《The Seeker and the mysterious Stranger - Walking the path together》 The Seeker and the mysterious Stranger

That one strange guy who suddenly turned up telling weird stories about mohawks

Deep within a dark forest, the Seeker sits alone on a bench. He has been waiting there, since a very long time. His absent gaze, staring into the nothingness, is suddenly interrupted, as he hears a familiar voice: "I''m sorry for taking this long," speaks the mysterious stranger with a calm voice. "Do I happen to know you," asks the Seeker confused. Their head remains unmoved. "No,"the mysterious stranger chuckles. "But it''s about time. Do you mind, if I sit right next to you?" The Seeker keeps their stare undeterred. "I have reserved this spot for someone else. Find yourself a different bench." Despite the Seekers request, the mysterious stranger places himself next to them. "Why are you even asking, if you sit down anyway," sighs the Seeker with a puzzled face. The mysterious stranger clears his throat: "Have you ever heard the story of the sick man, searching for a healer with a mohawk?" "No...Like... What even is this question? And why are you still sitting here... Get the Fuck away from here... This is my bench!" "There was a man who was suffering," begins the mysterious stranger his monologue undeterred. "He longed for a cure, so he consulted an oracle. ''Look for the healer, who wears a mohawk hairstyle,'' said the oracle. ''He alone will be able to heal you.''
So the Sick Man went out, looking for the healer with the mohawk. He visited every village, searched under every stone and looked behind every tree. But nowhere did he find the healer with a mohawk. Years passed and one day he heard of a hermit on a mountain who could cure any disease. No one knew what he looked like and the Sick Man hoped the hermit wore a mohawk. So he climbed the mountain and found the hermit in a lonely hut. When the sick man saw the hermit, he was disappointed because they turned out to be bald. The hermit asked the sick man why he had undertaken the arduous journey. The sick man told him about his suffering, about the oracle and his long search. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ''I know where you will find the one who can heal you,'' said the hermit. ''But my wisdom comes at a price. My head is bald and at night it gets cold up here. Donate me some of your hair and I will show you the way.'' The sick man was willing to pay any price, so he allowed the hermit to cut his hair. The hermit shaved the patient''s hair on the left and right sides. However he did not touch the hair in the middle. ''Now go to the fish pond over there,'' spoke the hermit. ''There you will find the one who can heal you.'' The sick man could hardly wait. He ran to the pond and looked into the reflecting water. Finally, he found the one wearing a mohawk. ''Can you free me from my suffering,'' he asked the fish in the water."
The Seeker remains unmoved. "Ok... Very funny joke... Will you leave now?" "Let me ask you, dear Seeker... How far did you ever get by waiting?" For a moment the Seeker is lost in thought. When did they tell the stranger their name? They shake their head: "I''m waiting for a teacher, who will show me the path. So get lost... I don''t have time for your silly shenanigans." Suddenly the stranger burst out in laughter. After noticing, that the Seeker doesn''t join his laughter, his face turns serious: "Wait... You are actually serious, aren''t you? I''m sorry to break it to you, but this teacher you are waiting for, will never come." "You can''t know this for sure," argues the Seeker offended. "My teacher could arrive any minute now." "Why do you need a teacher to lead you on your path," questions the mysterious stranger . "It''s your life, it''s your path, it''s your journey. Which teacher knows you so well, that they can navigate you?" The Seeker grins condescendingly. "You can''t fool me. I can see right through you. You will now be telling me, that you are the teacher, I have been waiting for. I am not falling for any of these tricks!" The mysterious stranger smirks. "Ah, you got me all wrong. I don''t want to be your teacher. I don''t want to be your leader, your guru, your doctor, or your Mailman..." "...Mailman?" asks the Seeker confused. The stranger continues undeterred: "I have no interest whatsoever to play the role of your guide. I just simply want to be your friend. Two equals, who want to undertake the same journey. Walking side by side. Two friends, who share the same dreams, concerns and goals. Finding out the path together." "So you don''t know the path either," concludes the Seeker disappointed."I''d rather continue sitting here, waiting until someone comes, whoactually knows where to go." "Alright," says the mysterious stranger. "I will wait here with you." "There''s no need for you to stay here," the Seeker urges with a nervous smile. "You go ahead. I''ll be alright on my own. Nevertheless... I have enjoyed this ''interesting'' conversation... Goodbye now." "Nah," answers the stranger unmoved. "When your teacher appears, I''ll get up... So while we are waiting here, do you want to hear another joke or should we rather discuss the fate of Humanities self-destructive patterns?" For a short moment there is an awkward eye contact between the Seeker and the Stranger. Suddenly, the Seeker breaks the silence: "...The fate of what....?!" It was at exactly this moment, that the Seeker realized, that they were trapped. TO BE CONTINUED
The fate of Humanity

Part 2: The fate of Humanity

"No, please don''t tell me another joke," begs the Seeker. "I am still in the process of recovering from the last one." The mysterious stranger clears his throat: "Well then, let us get serious... Since millennia, humanity has followed the same old pattern. Unable to change for the better. Repeating the same mistakes over and over again." "Oh no... What have I done," mumbles the Seeker, regretting their decision immediately. "Should have went with the joke." "Look at what we have done to the world," continues the stranger . "The earth is bleeding. Wildfires, mass extinction, pollution. Look at what we have done to each other. All these wars, all these atrocities... Hate, greed, power and violence... You may deny it, you may ignore it, but deep within, you are well aware, that there is something going horribly wrong with us. Don''t you ask yourself, how any of this makes sense?! The world is such a beautiful place, yet all of us are suffering... Can''t you see how paradoxical that is? To live in a world, so colourful, so wonderfully vibrant, where beauty can be seen in all of nature... And yet at the same time, we have made this experience here on earth insufferable. So we should start to ask the question, why we have allowed this to happen. We need to understand, why humanity has trapped itself in this pattern of destruction and why, after all this time, we are still unable to escape it. As a species, we may have evolved biologically, we may evolved technologically, but inwardly, we have remained same. We are still the same limited, selfish, violent creatures. So self-centred. So destructive. So separated. Always in conflict with another. Always dominating each other. We are selfishly running from our fears and chasing our desires, without caring about the harm, we are causing to our brothers and sisters. "
"Well it''s just in our nature," argues the Seeker dismissively. "It''s not like there''s anything, we can do about this." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The stranger chuckles: "Ah yes... The same excuse we have been telling ourselves since generations. ''There''s nothing we can do, so there''s no reason to even question it''... So we just keep on ignoring our inherent problems, because thinking about them is uncomfortable. Listen Seeker, it''s about time we face reality. If we continue on this path, the story of humanity will end as a tragedy. Surely, the earth will at some point regenerate from all of the damage we have done. Certainly after a couple of millennia the climate will balance itself out, nature will adapt... However if we continue following the same direction, Humanity will face extinction." "This might be for the better," suggests the Seeker. "You yourself just listed some of the reasons. We are parasites. It''s better to cut off an arm, before the sickness harms the entire body." "And you just simply accept that," questions the stranger . "You believe that these reoccurring patterns are just in our human nature. That they are set in stone. Let''s look at it objectively. We are animals, mammals, just as monkeys. But why aren''t any other animal species as destructive as we are? Why is nature in balance, while we cause unbalance? Why is the universe in complete order, while we are causing disorder? What is the root of our collective and individual problems?" "I don''t know," sighs the Seeker. "And I don''t care... It might be in our genes... It might be in our culture... It''s not like we could change anything about this. There have been countless religions and ideologies, but nothing has helped us to improve. So why even try... It''s too late anyway... Yeah we might die out... So what? " The stranger sheds a tear. "You can''t see it. I wish I could show it to you. This beautiful story of humanity. This great song of love and hate, of suffering and laughter, of beauty and bitterness. This wonderful human experience. Can''t you understand that we do have a role play in life? Just as the insects, the birds, fish, plants and mammals are playing their role in nature, we have a role to play as well. Can''t you see, how boring the earth would be without us? Who else would there be to gaze at the stars and give them meaning? Who else would stare at the rising sun, the trees, the clouds and the mountains here on earth and be amazed by the beauty of existence, if it weren''t for us? Do you truly believe, that there''s nothing worth saving in humanity? Are you really content with our story to end so soon?" The Seeker groans in discontent. "Listen here fellow. I have no idea, where you are getting at. I agree with you, that it would be sad indeed, but humankind will die out eventually. So why should it matter, if it happens in a hundred years or in a thousand years? We are living on a tiny planet in the vastness of space. Our extinction means nothing to the universe. Our existence is completely meaningless. So why, for fucks sake, does this even matter?" The stranger smirks. "Yes, Earth might be just a tiny, blue speck in the vastness of space... But it''s our speck. It''s our home... Why should you care, how large the universe is? You are living here on earth. You might believe, that the universe is indifferent about your experience as a human being. You might believe yourself to be small, worthless or irrelevant, but in the story of humanity you aren''t. You are an integral part of humanity. You are shaping the collective consciousness with every thought, emotion and action. Why do you question your role in the universe, when you don''t even see your role here on Earth?"
The Seeker gets annoyed: "I don''t care about humanity. I don''t even care about the earth. I have my own worries, my own problems to take care of. I have bills to pay... So why should I even make the effort?" The stranger takes a deep breath: "Have you ever wondered, dear Seeker, whether your individual problems may be related to our collective problems?" TO BE CONTINUED
Love will change the world The Seeker and the mysterious Stranger (Part 3 of 7) 3. Love will change the world
"Listen man, I want to be honest with you," says the Seeker to the mysterious stranger. Both are sitting on their bench, deep in a forest. "You know... I am tired... Utterly exhausted. Everyday, is a day of struggle. After every achievement, reality kicks in and I am crushed by Life. One challenge after the other. So many problems to fix, so many battles to win. Everything just seems... so shallow... so meaningless. First you go to school, then perhaps higher education, get a job, get married, raise your children, climb the career ladder, then your children move out, then retirement and after couple of years you die lonely in a nursery home... And I ask myself, is that all that there is to Life? A constant struggle to fit in with the expectations of society? Why do I still get out of bed everyday? Life has let me down, humanity has let me down. Whenever I read the news, I just get sad, angry or disgusted. Everyone knows how fucked up the world is... We are all aware of what''s going on. All these terrible things happening... And I am just tired with it, that''s all. Disappointed with life itself. And Yet, all I ever wanted is to be happy..." The mysterious stranger looks at the Seeker with empathetic eyes. "Let me ask you Seeker, if you had the power to change the world, what kind of world would you envision?" "I don''t know," answers the Seeker, yawning. "Perhaps a world, that is peaceful, without any wars. Perhaps a world, free of environmental pollution. A world free of prejudices and biases of any kind. A world of joy and laughter. A world of bliss. A world of Freedom and unity. Where we share our food, instead of fighting over oil. I just want a world, where I can be myself without being judged or taken advantage of. A world, that allows me to be happy." "Let me tell you a secret," speaks the mysterious stranger. "Everyone dreams of such a world. Doesn''t matter where they live, doesn''t matter what they do. On the deepest level, this is what all of us actually want. Even those who are fully consumed by hatred... Even they long deep within, for such a world."
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The Seeker scratches their forehead: "But... If everyone supposedly dreams of such a society, then explain to me, why we are unable to change it." "That is a very long story," smirks the mysterious stranger . "I will tell it to you, when you visit my hut. But for a short answer: We don''t change the world because we don''t believe, that we can. We think it''s impossible... Because this is all we ever knew. But what if I tell you, that there is a way? What if I tell you, that it is in fact possible. Close your eyes and imagine it. Can you see it? A world, where people are dancing on the street, singing a song of liberation. A world, where old enemies drink together as friends. Can you hear the song, that resounds deep within the heart of every human being? Can you feel it? The wind of change blowing into your face." The Seeker blows some air from their nose. "Tss... And how do you suppose, we achieve this? Through a revolution? We all know how well this worked out in the past... Or do you propose a reformation, a couple of social programs... You think, this will change the world?" The mysterious stranger burst out in laughter: "Certainly, this won''t change anything. You can''t fight violence with violence. You can''t fight separation through further separation. No, you can''t change the world through any ideologies or political action. Now what is it in ourselves, that is needed most in these times? What is it, that can wipe away all of our tears, all of our suffering, our anguish and our hate... What is it, that can break the cycle of destruction? What is it, that can free us from the prison, that we ourselves have created? The answer, my friend, is LOVE. LOVE will change this world. LOVE is a force that cannot be stopped. All shadows vanish, when you shine the light of love on it. You can''t grasp it, it is neither yours or mine. LOVE is there for everyone and anyone. " "Love?!" asks the Seeker in disbelief. "This is like the most stereotypical answer you can give. How should love itself transform the world?" "Well," admits the mysterious stranger. "It''s not that simple. You see, throughout the Ages, the meaning behind the word ''Love'' was corrupted. Wrongly defined by many. We have lost it a long time ago. I say, it''s about time, that we find it again. Love in its purest form. Once you have found it, you will understand. And you will see the power in it. You will see, the ripples that it sends out, from person to person." The Seeker shakes their head, laughing. "You are spouting nonsense. I have never before heard such bullshit in my life. It won''t make any difference if a single person changes. The world will remain fucked up." The face of the mysterious stranger lights up in excitement: "Don''t you see it, my friend? Your influence on the collective is so much greater, than you can even imagine. Your thoughts, emotions, words and actions affect your entire sphere of influence, which is interconnected with the rest of the world. One light flaring up can suffice, to illuminate an entire room. LOVE may be hard to find, hard to see, as we are all so caught up in our prisons and illusions. But it just needs one person, to find true, unconditional Love... If one person changes their outlook on life; this will reflect on the collective consciousness. Change yourself and you change the world. For you are the world and the world is you."
"Utter bullshit," spouts the Seeker . "If I behave compassionate, someone else will take advantage of me. If I don''t take what I want, someone else will take it. If I show weakness, I will lose. So why should I give up my sense of self, if this leads to regrets? Even if I were to ''transform'' myself, there is always someone out there to hurt me. I have been hurt enough in my life to know, what humans are capable of." "Please tell me, dear Seeker," asks the mysterious stranger in a serious tone. "Why are you so afraid of love?" TO BE CONTINUED You are Humanity
The Seeker sighs, as they sit beside the mysterious stranger on a forest-bench. "Listen," says the Seeker. "You tell me, that unconditional love will change the world. But lets be real. Love won''t pay my rent. Love won''t help me get a job. I can''t feed my kids with love." The mysterious stranger in his blue, hooded robe, looks at the Seeker confused. "I honestly don''t understand your problem. You can live your life and still love. Love is a state of being. Your most natural state of being, to be precise. So why do you seek excuses not to love?" "Alright," responds the Seeker. "Then tell me: Do you expect me to just love anyone? Am I supposed to love someone who threatens me or my loved ones? Am I supposed to love a terrorist? Am I supposed to love a mass murder or a criminal? Will you tell someone, who was abused... that they need to love and forgive their perpetrators? Will you tell a parent, who lost their child in war, that they should love their enemy?" "Yes," answers the stranger, without hesitation. "Love is the answer." "You can''t be serious," claims the Seeker with an enraged voice. "There are just people, you can''t love. Like the really dark shit, you read on the news...People who enjoy harming others... No one loves these types of people... You can''t tell me otherwise." The mysterious stranger remains calm. "The answer remains the same... Love them with all your heart." The Seeker shakes their head. "No, no, no... You are being a hypocrite. I am sure that you are just saying this to sound superior. I mean... There are people, who are simply evil! Unlovable! Everyone hates them. Society hates them. If you don''t hate them, you are evil as well." "Is it ever bad to love," questions the mysterious stranger . "Is love something that needs to be deserved? No my friend, you can''t ever limit love, because love is infinite... We will go further into the matter of love, another time... If you may allow me, let us rather ask, why do we human beings, judge one another at all?" "Go ahead," sighs the Seeker. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The mysterious stranger clears his throat: "We judge people based on their actions, based on their behaviour, based on their societal status, their wealth, their power. We are being judged based on our looks, on our sexual orientation, on our ethnicity, on our religion or ideology. We judge ourself, for our thoughts, words and actions. We compare, we compete and we cause conflict. So why are we judging each other at all? Can''t you see, that all human beings, just like you, are playing a character? A role in their family, at their job, within their friend circles. Don''t you see, that they, just like you suffer? Can''t you see, that they have fears and desires, just as you do? No matter what they did, there is always a reason, always a motive behind their action. Everyone is experiencing their own story. Yes, there are some people who did horrible crimes, that are truly unfathomable. But even in the most heinous murderers, hidden deep within, burns the same fire of humanity, as in you. A faint light that experiences all the acts of the Ego as an observer, suffering from what it is witnessing. Those who are consumed by hatred, need love the most. Can''t you see, that deep within, those who harmed you, never wanted to?"
The Seeker grunts in dissatisfaction: "Even if, what you are telling me is true. Should I just forget my pain? Should I just forgive them? Let them go freely, without any justice? Why should I do this? Why should I love and forgive humans, who caused me so much suffering?!" "Isn''t that obvious," answers the Stranger with a warm smile. "My friend, don''t you see? You are all the people, that you judge and you are everyone, who judges you. You are every victim and you are every perpetrator. YOU ARE HUMANITY. You are the rest of mankind. You are the story, the game, the play, the experience. You are the fire, that burns deep within every single human being. You are the force of life. You are the Source of all being. You are that, which is unseen. Perhaps it is too early for you to understand, perhaps you are not ready just yet... But at the end of our journey, when you return here, this will feel like a long forgotten Easter egg. When you have realized this truth, it will be You, playing the role of the mysterious stranger. If you don''t understand, let me show it to you... Walk with me together, side by Side... And you shall see, what I have seen... You will feel, what I have felt. I am telling you: There is something worth saving in Humanity. There is purpose behind our existence. We are here for a reason. This is why we need to find again that, which we have lost. Let us restore the faith in Humanity. Let us find the light, that burns within. To have faith in Humanity is to have faith in Yourself. Let us find, our truest path. The path of unconditional love, the path with the ALL. Let us renew our faith in Humanity and thus our faith in ourselves."
After finishing, the mysterious stranger stares intensely at the Seeker, expecting an answer. There is an uncomfortable silence between the two, awkwardly sitting on a bench. "...Well," sighs the Seeker after some time. "How about... No??! I mean... Like... I don''t even fucking know you... And now you come along and tell me all this nonsense. Are you trying to get me into some weird shit? Seriously, I am not interested... So, if you are now finally finished with your long-winded monologue... Will you now please... Please for Fucks sake... Please piss off? Seriously... I can''t take it any more... If I hear one more word from your mouth... I will report you to whoever is in charge of this forest here." "Tell me Seeker,"asks the mysterious Stranger , ignoring their begging for silence. "What is it, that you are actually searching for?" "By the love of god," trembles the Seeker, shaking in fear. "Please... Please don''t tell me this will be continued..." TO BE CONTINUED The Ego is a challenge, that you are supposed to overcome
The mysterious Stranger asks the Seeker: "What is it, that you are actually seeking?" "I don''t know...," responds the Seeker tiredly. "I just want answers... Like, why are we even here? What is our purpose? It just all seems so meaningless and I kinda hope, that there is an answer. That there is something out there... Some explanation...What is the meaning of life? Is there a god? Is there life after death? Is there any hope for us? Is... Is my life..." The Seeker struggles to finish their sentence. They gather all their courage and ask: "Is my life... important at all?" The mysterious stranger raises up his head towards the Sky: "I understand, how tough it is... This feeling of meaninglessness. The nihilism of this era... This deep longing for something that is lost... This great confusion and sorrow...Did you ever hear it, Seeker? Have you ever listened to the question asked, deep within the heart of every human being? Beyond all limiting beliefs, beyond words and thoughts. Listen closely, for the melody of your heart is asking: Who am I? You know... We have played this game since millennia. We have searched behind every tree, looked under every stone and illuminated every cave... But no matter how far we travelled, no matter how long it took us, we haven''t found it. I say it''s time, to answer this question. We have been seeking long enough. Let us finally find it, the answer. Let us go within. Because, there it was always hidden." "What do you mean by go within," asks the Seeker confused. "Like... How should this help me to answer my questions?" The mysterious stranger sighs disappointed. "So you didn''t get the joke about the man with the Mohawk haircut after all... I really hoped it''d make you laugh. Poured quite some effort into it... But anyway... Let me tell you one thing: We will find it. The answer. We will finally end the eternal seeking and open up the next chapter in the book of humanity. I know it''s hard to believe, but we will find the answer. It might take a while, but we''ll get there. That''s my promise to you." "Then explain to me," demands the Seeker . "If it''s supposed to be so easy to find the answer, why haven''t we found it until now? What is blocking us from finding it?" The mysterious stranger grins. "Why are we blind to the beauty within all things? What is hindering us from projecting unconditional love into the world? Why can''t we shine the brightest light, illuminate the world with our source of being? Why are we so limited? The great challenge, hindering us from realizing the truth of our being, is called ''The Ego''. This is what has lead us astray, from our highest path, our natural way of life. Driven by the Ego, we are blinded by our fears and desires. Running away from our fears and hunting after pleasure. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Many people have given the Ego different meanings, different definitions, but to keep it as simple as possible: The Ego is a complex thought structure, built from memories and ideas. The Ego is nothing physical, it is a mental in nature. A mental concept, that separates the "I" from the "You". The observer from the observed. It is the cause of our separation, the root of our selfish behaviour, the core of our illusions. The Ego, as the centre of our thoughts, is instilled in us from a young age. It has shaped our civilizations, systems and ideologies." The Seeker stares confused at the mysterious stranger, trying to grasp the meaning of his words. "I... I don''t understand, what you are trying to tell me..."
The mysterious stranger scratches his chin, thinking about another way to explain it. "Ever seen one of these horror movies, where people are infected by some swarm intelligence? It''s quite ironic, if you think about it... In real live it is actually the other way around. Your natural state of being is in connection with the rest of the world, but due to the Ego, you live in the illusion of separation. Which causes suffering, conflicts, wars, global crises, murder, greed, violence, pollution... The list goes on and on... Now this doesn''t mean, that the Ego is something inherently evil... Or some kind of parasite that controls peoples minds... No the Ego has it''s purpose in our lives. There is a reason, why the Ego exists. The Ego is a challenge, that you are supposed to overcome. The Ego is an obstacle, that you need to leave behind. It is the stepping stone for our human evolution. And our inability to overcome it until now, has lead us into the current state of human society. Our inability to face it, causes problems on an individual, as well as on the collective level. To be fair... in our primeval times, it was the ego, that has allowed us humans to climb up the foot chain. The Ego, as a survival mechanism has protected us, throughout the last ages... Due to the Ego, humanity reigns today supreme on earth. Our Architectural, cultural and societal achievements were driven by the Ego. Nevertheless, the Ego remains the root cause of all selfishness. Today the Power of the Ego is as strong as it has never been before in the entirety of human existence. It corrupts all institutions, all organizations, all nations. As long as we are driven by the Ego, we will remain unable to find, what we truly seek. True bliss can only be felt, when the Ego is not. True Love can only flower, when the Ego is not. To find peace and beauty, one must let go of the Ego. Because that, what we truly are, is beyond all limitations... Do you now understand, what this is all about? We need to look beyond the Ego to find ourselves, our true self, not limited by thought. We must overcome the Ego and find that, which we have lost a long time ago: Our Love, in it''s purest form, undiluted, uncorrupted. That is why we need to change on a personal level. Each person, one at a time. The Ego is a prison, that keeps you from finding. These shackles have bound us for far too long. But you need to do the steps yourself. You see... No one can free you, you can only free yourself. "
"I don''t need to change," shouts the Seeker offended. "And I don''t want to change. Why should I? I am perfectly content with myself. It''s not my fault that the world is going downhill and it''s not my responsibility to do anything about it. I am living a honest life. Working hard and doing my best to take care of the people in my life. Not long ago, I gave a pretty high tip at the restaurant. And... there was this homeless guy, I donated some money to..." "Tell me Seeker," requests the mysterious stranger calmly. "Are you truly living the best life, that you can possibly experience? Are you truly walking on your highest path?" TO BE CONTINUED Let us walk our highest path

Part 6: Let us walk our highest path

"Are you truly walking on your highest path?" asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker. The Seeker sighs tiredly. "Well... Obviously not, as I am still sitting here on the bench with you... Still waiting for someone competent to arrive..." The Seeker raises their head towards the sky as they feel a drop of rain falling on their skin. "Why do you need someone else to guide you?" questions the mysterious stranger . "What hinders you from getting up and following your path?"
"For a start...," responds the Seeker, covering their head from the incoming rain. "I don''t want to get lost in this dense forest. Someone experienced should go ahead." The mysterious stranger smirks "Tell me, my dear friend, can someone else ever lead you towards your highest path? No, only you alone can find your highest path. Only you can walk it. If you follow someone else, it''s their path and not yours. No, your highest path is unique to you. One may assist you, during your walk. One may walk with you, side by side. Searching and finding together. But as soon as there is power involved, authority of words, thoughts and ideas, you will always get lost. Dependency hinders all progress. Attachment slows you down. Be free and follow your own highest path. Be a light to..." Suddenly the rain begins pouring down in streams.
"Okay... wait a minute..." interrupts the Seeker. "Slow down! Before you go on with another long-winded monologue... Can you first of all explain, what exactly you mean by ''highest path''?" The mysterious stranger, strokes his chin, whilst contemplating a metaphor. "Hmm... Do you enjoy playing Video games?" The surprised Seeker gasps: "Uh... Perhaps...? I did not expect video games to be a topic here..." Neither did the reader. The rain is slowing down.
The mysterious stranger clears his throat: "In some video games there are certain story-related decisions you can make, that will affect the ending of the game. Depending on your previous choices made throughout the game, you might get the best ending or the worst ending. Tell me Seeker, if Reality were a game wouldn''t you prefer the best ending? Don''t you want the coolest cutscene after you finished off the final boss? This is what I refer to, by the ''highest path''. If life were a story, than the ''highest path'' is the greatest story that you can experience in your individual lifetime." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The Seeker is shocked in disbelief. "Are you... Are you telling me...?" Suddenly the rain stops entirely.
"Yes," confirms the mysterious stranger with a grin on his face. His voice, full of exitement. "We are going all in for the platinum trophy. Let us break the high-score. Let us end this game with 100 % completion. Let us achieve the best ending." The dark clouds above are lifting up. As they vanish, the bright rays of the sun are shining through the sky, illuminating their park bench.
For the first time, since the mad stranger sat himself on the bench next to them, the Seeker is speechless. They are overwhelmed by an emotion they haven''t felt since childhood. A sense of innocent joy and wonder. "You can''t be serious. Do you... Do you actually believe, that this is possible?" "Yes," smiles the Stranger , his voice full of determination. "We will find a way. All of us. Not just You individually. No, as a species, we will go for the best ending. And together, we shall write the greatest of all stories. Our own story. We are humanity, my friend. Listen closely: If the individual follows their own highest path, the direction of the path of humanity will change as well. And as more people find their truest path, experience their greatest story, the timeline of our reality will shift as well. You say, we are indifferent to the cosmos? You say, everything we do here on earth is meaningless in the grand scheme of things? You say, humanity is a parasite and our extinction is unavoidable? Let the heavens be my witness, I will prove you wrong! We are the authors of the story of humanity and together we shall write a story that will echo through the cosmos. The melody of our song will reach the furthest stars, never to be forgotten. We will show the universe, that we are not meaningless, that we do have a purpose. We will prove our right to existence. Prove, that we are more than these selfish, violent, power-hungry monkeys. Whoever says, this can''t be achieved, we will prove them wrong! Let us face the challenge head-on, without any regrets. If we fail, then not without trying. If we die, then with a smile on our face. Together we will find a path of joy and laughter. A path of love and wisdom. A path of unity and freedom. " A rainbow appears in the sky, as the sun illuminates the forest, clearing all rain clouds.
"I- I don''t believe you," stutters the Seeker . "What you are suggesting is impossible. You are just a crazy mad man." "You are saying it''s impossible, without even trying it," laughs the Stranger frantically. "Can''t you see, that this limiting belief slows you down? Why are you so afraid to make a simple step? Will you continue to sit on this bench for all of eternity, waiting for someone who will never come? Listen closely: The highest path, is the path with the ALL. This is the path, where each of your decisions will have the greatest good for ALL in mind. For humanity, for nature, for the earth, the universe and for you as individual, because you as well, are part of the ALL. Walking the highest path, won''t be easy. Life will challenge you with trials. You will need to prove yourself worthy. But fear not, you won''t be alone. We will walk this path together. Up here and down there. Side by Side, as old friends. Are you ready to embark with me on this journey?"
The Seeker breathes heavily: "Honestly... what you are telling me sounds really nice. And for some reason... I can''t explain how... But... I had been thinking about some of the stuff, that you were telling me, already before... However, it just seems so difficult, so unfathomable... Like an unreachable goal. Do you seriously believe, that we are capable of this? Do you seriously have that much faith in humanity?" A sudden, strong gust of wind, reaches the Seeker and the mysterious stranger on their bench. With closed eyes, the Stranger enjoys the wind brushing over his face. He breathes in the fresh air. His face turns into a big smile, as he opens his eyes. "We will find a way," thunders the voice of the mysterious stranger full of determination. "No matter how, far off we have drifted off. No matter, how lost we are. No matter, how desperate our situation is. No matter how difficult, how painful, how frightening the path ahead may seem; remember this: We will always find a way. This is the strength of humanity, to always find the way. To face every challenge and emerge victorious. And if the path seems out of reach, if there''s no way at all, we create our own way. We will do it. We will make it. For we are humanity."
For a moment there is a uncomfortable silence between the two. The Seeker doesn''t respond. Even the crickets are silent. Tumbleweed is being pushed by the wind, rolling in front of the bench. The stranger takes a deep breath: "Let me ask you a different question, dear Seeker... Do you remember the promise?" TO BE CONTINUED
Fulfilling an old promise 7. Fulfilling an old promise "What are you talking about," asks the Seeker confused. "What promise? I didn''t promise anything to you." A flock of Thirty birds is flying through the sky, chirping a song of foreboding calmness. Their harmonious tune, like the prelude of a powerful symphony. The mysterious stranger grins. "Long, long time ago, there was a promise made. That after roaming around for centuries, being lost in the darkness, we will find a path. That we''ll pave a way of love and light. That the old flame that has been burning in our eyes will be rekindled again. That the broken shall be pieced together, that the hidden shall be revealed, that the lost shall be found again. A forgotten memory, hidden deep inside of you. Like a beautiful dream, which you can''t remember. Like an itch in an unreachable area. Like the melody of a song you are trying to remember. You can''t grasp it. You can''t express it with words... But there''s this knowing... Isn''t there? Since your childhood you have been searching for it, haven''t you?" The orchestra of birds is singing their rising hymn in unison. Their song echoes through the forest, getting louder and louder, increasing in strength by each passing minute. "You are talking nonsense," shouts the Seeker nervously. "You don''t know me. You don''t know anything about me... So stop trying to get me confused!" "Oh man," sighs the mysterious stranger . "Did you really forget everything? Come on, remember what I told you, when we met in your dreams." The symphony of the birds is nearing its crescendo. The flock of bis spreads out, as each bird lands on a tree. Their rhythm, coming ever closer to its climax. "Wha- In- In my Dreams?" the Seeker asks confused, shaking their head. "No... no this can''t be. You are messing with me." The mysterious stranger breathes in deeply. Suddenly all birds fall silent, observing the two on the bench, as the mysterious stranger begins humming a tune. The chorus of the symphony of birds. A melody that sounds familiar to the seeker. "We will meet again," sings the mysterious stranger in the most beautiful melody. As the stranger sings the promised words, all the birds join in the chorus. The song reaches its peak. The birds fly from their trees, forming another flock, dancing through the sky in joy, as their powerful hymn reaches the furthest corners of the forest. Suddenly the Seeker feels this strange wave of energy moving in their spine. "Stop it," the Seeker demands, engulfed by fear. "Shut up!" The stranger stops. Sudden silence. The quiet birds hide again within the trees. After the Seeker calms down, the Stranger opens his mouth again: "I fully respect, if you don''t want to go any further. I understand, if this frightens you. I mean it is weird after all, isn''t it? As if I were speaking to you directly... It''s up to you. If you are not interested, then ignore this and just continue as usual. However, there is a reason that we are holding this conversation. There is a reason that we are here right now... You, hearing my words spoken to you... Is there really nothing more to this? If you are not ready to embark on this journey, it would be better if you go now." The Seeker remains silent. They are thinking about how they were occupying the bench first. "Ah, so you are still here," speaks the mysterious stranger joyfully after some time. "I''m glad you have decided to stay. Someday you will understand the significance of this decision." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Well...," comments the Seeker with a confused face. "This is my bench." Some of the birds start chirping again, as they remain hidden in the trees. Slowly, one bird, after another, joins the song again. "Anyway," continues the stranger . "You have heard it, haven''t you? The great call. It might have reached you in your dreams, in your thoughts or in your feelings. I tell you this: You are not alone. Many have heard it... It resounded in our hearts, like a great wave of relief, of joy, of hope. Throughout the globe, many joined the orchestra of life. Adding their own unique voice to this amazing symphony. I know that you have heard it. I know that you have felt it deep within. The dawn of something great. A new path has unfolded in front of us. Now we can walk together. We have made our choice. We have chosen love before selfishness, we have chosen light before darkness. Now it''s up to each and everyone to do their part. I know, the task seems impossible. I know that you are scared to stand up. You want to keep things as they are. You want to continue waiting here on this bench, all by yourself. You tell yourself, that this is normal, you tell yourself, that this is where you should be. This is what''s expected of you. This is safe. Stop telling yourself that you are content, if you aren''t. Is this really what fulfills you? Ask yourself, if this is truly were you are supposed to be. Don''t you know deep down, that there is more to life? Can''t you hear this quiet voice, deep within your heart, calling for your name?" The symphony of birds is rising again. Some leave their tree, flying freely through the open sky. Other birds are joining them, as the song of hope is rising once again. The Seeker bursts into tears. "I can''t... No, no, no... I am not ready to make this step... What will people think of me? What if it leads to pain? What if I fail? I am too afraid to do this all alone..." The stranger suddenly stands up. "There is no need to be afraid," he speaks in a reassuring voice. "You don''t need to walk this path alone. Because I will be with you. Let us walk together, side by side and find our way. Not as teacher and student, not as leader and follower, but as two old friends. As equals, with the common goal of reaching the top of the tallest mountain." The stranger points with his index finger at a mountain in the far distance, so high, that it melts with the blue sky. "There, dear Seeker, at Axis Mundi, the two of us will find together what we have been searching for. We will end the everlasting search once and for all." The stranger stretches his hand towards the Seeker. The Seeker remains hesitant: "I can''t... no really, you expect too much from me. I mean... I don''t even know you... Why should I trust you... How can I know for certain that you won''t abuse my trust... my goodwill..." "We are all in this together, my old friend," says the stranger with a big grin on his face. "If you may allow me... I would like to share something with you." "Go ahead," says the Seeker with their head pointing downwards. As the birds in the sky are increasing in numbers, their song reaching once again the chorus, the flock is forming beautiful patterns. From the depths of the forest, all animals appear, quietly listening to the wonderful melody. Squirrels, rabbits, foxes, deers, wolves and bears. All observing in silent expectation. The mysterious stranger whispers secret words into the ear of the Seeker. Words that only the reader knows. Deep within their minds, forgotten words rise again to the surface. Yes, it is what you are thinking. Again the orchestra reaches its climax. All birds in unison sing the chorus of the sacred song: "WE WILL MEET AGAIN." Even the mammals join the chorus. From behind the bushes, in the shadows of the trees and from within the long grass, they join the great symphony, adding with their unique voice and sound. Even the bear growls and the wolf howls the song of hope and liberation... All together, humming a melody, once forgotten, but deep within the heart always remembered. As the Seeker listens, they again feel a wave of heat and energy moving through their body. Even more powerful than before. The Seeker raises their head upwards and for the first time, since the stranger sat himself beside them, they gaze directly into his eyes. Only now did they realize that the eyes of the stranger were burning, as if they were made of flames. "Ok," says the Seeker after some tgime of considertion. "For now... I''ll let you walk by my side... But let this be clear: This does not mean I trust you... I am just curious, what will happen next." The Stranger chuckles. "Frankly, I don''t give a damn, whether you trust me or not. All that matters is that you are trusting yourself... I mean seriously, why are you so insecure? There is no need to be afraid. You are so much stronger than you think you are. You don''t even see your own greatness. Why can''t you see how wonderful you are? I can see it so clearly... I don''t even need to know you personally... Because no matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter when you are, the fire of humanity is burning deep within you. So don''t be afraid. There''s no need for fear. If you could see yourself, as I see you, you would understand." The Seeker silently nods their head and takes a deep breath. They take their first step forward on a journey that would change their life forever. Side by Side, the Seeker and the Stranger are walking through the forest, leaving the bench behind.
"So," the Seeker asks. "What''s the matter with these eyes of yours?" "Let me put it this way," the mysterious Stranger laughs. "One day, your eyes will burn as well." Even though they couldn''t imagine in a million years, where the path would lead them, the Seeker felt an emergence of new excitement and joy, deep inside their heart. As they traversed into the Unknown land ahead, the Seeker realized that this was the beginning of a great adventure. TO BE CONTINUED The Scorpion and the Frog
The Seeker and the mysterious stranger are walking on a forest path, leaving their bench behind. The wind is blowing through the trees. The birds are singing joyfully. The sun shines brightly. Next to the gravel road, flows a tumultuous river. In the far distance, a gigantic tree is visible. Comparable in size to mountains. So high, that it pierces into the sky.
"This shall be our first stop," tells the mysterious stranger the Seeker, whilst pointing at the gigantic tree. "We have an audience with the Queen."
The Seeker looks at the mysterious stranger confused. "Okay man, honestly... There are some things you just need to straight up tell me. Like what Queen? Who is this? What audience? Didn''t you tell me something about a mountain? Also, what even is this land? Where are we? And where are we going? Like, why are we even here?"
"Ah," exclaims the mysterious stranger, whilst reaching for the pockets in his blue cloak. "You see, somewhere I have this flyer, where everything is perfectly explained." The stranger rustles through his robe, checks once, checks twice. After searching for some time he sighs in disappointment. "Sorry, seems I left the pamphlet behind on the park bench." The Seeker and the mysterious stranger continue walking their path in silence. Along the path, the Seeker spots the ruins of ancient architecture, overgrown with vines, as well as strange obelisks with mysterious runes inscribed.
"Are you up for another joke," asks the mysterious stranger the seeker with a grin on his face. "There''s this story, I''d like to tell you. It''s about a scorpion and a frog crossing a river. Wanna hear it?" "Honestly... No, I really don''t want to hear it," responds the Seeker dismissively. "Like... Last time you told me a joke, I was cringing for Seven days. So seriously, do both of us a favor and stop trying to be funny." "I am glad to hear, that you are eager, to listen to my story," nods the mysterious stranger with a wide grin on his face. "Once upon a time, in a land far away, a scorpion set out on a journey to visit his old friend, a serpent..." Dumbfounded and in disbelief, the Seeker interrupts: "Did you even care to listen, to what I''m saying!?"
"...However the scorpion needed to cross a river, to arrive at the hill where the serpent lived," the mysterious stranger continues undeterred. "As the scorpion arrived at the riverbank, he met a frog, that was about to cross the water as well. ''Hey there fellow,'' the scorpion asked the frog. ''Seems like we both want to get to the other side... How about you take me up on your back, while you are at it?'' ''Do you think, I''m stupid?'' the frog asked the scorpion. ''I know who you are. I know what you are. If I take you on my back, you will attack me with your sting.'' ''Come on mate,'' the scorpion spoke with a calm voice. ''Think about it... If I were to sting you, while on your back, I would drown in the water as well.'' ''Alright,'' sighed the good-natured frog. ''I guess no one is so utterly stupid, to attack me at the risk of dying themselves.'' Whilst the frog was swimming through the river, twice as hard as normally, the scorpion was lost in silent thoughts: ''Should I sting him? No, I Should wait at least until we crossed the river. But I want to sting him... I really, really want to sting him... No... I shouldn''t sting him... Just wait a little longer... But his back... It just looks so... so stingable... Okay... You know what: F**k it! I''ll just do the stinging.'' The scorpion pierced the back of the frog with his venomous sting. The frog cried in pain. ''Why did you do this!? Now we are both going to die.'' ''Welp,'' said the scorpion, while the frog slowly sunk underwater. ''Couldn''t help it. It''s just my personality. There is nothing any of us could have done, to change the course of things. This is just who I am. Can''t change fate. If you can''t handle me at my stingiest, you don''t deserve me at my...'' In his last moments, before the frog succumbed to the venom in his bloodstream, he saw something in the distance. ''Motherfu...'' The frog lost consciousness, sinking into the depths of the river, together with the scorpion. However, after some time, the scorpion made it out of the water onto the other riverside. He was freezing, wet, heavily wounded and hardly alive, but he made it. At long last, the soaking scorpion reached the hill top and finally arrived at the home of the snake. ''Scorpion, I am glad to see you again,'' the snake greeted him welcome. ''How was you journey here.'' ''Awful,'' complained the scorpion in pain. ''It was wet and cold... I broke a couple of legs and I lost my lunch in the water.'' If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ''What happened,'' asked the snake curiously. ''Did your boat sink?'' The scorpion gazed bewildered. ''Wait a minute... there was a boat?!''"
After listening to the story, the Seeker smiles. Being caught off guard, they are exhaling some air through his nose. "I give it to you... I didn''t expect that... So what is the moral of this story? Is it about trusting the wrong people?" "Tell me Seeker, do you see yourself as the scorpion or as the frog?" The Seeker frowns. "It''s easier to relate to the frog. It''s just like... You can''t trust anyone... Whenever you offer help, they take advantage of you or stab you in your back..."
The mysterious stranger chuckles. "You never caused anyone else to suffer? You never caused any misery onto other people? No, it is only you, who is being attacked by others, isn''t it? Stop playing the victim... See yourself... You are the frog and the scorpion. You are the victim and the perpetrator. Because throughout your life, you have played both roles in different relationships. Perhaps unconscious. Not aware of the damage you caused. Sometimes even with malevolent intent. All humans, without exception, me, you, all of us, have played the role of the scorpion and of the frog at some point in our life. Did you never notice, how the suffering you cause unto others, causes you to suffer as well? If you sink the ship you are standing on, you are drowning as well. What you do onto others, you do onto yourself. That''s what the scorpion did. That is what all of us are doing. With every malicious word, thought and deed. Even a simple act of judging someone else in thought alone, is causing harm, is causing pain. Be it direct or indirect, be it conscious or unconscious. And whenever you cause harm, this ripples back on to you. Ever heard the saying ''You reap what you sow''? Ever heard of Karma? The scorpion caused his own suffering. Yes, sometimes you are the victim, sometimes you are being taken advantage of, sometimes you are being hurt. You are perfectly aware of this. Are you also aware of the times, when you act as the role of perpetrator? Now listen carefully, because this is what I am trying to tell you: There was a boat all the time. The scorpion could have avoided all of this, all along. All the needless pain he suffered, the unnecessary drowning of the frog... There was always a boat. Right There! The same goes for you. Whenever you hurt someone... Whenever you thought, you needed to do this... Whenever you told yourself excuses, that you were just not strong enough, that this is just who you are... There was a boat for you... Ready all along, for you to cross the river. You don''t need to harm anyone to make it to the other side. You don''t need to drown, because there is a boat. You don''t need to suffer, you don''t need to make it so difficult for yourself. This boat is free for you to take. It''s entire purpose is to be used by you as ferry. Peacefully, without the need for any conflict and resistance."
The Seeker shakes their head. "You only focused on the scorpion! What am I to do, when I find myself in the shoes of the frog?" The mysterious stranger smirks. "Helping someone in need, is never a bad thing. But if the frog really wanted to carry someone over the river, perhaps he should choose more wisely, whom it is, that he carries. The scorpion had the intention, the means and the sting to harm the frog. You wouldn''t allow someone with a gun on a plane, neither would you a allow a toxic scorpion on your back. Kindness is never wrong, but without proper wisdom, one is vulnerable to be taken advantage of. Moreover, the boat was there for the frog to use, as well. He could have avoided the troublesome effort to swim, whilst carrying someone on his back and instead just used the boat as ferry. The boat is there for all of us, doesn''t matter, which role we play in this great drama." As the two of them continue walking, the Stranger notices a cryptic inscription on a stone, that says: ''Checkpoint up ahead''.
The Seeker sighs, rolling their eyes. "Alright... But even if the scorpion had taken the boat... This wouldn''t have changed anything... The scorpion is still a scorpion. If he and the frog are together on the boat, he will still sting the frog. So stop giving me that bullshit. No matter how you try to justify it, the scorpion is dangerous. Just like criminals and terrorists are dangerous. I don''t want to share a plane with them either." In the distance, they see the ruins of an ancient monument.
The mysterious stranger thoughtfully scratches his chin. "Ah yes... You see... a metaphor like this, fails to depict the complexity of a human being. Unlike scorpions, which act on instinct, us humans base our decisions on countless factors. Certainly, some people have a genetic disposition for violence or lack empathy due to mental illness. Or they adapted a negative set of behavioral patterns in their childhood. Or they are addicted to substance or obsessed with harmful habits. But never forget, whoever they are, they are just as complex as me and you. Just like your own mistakes and harmful personality traits can''t be simplified by labeling them as evil, the same applies to all other humans as well. Just like me and you, they make excuses to justify their mistakes. Just like me and you, they try to see the fault in others. And what I am trying to tell you, is that this boat is there for everyone. Doesn''t matter who you are or what you have done in the past. The boat is that, which saves you. This boat is a state in which, no wrong action can take place. There can never be a perpetrator nor victim sitting in this boat. In there, the scorpion cannot sting and the frog cannot be stung. When someone insults you and you are just about to insult back, then this boat is that, which stops you. When you are deluded by fear, when you think about striking first, before someone hurts you, then the boat is that, which you tells you ''No''. When you are envious and want to steal something that is not yours, the boat is the opportunity to change your course. Do you understand what the boat is supposed to be? Tell me seeker, what is the boat?"
"... A small vessel for traveling over water?" The Seeker grins smugly. "No," responds the mysterious stranger. "The boat is Love, my friend. No matter the situation, no matter the person, you can always choose to love. And it will always be the right choice. For the greatest good of all. Even if you don''t see it, the boat is always there." "I disagree," says the Seeker, shaking their head. "Love can also hurt people. Love isn''t..." Suddenly the Seeker and the mysterious stranger interrupt their walk. A strange, mystical gateway, made of ancient stones, stands in front of them. It almost looks magical.
"Ah," exclaims the mysterious stranger. "Seems like we have reached our first checkpoint." As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger are passing through the mystic gateway, both hear an ominous chant, thundering from the sky, singing: ''Checkpoint saved''
The Seeker feels a sudden rush of energy, as a new thought crosses their mind. They ponder the meaning behind the word ''love''. Could it be, that the mysterious stranger, has a different definition for the word ''love'', than they do? "Now, that we have passed the first gate," says the mysterious stranger with a joyful face. "It is time to ask the question. What is love?" TO BE CONTINUED What is Love?

"Baby don''t hurt me," responds the Seeker to the mysterious stranger. As they continue on their forest path, up ahead they spot a wooden bridge, connecting both sides of a river. Puzzled, the Stranger stares at the Seeker with a confused face. "I would never hurt you," he exclaims in shock. "No...," the Seeker tries to explain. "There was this song from the 90''... And it turned into a meme... And..."
The mysterious stranger confused gaze, doesn''t falter. The Seeker sighs: "You know what... Just forget about it..." "Anyway," utters the mysterious stranger, as the two companions are crossing the bridge. "Let us find out together, what Love actually is." "I think that is fairly simple," states the Seeker. "Every child knows what love is. You can simply find it in the dictionary. I don''t see any need to elaborate any further on this."
As they cross the bridge, the path ahead moves upwards on a hill.
The mysterious stranger clears his throat: "It''s not that simple. If the nature of love were completely understood, we wouldn''t need to hold this conversation. If love, true love, was grasped not only by the intellect, but also by the heart, we would have already long transcended our current era of darkness. You see.. Throughout the centuries the meaning behind the word ''love'' was corrupted. We have bent it, falsified it, turned it into something else. There are so many misconceptions, false ideas, of what love is. We have lost our love a long time ago. Today, love is nothing more, than a ''cute'', little keychain or necklace, people wear as a part of their identity. Or some romantic fantasy, they dream of, to feel good about themselves. They confuse love with identity, pleasure or attachment. They think their jealousy, their possessiveness, their fears and their sorrows are justified by love. Then there are those, who are repulsed by the word ''love''. Because they are afraid to be weak. Because they are insecure about their own masculinity. Or because they are simply so consumed by hate, that the word itself frightens them. They are so blinded by their ego, by their mind, that they can''t see, what''s right next to them... Always been there, waiting for them to be seen. Neither of these people have found love. It''s not their fault. Love is nothing, that can be found easily. It costs tremendous effort, vigor and determination to find actual Love. I may assist you with inquiry, elaborations and poetry... But in the end, you will need to find it yourself... On the level of mind, heart and spirit. But if you truly set out to seek love, then you shall find it. Find it on the deepest and highest level of your being. Knock and you shall receive."
As they reached the top of the hill, the exhausted Seeker needs a moment to rest. The Seeker breaths heavily. "Gimme a second..." The Seeker takes a seat on a bench, as the mysterious stranger sits himself next to them. "Alright," continues the Seeker after some time. "So you are telling me, that our understanding of love is wrong. Why does this even matter?" "Did you really forget, what I told you the last time, that we sat on a bench?" "I probably didn''t listen," the Seeker confesses, whilst wiping the sweat from their head.
The mysterious stranger grins. "Love will change the world, my friend. That''s why we need to find it again. You see, Love is something that transcends all comprehension. Love is something, that is divine in nature. It is something so unfathomable great and wonderful, that you will never be able to grasp it. It is infinite. All-encompassing. It''s connecting You to the rest of the world. It is your connection with the sacred. No word can ever fully describe it. No thought can ever understand it. Feel it, see it, be it. Love can never hurt you, baby!" "I knew it," accuses the Seeker the mysterious stranger. "So you''ve heard of Haddaway after all!" "Anyway," continues the mysterious stranger as he stands up from the bench. "To find out what love is, we must first understand, what love is not. We have muddled up it''s meaning, with so many limited human ideas. Let us untangle it... Let me ask you, Seeker... Can love ever be conditional?" The Seeker and the mysterious stranger continue on their journey.
"Yes," responds the Seeker without hesitation. "Of course, love can be conditional. Almost any relationship operates that way. Take a marriage contract for example. Trust can be a condition for love. Financial security can be a condition for love. Beauty, sex appeal, effort, talent, personality... All that can be a condition for love." "If you make love conditional, it''s no longer love. Then it''s something else. Love knows no conditions, no boundaries, no limitations. You can''t bargain love, you can''t trade it off, it can''t be negotiated."
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The Seeker shakes their head. "Now you are just mixing things up. There is unconditional love and there is regular love. There is a distinction." "I say, unconditional love is the only kind of love. If it''s not unconditional, then it''s simply not love. You may call love, but it''s actually pleasure or attachment. If you only love, because you get something out of it, then it''s the ego. Then it''s selfishness. You can''t expect something in return for love. Love is free. Love is boundless. Love is limitless. There can''t be any dependency in love. Love can''t be quantified. And it can never ever belong to anyone. It''s neither yours, nor is it mine. Love just is."
The Seeker scratches their head. "So you are saying, that most modern relationships are not based on love? You know, that this statement will offend many people, do you?" The mysterious stranger grins. "What is an act of love? Is an act of love ever selfish? Is jealousy love? Is anger love? Is fear love? Is pain love? Can any of these emotions grow from a soil of love? No, they only grow from a soil of Ego. If there is any resentment, hidden or obvious, then it is not love. There is no motive in love, no hidden agenda. There is no expectation in love. If you are jealous, it''s not love, it''s insecurity. If you are angry, it''s not love, it''s a lack of understanding. If you are afraid, if you fear of losing the love, then it''s not love, it''s attachment. If it hurts you, then it''s not love either, it''s attachment."
The Seeker and the mysterious stranger have moved further ahead, they stumble upon the remains of a lost sanctuary. The Seeker notices ruins of ancient monuments. Pillars, statues, dream-like architecture. Both of them stop at the golden statue of god with wings, holding bow and arrow.
"You see Seeker," speaks the mysterious stranger, as they marvel at the golden statue. "Love is, when the Self is not. It''s as simple as that." The Seeker shakes their head. "Then what about self-love? Huh? Are you seriously trying to tell me, that self-love isn''t a thing?" "Self-Love..." contemplates the mysterious stranger. "Do you love yourself, just as much, as you love any other human being? Do you love yourself as much, as you love the animals, the trees, the sky, the sun? Do you love yourself as much, as you love the world? If you give yourself the same unconditional love, that you give to anything else, then it''s still love. Because there is no preference in love. If you feel yourself to be more important than others, then it''s just plain selfishness. If you just demand respect for yourself, but don''t give the same amount of respect to others, it''s not love. The idea of people being more important, than others, is a completely man-made construct."
They continue walking on their path. Ruins of a marble temple, in an ancient Greek style, is overgrown with vines. The Seeker begins laughing. "Now you are uttering nonsense again... As if, anyone were to accept this... You love your own family more, than you love strangers. You treat people differently based on societal norms. I won''t give my colleague the same respect, as my boss. I won''t love my friends as much as my children. That''s just how humans are... That is how we work... That is how society functions... We need preference."
"We are not asking, how we should behave," reminds the mysterious stranger the Seeker. "Neither are we proposing, to do anything. We are just asking what love is. And when we find the answer, it is up to you, whether you accept and go after it or not. I am saying, that love is unconditional. Love knows no preference. Love is beyond human conception. Love is infinite and limitless. Love is, when the Self is not. Love is everywhere and in everything." "How is love everywhere and in everything," asks the Seeker confused. "Explain that to me." The mysterious stranger stops in his track and points at an anthill. The Seeker stops as well. Countless ants carry an apple to the anthill.
"Can you see, how these ants work within a perfect self-sufficient system? In complete harmony and balance. Working together for the greatest good of their tribe. Do you see, that these ants have an inbuilt intelligence and care for each other. While also contributing to the rest of nature, by cleaning up, by being food for anteaters or just simply by existing?" The Seeker frowns. "Yeah... Well they are just some dumb ants... there''s nothing special about that..." The Stranger points at a bird in a nest, feeding worms to their children.
"Do you see, how the mother bird cares for their babys? Can you see this inbuilt self-sufficient mechanism of the system of nature, the mother instinct to nurture, to fulfill every need? The small chicks will learn to fly some day. They will eat seeds and grains, fly off and spread them somewhere else, sustaining the system of nature. Maintaining the growth of plants and spreading them. How perfectly they have evolved... To play their part in nature in perfect harmony. To maintain balance. Nature is a system that sustains and maintains itself. How can all of this even exist, if it isn''t through love?" "Well that''s just instincts," the Seeker argues. "You are just romanticizing some natural processes, that can easily be explained by science." The two companions continue walking, they have a perfect view on the entire valley below and the mountain ranges in the distance.
"When did you lose it," sighs the mysterious stranger with a saddened face. "Your sense of wonder... Sure, anything can be logically explained. Because everything exits within the laws of logic and reason. But why should this take away the magic? We understand, how things work... Does that make it anyway less wonderful, less beautiful. Does it become less sacred, by being understood? If you still had that sense of wonder, that you had when you were a child... This endless joy... Then you could see it so clearly... You could see, that all of this is an expression of love."
As the mysterious stranger spreads out his hands, raising up his head towards the sky, a flock of birds is flying right behind him. In the background, the Seeker has a perfect view on the entire valley, the trees, the river and the mountains. As the dusk is setting, the sun is painting the sky and clouds in purple and orange colors. "There is beauty in all things, my friend," speaks the mysterious stranger with a joyful grin. "You can find it everywhere. In the sky, in nature, in human beings... Even on the rainy days, when the sky is Grey, even then you can still find beauty within it. Even in darkest nights, the stars and the moon continue to shine their lights. This beauty in all things is an expression of love. The love of the infinite, of the eternal, expressed in the wonderful uniqueness of all things. It is here. It was always here. For you to see, clearly. Find it in the real world. It is there, waiting for you to be found."
The Seeker was taken aback by a sudden new feeling, as if the words of the mysterious stranger alone had lifted up their mood. As if something lit up inside them. Suddenly a strange chant, thunders from the sky, singing: "Plus Five Vibes"
"I- I don''t know how to explain this," stutters the Seeker confused. "Something strange just happened. Like a wave of positive energy rushing over me." The mysterious stranger grins. "You know, my dear friend. If you see things, as they are. If you see people, as they truly are. Without any bias. With a clear mind. With a complete understanding and absolute awareness. Then love is inevitable." For the first time, the Seeker gets truly curious. "What do you mean by that?" they ask the mysterious stranger. TO BE CONTINUED
Behind the masks we are all the same
Part 3: Behind the masks we are all the same As the mysterious stranger and the Seeker continue on their path, the gravel road leads them through fields of grass and flowers. They are surrounded by vast mountain ranges in the distance. Out of the ground, remains of buried and broken colossal statues stand out. Fingers, broken torsos, partial heads, depicting ancient gods.
"We don''t look at each other," the mysterious stranger elaborates. "We mostly see people as the roles, that they play in our particular life. When we interact with someone, we rarely try to understand them, as they truly are. Because we automatically create a prefabricated image, of whoever it is, that we deal with. This image is based on the memory, that we have recorded regarding the person. However... when we create such an image of another person, this image is always limited. The image is not an accurate representation of the actual human being. We only record and save memory of the times, that us and said person actually come into contact. We don''t know, how the person behaves or what they do, when our particular timelines aren''t crossing. As memories are incomplete, so is our image of the people in our lifes. At the same time, people create images of you as well. Based on all memory, that they have gathered around you. They don''t know what your life looks like, outside of your shared experiences. And so, the image that they have created around you is just as incomplete. Have you ever been angry because you were not understood? Because you were placed in a limited box by them? Did you ever feel lonely, because you were not seen? Did you ever feel disconnected with the role, that people assign to you?" Next to the gravel road, the statue of a warrior with a horned helmet is buried in the grass. The mysterious stranger suddenly notices, that the Seeker is far behind in the distance.
"Hold on," the Seeker shouts, as they come running towards the mysterious stranger. "You''re too fast... Can you please slow a bit down?" The mysterious stranger waits until the Seeker catches up. She slows down her pace to match the Seeker. "I am sorry," apologizes the stranger with an embarrassed face. "Let me put it differently then: It''s as if we were wearing invisible glasses. As long as we look through the glasses, the image of other people is blurry. But once you take them off, you can truly see people as they are. Taking off the glasses, means that you look directly into their heart, instead of seeing them through the ideas, that you have built around them, running in the background." "I understand," the Seeker pants, as they grasp for air. "It''s like we are all wearing masks, isn''t it? Like.. I am acting differently around my family, than I am around my workplace. I am playing different roles in different situations."
The mysterious stranger nods her head. "Of course. All humans do this. That''s how we fit into our social groups. By playing a role. A role, that fits the particular group dynamic. Be it the role of son or daughter, of mother of father, of brother or sister. At work or school or at the friends group... As the leader, as the joker, as the quiet one, as the empathetic one, as the loud one, as the weird one... What happens, when we play a role? Suddenly there is an expectation by the group. If you don''t behave accordingly to the role, you are being ostracized. What do these roles do with us? They make us unhappy, don''t they? Because we can''t be who we truly are. Because they limit us, they fragment us. Force us, to behave in certain ways, to imitate and to hide. And they make us blind. We think we are these roles. We believe we are these masks, that we carry. We believe the others are the image, that we have of them. And so we treat them accordingly. We put others under the same pressure, the same expectations, as we are placed under. There is no love, as long as we are identified with our masks. There is no love, as long as we identify others with their limited roles. Because underneath the mask, we are all the same. Literally, we are all the same actor playing different roles." The mysterious stranger looks to her side. Again the Seeker is not beside her. She turns her head around, the Seeker isn''t behind her either.
"I am way ahead of you," shouts the Seeker from the distance. Far up ahead, in front of the mysterious stranger, they sit next to a partially-buried giant sword. The sword is made of shining metal, that withstood the test of time. Without even a glimmer of rust on it. "I know all of this already. So far, you haven''t told me anything new," yawns the Seeker with their arms behind their neck, waiting for the mysterious stranger to catch up. "Ah that''s good to hear," utters the voice of the mysterious stranger, suddenly standing right behind the Seeker. Caught off guard, the Seeker gets startled. "What the... How did you get here so fast?!" With a silent grin, the mysterious stranger continues walking. The Seeker pulls out the sword from the ground. The sword starts glowing like a bright light, as the Seeker touches it. New item added: Sword of Perception
"Then let us ask, how do we let go of the masks?" the mysterious stranger asks, as she marches forward. The Seeker follows, dragging the heavy sword behind them. "How do we let go of these masks, that bring so much pain, suffering and unhappiness? There is no joy, in suppressing yourself to fit into a role. There is no love, when you don''t actually see the person standing in front of you, for who they actually are. So we need to be aware. Aware, that every other person, just like you, is the main character of their own story. Just like you, they know what it means to suffer. Just like you, they are afraid and insecure. Just like you, they have dreams, regrets and passions. There is always a motive behind every action. Even if they hurt you. There is always a reason, always an intention. Even if you don''t like it. If you understand this from the bottom of your heart, then you won''t judge others. You accept them just as they are. Because you see them. And because you truly love them. Because they are you. Just a reflection of yourself, as much as you are a reflection of them. Always see the good in people and you will find the goodness within them. Always see, that they are worthy of love. No matter how many mistakes they have made. In the end, they are just like you. Always have the intent to understand them. Try to see things from their perspective. And love will flower naturally. Even if you know all of this already... When you interact with other people, it''s easy to get sucked back into reaction mode. And suddenly you don''t see them anymore. You only see their role. You only see the emotion, they cause you to feel. Then your love is gone. Stay in the present moment. See them with all your awareness, then you won''t fall back. See them clearly and the mask will disappear." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. On the left side and on the right side of the road are two statues, both guarding the path ahead. The statues depict warrior kings, with swords, royal garments and luxurious crowns.
"Why should I make the effort," the Seeker questions. "I mean seriously... Even if I try my best to understand others, they will never do the same thing for me." "Try it and see what happens," proposes the mysterious stranger, as they both walk side by side. "I know, it''s far easier to go on autopilot. On autopilot, you don''t need to face your shortcomings. On autopilot, you are always right. On autopilot, you can remain the same forever. But when you are aware, then love can flow through you. When you are attentive, you can break any cycle, that limits you. When you share love and understanding, then this love will spread. When you see the others perspective, then you grow exponentially. Become love itself, see how this love flowers. This is how you walk the highest path. Because... in the end... Whoever it is... We are all one. If you hurt your brother, you actually hurt yourself. So see them... See them as they truly are. Without the illusory image... Without the false mask... And you will see yourself. See yourself within them... and love will be inevitable."
As the two companions keep on moving, the path leads through a small corridor with rock faces on both sides. They enter a canyon. Suddenly, as they walk through the threshold, the tone changes. Something in the atmosphere. The clouds turn dark-gray, getting denser. An ominous sound! A bad-ass beat! Rhythms of Terror! Boss music!
From the top edge of the canyon suddenly something huge falls into the depths below. Right in front of the Seeker and the mysterious stranger. The ground shakes and trembles. Fog of dust keeps the shadowy figure hidden. As the fog clears up, a gigantic monster is visible. It''s appearance is so horrifyingly shocking, that the Seeker can''t even look at it. An eldritch monstrosity, of unexplainable terror with a red mask, covering it''s face.
"Seems like it''s time to face your first mini-boss," speaks the mysterious stranger, scratching her chin. The Seeker points their heavy sword with a hard grip towards the dangerous creature. "Are you kidding me?!" shouts the Seeker. "You expect me to face this... this thing on my own?!" "You are ready," grins the mysterious stranger. "I believe in you." Her words, give the Seeker a motivational boost. Inspired, they hear a chant from heaven singing: Plus 7 Vibes added
Full of energy, the Seeker takes their sword and sprints right towards the monster. They swing their sword, seconds before reaching the giant creature. But just as the Seeker is about to strike their glowing sword, they look directly at the monster. Terrified by it''s horrific look, the Seeker freezes. The monster takes the opportunity and throws the Seeker towards the wall of the rock face. Minus 3 Vibes Lost
"Ok... How about you tell me, how the mechanics work," the Seeker demands from the mysterious stranger, as they clear the dust from their shoulder. "According to your frequency-level... You got three more hits left," replies the mysterious stranger. "Otherwise, we''ll be back at checkpoint 1..." "Should have told me sooner," sighs the Seeker annoyed. Again, the Seeker prepares themselves for another attack. They take a deep breath and approach the monster once again. As they come closer, the Seeker expects the monster to attack.
The monster strikes. The Seeker rolls away. Behind the monster''s back, the Seeker stands up and pierces the sword into it''s legs. The monster screams in agony. Suddenly the Seeker feels an immense pain in their chest as well. Minus 3 Vibes lost
"What the hell," the Seeker questions. "Why did I lose points as well? How can I defeat the monster, if I can''t touch it without hurting myself?" "Don''t forget, what we discussed," reminds the mysterious stranger the Seeker. Suddenly the Seeker has an idea. They make a loud sound, whistling and screaming to grab the monsters attention. The Seeker expects the monster to run towards them. The monster complies, running furiously. Moments before the monster would have clashed with the Seeker, they jump to the side, avoiding the hit. The monster instead crashes right into the mysterious stranger, who unwittingly stands right behind the Seeker.
For a moment the Seeker felt victorious, before they again hear the familiar chant: Minus 3 Vibes Lost "What the Hell were you attempting with this," shouts the mysterious stranger annoyed, as they get up from the ground again. "That was completely unnecessary. Why the hell did you think, that this would ever be a good idea?!" The blue hooded robe of the mysterious stranger is full of dust and sand. "I thought, that you could do some damage to the monster, without me getting harmed," justifies the Seeker. "The idea... sounded far better in my head... to be honest..." The mysterious stranger sighs, as they shake away the dirt. "Ok... Listen... One last time... This is your last attempt... Remember, what we were talking about. Take off the mask." Finally the Seeker understands. They hesitantly walk towards the monster, that is still getting back on their feet. Slowly the Seeker closes the distance, step by step. Keeping their sword pointed towards the monster, for self defense. Their hands are shaking, their forehead is sweating. The Seeker climbs the body of the gigantic titan.
As they reach it''s face, the Seeker stretches out their sword, not in an attempt to strike the creature, but using his weapon to lift off the red mask from the face of the monster. As the mask falls to the ground, a sudden bright light is blinding both the Seeker and the mysterious stranger. As the light fades, the body and face of the monster suddenly transforms into a familiar appearance. The shape of the monster suddenly looks identical to that of the Seeker. Same face, same body, same clothes. Smiling at it''s former adversary.
Taken aback, the Seeker let''s their sword fall. Out of exhaustion they let themselves fall to the ground. The Seekers clone explodes into white light, flowing into the body of the original, as if absorbing it. The Two Seekers merge and become one. A new chant appears from the sky, singing: Level UP! Plus 15 Vibes Red Mask added
The mysterious stranger stretches out their hand towards the Seeker. "Never forget this, my dear friend, behind the masks we are all the same." The Seeker accepts the Strangers hand and let''s themselves be dragged on their feet. "Alright," says the Seeker. "So where are we heading next?" The mysterious stranger points at stone stairs, that are carved into the wall of the canyon.
"Let''s go the next checkpoint up ahead," grins the mysterious stranger . TO BE CONTINUED
What is the Ego?
Part 4: What is the Ego? The Seeker and the mysterious stranger are walking up sandstone stairs, etched into the stone face of a canyon. At the very end, the Seeker spots an enigmatic archway made of ancient sand stone, inscribed with cryptic runes. As the companions reach the end of the stairs, they cross the archway. Suddenly, the Seeker hears a heavenly chant appearing from nowhere: "Checkpoint 2 saved"
"Three-Hundred-Sixty-Three," mumbles the mysterious stranger silently. As they pass through the archway, the road in front of them, splits in two directions. One path leading left, the other leading right. "Which path should we take," asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger. "Left or right?" "Doesn''t really make any difference," yawns the mysterious stranger. "We will end up, exactly where we are supposed to, anyway. Just try to remember this time, will ya? It''s starting to get repetitive."
The Seeker looks at both possible paths with discernment. First they look to the left, then to the right, then back to the left. "Let''s take the left path," decides the Seeker , after some contemplation. "Who would have thought," comments the mysterious stranger, rolling her eyes sarcastically. And thus, the mysterious stranger and the Seeker take the left path. They silently walk on the gravel road, surrounded by fields of grass and flowers. A small creek is flowing next to the path. Every now and then, they spot small, solitary trees standing in the grass.
"Since we crossed that gate, you''ve been awfully silent," notices the Seeker after some time of traveling. "Is anything up with you?" The mysterious stranger sighs, massaging her temples. "Do I really do need to repeat everything again?" She takes a deep breath. "Alright... Let us discuss the Ego. You still remember when I told you, that love is, when the self is not?" The Seeker nods. "Yes, you mentioned that, when you were talking about that Haddaway song..." The mysterious stranger continues: "And you also remember when we discussed the reason, we can''t find the truth within?" The Seeker shakes their head. "I said, that your natural state of being is in connection with the world, but due to the ego, we live in the illusion of separation. And I said, that the ego is a challenge, that we are supposed to overcome. Do you remember?" The Seeker shrugs their shoulders. "Nah, doesn''t ring a bell..." "Alright," sighs the mysterious stranger with a tired voice. "Seems, like I really do need to do this all over again... Understanding and revealing the ego is a very difficult task... Believe me, I have tried multiple times... This will take some time. The best way, to show it, is through examples. However... Let me try something different this cycle..." As they proceed to walk on their path, strange rock formations appear in the high grass, in front of them. Several of these rocks are put together, to form a concentric structure.
Contemplating, the mysterious stranger stares into the orange horizon in the west. Her voice becomes serious, as they walk towards the structure: "Let me use for the sake of simplicity a metaphor, so that we can conceptualize the Ego. Before you say anything... I am fully aware of the dangers of creating concepts and ideas. However, due to the limitations of language, I think it would be a starting point for any true Seeker to start with an idea, before we can later on dissolve it. So please, don''t turn, what I am about to say, into absolute truth. Don''t make it a dogma, ideology or turn it into a new pattern of thought. Don''t become attached to a metaphor. Use it only as a starting point. Is that clear?" The Seeker nods, although they aren''t really sure, what the mysterious stranger is trying to convey.
The mysterious stranger takes a deep breath. "I assume, that you most probably possess a computer, or a mobile phone, don''t you?" The Seeker stares at the mysterious stranger confused. "A comp-What? Mobile phone? What is this?" The mysterious stranger sighs: "I will unfortunately need to break the fourth wall on this one. Please bear with me... So you, the one who is reading this... I am talking to you directly. Through the computer, the hardware, you access the software. The software is programmed to fulfill specific tasks and to utilize applications. You can use the software to browse the internet. You can use it to play games, write a novel, create excel files. The computer, the hardware is functioning like a brain. Now let''s look at how human brains work. Through the brain, the hardware, we can access thought. Thought is programmed to fulfill specific tasks and utilize the physical body. Your habits are like computer programs, running through your thoughts. Your ideas and your beliefs are like computer programs, determining your behavior and your words. As you navigate through the physical world, by listening to your thoughts, the same ''programs'', that run through your mind, therefore also affect the outside world. That means, if you believe in an ideology, then you will also behave accordingly. You see, how the inner affects the outer? For example a religious person builds a temple or church and thus affects the outside world. Or a political activist takes part in a demonstration, affecting the outside as well. The programs in our mind, shape the world as much, as they shape us. Often these ''programs'' or ideas, were indoctrinated, by our environment or we formed them ourselves, as we grew up. The basis of every mental ''program'' is knowledge or rather memory. For example, you learn as a small child, that you will be punished, when you steal from others. So your mind creates a program that tells you to respect others property. Another example: As a child you get sweets, whenever you passed a good grade at a test in school, so you develop a program, that makes you ambitious, eager to come home with good grades. Then there are programs, like traditions, beliefs and rituals, that we were thought in church or at school. Such dogmatic thought patterns are often placed with pressure into the individual." As the mysterious stranger and the Seeker walk their path, the trees around them grow larger and increase in density.
Annoyed, the Seeker shakes their head. "So you are telling me, that I am just like some machine...? Without any free will? I am just some program running?" The mysterious stranger grins: "No my friend, you are so much more than just your limited brain. What you actually are can never be ever fully grasped or expressed in words. But we''ll discuss this to some greater extent later on. Now, let us first understand what the Ego is. The Ego is the mental image, that we have of ourselves. It is a complex structure of thought, based on our memories. The Ego is our own inherent mechanism of self-protection. The Ego is the origin of our fears and of our desires. The Ego is illusory in nature, it separates the self from the rest of infinity. The Ego is our limitation. It is not physical but mental in nature. The Ego is identity. The Ego is attachment. The Ego is the story we tell ourselves, about who we think we are. The Ego is the center of the self. The main driving force of our behavior, of our thoughts and of our words. Now, before we start condemning the Ego, it surely has it''s place in our mind-body-spirit-complex. It doesn''t exist without a reason. After all, if it weren''t for the Ego, society as we know it, could not exist. However, throughout the centuries something has happened. At some point, we became more and more attached to it. The Ego has gotten way too strong. The Ego is a program in our minds, that has gotten out of control! It''s like malware. Today almost every culture, every nation, every human being is infested with the Ego drive, which is running wild. We have no control over it, instead it controls us. It has corrupted every system, every structure, every organization. The Ego is the root of our selfishness. And our selfishness is destroying the world. Look at the pollution, that is hurting the earth. This is the work of Ego. Look at the countless wars, that we have fought throughout the centuries and are currently still fighting. This is Ego! The Ego has built a system, that rewards selfishness. The Ego has built a system, that separates us, generates conflict and suffering. Poverty, wars, pollution, corruption... this is all a product of the reign of Ego. But... Nevertheless... There is a way... Even though, the Ego has had such a tight grip on Humanity for so long... It is not too late to change. We will..." Suddenly the mysterious stranger and the Seeker stop in the middle of their walk. Right in front of them the path ends. A raging river is cutting through the path. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
As the Seeker stares at the tumultuous stream, their face shifts into disappointment. "Seems like there is no way over the river, after all..." The mysterious stranger smirks. "Did you really forget everything, I told you? There always is a way. It only depends, if you are willing to find and walk the path. So this is your choice now. Are you ready to cross the river, or should we go back to the checkpoint and try to walk the right path?" The Seeker considers both options. They scratch their head and caress their chin. After some time, they take a deep breath. "If there is a way over the river, then let us find it," thunders their voice confidently. "I have never seen such determination in your eyes before," comments the mysterious stranger with a surprised look on her face. "Really... In none of the previous cycles... that is interesting..."
Suddenly the attention of the mysterious stranger shifts towards a bush, near the water. She runs towards it, as the Seeker follows. From the scrub, the stranger pulls out a wooden boat with paddles in an almost perfect condition. "Well, well, well... Look at this," expresses the mysterious stranger. "Wow! A boat appears, just as we need it." The Seeker scratches their head. "I have looked at this scrub earlier. I could have sworn, that there wasn''t anything..." The mysterious stranger hops into the boat. "Alright, let''s cross the river, before..." Suddenly an unfamiliar voice interrupts her, screaming in an Australian accent: "Help me, please, please, help me." The Seeker looks around, but they can''t find the source of the sound. "Please," pleads the voice from right below the Seeker. "Take me with you! I need to cross the river. This is of utmost importance." The Seeker gets startled as they look at their feet. A small scorpion, carrying a bag behind it, crawls on the ground.
The Seeker is just about to trample it, as they hear the voice of the mysterious stranger yelling: "No, don''t do it!" With their foot still up in the air, the Seeker questions: "What? Why not?! It''s a damned scorpion." "If you step on it, it will sting you!" The Seeker sighs, as they put their leg down again. "Oy thanks mate," the scorpion speaks, with both their scissors closed, like praying hands. "I knew, that you are a reasonable fella. So please... hear me out... I have seen you finding the boat and had hoped that you might take me with you. I really need to cross that river. It''s a life-or-death situation." The Seeker turns their head towards the mysterious stranger. "What do you think about this? I don''t trust Australian scorpions." The mysterious stranger shrugs her shoulders. "The decision is yours." The Seeker turns towards the scorpion. "No. Find yourself a different boat." The Seeker expects to be stung by the scorpion any moment... Clutching their fist, ready to fight. The scorpion sighs disappointed: "No worries, mate... I understand you... Most mammals distrust scorpions... I just hope, that lil'' Lachlan will not starve to death, before I found another way, to cross the river. Nevertheless, farewell my friend. I wish you good luck on your journey." The scorpion turns around, dragging his bag behind it. Suddenly the Seeker feels very uncomfortable as a dooming chant appears from heaven: - 10 vibes lost "What," questions the Seeker annoyed. "Why did I now lose points? I don''t get it... I am just being careful?!" "No," denies the mysterious stranger. "You are not careful, you are biased. Bias, is a product of the Ego, trying to protect itself from potential danger. Bias is also rooted in ignorance, basing it on subjective memories and irrational fears. Face it: This is Ego." "It''s just a f*****g scorpion!" The mysterious stranger raises her eyebrows. "Yeah, just your regular, everyday talking scorpion..." The Seeker sighs. They turn around and run after the scorpion. "Alright,"says the Seeker , as they catch up. "You can join us on the boat. But if you even think about stinging me, I will crush you." "Oy thanks mate," responds the scorpion overly excited. "That''s really kind of you. My wife Shazza will surely share some of our dinner with you guys." Thus the Seeker, the Scorpion and the mysterious stranger enter into the boat, traversing the river. As the scorpion enters the boat, the Seeker hears an uplifting melody from heaven singing: + 5 vibes added The Seeker grunts, as they had hoped to get back into the earlier vibration level.
"My name is Bruce," the scorpion introduces himself, trying to initiate some small talk. "What''s your names?" "I am the Seeker and this is... She... He... this Persons... This Entity''s name is... I actually don''t even know." The mysterious stranger caresses her chin: "Call me, S. T. Ranger... No that sounds stupid. Call me... Dr. Stranger... No, that ones already taken... Call me Mysterio... Nah, that doesn''t fit either... You know what... Just call me the mysterious stranger... This shall do for now... I''ll tell you my actual name, once we open the book of humanity... Until then, let''s keep it at that... Anyway, Bruce, what makes you actually cross the river?" "I went out, to fetch some food for my family," explains Bruce, the scorpion. "My wife Shazza and our three kids, Lucas, Chloe and lil'' Lachlan have been starving for weeks. It took me quite some time, to actually get some food, because we have this code..." As Bruce the scorpion goes on, elaborating on his family life and their customs, the Seeker loses themselves in his thought: ''This f*****g scorpion will kill me,'' thinks the Seeker silently. ''I know it for sure. Any moment, this vermin will just use it''s sting to attack me with it''s venom. And then he will rob me... Steal my sword, that I have found... Or he will pierce a hole into the boat and have me and the Stranger drown in the river... I can see it in his eyes... in his evil eyes... He is out there to get me...''
The Seeker stares directly into the Bruce''s eyes. Then they avert their gaze. ''I need to step on the scorpion. I need to crush it, before it hurts me. It''s a threat! It''s dangerous! I need to do it! NOW!'' As the Seeker stands up, the mysterious stranger grabs them by their forearm. "Don''t do it," she says with a serious look on her face.
The Seeker swallows their spit, takes a deep breath and sits back down again. Keeping silent for the rest of the river crossing. The boat has reached the other side. As the Seeker leaves the boat and steps onto the river bank, the Seeker hears again the uplifting melody, as if rewarded for making the right choice: + 2 vibes added As Bruce is carrying his bag out of the boat, it suddenly rips at the end. From the bag, the corpse of a dead frog is slipping out. The Seeker points their finger at the Scorpion frantically, as if proven right. Ready to crush Bruce with their feet. "I knew it! You are that damned scorpion from the story. You are a killer! I knew it all along. We have helped a Killer to cross the river. I f*****g knew it! We should have never trusted him! Take that, Mister stranger! I was right all along." Bruce, the scorpion, looks at the Seeker confused. "Did you not, listen to our conversation on the boat?" "I am afraid, he didn''t listen," comments the mysterious stranger. "As I said earlier," reminds Bruce, while looking at the hovering foot ahead of him. "I am a pacifist. Me and my family are practicing a form of diet, where we only consume the meat of animals that have died from a natural cause. Such as, old age, illness or drowning. I went all the way into the land of the frogs, until I finally found a fresh corpse. My family hasn''t eaten in weeks, since is so hard to find the right meat without hunting." The Seeker shakes their head and sets their foot back on the ground. "Alright... I guess, there''s no way to prove you wrong... I''ll just need to take your word on it." Again the Seeker hears the heavenly chant: + 2 vibes added "Thank you, for making the effort to understand me," says Bruce, while winking at the Seeker and the mysterious stranger. "Farewell my friends. If you''re ever nearby, Shazza will fetch you the best marmite sandwich, that you have ever eaten." Thus, the mysterious stranger and the Seeker continue on their journey.
"I really need to give it to you," states the mysterious stranger with a warm smile. "You have done well. You have not given in to your fear and ego, instead everything went peacefully. I am really proud of you... I don''t think we ever made it this far." The Seeker begins to smile. "Ha, I guess you are right. I am really great." "No," warns the mysterious stranger. "Don''t let this get over your head..." "I am a very peaceful and collected person," continues the Seeker with their self-indulgent rambling. "I am really special. In fact, I''d say that I am better, than most people. I bet, they would have just stepped on that little scorpion. But not me, no. Someone as considerate, as me... Someone as tolerant as me, would never..." CRUNCH
The Seeker suddenly realizes in horror, that they stepped on something. Their face turns pale, as they examine their shoe sole. Pieces of Bruce are stuck on their shoe. Suddenly a female scorpion appears from a tiny puppet house: "Bruce? Darling? Is that you? I thought I just heard your voice." It was Bruce wife, Shazza. She screams in panic, as she sees, how the Seeker scrapes off parts of her husband from their shoe with a stick. "Aaaaahhhh! Oh my god?! What have you done to Bruce?" The Seeker hears a terrifying chant from heaven, like music from a horror movie singing: - 12 vibes lost
"It''s not, what it looks like," explains the Seeker. "It happened on accident." Suddenly three little scorpions also come out of the puppet house. "Mom, is it true what you just said? Is dad finally coming back," asks Lukas the oldest son. "Did he bring food with him? Does our starvation finally end," asks Chloe the middle child. "Yay, dad is finally back," shouts Lachlan, the youngest one, full of excitement. Lukas has to throw up, as he sees the remains of his father on the floor. Chloe loses her consciousness and little Lachlan is frozen by shock. - 3 vibes lost
Shazza, the mother, tries to calm her kids down but nothing works. Lachlan remains in shock. "You monster," shouts Shazza towards the Seeker, whilst hugging her youngest. "How could you?! Bruce was the nicest scorpion you could find. He never ever harmed a single animal in his life. He traveled 2 kilometers to find a frogs corpse, because he couldn''t bear to kill one." "No really," the Seeker tries to explain. "It didn''t happen on purpose. It was an accident..." "As long as I live, father," swears Lukas, the oldest child, as he stands above the remains of Bruce. "By the heaves, I swear... I will avenge your death, father!"
Lukas attacks the Seeker with it''s venomous sting. The Seeker feels an indescribable pain, as everything around them gets darker and they hear the sound again: - 3 vibes Before the Seeker loses consciousness, they hear the words of the mysterious stranger: "Listen Seeker... This is the price you pay for Ego. I really thought, that we will progress this time... But now we''ll be back at checkpoint 2... again..."
The light fades, utter darkness. Memory lost, the cycle starts anew. "Three-Hundred-Sixty-Four," mumbles the mysterious stranger silently, as they pass through the archway gate. The road in front of them, splits in two directions. "Which path should we take," asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger. "Left or right?" "Here we are again," yawns the mysterious stranger. "You''ll take the same way again, as always..."
The Seeker looks at both possible paths with discernment. First they look to the right, then back to the left, then again to the right. "Let''s take the right path," decides the Seeker , after some contemplation. The mysterious stranger sighs. "See, that is exactly why... Wait a second... Did you just say the RIGHT path?" "Yeah," affirms the Seeker. "Let''s take the RIGHT path." The mysterious stranger smiles in excitement. "Well... This is new... Okay... Let''s go for it. Let''s take the right path." And thus, the Seeker and the mysterious Stranger, walk towards the path on the right, into the unknown. A path that seems rocky, hard and difficult. But nevertheless a path... that seems RIGHT. TO BE CONTINUED All along the Tower of desire
Part 5: All along the Tower of desire As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger stand at the crossroads, they decide to move forward on the right path. The further they progress, it seems as if the atmosphere is shifting. The clouds get darker. The grassland turns into a Savannah. Trees turn into stumps. It''s as if the two companions enter into an uncanny valley. With great interest, the Seeker examines the red mask in their hand, not noticing, that the mysterious stranger is trying to converse with them: "...And this is exactly the reason, why the ego is actually a frozen waffle brand from... Hey do you even listen, Seeker?" "It''s whispering to me," mumbles the Seeker. "This strange mask... the one from the monster. What do you think... Should I wear it? Will it give me some extra buffs?"
"Nah, not really," negates the mysterious stranger. "It''s utterly useless. Just some unnecessary weight to carry around. Better drop the mask." "No I won''t," responds the Seeker infuriated, holding the the mask tightly at their chest. "This is MY mask. I found it. I won it in battle. I won''t just give it up!" "Alright, alright," the mysterious stranger backs down. "It''s up to you. Do with it what you want. I am not imposing anything on you. However, you should be aware of its danger. You see, it''s easy to become attached. Attachment leads consequently to the fear of losing. And once you have tasted attachment, you will soon desire more. Better, greater, more pleasurable attachments. You see... We are using attachments to escape from our suffering. Unable to face our pain directly, we continue to hunt one shallow pleasure after the next. Always trying to fill a hole, that we can''t escape from. This is why I would advise you, not to become too attached to anything. Neither material possessions, nor relationships, nor status, nor success, nor identity, nor beliefs. Don''t become attached to anything graspable nor in-graspable. Because it will always, inadvertently lead to even greater suffering, than the pain you are trying to escape from. So before you put on the mask, ask yourself..." As the mysterious stranger turns his head, he notices, that the Seeker is already wearing the red mask on their face.
For a couple of seconds the mysterious stranger is frozen in disbelief, before he facepalms. "I wanted to say... ask yourself, whether you are attached to it..."
The Seeker tries to pull off the red mask from their face. They can''t. The mask is stuck. As if it were glued. "Hey, you are right," realizes the Seeker in terror, as they try to rip off the mask. "It doesn''t come off again!" The Seeker struggles. Trying everything to take off the mask. Scratching, scraping, levering... By force and with precision... After some time, they give up. As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger continue on their journey, they spot a dark tower in the distance. Standing in the desert, the monument reaches into the sky. It''s as if dark stormy clouds are forming a vortex around the top of the black tower.
"How do I get rid of my attachments," the Seeker asks the mysterious stranger, as they start to feel an annoying itch on their skin behind the red mask. The mysterious stranger smiles. "There is no fixed formula. Every attachment is unique to the person. There is no ''Do X and get rid of your attachment''. However the key is insight. Once you become aware, that you are attached to something, then you can actually do something about it. But you need to be absolutely honest with yourself. We tend to tell ourselves, that we need it, that we can''t live without it. And so we are unable to let go of it. Therefore we need to see, that the attachment is an obstacle, hindering our progress. The insight itself propels change. You become aware of being attached. You see the danger. You see the problems, that your attachment causes. Then this awareness will bring forth the energy needed, to let go of the attachment. You will have access to an infinite intelligence, that helps you to break the pattern. To end the cycle in the best possible way, considering your unique circumstances. Doing this is effortless. Without any resistance. You don''t need to fight your attachment. Just become aware of it. It''s like touching a hot oven and getting your hand burnt. You won''t touch that oven ever again. And once you have let go of an attachment, you will come to the conclusion, that you never actually needed it in the first place. At least, if that is what you really truly want. Nothing changes, unless you are not willing to look at it with full attention." The mysterious stranger and the Seeker stop in the middle of the way, as they hear an unknown voice saying: "Did I just hear attachment?"
It is an anthropomorphic rat, clothed like a guru. A merchant, with several items, laid out on a carpet. Behind the human-sized rat is a mobile cart full with objects. Tied to the cart, lies a resting donkey. "Here you''ll find the finest jewelry, goblets, armor, clothes, weapons and masks, that any Seeker may need, on their journey." The Seeker takes a good look at the inventory. "Do you have anything that helps me to get rid of attachments," they ask the dubious rat merchant. "I have exactly, what you need," says the rat , as he rustles through his garbage pile. The merchant shows the Seeker a spray can, that says ''Anti-Attachment spray''. "With this spray, you get rid of any unwanted attachments. Be it material possessions, relationship, status, thoughts, beliefs... Even identity. The price would normally be 3 Vibes, but we have a Special offer. If you buy now, it will only cost you 2 vibes!" The Seeker looks at the Spray can with an intrigued look on their face. "Are you seriously thinking about buying this," asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker dumbfounded. "Well, seems easier, than what you suggested," responds the Seeker, as they turn back their head, facing the rat merchant. "I''ll buy two cans." - 4 Vibes lost
The Seeker takes the can and sprays the ominous liquid on their face. The red mask changes it''s color, turning silver. As the liquid dries, the Seeker tries to shake off the mask. It is still stuck on their face. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "You damned rat tricked me! It still doesn''t come off! Give me a refund!" The rat makes a surprised face. "Oh Sir, by the heavens. Never in my life, would I even entertain the idea to trick someone as extraordinarily cunning, as your highness. This is all just a misunderstanding."
The Seeker calms down, as the rat takes out a mirror from his pile and shows the Seeker their reflection. "Can''t you see? You are no longer attached, to that red mask of yours. Instead you are wearing a silver mask now. Only the most prestigious masters are wearing silver masks. What you have attained is very special. Only you can wear this mask!" "You... You are telling me, that I am special?" "Oh absolutely," confirms the dubious rat. "Who else but you could ever deserve this wonderful mask? Truly only a highly advanced being as you, could carry such a treasure on their face. This mask not only fits you perfectly... It Uhhh... also boosts your resistance... against Ummm... Fall damage." The Seeker nods, happily thinking they struck a good deal. "Yes, I am indeed very advanced." New achievement unlocked: Spiritual Ego
"You are still attached," reminds the mysterious stranger, standing in the background. "Don''t listen to him," hisses the merchant rat. "After all, only a true Bodhisattva, such as you, can claim a silver mask. Unless he wears the golden mask, there shouldn''t even be a reason to listen to this guy." "The golden mask?" asks the Seeker with excitement. "What is this? Where can I get it?" The rat grins smugly. "Tell ya what. If you pay me another 4 vibes, I will tell you, where you''ll find the golden mask. They say, that only someone truly enlightened, can wear the golden mask." The mysterious stranger sighs. "Come on Seeker... Don''t let yourself get involved in any unnecessary side quests... This won''t end well..." The Seeker ignores the mysterious stranger, facing the rat directly: "Tell me where I''ll find that mask." - 4 vibes Lost
The rat merchant points with his index finger at the dark tower in the distance. "You need to climb up the tower of desire. There are no stairs. There is no ladder. You need to climb the outer wall, all the way up. Until you have reached the very top. Up there, floats the golden mask." The Seeker squints their eyes. They notice a faint glowing at the tip of the black tower in the distance.
"But be careful," warns the rat, as he climbs on the back of his donkey. "You are not the only one, aiming for the golden mask." Riding the donkey into the dusk, the rat and his merchandise leave the scene. "Are you really sure, you wanna do this?" the mysterious stranger asks the Seeker. "Yes," says the Seeker. "I want the golden mask. No, I need the golden mask. Since I am enlightened, I need to wear it." "Fine," sighs the mysterious stranger. "It''s your choice after all. But don''t say later, that I didn''t warn you."
As the two companions are approaching the black tower, the wind begins to howl. Standing at the tower''s foot, they marvel at the great heights. "There must be some way up there," says the Seeker to the mysterious stranger. They both look upwards. The architecture looks confusing. "I can''t get no relief," sighs the Seeker, unable to tell, where they should begin climbing.
The mysterious stranger yawns: "I''ll wait down here, while you have your side quest..." Suddenly the Seeker is greeted by an unknown voice: "Are you here for the golden mask as well?" The Seeker turns their head. The voice comes from a gray mouse with round ears, wearing a suit, with a glass of wine in his hand.
"Who are you?" asks the Seeker the self-indulgent mouse. "I am a business mouse. The best business mouse. This is why I am climbing the tower of desire. To be at the very top! I will be the richest. I will be the most powerful. And all this will be possible, once I have finally obtained the golden mask. The best golden mask." "You will never get this golden mask," shouts another unfamiliar voice with a Russian accent. It''s a field mouse in a military outfit. "You will be Put in your place! I will reach the top before you do, western elite. Once I hold the golden mask in my hands, world domination will be mine!"
As the Seeker and the two mice begin their climb, the business mouse bites the leg of the Seeker. "Ow," screams the Seeker in pain, cursing the mouse. "Why the hell, did you do this?!" "Don''t take it personally," says the business mouse, as he leaves their rivals behind. "That''s just how I deal with competitors." The military mouse bites the Seeker in their arm. "You should be glad, that I leave you just with a bite mark. Normally, I poison my opponents." Although the Seeker is far behind, they move upwards at a fast pace, slowly catching up to the military mouse. The surface has many asymmetric edges and angles. And yet, the Seeker closes the distance more and more. As the military mouse looks down at the Seeker, he digs some dust and earth from the tower and throws it into the Seekers eyes. The Seeker wipes the dirt from their eyes and proceeds. They want the golden mask. They want it, at all costs. "None of them know what any of it is worth," mumbles the Seeker, as they climb at an even faster pace. They are just an arm distance away, from the military mouse. They grab his tail and pull at it. The mouse loses his grip. "Damn you, western elite," shouts the military mouse, as he falls down into the depth. Up ahead, the Seeker looks at the business mouse. They are slowly catching up. The business mouse gets nervous, as they notice the Seeker approaching from behind. "No reason to get excited," says the business mouse as they throw loose bricks towards the Seeker. "I still have my Trump card." The Seeker avoids the falling bricks. Jumping hand over head from one gripping point to the next. As they move up the tower, the Seeker finally catches the business mouse in their hand and throws him down the tower. "I just wanted to feel great again," screams the business mouse, as he falls into the depth below. Finally there is nothing left to stop the Seeker from winning the price. They climb up the last few meters. An arms reach away, from grabbing the golden mask at the tip of the tower.
But just in the moment, as they grab the golden mask, holding it in their hand, they slip with their feet at a loose brick. Balance lost. With the golden mask, tightly gripped in their hands, the Seeker falls down into the depths. As they fall through the sky, the Seeker is prepared to die. They examine the golden mask in their hand. There is an inscription on the inside. "This mask adds the bonus of + 1 aesthetic point," the Seeker reads out loud, shortly before they crash on the ground. Everything is black. But then... The Seeker opens their eyes and looks around. They are on the ground, at the foot of the tower. "I am still alive? How is this possible, after falling from this height?" "Must have been the fall damage resistance," comments the mysterious stranger, standing right next to the Seeker. "Was it all worth it?" The Seeker breaths out relieved. "I did it! At last, the mask is mine," shouts the Seeker, as they put on the golden mask.
"Now I truly am enligh..." As the Seeker stands up, they notice some slimy substance on their back. Their train of thought is interrupted, as they hear a voice. "Oh my God, mom?!"
Even though the Seeker can''t remember why, the voice sounds familiar. It is Lukas and his two siblings. The scorpion kids. "We-We were just returning from our dad''s funeral, a-after he drowned in the river," stutters Chloe, the middle child, in utter terror. "Mom promised us, that everything will be fine... That she will take care of us." "Where is mom gone," asks Lachlan, as he can''t comprehend what ishappening. "She was just standing here... Right before that person fell from the sky..." The Seeker has a strange feeling of Deja-Vu, as they feel a loss in their vibration: - 7 vibes lost "Mother, I shall avenge you," swears Lukas, with tearing eyes, as he holds the remains of his mother in his hands. "I will not rest until justice is decreed!" As the Seeker is observing the situation, they instinctively know, that there is only one thing left to do: RUN!
The Seeker runs as fast, as they can. Leaving the mysterious stranger and the mourning Scorpions behind. The mysterious stranger sighs annoyed, as they slowly follow the Seeker.
"Alright... Here we go again. Are we still at attempt 732 or is it 733 already? It doesn''t even matter... I really should stop counting." TO BE CONTINUED To face your fears, you must understand them

6. To face your fears, you must understand them

6. To face your fears, you must understand them The Seeker runs. Without a destination, just running through an unknown land. The distance to the black tower is growing ever larger and larger. Until it''s just a small point in the background. The Seeker runs through desert land, gazing at the dark clouds above. Where the Seeker runs, there is no path, no vegetation. Only sand and dust. After hours and hours of running, the Seeker gets exhausted. Tired, they let themselves fall on the desert floor. They look around them. Something is off. The clouds above aren''t moving. As still, as mountains. Even the wind is silent. As the Seeker becomes aware of their surroundings, they realize, that the desert floor is completely flat. No hills, no pits, not even sand dunes. The entire desert is completely even, flat plains of sand all around them. Not even in the distance are irregularities visible. Where are the mountain ranges gone? The tower? The sand stones? Where are they?
The Seeker can''t tell, from which direction they came. Wherever they look, it''s all the same. A sudden feeling of loneliness. Fear is creeping up into the Seekers consciousness. Are they all alone? Is there no way back? Where should they go? What should they do? "Hello," shouts the Seeker into the stillness of the odd desert. The words echo back. "Is anyone here?" No reply, only Echo. The Seeker loses track of time. Nothing happens around them. They notice their thoughts repeating, like a scratched record. "Hello, can anyone hear me," they scream even louder. No response. Just the echo in between the silence. The Seeker walks around in circles. Repeating the same cries for help over and over again. Only Echo. They scratch their head, walk around, cry for help, then they scratch their head again. Repeating the same pattern over and over.
After suddenly... the Seeker takes a deep breath. "Mr. Stranger... Are you still there?" Caught by surprise, the Seeker gets startled from behind, as they feel a tap on their shoulder. "You called?" asks the calm voice of the mysterious stranger. "Where the hell have you been," shouts the Seeker angrily and relieved at the same time. "You have abandoned me! I... I can''t even tell, how long I have been stuck here..." "You ran away," reminds the mysterious stranger calmly, as he observes the confusing environment around him. "We really are far off the path..."
"Is there a way back?" questions the Seeker, both frightened and hopeful at once. The mysterious stranger chuckles. He starts walking, the Seeker follows. "There always is a way back on your path. No matter how far you have striven off, you can always get back on track. But I am being honest with you... The further you go, the harder it is to find your way again... This won''t be easy..."
"Please," begs the Seeker. "Help me. I can''t bear being here any longer, in this lonely place..." The mysterious stranger nods his head, asking: "How did you end up here?" "I was running away." "What are you running away from," questions the mysterious stranger. The Seeker takes a moment to contemplate. "Consequences... I was running away from the consequences of my actions." "Why are you avoiding these consequences?" "Because... I am afraid..." "Afraid of what?" The Seeker swallows their spit. "I am afraid... of being hurt." "That''s it!" confirms the mysterious stranger with a slight smirk. "This is the root of fear. The avoidance of pain. Now... Let''s ask a different question: Who is it, that is afraid? Who is it, that avoids pain? Who is it, that runs away from consequences?" The Seeker looks slightly confused. "Ummm... Me? The Seeker?" "Who is this Me? Who is this Seeker? Where can you find this person? In your body? In your brain? In your memories? In your thoughts?" "Hold on, hold on," interrupts the Seeker. "How the hell, should this get me out of here?" For a short moment, there is an awkward eye contact between the Seeker and the mysterious stranger, as they stand still in the flat, quiet desert.
The mysterious stranger scratches his chin. "Hmmm, now that I think about it... You are probably right... It''s too early for self-enquiry." The Seeker facepalms. "I will never get out of this desert," they sigh, as all hope is lost. "Sorry... We''ll find a way out of here," reassures the mysterious stranger. "Just don''t forget... I am still growing as well... We are together in this... I won''t leave you behind, as long as you don''t push me away..." The Seeker is surprised at the strangers statement. "So you are also growing Mr. Know-it-all?" "Of course I am," responds the stranger with a warm smile. "Only the ignorant cease to grow. Like I told you, from the very first moment, we met: I am not your teacher, nor an authority or anything. I am just your friend. Nothing more and nothing less. And I want to reach out with my helping hand, because this is what friends are for." The Seeker nods silently. For the first time, they see the mysterious stranger with different eyes. "Alright," sighs the Seeker. "So how do we get out of here?"
The mysterious stranger continues walking, the Seeker walks beside him. "Let us try to have an insight into the very nature of fear itself. What is fear?" "A physical response to danger," answers the Seeker calmly. "Symptoms are sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath..." "Of course, this is fear as a natural instinct. A safety-mechanism, warning us from danger. Like when a hunter encounters a predatory animal. Or when you walk on a fragile ice sheet over a frozen lake. It''s absolutely natural. Any animal knows instinctual fear. However are there any other kinds of fears? Fears, that are not based on our survival instincts." The Seeker thinks for a moment. "You mean like phobias?" "Yes," confirms the mysterious stranger. "Fears, that are psychological in nature. Fears, that are the product of thought instead of instincts. You see the difference? One is natural, beneficial for our survival and to a certain degree even healthy. The other though... the psychological fears... Are they beneficial in any way? Are they natural or healthy? Is it rational for your thoughts to be filled with irrational fears? Or are they just challenges, that need to be overcome?"
"What kind of fears do you mean exactly," asks the Seeker after some contemplation. "Give me some examples." "When you are afraid of losing your job, is that beneficial to you? Your anxiety will make you unbalanced. You lose focus. Your worries will cause mistakes. It''s as if your thoughts of being fired, increases the chances of that outcome happening. As if your thoughts attract the object of your fear like a magnet. Let''s say you are walking on the street in a dark alley, afraid of being robbed. This fear will change your demeanor. Your nervousness might attract people, who are subconsciously aware of your fear. If they can feel your fear, you''ll be an easy target to them. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Now let us consider, that your trust was betrayed, when you were a child. Doesn''t this create a fear against opening up? Perhaps in your adult life, you have a hard time trusting others. Perhaps you start projecting your mistrust on to them. Perhaps you treat others with bitterness. Perhaps you hide your true self, behind a wall. In any case, do you see how this kind of fear starts out in your thoughts? Do you see, how it creates suffering? Not only for you, but for everyone around you as well... Think about it. Sometimes fear is instilled through education or upbringing. Irrational fears of other peoples, races, cultures, ideologies, religions have separated us. This has caused so much pain and suffering in this world. Do you see, how this kind of fear is the cause of so many problems on the individual and on the collective level?" "Okay," says the Seeker. "I think... I understand. You are saying that fear is creating evil. Am I right? So what should we do about it?"
