The Beauty in Autumn

The sun shone brightly over the clear autumn day and the air had a crisp, chilly feel. I walked across the paved parking lot of a small church when I saw a woman backdropped by brightly colored fall leaves.

Trees surrounded the church and dotted the neighborhood, the colors were reminiscent of golden honey and pumpkin pie. The smell of woodsmoke floated on the cool Autumn breeze. The woman had raven black hair, skin pale as the moon and bright blue eyes. She turned to me and for a moment I swear she conjured up a gust of wind to blow her hair to the side. 

“Oh there you are” She said to me. She was not a stranger but this was the first time I had seen her in this light. She was both familiar and different. She walked up to me with an awkward and cute stride. Her walk reflected her personality; awkward and cute. 

We talked for a few minutes, our conversations were the same but something was different. We stood closer together than we used to and during the conversation she leaned against me several times. I felt a little crazy as I pondered the smallest of details. I wondered if I was being very observant of our changing relationship or if I was making it all up in my head.

I cast my gaze on the clear blue sky as I attempted calm. The two of us stood quietly in peaceful silence until she said “I should go”. I looked back down and saw her staring at me with her big blue eyes. She seemed like she was anticipating something. I grew increasingly nervous as I fumbled for words to say.

My old instincts decided my action for me as I moved forward to give her a goodbye hug. Normally this hug would be casual and friendly but that day I held her close for an extra second, let out a relaxed sigh and noticed she was hugging me just as tightly. She rested her head on my chest as both of her arms wrapped around my torso. 

 I let go and took a step back, we both said our awkward goodbye, then I turned and quickly walked to my car. On the way back to my car I realized how chilly it had gotten. I had lost track of time and temperature just by standing near her. I finally climbed into my car and sat slumped over as my mind raced and attempted to make sense of the events that just transpired.
When I was mentally ready I started my car and drove off down the road. The air was crisp and the trees swayed happily in the autumn breeze. I admired the natural beauty of Autumn as I drove and I felt relaxed.

Like the changing of the season I felt a change in my relationship with her. I could not say what caused the change, I can only say that there is no going back. 

October thoughts and feelings

Sit back and relax with your favorite hot beverage, forget the world, forget the summer and the winter, you are safe now.

            Rain trickled down from the overcast sky, fog floated peacefully over the land, a gentle breeze carried smells of wood smoke and baked goods. Up on the grassy hill sat a small bakery, the bakers moved quickly, unhindered by the sleepy haze of the day. The Autumn festival was fast approaching and the “Maple Hill” bakery was tasked with contributing pumpkin and maple related baked goods.

            The fog drifted down the hillside toward the heart of the town where the smell of fresh ground coffee, rain and freshly raked leaves all mixed into the air. Carts, wagons and old fashioned cars chugged along the road as pedestrians walked up and down the sidewalk. The people wore warm coats and scarves, they looked up at the shop windows as they passed by and sipped their hot coffee. The shops were bustling with Fall colors and treats of the season. The rain continued into the night, the people filed out of the shops and all headed to their homes. Warm lights began to glow from lanterns, street lamps and shop windows. The gentle rain speckled the shop windows and the raindrops reflected the light from inside the dimly lit stores.

            Night settled over the town and the sounds of owls in the distant forest, the light tapping of rain on the rooftops and the crackling of a wood fire could be heard in the town. Lights in the distance bobbed and shook as they traveled down the road leading out of the town. Fog cleared away to reveal the lights were lamps attached to a horse drawn carriage. The carriage was black and glistening with rain water, the carriage driver wore a long heavy coat, black leather cloves, boots and a wide brimmed hat. He sank down into his coat, pushing his neck more into his collar, like a bird pushing their head into their feathery body to stay warm. The horse was chestnut brown with a white diamond shape on its head. It had plane black leather straps attaching it to the carriage and overall was a healthy horse that wasn’t bothered by rain or chilly winds.

            The carriage rode out of the town and along the countryside. The road twisted along through a path that cut through wild country. To the right of the path was a slope leading down to a valley and a large field of green grass turning yellowish for the season. The sun began to rise over the field, its golden rays shining down and reflecting against the mist and the morning dew. The grass swayed gently in the breeze and the rain gave way to sun. The sunlight made the world sparkle and shine but since it was Fall the air stayed cool and pleasant. The morning air was fresh and clean, it awoke the spirit and invigorated the mind.

            Along the same country road, while the grassy field shined bright with swaying golden grass on the right, to the left was the base of a sturdy and ancient hillside. The hill stood overlooking the town and the surrounding forest. Old stone relics littered the cliff peaks, old stones from another age. The trees that lined the hillside were bright with autumn colors. The cool air had arrived and made the trees blush red and ignite with orange and yellow. This hill was almost the size of a mountain and was too big for anyone to live on but the sturdiest among the village would climb the hill and marvel at the view below. Standing on the top of the hill would let someone see the autumn forests and valleys for miles. An ocean of auburn, ochre and amber, colors of the fall all swaying and dancing like a field on fire. Surrounded by stone relics and staring at an amazing view, someone might wonder if the ancient people believed their hill was the highest or most important point in their small world.

