Neither in the sky, nor deep in the ocean, nor in a
mountain-cave, nor anywhere, can a man be free
from the power of death.
The Dhammapada 9:128
"Precentor Tar-Leon, please hear our words!" The deplorable villagers shouted.
I was being encountered by a group of villagers as I traveled through the lands to meet the High Precentor at the domain of Nass. My carriage was forced to stop due to this annoying interference. What outrage! I even know what their plea is--to put an end to the rite of Prima Nocte. It was decreed by the High Precentor that the sanctity of Nass must be increased by making the blood of our fellow Nassians infused with that of His Holiness. This was done by having each newlywed bride taken to the chambers of His Holiness on the night of wedlock. This ensured that most children born would have holy blood coursing through their veins. It was said that His Holiness was able to maintain his youth through this rite, and thus the ritual was of supreme importance to the stability of Nass.
"Precentor, please listen! I am the Mayor of Kamim, we beg you to take word with the High Precentor to stop the rite of Prima Nocte. Please, with your boundless compassion, understand us!" I didn't even see the man who spoke, but the voice was strong--probably around 40 years old. It was rare that Nassians lived beyond the age of 35.
I contemplated what should be done, and I looked at the man sitting across from me. "Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok, the protocol please." The Demi-Precentor nodded and exited the carriage. I followed, dragging my robes.
As I stepped out, I saw 20 or so persons standing behind one man. The man had a strong gaze, and looked at me earnestly. The Demi-Precentor bowed as looked towards the villagers, and the man knelt to the ground, followed by the rest of the villagers.
"I am glad you have come out to speak with us, Precentor!" The man spoke.
"What is your name, Mayor of Kamim?" I asked as I looked at him through my opaque mask.
"I am Sar-Draknoel, your eminence," The man bowed.
I walked towards Sar-Draknoel, and held my hand out, touching his chin. "I have heard of your words, and as Precentor I will write your words upon my tablet. His Holiness will read your very words, unaltered. However, for that you must pay your price."
"I am ready to pay the price, your eminence." Sar-Draknoel said with his strong voice.
"Very well..." I tipped my head at the Demi-Precentor. The Demi-Precentor gave me a clay tablet with the words of Sar-Draknoel. He then pulled out a obsidian dagger and walked towards Sar-Draknoel...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After some travel, Witham-Lok and myself arrived at the palace of His Holiness, the High Precentor. The pillars to the Eternal Temple were glimmering with might as we climbed its wide, ancient steps. The ascent was always challenging due to the 333 steps to the top, and the fact that none were allowed to tread upon the steps before high noon.
Once within, audience was granted immediately. Huge statues of Gods and Goddesses lined either wall, and the ceiling was too tall to be seen. I proceeded, stopping in front of each statue to pay my respects to the Gods.
As I proceeded, I realized the Demi-Precentor was not behind me. I looked back and saw that he was in deep contemplation in front of the Goddess Urtvas-Bethud. I walked back and stood with him in contemplation. As the Demi-Precentor awoke from his contemplation, I asked, "What did Urtvas-Bethud reveal to you, Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok?"
"Precentor Tar-Leon, Urtvas-Bethud revealed the coming of the reaping man, who will reap the unreapable." Witham-Lok said with a furrowed brow. "the reaping man"... it doesn't sound like a good omen. If the Goddess of the Hearth, Urtvas-Bethud has spoken, the results will affect our everyday life. Nevertheless I must hurry to the High Precentor.
The two of us arrived at the Holy of Holies where the High Precentor sat in contemplation for centuries.
"High Precentor, we have come with the census of your holy year 44,133. We also have brought you a sealed consignment from Sar-Draknoel, Mayor of Kamim!" I proclaimed as I entered. The Holy of Holies was a huge empty room. In the center was a small veiled room, wherein was the Throne of Saud, where the High Precentor sat in perpetual contemplation with the Gods. A small obsidian altar was placed in front of the veiled chamber.
"Proceed forward, Precentor Tar-Leon. Produce the consignment tablet and the token of faith." I proceeded to the central sanctum and placed the consignment tablet with Sar-Draknoel's words. I placed this year's census beside it, and placed the "token" on top of the tablet. The "token" was wrapped in cotton cloth. The Demi-Precentor proceeded to unwrap the cloth in the prescribed order, and the heart of Sar-Draknoel was revealed. The heart had all its blood removed and was already cleansed by the Demi-Precentor.
