B.C. Johnson's Blog

The shooting spree had killed four
With the shooter now bleeding on the floor
Loaded to truck and sent with speed
They strapped the wound and stopped the bleed
When done a reporter, mic in hand
Said "how could you have helped that man?
"When day is done, leave four, save one
How can you help, after whats been done?"

Then paramedic turned and said
"Because he was my patient.

In shackles locked and somber march
The prisoner, with prostate enlarge
His final walk, he knows this well
His soul soon in fire dwell
Yet laughter cross his face of woe
In the ambulance when he in tow
For the medic he speak to he
With friendly tiding and honest glee
And when alone, the guard did ask
If the jokes were but a mask
But no, the medic state his truth
To which guard laughed, teasing nieve youth
That surely had the medic known the world
He would not joke as had unfurled
When medic again denied any lie
The guard, in wonder, ask simply "why?"

And the paramedic turned and said,
"Because he was my patient."

Chaos and screams fill the streets
A mothers child is dead it seems
Pills he snuck and pills he took
When mothers distraction spared a look
The cavalcade of helpers come
And they pound and zap and flush and done
The child alive, the battle won
When packing though, a neighbor wave
And ask "why bother, the boy you save?
"He only addict, I know, I see"
"He steals from all, including me."
"You help him now, he just repeat."
"And soon you'll be back on this street."
"Why bother, say I? Just let him go."
"No more my taxes here will flow."

And the paramedic turned and said,
"Because he was my patient."

In dead of night, on a dark back road
A car has wrecked, in need of tow
The couple lost, but thankful just bruised
Embarrassed they are, ask many excused
For waking the medics, the time is late
Surely much contempt for such a state
But smiles come with each response
Offer anything of needs or wants
Happy to help, they stay all night
Till friends arrive to help their plight
"Why stay here with us?" The couple then asks
As friends and towers go to their tasks.
"We had but superficial wounds and scrapes"
"Yet you remained out here till late"
"Surely you had more important than us"
"So why, we ask, all the fuss?"

And the paramedic turned and said,
"Because you were my patient."

This trip will be his final bow
He knows its not long from now
This one last ride, to his final reside
They know it too, though try to hide
His life was long, and full of love
A prestigious and honor filled therof
Yet still a doubt lingers within
Has he forgotten some long lost sin?
He grabs medics hand and whispers faint,
"Have you the faith, boy? You know the saints?"
The medic starts, but nods ascent.
His hands he gives with easy relent
And pray together the whole ride through
Till sure, the man, was washed anew
And after such, when alone they were
His partner asked, who was unsure
"You don't believe in prayer or God,"
"Yet bowed your head, I find it odd"
"You could have ignored, or busied yourself"
"Yet stop did you, and prayer you helped."
"What good will it do? We know his fate."
"What curiosity did this sate?"

The paramedic turned and shook his head
"I did it for him," he plainly said.
"It may not help, it may not heal."
"But better, for him, it made him feel."
"But why bother?" Jaded partner state
"What good when we're called so late."
"Such futile works will burn you out."
"It will leave you cold, without a doubt."

"You're wrong," said medic, with adamance
"I will always give them each a chance."
"I will always help, always be their agent."
"Because in the end, they are my patient."

Chapter 3
All Hail the King

One could hear a pin drop as Sam and his followers traversed the long walk across the throne room. Their shoes made no sound on the stretch of decorative rug running up the center of the room. The rest of the floor, columns, and walls were all made of the same marble that made up the exterior of the palace. The long red velvet rug stretched up the center of the throne room to the gently rising dais where the royal family sat. In the center, seated upon an elaborate stone altar of a throne, was King Jeremy. Gold lion heads poked out from massive arm rests and stared at Sam and his party with sapphire eyes. Connected seats to the left and right was where Queen Victoria, Jeremy’s third wife, and Prince Edmund sat. There was another young man, older than Edmund standing on the far end of the stage, resting his hands on a large broadsword. This was Lucas Hayze, the oldest of King Jeremy’s two sons. He wore red garments with chainmail, a wolf’s pelt spread across his shoulders and rabbit fur poking out from the tops of his boots. He looked more like an adventurer than a royal.

Others gathered around the stage and along the walls and columns. Elegantly dressed men and women eyed the group as they walked closer, analyzing every feature about them. Most hung a golden medallion of the national seal around their neck, symbolizing they were a member of the Lochkary Senate. The chains hanging the medallions were each unique to the individual, like their wardrobes. The Senate was originally established as an advisory board for the royal family around the founding of the kingdom. Over the years the assembly and the royal family started to separate different responsibilities to make the kingdom more efficient. Eventually the two governing bodies adopted an accord by way of a written constitution. It had been roughly two hundred years since the constitution had been signed, limiting the royal family’s authority while also giving the king a checks and balance system where he could influence the Senate. In the document it stated that each member of the senate would be chosen from a settlement or community to be their representative in the capital, the larger cities in the kingdom sending more than one delegate to handle all the demands of larger populations. Sam recognized the two members from the Cortendale Valley from their annual visit every spring. They were the only ones in the room smiling at him.

Other nobles stood behind the king’s throne. Sam could only assume they were the king’s advisors, a cabinet of men and women who were experts in different fields of study that had been in place since the Senate had separated from the king’s service. Royals would hire and dismiss them from time to time based upon the situation of the kingdom. It appeared most were military leaders and economic experts, but Sam could also see a priest from the Followers of the Light in his ceremonial white gown and a couple of fully garbed Magi. In front of the dais was a small, pudgy man with fire red hair and an elongated nose. He had buck teeth and held a large bronze staff that travelled the length from the floor to a few feet over his head. As the group approached, he pounded the large pole on the marble floor, sending a loud metallic ringing throughout the room. It appeared like he was trying to gather the room’s attention formally, even though everyone was already focused on the stage. “Attention, attention,” The small man declared. “Now announcing Samuel Gale, resident of Cortendale, and his companions.”

