(Author's note - this story was originally written between 1997/98, and some of the references are old - I've changed certain things, most particularly names, to reflect certain differences, but more or less the story is intact. Enjoy...)
THE EMPEROR:
KICKED IN THE BUTT BY LOVE
By Bueno Bob
1.
In the last rays of the setting sun (the setting, not the start of a Judas Priest song), the Emperor stood atop the western tower of the citadel, watching the light disappear and be replaced by the night stars. He had reigned in this kingdom for nearly 4500 years now and was pretty damn tired of it.
The kingdom of Newbergia was on the western end of the realm of Oregonia, and he had conquered this place centuries ago...but those days were long, long gone and all that was left of them were his and Ian's memories...and a particular crystal ball.
Ian, his mage, his wizard, and his friend. When he had first come to this realm, this dark and blasted place, Ian had followed him faithfully. Had either of them expected it to be this way? No, not at all, but life was like that - often times you got kicked in the butt by love when you least expected it to happen. That had been one of those occurances.
Finally, the light had disappeared from the wasted lands of Newbergia, and the stars shone overhead. They were different here than what they were throughout the rest of Oregonia, and they had always been. This was an evil spot in the realm of Oregonia, damned and wicked. Vampires walked the streets both by day and night; sheep weren't the only things that were sheered, either. Nothing grew well (many times nothing grew at all) and the place was mostly abandoned, save for the occasional traveller who happened to mistake his way into the boundaries, and the animals that thrived and preyed one each other.
The crystal ball was beside him now. Trapped inside was the stone figurine of the dragon man, all that remained of Birch, the former overlord of Newbergia. It was here, into this crystal ball that he had imprisoned the old bastard during their ferocious battle...4500 years ago to this very night. In fact, within the next two hours, it would have been 4500 years ago to the very precise moment, and the vision from the ball would come again, as it always did annually. What the vision from the glass would show him remained a mystery, as it always did; sometimes it was the past, or a possible future. Other times it was just porn, and those visions were definately the best ones.
Tonight, the Emperor Bob hoped it would be porn, for he was rather horny and his court assassin was out on some mission or another that Ian had assigned her.
Bob looked down upon the glass ball, which was resting by his side on the window sill of the tower. Was Birch still alive inside of that thing, after all this time? Not likely - Bob hadn't understood the magic that resided in it and kept Birch prisoner entirely. Nor had Ian, and he had been the provider of the magic. But it was powerful and had been more than enough to keep Birch out of the way over the last few centuries, so it obviously worked well enough.
But what if it broke? Would Birch regain his true form and challenge his throne? Would the magic ever work again? If not, could he and Ian present enough of a challenge to stop Birch? And what of the rest of Oregonia? If Birch reclaimed his crown here, would he launch an attack against Oregonia? Would Oregonia be able to fight off his menace? What was he going to eat for dinner? Was there anything good on TV tonight? Did he have any tobacco left? Did Ian smoke it all? When was there going to be a "Lois and Clark" reunion on? For that matter, when was Dean Cain going to act in anything of any relative importance? Was Van Halen ever going to get David Lee Roth back on board? And if so, how long would it last? Would they retire the band with him at the helm? Or go down the shit-shaft with Gary Cherone at the front?
So many questions, so few answers.
But there was, if nothing else, time to learn the answers.
Emperor Bob of Newbergia, threat to the entire kingdom of Oregonia, looked at his watch and discovered that there was only 20 minutes left until the ball presented it's vision. He had wasted almost two hours wondering about shit. No matter; Ian would be waiting down in the citadel's throne room, so Bob busted ass down there with the ball.
Hopefully it would be porn.
THE EMPEROR:
KICKED IN THE BUTT BY LOVE
By Bueno Bob
1.
In the last rays of the setting sun (the setting, not the start of a Judas Priest song), the Emperor stood atop the western tower of the citadel, watching the light disappear and be replaced by the night stars. He had reigned in this kingdom for nearly 4500 years now and was pretty damn tired of it.
The kingdom of Newbergia was on the western end of the realm of Oregonia, and he had conquered this place centuries ago...but those days were long, long gone and all that was left of them were his and Ian's memories...and a particular crystal ball.
Ian, his mage, his wizard, and his friend. When he had first come to this realm, this dark and blasted place, Ian had followed him faithfully. Had either of them expected it to be this way? No, not at all, but life was like that - often times you got kicked in the butt by love when you least expected it to happen. That had been one of those occurances.
Finally, the light had disappeared from the wasted lands of Newbergia, and the stars shone overhead. They were different here than what they were throughout the rest of Oregonia, and they had always been. This was an evil spot in the realm of Oregonia, damned and wicked. Vampires walked the streets both by day and night; sheep weren't the only things that were sheered, either. Nothing grew well (many times nothing grew at all) and the place was mostly abandoned, save for the occasional traveller who happened to mistake his way into the boundaries, and the animals that thrived and preyed one each other.
The crystal ball was beside him now. Trapped inside was the stone figurine of the dragon man, all that remained of Birch, the former overlord of Newbergia. It was here, into this crystal ball that he had imprisoned the old bastard during their ferocious battle...4500 years ago to this very night. In fact, within the next two hours, it would have been 4500 years ago to the very precise moment, and the vision from the ball would come again, as it always did annually. What the vision from the glass would show him remained a mystery, as it always did; sometimes it was the past, or a possible future. Other times it was just porn, and those visions were definately the best ones.
Tonight, the Emperor Bob hoped it would be porn, for he was rather horny and his court assassin was out on some mission or another that Ian had assigned her.
Bob looked down upon the glass ball, which was resting by his side on the window sill of the tower. Was Birch still alive inside of that thing, after all this time? Not likely - Bob hadn't understood the magic that resided in it and kept Birch prisoner entirely. Nor had Ian, and he had been the provider of the magic. But it was powerful and had been more than enough to keep Birch out of the way over the last few centuries, so it obviously worked well enough.
But what if it broke? Would Birch regain his true form and challenge his throne? Would the magic ever work again? If not, could he and Ian present enough of a challenge to stop Birch? And what of the rest of Oregonia? If Birch reclaimed his crown here, would he launch an attack against Oregonia? Would Oregonia be able to fight off his menace? What was he going to eat for dinner? Was there anything good on TV tonight? Did he have any tobacco left? Did Ian smoke it all? When was there going to be a "Lois and Clark" reunion on? For that matter, when was Dean Cain going to act in anything of any relative importance? Was Van Halen ever going to get David Lee Roth back on board? And if so, how long would it last? Would they retire the band with him at the helm? Or go down the shit-shaft with Gary Cherone at the front?
So many questions, so few answers.
But there was, if nothing else, time to learn the answers.
Emperor Bob of Newbergia, threat to the entire kingdom of Oregonia, looked at his watch and discovered that there was only 20 minutes left until the ball presented it's vision. He had wasted almost two hours wondering about shit. No matter; Ian would be waiting down in the citadel's throne room, so Bob busted ass down there with the ball.
Hopefully it would be porn.
Comment