A blinding flash was emitted from the veiled chamber and the veil vanished, revealing the High Precentor, Chthon. His long white hair and deceivingly young face made it difficult to tell if he was a man or a woman. His eyes were dark and bottomless as clean-hewn obsidian. He stood up from the Throne of Saud and walked to the altar, a slight smile was on his blood-red lips. "I thank you, Precentor Tar-Leon, for the census that you have brought. And a consignment tablet from a Sar-Draknoel? Interesting..."
The High Precentor grabbed the heart and kissed it, he laid it on the altar and read the tablet. I watched as he read the tablet, and saw his tranquil expression change to that of anger. "The peasants wish me to stop the rite of Prima Nocte!! How dare they place their own petty concerns over the concern of Nass!" The High Precentor threw the tablet down on the floor. The clay tablet shattered into a dozen pieces.
I was shocked, "High Precentor, even if the consignment is blasphemous, one must not destroy a consignment. Surely Lak-Ezlok the God of Contracts will be furious?"
High Precentor Chthon yelled in fury, "Silence! I am the law, Tar-Leon! Do not defy me for I am the representative of the Gods!! The Prima Nocte is necessary! The Domain of Nass will cease to be without my eternal rule!"
I replied, "Impossible, none is above the Edicts of Saud, the God Most High. To disrespect a tokened consignment is blasphemy to Saud Himself."
Chthon glared at me, "You defy me again? Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok, kill the Precentor."
Witham-Lok replied in confusion, "Kill the Precentor?"
Chthon growled, "Yes, kill him! This is an order Demi-Precentor. Kill the blasphemer Tar-Leon and take his place. Reign as Precentor of Nass-Palor!"
I turned towards Witham-Lok. His Demi-Precentor mask hid his emotion, but the temptation of promotion moved his hands towards the hilt of his obsidian dagger. The dagger departed from its sheath. The unsheathing of the stone dagger left a dragging echo in the wide room.
"Please don't resist Precentor," The Precentor-to-be said. No way! To die like this is simply not worth it. As it says in the Scrolls of Landak-Pnath, "Defeat never leads to Victory, but Retreat could lead to a further Victory." I beckoned the power of my Blinking rune to take me away. As Witham-Lok charged at me, I disappeared in a shimmer.
I recovered from the blinking rune, and realized that I was still in the Holy of Holies. I was at the end of the room, on the far side from the entrance.
"You can not run from here, betrayer against Saud!" Chthon laughed as he proclaimed. I saw Witham-Lok running towards me. I did not hesitate to use my Rune of Hate. I clasped my hands and unleashed the flames of fury. The ball of flame roared towards Witham-Lok. Witham-Lok tried to dodge it by stepping sideways, but I moved my left fist to the side, making the ball of flame change course.
A furious explosion erupted as the fiery sphere collided with Witham-Lok. As the flames subsided, nothing remained of Witham-Lok. I walked towards the center, and realized that Witham-Lok's obsidian dagger was lying on the floor. I picked it up and continued. The High Precentor must die for this. He has broken the holiest code and led Witham-Lok astray.
I saw Chthon appear from behind the throne. He held an obsidian sword in his right hand. He smiled as he drew a rune in the air. He was casting "Silent Lake." Not good, without the use of runes it would be difficult to have a chance against the High Precentor... I better run for the door.
I dashed towards the door, but I had to get past Chthon before getting to the door. I tried to confuse him by changing directions, but he was faster than me. I drew my own dagger and held it in my right hand, while I held Witham-Lok's dagger in my left. As I closed into Chthon, he swung his obsidian sword at me from the left. I blocked it with Witham-Lok's dagger and trusted my dagger towards Chthon. Just as my dagger would have hit his body, he vanished, and reappeared a few feet in front of me. So he bears a Hazy Rune, more bad news for me.
"You can not escape, Tar-Leon. The Gods are angered by your defiance.
"The Gods are angry of YOUR defiance, Chthon!" I replied as I ran towards the throne. Chthon followed me like a ghost. I stood beside the throne, trying to gain a chance to run by using the throne. He struck again with his sword, I barely blocked it with my dagger. I felt the blade chip as the force of the blow vibrated within the stone blade. My dagger definitely can't take much more abuse.
