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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 11

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 11



The thudding had started up the stairs.

“A little girl,” Jonna surmised.  “This man had daughter.”  Moving toward a dresser, he spotted a picture sitting on the corner.  By the way the adult female held the little girl in her arms, it confirmed what he thought.  “And a wife.”

“Jonna,” Bob ran a finger across the dresser, brushing away the dust, “this dresser was made from the fae’s sacred tree.”

Jonna sighed.  “It must have been a gift for his daughter: something that would never rot or decay.  It was protective magic.”

“But it backfired,” Bob shook his head, “and now he lives in agony, never knowing release.”

The cracking voice roared behind them.  “Get out!  Get out of my daughter’s room!”  The man lunged forward as if to enter, but abruptly jerked back as an unseen forced slammed toward him.  He gasped for breath.



“Innocence,” Bob stared wide-eyed.  “The magic of the tree protects her innocence.”

Jonna nodded.  “From the madness in her father’s mind.”

The cursed man roared.  There was no evidence of the burning he had suffered down below; there was only the continual decay and rot.  A true curse indeed, to suffer forever and never be consumed.

“You gave this to her, didn’t you?” Jonna turned to face the man.  “You gave it to her as protection.”

The faraway look was back in the man’s face.  “I didn’t know.  They said it was strong magic.  They said it would it protect her.”

“The best of intentions does not negate a wrong,” Jonna shook his head, “but it does allow for leniency.”

The man’s head shot up, but his eyes were hard.  “There is no way to break the curse.”

“The heart,” Jonna thought back to his wife Stephanie.  “The heart can find a way.”

“No,” the fire was back in the cursed man’s eyes, “you shall never leave that room!”

A tiny voice called behind them.  All three caught sight of a tiny orb, floating just below the ceiling.

“Father.”


The man turned, refusing to look at the voice.

“Father, why do hide your face from me?  Why do you not listen?”

“My daughter is dead.  You are of the faeries.”

“I was dying, father.”  The orb began to descend.  “I was sick, and the faeries had mercy.”

“They killed your mother,” the man roared.  “They cursed me!”

“No,” the girl sighed.  As the orb reached the floor, it began to change shape, morphing into that of a girl, certainly older than the one which had slept in the bed.  “Mum died of broken heart, after I was gone.  Instead of letting me die, the faeries gave me life.”

Bob The Pixie landed lightly on Jonna’s shoulder, and leaned near his ear.  “They changed her,” he whispered.  “They let her grow up in magic.  It is a great honor for a human!”

Silence.  As the flickering of the light in Jonna’s hand cast shadows, so those shadows waited.  Jonna realized the cursed man had to do more than ask for forgiveness; he had to forgive himself.  The man believed that by cutting down the tree, he had killed his family.  Jonna turned to the girl.  “What is your name?”


“Elpis, Sir.” the girl’s sweet voice responded.

“And your father?”

“Byron.”

Jonna looked up at Byron.  “I have a girl named Elpis as well,” he smiled.  “I miss her very much, and if we don’t get out of here, I’ll be missing her even more.”

A tear showed on the cursed man’s face.  “I can’t forget--what I did--the trouble to my family--”

The girl chimed in, smiling brightly.  “It is all forgiven father.  The faeries are waiting for you to forgive yourself.”

A tear rolled off his cheek, striking the floor, splashing in all directions.  “They are?”

“Yes,” the girl stepped forward, extending her hands toward her father.  She could not pass the doorway.  “Forgive yourself, and I can reach you.”

“Forgive,” the cursed man shook, fist clenched, his whole body one in the effort.  “I--can’t--let go.  I can’t--”  In one massive effort, he dropped to his knees, the tears of pain spilling across the floor. 

“I’m so sorry.”

The girl smiled, took a step forward, and crossed the threshold.  Her two hands touched her father’s shoulders.  “You have forgiven yourself.  The curse is gone.”

The room began to glow; tiny orbs of light appeared in all directions.  The man began to change: the cut and torn skin faded, his eyes became light blue, the gray beard darkened, and his skin took on the resilience of youth.  With widened eyes he stood to his feet.  The pain was gone, and for the first time in a very long time his mind was at ease. 

Reaching over, Elpis took her father’s hand.  “Come.”


