EA#33:
Read From the Beginning or the start of Trial Two or Three or Four or Five
The Mountain in the Clouds, Part Thirty-Six
“
Trees were burning.
It was a bright, red fire, torching the sky with blazing tongues.
Brilliant, golden light.
The two trees were before my eyes, engulfed in flames. The roots were withering and dying. The branches were burnt and smoking. The night sky was filled with terrible wonder.
I could feel the heat on my face. I could smell the smoke in my nostrils. I began to cough. I reached out my hand as if it would stop the tragedy I was witnessing.
Why were these beautiful golden trees being burnt? Who did this? Even though they were but trees, it felt more like murder as I watched.
Why do these trees feel so important?
A darkness coated the periphery of my vision. A clouded nothingness began to enclose me from all around. I glanced about in horror. Some awful feeling of dread overcame me. It seemed as though something clutched at me, gripped my arms and ankles, tugged at my throat. Even my heart felt invaded by this otherworldly touch.
What in the gods’ names is going on?
Then the most wicked apparition of all appeared before me. But I could not make it out. It was a dark shadow, a figure of great height and authority. It towered above me, looked down on me. It said nothing, did nothing. It’s presence alone made me feel as though my life were being drained from me.
It was awe-inspiring were it not also so frightening.
I panicked. I tried to run, but I couldn’t move. I looked to see if there were really anything holding onto me, and while I couldn’t make anything out, I still could not move. It were as though I was tied in space by some unseen glue. My legs wanted to move as though running, but they carried me over no ground. In fact, it began to seem that there was no ground below me.
My heart raced. My breath came fast. I gasped.
And I awoke.
My head was reeling with pain. I held one hand to my temple and rubbed gently as I propped myself up on the other. I was lying down, but I knew not where. It was still dark, but not like in the dream, rather the nightmare. It was a more normal, night time sort of dark.
The sound of a crackling fire at first startled me, then calmed me as I came to my senses. It was the sound of a small campfire, and it was very near, warming the air.
I got up from the cot I was in, pulled back the cloth of some tent, and found my companion outside roasting an animal on a stick.
“Gumpelthwomp?” I inquired.
“Magi Man,” the giant started, “Couldn’t sleep?” He offered the stick in my direction.
“What is that?” I asked him.
“Wild tuskboar,” said my friend. “Want some?”
“No thanks,” I returned. I moved forward slowly and found a seat by the fire, sitting myself down as comfortably as I could.
“Why are you rubbing your head?” asked Gumpel.
“Oh,” I said, “my head is pounding. I had this crazy dream…”
The giant waited a moment to see if I would say more, but I didn’t feel like talking about it. “What dream?” he prodded.
I looked at him for moment. I’d really had rather dropped it. But with a sigh I decided to share what I could. “It’s not the first time I’ve had it, actually. But it didn’t hurt like this the first time. And it wasn’t so terrifying. Just the burning trees…”
“Burning trees?” Gumpel pondered. “Just campfire, Magi Man. Fire make you dream fire. Giants always say dream about life. Things that happen already. Sometimes things that will happen. You just dream about coming out here to campfire.”
As reassuring as that might have been, my enormous friend didn’t quite grasp the true scope of the vision I had witnessed. Then again, neither did I. But I let him have his say and left it at that. “You’re probably right, Gumpel,” was all I said.
Then I looked around, though it was hard to see in the dark night outside the campfire. “Where are we anyway?” I asked.
“Campground,” Gumpel answered, as if it weren’t clear already. “We go to save Gigga and Maniea.”
Right, our plan to work together. I really didn’t know how this was going to work.
“Gumpel,” I began. “Do you even know where to begin? How long have we been walking? I mean, where are we exactly? Where are we going? Shouldn’t we be going back to Starhome?”
Gumpel looked at me in puzzlement. “Starhome!” I shouted and jumped to me feet. “That’s right. That’s where I should be. I completed my last trial, didn’t I? Didn’t I call the River of Love and heal the land? Didn’t I finish it? Is there more to be done?” I sat down again, myself confuddled.
“Yes, Magi Man,” the giant said. “You did make River of Love. We meditate and water rain over land, washed away Sea of Hate. You remember, right?”