I darted for the altar as I dodged Chthon's swing from above. He immediately vanished and appeared in front of the altar. I picked up a piece of the broken tablet and threw it at Chthon. It hit him in the chest. I didn't let this chance go and darted past him... or so I thought. I realized the cold blade of the obsidian sword inside my abdomen. I fell down on the altar as Chthon placed his shoes on my torso to use it as a lever to withdraw his sword. My mask fell off as I felt the jagged edge of his stone-sword gouge my flesh, but strangely there was no pain. I was unable to move on the altar.
Beside my head was the heart of Sar-Draknoel, as I stared at the lifeless heart, I suddenly saw the heart move again. So I have started to hallucinate! I must really be dying then, damn.
My life was not that bad though, I had my good days and bad days, but my life has been dedicated to the Edicts of Saud. My life followed the path of goodness as prescribed by Saud. I have nothing to regret. Let death take me within its wings of undiscriminating compassion and bliss.
Suddenly I heard a voice from the throne, "Precentor Tar-Leon, I am Saud, Champion of Truth. I command you--eat the heart of Sar-Draknoel. Take it within you, make it a part of you..."
What the... more hallucinations!? But if it was Saud Himself... I felt faith pumping the last essence of life into my heart. I moved my body towards the heart of Sar-Draknoel and took a bite out of it. As I chewed on the flesh, a divine sweetness spread throughout my mouth... and kept spreading throughout my body. I felt bliss, and then all was darkness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up amidst a field of wild flowers, I heard the singing of children. The sky was blue--cloudless as crystal. I felt my soul cleansed by the soft cool breeze. I was in Elysium.
"The sun ate the moon's heart,
Hail, let the morning come!
The moon ate the sun's heart,
Hail, let the night come!
I saw children singing and dancing in a circle. One of them looked towards me and stopped dancing. Other children crashed into him as their circular dance was interrupted.
As I stood up, I realized I was wearing a straw hat, and beside me on the ground lay a huge scythe. One of the children shouted, "It's Sar-Draknoel!!" The other children screamed and they all ran away towards a village in the distance.
Sar-Draknoel? Me? I then understood. Eating the heart of Sar-Draknoel somehow made me into Sar-Draknoel. It didn't really make sense, but it was divine intervention, anything goes, right? I started walking towards the village.
As I proceeded towards the village, an old woman mounted on a horse came towards me. As she got closer she called out, "Sar-Draknoel, you have returned from the dead!"
She stopped in front of me. I told the old woman, "I am not Sar-Draknoel." She dismounted and walked towards me. "Many years have passed and you have forgotten me Sar-Draknoel. I am your wife, Nora. But you say you are not Sar-Draknoel? Are you a ghost or a demon who has come to mock me?"
I explained everything to her. How I was Precentor Tar-Leon, and how the High Precentor has "killed me" and how Saud has commanded me to take the heart of Sar-Draknoel within me.
Nora was befuddled after hearing the story. "So you are Precentor Tar-Leon... but you are also not Tar-Leon as you have taken in the heart of my husband. As is customary in this land, you must call yourself by a name that is backwards of your current form. From now on, you will be known as Leonkard-Ras. I welcome you to my village, Leonkard-Ras."
Leonkard-Ras... I felt an odd feeling as I suddenly remembered what Witham-Lok told me, "the coming of the reaping man, who will reap the unreapable." I looked at my scythe and remembered the strong voice of Sar-Draknoel. Am I the one?
I felt my heart pump faster as if Sar-Draknoel was answering "yes," that moment my purpose became clear. I will destroy Chthon and let him embrace death, even if I die, my heart will be passed on. I gripped my scythe as I looked at the clear blue sky.
The End
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leon laid his quill to rest as he placed it in the inkwell. Letting out a sigh, Leon stretched his aching body. He has been writing for hours and his body was quite stiff.
Leon grunted as he stood up, and grabbed a bottle of wine from his desk. He walked towards the fireplace and added some firewood. Slowly lowering his body onto a dusty sofa, he reached towards a side table and grabbed a dirty goblet.
Leon started pouring wine into the goblet. He filled it to the top, and some wine spilled on the desk. He brought his mouth to the cup so no more wine will spill. He sipped the wine as his moustache floated on the red wine. He then lifted the goblet and made a toast at the fireplace.
In a muffled voice, Leon said, "May Leonkard-Ras die a horrible death!" and drank down the wine.
mountain-cave, nor anywhere, can a man be free
from the power of death.