His hand encircled hers, gripping it tight.  “I’m ready.”

“And so is mum.”

A second orb, larger than the girl’s, approached.  As it touched floor, the woman Jonna had seen in the picture morphed into view, “Byron!”  As she stepped across the threshold, all three vanished in a surge of bright light.  The inn began to shake.

“Time to go!”  Bob zipped for the stairs with Jonna right behind him.  Whatever had kept this old inn together, it was gone now.

The floors shook.  Jonna grabbed for the rail as they hurried down the stairs only to watch it break apart.  The whole building was aging and aging fast.  They made it to the hall, reached the door to the main room, and skidded to a halt in the doorway.

The flames in the fireplace were gone; only the red coals glowed beneath the kettle.  The kettle was no longer red, but black as the night outside the inn.  Bob The Pixie pointed, mouth agape.  “Look at that!”




Tiny wisps were escaping the kettle, one right after the other, flying off in all directions.  They avoided touching the wood of the structure, slipping through the gapes in the roof.

“They’re free,” Jonna marveled as part of the wall collapsed behind him.  “And we better ‘get free’ too!”

They ran across the main room, but before they could reach the door, the building lurched to the side.  Walls creaked, the roof shook, and the stones of the chimney began to topple.  The door they had been running toward jammed tight.  Bob grabbed the handle and tugged.  “No, no, no, no!  Jonna, grab on!  Pull!”

An orb appeared beside them.

“Never fear,” Elpis voice called from the orb.  “The faeries have not forgotten you.”  As she finished her words, the main door to the inn lurched off its hinges, toppling to the floor.  “Go!”

The cold of the night struck them the moment they stepped from the inn; it put out the lighted wood Jonna carried.  He flung it back toward the building.  There was a tremendous crash as the building imploded, dust rose, and then all went quiet.  Except for the door, the inn was gone.

A light wind began to blow, creating tiny dust devils in the remains of the building.  Jonna breathed a sigh of relief.

“Yeah,” Bob The Pixie stared at the building.  “So much for a warm place for the night.”

“Bob,” Jonna laughed, “I’d think you’d be glad to be out of there!”

“There is that,” the pixie grinned.  “Come on Jonna.  Now that you reminded me of my pixie sight, I might just know of a place.  They say that there’s a pixie circle, and they like to give hospitality to strangers.”

“Bob, all I want to do is rest.  First clearing we come to, we stop for the night.  Got it?”

“Aw, come on.  It’s just a short little jaunt.”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 10

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 10


Bob The Pixie moved up behind him.  “Nothing down that way—there!  Right there!”  Pointing toward the stairs, he jumped up and down on Jonna’s shoulder.  There was a single footprint and dot on every stair.  That made sense.  Why not take a room on the second floor?  It would be much easier to see someone coming this way.

The barred door creaked.  Something was exerting great pressure.  The wooden supports on each side of the door strained and began to snap.  Splinters shot off, and the door gave in a tremendous crack.

“Go!”

They raced upstairs, following the trail.  As they reached top, the footprints turned to the right, went toward the front of the inn, and halted outside a half closed door.
Bob tugged Jonna’s collar.  “Back this way!  He came this way!”

“But why stop here?”  Jonna checked the floor.  There was no reason to stop by this room, yet the cursed man had.  The building shook as the downstairs door burst in.

“Jonna!”

Pushing open the door in front of them, Jonna stepped inside.  The dust was thick; his shoes were the first to have disturbed this room in ages.  “Come on.”
There was bed, small, that no adult could have slept on.  There were dolls sitting on the shelf beside one wall.  A small table held a candleholder whose wick had burned down and never been replaced.

Bob’s face lit up.  “A human child’s room.”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Monday, October 29, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 9

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 9



The pixie watched with interest.  “You think a man with a wooden leg can knock that door down?”

Jonna took a breath.  “I think a cursed dead man who can’t die will find a way.  How much do you know of the faery lore?”

“Well, the pack he broke was the most sacred.  Whoever cast the curse had no intention of releasing him.”  There was a thud on the floor beyond the door; the cursed man was on his feet.

“I can’t believe there isn’t a way.  I won’t believe it.”

“Well,” Bob tapped his chin.  “There is one way.”

