What happened next was the proof of what he was

The Last Days of Atlantis saying. Behind Gene a hole ripped open in the very
A Weird Fantasy Role Playing Game fabric of reality showing a vast, starry expanse.
These “flashbacks” are found in my LDOA “I told you! I told you! Gene yelled out.
homebrew and act as background to it. The vast His friends were frozen in disbelief, but Jenny found
majority of people that live in the World of Pangaea the strength to talk.
are unaware of the origin of their world. “Gene, if this is true and he’s now the Shadow Lord
then your brother has been consumed by the Shadow
Cincinnati, Ohio and can’t be trusted.” She grabbed his arm in a gentle
way to reassure him. “If he gave you the Pearl then
October 26th, 1979 11:55 pm you know there are strings attached to it. Strings that
Jenny and Zoso ran through the dark woods and will devour your very soul.
started franticly to climb a small but difficult rocky Gene looked at them both and then to Jenny and said,
cliff. When they reached the top, they found the “The Shadow Lord didn’t give me the Pearl; I stole it
friend they were looking for. from him.”
He stood, with back turned, wearing the wizard robe The revelation shook both of his friends. Jenny
his mother sewed. released his arm, a fear for her friend started to
“Gene!” Jenny belted out while catching her breath. overtake her.
She held up a letter half crumpled from her mad dash “I must do this” Gene said, his sanity seeming to
“This letter Gene. What is this about? We’re worried come back to him. I’ve wanted this for so long.” He
for you.” looked at them both “I love you both so much.
“Don’t be.” Gene said in a calm voice. He turned to Remember me” and with that he entered the portal
them and both saw the necklace he was wearing before either of his friends could stop him.
“Soon I will ascend.” Zoso and Jenny looked into each other’s eyes looking
Zoso noticed right away that the necklace looked for an indication of what to do next.
exactly like the one Gene had drawn up for their They had both known Gene for all their lives. Both
Saturday night game. In the game it was called the had loved and been in love with Gene at one time or
Pearl of Infinite Dreams. other. The look in their eyes answered what they
Gene grabbed the Pearl and said “Yes! I have it, were to do.
thanks to the Shadow Lord, I can now enact my They walked through the portal, hand in hand, to find
dream.” their friend.
“Gene” Jenny thought carefully at what she was to As they finished walking through, the portal closed
say. Her friend was obviously unhinged. “The behind them, on the ground a photo Gene had
Shadow Lord and the necklace are just things you dropped. It was of him, Zoso, Jenny and Gene’s
made up for our game. They’re not real. Please. Get brother sitting around the table playing their Saturday
away from the cleft and come back home with us.” night game. The picture betrayed the makeup of the
“Gene, does this have something to do with your group and was an indicator of what was to come.
brother’s going missing? Zoso and Jenny walked
closer, now being in arms reach.
“He’s no longer here. He’s become the Shadow
Lord.” A single tear ran down Gene’s face. He’s lost The Edge of Dreams
to the Shadow, but with this (he grabbed the pearl) October 26th, 1979 11:56 pm, One year later
with this I’m going to create Pangaea.” They stood on a small, floating mass of land
The two stood there not knowing what to do. It was overlooking the Dreamlands. A year had gone by
obvious to both that the game had made his mind since the three of them entered the portal and now
snap. only the two of them stood. Gene was looking out
Gene closed his eyes and appeared to be into the vast space, the Pearl of Infinite Dreams
concentrating on the pearl in his hand. It was then around his neck.
that the Pearl started to glow with a bright light. Both Besides him stood Zoso, now dressed in robes
of Gene’s friends were shocked, but Gene opened his indicating an arch-mage.
eyes and was filled with joy. “The Grand Ritual has been enacted. The next part
“Look! It’s working!” Gene exclaimed. will happen soon” Gene said in a matter of fact way.
The air about them started to stir and the three looked Zoso looked over to his friend and said “It doesn’t
around. have to. You can still stop it.
“But I won’t” Gene turned his head to look into
Zoso’s eyes. The two young men looked at each
other, knowing that he was not going to change his The Arch-devil walked down the cobble pathway to
mind. an open arch, his cloven hoofs clanking as he went
“This will Kill you” Zoso said. on.
“This will transform me” Gene grabbed the pearl and Upon reaching the archway, he saw a robed man, his
started to focus his mind. face hidden by the hood.
Zoso put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and in a “You are NOT the Creator” Asmodeus said in an
weaken voice said “Please Gene, don’t...” authoritative voice.