The Dhammapada 9:128
"Precentor Tar-Leon, please hear our words!" The deplorable villagers shouted.
I was being encountered by a group of villagers as I traveled through the lands to meet the High Precentor at the domain of Nass. My carriage was forced to stop due to this annoying interference. What outrage! I even know what their plea is--to put an end to the rite of Prima Nocte. It was decreed by the High Precentor that the sanctity of Nass must be increased by making the blood of our fellow Nassians infused with that of His Holiness. This was done by having each newlywed bride taken to the chambers of His Holiness on the night of wedlock. This ensured that most children born would have holy blood coursing through their veins. It was said that His Holiness was able to maintain his youth through this rite, and thus the ritual was of supreme importance to the stability of Nass.
"Precentor, please listen! I am the Mayor of Kamim, we beg you to take word with the High Precentor to stop the rite of Prima Nocte. Please, with your boundless compassion, understand us!" I didn't even see the man who spoke, but the voice was strong--probably around 40 years old. It was rare that Nassians lived beyond the age of 35.
I contemplated what should be done, and I looked at the man sitting across from me. "Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok, the protocol please." The Demi-Precentor nodded and exited the carriage. I followed, dragging my robes.
As I stepped out, I saw 20 or so persons standing behind one man. The man had a strong gaze, and looked at me earnestly. The Demi-Precentor bowed as looked towards the villagers, and the man knelt to the ground, followed by the rest of the villagers.
"I am glad you have come out to speak with us, Precentor!" The man spoke.
"What is your name, Mayor of Kamim?" I asked as I looked at him through my opaque mask.
"I am Sar-Draknoel, your eminence," The man bowed.
I walked towards Sar-Draknoel, and held my hand out, touching his chin. "I have heard of your words, and as Precentor I will write your words upon my tablet. His Holiness will read your very words, unaltered. However, for that you must pay your price."
"I am ready to pay the price, your eminence." Sar-Draknoel said with his strong voice.
"Very well..." I tipped my head at the Demi-Precentor. The Demi-Precentor gave me a clay tablet with the words of Sar-Draknoel. He then pulled out a obsidian dagger and walked towards Sar-Draknoel...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After some travel, Witham-Lok and myself arrived at the palace of His Holiness, the High Precentor. The pillars to the Eternal Temple were glimmering with might as we climbed its wide, ancient steps. The ascent was always challenging due to the 333 steps to the top, and the fact that none were allowed to tread upon the steps before high noon.
Once within, audience was granted immediately. Huge statues of Gods and Goddesses lined either wall, and the ceiling was too tall to be seen. I proceeded, stopping in front of each statue to pay my respects to the Gods.
As I proceeded, I realized the Demi-Precentor was not behind me. I looked back and saw that he was in deep contemplation in front of the Goddess Urtvas-Bethud. I walked back and stood with him in contemplation. As the Demi-Precentor awoke from his contemplation, I asked, "What did Urtvas-Bethud reveal to you, Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok?"
"Precentor Tar-Leon, Urtvas-Bethud revealed the coming of the reaping man, who will reap the unreapable." Witham-Lok said with a furrowed brow. "the reaping man"... it doesn't sound like a good omen. If the Goddess of the Hearth, Urtvas-Bethud has spoken, the results will affect our everyday life. Nevertheless I must hurry to the High Precentor.
The two of us arrived at the Holy of Holies where the High Precentor sat in contemplation for centuries.
"High Precentor, we have come with the census of your holy year 44,133. We also have brought you a sealed consignment from Sar-Draknoel, Mayor of Kamim!" I proclaimed as I entered. The Holy of Holies was a huge empty room. In the center was a small veiled room, wherein was the Throne of Saud, where the High Precentor sat in perpetual contemplation with the Gods. A small obsidian altar was placed in front of the veiled chamber.
"Proceed forward, Precentor Tar-Leon. Produce the consignment tablet and the token of faith." I proceeded to the central sanctum and placed the consignment tablet with Sar-Draknoel's words. I placed this year's census beside it, and placed the "token" on top of the tablet. The "token" was wrapped in cotton cloth. The Demi-Precentor proceeded to unwrap the cloth in the prescribed order, and the heart of Sar-Draknoel was revealed. The heart had all its blood removed and was already cleansed by the Demi-Precentor.
