Free The Claiming of the Children (The Veil of Death) by D. K. Manning Page A

you?
    Or do you dare to take a step forward unto the clouds?
    If you chose the latter, then a breath of air will be escaping your lips because solid marble sits beneath your feet, not that of cloud.
    But that breath of air is so quickly stolen by Magnificence.
    You can see forever and quite rightly so your senses believe that you stand within a place that has no boundary or barrier.
    But!
    What does your hand now feel?
    A wall and such is its density you wonder how you had missed it. You see the granite that makes up the circular wall of the Eastern Tower and marvel at the cleverness of Earth.
    How she tricks you with her resources.
    Ah!
    But how Splendour outruns that of Magnificence - she does not steal only your breath away but one beat of your heart!
    You gaze upon an arched window - and another… and another.
    Twelve arched windows you count and instinct demands that your vision moves upwards but when you do, you cannot see where the windows end, for they soar so high.
    Dizziness takes hold of your senses and throws them into a frenzy of awe and confusion.
    Each window has numerous carvings and sculptures within and around its arch: An infinite amount of designs that represent all Immortal Beings who exist within the Universe.
    The wisest of souls avert their eyes before Obsession takes hold and you become lost forever within its Thirst: Counting over and over – over and over… every design, pattern and symbol and when you have finished your counting and memorising – our flighty Goddess of Memory will play her favourite game with you: Lost and Found! – Found and Lost!
     
    ∞
     
    Eurynome remained at the Throne Room’s entrance and stared at the continued stillness of Zeus. Has he heard not my words? Has he felt not the echoes of my distress?
    “Zeus!” She called and fast approached him.
    “I dare not move.” Zeus whispered to Eurynome the moment he felt her presence by his side. “Look to the stars.” He told her.
    Eurynome looked to the Gallery of Stars and saw the stars within the constellation of Athena . [v] flickering – dimming – fading.
    “This is your wife’s doing,” she whispered. “An invitation has just made itself known unto me.”
    It was an invitation woven from the finest of spider’s silk and its green lettering hovered and glistened before the sight of Zeus.
     
    The Party of your Life!
    I, Hera, Goddess of Marriage & Family - invite you to rejoice with me and my husband the renewal of our Marriage Vows.
    The three daughters of Eurynome will grace us with their presence and attend to all guests until the end!
    Each will shower unto you their gifts of Joy, Laughter and Merriment until Energy herself needs her sleep!
    Offerings of Love, Dance, Music, Song, Wine and Amber Nectar will flow freely and abundantly.
    Dress Code: The Human Body.  Venue: Mother Earth.
    Time: Now until Eternity
    Eurynome watched as Zeus read the lettering and after he had, she told him. “The children see not the reality of the situation. They dance in one of Earth’s meadows but believe that they are within a majestic ballroom.”
    She pointed toward the Earth and explained to him the illusion that Hera had managed to create.
    “Your wife has crafted a barrier of such strength and trapped the children within it. They believe that time is one moment when in fact mortal months are passing them by. Try as I might Zeus, I have yet to succeeded in piercing, shattering or entering through the barrier to warn them that they need to soar away from the Earth before they become attached to her.”
    Zeus stared down at the meadow that his immortal children saw so differently to the mortals.
     
    ∞
     
    The immortal children danced, laughed and sang within the enjoyment of a party. They saw no meadow, stream or blade of grass; no goats grazing or any of the mortal ‘human beings’ who mingled within the meadow.
    They truly believed themselves to be within a grand ballroom heavily adorned with framed