Gene took the hand and held it to his lips in a long “No. I’m his Champion, Zoso” Zoso pulled back the
kiss. hood revealing his face to the devil.
“I know you’re still angry about what happened to Laughter burst forth from Asmodeus’s mouth.
Jenny but believe me when I tell you the three of us “You? Asmodeus stopped laughing. He pointed
will be together again, as if none of this had beyond where Zoso stood, to a gladius sitting in the
happened. middle of the room on a dais. “I’ve come for the
Zoso wrapped his arms around his friend in a last- gladius of the Shadow Lord. Stand aside and I’ll
ditch effort for one more hug, but Gene pulled them make your death quick when I leave here.”
separate. Zoso cocked his head to the side and said, “You’ll
“You must go. If you stay the Great Rite will tear you not be leaving here with that gladius, devil.”
apart. “ With this the Arch-devil grew angry and started
“But what will I do while waiting for your return?? walking in, only to be meet with a powerful jolt of
I’ll be dead by the time you come back.” magical blue energy. Asmodeus struggled to take just
Gene smiled and gently kissed his friend on the lips one more step forward but couldn’t. He fell to one
and said: “I give to you, Zoso, Master of the Magical knee and cried out in pain as the magical blue energy
Arts, the stewardship over all the Realms of Pangaea, quickly started to make his skin bubble.
and the immortal life that goes with it.” Reluctantly Asmodeus fell back “A... magical ward...
Zoso’s eyes showed he was going to say something like none I have seen before...”
else, but Gene cut it short by saying “Begone now! “Enacted by the Creator himself. I lie to you not
The Great Rite is here!” and with that, Zoso was devil, you will not pass here tonight.” The words
teleported out of harms way. were confident and sure. Zoso raised his hand and
The nebula of dream and matter created by the Great wave it at the Arch-devil and said “Now begone” and
Rite had expanded and now was upon Gene. teleported Asmodeus away from the Vault, a look of
He kept holding the Pearl and his lips moved with no shock on the Arch-devil’s face as he realized what
sound escaping them as he finished the Great Rite. was happening.
As the cloud took over, Gene’s atoms started to break Zoso turned his head and looked at the gladius. It’s
away and scatter into the cloud. The pain was Roman markings still looking as if they were made
unmeasurable, but Gene didn’t bat an eye as his yesterday. It’s blade black as night, with the name
whole being scattered and mixed into the Great “Jeremy Nolan” etched in white light on its surface.
Nebula. “Don’t think for moment I don’t know it was you
What happened next only took minutes but was eons who summoned him.” The letters on the blade
in the making as the Realm of Pangaea formed and glowed brighter for but a moment.
transformed, and the life on its surface and deep “Try all you will, you’ll not gain your freedom.” A
within along with it. Minutes later, the world of wave of anger over come Zoso. He had to leave the
Pangaea was formed. room. After all anger only feed his prisoner.

The Vault of the Creator

Many, many years ago…
The vast night sky hung over the lonely vault, outside
it’s gate appeared The Arch-devil Asmodeus,
stepping from a puff of brimstone. He looked the
Vault over, not being very impressed by its design.
But he guessed that was the whole purpose, to be
overlooked.
He went up to the front gate and ripped it from it’s
anchors. Too easy he thought. Certainly, this couldn’t
be the Vault of the Creator.
 Before Zoso could answer, Nurse Samantha came to
the door with a very angry face “why the fuck
All Souls Hospital doesn’t you just use a blow horn she said to Dennis.
“I’ve been out here all this time making certain now
San Francisco, California, 1984 one interrupted you but there is only so much I can
Zoso walked quickly through the Infectious Diseases do. Though the uniform didn’t, the nurse’s form
ward. His time on Earth was short and there was changed into a man’s body, but the face shocked
much to get done. Dennis. The face looked ..washed out with no mouth
He passed a nurse with the name “Samantha” on her or eyes “what the fuck? Dennis belted out.
uniform and gave her a look. The nurse tilted her Zoso stood between the men and said “This is
head to Room 312. Charade, a metamorph. My lover”
Zoso stood in the doorway looking at the horrible “This can’t be happening” the sentence escaped
sight. Laying in front of him was his High School Dennis’s mouth just as he looked back over to the
Lover Dennis, ravaged by AIDS. nurse, this time it looked like Bette Davis in
Dennis seemed only half aware, looking like he “Whatever Happen to Baby Jane”.
weighed no more than 80 lbs. His face was ghost “But it is Blanche! It is! And then it changed back
white with Kaposi’s Sarcoma markings adorning his into Nurse Samantha.
face. Zoso was pissed. Charade was being jealous.
