Bartering for Astra

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 14273

Fred could not quite believe his ears. "Excuse me, did you just say you wished me to pass over ownership of Astra to you?"

"Quite so, yes," Belboz nodded.

"Perhaps you did not quite understand my explanation," Fred said in a bit a annoyance. "Astra is not some thousand-year old djinn I happened to have stumbled across. She was, until a while ago, a flesh-and-blood woman, as human as you or I."

"Oh, I'm quite aware of what you said, Sir Knight," Belboz said with an unsettling smile. "Which is precisely why I need her. You see, while it's not unheard of for mortals to fall prey to 'djinnization', as I call it, it's not at all a common thing." Belboz began walking around Astra, who merely stood there calmly, unable to show the anger and fear she felt. "Right now, she is only a few hours old, and as such, more human than djinn. But soon - very soon - that will change. Already her behavior is altered; soon her thoughts and feelings will also change. Give her, say, five to ten years, and she'll be entirely a djinn - powerful and immortal, but bound to serve an endless string of mortal masters, ranging from the noble to the venal, the altruistic to the despotic, the pure-hearted to the carnal. She'll have as much in common with humans as she we do with a unicorn or a whale. And I intend to fully study and record her transformation. It's a matter of extending the boundaries of necromancy, you see."

Astra saw very well indeed. She saw not only that this old man wanted her as a guinea pig, but her entire future - infinite power, but bound by infinite servitude. The thought of it revolted her, and she silently pleaded with Fred to help her.

As if he heard her, Fred pressed on. "Look, sir, Astra has done nothing to deserve the fate you've laid out for her! Now I know that you have the power to restore her to humanity, and remove this - this curse from her. That's part of the reason we're here."

For a moment, Belboz said nothing. He merely waved his hand, and a goblet appeared, filled with some steaming concoction. He sipped it thoughtfully, but still said not a word. Finally, Fred said, "Wizard, please - I'm not accustomed to begging, but - but if it will convince you to rescue her from this fate, I am prepared to do so."

Finally, the necromancer turned to Fred and said:

  1. "No, I'm sorry, my offer stands - the life of the dragon, for posession of the djinn."
  2. "Think carefully, knight. Is the life of one innocent girl - even a beautiful princess - worth risking your quest to destroy the dragon?"
  3. *Sigh* "All right, all right, I will restore your companion, if only to get you to cease your sentimental prattling."
  4. "Very well, I can release her - but you must find another mortal willing to take her place in the lamp."
  5. "I think I should like that. Very well, then - beg me for her life!"

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Bill L.

1/18/2002 9:55:30 PM

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