over the mountain

I broke through the pain and made it out feeling amazing. With the weight lifted, I carried on with increased strength and vitallity.

oh god. the pain

Doubled over in pain, I writhed in my bed all dayon friday. When I did get up and looked in the mirror, I was pale as a ghost. It was as if I had been stabbed in the side. More than likely I'm just passing some minor stones from sometime in the past. With any luck, it should all be over soon.

Chronicles: The Dragon (3)

I came upon the dragon last night. In the city just before the castle, he sat, looming over the buildings. Many people had come to slay him but they all had failed and fled. I stepped up, sword sheathed and bow drawn, and prepared to confront this beast once and for all. With all the knowledge that I had at my disposal , no matter how skillfully crafted my arrows may have been, once knocked, as if by magic, seemed inadequate and did nothing to the dragon when fired. Shot after shot I took, and the few arrows that actually did make it to the beasts scaly skin, did nothing but amuse the beast as it crouched, almost gloating as it took a swing at other attackers. My arrows were not enough, but I did not want to stand face to face with this beast for in its shear size and strength, it could easily devour me, but I did not run. I backed off and waited. Eventually, it grew tired of being annoyed by so many pointless attackers that it decided to chase them all away or devour any that stayed. I took this as an opportunity. As the many fled from the hulking mass, I gave the appearance of flight as well, only in a different direction. Diving to the ground behind a rising of dirt, I waited for the dragon to continue on after the others, but upon passing me, he stopped. He knew something was wrong... different. A thought was in the air that tasted bitter to his tongue. I had let my thoughts leak out and betray me. It was now or never. With the beasts back still turned to me, I leaped into stride and made haste to its back. Sword drawn and glowing bright white from the force of my will power, I ran up the beast's back without a thought and drove my sword deep into its back. The shock of this caused the dragon to arc his head back in an attempt to snap me in two with his razor sharp teeth and massive jaws, but the angle caused so much pain that he missed, and as I side stepped, I pulled the sword out and drove it in again and again until I began screaming at the beast. Over and over until 50 times I buried my sword into his back and the beast lay slumped over dead.
I had done it. It was my victory.
The war may not have been over yet, but that battle had most assuredly been won, and a major player of the enemy had been taken out of the equation.
Now, I continue on...
forward...
along the path...
to whatever lay ahead.

Chronicles: The Path (2)

I have walked along the path for a number of days now. Days that are slowly turning over into weeks. Each day the battlements of the enemy grew closer and closer, and with each day they had more time to prepare a strategy for my defeat... but the path had been laid out before me and of all things that must be done, the simplest yet the hardest is to follow that path. Deviate ever so little and all would be lost. I have walked that path each day, and each day that path has seemed narrower and narrower until I was almost walking a tightrope> Strung over a vast precipice that is almost bottomless. Almost. Still deep enough to see the bottom so far below that knowing where it is is harder on the mind than not knowing at all.
Still, I walk the path.
The fight. Oh the fight has been hard. The enemies initial volley of arrows seemed easy enough to dodge. Unscathed, I marched on with confidence, but the next volley... The next volley blanketed the sky with black arrows, tipped in poison and malcontent. They poured down upon me like heavy rains beating against a stone, but like a stone they parted to the wayside for my shield protected me. Still I carried on. The next day, I was too close for the volleys of arrows, so the ground assault began. Waves upon waves of the enemy came upon me. The fight almost seemed to be a relief as it was tangible so I carried on. With the best of my skills I carved my way forward through the wall of opposition, but then... then came the spies. The snipers. Sabotage was among me. My mind filled with mixed thoughts. I waded through the field of confusion like a thick bog growing deeper and deeper, but ... I was still on the path, and that was the goal. Above all else, stay on the path.
After days of fighting, doubt gave way to certainty as the light of truth shined back down upon the battlefield, and I finally was once again able to clearly the see the path before me. Though the fight was long and hard and the enemies many, I had now realized that I had made it even farther than I had hoped.

The first walls have been toppled. I continue, not knowing what lay before me, but that doesn't matter because the path is still at my feat, and I carry on.

Chronicles: I stand (1)

As with all of the great stories of our time, things are not always as they seem. Behind the wave of victory lies an undertoe. The lull of peace shrouded ever so delicatly by a darkness that somehow prevails. A foe that seems to steal the joy from your soul just when it was begining to feel warmth again.
I stand now, at the turn of a new era. When times have been shadowed by an ever looming evil. When my mortal foe turns out be my very self. When the battles over the years have all seemed to drag on and hope is all but lost, I stand. I regain the will to survive. To thrive. I will not lay down and be washed over by the rising tide. I will stand firm and I will beat it back to the very shores from wence it came. Through sacrifice. Through sweat and tears. Through the nightmares that stand before me upon the battlements, arrows notched and swords drawn. They await me. They have waited a long time for me. They knew I would choose this path eventually, but the path is all they know. The purpose lies hidden to all but me, and that will be their undoing. They stand ready before me, counting my steps. In their minds this is nothing more than a simple act of closure on matter of principle. It had to happen eventually.
Well, it won't happen. It never will.
I stand tall and I carry on. Each step forward bringing me closer to a doom that must be carried out. For whom this doom is meant is many, including myself, but not all doom is bad, atleast as long as I believe.

I stand now ready for battle. I have let go of that which has held me back and held me down. The fight shall be long and hard. Oh how hard this fight shall be. Through day and night, my waking hours will be tested. Even my dreams will be plagued. I will not rest easily for quite some time now, save for the grace of my guardian shall I find any temporary peace in my dreams.
I will fight them all the way back to the wall of their great and dark city and I single handedly will push on through the barred doors of their hall and slay all that stand in my way until I stand face to face with the one man with the power of will to have kept me cowered for so long, and we shall do battle. Standing there, tired and broken from all that have been strown behind me, I will stand with what strength I have left to call forth from the heavans and earth and I will fight. It will be my finest hour, or so I hope. I can not even imagine when this one final battle will end. My eyes have not the power to see that far into a future so shrouded as this.

I wear hope upon my shoulders as armor,
and my will shall be my sword through the fight.
Wisdom shall be my shield that will not sunder,
and love shall be my guiding light.

I know not where this path will end,
but I do know where it leads.
Solace is my only friend,
and only he shall know my deeds.

I have failed so many times before,
but defeat is an ending I will not choose.
Destiny knocks upon my door,
and its calling I can not refuse.

I stand.

oh well

One of my fish died. T.S. I'm pretty sure Hilter had something to do with it. I bought 2 more fish, Gladys and the Pimp. I'm sure the 3 of them will get along fine.

I won the Lotto!

Well, actually I just won some cash on a scratch off ticket...

500 smackers!