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  • #83
    ÉricÉric
    Keymaster

      Where the Janitor may assist you in navigating into the things available in your reality.
      (a help-thread in short)

      Note: the Janitor declines any responsibility for any loss or any Patel “pop-in” that may mess up with your reality.

      Textile format help
      or here
      to test your formatting

      #80
      ÉricÉric
      Keymaster

        Here you will find the picture pool for the story
        Don’t hesitate to join in, and add your submissions…

        NB please don’t use copyrighted material, unless you hold the rights or the permission to reproduce

        #266

        Sanso didn’t notice that the creature called Madrake was rolling his eyes. While he explained to the rather odd but delightfully enchanting Arona the finer points of sabulmantium technology, he was thinking about what Arona had just said about her mission. Her overall mission, she’d said, was to learn all about magic.

        Sanso wondered what his own mission was and didn’t think he had one. Unless his mission was a glorious infinite wandering, threading multicoloured silken skeins of clues and riddles, people and places, weaving them in and out of time and to each other….the never ending tapestry, ever changing and splendid in it’s magnificence…..

        Arona was looking up at Sanso with barely hidden astonishment, and he blushed ever so slightly when he realized he’d been speaking out loud. Shouting actually, his deep voice booming out with joy and passion, his wild gesticulations causing Arona to flinch and take an involuntary step backwards.

        Suddenly both Arona and Sanso saw the funny side, giggles erupting into gales of laughter until tears rolled down their cheeks and they collapsed on the floor whooping and snorting and wiping their eyes, not really knowing, in the end, what they were laughing at…..

        #262
        F LoveF Love
        Participant

          Fiona woke suddenly from a dream. In her dream she had been communicating with her online friends, through drawings and messages. She had been trying so hard to convey something, and the more she tried to say it, the more distant they felt to her.

          She had woken feeling saddened. Her energy was greatly disturbed, and, unable to get back to sleep straight away, she meditated. She felt herself connect with the energy of a Snowy Owl, who invited her wordlessly to ask her questions. The Owl’s eyes seemed to have such a depth of wisdom and kindness, and no sooner had her thoughts begun to ask their questions, than she would feel the Owl’s answer merge with her own knowing.

          She felt herself being able to say without words what she had tried so hard in her dream to convey, and understanding there was no need for any effort, she felt greatly comforted, and peaceful sleep swept over her again.

          #252
          TracyTracy
          Participant

            Becky lay back and closed her eyes, and started to drift. Suddenly she felt a snap on the left side of her neck which seemed to alter her perception. After some moments, she felt as though she was an entire country, or even a whole continent, a huge expanded feeling, weightless and timeless.

            BRRRINNNGGGG! Becky fumbled for the alarm clock. Surely not time to get up already!

            ‘Coastal parking on any of the gardens of the self’. What? ‘Coastal parking on any of the gardens of the self’. Becky wrote it down on a piece of paper, and put it in her Clue Box, wondering what on earth it meant. She was getting used to the strange cryptic clues and riddles appearing, and wondered if they would ever make any kind of sense.

            She made her way downstairs to the kitchen, and the headlines in the Reality Times newspaper on the table caught her eye:

            ‘Mysterious Carved Rock Faces Appear in Yorkshire Villages.’

            #246

            Huÿgens was not much of a cat person.

            He liked his dogs because they were solid, loyal companions, and he could count on them to take care of his herd of langoats.

            Langoats were a kind of three-eyed manic woolly and horned creatures, with a big sensing tongue, attracted to every new sound, or scent, or colour, or texture… well almost anything new that came before their eyes (when said eyes were not covered by thick layers of wool that is). And as their memory was short too, all kinds of things were always new to them.

            That was why the dogs were extremely useful in channeling their movements; not that the langoats would have hurt themselves, because they were very able to provide for themselves, and jump from the top of a cliff without suffering much injuries. But they could very well loose all notion of their physicality and pop in and out of the fabric of time and space.

            When they came back, because they always did magically come back, even after months of wandering, they would at times be reconfigured into another creature, and that would be pointless applying too much effort in trying to bring them back to their previous form, because it was said, in relation to their stubbornness that once a langoat, always a langoat

            Huÿgens had already lost some, especially during the shearing season.

            And he had found himself back once with a cumbersome hippoliphant, and a bouncy shulimeek instead of two langoats.

            Anyway, langoats wool was a very precious asset, highly sought after, as it could very easily bind with magical spells. Most of the clothes made for royalties were actually made with langoat wool, and it was also said that some enchanters had used langoat wool to make magical tapestries that would shapeshift, and reveal things to their owners.

            So losing a langoat was not small concern for Huÿgens, and he had to be careful during the shearing season to leave some mops of hair to cover the three eyes of the beasts, so as to curb their insatiable thirst for discoveries.

            But these days, Huÿgens had been very concerned about his herding dog Fjutch. Fjutch was a fluffy black dog he had found when it was still a puppy. He had trained it to become the head of his pack of dogs, when he had noticed the old rheumatic Thöm was taking the puppy under its wing —because the old faithful dog was knowing that it would depart and would reconfigure into a new form, but would not allow that to happen, not before he could have found a reliable companionship for his beloved master Huÿgens.

            The healing properties of the langoat milk seemed to had done wonders once again, and Fjutch dis-ease was probably just a false alarm, but it had reminded Huÿgens how much he appreciated his dogs, every one of them, every day he was with them.

