Stars Five

Fly. Fly through the night. Fly through the worlds.

Drift between what was and is, though your destination calls you across light years. There is farther to go, but time to arrive. Drift through these light years for a moment and give your wings a rest.

Fly now, between here and there. Above is one world, and below another. One is created, one is inspired. They linger there in the air as you fly. They linger as you do, busy with their work, yet pausing. They hang for one moment in the sky and on the earth. They hang, exact representations. As many stars above as below, yet how could you know those stars? You wander the border between twin universes, and they linger with each other.

Both universes hold the stars and the galaxies. Both contain light. They spread out above and below, guiding you. If you knew the dance of one, you would know the dance of the other. But you do not. You have flown for too long to study the stars. You have flown alone. You lifted your wings at the coming dawn and flew out into the night. You flew to this land between worlds and here you remain. All you know is a voice. A voice calls you through these stars, guiding you by a narrow path, and you listen.

Listen to the voice as it guides you. Listen and hear its words. It speaks of a time you have known, and tells of a time unknown. It speaks of all things if you will hear, and you do. You hear what it tells you and understand the words. You listen and fly onward though your wings are stiff and your feathers frosted over.

Fly through night and day, though here, between worlds, what has day to do with you? Yes, you launched in the day, but you launched to leave it behind. You are here. Darkness surrounds. Fear not when the doubts return. Doubts return to bring you down. They come as the event horizon and threaten to consume you. Fear not. Fear not though your feathers linger. Fear not though your heart fails. Fear not for the voice guides you and knows the path you travel. Wander upon that path, but wander straight. This is not the dark of the world—not the dark of evil. This is the dark of the elf, of second chances, of renewal. This is the dark bringing life when everything else brings death. This dark will cleanse you. You will stand in the end, and be clean. You will be a perfect sacrifice.

Fly then through your night. Remember what lies ahead. Ahead is the maker of the stars. Ahead is the man in the moon. Ahead is the prize you struggled for, fought for, ran for. Ahead is what you lived for. Ahead is what you died for.

“What is this?” you ask.

This is the edge of infinity. This is the ends of the earth. This is where you found yourself when you jumped, and now you fly between. You lift your wings though the stars must remind you one thousand times how. They remind you of the thing ahead, the prize you seek.

Lift your weary wings and fly onward. Lights stretch out beneath you. They are a path to guide you, a light for your feet, but what have feet to do with you? They have proven useless since the moment you jumped. Lift your wings, my dear. Lift them and soar onward. Now is the time to fight, the time to rise, the time to push on. Now is the time to soar.

Soar now and remember me. Remember the things I have seen, the struggles of my roots and leaves, the moments the people passed and cared not for the shade I gave them. Remember the Joshua tree. Remember the Frankincense tree. Remember Ida B. Soar and remember the tree in the desert, so close to the spring, yet so far from life. There should have been life, the spring had more than enough to share, but there was only death. The spring neither knew nor cared. Remember the world you left and gain strength. Perhaps, when the stars seem to darken and the galaxies seem to swallow you, our struggles will give you strength. Perhaps our lives will not have been in vain if you remember us on your journey.

Speak to the stars. Follow the galaxies. One day, these constellations will burst. Silver will fall, and gold will rise. These two universes will share their life. Gold will become silver. Silver will become gold. All will melt together as you fly. The aurora will shoot across your vision. Colors will burst. The darkness will fall into light as you fell into the eyes of your creator.

Fly in that moment, for what you seek has been found. It was he all along. His voice guided you. The glint in his eyes led you. The thoughts of his heart drew you. 

As the colors cross your vision, and the drafts of the universe lift you, remember this—he has been here before. 

Prologue