Once upon a time, in the enchanting land of Liguria, where emerald forests rolled into the cerulean embrace of the Mediterranean Sea, magical creatures of all kinds convened. Drawn by an unspoken call, they ventured to the ancient castle of Torri Superiore, a place steeped in mystery and nestled deep within the woods. This was no ordinary gathering. It was an Erasmus+ journey to uncover truths hidden in the depths of the youth workers’ being, to explore and befriend the shadows that danced within them.
On day zero, the creatures arrived, cloaked in the guise of human forms, carrying their middle-world names and the weight of unspoken questions. The grand hall of the castle welcomed them with its timeworn stone walls and flickering lanterns, as if the space itself knew of the transformation about to unfold. Unbeknownst to them, each carried a unique gift—an essence that, once awakened, would weave a new fate for all beings on Earth.
At the heart of the gathering were two guides, known as the Life Breather and the Storm of Death. They were wise beings, ancient as the hills yet ageless in their demeanor. They saw not the cloaks the creatures wore but the sparks of light and shadow flickering in their cores. With a gentle yet firm touch, they led the beings to the threshold of remembrance, urging them to recall their true names—the ones etched into the fabric of their souls.
And so, Golden Grain emerged, carrying the wisdom of harvest and cycles. Oda, the quiet rhythm of the ocean’s tide. Flame Drop, a spark of passion and transformation. Azadi, the wild call of freedom. Sanja, a dreamer with roots in the soil. Open Heart, a beacon of acceptance. Eros, the fire of connection. Fairy, a weaver of wonder. And countless others, each name a mirror to their essence, each story a thread in the grand tapestry of existence.
The days that followed were an initiation into a long-lost wisdom—the eco-soulcentric development and the nature-based map of the human psyche. Through this ancient knowledge, they began to see life not as a linear journey but as a spiral, where every turn brought them closer to their true selves. They shared laughter and tears, spoke of forgotten dreams, and laid bare the fears they had long kept hidden. Together, they wove their souls into a collective tapestry, bound by their shared vulnerability.
On the fourth night, the creatures were summoned to a nocturnal pilgrimage. They were to meet the darkness—the kind that lurked not just in the woods but within their hearts. The castle corridors whispered secrets as shadows played tricks on their minds. The woods loomed vast and silent, save for the eerie symphony of rustling leaves and distant calls. Cold fingers, born of the night’s chill or their own imagination, brushed their skin. Yet, instead of fleeing, they faced the specters of their fears.
What they discovered was profound: the darkness was not an enemy but a teacher. Each shadowy figure, each haunting sound, was a fragment of their soul, yearning to be acknowledged. By embracing these fragments, they felt a deep sense of wholeness. They learned that the things they feared most were often the keys to their strength.
As the days slipped by, the gathering neared its end. Slowly, the creatures began their ascent from the depths of shadow into the embrace of light. But they did not abandon the darkness they had come to know. Instead, they carried it with them, no longer as a burden but as a gift. They learned to dance between light and shadow, to weave their truths into a song of authenticity.
By the time the castle’s gates opened once more at the end of this training course, the beings were transformed. Their hearts were lighter, their minds clearer, and their souls brimming with purpose. They understood the delicate art of holding space—for themselves, for others, for the world. They saw their shadows not as curses but as treasures to be shared.
As they departed, scattering like seeds across the far corners of the Earth, they carried with them a profound knowing: each soul has a sacred purpose. And when souls gather, weaving their truths together, they create a force capable of healing worlds.
And so, the story of the creatures of Torri Superiore did not end—it began anew, in the hearts of all they touched, and in the whispered promise of a world reimagined.
-Azadî