by Lucia Ashta
Then the scene shifted. Lena saw an old woman with Marian’s eyes, mustering all the strength that remained in her aged body, storm out of a weathered cottage tucked away in the clearing of a forest. Two men with possessed eyes ran toward her, their worn and disheveled armor clinking with each movement. Lena watched the eyes of two children peek out from the threshold of the door. The children, a boy and a girl, were terrified as they watched the men attack their grandmother.
Not believing the old woman was a threat to them, the men taunted her and laughed at the children hiding in the cottage. They were jeering crudely when the old woman attacked with efficient prowess. By the time the men realized they’d underestimated her, the old woman had slashed at them both in a whirlwind of motion. While the men doubled over in pain, the woman followed up on the attack and stabbed one of the men in the heart, inflicting a fatal wound.
The woman turned her back on the man she’d just stabbed to kill the other. But that was a mistake. The fatally wounded man stood up, drew a knife from a sheath on his leg and slit the woman’s throat in the same moment that she ran her sword through the other man’s heart. The children watched as the woman who loved them, their only surviving family, took in her last breaths amid a gurgle of blood. The two men bled to their deaths next to the woman’s body.
The vision of the woman and children began to swirl into another, but Lena shook her head no, keeping the vision at bay. She couldn’t take any more of this. It was too powerful, too real. She’d seen enough to know that her sword had defended against darkness and fought for the light many times before.
Marian embodied a feisty spirit who was willing to die defending what was right. She’d carried the sword with honor. Now, Lena would carry it into battle. She would treat the sword with the same honor and respect, and with it, she would fight for the light.
According to Victor, weapons of this earth would be unnecessary at some point. When that time arrived, Lena would release the sword, and it would return to Marian in her next incarnation.
Both Marian and Victor were nearing the completion of their purposes for this lifetime. They would teach Lena and Paolo all they could and then leave the earth together. Lena already knew it; she’d seen it in a flicker of recent vision. She didn’t always understand what she saw in these new waking visions she’d begun having, but she realized what she saw was real.
Lena flashed to visions of her life as Asara so often now that she’d started believing she could bring those powers she possessed as Asara into her present incarnation. Each day, Lena believed more in the seemingly impossible; confirmation of the supernatural was everywhere around her. Once she recognized magic for what it was, it was ubiquitous.
There had always been a part of her that had known that what she learned as a child wasn’t real, but she hadn’t concerned herself with it. The doubt and questions lay dormant within her. Now she perceived a new reality, one that resonated deeply within her. It felt right.
Lena coined a new term. She no longer lived in the reality of mainstream society; she chose to live in surreality. Surreality was reality that was so wild, intense, and beautiful that it seemed surreal and other worldly. From then on, Lena knew that she would live in this place. The world of magic was now hers to explore.
Over the last dizzying weeks, Lena had found the truth, discovered her real nature, and learned to trust herself. She was ready to do something very important. She was ready to step into what she’d come to this earth to do. Today, she would announce her readiness to the heavens.
Lena grabbed the sword from her lap and uncrossed her legs. She stood and was immediately in motion. Now that she’d decided what she wanted to do, she was determined. She held the sword by its hilt and walked toward the creek. Though the distance to the shore wasn’t great, she noticed something happening as she neared the water.
The quality of the air changed, as if it carried a different electric charge than it had just seconds before. The air was alive, and it became heavy in that way it did when it was about to rain. Lena looked up and saw that the sky, which had just been a typical Sedona sky—bright blue with some fluffy, white clouds—was now dark and torrential. Lightning crossed it in jagged lines and dazzling flashes. Thunder rumbled and shook the earth. The lightning was close by. The storm was forming directly overhead.
Lightning crackled again and struck the water just in front of Lena. Exhilarated, she closed the distance that remained between her and the creek. She felt a strong desire to be as close to the storm as she could be. Even remembering what her mother had always told her—that lightning would electrify water—she felt this terrible urge to enter it, even with lightning striking all around her.
