Giorgio looked out the window, at the tents that laid out in the gardens that surfaced the campus grounds of the Collegia of Norfolkshire. The tents were dyed many colors, and some were painted not unlike those of ministrels, acrobat troupes, or travelling carnivals. He eyed the girls that walked in and out of the tents, some dancing as if in a trance, smoking canna and partaking of shaman herbs. He indeed thought his Collegia was heaven, even though his instructors were very strict on his studies. He then turned to look at the pale, wizened elder who spoke with a raspy throat.
"As you may know, here in Alluvium, our resources to put education together has been tremendous, than the world we left behind. Descartes, who I met shortly before my Earth death and arriving here, wanted to merge all the arts together so they may be fully understood, to merge philosophy, theology, arts, humanities, with science, for he felt that even the spiritual could be seen in the cold logic of science." He gasped for breath, took a drink of dark red wine, and continued. "Of course, Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am'. This is so true to all of us in Alluvium. We live and die, live and die, in our senseless acts of violence, to return again. We are what we think, our actions betray us, our thoughts betray us. This is why our circicullum is strict, we must study hard to form and shape the intellect".. "To be the best person we can be". The professor shifted his head to adjust his smudgy, yellow-tinted spectacles to his nose. "Yes, we have hired even more printers and scribes, to meet the demands of the knowledge that comes through here in Alluvium. Yes, more textbooks to study, more books to revise, and make additional companions to textbooks to supply the ever-demanding knowledge we bring with the newcomers that arrive in Alluvium. We have seen automata built, incredible war-machines of automata, such as dragons made out of metal, war toys of destruction. Our motto here, in this instution of knowledge, is that knowledge must be used for good, and not for evil; 'bonum ex malo non fit- good does not come from evil'. Here we have always wished Leonardo Da Vinci has arrived here in Alluvium, especially to reside here at this fine collegia of learning that we are so proud of. Allow me to introduce Reggio, who was a corpse drawn by Leonardo Da Vinci. He was able to draw Leonardo's inventions, and that is why we have them. This has been kept a secret for many decades, for we are surfacing this secret, to you all, to further the learning of this establishment". The students gasped and were awed in surprise. Everyone wondered why Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions came to fruit in Alluvium. Some simply belived that those who saw Leonardo's drawings could describe the inventions, and that was actually the case in many instances. The students clapped and the professor hushed them.
Reggio spoke. "Greetings, it is a pleasure to be here. When I arrived here in Alluvium, I had no idea how I died, or what my past was. I couldn't remember a thing. I was confused, like many others. One day, I saw a man with papers and pens, and I politely asked if I could have some. He was adamant and couldn't refuse my charms, so he gave me a nice box of parchments and fine feathers, with jars of ink. I began, to draw, to my surprise, with alarm clarity, these drawings, out of nothing, with no formal training. I began to draw my own corpse, as the way Leonardo was drawing my corpse. I drew my anatomy, my skeleton. I drew many of Leonardos inventions, his theories, his notes, I started filling up that box with stuff that came out of nowhere. I didn't even know who Leonardo was, but I even signed them with his name". He held up many drawings for everyone to see. The students were shocked in awe. They formed a line to examine the drawings and began to ask questions.
The professor spoke, to bring order. "We ourselves, have kept this a secret, for many of these war inventions, as you seen Reggio has drawn, have not been made. The ones you see out on the battlefield have been inspired by those who have seen Leonardo's inventions back on Earth. Here in Reggios case, he has transferred Da Vinci's knowledge to us by his corpse being Leo's muse. As far as we may know, this may be the only case of it's kind in Alluvium". We have formulated many theories, and we will divulge them, in this phamlet that shall be handed out to you all after this lecture. Tommorow's lecture we shall discuss these theories and you all shall write a thesis on your theories, and then we shall have examinations of Reggio. Class is dismissed". The students were handed out a small booklet as they examined the drawings, all curious eyes darting at Reggio and the anatomical drawings of him.
Giorgio sighed. He wondered what he was doing back in Venice, before he arrived here. His memories were hazy, he remembered the canals, serenading the girls waving back to him from their verandas, as he sat in his gondola, playing his harp and lyre with finesse. He would wear a velvet mask and a silk-lined velvet cloak, as he lured girls to his gondola, and kissed them and began to make love to them. Then one night, a jealous lover stabbed him in the back.. he had to hold back his tears and regained his composure, as not to draw the attention of the class. He spent years wondering which girl was his one and true love, and wondered if he'll ever see them again. He felt he was the king of the world, already in heaven, floating on rose-strewn, perfumed waters of Venice, girls in ornate, emroidered silks inviting them to their lavish balls and galas, each day a feast with nobles and aristocrats, where they discussed poetry and literature, and dabbled in fencing, for he has survived many duels, with several scars. He was well educated, having tutors in his youth, and even arriving in Alluvium, he couldn't let go of his academic ways, finding the Collegia to satiate his curiosities he couldn't find in the world he left behind. Soon, he felt, it wasn't always a matter of finding more strides in science, in medicine, in industrialization, but the most important stride, was in humanity, in man finding reason and logic, that could conquer the chaos of violence that always upsurped mankind, and this was the motto of the Collegia of Norfolkshire, 'bonum ex malo non fit'. Giorgio felt that wars could be stopped with words, with reason, and not with any new-fabricated war machine. He wanted to sing them, as he would cradle his lyre into his hands, strumming them carefully with dexterity.
"How much must this madness must go on??" rasped the aged professor. His glasses were so stained and tinted that it look he could see better peering outside of the lenses.
"Alfreid, I know how you feel, about the students discipline, about the distractions". said the Headmaster, an aged professor, a bit more studier, less droopy, but more masculine, stronger than many of the teachers.
"Pardon me sir, but distractions? This is canna and psychedelics and abase, loose moral women we are talking about!!". Alfreid rasped.
"I invited them in, to stay on this campus grounds. Their message of love and peace that they spead throughout Alluvium is of importance to the message of this Collegia. I trust our students will make their own decisions with the best discretion we have taught them". The Headmaster, who was considred the most harsh disciplinarian, was rather
"Its blasphemy! Hypocrisy! How can the students study, esp with the massive load of books coming in??.. pardon my tone of voice, sir.. "
"It's alright. Keep in mind that Nuremburg has killed much of them, and we have taken them in as sanctuary, for their protection. We are trying to spread the word of peace, for that we must teach that here in Alluvium, we return to life after being killed in war, to learn that one mustn't do it again, we cannot allow those in Alluvium to feel that death and killing should be taken for granted. It goes against the theories and philosophies we have tried so hard to bring to fruitition"
"Yes.. but.. what about the canna and psychedelic use, sir?"
