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762 lines
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+-+--+-+--+-+ VOLUME FIVE NUMBER TWO
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| | ==========================================
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+___________+ FFFFF SSS FFFFF N N EEEEE TTTTT
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| ++ | F S F NN N E T
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| ++ | FFF SSS FFF N N N EEE T
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| | F S F N NN E T
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|_________| F SSS F N N EEEEE T
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/___________\ ==========================================
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| | BITNET Fantasy-Science Fiction Fanzine
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___|___________|___ X-Edited by 'Orny' Liscomb <CSDAVE@MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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CONTENTS
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X-Editorial Orny
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Spirit of the Wood: 2 Rich Jervis
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The Glory of Adventuring Ovis
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Respect thy Elders: 1 Orny
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Ceda the Executioner: 1 Joel Slatis
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Date: 080486 Dist: 159
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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X-Editorial
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Well, I told you that 5-2 would be right on the heels of 5-1!
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Had it not been for the fact that our 3705 burned in flames, this
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file might have actually made it on time! As for 5-3, Jeanne Dixon
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has said that it will be out the second weekend in August, so watch
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your reader queues!
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Actually, to tell you the truth, we've managed to lure three
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unknowing and unsuspecting amateur authors into the Dargon Project,
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and they're cooking up stories faster than I can print them! 5-3 is
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actually all set to go out, save that I have to finidh writing *my*
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story for that issue! And it promises to be an excellent issue, with
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stories from myself and each of the three new authors. But I'll let
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you wait for that.
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This issue contains the beginnings of two serials, one a Dargon
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story (my own, in three parts), the other an unrelated piece by Joel
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Slatis, one of the three new authors. Stuffed in around the edges
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are a short story by Ovis, another new author, and part two of Rich
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Jervis' "Spirit of the Wood". Two other points and then on to the
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issue. Firstly, due to extremely poor timing, the day I sent out
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FSFNET 5-1, the userid of one of the contributors changed. If you
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are interested in contacting the person who was advertising the
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national gaming organization, the userid is now C4898002@UMSLVMA,
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rather than S4898002. Or was it the other way round? Finally, I'd
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like to welcome the new members, and remind everyone once more to
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keep spreading the word about FSFnet. It is, as I've been saying all
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along, your zine, not mine. Enjoy!
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-Orny <CSDAVE @ MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Spirit of the Wood: Chapter Two
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Loric had no chance to reply to Oldsir's query because their
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dialog was interrupted a the high whistling call from below them.
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Oldsir looked down and said to himself "So soon..." "Loric the call
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has been given. You must go below and stand on the ground with your
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friends. I wish you luck."
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Loric looked at his grandfather and then closed the distance
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between them. He hugged the old man fiercely and said "If it means
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your time of death has come closer, I won't go! "
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"Here now, is that the voice of a Tolorion I hear? Are you so
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strong that you can wrestle with time itself? My time has come, but
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so has yours But do not let the fate of an old man deter you from
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doing your best! I will be watching you as all of your tribe will,
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to see that honor is maintained and that the Spirit of the Wood is
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not broken. Now go, son of my son. And may the dew never settle on
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your brow!" With that blessing Oldsir turned and leaped off the
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porch of his house and deftly caught a vine some yards below. Before
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Loric could call out to him he was lost from sight.
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"Thank you Oldsir," He said softly, "Goodbye,Grandfather." He
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barely heard the second sounding of the call and threw himself off
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the platform with a vengeance. He went downward recklessly, allowing
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the bare minimum margin for safety. He hit the ground hard and
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lightly bruised, but in one piece. Without a glance at the gathered
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downlander's he strode to the center of the circle where they had
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gathered and stood with head held high and body erect. Determined
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that his Grandfather's last wish would be granted.
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Loric tried to stay aloof from the others, hoping to keep his
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anger fired, but the excited conversation around him kept intruding
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on his thoughts.
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"Going for it again, eh Hiram? Maybe you'll get to the top of
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the Home-tree this time."
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"Go jump Jakul,I made the Tree-climbing test, it was the
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Net-walking that did me in last time."
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"You were lucky then, if you'd made that they would have thrown
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you into the Pit. My brother Yione was there for three days before
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they dragged him out. He still won't talk about that one but I think
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they used snakes on him, he never did like them."
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"Snakes I don't mind, but there's worse. They say there's always
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one test you can't pass. And then there's always the Shreaving. Hey
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there's Loric. Loric! What's in the pit eh? Snakes or spiders or
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just a few wild dogs to gnaw your bones! Hah-hah!"
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Loric looked at his friends and smiled thinly. "Whatever it is,
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it couldn't be as mean as you two! I still remember the time you two
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put that bee-comb in my sister's bed and the ant's all but carried
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her off! I couldn't catch you then, but maybe after today, you'll
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not be so fast?
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I think a tree-crab could walk away with what's left of you
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after the test and no one would notice."
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"Jakul we made a mistake even speaking to this one, he's
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obviously the first test; to see how long we'll stand here before
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stringing him up by his toes!"
