André looked back again at the being who still sat huddled up in front of his terrible machine.

They were still buzzing, as if they are now already withdrawing the life juices from the poor human being.

‘He will reach his goal, André, nobody will be able to hinder him in this darkness, and don’t forget: man has a will of his own; he is putting himself in a terrible attunement.’

Soon they were outside.

André looked at the strange building and now he knew what these strange steeples on all corners meant.

The whole construction breathed terror and fear.

They walked along various streets and again reached a square where many beings were gathered.

Some of them walked around lonely and forlorn, shunning everyone, as they no longer wanted to meet other people.

Now he also understood why these beings isolated themselves.

Others again were violent and waved their arms and legs about, from which he gathered that they didn’t yet realize the deeply tragic aspect of their lives.

They were standing about in groups.

Alcar told him: ‘You must wait here for a little while, André.

I want to do some work; this won’t take long.’

‘Do you have to go?’

‘Yes, my boy, but you’re not afraid, are you?

Don’t forget that if you’re spoken to or if someone makes a nuisance of himself, you can return into your own attunement.

If your concentration is focussed on me, we will meet up again in our own condition.

During our first and previous journey I couldn’t possibly have left you on your own; but now you have reached that level.’

André shuddered at the thought of having to remain on his own.

‘Afraid, André?’

He didn’t feel calm at heart, but he wanted to do his best.

Alcar left.

There he stood, alone in this darkness, where only demons dwelt.

As long as there wasn’t another procession coming by, because these made him shiver and tremble.

Where could Alcar have gone to?

This had never happened before.

He didn’t dare move away from here.

On the other side of the street a spiteful character was looking at him, which wasn’t at all to his liking.

He acted as if he didn’t sense anything, but it scared him.

He tried to ban him from his thoughts, but felt that this would be impossible.

What did he want from him?

What should he do; Alcar still hadn’t returned, although his leader had said that he wouldn’t take long.

That man was still looking in his direction and wanted to link up with him.

What now?

His heart was in his mouth, the fellow was coming towards him.

This spelt trouble.

He quickly considered what he would have to do and decided to stay.

He was a tall figure, dressed in a peculiar garment.

He could be oriental, but he also wore only garish red and vicious green; these colours dominated his whole attire.

He had a brown complexion.

‘What are you waiting for?’ the man asked in a very gruff tone.

‘I’m not waiting for anybody’, André replied very quickly to his question, to show that he was calm.

‘So you’re alone?’

‘Yes, I’m alone, so what?’

‘Nothing, I merely asked whether you were alone.’

André fathomed him, but he felt how he bounced off.

Strange, he thought, I always manage with those who have a different and lower attunement than I have, but in his case it’s impossible.

Why not this time?

But he hadn’t the time to think, because the being asked him: ‘If you’re interested, then come along with me, I know where we can amuse ourselves.’

Amuse ourselves, André thought, I know their kind of amusement and how they celebrate.

Not for all the money in the world would he go along.

‘No’, he said brusquely, ‘I’m not coming with you, I have no desire to.’

‘Why not, after all, you’re bored aren’t you?’

‘I’m not bored.’

He looked past the man to see whether his leader was returning, but he saw no sign of him anywhere.

‘Are you expecting someone?’ the being asked pointblank.

Again he quickly thought what he should reply and he said: ‘Yes, a human being.’

The being roared with laughter and said: ‘A human being?’

André knew what the man meant.

There were no human beings here!

But did he know about that?

After all, he was wearing the same kind of garment as thousands of others, and didn’t he dwell in this darkness?

But how could this man sense what he meant?

It was a mystery to him; he hadn’t become familiar with these powers yet.

The being was getting more insolent all the time; it grabbed him by the arm and wanted to draw him along..

‘Leave me in peace,’ André called out to him, ‘I want to be alone.’ He considered that now the time had come to return into his own attunement.

This is awful, he thought, why is Alcar leaving me on my own for so long?

There was danger lurking from all sides.

He wanted so much to stay and wait, but he simply couldn’t.

The fellow took hold of him and he therefore decided to disappear.

He concentrated intensely and felt how he got out of his grip and entered a different condition.

There he was, entirely alone now. How would Alcar ever find him?

Yet he would wait and adapt his thoughts to Alcar.

What was that?

Was he looking properly?

The being he had just fled from was coming towards him.

How could this man release himself from the Land of Hatred?

Once again he was faced with laws which his leader hadn’t made clear to him.

