That evening, after Priscilla had gone to bed, Toki and I remained up late talking before the hearth. The topic which had been eating away at my mind ever since Priscilla had mentioned going to investigate the road hadn't left my thoughts. I turned to Toki and asked about magic.
'Regular magic, cannot be taught, nor is it within the blood,' Toki began in the stern stoic tone which was her way, emotion was only betrayed in glistening shimmers behind her eyes and a minute smile which might be seen dancing at the edges of her lips. 'It is discovered from small manifestations of the will and then harnessed. It takes time, discipline, a good mentor and a wand, of sorts, to make a good wizard, witch or warlock... Though even then things can go wrong as greed, fear and hatred creep in, if the wrong type of magic is mixed in with that type of magician, a necromancer is born; though they are few and rarely survive the transformation from living to undead.'
'That brings us to unliving magic,' continued Toki 'the unholy powers were born of a single entity at the dawn of time. Her will and the magic within went unchecked for an age of the earth, until she fashioned herslf a wand. It was during this time that many creatures and beings began coming back to life, as undead. There are varrying degrees of magic inside the unliving, but what we do know for certain, is that they all share a united memory. Every life that dies brings into the legion's history it's own memories, up until the point of death.
'Do you mean that Priscilla is undead,' I asked Toki my eyes starting to swell with tears as unchecked sorrow began to overcome my thoughts. 'She is just a girl... Was just a girl,' I corrected 'I know she is aging differently than other humans, and that there is something odd about her dragon tattoo, but she didn't die in her hybernation. It was but a deep sleep.'
'Jane, do not fret,' Toki said calmly, seeing my panic, 'It is common for humans to be found in the deep slumber of the final war's magic. No, one truly knows all the magic that moves about the earth, and there is new magic that has begun to stir in the past age, ever since the wand of the Vampire Queen was shattered and the Necromancer was born. What I can tell you is, that as far Kensori and I can tell, she is not one of the undead. Rest your heart and do not fret.'
My nerves calmed and I became less tense, 'well my friend,' I said to Toki in a weary voice as I stared into the fire, 'I must be off to bed as I am ever so tired.'
'Sleep well my friend,' Toki replied, 'tomorrow will be another long day.'
In earnest anticipation of,
Jane
Without Charles
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
World's Over Journal XXVII Troll History
That afternoon we found ourselves on the top terrace of the Troll Stone Citadel, through out our wonderings Toki told us of how the citadel came to be. That several tribes of Troll had come together ages ago after the war had ended. Priscilla and Toki had been discussing the undead road that passed through the valley again, it was a matter of extreme importance becuase it was the legion had spread the word to all the troll villages as they made their way into the Frozen North. Unification seemed like a good plan at the time, since the Human, yet Immortal Emperor had been gathering and enslaving as many immortal beings as the politicians of the free cities of the northern rainlands would allow without another war.
The three of us stopped for lunch in one of the markets on the third tier from the top, it was only a small square with about eight shops in total. We ate roasted peppers, onions and nuts mixed with garlic and something like humus on the side with a piece of bread. Marggette the shop keeper whose table we sat at told us more about the history.
As the tribes gathered, coming out of the north and a few from the South the village in the depths of the magically protected vale became too small. Thus the need for a citadel, which grew out of a large cave at the end of the village, deep in the vale. A vast and thriving underground city; with lush crop fields in giant halls deep under the earth, guard towers upon terraces stagged in tiers in protection of the city, upon which also vast gardens and beautiful flower beds.
Toki picked up the story where Marggette left off as we continued on our way. She spoke of how the mighty hill trolls had lead the charge into the cave, digging furiously behind them were came the various trolls who had lived in the valley of a time out of mind, it was their desire to show their hearts were with the unification of the tribes. A king for each tribe there had always been, but there too was an emperor and he was from the valley tribe. There had been no squabling or political woes, they were united as they had been in the dark ages of the earth, hidden deep underneath the mountains hidden from humanity.
