a story i have been and continue to work on...

I close my eyes and feel the breeze blowing gently around me. I feel the warmth of the sun shining down on me. My staff held high drawing this solar power, energy flowing through my body, I call to the Lord and Lady to send me on a journey. My robes begin to whip in the wind and I feel my body begin to lift. The mountain moves away and I continually move up towards the skies, I rush higher and higher until I transform into the divine messenger, the hawk. I soar through the skies finding the Sacred place, a place mystical and beautiful. I find it in a hidden meadow by a mountain stream. The meadow is warm and inviting, glowing with the colors of the wildflowers, the stream speaks softly while winding through the meadow. Rising high above the meadow is the sacred stone temple which few are privileged to see. Towering high the gray pillars are warm and inviting. I begin my descent and feel my body change back into my own human form. The ground is soft beneath my feet and the grass and wildflowers dance in the gentle breeze. My gentle and only companion greets me. Andromeda is her name, rescued as a pup abandoned by her mother, I raised her and she grew into a healthy, young, gray wolf. I get gently nudged by her wet nose to pet her, I look down and smile and scratch behind her ears. My attention is grabbed by a noise coming from behind the stone temple, I clutch my staff and begin to slowly walk forward hoping the weapons training I received as a priestess is not needed. I see a figure standing along the giant stone, something gleaming in the sun, I curiously and cautiously approach, I get closer and I begin to tremble, not from fear but from the unknown. The figure moves slightly and comes towards me, I am instantly humbled and I kneel before this mysterious figure. I felt a warm hand gently touch my shoulders, my long hair blocking my view of this otherworldly being, I begin to hear a soft voice call my name. “chaaaarrriss”, and soon I look upwards towards this voice and see a bright glowing face looking down on me, the eyes green as emeralds and hair golden like the sun’s rays. I rise to my feet to greet this lady of the temple, she smiles and says “Welcome my child, it is time that you have come”. I didn’t understand what she had meant but, I trusted her guidance. She continued to speak saying that I am to study here at the temple to use my powers to help those who needed it. I was told that I needed to form the sacred circle, to open my heart, mind, and soul to Gaia’s energy and let it cascade into me. She suddenly dissipated into the recesses of the wildwood. She was gone, and I began preparing the area for my journey into Gaia’s world. I set about clearing branches from the area, began a roaring fire, and getting ready for a ritual bath. The stream was cool and clear, and calmed my being before the rite of passage. I rubbed scented oil on my body and let the air blow gently around me. I walked up to the fire and closed my eyes releasing the negative energy hanging around me that bound me to the confines of an earthly existence. The dark waves passed through me hitting the ground at my feet and swallowed up by the giving earth. I felt weak and lightheaded, and almost sank upon the ground, but finding my inner strength I stayed up and raised my hands upward calling to the Goddess, crying up to her to find my inner strength. I felt my face begin to burn and cool tears began to fall, I felt lighter freer, stronger. I soon found myself lowering my arms and my eyes opening back up up. Andromeda comes towards me and nuzzles my hand to make sure I am alright. Startled I realized how late it actually was and began to hurry about, i think to myself that I had been in a trance for several hours.