"Where do you think you're going?" asked the horse.

"To the moon, obviously," replied the traveller. "Aren't you coming?"

"I think I'll wait here," said the horse.

There are many fables about the Stairway, Ladder, Bridge or what have you that leads to the moon, in Antellonia it is an actual thing. In fact it is many things: there are in total seven ladders to the moon; three bridges and one stairway. There used to be eight complete bridges but the Titans destroyed half of one a very long time ago. The original structures were build by the Earth Dragons long before the time of humans so that they could go visit their aunt, Adain, the dragon who lives in the moon. The bridges are made of moonstone, and travel along with the moon through time and space. Because of this they do not exist entirely in our own dimension, and so are a little hard to find. In the early days of humanity the elves cut a human-sized stairway into the giant steps so that they could visit the moon too.

The Stairway to the Moon is not to be confused with the Starway to the Moon, which was built by the fairies about six thousand years ago. It is made of starlight, and only fairies, magicians, and other magical creatures and walk it. It is also chancey, and not recommended for beginning adventurers.

But whichever route you take to the moon, I think the horse has the right idea: better to stay on the ground.

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The further travels of the Lonely Rider; this picture actually predates the one I posted previously, and it is the first time the Lonely Rider cropped up in my drawing. It was quite by accident, I think. I had drawn this stairway to the moon, and I thought, someone ought to be walking it. And then (because this is how my brain works) I thought; you'd never get a horse up that thing.

And, well, there you go.

Colored pencils from December of 2007, art and related prose © myself. Enjoy!