A blinding flash was emitted from the veiled chamber and the veil vanished, revealing the High Precentor, Chthon. His long white hair and deceivingly young face made it difficult to tell if he was a man or a woman. His eyes were dark and bottomless as clean-hewn obsidian. He stood up from the Throne of Saud and walked to the altar, a slight smile was on his blood-red lips. "I thank you, Precentor Tar-Leon, for the census that you have brought. And a consignment tablet from a Sar-Draknoel? Interesting..."
The High Precentor grabbed the heart and kissed it, he laid it on the altar and read the tablet. I watched as he read the tablet, and saw his tranquil expression change to that of anger. "The peasants wish me to stop the rite of Prima Nocte!! How dare they place their own petty concerns over the concern of Nass!" The High Precentor threw the tablet down on the floor. The clay tablet shattered into a dozen pieces.
I was shocked, "High Precentor, even if the consignment is blasphemous, one must not destroy a consignment. Surely Lak-Ezlok the God of Contracts will be furious?"
High Precentor Chthon yelled in fury, "Silence! I am the law, Tar-Leon! Do not defy me for I am the representative of the Gods!! The Prima Nocte is necessary! The Domain of Nass will cease to be without my eternal rule!"
I replied, "Impossible, none is above the Edicts of Saud, the God Most High. To disrespect a tokened consignment is blasphemy to Saud Himself."
Chthon glared at me, "You defy me again? Demi-Precentor Witham-Lok, kill the Precentor."
Witham-Lok replied in confusion, "Kill the Precentor?"
Chthon growled, "Yes, kill him! This is an order Demi-Precentor. Kill the blasphemer Tar-Leon and take his place. Reign as Precentor of Nass-Palor!"
I turned towards Witham-Lok. His Demi-Precentor mask hid his emotion, but the temptation of promotion moved his hands towards the hilt of his obsidian dagger. The dagger departed from its sheath. The unsheathing of the stone dagger left a dragging echo in the wide room.
"Please don't resist Precentor," The Precentor-to-be said. No way! To die like this is simply not worth it. As it says in the Scrolls of Landak-Pnath, "Defeat never leads to Victory, but Retreat could lead to a further Victory." I beckoned the power of my Blinking rune to take me away. As Witham-Lok charged at me, I disappeared in a shimmer.
I recovered from the blinking rune, and realized that I was still in the Holy of Holies. I was at the end of the room, on the far side from the entrance.
"You can not run from here, betrayer against Saud!" Chthon laughed as he proclaimed. I saw Witham-Lok running towards me. I did not hesitate to use my Rune of Hate. I clasped my hands and unleashed the flames of fury. The ball of flame roared towards Witham-Lok. Witham-Lok tried to dodge it by stepping sideways, but I moved my left fist to the side, making the ball of flame change course.
A furious explosion erupted as the fiery sphere collided with Witham-Lok. As the flames subsided, nothing remained of Witham-Lok. I walked towards the center, and realized that Witham-Lok's obsidian dagger was lying on the floor. I picked it up and continued. The High Precentor must die for this. He has broken the holiest code and led Witham-Lok astray.
I saw Chthon appear from behind the throne. He held an obsidian sword in his right hand. He smiled as he drew a rune in the air. He was casting "Silent Lake." Not good, without the use of runes it would be difficult to have a chance against the High Precentor... I better run for the door.
I dashed towards the door, but I had to get past Chthon before getting to the door. I tried to confuse him by changing directions, but he was faster than me. I drew my own dagger and held it in my right hand, while I held Witham-Lok's dagger in my left. As I closed into Chthon, he swung his obsidian sword at me from the left. I blocked it with Witham-Lok's dagger and trusted my dagger towards Chthon. Just as my dagger would have hit his body, he vanished, and reappeared a few feet in front of me. So he bears a Hazy Rune, more bad news for me.
"You can not escape, Tar-Leon. The Gods are angered by your defiance.
"The Gods are angry of YOUR defiance, Chthon!" I replied as I ran towards the throne. Chthon followed me like a ghost. I stood beside the throne, trying to gain a chance to run by using the throne. He struck again with his sword, I barely blocked it with my dagger. I felt the blade chip as the force of the blow vibrated within the stone blade. My dagger definitely can't take much more abuse.