"Let us find out the root behind these psychological fears. We need to understand it''s very nature, otherwise nothing will ever change. Some of these fears are caused by experience. By memory to be precise. For example when dogmatic knowledge is instilled. Or when you have a painful experience, that shapes the way you react. And then there are fears of losing something. Like the fear that something, which you have made a part if your identity, is being taken from you. This could be material possessions. This could be a role you are playing or a status you have earned. This could be an idea, that you identify with. This could be even other people, like close friends or family. What is the root of these fears?" The Seeker intuitively touches the golden mask on their face. They swallow their spit, hoping that the mysterious stranger doesn''t say the words, they fear most. "The root of the fear of losing something is attachment," continues the mysterious stranger. "When you are afraid of losing your possession, identity, status, or relationship, then it''s because you are attached to it. Even the fear of death is just an attachment to memories." "I won''t let go of my mask," shouts the Seeker enraged. "I have earned it. I have deserved it! It is mine!" The mysterious stranger sighs tiredly. He knew, that this was going to happen. "Okay look... I know it is difficult... But as long, as you are attached to that mask, you will continue being lost. It will only get worse and worse." "No," insists the Seeker. "I have poured in too much effort. Do you even understand this masks value? Many have tried climbing the tower of desire and only I have succeeded in getting it! It is mine! Mine only!" The mysterious stranger looks at the Seeker with sad eyes. "You think you need it. You think without it you are nobody. You think that your attachment bestows you with meaning. You think, you can''t handle the world without it. But you are wrong. You don''t need this mask, this false identity. You never needed it in the first place. Take it off and see it for yourself. This freedom of letting go. This liberation, will be like a great weight lifted off. And then we will find our way again."
The mysterious stranger stretches out his palm, offering it to the Seeker. For a moment the Seeker considers taking off their mask. As if there was a calling deep within their heart. The Seeker shakes their head, laughing manically. "Now I get it! You want my mask for yourself. All of this is just a trick. I will never hand it over to you!" The Seeker throws a punch at the mysterious stranger. The Stranger dodges. "Please, stop it," warns the stranger with a saddened eyes. "I otherwise can''t do anything to assist you anymore..." "You damned hypocrite," shouts the Seeker, as they pull the sword of perception from their sheath. "You want to take my mask from me! You are just like all the others!"
The Seeker runs towards the stranger, swinging their sword, ready for an attack. The stranger deflects the sword, with a brush of his hand. "Sorry," speaks the mysterious stranger, as he slowly fades away. "I wish I could have done more for you... I will return with help... I promise. I won''t leave you behind... You will not be forgotten." The mysterious stranger has vanished. The Seeker stands all alone in the desert. Where the clouds don''t move and the Sun never sets. Crying, they collapse to their knees. Time passes, as the Seeker wanders aimlessly through the flat desert. They blame the mysterious stranger for their misery. Then they blame the unfairness of life for their circumstances. Then they blame the mask, trying to pull it off with force. Failing, blaming the Stranger once again. The Seeker walks in circles. Trapped in a Loop. With every new repetition, something changes. Their veins around the mask swell up. The Seekers skin gets coarser, harder, thicker. Their voice gets rougher. The glow in their eyes extinguishes. Stuck in an endless time loop, the Seeker loses their mind. Their rambling words turn into nonsensical sounds and screeches. The Seeker forgets, who they once used to be. The Seeker is gone, the mask has taken over. A desire for more is born. An endless hunger for attachment.
The Seekers body transforms. Horns and stings sprouts from its skin. Wings grow fromk their back. The monster with the golden mask flies around the area, searching for new attachments. Flying through the air, they escape the flat desert. Sometimes the monster spots people on the road, flies down below, catches its target with its claws and absorb them into its body. Sometimes they catch mice, scorpions and other creatures. With every new attachment the monster grows in size. As the monster flies through the air, it finds the dark tower of desire in the distance. Something seems familiar to the creature and thus it builds a nest at the top of the tower. Time passes. Years. Decades. Centuries. Millennia.
For many countless cycles, the monster roams mindlessly through the desert land around the tower of desire... Until one day, two figures appear near the dark tower. "There must be some way up there," says the Seeker to the mysterious stranger, as the wind begins to howl. They are both standing at the foot of the dark tower of desire, where the monster resides. "Are you really sure, that you want that mask?" asks the mysterious stranger with a concerned voice. "Yes," confirms the Seeker, as they pull out their sword. "I will slay this monster, no matter the price."
The mysterious stranger sighs. "You really should stop talking to dubious rats..." Suddenly, an attack from above. The monster with the golden mask flies directly towards the Seeker. The Seeker evades its sharp claws. The creature flies back to the top. "Well," says the Seeker, as they take a deep breath and pull out a rope from their pocket. "At least that rat did me a good deal, by trading this rope against that red mask from the previous monster." The Seeker swings their rope. High above, the Seeker catches a pylon and tightens the rope. "Don''t forget, what I told you," reminds the mysterious stranger the Seeker. "To face your fear, you must understand it!" The Seeker nods and starts climbing the dark tower. The flying beast, attacks the Seeker, as it aims for the rope. But the Seeker won''t let themselves be shaken off. They climb ever higher and higher. Utilizing the rope. Until they reach the nest at the top. Up there, the Seeker is afraid of the height below. Keeping their eyes straight. The branches and twigs of the nest are not sturdy. Swallowing their spit, the Seeker moves a step forward, towards the terrible creature. Gazing into the golden mask hiding the face of the monster. "I-I don''t want to harm you," says the Seeker with a calm voice, trying to hide their fear. "You don''t want to harm me either, do you?" The monster doesn''t move. As if it could understand the Seekers words, the creature calms down. "Listen," continues the Seeker, as they grip the handle of their sword in the sheath. "I don''t want to fight you. I am just here for that golden mask on your face... Just hand it over peacefully and we won''t have any problems..."
The flying beast, angered by the Seeker, screeches. The wings lift off. The monster starts flying. The Seeker throws their rope, catching the monsters feet. Holding the rope tightly, the Seeker lets themselves be carried down below, as the monster loses altitude, due to the weight. The Seeker let''s go of the rope, seconds before the monster crashes into the desert ground. As the cloud of dust vanishes, the Seeker stands up again and grabs the rope, lying on the ground once more. The monster wants to lift off, but the Seeker pulls the rope. The monster can''t escape. The Seeker approaches slowly, with their sword shaking and their palms sweating. "I must face my fears," mumbles the Seeker, before they sprint towards it, attacking with their sword. As the sword touches the monsters skin, the item absorbs it into its being.
Sword of Perception destroyed - 2 vibes Lost As their weapon is lost, the Seeker runs from the monster. But the monster sucks the Seeker towards it, like a magnet. The monster throws itself at the Seeker, standing right above it, as the Seekers life force is slowly being absorbed by the monster. They can feel the loss of vibes each second.
- 1 vibe lost - 1 vibe lost - 1 vibe lost The Seeker cries in pain, as their energy gets drained. But just before the Monster absorbs the last remaining vibe, the Seeker stares directly into the eyes of the monster, that are hidden behind the golden mask. Their eyes make contact. Suddenly the monster stops. As their stare looks directly into the eyes of the Seeker, the beast remembers. For a short moment, long forgotten memories of what it used to look like, behind the mask, pop up. The monster remembers, that it used to be a Seeker as well. The faint glowing in its eyes return. A desire is born in the monster. To be free. To be liberated. To get rid of its attachment.
The Seeker sees it as well. Even though they don''t fully understand, they know what to do. They grab the monsters golden mask at the edges and start to pull. The monster pulls it''s face away into the opposite direction. The mask starts coming off. Slowly, it detaches from the skin. The Seeker and the monster both pull with as much force, as never before. Until the mask is finally lifted and the Seeker falls on the ground. Holding the golden mask in their hands. As the Seeker stands up, they take a look at the monster. It has transformed. The wings are gone. The horns are gone. The former monster has the same appearance as the Seeker. They are identical.
The former monster takes a last look at the mysterious stranger. "Thank you... For keeping your promise." The two Seekers merge and become one. In the first few seconds the newly merged Seeker has two sets of different memories, before the oldest fade and only the newer memories remain. The Seeker and the mysterious stranger leave the dark tower behind and get back on their path. Continuing on their journey through the desert lands.
Level UP! Maximum Vibes increased + 20 vibes 1 x silver-spray-paint added 1 x golden mask added "It''s whispering to me," mumbles the Seeker, as they stare at their new item. "This golden mask... the one from the monster. What do you think... Should I wear it? Will it give me some extra buffs?" "Please don''t put it on again... I know it''s tough to resist that desire... But trust me... It ain''t worth it." The Seeker looks again at the mask. There is an inscription on the inside: ''This mask adds the bonus of + 1 aesthetic point'' The Seeker considers wearing it for a second, then they shake their head. "Just 1 aesthetic point? This mask is absolutely useless... Why the hell did I even went through all that trouble?!" shouts the Seeker annoyed, as they throw the golden mask away. TO BE CONTINUED
The root of suffering

The root of suffering

The root of suffering "Why is life so painful?" asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger, as they both walk along their path together. Behind them lies the dark tower of desire. Desert all around them. The clouds are dark and stormy. Up ahead, the Seeker spots a sandstone mountain in the distance. "That''s a good question," responds the mysterious stranger. "Who is it that suffers? Is it the body or is it the mind? When the body suffers, you go to a doctor, who fixes you up again. The doctor can tell you exactly, what the root of this physical suffering is. They understand the illness and know how to treat it. But what about the suffering of the mind? What will you do, when it is your thoughts, that plague you?" "I don''t know," shrugs the Seeker. "Probably go to a psychologist or therapist..."
"Surely, they might assist you to some degree. Just like shamans or sacred healers used to support their people in closing emotional and spiritual wounds. But is the analytical approach treating the issue at it''s root? Or is it treating the symptoms?" "What are you trying to get at?" asks the Seeker with curiosity in their eyes. "Let''s say thanks to the support of someone, you have overcome some old childhood trauma. They help you, understanding yourself better. You have then healed an old emotional scar? But... Will that be it? Or will you create new problems? New sufferings? New attachments? New fears? New desires? We went through this already, didn''t we? We have seen, what happens, when you climb the tower of desire. We have seen, what happens, when you can''t let go of your attachments. And we have seen what happens, when you are consumed by fear. You create suffering. In yourself and within others. You create conflict and separation. Do you see this?" "Yes," nods the Seeker. "I think, I am beginning to see this ever more clearly. So what am I to do about this? How can I fix this?" The wind howls. They are approaching the sandstone mountain. There is an old mine shaft, etched into the mountain.
"This is the wrong approach," says the mysterious stranger. "You see, before we are looking for solutions, it is pivotal to have a complete insight into the issue. When you try to change yourself with force, then it''s just the same old game of the Ego dominating itself. When you try to get rid of suffering, you create resistance and that very act creates even more suffering. So what we are trying to do is not fighting the shadow. We are not trying to suppress, to subdue or to dominate. Instead, we want to shine a light on it. We want to understand it completely. To observe it fully. To see it, without judgment, bias or preconceived idea. Are you still following?" The Seeker is lost in thought. They are far behind the mysterious stranger. Suddenly pulled out of their thoughts by the strangers words, the Seeker catches up to her. "Okay, where was I?" resumes the mysterious stranger, as they continue walking side by side. "You remember, what we discussed regarding the Ego, do you?" "Yeah," confirms the Seeker. "You said that the brain works like a computer and the Ego is like malware in our programming, right?"
The mysterious stranger raises her eyebrows. "It''s just a metaphor... But yeah... Kinda... I''d rather say, that when unbalanced, then the Ego behaves like harmful software. After all, the Ego programming protects your physical survival. So it''s not like it''s completely useless. The issue is, that when it''s unbalanced... That when it''s in control, then all of our issues begin. Then your natural desire corrupts. When driven by the ego, your desire will always be selfish and thus destructive, separating and creating conflict. When it''s not controlled by the Ego-drive, then your desire is aligned with your true purpose. Same goes for your fears. Isn''t it the Ego, that corrupts your fears? By creating thoughts of being harmed? By creating new attachments? Isn''t the Ego the root of attachment? After all, there needs to be an identity, a self-image, which is attached to something. Now, what we are trying to point at, is that suffering itself... The psychological suffering of the mind... On a collective global scale, as well as on a individual level... Is a byproduct of the unbalanced Ego-drive, which controls our minds."
The Seeker frowns. "Stop spouting nonsense. No one is controlling my mind!" "Are you truly the Ego?" questions the mysterious stranger. "Is that who you really are? No. You are not the Ego. You are not the physical body. You are not your thoughts. You may identify with it... But this is not, who you are." "Who else should I then be?" asks the Seeker curiously. "This, we shall go into another time." The mysterious stranger and the Seeker stop on their track. The path leads through the mind shaft, into the dark cavern. The mine is so dark, that they can''t see anything up ahead. The mysterious stranger picks up a dry wooden stick. She takes a deep breath, blowing on the top of the stick. It ignites with flames and turns it into a torch. She hands the torch to the Seeker.
New item Added: Torch of enlightenment Together, the Seeker and the mysterious stranger enter into the cave. The direction leads downwards. "Alright," says the Seeker after some time. "So you are saying, that the Ego, the Self... That it is the root of suffering. So all I need to do, is getting rid of it, right? How do I get rid of it?" "Careful," warns the mysterious stranger. "Many have tried. Many have failed. Is it possible to get rid of the Ego permanently? Who knows... Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Perhaps one day we might find out. Like I said earlier, don''t try to fight the Ego with force. Because then it''s just the Ego fighting itself. Don''t live in the illusion, that you are free of Ego either. The one insisting it is free of Ego, is ego itself. You see, how tricky it is? Now, let aside, whether the Ego can be dissolved permanently or not... It can certainly be dissolved temporarily. Through love... True, unconditional Love. Because Love is, when the Self is not. When you are in a state of Love, then the Ego loses all power. The Ego can never come even close to the power of love, which dissolves all shadows. Through awareness. Inwardly, when you are aware of the Ego acting, as it arises, then it stops. When you are catching yourself at thinking a selfish thought and are aware of it''s consequences, then you will learn. After all, you won''t touch the same flame twice. Outwardly, when you are staring at something absolutely beautiful. When you gaze at a beautiful view, or at art... In that state, when no thought crosses your mind and you are just marveling at the beauty of existence, then you are one with everything. In that moment, there is no Ego, that corrupts the experience."
The Seeker has a headache, as they move with their torch, through the dark, narrow cave. "That''s all too much to take in at once..." "Don''t worry," reassures the mysterious stranger. "We will get into this later in much more detail. For now, let us just try to understand, to observe and see. Later, we will make use of our insights." The Seeker and the mysterious stranger, move ever deeper into the dark, cold cave. They come across the remains of broken pickaxes, wooden posts and old rail tracks. After some time, a question plagues the Seeker: "How about suffering for the loss of someone beloved? I mean mourning for someone in your family is natural isn''t it?"
"To Love is to accept," responds the mysterious stranger. "I know, this sounds hard, but when you are attached to someone, there is no love involved. The more you are attached, the harder it is to recover from that loss. Yes, it is natural to mourn. It is sad, that your beloved are gone. But you will need to let go. Otherwise, you can never move on and are stuck in a cycle of desperation. When you love them, then you love their entire being. You love them throughout every step of their journey. From their birth until death. You accept, that whatever they have done and whatever happened to them, was part of their journey." Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. They move ever deeper into the cave system. Suddenly, the Seeker gets startles, as they hear a sound. Turning around with their torch, they seek it''s source. Nothing there. The nervous Seeker and the mysterious stranger move on. The Seeker starts sweating more and more, as they have the unshakable feeling of being observed. Their torch sheds a light on human bones. Remains of mine workers. The Seeker swallows their spit, as they continue walking downwards.
At some point, after several hours, the Seeker notices strange paintings on the cave walls. They illuminate the images with their torch. Unrecognizable symbols. Images depicting obscure entities. Twisted and strange. An unsettling feeling in the air. Goosebumps on the Seekers skin. The Seeker and the mysterious stranger suddenly stop, as the narrow cave leads to a closed stone door. It is etched, with ancient magick symbols and occult sigils. The Seeker tries to open the door, but it doesn''t move an inch. After a couple of attempts, they give up. The mysterious stranger touches the stone door with her palm and whispers secret words. Suddenly there is a loud rumbling, as the earth begins to vibrate, dust falls from the ceiling and the door opens up. The Seeker feels a brush of fresh wind. The torch flares up.
As the two companions, step into the new chamber, the Seeker suddenly notices the sound of an unfamiliar song... It sounds threatening, bad-ass and epic. "Am I hearing boss music?" asks the Seeker with shaking knees. "Sounds like melodic death metal to me," notices the mysterious stranger with open ears. As the Seeker keeps their torch steady, it illuminates only a small part of the great hall. Out of the darkness, a shadow moves ever closer towards the light. Suddenly a gigantic scorpion with sharp scissors and a toxic sting appears. The scorpion attacks with its sting. The Seeker, scared by the monstrous appearance, gets startled. They can''t dodge in time and feel the full force of the sting striking them.
- 10 vibes lost "What the hell," shouts the Seeker. "10 Vibes, for just a single hit... Why is this creature so overpowered?!" "It seems like, this is a level 10 boss," comments the mysterious stranger. The Seeker surprises, as they hear the deep voice of the giant scorpion echoing through the hall: "Finally, after millennia of waiting... I will get my revenge! You will pay, for what you have done to my family!" The Seeker looks at the gigantic scorpion confused. They shine their torch on it. The Scorpion covers it''s eyes. "Do I happen to know you?" asks the Seeker. Earnestly trying to figure out, whether they met before. "Yes," reveals the scorpion. "I am Lucas, son of Bruce!" "Sorry doesn''t ring a bell."
"What... Seriously... You don''t remember? You stepped on my dad and fell on my mom... My grandparents, my aunt Matilda and uncle Declan... My Three cousins... Even our pet... You have basically killed half my clan." "No, I have never met you," insists the Seeker. The mysterious stranger whistles suspiciously. The scorpion grunts. "Doesn''t matter, if you remember or not... Because I do remember... All the lost cycles, all the suffering you have caused to me. After I swore revenge and ran after you, I got lost in this cave. After I ended up in this chamber, I regained my full memories. I have been waiting here, so that I can finally enact revenge, as I have sworn to my late father. Millennia have passed, endless cycles... But I always knew, that one day... Hey! Are you even listening?!"
The Seeker was not listening. In fact, they were thinking about their next meal. "Okay... I don''t know what your deal is. Since you seem to be sentient, I don''t really want to fight you. How about, you just let us pass and we forget about all of this?" Lucas, the scorpion, attacks with his scissor claws. The Seeker dodges. The scorpion goes for the legs. The Seeker jumps up, avoiding the sharp claw. "What the hell is your problem?" shouts the Seeker annoyed. "All my suffering. All the suffering, that you have caused to me. I want justice. I want vengeance." "I didn''t do anything," argues the Seeker. They feel unfairly treated. The scorpion attacks with its sting. "To me... It doesn''t matter, whether you did it in this run or in the previous ones! You reap what you sow. Face the consequences of your actions." The Seeker dodges the sting. Its stuck in the ground. "You cry all about your suffering," shouts the Seeker, as they dodge another claw attack. "What about my suffering, huh?! When you hit me with your sting earlier, you took half my life. Do you think, I don''t know what suffering is? I have been suffering all my life. So stop crying!"
Lucas, the scorpion, frees it''s tail from the ground and starts spraying venom from its mouth. The Seeker dodges the toxic poison. It dissolves anything it hits, like acid. "You don''t know anything about my suffering! Your suffering is nothing compared to mine. And you are the only one left to blame! I will bring forth divine judgment. Finally I will be Free from my Suffering." Again, the Scorpion throws its sting at the Seeker, who dodges just in time. "Enough already," screams the Seeker in annoyance, as the sting is stuck in the ground. "It is not YOUR suffering!" Suddenly, as the Seeker speaks these words, they realize something. It feels, as if a great weight were lifted. Like a new light emerging. Their face is struck by awe. "It''s not YOUR suffering," they repeat. "And neither is it MINE. It''s just suffering. It doesn''t belong to you and me... It''s something, all of us experience... And we are all in this together..."
The mysterious stranger grins proudly at the Seekers realization. "What the hell, are you talking about," asks the scorpion confused, trying to pull out their tail from the ground. The Seeker makes a step towards the Scorpion. "Now I am beginning to understand." "What are you doing," asks the scorpion nervously, as they try to use more and more force to lift their sting out of the ground. "Get away from me," screams the scorpion in fear. The Seeker continues to step forward. Approaching the giant monster more and more. The light of their torch illuminates the scorpions entire appearance. As the Seeker gets a closer look, the beast no longer looks threatening. "If you come one inch closer, I will cut you in half with my claws!" screams the scorpion.
The Seeker makes a careful arm movement towards the tail stuck in the ground. Moving slowly and non-threateningly. The scorpion observes alerted, as the Seeker gives a hand to pull out the scorpions tail from the ground. As the Seeker stands right in front of the sting, the scorpion knows, that it could kill his enemy right away. But the scorpion remains calm. The Seeker falls on their knees, with their eyes facing the floor, they speak loudly. "I apologize... Even though I can''t remember... I understand, that I have caused you a lot of harm. Please... I sincerely ask for your forgiveness. Please... Whatever I have done to you in the past... Please forgive me." The scorpion grunts in anger. "Do you think, I am so foolish to suddenly fall for this trick? To believe that you all of a sudden shift your demeanor? You just realized, that I am superior and now you are trying to manipulate me in a poor attempt to be granted mercy!" The Seeker lifts up their eyes, facing the scorpion directly. As the scorpion looks into the Seekers eyes, for a short moment, he felt, as if the Seekers eyes were burning. "No... I just realized... That this is not about being right or wrong... I have hurt you... I accept that now... It doesn''t matter if on purpose or not, if directly or indirectly... I want to end it... This useless suffering... So again... I am asking for your forgiveness."
"You seriously think, that after all the pain you have caused me... That I will just simply forgive you? No, only in death, you can pay for crimes." The Seeker takes a deep breath. Looking around them. Observing the cave. Taking a look at the mysterious stranger. Looking at Lucas, the scorpion. The Seeker makes up their mind. "Alright," speaks the Seeker with resolution in their voice. "I am ready to face the consequences of my actions. I won''t run away. I won''t make up any new excuses. If my death shall be the only thing to end OUR suffering, then do it." The Seeker points at their chest. Spreading out their arms. Ready to be stung by the scorpion. The scorpion is completely blown away. He would have never expected this in a thousand years. Suddenly the Scorpions bursts out in laughter. Like a balloon, losing air, the scorpions shrinks the more it laughs. Until Lucas has the size of a regular scorpion again. He wipes away his tears and faces the Seeker: "I have completely forgotten what joy feels like... Seriously, I have never met anyone as utterly stupid as you in my entire life... You would make a great contender for the Darwin awards. I mean... it''s like you''re just standing here with your arms spread, shouting ''Kill me Senpai''. That''s like natural selection at it''s finest." The Seeker frowns. Annoyed at the scorpions mocking. Their lips tremble. They would have almost responded with a witty comeback... But the Seeker decides to keep their mouth shut instead. "Anyway, I will no longer hunt you," continues the scorpion. "I forgive you..." As the scorpions speaks those words, a closed stone door in the great hall suddenly opens up. From behind the door, a faint light emerges. The Seeker feels a new shift of energy.
Level UP! LVL 4: Maximum Vibes increased 25 vibes Total + New skill added: Humility NEW Achievement unlocked: NATURAL SELECTION The Seeker and the mysterious stranger enter through the newly opened door. They walk through a corridor. At the very end, they can see an opening from which daylight emerges. As they walk outside, they are blinded by the sun. Then they look around them. A clear blue sky. Mountain ranges in the distance. Fields of grass and flowers. Right in front of them is another archway of ancient stones. The next checkpoint. "I must say, I am really proud of you," says the mysterious stranger to the Seeker. "We have finally made it... Honestly... After all those attempts, I wasn''t sure, if you would ever make it at all... I was sure you were gonna fail again... But you far exceeded my expectations. You have basically made a perfect run... Without losing your way, without becoming attached... You didn''t even step on a single scorpion..."
CRUNCH The mysterious stranger closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, as she feels something below the sole of her shoe. "I should not have have said that," mumbles the mysterious stranger, as she facepalms... "How could I be so careless...? This was clearly ego speaking..." The mysterious stranger looks at the sole of her shoe. The remains of Lucas, the scorpion are sticking on it. She turns her head towards the Seeker: "As I had thought... I am sorry to say this... But we will need to do this entire run all over again..." The Seeker stares at the mysterious stranger confused. "What the hell do you mean by doing over...?" Suddenly the Seeker feels a pain in their leg. The venomous sting of a small scorpion. "You monster," shouts a female scorpion from the ground. "You guys have killed our brother, Lucas. Me and my brother Lachlan have been waiting here for many years, until the cave opened again... And then after he is finally free, the two of you just come and crush him." As the Seeker loses consciousness, with the third checkpoint only mere steps away, they hear the words of the mysterious stranger speaking: "I am really sorry, Seeker... This one goes entirely on me... The Ego is really a very tricky thing... And both of us, you and me, we still need to grow a lot... At least you will forget everything... I however will need to go through this hole ordeal again..." To the Seeker everything fades to black.
The light fades, utter darkness. The Memory lost, the cycle starts anew. TO BE CONTINUED
The Higher Self
Part 8: The Higher Self
As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger leave the cave behind, they are slowly approaching the Third checkpoint. The mysterious stranger is watching each of his foot steps with great care. Neither of them are talking. For some reason the Seeker is annoyed by every word, the mysterious stranger utters. Even more, than on most days. As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger cross the threshold of the archway gate, they both hear a heavenly chant singing: ¡°Checkpoint 3 saved¡±
¡°Thank god,¡± mumbles the mysterious stranger silently. ¡°We finally made it.¡± The view is stunning. Wide fields of grass and flowers. Hills and mountains. Pine trees and waterfalls. The road is overgrown with weeds. There is a sign on an obelisk, stating: ¡°You are now entering the land of truth¡±
As the mysterious stranger and the Seeker proceed on their path, the road ahead transitions more and more into a field of high grass. Until the road is no longer visible. ¡°Where is the path gone?¡± asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger. ¡°I can''t tell where to go next...¡± ¡°Truth is a pathless land,¡± speaks the mysterious stranger, as he continues walking. The Seeker follows right behind him. Both of them silently walk through fields of high grass, surrounded by pine trees. They approch the edge of a forest. The ground is muddy. A little stream flows along. Fish are seen in the translucent water. The birds are singing a song.
¡°There is one thing, I don''t quite understand,¡± says the Seeker after some time of silence. ¡°Who are you actually talking to? Why are we even holding these conversations?¡± The mysterious stranger is confused by the Seekers comment. ¡°I thought we already went through all this, back in the tutorial?¡± The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°We didn''t discuss this?¡± asks the mysterious Stranger. The Seeker shakes their head. ¡°Alright,¡± proceeds the mysterious stranger. ¡°All the things, that we are discussing... It''s nothing new to you. You already knew all of this already, didn''t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Seeker. ¡°You see... What we are doing is becoming conscious of that, which lies in the unconscious. We are shining a light on the shadows, so to speak. We are not judging, resisting nor fighting what lies in the dark. We just want to see it. So we make the invisible visible. We talk about that, which no one talks about.¡± ¡°Okay... And what difference should this make?¡± asks the Seeker, as they slowly approach the end of the clearing, where the dark pine forest begins.
¡°When your awareness shifts, your course changes as well.¡± ¡°I still don''t quite get what you are saying...,¡± admits the Seeker. ¡°By looking at Love... by realizing its nature, we let Love flow through us. By seeing the Ego... by getting an insight into it''s mechanisms... By realizing how it shapes our actions... We take away it''s power. Can you see how powerful awareness truly is?¡±
¡°Okay... So that is what it is all about... But still... You are just telling me weird stories...,¡± says the Seeker, as they think back about that Mohawk joke. ¡°I mean... Do you seriously think... That this will have any effect? No one will understand...¡± The mysterious stranger smiles. ¡°It''s enough, if you understand.¡± The Seeker thinks for a moment, then they nod their hand. The Seeker and the mysterious stranger enter both into the dark forest. The trees are covering the blue sky. The light is dim. There is no path. The ground is covered with moss, grass, dirt, fallen leafs, twigs, plants and bushes. The Seeker looks at everything. At the trees, the plants, the ground, the insects, the butterflies. They listen to the birds, to the rustling of the wind, to the flowing stream.
¡°But what even is this here?,¡± asks the Seeker after some time. ¡°Is this like a dream? Is this an illusion? It all feels so real...¡± ¡°Alright,¡± sighs the mysterious stranger. ¡°Can''t help it, I knew you''d ask it sooner or later... I don''t think you will remember this anyway... So it''s probably alright to break the fourth wall on this one...¡± The mysterious stranger considers a thought, then they whisper into the Seekers ear: ¡°You are a character in a fictional story.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. A sudden strong gush of wind. The birds lift off from their trees. Crows screaming very loudly.
The Seeker turns around. ¡°You mean that my identity is just a story I am telling my self?¡± ¡°No,¡± denies the mysterious stranger. ¡°You are a fictional character. Nothing here is real.¡± ¡°Okay I think I understand now,¡± says the Seeker. ¡°You mean that metaphorically!¡± ¡°No...,¡± sighs the mysterious stranger. ¡°I mean it literally. You are not real.¡± The Seeker scratches their forehead. ¡°Do you mean, that ''I'' am not real... Because the Self is just an illusion?¡±
The mysterious stranger takes a stick and paints a circle on the ground. With the stick, the stranger points at the circle. ¡°So this circle is our universe. Everything is contained within this circle. This is where our story is taking place.¡±
Then the stranger points outside the circle. ¡°This is where the reader is.¡± ¡°Who is the reader?,¡± asks the Seeker curiously. ¡°Is that god?¡± The mysterious stranger smirks. ¡°Sometimes they are asking themselves the same question.¡± The Seeker stares at the mysterious stranger, not getting it. The Stranger explains: ¡°You could call the reader your ''Higher Self''. The Reader exists outside this universe. Outside your story.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± says the Seeker, giving the mysterious stranger their full attention. ¡°That''s interesting. What is this higher Self?¡± The mysterious stranger holds his Stick into the sun. Sunlight projects the shadow of the stick on the ground surface.
¡°It''s like when you hold a three-dimensional Object in the Sun, then it casts a Two-Dimensional shadow. You, are a simplified representation of your higher Self. Just like a 2-D shadow is a reflection of a 3-D object, you are the reflection of your higher Self. The one, who reads your story.¡± The Seeker takes a stick and draws an even bigger circle around the one, that the mysterious stranger drew. ¡°So... If I have a higher Self here in my universe... Does this Reader have a higher Self in their universe as well?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± confirms the mysterious stranger and points at the outer circle. ¡°Outside the story of the Reader, there is a Higher Self as well. And the Reader is also just an representation of their own Higher Self. The higher Self is the one, who reads the Readers story.¡± ¡°What is the higher self of the Reader called?¡± asks the Seeker, as they continue walking through the shady forest. ¡°It has many names,¡± responds the mysterious stranger, as he walks with the Seeker. ¡°But no name could ever describe it. No word could ever catch it. The Reader''s higher Self is beyond comprehension. Some call it ''Awareness'' others would call it ''Consciousness''. This is the Readers higher Self. It''s the one, that is aware of the words. It''s the one, that Reads the meaning behind them. Its the Fire in our eyes. Its the Love in our hearts. Its the inner knowing in our brains. Its the Flow of Life in our bodies. It''s all that...¡±
¡°Okay slowly,¡± shouts the Seeker. ¡°You are drifting off again into awful poetry...¡± ¡°Yeah... Sorry... You are right...,¡± apologizes the mysterious stranger with red cheeks. ¡°Anyway... We will discuss the topic of Consciousness another time... The only thing important right now is that you understand how this works. Even if you forget it again... Your subconscious will remember.¡± ¡°And is there anything beyond?¡± asks the Seeker curiously. ¡°Are there like infinite levels of worlds above and beyond?¡± ¡°Answering this is above my pay range... However we will break the fifth wall sooner or later... Then we can discuss the higher realities in more detail.¡± Suddenly the Seeker and the mysterious stranger stop. There is an opening between the leafs. A big hole, through which bright light shines on a table with chairs. The table is covered with tablecloth. Silver and golden plates. Fine cutlery and goblets filled with wine. Lit candles. Steaming plates. Grilled Meat. Cooked rice. Baskets with exotic fruits. Freshly plucked. On the tables edge, a big pot with brown mushroom stew.
The Seeker stares at the scenery. Something feels how. Something is wrong. ¡°Do you think it''s okay to eat this?¡± asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger. As they turn around, they see the Stranger stuffing his mouth with fruits, meat and vegetables.
There is an awkward silence between the two. The Seeker stares at the mysterious stranger, as his chewing gets slower and slower. He maintains eye contact as he swallows, while grabbing the next piece of meat and shoving it in his mouth.
¡°Are you not afraid, that the food may be poisoned?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°I mean this entire place here literally screams ''Danger''.¡± The mysterious stranger stops chewing. He is thinking of something. A sudden realization dawns on him, as a bowl with food falls from his hands. ¡°Oh damn... you might be right," speaks the stranger, whilst strocking his neck. "I didn''t even consider that option.¡± The mysterious stranger eyes suddenly start twitching. He feels a pain in his stomach. ¡°Why the hell do you just eat some random food on a strange table in the middle of a dark forest? That''s like some fairy-tale kind of shit...¡±
While the Stranger fights his stomach pains, the Seeker takes a closer look at the food as well. Something smells very delicious. The fragrant emanated from the pot with mushroom stew. The Seeker lifts the ladle from the stew. Their mouth fills up with water. Eyes full of desire stares at the soup. The Seeker can''t hold back any longer. Eating the entire stew. Licking the pot clean. The Seeker feels a sudden calmness emerging from within them. They lie down in the grass and close their eyes. Geometric patterns. A warm feeling in their heart. Shivers flowing down their spine. As the Seeker opens their eyes again, they look up above. They see the blue sky, the clouds and the sun. They feel the suns warmth radiating on their skin.
¡°I have no idea, what''s in there¡± the Seeker laughs hysterically. Fighting for breath, as they slowly calm down. The Seeker looks with a wide smile upwards. They see the beauty within the moment. They close their eyes and start re-thinking all the things, that the mysterious stranger told them. Suddenly the Seekers eyes are blown wide open, after going through the same conversation from a different angle. They understand it. Everything is clear now. Their mind is blown. They start laughing. Suddenly a door manifests itself out of thin air, right in front of the Seeker. It looks mysterious and fascinating at the same time. The Seeker swallows their spit, as they consider opening the door. They reach for the handle. Sweaty palms. Their body starts vibrating.
But the mysterious stranger intercepts. He grabs the Seekers wrist. The fire in his eyes is flaring up. His voice sounds particularly serious, as he calmly but firmly speaks: ¡°No. You are not yet ready.¡±
The Seeker pulls away from the Strangers grip and touches the door handle with their index finger. Suddenly everything around the Seeker starts shaking, as the door frame in front crumbles down. Even the air starts vibrating. The table breaks down. Cracks forming in the earth. The trees are falling. Everything fades to black. The light fades, utter darkness. Memory lost, the cycle starts anew. TO BE CONTINUED The INNER and the OUTER
Part 9: The INNER and the OUTER ¡°Is the word the same as the thing it stands for,¡± asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker, as they both journey through the land of truth. There are no paths, no roads. They walk through a pine wood forest. The birds are awfully quiet. ¡°What do you mean,¡± asks the Seeker confused. The mysterious stranger touches the bark of a pine tree. ¡°Let''s take this tree for example. Is this tree, the actual physical tree, that I am touching... Is it the same as the word ''tree''?¡±
The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°Well, the word ''tree'' is too general. It''s not just a tree ¨C it''s a pine tree... There are different kinds of--¡± ¡°That''s not what I am talking about,¡± interrupts the mysterious stranger, while still touching the pine tree. ¡°Is this tree in all of it''s uniqueness, taking it''s cellular and molecular structure into consideration, the same as the word that we use to describe it? Can the word ''tree'' truly capture the actual physical object with all of it''s intricate details? Is the word ''tree'' enough to represent its entirety, from the leafs down to the roots? Or is the word ''tree'' just a simplification, an abstraction of the actual physical thing?¡± ¡°Well,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°We use words like ''tree'' as concepts, so that we can categorize and classify things, that are similar in appearance. The word is just a simplified representation of the actual thing.¡±
¡°Bingo,¡± confirms the mysterious stranger with a smirk and continues walking through the forest. ¡°The word ''tree'' is just a mental image that we create within our language system. Whenever you see an object with roots, with bark, with twigs and leafs, you automatically associate it with the word ''tree''. So that is, what words actually are: Limited abstractions that represent either something physical or something conceptual.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± follows the Seeker, massaging their temples. ¡°So you are saying that there is language and then there is the physical... What about it? We need language to communicate...¡±
¡°Yes of course... Let one thing be clear, we are not attacking or criticizing the use of words or language in any way... We are just taking a closer look at it... Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Seeker. The forest lead uphill. The mysterious stranger continues: ¡°So, we have come to the conclusion, that words are limited. We are also aware, that every single object in physical reality is unique. You will never find two identical snowflakes. Neither will you ever find two identical trees. Even if they have the same DNA, they won''t have the same atomic structure. So our human language can never truly capture the uniqueness within all things. You see, our human perception of reality consists of two aspects: There is the OUTER. Physical reality. This includes everything that you can touch, see, hear, taste, smell... Everything that you can perceive with your senses. Things that are material in nature. Energy or matter. Then there is the INNER. Words and Language. This includes every mental object within your consciousness. Any idea, any concept, any symbol, any category, any belief, any fantasy... Everything that you can perceive with your thoughts. Things that are mental in nature.¡±
¡°This is interesting,¡± admits the Seeker. ¡°But... why are we even discussing this? Seems like a waste of time to me...¡± ¡°Because we are caught up in words,¡± answers the mysterious stranger, as the two reach the top of the hill. They hear the flow of water nearby. ¡°You see, humans have the ability to lie, due to our made up language systems. We can say something that is contradicting with what is actually happening. But nature can''t lie. There are no false beliefs in nature. There are no contradictions in physical reality. You were seeking truth, weren''t you Seeker? Isn''t this why you are here? For this reason, we are now taking a closer look at both aspects of reality: The OUTER and the INNER. The PHYSICAL and the MENTAL. The THING and the WORD.¡± The Seeker and the mysterious stranger come across a waterfall, that flows into a shallow pond. Fireflys dancing. Frogs, birds and crickets are playing the symphony of nature. The mysterious stranger sits down at the pond and cools her legs in the water.
¡°Let me put it for you in a metaphor,¡± she continues. ¡°Let''s compare the human brain with a computer. Just like you use a computer to run SOFTWARE on it, utilizing various programs for different purposes, you use your brain to run IDEAS on it, utilizing various thoughts for different purposes. Am I right?¡± The Seeker sits down next to the mysterious stranger. ¡°Yes, I remember... We already went through this... Back then at Checkpoint II, when we discussed the nature of the Ego.¡± ¡°If you still remember, that''s perfect,¡± affirms the mysterious stranger. ¡°So our reality consists of two aspects. The HARDWARE, the brain and the SOFTWARE, the mind. We use the mind to describe, to interpret and to manipulate the physical. What happens within the mind reflects on the physical. The INNER affects the OUTER. After all, you use your thoughts to plan ahead any action. You think of a scenario and you basically ''manifest'' this scenario into being. But the OUTER also affects the INNER. Something happens to you and you start thinking about it. You experience something and it becomes a memory. The memory then again shapes your beliefs, your thoughts, your words and therefore your actions. Do you see, how there is a constant relationship between the OUTER and the INNER? ¡° ¡°Yeah,¡± nods the Seeker. ¡°It''s like what that Hermes Dude once said... As above, so below, as within...¡± ¡°...So without,¡± completes the mysterious stranger. ¡°Now imagine how a SOFTWARE problem WITHIN us could possibly affect the OUTER, PHYSICAL reality... I don''t even want to think about the possible consequences... Climate change, wars, crimes, environmental damage, wildfires, wage slavery, mass extinctions, hatred, racism, corrupt governments, Homelessness, Addictions, collective mental health issues... It would be like Hell on Earth.¡± The mysterious stranger stares directly into the camera.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Anyway,¡± continues the mysterious stranger after some time and stands up. They both proceed walking. ¡°Let us now look where the INNER and the OUTER, the MIND and the PHYSICAL, differs. You see, both aspects of reality follow different rules, adhere to different patterns. The realm of physicality is bound to the laws of Nature and Physics, which are inherently logical. There is the law of cause and effect. Matter and energy are subject to fixed laws of nature. Like thermodynamics, law of conversation of energy... You get where I am going... Nature makes perfect sense. You can put any item under a microscope and understand how it fits in with our scientific knowledge. Cells, Molecules, atoms, particles, when you look at them they will always make sense. You can look into a telescope and see how planets or stars are born and block holes are formed... Up there and down here, everything follows the same laws of reason and logic. THERE IS NO CONTRADICTION IN NATURE. Because if there was any contradiction, everything would fall apart. There can''t be two human beings standing on the exact same spot. It''s not like a badly programmed video game, where you can glitch out behind a wall. (At least most of the time... Glitches in the matrix happen rarely...) Now lets look at the realm of the mind. Here we follow the rules of language. We create entire belief systems to explain how the world works or how it should work. Within our mind appear thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we adopt them from somewhere else. Sometimes we create new ones. However, unlike Nature, where everything is logical, where there is no contradiction; in the mental realm we can in fact create contradicting ideas. Because even though the mind is limited by language, we are much more free in imagining new ideas or set of beliefs. We can lie with our words. We can create fiction with our words. We can create metaphors with our words. Now, what happens when we are too caught up in our ideas, thoughts and beliefs? What happens when our beliefs no longer work out? Because we want everything within us to be just as logical, as the things outside, we build complicated systems to make our concepts and ideas work within our frame of knowledge. So we create a new thought to maintain a thought to maintain a thought...¡± ¡°One moment please,¡± interrupts the Seeker, frowning. ¡°You are going too fast!¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± apologizes the mysterious stranger, slightly embarrassed. ¡°What I am trying to express, is that many thoughts, ideas and beliefs are not an accurate representation of physical reality. Quite often, entire systems are all made up. And because we want to believe in certain things, we create complicated explanations to make them work. But when the belief is not in alignment with what actually happens in the world around us, then it creates disharmony within us. And since the INNER affects the OUTER, we carry out this disharmony outwards and create conflict in the physical realm as well.¡± ¡°Give me an example,¡± demands the Seeker. The mysterious stranger scratches her chin. ¡°Lets say someone is unhappy with their life. So they dream of a fantasy, where they are happy. Escaping from what actually is happening. This creates resistance and therefore conflict between what is and what should be. That person won''t do anything to improve their circumstances, as long as they can escape into a fantasy. But if they accept it. If they align themselves with what actually is happening, then they are back in flow. Then they can actually do something about their life. Now think of someone, who was raised dogmatically. Believing in some faith system, which is in direct opposition to what is actually happening in the world. The indoctrinated person will do anything to protect their belief from being questioned. They sometimes react aggressively, even willing to cause harm onto others. Think about how much damage some ideologies and religions have caused in the world... Again, I am not attacking anyone''s belief... I am just stating what happens, when the INNER and the OUTER are not in alignment. It creates illusion and separation, conflict and suffering.¡±
The Seeker nods. ¡°Alright, so how do I know, when I am not in alignment? What can I do to fix it?¡± ¡°A clear sign would for example be, when you have an internal conflict. When one thought says go left and the other says go right. When you try to make a belief work for you, but it just doesn''t work out. When you regret something. When you are angry. When you worry. When you are afraid. When you are attached. When you catch the same thought repeating over and over again like a broken record ¨C Just to name a few of them. Whenever you realize that this is happening, just take a deep breath and look around you with your full attention. See the entire picture with your eyes and focus for a moment entirely on the OUTER. Be in the present Moment. Find the beauty within every single moment. Because it''s there. When you are just marveling at the wonders of existence, then you are in your most natural state. All worries fade away. All thoughts, that got you worked up, no longer matter. You are just One with everything.¡± After some time of walking, the two companions stop in front of a gigantic rock wall.
The Seeker stares at the massive rock wall and gulps. ¡°Do you think, there''s a way around it?¡± ¡°No,¡± speaks the mysterious stranger. ¡°There is only one way up. We need to climb it.¡± The mysterious stranger grabs an edge with her right hand and starts climbing.
The Seeker sighs and follows the mysterious stranger. As the Seeker starts climbing, their thoughts start spiraling: ''This damn stranger making me climb this massive wall... I really don''t wanna be here... It''s too much effort! I''d rather be at home, sitting on my comfortable Sofa, watching Spongebob... Why does everything always need to be so difficult in Life?'' Lost in thought, the Seeker doesn''t pay attention to climbing. They suddenly lose their grip, catching themselves just in time. Nearly falling down.
''I should pay more attention,'' thinks the Seeker and carries on. After some time of climbing, the Seeker is lost again in thought: ''The stranger is spouting bullshit... I believe in whatever I want! I know for certain that the entire Universe was sneezed out of the nose of a being called the Great Arkleseizure!'' The Seeker stops mid-climbing and reconsiders: ''But then there are those, who say that the universe came into existence through Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time and space. They also have valid arguments...'' The Seeker massages their chin with their right hand. ''However if both facts are true--''
Inattentive again, with only one hand left clinging to the face wall, the Seeker loses their grip and falls down into the depths. They land on the ground below and lose -5 vibes in fall damage.
¡°All my progress is lost,¡± sighs the Seeker and starts climbing once again. Again thoughts arise in the Seekers consciousness: ''So what is now the truth? Which belief is the right one? Which one should I believe in? Should I believe in the same faith as my parents? I mean... after all they expect me to...'' The Seeker almost loses their attention again, but they shake their head and take a deep breath in and out. The confusion is gone, their mind is clear. ''It doesn''t really matter,'' thinks the Seeker, as they continue climbing.
The Seeker climbs attentively, until they look down and get frightened. ''If I fall from this height, I''ll lose all my vibes and will die! I don''t want to die! I don''t want to fall! I will fall! I will fall!'' Again the Seeker takes a deep breath and looks upwards. The end is in sight. Just a little bit further and they reach the very end of the wall. The Seeker calms down. ¡°It''s just another thought,¡± they mumble and continue climbing.
As the Seeker can see the edge of the cliff up ahead, doubt creeps into their mind. ''I don''t know what to expect up there. Perhaps its dangerous... Perhaps I will die... I mean, I am not strong enough... I am not worthy! I should go back down... What if this path leads to my doom? What if I am not ready for it? What if... What if... What if...'' The Seeker closes their eyes, takes a deep breath and raises their hand to grab the edge of the cliff. ¡°It''s just another thought!¡±
They pull themselves over the edge. They almost made it. But then suddenly another thought intrudes the Seekers mind: ''What if the stranger abandons me?'' Their foot slips, they lose their grip. They are about to fall deep down.
. But just as the Seeker lets go of the wall, the mysterious stranger grabs them by their hand. Pulling them up over the cliffs edge, with all their strength.
They made it. Both lie in the grass. Exhausted, breathing heavily. As the Seeker recovers from the sudden shock, they take a closer look at their surroundings. They are standing on a gigantic, flat plateau with snow-covered mountain ranges in the distance. Fields of grass and flowers. The sun is shining vibrantly on the horizon. The Seeker is stunned by the beauty of the environment. All thoughts are gone. Only peace and joy prevails. There is simply the beauty of nature and the Seeker marveling at it. This was their first glimpse.
¡°Will you come now,¡± asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker after some time, pulling them out of this magical moment. ¡°We still have a long way ahead of us.¡± The Seeker nods and slowly follows, looking back a couple of times, as the two companions continue their journey through the pathless land of truth. TO BE CONTINUED There are no opposites Walking the Path together (Part 10)
Part 10: There are no opposites The mysterious stranger and the Seeker continue walking through the pathless land of truth. It is evening. Twilight paints the horizon, as the sun is setting behind the distant mountains. ¡°I hate nighttime,¡± grunts the Seeker. ¡°I am afraid of the dark. There could be danger lurking in the shadows.¡± The mysterious stranger points at a burning campfire in the vicinity. ¡°How about we take a rest? After all, you must be exhausted from climbing.¡±
The Seeker looks at the campfire confused. ¡°Why is it burning? Who built this fire?¡± ¡°This flame is always burning,¡± says the mysterious stranger and takes a seat around the fire. There is a tent with two sleeping bags around the campfire. As the Seeker sits next to the mysterious stranger, they feel how their lost vibes are being regenerated again. ¡°Alright,¡± utters the mysterious stranger, as the sun has vanished and the stars are shining up above.
¡°Now that we have both seen, that there are two aspects of reality, we can use this understanding as a foundation. Let''s take it to the next level. So, we have discerned between the INNER and the OUTER. Between MIND and MATTER. Between OBJECTS OF LANGUAGE and PHYSICAL OBJECTS. Now let me ask you, where do opposites exist? What exactly are opposites?¡± The Seeker stares into the flame. ¡°Well, we use opposites to describe the relationship between things. For example we say that the Night is the opposite of the Day. Darkness is the opposite of Light. We say Evil is the opposite of Good. Water is the Opposite of Fire. There is cold and hot. Small and big... You get the idea.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± confirms the mysterious stranger. ¡°By using the opposite, we create a relationship between two things, within our conceptual system of language. You see, when we try to grasp a concept, we must understand, what this concept is not. When we define the concept of ''daytime'', we say it is not the same as ''nighttime''. By placing both concepts into opposition, we define a relationship between them. But here''s the catch! The opposite only exist within our human minds.¡± The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°When we say, that ''daytime'' is the opposite of ''nighttime'', then we refer only to the symbols of day and night. There exits no opposite in the physical world. You remember, what we agreed upon not long ago? THE WORD IS NOT THE THING. Is the actual daytime the opposite of the actual nighttime? No, clearly not. Day and night cycles exist due to the rotation of the earth around it''s own axis. These cycles are subject to the laws of physics, which are far more complex, than just simplified concepts. Is Darkness the opposite of Light? The concept of darkness and the concept of light might be in opposition to another. We see this in myths, religions, art, stories... However light is just photons (or waves) and darkness is not an actual thing, just the lack of those photons. And there is no relationship between the states of darkness and light, other than that they are part of the same system. Hot and Cold... Small and Big... Those are just abstractions. After... all in physical reality, there are no absolutes. Everything is on a spectrum. Size is on a spectrum. Weight is on a spectrum. Temperature is on a spectrum. Where does Small stop and big begin? There are no clear borders. Such concepts can only exist, when you relate different mental images to another and compare them. Therefore opposites only exist on the mental plane of reality, but not in the actual physical reality. The idea of there being an opposite is just an illusion.¡± The Seeker frowns. ¡°But what about good and evil,¡± they ask sceptically. The mysterious stranger gazes up at the full moon.
¡°Is Evil the opposite of Good? What is evil? What is good? Aren''t they also just human concepts, that we use to interpret the world? Are good and evil absolute? Can you see them in nature? Or do they only exist within our human comprehension? Does an animal know the difference between good and evil? Does a tree understand this opposition between both concepts? Is Goodness an inherent property of matter? Can you measure it? Can you prove it empirically? Or is it just a value, that we assign to a thing, within our language system, as a mental object?¡± The Seeker shakes their head in annoyance. ¡°Wait, wait, wait... Are you trying to tell me, that Evil doesn''t exist? Complete BS! There are certain things in the world, that are objectively evil. Like war or terrorism... Killing innocent people... Like sadistic murders... Like torture or sexual abuse... You can''t sell me on this whole ''Good and Evil'' doesn''t exist! Because they certainly do!¡±
¡°No. You get me all wrong,¡± says the mysterious stranger. ¡°I am just stating what is. Good and Evil are concepts. They are ideas. They are not physical. You can''t see, hear, feel, smell or taste EVIL... You can only interpret it. Now, conceptualizing Good and Evil have certainly been beneficial for humanities survival and contributing to our evolution. I can''t argue against that. Even if they are just concepts, which definitions vary from culture to culture and individual to individual, they have helped us build our civilizations. There couldn''t be any Law systems without the concept of good and evil. When a stone age hunter came across a predator, he had to decide quickly whether it was harmless or dangerous. Good or Evil. By defining the difference, the hunter increased his chance of survival. When two tribes met, they also had to determine, whether the strangers were friends or foes. Good or Evil. A craftsman or artist had to determine whether their creation was Good or Bad, otherwise it couldn''t ever improve. Good and Evil are interchangeable with Pleasure and Pain. With Bonding and Repulsing. With desire and fear. We hunt after our pleasures, we want that, which is good. We run away from our fears, we avoid that, which is bad. This evaluation of Good and Bad is always related to the Self. To the Ego. When you avoid the bad, you avoid that, which is bad for your Self. When you seek the good, you seek that which is good for your Self. You might extend your identity to your family, group or to society... But it''s still the ego that is bonding and repulsing. It is still the same pattern. Stolen novel; please report. So we see now, that Good and Evil don''t exist as something physical, but as mental objects. As such, these concepts have been beneficial for our survival. But we also need to be aware of how much damage the Duality between Good and Evil has done to the world. Think about all the people who used their own definition of ''goodness'' to justify the most abhorrent deeds. Think of all the civilizations, that practiced slavery. Didn''t they consider themselves ''good''? Think of the crusaders, who were willing to kill innocent people in the name of ''goodness''. Think of witch-hunts, in the name of banishing ''evil''. Think of dictators, who called their enemies ''evil''. You see, when we call things ''evil'', we push them away. We deny aspects of our own nature. By doing this we create resistance. We create separation. Between the Good and the Bad. And therefore we also create conflict. Because where there is separation, conflict must follow. Can''t you see, that by calling things evil, we create evil? Let me give you an example: Let''s suppose You call those, who follow different political agendas than you ''evil''. Doesn''t this cause separation? Won''t they fight against that label? Won''t they retaliate? Won''t this cause conflict and therefore suffering?¡± The Seeker is gazing upwards at the stars. They look at the constellation of Orion, the Great Hunter. Then they look at the constellation of the Pleiades and lastly at Ophiuchus.
¡°So what is your solution?¡± asks the Seeker after some time of gazing at the stars. ¡°We need to fight evil! Light needs to prevail over darkness! Should we just allow evil things to happen? Should we just accept and forgive, when people do terrible things? No. If we don''t fight evil, the light will lose!¡± The campfire dims down, as the flame is shrinking. The burnt wood is mostly gray. In the distance, the horizon takes on a brighter shade of blue. Soon the sun will rise again.
The mysterious stranger sighs with sad eyes. ¡°As long as we keep this mentality, the battle between good and evil will never stop. Listen my friend, in wars, both sides believe that they are right. Everyone believes their cause to be justified. But what does any conflict bring? Aren''t both sides suffering? No matter who you consider your enemy... Aren''t we all human beings? You can''t just simply call a person evil... Nothing is ever just black and white... If we really want to end this eternal battle between Light and Dark, between good and evil, between order and chaos, we need to go beyond these concepts. We are Humanity. We are all one. You are the one, who you consider evil. You are that, which you are fighting. And once you see that, when you truly understand it deep within your heart, then there is only love.¡± The first rays of the morning sun are shining on the face of the mysterious stranger. He is grinning brightly.
Both of them are standing up, walking towards the new dawn. The Seeker seems tired and a bit frustrated. As they continue on their journey through the pathless land, the Seeker and the mysterious stranger come across a river. The Seeker spots a bridge not far in the distance.
¡°I hope we''ll get soon out of here,¡± mumbles the Seeker, as they move towards the bridge. ¡°I don''t like the land of truth.¡± In front of the bridge stand two guards. They are twins. One has a mustache, the other is clean shaven.
¡°Stop right there traveler,¡± speaks the beardless guard with a medieval dialect. ¡°If Thou intend to cross the bridge of confusion, thou must first solve our riddle.¡± ¡°Not this again,¡± sighs the Seeker with a tired voice. ¡°Can''t I just skip this sidequest?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± continues the guard with a mustache, ignoring the Seeker. ¡°One of us always tells the truth...¡± ¡°And the other one always lies,¡± completes his twin brother. ¡°Alas, thou must find out, which one is the liar and which one speaks the truth! Then Ye shall pass the great bridge of confusion.¡±
The Seeker sighs, their face is twisting in pain. ¡°I can''t deal with this shit any longer,¡± they mumble. ¡°Thou must speak at a louder volume,¡± declares the beardless guard. ¡°Otherwise Thou shall remain unheard.¡± The Seekers face turns red, a sudden outburst, screaming: ¡°HAVEN''T YOU HEARD THE NEWS?! THERE ARE NO OPPOSITES, BITCHES!¡±
The Seeker forces their way through the guards and storms over the bridge without further resistance. Stomping with heavy feet. This has never happened before. Puzzled and confused the two guards look at the mysterious stranger. ¡°Sorry,¡± apologizes the stranger on the Seekers behalf. ¡°My friend just peeked through the illusion. They probably just need a moment.¡± ¡°Ahhhh,¡± exclaim both guards in unison. They understand. ¡°Happens to the best of us,¡± comments the mustache guard with his regular voice. ¡°What a pity,¡± sighs the clean shaven guard. ¡°If they had at least played for a couple of minutes, they would have realized, that we are both liars.¡± ¡°At least you got the secret ending with the biggest possible plottwist," says his brother, while ripping off the mustache from his upper lip. "The beard was fake all along!"
After saying goodbye, the mysterious stranger follows the Seeker over the bridge. He finds them on the other side, sitting silently on a rock. The Seeker takes a deep breath, as they hear the strangers footprints from behind: ¡°I am good,¡± says the Seeker with a bitter voice. ¡°You are,¡± confirms the mysterious stranger with a calm voice. ¡°Just like any other thing in existence. All is well.¡± ¡°Then why are you trying to take that away from me,¡± asks the Seeker frustrated.
¡°I am not trying to take anything from you,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. ¡°I am just showing you that, which you can''t face alone.¡± The stranger tries to see the Seekers face, but they avert their gaze. ¡°If I accept what you are saying, then I must also admit to my mistakes... I thought, I did the right thing... I told myself, I had to choose the lesser evil... And now you are saying, that good and evil are just illusions... I can''t tell even how often I made excuses...¡± ¡°We all did,¡± speaks the mysterious stranger with a calm voice. ¡°At some point in our Lifes, everyone has made wrong decisions. And all of us try to justify ourselves... There is nothing to be ashamed of. Just accept it and move on. Don''t let yourself be dragged down by past mistakes. Don''t stay in the comfortable illusion either. Face it head on, accept it.¡± The Seeker frowns. ¡°How am I supposed to just accept this? All my life, I have been told the difference between good and evil... Only to find out, that it''s all a lie... How should I continue? How should I navigate myself through this world, now that I see that my compass was broken all along?¡±
The mysterious stranger chuckles. ¡°Don''t you see the irony? The compass was always broken. It always lead you in the wrong direction. You have never needed it in the first place. Let your heart be your only guide. It transcends the duality of good and evil. Instead of following the definition of good and evil, set by your traditions, culture and upbringing, follow only your heart. Because your heart will always show you the way.¡± ¡°How can I know for sure, when it is my heart, that speaks to me?¡± The mysterious stranger smiles. ¡°Your heart only knows one language. Unconditional Love. True Love can never be corrupted by any human concept. It is whole, unfragmented. When you are unsure what to do... When you can''t tell which way to go... Then ask yourself, ''is this love?'' Love will guide you towards the greatest good for all.¡±
The Seeker takes a look all around. The view is stunningly beautiful. They take a deep breath and say: ¡°Alright. I accept... From now on... I will only follow my heart...¡± The Seeker feels a sudden warm shiver flowing through their spine. A heavenly chant is singing:
LEVEL UP! LVL 5: Maximum Vibes increased 30 vibes Total
As the Seeker and the mysterious stranger continue walking through through the land of truth a new question arises in the Seekers mind. ¡°Tell me, Mr. Stranger... You told me earlier, that WE ARE ALL ONE. What exactly do you mean by this...? I mean... I am sure I have already heard this a couple of times... Can you give me an explanation?¡± TO BE CONTINUED WE ARE ALL ONE

WE ARE ALL ONE

Part 11: WE ARE ALL ONE
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
-5 vibes lost
¡°I want you to help me! Aren''t we together in this??!¡±
BOSS MUSIC!
New Buff added: Power of friendship
I AM EVERYTHING.¡±
''Silver key added''
''Silver plate armor added''
LEVEL UP!
LVL 6: Maximum Vibes increased
35 vibes Total
Skin changed to ''Silver plate armor''
+5 strength
+3 defense
''You are now entering the land of truth''
TO BE CONTINUED
The Nature of the Self
Part 12: The Nature of the Self ¡°Tell me, Stranger, who am I?¡± asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger, as the two companions walk towards the ancient sandstone obelisk. There are runic inscriptions and cryptic symbols etched into it. The mysterious stranger takes a double look, as he recognizes a familiar sign stating: ''You are now entering the land of truth'' ¡°Are you still there?¡± asks the Seeker, tearing him back into the present moment. The mysterious stranger sighs deeply. Tired eyes. He takes a deep inhale. ¡°Are you really ready to hear the answer?¡± questions the mysterious stranger. The Seeker looks at the mysterious stranger with uncertainty. They don''t know what to say. The Seeker remains silent, as the companions walk into a pine wood forest. The mysterious stranger continues: ¡°You ask, who ''you'' are... But what even is this ''YOU'', what is this ''SELF''? Let us find out first, what this ''SELF'' actually is. How it works, how it functions. Let us question the unquestionable. Let us observe the un-observable.¡± As the mysterious stranger and the Seeker delve further into the dark forest, they find a decked table with cutlery, plates, fruits and food. Neither the Seeker, nor the mysterious stranger are hungry. They proceed through the forest, leaving the scene behind.
The Seeker had an eerie feeling, when they saw the table in the forest. As if they had seen this happening in a dream before. ¡°Where is this Self located,¡± asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker. ¡°In my head,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°Somewhere within the neural network of my brain cells.¡± ¡°Is the SELF then in the realm of the MIND or in the BODY?¡± ¡°Both,¡± responds the Seeker after some contemplation. ¡°The SELF exists within our MIND, which is driven by the energy generated in our bodies.¡± ¡°So what is then the ''SELF'', within the human mind? Isn''t it the entire concept of being a separate identity?¡± The Seeker and the mysterious stranger come across a waterfall, that flows into a shallow pond. Fireflies dance in rhythm. Frogs, birds and crickets are playing the symphony of nature.
The Seeker stares at the pond. They''re frozen. Enchanted by a sudden feeling. D¨¦j¨¤-vu. ¡°The SELF is a complex structure of thoughts,¡± proceeds the mysterious stranger. ¡°We sustain it, by giving it attention. The Self takes control of our intention. The building blocks of the SELF is our Memories. All Trauma, that have shaped us. All experiences, that we have recorded. As well as all knowledge we have gathered. A bundle of memories, that runs in the background, shaping our unconscious actions.¡± The mysterious stranger and the Seeker continue walking. The Seeker remains puzzled by the familiarity of the waterfall.
¡°We are more than just memories,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°What about the soul?¡± ¡°Yes... You exist on several dimensional planes simultaneously,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. ¡°But we are not talking about your ''astral'' or ''energetic'' body. We are talking about daily life. About your unconscious thought patterns, that determine your actions and reactions. We are looking into our own SOFTWARE. We are observing our MIND. So lets take a closer look at the concept of the SELF. Is the concept of the SELF coherent, or is it contradictory? We say, that our body is the SELF. When we refer to ''I'', we refer to our physical body, including nervous systems, fluids, organs, bones and tissue. Then we also say, that our THOUGHTS are the SELF. Or rather that the SELF is the one generating the thoughts. When we refer to ''I'', we refer to all the attributes, all the memories, all the experiences, that the SELF identifies itself with. So what are we? Are we the body? Or are we thought? Or are we the energy, powering body and mind? You could call the SELF a MIND-BODY-SPIRIT complex. But this is where the complications start. You remember, what we discussed regarding the INNER and the OUTER, the MENTAL and the PHYSICAL?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± confirms the Seeker. ¡°The Inner is all that exists within our human mind. The realm of ideas. The Outer is all that exists in physical reality. The realm of matter.¡± ¡°And we have concluded, that within the realm of matter all is one, all is interconnected. In the realm of ideas however, exists duality, as a property of our limited human language. Ideas can be contradictory; whereas nature always adheres to universal logic. Ideas can separate; whereas nature is a closed, self-sustaining system.¡± The Seeker and the mysterious stranger suddenly stop. Right in front of them, is a giant rock wall. Leading on an elevated plateau.
The Seeker stares at the massive rock wall and frowns. ¡°I could have sworn, I have been here before,¡± mumbles the Seeker confused. To the Seeker it feels, as if there was a long forgotten memory, hidden below the surface of their subconscious. Like an itch in an unreachable area. They are certain, that there is something they need to remember. But they just can''t remember it. ¡°Anyway,¡± continues the mysterious stranger as he starts climbing and the Seeker follows hesitantly. ¡°Within the realm of the MIND our ideas are fixed things. They are constant. They are unchangeable. Sometimes we use old ideas to create new ones. We play with our ideas, fragment them, add to them, combine them, but they remain the same thing: A mental image, representing either something physical or used as an abstraction. An idea is always absolute. We are using the idea as a template to categorize the things we perceive. The tree for example. We use the idea behind the word ''tree'' as a template to define what a physical tree actually is. The idea behind the word ''tree'' describes a thing with bark and root, twigs and leafs ¨C If you change the attributes, it is no longer the same idea. The attributes need to remain consistent. Just like we have the idea of the ''tree'', we have the idea of the ''SELF''. Just like the idea of the ''tree'' is something constant, something absolute, so is the idea of the ''SELF'' considered to be something unchanging, something constant. Now... Is the ''SELF'', something constant? Is the ''ME'', something fixed? We treat the SELF, as if it were something fixed, something unchanging, something absolute. But... What if the idea of consistency itself is an illusion?¡± The Seeker is struggling with climbing. Moving up carefully with every step. This indescribable feeling of D¨¦j¨¤-vu is still prevalent within their mind. But they keep their awareness focused on climbing.
¡°What do you mean,¡± asks the Seeker breathing heavily, as they climb higher and higher. ¡°Is there any consistency in nature at all?¡± asks the mysterious stranger, as he waits for the Seeker to catch up. ¡°Is there anything eternal in physical reality or is everything subject to the flow of time? The physical tree in winter, is not the same as the tree in summer. Some cells have died, others have grown. Neither the CO2, nor H2O have remained constant within it. So... Aren''t all things subject to entropy? Don''t all things change in time? Look at the earth geologically. How much did it change since the dinosaurs or since the last ice age? Even in the last hundred Years. Everything is subject to change. The only things, that are constant, are our ideas. The mental objects, that exist within our INNER reality may be eternal, but the physical objects in OUTER reality are fleeting.¡± The Seeker and the mysterious stranger are both clinging to the cliffs edge. They simultaneously pull themselves over the edge. The Seeker is amazed by the view, as they stand at the top of the plateau. Snow-covered mountain ranges in the distance. Fields of grass and flowers. The sun is shining vibrantly on the horizon. Approaching night time.
The mysterious stranger and the Seeker continue wandering through the open field. In the distance burns a campfire. ¡°Now what is the SELF other, than an idea? An idea we use to describe the mind, the body and the spirit. And because we think our ideas to be fixed, unchanging, consistent, we also consider the SELF to be something consistent. But is it truly consistent? Don''t YOU gain new memories, with each passing day, that change the SELF? Sometimes, the changes are minor, sometimes they make a major difference. But can you say for sure, that you are the same person psychologically, that you were 7 Years ago? Will you be the same person in the next 7 years? Your circumstances changed multiple times in your life. You always move on and adapt. Your views change, your thoughts change, your words change, your beliefs change. You change all the time. Even your body changes. All your cells are completely regenerated after 7 years. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. And yet... Although the SELF is not constant, we all cling to the idea of it being eternal. Because we know, that when we die, all of our memories will be lost. And when our memory dies, so does the SELF. We are afraid of that. We know, it can''t go on forever. We know, the SELF ceases to exist eventually. And yet - We want it to be immortal. We want it to continue. So why don''t we accept the fact, that there is no continuing SELF? That the SELF has never been consistent. That its changing all the time. That we are attached to our memories and therefore afraid of Death. And these Memories will eventually vanish, just like our body and the energy powering it. The only thing truly consistent, truly eternal is AWARENESS.¡± The Seeker and the mysterious stranger sit down at the camp fire, warming their cold hands. There is a tent with two sleeping bags. It is a foggy night. The Seeker can barely see anything beyond the camp. They feel how their lost vibes are being regenerated by the campfire.
¡°I must admit,¡± says the Seeker after some time of silence. ¡°It''s hard to follow you... I try to understand what you are saying... But... It''s like you''re speaking a different language.¡± ¡°Once you have eliminated the fog of thought,¡± speaks the mysterious stranger. ¡°Everything will become clear.¡± The Seeker feels a sudden tiredness and crawls under their sleeping bag. They yawn and close their eyes. As the Seeker falls into a deep slumber, they enter into the realm of Dreams. Hours pass. The moon and stars move through the night-sky. As the sun is dawning in the east, the Seeker suddenly awakens from their dream. Their eyes are wide open. They need to take a look around them, before remembering where they are and how they got there.
¡°I just had the wildest dream,¡± shouts the Seeker excited at the mysterious stranger, as the morning is setting. ¡°I don''t really remember much... But it was like... I lived an entirely different life... I had a different name, looked different, behaved different... And there was this technology... This rectangular device, that could project images, sounds and words... I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out... On this strange rectangle I could read everything that was happening to me and you... All the conversations, that we have had, were written on this strange device... I don''t remember the details... But it had something to do with the color ''Red''... It felt so real... I can''t even tell anymore, if I am awake right now... The forest, the plateau, the land of truth... Is that all real? Or is this also just a dream? Am I the Seeker dreaming a human life? Or am I a human dreaming the Seekers journey?¡± The mysterious stranger listens attentively to the Seeker. ¡°What was your name in the dream? Try to Remember. It might be important!¡± The Seeker looks confused. ¡°My name was... My name... My... I don''t remember...¡± ¡°Then what else do you remember of the dream? Tell me every little detail.¡± The Seeker suddenly has a blank stare. All memory is lost. ¡°What dream?¡± they ask with genuine confusion on their face. ¡°Never mind,¡± sighs the tired mysterious stranger, as they get up from the campfire. ¡°Let''s get going.¡±
As they continue on their journey through the pathless land, the Seeker and the mysterious stranger come across a river. The Seeker spots a bridge not far in the distance. ¡°Have you ever meditated?¡± asks the mysterious stranger the Seeker. ¡°If you did meditate before, you must have noticed at some point, that you are not the thinker of thought. You have seen, that you aren''t the Thought either. Because when you meditate, you inevitably find out, that you can decide, whether you pay your attention to your thoughts or not. You can observe your thoughts, as they come and go. Like clouds in the sky. What does that tell us, about the nature of thought? If thoughts arise by themselves and there is no one who controls the thought, that means, that all thoughts are just moving in accordance to patterns. Every thought tries to grab your attention. That''s why you listen to thoughts, that you personally find interesting. But here''s the catch: You are not the creator of the thoughts. YOU are the listener of thoughts. Yesterday we discussed, how the SELF is a complex structure of thought. That it exists within the mind as an idea. And now we see, how YOU are not your thoughts. YOU can''t be your thoughts, if you are able to give attention to your thoughts. That means, that thoughts come and go automatically. So YOU are not the thought, YOU are the awareness of your thoughts. Now you aren''t your physical body either. You can shift your awareness to a certain body part. You can focus on your legs. You can feel your arms, your head, your nose. You can direct awareness through your body, wherever you want. You are not your physical body, you are the awareness of your physical body. You can even astral project, leave your body in a near death experiences, in deep meditation or by using certain substances... So you are neither the body, nor are you the thought. And yet we say, this is the SELF. We say this SELF is the controller of your body and the controller of your thought. We say this SELF is constant. We say the SELF is separate from its environment. We say the SELF exists independently. Do you understand, what I am pointing at?¡± The Seeker suddenly stops walking, as they are struck by a sudden revelation. An open jaw. Eyes wide open. They feel a wave of energy rushing over their entire body. ¡°It doesn''t make any sense,¡± realizes the Seeker. ¡°The SELF has never made any sense at all!¡± The Seeker starts laughing. It feels, as if they had finally gotten a joke. Everything seems so clear, all of a sudden, so lucid. LEVEL UP! LVL 7: Wisdom permanently increased + 5 Wisdom
The Seeker and the mysterious stranger approach the giant bridge, while the Seeker still feels the rush of this warm energy. Over-confidently, marching towards two men guarding the bridge. Identical twins, wearing the same armor. One of the brothers bears a striking mustache on their upper lip. ¡°Stop right there traveler,¡± speaks the mustache guard. There is a medieval dialect in his voice. ¡°If Thou intend to cross the bridge of confusion, thou must first solve our riddle.¡±
Suddenly, the Seeker is again haunted by this weird feeling of D¨¦j¨¤-vu. Just like yesterday, when they saw the waterfall and climbed the wall, they can''t shake off the feeling, that this has happened before. The Seeker is staring intensely at the guards mustache, while his lips are moving. Not paying attention to any of his words. ¡°Your mustache is fake,¡± shouts the Seeker at the bearded guard. Pointing with their index finger. With full force, the Seeker rips off the mustache from the guard''s face. The guard screams in pain. He is horrified. The Seeker looks confused at the strands of torn-out hair in their hand. Skin is still attached to the hair roots. ¡°Why the hell did you do this,¡± screams the guard in anguish. His upper lip is bleeding, half his mustache missing. The Seeker is speechless. They don''t know what to say. The beardless twin is holding his brother in his arms. ¡°How dare you hurt my brother without any reason?! This mustache means everything to him! Do you know how much he sacrificed only to keep his mustache? He lost his job as a lawyer! His wife abandoned him! Even his firstborn child renounced him.¡± The Seeker tries to apologize. ¡°Oh my God... I am so sorry... I was certain, that this is a fake mustache.¡± The guard with half a beard is coughing blood. ¡°Do you think, that I am just guarding this bridge without any reason? No! This is my punishment, because I was brave enough to be different. They told me I was crazy! They told me, I bring shame to my family! And yet... I was ready to accept the consequences, as long as they allow me to keep my beard. It is the only thing, that sets me apart. The only thing, that makes me special! If it weren''t for the mustache, my name would just be Guard #2... But with this mustache, I became the mustache guard! Woe me! Now I am nobody! I have lost everything. Be cursed, vile Seeker. Be cursed.¡± The mustache guard takes his last dying breath. Life fades from his eyes.
The Seeker stands motionless. Unsure, how to react. Holding his dead twin in his arms, Guard #1 turns their face towards the Seeker and shouts with watery eyes: ¡°I have contained my rage for as long as possible but I shall unleash my fury upon you, like the crushing of a thousand waves. Begone, vile Seeker, begone from me!¡± The mysterious stranger and the Seeker silently cross the bridge. Not a word is spoken. Until they get to the other side. ¡°This is not my fault,¡± mumbles the Seeker quietly. ¡°People don''t just die because they lose their mustache...¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± continues the mysterious stranger. ¡°Whatever just happened... Let''s just agree to never talk about this again... So... before this random encounter... Where did we left off?¡± ¡°The SELF,¡± reminds the Seeker. ¡°It doesn''t make any sense. It contradicts itself. It can''t be located... It''s an illusion... It doesn''t exist.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t say it doesn''t exist,¡± argues the mysterious stranger. ¡°It does exist, as an idea. As a complex thought structure within our mental plane. Like a program within a software. But it doesn''t exist as something physical or graspable. Even as a mental object it is still pretty much nonsensical and contradictory. So we can conclude, whatever the SELF may be, this is not what you are. This is not who you are. Because you are beyond such concepts. Beyond such limited labels. Beyond words and thoughts and images.¡± They cross a field of high grass and walk into the edge of a pine forest. There is a pine tree, which is surrounded by four stone statues of warriors. There are runic inscriptions engraved in the bark, glowing like hot iron.
¡°But the question remains,¡± insists the Seeker. ¡°Who am I then? If I am neither thought, nor body, nor SELF... Who am I?¡± ¡°Don''t you see?¡± asks the mysterious stranger surprised. ¡°This question in and of itself doesn''t make any sense. Asking ''Who am I'' is meaningless, because there is no ''ME'', nor ''I''. Because the very way we label things is wrong. When we discussed, how ''WE ARE ALL ONE'', we concluded, that even though we perceive things as if they stand for themselves, everything is connected. We understood, that our limited concepts and labels represent reality inaccurately. This also extends to the the very concept of SELF. It''s something that Humans have invented. What if our fragmented perception, our labeling, our image-making is exclusively human? Does a tree have a mental concept of SELF? Does an animal have an Ego? Just like we have it, built on memories, driven by thought, sustained through language? If there are other civilizations out there, can we know for certain, that they have developed this same Sense of Self as a mental object? On earth at least, as far as we know, we are the only surviving species that evolved to have a SELF-image...¡±
The Seeker and the mysterious stranger, leave the tree and the statues behind. They continue walking through a pine wood forest. There are totems everywhere throughout the forest. Made from bones, blood, sticks and hide. Remains of broken walls and ruins are overgrown with moss and vines. ¡°I still can''t wrap my head around it,¡± admits the Seeker. ¡°What am I now...? Am I nothing? Or am I everything?¡± ¡°YOU ARE AWARENESS,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. Her voice thunders through the forest, like the roaring of a lion. ¡°And as awareness, you transcend both NOTHING and EVERYTHING. Neither of those concepts, can grasp the infinite nature of your actual BEING. You are that, which is aware of the OUTER, you are that which is aware of the INNER. You are the awareness of anything physical and you are the awareness of anything mental. You are that, which knows itself. As AWARENESS, you are the entire universe being aware of itself. You are the entire system of reality, perceiving it from a uniquely human perspective.¡±
The Seeker is stunned, their jaw drops. They stand in a clearing in the pine wood forest. The sun is shining through the opening, revealing a blue sky. There are some bones in the grass and an empty silver pillar, which once held a statue. ¡°I have been here before,¡± utters the Seeker with absolute certainty. ¡°I remember this place.¡±
The mysterious stranger is surprised. ¡°What exactly do you remember?¡± ¡°We- we fought against that statue monster... And... Together we actually beat it... What is happening here?¡± The mysterious stranger is excited. For the first time, the Seeker remembers. ¡°You actually remember?! By heavens... I would have never expected this to happen...¡± The Seeker looks confused. ¡°Am I like... Groundhog-daying? Is this some kind of time loop? How many times have we been here before?¡±
¡°Countless times,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. ¡°It doesn''t really matter... We are trapped here anyway... There is no way out... I have tried every single possible option... No matter where we go, no matter what we do... We always end up back at the starting point... And every single time, your memory is reset again...¡± ¡°There must be something you haven''t tried already,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°Think! What is still left to try?!¡± The mysterious stranger chuckles. ¡°Look... After so many cycles, I literally tried everything. There''s no door, I haven''t knocked on, no hidden secret I haven''t found and not one wall, I didn''t break down... I even broke the fourth wall, once or twice...¡± The mysterious stranger suddenly has an idea. However it doesn''t seem like a good one.
¡°...There is one wall left, I haven''t touched yet...,¡± utters the Stranger reluctantly. ¡°One wall, that I have been too afraid to tear down... Perhaps it''s about time we break the FIFTH WALL!¡± TO BE CONTINUED Breaking the Fifth Wall
Part 13: Breaking the Fifth Wall ¡°What do you mean by breaking the fifth wall?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Ever heard of the fourth wall?¡± asks the mysterious stranger back at them. They are both standing in the middle of the pine wood forest in the pathless land of truth. The remains of a broken statue are scattered all over the ground. There is no way out. They are trapped in a never ending cycle.
The Seeker''s eyebrows pull together. ¡°You mean like in movies?¡± they ask. ¡°Like Deadpool? Or Rick and Morty?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± confirms the mysterious stranger. ¡°When the Character is aware of itself... Of its fictional universe. When its talking to the viewer directly. This is the fourth wall.¡± ¡°Okay... Yeah... I have seen this trope in countless media... What of it?¡± The mysterious stranger looks at the Seeker with tired eyes. ¡°We are now going to break it. This must be done, before we are able to break the fifth wall next.¡± The Seeker looks confused. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Look... I have tried to tell it to you earlier... We are a fictional story. You and me are both part of a story, that is being published in the real world online.¡± The Seeker is trying to comprehend, but they can''t. ¡°I just can''t understand what you are saying. It''s like none of your words make any sense...¡± The mysterious stranger shakes his head. ¡°These words will never make sense to you, Seeker. They are directed at the reader. They need to understand, not you.¡±
Suddenly right in front of the Seeker and the mysterious stranger, cracks form in the air. Like a shattering mirror. As the Seeker looks into the cracks they are seeing themselves behind a screen.
¡°What is happening,¡± asks the Seeker. They are scared. They start to panic. The space around them starts shaking. An earthquake. Everything trembles. Dark storm clouds in the sky. The birds are screaming in fear.
¡°The fourth wall is breaking,¡± responds the mysterious stranger calmly. He takes a deep breath and grabs the Seeker by the shoulder. The fire in his eyes burn brightly. His powerful voice thunders: ¡°May the earth return to peace. The sun is always with us. May the wind sing a song of joy. As the birds will dance along. May the oceans return to calm. The heavens will protect us.¡±
Sudden calmness quiets downs the rumbling. The shaking stops. The sun is shining through the opening in the leaves above. The Seeker feels this infinite peace within. So free from any burden. Imbued with light. They look at the shattering air directly. They are no longer afraid. The Seeker looks at their own reflection. ¡°It''s like seeing through a mirror...¡± Like the shattering glass of a broken window, the fourth wall breaks down and the Seeker sees the Reader. Staring at them directly. Standing there is awe. The mouth wide open. Frozen. Suddenly the entire surrounding changes. The world around them transitions into colorful geometric shapes and patterns. The Seeker and the mysterious stranger are shifting into the Meta-realm.
The Seeker takes a look around them. Gazing in awe. Stunned by what they see. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Now I see it...,¡± mumbles the Seeker quietly. ¡°So that''s how it is.¡± The mysterious stranger resists the urge to laugh. ¡°Ahh yes... You are saying that every time.¡± ¡°Will I forget this again?¡± asks the Seeker with a sad look on their face. ¡°That depends entirely on you,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. ¡°Ask yourself... Does this information benefit me in any way? Can you utilize it somehow for the greatest good for all? If not, then forget about it. If it doesn''t serve you, just leave it. However if you are a restless Seeker of truth... Someone who is willing to accept the truth, no matter how hard it is... And if you are the type of person that needs to know the truth at any cost, then remember it. Then this might finally fulfill the need to seek. Because you have found your own truth... No matter, which path you choose, all is well. It''s entirely up to you. No path is better, than the other. How good the path is, relies entirely on your love.¡± The world around them looks abstract. Generated by patterns. The mysterious stranger and the Seeker are silent for a moment. The Seeker is lost in thought. So many questions.
¡°So what exactly is this ''story'' all about?¡± asks the Seeker the mysterious stranger. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°This story is released on an online platform,¡± responds the mysterious stranger. ¡°To make it more digestible, ai images are used, visualizing the story... (If the author could draw, he would do it himself.)¡± ¡°So this land... this forest... is it like... a game?¡± ¡°From your perspective it may seem that way...,¡± contemplates the mysterious stranger. ¡°Like a game, a dream, a simulation. But none of this things could describe where we actually are. We exist within the realm of the imagination.¡± ¡°Does that mean we are not real?¡±
¡°We are just as real, as those reading our story,¡± affirms the mysterious stranger. ¡°Think about how stories have affected the collective consciousness throughout the centuries. Think about the role of myths in our cultures. How they were made part of religions. How they formed society. The pantheistic gods of the ancient times, archetypal figures from the collective unconscious were very real to humans, even though they were just fictional characters. They exclusively exist in the realm of imagination, which is shared by all of us. As thought forms they could influence peoples behavior patterns and thus also physical reality. People pray to them, speak to them, imagine their words and reactions. Sometimes we pray to our imagined gods to bless the farm and the harvest turns out good. Sometimes we pray to the gods and end a war. Sometimes we pray for wealth and health and are granted our wish...¡± The Seeker breaths in relief. ¡°So that means, we are real... at least in some way.¡± ¡°Yeah, just as real, as the very idea of SELF. Which also exists in the same realm... You remember Software and Hardware? Mind and matter? Thought and Brain? The Inner reflects the Outer, the outer reflects the inner... Remember? You see, what exists in imagination is just as real as what exists in physical reality...¡±
¡°But I still don''t understand that,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°I know we already went through both aspects of reality. But what are they both made off? I still can''t really grasp that...¡± ¡°The mind is generated by the brain, right? The realm of ideas and thoughts, exists in all brains. Like the internet. Which are powered by the energy of our bodies. Now isn''t everything in the mind just information? Information in form of the most simple mental concept, like the duality of good and evil... Or information like highly complicated belief systems, that program a code of behavior into our mental patterns and habits. And what about physical reality? Aren''t matter and energy just different forms of information? Information at a different frequency. Denser. On the smallest level, for example, where waves are collapsing and photons are shooting... Isn''t that also just information? That''s what both realms are made of. Even your inner realms. Be it your dreams or the astral realms. This is also just information of different wave lengths. Now let us ask: Is information the content of our consciousness? If so, wouldn''t that mean that physical reality, as well as the collective mind and the individual mind are all expressions of consciousness? Consciousness is the one thing you can''t split further. Consciousness is whole. There is just the totality of consciousness, in which all is contained. You can''t split consciousness, it is the source of all that is. The act of consciousness is awareness. The awareness, which observes itself. The awareness of the entire system of reality, which is aware of its own expression. Which observes it''s different parts, all at once.¡± The Seeker frowns. ¡°What you were saying about physical reality reminds me of that holographic universe idea.¡±
The mysterious stranger nods. ¡°Yes, quite accurate. Information is streamed into here. Projected into our realm, from a higher dimension. Remember when we discussed the higher Self. It''s like our universe exists in a bubble of limitation swimming in infinity. Think of the old mythological trope of the ''cosmic egg''. From Infinity our material universe is projected into consciousness. The universal mind exists within us, yet broken up. Separated into all of being. By creating the idea of the individual, the human mind was separated from the universal mind. The Self allows us to experience life from different perspectives... But this also allowed the ego drive to take over. Which is our challenge to overcome. Which is our story.¡± ¡°Okay, hold on,¡± shouts the Seeker with a headache. ¡°Are we still breaking the fourth wall or are we now back in the story... Like are you talking to me... Or are you talking to the Reader?¡±
The mysterious stranger look the Seeker directly into the eyes. With an unshakable calmness in his voice, he answers: ¡°Yes.¡± The Seeker sighs and facepalms. ¡°Look that is exactly, what makes all of this so difficult. Like I can''t ever tell, when you are talking to me, or when it''s part of the story...¡± ¡°I see,¡± speaks the mysterious stranger. ¡°It''s seems then it is about time to finally break the fifth wall...¡± The mysterious stranger coughs, holds their breath and looks directly at the camera. ¡°We will need to make it below the ''To be continued''. If we manage to pass it, then we will break even the fifth wall.¡±
The Seeker doesn''t understand. ¡°What do you mean by ''To be continued''?¡±
TO BE CONTINUED ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ... That one filler episode, no one ever asked for ¡°It must have happened sometime around 12.000 Year ago. Around the end of the ice age. When humanity transitioned from hunters to Shepherds and from foragers to farmers. At the end of the paleolithic and at the beginning of the neolithic. When nomads of all tribes came together, building the great temple of G?bekli Tepe. It must have been around that time, that humanity sold its soul to the Ego. It was back then, that people decided to control the world around them. To take things into their own hands. It was then, that the ego drive took fully over. When it became out of control. Before we started to plow it, we used to honor the earth. Before we sacrificed our animals, we have hunted them with respect. Before we prayed to the gods, we prayed to the whole, to life itself. But when we made the ego our highest god, we lost our love to the earth. Did we knew back then, who we were? Did we forget what our name is? Did we lose our connection to the universe? You could perhaps argue that it started even earlier, in Africa, when man first saw himself. At least 70.000 Years ago. Before we set out to conquer the world. Around the beginning of the Cognitive revolution. When man first spoke ''I am''. When the first thought arose in our consciousness. This was, when the first split occurred. The split between Myself and Yourself. A split of words. A separation of ideas. First there came ''me'' and ''You''. And soon after came ''good'' and ''evil'', ''Yes'' and ''no''. This is how we were split up in words. This is how we got caught-up in our Dual thinking. You could argue that the split happened even earlier. In nature. When human split from primate, or when amphibians split from the fish, or even before... Before the split of predator and prey or male and female... Perhaps even before the split of energy and matter or time and space. No, the actual split happened at the very beginning of the universe. When the song of the big bang echoed throughout infinity, when Existence split from Emptiness... That''s when the first split occurred. A split in universal consciousness, throughout every level. But even though there is a pattern of fragmentation trickling down into every level of reality, nothing is ever separated. No thing can ever exist on its own. All parts can only exist with the whole and the whole can only exist with all parts. We are just giving every part of the whole a different name. But each part remains connected with the whole. The very idea of separation is only an illusion. Because everything is still connected. The connection was never severed. It only appears that way. Matter appears to be split. On all levels we see things, as if they were separate. But the separation itself is the illusion. Because, zoom far enough in and you won''t find any dividing line. Everything is entangled. Things appear to be different, because they are unique on every level but follow patterns of form. We think in images. Mental images, that we have created to simplify that, which we find in the world around us. And we assign a word to that image. This image is however very limited. It can never accurately represent physical reality. No thing can ever be separated from its environment, because All that is, can only ever exist as a whole. Separation itself is part of a universal pattern. A pattern of consciousness. Which reflects both in the mind, as well as physical reality. And yet... So is unity. Think of birds flying or fish swimming in synchronicity. Think of ants and bees working together. Think of the collective unconscious. All of our minds are connected and yet each of us also has their own personal mind. So everything is in some way separated and everything is also united? Doesn''t that seem like a paradox? It seems to us like a paradox, but not because there is a contradiction in reality. It''s because there is a contradiction in our thinking. It''s not that this paradox shouldn''t exist... It''s more like, if this paradox were real, the world couldn''t exist. All contradictions, all paradoxes can only exist in our thinking. There are no paradoxes in physical reality. If there were, then reality could not function as it does. So if to us there seems to be a contradiction between concepts, the answer can''t be that the world doesn''t make sense, it''s that we are not thinking correctly. You see... Mind and matter are in opposition. The mind lives in illusion and matter lives in truth. Because we are lying to ourselves on the inside, we are fighting against the outside. We are in constant conflict. With life itself and all of its challenges. Instead of just accepting truth and aligning the inside with the outside, we prefer to have our way instead. Or rather, so that the Ego can have its way. This is where we create all conflict. Because we are unable to accept this simple truth, that WE ARE ALL ONE.¡± The Mysterious Stranger looks intensely at the young man in the red T-shirt. Waiting for his reaction. ¡°Sir, this is McDonalds,¡± says the teenager at the cash register. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. There is a short moment of awkward silence between the Stranger and the cashier. ¡°I''ll take two cheeseburger,¡± orders the Stranger with a humbled voice. He''s Showing up two fingers. ¡°What took you so long,¡± asks the Seeker, as the Mysterious Stranger walks with a brown bag out of the Restaurants door. Its raining outside. ¡°Well,¡± admits the Stranger. ¡°He asked me, what I''d like to order.¡± The Seeker sighs annoyed, as they bite into the cheeseburger. ¡°Did you seriously just destroy the entire immersion of a fantasy story for the sole purpose of telling a joke?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± speaks the Stranger with an overly dramatic voice. ¡°And I would do it again.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger are walking on the pavements of the eternal city. Dark clouds in the sky. The rain gets heavier with every minute. People in Grey suits or dresses are carrying umbrellas. The spotlights of the silver cars are shining on the wet pavement. The occasional homeless person, sitting under a doorstep. Some shady figures dealeing in the dark allies. ¡°Okay you know what,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°How about we just call this a ''filler episode''. Let''s just say, it''s not canon.¡± ¡°Seriously,¡± asks the Seeker annoyed. ¡°Is that really your lame excuse?¡± ¡°Hey, almost every third One Piece episode is a filler,¡± reminds the Stranger. The Seeker shakes their head. ¡°That''s why you need to read the manga!¡± The two figures keep walking through the city of Irkalla in the forgotten Kingdom of Kurnugia. The land of no return. The circled city, down in the deep. Where the sun never shines and the rainy days never stop. There is an awful silence between the two. The Seeker thinks back about how they got there. The last thing they remember is being in the land of truth and then... ¡°You know... I have been thinking of this a whole time already,¡± says the Stranger suddenly, after a long time of silence, tearing the Seeker from their thoughts. ¡°And I just can''t keep it to myself any longer. You know... What''s the deal with family guy?¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± wonders the Seeker, both confused and surprised. ¡°Like, why are people even watching this series. I mean, nothing about that show is even remotely funny. It''s just Peter Griffin being a dumbass, selfcentered asshole, who abuses everyone around him. Like what''s the joke? Making fun of mentally retarded people? Quagmire going giggidy? Look! Meg is being abused again, haha... Like there is neither brain nor is there any heart involved in making this show. In what way is that entertaining? I don''t know about the writers, but they don''t even seem to care about their own characters. Family guy is written without a heart. Now compare it to more intelligent shows like Rick and Morty, One Piece or Avatar. That''s the real good shit. You can see, the people who write it really care about their own story. They try their best to be original. And they care about the characters, because they allow them to change, to evolve. Growth is such an important part of any story. It''s what makes it so fun to watch. That''s why we play video games. To level up. And when our characters grow, then so do we. And when we watch a show, then it''s so fun to see, how characters develop. It''s like their growth is reflected back on us. That''s what I love so much about stories. From the ancient myths, to the classic fables and poems. Be it contemporary cartoons or games, mangas or comics. It''s all so much fun. I really don''t understand authors, who don''t care about their characters. Don''t you want to see Peter Griffin becoming a better person? Don''t you want to see Meg getting a better life? But their authors seem to be too afraid, to make any changes. The same with the Simpsons... When did it happen... Like when did the Simpsons turn into shit? When did it jump the shark? When the authors stopped caring for the show, that''s when it lost its spark. When it was too far removed from reality. When the Simpsons were no longer true to their Characters. When Flanders became flanderized. So TL;DR bring old Simpsons back. Like when things were still allowed to change. When Lisa decided to become vegetarian. That kind of stuff.¡± The Seeker looks confused at the Stranger. They are surprised by that long rant. ¡°You really just went completely out of character,¡± says the Seeker flabbergasted. ¡°Well it''s not canon... Isn''t that what people do in fillers anyway? Being out of character?¡± The Seeker sighs, shaking their head. ¡°Okay... I get it... But please... just try to do less, pop-culture references, next time... okay?¡± ¡°Yeah okay,¡± agrees the Stranger. ¡°Do you also want to go out of character for a moment? Since this is filler, it''s of no consequence.¡± The Seeker suddenly stops walking on the pavement. As the Seeker stands still, they are taking in a deep breath. ¡°You know...,¡± says the Seeker with a slight grin on their face. ¡°I don''t really like family guy either.¡± Suddenly everything around the Seeker starts fading away. Like vaporizing fog. Everything turns white, as the Seeker awakens from their dream. They are lying in the green grass. The Mysterious Stranger sits next to them in their blue hooded robe. The Sun is rising from the east. Shining directly at the next archway portal... Checkpoint 4. ¡°Ah, you are awake now,¡± notices the Stranger. ¡°Do you still remember how we broke the fifth wall?¡± The Seeker blinks with their eyes. They still can''t put together what is happening. Were they in the in-between all this time? Was it all just a dream? What is happening? ¡°We- We broke through the fifth wall?!¡± asks the Seeker still in the process of waking up. ¡°Yeah,¡± confirms the Stranger, pointing at the archway. ¡°We are out. We made it out of the land of truth. Right over there, is the fourth checkpoint. Are you ready now?¡± ¡°I have been waiting for that damned checkpoint, since the last two episodes,¡± groans the Seeker slightly irritated. ¡°Will we now finally go to the next level?¡± TO BE CONTINUED Turning shit into gold
Part 14: Turning shit into gold The Seeker and the mysterious stranger walk through the archway gate, made of ancient stones. As they cross the threshold, the two companions hear a heavenly chant: ¡°Checkpoint 4 saved¡±
The Seeker is relieved. ¡°Finally, we made it out of this damned place. I swear, if you had tricked me one more time, I would have quit this game.¡± The Stranger shrugs his shoulders. ¡°Come on... It''s only been like 7 chapters...¡± The Seeker and the Stranger are following their path. As they leave the pine forest behind, they enter into a snowy land. A high altitude. Their path leads towards an inactive volcano in the distance.
¡°Do thou wish to receive a small recap of our journey, since we departed from thy bench?¡± asks the Stranger, after some time of silence. The Seeker sighs. ¡°Why do you even ask me? You''ll do your recap anyway...¡± ¡°First thou hath looked into the matter of love,¡± declares the Stranger. ¡°Then thou hath seen the Ego and it''s control mechanisms within thy mind. Lastly in the land of truth, thou hath cut through illusions.¡± ¡°Yeah... I know... I still remember... But... what is it with this ''thou'', ''thy'' thing?¡± ¡°''Thou / thy'', ''They / them''... I am just trying to be respectful, towards whoever listens. After all... every person has a Seeker within them. As the ''Seeker'', YOU represent an archetypal figure, an aspect of every human being.¡±
The Seeker takes insult. ¡°Hey,¡± they shout. ¡°What did you just call me?!¡± ¡°An archetype... You and me, we are both archetypes,¡± reassures the Stranger. The Seeker calms down. ¡°Alright... Then what kind of archetype do you represent?¡±
The Stranger chuckles. ¡°Well... if I''d just tell you, it wouldn''t be a mystery.¡± As the Seeker and the Stranger walk through the land of snow, there are altars and statues on both sides of the road. There are also ruins of burnt houses and destroyed watchtowers.
¡°Anyway,¡± continues the Stranger. ¡°Whatever you have taken with you so far on this journey, keep only that, which serves you. Also remember, that no word spoken or written, will be enough to help you move forward. There might be energy conveyed in any message, but it''s all about how you use this training in your actual real life. If you can''t integrate it into your life, it will be of no use. So it''s entirely up to you, if it''s just a story or a medium for you to shift into your best reality. Now what we are discussing next will be the ¡°Highest path¡±. The path, where you walk side by side with the All. Aligning your life with your individual purpose. Aligning your will with universal intention. Aligning your story with the story of humanity. You walk this path with one simple principle: Always go for the highest good of all. The best outcome for everybody and everything involved. Take everything into consideration when you are in the situation to make a decision.¡± ¡°You make that sound so easy,¡± argues the Seeker.
¡°It might sound easy, but it isn''t,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°When we are caught up in daily life, we tend to fall back into autopilot. Someone says something, that bothers you and you react negatively. Our patterns of thought act automatically and if we give in to them, our actions, thoughts and words can get out of alignment, hurting ourselves or others. Now if you truly want to walk the highest path, you need to trust your heart. Your intuition. Your gut. Your mind doesn''t have all the information necessary to make the best possible decision. But your ''higher Self'' or subconscious mind, does know the best path to travel on. It speaks to you through your intuition, through your heart, through synchronicities, through dreams, through shivers in your spine, through coincidences. If you trust it, it will always show you the best possible way, even if it appears to be a bad decision at first.¡±
The Seeker shakes their head. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°As if there always were a ''perfect'' option... Sometimes you can only choose between dogshit and bullshit.¡± ¡°What if there actually always is a best possible outcome?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°What if there always is a way? And we just haven''t yet found it yet...¡± ¡°Alright,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°Then I''ll choose the dogshit. The pile might be smaller, but it''s still shit.¡± ¡°If that''s the case,¡± laughs the Stranger. ¡°Then you will just need to turn the shit into gold.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°By turning every failure into a lesson. By growing through every mistake and standing up again. Getting wiser with every take down. You see, this is the hidden path. The way of growth. Of improvement. If you face life with that mindset, then there will be no challenge that can ever take you down. Nothing can ever shake you, if you are willing to see a lesson in each failure.¡±
The Seeker gets frustrated. Their head turns red. ¡°Think about all the suffering in the world,¡± screams the Seeker. ¡°Do you think, there is a path for starving children, for soldiers in useless wars? We are living in a corrupt world. Shit will always be shit. To be alive is to suffer.¡± ¡°Yes my friend, unfortunately the reality of life is very painful,¡± agrees the Stranger with sad eyes. ¡°But we are asking, how to turn the world into a better place. Exactly because humans have turned it into a terrible place, it''s our job to restore balance. On so many levels. We need to restore balance in our minds, in our personal thoughts, we must restore balance in society, we must restore harmony with nature. And this shall be achieved, by everyone finding their own truest path. The path you were always meant to tread on. By aligning back with your path, you will influence the collective. With the intent to serve all of humanity, nature and the world, we can actually make earth a better place. To serve the whole of existence, by being the one, that gives it meaning. This drive, this intention brings things back into balance, because this is how it was always meant to be.¡± The Seeker rolls their eyes. ¡°And what am I to do, to make this world a better place,¡± asks the Seeker sarcastically.
¡°That is something no one can tell you. You must find out your specific purpose yourself... Ask yourself: What gives you joy? What are you skilled at? What are you passionate about? How can you individually benefit the all? Perhaps as a career. Perhaps as a project in your free time. Perhaps just by being your true self. Even just being a kind person, who always follows their heart, is more than enough. Whatever your story looks like, whatever life seems to feel like, you will find your own best possible way, if you are willing to walk it. It depends all on you.¡± Buried in the snow of are the ruins of old castles and lost fortresses. The further the Seeker and the Stranger go, the more is the path ahead covered by ice and snow.
