One thing I am learning in my Zen meditation class is to be aware of what we are seeking and avoiding in life. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes..You get what you need." -Rolling Stones song. It's so true!
Yesterday I had an audition to have some paintings accepted to be displayed for sale at a local art gallery. I was rejected because of that year I took off from painting to learn origami and explore different art forms. The trouble with being multi-talented is that it's so hard to just choose one thing to specialize in, but I think that to be a professional at anything we have to commit to a discipline. Does that mean I can't fold any origami anymore? Or continue to practice piano anymore? What things that I have already put so much time into and built so much skill at would I have to give up to specialize in just painting? I can make time to paint. I can join a class, and from that class I will create 10 paintings in a 3 month period, but totally devoting all my time to just one discipline would be a big deal for me, because I am attached to my participation with a variety of art forms.
This attachment comes form my heart and mind, but there is a consciousness higher than either: Awareness. Awareness is the witness of my attachments. Watching them in stillness; a sitting meditation breathing full breaths in and out can alleviate the painful feelings associated with heart and mind.
From my awareness of my attachments there is no good or evil; there is no wrong or right; there is no judgement; only peace. From this place of inner peace, I will eventually become aware of appropriate action. The appropriate action is something I will do out of love not just for myself, but for others too, because in Zen meditation we are taught that no matter how much it may feel like self is separate from others; that I must have mine before you can have yours; the truth is self and other are connected. When we see a blind man trying to cross the street, we help him no matter how busy we are, because his safety is directly related to our own. If a car hits him, the car behind that car may try to swerve out of the way hitting us. So what is the appropriate action regarding my attachment to being a multi-talented artist?
I'll let you know when I reach that state of awakening.
Patience is a rose bud. It doesn't matter how much you want the flower to bloom. You can give it the appropriate amount of water and sun, but no matter what we do, the flower only opens when it is ready, and not a moment before.
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Happy New Year!
An entire year has passed. So much has happened. I have learned that we never stop learning. I enrolled in a drawing class with Mura White. Here is an example of my class work:
I am so please with the way this one turned out. Working with color pencils I rubbed in several layers of color. There is no black or white in this drawing. To get darker hues blue, green and red were used. Rubbing the graphite in, and erasing with a battery operated technical eraser I created the feathers and texture of the branch the bird stands on. This drawing took about 9 hours to complete from start to finish.
Last year I explored my talent in many areas. I learned about origami, and made many sculptures out of different kinds of paper. Here is a sample of my origami:
It's a zebra. The cool thing about origami is I can take it anywhere. I can be on a bus, a plane or a train, and as long as I have paper folded away in my pocket I can create something interesting for someone to enjoy. Children love action models like the barking dog, the jumping frog, or the bird that flaps its wings when you pull on the tail. I experimented with balloon sculpting, but I couldn't stand the squeeky noise and the popping when I put too much pressure on the balloon. Here is a sample of something I sculpted from a balloon:
This is one green 360 balloon. I began with 2 bubbles for eyes, and a lock twist for the head. Then flower pedaled in the legs and feet. I followed video tutorials on Youtube to learn origami and balloon sculpting.
I also explored cooking. I learned to make Sausage Chicken Jambalaya, Chicken Chowmien,Thia Cashew Chicken, and many others. Here is a photo of a Cherry Pie I made:
The cherries were hand picked from a farm in Brentwood California. I picked out the seeds and stems, and heated them up in a pan. When the juices surfaced, I added some corn starch and sugar.
A ready made Gramcracker crust holds the cherry mixture. I used Pillsberry dough for the crust. I think a home made crust would taste better, but I have not yet perfected crust yet.
My most recent cooking discovery has been Lasagna Tacos. I know it sounds bizarre, but if you think about it, it makes sense. Lasagna is meat and cheese. Tacos is meat and cheese, but when you add in the layers of ricotta cheese and pasta and stuff it in a taco shell it is very tasty!