"It is all in the name of science, Alfried. We have a strict rule on alcohol on campus, to keep strict discipline. But now, we have students writing very resourceful and insightful theories on the psychedelic experience. With the raids and wars on Norfolkshire, we cant deprive our students of life".
"Sir.. just how many of those girls have you had.. ". The headmaster laughed. "Ill be on my way, Sir", said the startled Afried. The headmaster returned to his study, where he smoked a bowl of canna, with a naked girl, painted in bright colors..
Giorgio went down the tower steps, admiring the oils of the great academians and scholars dimily lit in torchlight and narrow stained windows. A well-dressed nobleman walked up the steps, clad in fine velvets and leather hunting gear, smoking a pipe filled with canna.
"Hey Giorgio! Class is over Ive been looking for you, hey, smoke this!" Hubert twirled his long mustache and goatee hairs as he held out his ornately carved horn pipe.
"Hubert, man, the last lecture was so far-out, dude."
"Fuck that, I don't wanna hear about it. Smoke this."
Giorgio took a puff of the pipe. He laughed, the sensations of pleasure wafted through his mind, and he soon began to feel vibrant, alive, and started to dance a bit..
"Yeah, man that's more like it" laughed Hubert. He nudged Giorgio and pressed him towards the door. "Let's go to the tents, dude". Drums, harps, lyres, strings, flutes filled the air. Giorgio took out his lyre and started strumming, as he approached the brightly dyed tents, painted in swirls, arcane-like anagrams, flowers, insects, bees, birds.. The procession of musicians, dressed in dyed rags, not unlike the tents they lived in, welcomed Giogrio heartwarmingly, adjusting their rhythmn to meet his. They played together as if they have jammed for years. Naked girls danced on the campus of the Collegia, painted in psychedelic colors, high on canna and other shaman herbs. They swirled and gyrated, danced among the throng of musicians, shaking and twerking. All campus eyes were on these performers, from windows or from the grounds. Soon the drums came to a halt. The music dwindled down. Out of the biggest tent, came a small man, who was rather so small, that he was held on a giant man's shoulders, so he could be seen by all. His garb was more garish than any pompous aristocrat's, but lacked the finery that only they could afford. He wore necklaces of arcane symbols and crystals. His face was painted in flowers. Garlands of flowers wrapped his head like a crown. He took a puff of canna from his pipe and spoke:
"Stop wars! Do you all not know, that we live in Alluvium, to live and die, and to live and die again, and again, and again, to learn one thing! To stop killing and fighting! It is so easy to break something, but so difficult to fix it. The fragility of life! We cannot create a living thing, but we can destroy it! We must honor life, above all things, as sacred. To reason, of any accord, that could harm a living thing, is unreasonable, for we must strive, to find our true selves as living beings to honor life as a living being! We are given life to honor it, not to destroy it! We must stop wars! How many times do we have to suffer the same fate of the futility of war, of violence, over and over, to find that it solves nothing? It always solves nothing! Alluvium has proven this! War solves nothing!".
Murmurs of agreement from the crowds ensued. A professsor began to clap. Soon an applause roared. "No more wars! No more wars! No more wars!" Everyone began to chant it, as a mantra. The drums began, and then the musicians followed, and the naked girls started dancing.. the crowds were chanting and chanting, dancing, canna was passed out by freaks and then the small man sitting on top of the tall man raised his hands, and the drums stopped, the music dwindled, and was very low, a small strum here and there.
"I bring you the message, from King Love, that, we are created by Him to love others, just as He loves us. Life is love, and love is life. When one sees a flower, or an animal, or a human, as living, as alive, it is the same as loving. Living and Loving is one breath. We breathe love, we breathe life. We eat love, we eat food. We drink love, we drink love. Our hearts beats love, our hearts beat blood. Then why, do we still hate, and have violence and wars, you ask? Because, this world is tainted, my friends. It has been tainted by our enemy, the enemy of King Love. A fallen angel, has caused this taint, this curse of nature, and even in Alluvium, it resides. This taint has resided in Earth when we left it, and yet we meet this curse here in Alluvium and my friends, we ask, why? Why did we not escape the ill-fated things we met on Earth? We have been given, this second chance, to redeem ourselves, to prove to King Love, that we can conquer evil with love, by loving others! All Hail King Love! All Hail King Love!"
The crowds began to chant immediately. "All Hail King Love! All Hail King Love!" The drums were pounding madly, the musicians were excastic, the girls danced in a frenzy, and everyone followed the parade around campus, dancing, smoking canna, it became rather more intense than any drunken student party, in which almost the entire school was involved, including many strict professors, who seemed like in a trance, and they followed the little man sitting on the tall man's shoulders around the Collegia of Norfolkshire's grounds, banging on drums or musicial instruments, passing out pipes filled with canna or other herbs, and many a couple went at it in the gardens or bushes, many of the naked girls did nothing to fight off the men's advances, but welcomed them, much to their delight. It became an orgy of epic proportions. Alfried, the decaying professor, looked out his office window, sighed deeply, for he never thought he would see the day something like this would happen at the Collegia. He felt the Headmaster had too much power, and his decisions were supported by the majority vote of the other professors. He could understand why the Headmaster let the freaks stay on campus for protection. It was no secret that Spies of Nuremburg watched the gate, alert for any signs of the freaks leaving, to kill them. There was quite a scandalous skirmish that happened a few weeks ago, leaving ten freaks and two students dead, as well as four Nuremburg spies killed and one captured and interrogated. If any soldier or spy of Nuremburg entered the campus, they would have to kill the gaurds, as well as get into a full-scale war with Norfolkshire. Alfried wondered if it would come to that. Nuremburg hated the freaks vehemently, hated their pacifist agenda as well as hated the Collegia as well. Alfried wondered at how much of the funds were left to support everyone. Apparently, many of the students were able to sell much of the canna for handsome heapings of letcher. Alfried wondered at this, how they could avoid war, he wanted to avoid war. He loved their teachings, as simple they were, but logical, and he felt deeply that he cared, but he wished there wasn't so much partying on campus. He loved the strict, orderly discipline of studying and reading of the academic, scholarly lifestyle. He wondered at the curiosity of psychedelic use and found it fascinating. He just wanted order, to keep the school running smoothly. But none of these things worried him too much. It was war that we was afraid of. He was afraid of Nuremburg attacking the school and inciting a war among various factions in Norfolkshire. His collegia was one of the few, if not the only one in Alluvium that taught a philosophy of peace within it's students. many philosophy students wrote very insightful books on pacifism in Alluvium, and many anti-war theorists have written quite many a startling thesis here at the Collegia he loved so much. Alfried yawned, and looked away from the window, to his study, and sat down and read a book, jotting down a few notes in the candlelight.
