Abyss of the Shadows
Sihara is trapped in the abyss of shadows, a dark-side cavern that tortures the individual with negative thoughts. She girds all her inner strength to think positive and remember…
Warriors of Transcendence, Part 27
Sihara was overcome with desperation. She sat down on the exposed ground, and gazed into space. She sat motionless for over an hour, wondering: How is it possible? Is there no way out of this road?
She peered between the bushes, hoping to find a breach, but the overgrowth was thick, thorny and impassable, as far as the eye could see.
“You are unworthy!” whispered an inner voice, “You are an empty and lowly creature”.
The wall of thorns mocked her childish hope, her innocence and faith. Did a Man of Transcendence truly exist in the world? Her encounter with the Transparent Master was now a blurred and distant memory. She sat huddled on the hard ground, her thoughts few, her hope diminished, her whole self disappearing into oblivion.
“You are worthless!” scorned the bushes.
“You are worthless!” agreed the hard soil.
“You are worthless!” echoed her pained, sore limbs.
“Worthless!” The dark woods behind her roared threateningly.
Who are you? What is your strength? What is your life? What are your capabilities? What is the power of your quest? There never was, is, or will be any meaning to your ridiculous, lowly, childish journey. Your messenger is lost, your goal has vanished, your strength has diminished, your struggle is for naught, and your will is futile.
These bitter thoughts trickled into her mind like dirty rain, sullying and damaging everything in its path, throwing Sihara into a panic of terror.Worthless! …
At that very moment a dark Shadow appeared, spreading out from the east and west, from the north and south. Sihara sensed that her negative thoughts had summoned it. The Shadow was in no hurry, moving slowly until it enclosed her, silencing everything in its path. An irksome silence spread all around, sending chills into her heart, freezing all emotions and depriving her of all thoughts. She sat in a shriveled, pale circle of light, not knowing what would become of her.
After some time, Sihara felt the Shadow stir and begin to make sounds, and she shook her head from side to side in confusion.
Was she hearing the voices of men? Of children? She looked straight ahead and could see a deep Abyss open up from within the bushes, dark and terrifying, where Shadows moved around and bubbled within. She could see people standing on the edge of the Abyss, ordinary people, like herself, each one throwing objects, in turn, into the dark mouth of the Abyss. Their movements were heavy, and they seemed to be acting against their will. Desperation hovered in the air as the Abyss consumed the objects with a revolting shriek. Sihara recalled the words of her Transparent Master: As long as people are being consumed by the Abyss of Shadows, the forces of darkness will be strengthened and the war will not end.
This must be the Abyss of the Shadows! thought Sihara.
She had no inclination to fight, as the Shadow had frozen all thoughts regarding her mission. She clenched her fists helplessly as the people continued tossing their strength into the Abyss, granting existence to the creatures of darkness. Through the shrieks of the Abyss, words began reaching her ears- fragments of sentences accompanying the tossed objects.
“I am unworthy,” said a young man.
“I am better off dead than alive,” a boy muttered.
“We will never make it”! a chorus of voices echoed in a sudden burst.
“There never was, is, or will be any meaning,” uttered a woman in a shaky voice.
They continued tossing assets, pieces of their lives, qualities they possessed, and personal attributes they were given, into the Abyss. Sihara could see them throwing away chances given to them, opportunities to move forward, moments of fateful choices and, finally, parts of themselves: Time, health, senses, thoughts. The edge of the Abyss was emptied, and silence lingered. Everyone had disappeared into the Abyss. By now, the Shadow had reached her feet. Suddenly, Sihara saw her own image perched on the edge of the Abyss of the Shadows, leaning in, tossing words into the blackness of death.
“You are worthless,” she said, as the Abyss swallowed her faith.
“What is your strength? What is your life? What are your capabilities? What is the power of your quest?” Her hopes vanished into the depths of the dark earth.
“No, there never was or ever will be any meaning to your ridiculous, lowly, childish journey!” The path shriveled away, and Sihara realized that she had no way out.
“Your messenger is lost, your strength has diminished, your struggle is for naught, and your will is futile.”
Pieces of her heart were torn and lost and her legs failed her. The Shadow had nearly reached the last, remaining spot of life within her, but as it reached its claws towards her inner roots, a sudden, unfamiliar light stirred from within.
The hesitant, ashamed and humiliated Sihara had vanished, and in her place stood a brave, decisive Sihara. A flawless warrior burst forth from her inner depths, taking form and fighting for life. She jumped to her feet, broke out of the pale circle of light, ignored the enveloping cold and exclaimed with all her might: “I am worthy! I am worthy of this journey, regardless of how long it takes! I shall remain hopeful, even if the sky looks down upon me! I am worthy, no matter the cost or fight! I am ready to face the world of obscurity and all of its illusions, deceptions, barriers, Shadows and Abysses”!
The Abyss roared and gurgled like a ferocious beast, but Sihara did not succumb to its terror. She held her head erect, opened her eyes and declared in a clear, confident voice, into the heart of darkness: “I am worthy! I shall reach the Chamber of Changing Colors! I shall reach the Master of Transcendence!”
A smooth trail, backed by the wall of thorns, confronted her silently, as if the Abyss had never been opened in its midst. The luminous daylight lingered everywhere, as if the Shadow had never covered it. Sihara took a step forward upon the solid trail, crossed over it and reached her hand out towards the wall. The bushes were now delicate, green, pliable and soft to the touch. Sihara made her way through with great ease, and eventually reached a quiet, rocky path.
To be continued.
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(With sincere gratitude to www.levhadvarim.com)
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