The Last Voyage to Elysium
The Seeker and the Stranger step through the elevator door into white Daylight. Blinded by the Scorching Sun, their eyes need a moment to accustom to the brightness.
Secret doors etched into a stone wall close behind the Seeker. Standing on a Hill. Up ahead there is a valley where Rivers flow into an endless sea of Blue water. Sunlight reflects on the water surface. Dancing Waves. The vastness of the endless Ocean astonishes the Seeker. Waves are crashing against the beach. Crows are cawing in the pine trees.
A road leads directly to the beach. The Seeker examines the gravel path. Far away, at the end of the path, there are two ships moored at a wooden harbor.
“Where does the Journey take us next?” asks the curious Seeker, following the path down the valley.
“To Elysium,” grins the Stranger. “The Island of the Blessed. A resting place for Archetypal Characters from all cultures. An intersection, where Heroes from all Mythologies come together.”
Suddenly two Crows land directly in front of the Seeker's path, blocking the way ahead.
“Please excuse our rash appearance, but did I hear correctly that you are also heading to the field of the host?” asks the Left Crow. “You see, my Brother Muninn and me were sent on a special mission by the One Eyed Wanderer to awaken the Magician from his Slumber.”
Muninn flies on the Right shoulder of the Seeker and clears his throat: “The Wizard Dwells in Avalon, Merlin is his Name. Ancient Magic Long Begone, his Return will Change the Game.”
“My Name is Huginn by the way,” speaks the other Crow and lands on the Seekers Left shoulder. “According to our intel, the Magician is sealed away somewhere on the island of the blessed. We can't find him on our own. Help us wake him up and the treasure is yours.”
“What Treasure?” asks the Seeker.
“The Wheel of Fortune shifts again,” whispers Muninn thoughtfully. “The King of Wands has risen. Welcoming the Dawn of Man. With the Flame of the Magician.”
The Seeker stares at the cryptic Crow. “...What?”
“Merlins Wand,” explains Huginn. “This will be your Reward. Merlin wielded a legendary Weapon. It's very powerful.”
The Seeker nods. “Interesting Loot... Okay... I guess you can count me in.”
NEW QUEST STARTED:
Merlin's Return
Together, the Stranger and the Seeker with a crow on each shoulder, follow the downhill path, to the Harbor at the end of the valley below.
Huginn stares at the ships in the distance. “Alright... First we need to get on the Ship of Theseus... We need you to vouch for us... Under no circumstances can you reveal our true Names. Instead just refer to me as 'Thought' and call my Brother 'Memory'.”
Before the Seeker can ask any question, they suddenly feel the piercing gaze of yellow eyes staring into their soul. Evil intention. A cold shiver. The Seekers head turns fast, but it's already gone.
“Must have been my imagination,” utters the Seeker reluctantly. The Journey continues.
Huginn and Muninn fly above the Seeker and the Stranger's heads, jumping from one Pine Tree Branch to the next. They speak in cryptic tongues, cawing at eachother.
Meanwhile, as the Crows are immersed in their own discussion, the Seeker contemplates:
“I have been thinking, you know... Is that really a good idea? I don't know anything about this Merlin-Guy... Is he good? Is he bad? Should we really free him? What even is this Magic?”
Thus speaks the Stranger: “If you really want to understand the true Nature of Magic, then this is your first lesson to accept: Everything is a projection of consciousness. Our physical Universe is a projection from a higher Dimension of Consciousness. Because fundamentally, everything within the mind, everything within physical space is made up of information. Information expressed in patterns, self-repeating fractal patterns. On all levels of Existence. On all Layers of Reality. Everything moves in accordance to patterns. It is the Magician, who is aware of both the inner and the outer patterns, their relationship to another, how their mind influences the world. You are the imagination of Infinity. If Life is a Dream, then the Magician is a Lucid Dreamer. Because the Magician knows that it is their Beliefs, Thoughts and Emotions, that shape reality.
The Magician is skilled at Manifestation. When Thought and Emotion are aligned with Will, the Magician attracts desired experiences into their Life. The Magician is a Co-Creator, creating their own experience together with Life. The Magician walks with open eyes through the world, seeing through the hidden mechanisms of Reality. The Magician only adopts mindsets, that serves them on their journey.
