Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: hibschmn@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Johann Allen Hibschman)
Subject: [JOI] More lies
Message-ID: <1993May2.013157.7939@Princeton.EDU>
Date: Sun, 2 May 1993 01:31:57 GMT

     Quaeros ran throught the forest, pushing through the underbrush
which clawed at his exposed skin.  He was no woodsman; it seemed that
every step he made was on dry twigs and loose rock.  As he ran, he
whispered incanations of injury, corruption, and poison to the daggers
at his side.  Soon he could sense them responding, filling with the
poison magics.

     So intent was he on running that he almost did not see the
hulking black creature as it lumbered towards him, reaching out with
its wickedly curved talons.  As it swung, Quaeros ducked under its
blow, rolled, and came up slightly awkwardly into a defensive crouch,
both daggers drawn and held ready.  He had never been the best
fighter, but he had always done respectably well at the Temple
training sessions.  At least he had possessed the sense to attend the
classes, unlike some of his fellows.

     This creature was slow.  As it swung at him once more, Quaeros
had little trouble slipping beneath its arms and plunging his dagger
into the center of the thing's chest, where a normal being's heart
would be.  He could feel the dagger release one of its doses of
poison, injecting it deep into the center of the demon.  His recovery
was not so elegant, however, and the creature batted him aside with
its powerful arms, sending Quaeros sprawling into the brush to the
side.

     Attempting to roll out of his fall, Quaeros struck the bush and
tripped, falling face first to the rough ground behind it.  /It was a
lot easier to do this on the mats,/ he thought, as he lifted himself
off from the ground.  Swiftly turning back to face the creature, he
could see it swaying uneasily and shaking its head.  /At least the
poison seems to be having some effect on it./  Quaeros backed off as
the creature lumbered towards him, then rushed forward and attacked.
This time he could only strike its arm, but he felt his dagger inject
another dose of poison.

     Slipping away from the demon, Quaeros watched as it started to
follow him, then shudder and fall to the ground.  From here, the trail
to the campsite was plain, and Quaeros hurried towards it, hoping that
he would not be too late.  As he ran, he felt the distinct twinges of
a mental contact reforming.  He groaned as the calm voice filled his
mind once more.

     <Very nice.  A little sloppy, but otherwise commendable.>
     <GO AWAY.>
     <Be a sport.  What have I ever done to you?>
     <Demons...undead...>
     <You were never truly at risk.  I really liked that trick with
the poison daggers, by the way.  Impressive.>
     <The might of Ronkel will smite your demons.>
     <Uh oh.  Don't go holy on me now.  Do you actually think that
Ronkel would actually aid a member of the near-unaging elven race?
Isn't it a little odd that he has no other elven worshippers?>
     <Leave me be!  The spells granted to me by my Lord Ronkel are
evidence enough of his favor.>
     <I see...>
     <What are you trying to imply?>
     <Imply?  Me?  I'm merely pointing out that you have a slightly
spotty record from your god's point of view.  Healing that whole ship
of sailors surely endeared yourself to Him.>
     <It all served the balance.  I just gave the stolen life of the
undead back to the living.>
     <Balance?  I don't remember hearing anything about this "balance"
from Ronkel before.  I always though he was pretty much down on the
side of wanting people to die and stay that way.>
     <He grants me His favor.  This proved my worth to the Temple
elders; I must be doing His will.>
     <I see.  And what if I were to suggest that you yourself were
responsible for all of this alleged "favor of Ronkel."  Seems a lot
more likely than him granting you, a nigh-immortal mostly-elf, any
magic, now doesn't it?>
     <SHUT UP!>
     <Defensive, now aren't you?  Ever notice that you could never get
the hang of that augury business?  Makes you wonder...>
     <LEAVE ME ALONE.>
     <You're deluding yourself.  Almost everything you believed in is
wrong, isn't it?  That must hurt.  Just remember that there's still
one cause which is truly yours, one place where you truly belong.
With me.  With the government here.>
     <YOU'RE LYING!  YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO TRICK ME!>

     About this time, Quaeros ran head first into a tree and fell back
to the ground, dazed.

     <Oooh!  That'll sting.  Think about what I said, and if you
change your mind, simply give me a call.  These people you travel with
aren't like you; they don't have the same motivations, causes, or
needs that you do.  What do you owe them?  Think it over.>

     The contact faded, and Quaeros picked himself off of the ground.
To his left he spotted a small stand of trees surrounding a large
boulder, which he remembered from his scouting walks around the
campsite.  That meant the camp must be to his left as he faced the
rock.  He broke into a run towards camp and, rounding a thick tree
trunk, almost impaled himself on Elanon's readied sword.

     "Quaeros!  We were worried when we saw you were gone," offered
Elanon, still holding his sword at the ready.
     "Oh, Elanon, it's good to see you!  Demons!  All around!" panted
Quaeros, his eyes slightly wild.
     "It's okay.  We know.  We've fought them off with no losses.
Everything's fine now.  I was a little concerned when I saw you break
off like that earlier."
     "HE was talking to me, inside my mind.  I ran and ran, but _he_
was still there, following me.  The demon.  From the vision.  On the
ship.  He's following me.  He wants something from me.  Lies!  He told
lies about everything!"
     "Now calm down.  Everything is okay.  There's no one here now, so
why don't you just go back to camp and relax and try to sleep.  We
should be leaving this place in the morning; they've found us and now
we must make haste.  Go to sleep."
     "All my fault.  It's all my fault.  Everything."
     "Get some rest.  We'll take care of it now."

     Quaeros nodded and stumbled back towards the campsite, leaving
Elanon filled with doubts and questions.  As Quaeros walked off,
Elanon stood awhile in thought, watching him walk away.  Finally he
shrugged and set off back towards camp himself.  Perhaps he could talk
this over with the others.