D (31:11)
Hello, my name is Caleb Widowgast and I will be reading Himmelschloss the Castle in the sky, written by Liam o' Brien. Back when these lands were younger than they are now, and the world was simpler in some ways, yet also full of a great many wonders. There was a village perched on the slopes of a mountain, and in this village a young girl named Little Sparrow resided with her mother and father. They were a humble family, and though they lived on very little, the mountain provided all they truly needed. Their days were mostly quiet as they rose with the sun and lived forever from the land. And just as the earth nourished their people, so too did the mountain folk Strive to nourish the earth. And above all else, they were happy. But Little Sparrow was never so joyful as when she took to the air. Oh, how she loved to soar above the mountain with her mother and father, to see all the world stretch out below them. She reveled in the freedom of their flights, rivaled only by the pleasure of returning to her little home, nested high along its reach. Can we go out again tomorrow and see all there is to see? She would ask her parents nightly when they tucked her into bed. And every night they'd answer with a smile. Of course, Little Sparrow. As long as we are with you, the sky is yours to roam. On one such a day, as the family soared over the surrounding countryside and little. Little Sparrow flew playful circles around her parents, the clouds overhead darkened eerily and a powerful wind began to blow. Her mother and father were strong of wing, but Little Sparrow was still so very young that try as she might, she could not reach them in the sky. She flapped her little wings as hard as she could, but when a violent gust of wind caught her in its torrent, she was tossed into the menacing clouds. She tumbled end over end, losing all notion of up or down. Separated from her mother and father, Little Sparrow was now lost in the darkness and very frightened. Battling the wind, she flew and flew, desperate to find any sign of her parents or the land below. But the seething squall had engulfed her now, and she could scarcely see anything at all. Suddenly, a burst of lightning sundered the darkness, and the child's heart quailed. Little Sparrow realized that she was, in fact, not alone at all. For the briefest moment, in that flash of illumination, the girl saw a great many shadowy forms moving through the storm before darkness blanketed her once more. She soon began to hear whispers on the wind, wicked and cruel and hungry. It wasn't long before another streak of lightning tore through the dark, revealing the shadows once more, twice as many now, and closer. Terrified, Little Sparrow fled blindly through the darkness with every ounce of strength left in her. In the squall, she could hear the menacing shadows pursuing her, she flew and she flew. And she flew farther still till she thought she could fly no more. Just as she believed her end was at hand, she burst from the dark into deep blue sky and sunlight. The vault of the heavens above her was clear and bright, yet no inch of light land could be spotted below. Instead, she now sailed above an endless carpet of gentle white clouds. Frightened, Little Sparrow stole a quick glance back at the swell of the storm. The child was shocked to discover that the tempest was fast abating. Though for the briefest of moments she thought she could see a ripple of shadow along the edges of the the clouds. But then it was gone and the girl was alone in the sky. Little Sparrow was terribly weary, for she had flown so long and climbed so high that her wings could barely hold her. If only she had stayed closer to her mother and father. If only they were home in their cozy little nest on the cliffs. It was at that moment, moment, that the child noticed something new to wonder at. Off in the distance, she could see towers shining in the sunlight. To her astonishment, she spied a gleaming castle skimming along the cloud tops. With a burst of hope, she beat her wings on the air, summoning the very ends of her strength. If she could just make it a little farther, she could at last sit down and rest there a while. Then perhaps she could attempt the journey home. At last Little Sparrow was able to drift down toward that impossible citadel in the sky. Passing over the castle walls, she gasped, for all of a sudden she found herself sailing through a sea of colorful kites. Red, yellow, blue, and everything in between. She was so startled by the swirl of color around her that she immediately started to plummet down. She fell, fearing the worst, when, splash. She landed right into a beautiful babbling fountain. And things only grew more curious from there. As the child looked about from the sparkling pool, Little Sparrow came to realize she had splashed down into the middle of a grand parade. And what a parade it was. Why, this was a procession of some of the strangest beasts to have ever gathered. There were scaly creatures and great winged ones, some beautiful and others besides. A few strode forth on two legs, while others walked on 20. And at the head of the procession walked a fantastical beast with the body of a lion and the sagely face of a man beaming at the crowds around him. And such an audience. There were lords and ladies in abundance. They loomed like giants, wearing fine clothes, garments the likes of which Little Sparrow had never seen. And stranger still, all about the courtyard there were the most splendid statues of silver and gold that walked as though they were living. Some marched merrily along in the parade, no less out of sorts and utterly exhausted. Little Sparrow hardly knew what to make of it all. Timidly she drew herself out from the fountain, shaking the damp from her feathers. In a heartbeat, the