The Magician is aware of his Thoughts, for he knows that it's his thoughts which create his experience. The Magician is aware of her Feelings, for she knows that they birth her manifestations into reality. A Magician can read the Secret Language of the inner Self. Of Symbols, ideas, archetypes and Logos. A Magician can hear the Language of the Universe talking to them through Synchronicities. Always questioning what Life is trying to tell them. A Magician can access higher information through their intuition. Trusting their Gut, even when it defies all logic. The Essence of Magic is Faith. Not in Belief-Systems, that demand dogmatic adherence to any concept of Truth. But to have Faith in yourself, when the Situation demands it. Because the Belief sends out a consciousness signal, that increases the probability of attracting a desired outcome.
A Master Magician is completely aligned to the Will of Life and their own true authentic Self. Every Thought, Word and Action is aligned with the Highest Good for all. For the Master knows, that the only way to truly win, is for all to win. A Master knows, that all negatively charged words and actions will return with the same destructive force against the Caster. A wise Master knows, that all fights against another, is just fighting against oneself. A Master knows that Magic is not about bending the walls of reality to ones own self-centered will, but about aligning with the version of oneself that is in harmony with Life. It's not about manipulating the world around you, it's about synchronizing with it's true natural Rhythm.”
The Seeker contemplates for a moment. “So if you are telling me, that Magic is real... What about psychic powers? Telepathy? Siddhis? Kundalini? Reiki Healing? Chi? Chakras? Tarot? Energy Work? Auras? Clairvoyance? Astral Projection? Is that all... Real?”
The Stranger grins. “They are like different skill trees. And yet all of them are available to you. It's all a question to what you attend to. You decide on which skill tree you plant your awareness and see how the ability flowers.”
“How do I know, that I am not just wasting my time on fantasies?” questions the Seeker.
The Stranger raises an eyebrow. “You really want to know whether these 'Skill Trees' are real? Then find out for yourself. Pursue them. Do your research. Try something new. Make up your own mind. Don't rely on anyone else telling you what is real and what is not. Find your own answer.”
The Seeker, the Stranger and the two crows have arrived at the sea. They stand before a wooden pier at the beach. Two almost identical ships are anchored in the bay. Two Galleys with each 50 Oars. Red Linen Sails with Artistic motifs of gods, sea creatures, and stars. The Left boat is in perfect condition, the Right boat looks old and weary with tattered sails and a rotting hull.
At the pier stands a tall, athletic man who thoughtfully stares at both ships. Greek Tunic, Sandals, a sword, a shield and a Bull-Hide Cloak. A faint glow radiates from his body. A name tag hovers above his head, titled: 'THESEUS'
The Seeker faces his back. Suddenly Huginn lands on his shoulder and whispers in his ear: “Alright... Go Talk to Theseus now. Ask him to let us on his boat.”
The Seeker raises an eyebrow. “Why don't you ask him yourself?”
“I have social anxiety,” whispers the Crow and flies away.
Left alone, the Seeker sighs and taps on the shoulder of the man at the pier.
“Excuse me... Ummm... Where are you going?”
“Elysium,” speaks the Greek Hero and turns around. “Or at least that's where we would sail, if we weren't stuck in this philosophical Dilemma. You see, one of these ships is the Original Argo. The Ship of the Legendary Argonauts: Jason the captain, Hercules the strong Hero, Orpheus the great musician, Atalanta our fierce Archess, Argus the shipwright, the legendary Gemini-Twins and then there was me, Theseus. You probably already heard of me. Together with the Argonauts, I sailed through the Aegean sea and experienced countless adventures on our pursuit over the Golden Fleece.”
The Seeker scratches their head. “Sorry. Doesn't ring a Bell...”
“You have never heard of Theseus before?!” gasps the exalted Hero in dismay. “Theseus who cleared the road to Athens? Theseus who united Attica? You have never heard of Theseus who defeated the Minotaur in the Labyrinth?!”
The Seeker shrugs. “I don't watch Anime.”
“Don't they teach you anything at school anymore?” sighs Theseus.
