Darknesscoveredtheskiesandthemoongraduallyroseintheeastwithallitsmagnificence,castingitsluminousraysonthemeadowsofthemysteriousKingdom.Swarmsoffirefliesrosefromthegrass,addinglifeandvivaciousnesstothemysteriousmeadows.Duringthedaythesoilhadabsorbedenormousenergyfromthepowerfulraysofthesun.Now,thefadeddryrottedgrasslayonthewarmsoil,enjoyingtheremnantwarmthofthesunandthecaressesofthegloriousmoon.Theretheylay,placidlybaskingintheraysofthesunandthemoon,appearingtobeasleep,butnotquiteasleep;seemingtobeawakebutnotquiteawake.Therereallywasnodefiniteborderlinebetweenwakeandsleep.Eveniftherewere,itwasblurryandindistinct.Thus,theyquietlyreclinedthere,thechemicalelementsconcentratedintheirbodygraduallydecomposedanddecomposedandtheneventuallyrecomposedandrecomposed.Thus,theyslept,imperturbablyenjoyingtheremnantwarmthofthesunandthepacifyingembraceofthemoonlight;seeminglybutnottrulydreaming;appearingtobebutnotreallyawake.Therereallywasnodefiniteborderlinebetweenwakeanddream.Eveniftherewere,itwasblurryandindistinct.Dreamisthecontinuationofreallife,andreallifeisonlyheplotofdreams.Theysleptquietlyonthewarmsoil,seeminglybutnotquitetipsy.Whilestillgrowinginthesoil,theyswayedhappilywiththesoftspringbreeze,greatlypleased.Therereallywasnodefiniteborderlinebetweenintoxicationandsobriety.Theirideologywassosimple;theironlymotiveoflifebeingtogrowandgrowuntiltheyreachedtheirlimit,prophesyingtheapproachofdeath.Theyhadreveledinthejoysoflifeandmustnowexperiencethehappinessofdeath.Nowtheylayonthewarmsoil,placidlybaskingintheraysofthesunandthemoon;appearingtobebutnotquitealive,seeminglybutnotreallydead.Therereallywasnoborderlinebetweenlifeanddeath.Eveniftherewere,itwasblurryandindistinct.Onlythosewhohadreveledinthejoysoflifecouldexperiencethehappinessofdeath.Deathislikeanunfathomableblackabyss–theinescapablefinaldestinationofalllife.Likethedemiseofastellarsystem,itleavesablackholeintheuniverse.Thisfearinfluencedalllivingcreatures,butthefadeddryrottedgrasshadovercomethisfearandquietlyreclinedonthewarmsoil.Thechemicalelementsconcentratedintheirbodiesgraduallydecomposedanddecomposed;andtheneventuallyrecomposedandrecomposed.Theyhavereveledinthejoysoflifeandmustnowexperiencethehappinessofdeath.Theylaytheresereneandquiet.Firefliesroseupinswarmsfromthegrass,addinglifeandvivaciousnesstothemysteriousmeadows.Ah!Theyhaveresurrected,transformedfromdrygrasstolivingfireflieswithtiny,exquisitelanternsontheirtail,flyingtoheraldnewsoftheirresurrectionthroughouttherealmsofNature.

        Oneofthefirefliesflewtowardsthepalace,illuminatedbythepatchesoflightinthewindows.ButintheGreatHallintherightwingofthepalace,therewasablazeoflight.Thefireflyflewinthroughanopenwindowandsawagroupofnakedbeautiesgatheredaroundatable,talkinganimatedlyaboutsomething.Thebrillianceofthelightsovershadowedthetinylanternonitstail,andthehumofhumanvoicesrushedatitlikesoundwaves,makingitimpossibleforittoremainlongintheroom.Itthought,“Whybeconcernedabouttherightandwronganddiscordofhumanbeings?Whybebotheredbythehumdrumthingsoflife?Imusttreasuremypreciousshortlifebecauseitmaybeoverbythecomingofdawn.Whynotvisitthelonelyblossomsinthepalacegarden?Theymustbedesolateattheprospectofwitheringanddying.Iwillheraldnewsofresurrection.”Decisionhavingbeenmade,itflewoutatoncethroughanotheropenwindowintothedarknessofnight.