“He didn’t mention your position…” David whispered loud enough so everyone in their group could hear. “Didn’t Prince Edmund formally recognize it?”

“Don’t worry about it!” Nathaniel scolded. “Just bow!”

Nathaniel, Haven, David, and April all dropped to a knee and bowed their heads. Ashtock, Ahtash, and the elves had already separated from the others by taking a few steps to the side, understanding they were not to be included in a human affair. What alarmed everyone was the fact that Sam did not bow. King Jeremy leaned forward and wrapped his fingers together in astute observation. The man with the staff stood there in shock as his face turned as red as his hair. “Bow before your king, boy!”

Sam did not move, only nodding his head respectfully towards the stage. “Your Majesty,” he managed to get out.

Haven looked around nervously. “Uh… Sammy, what are you doing?” She whispered.

“Trust me,” Sam whispered back.

The room was silent for a few precarious moments until the man with the staff barked an order again. “Kneel! Now!”

“That’s quite all right, Counselor Regent,” Jeremy raised a hand to dismiss the order. “The Guardian of the Wind serves a much higher authority than mine.”

There were small murmurs circulating through the room almost instantly. So the rumors are true? Has the king recognized his title? Will he save us? What will the king do to him? What happened to his face? Sam’s companions stood as Counselor Regent banged the staff on the floor once more like a gavel to quiet the room. Jeremy continued to study the Guardian. “Why have you come to my city, young man?”

Sam cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, I have come to ask for your help in introducing me to the leaders of the races. I have been chosen for an important task that needs their attention.”

“The races? They are spread across the world young Guardian,” Jeremy looked confused. “I cannot dally from my kingdom’s problems to play tour guide. Who gave you this ‘task’?”

Sam took in a breath, knowing already how his answer was going to be received. “Dytin, your majesty.”

The room nearly erupted in scoffs, bursts of refute, and other arguments. Impossible! Dytin’s just a myth! Blasphemy! The boy is mad! Get him out of here! April’s hand found her way into Sam’s and he squeezed it, enduring the insults and objections. He knew what his purpose was, no matter how outlandish it sounded.

After a few minutes of verbal assaults, the staff again rang out through the chamber. Jeremy nodded. “My people speak a sense of truth, young Guardian. What cause do I have to believe such wild tales?”

“No doubt you have heard stories of what I have done in the south, your majesty. Do you still doubt me after hearing of such exploits?” Sam argued.

“Ah yes, exploits that you yourself have testified to be exaggerated.”

The murmurs and insults started again. Liar! Charlatan! Con Artist! Throw him out of the palace!

Sam sighed heavily. “Your highness, please. My mission isn’t just for Lochkary, but all of Teva. I cannot hope to stop Cain without the help of the other races. I have to reawaken the old bloodlines.”

A hush came over the crowd. “Bloodlines?” Regent asked, “You mean there are more of you?”

“More Guardians, yes,” Sam answered.

The room nearly erupted in a panic. More Guardians!?! Look at the damage just one did! We can’t have them rising against us!

Jeremy motioned for Regent to calm the room, and only after several minutes of signals from the bronze staff slamming onto the floor did the room become silent. Jeremy turned to the Sorcerers standing behind the stage. “Gladius, Minerva, is this true?”

A tall, slender man and a short woman stepped around the side of the stage. The man wore a long navy Mages’ coat and comfortable looking clothing underneath with a decorative sash belt holding numerous pouches of herbs and potions. A decorative amulet hung around his neck to signify his status as a Wizard.

There are five accredited levels of study within the Magi. Adepts were individuals who had shown potential for teaching and Apprentices were students currently being tutored to use their abilities. Once the Spirit Tamer graduated training and went out into the world to hone their craft, they were considered a fully formed Mage. As a Mage became more experienced they tended to concentrate on either the academic or practical side of the science. Wizards/Witches created spells and enchantments, studied alchemy, rune crafting, and usually strayed to a more scholarly lifestyle. Sorcerers, by comparison, were the other fourth level of study and were Teva’s chief magic users. They travelled the world observing the elements, often advised dignitaries in the magical arts, and conducted expeditions into ancient ruins all over the world. The fifth and highest ranked Spirit Tamers were known as Enchanters, or High Enchanters in the case of more than one in the same location, like Drakona in the Keep. Some of her instructors had attained Enchanter status but she had retained seniority over them.

The brown haired Wizard continuously pushed up a pair of reading glasses to the brim of his nose as he stood before the King. He almost reminded Sam of an older version of David. “According to legend,” The Wizard revealed as Gladius now started. “there were twelve in all.”

The woman, Minerva, was elven. She wore long red robes and a witch’s hat, her pointed elf ears sprouting through the brim in specifically cut slits. The oversized hat teetered to one side and she was constantly adjusting it. “One for each race, your majesty.”

Sam interjected. “I am not the only Guardian standing before you Milord. My friend Ahtash, of the dragons, is one as well.”

Mumbling began to circulate through the room again, the room paying more attention to the red haired woman sprouting horns and a tail next to the Chipowi and elves. Regent slammed the staff down before the chatter could pick up much more momentum. Jeremy folded his fingers together once more. “And what do you need these other Guardians for? To fight the Dark One?”

“If I succeed I won’t have to,” Sam stated confidently. “Each Guardian was tasked to keep a shard of the Tevan crystal safe.”