¡°You are too naive,¡± speaks the Seeker after some time of silent wandering. ¡°People are selfish. There will never be enough people to truly make an impact. You can believe that all you want. It won''t make any difference.¡± The Stranger shrugs with his shoulders. ¡°Well then we have at least tried until the end. Then there''s nothing to regret.¡± ¡°Turning shit into gold,¡± mumbles the Seeker, shaking their head. ¡°Okay look,¡± speaks the Stranger. His voice gets a bit more serious. ¡°This concerns both the individual, as well as the collective. You want to experience your best possible life. You want to live in joy, right? And life wants that just as well. If you walk your truest path, you will not only help yourself but also the entire collective consciousness of mankind.¡±
The Seeker sighs. ¡°I don''t trust life. I have been disappointed too many times. There is just no way. I just can''t believe it.¡± ¡°Then try it,¡± speaks the Stranger with serious eyes. ¡°See, for yourself whether it is possible. You think it''s difficult to choose the highest good of all. But the answer is always within you. Follow your intuition. Follow your heart. Your mind may fool you with all kinds of fears, desires, worries or attachments. But your heart always knows, which way to follow, which path to go. Walk the path of love and you walk the path together with the All.¡± Suddenly the Seeker and the Stranger are stopped in the middle of the road. There are three giants standing in front of them. Each, 3 Meters tall, all wearing viking helmets and leather armor. They carry weapons.
¡°Give us all your money,¡± demanded the giant bandit in the middle. ¡°Or we''ll kill you.¡± The Seeker gives the Stranger a disapproving gaze. ¡°Now show me how ''your path'' is supposed to help us out.¡± The Stranger looks directly at his opponents. He clears his throat. ¡°So... bandits... How much money exactly do you want? Is 50 Pesos enough?¡± The Stranger takes out his wallet.
The Seeker sighs, shaking their head. ¡°Seriously?! You''ll just give it to them?!¡± The three giant bandits look at each other. They put their heads together, consulting quietly. After some time of whispering the middle bandit says: ¡°100 Pesos!¡±
The Stranger thinks for a moment. ¡°Well... How about we make it 60 Pesos?¡± ¡°70 Pesos, we won''t go any lower,¡± speaks the bandit boss with a determined face. ¡°65 Pesos and we don''t need to fight. My last offer,¡± speaks the stranger with burning eyes. ¡°Deal!¡± speaks the giant and hands a bag of money over to the Stranger.
The Seeker is confused. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Suddenly the bandits notice the Seeker. All eyes are now on them. ¡°You!¡± shouts the bandit boss, pointing at them. ¡°Give us all your money, or we will kill you!¡± ¡°I won''t just give you my money,¡± shouts the Seeker, challenging the bandits. The bandit boss charges at the Seeker, but the Stranger steps between them. ¡°The Seeker is my friend,¡± shouts the Stranger with burning eyes. ¡°If you hurt them, you also hurt me. I don''t want to fight you, but if you touch them, I won''t hold back.¡±
The Seeker has never seen the Stranger angry before. But his words are burning like the fire in his eyes. Everything is shaking. This wave of energy is so powerful, that the Seeker loses their balance and falls to the ground.
The bandits look at each other. No one is willing to fight. The mysterious Stranger calms down again and grins. He holds up the bag of money. ¡°What do you say, is 50 Pesos enough?¡± The Seeker and the Stranger continue walking on their road. The Stranger is focused on counting the money in the bag: ¡°All in all pretty profitable. 140 Pesos in total...¡±
The Seeker wipes their dirty outfit. ¡°You DO know, that 140 Pesos is literally nothing... Do You?¡±
The Stranger looks at the Seekers dress. ¡°Oh... looks like you got some gold on your shoulder.¡± TO BE CONTINUED What it means to walk together
Part 15: What it means to walk together ¡°So are you some kind of Jungian Archetype?¡± asks the Seeker the Mysterious Stranger, as they walk through the snow-capped mountain. The path leads towards the ruins of an ancient castle. In the distance is an inactive volcano. ¡°Like the wise old man, or the Jester, or the magician or the hero-archetype?¡± The Stranger chuckles. ¡°Yes and No.¡± ¡°Why do you need to make everything so difficult,¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°Do you really need to turn everything into a riddle?¡± ¡°Yes and No,¡± responds the Stranger with a mischievous grin. The Seeker shakes their head annoyed. ¡°Alright... Keep your secrets... I don''t even care anyway...¡± ¡°Come on my friend,¡± speaks the Stranger with a playful voice. ¡°A riddle without a mystery is no fun.¡± The Seeker rolls their eyes. ¡°You are a fool!¡± ¡°Yes and No,¡± laughs the Mysterious Stranger. The Stranger and the Seeker suddenly stop. Something behind a pine tree, catches the Seekers eye. They take a look. There is a treasure chest hidden below the roots in a ditch. The Seeker opens the box. 1 x Bow of the Sun added (10 Damage, 15 Precision, 8 Speed) + 10 x Burning arrows added + 10 x Exploding arrows added
¡°Wow,¡± says the Seeker amazed. ¡°That''s some pretty neat equipment. Didn''t know, that there were such hidden treasures.¡± The Seeker tries out a Burning arrow and shoots it at the pine tree. It burns down to ash. The Seeker is impressed. - 1 burning arrow lost They then take an exploding arrow and stretch their bow. The Seeker takes a look around and aims at a huge rock in the distance. Slightly missing the rock, the arrow lands instead somewhere in the open field of snow. There is a huge explosion. - 1 exploding arrow lost The Seeker smiles at the power of their new toy. However the sound of the explosion is shortly followed by a scream of terror: ¡°Oh my god! Chloe!¡± The cry of the scorpion was so faint, that the Seeker isn''t sure, if they heard correctly. Shaking off the thought, the Seeker proceeds with the Stranger on their path, through the snow covered land.
¡°Let us discuss the matter of togetherness,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°What does it mean to walk together?¡± ¡°It probably means being forced to listen, to some annoying doofus all the time,¡± comments the Seeker sarcastically. The Stranger chuckles for a short moment, then her face gets serious: ¡°TOGETHER is a state without conflict or division. TOGETHER is a state without competition, without envy or comparison. TOGETHER is a state without conformity or imitation. TOGETHER is a state without authority or hierarchy. TOGETHER is a state without selfish desires and destructive behaviors. TOGETHER is, when everyone can truly be themselves. When everyone is accepted and respected, for who they truly are. TOGETHER is, when everyone uses their skills, their abilities for the greatest good of ALL. TOGETHER is, when the benefit of every single person and the collective are taken into account. TOGETHER is, when there is Love and Joy. TOGETHER is, when everyone is playing their role as best as possible. When Humanity is utilizing each of it''s avatars, each of its characters to write the best possible story. In TOGETHERNESS, there is neither reward, nor punishment. There is only the fulfillment of purpose. In TOGETHERNESS, there is no Ego. There is only unconditional love for everything, that is. In TOGETHERNESS, there is no judgment, only tolerance and acceptance to all players within this great game of Life. In TOGETHERNESS, all sorrows of the past are wiped away. In TOGETHERNESS, all shadows are burned in the light of the Sun. Like an orchestra, where everyone plays their part. Where all are one with the music. In these moments, when the symphony plays, there is no conflict between violinist and pianist. No grudges between members. There is no I, no me, no you. There is just us. It''s just Freedom, Peace and Harmony. Everyone is in flow. Everyone is doing their best. Each playing with their particular instrument. With their beautiful unique voice. When all are part of this great song, then my friend, there is Togetherness. When Humanity is Together, then our common force moves mountains. When Humanity is Together, then nothing is impossible. When Humanity is Together, then the broken will be ressambled, then the hidden will be revealed, then the lost will be found again. Can you see it, dear Seeker, as clearly as me? This future ahead, where the old is overcome? Where the great Dream of Humanity is finally fulfilled? Where all hearts in unison sing this song of liberation together? Are you willing to walk your path in this grand journey?¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger walk towards the ruins of an old castle fortress. ¡°Bullshit,¡± calls the Seeker. ¡°Whenever there are groups, there will be conflict. Because people have conflicting desires. When two people want different things, everything falls apart. That''s how families, organizations, companies and nations all separate... Even in an orchestra, there just needs to be one guy, who''s jealous at the conductor and the song turns sour.¡± ¡°When that happens, then it''s no longer a state of Togetherness. But if we both see, that this state is not only something truly beautiful, but also something highly effective, then we need to ask next, why we are unable to maintain it. Think about it, you can see the state of TOGETHERNESS in a surgery, when everyone does their part to save someones life. You can see TOGETHERNESS, when catastrophes occur and people help each other to save a drowning dog or a buried human. You can see, TOGETHERNESS in art, welfare or environmental projects. TOGETHERNESS is something real, its humanities greatest power. Now, what is it, that destroys TOGETHERNESS? Whenever the Ego gets in charge, that is when things start to fall apart. When someone says, ''I want more'', ''I deserve more''. When the beauty of TOGETHERNESS is sacrificed for personal gain. When power, fear, greed, envy, pride, status or attachments come into play, then TOGETHERNESS seizes to be.¡± The Seeker is contemplating something for a moment. ¡°Alright... Let''s suppose, that I am doing my best to keep my Ego in check... Let''s suppose, that I am doing everything I can to remain balanced, to keep the song going. Then someone comes along, who has a huge ego and they destroys everything. They cause trouble. They drag everyone down. What am I supposed to do then? I have no control over that whatsoever!¡±
¡°If someone sings a wrong note,¡± speaks the Stranger with a grin. ¡°Then your voice just needs to be louder. Don''t let yourself be dragged down by someone else. Don''t allow yourself to fall onto their level. Stay balanced. Stay in this state of bliss and joy. Even if you are the last one to keep the song going. Even if all others have stopped playing, be the one to continue. And see what happens. Others will join again. More and more will join the choir, even louder than ever before. This is the Power of TOGETHERNESS. Don''t approach the bad singer with hate or judgment or any kind of resentment. Approach them with unconditional love. Stretch out your hand unto them, remind them how wonderful our symphony is. Remind them, that they are needed to play their part in the orchestra. That without them something will be missing. And you will see, their heart will open up again, playing a melody so beautiful, so amazing, that the world itself will listen.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You can''t be this naive,¡± shouts the Seeker. ¡°If you place your belief in someone, who plans to destroy you, then you will just be hurt. There are people you just can''t trust. People who are beyond any help. There are some really fucked up people...¡± ¡°If I reach out my hand to someone and they decline, then I respect that decision. Everyone has their own path after all. But we don''t allow anyone to hurt our friends. If someone harms another, they will need to face the consequences of their actions. Because this is the only way, that they can learn their own lesson and grow. And yet, I am willing to place a wager on all of Humanity. I know that this spark of the primordial fire, still burns somewhere deep within every single heart. It''s not unreachable. It''s not impossible. And as long as there is a way, we shall find it. No matter, how narrow, that path may seem. Is it naive to have faith in Humanity, after all that has happened? Perhaps yes. But it''s worth fighting for. If you have heard it in your heart... The song of Humanity... Then you know with absolute certainty, that there is something we need to protect!¡±
When the Seeker heard those words, they felt a sudden warm shiver tingling through their body. A wave of energy struck them, when the Stranger spoke of ''The song of Humanity''. Something buried deep within, a long-forgotten memory reactivated. Like the remembrance of an ancient promise. The Seeker wants to say something but the Stranger suddenly stops. In front of them is the gate of the old castle ruins, they had seen in the distance earlier. The entrance is broken down. Blocked, buried by broken stones. The Stranger points at the gate with her index finger. ¡°Now your new arrows really come in handy.¡± The Seeker takes an explosive arrow, aims at the blocked entrance and shoots it. The gate explodes. - 1 exploding arrow lost After the dust cloud vanishes, there is a big hole in the wall. A sudden, cold gush of wind, blows into the Seekers face from within the castle ruins. They shudder. The wind carries some dark energy. From inside, they can hear growling and screaming. The Seeker gulps and enters with the Stranger carefully into the dungeon.
As they walk into the entrance hall, something seems off. There is some black substance clinging to walls and sticking to some of the ground. The Seeker takes a misstep and touches the black substance. A sudden pain tingles through their entire body. They lose 5 vibes, as a sudden thought penetrates the Seekers mind: ''It''s all meaningless... I should just give up.'' - 5 vibes lost
The Stranger pulls the Seeker out of the gooey substance by their shoulder. ¡°Be careful not to step on the darkness. It corrupts anything it touches.¡± The Seekers mind clears up again. ¡°That was strange... I suddenly felt so depressed...¡± The Stranger manifests their staff out of thin air. She generates fire from it and burns the substance on the floor. ¡°Fire and Light are effective. Channel the fire from within your heart. Only your heart can overcome the darkness!¡±
¡°What is this darkness?¡± asks the Seeker, readying their bow and arrows. Suddenly something attacks the Seeker from behind. They scream in pain, as they feel an unbearable pain on their back. - 5 vibes lost The monster attacking the Seeker looks like a demon. A red beast with horns, surrounded by a black aura of pure darkness. It wears armor and carries a war-axe. The monsters deep voice grunts: ¡°The world will end. Nothing matters. Life is suffering.¡±
The Stranger reacts fast. A bright light emanates from her staff. The light burns away the dark aura surrounding the demonic creature. The beast loses consciousness and falls to the ground.
Four more beasts are suddenly approach them from all sides, with black hammers, axes and swords. Walking directly towards the Seeker and the Stranger, standing back to back. From the towers and walls archers start shooting black arrows. ¡°Aim for their hearts,¡± shouts the Stranger, as she fends off the monsters in close combat with her radiating staff. ¡°Burn the darkness from within them. Don''t let yourself be hit!¡± The Seeker nervously takes a burning arrow and aims at the archer on the highest tower. They miss. - 1 burning arrow lost
They take another arrow, aiming again. Their heart is drumming. This time they hit the demon, but not the heart. No effect. The black aura protects the monster. - 1 burning arrow lost The Seeker takes a deep breath in. ¡°With the heart,¡± they mumble, as they prepare another arrow. The Seeker silences their mind. Their heart beats slower. A sudden warm feeling in their chest. The Seeker focuses on all the things, that make life awesome. They think of their happiest moments. They think of all the things, that bring them joy. Unconditional love flows through them, as they let the string go. The arrow flies directly into the demons heart. Fire burns away their dark aura, the enemy falls over.
¡°Now you got it,¡± smiles the Stranger, as she fights off two demons simultaneously. ¡°Let''s both do this together! Let us clear the darkness! I''ll take care of the foot soldiers. Can you handle the archers?¡± ¡°I got it,¡± smiles the Seeker confidently, as they aim three burning arrows at once. Again the Seeker concentrates on this feeling of a fire, that has always burned deep within them. - 3 burning arrows lost Three targets are hit directly in their respective hearts. Falling over, as the darkness around them evaporates. In a moment of inattentiveness the Seeker is shot by a dark arrow in the back, that bears the dreadful energy. The Seeker screams in pain, as the darkness has infected them. - 10 Vibes Lost
Again dark thought patterns are spiraling through the Seekers mind: ''I am all alone. No one understands me. Why do I need to live in this painful world. I want to be somewhere else. I can''t take it any longer. It''s too much... There is no hope. There is no love. There is no light. I just want to stay in bed, protecting myself from this terrible world. I am useless...'' The Stranger takes notice of the Seeker, while fighting against four demons. ¡°Pull yourself together,¡± she shouts towards her companion. As she shifts her attention to the Seeker, the Stranger fails to block a sword attack in time. The Stranger is bleeding. She summons a powerful attack with her staff. A dome of light spreads out from the Stranger. The light burns away all shadows. The four attacking demons, fall to the ground, cleansed of the darkness. ¡°Listen Seeker, You are not alone! We are friends! And we are together in this fight. But I need your help. Just by myself, I can''t do anything! Are you with me in this?¡±
The Stranger stretches out their hand towards the Seeker. The Seeker declines. ¡°I don''t even know you,¡± shouts the Seeker. ¡°You are just some Stranger, who turned up at my park bench one day! We are not friends! You don''t even tell me your name! I can''t trust you. You will just betray me like anyone else!¡± Another arrow flies directly towards the Seeker. The Stranger reacts immediately, jumping right before the Seeker. Grabbing the dark arrow in mid-air with their bare hands. The Mysterious Stranger eyes start burning with determination. ¡°Even if you believe that you are all alone, I will never give up fighting for you!¡± There is a moment of silence between the Seeker and the Stranger. ¡°You are fighting for me?¡± they ask the Stranger, while an army of demons runs towards them.
¡°For all of us,¡± speaks the Stranger. Their voice thunders through the entire castle ruin. ¡°Let''s do it, my friend. Let''s fight together.¡± The Seeker starts to smile. They break out in laughter. A heavy weight lifts from their shoulder. They suddenly feel so free. ¡°You can count on me,¡± speaks the Seeker as they grab the Strangers hand. The wound on the Seekers back is suddenly healed. All of their lost vibes are fully restored. They are back at 35 vibes. But then... The earth is shaking, as a new gigantic enemy breaks through the wall into the castle yard. A giant red demons, with a pitch black aura, wearing a dark crown between its horns. It carries a gigantic axe. The Seeker and the Stranger both hear BOSS MUSIC.
The two companions are standing side by side, both facing the giant demon monster. The Seeker with their burning bow and arrow, the Mysterious Stranger with their illuminated staff. The Seeker shoots a burning arrow into the heart of the End-boss. It''s not effective. ¡°Use your exploding arrows,¡± shouts the Stranger, while charging at the monster. ¡°Aim at it''s heart. I''ll distract it.¡± The Stranger fights off the monster from near with her staff. Focusing on the monsters legs, dodging axe attacks and trampling feet. The Seeker aims at the monsters heart, but it''s too fast. The monster won''t stand still. The Stranger summons light, blinding the monster for a couple seconds. ¡°Seeker, Now!¡± The Seeker takes a deep inhale and concentrates on this burning fire in their chest. They again remember all the things, that make life on earth worthwhile and let go of the string. The arrow hits directly in the heart of the boss enemy.
A loud explosion burns away the aura of darkness around the monster. It shrinks in size and falls to the ground. The battle is over. Together, the Seeker and the Stranger emerge victorious. The entire castle is cleared, the darkness is gone. LEVEL UP! Lvl 8: Maximum Vibes increased 40 vibes total
The Stranger and the Seeker notice, that all the defeated demons slowly start moving up again. The Seeker stretches their bow, ready to continue the battle. But the Stranger intercepts. ¡°Take a closer look at them,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°They were never monsters. They just needed help.¡± The appearance of the demons change. They turn into satyrs. Their skin is no longer red, but blue. The dark aura is gone, instead their auras shine yellow. Some of them look confused or puzzled. Others are crying tears of joy. Some are embracing each other. The satyrs cheer in unison: ¡°Finally we are free again.¡± The End-boss with a crown on his head also stands up and walks towards the Stranger and Seeker. He, the king of satyrs, bows before them. ¡°Thank you for saving us from this curse. We were consumed by the darkness, we were corrupted by it. Please accept this gift as a sign of our gratitude.¡± The satyr king hands the Seeker his axe. 1 x Royal Axe added (15 Damage, 6 Durability, 5 Speed)
A passageway is being opened. It leads outside, where the path towards the volcano continues. The Seeker and the Stranger step through the gate and proceed to walk their path together. TO BE CONTINUED The awakening of the heart
Part 16: The awakening of the heart As the Mysterious Stranger and the Seeker leave the old castle behind, they continue on the snow-covered path. A path appears on the right side, following parallel to their own. The two paths merge into one, which leads towards a volcano. As they progress, another parallel path from the left side merges as well with the current one. . In the distance, the Seeker spots a building, where the path tilts uphill. A sign points at a crossroad. An intersection, between realms. The crossroads, where all timelines meet up: Where the westward and the eastward paths meets the northern road.
Where the paths meet, stands a tavern. The lights are on. The chimney is smoking. A sign shows its name: ''The Red Ditch Inn''
¡°Wanna get something to drink,¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker. ¡°Sure, why not,¡± accepts the Seeker. Before he opens the door knob, the Stranger hesitates and speaks to the Seeker: ¡°This is the bar, where the timelines of our souls meet up. This is the crossing of our life-paths, the intersection of fate. Be prepared, for what happens next.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger walk into the building. As they open the door, they are started by the loud conversations. The inn is full. Many tables with different animals of all species. The table in the center of the bar, has a label saying: ''r/Spirituality'' Around that table sit all kinds of different birds and animals. Pigeons, squirrels, Reptiles, cats, dogs, wolves, foxes, crows, mice, sloths. They are mostly talking about crystals and past lives.
There was a table, which said: ''r/astralprojection''. There sat an old bear, who carries many scars, wounded by countless battles, teaching young bear cups, who attentively listen to their elders. Some are making notes.
Next to it, is a table with a label saying: ''r/Enlightenment'' There sit some parrots all repeating the same mantra in unison: ¡°BEFORE ENLIGHTENMENT CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER, AFTER ENLIGHTENMENT CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER.¡±
There is another table, called: ''r/Awakened'' There sit a caterpillar, a spider, a scorpion and an eagle. ¡°You have an Ego,¡± shouts the caterpillar at the spider, pointing his finger. ¡°No, you have an Ego,¡± shouts the spider back at the caterpillar. ¡°You both have an Ego,¡± accuses the scorpion both the caterpillar and the spider. ¡°Hey,¡± shouts the bird. ¡°I am the eagle here!¡±
Next to it, is the table of ''r/nonduality''. The chairs are completely empty. There is no one here.
On the other side there is another table with many different birds and mammals, some more exotic animals from all around the world. The label says ''r/Soulnexus''. There is someone constantly screaming at the top of their lungs: ¡°I AM A PROFFESIONAL PSYCHIC READER WITH 14 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE!¡±
One table next to it is called ''r/starseeds''. The people sitting there do not look like animals, but like strange aliens. Some small and green beings, others big and gray, some with fur, some with scales, some humanoid. They were mostly talking about the past, exchanging some old memories. Among them is a chicken, who wears an alien costume. As one of the Grey beings stands up to go to the toilet, the chicken whispers to the others: ¡°Psst guys, I think Fred may not be an actual Starseed.¡±
The other beings around the table start mumbling.
There is one more table called ''r/psychonauts''. The Stranger walks towards their table. ¡°Jo, wazzup Shawty,¡± greets the Stranger an old friend at the psychonaut-table, with a fist bump. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Whoa, it''s YOU,¡± responds the Tiger at the table, with red eyes, smoking his bong. ¡°Last time I''ve seen you, I was like in DMT realm.¡± ¡°Is Burt anywhere around?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°He is sitting there in the corner,¡± responds Shawty. The tiger points at a traumatized racoon sitting in the dark corner. ¡°I have seen too much,¡± mumbles the Burt the Racoon with eyes wide open, like a scratched record. ¡°I have traveled too far... I have seen, what lies within the emptiness. Never again... I will never do shrooms again...¡± Suddenly the waiter taps the racoons shoulder, ripping him out of his thought loop. ¡°Sir... Do you wanna order anything?¡± ¡°Do you have McKennaii?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± responds the waiter. ¡°Then I''ll have 7 grams,¡± orders the racoon.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Seeker has a sudden thought and looks at the Stranger. ¡°What does the ''r/ slash'' on the tables, stand for?¡± ¡°I don''t know...,¡± shrugs the Stranger. ¡° It''s probably to reserve the table at this inn.¡± The Stranger looks at all the tables, they are all talking and talking. Some are playing poker, others are playing dart, some drunks fight each other. Others talk about their identity or their favorite dogma. Some are showing off, how enlightened they are. As they stand at the crossroads, they can either go Westwards, Eastwards and Northwards. Many have taken the western route, many have went eastwards, but they always ended back at the ''Red Ditch Inn'' again. The newbies, were unsure, whether to go west or east. The experienced ones, knew it doesn''t make a difference, they would end up at the bar again anyway. Some were stuck in the bar since many decades, they had given up hope to ever find a way out. But few of them ever dared to walk northwards.
The Stranger sighs, as he looks around. His eyes flame up, he inhales deeply and climbs on a chair. With a raised voice he speaks: ¡°When did we lose our heart? We lost our heart collectively. Did we lose it, when we were still cavemen? When we had to survive the cold winters of the ice age? When we hunted down the last Homo Neanderthalensis? Or later on, when the first tribes waged war against each other? Did we lose our heart, when we enslaved each other? Did we lose our hearts, when we dropped atom bombs, or when we caused our first mass extinctions...The crimes, that Humans do in wars... All of us carry the sins of our forefathers on our shoulders. We lost our hearts individually. For the person it starts pretty early in their childhood. We lose our trust, when we are lied to. Almost everyone tastes the pain of Betrayal at least once in life. We are deeply wounded from childhood on. We learn early on, that humans hurt us and thus we become suspicious of humans. We learn not to trust each other. Because we are afraid of being hurt again. And so we close off our heart to protect it. What is the heart? I am not talking about the physical organ. I talk about this part in your ''soul'', if I may call it that. It''s like the core of our ''soul'', of our ''astral body''. The centre of our ''energy'' or chakras. We are afraid to open it, because it''s very vulnerable. That''s why we protect it. We are afraid to open it, because we don''t trust each other. But unless your heart is open, you can never experience unconditional love. Its flame must be activated. The heart is your connection to everything. The heart is what connects you to ''source'', if that''s the word, you''d like to use. The heart is from where our love flows. We have cut off the connection and became separated from the ALL. We made love conditional. We split hating from loving, dislike from like and created duality. We became attached. We let ourselves be corrupted by the Ego. Now that we have closed the heart, what have we done to the world? We turned the world into a place, that almost no one likes. We created a society, that keeps us in narrow boxes. We made the world a lonely place, for everyone to be in. Even in groups, we often feel lonely. We allowed money to rule over us. We allowed ideologies to split us and dogmas to control us. We have so many different issues, that we just can''t seem to overcome. Climate change. Wars. Corrupt politicians. Poverty. Starvation. Meaninglessness. Nihilism. Where should we start with all that mess? With ourselves. That is the place, where the transformation needs to start. We need to evolve. One person at a time. Only then, can the collective transform as well. We need to open the mind and the heart. To see and to feel. To be aware and to love. We need to find harmony within ourselves. End the inner conflict and find peace within. Find your own truest path. Let go of any limiting beliefs. Let go of any attachments. Forgive whoever needs forgiveness and apologize to clear your regrets. Find Love. Find your light within. See your light in all people. Love your enemies. Recognize the Ego, be aware of what makes it grow. Become aware of any negative thought patterns. Be disciplined. Clear your own shadows. Face your Trauma. Heal your inner child. Get free from all bodily addictions. Be free of fear. Be free of suffering. See the beauty of all things. Find joy in every moment. Surrender yourself. Follow the heart. Be proud and courageous. Accept your life and your story. Embrace your story, without being attached to it. Find your purpose. End the Seeking. Be your authentic Self. Express Love through your character. Become Love. This is a possible path. And I just gave you the map. It can be walked. It was walked before. But it is a path into unknown territory. Only the bravest of you can walk this path. It''s not for the faintest of heart. You see, you all either follow the path of the left and go westwards or you follow the path on the right and go eastwards... But no matter how far you go, you''ll always end up at the crossroads again. You never make any real progress. What if there is another path? What if there''s another way? What if I say, ''let us go north?!''¡± Some of the crowd are in shock. Some are laughing. Others are mumbling. ¡°You can''t walk north,¡± says a crow from the projectors. ¡°It''s impossible.¡± ¡°Everyone knows, that the northern road is a dead-end,¡± says an awakened Caterpillar. ¡°It''s a waste of time going up there. You can''t go further, than the volcano.¡±
A psychonaut horse laughs. ¡°That will be fun. Can''t wait to see their disappointed faces, when they walk all the way back down.¡± The Stranger continues undeterred: ¡°Why are you walking the spiritual path? You felt called to do it, didn''t you? You felt something within you. Something made click. You understood, that there is a deeper truth, that you must find. There was this deep longing within you. So you started walking. What were the first things, that you were seeking? You were seeking answers. What were your first questions? You were asking, ''What is my purpose?'' You were asking ''Why am I here''? And you have searched in so many places. But no matter which answer you got, you were never fully satisfied. Because it wasn''t your answer. Because it was someone else''s answer. So you stopped seeking. Either you were content with some unfulfilling answers or you just simply gave up. When did you stop finding your own answers? Dogma or tradition give us easy answers. When we are attached to them, when we build an identity around them, we become unable to find our own answers. But you can''t end Seeking with someone elses answers. Only when you have claimed the answer for yourself, can the Seeker transform into something different. Into something new. Just ending the Seeker, like cutting off a limb, won''t do it. The Seeker needs to find their answer to the question ''What is my purpose?'' Not one, they read from textbooks. Not an answer, that someone else can give them. When ONE has found their own unique purpose in life, then instead of ''seeking'', there is only ''expressing''.¡± ¡°I see that you are advanced,¡± speaks an enlightened owl. ¡°However you are blinded by idealism. When you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss will stare back at you.¡±
¡°My friend,¡± says the Stranger. ¡°I have not only stared into the abyss, I went to hell and back again to find my answer.¡± Everyone falls silent, the Stranger continues: ¡°It was always here on earth. Heaven. It was always within us. Take a look around you. There is beauty in all things. If you search for it, you can find joy in every moment. Look for love in the world and you shall find love everywhere. Meet Life with gratitude and wonder. Face your experience, like an adventurer faces his challenge. Express unconditional love through your very being. Because this is how we heal Humanities greatest wound: The scar of nihilism. It has all become so meaningless to us, hasn''t it? Memorizing knowledge at school or college, that you''ll never need in real life. This feeling of being stuck in life. Day to day, going to a dead-end job for minimum wage. Living an unfulfilled life. The shattering of broken dreams. The tears of our suffering. You know, why everything has become so meaningless? We let our hearts get cold. After falling, we stopped getting back up again. We stopped facing our challenges. You see, after every defeat, Humanity always got back up again. No matter how tough the challenge may seemed, Humanity never gave up. We have forgotten, who we are. All of us are Humanity. You, Me, everyone. We are all humanity. You, the individual human are HUMANITY. You are the Rest of mankind. Because we are all the same in our essence. When you open your heart, then this is your name: ''HUMANITY'' Because you see yourself in every other human. This is the name of the divine spark that sits within all of us. It is the fire, that burns in our eyes. This is Humanity: An archetype of victory and an idea of unity. Let me ask you a very direct question. If we all came together to do our part, do you think that we could actually clean up the mess we have created? Do you think we have a chance of not only to survive but even to evolve as a species? And perhaps write even greater stories, than ever before?¡± The entire crowd is silent. Most of them avoid eye contact. People start mumbling. Then the crowd slowly gets louder again and the conversations on each table, continue as if nothing ever happened. As the Stranger steps down from the chair, a monkey gets up from one of the tables, points his finger and screams: ¡°Look guys, this dude has ketchup on his outfit.¡± While the crowd laughs at him, the Stranger goes to the bar and orders two beer. While he waits, he rubs off the ketchup stain from his clothes with his fingernails. People are looking at him and the Seeker. The Seeker can''t bear standing next to the Stranger and leaves the tavern. The Stranger pays for two beers. 140 Pesos. He then follows the Seeker outside.
¡°Wanna go already?¡± asks the Stranger while sipping from his beer. ¡°Those guys hate you now,¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°Who cares?¡± shrugs the Stranger, while gulping down the beer in a single go. A couple of animals exit the bar. All the animals, that had no place to fit in. All the animals that didn''t belong. A rabbit, a cat, a goldfish, a squirrel, a bear, a fox, a goat, a pigeon, an eagle, a chicken in an alien costume and a dog. ¡°I will also follow my destiny,¡± speaks the eagle with determination. His heart is also activated.
¡°Alright,¡± says a bear with burning eyes. ¡°Let''s try going north... Perhaps this is how we''ll finally get to Axis Mundi.¡± ¡°Going north... that sounds fun,¡± says the smiling fox. ¡°Let''s see how far, we''ll come.¡±
¡°We are all gonna die anyway,¡± sighs the pessimistic goat. ¡°I never tried going north before,¡± contemplates the curious pigeon. ¡°10 bucks, that I am first at the top of the volcano,¡± bets the black cat, while looking at her claws. ¡°Deal,¡± agrees the dog, while hunting his own tail. The rabbit thinks about the taste of carrots. She is hungry. The squirrel is simply happy and excited for the new adventure. She can''t stop dancing. The goldfish has no idea, what he''s actually doing. He just rolls around in a plastic bag.
¡°I... I will also walk my path,¡± speaks up the brave chicken in an alien costume. For the first time, the chickens eyes start burning. Together, the new group of friends are traveling the northern road. Towards the volcano. As the sunset illuminates their backs, the animals start singing a new song. A song of excitement, of wonder and of bravery. A song, that goes something like: ¡°We have found a way.¡±
TO BE CONTINUED That song from your dreams, you always forget after waking up Part 17: That song from your dreams, you always forget after waking up ¡°Life is a song played only for you,¡± says the Stranger to the Seeker, as the two walk upwards on their path. A group of animals follow them to the volcano.
¡°Have you ever listened to the melody of the universe? Have you seen the cosmic dance of energy and matter? Have you felt the rhythms of time and the vibration of space in your being? It''s in the wind. It''s in the rays of our sun. It''s in every atom. The wonderful Music of Life. Everything is part of it. Every animal, every plant, all beings sing along to the Music of Life. It''s the eternal sound of infinity. The Music of Life is the song of the big bang unfolding, the expression of the infinite in finite space. If you listen closely, then you will find the Music of Life beating in each of our hearts. You will find it in our breath. In the inhale and the exhale. In attraction and repulsion. In both negative and positive. Throughout time and space, the cosmic melody keeps playing. It''s in the rhythm of the universe. You see it in the duality of reality. In the interconnectedness of the universe. It flows like waves through all dimensions, playing in all layers of reality. No word can ever fully describe its vastness. It can never be limited by any concepts. It can''t fit into the mold of any symbol. It is beyond all that.¡± The fox in their party starts grinning. ¡°You say, no concept can grasp it and yet, you just turned it into a concept by calling it ''Music''. That''s just another label.¡±
The Stranger smirks as well. ¡°It''s Exactly because I found no better label to describe it, that I chose to call it ''the Music of Life''. What I am trying to convey with this, is the code of reality. It''s the fractal pattern of the universe. And when you see it, you find the true beauty in all things. Listen to it closely. Open your ears to the universe, because it wrote a special song just for you. A beautiful song within the Music of Life. A segment of the All with great significance. This song is called ''The Song of Humanity''. It begins with a mere whisper and ends with a thunder of joy. A song of great drama, of challenge and of transformation. A song of tragedy and victory. A song of hope and liberation. A song for all people of the world. Of any color, of any faith, of any tribe... Standing together in Harmony, united in the great symphony. One night, when we all come together at the mountain, we will sing our story to the stars and the universe will listen. It will be a long journey, but if we all make it there, to Axis Mundi, then we can sing this song together. And the promise will finally be fulfilled. The promise ''to meet again''. You remember it on the level of your soul, don''t you? Yes, I talk to you directly. Only a limited number of people will ever read this. Do you know how many?¡± The Seeker knows the exact number, but they don''t dare to speak it out. They begin to understand. They nod. As the Seekers struggles to speak, the Stranger continues: ¡°Yes, it is exactly what you are thinking. So no matter which tradition, belief system or ideology you follow, I hope that you see, that we are all on the same page. Now let me ask you another question: Did you ever hear an unknown song, when you were sleeping? A beautiful melody, which is not like anything, you ever heard before. And as soon as you wake up, the song fades away and the melody is forgotten. This unknown music yearns to be sung by you. You try to remember that song again when you are awake, but you can''t find it, neither on radio, nor on any playlist. What you are seeking is your own part to the song of Humanity. It''s the song of your soul! Your own melody, your contribution to the great song. It''s like a piece of a puzzle, that only you posses. And then, when you have found it, you will make the journey to the great mountain, Axis Mundi, where everyone plays their part.¡± ¡°Everyone?¡± asks the pigeon. ¡°You mean... Even me as well?¡±
¡°All of us,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°Otherwise you wouldn''t be here now, listening. Everyone of us is here to find their part within the song. But don''t take that too literally. Don''t forget, when I speak of the ''music of Life'', I am using metaphors. It''s something indescribable. It''s the vibration of the physical universe. It''s the actions happening. It''s the story of each and everyone. When we find our soul song within the song of humanity, we find our story within the book of humanity.¡± The dog looks confused. In his head he starts calculating. ¡°Is this some kind of code?¡±
The eagle looks at the Stranger with skepticism. His eye lids become narrow. ¡°How do you know all that? Who are you?¡± The Stranger points at the Ketchup stain on his shoulder. ¡°I am the kinda guy walking around with Ketchup on his outfit.¡±
The Seeker sighs, facepalming. ¡°That''s why I told you, going to McDonalds is a bad idea...¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± continues the Stranger to his listeners. ¡°That''s not it yet. We need to make peace with nature. That''s why we need to visit her.¡± ¡°Wait...,¡± interrupts the fox. ¡°You are telling me, you haven''t even talked to nature yet?¡± The Stranger scratches his head, while laughing nervously. ¡°Well... that might be the toughest part yet... You know... Nature is not exactly a fan of Humanity... Or to be precise, she is angry... Really angry... But I am sure, that we will somehow manage to convince her... Pretty sure...¡± ¡°We are doomed,¡± sighs the goat. The chickens eyes start twitching. He wants to go back. The squirrel didn''t even listen. The Stranger sees the restlessness of the crowd and pulls the Seeker towards him. ¡°Leave it to us. Together, we will find a way.¡± The surprised Seeker is caught off guard. ¡°Wait... What? What do you mean by ''us''?¡± they ask confused.
¡°Together you and me, will walk the highest path,¡± continues the Stranger undeterred. ¡°We will get our ''platinum trophy''. For this we will need to make peace. Peace between humans. Peace between humanity and nature. Peace between the individual human and his life. Peace in the mind, peace in the body, peace in the soul. The conflict must end. That''s why we''ll visit Natures Throne. We''ll prove to her that we are serious about this. The world tree lies on the northern path, far beyond the volcano.¡± The fox becomes curious. His ears listen up. ¡°You''re telling me, there is something after the volcano?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Only after we surpass the volcano, does the journey truly begin,¡± grins the Stranger. Some of the animals start mumbling. The skeptical eagle, flies from pine tree to pine tree, observing calmly.
The lonesome bear is walking at a distance, he grunts every now and then to show, that he is still listening.
The sly fox licks his muzzle, while gazing at the bunny. The innocent bunny is picking flowers along the path.
The talkative squirrel speaks all thoughts loudly and gets easily distracted by nuts and shiny things.
The critical goat can''t stop complaining to everyone, that his legs are hurting.
The quiet pigeon is observing everything neutrally. The insecure dog thinks about, how to befriend the others. The arrogant cat treats everyone like a servant and makes some nasty comments.
The fearful chicken in alien costume regrets following them and thinks about excuses to go back to the bar.
The confused goldfish has no idea what is happening, for some reason his bag of water defies the laws of gravity as it rolls the hill upwards without being pushed. ¡°Where am I?¡± screams the goldfish in terror. ¡°And who are these people?¡±
¡°Do you have any idea what that fish is saying?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°I don''t speak Spanish,¡± says the Stranger. Meanwhile the goat drains everyone''s energy, by constantly criticizing and complaining about everything: ¡°My back hurts. There is too much sulfur in the air. It''s too warm. Life is pain. I want to leave this place.¡± The Goat is an energy vampire. His favorite conversation topics are taxes and insurances. His catchphrases are: ¡°Please feel sorry for me! I am always the victim.¡± ¡°I am done with this Life!¡± and ¡°Earth is a prison planet!¡± The pigeon has a hard time staying awake, as they are listening to the goat with their full attention. Even though it drains them of all their energy, the pigeon doesn''t want to seem rude. Meanwhile the chicken walks next to the bear. They are both walking with an uncomfortable silence, until the chicken breaks the ice: ¡°Did you know, that birds are not real?¡± The bear suddenly stops in his tracks. He is speechless. ¡°Birds are actually drones, that the government uses to spy on us,¡± continues the chicken in an alien costume. ¡°Some say that the birds are slowly being replaced, but my stance is, that there never were any birds to begin with...¡± ¡°Dude,¡± interrupts the bear. ¡°You are a fucking chicken.¡± The chicken inspects his wings. ¡°Oh these? Where I am from everyone wears red feathers as protective armor. However earth-seeds, such as you wouldn''t know about that. It''s like an Andromeda thing, ye know.¡±
Meanwhile the dog is seeking enlightenment. ¡°I almost had it,¡± barks the dog. ¡°I always see it in the corner of my eye... Enlightenment, that is... But I can never grasp it.¡± ¡°I have already found enlightenment a long time ago,¡± purrs the cat. ¡°Let''s do an AMA. You can Ask Me Anything.¡± Suddenly the dog is distracted by some smell, turns his head and sees something moving at the corner of his eye. ¡°There it is! Enlightenment!¡± barks the dog euphoric, while hunting his own tail. Quietly following behind the group is a male scorpion called Lachlan. He is the last of his kind. He remains hidden. His gaze is fixed on the Seeker. ¡°This is him... Finally, after all this time, I found him. The one, who shot the explosive arrow. I will now avenge you, Chloe.¡±
The conversations stop one after the other, as all ears listen to the Strangers whistling. A song that sounds familiar to all of them. The Stranger creates harmonious sounds with his mouth. Like an ancient language, long forgotten, buried deep in the sand. The pigeon joins in. Whistling with a sweet voice. The squirrel claps in rhythm. The fox joins in, snapping. The chicken, the bear and the dog move their heads. The pigeon and eagle dance in the air. The cat, squirrel and bunny dance on ground. Even the Goat taps with his hoofs and nods. The song becomes more powerful. It''s getting stronger and stronger. All start to hum along. The squirrel manifests a drum set. In her wild drumming she tells a story of joy and freedom. Her optimism and joyful attitude, warms even the coldest of hearts. She tells a story about finding joy even in the darkest nights. The goat manifests a violin. His play tells of sadness. But hidden deep within his melody, there is an inner kindness that no one ever sees. His music tells a story about a goat whose fleece will turn into gold.
The cat manifests a piano. Each key, she presses with special care. Always striving for perfection. She sings a song that starts with loneliness and ends in happiness. Her song is about following her heart even in the storm. The fox manifests a saxophone. His song tells a story of coolness and smoothness, walking with boldness through life. Playing pranks and overcoming challenges. His song speaks about laughing at the cosmic joke. The eagle manifests a bass guitar. He plays with confidence. He sings a song of justice, of integrity and honor. His song is authentic, he doesn''t care what people like him. His song speaks about following your dreams. The bear manifests an acoustic guitar. A tune of calm and peace with a softness you wouldn''t expect from such a giant bear. His music tells a story about standing up for himself. The dog starts beat boxing. Creating sounds with his snout, like a DJ at a rooftop party. He is the one guy, everyone wants to be friends with. His song is about finding himself.
The pigeon starts to sing. A wonderful song of kindness and purity, a song of compassion directly from the heavens. Their song tells a story of the silent one, who begins to talk. The bunny is playing with the triangle. A simple, but beautiful play with sounds, like church bells. Her soul sings of an appreciation for all the beautiful things in the world. She faces the world with unwavering curiosity and wonder. Her song is one of Healing and transforming. The chicken is shredding with his electric guitar. He is going full heavy metal. A very fast rhythm. His head starts banging. He takes a deep inhale and then screams like a metal core lead singer. His soul song speaks of finding inner strength and hidden bravery.
When it was the goldfish''s turn, he starts to rap in Spanish. Rapping about his story of hardship and challenge, of stubbornness and endurance. His song is about never giving up faith in yourself.
Even the scorpion who observes everything from a distance, feels compelled to clap along to the music. But he resists the urge. All voices, sounds and instruments mixed together into One single, harmonious symphony. Everyone was playing their part. The symphony got louder and louder. The song mutates, it gets even more complex and beautiful. All of their hearts were open for a moment. There was a unity of consciousness. A synchronization with source. All were One in this harmonious symphony. At the very moment, as the song comes to it''s crescendo, all participants had a sudden vision. A sudden flash. One single image, which was different for every one of them. All breathed out in unison. As the song was over, everything was quiet for a moment. All have seen, what is possible to achieve through Togetherness. They were overcome with emotions. There it was again, this joy, they thought, they had lost. This hidden light revealed itself. Some cried tears of joy, others were hiding their faces. All LEVEL UP + 10.000 EXP SEEKER LVL 12! + 10 Max Vibes (50 Total) + 11 Companions + 5 Love NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: WAVE OF LIGHT NEW ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: THE GATHERING OF THE ARCHETYPES The mysterious stranger clears his throat: ¡°Perhaps now that I finally have your attention... Shall we talk about ''the tribe of Humanity''?¡± TO BE CONTINUED The tribe of Humanity
Part 18: The tribe of Humanity The Seeker and the mysterious Stranger have reached half of the great volcano. Alongside them walks a group of animals. Their path leads towards a flat plateau. A structure of marble stairs, etched into the rock wall. White stone, like in ancient Greece. It looks like an ancient Hellenistic theater. ¡°Since how many millennia have humans been fighting against each other?¡± questions the Stranger from the very top of the steps.
¡°How many horrific wars did humanity brought onto itself? Tribe against tribe, nation against nation. Because we look different, because we speak different languages or have different cultures. How often did we fight, because of different values or religions? This constant fighting... And all of that, because we are still thinking in terms of tribes. Just as we did thousands of years ago. We may have advanced technologically, but inwardly we are very much the same. We are separated in culture, religion, ethnicity. And out of this separation, polarization is born. All that, because we never stopped thinking in ''ME'' vs ''YOU''. Conflict between groups, conflict between individuals, inner conflicts within. As individuals we are in conflict with life. As an collective we are in conflict with nature. So much conflict and it''s always the same root: ''Separation'' Where there is separation, there is conflict. That''s like a universal rule. Since Millennia, tribe is fighting against tribe, kingdom is at war kingdom... All of this fighting... What if I tell you, that there only ever was one tribe to begin with? The tribe of Humanity. I am Humanity, you are Humanity, we are all Humanity. We all have the same spark, within us. We are all the same force of life, flowing through our Human avatars. We all come from the same source of being. We are all one. That''s how it always was. We were always just blinded by the attachment to our identities. And thus, we are unable to see another. We see others through limited images, because this is how we see ourselves. If you see the world with burning eyes, you will find ''Humanity'' in every face. When you use your full awareness, you will see, that behind the masks we are all the same. Each war, between two tribes, kingdoms or nations, was always just a war against the ''tribe of Humanity''. We were always in conflict with ourselves. Where there is unity, there is harmony. The ''tribe of Humanity'', is not a tribe as you would think of one. I use the word ''tribe'' as a metaphor for our connection. On a ''soul level'', we are all connected. When I talk of the ''soul level'' I talk of a specific dimensional layer of reality. You could also call it the ''astral realm''. You and me, each of us, carry the same ''light'' in the heart. Only when our hearts are closed, is the connection severed. When we are disconnected from our ''source'', the Ego takes over. It creates big scars not only within us but also everywhere around us. This is the root of most our problems. This disconnect. This separation. Our hearts got cold and turned to ice. We all see, that the untamed Ego is the cause of many problems. But what is the solution? Getting rid of it? I am looking at you, dog.¡± The dog is hunting after his own tail. He suddenly stops.
The Stranger continues: ¡°The Ego still has a role to fulfill in our MIND-BODY-SPIRIT-COMPLEX. And telling yourself that you are free of it, is just another illusion. Or why else do you keep repeating the same thought pattern all the time ''I am free of ego''. You do know, that this very thought itself stems from ego?¡± The Stranger looks at the eagle. The bird is frozen.
All are silent, until the chicken raises his wing. ¡°Is anyone else here from the Andromeda constellation?,¡± asks he chicken, while looking at each of those present.
The Stranger takes a deep breath and continues: ¡°''The tribe of humanity'' is the tribe that you are seeking. It was always your ''soul tribe'' all along. From the day you were born into this incarnation, you became part of this great tribe. No matter where you are in this world; whether in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Australia, Europe, South-America or North-America, all humans are part of this. No matter the religion, no matter the culture, we are all on Team Humanity. Your fate is the fate of Humanity. Your destiny and the fate of Humanity are entangled. Because we all share the same consciousness. Your consciousness is the consciousness of Humanity. We are all one. Whoever you were in then past, doesn''t matter. What connects this tribe now is ''LOVE'', unconditional Love in it''s purest form. Without prejudice, without preference, without attachment, without any self-centered action. As we have discussed it, when we asked ''what is love?''. And this LOVE extends to all things in existence, uncoditionally. Without neither preference between individuals, nor Humanity and Nature. In coexistence and Harmony with the universe. Because that is the way, that it''s always supposed to be! When the heart is awakened, then the connection to ''Source'', is re-established. But even when you open your heart, you must remain disciplined, because the Ego always tries to close it again. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Walk with awareness in your eyes, wisdom in your mind and love in your heart. Walk your path Together with the ALL. Side by side, as co-creators of your journey. Be your truest Self, because that''s what you came here to do.¡±
The Stranger looks at the silent gathering of animals on the white marble stone slabs. All of them are speechless, until the fox raises his voice: ¡°What about the ten Pesos, you promised us for listening to you?¡±
The Stranger takes a look at his wallet. It''s empty. The Stranger whispers nervously into the Seekers ear: ¡°Eyyy psst... Can you borrow me some money? I spent my last 140 Pesos on those beers.¡± With a sigh, the Seeker reluctantly pays each of them 10 Pesos.
The group walks up the theater. At the top of wall, where the marble stairs end, the northern path continues. A very narrow road.
The eagle and pigeon fly through the sky. A sulfuric cloud keeps them low. ¡°It''s not true,¡± rants the eagle. ¡°I have long transcended the Ego. I am awakened, enlightened, liberated and ascended. I have earned myself more labels, than anyone else through my spiritual practices. How could someone, as wise as me, still posses an ego?¡± The pigeon nods quietly. They would like to call the eagle out on his bullshit, but they remain silent.
¡°Alright,¡± growls the bear at the chicken, as they walk the path, next to each other. ¡°So if you are telling me, that birds don''t exist, then what about the pigeon and the eagle?¡± The chicken takes a nervous look around, to make sure that no one else listens. ¡°That''s exactly what I am trying to tell you,¡± whispers the chicken into the bears ear. ¡°We are already infiltrated!¡±
The bear sighs, pinching the space between his eyes. ¡°Are you seriously trying to tell me, that these these two are spies for the government?¡± The bear points at the eagle and pigeon. The eagle rambles incomprehensibly, while the pigeon sighs tiredly. ¡°No,¡± denies the chicken. ¡°The government is just a puppet of the cabal! This goes way deeper, than you think!¡± ¡°The cabal?¡± asks the bear with pain in his eyes. ¡°Boy, you should watch less thrillers on TV. Next thing you will tell me is that ''star wars'' is based on real events...¡± The chickens eyes get serious, as he whispers deeply: ¡°Are you telling me, you know of the Orion-Lyrian wars?!¡± The bear takes a look around him and screams: ¡°Does anyone want to swap places?¡±
The Stranger and Seeker suddenly stop, the group of animals stop as well. There is a gorge in the volcano. A rift in the ground. The path continues on the other side. At their cliff is an old tree.
The chicken fakes concern. ¡°Oh no! Seems like there''s no other way. Let''s head back to the bar.¡± ¡°I told you this would happen from the very beginning,¡± complains the goat. ¡°But as always, no one cared to listen to me!¡± With a smirk, the Stranger walks towards the old tree at the end of the cliff. ¡°My friends, there always is a way. Seeker, do you still have that Royal Axe from the Satyrs?¡± ¡°I knew, that it would be useful one day,¡± says the Seeker, while pulling out the axe. The Seeker starts chopping with their axe into the tree. After a couple of hits, the tree falls over the edge, creating a bridge that connects both sides of the cliff.
First the Stranger crosses the abyss, followed by the Seeker, the cat, the dog, the squirrel, the goat, the fox, the bunny, the goldfish and the chicken. The pigeon and eagle just fly towards the other side. The last one to cross is the bear. ¡°I''m too heavy,¡± grunts the bear with a sad face. ¡°That''s as far as I can go... If I step on that wood it will break.¡± ¡°You can do it,¡± asserts the Stranger from the other side. ¡°No I can''t,¡± denies the bear. ¡°It''s physically impossible. Look... It was a fun journey... But I''ll head back home... You guys have to continue without me...¡± ¡°Be honest with yourself. You don''t want to give up yet... You are just afraid. You haven''t come this far, just to go back again... Back to where you were before... No, you want to see this through to the end. And if you are truly determined, then nothing in this world can stop you from finding your way.¡± ¡°Yeah but...¡± ¡°If you fall, then we will catch you! We are all in this together and no one will be left behind. If you sprint, as fast as you can over that tree, then you will make it. We''ll have your back.¡± The bear looks at all of the animals on the other side. He sighs with a sad voice and turns his back on them. He walks back to the ''Red Ditch Inn''. But then the bear stops, as a new thought suddenly arises in his mind: ''No! I won''t give up that easily!''
His eyes begin to burn. The bear takes a deep breath, turns around and faces the cliff again. He runs as fast as he can, towards the edge. As he sprints over the fallen tree, it''s bending downwards. Sounds of bark cracking. Leafs and twigs falling down. Despite his weight, the tree carries the bears weight. But just as he almost makes it to the other side, the tree fractures and breaks in half.
Seconds before falling into the abyss, the Stranger and Seeker grab each of his paws. All animals lend the bear a hand. Even the birds are holding on to him. Together, with united forces, they pull the bear over the edge. The bear and everyone who has pulled him over the edge, lay on the ground for a moment to breathe. The floor is made of solid rock. All breathing in and out. As the bear recovers from his sudden shock, he takes a closer look at their surroundings. They have almost made it to the top. One third left of the volcano. The sun is shining vibrantly on the horizon. Everyone is stunned by the beauty of the environment. All thoughts are gone. Only peace and joy prevails. There is simply the beauty of nature and all observers marveling at it. A new glimpse.
As the group continues on their journey towards the top of the volcano, a small scorpions clings to the hairy back of the bear. ¡°Now, I will finally end the Seeker,¡± whispers the scorpion. His giggle turns into a maniacal laughter.
TO BE CONTINUED How Power corrupts society
Part 19: Power corrupts ¡°Where there is power, there is no love,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. The group of animal spirits is listening. They all walk upwards to the summit of the great volcano.
¡°See, what power has done to the world. It creates imbalances. Imbalances within society. Imbalances in relationships. Imbalances in oneself. Power separates the weak from the strong, the poor from the rich. Power corrupts even the purest of heart. See, how many wars have been caused, just because some Egos hungered for power. Authority is a dangerous thing. It binds our hearts, which long to be free. We have built hierarchies. We have created systems of control. Systems of wealth and value. Now let us ask why. Why have we created such systems? Why do we sustain them? The system has formed organically. Out of the ego, which is corrupted by a hunger for power. It is perfectly adapted not only to sustain the ego, but also to feed the ego. We have created a self-perpetuating cycle for the ego to thrive in. The ego grows, whenever you give it attention. The ego grows, when you talk about yourself. The ego grows, when you think you are special. The ego grows, when you are attached to an identity. The ego grows when others pay you attention. You find personality cults in all religions, cultures and belief systems. Think of social media enabling narcissistic behavior. Think about how celebrities, billionaires and politicians are worshiped. All just to sustain the ego. Now this system neither serves the powerless, nor does it serve the powerful. The powerful hates his mirrors reflection and the powerless hates his life. And yet everyone craves for more ''power'' or its material counterpart ''wealth''. Because we can''t let go of our need to control. Because we are still too based in our fears. Don''t hunt after power. Because it will never give you, what you really want: LOVE. And even if someone offers you power, decline it. Because it will always corrupt you. I don''t want to be any persons servant, nor do I want to be any persons authority. Because the very idea of authority is based on an illusion! The illusion of there being levels.¡± The Stranger suddenly stops, as he realizes, that no one listens. He takes a look behind.
The animals all surround a single tree. The Seeker is also in the circle.
¡°I bet five bucks on the squirrel,¡± says the cat to the fox.
¡°I''ll also bet on the squirrel,¡± says the dog to the fox, while slamming a banknote, on the table.
¡°Me too,¡± growls the bear. ¡°Squirrel.¡±
¡°I''ll bet on the fish,¡± says the chicken.
The Stranger whispers into the Seeker''s ear: ¡°What did I miss out on?¡± ¡°As far as I was told, the fish insulted the squirrel. So the squirrel challenged the fish, to a tree climbing contest.¡±
The Stranger raises his eyebrows. ¡°I thought the fish doesn''t speak English?¡± ¡°He doesn''t,¡± confirms the Seeker. The squirrel looks at the fish with an angry stare. ¡°So you really think, that you can climb better than me? Huh?! I''ll show you what happens, when you insult my mother.¡± ¡°?Puedes decirle a esta ardilla loca que deje de gritar?¡± The eagle shrieks. This is the starting signal. The race begins. The squirrel climbs the tree, as fast as possible. With laser-sharp focus she filters out every distraction. Within seconds, she calculates which branch or twig to catch and which to avoid. She climbs the top within 46 seconds.
¡°This must be my new highscore,¡± she screams in triumph, standing at the very top. With heavy breathing, she looks down. The fish is still on the ground. He hasn''t moved an inch. ¡°Impossible,¡± utters the surprised squirrel in disbelief. ¡°You are already back down again?¡± When she hears the squirrels echo, the bunny looks impressed. ¡°Whoa! When did you climb up?¡± she asks the fish in a plastic bag with curiosity. ¡°I didn''t even see you move...¡± ¡°?T¨²! Con las orejas largas... ?Quiz¨¢s has visto a mi hijo? Es un pez como yo...¡±
¡°We live in the illusion of there being levels,¡± repeats the Stranger. The animals gather together. They continue on their journey. ¡°There are no levels, between humans. We compare ourselves on levels of skill, or levels of talent, levels of confidence, we compare ourselves on academic levels, or even on spiritual levels. However the very idea of ''comparison'' is based on a lie. Because what we compare are images. Simplifications. Think about it. Can you really compare yourself with another human being? You are absolutely unique in this universe. No one will ever have the exact same experiences as you. No one will ever have the same feelings, memories or thoughts as you. You, in your wholeness of your being, are absolutely unique on earth. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Comparing two different people, is like comparing a fish to a squirrel. And ranking several people in limited categories, by performance or value, creates only an environment of pressure. Which creates competition. Which creates conflict. Which creates suffering. When you compare yourself to others, it will either give you a feeling of superiority or inferiority. Which in turn only sustains the ego and becomes an attachment. Comparison makes you envious or insecure, which will lower your vibration. Comparing your path to someone else path will never get you very far. Focus on your own path, then will you move on. You see - we compare each other despite this very uniqueness of each one of us. Because we feel the need to be placed high in a ranking, we rank others. Why not just be free? Why not just accept your own journey, instead of comparing it to others? Why not just see the beauty of your own life? But anyway... Why do people long for power? Is it because they feel powerless? Do we seek for strength, because we feel weak? Where does this human need for control have its origins? In our fears. In our attachments. In our pain. When you can''t control your ego, your ego longs to control others. Now what happens, when we follow someone elses authority? Firstly we become dependent. We give our power to them. We become unable to walk our own path. We become unable to ask our own questions and find our own truth. But our hearts long to be free. Our joy is lost, when we are bound in chains.¡± ¡°Okay I get that with the authority,¡± agrees the fox. ¡°But I can''t just tell my boss ''Fuck You, I won''t do what you tell me''. I don''t want to be fired or arrested.¡± .
The Stranger nods. ¡°Yes of course. You need to pay your bills, you need to follow the laws... But that is not, what I am talking about... Inwardly, can you be free of any authority? That means, that you are neither attached to any person, belief nor dogma. Be ready to question everything, because this is how you free yourself. It might be difficult in some political systems to ask questions openly, but no one can control your thoughts. So inwardly never stop asking questions, until you yourself found a sufficient answer. Even question yourself. There is nothing more dangerous to the ego, than a question. Its about having inner freedom and balance. Like not being bound by any belief, dogma, ideology. But choosing your own ones without attachment. Not allowing any other person to have power over you. When one realizes that we are all just playing roles, then the very idea of authority falls apart anyway. When you see behind the mask, and find your self in every person, comparison becomes meaningless. So we all see, that we have created a lot of chaos due to our use of power in society, relationships and within oneself. How should we then live, when we see how dangerous power is? When we want to live in balance, we need to find a different approach to power. As an individual and as a collective. To remain balanced, we should neither exert power over others, nor should we accept authority over us. We become unbalanced, when we try to control. We become unbalanced, when we are controlled. Instead walk with the flow. Walk with the universal rhythm. If you do so, there is no need for any control, because the universe will always have your back. Have trust. Free your mind. Follow your heart. Synchronize with your higher Self.¡± The Seeker shakes their head. ¡°You are a hypocrite! You criticize authority, while playing teacher at the same time.¡±
¡°Don''t follow the authority of any person. Including me. Since the very first time we met, Seeker, I told you, that I am not your teacher or authority. I am your friend. I am just sharing with you, what I found and then it''s up to you, what you do with it. If it serves you - keep it, it''s for free. If you don''t want it - throw it away. So don''t just jump because someone says so. Don''t jump because I say so. Only jump, if your heart tells you ''yes''. And if your heart tells you ''no'', you are just not yet ready for it.¡± The Seeker nods silently. As the chicken listens to the conversation between the Stranger and Seeker, he suddenly experiences a Deja Vu. He is frozen for a moment. ¡°Alright,¡± growls the bear next to him and tears him out of his shock. ¡°So let me just try to figure it out... You are saying that all governments in the world conspire together, just to hide the existence of aliens?¡± The chicken shakes his head. ¡°NO... All nations are just marionettes of the lizard people.¡± The bear is speechless. The eagle drops in on the conversation. He can''t keep it to himself any longer: ¡°Dude... All of these conspiracy theories that you believe in, are based on multiple false conclusions and presumptions, that can''t be proven. And the worst thing is... Your own theories contradict each other... I mean like... you can''t believe both in flat earth and Reptiloids... If you really need to believe in that nonsense, then you should at least pick only a single one of these theories and stick to it!¡± The chicken looks directly at the eagle in shock, then he turns his head back to the bear and whispers nervously into his ear: ¡°See?! I told you so! The bots are already among us!!!¡±
Meanwhile the scorpion hides himself on the crown of a tree. Waiting until the group crosses his path. ¡°The Seeker needs to end,¡± speaks the scorpion with bitterness in his voice. ¡°The Seeker is what blocks one from finding the truth, from finding enlightenment. Because the Seeker will always run in circles. Unable to ever find the answer, the Seeker must be sacrificed! Only then, do we reach full attainment.¡± When the Seeker is just below the tree, the scorpion jumps from the tree with his sting headfirst. Missing the Seeker by centimeters, he lands on the ground and hides in the grass. The Seeker feels a gush of wind around their hair. They don''t even realize the attempted attack. The scorpion sits hidden in the grass and rubs both of his scissor claws together. ¡°This round is on you! I''ll get you, damned Seeker. Even if it''s the last thing, I will ever do!¡±
¡°I have attained enlightenment,¡± shouts the cat. ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Where did you find enlightenment?¡± asks the bunny. The pigeon also listens in on the conversation silently. ¡°Is it your tail?¡± asks the dog. ¡°It must be your tail. I am sure it''s your tail.¡± ¡°Alright, I will tell y''all exactly how to do it,¡± purrs the cat. ¡°Firstly, get your self some crystals. Amethysts. Plenty of Amethysts. Then do some Tarot. Meditate for five minutes. Talk to the angles. Do some Yoga and speak some mantras. Repeat daily for the next 20 Years and then you will reach enlightenment.¡± The bunny writes down her words into a notebook. ¡°What''s next again after Tarot?¡±
The goat meanwhile thinks of the next victim to drain energy from. The goat looks at the Mysterious Stranger. ''I''ll bet his energy tastes great,'' thinks the goat silently, while licking his lips. ''What will work on him? Should I cry of pain? Should I insult him? Should I nag? Should I be annoying?'' ¡°Yes,¡± decides the goat with a smirk. ¡°Being annoying should work.¡± The goat forces himself through each pair of animals to the very front of the line and walks next to the Stranger. ¡°Baaa!¡± yells the goat annoyingly. ¡°Baaa. Baaa. Baaa.¡± The goat expects a flow of incoming energy. But nothing happens. The goat tries again: ¡°Baaa. Baaa. Baaa.¡± Still no transfer of energy. ''Impossible,'' thinks the goat to himself. ''Why is it not working?!'' ¡°It''s because I am not paying you any attention,¡± speaks the Stranger in a calm voice.
¡°Energy vampires absorb other peoples energies, by catching their attention. The more they speak, the more you get tired. The act of listening is a transfer of energy. This is something natural, however energy vampires abuse this power. They steal other peoples energy. By doing this, they also steal their ''luck''. They rarely do it consciously, it happens without them being aware. It is often the manifestation of unresolved childhood trauma. Like not receiving enough attention and finding survival strategies to make up for that feeling of lack. However, absorbing energy is addictive and feeds the Ego. Many vampires have such an inflated ego from all the absorbed energies, that it''s very difficult for them to find their way back. However its not impossible. Even for an energy vampire there always is a way. But the journey is longer. You are allowed to walk beside me, Goat. Because I believe in you. Because I believe that there is a path for you as well, a plot-line, a story just for you. But I won''t give you my energy. If you were to receive too much of my energy, as you still are now, you won''t do any good with it. You''ll use it selfishly. That''s why I need to ignore you, until you have done appropriate inner work to use my energy responsibly. Then I''ll be happy to share it. But until then I won''t feed you any more, than this.¡± As the goat listens to the Strangers words, he suddenly feels a wave of energy, flowing over his entire body. A vibration in his spine. A shiver. Something deep within ignites in the goats heart. Like a deeply hidden spark flaring up, like a dormant seed sprouting. A hidden potential unfolding. It doesn''t feel like the kind of energy, he usually absorbs. It feels like the full force of the sun, burning all darkness within. For that short moment the goat has a vision of his fleece turning golden.
Meanwhile someone else grabs the Stranger attention. ¡°Why are you not talking to us directly,¡± asks the squirrel the Stranger. ¡°I talk to You directly, when I talk to all of you,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°I''m talking to you on multiple levels simultaneously.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± says the squirrel. ¡°I know that. But I want you to talk to my character.¡±
The Stranger understands now. ¡°Sorry for not reacting to comments,¡± apologizes the Stranger with a serious face. ¡°You know... It''s just not my style. I hope you can respect that.¡± ¡°Ha! Coward!¡± screams the goat, believing he found a weak-spot. The Stranger does not react to his comment. The squirrel accepts. ¡°Okay... I understand.¡± ¡°But perhaps,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°I might respond in my own unique way every now and then.¡± The group suddenly stops. The path ends right in front of them. Right in front of them is a massive rock wall leading to the very top of the volcanic hole. Etched into the wall are stairs. The last part of the northern road.
TO BE CONTINUED The Great Shift
Part 20: The Great Shift ¡°Are you ready to take a leap of faith,¡± asks the Mysterious Stranger the Seeker. They walk the last steps up to the volcanic hole. To the summit of the great mountain. Twelve animal spirits walk behind them. A curious bunny, a clever fox, a passionate squirrel, a proud eagle, an optimistic dog, a perfectionist cat, a kind bear, a creative goat, a quiet pigeon, a brave chicken, a funny fish and a twisted scorpion. All of them walk slowly, with some hesitation in their steps. ¡°We went through countless lessons,¡± continues the Stranger, turns around and faces the group. ¡°And see how far we have come. I hope you are now ready for the first test. Are you ready to face the UNKNOWN?¡± Suddenly something up ahead catches the attention of all animals. The Seeker turns around. A woman in a red dress walks down the stairs.
¡°Don''t listen to him,¡± shouts the red-head woman. ¡°If you follow him, you will die! He is insane!¡± She stomps down the mountain, rambling angrily. All eyes are caught on her until she fades out of sight. ¡°Who the hell was was that?¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°Explaining this would take too long,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Let''s just say, that the walls between the timelines are very thin up here.¡± .
The Stranger continues walking. The animals follow hesitantly with a seed of doubt flowering in their minds. ¡°Did you know, that this volcano is called ''the Great Shift''?¡± converses the fox, breaking the unnerving silence between him and the bear. ¡°Some say, that somewhere on this mountain, there is a hidden portal... A gate into a higher timeline. That''s at least what some of the alchemists told me... But it''s just an old myth. No one ever found any proof of that... Just some ancient inscription of an unknown language.¡± As the bear learns the mountains name, he thinks of something funny. He stops listening, impatient to finally tell his joke: ¡°Great shift you say?¡± blurts out the bear, as soon as the fox ends his sentence. ¡°moRe LiKe ''biG ShiT'' aM I riGhT?¡±
All steps halt. Every conversation suddenly drops. All eyes gaze at the bear. A painfully awkward silence. ¡°It sounded funnier in my head,¡± mumbles the bear spitefully. The journey continues. The bunny hops to the front position to talk with the Stranger. ¡°Where are we going?¡± asks the curious bunny. ¡°It''s time to take our first test,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°This is our examination. Are we ready to trust our hearts? Are you ready to take a leap of faith and jump into the UNKNOWN?¡± The Stranger and the Seeker suddenly stop. All animals stop as well. They made it to the top, to the end of their path. They all stand at the edge of the volcanic hole. All eyes peek down below. There is glowing lava.
¡°So this is where the path ends,¡± comments the eagle. The goat sighs. ¡°See?! I told you all along, hiking up here is a waste of time.¡± The chicken swallows his spit. ¡°But... They told me the volcano was inactive!¡± The Stranger turns around and faces the crowd. ¡°This is now the time of decision. Your names have been called. Will you answer the call, or will you go back to where you used to be? Are you willing to follow your heart? Not your emotions, not your thoughts. This inner intuition. This unconditional love. This light within you. The heart of your soul. Will you jump? Or will you go back?¡± All of the animals look at the Stranger in shock. ¡°Jump?¡± asks the pigeon confused. ¡°You mean like... Down there?¡± The pigeon points at the lava. The volcano looks threatening. Bubbles of lava popping.
¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°We need a leap of faith to progress further. Both in a metaphorical and in a literal way. When we jump into the hole, it will open up a portal to a different ''area'' of the ''map'' in this ''game''. Or a different timeline, so to speak.¡± ¡°You really expect us to jump down there?¡± questions the bewildered eagle. ¡°It''s steaming hot! We''ll melt in the fucking lava!¡± ¡°No one in their right mind would ever jump down there...¡± screams the cat. The fish starts getting nervous. ¡°?Por qu¨¦ estamos aqu¨ª arriba? ?Y por qu¨¦ est¨¢is todos tan amenazadores en el borde? ?Quieres sacrificarme? ?Oh Mar¨ªa Madre de Dios prot¨¦geme de estos locos!¡±
The Stranger addresses the entire crowd: ¡°Look... It''s not about you trusting what I am saying or believing in me... Or any other nonsense... It''s about you having faith in yourself. In your heart. In your way. Trust in your own path. And if your heart tells you ''don''t jump'', then don''t do it. It just means you have a different journey.¡± He turns to the Seeker. ¡°Seeker, I respect your choice. It is entirely up to you, whether you wanna jump or not. There is no better path, both are equally valuable. Just make sure to follow your heart. Don''t give in to fear or illusions. Don''t regret your decision afterwards. And never forget, there always is a way! Make sure to read the desired ending first. I would also advise you to return to checkpoint 4 and start again from there. Anyway my friend... I hope, that I will meet you on the other side. I believe in you. See ya.¡± The Stranger takes a deep breath, his eyes are burning. The Stranger jumps headfirst into the depths of the volcano. Like a swimmer jumping from a springboard into a puddle of glowing lava.
The Seeker and the animals are standing in shock at the edge of the hole. All witness, how the Stranger drops into the lava, flowing through it, as if there were no physical barrier. Suddenly there is a deep, loud thunder from below vibrating in all things. A pillar of light suddenly emanates from the volcano and illuminates the sky.
Then suddenly everything is quiet again. The eagle, fox, cat, goat, pigeon and bear all get together to discuss what to do next. The dog, bunny and squirrel play catch. The scorpion meanwhile tries to explain Non-duality to a fish, who only speaks Spanish. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°It''s bullshit,¡± whispers the eagle to the others in the circle. ¡°If we jump down there, we will die!¡± ¡°Didn''t you see that flash of light?¡± questions the fox. ¡°This is clearly the portal. It''s real!¡± The cat meanwhile shuffles her deck of cards. ¡°How strange,¡± she utters quietly. ¡°No matter how often I reshuffle, I always get the fool.¡± The goat cries: ¡°My legs hurt. I want to leave this place. My life sucks. Earth is a prison planet!¡± The pigeon thinks about jumping. They analyze various possible outcomes. ¡°Will you jump, chicken?¡± asks the bear and turns his face. The bear suddenly notices, that the chicken moved. The chicken stands alone at the edge of the volcanic hole. He looks down into the pool of lava.
¡°I have been here before,¡± utters the chicken, staring into the lava hole. ¡°This already happened before...¡± The chicken receives a download of information into his mind. A shiver strikes though his spine. His heart gets warm. His eyes first light up in awe, then the fire within starts burning. ¡°This is it,¡± he says in realization. ¡°This is my second chance.¡± He screams: ¡°This time, I won''t chicken out... This time I will live without regrets. I will follow my heart.¡± Suddenly all conversations get silent. All eyes stare at the chicken in anticipation. ¡°What are you doing?¡± shouts the bear worried at the chicken. ¡°Standing there is dangerous!¡± ¡°No need to worry mate,¡± interjects the fox calmly. ¡°He''s too scared to jump, anyway.¡± The eagle laughs smugly. ¡°Hey chicken, if you don''t move away from the hole, you''ll be fried chicken soon.¡± The chicken turns around quietly. The Seeker and the chicken exchange eye contact, before the chicken faces the edge and jumps into the hole. ¡°I will be brave,¡± screams the chicken, while falling into the depths. He flaps his wings and slows his fall. As he touches the lava, he floats through it, without any loss of speed.
Again a heavenly sound thunders through the land and a pillar of light emanates into the sky. All animals stare in shock down below. No one expected the cowardly chicken to actually jump. The bear takes a look around. He is frustrated by the inaction of the other animals. ''You cowards! Why is no one doing something? Will you all leave the chicken behind? Isn''t he your friend?'' But then the bear suddenly has a realization. His eyes glow up, it dawns on him. ¡°I am his friend.¡± His heart warms up, his eyes are burning. The bear takes a deep breath and sprints towards the edge of the hole. ¡°I''ll be there for you,¡± growls the bear, while forming a cannonball and jumping into the lava. Again the earth vibrates and the volcano shoots a light beam up. The eagle shakes his head. ¡°Guess then I''ll need to do it too. I can''t lose against that damned chicken... Let''s just hope that jumping really worth it...¡± With a warm chest, the eagle flies up and dives right down, straight into the lava. ¡°I''ll become worthy!¡± shouts the eagle, as a new light beam glows up.
The fox has dreamed all his life for this moment. It was finally coming true. ''There it is,'' he thinks to himself. ''My way out of here. But should I really take it? It will be hard... Harder than anything I ever faced before. Should I really do it? Or should I go back and just chill on my couch?'' The fox takes a deep breath in and laughs amused. ¡°I face the challenge head-on. Let''s see, if the legends are true. If the portal truly exists, then I''ll take it. New timeline, let''s go!¡± With burning eyes, the fox jumps into the hole and shouts: ¡°I will live without regrets.¡± Another pillar of light. The cat takes a deep breath in, as she listens to her heart. It warms up. A shiver through her spine. ''I will jump,'' she thinks to herself silently. ''But I don''t know what happens next. I have no control, where I''ll end up. I am scared. I might die. I don''t wanna do it. I shouldn''t do it... I will...'' The cat suddenly shakes off the intrusive thought. With determination in her voice and resolve in her eyes, she purrs. ¡°I follow my heart. I won''t give in to fear!¡± The cat runs towards the hole and jumps over the edge.
However just before jumping, she changes her mind. She loses balance and falls, while clinging to the edge. For a moment she grasps tightly, but then it looses. She takes in a deep breath, closes her eyes and lets go. ¡°I will land on my feet,¡± she prays with burning eyes, as she floats through the lava surface and another pillar of light appears. The goat wants to go back to the inn. But something within tells him not to. Like the promise of an unexpected miracle happening in his life. He remembers his vision. Where he stood on this mountain singing in a chorus, wearing golden fleece on his skin. He tries to keep his face from breaking in tears and walks forward. ¡°I want to change,¡± speaks the goat from the depths of his heart. ¡°I want things to change in my life. If this is what it needs... then I''ll do it.¡±
The goat jumps into the hole and screams: ¡°I will be happy!¡± A new pillar of light appears. The fish in a plastic bag is moving closer to the edge. The animals start to notice. The squirrel, the bunny and the dog cheer on him. The pigeon observes quietly. The fish screams in terror: ¡°?Necesito ayuda! No tengo control sobre la bolsa. ?Rueda solo! ?Para! ?Debes hacer algo!¡± The bag rolls ever closer towards the edge. The animals clap in unison. ¡°Go for it, bro!¡± shouts the dog. ¡°You can do it,¡± cheers the bunny. ¡°?Ay dios m¨ªo! ?Ahora empiezan a cantar! ?Por favor no me sacrifiques! ?Tengo un hijo!¡± The fish fights against the movement of the bag. He pushes in the other direction. But it''s useless. The bag with the fish falls over the edge. ¡°I will be heard,¡± shouts the fish in English before he drops into the lava and a new light appears. ¡°Now it''s my turn,¡± shouts the dog excited. ¡°Finally it''s my turn.¡± He sprints towards the edge. But he stops himself just before jumping. His eyes are frozen. ¡°I don''t know any cool catchphrases,¡± realizes the dog in terror. ¡°I can''t just jump without a catchphrase. Everyone else had a catchphrase. What will people think of me, if I jump without catchphrase? I should think of a catchphrase... Something that is unique to me. Something that people want to hear.¡± The dog smiles, as he realizes something. ¡°I got it,¡± he shouts and jumps down into the hole. ¡°I will be true to myself,¡± barks the golden retriever, while falling into the lava. Another pillar of light.
''I am next,'' thinks the squirrel silently. ''But I can''t just leave behind my stash of nuts... They are my entire life savings.'' The squirrel thinks about the thousands of nuts she stored in a street lamp. It took her months to fill it up. ''No,'' she thinks to herself. ''Anyone could just take my treasure, while I am gone. I can''t just leave it behind. I need to protect, whats mine!'' The squirrel shakes off her thought. ¡°When I am hungry, I''ll just find new nuts,¡± she proclaims with burning eyes. She charges right towards the edge and jumps into the volcano.
¡°Now it''s my turn to say it,¡± shouts the squirrel, while falling into the lava. ¡°I will be--¡± She is cut-off mid-sentence. A sudden burst of light shooting upwards, illuminating the sky. ¡°Did she say tree or did she count three,¡± asks the bunny the pigeon. The pigeon shrugs. ¡°I don''t know...¡± There is some silence between the pigeon and the bunny. ¡°Are you scared of jumping,¡± asks the bunny the pigeon and breaks the ice. ¡°No,¡± lies the pigeon. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± admits the bunny. ¡°Do you think we''ll die?¡± ¡°I guess it will be a bit like dying,¡± contemplates the pigeon. ¡°I mean... If this truly is a portal into a timeline, where I transform... Then the old ''me'' must go for a new ''me'' to take it''s place... So yeah... You could say, no matter whether its lava or a portal... to jump means to die...¡± ¡°I am afraid to die,¡± speaks the bunny. ¡°But I know, it can''t stay that way forever... I need to take things seriously... I am here for a reason and it''s time to accept responsibility.¡± The bunny stares into the distant horizon and breaths in. ¡°I will jump. What about you?¡±
The pigeon thinks for a moment, before responding: ¡°You know, I come from a flock of 6 identical looking gray pigeons. My actual name is pigeon number 3. I''m neither the first of the pigeons, nor am I the last. I am the most mediocre one. I have no outstanding talents. There is nothing special about me. I am a forgettable nobody. I am just the background character in other peoples stories... All the time I think, I am wrong here. I shouldn''t be part of this group... I have nothing of value to contribute... And yet... I stand here... above this pit. Even though, I am just a boring pigeon... I am now offered a purpose. I am treated with the same respect, as all those extraordinary people. For the first time, it feels like I don''t need to hide behind the shadow of someone else, but become the star myself. And you know what... My answer is YES. I will jump. Even if it means the death of the old me... I want to see that new version of myself come into existence. I want to take the highest path. I want to become the greatest version of myself.¡±
The bunny smiles. ¡°How about we jump together?¡± The pigeon nods. ¡°Let''s do this!¡± Together the bunny and the pigeon jump into the volcanic hole. ¡°I will be mature,¡± screams the bunny. ¡°I will be helpful,¡± shouts the pigeon. Two pillars of light flare up one after the other. At last, the Seeker stands alone on the summit of the volcano. Everyone made their choice. Now it is time for the Seekers choice. The Seeker takes a deep inhale and closes their eyes.
GO TO POST-CHAPTER AUTHOR NOTE TO MAKE YOUR CHOICE THE CANONICAL ENDING The Seeker breaths out and opens their burning eyes. ¡°I will jump,¡± they speak with determination. Lurking in the Seekers shadow, hides the scheming scorpion. ''Now is my chance,'' thinks the scorpion quietly. ''Everyone else is gone. No witnesses. Now, I can finally end the Seeker.'' The Scorpion clings to the Seekers heel. But before he can sting them, the Seeker jumps from the cliff down into the puddle of lava. The scorpion falls into it as well. As both touch the lava, it becomes transparent. They both float out of bounds. The Seeker suddenly sees geometric patterns. Like going through a tunnel or zooming in on infinite fractals. It feels like eternity. A state out of time. Then everything fades into darkness.
The Seeker wakes up in a strange room. It looks like a throne room. With them are the scorpion, the pigeon, the bunny, the squirrel, the dog, the fish, the goat, the cat, the fox, the eagle, the bear and the chicken. ¡°I am glad to see, that this time, all of us have made it here,¡± grins the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°This is now, where the journey truly begins.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Oops!... I Shifted Again Part 21: Oops!... I Shifted Again ¡°Where am I?¡± asks the Seeker the Mysterious Stranger, as they take a look around the room. Mystical inscriptions inscribed in the wall, from a time long forgotten. Ancient pictures, depicting forgotten history. Statues showcasing goddesses and kings. It looks like the throne-room of an ancient palace.
With them in the room are 12 animal spirits. All look at the Stranger in anticipation. ¡°You could compare this place to the ''menu'' or ''shelter'' in a video game,¡± responds the Stranger in a violet hooded robe.
¡°It''s a sanctuary. The place, where you assign your skill points. The place, where you trade your loot. The place, where we can take a look at the map. But fist things first... For walking the northern path and taking the leap of faith, we all receive EXP. Everyone levels up.¡± The Seeker feels a sudden burst of energy. Everything vibrates. Light flows through their body. All LEVEL UP + 20.000 GROUP EXP SEEKER LVL 15! + 5 Max Vibes (55 Total) .
The Stranger hands the Seeker a torch. Its flame burns violet. The Seeker accepts the violet flame. New Skilltree Unlocked: Alchemy ''Alchemy...,'' thinks the Seeker to themselves. ''What''s this about? Like doing chemistry or mixing potions?'' ¡°Not exactly,¡± explains the Stranger. ¡°Here we are transforming the mind, not matter. You have taken the leap of faith. You have chosen evolution. The violet flame will help each of us to transform into our greatest versions.¡± The Seeker takes a look at the Skilltree. To unlock skills, the Seeker must pay 5 LOVE. They spend all their LOVE to unlock the skill: ''Turning failures into lessons''. Meanwhile something happens among the animals. Each of their Auras suddenly change in color. Their auras all flare up and turn violet. EVOLUTION ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± asks the fox in panic, as his entire body starts vibrating. His tail splits into two distinct tails. His aura explodes. As the dust settles, he stands there in a new form: TWO-TAILED FOX SPIRIT 1 Strength 2 Speed 2 Charisma 1 Stealth 3 Intelligence 1 Energy Control Special ability: Duplication
¡°Wow...,¡± grins the fox excited. ¡°I feel so different now. Let me try something.¡± The fox closes his eyes and concentrates hard. Suddenly an identical twin forms out of his tail and separates when a full body is formed. The clone looks identical to the fox. As they touch each others paws, the two foxes merge back into a single one. ¡°This will be fun,¡± smiles the mischievous fox, as he already thinks of new ways to prank his friends. The aura of the eagle explodes next. He also receives a new form: THUNDERBIRD 2 Strength 2 Speed 1 wisdom 1 Resilience 2 Awareness 2 Energy Control Special ability: Lightning Strike
¡°I feel... So powerful...,¡± speaks the eagle and flaps with his wings. From his wing bursts out a lightning strike. The energy hits an mechanical circuit. A hidden door suddenly opens. ¡°Finally... Now that I can open these doors, I am able to get the hidden treasure! I don''t know, since how many levels, I was waiting for this.¡± The aura of the bear explodes next. He grows in size. New transformation: GRIZZLY BEAR 3 Strength 1 Speed 1 Wisdom 3 Resilience 1 Awareness 1 Divine Protection Special Ability: Humming
The bear tests out his new ability. He begins to growl but it turns into a humming: ¡°Ooooommmmmmmm¡± As he hums, everything starts vibrating. The ground, the walls, the roof. A piece of roof falls on the ground, revealing the full moon shining through the hole. All animals are frozen, paralyzed by his voice. No one can move until the bear closes his mouth again. Next turn is the cat. Her violet aura explodes. Her ears and hair changes. Dark patterns form on her fur. She grows in size. New transformation: LYNX 1 Strength 2 Speed 3 Clairvoyance 1 Psychic Power 1 Astral projection 1 Shadow control 1 Energy Control Special Ability: Third eye
The Lynx concentrates on the space between her eyes. When she looks at people, it is as if she suddenly receives information just by staring. She knows things, that she couldn''t know. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Next will be the dog,¡± predicts the Lynx. The dogs aura explodes. He grows in size, his fur changes color. New form: GREY WOLF 2 Strength 2 Speed 1 Astral projection 2 Awareness 1 Shadow Control 1 Agility 1 Energy Control Special Ability: Werewolf
¡°Oh no!¡± howls the wolf, as he looks through the open hole in the roof. ¡°Its full moon! Last time this happened, it ended in a massacre! Run away, guys! Before--¡± The wolfs body shifts again. He stands upright. Walking in two feet. His body grows in size. He turns into a horrific creature. ¡°Wait a second...,¡± speaks the werewolf, as he moves his claws. ¡°I am still fully conscious! Does that mean... I have mastered my shadow-self?¡± He swings with his claws. He jumps up and down, testing his new form. He holds this form for three minutes. When his hunger starts getting out of control, he turns back into his wolf form on his own accord. ¡°This is just like flow state,¡± howls the wolf excited. The goat transforms into something new as the violet aura explodes next. New form: Black Goat Edgelord 1 Clairvoyance 2 Psychic Power 1 Astral projection 2 Shadow control 1 Wisdom 2 Energy Absorption 1 Energy Control Special Ability: MIND CONTROL
The goat makes a hand movement, like a Jedi or a Sith. Directed at the bunny. ¡°Listen, I have a business idea. If you invest now, you will become rich.¡± ¡°Tell me more about this business idea that will make me rich,¡± responds the hypnotized bunny with spirals in her eyes. Meanwhile the squirrels aura explodes next. New Form: KARATE SQUIRREL 1 Strength 2 Speed 2 Agility 1 Resilience 2 Energy Control 1 Awareness 1 Psychic Power Special Ability: Chi strike
The squirrel takes a deep breath. Her hands begin to glow up. Like an aura of energy coating them. She strikes against a stone statue. It crumbles and shatters. Broken pieces fall on the floor. As she sees the helpless bunny being manipulated by the goat, she jumps towards the goat and strikes against the chakra nexuses in his energetic system. The goat becomes paralyzed. The bunny is freed from the goats control. ¡°Be careful,¡± shouts the squirrel. ¡°He is trying to exploit you!¡± The violet aura of the released bunny explodes. She receives a new form: WENUT 2 Speed 2 Energy Control 1 Awareness 1 Psychic Power 1 Divine Protection 1 Astral projection 2 Channeling Special Ability: Reiki healing
She looks like an anthropomorphic bunny goddess. Walking on two legs with long ears and a snout. She wears ancient clothes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asks the bunny the goat with compassionate eyes. The goat is bleeding from his face. She lays her hand on the goats wound. Her hand emits warm energy. Like an electromagnetic force. The goats wound closes. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± asks the goat confused. ¡°Didn''t you hear the squirrel?! I tried to exploit you! Why are you still helping me?!¡± The bunny smiles. ¡°Because that is what my heart tells me to do. I love you unconditionally, despite your flaws.¡± The goats eyebrows turn narrow. ¡°What? You think you are better, than me? Eh?!¡± The Grey pigeons aura bubble bursts. New transformation: WHITE DOVE 1 Speed 1 Energy Control 3 Awareness 2 Divine Protection 2 Channeling 1 Clairvoyance Special Ability: Bringer of peace
They quiet pigeons feathers turn all white. There is a golden glow around the bird. The white dove closes his mouth and takes a deep breath. As they exhale, a wave of light radiates through the entire room. All conversations halt. Everyone calms down. As the wave of light reaches them, they experience sudden bliss. Even the goat feels this wave of healing energy. He suddenly remembers that he wants to change. His heart speaks to him, it reminds him of his dream of having golden wool. It tells him, that he shouldn''t treat his friends that way. He listens to the beat of his heart, nods and speaks with regretful eyes: ¡°Sorry... I played with your heart, got lost in the game.¡± ¡°There is nothing to forgive,¡± smiles the bunny with a warm smile. The next one to burst is the goldfish in a plastic bag. New form: GOLDFISH IN A GLASSBALL 3 Speed 1 Energy Control 3 Divine Protection 2 Clairvoyance 1 Psychic abilities Special ability: Portuguese
The Goldfish is amazed. ¡°¨¦ inacredit¨¢vel como esta bola de vidro ¨¦ est¨¢vel em compara??o com a bolsa. Tamb¨¦m ¨¦ muito mais f¨¢cil de rolar!¡± The goldfish has full control over the round water-filled glass-ball. He plays with it, experiments how good it rolls. ¡°Acho que isso poderia realmente funcionar... posso at¨¦ chegar a Marte!¡± Suddenly the squirrel twitches, as she hears the goldfish speak. ¡°What the hell did y''all say about my mother??!¡± she yells violently, as she charges at the ball and kicks it away. The ball lifts off, flying directly towards the Seeker. ¡°Ops, voc¨º acha que estou apaixonado...!¡± screams the fish in panic, as he flies through the air. The scorpion, who lurks in the shadow, feels an explosion of his violet aura. His appearance turns yellow. New Form: DEATHSTALKER 1 Strength 1 Speed 2 Stealth 2 Intelligence 1 Awareness 1 Shadow control 1 Psychic Ability 1 Energy Absorption Special Ability: Spewing Venom
The Scorpion focuses his gaze on the Seeker. He aims with his sting and shoots a toxic liquid at them. But just before it reaches the Seeker, the goldfish jumps between them. ¡°Que fui enviado de cima,¡± screams the fish in terror. His glass reflects the venom. The liquid bounces back and lands on ancient stone tiles. As it comes in contact with the venom, the stone melts like lava. ¡°Damn it!¡± screams the scorpion. ¡°Mark my words... Next time, I will get you, Seeker!¡± ¡°Is it finally my turn?¡± asks the chicken excited. ¡°I bet I''ll have the coolest form.¡± His violet aura explodes. New form: BIGGER CHICKEN 1 Strength 1 Speed 1 Resilience 1 Agility 1 Stealth 1 Psychic Power 1 Astral Projection 1 Energy Control 1 Divine Protection 1 Clairvoyance Special Ability: Flame of Truth
¡°Seriously?!¡± screams the chicken offended. ¡°Is that all I get, for everything I went through?! This is unfair... I read it in the wrong order only by mistake! I swear!¡± The grinning Thunderbird kneels next to the chicken, with tape measure in his hand. ¡°Oh wow... You have grown by five centimeters,¡± laughs the eagle. The chicken gazes at the Thunderbird with spiteful eyes. ¡°You know what, eagle? Instead of always criticizing, why don''t you take a look at your own path?¡± As the chicken speaks, flames leave his mouth. The startled bird jumps away. Both the Thunderbird and the chicken are surprised. The chicken looks at the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°This is the Flame of Truth,¡± says the Stranger. ¡°Whenever you speak the Truth to someone else or to yourself, you activate it''s fire. It has the ability to burn away all lies and half-truths. But to exercise it, you must be true to yourself.¡± ¡°This is very difficult...,¡± speaks the cowardly chicken. ¡°I will be punished for telling the truth. Sometimes its just easier to lie...¡± ¡°You want to be brave right?¡± asks the Stranger the chicken. ¡°Then this is the way. There is nothing braver, than living in truth. To be authentic to yourself and to others. That doesn''t mean, that you need to lay bare all your secrets. It just means, that you are honest, whenever the situation demands it. Don''t sell illusions to others. Don''t live in illusions yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah okay...¡± sighs the chicken. ¡°However... I am still pissed off over that new form. I mean seriously... Everyone else gets cool transformations, but I am just a regular chicken. It''s not fair!¡± The Stranger places his palm on the chickens shoulder. ¡°We all need to work with the role, that we are assigned. Why not instead of complaining about your circumstances, focus on changing them. Work with what you have. You want a better transformation? Then make it happen.¡± The chicken breathes out air. His eyes are burning. ¡°I will become a dragon,¡± he decrees with commitment.
As he speaks, fire leaves his mouth. Words of truth are spoken. Suddenly twelve golden doors open up in the room. Above each door frame is a name written, corresponding to all twelve animal spirits. Their true name in a secret language. ¡°It is now time to part ways, my friends,¡± speaks the Stranger to the animals. ¡°But don''t worry. We will meet again.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± asks the bunny worried. ¡°Won''t we take the journey together?¡± ¡°Each path is unique. You all need to learn, how to grow on your own. But be sure, all of our paths will one day cross again. To some it may take days, to others may years, but all of us will meet again in YouTown.¡± ¡°Then let us do a promise,¡± demands the squirrel. ¡°That we will all one day meet again.¡± She puts her hand in the middle. ¡°We will meet again,¡± promises the fox and puts down his paw. ¡°We will meet again,¡± joins in the bunny. ¡°We will meet again,¡± affirms the bear and places an oath. ¡°I will meet you all first,¡± shouts the smiling Thunderbird and puts down his wing. The goat also places his hoof in the middle. ¡°I might also attend,¡± he mumbles quietly. ¡°Eu n?o sou t?o inocente,¡± sings the goldfish along, thinking he''s part of a musical play. The wolf, the lynx, the chicken and the dove also join in. ¡°We will meet again,¡± they decree in unison. ¡°Come on Seeker,¡± speaks the Stranger and places his hand in the middle. ¡°We are also part of this promise.¡± ¡°We will meet again,¡± decrees the Seeker and places throws their hand into the middle. Only one is missing: Deathstalker, the bitter scorpion. He lurks in the shadow, where no one sees him. His toxic-green eyes are glaring at the Seeker.
¡°Now is the moment!¡± whispers the scorpion. He jumps out of the shadow towards the Seeker. But the oblivious Seeker turns their back. The scorpion hits against the lever of a metallic construction on the wall. Suddenly the sound of an ancient horn echoes through the ancient room. Everyone is pulled into their respective door. The fox, the dove, the goat, the bunny, the wolf, the eagle, the lynx, the bear, the chicken, the Goldfish, the squirrel and the scorpion all fall into their portal, like falling into still water. All animal spirits are gone. Only the Stranger and the Seeker remain. The earth underneath their feet begins to shake. Something emerges out of the ground: A portal with a golden archway. Many symbols and images are inscribed into the golden pillars. It''s like a thin layer of blue water separates their room from what they see beyond. Daylight streaming into a dark cave.
¡°Checkpoint V,¡± whispers the Stranger. ¡°This time it will be different. This time, everyone is on board.¡±
The Stranger and the Seeker look at each other and nod. Together, both the Seeker and the Stranger step through the gate into the next part of their journey. TO BE CONTINUED A tale of Two Brothers Part 22: A tale of two brothers As the Stranger and the Seeker step through the gate, they hear the sound of a heavenly chant: ¡°Checkpoint 5 saved¡±
Daylight. The Seeker stands outside a cave. The path continues in front of them. Wide fields of flowers in the distance. Forests, hills and mountains.
¡°What about the animal spirits?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°Where did they end up?¡±
¡°Different places and different times,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°They have their own journeys, their own paths to walk. They will grow on their own, so that we may all one day meet again.¡± The Stranger and Seeker walk together through a vast valley. Hills of grass to the left. Dense forests to the right.
Every now and then, they come across ancient stone-carved totems from lost cultures.
¡°Forgiveness breaks the chain of resentment,¡± speaks the Stranger, as he continues on the path with the Seeker.
¡°We have all seen, what wars have done to the world. We are aware of the deep resentment between tribes. We see how separated we are as humanity. We see, how this very separation is the root of our conflicts. Now we need to ask ourselves, ''how do we heal this wound?'' How do we end these never-ending cycles of hatred and suffering? Forgiveness heals the scars of humanity. Forgiveness heals the wounds within oneself. What happens, when you can''t forgive? You are trapped in your own resentment. As long as you are unable to forgive, the scars will never be fully healed. Forgive whoever has hurt you. When you forgive another, you also heal yourself. Ask for forgiveness to whomever you owe it to. Own up to your mistakes, vow not to do them again. Forgive yourself and clear your guilt. If you want to live a life without regrets, you first need to clear whatever still holds you back. Forgive the perpetrator, for every time, that you were made the victim. Ask for forgiveness for every time, that you caused someone pain. Be it direct or indirect. Take some time for yourself to introspect. Go through your entire life from childhood to present moment. Go through all your memories and filter through every time that you hurt someone and through every time that someone hurt you. Think back to every moment, when you acted against your conscience. Think back to every regret, that you have. No matter how uncomfortable it may be, face it. Introspect your Traumas, your grudges, your resentments. No matter how painful, face it. Forgive those who harmed you inwardly. Ask for forgiveness to those, that you hurt. This exercise is about becoming conscious of your mistakes and thus reducing the chance of it happening again. By forgiving and showing remorse inwardly, it will release some of your energetic blockages. Forgive yourself for all actions, that you regret. Accept that you can''t change what has happened. Accept that the only thing that you can change, is who you are right now. In the present moment. Forgive yourself for past missteps, make sure not to repeat them. That is how you heal yourself within.¡± The Seeker suddenly stops.
The Stranger stops as well.
There is an old statue buried in the dirt.
¡°But what if that is not enough?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°What if I forgive myself and still feel regret? What if the same old thoughts keep repeating? What if I continue to make the same mistakes?¡± ¡°Then do it in person,¡± responds the Stranger calmly. ¡°Then it''s part of a lesson, that you need to go through. Face it head on... Even if its uncomfortable... Even if you can''t find the courage. Do it. Not only for the other persons sake, do it for your own sake.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The Seeker''s eyebrows become narrow. ¡°What if they don''t deserve my forgiveness? What if it''s impossible to forgive?!¡±
The Stranger remains calm. ¡°Listen to your heart. What does it tell you? Does it tell you to run away? Does it tell you, that you are in the right? No... The heart doesn''t say such things. It is only the Ego that is afraid of forgiveness. Your heart longs for it to be healed. And forgiveness is its cure.¡± ¡°You have no idea, what I went through!¡± shouts the Seeker enraged. ¡°Forgiving is easier said, then done!¡± The Stranger takes in a deep breath as. His speed slows down.
¡°Let me tell you a story," speaks the Stranger. "There once were two brothers, living in a place, far away. Even though they were often fighting, they cared for another. Until the older brother lost something and hurt the younger brother deeply. The younger brother couldn''t forgive, he turned resentful. But he hid his resentment under his smile. Always keeping it to himself. The brothers saw each other less and less. When the family came together, the younger brother always just ignored him. Over the years, he turned more bitter and provocative against his older brother. Until he found the resolve to live a life without regrets. One day, he took all his courage together and spoke his truth: ¡°I can''t forgive you.¡± His words shattered the facade. Everyone was quiet, then the younger brother resumed: ¡°But I don''t want to carry this burden any longer. I want to forgive you. I want to free my heart. But I just can''t.¡± ¡°Give me a chance,¡± pleaded the older brother. ¡°I have changed. Let me prove it to you.¡± The younger brother looked into his eyes and agreed. He saw his brothers true remorse and gave him another chance. ¡°Prove it to me,¡± demanded the younger brother. ¡°Show me that you truly have changed.¡± The brothers shook hands. A couple of months later, the two brothers met again. They walked for a while through the city, then sat down and talked. Probably the longest and most sincere conversation they ever had. The older brother had truly changed. The younger brother listened for the first time without being angered by every single word. He listened with compassion. His older brother told him of his past years of pain and suffering. The younger brother realized, that the older brother was torturing himself out of guilt. And for the first time he truly saw his brother, beneath the mask. And as he looked into his brother, he found his own reflection. He recognized himself in his brother. He realized that he was both himself and his brother. He was both the victim and the perpetrator. They were both the same actor playing different roles. He could see it clearly. And as the younger brother realized all this, he only had three words to speak: ¡°I forgive you.¡± Words to break a pattern. Words to free the heart. And as he forgave his brother, he ended a cycle for both of them. ¡°Now I see you,¡± spoke the younger brother to his older brother. ¡°I can finally see you.¡± No longer did he see his brother as a monster, as a villain or as a threat, he saw him for who he truly was. The two brothers embraced with a wonderful, purple-orange sunset sky above them. From that moment on, all resentments faded away. No longer thoughts spiraling over ideas of victim-hood or self-pity. The curse was broken, the heart was healed again. The two brothers renewed their relationship, no longer tainted by grudges and resentments.¡±
The Stranger suddenly stops. The Seeker stops as well.
The path leads to a man-made structure in the middle of the green valley. Huge, gigantic walls. A maze made of giant stone walls.
In the far distance, the Seeker sees a giant tower. Their path leads towards a gate into the labyrinth.
A sphinx guards the gate of the maze. A being, with the face of a beautiful woman with wings and the body of a lioness.
¡°To be invited into the ''labyrinth of the mind'', you must first solve a riddle,¡± thunders the voice of the great sphinx. The Seeker sighs tiredly. ¡°Why must everything always be about riddles, jokes or stories...¡± The sphinx deep voice thunders like a war-horn: ¡°Listen! At Dawn, I walk on four feet. At noon, I walk on two feet. And at Dusk, I float through the empty space. What am I?¡± The Seeker takes a moment to contemplate. ''This riddle sounds familiar, as if I had heard this somewhere before,'' the Seeker silently thinks to themselves. A sudden feeling of Deja-Vu. ¡°Was I already here?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. The Stranger doesn''t react. His calm, burning eyes are fixed on the Sphinx creature.