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Hiram made a feint towards Loric which he dodged and then
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grabbed His friends arm and pressed his thumb into the wrist. The
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scene was on the verge of becoming a tussle when the third sounding
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of the Call was made and the late arrivals noisily joined the trio
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in the council circle. Under his breath Hiram asked, "What's up your
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tree Loric, you used to take that guff and pass it out fresh?" Loric
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looked side-ways at his friend. "Sorry, Hiram. It's just that my
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grandfather has had his second vision."
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Hiram stepped back and then asked "Did he tell you what it was?"
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"No, only that his time had come...and mine too! Shhh! Dernhelm
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is looking at you--turn around!" Loric spun his friend around to
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face his uncle. He waited for the silence to spread to all present,
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even the young children were silent. Somehow feeling the intensity
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of the moment.
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"Know you children of the Village in the Trees, what is the
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benefit of the Arborskill?"
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Loric and the others replied as one; "Yes, my chief. my eyes and
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the eyes of my tribe, my hands and the hands of my tribe, my heart
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and the heart, ears, and tongue of my tribe will become keener, and I
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will know the joy of life from the Spirit of the Wood. I will
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adapt,and my tribe will live.
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I will take the offerings of the Wood, and make new and better
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things things for the living. The Arborskill honors and protects,
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and the seasons change."
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"What do you need to achieve the Arborskill?"
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"My Kesh-blade, my chief."
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"Only this?"
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"My wits , my chief."
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"This is all?"
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"And my song , My chief,and my hands."
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"Do you have these four things?"
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"I have them, my chief, My wits are as keen as my blase and my
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hands are as strong as my song. My song is strong, my chief!"
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"Then show your tribe what you know. What is the first craft of
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the Arborskill?"
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"The first craft of the Arborskill is the Lashing."
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At this loric looked about him. In the circle were poles he was
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to use as a rope walk, but there was no grass gathered to plait into
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a lashing.
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Realizing that the cane fields were a long-run away and the reed
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marshes even further than that, several of the boys waved to their
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families and sprinted off into the woods. Loric started out
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muttering under his breath. He has went only a short distance when
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he stopped. This can't be right! he thought. It will take most of
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the day just to gather the grass and return with it, and there's
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more tests after this one!
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Loric looked back at the circle of logs where the tribe sat
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silently. There were more logs than usual around the fire pit,
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leaving several unoccupied or with only one person to a log. The new
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logs were still dark with bark and the scent came to Loric as he
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walked back into the circle.
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The acrid smell of Liamas trees greeted him. Of Course!
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Adaption! Loric had been taught how to plait grass and vines but
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there was a no reason he couldn't do the same with the fibrous bark
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of the Liamas tree.
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He ran across the clearing to where his sister sat with several
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of the other young women.
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"Loric I see no grass for you to weave, perhaps you intend to
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weave the air into a rope?"
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Loric was stung by his sister's words but caught the twinkle in
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her eye that meant to Loric that he must be close to an answer.
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Formally he stood before his sister and said:
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"I ask that you give up your seat my sister, so that your brother
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may become a man."
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Silsia gave up a cheer. "Ai-ya! Ai-Ya! Little Loric would be a
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man and make his sister stand!" She laughed and stood by her friends.
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"Come sisters, we must move for near-man Loric who already knows
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how to act like a man!"
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Loric drew his knife from it's sheaf and started cutting the
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bark from the log in long strips.
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-Rich Jervis <C78KCK @ IRISHMVS>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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The Glory of Adventuring
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"So this is how it will all end," thought Glanaril as he sank
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slowly to a sitting position against the cold, black cave wall. "We
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were all so tough, so grown up and ready to make names for
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ourselves, so wrong..."
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Glanaril knew he didn't have long, the hideous beast's claws
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were so covered with filth that the poison on them could kill an
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ogre. Unfortunately he had taken more than a scrape in the fight
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with it. It had come upon them only minutes ago, a time when they
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had been the most famous adventurers in the world (or would be soon,
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after they managed to kill Lothgar the Black and rescue all those
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lonely, misguided gold rilks). The horrible guardian beast had not
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sneaked up on them, no, it had come straight at them, slowly,
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allowing them plenty of time to ready spells and form an attack
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plan. They had smelled it coming long before they met it. Oh, but
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once they met it )) it became a living death machine. Granted the
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beast was very large, but one beast against a party of well equipped
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adventurers, ha ha )) no problem. Glanaril smiled grimly as he
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remembered his thoughts as he handled his trusty spear.
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It wouldn't be long now, the pain was growing, working its way
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up from the horrible gash he has received in his side. His armor was
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like butter before the thing's claws.
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Glanaril glanced about him at the remains of his party. Katrina,
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a pretty spellcaster, lay in a heap against the far wall. She had
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been concentrating on a spell and had not avoided the beast's
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backswipe with its great foreleg and she'd been tossed against the
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jagged stone wall as easily as a man swats a fly. Carly, a hobbit
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thief, was now unrecognizable as such. He had tried to maneuver to a
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position behind the thing so that he might hamstring it. Just as
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he'd raised his dagger to do so, the beast had taken a step back and
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placed its great hind leg right on top of him. So much for crippling
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it. Harth died trying to help Katrina. He had seen Katrina go down
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and rushed to help her, thinking that the three fighters could keep
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the beast at bay while he cast a spell of healing. He was wrong.
