Giga Games 1/Giga Games.iso/net/d_d/caltech/fluff/lthammer.flf

Text File | 1993-06-22 | 256.8 KB | 4,456 lines

                           Lighthammer
                             BOOK I
                   A bridge between pastures

                         Michael J. Loux


                           Lighthammer
                      Part I: Odds and Ends

     It was an interesting-looking thing.  Robert had said that
much to himself when he had bought it.  He still wasn't quite
sure exactly what about the queer-looking hammer that had caught
his eye, but it had to have been something.  He wasn't the type
of person who would buy something on impulse.  That was more like
Samantha, he mused.  Just thinking about her made him feel
uncomfortable.  As of late their relationship had taken a turn
for the worse, and she had been taking great pains to distance
herself from him the past few weeks.  He pushed those thoughts
aside.  Best not to think about those things, they only depressed
him all the more.  With that thought, he turned his attention
back to the strange hammer he now cradled in his hands.
     He had gone out this morning in search of a good hammer, as
his had broken off an inch below the head this morning.  He had
been trying to pound together a makeshift cover for a window that
had been broken the previous day.  He had come home to find
broken glass covering the floor of his kitchen, and it was a
wonder that Claudius, his brown tabby, had not cut his feet to
ribbons.  Still, Claudius had given him a reproachful look when
he had not been allowed to cross the kitchen floor, being picked
up and unceremoniously dumped on the far side of the room.
Robert sighed.  Cats were like that.  Full of pride.
     So he had gone out today, being Saturday,  in search of a
hammer.  The wind was whistling merrily through the hole where
his window once stood intact, and Robert could almost see the
dollar bills being sucked out from his wallet, along with all of
the heat in his ground-floor apartment.  The first place he had
gone had been closed, for some kind of family occasion, and the
second, a hardware store next to the town mall, had just gone out
of business.
     So it was that Robert found himself tooling along a back
road in his beat-up 1975 Datsun, looking for this yard sale he
had seen advertised in the local paper.  The ad claimed that the
people giving the yard sale had at one point run a successful
carpentry business.  Perhaps they would have a decent hammer.
     And they had hammers, all right.  They had plenty.  Robert
had looked over them, pleased with what he had seen.  He had
chosen a nice claw hammer, with some sort of ball bearings inside
it.  It was supposed to be a "recoilless" hammer, one that
wouldn't bounce back up at all.  Robert had bruised his thumb
many a time, and was eager to give it a try.  After all, if he
was going to buy a hammer, he might as well make it a good one.
     He had gone to pay for the hammer, pulling out his wallet,
when he realized that it felt unpleasantly light.  Pulling it
open, he spied three singles in cash.  What had happened to the
fifty dollars he had put in there Thursday?
     With a groan, he had remembered.  He had spent Thursday
evening with Samantha, at her suggestion that they "meet and
talk".  Her idea of meeting and talking was evidently dinner at a
nice restaurant...at his expense.  The bill had come to roughly
forty dollars, plus a tip and a few dollars for gas to get his
old Datsun (with him in it) back home.  He was now broke. Worst
of all, the whole evening had accomplished nothing in the way of
softening Samantha's now-frosty disposition towards him.  He had
returned home feeling more depressed than he had felt in a week,
taken a bottle of Glenfiddich out of the cabinet, and had
proceeded to get roaringly drunk.  He hadn't been in much shape
the next morning, which was probably why he had forgotten his
lack of cash.
     Returning once more to the real world, he had replaced his
wallet and returned the hammer to its place on the table.  He
could always cover the window over with plastic.  He had been
turning to leave when the other hammer had caught his eye.
     It was an old hammer, and not exactly pretty.  It had a
thick wooden handle that looked pretty sturdy, with a carved
grip.  The head of the hammer was a flat, round job on one end,
presumably the business end; the other end tapered off to a blunt
round knob.  It was made out of a metal that resembled steel, but
Robert could not be sure, not being a metallurgist.  All in all,
it had looked like a good hammer, and the price tag read $2.50.
     The price was good enough for Robert; he needed a hammer,
and this would do.  If it broke, it was no big loss.  He had gone
over to the person managing the cashbox, and paid for the hammer.
The person certainly hadn't thought it was anything special; if
anything, he seemed to be glad that it was being sold.
     Robert had arrived back home a few minutes ago, let Claudius
out, and was now in the process of inspecting the hammer.  There
were large splotches of rust on the underside of the head that he
had not noticed before.  Still, the hammer looked sound, and
there was no trace of rot in the wood.  He stood up.  Time to try
it out.  He walked over to the piece of plywood that was serving
as his temporary window until he could afford to pay for a new
one, held it up to the now glassless window, and tapped a few
nails in.  The hammer seemed to work well, and most of the rust
rubbed off in his hand, leaving clean silvery metal underneath.
The metal, in fact, was a lot shinier than he had originally
thought.  He would have to clean it up.  First, he would finish
up this little project.
     He focused on the upper right hand corner of the window, the
one that had broken his old hammer earlier this afternoon.  There
was a knot in that section of the wood, and he needed a nail
there, otherwise the wind would blow it out of place.  He picked
up a nail, and began hammering it into the knot.  Naturally, the
nail froze at first, and he began hammering harder.  All he
succeeded in doing was bending the nail.  He stepped back and
looked at his work.  The nail was bent beyond repair; he would
have to remove it.  He brought his hammer up, and then realized
that it had no claw.  There was no way to pull the nail out.
     He looked around for the remnants of his old hammer, before
belatedly remembering that he had thrown it out on the way to the
store earlier.  Furious with himself, he moved to bang his fist
on the wall, and discovered that his hand still held the hammer.
Angry still, and looking for any way to vent his frustrations,
Robert took it out on the offending nail.  Grasping the hammer in
two hands, he hit the nail with all the strength he could muster,
bellowing incoherently as he did so.
     He was not at all prepared for what happened next.  The
hammer took the nail squarely on the head.  The next thing he
knew, smoking pieces of plywood and window frame were raining
down around him.  He picked himself up off the floor, pausing for
a moment to wonder how the hell he had gotten there, and looked
at the window.
     And found himself looking at a 3 foot wide gaping crevice,
with jagged pieces of wall and window frame hanging off at odd
angles.  The rest of the window had blown into the alley behind
his kitchen, and still smoked and burned there.  He rubbed his
eyes for a second, then looked again.  Everything was the same as
before.  He looked down at his hand as if to verify that he had
in fact done this, and realized that he had dropped the hammer.
Not surprising, he thought.  When a hammer does this, you drop
it.
     The hammer lay a few feet beyond him, wisps of steam rising
from its head.  Moving closer to it, he noticed that it seemed to
shine with some kind of light.  Steeling himself for a burned
hand, he picked it up.
     And almost dropped it again.  The hammer was pulsing within
his hand, moving in time to his heartbeat.  The glow intensified
as he wrapped his fingers around the haft.  Robert had played a
little Dungeons and Dragons back in his college days, and he now
noticed that this had resembled a picture of a war hammer he had
seen in one of the numerous modules he had sludged his way
through.  Still, it was only a game.
     Then again, what the hell was this glow?  Radioactivity?
     A rustling noise made him turn about.  Claudius was sitting
on a relatively clear space of the floor, surprisingly free of
debris.  His fur was ruffled, so Robert judged that he had just
come in from the cold.  The big tabby surveyed the debris with
that feline calm collectiveness, then turned an appraising eye
upon Robert and his glowing war hammer, with a look that seemed
to say: All right, Robert, what the hell have you gotten us into
this time?
     The tabby finished looking over the damage, then got up once
again.  Methodically, he made his way over to Robert, picking his
way through the debris.  Stopping at Robert's feet, he looked up
at him once more.  This time, he seemed to say: now what?
     Robert looked at Claudius, and then back at the hammer.  The
glow had intensified.  Peering closely at the head, he could
make out faint scratches around the neck.  Looking even closer,
the words seemed to jump out at him:

          Thrice round, once down.
          And to whence ye came ye shall go.

Robert didn't know what to make of the words, so he did the
obvious: he followed their instructions.  He swung the hammer
three times around, and then brought the hammer down with a swift
flick of his wrist.  He knew not why or how he was doing it, just
that he WAS doing it.
     The world grew indistinct, and hazy, for a few seconds.
When the haze finally cleared, he found that his surroundings had
changed.  His apartment (or what was left of it) had disappeared.
He now stood in a clearing in a forest.  There were trees all
arund, with trunks shining the purest silver in the light of the
two moons.
     TWO MOONS?
     Robert spun around in a full circle, and then looked up once
again.  Sure enough, there were two moons, one yellow, and one
blue.  He brought his hand up to his cheek and pinched.  Hard.
The world wavered for a minute, and tears came to his eyes, but
he shrugged them away.  He removed his hand from his cheek, and
scanned the sky once again.  No change.
     He was startled out of his reverie by a loud purr.  He felt
something brush at his feet and was relieved by the sight of
Claudius rubbing at his legs.  So you're in this too, he thought,
looking at the tabby.  The cat said nothing, continuing to insert
himself between Robert's ankles.
     Well, here I am, Robert thought to himself.  Now what do I
do?
     And, more over, where IS here?

======================================================================

               Part II: An acquaintance, of sorts

     Well here I am, Robert mused.  I only wish I knew where here
was.  Still, it was a pretty place.  The light of the two moons
shone down upon the forest glade, their yellow and blue light
mingling to turn Robert's skin an emerald green color.  The trees
in the clearing looked like maples, but Robert had never seen a
maple with silver bark before.  Then again, it could be the light
of the two moons, fouling up his color perception.
     Slowly, Robert made a circuit of the clearing.  A well-
beaten path led off in one direction, towards God knew where.  On
the other side of the glade there was a crude but effective stone
fireplace, that looked as if it had been recently used, judging
by the fresh ash on the makeshift hearth.  To the right of the
fireplace lay a stack of dry wood, that looked as if it would
catch and burn easily, were it t be thrown on a fire.
     Fire.  That reminded Robert that he was standing out in the
middle of nowhere, with nothing on but a grimy pair of jeans, a
torn flannel shirt, and a pair of hiking boots that were one size
too small.  The flannel was warm, but the wind was whistling in
from the path, and he was starting to shiver with the cold.  It
was about time to make a fire.
     Robert went over to the pile of wood, selecting a few choice
branches that looked as if they were dry, and set about making a
small fire in the rather large fireplace.  What the hell, he
thought, someone put this fireplace there for people to use, and
I'm one of those people who could sure use a fire about now.
     He stepped back, admiring his handiwork.  A nice little
tepee had been formed with some small logs, and larger logs lay
beneath it.  At the base of the tepee, he had piled some dry
brush and leaves, for good measure.  All in all, it was a good
fire.  It was then that he realized that he had no way of
lighting it.  He had quit smoking two years ago, and this was the
first time in two years that he regretted it.
     "Well, what would you do?", he asked Claudius, the tabby, in
a fit of frustration.  The cat merely gazed at him through half-
lidded eyes, that half-smile that cats always seem to have on his
face, as if to say:  Not my fault you don't have fur.  You should
have been a cat, you lunk.
     It was then that he had a flash of inspiration.  The hammer.
If he had been able to blow his apartment wall out with it, then
lighting a fire should be no problem.  He went over to where the
hammer had tumbled from his nerveless fingers when he had
arrived, and picked the hammer up out of the grass.  The hammer
was still glowing, although not as brightly as before.  He walked
back over to the waiting logs, and lifted up the hammer,
preparing to bring it crashing down upon the pile.  Then he
stopped.  If he hit the pile like he had hit the nail, then he
wouldn't have a fireplace left, let alone a fire.  So, the
problem was, how should he go about applying it to the fire?  It
hadn't done anything when he had simply tapped in nails; did he
have to hit it harder?  Or was there a way of controlling this
thing?
     Abruptly he had another idea.  Returning to the stack of
extra wood, he selected a small stick from the pile.  Bringing
the stick back over to the carefully built fire, he placed one
end on the stone hearth, holding it farther down the branch with
one hand.  With the other hand, he gave the end on the hearth a
smart rap with the hammer.
     It worked.  The end that had been hit by the hammer smoked,
sparked, then burst into flame.  What was amazing about the flame
was the fact that it was a bright green.  Robert knew without
looking up that the green was not induced by the color of the
moons, either.  Holding the stick by its unburned end, he touched
the flame to the pile of logs.  The logs immediately caught and
burst into a huge green flame.  Pretty soon he had a roaring fire
going, which felt quite nice after the chill he had experienced
earlier.  Robert stretched out his hands, rubbing them together
to get the circulation going once more.  Claudius sidled closer,
curling up next to the stone hearth.  So you weren't totally
immune to the cold, you furry fool, Robert thought fondly.  With
one hand, he reached out and stroked the tabby's fur, and was
rewarded by a deep purring from the cat.
     Robert arranged some dry leaves together to form a makeshift
seat, and stretched out in front of the fire, one hand absently
petting Claudius.  This is nice, he thought to himself.  I
haven't been camping in years.  I seem to have forgotten how
pleasant it was.
     It was then that he realized just how unprepared he was.
When he went camping he usually loaded himself down with
lightweight nylon tents, clothes, etc, so was always well
prepared, like the Boy Scouts were so fond of saying.  This time
he was out in the middle of nowhere, with no supplies whatsoever.
The only things he had that would do him any good were his boots,
which he always wore; his flannel shirt, a habit held over from
camping days; and his hammer.
     Of course, the hammer DID give him a nice advantage.  It
could serve as a good weapon in a pinch, and it was certainly
good at producing explosions and loud noises.
     It occurred to him now that he was dealing with more than
just a simple hammer.  This thing was POTENT.  What he needed to
do was learn how to use this thing.  Picking up the hammer once
more, he held it in his arms, and looked it over carefully in the
green firelight.
     It was a lot better looking than it had been when he had
first bought it.  Much of the dust and rust had been cleaned off,
presumably that was what the glow had been doing.  He could now
see several more sets of runes, like the ones that he had used to
get himself here.  They were too fine to read in this firelight,
though.  He would have to look at them in the morning.
     There was one set of runes, however, that was discernible.
This was owed to the fact that they were about twice the size of
the other runes.  These runes ran down the haft of the hammer,
and read:

     |\   |\   |  |\  |\   /| |\   |\   | \ | /
     | \  | \ \|  | \ | \ / | | \  | \  |  \|/
     |  | |\   |\ |\  |  X  | |  | |_/  |   |
     |  | | \  |  | \ | / \ | |  | | \  |   |
     |  | |    |  |   |/   \| |  | |  \ |   |


     The runes were inlaid with silver, and Robert wondered just
how he had managed to miss those runes.  They were certainly big
enough.  He concluded that they must have been covered with
grime.  Glancing at the runes again, he found that he could read
them.  Silently, he mouthed the word: Vanadurix.  What did that
mean?
     "So you have a name, do you?" he said to the hammer.  "Very
well, Vanadurix, I am Robert.  Robert, meet Vanadurix.
Vanadurix, meet Robert."  He thought he was going crazy.  Since
when does one talk to an inanimate object?  he wondered.
     "I wish I knew why I was talking to you", he said to the
hammer in conversational tones.  I don't suppose you have speech
stuffed away in there somewhere?"
     Then he almost dropped the hammer with excitement.  The
hammer had throbbed in his hand.  Hauling his open mouth closed,
he held the hammer up at eye level.  "Do you understand me,
Vanadurix?"  he addressed the hammer.
     The hammer throbbed once in his hand.  Robert broke into a
wide grin.  "I'll be damned!  Here I am, in the middle of
nowhere, speaking to a hammer.  Is that all you can do,
Vanadurix?", he asked the hammer.
     The hammer throbbed, twice.  "Aha!", said Robert, catching
on.  I think this one is an easy chestnut to crack.  You can
answer yes/no questions!  One throb for yes, two for no.  Is that
correct, O hammer?".
     The hammer throbbed, once.  Also, Robert felt a pleasant
tingling in his arm.  He felt good, for no apparent reason.  He
addressed the hammer once again.  "That pleasant feeling, did you
do that?", he asked.
     The hammer throbbed, once.  "Hmm", Robert mused to himself.
This one would be trickier.  He thought about it for a minute or
so.  What could he dredge up from his old DND knowledge about
THIS one?
     Then he had it.  "You're an empath!", he exclaimed.  "You
can radiate feelings!  Just then, you were happy that I guessed
correctly!".  The hammer throbbed once, and he felt positively
wonderful.  "Definitely it!", he exclaimed, and laughed with
glee.  Imagine this! Just a few short hours ago he was trying to
fix his broken window, and now he was out in the wild, talking to
a hammer that was almost human.  This was almost too much.
     "Okay, since you are empathic, lets see the feelings, so I
will be able to recognize them and figure out what you are
thinking.  We already know what happiness is like.  Lets see
sadness."
     Abruptly he was depressed.  It just wasn't working with
Samantha.  Better to just kill himself now and be done with it.
"Okay, before I do myself in.  Lets see anger."  Suddenly he felt
violent.  That bitch of a girlfriend had used him the previous
night, to get a free dinner and demonstrate her power over him.
Ooooh, when he got his hands on her, he'd show her some power,
all right.  He raised the hammer, madness in his eyes.
     Abruptly he was back to normal, the anger draining out of
him like water down a sink.  He lowered his arm and wiped a line
of fresh sweat off of his brow.  Whew! that had been some
feeling!
     "Okay, I think we will skip the other feelings for now.  I'm
not sure I could handle them.  Right now, lets concentrate on
figuring out where we are."
     It was then that he realized that he was exhausted, and that
his little bed of leaves looked pretty good right now.  "You're
not doing this, are you?", he asked the hammer.  The hammer
throbbed, twice.  "That's good to know.", he replied.  "I want
our relationship to be one of friendship, not one of two minds
struggling for control of one body, ok?  I like it this way.  How
does that sound with you?"
     The hammer brightened until it was a miniature star.   It
throbbed once, a large and resounding YES!  Robert felt
deliriously happy.  Nothing could go wrong.  He threw back his
head and laughed.  Claudius awoke from a doze, and turned his
stare upon the laughing human, as if to say:  Lord, what fools
these humans be.  Robert noticed the cat staring at him, and only
laughed all the harder.  He reached down to give the cat a loving
rub.  Claudius, mollified, purred briefly, then settled back to
sleep.
     That looked like a good idea, so Robert addressed the hammer
once more.  "OK, it would seem that we are to be friends.  I am
going to go to sleep now.  How about you?".  The hammer twitched
briefly, and a wave of lethargy passed through Robert's head.
Stretching, he spoke to the hammer again: "Sounds good to me", he
said, stretching out on his bed of leaves.  "We're gonna have to
figure out another way to talk, though.  People will stare at me
if I am seen talking to a hammer."
     With that, he curled up in front of the fire, put one arm
around the sleeping tabby, and closed his eyes.  He was asleep
almost immediately.

