I was again called upon to go to earth upon a mission of help, and to leave for a time my wanderings in the spirit spheres; and now it was that the greatest and most terrible temptation of my life came to me. In the course of my work I was brought across one still in the earth body, whose influence over my earthly life had done more than aught else to wreck and spoil it, and though I also had not been blameless--far indeed from it--yet I could not but feel an intense bitterness and thirst for revenge whenever I thought of this person and all the wrongs that I had suffered--wrongs brooded over till at times I felt as if my feelings must have vent in some wild burst of passionate resentment.
I was once again tasked with a mission to help on Earth, temporarily leaving my travels in the spirit realm. It was then that I faced the greatest and most terrible temptation of my life. During my work, I encountered someone still living whose influence had done more than anything else to destroy and ruin my earthly existence. Although I wasn't blameless myself—far from it—I couldn't help but feel an intense bitterness and desire for revenge whenever I thought of this person and all the wrongs I had endured. These were injuries I had dwelled on until, at times, I felt my emotions might erupt in a wild outburst of passionate resentment.
In my wanderings upon the earth plane I had learned many ways in which a spirit can still work mischief to those he hates who are yet in the flesh. Far more power is ours than you would dream of, but I feel it is wiser to let the veil rest still upon the possibilities the world holds even after death for the revengeful spirit. I could detail many terrible cases I know of as having actually taken place--mysterious murders and strange crimes committed, none knew why or how, by those on earth whose brains were so disordered that they were not themselves responsible for their actions, and were but the tools of a possessing spirit. These and many kindred things are known to us in the spirit spheres where circumstances often wear a very different aspect from the one shown to you. The old beliefs in demoniacal possession were not so visionary after all, only these demons or devils had themselves been once the denizens of earth.
During my time on Earth, I discovered numerous ways for spirits to cause trouble for those they despise who are still alive. We possess far more power than you might imagine, but I believe it's best to keep hidden the potential for revenge that exists even after death. I could describe many horrifying real-life cases I'm aware of—unexplained murders and bizarre crimes committed by mentally unstable individuals on Earth who weren't in control of their actions, but were instead controlled by possessing spirits. We in the spirit realm know of these and many similar incidents, often seeing them from a very different perspective than you do. The ancient beliefs in demonic possession weren't as far-fetched as they seemed; these demons or devils were once human beings themselves.
It so happened to me then, that when I came once more, after long years of absence, across this person whom I so hated, all my old feelings of suffering and anger revived, but with tenfold more force than is possible in earth life, for a spirit has far, far greater capabilities of suffering or enjoyments, of pleasure or pain, love or hate, than one whose senses are still veiled and deadened by the earthly envelope, and thus all the senses of a dismbodied spirit are tenfold more acute.
After many years away, I encountered this person I deeply resented. My old feelings of pain and anger resurfaced with overwhelming intensity. In the spirit realm, our capacity for emotion—whether suffering or joy, pleasure or pain, love or hate—is vastly amplified compared to our earthly experience. Without the dampening effect of a physical body, a disembodied spirit's senses are exponentially more acute, intensifying every feeling tenfold.
Thus when I once more found myself beside this person, the desire for my long-suspended revenge woke again, and with the desire a most devilish plan for its accomplishment suggested itself to me. For my desire of vengeance drew up to me from their haunts in the lowest hell, spirits of so black a hue, so awful a type, that never before had I seen such beings or dreamed that out of some nightmare fable they could exist. These beings cannot live upon the earth plane nor even in the lower spheres surrounding it, unless there be congenial mortals or some strong magnetic attraction to hold them there for a time, and though they often rise in response to an intensely evil desire upon the part of either a mortal or spirit on the earth plane, yet they cannot remain long, and the moment the attracting force becomes weakened, like a rope that breaks, they lose their hold and sink down again to their own dark abodes. At times of great popular indignation and anger, as in some great revolt of an oppressed people in whom all sense but that of suffering and anger has been crushed out, the bitter wrath and thirst for revenge felt by the oppressed will draw around them such a cloud of these dark beings, that horrors similar to those witnessed in the great French Revolution and kindred revolts of down-trodden people, will take place, and the maddened populace are for a time completely under the control of those spirits who are truly as devils.
When I encountered this person again, my long-dormant desire for revenge awakened, accompanied by a sinister plan. My vengeful thoughts summoned spirits from the depths of hell, beings so dark and terrifying that I had never imagined such creatures could exist outside of nightmares. These entities cannot survive on Earth or in its nearby realms without a strong connection to like-minded mortals or a powerful magnetic attraction. While they often respond to intense evil desires from earthly beings, they cannot stay long. Once the attracting force weakens, they lose their grip and sink back to their dark domains. During times of great public outrage, such as when oppressed people revolt after enduring nothing but suffering and anger, their bitter wrath and thirst for revenge can draw a cloud of these dark beings. This leads to horrors like those seen in the French Revolution and similar uprisings. In such moments, the frenzied masses fall completely under the control of these truly demonic spirits.