pageantry flew into a chaos. Upon seeing the child, the whole gathering cried out in a panic. The beasts howled and screeched while the lords and ladies all swooned in Alarm. Soon the statues all moved to encircle the child, barring her there at the fountain. What is it? Some cried. Come from where? Cried others. We must know what purpose has brought the thing here. No matter. Just catch it and quick. Little Sparrow's heart sank at this clamor. But before things could grow any worse, a voice rang over the din. Peace, I say. Peace, one and all. A night tall and noble stepped forth from the throng, his voice like a bell in the square. It is not for us to decide but the Queen. The council shall gather with the queen and her king. Hold your peace, pray you all. We shall see. The crowd continued to murmur, but presently a woman from the crowd joined the knight. She was tall and slender like a willow, and seemed to the child to carry herself with uncanny grace. Till then, hie you hence. No more bickering now. I shall look after our guest, and we'll settle this all on the morrow. With that, she gathered up Little Sparrow and carried her away from the tumult to the top of one of the castle's many beautiful towers, introducing herself to the the child as royal advisor to the queen. Grateful to this lady, but still very much afraid, the child asked, forgive me, miss, have I done something wrong? I am only lost and mean no mischief here. The woman gazed down at her with a tender eye, saying, I shouldn't think so, little one. Still, the lords of the sky are not accustomed to uninvited. Tell me, how came you to our fair city in the clouds? Little Sparrow was relieved by her kindness and confessed all. How she had been separated from her mother and father, how the sudden storm had taken her with no warning, and how she'd fled from the shadows who'd threatened her on the borders of this unfamiliar realm. The woman's brow darkened, but before the child could question why, she heard a joyous voice echoing up from the square. Gazing out the window, Little Sparrow gasped, for the visage of a pale, smiling king in a golden crown appeared in the fountain below. Worry not, all is well. Our days of the Eld are behind us. The heavens are ours, will not be undone. Our glory it ever shall bind us. Upon hearing this, the beasts and lordlings finally abandoned their squabbling and emptied the square. In the tower, the gentle woman tucked the child into a bed far larger than she, saying, rest your weary wings, Little Sparrow. We shall sort this out in the morn. As the child struggled to sleep, she watched the moons drifting in the sky, wondering if her parents were seeing them as well. She prayed they could gaze on them together ere long. With that wish in her heart, she finally drifted off to slumber, though her dreams were troubled by shadows whispering in the dark, drawing ever closer. In the morning, the royal advisor woke the child, and after they'd shared a breakfast together and watched the clouds drift lazily by the castle's many towers, she took Little Sparrow on a walk about the grounds, showing her the wonders of that marvelous place. They crossed under a panoply of dancing kites and entered the castle proper, where the woman led Little Sparrow through a great many displays of magic and beauty. There was a vaulting domed chamber painted from floor to ceiling with all the bodies of the night sky. An enchanting indoor garden where the girl met a noble old griffin cloaked in a mantle of stars. A vast library of scrolls and tomes lit by the scores of twinkling lanterns. They even wandered the halls of an extra exquisitely jeweled labyrinth that hummed with the music of a thousand chimes and seemed to shift as they roamed the shining halls. Little Sparrow had never seen so many astonishing sights, and it was a wonder to her that these lords and ladies of the sky could have so much, yet be so troubled. But before she could puzzle over it any further, the mannerly knight came looking to fetch them, saying, the queen is at court and would meet our young traveler. If it pleases you, the council is called. He delivered them to a grand throne room in the heart of the castle, ushering them through a crowd awash with rumor and whispers. But standing beyond those lords and ladies, Little Sparrow took in a sight more breathtaking than all that came before. There at the at the center of the hall stood a single tree more beautiful than any the girl had ever laid eyes on. Its leaves a burnished gold that shone with astonishing lustre beneath its boughs. The king sat by his queen, paired like the moons in the sky, he beaming and bright, she pensive and knowing presence. Presently the knight called for peace in the hall and a council of the Queen's wisest assembled at the foot of the tree. Little Sparrow stood anxiously, scarcely able to breathe as the Queen's piercing eyes read her like the pages of a book. Her voice cut the air. My advisor has told us what she can of you, childling. Recounted your unlikely journey and the dangers that you chanced to to walk my halls. But I would hear of this from you, young one. How is it that you stand beneath the Naming Tree so far beyond your ken? Nervous though she was, Little Sparrow found her voice beseeching the watchful lady. It Was no choice of mine, great queen. And if I had one, it would surely be to stay at my mother's and father's sides. The storm stole me from them. Fortunate I am to have escaped at all, for the shadows that beset me in those darkened skies near, but had me in the end, and fearful am I still, for this was all but at your door. At that, the entire room stirred to life as the many lords and ladies began to argue over the child's words. Devil at our gates. This bodes of some calamity. We must ready ourselves. We are not