Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: scott@athena.mit.edu (Scott D Bradburn) Subject: Xenos: Speaks to Thorr-kan and more about himself Message-ID: <1992May19.053535.29841@athena.mit.edu> References: <1992May17.192651.1431@gacvx2.gac.edu> Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 05:35:35 GMT From Thorr-kan: >Sitting back down wit Karl and the Bears, Thorr-kan turns to Xenos. >"Entirely true. Those of evil nature have few friends. But even they >may have some. _I_ did, enen in the darkest times of my life, before >my...enlightenment." >"But friend Xenos," Thorr-kan rumbles with a toothy grin, "you need >never watch your back for a dagger from me. You have the look of one >who has travelled many of the same roads I have, through the darkness >and towards the light. I think I could call you friend and do quite >well in doing so." "A fine story, mighty minotaur. And it does much parallel my own life. For, as many have guessed, the Dexter of the story and I are the same. I changed my name, and now associate Dexter with what I once was." "In short, after being driven from my home, and taking up mercenary, I killed more lives then I could or care to recount. I was a living legend and still am in those distant lands. I was not, however, a local hero. My deeds were told to children who misbehaved. They all ended with the line, 'so don't be like that, or Dexter will come for you.'" "Eventually, I realized that, though I was reknown for the lives I ended. I was not living. 'Tis a curse to have a demon's talent for cruelty, but to have the conscience and guilt of a man. So when I realized how meaningless my life was, I quit. One day, I decided to put Dexter behind me and changed my name to Xenos. From that day forward, I have not knowingly ended the life of any living creature, regardless of how much I felt it deserved that life to end. For three years following my decision, I killed no one, yet 17 more murders were added to my list of offenses. That is when I realized that my reputation had outgrown me. I no longer had to lift a sword or mix poisons. That is when I decided to leave the area, and travel beyond my reputation, to start over." "In my quest to start over, though, I have one obstacle left to pass. For, in all my existance, I have never had a friend, or even temporary allies. I have always relied wholly upon myself, never trusting anyone. Now I seek one whom I may call friend, one whom I can trust with my life. And in my quest, I have discovered, that I do not know how." "I do not wish to insult you, Thorr-kan. Your offer of friendship is surely as true as any could be. Yet, I would find myself incapable of turning my defenseless back to you in a place that lacks the protective geas of the Dragon's Inn. The fault is mine, and mine alone. And such is my quest, to find the ability to trust. And soon, I must move on, but do not take offense, minotaur. For if some day I do achive my goal, I may well return to you to accept that offer." Xenos lets out a long sigh, as if relieved of a great burden by telling his tale, or perhaps thinking of the long roads travelled, and still more long roads undiscovered. -------------- Scott