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Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5782739" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Braddok found himself sitting in a shallow narrow skiv. He looked around to glean something of his surroundings.</p><p></p><p>There wasn't much to glean. He realized quickly that he was on water as the skiv wobbled dangerously at his slightest movement. </p><p></p><p>A thick grey fog surrounded him in all directions. He could make out no banks nor any solid objects to tell him if he were moving or if it was just the fog moving passed him.</p><p></p><p>He instinctively reached for his sword only to find he did not have it. Nor did he have his shield...nor armor. Only just noticing he was clothed front and back in a pale grey sleeveless shift that flowed down to his ankles, open on each side save for a small strip of connecting fabric at his hips. He blushed despite himself and lack of any observers.</p><p></p><p>He carefully peered over the edge of the shallow boat, which had no paddles or poles for directing it. He did not see his reflection in the water...though this didn't surprise him with the everpresent gloom and lack of direct light.</p><p></p><p>He had no way of determining any time or day or night...all he could see was grey fog.</p><p></p><p>The water was as grey as the air around him. He could discern that the water was flowing in a direction that he should be moving "forward", but he didn't seem to be moving very quickly, if at all.</p><p></p><p>He blinked in surprise at what he thought, for only a moment, was an unknown man's face within, beneath, the water. It seemed to rise up from the depths, coming very near but did not break the surface, and opened its mouth in what looked like a silent wail.</p><p></p><p>The swordsman in the skiv heard nothing. He blinked and the image was gone. Just grey water.</p><p></p><p>He tried to paddle his way along, with his hands, which he immediately pulled from the impossibly freezing water. The dark-haired fighter shook to his core from the cold of only an instant touchign the water.</p><p></p><p>Time passed and he noticed a shadow some distance beside him, silhuoetted within the fog. It appeared to be another slender shallow boat with a figure sitting within it. </p><p></p><p>He called multiple times, as loudly as he could, but received no acknowledgement nor response as the shadowy image floated by and was lost in the mists ahead of his position.</p><p></p><p>Some time passed and the fogs did break enough to his right for him to make out a desolated landscape. Plains of dark grey and cracked earth studded with blackened leafless trees stretched out as far as he could see. The sky there the same, or was it slightly darker, grey matt that covered everywhere he could look.</p><p></p><p>To the man's surprise, he could make out some images of black shadowy creatures along the river bank. They crawled and clamored over each other, pairs of red and yellow and green glowing eyes becoming visible and then lost among the tangled brambles and thickets or disappearing behind a skeletal tree. Some seemed beast-like prowling cat-like on all fours, some flitted about on bat wings, though could not or would not pass the edge of the shore. Some were serpentine forms that slithered as easily over land as into the air....something about those reminded him of....something...why did they?</p><p></p><p>The mists again passed before his view and the shore was lost to him. He was again alone...a man's face passed before his eyes. Familiar with a dark beard...then he saw a woman with dark hair. She was lovely...and familiar as well...but what was her name?</p><p></p><p>The image disappeared even as a piercing shriek came to his ears. The mists to his left parted momentarily to reveal the opposite shore, some distance away...judging from what he'd seen before, the man guessed he was, more or less, smack in the middle of this rather wide river. The landscape to his left was equally gloomy without being as dark or desolate as the right bank. Smooth fields and hills of grey, what few trees he could make out seemed to have leaves upon them as well, those these too were all shades of grey. A lone spectral figure with a greenish glow to it was upon the shore reaching as far as "she?" could toward his position but even though the figure seemed to float above the line of the shore, she did not breach the land.</p><p></p><p>The landscape and disturbing spirit-looking thing were again shrouded.</p><p></p><p>At least, from what he could tell from his limited views of the riverbanks, he was, in fact floating downstream. From time to time, he noticed other shaded figures in skivs upon the river with him, but always veiled through the fog. His calls to these figures received no more attention than his first one.