The Lost & the Veil (Part 1 of 3)
Part One: Where has all the magic gone?
“Far below yon hill
Right beside the shallow rill
The Hawthorne tree stands.”
From: The Banshee’s Haiku
The Lost & the Veil (Part 1). Where has all the magic gone? You are here!
The Lost & the Veil (Part 2). Gaia Schemes to Save The Lost
The Lost & the Veil (Part 3, Conclusion). Seeds of Magic
The Five Rules of This World’s Magic (abbreviated):
1. [Humans & Magical Beings] Powerful practitioners can draw magic from any of the four elements: earth, air, fire, water. A much less used, and very dangerous method is to open the portal to summon it from one’s own spirit reserve.
2. [Humans & Magical Beings] Magic can NEVER be taken by force from another, UNLESS a powerful practitioner opens their own portal in an attempt to summon from their inner reserve. Once opened, this portal can be usurped by any nearby powerful practitioner of magic.
3. [Humans & Magical Beings] Humans can survive easily without magic. Near-immortal magical beings like Aos Si and Leannan Sidhe cannot. If all their magic is depleted, their physical remains lie dormant for one hundred years - only Gaia can decide whether to revive them at that time. During these 100 years, their spirit joins with the deep and abiding energy contained within the Source.
4. [Humans Only] A protective seal prevents any transference or loss of magic until ten years of age.
5. [Humans Only] Magic accrues slowly over a lifetime but more quickly during certain life altering events. Any part or all of it can be willingly forfeited at any time once one is of age. Few humans have the ability to directly summon magic from the four elements, and even fewer can draw from their own internal reserve and wield its power.
The light in Gaia’s cave blinked as the sun slipped away and twilight arrived. Past, present and future bumped against each other for a brief moment and settled back into place as Treise, Queen of the Aos Si, arrived from the other side of the veil. Lady Moon in her luminescent fullness stepped from the shadows and looked haughtily down her nose as a sound like one thousand honey-bringers reverberated outside the cave.
Unbeknownst to either Treise or Lady Moon, Si Gaoithe had been released. Si Gaoithe buzzed, cackled and began her quest – Gaia’s quest, really. Si Gaoithe did not question the will of Gaia, she would do her duty, she would dance… and if…if she was lucky and brave, before her magic was spent, she would find the kindred dancer Gaia sought.
“How quickly you greet me, my Lady – one would almost believe you have been spying on me,” Treise rolled her eyes.
Under the scrutiny of Lady Moon, she brushed the remaining magic from her shoulders and watched it float like dust motes until fading into nothingness.
Many dawns and dusks had passed since she was last here; the Queen of the Aos Si had tried harder and longer than any of her kind, but The Lost would not be saved, always their own worst enemy. She felt slightly vexed to find herself on their side of the veil and even more vexed to be greeted not by Gaia, but by The Lady.
Lady Moon watched coldly as Queen Treise ignored her then without comment, withdrew from the cave.
Even when Aos Si, magical beings, and the gods were not physically close to each other, the connection and awareness between them remained. But to know details of where one was or listen in on personal conversations required a concerted effort and close proximity (spying-something all magical beings loved to do on a regular basis). Treise watched her go with no regret, though once Lady Moon was dear to her heart.
Alone in the cave, the veil called to her as twilight lingered a few minutes more. She moved toward it and could hear the voices of her kin behind its shimmer. This side was empty and cold…why had she felt compelled to step through? Even in this safe place, she could sense the evil hunger of the Leannan Sidhe outside and the greedy eagerness of The Lost to engage with them.
Leannan Sidhe were dark magical beings over which the Aos Si had no control. Long ago, they gained purchase in this world by virtue of what they had to offer (riches, power, excitement, inspiration). They were bottomless pits of hunger and the magic that once upon a time thrived on this side of the veil, was their ambrosia. Always a dark and devious race - none could rival them in the art of bartering - perhaps responding to the darkness in their own souls, humans began to trade often with them. Many centuries it had taken to despoil the gift of magic from the human side of the veil until only a small amount remained. Creatives were easily seduced; so desperate were they for inspiration to give them a few years of glory, for other humans to admire and fawn over their work. Non-creatives craved riches, excitement and power which the Leannan Sidhe also provided. But such things always diminish and require constant renewal, and thus it was, The Lost became depraved and dependent on the Leannan Sidhe as magic was drained from them and their world.
