by Lucia Ashta
Lena focused on the light she felt within herself and reached out to touch the woman. As she placed her hand over the woman’s heart, she closed her eyes. The light flowed out from Lena and filled the woman. Lena held this position until she realized the process was complete. Then, she withdrew her hand and waited. She didn’t know what would happen, if anything at all.
Lena didn’t have to wait long. She was surprised when the woman opened her eyes and looked up at her. The iniquity had left the woman’s eyes. Lena couldn’t help herself and smiled at the transformation. The woman looked suddenly beautiful. Her face regained its youth, and a sense of peace replaced the darkness that had possessed her.
Lena watched, with all the love she had in her heart, as the woman tried to clear her head and understand where she was and what she’d been doing. She couldn’t fathom her role in the scene that unfolded around her.
Finally, she stood carefully, testing the strength on her feet after the blow to her head, and walked off toward the driveway of Marian’s house with a peace she hadn’t known for many years. Eventually, she’d reach the main road and begin the journey home, appreciating the beauty of her surroundings in a way she never had before.
A similar scenario repeated itself as Lena and Paolo shared divine light with each of the fallen. The men and women were transformed, free of the darkness that had plagued them. Now with light in their hearts, they could no longer be a part of the attack. They stood and ambled off, perplexed at how they came to find themselves there and grateful to feel a lightness of spirit that had eluded them for too long.
After the last person had risen and walked away, Lena and Paolo immediately turned their attention to the impending threat that loomed above them. There, the dark specter-like figures circled the sky like vultures. They made no noise, and the eerie silence was foreboding. The twins knew the creatures would attack; they just didn’t know how or when.
They found out too soon. Without warning, without sound, without even a disruption to the stillness of the air, the creatures began their attack. They gradually descended closer to the ground. The twins stood in the center of the courtyard of Marian’s residential complex. There was a bright moon in Sedona and Lena could see everything clearly.
As the creatures inched closer to the ground, their faces became visible. However, they had neither eyes nor mouths; they had no facial features at all. They didn’t really even have bodies. Their outlines were undefined. It was disconcerting. Lena’s eyes wanted to bring crispness to their edges, but there was no definition to be found.
The creatures were organizing themselves into some sort of formation as they continued their descent. Lena didn’t feel right about standing there watching the unfamiliar creatures orchestrate an attack against her and Paolo, but she didn’t know how to defend against them either.
The eeriness threatened to creep up Lena’s body. It felt as if slithering snakes were trying to glide up her legs, coil around her, and constrict her with their darkness. As the intensity of the sensation increased, Lena focused divine light within her. Then, trusting her intuition in this novel situation, she pushed that light out while willing it to dispel the advancement of the creatures. It worked. The shadowy monsters retreated.
The reprieve was temporary, and Lena knew it. She had to find stillness. Lena’s angel guides wanted to help her, and they were just waiting for the opportunity. Lena worked hard to push away the distraction of the imminent attack that was nearly upon them. When she quieted, she heard the answer right away.
It came through clearly. Be a conduit of divine light. That was it. That was the answer. Lena could be a ray of divine light strong enough to defeat wraiths of darkness. She would have to be. There was no other choice.
Lena turned to Paolo, caught his gaze, and held it. Then, she inhaled deeply, slowly, and powerfully, beginning to link to Creator’s light as intensely as she could, indicating to Paolo that he should do the same. He understood her subtle signal right away. Or maybe he’d received the same guidance; Paolo was as connected as she was. Either way, Paolo understood what she meant.
But even with both of them knowing what they needed to do, neither of them had ever transmitted light of such intensity that it could permanently vanquish dozens of menacing dark beings. That was something their teachers hadn’t taught them, and now they needed to do it right away or it might be too late. The creatures were nearly upon them.
Not knowing what else to do, Lena shut out the impending threat once more. She allowed only divine love and light to swirl within her. From that peaceful place, Lena held the intention to be a conduit of divine light. She prayed, asking the angels to show her the way, to help her beam light strong enough to defeat the swarm of darkness now flying directly overhead, if that was what she was meant to do.
Lena held the image of Creator’s pure and startlingly brilliant light—brighter and stronger than the sun itself—firmly in her heart and then, just as intensely as she had held it, she released it and let it go. Lena held no attachment to it; she didn’t even hold attachment to her human life any longer. She knew that whatever happened there that night would ultimately be perfect within Creator’s design.
Lena and Paolo weren’t ordinary humans. In her world of surreality where the impossible was embodied as the possible all around her, she registered only mild shock at their transformation. In their direct connection to Creator with the intention to bring that light essence down to earth, they’d changed. She and Paolo glowed so brightly in an otherworldly way that the edges of their bodies blurred; their bodies were no longer limited to the sharp edges of skin.
Lena released all resistance and allowed her earthly body to become something else—something indefinable, something celestial. Her being took on hues of golden yellow as she glowed like an apparition. She’d accepted that she was an angel on earth, and now she looked like one, defending light on the planet.