</p><p></p><p>And, the warrior noted, ever figure he saw that was, actually on the river, passed him by much faster than he, himself, seemed to be moving. He looked over the edge again. A mournful face passed within his view, submerged, passing upstream, it seemed.</p><p></p><p>He sat back, centered in his shallow skiv and just continued to see what he couod see about him. The momentary breaks of the fog bank revealed either side to him once or twice more, the view was almost entirely the same. The terrain a bit different, but the desolation of the places was the same.</p><p></p><p>Finally, he had no way of knowing how much time had passed, the fogs broke and he sat, awestruck and horrified at what he saw before him.</p><p></p><p>The river he was on seemed to fork not far ahead of him and a small isle sat in the middle. Some distance from the shore of the isle, sat a magnificently huge statue (or so he thought) of a seated figure robed all in shaded of grey. A deep hood obscured any features of a face. Indeed, he thought, it was as if there were a field of night stars within the shadowed hood. Only two snow-white feminine looking hands rested gently over the edges of the arms of whatever gigantic chair the figure sat. </p><p></p><p>Stretching from some "bottom" behind this massive seated figure and rising straight up into the air until it was lost within the solid pale grey cloud cover in the sky was a width of a screen or fabric of some kind.</p><p></p><p>The man in the skiv couldn't really be sure of details at the distance, but could make out what seemed to be individual scenes coming into view and continuously shifting within this...tapestry? Just for the part he could see, the man could not count the number of individual scenes from his vantage point. </p><p></p><p>He looked down the two branches of the parting river. To the left, it seemed to him, the waters and air became a bit brighter. A soft golden glow emanated from somewhere beyond his vision, farther down the river band.</p><p></p><p>Glancing down the branch to the right, which he could only do for a moment, the waters and air darkened. There was a slight tinge that was more a flickering orange or reddish color...when there was any light at all. The darkening of the waters and clouds over that part of the river gave the man an other shiver through his body, at once burning and chilling, but wholy unpleasant.</p><p></p><p>The man closed his eyes and shook his head to remove the weight of the darkness upon his mind's eye.</p><p></p><p>He was surprised when his skiv came to a sliding stop upon the isle's beach, that made a tinkling sort of sound...unlike any sand the man could recall hearing before...what had he heard before? </p><p></p><p>He heard a woman's voice call out a name....was it his name? That lovely dark haired woman came into his mind again...it was her voice! Or was it?</p><p></p><p>The man gently, cautiously, rose and stepped out of the skiv, making sure not to touch the lapping grey waters.</p><p></p><p>His bare feet came to rest and sink upon a "clinking" mass of hard cold "beach." Looking down, he realized it was not sand or stones, but coins! Silver and copper mostly, but others as well. Some of metals he did not recognize. Gemstones of every imaginable color and size. There were decanters and platters of shining metal, jewel encrusted goblets, shields and shining hilts of discarded weapons, all just piled up and strewn haphazardly as far as he could see in all directions to form the beach of this island.</p><p></p><p>He picked up a large round shield. Across its gleaming golden surface he thought he saw the image of a black bird with a forked tail. But in an instant, it was gone. What did that mean, he wondered? What was that bird?</p><p></p><p>He looked up again to notice the huge robed figure seemed still as far away from his position as when he'd first seen "her."</p><p></p><p>To the man's alarm, one of the delicate robed forearms lifted from its resting place. </p><p></p><p>There was a booming thunder from the clouds far above and a moment later a raven came diving down out of the grey clouds. A huge raven! Impossibly huge. It came to alight on the raised arm. It's eyes sparked and sizzled with white electricity. He peered at the robed figure and then turned its head to peer at the impossibly small man on the beach. It opened its beak, trails of lightning flaring between it, and let out a very raven-like caw. The harsh cry was followed by a thunder that rumbled through the entire landscape...it felt as though it passed through the man himself.</p><p></p><p>Some instinct caused the man to put the shield on his arm and reach for the hilt of a bejeweled sword hilt within his reach. </p><p></p><p>The raven took flight and disappeared, again, into the thick clouds swirling over the island.