The Rainbow Bridge and the Shadow of the Serpent: The Rainbow Bridge and the Shadow of the Serpent

by Sergio Pereira

  In the yellow band, some of the greatest representatives of the Kingdoms of Oriental Music had also arrived to help. If the Infernal Forces went to war it would not be fair for the only the Kingdom that defended the evolution of the worlds to fight alone. Thus, all the Kingdoms of Music that perform in the Kingdom of the Blue Earth were there represented by the best they had.

  The attentions of Violet and Joaquina were mainly focussed on the ten Fairy Princesses, sent by their Queens, and on the ten new stages that had appeared in the yellow band of the rainbow. The Fairy Princess of Carnatic Music and the Fairy Princess of Hindustani Music were the ones who protected and inspired two branches of classical Indian music, whose origins were the south and the north of the Indian subcontinent. On each one of the other eight stages there were now the Fairy Princesses of Jewish, Arab, Phoenician, Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese Music and an ally who was not necessarily oriental. This was the Fairy Princess of Celtic Music.

  Each one of the Fairies was accompanied by up to forty musicians and dancers. Although there were more than three thousand metres up, they could be seen clearly because a large magic lens was forming in front of each stage. Each lens not only amplified the dimensions by optical effect but also magnificently amplified the sound of the voices and the acoustic instruments. It can be noted that this magic effect of image and sound amplification occurred on the other stages too.

  More stages in all the bands of colours with representatives of the most diverse tribal cultures of the Kingdom of the Blue Earth were occupied. Each fairy, musician, musicist, dancer, in their way, performed the best of their brilliant art. The fusion of all the music made a great Ohm of universal vibration heard.

  The magic of light generated a Symphony of Light so intense, and heard in a unique way by those present, that the Midgard Serpent itself began to corrode.

  Not even the largest conglomeration and agglutination of the worst sentiments spilled by dark souls yet observed by the Eye of Time could resist. The feeling of love that the Symphony of Light of all music and styles was creating or recreating was generating infinite life, health and hope. The Midgard Serpent, made of malevolent feelings and vibrations, was contorting in pain and began to fade.

  Noticing the agony of the Serpent and the turnaround in the war, the Tyrant Fairy, took ten steps to reach the Fairy Queen of Fame. With a violent pull, she led her back to conduct her public.

  - Take over, weakling. Do it properly this time.

  Then, with an agile leap, she mounted her dragon. The beast roared and took off into space, while she screamed hysterically:

  - No!!!

  She had lost her reason. However, she still had the last trump up her sleeve, or at least she thought she had. And now there was nothing to stop her using it. It was all or nothing. On her dragon’s back, the dark stone sarcophagus that had been given to her by the Tyrants of the Dark was well secured by two leather straps that encircled the winged reptile.

  Up to that moment, only the Fairy Queen of Music had noticed its presence and its probable contents. She feared that the Tyrant Fairy Queen would open it and use it as in the myth about Pandora. If her fears were correct, the sarcophagus was the very box or container that would take all evils to the Kingdom.

  With her eagle, the Fairy Queen of Music also took flight. She soon caught up to her enemy. The eagle and dragon ridden by two Fairy Queens gained more and more altitude.

  - You are not going to do this.

  - Damn you! I am, I am.

  - I will stop you.

  - No, you won’t. You won’t do anything!

  It was at this moment that, above the stratosphere of the Kingdom of the Seven Moons, a war of bodies and, at the same time, of magic between the two Fairy Queens and their mounts began. Because of the lightning and sparks generated from all the colours, it became difficult for them to see each other.

  The higher they rose, the more intense the battle became. On the battle field, the Oppressive Forces were now clearly losing the war. The Fairy Queen of Fame observed in consternation, but she remained at her post.

  The sarcophagus strapped to the Fairy Queen’s dragon seemed to be made of stone and, in a certain way, it was stone. But it did not have a mineral origin, as rocks do. Its raw material was rancour and hatred transformed into a solid element. It had become the most impermeable receptacle that could exist.

