Banshee’s Wail
By Jason Zapata
This says I is the truth
Or let the Saints forsake me.
The night was distressed.
And the moon peered warily
Through a veil of clouds.
Trudging home from the inn,
I heard a chilling scream.
It echoed across the fields,
Filled and rattled my bones.
And I felt cold. Terribly cold.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Four of The Lost Children of Guérande
Reginald pursued his quarry across a farmer’s field. The troll’s towering form was a dark blot in the distance. It’s long stride rapidly covered ground towards the darkness that was Brière. Reginald had wanted to intercept his foe before it reached the marsh.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Three of The Lost Children of Guérande
“Hello, monsieur. My name is Clemence.”
Reginald whipped his head around and spotted a young girl beside him. She was a frail and filthy thing. Her blonde hair was uncombed, half of which hung to one side by a single pigtail. She gave Reginald an impish smile, more than aware of how badly she had startled the knight.
“How did – What are you doing here?” Reginald growled.
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I, Dracula: Finale
By Jason Zapata
Past the guarded port of Varna I would sail
Where enemies awaited having arrived by train
But their efforts to ambush me were in vain
Relentless Helsing followed by mountain trail
Driven by his indomitable will to prevail
The brave men of the west invaded my domain
Once more blood covered this scarred terrain
And all my powers and minions were to no avail
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Two of The Lost Children of Guérande
Things seemed to move slowly at that point. Reginald could see Andre’s outstretched hand ready to accept his sword. The knight stepped around him – knowing how the Frenchman would react. An affirming rasp of the sheriff’s sword leaving its scabbard warned Reginald. (more…)
14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part One of The Lost Children of Guérande
Reginald stared into the polished metal hanging over the basin. Its dull reflection captured his troubled image. A man of 24 years stared back at him. Unkempt brown hair and several days’ worth of stubble covered his face. It had been seven months since the events of Bern and his arrival in Dijon. Reginald had sought a quiet retreat within the city’s walls. He was utterly disappointed.
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“Tasoula the Rogue”
By Jason Zapata
Stars twinkled brightly in the clear Neverwinter night sky. The trees swayed in a steady breeze that cooled Tasoula’s face and hands. The halfling looked up at the waxing moon hanging over the outpost. Its light briefly chased away the shadow her cloak cast on her face. It was a beautiful night for a heist.
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I,Dracula: Part Six
By Jason Zapata
Armed with stakes and rituals Helsing brought
Morris, Steward and Holmwood entered the fight
Filled with resolve these men attacked forthright
The demise of all vampires Van Helsing sought
So across London our secret war was fought
My strongholds were exorcized and set alight
In pyres that illuminated the fog swept night
As I reveled in the chaos our battles wrought
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I,Dracula: Part Five
By Jason Zapata
In Mina’s loving company I became immersed
Felt the pulse of her blood as I held her hand
A temptation I intractably fought to withstand
What remained human of me feared the worst
So her friend Lucy served to quench my thirst
Fearful men strived to disrupt what I planned
Knowing nothing of the power at my command
They failed I feasted and Lucy became cursed
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald The Damned
Part Seven of The Necromancer of Bern
Albrecht Von Zähringen crawled through layers of loose cemetery soil until he was finally free of the suffocating earth that buried him. The Necromancer’s right arm was all but useless. The knight’s blade had cut deep into his bicep and forced him to claw at the cold earth with only one arm. Albrecht had been compelled to retreat. As the manor started to collapse around him, the Necromancer had fled down one of the tunnels leading to the cemetery. (more…)
14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald The Damned
Part Six of The Necromancer of Bern
Reginald guardedly descended into the cellar’s first chamber. The odd bit of rotten flesh and stale blood on the earthen floor marked the recent passage of the undead. Brackish light illuminated the scene. Its source was burning pitch held in metal brackets fastened to the walls. The manor’s foundation was built upon crude stones. A haphazard masonry that divided the cellar into separate chambers.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Five of The Necromancer of Bern