            As for the cats… Illi, that was her name, had decided to come back to the cave, and he was showing her the way to the place where he had found her. He had asked BelleDora to pack a few things for her. He could not give Illi the beverage she was referring to as “coffee”, as that plant was not found in their region, but in compensation, he gave her a gourd of langoat milk, because she seemed like she would probably need some.

            When he left her near the hole, he had some tears in his eyes when Illi hugged Fjutch very tenderly, as if the dog was reminding her of something dear. Illi after a moment hesitation, where she was like speaking to herself and not knowing what to do, finally hugged Huÿgens too, thanking him for everything he had done.

            And off she was… free and unfettered as a gripshawk

            ***

            When Illi had finished arguing with Illi about having her hug the big man, while this was not manners of her kind, she sighed as she saw that the opening she had first thought was here (yeah, because I fell in there! she said), her senses where telling her that it was now closed…

            How quaint said Illi for herself.
            — Well, as a matter of fact, it reminds me of something, said Illi F. There was that delicious gentleman, John Lubbock who said “What we see depends mainly on what we look for” and somehow it seems perfect.
            — I don’t know any Grubbeck, grumbled Illi, a bit irritated that the hole, which was there before, wouldn’t be here, now she needed it.
            — Lubbock was such a nice person, said Illi dreamily… Perhaps I could just try to have a peek inside the cave, if you let me.
            — What?! Do again your wizzy wooey thing and I’ll strangle you! Don’t know how I would do it, but I’ll do it!
            — Oh, you are so sluggishly gloomy! That was just to help you…
            — Mmm, sorry for that, I was a bit upset, said Illi. What could you do?
            — Just focus on the inside, and carry us both inside… But actually you would have to leave your body here, and we’ll probably see other things that do not belong to this place, but heck! that should be fun, Illi F said grinning widely.

            They were interrupted by some munching sounds and ruffling heavy breath.

            — What the bejeezus is that?! hissed Illi the cat (who didn’t even know how she knew so funny sounding words as bejeezus)
            — Can’t you see? That’s obviously a dragon eating some bushes… How strange… replied Illi F airily.
            — A WHAT? I HATE DRAGONS!
            — Ahahah, relax, I was just pulling your leg.
            — That’s not funny.
            — Well he has funny colours by the way. Pinkish purple I wouldn’t dare to wear in London streets.
            — That’s REALLY NOT FUNNY!
            — Why so? You can’t see it anyway…
            — And what if he sees me? Dragons are vicious creatures.
            — He’s too busy eating these funny berries, and will probably collapse of exhaustion once he’s full.
            — A chance! A vegetarian dragon!
            — OK. Shall we try to find an entrance in the cave with my method, or do we ask the dragon? He looks well-mannered by the way.
            — Oh, by the eyeballs of the Mighty Shrimp, you tell me…
            — No, you choose.
            — No, you.
            — You…
            — Ooooh, bugger off…

            #243
            ÉricÉric
            Keymaster

              William Percival Jobsworth, or “Bill” for short, was finding the old creaking manor as freaky as their owners.

              The Wrick family was known around for being shrouded in mystery, and few people had actually been invited inside the manor, after its acquisition by Lord Wrick.

              The manor itself was full of ghost stories, as every mansion worth its salt in that part of the country. But this one has been a wreck on which he would not have invested two pence of his money, after it had been abandoned for many decades after the sudden death of the previous owner, the Crazy Baron.

              But Lord Wrick was an eccentric, and had bought the manor and restored it to its previous grandeur.

              It had been thrice now that Bill had come to the manor to paint the family portraits. The first time he had also delivered that strange parcel, given to him by that strange lady. Looking straight into his eyes, she had also told him something that had lingered in his mind quite vividly.

              « Suffering is not good for the soul, unless it teaches you to stop suffering. »

              He couldn’t see exactly why it applied to him, but the lady had seemed so authoritative about that, that he had agreed and felt like thanking her.

              The parcel had come a bit unexpected to the Lord, though he was quite artful in hiding his emotions, Bill could say. He had questioned him about the lady, but Bill had not dared to share with him the thing about the suffering. Actually the Lord looked in pretty good shape considering the age he was likely to be. He pretended to be a bit incapacitated, but Bill would have bet that if he had fallen from a window, he would have landed on his feet as a cat.

              Speaking of which, their old cat with its worn-out blackish fur was a bit freaky too. Bill had felt at times he could hear it answer the Lord’s gibberish.

              But all in all, that was easy money, and he thanked the opportunity to be able to do these paintings while the winter was coming.

              Now was something else. He almost startled when he was opened the big entrance door, to be revealed an improbable shape, two or three heads taller than him. It took him a short while to recognize the smile of the children’s nurse, topped by a funny hat that made him laugh heartily, after the initial shock was dissipated.

              Hahaha, sorry, that was unexpected… he managed to say to Jacqueline, who was not unaccustomed to these odd kinds of reactions.

              Not to worry she said with a slight French accent. Monsieur and Madame Wrick have come back from their trip to Mogadishu, and you will be able to have their portraits done. They will stay here for a few weeks…

              Linda and Peregrine Wrick were Cuthbert and India Louise proud (and a bit insouciant) parents, Lord Wrick had explained without much more details. Peregrine was the son of Lord Wrick’s only son, Sean Doran Wrick, but Bill had felt some restrain to ask about Sean Doran, as the Lord had seemed a bit umbrageous only speaking his name.

              Oh… said Bill who did not expect them to come back so quickly.

              Appendix: The Wrick family tree

              #232

              A few days after Sam and Becky’s conversation on the phone, they were having a rehearsal.

