| Item #10 |
| Item #11 |
*************
Em 6/14/01
*************
Em sat in a heavy leather chair in the library, looking at her
friends in disbelief. Having felt ill after disembarking the
plane yesterday afternoon, she had spent the evening and the
better part of this day sleeping in her room. Now, she had just
listened to a recounting of the happenings of the day, and was
pondering the theories that had been presented. She suddenly
remembered something that she had just been told.
“Um, guys? Remember the rhyme that Gryphon recited? ‘If
you wish to stay on Earth, hie thee home by morning.’ We
need to find everyone – particularly the ladies –
before sunup tomorrow!”
Everyone looked at the fading daylight outside the library window
overlooking the labyrinth, then looked at his or her watch. Old
Timer checked that newspaper and announced that sunrise was at
6:22 a.m. tomorrow morning. They had only 10 hours.
The problem was this: where to search? Em wandered over to the
window, leaning against the yew-paneled wall as she looked over
the labyrinth. Suddenly, she yelped and jumped away, her other
hand moving to vigorously rub the shoulder on which she had been
leaning.
“What’s wrong? What happened, Em?”
She didn’t respond. Rather, she bent and peered closely at
the wall, tentatively touching the wood with her fingertips, then
pulling sharply away again. She hurried outside, several of the
other guests following her. They watched as she approached an
outer wall of the labyrinth, not daring to step inside, and
touched the wood there as she had the library wall. Again, she
yanked her hand away quickly. She turned to the group, her shock
showing on her face.
“It’s connected,” she gasped.
“Huh?”
“What are you talking about?”
“What’s connected?”
“When I touched the library wall, I got a sharp
sensation,” she explained. “Not pain, really but sort
of electrical. I feel the same thing when I touch the wood here.
In fact, I even feel traces of it in the air. The house and the
yew of the labyrinth are connected. The house is… I think
it’s ALIVE!”
She looked at her friends and saw skepticism on the faces of
some, bewilderment on others. cck spoke up and stated that
he’d heard Southern Soul say something similar. He
couldn’t remember the words she’d used, though, as SS
had been whispering more to herself than to anyone else.
Em walked back to the outside wall of the house, studied it, then
dropped to her knees. She began pulling up handfuls of grass,
digging into the earth with her fingers, scraping her knuckles on
the foundation of the house as she clawed away the soil. She
looked to cck and Old Timer and asked if they’d check for
shovels in the garden shed. They came back with several, and
began digging, realizing what Em was looking for. When a large
section of the foundation had been exposed, Old Timer reached for
a pick and began gouging at the old concrete. It chipped away
relatively easily and, within a few moments, it had revealed what
they sought: a yew root was growing down through the foundation.
The house WAS alive, insomuch as the yew paneling throughout the
place had shot viable roots through the foundation and the earth
below and had reconnected itself to the main tree, where the wood
had originated. The Czer, who had spoken earlier through cck, had
been truthful.
“But how is this knowledge going to help us locate
Snapdragon, wildrose, OW, Southern Soul and Lesley?” asked
Old Timer.
Em thought about this for just a moment before beaming up at
everyone.
“Remember, again, the rhyme Gryphon recited? ‘All women
hold the secret, and in groups we wield the power…’
Groups! The more of us women that are in there, the better!
I’m going into the labyrinth!”
She went back into the house and picked up the duffel that had
contained OW’s things. She dropped in some peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches, animal crackers, potato chips, apples, and
bottles of water, put on her Nikes, grabbed a sweatshirt, and bid
her friends farewell, asking them to please continue searching
the grounds for further clues, but admonishing for no more people
to enter the labyrinth behind her, as their numbers were rapidly
dwindling.
Em went back out to the labyrinth’s opening, took a deep
breath, and took a step inside, feeling that energy she’d
described earlier envelop her. She strode down the path with a
purpose, not lingering to admire the beauty of the plants and
flowers she passed.
After a while, she pulled an apple from her pack and munched on
it as she strode along. She had just finished her apple when she
rounded a corner and was confronted by a fork in the path she had
been following. Several sets of footprints indicated that the
path to the right was most popular. One set of heavy prints had
veered off to the left, down the path that looked decidedly less
scenic. Em contemplated the two paths, realizing that it was
likely that the path to the right was the one that her friends
had taken – but now they were missing. She sighed heavily,
hoped that she was making the right decision, and headed to the
right.
As she traveled onward, the energy that she’d been feeling
grew stronger, actually making her long hair stand out to the
side of her head with static electricity. “Oh, I must look
ADORABLE,” she thought. She pulled a couple of hair elastics
out of the pocket of her shorts and braided her hair into two
pigtails, which promptly stood up of their own accord, a la Pippi
Longstocking.