</p><p></p><p>The man waited, concerned by something...he didn't know why or what. Another figure now appeared, coming at him from somewhere behind the giant robed figure. This one was definitely a beast of some kind. Black feathered wings carried the massive feline body.</p><p></p><p>The creature landed directly before the man. The creature looked at the armed man impassively. It was the size of a barn, maybe two barns!</p><p></p><p>It had a sleek black body of a panther, shining black wings and a head that was, at once, feline and woman with ebony black hair that flowed down about its panther-body's shoulders.</p><p></p><p>"Put down your arms, mortal. Those do not belong to you." the woman-feline face said. "You have no use for them here, in any event."</p><p></p><p>Without questioning, and without quite knowing why, the man conceded. </p><p></p><p>"Where is here? Who are you, my...um...lady?" he asked.</p><p></p><p>"You truly do not know?" the sphinx replied. Its voice was at once that of a mature woman with a peculiar cat-like purr rumbling beneath it.</p><p></p><p>The creature laid down upon the shining beach of treasure. She crossed her forepaws in a very casual manner. "You are in the Grey Lands, mortal. Upon the Isle of Yrgsdrigal."</p><p></p><p>The man heard this response but it took a moment to actually sink in. "Wait...I'm <em>dead</em>?!" the man replied in shock.</p><p></p><p>The amber feline eyes took on a humored quality. "Yes."</p><p></p><p>"Well, that's just GREAT!" the man threw his arms into the air. He mumbled to himself and walked in small circles before placing his hands on his hips and again addressing the sphinx who just watched him with her amber eyes. </p><p></p><p>"But I can't be...I mean...I'm not...I'm...wait...How did that happen? Who are you? Why am I here?" the man was fully perplexed. Then, realization crossed his face and he added, very softly, "...and...who am I?"</p><p></p><p>The cat-woman smiled that seemed at once a smile of amusement and pity.</p><p></p><p>The sphinx slowly pursed its lips and blew in the man's direction. The soft breath sent coins and gems tumbling before it and when it struck the man, his mind was awash with a blizzard of images in his mind.</p><p></p><p>A crying daelvar? A laughing dwarf? Skrieking harpies...a castle...that was his father's castle! Who was his father?...a druid watching his back...dead elves...a wizard in black...that pretty dark haired woman, again...Why was she crying?...lightning and thunder!...an army before the castle...an ogre with a club...THOOM! Pain! Darkness! Fog...</p><p></p><p>Throughout the telepathic onslaught, the feminine feline voice echoed in his mind.</p><p></p><p>"You are Braddok Kar Barforth of the realm Men now call Denil in the kingdom Men now call Grinlia. You are here by the grace of the Grey Lady and Her servants within what you once called 'the world.' </p><p></p><p>"<em>She</em> has determined your fate was not completely woven at the time of your demise. <em>She</em> has, and ever shall...see all...You are deemed..<em>.unfinished</em>. You time within the realms of Men...rewuires more weaving."</p><p></p><p>The man looked up at the huge shifting fabric behind the massive figure.</p><p></p><p>"You may return to that existence you called 'Life'...if such is your desire, Braddok Kar Barforth." the sphinx concluded.</p><p></p><p>The man, Braddok...yes, Braddok was his name!...He was a warrior...He knew how to use a sword...very well...His ancestral home had been wrongly taken from his father...He had to take it back...He HAD to!...and...that dark-haired woman...something about her...</p><p></p><p>He clutched his head for a moment as the booming purring voice echoed away and his mind's eye cleared of the images of his former life. </p><p></p><p>"Yes! Yes, send me back! I have much to do still. Please!" Braddok replied. He looked up at the giant robed figure. "Thank you, lady!" he shouted.</p><p></p><p>If the goddess heard or cared there was no indication. Just the even slow motion of the giant tapestry behind her with its ever shifting images rising slowly into the clouds.</p><p></p><p>Braddok stood there for a moment. He looked around after a time and then back at the sphinx who still laid before him, her eyes transfixed on his position.</p><p></p><p>"Well?" he said.</p><p></p><p>"Well what?" replied the sphinx, casually licking a huge paw after she spoke.</p><p></p><p>"Send me back!" the warrior said exasperated.</p><p></p><p>There was a rumbling purring sound that rose to a cat-like screech coupling a roaring guffaw. The sphinx laughing at him? </p><p></p><p>"You mortals are always so amusing. It has been so long, I had forgotten the humor of your limited consciousness." the sphinx replied. "I do not have such power as that."</p><p></p><p>"Um...ok. Who do I talk to then? Who <em>are</em> you, anyway? What are you here for if not to send me back?" Braddok asked, sincerely questioning.