Part Four
By John Pirillo
"Yes. The Demon City was raised from the depths of Qwan Chi, an island off the coast of the mainland by a dark wizard for the purposes of using its inhabitants to terrorize and control the populated world."
Those were the words that triggered further exploration of the Jungle Lord's past, as well as the present, which we shall cover in a later portion of this interview. I have taken the liberty of adjusting the interview so that it is more linear than it progressed at the time with the Lord and Master of the Jungle.
The interview continues now.
"I'm curious. I believe you were raised by a bull dragon. Is this correct?"
Lord Graystone's eyes lit up for a moment, as he relived his history for those few brief seconds, then he looked at me. "The best part of my life for a long time. At least until Lady Shareen came into my life. Then a new level of joy such as only true love can bring overshadowed everything, my past, present and future."
He smiled indulgently. "Love is truly the only jewel worth possessing. I have blocked the evil of many a mastermind and many a man determined to subvert the laws of nature and man and the defining element missing in most of them, if not all...was the lack of love, or understanding of it."
"I see." I noted. "Then you did experience battles with some of a better nature?"
He wasn't expecting me to discover that from his comment, but like the gentleman he was, he still answered, albeit with, I suspect, some deleted comments I would have loved to have heard. And you dear audience, and you.
"Yes. A few."
"Care to comment upon them."
"No."
Upon my startled look he tempered his statement. "Not in depth. For reasons you'll understand one day as our friendship broadens and that of yours with the brotherhood of Baker Street."
"I love how you put that, Lord Graystone. The brotherhood of Baker Street."
"You may capitalize Brotherhood."
"I shall. The Brotherhood of Baker Street. Sounds like a new novel for me."
He smiled. Leaned forward. "I'd love to read it."
I laughed. "And I'd love to have time to write it."
I poured him some more tea and then went to the kitchenette and took out what I thought might be a nice surprise for him. A red velvet cake made by one of the finest chefs of Paris, with all natural ingredients. Healthy, tasty and nourishing all at the same time.
I divided it into portions, and slid an extra large one on a plate for him, grabbed a napkin and set it before him, then rushed back, extracted forks from a drawer, and laid those down by him and where my plate would be next. I went into the mini fridge and took out a carton of honey soy milk, a new concoction by Trader Joes.
He dug into the cake, his eyebrows rose, and then he looked at me, watching him. "How did you know this would appeal to me so much?"
Then he grinned. "Watson, of course. That rascal can't pass up any sweets. No wonder Mrs. Hudson is after him for losing weight all the time."
I smiled. "Read my mind."
Actually, I was testing something. When he left last time for his errand, I hastily wrote a new short story about him, and included a small part where he discovered red velvet cake and fell in love with it. So much in fact that...
He rose and went to the large dish with the rest of the cake. "I don't know why, but I must have more."
Instead of taking one piece, he took the whole plate, set it down on the table and began stashing it down his throat, his eyes rolling with pleasure.
I felt a tremendous amount of guilt at that moment, because I wasn't sure the little trick would work. But it had. And later on, when I have time, I'll also tell you how it saved my life and that of the Brotherhood of Baker Street.
Finished, he took the carton of soy milk and washed down the remains of the cake, then let out a huge belch. (I did not write THAT into the story!)
Content with his snack, he put his hands behind his back for more questions from me.
I obliged. "You have spoken how dangerous the expedition was for your father, but not how he met your mother yet."
"His face grew solemn a moment and I felt as if he was on the verge of tears, but he gathered his wits about him, sighed, and then said."My father and his men discovered a secret path to the temple of the Dark Master. On the path they were found out by his servants, and had to battle their way forward, as the path back had become blocked by huge, vicious animals of a nature uncertain. His men had fled in terror and he as well, but once they found the temple, they all came back to their senses.
"My father led the way inside. The natives who had harassed them would go no further, even if servants of the Dark Master. Why? That they were to find out.
The first thing my father saw when he entered the vast temple was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her shape, her eyes, her hair, everything was perfect about her. She stood even to him in height, and he was not short by any means, else I might be as well."
With that I had to agree for Lord Graystone is a very formidable giant of a man. I doubt even our modern Rock could stand up to him in stature, he was so perfectly proportioned, his muscles standing out like hard rocks on every inch of his body. His mind was as sharp as the razor I cut my chin on that morning and his vision, well I later learned that my binoculars were not as good.
"What happened next?"
"Everything!
"The Dark Master came into the temple riding one of those demon steeds that the Chinese bred during those days. A cross between a dragon and a horse. It had wings like a reptiles, and could breathe fire from its nostrils."
"That must have been horrifying." I remarked, trying to visualize such a creature.
"It was. That was when the rest of his men perished. They rushed the horse, thinking to eliminate any further problems with the Dark Master, but in the blink of an eye, it transformed into this hideous dragon, melding with the shape of the Dark Master.
"He stood there, a horrible smile upon his hideously scarred face and ate every one of my father's men.
"He stood there, alone and seemingly defenseless.
"The woman, whose name he had not a clue as to, watched him, hope on her face, but the glow of defeat close to her lips."Run!" She warned him.
"But he did not!"
Lord Graystone paused for a moment, looking into his hands of steel, and then looked at me. "He was my father. I am my father's son. Both bull dragon and human. We don't run!"
Then he told me what happened next.
I beg your pardon, dear souls, but I grow weary. I have been transcribing this interview for hours now and grow weak from fatigue. I caught the flu while in Paris and it has plagued me since, going away, then coming back. I shall have to go to a doctor soon, for the repeated recurrences of the disease worry me considerably.
So for now, I bid you all adieu, but will return with more once my strength has returned.
I remain now and always...
Your friend.
John Pirillo
No comments:
Post a Comment