Midnight Court

Heryshaf looked down and saw that he was floating. His hooves were not resting on any solid surface below him. All around, a deep red colour began to nauseate him. His stomach churned and he became very worried.

What is going on? What have I just drunk? Did the crab poison me? Am I dreaming?

He could find no immediate answers to these questions.

A pulsing yellow light appeared in the distance. He was not sure which direction was up, which was down, so he observed the light for several seconds to stabilise himself.

Heryshaf watched the pulse of light get bigger, and bigger, and bigger until he became completely enveloped in flashing blue and yellow.

He did not know what to think and so he refrained.

A voice boomed:

“I am the heart of Douglas the sheep, the uncollared one. He that sought to purify himself in the great stream. And I am he that was thwarted by the pride that seeks to maintain its own power.”

“I am Douglas who seeks not revenge but forgives even he that slays me. For I am he that observes cause and effect in action and through inaction obtain my revenge.”

“For the sins, and the wins, of all sheep fall on their lambs.”

“I am he that has found a truth. As you sought and carried on seeking, Heryshaf, the belly of the universe spoke to me and said, ‘Write down what you have seen and tell it to Heryshaf so that he may rise above himself and know his spirit and that of all others.’”

“Douglas?” said Heryshaf.

The universe began to sing a simple song:

Heryshaf has found that ignorance is bliss,

And what one does not know, he cannot miss;

That knowledge is better, but leads to sadness.

Yet in good time vexation will turn to gladness.

So replace his confusion and shades of madness,

Instruct him to embrace loving kindness.

The song faded.

Douglas continued:

“For when you want something enough and decide to leave all else behind to pursue it. When you pass the tests of desire that the universe has designed to weaken and ensnare your will. When neither obstacles nor time can dampen or turn you. When you fight for your goal and keep on fighting. As you have done on your search for truth, Heryshaf.”

“Only then, and with perfect timing, the universe will see fit to help you.”

“Do you believe that your meeting with the crab who led you to this vision was just a coincidence? Or do you recognise that serendipity is the voice of the ONE that leads you to the WAY?”

“Do you observe the laughter of LIFE in the midst of the Irony? Do you observe the flow in all things?”

“Slow down long enough to breathe in rhythm with the vibrations of your friend, the great hand that breathes his power into your bones.”

“Heryshaf the sheep, please accept this gift that the universe offers you through myself and through your dreams.”

“Do not seek to analyse this vision, for it is spoken in a higher tongue than any of the languages upon the earth. There is no inflection in it. You shall understand it on every level the same.”

“For this is the revelation of all that rises and falls under the sun.”

Suddenly, before Heryshaf appeared Five Kings and Four Queens.

He looked on in disbelief.

One of the Kings stepped forward.

He was the King of Hate.

He was dressed in a red velvet cloak, which hung in thick pleats from a black iron breastplate that had been forged from dragon fire many millennia ago.

A cloud appeared in front of the King and, in the smoke, appeared an image of the Earth.

“Let me introduce you to my Queen, for we do not have much time,” he thundered. “Her name is Jealousy.”

When he spoke, the light faded and all around cowered in terror.

Jealousy, dressed in green, looked on with pride as her husband bellowed.

“This world has treated us unkindly, Jealousy, and it shall pay the price! I want to control and rule all that is on it.”

Hate and Jealousy became like a furious fire and, in an all-consuming rage, began to tear through the world.

Heryshaf felt a terrible sense of loss as the planet began to burn under Hate's wrath.

A tear welled in his eye and crawled across his face.

He'd never really seen the world as this beautiful before. Perhaps he had taken it for granted and now, as he witnessed its demise, he saw how wonderful it had been all along.

His tear fell on the fire and evaporated into a sizzle of steam.

Out of the darkness came a second King called Apathy.

Apathy held in his hand a glass of water. He had never found a Queen and, like the water, looked dirty.

Apathy watched the world burning.

The sight stirred no emotion in him.

The fires raged on.

Apathy called on his sister Sloth, but she too was unmoved.

He spilled the glass of water upon the flames of Hate and Jealousy that tore through the world.

Alas, to no effect.

For everyone knows that when Apathy reigns no one gets wet.

Hate was furious with Apathy.

He consumed him and his sister.

Hate and Jealousy had destroyed half the planet by this point, and the fires raged on.

“Quick, quick!” shouted Faith, the King of Love's great Queen.

She had seen all that was going on and knew Love must help if all was to end well.

“There is little time left,” she screamed. “The world is being destroyed!”

The King of Love was no more than a young man, so young it was hard to believe he was a King.

Over his eyes he wore a blindfold.

“Then guide me, Faith, for as you know I cannot see.”

Faith took his hand, as she always did, and led him to the world that smoked and burned under the power of the malevolent King of Hate and his Queen.

The King of Love and his Queen Faith turned themselves into water and poured themselves onto the flames.

They flowed throughout the world and around all the living, determined to put an end to Hate's fire.

The King of Hate and his Queen Jealousy retreated.

They knew all too well that together Love and Faith were unbeatable, for they had met in battle many times.

For a moment, the fires subsided.