“What?

“He has to ask forgiveness, and mean it.  But Jonna, this man did what he did without remorse.  He still sees he did nothing wrong.  In his eyes, he just got caught.”

“And thus the problem,” Jonna held up the burning stick, surprised it had stayed burning bright for so long.  “Yet, there has to be a reason he stays back here, instead of up front.”  He searched the walls.  There were paintings placed down the hall, showing others.  Could they be family members?

“Bob, search for a door that’s ajar.  Let’s hope he was in such a hurry to get the front that he forgot to close it.  He must have a room here someplace.”

Something struck the barred door, and the cursed man screamed.  “You cannot hide!  You will not deny me.  I will steal your souls!”

Bob took off, zipping from one door to the next down the right turn, while Jonna went down the hall.  There were several doors, and each was ajar.  How were they going to tell which one he came from?  The ground!  He held the burning wood closer to the floor.  It was layered in dust, just like the clothes the man wore.  It had been awhile since someone had entered the inn, which meant, there should be a footprints easily seen.  “Check the floor for a trail, Bob!”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Sunday, October 28, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 8

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 8


Jonna jerked the wood from the fire, and plunged the burning end toward the cursed man.  The man screamed as the fire caught.  It combusted on his tattered clothing, and then spread to his wooden leg.

“Bob, the other door!  The door he came through!”

“What?  I don’t want to go in there!”

Jerking back, Jonna wrenched his sword free from the cursed man’s burning body.  With both burning wood and sword in hand, he backed toward the door that led deeper into the inn.

The man fell back, still screaming in agony.  “You fool!  I cannot die.  I cannot die!  You have only made your death more painful!”

“Quickly!  Bob!”

“Fine, I’m coming!” Bob zipped away from the main inn’s door as he gathered toward Jonna.  “What if there’s more of ‘him’ in there?”

“We’ll take our chances.”  Jonna refused to take his eyes off the burning body; there was no telling how long the flames would slow him down.  “Tell me if the door is solid.  See if it will lock.”
The haunting wind shifted, scattered debris, and turned toward the burning man.  As it focused on the man, the flames began to snuff out.

“Bob!”

“Yes, it will lock!  But what good is--”

“Get inside!”

“It’s dark in there!”

“Bob!  You do have pixie sight, remember?”

Bob grinned.  “Oh yeah, that’s right.”  He zipped past the door into the dark.  “Not bad really.  A long hall one way, and a right turn the other.  Hmm, there are several doors on both sides, and set of stairs going up.”

Jonna turned, ducked inside, and slammed the door shut.  He looked for the way to lock the door, and spotted a wooden bar that slide across.  The wood scraped as it slid in place.  “We don’t have much time.”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Saturday, October 27, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 7

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 7



“No,” the cursed man pulled back, if only a few inches. 

Jonna’s exposed blade caught in firelight as bits and pieces of rotting flesh hung to its sides.  The smell became worse. 

“No, I did nothing!”

“Then who?”

The man’s lips quivered, as his voice became a mere whisper.  “I did nothing.”
Jonna’s demanded, “What did you do?”

“It was the tree from the faery circle,” the man continued, abruptly ignoring Jonna.  “I didn’t know.  I didn’t see the mark.”

Bob released the doorknob, turning toward them, eyes wide in shock.  “No, you didn’t!”

“What does it mean, Bob?”

“He broke a sacred pack between man and faery.  He chopped down their sacred tree!”

The cursed man dropped his head.  “It was of old wood, and the strongest magic.  It would never rot or decay.”

Bob wrinkled his nose.  “And you so are cursed to rot and decay as the wood never can, forever.”

The cursed man screamed, the flame rising in his eyes.  “It was a mistake!  One you’ll both join me in!”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Friday, October 26, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 6

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 6



Jonna fought to keep from gagging at the cursed man’s smell.  Alive he might be, but not in the sense Jonna recognized.  Though his blade had sliced right through, the pommel stopped at the man’s chest, hindered by the ribs.

Bob reached the door, grabbed the handle, and jerked back with all his might.  “No good!” his voice went into panic.  “It won’t budge!”

“There is no escape,” a smile curled the man’s lips.  “You are both mine!”

Jonna steadied his voice, “But there’s more to the story, isn’t there?”