The Seeker turns their head and looks directly at the Sphinx. ¡°Your riddle... I think I know it''s answer. You are Humanity. At the Dawn of your evolution, you walked on four feet, at the noon of your evolution you walk on two feet and at the Dusk of your evolution, you will levitate through the sky.¡± There is a short amount of silence. Then the sphinx opens its mouth. ¡°You are almost as clever as Oedipus,¡± thunders the deep voice of the ancient creature. ¡°You shall pass!¡±
The sphinx fades away. Dissolving into air. The path is free, the gate is open. The Seeker suddenly realizes something, as they walk towards the gate into the maze. ¡°Wait a second,¡± mumbles the Seeker as they suddenly stop in their way. ¡°Did that sphinx dude just call me a motherf***er?¡± The Stranger quietly takes the first step towards the gate. ¡°You will lead the path through this maze,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°You will decide which way to take.¡± ¡°Me?!¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°I don''t know, where to go!¡± The Stranger grins with confidence. ¡°You will find your way. I believe in you. Besides, we are together in this. I will support you, but the journey must still be yours. The journey to find yourself. Walk with fire in your eyes and the path will unfold in front of you.¡± The Seeker contemplates for a moment. ¡°Did you already went through this maze in the past? Or is this also your first time?¡± ¡°Everyone has their own labyrinth of the mind. It looks different for every Seeker and Stranger.¡± The Seeker looks confused. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are there more Seeker and Strangers, than just you and me?¡±
The Stranger smiles but doesn''t answer. The Seeker takes a look around them. Looking at the mountains, the sky and the forest and then looking through the entry gate towards the path ahead. The Seeker takes a deep breath. ¡°Let''s go,¡± sighs the Seeker with ironic enthusiasm. As the Seeker and the Stranger walk into the maze, the gate behind them suddenly closes. The former entry disappears behind the stone wall. The Seeker has the feeling, that in the maze, time and space are expanding. The Seeker hides their secret fear behind a nervous laughter. ¡°Welp. Guess there''s no going back now...¡±
TO BE CONTINUED How to become aware of your own programming
Part 23: How to become aware of your own programming ¡°We are all conditioned,¡± says the Stranger to the Seeker, as they walk through a narrow corridor in the ''labyrinth of the mind''. ¡°Like a computer, our ego is programmed. Our belief systems, our ideas, our knowledge is, what shapes our thoughts. Thoughts are generated from memory, in form of language or images. Our thoughts are programmed. Our reactions are programmed. Our habits are programmed. Internally, we respond with emotional reactions to external stimuli. How we respond externally, depends on our internal thought patterns. Now there are thought patterns, which have formed naturally out of our memory, which is the past. Like Trauma or memories of pain, which implant fear. Or memories of pleasure, which implants desire into the ego drive. Then there are thought patterns which are instilled through education or dogma. By parents, by teachers. By culture and by religion. This is our social programming. This is our conditioning. Now can we be aware of our own programming? Are we awake to the fact, that we are conditioned?¡±
The Seeker contemplates the last question. ¡°You mean like the fear of hell, being used to control the masses?¡± The Seeker suddenly stops. The corridor, which went straight for hours, diverges into two distinct paths. One going left, the other going right. The Seeker looks first at the Stranger. No reaction. The Seeker thinks about it, then chooses the left path. The Stranger walks beside the Seeker. ¡°Yes. But the programming of our mind goes way deeper than that. Something as basic, as the very idea of choice, is a program as well. Good and Bad, Pleasure and Pain, Desire and Fear. This Bonding-Rejection mechanism of the ego is how our mind operates. Now let us look at the relationship between our internal mental programs to our external habits. Have you ever noticed reoccurring patterns in the way you react to certain situations? Observe, what makes you angry. Observe, what incites feelings of fear and sadness within you. Be aware of your own reactions. When you are aware, you notice that often times you react almost automatically. Your reactions correspond to the perception, that others have of the character, you are playing. It''s the same when you observe your own thoughts in meditation. You become aware of your own thought patterns and you see how these thought patterns are expressed in physical reality. Now through the very act of awareness you can break through the mental patterns. When you are aware of your programming, that awareness itself will incite a mutation within your mental patterns. Can you observe the program at the very moment, that it''s running in your mental system? Can you be aware of the thought as it arises within you?¡± The Seeker massages their temples in pain. ¡°You are causing me a headache... What you suggest, sounds like a lot of work... I thought it''s all about activating the heart?¡±
¡°Not just the heart needs healing,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°There''s a lot to unravel in the mind as well. Our thoughts manifest reality. If our reality sucks, we need to fix the way we think... Many minds are trapped in an seemingly nightmare. Living in illusions, in falsehood and in unawareness. We will untangle the mess, we have created. We will escape the prison, that we have built.¡± The path in the maze leads to a large round room. As the Seeker enters the room, they are welcomed by a familiar voice: ¡°Greetings,¡± speaks the merchant Rat who sits on the floor. Behind the Rat rests a donkey. A blanket is laid out in front of him, offering various items. ¡°Would you perhaps be interested in some thought programs?¡±
¡°Why should I?¡± asks the curious Seeker. ¡°Whats in it for me?¡± The Rats eyes become excited. He thinks of money. ¡°Well for a start, installing it, will give you a sense of meaning, belonging and purpose.¡± The Seeker becomes interested. ¡°Meaning... Do you perhaps have something to distract me from the lingering fear of death?¡± The Rat takes a white book from the rug, labeled: ¡°Religion¡± ¡°If you buy this book, you also receive a free membership to the fan club,¡± speaks the charming Rat. The Seeker takes a look at the book and scrolls through the pages. ¡°What Religion exactly does it represent?¡± ¡°It''s Religion in general,¡± responds the Rat. The Seekerl ooks at the other books on the ground. There is another book called ''science'', then there is one called ''ideologies'', one called ''conspiracies'', another one called ''spirituality''. ¡°What is the catch?¡± asks the Seeker skeptically. The Rat coughs and mumbles incomprehensible: ¡°Side effects may include Trauma, shame, corruption, exploitation, stigma, delusion, complexes...¡± The Seeker takes another look at the book. ¡°How much does it cost?¡± ¡°Give me 25 of your vibes,¡± responds the Rat. ¡°25 Vibes?!¡± shouts the bewildered Seeker. ¡°I won''t pay more than 20 Vibes!¡± ¡°Let''s make it 23 Vibes and you receive this religion platinum membership card. You get access to the VIP area up in the clouds.¡± The Rat shows a silver plastic card with the Seekers face on it. The Seeker strokes their chin, intrigued by the offer. ¡°What if I don''t like it?¡± asks the Seeker with hidden curiosity. ¡°We give you an extended refund warranty. If it won''t get you out of the labyrinth, you receive all your vibes back.¡± The Rat recognizes the desire in the Seekers eyes and reaches out his hand. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± The Seeker nods and shakes the rat''s hand. ¡°Deal.¡± - 23 Vibes Lost (32 Vibes left) New mental program installed: ''The Religious Mind''
Suddenly the Seeker receives an influx of information into their consciousness. A download of: Techniques, Rituals, Scriptures, Poems, Dogma, Prayers, Mantras, Songs and Stories. ¡°Wow,¡± speaks the Seeker in amazement. ¡°Now the Truth belongs to me alone! And whoever doesn''t agree with me, is telling lies!¡± The walls in the open space start to shake and vibrate. A part of the wall is opening up a new path. ¡°Look,¡± speaks the Seeker to the Stranger. ¡°Seems like our path continues.¡± The Seeker takes a look around and realizes that the Stranger is gone, nowhere to be found. ¡°Do you know where the Stranger is?¡± they ask the merchant Rat. ¡°Who?¡± asks the Rat confused. ¡°The Stranger!¡± repeats the Seeker a bit louder. ¡°You know... Always wearing a blue hood... Burning eyes... Incapable of shuttng up...¡± ¡°No... Doesn''t ring a bell,¡± shrugs the Rat. ¡°Are you serious?!¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°He was standing right next to me, just a moment ago... Also he was there, when we met at the tower of desire...¡± ¡°Oh right, I remember,¡± realizes the Rat. ¡°You and me, we met before! You are that guy from the dark tower. I knew, I have seen your face somewhere before! You bought that silver spray can.¡± The Seeker sighs and rubs their eyes. ¡°No I am talking about the Stranger. THE STRANGER!¡± The Rat looks at the Seeker, as if they were crazy. The Seeker sighs. ¡°You know what... Forget about it... I knew from the beginning, that the Stranger would abandon me eventually...¡±
The Seeker takes a deep breath and walks through the newly opened pathway. As the Seeker continues their path, thoughts start spiraling: ''I need to find the correct way through the labyrinth. If I won''t make it, I will be punished. I will end up in a bad place. But I want to go to a good place. What brings me to a good place? Should I follow a set of laws and rules? Should I meditate? Should I make a pilgrimage? Should I make a sacrifice? Should I get myself baptized? Should I worship an idol? Or is it my faith in a higher power, outside of me, that will bring me to a good place?'' The Seeker stands at a crossroads. One path goes left, the other path goes right. The Seeker takes the left path and continues walking. ''To go to the good place, I need to fit into the community. To go to the good place, I should follow what others tell me. To go to the good place, I should repress my true self. Out of fear of ending up in the bad place, I would never consider leaving my organization. I allow them to have power over me, because I am afraid of ending up in the bad place. I am programmed never to question. I am programmed to ignore contradictions in my belief system. I am programmed to imitate others, to follow the mass.'' The Seeker is pulled out of their thought, as their forehead hits against a massive stone wall. The Seeker stands at a Dead End. The Seeker feels a painful headache. Clenching their fist. Hitting against the stone wall angrily.
¡°Because I constantly need to behave in accordance to societies expectations, I have no control over my shadow aspect,¡± shouts the Seeker, as they hit against the wall until their fist starts bleeding. ¡°This can sometimes manifest as aggression.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The Seeker finds an unopened bottle of wine on the floor. The Seeker sits down on the ground, opens the wine and starts to drink it. ¡°Sometimes this can manifest as addiction,¡± burps the Seeker and wipes their mouth. The Seeker takes another sip from the wine. Then again, until they empty the entire bottle. ¡°Why die you abandon me, Stranger!¡± they cry in anger and throw the bottle against the wall. The glass shatters. ¡°Why did you leave me all alone?!¡± As the drunken Seeker sits against the wall, the clouds above float past their sight. Summer shifts into Fall, day turns into night. Whenever the Seeker shatters the glass, they manifest a new bottle of wine in their hand. A never-ending cycle. Repeating the same pattern over and over again. Until the Seeker one day sobers up and decides to find a way out of the maze. They walk back to where they came from. Sometimes turning left, sometimes turning right. After many days of aimless wandering, the Seeker arrives again in the open room, where the merchant had his camp.
¡°You!¡± shouts the Seeker at the rat with a mustache. ¡°That book didn''t do me any good! I want my money back!¡± ¡°Excusez-moi?!¡± asks the bedazzled rat. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± The Seeker throws the book to the rats feet. ¡°You promised me, that it will get me out of the labyrinth of the mind! I want a refund!¡± ¡°I believe you must confuse me for someone else,¡± speculates the rat with a french accent. ¡°Perhaps you have talked to my brother. A rat like me, but without a mustache. Unfortunately company policy excludes extended warranty conditions of competitors.¡± The Seeker looks at the rat skeptically. ¡°Do you seriously think, that I will fall for that trick?! You are obviously the same rat I met earlier, but with a fake mustache! Give me back my twenty-three Vibes, you owe me!¡± ¡°By heavens, Sir... Never would I even entertain the idea of trying to fool such a cunning being as yourself. Unfortunately I can''t accept a used book back at it''s full price. But tell ya what... I am willing to buy that book from you. I''ll give ya 5 Vibes.¡± ¡°FIVE VIBES!?¡± shouts the bewildered Seeker. They think about ripping off that fake mustache from the rats upper lip. But then suddenly the Seeker remembers, what happened the last time, when they tried to expose a fake mustache. The Seeker calms down and sighs. ¡°Alright... Here take that damned book...¡± + 5 Vibes added (37 Vibes left) Uninstalling ''The Religious Mind''...
¡°Now I feel so empty again...¡± comments the Seeker, with the program uninstalled. ¡°Is there nothing else to fill this void with?¡± The rat grins as he smells a new business opportunity. ¡°Hey You! Did your entire belief system just fall apart? Was your trust betrayed by false promises? Are you ready never to be fooled again? Then, why not try SCIENCE!¡± The rat hands a Grey book to the Seeker. The Seeker scrolls through its pages. The rat continues: ¡°With the use of science you can take a more rational approach to how you engage with life. No more primitive superstition. No more delusions.¡± ¡°And what does it cost me this time?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Since you are such a good sport, I will sell it to you at a special price of 17 VIBES! And additionally you will receive the MATERIALISM expansion pack for free.¡± ¡°Materialism,¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°You mean like being attached to material wealth?¡± ¡°No,¡± responds the mustache rat. ¡°I mean materialism, as in the philosophical theory.¡± ¡°Do I really need this expansion pack?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Not really. However if you haven''t installed it, you won''t be taken serious by the rest of the scientific community. So it is highly recommended.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°Install the science program and the materialism expansion pack.¡± - 17 Vibes Lost (20 Vibes left) New mental program installed: ''The rational mind'' + MATERIALISM ADD-ON
¡°Wow,¡± speaks the Seeker in amazement. ¡°Now everyone will acknowledge, that I am more intelligent than them.¡± Again the walls begin to shake, as a new door opens in the room. The Seeker takes a deep breath and walks through the newly opened pathway. As the Seeker continues their path, thoughts start spiraling: ''How should I find my way out of the labyrinth? Firstly, I should start keeping track, when I go right and when I go left. I should draw a map. Outside the gate I saw a tower in the center of the maze. From up there, I can observe the entire area.'' The Seeker stops and measures the hallway. Then the Seeker jumps multiple times up an down until they catch a glimpse at the tower in the distance. They use a stone to scratch numbers, sketches and geometry into the wall of the maze. Calculating, counting and estimating. After a couple of hours, the Seeker has devised a perfect plan. They stand up and continue walking. ''Consciousness is a material process. There is no magic. There is no wonder. What can''t be seen can not exist. I seek truth, but only when it proves my theories. I disregard my intuition. I listen only to my mind. To my logical thinking. I don''t want anyone to think of me as stupid, so I try to prove to others, how sharp I am. Through my competence, through my success, through research. I am under constant pressure to fulfill expectations.'' The Seeker is pulled out of their thought, as their forehead hits against a massive stone wall. The Seeker stands at a Dead End. The Seekers feels a painful headache The Seeker sighs tiredly, opens a pack of cigarettes and lights one with a match. They take a deep inhale and exhale blue smoke. ¡°Life is absolutely meaningless,¡± ponders the nihilistic Seeker. ¡°When we die, we are just dead and that''s it. No happy end. Just nothingness.¡±
The Seeker puts out the cigarette with their foot and walks back to where they came from. But the further they walk, the more they notice, that the path changes. ¡°This can''t be...¡± utters the confused Seeker. ¡°I could have sworn, that I had to go here left... Something must be wrong with my memory...¡± The Seeker continues on straight. The further the Seeker goes, the more changes they notice. The walls get more narrow and grow in size. The sky turns dark, its nighttime. ¡°Impossible... I memorized everything. I did the math multiple times... This maze makes no sense... It''s almost as if the maze changes all the time... But this is impossible... Stone walls can''t just magically appear and disappear... Could there be a hidden electric mechanism to pull wall segments into the ground?¡± In the early morning, after the night is over, they arrive back at the exact wall, the Seeker used to plan their journey. But the scratches are gone. ¡°Weird... I didn''t notice any rain...¡± The Seeker continues down the road where they came from, but there is a dead end. It wasn''t there earlier. They turn around and change direction. Suddenly there is a dead end as well. The Seeker is trapped. There is no way back. A Panic attack. They breath heavily. ¡°This can''t be happening... This can''t be happening... This must be a dream...¡± The Seeker rambles on and on, repeating the same words: ¡°How can a particle be a wave? It just makes no sense at all... Why does our observation change the interference pattern? Is it really possible... Could it be...? ...That Bohm was right with his Implicate Order all along?¡± Suddenly a door opens in the wall and daylight streams on the Seekers face. They stand up and walk through the door.
They are greeted again by the merchant Rat. He doesn''t have a mustache. ¡°Greetings, traveler. Are you perhaps interested in a mental program?¡± The annoyed Seeker throws the ''science'' book at the Rats feet. ¡°How much Vibes will you pay me for this?¡± The Rat shakes his head. ¡°Sorry, but we don''t buy used goods from unauthorized suppliers. However, if you still have that white book I sold you earlier, you can still claim your extended warranty.¡±
The Seeker clenches their fist, suppressing their anger. ¡°I already sold it to your brother...¡± The Rat looks surprised. ¡°Brother?¡± he asks confused. ¡°The rat with the mustache!¡± The Rat shrugs and shakes his head. ¡°I have no idea, who you mean... I grew up as a single child.¡± The Seeker tweaks their eyebrows. ¡°Alright... I don''t even care anymore... Just uninstall the mental pattern!¡± ¡°Are you interested to replace it with a new program? After all, you surely don''t want to face this emptiness again, do you?¡± The Seeker gulps. ¡°What do you have to offer?¡± The Rat holds up a red book. ¡°How about ''ideologies''? They will give you a sense of purpose. They give you the feeling of fighting against injustice and of belonging to a group. ¡° The Seeker seems uninterested. The Rat holds up a black book. ¡°How about ''conspiracies''? Are you ready to go down a rabbit hole and delude yourself? Do you want to make your own life more exciting and see the hidden evil in every shadow?¡± The Seeker yawns. The Rat holds up a blue book. ¡°How about ''Spirituality''? You can explore it with the open mind of science and the devoted heart of religion. With this mental pattern, you no longer need to limit yourself to a single concept, theory or belief system. You can even adopt several contradicting beliefs at the same time.¡±
The Rat catches the Seekers attention. ¡°That interesting. So I can basically pick whatever resonates with me and throw out the things, that are uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± responds the Rat. ¡°You can basically craft the internal programming of your own ego, as you wish it to be. If you work hard enough, you might even develop a so-called ''spiritual ego''.¡± The Seeker thinks back to when they carried that golden mask. ¡°''Spiritual Ego?'' I think I already got that achievement.¡± The Rat is amazed. ¡°Oh wow! Receiving that achievement is a true testimony of your wisdom. Only the greatest of gurus, teachers and saints earned the ''spiritual ego'' achievement. Earning this special achievement, without even installing the program is very rare. You will be a natural at cultivating your ego. Could even turn it into a career. 15 VIBES and the book is yours!¡± The Seeker purchases the program. - 15 Vibes Lost (5 Vibes left) New mental program installed: ''The Esoteric Mind'' SPECIAL SPIRITUAL EGO EDITION .
¡°Wow,¡± speaks the Seeker in amazement. ¡°Now I can distract myself from facing this inner emptiness with new, fancy attachments!¡± Again the walls begin to shake, as a new door opens. The Seeker walks through the newly opened pathway. As the Seeker walks through the corridor, their thoughts start spiraling: ''How should I find my way out of here? Should I ask the angles? Should I ask the aliens? Should I ask the fairies or spirits? Should I ask my master, my guru, my teacher? Should I do tarot reading? Should I burn incense? Should I meditate? Should I eat some mushroom chocolate? Should I go to a shamanic ceremony? Should I do yoga? What does my horoscope say?'' The Seeker stands at a crossroads. They turn left. Then they turn left again and again and again, as their thoughts keep spiraling. The Seeker is back at the beginning and asks themselves the question: ''How should I find my way out of here? Should I ask the angles? Should I ...'' This continues on and on. Days pass, weeks pass, months pass and the Seeker continues to walk in a circle. Repeating the same thoughts over and over. Until the Seeker, after countless cycles, suddenly realizes something. ¡°I haven''t moved at all...¡± The Seeker stops. They manifest a bong in their hands. They light a fire and hit the bong. ¡°Dude... Like... We are all infinite beings having a human experience...¡±
The Seeker takes another hit and exhales smoke rings. ¡°The human experience is made up of multiple dimensional layers of reality stacked on top of eachother. Like we have the physical dimension, we have the mental dimension, there is this dimension of stillness, the astral realm, the psychedelic realm... You can zoom in and out. You can also shift your own dimensional perspective, between that of the ego and that of awareness. Awareness... Which is the awareness of the universe, observing through the character. You can shift your perspective between that of the individual consciousness and that of the collective consciousness. Because you are both.¡± As the Seeker takes another hit from the bong, they forget, where they left off. Train of thought lost. Taking a look around, the Seeker notices, that they still haven''t moved. Still sitting on the floor. ¡°That''s it...¡± decrees the Seeker, coughing out green smoke. ¡°I won''t waste anymore time here!¡± The Seeker takes a look at a bag with herbs. They grind their teeth. ¡°I''ll do a pause,¡± resolves the Seeker and throws it over the labyrinth wall. As they stand up and a new door opens in the wall. They are back in the merchant base. With an open jaw, the bewildered Seeker gazes into the room. Two rats are counting money notes, laughing viciously. One has a mustache, the other one is beardless. ¡°How much did you make?¡± asks the mustache rat. ¡°Let me count it,¡± responds the beardless Rat. ¡°23 VIBES + 15VIBES...¡± The mustache rat suddenly notices the Seeker and taps on the other Rats shoulder. The beardless Rat turns around. The Seeker shakes their head in anger. ¡°You! I knew that something was off! I should have listened to my gut! But you know what... I don''t even care anymore... There is just one thing, I still don''t understand... Just tell me this one thing... If the two of you rats are brothers, why does the one with the mustache have a french accent and the other one doesn''t??!¡± The beardless Rat stutters nervously: ¡°Ow... Well... It''s funny... You shou-- I mean...¡± The Rat turns his head towards the mustache rat and shouts in panic: ¡°George! They are on to us!¡± The rat with a mustache turns into a donkey and speaks: ¡°Let''s get out of here.¡± The Rat jumps on the back of the donkey and rides through a newly opened door into the sunset.
. The door closes, before the Seeker even reaches it. The Seeker hits with their fist against the wall. . ¡°You know what,¡± shouts the frustrated Seeker. ¡°I don''t need you! And neither do I need your programs! I won''t follow any religion, theory or school of thought anymore! From now on, I will follow my own path!¡± . Suddenly the Seeker hears a familiar voice from behind their back. ¡°Finally... Took you long enough to figure that out. Now that you found your answer, we can continue on our journey.¡± . The Seeker turns around. It''s the Mysterious Stranger in her blue hooded robe. . ¡°Where- Where have you been?¡± asks the surprised Seeker with an open jaw. ¡°I was looking all over for you! You abandoned me!¡± . ¡°I never left your side,¡± responds the Stranger calmly. ¡°You were just unable to perceive me. Your programming made it impossible to look at me.¡± .
. The Seeker takes a deep breath and nods. ¡°Okay... I understand... You know... I really thought, that at least one of those programs would somehow get me out of here... But I didn''t progress at all... I was just running in circles. I have come to the conclusion that belief systems are useless. They might be comforting or pleasant... But all mental programs keep you trapped in the ''labyrinth of the mind''.¡± . The Stranger smiles. . ¡°To judge them as ''useful'' or ''useless'' is again just another programming of the mind. Evaluating as ''good'' or ''bad'' limits your perspective. We need to see things from all sides. Even if you can''t find value in a belief system, someone else may find value in it. In its essence all religions basically point towards the same thing. Towards this universal consciousness, towards this infinite intelligence. Surely every culture has a different name for it, uses different images or symbols to describe it. However if you look past the dogma, past the belief system, past the mythology, past the cultural differences, you''ll find that that in essence it''s just different paths to same mountain. Some have weaponized religion as means of controlling the masses. The ego claims the divine for itself and twists its meaning. Even the most holiest of words, corrupts when it''s spoken by the forked tongue of the ego. But despite all that, there are always people who manage to find their way back to the source. Belief systems have their place and the perspective of its followers are just as valid as any other. Never forget that you also once were there. So treat people with the same respect, that you expect from them. Even if you disagree, even if your beliefs differ.¡± .
. The Seeker thinks of something. ¡°Is it possible to live without any beliefs? To live without programming?¡±
The Stranger grins. ¡°That, my friend, is up to you to find out. Find out, whether you can live without any programming at all. Only you can find that answer, Seeker.¡± . A new door opens for the Seeker and the Stranger. Together, they step through the door into the next segment of the maze. . . . TO BE CONTINUED . How to deal with "PROBLEMS"
Part 24: How to deal with "PROBLEMS" ¡°I can''t keep track of time anymore,¡± speaks the Seeker to the Stranger, as they wander aimlessly through the never-ending corridors of the eternal maze. ¡°How many hours... How many days... How many weeks have passed, since we entered the labyrinth of mind?¡± ¡°Trying to figure it out is pointless,¡± comments the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°Within these walls, time and space are of little meaning.¡± The Seeker looks at the tower in the distance. Despite countless hours of walking, the two haven''t made any progress at all. It''s as if with every step towards the tower, the structure moves two steps away from them. ¡°Like seriously,¡± continues the frustrated Seeker. ¡°It''s as if the maze is alive. The corridors change all the time. We walk into a dead end, turn around and the path is completely different... Finding a way out of here is impossible! The labyrinth wants to keep us trapped! ¡° Suddenly, both the Seeker and the Stranger are startled by a loud growl, thundering through the corridors of the maze. The ground and walls are shaking. A Veil of white mist pours in from the junction, where two pathways maze cross.
¡°What''s happening?¡± asks the unsettled Seeker. ¡°It has arrived,¡± mumbles the Stranger quietly and turns to the Seeker. ¡°Lay on the ground! Now! Don''t make a sound! Control your breath! If it notices you, it''s over!¡± The Seeker and the Stranger both take cover on the floor. The Seeker holds their breath and observes attentively. From the corner steps a monster into their field of view. It has hoofs for legs. Each step sounds like an eerily rhythmic drum. The beast carries the hands and torso of a man and the head of a bull. Its presence is surrounded by an ominous, white mist. The Seeker is frozen at the hideous sight of the beast. Sweat drops from their forehead. With both hands, they keep their mouth shut. When the beast disappears behind the corner, the veil of mist dissolves. As soon as the monster is out of sight, the Seeker gasps relieved. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± whispers the nervous Seeker, after the footsteps fall silent. ¡°That beast looks like a Minotaur from ancient mythology!¡± ¡°I dare not speak its name,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°The ''labyrinth of the mind'' is its kingdom. If you hide from it, you will always run into it again. If you escape from it, it will always hunt you down. If you fight it, it will always rise again.¡± ¡°Perfect...¡± sighs the Seeker sarcastically. ¡°As if being trapped in an inescapable maze wasn''t difficult enough...¡± ¡°It''s not ''inescapable'',¡± comments the Stranger. ¡°Were you not listening? There always is a way. I have been trying to tell you that, ever since we left your bench...¡± The Seekers eyebrows contract. ¡°Then show me the way!¡± they demand infuriated. ¡°Seriously, I have enough of aimlessly wandering through this damned maze without progressing even a little bit!¡± ¡°Only you can find your way out of here. It''s your own minds maze, that you need to escape. No one can show you the way out of the prison, that you yourself have built... Anyhow... If you really don''t have any patience left, there is a short-cut... A glitch, a cheat, an exploit... If you want to use it now, we can make it to the tower in no time. However every Seeker can only use it once in their entire run. After you used it, the system will be patched. Do you want to use it now or save it for a later time?¡±
¡°What do you mean by ''glitch''?¡± asks the Seeker confused. The Stranger thinks of a different explanation. ¡°Well... You could say the real-life equivalent for this metaphor would be tripping balls until the walls of reality fall apart.¡± The Seeker is even more confused. ¡°Wha- What does ''tripping balls'' mean?¡± ¡°Look... I am not saying that using psychedelics is a short-cut to enlightenment. There is still much work to do and using plant medicine or consuming mushrooms alone won''t do the trick. However they make for great tools, if you are already on the journey and can accelerate the process of spiritual growth vastly.¡± Unable to understand, the Seeker scratches their head. ¡±I really have no idea what you are talking about... Will you now show me the shortcut or not?!¡± The Stranger sighs. ¡°Alright... We''ll make a trip by climbing the walls of the psyche. But be warned, it won''t work a second time.¡± ¡°Whatever... I don''t care,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°Just show me how to get to the tower and I''ll figure out the path from there!¡± The Mysterious Stranger faces the massive stone wall of the maze and touches it''s surface. ¡°You see those protruding rocks on the smooth surface of the wall? Use them to climb your way up to the top.¡± The Stranger climbs the massive wall, jumping from one ledge to the next.
The Seeker follows the Strangers exact movements. The Seeker pulls their body over the edge and reaches the top of the wall. Both stand on the surface. From there they can see the entire infinite labyrinth. Every corner, every corridor of the path forms like fractal patterns of a living, breathing organism. NEW ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Psychonaut
¡°Something feels off up here,¡± mumbles the Seeker. They have a strange indescribable feeling of being somewhere they are not supposed to be... Seeing something, they are not supposed to see. ¡°How... How is this possible?¡± asks the Seeker, unable to grasp what they are seeing. ¡°This feels more real, than reality...¡± ¡°After this trip is over, you''ll forget it again. Very few people can stare directly at infinity and remember. For the moment just focus on not falling over the edge. Keep your balance. Watch every footstep with close attention and move towards the tower in the center. Don''t look left, don''t look right. Observe only your feet.¡± The Seeker closes their eyes, takes in a deep breath and breathes out again. They focus on their feet and continue walking. Following closely behind the Stranger. They try to avert their gaze from anything they shouldn''t see. Avoiding anything, that could bring them out of balance. The two of them finally make progress. It''s as if the narrow path below the Seekers feet is altering itself and forms a straight line, leading directly towards the tower. ''It''s so close now...'' thinks the Seeker silently. ''Just a little more and we are in the center of this damned maze.''
Suddenly the Seeker notices a sound. An eerie tune. Ominous drumming. Heavy breathing. The Seeker looks down below into the corridor. The white mist is back. The Minotaur has returned. ¡°Oh damn! It''s that monster again!¡± shouts the startled Seeker. The beast hears the noise and looks up. Its glowing red eyes stare directly into the Seekers soul. The Stranger turns around and faces the Seeker. ¡°Watch out! Don''t lose your balance.¡± But it''s too late. The Seeker panics, trips and falls. They land down in the corridor, just below the Minotaur''s feet. ¡°I only have five Vibes left,¡± screams the Seeker in panic. ¡°If it hits me once, I''m gone!¡± The trip turns bad, the Seeker starts running. The monster growls and hunts after them. When the Seeker turns left at the corner, the monster follows closely. Jumping over obstacles and avoiding distractions. Whenever the Seeker peeks over their shoulders, the Minotaur is still hunting them with unwavering tenacity. At the end of the corridor, the Seeker sees an entrance into a big, open hall. ¡°That''s it! There''s the tower!¡± However just before the Seeker makes it to the finish line, the Minotaur catches up, jumps in front of them and blocks the way ahead. The red, glowing eyes of the hungry Minotaur stare at the Seeker. The monster puffs out white mist from his snout and licks his lips with appetite.
¡°I... AM... PROBLEMS!¡± growls the wild Minotaur. His words echo like thunder through the maze. Everything shakes and vibrates. The Seeker trembles in fear. There is no escape. There is no way out. Only despair. The Seeker falls to their knees. ¡°That''s it... I am dead...¡± However seconds before the Minotaur attacks, the Stranger jumps from the top of the wall between the Seeker and their adversary, fighting off the monster with a staff. ¡°RUN TO THE TOWER,¡± shouts the Stranger while fending off the Minotaur. ¡°I''LL KEEP HIM BUSY!¡± ¡°I won''t leave you behind!¡± shouts the Seeker. ¡°I''ll be alright on my own... PROBLEMS can''t harm me. But it just needs one hit against you and its game over! I''ll buy you some time! We''ll meet up again later!¡± The Seeker nods and runs away. ''I hope they won''t die this time,'' thinks the Stranger silently, while dodging a hit. ''I really don''t wanna do this checkpoint all over again...''
Meanwhile the Seeker runs through an open, circular area towards the tower in its center. They open a black door and enter the building. They shut the door close and barricade it with a wooden bar. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The Seeker takes a look around. The floor is made of chess-board patterned tiles. Throughout the hall, there are several columns in an ancient Greek style, connecting the floor to the ceiling. ¡°Weird... It''s bigger on the inside...¡± Suddenly a deep voice thunders, through the hall: ¡°I see... You are running away from PROBLEMS.¡± The Seeker recognizes the voice. It''s the sphinx, the winged lion, who guarded the entrance of the maze. ¡°You mean that Minotaur?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Naming him ''PROBLEMS'' is kinda strange...¡± ¡°It''s not just his name,¡± responds the sphinx. ¡°He literally IS PROBLEMS. This is what he represents within this maze, which is the matrix of the mind. It''s his kingdom. Many Human minds are plagued by PROBLEMS. Speaking his name alone causes worries and anxiety. If he once sets his eyes on you, he won''t stop until he catches you. You can''t hide, you can''t run, you can''t fight. No matter where you go, PROBLEMS will consume you.¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡± The Sphinx wants to answer, but she is suddenly interrupted by a loud, violent knocking against the door. ¡°PROBLEMS is here,¡± thunders the voice of the Sphinx. ¡°Take the stairs upwards. On every level you will encounter a new guardian who blocks your way to the staircase. Solve their riddles and they''ll let you pass on. Be fast, before PROBLEMS catches up to you!¡± A spiral staircase made from white marble, suddenly manifests out of thin air behind the sphinx. The knocking gets louder, the wooden door begins to bulge and splinter. The Seeker runs towards the staircase. As the Seeker advances to the next level, the door of the tower falls apart. A raging Minotaur breaks through. Thunderous Growling echos through the hall. As the Seeker takes a look behind, they catch a glimpse at the Sphinx fighting the Minotaur with a burning sword.
Entering the next level, the Seeker takes a look around. The floor is made of many mosaic tiles, like in an ancient roman bathhouse, depicting abstract images of geometric patterns. No walls are visible in the endlessly large hall. The Seeker hears the sound of a flute, playing an enchanting melody. On a single couch in the vast empty room sits an obese man with a flute in his right hand and a silver goblet of wine in his left hand. He wears ancient garments, a goatee on his chin and curly hair on his head. Two goat horns are attached to his head. ¡°Tell my name and you shall pass on to the next level,¡± speaks the ominous figure. ¡°I am the dreams you are chasing. I am the emptiness you can never fill, the prey you will never catch. If I give you something to drink, you will continue to thirst. I am born in your senses and live in your thoughts. It is I who tells you what should be yours and who you are supposed to be. Who am I?¡±
For some reason the Seeker thinks back to when they climbed the dark tower in a race against two mice. ¡°You are DESIRE,¡± responds the Seeker. The man in the chair grins. ¡°You shall pass.¡± He starts playing the flute. The sound of his instrument vibrates in the entire hall. A new spiral staircase appears behind DESIRE. The Seeker moves on to the next level. The Seeker walks up the stairs, but just as they are about to move on to the next floor, they witness the Minotaur attacking the man with the flute. PROBLEMS feast on DESIRE. As he consumes the man, the Minotaur gets larger and larger. DESIRE lets our PROBLEMS grow. The Seeker turns around and enters into the next floor. A carpet is laid out on the floor, showing a mandala in various colors. Again, the room seems endless. In front of the Seeker sits a woman on various cushions. She has three eyes and four arms, bearing multiple necklaces and jewelry. ¡°Speak my name and pass on to the next level,¡± speaks the ominous woman. ¡°I am the thought, that makes you cower. I am the shadow, you never dare to look at. I chase you around, I circle your mind. At night I whisper in your ear. I am the idea of failure. I am the memory of pain. No matter how fast you run, you can never escape from me! Who am I?¡±
The Seeker is suddenly reminded of when they fought against the winged demon at the dark tower. ¡°You are FEAR,¡± responds the Seeker after some contemplation. ¡°You shall pass,¡± speaks the three-eyed woman, as a new spiral stair case appears behind her. As the Seeker walks to the top of the stairs, the Minotaur catches up and throws himself at the woman. Tearing her apart and consuming her essence. PROBLEMS grow with FEAR. The Minotaur grows further in size. FEAR feeds our PROBLEMS. The glowing red eyes are gazing at the Seeker. It''s as if they are saying ''YOU ARE NEXT''. The Seeker runs up the stairs into the next area, panting heavily. The Seeker enters into liminal space. Like an empty office space. Eerie, yet familiar. Dreadfully empty. There is a single office desk with a computer and a man in a suit behind it. He wears a tie around his neck and a golden watch on his wrist. He sits on a chair coated in black leather. A name tag states ''CEO''. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± asks the ominous figure. ¡°I have been with you since your childhood. You can''t shake me off, you can''t get rid of me. If you fight me, I always come back stronger. You hide me so you don''t seem weak. As long as you don''t see me, I have power over you. I have my seat in the mind of every person. What is my name?¡±
The Seeker suddenly remembers, how they ventured together with the Stranger through an old mine shaft and fought a giant scorpion. ¡°You are SUFFERING,¡± responds the Seeker with certainty. ¡°You shall pass,¡± speaks SUFFERING, as a new spiral staircase appears behind his desk. While the Seeker walks up the stairs, he already hears the growling of PROBLEMS. The Minotaur destroys the computer, hits the desk and eats the boss in just one gulp. SUFFERING causes PROBLEMS to grow. The muscles of the Minotaur become bulkier. SUFFERING creates new PROBLEMS. The Seeker makes it to the end of the staircase. They stand on an open rooftop. It''s the end of the tower. There is no way left up. The Seeker oversees the entire maze. ¡°That''s it...¡± utters the Seeker, as the growls from downstairs, increase in volume. ¡°There is no way left to go.¡± The Seeker looks down at the area below, gulping. ¡°I''d rather fall, then face my PROBLEMS,¡± utters the Seeker while closing their eyes and inhaling deeply. But just as they are about to jump, they hear an unfamiliar voice: ¡°Hey psst... You! You don''t really wanna jump, do you? I see that you are plagued by PROBLEMS. Perhaps you could need some assistance.¡±
It''s a serpent crawling out of the shadow into daylight. Toxic green eyes, glowing in the sun. The snake climbs the Seeker''s feet and sits himself on their shoulder. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Let''s just say, that I am here to protect you,¡± hisses the forked tongue of the serpent. ¡°I can give you something... A weapon, that helps you out of this desperate situation. Surely you don''t want to run for the rest of your life, do you? No... You want to fight back. You want to end your PROBLEMS once and for all, don''t you? So why not show PROBLEMS, that you are not to be messed with?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°This damned Minotaur thinks that I am his prey... He thinks that I am weak...¡± ¡°But you aren''t weak,¡± hisses the forked tongue. ¡°No, you are THE SEEKER. After all... Wasn''t it you who overcame this many obstacles? It was YOU, who made it through the land of truth. And it was YOU, who took the leap of faith into the Great shift... Who does this Minotaur even think he is?¡± The Seeker nods. ¡°You are right... Who does he think he is?!¡± The serpent smiles. ¡°How about we make a deal? I can give you the power to solve your PROBLEMS, if you are willing to make a contract with me.¡± ¡°What do you want in return?¡± asks the cautious Seeker. The serpent moves his twisted tongue into the ear of the Seeker and whispers something quietly into their ears. The Seeker contemplates for a moment, looking down and looking back at the staircase. The growling of the Minotaur and his steps get louder with every passing second. ¡°Alright... We have a deal...¡± The serpent grins and opens his mouth. ¡°Pull out that sword.¡± The Seeker puts their hand in the serpents mouth and grabs the handle of an ancient sword from its insides. Pulling out a silver sword, covered by green slime. NEW WEAPON ADDED: Problem Solver
¡°One more thing,¡± hisses the twisted tongue, before crawling down from the Seekers body. ¡°Keep our meeting a secret from the Stranger.¡± As the Snake vanishes behind the shadows, the Minotaur storms from the staircase into the open rooftop of the tower. The Seeker holds their new sword tightly, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the beast. PROBLEMS charges at the Seeker. With a single strike the Seeker decapitates the Minotaur. The bulls head of the mythical creature rolls on the ground. The Seeker exhales in relief. ¡°I did it... I finally solved my PROBLEMS... Now I can be at peace.¡± Looking down, the Seeker spots an abandoned cart filled with hay standing just at the feet of the tower. ''Perhaps I can just aim for that cart of hay and fall down without any fall damage, like those assassins from a certain video game franchise.'' As the Seeker faces the ground below, a shadow rises up behind them. The headless Minotaur stands up again and re-attaches his head back on his severed neck. ¡°I ¨C AM ¨C PROBLEMS!¡± thunders the voice of the immortal monster. The Seeker turns around, their face is filled with fear. ¡°This... This can''t be happening... I defeated PROBLEMS... Why is he standing up again?!¡± The Seeker strikes their sword against the Minotaur. Stabbing his body again and again. Until the Monster stops moving. Even after the beast stops breathing, the Seeker continues to stab its lifeless body. The exhausted Seeker looks at the bloody mess, panting heavily.
¡°Even that monster can''t handle this amount of damage...¡± But then, blood flows back into the body. The wounds close again. Life returns into the monsters eyes. ¡°That damned beast is invincible,¡± shouts the Seeker in panic. Standing at the edge of the tower, with the cart of hay right beneath them, there is only one way out. The Seeker closes their eyes and jumps into the depths. Falling right into the cart. ¡°This should at least buy me some time, until PROBLEMS catches up...¡± Before the Seeker ends their sentence, they are interrupted by a sudden shake. A cloud of dust forms right next to the cart. Cracks in the floor. As the dust vanishes, PROBLEMS stands upright, fully healed and ready to fight. ¡°Nope,¡± sighs the Seeker with a tired voice, turns around and flees the scene. ¡°I can''t deal with this any longer...¡± The Seeker runs back into the maze. PROBLEMS hunts after them. But the Seeker is faster. The distance grows. They turn left at a junction, then right, then left again. ¡°Did I shake him off?¡± questions the exhausted Seeker, breathing heavily. They wait a moment, looking back at the corridor from where they came. Nothing happens. ¡°Seems like he lost me.¡± The Seeker calms down and continues to walk through the corridor. Up ahead the path splits in two. When the Seeker turns left at the corner, they bump into someones chest. They look up. An angry bullhead stares at the Seeker. ¡°Why do I always run into PROBLEMS?!¡± screams the Seeker, running away once more, as they are chased by the furious Minotaur. The Seeker runs and runs. They take a left turn and stand in a dead end. There is no way forward. They turn their head. The way back is blocked by the Minotaur. The Seeker tries to climb the wall, but there are no protruding rocks anymore. The surface of the wall is completely smooth.
¡°Damnit! So the glitch was patched after all! I should have saved it for later!¡± Slowly the beast approaches the Seeker, who holds their sword in a defensive position. ¡°Stay away from me!¡± shouts the frightened Seeker. ¡°Move one inch closer and I''ll cut you down, you damned monster!¡± The Minotaur takes a step forward, then another. Until the tip of the Seekers sword is mere centimeters away. The Minotaur growls violently, like a wild beast. His growling turns into coughing. The beast spits out slime, clears his throat and speaks with a clear voice: ¡°I have been trying to reach you about your extended warranty.¡±
The Seeker looks at the Minotaur with an open jaw. They are speechless. ¡°My... What?!¡± ¡°Your extended warranty,¡± repeats the Minotaur. ¡°For that book you purchased some time ago. Do you perhaps have a moment to talk about it?¡± The Seeker stutters in disbelief: ¡°No... I... umm... I already sold that book... But wait a second... Let me get this straight... Does that mean, that you weren''t trying to eat me?!¡± ¡°Well... Sometimes we make out PROBLEMS to be bigger, than they are.¡± The Seeker still can''t wrap their head around this. ¡°So you are telling me, that you were never going to hurt me? I was never in danger?¡± The Minotaur chuckles. ¡°PROBLEMS can only hurt you, if you allow them to hurt you. It''s all about your mindset.¡± ¡°So... Now what?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Does this mean, that you will now go away and will never bother me again?¡± ¡°That''s not how it works,¡± responds the Minotaur. ¡°PROBLEMS are a part of life. They will come and go. You can''t change that. The only thing, you can actually change, is how you deal with them.¡± ¡°Then how am I supposed to deal with you?!¡± asks the Seeker frustrated. ¡°I tried literally anything! When I hid from you on that wall, you found me. When I ran away from you, you caught up to me. And when I fought against you, you stood up again!¡± ¡°But you never tried to understand me,¡± responds the Minotaur. ¡°You wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. If you had taken the time to find out where I come from and where I go to, you would perhaps found a better way of how to deal with me. You could have seen, that there is value in PROBLEMS, because they give you the opportunity to grow. Perhaps we could have even become friends.¡± The Seeker bursts out in sarcastic laughter. ¡°Becoming friends with PROBLEMS? That''s ridiculous! They just cause stress, pain and disturb the peace of my mind!¡± ¡°Then imagine a life without PROBLEMS. Wouldn''t it get boring, if things always go your way? There is no development without challenges. Only in death are you free of PROBLEMS. So while you are alive, if you can''t hide from your PROBLEMS, run from them or fight them, why not try something different and befriend them?¡± The Minotaur reaches out his claw towards the Seeker. After some contemplation, the Seeker takes a deep breath. ¡°You are right... It never even occurred to me... Perhaps it''s worth a try... Let us be friends.¡± The Seeker grabs the claw of the Minotaur and shakes hands. The Minotaur begins to glow. His physical body dissolves into colorful energy, which flows like a stream directly into the Seekers heart. INTEGRATION OF PROBLEMS
The Seeker suddenly feels different. They feel more whole, than they did before merging with the beast. Like finding something, they lost a long time ago. ¡°Now I understand it,¡± utters the Seeker. ¡°I AM THE PROBLEM.¡± LEVEL UP! LVL 18: + 2 WISDOM VIBES FULLY RETORED (55 Total)
¡°I knew that you would make it,¡± speaks the Mysterious Stranger, who sits on the top of the wall, while biting in an apple. ¡°Where do you suddenly come from?¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°Were you sitting up there the entire time already? Why didn''t you help me?¡± The Stranger jumps down, landing right next to the Seeker. ¡°I placed my trust in you. And it turned out to be the right decision. Tell me Seeker, what did you learn from this experience?¡±
¡°I always believed the PROBLEM to be something outside of me. I always thought, since the Problem is external, the solution will be external as well. Turns out, the PROBLEM only ever existed within me.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°The Solution lies within the Problem. We are conditioned to solve PROBLEMS by using our accumulated knowledge. When facing PROBLEMS we follow the pattern of our fight-or-flight instincts. However we rarely ever try to find out the root of our PROBLEMS. If we look at the PROBLEM with our complete awareness, without any emotional distortions or biases, we find out how to deal with it. You see, more often than not, we ourselves are the root of our PROBLEMS. Not only are we unable to deal with the problems at hand, we are even creating new problems through our Desires, Fears and through our suffering. And if we are attached, we only add to the PROBLEMS, we already need to face. It''s like when your car breaks down. You can run away by distracting yourself from your PROBLEMS, but this won''t change the fact, that the car needs to be fixed. You can bring your car to a garage and pay the minimum amount. But if you only fix the symptoms and won''t get to the root of things, your car will soon break down again. Your PROBLEMS are not outside of you. Your PROBLEMS are not different from you. Separating yourself from your PROBLEMS is just another illusion of the mind. So go within. YOU are the PROBLEM and YOU are also the SOLUTION.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Where there is awareness, there is a way
Part 25: Where there is awareness, there is a way The Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger stand in front of a junction in the labyrinth of the mind. Their paths splits into two paths. ¡°Should I go Left or should I go Right?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°What are you thinking about, whenever the paths diverge into two directions?¡± responds the Stranger with a counter question. The Seeker scratches their chin. ¡°I am always in conflict within myself. In conflict between my mind and my heart. In conflict between my inner order and my inner chaos. One part always says left and the other one says right. Sometimes I choose chaos, sometimes I choose order. But no matter what I try... It makes no difference whether I think with the mind or with the heart... It''s impossible to make it out of here... So many cycles have passed... And it always repeats again... Is there perhaps no way out at all? Is it perhaps impossible to ever be free?¡± ¡°Imagine awareness as a skill tree,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°Awareness is that light within you. It''s the fire in our eyes. Awareness is, what lets us see that, which we have hidden. It lets us see the inside and the outside. And Awareness is love. Because the Awareness of YOU is the awareness of the entire system of reality. With awareness we have the power to always find our way. The way, which works the best, is the way you walk with love. Walk with love through the universe and the universe walks with YOU. You are not only connected to the ALL. You literally ARE THE ALL. And to Love another is to love yourself. For you have always been the other. Walk with Love in your heart, with light in your spirit, with strength in your body, with intelligence in your mind and with awareness in your eyes through the world. You see... There are four main Skiltrees in the game of reality: There is a tree of emotion, a tree of mind, a tree of the body and a tree of the spirit. It''s like the four elements. There is water, which is emotion. There is fire, which is spirit. There is air, which is mind. And then there''s Earth, which is the body.¡± WATER-EMOTION UNLOCKED: LVL 1 EARTH-BODY UNLOCKED: LVL 1 FIRE-SPIRIT UNLOCKED: LVL 1 AIR-MIND UNLOCKED: LVL 1 .
¡°You treat life as if it were just a game...¡± observes the Seeker. ¡°My friend,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°Don''t you see? Life is a game. You just never knew how to play it, because no one ever told you the rules.¡± .
For a moment, the Seeker thinks very deeply. Then their face suddenly lights up: ¡°Wait a second...? Does that mean, that I am now able to use elemental powers?¡± ¡°As we continue on our path, your powers will level up with us. Can you level up those skilltrees, until you reach the maximum? Can you fulfill the greatest potential of your character? And then even go further and see, whether you can break your next barrier? Can you walk with LOVE in your HEART, with FIRE in your EYES, with STRENGTH in your BODY and with INTELLIGENCE in your MIND? Are you ready to master the four elements and take it to the next level?¡± The Seeker doesn''t know how to respond... It''s as if the Stranger reads their thoughts. They drop their jaw. ¡°I... I don''t know what to say...¡± The Stranger breaks the silence. ¡°How about we start with Your Emotions. Can you heal all your childhood Trauma''s? Can you Let go of your attachments? Can You open your heart to universal, unconditional Love? Can you heal what is broken? Can you learn to trust again? Can you find yourself in all human beings? Can you reconnect to your SOURCE? Level up your heart, not only to heal yourself, but also to heal the world. To level up your Spirit, meditate. Be present. Practice Lucid Dreaming. Use Astral Projection techniques. Go within. Listen to your intuition. Listen to your dreams. Be creative. Practice music, art or writing. Be in meditative states. Use affirmations, prayers or subliminals. Practice Self-inquiry. Observe. Become choicelessly aware. Be aware of your thought patterns. Be aware of your words and actions. Where there is AWARENESS, there is a WAY. To Level your intelligence, be curious. Don''t lose your sense of wonder for this world. Question the world. Be discerning. Be honest. To others and to yourself. Always strive for truth. Don''t let the light of truth be dimmed by any untrue shadows. Never give up on finding Truth, on seeing through illusions. Find all knowledge you need for your journey. Be unbiased. Because intelligence observes without judgment. Intelligence wants to find truth, so never settle for any lies or illusions. And learn to be in flow. Let yourself be guided by universal intelligence instead of human intelligence.¡± ¡°What about the EARTH-BODY?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Welp. I am kinda still working on that one,¡± laughs the Stranger and scratches his head. ¡°However a good place to start would be dropping any harmful habits. Such as addictions to nicotine, caffeine or sugar. You can change your diet. You can take walks in nature. You can practice fasting. You can do martial arts. You can work with your energy.¡± The Seeker nods. ¡°Okay that was actually interesting. And what happens when I master all four of them? Will I get a special title? Like something very cool, that I can label myself with? Or do I receive a special trophy?¡±
¡°No,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°But leveling up, just makes it easier to walk your own highest path. You see... Every human being lives through a story. The story of their LIFES. Level up your heart, your mind, your spirit and your body to win in the game of life. It''s all about writing the most beautiful story for yourself. And because your story is connected to the story of all, by finding your highest path, the story of humanity will also shift into the highest timeline.¡± ¡°Yeah but still...¡± argues the disappointed Seeker. ¡°I still hoped at least for some kind of reward, if I actually manage to upgrade all my abilities to the highest level. Like some power or a cool title... Something like ''the Master of Elements''.¡± The Stranger sighs and massages his forehead. ¡°It''s just another useless label... But, alright if it makes you happy... I declare: If any Seeker, any man or woman first manages to Max out the four elementary skill trees, they shall be called ''the Master of Elements''. But trust me... This won''t be easy. No Seeker or Stranger ever managed to max out all four main skill trees in a single lifetime. It''s nearly impossible. Humans just don''t live long enough.¡± ¡°''The Master of Elements'',¡± mumbles the Seeker in awe. ¡°No one ever achieved it... So that means... That I could be the first?¡± ¡°If someone manages to achieve it, it would be like opening a pathway for others. It''s like a barrier broken and more Seekers can walk this new journey. A journey of self mastery. A journey of Love and Truth. A journey of spiritual, emotional, physical and mindful development. And with this you can now tell a new kind of story. You can shape your own destiny.¡± The Seeker gulps and turns their head, looking at the two pathways, they stand in front of. ¡°So... so should I go left or should I go right? Which pathway should I take?¡± ¡°What does your heart tell you?¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker. ¡°Well... I can''t stop thinking about the matter of trust. My heart has been broken too many times. My heart is fragile, so I try to hide it. You can''t trust anyone in this society. It feels lonely and meaningless. So my heart is closed. Because it''s too afraid of being hurt again.¡± ¡°You speak with the voice of Humanity,¡± notices the Stranger, pointing at the Seeker with his index-finger. ¡°But I was asking, which way your heart tells you to go. Left or right?¡± The Seeker raises their eyebrows. ¡°Oh... Well... Let''s go Right.¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger take the Right pathway. There are murals on the corridor walls. The Seeker hasn''t seen them in any of the previous corridors. The corridor runs straight through the maze without any divergence. Then after some time of wandering, the Seeker and the Stranger hit a dead-end. ¡°Don''t tell me we need to walk all the way back now...¡± However the Seeker notices something on the wall. ¡°Look, there is the symbol of a blue wave etched into the wall. Does that mean I can use an elemental water attack?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°However to activate it, you need to open your heart. Can you do this?¡± The Seeker closes their eyes and takes in a deep breath. The Seeker begins to meditate. They look back at their entire life from childhood to the present date. The Seeker thinks back to every pain that anyone ever caused onto them. They go through each moment, they ever hurt someone. In their mind the Seeker sees the faces of many people and thinks back to specific moments of the past. Negative memories, sad memories, guilty memories all rise up to the surface. The Seeker tries to see the things from new perspectives. The Seeker looks back with compassion, honesty and empathy at their regrets, wounds and mistakes. ¡°I forgive you and I forgive myself,¡± speaks the Seeker and lets out a deep exhale. ANTEDILUVIAN EXHALE The air from the Seekers breath turns into water. Like the flowing of a broken dam, a raging steam crashes against the wall of the maze and breaks apart. The Seeker and the Stranger step into a new room. The Room is formed like a heart with a red carpet on the floor. There is a pedestal with a single, golden key in a glass-case. The Seeker grabs the golden Key. KEY OF HEARTS ADDED WATER-EMOTION LVL UP: LVL 2
The stone wall in front of the Seeker suddenly turns into a locked door. The Seeker puts the golden key into the keyhole and opens the door. The Stranger and the Seeker both step into the next area of the maze. Again a long corridor. After some hours of walking, the path ends at a junction. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Should I go left or should I go right?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°Listen what your mind is telling,¡± responds the Stranger. The Seeker closes their eyes and meditates, observing thoughts floating in their mind: ''Should we go left? We always go left. Whenever we go right, something unexpected happens. We should still choose the left path. The Left path is secure, It is save. But if we take the right path, we may run into traps, monsters... However nothing really happens when I go Left. There is no progress. I am just walking in circles. Perhaps I need to take the right sequences of going left and right to find my way out of here. Perhaps there are more walls, that I can break with other elements as well. If there are more keys, I need to find them.'' ¡°Let''s go left,¡± decides the Seeker.
After a couple of hours, there''s a dead end. The symbol of a white whirlwind is etched into the wall. ¡°Unchain the Power of the wind,¡± speaks the Stranger. The Seeker closes their eyes and concentrates, with a deep inhale. New thoughts emerge from the stillness into their mind: ''We can use thought as a tool to enter into the subconscious mind and even the collective mind. Or rather it''s awareness, but we translate it into thought. This is what people call channeling and every human being is capable of it. Because we all exist on multiple layers simultaneously. We ''download'' information from the collective human consciousness into the individuals mind. This is where Ideas come from. This is imagination. This force of creativity flows from the infinite into our finite world. It''s the intention within us. We use thought to calculate. We use thought to plan ahead. We use thought to choose between options. We use thought to communicate. We use thought to learn, to accumulate knowledge. We use thought to get a job done. But we also see, that thought creates separation. We also see, that thought creates illusions. We see, that thought creates sorrow and unhappiness. We see, that thought keeps us trapped in our dualistic way of being. We see the destruction that thought causes in the world and in the individual. Then there is just absolute Stillness. Of thought, spirit, body and emotion. When you are free of thought and there is this clarity around you. Like when you have a lucid dream. Being in the present moment is like being lucid in the dream of reality.'' Suddenly the Seeker gets startled. And lets out a deep breath: BREATH OF THE WIND ¡°Wait a second...,¡± utters the irritated Seeker. ¡°This doesn''t sound like me... Where those even my own thoughts just now or where those your thoughts? Did I just read your mind?¡± The Seekers words carry the power of a hurricane storm. Their voice echoes like a thunder. The powerful wind bursts against the stones and blows a hole into the wall. A new path opens into a room, shaped like a diamond. The floor is covered with a red carpet. There''s a silver key is stored in the center of the room. KEY TO THE MIND ADDED AIR-MIND LEVEL UP: LVL 2
A new door appears. The Seeker uses the key and opens the hidden door into the next area. ¡°Should I go left or should we continue straight?¡± asks the Seeker after some walking, at a junction. ¡°Ask your senses,¡± responds the Stranger calmly. . ¡°The walls of the left path are more narrow, whereas the straight path is wider,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°The sun casts a shadow on the left path, it looks darker, than our current one. I hear a stream of wind from that left path. And there''s this scent... My body tells me, we should continue going straight. I''ll trust my instincts.¡± The Stranger and the Seeker continue going straight. After some time the path diverges again. It splits up into a new corridor to the right. The other path goes straight. The Seeker starts drooling. ¡°I smell something delicious from the right corridor. Isn''t that my favorite meal?¡± The Seeker and the Stranger turn right. Walking down the corridor until it ends at a massive wall. A fresh sandwich on a table, prepared with the Seekers favorite ingredients. The Seeker grabs the warm sandwich and takes a bite.
The Seeker and the Stranger are again back in the diamond-shaped room, where they found the Key to the Mind. The Seekers hands are empty. ¡°It''s like teleportation... Does that mean, we need to walk all the way back?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± sighs the Stranger. ¡°We need to go all the way back.¡± The Stranger and the Seeker again walk through the corridor for some time, pass the first junction left and the second junction right. They then continue going straight. They walk for some time. After several hours, the path diverges once again. One path turns into three paths. A crossroads. The Seeker follows their instincts and turn to the left. The path ends after a couple minutes of walking. There is a single magazine laying on the floor. The Seeker looks to suspiciously to left and to the right and then picks up the magazine to take a closer look. TELEPORTATION They are transfered back to the diamond room. They repeat the same journey once again, passing two junctions and standing at the crossroads. This time the Seeker takes the path going straight. At the end of the corridor there is a table with a smartphone. The Seeker gazes at the phone in excitement.
The Seeker touches the display with a single finger and is suddenly back in the diamond room. TELEPORTATION The Seeker sighs and repeats the same journey once again, walking all the way back until they stand again at the crossroads. This time they walk straight. After some hours the path ends with a wall in front. Etched to the wall is the symbol of a brown mountain. ¡°Become aware of your body,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. The Seeker focuses their awareness on their body. They focus their awareness on their feet, their toes, legs, arms, fingers, shoulder, neck and head. Then the Seeker takes a deep, conscious breath. As the Seeker breaths out, the ground shakes, the wall vibrates and falls apart: TOUNGE OF THE EARTH A new room opens up. The room is shaped like the symbol of spade. A black carpet on the floor. In the middle of the floor, there is a black key. EARTHLY KEY ADDED EARTH-BODY LEVEL UP: LVL 2
The Seeker opens a hidden door and walks with the Stranger into the next area. After some time of walking the path diverges into a left corridor and a right corridor, with no path in front. ¡°Should I go left or should I go right?¡± asks the Seeker to the Stranger. ¡°Listen to the whispers of your spirit,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°What is it trying to tell you?¡± The Seeker closes their two eyes and opens the third. ¡°My spirit remembers already going left. Let''s go Right this time.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger take the right path. ¡°What exactly do you mean by spirit?¡± asks the Seeker curiously. ¡°Is it the same as the soul? Is it the same as my ''higher Self'' or ''True Self''? Is it something supernatural? Something mystical?¡± ¡°It''s the intelligent ''energy'' of the complex system of SELF, that exist on a higher dimensional plane. It''s your astral body. Its the force of life. Its the Chi. Its this force of a warm pressure, that some people can generate with their hands. It''s that shiver, that flows through peoples spine. It''s the force of Life within you. It''s the part of YOU, that can remote view hidden locations. It''s the part of YOU, that gives you signs and inspirations through your unconscious. It''s the part of you, that knows past, present and future. It''s the part of you, that exists both outside of time end contained within all of time. It is the part of you, that connects you to infinity.¡± The path in front ends and splints in left and right. The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°But you know... What I still can''t entirely wrap my head around is, whether that means I now have an individual soul or whether I am everything. That''s a paradox.¡± The Seeker chooses the left path.
¡°You make the mistake of trying to figure out reality through a ONE-Dimensional view,¡± explains the Stranger. ¡°Most people would think of Reality as a single ONE-STORY House. But you should rather imagine it, like a MULTIPLE-STORY Apartment complex. And all of these layers simultaneously play their part to make the Experience of LIFE possible. You exist on several dimensions simultaneously. Think of there being a dimension or layer of matter, then a layer of mind, a layer of emotions and then lastly a layer of Spirit. Now you ask whether the spirit is a separate ''thing''. But don''t forget, what we found out in the ''land of truth''. There are no separate ''things'' at all. So you could rather say, that your soul is connected to all souls on that higher level as well. There is only the spirit of ALL. It''s just that each aspect has it''s own unique PATTERN. Think of Mandalas. Think of Psychedelic fractal patterns. Think of a song, or harmony. Think of frequency and vibration. Think of a code or sequence. So the illusion of separation even exists on the level of spirit, just as it exists on the level of mind, emotions and matter. The soul with a Mandelbrot pattern may think, its separate from the soul with a hexagonic pattern, but actually they are still part of the same ''tapestry'' or ''Oversoul''.¡± .
The Seeker and the Stranger stand once again at a junction. The Seeker listens to their intuition and takes the Right path. They walk through a corridor that gets larger, the further they progress. The path ends in front of a wall. There''s a red fire-emblem written on the wall. The Seeker takes a deep breath and concentrates their awareness on their forehead. A third eye opens up. The Seeker activates their intuition. They have a sudden vision, where they see three images. THE SUN. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE. THE WOLD. The Third eyes glows red. A laser beam shoots out, hits against the wall and causes an explosion. HOT LASER BEAM As the dust settles, the third eye disappears again. The Seeker and the Stranger enter through the broken wall, into a clover-formed room with a black floor. A red key is on a pedestal in the center. The Seeker grabs the red key. KEY TO THE SPIRIT ADDED FIRE-SPIRIT LEVEL UP: LVL 2
¡°Is that finally it now?¡± asks the Seeker relieved. ¡°Can we now leave this damned maze?¡± ¡°There is one more door to unlock,¡± responds the Stranger. Just as he closes his mouth, a new, gigantic iron door manifests itself in the wall. It looks ancient, made of stone, inscribed with runes. There are four keyholes in the door. The Seeker puts the golden, the silver, the black and the red keys into their holes, turns them around and unlocks the door.
The Seeker stands in an empty room. Devoid of color, shape or form. There is a single table in that empty space, with a golden necklace, holding a diamond key. The Seeker picks up the key and wears it around their neck. MASTER KEY ADDED
¡°What is this necklace about?¡± questions the Seeker. The Stranger clears his throat. ¡° Remember back to when you found the key of the heart? How did you get into the room?¡± ¡°I forgave others for what they did to me and I forgave myself for what I did to others,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°You became aware of where your heart was broken, so that it can now start to heal,¡± observes the Stranger. ¡°How did you then obtain the key of the mind?¡± ¡°I listened to my thoughts and began to wonder, where they come from.¡± ¡°You became aware of your thoughts,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°What about the Earthly Key?¡± ¡°Yes... I became aware of my body.¡± ¡°And then you used your intuition and became aware of your spirit,¡± concludes the Stranger. ¡°You see, what I am pointing at? AWARENESS IS THE MASTER KEY. This is how you break your patterns. This is how you evolve. If Matter, Mind, Emotion and Spirit, are the first fourth layers of Reality, then AWARENESS Would be the fifth. The Dimension in which the other four are all contained.¡± The Seekers eyes are suddenly burning like a bright flame. AWARENESS AWAKENED
The Seeker takes a look around. The flow of things look suddenly different. As if reality were more fluid. The Seeker feels a great sense of clarity, like being healed from bad eyesight. The Seeker suddenly observes their hand movements, body movements with greater lucidity. ¡°I''s indescribable,¡± speaks the Seeker. ¡°It''s impossible to explain this strange state of flow. It''s like everything moves differently. I see everything more clearly.¡± The Stranger smiles. ¡°Now the next step is to be in absolute stillness and to maintain it. Empty yourself of all thoughts. When your thoughts are completely still, there is only pure awareness. It''s like lucid dreaming, only that you are being lucid in the dream of reality. This is what people call being in the present moment, being in the Now, being in Stillness, being in Silence, being in flowstate.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to not think,¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°Even when I try not to think, I am thinking about, how I must stop thinking!¡± The Stranger looks at the white clouds in the blue sky above. ¡°Do you know these moments, when you just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature. When you stare at a beautiful mountain. Or when you observe a rainbow. When you look at the sunset. When you marvel at the stars at night. In those moments, there is no YOU. There is no EGO. No SELF. No THOUGHT. There is just the beauty of the world and the one who gives that world meaning. There is no separation between the observer and the observed. There is no conflict. No fears. No desires. No SUFFERING. This is pure awareness. If you don''t believe me, try it out. Appreciate the wonders of life and become aware of the beauty within all things. Find peace within. This is a way to enter into the state of stillness. Through meditation, one can even prolong that state and find easier ways to enter into it.¡± The Seeker rolls their eyes, sighs and looks up at the sky above. They are suddenly startled. A white dove just flew above the the walls. For a moment the Seeker is taken by surprise. They stare at the sky above.
¡°It really is beautiful,¡± mumbles the Seeker quietly. Then the Seeker suddenly is completely empty. All thoughts fade away. Absolute stillness. Pure Awareness. The burning eyes of the Seeker stares at the wall in front of them. A new path opens up as the wall falls apart and the one behind as well. Where the Seekers burning eyes fall, all walls fall apart. The lucid Seeker walks through the maze and each wall falls apart and creates a new path for them. When the Seeker walks with awareness, the world walks with the Seeker. The further the Seeker walks, the more walls split apart to create a new path. The Seeker sees something at the end of the newly opened path. A GATE. The EXIT. The Seeker keeps their mind empty and walks with pure AWARENESS.
The Seeker and the Stranger exit the maze. They stand at the edge of a cliff. The path from the maze leads to a bridge, that is made of the rays of the rainbow. In the far distance, the Seeker spots a gigantic tree, bigger than any mountain they have ever seen. There is a huge valley stretching out from below the cliff. Swampland. The bridge connects with the giant tree. A wonderful view, the orange sunset paints a picture on the land. .
¡°You see my friend,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°You miss out on such beautiful moments, when you are lost in thought.¡± ¡°It''s as if the maze just followed my will,¡± marvels the Seeker. ¡°No,¡± contradicts the Stranger. ¡°It''s more like you and the maze were ONE. You see now? Where there is AWARENESS, there is a way. Because when your mind is completely still, then YOU ARE THE WAY.¡± The Seeker takes another look at the rainbow-bridge leading to the great tree. ¡°Is this where we are going next? What is this tree? What is this bridge?¡± The Stranger looks with serious eyes at the tree in the distance. ¡°This is the bridge to the higher mind.¡± TO BE CONTINUED How to deal with Trolls
Part 26: How to deal with Trolls Cycle 1 ¡°Wow,¡± speaks the Stranger while taking a step forward. ¡°We have never made it this far...¡± The Stranger and the Seeker both stand on a bridge made of Rainbow rays. It leads towards a great tree on a large hill in the far distance. It''s taller than the mountain ranges. Swamps and marshland in the valley below. There are lamp posts and railings throughout the bridge. As they walk along the rainbow bridge, the Seeker is lost in thought. After some time of stillness, they break the silence: ¡°So if you are saying reality is a game, do you believe in the simu--¡±
¡°No,¡± interrupts the Stranger calmly. ¡°I am using metaphors to express something inexpressible. Any metaphor, any concept, any belief system is limited by the nature of language. No idea whatsoever, could ever truly convey the nondual nature of reality. So we need resort to concepts and mental ideas. The Simulation-hypothesis is just as limited, as any other attempt to grasp the true nature of existence. Hunting after any concepts to explain reality is inevitably futile. The concept I presented to you last chapter, is no different. Splitting our experience in Mind, body, spirit and emotion should only be used, as a means to get a better understanding of the different layers of your life. In no way, should this ever be turned into a fixed concept, or dogma. Be free from the known. Never get attached to any knowledge. Knowledge is only a tool, because truth is not fixed thing. If you get attached to any accumulated knowledge, you will inevitably turn it into your new mental programming. Which will create habits. Which will lock you in a cycle. To be free of any mental prison, one must also be free from the authority of their own thought. This doesn''t mean you erase your memory. The knowledge is still stored and you can access it, whenever it''s needed. It just means, that you are no longer attached to ''being right''. Ultimately all knowledge is limited, since it is the result of one-dimensional perspectives and biased memorization. The only thing one can truly ever know, is that one knows nothing. When you have this mindset, you can explore all kinds of perspectives, ideas, concepts, without ever becoming attached to them.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger suddenly stop, as they are startled by the loud voice from below the bridge, screaming: ¡°Hey You! Your post is shite!¡± Down there, in the middle of the swamp, stands a Troll. Above his head float letters: ''u/Username123''
The Troll points at a lamppost on top of the rainbow bridge. The Seeker notices the metallic pillar next to them. ¡°Hey wait a second,¡± ponders the Seeker, while caressing the column. ¡°Are you talking about MY POST?!¡± ¡°Your post smells like arse!¡± screams the Troll from under the bridge. ¡°How dare you speak bad about my post?!¡± screams the Seeker back at him. The Stranger holds the Seeker from falling over the edge of the railing. ¡°Don''t go down there. It''s not worth it.¡± ¡°But that bastard craps all over my Post!¡± cries the Seeker offended. ¡°He didn''t see the effort I put into it! I need to defend it!¡±
¡°It''s your ego, that is hurt,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°He does it on purpose. To lure you down into his pit of mud. Don''t fall for this trick. If you engage in any fights or try to defend yourself, you have already lost. Against your own ego. Because what the Troll actually wants from you, is your attention. And if you give it to him, he get''s exactly what he wants.¡± The Seeker gets angry, their fists begin to swell. ¡°I can''t just let him get away with it! I have to show him, that I am right!¡± The Seeker climbs over the railing and jumps into the ditch. The Stranger sighs... ¡°Damn... That means back to Checkpoint 5.¡± The Stranger dissolves into air. He fades away into nothingness. Cycle 33 After making it through the ''labyrinth of the mind'', the Seeker and the Stranger traverse the rainbow bridge towards the world tree. After some silence, the Seeker breaks the ice. ¡°So you are telling me, if I level up MIND, BODY, SPIRIT and EMOTION, I will carry the title ''MASTER OF ELEMENTS''?¡± The Stranger wants to answer, but is suddenly interrupted by a voice from below the bridge: ¡°People don''t want the truth. They prefer to lull themselves in comfortable illusions and take cover under blankets of lies. You can''t find truth in some fairy-tale rainbow BS. You must be desperate to find the truth, you must hate the lie! I shatter all illusions with my brutal sword of truth. I bitch-slap the ego out of them. I crush the ego, as I would crush an ant. Because this is the only way to end the ego, through brute force and ruthlessness!¡± There are a couple other trolls around him, who quietly listen and nod, as if they just heard something profound. Some are taking notes.
¡°Who is this?¡± whispers the Seeker into the Strangers ear, while pointing at the Troll in a ditch of mud down below. Above his head float the letters: ''u/GenericUsername3301'' ¡°A Seeker who gave up on his journey without ever finding,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°He is a troll, the most annoying kind of troll: He is a spiritual troll. He talks of truth but lives in illusion. He speaks of ending the imaginary Self, while still operating through its very mechanisms. He speaks of ''crushing the ego'', but he never questions, WHO it is that crushes the ''ego''. And yet it''s obvious, that it''s always the ego, that crushes another ones ego. And when the ego is bashed, it''s never truly gone, It''s cracks just get deeper. He provokes others and agitates their egos. Not because it benefits them in any way. Not because they ''awaken'' from it. But because it perpetuates the growth of his own ego. He speaks of finding truth. But his view is distorted. Biased by his personal opinion, attachments and experiences. He seeks truth out of hatred for illusion. But this very hatred creates a distortion, that makes it impossible to find truth. What is evident, is that the spiritual troll creates conflict. Wherever he goes, new conflicts arise. Which he provokes willingly. Because this is how he gets attention. And the attention he receives, strengthens his own ego. You see, every conflict you create on the outside is just a reflection of your own inner conflict. If every room you are in, has a bad atmosphere, you should start asking yourself, whether it''s you, who creates that atmosphere.¡±
¡°So what should we do?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Is it possible to help him?¡± ¡°No. Just move on,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Whatever you try to do, it will not work. You can''t appeal to his heart and you won''t appeal to his mind. Just move on with your own journey and don''t let yourself be distracted by any trolls.¡± ¡°But I can save him,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°I am sure, if he just listens, I''ll be able to convince him. And when I convince him, I am able to convince myself as well.¡± ¡°No,¡± sighs the Stranger with pain in his eyes. ¡°Please. Not again...¡± The Seeker turns their face downwards. ¡°Sir! Do you have a moment to talk about the Sweeping prophet?¡± However the Seeker loses their balance, falls over the railing and lands in the ditch.
The Stranger sighs and facepalms, while slowly fading away. Cycle 99 After a long journey through the ''labyrinth of the mind'', the Seeker and the Stranger cross the rainbow bridge and head towards the world tree. ¡°So is it now a simulation, or what?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger.
¡°I am aware, that it''s an interesting thought experiment,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°However the very hypothesis is based on a 21st century worldview. In the future this idea will probably seem just as absurd, as the flat earth theory seems to us. Because by then we will have explored the nature of consciousness much deeper. Now let us ask a question: Why is this theory so popular? Is it because through spiritual or psychedelic experiences, people wake up to the fact, that there is more than just our material dimension? Or is it because a ''simulation'' would have been built with an intention and we all have this intuitive feeling that our very existence on earth follows an inherent intention as well? And because a religious worldview no longer fits into our scientific discoveries, we resort to more rational explanations, such as this being in a ''simulation'' or a ''matrix''? Yes... there might be concepts, that are closer to reality than others, but whatever reality is, trying to fit it into a box with a limited explanation will always be insufficient. You can''t express the infinite through finite words, because words are fragmented by nature and can only ever create a limited representation of what truly is.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
The Stranger is suddenly interrupted by loud noises coming from the ditch below. Several voices, screaming all at once. ¡°To quote the famous sweeping prophet...¡± announces a troll called ''u/Usernameism''. ¡°Gibberish,¡± interrupts the troll called ''u/GenericUsername3301'' before the other one finishes their sentence. ¡°It''s not gibberish,¡± defends another troll called ''u/Usernameismness''. ¡°Stop bullying u/Usernameism (who is totally not me, by the way)!¡±
¡°Should we do anything?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger, as they look down into the ditch of mud. ¡°I kinda feel bad for those guys down there... They are all constantly fighting.¡± The Stranger sighs. ¡°Okay... You know what... I am being completely honest to you. All those trolls down there are lost Seekers. They are those, who derailed from their path and are now stuck in their own dirt. If you let yourself get baited, you''ll end up like the other ones. Don''t fall into the ego trap. If you believe you can save them, it''s just your ego having a superiority complex. They all have their own path. They fell down there because of the decisions, they made. Respect their path. Don''t interfere with their lesson, or you will end up just like them. They made it in there and they need to climb their way back out of there.¡± ¡°That''s though,¡± comments the Seeker. ¡°So even though I can clearly see, that they are in a bad place, you expect me to do nothing and just accept it? Isn''t that selfish to just move on, without even trying to help?¡± ¡°You will meet enough people who will actually need your help in the future,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°And you will actually be able to help them. But should you then use your limited energy on people who don''t even want your help? No. Focus your energy rather on what is best for the ALL, which means for you specifically: Staying up here on the ''high road'' instead of letting yourself be pulled down into the mud. This is where you need discernment. Accept, that you just can''t save everyone.¡± The Seeker takes a deep inhale and breathes out some air. ¡°Alright... Let''s move on.¡±
The Stranger sighs in relief. This was their first successful cycle over the rainbow. With every new cycle, another Seeker crosses the rainbow bridge and reaches world tree, into the higher mind. But for the trolls in the ditch everything remains the same ¨C At least until cycle 144. Cycle 144 After making it through the ''labyrinth of the mind'', the Seeker and the Stranger walk on the rainbow bridge. However this particular Seeker, accompanying the Mysterious Stranger, is a different kind of Seeker. A rare one, who only ever appears after the 144th cycle. He is called ''THE SEEKER OF JOY''.
¡°To approach truth one must be without bias,¡± speaks the Stranger to the SEEKER OF JOY. ¡°To approach truth, one must act through unconditional love. Because truth and love are one. If there is no love behind what you do, then there also is no truth. See all perspectives. Understand every side. If you look at something from a specific angle, you''ll miss out on information. As long as you push away the ''bad'' and grab the ''good'', you can''t see truth. So you need to be choicelessly aware. Which means you observe without any distortion. Without a direction. You need to see the whole thing from the position of BEING the whole thing. Then there is truth. Unbent and Uncorrupted. And where there is truth, there is... Hey! Wait a second... Are you even listening?!¡±
THE SEEKER OF JOY knots a rope together and ties a lasso. ¡°Umm did you just say something?¡± The Stranger sighs. ¡°Are you still playing with that rope you found?¡± ¡°I am sure it must have some special use,¡± insists the SEEKER OF JOY. ¡°After all we went through an entire side-quest just to find it. Why else would there be this hidden chamber in that maze?¡± ¡°No,¡± sighs the Stranger. ¡°It''s just a regular rope. We literally wasted hours on a useless mission.¡± ¡°Man I don''t get you,¡± speaks the SEEKER OF JOY while shaking his head. ¡°It''s almost as if you are trying to rush through this entire experience. Where''s the fun? Why not take your time and discover all the hidden easter eggs?¡±
¡°I enjoy it just as much as you,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°However, you are like one of those gamers, who literally does every single side-quest before moving on to the main quest, even when it''s just repetitive missions, that bring no bounty.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger both suddenly stop, as they hear a voice coming from down below: ¡°This is the most unawakened post, I have ever seen,¡± spews the troll with the name-tag u/Usernameism. He stands in a ditch of red-brown mud and points at the post next to the SEEKER OF JOY. Another troll with the name-tag u/Usernameismness nods silently. ¡°Everyone is still fast asleep it seems,¡± comments a troll called u/GenericUsername3301, while looking around in the Ditch of Red-Brown mud. The Stranger whispers into the Seekers ear. ¡°Don''t waste your time with listening to this nonsense. Let''s move on ¨C nothing good will ever come out of it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± questions the Seeker at full volume. ¡°Seems to me like those guys need some help.¡± The troll from below then turns to the SEEKER OF JOY and screams: ¡°Hey you! I can see you! You walk around here calling yourself awakened, but you are just as asleep, as the rest of them! You are living in a dream world of rainbows and fantasy, but reality is a dirty, muddy swamp. Suffering is all that there truly is! You think you are save up there, but eventually you will fall down, just like the rest of us!¡± The SEEKER OF JOY looks at the troll with confusion. ¡°Do I happen to know you?¡± For some reason, he is reminded of a caterpillar he once met in a bar. ¡°We are the Awakened,¡± announces u/GenericUsername3301. ¡°And I am their de facto self-appointed leader.¡±
¡°No you are not!¡± shouts u/Usernameism. ¡°No one ever voted for you! No one even likes you!¡± ¡°I am the most superior among the awakened,¡± insists u/GenericUsername3301. ¡°That is not TRUE!¡± contradicts u/Usernameismness. ¡°You are just a narcissist, using spirituality as a lame excuse for your toxic behavior! ¡± u/GenericUsername3301 sighs and rolls his eyes. ¡°Look at him guys, trying to sound intelligent.¡± A crowd of trolls start laughing, like parrots who never learned to speak for themselves. ¡°TAKE ME SERIOUS!¡± demands u/Usernameism in a loud voice. THE SEEKER OF JOY observes the back and forth between the trolls, as if following the ball in a game of ping pong. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± speaks the Seeker and breaks the chain of attacking and defending. ¡°What exactly are you doing down there in the mud?¡± u/GenericUsername3301 looks around, focuses his gaze on the other people in the swamp and laughs. The crowd imitates his laughter as well. ¡°You must be new here,¡± chuckles the main-troll with a condescending voice. ¡°Here is where all the highly evolved beings of the internet assemble! And if you wanna be one of us, you should get down here.¡± The Seeker is reluctant to share his thoughts. ¡°I don''t wanna seem rude or anything... But you are literally standing in your own shit...¡± ¡°Welcome to r/Awakened,¡± speaks u/GenericUsername3301 with pride in his voice. ¡°Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.¡±
¡°I don''t know...¡± contemplates the SEEKER OF JOY. ¡°I don''t think there''s any fun down there. It looks... kinda sad... Always arguing about who is awakened and who is not. Always in conflict. People just being nasty to eachother. Comparing themselves to another. I don''t think, that there is much to get from being down there.¡± ¡°Why am I being surrounded by imbeciles?¡± sighs the troll with the pained face of a misunderstood genius. ¡°Obviously this place, is where you end up, when all your work is done. This is the end of your journey. You see me? This is attainment. This is who you become when you end the Self. I have ended my ego.¡± The Seeker listensattentively. ¡°So... Is this really the place you want to be? Like is this really your peak? You can say with certainty that your potential is fulfilled? Because... to me it rather seems, as if you just stopped moving.¡± ¡°Of course you stop moving, when you realize that nothing ever moves!¡± responds u/GenericUsername3301, like a repeating a platitude he once read in some book. ¡°No... I mean more like... Aren''t you kinda stuck in your personal development?¡± The troll laughs at the Seeker''s statement. ¡°This is attainment. There is no longer a ''personality'' to develop! There is no where else to go but here! You wouldn''t understand such things. You aren''t even awake!¡± The Seeker of joy wants to react almost automatically to defend himself, but the Stranger interjects: ¡°Don''t let yourself be baited into the mud. The best you can do is just silently walk away. Otherwise you lose against your own ego. Trust me. I''ve been through this before.¡± The SEEKER OF JOY smiles. ¡°Do you have trust in me?¡± ¡°Yes... I do trust you.¡± ¡°Then let me try something out,¡± responds the Seeker of joy. ¡°Give me one chance:¡± The Stranger nods reluctantly. ¡°Just make sure, not to fall down this time...¡± The Seeker turns back his head towards the troll in the Red-Brown Ditch. ¡°Let me get this straight: Reaching the highest spiritual level means to you harassing people on the internet, who never did you any harm?¡±
¡°No! That''s not it! I am just bitch-slapping other peoples egos! I am provoking their egos, so that the ego becomes visible. I am freeing them from the illusion of Maya.¡± ¡°How many people have you freed from their own ego so far?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°Well... Ummm... It''s eehhh...¡± stutters u/GenericUsername3301. Then his face turns angry. ¡°You have no idea, what you are even talking about! It''s not a numbers game!¡± ¡°He is just a mean bully!¡± chimes in u/Usernameism suddenly out of nowhere. ¡°Exactly,¡± affirms u/Usernameismness. ¡°And you are doing just the same,¡± points out the SEEKER OF JOY at u/Usernameism. ¡°You also disrespect others for no particular reason. You try to hurt u/GenericUsername3301, just as he hurt you. Because he stirs up feelings of inadequacy within you. And now you have become the very thing, you once hated. A TROLL. Do you really want to continue down this path? Is this really the place you want to stay, man? Is there no place you''d rather be? Can you imagine what a greater version of yourself may look like? You used to be cool. And it saddens me to see, how you allow your light to be dimmed by feelings of revenge and insecurities. You can break your patterns and you can rise up to the top again. It is not too late. The path will always wait for you until you are ready to continue.¡± The SEEKER OF JOY notices, that all other conversations fall silent and everyone listens to his words. The Seeker directs his words at the entire audience down below: ¡°Listen! No matter, what awakening is to you; no matter how you define it; it is not the end of the journey, it is only it''s beginning. And once you start walking, the journey never stops. I was sitting on a bench for a very long time, because I believed that this was, where I was supposed to be. But only when I started to walk, I realized, that life is an adventure and we are here to play it. So look. If you want to stay here all your life, that''s okay. It''s your path and I respect that. But don''t come crying later, when you realize that you miss out on a lot of fun. Now if you want to find a way out of there then here, take this rope.¡± The SEEKER OF JOY ties the rope he found in the ''labyrinth of the mind'' on the post next to him and lets it fall towards the ground. ¡°All of you can use this rope,¡± announces the Seeker to the entire swamp. ¡°Use it to climb your way out of here and reach your next level. It''s free to use for all of you.¡± The Seeker of joy faces the troll called u/GenericUsername3301 directly: ¡°You can also use it, if you want to. Find out, whether there is something beyond ''attainment''. Find out, whether you can surpass your own limit and break the next barrier. Or just stay here, if you don''t want to. It''s up to you.¡± ¡°Gibberish,¡± spews u/GenericUsername3301 dismissively. ¡°Let''s make the impossible possible," continues the Seeker of joy undeterred. His eyes are burning. "You can use awareness to level up your mind, your body, your spirit and your heart. You can use this to win in your own life! And when you win in your life, life levels up with you. Most of you think that there is only one way to win: By comparison. You think that you can only win, when someone else loses. You think that truth must only belong to you. And so you fight and fight. And you never realize that we can only ever win together. When one loses, all will lose. When one wins, all will win. We only truly win, when we find a way for all to win. In your own personal story. In your own individual life. People focus on the enemy outside, while they don''t even see the enemy within. Because you are not in conflict with another, you are only ever in conflict with yourself. And there is only one single way to win this battle: Through Love. Through limitless, unconditional love. So stop fighting eachother, because it neither brings you closer to truth, nor will it bring you closer to love. Every harm you put to someone else, you only ever do onto yourself!¡± The SEEKER OF JOY takes a look around. The entire swamp is silent. The Seeker of joy turns towards the Stranger. ¡°I said everything, I wanted to say. Now it''s up to them. I''ll leave that rope here. They can take it or not. Let''s move on.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger move on along the bridge. The trolls in the swamp remain silent. After some time the chattering begins again. But one of the lost Seekers, lurking in the mud, suddenly stands up. The mud falls from his face. A small spark lits up in their eyes. A flame ignites. With a focused gaze the lost Seeker grabs the rope and begins to climb. The mud falls from their face. There is a strange glow emanating from the face of the forgotten Seeker. The name-tag above their head fades away. ¡°I will be there first!¡± shouts the Seeker with a playful smile. The trolls down in the ditch begin to chatter. Another lost Seeker, covered in mud, approaches the rope and starts to climb as well. Then another one. Every troll, who climbs the rope turns back into a Seeker. Several people start climbing the rope and the Red-Brown Ditch of Mud loses its residents.
Each of the Seeker who made their way back up, isgreeted by a Mysterious Stranger with a big smile, saying: ¡°Took you quite a while to get back up here.¡± Some of the trolls threw mean comments. Others just ignored them. The brave ones found their way back up, to realize who they truly are. ¡°Wow,¡± speaks the Mysterious Stranger to the SEEKER OF JOY from cycle 144. ¡°I must admit... I was wrong. I was sure, that you will fall down. But you didn''t only prove me wrong, you just broke the high-score.¡± NEW PLAYABLE CHARACTER UNLOCKED: THE SEEKER OF JOY
The Seeker and the Stranger suddenly stop as they hear a voice, as loud as thunder: ¡°YOU THERE!¡± It''s from a man with golden teeth standing at the very end of the rainbow bridge. On the edge of a large hill, where the world tree has it''s roots. Armored like a guardian, he carries a horn in one hand and a sword in his other hand. ¡°What tempts you to come here? Here, at the gateway to the Higher Mind?¡± TO BE CONTINUED The Great Spirit of NATURE
Part 27: The Great Spirit of NATURE ¡°What brings you here, to the gateway into the Higher Mind?¡± asks the Guardian of the world tree to the Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger. The Guardian has golden teeth and carries a sword and a war-horn around his belt. A white horse with a golden forelock stands behind him, grazing the lawn. ¡°We have come to talk to the Great Spirit of NATURE,¡± responds the Stranger with burning eyes. The Guardian unsheathes his golden sword. ¡°And why should I even entertain the idea of letting you in?¡± The Stranger points at the Seeker and speaks: ¡°The Seeker found the Master Key.¡± The Seeker takes out their diamond key necklace from the maze and shows it to the Guardian. ¡°So its actually true,¡± utters the astonished Guardian. ¡°You have become aware of being aware. I guess then the Queen will want to see you.¡± The Guardian blows into the horn. Like the sound of thousand trumpets, a thunder erupts throughout the valley. A golden door with ancient runes opens in the bark of the world tree.
¡°Follow me,¡± demands the Guardian, as he walks through the gateway into the higher mind. The Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger follow behind closely. They walk through a seemingly endless hallway. Geometric patterns and ancient symbols are etched into the walls. This place seems familiar to the Seeker. As if they had been in this tunnel before. Like something they had seen in a dream. Or a long-forgotten childhood memory.
¡°Be careful with your dialogue options,¡± whispers the Stranger into the Seekers ear. ¡°It may impact the journey ahead.¡± The Seeker, the Guardian and the Stranger enter into a throne room. The floor is covered with green grass and flowers of all colors. The wooden walls of the room are covered in vines and moss. At the end of the room is a throne made of tree bark. It''s as if a tree naturally grew into the shape of a throne. On the bark throne sits a woman with platinum-blond hair and dark-blue eyes. She has wings, like a bird. She wears a dress of leafs and roses. On her head she carries a crown of flowers.
¡°I recognize those burning eyes,¡± says the Queen of Nature to the Mysterious Stranger. Her voice sounds like the roaring of a lioness. Thundering through the throne room. Everything vibrates, shakes and trembles. ¡°You dare showing your face here, in this sacred space?¡± The Stranger lifts both his hands, showing his palms to the Queen. ¡°I just want to talk. We come in peace.¡± ¡°You speak of peace?!¡± shouts Nature insulted. ¡°My forests are burning! The bees are dying out! My fields of flowers are poisoned by toxic waste! The carbon dioxide in the air changes the weather! Each day, another species faces extinction! And who is to blame for all of this? No one other, than Humanity! Why should I listen to any of your words, after all the atrocities that humans have done to me?¡± ¡°Because we can change,¡± responds the Mysterious Stranger. The fire in his eyes lits up. ¡°Because we are already changing! It''s happening all over the world. People are waking up. They all feel this great calling within. They hear the whispering of the spirit. Like the melodious humming at the beginning of song, turning into an epic orchestra. It is already starting. We are evolving. Transforming into something new. Something different.¡±
¡°Humans have changed already countless times throughout history,¡± argues the Queen of Nature. ¡°But their methods of killing just got more refined, more ruthless. Humans don''t respect nature, they don''t even respect another. They are not only killing other species, they are even killing themselves. And you believe that humans change?! Don''t be ridiculous. Humans haven''t even managed to end the war within. How should they ever end the war without?!¡± ¡°I know...¡± admits the Stranger. ¡°There is much work to do. We must heal the broken heart of humanity. We need to break through the illusions of the mind, which have trapped us throughout centuries of programming and indoctrination. We must find balance between the chaos and the order within. We need to forgive the world to be forgiven by the world. We need to recognize the ego, to see it as it truly is and how it impacts our thoughts, words and actions. We need to find unconditional love, by finding ourselves. There''s a lot to do ¨C but we will make this possible. We will find a way. By transforming the inner, the outer transforms as well. The broken will be put together. The lost will be found again. And the hidden will be seen.¡± The Queen of Nature calms down. ¡°And how do you plan on doing this? Even if a large part of Humanity were to wake up, this alone won''t incite the inner transformation necessary for their consciousness to evolve.¡± ¡°We will open up the BOOK OF HUMANITY,¡± thunders the voice of the Mysterious Stranger. He spits fire, as he talks. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± asks the Guardian of the World Tree, chiming in. ¡°You want to Cross the Abyss and visit the Akashic Library?! Even if you actually make it there, the Curator, won''t just hand the Book of Humanity to you!¡±
¡°Calm down Heimdall,¡± speaks the Queen of Nature to the Guardian. She then turns back to the Stranger. ¡°Opening the Book of Humanity is akin to a declaration of war against the Ego. Are you aware of what that means? No matter, where you go, the Ego will try to destroy you. No matter, what you say, the Ego will try to corrupt every word of yours. It will try to attack you with all it got. Is that really how far you want to go?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± responds the Stranger with a smirk on his face. ¡°We will wage war against the Ego. Not a war of destruction, but one of liberation. We won''t fight with swords, we will fight with love. We won''t demonize our enemies, we will learn to understand them. We won''t hurt those, who try to hurt us, we will heal them. By seeing them as ourselves.¡± The Queen of Nature looks at the Stranger, then she looks at the Seeker directly. ¡°Tell me, why are you walking the path together with this Stranger?¡± The Seeker thinks about how to answer the QUESTION. A: Answer with the Heart B: Answer with the Mind C: Answer with the Body D: Answer with the Spirit
A: THE HEART B: THE MIND You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. . C: THE BODY D: THE SPIRIT The Great Spirit of Nature listens to the answer of the Seeker attentively. She then turns her head and faces the Stranger directly. ¡°Why have you come here?¡± ¡°I have a proposal for you,¡± speaks the Stranger with burning eyes. ¡°Before Humanity split itself into individuals, there was only the collective consciousness of Humanity. And before the Consciousness of Humanity split itself from the Consciousness of nature, there was only UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS. Let us make a deal between the consciousness of HUMANITY and the consciousness of NATURE to restore balance on earth.¡±
¡°Don''t make me laugh,¡± comments NATURE sarcastically. ¡°Even while you are standing here, they throw toxic waste into my waters. Even while you are talking, humans slaughter my pigs, bulls and chicken. I hear their cries of pain. I feel their sorrow in my heart.¡± ¡°I may not speak on behalf of all of Humanity, but I can at least speak on behalf of those who truly care. Let us find a way for Humanity and Nature to live in Harmony on earth. It will start in our consciousness and be reflected outwardly. As above, so below. As within, so without.¡± The Stranger extends his arm, offering a handshake to the Great Spirit of Nature. With a wide grin on his face, he speaks: ¡°Let us both do our best. Up here and down there. On the inside and on the outside. Let us both find a way.¡± For the fragment of a second, the corners of Natures mouth, lift up when she sees the Stranger smile, before putting on a serious face again. ¡°Even if you actually manage to Cross the abyss... How do you even intend to enter into the Akashic Library?¡± The Mysterious Stranger places his arm around the shoulders of the Seeker. ¡°You see ¨C the Seeker here has the Master Key. The Seeker is aware of being aware.¡± ¡°And you are truly willing to walk this path?,¡± asks NATURE the Seeker. ¡°Even if it means your death?¡±
The Seeker is suddenly caught off guard. ¡°Death?¡± asks the Seeker and turns to the Stranger. ¡°What is she talking about?!¡± ¡°The seeking needs to end,¡± responds the Stranger reluctantly. ¡°That''s why you need to find the ONE thing, that every Seeker is searching for.¡± ¡°Which is...?¡± ¡°Meaning,¡± answers the Stranger. ¡°When you find the meaning of life, then the Seeker transforms into something else. When you climb all the way up ''Axis Mundi'', you will find your answer. And the Seeker will be gone.¡± The Seeker breathes heavily. ¡°Wait you are saying... That I will die?! You say, that there will be no more seeking?! No... I can''t...¡± The Seeker turns around and runs away. Out of the throne room, out of the world tree, leaving the Guardian, the Great spirit of Nature and the Mysterious Stranger all behind.
The Seeker runs and runs. Until they lose their stamina and catch a breath. Their heart races from running. ¡°That''s it! I need to get away from this mad Stranger... He wants to take away, the one attribute that makes me special. No... I don''t want to end the Seeking. EVER!¡± The Seeker takes a look around. They stand on a forest path. There is a bench not far away. ¡°Yeah... That''s it. I''ll just get back to the bench and forget about everything, that has happened. There I can live in peace, forever seeking without finding.¡± The Seeker wants to sit down but is suddenly interrupted by a voice from behind. ¡°WAIT!¡± The Seeker turns around. It''s the Mysterious Stranger running after the Seeker. Panting heavily. ¡°Please. Listen to me, just for a moment...¡± The Seeker straightens their position. ¡°What is it?!¡± ¡°I know you are afraid of change... And especially of changing yourself. Because we all cling to the various identities, we attach to our characters. And its very hard to let go of that. But its not only about you. The journey of the individual and the journey of the collective are ONE. When you heal yourself, you heal the world as well. And the world needs you. Every human being is essential. And I... I need you as well... I can''t walk this path without you, Seeker.¡± ¡°No...¡± speaks the Seeker with a sad voice. ¡°I... I can''t. I am sorry... But I''m out. You are on your own.¡±
The Stranger sighs and nods with a sad face. ¡°Alright... I respect your decision. I wish you good luck.¡± As the Stranger walks away, back to the world tree, the Seeker stares at the bench below, thinking about sitting down. ''I did the right thing. The Stranger doesn''t need me... He is better off without me anyway. Now I can finally go back to sleep and forget about all that stuff... This is much more comfortable. This is the easy life... Yes... The easy life... This is all, that I ever desire... It truly is...'' The Seeker still stands over the bench. This is their final chance to end the journey. They only need to sit down. They only need to stop reading. And could walk away forever. The Seeker looks left and right. The Sun sets in the west. A beautiful horizon. Of clouds, colored orange, purple and yellow. A beautiful picture. The Seeker turns their head eastwards. A stormy, dark cloud hovers over the land. Threateningly Grey. A rainbow hangs in front of the clouds. ¡°No!¡± screams the Seeker with fire in their eyes. Their voice thunders through the valley. ¡°I won''t give up that easily!¡±
Meanwhile the Stranger returns to the world tree and enters into the room, where NATURE has her throne. ¡°Where is the Seeker?¡± asks Nature. ¡°Seems like we need to do it without them,¡± responds the Stranger with a disappointed voice. ¡°You can''t open the book of Humanity without the Seeker,¡± speaks Nature, shaking her head. ¡°I am sorry but... No Seeker, no deal.¡± The Stranger clenches his fist. ¡°This can''t be it... There must be some other way!¡± ¡°No - this timeline is lost. There is nothing we can do about it. Perhaps you try again next cycle.¡±
Suddenly the golden gate of the throne room opens up, as the Seeker storms back in. Their eyes are burning. A: Speak with the Heart B: Speak with the Mind C: Speak with the Body D: Speak with the Spirit .
A: THE HEART B: THE MIND C: THE BODY D: THE SPIRIT ¡°So,¡± grins the Stranger, as he reaches out his hand to the Great Spirit of Nature. ¡°Since the Seeker is on board, what do you say to my proposal? Do Humanity and Nature have a deal?¡± Nature smiles. For the first time, since they entered into the higher mind, Nature laughs with true authentic joy. She grabs the Strangers hand and says: ¡°Seems like destiny is in your favor. We are fully aligned. From now on, we fight together. Humanity and Nature will each do their part to restore harmony and balance. And as a sign of our treaty, my agents will watch over you. The birds. They are my eyes, my voice and my my ears. Whoever respects this promise will be protected by Nature herself. Unfamiliar cats and dogs will like your smell. Wild animals won''t fear you. Whichever plant you grow will bring great harvest. For you are a friend of Nature. And the birds will sing a new symphony. When you walk outside look up into the sky. One day, a swarm of birds may fly in circles above your head, dancing in harmony. Singing and whistling a song of joy. They will sing so loud, you can no longer ignore them. This shall be your sign. That we are together in this. That Nature keeps her promise and reminds you of keeping your part of this promise as well.¡±
¡°When will this happen?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Perhaps it has already happened. Perhaps it will happen later. It happens when you are ready for it. So be aware of the birds. Notice, whenever they stare through your window or fly above your head.¡± Nature then turns to the Stranger and speaks: ¡°To support you on your journey, one of my heralds shall accompany you on your journey to the Akashic Library: Widofnir, the golden one. He is among the most highly evolved life-forms currently living on earth. You''ll find him at the very top of the world tree.¡± ¡°Highly evolved life-form?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°So is he human?¡± Nature begins to laugh. She laughs so loud, she''s crying tears. Then she realizes that the Seeker doesn''t laugh as well. ¡°Wait a second... You aren''t joking? You seriously think, humans are the most evolved species?! Why? Because you are playing with weapons and electricity? Truly nothing can compare, with the human arrogance. Take the stairs to the highest level of the world tree and speak with Widofnir. Then you will see, what peak performance truly looks like.¡± Nature points at the stair case in the back. ¡°There''s still something Nature and I need to discuss,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°Why don''t you meanwhile get Widofnir down here?¡± The Seeker walks the spiral stair case upwards. After almost 10.000 steps, the Seeker stands in front of a door, leading to a balcony at the very peak of the world tree. As the Seeker opens the door, they hear the sound of a familiar voice: ¡°If you come here to get an autograph signed by me, the Great, golden Widofnir, then I must...¡± He suddenly stops as the door fully opens. .
The Seeker stares at a chicken with golden feathers. ¡°Wait a second...¡± speak both the Seeker and the golden chicken in unison. ¡°I KNOW YOU!¡±
TO BE CONTINUED Why did the chicken cross the road?