After a few minutes, and a couple of bends, she saw a magnificent
tree… slumped beneath it was a figure. As she drew closer
and saw that the person wasn’t moving, she began to feel
panicky, hoping that it wasn’t one of her friends. She ran
forward and dropped to her knees when she saw Lesley’s face.
She grabbed Lesley’s wrist and sighed with relief upon
feeling a pulse, albeit a somewhat slow one.
“Lesley, are you ok? Lesley? LESLEY! Hellooooooo… WAKE
UP!”
Lesley stirred, but only slightly, before snoring loudly and
turning.
“Oh, god, I wish I’d brought OW’s tape recorder
with me. A.T. would LOVE to hear THAT!”
Em dug into the bag she was carrying and pulled out a bottle of
water. Uncapping it, she unceremoniously upended the bottle,
dumping the cold contents over Lesley’s face. Lesley
sputtered, coughed, and sat up…
“JESUS! Oh, hi, Em.”
Lesley shook the cobwebs of sleep away and stood up, stretching
languorously. After she’d had a PB&J and some water, the
two of them then headed deeper into the labyrinth, in search of
their missing friends. They had only 8 hours, and it was nearly
dark.
They walked for only a few moments before coming upon a bench,
upon which was perched a smiling ceramic garden gnome, his arm
extended and pointing through an opening in the trees. Em picked
up the gnome and showed Lesley the name etched across the top of
his little gnomely moccasin: Airith.
“Does this mean anything to you?”
“Nope. You?”
“Nope.”
Em replaced the gnome on the bench and turned. Together, they
looked through the opening in the trees and gasped
simultaneously.
Through the trees was a clearing, at the center of which was the
large boulder, the centerpiece of the labyrinth, bathed in what
appeared to be natural sunlight, though the path that they had
followed was nearing darkness. Atop the boulder, draped in
bejeweled robes, with a magnificent crown upon her head, a
scepter in her hand, and a crowd of reverent onlookers, sat a
serene-looking…
| Item #13 |
********************************
Southern Soul
7/25/01
*************
....Silence and darkness soon gave way to the
‘brightest’ of light. Agatha and Southern were standing
at the entrance to the most beautiful ‘valley’ Southern
had ever seen. It was like a whole other world....or
universe....perhaps....even another ‘time’.
There were ‘green’ covered mountains on either side
that rose high to a blue sky filled with billowy clouds. A
crystal waterfall cascaded down into the valley ....the spray
sparkling like jewels in the brightness of the ‘unseen’
sun. It was like....you ‘knew’ it was there...from the
brightness around...and the shadows cast upon the ground....and
you could ‘feel’ its warmth...it was just not
‘visible’ to the eye. Even what sounded like the songs
of birds could be heard. “But how?” Southern
thought....”in this place that I ‘know’ to be
‘underground’....she pondered on.....”Or....was it
a ‘portal’ to another ‘time’ another
dimension?”
She was about to ask....when Agatha motioned at a path. Southern
followed Agatha’s graceful movements down and around the
path. The lush foliage smelled sweet and brushed gently against
her skin as she passed by. Flowers beyond description grew
everywhere. The air was so fresh and clean...it overwhelmed her
lungs. “It had to be Paradise” she thought.
“Untouched....Virgin” She absorbed all the beauty
around her as she followed Agatha down the path. Then Agatha
paused in her steps and turned and smiled at Southern. She raised
her arm as if directing Southern’s gaze to a bamboo hut.
There was what sounded like song and laughter coming from the
hut. “Could it be Snapdragon and wildrose?” Southern
thought.
She quickened her pace and started for the hut. Agatha smiling
all the while. “What is this place...and is Snap and
wildrose there?” Southern asked. “You will see...and
you will meet some of the Old Ones.” Agatha replied. They
walked in silence the rest of the way.
Inside the hut was much unlike what one would imagine. Outside
was bamboo stalks tied together with thick green leaves...and mud
packed around to seal the cracks. A straw and leaf covering was
the roof. It would give one the impression that the inside would
perhaps have a dirt floor and mud walls. But inside this
one....was not. It was more like a palace. There was a fountain
in the center with warm water flowing over polished stone. With
water flowers and foliage growing around. The floor looked like
some sort of marble...albeit never a marble seen by her. The
walls were covered with what looked like ‘gold’ laced
images and strange ‘markings’. There was a pleasant
warmth...yet coolness about the place. And the air was scented of
‘spice’.
Agatha motioned at a sheer drape to one side. Southern could hear
faint voices coming from behind it. Together they walked toward
the drape. When Agatha pulled it back....Southern saw six
‘forms’ sitting there. They looked of ‘human’
form....but as to if they were ‘male or female’....was
not visible. No hair covered their body. Their eyes were
black...but kind. They were dressed in long white gowns...with
gold ivy wreaths about their brow....”Much like the Gods of
Olympus” Southern thought. Their voices were
‘ghost’ like....could be heard...but did not appear to
be spoken. It was more like they were ‘speaking’ to her
with their mind. She felt warm and welcome and smiled at them.