Without further thought, she kicked off her sandals and leaned the sword against a tree. She pulled off the summer dress she wore and flung it to the ground. She kicked her underwear off to the side. In five long strides, she was in the water.
Lena didn’t wade in. It wasn’t a day for wading. She dove in. The water overpowered her senses, but she welcomed the strong sensations. Even though the days were warm already, the water was still shockingly cold from the thawing snow in the mountains. The water instantly transformed Lena’s world, and she could feel the other realms surging and swirling all around her. She’d never experienced anything like this before. She could feel the raw power of the water. It was foaming with life and movement and had become an opalescent blue.
Lightning continued to strike all around her, but Lena was unconcerned. She’d stepped into the world of the supernatural, and she knew she was protected. No harm would come to her while she was in the water that day. Lena stared down into it and watched it froth around her body. It was amazing.
Her thoughts must have wandered to Paolo because an image of him began to crystallize in the water. He was sitting in lotus pose with the sword’s hilt in his hands while the sword pointed straight out.
Tears rested on his cheeks, traveling the length of his face slowly. Paolo was watching all that Victor had done with his sword just as Lena had watched what Marian had done with hers. Lena knew that what Paolo saw was just as powerful and moving as what she’d seen, and she understood his tears.
As if on cue, the pregnant sky let loose its waters and the rain pelted down. The raindrops were thick and heavy, and they washed the tears from Paolo’s face. The rivulets of water disturbed the mirror surface of the creek and wiped the image of Paolo away. Lena shifted her gaze upward. The rain was strong. She had to close her eyes against the stout drops, but she couldn’t turn her face from it. It was intense! The rain, the thunder and lightning, and the turbulent waters around her were surging through her like a power source.
Just as suddenly as the rain had started, it turned into hail. Lena laughed aloud at the transformation. Water was incredible in its ability to transform into so many different states. She stood strong and happy to be a human—one of God’s amazing creations—and let the hail pelt her naked body. She welcomed the almost painful stinging sensation.
She allowed herself to be fully free, to forget anyone else’s judgment, and she shouted a cry of freedom that rang out through the storm. She knew that Paolo heard it, but she didn’t care. It was important that she express herself. She shouted again. Akin to a lion’s roar, her cry vibrated powerfully.
Lena laughed. This was who she’d been all along and hadn’t known it. She wiped the matted hair off her face as the hail transformed back into rain. Thick drops of water splattered all over her body. She couldn’t remember when she’d felt this alive. She tilted her face toward the heavens and closed her eyes to shield them from the rain. She stretched her arms out and faced her palms toward the sky. She breathed in the smells of the rain, of the parched earth quenching its thirst, and of the electricity in the air.
An ear-shattering crash followed lightning so bright that Lena saw it even through closed eyelids. A tree fell to the ground. Mother Nature was mighty, in both her beauty and giving of life and in her capacity for destruction.
Lena went deep within herself. She breathed in the thick wet air and felt herself expand. Then she said aloud for anyone to hear:
Mother Father God, Creator of all that is and ever was, I thank you for giving me the wisdom to see my life’s purpose. I thank you for the life experiences that have made me the person that I am. I am strong. I now know my constant and eternal connection to you. I know that you guide me, and that, with your help, I’ll be able to accomplish what I’ve come to this earth to do. I understand that you don’t ask more of me than I can find strength for.
Today I accept that which I’m here to do. I accept all you ask of me, and I ask, in turn, for your assistance in doing what I need to do. I trust you, and I trust that I’ll find the way to do what I need to do with grace, love, and compassion. Mother Father God, I’m ready, and I accept my full life’s purpose now. Show me the way.
Lena’s words reverberated with the sounds of the rain. They carried power; she hadn’t just spoken, she’d made an agreement. What she said there that day set in motion a whole timeline of events. It was as if Creator were rearranging and adjusting a long, convoluted set of train tracks so that Lena could now head in a different direction.