  It had two keys, carved upright. One was one metre and eighty from the base, with the other one metre seventy, and they could only be operated by whoever had received such power from the Infernal Tyrants. The first greatly resembled a Nazi swastika. The second was the shape of a petrified heart.

  The sarcophagus contained the most malevolent instrument of magic yet constructed. It held a tuning fork almost the same size as a double bass. It was made of the same material hammered in the divine metal works that forged and created the tuning forks of the Castle Towers and the tiny tuning forks that Violet had already received as a gift. However, its story different entirely from the others. It had been stolen by demonic servants in the service of the Infernal Tyrants when it was being transported to the Castle of Occidental Music. In the heart of the Infernal Kingdom for more than an era, its magic was corrupted and perverted with the worst sentiments and negative vibrations in existence. It became the greatest symbol and receptacle of the power of darkness. There was so much evil impregnated in it that, should it be freed, it could contaminate and putrefy a world in a matter of minutes.

  Outside the heinous limits or even inside the portals of the Infernal Kingdom, very few knew its real history. Even so, it inspired the most diverse legends in the most diverse Kingdoms.

  When the Tyrant Fairy Queen had received it from the very hands of one of the Infernal Tyrants, she had been very flattered. She had also received express orders to use it only if the Serpent was not successful in its macabre intentions. Consequently, she had kept it until that moment as a final, ultimate weapon.

  They were at an altitude of twenty thousand kilometres. The Tyrant Fairy Queen disentangled herself from the fight with the other Fairy Queen. In orbit, she and the dragon moved sixty metres away. Her two hands enveloped the keys. She opened the sarcophagus.

  - Don’t to this! No!

  - They can all go to hell!

  With the sarcophagus open, she gave her most malevolent smile. And then she let out a terrifying cackle. She held the tuning fork by the base and shook it in the air.

  It did not vibrate and anti-light emerged from it. Mounted on her dragon, she then used the reptile’s boar’s head to make it vibrate. Using force, she banged it against the hard skull. The dragon became confused. It roared and then composed itself. At this point, the tuning fork awoke.

  The Fairy Queen of Music had three small tuning forks. They were her last ones. She threw them against her adversary. The three small tuning forks vibrated in the air the universal Ohm, while the large tuning fork vibrated an opposite Ohm. If it could be written, that sound would be written as “Mho”.

  The Sun of the Kingdom of the Seven Moons responded to the Ohm of the three small tuning forks. Its solar wind grew and soon hit the Kingdom. Aurorae Borealis suddenly appeared and, to her own indescribable terror, the Tyrant Fairy Queen heard from the vibrating centre of the tuning fork:

  - You have failed. Incompetent! Time of reckoning. Time for a replacement. Moment of truth. Time to moan and grind teeth!

  - No! No! No!!!!!!!!!!!

  The malevolent tuning fork for her was nothing more than a Trojan Horse. When the Infernal Tyrants had put it into her safekeeping, they knew that its incredible, malevolent power could always be annulled by the magic of good. Even so, they had kept it as a symbol and trump card. Thus, it was, at that moment, just a key or a signal for the tragedy of the bearer in case of failure.

  - Curse all of them!

  The Fairy Queen of Music even tried to help her, but she couldn’t. The solar wind became so strong that she and the eagle were kept more than one kilometre
away from the epicentre of the fight between them. She also managed to witness the formation of an immense, strong vortex taking shape in the interior of what remained of the Serpent’s mouth. It grew and quickly possessed the Tyrant Fairy. A loud roar came from her. The force used was such that the war stopped at once. The Tyrant Fairy had been swallowed by the Serpent or what remained of it. The solar wind went back to normal.

  In the valley, the oppressive forces dispersed, fleeing. However, many sub-vortices that were forming sucked pitilessly into the Serpent’s mouth pianolas, siege towers, bulls, worms and everything that, minutes beforehand, had been on the same side in the war.

  The Fairy Queen of Easy Fame and a half dozen of her rats were among the few that escaped. Seconds previously, when she felt that the battle in orbit waged by her mistress was not going well, she had been the first deserter to sneak away. She left the orchestra without a conductor. She slinked off by obscure paths that she knew to another dimension.

