Éric

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 20 replies - 1,601 through 1,620 (of 1,710 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • in reply to: Join me for a gourd of langoat milk…… #1403
    ÉricÉric
    Keymaster

      Ahahah the trend now seems to be for some breastfeeding ;))
      Whatever, we’ll find a way to do some fine lemonade out of this all :D

      in reply to: Join me for a gourd of langoat milk…… #1400
      ÉricÉric
      Keymaster

        Never mind, it’s just bar-room philosophizing – want another beer? :D

        in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #439

        Leörmn the dragon had been retreating silently what felt like a long time ago. For most of the dragons, as they grew in age, needed to occupy more and more of their time in dreaming.
        But dreaming was not an idle occupation as human sometimes were prone to think. He was phenomenally active in the Unseen when he dreamt, and most of the times, he didn’t even have a dream corporeal existence such was the intensity of the activity, that he projected in many many many different ways at the same time.

        At times, he slowly woke up, barely aware of all of what he had done. In one fragment, some other focuses of his friends were in an odd classroom, and were asked whether they had read some transcripts of a trance conversation with a dragon. At the beginning the pupils had felt reluctant to answer, but some bold hands had been raised, and he knew these people, they were closely related to him. The teacher had been telling them how different the energy was, and how intense, for it was not the same kind of consciousness… Of course, Leörmn knew all of that, but it was one of the many things that had occurred during his sleep. Because all of that was a reality, occurring in other frameworks, other dimensions, other scenes, but all of them were happening.
        And in another one, there was this young man who had just changed his name, looking through a sort of big flat glubolin at some parchment map that one of his friend had put in front of his eyes, and the young man was amazed at how close it looked like the map he had seen in his own dream, with rivers outlined…

        Leörmn felt immensely grateful for all of these personality essences exchanging with him, and enhancing and widening his own exploration, and he felt like he wanted to modify once again the cave. He would create some guest rooms into the cave for them, if they wanted to use them. They would be furnished as they wanted to, and reflecting what was their comfort, and dear to them…
        At Malvina’s request, he had already created one abode for Irtak, but now, he would also create one for the finckely Arona, the wandering Sanso, who in turn could invite some of their own guests.

        And so once again, the cave was transmugrified…

        in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #437

        Yurick was singing [*]

        Well, all you need is love and understanding
        Ring the bell and let the people know
        We’re so happy and we’re celebratin’
        Come on and let your feelings show

        in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #435
        ÉricÉric
        Keymaster

          Arona knew enough magic to notice that the old crone was up to no good with the annoying lemon song…
          I sounded like a curse, and she’d better take appropriate action without delay.

          in reply to: Armelle – meditations, dreams, synchs, thoughts #1938
          ÉricÉric
          Keymaster

            Yurick wondered for a moment what action was required behind “floating downstream”, the motto that his friend Finn was brandishing with renewed fervor at each of their encounters.

            Perhaps it was actually a “non action”, and that reminded him of all the Taoist texts he had loved to read when he was younger. One of the tenets of the philosophy of Taoists was wu wei 無為 or “non action”, but this was not meant as being lazy and passive, quite the contrary… A bit of a mind-stretching concept:

            WU WEI (from the 道德经 Dao de jing, attributed to Lao Zi)

            The Sage is occupied with the unspoken
            and acts without effort.

            Teaching without verbosity,
            producing without possessing,
            creating without regard to result,
            claiming nothing,
            the Sage has nothing to lose.

            When he had asked his friend Elias about this, Yurick got that answer,

            “We have spoken previously of how you each have divorced yourselves from essence, and subsequently have forgotten your own native language. You now incorporate a desire to be connecting with essence, to be dissolving of the veils that exist between the focus and the entirety of the whole. In this, it communicates to you, but you have forgotten your language! Therefore, be not in distress; and allow yourself the opportunity to be assimilating a new language, and not pressing yourself to be attempting to interpret within your present language.” [session 100, June 16, 1996]

            and that completed nicely another thing he had previously heard from him, speaking about our natural language in essence:

            “Be listening to your impressions and be recognizing of your impulses, and DO NOT be denying of your impulses! This is your language to yourself from essence, and it is not harmful to you. It naturally moves you into the most efficient directions, but you are taught within your belief systems to be discounting of your impulses and to be suspect of your impulses, for they are bad. They are not! They are your natural language to yourself. Therefore, be listening to this language.” [session 294, July 01, 1998]

            So basically, floating downstream, or being in the wu wei state of mind required only one thing, to be focusing and acting upon our impulses, and not judging or denying them… Probably the most challenging thing we are learning to do now…

            in reply to: Join me for a gourd of langoat milk…… #1397
            ÉricÉric
            Keymaster

              You’ll notice that it works better when there is interesting content. Like on Armelle’s thread of meditation, dreams, syncs and thoughts , there are advertisements on how to get abundant, and on philosophy, and reality creation and such… It’s quite impressive.
              Guess we will be bound to Guinness advertisements here ;))

              in reply to: Synchronicity #1573
              ÉricÉric
              Keymaster

                Ahahaha! In the Drôle’s garden all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree

                And I wonder now :-?

                “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, anyone? Perhaps a quote to add to Armelle’s list :D

                And believe it or not, there’s a mandarin version of the lemon tree by Tracy ! :yahoo_dancing: :yahoo_rofl: :yahoo_whistling: :yahoo_oh_go_on:

                in reply to: Yuki’s Livrary #1313
                ÉricÉric
                Keymaster

                  November 9 th

                  For Yurick, or perhaps shall we say, The Artist Formerly Known As Quintin this sequence of sequence of 911 has the signification of a reminder to be paying attention to self, and being present to himself.
                  The last few days have been, in appearance, quite devoid of exciting new installments of the story, yet, we nudge him not to judge this lack of activity on his part as categorically as he has been used to do. It was a time of self-retreat, a time we have shared with many other essences, as all is connected.
                  A very fine point which has been brought forth by Elias a few days ago (in Yurick’s perception of time) has been that you want to appreciate the process. His illustration was that of a beautiful flower bud that you hold, and that you don’t want to tear open, but rather let itself reveal its splendor, and also, its surprises.

                  It has prompted Yurick to remember something, which had lots of meaning to him.
                  Some years ago, when he was in Kyoto’s forests, he picked up an acorn, as he liked to have seeds or tree corns in his pockets. Back from his trip, in his home, there was this big pot of earth were an old plant had died from the summer heat, and he planted the acorn in it.
                  And he waited. Till he had to move, some months later, having renounced to have the acorn grow at all, as the soil’s surface was remaining desperately flat. Perhaps it had rotten altogether. Before leaving the apartment, Yurick started to rummage with his bare hands into the soil, to look for the remains of the acorn he believed had rotten, only to find it perfectly healthy. And even more, it had grown lots of long roots.
                  So he took it back home, where it was planted and still continues to grow at a rapid rate.

                  Looking at the now big sapling reminds Yurick how that process of growing roots was important for the plant, as they were essential for the oak to be able to survive the winters colds and the summers heats.

                  Such is the importance of these moments were inspiration seem to be scarce, or away. It is ever present, growing its roots very carefully inside the soil of your being, and expanding your connexions, redefining some, bringing new nourishments to yourself… The effects are not always immediately visible, but things never cease to move.

                  Be prepared to be amazed by the colors of the flowers and leaves your seed produces, for as Yurick’s oak was an unusual kind of oak (a chestnut oak ), the very seeds that are in your pockets or waiting in the soils of your dream gardens may reveal their own surprises…

                  in reply to: Armelle – meditations, dreams, synchs, thoughts #1934
                  ÉricÉric
                  Keymaster

                    When in doubt, wink [Yuki] :face-grin:

                    in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #432

                    Inspired by the courageous example of Finn, Quintin was thinking of changing his name too.

                    There were too many Quintins out there, and he needed to find something more suitable. Michaela had mistaken him again for another Quintin, and of course, Quintin had heard Elias laugh in the background.
                    Yann’s battery of his new phone was charged at 33%, so that was probably a confirmation too.