</p><p></p><p>"Huh. It has been some eons since a mortal has asked my name." the sphinx answered more to herself than Braddok.</p><p></p><p>"I am called, as best you could say, <em>Sinjhal.</em> I serve the Grey Lady, if that was not obvious.</p><p></p><p>"I am an...'angel'?..."the sphinx seemed to be asking herself. "No...no, that's not right...an...'avatar'? Yes! Avatar, I suppose, might be the closest thing to your understanding of the metaphysical realms are concerned.</p><p></p><p>"I am here for your protection, Braddok Kar Barforth...and to keep you... company?...Yes, 'company', until such time as you might be returned...or not."</p><p></p><p>"Well, I've said I want to go back. How much time do you need? What do you mean 'til such time as I <em>might </em>be returned'...?" Braddok asked. He did not like the sound of that at all.</p><p></p><p>"Until such time as the Shaalir attempt to return you. They have not done so...yet. They may never. But until that time has passed within your 'Living world', you shall remain here...with me." the sphinx succinctly explained.</p><p></p><p>"Do you know any good riddles? Stories...or jokes, perhaps? It has been rather a long time since I've heard any new jokes."</p><p></p><p>Braddok crashed down on the coin 'sand', sitting cross-legged and folded his arms. "How much time will I have to wait? How much time has passed on Orea...or...er...the 'living world'?"</p><p></p><p>The sphinx looked perturbed at his incessant questioning. "It should not be more than a week now...until you might be called. After that, there is nothing to be done." the sphinx said matter-of-factly and bored with the questions.</p><p></p><p>"As to how much time has passed?" The sphinx raised her head and seemed to sniff the air for a moment. "...a little over a month...by you mortal's experience of time."</p><p></p><p>"I've been here a month?!? But I was only on the river for..." Braddok's mind trailed off. He honestly could not say how long he'd been in the fogs. He'd not gotten tired nor experienced any hunger or thirst...the ever present greyness of all of the surroundings made the passage of time as days or nights impossible to discern..."...a month?..." Braddok could not believe it.</p><p></p><p>"So, any riddles, mortal? I can begin if you prefer." the sphinx again asked.</p><p>A quintessential cat-like grin formed on the sphinx's lips.</p><p></p><p>Great, just great, thought Braddok to himself. That 'Shaalir', whatever <em>that</em> was, better get moving.</p><p></p><p>"Go ahead. No tricks, right? No unspoken trade for my soul or anything like that?" the warrior said, resigning himself to what appeared to be his current fate.</p><p></p><p>"Nothing of the sort. I assure you." the sphinx replied, again grinning.</p><p></p><p>"Fine. Go ahead." Braddok looked up at the huge figure of the goddess of death as he half-listened to the sphinx begin her <em>first </em>riddle.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5782739, member: 92511"] Braddok found himself sitting in a shallow narrow skiv. He looked around to glean something of his surroundings. There wasn't much to glean. He realized quickly that he was on water as the skiv wobbled dangerously at his slightest movement. A thick grey fog surrounded him in all directions. He could make out no banks nor any solid objects to tell him if he were moving or if it was just the fog moving passed him. He instinctively reached for his sword only to find he did not have it. Nor did he have his shield...nor armor. Only just noticing he was clothed front and back in a pale grey sleeveless shift that flowed down to his ankles, open on each side save for a small strip of connecting fabric at his hips. He blushed despite himself and lack of any observers. He carefully peered over the edge of the shallow boat, which had no paddles or poles for directing it. He did not see his reflection in the water...though this didn't surprise him with the everpresent gloom and lack of direct light. He had no way of determining any time or day or night...all he could see was grey fog. The water was as grey as the air around him. He could discern that the water was flowing in a direction that he should be moving "forward", but he didn't seem to be moving very quickly, if at all. He blinked in surprise at what he thought, for only a moment, was an unknown man's face within, beneath, the water. It seemed to rise up from the depths, coming very near but did not break the surface, and opened its mouth in what looked like a silent wail. The swordsman in the skiv heard nothing. He blinked and the image was gone. Just grey water. He tried to paddle his way along, with his hands, which he immediately pulled from the impossibly freezing water. The dark-haired fighter shook to his