From: bshsiung@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Bernard Hsiung)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [MG] ...With Friends Like These
Date: 24 Jun 1993 04:35:03 GMT
Message-ID: <20batn$h27@zip.eecs.umich.edu>

[ADMIN:
 sequel to [MG] Who Needs Enemies...
 semi-concurrent with [MG] Kadrys: Dancing on a Highwire
                  and [MG] Digging Trenches

What we need is an article tree...  *grin* ]

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	"Exactly how much is a meter?" Urcohea asked.

<S-link/Urcohea:  Get me teams Alpha _and_ Beta, full hostile environment
 excursion.  Alpha set-up deff, Beta set-up flex.>
<S-link/gamma1:  You've got to let me go, Urcohea.  She said "Dieter".  That
 might be my husband out there; he's not answering me.>

	"Yard," Kardia answered, offering a synonym.

<S-link/Urcohea:  Coral, you're in.  Prep and stick close to me.  Rest of
 Gamma, report to Nijorik.>
<S-link/gamma2:  But, Archmage,...>
<S-link/Urcohea:  No buts, Kuso.  You mess up here, we might lose teams.
 Nijorik, activate Delta and take charge of Guild defense.>

	"span,"

<S-link/Nijorik:  Affirm, Delta now active on channel 2.>
[s-link/Urcohea:  Everyone ready?  Lane, Beta goes first, survey and eval.
 Kivil, Alpha's next, take what they give you, dig in and cover.  Coral,
 consider yourself my shadow.]

	"pace..."

{privmsg/Urcohea->Dasham:  We're leaving now.  You coming?}
{privmsg/Dasham->Urcohea:  Be with you in a bit.  Need to make sure Kardia
 isn't going to die of your incompetence.}

	The mages passed through the revolving door.  Just as Kardia had
said, the two were standing a short distance from the Guild.  It _was_ Dieter,
Coral thought, or someone who looked and sounded very much like him.

	At that moment, the other one vanished.  Dieter looked around as if
he was searching for him, but paused, looking at nothing in particular.

	Then, he screamed and doubled over.

[s-link/Urcohea:  Coral!  Get back here!  CORAL!]

	She ran into an invisible wall that held her away from him.  She
banged on it, frantically calling his name, but he paid her no heed.  She
watched him cup his fingers, and with an infinite slowness, he pushed them
first against, then _into_ his body.  He clutched them together and pulled
sharply.  His hand came away stained wet with redness.  A flickering light
emanated from the opening he had just ripped in his chest.

	The barrier vanished and she would have fallen forward, if it weren't
for the man in white robes.  She tried to run to Dieter, but the man stopped
her.  "Wait, Coral," he said.

	Ignoring what Urcohea was yelling at her through the Guildlink, she
pulled loose of his grip and tried to move around him, but somehow he was
always between her and Dieter.

	She saw a huge silver form standing behind Dieter.  Before she could
react, it spread gigantic wings made of brightness as if to bring them
crashing down upon them all, and the light coming from Dieter's body
intensified and steadied until it shone like the fire of a newborn star.

	Dieter screamed again and shouted "MAR!  HELP ME!"  He shuddered,
jerked, and folded upon himself, shrinking into a point of nothingness.
In a burst of air and light, the silver form disappeared also.

	With a start, she realized that the white-robed man was talking to
Urcohea, saying that she was the only one he would be taking, that it would
be best for everyone else to return to the Guild so they wouldn't be
needlessly endangered.

	Then he turned, held his hand to her, and asked her to go with him.
She nodded and took his hand.  Everything blurred around her, the only
constant the man's grip on her hand.  It was enough.

	His voice came to her as if her was speaking in her ear, clear and
warm.  "Listen carefully, Coral.  I am Dariel.  I have made time enough to
say this once.  Dieter is not himself; he has been taken over by a portion of
a Reaverschild that names itself R.  But R is not himself, either, fortunately;
he has been changed by the battle he has fought.  There are parts of three
entities residing in Dieter's body now:  Dieter's soul, the mage 'Raelf, and
what is left of R.  You have to try to get through to Dieter, however you can."

	"How will I know if I have gotten through to him?  What do I do?"

	He smiled reassuringly.  "You will know, when you see him.  I have
sent for Joy, who will assist you and sustain you while I engage the attention
of the rest of the Reaverschild."

	The world stabilized for an instant, and Coral had the impression of
a fancy restaurant, an unfinished meal, a body sprawled to one side.  Huge
wings the color of freshly-fallen snow extended from Dariel's back.  They
unfolded partially, somehow bending to surround her completely, as if a
circular curtain had been drawn around her.

	When the curtain fell away, they were some Place else.

--
Comments, compliments, and complaints can be conveyed to:
Bernie Hsiung (bshsiung@eecs.umich.edu)