            The world goes on though and while we all hate to leave the hillside and the sleepy town, we all must continue. Time flows like a river, taking us past many sights and experiences, we can only hope to truly enjoy these experiences while the sights are still visible. The road, not the river, takes us further into the world. This is when things get darker and maybe slightly more fun.

            The road twisted and turned, it flowed past a small village. This village is where the carriage driver stopped, but this is not where we will stop. The road took us further down into the forest, a forest of dark green pines, mossy oaks and sleeping beasts. The afternoon light was barely visible through the thick canopy of treetops. The fog was heavier and the sound of roaming creatures could be heard. The forest was dark and full of terrors but it was still day and the creatures of the night were asleep, dreaming of their next kill. The forest stretched on but in the distance was a glowing orange light, dull but distinct. The light was alluring and so it was followed. The light became clearer and more lights joined in. All the lights were floating in the air like spirits in the afterlife.

            The lights seemed to float in the darkness until it was revealed they were orange pumpkin lights hung from a solitary maple tree. A bright orange and red maple tree adorned with large pumpkin shaped lights. Each light had a tiny flame burning inside. The flames caste pumpkin shaped shadows out into the forest. At the base of the tree was a stone gargoyle with a wildly uncomfortable smile and its arms pointing to the right. To the right was a path leading out of the thick pine tree forest. The haze of the forest parted near the exit of the forest and the path led out toward a lively city full of bright orange, purple and green lights, dark colors and decorated with Jack-O-Lanterns. The city was full of carriages, old cars and people. The people wore black cloaks, gothic dresses, and bright green or orange with strange hats. Overall they seemed a little odd.

            The night fell over the city giving emphasis on the darkness of the city and the brightness of the lights. The warmth felt in the homes and cafes pushed back the creeping cold of the approaching season. This city was full of magic and mystery. It was they type of city where adventure or certain death could be waiting in alleys and pathways. From that point the path stretched on but we will go no further.

            It is not time to tell the story of the places beyond and the time has already passed for stories of what came first. This was not a story of villains or heroes, it was a story of a land and the sights inside of it. It was a story of nature, humanity, and pizza burps.

Twisting Apathy

 A twisting wind whirled across the land, physical matter was torn to shreds in its wake. At the center was a person with a bored expression. 

The Earth spun through space, flew continuously around a giant ball of fire and all of this floated in an infinite weightless vacuum. Back on Earth the whirlwind torn through the land. The people of Earth were generally unimpressed by all of these events. 

"Get back to me when the whirlwind is on fire!" One person said with a shrug as the deadly wind ripped the neighbors house from the ground. As the house was torn to a thousand pieces and neighbor JoJack was pulled into a thousand directions the surrounding neighborhood was still uninterested and continued along with their lives.

"It's a bit of a nuisance, but if it was a real threat someone would have said something by now" John Muggak said to his friend, who had expressed momentarily concern then went back to his general comfortable state. John smiled, pleased with himself for being so smart. He walked over to his television, grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. "This week, there is terrible news!" Shouted the news reporter as he gripped each side of his desk. "Ashley Allure the famous starlet was dumped by her rich celebrity boyfriend! Who gets the car?! Which of the ten cars do they get? Stay tuned for all the details!" The nicely groomed newscaster shouted in a panic.

John Muggak looked alarmed "see?! If we worried about some wind outside we would have missed this!" John shouted at his friend. Then John felt proud for being so right about the situation.

The humanoid at the center of the whirlwind grew bored of the destruction and eventually stopped. Three towns were flattened by the powerful winds when the whirlwind being decided to quit. The winds dissipated and the humanoid vanished into the air. Sadly Ashley Allure never returned with her boyfriend.

Joseph Stephens and the final day part 2

Joseph Stephens walked through the city park, it was a beautiful day in the city of Ales. The sky was blue the grass freshly cut and vibrant green. at the center of the park was a pond, at the center of the lake was a large rock, on the rock sat a mermaid tanning herself in the warm September sun.


"this place is weird" Said Joseph Stephens. "weirder than being visited by the physical embodiment of seasons and weather?" Asked Jaye Williams. "No, no I suppose not" Replied Joseph. Joseph wore a green V-Neck shirt, jeans and brown shoes. Jaye had on his green hooded sweat shirt, with a yellow t-shirt under his hoodie, he had Jeans and black shoes with green and yellow stripes along the side.

The two friends walked through the park, they were in both stopped in their tracked when they saw the mouse lady. She was over five feet tall, long pink tail, gray fur, stood on two legs and wore a dress and bonnet. She was strange looking but not necassarily dangerous. The image of the mouse lady was burned into the minds of Joseph and Jaye. To look upon the mouse lady was to feel bugs crawling under your skin. there was something wrong with her, besides the obvious.

"I think we need to introduce this mouse lady to my claw hammer" Said Jaye. Joseph nodded "Shes out in public though, so lets approach slowly and see if we can avoid a huge fight around all the families. Jaye gave Joseph a weird look "since when did you care about keeping families safe? do you want to protect their teddy bears too?" Jaye asked as he laughed. "Diiiiick" Joseph said while he let out a loud sigh.