In my case these horrible beings crowded round me with delight, whispered in my ears and pointed out a way of revenge so simple, so easy, and yet so horrible, so apalling in its wickedness, that I shall not venture to write it down lest the idea of it might be given to some other desperate one, and like seed falling into a fruitful soil bring forth its baleful blossoms.
These terrible creatures swarmed around me gleefully, whispering in my ears and suggesting a method of revenge. It was so straightforward, so effortless, yet so wicked and horrifying in its cruelty that I dare not record it here. I fear that sharing such an idea might inspire another desperate soul, and like a seed falling on fertile ground, it could sprout into something truly evil.
At any other time I should have shrunk back in horror from these beings and their foul suggestions. Now in my mad passion I welcomed them and was about to invoke their aid to help me to accomplish my vengeance, when like the tones of a silver bell there fell upon my ears the voice of my beloved, to whose pleadings I was never deaf and whose tones could move me as none else could The voice summoned me to come to her by all that we both held sacred, by all the vows we had made and all the hopes we had cherished, and though I could not so instantly abandon my revenge, yet I was drawn as by a rope to the one I loved from the one I hated.
Under normal circumstances, I would have recoiled from these sinister beings and their vile suggestions. But in my frenzied state, I welcomed them, ready to seek their help in exacting my revenge. Just then, like a silver bell, my beloved's voice reached my ears. Her pleas always moved me like nothing else could. She called to me, invoking all we held sacred, our shared vows, and cherished hopes. Though I couldn't immediately abandon my vengeful quest, I felt myself pulled towards her, as if by an invisible cord, away from the object of my hatred.
And the whole wild crew of black devils came with me, clinging to me and trying to hold me back, yet with an ever feebler hold as the voice of love and purity and truth penetrated more and more deeply to my heart.
The entire unruly group of dark spirits followed me, desperately clutching at me and attempting to hold me back. However, their grip weakened as the voice of love, purity, and truth resonated more deeply within my heart.
And then I saw my beloved standing in her room, her arms stretched out to draw me to her, and two strong bright spirit guardians by her side, while around her was drawn a circle of flaming silver light as though a wall of lightning encircled her; yet at her call I passed through it and stood at her side.
Then I saw my love in her room, arms outstretched to embrace me. Two powerful, radiant spirit guardians stood beside her. A circle of brilliant silver light surrounded her, like a wall of lightning. Yet at her call, I passed through it effortlessly and stood next to her.
The dark crowd sought to follow, but were kept back by the flaming ring. One of the boldest made a rush at me as I passed through, and tried to catch hold, but his hand and arm were caught by the flame of light and shriveled up as though thrust into a furnace. With a yell of pain and rage he drew back amidst a wild howl of derisive laughter from the rest.
The shadowy mob tried to pursue, but the ring of fire held them at bay. As I passed through, one daring individual lunged at me, attempting to grab hold. However, the moment his hand and arm touched the fiery barrier, they withered instantly as if plunged into a blazing inferno. Howling in agony and fury, he recoiled, while the others erupted in mocking laughter.
With all the power of her love my darling pleaded with me that I should give up this terrible idea, and promise her nevermore to yield to so base a thought. She asked me if I loved my revenge so much better than I loved her, that to gratify it I would raise up between us the insurmountable barrier of my meditated crime? Was her love indeed so little to me after all?
My beloved desperately begged me to abandon this dreadful plan and swear never again to entertain such a vile thought. She asked if I valued my revenge more than her love, questioning whether I was willing to create an unbreakable divide between us through my intended crime. Had her love truly meant so little to me all along?
At first I would not, could not yield, but at last she began to weep, and then my heart melted as though her tears had been warm drops of her heart's blood falling on it to thaw its ice, and in bitter anguish of soul that I should have caused her to shed tears I knelt at her feet and prayed to be forgiven my wicked thought--prayed that I might still be left with her love to cheer me, still with her for my one thought, one hope, my all. And as I prayed the circle of dark spirits, who had been fighting to get in and beckoning to me and trying to draw me out, broke like a cloud of black mist when the wind scatters it, and they sank away down to their own abode again, while I sank exhausted at my darling's feet.
At first, I resisted, unable to give in. But when she began to cry, my heart softened as if her tears were warm drops of her very lifeblood, melting its icy resolve. Overwhelmed with guilt for causing her pain, I knelt before her, begging forgiveness for my cruel thoughts. I pleaded to keep her love as my comfort, my sole focus, my everything. As I prayed, the crowd of dark spirits that had been trying to lure me away dissipated like a black mist in the wind, retreating to their own realm. Drained, I collapsed at my beloved's feet.
At times after this I saw the dark spirits draw near to me, though never again could they come close, for I had an armor in my darling's love and my promise to her which was proof against all their attacks.
After this, I occasionally noticed dark spirits approaching me. However, they could never get too close. My beloved's love and the promise I made to her acted as a powerful shield, protecting me from all their attempts to harm me.