core from the cold of only an instant touchign the water. Time passed and he noticed a shadow some distance beside him, silhuoetted within the fog. It appeared to be another slender shallow boat with a figure sitting within it. He called multiple times, as loudly as he could, but received no acknowledgement nor response as the shadowy image floated by and was lost in the mists ahead of his position. Some time passed and the fogs did break enough to his right for him to make out a desolated landscape. Plains of dark grey and cracked earth studded with blackened leafless trees stretched out as far as he could see. The sky there the same, or was it slightly darker, grey matt that covered everywhere he could look. To the man's surprise, he could make out some images of black shadowy creatures along the river bank. They crawled and clamored over each other, pairs of red and yellow and green glowing eyes becoming visible and then lost among the tangled brambles and thickets or disappearing behind a skeletal tree. Some seemed beast-like prowling cat-like on all fours, some flitted about on bat wings, though could not or would not pass the edge of the shore. Some were serpentine forms that slithered as easily over land as into the air....something about those reminded him of....something...why did they? The mists again passed before his view and the shore was lost to him. He was again alone...a man's face passed before his eyes. Familiar with a dark beard...then he saw a woman with dark hair. She was lovely...and familiar as well...but what was her name? The image disappeared even as a piercing shriek came to his ears. The mists to his left parted momentarily to reveal the opposite shore, some distance away...judging from what he'd seen before, the man guessed he was, more or less, smack in the middle of this rather wide river. The landscape to his left was equally gloomy without being as dark or desolate as the right bank. Smooth fields and hills of grey, what few trees he could make out seemed to have leaves upon them as well, those these too were all shades of grey. A lone spectral figure with a greenish glow to it was upon the shore reaching as far as "she?" could toward his position but even though the figure seemed to float above the line of the shore, she did not breach the land. The landscape and disturbing spirit-looking thing were again shrouded. At least, from what he could tell from his limited views of the riverbanks, he was, in fact floating downstream. From time to time, he noticed other shaded figures in skivs upon the river with him, but always veiled through the fog. His calls to these figures received no more attention than his first one. And, the warrior noted, ever figure he saw that was, actually on the river, passed him by much faster than he, himself, seemed to be moving. He looked over the edge again. A mournful face passed within his view, submerged, passing upstream, it seemed. He sat back, centered in his shallow skiv and just continued to see what he couod see about him. The momentary breaks of the fog bank revealed either side to him once or twice more, the view was almost entirely the same. The terrain a bit different, but the desolation of the places was the same. Finally, he had no way of knowing how much time had passed, the fogs broke and he sat, awestruck and horrified at what he saw before him. The river he was on seemed to fork not far ahead of him and a small isle sat in the middle. Some distance from the shore of the isle, sat a magnificently huge statue (or so he thought) of a seated figure robed all in shaded of grey. A deep hood obscured any features of a face. Indeed, he thought, it was as if there were a field of night stars within the shadowed hood. Only two snow-white feminine looking hands rested gently over the edges of the arms of whatever gigantic chair the figure sat. Stretching from some "bottom" behind this massive seated figure and rising straight up into the air until it was lost within the solid pale grey cloud cover in the sky was a width of a screen or fabric of some kind. The man in the skiv couldn't really be sure of details at the distance, but could make out what seemed to be individual scenes coming into view and continuously shifting within this...tapestry? Just for the part he could see, the man could not count the number of individual scenes from his vantage point. He looked down the two branches of the parting river. To the left, it seemed to him, the waters and air became a bit brighter. A soft golden glow emanated from somewhere beyond his vision, farther down the river band. Glancing down the branch to the right, which he could only do for a moment, the waters and air darkened. There was a slight tinge that was more a flickering orange or reddish color...when there was any light at all. The darkening of the waters and clouds