I rested with a rather large tome on my face. The gentle rocking of the train helped me drift to sleep. But before I can push myself over the threshold, a hard knocked pulled me away.
I pulled the tome off my face and adjusted myself in my chair. The knock came again. “Enter.” I mumbled as I pretended to read. Abigail and Shea both entered with bows.
“Forgive my intrusion, sire. But dinner is ready,” the prim and proper Abigail state matter of factly.
“Yeah. So get your goat legged ass up. We are having Saponin,” Shea said as he rose from his bow.
“Saponin? We are passing through the realm of Beduo? I may have to stop,” I stated standing up and motioned for my two enforcers to lead the way.
Saponin was a Beduo delicacy. It was an odd fusion of Talro and Alro. Sadly, the chef only makes it when we pass through Beduo or close enough to it.
Once we in the dining car, the chefs brought out plates. Shea sharpened the carving knife as Abigail prepared herself. Several of the golems carried out one the large Adapii Hounds I have seen.
“Boss, what piece would you like?” Shea said asked as he sliced off several of eye stalks.
I put my napkin in my lap. “The golly and fore throat.” I need not look up to see Shea rolling his eyes.
“You know I hate cutting that it part out. I always get sprayed by the throat bladder.”
“Well if you had a steady hand,” Abigail started but a glance from me silenced her.
We ran. But us was the great horrors of the void. A slithering tides of gnashing teeth and hungry maws. Before us was the gate. The only way of out this hellhole. And it was closing fast.
“Keep going,” I screamed as I slashed at one of the horrors that flew at us. It’s black blood coating me. We didn’t have time to clean off.
One of the faster horrors caught up to us. It grabbed at her leg. Causing my love to trip forward. It grabbed at her again. But it found my blade instead of flesh.
I stabbed into it hand with my dagger. And my rapier found the creature’s throat. The creature’s death gurgles echoed throughout the cavernous surroundings. I kicked the corpse into the approaching horde. Buying as precious time as the pursuers had to climb over the thing to continue.
“Tell the Nothingness, he will not have her,” I screamed before I ran and picked my love up.
“He will not have you,” I whispered to her, “Can you stand?”
“No my husband. My leg. I think I broke it.” She said as she tried to move.
“I see,” I stated as I sheathed my weapons.
“Leave me. It is I he wants,” she stated. I picked her up and carried her.
“What are you doing?” She demanded to know as I began running.
“I journeyed to the Void itself for you. I am not abandoning you. The Nothingness can find someone else. He will never have you.” I said as I pushed forward. I ran as fast as I can could. Her in my arms. Horrors at our back.
The exit was within reach. I could see the sunlight of our world. My allies were waiting. Ready to deal with the horrors that followed us. I prayed to Maduin to not abandon me as this juncture.
I jumped though the gate into the sun. I tumbled forward and the world went dark.
I jerked forward. Groggy. My head in a lot of pain. I was alive and on the correct side of the gate. My memories were foggy. And panic set in as I tried to remember. I was positive she was in my arms. A familiar and gentle hand on my back calmed me down.
“The dead has finally arisen,” my love snickered, “After your daring rescue, we feared the mighty Lexington, would fell by a rock to head.”
She laughed, and if I hadn’t been so relieved to see her alive, I might have laughed too.
“Before we encountered humans, we were homeless,” I told the gathered children. I was The Stoyteller. Before my job was to keep the records of my people, Bhagwan. Now I keep the history of Humanity, Bhagwan, and several other species in our grand Union.
“Where did we come from?” a child asked.
I scratched my chin and smiled, “We came from beyond the Veil of Sedr and passed the farthest of the Union’s colony.” Bhagwan was once a desert planet and our planet had evolved on it. Though if you see it now, our once wonderful desert was now a frozen wasteland.
“We were running. Our people fled a great calamity,” I elaborated. The gathered children made what would the universal gesture for…
“The Great Wyrm,” they cried out pretending to be the Wyrm. The Great Wyrm, Apophis, had come. He devoured all in his path. Our planet had been spared. Our sun had not.