The two friends approached the mouse lady. She was sitting peacefully on a bend and had a basket next to her. She reached into her basket and pulled out a small pie. an eight year old girl was playing frizbee with her parents and the frizbee landed by the mouse lady. the little girl ran to retrieve it and as she did the mouse lady leaned in holding he tiny pie. "Wwoould youu like a piie?" cooned the mouse lady in a raspy hissing voice. The little girl was scared and couldnt move, the mother and father ran toward their child to check on her.

Joseph drew a dagger from his belt, the blade was jagged, the hilt was black and on the pommel there was a dark green gem. this was the dagger of the serpent. The magical green gem kept the blade coated in poison at all times. One stab with this mystical dagger and the mouse lady would be down for the count. Joseph was proud of his weapon collection, especially his serpent dagger, which he bought from a one eyed man who sailed the world and had boxes full of mystical items. Joseph bought one of the boxes and paid with gold coins and a wheel of cheese. the dagger was in the box he bought.

Jaye pulled out an old fashioned pirate pistol, a weapon he "borrowed" from Joseph's mystical item box. The two friends ran toward the mouse lady as quickly as they could but without drawing attention to themselves. The mouse lady drew in close to the child and smiled, revealing sharp and jagged teeth. "Come to my nest and I wiiill give you many more piies" The mouse lady's eyes flashed red as she spoke.

"stop!" Shouted the father of the child. "Begonne! she iiis miine now!" Hissed the mouse lady. Her shrill voice and broken mannerisms sent chills up Joseph's spine. The father tried to grab his daughter but the mouse lady slapped the father with her long tail. The father was knocked backward and Joseph ran in with his dagger ready for action.

Jaye pulled out his pirate pistol and fired a single shot. the mouse lady blocked with her tail and the bullet shot into her tail and the bullet wound burst into flames. the Mouse lady shrieked as she whipped her tail back and forth, fire buring from within the bullet wound in the center of her tail.

The child ran and so did the parents. Joseph jumped in close to the mouse lady and tried to stab her with the dagger but she charged forward and knocked Joseph to the ground. Jaye tried to fire another shot but was also knocked down by the rampaging mouse lady. The two friends got up as fast as they could but the mouse lady was fast. She was running on all four legs now and headed into the subway station.

The bright clear day began to fade and dark clouds rolled in. Rain poured from the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance. "Its raining again" Joseph announced. "I hadn't noticed" Jaye said sarcastically then smiled. "So we have to follow a rat into a subway? maybe she learned her lesson" Said Joseph, who didn't really like the idea of being in a confined area with a mouse monster. "Come on, it will be fun" Jaye said with a smile.

With some trepidation the friends entered the subway tunnel in search for the mouse lady.

Joseph Stephens and the Final Day part 1

            The day had approached, the day Joseph Stephens would finally be rid of all of his enemies all in one fell swoop. Joseph Stephens was a kind and gentle soul but for various reason he had gathered a few enemies. Though they were not constant threats, allowing them to live would risk potential danger in the future.

            Jaye Williams heard that all of Joseph’s foes would be gathering in the same city for one day only. The reason was a mystery, but the fact remained that they had all come out of hiding and now was the time for Joseph to strike.

            Joseph’s enemies included a sword wielding dog who lost his honor long ago in a game of chance, a rat woman that ate children and hid in train stations and last was the sun. Every summer the sun would let his awful daughter July roam the land and spread heat waves and awful direct sunlight onto the world. Kill the sun would show July to show some respect and it would mean Joseph could say goodbye to heatstroke, heat sickness, sunburn and the unpleasant feelings that heat brought.

            All of his enemies gathered in the city of Ales. Down town Ales was also known as Drunk town. Drunks would clutter the subways, trains and streets. Some would even have kids with them. A drunk pushing a stroller across the street was not uncommon in such a hive of unpleasantness.

            Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams hurtled down the highway on a makeshift motorcycle that Jaye Williams built in his garage. The vehicle was barely street legal and looked like a golem made of spare parts or some kind of awful junkyard dog robot. If the motorcycle could speak it would either be completely insane or cry out for death. It was Jaye’s finest creation and he loved it as much as a man could love a motorcycle/robot/golom/dog/junkpile/sin against nature.

            Jaye drove and Joseph rode on the back, feeling a little awkward sitting on the back of the motorcycle, clutching onto Jaye’s torso for deal life. Also he wondered if other cars thought they were dating, because in his mind, couples usually rode motorcycles in this manner. The drivers of the other cars didn’t have a chance to wonder if the motorgolom’s drivers were dating or if they were even human, because the motormonster drove so fast that it looked like god had hurled garbage down the highway. Truly it was a marvel to behold, or not behold, depending on where you were standing.

            The city was fast approaching and Joseph couldn’t wait to get the fighting started, these jerks had it coming and the two friends came prepared. The motorcycle had weapons strapped to every inch of it and Joseph had several weapons on his back and strapped to a belt on his waist. Joseph was coming to Ales city and he was bring hell with him.

            The illustrious city of Ales had a beautiful uptown district where all the rich snobs got blasted in the lap of luxury. The buildings were tall and impressive, the shops were stylish and the bars were numerous. Businessmen walked down the streets saying buzz words at each other and stroking their egos as they spoke.

