The Darkness Taipei

Book excerpt: David a U.S. Military veteran rides a downward spiral into the Pallium (the world of the supernatural) torn between life and revenge in the underside of the city of Taipei. He is confronted by evil creatures and gangsters while searching for meaning in his personal loss. Introduction:Caveat Lector, I say this because some books are dangerous. Most works can be picked up and put down leaving you unchanged. I can make you no such promise. In my humble opinion, every truly fascinating manuscript will give you answers, even if the questions were unknown to you. Knowledge, true knowledge, is not a charming collection of factoids to be regurgitated on demand or request. I have come to believe that learning is a process that shakes you to the very foundation of your being.There are many secrets that give you a glimpse into the other worlds. But be warned - once you have opened your mind to the darker possibilities, it will never again be closed. This Pandora's Box has no lid, no hinges and no lock. The only way to see what is contained within is to smash it to bits. This is my attempt to document the events that transpired and it is my humble offering to you, the reader. So Caveat Lector - Reader Beware - or you may receive your own invitation to the dance.Call me Tòmas. This is my name, even though most people either forget to ask for it, or just forget it all together. The story, on the other hand, is not mine. Regardless, I have decided to tell it. My name may find mention before this tale reaches its conclusion; we'll just have to wait and see.As I write these words the dawn has broken, the sun is shining bright, and hope is easy to find in your heart. The blackest night has passed and the shadows of malevolence have grown thin. The evils of the world have retreated once again into the depths awaiting darkness's cold caress. Hope also springs new with the first light of morning; regrettably it is often slain with the setting of the sun.Our lives can be magnificent journeys if we remove the limitations of our own misconceptions. On the other hand, this is a very dangerous endeavor. Our misconceptions of the world are our anchor, and our shield. They hold us back from seeing what the world really contains; they also protect us from what we may not be prepared to confront. Confronting the unknown can be the most important part of this magnificent journey we know as life. In the immensity of time, a human life is as a journey of a drop of rain, plummeting to the earth. To eternity, our lives are but a moment, an hour, or a day; but then again, so much can happen in just a day...Quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius(Original Source Unknown)Whom the gods would destroy, they first drive mad.Excerpt from The G.H.A.S.T. (or Gideon's Handbook for the Accidental Supernatural Tourist)The G.H.A.S.T. was created to help you avoid becoming trapped in the darker worlds. However, the current management feels that the most recent increase in its popularity is due to people trying to find the breaches in the Pallium. Therefore, all entries have been re-edited with this in mind.PLEASE NOTE, if you wish to avoid the darkness, all you need do is apply a reversed logic to the stated techniques, i.e. if you stay near home and remain in familiar surroundings, the chances of seeing anything but the mundane is highly unlikely.Travel Tip Number One:The way to find the darker worlds is look on the ordinary world in a new way. This is best accomplished in a place you have never before been. Finding that which is hidden is far from easy, unfortunately it is possible. The Pallium of the Dance is a sorry shroud for anyone looking with open eyes. It is very difficult to cross the Pallium, however for most of those who have, returning seems to be nearly impossible. You may wish to be very, very certain before you go looking for that which you do not understand.