Part 28: Why did the chicken cross the road? ¡°I''m sure I have seen you somewhere before,¡± speaks the golden chicken to the Seeker. ¡°Have you ever been to Kentucky?¡± The Seeker frowns. ¡°Kentu--? What? No! We met at the Red Ditch Inn and jumped into The Great Shift together.¡±
The chickens thoughtful face lights up. ¡°Ah... Yes... Right... That was before I got my new form. I am no longer just a mere ''bigger chicken'', now I am Widofnir, the golden rooster.¡± SPECIAL FORM Widofnir the golden rooster 9 Divine Protection 6 Vitality 8 Speed -7 Luck 4 Agility Attributes: Immortality, Shitting Gold, Narcissism, Bad Luck Weakness: Twigs, branches and sticks
¡°With this form, I am now invincible,¡± speaks the golden rooster. ¡°Nothing can touch me. Nothing can hurt me. I am now a literal god!¡± A twig suddenly falls from the crown of the world tree and lands on the floor right next to him. The startled chicken jumps into the Seekers arms, shrieking: ¡°Ohmygawd! Twigs! My only weakness! Save me!¡±
The Seeker and the chicken share an awkward eye contact for a moment, while they hold the golden rooster in their arms. ¡°Didn''t you just say, you were invincible?¡± asks the Seeker with skeptic eyebrows. ¡°My golden body can''t be destructed by any force or material, except of wooden sticks. If a twig even touches me, it''s game over!¡± ¡°Does it need to be a specific tree? Like Mistletoe or an enchanted object or something?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± denies the chicken. ¡°Any tree will do.¡± The Seeker takes a look around at the tree-house at the top of the world-tree, they are standing on. ¡°But... If sticks are your only weakness, this is literally the worst place to live. How did you even end up here? And since when do you have this golden form?¡±
¡°It must have been around three years ago, after we took the leap of faith,¡± recounts the chicken. ¡°Three years?¡± interrupts the Seeker surprised. ¡°This only happened like two months ago...¡± ¡°I made it through Checkpoint V and stood in front of a giant maze,¡± continues the self-absorbed chicken undeterred.
¡°A fearsome lion, with the wings of an angel and the face of a woman guarded the gate. I fought the monster with just my bare wings and wrestled it to submission. It asked for mercy, so I let it live and entered the maze¡± The chicken lied. In actuality, when he saw the sphinx, the chicken lost an egg and ran around in panic. The sphinx tried to calm him down but was unable to stop the screaming chicken from storming through the gate right into the ''labyrinth of the mind''.
¡°In the maze I met a rat with a mustache, who sold me a black book. Ever since then I have been truly red-pilled. Did you know that the earth is actually flat?¡± The chicken bought the ''conspiracy program'' and purchased the ''Flat earth conspiracy'', the ''Reptilian conspiracy'' and the ''Illuminati conspiracy'' DLCs.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Then there was this giant monster with hoofs for feet and the head of a bull on a human body. Let''s just say, he couldn''t get up anymore, when I was finished with him.¡± The chicken never resolved his PROBLEMS. He never stopped running away. In fact, they are still haunting him, whenever he tries to get some rest.
¡°When I made it out of the maze, some idiots questioned my beliefs. To defend them, I jumped into the red swamp below the rainbow bridge. I would always post my pamphlets on the columns, down in the ditch. But those damned Muds took them down every single time!¡± ¡°Muds?¡± asks the Seeker with raised eyebrows. ¡°You mean the Trolls from the Mud?¡± ¡°Those damned Muds are taking down all my posts from the Red Ditch! Just because I am speaking the truth! Why is no one Listening, when I am trying to tell them, that the cabal wants to destroy the world!?¡± The chicken was thrown out from the Red Ditches and Sub-ditches of the swamp land valley between the maze and the world tree. He was banned for violently accusing others of being bots and government agents.
¡°All sorts of people try to silence me,¡± speaks the golden chicken. ¡°But no matter who, no one can stop me from spreading the truth! They tried to make me doubt myself, by asking questions, such as ''Why would anyone deliberately bury fake bones?'' or ''Where is the evidence?''... But then, when I was just about to abandon my faith, my body transformed and I received a new form. The next step of my evolution. I turned myself into Widofnir, the golden chicken. And with my newfound power of narcissism, no question could ever again shatter my beliefs, because they are now part of my golden identity.¡±
''This chicken means trouble,'' thinks the Seeker silently. ''I should just make up some excuse and leave him behind.'' The Seeker looks at their watch. ¡°Oh Heavens! I haven''t noticed the time... I think they are all waiting for me down--¡± ¡°YOU NEED TO TAKE ME WITH YOU,¡± interrupts the golden Rooster with urgency in his voice. ¡°My entire life here is built on a fragile construct of lies upon lies. They believe that I will lay a golden egg, but when they find out that I can''t lay eggs, they will grill my wings and call me Kentucky fried Chicken! I need to get away from here, before they find out.¡± ¡°Why should they think that a rooster lays eggs?¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°Well... it''s like--¡± Before the chicken finishes his sentence, he is suddenly interrupted by Heimdall, the guardian of the higher mind. He opens the door from inside the hole in the tree bark and shouts: ¡°Widofnir! Quit idling around! The Queen wants to see you.¡±
The Seeker and the chicken follow the guardian down the stairs. They enter into the throne room, where the Great Spirit of Nature has a conversation with the Mysterious Stranger. He carries a sad smile on his face. She wipes away tears from her watery eyes. ¡°I know exactly why you are asking me down here,¡± rambles the chicken defensively, tearing both the Stranger and Nature out of their conversation. ¡°But please, just give me a bit more time. I will lay that golden egg soon. It''s just that some unforeseen circumstances have hindered me from doing so. You see... The Repitolids--¡± ¡°Silence,¡± shouts the annoyed Queen massaging her temples. ¡°Your chattering, causes me headaches! You will join those two on their journey to the Akashic library! Since you told us about how you heroically crossed the abyss and climbed Axis Mundi, guiding them should be easy.¡±
¡°So... You are just letting me go?¡± asks the chicken in relief. ¡°You still owe me a golden egg,¡± reminds Nature. ¡°One day you will return here and if you by then won''t have a golden egg with you, I''ll feed your grilled wings to my dogs Geri and Freki.¡± The dogs sitting left and right from Nature''s throne drool, while staring at the chicken.
¡°Yes... Of course... You will get your promised golden egg,¡± speaks the chicken with a bowed head, while thinking in silence: ''Those idiots will never see me again...'' The guardian of the world tree hands his horn to the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°Take the Gjallarhorn. When you blow into it, my loyal horse Gulltoppr will appear to carry you to your desired destination. This steed shall support you in the conquest of light. When you ride his back, you can pierce through DARKNESS itself.¡± ¡°Darkness?¡± asks the Seeker, who listened in on the conversation. ¡°You mean that in a metaphorical way?¡± ¡°Do you remember, when we fought against those demons, who were corrupted by a dark substance,¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker. ¡°The satyrs from that old ruin were corrupted by the DARKNESS. And we are on a journey to find a cure against this DARKNESS. We are here to burn away all shadows with our illuminating sword of Truth and Love. Where there is DARKNESS, we bring LIGHT. We bring the SUN into NIGHT.¡± ¡°And what exactly is this DARKNESS?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Where does it come from? How do people get corrupted by it?¡±
¡°It''s a metaphor for NIHILISM,¡± responds the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°Which is born from the wound in the soul of Humanity, the scar in our collective consciousness. The DARKNESS lies in the the depths of the great abyss. From there, shadows flow out and corrupt everything it touches on the surface. By opening the book of humanity, we will set events in motion, which will lead up to you climbing Axis Mundi. And once you made it to the peak, you will find your answer. An answer, which can close the wound within you and thus in the collective as well.¡±
¡°You really think, you can do this?¡± asks Nature the Stranger. ¡°You really think, you can make the impossible possible?¡± The Mysterious Stranger grins. ¡°We will find a way.¡±
For a second, the bright smile of the Stranger warms up the heart of Nature. She blushes and looks away. With a movement of her hands, she opens up a new Portal in the Throne room. The gateway has ancient letters inscribed on the stone saying ''CHECKPOINT 6''. The Stranger looks at the Gjallarhorn, that Heimdall gave him. ¡°Seeker, Chicken... It will be a long journey until we make it to checkpoint 7. I hope you are prepared.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± speak the Seeker and the chicken in unison. The Mysterious Stranger blows into the horn. Its sound thunders through the hollow room in the world tree. It echoes outside, through the entire valley, through the entire landscape. Everything vibrates, everything shakes and trembles. The entire realm of imagination quakes at the sound of the Gjallarhorn. Its sonic wave even trickles through into other realms, signaling the beginning of something new.
A white horse with a golden mane appears in the throne room. The Stranger takes the rains, the Seeker sits behind him and carries the Chicken on their head. For the first time, the Stranger takes off the hood and reveals long hair and golden armor hidden behind the blue robe. He unsheathes a glowing sword of light with his right hand.
He smiles one last time at NATURE, before storming with the white steed towards CHECKPOINT 6. TO BE CONTINUED Breakthrough
Part 29: The Breakthrough On a white steed with golden forelock, storm the Mysterious Stranger, the Seeker and the golden Chicken through the gateway of Checkpoint 6. As they cross through theportal, the adventurers vanish before the eyes of the Great Spirit of Nature and Heimdall, guardian of the Higher Mind. ¡°Thank god,¡± speaks the Queen to the Guardian with relief in her voice. ¡°We finally got rid of that Chicken. Now he''s their problem.¡± ¡°Without him it will get quiet around here,¡± comments Heimdall. ¡°I already miss him. After all it''s only thanks to him, that I now know the truth about how the pyramids were actually built by Dinosaur-Cyborgs from outer space!¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? You were literally there, when Humans built them with their own hands! You don''t actually believe in the nonsense the chicken was spouting, do you?¡± ¡°Then explain to me, why they are perfectly aligned with the constellation of Orion! Huh?! Checkmate, Nature!¡± The Queen of Nature shakes her head, sighs and facepalms.
Meanwhile the Mysterious Stranger, the Seeker and the Chicken gallop through meadows of green grass as far as the eyes can see. Many hills in the distance. The wind howls loud. The adventurers hear a sudden heavenly chant, singing: CHECKPOINT 6 SAVED
The Horse storms forward, following the path through this newfound land. It gets faster and faster. As if the wind from behind is pushing the horse forward.
The Chicken hangs tightly on the Seekers hair with his wings. His claws are grabbing the Seekers shoulders. ¡°Okay guys,¡± he shouts as loud enough to be heard in the howling of the wind. ¡°Thank you for getting me out of there. I will continue on my own from now. Will you please tell this horse to slow down, so that I can get down?¡± ¡°Hell no,¡± laughs the Stranger exited, as the horse gets even faster. ¡°Nothing slows us down.¡± ¡°Look,¡± insists the Chicken, with sweat dripping from his forehead. ¡°I would really appreciate if you''d just stop for a moment and let me off. After I''m gone, you can ride with this horse at such a dangerous speed all you want - But do it without me.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± grins the Stranger. The wind pushes their backs even stronger. ¡°We''ll break through the next level. We don''t let any of our friends behind. Because on this journey, we are all together.¡± The horse accelerates, until its speed matches that of a modern car. The Chicken gets nervous. ¡°You- You can''t do this! I want to get down now! I didn''t want to play this card... But... What you are doing is illegal! Let me off right now or will sue you!¡±
The Mysterious Stranger laughs. The horse gets even faster. ¡°You are free to jump down anytime you want. But we won''t slow down.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± screams the Chicken. ¡°This is Insane! I can''t just jump from that horse at such a high speed. I''ll break all my bones. My insurance won''t cover this!¡± As the horse gets faster and faster, up ahead the road is blocked by a wooden wall, a construction made of tree logs. ¡°THERE,¡± shouts the Chicken. ¡°Don''t you see that barrier?! We need to stop! NOW!¡± The Stranger smiles, the steed gallops unaltered. ¡°This will be our first barrier to break. Prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± screams the Chicken, as the barrier in front gets bigger and bigger. ¡°I don''t wanna die! No! NO! Please! Help ME! Colonel Sanders, I believe in YOU! Save me! I am too afraid to die!¡±
With a grin on his face the Mysterious Stranger holds the reins steady on course. Galloping faster and faster, until the horse reaches the barrier. ¡°THIS IS EGO!¡± shouts the Mysterious Stranger as his steed breaks through the wooden wall. The logs of wood burst apart. The Steed loses minimal speed and keeps galloping forward.
¡°Your fear of death, is your egos fear of death. It''s purpose is to protect your body, your physical vessel. And when your fear is put in its right place, it is useful and necessary. But this very fear is often times just a barrier, limiting us from moving forward. Because it creates irrational thoughts in us, which strengthen the ego by creating new unnecessary fears. And those very fears cause conflict, within ourselves and with one another. Be aware of your fears. Be aware of how they let your ego grow. Because, that which the ego fears the most, is it''s own death. And when we are attached to the ego identity, we are in constant fear of losing it. But you are NOT YOUR EGO. You are not YOUR PHYSICAL BODY. You are it''s AWARENESS. And You can never die, nor were you ever born. So there is no need to fear the death of your physical body, because that, which you truly are will always live on. AWARENESS. You see, what your fear of death does to you? Because you know your time is limited you want to leave a mark on this earth. That''s why parents project their expectations on their children. That''s why people are so obsessed with material wealth, status or a sense of importance in life. Because they don''t see, that with their mere existence they already leave a mark on earth. They don''t see the story of their life and how it is connected to the entire story of Humanity, of which we all are part of. Chicken, please think back to all the times, that you were afraid of a certain outcome. Think back to all those sleepless nights, when your thoughts were full of worries. At that moment, when you were worrying yourself, did your fearful thoughts have any impact on the outcome of the undesired situation? Did those worries improve your life back then? Did your worries help you find an answer to your problem? Or did the answer only arise, when your thoughts were absolutely still? Next time you are again in a state of worrying or are afraid of something; realize it''s only because you are attached. Realize it''s your ego. Realize that those worries, won''t help you solve the problem. Remember, that you as AWARENESS are always save and nothing can ever truly harm you.¡±
The Horse gallops faster and faster. The wind pushes them forward. Every step, the horse leaves on the path behind, is burning. The chicken peeks behind his wings and sees the path ahead. ¡°I think I just dropped an egg...¡± breathes the Chicken heavily, while the Seeker wipes their shoulder. ¡°Did we make it? Did we actually break through?!¡±
¡°The next barrier will be even stronger,¡± speaks the Stranger with burning eyes. ¡°We need to get faster.¡± The wind behind them gets even stronger. The Seeker turns their shoulder and looks back. A massive storm cloud is pushing them from behind. The horse gets even faster. Its as if his feet hover above the ground. The Seeker yawns and tries to keep their eyelids open. For some reason, they suddenly feel tired. ¡°Please, please let me down,¡± cries the Chicken. ¡°I pay you whatever you want. I am just not built for this kind of adventure! I prefer sitting at home and spreading wild theories, instead of actually working on myself. I like talking about being extraordinary, without ever doing something out of the ordinary. I want to be acknowledged and respected, without ever earning it. I just want to feel big, without actually getting bigger.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The Seeker closes their eyelids and starts to breathe heavily. The breathing turns into snoring. As the horse races forward, the Chicken spots an obstacle on the road ahead. A tautly drawn rope is fixed by two trees on both sides of the path. The Chicken screams: ¡°WATCH OUT!¡± The Stranger pulls the rains. As the horse leaps forward to jump, the Stranger speaks with a deep voice: ¡°I HAVE SEEN YOU!¡± The horse jumps over the rope, lands behind the two trees and continues forward.
¡°I see you. And I know, that there is more within you. Stop lying to Yourself! I have seen the fire in your eyes, Chicken, when no one else was watching. I have seen the fire bursting from your mouth, when you have talked the TRUTH. I know that there is more to you, than just a mere chicken. And I know, that YOU know that as well. Stop dreaming of becoming a HERO and instead be ONE. Stop telling yourself, that you are doing your best and instead DO YOUR BEST.¡± ¡°BUT HOW?!¡± Yells the Chicken with his true authentic voice. Fire comes from his mouth. ¡°HOW?! I am a miserable piece of garbage. I am worthless and I amount to nothing. All I can do is run away and hide. I fear the truth. And I fear to fail. There is nothing I can do to contribute. I have nothing to give. My life is absolutely meaningless. And I am wearing a facade to convince others, that I am special... But actually I am only ever trying to convince myself!¡± The horse storms forward, towards another barrier. A huge wall of bricks. The Stranger accelerates the pace and draws his sword. He leans forward, extending the sword. As he swings the glowing sword, the voice of the Mysterious Stranger thunders like the roaring of a lion: ¡°WORK WITH WHAT YOU''VE GOT!¡± As the Sword strikes forward, it creates a wave of energy cutting through the brick wall, just seconds before the horse breaks through the wall.
¡°Find the way, that works best for you. There always is a way. Even one for you. And once you have found your path, commit yourself to it fully. Don''t tremble, walk with strength in your feet and rhythm in your heart. Walk with determination in your eyes and speak your truth with fire. Transform the things you can change, improve the things you can improve. If you are a Chicken, then be the bravest of all Chicken. Don''t let yourself be stopped by any insecurities or any feelings of lack and fear. Find your own worth within you. Have faith in yourself. You are to much more capable, than you could ever even imagine. There is no wall you cannot break and there is no barrier you cannot overcome.¡± The Chickens face breaks apart, the facade falls, as he just broke through a wall, he never even dreamed of overcoming. ¡°But... But... I... I AM WEAK,¡± speaks the Chicken with watery eyes. A burst of fire leaves his mouth.
¡°I lie to hide my own weakness. I lie to others and I lie to myself. I have always been weak. And I have been hurt before, when I let myself be vulnerable. That''s why I need those barriers. To protect myself from danger. To protect myself from being seen. I have suffered so much in my past, due to my weakness. I have caused others to suffer, only because I am weak. All those times, I ran away. All those, lies that I have told... I can''t escape my past!¡± The horse heads directly towards a ramp. Behind the ramp is a pond filled with water. The Stranger swings the reins. ¡°YOU ARE NOT YOUR PAST,¡± thunders the voice of the Stranger, as the horse jumps over the pond and lands on the other side. ¡°If you can''t let go of your past, if it is still haunting you, then find forgiveness. Forgive yourself and forgive everyone you still have a grudge on. Through forgiveness you clear the Karmic cycle and can start anew. Through forgiveness, you can leave the past behind and move on. And stop identifying with being ''weak''. Whenever you call yourself weak in your thoughts, you are just fueling the ego-identity and perpetuate the complex of insufficiency. See your Self as you are. From all angles. See your Strengths and see your weakness. Without any self-judgment.¡±
The Chicken struggles. ¡°But... But... I can''t... That means I need to come clean... I would need to be honest... But it''s impossible... This construct of lies is already too big and complex... At this point, I can''t even tell the difference anymore between what is real and what I have made up. Some of the things I say, just come out automatically. When I make excuses or when I try to hide something. When I want to be perceived as strong and capable. People expect me to be the way, that I portray myself to be. I can''t just let them down. Otherwise I lose all my friends and will be all alone. Others only like me because of the person, they think I am. They don''t like me for who I truly am.¡± Up ahead a new barrier is visible. A giant wall made of massive iron, stretches over the entire landscape and blocks the path ahead. The horse gets faster and faster. The wind behind them gets even stronger, pushing them forward. With each gallop, the horse hovers longer above the ground. The Strangers burning eyes flare up. He stands up on the horse, as it continues to carry them, kneels on its back and unsheathes his sword. As he strikes the iron wall with his sword of truth and love the Stranger roars: ¡°YOU DON''T EVEN KNOW, WHO YOU TRULY ARE!¡± He cuts two lines into the door, creating an opening. The white steed breaks through cut-out piece of the iron barrier. The metal glows red, as the horse pushes to the other side. It loses speed, but continues to storm forward.
¡°So why not find out, who it is, that you are? Not just the many masks you put on for each group, person or occasion. Find out, what your true authentic Self looks like. And the first step towards this is being absolutely honest with yourself. Even when it hurts. Even when its uncomfortable. Face the inconvenient truth of ''what is''. And be truthful and honest in your interactions and relationships with others. Yes, it''s very difficult. Especially when you use lies as a defense mechanism to cover your own perceived weakness. But living in truth will never leave you with any regrets. When you live in truth, you live in contentment with yourself. Whereas, when you live in lies, there are many things to regret and many things to worry you. So why not first make a simple step and be absolutely honest with yourself, whenever the situation demands it. When you did something, to fulfill the need of your ego, be honest about it. Reflect on your own intentions and your reactions. Be aware of your thoughts, words and deeds. Observe yourself with your full attention. And when it happens again, that in your thoughts, you are already thinking about the next lie to tell, be aware of it. Observe it, as it happens. And when you are in a conversation with someone and you are just about to say something untrue, stop yourself right there in your own tracks. Shut your mouth and be aware of what is about to happen. Catch yourself with every untrue thought, word and deed. Strip away all lies, until the only thing that remains, is the truth. When there are no lies left, then you have found your true authentic Self. Then YOU are being TRUE to YOUR CHARACTER.¡± The Chicken breathes out heavily, as he looks behind his shoulder and stares at the melting red hole in the wall of massive iron. ¡°I was sure, that I was gonna die. When I closed my eyes, I was already seeing Colonel Sanders welcoming me at the gate of heaven.¡±
The white steed moves forward. Up ahead, the Chicken sees the edge of a canyon. The path leads directly towards the cliff. The Stranger whips the reins. The white horse increases in speed, heading for the edge.
¡°Okay... it''s no longer funny,¡± speaks the nervous Chicken, as the edge moves closer. ¡°Please stop now, before we are all gonna die! This is madness! You need to stop now!¡± The Stranger smiles and shakes the rains. The horse accelerates. ¡°You are afraid to change,¡± speaks the Stranger with determination. ¡°I understand, that it is scary. You are afraid to move into the UNKNOWN, because you don''t know what to expect. And you base your expectations on your past memories. When you expect the bad, because you only know the bad, the bad will always come to you. The way you see the world, distorts it. But when you move into the UNKNOWN without any expectations, it will always be an adventure.¡± ¡°But how should I know, if that is the correct path?¡± questions the Chicken, as the horse is about to reach the cliff. ¡°What if I take a wrong step? What if I get hurt? What if I embarrass myself? What if I will be rejected? What if I am not strong enough?¡± The horse gallops directly towards the edge, takes a leap and jumps down the cliff, as the Mysterious Stranger shouts with a grin: ¡°HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF!¡± As the white horse with a golden forelock hovers in the air, two wings grow from both sides of his back. The White steed Gulltoppr turns into the legendary Pegasus. The white wings flap up and down. Flying through the air, the Pegasus carries the Stranger, the Seeker and the Chicken.
¡°Have some trust in yourself. It''s when you think that you will fail, that you are blocked from succeeding. Trust in your capability to face every challenge. Trust in yourself to stand up again, after every failure. Trust in yourself to always find your way. Trust in yourself to become a light in the darkness. Trust, that when you walk with the universe, the universe will walk with you. Trust in the workings of the universe and the universe will place its trust in you. This is truly what it means to walk together. Walk together with the universe. Walk together with LIFE. Instead of fighting against life. Instead of struggling with life, walk in tune with LIFE. Life was never your enemy. Even when LIFE took things away from you. Even when LIFE made things difficult. LIFE WAS ALWAYS WORKING FOR YOU. LIFE was always there with you. So have some faith in LIFE, that even when you struggle, it is for your highest good. Work with LIFE TOGETHER instead of fighting it. You see, all that resisting has ever brought you, is more and more struggle. The harder you pushed, the harder LIFE pushed back against you. But to walk in tune with life, one must sing along to its eternal rhythm. In harmony with all that is. Everyone has their own part to play in the Music of Life. And once you have found your own part of the Great Song, then there is absolute FREEDOM.¡± The Pegasus passes by clouds and avoiding gusts of wind in the air. The winged horse glides effortlessly through the sky. It does some tricks, looping through the air. The Stranger laughs. The Seeker is asleep. The Chicken pukes. The Horse flies lower and lower and lands in the valley below, where the path continues. As the feet of the Pegasus touch the ground, the horse suddenly turns to dust and vanishes. The Stranger, the Chicken and the Seeker fall from the disappearing horseback. The Seeker suddenly wakes up, yawning: ¡°Where are we?¡± The Stranger takes out the Gjallarhorn and wants to blow it once again. But no sound comes out of the instrument. ¡°Hmh... Seems like there''s a cooldown period to the ability of this horn. Might take a while, until we can call the Pegasus again...¡± ¡°Despite everything you said, my life remains meaningless...¡± insists the nauseous Rooster with a dizzy head. ¡°I don''t have a purpose. I feel insignificant. I feel lonely. Misunderstood. Unimportant. One day, I will die and all memory of me will be forgotten. Nothing of what I am and what I have built will remain. Is there any significance to my life at all?¡± The Chickens eyes look downward. He looks sad. The Mysterious Stranger faces the Chicken and places his arms on the Roosters wings. ¡°Chicken, don''t you see?¡± grins the Stranger, as behind him clouds open up, revealing the light of the sun.
¡°YOU MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SMILE. Whenever they see you, Chicken, people smile. Because you remind us of a part, that everyone has within them. Don''t you see, that this is your power? YOU CAN TURN SAD FACES INTO SMILES. Who cares what happens in a Hundred Years or in a Thousand Years. Now in this Moment, as you walk the earth, you can make other people smile. You can bring back laughter to people who forgot what joy is. Isn''t that enough? To understand, that you do make an impact on other people. You can light up someones day, just by being yourself. Can you see it? The story of the brave little Chicken, who defies all odds and overcomes his own fears.¡± The Chicken looks at the Stranger in awe. ¡°I... I make other people smile?¡± He looks down, then up again, then his beak turns into a smile. ¡°Yeah... That''s it... I make people smile... That''s my purpose...¡± The Chicken takes a deep breath. He closes his eyelids. As he opens them again his eyes are burning. And as the Golden Rooster speaks, fire bursts from his mouth: ¡°I''ll walk with you together.¡± At the moment, as the Chicken closes his beak, his body dissolves into an energy flowing into the Seeker. Their souls merge together and become ONE. SPIRIT MERGING ARCHETYPE INTEGRATION The Seeker feels dizzy. There is some confusion. ¡°What the hell just happened... Did I just absorb the Chicken?¡± ¡°A part of you, that once was lost is now reintegrated,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°From now on, you can turn yourself into the Chicken and his three forms of Red Chicken, Bigger Chicken and Golden Chicken. When you take on his form you will not only adopt his abilities but also take on his memories and personality. And while he is integrated within you, he will also level up alongside you.¡± LEVEL UP! LVL 25: TOTAL VIBES INCREASED (60 Total) NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: RED CHICKEN BIGGER CHICKEN GOLDEN CHICKEN
The Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger are suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice from behind the bushes: ¡°CAN YOU KEEP IT DOW A NOTCH? I AM TRYING TO WATCH THE GAME!¡± The Seeker and the Stranger brush the bush aside and catch a glimpse behind it. In the middle of a grass field sits a BLACK BEAR with a baseball cap on a sofa with a pack of chips on his belly and his feet on a table. The bear stares directly into a TV screen, while sucking on a bottle of beer.
The Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger both look at the bear, then they look at eachother, as they recognize an old friend. TO BE CONTINUED Pursue Your Dreams
Part 30: Pursue Your Dreams The Black Bear sits on a brown Sofa with an open bag of chips on his belly, staring directly into a TV screen. Surrounded by nature, everything is set up in an open field of grass. There is no roof on top and no foundation below. ¡°You want some crisps?¡± asks the Bear his visitors, as he offers them the bag of chips. The TV screen runs Japanese Anime. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asks the Seeker the Bear. ¡°I was wandering through these lands for a while until I came across the highest expression of human creativity: Anime and Videogames. I haven''t moved ever since.¡±
The bag of chips is empty. Suddenly a cardboard pizza box manifests on the table. The Bear opens it and takes a slice. ¡°You see,¡± speaks the Bear chewing on the molten pizza cheese. ¡°Every now and then, you just need to take some time to rest.¡± ¡°How long have you been sitting here?¡± asks the Seeker.
The Bear looks at the watch around his wrist. ¡°I don''t know... Couple of years might have passed...¡± ¡°What about your journey?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Don''t you want to level up?¡± ¡°I can''t just stop watching now,¡± argues the Bear defensively. ¡°I need to find out who this Tobi guy is and why he has the Sharingan!¡±
The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°But... What about your spiritual growth? Don''t you want to evolve as a character and as a soul?¡± ¡°Of course I want to,¡± insists the Bear with his eyes fixed at the screen. ¡°But let''s do it later... After it''s revealed who wears the mask. Please...¡± The Seeker looks at the Mysterious Stranger. The Stranger shrugs. ¡°We can''t continue the path without the Bear.¡± The Seeker sits down on the couch next to the bear. Together, the three watch the show on the screen. Episode passes, after episode. Flashback, after flashback. Every fight on screen is stretched out. Every third episode is a filler. Ninjas over-dramatically shout each others names. After hours of watching the show, the plot-twist is finally revealed.
The Seeker breathes out in relief. ¡°Can we now get up and continue walking?¡± ¡°Just One more Episode,¡± pleads the Bear. ¡°Please.¡± The Seeker looks at the Bear and sighs. ¡°Okay... ONE more episode.¡± But it wasn''t just One more episode. They keep watching, as the sun moves in the sky and sets behind the mountains. Throughout the night, their eyes are glued to the screen, until the sun rises again. They binge through the entire series.
After the show is over, the Seeker yawns. ¡°How about we move on now?¡± ¡°I have a counter-proposal,¡± speaks the Bear and hands a controller to the Seeker. The Seeker is hesitant at first, then accepts the controller. The two friends play a video game. Day and night pass, as the friends compete in a FPS. The Seeker loses again and again, until they throw the controller away in anger.
The ragequitting Seeker stands up from the couch. ¡°This has been going on for long enough now. Let''s move on Now!¡± The Bear shows up his palms to calm the Seeker down. ¡°How about... Instead... We''ll watch some mindless short videos.¡± The interested Seeker rubs their chin and sits down again. ¡°You already had me at ''mindless''...¡± Again the Seeker and the Bear stare into the screen, with blank faces, as if being hypnotized. Hours pass, days pass, weeks pass. After some time the Seeker feels an inner emptiness caused by the consumption of trivial entertainment and a constant dopamine rush.
¡°We need to go, bear...¡± yawns the tired Seeker with dark circles under their eyes. ¡°That stuff is sucking the life out of us...¡± ¡°Oh Look... There is this new interesting show on Netf--¡± ¡°No,¡± interrupts the Seeker the Black Bear. ¡°We have rested long enough. It''s time to go now.¡±
¡°They are right,¡± confirms the Stranger. The Seeker almost forgot about the Stranger. But now the presence has returned into the foreground. ¡°There is nothing wrong with enjoying art. This is part of life, after all. But take a good look: You are out of balance. Consuming, consuming, consuming. Always taking in. Always receiving. You are caught in a pattern. You are imprisoned by your own habits. You haven''t progressed on your journey in ages. You halted your own development. Realize, when you are stuck.¡± ¡°I am not stuck... I am just an introvert. It''s draining to be around other people. Going to work or shopping groceries is hard enough. I just wanna be by myself, without anyone bothering me. I don''t need a 3 D life, as long as I have my 2 D experiences,¡± speaks the bear as he pushes shining glasses up his muzzle... Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
The Seeker sighs and runs their hand over their face. ¡°Like this we''ll never get to 5 D...¡± ¡°What about your dream?¡± asks the Stranger with a serious gaze. ¡°You do have a dream, don''t you?¡±
¡°I gave up on that a long time ago,¡± responds the Bear with reminiscent eyes. ¡°That''s just how life is. Reality is bleak and disappointing. When you aren''t even given a chance, it''s better not to try at all. Never Trying Never Fails. At some point everyone just needs to face reality and accept that dreams never come true.¡± ¡°But you never even tried...¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°Don''t you at least want to find out, if its possible?¡± The Bear shakes his head. ¡°I neither have the energy, nor do I have the time. After a full day of work, you just don''t have the energy left to pursue your dreams. Or you have responsibilities to carry or you have relationships to maintain. Life just happens and before you even notice it, you are stuck and there is no way out.¡±
¡°If it''s a matter of time, then you just need to save some time in other areas of your life. Can you spent less time on mindless entertainment and focus your attention on something you want to build? Can you find One hour a day to work towards your goal? Whatever it may be... Be it something creative, something business related, something spiritual or something completely different... Is it possible to cut some useless activities and focus on your dreams instead?¡± ¡°Even if I find the time, I still lack the energy,¡± argues the Bear. ¡°I am just so tired all the time. If I could lay on the couch all my life and take a nap, I would be more than happy. As a young Bear cub I might have had the energy left, but now it is already too late...¡± ¡°Have you ever asked yourself, why you are tired all the time?¡± questions the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°Have you ever tried to figure out, what costs you all the energy? If you need the energy, then find out, where you can save energy throughout the day. Have you ever noticed, that you lose energy whenever you give in to your uncontrolled urges? When you crave for something sweet, you lose energy as soon as you take the first bite. When you are addicted to cigarettes, you lose energy whenever your lips touch the filter. When you ''delete your browser history'', you lose energy. Every unhealthy habit costs you energy, that you could spent otherwise. Every battle you lose against yourself, costs you energy. Whenever you give in to Ego, you lose energy. Then there are ways to increase your energy... Like Meditation or Fasting for example. If it''s energy that you lack, then the thing you need is Discipline.¡±
¡°Discipline?!¡± shouts the horrified Bear. ¡°How dare you even mentioning this word, when I''m around?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°Through discipline you can maintain a healthy balance. You can then use the excess energy to work towards your ambition.¡± The Bear wheezes. ¡°That seems kinda hard... Why should I go through all that trouble, if there is no guarantee to my success? Why should I even care, when I fail in the end anyway?¡± ¡°Because if you won''t at least try, you will regret it all your life,¡± responds the Stranger with an earnest face. ¡°When you give up, you will always ask yourself, what could have been. So why not at least try and see what happens. The worst that can happen, is that it doesn''t work out and then you at least have closure. Who knows what happens, when you pursue your dreams... Who knows where it might lead you...¡± ¡°I might end up worse off, than I am now!¡± growls the Bear. ¡°Or you might end up better off,¡± responds the grinning Stranger. ¡°But you will only ever find out, if you try. Just ask yourself this one question: Are you truly fulfilling your highest potential? If you were to die tomorrow, would you die without regrets? Or is there some part inside of you, that yearns to be expressed? Is where you are right now, truly where you want to be?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± sighs the tired Bear. ¡°My life is a mess. There is so much to clean up... Where do I even start?¡± ¡°By becoming aware,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°See your own patterns. See your habits. See your thoughts. See your Self. Without attachment. Without any identification. Observe yourself, as you would observe bacteria under a microscope. Without judgment. Without bias. It''s like moving from a FIRST-PERSON PERSPECTIVE to a THIRD-PERSON PERSPECTIVE in a Video-game. See yourself totally. From all angles. Then you will see what can be changed and what can not be changed. And you see, what needs to be changed to fulfill your true potential. To ''level up''. This is where you start. Recognize the pattern and its very observation causes a mutation, which allows change to happen. Then you''ll do the work.¡±
The Bear is silent. Looking down on the lawn. The Seeker suddenly hears a familiar voice in their head: ''Pssst... Hey bro. Let me out.'' ''Chicken? Is that you?'' asks the Seeker in their thoughts. ''Yes, we can now communicate telepathically. Let me talk with the bear. I know exactly what will convince him.'' ''I''m not sure... You really think you can handle this?'' ''Trust me, bro.'' The Seeker rolls up their eyes and sighs defeated. ''Alright...'' Their entire body transforms into that of a golden chicken. ¡°I know exactly how you feel,¡± speaks the Chicken to the Bear with an empathetic voice. ¡°Took me a long time to recover, when I first heard of the truth about the moon-landing. I was devastated, truly devastated... To think that they would actually go all the way to create this fake movie, just to convince us, that the moon is real. After all... By now everyone who''s redpilled knows, that the moon doesn''t actually exist.¡± The Bear cringes and massages his temples. ¡°Don''t. Please... Just don''t... Don''t compare yourself to me...¡± The Chicken turns back into the Seeker, his voice still lingers in their thoughts: ''I''ve done my job now. The rest is up to you...'' In the minds eye of the Seeker, the Chicken fades into darkness with a confident smile and his thumbs up.
¡°You didn''t do anything at all!¡± points out the annoyed Seeker, as the Chicken falls into the background again. The Mysterious Stranger turns around and looks at the Bear. ¡°Listen, have you ever asked yourself, whether it''s not just about You fulfilling your dreams? Have you never wondered, whether the world needs you? Don''t you see, that you are gifted? Are you not aware, that the uniqueness of your character is what gives the world its meaning? Shine your light. No one else can do it for you! It''s not just about you fulfilling your dreams. It''s also about fulfilling the dreams of the world.¡± The Bear sighs and looks at the Stranger. ¡°Look I appreciate the effort, but it''s impossible. I don''t even even have enough energy to get up from that couch.¡± The Stranger offers a hand to the Bear. ¡°If you can''t do it alone, then let me help you.¡± Speechless, gazes the Bear at the Stranger. ¡°I... I don''t... Why... Why would you help me? You don''t even know me?¡± ¡°We are all in this together, my friend,¡± smiles the Mysterious Stranger.
The Bear takes in a deep breath and then grabs the Strangers hand. As the paw and the hand touch, the Bear suddenly feels warm shivers, vibrating through his entire body. A new energy flows through him, as he is pulled on two legs by the Stranger. He feels it in his legs, in his belly, in his paws, his heart, his throat and his forehead. As the Bear stands with two legs upright, he feels a powerful energy, like a wildfire spreading through his entire body. The Bear opens his mouth and growls as loud as he hasn''t growled since a long time. His growl echoes through the entire land like thunder. A new power within him has awaken, an old energy released. He found his true voice again.
Suddenly memories flow into the bears subconscious mind. Of a Seeker, who once walked his path and then gave up, when things got to difficult. Of a Seeker, who lost his way and ended up in a place called ''Red Ditch Inn'', where he transformed into a hairy brown Bear. ¡°This energy boost will last you for ONE day,¡± smiles the Stranger at the Bear. ¡°Use it wisely. Take your first step towards your dreams. Whatever that might look like. Create something that benefits both You and the All. Don''t spend it on your ego. Don''t spend it on anyone else. If you are an artist, paint. If you are a musician, play. If you are a writer, write. If you want to build something, plan. If you want to achieve something, train. Follow your deepest calling. Walk your highest path.¡± The Bear grins. ¡°Well... I got nothing to lose... and it might be worth a try. Let''s walk together.¡± .
The Black Bear dissolves into energy, which flows into the body of the Seeker. SPIRIT MERGING ARCHETYPE INTEGRATION LEVEL UP! LVL 26: + 1 Strength NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: BROWN BEAR GRIZZLY BEAR BLACK BEAR (KUMA-KUN)
The Seeker and the Stranger continue to walk on their path. ¡°It really surprised me how invested you were in getting up from that couch,¡± notices the Stranger. ¡°Not long ago you were still stuck on a bench yourself.¡± ¡°It''s beyond my wildest dreams,¡± utters the Seeker. ¡°I never thought its even possible to get this far. But now I get it. And I can''t wait to see what happens next.¡± The Stranger smiles. ¡°My friend, together we make the impossible possible.¡± Suddenly both are startled as something shoots through the sky very fast and crashes into the earth on the road up ahead. There''s an explosion. The fallen object creates a crater in the ground. .
¡°What the hell was that?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Is it a plane?¡± ¡°No,¡± responds the Stranger with an serious gaze. ¡°It''s a bird.¡± TO BE CONTINUED You are only ever the captain of one ship – the ship of YOURSELF
Part 31: You are only ever the captain of one ship ¨C the ship of YOURSELF As the Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger walk their path together, they stop as they see a crater along the gravel road up ahead.
¡°What could have possibly created such a hole in the ground?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°Was it a plane? Or a meteorite?¡± ¡°No,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°It''s an old friend.¡±
As they stand above the edge of the crater, they stare down the ditch. There lies a wounded Thunderbird. His wings spread out, like surrendering to the ground. ¡°My w-wings...¡± laments the wounded eagle. ¡°My wings are broken. I can''t fly no more. My wings are broken. My days of glory are long gone. My wings are broken. Now I am nothing.¡±
¡°How long do you think he has been lying here?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger ¡°Many cycles have passed, since he first crashed into the earth,¡± responds the Stranger with burning eyes. ¡°But this time it will be different. This time we''ll get him back on his feet!¡± The Seeker scratches their head, not entirely sure what the Stranger is talking about. ¡°C-Cycles?¡±
¡°How did you end up here?¡± asks the Stranger the eagle, undeterred. ¡°I flew too high...,¡± sighs the depressed bird. ¡°I fell unto the earth... And now my wings are broken... I can''t fly no more... Just move on with your journey... Leave me here behind... Like this, I am of no use to you anyway...¡± ¡°And you''ll just accept that?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°What choice do I have? I lost everything. There is no way back now. Without my wings I am nothing... I am useless...¡± The Strangers eyes start burning. ¡°If your wings are broken, then heal them. If you have fallen, then rise up again. If you lose yourself, then remember who you are!¡±
¡°What if that is not possible?!¡± argues the frustrated eagle. ¡°What if I can''t be cured? Will I be forced to walk on the ground for the rest of my life, like some land animal?! I am an eagle! My kind has conquered the skies. And now look at me... I am pathetic... No wonder, the other eagles never accepted me... You know... I always wanted to be one of them. But my family never accepted me... They called me weak... They called me stupid... And I wanted to prove, that I am just as strong and intelligent as they are... I wanted to become the king of the sky, lord of the eagles... And so I flew higher, than any other bird ever flew before me. But I was full off myself. I flew too high and my fall hit hard. Now my bones and dreams are shattered. How shall I continue with life? I am a failure! I am a Loser! The shame. The regret. The disappointment. The despair. They keep me down here, stuck on the ground. I lost my will to live. I am here without a purpose. Living day in and day out a meaningless life. Why must I have been given this role to play? Why can''t I be someone stronger? Someone smarter? Why can''t I be someone happy?¡±
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The Stranger looks at the thunderbird with compassionate eyes. ¡°You can ask this question all you want, no one will come and answer them for you. You must find your own answers. But you can''t do this, while laying here in the dirt! You need to get up and walk your path, otherwise nothing ever changes. Find out whether your wings can be healed. And if they can''t, then find a way to live with it. Find a way to become happy regardless of your shortcomings. You can either mourn the loss of your wings for all of eternity or you can get up now and start anew. Look... you can''t change what has happened. You can''t control the circumstances around you. But you can change how to deal with it. You can''t change the world around you, but you can change the world within you. And by doing this, the world around you will change as well.¡±
¡°But... But that''s not the life, that I have wanted!¡± cries the eagle. ¡°I wanted to be recognized. I wanted to be respected. This is no longer possible. If the other eagles see me like this, they will laugh at me! They will never accept me as their captain... So why should I even care anymore? I am crushed and broken. My dream is over.¡±
¡°Is that really your true dream?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°Or is it the ego minds desire? Why do you seek recognition, if not out of a feeling of lack? Why do you seek power, if not out of a feeling of weakness? Why do you seek to be special, if not out of a feeling of insignificance? If a desire is born out of a lack, then no matter what you try to fill it with, the hole will always remain empty. Outward validation won''t give you fulfillment. You won''t find happiness in pursuit of superficial attachments. No, if you want to understand your true desire, uncorrupted by the ego, you need to go deeper. You think it''s about being accepted by the world, you think it''s about being recognized by others. But it has always ever been about YOU recognizing YOURSELF! No one else can do it for you. You need to accept yourself.¡± The eagle puffs out air in frustration. ¡°When I look at myself, I see a failure. I compare myself to others and I am discontent with my life! Why is it so hard for me, when everyone else has it easy? Why must life be so unfair on me?! No matter, what you say, you have no idea what it''s like to be an eagle with broken wings!¡±
¡°Take a closer look around you!¡± speaks the Stranger with seriousness in his voice. ¡°Everyone is broken in some shape or form! Everyone has their own struggles, their own challenges. It''s just that no one ever talks about it, because society punishes those who appear to be weak. And they put up a show to hide away their broken parts. But look into their soul and you will see this sadness, that all of us carry. Look into their hearts and you will see, that the flame is barely even burning. Can''t you see, that we all carry the scars of humanity within us? Can''t you see, that everyone has their own pain to struggle with? So why do you compare yourself to others, instead of doing something about your condition? Why do you measure your pain against someone else''s pain, when you could instead look for a cure? Comparison won''t get you any further. Being jealous won''t get you any further. Living in regret won''t push you forward. Until you change your mindset you will remain stuck. You will never be able to control what other people think of you. But you can shift how you see yourself. You can''t control the world around you, you can only control yourself. You want to be a king? Then be the king of your own mind! You want to be a captain? Then be the captain of the ship of your SELF.¡±
The eagle sighs. ¡°I know, that if I try, I will fail again... Just like I fail at everything, I ever tried... I am a loser.¡±
¡°If you fail, you will try again. If you fall, you will stand up again. And with every time you fall and stand up again, you will become a little bit stronger. Until you fall no more. And then, when you have conquered the land, you will set out to reclaim the sky. And you will learn to fly again. You know... Falling can be a blessing in disguise, when you find a way to grow from it. By turning every failure into a lesson. It gives you the opportunity to overcome a challenge and thus become stronger, than you were before. Stop calling yourself a loser! With this mentality, you''ll never get up. Find the eagle within you, that you truly are. Yes, Life is hard on you. But only to make you stronger. Remember who you are! The King of the Sky is an eagle, who never gives up. Facing every challenge head-on. Don''t forget that you are your own biggest enemy. Don''t forget that all conflict starts within you. You are not competing against anyone. Because the only one, you can truly ever win against, is your own ego.¡±
The eagle is speechless. He has no arguments left. He is fighting with himself. Unsure, whether to say, what he is thinking out loud. He takes a deep breath in, pushes through against his ego and shrieks: ¡°I need help getting up. I can''t walk on my own!¡±
The Stranger extends his hand to the eagle and speaks: ¡°Then let us walk together.¡± The Thunderbird eagle accepts with a nod, dissolves into a white light and flows into the heart of the Seeker. SPIRIT MERGING ARCHETYPE INTEGRATION
LEVEL UP! LVL 27: + 1 Endurance NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: EAGLE THUNDERBIRD
¡°We will heal together,¡± promises the Seeker as they feel the eagle in their heart. ¡°One day you will fly again.¡±
As the Seeker and the Stranger continue walking, the Seeker notices something in the distance. ¡°What is that building over there? Is that a farm?¡± TO BE CONTINUED It never was about saving others or being saved, its about YOU saving YOURSELF
Part 32: It never was about saving others or being saved, it''s about YOU saving YOURSELF ¡°Why do humans look up to idols?¡± questions the Mysterious Stranger as he walks with the Seeker towards a big farm complex along the way. There are multiple buildings, sheds and stables. ¡°Is it because giving our power to others, relieves us of the burden of being responsible for our own destiny? Is it because we find comfort in the illusion of being protected by some higher force? Or is it because we have been conditioned that way? Since Millennia... When the first ego''s declared themselves to be kings and gods. When people first enslaved another, through belief systems and false illusions. When the first towns were built and the poor split from the rich, the priests taught the people to worship their kings. And we still carry this programming within us, to see each other only through limited roles. Because the human mind is trained to do so. Unless we see eachother eye to eye, there will always be division. We can only ever truly understand each other, when we don''t perceive others through mental images. When we see them as equals, with different perspectives and unique ways of expressing life. Is it possible for humans to truly meet eachother as friends? Without any imbalance of relationship? Or are we bound to only ever see enemies in our own reflections? When people worship other people, ideas or things, they give away their power. When we identify with something, we give our energy to the object of identification. Be it a group, organization, ideology, belief system, person or archetype. And thus we imprison our hearts and limit our own mind from ''thinking outside the box''. Any large group or organization inevitably creates a vortex of energy, on a higher dimensional plane. A so-called ''Egregore''. It forms it''s own pattern, made up of the pattern of the individuals. And the individuals maintain the group mind, by donating their energy to it. As long as people are attached, the Egregore receives a constant influx of energy. This is how certain religious organizations survived throughout the centuries. And what do such Egregore''s do to the individual? Suppression, imitation, comparison... The individuals mold themselves to fit into the exterior pattern. No wonder people are unhappy in society, when they are constantly pressured to conform and fulfill expectations. When you question the believe system of an Egregore, its followers almost feel attacked, as if you were hurting them directly. It''s because their ego is attached to the Egregore. And the individual is unaware, that they aren''t free. But they need to be free, to walk their own path, to write their own story. One can only be free, when one stands on its own feet. You need to stand alone, to be ALL ONE.¡± .
¡°Okay,¡± contemplates the Seeker. ¡°But what about projects? What about friend groups? What about family? What about work? What about society? You can''t escape groups... It''s just how civilizations are organized. After all, you are a part of society and need to behave in accordance to its rules.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°But you can dance to the rhythm of your own drum. Respect the customs of society, without ever betraying yourself. Stay detached, don''t identify, don''t fall into the trap of imitation. Walk in your own way, no matter what anyone thinks about you. There is nothing wrong with joining a group, but be aware of how dangerous Egregores can be for your own personal growth and never allow yourself to be suppressed by it. If you won''t be accepted for who you truly are, perhaps that group never was for you.¡± The Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger suddenly stop at a shrine at the entrance of the farm. There is the golden statue of a young woman in modest rags and robes. Five gray pigeons sit on the spread out arms of the ancient statue. A pig, a cow, a sheep and a donkey bow before the golden figure in awe and honor. There is a label at the bottom of the statue, stating: ''THE SEEKER OF LOVE''
The pigeons start to mumble. The pigeon in the middle is frozen in shock, but tries not to let it show. ¡°Oh hey,¡± greets the sheep with her soft voice the visitors. ¡°Are you on a pilgrimage to the temple of the goddess?¡± ¡°The goddess?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°The Seeker of Love?¡± responds the cow, as if the answer were obvious. ¡°Don''t tell me you have never heard of her?¡± The Seeker shakes their head. ¡°Never heard of her...¡± The donkey gasps in surprise. The pig grunts in distrust. The pigeons laugh at the ignorance of the Seeker. The pigeon in the middle fakes laughter.
¡°Many generations ago,¡± speaks the sheep. ¡°A young woman with heavens voice walked through this land. It is said, that her humming ignited the dormant fire in stone cold hearts. Her whisper could awake those, who dream. When she whistled, the wind whistled along with her. When she smiled, the sun shined on her face and when she cried, the clouds broke apart and the skies released rain. She sang the song of the soul. A lullaby to heal the broken hearts. When she sang with passion, her voice could summon a storm. When she sang with heart, the sun came out to shine its light. All of the birds would join in on the chorus. Wherever she walked, she touched the hearts of all who met her. And where she went, change followed her. But not everyone liked her song. There were people who wanted her to be silent. And so they hanged her on a tree. But with her last breath, the SEEKER OF LOVE sang one last song, one that shook the entire realm. And with her last song, a wave of light swept through the world. Whoever believes in her song will be saved from the ABYSS.¡±
The Seeker makes a thoughtful face. ¡°... Sounds pretty much like some kind of allegory...¡± ¡°We are her ''fans'',¡± continues the cow. ¡°Our symbol is that of the TREE, as reminder of the sacrifice, that she has made, to sing her last great song. Unfortunately her songs are lost. Only snippets remain. After so much time passing, no one remembers what they sounded like and only few lines were ever recorded. However we firmly believe, that the SEEKER OF LOVE will one day return to hum the melody of her soul once again.¡±
The Seeker looks at the cow with skepticism. ¡°Sounds to me like some kind of cult-shit...¡± The pig grunts outraged at the Seekers comment: ¡°Our belief-system is mainstream enough to be considered a religion! We don''t even pay taxes!¡±
Suddenly a new player enters the scene. A red fox with four tails. ¡°Well... Technically speaking all religious organizations are just aggrandized cults.¡± The Sheep, the cow, the pig and the donkey turn their heads. All make tired faces. ¡°Oh it''s him again,¡± speaks the sheep with rolling eyes. ¡°He doesn''t believe in universal love.¡± ¡°I am just saying, that you can''t know for sure, what''s myth and what isn''t,¡± speaks the clever fox. ¡°And have any of you ever seen this so-called ''universal love''? No you just simply believe in it, because you want to believe in it. You can''t know for sure, if love actually exists or not. It''s just something, that people made up thousands of years ago, to explain something that they couldn''t understand with their knowledge back then. Now we have science. Now we know, that emotions are just just the result of chemical processes in our brain. There is nothing ''magical'' about it.¡±
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°That''s not true!¡± argues the devoted sheep. ¡°Universal Love is not just some emotion! It transcends the physical body. Song text fracture No. 75 states it clearly: ''Love is beyond any limitation. It can never be grasped through conceptual thought. And yet it has always been here.''¡±
¡°Then explain to me, why no one has managed to access universal love, apart from some mythological figure, thousands of years ago?! Perhaps because it never existed in the first place!¡± ¡°Universal Love does exist!¡± argues the donkey. ¡°My neighbors cat once saw Universal Love in her dreams. It came in the form of her uncle to speak with her about Bitcoin. It later turned out, that it was in fact her uncle and he was just drunk. But anyway... If this doesn''t prove to you, that Universal Love is Real, I don''t know what else to say!¡±
The fox shakes his head, sighing. ¡°Come on... Your entire mythology is ridiculous. You guys actually believe the SEEKER OF LOVE was born without a butthole....¡± The sheep gasps, offended. ¡°Are you questioning the doctrine of purity?! It clearly states so in Song Text Fracture No. 137: ''Born without any holes. No one to hold a fart.''¡±
¡°Well... That''s not quite clear,¡± contradicts the pigeon in the middle. Everyone suddenly listens attentively. ¡°Some scholars say, this was actually a spelling error and the text was actually referring to the ''Heart''...¡± The pigeon suddenly notices everyone staring and shuts up immediately.
¡°I don''t care what your fancy scholars say!¡± persists the outraged sheep with crossed arms. ¡°I believe in what Father Fowl is saying. He has always treated us well. There is no way, that he would ever lie!¡± The fox raises his eyebrows. ¡°So you actually believe, that the SEEKER OF LOVE was born in a miraculous way?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± spits the cow, as if it were obvious. ¡°A giant stork brought her to this farm, where she grew up with the animals and taught them how to play music.¡± ¡°And one day, she will return and play her song again,¡± says the donkey with conviction. ¡°And then she will save us all with her magical voice.¡± A new player enters into the scene. It is a brown mare with crooked teeth and a blond wig, covering her black mane. All turn their heads around, as they hear a soft voice speaking: ¡°You have waited for my return long enough! It is me. The SEEKER OF LOVE. After centuries, I have finally returned to save you all, my children! You can now pray to me and worship me in all my glory!¡±
¡°G-goddess?¡± asks the gullible donkey. ¡°Is that- Is that really you?¡± Suddenly another player enters into the scene. ¡°Don''t listen to her! She is full of lies. For I am the true SEEKER OF LOVE. Don''t listen to this false prophet! Listen to me instead! Only if you believe in me, you will be saved from the ABYSS!¡± It is a chimpanzee with a blond wig on her head, wearing a brown, modest patch-work dress. She carries a banana in her hand.
Suddenly again someone crashes into the scene. From above, landing in front of the shrine and screaming: ¡°My dear children. I have heard your prayers. I have heard your cries for help. Your time of tribulation is now over. For a small monthly subscription fee, your salvation will now be imminent.¡± It is a vulture with a blond wig over his bald head. His fangs are sharp.
¡°A lot of people here seem to have some kind of savior complex,¡± comments the Seeker, turning to the Stranger. Among the crowd, a conflict erupts. The horse, monkey and vulture, argue who is the real SEEKER OF LOVE. The fox argues against the sheep, cow, donkey and pig, whether the SEEKER OF LOVE actually existed. The pigeons gossip about the other animals appearance, while the one in the middle remains silent.
The Stranger looks at the animals, sighs and takes a step forward. All voices fall silent, as the Stranger opens his mouth: ¡°You all either want to be saviors, or you want to be saved, or you reject the idea of ''saving'' entirely. But it seems to me, that no one of you have ever asked, whether you can SAVE YOURSELF! What happens, when ONE PERSON saves another? It creates dependency! It creates attachment. And then what? The one, who has been helped will rely on the savior to save them again and again? Does anyone grow from this? Is this hero-victim relationship beneficial to anyone involved? No. One will carry all the responsibility, while the other one remains helpless. Look at this imbalance. Look at this power dynamic. Who is it, that wants to save others? It''s the ego. Who is that depends on others to help them? It''s the ego. No, the only one, you can truly ever save, is YOURSELF. By being the best version of yourself. And you know what happens, when you are at that level? You will naturally radiate out a positive influence into the world. Wherever you go, you will have a positive impact without even trying. Without the need to being attached to any outcome or fulfill any deep-rooted desires of being ''useful'' or ''helpful''. Because that is, what it actually is, isn''t it? The need to be special out of fear of being insignificant. Look, when a situation arises, where you can save a cat or help someone random on the street who needs your help, then do the right thing. If you live a life of virtue you know what to do, when the challenge arises in your experience. But that is not, what I am talking about. You can still do the right thing, without being attached to it. Without identification to some role or purpose. You can''t copy the story of another character. You can imitate them all you want, but it won''t give you the thing, you actually want. Fulfillment. Because that is something, that you can only get, when you are experiencing your own story, as it was always meant to be written. Don''t compare your life to that of someone else, even if you admire them. Instead find your own story. Don''t follow another ones purpose, find your own instead. Now to those, who blindly believe in some dogma: How long do you want to keep waiting for some savior figure to save your ass? Is it because you think that you yourself are not capable of doing this? Because you believe you are not worthy? Don''t you see, that this just distracts you from saving yourself? YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THIS. You are worthy. You can be saved. But only by your own hands. Not by someone else. Do it on your own accord and become the hero of your own story. And don''t tell yourself that you are already saved either, because someone else ''died for you''. Are you living a life of absolute virtue? Where you don''t harm another being with your words, thoughts and deeds? No? Then you still got work to do. As long as you live, it will go on, because you can slip up any time, when you aren''t careful. Now to you, who doesn''t believe in LOVE. Instead of insisting on an opinion that is based on a limited perspective of life, find out whether it exists or not. When you approach it, while being sure that it doesn''t exist, you won''t ever properly search for it. And your chance of finding it is Zero. Start with ''I don''t know''. And then you go into it very deeply. Don''t leave any stone unturned, until you found your answer. Look, it doesn''t matter, whether we call her SEEKER OF LOVE or use any other epithet for this allegory... She was a regular human being. Conceived like anyone else, born like anyone else. And just like any other human, she also had a butthole. She faced challenges, made mistakes and experienced all the things, that we experience as well. She was no different than you. Stop asking yourself, who the Seeker of Love is, because WE ALL ARE THE SEEKER OF LOVE. Including you. But her story is already written, while yours right now is still an open book. You see, when you put other people on a pedestal, there is no chance of ever reaching them. But only when you see to others eye to eye, you are able to see their perspective and can actually learn something from them. Instead of worshiping an idolized image you have created in your own mind, why not actually take a look at what this person tried to teach you and see, how you can incorporate these things into your own personal life? Instead of trying to imitate this idolized image you have in your own mind, why not have a good look into who you actually are and work with that instead? Instead of denying this image you have in your own mind, why not find out if there perhaps is in fact something true, that is worth pursuing? You see, you might think it''s all about the songs, that the SEEKER OF LOVE used to sing. But you are wrong. It''s about YOU SINGING YOUR OWN SONG. That''s what it always was about. That''s what she tried to teach you all back then. But people didn''t understand it. Instead they turned her into a goddess, so that they could live in the comfortable illusion, that what she achieved was unreachable. But the only thing she ever wanted, was to show everyone how to make the impossible possible. How to find your own song. Through Love. Because Love has always been the answer.¡± For a moment everything is silent. All eyes stare at the Stranger in shock.
Then the crowd bursts out in laughter. The Horse, the monkey, the vulture, the donkey, the cow, the sheep, the pig and the pigeons all laugh hysterically. Only the fox and the pigeon in the middle remain silent. The pigeon fakes a smile, but the eyes speak of regret. The fox has a thoughtful look. ¡°I knew it would come to this,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°When people don''t know how to react to the uncomfortable truth, they ridicule it. Because admitting to it is in contrast to their belief system and therefore to their identity. Especially when people intuitively feel that you speak the truth, they hide behind humor in order to guard their ego. After all, you don''t need to take something seriously, when everybody is laughing at it. And if you do, you are also being laughed at.¡± ¡°Welcome to society,¡± whispers the grinning fox to the Stranger, who listens in on the conversation. The monkey is pulling her dress over her head like a hood and imitates the mannerisms of the Strangr. ¡°LoOk aT Me. I aM hUmAn. WaLkiNg on tWo feEt. LikE sUM cAvE moNKEy!¡± The crowd laughs, claps and whistles. The pig throws an empty can of spam at the Stranger.
With arms around their shoulders the animals leave the scene, laughing hysterically, stepping into the sunset. The pigeons, also prepare to fly away. But one pigeon remains, staring at the Seeker and the Stranger. Unsure, what to do. ¡°Pigeon Number 3,¡± shouts one of the other gray pigeons. ¡°Hurry up! The flock is waiting for you.¡± The Middle pigeon puts on a fake smile. ¡°Oh sorry guys... I hope you aren''t angry at me, for making you wait.¡± Pigeon number 3 flies away with the rest of the flock and looks back one last time to the Stranger and Seeker. Eyes of regret.
Only the four-tailed red fox remains with the Seeker and the Stranger. ¡°Well my old friends,¡± speaks the grinning fox. ¡°I guess you could need some new equipment for your path ahead. Not far outside the farm, I have opened a shop for traveling adventurers. Tell ya what, if you buy anything today, I''ll give ya a special bonus discount.¡± . TO BE CONTINUED One Step Ahead
Part 33: One Step Ahead The fox leads the Seeker with a golden mask and the Stranger to a shop with various items. Not far outside the farm. A wooden stall at a crossroads, where several paths meet together. ¡°What have you been up to, since the great shift?¡± asks the Stranger the fox. ¡°Oh... I''ve been to many places... And I have grown a lot. I now have four tails. With two tails, I can split up in two. With three tails, I can change my appearance. With four tails I can teleport on short distances. Not long ago, I moved my shop out here. Those close-minded hillbillies from the farm are afraid of critical thinkers. It'' a better location anyway, since I meet more potential customers here. By the way... Are you interested in any souvenirs?¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger look at the items in the shop. Various Merchandise: Puppets, Wigs, Figures, T-shirts, Magazines, Artwork, Bracelets, Postcards, all branded with the logo of the tree and the image of the SEEKER OF LOVE. ¡°Any true fan of the SEEKER OF LOVE needs those unique religious relics,¡± speaks the grinning fox. He holds up a signed card of her face. ¡°Legends state, that this ancient pictogram is originally signed by the SEEKER OF LOVE and her band. And for a small price of just 20 vibes, this invaluable artifact from ancient times can be all yours.¡± The Golden Mask Seeker takes a look at the shining card. ¡°This looks newly printed...¡±
The fox holds up a little plastic figurine with a wobbly head. ¡°How about this hand-made statue then? You can use it as an idol to pray to. Every true believer should have at least one of those displayed at their window.¡± ¡°No... Thank you,¡± declines the Seeker politely. ¡°Then what about the official cowls,¡± asks the fox while holding up a black T-shirt. The front side shows the album cover of a band. ¡°Every monk carries those ancient robes. It is said, that when the Seeker of Love was touring the world, the first followers of the church wore these very garments.¡± The Stranger takes a good look at the merchandise. ¡°Now that I think about it... Fandoms and Religions have a lot in common.¡± ¡°Do you have anything more practical?¡± asks the Seeker the fox. ¡°Like armor? Or weapons? Potions? Crafting material?¡± The fox smirks. ¡°People don''t come to this place, because they want to grow. They come here so that they have something to brag about. They showcase their souvenirs at dinner parties, just like gurus showcasing their attachments. Some believe a lucky charm protects them. Thinking they won''t fall into the abyss, as long as they have invested into the right religion.¡±
¡°Do you only sell items or would you also buy any?¡± asks the Seeker the fox. ¡°You see... I have been carrying this anti-attachment spray with me, since we first went up that tower... I purchased two of them. And I don''t think I will ever find a use for this second can... I think I paid five vibes.¡± The fox looks at the spray can. ¡°This is just some silver spray can... This ain''t worth shit. 10 Pesos is all I can do.¡± The Seeker sighs and shakes their head. ¡°What is it with you guys and Pesos?!¡± ¡°1000 Pesos is the equivalent of 1 Vibe. And 360 Vibes are 1 Schmeckle.¡± The Seeker looks confused. ¡°Schmec-- Wha-- Look man... I paid 2 Vibes for that shit... And I have been carrying it with me around since like forever dude. And we went through literal hell to finally get here... So will you please do me a favor and give me at least 1 vibe back for it?¡± ¡°Sorry dude... I don''t make the rules. 10''s all I can do.¡± .
The Seeker sighs and gives their spray can to the four-tailed red fox. + 10 Pesos - 1 Silver-Spray
The Seeker gives a pissed off glance at the fox. ¡°How about we play a little game,¡± suggests the grinning fox. He pulls out three cups and a Gold-ring. He hides the ring under a cup and shifts them all around. ¡°This ring gives you a buff on Charisma. If you can guess, under which cup it''s hidden, the ring is yours. If you guess wrong, you give me 2 Vibes. Wanna play?¡± The Seeker nods. ¡°Yes.¡± A: The Left Cup A: The Left Cup B: The Middle Cup B: The Middle Cup C: The Right Cup C: The Right Cup If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. As if struck by lightning, the Seeker has a sudden insight. It''s as if there are three different sets of memories, remembering all options A, B and C. ¡°Hey... wait a second... I would have lost either way! This is unfair!¡±
The fox shrugs. ¡°That''s just how life is. Unfair.¡± ¡°No,¡± calls out the Seeker. ¡°You are the ONE who''s unfair!¡± The fox shows his paws. ¡°Hey. I don''t make the rules.¡± The Stranger raises his voice. ¡°What made you open up a shop out here?¡± ¡°I want to make money,¡± smiles the clever fox. ¡°I know that Life is a game. I know it and I am here to win. I understand how the system works and use it to my advantage. To become rich, I need to be clever. To win against competitors, I need to be a Trickster.¡± ¡°So this is your shop!¡± shouts the Seeker. ¡°You DO make the rules!¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± admits the fox with a nervous smile. ¡°I have a ton of debts, I need to pay. This isn''t actually my shop anymore. I lost it to a rat and his brother in a game of Poker. Now I basically work for them. Until I have cleared my debt, I am bound to this place. But perhaps... You can help me. There are some things I need from the farm. But they won''t let me in. Can you get them for me?¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger take a step aside, to discuss in private. ¡°This sounds to me like some side quest... Should we skip it?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. The Stranger shakes his head. ¡°I wouldn''t skip it. It may be story relevant.¡± The Seeker turns around to face the fox. ¡°Okay, what are we supposed to do?¡±
¡°I need you to fetch me eggs from the hens, milk from the cows and wool from the sheep. Those products are in high demand up in YouTown. For completing the mission you will receive 6 Vibes.¡± The Seeker accepts the mission and walks together with the Stranger into the farm. They first walk to the chicken enclosure. The Seeker lets their inner chicken out, transforming into Widofnir, the golden rooster. The rooster walks into the chicken house. The chattering hens all fall silent. All staring at him. He takes a deep breath in and speaks: ¡°It is time to tell you the truth about the Orion-Lyra wars...¡± Meanwhile the Stranger waits outside the enclosure. Hours pass, as the chicken tells grand stories to attentive listeners. Some of them even cry. When the chicken stops, the entire chicken enclosure gives him standing ovations. All hen are cheering. The hens give their eggs to the rooster unprompted. The golden Rooster exits the house with eggs in both wings.
The chicken transforms back into the Seeker. ¡°What did you tell them, to receive so many eggs?¡± asks the curious Stranger. ¡°I- I think the chicken just recited Star Wars episode 4,¡± speaks the Seeker, before suddenly bumping into a donkey with mustache. The Donkey falls to the ground. ¡°Sorry. I didn''t see you there,¡± speaks the Donkey, gets back up and walks the other way. The Seeker scratches their head confused, trying to figure out what just happened. ¡°Oh look,¡± speaks the Stranger who points at a cowshed, grabbing the Seekers attention. ¡°This is where we''ll get the milk.¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger walk together into the cowshed. There is one main big bull and a lot of cows. All eyes seem to fear the bull king. ¡°Who dares to walk into my territory?!¡± grunts the tyrannical bull king. The Seeker transforms into a Grizzly Bear. The Bear takes a deep breath in, balances himself and speaks with burning eyes: ¡°I stand against you!¡± The Bull storms with his horns head-on towards the bear. The bear blocks the attack, pushing against the bull. The bull is fast, but the bear is stronger. The bear grabs the neck of the bull and squeezes, until his enemy faints. When the bull king loses consciousness, the cows in the shed applaud. Everyone cheers on the hero, who humbled their tyrant. The bear remains calm, in control of his breath.
The bear transforms back into the Seeker and steps into the sun with Jugs of milk in both hands. The Stranger scratches ''Milk'' from the list. The Seeker and the Stranger walk next into the sheep enclosure. The Seeker walks up to the sheep and asks: ¡°Can I have some of your wool?¡± ¡°I can''t believe it...¡± gasps the horrified sheep from the shrine. ¡°You don''t just go and ask people for their wool! Don''t you have any manners?¡± ¡°S-sorry...¡± trembles the Seeker, who didn''t see that reaction coming. ¡°I just heard, that they put down the mad bull king,¡± speaks up another sheep from the crowd. ¡°Perhaps they can also help us to seize control over the sugar cane fields.¡± Suddenly all sheep whisper: ¡°The sugar cane fields...¡± New conversations start, chattering around the crowd.
¡°Sugar cane fields?¡± asks the Seeker confused. ¡°Whoever controls the sugar cane fields, controls the entire farm,¡± begins a wise old sheep, as he steps from the crowd into the spotlight. ¡°If you manage to scare the crows away from the fields, we will give you some of our wool.¡± The Seeker accepts and goes to the Sugar cane fields. They turn into the appearance of the wounded eagle. ¡°I still can''t move my wings,¡± speaks the Eagle. ¡°But I can move my legs.¡± The Stranger and the Eagle both stop at a scarecrow, illuminated by the high noon sun. There sits a crow on the puppet. ¡°Hello Eagle,¡± speaks the black bird with a grin. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Hello Crow!¡± speaks the eagle with resentment in his eyes. ¡°This farm does not belong to you. You need to leave.¡±
¡°Why should I?¡± questions the crow. ¡°I built here an entire network to produce and distribute the most valuable product in these lands: Sugar. The birds plant the seeds. The bees pollinate. The donkeys do the harvest. The rich pigs buy the product. It''s a perfect system.¡± ¡°Let me challenge you to a battle!¡± shouts out the eagle. ¡°Me against you! If I win, you give back the sugar cane fields to the sheep. I challenge you to a race on land. Only running and jumping are allowed. No flying. And if you win, I''ll tell you where you''ll find a fragment of the tablet of Destiny.¡± ¡°Now its getting interesting. You know the location of a fragment?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the eagle. ¡°The eagle masters hid it in a temple on a mountain. Only the initiated know about it.¡± ¡°This information alone is worth more than two of these farms... I accept.¡± After some time, the sheep, cows, donkeys and pigs assemble at the scare crow. All observing the race between the birds with anticipation. The Eagle and the Crow wait for the signal.
¡°Go,¡± screams the Stranger. The eagle and the crow rush forward. The eagle walks faster, but the crow jumps wider. They dodge hanging branches of wood, jump over fallen tree trunks and bounce from stone to stone to cross a river. The crow uses his wings to jump higher and further. But the Eagle keeps up the pace with his strong claws alone. At the finish line, the eagle and the crow see the Stranger. The Eagle uses all his muscles to spread his wings and jump. He holds his wings with all his willpower for long enough up, to make it over the finish line before the crow.
The frustrated crow flies away. All the sheep are cheering. The eagle looks at his wings. They hurt, but he can finally move them at least a bit. He turns back into the Seeker and is being showered with wool. ¡°Now we got everything,¡± speaks the Seeker relieved. ¡°Let''s head back to the fox and--¡± Suddenly the Seeker bumps into a familiar face. It''s a rat with a mustache and top hat. ¡°It''s YOU! From the labyrinth.¡± realizes the Seeker surprised. ¡°Oh my... Did I just hear the name of the fox?¡± asks the mustache rat. ¡°He promised me Eggs, Milk and Wool to pay for his debts. I am here to collect it. Here''s the promissory note.¡± The rat shows a signed letter of the fox addressed to the rat, confirming to owe him 10 Eggs, 2 liters of Milk and Three balls of Wool. The Seeker hands all the items over to the Rat. MISSION COMPLETED
¡°The fox said something about + 6 Vibes...¡± reminds the Seeker. ¡°This... you need to discuss with the fox yourself. My part of the deal is over.¡± The Rat turns into a donkey and gallops away, disappearing behind a hedge. The Seeker scratches their head and looks confused at the Stranger. The Stranger shrugs. ¡°Let''s go back to see the fox,¡± sighs the Seeker. They walk out of the farm, passing the entrance gate and the shrine, following the gravel path back, until the Seeker and the Stranger stand again at the crossroads. The fox is gone. The shop is gone. No trace left of the wooden stall. ¡°Hey wait a second,¡± realizes the Mysterious Stranger all of a sudden. He goes through all his bags and pockets. ¡°Where is my wallet?¡± The Seeker also suddenly notices, that they feel lighter. They open up their inventory. ¡°My bow, my axe, my sword... They are all gone! Even the arrows. When did I lose them?!¡± Something rustles under the Seekers feet. They pick it up. It''s a small note with the word: ¡°BAMBOOZLED¡±
Meanwhile somewhere on the road to YouTown the four-tailed Fox laughs amused, as he is counting the loot in his cart. His wooden cart is being pulled by a donkey with a mustache.
¡°You want us to walk together?¡± laughs the self-absorbed fox. ¡°First you need to keep up with my speed. But no matter what you try, no matter what you do, I will always be One step ahead of you.¡± The Fox transforms his appearance into that of a rat. Laughing hysterically, as he gallops into the dusk.
¡°I can''t believe that we actually fell for this scam,¡± complains the Seeker, while shaking their head. ¡°We have been robbed.¡± ¡°Don''t worry Seeker,¡± grins the Stranger with certainty in his voice. ¡°This is not the last time that we have seen him. He believes that he has won. But the game has just begun. In the end, we will laugh together.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Its okay to be different
Part 34: It''s okay to be different After fulfilling another side mission the Seeker and the Stranger return to the farm. ¡°I hope we finally move on from those generic side-missions,¡± complains the Seeker. ¡°Seriously, if another NPC tells me to find a missing lamb, I''ll punch them in the face, even if that means, I end back up at Checkpoint 6.¡± ¡°Don''t call them NPC''s...¡± speaks the Stranger, shaking his head. ¡°This term is derogatory and ignorant.¡± ¡°But they are literally NPCS!¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°Like the sheep for example... She always repeats the same three sentences, whenever I walk by her. The cow always walks around in a circle and brabbles something religious. And the Donkey... The one from the farm... I literally watched him glitching into the floor not long ago.¡±
¡°If you define NPCs by being programmed to follow limited patterns, then YOU and ME are also just NPCS,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°We all are programmed. We all follow patterns. Just because your programming is different, that doesn''t mean that you are in anyway better. Also everyone has the capacity of waking up. So don''t look down on others because they are in a different stage of their development. You know, thinking of yourself as superior to anyone, IS ALSO PROGRAMMING. The entire idea of comparison is based on an ancient program, that still keeps us stuck in a limited mental pattern. The Desire to be superior and the fear of being inferior.¡± ¡°Dude... Chill out...¡± interrupts the Seeker. ¡°I am talking about the farm animals... You know that they are NPCs, do you? They were literally programmed to only play a little role in this story. They have like three lines of code...¡± ¡°Oh...¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°I was actually speaking to someone else... Sorry for the confusion.¡± ¡°What the hell...?¡± utters the Seeker surprised. ¡°Now that you mention it... Sometimes it feels as if the things you talk about aren''t really directed at me. Like some things you say, are so out of context with the things that happen around us. Like you talking about Oneness and the limitation of language, while I am fighting against some god-damn skeleton warriors...¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°Let''s just say, I am talking one level higher up. Sometimes, it''s even two levels at once. Imagine ground level is the fictional story, like me talking to you, the Seeker. Next level is talking to the Reader. And one more higher up is talking to the Reader of the Reader, which is soul or spirit.¡±
¡°And what comes next?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Talking with the universe,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°Which is Awareness. Attention and Intention. Consciousness. Which is whole.¡± Suddenly something falls from the roof exactly in front of the Seekers feet. A white drop. The Seekers boot gets dirty. The startled Seeker looks up. Four gray pigeons start laughing. A fifth one hides his face.
¡°Hey! Watch Out! You almost hit me,¡± shouts the infuriated Seeker. ¡°It wasn''t me,¡± shouts Pigeon Number 5. ¡°It wasn''t me either,¡± shouts Pigeon Number 4. ¡°I didn''t do it,¡± speaks Pigeon Number 2. ¡°It was Pigeon Number 3,¡± speaks Pigeon Number 1. All eyes look at Pigeon Number 3. ¡°Hey! What? No! It wasn''t me!¡± denies the accused Pigeon. All Pigeons laugh at Pigeon 3.
Suddenly the Seeker recognizes the Pigeon in the Middle. ¡°Wait... I almost forgot about you. Weren''t you at the Great Shift? What about your new form? Why are your feathers gray again?¡± ¡°Let''s just say, I don''t wanna draw any unnecessary attention towards myself,¡± responds Pigeon 3. ¡°Oh look,¡± shouts Pigeon 1, pointing at the Stranger. ¡°Number 3 is friends with the Heretic.¡± ¡°Isn''t that the human, who shooed away the crows?¡± reminds Pigeon 4, pointing at the Seeker. ¡°Bastards! Because of them, we are now unemployed,¡± speaks Pigeon 5. ¡°We are not friends,¡± contradicts Pigeon 3. ¡°I barely even know them! We just crossed paths once and shifted together.¡± The Seeker feels betrayed. Looking at Pigeon 3 and shaking his head. Uncomfortable silence. ¡°Oh look,¡± speaks Pigeon 3 and catches the attention of the other birds. ¡°I just spotted some breadcrumbs over there in the grass.¡± ¡°Breadcrumbs?¡± repeat Pigeon 1,2,4 & 5. Together, all Pigeons lift off from the roof, fly towards the grass and pick for anything digestible. Pigeon 3 has regretful eyes.
The Sulking Seeker groans. ¡°What arrogant pricks.¡± The Stranger fixes his eyes on Pigeon Number 3, who hides behind the grass. ¡°I want to talk with Pigeon 3. But alone.¡± The Stranger looks at the other pigeons in the grass. Then the Stranger looks at the Seeker. ¡°Can you distract the other Pigeons for me, so that I can talk with our friend undisturbed?¡± ¡°You know what,¡± speaks the Seeker with determined eyes. ¡°I also have a score to settle with them. I will find the pigeon who shat on my feet and hold him accountable.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Both walk to the lawn. The Stranger approaches Pigeon 3, while the Seeker confronts the rest of the flock. ¡°I know that one of you shat on my boots. I demand an apology!¡± The pigeons laugh at the Seeker. ¡°Do you even know who you are messing with?¡± asks Pigeon Number 1 with aggression in his voice. ¡°We are the Pigeon gang, we control the hood. Our color is blue and we have a special handshake. We also just dropped a new album.¡± Pigeon 1 hands the Seeker a CD. The Seeker looks at it.
Pigeon 5 smiles at the Seeker. ¡°The only way, that we will ever tell you, who did it, is if you win against us in a rap battle.¡± Meanwhile the Stranger approaches Pigeon 3, who stands offside in a distance to the rest. ¡°Why are you hiding yourself?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°Why do you go against your own heart to fit into the expectations of others?¡± ¡°To survive,¡± responds Pigeon 3. ¡°If you don''t go with the swarm, you won''t get enough breadcrumbs to eat. I can only survive, when I adept to my environment.¡± ¡°Have you ever tried being your true authentic Self? Or have you only ever imitated others? Behaved, as you were expected to behave?¡±
¡°I have seen what happens when you are different. My brother... pigeon number 6... His feathers were brown instead of gray. When the rest of the swarm flew in one direction, he flew against it. Everyone made fun of him. Until he stood up for himself and was thrown out. So I prefer to stay silent and just play along.¡± ¡°But are you happy that way?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°Does this fulfill you?¡± ¡°No. But it''s comfortable,¡± sighs the Pigeon, who starts getting annoyed by the questions.
At the same time the Seeker and the Pigeons just end an epic rap battle. Pigeon 1 drops his Microphone and humiliates the Seeker. The crowd breaks out in cheering and laughter.
Suddenly four seagulls come flying in from the south. They wear red clothes. ¡°What the hell are you MF''s doing here on our territory?!¡± yells Pigeon 1 aggressively. Pigeon 4, 2 and 5 prepare for a brawl. ¡°Yo MF''s¡± begins the seagull, while invading Pigeon 1 personal space. ¡°I am here to collect the tribute!¡± ¡°Are you insane?!¡± asks Pigeon 1. ¡°We are protected by the Blue side.¡± ¡°Haven''t you heard,¡± laughs the Seagull. ¡°The Blue side has fallen. Red is now in control.¡±
¡°I don''t want to be alone,¡± admits meanwhile Pigeon 3 to the Stranger. ¡°I am afraid of being rejected for who I am. I already don''t have a high standing in the Gang... If I were to turn in front of them into a white dove, they will make fun of me for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°This sounds like a toxic environment,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°What hinders you from finding new friends?¡± ¡°I tried that already,¡± sighs the disappointed pigeon. ¡°That''s why I went to the Red Ditch Inn to find new friends. And I joined a couple of adventurer groups, sat on various tables. Then we went up the Great Shift and I really thought things were changing. But then we split up and I felt very lonely again. So I went back to the Gang. And now they resent me for abandoning them. I always end up here again. That''s just my place here. My role in life.¡±
¡°You are attached,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°Your role in life is not to suffer. If you suffer, there is something to fix! You can go tell yourself forever that ''All is well''. But if there is still something causing you to suffer, then there is something you can do about it. Only when you are not attached, are you harmonizing with the flow of life.¡± ¡°It''s not just that!¡± intercepts Pigeon 3. ¡°I can''t just turn into my new Form in front of them. It''s embarrassing. I feel ashamed. They expect me to be a certain way, to speak a certain way. But when I turn into the white dove, I speak my true mind. I speak my true thoughts. I am unable to lie. They can''t see me like that. You know... It''s just... I just don''t want to make others cringe at me, I guess.¡± The Stranger smiles. ¡°Everyone has at least some amount of cringe in their being. Some are just better at playing the game of society, than others. Someone once told me: ''True enlightenment is when you have accepted the cringe within you.'' Because then you also accept the ''cringe'' in everyone else as well. Then there is no comparison. No judgment. No Shame. You can choose to walk your own way but you can''t control how people react to you. The need for control is born out of insecurity. You bending yourself in order to control other people''s behavior is actually quite manipulative. And you are neither helping yourself that way, nor anyone else. By suppressing aspects of yourself, you create an inner conflict and are unable to find peace within. You need to look at all aspects of yourself, forgive them and accept them.¡±
¡°I... I know that I am different,¡± admits the Pigeon. ¡°And all I ever wanted was to belong. To be part of a family. But they would only ever accept me, when I was not myself.¡± ¡°My friend,¡± speaks the Stranger to the pigeon. ¡°It was never about them accepting you, it''s about you accepting YOURSELF. This is what you need, to find the fulfillment you are seeking after. I will now tell you something that probably no one has ever told you before, but you urgently need to hear: IT''S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT. Don''t feel insecure for your uniqueness ¨C OWN IT instead. There will never again be another YOU. Realize how precious you actually are. You don''t need to fit yourself in any tiny box. It won''t make them happier, no matter how hard you tell yourself you are doing it for the people around you. Be true to yourself. Both inwardly and outwardly.¡± Pigeon 3 sighs. ¡°I don''t even know, what my true Self actually looks like. I keep chasing after it but I can''t seem to find it.¡± ¡°If you don''t know what it looks like, your truest form, then let me show it to you,¡± speaks the Stranger and takes a deep breath in. Sudden full awareness. They are both in the present Moment. A clarity, a lucidity, a calmness. Within and without. ¡°Here it reveals itself to you. Beyond concepts and thoughts and time. In the present moment. The unchanging. Just remember it, before delving back into the next identity. It is ever present in each moment. And don''t forget, you can always come back, after playing.¡± Pigeon 3 suddenly has a tingly feeling on the forehead, where the pineal gland sits. A vision behind Pigeons eyes. Of a possible future.
In the vision, pigeon 3 looks into the mirror and has the form of a winged androgynous human with golden long hair in ancient garments and a harp in its hands. A feeling of familiarity shivers over the birds spine. Pigeon 3 is suddenly pulled out of it again.
¡°Wait... was that... was that me? Is this what I will be, when I level up?¡± ¡°This is who you already are,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°This is your truest form, my friend. This is who you''ll find, when you strip away all the things, that aren''t you.¡± Pigeon 3 stares at his wings. ¡°I still can''t believe it. I never saw myself that way. I never realized that I could be so elevated... Is this really possible?¡± ¡°If you are willing to walk this path,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°Then nothing is impossible.¡± ¡°But where should I even start?¡± questions Pigeon 3. ¡°Right here, right now,¡± speaks the Stranger and points at the pigeons, who challenge the seagulls to a rap battle. ¡°This is where you start. Here and now. In the present moment.¡±
¡°You are right,¡± speaks Pigeon 3 with burning eyes. ¡°It is time to face my fears.¡± The Gray Pigeon, who always stood in the background, takes in a deep breath. All fighting between the gangs suddenly stops. Everyone listens in. A light emerges from pigeon 3, so bright that they avert their eyes. The pigeon transforms into a white dove in front of all the pigeons and seagulls.
¡°You all like to laugh, don''t you?¡± asks Pigeon 3 the gang. ¡°No. 5 you laughed loudest when No. 2 aimed for the Seeker. No. 4 laughed so hard once, that No. 6 went missing. And No. 1, your laugh hurts the most. I am different from you. I only laugh, when no one gets hurt. I don''t want to hurt anyone, because I know what pain feels like. I don''t want to laugh at people, I want to laugh with them together. I don''t want needless conflict. I want harmony and peace. I don''t want to be part of a flock, such as yours. Where people are fighting and fighting over nothing. Not realizing, that we are all on the same side. I realized that as long as I stay with you, I will always feel lonely. This is not where I belong. I see that now clearly. So I will move on and see, where the wind takes me next, my friends. This time it''s goodbye for good. You won''t see me again.¡± For a moment the other pigeons stare at the white dove. Then Pigeon Number 4 bursts out in anger. ¡°MF! You just interrupted me in the middle of my Diss Track! GTFO!¡± The Seagulls victoriously High Five each other. ¡°This doesn''t mean, that we have lost,¡± Speaks Pigeon Number 1, who stands up. ¡°Four, give me the Mic.¡± Pigeon number 1 takes the microphone and disses the Seagulls with his poetry. All attention is back to Pigeon 1. The white dove and the Stranger are forgotten. ¡°Look at how Self-absorbed they are,¡± points out the Stranger to the white dove. ¡°They don''t even know, what they are missing. They never deserved you. What will you do next? Do you want to walk the path together?¡± ¡°How far do you intend to go,¡± asks the Pigeon the Stranger. ¡°To the top of Axis Mundi. This is where the journey will eventually lead us. Far Beyond the 7th Gate. Beyond the abyss. Beyond YouTown. We will walk further, than anyone before us. Are you ready to walk together?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± speaks the white dove with determination in its eyes. ¡°But not yet. With my wings, I am faster, than you anyway. I will prepare the path ahead for you. I will carry on the message. I will use my voice to speak. Let us meet up in YouTown.¡± ¡°We will meet again,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°In YouTown.¡± The white dove nods, looks one last time to it''s family and flies off. Letting go of old attachments, ready to start anew. Ready to make it big in the city.
The Stranger waves at his friend flying to the sky. He stops as he feels the Seeker approaching. ¡°Well I might not know what just happened with you and the third one, but my story definitely was the A-Plot. So many crazy things happened. That one dude did a back-flip and another one started break-dancing. And we delved deep into the lore of the gang wars between the Gull''s and Pigeo''s. Anyway how did your B-Plot go?¡± Before the Stranger can answer, they hear many voices talking from the other side of the barn. They investigate the noise. A crowd of people stands at the entrance gate of the farm. ¡°What''s the matter,¡± asks the Seeker a sheep from the crowd. ¡°Haven''t you heard?¡± yells the euphoric sheep. ¡°The Greatest Of All Times has returned from his missionary trip.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger force themselves through the crowd into the first row. In the center is a white Goat singing and praising. He wears a necklace with a tree symbol and carries a book. ¡°Hallelujah. By the mercy of the SEEKER OF LOVE, we have been saved. Praise be to her and her eternal songs of Love.¡±
The Seeker can''t stop staring at the Goat. There''s something familiar about him. ¡°Wait a second... It''s YOU!¡± TO BE CONTINUED Wolf in Sheeps clothing
Part 35: Wolf in Sheep''s clothing FLASHBACK AROUND 20 YEARS AGO There once lived a black goat among a herd of white sheep. The black goat, never really fit in. He was always isolated. Whenever something bad happened, the black goat was blamed. He had no mom and dad. All the sheep treated him poorly. They showed him every single day that he didn''t belong. But the Shepard, he was a good man. He brought him water and food and always stroked the Goats chin. The Black Goat loved his Shepard like a father. He trusted him. Sometimes he even gave him extra treats. The Sheep were jealous of the Goats relationship with the shepard.
But on a stormy night, the Shepard picked up the Black Goat from the enclosure with a sad face and took him up a mountain. Rain, thunder and lightning struck from above. The Goat wasn''t sure where his father took him, but he trusted nevertheless. At the summit of the mountain, there was an altar erected. The Shepard placed the young Goat on the Altar, as lightning struck the earth. The Shepard caressed the Goats fur with a sad smile. The Shepard took out a knife, shining in the moonlight. The rain drops stopped. Everything became quiet. The Black Goat looked at the Shepard with big eyes. ¡°Is everything okay, Master?¡±
The Shepard closed his eyes, took a deep breath and prayed. He spoke words in an ancient tongue to a god, whose name is long forgotten. The devoted shepard held up his knife high and aimed for his pet. The Goat realized in the last moment what was happening and dodged the knife attack. He escaped between the Shepard''s legs. ¡°What is wrong Master? Why are you attacking me?¡± The Shepard turned around and attacked the Goat with his knife once again. But the Goat pushed him away with his horns. The Shepard lost balance and fell off the cliff down into his death. The Black Goat didn''t know what to do. He felt so many emotions, all at once. Fear. Betrayal. Confusion. Anger. Shock. Regret. ¡°Wh- What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?¡± The Black Goat ran away. With tears in his eyes. He had no idea where to go next. Not back to the sheep, who hated him. How should he explain the Shepard''s absence? No way. There was no going back, so the Goat ran and ran. He wandered off to many different places. But wherever he went, he was either abused, exploited or abandoned. But to most animals, he was just invisible. Until he realized how to get the attention, that he desired. By crying, by complaining, by criticizing, by provoking, by mocking, by boring others about trivialities. And so he went from farm to farm, draining all energy, until it was depleted and moved over to the next farm. Until he found a place, where it was easiest to absorb energy. A place, where he could drain other peoples energy just by throwing negative comments. A place, where many energy vampires gather: The Red Ditch Inn. PRESENT MOMENT On the farm of the SEEKER OF LOVE, the Seeker and the Mysterious Stranger stand in a crowd around a white goat with a book in his hand. ¡°Is this the same Goat from the Big Shift?¡± questions the Seeker amazed. The Goat catches the gaze of the Seeker and looks at them. The Goats face turns into a smile. ¡°Oh! It''s You! My friends.¡±
The Goat approaches them. The Seeker is on guard. Protecting their energy. But the Goat goes for a warm hug instead. The Seeker is surprised, that they don''t lose any vibes. ¡°I am so happy to see that you are well, my old friend,¡± greets the Goat the Seeker with a warm smile. ¡°Th-Thank you. Nice to see you as well... You have changed... Do you have a new haircut or something?¡± The Goat laughs. ¡°Ah this is a long story. Do you perhaps have a moment to listen?¡± ¡°Uhm... Yeah... I guess...¡± The Goat points at one of the sheep. ¡°Martha. Would you be so kind, to prepare for me and our friend here a kettle of tea?¡± The Sheep nods and rushes to the kitchen. The White Goat meanwhile takes the Seeker into the farms living room, leads them by the shoulder to a table and moves a chair for them to sit down. The Goat sits down opposite and takes off his glasses. ¡°Have you ever heard the story of the SEEKER OF LOVE?¡± questions the Goat the Seeker in a serious tone. ¡°No,¡± reacts the Seeker emotionless, while inwardly thinking: ''Oh my god... please don''t try to convert me to your religion.''
¡°I used to be a sinner,¡± begins the Goat his monologue. The Seeker sighs, already regretting sitting down with the Goat. Their eyelids start feeling heavy. ¡°I took whatever I desired, without any consideration of what it did to me. Of how I will be judged for it. I used to hurt other people, without thinking about the consequences. Without thinking of what will happen to me after I die. This was before I learned about the abyss by Father Fowl. The abyss is a place, where those who sin, are tortured after their death. And because we are all sinners and it is impossible to improve ourselves, the only way to be saved is by believing in the SEEKER OF LOVE who died on the Tree for our sins. We don''t need to face punishment for our actions, because a scapegoat was sacrificed instead of us. And so we can continue in our selfish ways, because our belief protects us. What do you say, Seeker? Do you want a ''get-out-of-jail-free-card''? If so, I will baptize you to install the ''Religious Mind'' into your system.¡± The Seeker gets up and shakes their head. ¡°I already had the ''Religious Mind'' installed once. Not my thing. So I deleted it again.¡± The Goat laughs. ¡°Oh silly. You can''t just delete the ''Religious mind''. It''s too deep. Part of it will stay in you forever. No antivirus can ever fully get rid of it. Now if you were to decide to install our SEEKER OF LOVE add-on however...¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± speaks the Seeker, leaving the table. ¡°I am not interested.¡± The Seeker faces the door. but the Goat rushes over and stands in-between. ¡°Wait a second... before you go, perhaps I can invite you to our church and show you around. You must meet Father Fowl, he is a great Preacher. The chapel is not far away from here. We can even fast travel.¡± MAIN QUEST UPDATED
  • Talk with Goat
  • Visit Church of The Seeker of Love (Optional: Use Fast Travel)
The Seeker uses the fast travel option.
After some time of loading, the Seeker, the Stranger and the Goat stand in front of a wooden chapel. The Goat opens the door, the other two follow. The Seeker hears a loud, deep voice, echoing in the entrance corridor. All rows are full with listeners. A preacher stands at the altar and speaks. His appearance reminds the Seeker of a sheep, but something is odd about him. The preacher speaks: ¡°Beware the Abyss! The Abyss is the land of no return. If you fall into it, there is no way back. The Abyss is a place of everlasting pain. The abyss is suffering. The abyss is nihilism. The abyss is darkness. And the only way to be save from the lingering shadow of the abyss, is by strictly following the instructions of our organization and never questioning its belief-system. If you even think about logical loopholes in our ancient texts, you will fall into the abyss after your death! Anyway... We''d be very happy for a small donation. Remember, it might just be a couple of coins for you, but it''s a lot for our beloved goddess.¡±
Two young lambs go through the rows and collect the taxes. The Seeker hears many coins tinkling. When it''s the Seekers turn, they remember, how they were robbed 2 episodes ago. ¡°Sorry,¡± whispers the Seeker while feeling everyone''s judgmental gaze. All the people stand up from the benches and leave the church. When most visitors are gone, the Goat leads the Seeker and the Stranger up to the preacher. He is currently talking with a sheep and her son. ¡°So your son is old enough to join the altar service?¡± asks the preacher with a drooling lip. ¡°Oh yes,¡± speaks the sheep mother excited. ¡°My son Shaun here, will one day be a preacher, just like you, Father Fowl.¡± The preacher smiles and strokes through the lambs hair. The two tax collectors from earlier, grab the young lamb by his shoulder. ¡°Just follow the other adepts,¡± smiles father Fowl. ¡°Your two new friends here, will show you your room in the bsement.¡± The young lamb follows the other altar servers downstairs. They walk down a stair case into the basement. As the mother sheep leaves, the Goat approaches the preacher. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Father Fowl, may I introduce you to a friend of mine,¡± asks the Goat the preacher. ¡°This is the Seeker.¡± The Seeker shakes the Preachers hand. But the Stranger can''t stop staring at the face of the preacher. ¡°This guy is a wolf,¡± points out the Stranger bluntly. Everyone looks at him, as if he had said something insane.
¡°I am sure he didn''t mean it that way,¡± reassures the horrified Goat to the offended Preacher. He then turns to the Stranger. ¡°You can''t just call someone a ''wolf''. Do you have any idea how insulting that is around here? Look at his fuzzy hair! Does that look like a wolf to you?¡± ¡°Then why does he have such big teeth?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°My parents couldn''t afford braces,¡± responds Father Fowl. ¡°Then what about your pointy ears and your big eyes?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°Ears to hear the songs of the SEEKER OF LOVE and eyes to marvel at her beauty,¡± responds the Preacher, as if he was quoting some verse. ¡°Okay... your answer didn''t make any sense and something is definitely wrong with you,¡± responds the Stranger.
The Goat interrupts the conversation. ¡°Anyway, Father Fowl... My friend here, the Seeker, has a hard time accepting our belief-system as the only valid representation of truth. Their disbelief disturbs me, because my faith is fragile. I need to convince the world in order to convince myself. This is why I expand around the globe ¨C because I am insecure. I have hoped that you may show them the many benefits of joining our church.¡± Father Fowl smiles and touches the Goats back. ¡°My dear child. Do you still remember how you used to be, when you first arrived here, two years ago? You were completely consumed by darkness. And now look at you. How much you have changed. Just let them follow you for one single day and soon they will beg to be baptized. For you, this should be an easy task.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I will not disappoint you¡± salutes the Goat. He then faces the Seeker and the Stranger. ¡°Ready to knock on some doors?¡± MAIN QUEST UPDATED
  • Visit Church of The Seeker of Love
  • Accompany the Goat during his mission
About 10 minutes later
A beaver with glasses sits on a sofa in his wooden cottage and reads the newspaper, while his wife is preparing dinner, as he suddenly hears a knocking on the door. He gets up and opens the door. Outside stand the Seeker, the Stranger and the Goat in the middle with a wide smile and a book in his hand. ¡°Hello Sir, do you perhaps have a moment to talk about THE SEEKER OF LOVE?¡±
The Seeker is embarrassed to stand behind the Goat. The beaver sighs annoyed. ¡°Margret!¡± he screams into the kitchen. ¡°It''s those guys again! I think they want to sell us vacuum cleaners.¡± ¡°We could need a new vacuum cleaner actually. Let them in, Harold. I''ll prepare a kettle of tea.¡± The Seeker, Stranger and Goat sit together with Harold, the beaver at the dining table. Margaret brings tea and sits herself next to her husband.
¡°Are you also from the vacuum cleaner company,¡± asks Margaret the Seeker. ¡°No, we are just here to witness,¡± responds the Seeker. The Goat coughs and grabs all attention. ¡°What I am offering you, is a religious mind program. A belief system, that will allow you to bury your regrets and guilt under layers of illusions. A convenient relief of worrying about the lingering feeling of death. Furthermore, you will have the moral superior high ground, because you act under the authority of your own ego, reflected in an idolized form. This justifies any hate towards other religious groups, towards perceived ''sinners'' and outsiders, who can''t conform. So are you interested in being infected by my mind virus ¨C I mean do you want install the thought pattern?¡± The couple of elderly beavers are both suddenly very slim. Only skin and bones. As if all of their life force was sucked out of their bodies. Their eyelids are heavy. Both beavers feel tired.
Margaret yawns. ¡°So you are not selling vacuum cleaners after all?¡± Soon after the Seeker, Stranger and Goat leave the house behind. The Goat grins and waves, until the moment, that Harold closes the door. His face changes abruptly. The furious Goat kicks down the beavers mailbox aggressively. With every kick, the Goat spits out a new word: ¡°Those ¨C Damned ¨C Infidels ¨C Why ¨C Can''t ¨C They ¨C Understand ¨C That ¨C I ¨C AM ¨C Trying ¨C To ¨C Help ¨C Them?!!¡± The Goat storms away angrily, leaving the bent and broken tin box behind. After a full day of visiting various homes and being rejected by every single one of them, the trio returns back to the chapel. ¡°It used to be much easier to convert people,¡± rambles the Goat. ¡°Now all people are thinking about is ''science'' and ''logic'' and ''reason''... This shows once again, that we are approaching the collapse of civilization...¡± As the Goat opens the door to the church, the halls are empty. ¡°I guess Father Fowl is preparing the evening sermon. I''ll go get him. Why don''t you two have a look around here.¡± When the Goat leaves, the Stranger faces the Seeker. ¡°Let us have a look at the basement. This preacher is hiding something. I know it.¡± MAIN QUEST UPDATED
  • Accompany the Goat during his mission
  • Discover Father Fowls Secret
The Stranger walks down the Staircase. The Seeker follows hesitantly.
¡°I don''t think, that we are supposed to be here,¡± worries the Seeker, as they step down the stone cold stairs into a dark, ancient hallway. ¡°What if we are being caught?¡± The Stranger suddenly stops as he hears a noise coming from a closed door, with a sign that says ''DO NOT ENTER''. They hear munching and slurping. ¡°I bet this is where they keep their secrets,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°The door is locked. Perhaps we''ll find another way in.¡± The Seeker suddenly notices a ventilation shaft. They crawl through the narrow space. Moving upwards, going left and right, until the Seeker and Stranger are directly above the secret room and can see the entire scene through the grid. The Seeker gasps, as they observe how a big gray wolf and three smaller wolves devour a skinned lamb. It''s a bloody mess. As the wolves are in a blood rush, organs, bones and tissue of the dead lamb fly around. The Seeker stares at the scene in terror. Struggling with their own gag reflex.