Sam began to pace and address not only the king, but the whole room. “If these shards can be found, then we can bring balance back to the world. Cain’s forces will recede to the pits of Damnation from which they sprang. The fields will grow lush with fertile harvests. The waters will flow, cool and clean. Natural disasters will be a thing of the past. No more earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, or even famine,” Sam noticed the room was captivated by what he said. They hung on every word. “My mission is to collect these pieces. When I do, Dytin has assured me that we can finally have peace.”

The room was silent, either due to shock that someone so deranged was actually spinning this wild story in front of the king, or others who were actually starting to believe him. Sam decided to add one last glimmer of hope to the crowd. “I have already collected three of the twelve pieces; I just need your help to track down the rest.”

There was a long period before Jeremy spoke again. “While your words are moving Guardian, I cannot in good conscience abandon the needs of my people to gallivant across the world with you to the courts of our neighbors. Perhaps if my people weren’t starving…”

“What if I found food?” Sam interrupted.

Murmurs again started. Did he just interrupt the King? Did he say he’d find us food? There is no more food, where will he find more?

Jeremy let the talk die down before he answered. “If I no longer worried for my people starving within the season, then perhaps there might be something I could do for you. If you can find enough food to carry us through the winter, then I will make sure everyone hears of your mission. Your claims will have the backing of the crown.”

Sam bowed at the waist before the assembled. “Thank you for the opportunity to prove my worth, your majesty.”

Jeremy nodded in recognition of the sign of respect. Sam and his company turned and retreated out of the throne room. The heavy mahogany doors closed and the room erupted into a frenzy of conversation and debates about the proceedings. The Senate and advisors started filing out of the room, completely absorbed with their conversations. King Jeremy sighed heavily as the assembled started to clear, unable to stop a small coughing fit from beginning that he covered with a rag. Queen Victoria, no older than her mid-twenties, reached up and gripped her much older husband’s hand in an attempt to comfort him. Edmund stood confidently. “He won’t find anything.”

“I wouldn’t be so hasty to dismiss him,” Lucas argued.

“Oh what would you know, Lucas? You’re so busy gallivanting through the woods to even understand the state our kingdom is in!” Edmund snapped.

Lucas lunged forward, wielding a knife to Edmund’s throat. “I know how to slit a bear’s throat and drain him in seconds, shall we see if it works faster with a human, little brother?”

“Enough, both of you. Save it for the Bloodsport,” King Jeremy coughed.

The Bloodsport was the tradition for royal succession. It was written into the constitution as a means of keeping the kingdom from being divided by sibling rivalry. Every king would sire numerous male heirs from as many women as he chose to bring into his bed. Most kings chose to have numerous wives and mistresses throughout their lifetimes. These women were generally regarded as the cream of the crop, the best warriors, poets, politicians, artisans, etc. When the king died, the male heirs and the kingdom would have a month to grieve and then the competition would begin. The heirs would hunt each other down until only one remained alive, thus ensuring the best blood was seated on the throne. The mixing of the bloodline with various notable women ensured that no interbreeding happened as was the case with other monarchies around Teva. There were a few rules: Only the male heirs were to be targeted, no female children were to be harmed, and the heirs had to be a pure blooded human, no mixed blooded children would be considered for the competition. Some Bloodsports lasted years in the past. It made for good entertainment for the people of Lochkary, even if it was somewhat barbaric.

Lucas released his brother and they walked to opposite sides of the stage from one another. “Father, just how do you intend to help him should he actually succeed?” Lucas asked. “Even if the famine crisis is solved, we still have Cain’s forces at our borders.”

“If the boy succeeds I’ll throw him a party, and then send him straight to the front lines,” Jeremy said coldly.

It had been Jeremy’s cunning prowess that had helped him succeed over his brothers during his Bloodsport. He had half of them killed before the month of grieving had been over. Only after the competition had begun had their bodies been found. Edmund shook his head. “He’s no soldier, has no respect for authority. I know from experience. He will never listen to your command.”

Jeremy stood, leaning heavily on Victoria for aid. “Then we convince him one of his precious pieces lies in the mountains. With the Guardian dead, the people will fall back in line.”

Lucas sighed. “What of the things he said about peace? What if he really could bring our world together and create balance? Shouldn’t we try and help him?”

Jeremy wheeled around, slapping his oldest son across the face so hard it made him stumble back a few steps. Jeremy wrapped his fingers across his son’s face like a vice grip. “Do not ever show such weakness, fool-hardy boy! Do you want others to walk over you every day of your rule?”

Lucas managed to wrench his way free. “No! I only meant if the people support him why shouldn’t we?”

“Because the people are stupid and simple minded! It is a fool’s errand. Uniting the races and fighting off Cain? Cain has existed for thousands of years and will live on for a thousand more! An end to storms and famine? Do we live in a fairy tale? The people will believe what we tell them to believe, do what we tell them to do! They are sheep and we are their shepherd. No matter how loudly a charismatic blue haired sheep dog may bark or how hard the wolves at our borders may bite, who in the end decides where the flock goes? The dog? The wolves?”

Lucas hung his head. “The shepherd.”

“Precisely,” Jeremy coughed. “Take your head out of the clouds and back down here where it’s needed. Or don’t, and see how long you last against your brother once I am gone.”

Jeremy staggered off towards his quarters. Edmund sent his brother a smug look before he turned the opposite direction to move through a side passage after some advisors. Once the room was vacant, Victoria took Lucas’ hand and caressed it, looking into his eyes pleadingly. Victoria was from Bashawn, a gift given to Jeremy when the alliance between their kingdoms had been forged some ten years earlier. At the time, Lucas and Victoria had both been in their early teens. The two had practically grown up together. To top things off, Victoria was mute, which made Lucas one of the only people on the face of Teva who had been around her long enough to communicate with her. Lucas smiled towards her. “I’m alright. Don’t worry.”