              Just at the moment when they felt stuck again, despite Sam’s moves, Al and Tina, a couple of friends came crashing into the small theater room, and were greeted by an icy cold silence. “Icy” is an exaggeration of course, said Tina, “it just meant I had to put a jacket on again today”.

              Sorry for being late! said Al a bit uneasy.
              — Oh you and your uneasiness! said Tina. And I’m sure we’re arriving at the perfect time.
              — Oh, well, I’m not sure of anything today, said Becky. I’m sick of being force-fed coleslaw, and rigging down holes for myself.

              A silence was on the scene.

              :fleuron:

              At the same time, somewhere on the deck of his ship, Bådul was remembered of the landscapes of his land. He had not really appreciated them before, but now, he was finding them dear to him. They were for the most part a mixture of sandy dunes, from which at times peaks of icy rocky mountains would stick out. Lately he had felt like one of these peaks sticking out of the sands. The sands were shifting.

              :fleuron:

              Somewhere in Malvina’s cave.

              Malvina had been polishing the last dry eggs that she had found and that would not hatch. One of them had some interesting perfect round shape, and a very transparent shell, and it gave her an idea.

              She asked Leörmn to come.

              :fleuron:

              Quintin’s bedroom.

              [1:01] The clock was saying. Quintin had just awoken from a dream about an elderly woman who was showing him some drawings. These were not actually drawings, but in fact, they were called by the lady “glassart”. It was made, she said, of coloured sands, and would be vitrified by some flame. Quintin in that dream had thought the designs rather crude, but had found the idea interesting, and with great potential.

              :fleuron:

              Leörmn came almost instantly, appearing in a puff of teal smoke.

              Oh, I see… he said, reading Malvina’s mind. And I think I have the perfect sands to go with it.

              :fleuron:

              — Why hasn’t that pirate, Badass…
              Badul, corected Al
              — Whatever, Becky pursued imperturbably, that pirate Baddock used traveling portals to go and look for the eggs? Why the seas? Sounds a bit complicated and with lots of dangers too.
              — Good question, answered Al. Well, don’t want to answer for everyone, but in my perception…
              — Oh, get lost with your “in my perception” thing, that’s becoming tiring… sighed Tina
              — OK. So, for me, they have forgotten much about magic in his land.
              — Makes sense… added Sam dreamily… In fact, I’m not sure after all that Badul is only after gold. I think he has found some old desert dragon egg in a cave lost in his country and hopes to revive it, with the help of the people who still know about magic.
              — Which would explain the quest… said Al
              — Yeah, and he would have hidden that to the rest of the crew, probably… said Tina

              :fleuron:

              Leörmn had now finished assembling the magical artifact.

              — That’s one of our most beautiful magical artifact I’d say, Malvina gleamed
              — Oh yes it is. And how would you call it?
              — Let’s see…

              :fleuron:

              sabulmantium !

              Everyone cracked up at the word that Al had just blurted out. They had decided to have some distraction to alleviate the stress on the play, and they had a fun improvisation game, saying stupid things that went through their minds.

              — Hey! Don’t laugh like that, it’s something very serious actually, said Al tongue-in-cheek. Let me see…
              — Hahahaha, the others continued
              — Well, it’s a divination device, or a sort of compass in a way. I see it as a globe made of glass, with coloured sands in it, and when you focus on it, the sands take all sorts of three dimensional shapes, and become alive…
              — Wow! Tina couldn’t help but say.

              :fleuron:

              Leörmn, as Malvina had been telling him (or vice versa), had put the sabulmantium in one of the tunnels, to a place where he knew Arona would find it, and probably put it to good use for her future adventures.

              #231

              HAHAHA! it is your first step now. Let me just remind you that you need not play MY game, the game is yours, ever.” said Georges.

              Dory was feeling a bit confused now. What was he talking about, what game? And first step to what? She couldn’t hold to the anger nor the irritation; all of that was feeling not real or not here, or not there for all she knew.

              “The direction you follow is your choice, and where I come from is not relevant to this conversation. You may say I come from yourself :) and indeed you called me and I wanted company. Do you want more coleslaw?”

              Without waiting for her answer he refilled her plate with the tasty food.

              All those smells,… she could feel so many different things, things that appeared not to be here. A movement caught her attention in her periphery. As she turned her gaze whatever was there had vanished. And this humming, it was like music, but not very clear… if she could just focus more on it, yes like that, she was feeling sooo calm and she began laughing.

              “Hahahah… haha. Did you drug the coleslaw?” She asked, trying to appear angry and unhappy, but all she could do was smile and laugh.

              The images around her were shape-shifting, there were many colors, some of them she didn’t know could be possible, the walls were melting of sort and becoming transparent, or just fluid maybe…

              “Well you see how it’s easy to relax. Let’s see where you want to go now my dear Rafaela”, he said winking.

              And everything turned into a great maelström but she felt secure and could feel his presence reassuring, and there were all those other faces and places, some felt very familiar, had she ever been there before?

              #230

              Illi had not known as powerful an opponent as this other Illi.

              At first, she had been remembered of stories of possession by evil sprites (or djinns) that she had heard in her youth, when Ibn al’ Gruk, the old angora storyteller was entertaining the desert settlement beating the rhythm with sonorous drums.

              So, she had pushed, and rebelled, and fought, as fiercely as any other gripshawk skilled and trained in the hand-to-hand martial arts would have done.

              But the other Illi wasn’t so easily vanquished.