=========================================================================

                     Part III:  Stocking Up

     A rather stiff, but otherwise okay Robert awoke the following
morning.
     For a few short seconds he was disoriented, looking wildly
about the little glade.  He couldn't remember a thing from the
previous night.  Okay, what was I drinking last night? Who am I
going to roll over and see this time?, he thought.  He rolled over
and looked.
     And was rewarded by a sandpapery tongue sliding along his
cheek, followed by a deep purr.  "Claudius", he said, once he had
wiped his face off,  "How did you manage to get here....wherever
here is?"
     Looking around, he spied the hammer.  Memories of the previous
night flooded back into his brain, and he sighed in relief.  No one
night stand this time!  In fact, he felt better than he had in
months!  Let Samantha try to work her wiles on him here!  First she
had to find him.
     Robert went over to the fire, which was still glowing faintly,
gathered up some more leaves, and blew gently on the embers.
Before long, the fire blazed up again, warning away the morning's
chill.  Robert set about to look for some berries or something for
breakfast, and found a tasty nut of some kind that abounded on the
silver trees that surrounded the clearing.  Searching beyond the
glade, Robert found a small spring that yielded icy cold water,
which was like champagne after putting up with city water for 4
years.  He drank his fill, and washed his face and hands.  Then he
went back to the clearing and once again examined the hammer.
     "I am going to have to get some supplies", he mused, while
absently polishing the head of the hammer.  "I won't be able to
survive out here unless I can get a tent, some warm clothes, and
some trail food.  And a weapon", he added, receiving a twinge of
jealousy from the hammer.  "Sorry", he hastily amended.  "You're
all the weapon I need.  But how can I use you on another living
creature?  You'd destroy them!  Burn them to bits!".  The hammer
throbbed, twice.  "You wouldn't?  Why not?"  Confusion flooded his
mind, and it was a few moments before Robert realized that it
wasn't all his.  "Why are you confused?", he asked the hammer.  He
received more confusion for his efforts.  He thought about what he
had said.  Then realized what was wrong.  "I forgot, you can only
answer yes/no questions.  Sorry".  The hammer sent him a quick
happy feeling as if to say: It's ok, you're just learning.
     "Well, I still need supplies", he said, standing up and
stretching the kinks out of his back.  "Is there any way I can get
back to my world?", he asked.  "And for that matter, is there any
way we can communicate without actually talking?".  The hammer
throbbed twice, with a pause in between the two.
     "Wait a second,"  said Robert.  "Why the pause?  There's no
way to-- oh, you were answering yes to both questions."  The hammer
throbbed once.  "All right then.  First things first.  You say it's
possible to get back to my world." The hammer throbbed.  "Do you
know how?"  The hammer throbbed again.  "Is it similar to how I got
here?"  The hammer throbbed again.  Then he had a flash of
inspiration.  "The writing!  It must be instructions on how to get
back!"
     Hurredly, he wiped off the head where he had seen the runes
last night.  They were there, finely etched on the surface of the
head.  Bending close, he read them:

     Look in thy mind's eye where ye want to be,
     stroke my haft with thy hand as I glow;
     Whirl me 'round, and on the sounding of three,
     Fling me forth, and off ye shall go.

     Those lines were a bit cryptic, so Robert was stuck figuring
them out for some time.  The 'Look in thy mind's eye' was easy;
just picture where you want to be.  Rubbing the handle was also
easy.  But what was the 'sounding of three'?  Three what?
     -I wonder if that means to count to three,-  Robert thought.
The hammer throbbed, once.  -You can hear me think!-  Robert
thought back, amazed.  The hammer throbbed another time.  -Okay,
that solves the problem of speech,-  Robert thought.  -And it would
also seem that I have figured out the third line, as well.  Now for
the last line.  Where should I 'fling forth' the hammer?  Does the
direction really matter?-  The hammer throbbed, twice.  -I guess
not,-  Robert thought.  -Is that it, then?-  The hammer throbbed,
once, after a small pause.  -Why the pause?- Robert wondered.  -
Don't answer that!- he thought quickly, lest the hammer get
confused again.
     He thought about it and concluded that there must be some
other qualifiers and options that he hadn't figured out yet, but he
had figured it out for the most part.  "Well then", he said,
"Let's go back to my apartment.  I want to pick up a tent and some
supplies."
     Moving to the center of the clearing, he checked to make sure
that Claudius was with him, then held the hammer up over his head.
It shone faintly in the morning light.  Holding the hammer this
way, Robert tried to picture his apartment in his head as best as
he could.  It seemed to work; the hammer started to glow.  Robert
brought one hand down to the haft and encountered a spot on the
handle that was smoother than the rest.  Judging that this was the
rubbing place, he began to stroke the haft gently.
     The glow intensified, and the world began to fade out.  The
hammer throbbed, sharply, three times.  Robert snapped out of his
reverie, and began whirling the hammer over his head.  -Keep the
picture of my apartment in my mind-  He thought, trying to maintain
the image in his head.  He whirled the hammer harder, then quickly
turned towards the path leading away from the glade, and with a
snap of his hand cast the hammer from him.  -This had BETTER work,-
he thought quickly to himself.
     The hammer flew across the clearing.  It seemed ready to exit
the glade, when it seemed to strike an invisible barrier.  With a
flash of light and a mild thunderclap, an oblong black rectangle
sprang up from the ground.  The hammer flew back into Robert's
hands, and he felt himself melting, sliding into the ground like
snow during the spring thaw.  Now one with the ground, he fairly
flew towards the black portal, which was rushing towards him at an
alarming rate.  He flew into the portal, and heard a muffled
thunderclap, which he assumed was the portal closing behind him.
Looking ahead of him, he noticed a white rectangle coming towards
him, much the same way the portal did.  He reached the portal and
passed through, discovering as he did that he had reformed into his
natural shape.  He looked around him.
     He stood on the street corner near his apartment building.  In
front of his apartment were several police cars and one fire
engine, examining the still-smoking debris that used to be one of
his walls.  Further examination brought up the sight of a little
red Toyota, with a blue and silver tassel hanging off of the rear
view mirror.  Looking at that car gave Robert an involuntary
shudder.  That was Samantha's car!  What was she doing here?
     Robert quickly slid around the corner, almost tripping over
Claudius in his haste to get out of sight.  Cursing to himself, he
picked up the tabby and slung him under his arms, while fumbling in
his pocket for his back door key.  If he could get in unnoticed, he
could make off with some camping supplies.  Jamming the hammer in
a pocket, he transferred the cat to his now-free hand, and opened
the back door to his apartment complex.
     Stepping in, he found himself in the basement.  A line of
cages separated by chicken wire stod in front of him, storage space
for extraneous stuff that could not fit in the apartment proper.
Robert walked over to his cage, and froze when he heard rustling.
Ducking out of sight, he peered back around the corner.
     The door to his cage stood open.  Looking closer, Robert spied
a female figure with shoulder length blond hair in a black
miniskirt, with legs that wouldn't quit.  -Samantha,-  he thought
with a touch of unease.  -Just what I don't need-.
     The hammer throbbed in his pocket.  Robert regarded the hammer
with a wry smile.  -Yeah, you know about her too, huh?-  he
thought.  The hammer throbbed once, and sent Robert a feeling of
anger, mixed with humiliation.  -Yep,- thought Robert,  -that's how
I feel about Samantha to a T-.  Taking a deep breath, he looked
around the corner once again.  Samantha was pawing through his
stuff, as if looking for something.  Sidling closer, he saw that it
was one of his old photo albums, one full of pictures of him and
Samantha, taken in better times.
     Enough of this.  Robert squared his shoulders, then stepped
around the corner.  "What do you want now?", he asked, sarcasm
literally dripping off of the words.
     Samantha whirled around, pushing the book behind her, the way
a child will hide a cookie when discovered raiding the jar.
"God!", she exclaimed.  "You gave me a fright.  Where the hell have
you been? I was worried about you!"
     "Worried?", Robert said, anger lacing his voice.  "Worried
that I might not be able to come up with another fifty dollars so
you can get a free meal?  What are you doing here?  Did you want to
have another meanigful talk?"
     Samantha stepped back as if she had been slapped.  "How dare
you even think that!", she retorted hotly.  "I called you last
night to talk, and you weren't there!  I came over earlier and I
found your wall blown out!  What the hell have you been doing,
playing with blasting caps?  I thought you had maybe been killed or
something.  I was worried!  I don't want to lose you!"
     "Lose me?", replied Robert, cold as ice.  "I think you should
have thought about that when you talked to me last.  If I didn't
know any better, I would say that you already have."  With that, he
walked past her, grabbed a backpack from where it was leaning
against one wall, and started filling it with everything he could
get his hands on.  Sleeping bag, check.  Lightweight tent, check.
Woolen overcoat, check.  Freeze-dried food, check.  The last item
was probably as old as the hills, but what the hell.  It tasted
awful no matter how long it had been around.
     He grabbed some other necessities, including a flashlight,
some extra batteries, a camp shovel, some signal flares, and his
portable camp stove.  He straightened up, tied the backpack closed,
and shrugged his shoulders into the arm loops on the back of the
pack.  It was only then that he realized that Samantha was speaking
to him again.
     "...how you felt all this time", she was saying.  "Why didn't
you tell me?", she asked, rounding on him furiously.  "We could
have patched things up!"
     Robert didn't hear it all, but he got the gist of it.  "No,
Samantha", he replied coldly.  "Your time has passed.  I need to be
free to make my own decisions.  I tried to tell you my feelings,
but you werent interested.  All you cared about was you you you.
What about me?  I have feelings, too.  I'm not just some person to
pay for dinner, or someone to call up and complain to when things
aren't working out the way you would like them to.  I have spent
the last few years of my life suffering just so you could be
happy."  Robert turned to leave.  "I think it's time you grew up
some", he said over his shoulder.  "Goodbye, Samantha.  Coming,
Claudius?", he asked the tabby, who had been sitting atop a box
throughout the confrontation, watching with mild interest.  The cat
purred softly, jumped down onto the cement floor, and padded over
to where Robert stood.  Robert made one last look around, and
grabbed his oak walking stick from where it lay on top of a shelf.
Pulling the hammer out of his pocket, he closed his eyes and
imagined the forest glade once more.  It seemed like as good a
place as any.  He began to stroke the haft of the hammer, as the
world began to turn translucent.
     "Robert! What are you doing? I can't see you clearly!",
Samantha shrieked, tears coming to her eyes.  Robert lowered the
hammer, the world snapping back into place.
     "You wouldn't understand, Samantha", he said as gently as he
could.  "Perhaps we may meet again, although I find it unlikely".
He raised the hammer again.
     "Robert! Please! Don't let it end like this!"
     Robert looked her full in the face.  "End?", he asked very
softly.  "It 'ended' for me a long time ago.  Goodbye Samantha."
     Enough of this pussyfooting around.  What was the spell for
instant recall?  Oh yes.  Holding the hammer over his head, he
whirled it around three times, then brought it down, hard.
     The resulting thunderclap was tremendous.  Robert had just
enough time to see Samantha practically knocked off of her feet by
the resulting winds, before the world lost cohesion and form.
     Robert smiled, and gently allowed the world to fade away into
the black.

========================================================================

                    Part IV: Beyond the Glade

     When light returned to Robert's consciousness, he found
himself within the glade once more.  Claudius, the ever-present
tabby, was curling around and between his ankles, purring
pleasantly.
     "You like this too, eh?", Robert said fondly to the cat.  He
certainly agreed with Claudius there; it was a nice place he had
found.  Now it was time to find out more of this world.
     Checking his posessions, he found them all intact.  Except
some things were missing.  Not because he had lost them, but
simply because he had forgotten to bring them.  The most
important thing he had forgotten was a First Aid Kit, and right
behind that, a compass.  Robert groaned aloud.  Oh well, he would
have to rely on his experience in Troop 24 of the local chapter
of Boy Scouts.  Of course, that was more than 15 years ago, but
some of the knowledge had to have sunk in deep enough to
remember.  He did, after all, use it frequently.  Or so he had,
until he had hooked up with Samantha.  She had not liked camping,
preferring a hotel room to a sleeping bag.  Robert liked a
hotel now and then, but the lure of the wilderness was too
strong.  And now he was going to test it once again.  Robert felt
the tightening of his muscles and the feeling of exhileration, of
being born anew.  He always got that feeling when he went to
conquer something new.  It was the adventurer in him, he guessed.
     Well, he would have to do without the compass.  He could
figure out his direction using the sun, it seemed to be the same
as the one he had back home.  Night, however, would be a problem.
Those two moons threw him off.  Well, he would simply not travel
at night.  Hell, he was in no hurry to get anywhere, he had his
life in front of him.
     For some time he checked the contents of his pack, carefully
placing them in so they would not get damaged or broken.  Then he
went on to his tent and sleeping bag.  The tent was a light blue
three man, it would hold him and one other person comfortably,
and three people uncomfortably.  The tent was about 6 feet long
and 3 feet high when set up, and it compressed into a cylinder
roughly the size of a fire extinguisher when not being used.
Because it was made of nylon, Robert could carry it on his pack,
secured to the lower steel frame by a few Bungie cords, and not
notice it was there.
     The sleeping bag was a little heavier, but then again it
might be cold out here, and Robert wanted a warm bag.  His was a
mummy bag; two years' experience with the Boy Scouts had taught
him that: 1) Boy Scouts will camp damn near anywhere, regardless
of the season, weather, or climate; and 2) No matter what the
climate, at night it was COLD.  So, Robert had gotten the mummy
for Christmas one year, and it had served him well.
     Once he had secured everything on his pack, he shrugged on
his ski parka that he had liberated from his cage.  -Wonderful-,
he thought, -I take stuff that I already own, and already I
feel like I'm stealing it.-  He didn't know why, but it had
seemed different when he had gone to get the stuff.  It must have
been Samantha's presence, he concluded.  Half the stuff he had
down there he had bought or had been given during his
relationship with Samantha.  She was as much a part of him as his
stuff was, now.
     -No more-, Robert thought, and he zipped up the parka so
fast that he nearly caught his chin in the notches.  Pushing all
thoughts of her out of his head, he picked up the pack, and
pushed his arms through the loops on the back.  Settling back
into the pack, he tightened the straps and fastened the belt
across his middle.  He was ready to go.  And the pack was light
on his back.  He suddenly felt very happy, like a weight had been
lifted off of his chest.  Abruptly, he became aware that he had
been whistling while he put on the pack, and now he identified
the song as an old Aerosmith tune.  Struggling to remember the
name, he had it:  "Back in the Saddle Again"
     Robert began to laugh with mirth and delight.  Oh, but it
was good to be back!  Back to his old camping ways.  Just him and
the wilderness.
     A loud purr interrupted his thoughts.  "And you too,
Claudius", he amended with a smile.
     The hammer pulsed at his belt.  "And you too, Vanadurix", he
amended.  "Can't forget you.  Without you I wouldn't be here."
     The hammer diminished its pulse, seeming mollified.  -This
hammer has a better personality than many people I know-, Robert
thought.  -That's depressing.-
     Well, time to go.  Robert took one last look around the
glade, making sure everything looked ok.  It wouldn't do to leave
the campsite any other way than he had found it.  -Well, maybe I
should take some wood with me, in case I need some for a fire-.
     The hammer pulsed, twice.  -Guess not,-  Robert thought
guiltily.  Once again, he had forgotten the hammer's ability.
After seeing the power of Vanadurix, Robert believed that the
hammer could start a fire from ROCK, if need be.
     -Okay, forget the wood.  Let's just go.  Do you know your
way around this place?  I sure as hell don't,-  Robert asked the
hammer.  The hammer pulsed, once.  -Good enough,- Robert replied.
-Off we go!-
     And with that, he took up his walking stick, and started off
down the path heading out of the glade.
     Almost at once, the forest seemed to swallow him.  The
silver trees pressed in closer, but in a way that seemed
parental, rather than sinister.  Robert felt a feeling of peace
and comfort emanating from this forest.  He sniffed the air, and
smiled.
     Checking the path, Robert noticed that it seemed to be well-
trodden. although it looked to be relatively untouched for a
period of time.  Robert was no tracker, but he could tell whether
SOMETHING had been along this path recently.  And there had been
no one, judging by his observations.  At one point this road had
been well used, but how long ago that was, Robert knew not.  The
wood in the campsite was not too recent, judging by its dryness.
It had practically vaporized when Robert had lit it, although
that may have been from the green flame produced by the hammer.
At any rate, the wood had burned fast and hot, showing that it
was at least pretty dry.  Robert thought about it for a little,
decided that he didn't know enough about this world yet, and
closed the subject due to inconclusive evidence.  Case dismissed,
Atty. Robert; come back when you have something to show for it.
     He pushed the thoughts aside and continued walking.
Claudius tailed along behind him, occasionally straying off the
path to bat at a falling leaf, or to chase a small animal.
Robert never actually saw the animals, but he often caught a
fleeting glimpse.  What he saw made him stop and rub his eyes
every time, for the shapes he saw were like nothing he had seen
on his homeworld.  Once he actually saw a squirrel sitting on a
branch above him, and he stopped dead in his tracks.  The squrrel
had the same basic proportions as a normal squirrel: bushy tail,
four legs, same size roughly.  The resemblance ended there.  The
squirrel had a coat that looked like something you'd see at a
psychadelic party.  The colors were flourescent,  green and red,
and it was a wonder that the squirrel could hide as well as it
did in this forest.  Perhaps they could change their colors at
will.
     The creature turned sideways, looking at Robert with one
eye, and Robert nearly dropped his walking stick.  The creature
had two heads.  Robert rubbed his eyes, and pinched himself on
the cheek.  Opening his eyes, he saw that nothing had changed.
The two headed creature looked at him, and chittered angrily.  If
the "squirrel" had possessed a hand, it would most likely be
shaking a fist at him.  Robert looked around, then spied a
shining acorn on the ground.  His walking stick must have
dislodged it from the tree.  Bending down, Robert picked it up,
and gave it back to the "squirrel".  The animal chittered happily
to Robert, seemingly mollified.  Then it turned around, and
vanished down the length of the branch, its tail swishing Robert
in the face along the way.  Robert stood in stunned shock for a
few minutes, and then began walking again, a rueful smile on his
face.
     Slowly, Robert noticed that it was getting lighter in the
forest.  The silver trees were beginning to thin out a little,
and Robert thought he could hear rushing water.  The rushing
sound grew louder as he progressed along the trail, and the trees
thinned out further.  Abruptly the trees petered out altogether,
and the terrain abruptly became very rocky.  The trail ahead
abruptly slanted downhill, and was lost from view.  Robert
hurried forward, the sound of water almost deafening in his ears.
He reached the point where the trail sloped downward, and stared
at the sight before him.
     About a hundred feet or so ahead, the trail ceased to exist,
due to the huge chasm in the way.  A narrow bridge spanned the
chasm, and the trail continued on the other side.  The chasm was
roughly 500 feet across, and when Robert looked over the edge, he
abruptly pulled his head back with a shudder.  It looked to be a
few thousand feet down, and at the bottom was a river, foaming
its way through the myriad of rocks blocking its path, their many
points shining with the spray like so many teeth.  This was,
presumably, the cause of the noise, Robert decided.  Now the
question was, how to cross this thing?  That bridge didn't look
too secure, and if this path was as unused as he thought it was,
then he was in trouble.   Reaching the near end of the bridge,
Robert examined the structure carefully.  It was a rope bridge,
with wooden planks lying along the bottom, presumably where you
walked.  The rope seemed to have no trace of rot, nor did the
wood.  It looked pretty secure.
     Still, Robert did not want to test his luck just yet.  He
walked up and down the chasm for a few hundred feet, and in both
directions the chasm only widened.  This was, it would seem, the
narrow point.  -Much too far to jump-, Robert thought.
     He felt a pulse against his leg.  Vanadurix was answering
his unspoken statement.  Abruptly he remembered the hammer's
ability to answer questions, and he brought it out.
     -Is this bridge safe?-, he asked the hammer.  The hammer
throbbed, once.  Then, after a pause, another pulse.
     -Huh?- thought Robert.  -I only asked one question!  Wait!
you say the bridge itself is safe, right?-.  The hammer pulsed
once.  -OK, but what about other things?  Is there something else
that could hinder me?-
     The hammer pulsed, again.  -Uh oh,- Robert thought.  -I
wonder what it could be.  Monster?-  The hammer throbbed, and
Robert felt a tugging at his belt, where the hammer hung.  He
drew it out, and it abruptly dragged his arm around in a circle.
He spun with it, suddenly realizing that he didn't need a
compass.  Then his arm came to rest, pointing at the rocks next
to the near end of the bridge.  Cut into the rock was a large
opening, making Robert wonder how he had managed to miss that
before.  From the opening, steam issued in great gouts.
     From the depths of the rock came a growling noise.  Whatever
made that noise sounded LARGE.
     "Uh oh", Robert said, shakily.

