It's the third Annual Halloween Story...
An update? An update, I here you cry. An event only less slightly infrequent than a total solar eclipse on leap year day.
Not really much of an update as I’ve spent most of the year studying Java, after months of capacious coffee drinking I then discovered that It was in fact some sort of programming language…oh hum.
Anyway…by the time that I actually get ‘round to posting this I should be in Los Angeles armed with my Halloween costume (which is leather, hopefully that is suitably fire retardant) ready to mug little children of their candies. A move which should save me a bob or two on buying sweets for the folks back at work upon my return.
But the main purpose for this post this to present you with the MCMXXXVIIIth (or perhaps the 3rd) Annual Halloween Story!!
Events take place late 2001 and Mr. Warlock and his Phoebe and cookie obsessed familiar (although no one’s too sure which one takes precedence) find themselves investigating the deaths of several alchemists, all seemingly unrelated. A tale of two warlocks in a story where we find...…one of our alchemists is missing…
"So" enquired the warlock "you're The Fates?"
"Well obviously…why do you ask?"
"It's just that I didn't expect The Fates to be comprised of Marilyn Monroe, Eliza Dushku and Groucho Marx" stated the warlock.
"We don't really have a form of our own so we appear to you in a guise that you will be more familiar with" replied Groucho by way of an explanation. "Any other pointless questions that you'd like to get out of the way?"
"Yes, just one. Eliza are you free on Saturday?"
Eliza turns to face Groucho with a look of distain upon her face "Are you sure that this is the best that we can find?"
"Mr Dodgson" continued Eliza
"Charles, please" interjected the warlock
"You have talents that could prove to be invaluable. You're particularly adept at glamours. Normally, a magical user, such as a fellow warlock, would be able to see through a glamour sufficiently to know that something was amiss. You, however, are able to maintain a glamour of such magnitude that it can't be detected."
"So, it's not really me that you want but rather who I can be..huh."
"Quite so, Mr Dodgson..Charles.." Marilyn ventured, "We have need of recruiting an alchemist to perform a task for us. One that we feel they may not be..how shall we put this, quite so disposed to carry-out for us. However, they may be willing to do it for someone else"
"And you can't persuade this someone else to ask the alchemist either. I'm beginning to see why you need me. So, who am I meant to be?"
It's the early hours of Wednesday October 31st and Mr. Warlock and his familiar are in the apartment of Philippe Lavigerie on O'Neil Drive West, Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada. Mr Lavigerie is an alchemist. He is also very dead.
"So who is this guy?" enquired the little teddy bear, stifling a yawn with one of his paws.
"He's…Philippe Lavigerie…a French Canadian by the sound of his name. Aged 31 and …erm, well that's it. That's all I have on this sheet. Name, address and their age." Resigned the warlock with an air of indifference. "You know teddy," he continued "This is the fifth dead alchemist we've been sent to and we're still none the wiser as to why someone should want them dead."
"What makes you say that?" pondered the warlock's familiar "back in that German woman's gaff you were full of ideas and now you've run out?"
"Well, not exactly run out but these killing are just too random to have any real connections. Normally I would have said that the reasons would be A) to prevent them from doing something. B) to obtain something C)…no that's not right…what was it I said in Landshut?"
"You said that they either A) Have something B) Know something C) Will do something or D) …..can't remember if there was a D now. But that's the gist of what you said. Oh and by the way..when are we going to have a cookie break, I'm starving"
"I still can't fathom out where this desire to eat the world's supply of cookies that you have comes from. D'you know that I had to have special permission to enter the black library to get the animation spell that keeps you going. The black library is where all the real juicy manuscripts on dark magick and the suchlike is kept. Real power stuff and what do I end up with…a mini cookie monster"
"I'm a teddy bear…not a cookie monster!" the familiar replied rather indignantly. "So..have you any idea how this one died? My moneys on a cerebral haemorrhage."
"Well, judging by the bloodshot look about the eyes I'd say you're probably right. Besides a heart attack is a little unlikely for someone this age so that's what I'd go for myself…"
The warlock stands a few feet away form the lifeless corpse lay sprawled on the deep blue carpet that covered the floor of the living room where he met his untimely end. Firing a blast of mystical blue energy at the body the warlock looked for telltale signs for magical foul play.
