Purity

 I awoke in the cool shade of a white marble arch. I stood and looked around outside of arch I saw a shining plane. A city rose in the distance and from the city a bright and shining light spilled out and illuminated the plain I tried to step into the light and felt a burning and searing pain across my body. Every nerve and cell in my body felt like they were on fire. I stumbled back into the shade of the arch and the burning feeling subsided. I looked around again and saw a small, shaded lane. I worked my way to the lane and began traveling down it in the direction of the city.  

As I traveled, I saw being moving down the lane like me. Most avoided the gleaming light, but a few seemed to decide to step into the light. I heard them screaming as the light scorched them and then I saw them rise. When they rose, they had a calm, vacant look and walked freely in the light. There were a few beings I saw that did not rise again; they burned in the light.  As I walked in the shade of the path, I also saw greater beings looking like angels in form but much purer and far more power. They flew across the plain going to and from the white city.  

As I approached the city, I saw the great gates made of gleaming white metal. The gates stood open but were flanked by the angelic being. They watched each being that attempted to enter the gates, but they did not decide who entered. Before the gates was a square where there stood a white statue of a beautiful and terrible woman. She was beautiful but had a hard and stern face. From her eyes shone the light that gleamed from the city. The light did not burn but seemed to pass through those that stood before it. Those who seemed to be chosen were allowed to pass into the city. The rest were denied entrance into the city and seemed to linger in the shadows or to wander into the light.  

I approached the statue and felt the light penetrate my mind and body. I heard a soft voice telling me that I was not ready. I needed to be purified before I could enter into the city of Purity. I suddenly felt a powerful force carrying me away and I woke back in my home. I did not know if it was a dream or if I truly visited the realm of Purity.