When Toki had neared the end of the Troll history if the valley we found ourselves back at her dwelling. It seems that we were so occupied with her story and the people we had met and what they added to the story that we had lost our bearings.
'Jane,' Priscilla began as we neared the entrance, 'the next time we are near the road, well I suppose it will be your first time,' she said with a smirk, 'there are two statues which we need to investigate. I wish to see if these memories, that haunt me in nightmares by night and speak to me in day dreams as I walk in the waking world, are really true.'
I remember making a special note at the point, to ask Toki at a later point about the unholy magic that had touched Priscilla as we lay sleeping entombed within Bahamut. In fact, I should make it a point to ask about all types of magic in this strange new world.
In earnest anticipation of,
Jane
Without Charles
The three of us stopped for lunch in one of the markets on the third tier from the top, it was only a small square with about eight shops in total. We ate roasted peppers, onions and nuts mixed with garlic and something like humus on the side with a piece of bread. Marggette the shop keeper whose table we sat at told us more about the history.
As the tribes gathered, coming out of the north and a few from the South the village in the depths of the magically protected vale became too small. Thus the need for a citadel, which grew out of a large cave at the end of the village, deep in the vale. A vast and thriving underground city; with lush crop fields in giant halls deep under the earth, guard towers upon terraces stagged in tiers in protection of the city, upon which also vast gardens and beautiful flower beds.
Toki picked up the story where Marggette left off as we continued on our way. She spoke of how the mighty hill trolls had lead the charge into the cave, digging furiously behind them were came the various trolls who had lived in the valley of a time out of mind, it was their desire to show their hearts were with the unification of the tribes. A king for each tribe there had always been, but there too was an emperor and he was from the valley tribe. There had been no squabling or political woes, they were united as they had been in the dark ages of the earth, hidden deep underneath the mountains hidden from humanity.
When Toki had neared the end of the Troll history if the valley we found ourselves back at her dwelling. It seems that we were so occupied with her story and the people we had met and what they added to the story that we had lost our bearings.
'Jane,' Priscilla began as we neared the entrance, 'the next time we are near the road, well I suppose it will be your first time,' she said with a smirk, 'there are two statues which we need to investigate. I wish to see if these memories, that haunt me in nightmares by night and speak to me in day dreams as I walk in the waking world, are really true.'
I remember making a special note at the point, to ask Toki at a later point about the unholy magic that had touched Priscilla as we lay sleeping entombed within Bahamut. In fact, I should make it a point to ask about all types of magic in this strange new world.
In earnest anticipation of,
Jane
Without Charles
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Charles & Ravice Calamity Relived
The young black mouse in red and brown had fallen silent, Her head remaining lowered for several moments in the door way beside her mother after a strike of her walking stick, as if overcome by shame or fear; I knew at once it was not from pain for no tears formed in the corner of her eyes. How could a mouse, a child of Freya who was one a strong and wise warrior, who had never yet laid eyes upon me before, fear me.
'Charles,' Ravice began slowly, still staring at the floor, 'You may have never seen me before, but I have laid eyes upon you and Jane. The day you both first came out from your silent tomb.' Still her eyes would not surrender from their intense gaze upon the floor, she was concentrating all her will just to be able to speak to me. 'You remember, the day you fired the laser and the tree fell,' I nodded letting out a barely audible yes. She must not have heard me, or maybe she was lost in the memory of the calamity that errupted the forest into chaos that day.
On that particular morning as the light of dawn penetrated the skies amidst the haze, illuminating the world below in a deep shade of purple, as if twilight had come early, the gigantic steel crab which had rested dormant suddenly woke up. The Behemoth groaned as the ancient gears began to rotate every so slowly, it stopped when its right claw was open and aiming maliciously towards the tree. A beam of living liquid fire poured out from the claw and severed the giganitc Redwood from its roots. Then the menacing steel crab began to raise itself up, pushing hard against the tree, as it did so a wire shot out and a sharp hook on the end sank deep into one of the larger branches just above the Gallant farm, another shot out and sank its single tooth into the mightiest branch of a neighbouring Giant Sequoia and with one great pull of the wires the mouse kingdom began to plummet towards the earth.
