From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Feb  6 18:55:04 1995
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From: hsexauer@muskingum.edu (Rapunzel)
Subject: [Legacy] The lines are drawn
Message-ID: <1995Feb3.155832.1@muskingum.edu>
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Organization: Muskingum College
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 1995 20:58:32 GMT


			*          *          *

	"Where are we now?" Laurenth asked in exasperation, as they fled 
through yet another antechamber and barred the door behind themselves.  She 
panted, stumbling in exhaustion against Ruel.  The valeman solicitously put an 
arm around her waist to support her as they paused to take a brief rest.

	Glancing around to get his bearings, Elcoran answered her question.  
"Main level, about to enter the audience hall from the rear.  Those short 
halls we passed led to assorted council room type places, and one led to an 
armory." With the resilience of youth he had already regained his breath, but 
even the elven lad looked to be near the end of his strength.

	"And where will we go from here?" she asked. Elcoran looked over at 
Aleric where the tall warrior was leaning against a carved pillar, rubbing at 
his temples. He sighed gustily, and drew the corner of his mouth up in a sour 
expression.  "I don't know.  My best guess is we're safest leaving Highspire 
the same way we came in; Tevore suggested we hide in the catacombs until the 
hue and cry died down.  Then maybe we can make our way outside somehow and 
back to the free lands."

	The others eyed him warily, hearing self recrimination creep into his 
tone.  "But as of now, I'm worried about my brother and sister.  I have no 
idea where they are, or even if they're alive for that matter." He pushed a 
hand through his hair savagely, yanking at the knots that tangled his fingers. 
 "I don't want to abandon any of them here, yet there doesn't seem to be much 
of an alternative open to us."

	Ruel's mouth twisted painfully, but he spoke with a surety he didn't 
seem to feel.  "To be candid, getting ourselves out of here is going to be 
enough of a chore without trying to find the others.  We can hope that wherever
they are, they will have an easier time since we're keeping the Shekiren's 
attention on us." He touched the four parallel scars seaming his cheek with 
the tips of his fingers.  "We've entered this conflict too deeply to pull back 
now and possibly sacrifice ourselves, losing the celestial blade, and negating 
everything we've accomplished so far."

	Drawing a ragged breath, Laurenth added her assent. "We must go.  
Jaer, Kia, and Durstrin are able enough to save themselves if we occupy the 
attention of everyone else."  She straightened her body and stepped away from 
Ruel's support.  The mage watched Aleric's lean form pull himself to his feet 
and lead the way.

	Hauling open the opposite door in the antechamber, the one leading to 
the audience hall, Aleric's heart sank and turned to ashes.  While they had 
talked, the enemy had entered the hall silently and arranged themselves in 
ranks before the antechamber's entryway. A scratching at the door to the back 
halls spoke loud enough to tell them of foes in that direction as well. 
Surrounded on either side by Shekiren and nighthaunts, the group prepared 
themselves to wage a desperate battle and win themselves an escape route.

	Facing the crowd, Aleric counted at least twenty Shekiren, and about 
the same number of creatures, of five or six different species.  He raised 
Xel'ha, calling upon is strength, and stood defiantly against their foes with 
blazing amber blade shining like a beacon.  The long forgotten battle cries of 
four ancient Lyorn clans burst from their throats in a mocking challenge to 
the single Lyorn that faced them, who answered unthinkingly with his own 
clan's cry.  It was echoed by his three friends, as the massed forces of the 
Shekiren rushed forward to engage them.

-- 
hsexauer@muskingum.edu

	"...with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air,
	    That sunny dome! those caves of ice!
	    And all who heard should see them there..."

						-- STC