Despite her speech handicap, Victoria was by any measure the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Bashawnians had the distinct genetic trait of having snow white hair from birth, long faces with high cheek bones, and fair, soft skin. It was widely believed that the entire nation is a kingdom of mixed blood between humans and elves, which is where the distinct facial features derive. Many human nations despised the country, claiming it was the solemn duty of all “true-blooded” nations to wipe it from the face of Teva. Lochkary was one of the only kingdoms who had come to Bashawn’s aid. Ten years had passed since Lochkary’s military had driven off Bashawn’s invaders and a formal alliance forged between the two. Now, with the famine and Cain’s invasion, Bashawn’s enemies had beset upon the kingdom once more knowing full well that Lochkary could not afford to come to the kingdom’s aid this time around.

Lochkary was not without its prejudice however, despite the promise to aid their ally. Victoria was little more than a nursemaid to Jeremy than an actual queen. He refused to sire any children with her due to her mixed background, even though many thousands of years had passed since the interbreeding of the two races. Bashawnians’ blood was now so diluted it had little difference with other humans beside the distinct facial features. This ostracizing had made Victoria’s stay in Lochkary lonely and dark. Although she had her servants, Lucas was the only person who had shown Victoria true kindness, and she loved him for it.

The queen motioned her hands towards Lucas in a sign language they had developed as kids. Do you want to go for a walk? Talk about it?

“No, I am going to see if I can catch up to the Guardian. I’m going to assist him, regardless of my father’s intention.”

Victoria gave him a sly grin. Always the troublemaker.

“Yes well, someday I will be king, and when that day comes I would very much like to see this peaceful world,”

And I would very much like to be beside you when that day comes. Victoria said, her face flushing a bit as she finished.

Lucas caressed her cheek, kissing her fondly as he often did when they were alone. He would make her a proper queen someday, not some trophy. Jeremy’s yelling came from the hallway, “Victoria! To me!”

Queen Victoria caressed her lover’s cheek one last time before she scampered out of the room. Lucas sighed, turning on his heel and out the mahogany doors.

Snapshots of Heaven

B.C. Johnson

On a drive towards parts unknown, your bare feet on the dash. The radio sings us a blessed tune, our voices join in with comical clash. The wind blows through your silky locks, the summer sun illuminates your skin. Your eyes twinkle in a haunting glow, as our great journey just begins. We laugh about life and what it is to be free, our youth we can enjoy in full. Young love they say is eternal and rich, our lives will never be dull. No rules, no binds, just our love and this car. This vacant road beckons us on. No telling just yet how far we’ll go, just forward towards the dawn…
…and my mind takes a snapshot of heaven.

Years later the choir calls out from behind, and the ceremony is about to begin. We turn to the rear as the church bells toll, an angel is about to walk in. Garbed in white and lace of gold, your vision she is a delight. For years now I’ve waited so very long, finally everything seems right. I see you clutching your bouquet so tight as you walk down the aisle to see. Your face is a vision I cannot hope to describe as you once again smile at me. The preacher’s words filter in and out, I concentrate only on you. Together we stand, both hand in hand, as one we’ll start out anew…
…and my mind takes a snapshot of heaven.

The hustle and bustle of the afternoon traffic is like obstacles for me to slolum. I wheel left and right and left again to avoid the traffic columns. I burst through the front doors and onto the stairs, my heart beating faster by the minute. “My wife is here,” I scream at the nurse “and our child, she is about to give it!” The woman lets me in just in time to see, the wonder that is my boy. He cries and squirms and is slimy all over, but at that moment no better joy. I take your hand in mine and thank the good Lord for seeing it through. There is no greater gift than a child to be born, and best of all I share him with you…
…and my mind takes a snapshot of heaven.

In a darkened room where flowers grow, my cough gives you all a fright. For many a year I’ve grown weaker and sick, to culminate here on this night. You are at my bedside, as you always have, my hand nestled in yours. Our children and their kids all huddled about, listening intently for hours. My eyes glance each one, tell all that I love, and finally I come to you. Your tears are met with a wave of my hand as my fingers catch the tiny dew. I nuzzle your cheek, kiss your hand, and we talk about things we’ve shared. You sob a bit more, then look down at me, and tell me you are most scared. My hands hold you tightly, as tight as I can, and I tell you not to fret. “As long as I stand, I don’t care how long, I would not go through those gates just yet. For I don’t care how long I wait, even if you grow to ninety-seven. I will not walk in until together we can…
…relive our snapshots of heaven.

Fixing the Powhatan Princess

As Disney continues to go through its roster of animated classics and converts them to live action movies, I find myself wondering what they might do with one of my favorite heroines. We’ve seen great renditions of Cinderella, Mowgli, and now Belle. I imagine many of our favorite childhood stars will get a moment in front of the live-action camera, and I love the nostalgia these movies bring, but what also captures my attention is the “aging” these new scripts get in their new versions. It feels like Disney has been paying attention to the superhero movies as of late, taking the source material and “modernizing” it so that a wider audience can enjoy them. We’re seeing characters more flushed out, more diverse, with faults and tackling realistic challenges. With this in mind, it’s time to talk about one of our own American Princesses, Pocahontas.

Problems in the Animated film.

In order to “fix” the story, we have to first discuss what went wrong with her first appearance on the silver screen. Pocahontas came at a time commonly referred to as the “Disney Renaissance”. Animation almost died in the late seventies and early eighties, thanks to advancements in movie magic. Movies like Star Wars and Tron seemed to be the future of film, transporting us to worlds that before only paint and ink could take us. Disney animation answered in kind, opening up those story books once more and bringing Disney animation back to its roots. Ariel, Belle, Aladdin, these movies created a resurgence of popularity in the full-length animated feature and in turn provided a whole new generation their fondest childhood memories at the movies. Then the money took over. VHS tape sales went through the roof, Disney on ice was born, park ticket sales skyrocketed. Soon every story of a famous female in history was a gold mine… which brings us to Pocahontas.