“Welcome back, daughter,” Gaia whispered.
Gaia always kept an eye on what was happening on the other side of the veil, especially with the Aos Si, but most particularly with Treise. It was as addictive as television for the old gal to hear and watch the magical beings sing their songs, spin their yarns, and fabricate their art – mostly it was the joy of undiminished magic that she could not resist.
For many years she had been sending through the veil tiny seeds of hope and nostalgia (both earth magic) targeted to find root in Queen Treise’s soul so that she would be reminded not to forget The Lost and, Gaia hoped, would regret forsaking them. Her ploy seemed to have worked, and she rejoiced when Treise stepped through a few moments ago. With a surge of triumph, Gaia had secretly released the Si Gaoithe - so determined was she to change the mind and heart of the Queen.
Treise bowed to Mother and took her wizened hands to place on her forehead as an age-old gesture of love and respect. Gaia had many forms, but she seemed to prefer this one – dressed in black and witch-like - perhaps it was to honor the wielders of magic hunted down and killed in the great purges conducted by the churches of The Lost.
“What brings you back here after so many years? Obviously not your love and devotion to me or you would have come sooner…”
A scornful snicker from Lady Moon joined the conversation and Gaia was instantly provoked.
“I am speaking with my daughter; you are not welcome in this conversation. You’ve already entered my cave without invitation, and now you insult me by eavesdropping!”
“I beg your pardon, Gaia. It’s just that I don’t want to see Treise start it all up again only to fail and mope around for centuries. They are The Lost – no one cares about them anymore…except maybe you. Not even the Sky God who designed and conceived them involves Himself much with their wicked ways these days. And I suppose I am curious to see if Treise has finally garnered the courage to leave your cave and witness just what the Leannan Sidhe and The Lost have made of this world she once loved so dearly…”
“Enough!” Gaia’s voice echoed like the rumbling of an earthquake and the walls of the cave shook as a few pieces of shale broke loose and fell.
Treise felt tears form in her eyes and she placed her hand against the cave’s earthen wall to steady herself. Lady Moon turned her cold stare from them as she began to distance herself from the cave.
Always one to get the last word and never to miss an opportunity to get under Gaia’s skin, she proclaimed, “You are both dismissed. I have important matters to attend to!”
“And you, as always, are dismissive, my Lady,” said Gaia with only a hint of irritation and a heaping helping of melancholy.
Treise’s hand was still on the wall of the cave, and it had warmed to her touch. Her senses were heightened, and her blood quickened.
It was so odd to be back in her near-human body again, to be subject to the feelings, and desires that all flesh is heir to on this side of the veil. Not that the Aos Si did not have feelings and desires; they were cast in the same mold used to create the Old Ones, all creatures of magic, and even the gods. Their near-immortal bodies had very human-like feelings and wants (though they could easily forgo food, water and processes of elimination for years). It was just that on the other side, the creative drive was expressed in well…creating. Magic drove those on the other side to make beautiful and sometimes even beautifully horrific things. Over there, time was not spent in knee-jerk fornication, scheming ways to better oneself, strategizing how to destroy enemies, constant consumption of inebriating substances, or eating so much as to qualify for a place in the third circle of hell. Behind the veil there was toe-curling sex, much philosophical debate, games of competition, wonderfully intoxicating wine, and food fit for the gods - but these things were indulged in moderation - the only unbridled excess was in the act of giving magic full reign.
Treise was slowly aware of the subtle aroma of decay, the chill dampness in the air and the eerie sound of water droplets falling deeper in the cave. She realized that she had somehow in her fretting managed to bite her tongue (perhaps to keep herself from telling Lady Moon just what she thought of her), and the tinny taste was unpleasant. As her body and mind struggled to acclimate to the dramatic differences on this side, Gaia closed round her like a warm and comforting swaddle.
“Hello, Mother. It is always nice to be back in your arms.”
Gaia gazed lovingly at Treise for a long while and then, interrupting the peaceful silence said, “I hear a rumbling, a grumbling, a warning…”
Frowning, Treise became aware of it too.
“Magic alone cannot sustain you here, daughter. On earth, even the Queen of the Aos Si must occasionally eat!”
