The Prince of the Past...

This is a special post, in flavor with the season I will now recount the tale of the Rotting Corpse boy who has come to live in my home. He first told me this story as we journeyed back from Castcom. His name was Prince Agmett. He lived in the kingdom of the ancient Minoans. Perhaps you have heard of them...perhaps not. But Prince Agmett was a noble Prince and he lived during a time of darkness. In his life his Mother, the Queen passed away. HE was unable to cope with her death, so young and so bold he was! In light of her death he declared that he refused to believe in actual death ever again. She had left him but certainly there was a way to thwart this cruel force? He went to every magician, he sought every oracle and sage, and yet no answer to death could be found. He never ceased to search, knowing that in his heart he banished the acceptance of death altogether. But death reaches us all does it not? It came even to Agmett. The capital was attacked by invaders and soon Agmett found himself fighting in the midst of a large army. He was slain that day by a sword of bronze. He drifted for a long time, through mist and through night, refusing to accept his death even though it had happened. However, it seems his will was so strong that he found himself face to face with the great Rhoades, the bull god of death. Rhoades stared at him. “You are refusing death?” Agmett stood silent. “Your belief in no death is so strong even though you have trekked through it for so long?” “This may be an illusion to tempt me to surrender my idea, but that is something I can never do.” Rhoades was impressed. “A challenge then, I shall charge you and you must leap over me, if you can do that and dodge my flames then I shall grant you the power to remain alive. In essence you shall be immortal.” Agmett accepted, knowing that this is what he had been seeking. Rhoades stood half a universe away and charged. Agmett , who hung in the air prepared himself. The Minoans used to have a bull-jumping festival each year, dedicated to Rhoades. Who could have known that Agmett would one day be leaping over the god himself?The flames nearly reached him but he made it over completely unharmed. Rhoades conceded defeat. It was at that moment that Agmett awoke once more. From his slumber he stirred, only to find himself trapped in a large stone tomb from which he could not escape. And so he waited, for a very long time, until a band of archaeologists discovered the city. They broke the stone sealing the tomb. Agmett waited again. Then, at night he pulled himself free from the tomb. He was badly decomposed by this point. He could never return to the world of men in his current state. It was then he heard Rhoade's voice in his head. The god had joined with him, was it his power sustaining Agmett? The bull-god suggested piecing together a new body, since Agmett could not transition out of the one he had. The former prince deliberated a long time but finally made his decision. Was it due to a cruel twist of fate? A group of archaeologists were there late one night and he saw Agmett and shouted for the others. Agmett quickly had to silence him. Ultimately it was Rhoades that did it. Agmett reached out his hand and Rhoades appeared and slew the man. Was the blood on Agmett's hands now? This body would decompose just as the prince's had. Could he truly allow it to go to waste? And that is how he began, by piecing together what he could from that dead man. The other archaeologists in that group found him but Rhoades dealt with them as well. Soon he had built himself a new shell, but that was not the end of Agmett's tale. The dig, financed by a powerful organization, claimed all that was found. They discovered a way to suppress the power of Rhoades and capture the prince. That is how he became the prisoner of Castcom and that is where I found him several months ago...
Happy Halloween!

Even in Nilfheim...

The longer I dwell in the Underworld the more and more dead I begin to feel and look. I know I am paler than before, it is as if I'm already making that transition. I rode the Ski Doo as far as I could. At least until I reached Nilfheim. You see, the underworld is vast, and each name of the underworld, whether it be Sheol, Hell, Hades, or Nilfheim is really a mere district in the giant city of the dead, Necroplystyalias. I reached this city. And in the district of Nilfheim I found the Empress. There is a tree of all the pleasures on earth, good and bad. It is rooted here. It is quite funny actually, a Solarelks coffee was built at the base, I know they are everywhere up top but even in the underworld! I entered looking for a drink, the temptation down there was far too great. But I never bought a drink, because as I entered I saw her. The Spring Empress, an 8 dollar Mocha in hand. (It costs a lot to import coffee down there evidently) She looked at me. “Are you the Spring Empress?”. I expected to look for a cage and a sneering Winter King. “Indeed I am, who are you?” She replied loftily. “Faux LeRoy, I am here to save you.” I said, my resolve breaking with each word. She smiled. “Poor fool, I bet the Autumn King sent you here. Little did he know I came here of my own accord!” I scratched my head. “What does this mean?” Her eyes flashed gold. “I imagine you will inform him I do not wish to go.” I nodded. “You are a fool for coming here, and you shall never again leave!” She exclaimed as the store began rattling. I desperately jumped through the front windows as they exploded with the force of her might...

My Aunt Used to Have One of Those...