=========================================================================

                   Part V: Concerning Beasties

     Robert steadied his shaking hands as best as he could, and
brought the hammer up in front of his face where it could protect
him the most.  Looking at the hammer, held between his trembling
fingers, he noticed that it was starting to glow faintly.
Apparently it was looking forward to this.  Robert wasn't.
     -I've never used a weapon on a living being before-  he
thought uneasily.  -How can I bring myself to attack whatever is in
store for me?-  He didn't have time to answer his question, for his
train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of the unsean
beastie.
     A cloud of smoke bellowed out of the cave mouth, and the
growling noise grew steadily louder.  All of a sudden, it was
replaced by a voice, loud and harsh.
     "Who dares?", rasped the voice.  It sounded outraged.  Robert
fought his urge to bolt, and tried to calm his knees, which were
knocking together wildly.  They'd be sore in the morning.  If he
lived that long.
     Looking into the cave, Robert made out a light of some sorts,
coming from deep in the recesses of the beastie's lair.  A large
shadow, vaguely humanoid, fell across one wall of the cave.  It
flickered wildly, leading Robert to suspect that the light was from
a fire of some sorts, yet the shadow was very large.
     "Who goes?", said the voice, closer and louder this time.  A
foot appeared on the rocky floor.  It was a large foot, with 5
giant toes, each with a horny claw on the end.  The skin of the
foot seemed leathery, and here and there Robert could make out the
faint presence of scales.  The foot was joined by another foot a
few feet in front of it, and the force of the footstep nearly
knocked Robert off of his feet.  Claudius did his inflatable cat
impression, arching his back and hissing wildly, his fur standing
out in all directions; his tail resembling a test tube brush.
Yowling and cursing, he retreated around to behind Robert's legs,
where he peeked through fearfully.
     The feet advanced, and now Robert could make out legs and a
chest, covered with that same leathery scaly skin as was on the
feet.  Judging by the size of the monster's torso, it looked to be
at least seven feet tall, and roughly three feet wide.  Quite an
impressive figure.  In one hand was an enormous cudgel, with metal
spikes sticking out of the business end.  Finally, the face hove
into view.  Robert wished it hadn't.  The monster had a huge head,
with giant fangs and tusks sticking out of a mouth big enough to
swallow him whole.  The nose was round and flat, like a boxer who
had his nose broken so many times that he no longer bothered to get
it set.  The eyes were the worst of all, though.  They were yellow,
with red pupils, and they burned with a hunger.  Robert didn't want
to find out what that hunger was for.
     "Who you?", bellowed the monster, nearly blowing the hair off
of Robert's head in the process.  "Why here?".
     Well, maybe he could be reasonable.  "I only wish to cross the
ravine on the bridge, and then continue my journey beyond.  I bring
you no harm, none at all."
     The monster looked at him hungrily.  "Must prove yourself!".
     Robert looked at the monster nervously.  "In what way?", was
all he asked.
     The monster paused to think, scratching his skull with one
horny talon.  Then his face lit up in what seemed like a smile.  It
didn't do anything for his looks, if anything it made him look
worse.  Monsters were just not made to smile.  "Must prove
strength!", the monster bellowed in glee!  If proves strength, I
let cross!"
     Robert replied, "All right, what do I have to do?", although
his heart was quailing with fear.  Anything he could do would be
simplicity itself to that great beast.
     "Must break rock!", rumbled the thing, in its deep gravelly
voice.  "Me go first".  The monster moved over to the cave entrance
and, raising his club, smote the cliffside a mighty blow.  The near
side of the ravine quaked and shook.  Large boulders were dislodged
from the rocky walls, tumbling down the cliff side to disappear in
the frothing river below.  It took about two minutes for the tremor
to subside.  The thing turned to Robert, with a look of
satisfaction on his face.  "Now you.  Beat that!"
     Robert sighed with relief.  The hammer hopefully could handle
that.  Indeed, Vanadurix was pulsing gently, and Robert felt
confident that he could succeed.  Shrugging out of his backpack, he
set it on the ground against a tree, walked over to the large dent
left in the rock pile from the monster's blow, and unlimbered his
hammer.  holding it firmly in both hands, Robert felt strength
surge through him like electricity.  Raising the hammer over his
head, he shouted, a long drawn out snarl.  Unleashing his fury, he
brought the hammer crashing down on the rocky pile.
     The earth shook.  Robert heard a large thud to the right of
him.  Glancing around, he saw that the monster had been thrown off
of his feet by the blast, and was now lying on his back, an
expression of stunned shock on his face.  Robert himself was
untouched by the blast, the hammer's ambience seemed to protect
him.  The rest of the area was not so lucky.
     half of the rock pile was now sliding down the side of the
cliff, causing the surrounding area to shake.  The rope bridge
rocked back and forth across the chasm, rippling as the shock waves
coursed through it.  One particularly large shock wave succeeded in
ripping the bridge free from its moorings on the near side of the
chasm, and with a crack of splintered wood, the bridge plummeted
downward, until it hit the other side of the ravine with a smack,
dislodging several pieces of wood.  There it hung, still supported
on the other side, but now useless to anyone.
     When the shaking stopped, Robert turned around once more, to
see what the hammer had done to the pile.  All that was left of the
pile was a lump of molten rock, glowing faintly red.  Occasionally,
flashes of green would illuminate the surface, quickly appearing
and then winking out.  The hammer was also glowing green, and
Robert felt a feeling of satisfaction coming from the hammer.
     -Liked that, did you?-  he asked the hammer.  The hammer
pulsed once, slowly, as if to say: Yeah man, everything's cool.
The monster was still on the ground, a stunned expression upon his
face.  Robert went over to him, and extended a hand.  "DO you ned
some help getting up?", was all he said?
     The monster looked at him fearfully, and shrank back from the
hand, as if it carried the bubonic plague.  "No hurt me", said the
monster, in a terrified voice.
     Robert replied, "I'm not going to hurt you, gentle giant.  I
only wished to cross the chasm.  Now it looks as if I will have to
do it a different way.  But let me help you up.  It's all right",
he said, when the monster looked at him dubiously.  "I'm not going
to hurt you", he repeated.  The monster looked at his outstretched
hand once more, and then took it.  Robert leaned back and pulled.
With a little help from the monster, they managed to get the beast
back on his feet.  The monster bowed his head to Robert in
submission.
     "Master", the monster mumbled, fearfully glancing at Robert
and then glancing away when Robert met his gaze.
     "Oh come now, there's no need for that.", replied Robert,
patting the giant on the shoulder with as much friendliness as he
could muster.  "I'm not your master, I only want to go on my way."
     "You beat me.  Now me serve", rumbled the giant, a look of
shame on his face.
     "I thought you would only let people cross if they had bested
you.  Does that mean then that no one crosses?"
     "No one ever, not when I here", said the beast, with an
expression of pride.  Then his face fell.  "No one ever beat.
Until now.  Now me serve."  And the monster surprised Robert by
bending down on one knee, shaking the earth with the movement, and
bowing his head once more to Robert.
     "Uh rise....uh good.....uh what is your name, anyway?", said
Robert, not really knowing what to say.
     "Me Brago", said the monster, still bowed.  "Who you, master?"
     "Uh, I'm Robert.  Robert Havenwood.  Listen, you don't have to
serve me.  I could never enslave someone.  But I could use someone
who knew the area.  Would you come with me along my journey?  I'm
really not sure where I am going yet, but maybe you could help me
figure that out."
     "No slave?", Brago asked, lifting his head up, a look of hope
on his face.  "Me help!", he exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
"Where you go, I go!  Come! You hungry?  Me got good food in hole!"
And he gestured with one scaly hand towards the cave opening.
     Robert wasn't sure what Brago's idea of good food was, but he
had to admit that he was kind of hungry.  But first things first.
What had become of Claudius?  Robert glanced around wildly.  The
tabby was nowhere to be seen.  "Claudius!"
     Brago, in the process of lumbering back over to the cave,
turned around.  "Who Claudius?", he asked.
     "Claudius is my cat, whom you may have seen prowling around
here", replied Robert, still looking around.  "Claudius!", he
shouted again, louder.
     He was rewarded by a frightened meow.  Glancing towards the
sound, Robert found the tabby huddling in the upper branches of a
medium-sized tree.  His fur was back down, but he still appeared
badly shaken up.
     Robert walked over to the base of the tree.  Claudius was a
few feet from his grasp.  "It's okay, big guy, you can come down
now".  Claudius meowed once more, fearfully, then slowly inched his
way down.  When he was within reach, Robert grabbed him and cradled
him in his arms.  Petting the cat got him purring again, and
everything seemed ok.
     "Okay, it's time to go inside and see what Brago has to
offer", said Robert to the cat, still holding him in his arms.
Making sure he had everything, he put the cat down for a second,
and hooked his hammer into his belt.  The hammer, still glowing,
pulsed with satisfaction.  Picking up his pack, he strapped it on,
then picked up the cat once more, who oddly enough was still
allowing himself to be carried. -He must have been more shaken up
than I had originally thought,-  thought Robert, and he stroked the
tabby behind the ears, bringing forth another purr.
     Cradling the cat in his arms, he followed Brago into the
darkness of the cave.

======================================================================

                     Part VI: Troll's Legacy

     Entering the cave, Robert was surprised to find that it was
a very cozy place.  He had imagined a cold slimy cave with a pool
or three of stagnant water, and skelktons galore.  He was
pleasantly surprised.  Brago's cave was very comfortable, with
smooth walls, and a nice dry floor.  The cave was roughly fifteen
feet high and fifty feet square in floor space.  A rug made of
many bear skins sewn together (or at least Robert thought they
were bear skins; after seeing the two-headed squirrel, he was
inclined to believe anything) adorned the floor, and there were a
few chairs encircling a polished wooden table that looked as if
many hours of love had gone into it.  A cast iron stove stood in
one corner, and Robert noticed a pipe snaking away from the top
of the stove to some unseen vent to the outside world.  On top of
the stove, next to the pipe, was a large iron pot with a lid on
it.  Brago was busying himself at the stove, a large spoon in one
hand.  With the other hand, he lifted the lid off of the enormous
pot, and with the spoon, stirred the contents within.  The aroma
of whatever was in the pot wafted over to Robert, and he found to
his surprise that his mouth was watering.  -Well, what did you
expect?-  he told himself,  -cannibals?-
     Setting Claudius down, Robert ambled over to where Brago was
tending his meal, and looked in the pot.  It looked to be some
sort of stew, with vegetables and chunks of meat floating around
in a thick broth.  On the whole, it resembled beef stew, and
smelled delicious.
     Brago noticed him looking at the stew, and waved his hand at
it.
     "Hungry, man?  Brago make lunch.  Then you here.  You eat
with me?"  Robert gratefully nodded his assent.  Brago smiled and
nodded.  "Good, we eat.  Make truce.  Good?"  Robert nodded once
again.  Brago smiled once more, and reached behind the stove.
Withdrawing his hand from behind the stove, he brought two large
wooden bowls with him.  Holding a bowl next to the stove, he
proceeded to spoon a portion of the stew out into the bowl.  When
the bowl was filled, Brago handed it to Robert.  "You guest.  Eat
first."  Seeing Brago's look of encouragement, Robert made to
taste the stew, and realized he had no spoon.
     "Just a minute", said Robert.  He went over to his pack, and
brought out his mess kit.  Pulling out his bag of utensils, he
brought forth a knife and spoon, separating them from the fork to
thich they were attached.  Wiping off both utensils, he dipped
the spoon into the steaming bowl of stew, withdrawing some broth
and a chunk of meat.  Seeing Brago's encouraging gesture to eat,
he tasted the meat.  It was delicious.  Robert took another
spoonful, and then another.  Before he realized it, the stew was
gone, and he was sipping at the bowl with his lips, trying to get
every last drop.  Brago laughed, and taking the bowl from
Robert's hands, refilled it and handed it back to him.  Then he
made a bowl for himself.
     Sitting down at the table, they fell to their meal.  Some
time later, Robert pushed back his bowl and patted his stomach,
which was feeling pleasantly stuffed.  Brago finished his bowl,
and wiped his mouth off with a cloth he took from beside the
stove.  Robert fetched a towel from his backpack and did the
same.  Then they sat for a while, and filled each other in on
their backgrounds.
     "You are one hell of a cook, Brago", began Robert, curious
about this strange but somehow gentle creature.
     "Recipe in family five generations", replied Brago, burping
politely behind the back of one hand.  "I'm glad you like it."
     "I'm new to this world, so forgive me if my questions may
seem strange." said Robert, not noticing Brago's sudden
improvement in speech.  "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?
You are the first living creature I have encountered, other than
a two-headed squirrel"
     "Skerrith", replied Brago.  "They are harmless creatures.
But there have been rumors about skerriths helping out good
people in need on occasion.  Not being regarded as a good person
because of my appearance and our reputation as monsters, I have
never seen it happen."
     A speech that long could not go unnoticed, and now Robert
realized that Brago was not as stupid as he had let on to be.
"You seem to have suddenly become more eloquent", he said to
Brago.
     To his surprise, Brago grimaced and covered his face with
his hand.  "It is my disgrace", he said from behind his huge
mitt.  "I am a Gunthark, a troll.  Trolls are stupid and ugly.
And they eat anything they can get their hands on", he added.
"As you can see, my command of the language shows that I am not
stupid.  Or at least not as stupid as the average troll.  I am a
bit slow at times, but I'm not stupid.   I am ugly, but any troll
would think I was pretty, which disgusts them.  As a result, I
was shunned in my home tunnels of Borngarth.  People would not
talk to me, or even glance my way.  I tried acting stupid around
other trolls, but eventually I would just get so frustrated with
their slow mentality, and I would let my speech slip."
     Pausing for a breath, Brago went on.  "Finally, I couldn't
stand it anymore.  I had to go out and see the world.  There had
to be other intelligent trolls out there, somewhere.  I was sick
of being an outcast in my own tunnels.  So I decided to be an
outcast for real.  I left Borngarth five years ago, and saw the
world.  Plus", he added.  "I wanted to find out what this meant".
     Pushing aside several strands of scraggly hair, he showed
his forehead to Robert.  Looking closely, Robert made out a
little symbol.  He looked closer, and saw that it was a star with
seven points, contained inside a circle.  The symbol did not look
as if it had been placed there, rather it looked like a part of
Brago.
     "This was not a brand", Robert said.  It was not a question.
     "No", replied Brago.  "My parent told me that I came out of
the womb with it.  No one in my tunnels was able to determine
what it meant, but I think it has something to do with my speech
and less-than-average ugliness."
     "Parent?" asked Robert.  "You only have one?"
     "Well, we start out with two parents," replied Brago.
"After all, it takes two to make three.  But the mother has very
strange cravings during her pregnancy, and more often than not
eats the father.  I'm told that the father goes willingly.  It is
said to be very sensuous."  Indeed, Brago looked unhappy at the
prospect of not being able to partake of this morbid ritual.
     "Gee, thats...uh...nice", replied Robert, a bit taken aback.
"Let's talk about something else, okay?  I just went through a
very painful relationship with someone, and finally ended it.
What you are talking about reminds me of how Samantha was at
times.  Like a predator, and I was the prey."
     "Ahh", replied Brago.  "So this custom exists in other
species as well.  So your father was eaten alive by your mother
as well?"
     "Well, figuratively.  He did get verbally chewed out by mom
a lot when she was pregnant with me.  She was always talking
about how ugly she felt and looked, and Dad looked as if he
wanted to crawl into a hole and die.  He didn't actually die, but
I'm sure the feeling is similar."
     Brago smiled and laughed softly, a deep rumble that sounded
like a landslide.  "My sire didn't get off as easily.  He got
literally chewed out.  He couldn't argue back after that."  And
he laughed, to himself.  Robert thought the subject a bit
gruesome, but Brago seemed to accept it as a fact of life.  Oh
well.  Robert leaned back in his chair and began to tell Brago
about himself.
     "I picked this hammer up at a yard sale", he began,
indicating the hammer worn at his belt.  "I don't know why, but
it appealed to me.  And then, little by little I started to learn
some of its secrets.  Finally, I found myself here, and was in
the process of crossing the bridge when you showed up.  And the
rest is history,"  Robert concluded.  It wasn't much of a story,
he thought.  Brago's had been better.
     Brago, however, thought that very interesting.  "A frame
traveller", he said, interest showing in his eyes.  "I have heard
about them from time to time.  Supposedly there are seven great
artifacts in our world of Felleranth.  One of the artifacts has
already been recovered, so we know that the story is partially
true.  The one that was recovered was the Anaethra, a tapestry of
wondrous power.  Actually, it is more than just a tapestry.  It
has several forms, but the tapestry is the most common.  It was
brought back into Felleranth by a young man, calling himself
Christopher.  He showed up at the palace in Senerdell, in the
company of a dwarven Lord and a mermaid, who was apparently
enamored with this Christopher.  He is now one of the King's
closest advisors, and does vast amounts of research using that
tapestry of his.  Apparently he can step through it into other
worlds, so he has been made the official researcher of
Felleranth, being able to go virtually anywhere."  Brago paused
and pointed to the hammer on Robert's belt.  "I can
only assume that this hammer you have is another of the great
artifacts.  Tell me, does this hammer have a name?  All of the
artifacts supposedly have a name."
     "Why, yes it does", said Robert, surprised.  "Here, it is
written in runes on the haft of the hammer."  And he handed the
hammer to Brago.
     As Brago took the hammer, it suddenly exploded with a
radiant blue light.  Robert felt a feeling of joy emanate from
the hammer, and he distinctly heard a "click", as if a piece of a
puzzle was sliding into place.  Brago sat motionless, staring at
the hammer flaring in his hands.  Robert felt knowledge rush into
his head, memories of Brago's childhood, his outcast, everything.
At the same time, he felt his memories rushing into Brago.  The
two understood each other in a way that only twins could even
comprehend.  Robert grimaced in pain as the memories crammed
their way into his skull.  Looking at Brago, he could see that
Brago was having similar experiences.
     Then it was over.  Robert felt exhausted, and he slumped in
his chair.  Looking over at Brago's weary face, he said "I
understand exactly how you feel"
     Brago's only response was a tired smile, and a low rumble:
"Same here".  He extended one hand across the table.  Extending
his own, Robert clasped his hand.  It was warm and slightly
coarse, but not revolting, like he had expected.  He now
understood what it was like to be in Brago's shoes.  He was an
outcast from his own people, not being ugly enough, yet he would
never be able to totally fit in to human society, due to hos
ugliness.  How ironic.
     Well, Brago had one person who would never shun him.  That
person stood up, walked over to him, and patted him on the
shoulder.  "I think that was a good way of getting to know each
other.  It doesn't get much more thorough than that."
     Brago smiled.  "True", he said.  "Now, let me do what I
originally intended to do."  Bending toward the hammer, he read
the runes.  "Vanadurix", he mumbled.  "Vanadurix", he said again,
more firmly.  Then his head came up, a look of wonderment in his
eye.
     "Dear Gods above!", he exclaimed.  "I know the word!  When I
was very young, a seer came to the tunnels.  My mother paid him
money to try and determine what the purpose of this was", he
said, indicating the mark on his forehead.  "The seer knew not
what it was, but when he cast an augury, the word Vanadurix was
revealed.  The seer told me to seek out any mention of that word.
In the five years that I have been gone from Borngarth, I have
heard no mention of the word, and have forgotten totally about
it.  Then along you come, and all this happens."  He shook his
head.  "Amazing.  I think you are destined for something big,
Robert.  BIG."
     He stood up.  "And tomorrow we will do something about it.
I think I will lead you to the city of Senerdell, to meet
Christopher, if you can, and to bring this hammer before the
King.  From there, we shall see.  But for now", he said,
stretching his limbs, "we shall get some rest.  There is a couch
you can sleep on," he said, pointing out a couch in a corner next
to the stove.  Robert noticed with a smile that Claudius had
already made his home there, and was purring away while he slept.
     "Don't worry about being bothered by anyone coming into the
cave", Brago added.  "It is protected with an illusion spell.
Anyone looking that way will see nothing but rock.  That is, as
long as I am not coming out.  Then they will see it, like you
did."
     "That would explain why I didn't see the cave right away.
But what are you doing here anyway?  Why do you guard this
bridge?" Robert asked, bewildered.
     "It's a long story", answered Brago.  "I was geased by an
evil necromancer a few years ago.  I was set to watch over this
bridge and to challenge all who came by to a test of strength.
Seeing as I am a troll, and this path is traversed by humans,
this was a perfect plan, according to the necromancer.  I would
always beat everyone.  And when I won, I was forced to hurl the
losers into the ravine.  No one survived.  But you came along,
and beat me.  The clause in the geas was that if someone beat me,
then I would serve them and the necromancer could work his
machinations through me on the unsuspecting victor.  However, you
declined my service, wanting me as a friend instead.  For that I
am eternally grateful to you, and the geas has been broken.  Of
course, now we may have to worry about the necromancer, but
Vanadurix should be able to handle him.  I speak stupidly just
for disguise,"  Brago added as an afterthought.  "People leave me
alone if I talk like a normal troll.  They think I am one.  It's
safer that way."
     Robert nodded.  "No one pays attention to something that is
normal.  The best way to hide in a crowd is to make no attempt to
hide.  I know what you mean."
     Brago nodded.  "It worked, too.  But we can talk more about
that tomorrow.  Now to bed."
     With that, he yawned, his huge mouth opening and sucking in
all the surrounding air with one great gasp.  Straightening, he
stood up and limbered over to a huge bed, where he collapsed on
top of a beaten up mattress.  "If you need blankets, they are
next to the stove, keeping warm.  The facilities are farther back
in the cave.  See you in the morning."
     With that, he began to snore.  Robert climbed on the couch,
and pulled the blankets over him.  It was a comfortable couch,
and a comfortable cave.  It certainly dispelled a lot of myths he
had about trolls.  Placing his arms behind his head, he snuggled
up closer to the sleeping form of Claudius, who flicked him with
his tail, before sinking back into sleep again.  Apparently the
tabby had gotten over his initial fear of the troll.  Just as
well,  because they'd be doing some travelling together.
     Robert closed his eyes and tried to think about all the
crazy things that had happened to him since this had all started.
five seconds later, he was asleep.

