The Circus Is In Town!

“Ladies ad gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Circus Epsilon!” from the middle of the huge canvas tent a loud voice boomed across the multitudes of anxious chitter chattering crowds who filled the towering stands surrounding the circus ring. Immediately the circus band played a jovial tune as a few clowns came rushing out to humour the crowds with their antics. The crowds marvelled over their skilful juggling, but were soon overcome with laughter when the clowns started to disagree with each other; they slapped, wrestled, threw pies and chased each other out of the tent.

“Next, we present you our talented little acrobats, the Tumbling Ten!” announced the ringmaster energetically. Then, ten children no more than five feet tall streamed into the circus ring while doing cartwheels and somersaults, each of them adorn in identical white costumes with yellow streaks running along the sides. They awed the crowd with their splendid display as they leaped, flipped and rolled while forming various formations. But they saved their best stunt for last. As the drum roll begun, four little tumblers spun into position and held their ground forming a horizontal row. Then three little tumblers cart wheeled and leaped into place above the four, followed by two more tumblers which made a running leap, landing right at the shoulders of the earlier three.

The atmosphere tensed as all eyes shifted to the last remaining tumbler which stood before the gigantic human pyramid. The drum roll continued to play, the child took one step back, made a short run and stomped on a small springboard protruding from the ground, launching him high into the air, and landing him at the peak of the human pyramid. Wobbling slightly, he stretched out his arms to regain his balance, but soon raised them high above his head as he beamed broadly to mark his success. The crowd cheered loudly at the spectacular feat.

“Flying high and free on the trapeze, next up, we bring you the High Flyers!” the crowd went wild at the announcement of the ringmaster. But amidst the excitement, a mysterious dark figure hidden in the shadows at the top of the stand not far away from me caught my eye. He had a hood over his head and a cape over his shoulders concealing his appearance. Unlike the other spectators, he did not show any expressions or gestures, he was just standing there watching, watching the circus ring motionlessly.

I found it rather odd, as he could not be security personnel; usually circus personnel have their respective uniforms and would bear the circus emblem. Maybe he is an assassin who was there to assassinate someone of high rank. That was just a thought, but I knew for sure that a commotion would take place. So I decided to leave the place to take shelter just in case anything would happen.

Unfortunately the steps leading down the stands were just beside that shady figure, I dreaded for a moment, thinking if I should proceed, but decided to go on anyway. When I was approaching the stairs, the tent fell silent as the ringmaster continued to make another announcement. “Tonight, we have a special treat for all of you, our most valued guests – tonight, for the first time ever, we present you our latest addition to the show, a majestic beast known as the Pterippus!”

Gasps of astonishment and amazement rose from the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, feast your eyes on the Pterippus! The mystical winged horse!” declared the ringmaster as the circus crew unveiled a large cage set in the middle of the circus ring. Within the cage was a horse like creature as white as snow, it had big wings which were folded by its sides.

“Shame on you humans, what right do you have to hold such majestic beast in captivity…” muttered the dark hooded figure which I now stood just a few feet away from. “Now Di-yan!” came a voice from far behind me which I did not pay attention to as my focus was on the dark character. He stepped up, withdrew his hood revealing a cleanly shaved head bearing a serious look upon his tanned face, he shouted “SPARTANS ENGAGE!!” Instantly there was a loud explosion at the circus ring and in a flurry, it was consumed by a smoke screen.

The whole circus crew was caught by surprise by the sudden commotion. The whole circus was thrown into chaos; people were screaming and running wild rushing towards the nearest exits in panic. I could see a few more caped figures jumping into the smoke heading straight towards the cage. Shortly after that, the Pterippus flew up high above the stands, it circled it a few times and shot straight through a ventilation flap at the ceiling of the canvas tent.

Much investigation had been done on that incident, and on the group of caped figures who caused it. The authorities claimed that it was the job of the band of rangers who roamed the central forest of Eepo. They were never caught as there were none others who knew those forests as well as they do. They called themselves Spartans, as a code name.

The Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

The Friendly Neighbourhood WITCH??