Already a striking woman with amber eyes and mesmerizing features, Lena became resplendent. The purity of love radiated from her while her face emanated an enchanting beauty that held real power. Now without concern for the creatures that hovered precariously close, Lena turned to see her twin. He took her breath away.
Like her, he glowed with hues of perfection and magnificence that were not of this world. He looked like an angel walking the earth, capable of changing the world through a true understanding of the power of divine love. Strands of his long blonde hair fell loose, framing his face, and his eyes shone of wisdom and strength. His inner splendor transformed him in the same way Lena felt herself transformed. The love and respect Lena felt for Paolo in that moment was indefinable.
Lena grabbed Paolo’s hand. They stood as a united force against the circling darkness. The hovering spectral creatures no longer seemed like a threat. There were no threats; there was only Creator’s perfection. The twins of destiny simultaneously pulsed love out in waves. Light of the color and intensity of the sun radiated out from them and floated upward. That love of the purest light had no equal in its power, and when it connected with the dark creatures, they dissolved without resistance as if the creatures welcomed the light.
It could have been a long and arduous struggle to defeat the shadowy creatures, but it had been easy. Difficulty was an illusion often created by the human mind. Lena and Paolo could overcome life’s supposed challenges with grace if they embraced this belief. In the space they’d been in—in the perfect flow of God and all creation—there was an inherent understanding of ease.
All was perfect. All was effortless. All was provided for them. And so it had been.
Chapter 45
No longer in imminent danger, Lena’s awareness settled on her teachers. She remembered the feeling that she’d had that Marian was going to leave her body soon. The thought sent Lena into action. Where were Marian and Victor? Lena looked around thoroughly for the first time since combat began, but she didn’t see them. She turned her head back and forth searching for them. Certai
nly, they were fine; after all, they were their teachers. Surely they could handle anything that came their way. Even as she thought it, the worry surged within Lena.
Paolo was also looking for Marian and Victor when their search came to an abrupt conclusion. A blast of fire flared up near the creek. Lush trees and distance obscured the details of the explosion but the fire would guide them to where Marian and Victor were apparently fighting their own battle.
Lena and Paolo made their way to the fire zone swiftly, running as fast as they could toward the flowing creek. Lena was stricken to see that they hadn’t made it there fast enough. When the twins arrived at the scene, it was too late to change the conflict’s outcome.
Instead, they arrived in time for their teachers to see Marian’s prophecy fulfilled. As the twins rushed toward their teachers’ fallen bodies, the outline of their angel wings trailed behind them. Lena and Paolo’s glowing white, diaphanous wings were both beautiful and strong, and they brought tears of emotion to their teachers’ eyes.
Lena and Paolo didn’t see their own wings as Marian and Victor took their final breaths and left this world, knowing they’d fulfilled their final purpose for this lifetime. Their pupils had stood against demons while feeling only love in their hearts, and the demons had melted away when faced with the purity of light they emanated. Through a true understanding of love, the twins’ angel wings had sprouted forth.
When Marian and Victor left the earth for another world, their last vision was of their pupils walking as angels on earth. They knew that neither Lena nor Paolo saw their wings, but that they one day would. With that knowing, Marian and Victor let go of their hold on this world with peaceful acceptance. They breathed in for the last time and then released everything they’d borrowed from the earth back to her with a final exhale. Then they soared up to the heavens where they would be simply souls once more.
One day, the time would once again arrive for Marian and Victor to take earthly bodies, but for now, their empty shells lay broken on the ground in awkward angles, soon to be reclaimed by the earth. In their final moments, they found the strength to reach out and touch each other as they left the earth plane together. It was then that Lena realized that Marian and Victor had been beloveds in their own way. Their love for each other, concealed while they were alive, was unveiled as they left this dimension.
Lena had assumed that she’d at least be able to say farewell to her teachers, for whom she cared so much. However, it wasn’t Lena’s choice. It was their time. Lena would find a way to accept that this was how things had to be.
The adversaries that Marian and Victor had fought were of a different caliber than those that had attacked Lena and Paolo. The teachers had combated giant demons with red eyes that blazed with the fire of vicious intent. The demons were covered in bulging, grotesque muscles, and they emitted a putrid smell. Towering at twice the size of an average human, their bodies were a deep black that reminded Lena of crude oil.
Marian and Victor had managed to slay some of the monstrous creatures, though the demons had ultimately broken them. They lay weaponless in death, but Lena knew their teachers had defended themselves and the light honorably.
In a perplexing move, the demons began to leave the creek area, disappearing into the surrounding forest in the deep of night. They scattered and went in different directions. The last of them lumbered and trampled off through the trees. Lena couldn’t understand their actions.
Reaching out for the hand of her eternal beloved once more, Lena pulled Paolo close. She found comfort in knowing she’d discovered home in him. Together, they found the peace they’d longed for. And together they’d fulfill their destinies. With the love and light they held in their hearts, and with the love they felt for each other, they’d complete their missions on earth and change the world. The planet and its people needed that change.