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Harth turned his back on the beast and bent over Katrina to begin
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his work and so did not see the great claw coming which ripped down
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his back and pulled him back into the jaws of its owner. The other
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two fighters, Jaron and Jakon, were thrown into one another with
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force enough to kill them both, the reason they were unable to keep
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Harth safe.
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And Glanaril had seen them all die as he stood there, too
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stunned to believe that all his friends had died in less than two
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minutes. Then the thing had turned to him and lunged directly
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towards him. Glanaril set his spear against the wall to protect him.
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But he had missed. The spear had scored a hit in the right shoulder
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of the creature, not enough to cause it to blink. It came on,
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pushing the spear into its shoulder, and took a swipe at him. It did
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not miss. He was already against the wall and had no place to go, he
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took the full force of the claw and went sprawling sideways, knowing
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that this was it. He awoke shortly thereafter. Looking around told
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him that the beast had gone. His spear lay in the middle of the
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cave, broken in two.
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"So much for fame and glory," he thought, "our whole party
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killed by a common black bear, and not even close to Lothgar's
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stronghold, not even close..." And the darkness closed in.
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-Ovis <OTZJ @ CORNELLA>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Respect thy Elders: Chapter One
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Kite bounded up the granite stairs to the portals of Winthrop
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Keep. Winthrop was a small holding, perhaps a dozen leagues
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southwest of Dargon. Recently, Kite, an aspiring young lord of the
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house of Talador, a wealthy duchy south of Winthrop, was engaged to
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Pecora, the only child of the ruler of Winthrop. But this sunny
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morning, Kite had received a message from Mistress Izetta, Pecora's
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woman-in-waiting and nursemaid of many years, asking him to come at
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once to Winthrop Keep. It seemed that Pecora had fallen ill, but the
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note had revealed little more.
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Kite walked quickly through the halls he knew so well. He had
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often visited Pecora during their courtship, and had cherished each
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moment within these walls. Yet he strode to Pecora's room quickly,
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and without any emotion more evident than concern. At last he came
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to the door to her chambers, and rapped anxiously. After a moment,
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an older woman quietly opened the door and bade Kite enter.
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He entered into a spacious and well-decorated lounge area. He
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hardly noticed as the woman guided him to a seat. "What is wrong,
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Mistress Izetta?"
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"Pecora is ill. Last night she went weak and pale as a ghost.
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She is not well, milord. Come speak to her." With that, she led him
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to the bedchamber, where Pecora lay. She did not see Kite until he
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had knelt beside her. She tried to speak, but could not, but Kite
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could see her words in her questioning eyes.
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"I am here, love. It will be all right. I promise." He kissed
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her forehead, and she closed her eyes. He stood, and the two
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silently returned to the entry.
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After a few moments, Izetta spoke. "Milord, I have done what I
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can for her, but I have seen this disease before, many years ago,
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when we lived in the south. It was my mother." Kite knew by the
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servant's downcast eyes that her mother had not survived.
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"Is there anything you can do?" he asked, futilely, seeing the
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weariness in her eyes.
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"I have done all I can. Yet there may be something you can do,
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if you have a strong heart. I remember when my mother was dying, my
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father saying that an Elder would possess the knowledge to help her.
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He sent friends to seek an Elder named Isentraum, but none believed
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him, and he would not leave my mother. Do you know of the Elders?"
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"I have heard the tales, but I thought the Elders were all dead.
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The legends say they lived hundreds of years ago!"
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The woman smiled. "And so they did, and still do, for the Elders
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know far more than any nursemaids or even great lords. If you can
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find an Elder, he will know how to save Pecora, for I know not."
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"Yet where shall I look? The Elders all are said to have lived
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far from other people, or in secret places."
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"If you ride southwest, you will pass many villages, and after
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several days come upon a great lake. This is where my father sent
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men to search for the Elder Isentraum. Look there, and godspeed."
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After a moment of hesitation, Kite stood. The anxiety he had
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fought to contain finally had an outlet, and there was hope that
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Pecora would be healed. He would search for the Elder.
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Kite wrapped his cloak tightly around him, but the rain soaked
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through, chilling him as his horse slowly plodded up the slope of
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the valley where Winthrop was nestled. To keep his cheer up, he talked
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to Dagley, his horse.
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"Well, Dag, this is it. The quest has begun. But it isn't much
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of a quest, eh? Here we are, trudging out of town in the rain. This
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isn't one of those quests the minstrels will sing about, that's a
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certainty; the hero, plodding along on his soggy mount, watches his
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sword rust in the scabbard because all the monsters are inside where
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it is dry and won't come out to fight!" The horse turned his head,
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looking at Kite, who tried to fathom what the horse might say if he
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could speak.
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Eventually they reached the ridge above the valley, and Kite
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turned to view the town below. After a few silent moments he turned
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the horse and headed off towards the west, silent and contemplative.
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-Orny <CSDAVE @ MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Ceda the Executioner: Chapter One
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A tall lonely figure dressed in black strode confidently through
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the Desert of the Hidden Army (or Grobsts D'arbos Desert as some
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prefer to call it.)
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It had been called that ever since the High King of Grandydyr
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rode through leading a vast army to battle some 10,000 years earlier.