"look see, the blue has change to red around the head area indicating strong magick forces at play" Pointed out the warlock.
"Yeah, yeah. Lost interest after the second time you did that back in Italy. Honestly, just because you've picked up a new trick there's no need to bore me with it." The teddy bear yawned as if to highlight his point.
"Huh..Well I think we can safely discount them all having something that the killer was after. There's hardly any disturbance at any of the scenes. We can also discount the fact that they will all do something as they are so dispersed I doubt if they even knew each other. Which leaves us with the fact that they may have known something. Something of use to someone. But then again the alchemists in Italy and New Zealand are the only ones to have been outside their countries recently…or at least somewhere to have their passports stamped" Concluded the warlock as he finished riffling through the passport of the late Mr Lavigerie. "like I said my little one, it's just too random. Oh..I think I remember what D was now…"
"So, this alchemist, where do I find them?" enquired Mr Dodgson.
"We can't tell you that, well not out right" Explained Eliza "You see there are cosmic laws that we Fates have to abide by. We can guide you to a source of information to locate the alchemist but that's the limit of our involvement to that point"
"We have a list of alchemists who may know the whereabouts of the one that we're interested in..but there is one whom we are sure that can assist you. You'll find her name listed second from bottom" Continued Marilyn.
"So why do I have to bother with the other six, why not jump straight to her" enquired the puzzled warlock.
"Because the Council of Warlocks will almost certainly be monitoring certain alchemists and I'm sure that this one is high on their list. If random alchemists are … added to the equation it will allow you time to track down the alchemist we seek and for them to do their part"
"You know that the Council will send a warlock after the assailant…three if they know it's another warlock who's doing it."
"Don't worry" smiled Groucho "We've got your back covered. We can mask the untimely demise of the other alchemists for awhile so that the seers that the Council employ wouldn't pick-up on them straight away.
The warlock smiled to himself and ran his fingers through his light blonde hair, a twinkle appears in his blue eyes as he thinks to it would be nice to put one over the Council of Warlocks and it would be useful to have The Fates owe him a favour. "Okay, I'll do it. But just make sure that no one catches up with me before I get to the sixth alchemist, I hate to leave a job unfinished"
"Don't worry, Charles, what could possibly go wrong?" Smiled Eliza
It's 8 O'clock on the 31st of October and the sunlight was just starting to stream through the bedroom window in the house of Maria Ann Akins. Maria herself was just exiting the bathroom after having a shower when she noticed a strange sight in one of her guest bedrooms. She paused and clutched the towel around her a little more tightly. Her eyes widened as she suddenly realised what she had just witnessed.
"Wwwho are you? W-what are you doing here?" stammered Maria.
"Don't be alarmed, Maria, you don't mind me calling you Maria do you? You may have heard on the alchemists grapevine that someone appears to be erm…taking a deadly interest in alchemists. I'm here to see that you're taken care of."
"Are you from the Council of Warlocks?" Inquired Maria.
"Oh, you could say that. By the way there's one alchemist in particular we need to locate. We believe that they are a special target for whoever is behind this. But… it might be better if you put some clothes on first" The warlock smiled as his blue eyes sparkled. "This is just too easy" thought Charles to himself.
"Yes, yes of course… who is this other alchemist that you say is in danger?" Maria shouted back as she disappeared into her bedroom closing the door behind her.
"Oh, I'm sure you met them when you were in Egypt researching Geber..You know the Spanish alchemist from the 14th Century. You wouldn't forget them, they're very classy, real old school alchemist."
"Oh, I think I know who you mean. But they're not in Egypt any more you'll find them in…" Maria just finished dress a turn to check herself in the full length mirror when she caught the reflection of the blonde warlock in it, standing by the bedroom door "..Madrid" spinning round Maria stared at the warlock who did seem to more or flinch. "What are you doing in here?" Screamed Maria.
"Just taking care of you" Smiled the warlock.
"So" inquired the teddy bear "why would any one want to randomly kill alchemist just to hide a particular interest in just one of them?"