The steel beast had calculated the beam and subsequent push to pull measurements perfectly. As the tree fell it collided with no other tree, that is until it hit the mighty branch it was being pulled towards, which did not crack or break under the weight for just as before the collision the crab shot another several wires out sinking deep into the boughs of the falling tree and the steel behemoth pulled hard and the branch acted as a leaver. Hundreds of branches exploded as the falling tree was pulled over the other side of its neighbours mighty branch. As the mangled tree began to roll over the other side it creaked and groaned the sound filled the valley as it began its second descent towards the forest floor, still far below. Most of the Boughs were gone, shattered in the explosion which sent pieces of branches in every direction, mingled in the fall amidst tiny wood chips, pulp and shredded green flakes, which were once leaves, were tears of red rain, blood. The leaf and splinter storm was blinding, much like a mid-winter blizzard amongst the chaos fell the terror frozen, the wounded and the dead.
The tree began its second descended, like a carrot being thrust back into the earth in reverse order, top first. With a tremendous thwomp, which resounded throughout the valley, the Redwood struck the Arbutus labyrinth upon the shallow slope and began to slide down towards the ravine. The labyrinth carried the weight of the gigantic Redwood as it slid, sparing the forest floor from the chaos. The savaged Sequoia quickly found the ravine, it went over the side and began a 3rd, albeit shorter, descent towards the lower side of the valley beyond. It smashed into the forests smoting down deep into the Arbutus labyrinth. The tree became one with the labyrinth upon the far side, and the forest fell silence once again.
Raising her gaze to meet mine, she continued, 'the tragic events of that day were only narrowly avoided, but by the dream of a dear friend. It is her, not you, that I am here to see this day,' with that she bounded off between my legs and down the hall.
In all hopes of returning,
Charles & Ravice
'Charles,' Ravice began slowly, still staring at the floor, 'You may have never seen me before, but I have laid eyes upon you and Jane. The day you both first came out from your silent tomb.' Still her eyes would not surrender from their intense gaze upon the floor, she was concentrating all her will just to be able to speak to me. 'You remember, the day you fired the laser and the tree fell,' I nodded letting out a barely audible yes. She must not have heard me, or maybe she was lost in the memory of the calamity that errupted the forest into chaos that day.
On that particular morning as the light of dawn penetrated the skies amidst the haze, illuminating the world below in a deep shade of purple, as if twilight had come early, the gigantic steel crab which had rested dormant suddenly woke up. The Behemoth groaned as the ancient gears began to rotate every so slowly, it stopped when its right claw was open and aiming maliciously towards the tree. A beam of living liquid fire poured out from the claw and severed the giganitc Redwood from its roots. Then the menacing steel crab began to raise itself up, pushing hard against the tree, as it did so a wire shot out and a sharp hook on the end sank deep into one of the larger branches just above the Gallant farm, another shot out and sank its single tooth into the mightiest branch of a neighbouring Giant Sequoia and with one great pull of the wires the mouse kingdom began to plummet towards the earth.
The steel beast had calculated the beam and subsequent push to pull measurements perfectly. As the tree fell it collided with no other tree, that is until it hit the mighty branch it was being pulled towards, which did not crack or break under the weight for just as before the collision the crab shot another several wires out sinking deep into the boughs of the falling tree and the steel behemoth pulled hard and the branch acted as a leaver. Hundreds of branches exploded as the falling tree was pulled over the other side of its neighbours mighty branch. As the mangled tree began to roll over the other side it creaked and groaned the sound filled the valley as it began its second descent towards the forest floor, still far below. Most of the Boughs were gone, shattered in the explosion which sent pieces of branches in every direction, mingled in the fall amidst tiny wood chips, pulp and shredded green flakes, which were once leaves, were tears of red rain, blood. The leaf and splinter storm was blinding, much like a mid-winter blizzard amongst the chaos fell the terror frozen, the wounded and the dead.