However, the King of Hate was cunning.

He had been expecting Love and Faith's intervention and had brought an ally.

On the sidelines a fourth King stood awaiting instructions.

The King of Hate summoned the King of Fear.

The King of Fear and his Queen Deceit descended on Love and Faith and terrified them.

In her panic Faith let go of the hand of Love.

Seeing her opportunity, Deceit quickly drove Faith to the opposite side of the world.

Faith was lost without Love.

Love could not see anything without Faith.

And the fires raged on.

Hate and Jealousy had consumed three quarters of the planet.

Fear and Deceit laughed.

“Love and Faith will never find each other again.”

Everything suddenly became black.

The laughter faded into silence.

Heryshaf cried and cried.

He had not cried in front of others since he left his flock a long time ago — being a sheep, he found it a sign of weakness.

In the darkness Douglas spoke.

“What have you learned?”

Heryshaf opened his mouth to speak, but no words came forth.

For once, words seemed of very little use.

“Good,” said Douglas.

“Now watch.”

Heryshaf wiped the tears from his eyes.

No sooner had he done so than the image of the burning world reappeared.

Queen Faith had lost courage once she had been separated from the King of Love. Without Love she was nothing. She sat whimpering behind a tree, awaiting her demise.

The King of Love, on the other side of the planet, had lost conviction. Without Faith he was a mess and could do nothing as the fires raged on.

Fear stooped over Faith and Deceit over Love.

Apathy and Sloth had been killed.

The rest could see that the end was near.

Out of the smoke a fifth King arose.

This was the King of Hope.

Hope could stand these sights no longer.

The spirit of self-preservation had motivated him to action. If the world was destroyed there would be no hope left, no place for him.

The King of Hope was very weak.

He was slowly de-materialising.

It happened to him every 10,000 years when Hate would try to conquer the world.

Hope's Queen, Glory, knew what to do.

She dragged him through the flames to the feet of Jealousy.

There she stopped.

It was up to him now.

The King of Hope rose to his feet.

He was fading fast.

He was almost gone.

And the fires raged on.

Only two spots on the Earth were now untouched by the wrath of Hate.

On the first, Love was held in place by Deceit.

On the other, Fear pressed Faith to the ground.

Faith placed her face in her hands and sobbed.

“Oh no, it is all over. Hate has won. I must die alone. Never again will I hold the hand of Love.”

She put her hands together in prayer.

“God please, please allow me to see Love again. I swear I shall never leave his hand again. Have mercy God, please.”

Summoning all his great wisdom, Hope whispered in Jealousy's ear:

“Jealousy, once all of this is over, do you really think Hate will keep you as his Queen? Never! Hate will kill even you. He is selfish and full of gluttony. He wants everything for himself and you will play no part in his plans after the Earth has been consumed.”

“Jealousy, I beg you, stop him now so that you may claim at least a part of the Earth for yourself. For surely a little is better than nothing?”

“You are right,” said Jealousy enviously. “He must be stopped. But Hate is too powerful. I cannot stop him. Why don't you tell him yourself?”

“Good question,” spoke Hope. “I have no power without help. Indeed it is true that Hate is very strong, so go to Fear and Deceit and tell them that there will be no place in Hate's plans for them either.”

“Tell them to release Faith and Love. Love and Faith will stop Hate for us all.”

Jealousy was instantly with both Deceit and Fear, for she moves quickly and can be in many places at once.

She told them what Hope had informed her.

Fear became afraid and Deceit believed that she had been played by Hate.

“We are both very angry with Hate, but what should we do?” asked Fear and Deceit. “For Hate is very strong and we have no power over him.”

“Hope told me you should release Love and Faith and they would deal with Hate,” stated Jealousy.

The fires burned and thick black smoke filled the air.

The end was near.

Deceit released Faith.

“Faith, we need your help. This has gone too far. We must stop Hate before he destroys the world altogether. Come with me. I will take you to Love.”

“But I cannot trust you. For you are Deceit,” screamed Faith.

“Don't be foolish. Have some faith!” retorted Deceit.

The two Queens looked at each other and smiled.

They joined hands and Faith flew with Deceit to find Love again.

On the way, Faith wondered if it was true that a sincere prayer is always answered.

She was about to find out.

By this time the King of Hate had discovered that his Queen was missing.

He was filled with fury like the heart of a great storm.

He flew to the place where she stood alongside Fear and Love.

As he arrived, so did Deceit with Faith in tow.

Faith was overjoyed to see Love again.

She took his hand and he recognised it was her.

He could see again.

“I shall never leave your side again,” she swore.

Hate rose up in the belly of flames.

“Oh foolish ones, you are like ants to me. I shall tear you apart and consume you as I have consumed everything else in my path. It is over for you as it is for the rest of the Earth.”

“Look!”

Hate pointed to the only remaining part of the Earth that was not burning.

They all watched in horror as the flames closed in.

Suddenly there was a flash of blinding white light.

Then everything went black again.

Heryshaf gasped.

For a long time, Douglas said nothing.

“And what happened next?” asked Heryshaf.

“After a time,” said Douglas, “the cycle continues.”