"Because it's the best way to mask what you're really after. They're aren't real links to the killings. So, as no real motive is obvious we need to consider the merits or demerits as to each individual alchemists worth to someone."
"I hope that this doesn't mean that we have to revisit them again so you can play Columbo." The little teddy bear replied.
Just then the psychic sheet of paper that the warlock was holding started to have letters appear upon it. The letters began to form words, indicating the name and address of another fallen alchemist.
"Well, it looks like we'll have to investigate this one first."
"Who is it this time?" enquired the teddy bear
"It's someone call Maria Ann Akins..Manhatten… New York"
The front door closed on the little apartment on Calle de Relatores, the door with the numbers 79 on it. 79, as anyone who has taken chemistry or physics may know, is the atomic number for gold. It's also the apartment of an alchemist, a very special alchemist who has just returned home from shopping down the winding streets of Calle de la Fe. Depositing the newly purchased groceries on the kitchen table they then begin to begin to stow them in their respective cupboards and draws. In the mists of doing this they suddenly sense something, they turn their head quickly, their dark brunette hair cascading across their face as they do so, blue eyes searching for something… then she sees it in the hallway. A portal is opening and she is momentarily blinded by the brilliant white light that issues from it. Blinking she can barely make out that a figure has emerged from it. After a few seconds her eyes have adjusted sufficiently to be able to make-out the form that is now standing before her.
"Mr. Warlock…what brings you here?"
"You remember me? I'm touched."
"How could I forget you, you're the one who brought me back…back from the dead. But where's Charlie? I don't see him with you?"
"Charlie…Charlie..is no longer with me. He died on an assignment last year… I work alone now."
"Oh, I'm sorry. He was such a lovely chinchilla and a wonder familiar to have." The alchemist walked over to the warlock "So, What brings you here Mr. Warlock"
"I have a favour to ask of you Lady Elizabeth. We need to bring someone else back…back from the dead. Will you help me?"
"But of course I will. You know I owe you my life Mr. Warlock. I'd be only too glad to assist you."
"I was kindda hoping you'd say that" Smiled the warlock as he ran his fingers through his hair and his eyes held a little twinkle in them.
(Continued on Rabbit Hole Day)
Not really much of an update as I’ve spent most of the year studying Java, after months of capacious coffee drinking I then discovered that It was in fact some sort of programming language…oh hum.
Anyway…by the time that I actually get ‘round to posting this I should be in Los Angeles armed with my Halloween costume (which is leather, hopefully that is suitably fire retardant) ready to mug little children of their candies. A move which should save me a bob or two on buying sweets for the folks back at work upon my return.
But the main purpose for this post this to present you with the MCMXXXVIIIth (or perhaps the 3rd) Annual Halloween Story!!
Events take place late 2001 and Mr. Warlock and his Phoebe and cookie obsessed familiar (although no one’s too sure which one takes precedence) find themselves investigating the deaths of several alchemists, all seemingly unrelated. A tale of two warlocks in a story where we find...…one of our alchemists is missing…
"So" enquired the warlock "you're The Fates?"
"Well obviously…why do you ask?"
"It's just that I didn't expect The Fates to be comprised of Marilyn Monroe, Eliza Dushku and Groucho Marx" stated the warlock.
"We don't really have a form of our own so we appear to you in a guise that you will be more familiar with" replied Groucho by way of an explanation. "Any other pointless questions that you'd like to get out of the way?"
"Yes, just one. Eliza are you free on Saturday?"
Eliza turns to face Groucho with a look of distain upon her face "Are you sure that this is the best that we can find?"
"Mr Dodgson" continued Eliza
"Charles, please" interjected the warlock
"You have talents that could prove to be invaluable. You're particularly adept at glamours. Normally, a magical user, such as a fellow warlock, would be able to see through a glamour sufficiently to know that something was amiss. You, however, are able to maintain a glamour of such magnitude that it can't be detected."
"So, it's not really me that you want but rather who I can be..huh."
"Quite so, Mr Dodgson..Charles.." Marilyn ventured, "We have need of recruiting an alchemist to perform a task for us. One that we feel they may not be..how shall we put this, quite so disposed to carry-out for us. However, they may be willing to do it for someone else"
"And you can't persuade this someone else to ask the alchemist either. I'm beginning to see why you need me. So, who am I meant to be?"