                    Why not something like Yurick
                    Looking for a confirmation, Quintin found this.

                    YORICK: Altered form of JORCK. This name was used by Shakespeare for a court jester in his play ‘Hamlet’. :yahoo_skull:
                    JORCK: Danish form of GEORGE

                    So that was it… Having recently read some poems from George Gordon Byron, Quintin thought that it was in perfect sync.
                    Yurick was henceforth adopted.

                    Interestingly, Yurick noticed that it was the 303 rd comment posted. So it was obviously another confirmation. Perhaps that with his new name, now Yurick wouldn’t need 3 confirmations in a row…

                    in reply to: Join me for a gourd of langoat milk…… #1391
                    ÉricÉric
                    Keymaster

                      Let’s insert :tile: a similar structure

                      Tada! :home: :bounce:

                      It may require a bit of dusting first, ahem: :sweep:

                      The exterior may look flimsy, but the interior is :expand: expanded

                      :face-grin:

                      in reply to: The Room of Requirements #1489
                      ÉricÉric
                      Keymaster
                        bq(Quote). Mmmm footnotes can be done[1] like that[2] etc.
                        fn1. This is my footnote
                        (new line)
                        fn2. This is my second footnote etc.

                        Mmmm footnotes can be done1 like that2 etc.

                        1 This is my footnote

                        2 This is my second footnote etc.

                        in reply to: Join me for a gourd of langoat milk…… #1388
                        ÉricÉric
                        Keymaster

                          Getting thirsty in that damn ol’ tavern! :pirate:

                          in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #424

                          — The legend of Mævel — (Part VII)

                          Today was the Day of the Forgotten. Mævel had slept well, nestled into the soft and warm depth of her dreams, her head resting on the short blue fur of the fox.
                          In sharp contrast with the lovely night, she awoke strangely irritated. Even the birds songs were like noise to her ears, and every sound of the forest she heard with acute intensity and a sense of being submerged by many sensory inputs.
                          Hopefully, the blue fox voice was still very comforting, and she started to wonder how they could come across a Forgotten One in need.

                          — I think I know where we can find some Forgotten One in need.
                          — Where? asked Mævel

                          The fox paused, then answered her question:
                          — Near your human parents’ home.

                          Mævel was surprised. She trusted the fox, and never had really questioned him, because more than that she trusted her own feelings, but now her feelings were telling her that there was something the fox had not told her. Or had told her partially. She was silent, pondering the unseen implications.

                          — Mæ, I’ll try my best to answer your questions, but remember I cannot tell you everything. I can help you remember some things, but there are things that my curse does not allow me to reveal. You have to find them by your own, in order to free us…
                          — Free us? I thought you were the one Cursed?…
                          — Yes I am, and…
                          — How do you know my parent’s home? How much do you know about me?
                          — I know you since you are a baby actually. And even before…
                          — Before? I don’t understand a thing… I feel there are some unseen links, that I cannot decipher, yet they are so close to…
                          — You’re right, there are links, links that are important, and that I cannot reveal.
                          — Why can’t you reveal them?
                          — Let’s go to your human parent’s home…
                          — Why do you always say my human parents?

                          The fox blew in front of him, creating a wobbling sound into the air in the form of a ring large enough for them to go through it. And he hopped inside, disappearing in mid-air.

                          Mævel was perplexed, but did not hesitate. She hopped too into the watery ring in front of her and found herself falling into a void, to reemerge on a bed of dry leaves in front of her parent’s home. Blohmrik the blue fox was seated in front of her, observing a shadowy form at a distance in front of them.

                          — Is that the Forgotten One we will help?
                          — Yes.
                          — Why do you need me? You could help her, couldn’t you?
                          — She wouldn’t see me, Forgotten Ones are usually obsessed by a few people, those who they feel can remember them, and don’t usually see other people. Their perception is quite different than ours.
                          — Hang on a minute… Why do you think she will see me?

                          Mævel looked into the eyes of the fox, and she knew.

                          — We are linked.

