Naomi responded, “I understand, and I hated having to do it, but we have to be realistic. A development was going to get built somewhere around there, and this choice was the one that involved the least destruction of wilderness areas. This location would also encourage more positive energies in the whole city. It’s a small comfort, but something had to go. I’ m looking at the big picture. Those spirits suffered, but more wilderness was saved for the moment, and crime and insanity is down in San Diego. Besides.. . things have to change. The world has to keep moving. It’ s our role to keep it moving smoothly with the spirits. Can you imagine what would’ve happened if the spirits of the arroyos had decided to up and fight the burgeoning spirit of San Diego?” “It’s like predators and prey -some things have to suffer and die for others to live. This applies as much to the spiritual realm as to our world. Humanity lives in cities now, that’ s the way of the world. If the city spirits are peaceful, sane and happy, then the inhabitants are likely to be the same way.” The ragged, distant-looking man who had previous been sitting quietly raised his head. ‘She’s right, you know. Don’t take no genius to realize that choices got to be made, and it’s best if we’ re the ones making them. We walk between the worlds. The voice tells me we gots to be the ones who stand between the spirits and the walkin’- around people. I heard some of us talk about how we’re here to protect the spirits from other people. Well, I read some old books, and talked to some evenolderghosts, and that ain’t the way any of them tell it. We’re here to make sure that everyone on both sides gets along. Like pretty Naomi says, sometimes folks can’ t get along without some sort of choice bein’ made. Better for all concerned if that choice is made fast and certain than if lots ofpeople on both sides of the world wall get hurt.’’ He leaned back in his chair and appeared to doze off again while the man in the ponytail spoke up again. “Fair enough. I don’t much like it, but the tune has to play that way sometimes. I’ ve seen some nasty ghosts in my time. Some of them you don’t want to appease because all they’re lookin’ for is a pile of human hearts as tall as this table. There’s more of those things around since the troubles started. They keep me fairly busy. Regardless, there’s more to this job than just protectin’ yuppies from nightmares. We’ re the oldest type of magic there is and as such we got a responsibility to keep to some of the old ways alive. “I’ve worked with old timers like Tasygan at rallies and protests to help stop The Man from walkin’ all over Native American treaties, drilling Alaska dry and s toppin’ the damn WTO from putting every third world resident in a sweat shop or an early grave. This song is about more than just spirits, it’ s about helping the people who still believe in the likes of us, and the folks who generally get the short end of the stick. It’s all about balance - we got to balance the spirits and the people, and one group of people against another. We’re the ones that make sure that all the bars of the song balance out, and see to it that some goofball doing a drum solo doesn’t drown out the entire guitar section. “I don’t know about any of the rest of you, but I’ve talked with folks in the other Traditions andwe’re mostly on our own here. The witches and even a few of the hackers and the priests are willing to help out, but most everyone else is too busy doin’ their own thing to worry if the entire rest of the band is getting off key. We all know that the only way to tune this screwed up planet is by working with the worlds on both side of the Gauntlet. We’ re the only ones who are any good at that sort of thing, so these days that’s our most important job.” CWER @NE THE A L - THE W ~ L D and is one. Most often, that happens in the aftermath of they could do. In one case, I taught her enough so that something really serious like almost dying, losing a she could do minor work with spirits. I’ll introduce you loved one or having a really intense drug trip. to her sometime soonTrudy has a decent enough job “Most of the time, though, someone starts having working on a psychic phone line in Denver. some odd experiences like you did - hearing dead “You’re different, though. I knew that as soon as I relatives talking to them, having their childhood imagifound out that you destroyed the spirit that was trying to nary friends show up once they’re grown up, or simply possess you. You’ ve got it in you to learn to do things seeing weird visions. Those people need training, and if that she could only dream of doing. If you work hard they don’t get it the voice or visions usually get worse. enough you could someday learn to cage agod in a bottle Most of them never learn to use them for any purpose or or to walk a thousand miles in an instant. even to control them. Heck, even with training most of “But it all starts with the spirits. Nothing else is them never learn to control them. possible if you can’t learn to see and talk to them. Once “Before you ask, let me say that you’re not like that. you learn to see them when you want, and not when I asked the spirits, and you’re definitely someone that you don’ t, the rest comes pretty easy. The most can Awaken all the way, if that’s what you want. People important thing to remember is that while there are like you are why I work as a counselor. many ways to get there the goal is always the same. If “In the four years I’ve been doing this, I’ve run into YOU can master the wonders of the spirit world and lots of folks who have had brushes with spirits and learn to work with its inhabitants, there is nothing almost a dozen who needed serious help. In most cases, that YOU can’t karn to do.,’ I managed to get them back to normal. They were Huh. Guess I could get pretty eloquent with pracpeople who wouldn’ tor couldn’t learn to control what tice. We’d find out about the “wise. ” raie to overcume. nto ents r mentor orten inciuaes speciric
Dreamspeakers · Mage