From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Jun 5 12:27:41 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8483 Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!warwick!news.coventry.ac.uk!rowan!ajf5 From: The Harvester of Souls Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: Grey wanderer :pt 4 Date: Mon, 5 Jun 1995 16:24:39 +0100 Organization: Coventry University Lines: 71 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: ajf5@rowan-fddi.coventry.ac.uk Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: ajf5@rowan Agony tore through his body and he fought to stifle a scream, thrashing on the stone surface, the leather straps biting into his flesh. He waited for the pain to subside, it didn't, it got worse. As it reached a zenith, Connain thought that he was going to die, this is what he imagined death felt like. Curiously, he had forgotten how bad birth felt, never experiencing re-birth before. His whole body was moving and twisting of it's own volition, muscles tearing and shifting. Nightmare images of blood and killing spread though his mind. Then, mercifully, darkness, cool and empty came. "Lorrukand was twisted and spiteful, Connain." Listener protested as the tall man rose from the table and stretched. "I know that, now." he tried to smile but without success. "What do you want anyway?" "I know where you can find the witch." Connain froze , all this time, he thought he had dealt with the memories yet those few words re-lit the fires that burned his soul. "Where?" was all he could say. "Sit back down and listen first." "No, we go to my room. It is safer." he headed toward the stairs, never looking back to see if Listener was following. He had awakened in darkness, plagued by a hunger he could not explain. A lusting mere meat and ale could not sate, a hunger for death. As he raged within himself, he felt strength fill his tired muscles and once more he strained against his bindings. They stretched again and slowly, with a snap, parted. Exultant, Connain rose to his feet and moved over to the window. He gazed out at the rising moon before his exhausted limbs betrayed him and he fell, grazing his head on the stone. He heard movement by one wall and a light shone through the featureless stone and with a flash, the wall vanished and guards, armed drow, stood by an open door. Connain rose and snarled, growling deep inside his throat, and he lunged. The first drow fell, his head clear of his shoulders, not even seeing what hit him. The other four fell before they could clear sword from scabbard. And Connain was free. He ran now seeing a large oaken door. Even barred and locked it presented no barrier, Connain smashed through it and ran clear into the open forest. Once clear of the prison , he sat upon his haunches on the forest floor and threw back his head, loosing a chilling howl of victory. _________________ \ / | / | / \ / | / ___________________________ ____ ___ ___ / <> /___ (______|________|______|____|____|___|___| <> < ___) \ \ | \ \ \ | \ | \ /______________ \ /\ /\ ( ()\/() ) ( ) \ ^ / (||||) \__/ ____________________________________________________________ ( ) | THE HARVESTER OF SOULS | | The illustious an esteemed Alan J Fisher | | E-mail:ajf5@coventry.ac.uk | |"The road to power is washed in the blood of innocents." | |"Knowledge is power. Ultimate knowledge leads to madness , | | death , or both." | ( ___________________________________________________________)