It's the early hours of Wednesday October 31st and Mr. Warlock and his familiar are in the apartment of Philippe Lavigerie on O'Neil Drive West, Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada. Mr Lavigerie is an alchemist. He is also very dead.
"So who is this guy?" enquired the little teddy bear, stifling a yawn with one of his paws.
"He's…Philippe Lavigerie…a French Canadian by the sound of his name. Aged 31 and …erm, well that's it. That's all I have on this sheet. Name, address and their age." Resigned the warlock with an air of indifference. "You know teddy," he continued "This is the fifth dead alchemist we've been sent to and we're still none the wiser as to why someone should want them dead."
"What makes you say that?" pondered the warlock's familiar "back in that German woman's gaff you were full of ideas and now you've run out?"
"Well, not exactly run out but these killing are just too random to have any real connections. Normally I would have said that the reasons would be A) to prevent them from doing something. B) to obtain something C)…no that's not right…what was it I said in Landshut?"
"You said that they either A) Have something B) Know something C) Will do something or D) …..can't remember if there was a D now. But that's the gist of what you said. Oh and by the way..when are we going to have a cookie break, I'm starving"
"I still can't fathom out where this desire to eat the world's supply of cookies that you have comes from. D'you know that I had to have special permission to enter the black library to get the animation spell that keeps you going. The black library is where all the real juicy manuscripts on dark magick and the suchlike is kept. Real power stuff and what do I end up with…a mini cookie monster"
"I'm a teddy bear…not a cookie monster!" the familiar replied rather indignantly. "So..have you any idea how this one died? My moneys on a cerebral haemorrhage."
"Well, judging by the bloodshot look about the eyes I'd say you're probably right. Besides a heart attack is a little unlikely for someone this age so that's what I'd go for myself…"
The warlock stands a few feet away form the lifeless corpse lay sprawled on the deep blue carpet that covered the floor of the living room where he met his untimely end. Firing a blast of mystical blue energy at the body the warlock looked for telltale signs for magical foul play.
"look see, the blue has change to red around the head area indicating strong magick forces at play" Pointed out the warlock.
"Yeah, yeah. Lost interest after the second time you did that back in Italy. Honestly, just because you've picked up a new trick there's no need to bore me with it." The teddy bear yawned as if to highlight his point.
"Huh..Well I think we can safely discount them all having something that the killer was after. There's hardly any disturbance at any of the scenes. We can also discount the fact that they will all do something as they are so dispersed I doubt if they even knew each other. Which leaves us with the fact that they may have known something. Something of use to someone. But then again the alchemists in Italy and New Zealand are the only ones to have been outside their countries recently…or at least somewhere to have their passports stamped" Concluded the warlock as he finished riffling through the passport of the late Mr Lavigerie. "like I said my little one, it's just too random. Oh..I think I remember what D was now…"
"So, this alchemist, where do I find them?" enquired Mr Dodgson.
"We can't tell you that, well not out right" Explained Eliza "You see there are cosmic laws that we Fates have to abide by. We can guide you to a source of information to locate the alchemist but that's the limit of our involvement to that point"
"We have a list of alchemists who may know the whereabouts of the one that we're interested in..but there is one whom we are sure that can assist you. You'll find her name listed second from bottom" Continued Marilyn.
"So why do I have to bother with the other six, why not jump straight to her" enquired the puzzled warlock.
"Because the Council of Warlocks will almost certainly be monitoring certain alchemists and I'm sure that this one is high on their list. If random alchemists are … added to the equation it will allow you time to track down the alchemist we seek and for them to do their part"
"You know that the Council will send a warlock after the assailant…three if they know it's another warlock who's doing it."
"Don't worry" smiled Groucho "We've got your back covered. We can mask the untimely demise of the other alchemists for awhile so that the seers that the Council employ wouldn't pick-up on them straight away.