The Powhatan Princess is still a story mired in controversy and mixed accounts (most of which I will discuss later), but Disney was hungry for more stories. The Grimm brothers’ supply was running low and in an effort to diversify their roster the executives decided that putting their own spin on the young lady’s life would get them success in the box office. The problem lies in their total disregard for any accuracy whatsoever.

First off, the landscape in the movie is completely wrong. The mouth of the Chesapeake does not look like the Colorado Rockies. Diving off of cliff faces, singing about giant redwoods, meeting the white man in a lagoon where he pops out from behind a waterfall… what setting were these animators looking at? The landscape panels look more like the mythical lands of Sleeping Beauty or Fantasia than of Virginia. Second, turning Pocahontas into a Barbie doll is wildly disrespectful. Not only has it caused controversy amongst those who battle with body issues and the constant argument over society forcing images onto young girls of what “right” looks like, but it is completely inaccurate to the historical account. Pocahontas was by all accounts, in her early teens when Jamestown was founded. It makes her story that much more triumphant that a young girl could speak such wisdom and stop grown men from descending into madness. I won’t nitpick the other issues I’ve held with the movie, like the sidekicks or the god-awful forced love story, but you get the idea that this movie has a lot of issues that need to be dropped when the live action feature finally comes along.

Time for a History lesson

So, I’m no professor, and I’m sure that a lecture on Pocahontas’ life is neither wanted nor needed here, but you do need to know at least a little about her life in order to see the truly magical potential. Disney was right to pick Pocahontas for a film, she really is an inspirational heroine whose story NEEDS to be told to not only young women, but young men as well, it just needs to be tred carefully. Also, keep in mind that much of her story comes from John Smith’s personal letters, and he contradicts himself plenty in the telling.

Pocahontas was the daughter of Powhatan, chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, a mighty nation of many native American tribes in the Chesapeake area. Chief Powhatan had a child from a woman in every tribe in his nation, but Pocahontas was his favored. Her mother died bringing her into the world, and so she was raised by her father as she could not return to her people like her siblings usually did. Pocahontas was known as fiery, excited, and often a joy to her father and her tribe.

When the first British colonists founded Jamestown, young Pocahontas brought offerings of food to the men, who desperately needed it. Jamestown had a difficult first year, as they had brought miners, businessmen, and no farmers. Had it not been for Pocahontas’ kindness, many would likely have starved. There was tension between her father and the British, but not as much as the movie likes to portray. John Smith was captured at one point, but was treated kindly and as a guest. Powhatan knew he needed to keep these new men close so he could keep an eye on them, friends close/enemy closer philosophy, and so awarded the men land in his kingdom. During this time with John, Pocahontas befriended the much older Englishman. Despite the lands given to the Englishmen, negotiations began to break down, and hostilities grew. John Smith, still a captive guest of the Chieftan, was the be executed as an example to the white man. By John Smith’s own account, it was Pocahontas’ act of placing her head onto his that saved him from her father’s executioners club. There was no love affair, but mutual respect, friendship, the crossing of divides. When John Smith had to return to England after a gunpowder accident (NOT being shot by some fictional “governor”), Pocahontas stopped visiting the colony. She had lost her friend, and the colony reminded her too much of that loss.

Fast forward a bit and the Jamestown settlers want more territory, and they’re willing to overthrow Powhatan for it. They collude with a tribe in the Powhatan Confederacy that hold less than happy relations with Powhatan and orchestrate a coup. They invade another tribe and take prisoners, one of which is the visiting Pocahontas. In an effort to ease tensions and bring peace between the English and her people, Pocahontas studies the bible, converts to Christianity, and takes the name Rebecca, as she identified with her the most. (Rebecca was also a well-known peacekeeper). In response, the English married her to a wealthy tobacco farmer, John Rolfe, and took her to England to meet the Queen. Surely some saw her as a “domesticated savage”, but others saw her for what she tried to be, a bridge between worlds, a sign that two peoples can come together. Unfortunately, Pocahontas did not live very long in England and was never able to return to her lands. Subjected to the same diseases and viruses that had plagued the Europeans for centuries, Pocahontas died in 1617 at the age of twenty-one.

So, what are we focusing on?

That is an extremely watered down version of the woman’s life, but you can easily see a theme there. Peace. Pocahontas dedicated her life to helping her tribe and her friends, two very culturally different people, to work and live together. A message we are still struggling to comprehend today. A message that we need to constantly reinforce, generation after generation. It’s a great theme to explain to children and remind adults of. But I think there is something else that needs to be said about her life… She failed.

Pocahontas did not have a happily ever after, and neither did her people. The Powhatan nation was decimated against the oncoming tide of British and European settlers. The peace she fought so hard for was ultimately futile. The sad history of the Native Americans is evidence of that. It might not be a bad lesson to teach not just our children, but their parents as well. Just because you work hard at something, just because you put your blood, sweat, and tears into a dream, doesn’t automatically make it happen. Sometimes the luck of the draw is against you from the start. Sometimes we need to remember our somber history, our tragedies, our failures, and learn from them. Sometimes it takes one person’s sacrifice to ignite a fire to do better in the next generation, to be more accepting, to be more open for peace. Maybe Pocahontas didn’t achieve peace in her time, but through the magic of movies she can help achieve peace in ours.