What attunement was he in now?

There was light all around him, he couldn’t have made a mistake.

What influence was he under?

How could this man possibly have entered this place?

The stranger came up to him. He addressed him from a distance and said: ‘As you see, I can follow you.’

‘Who are you’, André asked, ‘and what do you want from me, why are you following me?

The man didn’t reply, but now a different kind of feeling came over him, which led from this being towards his leader.

Surely this couldn’t be true?

Was he dealing with his leader?

Within him he sensed Alcar.

‘Do you feel’, the being now asked, ‘who I am, and if you do, then will you go along with me?’

Again he fathomed the man standing before him who seemed so mysterious.

For the second time he homed in on his leader.

Now he had no more doubts and he cried out aloud: ‘Alcar, what’s the purpose of all this?

Why did you have to leave me on my own?’

‘You won’t understand that until a little later.

Just accept that it was necessary.’

André lay in the arms of the stranger and regretted that he had called his leader a ‘fellow’.

‘You didn’t know any better, my boy; those who dwell there are fellows.

I wanted to leave you on your own to take away all the fear there is in you before we descend and visit the masters of evil.

That’s why I took this step.

I can change myself into any nationality when I concentrate on a certain attunement and accept it.

We will descend and return to the Land of Hatred.

You’re not allowed to harbour the slightest trace of fear.

We will now visit one of the feared orders which only those can descend into who have a higher attunement and can empathize with them in all things.

You’ll find rulers, geniuses, artists, princes and princesses gathered there, in short: the intellectuals of the earth, who all tuned in to evil.

That’s why I wanted to take away all your fear, because the slightest doubt in your own spiritual powers could prove fatal to you.

I must link up with them; otherwise you wouldn’t sense their depth.

Your concentration must remain focussed on me as long as we are down there, and we will communicate in our attunement, mentally in other words; it would be impossible otherwise.

We will enter as Orientals and I will help you in this.

Focus your concentration on me, get a proper and clear feeling for this attunement and this will change your appearance.’

Alcar had turned into the same person he had been shortly before.

‘Everything is possible in the spirit, André.

On earth we can concentrate on our own life.

If we couldn’t, no-one on earth would recognize his loved ones because we look much younger now.

A spirit of light who has left the earth at an advanced age must concentrate on his past life if he wants to be recognized on earth, and that will make them see him in his ripe age.

Yet in the spirit he is young and beautiful.

As you see, this is also possible to us.

Everything is concentration and strong will power!

If my body can change, then why shouldn’t my clothes change too?

My appearance takes on whatever I desire within; even my tone of voice will be changed.’

‘I just experienced that, Alcar; it’s a miracle!’

‘We couldn’t possibly penetrate their sanctities in any other way.

We are capable of all kinds of things because we can change over into any condition which is below our own.

On earth I always show myself to you in my painter’s clothes, but I could do so in my spiritual garment too.’

However, André was unable to maintain his condition, and he felt how another power entered him, which made it easier for him to concentrate.

‘What is it I’m feeling now, Alcar?’

‘It’s the power of my thought, nothing else, because I feel that you’re not able to adapt sufficiently.

But try to master this, I need your powers for the coming events, which you will shortly understand.

We have now reached the place where I wanted to be, and we will enter here.’

André didn’t see anything that looked like a temple or a building; it was a subterranean vault where they entered.

There were sentries in front of the entrance.

Alcar strode up to them, spoke a few words with them and they were permitted to enter.

A few yards further on, others were awaiting them and Alcar threw open his garment and showed them something which his leader had not told him about.

Then Alcar stepped up to him, opened his garment and showed the sentry a green sparkling pin which he himself hadn’t noticed.

He was most surprised.

Where did I get this thing he thought, and what does all this mean?

Suddenly it came to him: ‘I know this order; it’s all a matter of concentration and strong will power; so leave everything to me.

I don’t know either, which passwords they are using at the moment, but I will link up with them and extract it from them.’

André admired his great leader; how superb Alcar’s powers were.

Now he understood why his leader had left him behind.

If he ever got the chance to do it over again, he would act quite differently from the way he had.

How puny he was, compared to Alcar.

It would take years before he had acquired these powers.

The watchman led them through various halls.

It resembled a subterranean castle, which one couldn’t discern from outside.

Everything was beautifully furnished; nothing indicated that he now dwelt in the dark spheres.

Everything he saw was earthly, in a similar condition yet with a animal-like design.

This was one of the most dangerous orders known; that was the kind of place they had entered.