              Then Illi had collapsed. She had sorrowfully abandoned the fight to the dreaded adversary.

              All of this had been occurring in a twinkle of an eye, but for Illi, the fight had been during ages and ages, while she was trying to focus on what BelleDora was explaining to her about the land where she was now.

              And when she had abandoned the fight, everything was again so easy. She did not care any longer, she was free again. Her evil twin could do anything, it could not matter less.

              But the evil twin had been in fact doing the same, and she had struggled to keep the focus coherent to her. Didn’t want stupid moth-looking people in her reality, or even spare hair on her face! But that other one was strong, and fierce. And stubborned too!

              — Who are you? she finally had asked
              — I’m Illi, had the other answered
              — I am Illi.
              — So we are both Illi
              — Yeah, that may be it, but we are quite different.
              — Are we? You feel quite like me, despite your stupid affection for smooth baby face.
              — Well, wouldn’t it be for that, I can see some resemblance…
              — Will you let me continue my trip?
              — Oh, I would have, but you’ve hijacked mine, said Illi Fergusson.
              — So you think.
              — And where does your trip leads to? asked Illi F. who wasn’t too sure of her trip either
              — From traveling portals to traveling portals, to discover all that can be discovered on this world. Magical creatures, I distrust them, but the lands and people are fascinating… And what about yours?
              — Hmm, hmm, pondered Illi F. for a moment… Well, I’m dead actually, but I didn’t expect being dead to be so busy. There are so many things to discover, and I like that. I see funny looking people, and this looks like fun. Like a minute ago, I was in some kind of funny cave, with a parrot…
              — A what?
              — A parrot, you know, a kind of talking bird full of colours…
              — Mmm, some kind of demonic creature for sure. Would have slain it without an hesitation!
              — Hey! You see, that’s why I didn’t want you to come with me.
              — Well, seems like for a moment, we don’t have much more choice…
              — At least, look at the bright side, with us merged like that, each of us can provide the other one with some sound experience on each other’s worlds.
              — Well, that’s not as airy-fairy as it seems…
              — Well, thank you for that, I’ll take that as a compliment.
              — You really are dreadfully serious at times!
              — Hey, I’m not anybody you see. My parents were aristocrats, I’m not the common hairy lot.
              — Ahahah, you’re funny.
              — So are you!

              And they ended laughing blissfully together.

              After a moment, Illi asked again:

              — Huh, a funny cave you said?
              — Well, yes. With lots of people…
              — Interesting… I was near some sort of strange cave too a while ago, that is, before I was found by this nice man and his dogs. Perhaps there is some connection here.
              — And could you go there again?
              — Not sure if I want to; there were some smelly fumes, smelt like demonic magic in there.
              — Oh you see, for as long as I’ve been dead, well even if that’s not so long ago, anyway, the point is I’ve not seen any demon so far… blustered Illi F.
              — Oh, and I have to take your word like that then?
              — Well, do as you please, but I’m going there again…
              — Just wait for me now, will you; let’s try to do things hand in hand, because you’re driving me mad!

              And the deal was made.

              BelleDora had continued to explain lots of things about her ancestors, but had not really noticed Illi’s attention had been so far away. She was a bit surprised when she found herself interrupted in a middle of a poetic depiction of the coastal plains of the Peninsula of the Dragon Head, where some glistening Capricorns were sometimes seen swimming in the creeks.

              — And how do I get back safely to this hole where I was found? asked Illi abruptly.

              #224

              Grandad! Grandad!, called India Louise to Lord Wrick, running in the old manor, her footstep making creaking and loud noises down the windy staircase.

              Hilarion Wrick was seated in his favourite armchair, dozing after the hefty meal prepared by Nanny Gibbon, the cat Manfred on his lap.

              Raising an eyelid, his cheerful wrinkled face smiled at the little girl.

              — And how can I be of assistance, dear little one?

              — Grandad, this book is full of wonders, but at times it’s like some characters have their own life, and I don’t always understand what they do… In fact, she added thoughtfully, I don’t understand them most of the time…
              — Hahaha, laughed the old Lord, but they have certainly their own lives, as they are living in your imagination. What can I explain to you?
              — Well, let me think.

              India Louise took a moment, and asked again

              — For instance, this woman who just run in the cave, she seems to meet many people here, but I am confused. Is she dreaming, or are they real?
              — Well, as a matter of fact, let me express to you that they are all real, even if you think that she dreams them. However, I am understanding of what you are saying, and I shall acknowledge your perspicacity. These characters are not all from the same areas of consciousness.

              Here, we will explain for the reader that these books were not unknown to Lord Wrick who had spent lots of time during his youth playing with them. How they were lost and found again is the subject of another story, and we will not divert the reader’s patient attention for much longer on this issue.

              — Areas of consciousness?

              — Yes, you see, let me explain. That individual that you call Dory, she is in a physical world. But she is aware, to an extent, of other realities that overlap her own reality. Just as her story overlaps your own reality my dear one.

              — And Illi? Who is she?
              — This one is also Dory, but another personality of her, in another time. She has just passed away, quite recently. She is beginning to slowly become aware of that, and she connects with other of her personalities, and at times blends with them, like the other Illi, the cat-like creature, who is still in the physical reality of Malvina’s world.
              — Mmmm, this is quite intricate…
              — Hahahaha, yes, it seems so, but it will not be so puzzling when you don’t try to attach your current limited perception to this story. This story is you my dear. You are the story.
              — Well, and Sanso, and Georges then, are they dead or what? How come Dory can see them?
              — These ones are special, they have mastered the crossing of the Worlds, and can move through them. They move differently though. Sanso comes from a lineage of an ancient tribe of Zion, and had learn from them how to activate some portals, but only through the physical world of Dory, in their own time. He is not yet aware that he can also move through time as well, or even through other Worlds —worlds that he has no conception of yet.

              Georges is more consummate in that art. Their meeting is not coincidental. You will see that.

              — Thank you Grandad, it’s becoming a bit less confusing.
              — Just flow with the story my little one, don’t hold on too much, or you will find it too difficult, and you will stop to find fun in it.

              #212
              F LoveF Love
              Participant

                Fiona wandered slowly along the road to the supermarket in the Village, deep in thought, pondering a recent dream. In her dream she had been talking to someone from the power company. He was very chatty. Eventually he asked her if she had any issues with her power service. In her dream she had started to focus on some electricity issues she was experiencing. Well as a matter of fact I do, she had replied. At which point the man from the power company had abruptly cut the call short.

                In her dream she felt a little put out, although resolved to let the power company know later.

                The message of the dream felt clear enough, it was her focusing on the difficulties which cut her connection. Yet this presented Fiona with some difficulty, because she dearly loved to analyse even when this did mean focusing on not so pleasant things, though she had been aware for some time how this mental work would deplete her energy.

                Actually there was almost a feeling of grieving in her. To let go of this part of her felt like losing something warm and comforting in it’s familiarity, like a well worn and loved article of clothing. It left her wondering a bit about her own identity.

                On the way back home, laden with bags of shopping, Fiona saw Jarrod.

                Jarrod was lying on a park bench conversing loudly to himself. Well, Fiona mentally corrected herself, to someone I can’t see anyway.

                They just don’t understand reality he was saying vehemently they just don’t get it.

                Fiona smiled to herself, noticing Jarrod getting a few concerned looks from the well dressed locals. With his bare feet, unkempt hair and long beard he would stand out even if he wasn’t shouting at the top of his voice. She decided to try and sneak past herself, he looked like maybe today he would not recognise her anyway.

                FIONA!

                She turned back.

                Hey Jarrod

                Fiona, here’s the thing. Here’s the question okay. Should we swim up-stream or down? Fiona what do you think? Should we head for the Source or the Ocean? Up river or down? We’re on the edge of a new era Fiona. So what will it be, the shallows or the rapids?

                Before she needed to come up with an answer Jarrod’s attention was diverted by the shopping bags.

                FOOD! Great is that for me Fiona?

                #206

                India Louise had been switching her own book with Cuthbert’s that night. And as she was exploring some of the stories told in his, he was having a peek into hers.

                Very quickly, he became aware of a whole new continent, in that World, across the Middle Seas. In that continent far North of the one where Malvina’s was living, lived some intrepid people. They were strong with big voices, and a bit quarrelsome too. Their ways had forgotten lots about Magix and they placed most of the value into tangible items.

                The next page, a man was sailing across the Middle Seas with a handful of trusted men. He was a captain pirate, named Båd Al’Guz, which meant, Båd son of Guz. His crew referred to him as Bådul.

                Cuthbert was intrigued by this man, and had begun to discuss with him mentally, asking who he was, who were his people. The same as Cuthbert had been very innocently doing with gentle Malvina.

                But Bådul was tricky, and after a bit of a surprise, very soon discovered that the little boy could be a very interesting informant, though an unusual one.

                And in fact, his information was much more interesting than that which the shamans of King Wulfrick babbled in the most inspired manner.

                Till now, from the mouths of the buck-pelts clothed shamans had only came stupid gibberish that the King and his court gobbled endlessly. Something about “YaWn”, as they said: You animate Worlds neatly .

                How stupid was that? Their only answers were useless to him, they were only telling him that he activated and animated the Worlds neatly, and that, in short, nothing was fixed and he could do anything.

                Well, with that boy, that was different. He was talking about a cave with gilded dragon eggs, and THAT was of a great value to Bådul.

                But of course, he would not frighten the young boy and pretended that his intentions were that of an explorer, trying to discover new shores and new continents, so as to become closer to understand from where he came, and hopefully make people aware of their closeness to each others.

                He was such an eloquent actor that he almost shed a tear saying that sentence.

                As a matter of fact, for as long as he remembered, he had been wandering in many situations, and lots of them had not been very pleasant. Born from uncaring parents, as lots, if not all, of his people were, working as a janitor in a sordid tavern, then as a warden (if not executioner when requested) in an even more sordid jail… Were the Gods to be blamed for that? Well, according to the shamans, he was the only one to be blamed, because he did not accept his responsibility as a weaver of Worlds.

                Idiots.

                At least, he had found his passion. He love sailing, and taking riches for his pleasure. Whatever then, he would take his share, and not care about what was next.

                At least, if he could coax the boy into revealing more about that cave.

                #205

                Dory’s guide was trying not to lose her again in the densely crowded streets, and had to honk in his mini-van furiously to keep the pace…

                What a mad woman! he thought, But I must admit she knows her stuff, she heading right to the cave, even though she’s not from here!

                A parrot zoomed past her singing Goooooot the keeeey! in the middle of the unperturbed crowd.