Giorgio smiled at the naked girls who danced around him, one was painted like the stars of the night, another like the waves hitting the beach, another in psychedelic swirls and paisleys. They danced to the rhythmns of his lyre, as if he were a satyr serenading his nymphs. They kissed and caressed him, and guided him to the large tent. Inside, a massive love-fest took place, the air was thick with canna and sense-hightening insense, and the girls led him to a bevy of silk pillows, were they all cuddled, and began to make love all night long. He would at times, pause to play the lyre, or play it simultaneously. The room was filled with silk pillows, rugs, furs, hanging crystal shards that glowed various colored lights, all kinds of wonderous ephurmeia. Later that night, the little man came inside, and this time, he was not sitting on the big man's shoulders. An applause roared as he entered the tent. "All Hail King Love" they regaled. After conversing with various groups, he went up to Giorgio's group. "Greetings of Love, I am Festivus. I admire your talents on the lyre, please do play it with us all night, for we are embarking on an inner journey".
"Inner Journey?", piquid Giorgio. Festivus blushed and laughs.
"I do believe you know the answer to your question" he gave a smile. Of course Giorgio knew what was going on. It was no secret.
"Yes, of course", Giorgio giggled and laughed. Festivus handed Giorgio a small vial containing a few drops of liquid.
"Partake of this, and join us, our marvelous bard, and give us music to guide our journey through the heavens. You will leave this old self behind, to be renewed, like a bird taking a bath, cleansing the dust out of your feathers, so that your flight of life and attainment of existing and being will be effortless, you will know thyself, soaring through your being and the universe as one, taking up the wings of love." Festivus turned and clapped. The orgy was too intense for anyone to pay him any attention. He walked to the giant whose shoulders he sat on, tapped on his shoulder;
"Andre, Andre" The giant laughed and immediatley took Festivus on his shoulders, and Festivus head nearly touched the top of the tent, he was among the many hanging sculptures, lights, lanterns, euphermia, etc and so forth. He began to bang a gong, loudly, and soon he got everyone's attention.
"Hear ye, regalers and yodelers, the ceremony has begun".
"It has already begun ages ago, at least many thousands of centuries ago" shouted a rather high and wasted student, laughing manically.
"Of course, it has, you are so correct. However, let me be your guide to today's ah, hike through the enchanted forest of the mind and self, and the universe". Applause ensues, shouts of maniacal laughter and giggles ensues through the tent.
"What Enchanted Forest? There are mazes of mazes of interwining and intersecting lives of untold stories that lie before us, the cradle of mankind is beyond ancient, to be one person in a pyramid made by thousands of men filled with hordes of wealth is nothing compared to the great knowledge that simply loving others and making others happy is the true wealth that surpasses all luxuries and pleasures of mankind's endless follies". A wasted freak spoke, with a large pipe of canna, with a large bowl filled to the brim. He was covered entirely in a parody of a knight's armor made of flowers. "Splendid! That was so beautiful, very beautiful, Borir! Everyone applause Borir". Festivus soon began to spoke.
"Borir has told us something beautiful, that the true wealth is love. The cradle of mankind is love, it's whats holds us all together. Borir, I was speaking symbolically, our enchanted forest is love. Each one of you, please take a flower, they are passed out to you.". The psychedelic-painted girls handed out everyone a flower.
"This flower, is your tree, it is our forest, The flower, is love. Imagine, that this flower, has wings, as you sniff and smell the beauty of this flower, its wings will guide you through the depths of love. Love, is the true Universe, love is the true reality and life".
Giorgio looked at the flower a painted girl held up to his face as Giorgio began to strum his lyre. Festivus' guidance was working. The flower, in the psychedelic vision, began to sprout, wings of petal-like feathers, elegant and beautiful, giving off scents of enchanting beauty, and as it flapped it's wings, the perfume of the flower went through Giorgio like a wind, as if he was flying through the scent and beauty of the flower. Giorgio thought there was nothing more beautiful than this flower. It was alive, pulsating with life and love, and he began to felt, as if he was in a bed of flowers, shrouded in it's beauty, in it's inviting, nuturing warmth, and the soothing words of Festivus, as he described the flower, became a narrative for the journey.
"See the light, See the flower, see the Love". Festivus held the flower to his face, staring at it intensely. Giorgio could see himself riding the wings of the flower, through serene clouds among birds and through a beautful eden.
Giorgio began to kiss the flower intensely, and began to nibble at a petal. A painted girl spoke to Giorgio. "Calm down, but don't worry, it's a harmless flower, there are plenty, but don't eat it, it's not poisonous though, but keep it calm".
Giorgio nodded. He still kissed the flower and continued to stare at it and smell it.
"See the light of love. But in this journey through the enchanted forest, there are things to learn. There are shadows.". Festivus voice was a bit stern, and less soothing. Giorgio looked at the flower, and it began to sprout scary, scaly thorns, and he almost felt their prick, although not real, it's as if his body could almost react to such a sensation. The petals began to rot, and it changed into a skull, grinning, the eyes glowed many colors, and in the eye sockets Giorgio saw tunnels of violence of suffering, visions of war in the eye sockets, staring at him, the skull was grinning with wicked laughter, and it turned into the face of a rat corpse, decaying and decaying.. Giorgio was a bit nervous, there were shouts of fear and freak-outs in the tent. Soon the menancing skull turned back into a flower.
"Not to worry everyone, I am your guide. Keep calm, breathe, and be positive. Our girls are here to soothe you and to watch over you all. We are here to learn, and of course, you all know the subjective and objective views a scientist of most of you to observe and learn from our journey". Festivus held the flower high, for all to see. He began to dance, and put on a circus jester's mask. The girls did likewise, putting on the jester's mask, and began to do court-jester skits.