The warlock smiled to himself and ran his fingers through his light blonde hair, a twinkle appears in his blue eyes as he thinks to it would be nice to put one over the Council of Warlocks and it would be useful to have The Fates owe him a favour. "Okay, I'll do it. But just make sure that no one catches up with me before I get to the sixth alchemist, I hate to leave a job unfinished"
"Don't worry, Charles, what could possibly go wrong?" Smiled Eliza
It's 8 O'clock on the 31st of October and the sunlight was just starting to stream through the bedroom window in the house of Maria Ann Akins. Maria herself was just exiting the bathroom after having a shower when she noticed a strange sight in one of her guest bedrooms. She paused and clutched the towel around her a little more tightly. Her eyes widened as she suddenly realised what she had just witnessed.
"Wwwho are you? W-what are you doing here?" stammered Maria.
"Don't be alarmed, Maria, you don't mind me calling you Maria do you? You may have heard on the alchemists grapevine that someone appears to be erm…taking a deadly interest in alchemists. I'm here to see that you're taken care of."
"Are you from the Council of Warlocks?" Inquired Maria.
"Oh, you could say that. By the way there's one alchemist in particular we need to locate. We believe that they are a special target for whoever is behind this. But… it might be better if you put some clothes on first" The warlock smiled as his blue eyes sparkled. "This is just too easy" thought Charles to himself.
"Yes, yes of course… who is this other alchemist that you say is in danger?" Maria shouted back as she disappeared into her bedroom closing the door behind her.
"Oh, I'm sure you met them when you were in Egypt researching Geber..You know the Spanish alchemist from the 14th Century. You wouldn't forget them, they're very classy, real old school alchemist."
"Oh, I think I know who you mean. But they're not in Egypt any more you'll find them in…" Maria just finished dress a turn to check herself in the full length mirror when she caught the reflection of the blonde warlock in it, standing by the bedroom door "..Madrid" spinning round Maria stared at the warlock who did seem to more or flinch. "What are you doing in here?" Screamed Maria.
"Just taking care of you" Smiled the warlock.
"So" inquired the teddy bear "why would any one want to randomly kill alchemist just to hide a particular interest in just one of them?"
"Because it's the best way to mask what you're really after. They're aren't real links to the killings. So, as no real motive is obvious we need to consider the merits or demerits as to each individual alchemists worth to someone."
"I hope that this doesn't mean that we have to revisit them again so you can play Columbo." The little teddy bear replied.
Just then the psychic sheet of paper that the warlock was holding started to have letters appear upon it. The letters began to form words, indicating the name and address of another fallen alchemist.
"Well, it looks like we'll have to investigate this one first."
"Who is it this time?" enquired the teddy bear
"It's someone call Maria Ann Akins..Manhatten… New York"
The front door closed on the little apartment on Calle de Relatores, the door with the numbers 79 on it. 79, as anyone who has taken chemistry or physics may know, is the atomic number for gold. It's also the apartment of an alchemist, a very special alchemist who has just returned home from shopping down the winding streets of Calle de la Fe. Depositing the newly purchased groceries on the kitchen table they then begin to begin to stow them in their respective cupboards and draws. In the mists of doing this they suddenly sense something, they turn their head quickly, their dark brunette hair cascading across their face as they do so, blue eyes searching for something… then she sees it in the hallway. A portal is opening and she is momentarily blinded by the brilliant white light that issues from it. Blinking she can barely make out that a figure has emerged from it. After a few seconds her eyes have adjusted sufficiently to be able to make-out the form that is now standing before her.
"Mr. Warlock…what brings you here?"
"You remember me? I'm touched."
"How could I forget you, you're the one who brought me back…back from the dead. But where's Charlie? I don't see him with you?"
"Charlie…Charlie..is no longer with me. He died on an assignment last year… I work alone now."
"Oh, I'm sorry. He was such a lovely chinchilla and a wonder familiar to have." The alchemist walked over to the warlock "So, What brings you here Mr. Warlock"
"I have a favour to ask of you Lady Elizabeth. We need to bring someone else back…back from the dead. Will you help me?"
"But of course I will. You know I owe you my life Mr. Warlock. I'd be only too glad to assist you."
"I was kindda hoping you'd say that" Smiled the warlock as he ran his fingers through his hair and his eyes held a little twinkle in them.
(Continued on Rabbit Hole Day)