“Of course I remember,” I heaved, disbelief at where I stood now, not at where I had been. “But then I am meant to return to Angie and Jaran and the others. To be given my next trial.”
You want help? a voice queried in my head.
Unlike the other times I had been granted advice or counsel from the voices, I actually knew whose this was.
“Angie?” I almost yelled.
Gumpelthwomp looked at me like I’d gone mad. “I’m Gumpel,” he said. “Not Angie.”
I waved him aside and asked, “Where are you? Why don’t you show yourself?”
I’m right here, she said in my mind. I needn’t come to you if you can hear me so well.
I asked her aloud, “But what’s going on? Didn’t I complete my trial? What’s next?”
“Magi Man,” Gumpel shook his head. “I am worried that you lose mind. Maybe go back to sleep. Bad dream done, get rest.”
“Gumpel, stop it,” I said off hand.
You don’t need to speak for me to hear you, Angie thoughtspoke to me. You only need to think and I will hear.
Ok, I thought. Can you hear me?
Yes, she responded.
So what’s going on? I asked her.
You are speaking telepathically, she answered. You are doing very well indeed.
No, no, I returned. I mean, that’s great. Actually, that’s quite amazing to me. But that’s not what I’m asking. What am I doing here with Gumpelthwomp still? Aren’t I meant to go back to Starhome for my next trial?
You can if you must, Angie answered. But you need not. In fact your soul has chosen to take you into your next trial straight away. Told us something to the effect that you couldn’t wait any longer.
I don’t understand, I thought back to her. Wait for what?
Angie thought her answer to me, Surely you must know. (Pause). But as you are being rather dense right now, I’ll tell you. You, your soul and you, have decided that you can no longer wait to see your love again. You made it your quest, post haste, to find Maniea.
Maniea, I thought to myself in a reverie. My mind drifted.
Reveries aside for a moment, Angie interrupted me. You can think about her when we are done. But I do want to give you one piece of advice for what’s to come. You are entering a dangerous time in your ascension process. This is not meant to scare you. But you have challenges ahead unlike you’ve seen before.
Well, I stopped her, I’ve seen quite a lot already.
Silence, she demanded in my mind. Please do not interrupt. You will be faced with a battle in the coming times. This trial, your sixth, will be about war. Your triumph, if you can claim it, is to find the resolution to the war before you. In doing so you will be moving massive amounts of energy. Not only for yourself, but for all the world. All of Paelstor will benefit in ways you cannot even imagine yet.
What does all of this mean? I asked her.
It means exactly what it means, Angie responded. Troy, it is coming to a time when you must stop acting like a fool. Stop blundering about as if you don’t know anything. You know more than you think. You know everything you need to know, right here and now. Please be in your knowing. You will need it as this trial unfolds.
And what of the next one? My last? I tried.
You must take one at a time, Angie soothed. Have patience. All in good time. But what happens in this trial will prepare you for what’s after. Do you understand this?
I do, I thought to my guide from Starhome.
“Very well, then,” Angie’s voice said, booming from the mouth of Gumpelthwomp the giant. “Good luck.”
As her presence left, I found myself staring dumbly at my friend. He looked back at me in kind.
“Magi Man, I really think you need to sleep,” Gumpel begged of me. “You do not look well. Pacing about, waving your arms. It’s like you’re talking to yourself.”
“It’s ok, Gumpel, my friend,” I replied. “It’s all part of my journey. Nothing to worry about.”
“If you say so,” the giant looked unconvinced. “Still, get some rest while you can.”
“Thank you, that does sound like a good idea,” I said. “Won’t you sleep as well?”
“No,” said the giant. “Gumpel sleep already. Never sleep much. Gumpel fine.”
“Ok,” I concluded. “See you in the morning, then.”
Gumpelthwomp nodded to me, then I went back into the tent.
I laid down again on the cot. It wasn’t very comfortable, but I was very tired.
At least my head had stopped hurting.
And I fell asleep.
“
Welcome to Chapter 6: the Trial of War.
Thanks so much for reading.
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Blessings to you,
Matthew