A Glance Back at Yesteryear: It was a misty day in Trescent...
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 18911
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...not unlike many others before it. The proud, young Duke rode his black
horse down the tree-lined cobblestone rode at an earnest pace. His ornate
silk shirt blew in the wind as he went along and his high cheekboned face
was muddy and wet. He had riden far. He had been gone one year exactly. That very day, one year ago, he had set off for the distant Dead Sea in search of rumoured ruins. He had left his entire duchy in care of his younger brother, and he hoped all would be well upon his return. As he rode along the familiar road his thoughts strayed back to all that had happened over the last twelve months.He had left Obsallom with a merry little band of twits, dimwits, and half-wits who had probably deemed themselves blessed by the gods to be acompanying a Duke of the Great Kingdom on such a trip. Zular chuckled as he continued on through the mist shrouded countryside.Of course he had planned to kill every single one of them before he returned to Allaria, but he had still found the looks of innocent excitement on their faces that first day to almost touch his heart. Especially since half of them were related to him in one way or the other. ~Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.~ He thought.He had gathered information from reliable sources that there was a ruined tower westwards, near the shores of the Dead Sea, just beyond the realm of Ryngaerd. The tower was said to be the easternmost keep of the lost civilization known as the Great Empire. And in that tower there was said to be one of the lost palantiri seeing-stones. At a very great price, Zular had acquired a map that led directly to that tower, where it lay hidden amoung the rocky hills.The thirteen travelers made for the Shreken and the Tumbar Road which began in the low pass of the mountains. Zular made sure they all maintained a low profile and made no mention of their destination. They rode through the pass and through the lands of the Califs without incident, and went westwards, hugging the border of the Salmonshire to the south and Ryngaerd to the north. It was there that Zular had arranged for his assorted throng of relatives and loyal servants to be murdered. He had friends in these parts, powerful friends. "Riders are upon us!" His fat, clumsy drunk of a cousin had exclaimed in fear. Zular had only laughed.When he finally left what remained of their bodies to be feasted upon by the carion and other wild scavengers, Zular felt at ease. He rode westwards with his new companions. He had known these mercenaries from Walants for years, and they were far better suited for this little quest than his previous companions. The journey to the Dead Sea was not a very long one from this point. There were no real roads going in the direction they wished, but they made as best a path they could. Despite a lion attack during one of the nights and a brief confrontation with some small field goblins and a band of hobgoblins, they made it to the shores of the sea without any other troubles.There it had become tricky. The hills in the area were like a maze and were difficult to navigate by horse. The map Zular had was obviously dated, and the area seemed to have changed considerably since the time the map had been drawn. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and soon Zular found himself deserted and alone in the barren wilderness. But he still had his horse, his map, and his wits and one day they all finally got him where he wanted. When he suddenly came upon the tower he had to rub his eyes. There it stood, exactly as it had been described. He couldn't belive it.He tied his horse to a scrubby tree outside and entered the ancient monolithic tower. Inside there was nothing to behold except a stairway which round upwards into the cunning stone structure. Exhausted of breath he reached the top, and there it was on a pedestal! How had it stayed hidden all these years!? It was one of the lost palantiri!But the young Allarian nobleman should have thought before he did what he did next. Only one with a strong mind and soul would dare look into one of the ancient seeing-stones. He greedily grabbed the stone and beheld it! And he focused his gaze on it's dark surface. And then he was in a dream... ***He was running through a meadow, laughing as he went. He seemed to be chasing after a little girl who ran a little way ahead of him. She giggled as she went and beckoned him to follow her. They seemed to run a long ways, when suddenly the girl reeled around. And to his horror, snakes began to pour from her mouth. The snakes slithered towards him, but he could not run. They began to bite him all over.The little girl continued to giggle and her face grew grotesque and pale as a death. "You are a but a baby! Where are you!? How did you find this stone!?" A shadow seemed to grow around her. "Do you want to die!? Where is the amulet!? Tell me everything!!!"Zular was helpless as the girl probed his mind and every secret it contained. When she was done Zular fell to the grass with a moan."Cedrik." The girl said softly. "Bring me Cedrik, Kingsman!" Zular sat up. "I don't understand, why do you want Prince Cedrik?""SHUT UP!" The girl hit Zular in the chest sending him several yards backwards. "I ask the questions! Bring Cedrik to the Southern Caves where my servant will await his arrival. Take the stone with you and stay in constant contact with me!" She began to utter words of some unknown tongue and Zular felt his flesh begin to melt."NOOOOOO!" ***He awoke on the stone floor of the tower in a cold sweat. He had bruised his head badly. He stood up and picked up the stone from where it had fallen on the floor. He was now under some kind of spell from a power beyond his reckoning, this he knew. And he was terrified, indeed he soiled himself right there. He had never been under a spell before, and he didn't like it. His attention turned back to the present. The mist had started to clear up and the high walls of Obsallom could be seen in the distance. He held the palantiri tightly as his horse sped along.
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Ib
2/22/2002 3:22:42 AM
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