Something in that statement caught the cursed man’s attention.  At the same time Jonna kept eye contact with the man, his left hand reached toward a burning piece of wood in the fireplace.  “Every curse has a way to break it.”

The old man paused, glaring, his voice suddenly far away.  “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.  A curse doesn’t start from a knock at the door.  What did you do to bring it?   Who did you offend?”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 5

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 5



The old man lunged toward them.  Jonna’s sword slid from its scabbard, swinging out to keep the cursed man at bay.  The old man laughed.  “I do not fear death as mortals do.  Your sword means nothing to me!”  He pushed forward, plunging straight toward Jonna’s blade.  Jonna tried to back up, still keeping sword before him as a barrier.

“Bob, the door!”

“I’m on it!”  The pixie dashed toward the other side of the room.  The kettle in the fireplace was now red hot, top to bottom.  A greenish goo sloshed from the spout and leaked from the seal.  The old man caught Jonna’s glance at the kettle, then purposely pushed onto the blade, letting it slice right into his chest.

Only a few inches from Jonna’s face, the old man stared at him with an evil grin.  “You want to know what’s in that kettle?  Well now, I’ll tell ya.  It’s the souls of all those who have joined me in this wretched curse!”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 4



The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 4



Bob The Pixie and Jonna jumped; Jonna’s sword was half out of his scabbard before he realized it.

“Yes,” the man nodded, “it started just like that.  The hit so hard, it shook the inn.  I owned the inn, then, you see, and went to the door.”  His wooden leg thudded, slow and constant, as he walked toward the door.

Bob’s heart was pounding.  The sound of the slam had been just outside.  Jonna’s hand tightened on the pommel.

“And when I opened it, there was nothing.”  He swung the door back, letting it go wide.  “Or was there?”  As the door reached its furthest point, a gust of wind rushed in, but this was no ordinary wind.  This wind smelled of death.

The wind whipped around the room, stirring dust and shifting debris.  It slapped at their faces in mock attack, then struck the kettle over the fire so hard, Jonna was sure the flame would go out.  Instead, the fire soared higher, bathing the kettle until it glowed completely red.  The putrid smell of death filled the chimney, spreading out into the room like an airborne disease.

“Jonna!” Bob shrieked, pointing toward the door of the inn.  The man with the gray bread was changing.  The dusty clothes showed tears and holes; the once pale skin was cut and torn.  He glared at them with eyes of flame.

“A curse you see!” his cracking voice shouted and moaned.  “Cursed!  Why me?  Why?”  Grabbing the door, he slammed it shut.  “And now you will join me.  If I must be cursed, so shall all who enter this inn!”

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 3

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 3

 Both Bob and Jonna snapped quickly toward the voice.  In a doorway, leading toward darker places in the inn, stood a gray bearded man whose pale skin was unusually white.  As his eyes caught theirs, he took a step forward, thudding his wooden leg on the floor.  “You see, there’s a curse on that kettle.”

Jonna placed a hand on the pommel of his sword.

“There’ll be time enough for that, if you like,” haunting flickers crossed the man’s face.  “But perhaps you’d like to know about the kettle first.”

Jonna stood up, his hand never straying from the sword.  “Say on.”  The moaning wind whistled.

“At one time, this was a lively inn known to all.  Travelers went out of their way just to visit.  The inn had the finest brewed ale for miles around.”  The man’s face relaxed as if staring at what he described.  “Over there,” the man pointed, his finger shaking with effort, “and there.  There were grand tables with fancy carvings, and music so sweet.”  He looked up as if hearing the tune, smiling, but then the smile vanished and his voice went cold.  “It started with a knock at the door.”

Something slammed outside the inn.

~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Monday, October 22, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 2

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'. There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st. It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book. 'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . . part 2



“That’s sort of my point,” Jonna reached into his pack, brought out some flint with tinder, and then struck it next to the wood.  The tinder caught, letting smoke waft up the chimney. 

As the room filled with yellow light, shadows played as the kettle hampered the flames.  When the flames touched the bottom of the kettle, it began to spark, glowing red.  A hissing began as the kettle’s contents started to bubble.