            Jaye and Joseph wandered the streets with weapons strapped to their backs, no one questioned it or stopped them. One police officer finally did stop the duo and asked about the weapons. “We’re cosplayers” Replied Jaye. The police officer scoffed and then smiled and walked off.

            After walking the streets for several hours, Joseph finally spotted a lead. The Sun, or the spirit of the sun was outside of a coffee shop ordering a large coffee. The actual sun, earths sun still was in the sky warming the earth, but the entity known as “The sun” or “Solus” could travel between earth and earths sun. “Solus!” Joseph shouted and charged at the embodiment of heat. Solus glanced at Joseph with a bored look and sipped his coffee. “DO you remember me?!” Joseph shouted, loudly enough to make the coffee shop clerk back away slowly. “No. Should I know you?” Solus asked sounding somehow more uninterested by the second. “I fight with your daughter July every summer, I curse your name every time I get heat stroke” Joseph said in disbelief. “Well, a lot of people hate July and cursing my name doesn’t do anything but use up your own breath” Solus said, sounding so disinterested that he almost stopped talking mid sentence.

            Joseph was feeling discouraged. He wondered if all of his enemies were built up in his head, what if none of them even knew he existed and all of this vengeance was the act of a sad weirdo with too many weapons. Before Joseph had a chance to call off the vengeance mission Jaye Williams reached for a weapon on his back and shouted “CLAAAAWWW HAMMMMMAAAHH!!!” then hurled a claw hammer at Solus’ head. The hammer whirled through the air and struck Solus firmly in his fiery orb of a dome. This jolted the heat spirit and made him spill his coffee.

            Solus was instantly furious, flames erupted from the ground around him as he roared loudly into the air. “WHO did that?!” Solus shouted. Jaye was standing behind Joseph and was pointing wildly at Joseph. “You! Joseph! You will forever be my enemy and will curse the day you crossed me!” Solus shouted as his arm shout forward and his finger plucked out from his fist, forming a very menacing finger point in Joseph’s direction. “Yussss!!!” Joseph cheered. Finally the feelings were mutual and they could fight without Joseph feeling guilty. “Jaye, you are a true friend” Joseph said with a warm smile. Just then a fireball was hurled through the air and blasted Joseph backward into a building. “No problem buddy” Replied Jaye to his charred friend.

            Joseph smiled as he stood up. He reached into his bag of weapons and pulled out a giant sword. The sword was four feet long and had a lighting bolt engraved into the center of it. A purple gem rested in the red hilt and the gem also had a lighting bolt symbol. This was the sword of storms, an ancient weapon that could call forth storms, rain, thunder and lighting and be wielded as the swordsman saw fit. Joseph found it at a garage sale and bought it for twenty bucks. He haggled it down from thirty bucks to twenty and felt proud about it all day.

            Solus gathered his strength and formed a flaming sword in his hand. “I am the father of fire and heat. You have no hope to defeat me!” Solus exclaimed. Joseph raised his sword into the air and rain began to pour from the sky. Thunder boomed and lighting cracked against the sky. All of the drunks had to move indoors to drink also.

            Steam rose up from Solus as he was pelted by rain. “Nice trick, but I am not defeated from a bucket of water” He exclaimed, clearing enjoying his own voice. Then before Joseph could blink Solus had crossed the ten feet between them and was able to slash his flaming sword right through Joseph. Joseph’s eyes went wide, he stumbled and fell. His bag full of weapons clattered to the ground and his shoulder smashed against the pavement, landing on it with the full weight of his body. Inside the backpack a jar was smashed. A glowing purple fairy was freed from the jar and began to buzz around Joseph. The glowing sprite was swearing and cursing at Joseph in fairy language as it buzzed around. To a human it all seemed very magical. Joseph remembered the healing powers of fairies and quickly snatched it out of the air, popped it into his mouth and chewed it up.

            Joseph was filled with a renewed energy and purpose. His strength returned and his will to fight was bolstered. “Thank you delicious fairy. Thank you” Joseph muttered under his breath, then a single tear fell from his eye in her memory. Joseph looked up at Solus with rage in his eyes only to be greeted by the sight of Solus being pummeled by a claw hammer being wielded by Jaye Williams. He was laughing like an insane elf and whacking the sun spirit with all of his might. “Bap bap bap bap! Claw hammer! Did you forget who you were dealing with?” Jaye shouted. Jaye’s claw hammer also had a gem in it, the gem rested in the handle of the hammer, the gem was red and it had a symbol of a hand giving someone the middle finger. Scholars everywhere have yet to determine what kind of magic the red gem held, or if any at all.

            Solus laid on the side walk defeated, broken and rained on. “Now you go back to your sun and stop being such a jerk about the weather!” Joseph shouted. Solus slowly stood up and nodded meekly. “As you wish” he said then turned into a ball of fire and took off into the sky.

            Solus was defeated, but the Mouse lady and Dishonored dog still remain. Joseph Stephens and Jaye Williams have a long journey ahead, full of violence, drunkness, dumb jokes and claw hammers.

The winds of Zephyr

It was a cool and breezy evening in a little port town. Fishermen were bringing in their haul for the day and taverns were stoking fires and preparing food and drink for a night of regular customers and travelers looking to rest. It was the perfect night to sit outside with a cup of coffee or mug of ale and watch the ocean.

