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Chapter 15
A Most Critical Lesson

     They were rested and ready when Agent Lopez stood up and began the training lesson that had excited him so much.
     “The question posed by Isabella is why were the things we flowed and said to the woman a reason for her to have true hope and not false hope. The answer requires putting together what you have learned so far, on seeing how the parts interconnect to solve not only this woman's situation, but every situation you will ever encounter. If you can grasp it, you can give true hope to anyone, no matter how hopeless their situation may seem. So, let's begin."
     Agent Lopez paused to collect his thoughts.
     "Perhaps the best way to begin is this. That woman's kids were taken away because of her Illegal Drug Construct. Remember when I told you a Construct not only stops one’s journey, it results in bad things happening? Things the enemy uses to torture us? So it was with this woman. Her Illegal Drug Construct resulted in the bad result: her being an unfit mother. That gave the Manforms their ability to bring her here. Bad results are a ‘stronghold’ for the enemy.
     "But if the woman will let her longing continue, and if she will yield to the Beat and flowing, then the Three Great Truths will free her from her torment. Her children will be restored to her, as well as finding the purpose of her life if she can finish her journey. Even if she doesn't finish, she can still be set free from many of her worst torments and have a relationship with the Source. But she must start on her journey. That’s why our primary message to her was to keep longing."
     Agent Lopez paused.
     "So you see how dangerous Constructs are. Are you with me so far?” he asked. The four nodded.
     "Good, now we come to the Three Great Truths and how they work for this particular case. If the woman begins her journey, and let's hope she does, the stream of truth will reveal her Constructs. Not just the illegal drug one but any others that would prevent her from being set free from her addiction and the reasons for her addiction.
     "She also would be presented with the Second Great Truth and how by focusing on the Source and not on her she is, in effect, agreeing to go by what the Source tells her to do rather than what she wants to do. She must turn control over to the Source. But that is a good thing, for her life would be changed to the good, to the point she would become a fit mother and reclaim her kids. 
     "Yes, it may take some time, but she would have a real reason to have hope. During this time, she would be open to attacks from the enemy: things such as feelings of isolation, loneliness and not being there for her kids. So, the stream of healing helps to calm her fears and emotions. And, the First Great Truth will tell her she is never alone, and the Third Great Truth tells her she can still connect with, and help, her kids by flowing truth and healing to them, even without being with them physically.
     "These will set her free from her torments during the time it takes for her to become fit enough to have her kids back. But she must spend time in the presence of the Beat and the flowing, and be yielded to them. She may or she may not, even if it meant not getting her children back."
     Agent Lopez paused again.
     "And that’s how it works. That is how to bring down a Stronghold. Do you see it? Do you understand how it fits together? It works that way for every person and every situation. If you don't see it, please say so now."
     He looked at the four intently.
     "It's beautiful!" Kamiko exclaimed. "It only depends on being yielded to the truth and not on how smart or accomplished you are."
     "Anybody can do it," added Isabella.
     The four were silent as they thought on what they had learned. It made their training seem more practical and powerful. And made it even more imperative they finish their journey.
     "Why don't more people see this?" Kamiko asked.
     “Because the enemy tries to block it at every opportunity, and because many people just don't want it badly enough. They like their Constructs too much."
     The four wondered if they, too, would ever be content to stop their journey. There was only one way they could find out. They must continue on.

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     The end of the week found them setting out. They had gone on more rescue missions interspersed with resting and discussing the lessons they had learned. Devan recounted again the horror of being captured and tortured, but also of the joy in finding the ability within himself of letting the Source be strong for him. Agent Lopez used the missions to do further teaching on how to handle Manforms. Now they only wanted to leave this forsaken land of towers.
     On the morning of departure, Agent Lopez said he would walk with them to the boundary of the land. He was unusually tight-lipped about what lay ahead. They walked at a brisk pace. They saw no Dark Forms or Manforms, although occasionally they saw a tower a long way off the road. Leif wanted them to go rescue those in the first tower they saw.
     "It's empty," Agent Lopez explained. "They have emptied all towers near the road."
     "Why not just find a way to destroy the Dark Forms and Manforms? Then we win," Leif asked.
     "For one thing, they can’t be killed, only weakened by the true flowing. And second, Good isn't the absence of Bad. Good is the presence of Good. People must decide to choose Good, not the lack of Bad. The goal is not to destroy evil but to finish the journey."
     The four were turning that over in their minds when they reached a point in the road where the darkness gave way to sunshine. Night changed to day within a few steps. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust.
     Agent Lopez said simply, "Here I leave you."
      "Will you be okay?" Devan asked.
     "Oh sure. They can't hurt me. I have numerous bunkers throughout this land. After each group of Journeyers I help, I change bunkers. I can sense them before they can sense me, so I can always stay a step or two ahead of them. They know I am stronger than they are but they still try to find where the bunkers are. Occasionally one is found but not often."
     "But we haven't seen another group of Journeyers the whole time we've been here," Isabella remarked.
     "Few make it this far,” he said sadly. “Many stop in the Land of Constructs. Some go back after seeing the Land of Strongholds for the first time. Some go back during the rescue missions. Your group has done very, very well."
     They hugged Agent Lopez. Tears were shed. One doesn't go through a rescue mission with someone without forging a special bond in the heat of battle. The sunlight was a relief to walk in. Occasionally they would look back. They could see Agent Lopez still in the road watching them. They went around a curve in the road and he was gone.
     "That is a very brave man. I hope I can one day be as brave," Devan said.
     "All the agents are brave," Isabella said softly.

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