=======================================================================

                      Part VII: Preparations

     The tree trunks parted, and he pushed his way through.  A
branch stung his face as it whipped free of his restraining hands.
He cursed and muttered in pain, one hand coming up to rub at the
spot where the bough had slapped him.  Feeling his cheek, his hand
came away wet.  He put his fingers to his mouth and tasted the
moisture.  The coppery taste of blood slid across his tongue.  He
turned his head and spat out the blood in disgust.  The tree had
scratched his face, and he would have to get something to put on it
later, just as soon as he could get out of this place.
     But where was this place?
     Feeling at his belt, he was reassured when his questing
fingers were rewarded with the slow, steady pulse of the Vanadurix,
hanging at its usual spot next to his right pocket.  -Which is the
quickest way out of here?-  his mind asked the hammer, freeing it
from his belt with one hand.
     The hammer tugged at his arm.  He turned with the hammer, and
spun in a circle, finally coming to rest pointing towards a clump
of willow trees.  In the green moonlight caused by the two colored
orbs, everything had an eldritch-like look to it, looking not like
an emerald green, but rather a ghastly, sick pale green, like mold
or vomit.  Walking over to the copse, Robert noticed a bunch of
pale white sticks with knobs on the ends.  Walking closer, he bent
down and inspected the sticks.  They looked suspiciously familiar.
Looking through the sticks, Robert noticed one shaped like a round
rock.  Turning it over, he realized what it really was.  A grinning
skull looked up at him.  Robert noticed that the skull had several
holes in the cranium, rather large holes, to be more specific.  It
looked as if something had torn the skull open to get at what was
inside, and it looked as if the job had not been a neat one.
Robert dropped the skull in horror, and wiped his hands on his
jeans, as if they had been soiled in some way.  Standing up again,
he realized that the white sticks were bones.  Looking at the
bones, he noticed that several of them were broken, not clean
breaks either, but ragged splintering cracks, as if something had
torn them off of the person while he was still alive.
     Robert was startled out of his scrutiny by a loud slithering
sound.  The sound was accompanied by footfalls.  What was strange
about the footfalls was that they sounded like they were made by
something wearing wet sneakers.  They drew closer.
     SLITHER...SQUISH....SLITHER....SQUISH
     -I thought you said this was the quickest way out of here!-
Robert thought frantically to the hammer.
     -Oh, but it is, little man.  The quickest way to get out of
ANY situation is to die-
     Robert looked down at the hammer, and saw that it was glowing
a dull red.  He screamed and tried to throw the hammer away from
him.  But before he could, the hammer began to change.  It
metamorphosed into an inky black creature, with large wings, red
eyes, and a mouth which opened, revealing a large number of teeth.
The teeth looked more like needles, and were VERY sharp.
     "At last, you are mine!", the creature said, gloating over the
cowering Robert.  "You belong to me now.  To Helleshorn with you!"
     At those last words, the demonic creature pointed downward
with one clawed hand.  The ground opened beneath Robert's feet, and
with a scream he tumbled into the abyss.

     With a scream, Robert sat bolt upright, wildly taking in his
surroundings.  It was dark, pitch black, and he could not see two
feet in front of him.  Feeling around himself revealed a cushion,
like one belonging to a large couch.  On top of his legs lay a
blanket, and on one corner of the blanket was a warm ball of fur.
     -Claudius-, Robert thought with relief.  Checking his pack,
which lay next to the couch, revealed the Vanadurix, as normal as
always.  Robert snatched it up, and looked at it closely.  The
hammer burst into a green fire, only this time the green was the
emerald green that he knew and loved, not the sickly green that was
in his dream.  For a dream was what it had to have been, because
Robert had never in his travels with the hammer encountered a time
where the hammer had responded in words.  It only could project
feelings, and answer yes/no questions.
     The light from the hammer bathed the cave, and the snoring
form of Brago was revealed, sleeping blissfully.  At one corner of
the couch lay Claudius, purring contentedly to himself in his
sleep.  With his free hand, Robert reached down and scratched the
tabby behind the ears.  The cat responded with a deeper purr, and
turning his head towards Robert's hand, licked the tips of his
fingers.  It felt like a wet piece of sandpaper rubbing his hand.
And it tickled.  Robert giggled a bit and scratched the cat under
the chin.  Claudius's eyes closed slightly, and he raised his head
up so as to allow more neck to be scratched, purring deeply all the
while.
     Laying back down, Robert placed his hands behind his head and
tried to make some sense of the dream he had just had.  Was someone
(or something) aware of his presence in the world?  Most likely,
seeing as the Vanadurix made so much noise when it moved him
around.  He had read in a few of his favorite fantasy stories, most
noticeably Eddings and Anthony, that magic can be heard by those
who practice it.  Had he alerted some demon to his presence when he
came to this world?  More than likely.  -Ah well, one can't go
through life without making a few enemies.-, he thought.  Looking
at his watch, he saw that it was four A.M.  Still some time to
catch some sleep.  Pulling the covers up to his neck, he tried to
get as comfortable as possible.  When sleep came, it was little
more than a doze, but still relaxing.
     Robert opened his eyes once more.  There was light coming from
the stove that had heated the wonderful dinner he had had the
previous night.  Brago was bustling about the stove once again.  It
seemed that he really liked to cook.  Robert sat up, and knuckled
sleep out of his eyes with one hand.  -It's funny how you have to
rub the sleep out of your eyes when you wake up from a pleasant
doze, but when you wake up from a nightmare, you are wide awake
already,- he thought ruefully.  He swung his legs over the edge of
the couch, and stood up.  Claudius was nowhere to be seen.  -
Probably out chasing breakfast-, thought Robert.
     Brago noticed his friend's stirring, and turned around, wooden
spoon in hand.  "Hungry, gentle giant?", he asked with a smile.
     "That I am, little man", responded Robert with a grin.
"What's on the agenda today?"
     "First, we must gather together some supplies, for the journey
ahead is a long one, and we have little time to make it in.  You
are already well equipped", Brago said with a nod towards Robert's
pack.  "But you need a few more supplies to last in this world."
     Setting down the spoon, the troll moved over to a large wooden
trunk that Robert had not noticed before.  It was bound with bands
of what looked like iron, and had a huge lock set into the face of
the trunk.  Reaching into a fold in his breechclout, he withdrew a
large iron key, which he thrust into the lock.  With a sharp SNICK!
he turned the key and opened the trunk.  Reaching within, he
brought out a deep green cloak, with a brooch clasped to one fold.
Placing the cloak on the ground, he reached back into the trunk,
this time producing a conical helmet and a small suit of light
chain mail.  Turning to Robert, he said:
     "This armor and cloak was worn by me when I was a child.  It
might be a little big on you, but if you keep the clothes you have
on now underneath, you should be able to fill the armor without
much difficulty.  The cloak will look fine, as cloaks are supposed
to be large and billowy.  In your case, it will just be larger and
more billowy than normal.  Think nothing of it.  Here, try them
on."
     He handed the pile of cloak and armor to Robert.  He took them
from the troll, and unrolled the chain mail.  It was light, but
strong, and seemed remarkably free of the rust that usually
accompanied armor that has been sitting in a trunk for umpteen
years.  After a couple of tries on his own, which only succeeded in
getting him tangled up in the chains, Robert looked pleadingly at
Brago.  "Help me with this, would you?".  The troll chuckled
softly, sounding like thunder rumbling on the horizon, and showed
Robert the proper way to put on chain mail.  When he was done,
Robert felt like he was wearing a tinsel christmas tree.  He shone
from head to foot, and rustled softly whenever he walked.  "Have to
do something about that rustle", Robert said.
     "You get used to it after a while", was Brago's reply.  "Now
the cloak"
     The cloak Robert could handle by himself, and he managed to
wrap the green material around himself and fasten it with the
silver brooch.  It was a curious clasp, shaped like the symbol on
Brago's forehead.  That done, Robert felt like strutting around, so
elegant did he look in his finery.  "Nice threads, man", he said to
no one in particular.
     Brago smiled.  "My mother, she believed I was destined for
greatness, so she spent a fortune to have these made for me in my
childhood.  Seeing as I have no children, I think you could use
them better than I can.  And who knows?  Maybe in these garments
you can fulfill my mother's wish."  He smiled sadly, and Robert
realized that even though Brago had left his tunnels voluntarily,
he still missed his mother.  Robert was feeling a little homesick
himself, but seeing as most of his family had died some time ago,
he only felt really close to Claudius.  he supposed some people
would think of that as strange, but he didn't care.  Claudius had
more personality than most people he had known, including Samantha.
Now there was one person he didn't miss.  He felt a small pang in
his heart when he thought about her, but only a small one.  She was
fading fast.  -Good,-  Robert thought.
     "You look very noble, Robert", said Brago.  "But before we go
anywhere, let us eat a hot breakfast inside a home.  We may not
sleep inside for some time to come."
     Robert agreed, realizing that he had forgotten his hunger in
the excitement of the armor.  He sat down at the table with a
clank, and went to work on the breakfast laid out before him.  His
prior experience with Brago's cooking had erased any reticence he
may have had about eating with the troll, and breakfast was no
exception.  It consisted of round pastries similar to pancakes, but
thicker and sweeter.  Along with it were strips of bacon, although
a bit larger than good old bacon.  Robert assumed the pigs were
merely larger here, and plowed his way through the meal on his
plate.  For a beverage there was a juice similar to orange juice
but a bit tangier.  It was delicious all the same.
     When they had finished eating, they took turns relieving
themselves in Brago's huge water closet, and then set out.  Brago
had a large haversack stuffed with blankets and clothes, as well as
provisions for cooking, while Robert fastened a few more blankets
and cooking utensils to free spots on his pack.  When all that was
done, Brago sealed up the entrance to his cave with a huge boulder
that was evidently put there for that purpose.  Claudius bounded
into view, and they were ready to go.  And then they stopped.
     "I forgot about the bridge", Brago and Robert said almost
simultaneously, glancing quickly at one another with a smile.
     "Well, how do we cross, then?", asked Robert.  "Is there any
way to haul the bridge back up?"
     Brago shook his head.  "The bridge was designed to fall
easily, in case of an attack.  This is one of the defense points of
the King's army.  Or was", he added sadly.
     "Or was?  What happened?"
     "A fierce war was fought here between an old king and an
imposter that was trying to usurp the throne.  No one won.  The two
monarchs killed one another at this very spot, and their two sons
split the land down the middle, wanting nothing to do with civil
war.  The king still rules all of the land, but the imposter's
offspring are somewhat autonomous.  As a result, a strip of land
between the two territories has been declared neutral ground.  The
land runs right through here, and this guard post has been deserted
for some time.  When I found this cave, it was already stocked with
all the furniture from when the guards used to live here.  All I
did was widen it a bit to make it comfortable for me."
     "So what did they do in the old days when the bridge was let
go?"
     "Well, usually the invading forces would build another one to
cross the ravine, or it would remain down for generations, until a
king would come along with a "reform" idea, and build all the
bridges and roads back up again.  I suspect now it will lie there
for some time, until someone comes out here to fix it.  We cannot,
therefore we will have to find some other way to cross."
     "The hammer!", Robert said with inspiration.  "I can port us
across!  Hang on to me, Brago, or I will accidentally go without
you."
     Grabbing Brago's arm and locking it around his own elbow, he
scooped up Claudius and dropped the cat unceremoniously into the
troll's arms.  Claudius gave a sniff of indignation, and made
himself as comfortable as possible in Brago's rough arms.  Robert
held the hammer over his head and began to stroke the haft.  The
hammer began glowing softly, and Robert formed the image of what
was most likely across the ravine in his head.  When the hammer was
glowing brightly, Robert began whirling the hammer around his head,
finally casting it from him across the river.
     The hammer flew out about halfway, and struck thin air with a
loud clap.  A black portal flew open while the hammer bounded back
into Robert's hand, and the two travellers and one cat were sucked
into the opening.  Seconds later, they were spat out the other
side, appearing on the other side of the ravine, where the bridge
was still connected.  The portal closed with a bang, and except for
the rushing water, silence descended upon the area once again.
     Brago was shaking his head slowly.  "That was some trip", he
said.
     "Yeah, it was a pretty interesting ride", replied Robert,
rubbing his eyes to clear his head.  Brago put Claudius down and
the cat padded over to Robert, purring.  -He didn't even notice-,
thought Robert.  Maybe he should have been a cat.
     Checking the straps on his pack to ensure that they were
tight, Robert turned to Brago.  "Are you ready to go?" he asked the
troll.  At his nod, Robert replaced the hammer at his belt, and
pulled his walking stick free of the fastening on his pack.  "Well
then, let's be off, shall we?"
     Brago tightened his own pack, and withdrew the evil-looking
club Robert had seen him with originally from the folds of the
cloak the troll had donned.  It shone wickedly in the morning
light.  "Ready", came the troll's answering reply.
     With that, they started off down the path once more, soon
disappearing around a bend.