            A little boy named Henry was out on the docks waiting for his father to come home when he spotted a strange ship in the horizon. The ship was as large as a navy battleship but instead of the kingdom seal, the flag was black with a bloody skull image. The dark ship marked the peaceful landscape as it sailed closer to shore. A dark storm was growing and following in the trail of the dreaded black flag ship. Henry knew the men on the ship were pirates and not the fun kind that go on adventures. Henry ran into the house to tell his father and word spread quickly of the approaching pirate ship.

            The pirate ship sailed so quickly toward the town that it looked as if Zephyr, the god of the winds was carrying them to shore. The town prepared what weapons they had and tried to fortify the docks. The town had been at peace for so long that they were not ready for a pirate invasion. The harder the townspeople worked the more they realized how unprepared they truly were. Within an hour the pirates were almost upon them and the dark storm was already overhead. Thunder boomed and the lighting crashed around. Visible bolts struck the water around the pirate ship as it approached. The townspeople were so overwhelmed by the attack and it hadn’t even happened yet. Surly the pirates were closer to demons than they were mortal men. The town would be reduced to ash and no one in the town would ever be heard from again, nor their bodies ever found.

            The dread ship was so close that the pirates could be seen from shore. The pirates weren’t cheering for blood with swords ready, they were fleeing the storm. Terror could be seen in the faces and eyes of all above deck, the storm was chasing them and refused to let up. a bolt of lighting shot down from the sky and struck the ship. A loud crack and bang were heard, sounding like an explosion. The sound of wood being bent and broken followed up next, then the screams of pirates as they fled into the water. Electricity poured from the clouds and crashed into the ship. The townspeople looked on in horror as they saw what they thought was the wrath of god. The electricity spread out along the breaking and splintering wood and resembled a giant hand.

            After ten minutes of lighting pounding the pirate ship and unrelenting strikes on the water, the storm began to calm and the skies cleared up. The storm vanished from the sky and that remained were dead pirates and broken ship pieces. The boy Henry spotted a man washed up on the shore and he was breathing. While the pirates wore black and red and were covered in weapons and tattoos, this man looked more like a sailor or a person that might live in that very town. He was pale and had black hair that came down to his eyes, he had a long navy blue coat that looked weather resistant, sturdy black boots and black workers gloves. The townspeople helped him onto dry land and he was take to the local tavern. It was agreed that he was most likely a prisoner of the pirates and that he could be trusted, but should still be watched.

            The man had twenty feet of chain stashed inside of his long coat, a large sharp hook, two stone jars engraved with mystical runes, various tiny bottles of herbs and exotic ingredients, a flintlock pistol, a pouch of gold coins and a small sailor’s knife.

The townspeople were a little startled by all of the strange items in the man’s coat, but they insisted on making him comfortable while he recovered from his injuries. They had many questions for him and figured that he would be less likely to answer them if he woke up in the local jailhouse.

            The man started to wake up, he found himself in a warm bed, near a crackling fire. The injured man has sparkling blue eyes like the sea after a storm. He tried to stand but felt too weak. The mayor of the village came into the house to greet the injured man. The mayor had a handlebar mustache, brown eyes and gray hair. “Hello, son. Can you speak? My name is mayor Gustav. Who are you?” Asked the Mayor. “My name is Isaac” Said the injured man before passing out.

            The mysterious Isaac survived being held by pirates and lived through a overwhelming storm that killed all the pirates aboard. The townspeople had so many questions and hoped that he had the answers.

Assault on the Dark Spire part 2

         The Necromancer stood up as blood gushed from his wounds. The Ancient dark magic staff had expended all of its energy, but the evil staff had a mind of its own and was determined to retake as much energy as it could. The staff began to absorb the dark power of the Haunted forest, the cursed clearing, the undead minions and the Necromancer himself. Dark energy swirled around the Necromancer but he refused to give up the staff even though it was killing him. He held it tight against his body as the dark energy stripped the flesh and organs from his bones. The undead minions all collapsed to the ground and their souls were released into the air. The demons of the Haunted forest fled from this realm as they feared their energy would be drained from the mad Staff’s power.

            The Mayor could barely stand and had to watch the madness unfold as he struggled to his feet. When the energy and flashing light faded the Necromancer stood before the Mayor as a skeleton. The Skeleton was fused with the power of the staff. The Staff held his magic, his life force and his soul and the Necromancer held the Staff. It was even more important to him now than it had ever been.

            The mayor couldn’t fight and even if he could he didn’t know how to kill a skeleton wizard with so much power. The Mayor stood up defiantly. He didn’t think he could win, but he had to try. He had to fight, even with his last breath. “Foolish Mortal. I have been reborn. I am the most powerful undead wizard of all time. I have been reborn as a Lich and my power surpasses all. I have power over death itself!!” The Lich Shouted. At that moment Death appeared. The Grim reaper wore a black cloak and carried a scythe, he floated in front of the Lich and his cloak seemed to fade into the shadows. “As a mortal you tried to bend the laws of life and death to your will, you twisted the laws of reality to match your selfish desires. I cannot take mortals before their time so I had to sit and watch as you sinned against nature. But you are no longer mortal, you are an abomination that claims to have powers over me. Alright then Abomination, do your worst” Death said, its voice came from the air and not its skeletal mouth. Each word that Death spoke echoed and sent chills down The Mayor’s spine.

