The Sea of Ash

FROM CODEX SOHRAKIA: THE GIFTED DARK

I found myself wandering in a primordial land, an immortal realm scattered with
ruined edifices, all gray and white and brown
Stumbled upon a stone edifice, buttresses jutting into the air, arcing down into the sandys shore below
‘Twas not the shore of an ocean
Not a river, nor a lake
There was no water to be seen
Flowing between these arcane structures was a great dusty and rushing sea.
‘Twas the sea of the dead
A sea of the ages
A sea of ebony
A sea of ash
No fear rose in my heart
No tremor tickled my soul as I jumped into the rushing cinders to be carried along at speed
Black ash moved swiftly in one direction, around corners and followed a wide path, the same as the rushing of waters might do
The cool ash felt dry and soft to my touch
It lifted me and carried me gently
The journey, like destiny, was joyful as a mother’s touch
Beside me, traveling just as I upon the soot
A skull turned in its movement to look upon me
The tips of my fingers traced the contours of its eye socket and cheek
The skull’s surface had turned a purple hue in spots due to staining from the ash that carried it on its way
Finally my journey came to an end upon the distant shore
After rounding a corner, the ash washed me up onto a dark gray beach
As I rose to my feet, I found many souls surrounding me
Souls of all ages, races, and sexes
Souls of the deceased and of those wandering in their astral dreams
The air was peaceful and serene, though the ambiance of the surroundings may seem disconcerting to some
No disgust and no terror welled within me
Instead, I felt only peace.
Peace with life
Peace with death
Peace with all things in between

This poem is inspired by a dream I had some years ago. It was extremely vivid and profound. It's as fresh in my mind now as the morning after I had it.