Night fell over Bern and Sir Reginald moved quickly through the city. Sentries patrolled the streets. Restless men with large halberds scoured the area for any potential enemies. The people of Bern knew evil dwelt within their city. Something Reginald would be considered if light from their lanterns revealed his presence.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Four of The Necromancer of Bern
The sun shined through a stand of evergreens on the outskirts of Bern. It was welcome relief from the endless rain and snow of the previous days. Cloudless blue skies stretched overhead. Bird song could be heard from adjacent trees near Sir Reginald. The knight camped at the base of a towering pine tree. Its snow-encrusted branches sagged to the ground and formed a natural shelter from the wind.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Three of The Necromancer of Bern
Deep lines gouged into the Saracen’s face tell Sir Reginald that his enemy has seen many battles. Further confirmation comes in the form of his foes scimitar strikes. It’s all Reginald can do to intercept the blows with his battered shield. A cold certainty fills the pit of his stomach as the battle wears on.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part Two of the Necromancer of Bern
Reginald was half dead when he limped into the city of Bern. The wounded knight had walked several miles in the brutal cold seeking shelter. Even for being so late at night, he was surprised to find the streets deserted. He could not explain why – but the very air was filled with deep and pervasive dread.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned
Part One of The Necromancer of Bern
It wouldn’t stop raining. For the past six days a steady downpour fell on the covered wagon Sir Reginald rode in. But the heavy canvas top was already soaked through. Cold rainwater dripped onto him – waking him when he occasionally managed to doze off. As it did now.
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14 Years: The Chronicles of Sir Reginald the Damned – Prelude
In 1170 AD, four knights seeking the favor of King Henry II burst into Canterbury Cathedral. The Archbishop, Thomas Becket, was an opponent of the Constitutions of Clarendon. Henry’s policies aimed at weakening the independence of the clergy and Rome’s authority. Thomas refused to sign the documents. In defying the king – he sealed his fate.
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The Emperor’s New Clothes
By Jason Zapata
Ignorant of his troubled kingdom and
His subject’s woes
Someone needs to tell the emperor to
Put on some clothes
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I, Dracula: Part Four
By Jason Zapata
I resolved to acquire Mina and had Harker detained
The letters he wrote to her were gradually mailed
While my brides ensured his attempts to escape failed
Thus the illusion of Harker’s well being was maintained
As my passage aboard the Demeter was swiftly obtained
Those sailors never knew what that journey entailed
That it was upon a ghost ship in which they sailed
One by one their disappearances never explained
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Bright Blushes of Color
By Jason Zapata
The trees shed their leaves
In bright blushes of color
When your hand – still warm with summer
Reaches out and claims my own
A Public Service Announcement
The recent tectonic activity that occurred on 8/24/11 has caused long dormant deposits of Solanum to be released. Solanum is the chemical agent responsible for the zombification process. These deposits were located near deep impact drilling sites throughout Pennsylvania. Already partially uncovered – the earthquakes along the Atlantic Seaboard released massive amounts of Solanum into our atmosphere.
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Dance For Me
By Jason Zapata
From the refuge of a lonely rooftop
I watch paupers and princes fight
Their battles fill the streets below
There’s no reason to get involved
In the class warfare being waged
So with a half blind, mute charm
I walk self consciously amongst them
Embraced as the King of Fools
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I, Dracula: Part Three
By Jason Zapata
There are some divisions no force can reconcile
My presence is a blasphemy the faithful resists
To keep humanity ignorant such evil exists
I dwelled in the Carpathian Mountains in self exile
Power and wealth I began to gradually compile
Plotting a conquest even God could not dismiss
Fulfilling my role as adversary and antithesis
The only purpose I held to be worthwhile
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"A New Path"
By Jason Zapata
I will not allow this history to play out again
My cyclical existence maintains but one purpose
To force this restless spirit into conflict once more
Fighting futile struggles with inevitable conclusions
No longer will I participate in a self-perpetuating purgatory
Haunted with the specters of unrequited love and defeat
Accepting this fate would be an act of capitulation
Decisions I’ve made created the circuit before me
But I renounce those choices and walk a new path
