An Unexpected Visitor
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 6296
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Astra went on: "I don't think we can risk not co-operating. Whilst we're
under the spell, we are tied
to the lake so we can breathe. We haven't got any
food, and we can't leave the lake to get any. The lake may contain fish,
but I don't
want to have to learn how to eat raw fish. You take this end of the lake
and I'll take
the far end."
So they began searching the lake. They soon found that, with their newly webbed fingers and toes, they could swim with great speed and dexterity. After what Astra guessed was a couple of hours, in which she had found no sign of the treasure, she began to feel hungry. She would just have to put up with it, though. She had seen no fish, and even if she had the mere thought of eating one raw made her feel sick. Then, on one of her periodic trips to the surface to re-orient herself, she saw in the dim light a large shape on the bank of the lake: the dragon! Ardua was also on the surface, staring at it. "So, ladies, looking for my treasure?" it said. "You won't find it. You see, the thing about my treasure is that I've imbued it with some of my magic. That was why the thieves' boat sank, why I knew exactly where the treasure was, and why with minimal effort I was able to transport it back to my hoard. Their attempt at theft was doomed from the start. "I don't hold you to blame for helping them. I know you had no choice. Thus I am willing to lift the spell you are under. But I'm not a charity, so naturally there will be a price. I'm short of slaves at present, and you two would make most decorative ones. In exchange for lifting the curse, I require five years of servitude from you. After that, you will be free to go. Or if you prefer, you can remain as you are and stay in the lake. But don't expect the men to come back; I have dealt with them."
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JH
12/17/1999 3:04:09 PM
Extending Enabled
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