========================================================================

                            BOOK TWO
                     The City of The Damned

                     Chapter VIII: Thalis

     The two companions fled the city in silence, breathing in
harsh gasps.  Behind them, flames licked the rooftops of the
abandoned houses, no longer needed by the city's inhabitants.  A
foul smoke rose into the night sky, for once devoid of either moon.
A charnel smell followed the travellers as they ran.
     Robert ran in nice, even strides, his brown hair flapping
wildly behind him as he ran.  Every now and then he risked a look
back at the inferno, as if checking for any followers.  No one (or
nothing) was seen any of the times, yet his reaction was the same
as if there were someone; he quickly snapped his head around
forward once more, and quickened his pace.
     Brago, his rather large companion, ran along side of him in
silence, his heavy breathing the only sound he made as he ran. He
did not bother to look behind him, he knew all had been destroyed.
Yet he continued to run, regardless of the circumstances.  He had
seen this happen to innocent villages before, but each time he had
witnessed it, the horror and misery was borne anew, as if it had
never been there before.
     Slowly, the sounds of the fire grew fainter, as the sky began
to dim with their ever increasing distance from the flames.  Soon,
the sky was black once more, and silence once again descended upon
the area.  The path upon which they ran wound inexorably through
the open grasslands.  There was not a soul to be seen for miles,
save the two travellers.
     And one cat.  Claudius remained by Robert's side, ever
vigilant, and ever ready to insert himself between the ankles of
his owner, tripping him up at a moment's notice.  The tabby loped
alongside Robert at a leisurely pace, yet he showed the same
abandon with which his master ran.  All three of them had been
through an extremely nightmarish experience during the course of
the past few days, and none of them cared to ever repeat it again.

     Gradually the two men (if you want to call a troll a man) and
one feline began to slow their breakneck pace, until finally they
were walking easily once more, and their heartbeats had slowed to
a more reasonable pace.  If a person were to see this entourage
now, he would dismiss it as merely two travellers out enjoying the
night air, so relaxed was their appearance.
     They hid their feelings well.
     Cresting the top of a hill, they came upon a path leading down
to a small spring.  A small stone fireplace lay to one side, and
the surrounding ground was covered with a light blue moss, senshi
it was called by Brago, which the two had encountered many times
before on this strange journey.  The moss was light, springy, and
perfectly harmless.  Furthermore, the moss had a habit of shaping
itself around the contours of anything resting on top of it, and as
a result was quite comfortable.  All in all, this looked like an
ideal spot to camp.
     Brago realized this and motioned for Robert to stop.  Robert
looked back at the troll and nodded his acquiescence.  Methodical-
ly, the two went around, pitching Robert's tent and laying out
their bedrolls.  Robert gathered some wood and made a fire, while
Brago set up shop for another one of his fabulous meals.  It was
just like any other night they had spent on the road.  But nothing
compared to what they had experienced these past few nights.
     They ate in silence, neither wishing to talk about it.  No
words were spoken, no music was played, as was a custom on many
other nights.  They sat in front of the fire for a few hours, then
turned in for the night by mutual assent.
     Robert tried to will himself to sleep, but it was no use.
Every time his eyelids slammed shut, the visions assaulted him.
The corpses, all of them as white as a clean sheet of paper, as if
there was no blood left inside of them at all.
     No blood at all...Robert shuddered.  It was no use.  He was
going to have to deal with it sometime.  It might as well be now.
He closed his eyes, and slept.
     And the horror began anew, as he relived the past.

                        -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     They entered the village shortly before the noonmeal hour,
some four weeks after the journey had begun, in Brago's cave.  In
that time, they had come nearly one hundred miles, by Robert's
reckoning, and had passed through several towns along the way.
Palan, Bannic, Sevino, Turmon, all of them had been passed through.
Sometimes they spent only enough time for a meal, sometimes a
night, sometimes as much as a week.  But in all of the towns there
had been a pleasant, happy feeling.  The villagers had all seemed
to say 'welcome, friends!', and everyone had been extremely
friendly.  All in all, it had been a pleasant trip so far.
     Until they had entered Thalis this morning.  The first thing
that had struck Robert as odd was the lack of children playing in
the streets.  The other towns had all had their share of healthy
young urchins, darting in and out of the market square, flitting to
and fro among the stalls, engaged in a perpetual game of tag.
Often they flocked around Robert and his large friend, especially
Brago.  In most cases they didn't see trolls very often, and Robert
would get worried, wondering how the children, and Brago, would
react.  After the first few times, however, Robert had relaxed.
The children viewed Brago with curiosity, nothing more.  As soon as
they saw that Brago did not eat human flesh, as other trolls were
rumored to, they quickly warmed to his friendly personality.  As
trolls were considered stupid, Brago said little, preferring to
leave the talking to Robert.  "People expect it to be that way", he
had confided to Robert, after the first town, where Robert had
spent half the time asking Brago what to do and say, and had been
perplexed when Brago played dumb.  "Trolls are supposed to defer to
humans because of their superior intelligence.  "If I play the
stereotype, then people will not notice anything out of the order,
and as a result will treat us better.  Plus", he added, "In case
anyone is looking for us, they are less likely to find us if people
don't remember us especially.  Trust me."  That had seemed
reasonable to Robert, so he had played along, and gradually learned
to get by.
     All of this flashed through his mind as he stood viewing the
deserted Thalis streets.  There was not a soul to be seen in the
town.  No children in the streets, no carts in the market square,
no nothing.  Robert was struck by the eerie silence, broken only by
the wind moaning through open doors of dwellings and shops.  It
reminded him of the ghost towns he had seen in westerns as a kid,
towns that were virtually empty, all the inhabitants having moved
out of town when the gold mines that had created the town in the
first place ran out.  Only this was different.  There was an
underlying evil about the place, that Robert could almost feel, so
strong was it.
     The two of them slowly paced the deserted streets, looking for
any sign of life whatsoever.  The town looked as if it had been
recently inhabited; in one house a fire still burned, although what
was left was merely embers.  Still, a fire like that didn't last
long, so it had to be recent.  With that discovery, Robert renewed
his search, knowing that someone had to be here.
     His efforts were finally rewarded.  In one corner of the town
the two companions spied a small hut, with smoke seeping out of the
chimney.  Peering closer, Robert spied a pair of eyes looking out
the small window next to the door.  With a sharp ripple, the
curtains moved, and the eyes vanished.
     Robert walked up to the wooden door, and knocked.  The door
opened a crack, and a woman's head peeped out.  Looking closer,
Robert saw that it was an old crone.
     "Go away!  Please, leave while there is still time!", said the
crone, and Robert was astonished by the youthful voice that
emerged.  Looking closer, Robert saw that the woman was not old,
but rather his own age.  The soot and dirt that lined her face was
what had deluded Robert into thinking otherwise.  The woman made as
if to close the door.
     "No, please!", cried Robert, and without thinking, he put his
foot in the door.  The woman whimpered with fear and shrank back,
allowing Robert to squeeze in further.
     "Please!  I mean you no harm!  I am merely a traveller who
wishes to find out what happened here!  I'm not going to hurt
you!", babbled Robert in a flurry of words.  The woman continued to
stare at him, doubtful.
     Finally, she spoke again.  "You must leave this place. It can
only bring you harm.  Travel on to the next city, but do not remain
here.  You are in great danger.  Believe me".
     Robert answered, "I and my friend are weary.  We came to this
town seeking food and shelter for the night, as was the case with
all of the other towns we had passed through.  But this town is
deserted.  You are the first person I have seen in this town since
I got here.  I want to know what is going on, and help, if I may.
Please, let me be of some aid.  I can take care of myself, if that
is what you are worried about."  And he indicated the hammer that
hung at his belt.
     The woman's eyes widened.  "You are a holy man!", she
exclaimed.  She opened the door wider.
     "No, not a holy man, merely a soldier of fortune, really".
Robert stopped as the door swung open to reveal the rest of the
woman.  She was clad in a peasant's smock, torn in many places.
Skin showed underneath the holes in the arms, legs, and torso.
Robert noticed this, and the fact that she was quite an attractive
woman, despite her current condition, one of obvious stress and
fear.
     Hauling his eyes up to hers once more, he asked the first
question that came to mind.  "Why do you call me a holy man?"
     Responding, the woman said, "All the holy men of Saris, the
god of light and virtue, carry hammers, with which they smite
creatures of darkness.  As Saris is very choosy about whom he
wishes to serve him in such a fashion, there are not very many of
them, and one has not been seen in Thalis for years.  I thought
that maybe you were one of them."  And her gaze moved to rest upon
Vanadurix.
     "No, I am not one of them", responded Robert.  "At least, not
to the best of my knowledge.  However", he went on, "This hammer
has been known to smite at times, and I am sure that creatures of
darkness are on the hit list."
     The woman allowed herself a small smile.  "Then come in, brave
warrior.  Maybe you can protect me and my family from the evil."
And she opened the door wide enough to admit him.  Robert entered
the hut, and heard a gasp from behind.  Turning around, he saw that
the woman had shrunk back in fear from Brago.  In her haste, she
clutched at the first thing available, which happened to be Robert.
Wrapping her arms around him involuntarily, she inhaled, as if to
scream.
     "No, no, it's okay", Robert said hurriedly, trying to calm her
down.  "He's with me.  It's all right.  He does the same thing I
do.  But he doesn't need a hammer", he added, casting a sidelong
glance at the troll, who merely grinned, showing a large number of
teeth.  The troll was serving up Standard Dumb Troll, Act One:
smile stupidly and bare your teeth.  Works every time.
     "Oh," said the woman timidly.  "He doesn't bite, does he?".
And her arms loosened a bit, but did not let go.  Oddly, Robert
didn't mind.  He had been too long away from Samantha, and a
woman's touch was welcome right now.
     "No he doesn't bite.  You'll be fine".  The woman smiled
faintly, and loosened her hold on Robert.
     Turning back to the troll, she shut the door and barred it
from the inside.  Pushing back the hood of her smock, she freed her
soot-streaked red hair, cut raggedly short at the shoulders, but
still attractive, in a rugged sort of way.  Her eyes were a pale
blue, like the sky on a winter afternoon.  Her nose was small and
pert, turning upwards slightly at the tip.  In short, she was
beautiful, to Robert.
     "Where is the rest of your family?", he asked, looking around
the inside of the hut.  The place was sparse, but comfortable
enough.
     "In the other room, let me show you."  And with that, she led
the way through a curtained alcove into a living room.  Sitting on
several wooden chairs were an old woman (really old, this time,
thought Robert), a middle-aged man, and a young boy, perhaps
fourteen, maybe younger.  They were huddled around the fireplace,
presumably the cause of the smoke seen from the outside.
     "Come, sit down, be warm", said the woman, moving to take his
cloak from him.  Brago declined when she offered for his cloak,
preferring to keep it with him.  Robert went over to the fireplace,
rubbing his hands briskly.  It wasn't actually cold out, but the
feeling of dread that pursued them seemed to drop the ambient
temperature by ten degrees, and the wind added its own little nip.
So Robert welcomed the warmth of the fire, and was soon quite
comfortable in an old, overstuffed chair that had presented itself
as a good spot to sit.  Brago, he noticed, had declined the offer
of a chair, preferring the floor instead.  Claudius, he also saw,
had somehow managed to squeeze in at one point, and now the tabby
ambled over to the chair in which Robert was sitting, and bounded
into his lap, purring contentedly.
     The woman noticed this.  "So you are a sorcerer, then?", she
asked, one eye on the purring cat.  "And that is your familiar?"
     "Uh, yeah. Right", responded Robert, not knowing what to say.
"I guess you could call it that", he managed, finally.  "I'm not a
powerful sorcerer, per se, but I have been known to weave a bit of
magic now and then", he concluded.
     That was a mistake.  "Show me some magic!", cried the young
boy eagerly, animation snapping at once into his tired face.  "I
wanna see!  I wanna see the magic!"
     Robert stared back at the hopeful face, then slowly shook his
head.  "Another time, young one.  The magic I weave is too
destructive to call upon every day.  It might hurt you."
     "Oh, okay", responded the boy, disappointed.  It was clear
that he did not believe a word of what Robert was saying.  -Not
surprising-, thought Robert.  -They never think of the negative
side of things.  It's impossible at that age-.  Memories of his own
youth came back to him, and he recalled his own fourteenth year,
some fourteen years ago, now that he thought of it.  God, the time
passed by so quickly.  He came back to reality, and took a look
around the room.  Everyone was seated in front of the fire, keeping
warm.  It had the look of a happy family, yet Robert could see the
fear in their eyes.  Not of him, but of whatever was plaguing the
town.
     He decided the time had come for some answers.  "All right",
he said, getting everyone's attention.  "What the hell happened
here?  Where is everyone else?"
     The woman slowly turned to look at him.  I will tell you
everything I know.  It may take some time."
     "Wait!", the sharp voice cut through the stillness.  Robert
turned towards the sound of the voice.  It was the old woman,
looking back at Robert with piercing eyes.  "How do we know he
isn't one of them?", she demanded of the woman.  "Just who are you,
anyway?", she asked, turning back to him.
     "My name is Robert Havenwood", he replied.  My companion is
Brago, and this is Claudius, my cat", he said, giving the cat a
momentary pat.  "And just what do you mean by 'one of them?'  If
you mean someone who has come in from the cold, then yes, I am.
But if you are referring to monsters and beasties, then I assure
you I am not."  He looked over to Brago for emphasis.  The troll
took the hint and nodded dumbly, a silly smile on his face.
     "Mother!", retorted the young woman sharply, "how could you
say such a thing?  He doesn't even look like one of them.
Besides", she added, "they can't come out during the day, and here
he is.  Now what do you have to say to that?", she said defiantly,
glaring at the old crone, presumably her mother.
     The crone said nothing, but continued to glare at Robert all
the while.
     "I am sorry", said the young woman, coming over to Robert and
laying a hand on his arm.  "We mean you no ill will.  Mother trusts
no one these days, and I don't blame her.  Still", she added, "they
only come out at night, like I said, so there is no reason you
should be one of them.  Please forgive me for not introducing
myself earlier.  I am Kiren Lachlan."  She offered her hand, which
Robert took and kissed, rather than shake it.  She blushed
slightly, and cleared her throat, moving on.  "This is my mother,
Gwennon", at which Gwennon inclined her head slightly towards
Robert, "my father Kymro", another nod, "and my younger brother,
Declan."  The young boy smiled shyly at Robert, then looked away.
     "And you are Robert Havenwood, as you said", continued Kiren.
"Now that we have been introduced properly, I can tell you what I
know.  Please make yourself comfortable, it is likely to take a
while."
     Sitting down in front of the fire in a chair next to Robert,
she gathered her smock about her, and began to speak.

