From: foleye@xanth.CS.ORST.EDU (Stilt Man)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [ST] Kryalla's watch over Kirkil
Date: 3 Feb 1993 23:34:48 GMT
Message-ID: <1kpkqoINN8e3@flop.ENGR.ORST.EDU>

The Shrouded One watches the wounded Kirkil Uaiz as he lingers in oblivion,
not completely certain whether his mind might be injured by the attack on his
familiar with magicks unknown.  Her ebon-hooded head glances out the window
in her accustomed silence, and something causes her gaze to stay fixed outside
the inn.

She stands, pulling her Shroud around her as if a sudden cold assailed her.
What was it that edged at her consciousness, that pulled at her attention?

She understood.  The shadow had been a mere servant.  The Master still lurked
out there somewhere, and he was angry at his minion's demise.  Kryalla Simuel
shuttered the window, and scribed a rune of warding upon it, that this Master
of Shadows could not eavesdrop on his intended victim's recovery.

Who was this Shadow-Master?  Had he any connection with her longtime Enemy?
Had he been sent by the Dark One to watch over her, even in this remote corner
of the multiverse where all was reputed to be safe from that which might follow
them from their homeworld?  Had the Dark One discovered the Inn?

But the Shrouded One doubted this mightily.  The Dragon's Inn was a secure
place, and the Dark One had no servants that could overcome the magic its
proprietors kept over it to protect their patrons.  If the Dark One herself
were to come . . . Kryalla didn't want to think about that possibility.  The
mages of Generica were powerful, and Kryalla suspected that the Enemy would not
dare to take the strength required to overcome them away from her homeland, lest
her many steadfast foes perceive that she had done so and exploit her momentary
weakness.  Whatever else Arcania Dorval the Dark One was, she was far from
being a fool, and she knew the grief she had brought upon the realms was quite
sufficient for her enemies to seek restitution whenever possible.  Without the
total strength of her might to hold them back, they might well succeed.

However, that did not mean that Arcania would not send a wizard, perhaps a
daemon of her service, to seek the Shrouded One out through the cosmos.  The
Shrouded One had heaped more than enough difficulties upon the Dark One's brow
to warrant such a servant to be dispatched.  Still, Kryalla could not be sure.

The answer lay with Kirkil.  If he had aroused this Shadow-Master's wrath to
strike at him so, he doubtlessly knew the nature of this enigmatic foe.  Thus,
Kryalla Simuel had little option save to protect this room from the mage's
scrutiny, and aid Kirkil in his recovery, that all might be made clear.

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+	Kryalla Simuel the Shrouded One			  +
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+	foleye@xanth.cs.orst.edu			  +
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