The bigger wolf sighs. His snout, fur and hands are covered with the blood of the young lamb, who should have started altar service. His belly is round as a ball. He uses a bone like a tooth pick and cleans his mouth with a napkin. The younger wolves also sigh relieved with blood all over them. The older wolf gets up, grabs the sheep''s skin, that hangs from a coat rack and gives it to the youngest wolf. ¡°From now on, you listen to the name Shaun. When his mother wants to see her son, you will play your part. When you are old enough, we will send you as Priest to your own church.¡± The young wolf nods, takes the skin and puts it on. The older wolf also takes another sheep''s skin from the rack and puts it on as well. ¡°It''s Father Fowl,¡± whispers the Seeker in disbelief. ¡°So he is a wolf after all... I would have never expected that... He was always so nice...¡± The other wolves also put on sheep''s clothing, leave the room and lock the door. When they are alone, the Stranger speaks: ¡°We need to expose the Truth of what is going on here behind closed doors. This institution is corrupted to the core. Full of lies and Deceit. It''s drenched with the blood of the Innocent. We need to stop this madness.¡± ¡°But what about the Goat?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°He is happy. He is a better person. He treats others with politeness. He doesn''t cry about his pain. He is a functional member of society. Why should we take this away from him. This innocent ignorance.¡± ¡°Because it is all based on lies,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Is he truly happy? Did he actually grow? Does he treat other people with love? Or is this all just a mask? Is he driven by love or is he driven by fear? Where does this fear come from? Who is it that uses fear in order to control? The Ego, right? Lies can never save us. They only ever create distortion. No, only the truth can set us free. So we must cut through the lies. To cut through the webs of deceit with our flaming sword of Truth.¡±
¡°I... I don''t know...¡± admits the Seeker. ¡°I am just not sure if it''s up to us to reveal it. Perhaps the Goat should discover it himself. Isn''t this an invasion of his privacy?¡± ¡°What would a real friend do?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°Tell the Truth or lie to protect them? It''s up to you to find that out, Seeker.¡± Suddenly the Seeker and the Stranger are shaken by the sound of the church organ playing a wonderful melody. Both get out of the ventilation shaft and sneak back up into the church hall. The Goat sits in the first row. He notices the Seeker. All listen as Father Fowl enters the stage and begins his sermon: ¡°To quote Song text fragment 233: ''The Truth shall be revealed, when the ears are ready to listen.'' Many scholars have debated for hundreds of years what exactly is meant by this statement. Of course this is a reference to the doctrine of purity, which states that--¡± Father Fowl is suddenly interrupted by the deep voice of the Stranger. ¡°You are a wolf in sheep''s clothing!¡± accuses the Stranger the Priest. Everyone is in shock. ¡°I am not sure when your institution first corrupted, but I guess since it''s very foundation there were already wolves in the midst. Who corrupted holy words. Who bent the Truth to make it more attractive. This organization is rotten to it''s core. They speak of Love, but their hearts are dark. They bind themselves to a limited pattern. They build their identity around their belief system. Repression, conflict, fear, struggle, imitation, comparison, exploitation... Just to name a few of the symptoms. Fowl is a wolf! Did seriously no one realize that it''s an anagram... I mean seriously... It''s obvious. The young lambs you send to church for altar service, end up in Father Fowls belly. They wear their skin and clothes and replace them.¡±
The entire audience gasps. Some elderly women faint. Others are outraged, including the Goat. ¡°Do you have any proof for these wild accusations?¡± shouts the Goat enraged. ¡°The Seeker and I, we have both witnessed it,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°They can testify.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± asks the white Goat the SEEKER.
A: TELL THE TRUTH (SEE POST-CHAPTER NOTE) B: TELL A LIE (SEE POST-CHAPTER NOTE) THE CANONICAL ENDING ¡°Yes...¡± confirms the Seeker with pain in their eyes. ¡°It''s all True. There is a hidden room in the dungeon downstairs. The remains of a lamb should still be there.¡± Father Fowl laughs. ¡°You are very funny. But please don''t be ridiculous. No one will believe such nonsense from an outsider, such as you.¡± ¡°Then why don''t you open the door in the basement and prove us wrong?¡± argues the Seeker. Some of the farm animals among the rows start to chatter. The Goat is awfully silent. Fowl shakes his head. ¡°You are not buying into that, are you? As you know, the secret room is off-limits, since we are keeping there a holy relic of the Seeker of Love. Only servants of the church are allowed to see it.¡± ¡°Then show it to me,¡± speaks the Goat. Everyone is surprised. ¡°If what the Seeker says is untrue, then you should have no problem with showing the room to me right? I can then confirm to everyone on your behalf, that it''s all made up.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± asks Fowl the Goat with anger in his voice. ¡°Why are you going against me?¡± ¡°I at least want to hear the Seeker out,¡± speaks the Goat. ¡°And give them a fair chance.¡± ¡°I also trust the Seeker,¡± speaks a Sheep from the front rows, whom the Seeker helped with the crows. ¡°They deserve at least a chance to prove themselves,¡± speaks a calf, who was saved from the tyranny of the aggressive bull. ¡°We believe in the Seeker,¡± cheer a couple of chicken, fans of the golden Rooster. ¡°Yo,¡± speaks Pigeon Number 1. ¡°Isn''t that the Bro, who completely destroyed the Seagulls with his rhymes? Respect for that Fella. We are there for you, Bro.¡± ¡°See...¡± whispers the Stranger into the Seekers ear. ¡°Doing side quests and going for optional missions, is worth it, after all.¡± Father Fowl takes a look around. Everyone looks at him with piercing eyes. The wolf smiles, the facade falls down, he breaks out in manic laughter. He rips down the sheep''s clothing and reveals his true appearance. The wolf reveals himself. Everyone gasps. ¡°Unbelievable. You got me. Yes, I am a wolf. Since Centuries, our organization is run by wolves in sheep''s clothing. Over time, we replaced all sheep with wolves. And we built a system, that allowed for darkness to grow and thrive within us. And we gained power, wealth and lived like kings. When we were hungry, we ate. It was a perfect system. And it would have continued on forever, if it weren''t for that damned Seeker and their strange hooded friend.¡±
Some of the pigs in uniform stand up to arrest the Wolf in their midst. But Fowl breaks the colored church glass and jumps through the window. The three younger wolves follow their leader. The slow pigs take up the chase. Some of the visitors are in shock. Others don''t know what to do. Some went down into the basement to clean up. Slowly the halls get empty, until only the Seeker, the Stranger and the Goat remain. ¡°What will you do next, now that you know the truth,¡± asks the Stranger the Goat. ¡°I feel betrayed,¡± responds the Goat. ¡°I really trusted Fowl. He seemed like a genuinely decent person to me. Now I don''t know, what to believe in anymore. Here I felt, as if I truly belong. Here I felt at home and secure. I was an accepted member of the community. But now it all breaks apart. What am I supposed to do with my life now?¡± ¡°You will find a way,¡± speaks the Stranger reassuringly to the Goat. ¡°Whatever your life will look like, you will find your way to navigate yourself through your new circumstances.¡± ¡°But now I will be alone again,¡± sighs the Goat. ¡°Not necessary,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°You can walk the path with us together.¡± . The Goat looks at the Seeker. ¡°You were the first one to ever tell me the truth. You didn''t trick me, or lied to me. I think... I can trust you... But don''t get me wrong. I still have my own beliefs, my own opinions. No matter how many wolves hide themselves in sheep''s clothing, this does not diminish my faith. I will keep on believing in the SEEKER OF LOVE, no matter what you guys may tell me.¡± ¡°I respect that,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°You only walk as far as you want to walk. No one imposes anything on you. You can use your faith to connect with your higher aspects. You can use the image of your idol to access universal love. Belief-systems might be incomplete and limited, but if you truly walk with love, you are already much more advanced than most people. Your beliefs are just as valid, as anyone else and no one wants to take that away from you. But just as you speak your truth, we will speak ours. We just hope, that you don''t get too attached to rigid dogmas, because it keeps you stuck from leveling up.¡± The Goat nods and shakes the Seekers hand. ¡°I will walk with you... For now... But never... Never betray my trust...¡± The Goat gets absorbed into the Seekers energy. The Goat gets absorbed into the Seekers energy. LEVEL UP! LVL 28: + 1 Stubbornness NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: BLACK GOAT BLACK GOAT EDGELORD WHITE GOAT
The Seeker and the Stranger take the road and continue on their path ahead. ¡°So where are we going next?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°We take the road to YouTown. We have a long way ahead of us, my friend.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Leave the past behind
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
Part 36: Leave the past behind you ¡°What is time?¡± asks the mysterious Stranger the Seeker, as both continue on their path. Along the path there are many fields of wheat and corn. ¡°Time is used to measure the progression of events from past, to present, to future,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°It is the fourth dimension of reality. It flows linear, like a straight line. The passing of time can be observed in the cycles of the sun and the moon, of day and night, months and seasons...¡± ¡°So we have split time in past, present and future?¡± inquires the Stranger. ¡°Yes,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°With the past we describe what has already happened and led to this moment. The past is everything that happened before the present. With the future we describe what is still to come. Everything that will happen later. Tomorrow, in a year, in ten years... The present lies between the past and the future. The present is what we are experiencing at this moment.¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°So with time, what we actually measure is change, right?¡± concludes the Stranger. ¡°We know that the PAST and the PRESENT are not identical. Because there was a change from Moment A to Moment B. So we put WHAT IS in relation to WHAT USED TO BE and compare both. This is the causal chain of cause and effect. We find entropy everywhere. In bursting bubbles. In evaporated water. In decaying organic matter. We find cycles everywhere. In our measurement of time, based on the solar or lunar cycle. Or when we look at the birds, seasons and the stars. Because we can remember previous states, we are aware that changes will follow in the FUTURE. We know, the future also follows the chain of cause and effect. We form ideas about what the future will look like, based on past experiences and act accordingly or plan ahead. But when do we experience the future? When do we experience the past? Where else, apart from in our thoughts and memories? Aren''t we always in the present? At this very moment, the intersection between the past and the future, between before and after. Don''t all experiences take place in the present, in the moment? We experience change in our environment. We experience entropy every moment. The change of every state always happens in the present. Change of every kind can only ever be observed in relation to the now. A momentary state must exist so that it can be compared with past states. Only in the present can we remember. Only in the present can we plan our future. When an ice cube melts, time has passed. We say now there is water and before there was ice. But isn''t it the case that the water was always in the present despite the change in state? Before it melted, it was in the present moment. As the ice cube lost more and more shape, it was in the NOW. When it became water, it was in the NOW. And when it later evaporates, it will still be in the NOW. Can we really divide time into past, present and future? Isn''t the present moment more like a moving point on an eternal timeline? Are past and future perhaps, just a concept? A mental construct through which we can observe and understand the causal chain of events? Where is the future, except in our thoughts? Where is the past, except in our thoughts? When do we experience our thoughts?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°In the NOW,¡± gasps the Seeker, with their mouth wide open. ¡°So you see, how there is only ever the present moment?¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker. ¡°With our brains we may have the capacity to record the present moment and store it as memory. Through our imagination, we may anticipate the future based on what we already know of the past. But these functions also operate in THE PRESENT MOMENT. There is only the Now, all else is just a mere concept.¡± ¡°But we need this concept,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°How else should we communicate? All human knowledge and technology is based on our ability to remember the past and to expect the future.¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°I am not attacking the concept of time,¡± laughs the Stranger. ¡°I am just pointing out that past and future are not real. That this split up in thought is imaginary. The concept of past and future are indeed convenient from a human perspective. But we should be aware of its illusory nature, to expand our understanding.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± contemplates the Seeker. ¡°So there is truly only ever the present moment... There is no past and there is no future...¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°But do me a favor and don''t build an identity around this realization. Please don''t be one of those people who can''t stop shutting up about the present moment. And don''t turn the ''present moment'' into a new concept to become attached to.¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
Suddenly the Seeker and the Stranger stop on their path. There is a giant rabbit hole on the roadside with a sign next to it, stating: ''ENTER INTO THE PAST''
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°This rabbit hole seems very suspicious,¡± notes the Seeker. The Stranger wants to get a closer look and sticks her head into the hole. ¡°This seems to go very deep.¡± Suddenly there is a pull and the Stranger is sucked head-first down into the rabbit hole. A loud scream dampens until it quiets down completely.
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
The Seeker sighs, shaking their head. ¡°Damn it... Why do we always end up with weird scenarios...¡± The Seeker takes a deep breath and follows the Stranger into the rabbit hole. A magnetic pull sucks them in. The Seeker screams as they slide down for several minutes, until there is a light at the end of the narrow tunnel. When they emerge on the other side, the Seeker is blinded for a moment. As their eyes get comfortable with the new scenery, the Seeker notices that everything is black and white. The Stranger stands next to them. They are standing in a suburban area with many gray houses, all looking identical. A sign shows the name of the street: ''Memory lane''
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°Where are we?¡± asks the Seeker, as they take a look around. ¡°Where are all the colors gone?¡± ¡°It''s always gray in the PAST,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Or have you never seen a movie from the 50''s before?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
Suddenly, the Seeker notices a faint sound. It sounds like sobbing and weeping. ¡°Did you also just hear that?¡± they ask the Stranger. ¡°I think it''s coming from the house over there.¡± ¡°Let''s have a look and investigate,¡± speaks the Stranger. They approach the house and open the door.
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
There is no furniture in the house. The entire building completely empty, apart from a single TV screen. In the corner of the living room sits a young, white bunny, covered in a blanket. She weeps while staring at the screen. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
The Seeker recognizes the bunny. ¡°Wait... Isn''t that?¡± The Stranger nods. ¡°Yes, it''s her.¡± Despite everything else being black and white, the TV screen projects a colorful image. The Seeker stares into the screen. It''s almost as if the screen is pulling their attention in, binding it. The Screen shows the white bunny as a child. She is surrounded by five brown female bunnies, who make fun of her weight and her fur. ¡°Why are people so mean?¡± thinks the bunny out loud. ¡°I don''t want to hurt anyone. I always treat others with kindness. All I ever wanted was to be friends. But they never accepted me. They made fun of the way I looked and so I colored my fur with brown paint to look just like them. But they still didn''t want to be my friend. They made fun of my weight and so I lost it. But instead of calling me fat, they just started calling me anorexic. They treated me, as if something is wrong with me. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps something is wrong with me. They told me that I am ugly and I believe it. They told me that I am worthless and I believe it. They told me that no one likes me and I believe it. I hate my face. I hate my body. I hate my life.¡± ¡°It''s not real,¡± speaks up the Seeker, pulling the bunny out of her monologue. ¡°Your past is just an illusion. There is only ever the present moment. The past is a concept, so stop identifying with it!¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
Only when she heard the Seeker speak, she became aware of them. Startled and afraid, the bunny hastily hops out of the window and runs to a different house. The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± ¡°I know, that you just wanted to help her,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°But breaking the illusion of time, won''t be enough to heal deeply ingrained wounds. The emotional burden of the past weighs so deep, that they are part of her identity. Telling her that it''s not real, will just invalidate her pain.¡± Together, the Seeker and the Stranger walk to the next house, where the bunny hopped into. They open the door. It''s another empty house. Again, the bunny sits in a dark corner and stares into the colorful TV screen. A tear drops from her eye. The Screen shows a sick bunny in a hospital bed, surrounded by family, who look at the sick bunny with sad eyes. The sick bunny in the hospital bed forces a smile and then coughs blood. ¡°There is no greater pain in life, than the pain of loss,¡± thinks the bunny out loud. ¡°How should we ever recover from losing the people, who mean so much to us? Everyone will die eventually. And the people who are important to us will eventually perish as well. How should we live on, when the floor below us crumbles? When the foundation of our house breaks apart? When all we have left of the people we love, are memories? How should we live on, knowing, that we will never talk again? That we''ll never see their face or hear their voice again? How should we move on, when we don''t even know, how to walk without them?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°Stop replaying the memories in your thoughts,¡± speaks up the Seeker and pulls her again out of her monologue. ¡°The past is gone, no matter how much you cling to it. Whenever you look back at the past, you are missing out on the present.¡± The bunny looks at the Seeker horrified. She has tears in her eyes. ¡°How can you even say this!? I am still mourning!¡± Once again, the bunny hops out of the window and flees to the next house. The Seeker looks at the Stranger confused. ¡°What did I do wrong this time? I just told her the truth... She needs to move on.¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°What she needs right now is not the truth,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°She needs someone by her side to remind her, that she is not alone.¡± Once again the Seeker and the Stranger follow the rabbit to the next house. They open the door. Empty again, apart from the bunny sitting in a corner, while staring at a colorful TV screen. The screen shows a young bunny child building castles on a beach, being pushed on a swing at a playground and playing with puppets or toys. ¡°These are the only good memories, I can think of,¡± speaks the Bunny to herself. ¡°Back then, things were still okay. Before I had to worry about taxes and bills and paying rent. Before I had to put all my time and energy into a job, I don''t even enjoy. Before I was thrown into this ruthless world, expected to stand on my own. When I still had hopes and dreams. When I was protected. When I was save. Why can''t we go back to how things used to be? Why does life need to be so hard and painful?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°You are living in the past,¡± speaks the Stranger to the white bunny. This time the Seeker remains quiet. When she hears the Strangers voice, the bunny looks out of the window, but there are no more houses left to escape to. ¡°Quite literally. You escape the present moment, by focusing your thoughts on the past. But you don''t belong here. This moment is already gone and it will never come back again. No matter how long you dwell here, you won''t find anything worthwhile. The past might give you comfort, but it chains you down. You can''t create any new memories, while you are still bound to the past. What about the people in your life right now? Don''t you want to create new memories with them?¡± ¡°What if I am all alone?¡± argues the bunny. ¡°What if there is no one in my life to create new memories with? What if there is no one, who truly understands me? What if the past is the only place, I do not feel alone?¡± ¡°What is wrong with being alone?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°Most often we are afraid of being alone, when we are not comfortable with ourselves. So why not first get to know yourself fully? Also does dwelling on the past really resolve your loneliness or is it just a distraction? If you want to connect with people and relate with them, you can''t do it while still being stuck in the past. Did you dwell on the past, while you created those memories, that you are so attached to right now? No, you were in the present moment. Only in the NOW, do you experience. Imagine, all the wonderful moments that you could create, when you leave the baggage of the past behind you. Face the truth, it is time to move forward.¡± ¡°But I am scared,¡± admits the bunny. ¡°What if I get hurt again?¡± ¡°Pain is part of life,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Accept that it is there. Heal the wound, if you can. And if you can''t, then learn to live with it. Without letting it control your actions. Without being attached or building an identity around it. Life is a challenge. The only way to grow, is to meet the challenge head on.¡± The white bunny has a thoughtful look on her face. Her eyes show an internal struggle, unsure how to continue. She wants to move on. But there is still something holding her back. ¡°There is something I would like to show you,¡± speaks the Stranger and offers a hand to the bunny. ¡°Will you follow me outside?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
The bunny nods and accepts the Strangers hand. Together, the Seeker, the bunny and the Stranger walk out of the house. The bunny follows the Stranger to a graveyard. They stop at a particular gravestone. The bunny shakes her head. ¡°No. Not yet. I am not ready yet to face my loss...¡± ¡°Every human being will face loss eventually within their lifetime,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°To lose someone, you love dearly, is part of being human. And everyone of us deals with loss differently. No one can tell you, when you are ready. No one can tell you, what you are supposed to feel. No one can tell you how to deal with it. But whoever it is, that you have lost, I think it is fair to assume, that this person meant a lot to you. That you love them dearly and they loved you. And whoever they are, they would have wanted the best for you. They would have wanted to see you move on. To see you smile again. To see you laugh again. To find the closure, that you need for the story of your life.¡± A tear flows from the bunnies eye. ¡°Alright,¡± she whispers under breath. The Seeker and the Stranger take a few steps back, leaving her behind, to say the things she needs to say in private. They wait for her, until she is ready to move on.
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
After a couple of hours, the bunny leaves the grave behind and joins the two of them. She has a different look on her face. Her eyes are still red from crying, but a faint light glows within them. A fire, that she thought she had lost a long time ago. ¡°It''s the first time I ever visited this grave,¡± admits the bunny. ¡°But... Now that I did... This burden is finally gone... I feel lighter now...¡± ¡°There is one more place, I would like to take you,¡± speaks the Stranger to the bunny. ¡°Come with me.¡± The bunny follows. Together, they walk to another house. The Stranger opens the door. The house is entirely empty, apart from a single, giant mirror in the entry hall. ¡°Is that what you want to show me?¡± asks the bunny. ¡°A mirror? This is the last thing, I want to be looking at... I am ugly. I am fat. I don''t want to look at myself!¡± ¡°Take a closer look,¡± speaks the Stranger and points at the mirror. ¡°Your view is distorted. Because you only ever look at an image, that other people have created of you. You don''t even see yourself. Look deeper. Beyond your past. Beyond the labels, that other people have used to describe you. Beyond attachments and identities. I see a strong and beautiful soul. One that went through a lot of pain and yet remained kind and compassionate. I see the fire in your eyes. The light in your being.¡± The saddened bunny sighs. ¡°What good does a beautiful soul bring me in a world that only cares for the beauty of my body and face? What good does my kindness bring me, if no one is ever kind to myself? If all I ever feel is pain and sadness?¡± ¡°Look closer,¡± reminds the Stranger and brings the bunnies attention back to the mirror. ¡°No matter, who looks into this mirror, no one will see the same as you. No one else will have your story. Your life. Your beautiful soul. Can''t you see its wonderful uniqueness? Can''t you see, that there will never again be another you? Your pain is what shaped your kindness, so embrace it. Don''t you see, that it''s necessary? That YOU are needed? Your wonderful soul is needed here. Take a closer look at your entire being. See your soul fully. From all angles and embrace it fully. Who cares, what others think or say about you. They don''t have your beautiful soul. That is why they tried to put you down. Telling lies about you to instill insecurities in your mind. The superficial beauty of the body is fleeting and will one day come to pass. But the beauty of a soul is unique, is special, is everlasting. YOU ARE WONDERFUL. No matter, if you see it or not. This beauty within you, has always been there. Now it''s time to accept it.¡± For the first time the bunny looks closely in the mirror and sees the beauty of her soul. Observing her entire being. Her story. And she embraces it. She fully accepts herself. Her sad face turns into a smile. Tears of sorrow turn into tears of joy. She has found herself. ¡°I... I can''t believe it...¡± utters the bunny in awe. ¡°I... I wasn''t worthless after all?¡±
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°You are awesome,¡± confirms the Seeker. ¡°Always have been.¡± The bunny smiles. There is a warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart. ¡°I am ready to leave my past behind and start anew.¡± The Stranger nods and takes the bunny and the Seeker back to the rabbit hole, where they entered into the PAST. The Stranger is being sucked into the hole, then follows the Seeker and lastly the bunny. They all slide back into the PRESENT MOMENT, where the grass is green and the sky is blue. As the bunny takes a good look at the colorful world around her, she is reminded of how beautiful nature looks like. The black and white shades of the Past are nothing compared to the vibrant colors of the Present. The bunny takes a deep breath, turns to the Seeker and Stranger and speaks: ¡°Let us walk together.¡± The bunny dissolves into energy and flows into the heart of the Seeker. LEVEL UP! LVL 29: + 1 Empathy NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: WHITE BUNNY WENUT
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
¡°Let''s hurry up,¡± speaks the Seeker to the Stranger. ¡°It starts getting dark outside.¡± The full moon is rising, as the Seeker suddenly hears scary sounds in the distance. It''s the howling of a wolf.
r/We_Are_Humanity - Leave the past behind you
TO BE CONTINUED Who let the dogs out?
Part 37: Who let the dogs out? It''s getting dark, as the Stranger and the Seeker walk on their path. The full moon is up. The sun is setting. There is a forest up ahead, where the fields of wheat are ending. The road leads towards a wall of trees. ¡°Is this really a good idea?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°To enter a forest at night?¡± ¡°We need to delve deep into the unconscious,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Is there any better metaphor, for entering into the darkness?¡± The light of the sun has fully vanished, the orange line on the horizon is gone. The night has come. The Stranger manifests a staff out of thin air and ignites a fire. An eternal flame, that never dies. The Seeker picks up a stick from the floor and holds it in the Strangers torch. With burning torches the Seeker and the Stranger enter into the dark forest. The moonlight shines through the leaves, illuminating the forest path ahead.
Suddenly a loud howling erupts from the forest. The Seeker trembles. They feel a dangerous presence, lurking in the shadows of the forest. Somewhere, hidden behind the shade of a tree, a distant shadow is quietly observing the faint light of the torches. Breathing heavily. The unsettled Seeker gulps. The Stranger suddenly stops moving. ¡°Remain calm,¡± speaks the Stranger with a serious voice. ¡°Something approaches us. Watch your move. One misstep could throw you all the way back to Checkpoint 6.¡±
Suddenly something jumps out of the bushes from the side onto the path, right in front of the Seeker and Stranger. A monster revealed in the light of their torch. Standing on two legs. The threatening shape of a Werewolf, blocks the path ahead. The beast wears Sunglasses.
The Seeker has three options. The Fight. To Flight. And to Observe. QUEST UPDATED: Make a choice (Choose between A, B or C) .
A: FIGHT Aggression! The Seeker attacks the Werewolf with the torch. Swinging the torch in panic. The beast dodges the burning flame and hushes back quickly into the night. The wolf takes one last look, lurking from the shadows, before vanishing again in the darkness. . B: FLIGHT Fear! The shivering Seeker lets their torch fall. Fleeing into the dark forest. Running away. GAME OVER . . . C: OBSERVE Calmness! The Seeker keeps a distance to the monster. Holding the torch steady. They take a deep breath in. Their loud heartbeat calms down. The Seeker becomes aware of their own reaction. The Seeker observes their own fear quietly. Shifting from First Person View to Third Person View. ¡°God is backwards Dog.¡± . . . The night-sky turns brighter. The dawn is coming. ¡°Okay...¡± speaks the Seeker after some time of walking. ¡°Lets suppose it was actually a dangerous animal, out to get us... Just hypothetical... How should we react? Hesitation can cause death. Should we just hold hands? Singing Kumba-Yah, while we are being attacked?¡±
¡°Of course not,¡± denies the Stranger. The sun is rising. ¡°If you are in danger and there is no way to talk the aggressor into reason, you will protect yourself. And if you have a family, it is your responsibility to protect them. But from what place do you operate? From a place of fear or anger? Or do you operate from a place of calmness? Are you fully aware? Of yourself and your surroundings? Do you operate in accordance to a limited pattern or from a place of deep understanding? Use empathy and observation to understand, without letting your guard down. Stay in balance. Be totally aware. This is how you find the best possible outcome in any situation. When you are calm, you are not blinded by the senses. Awareness shows you, which path to go. The way, which works best for the ALL.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger stop in their way. The sun is risen. A dim fire burns at the side of the road up ahead.
¡°Is that a camp-fire?¡± asks the Seeker excited. ¡°Can we finally save our progress there?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°It might not be a Checkpoint, but we will re-spawn. Like when you lost against the ''Guardian of the Pathless land'' and re-spawned at the campfire in the land of truth.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± questions the Seeker confused. ¡°I never lost against that Statue in the weird forest!¡± The moon is gone, the Stranger contemplates. ¡°Hmmm. If you don''t remember it, it must have happened off-screen...¡± From the camp the Seeker and the Stranger hear a laughter. QUEST UPDATED: Make a choice Go To The Campfire
Two dogs sit on camping chairs at a burning fire with 4 tents in the background. It''s a Great Dane with red eyes and a Dobermann who can barely keep his eyes open. The Great Dane is dirty, the Dobermann is missing an ear. ¡°Sometimes when I look up at night to the stars, it''s like I feel this inner calling,¡± speaks the Grand Dane, as he prepares another Scooby Snack. He examines the purple color of the sticky material. Then he points up at a setting star, as the sun rises in the east. ¡°Especially when I look up at Sirius, it gives me comfort. Did you know that some ancient cultures associated Sirius with a Dog? Canis Mayor, the dog of Orion. It reminds me of an old friend... Back then we traveled in our camper from place to place and solved some crimes for a living. Those were the good times. But then everything fell apart. Now I am all alone, like a Sirius without his Orion.¡± The Great Dane lights up the Scooby Snack. The Dobermann is completely spaced out. ¡°The Sun is rising, as Sirius is setting in the east with Orion out of the picture... What day is it again?¡± The Great Dane chokes on his laughter and breathes out smoke. He then hands the Scooby Snack to the Dobermann. ¡°Sire¡±
The Doberman takes the Scooby Snack, as the Seeker and the Stranger are approaching. The Great Dane points at empty chairs. ¡°Hey, do you want to join our little party here? Come have a seat, my friends.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger join the circle and sit together with the Stray Dogs. As the Sun has now fully risen, the light of the camp fire dies down. The Great Dane offers his Scooby Snack to the Seeker. ¡°Do you... Wanna try?¡± Now, the Seeker has Two Choices: To decline the Scooby Snack or to Accept it. QUEST UPDATED: Go To The Campfire Make a Choice (Choose between A or B) .
A: DECLINE THE SCOOBY SNACK . . . . B: TAKE A HIT FROM THE SCOOBY SNACK Suddenly the camp is interrupted by a voice. A Beagle sticks out her head from a tent. ¡°Did I just hear someone say Scooby Snacks?¡± ¡°Ah... We got a live one,¡± laughs the Great Dane. The Seeker moves to an empty tent and lays down in a sleeping bag. QUICKSAVE NEW RESPAWN POINT ACTIVATED .
At high noon the Seeker awakes from their deep sleep in a tent. A loud bark from outside, pulls the Seeker out of their Dream. The dream fades away quickly. The Seeker gets out of the tent. It starts getting colder. The leafs are red and yellow. Five dogs sit together at the campfire and talk about various things, while keeping their palms warm at the campfire. The Dobermann from the Day before, The Beagle, A Yorkshire Terrier, An Australian Shepard and a Golden Retriever with sunglasses sit in a circle. The Golden Retriever wiggles his tail, when he sees the Seeker. ¡°Hey. It''s My friend! The One I told you guys about, from Red Ditch Inn. The One who found a new way.¡± ¡°Wait... So this imaginary friend is actually real,¡± mocks the Yorkshire Terrier. The Retriever ignores the Terrier and faces the Seeker. ¡°Let me introduce you to my friends. We are The Stray Dogs?. Vagabonds without a home. Those who never fit in and were rejected by society. Those who failed at making it big in YouTown. Here we sit all day, play fetch, talk and eat scooby snacks. This is true freedom. No need to work, living completely in the moment. Dobermann is a failed rapper. Beagle never finished her degree. Shepard failed at becoming an actress. Terrier tried stand-up comedy, without realizing that he himself is a joke.¡±
¡°Hey!¡± barks the Terrier insulted. ¡°I am not a joke. Why does no one ever take me serious?!¡± ¡°Then there is the Great Dane,¡± continues Golden Retriever undeterred, dismissing Terrier. ¡°He used to be part of a group of Hippies and they traveled the country, solving crimes and spreading love. But then they split up, after his best friend...¡± Suddenly the Retriever is interrupted by the Great Dane shouting: ¡°OUR STASH IS EMPTY. SOMEONE TOOK ALL THE SCOOBY SNACKS!¡± ¡°What do you mean by empty?!¡± shouts Dobermann nervously. ¡°Are you sure, you looked right? It should be enough to get us through the Winter!¡± ¡°It''s all gone,¡± affirms the Great Dane with a horrified face. ¡°This can only mean one thing: There is a Werewolf in our midst.¡± The Stray Dogs? all gasp and look around. Everyone checks out the others reaction. ¡°Don''t worry guys,¡± speaks the Great Dane in a reassuring manner. ¡°We will investigate. We will find out, who the werewolf is and put an end to this.¡± The Stray Dogs? calm down. Some of the dogs mumble, new conversations start.
¡°Do you have a minute,¡± asks the Great Dane the Seeker and takes them to a quiet spot. ¡°I need your help. Since I am part of the group, I can''t investigate freely. They know me too well. But You as an Outsider could conduct interviews. Find out, who took our stash and you''ll receive a 5 % cut of the remaining Snacks.¡± ¡°I think I already have a culprit in mind,¡± speaks the Seeker as their skeptic gaze lies on the Golden Retriever who wears his sunglasses at night. QUEST UPDATED: Make a choice Investigate who took the stash
  • Speak with the Golden Retriever
¡°Hey, where were you yesterday between midnight and dawn?¡± asks the Seeker the Retriever. The Golden Retriever looks at the other dogs. ¡°How about we continue this conversation somewhere in private.¡± The Seeker follows quietly behind the Retriever into the dark forest. The Dog suddenly stops, his back facing the Seeker. ¡°So you know my secret,¡± sighs the Dog. ¡°I really hoped I wouldn''t need to go this far, but it seems there is no other way...¡± The Seeker clenches their fist, ready to defend themselves.
¡°I AM THE WEREWOLF,¡± confesses the Golden Retriever under tears. ¡°I can''t hide it anymore. I have a shadow. I can''t control myself. It was me, who took all the Scooby-Snacks. If the Stray Dogs? ever find out, they will kick me out of their club and I will be all alone again! Please, help me in covering this up!¡± ¡°Why don''t you just return the stash anonymously?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°I would, if there were any Scooby Snacks left. But when I was in wolf-mode last night, I just ate everything. I couldn''t stop until the chest was empty and my belly full. It was like a trance. Please, my friends must not find out, that I am the Werewolf. It took me a long time to craft this persona of a friend who is beloved by everyone. I don''t want them to be disappointed in me. I don''t want to lose my place in this pack.¡± The Stranger joins in on the conversation. ¡°Even if this were to be covered up, you would still turn every now and then into a Werewolf, hurting the people around you and acting selfishly. It''s time, we take a good look at your shadow. Start questioning your impulses, your reactions, your behavior patterns. Why did you feel the need to eat all the Scooby Snacks, even when you knew it would hurt your friends?¡± ¡°I was hungry,¡± admits the dog. ¡°I didn''t think about it.¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°I regret how I am feeling about myself now,¡± he admits honestly. ¡°Where does the hunger come from?¡± ponders the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°I am not speaking of the physical hunger. I speak of the hunger for things that go beyond the necessary. Why do we always want more, than what we need? Why do we never find fulfillment? Is it because fulfillment only ever truly exists in the Present Moment? In the Now? But we escape the Now through thought. And we are stuck in patterns. What pattern is the root of this endless hunger? Isn''t it this feeling of lack? Because for you to want something, it means that you not yet have it. So what shall we fill this emptiness with? With meaning? With love? How do we close this rift within us? How do we cross the inner abyss? By being true to yourself. By letting that fall away, which doesn''t belong to you. You need to realize, that YOU ARE THE LIGHT, which you are searching. It is already burning inside your heart, this divine spark. As it burns in all of us. When you carry your fire with love in your heart and truth in your eyes, the path will form around you. Don''t let yourself be controlled by unconscious patterns. Know Thyself. Be aware of what you are doing at all times. Be aware of your intent behind every thought, word and action. Fully understand yourself. And what is not in alignment will fall away. Almost automatically. Don''t judge yourself. Don''t suppress yourself or the parts you don''t like. Don''t look away. Shine a light on every dark spot of your being. Until every part is illuminated. Until everything unknown is understood and every wound is healed. Integrate your shadow and become whole again. And you won''t allow yourself to hurt anyone again, neither directly nor indirectly.¡± The sun comes out behind the clouds and shines a light between the autumn trees, illuminating the forest. The Golden Retriever takes a deep breath in and makes a vow: ¡°I don''t want to hurt any of my friends. I will be aware!¡±
Suddenly the sunlight is partially covered by the clouds and concentrates on a single point. The light shines on the Dog. Yellow energy surrounds him. His form changes. He morphs into a new figure. A Werewolf with golden fur and without sunglasses. His eyes are burning. AWAREWOLF 2 Strength 2 Speed 1 Astral projection 7 Awareness 3 Agility 5 Energy Control Special Ability: Flowstate
¡°Whoa,¡± speaks the Awarewolf. ¡°When I am in Flowstate, I can see everything much clearer. It''s like I see things in HD now, after everything was blurry. Like the movement of things seems faster. And when I concentrate on someones face, I can even see their frequency.¡± ¡°Now that you are aware, how will you act?¡± questions the Stranger the Awarewolf. ¡°How will you resolve the Snack-Situation?¡± ¡°I will tell them the truth. Its up to them whether they forgive me or not. But I will at least do the right thing and clear my mind of regret by confessing.¡± The Awarewolf turns back into the Golden Retriever with sunglasses. He returns with the Seeker and the Stranger to the camp. All conversations at the campfire stop, as the Dog opens his mouth: ¡°I am the Werewolf,¡± confesses the Golden Retriever. ¡°I ate all the Snacks. I am sorry guys. I... I just couldn''t restrain myself... I know that all of us worked very hard to collect the Snacks... And I feel bad for just eating it.¡± Everyone is silent. All avoid eye contact for a moment before the beagle stands up and speaks: ¡°I also have a shadow. My full moon arises and turns me into werewolf, whenever I feel insecure about my failures.¡±
¡°I also carry a wolf in me,¡± confesses the Australian Shepard. ¡°I am addicted to Popcorn.¡± ¡°My wolf tells lies about others and spreads rumors in order to feel better about myself,¡± admits the Yorkshire Terrier. ¡°I watch Terrier at night, when he is sleeping,¡± confesses Dobermann. .
Terrier pulls his eyebrows together. ¡°Wait... What?!¡± ¡°I am a coward,¡± confesses the Great Dane. ¡°I only ever think about myself. I always prioritize myself first, no matter who I leave behind. I run away from my mistakes and abandon my friends.¡± ¡°Guess that means we all have a wolf in us,¡± laughs the Golden Retriever. All the other dogs laugh as well. Only the Yorkshire Terrier doesn''t laugh. ¡°What was that just about watching me in my sleep?¡± ¡°Where will you guys go next?¡± asks the Golden Retriever his two friends. ¡°We are on the way to YouTown. Wanna join us?¡± ¡°YouTown... I tired it already once... Should I really try it again?¡± The Golden Retriever takes a deep breath in and transforms into the AWAREWOLF. ¡°Yes,¡± he speaks with determined eyes and turns to the Stray Dogs. ¡°Goodbye friends. I will make it big in YouTown.¡± His friends wave him goodbye. ¡°Come back and tell us all your stories,¡± shouts the Great Dane after him. ¡°Let us walk together,¡± speaks the Golden Retriever before dissolving into energy and flowing into the Seekers Heart. LEVEL UP! LVL 30: + 1 Awareness NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: GOLDEN RETRIEVER GREY WEREWOLF AWAREWOLF
Together, the Seeker and the Stranger move on from the camp heading towards their next adventure. TO BE CONTINUED And Yet – Another Filler Episode And Yet ¨C Another Filler Episode The Seeker and the Stranger walk on the gravel path, covered in red and yellow leaves. It is autumn. One person alone can never change the world,¡± claims the Seeker. ¡°An individual has little to no impact. No matter what you are trying to do, it''s meaningless. You might as well just shout out into the forest, no one hears your voice.¡± Then let me tell you a story of one man, who did in fact manage to change the world,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°Do you want to listen to the story of the Sumerian scribe who changed the course of mankind with just 12 clay tablets. With just One Story, he planted the seeds of new thoughts to be born in the consciousness of men. Creating a new form of art. Let me tell you the story of the man, who wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh.¡± Are you sure, we have time for that?¡± questions the Seeker, pointing at their watch. Don''t worry. This doesn''t count as canon. Since it doesn''t really fit into the rest of our path, we''ll just call it a filler episode. I will use the opportunity to tell you this story, even if it''s unrelated to the rest of your journey. I believe you may find it interesting and inspiring. What I am about to tell you, I have no proof to back it up. It is not based on any historical evidence. Serious Experts will probably roll their eyes on this. I will nevertheless share with you what I have seen and it is up to you whether you believe me or not. So lets just call it ''historical fiction'' for the time being. Until someone else may one day find proof.¡± Alright,¡± sighs the tired Seeker. ¡°Go on and tell me your story...¡± In the ancient times, more than 4000 Years ago, a child was born into slavery in the ancient city of Uruk. Back then, when the river Euphrates fertilized the land. When the mighty Ziggurat of Uruk still stood high and mighty. When merchants from all quarters of the earth visited the land of Kengir, to sell their goods to the noble lords. Civilization was still at it''s very beginning. Cuneiform was a fairly new technology and mostly used to record information for practical purposes. No one even thought about using writing to record stories. Until one Eunuch from Uruk did something, that no one has ever done before him. As a slave, the Eunuch was assigned to be of service to the High Priest as a Scribe. He learned Cuneiform at a young age. His teachers treated errors strictly. Day in and out it was his job to record the words spoken by his masters on clay tablets. He was easily bored by his tasks and often times escaped the monotony through daydreaming. He knew from a young age that he was different from anyone in Uruk. But those who are different, were treated poorly. So he kept quiet most of the time, suppressing himself to fit into his role as slave. He bowed before his masters in Humility and always did what he was told. Among the other slaves he made some good friends. Friends with whom he drank Beer and laughed together. As he grew older, he came up with an idea for a story. A story about a Hero and his friend. About the fear of death and the longing for immortality. About what it means to be a king. About friendship and adventure. And he called the hero Gilgamesh (or Bilgames), based on a king of Uruk. Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king who was two thirds god and one third man...¡± Wait a second,¡± ruminates the Seeker, while counting with their fingers. ¡°How can he be 2 thirds god and one third human? This doesn''t make any sense, unless he had three parents...¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°Well... In fact it was never supposed to make sense. The author knew exactly, that people would get confused by this. It was just his strange sense of humor. The idea, that people couldn''t make sense of it and desperately tried to figure it out, was hilarious to him. The author used all his free time, to craft his story in solitude. Every minute, he wasn''t occupied with his work as a scribe, he either thought about his story or inscribed it on clay tablets. Almost daily he walked in circles through the city of Uruk, pondering what Gilgamesh and Enkidu were supposed to do next. Language was limited back then. He had much more ideas, but they wouldn''t have fit on just 12 clay tablets. If he had lived in another time, the story would have easily filled up the pages of several books. After many years, he finally completed his work and wanted to share it with everyone. But he was just a simple slave. A Eunuch, who was robbed of his manhood. No one would listen to him. No one cared about his existence. To the Sumerian Lords he was just a nobody, whose only purpose was to write down, as dictated. He had this wonderful story, but no audience to share it with. You see, he was driven to accomplish something in his life. He didn''t just want to be a mere scribe. He wanted to leave his mark on the world. In a sense, he was just like his character Gilgamesh, who pursued fame and glory. He wanted his name to be known by all people. So that even after his death, the memory of him, may still live on. He wanted to show the world, that even him, a simple Eunuch from Uruk, can accomplish the impossible. And so he did. When he first showed his manuscript to his friends, they were either not interested or didn''t take him serious. No one believed in him. They played his story down but were secretly jealous. Despite all that, the Eunuch wasn''t ready to give up. No matter how much rejection he faced, he kept pushing through. He knew that if he can''t count on his friends, he can only count on himself. And so he went to the High Priest, master of the Scribes and showed him the clay tablets. The author hoped the High Priest could put in a good word to the King. But the High Priest didn''t even look at the Clay tablets. He got enraged and threw the tablets on the ground, shattering them in Thousand pieces. He told the Eunuch that he should not waste his time with fantasies and copy other tablets instead. For his insolence, the Eunuch was punished with the whip. Many years of work was gone, everything shattered before his eyes. The Eunuch was ready to quit. To give up on his dream and accept his fate as scribe. He cried and wept. And he prayed to his favorite god Enki, to help him fulfill his dream. To show him a way, how he can share the story of Gilgamesh with all people, Slaves and Lords, Farmers, Fishers and Shepherds. Merchants and Nomads. Guardians, Craftsmen and Priests. So that it may be enjoyed by all, who have ears to listen and eyes to read. And in the mind of the Author suddenly a new idea was born. A new path revealed itself to him. He envisioned showing his Great Work to the king of Uruk. With a new plan in mind, he picked himself up and started anew. He re-wrote the entire story. Changed some details. Added some words. Writing Enkidu''s death into the story to give Gilgamesh a motive in pursuing immortality. And when he finished 12 new tablets, the story was better than ever before. When he suggested his plan of approaching the king to his friends, they thought he went insane. Just speaking to the king was a certain death penalty to any slave. Everyone knew what happens with slaves who overstep their boundaries. The author put his tablets in a bag and took them to work, waiting each day for the right opportunity. For many months there wasn''t much to do, apart from copying old tablets. Until one day, he was assigned to capture the words of the king in cuneiform. Writing a letter to the king of Eridu about a trade agreement. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. As he recorded the words of the king, he felt the urge to show him the epic of Gilgamesh. But the Eunuch was too afraid, too shy. He couldn''t stop thinking about being punished to death for addressing the King. And so he ignored his intuition and kept quiet. Several months passed, until the author had another chance to meet the King. This time he was writing a letter to the King of Ur. But again, he couldn''t muster up the courage and remained silent. His heart kept telling him to be brave, to speak what he was meant to speak. To share his Great Work. But his mind told him to be silent. His mind, consumed by fear and insecurities, wouldn''t let him speak. Full of regret, the Eunuch had to wait for another year, until he had a chance to meet the King again. He knew, that if he wouldn''t speak up now, he would keep on postponing it, until there would be no more chances left. He knew, that if he wouldn''t at least try it, he would regret it all his life. As he finished inscribing the tablet and was about to leave the palace, he suddenly had a change of mind. He took a deep breath, turned around and faced the king. He took out the first clay tablet from his bag and started to speak: ''HE WHO HAS SEEN EVERYTHING, I WILL MAKE KNOWN TO THE LANDS...'' And as he spoke, it was as if he spoke with a foreign tongue. Almost metallic. His voice sounded like the rhythm of an ancient song. And the words that he spoke, felt magical to the listeners. All ears followed the words of the Eunuch. The Servants, the Guardians, the Noblemen, the Priests and the King, all were enchanted by his voice. Their attention being sucked in, like moths being drawn to light. The Eunuch was in flow, as he read his work of fiction to the court. No fear, no worry, no insecurity arose in his mind. He was ONE with the present moment. And when he finished the first tablet, he looked around to see peoples reactions. He expected to be captured by the guards or shouted at by the priests. But the entire room was speechless. Never before have they ever listened to anything comparable. To his surprise the king only asked one question: ''What happens next?'' And so the Eunuch took out the second tablet and continued to read. Then the third, the fourth and so on. By the time that Gilgamesh''s best friend Enkidu died, the entire room was weeping. This story incited new thoughts into the minds of the people and incited feelings, they forgot they had. The epic of Gilgamesh touched peoples heart and soul as no other story at that time. It was unlike any myth or legend. By the time he finished the last tablet, everyone showered him with applause and jubilation. And for the first time in his life, the young slave felt recognized. From that day onward his life changed completely. The king of Uruk was so enamored by the epic of Gilgamesh, that he not only freed the Eunuch against the will of the priesthood from slavery, he showered him with Gold and Lapis Lazuli. The Eunuch would travel around the land of Kengir, always reciting the epic of Gilgamesh to all people. No matter which status, be they slaves or merchants or kings. Everyone came to listen to the Great story teller. He truly lived his dream. And all that, because he decided to follow his heart. In spite of what everyone told him, in spite of his fears and insecurities, he walked his highest path. And by doing so, he bestowed the world with a great gift. The epic of Gilgamesh became a classic. It changed the way, how people were thinking. Similar to how a software update patches the system. It inspired many other poets, mythmakers and storytellers. When Homer wrote the Iliad, he was inspired by the epic of Gilgamesh. The Greek myth of Hercules is based on Gilgamesh. In Egypt a young priest called Thuthmose read a copy of the epic in the Amarna library and was inspired to create a myth, that would later be called ''Genesis''. If the author hadn''t followed his heart, if he hadn''t opened his mouth and told his story to the king, society now would be completely different. Surely the first couple of centuries would have been almost identical with our timeline, but if you look at it on a span of 4.000 Years, the differences would be very noticeable. However this timeline has already collapsed and no longer exists. With the epic of Gilgamesh, the author planted a seed, that would later on grow into a massive tree. He invented the very idea of recording stories through written language. He was the first true novelist. Perhaps, if it weren''t for him, someone else would have come up with the idea a couple of centuries later. And yet ¨C Even today, you can still read the English translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh and enjoy it''s storytelling. It is an amazing piece of art. A story, that is truly unique. It made this dense place on earth a bit more beautiful. You see ¨C by being brave, by following his heart, this ONE soul changed the world for the better. And what he has accomplished, YOU can accomplish as well. Is your heart calling out to you? Listen to it. What is it''s true desire, uncorrupted by the Ego? Do you feel the longing to express something in your lifetime? Something you are afraid to do? Something that seems impossible? Something you are resisting?¡± Hold on,¡± frowns the Seeker. ¡°Where do you even have all this information from? Did this really happen or did you just make it up?¡± It is all written in the Book of Humanity,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°The Book of Humanity, where all stories of mankind are recorded. Where all memories are stored, even after death. When this sealed book is opened and its hidden words are revealed, you as well can tap into it. No memory is ever truly lost. No life is ever truly forgotten. It lives on in the collective memory of us all.¡± The Seeker gazes at the Stranger with skeptic eyes. ¡°Still... I have done my research and there are some things, that still don''t add up. Like the earliest version is from 2100 BC and it''s written in Akkadian. Also the 12 tablet canon was established later. Before that it were only 11 tablets and before that, there were only distinct independent short stories.¡± A lot of the original copies where lost when the Akkadians conquered the Sumerian cities. The short stories were inspired by the initial Epic of Gilgamesh. When Sargon united Sumer and Akkad, many tablets were translated into the Akkadian language. The original 12th tablet was lost in time entirely. Until the Babylonians established a new 12th tablet ¨C but it still wasn''t the original content.¡± The Seeker is silent for a moment, taking their time to think it through. ¡°There is one more question, I have left: What is the authors name?¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°When the Eunuch got older, he was afraid, that his name will be forgotten. He couldn''t possibly see, what impact he had on the course of Humanity. He couldn''t even imagine it. So when he grew old and weary, he thought that he had failed to leave his mark on the world. He thought his life was meaningless after all. He never had a wife to carry out his children. No one to bear his name, to remember him after his death. So he got very concerned about his legacy. Will he die after all, just like any other slave? Without any significance? And so he again prayed to Enki, crying out to his favorite god: ''Please! Don''t let my name be forgotten. Please, don''t let my life be in vain! I don''t want to be forgotten.'' And then he suddenly heard a voice in his thoughts, as if answering to his prayer, in voice different from his own: ''TAKE THE 12 TABLETS, PUT THEM IN A CHEST ALONG WITH YOUR MOST VALUABLE TREASURES AND BURY IT BENEATH THE EARTH. WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE 12th TABLET. AND ONE DAY SOMEONE SHALL FIND YOUR TREASURE AND REMEMBER YOUR NAME ONCE AGAIN.'' The Eunuch couldn''t trust what he was hearing, did the god of water actually speak to him. ''Enki?! Is that you?'' ''NO,'' responded the strange voice. '' I AM KULI'' And so the elderly Eunuch set out on a last voyage to bury his life''s work including the lost original 12th tablet. Somewhere at the outskirts of Eridu, he buried the chest under a fig tree. He never told anyone about its location. And just a couple of weeks later, he died peacefully in his sleep.¡± Is that chest still there?¡± questions the Seeker. Who knows... There is a limit to what I can see. Perhaps it was already plundered. Perhaps the chest was damaged over time. Perhaps there is nothing left. A lot can happen in 4.000 Years. But who knows... Perhaps a mad archaeologist will one day come across this story. Someone with a sense of wonder and adventure. Who despite there being no proof, is courageous enough to set out on a journey to hunt after a myth. Trusting only in their intuition to be guided to the right spot. If someone were to find the original 12 tablets, it would be akin to Schliemann finding Troy or Carter discovering the tomb of Tutankhamun. Analysis would show, that the tablets are by far the oldest versions ever to be uncovered. And when the original 12th tablet is found, the name of it''s author will be revealed.¡± Seems to me like an impossible task,¡± comments the Seeker. ¡°With a low probability of success. It would be a complete waste of time to hunt after treasures on intuition alone.¡± Well... You need to be a certain type of person for that. Anyway, that''s it for today''s filler episode. Next time, I will tell you the story of an Alchemist, who dared to challenge the church. A brave man, who died in the name of truth. Who fought against the lies and the injustice of those who were at power. Who even when tortured, would not go back on his words. A man of true integrity... But before doing that, let''s first pick up all the remaining archetypes, that you are still missing.¡± And so the Seeker and the Stranger walked towards the next canonical part of their own story. TO BE CONTINUED Perfection
Part 38: Perfection ¡°Have you ever noticed how people are stuck in a mentality of ''blaming'',¡± ponders the Mysterious Stranger as he walks together with the Seeker on a path covered in fallen leaves. ¡°As soon as something goes wrong, people either push the blame on others or they blame themselves. But does blaming ever help to resolve the given situation? Can we grow from a mentality of blaming? Or do we just waste time and energy by blaming a culprit instead of tackling the problem at its roots?¡± ¡°Well, when you carry responsibility you need to face the consequences of your actions,¡± contemplates the Seeker. ¡°When you commit a crime you end up in jail. When you are bad at your job, you will be fired. This is to protect the organization and anyone who is part of it. And because people are afraid to face the consequences of their actions, they push the blame on others.¡± .
The Stranger nods. ¡°Blaming is a safety mechanism of the Ego to protect itself out of fear of facing consequences. If there were no consequences for crimes, society would fall apart. Without consequence for poor performance, sooner or later any company would file for bankruptcy. And since no one wants to go to jail or lose their job, humans will naturally try to paint themselves as innocent, whenever they are facing trouble. Now is there any benefit in maintaining a blaming mentality? Psychologically speaking, is it rational to be thinking about who is to blame? Or does it keep one trapped in a loop of avoiding a way to fix the inherent problems? One needs to accept the responsibility for their own actions. When you made a mistake, own up to it, even if it means to accept the consequences. This is how you grow. This is how you evolve. By accepting where you have went wrong. But then don''t dwell on your past mistakes. Acknowledge it and be careful not to fall again. If you feel regret, then find forgiveness. Forgiveness clears you from regrets. Forgiveness ends the Karmic cycle.¡±
There is an ancient runestone at the side of the road with mysterious signs and Hieroglyphs etched into it.
¡°Oh, a runestone,¡± notes the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°They are very rare. They appear at random in very few cycles. If I find twelve of them, I''ll get a permanent buff...¡±
The Seekers gaze is locked at the unfamiliar symbols. ¡°Can you read this strange language?¡± ¡°We need to explore dungeons, to find the letters,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Only then can we unlock the mystery.¡±
Suddenly the wind carries a sound to the Seekers ear, from further down the road. It sounds like angry ranting. ¡°This damned-tree!¡± hisses the angry feline''s voice from the top of a tree. ¡°It''s all the trees fault! If it would not stand in my way, I would not have gotten stuck up here. Someone should cut it down.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger look up. An orange cat clings with both paws to a fragile branch on the tree. ¡°Are you stuck?¡± asks the Seeker, while looking at the cat, dangling above them. ¡°No,¡± sighs the sarcastic cat with rolling eyes. ¡°I am just hanging around.¡±
The Seeker keeps their gaze fixed. ¡°Real--¡±
¡°No, you moron! Get me down here, right NOW!¡±
The Seeker sighs, rolls up their sleeves and climbs the tree. They reach out to the cat, grab her by the belly and carries her back down again. When she is down on her feet, she cleans her fur. ¡°What did you do up there anyway?¡± asks the Seeker the cat. The Cat suddenly stops licking her fur. Her eyes get serious. ¡°I was hunting for my arch nemesis. A small mouse, fast and cunning. She only ever appears for a glimpse somewhere in my field of vision. She disappears, whenever I take notice of her. No matter how fast I am, whether I am in Lynx-form or even in Panther-form, I never catch her. And no matter how often, I hold her in my hands, she somehow escapes again. This damned mouse called ''PERFECTION''. As long as I am alive, I will hunt her down. Even If it''s the last thing, I''ll ever do. I will claim Perfection for myself and never let it go again.¡± ¡°Why do you cling to the idea of reaching perfection?¡± questions the Stranger.
¡°Because my parents already hunted after ''Perfection'' and so did their parents and Grandparents. Since many Generations my family is dreaming of reaching perfection and I shall finally achieve this--" The cat is suddenly distracted, she turns her head in another direction. ¡°There she was just now! For the fracture of a second. Perfection! Did you just see her?¡± The Seeker and the Stranger both shake their heads. ¡°Perfection only ever seems to appear, when I am deep in meditation or controlling my breath. It''s like ''Perfection'' slips between two moments. Only perceivable, when you stand outside of time. Fully immersed in the Present moment. But it only ever lasts for a single glimpse, before vanishing again as suddenly as it emerged from emptiness.¡± .
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The Seeker tries to comprehend the cats words. ¡°I don''t get it. Is that some kind of non-dual code?¡± The Stranger walks forward on the path. The Seeker and the cat follow on the leaf-covered trail. ¡°How do you feel about yourself?¡± asks the Stranger the cat. The cat sighs, pulls out a plant of catnip from the ground and starts chewing on it. ¡°Like a failure. Like a hunter, who can''t even catch a mouse. I feel like a disappointment, who can''t live up to expectations. It feels like carrying the weight of the world with all of its heaviness. Why can''t I reach perfection? Why am I so flawed? I blame my parents. They were self-centered narcissists. If only they had raised me properly, I wouldn''t struggle so much with my own self image. If only, they had been good role models. If only they had made an effort. It''s their fault, that I am now a loser. It''s their fault, that my life is insufferable.¡± She takes another bite from the catnip, her pupils enlarge. The cats nose turns red.
¡°Who do you think, your own parents blamed for their failures?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°I dunno,¡± yawns the intoxicated cat. ¡°Their parents, probably?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± nods their Stranger. ¡°And their parents, blamed their parents and so on. Can you see the patterns, which were passed down from one Generation to the next? Can you see, this curse, that has been going on? Who do you think will your own offspring blame, when they are the next to feel miserable about their Life? You see, this whole ''Blame Game'' can be found in so many cultures over the world, that it''s probably been going on, since before the first Human migrations. Why else did primitive cultures sacrifice their animals, their most precious belongings to soothe judgment of their gods? Because they judged themselves. They wanted to escape the blame and the consequences of their actions, by pleasing the gods. And thus they were putting the blame on a scapegoat, sometimes even willing to sacrifice their own children. As long as someone is stuck in this blaming mentality, it will continue throughout the next generations down the line. And yet everyone who takes part in the game of blaming will inevitably only move in circles. You won''t pick yourself up, as long as you still search for someone to blame. You won''t face life, as long as you are running away from its responsibilities.¡±
The cats nose faces downward. ¡°You are right... There is no one to blame, but myself... I am pathetic.¡± ¡°Blaming yourself won''t lead to growth either. It will just leave you in a constant state of being demoralized and apathetic. Understand why you blame yourself for something. See if you can find a lesson in what happened and forgive yourself for past mistakes. Don''t repeat the same wrongdoings, which incited feelings of regret. Know thyself and move on. Your heart will tell you, what needs to be done to heal it again. Be the mutation. Break free from the chains that keep you attached to a lower frequency thought pattern. Be the change you want to see in future Generations and start with yourself. Adopt some mindsets, that will work for your benefit and affirm: ''Only I am responsible for my life. I can''t blame anyone for my destiny, I can only shape it. Right here, right now, in the present moment.''¡± ¡°I can''t just stop with my habit of blaming,¡± insists the cat. ¡°It happens almost automatically, as soon as something goes wrong. Either I blame others or myself. This response is too deeply ingrained in my subconscious mind to just stop it. It''s a coping mechanism.¡±
¡°Whenever your mind is back in the ''Blame Game'', remind yourself that this does not benefit you, nor does it fix the problem. When you are fully aware, that an old thought-pattern no longer serves you and when you have an intention to change it, then your subconscious mind will over time stop bringing it up again. The very awareness of the pattern, changes it, causing a mutation. And this is how you can transform. This not only applies to a blaming mentality. There are various habitual programs that run through our system of thought, which influence our behavior unconsciously. Like judging others, being biased, having a victim-mentality.... Some of those, we may have inherited from our parents, others were drilled into our heads through education, others just formed in our memories by themselves. The first step in overcoming your inner programming is by becoming aware of it. Whenever it happens. And don''t lie to yourself. Accept what is and work with it.¡± The group stops walking. A sudden noise. The cats ear shivers. She turns her head. There stands a little gray mouse with long, blond hair, who wears a red dress. ¡°What''s wrong, cat? Are you taking a rest from failing to catch up to me? You gained some weight, haven''t you? No wonder you are so slow, these days.¡± The mouse laughs with disdain in her voice.
¡°Oh no,¡± sighs the cat. ¡°It''s ''Perfection'' again, here to remind me of all my insecurities. If I only had been blessed like her. Why can''t I be like her?¡± Suddenly a couple of male cats appear from behind the trees and approach the mouse. ¡°You look wonderful, Perfection,¡± flirts a black cat. ¡°Marry me, Perfection,¡± proposes a striped cat. ¡°Send nudes,¡± hisses a gray cat. The orange cat sighs. ¡°Why is ''Perfection'' always the center of attention?¡±
The Seeker scratches their head, then turns around to face the Stranger. ¡°Was THAT a non-dual code just now?¡± asks the confused Seeker the Stranger. ¡°It''s more like a pointer,¡± responds the Stranger with a slight smirk. ¡°It feels as if ''Perfection'' is mocking me,¡± purrs the cat. ¡°Because I can''t live up to her standards. Because when I compare myself to Perfection, I don''t like how insufficient I feel about myself. I am always reminded, that she is impossible to reach.¡± ¡°This is not ''Perfection'',¡± states the Stranger. ¡°It''s just an image you have built based on what Perfection looks like to you. You have created an idea, that you look up to. And you filled up this idea with a lot of attributes and associations. And you turn this very image you have created into an object of desire. But this is not what ''Perfection'' actually is.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asks the cat. ¡°She is right over there! This is ''Perfection''. It''s in her name. What else should ''Perfection'' be, other than a word to describe an ideal, a concept of completion and Wholeness?¡±
The Stranger walks forward. The Seeker and cat follow, leaving the mouse behind. ¡°No matter how hard you look, you will never find ''Perfection'' in thought. No concept could ever describe Perfection. Because everything within the framework of language is limited. Be it thoughts, ideas, images, symbols, metaphors, everything within the mind is limited. Because it''s all based on memory. Accumulated knowledge and past experiences. This is not, where you find ''Perfection''. You can only ever find it in the NOW.¡± ¡°Ohhh, so you found perfection?¡± hisses the cat spitefully. ¡°Then why don''t you show it to me?¡± The Seeker grins. ¡°Take a deep breath, close your eyes, silence your mind. When your inhale is at it''s threshold, hold your breath. Open your eyes and look around. Don''t look at anything specific, see the whole picture. Focus your entire attention outwards. Without a center from which you attend. Be aware of the details of what you perceive. Don''t make any choice, not even the choice of where to set your eyes. Just be completely still. Completely present in the NOW moment. There it is. Perfection. Look around. When your eyes are truly open, you''ll see the Perfection in everything. In every color, in every structure, in every interaction, in whatever your eye sets on. ''Perfection'' is ever present in the Now moment.¡± The cat closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens her eyelids, a flame burns within them. Not a single thought enters her mind. It is absolutely quiet. Empty. She takes a look around, observing the environment. Becoming aware of all the details, that are normally filtered out. A sudden lucidity sweeps over her. She is fully present.
She notices all the intricate details of her surrounding. How the light of the sun, shines on the last few autumn leaves, still attached to the trees. She notices the pebbles on the gravel floor and looks at the red leaves on the ground. She observes the trees. The moss covered bark. The thin twigs. ¡°This is Perfection,¡± utters the cat in disbelief. ¡°It was always here... In every waking moment of my life... It was with me all along... I just never saw it...¡± Suddenly a new thought arises in the cats consciousness, pulling her out of the NOW state. ¡°But how should I find the Perfection in moments when terrible things happen? How should I find Perfection, when I am in a terrible place?¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°''Terrible'' is also part of ''Perfection''. Without contrast, there could never be ''Perfection''.¡± ¡°What if the weather is bad? What if I am having a bad day? How should I find ''Perfection'', when I am unhappy? Why can''t I hold on to ''Perfection'' forever?¡± ¡°There are always cycles,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°There is always rhythm. It''s part of the song. Ups and Downs are part of Life. And yet, even there you can still find the ''Perfection'' inherent to any moment. See, even when the sky is gray on rainy days, there is still Beauty in the Moment. Even at night, there are stars to marvel at. See the Beauty in every moment and open your eyes to the Beauty within all things. It''s there, this ''Perfection''. The unfolding of the divine plan. Right before your eyes. Always. With every breath of life. Breathing to the Rhythm of the Universe. So if you ever feel down, remember that it''s all part of it and soon, you will be up again. Climbing even higher, than ever before. When you are on the ground, stand up and continue walking. Be the one, who never gives up. And when you lose your center again, then always remember ''Perfection can only be found in the Present Moment''.¡± The Seeker has listened attentively. ¡°''The one, who never gives up''... Yes, I think that''s the kind of character, I want to be.¡±
¡°Do you want to join us on our journey?¡± asks the Stranger the cat. ¡°Where are you going?¡± questions the feline. ¡°This we can''t say,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Because the path unfolds only in the present moment. The Future is only ever written in the Present. The question is, where do you wanna go?¡± ¡°I want to be whole. I want to be healed. I want to feel good about myself.¡± ¡°This my friend, you can only achieve on your own,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°If you want to be complete, you need to integrate all your fragmented aspects. If you want to heal, that which is broken within, you must delve deep into your own subconscious and shine a light on it. If you want to learn to love yourself, then read your entire story back and forth until you realize your purpose. If you want my guidance, then walk with me together for a while. I may guide you for some time, show you how it''s done, but in the end it''s all up to you. You''ll need to do the work yourself.¡± ¡°I will walk with you together,¡± agrees the orange cat. Her body transforms into energy and flows into the Seekers heart. LEVEL UP! LVL 31: + 1 Intuition NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: ORANGE CAT LYNX PANTHER
The Stranger suddenly grins. ¡°I just realized something. Two chapters later and now I myself have become one of those people who can''t shut up about the present moment. So they were on to something after all.¡± The Seeker and the laughing Stranger continue walking their path through the autumn forest. Following the sunset. TO BE CONTINUED Chop Wood, Carry Water
Part 39: Woodchop & Watercarry ¡°Every outer experience is a reflection of your inner world,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker, as they walk on the leaf-covered forest path. The trees are empty. It''s cold Now. The Seeker wears a scarf. ¡°Your thoughts and emotions manifest your outer reality. Your actions are directed by unconscious thought patterns. Every negative action has a consequence. Any thought, word or deed, not in Rhythm with the Music of Life, causes distortion. All energy you send out will in some form or another return to you. You reap, what you sow. All intention, will ripple back to the individual portion of consciousness that sent it out originally. Some people call this mechanism in the system of reality ''Karma''. When you realize that your unconscious actions are hurting both yourself and the world around you, you become aware of a problem that you didn''t want to see. And by becoming aware, without judgment, you can actually end the habitual patterns of thought, that distort your experience. You can clear old accumulated Karma, through forgiveness and become aware not to send out any negative energy, be it through thoughts, emotions, words or actions.¡±
¡°What if someone is provoking me to put me out if balance?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°We can''t control, how other people behave around us. But we can control, how we respond to them. If another person triggers you with their disagreeable character attributes, realize it''s because they reflect aspects of yourself, that you don''t like about yourself. You carry all archetypes within you, even when they look differently, even when you suppress some of them, even when they are fragmented, broken up. If you don''t like an aspect of someone, it''s because it reminds you of an aspect you don''t like about yourself. If you want to be whole, you need to understand all parts within you fully. See them from all angles. Shine a light on what is hidden. Forgive all parts, that you are ashamed of. Put all the broken pieces together. And when you are whole, you will see yourself in everyone. You will see the reflection of your own fire in their eyes. And when people hurt you, you understand that they are only hurting others, because they themselves are in pain. You will see, that behind every dangerous foe, there is just a broken child, who only wants to be loved.¡± ¡°I understand what you are saying, but this won''t change the fact that there are people, that I just can''t get along with,¡± comments the Seeker. ¡°Bullies for example, or liars, or idiots, toxic people or just simple pricks. Even if I understand them and emphasize with them, this doesn''t change the fact, that I don''t wanna be around them. And if someone attacks a friend of mine, I won''t just stand around and do nothing!¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger suddenly stop. At the end of the road up ahead, there is a big wall blocking the path. In front of the blockage, there is a sheep hanging head-over a huge pot with water, boiling over a campfire. There are four wolves, One big wolf and three little ones, standing at the kettle, gazing at the sheep with hungry eyes and drooling lips.
The Seeker recognizes the sheep hanging above the boiling water. ¡°It''s that sheep... The one from the shrine...¡± ¡°Father Fowl,¡± cries the sheep hanging above the pot. ¡°Don''t you think this water is a little too hot for bathing?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, my dear child,¡± grins the wolf mischievously. ¡°Your sacrifice will not be in vain. The Seeker of Love will greet you warmly, when you enter the KINGDOM.¡±
The Sheep dangles over the pot of water like the Hanged Man. She takes a deep breath. ¡°Alright... If it''s for the Seeker of Love, I am willing to make this sacrifice.¡± A tear drops from her eye into the pot. She compares herself to the saints of the past. It gives her a sense of importance. ¡°I''ll have the leg,¡± declares the little wolf with just one eye. ¡°I''ll have the spare ribs,¡± declares the fat wolf. ¡°I''ll have the wool,¡± declares the idiot wolf.
The Stranger turns to the Seeker. ¡°Isn''t she your friend? Don''t you want to do something about this?¡± The Seeker is taken aback, by the question. ¡°Well... Umm... You know... It''s not that... I barely even know--¡± Suddenly the Seeker is interrupted by a loud noise of a new character entering the scene. It''s a squirrel, who is dressed like a fighting monk, with a staff. She runs into the scenery, grabs a knife, jumps over the pot, holds on to the sheep and cuts her free. When she has secured the sheep, the squirrel takes on a fighting stance. INTRODUCING: WARRIOR MONK SQUIRREL 15 STRENGTH 20 SPEED 18 AGILITY 12 RESILIENCE 21 CHI CONTROL 8 AWARENESS 5 PSYCHIC POWER SPECIAL ABILITY: CHOP WOOD, CARRY WATER
¡°While you were partying, I studied the way of the fist,¡± speaks the Squirrel with an overwhelming intensity in every word she utters. ¡°While you indulged in your Self-Centered pursuits, I mastered the SELF. While you wasted your days eating meat, I cultivated the power of Veganism within me.¡± A green aura is visible around her. Like a dense force of energy is radiating from her.
¡°She gives off some serious main character vibes,¡± comments the Stranger. The three little wolves all gasp in unison. ¡°She took our snack,¡± whispers the fat wolf horrified. Father Fowl grins, his fake smiles hides pure hatred. ¡°Well boys, guess that means we''ll add some squirrel to today''s menu. Go, get her!¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. His Goons run towards the Squirrel. First the little wolf with just one eye, goes for a bite. She dodges his attack and smacks down the wolf with her staff. Knock Out. Next attacks the fat wolf. He throws his heavy claw against her Staff, breaking the stick in two. The Squirrel channels some chi-force into her fist and throws a couple of consecutive punches against his belly and neck. Knock Out. Then the idiot wolf jumps towards the Squirrel. She becomes Fluid like water. She dodges. The wolf falls into the boiling pot of water. Knock Out. The big wolf suddenly grabs the squirrel from behind. Squeezing her neck. She kicks behind her, hits his snout with her Elbow and frees herself from Fowls grip. She creates distance. Father Fowl and the Squirrel stand face to face.
The Squirrel takes a deep breath and concentrates. Her chi flows into her fists. As she breaths out, she shouts out the name of her special technique: ¡°WOODCHOP!¡± The Squirrel attacks the edge of her palms. Like chopping wood, she hits with her palms edge against the wolfs neck. Fowl chokes. For a couple of seconds he is disoriented. The Squirrel uses the momentum and shouts the name of her next attack: ¡°WATERCARRY!¡± Again the Squirrel runs towards Fowl, slipping right past his arm. Fluid like Water. Fast like a Flood. She is at his back. A dead angle. An opening. With several consecutive Chi-powered hits, she knocks out Father Fowl.
The Squirrel takes in a deep breath and moves back into a fighting stance. Fowl is picked up, by his three beaten-up goons and carried into the shady forest.
The Squirrel calms down. She notices the Stranger. Her serious face lightens up. She grins, excited to meet again. ¡°It''s you! My friend, from the Great Shift.¡± The Stranger smiles at the Squirrel. ¡°I see. You are still chopping wood and carrying water.¡± ¡°That''s a technique my Master showed me,¡± grins the Squirrel proudly. ¡°As part of my training, I was chopping wood and carrying water day and night, until I became the hatchet cutting the wood, until I was One with the Water I carried around me. I became the awareness of the Awareness. And I was one with everything. And now I am still chopping wood and carrying water. Ironic isn''t it? It''s still the same thing, only differently.¡± The Squirrel is suddenly interrupted by the sheep crying after the wolves. ¡°No! Father Fowl! Take me with you. Don''t leave me alone!¡± The squirrel is shocked. ¡°Lady... They wanted to eat you!¡± ¡°No!¡± screams out the unreasonable sheep. ¡°Father Fowl and the Altar servers wanted to help me reach the KINGDOM! I was almost there! If it weren''t for you!¡±
The Sheep storms off angrily. Leaving The Squirrel, The Stranger and the Seeker behind. The Stranger breaks the silence. ¡°Anyway... How did you manage to level up so fast?¡± The Squirrel scratches her head, as she tries to think back. ¡°Oh well, I had help... You see, my master initiated me on this path. A wise turtle from the monastery up in the mountains, trained me in the art of...¡± The Seeker feels completely left out in that conversation. ''Why does no one ever give me their attention?'' thinks the Seeker silently. ''It''s like I am invisible.'' ¡°So umm... Have you gotten like any special belts or something?¡± asks the Seeker the Squirrel, chiming in on the conversation. Everything falls dead silent. Only now, does the Squirrel become aware of their presence. She stares for a moment directly into the Seekers eyes. An intense gaze. Deadly. ¡°I don''t like you,¡± speaks the Squirrel bluntly, keeping her stare up.
The Seeker''s ego feels hurt. ¡°What?! But why? Did I say anything wrong?!¡± ¡°I don''t know... It''s something about your face,¡± responds the Squirrel bluntly. The Seeker touches their cheeks, insecurely. ¡°My... My face? That is so discriminating! You can''t just dislike me based on my looks!¡± ¡°Where were you, when the Sheep was in danger?¡± questions the Squirrel. The Seeker is speechless. Their eyes are fixed to the ground. ¡°This is unfair,¡± complains the Seeker after some time. ¡°To just dislike me for no apparent reason... At least get to know me first, before passing judgment. Give me a chance to prove myself!¡± ¡°No,¡± persists the Squirrel. ¡°I don''t feel like I can trust you. My intuition never failed me so far.¡± The Seeker gets annoyed. They turn to the Stranger. ¡°Can you explain to me, what''s her problem? Why doesn''t she like me?¡± ¡°The question should rather be, why do you feel the need to be liked by her?¡± responds the Stranger calmly. ¡°You can''t control how people think or feel about you. You might bend your Self, to create an illusion, to play a character, that doesn''t come natural to you. You might distort your SELF to create a character that is liked by others. But in doing so, you will only betray yourself. Is it worth it? To sell your authenticity and your heart, just to control how other people treat you? Face it, THIS IS EGO. It is your ego, that wants to be liked. And it''s your ego, that feels insulted, when it''s not liked. If someone doesn''t like you, don''t try to convince them otherwise. Accept their feelings about you and move on. Either they change their feelings about you and you become friends or they don''t. It''s not up to you to decide that. Any effort you may try to put into being liked, is only wasted energy. This urge to be liked by everyone, is often times rooted in insecurity. Rooted in loneliness and the fear of being rejected. Often times due to traumatic events that happened in childhood. Being liked by everyone, might bring you comfort, but it won''t bring you happiness. Because for happiness to flower within your mind and heart, you must be truthful to yourself, you must be authentic.¡± ¡°Well it''s not like I am particularly fond of the Squirrel either,¡± mumbles the Seeker spitefully. ¡°Anyway, since the path ahead is blocked, do you know a way to YouTown?¡± asks the Stranger the Squirrel, changing the topic. ¡°Yes, there is another way, over the frozen lake. It''s off the path, through the forest, but I know how to get there. Follow me.¡± The Squirrel steps on a narrow trail and walks into the Forest. It''s a trail, that few ever walked on. The Seeker and the Stranger follow.
They walk silently for around an hour, until the Stranger breaks the ice. ¡°So are you interested to walk with us together, after we have made it to our destination? You could merge with the Seeker and level up with us together.¡± ¡°I would like to walk with you together,¡± responds the Squirrel. ¡°However if that means merging with them, I''d rather continue leveling up alone. This weakling would only slow me down.¡± ¡°Weakling?¡± shouts the Seeker offended. ¡°How dare you call me weak? You have no idea, what I went through!¡± ¡°Watch out, this is your EGO speaking, protecting itself against words,¡± points out the Stranger. The Seeker calms down. The Squirrel clenches her fist. ¡°Yes, I bet you are some weakling, who wouldn''t even be able to protect your master. I bet you would watch helplessly, as the entire monastery burns down. I bet you are some coward, who would run away, leaving your friends behind. You are a failure, a coward, a weakling!¡± ¡°What the hell is she even talking about?¡± asks the confused Seeker the Stranger. ¡°What are these oddly specific accusations?¡± ¡°She is Projecting,¡± responds the Stranger calmly. ¡°She projects her own insecurities, traumas, regrets, fears and desires on to you. It has nothing to do with you. It''s just a coping mechanism of hers. However if you let yourself get dragged into conflict you''ll synchronize with her low frequency. Only respond, if you are in a place of compassion, understanding, clarity and peace yourself. If that''s not the case, it''s better to just remain silent.¡± The Seeker looks at the Squirrel, takes a deep breath and tries to see life from her perspective. ¡°I think... What you actually need, is someone who listens... Please, tell me what happened...¡± The Squirrel makes a sad face, looking downward. ¡°Two Years ago, after I mastered the form of WARRIOR MONK SQUIRREL our monastery was attacked by a scorpion. He killed my master and set our holy place in fire. I was the only survivor. Now it''s up to me to stop the scorpion from acquiring more of the sacred song fragments. I am the failure, who let her friends die. I am the coward, who ran away. I am the weakling, who couldn''t protect anyone. Only because I was weak. I swore myself never to be weak again. I am sorry for insulting you. I just saw how weak you are and it reminded me of my own flaws.¡±
¡°Stop calling me weak!¡± grunts the annoyed Seeker. ¡°I am much more capable, than you can even think of!¡± ¡°Then why don''t you prove your strength?¡± shouts the Squirrel, provocatively. ¡°You vs Me, let''s go. If you win, I''ll walk with you together. If you lose, I will use you as bait for the scorpion.¡± The Seeker agrees: ¡°Deal!¡±
The SEEKER is opposed by the WARRIOR MONK SQUIRREL The SQUIRREL attacks with her staff. The SEEKER dodges, turns into the form of the GRIZZLY BEAR and strikes back. The SQUIRREL loses 1/3****th of her health-bar. The SQUIRREL attacks the SEEKER, screaming: ¡°WOODCHOP¡± She strikes the Seeker with the edge of her hand. The SEEKER loses 1/4****th of their health bar. The SEEKER turns into the AWAREWOLF and attacks the SQUIRREL with his claws in Flow State. The SQUIRREL loses 1/3****th of her health-bar. She channels all her energy into a powerful ultra-attack. Her secret technique. ¡°CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER!¡± A wave of Chi-attacks reach the Seeker. A powerful burst deletes 2/4****th of their remaining health. The Seeker is at the end of their limits. They transform into the PANTHER-FORM jump towards the Squirrel and take a bite. The SQUIRREL loses the remaining health. The SEEKER wins. ¡°Perhaps I was wrong about you after all,¡± grins the Squirrel, laying on the ground. ¡°You are strong. Because you carry the strength of many within you. Let me borrow you my strength as well. I walk with you together.¡± The Squirrel turns into energy and flows into the Seekers heart. LEVEL UP! LVL 32: + 1 ENERGY NEW TRANSFORMATIONS AVAILABLE: KARATE SQUIRREL BOXING SQUIRREL NIN-JUTSU SQUIRREL WARRIOR MONK SQUIRREL
After some walking, the Seeker and the Stranger suddenly stop.
It is night. The Seeker freezes. It''s the end of the forest. There is a frozen lake in front of them. Behind the mountains in the distance, there is the glowing skyline of a city.
Suddenly the Seeker and the Stranger hear something from the lake. ¡°WO IST DIESER KUGEL-UEBERSETZER??!¡± TO BE CONTINUED A Language, that ALL of us can speak
Part 40: A language, that all of us can speak ¡°What is the root of anger?¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker. They walk through the autumn forest. The ground is covered with brown leaves, the trees are empty. ¡°I don''t know,¡± admits the Seeker. The Seeker looks like an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh.
The sun is setting. It''s getting dark. ¡°You get angry, whenever things don''t go your way,¡± continues the Stranger. ¡°Anger arises, when you are resisting against the will of the universe. When your Desire is in direct contradiction with reality. You get angry at things, when they don''t work as they are supposed to. You get angry at circumstances, when they are not as desired. You get angry at people, when they don''t behave as you''d like them to. Anger is a symptom of resistance. Anger arises out of imbalance. Only when you are not in Harmony with life, can there even be anger within you. And what does anger do? Are there any benefits to being angry at all?¡± ¡°Well, it''s a release of energy,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°So is joy,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Only that joy can never harm another, whereas Anger is a destructive form of energy by its very nature.¡± ¡°But sometimes anger is needed to enforce things,¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°Like in business, in law enforcement, or in the military, as a teacher, as a parent... You won''t be respected, if you don''t shout.¡± ¡°Our entire system is built on the fundamental idea, that humans are able to control things outside of themselves. Because by controlling the outside world, by harvesting the crops and by domesticating the cattle, people were able to make life more comfortable. And so humans push, whenever they desire something. They control to avoid the pain. They control in order to be rewarded with pleasure. Bending their environment to their will. Surely in our current evolutionary state, we are ruled by hierarchical structures. And it will take centuries, if not millennia, until more harmonious societies emerge. So if your role demands you to shout and there is no other way, then shout. But see first, if there is a peaceful way that could bring the same effect. Don''t unleash your anger, if it hurts yourself or someone else. Don''t do it, if it feels wrong. Stop yourself, when you recognize anger arising from within you automatically. Don''t allow yourself to be controlled by your anger, be the master of your emotions. If there is any way to avoid anger or aggression, then don''t indulge in it. Find the Peace within. Be in balance. Never forget, that all Problems are easier to solve from a place of inner calmness. Any effort, any resistance that you create in an attempt to control the world around you, only tips you off your balance. Since the emotion of anger is linked to the need for control, the easiest ending to anger, is by dissolving the illusion of control altogether. There is no person, who controls anything. People just act in accordance to their own patterns. And emotional outbursts happen on impulse. The people who think they are in control are also just slaves to their own unconsciousness. The very ''being'', who thinks it is in control, is controlled by it''s own programming. So one answer could be, to ''uninstall'' the program the idea of control from within your own mind. Because you understand, that all it ever does is bring you out of balance. Because you see, that the anger, which comes from an attachment to control, only brings destruction. Because you know, that there is nothing you can control outside of you. Break the illusion of individual Doer-ship. Dis-identify from the character, observe without distortion and take a good look at it. And then look inwards.¡±
¡°I can''t just give up the idea of control!¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°It protects me. It makes me feel secure. How should I continue to live, if I only have myself to trust?!¡± ¡°Learn to trust the universe,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°Walk with Life together. Surrender your individual will to universal will. And you will be in flow. In sync with the rhythm of Life. Trust, that no matter what happens, you will be okay, you will learn to live with any situation. Accept what is. What cannot be changed. And never stop changing Your Self. Because that is the one thing, that you can in fact change.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger suddenly stop. It is night now. The Seeker freezes. There is a frozen lake in front of them. Behind the mountains in the distance, the skyline of a city glows at the horizon.
The Seeker gets startled, as they suddenly hear something from the lake. ¡°WO IST DIESER KUGEL-UEBERSETZER??!¡± Introducing: GOLDFISH WITH A MECHANICAL BODY Special Ability: SPEAKING GERMAN Passive Buff: +10 % Effectiveness for the Seeker
¡°Did you understand that just now?¡± asks the Seeker. The Stranger scratches the head. ¡°I think he mentioned something about Google Translator.¡± ¡°What is a ''Google Translator''?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°You use it to translate words from one language into another within seconds.¡± ¡°So just like Rosetta''s Stone,¡± comments the impressed Seeker.
¡°Hallo,¡± speaks the Goldfish in a Glass bowl attached to the body of a robot. He grabs the Seekers attention. ¡°Unter dem gefrorenen See ist der Kugel-Uebersetzter versunken. Ich brauche ihn, f¨¹r mein n?chstes Sprachmodul. Hilf mir ihn zu finden!¡± The Seeker didn''t understand a word. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Die KUGEL,¡± repeats the fish annoyed. His robotic index finger points at the frozen ice sheet. ¡°Ich brauche die KUGEL!¡± ¡°Is it about this Google-Thing?¡± interprets the Seeker. ¡°Ja, genau. Die Kugel liegt unter dem Eis verborgen. Unter dem Eis!¡± The Seeker scratches their head. ¡°You are saying it''s under the ice?¡± ¡°Koennt ihr sie fuer mich holen?¡± asks the fish aggresively. ¡°What?¡± asks the Seeker confused. He can''t understand why the fish suddenly sounds so angry. The Fish sighs annoyed, wiping his face with his fins. ¡°Warum muss ich mich staendig wiederholen?! Die KUGEL! KANNST DU SIE bitte FUER MICH AUS DEM WASSER FISCHEN?¡± The Seeker is taken aback, by the volume of his voice. ¡°Whoa, calm down mate. What''s your problem?!¡±
The right arm suddenly falls apart from the robot body. The Fish can no longer keep it secret. ¡°Ich bin an meinem Ende,¡± confesses the defeated fish. He opens his heart. ¡°Ich habe kaum noch mehr Zeit uebrig. Mein Koerper faellt in sich zusammen. Ich roste bereits. Ich brauche das Sprachmodul noch bevor es zu spaet ist. Mit diesem Koerper schaffe ich es nicht. Bitte helfe mir.¡± The Seeker sees into the Fish''s heart. ¡°I think... He needs my help... But how should I understand someone, when we don''t even speak the same language? How can I help, if he is not able to communicate to me, what I can do for him? The fact, that I can''t understand him, annoys me. It''s making me angry. Why can''t he just learn the same language, which everyone else speaks here?¡± ¡°Ignorance is another root of anger,¡± comments the Stranger. ¡°I mean ignorance in the sense of not trying to understand another. Because when you don''t try to understand another, all hope in peace is lost. When all parties try to bring their point across, without listening, they will never find a common ground. Look, with every human being on Earth, you''ll find at least One commonality. If you focus on what you have in common, you can establish a connection. When you focus on what separates you, you will inevitably be in competition. There are more ways to express oneself, than just through words. If you can''t listen to someones voice, listen to their body movement. Read their intention, read their heart, read the energy. Train your pineal gland and you may even read someones thoughts. See other peoples perspective and you''ll expand your own perspective.¡± ¡°What if someone lacks the mirror neurons in the brain?¡± questions the Seeker skeptically. ¡°Not everyone has empathy.¡± ¡°If one is limited by their physical brain, they need to ask, whether there is something beyond our physical realm. Every barrier can be broken. Every wall can be turned down. By emptying your mind of the ego and filling it instead with the force of Life, which connects you to the universe. By surrendering Yourself to the path. Let go of the identification to the limited brain and be aware of the conscious energy flowing through you, which is more commonly referred to as the ''Soul''.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Okay hold on...¡± speaks the Seeker, trying to catch up. ¡°First you are telling me you believe in Telepathy and now you are telling me there is a Soul?¡± ¡°Of course there is telepathy,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°How else do you think swarms of fish or flocks of birds arrange themselves? How do they all move in order?¡± ¡°Through electrical signals, I guess...¡± ponders the Seeker. ¡°Bingo,¡± confirms the grinning Stranger. ¡°What if we are able to communicate on a higher level of consciousness? What if there is more, than just using our familiar tools of language? Where do you think, ideas come from? And why are similar ideas often times received by very different, independent-thinking minds? Why do you think, people come up with similar thoughts synchronistically? Now as for the Soul. Its what experiences Life through your body. It''s the energy, that travels through the astral realm. It''s the higher dimensional aspect of you, which in NDE''s detaches from the body. And when your heart is open, it flows through you and links itself to the mind. To keep this flow steady, one must be wary of the Ego. It is the Ego, which blocks the soul from operating within you. Because when this connection is established, it is the Soul, the Higher Self, which shows you the way. Because it remembers, where to go.¡±
¡°Hallo,¡± chimes in the Fish, interrupting the Stranger. ¡°Ich bin immer noch hier!¡± The Seeker faces the Stranger. ¡°I still have no idea what he is saying. None of what you said, breaks the language barrier.¡± ¡°There is a language, that all of us can speak,¡± smiles the Stranger.
¡°A language that can connect all people over the world. You can only speak it with your heart. But you need to find that language yourself, no one can teach it to you. But for now, until you have found it, just try to read body language. Open up your third eye, train it in meditation to enhance its abilities. Use your intuition to read the energy. Observe every detail. Your subconscious will perceive the information, process it and translate it into an intuition. It''s wise to listen to your intuition, since it has access to more information, than your conscious mind.¡± The Seeker takes a deep breath. They again try to listen to the Fish, concentrating on reading the energy. ¡°Also... Wie ich bereits sagte, bitte ich dich, die KUGEL aus dem Wasser zu fischen... Tauche ein durch dieses Loch.¡± The Fish takes a step aside. A big hole in the ice sheet reveals itself behind him. An influx of information suddenly flows into the Seekers mind. ¡°I think... he wants me to jump into the cold water to fish for some kind of orb.¡± QUEST UPDATED:
  • Retrieve the Orb from the frozen lake
The Seeker dips one toe into the ice-cold water. It''s so cold, that it burns. They take a deep breath, close their eyes and dive into the hole. He freezing cold Seeker dive deeper and deeper into the depths. The Seeker sees a faint light blinking in the darkness. The Seeker investigates the light. The Seeker grabs it. It''s a glowing orb, blinking.
The Seeker wants to grab it and take it with them, but the orb is attached to a chain. The Seeker tries to rip it out. Pulling on it, as tight as they can, but it won''t move. The Seeker feels a chill moving up their spine. There is a presence behind them. The Seeker slowly turns around. Giant, yellow-glowing eyes stare at the Seeker.
Scared by the threatening beast, the Seeker loses some air. Bubbles leave their mouth. As fast, as they can, the Seeker swims back up and climbs out of the hole. ¡°Hast du die Kugel?¡± asks the Fish, without hesitation. Before the Seeker can even draw their breath, the ice is cracking around them. The floor is rumbling. A giant Monster bursts the ice, emerging from the deep waters below the frozen lake. Blue scales. With tentacles, sharp teeth and glowing eyes. BOSS MUSIC The monster growls like a Death Metal Lead Singer. Ancient words spoken in Enochian, ineffable and beyond comprehension. A long health bar appears above the creatures head. The name tag reads: GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE (LEVEL 40)
The Seeker''s face gets pale, cold sweat flows from their forehead. ¡°Damnit! This one is far beyond my level.¡± The Seeker turns into the WARRIOR MONK SQUIRREL She is in a fighting stance. Her staff faces the Monster. Her aura goes wild, as she proudly declares her catchphrase: ¡°I have the power of Enlightenment and Veganism on my side.¡±
The monster throws the chain with the glowing orb against the Squirrel. The Squirrel does a double-jump and dodges the attack mid-air. She then charges forward and hits the Monster with her Staff. No effect. ZERO DAMAGE. The SQUIRREL Turns back into the SEEKER. The Monster generates ice and throws it against them. The Seeker dodges all incoming icicles. ¡°Pass auf wegen der Kugel,¡± shouts the Goldfish. ¡°Ich will wirklich ungern die VERSICHERUNG einschalten muessen...¡± + 1 PROTECTION BUFF (Reduces damage) A dense energy flows around the SEEKER, protecting their body from incoming damage. An icicle crashes against the Seeker. The Protection dissipates after a single hit, but the Seeker remains free of damage. ¡°By using specific words, the Fish can give you temporary boosts,¡± explains the Stranger. ¡°Think of how the intention behind spoken words affects the receiver. Like when you give a compliment, or acknowledge someones strengths and lift them up. And if you have an ill intent, you can even hurt someone with your words. Using the energy behind your words consciously is actual magic. Naturally you should only send positive energy and always respect anyone''s free will. All negative energy you send out, will eventually ripple back at you. When you curse another, you only curse yourself.¡± . ¡°Ich verstehe nur BAHNHOF,¡± comments the confused Goldfish. - 2 SPEED DEBUFF (Next 2 Attacks are 20 % slower) The Seeker charges for a counter attack against the Monster. The SEEKER transforms into the WHITE GOAT and rams the GUARDIAN with his horns. ZERO DAMAGE. The Seeker transforms into the WENUT form of the Bunny. She sends out a psychic shock towards the Monster. ZERO DAMAGE. The Seeker transforms into the Thunderbird-Eagle with broken wings. He throws a lightning bolt against the Monster. ZERO DAMAGE. The Eagle activates his eyes to analyze the opponent: GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE IS IMMUME AGAINST ALL PHYSICAL ATTACKS GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE IS IMMUME AGAINST ALL ENERGETIC ATTACKS GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE IS IMMUME AGAINST ALL PSYCHIC ATTACKS
The Monster growls with a deep voice. New Icicles come flying. The Eagle shifts back. ¡°This is unfair,¡± complains the Seeker, while dodging the incoming ice. ¡°This damned monster is unbeatable!¡± . . ¡°Perhaps you were never supposed to beat the Monster,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°You have tried almost everything by now, but have you tried to understand this monster, that you are fighting? Remember, what we discussed earlier. There is a language, that all of us can speak. A language that connects all of us. It is more ancient than the first words ever spoken and will remain, even after words are long transcended. It can turn enemies into friends. It unites the Hearts of all people. Can you solve the riddle, Seeker? What is the language, that all of us have in common? Try to solve it yourself. Take your time, before you choose your answer.¡± The Seeker has a thoughtful look on their face. They go over the words again and again. The Seeker places their palm on their heart. It warms up. They remember when they felt most in Harmony. Thinking back to a state of Oneness, a moment without any separation. Then, it suddenly dawns on the Seeker. NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: THE VOICE OF HUMANITY
The Seeker begins to notice the BOSS MUSIC playing in the background. Only now do they realize, that the Monsters growling is actually singing along. And the icicles flying around are a symptom of the monster dancing, like a single person in a mosh-pit. ¡°It''s not a Monster... I had it all wrong... This creature is just a regular Death Metal lead singer...¡± The Seeker looks at the Giant Creature, dancing and singing all by itself. Only now does the Seeker recognize, that the Monster looks lonely. It rotates in rhythm to the background Music. As it''s body rotates, the orb is swinging around. Almost hitting the Seeker, who jumps away just in time. ¡°Try out your new skill,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°You have unlocked the voice of Humanity. Sing along to the Great Song. When you sing, the chorus joins in. Unify all integrated archetypes within you. Let the orchestra play it''s song. Express the force of Life through your being. Sing your own song. Your true song. You can do it, when you are alone. You can do it, when no one listens. You can do it right now.¡± . The Seeker takes in a deep breath, they then place their palm on their heart. It warms up. A melody comes to their mind. It''s like it''s always there and the Seeker just needs to listen in closely. They begin to hum. A quiet tune. Like the calmness before the storm. Gaining intensity with every beat. The Seeker feels the chicken joining in, the voice gets stronger. It mutates. Then the bear, the eagle, the goat, the bunny, the dog, the cat and the squirrel all chime in with the song of the Seeker. The Death Metal in the background quiets down. Everything else falls silent. All ears listen in anticipation to a new song, unlike anything that was ever heard before. The hearts of all souls are united in this symphony. Getting stronger and stronger.
The Seamonster resists against the new song, growling much louder, headbanging with greater intensity. The Death Metal becomes disharmonious, as the monster no longer cares about the Music but only about destroying the Song of the Seeker. The Fish observes, how the Seeker struggles to sing their song, against the disharmonious growling of the Seamonster. Even though the Fish hasn''t even the slightest idea of what is happening, he feels something spur up within his heart. Something that he had believed to have long forgotten. Something he had cast out as an obstacle, as a delusion. Something he had lost a long time ago: . Hope . ¡°Die Hoffnung kehrt zur¨¹ck,¡± utters the Fish in disbelief. He takes a deep breath and chimes in on the Song of the Seeker. Lending his voice to the orchestra. All Voices united in a single song. The voice rises increasing in intensity, nearing it''s crescendo. And as the song reaches its peak, the sun is dawning in the east. Shining an orange light on the Seeker and the frozen lake. A harmonious sound sweeps over the world like the rising sun, moving westwards. The Monster is Defeated. He falls silent as he listens to the chorus, channeling the voices of many into a single song. While singing, the Seeker notices, the sad Seamonster sitting alone in the corner of the frozen lake. And all voices in harmony allow the song to mutate. A harder tone, more energetic. Similar to the Boss Music, but much more melodious. The Seeker grins at the Monster, inviting it with a hand movement. The Monster turns around and looks at the Seeker. The sun lands on the Monsters face. He is happy. Taking a deep breath and then letting out a powerful growl. Together, the GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE, the FISH and the SEEKER all play MELODIC DEATH METAL. A song that combines the talents and voices of many. A song of Strength and Fire. A Song for the Heart of the Warrior Spirit. The song ends with a thunder. Like the sound of an ancient battle-horn. The sun illuminates the lake. As the morning has come, the GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN LAKE dissolves into vapor. The chain with the orb, detaches itself. As the steam settles, it reveals a Fish in a Glassbowl, just like the one with the mechanical body. Both fish face eachother. They look like identical twins. The German speaking Goldfish absorbs the former Seamonster and the orb into his being. ¡°Kugeluebersetzer integriert¡± . EVOLUTION: GOLDFISH IN A MECHASUIT Special Ability: SPEAKING JAPANESE Passive Buff: +10 % EXP
¡°ÐĤè¤ê¸ÐÖxÉꤷÉϤ²¤Þ¤¹¡£Ò»¾w¤Ëši¤­¤Þ¤·¤ç¤¦¡£(Kokoroyori kansha m¨­shiagemasu. Issho ni arukimashou).¡± . The Goldfish in a Mecha-Suit dissolves into energy and flows into the Seekers heart. LEVEL UP! Lvl 33: + 1 Language New Transformations available: SPANISH GOLDFISH GOLDFISH IN A GLASSBALL GOLDFISH IN A FISHTANK ON A SKATEBOARD GOLDFISH WITH A MECHANICAL BODY GOLDFISH IN A MECHASUIT
The Seeker and the Stranger cross the frozen lake and wander towards the Great city behind the Mountains.
TO BE CONTINUED The Next Level
Part 41: The Next Level ¡°Tell me, what exactly is it with the absorbing-other-people-thing?¡± asks the ONE TRUE SEEKER, leaving the frozen lake behind. In the valley upfront glow the lights of the Great city. Illuminating the morning sky. YouTown, enclosed by giant walls. ¡°Have you ever heard the myth of Osiris?¡± counters the Stranger with a question. The Seeker looks clueless. ¡°In ancient Egyptian mythology Osiris was the King of the gods. His cunning brother Seth lured Osiris into a trap and assassinated him. Seth cut his brothers body into pieces and scattered all his parts around Egypt. While Seth took the Throne, Osiris widow Isis collected all parts of her husband, put them back together and breathed back life into his body. Osiris returned from the dead and became King of the Duat.¡± The Seekers gaze remains confused. ¡°So what was the myth about?¡± asks the ONE TRUE SEEKER.
¡°About becoming whole again,¡± responds the Stranger with a smile. Both the Seeker and the Stranger stop. They stand before the great city walls.
A cobblestone path leads to the entrance Gate. The two wanderers get back on track, stepping on the path towards YouTown.
They cross a stone bridge. The gate is on the other side. A deep chasm below. Two Guards in heavy steel armor stand before the iron Gate. Bearing swords and spears. They both have long, curly dark hair. They look like twin brothers, only that one has a mustache and the other is clean shaven.
