Constantine – The Laughing Magician Presents; Life in the Real World; Chapter 5: Dances with Dragons
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As we make our way over the ocean, I remind myself to keep a low profile. And for your information - Just' because I tongue kissed a snake doesn't mean that I'm well off as a Scottish legend to be revered as the country's savior. Bloody, no! Chas has expected an in and out round trip; in this case of what I'm brewing', I've stoked enough misfortune and even have Nimue's handprint wrapped right across my cheek to prove it. I want a pint and I can't wait to sleep off the jet lag before tomorrow breaks this sobering silence. Speaking of??
"Excuse me, luv!" It's time to lean into the set a bit. This was no vacation for a tramp to riot over, yet I think a shot would get my head to stop buzzing with even more of a buzz fer' tomorrow.
"Yes? What can I do for you sir?"
"Ah. I'd like a spot of your strongest; and don't worry. I'm not a lightweight. Honest." Cards talk, money speaks to her as the attendant swipes my credit and I've got a reason to celebrate over a small victory such as this. Watered down is what you lot might get in coach. Did I mention? Getting violently drunk on a moving train is one thing. Yet, up in the air, you can smell the ones who could be…
Turbulence. I feel it as the bloke's leg next to mine jolts me awake. Damned be it all! I was just getting comfortable…
~ Attention all Scottish Airline Passengers. We seem to be…. ~
Ah, rough patch. Figures that any non magician might say that.
But I know better than to call this day quits and tuck myself in, Luv. In a moment, I'll have a new ride to catch and it will not be as cramped as my current cabin.
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The winged beast soars on beside us, and likely non – magical folk see nothing as I have already pin – pointed the creature's next target.
A wizard.
Bloody –
Driving its tail to nearly touch the side of our waking death – trap of a jet, we jet off and wobble as if on a balance beam - off balance. I spill my watered-down poison, and that does it!!
~ I'm out of luck, Chas. Had better sneak away without giving attention to the luv who served me that piss -water.~ I sigh to this and cloak myself from the ones I'm seated beside and in front to back of. Mutter all you want, Johnny. "Shite…I swear, the next flight I get had better offer better drinks, or a refund." And no one is able to hear a ghost tickle their ear. Good. I had a god – awful experience just for being alive…bit murky, yet there you have it. The plane, was being terrorized by an invisible foe.
A dragon. Just my luck.
I step out and through the plane's nearest exit door with as much as my powers as I can willingly cast.
I've kissed a snake fiend, had my face walloped by a watery goddess, and shed tears for the last living dinosaur on this good earth. Well, what's so great about the living world, you ask? I can't say, maybe for a human connection? Surly I may be in the comics they write of me being, but I'm more than meets the eye, mates. The dragon, for instance?
It's no friend of my enemy's. I know a bloke when I meet em' face to face.
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Red as rust and cinder to dust. Hell, I only made that up. Right…. So, the dragon. Right…
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The beast had my arse clamber onto its armored back. I have the lung capacity to go for a swim but it beckons me to come hither, so I oblige.
~John Constantine; the man who laughs at the gods. ~
~I'm known by many names, Sir….um…. You were willing to have me miss my flight. Are you by chance an associate of the serpent Beit –
~ I do not associate with those of a lower caste to the high ones. Right to – day, there is grave danger. I must beseech that you follow. Our clan's allies will be waiting –
~Where of is it, mate? ~
~Through a veil in time and space, to a plane's country known as -
~Time magic…. looks to be serious. ~ I crossed my arms to that, not caring for a trip into the night sky. The dragon is serious, I can see it in his gaze that a threat is pushing the clan to disperse. If the human world discovers these majestic figures before All – Hollow's Eve and Samhain's revival arrives, then none of us will manage to fare any better, should a true disaster take away the holiday from existence.
~I'll bite, but no funny business. I was nearly stricken by a fever so vile that my lips are still burning. So, what is the warrior you want dead? A sorcerer with a grudge against the magical world? A king's throne and two sons fighting over his namesake? I'd love to hear it. ~
~ You have many stories left to tell, Constantine. ~ Chuckled the rumbling beast as it swept them through a traverse of tree and stonework.
~ The kingdom of one; Transylvania, where a great specter threatens to the land. ~
I guess I lost my appetite, if I had one to carry. Did he just…?
~ Is this by chance, Vampire…oriented, in nature? ~ I await an answer; big mouthed basilisk or not, he's sending me to be bitten against my better judge of character.
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He gives me a time to look at the view before I'm bucked off his back and into my time. The present; how I relish the taste of good ale and a game with stakes that won't kill a bloke. As if a dragon can't be ole' pals with a vampire lord. Not that Dracula and the word "Dragon" share any ties to the name by their etymology. They in fact share a root meaning. And that branch just had to muster up the courage an' come to find me. Lovely!
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The trek to my flat only a few miles from the airport, and we had our time frozen over – well, that made me believe the whole thing an illusion. I just shrug and head for the belt where my things are –
Walking off…
" Damn! Gremlins?? Are you out of…." People stare, but I can't tell em to nugget off in public. I'm already floating off after a magical entity.
I take a coin and fling it; time to get back the suitcase. If anyone's going to swipe my luggage clear from under my nose, then they had best think twice before calling this, Laughing Magician reject out to play.
THAT lovely fuckin' title just means that my ancestors tricked and swindled all- seeing deity. Which is why no living beast loves and respects me as much as that snake had to…
I shudder and run round the corner to catch those twig footed bastards up to no good. My spell will come in handy. No need to cry over this here, theft. Right?
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Phim Nyuj Vais. Goblins from the east, my luck just ran out….
It looks like a monkey to the locals, yet it screams like pig. No sirens in this tale I'm about to relive. So, blokes and lasses? Stay tuned!
