From alt.pub.dragons-inn Sun Apr 17 18:14:58 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7206 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!news.pipeline.com!malgudi.oar.net!sun!vax.cns.muskingum.edu!hsexauer From: hsexauer@muskingum.edu (Rapunzel) Subject: [Legacy] A prod from above Message-ID: <1994Apr15.170026.1@muskingum.edu> Lines: 128 Sender: root@sun.cns.muskingum.edu (Operator) Organization: Muskingum College Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 21:00:26 GMT Aleric looked around the room under the restaurant where Chandra held her domain. Weak as a new kitten, the Lyorn had been moved into the relative safety of the stockade to recover. His eyes settled on the slender figure of the thieves' leader. Chandra was curled again on her couch with her usual cup of tea balanced on her knee. "Welcome Aleric n'hir Lyorn. I am pleased to meet you, however unfortunate the circumstances," Chandra said serenely. She waved a hand at the furniture scattered across the room. "Please, accept my hospitality and make yourselves comfortable." Jaerodyn and Durstrin, who were supporting Aleric, guided him to a chair and settled him. Aleric frowned grumpily as he was forced to rely on their support when he should have been moving under his own power. "Thank you, Chandra for your kindness," Aleric answered when his brother and the elf had moved away to find their own seats. "Ruel and your sister have told me something of your mission. I have told them everything I know, but if there is ever anything further I can do to help, please contact me." "Again, I thank you. But for now I believe just allowing us to remain here while I recover is enough," the Lyorn replied. Xel'ha was slung across the back of his chair where he had put it after removing it. Jaerodyn had returned the blade before they left the waterfall to make their way into the town through the winding passages that burrowed through the cliff. Aleric unconsciously let his hand fall so it touched the scabbard and feel the reassuring length of the fiery blade. Conversation from there became introductions of the company, and soon Chandra was chatting with them all like old friends. For several hours they talked, through dinner and into the evening. Aleric bore this all well, but as the evening progressed, he found himself tiring rapidly. Begging their pardons, he excused himself and tottered to his feet. He felt their eyes on him as he slowly made his way to his bed for the night. Aleric cursed his sickness that left him so weak. Inside the side room, he threw himself on his bed and kicked off his boots. He lay there staring up at the ceiling, trying to organize his thoughts and come to terms with all he had missed. True, very little earthshattering had occurred, but he still felt the loss. The greatest event he had missed that all his friends had shared was the awakening of the Lyorn goddess, Ryll. He wondered what that would mean to their quest, and the future of the Lyorn race in general. "Not a great deal at first," a voice softly answered his thought from across the room. Surprised, the Lyorn struggled to sit up and find the source of that quiet voice. He saw nothing immediately, but after a moment his eyes focussed on the shape of a tall woman seated on a bed next to the wall. His eyes immediately turned deep indigo in reaction to his feelings. She laughed and rose fluidly and moved to come stand next to Aleric, still seated on the bed. "Hail, Nilsangehir, my son. I am Ryll." His mouth dropped open for but an instant before he recovered and quickly snapped it shut. She lay a gentle hand on his shoulder as he sought to stand, instead sitting on the other end of the bed in front of him. Aleric stared at her and studied every minute detail of Her person. The Sylvan Huntress was dressed in ordinary forest garb of green and brown. A dark green shirt was tucked into brown leather pants, and a leather jerkin was left hanging open over the shirt. Her hair was golden like Aleric's own, and bound in a long braid that fell close to Her knees. A circlet of bronze was settled over Her forehead, setting off the color in Her tanned skin. Apparently unarmed, She settled Herself with a delicate grace and stared back at Aleric. "So quiet, Nilsangehir. What would you ask me?" She questioned with a quirk to Her eyebrow and an amused look. Her blue eyes roved over him, taking measure. Xel'ha caught Her gaze as it passed. She nodded gravely, and the sword glowed faintly as if in response. Aleric hastily shaped his thoughts into something resembling speech. "Actually, I don't know. I've been trying to figure out what I should be asking myself." "Then perhaps I should give you the information you seek," the goddess said. She folded Her hands in Her lap and tilted Her head, looking at him with a calculating gaze. "Do not worry so much about what you cannot change. Your illness was the result of the abominations released upon this world, which you shall soon rectify. Know that I have pride in you, my son, and that I will aid your quest as I may. First of all, now that we have the privacy to do so, I will finish healing you. I removed the poison from your soul, but I have yet to heal your body." The golden goddess approached and set Her hand on Aleric's chest against his bare skin. Her hand was cool, and there was the scent of the wild forests about Her that calmed Aleric. Placing cool fingers also on his forehead, Ryll poured strength into his body. He felt it surge and flow from his heart and touch every fiber in his body. There was no pain, as there had been when Tierge sent her power coursing through him. When the power reached his head, it flowed out again back into the goddess' fingers. She stepped back and watched him sit up, and finally stand. "I am beholden to you, Lady," Aleric said with a salute as he tested his body's responses. They were instant and without weakness. She laughed again. "Naturally. You are one of my children after all." Ryll picked up Xel'ha and whispered to it briefly. The runes inscribed on it shone softly, and flared once in the midst of Her speech. "Guard him well and you shall become whole again as prophesied," She murmured to the blade. Replacing Xel'ha in its scabbard by the bedside, Ryll looked to Aleric. "I suggest you make haste, Nilsangehir. For every day you delay is a day that Euskaya has to ready herself for your coming. And know this, she is aware of you." "But Tevore told me I can do nothing without Chiyasangehir to wield Xel'eman and aid me!" Aleric protested. Ryll smiled briefly. "Think you that he has not come? He is here, and you realize that in your heart. Be well my son." She faded away, leaving only the impression of Her presence in his mind to verify the meeting. -- Heather Sexauer Muskingum College hsexauer@muskingum.edu Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. --H.L. Mencken