I had not returned to the top of the Wizard’s Tower since I found the dead Phasmatodea there a few months ago. My soul was younger then and innocent. I was not as aware of the power the Wizard holds over this land.
And then I felt again an urge to ascend the Tower to see what might be seen from such great heights. I have no key to the Tower, but Tommy told me the combination to open the servant’s entrance before he left La Mancha. I followed the spiraling staircase around and through the refractory, the classroom, the library, and then up the short flight of stairs that leads to the top.
There is a sword embedded in the wall of the Tower. If you stand near the lions on the Causeway and look up, this sword points to North Star. I wandered over to the sword and looked down upon the Fang & Feather, Welcome Center, Spence Manor, and the rest of the Village. The weather was nice; the sun was setting gently above the Western Wild Lands.
Then I turned fully to the west and looked down upon our Blessed Lady Dulcinea and into the Valley below. The trees shimmered briefly and then separated themselves into clear layers, those close at hand, those in the middle distances, and those far across the valley on the hillside below the Modern Wizard towers.
In that moment words came to me. They came so clearly and seemingly distinct from my own mind that I thought I might have heard them out loud.
THAT WHICH IS ABOVE IS LIKE THAT WHICH IS BELOW
I then looked directly at the roof of Dulcinea. My eye was drawn to it because you cannot see this view of Our Lady from the ground. For a moment Her roof was adorable to me, warm and precious and inviting, like a nativity set. There was another shimmer in my vision and I noticed a tile or two out of place. Her roofline seemed to sag a little. And I saw a smear of a dark patina on Her stucco. I felt a little sick and stepped away from the view. More thoughts came into my mind, from where I know not.
she was made by human hands, you know
she is old and needs repairs
one day she will be gone and nature will rule again in this valley
I stood there in uncertainty. Should I look again to take a quick inventory and discover what is wanting in her? Perhaps she needs a champion, someone to help repair her or raise funds for her upkeep. Maybe establish an endowment fund of some kind.
Those are good things to do, aren’t they?
I did not look again. I left the tower as quickly as I could. Those are all good things to do. Yes they are.
And I will do none of them.