When I saw the new year approaching, I got into meditation. In the stillness of mind, I cultivated the patience and discipline needed to focus on one type of art to specialize in. I decided that while I am an unusually talented artist it will take longer to be successful if I don't focus on one area. It has been a long awaited dream to be a successful freelance artist, and by the word successful I mean being able to support myself from the sales of my artwork. The area I am focusing in on is traditional illustration. Making time to draw everyday, weather it be a caricature for a friend or client, a comic book, or class work, it all serves to push my drawing skills up to the next level. Accepting all of the challenges along the way, and facing them one at a time from a place of inner peace has helped me to stay focused, and proactive with my work.
Last year I explored my talent in many areas. I learned about origami, and made many sculptures out of different kinds of paper. Here is a sample of my origami:
I also explored cooking. I learned to make Sausage Chicken Jambalaya, Chicken Chowmien,Thia Cashew Chicken, and many others. Here is a photo of a Cherry Pie I made:
My most recent cooking discovery has been Lasagna Tacos. I know it sounds bizarre, but if you think about it, it makes sense. Lasagna is meat and cheese. Tacos is meat and cheese, but when you add in the layers of ricotta cheese and pasta and stuff it in a taco shell it is very tasty!
When I saw the new year approaching, I got into meditation. In the stillness of mind, I cultivated the patience and discipline needed to focus on one type of art to specialize in. I decided that while I am an unusually talented artist it will take longer to be successful if I don't focus on one area. It has been a long awaited dream to be a successful freelance artist, and by the word successful I mean being able to support myself from the sales of my artwork. The area I am focusing in on is traditional illustration. Making time to draw everyday, weather it be a caricature for a friend or client, a comic book, or class work, it all serves to push my drawing skills up to the next level. Accepting all of the challenges along the way, and facing them one at a time from a place of inner peace has helped me to stay focused, and proactive with my work.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
A writing inspired by Kesha's song: "Take It Off"
"There's a place downtown, Where the freaks all come around. It's a hole in the wall. It's a dirty free for all." Kesha -Take It Off. This story in no way portrays people that actually exist. Any likenesses are completely coincidental, not intentional.
Drake was 18 when it happened. Suddenly he was alone in the world, and there was nothing to live for anymore. He would sleep all day, and at night he would drink until he would throw up, and pass out. He would wake up in strange places with intense headaches, and a foul odor of cologne, bile, and liquor wafted from him for all who dared to get too close to experience. Flowers withered hopelessly away..And dogs howled and barked at him. It was during this dark time of his life that he heard about a place from a demon disguised as a friend where there were no rules, and people just did as they liked until the sun rose.
Drake was falling fast down a hole to his eventual demise. There was no turning back. The gravity of his depression had too strong of a grip on him now. It was only a matter of time until the end. After a cup of Top Romin Noodles, and some Spam that he stole from a local grocery store, he began his nightly ritual of drinking a few shots of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. That was his beverage of choice. That, and half a pack of Marlbro Red Cigarettes. The smell of the smoke made him feel awesome, and combined with the booze he could do no wrong. On the bus downtown he saw his accomplices, Jajhul, Randy, Desire, and Leah. Desire was going out with Randy, and Jajhul was going out with Leah, but the ladies were bisexual, so they would go down on each other from time to time too. There were no rules. It was a secret society for the lawless, living without any reservations for tomorrow. On the bus they smoked a little weed. Nobody dared to do anything about it, because they were either scared of them, apathetic or too high to care. When they got to the Avenues, Drake was the first to pull the wire. The bus stopped at the next block and they exited through the back exit without paying.
It was dark except for a few street lights, and the few cars that were there had smashed windshields. One car was completely engulfed in flames. People stood around the car with bottles in their hands shouting out cuss words, and hollering out at one another in celebration of what had created. They walked past the burning car to a place surrounded by a weather beaten wooden fence. It was so weak, you could kick it down, and there was all sorts of tags and graffiti sprayed on in vibrant colors on there too. A big man stood in front of the gateway past the fence. He grinned a shiny gold tooth grin and shook their hands with his ring covered fingers. They all walked past him except for Drake. He got pushed back.