A few feet away, a hearth fire crackled and from its cauldron, a delicious smelling brew of herbs, some known to humans, some not, simmered. A small stone oven released the fragrance of warm wheat bread and honey as Treise’s mouth watered and stomach grumbled even more loudly.
They seated themselves at a stone outcropping and as she ate, Treise mulled over events since her arrival including the strange vibrational buzzing she heard right after stepping through the veil. Something stirred at the edge of her memory but was blotted out as a bit of salt from her first taste of soup tweaked the cut in her mouth. She washed a bite of bread down with some excellent mead and began to also consider the show Mother put on with Lady Moon - as if anyone could spy on Gaia or enter her cave without permission…
I’ll bet those two old crones have become thick as thieves in my absence. Gaia wishes me to believe she has been alone and pining away for my company so that she can manipulate me with guilt and who knows what role Lady Moon has in Gaia’s endless schemes to save The Lost.
Treise gave a sidelong glance at Gaia who seemed to be innocently enjoying their fellowship and meal.
Gaia began to reminisce of days long past in between bites of bread and slurping her soup - her manners had deteriorated, much like those of elderly humans who dwelt too long in solitude, but again, Treise was suspicious. While Gaia could enjoy eating, she did not need to eat in the conventional sense - the truth was that no one ever knew why Mother did anything or what she had up her sleeve…and her sleeves were always near-full to bursting.
Gaia filled Treise in on the most recent events plaguing the societies of The Lost, the demise of most of the sky gods and the wounds inflicted upon her, though these injuries she spoke of merely in passing as though they were minimal and meant nothing. Treise was saddened to learn that prayers of thanks to Mother had become few and far between. She was not saddened to learn that most of The Lost no longer believed in the Sky God for she was still bitter over what she considered to be His betrayal, though He, just like Lady Moon, had once held a beloved place in her heart.
All at once, Queen Treise stood before Gaia and as in the custom of old that they had both forsaken by beginning their meal prior to offering thanks, she bowed her head. Mother smiled indulgently, wiped her mouth with a corner of her sleeve and stood also.
Treise recited a long-forgotten prayer from centuries too far back to count that paid homage to The Mother along with the sky gods (who were much less important in those days). She offered thanks though it had been a long time since she had done so - in the back of her mind she knew Gaia was well-aware of this lapse. She felt somewhat embarrassed to have luxuriated so long in the magical ambiance beyond the veil while failing to remember and thank the earthly and heavenly hosts that provided it.
They both ended the prayer with a hearty, “Blessed be!” and resumed their meal.
The old woman who was, and was not, the true embodiment of Gaia, smiled a weary smile that smoothed the deep creases around her lips but created even more at the edges of her grass-green eyes.
The table and remnants of their meal vanished as Gaia said, “I appreciate the thought, daughter, and your sincerity - though if you truly loved me, you would visit more often than every hundred years or so. There is still some magic left on earth, you know…”
Mother waved her fingers gently and the cave walls sparkled as though sprinkled with diamond dust. An ancient victrola appeared complete with a live RCA Victor dog, who stared curiously into its wooden cone. He looked much like the dog from The Little Rascals (Treise suspected Mother was spending an awful lot of time watching television programs of The Lost).
The dog barked loudly before leaping from the table and bounding toward the back of the cavern where Gaia’s kitty, Mafdet, liked to lurk.
A growl and hiss could be heard before the two ran more deeply into the cave. Mafdet was getting up in age, but Gaia only smiled wryly and shrugged her shoulders showing not a care for the cat’s well-being, any more than she evidenced concern for her own.
With a bit of alarm, (Treise was a cat-lover) and not knowing the dog’s proper name, she called out, “Dog! Dog! Heel!”
“The dog is born of magic and will not be commanded, my queen, not even by you. But Mafdet, proponent of justice and protector, might deign to listen and obey if you should call for her. Are you ready to make your call for justice, and lead the way, my queen?”
So much nuance, so much challenge, so much shite! Treise always felt like a rebellious and sullen teenager around Gaia.
“You still pressure me to act on their behalf - to save them from themselves - your not-so-wonderful brood that knows no respect for you nor me. And how would you have me fight for them, Mother? I will not do battle in their wicked wars and last I checked, neither my nor your magic is strong enough here to accomplish anything of significance! The one time, centuries ago, that I could have saved this world, you turned to milquetoast, Lady Moon refused to help me, and the Sky God orchestrated my defeat! Since then, The Lost have only become more and more hopeless and I may have forgiven you, Mother, but I shall never forgive those other two!”