“Dennis” Zoso said in a low voice. He had to talk but “Charade go back out. We’ll be there in a minute.
felt like he was intruding. Dennis looked up; his face The Metamorph left. Zoso looked Dennis in the eye
showed confusion. “Look, I know it’s a lot to take in, but we have to act
“Jacob. Is that you?” his head started ever so gently fast. The magics I have placed here will be gone
to twitch uncontrollably. soon. All will be explained later, but I need your help
“It is.” Zoso said as he walked gently across the room and I need to know if I can count on the most
to the side of his bed. handsome knight in all the realms.” Zoso smiled.
Dennis’s hand reached up to Zoso who took it into Dennis was speechless but nodded yes. “Good!”
his own. “But how? The four of you disappeared. Zoso said. My stays here on Earth are limited for
Where did you go? They looked for you for so now. I need you here to help me out. The first two
long...” things I need you to do is open a bank account and
“That’s not important now my friend. I’m here and buy a Lake House in Cincinnati for me. “As he was
I’m going to help.” telling Dennis all this, Zoso opened the closet and
Dennis started to laugh, or at least tried to. He was so took out a plastic bag that had the clothes Dennis
for gone, even that little reaction was too much. came in with. He gave them to Dennis, who took
Zoso sat on the bed, he lay his hand on Dennis’s neck them and started getting dressed.
and took out what looked like a small bottle and held “Jacob, do you have more…Healing Potions? I know
it up. “Look. I got you a Potion of Healing” Dennis so many who are dying...” Zoso cut him off saying
looked up through his cloudy eyes and closed them “I “I’m afraid not. Potions like that are hard to come by
don’t understand. Like in your games..” Dennis even for one such as myself.”
remember the four of them, Gene, Jenny, Jacob and As he was putting on his shoes, Dennis said “what
Jeremy playing every Saturday. Dennis himself about Resurrection? Can you bring someone back?
played a few games. His character was a Knight. Patrick, my Lover, died two months ago.” He looked
“Yes. Like in the game. Only now it’s real. Gene up to Zoso with pleading eyes. Zoso came over and
made it real. Pangaea is real.” put both hands on his ex’s shoulders and said “It’s
All of it was too much for Dennis to take in. He possible, but Dennis it’s a life for a life. I know how
started coughing. Zoso got closer and using his voice you feel but believe me the dead should stay dead.”
to focus the man said: “Dennis I need you to drink There was a very short but pregnant silence broken
this. Trust me. Just open up your mouth.” up by Charade entering the room again as Nurse
Dennis opened his mouth very slightly and Zoso Samantha, only to change into a black middle age
poured it in. The second Dennis swallowed he felt a woman. “She’s coming around the corner and almost
flood of energy overtake him and in an almost instant saw me”.
he was healthy and strong again with no sign he was “Ok lets go! Zoso said as he took Dennis’s hand and
ever sick. He looked at Zoso and around the room. lead him out of the room. The three men casually
He leapt out of the hospital bed and went to the walked out the door, passing the real Nurse Samantha
mirror. The sight of his blemish free face made him along the way. Dennis and the nurse looked directly
to cry. He turned to Zoso and said “It’s true. You at each other, but she didn’t even bat an eye.
created your world. But how?
“Yea about that, I had to make it so that all who knew
you have forgotten you. I can’t have someone
looking into how a man with a terminal illness
suddenly got cured. “
Dennis shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. All my
friends died in the last few months”.
“Not all Dennis. Our Saturday night group is still
alive, just held…prisoner for the time being. But
we’re going to free them.”
Dennis looked bewildered by it all as they walked out
to the parking lot. “But how am I going to do the
things you want? Do you have the money? “Zoso
smiled at this and took out a velvet pouch and opened
it. Inside were golden coins, minted with a face
Dennis had seen before. “Are those Atlantean coins?
Like in the game?? “
Zoso laughed saying “They certainly are my friend
and there are many more of those for you. You’re
going to take those to a collector I know and he’s
going to give you a good amount for them.
They got up to the car and as they were getting in
Dennis asked “You said they are prisoners. Who
imprisoned them? Zoso’s face turned serious for just
a second and said “Jeremy”.
Dennis didn’t know exactly what that all entailed, but
he was not surprised to learn this. The Brothers were
always at odds.