                #195

                Everything started to happen at once. As Sanso sat up, craning his neck looking at the door in the ceiling, a terrific flapping and squalking noise approached from behind him, starting as a distant vibration and rising in an unbearable crescendo as it rounded the last bend in the tunnel. Suddenly the noise stopped as Sanso felt a weight on his shoulder, and then a thud on the sandy floor. Bugger this, the parrot screeched in his ear. Bugger this bugger this bugger bugger bugger…

                Sanso was momentarily speechless, as his eye fell on the key. He picked it up and turned it over in his hand, feeling the rusty weight of it. He turned to look at the parrot on his shoulder, who thankfully had stopped his shrill squalking.

                This must be the key to that door, he whispered to the parrot. Let’s try it and see.

                Wait for Dory dear Wait for Dory!

                Bugger this, sighed the parrot, Here I am bringing the key, remembering everything everyone else forgets, running the show here and I don’t even have a name in this silly story.

                #193

                Of all the eggs Malvina had been collecting since the beginning of her settling down in the cave with Leörmn, only one had been producing a baby dragon, till now.

                She had nicknamed her Buckberry, because the little one seemed so fond of the buckberries that grew at the entrance of the cave.

                Buckberries were a variety of wild big electric blue-vermilion reddish berries, and were known to have thwarted all attempts to be grown in gardens. In a legendary past, a famous king of the near Kingdoms named Hadraz the Third was said to have been loving these fruits so much that he had spent torrents of gold in trying to have them farmed in the precious glasshouses of his realm. All the attempts of the most knowledgeable Master Farmers had been amounting to nilch.

                This habit of Buckberry, for one moment had been making Malvina anxious of him revealing the location of their safe haven. As she could and would not prevent him to go in search for them, she created some powerful spells to hide him, at least from people to whom the little dragon had not revealed his true name first.

                That had caused some stir from some people who where adventuring near the cave to pick up some of the juicy fruits that could be easily spotted from the plains, as they noticed a heavy breath and * munch * sound around the bushes, that moved like shaken down by a powerful ghost.

                Thus has begun the trail of rumours saying that the cave was haunted.

                All in all, Malvina was not so displeased that there were only a few eggs hatching at a time, as the young dragons were very lively, much more so than the older ones who kept most of their time sleeping, or more aptly put, dreaming.

                Dragons had no need for training in a sense, as they were aware of their abilities, and Buckberry, even being so young could just have been moving away and started his own adventure, but something was compelling him to stay in the cave.

                He had chosen a different form from that of Leörmn, and it was indicating he would not have the same intent. As he would continue to grow, he would probably be a very powerful dragon, shaped for flight and discoveries in the farthest boundaries of the Worlds. At times, Leörmn even doubted he would be fit for a human partner, as he had only managed to scare the few humans he had encountered…

                After all, it was not necessary, though dragons could draw a lot from such a partnership.

                Dragons were not always welcome, as they were feared for their might, and could not always easily explain what they were doing, as most of their movements were in the Unseen.

                In that, only Ragmók, the old speech of the dragons could be used to properly explain these movements. Ragmók was not really a speech, in the human sense, as it could also be spoken through gestures or singing or drawing. But it was the very essence of Magix.

                When a dragon and a human bonded, they shared their languages in a communion of their spirits, and the chosen human could delve easily into the Unseen, while providing to the chosen dragon an ease of movement into the Seen.

                #189

                The feelings of the eggs was increasing, Írtak was close now. He could feel the pulse and where he thought it was only one egg, he could feel now that there were two of them, though the vibrations were so close to each other that he had been “fooled” in a way.

                He smiled, happy that he could bring back two eggs.

                When he entered the room where they had been layed, there was that sparkling green glowing all around, the waves or energy coming from the eggs were very lively and joyful. The communication between them was so strong and loving that he was almost overwhelmed by the feelings.

                They were aware of his presence and they greeted him. No words needed to feel they were eggstremely eager to live…

                They were still soft and smooth, the shell had not hardened yet. They were quite big actually and he wondered a moment how he would bring them back. His concern surely was transparent and he could feel the reassuring energy of Malvina.

                He felt a surge of energy and knew she would open a gate between the room he was in and the rookery… she connected and created a connection between the two spaces and he saw the entry of the room blurred somewhat and soon he heard the sound of the waterfall of the rookery… new flowery scents came into the room and as he was picking up the first egg he found out that they were welded together… dragon twins. He felt awed for a few seconds as the energy ripples from the eggs were increasing since his realization.

                They would help him in his task. Humming silently and quite directively.

                The eggs seemed so light with that eggstra energy.

                He could bring them in the moistly and warm rookery. He laid them down near the waterfall but not too close so they wouldn’t be bothered by the rippling sounds. And close enough so that they would be warmed up by the heat of the spring.

                He felt Malvina’s smile, and Leörmn acknowledgment of what happened there. He felt an intense bond between them.

                The baby dragons were not to be born yet, but they each already knew who would be their dragon rider.

                One last stroke on the shells.

                One last glance on the emerald green glowing eggs.

                He shivered with anticipation.

                He would be back soon for the hatching…

                #188

                This morning, Fiona and Quintin had a small impromptu chat —or rather, prompted by the story they were all weaving, that Archie, the puppet black panther, had been telling them last week-end that it was a magic connection between all of them…

                Quintin: Your story was great!

                Fiona: Thank you :) So was yours.

                Have you written any more since I last looked at the story?

                Quintin: no, I’m not that much inspired… I even considered to wrap in up in a way, but seeing you were all drawing so much from it, I think I will leave it open ever after…

                Fiona: no, wrap it up if you feel.

                I have drawn what I wanted. I will go and blow up the cave if we don’t finish it :)

                Quintin: Ahahaha! Don’t restrict yourself ;)

                Fiona: When you started the Malvina story, did you have an idea where it would go, or did you pick that one because you had no idea?