Well I bet you're wondering how I'm posting from the underworld, because that is where I still am. I found one of those e-mail kiosks and hopped on. Of course I had to threaten an excitable ghost of a man down here to get his user information to log on but that is besides the point. Things are strange, to say the least. By now I've crossed the river Styx and have found no sign of the Spring season yet. But I had an interesting encounter before getting to this point and I think the information could be helpful if any of you decide to take a trip to the underworld (which I don't really recommend). Anyway, I started by following that bird. It flew so quickly I had difficulty keeping up with it. But that was on normal terrain, as we approached the entrance things became a big more rocky. And then, i found it, the entrance to the underworld. It was guarded by one of the most fearsome beasts I had ever seen. Now I know you mythology types would be thinking CERBERUS! That is what I encountered...kind of. As it turns out, sometime between the rise of the Roman empire and the end of British imperialistic age the entrance to hell was left unattended. For you see the Cerberus began to grow lonely. He wandered off searching for a thing called love. Evidently he found it...in a rotary telephone. Yeah....Well as it turns out the Cerberus returned to his post, only to realize he had no desire to do that anymore, so he made the lovechild of rotary phone and himself stand guard. That is where I come in. Standing before me is a looming three-headed rotary phone! What am I to do? His phone snap at me and I dodge to and fro. Thinking on my feet I jumped out of the way and rushed towards the beast. I lunged at his center, my finger extended, and quickly dialed the first 1-800 number that came to mind. I quickly hid behind the rock as the automated voice message kicked on. I waited....and waited. Then, I heard it. “If you are dialing from a rotary phone, please stay on the line...” This was my chance! Like Orpheus I fled past him, only to find myself confronted with the river of the dead. Charon's price was far too high so I decided to walk the bank, looking for an alternative option. As it turns out there is a Ski Doo rental place located on my side of the bank. I had to pay quite a bit, I guess gas is expensive in hell. Whatever it worked. It was a jet ski/ snowmobile model, perfect for covering long distances of terrain. I haven't found the Empress yet but hopefully in due time I shall...

How Does That Myth Go?

I woke up this morning, what the weathermen called the perfect autumn day. However, as I walked outside I was confronted by an icy breeze that cut through to my very core. The Witch of Cornwall’s head rolled over to the door and scowled at me. “Shut the door, it’s such a cold day.” She rolled off, she’s been cranky ever since Bella brought her home, is that what happens after your body is disconnected? Well I shivered and moved to close the door when a bare bronze arm shot out and held the door open. “Wait a moment.” I followed the arm, it attached to a smoking figure clothed in autumn leaves. “Faux LeRoy, I have heard about you and ask for your assistance.” The being spoke. “Who are you?” I asked, completely weirded out by this point, this guy had no shirt on, wasn’t he freezing? Or did the smoke around his legs keep him warm? “I am the autumn king he boomed as he pushed into the house. I nodded quietly and closed the door. “How and WHAT did you hear about me?” He grew more serious in appearance. “Let me explain. This day it is frigid, for I am not at my tower commanding the weather as it should be commanded.” “You should return then.” I muttered. “Problem solved.”
taking the Empress of the spring away. I was informed of this and immediately went to intervene.” He paused and shook his“NOT QUITE.” He shouted. “For you see, this day the Winter King has finally succeeded in head. “I was too late; the Winter King had somehow grown strong enough to overtake her in her own tower. He hauled her out and took her to the underworld.” He paused once more. “The underworld is not even within our realm, we have no power there. It is an abysmal place that I have journeyed to on occasion in the past. But where was I? Ah yes, I followed them secretly and watched as he locked her up. He placed her in a cage and returned to his own tower. I tried to break the cage but I could not succeed. For you see he enchanted the cage in such a way. Only he could open it…or so I thought.” He stared at me and nodded. “You’re the one I heard about, sure enough. For you see, while in the underworld I ran into a person who had taken a journey on the 4^th of July. He told me about a brave young man and the more I heard about you the more I figured you may be the one who can help me.” “But only the Winter King can open the cage?” I asked skeptically. “No no, the cage was made by the hands of a man and therefore, it can also be broken by the hands of a man. This is a rule, we of this realm and of the underworld can not alter the physical objects of man, but men can.” “So you want me to go to the Underworld?” He smiled for the first time. “Indeed.” He looked at me again. ‘You probably don’t know how to get there do you?” I smiled. “No I do I go on vacation there all the time, the beaches are a lot less crowed than Ocean City…” He furrowed his brow. “That didn’t make much sense to me, but I must away for now, the season waits for no one. This bird shall guide you there. Follow him and keep him by your side…” With that he vanished. In his place sat a dark bird covered in eyes. I write this now, not certain how long I will be away; I hope the house stays in one piece while I’m away...

Ai Think Things Are Crazy Here...

So last Tuesday my life got a bit more exciting, actually it always seems to be doing that, maybe eventually it will cease to be exciting and then when a dull streak finally occurs I will post and say that my life has been very eventful because suddenly things changed a lot, does it really work like that? I’m not certain. Anyway I was sitting with a cup of tea and a warming a frying pan for stir fry. Bella was sitting over by the steps. Things that day were quiet but as I was preparing the vegetables the wind suddenly picked up. She smiled wickedly. It got a raised eyebrow from me. “Bella what’s going on?” She turned to me and smiled. “Nothing much, just being an older sister…” Then I saw it, approaching the window, it blew open and into the house came a small dark bird with a black witches hat on top of its head. I thought it was rather cute with the striped plumage and all, and then it started flying around my head. “What is this? Bella?” I asked impatiently, she smiled. It was then that Boswell decided to walk across the kitchen counter. He saw me swatting around my head and followed my arms to the bird. The bird let out a little peep and moved towards Boswell. “Garbage & filth!” He screamed. Bella smiled. “Wow, you even screamed with the ampersand, I’m impressed.” “Why is Ai here, you know we don’t get along!” Boswell exclaimed as he leapt onto the handle of the frying pan which fell to the floor, dumping my fresh vegetables all over the floor. I shook my head, quite bothered by this. I picked up the frying pan ready to smack that silly bird, I didn’t even care that it was cute; my vegetables were on the floor! “Woah!” Bella jumped up, “I was only having a bit of fun, ease up will you?” She looked at the bird. “Ai my dear, come here.” The little shadowy bird obeyed immediately, landing gently on her shoulder. Boswell shook his head, we exchanged a glance. If I can say one thing about Miss Bella Argyle, it is that she does what she wants…