“That is right. His coming was foretold in scripture by the greatest minds of the age. All of the great ones poured over a means to kill or stall Apophis. But they failed.” And they knew exactly what fighting was a pointless. So we ran.
“Our people gathered up what we could before he came and we fled. Inside our Worldship, we watched as our sun was consumed,” I added. We become nomads. Taking what we needed from dead worlds and trading for what we couldn’t.
“For forty generations, we ran across the star ocean,” I said motioning with a flourish to the heavens above. The children all looked up with amazement. As the stars seemed to glisten as they looked.
My great great granddaughter, Human Bhagwan hybrid raised her hand, “So when did my grandmother met my granddad?” she asked sounding innocently. I brushed my hand across her cheek.
“I am getting there, my child,” I said as she smiled. I cleared my throat. “During our exile, we encounter a curious species. They had just began colonizing their home system.” Humans were inquisitive and despite some reservations on both species part allowed us to colonize the planet they called Mars.
“Over the years, we fought one another. Over the years, we learned from other. Eventually, became two people but one union.” After two minor wars, we finally united as one. Eventually, we forged a lasting peace. And from our unity came the Grand Sol Union.
“And the Bhagwan and the Humans became the first members of the Grand Sol Union. Together we founded the Growlansians. And Hyneran.” I said as I pointed to the children of the various races.
“And soon out great Union will face Apophis. And we will destroy the Wyrm once and for all.”
“I am Qether,” I said with a bow, “And this.” I motioned behind me toward the vast collection of tomes and books.
“This is my library,” I finished adjusting my spectacles on my face. The group gathered kowtowed before me. The leader, a woman in her forties, spoke first, “Great Qether. God of Knowledge and Secrets. Keeper and Warden of the Gods’ Library. I beg an audience.”
I scratched my chin. It has been almost a millennium since mortals not acolytes found their way here. Though I suspect one of my acolytes may have had a hand in it. Not even my own siblings know of my hiding place.
“Very well, mortal. What pray tell has brought you hear?” I said gazing down that them.
“Wise master, please a plague ravages our world. Unleashed by your fellow gods. Long have we journey to find you. Our numbers were twenty once. But seven of us stand before you.”
I looked that them. They were indeed seven of them. They were haggard and filthy. I could tell they were hungry. I turned my back on them. “What happens between the mortals and my siblings is none of my concern. No leave me alone with my books.” I began to walk back into my library.
“Wait!” She called out. I stopped. And glanced at them.
“You say it is none of your concern but you sent your acolytes out to collect information and to inviting scholars of note to you. So you care. But if this plague kills us you will no longer be collect secrets. No new knowledge for you to collect and hoard. Above all you will have no new stories.”
I knew that. And I would love to spit in the face of my siblings. “You presume much, mortal. It is true I would be bored if you all died.”
I continued to walk into the library. But I stopped after I passed the threshold. “I will not bring the knowledge you seek to you. Come inside before your stench alerts my siblings.”
“Thank you, wise master,” their leader replied as the group raced inside. Making sure to keep several steps behind me. They gawked and awed over the rows of cases that seemed to stretched high into the sky.
“Divine one,” one of the younger ones, barely older than fourteen.
“Child?” I said we continued.
“We are inside a building right? But how is this so bright?” He asked. I pondered the questions for a moment. It wasn’t that I didn’t know. I was trying to find a way to explain it to him without too much complications.
“I created a sun. And a moon,” I answered back.
“Wow!” He said sounding awed. One of the adults with them quickly tried to silence him. I stopped and looked at a row of books before me.
“Hmmm,” I said as I pulled a book from shelf and turned to the leader. “This book will give you the knowledge you need. But once the plague has been cured. You will return it immediately. If you don’t. I will unleash a plague so virulent that my siblings will not even survive it.”
The leader adverted her gaze as she took the book from my hands, “I thank you wise master.”