========================================================================

                    Chapter IX: Kiren's Story

     Two weeks ago, this town was like any other town, full of
life.  Children roamed the street freely, not worrying about
anything at all except the game they were currently playing.  It
was safe to go out after dark, there were no monsters waiting in
side streets and alleys to snap you up.  It was a peaceful town,
full of life and love.  But that soon changed.
     About ten days ago, a stranger arrived in town, much like you
have.  Only he arrived six hours after the evenmeal, which was
getting pretty close to bedtime for this town.  He was a friendly
enough man, short and wiry, with piercing green eyes.  All of the
women in the town, myself included, were attracted to him.  It
wasn't an outright infatuation, rather it was more of a subcon-
scious desire.  I didn't find him physically attractive, not any
more than the men in Thalis.  But it was there, that unconscious
need.  I didn't think much of it then, nor did I think much amiss
with his appearance.  It wasn't until later that I noticed that his
skin was bone white.  In addition, it was very thin, almost
transparent, to the extent that it was possible to see the vessels
'neath the skin, carrying their precious cargo, the life's blood,
through his frail body.  To look at him reminded you of someone who
is very old, old indeed.  Yet while his body looked frail and
withered, he quickly proved that it was not, for when the porter
made as if to take his bags in to the room he rented at the village
in, he could not lift them.  The stranger laughed and flung the
bags over his own shoulder as if they weighed nothing at all!  He
made them practically fly, he did.  What was even stranger was the
fact that he requested a room in the basement!  Those rooms are
reserved for the dwarves that come through, so that they may feel
a little more at home.  Dwarves detest heights, so the top rooms
were reserved for humans.  Yet the stranger was adamant about
having a room 'neath the ground, and the color of his money was
good, so says the barkeep, who is a friend of mine, and who relayed
this all to me.
     At the time, there were several basement rooms available, so
this was not a problem.  After some arguing about the consideration
of 'our fellow dwarves', with the stranger adding coins to the
stack of gold on the bar, the innkeeper finally gave in.
     After going to his room and presumably settling in, the
stranger came back to the bar and ordered a round of drinks for
everyone.  He really was quite friendly, and radiated peace and
calm.  At this point, I walked into the inn, running an errand for
my father.  Traders often passed through town, and inevitably
wended their way to the inn.  The inkeeper and my father had been
friends for years, and my father was always asking the inkeeper to
pick up things for him when traders passed through.  So when one
stopped in, the inkeeper would pick up the items he needed, and my
father would pay him for it, plus a finder's fee for the service.
     That particular night, I was out doing that very thing.  A
trader had come by with a considerable supply of medicines, and my
younger sister was very ill.  Normally these things could wait
until morning, as it was six hours past the evenmeal.  But during
the evening, Kerri's cough had grown worse, so my father decided to
send me now.  As a result, I came into the inn just as the stranger
was buying drinks for everyone.
     I walked into the bar, looking for the innkeeper.  Immediately
I spotted the stranger, but really didn't notice.  My mind was
preoccupied with the task at hand.  I walked over to the bar, and
sat down.
     The barkeep noticed me, and smiled.  "Evenin', miss Kiren", he
said, tugging on a forelock.  "What can I do you for tonight?"
     "Good evening, Jebb", I replied.  "I'm looking for the
innkeeper.  Do you know where he is at the moment?"
     "Sure do, miss Kiren", he responded.  "I'll go get him.  Now
you stay right here, lass."
     "Jebb, you silly man", I replied.  "You call me lass, yet I am
at least ten years older than you."
     "Aw, miss Kiren", he replied, with a wry smile.  "That was a
compliment.  You're s'posed to smile prettily, flutter your
eyelashes at me and blush, or somethin'"
     "Oh Jebb, you clown.  Go find Davren, will you?".  I gave him
a swat on the back and sent him off towards the kitchen.  Davren
liked to do most of the cooking himself, and that was most likely
where he would be.
     I didn't notice the stranger until his hand fell on my
shoulder.  I turned around slowly, not being alarmed.  Half the
people in the town know me, and I was used to it.  Then I got my
first good look at this stranger.  I felt that subtle attraction I
told you about earlier, and passed it off as nothing.  He looked
harmless, and appeared quite friendly.  But his familiarity alarmed
me.
     "Excuse me, but do I know you?", I asked the man, frowning
down at the hand still on my shoulder.
     He didn't take the hint.  "Not yet, my fair lady", he said in
a deep resonant voice, ignoring my frown.  "But I shall soon remedy
that.  I am Malachie duBors, Earl of Severney.  I am taking a
holiday from my duties, and am touring the towns along the road.
And you, my pretty lady, what is your name?", and he smiled.
     Such a beautiful smile!  It was then that I realized that I
felt an attraction for him.  But I was still unnerved by his
oppenness, and I resented his familiarity.  I told him my name and
nothing more, hoping that my coldness would turn him off.
     No such luck.  He ignored my frosty disposition and continued
to ask me questions about myself and my family and friends.  I
noticed while he was talking that his teeth were rather long, much
narrower than a man's teeth should be.  They almost looked like
fangs.  If only I had known!  His fingernails, too, were long and
thin, like talons, but not quite so overstated.
     I was saved from his incessant chatter by the arrival of the
inkeeper.  "Kiren, me girl!", he bellowed, engulfing me in a
gigantic bear hug.  I gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek, and
explained my situation, glad to have someone else to talk to other
than this Malachie.  He stopped talking as soon as I turned away,
but simply stood, and stared at me during my conversation with
Davren.
     Davren was a big bear of a man, with round cheeks, and a big
smile.  He listened raptly while I described the medicine I needed,
then nodded and headed off to the kitchen to get it.  I looked
around for Malachie, and saw that he had returned to his table,
where he was now cozying up with one of the serving wenches, who
was completely enchanted by his charm.  He cast one eye towards me
and smiled slightly.
     I was stricken by jealousy at first.  How come a lowly serving
wench got him instead of me?  Then I caught myself.  What was I
saying?  I realized at once that something was wrong about the man,
and needed to know some answers.  This attraction to him was not
natural, and I needed to know what was going on.
     Walking over to the bar, I asked Jebb, who was polishing some
glasses, to tell me about this Malachie.  He related to me the
events which I first told you, about his arrival and the haggling
over a room.  He seemed to agree with me on the whole that this man
was odd.  Furthermore, he had a few secrets.
     "Earl!", snorted Jebb, after I recounted my words with
Malachie at the bar.  "He's pullin' your leg, he is.  Severney is
a Duchy, not an Earldom.  I should know, my father is a franklin in
service to the duke there.  This Malachie, or whoever he is, is no
more Earl of Severney than I am King of Thalis."
     This caused even more unrest in me, and I realized that this
man had me worried.  What I felt before as attraction now turned to
disquiet and distaste.  I could sense an aura of evil about him,
but could not place my finger on it exactly.
     Davren soon returned with the medicine, and I said my goodbyes
and left.  I thought nothing of it until the next evening, when I
picked up the rest of the items my father wanted.
     The inn was quiet this evening.  A somber mood pervaded
throughout.  Everyone was looking over their shoulder, as if in
fear.
     I walked over to the bar, and smiled to Jebb.  "What is going
on tonight?", I asked.  "Why the long faces?"
     Jebb looked up at me, and managed a small smile.  "Oh, evenin'
miss Kiren.  I guess you haven't heard the news, then?"
     "What news?  What happened?"
     "I guess you couldn't know", he replied.  "Nikki was found out
by the stables.  She was dead"
     I gasped.  Nikki was the serving wench who had been with
Malachie the previous evening.  I quickly informed Jebb of this,
and his expression darkened.
     "Damn it, that tears it!" he growled.  I well understood why.
He and Nikki had a relationship for years, and had been making
preparations to be set handfast to one another the following
spring.  The fact that she was dead was one thing.  The fact that
she spent her last night alive with another man was something else.
     "Easy, Jebb", I cautioned.  "Seeing as that is the case, the
suspicion could well fall on you.  She was with another man, so
naturally you, playing the jealous boyfriend, would want to commit
murder.  But still", I paused, "You would want to kill the man, not
the woman.  It doesn't make sense."
     Seeing the look of shock on his face, I continued.  "Oh no,
don't worry about that.  I don't think you did it.  I felt
uncomfortable around Malachie last night, and now I know why.  I
think he may be the one.  Did you notice anything peculiar about
Nikki?", I asked him.  "I know this isn't very pleasant for you.
I'll withdraw the question if you don't want to talk about it".
     "No, it's all right", he said, laying a hand on my arm.  "It
hurts, it does.  But I have to get it out, or I'll never recover.
Yes, now that I think about it, there was something peculiar about
her.  She looked beautiful, and there was not a mark on her body,
no scratch or anything.  But her skin, it was so pale.  I could see
the blood vessels through it and everything!  She was beautiful,
but it was a kind of unearthly beauty.  Also, her mouth was open,
and her teeth looked a little different.  I can't put my finger on
what exactly was different about it, though."
     A sudden suspicion dawned on me.
     "They looked like fangs, didn't they?"
     Jebb's head snapped up in surprise.
     "That was it!", he said, wonder dawning on his face.  Then his
expression quickly sombered.
     I read his thoughts.  "Are you thinking what I am thinking,
Jebb?", I asked.
     He answered with one word.
     "Vampire"
     Now you must realize that this was the suspicion of two scared
people, most likely a suspicion.  But it all made sense: Malachie's
request, no, demand for a room in the basement, the charm he
exuded, and his pale white skin.
     I knew one way to confirm my suspicions.  I went over to the
innkeeper.  "Kiren, me lass!  It is nice to see you again this
evening", he said upon seeing me.  "I take it you came back for the
rest of the supplies?"
     "Yes, Davren, but I have a question for you."
     "All right, me lass, lets take care of your supplies, then you
can ask away.  You know how we get talking and forget about
everything".  His eyes widened, as if remembering something he
forgot.  "Ah yes, there is one thing missing from the supplies.
Someone went and bought all the garlic on me before I could get my
hands on it.  The assistant cook sold it all to that Malachie
character."
     "What?", I asked, horrified.
     "Well, it's no big deal, is it?  After all, it's only a couple
of cloves 'a garlic.  I don't know of any of yer cure all medicines
that have garlic in 'em."  He hesitated for a moment, then
scratched his head.  "You know, that Malachie character was pretty
funny about it, too, so the cook told me.  He said that Malachie
didn't want to see the stuff, and he asked fer it to be put in two
large sacks, and wrapped up tight.  It's almost as if the smell or
somethin' bothered him, don't yer know?"
     "Davren", I said hurriedly.  "I'm going to ask you one
question, and I want you to answer this as accurately as possible.
Have you seen Malachie any time during the daylight hours?"
     Davren thought about it for a minute or two.  "Lessee, he came
in last night, all late and everythin', he drank like a fish until
dawn, and went to bed.  No, no, I haven't seen him since then.
It's only gotten dark just now, and I haven't seen him yet, so no,
he hasn't been seen during the daylight hours."  He stopped and
scratched his head.  "Wait.  Now that I be thinkin' about it, he
went to bed before dawn.  He was talkin to Nikki all night,
although she had fallen asleep long before."  He frowned.  "You
know, it was right after dawn, when we went to open the stables up,
that we found Nikki, anyway.  When Malachie went to bed, Nikki
wasn't around."  He stopped abruptly.  "Oh my Gods", he breathed.
Turning to me, he said, "you don't think he k-", he broke off, not
wanting to say the word.
     I finished it for him,  "Yes, I think he killed her.  And
what's more, I think he isn't human."
     "What ever are yer talkin' about?", replied Davren, a
quizzical look on his face.  "If he ain't human, then what in the
Helleshorn is he?"
     "Exactly", I said.  "Put two and two together, Davren.
Garlic.  He only comes out at night.  Nikki found at the stables,
bled completely white.  Have you looked at her teeth?  They are
sharp, like fangs." I paused, to let that sink in.  "Vampires,
Davren.  We've got vampires running around Thalis."
     "Oh, come on Kiren", growled Davren,  "you have ter be kiddin'
me.  Vampires?  That's just a children's horra' story"
     "You want me to prove it?", I demanded.  "Where is Nikki's
body?  I want to see it."
     Davren paused for a few minutes, thinking it over.  "All
right", he said finally.  "But if yer wrong, I'm a'gonna have yer
committed!"  He motioned for me to follow him into one of the
unused rooms.
     Pausing at the door, he retrieved a key from within his tunic,
and thrust it through the lock on the closed door.  Opening it, he
turned around to me "I kept it locked, so no one would have their
digestion interrupted by the sight of a dead body.  She's been
there all day, and probably is starting to smell a little.  Better
that we keep her separate from the other people."  And he pushed
the door open.
     The first thing I noticed was that the temperature of the room
was very chilly.  "That's strange" mused Davren.  "I lit a candle
in here this morning, as well as a fire.  Both of them must have
gone out, but I don't see how.  This room is airtight."
     Moving over to the candelabra, Davren lit the candles once
again.  The room was bathed in a faint light.  Looking over to the
bed, I gasped.
     The bed was empty, and the window next to it was open.
Crossing over to the bed, I noticed tiny shards of glass covered
the bed.  Looking past the bed, I saw that the great mirror over
the dresser had been shattered.
     "If I remember my foolklore right", I said, "We have a vampire
on our hands.  Now we have two", I said, motioning to the mirror.
Davren saw it and nodded.
     "It has to be.  No one else can get into this room but me.
That window was locked from the inside.  It had to have been Nikki.
She must be out there, somewhere.  Vampires have to eat."  He
stopped, and his face drained of color.  "Jebb!"
     "What?", I said.  "What about him?"
     "She'll most likely go to him next.  He was, after all, her
lover."
     "But Jebb's right here!", I replied.  "If she comes in, we can
protect him.  Do you have any kind of talisman, holy symbol?"
     "I have a small religious item, that will do.  But there is a
problem", responded the innkeeper.  "I gave Jebb the rest of the
night off.  I figured he needed it."
     "Good Gods!", I exclaimed.  "We need to get to his home, to
warn him!"
     "Right", agreed Davren.  We both rushed out of the room.
Pausing in the kitchen, Davren retrieved a little vial of clear
fluid.  When I asked what it was, he responded "It's holy water,
the sacred milk of Cassandra, the Goddess of the hearth.  It should
be good enough to fend off a vampire"
     "But you can only use it once!" I protested.  "Once the water
is gone, that will be it!"
     "Ah, but I will not need to use the water.  The vial itself is
blessed from its contact with the water.  All I need to do is hold
out the vial, and it will be like a holy symbol to them.  They
should shrink in fear from the vial itself."  He thrust the vial
into his tunic and raced for the door.
     I followed him out, and we ran a mad dash down the streets to
Jebb's small hut, in one corner of the village.  The house was
dark.  "This is not a good sign", I whispered to the innkeeper.  He
nodded back at me and went up to the door.
     Knocking on the door, he called out "Jebb? It's Davren.  Can
I come inside and talk?"
     There was no answer.  He tried twice more, then I tried doing
the same thing.
     "I guess he's not home", said Davren.  He jiggled the latch to
make sure that it was locked, and succeeded in opening the door.
We stepped into the hut, and lit a candle.
     Jebb was lying on his pallet, as if asleep.  Only his eyes
were open, and he had a large smile on his face.  I went to feel
his throat to see if life beat there.  That was when I noticed the
wound on his neck.
     "Davren!", I hissed.  He came over and held the candle closer
so I could see more clearly.  There were two clean punctures, right
where I would have felt for a beating.  As we watched, the two
wounds slowly faded away, until the skin was once again whole.
     "We have got to get out of here", said Davren hurriedly.  "He
may wake up any second."
     "But Nikki didn't wake up until dark!", I said.  Then I caught
myself.  "Of course.  They can't come out during the day.  So she
had to wait.  You did her a favor by putting her in that room,
Davren."
     Davren sighed.  "Nay, she would have found her way in somehow.
Most likely the same way she got out.  We had best get out of here
into a safe place.  Most likely, Nikki will be coming back for her
lover.  And he won't refuse, either."
     We left the hut, closing the door tightly behind us.
     "But why?", I asked, bewildered.  "He knew she had become a
vampire.  Why did he give in to her?"
     "I don't know", replied Davren, after a thought.  "I think the
lure was just too strong.  You were attracted to Malachie, weren't
you?".  I nodded.  "If you were attracted to Malachie, just think
how much of an effect Nikki would have on a Jebb, a man who has
loved her for years.  He probably went willingly."
     "And Nikki was probably too weak-minded in the first place",
I added bitterly, "and Malachie probably had no problem whatsoever
winning Nikki over.  She always did respond well to flattery"
     "She won't anymore", replied Davren, with a grimace.  "You had
best go home, and see that your family is safe.  It will get real
bloody before too long"
     I agreed with that, for I was deeply worried about my family,
and wanted to be with them, so I kissed Davren good night.  He said
not to worry about the supplies, he would bring them over when he
could.  "You run on home, girl", he said to me, giving me a gentle
shove in the backside.  "I don't want to see you go, too."
     I ran home, and barred the door behind me.  Slowly I explained
everything to my family.  Especially my father, who wanted to know
why I didn't get the supplies.  They were skeptical in the first
few days of all this, until we lost Kerri.  She's out there now, somewhere.
     So we have dug in for these past two weeks, enduring, while
the town has dwindled down to nothingness.  There are scattered
survivors, like us.  I'm sure Davren is holed up, safe with his
vial of Cassandra's milk.  And there are many places in the inn for
people to be safe.  However, the inn has many dark corners, so I
worry about him.  But I am too afraid to go outside and look.
     Now you know what has happened to us.  I think you should
leave, for your own sake.  But if you can rid this town of the
menace of Malachie, then we will be eternally grateful.