I was staring up into the clear blue sky while lying down on my back in a clearing deep within the enchanted woods. With my arms stretched wide, while I was lazily basking in the warm sunshine. I came out to the woods again, this time I was trying to get in touch with nature, and perhaps find some inspiration along the way.

I closed my eyes so that I can focus and listen more intently to the harmonious rhythm of the forest. It was like an orchestra, filled with life; I could hear the gentle flow of water in a nearby stream, the sweet singing of the tree birds as they call out to each other, the deep yet melodious croaking of a few toads, the high pitched shrieking of the monkeys, the faint screaming of a girl which grew increasingly louder with an alarming rate.

Puzzled by that sound which seemed out of place, I turned to its direction and peered through my half open eyes. To my shock, a vague figure of a person fell from the sky and crashed right onto me with a loud THUD!!

Groaning in agonizing pain, I tried to wrap my arms around my torso which felt as though a few ribs were broken. But instead, my arms clasped around a body not of my own. Then I saw her, just inches away from my face was hers; with a surprised pair of big beady eyes, flustering rosy cheeks, long black hair and a black pointed hat.

All of a sudden, my pain went away. My heart leapt with joy as I thought “Golly! A pretty girl fell from the skies on me! She must be God sent!” then I was abruptly interrupted “I’m so sorry, are you hurt?” asked the girl with a concerned tone and continued “I’m still not good at riding a broom, so I lost control and crashed.” I smiled with my mind still hazy and replied “I’m fine, don’t you worry your… sself…”

Something struck me, she wears a pointed hat, and she rides a broom. Who is she? Or rather, what is she? “Beware of the witches in the forest!” I recalled some villagers who warned me some time ago “They’ll turn you into a toad!” some even said “They’ll boil you in their cauldron and eat you up!”

“Argh!!...” I panicked and all my pain came back. “Oh no, you are hurt, come follow me, I have just the right potion for your solution” she said with a cheery tone and pulled me up. Smart little witch this one, first she break my ribs to render me helpless, in turn making me unable to escape, now I have no choice but to abide to her every command. For all I know, I might just end up as her dinner or in a pickled jar on her shelf. Just my luck.

As the evening came, she had dragged me to the swamps of the forest. We stopped at a big old willow tree. She leaned over to the willow tree and whispered to it. Immediately, bright glittering lights emerged from the ground under the tree next to where we stood. The lights aligned themselves taking the shape of a small hut. Slowly the shimmering image of a hut became clearer and soon, the whole hut materialized before our eyes. “Welcome to my humble abode!” announced the witch as she opened the door to welcome me in. As I stepped into the hut, I can’t help but notice a floor mat with the words “Hola!~” written on it.

“A little chilly isn’t it?” she said with a smile as she snapped her fingers. At that very moment, right at the corner of my eye, the fireplace lit itself setting a warm orange glow upon the room. Now I could clearly see the entire place. But surprisingly, it wasn’t how I had expected it to be. There were no pickled jars of animal innards or organs lining the walls, neither were there any peculiar symbols nor dusty cobwebs around. It was just like any other country cottage which you can find.

“Come on, just lie down here and relax while I look through my potions cupboard.” She said as she gently pat on the couch next to the fireplace. Still shaken I did as she said. Sure enough, after a few minutes of fumbling in the cupboard next to the neatly arranged bookshelves, she came back with a vial of concentrated white solution that labeled “Unfracture”. She poured some of it over my wound, which was swollen and darkened to a shade of purple. I felt a tingling sensation, and the pain had somewhat lessen slightly. “It will heal completely in a few hours” she said as she stood up. “Oh, how rude of me, I’m Phui Yan, the Wonderful Witch Phui Yan!” she proclaimed bearing a wide smile as she struck a pose with her hand by her hips.

Seems like my luck wasn’t that bad after all, I was still alive and none of my organs were taken as I bid farewell and left the hut the next morning. I concluded that not all witches are as scary as everyone says they are. They are just misunderstood for their intelligence and possession of unique abilities and talents, or maybe some odd behavior. But they are special, and in this case, nice.