                          It was more an affirmation than a question.
                          Mævel wondered who that shadowy figure was. When she focused on her, the form was getting more solid, and she could catch glimpses of how she looked like. And she was surprised. She was about her age, with long blond hair as hers.
                          Mævel’s voice was broken:
                          — My parents had told me I was about to die when I was a baby, then by a sort of miracle, I became healthy… Was that true?… I mean… Was that a gentle way of telling me that I had a twin who died or…
                          — No, Mæ. She is not you. She is not linked to you by blood. You can talk to her, she will listen to you.

                          So Mævel went to see the shadowy figure. She had stopped wandering and trying to find an opening around the house, for there were none for spirits: all openings were locked by stripes of red cloth hung onto the doors and windows.
                          Mævel felt the pain of the Forgotten One as she approached her.

                          — Who are you? she suddenly asked Mævel, raising her head at her approach.
                          — I am Mævel.
                          Mævel… It means marvel of Maÿ… I was born in Maÿ…
                          — What are you doing here?
                          — This is my parents’ home.
                          — How is that possible?
                          — Twenty one year ago, I was taken away from them, given to Shaint Lejüs in place of a fairy princess. But Shaint Lejüs was no fool, he had sent his apprentice to spy on the fairy king.
                          — Blohmrik?!
                          — Yes, Blohmrik… But Blohmrik disobeyed the Elder God, and when he saw the exchange that was about to happen, he let it happen. He wanted to protect the fairy princess from his master. Because Shaint Lejüs wanted the princess as a bride. Ahahaha, how disappointed Lejüs was when he saw that I could not perform the most basic magic spells. I was good at nothing, so he let me go wandering into his Realm. He’d just thought the half-fairy princess had inherited no magic from her father.
                          — How do you know all that?

                          — I told her, the blue fox said. I was hoping to bring her relief. But she started to look for her parents, and Lejüs discovered the truth… Because she was not looking for a fairy king. She was heading here, year after year.
                          — That’s the reason of your curse, is it?
                          — Yes. She can’t see me because I was Forgotten too, in that form of a blue fox. But as Forgotten Ones don’t forget, I didn’t forget. I couldn’t tell her, because she couldn’t see me.
                          — So, I am that fairy princess you are talking about… that strange idea was starting to dawn on Mævel.
                          — Yes. When Lejüs discovered who you were, he wasn’t interested in you any longer, because he thought your magical potential had been irremediably damaged by all those years spent in human company.

                          — Who are you talking to? the shadowy figure asked, bemused.
                          — Blohmrik, he is here. But it’s untrue, Mævel said, there is magic in me.
                          — Yes there is, answered the blue fox, and you can undo what has been done with it.

                          Mævel remembered the useless key she had manifested when she had tried to go out of her human parents’ house. She had not even looked at it closely.

                          — You can manifest it again Mæ, said the fox. It is with you. You are its lock.

                          And no sooner had Mævel thought of the big rusted key, than it appeared in her hand again. But this time the rust on it was crackled, and it started to disintegrate, and a brilliant shiny metal started to show beneath it.

                          Scratching what was left of the rust, Mævel started to look at the beautiful key, it was shaped as a musical note, and it had some word written on it, in an ancient language she didn’t know how to read. But she knew the sound when she ran her finger on the surface of the word.

                          « Araoni »

                          That was her. She was remembering, and everything started to change.

                          :fleuron2:

                          The wedding of the God Blohmrik, son of Mirÿnda, Goddess of Mirth and of Bälias, God of the Sparkles with Araoni, daughter of the Fairy Queen Theÿa and the Fairy King Aldurion was pronounced on a bright day of Maÿ, in a beautiful orchard in the presence of Araoni’s human parents and sisters and brothers.

                          Even Lejüs had been invited, even though he would have preferred to be Forgotten…

                          :fleuron:

                          And so my story ends… said Captain Bone to Tomkin.

                          — And was the shadow remembered by her true parents? had asked Tomkin.
                          — Oh, yes she was… Of course. She just didn’t want to steal the limelight from Mævel, you see. Her parents were happy of course to find back their true daughter.
                          — You didn’t tell me the name of the true daughter, did you?
                          — No, I didn’t, said Captain Bone with a wink.

