Confirmation of an Old Departed Friend’s Wilder Theory

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 42331

Belboz

"I know of it," I say warily.

For a few wary seconds I'm thinking that seemingly innocent question (though that someone like an elf should be asking it!) is some kind of cutesy ploy to lead me down the garden path to the executioner block. Then I dismiss that as silly. I doubt that whatever the case for the question, it's not a lead in to some kind of dire end due to what I've done . . .for the greater good.

I hope that that strange question won't preclude me from asking for these stranger's aid in rescuing Hannah. She-she's all I have left, now. I shall need all the aid I can muster because soon after leaving these caverns which I've called home for longer than I care to think about . . .

No, better to not say that. Concentrate on one thing at a time and THEN, if I get Hannah rescued . . .

. . .

See . . .

Recently I had, instead of just fobbing off yet another transformed "pest" on yet another family (or man looking for a wife), I’d begun to dropped the transformed onto other worlds entirely! It had been a trick I’d been able to work out from one of my friends more wild theories and pretty much guaranteed to keep some of the more . . . delicate situations I wished to keep from my niece.

She knows of some of my dealings with the Dragon. The lower profile "interventions" I’d done for it. Some of the more . . . noble and famous knights? Well, my little Hannah might have started objecting to them being disposed of, you see.

I. . . . .

I have found I rather liked my niece to think good of me. Before her? Wouldn’t have thought a thing about it in my persuit of the greater good. Now? Well, I know she'd not understand. . .

Understood. . . .

. . . .

Sigh. I’m a fool.

. . . .

Well, the thing is that I’d sent some of the more notables off to other realities! Doubling the chances of someone I’d rather NOT finding out not . . . finding out. Not only would the pests not remember who they’d been, before. Not only would nobody recognize them, but they’d be somewhere that there’d be little chance indeed of someone who’s looking for them coming upon them!

I’m the only mage who could teleport objects to other realities, you know. Just try to find. . .

. . .

That’s about the time that one of that damn dragon’s "tell all" messages flashes itself up on one of my magic mirrors. . . .

. . .

Tell all indeed. It gives names. Dates. Locations. Everything.

Including HANNAH!!

Even IF she should never see that, there’s thousands of fortune hunters out there who’ll be trying to track her down, to collect that the reward for her where abouts. The D’Honaires. . . .do NOT mess around with family. They’ll want their little long lost Frederigo back.

Not that they’ll be able to restore Fred. Too long gone. She’s Hannah now and will remain so, as I’d raised her. . . .

But. . .

"I’m ruined!" I groan.


Back at Stryke's place...

Yeah, Belboz is ruined...

More so than he knows. Stryke IS so very much a piece of work...

The nymph who'd called herself Hannah is still dancing, but inside?...

The green haired nymph meanwhile is also shocked, but...

Oh good God, she sends to her fellow spirit. I . . . never. . .


Back in the Southern Cavern's, Belboz's lair...

Fertal

The text of the message isn’t in strictly textbook common (i.e. English). More phonically spelt, but I can follow it well enough.

"You certainly are," I say softly to myself.

Cannot feel it in my heart to feel particularly sorry for him. Brought it on himself and . . . he deserves to pay.

Being that we have a Quest to do, we can’t spare the bullet (as Cuthbert might say).

Still, my sister deserves better than a sudden vision I foresee for her.

"If you want her to have anything like a normal life after this," I say softly to the fell mage. "Then help us help her. We’ll take her away to a place where she’ll not be hounded. Not be considered some kind . . . of freak when it comes to light what’s been done to her cannot be undone."

Of course I mean her having been transformed into a nymph only three feet tall, but that could also count for her having been transformed into Hannaah from a male knight who'd been named Frederigo D'Honaire (most likely, considering the bond I'd felt).

Artizza

"Help us rescue her from Stryke," I finish up.

As it turns out, he's more than happy to help us (he's VERY desperate now). But there is one problem.

"Once I leave these caverns my true age will catch up with me," he says softly. "By the end of the week, I'll be nothing more than a pile of dust. Not even my . . . niece knows of that."

. . . .

Yeah, like Belboz really is her uncle!

. . .

"Then . . . let us move swiftly," I say evenly.

Hey, I'm not going to cry at this man's passing. That and it'll . . . make things easier for us. If nothing else, I fear that the BEST thing we could do for Hannah is to get her AWAY from this man. He's . . . a real piece of work!! Yeah, but a possible ally, all the same....

"First thing we're going to have to do in order to do that is kill the dragon," Cuthbert says, glancing back at the barrier. It's holding, but soon enough we'll have to leave here, you know.

"Aye," sighs Belboz, looking defeated. "Let us slay the dragon who called himself Synizn . . . ."

Boy, did Synizn 2's ears stand up straight at that one!

  1. "God so very much has a sense of humor, sometimes." he sighs, shaking his head.

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5/24/2004 11:22:11 AM

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