the bridge

The road abruptly stopped at the foot of a derelict stone bridge that had once stood proudly, but was now ruined. Pillars of gray stone had toppled into the slow moving dark water, vines and vegetation clinging to what was left of its foundation. Old words chiseled into the stone retained little meaning, and Linus couldn't read them otherwise. A statue that once beckoned travelers and armies long ago had cracked and fallen.

Though the old bridge had collapsed long ago, someone had made a smaller bridge to cross the river. Lengths of rope tied to planks of wood precariously spanned the water. Though uncertain of the bridge, the words of the friar kept echoing in his mind, "Don't stop until you reach the city!"
Looking back, Linus could see the wolves were getting closer by the second.

the city

Coming down the winding pass Linus blocked the sun with his hand and looked into the valley bellow. Picking up the rooster, Linus climbed over a rock and followed the pass downward. In the valley lay a forgotten city, a desolate reminder of what the empire used to be: ruins crumbling from weather and time. As Linus got closer to the walls of the city, it became clear that no one had been here in a very long time. Linus mustered a quiet hello, but nothing responded. Linus put the rooster down. It was then that he realized that something disastrous had taken the life out of this city.

lake

The old boat finally gave way and sank in the lake. Leaving it behind, Linus swam the final distance to shore. Dragging his body up on the muddy banks, Linus shot an angry look at the rooster. “For all the feathers you left behind when we were being chased, you sure fly pretty well.” Linus sat down and pulled off one of his shoes, dumping the water on the ground. The rooster flapped his wings a few times and ruffled his feathers, ignoring whatever Linus just said.

more stuff

Writing down some ideas for the book.

I've got an idea that probably won't work for this book, but I'd like to try and make each chapter more of an episode with loose continuity in relation to the other chapters in the book. For example: each chapter begins at a point, but not necessarily where the last point left off. The book flows more or less in one direction, but isn't restricted by details.

It seems this idea is easier to execute in a panel to panel comic format or a tv show, rather than a novel. But who knows. I still want to incorporate a graphic novel feel to this. When I'll ever finish is anyone's guess.

epic

The caravan approached the large rock that pierced the plain. The black monolith seemed to rise up from the depths of the earth itself, and for centuries the eastern tribes had made the same pilgrimage to this holy site. As they got closer, Linus saw the outlines of the jagged stone, a sight few from the kingdoms had seen before. Linus covered his face from the cold, and looked in awe as the monolith seemed to grow in size.

character concepts

Ideas based on the French/Japanese cartoon: "Mysteries of the Cities of Gold" which reran on Nickelodeon in the early nineties. That show was awesome! The style was more like Speed Racer, less like the Pokemon stuff the kids watch these days.

Based on a Chinese statue.

concept art

Some concept drawings for the book/graphic novel idea.
















Some city concepts. Mostly perspective studies and ideas for comparisons in architecture.




















Some other ideas.