¡°Stop right here,¡± speaks the beardless Guard. ¡°To pass through this gate, thou must show us thy registration documents!¡± The ONE TRUE SEEKER immediately recognizes both Guards. ¡°Wait a minute... Haven''t we met?¡± Both Guards look at the Seeker with confusion. ¡°I can''t shake off this feeling that we have had this very interaction already before,¡± insists the Seeker. The clueless Guards look at each other, shake their heads and shrug their shoulders. ¡°I think it must have happened sometime around chapter 10 or 12...¡± mumbles the Stranger, while scratching his chin. ¡°Yeah right, now I remember...¡± insists the ONE TRUE SEEKER. ¡°Back in the land of truth! On the bridge... You didn''t wanna let us pass. And You...¡± The Seeker points at the Guard with a Mustache. ¡°...I ripped off your mustache and then you dramatically faked dying!¡± The Guard with the Mustache raises his eyebrows. ¡°Is something wrong with you Sir?¡±
¡°The strangest part though is... It''s as if there are different memories of the same event happening all at once. Like falling over the bridge in one and trying to solve a riddle in the other...¡± The beardless Guard clears his throat, drawing back the Seekers attention. ¡°Without a Username and Password, we won''t let you into the city. If you have not yet registered, for a small fee of 200 Pesos we''ll do the registering process for you.¡± ¡°I-I was robbed,¡± exclaims the Seeker. He searches his pockets. Rustling, until his hand touches coins. ¡°All I have left are those 10 Pesos, I got for the Anti-Attachment-Spray.¡± The two Guards look at each other. ¡°Tell ya what,¡± speaks the One with a Mustache. ¡°For 10 Pesos, I''ll show you the secret way into YouTown. Through the Weird Tube. This way you won''t need to go through the main Gate here.¡± The Seeker clings on to the coins in his pocket. ¡°But... It''s all I have left... I can''t just give it up... Like I wouldn''t even give it away to that Church of the Wolves and Sheep...¡± Again both Guards share a short eye-contact. The beardless Guard responds: ¡°Well, we are also willing to accept 2 of your Vibes, if you can''t pay up in Pesos.¡± ¡°2 Vibes?!¡± questions the Seeker outraged. ¡°That''s like 7 Schmeckles!¡±
The Seeker sighs defeated and calms himself down. ¡°Alright... Here have your 10 Pesos... Just take it...¡± The Two Guards take each 5 Pesos and put the money into their pockets. ¡°Take the stairs here,¡± speaks the Mustache Guard and points to stone stairs etched into the wall, leading downwards, to the chasm under the bridge. ¡°Down there you''ll find the sewage pipe, which is called the Weird Tube. Journey through the complex pipe system of YouTowns Underworld, until you make it to the surface.¡± ¡°Is there no easier way?¡± asks the Seeker, who is already demotivated by the idea of climbing through a sewer. ¡°Yes,¡± responds the Guard with a Mustache. ¡°As long as you have the means to pay for it.¡±
Together the Seeker and the Stranger walk down the stairs, leaving the Guards at the Gate behind. The defeated Seeker sighs annoyed. ¡°I should have never bought this damned spray can.¡± As soon as the Seeker is out of reach, the two Guards break out in laughter. They both burst into steam. The evaporating Steam reveals two laughing Five-Tailed Foxes.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°He totally fell for it,¡± giggles the Fox with a Mustache. ¡°Yeah, right?¡± laughs the the other one. ¡°Like if he just would have tried the registering process on his own, he would have seen that the account is for free.¡±
The two foxes merge into One. The laughing Five-tailed Fox turns around and steps through the Gate, entering into the city of YouTown. Meanwhile the Seeker and the Stranger are at the bottom of the city moat. Muddy ground. A small stream of sewage flows from a Pipe into a creek. Iron bars barricade the Pipe. There''s a locked door with a keyhole. ¡°Do you still have your Master Key?¡± asks the Stranger the ONE TRUE SEEKER. The Seeker takes off the necklace from his shoulders and puts the key into the hole. It fits. The Seeker opens the door. The Seeker and the Stranger enter the Sewers. The Seeker receives EXP for entering a new area: NEW AREA UNLOCKED ¡°THE WEIRD TUBE¡±
LEVEL UP! Lvl 34: + 7 VIBES (65 VIBES TOTAL)
As he walks through the sewage pipes, the Seeker notices how there are screens built in to the walls, showing various scenes. Whenever they click on the Screens, videos start playing. The Stranger gives a thumbs up. The Seeker reads the statistics, shown on screen: ¡°Each of these videos has less than 10 views...¡± ¡°Most of these, won''t ever make it above 100 views,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Without the blessing of the algorithm, these videos are doomed from the start. This is where all the projects end up, which fail to attract a mass audience. This is YouTowns underground.¡± The Stranger and the ONE TRUE SEEKER keep on walking through the corridors of the canalization. Stopping every now and then to watch a video. ¡°There''s something, that still doesn''t quite add up to me,¡± ponders the ONE TRUE SEEKER, after some time of exploration. ¡°My memory from back when we were in the land of Truth seems kinda fuzzy... Like how did we get out again?¡± ¡°You don''t remember?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°No wonder... The Secret Ending of Episode 13 was deleted, after we broke the Fifth Wall.¡± ¡°Secret ending?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Fifth Wall? What are you talking about? The last thing I remember is you talking something about ''Continuation'' and then you opened a door... And then I suddenly woke up during that Filler Dream...¡± ¡°Well if you want to read the true ''Secret ending'' of episode 13, you can still do it... It''s hidden on the ''Royal Road''. You can read there the entire story. Like a book, but for free.¡±
Something suddenly caught the Seekers attention. His eyes are locked at a video with a strange Color pattern. The music has an ambient sound to it. The Title is made up of numbers. ¡°26153431326261546121512104423123154612165352¡± The ONE TRUE SEEKER looks at the channel. It''s also named after a sequence of numbers. The Seeker scrolls through the comments. Most of the comments speak about spiritual Themes. One of the comments sounds strangely familiar: ¡°Seems like the algorithm only shows you this video after you have advanced to the next level in this game called reality.¡± The Seeker can''t take off his eyes from this comment. ¡°I... I was thinking the same thing, when I clicked on it,¡± mumbles the Seeker. ¡°I just wonder, who placed this strange comment...¡±
Suddenly something else catches his attention. The ONE TRUE SEEKER spots another video with a number sequence from the corner of his eye at the end of the corridor. The Seeker approaches the Video, again there is another video not far from the last. It''s as if the Seeker follows a trail of breadcrumbs. The trail leads the Seeker deeper and deeper into the canalization. Turning at many corners to hunt after the next code. After diving deeper to uncover the mystery, the Seeker turns at a corner and ends up at a dead end. ¡°Hey, Psst,¡± whispers a quiet voice from the other side of the tunnel. The Seeker turns around. A figure stands in the shadow, smoking a cigarette. As he lights up his cigarette, the flame reveals the face of an anthropomorphic turtle in a leather mantle with circular Sunglasses. The Turtle takes a hit from the cigarette and speaks: ¡°I imagine, that right now you are feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole. I can see it in your eyes. Let me tell you, why you are here. You are here because you know something. What you know you can''t explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. That there is something wrong with the world. You don''t know what it is, but it''s there, like a splinter in your mind.¡±
The Seeker raises his eyebrows, turns around and faces the Stranger. ¡°Did Bro just quote Matrix?¡± ¡°The Mandela Effect,¡± continues the Turtle, grabbing the Seekers attention. ¡°Millions of people sharing the same memory of something contradicting reality. Where do these memories come from? Where is the Monopoly mans monocle gone? Where is the black Stripe on Pikachus tail? Are they just some mass hallucination? A psychological effect? Are these memories of a Parallel Universe? Is it time travel? Or was there a Reset in the Simulation?¡± The Seeker can''t process the information. ¡°Hold on a minute... Who are you again?¡± ¡°I am D''Artagnan,¡± announces the Turtle. ¡°And these are my Friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis.¡± Three other Turtles step out of the Shadow into the light: Athos wears Rollerblade''s and carries a pair of sai blades.
Porthos stands on a skateboard and carries Nunchaku.
Aramis stands on a surfboard, while holding 2 Katanas in each hand.
. ¡°ONE FOR ALL,¡± shouts D''Artagnan and lifts up his Staff. ¡°And ALL FOR ONE,¡± shout Athos, Porthos and Aramis in unison, all crossing their weapons. ¡°We are the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES,¡± continues D''Artagnan. ¡°We are here to wake people up, from the Dream. To show you what''s actually going on. You are trapped in a simulated reality. You are in a video game. Nothing of what happens is real. All people around you are Computer-Generated NPC''s. Nothing is real and nothing matters. And I''m not even Scratching the Surface!¡± ¡°Neither is he surfing the Scratch,¡± comments Aramis as he surfs a wave of sewage. The Seeker contemplates. ¡°So... What exactly are you resisting against?¡± ¡°We are resisting against Reality itself,¡± responds Porthos as he does an Ollie with his skateboard. ¡°We will prove that this is a simulation. So that the entire world knows the truth! Help us in waking up the people to truth. Join us in liberating the people from the lie, that is!¡± ¡°But why me?¡± asks the ONE TRUE SEEKER the turtles. ¡°Well actually... Finding new members turns out to be quite difficult,¡± responds Athos, as he sharpens his sai blades. ¡°For some reason, no one wants to join us in collapsing the Matrix. We are out of options.¡± ¡°So are there any Benefits to questioning Reality? Like does it give you some sense of freedom, or does it improve your life in any way?¡± questions the ONE TRUE SEEKER. ¡°On the contrary,¡± replies D''Artagnan. ¡°Many people fall into depression, addictions, feel alienated and isolated, when they awaken. They feel all alone, when they realize they are the entire system of Reality. That there is no individuality. When they realize, that everything is made up ¨C imagined.¡± The ONE TRUE SEEKER begins to smile. ¡°The Truth can only be depressing, if you allow it that to be. They say that ignorance is bliss. But Truth can also bring bliss. If you just learn to accept what is. It''s up to you, how you react to the world. If you are resisting to life, it creates attachment. When you are attached to your resistance against life, you are suffering. Just stop fighting against Life. Life is not your enemy. No, life wants to help you grow and therefore sends you challenges. It''s for your own good. So just synchronize yourself with the rhythm of life. Because when you resist life, you are in conflict with yourself. Between your heart and mind. Your heart knows the way, but the mind is driven by fear and a desire for control. Your heart guides you, it let''s you know whenever you don''t walk with life. So heart and mind need to work together. Regret is a symptom of denying your own heart. To live a life without regrets, you must do what feels right. You must listen to your intuition. And let me be honest, four random dudes standing in a dark corner of the sewers, don''t really give off trustworthy vibes. I''ll rather stick to my own path.¡±
¡°But what about the truth?¡± asks D''Artagnan irritated. ¡°Don''t you want to find out, whether any of this is real?¡± ¡°To me it doesn''t really make a difference, whether it''s real or not,¡± responds the ONE TRUE SEEKER. ¡°Whether it''s a simulation, a game or a fictional story... It all feels real, doesn''t it? The experience feels real. And this is all that matters. It might be all fake, but our experience can still be meaningful, when we give meaning to it. In the end, we can''t control what is. We can only control how we react to it.¡± ¡°This is the most unawakened bullshit, I have heard in a long time,¡± comments Athos as he rolls around. ¡°Well, we can''t wake up everyone,¡± comments Porthos, as his Skateboard grinds the lead pipes. ¡°Some of the sheeple just prefer to remain asleep,¡± comments Aramis, as he rides the wave. ¡°How disappointing,¡± comments D''Artagnan. ¡°Well if you ever do change your mind and are ready for the red pill, then you just need to find the White Room outside of time. This is where you''ll find the Truth, in the silence. Take either the path of the Shamans or the path of the Psychonauts. Both can lead you there.¡±
The ONE TRUE SEEKER nods goodbye with his hat and returns back to the Stranger. ¡°Hey look, here''s a way out,¡± speaks the Stranger to the ONE TRUE SEEKER. The Stranger points at a ladder. Daylight shines from above into the tunnels. ¡°I am glad you made your choice, my friend,¡± smiles the Stranger at the Seeker. ¡°Yes,¡± smiles the ONE TRUE SEEKER with fire burning in his eyes. ¡°I made up my mind. If this is a game, then I am here for the Platinum Trophy. Let''s go.¡± The Stranger grabs the ladder and climbs outside. The ONE TRUE SEEKER follows behind. He takes the hand of the Stranger and gets pulled out of the hole. He stands in the middle of a gigantic city. With busy traffic on the asphalt streets. A lot of Taxis honking. Many people walk through the street. There are giant Screens projecting videos on each of the gigantic Skyscrapers. Some people gather around the buildings to view the Screens. The Seeker receives EXP for entering a new area: NEW AREA UNLOCKED ¡°YOUTOWN¡± LEVEL UP! Lvl 35: + 5 VIBES (70 VIBES TOTAL)
The Seeker marvels at the sheer enormity of the city. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°In YouTown,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Where every voice has a chance of being heard.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Crafting an identity around integrity
Part 42: Crafting an identity around integrity The Seeker takes a look around the streets of the Great city. A DejaVu hits them. Remembrances of a forgotten Dream. ¡°Why does this place feel so familiar?¡± wonders the Seeker. They look at the many screens attached to the skyscrapers. Every building plays another video. Showing different people talking. Crowds gather under the screens. The streets are busy. Taxis honking loudly. Reckless driving.
¡°I don''t know how, but it seems we somehow ended up in the Influencer District,¡± comments the Stranger. The Seeker''s gaze is stuck at a particular screen. The Thumbnail shows a white dove with a sad face. The video title: ''My Apology Video''
¡°Wait a second,¡± notices the Seeker. ¡°It''s the pigeon from the farm. It''s been ages since we last met...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Another fragmented aspect of yours. Another Archetype. To be whole again, all parts must be integrated. But first we need to find them. We should ask around. Perhaps someone here knows how to find Pigeon Number 3.¡± ¡°Did you just say Number 3?!¡± shouts a sudden, shrill voice, startling the Seeker. A brown Pigeon suddenly lands on their shoulder.
¡°My name is Pigeon Number 6. Pigeon 3 is my sibling. 3 is in a very bad place right now. Ever since the shitstorm swept over 3 ''s channel... Nothing''s been the same...¡± ¡°Do you know, where we can find Pigeon 3?¡± asks the Stranger. ¡°Where all failed Influencers eventually end up,¡± responds the Brown Pigeon. ¡°In the X-District.¡± They walk for some amount through the main Streets of YouTown, until they arrive at the corner of the X-District. A huge, green cloud of fog hovers over the streets. It''s like a massive wall of gas. It covers the entire area. Covering even the tips of the largest skyscrapers.
¡°What the hell is this?¡± asks the Seeker, covering their nose. ¡°It''s the Toxicity of the City,¡± responds the Brown Pigeon. ¡°The X District. Things have only gotten worse, after he took over... Now the stench is everywhere. Beyond this dense, green cloud awaits you only Despair.¡± ¡°This Green cloud represents a corrupted Egregor,¡± explains the Stranger. ¡°A Vortex of negative energy, fed by all the individual souls, who contribute to it. A Nexuspoint of Negative Energy on a Higher Dimensional Plane. In this particular metaphor, we use the toxic ''X-District'', but it could be basically any Platform where people exchange mean-spirited energy. It''s like the individuals form a ball of conscious energy, which feeds off of their energy, by grabbing their attention in a co-dependent relationship. The individual who gets attached to such an energy vortex gets stuck in a downward-spiraling cycle of Negativity.¡± ¡°Can you please get Pigeon 3 out from the X-District?¡± begs the Brown Pigeon the Seeker. ¡°I tried to rescue 3 multiple times, but the Toxicity is too dense to fly in there. And I was never able to keep my breath for long enough. Please go in and get 3 out of there, before 3 Zombifies.¡± QUEST UPDATED: - Retrieve Pigeon Number 3 from the X District
¡°Wait... Zombies?!¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°No one told me anything about Zombies...¡± ¡°You turn into one, when you breathe in too much Toxicity,¡± speaks the Brown Pigeon. ¡°Each time you take a Breath, it costs you 1 VIBE. When all your Vibes are drained you''ll turn into a Zombie, co-dependent with the toxic atmosphere of the X District. At this state all words you spew out become toxic.¡± ¡°So I only have like 70 Breaths?! And what am I supposed to do, if the Zombies attack me? How am I supposed to defend myself?¡± Pigeon Number 6 shrugs. ¡°If you hit back or respond with toxicity, you''ll lose your vibes only faster.¡± ¡°Cancel out their negative energy with positive energy,¡± advises the Stranger. ¡°Understand them. Love them. Forgive them. Stay your ground don''t let yourself be dragged down to their level. Whatever they may say, stick to your light. Don''t let it be dimmed by others. Especially when the night is at its darkest you must glow the brightest. If your light can''t reach them, ignore their attempts to take you down. Don''t fall into their Ego traps.¡± ¡°But... If someone insults me and I don''t comeback with a clever comment, I lose against them! I need to defend myself to win.¡± ¡°Perhaps this way you will win in the game of society, but is this how you win in the Game of Life?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°To win in the Game of Life, you need to clear your path of any regrets. And you must be wary with every step not to create new regrets. By making sure to always listen to your heart. Your heart tells you, what feels right. Your heart knows where to go. But if you respond with the same toxicity as the Zombies, you don''t respond from the heart you respond from Ego. So go with the heart to win in Life. Live with Integrity. Be ready to always do the right thing, even if it means you lose. This is what real integrity is. To stand for something, even when you stand all by yourself. Do what feels right to you. Live a Life without regrets. Don''t lie, don''t betray yourself, treat others as you''d like them to treat yourself.¡±
The Seeker takes a good look at the dense wall of Green Gas. ¡°Alright...¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°Let''s go dive into this soup of toxic waste.¡± ¡°I marked the location on your Minimap,¡± speaks the Brown Pigeon. NEW LOCATION ADDED ON MAP The Stranger steps through the green cloud and disappears. The Seeker takes a last, deep breath, before they follow the Stranger into the mist. NEW AREA UNLOCKED: ¡°THE X DISTRICT¡±
The air is very dense, as the Seeker navigates their path through the mist. Open eyes are hurting. As the Seeker walks through the dense cloud, they cross paths with Zombies, stumbling around unconsciously. The Zombie is unaware of the Seeker. It''s as if holding their breath makes them invisible. But after some time of keeping their breath, the Seeker can''t hold it any longer. They open their mouth and take a breath. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. - 1 Vibe Suddenly all the Zombies within the Seekers reach listen up. Unconsciously strolling forward towards the sound of air. All the Zombies mumble meaningless words. Superficial, without any depth. When they speak, they spew out green, toxic waste.
The Seeker runs fast away, avoiding every puddle of toxic waste on the floor. The Seeker can barely keep up with the Stranger, turning at every corner. The Stranger runs into an alley, stopping in front of a wall. There''s a single white Pigeon, who screams against the wall. ¡°No really, I was just kidding. I didn''t really mean it. Please don''t cancel me.¡±
The Stranger puts her hand on the white Pigeons shoulder. ¡°They are all gone.¡± ¡°But... What about my Blue Checkmark?¡± ¡°Gone as well,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°There is nothing left for you in this rotten place. Here you will never fulfill your hearts desires. The only thing you get here is attention and it''s not the heart which desires attention ¨C it''s the Ego. Get out of here, before you are sucked in by the Vortex of Toxicity.¡± ¡°Yeah... You are right...¡± admits Pigeon Number 3. ¡°It''s just... X is the only place, that made me feel significant...¡± ¡°If you can''t find worth in external things, it''s because you are looking in the wrong place. Only within you, will you find the meaning, that you are hunting after.¡± With heavy eyes, the Pigeon nods, then clicks on a button projected on the wall. ¡°DELETE ACCOUNT¡± The Stranger, the White Pigeon and the Seeker return back through the alleys to the main street. The Seeker takes another Breath. - 1 Vibe As the Group stands in the main road, where the Green Fog is at it''s densest, a lot of By-standing Zombies become aware of the Seeker. ¡°I hate People like you!¡± growls a Zombie spewing out green, toxic acid.
¡°Yeah?!¡± shouts the Seeker offended ¡°You--¡± The Seekers initial reaction is to lash out defensively. But the Seeker stops their words mid-sentence, as they remember what the Stranger told them. ¡°You... Must have had a really bad day... I am sorry for whoever hurt you... And I love you...¡± For a short moment the Zombie has a surprised face. Then he is silent for a moment, a thoughtful face. His eyes then turn angry. ¡°Look at Saint Seeker here, trying to be holier than though. You are just another fake ass Hyprocrite, trying to appear as a good person. There are no good people! Everyone is rotten inside just like me!¡± The Zombie awaits a reaction from the Seeker, but the Seeker remains silent. When the Seeker doesn''t react to the Zombies yapping, the ignored Zombie turns away. Ranting, as he leaves the scene.
The Trio keeps going, until they reach the end of the Gas Cloud. Breaking through the Wall of Gas, the Seeker, the Stranger and the Pigeon all make it out unscathed. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: - Retrieve Pigeon Number 3 from the X District + 2 VIBES (Total 70)
¡°Number 3!¡± shouts the Brown Pigeon relieved. ¡°There you are! I was so worried. I am glad you made it out of there.¡± ¡°You should have seen, what they have done with the Blue Bird...¡± comments the white Pigeon calmly while being embraced by Pigeon Number 6. ¡°They killed her, shat on her Grave and called it X.¡± A Question lingers on the Seekers tongue: ¡°So how did you end up in this situation anyway?¡±
¡°Honestly, things just kind of happened, when I started being myself,¡± responds the Pigeon. ¡°Before I could even blink, our channel blew up and I signed a sponsorship deal. Things went well for a while. I made a lot of money and bought some nice things. I threw a lot of parties. But then I said something, that people didn''t like and now I am losing everything! I am being canceled!¡± ¡°What did you say to get people so offended?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°All I was saying is, that Identity itself is the root of all evil,¡± speaks the white Pigeon. ¡°Identity is a false construct of the mind. Because when you identify with your thoughts, they have power over you. Identifying with a role, with a status, with property, with wealth, or with appearance only ever distracts you from what you truly are. You are neither of these things. Because in Truth, what you actually are is NOTHING. It is all empty. Without inherent value. Identity is just a distraction from what you really are. Beyond concepts. That''s why we need to get rid of identity entirely. Now when I said this, it brought me a lot of backlash. I lost all my subscribers. And I don''t know how to even pay my bills anymore. It''s because people cling to their identities. They are so attached, that they turn angry, when you point out the falseness of identification. People got really defensive. I tried to take back what I said and made a public statement but then it only got worse. I was afraid of losing more subscribers, but after the apology video, I lost all of them.¡±
¡°Just as your body wears clothes, so does the soul wear an identity,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°Is there really an end to identity?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the white pigeon. ¡°I have ended my identity. I have become NO ONE. I am not a THING. The illusion of Self is shattered. Now there is no one here. I refer to myself as NOSELF and identify as NOTHING.¡± ¡°You just created the idea of ''NOTHINGNESS'' and built an identity around it,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°It''s still an identity. You can''t escape the identity, because it is an aspect of our very own experience. Because the identity is what makes each experience different. It''s the filter we use to play this game of Life. But what you can do is detach from your Identity. It is the attachment to identity, which causes suffering. It''s the attachment to identity, which blinds one from the truth. It''s the attachment to identity, which keeps you stuck in habitual patterns and cycles. You see, there is no point in fighting against your own perceived identity. Because then it''s just one thought fighting against itself. Just more energy wasted on useless inner conflicts. Instead just detach from your identity and observe it unbiased. Let it evolve without resistance and don''t pay any more attention to it, than you need to. Don''t give away your power to the identity. Instead carry it without attachment. If an old identity no longer works for you, it will dissolve by itself. If you want to call yourself ''NO ONE'' and it makes you happy, then do it. But know, that this is also just another identity. So instead of wasting energy on unnecessary thoughts, be in the present moment. Pull yourself back into the NOW as soon as you realize, that your thoughts keep circling around an identity. The most efficient way to use the mind is to focus on only having meaningful thoughts. Higher Thoughts, Insights, Realizations, Imaginations, Original Ideas, Planning... Thoughts which are beneficial to your journey through the Game of Life for You and the All. And when you don''t need thoughts, be present in the Now Moment.¡±
¡°But what If I am truly NO ONE?!¡± argues Pigeon 3. ¡°Without any sense of Identity? Completely detached from my own experience?¡± The Stranger smiles. ¡°But you still have things that make you unique, right? You have your own way of speaking. Your own way of being. Your style. Your Personality. Even when you don''t consciously think of it, it still runs in the background of your mind. And when this Personality is unbroken, healed, whole and worn without any attachment, utilized for the greatest good of All, then you have mastered the SELF.¡± ¡°I was denying my Self all this time and now you come along and tell me that I should embrace it?¡± ¡°Neither deny yourself, nor glorify yourself,¡± responds the Stranger with a smile. ¡°Walk in the middle instead. Find balance. And ask yourself, who you are and who you want to be. How do you wanna show up in the world? What role do you want to play in the story of your Life? What kind of Character do you want to be? Just be true to yourself. Let your Personality be authentic, without any false identities. Then observe how this plays out in the world. In other words: Don''t try to be someone, just be.¡±
The White Pigeon ponders for a moment. ¡°I think... I want to be someone with integrity. Someone strong. Who does the right thing, even when it''s difficult.¡± ¡°Integrity is not just some badge, that anyone can wear,¡± reminds the Stranger. ¡°No, you must first earn it. By making the right decisions, whenever your integrity is being tested. By standing upright, even when you stand all alone. By listening to your heart. By trusting your Self. By owning up to your mistakes. By keeping your word. By being honest.¡± The White Pigeon nods. ¡°Yeah... You are right. And I will start right now... Pigeon Number 6! It''s time to make a video.¡± The Brown Pigeon then takes out his camera and films Pigeon Number 3. ¡°I know I made a lot of people angry, when I said you should end the identification,¡± speaks the Pigeon to the camera. ¡°But what I was trying to say, is that you should stop being attached to your identity. I was not saying that you are supposed to deny your own Personality. Just don''t cling to it. Because when you are attached to the image you have of yourself, you try to protect it at any costs. It makes you fearful, it makes you angry, it makes you jealous. It makes you cold and bitter. But when there is no attachment, you can play with it freely. So I am not saying destroy the mental image of Self, I am saying let go of it.¡±
After Pigeon Number 6 uploads the video, it receives a lot of views. A lot of likes. Many new subscribers. Pigeon 3 is back on Track. ¡°Will that Pigeon now finally walk with us?¡± whispers the impatient Seeker in the Strangers ear. ¡°You know, ''That Pigeon'' can hear you,¡± interrupts Pigeon Number 3. The surprised Seeker is startled. ¡°I... I am sorry... It''s just...¡± ¡°You thought, I couldn''t hear you, but I always listen. Why don''t you explain to me, why you treat me as if I were invisible?! You were ignoring me all this time. Even back on the farm!¡± The Seekers face gets red. ¡°Well... Um... To be honest... It''s just that I have no idea, how I should connect with you. Like we have absolutely nothing in common. Your voice is high and from your feathers I can''t even tell your gender. I don''t even know whether I should treat you like a dude or like a chick.¡± ¡°Why don''t you just treat me like a regular person?¡± The Seeker is speechless. This question leaves them dumbfounded. ¡°You are right... I am sorry...¡±
¡°I told you earlier, that I am NO ONE and have transcended such outdated paradigms a long time ago,¡± continues the Pigeon. ¡°And anyway... I could ask you exactly the same. Everyone refers to you as ''they'' and ''them'', why is that?¡± ¡°It''s because it''s plural,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°It refers to all Seekers on the same path simultaneously. And also to all the merged spirits within. I thought this was obvious.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± nods the White Pigeon in agreement. ¡°Glad we finally got this sorted. I am ready to walk with you together.¡± The White Pigeon turns into a yellow energy and flows into the heart of the Seeker. Level UP! Lvl 36: + 1 Integrity New Transformations available: GREY PIGEON WHITE DOVE
The Seeker and the Stranger continue walking through the Streets of YouTown, as the Stranger notices a Yellow sign not far up ahead. The Yellow sign shows a ''M''. ¡°Wanna stop for a Burger?¡± TO BE CONTINUED Not Another Filler Episode Not Another Filler Episode ¡°When did we lose our way? As Humanity. Did we lose it during the Ice Age? When Survival was our only priority. Or later on, when the ice melted and we developed new technologies to grow and harvest food. Did we lose our way, when we created new gods, new idols to worship? When we lost our connection to Nature? We used to see ourselves as a part of Nature, not as it''s conquerors. Before we exploited the Earth, we treated her with respect. We fought, when we were in danger. We ate, when we were hungry. The Hunter prayed in gratitude, thanking the Pray for playing its role. And when the Tribes of Humanity, sang their sacred songs, Mother Earth would listen. Dancing along to our rhythm, just as we danced to the rhythm of the Earth. But Humanity stopped seeing itself as part of Nature. Blinded by it''s own Pride, Humanity sold its heart to the Ego for the promise of living a comfortable Life. And so we built civilizations in the quest of fulfilling the unlimited thirst of the SELF. An unstoppable Hunger, caused by the vacuum we created, when we gave up our heart. And so the Ego tries to still it''s Hunger with superficial attachments. Temporary Pleasures, that offer short relief of the constant resistance against Life. We lost our way, when we gave up our heart. We created systems to fulfill the Egos desires and bound ourselves to limited patterns. And now see the mess, that we are in. See, what we have done to the Earth. See where our selfishness and our unwillingness to change have brought us. We need to change our ways, before it''s too late!¡± . . . The Stranger stares intensely at the man in the red shirt, anticipating his reaction. . . ¡°Sir... For the last time... Your coupon is expired. Please... I need to ask you to either place your order or step aside. You are holding up the line.¡± . . The Mysterious Stranger looks behind him. A lot of people are waiting in line, with impatient and disgruntled faces. Some are checking their watches, others are tapping their shoes on the floor. . . The Stranger sighs and hands his credit card to the Fast Food cashier. ¡°Seems like words are not enough to convince the corporate establishment to change it''s ways... This round goes on you, McDonalds... But I shall return! And next time... My coupon will not only be valid, it''s discount shall even be greater!¡± . . The Stranger points two fingers at his eyes and then at the cashiers eyes, before picking up the tray with Burgers. He places the tray on a table and sits opposite to the Seeker. . ¡°For some reason I can''t get this strange feeling of Deja-Vu out of my head,¡± speaks the Seeker to the Stranger, massaging their temples. ¡°It''s as if this has happened already... Like a Dream, I can only vaguely remember...¡± . . The Stranger grins. ¡°I want to share a story with you. Of a man, who fearlessly spoke the Truth, who dared to challenge the church during an age of darkness. Of a man, who even under torture would not renounce the Truth. No matter how often they tried to break his spirit, he would persist. Even when they burned him at the stake, he did not fear death. For he had found the inherent divinity within all things and he was willing to fight for it even to his very end.¡± . ¡°Okay,¡± chews the Seeker, as they bite into a cheeseburger. ¡°Sounds interesting.¡± . . ¡°Let''s call him G,¡± continues the Stranger. ¡°In the 16th Century, G took on the robes of the Dominican order and lived as a monk in a monastery in Naples. He was a free thinker with a talented mind and a sharp memory. When he was first introduced to the Order, he looked up to his elders with great respect. But the illusion shattered and where he once saw gods, he then saw fools and donkeys. G studied Philosophy, Theology and become a Priest. He was a fan of Plato but disliked Aristoteles. He valued Truth and had a desire to find it any cost. So in his quest of finding Truth, he was not afraid of studying even the forbidden books, which he kept hidden in the monastery latrine. He was outspoken on his beliefs and openly questioned the catholic doctrine. His rebellious nature soon got G into trouble. When the Inquisition suspected him of Heresy, he had to run away from his monastery in Naples. However he didn''t just leave without a bang. Before fleeing, he threw away the highly valued scriptures of Saint Jerome into the latrines. He always had this arrogant smile. For the next few years, G wandered around Europe, taught at various Universities and published books. And wherever he went, he stirred up trouble. He lectured for some time in Geneva until he was arrested for attacking an esteemed Professor in a polemic pamphlet. For some time he lectured in France, in England and in Germany. But no matter how hard he tried, he would always be denied a fixed chair at the universities, where he was teaching. One of the reasons, was his disagreeable personality. G was very blunt and had a talent for making enemies with his sharp, sarcastic tongue. At the same time, thanks to his skill with words, he also made powerful allies, as long as they were not debating philosophical matters. He challenged the conventions of his time. He claimed, that the Earth was not the center of the universe, but that the universe was infinite. Long before modern physics even considered the idea, G claimed that the stars are like our sun and could have planets just like Earth, which may even be inhabited with life. G was a Pantheist. He claimed that God was not a ''being'' who sits in the sky, but that God is found in all of existence. He claimed that there was an inherent divinity in all of Matter, in Nature, in Humans. Among his Beliefs, G also had believed in the transmigration of the human soul.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. An Aristocrat from Venice took interest in his famous memorization techniques and invited him for private tutoring. G accepted the invitation, despite the power of the Inquisition over Italy. The Aristocrat however denounced G to the Venetian Inquisition, who was then charged with multiple accounts of Heresy. For Seven Years, G was confined by the Inquisition in a Prison in Rome, awaiting his trial. He was given several chances to renounce his statements and save his life, but he didn''t. No matter, how much they tortured him, starved him, beat him up and humiliated him, G persisted adamantly. You see, the church was afraid of people like G, because his ideas posed a danger to the very foundation of the belief system on which the corrupted church was built on. If god is not a separate entity, but inherent in all things, why should people fear him? G was therefore what they feared the most: An original Thinker. Not bound by limited traditions and dogmas. Someone who was not afraid to question things. After Seven Years of Trial, he was sentenced to be burned on the stake. He took his sentence with confidence. He was no longer afraid of Death and so he spoke to the jury, which passed judgment on him: ''Perhaps you pronounce this sentence against me with greater fear than I receive it.'' People from all of Italy came to see his execution. They threw rotten fruits and garbage at him. After all, to them he was a heretic, an enemy of the church. He also spotted some of his former friends among the crowd, wishing him a final goodbye. The Inquisition feared his words so much, that they muted him, by tying his tongue behind his mouth. Because sometimes, when he spoke, his words had a strange, otherworldly power to them, as if they were spoken from behind the veil. He was stripped naked and bound head-down to the stake. The flames consumed his skin, his hair and his flesh. It was a painful death, but when he stepped into the light, he was finally free.¡± . . . The Seeker chews the last bits of their burger and swallows it down. ¡°So this dude could have saved his life, just by renouncing his beliefs?¡± . . ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°If he had renounced his truth, he might have gotten a few more extra years, but he would have regretted it for the rest of his life. Even if his Life ended in Tragedy, he lived it with integrity. He did not betray himself, he did not regret his decision. You see, there are things that are bigger than us. Things that are more important than just extending your life for a couple more years. His Life made an impact. He sowed the seeds for an age, where freedom of speech would be granted. And when he was taken to the stake, he walked with pride and dignity.¡± . ¡°I don''t get it,¡± comments the puzzled Seeker. ¡°Why would he go to such lengths, just for some beliefs? Why would he even persist, despite the torture? Why would he let himself be imprisoned for Seven Years?¡± . . ¡°G was not just a philosopher and scientist, he was also an alchemist and mystic. You might find no record of that in any of his books, but he had a mystical experience. Through some of his practice, his sense of Self dissolved and he became One with Everything. He had an insight into the Nature of Infinity and peeked behind the curtain. He kept this experience mostly to himself and only shared it only with his closest friends. He also wrote it down in his personal notebook... But the Inquisition confiscated it. Who knows what happened to it ¨C it was probably destroyed after all his books were placed on the list of forbidden literature. G so adamantly insisted on his discovery of Truth, because he knew for certain, that he was right. He felt it so deeply, that there was not a single doubt left. And if he had renounced it, he would have only betrayed himself.¡± . . ¡°So why exactly are you telling me all this?¡± questions the Seeker, as they clean their mouth with a tissue. . . ¡°Because I want to make One Thing clear: He was Right. All along. He was right with his views on Pantheism. He was right with his views on infinity. He was right about imagination, about the stars and even about his views on catholic mythology. He was Right! He spoke the Truth and he did not deserve to be murdered for doing so. Don''t get me wrong. He had a giant Ego. Sometimes he could be an insensitive, arrogant prick, with disregard to whoever he considered to be of lower intelligence, than him. But he did what felt right to him and was willing to fight for his Truth until the very end. Even when the world turned against him, he stood his ground. And the Spark that he ignited within himself lived on. In the mind of those who read his words, in the hearts of those who choose to speak the Truth even when they are all alone.¡± . . . ¡°People who speak the Truth are most often disliked by others and rarely listened to,¡± remarks the Seeker. . ¡°If I just say, what people want to hear, my life is much easier. Through lies, I can control how people treat and perceive me. If I tell them the hard truth however, they won''t listen and will be angry at me. Why should I go through this, if I have no benefits in telling the Truth?¡± . . ¡°In the end, you are the author of the story of your life, ¡° responds the Stranger. ¡°It''s entirely up to you, whether you want to live in Truth or not. It is your life and no one can tell you what to do. But observe what lies are doing to your life. In the short run, you my escape consequences, you may even get something out of it. But sooner or later, all lies will eventually catch up to you. If you built a house out of lies, it''s foundation will eventually crumble and you''ll lose everything. Lying may be the EASIER way, but speaking Truth is the RIGHT way. It''s just how it is. If you want to live a life of fulfillment, a life without any regrets, then you must live in Truth and in Integrity. Now what''s just as important, as living with Truth, is HOW you share it. The way, how you convey it, is just as important as the fact itself. G spoke Truth, but he lacked the Empathy, he did not try to understand, how he made people feel. Because Truth is like a Sword of Light and if you aren''t careful, you can cut someone very deeply. But Truth is not a weapon, it''s a medicine. And it needs to be applied with responsibility, from a place of compassion. This is a lesson, that individuals will eventually learn, who already live in Truth. You also need to be balanced. Truth without compassion burns like an uncontrolled wildfire. But Truth from a place of Love, is like a Torch that shines a light in the darkness. Anyway... we are done now with today''s filler episode. We will now continue on with the canonical stuff. It is time for us to Laugh at the Cosmic Joke.¡± . . The Seeker feels confused. It''s as if the last statement was directed at someone else. They look over their shoulder. There is no one else in the restaurant. . ¡°Wait a second... Who were you just talking to? And what''s a Filler Episode? And what is a ''Cosmic Joke''?¡± . . The Stranger grins. ¡°Tune in on next weeks episode of Walking The Path Together!¡± . . . TO BE CONTINUED . for more content visit: r/We_Are_Humanity . FILLER EPISODES 1 https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1c7z46o/that_one_filler_episode_no_one_ever_asked_for/ 2 https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1glzm38/and_yet_another_filler_episode/ . Find previous part Here: https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1heazct/crafting_an_identity_around_integrity/ Find next part Here: . . CHECKPOINT 6.5: https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1gi4o4q/who_let_the_dogs_out/ . TUTORIAL https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/17zwf78/the_seeker_and_the_mysterious_stranger_part_1_of_7/ . START JOURNEY HERE: https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/18wu7d3/love_is_a_boat_that_never_sinks/ . Special Bonus Chapters: . THE ONE TRUE SEEKER AND THE QUESTION OF FREE WILL https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1cnaanw/special_bonus_chapter_the_one_true_seeker_and_the/ . THE ONE TRUE SEEKER AND THE FOUNTAIN OF TRUTH https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1fcv51h/the_one_true_seeker_and_the_fountain_of_truth/ . Laughing at the Cosmic Joke
Part 43: Laughing at the Cosmic Joke ¡°Wanna stop for a Burger?¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker, as they walk through the city of YouTown. The Streets are full. Many Seekers passing by. All staring at their Screens. Every building plays another video. The Seeker considers the Strangers suggestion, then they shake their head. ¡°I have the feeling, that If we go to a restaurant, we would just waste some time on another meaningless Side Quest. Let''s skip this part for now.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger pass the Fast Food Restaurant without entering. As they continue walking, the Seeker notices a lamp post. They stop. A poster grabs their attention, with a headline stating: ''DO YOU WANNA HEAR THE COSMIC JOKE?''
The Seeker reads the Flyer ¡°It''s about a scavenger hunt to find something called the ''Cosmic Joke''... You know anything about this?¡± ¡°The Cosmic Joke?!¡± asks the Stranger surprised. ¡°I haven''t heard this word in a long time...It''s a myth from the scriptures of the ancient Psychonauts. Legends say, it takes the entirety of existence to tell this joke and its punchline is amazing.¡± The Seeker takes another look at the Flier. ¡°For more information, visit the Red Ditch Bar...¡± NEW LOCATION MARKED ON MINIMAP QUEST UPDATED: - Find out more about the COSMIC JOKE The Seeker and the Stranger move from the main road to one of the side alleys. A red door leads into a Bar. A red Neon Sign with glowing letters reads: ''THE RED DITCH BAR''
They enter into the bar. Most tables are empty. Only few Seekers and animal spirits occupy the space. The Seeker walks straight to the Bar counter and takes a seat. The Barkeeper polishes a glass, facing the Seeker with his back. The Seeker taps on the Barkeepers shoulder. ¡°Excuse me, am I in the right place to hear the Cosmic Joke?¡± The Barkeeper turns around. It''s a red Fox with a sly grin and Four Tails, polishing a Glass. INTRODUCING: FOUR TAILED FOX ABILITIES: DUPLICATION SHAPE-SHIFTING TELEPORTATION INVISIBILITY ¡°Can I offer you something to drink, Sir?¡± asks the grinning Fox.
¡°It''s you!¡± calls out the Seeker flabbergasted. ¡°You still owe me those 6 Vibes for completing that mission! You promised me a reward for collecting eggs, milks and wool!¡± The Fox shows his palms to the Seeker and shrugs. ¡°As far as I remember, you never handed me any of those items...¡± ¡°I gave it to this rat with a mustache and top hat! He told me, he was collecting your debts... He was even showing me a Promissory note...¡± ¡°Can you show me this Promissory note?¡± questions the Fox with a raised eyebrow. ¡°No... The Rat kept it...¡± The Fox tries to hide his grin. ¡°Always ask for a receipt. Let this be a lesson.¡± The Seeker assess the Barkeeper with discerning eyes. ¡°Why is it, that I always have the feeling, that you are somehow messing with me?¡± ¡°I don''t make the rules,¡± shrugs the Fox with his sly grin. ¡°Anyway... I heard you are curious about the Cosmic Joke?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°I want to be in on it. Can you initiate me?¡± The Fox turns around and pulls a lever, disguised as a bottle of whiskey attached to the wall. A secret door opens, leading into the cellar of the Bar. ¡°Follow me,¡± speaks the Fox and walks down the spiral stone staircase. The Seeker wants to follow after the Fox, but the Stranger touches the Seekers shoulder. ¡°This time, I can''t walk with you, Seeker. This is your quest. Your mission. You are being tested here. The Fox represents the Archetype of the Trickster. Another lost part, which needs to be integrated. Find the Cosmic Joke and integrate the Trickster-Fox.¡± QUEST UPDATED:
  • Find out more about the COSMIC JOKE
  • Find the Cosmic Joke and integrate the Fox
The Seeker follows the Fox down into the dark cellar. There is another underground bar with various figures sitting at the tables. Some arguing, some chattering, some playing dart or poker. Frogs, Toads, Humanoid Mushrooms, Lizard-People, pigeons, vultures, rabbits and mice.
Suddenly a voice from behind their back, catches the Seekers attention. ¡°Well, Well, Well... If it isn''t the Seeker.¡± The Seeker turns around, Four Turtles, dressed in long leather coats with sunglasses make a pose. INTRODUCING: THE NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES
¡°Bet you are also here for the Cosmic Joke,¡± spouts D''Artagnan arrogantly. ¡°Are you back because you regret rejecting our offer? It''s too late now! As the leader of the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES, I will make sure to find the Cosmic Joke first and humiliate you! You will be begging to be one of us! And as you whine and whimper, I will deny you a spot in our Group!¡± The Turtle laughs manically. The Seeker tries to figure out what''s wrong with him. ¡°Wait a second¡± intercepts Athos, the Turtle on roller-blades. ¡°Who exactly made you our leader again?¡± ¡°I will be the first to find the Cosmic Joke,¡± declares Porthos, the Skateboarding Turtle. ¡°How about we settle this by making a bet,¡± suggests Aramis with his surfboard. ¡°Whoever gets the Cosmic Joke First, will be the Boss of the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES.¡± All Turtles agree and shake hands. D''Artagnan leans in on the Seeker, almost invading their personal space. Pointing at them with his Finger. ¡°Don''t think, that you even have a chance of winning in this race! I will crush you in front of everyone. You will never be the Master of the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES!¡± D''Artagnan makes intense eye contact, before turning around and walking away. The Seeker takes a moment to process. ¡°Hey¡± throws the frowning Seeker at the Turtles. ¡°I am not even Part of your weird agreement!¡± D''Artagnon, Athos, Porthos and Aramis all pull out vials, as they declare: ¡°ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE.¡± Each of the turtles sit down and drink the liquid, as the Seeker approaches the Fox. ¡°Can you please just tell me that Cosmic Joke and get on with it? I can''t keep wasting my time, with NPCS!¡± The Fox laughs. ¡°The Cosmic Joke is nothing someone can just tell you. No, you need to find it yourself. You need to experience it. And if you then forget it, with the right combination of words, you can sometimes remember it again. To find the Cosmic Joke, we must first go to the BACK ROOMS. I will guide you through the right doors of perception. Until we make it to the WHITE ROOM OUTSIDE OF TIME, where the Cosmic Joke reveals itself. Follow me.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The Fox walks to another table and introduces the Seeker to a Green, old Toad. ¡°Meet Incilius Alvarius. She knows the way to the Back Rooms.¡±
She hands the Seeker a vial with Liquid. ¡°Drink this. This will help you break on through to the other side.¡± The Seeker takes the Vial and smells it. ¡°What is this?¡± asks the Seeker and then gulps down the Liquid in one fell swoop. The Toad, watches until the Seeker swallows the fluid. ¡°It''s the venom from my glands.¡± ¡°Venom?!¡± asks the Seeker terrified. Everything around them changes in color. A feeling if Dizziness sweeps over them. The face of the grinning Fox dissolves in front of the Seekers eyes, as his words echo: ¡°Don''t worry. It''s the good kind of Venom.¡± The Seeker blinks once. When they open their eyes, the Seeker stands in an empty office building. NEW AREA UNLOCKED: ¡°THE BACKROOMS¡±
The Seeker looks around the strange office room. They are not alone. There is a lizard, a crocodile and a sentient mushroom. There is a snake and a scorpion hidden behind the shadows. The NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES are also present, standing at a door. ¡°Porthos, how about you open the door?¡± suggests D''Artagnon. ¡°You were so eager to come in first, after all.¡± ¡°I can''t... You know with my knee injury... Ever since the skating tournament... Athos is the fittest... Let him go first.¡± ¡°Sorry, but my insurance won''t cover door related injuries. Aramis, why don''t you go first?¡±
The Turtles are suddenly interrupted by a new player spawning on the entrance level. It''s the Red Fox with his sly grin. ¡°Since all the Hunters of the Cosmic Joke are now gathered, let me explain to you, how this works: You need to step through the right Doors of Perception to make it to the White Room Outside of Time. If you step through the wrong door, there is a chance, this might incite an Ego Death. Then it''s Game Over.¡± The Fox splits in two Foxes. One has a mustache, the other one doesn''t. ¡°If you want to find the Cosmic Joke, you must follow either me or him. One of us will show you the right path to the White Room, the other one will lead you astray. Be careful of whom you trust.¡± The two Foxes walk through the door, which the Turtles were too afraid of opening. Everyone follows behind. In the next room are two doors, one path going left, one path going right. The Fox with Mustache takes the left door, the beardless Fox takes the right door. A: TAKE THE LEFT DOOR B: TAKE THE RIGHT DOOR
A: The Seeker follows the Fox with a Mustache A: The Seeker follows the Fox with a Mustache Impressed by their confidence, the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES, follow the Seeker through the left Door. They keep on following the Fox from one door to the next. Every room is different. Sometimes they look like empty office rooms. Sometimes the rooms look like abandoned hospitals or hotels. Everything feels otherworldly. When the Seeker stands in a hallway with many doors, the Fox with the mustache has a sly grin. ¡°Do you really think, that we can trust him?¡± asks D''Artagnon the others. ¡°I don''t trust him,¡± responds Athos. ¡°I bet he is the liar.¡± ¡°Yeah, you are right,¡± agrees Porthos. ¡°I''ll just take the door, that feels right to me.¡± Porthos and Athos each open a door. Porthos falls into the void. Darkness sucks him in. Athos legs are grabbed by Tentacles. He is pulled into the door. The Seeker, D''Artagnon and Aramis look at each other in agreement and follow the Fox with the mustache through the door. B: The Seeker follows the Fox without a Mustache B: The Seeker follows the Fox without a Mustache . Impressed by their confidence, the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES, follow the Seeker through the Right Door. They keep on following the Fox from one door to the next. Every room is different. Sometimes they look like hallways. Sometimes the rooms look like abandoned institutions. Everything feels otherworldly. When the Seeker stands in a hallway with many doors, the Fox has a sly grin. ¡°Do you really think, that we can trust him?¡± asks D''Artagnon the others. ¡°I don''t trust him,¡± responds Athos. ¡°I bet he is the liar.¡± ¡°Yeah, you are right,¡± agrees Porthos. ¡°I''ll just take the door, that feels right to me.¡± Porthos and Athos each open a door. Porthos falls into the Light. Brightness dissolves him. Athos legs are grabbed by Tentacles. He is pulled into the door. The Seeker, D''Artagnon and Aramis look at each other in agreement and follow the Fox through the door. The Fox reunites with his other Half from a different door. ¡°Well... In the End both paths lead to the same destination. But at least you had the illusion.¡± The Fox opens the next door. D''Artagnon and Aramis follow after the Fox. But the Seeker hesitates. There is a different door, that catches their attention. A Black Door heavily chained, barred and locked. An inscription says: ''THE FORBIDDEN DOOR''.
The Seeker is captivated by this strange door. They make a step forward, as if the door is pulling them. ¡°Do you still remember our agreement?¡± hisses a twisted tongue. It''s a snake. ¡°You... I remember you... You were with me at the tower in the labyrinth of the mind...¡± The Serpent grins. ¡°Exactly. And I gave you the Solution for your Problems.¡± ¡°Your Sword didn''t work!¡± complains the Seeker. ¡°It only fought the symptoms. But the Problem itself would reappear again and again.¡± The Serpent takes out a scroll. ¡°You signed a contract, that you would open a door for me, when the time comes. If you regret your decision now, that''s your own problem. I own you. Now, use your Master Key to open up the forbidden Door for me.¡±
The Seeker looks at the forbidden door. ¡°This doesn''t look like a good idea to me. Opening a door sounds far less harmful on paper.¡± The Snake hands the Seeker the Scroll. ¡°Perhaps you want to reread ¡ì 6: ''Contract Breach''¡± The Seekers pupils enlarge as they read the consequences, for refusing to fulfill their part of the agreement. The Seeker closes their eyes and takes a large breath. They pull out the Master Key from their neck and use it to unlock the forbidden Door. The Snake grins mischievously. ¡°You have no idea, how much this just helped me.¡± The Seeker holds it open just long enough to let the Snake slither through. When the Snake is gone, the Seeker closes the door again without seeing through it. Even though they are curious, something tells them, that they should not see it. They have a bad feeling about the Snake. ¡°Did I do the right thing?¡± The Seeker walks through the door, into which the Fox stepped earlier. D''Artagnon argues with the Fox, while Aramis stands next to a Octopus-Creature. ¡°How many more doors do we need to go through?!¡± yells D''Artagnon at the Fox. ¡°Stop keeping the Cosmic Joke hidden! Just tell us, where we''ll find it!¡± ¡°Perhaps the real Cosmic Joke is the friends we made along the way,¡± says Aramis, as he holds the Octopus in his hands.
The Octopus grabs Aramis forcefully and violently jumps with him through one of the Doors. Now there is only the Seeker, D''Artagnon and the Fox left. ¡°This is the last Door,¡± responds the Fox with his sly grin. ¡°Behind this door, we''ll enter into the White Room outside of Time. There the Cosmic Joke reveals itself.¡±
¡°Wait... It''s just behind this door?¡± asks D''Artagnon in Disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Fox. ¡°Just one last Door to open.¡± D''Artagnon stares into the nothingness. ¡°So that''s it, huh? After all those years... The End of the Seeking... Am I really ready for it? To end the Seriousness of Life? Now... That it''s so close in front of me? Am I really ready?¡± As he ponders, D''Artagnon trips over his own feet and falls to the ground. He shouts, crying in pain. ¡°Arghh... I fell on my old scar... My old wound from the ski tournaments. Now I can''t find the Cosmic Joke!! If I won''t return without the Joke, I will bring Shame over the NART.¡±
D''Artagnon then looks at the Seeker. ¡°You must think me a fool. And perhaps you are right. I am a fool. So as a Fool I ask you, to walk where I can''t walk, to hear what I can''t hear. Bring honor to the Newage-Awakened-Resistence-Turtles and get the Cosmic Joke on my behalf. Do it for all your fallen Brothers and Sisters!¡± The Seeker takes one look at the Turtle. ¡°Well you know... Perhaps if you put down the sunglasses, you would not be tripping over your own feet. As a start, why don''t you just take them off, so that you can see clearly?¡± D''Artagnon takes off his sunglasses reluctantly. They reveal burning eyes. He looks around in wonder and stillness. "For the first time, I can see... I can truly see..."
The Seeker turns around and walks to the door. He looks at the Fox. Both nod in agreement and open the door. The Entire Room is white. Everything is completely silent. Everything is absolutely clear. Lucid. Dreamy. Nothing is happening. Only white Light being. There is a single, rectangular object in the center of the room, veiled with tablecloth.
The Fox points at the object. ¡°This is it. The Cosmic Joke.¡± The Seeker touches the object. Sweaty palms, the heart is pounding. Breathing heavily in anticipation. The Seeker pulls away the tablecloth and reveals a mirror. The Seeker stares at their own reflection. ¡°The Cosmic Joke is a Mirror?¡±
The Fox breaks out in laughter. ¡°YOU ARE THE COSMIC JOKE.¡± And as the Fox laughs, the universe laughs with him. ¡°This is the Code Word. This is the Punch Line. YOU. You were always the Punchline to the Joke of Life. And I don''t mean the particular You, that YOU are right now. I mean the YOU YOU. YOU Are the Cosmic Joke. And EVERYONE is in on it, apart from You. The little You. You are the Cosmic Joke. Every variation of YOU. Every flavor, every style, every pattern. It''s ALL YOU. It always was you. Those dudes, outside this door? It''s ALL YOU. Everyone who speaks, everyone who listens, ALL YOU.¡± ¡°I... I am the Cosmic Joke?¡± asks the Seeker. Their face brightens up. Turning into a smile. ¡°We are all the Cosmic Joke,¡± responds the Fox. ¡°It''s so funny if you think about it. Whenever you were fighting, you just fought yourself. Whenever you were hating, you just hated yourself. Whenever you were lying, you just lied to yourself. It was always just YOU. Those you love and those you hate. It''s all YOU. All a Script, that YOU wrote for yourself, played by yourself.¡± The Seeker breaks out in laughter. ¡°I get it now. I truly do. I AM THE COSMIC JOKE.¡± The Fox joins in on his laughter. Both laughing together. The Fox duplicates. A third voice laughs. The Fox with a Mustache. Both Foxes point at the Seeker and laugh hysterically. YOU GOT BAMBOOZLED!¡± In front of the Seekers eyes, they transform into the Rats and then into the Guards. They can''t stop laughing. ¡°Hey! You fooled me!¡± shouts the Seeker frustrated. ¡°No,¡± counters the Mustache Guard. ¡°You fooled Yourself.¡± The Guards transform back into Foxes. Another burst of Laughter. The Seeker keeps their anger in check. ¡°Alright Yeah... Even if it''s all me, it doesn''t change the fact, that your ''Avatar'' scammed my ''Avatar''! I want my stuff back.¡± The Foxes turn back into One. ¡°C''mon, why are you still taking yourself so seriously? In the End we are each the punchline in our own unique way. In the End we are all laughing together at the cosmic Joke, when we learn to laugh at ourselves. And when we laugh together, the universe laughs with us. Since we are friends now, I will walk with you together. Here, to humble your ego, when it takes Life too serious. Always Reminding you to laugh at yourself.¡± Archetype Integration FOUR TAILED FOX Level UP! Lvl 37: + 1 Charisma
The Seeker returns back to normal. They are again in the RED DITCH BAR. A sudden voice grabs the Seekers attention. ¡°Master, we have awaited your return.¡± It is D''Artagnon. He kneels before the Seeker. The other Three Turtles also kneel. ¡°For walking, where no one else dared to walk, the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES shall forever swear you their unwavering loyalty. Wherever you may walk, we shall follow. Whatever you may command, we shall fulfill. We are your loyal servants, followers of THE SEEKER.¡± The Seeker looks at them with repulsion. ¡°No... Dudes... I... Have my own thing going on... Please just stay away from me...¡± ¡°Affirmative,¡± speaks D''Artagnon. ¡°We will stay at a distance and protect you from afar. We will assess any risk and dispose of it, before it may pose a threat. You can count on us Boss.¡± ¡°No! That''s not what I want. I don''t want to be your boss or Master or anything. Just leave me alone.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, we will not interfere with your mission, unless you ask of it, Boss. Be assured however that we have your back!¡± The Four Turtles make a swift move and disappear behind the shadows. The Seeker walks out of the Red Ditch Bar, back to the alley, where the Stranger already waits for them. ¡°I see, that you now have united 11 voices,¡± speaks the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Seeker. ¡°I feel stronger with every new Archetype... But it feels as if something is still missing.¡± As they walk out of the alley, yellow eyes stare at the Seeker from the Darkness of the gutter. ¡°Finally, my Revenge shall come at last,¡± giggles the voice of the Scorpion.
TO BE CONTINUED We are Together
Part 44: We are Together 24 Hours Earlier ¡°You won''t believe, who I met earlier at the gate,¡± speaks the red Fox with his sly grin. He stands behind the bar counter, polishing a glass. ¡°I don''t give a damn, which bloke fell for your tricks this time!¡± mumbles the drunken Scorpion with his Australian accent, sitting on a stool. ¡°Just refill my bloody glass! NOW!¡± The Fox grins, as he refills the Scorpions glass with beer. ¡°Since you were going on and on about the Seeker, I thought you might be interested.¡± ¡°THE SEEKER?!¡± shouts the Scorpion, spitting out beer. ¡°HERE?! IN YOUTOWN?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± giggles the Fox. ¡°I sent them down the sewage pipe.¡± The Scorpion makes an evil face. ¡°Finally... The long hunt is over. At last, I''ll get my revenge!¡± ¡°What exactly is it with you and the Seeker anyway?¡± asks the curious Fox, as he examines a polished glass shimmering in the Light. ¡°It''s a long story,¡± begins the Scorpion. ¡°Me and the Seeker go way back. When I was still a young lad, living with my ma and dad, the Seeker came to our house and murdered dad violently. Then they crushed ma at the tower. Then Lucas... Crushed after eternal imprisonment in a timeless chamber... My Sister and I barely survived making it up the mountain plateau... But then... From Nowhere a sudden arrow came flying. It exploded on impact. It would have almost hit me, but Chloe protected me with her body, taking in full damage. She saved my life and sacrificed her own. And you know who I saw, when the Dust faded, standing on the snow-covered path with a Bow? THE SEEKER! I was on my own, wandering around. Suffering... You can''t even imagine, what I had to do to survive! And it''s all the Seekers fault. And then, when the Seeker appeared after many years in the RED DITCH INN, I finally saw my chance to strike again. But luck was not on my side. I fell down into the Great Shift. I thought, I was gonna die, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself somewhere entirely different. Ever since then, I have been hunting after the Seeker. Chasing after every hint with the single goal of Revenge!¡± ¡°I think, we should at least give them a chance,¡± considers the Fox. ¡°I will test the Seeker. I will find out, whether they can laugh at themselves or not. I want to see first how they react to the Cosmic Joke, before I make a decision.¡± Suddenly the red door of the Red Ditch Bar opens up. It''s the Seeker and the Stranger entering into the scene. ¡°They are here,¡± whispers the Fox with an amused face. ¡°Better hide yourself, before they find you...¡± The Scorpion crawls swiftly from the bar stool and hides in the shadows. There he lurks and watches silently, as the Seeker converses with the Fox. The Scorpion follows the Seeker into the BACK ROOMS. Observing from the shadow, thinking about how to kill the Seeker. Suddenly a snake with Green eyes emerges from the shadows. ¡°How are you coming along with your plan?¡± hisses the twisted tongue of the Serpent as it manifests from the Darkness. The Snakes sudden appearance throws the Scorpion off. He did not detect anything. ¡°It''s you again! I haven''t seen you in Years!!¡± ¡°You only see me, when you need me,¡± hisses the Snake with a fake grin. ¡°I see that you are still struggling with your Archenemy. It looks like you need assistance.¡± ¡°Piss off, mate!¡± grunts the Scorpion annoyed. ¡°I don''t need your help. After all those years, I will finally end the Seeking. I will end the pain, the regret, the shame NOW. I will finally get my Revenge. I won''t let my victory be diminished by your assistance. I will kill the Seeker all by myself!¡± The Snake grins mischievously, before he creeps back into the darkness. ¡°Well, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.¡± The irritated Scorpion follows the Seeker through each doors. Always lurking behind the shadows silently watching, as they move through empty office rooms, hotel corridors, abandoned warehouses. When the Turtles are all distracted, the Scorpion sees his chance to strike. The Scorpion jumps from the ceiling. Aiming for the Seekers Neck. But just as he falls mid-air, Porthos and Athos from the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES each open a door. The Scorpion is sucked into Porthos portal and falls into the void.
¡°SEEKER!¡± screams the Scorpion angrily, as he becomes one with the darkness. ¡°You will pay for this!!!¡± -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRESENT MOMENT ¡°Have you checked your inventory yet?¡± asks the Stranger the Seeker, as they walk out from the Red Ditch Bar through the side alleys of YouTown. The sky is dark-gray, it is a cloudy day. The Scorpion lurks behind the shadows of the gutter, following in silence. ¡°The items are still gone,¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°I have seen it in the foxes memories. He sold all my weapons. Then he lost the money on booze and gambling.¡± ¡°Well... At least he paid for your BACK ROOMS trip,¡± notes the Stranger. ¡°Yeah... And then he laughed at me,¡± exclaims the Seeker sarcastically. ¡°What a ''friend'' he is...¡± ¡°And yet you carry him within you. The Trickster Archetype. Only when you are able to laugh at yourself, is the Trickster fully integrated. Then the Archetypal Shadow is illuminated and your Laughter turns into a flame, that cannot burn. A flame of warmth and brightness. Laugh at yourself and you laugh with Life together.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger stop. They have arrived at the towns center. There''s a marketplace and a gigantic Cathedral. The Church Towers are so high, that they scratch the clouds. Comparable in size to the highest Skyscrapers of YouTown.
There is a huge crowd, blocking the street up ahead. A circle of people has formed. The Stranger steps towards the crowd. As he walks through the crowd, the people form a corridor. Opening a path for the Stranger.
The Seeker follows through the corridor towards the center of the crowd. Two opposing Groups are facing off. One Group is dressed in white suits, all wearing black sunglasses. The other group wears Black, dressed like rebels, scoundrels, underground fighters, all wearing white headbands. ¡°What are you doing on our Turf?!¡± shouts one of the Rebels dressed in Black. She manifests a Katana made of red spiritual energy. ¡°This Land belongs to the HERALDS OF CHAOS! You are breaching the agreement!¡±
¡°We are here to resolve matters concerning the SERVANTS OF ORDER,¡± responds one of the Agents in white dismissively. He carries a Blue Longsword made of spiritual energy. The other members of his group also project blue energetic weapons in their hands. ¡°A dangerous criminal, a disturber of Order was seen around the Cathedral. We are here to investigate and detain the terrorist, known as ''Scorpion''.¡±
¡°We don''t care about your ''Matters''," shouts one Rebel woman, dressed in black with a white head band and a red energetic Katana. "We won''t let you cross the border!¡± ¡°We have received direct command from MASTER ORDER personally, to catch and detain the Scorpion under all circumstances,¡± responds one of the agents dressed in white. ¡°We won''t return without the Scorpion. He has stolen something very important from the PALACE OF ORDER.¡± The Seeker can literally feel the tension between both Groups increasing. The situation could explode any moment now. Everyone holds in their breaths. All viewers are silent. The Seeker prepares to take cover. But then the Stranger takes a step forward, humming a tune, as he walks into the center of the circle. All ears listen up, as the Strangers humming turns more powerful. A melodic tune. Getting louder and louder. The rhythm spreads like a wildfire over the crowd. It catches everyone''s attention. Some of the bystanders tap with their feet, others hum along. Some snap with their fingers, others clap along. The Song Mutates. It changes it''s harmonic patterns. The Wind whirls around the Stranger. His energy creates an interference pattern in the sky. The clouds open up. The gray clouds lifts up, revealing the clear blue sky. The sun shines through another cloud. The dark clouds break apart.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The Strangers humming turns into a song. The Earth starts shaking, as the Stranger raises his voice. The air is vibrating, oscillating with the Rhythm of his Song.
Among the crowd are birds. Some begin to sing along: Nightingales, Hummingbirds, Songbirds, Bluebirds, Swallows, Sparrows, Finches, Parrots, Magpies, Owls and Crows all sing along to the Strangers Song. Even the Goose, Seagull and Duck sings along. The Woodpecker makes a beat, the Swan, Penguin and Crane dance on the floor. The Raven, Hawk, Vulture and Stork fly elegantly through the sky. The Bat hums quietly, hidden in the shadow. The Seeker also has a strong urge to sing. But they keep their mouth shut, too shy, too embarrassed to sing along. Only listening quietly, as the Chorus sings in Unison. All sing along to the ONE GREAT SONG. Like an explosion, the Song ends at it''s peak. A powerful burst of wind moves from the center in all directions. All who took part in the song, breathe out simultaneously. Then there is silence. For a moment everything is quiet. Absolute stillness. The silence, from which all things arise. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± asks the disoriented man from the SERVANTS OF ORDER. ¡°What''s up with those birds?¡±
¡°Where did this sudden whirlwind just now come from?¡± asks the Speaker of the HERALDS OF CHAOS.
For a moment, both opposing Groups seem clueless, until they remember their earlier quarrel and continue where they left off. ¡°Oh yeah right... If you step one foot on this land, we consider this a declaration of war!¡± ¡°We won''t return without the Scorpion!¡± The Woman dressed in Black crosses her Red energetic Katana with the Blue Longsword of the Man in White. A conflict erupts. The Black Group and the White Group crash. Violence.
The Song is all forgotten. Only those who sang along (and the Seeker) remember. In all others, the memory is reset. ¡°What is going on?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°Why are they still fighting?¡± ¡°Not everyone can perceive me,¡± responds the Stranger calmly, as the opposing Groups fight eachother. ¡°Some are stuck too deeply in the Game of Duality. They can''t even hear the song.¡± The Seeker raises their eyebrows, as they look at the Birds and animals in the crowd. ¡°Now that I think about it... Why do some people look like animals and others not?¡± ¡°They are all different Seekers,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°You could say they are on the same journey, but take different paths. When a Seeker is stuck in the same place for too long, they adapt to the environment and gain fitting animal features. Similar to how old souls take on the form of their spirit animals. The Shaman may call it his or her spirit animal but it''s actually their ''Souls'' own reflection.¡± ¡°I am starting to notice, that you always speak in metaphors,¡± notes the Seeker. The Stranger grins. ¡°Remember my friend, there is always a hidden meaning. Sometimes even more than just one. That''s your part of the Game. Find the hidden meaning, see how the metaphor aligns to Reality. It''s like I show you a 2D object and you need to figure out how the 3D Object or perhaps even the 4D or 5D projection of the 2D object looks like. Because of how it''s perfectly aligned, you can trace it all the way back up, like a vertical line.¡±
The Seeker looks at the Stranger confused. ¡°That was just absolute gibberish. This made no sense at all...¡± ¡°Well sometimes you need to see things from a higher perspective to understand.¡± As a fight breaks out in the middle of the Street, many bystanders run away in panic. The Scorpion, lurking in the shadow, keeps his gaze fixed on the distracted Seeker. ¡°This is my chance!¡± The Scorpion sneaks swiftly out of the Gutter to the Street. He avoids the trampling of any panicking feet. He avoids both the Heralds of Chaos in Black and the Servants of Order in White. Crawling towards the Seeker. Focused on their legs only, among a crowd of many. The Scorpion laughs maniacally: ¡°You won''t escape from me this time, Seeker!¡±
Suddenly everything is quiet. The fighting stops. Everyone looks at the Scorpion. ¡°There is the Scorpion!¡± shouts a man in a white suit with Black Sunglasses. ¡°After him!¡± All the SERVANTS OF ORDER chase after the Scorpion. The Scorpion crawls away, as fast as he can. ¡°This won''t be the last time, you have seen me, Seeker! Do you hear me?!¡±
The Scorpions words don''t reach the Seeker. They are not even aware of the Scorpions presence. But the Seeker notices how the Heralds of Chaos mock the fleeing Servants of Order: ¡°Did you see those cowards?¡± laughs the Rebel woman. ¡°We showed them, not to mess with us¡± The Rebels in Black cheer over their presumed victory. Opening bottles of champagne. The confused Seeker scratches their head. ¡°So if I am supposed to see everything metaphorically, what exactly am I to make of this conflict?¡±
¡°See how Polarization plays out in all aspects of our Life,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°The Positive against the Negative. The Yin vs. the Yang. Always struggling against eachother. Always in conflict. Be it politically, like the Liberal vs. the Conservative. Or ideologically, like socialist vs. capitalist. In culture, in religion, in nationality, in business... You can see it in so many areas of our life, this separation. This Duality. And this Dual thinking is rooted in the very conceptual thought itself. The Mind is conditioned to see the world through Dualities. We are programmed to think in terms of Yes and No, of Good and Bad, of Pleasure and Danger. And because we think in Dualities, we create imbalance. Because we polarize towards either side. This happens collectively and individually. We are separated by ideas and any separation will inevitably cause conflict. If you have an inner imbalance, you will carry this imbalance outwards. If you are separated in your thinking, you will act fragmented in your Doing. If you deny or suppress inner parts of yourself, you fight against it''s outward reflections. Now when we realize, that we operate from a place of fragmentation, we need to ask ourselves, if it''s possible to operate from a place of being ''whole'', ''complete'' or ''ONE''. We need to find out, whether we can go beyond the Duality of the Mind. And this is only possible, when we are willing to see all sides. To understand all perspectives, to listen to all point of views. To understand yourself completely, accept all your parts and let that fall away, which no longer serves you. If you want to bring Peace outside of yourself, you must first cultivate Peace within. Otherwise you will be locked in the stream of Duality, constantly fighting against yourself and others. Find inner Peace and step out of the Stream. Stop identifying with either the Light or the Dark, the Order or the Chaos, the Good or the Bad, the Yin or the Yang. Understand that you are both of them. You are the entire circle. You contain all opposites within you.¡±
The Stranger is suddenly pulled out from the conversation, by a Courier, who grabs the Seekers attention: ¡°I''ve been looking for you. Got something I''m supposed to deliver ¨C your hands only.¡± The courier takes out a letter. ¡°Let''s see here... The Mayor of YouTown invites you to his Office. He has a job offer for you. He said it''s urgent. Looks like that''s it. Got to go.¡± QUEST UPDATED - Visit the Mayor''s office
The Seeker walks towards a Renaissance Palace in the midst of skyscrapers and busy streets. A white, marble building with pillars. There''s a large garden with white statues and fountains. Together with the Stranger, they enter the impressive building. The Seeker walks through the door, into the room of the mayors office. On a leather chair sits a Puma behind a Desk. He wears a Blue suit and a red tie. He has a cigarette in his mouth. There is a dirty ashtray, full with old buds. A layer of smoke hovers around the ceiling. The Mayor takes a last puff of his cigarette before he squeezes it out. ¡°So you are the one everybody''s talking ''bout, huh? You exposed that wolf in Sheep''s clothing, right? They say, you helped the farm animals. I also heard you pacified the Monster from the Frozen Lake with your voice. And just now, you ended the quarrel between the Heralds of Chaos and the Servants of Order.¡±
The Seeker raises their eyebrows. ¡°No that wasn''t me, it was the Stra--¡± ¡°You are exactly the person we need for this job,¡± continues the Puma undeterred. ¡°We have all been waiting for you since a long time. You see, the Heralds of Chaos and the Servants of Order are at odds with eachother since time immemorial. They were once at Peace, but then Order wanted to conquer Chaos and Chaos pushed back. This is how the disharmony began. Since then, these Primordial Universal Beings are fighting against each other and this conflict ripples out throughout all layers of Reality. The Metaphorical as well as the Factual. And so these organizations carry out this battle of the gods, they worship. The HERALDS carry out the Will of CHAOS. The SERVANTS carry out the Will of ORDER. The Lower reflects the Higher. The Higher reflects the Lower. As above, so below. As within, so without. Duality destroys our Society. If the Heralds and the Servants won''t end their struggle soon, YouTown will be no more. According to my Secret agents, there will be a large conflict by the Cathedral in the Town Center, as soon as the Clock strikes 12. This will result in an all-out-war. I ask you to use your voice to stop this war from happening. Sing a song, that will bring Peace upon all those who hear it. End the division, unite them all through ONE GREAT SONG.¡± The Seeker''s face gets red. ¡°You- You want me to sing? Did you fall on your head or something? A song won''t just end some war... There is no way that this will ever work...¡± The Puma lights up another cigarette. ¡°There is an ancient Prophecy, that the Bells which haven''t rung since Millennia, shall one day ring again. I am referring to the Bells of the Great Cathedral, which have rang last, when the SEEKER OF LOVE visited YouTown. Legend says, that when the ONE GREAT SONG plays, the clock strikes 12 and the Bells will ring once again. This will usher in the next age. Ending the eternal war within and bringing about an Era of Peace and Joy and Harmony. We believe that it is you. You are the Chosen One.¡± The Seeker looks at the Puma with skeptic eyes. ¡°I don''t believe in that whole ''being chosen'' stuff. Seems to me like an Ego Trap, that people use to sell you Crystals and Readings.¡± ¡°Everyone is chosen but few ever answer the Call,¡± responds the Mayor, as he takes another hit from the Cigarette. The Seeker looks at the Stranger. ¡°What does he mean by that?¡± ¡°It''s not about falling in an Ego Trap and being attached to an identity as a ''chosen One'',¡± explains the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°It''s about realizing that you are the Protagonist of Your own Story. Finding your way through Peace and Joy and inner harmony. It''s about going on an inward Journey and transforming yourself in order to transform the world. It''s about finding your Purpose and Express it with your Life. It''s about mastering the Self. Your journey will look different to that of anyone else, because it is uniquely YOURS. Your song will sound different from any other song. And yet, we all sing together. Each one of us in our own particular way. That''s what this metaphorical journey is about. We walk together for some time to prepare you to one day walk your own path. With Strength and Love and Wisdom.¡±
The Seeker looks at their feet with red cheeks. ¡°But... I can''t just sing in front of so many people... All by myself... It''s embarrassing!¡± ¡°If you don''t sing your song, who else should ever sing the SONG OF THE SEEKER?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°And you are not alone. Everything you need, you already carry within you. Don''t forgot, that we have picked up some Friends on this journey and they all have their own part to play in this Great song.¡± ¡°But even you didn''t reach those people earlier with your song! How the hell should I ever reach them?¡± ¡°If you sing your song, because you want your voice to reach someone, you are singing for the wrong reason and your voice becomes crooked. Just sing your song for the sake of singing it and it will reach whoever is meant to hear it. Don''t force it. Don''t make it something it isn''t. Just use your voice in your own unique way and see what happens.¡± ¡°What if people don''t like my song?¡± argues the Seeker. ¡°What if they become violent?¡± ¡°You can''t control how people react to you. But you can choose, whether you want to deny or embrace yourself. You can live a Life in silence, without anyone ever hearing your voice. Or you can choose to live a Life, true to Yourself.¡± The Seeker contemplates. ¡°I... I can''t decide this on my own.¡± They close their eyes and take a deep breath. Going deep within. They imagine being in the center of a golden Throne Room with 12 Thrones and 12 Portals. All chairs are occupied by the Spirit Animals, apart from one. It''s the Fox, the Pigeon, the Goldfish, the Squirrel, the Cat, the Dog, the Bunny, the Goat, the Eagle, the Bear and the Chicken. Above their Thrones are engravings of star constellations, representing the Zodiac Signs. ¡°Will you sing with me?¡± asks the Seeker the Spirit Animals. The Eleven Spirits all smile. Everyone already made up their mind. ¡°We are TOGETHER,¡± respond the Archetypes in Unison.
The Seeker opens their eyes. Grinning confidently. They are back in the Mayor''s office with the Stranger and the Puma. ¡°Alright,¡± speaks the Seeker with burning eyes. ¡°I accept my mission.¡± QUEST UPDATED - Visit the Mayor''s office - Sing Your Song ¡°Finally,¡± breathes out the Puma relieved. ¡°That''s what I have been waiting for all this time... If you are successful, I will give you what you need for the next step on your Journey: A Train Ticket. With the Train Ticket you will make it fast out of YouTown.¡± ¡°This is exactly what we need,¡± whispers the Stranger into the Seekers ear. ¡°A Train Ticket will bring us to the edge of the Abyss. This is our last stop, before we cross the Abyss and make it to the other side, where the Seventh Gate awaits us. The next Checkpoint. Without the Train Ticket, we will need to take the Tram and this would take at least Three Filler Episodes.¡± The Seeker gulps. ¡°We need this Train Ticket under all circumstances...¡± ¡°While you sing your song at the bottom of the Cathedral and grab the attention of both sides, I will carry out my mission above,¡± continues the Stranger. ¡°I will climb the Cathedrals highest Tower and I will ring that Bell. While you use your voice to sing, I will use mine to speak. And as the wind carries my words through the city, they plant seeds in the thoughts of those who seek. Seeds that will one day bring great Harvest. We are together in this Seeker, up there and down here. Let us all do our part.¡± The Seeker nods and turns to the Puma. ¡°If we gonna do this, I need to know everything about this conflict. What exactly are those SERVANTS OF ORDER and the HERALDS OF CHAOS fighting over anyway?¡± The Puma''s face hardens, he looks serious. He squeezes out his cigarette bud in the ashtray. ¡°It''s about the MASTER PEACE.¡±
TO BE CONTINUED All of us are Humanity
Part 45: All of us are Humanity ¡°We call it the MASTER PEACE, Alchemists and Mystics called it the ''Great Work'',¡± explains the Stranger, as he and the Seeker stand in the office of the Puma. ¡°It''s about turning your Soul into Gold. It''s about SELF-MASTERY. It''s about finding inner Peace and expressing it outwards. It''s about following the Dao. It''s about Enlightenment, activating the light within. It''s about entering into the Kingdom. It''s all of this combined into a single Path. As an individual and as the collective. You could say, the Master Peace is a Team Project, a collaboration of many Souls, who all work together to create it. To shift our story in a new direction. You could say, the Master Peace is the Dream of Humanity. On a Soul Level, we all remember it. But when we are incarnated, the Plan is forgotten. We become part of the system. The Ego takes over and suppresses the Soul. We are conditioned and programmed. The blueprints of the Master Peace are never gone, they run in the back of our unconscious mind. Many who followed their own highest Path in the past did their part to contribute to the Master Peace. Those who made an impact on collective consciousness. Those whose names you hear today in legends. They all did their part in the Great Master Peace by turning their own individual Life into a Masterpiece. By mastering Peace.¡± The Seeker needs a moment to take everything in. ¡°Okay... But what exactly does this have to do with the conflict at hand? Why are those two factions fighting over this Masterpiece?¡± The Puma stands up and looks out of the window, as he puffs his cigarette. ¡°They can''t agree on how to bring the Master Peace about. The Servants of Order want to plan everything out. The Heralds of Chaos want to improvise. Each Group wants to prove that their way works better. They are competing, who creates the Master Peace first. This is why they are in constant war.¡±
¡°Think of both Halves of your brain,¡± whispers the Stranger to the Seeker. ¡°Are your rationality and creativity in Sync? In Balance? Or is there an inner struggle going on? Is there Unity or is there Separation? Is there Harmony or is there Conflict?¡± The Seeker thinks for a moment. ¡°Is this about what''s going on within me?¡± ¡°It''s always about the inward journey,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°You can''t create Balance outside, if you are not in balance within. Can''t you see? The Individual and the Collective walk together. It''s a different path for everyone, but we are all on the same Journey.¡± ¡°Despite all that... I still don''t know, how I am supposed to resolve the Situation between those fractions...¡± sighs the Seeker. ¡°Just show them Your Masterpiece,¡± grins the Stranger, as he places his palm on the Seekers shoulder. ¡°Let it speak for itself. Sing your song. Show them that there is another way.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger leave the Mayor''s office. They walk towards the Town Center. Following the Quest Marker. Dense, gray clouds cover the sky. A Flyer catches the Seeker''s attention. There are countless copies attached to walls and lamp posts. The Seeker takes a closer look at the Flyer. It''s advertisement. It announces a concert at the town center, when the clock strikes 12. The Seeker tears the Flyer apart. ¡°Who the hell put those up?¡± ¡°I think it''s them.¡± The Stranger points at Four Turtles in Black Leather coats, who work together to hang up a giant sign with the Seekers face on it.
One of the Turtles notices the Seeker and waves at them. ¡°Master, Master, hello Master. It''s me D''Artagnan from the NEWAGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES. Do you still remember us?¡± The Seeker turns away, trying to take cover. But it''s too late, they are already seen. The Seeker sighs. ¡°Did you guys hang up all those flyers?¡± ¡°We most certainly did,¡± grins D''Artagnan proudly. ¡°Me and the boys worked tirelessly, so that everyone knows about your concert. The entire town will be there to see your Debut, Boss. Isn''t that amazing?¡± With a pained face, the Seeker massages their temples. ¡°This is a Nightmare! I am supposed to sing in front of the entire city? With Zero Talent or experience? I never did this before! I''m not even properly prepared! This whole situation feels super uncomfortable. And now everyone depends on me?! This can''t be happening! It''s too much pressure!¡± The Stranger feels a drop on his hood, he looks up above. It''s starting to rain. ¡°Sometimes we are thrown into situations, that we can''t control,¡± speaks the Stranger, as it''s pouring down. ¡°When we are driven by Fear, we desire control. Control over our surroundings. We resist against what we dislike and we cling to what we like. You create this pressure yourself, Seeker. This pressure is born of your need to control. Just release this attachment to control entirely. Surrender to what is. Stop trying to fix something you can''t. You can''t avoid the challenge, you can''t run away from it. You can only change how you face it. Do you face the challenge with the expectation to win or with the expectation to lose? Your expectation projects the outcome. Stop perceiving your Dream as a Nightmare and instead become lucid. You manifest your Reality with your thoughts and emotions. Perceive every challenge as an opportunity to grow. Always reflect on your mistakes and learn your lesson. If you find yourself in an unfamiliar situation, then just make the best of it. Go with the flow. And trust, that no matter what happens, you will be okay. Have faith that the universe will protect you. Stop worrying about how it will work out and just keep focused on giving your best. If you give all you got, there is nothing to regret, no matter how it turns out. Sing your song. Not the song of someone else, your own song. Because the world waits for you to sing it.¡±
The Seeker puts their head down. The rain increases. ¡°The Puma, the Turtles... They all believe in me. They think, I am some ''Chosen One''... But I am just a nobody. There''s nothing special about me. I will disappoint them. Why should I be chosen?¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°It''s not about being chosen by someone for something. No, it''s not about being chosen by anyone. It''s about YOU CHOOSING YOURSELF. Not in an egoistic, selfish kind of way. Choose the story your soul wants to write for your Life. Not the story, written by your environment and Ego. If you have the choice between being the person society wants you to be or being who you really are, then choose yourself. Don''t choose the Life, that others dictates you. Choose the Life you really want, by being who you truly are. Who you were always supposed to be. So don''t be afraid how others may perceive you. Dare to be yourself, even if the world may never reward you for it.¡± The Seeker takes a deep breath. They rain wears off a little. ¡°Alright... I still don''t want to do this though... So let''s just get over with it Swiftly.¡± As the Seeker and the Stranger walk towards the Cathedral in the Town Center, they are observed by the Scorpion lurking behind the Shadow of the gutters. ¡°Why? Just why is it so difficult to just end the bloody seeking?! No matter how near I get to the Seeker, my sting never reaches their skin! Why does the Seeker always get away?!¡± ¡°It''s plot armor,¡± hisses the forked tongue of the Serpent, who suddenly manifests right next to the scorpion out of thin air. ¡°You will never get to destroy the Seeker. No matter what kind of attack you may try, it will always bounce right back at you. You can''t harm the Seeker, as long as they are protected by the Stranger. But there is a chance... Soon a small window opens, where you can actually harm the Seeker. A Glitch in the system, an exploit. Make a Deal with me. If you agree, I will give you all the information you need for an effective strategy.¡± The Scorpion looks at the Snake with distrust and curiosity. ¡°What do you want in return?¡±
Meanwhile the Seeker and the Stranger stand on the forecourt of the Cathedral. At the towns center. In front of the Cathedral is a stage. The rain has stopped. The cloud is still dark gray. There are a lot of people. Some carry fliers in their hands. The Seeker looks up at the tower clock. The Time shows 11:50.
¡°I think we just triggered a cut-scene,¡± mumbles the Stranger as a loud voice suddenly catches the Seekers attention. A group of Agents in White suits clash with a Group of Rebels in Black. ¡°No! It''s first the Cornflakes, then the Milk,¡± shouts one of the Servants of Order dressed in white.
¡°Pouring in the Milk first is a perfectly legitimate thing to do!¡± shouts one of the Heralds of Chaos in Black.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The Situation is very heated. Things are getting tense. Until all are suddenly interrupted by the voice of the Seeker: ¡°Ummm... You guys eat your Cornflakes with Milk?¡±
All eyes stare at the Seeker. ¡°Of course we eat Cornflakes with Milk,¡± speaks a Man in a white suit. ¡°Don''t tell me you eat them dry, like some barbarian.¡± ¡°No,¡± responds the Seeker. ¡°I eat Cornflakes with water.¡± Everyone looks at the Seeker. All Frozen in shock. Both the Servants of Order, as well as the Heralds of Chaos stare at the Seeker with disgust. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± shouts the disgusted Rebel Woman.
¡°Sacrilege...,¡± mumbles the man with sunglasses. He fights against the urge to throw up. The Rebel Woman recognizes the Seeker. ¡°Wait a second... Aren''t you the one from the Flyer? The one who is supposed to sing? You can bet your ass, that when you sing the Heralds of Chaos will boo at you!¡± ¡°The same goes for the Servants of Order,¡± speaks the man in a white suit, as he polishes his sunglasses. ¡°We will never support the likes of you...¡± The Seeker turns around and walks towards the Stage, as both the booing Servants and Heralds throw their drinks at them. ¡°Perfect,¡± sighs the Seeker tiredly. The clock shows 11:53. ¡°Now both sides hate me... Can this day get even worse?¡± Suddenly the rain pours down in streams. The clouds burst above them. The Seeker looks around. Only they are getting wet. The rain lands only where the Seeker stands. An arm-length away, everything remains dry. It''s as if the cloud is aiming for the Seeker.
The Seeker looks around with an open jaw. Bewildered by what is happening. ¡°Life is a joke and I am it''s punchline.¡± As the Seeker stands there with wet clothes, on the only spot where the rain touches the floor, their face turns into a smile. They think back to how they got there, seeing it from a new perspective. First they blow some air from their nose, then a giggle, then they break out in uncontrollable laughter. ¡°I am the punchline...¡±
After they calm down from their laughter, the Seeker takes a look at the huge crowd gathering before the empty stage. ¡°Even if I get the Cosmic Joke... Nothing changes. I am still wet and tired and cold. And I am given an impossible task...¡± The Stranger points upwards. ¡°Just look what your laughter did to the sky.¡± The Seeker looks above. No more rain. An hole forms in the blanket of clouds, revealing a clear blue sky. ¡°Everything changes, when you face Life with a smile on your face. Then Life will give you even more reasons to smile. Even if it looks like everything is over already, at least try and see how far you come. I mean at this point you have nothing to lose anyway.¡± ¡°I have nothing to lose,¡± mumbles the Seeker, deep in thought. The wind howls over the Seeker. Blowing over their hair. A feeling of freedom swipes through the Seeker''s consciousness, taking away all their worries. The Seeker takes in a deep breath. As the Seeker opens their eyelids, they reveal burning eyes. The Stranger nods at the Seeker. ¡°I leave it then to you, my friend. Once your song is over, the Bell will ring again.¡± It''s 11:55, the Seeker steps on the Stage. The Seeker focuses on the Present Moment. All attention focused on the here and now. There''s this sudden lucidity, as the Seeker looks around the crowd.
¡°It is time to meet again,¡± declares the Seeker. All Archetypes within the Seeker listen up. A Light bursts out from the Seekers Heart. The 11 spirit animals return from within the Seeker. All of them are connected to the Seeker''s Heart, through an energetic thread. The Squirrel hits her Drumkit intensely. The Goat plays the Violin passionately. The Cat plays Piano skillfully. The Fox plays the Saxophone smoothly. The Eagle fiddles his Bass Guitar proudly. The Bear plays the acoustic Guitar deeply. The Pigeon plays harmonica calmly. The Bunny plays the Triangle joyfully. The Chicken shreds the electric Guitar violently. The Goldfish in a Mecha-Suit plays the electronic Synth-Piano. The Dog appears without an instrument so he just starts beatboxing.
It''s 11:58. All the Spirit Animals sing along to the ONE GREAT SONG. With each new instrument, the symphony gets louder. More powerful, more beautiful. The Gray Sky above clears up. Revealing the radiating sun. It''s first rays touch the Cathedral. Meanwhile the Stranger climbs up the Cathedral towers. Jumping from one protruding brick to the next. Climbing over Statues, Idols and Gargoyles. Balancing over towers and roofs.
It''s 11:59. The crowd listens up to the Song. All who listen in on the rhythm, are enchanted by it. Some begin to hum along. Many birds are present. Watching from the rooftops. All listen carefully, as the melody becomes more powerful. All awaiting the Crescendo. As the Symphony moves closer to the Chorus, Doubts cross the Seekers mind: ''Should I really sing? What if People hate my voice? What if it annoys them?'' The Seeker takes a deep breath and moves out of thought, back into the here and now. Their eyes burn again. Eyes watch the Seeker from the Darkness. The Scorpion lurks in the shadows and glares at his pray. ¡°As soon as you open your mouth, Seeker, I will jump out and sting you!¡± Meanwhile the Stranger is now climbing up the main tower of the Cathedral complex. There is a rope. He grabs on to it and swings to the other side of the tower. He lets go of the rope and takes hold of a ladder. He climbs the tower, until he stands before the Golden Bell, which hasn''t rung since centuries.
The entire crowd anticipates the crescendo, as the symphony rises and rises. The song has the energy of excitement and anticipation for something Great. Everyone holds in their Breath. The Musicians as well as the viewers. The Heralds, the Servants and the Birds all fall silent as the Clock hits 12:00 and for the first time since Centuries, the Bells of Freedom ring again. From the top of the highest Tower, the Stranger rings the Great Bell. It''s sound vibrates through the entire city of YouTown. Carried by the wind to it''s furthest corners. As he hits the Bell, the Stranger loses balance for a moment. He trips against a loose Brick. The stone detaches and falls down from the tower into the depths.
The entire city holds in their Breath, as the sound waves of the Golden Bell reaches them. The Wind carries the Bells vibration over the Mountains, the Valleys, the Forests and Fields. Even far beyond the Oceans, Deserts, Tundras and even in the lands of ice. People far and wide can hear the Bells resounding. In their minds, in their spirit and in their hearts. At the same time, as the Clock hits twelve, the Seeker sings along to the ONE GREAT SONG. And as the Seeker shares their voice to the Orchestra, they sing with the Voice of Humanity. The Vibration and Frequency is carried by their voice. There is an energy infused in every word the Seeker sings. It sounds like many voices combined in one. The Seeker sings the Chorus and all the other band members join in. The Birds watching also all sing along. Nightingales, Hummingbirds, Songbirds, Bluebirds, Swallows, Sparrows, Finches, Parrots, Magpies, Owls and Crows all sing along. Even some of the Heralds of Chaos and the Servants of Order hum and move in rhythm to the song. The Scorpion resists an inner urge. He tries to bury it behind his hatred. But the song feels as if it had an energy of its own. It feels like a vortex trying to pull the Scorpion in. He fights against his inner desire to snap along, with his scissor claws, to the rhythm of this song. ¡°I need to focus... Can''t let myself get distracted... The Seeker is right there and now it''s 12:00... The window is open. It''s now or never.¡± As the Scorpion crawls from the shadow into the light, ready to attack the Seeker, he is suddenly distracted by a whistling sound from above. The Scorpion looks up. A massive Brick from the top of the tower falls straight down.
CRUNCH The Seeker, all the animal spirits, the birds and even the conflicting fractions, all sing along to the Great Chorus. Each voice, each instrument contributes to this Great Symphony. All flavors of sound melt together into one harmonious Song. So powerful, so magical, that it sends out waves of Light. An invisible Light, which penetrates through everything. A force of Energy washing over the world. Burning away all the Darkness. Illuminating all shadows. The Song ends on a high note. As if a light were switched off, all voices suddenly end simultaneously. Full stop at 12:01. Total silence, as everyone takes a new Breath. At the Top of the Cathedral Tower, the Stranger raises his arms and speaks into the wind: ¡°We are all Humanity,¡± speaks the Stranger with a powerful voice. The Wind carries it over the city. Far and Wide, all over YouTown, many ears listen up. ¡°All of us are Humanity. And whenever two Tribes fight, Humanity only fights against itself. When Two Countries fight, Humanity fights against itself. When Two Belief-Systems fight, Humanity fights against itself. And when Two Individuals fight, Humanity still only fights against itself. Every Act of Violence against another is only ever an act of Self-Destruction. Because you are Humanity. You who hear this words are Humanity. Because all of us carry this same divine spark within us. This Light. It''s neither good nor bad. Light just is. Beyond all Duality, does the Light Reveal itself. The Awareness of the Awareness. Can we overcome our limited way of being? Can we end these conflicts both within, as well as outside? Or are we bound to Self-Destruction? Can we be whole, or will we remain fragmented and separated? Can we see ourselves as Humanity and find together solutions for our inherent problems? How can you as an individual Human being have the Greatest Positive Impact on the whole? Ask yourself this Question. It will send you on a journey to find your part in this play. Your role in the Orchestra. What is your passion? Where do you find happiness? Look within. Walk the Spiritual Journey. Go deep within. Find yourself. Beyond all concepts. Beyond all words. Find This undying flame. This witness arising from the silence. The warmth in the heart. The Spiritual Shiver. Love and Intelligence are One. There is no conflict. It''s only the mind, which creates the conflict. Unify all opposites within you. Make them One. Become whole. Find Peace as an Individual. Find this Peace within you. Find it in the Stillness of the Present Moment. End the inner conflict and the outer conflict ends as well. All outer conflict bounces off, when you are whole. Your Peace will reflect outside. Projecting Peace in the world around you. We need to step out of this game of Duality and harmonize the opposites within us. Synchronize both parts of the brain. Unite the rational with the emotional, the structured with the creative. Be Whole. And listen to your Heart. Your intuition, your sixth sense. Unlock the Heart to receive the voice of your Soul. Free your True Self from the shackles of the Ego and detach from whatever holds you back. End all conflicts through forgiveness, love and understanding. Where there is conflict there is no Love. Where there is Duality or Polarity, there is no Love. Because Love is always whole. In perfect union with Intelligence. We are all Humanity. We all are operating within the Field of Humanities consciousness. We are all Humanity. Genetically all of us are related through our common ancestors from Africa. And we have all emerged from Nature. The Split is only an illusion. We are still Part of Gaia''s Consciousness. We are all Humanity. On the energetic level our ''Souls'' share the same ''Oversoul'' or ''Higher Self'', which you could also call Humanity. We are Humanity. We are all connected to the same Divine Source of new ideas and inspiration. We all share the same collective consciousness, from which Archetypal images are drawn. We are Humanity. Even if we are divided by language, culture, politics or religion, we all have the same worries, the same fears, the same pains. And all of us carry this hidden strength within ourselves, that no one ever sees ¨C Sometimes not even we ourselves. Can you ignite the Flame of Humanity within you? Can you turn it into a guiding light for others? Whoever it is you meet, find the Humanity within them and you will see your own reflection in their eyes. Always treat another like Humanity. With Love and mutual Respect, with acceptance and empathy. The Way you see Humanity aligns with how you see yourself. If you have found this Light within you, you will find this Light in all things. Become a Light to your Self and at last there will be Peace.¡±
The wind carries the Strangers words far and wide. Perceptive ears are listening up. Some ears only receive remnants of a whisper blown by the wind. The last Echo fades away. Others couldn''t hear a single word. Unable to vibrate on the level necessary to hear. The Stranger attaches himself to a zip-line. He slides back down from the Cathedral''s highest tower to the towns center. The Stranger lands on the Stage at the foot of the Cathedral right next to the Seeker. Level Up! Lvl 40: +4 VIBES (74 Total) Many in the Crowd applaud. Some are speechless. Others are silent. Some begin to mumble. Whispering and chattering. The Spirit animals each return into the Seekers Heart. One after the next. The last one is the Fox. ¡°Before we continue to walk together, there is something I have for you,¡± grins the Fox. He gives the Seeker a treasure chest. + Sword of Perception + Problem Solver + Royal Axe + Bow of the Sun + Torch of Enlightenment + Rope ¡°My- my items?! It''s all of them! I... I thought you lost them in gambling?¡± ¡°I never lose in gambling,¡± grins the Fox mischievously, before he returns into the Seekers heart. ¡°By the way... I consider the Quest to be accomplished now.¡± MISSION ACCOMPLISHED + 6 Vibes (Total 80)
The Mayor enters the stage and congratulates the Seeker. ¡°Please accept this Train ticket as a reward from the City of YouTown.¡± The Puma hands the Seeker a Train Ticket. He takes a look at it''s label. ''Destination: World''s End'' ¡°If you want to catch the train, you will need to hurry,¡± speaks the Puma to the Seeker. ¡°It will depart in Thirty Minutes.¡± TO BE CONTINUED The Train to the End of the World
Part 46: The Train to the End of the World ¡°We need to run,¡± speaks the Stranger to the last Seeker. ¡°It''s a long way to the train station and we only have 30 Minutes left!¡± The Seeker wants to leave the stage, but they are surrounded by people with Microphones and Cameras. They loudly yell their questions. A Honey-badger with a hat blocks the pathway of the Seeker. ¡°Who are you? What is the name of your band? When will we hear you next time?¡± The Seeker thinks for a moment. They go inwardly to discuss the name of their band. All Archetypes come to an agreement: ¡°WE ARE THE TRIBE OF HUMANITY,¡± announces the Seeker with the united voice of 11 Spirits. A sudden windbreeze gushes over the market place. ¡°And you will soon hear more of us.¡±
The Seeker pushes themselves through the dense crowd, as the Cameras keep flashing and the Journalists all talk at once. The Seeker walks past many former Servants and Heralds. Many of those who used to wear either black or white now wear colorful outfits. They have all turned into new Seekers. Some wear blue, some red, others yellow, green, purple, orange clothes. Also many of the birds, who were present since the first song, cheer at the Seeker. The whole crowd applauds. Some viewers try to touch them, but the Seeker pushes through the Crowd. It''s like they break through a wall of people. A struggle. With a lot of force, the Seeker pushes through. At the end of the crowd are those who still wear either Black or White. Both Groups, the Servants of Order as well as the Heralds of Chaos have lost members drastically. ¡°You!¡± shouts the Rebel leader and points at the Seeker. ¡°It''s your fault, we lost half of our members! You will pay for this!¡± ¡°Don''t think that we have forgotten how you eat your cornflakes!¡± scoffs the leader of the Service of Order. ¡°Say Rebel-Scum, how about a temporary truce? Its this Song! We can''t allow it to spread any further. Let us stop fighting until we got this matter with the song resolved...¡± ¡°I agree,¡± nods the Woman in Black. ¡°This song is too dangerous. Not just to Chaos and Order but to the entire system. We won''t be able to stop them on our own. If you wanna team up, we''re in!¡±
. While the Representatives of both Groups shake hands, the Seeker runs away. They run as fast, as they can, leaving the Town Center behind. The Stranger matches their pace. ¡°Wow! They actually made peace. The Prophecy came true after all. Who would have thought, that it''s their shared resentment of you, which would unite them at last... ¡± The Seeker takes a look behind, as they run through the main city street. A huge crowd of people runs after them. Reporters who have questions. Fans who want to hear them sing. Heralds and Servants who want to catch them. The Seeker runs even faster. Sweat drip from their forehead. Suddenly from the corner, Four humanoid Turtles in Trench-coats cross the way with the Seeker. Each of them makes a pose or flexes his muscles. ¡°Oh no,¡± groans the Seeker. ¡°Not them again!¡± Athos rides the Rollblades, Porthos on his skateboard grinds the sidewalk, Aramis surfs the asphalt with a Surfboard and D''Artagnan scratches the floor with his Skiboards. It''s the NEW-AGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES. Each of them matches the Speed of the Seeker.
¡°Good job with that concert, Boss,¡± compliments D''Artagnan the Seeker. ¡°Where will we go next, Master?¡° ¡°There is no ''We'',¡± sighs the annoyed Seeker. ¡°And there is no ''next''. And I am not your ''Master''.... Seriously stop calling me that. If it''s about this Cosmic Joke thing, I can just explain it to you. Look, the answer is... You are--¡± ¡°I don''t wanna know...¡± interrupts the Turtle loudly. ¡°Life is serious. I can''t just give up my attachment to the Drama of Life. I won''t stop resisting. When we stood before the White Room outside of time, I was too afraid to take the next step. It was then that I realized, that I was never meant to laugh at the joke, but instead to lead you to the door. Because you are worthy of it. Please Master, share your Wisdom with us, so that the NEW-AGE-AWAKENED-RESISTANCE-TURTLES can thrive under your guidance.¡± As the Seeker focuses on running away, they didn''t even understand half of what the turtle is saying. ¡°What?! Dude... Live your Own Life. I really don''t have the time to play someone''s Master. And you don''t need someone else to tell you what to do, feel or think... Just learn to master your Self, as I am doing it right now. Then you don''t need to ask anyone else for guidance. Because you will always find your own way.¡± Porthos writes down the Seeker''s words in a notebook. ¡°Can you repeat the last sentence?¡±
¡°Is there a system of rituals, mantras or beliefs, you need to master the Self?¡± asks Aramis. ¡°Do you have any secret techniques?¡± asks Athos as he rolls smoothly over the asphalt. ¡°You know, something that will make me enlightenend?¡± ¡°No,¡± huffs the annoyed Seeker who struggles to keep up with the fast pace. ¡°Don''t write that down. There is no system and there are no techniques. You just take some of the stuff I am saying out of context and turn it into ultimate Truth, into Dogma. (But you need to read between the lines. It''s like being aware of the space between thoughts.) Don''t follow the light of another person, instead find that light within you and shine it outwards.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± agrees D''Artagnan. ¡°Porthos, write that down. Make it something like ''Thou shalt not take another ones light, but only shine thy own''.¡± Porthos starts to scribble. ¡°Hey, I didn''t say that! You are twisting my words!¡± ¡°We just make your teachings more digestible for a larger audience. By the way... We still need to make up our mind regarding your origin story. You know, for the mythological framework. Porthos suggested that we should go with the version that you come from another world. Athos claims it''s easier to just copy an origin story from another myth, like the virgin birth of Hercules, or how Sargon from Akkad was abandoned as a child on a river.¡± The Seeker stares at D''Artagnan in Disbelief. They have a hard time keeping up with the Turtles pace. ¡°Audience? Origin Story? Mythological Framework? What the hell are you even talking about?! I don''t want to be part of any of this!¡±
¡°We are doing all of this for you. We''ll make sure, that your legacy will be remembered even long after you have passed. This will be the foundation of an organization, which will conquer first YouTown and then the world. We''ll indoctrinate the people, so that they''ll be afraid of going against us. We''ll tell them comfortable lies, so that they stop searching for the truth within and instead accept our Belief System. Think about all the money, that this will bring us. We will no longer live in the Sewers, but in mansions. And we''ll have cars and yachts and private jets.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°What?!¡± shouts the baffled Seeker. ¡°No, I don''t want you to use my name to exploit other people! I don''t want people to be trapped in another prison of thought or belief. Because all those programs are essentially all the same. I want people to be free. Not bound to some limited pattern of being. People need to think for themselves, not like sheep who only follow commands.¡± The Seeker notices, how Porthos scribbles everything down on his Notebook. The Seeker grabs Porthos notebook, while running. They flip through the pages. Their eyebrows pull together. ¡°Hey, this is all wrong! You changed everything! There''s not even a single sentence you captured correctly!¡± ¡°There should be room for some artistic Freedom,¡± asserts Porthos . ¡°You wrote: ''Be like sheep, who only follow commands.'' This is literally the opposite of what I say!¡±
¡°Some of your ideas are too ahead of its time,¡± explains D''Artagnan. ¡°We can''t strive off too far from what''s accepted. So we have to place your words in the traditional context of our culture. In other words, Sheep are just not yet ready to think for themselves. If you open the gate and set them free, they won''t know how to survive on their own.¡± ¡°What if we are wrong?¡± contemplates the Seeker as they speak with the voice of Humanity. ¡°What if People are not like sheep but instead like Birds? Trapped in cages, whistling sad songs, as they dream of the skies beyond the metal bars. Unaware, that the key to their freedom already exists within them. If people don''t learn how to free themselves now, when should they ever break their chains? Will they wait for someone to come save them until they die of old age, or will they free themselves?¡± D''Artagnan shrugs. ¡°Just give the birds bigger cages. Then they won''t feel the need to escape.¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger stand at a corner. The street splits in two paths, one goes Left, the other goes Right. The Seeker turns their head. The crowd is still chasing them. ¡°The Train Station is over there,¡± speaks the Stranger and turns Left at the corner. The Seeker follows behind. ¡°How do you know?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°I have been here before.¡± At the end of the street, there is a giant Building. Baroque style architecture. There is a clock on the roof, above the entrance hall. The building is decorated with Gargoyles. .
