Aftermath

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 15610

Meanwhile, there is great confusion among the group within the Pyramid, not helped by the communications link with the group outside having been temporarily lost now that Synizn is asleep. The group inside the Pyramid had originally comprised:

Character........ Type.......................... Champion?

Demifox Fred..... Demifox....................... Y
Demifox Astra.... Demifox....................... Y
Their 6 cubs..... Demifox....................... N
(to be offered the choice of becoming Champions at age 18 - see episode 15312)
Jarlath 2........ Human (mage).................. Y
Annafrid 2....... Human......................... Y
Astra 9a......... Human......................... Y
Andrea 2a........ Demifox (mage)................ Y
Joan 2........... Human......................... Y
Thelma 2......... Human......................... Y
Fred 5b.......... Human......................... Y
Astra 5b......... Human......................... Y
Their 3 infants.. Human......................... N
(to be offered choice of becoming Champions at age 18)
Rowena 2......... Human......................... Y
Five "pairs" of Freds and Astras, all Human..... N
(the original seven pairs included the demifoxes and also the pair that were used by the Book)
Belinda.......... Human......................... N
Manfox Fred...... Manimal....................... Y
Alicia........... Manimal....................... Y
Alicia 3......... Manimal....................... Y

Astra 9a scans the room with a worried expression on her face. It appears that the good guys have won, but at what cost? A head-count shows that five of the group are missing, whilst quite a few have been turned into animals. Jarlath 2 and Andrea 2a had done their best, but their attention had needed to be split between offensive and defensive spells.

Both Jarlath 2 and Andrea 2a seem to be OK, but they are slumped in total exhaustion, incapable of even holding a coherent conversation, and clearly won't be capable of any more magic for some time. The others who appear to be all right are: of the non-Champions - three Freds and three Astras, the three human babies and the six demifox cubs; of the Champions - as well as herself, Jarlath 2 and Andrea 2a - Joan 2, Fred 5b and Alicia. There are also the following animals: a squirrel, a gorilla, two frogs, a duck, a white rat, a jaguar and a python. From the position of one of the frogs close to the human babies and the way it keeps looking at them, Astra 9a guesses that this is their mother, Astra 5b. Similarly, from the gorilla's position close to the demifox cubs and the way it keeps looking at them, seeming as if it would like to pick them up but is afraid of frightening them, she guesses that it is Demifox Astra.

The mages are out of it for the moment, but Astra 9a remembers the old legends about princesses and frogs. Well, it's worth a shot, she thinks, and gently picks up the frog that she believes to be Astra 5b and kisses it.


Belinda shakes her head to try to clear it. Somehow, she is no longer in the Pyramid, but alone in the middle of dense jungle. As she wonders which direction to take, she rubs an area on the back of her left hand, which has developed a patch of coarse skin that is a much darker colour than her normal coloration and is itching.


A Fred shakes his head to try to clear it. Somehow, he is no longer in the Pyramid, but alone in a small valley in the middle of mountainous terrain. As he wonders which direction to take, he rubs a patch on the back of his left hand, which has turned red and is itching.


An Astra shakes her head to try to clear it. Somehow, she is no longer in the Pyramid, but alone on a path that runs between fields of corn. As she wonders which direction to take, she absent-mindedly runs her hand through her hair. To her alarm, a large chunk of hair comes away in her hand.


A Fred shakes his head to try to clear it. Somehow, he is no longer in the Pyramid, but alone on a bleak hillside. As he wonders which direction to take, he is distracted by his feet feeling uncomfortable, as if his boots have shrunk.


Thessamar ix'latl shakes her head to try to clear it. Somehow, she is no longer in the Pyramid, but alone on the bank of a mighty river. As she wonders which direction to take, she is distracted by a tingling in the skin of her legs. Looking down at her legs, she is alarmed to see that they have acquired a sprinkling of short coarse hairs.

  1. We follow one of those who have been transported.
  2. We return to the Pyramid to find out whether Astra 9b's idea works.
  3. We find out how the group outside the Pyramid has fared.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree


JH (who wishes that the NEQ allowed HTML features for aligning columns)

4/8/2001 2:19:11 AM

Extending Enabled

The Never Ending Quest Home

Extend-A-Story Home

21320123 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.

Do not click me.