Lena opened her eyes slowly, feeling light-headed at the intensity of the energy that ran through her; the power of the thunderstorm added to the sensation. As her eyes opened and adjusted to what they were seeing, Lena’s jaw dropped open. What she saw was incredible.
Not even twenty feet in front of her spanned a brilliant rainbow. It vibrated with luminosity of color and stood like a miracle. Lena followed the rainbow’s curve and discovered that it began by her left hip, where it met the water. Incredulous, she followed the arch of the rainbow to the other side and saw that it ended at her right hip where it completed its finite circle, fading into the turbulent creek. Of all the things that had happened to Lena in her life, this was one of the most phenomenal. She hadn’t even imagined this was possible, yet it was happening for her. She had her own personal rainbow.
Lena spoke aloud, “God, I’m in total awe of you. Thank you for your gift. I love you.” She stared at the rainbow for a very long time. The wonder of seeing it encircling her didn’t diminish with the passing minutes. The world was a magical place where even the astonishing was possible.
Lena gazed at the rainbow until the rain and the water of the creek chilled her body so much that she began to shiver uncontrollably. She would have to get out of the water even though she didn’t want to break the enchantment. Gratitude flooded Lena’s heart for a few final moments, and then she ran out of the creek.
Her clothes were of no use to her. They were as soaked as she was. She grabbed them, along with her sword and sandals, and ran toward the house. The water pelted her naked body and streamed to the ground. The rainbow vanished from this world the instant Lena turned her back on it. It had truly been for her. No other human eyes saw it.
Chapter 28
Asara and Anak arrived back at the campsite just as night was settling in. A waxing moon illuminated the sky making the twins’ return walk pleasant and effortless. They were surprised to come upon a bubble of light encapsulating the campsite. The tingle Asara felt as she walked through it was unlike anything she’d experienced before.
It was a protective force field that only the light of heart could enter. This was what Area and Arien had remained behind to create, and Asara thought it was brilliant, for where there was purity of heart there could be no danger. The protective shield spanned hundreds of feet around the campsite and up into the sky.
This barrier was a great gift. Not only did the bubble of light energetically protect all of them while they were within it, but it also made them invisible to anyone that could pose a threat. Area and Arien, the twins who seemed to float on air, had done their jobs well.
Asara and Anak were the last to return with supplies. They paused in disbelief as they saw the campsite was dotted with quaint wooden cabins. A large wooden table and chairs marked a common area. It was becoming blatantly obvious that assumptions were a fool’s thinking when it came to this group. Asara had presumed that Thom was collecting wood for a campfire. They all had. But it turned out that Thom was a magician who could transform anything that had the essence of plant in it. Thom had created a small village with wood that the rest of them would have used for fire.
Thom, silent and mysterious even in the recesses of his own mind, delighted Asara. It would be wonderful to sleep in a cozy, private bungalow. Thom had also fashioned a bed large enough to accommodate both Asara and Anak. He’d transformed leaves and grasses into a mattress, and Asara plopped onto the bed, reveling in the luxury. This unexpected comfort filled her with pleasure. Thom had anticipated everyone’s needs, honored the relationships they had with one another, and provided a great gift for them all.
The cousins returned with a wonderful assortment of berries, grains, and grasses. Carn and Baldub brought a deer, which they honored in its death with prayer and offerings. Asara and Anak had filled everyone’s canteens with fresh water. Now, they all scattered in different directions to gather firewood since Thom used the wood he’d collected for grander purposes.
There was plenty of fallen wood within the protection of the bubble so they didn’t have to leave its periphery. In just a couple of hours, they created a permanent setup where they could stay for extended periods of time if necessary. With their beds ready for sleep and Baldub tending the growing fire, they were ready to relax.