She then bowed slightly before them....feeling the
‘need’ to show them ‘respect’. A low murmured
‘hum’ of approval came from them. Southern’s smile
grew wider. She was then given invitation to sit.
She was given delicacies that she had never tasted...wine that
flowed across her tongue like velvet and satisfied her thirst
with ‘delight’. A gentle unseen breeze carrying the
sweet scent of spice filled her senses and she soon found herself
‘giddy’ and seemed to be ‘floating’ about her
seat. The voices of the Old Ones sounded distant...but
inviting....wise. She had never known such ‘peace’. And
the conversations spoken in her mind filled her with
‘belonging‘....‘knowledge‘....of another
‘time’...another ‘life’. She saw visions of
other worlds....songs of other languages.....’people’
of other form. She saw into the past....the present...and into
the future. Was shown miracles and beauty never before
seen....worlds yet undiscovered. She was as ‘one’ with
them...knowing what they knew....feeling what they felt. Imagines
of the Pyramids...and Mayan and Aztec temples filled her sight.
Strange creatures and ’human’ forms....ancient words
and symbols. She saw crystal cities floating effortlessly in the
sky....the clouds swirling beneath its surface. Winged beast that
soared and glided without care...as if guarding and guiding the
cities on their flight. She saw unknown stars and universes. Her
senses were filled with a sense of ‘being’.
But her thoughts soon drifted to shadow....and peace filled
her....and she felt ‘slumber’ coming upon her. She
allowed herself to drift away in its gentle embrace. The sweet
smell of spice and the hum of an ancient tune....caressing her
with ease.
Southern opened her eyes....finding herself leaning on the huge
stone. She had fallen asleep she thought. “How long did I
sleep....and....” sniffing the air and herself....”what
is this ‘spicy’ smell?” She then heard voices
coming down the path toward her. She sat up....turning her ear to
listen and staring hard down the path. It was then that Em and
Lesley came running up to her. “Where the hell have you
been?” they squealed in unison. “What do you
mean?” asked Southern....”I just ‘woke’
up....and guess I must have fallen asleep here....but made it
here....and am here....so what do you mean ‘where’ have
I been?” They looked at her and then each other. “We
have looked EVERYWHERE for you....even here” spoke
Em...“and.....” letting her voice trail.....”you
‘weren’t’ here when we looked.” Southern
looked at them curious and confused....for all she knew is she
had fallen asleep here....and ‘why’ they had not seen
her she could not explain.
Lesley helped Southern to her feet. She brushed off her backside
and straightened her clothes about her. “Can you smell
that?” she asked Em and Lesley. “What?” they
replied. “That ‘spicy’ smell. I smelled it when I
woke up....and now....when I brushed myself....I could smell it
again. You guys didn’t smell it?” Em and Lesley began
to sniff about....even sniffing Southern. “I don’t
smell a thing.” Em said. “Me either” Lesley
echoed. “Oh well....must be my imagination.” Southern
sighed.
Em offered Southern one of the sandwiches she had brought.
Southern ate it like she had not eaten in days. She drank most of
the bottled water in one gulp. “Easy there girl....” Em
commented. “don’t want to choke yourself.” “I
don’t understand....” said Southern.....”I
don’t know why I’m so hungry and thirsty. I ate
breakfast this morning before I came into the labyrinth.”
“WHAT????” the two shouted. “You HAVE been missing
for two days.....didn’t you ‘know’ that???”
Southern looked at them.....very confused....and a LOT
frightened. “I don’t know ‘what’s’ going
on” she mumbled.....head dropping....shoulders sagging. She
took a deep breath and looked at them......a haunting
look.....one filled with questions.
Em suggested it might be a good idea to head back to the
house....”Will be getting dark soon....and we all could use
a nice hot bath and time to relax....to get our ‘thoughts
and heads’ together.” In agreement....the three headed
down the path....toward the path to the entrance of the
labyrinth. Just as they approached .....they met Old Timer and
Ken....coming in. “Hey Ladies....we ‘were’ coming
to look for you.” Old Timer sang. Ken and Old
Timer....smiling widely....reached out.....hugging the
ladies....and ‘welcoming’ them back. The five of them
headed to the house together.
Later when the others returned....and questions were
asked....Southern could only relate to them the memory of going
into the labyrinth and ‘supposedly’ falling to sleep.
And then waking up....and now...being here. “As for as
‘what’ happened and ‘what’ happened
‘to’ me....I can not remember. I have tried and tried
...but...it’s just not there.” she said with a heavy
sigh.