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Grobst D'arbo was high king of the biggest country of his time.
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He controlled a massive army of strong men who were all battle
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trained, well equipped and fearless. They were crossing the waste in
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the area that Ceda now rode when, as the tale goes, one of the
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routine scouts rode up ahead of the troops as usual, to survey the
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surrounding area for scouts of the opposing forces.
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That night, after a thorough search of the area, the scout
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returned and to his horror found the entire army of 500,000 men dead
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and the king lying at the head of the troops, still alive. The scout
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jumped from his horse and ran to the fallen king who told him a
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message. The message, however, has long since been forgotten (for
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about 1000 years) but it is said that the message is of grave
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importance to the entire world in the years to come.
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The kings head fell back into the hands of the shocked scout who
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lay the king down gently on the ground. Then the scout stood up to
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look upon his fallen majesty who, by some unknown force, now lay
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dead at his feet. Then a peculiar thing happened: the kings body
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seemed to melt and change. The horrified scout watched as the body
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of the king altered into that of a tree. The scout could hardly
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believe what had happened and he stood gazing upon the tree until he
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fainted from the sun.
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Some time after that, the opposing army drew near and the scout
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was found lying in the shade of the tree. The army of Grandydyr was
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no where to be seen and they were never heard from again. The scout
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, before his execution at the hands of his captors, told them what
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had taken place, then he died by decapitation, but the story lived
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on. And to this day, people who wish to travel are warned of the
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Desert of the Hidden Army, for it is foretold that one day, a
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certain weary traveler will find it.
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This, however, was just a child's fairy tale and thought to be
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mendacious, for almost none of the numerous people that cross though
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the gigantic wasteland ever come across the tree of Grobst D'arbo
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and no one really ever believed the story that they told... if they
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lived to tell it.
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It was this tree that Ceda was now approaching and he looked at
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the surrounding desert for any possible source of water, but as far
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as the eye could see, and even beyond that, there was nothing but
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the golden sand upon which he now strode.
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The area around the tree was littered with dead bodies. Most of
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them were now nothing more than bleached bones, but one or two were
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still clad, dead only for about 3 months, all from deep wounds. Ceda
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looked at them in disgust but then forgot about them as he
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contemplated the tree, having previously thought that it was but a
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tale of children.
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The story echoed in his head for sometime as he made his way
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through the sand. The only thing besides him and his wingless dragon
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mount, Melgon, was the single tree; not even insects lived in the
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Desert of the Hidden Army and only seldomly did birds venture in to
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feast on a dead animal.
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The tree itself was not particularly tall and didn't look very
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healthy for that matter. It was about the height of Ceda and only
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some of the leaves that now grew on it were green. The roots stuck
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out of the ground in an odd fashion and seemed to be warped in some
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peculiar way that Ceda did not notice.
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He stopped to look at it as they passed and Melgon swung his
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head around to see why they had stopped. Unable to look at the tree
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because of the heavy armor that reached from the dragons head to the
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base of it tail, it shifted its body around and slowly glanced up at
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the phenomenon. Ceda, amused by this sorcerers work, knowing a
|
||
little sorcery himself, he advanced on the tree until the reins of
|
||
his mount pulled tightly at his hand.
|
||
"Come on, Melgon, this thing won't harm you, fear not." He
|
||
tugged again at the reins, but this time harder and in turn, the
|
||
dragon strengthened his foothold. Obvious that the dragon would go
|
||
no further in the direction of the tree, he dropped the reins and
|
||
continued towards it alone.
|
||
Even as he approached, the tree sensed that Ceda had no good
|
||
intentions and began to shake as if it was warning him to come no
|
||
closer. It was almost as if a wind were blowing the tree but Ceda
|
||
could feel nothing of this wind and neither could his wingless
|
||
dragon mount, Melgon. The closer that Ceda drew, the stronger the
|
||
wind blew. Melgon began to back away as the wind grew even stronger.
|
||
"Stay, Melgon," came Ceda's voice fiercely as he turned at the
|
||
dragon. The only answer that he received was a low growl as the
|
||
dragon halted.
|
||
He reached the tree and the wind grew greater, and all of a
|
||
sudden, the gusts focussed of Ceda pushing him back by surprise. His
|
||
long black hair flew back to reveal a handsome face with piercing
|
||
black eyes, a short, straight nose, tight thin lips and a firm chin.
|
||
The gusts of wind knocked Ceda off balance and he was momentarily
|
||
pushed back before he again struggled to get to the tree. Finally
|
||
after five long hard steps, he had reached it again and he lifted
|
||
his hand to touch one of it's leaves, his long black cape waving
|
||
wildly under the force of the wind. The wind grew stronger as he
|
||
grasp a leaf of the growth. Then he pulled at it with all his might
|
||
and it came off into his hand. Then the wind stopped. Ceda threw
|
||
himself against the trunk of the tree. Then a noise which startled
|
||
Ceda for a moment swam through the hot desert air but he relaxed as
|
||
he recognized the low pitched moaning as a dragon laugh.
|
||
He glanced menacingly at Melgon who was still laughing and a
|
||
smile crossed his lips. He picked himself up and walked back to his
|
||
dragon mount.