                Quintin: This one nagged me because there were many people I felt behind it and I did not know how to get them to show up and make their presences known. And I felt that it was loose enough too, to allow people to jump into it; and there was your initial interest in the picture ;)

                Fiona: The endearing dragons…

                Quintin: Yeah…

                But I had strictly no idea about the rest. It was just a bet, on luck…

                That’s funny, because I had a strange impression of a little girl yesterday, in a futuristic city, named something like Janice , and it was like she knew now what she wanted to do, and it was something similar to that, something like creating worlds for other people, in which they could have fun, or heal, or explore things…

                Fiona: And did she have any impression of what form that could take? Like books, or games or what…

                Quintin: No, it was much more “real” in fact…

                Fiona: you know like the card-captor game which I suppose is interactive, so real

                Quintin: Yeah, perhaps a bit like that, yes; or like creating a ball of energy in which people can be drawn and experience as they will. It’s only a translation, but that’s the idea… in a way, that’s very similar to a game or a book, but only that it just feels totally “real”

                Fiona: So a little bit like I have done with the story, to resolve something

                Quintin: yeah, exactly, or with your paintings

                Fiona: It can be really useful to take on other personas to do that, even like in drama type situations, being someone else…

                Quintin: Yeah, people can unleash their imagination.

                And I think there are still lots of things that we can expand in this universe in fact, not only related to the cave…

                Fiona: such as? eggsamples?

                Quintin: You said it! The eggs and relationships with dragons, all the magical artifacts or creatures. Didn’t you want a baby dragon?

                Fiona: Yeah, I told you I did, but you just said some riddle!

                Quintin: Did I? That’s not like me ;)

                Fiona: Ahahhaha! It is you to the core

                Quintin: LOL, damn me!

                Fiona: Well, that is a bit strong, but …

                Quintin: Ahahahahah. I said you would have to earn his trust? (or hers, for that matter)

                Fiona: I can’t remember the eggsact wording, I think I had to work for it though, like you weren’t just handing out dragons on a plate

                Quintin: It could bound with you very strongly and help you unravel your unknown magical powers. It’s not just a creature, it’s a complex personality, you cannot just take it like a puppy. There is a sharing between the two…

                Fiona: So are you going to allocate baby dragons to people or what? Or shall I just go and find an egg that no one knew was there :)

                Quintin: Ahahah, no, they will not be allocated, they will choose their own partners

                Fiona: Ahahaha, one minute you say it is my story! And now you are back in control

                Quintin: Ahahaha, the story has a willing of its own too…

                Try to do what you want, it’s not a matter of control ; it’s just you’ll know what clicks and what does not…

                Quintin: And actually, I don’t think everyone will be interested in dragons…

                Fiona: How does a dragon help one learn magic powers?

                Quintin: It’s just because there is an openness between the two; let me find something for you, that Elias (you know, Michaela’s partner), has told to me and Yann, when we had them on the phone last month.

                Elias : I would express to you that, as you focus your energies with each other, and you allow yourselves to merge and feel into each others’ energies, you may in actuality each discover some obstacles that the other may not necessarily be aware of yet, and you can share that with each other, and therefore facilitate your interactions even further.

                Fiona: And how having a baby dragon could help unleash our magic powers then?

                Quintin: It helps because it reinforces your trust in your own abilities to connect. It’s not directing, it’s a sharing and exploration for both of them; that’s why they are picky. As you would be picky too, knowing you would share together all the darkest corners…

                Fiona: I am not sure if i have dark corners ;)

                Quintin: it was a metaphor :D

                Fiona: ahahahhahahahahahah

                Fiona: I know, so was mine :D

                Quintin: ahahahahah

                Fiona: I was thinking I feel really accepting of myself

                Quintin: Yeah, that’s the point in the little adventure before you meet it.

                You have shown your trust in yourself and in your abilities, and your self-centeredness, which is essential, for the dragon doesn’t want a frail personality. Because he drops his defenses too when he shares and bonds.

                Fiona: Well I think it sounds scarey now, what if no dragon picked me…

                Quintin: There will be instant recognition. And you don’t “need” a dragon actually, that’s what is important: it’s a catalyst, nothing more, nothing less…

                Fiona: True.

                Quintin: Like Arona managed to sneak into the cave without giving the answer to the riddle (egg-sitingly) because it mattered not to her, whatever the outcome, she was directing of herself.

                Fiona: I felt like I have pictures now to assist me. I link strongly to pictures as a quick reference when I start to feel something like a negative emotion, for instance I may start to worry about how I am going to have enough money, or whatever, and I could quickly link to the spider picture

                Quintin: you mean, you create an imagery, right? That is something which I like in your stories and emails; even though it is not necessary to create imagery, it’s always so entertaining, like having these funny creatures pop in the cave!

                Fiona: Ahahahaha yes

                Quintin: And also, in creating imagery, it helps you seeing it in a more neutral way

                Fiona: I suppose it is just a quick trigger for the desired belief. I can link in quickly with the child, when I start to feel left out, for example.