Southern never did recall her ‘memories’ of her
‘dream’ or ‘visit’. Only that she had fallen
asleep....and that when she awoke....she had been
‘missing’. She would awake at night sometimes
still.....with strange images and sounds in her mind....but as
soon as she would wake....they would flee....and as hard as she
tried she could not hang on to them. All she knew is that she
felt a sense of ‘peace’ when she woke from them...a
sense of ‘knowing’.....but of ‘what’.....she
did not know. Perhaps when it came time for her soul’s
journey in this life to come to a close....she would remember.
But for now....she only had the ‘mystery’ of it. Albeit....a gentle and peaceful mystery. “The Sons of Belail....played no part.” “Now why? did I think that?“ she thought....”the ‘Son’s of Belail‘??? Who are they....and what is this spicy smell?”
The thought soon drifted....as easily as it had come. To remain a mystery until the time came for it to be unlocked. But at times....she did hum an unknown tune. Sometimes....even unaware that she was doing so....only to be asked what ‘tune’ it was she hummed. She could only shrug....and think that perhaps soon it will come full circle....and that her memories....and the reason for them.....would return. She could but only wait. For ‘time and mystery’ seemed to rule at this moment. And wait she would.
| Item #14 |
_________________________________________________________________
It was dark. And so hot... yet with a dankness underneath that made things feel slimy... even when you knew they weren't, really. It was dangerous to move, she thought. A wrong step now, and goodness knows where she could end up . And besides, with the echo in these tunnels even her slightest movement could be heard. And nothing must hear her down here, of that she was certain. It gave her the creeps to think of what else could possibly be lurking here, far below the surface of the two conjoined worlds. but it would be nothing she would want to meet in the brightness of the day let alone down here in the blackness of the tunnel, sightless, lost, and terrified. Eventually of course, she had to move.. she had to make a decision which way to go... DAMN that Elf! HAH!!! Show her the wonders of the new world... yeah, right... he sure had!
And then somehow banished her to this tunnel when he was sated and through with her. In her confused state, wildrose thought at first that she had found a secret passageway all on her own in which to make good her escape, and she had hurried down it's dim lighted tunnel in relief.... only to hear the mocking laughter following her down the passage, and she realized then that she had been dismissed, little earth child, and left to her own devices to make her way back between the worlds. "Well, Hell.. if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all!" "Trite but true" she'd thought. And that's when she rushed headlong over the side of an unseen fissure in the floor of the tunnel, falling eight or ten feet into the standing pool of foul smelling water.
Gaaaghhhh, she sputtered and choked... as much at the rotten egg smell as at the equally horrid taste of the fetid liquid she'd inadvertantly swallowed when the murky stuff closed over her head. Treading water, she looked around... and found in the near inky blackness, that she could see no solid ground in any direction, and couldn't touch bottom even stretching her toes down to their full length . Now, tears of terror joined the mired gunk already making sordid 'plop' noises as it drip dropped from her chin, back into the horror of the pool. And THAT was when IT brushed against her leg.. OHMYGAWDDDD , she breathed...and with a mighty kick, and a wild flailing of arms, she propelled herself through the water and away from that sickeningly foul feeling thing... that 'thing' that had brushed so softly and inquiringly along the length of her... testing to see what it had found. And wildrose shuddered at the thought that she could almost feel it's excitement... as if it recognized another living, breathing thing, floundering there, in it's normally solitary watery home.
She felt one more touch... as of a tenticle (?) tentatively poking at the bottom of her bare foot, and she kicked out at it, one last desperate time, moaning aloud as she did so, and splashing great quantities of water in all directions and then miraculously, her foot touched bottom and then her hand touched the side of the pool and she scrambled for safety over the edge; crawling and scrabbling away like a clumsy oversized baby down the rocky floor of the tunnel to the comparative safety of the darkness. And it was there she waited; holding her breathe and thinking her despairingly lost thoughts and afraid to move. And if she ever met that @#!$%& Airith again in this lifetime she'd...
After a time, Wildrose noticed a strange thing... she could "almost" see. There was a certain luminence to the rock walls on this side of the tunnel..and at least the perception of a lightening of the air, a certain stirring of the atmosphere.. it reminded Wildrose that far above, in whatever world she was under, that a breeze was most likely refreshing the air there, and brightening someone's spirits...and that unknown someone had no idea how lucky they were! Not for the last time, wildrose thought that.
She picked herself up and gingerly tried to walk... in hopefully the opposite direction of the fearful pool! And almost at once, she breathed a sigh of relief...no, she hadn't somehow got turned around! The ground beneath her poor bruised and cut bare feet began to rise, and the way was less rocky and quickly became smooth and covered with some kind of soft soil that was.cool and soothing to walk upon. It lightened her heart and her step, and maybe because of her brightened aura, or maybe just plain coincidence, but the glow from the rocks of the tunnel became brighter, and she could see a little ways ahead, and it dawned on her that the tunnel indeed was twisting and turning as the Labyrinth far above her had done.
