Mellow mood
Sit and brood
Rarely viewed
Feel subdued
Solitude
Why be difficult, when with just a little bit of effort you could be impossible?
2014-02-12
69
The wooden ship creaked as the wind tore at the sails. The storm had been heavy on the bay for the last couple of hours but it seemed to slow down a bit as time went on. The soldiers muttered as the officers tried to whip them alive once more, the siege wasn't over yet and they were to make landfall soon.
One of the soldiers, a bearded man, stretched his arms as best he could in the cramped space and checked the fittings of his shield again, everything seemed to be in order. He followed the others into the smaller landing vessels, twenty soldiers sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in two rows, and they began rowing to the shore. The wind while slower was still tugging at the boat, rocking it side to side as they moved forwards.
The shore itself was lined with fortified emplacements; ballistae protected by palisades that had been built as soon as the attackers were spotted on the horizon. Archers stood at the ready to fire on any and all footsoldiers that made landfall. No one would take this fortress without suffering casualties in tenfold, nay, hundredfold!
The bearded man could hear as the chaplain of their boat began his prayers. It was customary for them to follow along on the ships, but it had raised several eyebrows and mutters when they had started boarding the landing vessels. The prayers of the spirits were in a tongue not used by the common folk so while he could not hear what the chaplain was saying he could understand from the tone that this was not something meant to comfort the soldiers, but rather to lash out at the enemies.
Suddenly an unnaturally large bolt of light struck down from the storm clouds and cleft the towers of the keep that rested on a hill above the shore. Panic broke out among the fortifications as the ground split beneath the ballistae and fire rose towards the sky. In their boats the armies of the Emperor cried in triumph as they made landfall and made short work of the defenders.
Today the spirits had chosen the victor.
One of the soldiers, a bearded man, stretched his arms as best he could in the cramped space and checked the fittings of his shield again, everything seemed to be in order. He followed the others into the smaller landing vessels, twenty soldiers sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in two rows, and they began rowing to the shore. The wind while slower was still tugging at the boat, rocking it side to side as they moved forwards.
The shore itself was lined with fortified emplacements; ballistae protected by palisades that had been built as soon as the attackers were spotted on the horizon. Archers stood at the ready to fire on any and all footsoldiers that made landfall. No one would take this fortress without suffering casualties in tenfold, nay, hundredfold!
The bearded man could hear as the chaplain of their boat began his prayers. It was customary for them to follow along on the ships, but it had raised several eyebrows and mutters when they had started boarding the landing vessels. The prayers of the spirits were in a tongue not used by the common folk so while he could not hear what the chaplain was saying he could understand from the tone that this was not something meant to comfort the soldiers, but rather to lash out at the enemies.
Suddenly an unnaturally large bolt of light struck down from the storm clouds and cleft the towers of the keep that rested on a hill above the shore. Panic broke out among the fortifications as the ground split beneath the ballistae and fire rose towards the sky. In their boats the armies of the Emperor cried in triumph as they made landfall and made short work of the defenders.
Today the spirits had chosen the victor.
2014-02-08
68
Have you ever looked into a mirror? I don't mean look at your own reflection or the layer of silver that causes the reflection. No, I'm talking about truly looking into the mirror, past the reflections, past the silver, and into the realm beyond.
The realm beyond the mirror is quite an extraordinary one. Inside live spirits who wear the appearances of things in our world; the bookshelf in the background, the flower on the desktop, and even the humans who gaze back at them. The spirits are very good at wearing their masks faithfully, forming almost perfect reflections for us humans to enjoy. I say "almost perfect" because if you take the time to truly look into the mirror and linger for a while a crack will start to show in their façade. Your skin will seem to lose colour, while your eyes changes to a bloody red. Seeing the true forms of the spirits angers them greatly and they will do what they can to make sure you don't get to spread your findings, even if that means leaving the realm beyond the mirror.
So take care the next time you're fixing your hair or adjusting your make-up, for the spirits might become apparent if you disturb them for too long, and taking care of your looks might be turn out to be a little bit harder when your eyes have been clawed out.
The realm beyond the mirror is quite an extraordinary one. Inside live spirits who wear the appearances of things in our world; the bookshelf in the background, the flower on the desktop, and even the humans who gaze back at them. The spirits are very good at wearing their masks faithfully, forming almost perfect reflections for us humans to enjoy. I say "almost perfect" because if you take the time to truly look into the mirror and linger for a while a crack will start to show in their façade. Your skin will seem to lose colour, while your eyes changes to a bloody red. Seeing the true forms of the spirits angers them greatly and they will do what they can to make sure you don't get to spread your findings, even if that means leaving the realm beyond the mirror.
So take care the next time you're fixing your hair or adjusting your make-up, for the spirits might become apparent if you disturb them for too long, and taking care of your looks might be turn out to be a little bit harder when your eyes have been clawed out.
2014-02-04
67
I walked towards the light. I had left my body, my loved ones, and their tears below me. Their feelings no longer concerned me. I was free from the chains I had crafted in my earthly life:
The limp I got from jumping of the garage roof at the age of nine
My wife whom I had met twelve years ago and married four years later
Our beautiful children, four-year-old Jake and his year younger sister Sarah
All of that was behind me now. I did not despise them or anything, heck I'd even loved them right up 'til the end, but as soon as Death's embrace took me I had no more feelings for anything from before. I was in a state of absolute freedom without a bother in the world. The warmth of the light above me pulled me closer second by second, minute by minute until I could no longer see the hospital or even the city beneath me. I was in the empty void of space with only the light for company.
Ahead of me a cloud formed out of the nothingness and I flew closer. Peeking through I could see a garden filled with trees, flowers, and streams. A small path curved along the slight elevations of the grassy field. I stepped down from my floating position and started to walk along the path, deciding to follow it wherever it took me. I could see mountains form in the distance and get closer as I walked for countless hours. Finally I reached a meadow with a small wooden cabin.
My curiosity pushed me towards it and I peeked through one of the windows. Inside I could see that the cabin contained only one room with a small fireplace as well as a well-made bed. There was a brass plate attached to the outside of the front door, and on it my name was engraved:
"Here rests Fredrick Miller, loved by family and friends."
I entered my new home.
The limp I got from jumping of the garage roof at the age of nine
My wife whom I had met twelve years ago and married four years later
Our beautiful children, four-year-old Jake and his year younger sister Sarah
All of that was behind me now. I did not despise them or anything, heck I'd even loved them right up 'til the end, but as soon as Death's embrace took me I had no more feelings for anything from before. I was in a state of absolute freedom without a bother in the world. The warmth of the light above me pulled me closer second by second, minute by minute until I could no longer see the hospital or even the city beneath me. I was in the empty void of space with only the light for company.
Ahead of me a cloud formed out of the nothingness and I flew closer. Peeking through I could see a garden filled with trees, flowers, and streams. A small path curved along the slight elevations of the grassy field. I stepped down from my floating position and started to walk along the path, deciding to follow it wherever it took me. I could see mountains form in the distance and get closer as I walked for countless hours. Finally I reached a meadow with a small wooden cabin.
My curiosity pushed me towards it and I peeked through one of the windows. Inside I could see that the cabin contained only one room with a small fireplace as well as a well-made bed. There was a brass plate attached to the outside of the front door, and on it my name was engraved:
"Here rests Fredrick Miller, loved by family and friends."
I entered my new home.
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