"Why you not let me in bruddah?"
"Cuz you a punk!"
"Fuck you! I ain't no punk. Who be say'in dat?"
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit....Tell you what...Come back here with some pussy, and I'll let you in."
"Oh, so that's how it is?"
"Straight."
Drake shrugged up his shoulders tight, and threw himself away from the man as though to contain his desire to slug his fist through the bouncer's sternum. "Drake muttered obscenities as he bee-bopped his way past the line of pimps and hookers waiting to get in. He turned up the next street, and lit up a cigarette. Smoking helped him think with what little brain cells he had left. Then he saw a little bar lit up with neon signs. There were pool tables inside, and half way decent women accompanied by some well to do college kids. He flicked his half smoked cigarette away to the street where it bounced and sparked in a dance of orange light. He wore a New York Yankees baseball cap on backwards, a black hooded sweatshirt, big baggie jeans, and All Stars Sneakers. The room was filled with noise, and laughter. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, but when he made his way to the bartender people gave way as his obnoxious smell forced them to scuffle to one side. The bartender was a young lady in her late twenties wearing something that revealed her perfectly tanned cleavage. Drake made eye contact with her, and said "What up?"
"You gunna buy something?"
"Why you gotta be like that?"
"Buy something or I'll have Jimmy over there throw you out."
Drake attempted a flirtatious smile.
"Damn girl. You cold!"
She could see that he was having a difficult time by the sadness in his eyes. There was even a tear that rolled down his cheek.
"Ooooookay...Uh, One drink"
"Thank you.." He uttered with intense emotional pain in his voice.
She went over to the bottles and quickly assembled a Hurricane with twice the recommended shots in it. Something about his plight reach out to her, and so she played the roll of pharmacologist and administered some medication; medication being the alcohol.
He knew he was walking on eggshells in this civilized little place, and as the booze numbed away his sorrows, an idea occurred to him. If he was going to get past the bouncer, he had to win over a lady here. He eased his way back from the bar with his drink in hand. He spotted a dyed bleach blond headed Asian waiting for her turn at the pool table. He put his harm up against the wall there beside her head and said, "Try some of this honey, I think it's spiked with a little something-something..." She laughed a nervous laugh and turned away back to her friends by the window. He knocked back what was left of his drink. It slipped out of his fingers and broke on the ground. He strolled calmly outside. Then he watched her from the window. She saw that he was watching, and she nervously chewed on her lower lip. He saw that she was into him, and waited for her by a parked car. When she came out for a smoke, he was just by the door, standing by the wall, and whispered to her ear, "I know where the real fun is.."
She took a Marlboro Light out from her little black leather purse, which had chrome metal studs adorned around the edges. There was the ring of his zippo lighter giving birth to a flame that ignited the dry tobacco of her cigarette into an animated cherry, dancing with the life of orange embers. There was the sound of the wind transporting the nicotine through her capillaries from her lungs, and her eyes lit up with intrigue.
"Where is this fun place...Excactly?"
"It's not far..." He walked past her with his hand outstretched. Her hand reached forward as though against her will. Something within her...Something animal compelled her. He took hold of her hand, and they walked silently to the fun place. The bouncer gleamed at them, as they were aloud to walk through. Jajhul spotted him first, "There he at! I was going to come looking for you!" He was full of shit. They all were. Drake kept walking and ignored them. They were all dancing now on the floor covered with glitter, just like in Kesha's song, and that song was playing. Pelvises were grinding against asses, and hip hoppers where hipping and hopping. Couples made out in the shadows, and junkies sniffed their lines off pub tables. The base pounded so intensely he could feel the beat rattle his bones. It was awesome. In the distance people broke bottles and lit things on fire, and in the bathroom there were orgies and overdosed half dead junkies, on the way out of this world...Never to return. Drake and the Asian lady made their way over to a table full of drugs and booze. Her eyes widened, and narrowed as she looked at Drake flirtatiously and motioned for Drake to come closer. "My name's Yuko," she said.
