To the Exit

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 21927

They soon found Velus. He had been blown fifty yards down the tunnel, and had been propelled into the rock wall with such force as to badly bruise his right foreleg. Fred gently ran his hand over it. "It doesn't appear to be broken," he said.

"Poor doggy," Astra said, forgetting for the moment that by rights Velus was a teenage boy. "He can't walk like that."

"I'll carry him," Fred said. This disappointed Velus, who had hoped that Astra might be the one to carry him.

"So what do we do now?" Astra asked.

Fred answered: "Well, from what you've told me, Princess, the dragon is clearly far more powerful than we'd ever guessed back in Allaria. We had no idea that he was a mage as well. And as a demonstration of what he can do, that wind was mightily impressive. But a quest is a quest, and I don't think that I can back out of it with honour. However I think that I ought to escort you safely out of the caves before resuming it."

Astra made a face. "Do you think that my own honour is worth any less than yours? I've no intention of leaving."

"I'm sorry, Princess," Jorn said, "but my instructions from the Queen were that I was to find you and bring you home. When she found the note that you left, saying that you were going after the dragon, she was distraught. So no more argument. The Allarian can do as he chooses, but you and I are leaving."

Jorn said that he knew where an exit from the caves was on the southern, Aqualarian, side of the Shreken mountains, so he headed in that direction. Fred, carrying Velus, followed behind to provide cover in case of an attack from the rear.

Fred admired the tableau in front of him. Together, Jorn and Astra looked like some magnificent ancient statue somehow brought to life. His white-haired coat on his horse's body and tanned skin on his human part, and her pale skin and mane of red hair, were highlighted by the light from Fred's torch. Jorn wore no saddle, which might have spoilt the composition, since Astra was clearly skilled enough as a rider not to need one.

It soon became apparent that Fred could not carry Velus and his torch and draw his sword in a hurry if he needed to do so, so Fred passed Velus on to Jorn to carry.

  1. They reached the exit without incident.
  2. Of course, it wasn't to be expected that the dragon would allow Jorn and, in particular, Astra to escape without making every effort to prevent it.

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11/9/2002 6:21:40 AM

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