“Enough, your stench is starting make my book rot.” I commanded. Before they left my gaze, I blessed them with a far safer journey home. Unknown to them, the book was a copy of the original works I had higher up. Making a new one wasn’t difficult or boring at all. But like I said. I haven’t had visitors that weren’t my own acolytes in a millennium and I am positive I haven’t had returned visitor even longer.
Entry 839 February 27, 2022 Sunday “A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.” ———William Arthur Ward
Holy shit! Holy shit! Today was…I fucking can’t begin to explain what I just seen. If I don’t write it down now I will forget it. Ok. Ok. Let me start from the beginning. I was on the bus. The driver was talking to this hottie. He takes this corner and this five year old runs out in front of the bus. He slammed on the brakes to not hit the kid but the kid should be pizza. Or so I thought. But he somehow he avoided the wheel. The driver bring the bus to a complete stop.
I get out with the driver excepting to see a bloody smear but nothing. And the kid was just standing there bouncing his ball as he calmly walked into his mother’s arms. I was so sure the kid was going to be paste. Now that I read this it makes me sound like I wanted the kid dead but I am merely stating facts. So where was I? Yeah. Wheels. Okay. Now that was trippy but then I saw it. A light. No not a shitty streetlight or one of those spotlights. But it was a gold and warm. I looked up and saw it. A bonafide angel. Six wings and halo. I am not a religious man. I am actually a proud heathen but if that is what is waiting for me at the pearly gates. I am going to convert. God, I am pretty sure I am going to hell for this one. Between the sacrilege of wanting to dick down an Angel and writing how a kid should have been an ugly red on the asphalt.
Back to the my story, to make things worst the driver gets on and he doesn’t make any mention of the Angel or the kid or anything. In fact he went back to talk to the hottie right where they left off. He didn’t report it or anything. No one the bus was looking up from their phones or books or whatevers. And that make it even more creepy. I probably going to lose my memory of this event too. Fuck…I wish I had got some physical evidence. A photographer, a feather….a phone number.
God, I really hope you are the New Testament God with all the live, love, and infinite mercy. Not the Old Testament sacrifice your son and cities into salt version cause I am massively fucked.
It started with a sly comment, “Are you sure you are human, my Lady?”
It was like someone silenced the entire feast. My friends attempted to dissuade him from answering my next question with gestures but the fool was too stupid to notice.
“My good sir, Duke Varrell was it? Whatever do you mean?” I replied with a soft smile. Varrell pulled off his white gloves and chuckled.
“I mean, dear Wilhelmina, between your crass way of speaking, your atrocious table manners and your height. If I were a betting man, I would mistake you for some sort of oversized monkey. Or a rather tall dwarf.”
Despite my calm appearance, I was seething. I smiled wide before turning to his majesty. “My lord, as I am a guest in your halls and this is my first time at your feast, I am curious on protocol for duels.”
The king smirked, “A duel? We have had a duel at one of this things in decades. But since you are a guest I will allow it.”
“My liege, we shouldn’t even be entertaining this barbarian and her slaves.”
“Slaves!” Both of my friends spoke in unison but I motioned for them to hold. I stood up and walked over to Duke Varrell. The wide smile still plastered on my face.
As I made my way over to him, I removed my black gloves. Servants scattered out of my way and the Duke stood up. His hand on his hilt of his sword.
I rounded the table past some of my kinsmen, they merely smirked. I was cursed to be smaller than most humans. Five feet. No amount of spells or potions could fix what the gods have decreed.
I stood in front of the Duke and tossed the glove straight up into the air. When he looked up, I slammed my fist into his stomach. He bent forward; bring his face into easy strike distance. I punched him in side of the head. I was aiming for his eye but he dodged.
I pulled a bone dagger from it’s sheath. I put it to his throat. “As a southern barbarian, I have no issue with killing you. Next time you insult my height. My friends. Or say anything I practically don’t like during my time here I will kill you and add your skull to my collection.”
“That is enough, Lady Wilhelmina. I am sure your point has been made,” the kind said motioning for more food.