“There is magic left here, Treise, perhaps not enough to grow strong on its own, but if the Aos Si were to go to war against the Leannan Sidhe, not to completely destroy them this time, but to reduce their power so as to restore The Balance…if we might work together to spread seeds of magic to those already most receptive to it…”
Gaia left the thought hang in the air for all at once, Mafdet and the magical dog with no name returned playfully from the back of the cave, cavorting as though they had known each other for years. The dog was behaving silly as dogs are wont to do, and the cat was maintaining its dignity as cats nearly always do.
They peered in turn at Gaia and Treise and back again as though expecting something from each of them. Mother reached down toward the dog who ran to her immediately. Mafdet strolled with aplomb over to where Treise was seated and began to purr and crisscross between her feet.
“Hmm, unlikely bedfellows one would think at first…and yet…” Gaia smiled knowingly.
Treise could not resist stroking Mafdet’s back and Mother fed the dog a bit of something he seemed to relish. The Queen put from her mind all worries about the race of men and was lulled into a pleasant sensuality born of the soft vibrational purr, her own full belly, and a sleepiness that threatened to overtake her.
Miraculously (actually, magically), Schubert’s Lilac Time Serenade began to play with acoustics to rival Notre Dame in its hey-day. Except for the miniscule tics always found on old vinyl, the sound was perfect. The cave’s earthen walls, not to be outdone by spirits of sound and air, sprouted soft, velvet buds that popped gently into bunches of fragrant flowers resplendent with orange honey-bringers intent on their work.
Treise smiled in appreciation at the display and bowed her head, “Indeed, Mother, your magic here, unlike The Lost, is as strong and beautiful as ever.”
“They are capable of great magic too - this music, after all is their creation. I remember when you believed in them, and they in you…”
“Please stop, Mother. They are lost and in a state of decay. Their civilizations are collapsing as they selfishly vie for power and dicker with the Leannan Sidhe. And…they are destroying you whether you admit it or not. I no longer care for them - I detest them!”
A tinkling laughter as might come from fairies cavorting with will-o-the-wisps in the woods at midnight hung in the air as Gaia spoke, “I have stood long before their kind arrived, and I will stand long after they are gone – they cannot do any harm to me that I cannot heal. But you were once their champion. I remember your face and how it shone with the beauty of righteousness when you fought alongside them. You, with your shining blue sword splitting the air… and heads…with lightning speed. You, protecting their generals and best warriors with your luminescent shield of justice and honor. Even the Sky God was impressed with the power of The Fair Folk!”
Treis interjected, “And yet, look at them now. They no longer fight for honor, and they know nothing of righteousness or justice. I was a fool to believe in them and over the centuries they have shown their true ugly selves. As for the last remaining sky god…he’s a joke! He has shown his duplicitous face to the human prophets, fudged on telling the whole truth, allowed churches to crusade and purge in his name… and none are left who truly believe in him. He is like Ozymandias – ‘…King of Kings. Look upon my work, ye mighty and despair!’ And soon, just like that ancient king of lore, nothing shall remain of his favorite creation – such is the fate of The Lost!”
Gaia was silent for her mind was traveling with the Si Gaoithe she had released earlier upon Treise’s arrival. A look of concentration defined her demeanor, and Treise took it for thoughtful consideration of the points she was making and so continued, “When the Lost are at last gone from this earth, the veil will be lifted never to separate the worlds again. The Leannan Sidhe will waste away for there shall be no humans to enter into dark dealings with them and magic will fill the air. The sky gods will resume their proper place, no better no worse than any other creature born of magic, and you will heal until all trace of their poison is gone and their rotting bones and flesh will grow flowers to fill the holes they left in your soul. None shall mourn them, except maybe Him. How lonely heaven will feel when it has no souls to claim nor the ability to bask in the adoration of humans. How purposeless shall his angels become when not spending their time meddling in the lives of The Lost. And you, Mother, can at last turn your attentions to the Aos Si and other creatures who unlike The Lost, have never turned away from you!”
Gaia drew her attention back to Treise who was smiling a bitter smile.
The victrola’s needle ripped across the unseen record and destroyed the delicate threads in its imaginary vinyl. Treise startled and jumped a little.