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

Bride in Dreams

Light rays of a myriad of colours scattered across the sanctuary, as the bright sunlight filtered through the enchanting stained glass windows. At the entrance of the almost crowded sanctuary stood a woman, elegantly clothed in the most stunning bridal gown I have ever seen.

She had stolen the attention of everyone there; her radiance captivated the hearts of all who set their eyes upon her. Slowly she walked down the aisle passing the countless rows of pews towards the altar, where I stood with mixed feelings of happiness and nervousness.

I caught a glimpse of her gentle yet lovely smile through the translucent veil crowned on her. Her beauty was beyond compare, just as every girl would wish for themselves on an auspicious day such as this.

For at least in my eyes she is the most beautiful person which ever existed.
For at least that is how it is in the fragments of dreams recollected in my mind.

Just like everyone else, she was once a little child. She must have been through a lot in her life, so much that I can only imagine. Was her childhood a happy one? Was her past as painful as mine? How much happiness has she experienced? How much pain has she suffered? In becoming the wonderful person that she is.

All my life I had been looking for her, and I’m still searching. Not knowing if she is already in my life, or is she far away. At this point in time, I can’t help but wander if I would ever deserve her, or does she deserve much better. I can’t help but ponder if I would ever be good enough for her, or would I fail to meet any of her expectations. I can’t help but worry if I could ever bring her happiness, or would I just add to her hardships. Most of all, I can’t help but question if I would ever meet her, or would she just remain a Bride in Dreams.

How long more will I have to wait till fate brings us together? Or perhaps how long more will I have to wait till God reveals her to me. All that I do not know, but I am certain that in His time, all will be fine.

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

Mansion of the Serpent

“No, I beg you… please, anywhere but there… Noo!!...” The villagers turned their heads away in pity and disgust as the henchmen of the Baroness dragged one of the villagers away. “Mummy, why are they taking that man away?” asked a little girl as she tugged the sleeve of her mother. The mother pulled her aside and whispered “Hush now my dear… that man did bad things, so they are bringing him to a terrible place to be punished.”

‘A terrible place’ would be an understatement for the destination that awaits him.

In the eastern regions of the province of Cann, lies a mansion, home to a Baroness which owned and controlled that region. Her territory spanned from the mountain ranges of the east, up till the river several miles away to the west, which includes the village, and several acres of woods surrounding it. Her Ladyship has gained feudal control over this land for but only a few years, but her reputation was already feared by many.

Her Ladyship punishes all who defies her; those who disobey her, those who break her laws, those who are not able to pay taxes, those who hunt in restricted areas and many other offences no matter how severe it is. Ruling with an iron fist, she placed many of her loyal henchmen all over the region to maintain, enforce and carry out her will. Those who are unfortunate enough to be brought into her mansion were never seen again.

Her mansion is a huge structure, hidden away in the woods at the foothills of the eastern ridges. Passing the dark towering gates were vast untamed gardens with weeds abundant, chocking life out of what used to be blossoming flower patches. Through the gardens was a straight path lined with dried hollow leafless trees leading all the way to the faded peeling maple doors. Vines of creeper plants scaled the walls of the mansion, concealing the finely carved stones which would have been the pride of the finest carvers in the province. The roof shingles which shelter the mansion from rain and shine were dark and laden with moss. The windows were shut tight, with thick curtains drawn closed behind it, not giving away even the slightest peek into the building.

Apart from Her Ladyship’s henchmen who enter and exits ever so often, and the mysterious carriage which comes by every few weeks, not a single soul can be seen around the mansion. Neither maids, nor servants were ever seen by anyone from the village.

It is said that sometimes, eerie melodies could be heard echoing through the thick walls of the mansion, resonating deep into the woods around it. Some say that it is the Baroness herself playing on her great pipe organ. But it all remains a mystery, as to who she is, her origin, her purpose of being there, no one knows. Not even her loyal henchmen.

For all they know, is a name, a name that strikes fear among the villagers. She is the Baroness Yi Wei.

