Peter Pan had Tinkerbell. Pinocchio had Jiminy Cricket. Frodo had Sam. Luke had R2D2. . .

It seems that most of today's mythological heroes have a familiar, and I don't actually know why this is. Odysseus, and later on, Telemachus both traveled on their adventures long ago, and neither had the aid of an all trusting, utterly devoted, companion. (Often one that nobody else could understand or sometimes even see but the hero.) Jack went up the beanstalk alone. And Little Red Riding Hood went off into the forest without so much as a cell phone. But today, things appear to be different.

I've got several half-formed theories as to why this is. Some are based on the fact that verbal story telling traditions have changed into media driven things; like books and film and such which allow for different styles and methods of getting across certain aspects of a story. -Or may even require different types of relationships between the audience and the story because of those differences. -And other theories which make me wonder if this sudden proliferation of cats and crickets and robots has to do with how we've changed as a culture; the value placed on human life, and hence, human feelings and emotions, has never been higher in all of history. But like I said, I've not really worked it out yet. I'd love to hear what other people think if anybody feels like Emailing. . .

Anyway. . .

Varkias, the magical, immortal, ten inch tall winged imp, is one of my favorite characters. He is a strange mixture of caustic, in-your-face cynicism, while at the same time being wonderfully naive and utterly, unshakably loyal. For these reasons he was given as guardian when Rubel was very young. He mistrusts and spits on anything which might represent a threat to his charge, (whom he loves), and he dances with pure jubilation when Rubel defeats an enemy. -Later on in the story, Rubel asks Varkias to watch over young Heath, and a similar relationship flowers between the imp and girl.

Varkias will argue and criticize, but in the end always follows. Not so very deep down, he really believes that the world revolves around the people he loves. (And while for the purposes of the story he may well be right, the fact remains. . . It's just the way he's built).