The watchman wore a glittering garment and again he saw no other colours than bright blazing red and vicious green.

Alcar addressed him: ‘These beings are spies, but their thoughts can’t reach us.

All they do is focus on us to feel whether we happen to be blacks.

That’s their expression for beings with a higher attunement.

So I descend into them and think of nothing but murder and manslaughter; I want them to feel this.

They are surprisingly accurate in their thoughts.’

One of the watchmen came up to them and Alcar whispered a few words in his ear which André couldn’t understand.

But the translation came to him and meant nothing less than destruction of all life.

After this had happened the watchman respectfully bowed and they went on.

They had passed through four or five halls and now came to a towering door which opened automatically as they approached, and they could enter.

In a spacious hall were hundreds of people gathered.

André thought: they are sure to come over to us soon, but the opposite happened.

Nobody took any notice of them, they thought it was very normal.

All the same, he had been scared out of his wits when the door burst open.

He tried to get a thorough grip on himself, and he felt how his leader was exerting his influence on him.

Men and women were gathered, divided into groups.

There were some who wore beautiful garments, but here too he saw nothing but those terrible colours, and he knew their meaning.

He tried to take in the surroundings, but a marvellous tender feeling that suddenly came over him told him that he wasn’t allowed to do this, and he understood its meaning.

His leader was acting upon him in silence, and he saw the surroundings in his mind’s eye as it was conveyed to him in a vision.

There was a large statue in the middle of the hall, and they seated themselves at its base.

His leader, who had sat down beside him, told him: ‘We will first have to pass some tests; they are therefore silently exerting their influence on us before we are admitted to their circle.’

The sculpture was fenced in; chairs had been arranged around it, which some of the beings had seated themselves on.

‘A select society has gathered here; they are all terrible beings, which will shortly become clear to you.

Something must be about to happen; there have never been so many together, because they normally dwell on earth and act upon man.

They’re from the earth and have gathered here for some reason.

Pay close attention to everything, but remember our connection.’

He had been able to follow his leader clearly; every word was grafted into his soul.

Quite some time passed without anything special happening.

André saw their garments changing, and sparks seemed to be shooting from their eyes.

These beings were dangerous.

A strange feeling came over him.

It upset him, and his eyelids began to flutter.

Then he felt himself subsiding, but he exerted all his powers to counteract this.

He was overwhelmed by heavy sleepiness, his consciousness was being interfered with.

Where had this sleepy feeling suddenly come from?

Again he heard: ‘This is some form of energy they are directing at us, and if we succumb under these razor-sharp thoughts, then we are lost and must return.

So exert yourself to stand up to this, I’ll help you in everything.

All their concentration is focussed on us, although you don’t see anything of it.’

André felt himself being released through Alcar’s help.

How dangerous all these beings were; no-one would have noticed this.

This was all treason and destruction, how vile it was to step so low.

After a few moments he felt a different influence coming over him.

He felt an icy current running through him which made him freeze.

What was he in for now?

He immediately heard Alcar say; ‘Do nothing, André; let everything quietly take effect on you.’

These gentle loving words from his leader worked wonders.

He let them have their way, but it was hard because he feared he would grow rigid.

What kind of monsters in human guise were gathered here?

His hands felt as though they were frozen and yet he wasn’t allowed to show anything.

How simple everything was, yet how vicious!

Anyone who was ignorant of these powers would fall for this.

The demons were sitting there and didn’t deign to look at them, yet they were trying to subjugate them in various ways.

When any of them happened to glance in their direction, he felt that they looked right through them as if they weren’t there.

To them they didn’t exist.

There was a lady sitting diagonally across from him, dressed in an earthly fashion and adorned with pearls and other jewels.

She was engaged in a lively conversation with some of them; yet behind it all he felt their piercing thoughts, which were out for murder.

Now and then there was complete silence, and these moments made him feel the suffocating atmosphere in full.

How malicious all these atrocious beings were.

Were they masters of evil?

And were the women female masters?

He immediately heard: ‘Not them, the masters are yet to arrive.’

The coldness vanished as it had come.

What malicious powers would they aim at them now?

Sure enough, a servant came up to them who served them a reddish liquid and vanished without uttering a word.

He was familiar with these drinks and prepared himself, because now his leader was bound to disappear.

He would soon be able to breathe more freely.

He didn’t feel happy here.

Amongst those others he had at least been able to move about, here he wasn’t even allowed to change his seat.