  Thus, the great battle ended. After swallowing what it could, the Serpent died and vanished in the air. The malign tuning fork and the sarcophagus were held to have disappeared because not even the Fairy Queen of Music could say what had happened to them. The post of commander of the Forces of Oppressive Music was vacant. And the Fairy Queen of Easy Fame wouldn’t be the one to claim it for herself. After all, she had no wish to have it.

  So, the great victory would be celebrated. The music that Violet could hear at that moment was the glorious final piece of the ballet “The Firebird”, by Igor Stravinsky.

  CHAPTER XXIV

  THE BALLERINA’S AWAKENING AND CURE

  Three days of one Sun and three nights of seven Moons passed after the end of the furious battle. At around seven minutes past seven at night, on a special night with seven Moons visible, Stephanie woke up.

  Lying in a bed that was much bigger than she was, between the finest sheets, so white that they seemed to have their own light, she saw and became aware of herself with delight.

  She was wearing comfortable pyjamas. She thought that was the most beautiful place in the world. A melody very like the andante movement of Concerto Number 21 by Mozart hovered in the air. She got up and took a deep breath of the melody and the health-filled air.

  Vague memories came to her mind like clouds and dispersed in the diffused wind that almost always blows in the valley of dreams. In her recollections was the terrible pain that had started in her contaminated, corroded foot in the Kingdom of the Forgotten Operas. But this pain was nothing compared to the terror felt at realising she was a ballerina and almost certain that she would lose her gangrenous foot.

  Stefanie also remembered that, carried by Burina, she had crossed the Castle wall and had been taken to the hospital, where she had slept fitfully. Initially, there were just distorted voices that her mind was registering partially. Afterwards she was able to make out what would be her worst nightmare. The diagnosis proffered among the doctors was not favourable. They were even discussing amputation.

  She lost consciousness again and could note nothing more. She did not even remember the dream in which she had met the Fairies of Gypsy Music, while the great battle against the forces of Oppressive Music and the Midgard Serpent was being fought. However, happily for her, even though they were losing the war against the vile infection, the castle doctors did not concede defeat. They applied all the science and magic they knew in an attempt to save her and, with this, put off as long as they could that radical decision from which there would be no going back.

  For four days, Violet never abandoned her post in the waiting room. She slept on one of the chairs and refused to go to any other spot in the Castle. Joaquina often visited her and brought the wonderful arum lily milk for her to drink. Violet drank and prayed for her friend.

  The fifth day saw the arrival of a sublime entity from very far away, the Angel of the Cure of Music, summoned at the behest of the Fairy Queen of Occidental Music.

  He constantly visited hospitals or anywhere the sick needed to be healed. He was not always allowed to give a complete cure for no matter how painful the sickness was, it also had its function in the evolutionary process of beings. Illness has many lessons to impart. But, to Stefanie’s delight, her pains would end.

  With his magic flute, the Angel played an almost unimaginably sublime and pacifying piece. It was called “Liebestraum cello and piano”. In the Kingdom of the Blue Earth it had been published in 1850. The composer, Franz Liszt, is considered to be the greatest pianist of all times and the German word Liebestraum, means ‘love dream”.

  This was the healing dream that the Angel of Music gave to Stefanie. Although his instrument was very similar to a transverse flute, its magic permitted it to evoke other sonorities from the air itself,. And so, everyone present could hear Liebestraum by Franz Liszt in a unique and wonderful arrangement for flute and piano.

  Stefanie was healed and dreamed the most beautiful dream of her life.

  However, all this was in a very distant, nebulous past. Stefanie walked over to the balcony, with just a light curtain separating it from the bedroom. In the sky, the Seven Moons, each one in its distinct phase, and with its unique colours, were so beautiful that she was overcome with emotion, and allowed a tear to form and trickle down her face. As soon as the tear slid to the left side of her face and fell from her chin to the floor, a phenomenon occurred. A small drop of water sprang from Stefanie’s blue eyes and unearthed the most deep-seated memories. Full of her most intimate feelings, it did not follow or obey the law of gravity. It hovered in the air for some seconds. Then it shone in shades of pink. Floating, it rose high in the direction of the Red Moon. It went up until it was out of sight.

