Product Placement was Big

Product placement was big. Coke cans and chicken wraps, vending machines - even zeppelins floated by conveying trademarks and slogans branded from the 'real' and very commercial world that was its parent.

Brogan had also wondered where Nervina now was and had gone the opposite direction in looking for him. He came upon a cock fight - which was one of the ways things played out in deciding small defeats - lower level members would use dogs, birds or even wild animals, pitted against each other to the death. The killing took place in small outdoor circular 'theatres' where the matches in the games were held.

There was blood everywhere, and a chicken torn at the throat was running around spurting onlookers from his spraying wound.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

The Empress of China eating a McDonald's Burger, Riding on a Harley

A cold wind passed through that was so strong that he almost fell over. Then came such a loud rumbling, he had taken for thunder, until he saw a tank fast approaching towards him. It was a military tank, painted with bright symbols and fierce emblems.

One of the characteristics of WAR was that not only was identity untraceable, but also time itself - it blended unashamedly time periods from history and myth and combined them altogether.

There you could find an empress of China - eating a McDonald's burger - riding on a Harley; a Marine walking through early Egypt, conversing with the Pharaohs in the marble baths of Thebes.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

A Penchant for the Arts

He had tried to 'sense' where Brogan was now, but the noise around him interrupted his clairvoyance. There was a constant sound of a metallic clinking - like coins dropping, followed by whispers and shouts coming from directions all over.

Every now and then a character would ride or fly by - either pursuing or fleeing another.

Disorientated he moved towards a statue that was standing central to the courtyard. It was extremely tall - about fourteen feet high - and looked to be made of bronze. It was of a man sitting on a world globe that was carved in marble and had the countries of Earth inlaid in gold. Out from his head sprouted two intricate and tall antlers, like those of a deer, or branches of a tree, and they had small, cute cherubim babies hanging from them like fruit, attached by umbilical cords connected to the spikes.

Nervina thought this embellishment was very nice - he had a penchant for the Arts and often enjoyed making his appraisals.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

No Orbit, No Vitality, No Soul

Nervina had known from the very moment he had pushed through into the game of WAR that he had landed himself within a quasi zone, which was no more and no less real than any other of the astral realities he had encountered.

Such realms appear in many aspects to share realities of the real worlds - and draw their substance and design from the concepts and models within living existence.

And although tangible, they are no more real to life than a photograph is to its original - or a mirror to its reflection.

The plants there do not grow or die, the mountains do not wear down, and the sun never rises or falls. There is no orbit, no vitality, no soul.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

Every Surface Soft

Inside his new home he had yearned for comfort: and every color was to be soothing to the sight; every picture, pleasant; every surface soft; every fragrance, fresh. He had exchanged the chrome black and white decor for something 'warm' - that his home might become oblivious to the sharper edged worlds without.

This time Puck had chosen a location near an Elvish Bakery - a fine kitchen that delivered to his gatehouse daily a tray of sweet and savoury baked goods. He had a hatch carved into the side of the adjoining tree with a small arched door, where the deliveries could be placed whilst awaiting his collection.

With his bearings now returned to him, so also, was his way forward; and in no time Puck was prepared yet again to venture back out into the World and the travails that lay ahead.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

A Security Feature of Ten Watchmen Trolls

Opposite the entrance, down the far end of the hall hung a large impressive portrait. It was cradled in a carved dark brown frame of wood, expertly crafted, depicting small creatures and flowers.

The painting's varnish lustred like amber and the entire artwork stood six feet high. Its subject was of the Azlan -and his presence seemed to be invoked through the brushstroke alone - it was serenely powerful to gaze into.

Around the perimeter of the forest Puck had installed a security feature of ten watchmen Trolls.

He had also created a magnetic wall surrounding, which repelled force with the same velocity that came towards it - unless relaxed by an invisible key.

Stunned birds that hit the wall flying would propel back into the forest beyond, and stray dwarves would stand watching this go on, just for the laugh of it.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series

The Deeper a Magic is, the More Normal it can Appear

Sometimes when deep magic is before you, it can be taken as something quite ordinary. Only when looking back does one question what had just taken place, and make note that it had been queer or unusual. The deeper a magic is, the more normal it can appear.

For Marley this was one of those times, as she stood and stared at the creature before her - half man, half beast - almost attractive ... but no, she would not let her thoughts take her there (as he had hoped) - for it did not, and would not, could not, feel natural.

His chest shone with the oil that had dripped down in trickling beads, as the girls began front and back to smooth it into his leathered skin.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Puck in Hell, Azlander Series