| They faced off, two men of similar build, one clad in mail, the other, in tough leather. Their weapons gleamed in the firelight and met at the tips. They were caught in a stare� The dream whirled around to a few minutes later� Good had triumphed over evil� or had it. The sword hilt handled by the Paladin glowed purple even as he slowly drew it from the hollowed chest of his opponent. The hue of darkness enveloped him as the sword came loose of the body transferring the dark ones power to the sword and then to the man wielding it. The Paladin cried in pain as he fell to his knees still gripping the fire in hand. An older gentleman appeared from the shadows, ran to him and flung his cape around them both. �I will help you.� He brought the wounded warrior to his feet and stopped. A presence was felt� He turned and cringed��� �DAMMIT!!! Why can�t I see farther than that scene?� She turned in her bed and wrote down everything new she saw this time in the nightmare. But there was nothing new. �This is really starting to get annoying!?!� She yelled at the ceiling hoping that some celestial being could hear her. She got out of bed, threw on her robe and went downstairs to her shop. The robe was given to her along with the old shop of books and other weird items that only the well versed in the dark arts would know about. She was learning, but not fast enough. She began to make some coffee. She heard a humming coming from the �interesting� section in the shop. She poured a cup, put two sugars in� no cream. She looked at the coffee, then looked at the digital clock on the coffee maker. 3:37am. �Oh why not.� She reached under the counter for a familiar feeling bottle. Who cares if she was underage to drink, if she was mature enough to take over a business given to her, she could indulge a little if sleep was hard to come by. Each night seemed to add a little more to the cup. She took the mug with her and sipped it as she checked out the sound she heard before. It had to be the pipes, though why the heat was coming on she had no idea. The closer she came to the section the chillier it got� �That must be it.� But, before she could walk away something seemed to call to her. In the dim light on night she could see one book slowly inching it�s way out protruding from all the others. She hadn�t noticed that particular cover before. She placed her mug on a bookshelf and took up the book before it dropped. It quivered in her hand. It seemed to say in a whispered overtone; �Open me.� She immediately dropped the book; �Whoa, that�s just waaay too freaky.� She stepped back� The whisper returned; �Please there isn�t much time.� Concern and curiosity swept over her in a clash of yearning and yet apprehension. She bent down and knelt over the book. The name became apparent on the cover though in a language very foreign to her. She slowly opened the dusty cover. The whisper chanted behind her it seemed and she went into a trance. The world began to spin� faster until her surroundings changed, even her clothing, the stonework around her seemed of an early age as did her new attire. Loose on the outside yet constricting in someway. There was an alter in the center of a circular room that had neither entrance nor exit except for the high ceiling. The book from her shop that called to her lay in a purple glow on the alter as a figure stepped forward from the shadows. She recognized him immediately from the dream. �So now your in my dreams again?� �Good, ye recognize me� come here, for you hath much to learn.� �First I have three questions� What is this place, who are you, and�� He cut her off suddenly��I am Thracius of the ancient order of Delvings, ye are within the sorcerers tomb, dream-world and yet still reality. Your third question?� She gave herself time to get all that and then hurried to answer� �Yeah, why a Corset?� �Excuse me?� �Why am I wearing a corset? If this is my dream-world why am I wearing this thing that is cutting off my air circulation?� �You don�t have time to worry about this petty matter, and your attention to these small details will soon be your undoing if it continues so please listen.� She sighed and walked over to the alter next to him. He looked at her sternly� there was a slight pause till she broke the stare exclaiming; �What� �Please stand on that side of the alter�� �Well you could have told me that before I came over here.� She said in an annoyed tone and walked around facing Thracius. �Why do you give this attitude�� �Weeellll, you have been keeping me awake each night for the past month.� She said and folded her arms. �For this then, I apologize, yet I know not why you have seen my image in your dreamscapes.� His face turned to the right as if he was startled by something. �You must get out! Take the book and leave your residence quickly!� He raised his hand and a flash of light hit her causing her to fall on her butt, yet back in her shop. She looked around. She rose, and picked up her mug. She looked down at the contents, �I hate being a lightweight.� The whisper came from behind again. You must hurry now! I fear for your life!� �Oh alright!� She took the book and walked outside. A young man on a motorcycle smiled at her and started up his bike and peeled out. He looked familiar. She frowned and walked towards where he sped off as the entire building behind her blew up seconds later sending her flying through the air�She awoke minutes later finding herself floating a couple inches from metal fencing which would have impaled her easily. She pushed the book down and slid to safety� the book falling to the ground. She looked back at her shop, demolished but without fire for some reason. Before she could comment the whisper in her ear returned; �Care not about material things, they are the least of your worries. Walk onward, seek shelter. I shall contact you again whence you are safe amongst friends.� She took up the book and looked around in anxiety. �But, I have nobody to go to�� |