Rock Art

On a rock wall that shouldered where they stood were pictures painted with very small bright dots. Murals that were of the rich ochres and rust, chalk and mixed earths, with perfectly formed circles, methodically placed, a braille of creativity. One could make out a great goanna dragon contesting the kangaroo men with whorls upon whorls encircling them. 

Goober fixed his eyes on the picture wall just momentarily and the dots appeared to move and group before his eyes, forming and reforming images of other pictures entirely different. He was reminded of the Tibetan sands and similarly they too were comprised of the many places and ages, for which the substance itself was their secret … how they are of themselves a living testimony to a time, and a deep magic of memory. 

The Azlan had once again disappeared as quickly as he had arrived, however his presence was still apparent. It had been he that enabled the tribesmen to come forth … and yet they were not summoned or compelled by him, his authority had simply appealed to them. 

Until now the spirits of the ages had only the licence to be observers; yet by the Azlan’s asking came also the permission for them to intervene. The native souls were now gathered and ready. 

With one single breath the two thousand spirit tribesmen each opened their mouths and blew the doors open. The surrounding structure gave way also, and the front of the building came down. Puck and Goober were staring right inside at a lobby that had several lifts whose only button to press was for going down.

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

Mother of All

Never wake the sleeping mother
she could break you like a twig
she gave birth to the land upon this Earth
and protected her children within.

Her blackness then became the sky
her pearls entwined were moon and stars
her nakedness was corporeal
the mother Divine, portal for all.

I will beat you men with your own sticks
I will strangle the demons with their own tails
I will take the power right back from you
that was never yours to steal.

I will throttle your threats and disable your deals.
For I am the mother of all,
and you, the mother of none.
I decree, from this moment,
from the seas to the hills
all demons be gone, all evil be done.

There was now a gathering of two thousand standing upon the highest ridge - a single line of gracious men - spirits who became visible … guardian spirits of the rotunda plains, shielding the earth from the ominous forces beneath, making themselves known to the Elvish two. This gathering brought the gravity of the early world, and there was not a power in this realm that could stand against them. Their solidarity was solemn and of one mind - perhaps more angelic than once human.

Their own histories spanned centuries - each being a representative of their time and tribe. Guardians of the land, watchers of the world. And, with them, there came also the cosmic souls … the guardians of the guardians.

Small pygmy spirits of children swung from the silvery-green-leaf trees. They were not of any particular race, yet presented as being native Aboriginal for they had lived in the care of the Elders and had begun to appear as they had do, most naturally. It was apparent to Puck seeing them, these hundreds upon hundreds of small ghost children, that they had come from the underground laboratories as experiments that had failed - born and died in the warehouse that Puck and Goober were about to break into - and that these were their ghosts.

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

Sealed Doors

Richard Browne

“Now, let me see …we can’t think our way in, not this time - because we’ve been blocked from doing so, and this portal is being guarded. This fortress has been sanctified against the likes of you and I.” 

Desert bats fluttered past their heads in waves of a hundred. The landscape was imbued with colour, yet was depressingly repetitive. The dawn birds were calling to one another, and the waterhole in the distance was crowded with the animals that had congregated for their morning’s refresh. There were wallabies and bilbies, mudlarks, possums and rabbits a plenty. 

The mysteries of the natives of Australia were fluid … spiritual … they would shape-change to avoid being caught by the unworthy. The conservership was always with the Elders who fully knew the potent magic that literally linked the oldest period, before written history, to now. It was a custodial privilege to be a living testimony to time itself. It was this deep magic that made the outback so mysterious.

The doors remained closed to them.

“They require a pin-prick of blood to identify the caller - and everyone knows that the Elvish don’t use blood within their systems.” Puck said quietly. “The locking devices behind these doors are distinctly set to repel the otherworldly - they have astral mesh.”

“Turnip juice - a powerful motivator.” said Goober handing a large bottle over to Puck. 

Every time they had tele-transported themselves through to the other side of those doors they had been pushed out of the underground compound back up into the air above, onto the hot red sand with the glaring sun beating down on them. There seemed to be a three second delay, actually setting them back in time further every time they were pushed out.

They barely had a moment inside when the forcefield had expelled them again with a remarkable aptitude for the magic it required. 

“What am I missing here?” Puck asked … I knew it would not be easy, but I really don’t like the way I hear laughter every time this happens. Moreover, we cannot walk away - not when we know the damage Marsden is causing to all of the realms right now as we speak.”

“Too true, too true”, said Goober deep in thought. His head was beginning to pound, “I swear the sun is brighter here than most places” he grumbled. 

“And the grit is sharper too.” 

“And the sky is bluer”, he added with an attempt to be cheerful. They had now been inside and straight back out again seven times.

The red dust swirled and circled around them, a chorus of green flies and gnats, sting beetles and red ants were swept up in the circular force, propelling them into their faces and clothes, stirring up the powder dry ground beneath. 

When the dirt came to settle a dark figure appeared, with a bare chest, partially dressed, with a tall decorated spear on one side and the Azlan standing at the other. 

Puck knew in that moment that all would become well. 

Upon the ridge of stone in the distance there appeared over three hundred such tribal men. Each had a radiant light flaming from the tips of their spears, piercing the brightening sky above.

The Elder now standing face to face in front of them looked straight at them with the deepest dark brown eyes and kindly face. His bony hand rested on the Azlan’s head. Three red dingos circled in the background, keeping their distance, pacing throughout the scrub. And behind them, in the far distance, there was Mother Nature watching on.

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

Who Roo Fare

 What amulet?

What luck can be worked?

What may save this world?

Other than love?

Cobwebs of clouds laced their way over the deepening sky.

“Am I imagining trumpets?” Goober asked faintly, after having collapsed on a red rock once again outside the desert fortress.

A brown snake had made its way to his boot, Puck took it by the neck and hurled it back into the moat it had come from.

Goober was very pale, and his energy low.

“This might be my end”, he said out of breath.

“No” said Puck firmly, “it was the second helping of fried ice-cream and that blue syrup you just gorged yourself with. What were you thinking oh great one? Especially when we have such serious work before us, we have already delayed far too long.”

And as he stood up the very tall and once thin elf was showing a pot belly congested with half the menu from the Who-Roo Cafe.

He groaned. “Maybe we should do this tomorrow? have a good night’s rest and come back our best?” he asked hopefully.

Goober had blisters from the heat frying his feet. The walk to the camp seemed to be taking longer and the options were few.

Puck ignored his request.

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