“As I am a guest, I will abide your wishes,” I said before standing up and kicking him in the stomach one last time. My kinsmen tried to contain their laughter. As I walked back to my seat.
“Varrell, take your seat,” the king demanded. Varrell, with the assistance of his servants, stood up, “My lord, I demand you have this animal and her wretched ilk arrested immediately.” Varrell said angrily.
“Varrell. If this alliance is to succeed we must not be at each other’s throats. If you hadn’t insulted her, your pride would not be in the same state as your body. Now shut up and return to your seat.”
“I will not seat with her. Or recognize her as an ally,” he spat. The king shot him a withering glance. I could see why he allowed things be like this. Even I felt strangely cowed by it.
Hello, young minder. I want to welcome you to your first day as a Minder. Minders are elite wizards who help patients overcome their mental issues and problems while fighting the physical demons that plague them. We elevate ourselves and our conscious to the higher realms. Tapping into the Source itself. To construct a Sanctuary of the Mind. You have chosen to join our illustrious ranks and stand as a bulwark against evils that feed on human emotions and mental conditions. Let me be the first to say to you, “Cognito ergo sum. Ego non facio. Ego pugnare debet quoniam ego.”
King Korom was not a good king. He was not a bad king either. What and who King Korom was? When I knew him? He was a good man. But good men do not always make good kings.
Some would say good men make poor kings. Why? A good man puts the needs of others before his own. A poor king does the same but for his people. A poor king fights few wars and never expands his kingdom.
No what King Korom was a beloved king. Who death was met with a funeral befitting a beloved king. The entire kingdom wept and when he died every citizen offered something valuable to be used to pay for his trip into the afterlife.
And when Old King Korom finally arrived and waited for the ferryman, the spirits of the dead moved him to the front of the line. The ferryman laughed, “Long have waited to meet you Old King Korom.”
“Long have a dreaded meeting you, ferryman.”
“Are you afraid of me?”
“Terrified.”
“Good. But don’t not be. So what is that you offer in payment for passage.”
“My people have gifted me with a great sum for passage. But as in life I couldn’t not bring myself to spend it on myself.”
“Then offer me something you treasure?”
“I offer you my most treasured item. My people’s love.”
The ferryman laughed again, “Of all the treasured I have, love is not one of them. Never have I offered change for a ride either. Fine...I degree your treasure
I don’t remember it snowing much here. I mean i positive it snowed here. There were people from the high north where it snowed constantly. My dwarven friends make constant reference to making treats called snowballs. So it snowed in this world.
Maybe I am misremembering things again. My memory has holes in it. Minor details nothing serious. I recall standing behind the dais during a trial but I reality I was behind it. That sort of thing. No matter.
“Bucephalus!” I screamed into the snowstorm. It wasn’t cold or very difficult to see, so it was the perfect time to take Bucephalus out for a ride.
It didn’t take long for the familiar sound of her hooves to began sounding her approach. My faithful nightmare appeared in a bellow of fire and smoke. She nuzzled her head against me.
“Fancy a snow covered ride?” I asked petting her. She neighed her approval. Quickly mounting her sans her saddle was an interesting affair. The heat of her fiery mane and the cool of the snow was an curious feeling.
I pushed her forward and she went off in light trot. Once we cleared the city gates and the outer wall, she cut loose. Since we had no real destination, I let her choose.
At first we were against the falling snow. It was a sight to behold. Her heat extended a few meters radius above us. So the snow that it the first layer of the radius melted into water. When that water hit the second layer it melted into steam. So around us we traveled in our protected bubble.
She then cut against the wind. Bobbing and weaving around or over imaginary obstacles. Knowing my Bucephalus as I do, she was more than likely envisioning her and I in glorious battle against our foes. I pulled her mane tighter and pretended to draw my spear. I leaned in close to her.
I pointed in a seemingly random direction, “There. The commander is there. Come let us take his head.” She neighed her approval and sped up.
I wasn’t too afraid it wasn’t difficult to see around us. And anything short of a mountain would not stop her once she began.
