Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: gujn@uniwa.uwa.edu.au (Jeremy Nelson)
Subject: Re: Drax and the chest, and other things.
Message-ID: <1992May23.025630.10750@uniwa.uwa.edu.au>
Keywords: ha ha ha bing wombles ziggedy ziggedy plop!
References: <1992May22.103356.3519@uniwa.uwa.edu.au> <1992May22.195103.2030@rat.csc.calpoly.edu>
Date: Sat, 23 May 1992 02:56:30 GMT

jax@polyslo.csc.calpoly.edu (Jaxman) writes:

>Zia and company react:
>>"Hmmm.  I'm not sure.  It sounds viable... do you know anyone..."
>>
>>...and breaks of as the Old Man who just entered walks up.
>>
>>Drax, for the first time, looks some what suprised, as the Old Man
>>starts to speak in a deep bass which seems to echo in his lungs...
>>"I have travelled far for this.  I have waited long.  It is time for you
>>to lay down your burden... and in doing so for me to be released from
>>the prison of knowledge which *I* have been trapped in for too long.
>>
>>Come Drax.  Time is come for me to take the chest.
>>
>>I am the Prophet of Way, and am come to find... a new Path."
>>
>>Zia is grinning from ear to ear.
>>
>>The Prohpet is smiling broadly.
>>

>  Drax seems to hang his head in weariness, and tears drip onto the table, but
> he looks up at the Prophet and knows the future, of himself and of the chest.
> He shrugs once, then sighs.

> "It is as I had hoped it would not be. But, such is the web of the thing that
>  we call life. Here, fine sir, is the chest. May it serve you well, and may
>  it not be too much of a thorn in your side, as it has been to others."

>  Drax pushes the chest towards the old man, and pushes his chair back with
> a scraping sound.

> "Lady Saphire, it has been a pleasure speaking with you, and hearing again the
>  zest for life that so many have forgotten. And you, Zia, it has been a pleasure
>  And Rowan's music, and the many other friends that I have found here in so
>  short a time. It has been a good time, a fitting end perhaps."

>  Drax looks towards the bar, whispering "...why must it be so trivial?"
>  and turns to the patrons, and seems to smile resignedly.
>  "Perhaps I shall go upstairs to the royal chambers now" sayeth Drax, but there
>  seems to be a quaver in his voice. He looks at the chest once more, then  
>  walks towards the stairs, seemingly lost in thought. As he passes by the block
>  of ice, he walks through the puddle of water that Cromwell had tried to  
>  remove. A moment later, his feet seem to slip, or are almost pulled from under
>  him, and his body begins to fall. A sickening crunch is heard as the back of
>  his head slams into a table, twisting his neck around at an odd angle as his
>  his shattered windpipe. And then, the rasping noises ceases, and the gau
>  around his body turns fully black, falling around his body like a shroud, 
>  soaking up some of the water on the floor nearby. A short silence falls over
>  the inn, and Drax's body lies still in the midst of the small puddle, the
>  life now gone from the form, leaving only an empty vessel behind.

Zia looks some what shocked and turns to stare at the Prophet.

The Prophet looks somewhat saddened but responsed to the accusationin
Zia's eyes,
"Do you trust me so little?  There are some places the Sight of the
chest did not extend.  He would never have been free....

There are stranger things in this world, or out of it.

Believe me, he is now better of than than he was."

The Prophet smiles slightly and adds, 
"He had paid the price..."

At this he scans the crowd briefly, before moving to the chest and
picking it up reverently...

...then in a business like manner putting it under his arm and
leaving...

Zia looks troubled as she cautiously moves over to the body of Drax...