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

A Glimpse of Truth And Light

The ever pounding sound of my heart filled my ears and echoed loudly through my mind. My head was sore and heavy as I woke up from what seemed to be a deep slumber. Struggling to regain my balance, my eyes tried to adjust to the darkness around me.

A crack of light was visible a distance. Wanting to get closer, I moved my aching limbs slowly feeling my way towards this ray of hope.

While I inched my way across this dark devoid. The earth crumbled under my weight, caving into a bottomless pit with walls glowing red like fire. As I fell into this pit, I fell into a deep eternity with great uncertainty. Images of my past flashed and danced across the luminous walls around me. My sadness and my sorrows… My hurts and my pains… My pride and my jealousy… My anger and my hatred… All my sins and shame invaded my eyes everywhere I looked.

No, this can’t be me… How could such a person ever be me?...

Out of disgust, I closed my eyes trying to deny all that I have seen. But I see all the same as the images continued to play in my mind. Haunting my every thought as tears of guilt flowed uncontrollably form the very eyes that had led me to sin time and again.

A voice called out to me from above the pit. A faint white light could be seen from where the voice came from. Deep down within my heart, I could recognize it. “Help me please... I don’t want any of this anymore!!...” I cried out as I stretched my hand out towards it.

The light grew brighter and brighter surrounding me, outshining the horrid illuminations of the walls. Everything around me became white, pure and untainted. My heart was overwhelmed with tremendous peace and joy. “Why did you choose to save me?” I asked as I looked up at the radiant light. Instantly, the light grew into a blinding flash which forced me to close my eyes.

A warm breeze swept over me, and chirping of birds can be heard far above. A vast meadow teeming with flowers greeted me as I opened my eyes. Warm sunlight shone through the heavens bringing life to everything it falls upon as I found myself sitting under a huge tree.

I looked around as my mind wandered about what took place earlier, and then my gaze fell upon my right hand. Grasped within it was a cross.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1 : 9)

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

In Search of The Blastmelon

“Aren Tang, 3^rd division of the Elite Guards at your service!” Proclaimed a young lad standing in front of me. Beaming upon me, he was suited in shining armor with a huge axe strapped behind his back. Clearly this young man took great pride and honor in his position as la crème de la crop of the military.

To what extent have I enlisted the services of a person with such caliber? It seems that my tales have been spreading like wild fire around here. A senior herbalist from the Royal Infirmary had caught word of my sighting of a Blastmelon plant; an exceptionally rare plant with extraordinary healing properties. It is located deep within the Valley of Meru where it is said to be home to many hostile beasts, as well as the rumored feral hounds.

A chill ran down my spine as the reality of the situation slams me right in the face. “Ahem!” Aren cleared his throat to bring me back to my senses. “Shall we go now?” asked Aren with a more serious look. “Y-yes, yes, let’s go… it is towards the north…” I stretched out my hand and pointed us towards our perilous journey.

The Valley of Meru was a sight to behold. Dense foliage grew and covered the entire valley spreading up the hills around it, with thick shrouds of mist engulfing the peaks; giving it a mystical and mysterious feel to the picturesque scenery. “This is it, young master Aren… From here on out, we have to thread lightly.” I cautioned Aren as I made my way toward the jungle in search of the Blastmelon.

As we wandered into the dark damp jungle, we were attacked by wild boars. But with a swing of his mighty axe, Aren cut them down with ease. We even stumbled across a nest of pythons. But with little effort, Aren chopped them up to bits. But the worst was far to come. As we traveled very deep into the jungle, out of no where my hat was snatched up into a tree. “Why that cheeky little!” I shouted at the impish monkey waving my hat around taunting me.

Aren picked up stones around him and threw them at the critter up in the tree. Surprisingly, he missed on all three attempts “If the stone was a bit bigger, I’ll surely hit it.” Aren said as he wandered off to search for a bigger object. Moments later, he returned with a bright orange cannonball shaped fruit the size if a watermelon. “This time, I’m not gonna miss!!” he flung it and it landed squarely at the monkey’s feet with a thunderous “BANG!!” it sent the monkey flying face down to the ground. I reached for my hat, dusted off the dirt and placed it back on my head where it rightfully belonged and asked “Where did you get that?” Aren pointed towards a clearing nearby, there laid a few more of those brightly colored melons which if I’ve not mistaken are indeed what we were looking for, Blastmelons!