|
||
"There, you see? It's nothing more than a little magic, that is
|
||
all. Methinks the old kings' wizardry must be weakening over the
|
||
years... or perhaps the old king was not as strong as I had
|
||
expected." He opened his hand and examined the leaf.
|
||
It seemed to crumble in his hand and turned to dust. A worried
|
||
expression crossed Ceda's face as the wind started again and blew
|
||
the dust up into his eyes momentarily blinding him.
|
||
Then, simultaneously, four figures appeared around the warrior
|
||
as if they had come from the very sand itself. Their swords drawn,
|
||
their expressions covered by the shadows of the hoods which hung
|
||
loosely about their heads. Only two gleaming balls of fire were
|
||
visible beneath the hoods. They wore robes down to their feet and
|
||
wore gauntlets to shield their hands.
|
||
"Who are you to question the power of Grobst D'arbo, High king
|
||
of Grandydyr?" the voice came from within Ceda's head.
|
||
Ceda's hand raced for the hilt of his sword, the wind still
|
||
blowing at him from all directions. He raised it to strike at the
|
||
nearest of the advancing force and swung. The wind changed course
|
||
and blew the sword harmlessly down missing his opponent.
|
||
The attacker swung at Ceda's head and seeing the on coming
|
||
strike, the warrior raised his sword to parry and again the wind
|
||
changed course. The blade was almost blown out of his grasp, but he
|
||
held on with all his strength to defend against the assault.
|
||
Ceda, seeing that the fight would lead to nothing but certain
|
||
death, jumped to his mount and fought against the wind to ride out
|
||
beyond the reach of the kings sorcerous winds and warriors.
|
||
They had gone fifty dragons lengths when the wind ceased and
|
||
they could ride unhampered. After a short period Ceda looked back to
|
||
see if the tree was still in sight and if the four demons had yet
|
||
returned to the underworld. The worried expression returned to his
|
||
face as he saw the four riding devil spawn steeds with crimson
|
||
colored fire coming from their nostrils with every breath. The
|
||
horses were catching up to him and he cursed himself for tempting
|
||
the dead kings spirit.
|
||
Ceda bent down low on his mount and spurred it on faster
|
||
realizing the full extent of the danger. If he were killed by the
|
||
demons sent after him, his soul would be damned to serve the dead
|
||
king in a state of half death and half life for all eternity.
|
||
He reached down into the saddle where his spell book was and
|
||
pulled at it. It came out and almost as quickly fell from his hand
|
||
to the ground.
|
||
"Slow, Melgon. I must retrieve the book if we are to survive."
|
||
The dragon growled in disapproval as he slowed and turned to the
|
||
book, but Ceda was already upon it looking for the spell in which he
|
||
needed to escape his pursuers.
|
||
He marvelled at the tenacity of the oncoming demons as he
|
||
invoked the rune he had found that would aid him in escaping danger:
|
||
|
||
"When at a time that I may fall
|
||
Bring forth the winds, L'amron
|
||
To aid my call...
|
||
|
||
Naar akbles gah dee
|
||
Hegwray sde urngen tse dooh, L'amron
|
||
Faeer sforen cha haben..."
|
||
|
||
First in his language and then in the language of the Wind God.
|
||
Black smoke rose into the shallow desert air and seemed to clump
|
||
together as if something had sucked it all into a great hovering
|
||
mass. Ceda glanced back at the on coming attackers as the smoke
|
||
filled the sky. Then a large figure of black smoke loomed over him
|
||
with a face far darker than those that dwell in the most dreadful of
|
||
the caves of Arnmere.
|
||
"Why have you summoned me from my most restful sleep, mortal?"
|
||
The black smoke undulating as he talked.
|
||
"I have summoned you to aid me in my foray with these demons,
|
||
Lord," he replied as he cast another glance at the oncoming attackers.
|
||
"I am, as they are, under the rule of the Lord Ileiruon and
|
||
cannot aid thee without incurring his wrath upon myself as a result,
|
||
mortal. Fare thee well." The wind sent the smoke swirling in all
|
||
directions and at once the Wind Lord was gone.
|
||
Ceda drew his sword and stood waiting the few remaining seconds
|
||
for the demons as his mount retreated a safe distance to survey the
|
||
battle. As the riders approached, the steeds upon which they rode
|
||
began to waver and finally disappeared as they reached their quarry.
|
||
The demons dropped to the ground from where they had sat on their
|
||
hellborn mounts and at once set upon Ceda.
|
||
This time, their was no devil wind to hinder him as he fought
|
||
the attackers and with ease he defended himself. Ceda parried one of
|
||
the swings made by the attacker and disarmed him as a result. Then
|
||
with lightning quickness he lifted his sword up to unveil the face
|
||
of one of his opponents and in doing so revealed a fleshless being.
|
||
All that remained in place of a head was a skull with two crimson
|
||
balls of light for eyes.
|
||
All the clothes worn by the attackers at once withered to dust
|
||
as Ceda was left fighting the living dead. Four odd looking
|
||
skeletons were before him and were advancing on their prey, the
|
||
foremost wearing upon his bleached skull a richly designed crown
|
||
inlaid with rare Malthoogian gems. This one was at least twice the
|
||
size of the other three.
