“I’ve done that my entire life, since I can remember,” She stated boldly, as if she’d chosen it. “Whenever I’m really focused, or overcome with emotion about something, my actions are enhanced by the light. Whatever I do to provoke it, that action becomes stronger. I remember one time when I was a little girl, when my Aunt wanted me to come inside for the night, and I protested. I stomped my foot, and the light sparked underneath it. I went inside anyway, but my aunt told me later that I’d left a burnt crater where my foot hit. Things like that have always happened. I just figured that it was magick passed on to me from my ancestors. I never got into it though.”
“That’s incredible,” Emma breathed.
“Does it hurt?” asked Riley.
“No, not at all,” Lythina replied. Her courage was growing against their hard stares, and she looked to Radna for an answer. “Do you think that’s magick?”
Deep in concentration, Radna left the group to pace around the glade. “Yes, I do. It’s more magick than I’ve ever seen. Most magick is done with candles and spells and such, but to physically produce it is extraordinary.” She must’ve decided something because she quickly rejoined them. “It’s getting late, and I’ve got some research to do. I’ll meet up with you all later.”
“Is something wrong?” Lythina asked.
“No, no, nothing. I’m just really interested in this, that’s all.” She gave Lythina a deep hug, and quickly left the clearing.
“ — wonder what that was all about,” said Emma.
But Riley seized the opportunity. She skipped over to Lythina, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the middle of the glade. “So, practicing Justice sounds simple enough,” she chimed, “but when do we really get a chance to make just decisions in our daily lives, I mean besides compromising with your friends about what to have for dinner?” They were facing each other now, Riley staring into Lythina’s slightly uncomfortable expression.
“I suppose I see what you mean,” Lythina replied. “It’s not very often we get to rule the kingdom, or anything.”
“Precisely. So, how do we practice?” Riley clasped her hands behind her back and started slowly pacing to and fro in front of Lythina. She walked with a deliberate purposefulness, placing her footsteps with guided accuracy. For a moment, she reminded Lythina of a dancer from her home village.
“Because Justice is a spiritual virtue, it begins within your soul. Deep inside, from when we decide to leave our dreams in the morning to why we choose to crush the grass beneath our feet when we walk, we are constantly making tiny unconscious decisions. If we can learn to understand and adjust those decisions at the spiritual level, then our conscious decisions become that much more objective.”
“That sounds a little complicated,” said Lythina as she watched Riley’s graceful steps. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“It’s not any more complicated than the other virtues, and apparently you’ve already got two down. You start with a feeling, like always. When you learn to balance yourself with the Universe, you’ll find that your body will stabilize automatically.”
And when Lythina glanced back at Riley’s feet, she smiled as she saw her friend walking on the air itself. A hands-breadth above the mossy forest floor, she paced as if she was planting her feet on a solid surface.
“It kinda tickles,” Riley remarked when she saw Lythina staring at the gap between her and the ground. “Try it; walk with me and concentrate on feeling your own footsteps being pulled toward the earth. Let the Universe guide you; it’ll tell you where to step.”
So Lythina turned and began matching each of her footsteps with Riley’s. Slowly and peacefully, hands clasped gently behind their backs, they paced back and forth in a straight line. As she emptied her mind, feeling the crisp forest air nourish her lungs, the powerful tranquility of the entire forest seemed to penetrate through Lythina’s flesh to cradle her soul in a web of ethereal energy. She felt like the infinite hands of the Universe itself were embracing her spirit, showing her that she was an equal part in all of creation. An immense love for everything natural overwhelmed her, and she surrendered to the Universe.
She didn’t need to walk anymore because the earth itself was tugging her feet into rock solid steps. For an instant, infinite moment, her mind was the forest, her body was the earth, and her soul was the Heavens. She was love, and love was creation. Every breath, every heartbeat, and every footstep were all given to her with eternal benevolence, granted by perfect charity. And with a pulsating, sparkling joy, Lythina carefully opened her eyes toward Riley.
Staring back at her were the crystal blue eyes of her friend. Even and level with her gaze, Riley smiled a heartening grin. “Sometimes,” she breathed, emanating serenity, “we become so wrapped up within our own bodies that we forget who we really are. And when we practice perfect Justice, our spirits remember who our true Mother is, and who our true Father is.”
Lythina sighed in agreement. “Thank you, God,” she whispered. “Thank you for reminding me.” She spread her toes slightly to feel the airy breeze between them, and she reveled in the subtle tingle from the mist that caressed her feet as she glanced down to watch the mysterious blue light cushion each of her footsteps.
Riley guided Lythina back to re-center herself within her body, showing her how to ease her footsteps back toward the earth. Once they were planted upon the forest floor, Lythina and Riley hugged for a minute.
“That was amazing, Riley, thank you so much,” Lythina said.
“Absolutely no problem, Lythina,” Riley replied. “Ya know, I’m really glad you made it here.” She looked at her feet for a moment, embarrassed about what she wanted to say next. “I know you felt uncomfortable being with us when Radna left, seeing as you’ve only know us for half a day, but I can see why Radna likes you so much.”
Lythina’s surprise at her friend’s words dissolved quickly. “You’re right, I was. But getting to know you better was all that I needed. Thanks for being so understanding.”
“Anytime,” smiled her friend.
Jonas and Emma were chatting excitedly when Lythina and Riley walked up to them.
“Is it finally my turn,” Emma asked with a playful impatience.
“Yes, it is,” Lythina grinned. “I always save the best for last!”
“Oh,” Emma cooed to the others, “did you hear that, guys?” She locked her arm into Lythina’s and guided her into the middle of the clearing. “You know, there is a lot to be said about the other virtues, but I’ve heard that Prudence is known as the leader of them all. Do you know exactly what it is?”
“Exactly?” Lythina asked, although reluctantly because she enjoyed hearing the subtle accent in her friend’s voice.
“Exactly.”
“Hmm, sensible wisdom,” relayed Lythina’s sparkling intuition.
“Spot on,” Emma smiled. “We practice Prudence anytime we synthesize our knowledge and our experience into a physical outcome.” She stopped walking with Lythina once they arrived at the center of the glade and untangled herself from her arms, but stayed close to her side.
“I