And now she felt her spirit calm in the same way as that other Labyrinth in the air had made her feel. The roots of some unknown tree (the Yew?) from above began to dangle down, here and there.. and wildrose thought that she could see more squiggly roots imbedded in the walls, and turning the corner, it was apparent that the snoring was definitely louder now. THE SNORING????? For she had been hearing it for some time now, just beneath her consciousness. And that's exactly how she found OW.. curled up by the trickle of an underground stream and snoring peacefully away as if he were napping in the middle of a green meadow or home on the couch, comfortably snoozing his way through a boring tv show!!!
And wildrose leaped on him... hugging him and patting him with wild relief... and of course, shocking him awake to total bewilderment... "wha-wha WHAT in the world are you doing, woman?" OW's automatic roar of dismay gave wildrose the giggles....and between gasps of mirth she tried to apologize to the rudly awoken man...but words tumbled out of her mouth willy-nilly, and it dawned on her that she was jabbering nonesence to an ever more confused OW... and she smiled and kissed him on the cheek, and patting his wonderful feeling solid arm blythely proclaimed him "*MY HERO* "!!!!! And OW replied, in his most *OW* voice, "GAAGH...POOEY! You stink!!!!! "
"And then he hugged me back... and that is how and exactly when I knew for sure that we were going to find our way back home, safe... "
And with that said, and to the utter confusion of the bewildred group gathered in the foyer of the old house, Wildrose turned on her (dirty) heel and lightly skipped up the stairs proclaiming the obvious... I need a shower... and she left the group with half asked questions tumbling from them in a jumble.. the most often being... WELL, THEN..... WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OW??????
| Item #15 |
By the evening everyone had
returned from his or her visit to the labyrinth. Each had tried
to explain their feelings and reactions without much success. The
only thing they were in agreement on was that it seemed to be a
dream, yet they could not explain what they had really
experienced.
Everyone agreed that they should forget it for the moment and
gather in the dining room for a quiet meal, if that was possible.
Off in the distance came the slow roll of thunder, muted and
barely audible. Old Timer had noticed it and went to the window
where he stood with a worried expression on his face. Turning, he
studied the guests at the table. They all looked normal enough if
you ignored their eyes. The eyes said it all – they were
worried too.
“What is it, Old Timer?” questioned Snapdragon. Her
tone of voice told him that she had heard it too.
“It appears to me,” he answered, “that we have
been chosen to be the ones.”
“Chosen? ---,” answered Southern Soul, “I
don’t think I understand you.”
“I have been reading the book Snapdragon showed us when we
first arrived.”
“As I’m sure you all remember, she was unable to handle
it at length – nor for that matter any of the women.”
“I kept wondering why it had such an effect on them and not
the men.”
Turning again to the window he saw the first dark clouds
approaching.
“Snapdragon thinks that she invited us here by chance –
this is not the case – the Labyrinth made that decision for
her – we have been chosen by the Tree.”
“The Tree has the key to ‘good or evil’ – and
it is waiting to see which choice we make.”
“It appears that the time has come for our decision,”
Old Timer said as he continued to watch the darkening clouds
gather. “There is evil coming in that storm and it means to
have its prize – and that prize is us – our souls to be
more precise.”
The storm in the distance was growing stronger, more violent as
it approached the hotel. It pulsed with flashes of light, harsh
angry colors piercing the darkness surrounding the labyrinth. Its
thunder roared like an angry voice demanding its presence be
known.
“Everyone hurry - quickly - into the Labyrinth before
it’s too late.” urged Old Timer. His voice was barely
audible over the roar of the storm.
As they rushed towards the entrance of the Labyrinth, eyes half
blinded by the swirling dust, their skin pelted by flying bits of
debris, one sensed that evil was riding the winds of the storm
and it was coming --- coming for them.
“Inside -- Hurry -- It’s almost here! --- Is that
everyone? --- Is anyone missing?” cried Old Timer, turning
away from the entrance, searching the faces of the group.
“Good --- It looks like we’re all here.”
No one noticed that the entrance had closed up behind them, the
limbs of the Yew intertwining, and sealing it against the howl of
the storm. --- For it had become an animal’s howl, an evil
terrifying cry of vengeance, and it was seeking satisfaction. It
was seeking them, intent on the capture of their very souls.
“What are we doing here---the hotel’s safer, isn’t
it?” asked cck as the group followed Old Timer towards the
center of the Labyrinth and the giant Yew Tree. The puzzled looks
from the others echoed the question.
“Remember the ancient carvings on the stone? – And how
you felt they were Celtic in nature?” answered Old Timer.
“You were correct - they are Celtic; but there are others as
well. The Native Americans added to them - and even older - more
ancient civilizations have been here before them. The answer lies
within the stone and the tree.”
“What answer? Answer to what - you’re not making
sense.” said Wildrose, pushing forward, anxious to know what
was happening to everyone.
