had the sense of a castle; being lit by oil lamps and an old sense of mysticism and intrigue – the last thing I was waiting for was a black cat to appear from out of nowhere to complete the picture.

With a fling of the wrist Alegra started a fire in a concealed fireplace between all the mess – this place was one of thinking where only its inhibitor knew where everything’s rightful place was.

“Now, you have come to experience what we do here – Jewell thought it was fitting for you to see the darker side of things as well as the good – that is why he spoke to me on the day of your arrival. See the world is a show that has the potential to show you exactly what you wish to see – in fact at all times you see what you wish to see, but what you see and how you interpret it is based on your experiences. There is no light without the dark and vice versa, but there is a choice of ones point of view and ones place of standing. One can either stand in the dark and yearn for the light, or one can stand in the light and observe the dark – or one can stand within neutrality and view both. The last mentioned is the most  advisable for it incorporates both – it does so by peering at the world with a balanced view – seeing the dark as the transition towards the light and the light as the end goal whereby adding the constant of time to produce the final product of a story of learning. For in the one moment everything becomes merely a grand story from darkness into the light – from the start of a learning curve to its end. The quality of the story is measured in emotion and its appearance in one’s mind is an art form of storytelling. And so life has the potential to exist – the willingness to learn creates the experience and the experience creates life in an ever extending whirlwind of consciousness that experiences itself and learns from itself in never ending intervals. So life becomes an infinite continuum which’s view is the primary determinate – the lens of the individual is what counts as the basis of all experience. And this lens is all an individual has – for with it all experience is created and is only created to improve its brightness. With pristine brightness any situation can be viewed with harmless and giddy intent and the good can be extracted – thereby becoming capable of handling any situation with grace and ease. The primary way of accessing a pristine view is by moving into the heart. It is the core of your being, containing infinity – with it every riddle is answered and every maze cracked – no labyrinth can hold you. It is the storage portal of all life for all life shares a giant heart – the heartbeat of all beat with the same rhythm – all playing along in the same song. The moons, the stars, the planets; every universe and every creature housed under the caring eyes of another is part of and a representation of the whole – all connected through the one heart we all share. This heart makes everything possible – it is through it that we act in accordance with divine will – we are all the manifestation of a grander energy that is building an ever growing reality that we all play a part in and at the same time we all are privy to enjoy. Yet each being is blessed with the gift of free will and may choose their own path, and some have taken it upon themselves to sway the balance in order to learn of the other side of the veil. These beings have chosen to disconnect from the heart – living an un-rich life full of the dark or the absence of light and it is this part of ourselves that we choose to help – so that they may have the opportunity to move back into the light. We are at their service – but choosing to accept our help is up to them. That is why we practise the peace offering ritual you will experience tonight and tomorrow. The ritual tonight is practised to prepare their bodies for their release into spirit form and the ritual at the end of the two days is one of materialization of their spirit form. That is if the peace offering at full moon is not accepted – which most probably it will not be.“

“Why is that?”

“Tomorrow at noon we will set out towards the swamps, the watchers of us cloaked in unsightable form accompanying three of our maidens in physical form that will bear candles and letters imbued with songs and wordings of peace and truce. In the past our maidens have always been slain and the letters probably never read, yet we carry on doing a ceremony every full moon in the hope of change. The beasts of the dark seem reluctant though so we will have to find another way – one in the form of the last fight that you are preparing for. The point of this exercise is to prove that we would give our physical bodies up for peace and to provide the option of fruitful change to their higher up personnel, but they see it differently. They are unaware that the physical body’s demise is not the end of ones life and they refuse to alter their consciousness. They do not have the skills to revive their fallen and believe they are gone forever – and that is why they have slain all that do not think as they do. Also they have identified every behaviour that is not like their own as to fend off the change in consciousness that we bring, for they are wicked in their hearts – they choose to revel in the depravity of life and the spoils of war and killing. Their reign extends into many realms and their bosses have tricked many a mind into slavery and this sort of thinking. Through this behaviour they command an army of slaves that do their bidding by worshipping them as idols and fight their mindless wars. For these people we have come – their endless pleas for the dissolution of their shackles has brought us to this place so that it may be levelled to the ground and the evil may leave so that peace may reign. It is a massive task that has kept us busy for many a century but the time has come for it all to end. Every soul slain has been greeted and guided into a world accustomed to the healing of the torments of this world and their forces are becoming divided as we speak – they are turning on one another – some yearning for a better life and the others fighting to keep control. The final battle will save the souls that have chosen peace in their hearts by removing them from their corrupted bodies and will bring the ones that have chosen darkness into a realm that wishes to accept their presence. This way all beings get what they had wished for – we are but the executers of divine will. The divine will for the greater good of all.

Now, there is something I want to test within you – see what you can and tell me what you see, for beauty in the smallest things is beauty that is truly free.”

The book case behind her slowly became darker in spots where there were missing books and here and there red lights shone from within the darkness’s; I saw spiders webs forming, or more accurately materializing for they seemed to already have been there. I spoke of what I saw as I saw it, turning around in my chair to see that all around the room was spiders web – in every corner, in every nook and cranny – its as if a spider were housing here. I turned to face Alegra again and beheld a spider letting itself down from the ceiling – it was about fist big and it started dancing, moving its legs in a flattering way as if to music playing. It seemed not to be harmful – to the contrary – it seemed to be as peaceful as we were. I watched the spider dangle and dance for a while and noticed the colours in the room sparkling as if there were a festivity about to take place and this folk had imbued the area with gorgeous lights, when suddenly the spider spread clear wings. She wiggled and slowly but surely spread wings that would complement her stature. When she was done she let herself down onto the desk and fluttered onto Alegra’s shoulder, after which she walked round her neck and took her place on her right shoulder, eyeing us as we sat there stunned in amazement. The illusion disappeared fadingly as Alegra stopped playing tricks on our minds. I asked what it was for and she explained: “it is no illusion that you saw – it is reality, this ethereal world – I merely made you able to see it. It is there if you wish to experience it – for all that was once created can be perceived – for it has been created to be permanent. Also the spider you saw – she is no illusion, she is a spirit of the ethereal and dwells only there as a guardian of this place.  You will do well in your transformation into the ethereal tomorrow – your perception is ready for malleability and your mind is free. She likes you by the way – she does not dance for anyone, usually it is but only the lights that are seen by newcomers. She dwells in the deepest of ethereal realms and it takes quite the master to get there – you are talented or should I say: you have spent many a life practicing your spirituality that you are now again becoming accustomed to.

Let us make dinner – we are done here.”