K* was waiting at the mountain terrace. “Remember what was here?” I did. “Remember what never left.” I understood.
He moved to the edge of the terrace and allowed me to take the center of the circular clearing. My feather cloak exploded off of me. Thousands of glossy black feathers, looking like shards of obsidian, floated around me. I reached forward with my left hand into seemingly empty air, and closed my hand with intent.
The cane of the Embroidered Man felt cold and smooth in my grip. The cane that was destroyed when the terrace was swept bare. I held the cane before me, just under the crystal head, tip pointed down to the still bare earth. The floating feathers began to swirl tightly around me.
I brought the cane sharply down and stabbed the dry ground. The feathers coalesced around me into the form of a long sleeve, floor length, black coat. I felt a pressure under my feet, as if the earth was holding its breath.
I pulled the cane free from the wound. As it came clear, there was a flash of light from the minute hole left behind. The light poured out like water and streamed in arcs around the terrace until the design was complete.
The Seal had returned to my sight.
“What has changed, since the day this left, to now?” K* stood outside the seal, opposite of me.
“My perception and understanding.”
“Layers within layers. Your understanding has increased, yet still you know nothing.” Ke clapped kir hands. The outer rings lifted off the surface and rotated around and over me. Watching the ring travel over me reminded me of the turning of a book’s page from the book’s point of view.
A chapter has ended. A chapter has begun.
The rings settled into the ground of the new world. But this place too, is but one I’ve been absent for some time. The ground was pure white marble that glowed with impossible light, with the seal inlaid with as lapis lazuli. I felt as if in a chamber but the walls and ceiling were removed beyond the limits of my sight.
“Show me, [Weaver]. Show me what you understand.
I remember lifting the cane and releasing it before my face. I remember it hanging there by my will alone. I remember having sleek feathers instead of hair, and my coat flaring around me.
I remember the seal suddenly glowing with electric blue intensity.
I remember naught else.
That I’m willing to speak on, anyway.