He was ready, but at that moment he heard his leader say: ‘Take up your glass with your left hand as I will, and do whatever I do.’

André sent back his thoughts to Alcar and asked: ‘Aren’t we leaving then, Alcar?’

‘Not yet, just do as I told you.’

These words had come to him in a flash, and he did what Alcar wanted of him.

How difficult it was to understand demons.

He took hold of the glass with his left hand, saw how Alcar held it between his thumb and forefinger, then raised it and tossed it over his head, so that it shattered to pieces against the sculpture.

He did what his leader had done, and wondered what this was all about.

How malicious everything was, how deeply their vileness showed up in this.

What would they think of this?

But they all went on as if it didn’t concern them.

Alcar said: ‘This simple gesture has a profound meaning.

It proves that you’re prepared for all circumstances, that’s all.’

Following this, one of them got up and walked around the sculpture.

The being came within his reach, then stopped, and André felt that it was sounding him out in a terrible way.

He broke out in a cold sweat because of its loathsome thoughts.

It went on as if it perceived something above him, but it penetrated him down to the depths of his soul.

He had half a mind to make a charge at the monster but he knew that he would be lost if he did.

‘Let him be, André, and send him the best of your feelings.

Approach him with love; otherwise it will be impossible to link up.’

Did he really have to approach a being like this with love?

‘You must’, he heard again, ‘love is our strength.

If your love is not pure, it strengthens their powers and you would descend into them.’

André understood his leader; it couldn’t have been put to him more clearly.

It was strange; now that he faced up to it in this way he felt nothing of its influence.

He silently thanked Alcar for his help.

After a moment the being went away and he heard Alcar say: ‘We have been accepted, André.

We can move about freely now.’

Alcar got up from his seat; he followed him, and together they walked around the hall.

None of the beings spoke to them.

He looked at the sculpture. It was the devil in person, an animal-like scene, so that he didn’t dare look at it again.

The demon who had wanted to sound him out went into an adjacent room and returned after a short while, carrying a small-scale model of the large sculpture they had been sitting in front of.

What was going to happen now?

All those present got up from their seat, while four of them stepped forward.

Alcar let him feel that they were to take their seats again and he was impatient to see what would happen next.

He saw vapour rising up out of the sculpture.

The four beings formed a circle and linked up by grasping each other’s hands.

The things he perceived seemed so utterly strange to him.

And these people, how mysterious they all were.

They stood there for quite a while and he felt how they focussed their powers of concentration.

Were they about to link up with powers that were even more sinister?

Darkness crept up around him, and the glow they called light within this darkness slowly died down.

It was pitch-dark all around, yet he was still able to perceive.

He had once had a similar experience in the Valley of Sorrows.

He could clearly distinguish all the beings because he was linked up with them.

Was someone being called?

It seemed like it.

He saw a pale green haze around the sculpture that increased in density.

It was terrible what was happening here, it surged through his body, it crept into his soul.

There it stayed, gnarling as though it wanted to suck away his vital fluids.

He thought he would choke.

Then he heard his leader say: ‘Occult forces, André.

This is how they link up with the masters.’

He suddenly understood.

They now formed a wide circle around the sculpture, and others joined them to expand the circle.

He counted fifteen beings, all focussing their powers of concentration.

How deep were these human beings descending, how far were they allowed to go and could they link up?

Now he saw a yellowish light that lit up the entire sculpture.

Slowly this light merged into garish red and subsequently linked up with the green.

Then he saw it disappear into the sculpture, which then also vanished for a moment.

But this only lasted for a short while. Now long wisps of light emerged from out of the sculpture.

These extended far beyond the sculpture and spread out over all those present; this light seemed to assimilate and influence them.

The light came over to him too, causing his knees to tremble, and he was overcome by dizziness.

It was terrible, it exerted a horrible influence.

Could all those standing around the sculpture focus their thoughts with such presision, that they were able to reach everyone in the hall?

Because they did.

Their will power brought about an occult connection between all the others.

André withstood this vicious pressure, this terrible power.

Then the lurid vapours returned to the sculpture.

That smoke contained the poison that destroyed life.

Their powers of concentration lit up the sculpture; it flashed, and each being could now link up with any of the others.

It marked the transition to the animal-like level, the lowest one possible; here, even the ultimate limits seemed to become transgressed.

A woman who must have been very beautiful on earth stepped forward.

The circle was broken to let her pass through; she posted herself close to the sculpture and waited.

