on.Theairatoncekeyedupandturense.

    TheredrubyonVio’stiarashohabrilliantsheenassheandMr.Fingerwhisperedtogether.Thenstraighteningfromhisultrasubservientpositionandpyingthejackaltothetiger,Mr.FiuroDimitriandsaidinaloudanddomineeringvoice,

    “InowrepresenthermajestyQueenViingyoutoatfordestroyingtheKingdomofDreams,devastatingthebeautifulndscape,breakingGiantMountainintoseveralpartssothatthepowbeynition.YouevensankQueenVio’sfavoldpacetothebottomoftheke.Youhavebroughtaboutahquakeandatsunamithatalmostcausedhertodieiurbulentwaves.Doyouaowledgeyuilt?QueenViowouldhavehandeddowhpenalty,butsheiskindandgenerousbynatureandgivesyouthiscetoexpinanddefendyourself.Speak!fessyourreasonsfordoingso.”Dimitri’sfacialexpressiondidnotgeaontospeakcalmlyandfidently.

    “Thatbeautifulndscapedidnotbelongtoanyoneinparticur.ItwasIwhofirstwentthereaablishedmyKingdomofDreams.IerectedbuildingsandpaditwasIwhobuiltthesolidgoldpace.Butitwasyou,Vio,togetherwithCyclopsaidedbythosebarbariantribeswhosetfiretomypace,overturnedmykingdomandforciblyoccupiedmygoldpace.

    Whatreallyhappenediseasilydisibletoalobeexpinedordebated.”Lookingaroundhimhesawthatthegoldpacehewasstandingilythesameastheonehehadbuilt,accurateineverydetail,sohewentontosay,“Ihadalreadysunkthegoldpacetothebottomofthewater,butitsimagehasremainedinyourbrain,andyouareabletomakeitappearinthismundaneworldatwill.Toyou,itwasnolossatalsthereisnorealboundarybetweentrueexistendphantomimpressions.Itishardtodistinguishbetweeendence,oritbesaidthatthereisnorealdiffereweenthem.Sinceyoumakeyourbelovedgoldpaceappearwheneveryoudesire,whyentangleyourselfneedlesslywiththeohasalreadybeensunktothebottomoftheke?Isn’tthatwyourselfovernothing?”

    5

    “Nonsense!”shoutedMr.Fihat’sameexcuse!Doyouknowwhoyouarespeakingto…”ButViowavedherhandandstoppedhisharangue.

    “Youhavenotexpinedwhyyousankmygoldpatotheke”shepoi.

    “Also,howdidyoucausesuaturaldisastersasearthquakesandtsunamis?Iwasalmostsutothewhirlpoonddied!Shouldn’tyouberesponsibleforthat?”

    “Iotletyouinoailsofthisyet”herepliedearly.“Onedaywhehestolight,youwilluand.IamsorryIalmostcausedyoutodieiurbulentwaters.Thatismyfault,mymiscalcution.BeforeIstartedtheearthquakeImadecarefuliigationsintheareaandknewforcertainthatyourmajestywasnotinthegoldpadthatyouandCyclopshadclimbeddoweepcliff.Iusedastratagemtosendawaythebarbariantribesandmadesurethattherewashegoldpadthesurroundingareawhehquakeandtsunamihappened.IhopeyourmajestywilltakeintoatthefactthatIhaddoneallIcouldnottoharmlives.”ViosawthatDimitriwastellihandwassoaccurateineverydetailsoastomakehisexpnationsimpregnable,pgherintheunenviableandembarrassingpositionofhavingnothingtosay.Afterafewminutesofsilence,shecalledMr.Fiainandwhisperedinhisear.

    Thetwoofthemlookedateachotherasifhavingetoaondecision.Viowavedherhandandseveralcasesappearedmagicallyonthegroundofsolidgold.Theywereexquisitelycarvedandmadeofrosewood,whichwasthehardestofallwoodandcouldsthundredsofyearswithoutrotting.

    “Listentomecarefully,Dimitri”saidMr.Fing

on.Theairatoncekeyedupandturense.