            The Lich wasted no time and held out his staff sending his strongest spell at the Grim Reaper “Lord of Death, you shall bow to me!” Shouted the Lich as the magic of the staff blasted the Grim Reaper and surrounded him. Death spun his scythe through the air and the magic spell dissipated. “Fool” Death said then in a blink was next to the Lich, then in another blink the Grim Reaper had slashed his Scythe through the Lich.

            The Lich was thrown back and damaged but was not destroyed. His life force was safe within the Staff. The Lich was quite possibly immortal, but he was not stronger than Death itself. The Grim Reaper summoned a dark portal below the Lich. Shadowy hands rose up from the portal and grabbed onto the Lich, dragging him down into the ground. The Lich screamed as the shadow hands pulled him into his dark prison deep down into the earth. The ground shook and the Lich slowly disappeared underground.

            “Thank so much” the Mayor said as his voice quaked with fear. He knew Death was a natural force and not a villain like the Lich, but it was still terrifying to be in its presence. Death nodded to the Mayor “You have also contributed to this victory young Mayor. You and John Baines” Said Death. “What will happen to the Necromancer? Or the Lich or whatever he calls himself” Asked the Mayor “He will be sealed underground for eternity. But I fear he will regain his power one day and return. He will return but will need to use all of his energy to do so. Only then will he be able to be destroyed once and for all. So I hope that there will be mortals as brave as you when that happens” Death explained.

            “I want to be there when he comes back. I will do anything to make sure the Necromancer doesn’t come back to destroy the world” The Mayor said. The Grim Reaper was surprised “it is within my power to do this but there is a price. You will be immortal, free from dying of old age, but you can still be killed by other means. Also you will only be immortal while standing on these Hallowed grounds. You may leave the forest to see your family, but as you reach the end of your life you must never leave the forest or you will die the second your foot touches the outside world” Death explained.

            The Mayor was overjoyed to have a chance to protect his people and the people of the world. “Thank you so much for this chance, I will not let it go to waste. I promise. But these grounds are not hallowed or holy, are they?” Asked the Mayor. “Yes, this was once the burial site of many heroes of the ages. This was the site for the heroes of not just the Autumn Forest but of many lands as well. The Necromancer corrupted that energy and turned it to dark energy. The land and forest will be forever scarred, the Haunted forest will be free from demons but the spirits and creatures of the night still lurk within. The land will remain blackened and twisted but the dark energy has been removed and sealed within the staff. This land is once again a holy land, the burial site of heroes and many dead who lost their lives to the Necromancer” Death Explained.

            “Speaking of Heroes” Death said. Then appeared next to John’s body. “Arise John Baines, you have not left his world yet” Death said. The mayor watched a ghost of John appear and step back into his body. John’s eyes opened and he slowly stood up. “John you have done well. I know you have heard what the Mayor has asked of me. I ask you now, do you wish to join him in guarding this land or will you move on to the afterlife?” Asked Death.

            “I wanted to be free for so long. Now I am free from the Necromancer’s curse and I feel as though a weight has been lifted. I would very much like to go to the afterlife, but I cannot rest as long as the threat of the Lich is still present” John said. “Very well John. I will make you immortal as long as you stay within this land. Magical weapons and spells can still kill you but you have nothing to fear from mortal weapons. Since you have already used up your lifespan you cannot ever leave this forest and if you do, you will die. When you and the Mayor die you will go to afterlife and welcomed as heroes” Death explained. John and the Mayor nodded to show they understood.

            “Before I leave, I will bestow one more gift” Said Death. The Grim Reaper floated over to the ground where the Lich was buried and stuck his finger into the ground, pulled it out then dropped a small seed into the earth and buried it. “This plant will sap the Lich’s power, delaying his return and making him more vulnerable. The plant will grow over the years and it will transform the dark magic of the Lich and the land into the holy energy this land once had. After a time the land might actually recover and become a place of beauty again. What the plant grows into is entirely up to you. It will take any form you wish. But protect it with your lives” Death said. Then before John or the Mayor could say anything, the Grim Reaper vanished.

            John walked over to the seed and looked down at it. “It can grow to anything? What should we grow it into?” Asked John. “I have always been fond of Halloween, the people in the Autumn forest never get into it as much as I do. Maybe we can grow it into a symbol of our victor, a symbol of a new holy land of the dead, a symbol for Halloween. What do you think, John?” The Mayor asked. “It sounds like you want to grow a Jack-o-lantern” John said with a sigh then smiled. His smile was determined but a little frightening “If we are going to live in this hallowed end of the world and grow a Jack-o-lantern as a symbol, then I guess you can call me Jack” Said Jack, his broad smile and wide eyes combined with the scars on his face really did make him look like a pumpkin that was carved on Halloween.

“Alright Jack, consider this your new life. And if we are going to start a new life and actually have to live here, we might as well make it more comfortable” the Mayor said. “What like build a house?” Asked Jack. “No, we build a town” Replied the Mayor.      