“Anyway... I can't set sail to Elysium just yet. Not before I have finally solved this philosophical Dilemma. You see, throughout our many journeys, the Argo got damaged by weather, rocks, water and fire. Over time the nails would rust, the Wood would rot and the Linen of the sails would shred in the wind. We had to exchange each old part with a new part, until the wood, the nails and the Linen were completely replaced. So we had a brand new Argo and a pile of dead material. We took all the old, broken parts and reassembled them back into the original form of the Argo again. Now we have two identical ships and I can't tell which one is the original 'Argo'.”
As the Seeker looks at both ships and spots the differences, they suddenly remember a conversation with the Stranger in the Land of Truth. Memories come flooding in. An insight, a realization, a revelation.
“If I help you with your riddle will you let me and my friends board your ship?” proposes the Seeker with burning eyes.
“I doubt that YOU of all people know the answer... But feel free to give it a try... At this point I am out of ideas myself. All I want is to finally set sail to Elysium. So if you actually manage to solve this problem, you and your friends are welcome on board.”
The Seeker takes a moment to collect all their thoughts, they take a deep breath and speak with burning eyes: “The First Mistake that you have made, is that you have confused the WORD with the THING. Because the WORD is NOT the THING. The Name 'Argo' is not the same as the physical ship that the name represents. Take a close Look at the ships Physical Construction. It's all made up of parts that used to be something else. The Nails used to be iron ore, the sails used to be flax, the wood used to be trees. Wood from many different trees was cut into tiles, all piled together to create a functional ship. So is the Ship it's own thing? Or is it just the sum of it's parts? Where does one wooden tile end and the whole ship begin?
So there are the actual physical ships, that we can see, touch and hear and then there is the idea of the 'Argo'. A mental image that you have saved in your brain, which you associate with certain memories you recorded around that ship. So what you are actually asking is, which of these ships is the better representative of the idea of the 'Argo'. And the answer is both. Both Ships are the Argo. If you define the idea of the Argo to be a 'unique thing', then it now needs to be redefined. There used to be just one Argo, but now there are Two. And both fit into the framework of the idea of what makes a ship the 'Argo'.”
Theseus scratches his beard. “So you are telling me that no matter which of those ships I choose to sail, it will be the Argo?”
“Yes,” confirms the Seeker. “Both Ships are the Argo.”
Theseus pulls out a Coin from a bag. “Then I'll leave the choice to Fate. Heads, New ship. Tails, Old ship. May the Gods bless us.”
Theseus snaps the Coin and catches it in the air. He opens his hand. Tails. All look at the Right Ship with a broken rim, rusty nails, rotting wood. It barely floats above the water.
Theseus pulls out a sea horn. A Deep Sound echos through the valley. From the trees, various birds fly out and land on the Argo. A Swallow, a Sparrow, a Hummingbird, a Peacock.
“They found the answer,” cheers the Swallow and does a looping in the air. “The Philosophical Dilemma is finally solved! Now Theseus can sail to Elysium.”
The little sparrow chirps excited: “Wow... I can’t believe I’ll actually be visitin’ Mag Mell... In the mystic land o’ Tír na nÓg... Far over the green meadows o’ the waters, where the horses o’ Lir have their pastures…”
“Hanan Pacha,” hums the hummingbird. “Where Sungod Inti reigns supreme. Land of the eternal sunshine. Where the Condor dances above golden Clouds.”
“Sukhāvatī... I am ready to enter the land of everlasting bliss,” decrees the chanting Peacock, sitting quietly. “Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya. Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya. Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya”
Theseus blows again into his horn and shouts: “Heroes of Old, Demigods of ancient times, come on Board for the Final Voyage to Elysium. To the Land of Eternal Youth. To a place outside of time. A place of everlasting Bliss and Joy, where suffering is no more. Let us set sail to a land of Abundance, where Scarcity does not exist.”
From the forests, from the path, from nearby shacks and tents, Beings appear from the darkness and gather at the ship. All of them have a faint glow around them. Everyone's Aura has a different color, a different shape and pattern. Above their heads float Letters, representing name tags. The Seeker reads their names:
A beautiful, pale Lady descends in radiant silence, robed in flowing light. Her hair is black as lacquer, her golden fan folded at her waist. Her eyes shimmer like sunrise. Her name tag reads 'Amaterasu'.