    TheredrubyonVio’stiarashohabrilliantsheenassheandMr.Fingerwhisperedtogether.Thenstraighteningfromhisultrasubservientpositionandpyingthejackaltothetiger,Mr.FiuroDimitriandsaidinaloudanddomineeringvoice,

    “InowrepresenthermajestyQueenViingyoutoatfordestroyingtheKingdomofDreams,devastatingthebeautifulndscape,breakingGiantMountainintoseveralpartssothatthepowbeynition.YouevensankQueenVio’sfavoldpacetothebottomoftheke.Youhavebroughtaboutahquakeandatsunamithatalmostcausedhertodieiurbulentwaves.Doyouaowledgeyuilt?QueenViowouldhavehandeddowhpenalty,butsheiskindandgenerousbynatureandgivesyouthiscetoexpinanddefendyourself.Speak!fessyourreasonsfordoingso.”Dimitri’sfacialexpressiondidnotgeaontospeakcalmlyandfidently.

    “Thatbeautifulndscapedidnotbelongtoanyoneinparticur.ItwasIwhofirstwentthereaablishedmyKingdomofDreams.IerectedbuildingsandpaditwasIwhobuiltthesolidgoldpace.Butitwasyou,Vio,togetherwithCyclopsaidedbythosebarbariantribeswhosetfiretomypace,overturnedmykingdomandforciblyoccupiedmygoldpace.

    Whatreallyhappenediseasilydisibletoalobeexpinedordebated.”Lookingaroundhimhesawthatthegoldpacehewasstandingilythesameastheonehehadbuilt,accurateineverydetail,sohewentontosay,“Ihadalreadysunkthegoldpacetothebottomofthewater,butitsimagehasremainedinyourbrain,andyouareabletomakeitappearinthismundaneworldatwill.Toyou,itwasnolossatalsthereisnorealboundarybetweentrueexistendphantomimpressions.Itishardtodistinguishbetweeendence,oritbesaidthatthereisnorealdiffereweenthem.Sinceyoumakeyourbelovedgoldpaceappearwheneveryoudesire,whyentangleyourselfneedlesslywiththeohasalreadybeensunktothebottomoftheke?Isn’tthatwyourselfovernothing?”

    5

    “Nonsense!”shoutedMr.Fihat’sameexcuse!Doyouknowwhoyouarespeakingto…”ButViowavedherhandandstoppedhisharangue.

    “Youhavenotexpinedwhyyousankmygoldpatotheke”shepoi.

    “Also,howdidyoucausesuaturaldisastersasearthquakesandtsunamis?Iwasalmostsutothewhirlpoonddied!Shouldn’tyouberesponsibleforthat?”

    “Iotletyouinoailsofthisyet”herepliedearly.“Onedaywhehestolight,youwilluand.IamsorryIalmostcausedyoutodieiurbulentwaters.Thatismyfault,mymiscalcution.BeforeIstartedtheearthquakeImadecarefuliigationsintheareaandknewforcertainthatyourmajestywasnotinthegoldpadthatyouandCyclopshadclimbeddoweepcliff.Iusedastratagemtosendawaythebarbariantribesandmadesurethattherewashegoldpadthesurroundingareawhehquakeandtsunamihappened.IhopeyourmajestywilltakeintoatthefactthatIhaddoneallIcouldnottoharmlives.”ViosawthatDimitriwastellihandwassoaccurateineverydetailsoastomakehisexpnationsimpregnable,pgherintheunenviableandembarrassingpositionofhavingnothingtosay.Afterafewminutesofsilence,shecalledMr.Fiainandwhisperedinhisear.

    Thetwoofthemlookedateachotherasifhavingetoaondecision.Viowavedherhandandseveralcasesappearedmagicallyonthegroundofsolidgold.Theywereexquisitelycarvedandmadeofrosewood,whichwasthehardestofallwoodandcouldsthundredsofyearswithoutrotting.

    “Listentomecarefully,Dimitri”saidMr.Fing