========================================================================

           Chapter X: Things that go bump in the night

     The room fell silent.  Kiren looked silently from face to
face, seeing their horrified looks, knowing that she wore the same
on her own visage.  The two travellers exchanged glances.
     "So this world has vampires.", said Robert, looking at Brago
for confirmation.  The troll nodded.
     "I have only run into them in the southlands, myself.  Never
have I heard of such a thing happening this far north.  We must do
something about it.  The king will not be pleased when we tell him
this news."
     "Well, I wasn't worried as much about how this 'king' is going
to take it.", replied Robert sardonically, "What I am worried about
is how we are going to save the lives of the rest of the people in
this town"
     "Most likely there are only a handful left", cut in Kiren,
thankful that the two companions did not think she was suffering
delusions.  "Myself and my family, except for Kerri, who was taken
a few days ago.  Most likely Davren is safe, as well.  He is a
smart man, and should be able to hold his own".  She sighed.
"Other than that, I can only guess who lives still."
     She fell silent again, staring into the embers of the fire.
The old woman got up from her seat, and walked over to Kerin's
silent form.  Bending close, she hugged her daughter.  After a
moment's hesitation, the girl's arms came up to return the hug.
Straightening, the woman spoke.  "It is getting late.  Best we bed
down for the night.  Do not worry, they can not get in unless they
are invited in."  Turning to Robert and Brago, she said, "I am
sorry for what I said earlier.  Mayhap you can save us all.  You
can sleep in here, if you like.  There are blankets aplenty on the
couch, you'll be warm enough."
     Turning to the middle-aged man on the couch, she extended her
hand.  Her husband took it, rose, and they walked out of the living
room, presumably into their bedroom.  The young boy also got up,
and walked past Robert, rubbing his eyes sleepily.  Kerin remained
in front of the fire, unmoving.  Robert stood up, stretched his
legs, and walked over to Kerin.  Looking closely, he saw the streak
of tears running down her cheeks.
     Squatting down so he was at her level, he looked into her
eyes.  They sparkled with the firelight and her tears.  He took her
hands in his and said, "Hey, it's all right.  Brago and I will do
the best we can.  There's no need to cry.  We're going to make
everything better" -Well, we are at least going to try- he thought
to himself.
     The woman peered at him through red-rimmed eyes.  "Do you
think you can stand up against these monsters?", she sniffled.
"And what about Kerri?  Will I never see her again?"
     "You must realize", Robert replied, "That if your younger
sister has truly been taken by these creatures, that she is a dead
woman now.  She may be running around, feeding on innocent people,
but she is living in a dead body.  We will have to kill this
creature she has become, else she will never be in peace."
     "But....But...I could never kill my own sister!", exclaimed
Kerin, the tears starting anew.
     "She is already dead, Kerin.", He took her by the shoulders
and looked into her eyes.  "Would you rather have her damned to
hell by this disease she has?  Right now, she is suffering, and in
pain, because of the need for fresh blood to sustain her dead body.
We need to find her, and let her go.  Once she is really and truly
dead, only then will she be at peace."
     "My gods, I cannot believe I am plotting to kill my own
sister.", replied Kerin, stricken with grief.  "Oh, why did this
ever have to happen to us?"
     She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Robert hesitated for a moment, then rather gingerly put his arms
around her, patting her on the back.  "It's all right", he
whispered.  "Brago and I are here, and we are going to help you".
Brago rumbled an agreement.
     Kerin buried her face in the folds of Robert's cloak, and
pulled him to her, holding on with a death grip.  Robert eased her
head on to his shoulder, and held on, savoring the hug.  He had
forgotten how wonderful a good hug can feel.  It had been three
months or so since he had arrived in this world, and longer since
he had hugged Samantha, so as a result, he had forgotten what it
felt like.  Now he hung on, feeling a warm tingle surge through
him.
     Quickly he realized that he was falling head over heels in
love with this pretty young woman, and he desparately felt the need
to aid her in any way he could.  He stroked her hair, and kept
whispering "It's all right.  Everything is going to be fine", into
her ear, not knowing what else to say.
     Brago stood.  "I am going out for a walk", he declared.  "I
wish to see what we are dealing with".
     Robert's head shot up off of Kiren's shoulder.  "Are you
kidding?", he exclaimed.  "You don't want to go outside now.  It's
dark!"
     "No, it's all right", Brago replied.  "I am quite safe from
these creatures, I assure you."  And he held up a chain around his
neck.  Dangling from the chain was a small silver object that
looked like a rock pick.  "This is the holy symbol of Gunthra, the
troll-goddess, patron to all Guntharks.  She will protect me from
the wrath of the Damned.  I'll report back later, and tell you what
is going on.  Sooner or later, Kerin's sister is going to want to
come home".  With that, he let fall the chain so that the pendant
was showing on the outside of his cloak.  Picking up his cudgel
from the side of the chair, he strode towards the door.
     "Bar the door behind me", was all he said.  Then he was gone.
     Kerin looked up at Robert with frightened eyes.  "Kerri could
come here?  For us?", Robert nodded.
     "After all, she is your sister, and a vampire's previous home
is usually one of the first places they visit.  Or so the folklore
from my world says."
     "From your world", Kerin responded, almost to herself.  She
was silent a moment, lost in thought.  Then:  "You are not from
this world, then?  Not from Felleranth?"
     "No, I am not from this world", answered Robert.  I came
through by means of this hammer at my belt".  The hammer pulsed
once, in recognition.  "I met up with Brago and have been heading
southward, to Senerdell, for three months, now.  I am supposed to
go before the king and show him this hammer, and find out what I'm
supposed to do with it."
     "What was it like, in your world?", asked Kiren, her eyes wide.
     "Well, it's hard to explain, really.  My world is a lot
farther advanced than this one, and life is totally different.  I'm
not sure you would understand, really."
     "Tell me, Robert, did you have a lady in that other world?"
Kiren replied, taking Robert's hand and caressing it.
     "Uh, I did, but it didn't work out.  She....I...we just
weren't right".  Without realizing it, Robert began to babble,
telling Kiren everything about his rocky romance with Samantha.  It
took a few minutes, and Kiren listened attentively throughout, her
hands in his.
     "She wanted to talk, but I realized that I was no longer happy
with her, and hadn't been for some time.  So I left her when I came
over here.  I haven't thought much about her since.  It was only
when you hugged me that I realized that I...missed the feel of an
embrace."  He stopped, realized what he was saying.  A blush spread
over his face.
     Kiren smiled up at him.  Slowly, her arm snaked around his
neck.  Standing on her tiptoes, she slowly moved her head towards
his, while at the same time drawing his head down to meet her
waiting lips.
     The kiss was long and slow, and Robert felt like he was
dissolving in a white hot fire.  He tightened his hold on her, and
felt her squeeze him back, in response.  After a time, they parted.
     "Whew!", exclaimed Robert, staring into her twinkling eyes.
"Where did that come from?"
     "I don't know", she replied, innocently smiling.  "I think we
both wanted it, though".  She reached out a hand and stroked his
cheek.  "Ever since my fiance went out hunting and was gored by a
wild boar, three years ago, I haven't wanted another man.  But now
I see what I have been missing.  I care for you, Robert Havenwood"
     "And I am fond of you as well, Kiren Lachlan", replied Robert,
a slow smile spreading across his face.  "But if I don't bar that
door soon, we are going to be in a lot of trouble".  And he
disengaged himself from Kiren's loving embrace, and went over to
the door.
     Before he reached the door, it swung open of its own accord.
Standing in the doorway was a small girl child, perhaps five years
old.  Robert was struck by the resemblance to Kiren, and deduced
that this must be Kerri, Kiren's younger sister.
     Kiren gave a low cry.  "Kerri!", she exclaimed, rushing over
to the doorway.  Before she could reach her sister, Robert put out
an arm to bar her way.
     "No!", he cried.  "Look closely at her, Kiren.  What do you
see?"  Kiren glanced down at her sister.  She was dressed in the
same smock that Kiren had on, only smaller.  She had the same
ragged shoulder-length red hair, and the same pale blue eyes.
Except her face was bone white, and those eyes were shot through
with streaks of red.
     "Kireeeeeeen", wailed the child-thing.  "I'm cold and hungry.
Let me in, please.  It's me, Kerri.  Don't you recognize me, your
own sister?"  And the thing smiled, revealing the razor sharp
teeth.
     Kiren gasped and shrank back, clinging to Robert.  "Please",
she said to the thing that was her sister, "Please go away".  She
was shivering uncontrollably, and Robert put one arm around her,
protectively.
     "But this is my home!", wailed the Kerri-thing.  "I live here!
I have come home!  Let me in!"
     "Oh gods, Robert.  Make her go away!  Please, get her away
from me!", moaned Kiren, sobs racking her frame.
     "Kiren!", said the vampire suddenly, in a powerful voice.
"Look at me!"
     Kiren's head snapped up, of its own accord, and before she
could control herself, she was staring into her sister's eyes. The
need to obey was too compelling, so powerful was the voice.
     The Kerri-thing's eyes began to glow, the red streaks pulsing
with an evil light.  The glow intensified, and Kiren's shoulder's
slumped, her jaw sagging open, her will completely gone.
     "Let me in", said the vampire, "I command it!"
     "Yes", replied Kiren in a weak voice.  "Come on in, and be welcome".
     The vampire smiled, in triumph.  Baring its teeth in anticipa-
tion, it stepped across the threshold.  It directed its gaze
towards Robert, and Robert abruptly felt the will draining out of
him, like blood through a wound.  The eyes seemed to be getting
wider, so much wider.  He felt as if he would fall into those fiery
pools any minute now.  Behind him, Kerin slumped over, unconscious.
     The burning was intense now.  Robert could feel his flesh
catch fire, as the eyes of the vampire engulfed him.  The vampire
moved past him, to the inert form of Kiren.  Turning towards the
girl, the Kerri-thing broke eye contact with Robert, and he slumped
back against the open door, feeling completely drained.  He felt
sleep rushing up to overtake him.  Dimly, he watched while the
child-thing bent its head to Kiren's exposed throat.
     He was brought back to the real world by a feeling of anger,
steadily mounting.  He grew angrier and angrier, until complete
rage engulfed him.
     "NO!!!!", screamed Robert.  Reaching down to his belt, he tore
the hammer free with a twist of his wrist.  The hammer blazed into
life, and the room was flooded with its emerald green light.
Robert felt infused with raw power, and he reached down with the
other hand and tore the Kerri-thing away from Kiren.  It shrieked
and covered its eyes at the sight of the blazing Vanadurix.
Feeling its way behind itself, it began backing towards the door.
     Robert reached out with the hammer and firmly pressed the
child-thing to the wall.  It shrieked, a sound which nearly
shattered Robert's eardrums.  A foul smoke began to rise from the
body of the thing, and Robert felt his stomach roil as he watched
the vampire begin to decay before his eyes.
     Removing the hammer from the child-thing's torso, Robert
shouted in a thunderous voice, "I revoke the invitation!  Get
out!!"
     The vampire shrieked again, as some mysterious force picked up
its body as if it were a rag doll, and flung it out the door.  As
it hit the ground, it was consumed in the green fire created by
Vanadurix, and it quickly was burned to sulphurous ash.
     Robert watched as the fire spent itself, then closed and
barred the door.  Turning around, he saw that Kiren had still not
moved.  Bending down, he gathered her in his arms.  Looking closely
at his neck, he saw two small punctures, just below the jugular.
     -Oh god-  Quickly he examined the wounds.  They were superfi-
cial, about as serious as being stuck with a thumbtack.  Still, she
had been bitten, and that meant she had some of the evil in her.
But perhaps there was a way to reverse it while it was not serious.

     holding her close, he placed the small end of Vanadurix's head
against the wound.  A foul smoke arose briefly, and Robert heard
sizzling.  Presently, the hammer glowed bright green, then went
dark.  He took the hammer away, and saw that the wound was gone.
Moreover, there was a small silver mark where the wound had been,
a sign that Vanadurix had done its work.
     Putting the hammer down, Robert gently shook Kiren with both
hands.  "Kiren honey, wake up"  Why was she taking so long to wake
up?  He himself had no trouble at all...
     Then he caught himself.  That anger, it must have come from
Vanadurix.  He picked up the hammer once again.  "Thanks, buddy",
he said aloud.  The hammer pulsed, once, in recognition.  Robert
felt a small thrill of satisfaction course through him.  Apparently
this was one of the things the hammer was made for.
     "Wha....who are you talkin' to", mumbled Kiren, trying to sit
up.  Robert held her close, keeping her still while she regained
her strength.
     "Easy now", he said to her softly.  "You need to rest a bit.
You were mesmerized by a vampire.  You need to collect your wits."
     Kiren sat up.  "I'm all right, Robert", she said, still a
little shaky.  "Where did Kerri go?", she added, looking around the
room for a sign of her sister.
     "Kerri is dead, Kiren", replied Robert.  "She was draining
you, and I killed her.  With this", he added, pointing with one
finger to the hammer at his belt.  "I'm sorry I had to kill her,
but it was either that or watch you become one of them"
     "She was draining me....she BIT me?", Kiren asked, frantically
touching herself on the neck.  "I don't feel any punctures", she
said, after thoroughly checking her throat.
     "I healed them.  With this", he said, pointing once again to
the hammer.
     "You are some kind of magician!", she whispered in awe.
     "Not I", responded he.  "This hammer does it all, not me."
     "But some of it has to come from you!", she exclaimed.  "In
Felleranth, magic is more of the wielder's power than it is the
item itself!  You must be a powerful sorceror to produce such a
result from that hammer!"
     "Well, maybe I am", responded Robert.  "But the main thing to
do now is to get some sleep.  I don't know about you, but I am
tired".
     "Aye, I am bushed.  But Robert", she said, a worried look on
her face, "I'm frightened.  What if someone comes for us again
tonight?"
     "Don't worry", replied Robert, holding her close.  "They can't
come in.  I won't let them".  She smiled, and held him tight,
whispering, "Protect me, Robert.  Keep me safe"
     Robert bent his head down and kissed her.  She brought her
hand up and stroked his face.  Robert reached down with a free hand
and drew her closer to him.  Standing up, he carried her over to
the couch by the fire, and placed her on it.  Sitting down beside
her, he looked into her eyes and stroked her on the cheek.  She
reached out and undid his cloak, a mischievous smile playing about
her face.  They had some trouble with the armor, finally balling it
up and shoving it under the couch.  Then she began removing his
flannel shirt.
     She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the rust stains on his
flannel shirt.  "You smell like an ironworks", she said with a
giggle.  Robert merely shrugged his shoulders and helped her undo
the buttons on his shirt.  Shortly, the shirt came off, and she
moved down and undid his belt.
     Before long, Robert was near naked, while Kiren was still
fully clothed.  "My turn", said Robert, and he tugged the smock off
of her.  She was naked except for a loincloth underneath.  Robert
smiled and drew her to him.  They kissed passionately, while Kiren
removed the last of their clothing and pulled Robert down on top of
her.  Grabbing a blanket off of the top of the couch, they covered
themselves, and were soon lost in each other's embrace.
     Some time later, a very exhausted couple dropped off into a
deep sleep.  And for the first time in two weeks, Kiren did not
dream.

========================================================================

                  Chapter XI: The Morning After

     A ray of sunlight touched the sleeping village of Thalis.  It
slowly crept over the rows of thatched roof huts, winking through
windows and flitting between drawn curtains.  It fell upon the face
of the unsuspecting Robert, who stirred wearily and opened one eye.
Looking around him, he abruptly remembered where he was, and sat
up.
     He lay on the couch in Kiren's hut, in front of the hearth.
The fire had been built up again at one point and now it burned
merrily away, casting warmth into Robert's aching limbs.  He
smiled, remembering the previous night's escapade with the more
than willing young beauty.  Kiren had sure been a bundle of energy!
He had slept eight or nine hours, judging by the level of the sun,
and he was still exhausted!  Well, nothing a hot bath couldn't fix.
He started to rise, then remembered he was still unclothed; no
sense putting clothes back on after lovemaking, especially if all
you were going to do was sleep.
     He leaned back, and put his arms behind his head, relaxing in
the warmth of the sun.  He'd get up later.  For now, he wanted to
relax.  He wondered where Brago was and what he had been up to the
previous night.  Out fighting vampires, for certain.  He figured
the troll would be all right on his own, there weren't too many
monsters alive foolish enough to mess with a troll.
     He was starttled out of his reverie by the swish of cloth.  He
looked around to spy Kiren coming through the doorway from the
bedrooms.  She flashed him a smile and came over to sit on the
couch.  Robert hauled her in for a kiss and she responded with some
of the vigor she had shown the previous night.
     "Hey, wait a minute", Robert said, when he managed to break
free.  "I'm still recovering from LAST night."
     She giggled.  "Oh?  Did I tire out the mighty warrior so
easily?  You will need to be a lot stronger than that to fight the
vampires."  She abruptly sobered, remembering her sister.
     Robert gathered her close and hugged her.  "It's going to be
all right, Kiren.  Your sister is better off now than she was last
night.  She is now free from the pain."  It was a pretty lame
response, but Robert couldn't think of anything better to say.
     But it was enough for Kiren.  She managed a small smile and
hugged Robert harder.  "Don't let the same thing happen to me.
Please, Robert, I'm afraid."
     Robert stroked her hair and whispered into her ear.  "I won't
let them get you.  I promise"
     They were interrupted by the sound of someone, or someTHING,
clearing their throat.  Robert turned towards the sound and was
rewarded by the sight of Brago, leaning on the edge of the couch,
a slight smile on his face.  "I trust you two enjoyed yourselves
last night?", he said, still smiling.
     Robert started to reply with a wise crack, but Kiren beat him
to it.  "You can speak?", she exclaimed, astonished.  "You are
intelligent, for a troll!"
     Brago smiled, showing his tusks.  It was not a pretty sight.
Kiren shrank back against Robert, a worried look on her face.
Robert merely laughed, being used to it.  "Yes, he is very smart.
Not like the average troll.  However, it is not a thing he wishes
to advertise, so keep it down, ok?  Don't worry, he is not going to
eat you.  He's not big on human flesh, either."  Turning to Brago,
"Yes, I did have a good time, but I was forced to kill her sister,
who had become one of them.  Vanadurix here seemed to do the job
quite well.  What about you?"
     Brago came around the couch and plumped down on it.  Robert
moved his legs before they got flattened.  "I am sorry to hear
about your sister, Kiren, but I am afraid I have even worse news.
I went to the inn you spoke of yesterday, to see this Davren
fellow, and see if he needed any help.  I'm afraid there isn't much
left of the inn, apart from vampires.  The inn is full of dark
places for them to hide, and they were out in full force, patrol-
ling.  I think that if this Davren isn't a vampire already, he will
be soon.  He must be holed up in there, waiting for daylight.  But
if required, a vampire can remain awake beyond dawn, if they remain
in the dark.  Seeing as the only source of light at the inn is
candles, which can be readily extinguished, they could easily
ambush him and trap him.  I fended off a few with this", at which
point he held up his little rockpick, "And managed to kill many of
them with this."   He held up his steel-shod mace.  Robert noticed
for the first time that the handle tapered to a sharp point, and
was covered with a black sticky substance.  "The vampires I killed
were newly undead, so they still have blood left in their body.  If
we were to do the same to this Malachie character, he would dry up
like a well in the desert."
     "But Brago", replied Robert.  "I thought you could only kill
a vampire with a wooden stake.  Your mace is steel.  How did you do
it?"
     "Oh, that", responded Brago.  "My cudgel is steel, 'tis true.
But brush the surface lightly with this holy symbol of Gunthra", he
said, indicating his rockpick, "and it will take out anything
undead.  All you need to do is go over the entire surface once, and
it's good until doomsday.  Or until it is damned or cursed, or
something equal to that.  I blessed this weapon a long time ago, so
it is useful in these situations."
     "I should do the same thing with my hammer!",  exclaimed
Robert, reaching for the weapon.  The hammer pulsed, twice, and
Robert felt a strong feeling of negation.
     "No need", said Brago.  "The Vanadurix already IS a blessed
weapon, one of the Seven, blessed by all of the Gods themselves.
While they are blessed by all of the Gods, there is one chief god
for each artifact, which makes sense when you realize that there
are seven major gods in all.  Your weapon is governed chiefly by
Vanador, the god of light and truth, thus the name Vanadurix, which
stands for Light Hammer.  But I digress.  Seeing as the Gods
themselves have blessed Vanadurix, it is considered a holy weapon,
and will take care of a lesser being, such as a vampire, without
much trouble.  The higher creatures, such as demons and spirits,
will take much more work, and are far harder to kill.  But at any
rate", he said, straightening up, "We should be able to handle the
vampires here.  My only worry is being overwhelmed by strength of
numbers."  Robert could only agree.
     Kiren broke in.  "Then that means you ARE a holy man!", she
exclaimed.  "All holy men of Saris carry hammers, but YOU carry THE
hammer of Saris!  You are technically his high priest!"
     "Uh, right", said Robert, not sure what to say.  He certainly
didn't FEEL like a holy man, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be
one, given the circumstances of holy men back on earth.  For one,
he had already violated the celibacy rule, and had every intention
of violating it again.  -I hope this Saris, or Vanador, or whatever
he is called is an understanding god-, he thought to himself.  "We
can talk about this later.  For now, I want to talk about this
vampire problem we have here".  Turning to Brago, he continued,
"Did you go to the inn?"
     "Yes, I went to the inn, to see if I could find help.
Unfortunately", the troll went on, "I was unable to locate Davren,
or any hired hand at the inn, for that matter.  The place was
crawling with vampires.  I think I caught a glimpse of that
Malachie character, he was seated in a big easy chair in front of
the fireplace, talking to a human female, with long blond hair.
She seemed to be enraptured by his glance, which was how I guessed
that it was him.  He seemed to have an air of command about him."
     "That female was Sannin, one of my best friends", said Kiren
after a pause.  "She was the most beautiful girl in the village,
and we all envied her.  But we never bore any ill will.  She was
the one we all thought would be able to make her way to bigger and
better things, somewhere outside of this crummy little town.  Now
she probably sleeps beside Malachie, waiting for nightfall."  She
fell silent, her head down.
     "This village will be as good as dead in another week or so",
declared Brago.  "I have seen this happen before.  There is nothing
we can do to stop them.  Oh yes, we may kill a few of them", he
said after noticing Robert's startled glance, "but they will
eventually overwhelm us.  The best we can do is to burn this town
to the ground, and hope we can stop them from spreading to the
surrounding farm areas.  I'm sorry, Kiren", he said, glancing over
to the downcast girl, "But there is nothing more that can be done."
     "No!", shouted Robert.  "I refuse to believe that!  We can get
them during the day!  When they sleep!  They can't hide forever!
We've got to!"  He jumped up off of the couch and grabbed his
hammer where he had dropped it a few minutes earlier.  Turning to
his friends, he spoke.  "If we start now, while they are still
tired from the long night, we can get an edge on them!  We must
stop them!  We must...", he broke off, realizing that he was
standing in front of a couch, with no clothes on, waving a hammer.
Kiren was giggling openly, and Brago was trying hard not to smile.
Sheepishly, he grabbed the blanket off of the couch and wrapped it
around himself, trying to look dignified.  "There, that's better.
Now where was I?", he asked, casting a warning eye on the giggling
Kiren.
     "I see you will not believe me, my friend", replied Brago,
sadly.  "I will have to explain it in greater detail.  Like I said
about the inn, vampires can remain awake after dawn in emergencies.
I believe having a hammer pounding on you would constitute an
emergency, especially a hammer blessed by the Gods.  You would kill
a few, but then the rest would fall upon you and overwhelm you by
sheer force.  I will not try to stop you, but I want to tell you
now, I do not want to see you with longer teeth, nor do I want to
see you dead.  I am saying this as a friend, not to make you feel
like a fool.  We will have to do this carefully, not by rushing out
and swinging Vanadurix at everything that moves".  And indeed this
was true, for the hammer was throbbing agreement in Robert's hand.
He looked around at everyone, and sheepishly apologized.
     "All right.  I'm sorry for acting like a fool.  We'll have to
do it your way.  But you can't blame me for trying."
     "Not at all, my clever friend", said Brago.  "But first we
must have some breakfast.  Kiren, where do you keep your pots and
pans?  I will cook for you a feast!  Get the rest of your family up
too, it's the least we can do to pay for lodging."
     "He can COOK, too?", Kiren asked Robert, pointing a finger at
the troll.  "What else can this guy do?"
     "You don't want to know", answered Robert.  "TRUST me".
     They all sat down to breakfast, which was silent, for the most
part.  Robert kept exchanging glances with Kiren, who seemed to be
recovering her good humor, in spite of her sister's death.  Kiren's
mother saw him watching her daughter, and frowned slightly.  Robert
glanced over her way, saw her expression, and realized that she
probably had an idea of what went on last night between the two
lovers.  Kiren's father seemed to be oblivious to the whole thing,
although he did smile when Robert glanced his way.  The little
brother no longer held Robert in awe, as he had the day before, but
he saw the couple exchange glances, and snickered into the rough
tablecloth.  The old woman glared at him sharply, but Robert had to
laugh quietly, it was no use keeping secrets from this crowd!  They
were too observant.
     Kiren's mother was amazed at the quality of the cooking, and
said as much to Brago, who bowed to her with a flourish.  "My
pleasure, madam".  She sat back in amazement, and before she got a
chance to comment on his intelligence, Robert beat her to it,
saying "Yes, he's an intelligent troll.  Pass the syrup, please."
     In due course, they finished breakfast and Robert helped clean
up afterward.  "I have to pay for my bed", Robert explained when
the old woman moved to wash the dishes.  "This is the least I can
do to show my thanks".  And with that he took the towel from her
fingers and started washing.
     After the dishes had been washed, and the kitchen area cleaned
up, Robert, Brago, and Kiren sat down at the now cleared table to
discuss their plans for stopping the vampire horde.
     Brago was first.  "I have been out among them the previous
night, as you know, and I have seen what they have done and what
they are capable of doing.  There are less than half of your
villagers left that have not been converted, and the numbers are
shrinking fast as more and more vampires are created.  Every
vampire must feed every night, and they are starting to kill each
other to keep their numbers down.  I saw a middle-aged woman
clawing at the throat of what presumably was her husband, to keep
him from taking her victim from her.  The man died, as did the
victim, which was killed after the woman had fed.  I saw all three
of these people yesterday morning when we rode into town, chatting
merrily with one another.  Now all but one of them is dead, and
most likely someone else will take the woman out tonight, for much
the same reason.  Also", he paused, turning to Robert,  "You are
not going to like this, Robert".  He took a deep breath.  "Both of
our horses are dead."
     Robert was stunned.  He hadn't given any thought to them at
all.  "How were they killed?"
     "They were slaughtered, Robert.  Their throats had been cut
and they had been eviscerated as they lay dying in their traces.
I took the liberty of burying them.  There wasn't much left of the
packs to salvage.  I'm afraid we have lost a lot of food."
     "It was a good thing I brought my backpack inside", replied
Robert.  "I don't know what we would have done if that was stolen.
But I should have done something!  Damn me for being a fool!  We
should have stabled them at the inn!"
     "That would not have done any good, my friend", answered Brago
softly.  "All the horses at the inn were killed in the same way.
There was nothing we could do for them."
     "And I am sick of hearing 'there is nothing we can do' all the
time!  There has to be something!", retorted Robert, angrily.
     "We can take some of them out", replied Brago.  "But we don't
dare go into the inn.  They have almost surely posted guards, and
will catch anyone who tries to kill Malachie.  They will be
fanatically loyal to the Master, it is always that way.   We will
have to restrict ourselves to the huts around here, more for this
family's protection than anything else.  Although", Brago said,
turning to Kiren, "I suggest you pack up and leave this town.  You
have already lost one family member, you dare not lose any more.
You are a luckier group than most.  Most huts in town are gutted.
No one needs all of their homes anymore.  They all live in the
cellars".
     "Cellars", Robert gasped, a horrible realization dawning upon
him.  Whirling, he turned to Kiren.  "Does this hut have a
cellar?", he asked frantically.
     "Why yes, we do", responded Kiren.  "We use it to keep stores
and preserve food and water.  I didn't even think of it as a hiding
place for vampires!"
     "Is there any way to reach it from the outside?"  asked Brago,
leaning forward intently.
     "Yes, there is a small trap door around back.  But it is
locked, and my father has the only key.  It is quite safe."
     "You're forgetting that to a vampire, a lock is as much of an
inconvenience as a candle is to a glacier.  A vampire will be able
to rip that lock off like paper.  We had better check it out",
replied Robert, one hand coming to rest on the haft of Vanadurix.

