He completed the walk to the door. It was not locked so he opened it and stepped into a room that had been carved into the top of the mountain. There before him sat an array of jars, bottles, containers, a rose, a note, and a lot of gold. Standing up in the center of the room was a shrine.
He carefully approached it not knowing what to expect. He heard a whisper, “guardian, come close so that I may know you better.” He stepped forward, knelt and then a strange mist began to swirl around him. He felt something reach out and touch his heart, as if to measure him or take something from him.”
He heard a voice then, “I am the ‘Mother of the Rose’, the ‘Twilight Queen’, and ‘Mother Soul of Dawn, and Dusk’. Take these gifts but let your heart be true or the gift will become a curse upon you. Your mother and father are proud of you, go with the blessings of the Nine. Quickly now!”
He stood up and gathered the gold and placed it in the shoulder bag he had brought with him. He almost felt compelled to give Rose most of it but something inside told him to hold onto it, she would need help later.
He stepped outside and stood in the doorway of the temple and shrine. The view from up here was breathtaking. He thought to himself, “I can understand now why this was built here. It is a place of peace. The type that continues to flow through you for days and weeks after returning to the world of the living below.
From up here, you can clearly sense and see the beauty that marks the dusk and dawn of each new day. He stood there a little while longer than began his descent to share the good news and gift with Rose.
As he made his way down the mountain, he took the time to do what he could to take care of the pilgrims who had perished on their way to the temple. He didn’t know why, but he felt they needed that respect to be paid to them to allow their spirits to return home to find their final rest.
As he finished the last one, he knelt and could be heard saying, “May your spirit find the truth it sought in life, may it find peace and comfort, and hearth and home at your journey’s end.” He felt a single tear freeze as it rolled down his cheek to mark the end of their time here.