last night around midnight the keeper of the reams visited. i hadn't seen him for over four years and he had not changed except for his eyes, they gleamed even brighter than ever, yet his features were identical to our last meeting. he was again dressed in his weird fractal robe, a sort of esoteric hooded gown covered in red embroidered fractal patters and designs that seemed to constantly move the more you look. 

i myself was wearing my old church tee- church a wooly hat and some black boxer shorts. i had been sleeping quite deeply after enjoying the fire-place. it was a cold night and for the first time in many years the whole of mission control was heated with a glowing warmth that bordered on quaint and domestic. i had been warming my bones, sitting in front of the fire feeling heat enter me, penetrating into the bodies depths. it was perfect, just enough light to relax peacefully while iris doe played on repeat, i tell you that album is magnificent. i especially love all the vocal tracks.

i could feel my body winding down, ready for sleep when the glass panel between the flames and myself suddenly burst alive with a face, contorted and apparently screaming at me. it's hard to describe but the fire demons face was so detailed and as i watched it screaming i began to see as it moved backwards and forwards it was not angry at all, it was laughing. 

i gazed at what would have been an hour or so, the basic shape of the thing never changing, even when i added a log. in the depths f my mind i wondered if when i open the door to place a new log in the flames would the demon escape, but it didn't seem to want to leave the fury of the firestorm inside. it laughed and smiled, sometimes it went out and reappeared at the back of the fire, sometimes it just went from fits of laughter to naughty giggles. eventually i stopped feeding the fre and took myself to bed as the glowing embers faded.

when the keeper of realms awoke me i had no idea what time it was, it seemed like the early hours of the morning but i had only been asleep three hours, it was midnight.
i offered him a chair and searched for a reasonably social light, and then went into the kitchen to make some tea. 
'i hope you have been well mission,' he said, a soft voice floated through the rooms.
'yes, i guess so, keeping a very low profile in the realms these days. focusing on being grounded for a change. it's taken me a few years to feel comfortable here but i've begun to acclimatise.'
'yes, the realms have noticed your absence.'

i poured out the water and let him continue.

'in fact that's why i am here.'

i carried two cups of chia, 'here warm up, i can relight the fire.'

i knelt down and begun to poke around the ash, smoothing it out and building a base for the slim pieces of wood, and adding some crumpled paper, and then a layer of sticks. within the centre were two cubes of fire starter which hopefully would get things cooking. as the flames begin i added the log on the top, leaving enough room for the oxygen to flow.

'you have to return soon mission, life on the ground has its place but you have been here far to long and you are needed.'

'mmm, i've begun to like it here, it's created a new kind of lifestyle, safer and more content. i don't really seek anything anymore. it's like i was always thinking there's nothing new under the sun, then something would surprise me, and now i realise everything new is under the sun.'

'yes, being grounded has its pros, and it's cons but i am keeper of the realms and i have been asked to summon you back. all realms need you, they are all in dire need as you must know, look at things upon the earth, it's just a manifestation of spiritual warfare. you know this mission but here, you can't do anything. in the realms you can change everything.'

as much as i wanted to deny it he was correct. i knew it deep within my bones.

i would require my allies, and i will need a few new ones. 

as we sipped our chia i knew exactly whom i would bind to me as a new ally. i looked into the fire and there he was laughing maniacally.