That night, under the glow of a bright and silvery moon, the light warriors sat around the fire sharing songs in their own languages. Songs were able to cross all barriers of speech, the emotion each carried clear to this intuitive group. They took turns singing, and once the others heard the song, they were able to join in and sing along in a language that had been foreign to them only minutes before. Soon, the singing became boisterous; they were singing as if they were one tribe. They were rapidly becoming just that.
Thom also sang, surprising Asara by being just as loud as the rest of them, while he whittled wood. But he didn’t work with a knife or with any other wood carving tool that Asara had seen the men in Arnaka use. Thom traced the curves of his creations with his fingers. The energy he moved through his fingers transformed the wood with a grace and fluidity that only wizardry could accomplish.
Thom created gifts for Asara and Anak. He sensed how important their home was to them and crafted pieces that were reminiscent of Arnaka. With his special skill, he first carved a small pyramid with a hole in the top. Asara was shocked. How had Thom known they emitted light that surged out of the top of pyramids? How had he known that the seemingly immovable capstone on the pyramid slid out of its placement on its own as if it weighed nothing?
Asara was still in wonder at Thom when he presented them with his second carving. It was an amazing likeness of their master and spiritual father. Thom portrayed Kaanra sitting with his legs crossed in front of him, as if he were leaning against a tree. The master’s eyes were closed, and he appeared to be at perfect peace with the world around him. Asara and Anak had seen Kaanra in this exact position more times than they could remember. Thom had captured Kaanra’s inner beauty. Asara was moved to tears. She turned to pass the figurine to Anak so he could appreciate its magnificent detail and saw that he, too, had tears in his eyes.
The twins turned to Thom. Thank you, thank you, thank you, they said to him through the waves of their minds. You honor us with your gift and with the beauty of your heart. Thom smiled and bowed his head to them. You are welcome, dear ones.
In the swell of emotion that they both felt, Asara and Anak inched closer together. Anak wrapped his arms around Asara and held her. They sat like that for a very long time, staring into the fire. One enfolded by the other, together always, together as one.
Thom broke the spell when he stood between the twins and the fire. He approached them to offer one last gift. When Thom saw Asara and Anak nestled together, he realized there was one more car
ving he needed to make. He stood over Asara and Anak and reached out his hand. Within Thom’s palm rested a figurine of two lovers, holding each other closely, connected as one. It was an identical likeness of Asara and Anak.
Asara looked up at Thom with gratitude bursting forth from her heart. She untangled herself from Anak and stood. She embraced Thom so that he could feel the love she held for him in her heart. When she finally released her hold on him, he was crying. She embraced him again, and, this time, Anak joined them. The twins loved Thom and his tenderness already.
They sat around the fire for hours, sharing songs and joyous laughter. It felt good to be carefree and to get to know each other before what lay ahead of them. Baldub had a loud and raucous laugh that Carn mirrored with her own laughter; the two were quickly becoming close friends. Their boisterous merriment infected them all.
They discovered that Carn spoke Baldub’s language. She’d been taught the language by her mother who was born in the land of Baldub’s people. It was noteworthy that, in general, there was little interest in learning the mundane details of everyone’s lives. There were no questions about those commonplace details of human existence—who they were, where they were from, what their families were like. Those details didn’t define them and ultimately meant nothing in terms of their reasons for being there. The names of towns didn’t matter. The names of people didn’t even matter. The essence of each soul was all that the companions gathered there needed to know.
Area and Arien had the bearing of those who’d been taught their intrinsic worth since birth. They carried themselves with elegance. But Asara knew they must also possess humility. Light workers couldn’t function from a place of arrogance; it wasn’t possible. It was only through knowing that all power sprung from the Divine that one could foster light as a warrior.
As twins, Area and Arien were connected in some of the same ways as Asara and Anak were, but their way of relating was quite different. Whereas Asara and Anak shared the passion of fire and the emotion and fluidity of water, Area and Arien shared the element of air. Consequently, the energies and dynamics of the twins were disparate.