“The answer to the existence of our very soul - the reason
we exist - our purpose on this earth. It’s all there - at
the tree.” responded Old Timer as he urged them on.
“But the time is growing short. - We must hurry or risk
losing all. Come on everyone! - We are almost there.”
Rounding the last bend they stood before the Tree and the giant
stone. A group of smaller stones, like stools, formed a circle
around the giant Yew.
“These stones weren’t here before,” said
Snapdragon, “Where did they come from? - - - What’s
going on?”
Before anyone could speak, the Eagle, circling above, gave a cry
that could only be described as a sound of joy and spiraled down
to land on the top of the Yew. Looking up they saw the walls of
the Labyrinth close over them, forming a dome that sealed those
inside from the evil inside the approaching storm.
In the sudden silence that followed they could hear the rage of
the Ghost Wolf and the others of his kind. They were tearing at
the exterior, intent on finding a way inside.
“The Sons of Belial.” murmured Old Timer to himself.
“It has begun - - - it’s time,” Old Timer spoke
softly, “Please sit in a circle around the tree.”
Turning to the group Old Timer spoke, “Take the Rune you
selected from cck and place it on the ground in front of you.
Make sure its force is oriented towards the tree. - - - - The
tree must know you, sense your presence, and read your inner most
thoughts.”
Looking at each other they wondered in their minds why were they
doing this – yet they sensed he was right. The people
searched their belongings and finding their Runes, began to place
them carefully on the ground.
Laying his own rune down, Old Timer saw the different Runes as
they were placed before its owner. Their meanings were not lost
on him as he recognized how they fit their respective owners.
The Rune of Kenaz – Meaning: The Rune of fire of
transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own
reality, the power of light
The Rune of Daeg - Meaning: The Rune of change, the end of an era
and the beginning of a new day.
The Rune of Mannaz - Meaning: The Rune of collective skills, and
humanity.
The Rune of Beorc - Meaning: The Rune of fragile new growth,
tenderness, compassion, and love.
The Rune of Tyr - Meaning: Primary a male rune, of victory,
valor, and honor.
The Rune of Eloh - Meaning: The Rune of defense, protection,
shield, and guardian, to ward off evil.
The Rune of Perdho - Meaning: The Rune of mysteries, the occult,
psychic abilities, and revelation.
The Rune of Eiwaz - Meaning: The Rune of strength, reliability,
dependability, and trustworthiness.
The Rune of Rad - Meaning: The Rune of spiritual journey, a
quest, and an experience.
The Rune of Uruz - Meaning: The Rune of power, an improvement,
action, freedom, and courage.
The Rune of Ansur - Meaning: The Rune of truth, honesty,
inspiration, wisdom, insight, health, and harmony.
Reaching down Old Timer picked up a small wooden case, bound in
tarnished brass fittings and embellished with ornate carvings.
“Where did you get that,” asked Em, “I didn’t
see you carrying that before?”
“Yea, Old Timer, what ya got there, ay?” said OW.
“As I was reading Snapdragon’s book I suddenly felt a gust of sweetly scented air flow around me. It caused me to look around and there sat this box at my feet.”
Reaching into his coat Old Timer withdrew what appeared to be an ancient parchment.
“This scroll was lying on top of it.”
“Let me read its words.”
- - - "We are old upon your planet and have served with varying degrees of success in transmitting the Law of One, of Unity, of Singleness to your peoples. We have walked your planet. We have seen the faces of your peoples. We are not a part of time and thus are able to be with you in any of your times.
Each of those in your group is striving to use, digest, and diversify into the channels of the mind/body/spirit complex. The few with whom you will illuminate by sharing your light are far more than enough reason for the greatest possible effort.
To serve one is to serve all.
We are sending you this instrument.
There is nothing else, which is of aid in demonstrating the original thought except your very being.
Use it as I now show you, and nothing more.” - - -
Old Timer spoke again, “As I finished reading it there appeared in a mist before me one of the ‘Ancients’ – he was dressed in ornate robes and standing at the base of the Yew – I saw and understood what we now must do.”
Without pausing for a response, he kneeled and snapped open the
catches and grasped the lid. The people gasped as a white
vibrating light seemed to briefly flash from inside as the lid
was raised. Or did they imagine it? - - Yet something had stirred
inside the case, there was movement - - - of this they were
certain.
| Item #16 |
“This case contains crystals – not ordinary crystals as
we know them but crystals once used by the Ancients – the
Law of One. I believe the energy force within them is part of the
‘conscious’ energy that flows throughout the
universe.”
“I have not attempted to use these crystals even though I
believe we all have the ability to do so. The power that can be
unleashed through misuse could bring disastrous results we
can’t comprehend.” “However - the good - the
reward – if used as I believe they’re intended is worth
the risk tonight.” As Old Timer spoke he walked slowly
around the circle so all could look for themselves.