                Quintin: yeah, beliefs as an alphabet or a palette, neutral, but that can create words and sentences or images. And the imagery of the child was very similar for me, to that of the playfulness picture

                Fiona: Yeah, I know… That’s what I said to you with the playfulness picture

                Quintin: Of course, you know :)

                Fiona: That I related most to the figure of blue hat… and big feet

                Quintin: Ahahaha, stomping on the poor key-fish

                Fiona: Nearly…

                Quintin: Have to go now, thank you for this enjoyable conversation

                Fiona: See you! :)

                #186
                F LoveF Love
                Participant

                  Arona eventually woke from her sleep, still tangled in the images from her dreams. Unable to remember these images she was left feeling as though she were adrift in a boat on the ocean, not caring where the wind and waves may take her.

                  She had no feeling that morning. It was as though a door had closed in her mind, shutting out the part that could feel. She did not know, nor care, whether she was shutting out joy or sorrow, only that some part of her wanted to be alone.

                  She remembered the words of the older woman who had sat with her and soothed her to sleep. Or was she already asleep? Was the woman a dream?

                  Use your magic, she had said.

                  When she was young, in the Village, magic had come easily to Arona. When did it end?. She screwed up her eyes trying to concentrate. It hadn’t ended all at once. Did it start to end with the cloak her parents had given her?

                  Arona shook her head briskly and thoughts, like leaves in the wind, lifted and fell back to earth again in new formations.

                  :fleuron: :fleuron: :fleuron:

                  The candle still burned brightly and her attention was drawn to the heavy wooden door, knowing she could not put it off any longer. In her bag of treasures was a key. It had been given to her at the beginning of her 21 st year, as was custom in the Village. It was no surprise to her that it fitted the lock perfectly.

                  Thank you for having me room, she said as she left.

                  No, thank YOU, replied the sleepy glukenitch.

                  :fleuron: :fleuron: :fleuron:

                  The door led directly into another space, larger, brighter. She could sense someone there, but not in solid form. It was a beautiful woman who Arona felt an immediate affinity with, and then a strange sadness came unbidden.

                  Why sad?

                  I have no clue answered Arona briskly, quickly shutting the door back on these pesky emotions.

                  You always know, just feel it

                  So Arona closed her eyes tightly and allowed herself to feel the answer.

                  Because you know who you are, and it made me realise I have no idea who I am.

                  Mmmmmmm, said the woman, maybe you would care to look at my new paintings. Actually they are some of yours.

                  Intrigued, Arona felt this would be a suitable distraction and she looked with much interest.

                  The first painting was of a child, in a beautiful meadow of flowers. The child appeared to be completely absorbed, concentrating on a small blue butterfly which had lighted on her finger.
                  The picture itself moved and changed shape as though it were a portal to another living, breathing world. In the corner of the picture were some other children who seemed to be playing happily together.

                  Arona, who had felt immediately connected with the young child frowned.

                  Doesn’t the little girl feel left out?

                  Go in, said the woman, Go inside the picture and feel the answer.

                  Oh, and you might want to leave your cloak behind.

                  So Arona did, and she became the child, but also stayed herself, observing the scene. She felt the child’s happy fascination in her connection with the butterfly. Not just the butterfly. She could feel her connected with the earth, and the gentle breezes and the beautiful flowers … The child was deeply contented, absorbed in the moment, moving happily with the flow of her interest.
                  I remember feeling like that, thought Arona, before the magic went.
                  She gently drew the child’s attention to the other children and felt the flow of energy between them. The child was so sure of who she was and where she wanted to be, and Arona could feel the loving acceptance of her playmates.
                  As the child’s attention went to the others, one of the children looked up and came running over. They sat together and laughed at some funny rabbits which had appeared in the meadow.

                  :fleuron: :fleuron: :fleuron:

                  Arona returned to the cave.

                  You look troubled

                  Well, Arona felt a little perplexed. It’s all very well playing with butterflies and rabbits in a meadow, but it is not terribly practical.

                  On the contrary, perhaps it is very practical. Would you like to see another of your paintings?

                  Suspended gracefully between two posts was a beautiful, glistening spider web. Little drops of rain hung like jewels on a chain. An enormous spider waited patiently in the shadows. As Arona watched a small insect happened at that moment to be caught, and the spider began to creep along the delicate lines.

                  Arona shuddered a little. I might not jump into that one .

                  The woman laughed, Use your magic Arona. Weave your magic web and let it all come to you.

                  Oh you are the second person to tell me to use my magic. An old lady came to me in my dreams, I think.

                  Well I gave her the same advice, years ago.

                  More damn riddles, Arona thought to herself, and the woman laughed.

                  One final painting of yours I would like to show you. It is beautiful is it not?

                  Arona stared mesmerised for a moment, and then leapt right in.

                  She sat among an audience, captivated by the dancers on the stage ahead. Beautiful music played and it reminded Arona of the music she had heard earlier. The dancers leapt and twirled and Arona was enraptured.

                  Dance Arona, she heard the woman’s voice

                  I can’t dance like that, I’m not good enough.

                  It doesn’t matter

                  And Arona could not hold back any longer and entered the body of one of the dancers. She did not know the dance so she made up her own steps, and strangely this seemed to fit perfectly with the other dancers.

                  :fleuron: :fleuron: :fleuron:

                  Back in the cave the woman seemed to be listening to something Arona did not think she could hear.

                  Things are shifting she said

                  Oh lordy, are they said Arona, What should I do now?

                  Feel the answer

                  Arona felt. I am very hungry, eggceptionally so.

                  #176
                  AvatarJib
                  Participant

                    Yann was looking at the box in which he had put the pebbles for Fiona… it was closed and all was needed now was to wrap it in that red paper and put the address on it… tomorrow he would have sent it.

                    For now all he wanted was to try again that obe thing and meet Quintin in the chalet…

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