without defences. This is foolishness. The surface dweller lies. The arts we wield are unparalleled. The gods themselves could not touch us here. That child was able to scale our walls. If she can, more will come. Rising to his feet, the king called out to the troubled assembly, imploring them to calm. Worry not, sweet lords and ladies. There is no need to fear. The child is confused. She merely jumps at shadows. No darkness can fall here. No. The queen's clear voice cut through the air, and all the room fell silent. Her king turned toward his love, the smile fading from his lips. No, my king. I see this child. There is no doubt within her. And as the queen rose from her throne, the child could see a sadness settle in her eyes. She looked to the tree of gold above, sighing, we have sailed too high, thinking we could leave the world below in shadow and grasp the sun and stars and all for ourselves, simply because they were in reach to hang so fair a gem from the sky. Of course, there are those who seek to pluck it down. And pluck it down we shall. It was the night who spoke, and all attending gasped in great dismay. For all about the knight's person a pool of shadow spread, and it wreathed him in darkness. No cloud so high, no wall so sound, no knowledge so rare and hoarded can shelter your covetous hearts from the darkness. You fled into darkness you shall rejoin. Suddenly there was a ghastly moaning in the room, like misery come to life. And more shadows sprang up all about the chamber, enveloping the souls at hand. The queen's eyes glittered coldly and her voice rang out through the bedlam. You shall not grasp what you cannot reach. So be it, then there are other realms than these. And without any word of warning, the queen began to cast a spell upon the tree, which then started to glow with a light all its own. The knight stalked toward her throne, his eyes like burning embers amidst the darkness shrouding him. How right you Are. Your day has come. How could it not cast shadow on this place to fly so close to the sun? With a cry, the king charged the shadowy knight, desperate to shield his queen. But his foe was too strong, and the pale king fell, his crown stained with blood. Little Sparrow hid herself near the foot of the tree as shadow crept its way throughout the hall. While at its heart, the queen continued, continued to work her magic upon the tree. Darkness fell and the night was near upon her, yet still she wrought her spell. Then a mighty rift was torn upon the surface of the trunk. A powerful wind began to blow, and everything, knight, queen, king and all was drawn unto that awful tear. The queen's advisor, knowing full well what magic was upon them, broke the smallest of twigs from the golden tree and pressed it into Little Sparrow's hands, imploring her, keep this safe and with it your knowledge of what happened here. I pray that you will wield it more wisely than those from whom you inherit. It taught a good for all to share. Our time in these skies is passing, but though we fade, there are many more dreams still possible. It will be up to you to dream them. The noble scholar embraced the child, weaving a charm of her own in a single beat of her heart. The tree, the hall and all beside them vanished. Little Sparrow felt a. A cold rush of wind upon her face, and for a fleeting moment she was falling. But as her eyes peeled open and gazed upon a vast blue sky, she quickly spread her wings and fell into a wide and soaring arc. Fervently, she sought in all directions for the flying citadel. But queens and crowns and castle walls were no nowhere to be found. The sky was perfect and clear to the horizon's edges, with nary a cloud in sight. And the girl could at last see the fertile green world beckoning her from below. Her mind roiled with questions. Had the queen truly taken them away? Were they gone? Were they safe? Safe? Were they ever to return? Perhaps, she thought these fraught last hours were visions of some dream. But the sprig of gold tucked safely in her belt and the child's own aching heart told her otherwise. Feeling very alone, Little Sparrow turned her eye to the earth below in search of her mountain. But she did not recognize these lands. She wondered how far she'd sailed in that strange place, and if she would indeed ever see her mother and father again. It was only then that the child spotted something glinting in a far off corner of the sky. Veering in that direction, the girl's heart leaped as she closed the distance and found a single golden kite slowly making its way across the firmament. It brought a smile to the child's face, both sad and sweet, and since she knew not where her home lay, she followed the pretty little kite, pondering all she'd seen. Her thoughts wound their way amongst the castle spires, through its splendid halls and vibrant denizens, and eventually threaded reverently amongst the branches of the golden tree at the city's heart. Sometime later, Little Sparrow roused herself from her thoughts and gasped, for beyond the little kite she recognized her own dear mountain's peak rising in the distance. Her heart fluttered with joy and she pressed on eagerly, following the kite all the way down to the familiar climes of her home and her mother's and father's loving arms. And there she lived a great many years, nourishing the land and nourished by it, and she was happy all her days. The little branch of gold she'd carried was planted there at the foot of Sparrow's mountain, and it grew into a splendid tree with a tremendous beauty of its own. And from its fruit sprang all the knowledge that we now share in this late age, with all the troubles and the blessings that accompany it. These gifts are sometimes used for ill and other times for good. We wonder if we will reach the sun, but never if we should.