I darted for the altar as I dodged Chthon's swing from above. He immediately vanished and appeared in front of the altar. I picked up a piece of the broken tablet and threw it at Chthon. It hit him in the chest. I didn't let this chance go and darted past him... or so I thought. I realized the cold blade of the obsidian sword inside my abdomen. I fell down on the altar as Chthon placed his shoes on my torso to use it as a lever to withdraw his sword. My mask fell off as I felt the jagged edge of his stone-sword gouge my flesh, but strangely there was no pain. I was unable to move on the altar.
Beside my head was the heart of Sar-Draknoel, as I stared at the lifeless heart, I suddenly saw the heart move again. So I have started to hallucinate! I must really be dying then, damn.
My life was not that bad though, I had my good days and bad days, but my life has been dedicated to the Edicts of Saud. My life followed the path of goodness as prescribed by Saud. I have nothing to regret. Let death take me within its wings of undiscriminating compassion and bliss.
Suddenly I heard a voice from the throne, "Precentor Tar-Leon, I am Saud, Champion of Truth. I command you--eat the heart of Sar-Draknoel. Take it within you, make it a part of you..."
What the... more hallucinations!? But if it was Saud Himself... I felt faith pumping the last essence of life into my heart. I moved my body towards the heart of Sar-Draknoel and took a bite out of it. As I chewed on the flesh, a divine sweetness spread throughout my mouth... and kept spreading throughout my body. I felt bliss, and then all was darkness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up amidst a field of wild flowers, I heard the singing of children. The sky was blue--cloudless as crystal. I felt my soul cleansed by the soft cool breeze. I was in Elysium.
"The sun ate the moon's heart,
Hail, let the morning come!
The moon ate the sun's heart,
Hail, let the night come!
I saw children singing and dancing in a circle. One of them looked towards me and stopped dancing. Other children crashed into him as their circular dance was interrupted.
As I stood up, I realized I was wearing a straw hat, and beside me on the ground lay a huge scythe. One of the children shouted, "It's Sar-Draknoel!!" The other children screamed and they all ran away towards a village in the distance.
Sar-Draknoel? Me? I then understood. Eating the heart of Sar-Draknoel somehow made me into Sar-Draknoel. It didn't really make sense, but it was divine intervention, anything goes, right? I started walking towards the village.
As I proceeded towards the village, an old woman mounted on a horse came towards me. As she got closer she called out, "Sar-Draknoel, you have returned from the dead!"
She stopped in front of me. I told the old woman, "I am not Sar-Draknoel." She dismounted and walked towards me. "Many years have passed and you have forgotten me Sar-Draknoel. I am your wife, Nora. But you say you are not Sar-Draknoel? Are you a ghost or a demon who has come to mock me?"
I explained everything to her. How I was Precentor Tar-Leon, and how the High Precentor has "killed me" and how Saud has commanded me to take the heart of Sar-Draknoel within me.
Nora was befuddled after hearing the story. "So you are Precentor Tar-Leon... but you are also not Tar-Leon as you have taken in the heart of my husband. As is customary in this land, you must call yourself by a name that is backwards of your current form. From now on, you will be known as Leonkard-Ras. I welcome you to my village, Leonkard-Ras."
Leonkard-Ras... I felt an odd feeling as I suddenly remembered what Witham-Lok told me, "the coming of the reaping man, who will reap the unreapable." I looked at my scythe and remembered the strong voice of Sar-Draknoel. Am I the one?
I felt my heart pump faster as if Sar-Draknoel was answering "yes," that moment my purpose became clear. I will destroy Chthon and let him embrace death, even if I die, my heart will be passed on. I gripped my scythe as I looked at the clear blue sky.
The End
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leon laid his quill to rest as he placed it in the inkwell. Letting out a sigh, Leon stretched his aching body. He has been writing for hours and his body was quite stiff.
Leon grunted as he stood up, and grabbed a bottle of wine from his desk. He walked towards the fireplace and added some firewood. Slowly lowering his body onto a dusty sofa, he reached towards a side table and grabbed a dirty goblet.
Leon started pouring wine into the goblet. He filled it to the top, and some wine spilled on the desk. He brought his mouth to the cup so no more wine will spill. He sipped the wine as his moustache floated on the red wine. He then lifted the goblet and made a toast at the fireplace.
In a muffled voice, Leon said, "May Leonkard-Ras die a horrible death!" and drank down the wine.