        Inthebrilliantlylitroom,thebeautiescalledforthbyAisha,weregatheredtogethertodiscusstheexpectedeventofKingDimitri’shomecoming.Aishawassaying,“KingDimitrihasbeengoneforalongtimeandnowisaboutthetimeforhimtoreturn.MarcelenahasbeenlookingathercrystalballanddiscoveredamanridingaflyinghorsedescendfromonhighintotheKingdom.Andthenthereistheco-incidentaldisappearanceofLightning,KingDimitri’sfavoritehorse.SoIthinkthemanonheflyinghorsemustbeKingDimitri.”TheactiveandvivaciousDornahadgraduallygrownintoacharmingfairyoungladywithoutknowingit.UnderAisha’sinfluenceshehadbecomemorequietandcontrolledandlookedlikeacultureddebutante.Butshestillretainedherfrankandstraightforwardnature.Shesaid,“Whenhecomesbackthistime,Iwillsticktohimlikeglueandseetoitthathedoesn’tstealoffagainlikebefore.OrifhedoesIwanttogowithhim.Iamwillingtosharehisnomadlifeinthemundaneworld.”Whitefairy,withhersnowwhitehair,lookedlikeapure,unsulliedlily,especiallyendearing.

        “ThenewpalaceissupposedtobefinishedbythetimeKingDimitrireturns”saidshe.Nowheiscomingback.Willthegoldpalacebefinishedasplanned?NatalieandIhavecomposedanewballettocelebratethecompletionoftheconstructionandplantodedicateittoKingDimitriandperformitforhim.”

        “TocelebrateKingDimitri’shomecomingandthecompletionofthegoldpalace,”saidSamantha,hereyeslightingup“Ihavedesignedacompleteoutfit,grandpolishedanddistinguished,andhaditmadebyworld-classclothingtailors.IthasbeenfinishedandmailedbacktotheKingdom.Whenwillthenewpalacebecompleted?”

        “WewillaskMegginn,RomiandClementinewhowenttoinspectthesitetotellusaboutit”saidAisha.

        “Severalmilliontonsofgoldhavebeenpurchasedthroughdifferentchannelsfromallovertheworld,”repliedMegginninherslowconfidentandsystematicmanner.“TheyareatthemomentallpiledonthetemporarydockbythefootofGiantMountain.Thespeedofconstructioniswaybehindschedule.WecannotblameCyclopsforthisbecausehowevergreathisphysicalstrength,heisonlyonemanandthejobisHerculean.”

        “ThedesignandblueprintweredrawnupbymeaccordingtoClementine’soralinstruction”saidRomi.“ThearchitectureisGreek.Itisawesomeandaugust.Iaddedafewtouchesforornamentalpurposestobringitmoreuptodateandlively.Butthepalaceismoresuitedtograndeventsandbanquetsandnotfordailyliving.TofinishitbeforeKingDimitricomesbackisimpossiblebecausewelackexperiencedmetalsmithstocastthegold.”Everyone’seyeswenttoClementine.Shethoughtforawhileandsaid,

        “Ifitwerebefore,Icouldeasilyflybacktoheavenandrecruitthenecessarymetalsmiths.ButnowthatIhavethisfleshbody,Icannolongerflybackandforthfromheaventoearthlikebefore,but...”Beforeshefinishedspeaking,theimageofhertwinsister,Charmaine,reflectedinthemirrorplacedonthetableinterrupted,

        “Youcannotdosobecauseyouhaveafleshbody.Idonot,soIamfreetoflybackandforthatwill.Whynotgivethejobtome?Iwillbeabletotakeitup.”

        “Really?Areyousure?”

        “Tryme”saidCharmainesmilingmysteriouslyandherimagedisappearedfromthepolishedsurfaceofthemirror,signifyingthattheimpulsivenymph’sdecisionhadbeeninitiatedintoaction.Theroomwasinanuproar.Everyonewassurprisedattheturnofevents.Theyneverdreamedofthenovelideaofrecruitingcelestialmetalsmiths,thatClementine’stwinsister,Charmaine,wouldconfidentlyvolunteerforthejob,boastingshecouldsuccessfullyfulfillthemission.Nowthatthewheelswerealreadyinmotion,theycouldonlysitbackandwaittoseetheresults.

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