As we headed over to collect those infamous melons, the monkey crawled to its feet shrieking in a fit of rage. Then we saw them, hordes of monkeys came rushing towards us gnashing their teeth wildly in the air with drool smeared all over their mouths. Aren and I looked at each other, at that point of time it was as if we reach a state of mutual understanding. Without uttering a word, we turned our backs to the advancing primates and we ran like we had never run before for our dear lives.

It was amazing how we survived that horrendous episode; we even delivered the highly volatile melons intact. I actually felt proud of myself... until I handed them over to the herbalist. “No, these are not Blastmelons… these are Bombkins…” I was speechless. To think I had been through all that for nothing? “But not to worry, your effort will be rewarded… these Bombkins are also wanted for further studies in the area of producing weapons of mass destruction!! Wakakaka!!...”

A high stake mission to retrieve a fabled fruit… being on the verge of contracting rabies… and a mental old man. “All in a days work!” That is what I reckon Aren would say.

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau

A Not-So-Fortunate Encounter?

It was a hot sunny day. The sun was scorching hot, it is no wander the plains in this area are barren. I had been walking for a couple of days now, and I am beginning to wander if this road I took will lead to any civilization at all. With the meagre amount of food and water that I still keep, I began to ponder how long more will I last… “will I ever reach the next town?...” I let out a heavy sigh under the shadow of my broad hat…

The sounds of a steed galloping and the squeaking of caravan wheels slowly became more and more audible. I looked around me, but all I see is dirt and more dirt beyond that. I drew a long breath and sighed again. “I must be imagining things… Yup, that is most probably it, the intense heat must have gotten to my head…”

“O hello there!” a cheerful voice of a young girl interrupted my thoughts. I turned towards the voice coming from behind me, to my surprise there was a teenage girl driving a caravan. I took a glace of her from top to toe and uttered under my breath “Great, now I’m seeing things…”

Soon after that, I came to realise that the girl was a matter of fact real, her name was Elaine of the Voon family. She was kind enough to offer me a ride to the next town. What a relief, she said there is still a long way to go before reaching there. But she made me promise to sit with her and keep her entertained throughout the journey. That should not be too bad now would it? After all, entertaining people is part of the job of a minstrel. And so we ride…

I told her tales from my adventures and visits of places far and wide. It kept her amused, but not for long. I sang of songs which I have heard from distant lands. But she was not too keen on my selection of folk music which honestly, is all that I know of. I tried to jest, but to my dismay, she just stared at me in confusion. Truly, that type of work is better left for jesters…

Disappointed, I sank into the wooden seat slouching. Then I suddenly remembered the glass vials which an old man gave me in my earlier stop in another village. It contained strangely bright coloured liquid within it. The old man called it ‘The Water of Happiness’ he said, if ever you are down and feel like everything in life has gone wrong, take a sip… I guess I can give it a try now...

I did not want to offend Miss Elaine so I offered it to her before I drank it. Was I ever so wrong… As I had instructed, she took a sip. Her facial expression changed within a blink of an eye; she started smiling as her face lit up with joy. I guess it really works… seconds later Miss Elaine brought the glass vial to her mouth once again and began to gulp down the entire content of the vial. I was dumbstruck; staring at her with my mouth wide open at a loss for neither words nor thoughts. She started to laugh hysterically, pointing all over, slapped me on the back a few times and was speaking in a manner which I cannot quite understand…

I embraced myself for what was left of the journey. She continued laughing for the whole night, then passed out upon daybreak. I took over the reigns and drove all the way till the next town. Where I woke her up to say farewell and part our ways…

Now that I think back upon that not-so-fortunate day, it was not bad after all. If it were not for Miss Elaine who was so kind to pick me up, I would probably be the one laughing all night… but only to my grave…

By the Wandering Minstrel,

Rong Tau