The Piped Piper Chronicles by Crystal Redemption

Origins

The Pied Piper Chronicles

Chapter One

Origins

Far Away in the distant future, there lived a country called Utopia. This country was the epitome of everything clean and pure, but one day a plague of nezumis stole over one of its towns. This town named Alabaster had been the purest town in Utopia until the nezumis came. However after the nezumis came, everything changed, the town became dingy and coated with dirt. So they sent out a call to ask for help promising reward if the person triumphed over the nezumi plague. Then suddenly during a town council meeting a knock resounded within the hall. One...two...three... then BOOM A man of impressive stature walked into the hall wearing colors of sapphire, silver, and pure white. He had shoulder length white blond hair that fell over his eyes in a wave, but when you did see his eyes, you would see a pair of orbs that were strikingly blue and black. He walked into the hall, with his cobalt eyes on the council members and he said, "My name is Landon Cameron and I am here to address your problem of the nezumis. May I ask the name of the head of the council?"

"I am Amberdrake Skandrannon and I am mayor and leader of the council. Did you say you could rid us of the abomination that is the nezumis?"

"Yes, I did. But first let us address the issue of payment. I ask for one thousand kronos in payment for my services."

"Yes, we would give you fifty thousand kronos if we could. But we cannot. Please save our city " exclaimed Amberdrake.

"Okay," Landon said. With that, he took out a wooden pipe, painted silver and blue with mysterious runes inscribed upon the entire thing. Suddenly, he stuck out a lively and soothing tune. All at once, the nezumis came out of their hiding places. They flowed in a river of big, small, and medium sized nezumis. Tawny, black, brown and white nezumis all went in the direction of the Mizu river. Then with a flourish of his hand, the rats jumped in to the Mizu river. They all sank to the bottom, but one who swam to the other side of the Mizu river. He looked back fearfully and ran away to one day tell his grandchildren about the scary man of blue and silver who had a pipe that told of places of food where a nezumi could eat anything he wanted to and not get in trouble.

Landon then went back to the council where Amberdrake said, "Well done." Landon then asked for his thousand kronos and at this Amberdrake laughedand said, "Ha As if we would ever give one thousand kronos to a man like you. Here have fifty." Landon then replied, "But you promised." Amberdrake replied, " What does it matter? Go pipe your heart away...somewhere else anyway." With this said, Landon then took out his pretty little pipe and started piping. Out of the houses came not nezumis, but children, in all states of dress looking gleefully at Landon. In this group of children were the long time friends Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Not noticing this man's strange flute magic with his demonic senses he danced and skipped along with his friends. Then he struck out a path toward the Mizu River with the children following behind him, skipping and dancing and twirling their way to him. The town exclaimed with horror. Then Landon turned and headed toward the Akitoko Mountain and the town sighed with relief. "He will never get past the great Akitoko mountain for it is too formidable for the likes of him."

Then as he continued toward the mountain, a portal opened wide enough for him and the children. They all flowed through until there was noone in sight but one child named Hojo, who had broken his leg the previous week and had not been able to get there fast enough. He exclaimed with anguish, "All my playmates are gone, gone to a land where everything is fresh and clean. Where you never get old or hurt. Where you can play with wild animals and not be hurt. Where everything tastes sweeter and feels softer. He said my leg would be healed in no time. But woe is me, now they are all gone " The townspeople continued to gape and shake their fists at the mountain screaming their anguish in hopes that the children might hear them and come back. But at that point, all was lost because they did not keep their promise to Landon Cameron also known as The Pied Piper.

Because the town of Alabaster never wanted this to happen again, the people created a poem to tell what to do if he chances upon them again.

Far away in a small town,

There were many nezumis to be found.

Here and there,

They were everywhere.

For a cure, the townspeople searched,

Then to their right, a door lurched.

Opened wide like a maw,

And then everyone saw

A man dressed in blue and silver and white

who said if I may address your plight,

I will rid your town of this horrible plague,

If you give me a bag

Full of one thousand kronos

Yes The people cried,

Yes Let the nezumis die.

So the piper piped his wooden flute

The nezumis then came out of their coups.

Following the piper to the Mizu River grand

Then with a flourish of his hand

Down they fell as if never

There in the first place

But one survived to tell the tale to the other nezumis

who never knew such a tale.

The man with the pipe then asked for his payment

But the people gave him fifty instead

His anger became formidable but still he looked calm

Out came his pipe in his palm

A tune he piped and out cam the children

who followed him laughing and playing

They followed him to the end of the road

where a mountain waited

Then the town sat with breath baited

Into the mountain the children walked

And talked

never to be seen again

And now you know

if a man is a piper and asks for his payment

To oblige him

As you should with all people and your promises

Or you may very well be without the things

You love the most.

The End

But the question is, are the children really gone?