Take a look at the last installment of lore from my series Dytin's Stones.

Within a few generations, the same squabbles, same fights, same old hatreds rose in the hearts of the races. Soon the feelings that had sparked Cain’s birth ran rampant again, and the corrupting influence of the Dark One grew. Legend tells that one day Cain broke free of his prison, shattering the Tevan Crystal into twelve separate pieces, each holding the essence of an element.

The Sprites, their powers fading, entrusted their survival to a hero of each of their races. They each charged their emissary to find and keep safe their elemental piece, then they faded away; using all the power they had left to keep the very fabric of the world together. As the Guardians dispersed across the lands of Teva, Dytin tried once more to rally his subjects to battle his brother. The races answered the call, but had grown complacent over the centuries of their immortality. The forces of Dytin soon realized that with the destruction of the Tevan Crystal, their gift of eternal life had vanished, and their forces were decimated against the might of Cain’s army. The conflict ended with Dytin’s forces becoming cornered in their capital of Saltoa, the last brave defenders holding back the tides of Cain’s corruption as their god went into hiding. So ended the Second Age.

In the years following the conflict called “The Mortal War”, the forces of Cain continued to ravage the land. In time, members of the races managed to fight back and free large sections of the original capitol. This conflict became known as the “Retaliation”, and it inspired other kingdoms throughout Teva to follow these brave warriors’ example. Generations of fighting reshaped the world to what it is in present day, various kingdoms and territories struggling for existence, the ancient tales of their ancestors fading away from history to folklore, folklore to myth.

Here is another excerpt from Dytin Stones: Windrider providing more lore. Please, enjoy!

As the races of the Sprites began to grow to the far reaches of Teva, the planet’s resources began to strain under their weight. Squabbles broke out, fights sporadically surfaced. Soon Dytin’s perfect world began to fall apart. The feelings of anger, of hatred, of pain, all filtered through the races, to their creators, and finally to Dytin himself. One day the vast evil power gathering within Dytin became too much, and before the Sprite’s very eyes, Dytin split in two. As their master’s broken body lay on the ground, a new creation emerged, the darkest presence that had ever been seen. The being’s breath poisoned the air, it’s touch incinerated all he held, his every step suffocated the ground and left death and desecration in its wake. He announced to the Sprites his name to be Cain, and he would see this world they had created utterly destroyed without mercy or reason, then he disappeared as quickly as he came.

The world of Teva was thrown into war. The races banded together to battle the monstrosities put forth upon them by the evil powers of Cain. Such unity surprised even Dytin himself, but soon Cain’s forces were broken and defeated, the Dark One beaten at his brother’s feet. Dytin and the Sprites sentenced Cain to an eternity locked away so that his corruption and evil would not plague the beings of Teva ever again, creating a crystal shard to serve as his prison. Each element put forth their essence to help craft the magical cage, for only with all of their powers combined could they hold back Cain’s dark malice. So ended the First Age.

At the time, the world was consumed with celebration; Cain’s capture within the now christened “Tevan Crystal” was herald as the end of all conflict. Dytin rewarded his people’s victory with a special gift. He granted the races the same immortality that he and the Sprites shared, so they could enjoy forever the new freedom they had fought for. But the gift was wasted.

This post, along with the next few are going to be a little shorter than normal, but for good reason. These next few posts are going to introduce you to the world I have created, Dytin’s Stones. My series that is near and dear to my heart, as well as my hand. Without further ado, here is a piece of lore from Dytin’s Stones.

Legend speaks of the world known as Teva, a world fraught with conflict and peace, pain and triumph, victory and defeat, life and death. When the world was new and unshaped, the Architect known as Dytin set foot on her lands and carved her to his will. Where he clawed the ground, the forests grew. With the point of his finger, an ocean pooled. He waved his arms and the winds were born. He brushed off his shoulder and created the sands. He crushed together the mountains, and crumpled dirt within his hands, hurling it into space to create three moons. Soon Dytin’s heart longed for companionship, longed for someone to enjoy this world he had created. He called together the Sprites, the spirits of nature he had created. Twelve bodies came before him, each an element that held Dytin’s world together. He implored to his elements. “Make for me the people. Make the creatures that shall inhabit this world and thrive,” he then bestowed unto them the power to give life. Each Sprite devoted themselves to this task, and soon the world of Teva was exploding with living, breathing creatures. The races thrived, and flourished, and grew, and Dytin looked down at his world and smiled.

B.C. Johnson

Hello. Welcome back everyone. I hope your holidays were joyous and full of cheer. I hope your bellies were full as well as your hearts. I hope you enjoyed your time with your families, or at least it wasn’t too difficult to tolerate them. I hope all of these things and more; and, if my well wishes did not turn out for you… well, there’s always next year, right?

That’s what I wanted to talk about today. Hope. Anticipation. Optimism. It’s such an innately human expression. Other members of the animal kingdom don’t make new year resolutions, don’t plan weddings or birthdays. These are celebrations and traditions we encourage across multiple cultures and societies, why? Because we are an inherently optimistic as a species.

It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Who wouldn’t try to hope for the best? Live for the future? The brighter day is always tomorrow and we always strive to make our children’s lives better than our own. It’s what has advanced us throughout the ages. It's what has propelled our species past our caveman beginnings and keeps us striving towards the stars. We’re a hopeful, curious, passionate people and we practice traditions that enforce this outlook. It helps fight the monotony, the boredom, the daily grind… so then why does it feel like things aren’t so bright down the road recently?

2016 was a difficult year, to say the least. We had a heated election in the United States, multiple acts of violence and terror filled our TV screens, not to mention the cavalcade of celebrity deaths that were splashed across social media. It felt like the world is spinning out of control, didn’t it? That it might very well have been the end of everything. Society breaking down and imploding in on itself in fire and madness…

You thought I was being a little over-dramatic there, didn’t you? That’s because there’s a part of you who is, above all else, optimistic. We’ve got a lot to be happy for actually. Malaria is down 60% world-wide. Work on reviving the Colorado River was completed. For the first time, the cost for ending poverty was less than the amount spent on foreign aid. Veteran Homelessness has dropped 50% since 2010. Tiger numbers are rising, American teen graduation rates as well, and death by heart disease dropped by 70%. You see? We have a lot to be proud of, and a lot to be hopeful for by the end of 2017.

So, for the next 12 months, keep that chin up. Wake up every day and remind yourself that with a new sunrise, comes new possibilities. Bad days only last 24 hours, and then there’s a new chance at happiness. Don’t pay attention to the doom and gloom media, they just want their ad revenue. Don’t stress over what you have no control over. Instead, focus your efforts on being the positive change you want to see in your life. Others will follow. For we are a hopeful bunch, we humans.

So raise thy glasses, high overhead

And salute a year gone by

And that which is promised, we strive for yet

Or at the very least, we’ll try

Cheers!

May the Spirits guide you, and your Guardians stay true

There were many things my father, the leading example in my life, taught me through the years. Some lessons were hard learned, others easily, but there was one lesson my father once told me that I still hold close. It was the lesson I’m sure you would appreciate. “There are five things you must know about women, son,” He had said. “And I will tell you what they are…”

“All women are princesses and should be treated as such. They wear their crowns proudly, but sometimes it can easily fall from their perches, so there are five things a man must do to keep his love’s crown from plummeting.”

1. “We must adore them, so the crown will always feel weightless on our love’s heads.”

My father explained that every woman needs to be reminded how beautiful they are, how spectacular they look, every single day. They need to know that their image is the most beautiful thing we as men have ever seen, and no matter how many times we see them, they just keep getting more and more beautiful. They need to know that they radiate the most heavenly light to us and nothing of this world or the next can compare.

2. “We must protect them, so to not let others try and steal the crown.”

He explained that many things in the world try and harm our loves, physically and mentally. It is the man’s job to do his best to shield the woman from other more evil men or other things that might trouble our love’s hearts and minds. The crown is a heavy enough burden to carry; it is the man’s job to carry the weight of the other, more harmful things.

3. “We must never hurt them, for how can we protect if we are the ones causing harm to the crown?”

If we are the ones caring for our loves, then we can’t be the one of the evil men we are trying to repel. We should abide by all the other rules and never take our aggressions out on the crown bearers, for such pain would count as double if coming from us.

4. “We should always be there for them, for there is never a time when our loves do not wear their crowns, so we as such should never sloth in our own responsibilities.”

Women’s care is a 24/7 job and a very rewarding one at that. Some women require less care than others, but no matter how much care our love needs, one should always be an arm’s length away to help in any way she needs. Whenever a woman needs a crying shoulder or a helping hand, ours should always be the first to be offered to her. Whether it is midnight or the early morning, our crown bearer should always be able to count on her man.

5. “And the most important, we should always love them, for what woman can survive without love in her life?”

The greatest of all five, my father taught me to love. Every woman should feel that indescribable feeling of love and that is what takes the most care, for love is different to every person. If we as men do not love our crown bearers with all our hearts, then everything else is absolutely useless.

And so my darling, as I sit with you this night and tell you of the things I learned as a child, I vow to you that I will always uphold my father’s teachings.

1. I will always adore you
2. I will always protect you
3. I will never hurt you
4. I will always be there for you
5. And most importantly, I will love you, always and forever, as long as I live.

There is nothing in this world that could keep me from doing these things for you, no one that can convince me otherwise. The crown you carry is a heavy burden to hold, but, if you will let me, I will help you carry it from this point forward.

Where you go, I go. What you do, let me do it too. Let me uphold the lessons I learned and let me be the only man for you, now and for forever more. Let me be your everything, as you are most impeccably mine.

May the Spirits guide you and your Guardians stay true.

Fantastic Beasts Review

So, first thing first, I am not a professional critic. By no means is this intended to be derogatory or degrading to anyone involved in this project. Anything I have to say is simply from an observer’s view. Take it or leave it, I just thought it would be fun to tell you what I got out of this. If enough people like these sorts of things and what I have to say on the matter than who knows, maybe I’ll do more. I’m a huge fan of Video Games, Books (Comic or otherwise), and movies so there’s plenty to talk about.

There, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, I figured we could look at the narrative of the movie rather than focusing on what I’ve seen most critics focus on. In any medium I base my opinions first and foremost on the story, the plot, the lore of the series, the characters. I don’t much care for something other than that unless if feeds that narrative. You can tell me that a movie is a technical marvel and has tons of awesome special effects, but if the story is crap than the movie is crap… at least to me. Not trying to sound uppity, it’s just what I focus on. Oh and also, MAJOR SPOILERS. We are talking about story, after all.

Yay or Nay?

If you’re here to know if the movie is good or not, then let me save you a lot of reading. It’s good… like really good. Go see it for yourself. If you liked the other Harry Potter movies, or you read the books, then you didn’t really need some random stranger on the internet to tell you to see it. You probably already saw it for yourself. If you’re on the fence about it, then I implore you to see it. In theaters, where you can get the whole experience. It’s not particularly important to see it in 3D. As there’s really only one moment where something leaps out at you and to be honest, it felt a little gimmicky.

Setting

So let’s dive right in to the nitty gritty. This move takes place awhile before the original Harry Potter stories. Canon states that Harry went to Hogwarts and had his adventures in the 1990’s, and this movie very clearly takes place in the roaring twenty’s New York. The prohibition era is in full swing, and just how our country was divided back then, so too is the setting in this movie. J.K. Rowling was the screenwriter for this and wow does it show. Rowling’s always had a great talent for creating vivid and colorful worlds, and the Wizarding World in America is no exception to this. The tension and themes of division and political frailty can be felt everywhere in the movie. There are very clearly some times where the neighborhoods look a little fake, green screened or back lots, but ultimately it’s barely noticeable. Because of that “staged” feeling however, New York or the magical sets don’t feel as alive or flushed out as say Hogwarts or Diagon Alley had. Ironically, inside Newt’s suitcase felt the most “real” and that was the set that had the most computer graphics. The themes are clearly portrayed in the lighting of these sets, vivid colors where needed, dark shadow in more devilish scenes. I especially enjoyed the attention to detail when it came to the costumes and wardrobe. 1920’s fashion is overt and easily recognizable; in this movie we see a great mixture of what was “current” as well as some carry-over from earlier decades. The clothing looks worn and after some scenes the characters can be seen covered in dust or water or whatever was needed to really anchor them to the plot.

Characters

Another one of Rowling’s talents has always been making memorable and lovable characters. It’s easier to fall in love with them from the books rather than the movies, as we spend much more time with them in her pages. She also has an Achille’s heel for writing what I call “fluff scenes”, where nothing significant happens to move the plot along, but we do spend a lot of quality time with her characters and watch them interact with one another. It’s a double-edged sword for her in her novels, because on one hand we love spending time with these people yet on the other hand she can use it a lot in some of them and it tends to weigh down the pacing of the story (I’m looking at you Order of the Phoenix). It was refreshing to see that for her screenplay, Rowling had little to no fluff scenes in Fantastic Beasts. Its pacing was not hindered by any of the character interactions, and almost every word out of the character’s mouths was helping us understand what was at stake, flushing out this new side of the wizarding world to us, or helping unravel the mystery of the plot. The main character, Newt Scamander is absolutely irresistible, and not surprisingly so as he’s played by the great Eddie Redmayne. His character is a great departure from Harry Potter. He’s not a glory seeking, brave adventurer type like the Gryffindor kids we know from the first series. Newt’s a Hufflepuff, with a big heart and fierce loyalty to the creatures he cares for. We see him get emotional on more than one occasion for his charges and that’s not something you’d see from Harry unless he was also angry or in the middle of a fight. There’s a softer side to Newt than we’re used to in our protagonists, a vulnerability that comes from a different kind of person than Harry was. I genuinely enjoyed rooting for him. It’s nice to see that it doesn’t take an A-type personality to be a hero. The other characters were also just as magnetic. I especially enjoyed Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski. You can tell that he’s a comic relief sidekick type but he is endearing and you really have an emotional attachment by the end of the movie. I said earlier that there are little “fluff scenes” to really flush out these characters, and I think that was on purpose. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to see many of these characters as the movies go on. Newt’s adventure seems pretty open and shut by the end credits, and the whole experience feels like a prologue to a more epic story later on, likely the story of Grindlewald… which brings us to the plot as a whole.

The Story

The thing to remember about J.K. Rowling is that she is less a Fantasy writer, and more a Mystery writer. She’s great at using Red Herrings, building the suspense, then giving you a great twist towards the end that you likely weren’t expecting. In the beginning of the story through newsreels she tells of the strife in America between magic users and No-Maj’s (American Muggles). Newt comes to the continent for his own reasons and falls head first into this massive dilemma. The story does a great job of juggling many different plots so the world feels vibrant and alive. Newt’s presence in New York doesn’t feel like it’s an obvious plot device, as there might have been any number of matches that could have lit this tinder box we’re walking into. Instead, Newt’s arrival in New York feels like a happy accident of circumstance, which is what the story would have you believe. Right man in the Right place at the Right time. That makes it feel more real, more like the chaos that is life itself. There are plenty of plot twists (I won’t spoil them all) that will keep you guessing until the end, and the pacing of the story doesn’t feel rushed or too slow. It’s edge of your seat storytelling that if it were a novel, you’d likely read it all without putting it down. I was a little disappointed with the lack of No-Maj scenes however. As big a part they play in the strife and inner turmoil of the magical community, you’d think there’d be more of them. Instead we’re shown only about three characters (other than Jacob of course) and they only have about one or two scenes each. They don’t really feel much like a threat to be honest, as big a deal as the president of the MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) makes them out to be. Worse still is the somewhat easy way that the story gets tidied up at the end. After a large, rampaging dark force terrorizes and destroys half of Manhattan, one of Newt’s creatures takes a vial of blue glow stick goop into the sky and then boom, special rain just makes it all better again. First off, how the heck does that fix the people who are INDOORS, second… that’s just… way too easy. I would have liked to have seen real consequence. Perhaps not outright war between the magical and non-magical but at least someone who had witnessed it now taking on a crusade to reveal the magical community for what it is. I just expected better to be honest.

Final Comments

All and all I feel Fantastic Beasts earns a well-deserved place next to the Harry Potter series. I think that David Yates the director and J.K. Rowling deserve a lot of credit for pulling off such a great prequel. They’re incredibly hard to do right (I hope you’re taking notes George). The best part is actually that we didn’t have novels to go into first. Sure, there’s the extra lore bits that Rowling’s put out over the years, but there wasn’t a full book telling us the story before we went in. I think that helped keep our expectations in check. We couldn’t get angry if our favorite character wasn’t portrayed a certain way or what have you. I really enjoyed seeing more of the wizarding world and I look forward to another adventure with these movies.

May the Spirits Guide you and your Guardians stay true.

J.K. Rowling