"Life, is a parody of itself. Fantasy is a parody of reality, and reality is a parody of fantasy. As you stare at the flower, at the light, at love, it sometimes, will be darkness, it will be hate. We have nightmares, we have conflicts. We are here to show you that the light of love, is eternal, this is the true reality, the true fantasy, for the darkness, the shadow, which is hate, is not the true reality, is not the true fantasy."
"Can I skip this part?? I'm kinda scared" said a nervous student, who couldn't hide his fear.
"Yes, you may." He gestured for a girl to guide him outside and soothe him.
As Giorgio strummed his lyre, the flower began to change from wings to a woman's legs as he kissed it. The flower turned into a vagina, and he was kissing and licking it, the perfume enchanting him and placing him into a trance. He almost felt a tongue come from the flower to intermingle with his, he kissed the center of the legs made from petals of a rose, and then all of a sudden, the flower turned into a decapitated head of a rat. He shrieked, recoiled back into terror. The girl chuckled and toseed out the flower and gotten a new one, for Giorio wore out the previous one. "Not to worry" chided the girl, painted like the night sky.
"Booleanna, what happened? I saw a rat head"..
"Its all a part of the journey, not everything in this universe is good or pleasant" whispered Booleanna.
"I see a swirling tunnel, of many colors and patterns, there are naked girls flying through this tunnel, I think they are witches.. the tunnel leads to a floating castle, constructed by many strange antique invetions of unknown use, I see the masks! They are glowing, glowing bright- they change characters.."
"Its alright, Giorgio, calm, relax and enjoy it, shhh.. " whispered Booleanna.
"Many of you have experienced death and returned back to life here in Alluvium. We are here to die a undeath, where our old selves die so we may be reborn a new creature, through this journey, we are reborn through our journey, our learning, our experience. We are trying to find our true selves. Who are you? Why are you here? Why are you created? Why are there so many lies to hide the truth? Man create lies. Man, the most sophisticated and intellectual animal, creates lies and deceit, man, the smartest animal, the smartest creature, is perhaps the most confused, believing lies and creating them, giving in to hate and creating articulate machines of hate. As we wear these masks, you will see the lies that obscures your vision". Festivus danced in his mask and jester's hat, as well as the girls. Their masks seemed to the trippers, changing and changing in faces and form, from goblins, devils, angels with multiple wings and horns, changing in appearance and aura, angels looking demonic, demons looking angelic, strange humanioid lamps, bee-men, insectoids, aliens, decaying corpses dancing, a skeleton with a doll face with glowing red eyes.. a student screamed in fear. "Im freaking out!! Arrggg!" and was carried out by several of the painted girls. Some guys were laughing hysterically.
"Calm down everyone, it's not funny, but laughter is good for the soul". Festivus couldn't contain his giggles and started to laugh like a crazy man. The laughter spread throughout the room, everyone started to laugh like maniacs, like madmen. Then some of the laughter turned to fear, and some started to weep hysterically.
"The walls are melting! The walls are melting!" shouted a student.
"Get him the anti-dote!" Festivus shouted to one of the attendants. They immediately brought him some herbs to alleviate his trip to bring him down to a pleasant one.
"Calm down. We have yet a ways to go". Festivus said, in a stern but confident tone. "What you will experience, is to see the light that is Love, and that Love, is not a lie. We must reason, among ourselves, as the most sophisticated and intelligent creature, created by King Love, that love is not a lie. We must perceive things with the eye of Love, with King Love's eye. We must see that the demons of hate try to cloud our Universe with lies, so that we are always caught in a wind of lies, swimming in a sea of lies, but we must know, that we ourselves, are truth, that we exist as truth, and that we exist as love. We are created by love to love ourselves and others. We must embrace the light of love.." Festivus was interuppted by a nervous student.
"Why do you have to mention the word, Demon". said another nervous student.
"Oh, knock it off, Harold, you don't need to be so sensitive and take offense to that word" said Harold's friend.
"Geez, man, I'm just paranoid".
"Relax, my friends. Just know that if you give yourselves to King Love, he has you, and no one can take you away from King Love's love. His love is strong, it cannot be defeated. His love towards you is incomprehensible by human means, he loves you more than we could ever value or fathom". Festivus began to sing. "All Hail King Love" and everyone began to follow along, humming or singing, playing their instruments.
Soon a horn sounded, outside the tent. They were rudely interrupted. It was the campus warning horn, the chapel bells began to rang. The dazed, tripping revellers were rather shaken, frightened, at the abrupt interruption. The revellers felt awoke in a shock, still intoxicated, in a trance, trying to make sense of what is going on.
The headmaster stood on a podium, rather gravely, disheveled and tired, for it was the middle of the night and the sun has yet to rise.
"I must speak on behalf of the university, and of Norfolkshire. I bring bad news, for we must strive to keep the peace, but we have to act on threat of war. The Baron Theosiphus, has brought to me official transcripts, that Norfolkshire will be at war with Nuremburg, there are armies right outside of the gates, and we will be at seige, if we do not release Festivus and his merry regimine". Shouts of protest arose. Boos and disgruntled mumblings were heard.
"We will leave at once" said Festivus. "We will always keep the peace. We would rather die and die again, than to raise a hand to harm anyone."
"Thank you, Festivus" said the Headmaster. "We have hired bodygaurds and mercenaries to protect you througout your exile. We spent all our coffers on your protection, so that you may all spread peace and love througout Alluvium".
"We don't need Bodygaurds, we do not want to harm others or engage in war", pleaded Festivus.
"It is my decision". Its really to protect the students, for they may follow you. They are our primary concern. It is also to protect the girls from rape by the knights of Nuremburg. Since we have spent our coffers, the school is closed for the semester and we will return next semester. Students, please gather your things and return home. We will see you all next year."
"Thank you, kind sir, for your hospitality." bowed Festivus.
"It is all done in the name of science and peace." remarked the Headmaster. Festivus turned to address the crowd. "I will give my life to have you all spared the expense and terror of dying. I know some of you have experienced it and as awful it can be, it can also be beautiful. But now is not good time to do it, but I will try to offer myself in all your place. Girls, please give the anti-dotes to everyone, to bring them down from their intoxications." Festivus then patted Andre's hand, and Andre took him upon his shoulders and they walked towards the gate of the campus. The collegia, used to be a great walled stronghold that was the army barracks, but the Baron Theosiphus, an academican and scholar, turned it into the great Collegia, and it had fortifications and further construction was built to create a great school of learning. Norfolkshire was well reputed in using any diplomatic means of avoiding war and also well known for it's eccentric cultures.
