Black Arts

Suffering quickly drives the spirit up, and out, and away.

Vlad Tepes never knew this truth. He was anchored to an earthly tragedy, gaining pleasure with earthly eyes. He thought himself a scholar of these black arts, that had now in turn, tarred his soul, as he corrupted the country surrounding with such an atmosphere of agony, that would remain for centuries to come.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Vlad is Bad

He would sit and watch, playing games with himself of predictions as to who would feel the pain, and who would spasm, and who could will themselves to die.

Vladimir did not however, see the angels that hovered above and around the suffering, he could not perceive their supplements: the grace of shock, the soul’s repose, the disentanglement from a body that was torn with irreparable injury.

He could not perceive the ghosts of the children rise above their dying remains, only to play, chasing one another in the winds above.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Gruesome Vista

Through the carriage window the dark forest blacked out the sunlight, and the passage itself was naturally quite terrifying.

When the trees finally cleared, the roads opened up, and as they climbed the mountain, she could make out many poles on the horizon - now dimming with the sunset … as though the big hill was one great spike furred animal.

She could not understand what it was that she was seeing. Only when they drew closer did Fatima find that there were human bodies skewed by huge wooden stakes. And, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of these spikes that had a person attached to every one of them.

Fatima believed there and then that she had been transported into Hell - for no place on Earth could insult life with this horror.

She turned to her companion, expecting that he also was caught by the horror, and then it came.

He smiled. He looked out over the acres of torment, and smiled. He looked back at her frenzy, and smiled. Without a heart or soul, this man had nothing - but a smile.


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Charismatic Magnetism

Anne Vallayer-Coster

They met in a small soup shop. She did not have the money to buy a broth, but a kindly man offered her a table and she took it.

Fatima was of the mentality of accepting offerings of charity, which broadly was thought of as ‘providence’ … and she did not interpret the gifts of a strange man in any other context, in her innocence.

The two became friends immediately. The stranger spoke with familiarity - perhaps because he knew who she was - for he had ‘eyes’ everywhere.

Fatima enjoyed his radiant attention. This soul had a charismatic magnetism the likes she had never seen.

His interest in her made her feel important. No one had shown her such kindness. And so, when Tepes suggested that she accompany him back to his castle, she had assented.


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Driven from the Cloister

Remarkably, Fatima over time became chastised by her community for her deep convictions and confidence.

When she was party to a great healing, it was reckoned that she herself placed her talents to be at the station of God, and that she should not be seen to be the giver of any life. In their opinion, Fatima needed to be humbled.

One miracle, or two, was noteworthy, but to have many, became despised and doubted.

She learned to do her work in secret, but despite of this, was driven out from her cloister and country in the Winter of 1499.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

The Miraculous

Souls who have seen God’s work firsthand hold a living recollection within their being, that dwells within them for all times to come.

Whether consciously known, or embedded in their dream-being, this is true for all individuals who have been blessed with the visions and realizations of the miraculous.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Holy Sisters

Talbot Hughes 

It was not unusual for babies to be born to the Holy Sisters themselves - but rather, it was common.

Many women, through abandonment or war, had lost their partner during childbearing and sought refuge in the protection of the holy arms.

Although the children were absorbed into the priory schools, they were given back into their mother’s keeping throughout the night, and in times of sickness. Thus Murmur, whose name now was Fatima, in this, his-her new life, was such a one, born to a convent Sister.

The ability to revive the dead was still very much present in her, as was also, the pure faith of one who has witnessed a multitude of miracles previously, as Fatima had done.

- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances