Old Friends and New Places

The door shut quietly behind me cutting off any hope of escape and deepening my dread. As soon as I walked in a saw a clash of style. The castle was a conflicting mess of medieval workmanship and hot pink frills. I sighed. This castle belonged to someone I did not want to meet. Terry's master Juliana Ann Dracul. Just thinking about it dampened my spirits.

I walked to the room at the end of the hallway. It was a waiting room decorated with an aqua blue couch, hot pink frill curtains over the windows, medieval suits of armor painted different colors and a bright orange coffee table. [ So he has finally given up, huh. ] For a long time Juliana and her husband Constantine fought for the decorating rights of there home. In the end it looks like Juliana won.

Foot steps could be herd running this way from. "Amke! You came!"

A petite women came running at me at full speed. "Juliana it has been to long." She flung herself into a hug.

"Amke, it has been too long. What have you been doing. You said you would come visit us every once in while. But its been seven years since I last saw you." She pushed me away and pouted.

"Is that so? I have been busy building a town after all. How is the family?"

"Oh their good for the most part." She brightened up immediately. "Why don't we head to the kitchen and talk there?"

"That would be wonderful."

We walked through a maze of corridors and rooms. Finally arriving in the kitchen. It was nicely done with black granite countertops, stainless steal sink, and beautiful hard wood cabinets. There was a island with red chairs placed at it. I sat down as Juliana made some tea.

"Jared is out right now hunting for a wife. As for Constantine he is downstairs sleeping. He should be up in about an hour or so." Juliana carried the tea over to the island and sat across from me.

"Really I didn't think that Jared would settle down any time soon. What changed his mind about it?"

Juliana smirked, "Oh nothing much. He just meet a girl he liked and she is a bit difficult to get."

"Ho, and who is that? For them to be able to resist Jared's persistence they must be special."

"Indeed, it is Viola Heart."

".... The princess of The Court?"

"The very one."

"Then he has his work cut out for him."

"Absolutely."

We drank our tea in silence for a little while. [ Really now he could've chosen someone else. ] Viola Heart is the daughter of the King of Life. The King of Life and Constantine had been on bad terms with each other for a while now. It was literally a modern day Romeo and Juliet. [ Must be tough. ]

"How is Constantine taking this?"

"Just fine.... the general court affaires and personal disputes don't affect my family.." A voice said from the kitchen door way.

"Oh Darling your awake." Juliana ran over and latched herself onto the figure.

"Its been awhile Amke. How are things?" The figure walked into the room wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt.

"Constantine it has been to long."

"Indeed."

"So how is King Heart taking his daughter being chased by Jared?"

"Oh, not well. Pffft..." Said Juliana, "He had a holy fit when Jared asked to date his daughter. I had never seen him go so red and blue in the face before. Hahahahahaha...."

"... Jared fell for his Viola Heart at one of the Court balls. Ever since then he has been constantly chasing after her. To my great displeasure." Constantine sighed sadly.

Juliana patted his shoulder as she continued. "Don't mind him. Constantine is just upset because the Court is putting pressure on him. They say that an interspecies relationship is wrong and against nature. You understand how this would bring up problems in the Court of Life. Speaking of against nature do you know about the resent undead event?"

[ All to well.... ] "Yes"

"Well the Court said that since Constantine were closer to what they are he has to find a way to stop them from spreading. And since our son is courting the King's little Viola they said Constantine had to do this alone."

"Wow, thats harsh."

"Yep."

"Anyway Amke, what has brought you to Transylvania?"

"Ironically the undead matter. As you have already seen there are undead bodies that just won't died. They were created in Shadow Wood by Terry."

"What by little Terry?"

"... Yes, he said that it was a trade secret how he did that and so I came to ask you. As his master I hoped that you would know."

"Is that so..." Juliana went into deep thought. "I don't think that necromancy can create them just by itself. There would have to be something else mixed into it..."

"I think the alchemist in town helped out."

"Alchemy?" She stood still in even deeper thought then before. We all watched Juliana. ".... I'm not sure what could be used to make undead creatures that can't die, but there is a lot about alchemy I don't know.... Have you talked to Nickolas Flemel yet?"

"Sigh, no. I haven't. Do you know where he is?"

"Not really. Last I heard he was in Turkey looking at old Roman Ruins."

"Why don't you go ask him about it. He will help you or at least set you on the right path."

"Sigh.... I don't really wish to see that lunatic again."

"That so? I always thought he was nice." Constantine and I just stared at her.

"Honey... The last time you saw him you threatened his life...."

"Did I?"

"...."

"Anyway It has been so long. Amke you said you have a town now. How is it?"

I smiled and took a sip of tea. "Its a small town in North America filled to the rim with stray creatures."

"Is that so. I know that Terry told me a little about it saying that some crazy 'dude' was in charge."

"Cough.... Cough.... Did he really say that?"

"Yes, what's wrong?" Juliana tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"I am the one running the town..."

"Bwahahahahaha..... I see! That is some crazy 'dude' running the town!"

I frowned at Constantine that continued to laugh. "I'm glad you get a laugh out of this."

"Heh.. Heh... Don't be like that Amke. The description is just to accurate." Constantine was slowly catching his breath.

"Tsk... I'm not that crazy." This only made him laugh harder while Juliana sat quietly drinking tea and nodding.

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('Resident' Prov)

I sat at Kaz's desk doing a mountain of tedious and time consuming paperwork. There was just no end. The more I did the more papers would come. Not only that Kaz's sadistic secretary would come in and stack piles of them, and then sweep her eyes around the room and sigh as if scorning my lack progress. [ The first chance I get I will throw you into a body of water and watch you squirm and screech your way out."

The thought sent shivers of joy down my spine as I continued scanning paperwork. This particular document covered the maintenance and upkeep fees for the town. [ Why are we still paying fees when there is no governmental power left?"] The fees covered the repairs for shops roads and signs in Shadow Wood. However there was one that caught my eye. The fees for adding names to Calle De Los Muertos. [Street of the Dead?? Since when did we have something like that? ] The description said that it was for carving names of the deceased into the street. [ Why have I never seen this? ]

"Lisa!" Lisa calmly walked into the office. "Where is Calle De Los Muertos?"

She stood silent for a moment in thought. "The street is down by the Necromancer and the Undertaker's Shop. It begins at the Undertaker and ends by the Necromancer. As it is supposed to represent the your options after death."

"I see... I'm going out. Take care of this." With that I let the paper hell that was Kaz's office and headed for Calle De Los Muertos. It was surprising to find out there were places I never knew existed especially ones related to death. [ Come to think of it I never meat the undertaker either... ]

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I will not be posting anything new for the next 6 days do to no internet. Also I'm sorry that the character list is getting a bit long but it will only increase from here. If you have another format you wish to see the characters in or more information you want on them, please let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading.

Kaz - Mayor of Shadow Wood

Self proclaimed 'Green Spirit'

'Embodiment of forest'

Past names: Mor, Amke

Terrry - Necromancer

Cause of the Zombies

Kaz's Assistant

Babysitter

A Bosh

'Resident' - Lives in a crypt

Friend of Kaz

Farries the Dead to the Underworld

Replacement Mayor

Lisa - Cat Sidhe

Kaz's secretary

Has a crow familier

Ali Baba - Witch

Twin Sister to Baba Yoga

'Alba'

Baba Yoga - Witch

Twin Sister to Ali Baba

'Bayo'

Jasmine - Leader of the Water Fae

Van - In control of the Power Plant

....'Human'

Dirk - Employees of Power Plant

Golems (created by Van)

David Baker - Mayor of Redroad

Human

Missing

Inta - Ali Baba's daughter

Usor - Ali Baba's Son

Clara - Little girl from National Park

Living with Kaz

Wood Elf

Akuji - Wizard

Head of Magic clan

Kraken Family - 3 in total

Live in the pond

From Chaos dimension

Badru - Head of the Library

Sphinx (Cheetah variety)

Seth - Alpha of Werewolf Pack

Tasked with investigating Zombies

Constantine Dracul - Lives in a Castle

In the Court of Life

Husband to Juliana

Juliana Ann Dracul - Necromancer

Terry's Master

Wife to Constantine

Jared Dracul - Son of Constantine and Juliana

Chasing Viola

Viola Heart - Daughter of the King of the Court of Life

Being Chased by Jared