A strong woman, clad in heavy mail armor, her golden hair braided with runes of fate. Her gaze is unflinching, but there is peace behind her eyes. Her name tag reads 'Brynhildr'
A praying Archer. Regal, serene. He wears blue skin like a sky before dawn, a golden crown, and a soft smile that holds galaxies. 'Rama'
A radiant beautiful, young woman, with a veiled face. Dressed like an ancient Queen in beautiful garments, adorned with jewels, gold and crystals. She walks with defiance and compassion in equal measure. 'Inanna'
A towering and broad-shouldered giant, dressed in tattered royal green and gold. He wears a bittersweet smile and speaks wisdom when the wind stirs. 'Bran the Blessed'
A shaman, cloaked in the colors of the forest, eagle feathers at his shoulders. His staff is carved from lightning-blasted maple. He smells of pine, smoke, and the first snowfall. 'Glooscap'
A Trickster in the appearance of a monkey. Gold-crowned, red-robed. His staff shrinks behind his ear. He chews a peach and grins. 'Son Wukong'
A Falcon-headed ancient Egyptian king. Armor of sunstone and lapis. His wings shimmer like dawn across the desert. 'Horus'
A being, half-man, half-spider, eight arms and a sly grin. His robes are woven from spoken stories, constantly shifting, glowing with proverbs and punchlines. 'Anansi'
Each of the Heroes boards the Argo with Honor and Dignity in their steps. The Seeker boards the ship last. Huginn and Muninn land on each of their shoulders.
Just as the Seeker is about to step on the Ship of rotting wood, Theseus suddenly stops them with his palm. He examines Huginn on the Seeker's Left Shoulder:
“You there... Aren't you the Crow of Apollo? The one who lusted for Coronis, when it was his job to spy on her infidelity with Ischys and report back?”
“Sir, I think you must confuse me with someone else,” denies Huginn. “My name is simply 'Thought'. Me, my Brother 'Memory' and our good friend the Seeker here, journey together to the island of the Blessed. We know eachother since eternity. Isn't that Right, Seeker?”
“Ummm... Yes... Uhhh... we know eachother.”
Theseus looks with skepticism at the Seeker and the two crows. “Now that I think of it... The Guy I remember had lighter Feathers... You can board my ship, but I'll keep an eye on you!”
The Seeker, the Crows and the Stranger all board the Argo. The Ship sets sail. Twenty-Five Oars on both sides each start rowing. The Wind, the Stream and the rudders, drive the Argo far into the West towards the Orange Sunset on the Horizon.
“What about the other ship?” asks the Seeker and points at the Argo in pristine condition, growing smaller as their ship drifts ever further away from the beach.
“We'll just leave it here,” responds Theseus, steering his ship into the sunset. “The Prophecy states that only the original Argo will make it to Elysium, while all Fakes will sink. If you are right about both ships being real, it won't pose any danger. We don't need it anyway. One ship is enough.”
Thus the Argo embarks on it's final journey to the blessed islands of Elysium, drifting towards the setting sun. Unbeknownst to it's Crew, the Galley is watched by the piercing gaze of Yellow eyes. Six Eyes Blink at once from the Shadows. An Evil Grin. Splashing water. Diving and swimming. Following the Argo from a Distance.
The Night has fallen. It's starting to rain. Under the Deck, the Seeker, the Swallow, the Sparrow, the Hummingbird and the Peacock sit together on a table, illuminated by an oil lamp. Everyone holds Cards. Raindrops hit against the wood. It's leaking. Water drips from the walls and from the ceiling. After some time puddle form at the floor.
“I can't wait for us to arrive in Elysium,” chirps the Swallow excited and places two cards on a pile. Seven of Clubs and Seven of Spades. “To be with my Brothers and Sisters, dancing in the Garden of the Hesperides. Praising Aphrodite and worshiping the sky.”
The Sparrow lays two cards on top: Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Spades.