“When I hold the case in front of you place your hand, palm
down, above the case and you will feel - sense – a tingling
in the hand - as it passes over the crystal that is
‘selecting’ you. When you sense your crystal take it
and hold it in your open palms – do not grasp it.”
Wildrose was the first. As she held her palm over the case she
jerked her hand back in surprise, “It felt like it shocked
me!”
“That means it’s your crystal, Wildrose, take it,”
responded Old Timer. He passed in front of the others and soon
everyone held a crystal in their palms.
“What we do next is extremely important - we must
‘Scry’ the crystal. To Scry - - - focus your mind on
one issue or question and soften your focus or gaze - but do not
stare - into the surface of the crystal. After some time, visions
should form. Your aura may become visible - you may feel the
crystal is alive - probing your mind - whatever happens do not
react - speak - move – just allow your mind to become One
with the crystal.”
“ Does everyone understand? -----” Old Timer asked.
As if it was answering the question itself, the storm raging
outside increased in it’s intensity, ripping and tearing at
the labyrinth, howling it’s cry of evil - - - it was alive
and it intended to stop them - - - to destroy them and the
labyrinth.
With only the briefest look of anxiety in his expression, Old
Timer selected his crystal and sat down.
“We begin.”
For what seemed an eternity nothing changed. The storm drowned
out all sounds, the only thing moving was the Eagle, its head
slowly swiveling, as it fixed its unblinking gaze on one then the
other.
Then it happened - - - - -!
Almost unnoticed at first, auras began to form around the
individuals --- brightening --- fading --- pulsing --- and
growing stronger until the crystals began to glow with the
different colors. There were reds, blues, greens, yellows, and
purples as each person’s soul reached out to the crystal
before it.
Suddenly a spark! - - - Brief and faint - jumped from one crystal
to the next, blending the colors - then another! - And again and
again! - Until a ring of color became continuous around the giant
Yew. The colors danced in all the elements of the rainbow,
flashing, glowing, vibrating, and changing until a spark jumped
to the top of the Yew, - - - striking the Eagle.
As the colors surrounded the Eagle they began to shimmer, vibrate
and change to a brilliant - yet soft enfolding white. Souls were
beginning to touch, to meld with one another, to feel, to see the
‘consciousness’ of the universe.
The Eagles gaze was fixed upon one woman. Slowly --- deliberately
--- the Eagle stretched its wings upwards and appeared to change
into an entity that reached out and encompassed the woman. Both
merged into a pool of pure vibrating white light atop the giant
Yew.
- -“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle
that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she
is nourished for a time, and times and half a time, from the face
of the serpent”----Rev. 12:14
Inside this light time had ceased to exist. There appeared a
hologram of scenes - flashing faster and faster - until they
became a continuous flow of knowledge into the consciousness of
the participants’ souls - or more correctly the
‘One’ soul. Each person was an individual, distinct and
apart. Yet they were now ‘One’ with the other.
Author’s footnote:
Had a spectator been observing from outside the entrance to the
labyrinth everything would have appeared normal - no storm - no
evil forces - no howls of vengeance - just some average tourists
exiting after a tour of the labyrinth.
If he had only taken time to look in their eyes he would have
known.
They had touched the ‘Consciousness of the Universe’,
and had become ‘One’ with it.
| Item #17 |
The "Storm" had passed
with little evidence it had ever been at all. I straggled after
the others with the mystery of what had happen still fresh in my
thoughts. Just what had happened? I had been there, I had
participated, yet I was not sure what really had happened. Rune
Stones, Crystals, the shimmering pulsating lights that seemed to
envelope everyone and everything. I witnessed these things but
could not separate them in order or in time. Something had
happened and it was something very special. Something that does
not happen but to a very few and something that would bind us
together for eternity.
"Together for Eternity" rang in my mind like the
reverberations of a church bell. The words echoed in my thoughts
like a distant memory; I had heard them before. I had heard them
many times before.
With the realization came the feeling of Deja Vu. The feeling
that not only have I heard the words before, I have been through
The Storm before, we all have. We all have sat here in this place
and reenacted this very same seen before, many many times before.
We have done so since the very beginning of time and we will
continue to do so "Together for Eternity."
No, none of us are immortal, none of us are "gods," but
there is a spirit within us that is, and it is that spirit that
remembers, and it is that spirit that answers when it is called
and returns to this place when it is needed. It is that spirit
which defends the Tree of Life from the evil of The Storm.
The Rune Stone! I forgot my rune stone! Was it was still in the
Labyrinth were I left it? The others had straggled back to the
shelter and comfort of the hotel and I was not far behind, but I
must retrieve my rune stone and with any luck the Crystal if it
was still there. The last I remembered of the Crystal it had
turned into pure light and was not there after the Storm had
passed. Was it still there? I had to find out.