Where my Dreams take me - part 1 Into the Autumn Mountains

Up in the mountains was a forest as beautiful as it was old. In the forest lived a man named Jack. He led a peaceful and solitary life away from the bustling city streets and the loud noises.

The bright autumn forest sat nestled under the big blue sky. Sunlight gently shined down on the land. Beautiful red, orange and yellow trees filled the forest. In the middle of the forest was a clearing. The ever-growing forest surrounded a patch of yellow and green grass, at the center of the clearing was a wooden cabin. An old rustic home with a red roof, a red door and made from the dark brown wood of the autumn trees.

            Wood smoke gently poured from the brick chimney. The smell of wood smoke mixed with the cool autumn air. Jack stepped out of the small cabin and took a deep breath in. the smell of wood smoke and the fresh air of the outdoors invigorated his senses. Jack had shaggy brown hair, scruffy brown facial hair, bright green eyes and pale skin. He wore black pants, white shirt, brown work boots and a green coat that was resistant to rain and wind, perfect for the misty autumn weather of the forest.

            Jack walked over to his pumpkin patch, which he planted beside his house. He smiled to see that his pumpkins were growing nicely. He had twenty pumpkins growing healthy and strong in the mountain air. A black cat named Karu walked up and jumped on one of the pumpkins. “Karuyami the Black cat of the mountains” was her full title given to her by Jack. Jack found her as a kitten when he was building his cabin. She was alone so he took care of her. They had been friends ever since.

            Karu balanced on the pumpkin and stared at Jack. One of her eyes was bright green the other was yellow. Karu meowed at Jack so he would pay attention to her. “Come on now Karu, get off there. I don’t want to loose any pumpkins to your foolishness” Jack said sternly. But then smiled and patted her head.

            After tending to his pumpkins, Jack decided to go into town for supplies. He was a beginner at growing his own food and the first thing he planted was pumpkin seed. So until he learned to grow other kinds of food he would have to make weekly trips into town.

            Jack walked down the side of the mountain. As he walked he thought about how he probably needed to get a car, or a motorcycle or maybe a horse. The walking didn’t tire him out, but each trip to town took a long time to get there and back. He didn’t mind the view though. On his walk down he saw the other mountains, all covered with trees. Most of the trees had changed colors for the Fall. Mountains covered in bright red, orange and yellow. The warm colors were a nice sight and the cold mountain air was refreshing. Jack loved the smell of the fresh air that you can only get high up in the mountains. After walking for a while Jack arrived in Maple town.

Maple town was a quiet town, with nice people and a big autumn tree that grew up taller than the houses. Jack loved seeing how much the tree would grow and change ever time he came down. One of the villagers had planted the tree in their backyard, they must not have realized how big it would get. The bottom of the tree was hidden by fence but the top could be seen easily. It was different colors all at once. The leaves green to yellow to orange to red, all evenly spread out and all on one tree.

            Jack walked through the town and saw people selling their freshly grown apples and homemade cider. He wasn’t in town for that but decided to try a little of each. He paid for the apples and cider and put them in a bag he carried on his back, As he walked around town he felt a sense of peace. He thought he could only feel such peace when he was alone, hidden away high in the mountains, but the people of Maple town were good decent people. He felt comfortable around them, which was a feeling he had not experienced in a long time.

            Jack had a great deal of thinking to do as he walked back up the mountainside with his bag of supplies. He enjoyed living alone in his cottage, growing food and raising Karu, but he also missed having neighbors and friends. Jack remembered why he moved to the mountains, people were always as nice as they seemed and sometimes trusting someone could be a deadly mistake.

But if Jack were to move back into a town or city, it would be Maple town.

Autumn Carnival part 1 - Grand Opening

            Deep in the autumn forest was a sleepy little place called Maple town. Maple town was famous for two things, Maple syrup and originality.

            In Maple town there was a man named Nathan. Nathan was an old drunk who had two sons who he loved even more than he loved his Maple flavored scotch, which was a lot. Nathan’s children were named Wyatt and Felix. The two boys were seventeen and fourteen. Wyatt had shaggy black hair, was tall and lanky and had olive toned skin. Felix had light brown hair, short but athletic and had similar skin tone. The two boys had different hobbies and interests and while Felix preferred to be active, Wyatt likes to take things slow and easy. One of the things the boys always agreed on was their love of autumn and the Autumn Carnival.

            The Autumn Carnival was unusual because many carnivals took place in spring or summer. Autumn usually only had harvest festivals but once a year the magical and rare Autumn Carnival was open for a week and only a week. The owner of the carnival didn’t advertise or try to build hype, he just set everything up and people came. The carnival became popular through word of mouth but was kept a secret from the other lands.

            It was the day of the grand opening of the Autumn Carnival and there was already a crowd at the entrance. Nathan and his two sons walked up over a large hill to get a better view of the carnival before they went in. Pale green grass stretched out for miles, the Autumn Carnival sat in the open field with a forest of colorful trees behind it. Red, orange and yellow trees swayed in the pleasant breeze. The carnival sign stood tall over the grounds. “Autumn Carnival” was written in bright lights. The sign itself was orange and brown with tints of yellow. Orange, red, yellow, brown, black and purple decorated the various rides and signs. From the view on top of the grassy hill the Father and his sons could see a giant Ferris wheel along with many strange and exciting looking rides poking out from behind the Carnival gates and went up past the main entrance sign.

