The Inquisitor walked towards a woman who set alone in the orchard, resting. “Lady Zina”, he bowed and sat across her. “I don’t want to bother you, but there’s something I have to tell you”.

“Hello Bernard”, she nodded and smiled back.

“I want you to know how much of an impression it made upon me when I saw you yesterday; so tired you were about to pass out”, he smiled. “I know how much effort you put into explaining things to me as you judged my life, and so I can imagine how much it must have taken to get you so exhausted, and yet, you kept going, because it was your duty, and because you’re an embodiment of God’s love”.

“When we first met, you jested that you are no more Christian than Christ is Zinian. I just wanted to know that as of yesterday, I consider myself ‘Zinian’, if that is a word”, he grinned. “I talked to the Tibetans and Christ about it, and they explained how those things work so I’m no longer confused. I now consider you my primary spiritual allegiance. You are the Goddess I worship; and of course Christ and his holy parents, but yesterday it clicked for me, when I saw you here in the orchard, half dead from exhaustion, but holding yourself together in firm discipline because you felt bound by love and duty. It is as if my soul reacted to you and told me: this is what God feels like, and I said ‘yes’”, he finished, as the teary eyed Goddess approached to hug him in silence. The light in his heart exploded, and all impurities on the lower elements left him, and he crystallised into vajra, and continued growing, then and there, drinking devotion to his Goddess of love and duty.

…

Two women sat in comfortable silence. It was good here. No worldly people with discordant thoughts to bother them. Nature was more beautiful than anywhere on Earth, and free from all the impurities and annoyances such as ants, mud or animal droppings.

“I’m sorry you had to arrive just after the worst of the plague, when all the Judges were dropping off their feet with exhaustion, Catherine”, Clare of Montefalco finally broke the silence. She saw it as her duty to help the newly arrived woman adjust, although she herself was here only of recent, as well. And it was not a hard duty by any means, since they became friends instantly.

“It is fine”, Catherine of Siena smiled at her new friend. “I was incredibly lucky to be assigned to Lord Buddha. He immediately saw the symptoms of my ongoing spiritual transformation, and believe it or not, while talking about my life, he guided me through the crystallisation process with his peerless expertise. He did look tired, but it took nothing from the absolute dedication with which he took care of me. He guided my mind through the exact steps it needed to take, and adjusted my devotion to Christ to be focused in just the right way, and it took me one long breath, or should I say, swallow of the devotion energy, to complete the process. The purity and depth of his soul were such, that I must admit mixing devotion to him with devotion to Christ, and he immediately told me that it’s all right, since the two of them are brothers, so that my concerns wouldn’t interfere with my meditation”.

“I underwent a similar process during life, but I don’t think it was quite finalised until I came here”, Clare replied after a deep consideration. “I was judged by Jetsun Albert Rimpoche, who is a strange combination of a Christian, who is devoted to Lady Hypatia, and a master of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual energetics, so I can sympathise with you being devoted to both Christ and Buddha. It seems to be normal, as multiple persons of God are ubiquitous here, and they are all so wonderful one just falls into devotion to God by merely seeing one of them in passing. Albert saw how my spiritual energy works, explained everything immediately, and told me how to breathe and meditate, and I now consider myself his student and a humble servant. He was so gentle and considerate with me, and so skilled and powerful, it never ceases to amaze me. I was so used to nobody having a coherent idea about what I was going through on Earth; everybody was talking in terms that meant nothing clearly defined, and they had no experience with mystical ecstasy, so when I came to him and he immediately knew everything and taught me what to do, I almost melted into a puddle at his feet”, she giggled. “It’s unfortunate that he is married, but he told me to keep meditating and my true spiritual husband will come, as God will arrange our meeting”.

“I used to think it was Christ, but on Earth, Christ was all we knew, so everything of God that felt human enough to bond with had to be Christ”, Catherine smiled. “And of course Christ too is married”, she made a sour grin.

“Have faith in God’s providence, holy sister”, Clare chided her with a blessed smile. “He led us thus far; he will lead us to our eventual destiny as well”.

“Let us pray together for God to guide us on the next part of our spiritual journey”, Catherine nodded in assent, and they held hands and prayed together in silence.

…

“Good morning, Ladies”, a kind female voice raised them from the ecstasy of prayer. “I heard you loudly enough”, Lady Zina grinned blissfully, holding a man by the hand. “Chiara, I have someone I want you to meet. This is Bernardo Guidoni. Bernardo, this is Chiara da Montefalco”, she introduced them. “And you, Caterina, come with me”, she took the woman by the hand. “I wish to introduce you to Apostle Paul. He was recently praying as you did now, and it is time for you two to meet”.