"Cool..Cool.."
They had to speak directly into each others ears to be heard.
"This is the part where you tell me your name" Yuko said with a smile.
When she spoke, he could feel her warm breath against his ear.
"Drake."
She poured herself a Gin and Tonic. "You're so quiet!" She exclaimed.
"Not quiet.. Just soft spoken. So...What do you think?"
She looked around. Leah and Desire where tongue kissing on the dance floor as Jajhul and Randy watched. Around them, people had their hands in air, jumping up and down to the beat.
"It's nice..But I know someplace better."
He looked at her, and he could tell by the spark in her eye what she meant by what she said.
"Lead the way."
She grinned with excitement and lust, and took his hand. They walked to her car. She was about to get in, when he stopped her.
"I'd better drive tonight."
She smiled and let him have his way.
She got on all fours, and crawled over the stick shift to the passenger side seat. When he fired up the ignition, the seat belts automatically swung back over their bodies. She put her hand on him. He was hard. They made out, and he started unlocking her bra. She pushed him back slowly, and said "Wait until we get there.."
They got on the highway, and headed south. Drake had to focus in order to keep the car on the road in his inebriated state. It was 4am. Nobody else was there except the two of them. She pointed out the way, and he took her there. They pulled into the parking lot of a cheap motel. They stopped at the front door, and made out as she turned the key.
Just as they were about to enter the room, several police cars stormed in the parking lot with screeching tires. Doors swung open, guns pointed out. Drake was shocked. He was totally caught off guard. She set him up from the beginning. She had been working undercover with her friends. She kneed him in the crotch, and pushed him down against the ice cold concrete, where she cuffed him so tight it broke the skin.
They told him that they were arresting him for theft, drug and people trafficking, and assault with a deadly weapon. When he got to prison Jajhul, Randy, Desire, and Leah were there too. They had 10 years to do with no parole. During the prison time Drake received rehabilitation for his drug additions. He even learned a trade in construction. A therapist helped him work through his problems. It wasn't like any prison anyone has ever seen before. It was a special place funded by some very wealthy politicians with ambitions to drastically lower crime rates by the beginning of 2013. Finally...There was hope.
The End
Written by Stan Levine on Ocotber 13, 2010
www.stanimation-productions.com
Drake was 18 when it happened. Suddenly he was alone in the world, and there was nothing to live for anymore. He would sleep all day, and at night he would drink until he would throw up, and pass out. He would wake up in strange places with intense headaches, and a foul odor of cologne, bile, and liquor wafted from him for all who dared to get too close to experience. Flowers withered hopelessly away..And dogs howled and barked at him. It was during this dark time of his life that he heard about a place from a demon disguised as a friend where there were no rules, and people just did as they liked until the sun rose.
Drake was falling fast down a hole to his eventual demise. There was no turning back. The gravity of his depression had too strong of a grip on him now. It was only a matter of time until the end. After a cup of Top Romin Noodles, and some Spam that he stole from a local grocery store, he began his nightly ritual of drinking a few shots of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. That was his beverage of choice. That, and half a pack of Marlbro Red Cigarettes. The smell of the smoke made him feel awesome, and combined with the booze he could do no wrong. On the bus downtown he saw his accomplices, Jajhul, Randy, Desire, and Leah. Desire was going out with Randy, and Jajhul was going out with Leah, but the ladies were bisexual, so they would go down on each other from time to time too. There were no rules. It was a secret society for the lawless, living without any reservations for tomorrow. On the bus they smoked a little weed. Nobody dared to do anything about it, because they were either scared of them, apathetic or too high to care. When they got to the Avenues, Drake was the first to pull the wire. The bus stopped at the next block and they exited through the back exit without paying.