|
||
Ceda attacked the crowned figure and as he struck under the same
|
||
defenses of it's sword, the bones came apart and fell to the sand in
|
||
pieces. The warrior formed a wry smile and turned to face the three
|
||
remaining opponents. But, even as he turned, the fourth quickly,
|
||
magically reassembled itself and resumed the battle.
|
||
Ceda looked on in utter horror as his hosts reassembled itself
|
||
after every blow, realizing that if he didn't think of a way to
|
||
defeat his foe, it would defeat him.
|
||
Then the solution to beating the wizardry came to him. He turned
|
||
sharply avoiding the trust of one of the smaller demons and swung at
|
||
it before it regained its balance, Ceda hit it hard knocking it into
|
||
a pile of bones. Then with lightning speed, he grabbed at the odd
|
||
skull dropped it into his pouch. Then it's bones seemed to dry up
|
||
and wither into nothingness as Ceda fought on.
|
||
The other two fell easily to Ceda's blade and he deposited the
|
||
other two skulls into his pouch. Now all that was left was the
|
||
largest of the demons; The fire glowed in its eyes like two red stars.
|
||
"Now, you die!" It hissed and swung down at Ceda's head.
|
||
Ceda parried the thrust and swung under the skeletons sword. It
|
||
blocked and jabbed for Ceda's head and he had to jump back to avoid
|
||
being pierced through his neck. Then he lounged at the skeleton
|
||
tearing its bony arm off and its sword with it. Then the skeleton
|
||
was easily defeated by Ceda's blade. He swung so that the side of
|
||
the blade hit turning the massive demon to a pile of milk white
|
||
bone. As he reached to get the the crown, the demon had time to
|
||
reform and before he knew it, it was already on its feet and
|
||
advancing on him.
|
||
"The crown," it said, its eyes gleaming brightly. "Give it to me."
|
||
Ceda swung at the skeleton again and hit it, then hit the skull.
|
||
And the skeleton crumbled.
|
||
Then the voice returned to his mind and said: "Beware not to let
|
||
the skulls lose, for my demons will get you," and the voice laughed.
|
||
Then it was gone from his head.
|
||
Ceda remembered the warning and he looked into the pouch. The
|
||
eyes of the demons had lost their fire, as if they had died. Ceda
|
||
knew of the danger that would be released if they ever broke free
|
||
and decided to keep them in case he found use for them.
|
||
Then he turned his attention to the crown. It would be worth a
|
||
lot of gold in any of a dozen cities . He rubbed it a little,
|
||
polishing it, and added it to his pouch on the saddle.
|
||
Then he had a long drink before he continued on his way thought
|
||
the desert.
|
||
|
||
A dark figure approached the westward gate of the city of
|
||
Pheeng'Am. He did not ride the strange wingless dragon mount that
|
||
walked next to him. He looked odd as he approached the gate, for
|
||
dragons were very rare and those that were wingless were legendary
|
||
at best.
|
||
When they arrived at the gate, one of the city guards, a Giant
|
||
from Weuyrt, the land of forests, (where the caves of Arnmere lie:
|
||
the home of the feared orcs and hobgoblins) approached them.
|
||
"What business have you in the city of Pheeng'Am?" his burly
|
||
voice made all in the area turn to give ear to the conversation.
|
||
"I am Ceda of No-Al Ben (a small country north of Grobst's
|
||
desert from which Ceda had come,)" he said proudly before
|
||
continuing. "I wish to enter the city for I have traveled the desert
|
||
and am in need of food and shelter before I can continue on. Can you
|
||
perhaps tell me where the nearest inn is?" Ceda tried to look
|
||
innocent, he knew that the guards seldom admit those who look like
|
||
they were there for foul purposes, as was the nature of Ceda.
|
||
"What is your purpose for traveling this land?" he persisted.
|
||
"I seek am as a hired sword where I might find work." The talk
|
||
was beginning to annoy him, but he knew that there was nothing that
|
||
he could do if he wanted to enter the city unharmed.
|
||
"You?!? A hired sword? What's the world coming to?" The giant
|
||
mocked him, but he knew the giant was testing his ability to
|
||
withhold his temper, so he ignored this. The other guards laughed.
|
||
"Be the world as it may, I wish to enter the city." Ceda
|
||
re-stated this with a slight tone of anger in it.
|
||
The giant thought about this for a minute and then said: "Very
|
||
well now, you may pass, but be weary of the laws of the city lest I
|
||
have to find and slay you myself. Go now."
|
||
Relieved, Ceda continued past the giant and into the city.
|
||
|
||
Pheeng'Am was one of the biggest cities in the land of Ruirse
|
||
which bordered the Desert of Grobst. Its large populace was due
|
||
largely to the fact that it bordered the desert. All people
|
||
traveling through usually went there before continuing on there way.
|
||
The Desert separated the two largest countries from one another and
|
||
south of that were the Sarshirian mountains which was virtually
|
||
impossible to get through safely because they were inhabited by
|
||
evilly aligned creatures.
|
||
Ceda, now in the city, headed for the nearest tavern to get a
|
||
drink. He disliked talking with people which is what he would have
|
||
to do in the tavern, but he had to meet someone there.