Bob The Pixie came closer to the fire.  “Wow, I didn’t realize how cold it really was!”  Rubbing his hands together, he held them out to the flame.  “Guess you were right about traveling south.  With winter coming, Washington State is definitely cooling down!”

“At least in our location,” Jonna frowned.  “I don’t remember it getting this cold this quickly.”  He waved a hand around the room.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear it feels like snow, and I don’t remember any inns like this either.  Are you sure this trail is a shortcut?”  A moaning wind weaved through the building.

The pixie shrugged.  “That’s what the sprite said.  Down the left fork in the trail, swing right, and---”  His voice came to a stop.  “Through the cave that looks like bear claws.”

“Bob, you said to the left, around the old grave, and down the trail by Dare Falls!”

“Did I?”  His eyes went wide.  “Oh yeah, of course, I was making up a poem and might of switched one verse for the instructions.”

Jonna stared, “You did what?”

“It’s the way I memorize instructions,” the pixie beamed.  “I create a poem so I don’t forget them. 
See, it works great.  Even now I know just where we went wrong.”  He patted his own back.  “Good work if I say so myself.”

Glancing up, the daylight had turned to twilight as the stars showed through the gaps in the roof over their heads. 

“Well trailblazer,” Jonna shook his head, “it looks like we’re here for night.  With the feel of snow and cold setting in, I’m not about to chance that trail in the dark.”

The putrid smell from before became worse.  Jonna tried to locate it by sniffing, but the moment he thought he had it, a sneaky wind blew it away.  “Did you smell that?”

“Smell what?” Bob looked around, still rather pleased he figured out why they went the wrong way. 
“Wow, look at that!”  He pointed at the kettle over the fire.  “The bottom is glowing bright red.”

Jonna reached forward to get the kettle out.

A deep, cracking, voice came from their right, followed by the thud of wood on wood.  “I wouldn’t do that.”
~ James William Peercy

For those interested, what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?

Sunday, October 21, 2012

A Short Little Jaunt - Part 1

The following is a short story revolving around the fantasy story 'The Wall Outside'.  There will be serveral parts, one each day until Oct 31st.  It uses some of the characters of 'The Wall Outside', but is not part of main book.  'The Wall Outside' is currently available in digital format at http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Outside-Series-ebook/dp/B009FLOMLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350814435&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wall+outside+by+james

And now, 'A Short Little Jaunt' . . .


Bob The Pixie lifted the latch.  The squeals of the hinges pierced the night.  "Hello?"  His voice echoed into the cold dark chamber.  "I think it's empty, Jonna."

"Nothing out here either," Jonna looked around at the dark forest, as he slid his sword into a sheath at his waist.  "With the sun going down, I don't really want to stay in the woods again."  He shivered.  "I think it's getting colder."

Bob glanced up at the roof; through it he could see the sky in at least a few places.  As his eyes swept around the room, he stopped and smiled.  "At least it has an old chimney!"
As Jonna stepped through the door, it closed behind him with a foreboding click.  He shivered again, taking in what Bob has already seen.  The once many fine tables and chairs were broken, scattered around the room, but Bob is right; there was a chimney, and four solid walls to boot.  "This place used to be an inn."

"Well, we're in now," Bob grinned, flying this way and that to help gather up broken pieces of wood for the fire.  Jonna reached down and gathered up some larger pieces, then moved toward the fireplace.

In the fireplace, there was an old kettle held up by a hanger.  As he tossed the wood under the kettle, black wisps of smoke struck the air with a putrid smell, but they quickly faded away.  “Bob, are you certain this place is safe?”

The pixie waved the thought away.  “Of course it’s safe.  No one’s lived here for a very long time.”
~ James William Peercy

For those interested,  what is 'The Wall Outside' about?

Step across the barrier and what will you find?
A place of magic just out of sight?
A pixie, a leprechaun, or even a sprite?

What starts as a vacation, turns into a mess. For Jonna, there's
more at stake than meets the eye. Through pouring rain,
misdirection, and a curious mind, Jonna crossed the barrier
between our world and magic.

Now forced to return across the barrier, Jonna battles Dark Mages, angry leprechauns, and a ruthless Minotaur, all in an effort to find his wife. To do this, he must locate the stolen Rune Blade and rescue a beautiful elvish princess.

But what can a human do when faced with a world of magic?