Sir Willian looks at what his friend and cousin has become. He had
heard rumors about that dragon turning people it captured into animals
. . . . but that was only a half truth! His cousin was . . . . some type
of were fox! Though, he wasn't in fear of his and his bride to be's life
because . . . . . these werefolk had rescued them from death. Maybe he
and Fred could put their heads together and come up with some ideas at
to what to do next.
"So . . . . what brings you out here?" Fred asks (or yips and the device
translates). "Last I heard, you were our at the Military Academy! From
what I've heard from some strange golems, the world's population of humans
was on it's way to being extinct!"
"Well, some sickness ravaged the Kingdom . . . the entire world from
what I can tell from scattered reports before I had to run! About eight
out of ten people caught it . . . . and dropped dead in their tracks! Our
best medical mages couldn't even slow it down!
"Fred, you were right about your father." Post says sadly.
"What happened?" Fred asks, hackles raising. Clearly, Fred was angered
at the mention of his father.
When Willian doesn't immediately answer, Astra cuts in.
"After the dragon . . . . whisked you away and did . . . . whatever
it did to you, it started to gloat on how I was an endangered species and
I'd make a good snack!" Astra says, outraged at the memory. "That wyrm
gloated at how, after a few more selected victims, it was going to transport
something called 'aerosal vectors' all over the world, something that would
spread this super plague all over the land. It was supposed to kill off
humanity to make room for it's grand creation. I have no idea what it was
talking about. Then, Will comes along on a mission to try to warn you about
how you'd been tricked into taking on Minestus . . . . and ended up driving
the dragon off with a bit of Dragonbane on some arrows......All I know
is that my Family is dead, my nation is in ruins with thugs trying to gain
the throne. Your father made a grab for power, and tried to eliminate all
those who opposed him! We barely got away by using an old slipgate left
by the Elder races!"
"And we ended up here," sighs Willian. "The plague was already in effect
here, also. These cutthroats found us unconscious on the beach, and threw
us in this prison. Maybe they thought that we would be useful for a ransom,
or maybe the slave market . . . . I don't know. All I know is that the
pirates weren't too good with guests . . . . and we suffered because of
it."
"Now that's an understatement." mutters Bristol. "Those jackels didn't
feed or water these people, and laughed as they went downhill! A bunch
of my friends grabbed some large hats and local garb. We went in and slaughtered
them in the streets!"
"People like that deserve to be killed slowly." his comrade says. "They
are no better than the Enemy! Uh, I think I said too much, Frank."
"I think you did, but I think you already knew about them, DIDN'T YOU?"
the Lt. states. Fred, no fool, nods. He wants to hear more about this Enemy
. . . . the Golems?
"Yeah, well good." Bristol says, relieved. "Against regs to reveal much
to the locals. Anyway, since you KNOW, I won't be telling you anything
new! Hey, we can even tell each other about what we all KNOW, and share
fond memories!"
Fred tells (editing out parts that would compromise Carradene's wishes
to remain anonymous) how the werefolk got off the island, and finally to
here. The strange werewolves shake their heads ruefully. They then compliment
Fred and the gang for being resourceful, and having enough smarts to get
off that island before the dragon leveled it!
"Burned it all up." Bristol says sadly. "Shame, would have made a nice
resort or something."
"As for me, you've met me before, sort of," Charles says to the three
heroes. "That was one of many Avatar units I puppeteer around in. Hey,
even THIS body is a meat puppet!"
The others just look at the werewolf in askance.
"Oh, you know, we can't come down in person," Bristol laush. "It's be
suicide with that Plague. Avatars now...... tough SOBs, and even if the
unit bites it, we just slap together a new one."
"Oh, and before we go, and we can go even if you hold our bodies, we'll
give you a clue. The Enemy is a bunch of lizard humanoids who have no regards
for those not of their race. They want to drain your lands of their resources.
We want to prevent this, for several reasons I can't go into right now.
"Well, play time is over, folks," Bristol says. "Bye now."
"Before you go, why are you . . . .?" Vanya waves at their bodies.
"Great shock effect!" Charles laughs. "Scares the bejeebers right out
of those scumbags right before they die! Made them think that gettin away
by water was their only safe way out. Hasta la taco!! And nice bodies you
guys have there! Immune to all conventional diseases . . . . and that lycanthrope
stuff protects you from the Plague by turning you into something the Plagues
designed to ignore."
Fred lets them leave. Hell, if these guys were what they said they were,
then they could just cut their puppet's strings and come again in another
body . . . . somehow.......
One other thing comes CLEAR as Carradene magically examines the human
couple. One is that they are somehow IMMUNE to the Plague because they
are infected, but aren't dead. This disease is such that, unless you are
immune . . . . somehow . . . . you die almost instantly! Magical talks
with Malachi prove to confirm that this is the case with all surviving
humans.......
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3/28/99 7:49:49 PM
1510 episodes viewed since 11/5/99 2:21:07 PM.