The tree began its second descended, like a carrot being thrust back into the earth in reverse order, top first. With a tremendous thwomp, which resounded throughout the valley, the Redwood struck the Arbutus labyrinth upon the shallow slope and began to slide down towards the ravine. The labyrinth carried the weight of the gigantic Redwood as it slid, sparing the forest floor from the chaos. The savaged Sequoia quickly found the ravine, it went over the side and began a 3rd, albeit shorter, descent towards the lower side of the valley beyond. It smashed into the forests smoting down deep into the Arbutus labyrinth. The tree became one with the labyrinth upon the far side, and the forest fell silence once again.
Raising her gaze to meet mine, she continued, 'the tragic events of that day were only narrowly avoided, but by the dream of a dear friend. It is her, not you, that I am here to see this day,' with that she bounded off between my legs and down the hall.
In all hopes of returning,
Charles & Ravice
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Charles & Ravice
The next morning we awoke to a rapping upon the solid oak frame of the front sliding door. At first I did not rise, expecting to hear Allyndran's cloven hooves upon the the floor as she passed, but she didn't and Edgarory had gone into the undercity last night after dinner. Blinking under the duress of dawn's radiant orange light, I slowly open my eyes. Putting on my pants, tunic and socks I rise, stretching before I turn to the door and walk over to open it.
The hallway is empty as is the rest of the house. There is a knock on the door frame again, though it seems quieter than the first few times and close to the ground. Looking around slowly, scratching my head I walk towards the door. Sliding the thin white screen door open slowly, I find that no one there.
A moment later the knock is there again, but this time it is beside me, on the frame near my left foot. I turn, suddenly completely awake, yet again no one is there. Then there is a rapping upon the frame to my right, I turn but no one is there, yet this time I hear a the giggling between my firmly planted feet of what can only be a mouse. Near the screen door there is another more jovial whole hearted laugh, there before me stood Freya, a wide grin upon her face.
'My friend, I know you are not as fast as once you were,' I said with a sly wink, 'then who stands giggling between my legs?' Freya's bright smiling face quickly turned to stern stone, though I her wink, which was not directed at me.
'Ah that is right,' Freya began with a smirk, 'you didn't meet any of my family during the chaotic season, the aftermath of the falling tree.' A small mouse dressed in a red, brown and orange tunic with a deep gray cloak walked out from beneath my feet to stand beside Freya. 'This is my youngest, my daughter Ravice.' As she finished Ravice gave a deep bow, though earnestly respectful, she had not finished giggling, and so took a rap upon her head from her mother's cane.
In all hopes of returning,
Charles
The hallway is empty as is the rest of the house. There is a knock on the door frame again, though it seems quieter than the first few times and close to the ground. Looking around slowly, scratching my head I walk towards the door. Sliding the thin white screen door open slowly, I find that no one there.
A moment later the knock is there again, but this time it is beside me, on the frame near my left foot. I turn, suddenly completely awake, yet again no one is there. Then there is a rapping upon the frame to my right, I turn but no one is there, yet this time I hear a the giggling between my firmly planted feet of what can only be a mouse. Near the screen door there is another more jovial whole hearted laugh, there before me stood Freya, a wide grin upon her face.
'My friend, I know you are not as fast as once you were,' I said with a sly wink, 'then who stands giggling between my legs?' Freya's bright smiling face quickly turned to stern stone, though I her wink, which was not directed at me.
'Ah that is right,' Freya began with a smirk, 'you didn't meet any of my family during the chaotic season, the aftermath of the falling tree.' A small mouse dressed in a red, brown and orange tunic with a deep gray cloak walked out from beneath my feet to stand beside Freya. 'This is my youngest, my daughter Ravice.' As she finished Ravice gave a deep bow, though earnestly respectful, she had not finished giggling, and so took a rap upon her head from her mother's cane.
In all hopes of returning,
Charles
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