Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2231322" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #310] Ledare's Earth Walk[/PLAIN]The second dolmen was no more than a dozen paces away, and Ledare headed for it eagerly. Before she stepped through, she spared a glance over her shoulder to see what the dragon was doing. It was regarding her from its position in the lava flow, its vast wings spread behind it. There seemed to be a look of satisfaction on its draconic features.That was all she had time to see before she passed through the second dolmen and found herself abruptly back in the forest. Or a forest, anyway; the trees looked considerably different than the ones she'd seen in the Great Oak's woodland. There was a great many ferns and flowering shrubs growing low to the ground, but a path clearly threaded its way through the trees and Ledare could see a third dolmen some distance away along it.She picked her way cautiously down the path, conscious of the fact that there would surely be some obstacle to overcome. Nothing came to assault her as she approached the third dolmen and she was beginning to think that perhaps she'd passed this part of the Purging without even realizing she was being tested.That was when she triggered the Spike Stones trap, and sharp needles of rock pierced her feet and ankles. She jumped back reflexively from the trap, but it was too late, a sharp bit of stone had transfixed her left foot, hobbling her.She dropped onto her backside and, gritting her teeth, yanked out the offending spine. She was examining the puncture wound in her foot when a deep, booming voice spoke above her.“The next portal requires a password to activate," the voice said, and looking up, Ledare saw that it was a treant, like Great Root, although this specimen was far larger and more gnarled. Its trunk was half-covered with moss. "Everyone here knows what it is,” the treant finished and then turned and lumbered off into the trees.Ledare looked around, wondering immediately who the "everyone here" was. As far as she could tell there wasn't anyone about apart from herself and the treant. And the treant wasn't really there anymore, either; it had disappeared into the surrounding woods and it didn't show any signs of returning.Still sitting on the ground and nursing her injured foot, she called out, "Hello?"Only the whisper of wind through the leaves and the buzzing of some nearby insect answered."I am Ledare Eelsof'faw," she called, hoping for some reply. When none was forthcoming, she grew slightly agitated and shouted, "Please show yourselves!"The cry of a distant bird came drifting back to her in response.She sighed and waited, very still, hoping to discover who it was whom the treant had said was around and knew the password. How long she sat there waiting, she didn't know. Minutes, probably but it seemed much longer alone in the unfamiliar forest. At last she got up, heavily favoring her good foot and - feeling a bit silly - she approached a few of the larger trees in the area to see if they would respond to her. She knocked tentatively on trunks and spoke politely to bark, all the while keeping an eye open for any signs of life.None identified itself.Now that she had triggered the Spike Stones, its area of effect was obvious, and the Janissary circumvented it with little difficulty. Only the injury to her foot hampered her efforts. As she limped toward the third dolmen she tried to think up a few likely passwords to activate the portal, hoping that this was not a timed trial. "Open" was not the password. And neither were any of the other hundred words she tried, in common, elvish, and gobbledy. It wasn't getting dark although it seemed like it should have been. The quality of the light never changed. Finally, she slumped down in a heap beside the dolmen, growing tired, confused and frustrated."How am I supposed to figure this out?" she thought to herself. Del's voice responded, "Use your intuition - like survival training." Ledare scowled at that, thinking herself mad that she was even hearing him."Survival training was not like this," she said aloud, half-expecting Delaroux to step out of the trees and offer her help. But there was no Del to save her. In fact there was no one at all to save her."Am I meant to succeed at this?" she pondered, exasperated. "And to what end?"Again an answer came unbidden to her mind, this time from its voice was her father. "Because success would mean one more soul pushing forward to carry on the battle against Aphyx," Janissary Syrraent told her in that tone of voice he always reserved for those times growing up when Ledare shirked her chores."But what can one single soul do?" she wondered, her own mental voice sounding almost like the child she'd been all those years ago. This answer to that question came swiftly and forcefully. The voice was Soriah's. "Well here's a well worn argument. Haven't you learned anything?" the Battleguard seemed to ask. "Each soul is precious, great and small - critical in its purpose to all things. It doesn't matter the size. You take that one soul away and you offset the balance of what was meant to be." Ledare considered this. The first portal seemed to be both a test of courage and a physical test too. This one seemed different. She had missed the trap. It hadn't even occurred to her to be wary of a simple trap - what with a dragon the likes of which she had never seen guarding the first portal. This test was more subtle. Perhaps the answer was more subdued as well. Remembering Soriah's words, Ledare made an effort to clear her mind and open herself up to whatever communication might be taking place around her. She tried to view things as her goddess might - recognizing the energy flow that connected all things, both living and not. If this was to be a test of intellect or intuition, then the answer would have to come from inside her, as well as all around her. She could hear the buzzing of the insect again, smell the delicate fragrance of wildflowers and wet earth, taste the sweet chill of the breeze. What she felt around her was harmony... but not answers. She sagged back against the dolmen again. "How can I move forward, to serve my purpose, if I don't know how to find the password?" Ledare asked aloud. This time the response came in her own voice, and Ledare recognized at last that this argument was taking place not between her and those upon whom she'd always depended, but rather between the person she was and the one she was becoming. "You have found the password," her voice answered in her head. "You are a part of it, just as everything around you is a part of it. You will play your part, large or small, and then be done. That is the way of things. But your part is essential, just as every other part is essential. Without it, the tides will turn once more in favor of Aphyx."Ledare grinned and got awkwardly off the ground. "The treant was right. Everyone here does know the password. Balance," she said and stepped through the portal and out onto a mountaintop.In a blizzard.</blockquote>

Verification