Cythera Chronicles: Ambush (2)

[url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000038&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...038&startpoint=[/url]<< [url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000038&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...038&startpoint=[/url]< [url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000042&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...042&startpoint=[/url]>

When I came back to consciousness again, it was to the sound of a mage's withered old voice.

He spoke in an unknown tongue, but I could feel the hairs on my body stand at attention. Magic filled the air. It smelled like the odor when one strikes two stones together, a kind of burnt smell. The strange speech stopped. "Ah, I see you're back among the living. Welcome."

The mage came into focus as he hung over my face. With difficulty, I spoke. "Where am I? Who are you? What happened?"

A cat jumped up on to my chest and obscured the view of the mage. "Shoo. Get down Callie. She's so curious about you. I'm Ferazel. I found you at the brink of death by the rock-passage. Luckily for you I was on my way to the Ancient Library, so I brought you along and here I found a spell to bring you back to life. In the process I cured your terrible dandruff-problem, no need to thank me."

"Ugh, dandruff? The oboloi!" The memory made me scream.
"No, no - no need to pay me anything, either. It was my pleasure. Nobody else has dared... uhm, has been willing to test my formula. But you, well you didn't protest as you were, as you know, dead."
Trying to get up, "Did you find my horse and a saddle-bag with money?"
"Well, no. I only found you."

"Damnation! I've failed." It was a strange feeling. I've never before failed a mission. My boss would find a knife in his back when he couldn't pay off his debts.
"I really need to find those bastards." I said out aloud for myself.
"Eh, you mean the ones that went to Pnyx? When I found you, I cast a revelation-spell that told me what had happened at the place. I could see that your attackers went in the direction of Pnyx."
"I have to find them and bring the money back."
"Hold on. You're back among the living, but you're not in any condition to be starting fights. You need to rest."

He was right - I hardly managed to rise from the bed. "You must give me something to keep me on the feet."
"I can't do that. That would be unethical. The only thing I can do is to cast a modified spell of movement on you, to keep you going. And that would be unpractical since I would need to keep renewing it when it wears off."

"Do it. You're going with me to Pnyx."
"Wait a minute..."
"Promise you'll go with me, or I'll do the cat in." My hands tightened around the neck of the purring cat. I really didn't want to hurt the cat, but I had to persuade the mage to help me. The mage raised his hands and prepared to cast a spell on me. I tightened my hands. "The cat will be dead before you finish your chant." I said with my most fear inspiring voice.

He lowered his hands. "What a way to repay my rescue of you. This you'll regret some day. Okay. I'll help you. Let the cat go."

(to be continued)

[url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000038&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...038&startpoint=[/url]<< [url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000038&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...038&startpoint=[/url]< [url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/newsdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=52&forum=*Cythera+Chronicles&DaysPrune=25&article=000042&startpoint="]http://www.AmbrosiaS...042&startpoint=[/url]>

[This message has been edited by Slayer (edited 07-16-2001).]

Ambrosia Software Web Board: Cythera Chronicles: Ambush (2) - Ambrosia Software Web Board