It was dark except for a few street lights, and the few cars that were there had smashed windshields. One car was completely engulfed in flames. People stood around the car with bottles in their hands shouting out cuss words, and hollering out at one another in celebration of what had created. They walked past the burning car to a place surrounded by a weather beaten wooden fence. It was so weak, you could kick it down, and there was all sorts of tags and graffiti sprayed on in vibrant colors on there too. A big man stood in front of the gateway past the fence. He grinned a shiny gold tooth grin and shook their hands with his ring covered fingers. They all walked past him except for Drake. He got pushed back.
"Why you not let me in bruddah?"
"Cuz you a punk!"
"Fuck you! I ain't no punk. Who be say'in dat?"
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit....Tell you what...Come back here with some pussy, and I'll let you in."
"Oh, so that's how it is?"
"Straight."
Drake shrugged up his shoulders tight, and threw himself away from the man as though to contain his desire to slug his fist through the bouncer's sternum. "Drake muttered obscenities as he bee-bopped his way past the line of pimps and hookers waiting to get in. He turned up the next street, and lit up a cigarette. Smoking helped him think with what little brain cells he had left. Then he saw a little bar lit up with neon signs. There were pool tables inside, and half way decent women accompanied by some well to do college kids. He flicked his half smoked cigarette away to the street where it bounced and sparked in a dance of orange light. He wore a New York Yankees baseball cap on backwards, a black hooded sweatshirt, big baggie jeans, and All Stars Sneakers. The room was filled with noise, and laughter. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, but when he made his way to the bartender people gave way as his obnoxious smell forced them to scuffle to one side. The bartender was a young lady in her late twenties wearing something that revealed her perfectly tanned cleavage. Drake made eye contact with her, and said "What up?"
"You gunna buy something?"
"Why you gotta be like that?"
"Buy something or I'll have Jimmy over there throw you out."
Drake attempted a flirtatious smile.
"Damn girl. You cold!"
She could see that he was having a difficult time by the sadness in his eyes. There was even a tear that rolled down his cheek.
"Ooooookay...Uh, One drink"
"Thank you.." He uttered with intense emotional pain in his voice.
She went over to the bottles and quickly assembled a Hurricane with twice the recommended shots in it. Something about his plight reach out to her, and so she played the roll of pharmacologist and administered some medication; medication being the alcohol.
He knew he was walking on eggshells in this civilized little place, and as the booze numbed away his sorrows, an idea occurred to him. If he was going to get past the bouncer, he had to win over a lady here. He eased his way back from the bar with his drink in hand. He spotted a dyed bleach blond headed Asian waiting for her turn at the pool table. He put his harm up against the wall there beside her head and said, "Try some of this honey, I think it's spiked with a little something-something..." She laughed a nervous laugh and turned away back to her friends by the window. He knocked back what was left of his drink. It slipped out of his fingers and broke on the ground. He strolled calmly outside. Then he watched her from the window. She saw that he was watching, and she nervously chewed on her lower lip. He saw that she was into him, and waited for her by a parked car. When she came out for a smoke, he was just by the door, standing by the wall, and whispered to her ear, "I know where the real fun is.."
She took a Marlboro Light out from her little black leather purse, which had chrome metal studs adorned around the edges. There was the ring of his zippo lighter giving birth to a flame that ignited the dry tobacco of her cigarette into an animated cherry, dancing with the life of orange embers. There was the sound of the wind transporting the nicotine through her capillaries from her lungs, and her eyes lit up with intrigue.
"Where is this fun place...Excactly?"
