Dark Path to the Wizard

It appeared that the older these elderly four had grown the more ambitious they had become to acquire a strength of immortal proportions at any cost.

Over the years together they had done a great many things to achieve what they believed would bring them power, and youth, using various rituals with vampiristic means. To look at them it was obvious that none of this had worked. They were not exceptionally powerful or magnetic, and there was nothing outstanding about any one of them.

And yet they still had hope, and a faith of their own. In all of this striving there was a larger character motivating the group unseen - one that they that they had adhered to for decades - and it was hard to say if they had found him during a mad incantation, or if he had found them and inflamed their delusions of greatness.

Romulus was a foul character of dark design. He was, one could say, the Wizard of Oz of the black arts: and they, the four, the alter egos finding their way on this dark path to the concealed tower.

Yes, this is a very good picture tale … of a mirror world, where human life is so distorted, upside down and back to front, and the souls involved have truly lost their way, believing in a misguided chance for a never-won prize that would have been theirs anyway, should they have travelled the moral road instead of the greedy one.

And just alike to the Wizard of Oz, Romulus kept himself concealed, and their communications were brief but to the point, and in this also, he was always arms-length to the evil they perpetuated.

Peter had a personal history of military service for which he was most proud and of the four he was the least the squeamish at doing what he believed had to be done.

The room stunk of burnt fur, as Peter had been setting light to Granoldi watching his white curls frizzle back to a pale pink skin beneath.

Lettie had been poking him with her knitting needles - and even though Granoldi was secured well she kept her distance, by using her foot long prongs.

“Don’t poke the bear” laughed Bryan repeating himself.

The other three failed to see the funny side of this - their minds have converted to literal speak only and simple humour was as impossible to this sinister lot, as was doing a pushup.

Any simple joy or happiness had departed them same moment they pledged themselves to the push and pull of the will of Romulus.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series