Gaia laughed, inscrutable as she often was, and downed a shot of some kind of liqueur that had appeared from nowhere. She did not offer any to Treise.
“The Father is incapable of duplicity by his very nature, child. As for what He has revealed to our children, it was all they were capable of grasping at the time. ‘I still have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now (John 16:12).’ And the fact is, they are not now, nor ever will be till their days are over, ready for the whole truth!”
Gaia snorted dismissively and turned away from Treise.
“If I would have known you were going to be this kind of buzzkill, I would have told you to stay away for another hundred years!”
It was always disconcerting to hear Mother use current slang, and she often got it wrong which made it funny. This was not one of those times it was funny, and Treise internally acknowledged she might have been a little overboard in her diatribe – this was not something she would admit to Mother (especially since Mother rudely withheld the wonderful smelling liqueur…was that Napolean brandy)?
Gaia continued, “Never forget The Lost are of me also, child - the Sky God may have designed and helped conceive them, but I fabricated their flesh from my own and I endowed them with the power of Earth magic which has sustained them for several millennia. They are The Lost, Treise, not The Dead and Gone! I am their Mother - do not speak ill of a child to its mother if you wish us to remain friends. You and I both know it only takes one - one human, one God, one Aos Si - to dramatically alter the course of history. And as long as there is one, there is hope. And you should also remember, He can no more allow the Leannan Sidhe to be destroyed than allow the end of me or any other creature of magic - we are all under His protection. The civilizations of mortal men may come and go, and though they might at times use magic, they are not born of it as we are. Their fate is more fragile than ours…especially since they have proven themselves ill equipped to wield that dangerous gift He saw fit to saddle them with…I do wonder sometimes if He regrets giving them the keys to the car only to watch them crash and burn it.”
Mother looked to have greatly aged since the beginning of their talk, and Treise felt guilty for haranguing the old gal and trying to get her to forget about saving her children.
“I must take a nap; chit-chat with you has been draining. I hope you have not sucked all the energy from the magic behind the veil as you have done from my cave.”
Gaia began sweeping the floor with a decrepit broom and scooted the detritus (presumably from Treise’s tirade) into her dustpan with wry humor written across her ancient face.
Clever old biatch. Treise could not help but smile affectionately, though some of Gaia’s words stung deeply. The Lost had always been her weak spot and always would be.
As she swept, Gaia said, “You know nothing of parenting while allowing yourself to cling to victimhood like a sullen teenager, no, more like a tantrum-throwing toddler - you have taken your little ball of magic and gone home to the other side of the veil! Your war from which you hold ancient grudges against The Father and Lady Moon for not coming to your aid and dared to call me milquetoast about, would have allowed the total annihilation of the Leannan Sidhe and disrupted The Balance…you well know this, but cannot let loose of your stubbornness.”
The imaginary-become-real debris she was sweeping began to give off a foul odor, so much so that the dog whined and covered his nose, and Mafdet withdrew into the shadows of the cave.
Treise squirmed uncomfortably, held her breath and crossed her arms.
Gaia continued, obviously enjoying Treise’s discomfort, “Speak not of what you perceive as shortcomings of the Sky God - He is acting from a courage and faith you will never understand -it is you who have abandoned The Lost - their Father is of a mind to see them work it out for themselves but would allow, if one such as you, might help them without disrupting The Balance…”
Her pride ruffled, the Queen of the Aos Si interrupted, “But He allows the Leannan Sidhe to continue their evil. He abandoned me when I needed him most! Your help was half-hearted - admit it! Though I have forgiven you because I know it is His fault - Him and that sneaky Lady Moon. If they would have helped me when I begged them to, humans might have had a chance to work it out for themselves and they would not now be The Lost!”
The atmosphere in the cave had grown oppressive like the air before a thunderstorm as Treise and Mother glared at each other.
Finally, Mother sat upon the earthen floor of the cave and a small bonfire appeared before her as she closed her eyes. This denoted that it was time for the weaving and telling of stories just as ancient humans had always done to spread Earth and Fire magic before they assumed the mantle of civilized beings.
Spirits of ancestors and darting Fire Elementals entered the space.
All eyes were focused upon Treise standing alone in the shadows, though Mother still sat with her eyes closed. There was an aggressiveness to the Fire Elementals and tiny sparks ignited a few loose threads on Treise’s gown before fizzling to black smoke trails in the cave’s dank air. After a few awkward jumps to avoid the sparks, Treise lowered her gaze, and grudgingly moved over to the fire and sat across from Gaia.