                          in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #423

                          New Venice, November 2101

                          Midora was sleeping peacefully in her baby’s bed, and Oscar was dozing on the sofa, exhausted by his new role as a mother.

                          Bart was slowly finding himself back to his old studies. Just before Oscar became pregnant with their child, he was occupied with an old parchment his mother Indy had given to him.
                          She had said they had found it years ago with Oscar’s mum, her friend Eugenia. It was under a glass frame, among many other stuff she had accumulated along the years, mundane bric-a-brac flirting with sublime antiques —such was her mother strange decorative style…
                          Bart had known the parchment all his life, and her mother had sworn he would have it when the time would be right. During all this time he had thought she would most probably forget it altogether.

                          When Bill, his father had disengaged, two years before (only two months before the New Century’s festivities, at the age of 79) Indy had said she needed to make some room in her apartment, and get rid of old things which were full of memories. After all, she was only 49, and Bill hadn’t wanted to see her wither in sadness, that would be such a waste.
                          She had given him the old parchment.

                          Bart had always been so close to his mother, probably because she had him so young. She was 16 when they had married with Bill, and Bart was born right after. Of course, she always played the old flattery trick when people said she must be his big sister; it wasn’t actually far from the truth.

                          When he was younger, Bart had fearful dreams, of dying in atrocious pain, full of rash, at a young age in an alien and sunny place.
                          Curious as to what hint it may have been, Indy had been connecting with him to the energy of the dream. And together, they had tried to find the reason of that manifestation in the young boy’s dreams.
                          Despite her having such a fleeting memory, India Louise was skilled at connecting to other focuses, and particularly group ones, and Bart had found many information thanks to her. And the fearful dreams had disappeared.
                          He had found he was a young prince heir of the throne of Egypt, who was supposed to marry his sister. But both had died very suddenly. It was not quite clear as to whether the illness was the result of a plot from their father Pharaoh’s enemies, but the death was very unpleasant.
                          So unlike Bill’s disengagement, which was peaceful and full of love.

                          So yes, people were not far from the truth when they saw them as brother and sister.
                          According to Indy, the parchment was found within a cache inside the sister mummy’s sarcophagus, and might be linked to their shared focus. But her own psychic skills only extended as far as to notice connections, not as to go into more depths. That investigation, he would be able to do.

                          :fleuron:

                          Egypt, 2657 B.C.

                          :tile:
                          Lekshen had finished writing down what the long snouted god of his dream, Set had dictated to him.

                          It was a strange story, of Set being the god of the pariahs, throwing down structures of the Holy and the Truth, for the sake of expansion. Lekshen couldn’t understand all of what he had been talked into writing, but he had felt an intense activity and thrusts of gushing energy passing through him.

                          He needed sleep before hiding the text with the mummy.

                          :fleuron:

                          Paris, 2007

                          :tile: That symbol, Quintin had dreamt repeatedly about it… It was a tile, he was sure. It could be oriented in two ways, and, depending on its orientation, it meant either injection or ejection of energy structures. It was linked to the family of the Speakers.

                          Let’s insert it again then, he smiled to himself.

                          :fleuron:

                          When he connected with the symbols written on the parchment, Bartholomew was astounded. The energy was so familiar.
                          There was a book coming from his mother. She had inherited it from her aunt, Guiny… She probably got it herself from her mother Margaret, or perhaps her step-mother BeckyBart wasn’t too sure…

                          Finally, he found it. Inside the cover, there was a dedication. To you, dear Becky, happy birthday! With love, Kathy (2017).
                          Kathy, Kathy… A flash of a rainbow-coloured anaconda into Bart’s mind… Must have been one of Dory’s friends.

                          “There was once a god who was not a god — who was not a god, for you are dealing with legends,” he said, nearly whispering. “There was a god in ancient Egypt, and his name was Seth, and he was disreputable. And he threw aside establishments, whenever other gods rose up and said, “We are the truth, we are pure and we are holy,” this disreputable god stood up, and with a voice like thunder, said: “You are nincompoops!”

