Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!grivel!neumann.une.edu.au!scavanag From: scavanag@neumann.une.edu.au (Steven Cavangh) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [T&R] Rollik, Lord of the Heath pt 6 Message-ID: <1588@grivel.une.edu.au> Date: 10 Aug 93 03:56:20 GMT Sender: usenet@grivel.une.edu.au Lines: 129 Nntp-Posting-Host: neumann.une.edu.au [ADMIN: Yes it's been awhile, but we've been busy. But, the end of this story is near, and christian is currently on a roll with "Genesis of the Timelord". Hope you all haven't forgotten us.] -- All nine of the men facing Rollik were complete strangers. Rollik was mildly disappointed at this, as if a group of people was going to pound him into oblivion he liked to know who they were, and perhaps why. One of them offered an indication in a smooth, cultured tone. "We'rr teacha ta nick the bosses wommun!". Another also spoke flawless cretin. "I'm gonna FUMP you!" Reasoning was out, Rollik was a realist. However, they didn't know that. He adopted a pompous pose, one foot forward with the toe down and heel up, and put his hand in the air with his nose. "Do you know, sirs, what kind of trouble assaulting a blue-blooded gentleman such as myself can deposit you in?" They hesitated for a moment, then several chuckled. One imitated his pose while another attempted to mimic his haughty tone. "Of course not, dear chap. Pray, tell us". Rollik did. His stance, which enabled him to covertly bury his toes into the loose dust of the road, changed to a kick with a blur. The scoop of dust caught the two closest thugs unawares, and before they could scrabble in irritation at their eyes Rollik was upon them. Fists darting and head bobbing, he fought among them. He had no clear plan, save the one that had given him a momentary advantage that he made full use of. There was a time when he had them all at bay. The hapless image erupting into motion was an unexpected turn of events, and while the men were of the back streets of Dreht, Rollik fought with the desperate courage of the cornered fox. For a moment, he even thought he had a chance to win. Delusions eventually faded, and hope with it, as the thugs regained the initiative. Blows seemed to come from nowhere, behind him, everywhere. He fought on into the greying of his consciousness, which dimly heard a shouting voice of distant challenge: "Makkla Tel Fussw Braqc Wol Yalca!!!" More fists were suddenly there, disembodied, marbled, glowing blue. Filled with the strength of magic, they were joined by their creator who waded in with fists of his own. With the assistance of Bigby's Bashing Boxers, Kethnak reduced Rollik's assailants to inert forms within a minute. Rollik sagged to the ground, his strength momentarily gone. "Rollik!" Kethnak's voice preceeded him to his brother's side. "How fare you?" Behind him the blue gloves shook themselves triumphantly in the air and began slapping each other. "I'm all right." Rollik lied. That was when his sense of logical reasoning, dismissed during the fight, rushed back and processed what the thugs had said. "Zounds!" he said, leaping to his feet. "There may be treachery afoot. Keth, all speed to the Keep, to safeguard the guests and our father. Myself to the watch-house. Make haste!" The brothers parted. Kethnak, not yet being able to teleport, produced a small figurine from a pouch and set it on the road, murmuring softly. Silently it swelled to his phantom horse Graylander, and Keth was on it and gone, blue gloves bobbing hurriedly behind him. Rollik ran for the watch-house. As he approached he could see through the door that the party seemed normal. A flash of white raised his eyes to the parapet, where by the light of the moonripening he could see two figures struggling. Rollik unbuckled the ridiculous belt, letting it slide with the fake sword to the ground. He noticed for the first time that his foppish hat and false nose had not survived the fight. Grasping the trellis, he began to climb. Though she was free to move, save from the hands that grasped her shoulders, Kayem felt paralysed. After such freedom of the last weeks the sudden appearance of her former opressor left her inner self cringing, mind recoiling in turbulence as Annak dragged her up the stair to the watch-house roof. His breathing rapid, his eyes darting, he spoke the thoughts of an insane mind. "How.. how could you LET that accursed slime take you away, you cheap slut? you KNOW you love me. You do! Just punishment is his. And you- you let yourself be dragged from your one true love!" She gave no reply, muted by the constricting grip of fear. The door to the roof crashed open, and suddenly above them was the bejewelled sky, an emptiness of free space that Kayem wanted to fly to, to soar, to begone. Annak took her roughly in his arms, and began to force his lips upon her. She pushed at him wildly, panic ensuing, calling vainly for help she knew wouldn't come. Her mind began its reflex action, distancing herself from painful reality and withdrawing into its forgotten morass. She heard a voice: "Let her go". The voice, too familiar to be real, was barely controlled. Annak spun with the sound. The swollen moon was low in the sky, and silloutted against it was a young man. He held a commanding stance, arms folded, eyes burning with anger barely suppressed. For Annak, blind rage was instantaneous with recognition. "It isn't her you want" said Rollik icily "You're too twisted to want any woman the way love dictates. What you want is power. Power to rule others' lives, power to bend people to your rule." "Power" said Rollik "to remove those in your way". He raised a hand to the sky. On the other side of the city, the sword of Valiast heard his call and came to him. "Annak" he said "you do not have that power." For a moment the high son of Dreht said nothing. Then his black cloak swirled around him and the Cglichemarde sprang willingly to his dextrous hand. He left Kayem trembling against the battlement and approached Rollik, who closed his eyes momentarily, sensing the approach of destiny. -- -- Steven Cavanagh (scavanag@neumann.une.edu.au) "The Force, it's got a lot of power" General, Top Ace, Death Star Destroyer -Michael Jackson.