"As you may know, here in Alluvium, our resources to put education together has been tremendous, than the world we left behind. Descartes, who I met shortly before my Earth death and arriving here, wanted to merge all the arts together so they may be fully understood, to merge philosophy, theology, arts, humanities, with science, for he felt that even the spiritual could be seen in the cold logic of science." He gasped for breath, took a drink of dark red wine, and continued. "Of course, Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am'. This is so true to all of us in Alluvium. We live and die, live and die, in our senseless acts of violence, to return again. We are what we think, our actions betray us, our thoughts betray us. This is why our circicullum is strict, we must study hard to form and shape the intellect".. "To be the best person we can be". The professor shifted his head to adjust his smudgy, yellow-tinted spectacles to his nose. "Yes, we have hired even more printers and scribes, to meet the demands of the knowledge that comes through here in Alluvium. Yes, more textbooks to study, more books to revise, and make additional companions to textbooks to supply the ever-demanding knowledge we bring with the newcomers that arrive in Alluvium. We have seen automata built, incredible war-machines of automata, such as dragons made out of metal, war toys of destruction. Our motto here, in this instution of knowledge, is that knowledge must be used for good, and not for evil; 'bonum ex malo non fit- good does not come from evil'. Here we have always wished Leonardo Da Vinci has arrived here in Alluvium, especially to reside here at this fine collegia of learning that we are so proud of. Allow me to introduce Reggio, who was a corpse drawn by Leonardo Da Vinci. He was able to draw Leonardo's inventions, and that is why we have them. This has been kept a secret for many decades, for we are surfacing this secret, to you all, to further the learning of this establishment". The students gasped and were awed in surprise. Everyone wondered why Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions came to fruit in Alluvium. Some simply belived that those who saw Leonardo's drawings could describe the inventions, and that was actually the case in many instances. The students clapped and the professor hushed them.
Reggio spoke. "Greetings, it is a pleasure to be here. When I arrived here in Alluvium, I had no idea how I died, or what my past was. I couldn't remember a thing. I was confused, like many others. One day, I saw a man with papers and pens, and I politely asked if I could have some. He was adamant and couldn't refuse my charms, so he gave me a nice box of parchments and fine feathers, with jars of ink. I began, to draw, to my surprise, with alarm clarity, these drawings, out of nothing, with no formal training. I began to draw my own corpse, as the way Leonardo was drawing my corpse. I drew my anatomy, my skeleton. I drew many of Leonardos inventions, his theories, his notes, I started filling up that box with stuff that came out of nowhere. I didn't even know who Leonardo was, but I even signed them with his name". He held up many drawings for everyone to see. The students were shocked in awe. They formed a line to examine the drawings and began to ask questions.
The professor spoke, to bring order. "We ourselves, have kept this a secret, for many of these war inventions, as you seen Reggio has drawn, have not been made. The ones you see out on the battlefield have been inspired by those who have seen Leonardo's inventions back on Earth. Here in Reggios case, he has transferred Da Vinci's knowledge to us by his corpse being Leo's muse. As far as we may know, this may be the only case of it's kind in Alluvium". We have formulated many theories, and we will divulge them, in this phamlet that shall be handed out to you all after this lecture. Tommorow's lecture we shall discuss these theories and you all shall write a thesis on your theories, and then we shall have examinations of Reggio. Class is dismissed". The students were handed out a small booklet as they examined the drawings, all curious eyes darting at Reggio and the anatomical drawings of him.
Giorgio sighed. He wondered what he was doing back in Venice, before he arrived here. His memories were hazy, he remembered the canals, serenading the girls waving back to him from their verandas, as he sat in his gondola, playing his harp and lyre with finesse. He would wear a velvet mask and a silk-lined velvet cloak, as he lured girls to his gondola, and kissed them and began to make love to them. Then one night, a jealous lover stabbed him in the back.. he had to hold back his tears and regained his composure, as not to draw the attention of the class. He spent years wondering which girl was his one and true love, and wondered if he'll ever see them again. He felt he was the king of the world, already in heaven, floating on rose-strewn, perfumed waters of Venice, girls in ornate, emroidered silks inviting them to their lavish balls and galas, each day a feast with nobles and aristocrats, where they discussed poetry and literature, and dabbled in fencing, for he has survived many duels, with several scars. He was well educated, having tutors in his youth, and even arriving in Alluvium, he couldn't let go of his academic ways, finding the Collegia to satiate his curiosities he couldn't find in the world he left behind. Soon, he felt, it wasn't always a matter of finding more strides in science, in medicine, in industrialization, but the most important stride, was in humanity, in man finding reason and logic, that could conquer the chaos of violence that always upsurped mankind, and this was the motto of the Collegia of Norfolkshire, 'bonum ex malo non fit'. Giorgio felt that wars could be stopped with words, with reason, and not with any new-fabricated war machine. He wanted to sing them, as he would cradle his lyre into his hands, strumming them carefully with dexterity.
"How much must this madness must go on??" rasped the aged professor. His glasses were so stained and tinted that it look he could see better peering outside of the lenses.
"Alfreid, I know how you feel, about the students discipline, about the distractions". said the Headmaster, an aged professor, a bit more studier, less droopy, but more masculine, stronger than many of the teachers.
"Pardon me sir, but distractions? This is canna and psychedelics and abase, loose moral women we are talking about!!". Alfreid rasped.
"I invited them in, to stay on this campus grounds. Their message of love and peace that they spead throughout Alluvium is of importance to the message of this Collegia. I trust our students will make their own decisions with the best discretion we have taught them". The Headmaster, who was considred the most harsh disciplinarian, was rather
"Its blasphemy! Hypocrisy! How can the students study, esp with the massive load of books coming in??.. pardon my tone of voice, sir.. "
"It's alright. Keep in mind that Nuremburg has killed much of them, and we have taken them in as sanctuary, for their protection. We are trying to spread the word of peace, for that we must teach that here in Alluvium, we return to life after being killed in war, to learn that one mustn't do it again, we cannot allow those in Alluvium to feel that death and killing should be taken for granted. It goes against the theories and philosophies we have tried so hard to bring to fruitition"
"Yes.. but.. what about the canna and psychedelic use, sir?"