"It's not far..." He walked past her with his hand outstretched. Her hand reached forward as though against her will. Something within her...Something animal compelled her. He took hold of her hand, and they walked silently to the fun place. The bouncer gleamed at them, as they were aloud to walk through. Jajhul spotted him first, "There he at! I was going to come looking for you!" He was full of shit. They all were. Drake kept walking and ignored them. They were all dancing now on the floor covered with glitter, just like in Kesha's song, and that song was playing. Pelvises were grinding against asses, and hip hoppers where hipping and hopping. Couples made out in the shadows, and junkies sniffed their lines off pub tables. The base pounded so intensely he could feel the beat rattle his bones. It was awesome. In the distance people broke bottles and lit things on fire, and in the bathroom there were orgies and overdosed half dead junkies, on the way out of this world...Never to return. Drake and the Asian lady made their way over to a table full of drugs and booze. Her eyes widened, and narrowed as she looked at Drake flirtatiously and motioned for Drake to come closer. "My name's Yuko," she said.
"Cool..Cool.."
They had to speak directly into each others ears to be heard.
"This is the part where you tell me your name" Yuko said with a smile.
When she spoke, he could feel her warm breath against his ear.
"Drake."
She poured herself a Gin and Tonic. "You're so quiet!" She exclaimed.
"Not quiet.. Just soft spoken. So...What do you think?"
She looked around. Leah and Desire where tongue kissing on the dance floor as Jajhul and Randy watched. Around them, people had their hands in air, jumping up and down to the beat.
"It's nice..But I know someplace better."
He looked at her, and he could tell by the spark in her eye what she meant by what she said.
"Lead the way."
She grinned with excitement and lust, and took his hand. They walked to her car. She was about to get in, when he stopped her.
"I'd better drive tonight."
She smiled and let him have his way.
She got on all fours, and crawled over the stick shift to the passenger side seat. When he fired up the ignition, the seat belts automatically swung back over their bodies. She put her hand on him. He was hard. They made out, and he started unlocking her bra. She pushed him back slowly, and said "Wait until we get there.."
They got on the highway, and headed south. Drake had to focus in order to keep the car on the road in his inebriated state. It was 4am. Nobody else was there except the two of them. She pointed out the way, and he took her there. They pulled into the parking lot of a cheap motel. They stopped at the front door, and made out as she turned the key.
Just as they were about to enter the room, several police cars stormed in the parking lot with screeching tires. Doors swung open, guns pointed out. Drake was shocked. He was totally caught off guard. She set him up from the beginning. She had been working undercover with her friends. She kneed him in the crotch, and pushed him down against the ice cold concrete, where she cuffed him so tight it broke the skin.
They told him that they were arresting him for theft, drug and people trafficking, and assault with a deadly weapon. When he got to prison Jajhul, Randy, Desire, and Leah were there too. They had 10 years to do with no parole. During the prison time Drake received rehabilitation for his drug additions. He even learned a trade in construction. A therapist helped him work through his problems. It wasn't like any prison anyone has ever seen before. It was a special place funded by some very wealthy politicians with ambitions to drastically lower crime rates by the beginning of 2013. Finally...There was hope.
The End
Written by Stan Levine on Ocotber 13, 2010
www.stanimation-productions.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Creating Things
Click on Creating Things to be redirected to my blog about how I create things on my website at www.stanimation-productions.com
Creating Things
Creating Things
Monday, July 19, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The Dragon Story: A Hero's Test
You take a torch from the wall and proceed down the corridor that narrows after a larch archway. The Archway has statues of serpentine figures on each side, and there is something carved into the archway above you in a language you do not understand. A locked gate in front of the archway opens with Elinane's key. The further you walk, the colder it gets. The air is damp and it smells like sweat and rotting flesh. Then you get to a large wooden door. It's also locked, but Elane's key opens the lock. You try to open the door, but it won't open, because it's too heavy. It has to be heavy to keep whatever is on the other side from breaking in. You have to push with all of your strength just to open the door wide enough for you to squeeze through. A gust of wind rushes past you. It howls through the corridor and pushes the door shut. It slams back behind you fast, and it makes a banging noise that echos through the darkness below you. You hold your torch out in front of you to see as much as its light will allow. All you can see is a stone stairway going down into the darkness below. You draw your sword in your right hand while your torch is held in the other. The stairway is steep and it curves to the left. You have to watch your footing, because one false step could be your last. At the same time, you have to stay aware of your surroundings. You have to be ready for whatever hellish creatures might be preying on you at this very moment. You hear the flapping of wings around you, and then they fade back into silence and darkness. Then you hear a scream. You kneel down to protect yourself. Then your torch allows you to see very dimly at the edge of its capacity to illuminate, a grayish brown gargoyle-like monstrosity blocking your path, ready to pounce on you with its sharp claws and fanged teeth.
