This book is a collection of narrative-driven poetry by Pantheon Arts Community Storytelling's Guild Caretaker, Nicholas LaHusen, whose artist name is the "Cobalt Hearth", a leader of the organization and budding author. It is a journey shared about breaking cycles of a once-shattered self.

The 5 Stages of Grief and the Monomyth of the Heroes' Journey are used as chapters of poetic verse that are built in collaboration with those same selves that were once-darkened and are now-illuminated. We join together past a lifetime of self-separation, as well as fellows both from the Guild and not who donated time for this project to come to fruition.

It is our first book under our Community Production Fellowship (CPF) Studio's Ephemeral Aperture Imprint, and serves as a fearsome first step for us to manifest agency with this Guild of like-minded adventurers, artists, and creatives.

We unveil this self that always was, hidden under parts that never were ours to hold back, and invite you to join us as we venture forth out of the cave with light in tow.