"It is all in the name of science, Alfried. We have a strict rule on alcohol on campus, to keep strict discipline. But now, we have students writing very resourceful and insightful theories on the psychedelic experience. With the raids and wars on Norfolkshire, we cant deprive our students of life".
"Sir.. just how many of those girls have you had.. ". The headmaster laughed. "Ill be on my way, Sir", said the startled Afried. The headmaster returned to his study, where he smoked a bowl of canna, with a naked girl, painted in bright colors..
Giorgio went down the tower steps, admiring the oils of the great academians and scholars dimily lit in torchlight and narrow stained windows. A well-dressed nobleman walked up the steps, clad in fine velvets and leather hunting gear, smoking a pipe filled with canna.
"Hey Giorgio! Class is over Ive been looking for you, hey, smoke this!" Hubert twirled his long mustache and goatee hairs as he held out his ornately carved horn pipe.
"Hubert, man, the last lecture was so far-out, dude."
"Fuck that, I don't wanna hear about it. Smoke this."
Giorgio took a puff of the pipe. He laughed, the sensations of pleasure wafted through his mind, and he soon began to feel vibrant, alive, and started to dance a bit..
"Yeah, man that's more like it" laughed Hubert. He nudged Giorgio and pressed him towards the door. "Let's go to the tents, dude". Drums, harps, lyres, strings, flutes filled the air. Giorgio took out his lyre and started strumming, as he approached the brightly dyed tents, painted in swirls, arcane-like anagrams, flowers, insects, bees, birds.. The procession of musicians, dressed in dyed rags, not unlike the tents they lived in, welcomed Giogrio heartwarmingly, adjusting their rhythmn to meet his. They played together as if they have jammed for years. Naked girls danced on the campus of the Collegia, painted in psychedelic colors, high on canna and other shaman herbs. They swirled and gyrated, danced among the throng of musicians, shaking and twerking. All campus eyes were on these performers, from windows or from the grounds. Soon the drums came to a halt. The music dwindled down. Out of the biggest tent, came a small man, who was rather so small, that he was held on a giant man's shoulders, so he could be seen by all. His garb was more garish than any pompous aristocrat's, but lacked the finery that only they could afford. He wore necklaces of arcane symbols and crystals. His face was painted in flowers. Garlands of flowers wrapped his head like a crown. He took a puff of canna from his pipe and spoke:
"Stop wars! Do you all not know, that we live in Alluvium, to live and die, and to live and die again, and again, and again, to learn one thing! To stop killing and fighting! It is so easy to break something, but so difficult to fix it. The fragility of life! We cannot create a living thing, but we can destroy it! We must honor life, above all things, as sacred. To reason, of any accord, that could harm a living thing, is unreasonable, for we must strive, to find our true selves as living beings to honor life as a living being! We are given life to honor it, not to destroy it! We must stop wars! How many times do we have to suffer the same fate of the futility of war, of violence, over and over, to find that it solves nothing? It always solves nothing! Alluvium has proven this! War solves nothing!".
Murmurs of agreement from the crowds ensued. A professsor began to clap. Soon an applause roared. "No more wars! No more wars! No more wars!" Everyone began to chant it, as a mantra. The drums began, and then the musicians followed, and the naked girls started dancing.. the crowds were chanting and chanting, dancing, canna was passed out by freaks and then the small man sitting on top of the tall man raised his hands, and the drums stopped, the music dwindled, and was very low, a small strum here and there.
"I bring you the message, from King Love, that, we are created by Him to love others, just as He loves us. Life is love, and love is life. When one sees a flower, or an animal, or a human, as living, as alive, it is the same as loving. Living and Loving is one breath. We breathe love, we breathe life. We eat love, we eat food. We drink love, we drink love. Our hearts beats love, our hearts beat blood. Then why, do we still hate, and have violence and wars, you ask? Because, this world is tainted, my friends. It has been tainted by our enemy, the enemy of King Love. A fallen angel, has caused this taint, this curse of nature, and even in Alluvium, it resides. This taint has resided in Earth when we left it, and yet we meet this curse here in Alluvium and my friends, we ask, why? Why did we not escape the ill-fated things we met on Earth? We have been given, this second chance, to redeem ourselves, to prove to King Love, that we can conquer evil with love, by loving others! All Hail King Love! All Hail King Love!"
The crowds began to chant immediately. "All Hail King Love! All Hail King Love!" The drums were pounding madly, the musicians were excastic, the girls danced in a frenzy, and everyone followed the parade around campus, dancing, smoking canna, it became rather more intense than any drunken student party, in which almost the entire school was involved, including many strict professors, who seemed like in a trance, and they followed the little man sitting on the tall man's shoulders around the Collegia of Norfolkshire's grounds, banging on drums or musicial instruments, passing out pipes filled with canna or other herbs, and many a couple went at it in the gardens or bushes, many of the naked girls did nothing to fight off the men's advances, but welcomed them, much to their delight. It became an orgy of epic proportions. Alfried, the decaying professor, looked out his office window, sighed deeply, for he never thought he would see the day something like this would happen at the Collegia. He felt the Headmaster had too much power, and his decisions were supported by the majority vote of the other professors. He could understand why the Headmaster let the freaks stay on campus for protection. It was no secret that Spies of Nuremburg watched the gate, alert for any signs of the freaks leaving, to kill them. There was quite a scandalous skirmish that happened a few weeks ago, leaving ten freaks and two students dead, as well as four Nuremburg spies killed and one captured and interrogated. If any soldier or spy of Nuremburg entered the campus, they would have to kill the gaurds, as well as get into a full-scale war with Norfolkshire. Alfried wondered if it would come to that. Nuremburg hated the freaks vehemently, hated their pacifist agenda as well as hated the Collegia as well. Alfried wondered at how much of the funds were left to support everyone. Apparently, many of the students were able to sell much of the canna for handsome heapings of letcher. Alfried wondered at this, how they could avoid war, he wanted to avoid war. He loved their teachings, as simple they were, but logical, and he felt deeply that he cared, but he wished there wasn't so much partying on campus. He loved the strict, orderly discipline of studying and reading of the academic, scholarly lifestyle. He wondered at the curiosity of psychedelic use and found it fascinating. He just wanted order, to keep the school running smoothly. But none of these things worried him too much. It was war that we was afraid of. He was afraid of Nuremburg attacking the school and inciting a war among various factions in Norfolkshire. His collegia was one of the few, if not the only one in Alluvium that taught a philosophy of peace within it's students. many philosophy students wrote very insightful books on pacifism in Alluvium, and many anti-war theorists have written quite many a startling thesis here at the Collegia he loved so much. Alfried yawned, and looked away from the window, to his study, and sat down and read a book, jotting down a few notes in the candlelight.