            Nathan had a sparkle in his eye as he approached the Carnival. He remembered when he used to visit when he was a kid and now he was overjoyed to be able to take his kids to the same place he enjoyed so much. Nathan had been to the Autumn Carnival almost thirty times in his life and his children had been more than ten times, but every year they were just as excited, as they were the first time they visited.

             Wyatt and Felix ran ahead when they saw the carnival gates, which had large metal gates with a pumpkin symbol on each gate door. Outside of the carnival walls was a variety of snack stands and local businesses selling their homemade and home grown goods. Homemade pie, fresh apples and of course more maple syrup than any one man could drink. Wyatt and Nathan always got fresh Maple lollipops before they went into the carnival but Felix insisted that he get an apple cider donut instead.

            The three nibbled their treats as they waited for the Carnival to open. The rolling field and fall colored forest looked beautiful during the day, but the carnival wasn’t open till night. Waiting for the grand opening was half of the fun. While people waited they sampled various foods and listened to musicians play soft melodies and festive tunes.

            Wyatt and Felix walked around the outside of the carvival. As they walked the talked about the rides they wanted to go on and tried to guess what new attractions the carnival would have. Every year the carnival added new rides and shows. The least popular attractions would be taken away or temporarily retired and the fan favorites would stick around. In the fifty years that the Autumn Carnival in business the only attraction to stay every year was the ferris wheel. It was a central attraction and the shape of the ferris wheel towering up above everything else was iconic. When people thought of the Autumn Carnival they always remembered how it looked from the outside, big bright sign, colorful banners, big walls and a towering ferris wheel.

            Night crept in and as the light from the sun dimmed and flickered out, lights from the carnival began to glow brighter and brighter. The chattering and music quieted to a hush. Everyone sat in silence as they waited for what happened next.

            A man in a black suit and black top hat stepped up onto the sign about the Carnival entrance. “Hello good people of the autumn forest!” Called the man. Just as he spoke a spotlight was turned on him. “For those who are new, I am Charles Orchard the owner of the Autumn Carnival. And to those who have been here before, Welcome back my friends I think this year will be the most exciting one yet” Said Mr. Orchard. The crowd cheered. Then fireworks lit up the sky. Booming explosions in the night sky, sending out colors of every kind. When the fireworks stopped a band began to play and the doors to the carnival opened.

            People rushed in, excitement was on the face of every adult and child. Wyatt and Felix had been off walking to pass the time so when the gates opened they were just barely getting back to their father. Nathan smiled “Ready boys?” He asked. The two boys nodded and they all walked toward the carnival. Already a long line was forming. People in the front bought tickets and then were let into the carnival. There were many ticket sellers but there were so many people that some people had to wait.

            Wyatt looked at the towering ferris wheel as it stood motionless. It was covered in white lights that twinkled like the stars. The ferris wheel wasn’t moving yet but the lights rotated in such a way that it first glance it looked like the ride was already in motion. Wyatt loved how the darkness of night contrasted with the bright lights and colorful rides in the carnival. Felix just liked looking at pretty colors.

            Soon the lines moved along and the family of three got their tickets and entered the carnival. Immediately they saw autumn tree in the center of the carnival. On just that one tree there were shades of green, yellow, orange and red. The green started at the bottom and changed gradually as it went up. Wyatt doubted it was a real tree because it was so big, it was almost taller than the large walls around the carnival and also he had never seen one tree with so many colors so evenly spaced. Yet the tree did look real and leaves occasionally fell off when a strong wind blew.

            The tree was in the center of the carnival, the carnival was broken up into sections and called ‘Roots’ because they all led back to the tree. The carnival entrance was in the south root, the ferris wheel and the adult rides were in the north root, the west root had the food and souvenirs, and the east root was children rides and games that give out prizes.

            Nathan stood under the tree and marveled at the beautiful sight. A large autumn tree so full of color surrounded by bright lights and soft music. “We are going to go on some rides” Said Wyatt to his father. “Oh ok boys, have fun” Said Nathan as he stared up at the tree.

            Felix and Wyatt shrugged and walked off to the east root. Nathan was always a weird guy so his fascination with the tree didn’t phase his two boys. “What do you wanna do first?” Felix asked excitedly. “Well first we need to win some prizes. Its been a whole year since last time, and this time I am going to win something! I just know it!” Said Wyatt sounding very determined.

            Wyatt and Felix always used the excuse of trying to win prizes to go to the east root and while Felix might honestly want to win a prize, Wyatt always went because he missed the days when he got to ride the child rides. Wyatt never won any prized but he always tried his best and always got Felix excited in the process but while he took his time ‘deciding on a game’ he was actually feeling nostalgic when he saw old familiar rides and felt a little jealous when he saw cool new rides that he would never be able to experience.

            While some would say the east root was filled with kids rides and cheap games, Wyatt would say the east root was filled with memories.

Watch for part 2 as the boys explore the East and West roots.