¡°Only Five Minutes left, before our train departs,¡± speaks the Stranger under breath. ¡°We need to hurry.¡± . The Seeker speeds up. Running faster and faster towards the Train station. Followed by a giant crowd of Turtles, other Seekers, Birds, Animal Spirits, Reporter, Journalists, Heralds of Chaos and Servants of Order. . . . ¡°Where the hell are we going anyway?!¡± asks the Seeker as they give it their all to run away. . . ¡°We will cross the Abyss,¡± responds the Mysterious Stranger with a serious tone in his voice. ¡°To most Seekers, the Abyss is the end of the Journey. An insurmountable chasm. Some say, it''s impossible to cross the Abyss. Others believe it to be the last Threshold, before Enlightenment. Many have tried. Many have failed. It''s time to make the impossible possible, Seeker. We''ll cross the Abyss and make it to the other side. We''ll enter into the mythical land of NIRVANA.¡± .
¡°Why should I, of all Seekers, be the one to make it to the other side?¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°Because I am with you. And when we walk together, not even Gravity can hold us back.¡± The Seeker opens the Glass door and walks with the Seeker into the Central Train Station. Only few of the crowd follow the Seeker into the Baroque building. Most stay outside. ¡°Damnit,¡± huffs the angered Rebel woman from the newly formed alliance. ¡°They got away from us! We''ll put a bounty on their head and print WANTED Posters. Does anyone even know their name?¡± The Agent in White remains calm. ¡°Forget about this Stranger for now. Stopping this song from spreading is of a higher priority. This song has the potential to break the entire system. It threatens the foundation of both of our organizations. First we need more information. We need a list of everyone who sang along. We''ll hunt them all down. This song will be illegal. Singing it, will be punished harshly.¡±
Meanwhile the Seeker and the Stranger run through the central train station. Pushing through the crowd. They stand in the underpass corridor with elevators and stairs leading to each track. They stand before the elevator to track Number 1. The Seeker looks at the Train-Ticket. ¡°We need to be on track 144¡± ¡°Only Three Minutes left,¡± speaks the Stranger. The entire corridor is full of people. Some following the current, some walking against it. Track 144 is in the other direction. ¡°Okay Seeker, I will now tell you a secret trick. Something, that you can test at home. I''ll show you how to create a path, when going against the Stream. When you walk against a stream of passerby''s, in a crowded space, focus your eyes on where you want to go. Aim with your eyes for a target in the distance. Don''t look at the people who walk against your direction. If you look at them, your gaze will send them the unconscious signal, that you will make space for them. Which sometimes causes misunderstandings and leads to both passerby''s blocking eachother. If you don''t look at them but keep your head straight forward, people will automatically make space for you. They will create an opening to let you through. But be completely aware of everything around you. Be aware of people and objects without recognizing them. Keep Your Thought silent and be completely in the present. You can try this out yourself, next time you are in the public. If someone crosses your path from the other direction keep your head and gaze straight. Don''t look at them, but be aware of their presence. And with your gaze alone, you will part the crowd, as Thutmose once parted the sea.¡± The Seeker looks over the corridor, observing the In-Stream of Many People passing through. The Seeker walks against the stream towards Gate 144. They observe all the various people, crossing their path. Comparing the different outfits. The Seeker keeps bumping into passing travelers with their shoulders, arms or hips. Only 2 Minutes Left. The Seeker makes little to no progress going against the Stream. ¡°Alright... Let''s try your Trick then Eyes close. A Deep inhale. As their eyelids open, they reveal burning eyes. The Seeker stares at the end of the corridor, where the Gate to the 144th track is situated. As they walk forward with their gaze fixed, all who cross their path create space for the Seeker. It''s as if an invisible wall splits the crowd, creating an even distance between the Seeker and all other Travelers. 1 Minute left.
The Seeker walks confidently through the corridor, that the crowd creates for them. The crowd gets thinner, the further the Seeker moves to track 144. When the corridor is free, the Seeker starts to run. The Seeker stands in front of the final elevator. Leading up to the 144th track of the train station. The Elevator carries the exhausted Seeker right to the tracks. Their racing heart calms down. The Seeker and the Stranger stand on the platform of track 144. The TRAIN TO THE END OF THE WORLD is parked on the rails. Suddenly all Doors close down. Time Over. The Seeker rushes to the nearest door, but it closes right before their eyes. Their heart freezes in shock. They press the button multiple times, but the door doesn''t react. ¡°This can''t be happening...¡± But suddenly, to the surprise of the Seeker, the train door opens up again. Behind the Door stands a man with a short, brown Beard, a Cowboy hat and leather jacket. He looks like an explorer. It is the ONE TRUE SEEKER. He has pushed the button to let the last Seeker in.
The Seeker steps through the door into the Train to the End of the World, ¡°Thank you,¡± speaks the Seeker to the man with cowboy hat. ¡°I already feared the worst.¡± ¡°No worries mate,¡± grins the ONE TRUE SEEKER calmly. ¡°We are not in competition. After all, the doors to the Kingdom are open to all of us. Isn''t that right, Stranger?¡± The Stranger grins. ¡°All parallel timelines cross in the Train of Life. Together, we all head to the end of the World. To venture out into the Unknown. A journey to the other side. All together we ride the Train of Destiny. To the Point of No Return. This is a gathering of the most advanced Seekers. This is the Path of Track 144. Together we will make it to the Kingdom. Each one of us in our own experience. Because the Kingdom dwells within us. And thus all of us cross the metaphorical Abyss within. As above, so below. Here in this train, all the Seekers are united. All Paths become One.¡± The Seeker looks around the train. Every Seat is occupied by a different Seeker. Some of their faces look familiar.
¡°I am sure, I have seen those people before... Perhaps in a Dream...¡± The train starts moving. Suddenly the Seeker has a Dejavu, as they look how the Train moves forward through a tunnel. ¡°This... I am sure, I have seen this happening already...¡± The Seeker and the Stranger sit down on the last remaining seats. The Seeker listens to the voice of the Speakers: ¡°NEXT STOP: THE END OF THE WORLD¡± The Train get''s faster and faster. The Buildings, Skyscrapers, Blocks and Avenues arise in the Seekers view and fade away again.
¡°So if all the other people in here are Seekers just like me, ¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. ¡°Did they all have like the same Quests? What did they experience before coming here? Can they also see you? Or do they have their own Mysterious Stranger? There are so many questions and I am so confused... Who am I?¡± ¡°You are THE LAST SEEKER,¡± grins the Stranger. NEW PLAYABLE CHARACTER UNLOCKED: THE LAST SEEKER Special Ability: Lucky Turn of Events
¡°Basically all of us had the same journey up until now with only minor variations. You could say, their paths went parallel to your own path. Their own experiences lead them to this shared point in time. You could say, all of us are now part of the first Wave.¡± ¡°Wave?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Yes, there will be more waves to come in the future. Of people who walk this Path. You see, how every place in this train is filled? Next Wave will be more crowded.¡± As the TRAIN TO THE END OF THE WORLD leaves the city walls of YouTown behind, a maniacal laughter crackles from the the rooftops. ¡°You thought some bloody Brick could kill me? Huh, Seeker?! Ya mad cunt thought you could get away with it, huh?! Guess what! I am marked as ''essential''. Neither falling Stones, nor trampling Feet, not even Fire Damage can hurt me. I will make you pay for all of my suffering. Nothing can stop me and I will soon come for you, Seeker!¡±
TO BE CONTINUED The Dweller at the Threshold
Part 47: The Dweller at the Threshold The SEEKER awakens in the Train from a deep slumber, as the voice of the Conductor rings through the Speakers: ¡°Dear Travelers, we have now arrived at World''s End. This is the final stop. Please exit the train. Thank you.¡± The Seeker looks around the train. Where many other Seekers gather. From all Timelines. Some travelers stand up, as the train slows down. The Seeker needs a moment to reorient, before the memories flood back. They yawn and stretch. ¡°What a strange Dream,¡± mumbles the Seeker with dry lips. ¡°I was rolling a Boulder up a huge mountain. But whenever I got close to the top, the boulder slipped out of my hands and rolled back down again... No matter how many times I tried... I never made it over the mountain.¡± The Train moves slower and slower. There is a Station at the end of the tracks, a single building in the emptiness of the Lands around the Abyss. The old abandoned shack is falling apart. The Train stops at the Station. When the door opens, all Travelers get out. The Seeker exits the Train as well. However as soon as they step out of the door, all other Seekers have disappeared. NEW LOCATION DISCOVERED: The End of the World
The Seeker stands alone at the old railways station. The House is overgrown with vines. Mossy wood. There are some mountains to the left. At the end of the track, towards the West, there is the Abyss. A Giant Canyon in the landscape. A rift splits the Earth, many Kilometers deep and wide. So far apart, that clouds hover in the space between the cliffs. Everything is absolutely silent. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± questions the Seeker, their voice echos back. ¡°Hello?! Can anyone hear me?¡± ¡°All Seekers have returned to their own path,¡± responds the calm voice of the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°The other Seekers continue their Journey in their own time, in their own way. Just as you, they will also face the Dweller at the Threshold Next. Each one in their own experience.¡± . . The Stranger points at the abandoned building. A dark presence hovers over the decaying house. Some Dark Energy radiates out from the house. The Seeker hears a dark growling. ¡°Don''t tell me it''s another Boss fight...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± confirms the Stranger. ¡°They call it the Dweller at the Threshold. A Reflection of your accumulated shadow. Not just the Shadow of this Lifetime, but of all your previous Incarnations as well. It is what holds you back from reaching the next step in our journey. The Fears, that linger deep within your subconscious. Which you have been carrying like baggage from one Life to the next. It is time to face the Source of Darkness you hide even from yourself.¡± The Seeker walks confidently to the shack and opens the door. Everywhere in the abandoned Station there are small puddles of Darkness on the Ground or sticking to the wall. In the shadow of the dark ruined building lurks an abomination. A creature of pure darkness with a form of unspeakable terror. With Eight legs like that of a crab and spikes and human faces sticking from it''s body.
The Seeker observes how the Monster crawls creepily on its legs. It moves, as if it were glitching. Freezing mid-air and appearing somewhere else. As if it were bending the Fabric of Reality around it. ¡°You want me to fight this BEAST? Hell no! I''m out.¡± The Seeker turns around and walks out. As they stand before the train, all doors close at once. ¡°Hey,¡± shouts the Seeker and hits the Train button. But the door won''t react. The Train starts Moving. ¡°HEY! WAIT! Don''t leave me Here.¡±
The Seeker runs after the departing train but it accelerates in Speed and passes the end of the train station. The Seeker just stands there as the Train gets smaller until it''s only a faint dot, disappearing in the distance. ¡°When does the next train come?¡± asks the Seeker nervously. The Stranger points at an LED Screen showing the Train connections. The Display Shows: Train 144 to YouTown returns in 12.000 Years
The Seeker gasps. ¡°What the Hell?! 12.000 Years?!¡± ¡°Well, you can wait on this bench here,¡± points out the Stranger. There''s a bench at the abandoned station building. ¡°It will take some time until the next Harvest.¡± ¡°I can''t wait that long!¡± states the Seeker. ¡°You can also try to walk all the way back by Foot,,¡± speaks the Stranger as he points at gravel pathways. There are several paths, all fusing together at the Station. The Seeker takes a look at the various paths. There are signs all naming the paths. The PATH OF THE WARRIOR. The Path is rocky. There are many rusted blades and skeletons of fallen Soldiers. The Grass is tainted in Blood. The PATH OF THE MAGICIAN. It leads through a Dark Pinewood Forest. There are Ritual stones with pagan Runes or sacred Geometry.
The PATH OF THE MYSTIC. There is a Statue of a Hermit with a hooded robe. There are many fireflies, floating around. The path leads uphill through a misty forest. The PATH OF THE ALCHEMIST. There is a Green Emerald Tablet with secret, glowing words written on it. The Path leads into Swamp Land with many strange herbs and Plants. The PATH OF THE ARHAT. There is a meditating Buddhist Statue. The Birch forest looks peaceful. The sun shines through the leafs. There are Butterflies floating around.
The PATH OF THE YOGI. There is a Statue of a Guru with a long beard, dressed in fine clothes. There is a small creek along the path with many Lotus Flours. The PATH OF THE SHAMAN. There is a wooden Totem at the entrance into a dense jungle. The Totem depicts various spirit animals stacked on top each other. There are many mushrooms sprouting from the floor.
The PATH OF THE PHILOSOPHER. There is a Greek marble statue of a thinker overgrown with vines. The path leads through Meadows of Grassland.
The PATH OF THE SUFI. This Path leads through Dry Savannah. There are ruins of ancient civilizations buried in the ground along this Path. There is one more Path, which looks incomplete to the SEEKER. There is a sign which says: UNDER CONSTRUCTION A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°What about this Path?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°It''s a New Path, that will soon be open for everyone. You could say it is still in the process of being created. It''s the Path of a Seeker, who treats Life like a Game. With playfulness and joy. Who faces all challenges head-On. It''s the PATH OF THE PLAYER. All those inner Paths eventually lead to the Abyss. Here all paths find their End of the Journey. Because the only way forward is over the Abyss.¡±
¡°Is there no other way around the Abyss?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°I mean, even if we manage to slay this Monster... How the Hell should I ever make it to the other side over this wide chasm?¡± ¡°Some believe that somewhere in the North there is another way around the Abyss... Some even went out to explore alternative routes... But no one was ever able to prove the existence of another path. So our best chance is to cross it here, where both cliffs are at it''s nearest.¡± ¡°This is impossible,¡± gasps the Seeker at the Sight of the Vastness of this continental rift in the Earth. ¡°Nothing is impossible,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°I will show it to you, my friend. I will prove to you, that there always is a way. I just ask you to have Trust and be brave. I know that the challenge in front of you seems insurmountable. I know that you are afraid. But see how far you have already come. Despite all the challenges you made it through. Up to this very point. No matter, what Challenge you may need to face next, you will persist. Because you are so much stronger, than you give yourself credit. You were tested again and again, but you kept on going. After all, you are still here. Right now. Yes, You. You will make it through. Keep following your heart. It''s what connects you to Life. You carry this Light already within you. And the Light will always protect you. Your Fear is what still holds you back after all this time. Purify your Heart from the bondage of Fear and Desire. It''s time to face your deepest shadow. So that you can overcome it. And you can only do that on your own.¡± The Seeker takes another look at the Dweller at the Threshold.
¡°So I need to face the Beast either way...¡± sighs the Seeker and pulls out the Sword of Perception. ¡°Alright... Let''s just get it over it.¡± ¡°Be careful how you react, his weapons are his words,¡± shouts the Stranger after the Seeker. ¡°Remember everything we went through. Dissolve all Darkness through Love and Awareness. I can''t help you with this battle. It''s your own shadow, only you can shed a light on it. For this Fight I will give you a ''Affirmation'' that any ''Warrior of Light'' can use. And if you do, all doubts, all worries, all insecurities, regrets, everything holding you back, will for the moment wash away. Speak these words three times with Love and Intelligence in your voice: ''I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT.'' And all sorrows shall disappear. As if an Energy strikes down from the sky, the Light will clear your mind. But for this you need to be completely surrendered to the Light. No clinging or resisting.¡± The Seeker gulps, takes in a deep breath and walks back to the building. In the Seekers fearful eyes, glimmers the spark of a Flame. They swallow their doubts and walk upright towards the guardian of the Abyss. As soon as the Seeker steps into the Arena, Boss Music starts playing. A Name Tag and a Health Bar appear above the Guardians bald human head. ''THE DWELLER AT THE THRESHOLD'' Lvl 60 Health: - 100 AntiVibes
Without hesitation, the Seeker storms towards the Monster, swinging the sword of Perception. The Seeker strikes the Dweller. Their attack deals a damage of ¨C 10 Vibes to the Dweller at the Threshold. The Monster now has a total of ¨C 110 AntiVibes. ¡°Damnit,¡± spits the Seeker surprised. ¡°Swordattacks only make it stronger! I should try it with my bow.¡± The Seeker takes out the Bow of the sun. They Fire two burning arrows and one explosive arrow. - 2 VIBES - 2 VIBES - 6 VIBES
The Health-bar of the Dweller grows. It now has a total of -120 AntiVibes. ¡°You haven''t learned anything,¡± scoffs the Dweller at the Threshold. His sharp words hit the Seekers Heart like a sword. ¡°You are an idiot! Repeating the same mistakes over and over again!¡± The Words of the Beast hurt the Seeker''s Heart. - 10 Vibes (70 / 80 V left) The Seeker takes a deep breath. ¡°He is right... I can''t keep on falling back into the same old pattern... I no longer wanna be this Seeker, who is stuck on a bench, or couch... I want to level up... I need to get a grip on myself. Otherwise, I''ll be stuck here forever...¡± + 10 Vibes for INSIGHT The Health bar of the Dweller of the Threshold is reduced by 10 (-110 / -100 AV) ¡°Did you not notice, how all the other Seekers were laughing at you in the Train?¡± presses the wretched tongue of the Beast further. ¡°You know, how they call you behind your back? The DUMBEST SEEKER. No one takes you serious. You are just a joke to them!¡± The Attack comes flying against the Seeker. - 10 Vibes (60 / 80 V left) The Seeker touches their heart. It hurts. ¡°It doesn''t matter, what others think of me. The only thing that matters is how I see myself. I have nothing to be ashamed of.¡± + 10 Vibes for SELF-LOVE Healthbar of the Dweller: (-100 / - 100 AV) ¡°You are weak! Remember how you used to be. Remember, how often you were a victim. Remember the pain, the anger, the loneliness. Remember how it feels to be helpless. Remember how it felt to be on your own.¡± Another Attack against the Seeker. But the Seeker blocks the attack with a simple: ¡°I AM NOT MY PAST. Dwelling on the past just keeps me stuck. It doesn''t matter who I used to be. The Only thing, that matters is who I am right NOW.¡± + 20 VIBES for WISDOM Healthbar of the Dweller: (-80 / - 100 AV)
¡°You will fail!¡± growls the voice of the Dweller. ¡°Because you just aren''t good enough. And no matter how hard you try, you never will be good enough. Because something is inherently wrong with you.¡± This attack hits the Seeker hard. - 20 Vibes (40 / 80 V Left) The Seeker falls to their knees, panting: ¡°I... AM... GOOD ENOUGH! Just for exiting. Just for being myself. I don''t need to be ''something'' or ''someone'' special. I don''t need to be smart, or strong, or funny, or creative, or anything. I don''t need to fulfill the expectations of others. I am Good enough. Nothing can diminish that fact, that I am inherently already perfect. Anything that isn''t GOOD, was never truly part of me and will eventually fall away.¡± + 20 Vibes for ACCEPTANCE Healthbar of the Dweller: (-60 / - 100 AV) ¡°Just give up!¡± scoffs the Dweller. ¡°You will never find it anyway. No one has ever found it. A definite answer to the Question. And neither will you. This is what you are seeking, right? You are seeking the Meaning of Life. The Holy Grail of all Seekers. But you will never find it. Because there is no meaning. Look around in Nature, do you find Meaning? No! Because it doesn''t exist. Meaning is not a inherent property of Matter. You can''t find Meaning in Physical Reality. So it''s all made up. An Illusion. Nothing matters. Over time everything changes. Every house you build will eventually crumble down. Nothing is permanent and all memories of you will one day be forgotten. All your actions will one day be forgotten. Even your name will be lost in time. No matter how much effort you put in building sandcastles, the wave will wash it away.¡± A Heavy Attack strikes the Seeker. - 35 Vibes The RED Health-bar of the Seeker is pulsating. (5 / 80 V Left) The Seeker has fallen to the Ground. The pain is taking a toll. They have a hard time getting up.
The Seeker remembers the codeword. They take a deep breath and proclaim loudly: ¡°I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT.¡± Suddenly, it''s as if Lightning strikes through the Roof hitting the Seeker. The Light flows through their body. The Seeker feels the energy. A new strength and the Seeker rises again. Standing up with eyes, burning with the Flame of Humanity.
¡°So what, if the external world has no meaning? We GIVE it MEANING. Yes, you might never find Meaning in Physical Reality, but you will always find it within you. It was never our role to find Meaning somewhere else, but to create Meaning from within. So what, if everything will fade away at some point? So what, if everything will one day be forgotten? It is beautiful, while it lasts. And we can experience it right here and now. In every single moment, Life unfolds it''s Beauty. We decide if we want to see the Beauty of Life or whether we look away. We decide whether we listen to our Heart or our Ego.¡± SEEKER USES ABILITY ''WAVE OF LIGHT'' + 50 Vibes for LOVE OF LIFE Healthbar of the Dweller: (-10 / - 100 AV) Both the Seeker and the Dweller are both at their limits. The Shadow of the Dweller is dissolving more and more. He starts resembling a Human. The Seekers Flame is barely even glowing. Both breathe exhausted. The Dweller charges for a final attack: ¡°You are NOTHING. YOU don''t exist! The Self is an Illusion. Just a network of patterns. And nothing you''ll ever do will matter. You are just a Robot. A programmed NPC. You are not REAL. You are a FICTIONAL CHARACTER in a story.¡± The Energy comes flying, but the Seeker counters with Light. ¡°I AM EVERYTHING. I AM the Night and the Day. I am the Order and the Chaos. I am the Beginning and the End. I was never born and I will never die. I have always been HERE. I AM TIMELESS. I AM THE AWARENESS OF THE AWARENESS. I AM THE PRIMORDIAL FORCE. I AM LOVING INTELLIGENCE. I AM that, which is whole. I AM PEACE. I AM LOVE. I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT. I AM LIGHT.¡±
The Energy of the Seeker and the Energy of the Dweller clash together. They create an explosion. The overwhelming force of Light, emanating from the Seeker, blows away all Darkness of the Dweller, like candle on a cake. VICTORY DWELLER AT THE THRESHOLD CLEARED
From the Dweller of the Abyss, only remains the essence. All the Darkness is banished, leaving a glowing sphere of Light behind. An energetic Orb. There is a moment of silence, as the Seeker stares at the Orb. The Orb changes colors from Dark Red to pale Blue. ¡°I... I am sorry...¡± apologizes the ashamed Essence of the Dweller. ¡°I am sorry for hurting you...¡± ¡°I forgive you,¡± speaks the Seeker with burning eyes. ¡°Because even though you were playing the role of a villain, you taught me a lesson. I now understand, that you are not an enemy, you are a lesson from which I could learn. Whenever you tried to tear me down, you gave me the opportunity to Self-Reflect and overcome myself. You gave me the chance to grow. Now it is your turn to change as well. Your role has fulfilled it''s purpose. Perhaps it''s time to take on a more peaceful role. One that no longer incites Growth through conflict, but through only through harmonious action. Let us grow together.¡± The Seeker absorbs the ORB OF LIGHT. LOST ESSENCE INTEGRATED INDIVIDUATION COMPLETED NEW ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: WARRIOR OF LIGHT NEW CHARACTER UNLOCKED: THE WARRIOR SEEKER
LEVEL UP! LVL 45: + 5 VIBES (85 / 85 V Restored) ¡°I now understand,¡± speaks the WARRIOR SEEKER, as he steps out of the dark shack into the Light. ¡°The Dweller reflects my deepest Fear. My Fear of being ''Nothing'' or ''No one''. And he was right. I am ''NOTHING'' and at the same time I am ''EVERYTHING''. It''s a Paradox. But only because we look at it from a conceptual viewpoint. We see that both concepts contradict each other and yet they point at the same Truth. The Human mind separates the Object from it''s observer, but the observer is the observed. To reject my shadow, is to reject a part of myself. When it''s disconnected from it''s source, the Darkness takes over. But the Parts I once cast off, are now cleared and integrated again.¡± Outside of the old Station, the Seeker takes a look at the wide landscape. Endless Meadows of Grass cut off at the Abyss. In the distance the Seeker sees Seven Sages standing at the edge. All gazing over the Horizon. A shrill voice from the roof, catches the Seekers attention: ¡°Hey... Look, they made it out!¡± The Seeker turns around. On the roof of the abandoned house sit a dozen birds. All cheering at the Seeker. Nightingales, Hummingbirds, Songbirds, Bluebirds, Swallows, Sparrows, Finches, Parrots, Magpies, Owls, Crows. The Goose, Seagull and Duck, the Woodpecker, the Swan, Penguin and Crane, the Raven, Hawk, Vulture and Stork. All those birds came along and followed the Tracks of the Train to End of the World. Right to the Abyss.
¡°What are you doing?¡± asks the Seeker the birds. ¡°We want to see how far you will come,¡± speaks the Crow. ¡°We want to see what you will do next,¡± speaks the Hawk. The Seeker looks at the Mysterious Stranger. The Stranger nods and steps forward. ¡°It''s time to face the Abyss. Are you ready to gaze at the Unknown?¡± TO BE CONTINUED Staring into the Abyss
Part 48: Staring into the Abyss The GOLDEN MASK SEEKER and the Stranger approach the Edge of the Abyss. The Seeker carries huge backpack with loot. Thirty Birds observe them from the rooftop of the abandoned train station.
There are Seven Figures standing at the Edge, all looking down into the deep chasm below, where the continent splits in two. ¡°Who are these people?¡± asks the masked Seeker the Stranger, pointing at the Seven Men standing at the Abyss.
¡°They are the Seven Sages,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°It''s a universal myth. You can think of the Seven Saptarshi of India, or the Seven Apkallu of Mesopotamia, the Seven wise men of ancient Greece and the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove from China. You could say, being one of the Seven Sages is a spiritual Rank for Seekers, who watch over the Abyss. A title that is inherited from one Generation of Seekers to the next. Each of them carries one of the Keys to the Book of Humanity.¡± The Seeker scratches his head. ¡°What exactly is the Abyss anyway?¡±
¡°You can talk with the Seven Sages, if you have any questions regarding the abyss. They each can share you their perspective. By looking at something from different perspectives you can expand your own understanding of it.¡± The Seeker takes a look at each of the sages. He can''t see their faces, only their backs and name tags. THE PHILOSOPHER
THE MYSTIC
THE BODHISATTVA
THE SAINT
THE PSYCHO-ANALYST
THE GURU
THE MAGICIAN
The Seeker approaches the Philosopher. He carries a key. He listens in on the mans woeful mumbling: ¡°Everything goes, everything returns, the wheel of existence rolls forever. Everything dies, everything blossoms anew; the year of existence runs on for ever. Everything breaks, everything is joined anew; the same house of existence builds itself for ever. Everything departs, everything meets again; the ring of existence is true to itself for ever.¡± The Seeker taps his shoulder. The Philosopher turns around. A man with a large mustache. ¡°Hey can you tell me, what this place here is?¡± ¡°How do we make it to the other side?¡± asks the Golden Mask Seeker. Thus speaks the Philosopher:
The Seeker walks to the Next Sage and taps the Mystic on his shoulder. He turns around. A man with a long gray beard and a balding head. He also carries a key. ¡°What is the Abyss?¡± asks the Golden Mask Seeker. Mystic with a French accent, as he strokes his long beard. ¡°How do we cross it?¡±
The Seeker walks up next to the Bodhisattva. A bald man in orange monk attire. He holds a staff and a key. The Seeker has difficulties seeing his face. ¡°What is the Abyss?¡± asks the Seeker the Bodhisattva. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°How do I cross the Abyss?¡± The Bodhisattva examines the Seeker from head to toe. Only now does the Seeker realize the heaviness of his backpack. He pulls out his weapons. He hugs them dearly. ¡°Is it really that worth it?¡± asks the Golden Mask Seeker. ¡°All this loot, that I have collected by doing all the side quests... Why should I give that up? What awaits me on the other side?¡±
¡°Nirvana,¡± responds the Bodhisattva. ¡°That''s not true,¡± interjects the voice of another sage, next to him. It''s the SAINT, he also carries a Key. He has long, white hair and a beard. He speaks with an Aramaic accent. ¡°The ANOINTED ONE also crossed the Abyss. I''ve seen it in one of my visions on Patmos. He did it with eyes closed.¡± ¡°What is the Abyss to you?¡± asks the Seeker the SAINT. ¡°Did you just say Napoleon?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°No, I said Apollyon. Which is his Greek Name. His Hebrew name would be Abaddon. A ruthless conqueror, who is said to bring destruction.¡± The Golden Mask Seeker gazes at the Depth of the Abyss. They they look to the other side of the Rift, where the grass is greener and the sun shines brighter. ¡°How do we make it to the other side?¡± Saint. The Psychoanalyst next to the Saint chuckles. He wears glasses, has balding white hair and a slight mustache. He also carries a Key. ¡°Please forgive Saint John for his outdated set of Beliefs,¡± speaks the Psychoanalyst, as he takes a Puff from his Pipe. ¡°You see, he is from another era. To him, this journey is still an outer experience and not a reflection of his inner state of being. This is why he still seeks for the validation in an external source instead of finding it within him.¡±
¡°What is the Abyss then to you?¡± asks the Seeker the Psychoanalyst. ¡°And how do I cross it?¡± asks the Seeker. The Seeker touches his heart. ¡°It still feels as if something is missing... I just can''t tell what it is...¡± Suddenly the Golden Mask Seeker feels a gaze. A cold shiver. He turns around. There''s nothing. The Seeker scratches his head and walks to the next Sage. The Guru. A very thin, shirtless man with a key. The Seeker has difficulties seeing his face. ¡°What is the Abyss to you?¡± asks the Seeker the Guru with a Key. Guru. ¡°Atman? Brahman? What''s with all those special terms?¡± asks the Golden Mask Seeker. ¡°Seems like you still have a long journey ahead of you,¡± grins the Guru. ¡°For a small monthly fee, I will show you how to attain Moksha.¡± ¡°Moksha? Is this how I will cross the Abyss?¡± The Seeker approaches the last Sage. The Golden Mask Seeker taps the Magicians shoulder. As soon as he turns around, the Seeker feels repulsed, as he sees a horrible disfigured face. Covered in bumps. He is bald. Dark, hollow eyes, swollen cheeks. The Magician wears a Bowtie and carries a key. .
Despite his initial repulsion, the Golden Mask Seeker asks the Magician: ¡°What is the Abyss?¡± The Golden Mask Seeker keeps the Magician at a distance. A foul stench, bothers the Seeker. ¡°How do I cross the Abyss?¡± After the Seeker conversed with the last of the Seven Sages, the Stranger walks from the background into the front. All of the Sages fix their gaze at the Stranger, as he pulls down his blue hood. The Seven Sages all gasp at once, as they stare at the Strangers burning eyes. He has a bright smile on his face. ¡°At last, we meet again.¡± All of the Seven Sages seem to recognize the Stranger face. Each of them sees a different face, but they all remember walking together. ¡°Zarathustra,¡± gasps the Philosopher. ¡°Trismegistus,¡° mumbles the Mystic. ¡°Bodhi,¡± whispers the Bodhisattva. ¡°Philemon,¡± gasps the Psychoanalyst. ¡°Krishna,¡± mumbles the Guru. The Magician remains silent. First the Saint is speechless, then he points at the Stranger. ¡°Your eyes are burning.¡± The Stranger looks at the faces of each of the Sages. ¡°You all stare at the same man and yet everyone sees a different face. Long ago, I gave each of you a key. I told you, that one day I would return to collect them. The Time has come now.¡± The Stranger collects each of their keys and binds them to a ring chain. . SEVEN KEYS TO THE BOOK OF HUMANITY ACQUIRED
The Stranger turns around and faces the Seeker. ¡°Now that you have talked with the Seven Sages, are you ready to cross the Abyss?¡± The Golden Mask Seeker takes a Moment to listen in on his heart. He feels the weight of all his weapons, armor and items in his backpack, weighing him down. ¡°I am not ready,¡± admits the Seeker. ¡°Not as long, as I am attached.¡± ¡°Then it''s time to let go,¡± speaks the Stranger. ¡°Now?! Really?! Can''t I keep my attachments for a little while longer... Just until I am prepared... Give me one more day... No... One more week...¡± ¡°The longer you avoid it, the harder it will get to eventually let go.¡± The Seeker resists. ¡°But... My weapons... I worked so hard for them... I went through all the side quests... I did all the extra work... Can''t I take them with me?¡± ¡°Where we are going, there will be no use for them.¡± The Seeker takes off his backpack and stares down the Abyss. His hands cling to his belongings. ¡°No! I can''t... Not after everything I went through to get my items back...¡± The Stranger places his palm on the Seekers shoulder. ¡°Just look at how far you have come already. You have fearlessly overcome each of your boundaries, you have broken all limitations. You have progressed up to this point. Very few Seeker ever made it this far, with the other side in sight. Now you have reached a point, from which you can''t progress unless you are willing to make sacrifices. Unless you are fully committed to your path, there is no way you''ll cross the Abyss. Don''t give up, now that you have come this far. Now that you stand at the precipice to the next stage in your spiritual development. This is your greatest challenge, this is your test. Are you willing to surpass even the Seven Sages or will you remain stuck in your old patterns of Self?¡± The Seeker takes a deep breath. ¡°You are right,¡± speaks the Golden Mask Seeker with burning eyes. He grabs his back pack and empties it over the Abyss. All collected weapons fall down into the depths. The Sword of Perception, the Bow of the Sun, the Royal Axe, the Rope, the Legendary Sword ''Problemsolver'' and the Dagger of Deception all fall into the void of the Abyss.
The Seeker lets his bag fall into the darkness as well. He notices, how much lighter he feels without carrying the weight of his attachments with him. There is this newfound freedom. A great burden is taken from the Seekers shoulders. ¡°There is still one attachment left,¡± points out the Stranger. He points at the Golden Mask attached to the Seekers face. ¡°The attachment to the False Identity of Self. You have been carrying this Mask with you around, ever since you first climbed the Tower of Desire. It''s time to let go. You no longer need to play someone, that isn''t you. It''s okay to be yourself.¡± The Seeker has TWO OPTIONS: A: Let go of the Mask B: Keep the Mask The Canonical Ending Golden Mask Seeker. Golden Mask Seeker takes a last breath. He puts his fingernails under the Edge of his Golden Mask and pulls at it as hard, as possible. The Mask sticks to the Seekers skin. It''s almost like vacuum. But the Seeker persists against the pressure and with enough force, the Mask detaches from the Seekers face. Seeker is free. The Mask is no longer attached to his face. For a moment, his gaze is locked at the Mask in his hands. The Desire to put it back on, one last time, arises within his mind. But the Seeker resists the urge and throws the Golden Mask Down into the Abyss, where it fades away in the Darkness of the Void.
NEW CHARACTER UNLOCKED: THE LIBERATED SEEKER
The Liberated Seeker has this clarity washing over him, unlike anything he has ever experienced. New energy and vigor flows through his body. There is a lightness to his body, he remembers from early childhood. ¡°Now I am ready,¡± speaks the Liberated Seeker to the Mysterious Stranger, with determined, burning eyes. ¡°Let us cross the Abyss.¡± TO BE CONTINUED Crossing the Abyss
Part 49: Crossing the Abyss ¡°They ain''t gonna do it,¡± caws the Crow from the rooftop. ¡°I''m betting all my money against them.¡± The Sky is covered in gray clouds. A storm is rising in the distance. Heading towards the Abyss. ¡°Count me in,¡± speaks the Magpie and throws a bundle of money in the center of the Circle of birds. ¡°There''s no way they make it to the other side.¡± ¡°Don''t underestimate someone you can''t even fully see,¡± speaks the wise Owl. ¡°My money goes on the two Strangers.¡± The Hawk stares at the Seeker. ¡°What if they are actually able to cross it? Wouldn''t that mean, that we can do it as well? I go all in. And if they actually make it, I will follow them to the Unknown.¡± ¡°No Bird has ever flown over to the other side,¡± speaks the Raven. ¡°It''s said to be impossible because of how we are wired. But who knows... What happens, if one were to actually break through this invisible barrier?¡±
All the Birds are mumbling. There are Thirty Birds who have followed the Seeker and the Stranger from YouTown to the Abyss: One Crow, One Owl, One Hawk, One Raven, One Magpie, a Nightingale, a Hummingbird, a Songbird, a Bluebird, a Stork, one Vulture, Three parrots, Two Ducks, Two Swans, a Swallow, a Sparrow, a Finch, a Pelican and a Seagull. A Fawn, a Woodpecker, a Crane, a Penguin, a Goose, a Bat and a Platypus. The Summit of Birds. All eyes are locked at the Seeker and the Stranger, who stand at the edge of the Abyss. The Seeker stares at the other side of the Canyon. The Wide chasm of the Abyss seems insurmountable. ¡°How do we cross the Abyss?¡± asks the Seeker the Stranger. The Sky above gets darker, as the storm is coming closer. ¡°Through Faith,¡± grins the Mysterious Stranger, the wind howls as he speaks. A strong gush breezes over the Seeker. ¡°Faith?¡± asks the Seeker in Disbelief. ¡°Faith in what? In God?¡± ¡°Tell me Seeker, what is God to you?¡± ¡°I don''t know... Some dude up in the Sky, who is responsible for peoples suffering?¡± The Stranger grins peacefully. ¡°You see, when you speak of God you refer to an image that humans have created thousands of years ago. But I speak of something different, I speak of something transcendental. Not bound by any Human idea or concept, outside any known paradigms. I speak of something beyond all words. Something that is ever present in every moment. What you call God, I call LIFE. This force of Life is inherent in all things. In every plant, in every animal, in every human being. It emerges from the Emptiness, where all Potential lies dormant. This Higher Dimension of Universal Consciousness, from which our world is projected. This Universal Loving Intelligence from which all of Creation is unfolding. This God is not somewhere distant, unreachable. It is all around us and within you. Within all of us. It is this indescribable, unconditional Love that the Universe feels for you, that connects you to your Source. You don''t worship God by singing or chanting, through Rituals or Tradition. No, to worship God, is to worship Life. By treating all of Life with Respect. By seeing yourself in all faces. By Living a Life without Regret. A Life of Honesty and Integrity. By doing, what feels right in your Heart. There is no Greater way to respect Creation, than by making the best out of your own personal Life. By mastering the ''Art of Living''. If you connect through your Sacred Heart and Sacred Mind to your Source, then Life will have your back. And wherever you go, Life will walk with you. It will protect you. Trust that you won''t fall and the universe will catch you. Follow your heart. Because it''s through your heart, that Life speaks to you. Regardless of your Religion, your Belief or your cultural Background ¨C It is the same Source to each of us. Just different perspectives, pointing at the same thing.¡±
The Seeker looks doubtful over the dreadful Abyss. ¡°But... I still see no way, how we''ll make it over to the other side, with just faith alone...¡± Rain drops from the clouds and lands on the Seekers shoulder. A sudden Thunder startles the Seeker. The Storm is almost here. Suddenly the Seekers attention is grabbed by a new Character who enters the scene. A young boy, who whistles joyfully. He carries a large wand with a bag attached to it''s end. Like a vagabond. He stares upwards in the sky, as he absentmindedly walks directly towards the Edge of the Abyss. ¡°I am walking on sunshine,¡± sings the Boy without a worry. ¡°Woo-Hoo!¡±
¡°Watch out!¡± shouts the Seeker, warning the unaware Fool. But it''s too late, he already tipped over the edge. Distracted by the Seekers voice, the Boy turns around. In that moment, he loses his balance and trips up. He falls over the edge, screaming loud as Gravity pulls him down into the Darkness of the Abyss. The desperate screams of the helpless Boy decrease in volume until his voice is silent. ¡°Did you just see that?! If we fall down there as well, we are goners... What was that all just about anyway?!¡± ¡°The Archetype of the Fool,¡± responds the Stranger calmly. ¡°You know, from Tarot... It''s part of his cycle. He always falls down there into the Darkness, then he explores the Underworld and undergoes many challenges and trials to overcome his Self, until he finds the light. With the Light in his hands he will climb back up and return triumphantly, where he shares his Light with everyone around him. However this is a story for another time. Today we are not descending into the Underworld, we are here to surpass it. Because unlike the Fool, we actually know the secret password. We have the code.¡± ¡°T-The c-code?¡± asks the Seeker. Thunder! A lightning bolt strikes the abandoned station. All Birds lift off from the building. The Seeker is taken aback. The Stranger remains calm. ¡°It''s a prayer, which helps you to directly connect with your Source of Being. Divinely inspired words. But it will only work, if you have already read and understood the ''manual''. I hope you understand, what I am getting at. The reference to the ''PDF'', will make sense later. Read or listen the instructions first, before you use the Prayer as shown in the manual. If you go through the process, it will greatly benefit your Life Path. That being said, listen now for the hidden voice of the Seven Thunders to be revealed.¡± The Stranger takes a deep breath, the Seven Sages also all take a deep breath in. The Stranger takes out a scroll, which he hid behind his robe. With one foot he stands on the Land with the other foot he hovers above the Abyss.
With burning eyes, the hooded Stranger reads aloud the sacred words in the scroll in his hand. The Strangers voice roars like that of a lion and the voices of the Seven Sages explode like thunder. All cite the same prayer in unison: Above them, the dark storm starts clearing up. The Rain decreases. Then it stops. The Sun shines through the newly formed Eye of the Storm. The First Rays of the Sun hits upon the Stranger. A Rainbow has emerged in the sky. All the Birds have assembled at a fence and watch from there in awe. Saint John takes out a scroll and a Feather. ¡°I need to write those words down, before I forget again¡± ¡°Don''t write it down,¡± speaks the Stranger with a grin and throws the Scroll into the hands of the Sage. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± asks Saint John perplexed, holding the heavy Scrolls with both hands at his chest. ¡°Dunno... Eat it?¡± chuckles the Stranger jokingly, turns his back and walks to the Seeker. The Seeker looks at the Stranger. A strong colorful aura is visible around the Strangers hooded body. With many layers of energy radiating out in all colors of the rainbow. ¡°There will be no more delay,¡± speaks the Stranger, while Saint John swallows the ancient Papyrus Scroll in the background.
The Stranger offers the Seeker his hand. ¡°Come take my hand and walk with me together.¡± ¡°You want me to hold your hand?! I... I am kind of a germaphobe... You know...¡± The Stranger keeps his hand still. ¡°There is only one way Forward: Together.¡± The Seeker takes a deep breath. They close their eyes and then take the Strangers hand. As soon as their fingers touch, the Seeker feels a surge of energy flowing from their hand into their entire body. The Rainbow Aura around the Stranger spreads over to the Seeker and covers them as well.
¡°This is amazing,¡± mumbles the Seeker, as they feel the protective bubble of energy around their body vibrating. All the birds from the Rooftop, the Sages on the edge and even the insects hidden in the Grass watch in anticipation, as the Stranger takes a step forward. With both feet the Stranger stands in the air, hovering over the dark chasm. Floating above the abyss. All who watch, gasp in unison, as the Stranger makes the impossible possible. ¡°How the Hell are you doing this?¡± asks the Seeker who still stands with both feet on firm Ground. ¡°Faith,¡± smiles the Stranger, standing in the Air as if there was solid ground below his feet. ¡°Go, take a step forward. Have Trust, that as long as you are holding my hand, you will not fall. And together we''ll make it to the other side.¡± ¡°I... I am afraid of falling,¡± admits the Seeker, scratching the inside of their right elbow. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Stranger looks at the Seeker with compassionate eyes. ¡°You have two choices. The choice between Faith and Fear. You can either give in to your fears or you choose to have faith and see where it takes you. Yes it takes courage, but only in Faith can the impossible be made possible. Only through Faith can we Overcome our limitations. Not in the Faith in something outside of you. But in what''s within you. What''s within all of us. This Light. It is there. It was always there. And it never left you. It shines through all shadows, like the sun burning away all falsehood. And through this you connect with Life, with the All, the Universe, the Source, with whatever you wanna call it. Have trust in this connection. Have Faith in yourself.¡± The Seeker takes another deep breath in and steps forward. Just like the Stranger, the Seeker stands with both feet in the air. ¡°I... I can''t believe it...¡± The Stranger takes a step forwards, the Seeker takes a step forward as well. Without any Ground below their Feet, they walk through the air, defying the laws of Gravity. They synchronize each step forward. All Eyes stare, as the Stranger and the Seeker make the impossible possible. The Seven Sages stare in awe. The Birds are speechless. Some of them start making phone calls. ¡°How are we doing this?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°How are we literally walking on NOTHINGNESS? Is there like an invisible Floor Below us? How does this work?¡±
Just as the Stranger wants to open his mouth to respond, a new voice from the Seekers left shoulder suddenly catches all attention: ¡°Hold Right There, SEEKER! Move One More Bloody Step and You are Dead, Mate.¡± The Deep, raspy Voice. Right in the Middle of the Abyss between both sides, the Seeker stops moving. They slowly tilt their neck. ¡°Ummmm... Stranger... There''s a Scorpion on my shoulder...¡± The Scorpion holds his venomous Sting right at the Seekers bare neck, taking them hostage.
¡°How surprising,¡± notes the Stranger calmly. ¡°Who would have thought, that the entire Scorpion-Arc would still keep going after all that time?¡± ¡°NOW, I got you Seeker,¡± laughs the Scorpion maliciously. ¡°Finally... After all these Years... This time, there is no way to escape! I will finally have my Revenge!¡± The Seeker looks at the Scorpion confused. They wonder, why he sounds so familiar. ¡°Do we happen to know eachother?¡± Offended by the very question, the Scorpion gasps for air. ¡°Know EACHOTHER?! YOU... You wiped out half of my Clan! I am Lachlan, son of Bruce and I have decreed that I shall not rest, until Justice is served!¡± The Seeker tries to remember where they have met before, but nothing comes to mind. ¡°Doesn''t ring a bell...¡± ¡°YOU CAN''T BE SERIOUS!¡± shouts the Scorpion enraged. ¡°The memories of how you scraped off my fathers remains from your shoe, still keeps me up at night. I still hear my mums screams. You know, exactly who I am! Admit it, or I''ll pump enough venom into your neck to kill an entire mob of Kangaroos!¡±
The sharp, shining sting makes the Seeker nervous. ¡°Ah, right... Now I remember... You are the kid from that guy with the boat. Look, don''t take it personally. It was an accident.¡± ¡°AN ACCIDENT?!¡± asks the Scorpion offended. ¡°One parent can be an accident... Even Two parents, I''d might still let you count as accident... But you killed every single person, who meant something to me!¡± ¡°C''mon... It was all just fun... And it''s not like I am the only one at fault here... Every Seeker did it... Everyone was laughing... I mean... It''s just some scorpions... Little, Toxic Pests. It was Self-Defense. If you don''t step on them, they will sting you first. Anyone would have stepped on the Scorpion in that situation.¡± ¡°JUST SOME SCORPION? HUH?!¡± screams Lachlan infuriated. ¡°You think it''s okay to step on my kind, just because we are weak? You think it''s alright to bully those who are small? Are we some Pest for you? An annoyance? You think, you can just hurt whoever you want, without ever facing the consequences, right? Your arrogance disgusts me, Human. You always make excuses and run away from facing your guilt. You trample on those who are weak in order to feel strong. And you always repeat the same mistakes. You never learn. No wonder your kind slowly kills itself... You are just some violent, self-righteous apes, who bring nothing but destruction. And yet, it''s me you call a Pest... How ironic... Now Die!¡± Just as the Scorpion is about to sting the Seekers Skin, the Stranger speaks words of power. ¡°Don''t sink the Boat.¡±
Suddenly time freezes. The clouds stop moving. The Scorpion can''t move his sting. It''s as if he is frozen. Paralyzed, but conscious. The Seeker however is unresponsive. Frozen in Time, as the Stranger speaks: ¡°Don''t sting the Seeker, for you will only hurt yourself. If your venom lands in the Seekers bloodstream, it will block the flow of energy and gravity will pull them down into the Abyss. This means, if you sting the Seeker, you will fall along with them into the Abyss.¡± ¡°I don''t bloody care anymore!¡± cries out the Scorpion. ¡°At this point my hatred for the Seeker is all I have left! What else should keep me alive anyway. Because once I have gotten rid of the Seeker, I know that I will have to face myself. My own actions. I don''t want that. I take the easy way out. Why should I continue to struggle?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen the other side?¡± questions the Stranger calmly. ¡°Now that you are this near, don''t you at least want to have a look and see for yourself, if there is something left worth living for?¡± ¡°My aunt Mary... I think she''s there...¡± confesses the Scorpion. ¡°In Nirvana... Before the land split in two and the Abyss opened up, she used to live on the other side...¡± ¡°Isn''t that at least worth looking into? I mean you can still sting the Seeker after we''re on the other side, right? Just wait Five more Minutes. If you still want to sting them you can try it later.¡± ¡°My Instincts tell me to sting them now. This impulse is very strong and as soon as the paralysis ends, I will do it. It''s just who I am. And nothing you say, can stop me.¡± ¡°If you try to sting the Seeker, I will blow you from their shoulder with my breath. It will happen so fast, that you can''t even react. You will fall into the Abyss. Down there, you will relive your worst Nightmares over and over again. You will go through unnecessary suffering, while I guide the Seeker safely over to the other side. You would Lose and we would win. What I offer you now, is for both of us to win. At least, as long as we all share the same boat. And whatever happens after that, happens. But can we at least first make it over, now that we are so close?¡± The Scorpion looks at the Stranger with skeptic eyes. ¡°I don''t want this to happen. You could be bluffing about your breath, but then I am not keen on finding out either. After all it''s you, who walks between both Sides of the Veil. Alright... Let''s have a temporary truce...¡±
The Stranger takes another breath, now the Scorpion is Frozen and the Seeker wakes up, as time remains still. ¡°Ah Stranger...¡± shouts the Seeker, as they regain consciousness. ¡°He is frozen. Take him off of me! Now, throw him into the Abyss.¡± The Stranger remains calm. His face is serious. ¡°Take a good look at him. What do you see?¡± ¡°A dangerous, venomous insect,¡± responds the Seeker, with tense neck muscles. The Stranger shakes his head and sighs. He point at the Seekers left shoulder. ¡°Look at him. He is just a child. He doesn''t know any better. He just never matured emotionally and mentally. Immature, blind to his own faults. Living in his Delusions. Stuck in his own self-destructive patterns. Look at him. He is your creation. You created him, with every time you hurt someone. First you hurt him and now he returned to hurt you. He is your Karma. He is your guilt. You don''t want to see him, because then you would need to face your own faults. Now face him directly. Look at his bitter face. His hateful eyes and see, how it just protects a hurt little child, who cries all alone. You have a choice to make, Seeker. Between Love and Ego. Between choosing what is best for yourself and choosing what is best for everyone. You can follow your heart, you can follow your ego. It''s up to you. Whether you believe in Free Will or not. You always have this choice. Just Listen, observe and understand and the path will unfold in front of you.¡± The Seeker takes a closer look at the frozen Scorpion. The Seeker looks at the Scorpion without judgment. Without bias. Without Fear. Without Regret. It''s as if the Seeker sees behind the Scorpion''s mask. Within a short moment, the Seeker sees Life through the Scorpions perspective. Feeling exactly what the Scorpion felt. And for the first time, the Seeker realizes what they did. They feel guilty. ¡°I created him and now he wants to kill me...¡± realizes the Seeker. ¡°I am responsible for my own circumstances. If I had not stepped on the other ones, he would not try to kill me now. I caused him to suffer. I caused this situation on myself.¡±
The Stranger smiles proudly at the Seeker. ¡°Do you still remember, what I told you, after we left the Park bench? There is a Boat, that never sinks and it''s called Love. This Love is what protects us. This Love is what carries us over to the other side. Love is the reason, why we are walking in the air. You know what Love is, Seeker. We went through it before. Show unconditional Love even to those who hate you. Whenever your ego is challenged, choose Love. Align yourself with the highest outcome for all.¡± Time unfreezes. Both the Scorpion and the Seeker are back to normal. ¡°We have a Truce,¡± speaks the Stranger to both the Seeker and the Scorpion. ¡°Until we make it to the other side, neither will the Scorpion sting the Seeker, nor will the Seeker brush away the Scorpion.¡± The Scorpion has distrust in his eyes. ¡°My sting will stay right up here. Now move it! We don''t have time all day.¡± The Stranger walks forwards. The Seeker synchronizes their foot steps. The Further the Stranger walks towards the other side, the more he feels an invisible force getting denser and stronger. Like a Barrier, which creates resistance against every step forward. But the Stranger pushes through. Breathing rhythmically. His Eyes light up. The Stranger expands his aura, radiating out more light.
Meanwhile, as the Stranger persists against the pressure, the Scorpion is lost in thought: ''I should sting them. Now is my chance to finally end it. I''ve never been actually this near to the Seeker. Now Is my chance to finally get revenge... But the other side is so near... I always wondered what it looks like over there... I should just wait a couple more minutes... But this impulse to sting is too strong. My unwavering hate can''t be contained. I need to hurt them, just as they hurt me. Otherwise I''ll always be the Loser! No... If I sting, it will be my own downfall... But his neck... It''s just so... stingable... I need to do it... I need to do the stinging... I will--'' ¡°I am sorry,¡± speaks the Seeker and interrupts the Scorpions train of thought. The Scorpion looks up at the Seeker''s face. Tears flow over their cheeks. ¡°I didn''t know, what I was doing. Because now I remember. You are me and I am you. We are One. And Whenever I hurt you or anyone, I only hurt myself. You are the part of me, that I reject. You are PAIN. The idea of pain itself. I am sorry for treating you with so little regard. For all the pain I caused you. For all the pain I caused onto myself. Please forgive me. I am truly sorry.¡±
The Scorpion is taken aback. He didn''t expect an actual authentic apology. The Scorpion is silent. The Seeker wipes away their tears. The Stranger pushes through the toughest part of the invisible barrier. Just Three More Steps and they are on the other side. The Scorpion relaxes the tension. He puts down his sting. ¡°My Father... He was a Great Man, you know... His name was Bruce. He always did what felt right to him. He was weak, but a kind and honorable man. With strong morals. He went out of his way to do what''s right. He was a pacifist and never hurt another living being, unless he needed to. Before he set out to the Frog Kingdom to trade dried insects, he told me, ''always do the right thing''. That was the last thing he ever said to me.¡± One Step forward. The Stranger fights against the Pressure. Two More steps to the other side. ¡°And yet...¡± continues the Scorpion. ¡°I never followed through. If my father would see me today, he would be disappointed in what I have become. I lost myself in my hate and my rage. In my tears. In my suffering. Because I was hurt, I wanted to hurt others. I was so blinded by my fury. My Father wouldn''t like the man, that I have now become.¡± One More Step remains, until they reach the other edge. The Stranger pushes with all his force. ¡°I swear, that I will learn from my mistakes,¡± decrees the Seeker loudly. From the Eye of the Storm a Light shines down onto the Abyss, as the Sun reveals itself from behind the clouds. ¡°From now on, I will recognize my mistakes and use them as an opportunity to grow. Because what else should I do? I don''t expect you to forgive me. I don''t feel like I deserve it. But I will work hard to become a better human being. I vow to be the best version of myself that I can.¡±
The SEEKER, the STRANGER and the SCORPION all push through. Over to the other side. All fall down into the Grass. They did it. They crossed the Abyss. NEW LOCATION UNLOCKED: ''The mythical Land of Nirvana.''
All the Birds stare in Awe. They all sit at a fence. They take a moment to process. Then there is a wild chattering. Every Bird whistles, caws, quacks or sings, all at once. ¡°They did it!¡± shouts the Hawk. ¡°They actually crossed over. That means the barrier is weakened. Now is the time. Let us all return to the KINGDOM.¡± Some other birds are very excited. ¡°Sounds fun,¡± caws the observant Raven. ¡°I''ll join.¡± ¡°I want to visit the Akashic Library,¡± contemplates the wise Owl. ¡°Who knows what hidden secrets it may still hold?¡± ¡°Think about all the bounty we can make,¡± grins the greedy magpie. The talented Nightingale, the little Hummingbird, the elegant Fawn, the balanced Crane, the hyperactive woodpecker, the clever Crow and the motherly stork who carries a confused Platypus all lift off and fly towards the abyss. The Songbird, the Bluebird, the Vulture, the Swallow, the Sparrow and the Finch all remain at the fence. They have not made up their mind. Three parrots, Two Ducks, Two Swans, a Pelican, a Seagull, a Penguin, a Goose and a Bat all return back to YouTown. They would later on tell the story how the impossible was made possible. They would later be the first to spread the legend of ''the Mysterious Stranger''. The Birds who fly into the new land, all repeat the secret words. They are all covered with a Glowing aura and push through the invisible barrier. They flap their wings as hard as they can and make it through. Twelve Birds pass through the barrier and cross the Abyss. All enter into the land of Nirvana. The Seeker watches as the Birds fly above them towards the unexplored land. The Sky has cleared. In the far distance at the horizon, the evening sun is setting. The Seeker stands up and takes a look around. There are wide fields with long grass dancing in the wind. The Trees in the Distance are gigantic, much bigger, than most trees, the Seeker has seen. There are Mountains in the far distance. And then there is a Giant Manmade Construct in the middle of valley. A giant Archway Gate. As Huge as small mountains. Many Kilometers away. ¡°On this Side the Grass is really Greener,¡± observes the Seeker curiously. ¡°Something has shifted. My body feels lighter and all colors around me look more vibrant. The World looks suddenly more real than ever before.¡±
Suddenly an image flashes before the Seekers eyes. They remember the first Glimpse, after climbing up the Rock wall in the land of Truth. The Seeker is overwhelmed with the Beauty in front of their eyes. ¡°It was always here...¡± mumbles the Seeker. ¡°I was just blind to it until now. This Beauty within all things was always there to begin with...¡± A new Voice suddenly catches the Seekers full attention. ¡°Lachlan?! Is that... Is that really you?¡± It''s an elderly Scorpion with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. ¡°Au-- Aunt Mary??¡± asks Lachlan the Scorpion with an open jaw. He rubs his eyes. ¡°I... I didn''t think, that I would ever see you again...¡± She lets her flowers fall to the ground and runs to Lachlan, embracing him dearly. ¡°You have grown so much,¡± smiles the elderly woman. ¡°Follow me to our cozy hut, your cousins Milo and Austin will be happy to see you again.¡±
For the first time since long ago, Lachlan the Scorpion smiles again. ¡°I forgot this feeling even existed...¡± He turns to the Seeker. ¡°I won''t kill you,¡± speaks the Scorpion. ¡°But don''t think that you are forgiven. I will never join your little Fusion-Party. I will forever be your lost part.¡± The Seeker accepts humbly. ¡°I accept that. I hope, that perhaps we can become friends in the next Life.¡± ¡°There is no next Life,¡± grunts the Scorpion and turns to the Stranger. ¡°You tricked me. You convinced me not to sting them, because you knew all along, that once we are over, I would no longer feel the desire to hurt another being.¡± The Stranger grins without saying a word. The Scorpion turns around and walks together with his Aunt into the Sunset. The Seeker still stares at the birds flying towards the gigantic structure at the horizon. ¡°Am I seeing things or is that Stork carrying a Platypus?¡± The Seeker notices the Stranger''s presence. ¡°So where are we going Next?¡± The Stranger points at the Archway Gate in the distance. ¡°We will finally pass through the Seventh Gate.¡± TO BE CONTINUED The Seventh Gate
Part 50: The Seventh Gate ¡°I can''t believe we actually made it this far,¡± sighs the Stranger in relief. ¡°We actually crossed the Abyss... I really thought, we were gonna fall into it''s depths again...¡± The Seeker looks at the Stranger bewildered. ¡°Wait a second... Are you telling me now, that we could have fallen?¡± They walk towards the gigantic archway Gate made of ancient stones. The Seventh Checkpoint. ¡°Well... there was like a 30 % success rate... But in the end we crossed it anyway,¡± laughs the Stranger nervously. His playful smile hardens. He looks down, thinking of something. His face turns serious. ¡°Anyway... There is something I have been itching to ask you. This Question has been on my mind, ever since we left YouTown but the right moment to ask never arrived...¡±
The Seeker looks at the Stranger''s serious face. They can never quite tell what''s on the Strangers mind. ¡°Sure... You can ask me anything...¡± The Stranger takes in a deep breath. ¡°Cornflakes with water? Seriously?!¡± ¡°Ummm... Yes?¡± responds the Seeker, slightly confused by the question. ¡°What''s wrong with that?¡± The Stranger shakes his head. ¡°It''s wrong on every level of being... Cornflakes shall only be consumed with Milk. Eating it with water... It''s just wrong...¡±
The Seekers face gets red. ¡°Well... It''s not like this happens everyday... Sometimes I do actually eat my Cornflakes with Milk. Like when I am all out of water...¡± The Stranger stares at the Seeker speechless. ¡°You do know, that this is not normal, do you? Have you never seen a commercial? The Cornflakes are always served with Milk! What do the boxes of Cornflakes show? Milk. They show Milk!¡±
The Seeker is taken aback. It''s the first time they ever witness such a reaction from the Stranger. ¡°Whoa... Calm down.¡± The Stranger regains composure. ¡°I am sorry for getting emotional. This is just a very heated subject in the Cornflakes-Community. I shouldn''t judge you. It''s up to you, how you eat your Cornflakes. Everyone has their own way of Life and all we can do is respect that. Because we only judge another, when one judges oneself. Judgment is a symptom of ignorance. The Ignorance of not trying to understand another ones perspective. In this case I have judged you, because I am attached to my own perspective of how Cornflakes need to be served. I have however not tried to see your perspective, but insisted on my own narrow view. You have eaten Cornflakes with Water all your Life. What may be a perversion of breakfast to me, is completely normal to you. In the same way there are things that I may consider to be normal, which you may consider ''otherworldly'' or ''mystical''. If I don''t see your perspective, I will remain limited by the confines of my own Perspective. From this very understanding, there can come no Judgment. Because you only judge someone when you don''t understand them. If you however genuinely try to see someones perspective, there can be no judgment. Now that I see this attachment, I let go of it.¡±
The Stranger takes a deep breath in and opens his eyes staring into the sunset behind the Seventh Gate. His serious face turns into a blissful smile. ¡°There is no right way to eat Cornflakes. You can eat your Cornflakes however you want.¡± As the Stranger breathes out, it''s as if he releases a bondage, that was holding him back since a long time. A release from an attachment. A liberation from a limited way of thinking.
The Seeker looks confused at the Stranger, who peacefully gazes at the Dusk. ¡°What... Ummm... What exactly is happening right Now?¡± ¡°This is how you level up my friend,¡± smiles the Stranger. ¡°Expand your own perspective, by accepting that everyone has their own perspective. By accepting that every way to perceive and experience Life is valid. Never push your way onto others. Just let your own Way of Being Flower, without ever restricting another. Even if we already know this truth in the Depths of our hearts, we are sometimes pulled back into outdated patterns. Through Introspection and deep Insight into why we act in certain ways and how it limits us, we can break those patterns and surpass our old Self. If you ever find yourself back into judgmental patterns of thinking, shine the Light of Awareness on it.¡±
The Seeker and the Stranger have arrived at the enormous structure. Both gigantic Columns of the Archway Gate are hundreds of Meters apart from each other and the horizontal column is at least a Kilometer up high above the Ground. The Seeker and the Stranger hear a heavenly chant singing: ''CHECKPOINT SEVEN SAVED'' Level Up! Lvl 50: + 5 Vibes ( 90 V / 90 V Total)
Both at once, the Seeker and the Stranger exhale in relief, as they finally pass through the Seventh Gate. At the same time, the sun has vanished behind the horizon. The Night is coming. The Stranger points at a campfire, not far from the right column of the Gate. There are two tents. The flame burns brightly. ¡°Let us take a rest, Seeker. We need to recharge, before we embark on the final part of the journey.¡±
As they sit down at the fire and warm their hands, the Seeker stares at the wide prairie, beyond the Seventh Gate. Wild Grass is growing everywhere. ¡°Where will our path take us next? I can''t see the road?¡± The Stranger stretches his elbows and relaxes at the campfire. ¡°Our Journey will continue through pathless land. This is uncharted territory. Where we are going there will be no roads, so we need to create our own path. Now let''s have a look at where we have been so far. First we discussed the Nature of Love. Then we had a closer look at the Ego and it''s mechanisms, such as fear, attachment and desire. After the Third Checkpoint we entered into the land of Truth and discussed fundamental aspects of reality. After the Fourth Checkpoint, the focus of our discussions shifted from the individual to the collective. We then broke out of the Labyrinth of the Mind by using Awareness as Master Key to enter into the Higher Mind. When we passed through the Sixth Gate, our path lead us on a journey of healing and integration. Next we will travel to the Akashic Library and reclaim the Book of Humanity. If we manage to reclaim it, we will take it to the Kingdom and open it with the Seven Keys.¡± The Seeker nods silently, not understanding a single word. Reminiscing in old memories, the Seeker thinks back of the long path that lies behind them. ¡°Will this ever end?¡± questions the Seeker tiredly. ¡°This has been going on forever... I am always moving from one thing to the next. And there doesn''t seem to be an end in sight. When will we beat the final boss? When will my ''happily ever after'' finally arrive? When will I finally be transformed?¡±
Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The Stranger giggles. ¡°Why would you want the journey to end? Don''t you see, my friend, the Journey is LIFE. It''s an ongoing process. It starts with birth and ends with Death. But not just YOUR Life. No, it''s the LIFE of ALL. There will always be a new Boss to slay or a princess to save. Your happily ever after is not something you will get in the far future. No, you can only find happiness right NOW. Transformation is not something that will happen in some far away day. No, you decide to be the best version of yourself right NOW. Sometimes you will need to rest. Sometimes you will be stuck in an area. But the path doesn''t run away from you. It''s only YOU, who is able to run away from your path. Ultimately the only way is forward. All you can do is keep walking. Just let the process unfold without the expectation of ''being'' somewhere or ''becoming'' something. Just surrender to it and enjoy the experience, as it happens. That''s why it was created in the first place. To be enjoyed.¡± The Seeker looks at the Stranger confused. ¡°Are you now talking about Life or about the Story?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± responds the grinning Stranger and confuses the Seeker even more. The Crescent Moon shines on the camp. The entire night sky is covered with stars.
¡°Sometimes you are not making any sense at all,¡± sighs the annoyed Seeker. ¡°You are blurring the lines between Story and Reality. I can never quite tell, where the fact ends and fiction begins. And you are are constantly contradicting yourself! Like one day you are saying one thing, next day you are saying something completely different.¡± ¡°When did I contradict myself?¡± asks the Stranger calmly. ¡°I don''t know... But I have the feeling that something didn''t fit... Even though I can''t pinpoint what.¡± ¡°Perhaps I have created confusion, when I used the same words in different contexts,¡± contemplates the Stranger. ¡°Perhaps we are hung up in words and concepts. Perhaps I am showing you the same thing from different Perspectives. Perhaps our Perspective shifted, as we gained more experience. Perhaps, if it didn''t resonate, it was just never meant for you, but for someone else. If you are here in hope of finding a comprehensive teaching, that you can use as a new program for your mental Software, then I must disappoint you. We are not discussing these topics in order to create a new Belief-System or to establish a new ideology. This is not about creating new dogma. Because in order to understand something deeply you need a mind, that is completely free from any Dogma. Because then, there is an intelligence, that sees through all falsehoods. As I told you from the very start of our journey, I am not your teacher. I am not here to impart you with more knowledge to store in your memory bank. No, I share with you my perspective. A Perspective born from the Eyes of All and One. Don''t take my word on the things I tell you. Seek them out yourself. Find out if there is any truth to what I am telling you and pursue your own answer. Some things will naturally resonate, others won''t. Leave behind what doesn''t resonate and take only what feels right in your heart. Don''t take on someone else''s Truth, find your own Truth. I am not your teacher, guide or authority. I am your friend. You may believe that, when I say it, you may not. You may have trust, you may have not. I will continue to say, what I have to say. How you react to it is up to you.¡±
¡°Wait... You''re not a Teacher?¡± frowns the Seeker. ¡°So after everything we went through, you are now telling me, that I was wasting my time?¡± ¡°When you watch from a mountain over the wide landscape, is that a waste of time? When you observe a butterfly or a bird, is that a waste of time? When you take a moment to let the sun shine on your face? Don''t see it as a ''teaching'', or as ''entertainment'', see it as Art. Just watch it and see how it makes you feel. Even when it triggers something within you, it just reveals to you where there is still room to grow. If you realize, that you are attached to something, let it go.¡± The Seeker thinks back to something for a moment. ¡°How should I know if something is meant for me or not? How should I know what to do and where to go?¡± ¡°Follow your heart,¡± grins the Stranger. ¡°There is many false information floating around. Be it in the news, on the internet, in your surroundings. No matter where you go, it''s almost impossible to avoid lies. Some are very tempting, but actually they are just mind viruses in disguise. If you don''t watch out, they can infect you and sway you off your path. Now, even if your conscious mind may be programmed by outside ideas, your soul will always remember the path you were originally meant to go. But an ideology or Belief-System binds you to a pattern. And this very conformity creates pressure, friction and inner suffering. So the ''Soul'', if we want to call it that, needs to take back the power from the Ego, which is Programmed by outside factors. Through your ''Heart-Chakra'', you can access your ''Soul'' or ''Higher Self'' or ''Divine Essence'' or ''Humanity''. Your Soul remembers, what is best for you. Your Soul knows which way to go. It knows what''s good for you and what isn''t. It can discern between which sources are right to listen to and which should be avoided. So whenever you are unsure, whether something on the internet or in your Life resonates with you or not, just place your palm on your heart-center and ask yourself whether it''s in alignment. Channel the guidance of your ''Higher Self''. If your Heart warm up, this is your sign, that you are on the right path. Whether it''s about something you consume or something you create, your heart knows whether it''s in alignment with who you are or not. You don''t need to trust anything outside of yourself. Just Trust your own Heart. There is no better compass. Your heart will always show you the way.¡±
The tired Seeker yawns and stretches their arms. ¡°It''s late. I am going to sleep now. Good Night.¡± The Seeker turns around and heads for the tents. ¡°One Day, you will cross the Abyss on your own,¡± speaks the Stranger, the Seeker freezes. ¡°You will build a bridge, so that anyone can make it to the other side. This is your preparation for when you start your own journey.¡±
The Seeker nods and enters into the tent. They lay down and cover themselves with a blanket. After a few seconds, the Seeker falls asleep. In their Dream, the Seeker is clothed like a 19th century Prisoner with striped clothes. A big stone is attached through a chain to the Seekers heel. They stand before a Giant Volcano. They climb up the rocky mountain with the stone in their hands. It smells like sulfur. The Terrain is uneven, hard to access. It''s getting hotter, the closer the Seeker comes to the top. But just as they are about to reach the summit of the active volcano, the Seeker loses their balance and the rolling stone pulls them back down. They fall all the way down to the beginning. The Seeker tries again. The Stone is suddenly heavier. It has also grown in size. The Seeker again climbs all the way back up. It costs them more energy, than the first time. But just as they reach the tip, they roll all the way back to the beginning.
It happens again and again and the stone grows each time, until it has the size of a boulder. The Seeker looks back at the distance. There are Police-helicopter in the air and patrol cars with loud sirens. ¡°They are coming for me!¡± shouts the Seeker in panic. The Seeker tries to pull the stone back up, but the boulder won''t move an inch. No matter, how much the Seeker pulls against it, it won''t budge. The Sirens get louder and louder. No matter how much they kick and hit and scream, the Seeker can''t move. Cars are screeching, guns clicking, headlights blind the Seeker.
They suddenly wake up in the tent. Nature calls. Still hazy, the Seeker stumbles outside through the darkness. The Campfire is still burning, but the Stranger is no longer sitting there. The Seeker moves behind the trees. Just as they are about to relieve themselves, they hear the hissing of the twisted tongue: ¡°Hello, Ssseeker.¡± The Seeker gets startled at first. When they see the Snake lying on a tree branch, their racing heart calms down. ¡°Oh, it''s just you... You always turn up in the strangest places...¡± ¡°How brave you are to stand out here in the Darkness,¡± whispers the Serpent. The glowing, yellow eyes of the Snake pierce like a knife into the Seekers soul. The Seeker looks around nervously. ¡°Well umm... I need to pee... can you please... Look away?¡± ¡°Tell me Seeker,¡± hisses the Snake and get''s uncomfortably near to the Seekers ear. ¡°Do you even know where you are going? Or are you just tripping over your own feet, stumbling through the unknown? You have no idea, what happens. Isn''t that frightening?¡± ¡°Seriously...,¡± sighs the Seeker embarrassed. ¡°I can''t go, when you are watching.¡±
¡°Do you know, what it means to walk on pathless land?¡± questions the Snake. ¡°You are entering Open World Area. You know how easily you can get lost here? Aren''t you afraid of the Unknown?¡± ¡°I don''t know... The Stranger said something about a library... I think he knows where to go...¡± ¡°Are you sure of that?¡± doubts the Snake. ¡°Can you really trust the Stranger? Is he really your friend? I mean c''mon, you don''t even know his name! In the end, he is just some strange guy, who suddenly turned up telling weird stories about Mohawks... Why should you trust someone, you know nothing about? Like where did he come from? Where will he take you? Did he ever ask you, if you even want to go on this journey? No, he just took it for granted. How little does he value your opinion?¡± The Seeker frowns for a moment, then they shake their head. ¡°No. If it weren''t for the Stranger I would never have come this far. I feel it in my body, the chills. He wants the best for me.¡± ¡°But does he know the way?¡± asks the Snake and crawls on the Seekers shoulder. ¡°Do you really think the Stranger can lead you through the Wilderness? After all... This is Pathless land. Do you still remember, when he lead you through the Land of Truth?¡± ¡°No, I don''t.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± hisses the twisted tongue of the smiling serpent. ¡°If you let the Stranger take the lead, he will steer you into Chaos. Why should not you decide, where to go next? After all... It''s always him, who is at the center of the story... It''s always him who gets the longest script to speak... Why shouldn''t you be the main character for once? Why shouldn''t you have this power?¡± For a moment the Seeker is intrigued, then they shake their head. ¡°So far the Stranger always found a way.¡± ¡°Haven''t you seen the facade is slipping?¡± hisses the tongue of the Snake. ¡°He doesn''t even know what he is doing. So far, it has all been sheer luck! Remember, you would have almost fallen into the Abyss! Come to your senses, he will be your downfall!¡± ¡°It''s not like I know the path either...¡± admits the Seeker and scratches their hair. ¡°But what if you had a map?¡± grins the Snake. The snake tail grabs a scroll and rests on the Seekers other shoulder. ¡°If you had a map, you could take control. The Stranger would need to listen to you for once. Wouldn''t that feel nice? To know something, that the All-Knowing Stranger doesn''t?¡± The Seeker blows some air from their nose and smirks. ¡°Yeah, right. The Stranger is constantly showing off, how much better he is, than me. Always yapping with his dumb smile. I''d really like to beat him in his own Game. At least Once.¡± ¡°All you need is this Map and the world will be at your feet,¡± hisses the snake and wiggles with his tail. ¡°Oh no,¡± denies the Seeker. ¡°I won''t do this mistake again. Last time you sold me a weapon, that didn''t even work. I don''t need your map.¡± The Snake sighs disappointed and puts the map away. ¡°You will come back later. As soon as you are lost, you will wish you had purchased the map. But don''t worry. If you ever change your mind, just call me by my name and the map is yours. If you are willing to pay the price, that is.¡±
¡°By what name should I call you?¡± asks the Seeker the Snake. The Snake whispers something in the Seekers ear. Their jaw drops, their eyes lose focus. The Seeker suddenly wakes up in the tent. Eyes Wide Open. The sun is shining through the fabric. It is early morning. The Seeker squints and rubs the dust from their eyes. They stretch their arms and yawn. ¡°A dream within a Dream,¡± mumbles the Seeker with dry lips. The Seeker gets up and leaves the tent. The Dream is already forgotten. Outside the Tent, the Stranger sits at the fire and eat a slice of cold Pizza. ¡°Want some?¡± asks the Stranger and points at a Pizza box. The Seeker looks confused. ¡°Are you seriously having cold Pizza for breakfast? This is disgusting. Where did you get it from anyway?¡± ¡°I found it,¡± chews the Stranger with an open mouth. ¡°You can''t just eat Pizza you found somewhere! And... Am I seeing things or is that Pineapple on the Pizza?!¡± The Seeker gobbles down the Pizza topping noisily. ¡°It''s Pizza Hawaii.¡±
¡°You judge me for how I eat Cornflakes, when you defile good Italian cuisine?! Pineapple does not belong on Pizza! Serving this Dish should be considered a crime!¡± The Stranger slurps down the last slice of Pizza and stands up. ¡°The Sweet, citric taste of Pineapple really adds to the cheese and Tomato-Sauce. Anyway... Have you rested well? Are you ready for the final part of our journey together?¡± ¡°Wait... You are telling me our journey together will end soon?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°Mark my words Seeker. When the Story of the Stranger ends, does the Journey of the Seeker truly begin.¡± The Stranger takes out the Gjallarhorn. ¡°Looks like it has recharged. Let''s summon our old Companion Gulltoppr. The Pegasus with a golden mane.¡± The Seeker blows in the Horn. It''s echo travels over the entire valley. Like a Thunder, which the wind carries through the entire land. A Lightning Bolt strikes from heaven down into the Earth, right next to the Stranger. As the Dust settles, the White Steed with wings and golden hair .
The Stranger jumps on the Horseback and offers the Seeker a hand. The Seeker grabs it and climbs on the Horseback behind the Stranger. ¡°Let''s head out towards the Unknown,¡± speaks the Stranger with a Grin and takes the rains. ¡°May the Wind follow us, wherever we may travel.¡± Together, the Seeker and the Stranger gallop on the White steed through the vast prairie of the uncharted Land of Nirvana. TO BE CONTINUED The Seeker and the Philosophers Stone
Part 51: The Seeker and the Philosopher''s Stone ¡°How do you approach Life?¡± questions the Stranger, as he gallops with the Seeker behind his back on a white steed through the vast prairies in the Land of Nirvana. Gulltoppr runs westwards, following the setting sun. ¡°With what kind of outlook do you face Life''s many challenges?¡± continues the Stranger as the horse leaps over a boulder. ¡°How do you deal with guilt, regret, failure, shame, uncertainty and fears? How do you play the Game of Life? With resistance and attachment? Or with acceptance and freedom? Your mindset is what programs your subconscious mind. Your mindset determines how you interact with Life. It sets your expectations and values. With the right mindset, you can transmute darkness into light. And slowly your aura will transform into Gold.¡± The Seeker tightly grabs the Strangers shoulder, as they struggle to hold on, while the horse bounces up and down with every gallop. ¡°C-CAN Y-YOU PLEASE SL-SLOW DOWN?!¡± stutters the Seeker loudly, as their entire body is shaking. Suddenly the white steed stops. They have entered another Biome. NEW REGION DISCOVERED: The lands of Fire (LVL 60)
Fields of ashes. All trees are burned, like Charcoal. Bones, Skulls, Skeletons are scattered all over the ground. Dark clouds hover above the sky. Rivers of lava flowing from an active volcano. The air reeks of sulfur. ¡°This place looks so familiar...¡± mumbles the Seeker, as they look at the gigantic volcano, which is three times bigger than the ''Great Shift''. At the foot of the volcano, there is a man-made structure etched into the rock. A Black fortress with many towers. On the top central tower of this Great Monument, there burns an eternal, violet flame. The Pyre of the Flame of Transformation.
¡°So... How exactly am I then to approach Life?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°How am I to deal with Life, when it keeps on hitting me from nowhere?! Life is difficult... Life is so hard and tiring... Nothing ever works my way and things are only getting worse... No matter, how you look at it... It''s so depressing... How am I to live in this dark, broken world?¡± The Stranger takes in a deep breath. He then takes a moment to go within. When he opens his eyes, they are burning brighter than ever before. ¡°Treat life like a Game and it will start to feel like one,¡± thunders the voice of the Mysterious Stranger. ¡°See Life like a Game to play or a story to write. With every word, thought and deed, you shape your journey through the Adventure of Life. Don''t see the challenges in your Life, as an obstacle in your path but as an opportunity to grow. Face each challenge head-on. And with every realization, with every insight, with every step forward you level up in this Game of Life. All that we do, all that we experience, anything that happens, it is all an expression of Life. This is how Life expresses itself. Through us. Through our characters. And you are an Avatar, playing the Awareness of the Universe. You are the experience itself. It''s a constant interaction, between the inner and the outer, the higher and the lower. Change what''s going on within you and what happens outside will change as well. Do you still remember, how you approached Life, as a child? Before you were trapped in the stream of fitting in? Before our minds were socially programmed with ideas that control us through our Pain and Pleasure mechanisms. When you were a child, you treated Life like a Game. A place filled with wonder and excitement for you to discover. Play the Game of Life with a smile on your face. Don''t run away from the challenges that arise in your Life, run towards them, face them head-on. Embrace the challenge and grow from it, without attachment to any outcome.¡±
A sudden loud scream, grabs the Seekers attention. Not far from them, there is a pond of lava in the midst of dust, ashes and burned trees. ¡°I see skeleton warriors, they are fighting something. Should we go and have a look?¡± The Seeker looks at the Stranger for guidance. ¡°What does your heart tell you?¡± responds the Stranger. The Seeker goes within. They take a deep inhale and place their palm on their heart. They listen to the uprising thoughts. A warm shiver trickles down their shoulder. Their Heart Chakra warms up. ¡°Someone might need our help...¡± concludes the Seeker. ¡°Let''s go.¡± The Seeker and the Stranger hush together to the lava pond. NEW QUEST STARTED: THE PHILOSOPHER''S STONE
A crane, a Hawk and a Platypus fight against Four Skeleton Warrior Minions and a Lich Necromancer. A Raven observes from a burned tree. Behind the tree hide a Stork and a Magpie. The Skeleton warriors all emanate a dark aura. The scent of the skeletons reminds the Seeker of the Abyss. The Seeker compares their level tags. ¡°The Skeletons are all level 63, the Necromancer is Level 68... And I am still Level 50... Why are the odds always stacked against me?¡±
Suddenly the battlefield grabs the Seekers attention. The Crane cries out loud in pain. He is hit by a sword attack. Another hit, knocks out the Crane. The Magpie pulls the unconscious Crane from the Scene. Her Reiki healing fills up his health bar. The Stork holds up an protective energy shield, by chanting. The Hawk fends of a skeleton archer. ¡°Raven! What are you doing? We need your help down here!¡± The Raven shakes his head and sighs. ¡°Why did you guys pick a fight anyway? I told you to first observe, but you just went straight in... And now you are dragging me into it as well... If you really want the Philosopher''s Stone, you need to act with intelligence! Anyway... I need you to hold off these Skeletons until I have collected enough psychic energy for my special attack.¡±
¡°But how?!¡± shouts the Hawk. ¡°Do you expect me to do it on my own? The Crane is sound asleep and the Platypus... I am not entirely sure what he is even doing.¡± The Platypus turns around, he wears sunglasses and a trench coat. Behind the Platypus, two skeletons collapse. One with a sword, another one with a hatchet, both fall apart and dissolve, as if acid eats them up. The Platypus speaks with a heavy Slavic accent: ¡°Ah yes, I just love how efficiently your government handles every-ting¡ªso much better than back home, where, you know, we just have dis small little bureaucracy, very casual, no-ting too serious.¡±
The Necromancer makes a hand movement and three more Skeleton Warriors rise up. He then pulsates a wave of negative energy outwards. EVERYONE LOSES ¨C5 VIBES Seeker Vibes (85/90 V) ¡°Someone needs to stop the Necromancer,¡± shouts the Stork with an Indian accent. ¡°The energy shields will break down any moment...¡± QUEST UPDATED:
  • Help the Group of Adventurers(Optional: Take down the Necromancer)
¡°What do the Skeletons represent this time?¡± asks the Seeker. ¡°Negative thought patterns, that keep coming back. The collective negative thought patterns, of those birds to be precise. Since you are tapped into this bird collective, their collective shadow affects you as well. It can drain your energy, it can whisper doubts, fears and temptations into your consciousness, if you let yourself be sucked into it. It will reflect your weakpoints. But you can also help clear it, by negating its corrupt influence through positive energy.¡± ¡°How do I beat the Mini Boss without my weapons?¡± questions the Seeker. ¡°You don''t need any weapons, all you need is already within YOU,¡± responds the grinning Stranger and points at the Seeker''s heart. The Seeker touches their heart and gazes thoughtfully, as they look at the fighting birds. ¡°You are right. Alone, I might be powerless, but I carry the strength of many within me. And I think I already know just the right person for this job.¡± Suddenly the Seeker lets out smoke, which circulates around them like a whirlwind. When the Smoke wears off, it reveals a bandaged Thunderbird Eagle with broken wings and crutches.
The Eagle looks around surprised. ¡°Wha... Wait... You chose me? Can''t you see, that I am not in the shape to fight?! Don''t just summon me without asking... How do I get back?¡± ¡°You can''t go back until the Quest allows it,¡± responds the Stranger. ¡°Dammit Seeker!¡± huffs the Eagle annoyed. ¡°I was happy in the Dreamworld... It was comfortable. I hate work! Who am I supposed to fight anyway?¡± Eagle turns around and sees the Skeleton Warriors and the Necromancer. ¡°Seriously? You are such a Noob, Seeker! Didn''t you check my Stats first? Electricity is INEFFECTIVE against BONE-TYPE Mobs... You should have used a TANK, like the BEAR or an Attack Damage Carrier, such as the Awarewolf against this type of enemy... With this beginner-level set-up we have basically already lost the Game. I really hope for you, this doesn''t count as ''Ranked'', because if it does, I will ban you from the clan!¡± The Hawk notices the Eagle. He breaks through the Defense of the Skeleton Archer, flaps with his wings and generates a mighty gust of wind. The Skeleton falls apart. The Bones are scattered in the wind. ¡°Eagle?! Is that you? Horus be praised. Come give us a hand.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The Thunderbird hides his crutches. He covers his shame and embarrassment with fake confidence. ¡°You guys deal with the Minions, I''ll take on the Necromancer. Your beloved King of the Skies has come to save you all.¡± The Eagle walks straight up to the Necromancer. He tries to look tough in front of his old friends, takes in a deep breath, collects energy and sends out a Thunder strike against the Necromancer. Necromancer Lvl 68 (-80 AV / -100 AV) Thunderstrike hits the Necromancer THUNDERSTRIKE IS INEFFECTIVE AGAINST UNDEAD ANTIVIBES REDUCED BY 5 POINTS (-75 AV / -100 AV) ¡°Dammit Seeker! I told you that''s a bad idea!¡±
The Necromancer mocks the Eagle. ¡°How pathetic. You used to be the King of the Skies. All birds were looking up to you. See how far you have fallen. If your wings would still work, you might still have a chance against me, but in this state, no one takes you seriously. You are a laughing stock.¡± - 25 Vibes against the Eagle (65 V / 90 V) The Eagle loses his temper. ¡°Shut up!¡± shouts the Thunderbird, as he summons a lightning Bolt from the skies above. Lightning strikes the Necromancer, dealing -5 AntiVibes NEGATIVITY RESTORED (-80 AV / -100 AV) Meanwhile the Raven has accumulated enough energy for a powerful attack. He opens his third eye and reveals a glowing, red Symbol in his iris. A pattern of sacred Geometry. The crow whispers secret words, as the air around the Necromancer suddenly heats up. A Violet Flame bursts up in the air and spreads around the Necromancers entire body. The Flame burns the Lich from the inside and turns it''s clothes into ashes. The Lich screams in pain, as his health-bar drops with every second of him burning. It burns away his skin and muscle tissue. When the Health-bar is at 0 AntiVibes, the Bones of the Lich fall apart. The summoned skeleton henchmen fall apart as well. Only Dust and Bones remain. The Necromancer drops a Black Pearl.
¡°Hey,¡± complains the Eagle. ¡°That''s a Kill steal!¡± The Hawk flies over to the Thunderbird and sits next to him. ¡°I knew you would return one day, King. The others gave up on you, I tried to tell them, that you would never abandon us. But no one believed me. Horus be thanked, you came just in the right moment to help us against this Necromancer.¡± The Eagle expands his chest, rubs his beak and laughs confidently: ¡°You can thank me later.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± caws the Raven outraged. ¡°I did all the damage! Why does the Eagle always get all the credit? His attack literally did nothing! If I hadn''t conjured the violet flames with my secret technique, all of you would now be Undead minions.¡± ¡°At least he did something, while you were just sitting on that branch,¡± comments the Magpie, rolling her eyes. ¡°What?! I needed to meditate in order to collect the energy! And in the end it worked!¡± ¡°Yeah, but only because Eagle did all the preparatory work,¡± insists the Hawk. The Raven stares at the birds bewildered. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? Did you all lose your mind?¡± ¡°Did you even say thank you?¡± asks the Stork. The Raven loses his temper. ¡°For what?! Why would I?! He didn''t do anything for our Team?!¡± The Raven takes a deep breath and regains his composure. He then flies to the ashes of the Necromancer and grabs the Black Pearl. ¡°Since I dealt the most damage, I claim the Black Pearl for myself. If you want to create your own Philosopher''s Stone, you will need to find your own soul gem. Anyway, since the way is now cleared, you can follow me to the Keeper of the Violet Flame. He lives up there in the BLACK ROCK CASTLE. He knows the Secret to the Philosopher''s stone.¡± ¡°Cintamani,¡± whispers the Crane as he slowly gets up. ¡°The Pearl, which grants all wishes.¡±
¡°Symantaka,¡± mumbles the Stork. ¡°They say the jewel blesses you with golden harvests.¡±
¡°Ankh,¡± contemplates the Hawk. ¡°I heard it grants access to Divine knowledge.¡±
The Raven lifts off and flies to the fortress with black towers etched into the rock of the volcano. The Stork, the Magpie and the Crane follow after the Raven. The Stork carries the Platypus. The Hawk looks at the Eagle, expecting him to lift off. ¡°Well... I am gonna go for the Stone... I want that update. What about you?¡± ¡°You... Just go ahead... I''m not yet done exploring this area. I''ll catch up later.¡± Hawk nods and lifts off. ¡°Guess I''ll see you later then.¡± . QUEST UPDATED: .
  • Help the Group of Adventurers
  • Visit BLACK ROCK CASTLE
. . Eagle is on his own. All birds are flying to the Black Fortress. Only the Stranger remains. ¡°Why did you lie to them?¡± asks the Stranger the Eagle. The Eagle looks down at his claws. ¡°The Birds look up to me. They should not know, that I can''t fly anymore. I... I don''t want them to find out.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± questions the Stranger. ¡°I am afraid...¡± confesses the Eagle. ¡°Afraid of losing control...¡± ¡°It''s this very fear, that makes you cling to the image that you have built,¡± points out the Stranger, as they walk towards the Black Castle, at the Volcano. Through the Land of Dust and Fire. ¡°You maintain this image not just for yourself, but also for the others around you. This is your Ego. Do you see it?¡± ¡°Just what shall I do?¡± asks the conflicted Eagle. ¡°I can''t keep this Facade up for long... Sooner or later, they will all find out... That I am just another flightless Bird...¡± ¡°Start by being completely honest with yourself. Let go of any false illusions. Own up the truth to yourself. Be honest on the inside and on the outside. When you bend truth, return and correct it. Speak Truth to those you have deceived. Be careful not to speak anymore falseness. Catch yourself, whenever you slip up. Correct yourself immediately and be more careful next time. Now in your particular case, just tell the other birds the truth. Don''t worry about how they see you. How they react, you can''t control. But you can choose between being authentic to whom you are or putting on a mask. Let go of the attachment to controlling how you are perceived. Because you don''t want others to like you for the lies you tell, but for who you really are. Be brave and face the world authentically, no matter how it may react to you. Ask for forgiveness to those you did wrong. Especially the Raven. You took credit for his achievement and gaslit him in front of everyone. Apologize to clear your guilt. Because your heart felt it, even if you close it off. Humility and Forgiveness break the pattern of resentment.¡± ¡°NEVER,¡± shouts the spiteful Eagle. ¡°You don''t know the backstory. He needs to apologize first! It''s his fault, that I fell from the sky in the first place!¡± ¡°Your Pride is why you fell from the Sky,¡± points out the Stranger. ¡°You have no one to blame for your own fate but yourself. See where your Pride got you. Until you learn Humility, Life will continue to humble you. Review your Actions with total honesty and own up to your mistakes. Otherwise you''ll be destined to repeat them again.¡±
The two wanderers stop. They have arrived at the Gate of the Black Castle. Pointy Towers, Hundreds of Meters high. The Eagle is impressed and awestruck by the immense structure before him. Suddenly the Gate starts moving, opening up a passage into the fortress. The Eagle steps through the threshold, but notices soon, that the Stranger hast moved. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± ¡°You need to go through this Dungeon on your own. You need to come to your own conclusions, make your own assessments. I wait for you until you complete the quest. Remember that everything is metaphorical and see how the inner applies to the outer.¡± The Gate closes behind the Eagle, separating him from the Stranger. He walks through the corridors of the Black Rock Castle. In some rooms he finds treasure, in others he finds conflict. After some time of exploration, the Eagle ends up in the highest Tower of the Castle, which holds the Violet Flame. The Eagle walks through a door. He enters a room, where the birds have gathered. The Raven, the Crane, the Magpie, the Stork, the Platypus and the Hawk all stand in the Glassroom of the Lighthouse tower. There are windows all around. The Birds surround a wise, old man who carries a Torch with a violet flame. On his right shoulder rests the Raven. He is clothed like a Victorian Age Nobleman. The Eagle reads his nametag. KEEPER OF THE LIGHTHOUSE .
. . ¡°To create the Philosopher''s stone, we need to go through four stages: First Nigredo, the Blackening. Then Albedo, the whitening. Third is Citrinitas, the yellowing. Last is Rubedo, the Redness. Now the substance that needs to go through this Process is not of a physical Nature but of an etherical. The Transmutation does not affect Physical Matter, but it affects the Energy patterns of the individualized field of consciousness. It''s about transforming your inner state of being, which will then reflect outside.¡± ¡°How is this supposed to make me rich, again?¡± asks the irritated magpie witch. ¡°I was told, with the Philosopher''s Stone I could turn Copper into Gold!¡±
¡°With the discovery of the empirical Method, outer Alchemy was soon replaced with Chemistry. And as we know from Chemistry, you can''t just simply turn base Metals into Gold. However the Inner functions under different rules, than the Outer. Similar, but different. Like a Fractal Spiral. We may not be able to turn Copper into Gold, but with inner Alchemy we can turn a sad face into a smile. We can turn a failure into a lesson. And when others attack you with negative energy, you can transmute it into positive energy. If you have the inner Philosopher''s stone installed in the Center of your sacred Heart Chakra, then your presence will shift the atmosphere of every room you enter. Because your Aura transmutes inharmonious frequency patterns and harmonizes the vibrations around. And because you change the inner, what you manifest as your outer experience will also change. Now before I guide you through Nigredo, you can now all take out your Soul Gems. We''ll use it as metaphorical basis for your own personal stones.¡± The Eagle looks around as all the birds take out a small transparent gem or pearl. The Raven takes out the Black Pearl from the Necromancer. Everyone of them has one, even the Platypus. For a moment the Eagle panics, like a student who comes to class without his homework. But then he takes a closer look at the Gems. He suddenly remembers the Fight of the Seeker against the Dweller at the Threshold. The Eagle puts his wing on his heart and pulls out an Orb of Light. The Eagle holds the Gem in the sun. A solid, crystalline structure, retracting Light. ¡°Step One: Turn the Essence into a Black Substance. This is a Step of Putrefaction, Decomposition. A Death of the Old Self. Do this by throwing your Soul Gems down into the Volcano crater.¡± The Keeper of the Lighthouse opens the Glass door and steps out into the balcony. He points at the summit of the Great Volcano behind his Black Fortress. ¡°Since you are all Birds, this Part is Easy for you. Just Fly up there and let it fall into the hole. Our Filter Systems will fish it out as a round, Black Gem. Like the One from the Raven.¡± The Raven smirks. ¡°Looks like I am one step ahead of you Guys. I''ll just observe here how you guys are doing.¡± The Hawk wastes no time, he is focused on his Mission. He flies upwards with elegance and easiness. He uses the wind to fly higher and higher. He loops around the giant Volcano. When he is at the top he lets the Gem Fall into its depths. Next the Crane does the Same, then the Stork and the Magpie. With each Bird lifting off, the Eagle gets more nervous. ''I wonder whether the Platypus climbs all the way up...'' ponders the Eagle silently in thought. Suddenly there are loud noises outside. Eagle looks up. The Platypus jumps out from an air plane. He wears sunglasses and Sports Merchandise promoting Energy Drinks. He pulls a line from his backpack. A Parachute opens up. He smoothly glides above the clouds. ¡°Objective Delivered,¡± whispers the Slavic Platypus into his watch, as he lets the package drop into the Lava.
First the Hawk returns to the balcony. Then one after another, all the other birds return to the Lighthouse Tower of the Black Fortress as well. Something rustles through Glass Tubes. Sound moves rapidly through pipes, which are part of the Building structure. Five Black Stones drop through the system and land on sterile glass cups. The Hawk, the Crane, the Magpie, the Stork and the Platypus each grab a stone. The observing Raven smirks at the Eagle. ¡°Where is your Black Stone?¡± All Birds turn their head around. All attention is on the Eagle. The embarrassed Eagle is speechless. The Raven giggles. ¡°Don''t tell me... Are the Rumors true? Your wings are broken?¡± ¡°No,¡± shouts the Eagle. As he looks around, his tense face eases up with a fake confident smile. ¡°I just find it shameful, how we all depend on our wings. Have we forgotten, that we hath also come from Earth? Being fastest in the Sky is not enough, one must be fastest on land as well. And so I have devoted myself to climb the Volcano by foot.¡± The Eagle observes the Birds reaction. ''I hope they are buying it,'' he thinks to himself silently. The Eagle jumps down from the tower and lands on the precipice of the Giant Mountain. The Eagle jumps from one stone to the next, using his partially healed wings to jump higher and glide. The Birds observe how the Eagle by himself ascends higher and higher. After almost two hours of climbing the Eagle is almost at the very top. Despite the slippery slope, he maintains balance. But just when he is almost at the very top, he slips up and slides all the way back down to the foot of the mountain with the Gem still in his possession. The Hawk approaches the Eagle. ¡°If you need our help, you can just--¡± ¡°I don''t need anyone''s Help!¡± insists the proud Eagle. Once again, the Eagle climbs all the way up. It takes him two hours. But right before reaching the summit he slips up and falls back down. All the way down, until he ends up at the foot of the mountain. The Birds stare at Eagle with compassion, but he is not ready to give up. He stands up again. Tired and exhausted, he undergoes the challenge one more time. But after just one hour, his tiredness gets to him. He gets careless, inattentive and slips up again, until he is all the way back down, at the very start. The Eagle lies on the Ground. Humiliated. All the Birds look at him.
¡°Until I learn Humility, Life will continue to humble me,¡± mumbles the Eagle. He gets up and faces the Birds watching him from the Black tower. ¡°It''s true. My Wings are broken. I am no longer the King of the Sky... I am now a flightless Bird. I am broken, deeply wounded... I didn''t want to appear weak, so I put on an act. Unlike the Raven, I couldn''t even deal any damage to the Necromancer. I am sorry for lying to you guys. I am sorry for breaking your trust. I can''t go back in time and change what happened, but I can make an effort to change right now. I make sure, that this won''t happen again!¡± As soon as the Eagle spoke those words, it''s as if a curse is broken. He suddenly feels much lighter. As if he had released, all that had weighed him down. The Hawk gets down from the Tower and stands right before the Eagle on the ground. He has serious eyes. ¡°I repeat again the question: Do you need Help?¡± The Eagle takes in a deep breath. He swallows his pride and closes his eyes. ¡°YES. For god sake. Yes, I NEED HELP!¡± The Hawk smiles. ¡°Then You shall receive Help. We won''t just forget all the things we went through together, just because your wings are broken. We will get them fixed again, my friend. Until then, where you can''t fly alone, we will fly together.¡± The Hawk binds the eagle to his back. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± shouts the Eagle. ¡°You can''t lift me. I am bigger and heavier, than you!¡± But the Hawk doesn''t listen. He flaps his wings and lifts up. He flies slower and closer to ground than usual, but he picks up speed. He flies higher and higher. His breathing gets heavier, his wings flap slower. Just as he is about to lose the fight against exhaustion, the Crane and the Stork come to aid. The Crane takes over the Eagle for sometime and then gives him to the Stork. Together, they carry the Eagle up to the peak of the volcano.
¡°Thank you,¡± speaks the Eagle to his friends and let''s his Soul Gem fall into the volcanic hole. But the strong wind however blows the Gem away from the mountain. All seems lost for a moment, as the Eagle sees how the Gem is blown into nowhere. But then to everyone''s surprise the Raven flies into the picture and catches the Gem from being blown away. The Raven grabs the Gem and throws it right into the Volcanic hole. ¡°You owe me one for this,¡± speaks the Raven to the Eagle and flies back to the castle. The Eagle, Hawk, Crane and Stork all rejoice. They fly back down to the Castle. ¡°Humility is a powerful weapon against the Ego,¡± realizes the Eagle. ¡°Only in Humility, I could own up the Truth to myself and to the people around me. My Pride wanted me to win a Battle that wasn''t mine, because this fight was just distracting me from facing my own weakness. I wanted to prove everyone how capable I was, but only because I couldn''t accept that I was weak. But through the Acceptance I found Humility and through Humility I found a way. I understand now, this First Step of the Philosopher''s Stone is the dying away of the old, through Humility. Because Humility is found behind the barrier of Pride. And this barrier is broken broken through Honesty.¡± The Eagle and the other Birds return to the Tower of the Violet Flame. Another stone is pushed through the tube system. A new Black Pearl lands in the Glass. The Keeper of the Lighthouse raises his burning torch. ¡°Now that you all have completed the first step of Nigredo, we will now proceed with the next part Albedo, the Purification.¡± . . . TO BE CONTINUED