... the science dilemma...

Science would have us believe emotions are a bi-product of complex chemical reactions within the brain... primarily, the human brain. Science is wrong. Any pet person could provide sufficient anecdotal evidence that contradicts such conjecture. It is the spirit that dictates feelings and emotions and the bi-product is the chemical reaction. Regardless of species or intellectual capacity, the energy of life is the spirit. How else can the responses exhibited in life be explained... a herd of donkeys crying over the death of one of their own, a dog's excitement when seeing his human after a long absence, a nursing mom of a litter of her own accepting a baby of an entirely different species, the purring of a cat when petted... or what about this little guy, sitting on my back step. Can science be 100% confident in its conclusion that it's nothing more than a conditioned response (he's waiting for the peanut guy who kindly hands him peanut after peanut). I believe there's more to it than conditioning...

... a thought

"Thank you Vincent!"

We all know of the Van Gogh masterpiece, The Starry Night… right? Imagine Vincent showing his vision with only words... not with paint. Possible? Maybe… but not probable. So I propose: if paints are to art as words are to stories, then energy is to life as the Stones are to the Spirit of Life.

... atom by atom

Science tells us the atom is the smallest unit of measure for all elements. It consists of a core (neutrons and protons) surrounded by orbiting electrons. There are 118 known elements. And each element is defined by the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons within the atom. The average 150-pound human body has approximately seven million trillion atoms of which 99% comes from only six elements. That’s what I call a whole lot of atoms mulling around fighting for form and existence.

The Spirit of Life is the energy that holds all of these elements in place. This energy is not only everywhere... it's conscious.

Winged Meadows

 Mid summer had blossomed and a rainbow of color painted the lands. Gardens were everywhere, alive with all types of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Even the forests and prairies were growing in bounty thanks to the magic of Winged Meadows. But the gardens of Elmwood and Oakwood had special yields… an assortment of herbage used by all of Stonesway. They were brimming with jasmine, sage, lemongrass, mint, juniper, and every other known healing herb used for the betterment of life.

It was believed that the 4th Age of man had turned away from nature in its quest for health. With science and invention, they abandoned what stood before them and developed poisonous compounds to replace the inter-connective ways the spirit provided. They created their own doom. The Stones brought the 5th Age into the light... and Winged Meadows blossomed into wonderous amazement.

... the nemesis of providence

"What is wrong? Please... I need to know. Help me." As Mical watched the rain, a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky. The thunder that followed not only shook his home but spoke to his heart. He had been given an answer, his purpose was shown. The approaching peril required an adversary. And he had been chosen... the nemesis of providence armed only with love.

... a flight toward destiny

... the old squire threw some travel goods into his tattered leather satchel, grabbed his walking stick and bolted from his home. A race with time had begun. There was no turning back. Hope had ignited his will and challenged his spirit. The risk was great but nothing would stop him from fighting with destiny atop Widow's Peak... a destiny that was coming for the Stones.

The Turum Wall

The Turum Wall is the largest and oldest man-made structure in Stonesway. It serves as the southern border for the lands of the tribal plains. These are the kingdoms where centaurs and humans have truly bonded for the betterment of all life. The Wall rises thirty feet into the air, is eight feet wide and spans the entire length of the valley.

Illustration by: Beth Ricci Lewis

The Third High Queen of Stonesway

The Heart Stone

... Queen Beth Roonie is the third High Queen of Stonesway. She received the Heart Stone on her 30th birthday. She is a fifty year old woman whose characteristics are said to mimic that of the most lovely and truest friend. Her physical beauty touches the soul like a cloudless midnight sky; her shoulder length hair shimmers like black velvet against the light of a full moon, eyes deep of royal blue, lips as red and soft as cherry licorice. Her smile causes young men to blush and older men to wish they still could. Her voluptuous body is curvy; her big bosom giggles when she laughs, her waist a mere turning point for hips that sway lingering echos of a dance.

The Heart Stone was gifted to Queen Roonie for the pureness in her heart, her emphatic emotional stability, and the fullness of love she champions for all life.

Second High Queen of Stonesway

The second High Queen of the valley is Queen Jacquelyn. This amazing woman arrived at the Palace of the Mages on the day the old Queen ascended. This is the way of the Earth Stone. The new bearer always appears at the palace gates at the exact time she is needed as if fate had called her to duty... She is a strong, confident woman... the oldest of the Queens at 62... When she speaks, her strong, low voice projects a gentle ambiance of understanding like a cherished grandmother. Queen Jacquelyn was given the Earth Stone for within her resides the truth of the land and how it connects to the spirit of life... Citizens of her dominion are strong willed and masters of the connective sciences or magical arts if you wish. For thirty years, a multitude of life has served on her counsel. Mystics, wizards, seers, mages, heralds, alchemists, even owls have shared in the knowledge of her Stone. They are pillars of truth and stay close to the Earth Stone and its Queen.

First High Queen

... The Stone of Souls chooses its bearer and Queen. How? It dissipates with the last breath of the ascending Queen as it simultaneously forms upon its new chosen keeper. Of all the Stones, the Stone of Souls is the grandest for it protects the life force within all things. It is the energy that binds on a molecular level, pure and powerful with a will of its own. Queen Joanie has been it’s keeper for the past thirty-five years. She is the humblest of rulers and the most cherished person in all the lands.