over that part of the river gave the man an other shiver through his body, at once burning and chilling, but wholy unpleasant. The man closed his eyes and shook his head to remove the weight of the darkness upon his mind's eye. He was surprised when his skiv came to a sliding stop upon the isle's beach, that made a tinkling sort of sound...unlike any sand the man could recall hearing before...what had he heard before? He heard a woman's voice call out a name....was it his name? That lovely dark haired woman came into his mind again...it was her voice! Or was it? The man gently, cautiously, rose and stepped out of the skiv, making sure not to touch the lapping grey waters. His bare feet came to rest and sink upon a "clinking" mass of hard cold "beach." Looking down, he realized it was not sand or stones, but coins! Silver and copper mostly, but others as well. Some of metals he did not recognize. Gemstones of every imaginable color and size. There were decanters and platters of shining metal, jewel encrusted goblets, shields and shining hilts of discarded weapons, all just piled up and strewn haphazardly as far as he could see in all directions to form the beach of this island. He picked up a large round shield. Across its gleaming golden surface he thought he saw the image of a black bird with a forked tail. But in an instant, it was gone. What did that mean, he wondered? What was that bird? He looked up again to notice the huge robed figure seemed still as far away from his position as when he'd first seen "her." To the man's alarm, one of the delicate robed forearms lifted from its resting place. There was a booming thunder from the clouds far above and a moment later a raven came diving down out of the grey clouds. A huge raven! Impossibly huge. It came to alight on the raised arm. It's eyes sparked and sizzled with white electricity. He peered at the robed figure and then turned its head to peer at the impossibly small man on the beach. It opened its beak, trails of lightning flaring between it, and let out a very raven-like caw. The harsh cry was followed by a thunder that rumbled through the entire landscape...it felt as though it passed through the man himself. Some instinct caused the man to put the shield on his arm and reach for the hilt of a bejeweled sword hilt within his reach. The raven took flight and disappeared, again, into the thick clouds swirling over the island. The man waited, concerned by something...he didn't know why or what. Another figure now appeared, coming at him from somewhere behind the giant robed figure. This one was definitely a beast of some kind. Black feathered wings carried the massive feline body. The creature landed directly before the man. The creature looked at the armed man impassively. It was the size of a barn, maybe two barns! It had a sleek black body of a panther, shining black wings and a head that was, at once, feline and woman with ebony black hair that flowed down about its panther-body's shoulders. "Put down your arms, mortal. Those do not belong to you." the woman-feline face said. "You have no use for them here, in any event." Without questioning, and without quite knowing why, the man conceded. "Where is here? Who are you, my...um...lady?" he asked. "You truly do not know?" the sphinx replied. Its voice was at once that of a mature woman with a peculiar cat-like purr rumbling beneath it. The creature laid down upon the shining beach of treasure. She crossed her forepaws in a very casual manner. "You are in the Grey Lands, mortal. Upon the Isle of Yrgsdrigal." The man heard this response but it took a moment to actually sink in. "Wait...I'm [I]dead[/I]?!" the man replied in shock. The amber feline eyes took on a humored quality. "Yes." "Well, that's just GREAT!" the man threw his arms into the air. He mumbled to himself and walked in small circles before placing his hands on his hips and again addressing the sphinx who just watched him with her amber eyes. "But I can't be...I mean...I'm not...I'm...wait...How did that happen? Who are you? Why am I here?" the man was fully perplexed. Then, realization crossed his face and he added, very softly, "...and...who am I?" The cat-woman smiled that seemed at once a smile of amusement and pity. The sphinx slowly pursed its lips and blew in the man's direction. The soft breath sent coins and gems tumbling before it and when it struck the man, his mind was awash with a blizzard of images in his mind. A crying daelvar? A laughing dwarf? Skrieking harpies...a castle...that was his father's castle! Who was his father?...a druid watching his back...dead elves...a wizard in black...that pretty dark haired woman, again...Why was she crying?...lightning and thunder!...an army before the castle...an ogre with a club...THOOM! Pain! Darkness! Fog... Throughout the telepathic onslaught, the feminine feline voice echoed in his mind. "You are Braddok Kar Barforth of the realm Men now call Denil in the kingdom Men now call Grinlia. You are here by the grace of the Grey Lady and Her servants within what you once called 'the world.' "[I]She[/I] has determined your fate was not completely woven at the time of your demise. [I]She[/I] has, and ever shall...see all...You are deemed..