Mother sang an ancient song in a tongue long forgotten by The Lost, but the Queen of the Aos Si remembered it and followed her words. Come hell or high water, Mother would tell her tale, and her truth would declare the power of Earth and defend the sovereignty of Heaven.
It went something like this (translated):
“The great Balance must be maintained - good and evil, light and dark, wisdom and foolishness - there is never one without the other. His greatest gift to the progeny of Adam and Eve, Free Will, has been abused and threatens the Balance. Who is foolish enough to believe that He wills it to be so or has abandoned his children!? How much easier it would have been if such a gift had not been bestowed…His faith in them has always been greater than their faith in Him! The wise Earth Goddess argued with Him for eons - She would have their children to be as beasts in the field, nature-driven and governed by the immutable laws of instinct and habit. She sang in His ear of the precious and consistent song of birds and bugs, the unchanging antics of wolf, lion, bear, fish and monkey - creatures who worship the divine by the act of living with open hearts and wild ways. Sweet Mother made promises to Him to watch over them for all eternity…the Sky God would not have it so. He gifted His most beloved progeny that most precious of gifts, heretofore only allowed the gods and other creatures of magic: Free Will. He doted on His humans…enough to make the angels cry out, “Enough! Unfair!” And so it came to pass that these, in a fit of anger fell from His realm and took up their sneaky business to destroy the progeny of Adam and Eve (who were not yet the Lost). These fallen angels grew into the demons known as Leannan Sidhe…”
There was more to her singing, but the ritual began to devolve into a sort of Bacchanalia with Gaia cavorting in unseemly ways with the Elementals and ancestors. Treise’s face turned red, and she withdrew again into the shadows of the cave. She sat with her back to the goings-on and stroked Mafdet while trying to block out the fierce, sensual, drum beating rhythm, lest she be tempted and drawn into the dance…perhaps even finding herself beguiled by the music to also behave in untoward ways…
At last, the drums receded, and the “guests” left. Mother had changed her appearance - was she channeling Maye West?!
In a husky, contralto voice, Gaia said, “Come, it is time for us both to sleep and recuperate our energy – who knows what the morrow may bring, and we must be ready for it.”
“Rain drips from the tree
And transforms the Earth to mud -
Thirsty swords rain blood.”
From: The Banshee’s Haiku
Timeline for this world:
Year 000: There was naught but the Source. It held potential but no substance - nothing lived within it, and nothing existed outside it.
Year 00: The Source became self-aware, began to gain substance and in so doing felt loneliness for the first time.
Year 0: From the abundance and love within the Source, all that is spewed forth. The Source rejoiced in the magic of its own creation and splintered itself so as to fully experience each part of its whole.
Year 1: Gods and magical creatures came into being.
Year 2: The first human crawled from the primal ooze and was gifted by the Sky God the freedom to choose and for the first time, the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine found themselves at odds with each other.
Year 3: The entourage of the Sky God begin to argue among themselves as a group of them splinter away. This group loathes humanity and determines to destroy it. They travel to earth for this purpose, but the Sky God places a curse upon them so that they cannot kill humans unless attacked, and that for all their days they will need to consume magic from humans in order to survive - they become known as the Leannan Sidhe.
Year 4 - Unk: The veil forms to protect the store of magic as war, dissention, and evil alliances play out on the human side of the veil - good and evil vie for dominion over all that is.
In this world I created:
Masculine Energy = Logic, Order.
Feminine Energy = Feelings, Chaos
No living thing exists solely on either side -
Each one is an eternally vacillating concoction of both!
To continue reading:
The Lost and the Veil (Part 2), Gaia Schemes to Save the Lost
The Lost and the Veil (Part 3, Conclusion), Seeds of Magic - LINK!
If you enjoyed this, please comment, like or restack. Thanks as always for your taking time to read, reflect and enjoy my posts.
I like the way you mixed the past, present, and future into one song.
The Mother calling the Queen to worship the Sky, and hearing in return the complaints of the deserted.
I like the way you mixed all the religions into one story, and it made sense.
Would that we all worshipped as we once did.
Blessed be.
September? but September is forever away. Waaaaaa
I have no words.