Giorgio smiled at the naked girls who danced around him, one was painted like the stars of the night, another like the waves hitting the beach, another in psychedelic swirls and paisleys. They danced to the rhythmns of his lyre, as if he were a satyr serenading his nymphs. They kissed and caressed him, and guided him to the large tent. Inside, a massive love-fest took place, the air was thick with canna and sense-hightening insense, and the girls led him to a bevy of silk pillows, were they all cuddled, and began to make love all night long. He would at times, pause to play the lyre, or play it simultaneously. The room was filled with silk pillows, rugs, furs, hanging crystal shards that glowed various colored lights, all kinds of wonderous ephurmeia. Later that night, the little man came inside, and this time, he was not sitting on the big man's shoulders. An applause roared as he entered the tent. "All Hail King Love" they regaled. After conversing with various groups, he went up to Giorgio's group. "Greetings of Love, I am Festivus. I admire your talents on the lyre, please do play it with us all night, for we are embarking on an inner journey".
"Inner Journey?", piquid Giorgio. Festivus blushed and laughs.
"I do believe you know the answer to your question" he gave a smile. Of course Giorgio knew what was going on. It was no secret.
"Yes, of course", Giorgio giggled and laughed. Festivus handed Giorgio a small vial containing a few drops of liquid.
"Partake of this, and join us, our marvelous bard, and give us music to guide our journey through the heavens. You will leave this old self behind, to be renewed, like a bird taking a bath, cleansing the dust out of your feathers, so that your flight of life and attainment of existing and being will be effortless, you will know thyself, soaring through your being and the universe as one, taking up the wings of love." Festivus turned and clapped. The orgy was too intense for anyone to pay him any attention. He walked to the giant whose shoulders he sat on, tapped on his shoulder;
"Andre, Andre" The giant laughed and immediatley took Festivus on his shoulders, and Festivus head nearly touched the top of the tent, he was among the many hanging sculptures, lights, lanterns, euphermia, etc and so forth. He began to bang a gong, loudly, and soon he got everyone's attention.
"Hear ye, regalers and yodelers, the ceremony has begun".
"It has already begun ages ago, at least many thousands of centuries ago" shouted a rather high and wasted student, laughing manically.
"Of course, it has, you are so correct. However, let me be your guide to today's ah, hike through the enchanted forest of the mind and self, and the universe". Applause ensues, shouts of maniacal laughter and giggles ensues through the tent.
"What Enchanted Forest? There are mazes of mazes of interwining and intersecting lives of untold stories that lie before us, the cradle of mankind is beyond ancient, to be one person in a pyramid made by thousands of men filled with hordes of wealth is nothing compared to the great knowledge that simply loving others and making others happy is the true wealth that surpasses all luxuries and pleasures of mankind's endless follies". A wasted freak spoke, with a large pipe of canna, with a large bowl filled to the brim. He was covered entirely in a parody of a knight's armor made of flowers. "Splendid! That was so beautiful, very beautiful, Borir! Everyone applause Borir". Festivus soon began to spoke.
"Borir has told us something beautiful, that the true wealth is love. The cradle of mankind is love, it's whats holds us all together. Borir, I was speaking symbolically, our enchanted forest is love. Each one of you, please take a flower, they are passed out to you.". The psychedelic-painted girls handed out everyone a flower.
"This flower, is your tree, it is our forest, The flower, is love. Imagine, that this flower, has wings, as you sniff and smell the beauty of this flower, its wings will guide you through the depths of love. Love, is the true Universe, love is the true reality and life".
Giorgio looked at the flower a painted girl held up to his face as Giorgio began to strum his lyre. Festivus' guidance was working. The flower, in the psychedelic vision, began to sprout, wings of petal-like feathers, elegant and beautiful, giving off scents of enchanting beauty, and as it flapped it's wings, the perfume of the flower went through Giorgio like a wind, as if he was flying through the scent and beauty of the flower. Giorgio thought there was nothing more beautiful than this flower. It was alive, pulsating with life and love, and he began to felt, as if he was in a bed of flowers, shrouded in it's beauty, in it's inviting, nuturing warmth, and the soothing words of Festivus, as he described the flower, became a narrative for the journey.
"See the light, See the flower, see the Love". Festivus held the flower to his face, staring at it intensely. Giorgio could see himself riding the wings of the flower, through serene clouds among birds and through a beautful eden.
Giorgio began to kiss the flower intensely, and began to nibble at a petal. A painted girl spoke to Giorgio. "Calm down, but don't worry, it's a harmless flower, there are plenty, but don't eat it, it's not poisonous though, but keep it calm".
Giorgio nodded. He still kissed the flower and continued to stare at it and smell it.
"See the light of love. But in this journey through the enchanted forest, there are things to learn. There are shadows.". Festivus voice was a bit stern, and less soothing. Giorgio looked at the flower, and it began to sprout scary, scaly thorns, and he almost felt their prick, although not real, it's as if his body could almost react to such a sensation. The petals began to rot, and it changed into a skull, grinning, the eyes glowed many colors, and in the eye sockets Giorgio saw tunnels of violence of suffering, visions of war in the eye sockets, staring at him, the skull was grinning with wicked laughter, and it turned into the face of a rat corpse, decaying and decaying.. Giorgio was a bit nervous, there were shouts of fear and freak-outs in the tent. Soon the menancing skull turned back into a flower.
"Not to worry everyone, I am your guide. Keep calm, breathe, and be positive. Our girls are here to soothe you and to watch over you all. We are here to learn, and of course, you all know the subjective and objective views a scientist of most of you to observe and learn from our journey". Festivus held the flower high, for all to see. He began to dance, and put on a circus jester's mask. The girls did likewise, putting on the jester's mask, and began to do court-jester skits.
"Life, is a parody of itself. Fantasy is a parody of reality, and reality is a parody of fantasy. As you stare at the flower, at the light, at love, it sometimes, will be darkness, it will be hate. We have nightmares, we have conflicts. We are here to show you that the light of love, is eternal, this is the true reality, the true fantasy, for the darkness, the shadow, which is hate, is not the true reality, is not the true fantasy."