                          “And the other gods did not like him,” Seth continued in his story-telling whisper, “and whenever they set up their altars, he came like thunder, but playfully, and tossed the altars asunder, and he said “Storms are natural, and good, and a part of the earth, even as placid skies are. Winds are good. Questions are good. Males and females are good. Even gods and demons are good, if you must believe in demons. But, structures are limited!”.

                          “And so this god, who was not a god, called Seth, went about kicking apart the structures, and he gathered about him others who kicked apart the structures. And they were themselves, whether they were male or female. Whether they thought of themselves as good or bad, or summer or winter, or as old or as young, they were creators. They were questioners.

                          “And whenever another personality set itself up and said, “I am the god before you, and my word is law,” then Seth went about saying, “You are a nincompoop,” and began to kick apart the structures. And so you are yourselves, in your way, all Seths, for you kick apart the structures, and you are the black sheep of the religions, and the black sheep of the scientists, and the black sheep of the physicians, and the black sheep of the your mothers and your fathers, and your sisters and your brothers.

                          “And yet, the mothers and the fathers and the sisters and the brothers listen,” Seth went on in that quiet voice in that quiet room. “for they do not have the courage to be the black sheep…”

                          Conversations With Seth, Volume 1, Chapter 9, by Susan Watkins

                          in reply to: Synchronicity #1567
                          ÉricÉric
                          Keymaster

                            How fitting that today’s random quote, is about Illi being dead… 8-X

                            in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #414

                            Mmmm, Captain,… isn’t that legend a bit long-winded? Tomkin had asked to Captain Bone.

                            It had been six nights now that the Captain had told bits of that legend to Tomkin, and even if it was entertaining, Tomkin was more and more impatient to get back to meatier stuff, like galleons full of ancient magical treasures, corsairs from the Warring Kingdoms coasts, strange unknown races from far-off lands… that would be more mouth-watering than this endless legend…

                            Captain Bone had laughed.

                            — Aaaaah, Tomkin… of course you know I like to tell long stories, and make them longer each time I recall them, but you see, there is also a point in all of that adventure. Mævel’s story is also the story of all of us in a way. Of course, I could tell you how it ends, but in a way it never really ends. More important is for you to see it unfold and that you appreciate the unfolding. The ending is not important in a way. Each and every time this story is recalled, it is different, because it adapts to what is happening right now. Do you see?
                            — So what is the point of telling me that story? It was supposed to tell me something about this strange knotted object, but I don’t see any link.
                            — Ahahahaha, the point is precisely that Tomkin. I am telling you my story, but this object makes you hear your own story through my words.

                            Now, Tomkin Sharple was squatting on the sand near the bonfire lit by Badul’s crew, and he was recalling the words from the Captain. At that time, when he didn’t know a thing about that strange magical object, he had not understood a thing of what the Captain had said.
                            But now, it started to make sense, some sense at least. Each time the Captain had told him bits of the legend, Tomkin had been fidgeting the strange object, making the Captain smile. Perhaps the object’s magic was not only acting as a translation device…
                            There was something more about it. He was no longer sure that the Captain’s story had been what he was recalling. Perhaps it was completely different, and he had translated it…
                            Still, the object had apparently helped him understand what Badul and his men wanted, so it was translating truthfully. But what was a faithful translation?

                            Then, a flash came into Tomkin’s mind. The Captain had given the object to him. He’d said it was about connections. Being connected.
                            Till then, Tomkin had been the only one to touch it. He had not even revealed the source of his gift to Badul.
                            But in the Captain’s case, both of them had been touching it. In sharing that link, they had extended trust to each other, and somehow, they had been mirrors for each other. Perhaps that was what Captain Bone meant when he said that Tomkin was hearing his own story through the Captain’s words.

                            Tomkin laid down on the warm sand, looking at the clear starry night.