She stood bent forward and held both arms stretched out over the sculpture.

André sensed that she formed the link for this event.

A medium, just as he was, yet serving occult powers.

Terrible, how could a woman lend herself to such things.

How deep that being must have fallen!

Perhaps she had been a mother and had loved but now she had sunk so terribly low.

She had become bestialized and had gained a degree in this condition.

Her eyes closed, in deep trance, she drew a small circle around herself too, in order to cut herself off from all the others.

He was stunned by the influence which everything began to emanate.

In spite of all the things that occupied his mind, he again heard his leader say: ‘Keep your spirits up, André, the masters are coming.’

The word ‘masters’ brought him back to consciousness.

He wanted to get to know these beings.

He gathered all the energy he had within, but felt that he couldn’t possibly hold his ground.

Yet he had to pull through, because he wanted to understand those mysterious powers, the occult forces he had already heard so much about.

He wouldn’t readily be allowed to witness such an event again, that was very clear to him.

‘Oh, help me’, he prayed to God and to his leader, ‘let me stand up to all this.’

His prayer was ardent and after a few moments he actually felt how a different, even stronger power was influencing him, so that he could once again follow everything clearly.

Who had come to help him this time?

His leader spoke: ‘Our friends, who are here with us.’

André understood that they hadn’t been the only ones to force their way into this place, and that other, higher spirits were present.

It gave him a good feeling; now he would be able to withstand everything.

The influence which the sculpture exerted steadily increased.

He felt a terrifying silence.

Now he heard them humming; they all took part in this piercing, tormenting singing.

It was an inner form of cursing, he sensed this accurately.

It revealed their total inner being, all the abuse expressing poison and manslaughter, passion and violence.

It was so horrible, so intensely vicious that he felt how every resonance that pierced through him made his powers subside.

It cut through him like a knife, because it contained something abominable.

If only they would raise their voices, he thought, if only they would shout out their complaints at full blast; that would be bearable, it wouldn’t be so provoking.

This took him by surprise, it sawed his body and soul apart.

It was murderous, a torturing feeling, because he was linked up with them.

He heard his leader muttering too, but when he concentrated on Alcar, a different feeling came over him.

It contained a sense of love and warmth that flowed into his soul.

The terrible light increased in intensity and formed a globe around the sculpture.

The sculpture stood there like a lighthouse in the mist, and the light became increasingly vicious as it approached the pre-animal-like level.

The woman now lay crumpled up at the base of the sculpture.

Her sleep was deep, she didn’t know what was happening to her and around her.

When these phenomena had ended, he noticed a dreadful smell that took his breath away.

Never before had he smelt anything so horrible; he couldn’t find the proper words to describe it.

It was diabolical.

But once he had got used to it, it no longer bothered him.

Some form of life began to develop within that greenish, yellowish, reddish globe.

Something took shape that resembled a being.

It kept on changing, became denser and denser, until it had taken on the shape of a human being.

Lots of other shadows became manifest around that image, which all took on shape.

They were human beings.

But they remained enveloped within a dense haze.

He asked his leader what this all meant, but a different voice, which was unknown to him said: ‘Satan in his realm, André, the devil in person, he who rules over millions.

They have destroyed worlds and will do anything to achieve the same on earth.’

This wasn’t his leader who had spoken to him.

André asked in silence whether he was allowed to know who was supporting him.

His leader was sitting beside him, like a statue on its pedestal, deeply in thought.

André didn’t want to disturb him; he sensed what was going on in Alcar.

A gentle, beautiful feeling came over him when he heard the name of the spirit who had come to his help.

‘André’, he heard, ‘I am Ubronus.’

‘Oh, dear, dear Ubronus, you who guided me through Alcar’s dwelling?

You have come to help me in the darkness too?’

‘Your leader called me, because he wanted to link up completely and get to know their powers, which requires his entire concentration.

So it was I who acted upon you.

Your leader is in a different attunement, in which he wants to follow the occult connections.’

André understood, as he felt that Alcar had withdrawn into an attunement which was unknown to him.

A wall of spiritual power enveloped Alcar.

Nothing about him moved.

Now he would be able to experience everything.

He now clearly saw some beings becoming visible in the magical light, and at the same time he smelt that terrible stench, that was getting stronger.

The beings who manifested themselves were upheld by this horrible scent. Those who were present came under its influence, so that they were linked up with their masters.

In the fifth sphere he had witnessed a spiritual consecration that had been heavenly; here he saw the animal in man.

