From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Feb 2 13:06:24 1994 Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!pipex!uknet!dct.ac.uk!mcssenct From: mcssenct@dct.ac.uk (Melandra) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [Kelly] Circle of Mystery Message-ID: <1994Feb1.132804.10692@dct.ac.uk> Date: 1 Feb 94 13:28:03 GMT Summary: Mel, Kelly & Redlin go hunting. Keywords: Mel, Kelly, Redlin, Circle Distribution: world Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology Lines: 86 The noise of the Inn continued unabated as Kelly ate the stew that had been laid down in front of her. "You know, Kelly, this is going to be lots of fun. I love mysteries. They're so mysterious!" said Mel as if her babbling meant something. Kelly raised an eyebrow at the elf, but said nothing. "Perhaps if we went outside you could find the alley you talked about. Yes, thats it. A fine plan. I wish I had thought of it. You get ready, I'll see if I can get some help.". Redlin slowly picked himself up out of the chair and turning to Kelly, offered her his arm. "I think perhaps we'd best get after her, who knows what sort of trouble she could get herself in." he said and then mumbled "And I'd rather not end up in the Sea this time." When they went outside Melandra was standing stock still outside the Inn softly humming to herself with her eyes closed. Her arms were folded across her chest and a serene smile played across her face. Redlin & Kelly looked at one another and then back at the Elf. Her mumbling had ceased and she stood silently as if she was waiting. Within a couple of seconds however, her ears started to redden and the smile had turned onto a scowl. Suddenly her eyes popped open and her voice roared across the Plaza. "Come on Kussoth, you owe me one. All I want to know is where to go!" she yelled, into the sky, as loud as her lungs would allow. Some of the disturbed merchants, beggars and passersby offered several intriguing suggestions about where she should go, but Mel hardly noticed. She turned to Kelly with a disappointed expression on her face. "I thought he would answer me. It looked so easy when Darkona talks to her God. She just mumbled away to herself for a bit, went quiet and then told us the answer. Hmmmm...Perhaps you have to mumble something special? Oh well, never mind." Kelly watched Mel with an amused gaze, and was about to say something when a cart rumbled round the corner. "A sign," exclaimed Mel. "Follow it. See, I told you I could do it...this way....." The red-head exchanged glances with Redlin and shook her head. "Mel," she said, surprisingly gently. "It's over here." She pointed to a narrow alley in the opposite direction, by the entrance to which was the green-painted door of a house. "I recognise the door." Redlin started walking straight towards he door. "Right, that way it is. Come on, Mel, you're lagging behind." Behind, Mel was downcast and slowly shuffling along towards her friends who were now outdistancing her. "What have I done to displease you Kussoth? Tell me, come on. I need to know. Do you want me to burn up a house or two? Coming!" Kelly hung back a moment for Mel to catch up, and gave the strange elf a smile. "You ok?" "What?......Yeah, I'm fine. Come on, we'd better catch up with Redlin and show him where to go. Errrrr......Which gate is it again? " she said, her face changing to a puzzled expression. "This one." Kelly indicated the alley, Redlin stood at its entrance. As the two came up to him, Kelly hung back a pace, raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged, then continued on into the alley, Redlin close behind. "This is it." The stink of vomit was unmistakeable, and Kelly stopped a few paces in. "Ugh. Shit, I *was* sick, wasn't I?" Apart from the tell-tale smell and sighs of Kelly's distress, there was no indication of anything untoward in the alley, except for a neat circle, completely free from trash and dust. "Ooooooohhhhh, that's impressive. How did you manage to do that?" A thin hand picked a small coin from inside one of her pouches and threw it into the middle of the circle. It landed with a clink as it hit the ground. Nothing happened. "Right, it's safe." she said as she walked into the middle of the circle and flipped the coin into her hand. "I reckon it's what's left of your arrival. Watch, I'll show you." She made a quick pass across her body, and then a twist with her left hand whilst uttering an almost unintelligable phrase and vanished in a column of flame. "See, easy. Have a look at the circle now." she said from behind them. The circle was now slightly streaked at the edges with lines of dust pointing to the middle. Walking back to them she looked at it. "I reckon you came in here as normally when someone leaves by teleporting you feel a slight breeze towards them and if someone teleports in, there's a short puff of wind out from them. I've seen differing variations that could make that happen." "Neat," said Kelly, then stopped. "You OK?" asked Redlin. The redhead shrugged. "God knows." "Which one?" asked Mel. Kelly let the question go unaswered. "I... I can..." She paused. "I can see someone I used to know. Remember her, I mean. She used to say 'neat'. A... and... I *remember*. When I was... teleported?" Mel nodded. "There was this flash of really sick colours..." "But that still doesn't help us tell where you came from." A thoughtful look crossed Mel's face. "Maybe we should ask some of the beggars or the store holders. We can get an idea of when you arrived from Littlefair." ================================================================================ Constructive comments happily received by the authors. mcssenct@uk.ac.dct mikew@sdl.ug.eds.com fannicm@wkuvx1.wku.edu Cash contributions banked within minutes of receipt by authors.