|
||
Once in the tavern, Ceda got himself a skin of Ruirsian wine and
|
||
sat down at one of the empty tables in the back so that his face
|
||
fell into the shadow of the walls.
|
||
Many people were in the tavern, some drunk, some just walking
|
||
about but Ceda looked for just one of them: an elf by the name of
|
||
Rincraw that was to pay him for the service of assassinating Berk,
|
||
the mighty king of the people of Caffthorn.
|
||
Then he saw him sitting at the bar with a wooden cup of wine in
|
||
his hand talking to another elf. Ceda got up, walked over to him and
|
||
tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The elf turned quickly and his
|
||
hand flew to his sword, but he relaxed when he saw who it was.
|
||
"Greetings, Ceda, we have been expecting you, and a job well
|
||
done to you! I believe we owe you this," he handed the warrior a
|
||
sack full of gold coins and offered Ceda a drink of his wine.
|
||
"No thanks," he took the sack and made his way to the door.
|
||
Feeling the crown in his pouch as he added the sack of gold, he
|
||
thought a minute about how to get the most money for it and returned
|
||
to the elf.
|
||
"Have you ever seen Grobst's tree while in the desert?" he asked
|
||
the elf slowly thinking about what he was going to say to him.
|
||
"No, but I've heard rumors, I don't even know if it still lives
|
||
or even stands for that matter. Why, have you news of it?"
|
||
"I have. I also thought of it as but a tale until 4 days ago
|
||
when I accidentally came upon it. All around it was littered with
|
||
men's bones and mayhap a fresh body or two that the birds have not
|
||
gotten to yet. The strange thing was that it blew at me with the
|
||
force of the strongest of winds when I approached. Then I was set
|
||
upon by minions of hell and the leader wore this:" he withdrew the
|
||
crown which reflected the light of the candles with an eery red
|
||
glow. "I had to slay them to live but they fought with the technique
|
||
of that found only in the king of Grandydyr's greatest ancient heros".
|
||
The elf looked at his companion who was also confused. "And you
|
||
say that the leader bore this crown?" he looked at the it. "We shall
|
||
give word of this to our king and I shall inform you of his
|
||
bidding." He glanced at his companion, Quendell. "We ride for the
|
||
port of Dhernis tomorrow, and then on to the Learis Islands. In the
|
||
meanwhile, make merry and enjoy the wine." He laughed and took a sip.
|
||
Ceda finished his wine and left the tavern. He felt good from
|
||
the wine and decided that he would walk around for a while before
|
||
going back to the tavern to rent a room, so he untied his dragon
|
||
mount and with him, set off through the city.
|
||
While passing through one of the many alleys of the city, four
|
||
large men approached Ceda, who was, at this time, quite intoxicated.
|
||
The larger of the men coming foreword.
|
||
"Give us your gold and we won't kill you," his voice was cold.
|
||
He withdrew a large knife from his side and showed Ceda the blade.
|
||
Ceda knew he could do nothing in his drunken state and turned to
|
||
his dragon mount who was now ready to attack. "Down," he whispered
|
||
into the dragons ear. "I have a much better way."
|
||
"Hurry or I'll kill you and find it myself," warned the man.
|
||
"Here it is," Ceda replied pulling out of his pouch the largest
|
||
of the strange looking skulls and dropping it to the ground.
|
||
The skull at once grew to it's full size and looked at Ceda.
|
||
"Give me the crown!" It hissed.
|
||
"They have it," Ceda pointed at the advancing men as the
|
||
skeleton turned to face them, its fiery eyes dimly lighting the alley.
|
||
As the demon advanced on its new target, Ceda led the dragon
|
||
away and resumed his walk through the city. "It won't find us now
|
||
unless it stops to ask for directions," Ceda laughed. The sound of
|
||
men screaming came from the passage where he had just been and he
|
||
chuckled again.
|
||
As Ceda walked through the large area in the center of the city
|
||
square, he notice a small bench carved from rock put there for
|
||
festivals that sometimes took place in the city on the kings
|
||
birthday or on certain holidays. He decided to sit there for a while
|
||
and relax for he was tired and the effects of the wine were wearing
|
||
off. He put his hands down on his knees and in turn, his head down
|
||
on his hands and gradually fell into a mild slumber.
|
||
"Greetings, Ceda," was the voice that next roused him. He looked
|
||
up at the source to discover a tall woman with long blond hair tied
|
||
in the back. She wore common garb and had no weapon
|
||
"You know me?" he looked up questioningly at her, his head hurt
|
||
and his voice was weak.
|
||
"I know of you, I have wanted to meet you for a long time." She
|
||
sat with him now and he could smell the perfume which she wore. It
|
||
smelled good and he took a long breath. "Mayhap we could go
|
||
someplace more private than this. She looked at him and smiled
|
||
displaying a number of black and green rotting teeth.
|
||
"So be it." He stood up, the pain in his head was beginning to
|
||
fade now as they made their way back to the tavern and got
|
||
themselves a room.
|
||
They were now in the room and she looked at him for a moment
|
||
without saying anything, then she started to undress. Ceda now
|
||
understood what she had meant and also took off his clothes.