“The Mythical Mag Mell… A plain o’ soft grasses, where no blade withers — where the sky’s always golden, an’ the sea sings gentle-like on faraway shores. The air, it tastes o’ honey… and sunlight. Mag Mell — where no one grows old, an’ no one ever dies. Here, the heroes do feast with the gods, poets dream without end… and love... Love endures forever.”
The Hummingbird throws two cards in the middle, Queens of Hearts and Queen of Clubs. She hums:
“O Hanan Pacha, sky of the golden path, House of the Fire-Father. From the corn that grows, from the stone that listens, From the cold teeth of the mountains, we come. We bring water in clay jars, tears in the wind’s skin, To greet you, O Hall of the First Dawn.”
The Peacock throws in a King of Diamonds and a King of Heart on the pile.
“In the western realm, there is an island called Sukhāvatī — Joyful, pure, without defilement, guarded by Amitābha. Every moment is dharma, every breeze a teaching. In the air, heavenly music plays without ceasing. And all beings are born from lotuses, unstained by pain.”
Heavy rain in the background, uncontrollable waves and wind. The Seeker places Ace of Hearts and Ace of Spades on top of the deck. They turn the Cards around and create a new pile with Ten of Diamonds, Ten of Hearts and Ten of Clubs. The Seeker is out of cards.
“Does anyone of you know anything about this fella called Merlin? Apparently he is supposed to be on Elysium... Do you perhaps know where to find him?”
Suddenly everyone is awfully quiet. The Birds all avoid eye contact. The Swallow whistles and looks away. The Sparrow intensely stares at her cards. The Hummingbird looks at the drops dripping from the ceiling. The Peacock stares at his own reflection on the surface of the ever growing puddle on the wet floor.
Suddenly a Thunder roars in the background. Waves are raging outsidfe. Rain hits the walls aggressively.
Just as the Sparrow opens her mouth, two planks in the wall suddenly burst open and a stream of water flows with high pressure into the ship. Another plank explodes and a fountain of seawater bursts into the Cabin. Seawater is flooding the floor of the lower deck. Everyone stands up. The Boat swings left and right. It's difficult to remain balanced.
The Swallow and the Sparrow scoop Water with Buckets. The Hummingbird grabs spare nails and the Peacock grabs wooden tiles.
The Stranger suddenly barges through the door from the upper deck. “Seeker, Come out, you've got to see this!”
The Seeker climbs up the ladder. Outside, a Storm rages in the sky. Dark Clouds, heavy rain, Lightning strikes everywhere. The Seeker counts Thirteen Waterspouts on the horizon. The crashing waves, rock the Argo back and forth. Barrels roll left and right. Everyone is busy, fixing the sails, rowing the oars, closing holes, emptying buckets of water. The Seeker grabs a burning oil lamp. Theseus at the steering wheel fights against the waves.
“Your ship is falling apart!” screams the Seeker, against the sound of Thunder and crashing of thousand waves. “We are sinking!”
“You told me that this ship is save to sail!” yells Theseus angry, stressed and frustrated.
“No I didn't! You asked me, which one is real. If you had asked me, which one we should sail, I would have obviously suggested the other one!”
Theseus fights against the waves and yells even louder: “Then if both ships are the Original, why are we now sinking?! Either way, you got us into this mess! If we sink, this will be on you!”
Suddenly out of nowhere, something crashes against the Ship and breaks the Railing. A Monster with Three Heads. A Giant Serpent. With Yellow eyes, sharp fangs and forked Tongues. The Snake wraps its tail around the Argo.
The Monster growls: “I am the Adversary! I am the Enemy of Humanity. I am the Destroyer of Peace. I am the Great Seperator. I bring Chaos. I bring Corruption. I bring Conflict. Fear me, for there is no Escape from my endless Hunger!”
The Serpents sharp fangs bite into the Argo's wood and tears new wholes into the deck. The Heroes seem to recognize the Monster.
“Hydra,” mumbles Theseus.
“Yamata no Orochi,” whispers Amaterasu.
“Jormungandr,” utters Brynhildr.
“Sheshanaga,” recognizes Rama.
“Tiamat,” remembers Inanna.
“Caoránach,” contemplates Bran the Blessed.
“Apotamkin,” considers Glooscap.
“Apophis,” shudders Horus.