                            ***

                            — The legend of Mævel — (Part VI)

                            Inside the warm burrow, Mævel found a bed of dry leaves and tender moss. She could see some light from the moon, coming through holes in the ground, which were bringing in some fresh air too. Cuddling comfortably into the makeshift bed, she started to sleep peacefully, waiting for her friend the blue fox to come back.

                            ***

                            Half-asleep on the beach, Tomkin was wondering… What had happened the next morning… This was fuzzy in this memory, as if the events were moving and reorganising themselves. All that he remember was that Mævel had met the blue fox, but there were myriads of possible events, and all of them were possible, dancing now in front of him.
                            He could chose any of them… But, would that make the story the same?
                            Then he recalled that it was his own story… So why make it difficult then…

                            The voice of Captain Bone was resounding in his ear “You find value in hardships, and value is important to you and our kind. In these lands full of magic, we could just do anything, but somehow you’ll find that rare are the people who constantly use magic. Because when magic is used to make things happen instantaneously, it shifts everything around it to accommodate the changes asked by the summoner of the magic. And it can be overwhelming when too big are the differences between the too states, as we are accustomed to live within a continuity. That’s why I tell you to enjoy the ride of that legend.
                            Think of it… You could be Emperor of all Lands if you knew how to use magic for such a feat. But would you do that instantaneously? Slim chances. You wouldn’t know how to behave as an Emperor, and on top of that, you probably would find the new aspect of you who is an Emperor to be overwhelming to your present aspect of little Tomkin.”

                            Okay, Tomkin said… No need to skip directly to the last part… she meets the blue fox in his den, and Mævel learns about the curse of the fox.

                            ***

                            — Oh, really? Mævel was saying
                            — Yes, I was a bit of a fool… the blue fox was telling her. But, the silver lining is that there is a way to counteract the curse. But I will need your help again, if you want.
                            — I want to help you.
                            — Fine. You know about Shaint Lejüs Festival?
                            — Mmm, yes, my parents told me about that. It’s the Day of the Forgotten, isn’t it?
                            — and of the Accursed Ones.
                            — Oh…
                            — That special day of the year, the Gates of Lejüs’ Realm are opened and Forgotten and Accursed Ones are given a chance to be Remembered or Graced.
                            — Every year? Why then aren’t all of them Remembered?
                            — Mostly because the Living Ones dread this day. They are the only ones to be able to free the Demanders, and they quickly felt haunted by the Demanders. So they did rituals to keep the Demanders away from them, as certainly your human parents did.
                            — Yes, I remember now…
                            — There is another reason actually. Forgotten Ones can only be Remembered when they recover their true name, and only a strong bond like love or some potent magic can force it out of Lejüs’ graps.
                            — And Accursed Ones?
                            — For them to be Graced, they need to do one pure act of altruism.
                            — A simple act?
                            — Don’t be fooled, it’s not as simple as it seems. See, I tried to rescue a woman who was drowning herself into the river, but that hunter thought I was attacking her… The fact was that she was willing to be Forgotten, and that my act was not purely altruistic.
                            — How so? You probably saved her life?
                            — Yes, but that was not what she wanted, and when she cried that I let go of her, I only wanted her out of the waters, because of me…
                            — I understand. And how can I help?
                            — One altruistic act for me would be to help a Forgotten One to be Remembered. That’s what they ask for, but it’s difficult for them to get past the barriers of the Living Ones.
                            Shaint Lejüs Festival is tomorrow…
                            — Yes, have as much rest as you need, Mæ. We will see tomorrow what will occur…

                            in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #412

                            :multimedia: CUUUUUT !

                            — Ahahaha, I’m sorry, that must be the sauerkraut we had for lunch!
                            — You’re kiddin’ or what? I tell you for the 58 th time, it’s supposed to be a dramatic scene filled with suspended horror and… Shite! Perhaps you’d prefer to have it Broadway-like, Teri sweetie? With parrot feathers jabbed into your bum and fairies dangling from the roof singing La Traviata?…

                            — Err… You can say that’s because of the fermentation gas produced by the mould inside the mummy, and that her reviving her physiological tissues would naturally generate…
                            — Who the hell is that f*cking know-it-all?
                            — I’m the historical consultant, John Davis
                            — Historical WHAT? Betty’s gonna hear me, I can tell ya, as if we’ve got ‘nuff budget to bother with… Aaah, get lost! Now, everyone get ready for the… Ooooh bugger! Let’s do it tomorrow.