|
||
They both looked at one another. She had a magnificently built
|
||
body with perfect legs and large breasts. She took the binding off
|
||
her hair and it rolled down to meet her shoulders. She was beautiful.
|
||
Ceda moved closer to her. He could feel her hot breath against
|
||
his chest and he grabbed her and set her gently on the bed on her
|
||
back. His hand now gently caressed her large breasts and she gave a
|
||
soft moan of approval. Then he reached over and blew out the candle
|
||
at the side of the bed.
|
||
|
||
The next morning the sun came in through the cracks in the stone
|
||
wall and woke Ceda. He looked around but the woman was not in the
|
||
room. He got dressed and went down stairs to the tavern where the
|
||
bar keeper was polishing the crystal cups that he used for the
|
||
nobility of the city.
|
||
"Greetings, sir," he said with a jolly look on his face.
|
||
"Greetings to you to," Ceda replied. "Have you seen the woman
|
||
that I came in with last night?"
|
||
"Can't say that I have, but if I see her, I'll let you know."
|
||
The bar keeper smiled.
|
||
"Thanks," he said as he left the bar for his room.
|
||
Ceda entered his room and gathered his things into a pile. He
|
||
opened his pouch and noticed that the crown was not there. He looked
|
||
on the cold stone floor to make sure he had not lost it and then got
|
||
all his things and left the inn. He walked around The city asking
|
||
people if they had seen her and he cursed himself for not asking her
|
||
for here name.
|
||
No one in the city seemed to know where she had gone, but the
|
||
giants at the city gate knew who she was and they new her name also
|
||
(for a small bag of gold that Ceda had given them.)
|
||
The giants said that she had left for the city of Caahah and
|
||
that it had only been a few hours before. They also said that the
|
||
needed to hire swords, for there was a demon lose in the city that
|
||
was killing both man and beast shouting about a crown of some sort.
|
||
Ceda turned this job down.
|
||
He raced back to Melgon who stood ready for him. He put his
|
||
sword in its place on right of the saddle of the dragon mount and
|
||
then rode out of the city away from it and the desert in search of
|
||
the woman called Viamea and the valuable crown she had stolen.
|
||
On the side of the city that did not border the desert, the
|
||
wilderness was relaxing as Ceda the Warrior rode by. He planned to
|
||
catch Viamea before she reached the city lest he have to explain why
|
||
he was chasing her to the city guards. He was passing a stream now
|
||
and slowed his dragon mount to refill his skin pouch with water;
|
||
aside from this, his ride was uneventful.
|
||
The next day he had reached the city and still he saw no sign of
|
||
the woman. He decided to go into the city and look for her in any
|
||
case, reasoning that she may have had a faster horse than he thought.
|
||
When he got into the city, he went to a tavern, rented a room
|
||
and waited for nightfall.
|
||
That night Ceda went through all the taverns until at last he
|
||
saw her sitting in a corner talking with another man. Ceda made his
|
||
way through the people and grabbed her by the arm.
|
||
"Come, demonwoman, I want a word with you." His voice drowned
|
||
out by the other people in the bar so that only she and her
|
||
companion could hear.
|
||
"She's with me," the man across the table stood up to face Ceda.
|
||
He was tall but stood an inch under Ceda's height and not as bulky.
|
||
"Not any more," he pulled at her harder this time wrenching her
|
||
from her seat.
|
||
"No!" she yelled and a few people turned to stare. The man now
|
||
reached for his sword and swung at Ceda grazing his left forearm.
|
||
Ceda threw her at the floor and grabbed at his sword to parry the
|
||
next attack by the man. Then he jabbed. The sword slid in between
|
||
two of the mans ribs and he lumped to the floor. By this time there
|
||
was a crowd in the tavern watching and Ceda wiped his sword on the
|
||
mans garments and replaced at his side. Then he faced the woman who
|
||
now sat crying against a wall. He grabbed her hair and dragged her
|
||
outside and back to the room he had previously rented.
|
||
"Now, where is the crown that you took from my pouch! I want
|
||
it." He looked into her face and saw that she was now crying even
|
||
more than before.
|
||
"I don't know where it is now, I was paid to take it by two
|
||
elves. Please don't kill me, I didn't know it meant that much to
|
||
you," she put her head into her hands and cried again.
|
||
"Where are they now?" he asked. She did not answer so he grabbed
|
||
her hair and pulled it up until he could see her face. "Where are
|
||
they now?" he said again.
|
||
"They rode out of the city gate to the North East towards the
|
||
Port of Dhernis. Please don't kill me." she replaced her hands over
|
||
her face.
|
||
Ceda got up and closed the door putting the bar in place. he
|
||
walked back to the woman and took her by the hair. She looked up
|
||
into his eyes and he smiled at her.
|
||
"Are you sure?" His voice was now calm.
|
||
"Yes."
|
||
"Good," he smiled.
|
||
Two hours later, a tall man dressed in black opened the door to
|
||
his room in one of the more popular inns and departed for the port
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of Dhernis. In the room in several pieces lay the body of a woman.
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-Joel Slatis <RASLATIS @ WEIZMANN>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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-Joel Slatis <RASLATIS @ WEIZMANN>
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