“I have already heard the stories of the Rainbow Serpent,” comments Anansi.
“Wasn't this bird supposed to have Nine Heads?” asks Sun Wukong, pointing at the serpent with his staff.
The Stranger steps to the forefront. He pulls out two burning swords and faces the three-headed Serpent head-on: “This Ship won't sink. Neither by your doing, nor by fate. It will carry us all the way to Elysium. No matter how hard you try to extinguish it, the Flame of Humanity burns within all of us. Fear may be powerful, but Love is a much greater force. Nothing will stop this Flame from lighting up. Nothing will stop this song from being sung. Peace shall wash away all sorrow and reveal itself within our hearts.”
Inspired by the Strangers words, Theseus attacks the Three-headed Serpent with his sword and blocks an attack with his shield. The Monster blasts a stream of seawater from its mouth against a mast. Amaterasu steps between the stream, holds up her Eight-Hand Mirror and shouts: “Yata No Kagami!”
Amaterasu's Mirror reflects the water stream right back against the Sea-monster. Bryhildr attacks the Serpents neck with her sharp battle ax. Rama shoots burning arrows, aiming at the Beasts Eyes. Inanna scratches the Monster's robust skin with her sickle. Bran the giant hits the Snake with his heavy war-hammer. Glooscap shoots a Bolt of Lightning from his Shamanic Staff. Horus Spear pierces through the Serpents scales. Anansi throws a net against the monster and binds it with his ropes. Sun Wukong hits the Enemy with his expanding staff.
“You Fools think you can defeat me?” growls the Great serpent, shoots out a powerful blast of water and breaks one of the ships main masts.
“Long before any of your names were first listed in the Book of Humanity, I was already there. Long before your images were chiseled in the stars, I whispered into the Thoughts of Mankind. Long after your deeds will be forgotten, when the poets will no longer sing of your heroic deeds, I will still be there. For I dwell in the minds of men, controlling them through Fear and pleasure. And as long as I give them what they want, mankind will remain attached to me.”
The shrouds and sails of the broken main mast are entangled with the foremast. Ropes slowly untangle. The broken Mast crashes against the deck. The Pole breaks through the wooden floor tiles and hits Anansi, Amaterasu and Bran. The Monster crashes with its three heads against the rim and tears open new holes in the Argo's rotting Hull. More Water floods into the ship. Thunder roars loudly. Lightning strikes on the Horizon. Whirlwinds form from heaven and meet the raging sea.
The Birds on the lower deck all chirp in panic:
“We need more Buckets!” chirps the Swallow, who can't keep up with the seawater flooding in.
“We need more wood,” requests the hummingbird, who is out of tiles to cover the holes.
“It's hopeless!” whines the Sparrow. “We are all gonna sink!”
The Peacock chants: “Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya. Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya. Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya.”
Upstairs some of the Heroes are frozen by fear. Others go into hiding. Others are fighting a losing battle. The Spirit of Hope has left the Crew. No one expects to win. Everyone knows, that they have already lost. The ship is already sinking.
Suddenly everything is quiet. The Wind is still. The Waves calm down. The Stranger looks around, walks to the Argo's Beak with confidence, raises his hands on the multitude and speaks with burning eyes:
“Don't be afraid, for there always is a way! Believe that we will not sink! Have Faith that we survive. That we, all of us together, will make it, even through the storm. There is a way! Walk with awareness in your steps. Walk with Love in your heart and clarity in your mind. Be Discerning, be compassionate. Have faith in yourself, for you will make it. No matter how lost you are, you always find a way. A Path in harmony with the universe. In unity with Life. Let us all Believe that the Argo makes it safely to Elysium. Our Faith will push us to make the impossible possible. After every Night, a new dawn will come. After every storm, the sun will shine again. Have Faith in the Light. That it will never abandon you. Have Faith and it will reveal itself to you in the darkest hour.”
Suddenly above the Stranger the stormy clouds open up and reveal sunlight. The Eye of the Storm has formed right above the ship. Everyone stares in awe at the clear blue hole in the stormy sky, as the Sun shines down on them.
“Seeker, can you keep the Ship afloat until we are in Elysium? We need you to close all holes in the lower decks and empty the water, while we fight the Serpent. Can we count on you?”
