Visiting Others 5

With my Sword and the skills hard learned, it was not as nearly daunting as the woman of the house had said. Yet.

The courage welled up in my heart and met the training I had received. My thoughts were once more on the Path. I would need it soon.

A sound, like a soft scratching began to build.

I sensed eyes on me.

They all attacked at once, not like the staged martial arts where one at a time comes at the 'hero'. My Sword flashed.

Dark things, barely visible, like a horde of devil dogs. Then some kind of large black draped warriors. My blade found mark after mark.

There were cuts and a few bites, but the Sword 'sang' its song of death for the enemy. My thrusts were true, til a pile of bodies surrounded me, and the sound of snarls and roars subsided.

I fell to my knees, exhausted, head giving thanks.

Lucia descended. Now dressed in black. Her hair pulled back and her eyes like lightning. Her butler attended her.

She sneered, 'What price victory? They are gone, but I have beaten you.'

She laughed and got in my face, her mouth pulled from her teeth.

'Do you see, do you? You should have taken my invitation. No matter, you are mine anyway.'

She stood haughtily as she brought a blade to bear.

'What is my job, you worm?'

I stared up through blood and sweat drenched eyes.

'To die, you bitch.'

I rolled and flipped up and the Sword found her heart then her head went sailing in the opposite direction as her body fell. Not stopping, her 'butler' suffered a similar fate. Their sneers etched with surprise remained visible.

Silence and over the stench of death, I heard a stream rushing.

I trudged in the direction of the sound, soon bathing wounds and face. Then, I knelt and gave thanks. It's something I do btw, in the visible world a lot. I thank Great Spirit for all things, for it is from all things that we learn.

As I rested and then started on the Path again, I swear I heard Xeroubiko, a Byzantine chant and also undertones of a gyoto monk chant from Tibet. Soundtracks? Light begetting Light.

As I continued, I wondered at the darkish skies. Was it dying light or darkest before the dawn?

'You're in the twilight world, bud.'

As I turned the umpteenth corner in this puzzle, I saw someone seemingly basking on top of a large boulder just off the Path.

I readied my Sword, but saw a familiar face.

It was the man who fought back to back on the desert plain in my vision within a vision. It occurred to me that then as any time, when we were fighting, it was not for Jerusalem, nor home and hearth at that point. It was for one another. later came triumph over the darkness.

It was true just a while ago, as I slew that horde of dark things. Holding that thought, I yelled out, 'Where the hell were you a while ago? I could have used some backup.'

He sat up and grinned then smiled. Interestingly, it reminded me of that devil may care grin of Steve McQueen's, complete with sparkling, piercing blue eyes, replete with wrinkles from the sun and much of that same grinning.

'So, she was a real ballbuster huh?'

'She tried.'

'And died I see. She almost got me before. That place was pretty nice, for a honey trap.'

I arched eyebrows and asked, 'You were at that house? When?'

'Time means nothing here, bud. This is the place 'between the worlds' as that blondie told you. This is either twilight or predawn. It's either headed to perpetual dark or perpetual Light. Depends on who and what you serve eh?'

He tapped the red stone adorning his sword hilt.

'Ever wonder about this? It's part of the job description. We are on the same tag team'. Again that in the face smile. 'Remember. You are never alone.' He pursed his lips and nodded.

I touched the similar red stone topping my hilt. I must be careful to take nothing for granted.

He looked up, reflexively squinting and said, 'Enough of this twilight stuff. Ready for some predawn?'

I nodded and smiled my half crooked smile.

He jumped from the rock and slapped me on the shoulder. 'Right this way my brother. Time for some r & r back at your place.'

We took off toward an increasingly level straight road, the sun hinting it's new day.


I woke up. Dark room and jazz still playing.

I knew that after r & r, there would come the inevitable battle. I knew this was far from over.

I'd better keep getting ready.