                            Marvin Scrozzezi went to his caravan exasperated. The movie wasn’t going very well, and there were all these impossible deadlines… His worst concern was about the damn budget. He’d thought it was a good idea to hire that expensive castle to do the movie. An adaptation from a book he had found recently.
                            He had bargained with the author to get the rights, and that had been tough, considering his previous movies were not quite that kind of great historical epic he was supposed to do now.
                            At least she had not laughed when Marvin had told her his most successful movie was The Return of the Avenging Dame Zombie of the Lake
                            What a mess… Sure a good night of sleep would make it all right.

                            in reply to: Circle of Eights, Stories #410

                            On Mount Elok’ram, the old abbot Hrih Chokyam Lin’potshee was gardening.

                            Despite his old age, and his being at the head of the Monastery, Hrih Chokyam was always doing his hour of gardening with great application and talent, as was asked to everyone, from the youngest to the oldest monks studying here.
                            The Monastery was a place of healing and teaching, dedicated to Margilonia, the Elder Goddess thought to have created the Earths. As a matter of fact, gardening was the simplest —yet most effective— way to fully appreciate the grandness and the interconnectedness of the whole of creation.

                            Hrih Chokyam remembered when he was a little child in the vast fertile plateaus in the Eastern part of Dam Adbor, bordering the high mountains. He had always loved the mountains, better than the plains, or the towns where the wars and plots were fomented endlessly. So he was wandering many times in the mountains, to collect herbs and also just for the fun and exhilaration of climbing higher and higher, and seeing the world as a small thing that could be placed into his hands.
                            His parents had wanted him to become a farmer, but some wealthy neighbours had thought he was showing signs of being able to do much better, and even proposed to have him pursue a career in the administration of Dam Adbor’s capital.
                            Young Hrih had considered the proposition for some time, and one day, went deep into the mountains to make his decision.
                            There he’d got this powerful connection with an enveloping warm manifestation of Margilonia, who prompted him to go higher than anyone had ever been on the top of the mountains, were a natural point of great potential magical energy was. Here, she had conveyed to him, he would have a monastery built, a perfectly clear channel for this yet untaped magical energy.

                            Ninety nine years ago that was.
                            Hrih had been higher than any human had ever been, in the search of this point, knowing he would feel it resonate with him. The mountains, he had learned were not as empty as humans had thought, and there were many other kinds of sentient beings living here, far from the wars below.
                            Interestingly, assisted by these magical sentient creatures and Margilonia’s energies, building the structure had been easy. He had never thought harnessing magic would be that easy, perhaps just because the traveling magicians coming at times in the village to do some healing or just funfair exhibitions were making that very difficult, and requiring lots of training.

                            The truth was, magic was everywhere, only people had become blind to it, or just lazy to use it. But old Hrih, even if his eyes were not as sharp as they used to be, could see it clear as day. Magic was in everything. Especially in one’s own very existence.
                            That was the first of the things people coming to learn in the monastery had to understand. Deceptively simple, yet the most difficult lesson for many of them. He had to admit, he had struggled quite a bit with it too, during the endless wandering into the vast mountains. But there had always been a root to eat, or some fresh mushrooms or eggs apparently left here just for him… He laughed now, thinking of it.

                            Hrih’s life had been so fulfilling. He knew he was weak now, and would not see the springing season, and he was thinking he had to choose someone to take care of the monastery. Few people went to stay here, for as they had learned and applied what was to learn, their own passion was coming back to them, and they would not need to stay any longer.

                            But a few days ago, a young one had come, announced to old Hrih by a singing rosy finch.
                            As usual, all was provided when things were ready for it.
                            Hrih had no doubt that the hesitant young man would be the next one to hold the title of Lin’potshee, or “Precious Elder”.

                          Viewing 20 replies - 1,601 through 1,620 (of 1,710 total)