Chapter 46
Asara was outside enjoying the sun at the edge of the campsite when she discovered that she could see with her eyes closed. Behind her eyelids, she was able to sense everything around her. She could detect beings of other worlds, including the fairies and tree spirits; she perceived the energy bodies of the forest creatures that scampered about; and she noticed the energetic bodies of her companions, varying in brightness according to the concentration of light they held. Asara could see more with her eyes closed than with them open.
Then she opened her eyes to take in the physical bodies of her spirit family. They were as different from one another as they were beautiful to Asara. She wondered what else they would accomplish in this lifetime.
Asara had mentally steeled herself for an epic battle that would last years, but sitting there in an idyllic forest setting, she realized she might have been mistaken in thinking that etheric battles would drag on, as did the battles between men. The forces of darkness were also behind those battles. They used the lure of power and greed, and manipulated confused soldiers with calls to duty, loyalty, and the protection of the innocent. Leaders offered abstract principles that inflamed young men, and won their allegiance, but the true motives for war were sinister. Men traded their light for darkness and sought to rule men. And so the battles of men waged long and without reprieve.
Light could dispose of the darkness; it could wipe it out. But Asara knew darkness shouldn’t disappear from the world entirely. There was a need for it and the contrast it provided to the light. Humans would be offered choices stemming from darkness and from light. The decisions they made would determine how much they’d be able to advance their souls in their current lifetime.
The problem stemmed from the fact that darkness was insatiable, always wanting more control. The dark forces believed it was possible for them to overtake the world, casting a permanent shadow over the light. But that wasn’t possible. All enlightened beings knew that. The judgment of the dark forces was impaired, as the dark didn’t see the true nature of the world in its drive for a stronghold.
Whenever the dark forces instigated a war there would be a need for light warriors. There would always be a need for humans of their kind to embody light on earth, so that other human beings might recognize the call to the light and feel the memory of their heavenly walks with Creator.
Chapter 47
The last several days had stretched into what felt like years, compressing an enormity of experience into a short amount of time. Now, as Asara contemplated the return to her beloved Arnaka, she understood that the roles she and Anak had played as light keepers would shift. It was inevitable once they’d discovered more of their capabilities. Understanding herself better had transformed Asara forever.
She answered Archangel Michael’s call without knowing what to expect, and she emerged from the initiation a warrior. The light warriors that had gathered would go home and loosen their grips on their weapons—at least for a little while. But they would train. They’d continue to learn and grow. They’d be ready to answer a call to duty at any moment, taking up ethereal arms for the well-being of the human race and the planet.
Asara willed her mind to be free of thoughts, and serenity soon replaced them. Her mind was like a reflective pool whose ripples had faded out at the edges, dissipating into nothingness. With her reasoning mind out of the way, Asara was open to receiving true guidance. Had the time of battle come to a close for them?
The response was immediate. Archangel Michael was suddenly next to her. He put his hand on her shoulder and kissed the crown of her head. Asara heard him speak as clearly as if he were standing there in the flesh. I love you, my sister. You’ve finished your work here. Go in peace. Grow strong. I’ll call on you again for a greater battle.
Every member of the group had reached their own knowing that their duty there had ended. They would leave. Asara and Anak would return to their pyramids, Area and Arien would return to their crystal palace, and the cousins would return to their family home. Thom would go, still shrouded in mystery, to wherever he chose to call home next. Carn and Baldub’s path
s had become inextricably intertwined; they’d continue on the path of life together as companions.
Although they’d only known one another for a brief amount of linear time, Asara was surprised at the sense of loss she felt in having to take leave of her new spirit family. She’d grown comfortable with the sense of closeness and camaraderie they shared. They understood each other. Asara would miss hearing their voices and laughter, even if most of the sounds of her friends had only coursed through her mind.
They dismantled the campsite very quickly, returning everything to its original state. Even the trampled grasses where the cabins had rested were springy and refreshed again, and the fire pit looked as if it had never been. Thom had used wizardry to heal the land. He was a whisperer, able to speak the language of the woodland spirits and animals. There was a gentleness in him that all plants and creatures of the forest recognized. Asara loved this about Thom.
The light warriors said their farewells and held each other in long, meaningful embraces. They’d shared a time of knowledge and light. They’d supported each other through growth and empowerment. They knew they’d meet again; they’d all received guidance that the time would come for them to, once more, battle against the forces of darkness. They were destined to reunite as light warriors.
The unicorns also parted ways. They left for pristine lakeshores in the mountains, away from the eyes of man, where flowers dotted vibrant green pastures. The light warriors would also meet the unicorns again, when it was time. Asara lingered in taking leave of her unicorn friend. There was so much beauty in the creature’s soul, in those deep, dark eyes. Asara kissed her gently on the nose and leaned her forehead against the unicorn’s broad one.