Come, and get your throat cut you fowl creature!” You shout at the monster who stands in front of you with malicious intent. It hisses at you and pulls back into a defensive stance. One arm is held forward over its face, while the other is held back, ready to strike. This is the first test of your abilities. Do you have what it takes to defeat the evil wizard Zihair? There was a time when you were a child. You were riding a pony around the country side, when it slipped on a rock, and broke its leg. Your father told you that the pony was useless now; that it is doomed to live the rest of its life in pain. He said “It would be better that the pony die today, than be disgraced by a life of agony.” Then he gave you a mace, and told you to put an end to the poor ponies miserable existence. You took the mace. Its spiked steel ball felt heavy on its wooden handle in your little hand. The pony lay on the ground looking at you with big innocent eyes as if it didn't understand what was happening to it. You knelt by the pony, and stroked back its main. It's eyes flinching in pain, and looking to you now for hope. You looked one last time to your father, looking for an answer, but he just noded back at you. There were no more options left for this poor soul. Without realizing it, somehow you found your arm lifting up the mace up to strike. Against all better judgment, you swung that mace down that day. An innocent life was extinguished like a birthday candle blown out when the borrowed mace crushed that pony's skull. Now the beast's teeth and claws reach out to destroy you. It's gray veiny hand reaches out to claw at your ankles in an attempt to knock you off balance, but you jump up land on the creature driving your sword through the back of its neck, into its brain. Black blood spills from its head, flowing over and down the stairs below. Its hand reaches back to claw your ankle still, but with a twist of the blade, it drops lifelessly to the steps it rests on.
You pull your sword and wipe it clean, while watching the beast for any sign of life. You have heard stories of creatures like this from your grandpa as a child. They are tricky, and have no respect for life other than how good it tastes in their bellies. You back away cautiously, before continuing on your way deeper into this chasm of chaos. Giant poisonous spiders are easy to push past by burning them with your torch, but every now and then you have to slay a snake or two. The snakes are everywhere. They slither out of the stone dungeon walls along side of you, but that's not half as bad as when they drop down from the darkness above you. You pass by the bones and rotting flesh of all the fallen heroes who came before you, before you reach the depth of the staircase. A red light illuminates a path before you. It is a narrow stone path that turns to the right getting brighter until you see its source. It looks like a red star burning bright on a wizards staff. A hooded figure holds the staff with its hard bonny hand.
Who are you?” You ask this mysterious encounter.
“I am Nathaniel the Conjurer.”
"I am.."
"I know who you are. You are the son of Rasurfaut. If it were up to me you would be dead, but the dragon has other plans for you."
"How do you know about my dealings with the dragon?”
"That is for me to know. You need to come with me now if you wish to stay alive.”
Nathaniel turns and walks down the corridor. The red light from his staff shines all around you. The passageway ends near an underground stream, and continues on the other side. Nathaniel mutters some strange words and some of the water in front of you turns into a path made of ice. You walk across the ice path, being careful not to slip. The path continues up a long flight of stairs headed north to a wall. The wizard puts his hand on the wall, and walks through to the other side, and you follow after him. The wall appears to be an optical illusion, but when you reach back to touch the wall after you're through it feels hard like stone. Nathaniel the Conjurer laughs silently to himself as your jaw gapes at his awesome display of power. Now you are back in the dragon's lair.
“Congratulations hero. You passed the test. You are ready,” says the dragon before you.
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