I did not look forward to entering the Labyrinth alone, I had
avoided doing so earlier. As much as it interested me, I was
apprehensive of what I might find. I had stood at the entrance a
half dozen times, but something had always held me back from
crossing the threshold. I had stood there unable to cross as if
the Labyrinth was telling me "No, it is not yet your
time."
When I entered with the others earlier I had not gotten that
"feeling," and now that I was going back I did not get
it this time either. This time I felt "welcomed." This
time was my time.
I retraced our steps without any "feeling" at all.
Nothing had changed from my visit just a short time before.
Somehow I had thought that it would, but it didn't. Everything
was exactly the same, except for the circle of stone stools, the
were no longer there, neither were the Crystals. Whatever the
Crystals had been, they had turned into light and were now gone,
but somehow I knew they would return. They would return when they
and we were needed once more to protect the Tree from the Storm,
of this I no longer had any doubt. The Crystals were gone, but
not my rune stone. It was lying on the ground just before the
Tree, right were I had placed it before it all began.
It wasn't until I had picked up my rune stone that the Labyrinth
"changed." The "change" was not so much
physical as the way I saw it. Everything was still the way it was
before, but I saw it through new eyes. I saw everything through
new eyes, the Labyrinth, the Tree, the Rune Stone at its roots
and the rune stone I held in my hand.
It had been still daylight when I reentered the Labyrinth and it
was still daylight before I picked up my rune stone, but now the
daylight was replaced with a twilight and everything glowed with
a light of its own; the Labyrinth, the Rune Stone, the stone in
my hand and me. We all glowed and we all glowed with the same
light.
It was not the brilliant light of the Crystals, this was a softer
glow, a glow that comes from within, the glow of the soul. It was
then that I realized that the glow from the Labyrinth and from
both the Rune Stones were coming from me. They were sharing my
"glow," they were sharing my soul.
The Tree of Life has no power of its own, it is the focal point
for the power of all souls. The Rune Stone at its base has no
power of its own, it is our spirits that give it its power.
Anyone can make a rune stone and inscribe it with a scared
symbol. They can even recite the sacred chant of making, but if
they do not believe it will have no effect at all. It is the
soul, the spirit within us that is the source of all the power
and magik in the universe. It is our belief that grants the rune
stone its power. That is the secret Odin himself suffered for 9
days and nights to extract from The Rune Stone on which the Great
Yew sits. The Tree of Life nor the Rune Stone gave him that
secret, Odin gave it to himself, maybe in much the same way that
I have just discovered the secret, by feeling the spirit of these
things and recognizing his own spirit in their glow.
I woke with a start. Had it all been a dream, it couldn't have
been, it seemed too real. It was still Friday, I was still
wearing the clothing I had arrived in. I remember being shown to
my room and was starting to unpack when I began to feel very
tired. I must have fallen asleep before I could even finish
unpacking. I could smell the food and knew I was late again. I
quickly washed up and changed my clothing before heading down to
join all the others. Yes I was hungry and the smell of the food
was making my mouth water, but more that anything I want to tell
everyone about my dream. Man what a great story this one would
make!
I hurried down to the dinning room to find everyone was already
there and I was the last to arrive as usual. Snapdragon, with
half-glasses sliding down her nose and shaking a finger at me,
gave her best impression of the annoyed Mother, chastising me for
being late and the last to be seated. "What did you do, fall
asleep up there?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. And wait till I tell you
about the dream I just had!"
The words were hardly out of my mouth when the looks I saw in the
faces of all those gathered around the table told me it wasn't
necessary. I could see in their faces and their eyes I was not
the only person to have the dream.
| Item #18 |
__________________________________________________________________
Down at the far end of the table, wildrose smiled. A secret little smile... and layed a protective hand over her stomach. For in the middle of that raging storm, that cck and some of the others already thought of as only a dream, she had became aware of the new life even then quickening in her womb. And she marveled at the knowlege, for she was far past the time such a thing should happen to a woman. And she wondered what the girl child would become, being exposed to the great power this MOTU group had wielded, for she knew with a certainty that this newly conceived half-Elvan being was female..and that she had been profoundly affected by what had occurred in the Labyrinth. And wildrose glanced down at the Rune in her hand , kept safe, along with the rose quartz crystal.... for her child's eventual use in time, and as needs be. "The Rune of Daeg - The Rune of change, the end of an era and the beginning of a new day." What", she thought, "would this Rosemary's Baby be?"
| Item #19 |
__________________________________________________________________
And thus it begins again, just as it did before, and will continue to do until the end of time. For if the Storm even wins and destroys the Tree, it will be the End of Time. A new life to carry the Crystal and keep it safe until the time of need, until the Storm once again challenges the Tree of Life, and the Keeper of The Crystal will once again call forth those who carry the Spirits of the Rune Stone within them. This is the Beginning of PART II, but there is not yet a story to be written nor is there an ending to foretell. What lies ahead is still only written on the wind. ***************