"Can I skip this part?? I'm kinda scared" said a nervous student, who couldn't hide his fear.
"Yes, you may." He gestured for a girl to guide him outside and soothe him.
As Giorgio strummed his lyre, the flower began to change from wings to a woman's legs as he kissed it. The flower turned into a vagina, and he was kissing and licking it, the perfume enchanting him and placing him into a trance. He almost felt a tongue come from the flower to intermingle with his, he kissed the center of the legs made from petals of a rose, and then all of a sudden, the flower turned into a decapitated head of a rat. He shrieked, recoiled back into terror. The girl chuckled and toseed out the flower and gotten a new one, for Giorio wore out the previous one. "Not to worry" chided the girl, painted like the night sky.
"Booleanna, what happened? I saw a rat head"..
"Its all a part of the journey, not everything in this universe is good or pleasant" whispered Booleanna.
"I see a swirling tunnel, of many colors and patterns, there are naked girls flying through this tunnel, I think they are witches.. the tunnel leads to a floating castle, constructed by many strange antique invetions of unknown use, I see the masks! They are glowing, glowing bright- they change characters.."
"Its alright, Giorgio, calm, relax and enjoy it, shhh.. " whispered Booleanna.
"Many of you have experienced death and returned back to life here in Alluvium. We are here to die a undeath, where our old selves die so we may be reborn a new creature, through this journey, we are reborn through our journey, our learning, our experience. We are trying to find our true selves. Who are you? Why are you here? Why are you created? Why are there so many lies to hide the truth? Man create lies. Man, the most sophisticated and intellectual animal, creates lies and deceit, man, the smartest animal, the smartest creature, is perhaps the most confused, believing lies and creating them, giving in to hate and creating articulate machines of hate. As we wear these masks, you will see the lies that obscures your vision". Festivus danced in his mask and jester's hat, as well as the girls. Their masks seemed to the trippers, changing and changing in faces and form, from goblins, devils, angels with multiple wings and horns, changing in appearance and aura, angels looking demonic, demons looking angelic, strange humanioid lamps, bee-men, insectoids, aliens, decaying corpses dancing, a skeleton with a doll face with glowing red eyes.. a student screamed in fear. "Im freaking out!! Arrggg!" and was carried out by several of the painted girls. Some guys were laughing hysterically.
"Calm down everyone, it's not funny, but laughter is good for the soul". Festivus couldn't contain his giggles and started to laugh like a crazy man. The laughter spread throughout the room, everyone started to laugh like maniacs, like madmen. Then some of the laughter turned to fear, and some started to weep hysterically.
"The walls are melting! The walls are melting!" shouted a student.
"Get him the anti-dote!" Festivus shouted to one of the attendants. They immediately brought him some herbs to alleviate his trip to bring him down to a pleasant one.
"Calm down. We have yet a ways to go". Festivus said, in a stern but confident tone. "What you will experience, is to see the light that is Love, and that Love, is not a lie. We must reason, among ourselves, as the most sophisticated and intelligent creature, created by King Love, that love is not a lie. We must perceive things with the eye of Love, with King Love's eye. We must see that the demons of hate try to cloud our Universe with lies, so that we are always caught in a wind of lies, swimming in a sea of lies, but we must know, that we ourselves, are truth, that we exist as truth, and that we exist as love. We are created by love to love ourselves and others. We must embrace the light of love.." Festivus was interuppted by a nervous student.
"Why do you have to mention the word, Demon". said another nervous student.
"Oh, knock it off, Harold, you don't need to be so sensitive and take offense to that word" said Harold's friend.
"Geez, man, I'm just paranoid".
"Relax, my friends. Just know that if you give yourselves to King Love, he has you, and no one can take you away from King Love's love. His love is strong, it cannot be defeated. His love towards you is incomprehensible by human means, he loves you more than we could ever value or fathom". Festivus began to sing. "All Hail King Love" and everyone began to follow along, humming or singing, playing their instruments.
Soon a horn sounded, outside the tent. They were rudely interrupted. It was the campus warning horn, the chapel bells began to rang. The dazed, tripping revellers were rather shaken, frightened, at the abrupt interruption. The revellers felt awoke in a shock, still intoxicated, in a trance, trying to make sense of what is going on.
The headmaster stood on a podium, rather gravely, disheveled and tired, for it was the middle of the night and the sun has yet to rise.
"I must speak on behalf of the university, and of Norfolkshire. I bring bad news, for we must strive to keep the peace, but we have to act on threat of war. The Baron Theosiphus, has brought to me official transcripts, that Norfolkshire will be at war with Nuremburg, there are armies right outside of the gates, and we will be at seige, if we do not release Festivus and his merry regimine". Shouts of protest arose. Boos and disgruntled mumblings were heard.
"We will leave at once" said Festivus. "We will always keep the peace. We would rather die and die again, than to raise a hand to harm anyone."
"Thank you, Festivus" said the Headmaster. "We have hired bodygaurds and mercenaries to protect you througout your exile. We spent all our coffers on your protection, so that you may all spread peace and love througout Alluvium".
"We don't need Bodygaurds, we do not want to harm others or engage in war", pleaded Festivus.
"It is my decision". Its really to protect the students, for they may follow you. They are our primary concern. It is also to protect the girls from rape by the knights of Nuremburg. Since we have spent our coffers, the school is closed for the semester and we will return next semester. Students, please gather your things and return home. We will see you all next year."
"Thank you, kind sir, for your hospitality." bowed Festivus.
"It is all done in the name of science and peace." remarked the Headmaster. Festivus turned to address the crowd. "I will give my life to have you all spared the expense and terror of dying. I know some of you have experienced it and as awful it can be, it can also be beautiful. But now is not good time to do it, but I will try to offer myself in all your place. Girls, please give the anti-dotes to everyone, to bring them down from their intoxications." Festivus then patted Andre's hand, and Andre took him upon his shoulders and they walked towards the gate of the campus. The collegia, used to be a great walled stronghold that was the army barracks, but the Baron Theosiphus, an academican and scholar, turned it into the great Collegia, and it had fortifications and further construction was built to create a great school of learning. Norfolkshire was well reputed in using any diplomatic means of avoiding war and also well known for it's eccentric cultures.
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