The difference was stupendous.

Over there he had been raised, here he was shocked to the very depths of his soul.

What a gap there was between these two conditions.

How exalted man was in the higher spheres; how low those had fallen who manifested themselves here.

Now a being moved out of the circle; the others quickly closed the ranks and this being stepped over to the woman who was still lying in deep sleep.

André got a shock, as he recognized him.

It was the genius whom he had visited together with Alcar.

Why had he stepped within the circle?

Within the illumed globe of horror and misery he now saw a pale green apparition that descended a little deeper.

A human being, but what kind of human being!

He saw a devil, the highest master they knew.

What were the others compared to him?

Nothing.

The difference in power was too great.

This being ranked highest, yet it had fallen deepest of all.

The genius had knelt down and now looked up.

In his hands he held the same insignia that Alcar had shown as they entered, but this one was larger.

All the others who had arrived with the master also descended and formed a chain, just as those who stood gathered around the sculpture had.

The climax had come.

Longingly the genius looked at his master, wondering what the latter would say.

André’s soul cried with sadness because of the abundant misery present here.

The master spoke: ‘Brothers, I had you summoned over to me.

One amongst you has been admitted into the circle of masters and is now in your midst, lying on his knees at my feet.

I will be brief.

I had you summoned because Geoni will be admitted to our circle and has therefore been raised.

I want you all to obey him and follow him, to support him in his work, especially those who are on earth and work.

Geoni, continue your research, I will send you a few assistants to enable you to connect the West with the North, the East with the South.

One of us is always in your vicinity, the one who also brought me this message.’

The satan spread out his claws over the inventor, murmured something and withdrew into his previous condition.

Those who had come along with him stepped forward one by one, crossed their arms across their chest, looked the genius in the eye and disappeared.

The session had ended.

The masters withdrew, the light faded, total darkness closed in around them and the chains were broken.

Long strokes were made over the woman who still lay there, and she too returned out of her terrible sleep.

He no longer saw Geoni; the genius had vanished without a trace.

The sculpture was taken back to the place from where it had been fetched. The atrocious happening was over.

Now he heard his leader talking to him again: ‘He descended, André, because he came higher.’

André understood.

He had come to know the ultimate in evil.

Alcar got up from his seat and walked over to a corner of the hall where he sat down at a table.

André looked at his leader and wondered what was going to happen now.

But he thought he could guess what his leader was up to.

He looked at all the others, who, in a rather loud way, had got into a festive mood.

Servants came along to bring drinks and refreshments.

The glasses were downed in one go and then cast to the floor, so that the pieces of broken glass shot past his ears.

Everything he experienced here was weird and mysterious.

What had got into these beings?

Drinks were put down for them too, but Alcar told him not to touch anything.

‘We are returning into our own attunement, André; the journey to the dark spheres has come to an end.’

‘Thank God,’ André thought, ‘I’m glad that we’re leaving.’

‘Get ready, my boy, they will rush at us at any moment because we’re not drinking.

I won’t pay their masters that tribute.’

His leader hadn’t even finished talking, when he felt a stinging ray piercing him.

All the beings stood up from their seats and penetrated him with their razor-sharp thoughts, as if they wanted to tear his soul apart.

A few of them went up to them and asked them why they weren’t drinking to the health of the master!

He now heard Alcar say: ‘Pick up your glass, André and come and stand beside me.’

He did what his leader wanted and posted himself next to him.

The beings who had remained standing at a short distance from them thought that Alcar would have something to say about the things they had just experienced.

André felt himself being drawn up, and when they had entered another condition but were still visible to them, Alcar addressed them: ‘Friends, we were in your midst too.’

Amazed about so much insolence, he heard one of them shouting behind him: ‘Blacks!

Stab them down!

Blacks in our midst, and no-one can force his way in?’

‘And yet we were here’, Alcar said, still holding his glass in his hand.

‘Friends’, Alcar continued, ‘we know of other powers, which destroy yours.

We know God, yes, a God of love, and this power enables us to penetrate into your midst. None of you can hinder us, not even the masters, however deep they may have fallen, to whatever height they may step up their occult powers.

One day you too will get to know these powers; then you will fight for the light, for goodness, with love for all of life.

Farewell, and greet him who calls himself master.’

Alcar threw his glass at their feet.

André did the same and with a terrible howl they all charged at the spot were they had been standing.

André sensed how he entered a different attunement.

They had all disappeared from his sight; the Land of Hatred lay behind him.