*
The new day's dawn erupted on the western horizon, as the blue moon's light brought warmth into the small ramshackle and decaying shop. Slowly awaking, Louis noted a strange oddity as the new light of the day broke the nothingness of the passing night's light.
"Why is my hair tangled and knotted? Has something visited me in the night?"
Upon fully waking and rubbing the night's sleep from of his eyes Louis searched for a self-effacing mirror. Seeing a cracked and unlevel one hanging on a back wall, Louis approached it with fear and misgivings in his footsteps. He now stood before his image and himself in distrust. He looked bedraggled, unkempt and scruffy.
Carefully thinking Louis arrived at a reason.
"Fairy locks, elf-locks, I have been accosted and buttonholed in the hours of darkness by a good fairy. Atamo and his friends watched over me in the night, keeping me safe and this is their way of telling me so without waking me from my sleep. I will take this as a good sign" said Louis aloud as he smiled at his newfound and very odd fashion statement "I might be able to just scare off this land draug with a look like this and just look at that shiner. I am a sorry sight to see alright."
Not being able to remove the knots in his hair Louis just accepted the comical outcome. Looking at his overall appearance Louis looked like the most unlikely and doubtful of wizards to ever grace a fairytale, or a real world for that matter. His wizard robe was outsized, wrinkled, dirty and worn, and his turned up shoes at the toes were now turned down and limp. His fingers and feet were slightly webbed, his black tongue was still ever present, and the warts and growths from being an Ogbanje Changeling were ever more apparent than ever before. He was a partial undertoad and a partial child wizard.
His attempt at being a real illustrious wizard had all but lost its luster and appeal to him. His time in this world now showed its full wear in his eyes and his appearance. Louis trying to be a real hero still resided in his heart, but not in his present thoughts. Turning sadly away from the mirror Louis gathered his belongs. He put out the small fire then headed for the front door. Taking a deep breath and gathering his thoughts he exited the small shop and walked out to the broken sidewalk.
The moon's light radiated soft light blues hues throughout the large plaza, refracting light all along the black granite panels of the alarming tower. Heading cautiously for the front entrance Louis once again stopped to ponder what was about to befall him. A hesitant few more steps and the reluctant hero found himself at the massive front door of the black tower. Looking upwards odd writings caught his eye.
Welcome to the City of Elphame
2274 Elpham Road
Hagby Tower
In a slow methodical tone Louis spoke out, as his fears and truths of this dwelling had become a reality.
"This is the home of the Ice Queen and there is no turning back now. I've come so far, I have to be brave and face myself and my fears. This journey has come to an end, and now all is clear what this tower is, and who really resides here. I had always believed that this was the truth, now it is here before me. The address...?"
Louis's chess tightened and grew heavy as he tried to take in a deep breath of morning air, all the while his legs faltered beneath him.
Then looking uncertainly towards the left side of the great wooden door Louis spied the last thing in this world that he wanted to read again.
The Journey to Northumberland and the Rise of the Undertoads Page 28