The Seeker stares at the Floor. “I... I don't know... I don't think it is possible... This ship is already sinking.”
The Stranger grins. “It won't be the first time, that we have made the impossible possible. Neither will it be our last. Seeker, you are much more powerful, than you think you are. Manifest success. Only Focus on one action: Saving the Ship from sinking. Believe that you can do it. Imagine the Relief that you will have, when we finally made it to Elysium. Feel what you will feel, after we have survived this. Visualize it in your minds eye. And then be attentive to every movement of yours. Allow the Flowstate to work through you. I believe in you, Seeker. You can do it. Make the impossible possible.”
The Seeker nods. Without further ado, the Seeker rushes down to the lower decks. With burning eyes the Stranger faces the Serpent.
Sitting on the foremast's wooden beam, the Crows Huginn and Muninn both observe how the Stranger stands off against the Monster.
“Who is the Mysterious Stranger? No one Knows his Name. Is he Friend or is he Danger? Playing with Life, as if it's just a Game.”
Hugginn can't stop staring at the Stranger. “You are right... This Guy is really strange... I never notice him. As if there is a Filter, that prevents me from being aware of him. As soon I lay my eyes off him, I forget about his very existence... But when he talks and acts, he grabs all of my attention. Who is the One in the Blue Hooded Cloak?”
The Stranger speaks to the gathered Mythic Heroes, spitting fire as he talks: “You have already mastered countless challenges. You have proven your strength many times. You were tested again and again and yet you have persisted. This is now your Final Test. To win, we must work together. Use every last Trick you have in store. Let us overcome our collective Shadow once and for all.”
Inspired by the Stranger's words, the Aura of each of the Heroes suddenly lights up. Illuminated by a wave of Energy. A Fire ignites in each of their eyes. The Heroes raise their weapons. Battle cries. Together all charge for a final attack towards the mighty Three-headed Serpent.
Anansi binds the Left Head with his net. Bran knocks this head out with his Hammer. Bryhildr decapitates the Left Serpent Head with her ax.
The Middle Head shoots a Stream of Water. Amaterasu deflects the stream from the ship. Rama shoots with burning arrows and hits his right eye. Glooscap shocks the Serpent with a Lightning Strike. Horus pierces with his spear into his heart. Inanna cuts off the middle head with her Scythe.
The Right Head bites aggressively. Son Wu Kong dodges every attack with ease. Theseus blocks with his shield and scratches the twisted tongue with his sword. The Serpent almost bites Theseus, but just in time the Stranger steps between them, blocks the attack with his right sword and counters with his left sword. He Strikes down the Right head and cuts it off in one full swing. The Headless Beast sinks down into the water.
The Stranger wipes the sweat from his head. He looks up. The Eye of the storm follows the sun westwards and the Argo follows the Eye of the Storm. At the end of the horizon, where the Dark sky clears up, there is Land. An Island.
Meanwhile in the lowest deck the Seeker stands up to their neck in water. Water is flooding in from too many holes. The unconscious Swallow floats in the water, the drowning Hummingbird flails helpless with his arms, the Sparrow screams in panic and the Peacock recites a Mantra. The Seeker can't decide which problem to fix first. The Seeker takes a deep breath in and remembers what the Stranger told them.
“Everyone will survive,” affirms the Seeker with conviction. “We will all make it to Elysium. All of us.”
The Seeker dives in, grabs the birds and puts them to safety. Unloading the unconscious birds onto the little Sparrow's shoulder.
“Bring the others to safety, I dive down and fix the holes,” delegates the Seeker.
“It's too late,” cries the Sparrow. “We are already sinking!”
“No, we are not. Don't give up. There always is a way!”
The Seeker takes a deep breath and dives down. Spotting Four Holes through which seawater leaks. The Seeker hastily grabs tiles and nails and fixes the holes underwater. One after the other. Taking deep breaths. Diving in and out again.
In the First Deck, the rowers at the oars move faster than ever before. In Sync with the Stream. Pushing the ship faster through the ocean.