[I].unfinished[/I]. You time within the realms of Men...rewuires more weaving." The man looked up at the huge shifting fabric behind the massive figure. "You may return to that existence you called 'Life'...if such is your desire, Braddok Kar Barforth." the sphinx concluded. The man, Braddok...yes, Braddok was his name!...He was a warrior...He knew how to use a sword...very well...His ancestral home had been wrongly taken from his father...He had to take it back...He HAD to!...and...that dark-haired woman...something about her... He clutched his head for a moment as the booming purring voice echoed away and his mind's eye cleared of the images of his former life. "Yes! Yes, send me back! I have much to do still. Please!" Braddok replied. He looked up at the giant robed figure. "Thank you, lady!" he shouted. If the goddess heard or cared there was no indication. Just the even slow motion of the giant tapestry behind her with its ever shifting images rising slowly into the clouds. Braddok stood there for a moment. He looked around after a time and then back at the sphinx who still laid before him, her eyes transfixed on his position. "Well?" he said. "Well what?" replied the sphinx, casually licking a huge paw after she spoke. "Send me back!" the warrior said exasperated. There was a rumbling purring sound that rose to a cat-like screech coupling a roaring guffaw. The sphinx laughing at him? "You mortals are always so amusing. It has been so long, I had forgotten the humor of your limited consciousness." the sphinx replied. "I do not have such power as that." "Um...ok. Who do I talk to then? Who [I]are[/I] you, anyway? What are you here for if not to send me back?" Braddok asked, sincerely questioning. "Huh. It has been some eons since a mortal has asked my name." the sphinx answered more to herself than Braddok. "I am called, as best you could say, [I]Sinjhal.[/I] I serve the Grey Lady, if that was not obvious. "I am an...'angel'?..."the sphinx seemed to be asking herself. "No...no, that's not right...an...'avatar'? Yes! Avatar, I suppose, might be the closest thing to your understanding of the metaphysical realms are concerned. "I am here for your protection, Braddok Kar Barforth...and to keep you... company?...Yes, 'company', until such time as you might be returned...or not." "Well, I've said I want to go back. How much time do you need? What do you mean 'til such time as I [I]might [/I]be returned'...?" Braddok asked. He did not like the sound of that at all. "Until such time as the Shaalir attempt to return you. They have not done so...yet. They may never. But until that time has passed within your 'Living world', you shall remain here...with me." the sphinx succinctly explained. "Do you know any good riddles? Stories...or jokes, perhaps? It has been rather a long time since I've heard any new jokes." Braddok crashed down on the coin 'sand', sitting cross-legged and folded his arms. "How much time will I have to wait? How much time has passed on Orea...or...er...the 'living world'?" The sphinx looked perturbed at his incessant questioning. "It should not be more than a week now...until you might be called. After that, there is nothing to be done." the sphinx said matter-of-factly and bored with the questions. "As to how much time has passed?" The sphinx raised her head and seemed to sniff the air for a moment. "...a little over a month...by you mortal's experience of time." "I've been here a month?!? But I was only on the river for..." Braddok's mind trailed off. He honestly could not say how long he'd been in the fogs. He'd not gotten tired nor experienced any hunger or thirst...the ever present greyness of all of the surroundings made the passage of time as days or nights impossible to discern..."...a month?..." Braddok could not believe it. "So, any riddles, mortal? I can begin if you prefer." the sphinx again asked. A quintessential cat-like grin formed on the sphinx's lips. Great, just great, thought Braddok to himself. That 'Shaalir', whatever [I]that[/I] was, better get moving. "Go ahead. No tricks, right? No unspoken trade for my soul or anything like that?" the warrior said, resigning himself to what appeared to be his current fate. "Nothing of the sort. I assure you." the sphinx replied, again grinning. "Fine. Go ahead." Braddok looked up at the huge figure of the goddess of death as he half-listened to the sphinx begin her [I]first [/I]riddle. [/QUOTE]
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