  - Make a wish. This is a unique moment. Our tears bring the most private part of what we are. They are living mirrors or lakes of our most intimate selves.

  As soon as she turned around to see who the voice belonged to, she was enchanted. She was standing in front of the Fairy Queen of Occidental Music. Imposing and utterly adorable, the Fairy Queen was one of the muses of sublime music. Her voice soared with the range of mezzo-soprano to soprano. She awakened the finest sentiments and thoughts in those who wished to hear her. But that moment of enchantment did not last long.

  - My friend, look at your foot. You’re better! Viva! Viva!! And viva again!!!

  Violet appeared from behind the curtain and ran to hug her with an enthusiasm her friend had never before witnessed. Stefanie tipped backwards and had to hold onto the golden balcony rail so as not to fall.

  Stefanie composed herself after the sudden, effusive hug and looked at her own foot. Only then did she realise that her physical and emotional pains no longer existed. She didn’t know, and never would, that it had been magic and the care from the Castle and the Angel of Music that had cured the former and that her courage and character during her adventures in the Kingdom of the Seven Moons had removed the latter.

  As she had nothing to say, she stayed quiet smiling at Violet and the Fairy Queen.

  - I know that your friend Violet has much to tell you. I will leave the two of you alone for a while. Today at nine o’clock we will be holding the great ball for the Consecration of the Seven Moons and the Victory Festival. I’m sure you will love it. Don’t delay with your baths or getting ready. We are always punctual here.

  The Fairy Queen stepped away, but turned back with a smile on her lips.

  - By the way, ballerina Stefanie, you are very welcome in my Castle, which is not mine, but our Castle.

  - Viva! – said Violet.

  - Stay calm. No hugs now. Can you explain everything that happened? – asked Stefanie.

  - Of course not. Not even a hundred hours of best-friend conversation would cover everything.

  - OK. Yes, we are best friends but no more surprise hugs. Ok?

  - I’ll have a bath first. There’s more. The Fairy Queen left new clothes for us. Hurry now. Otherwise there won’t be time.

  CHAPTER XXV


  THE CONSECRATION OF THE SEVEN MOONS

  The main hall in the Castle was decorated and lit for a feast day. The atmosphere was buzzing with joy. As soon as they went through the main door, the Girl with the German Piano and the ballerina were amazed at the surroundings and were the centre of attention.

  Violet was wearing an elegant, cheerful dress with thin straps. It had two layers of fabric, the top one light and fluttery and slightly sparkly. It suited her very well. It was tight at the waist and then opened out slightly, extending to a circular draped skirt, ending a little above her knees.

  Stefanie was wearing a ballerina outfit even more beautiful than the one she’d found on the Beach After the Now. It was light turquoise blue and sparkled as if it had its own light.

  They really did try not to be the centre of attention. It was impossible. Joaquina ran to welcome them and then silence reigned.

  At the far corner opposite the main door stood the Fairy Queen of Music, the Fairies of Gypsy Music and the Fairy Princesses of Oriental Music, accompanied by the Fairy Princess of Celtic Music. To their left, many of the great mentors of music who had participated in the battle were present. The Maestro, their great friend and mentor, standing on the right, was smiling at them.

  - Friends, comrades, and servants of music, let us welcome our young heroines. They are the living proof. Humanity is worthwhile.

  Then twenty trumpeters played an anthem unknown in the Kingdom of the Blue Earth. It was an anthem of jubilation and homage. The choir sang the word ‘glory’ repeatedly in Esperanto.

  Joaquina prodded the girls lightly in the back and made them walk forward. Violet was as red as the flower that bore her name. Stefanie, however, was better at disguising her shyness. Radiant with happiness and applauded by those present, they walked towards the Fairy Queen.