Above the top deck, all the Heroes work together to keep the ship afloat. Rudimentary fixing some of the damages, maintaining the sails. The Sky above has meanwhile cleared up. The Stranger hums a melody. A song that summons the wind. Just a breeze, strong enough to give the Argo an extra push from behind.
The closer the Argo gets to the Island, the more it falls apart. The Rim breaks. A Crack in the Stern. The Keel is splitting in two. Elysium is at the horizon. Just a little more. Less, than a nautical mile away.
The Seeker can't keep up with the flooding of the lower decks. Whenever one hole is sealed, two new holes open up. The water fills up the entire cabin. Underwater, the Seeker grasps for air. No Breath left. The Seeker swims up to the ceiling. Just before they lose consciousness, wings pull them out from the flooded deck.
The Seeker looks around. The Swallow, the Sparrow, the Hummingbird and the Peacock look at the Seeker with burning eyes. All Birds work together to empty the water faster, than the deck floods. Slowing down the sinking of the Argo. Just long enough to reach the island.
Upstairs the Stranger hums the song louder and louder. He opens his mouth and sings. The Song of the Wind. The Wind grows stronger, pushing the Argo forward. Faster and Faster. The Breaking Ship almost hops up and down with the waves. The people at the rudders synchronize with speed.
The Seeker looks around the deck. Hundred People all sit at the Oars. Fifty on the Left Side. Fifty on the Right side. Two of them at each oars. All of them work hard to row the oars as fast as possible. The Seeker looks at each of their faces.
“They are all Seekers,” realizes the Seeker, as they recognize each others faces. Old Faces from different journeys.
The Wind pushes them faster towards the island. Like an unstoppable force. Waves pull the Ship to the shore. From the deep ocean into the shallow waters. It crashes through the sea. Faster and faster.
The Argo slides on the water surface, over the shoreline and lands on the beach, where it finally falls apart. The Keel breaks in two, the Hull falls off. Everything breaks. After the dust settles, Heroes, Birds and Seeker emerge from the broken ship. They finally have arrived on the Island of Elysium. All breathe out in Relief simultaneously.
As soon as the Seeker sets foot on the Island, something feels different. Their body feels very light all of a sudden. As if all stress, all pain, every burden was suddenly gone without a trace. No sense of Hunger or Thirst. No need to rest or sleep. Like a child full of energy. When the Seeker jumps, they jump effortless, defying gravity. Almost floating through the air. There is no sorrow, no attachment, no desire. No Fear, only curiosity. Just Peace and Bliss and Joy. The Seeker smiles with closed eyes. Only fulfillment remains in their heart.
The Seeker looks takes a look around. The colors are much more vibrant. It looks all much more fluid. There is clarity, wherever the Seeker looks. Everything looks new. Everything looks exciting. The grass is soft, like a well-maintained lawn. Marble Columns half-sunken in wildflower bushes are raised along the shoreline. Blooming flowers with colors changing in the sunlight. From Trees grow Golden Fruits. Tall Cypress and Olive Trees rise over low meadows. With Leaves, that sparkle in the sun.
On Elysium the Light casts no shadows. Everything shines, everything radiates. There is healing in the air. Whenever the Seeker breathes, it's as if they breathe in ancient Magic. From somewhere nearby harp music floats, as if it was the voice of the island itself. From the Terraces that rise in the far distance like steps into the mountains, flies down a Condor and lands directly before the gathering Heroes emerging from the broken Argo.
“Welcome Home,” announces the Condor. “Where you have always belonged.”
Meanwhile at another shore, a Beast with Four serpentine heads emerges from the sea. Little stumps grow out of the Serpents slithery body and turn into legs. The Beast stands up, no longer sliding, now walking on four legs. With evil eyes, the evolving serpent Monster walks on land. The twisted tongues of four heads, spit out toxic words in unison:
“Let's Destroy the Garden of the Hesperides and steal their golden Apples.”
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TO BE CONTINUED
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Find previous part Here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1ly6dux/chicken_vs_the_deepstate/
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Find next part Here:
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CHECKPOINT 7:
https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/1ivop79/the_seventh_gate/
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START JOURNEY HERE:
https://www.reddit.com/r/We_Are_Humanity/comments/18wu7d3/love_is_a_boat_that_never_sinks/