     They agreed, and stood up from the table.  Kiren grabbed a
lantern from over the hearth and Robert and Brago hefted their
weapons.  Together they went out the front door into the morning
sunshine.  It felt good on their faces, but they were nervous
nonetheless.  The weather was nice and warm, and the whole
atmosphere was one of a Sevenday picnic.  Still, there was
something misleading about the calm ambience of the village, as if
something were missing.  Robert thought about it and realized what
it was.  The streets were bare.  Not a soul was to be found.  It
seemed like a ghost town.
     Kiren led the three around to the back of the hut, where a
small trap door lay shut against the ground.  The lock was intact.

     "See?  no problem", Kiren said triumphantly.  Robert wasn't
sure.  Moving closer to the door, he prodded the lock with the tip
of the hammer.  The lock abruptly fell apart into halves, the
hidden breaks evident.  Robert bent down and picked up one half.
It had been twisted around like clay.  He showed this to the other
two, who nodded solemnly.
     "Whoever did this was very strong and VERY clever", said
Robert.  "He or she made it look like the lock was intact.  You
would have gone past it for days without noticing it.  And since
you have plenty of supplies in the hut, you wouldn't need to go
down there for quite some time".  He tossed the broken half of the
lock in the air and let it fall on the ground.  It struck the other
half with a dull -clunk-.  "My only question is:  How did he or she
manage to make the lock look that way AFTER entering the cellar?
It's hard to close a lock from the outside when you are inside, let
alone LOCK it".
     It was Brago who responded.  "There must have been two of
them.  One of them stayed behind and closed the lock, while the
other went inside and slept.  I am willing to bet that the other
one is at the inn".
     "Well, no sense waiting around.  We know there is someone in
there", answered Robert.  Bending down, he seized an iron ring set
in the center of the trap door, and pulled.  The trap door opened
with a rusty squeal to reveal a ladder leading downwards.
     Motioning for Kiren to stay above, Robert went down the
ladder, follwed by Brago.  After a moment, Kiren handed down the
lantern.  Robert took it and looked around.
     The cellar was mostly empty.  Piled up against the far wall
were sacks bulging with flour and other foodstuffs.  Casks of water
were stacked neatly next to the sacks.  Over in one corner lay a
grain bin, roughly eight feet long and three feet wide.
     "That looks like a good place for a vampire to hide", said
Robert, motioning towards the grain bin.  Brago nodded agreement
and they moved over towards the corner, hands on their respective
weapons.
     The bin was covered by a wooden lid.  Robert got on one side,
Brago on the other, and they lifted the board off of the bin.
Gently placing it on one side of the wooden box, they straightened
up, and Robert shone the lantern into the bin.  The light reflected
off of a smooth, unbroken sea of grain.  It looked undisturbed.
     "Well, he might be in there, but I aint reaching down to find
out", remarked Robert to Brago.  "What do you think we should d-"
     He never got to finish his sentence, as he was too busy paying
attention to the hand that had risen out of the bin and which was
now attached to his throat.  He stared down at the hand, and his
eyes bulged with the pressure.  "Brago!" he wheezed.  "Help me!"
     The troll moved to help him, and at the same time, the body
attached to the hand moved suddenly upward, grain exploding
everywhere.  The man, or what was left of him, was tall and thin,
but possessed an enormous strength.  His eyes burned with pools of
fire, as Kiren's sister's had.  With one hand he drew the now
helpless Robert down towards his waiting mouth, with the other he
brushed the hair away from Robert's throat.
     Robert screamed.  He tried to bring the hammer up to bear, but
the man-thing moved with lightning speed and grabbed his arm.  The
man-thing's nails bit into Robert's skin, and he shrieked as his
whole arm went numb.  The hammer tumbled from unfeeling fingers.
     Brago moved into stance and took a swing at the man-thing.
His studded mace caught the thing on the side of the head and took
a good chunk of flesh with it.  The man-thing turned towards Brago
and swatted him away as one would swat a fly.  Brago flew back
against the stone wall of the foundation, and crumpled to the
ground, the wind completely knocked out of him.  The man-thing
resumed his grip on Robert's neck, and Robert felt the vampire's
cold breath on his skin.  Terrified, he waited for the prick of
fangs into his jugular vein.
     All at once, he was falling.  He slumped to the ground,
wondering how long it would take to become one of them, his fingers
going to his throat.  With a start, he realized that his skin was
unbroken.  Why, then, had the vampire not bitten him?  He looked up
to see what was going on.
     The vampire seemed to be on fire.  He was dancing madly about,
trying to put out the flames.  Robert looked around wildly, trying
to sort this out in his head.  He spied Kiren standing away from
the vampire, casting aside the broken remnants of the lantern.  She
had, apparently, busted the monster upside the head with it.  And
from the looks of it, she had done a good job.
     The vampire was now rolling on the ground, succeeding at last
in putting out the horrible flames.  He regained his feet, and
stared out at Kiren.  Most of his face was gone.  Only his eyes
remained, burning with their terrible fire.  And his teeth as well,
stained now with his own blood.  "Now you will burn in Helleshorn
as well, mortal girl!", the man-thing screamed, with a voice like
the hinges on the trap door.  "After I drain you, I will tear you
into tiny pieces and feed you to this man, here!", he indicated
Robert with one blackened hand.  He started towards Kiren, who was
backing away.  She bumped into the wall, and held her hands out, as
if to ward the thing off.
     The vampire moved closer, then screamed in agony, looking down
at the steel spike protruding from his chest.  Brago had regained
consciousness and had put his mace to work.  The creature reached
down to pull the cruel weapon out of his body.
     Robert rubbed at his numb hand, and crawled over to where his
hammer lay, glowing faintly.  Picking it up with his left hand, he
steadied himself with his right, and slowly regained his feet.
Moving slowly towards the creature, he wiggled his right arm a
little to try and shake some sense into it.
Meanwhile, Brago was trying to get close to his mace for the coup
de grace, but the creature was warding him off with sweeps of his
mighty arms.  He still strained to pull the spike out of his body,
but could not, as he could not reach that far around his back.
Robert stood up fully and held the hammer over his head with both
hands.  In a loud voice, he bellowed:  "In the name of Vanador, get
you from this place!  Go back to Helleshorn where you belong!"  And
he brought the hammer crashing down towards where the man thing
stood.  The vampire raised both hands up to catch the descending
hammer, and Robert abruptly changed his stroke, whirling the hammer
around in an arc instead.  The hammer flew towards the creature's
back and struck Brago's mace squarely in the head.  The steel head
of the weapon was driven almost entirely into the body of the
creature, and a radiant emerald green light flowed through the
hammer and into the mace.  The light coursed through the body of
the creature, and the vampire screamed in agony, its yells turning
to bubbling moans.  The fire consumed the vampire, and then was
gone, only a trace of ash remaining to show where the monster had
once been.
     Brago stood silently over the ash, astounded at what he had
just seen.  Retrieving his weapon where it had fallen once the body
that held it had disintegrated, he noticed that it was free of any
traces of blood.  The fire that had consumed the monster had also
cleaned his mace.  Turning to Robert, he held up the now-clean
weapon.  "Do you realize what we have just discovered?", he
exclaimed.  "You carry the hammer; I carry the stake!  We are a
pair meant to be!  It is destiny!"
     "Yes!  YES!!", replied Robert.  "Apart, we are a force to be
reckoned with, 'tis true.  But together, we are damn near invinci-
ble!  I am the hammer, you are the anvil!  And anything coming
between us will be crushed!"  He sobered.  "But we are still fairly
ineffective against large numbers, aren't we?"
     "Unfortunately, Robert", answered Brago.  "But we are stil
powerful, and we must mention this to the king when we get to
Senerdell.  In the mean time", he said, turning to Kiren, "who was
this man?  Did you know him?"
     "I knew practically every one in town", answered Kiren.  "This
was Jebb, the other man in the story I told you last night.  What
confuses me is where was his wife?  She wasn't really his wife, but
she was close enough.  She should be with him".
     "Because she was Malachie's first victim here, she probably
has some special value to him.  She is probably keeping company
with the Master, along with all of the other women he has taken",
replied Brago.  "He may come for you, Kiren.  You are a pretty
woman, as far as humans go, and he seems to have a good eye for
them."
     "I agree, replied Robert.  I do not want to see you become
another plaything of this Malachie character.  We better go warn
the others, that we could have vampires in our basement from now
on".  He went over to the ladder and climbed up and out, eager to
be in the light once more.  The hammer throbbed agreement at his
side, and Robert felt a feeling of pure joy when at last he was in
the light once again.  "Thought I might never see you again", he
remarked to the shining sun.
     Brago followed, and finally Kiren.  Shutting the trapdoor, she
turned to the others.  "How can we keep them from entering here
again?", she asked.
     Robert walked over to the trap door again.  "I have an idea",
he said.  Placing the hammer flat on the closed door, he straight-
ened and spoke in a loud voice, "Spirits!  Depart this place!  And
come ye never back again!  In other words, get the fuck out of
here!  Cram it, Jack!  Push off!"  He stopped, aware that the
others were staring at him.  "Uh...", he said.
     Brago looked at him for a moment and shook his head.  Kiren
did likewise.  Then both turned towards the hammer lying on the
trap door.  It was glowing faintly, and the door was sparkling.
Slowly smoke begain to rise from the door, dissipating as it did
so.  Presently the smoke stopped and the door flashed brightly
once, then darkened.  Robert went over to the hammer and picked it
up.  It felt warm and good in his hand.  "Think that will do it,
Vanadurix?", he asked.  The hammer throbbed sharply, once.  "Good",
he replied.  Turning to the others, "I think that will do it", he
said.  The others only shook their heads.  "All right, so I was a
little crude, but so what?  I felt it was appropriate".
     "Uh huh", replied Brago, and said no more about it.  Then the
three went back around to the front of the house, and went inside.

========================================================================

                     Chapter XII: Lights Out

     When all three of them were inside, Robert closed the door
behind them.  "I have some questions", he began, sitting down on
the couch, in front of the fireplace.  "Kiren, you referred to the
god of light and virtue as Saris, yet Brago, you referred to the
same god as Vanador.  How can this be?"
     "I will answer your question, Robert", Brago rumbled, taking
a seat beside him.  Coming over to join them, Kiren sat down in
between the two, slipping one slim arm about Robert's waist.  "The
actual name of the god is Saris in the common speech.  However, the
Guntharks and other non-human races, such as the Dolgin and the
Druidim, or the dwarves and the elves, respectively, prefer to call
the gods by their titles, using the high speech.  Thus we call
Saris by the title Vanador, or Light-Lord.  Similarly, we call
Cassandra, the goddess of the hearth and home, and all things
domestic, by the title Anather, or Lady of the Tapestry.  Indeed,
this other artifact that was found, the Anaethra, the Tapestry of
Life, is the artifact of this goddess, as life is one big tapestry.
You will meet the person who found it when we get to Senerdell."
     "IF we get to Senerdell, you mean", replied Robert.
     "Do not worry, we will reach it in good time.  Nothing can
stop us if we set our minds to it", answered Brago.
     "Well, I hope you won't mind if I am a little skeptical about
that", responded Robert, doubt in his eyes.  Brago only smiled and
nodded.  "Now, I have another question".  They waited expectantly.
"Has anyone seen Claudius?"
     Silence greeted him.  "I had completely forgotten about our
furry companion", replied Brago after a time.  "We must find him,
before he becomes prey to a hungry vampire".
     "You're damn right we'd better!", replied Robert with some
heat.  Jumping up off of the couch, he paused to retrieve his armor
from underneath, where it had been left the previous night.
Donning his suit, he thought to himself, -If I had remembered to
put it on before we checked out the basement, I might not have this
sore throat.-  Ruefully, he rubbed at the skin beneath his jaw,
remembering the hand that had gripped him there.  The skin was all
red and inflamed from abrasion, but otherwise all right.  Picking
up his hammer, he once again opened the front door, and rushed out,
calling the tabby's name.
     Following Robert out the door, Kiren and Brago picked up the
call, and for fifteen minutes they searched the surrounding area
around the Lachlan hut.  Finally, they were rewarded with the sight
of a small furry lump in the shadow of a deserted hut.  Rushing
over to the lump, Robert bent down and stared closely at it.
     It was the tabby, or had been.  The cat was curled up limply
in a ball, his head lying limply on the ground.  Robert gasped and
touched the tabby's bloodstained fur.  It was slightly warm to the
touch, so the cat could not have been dead very long.  Rolling
Claudius over, Robert saw the long, deep gashes that ran up and
down the length of the tabby's underbelly. "Claudius", he said
bitterly, tears forming in his eyes.  With one hand, he reached up
to stroke the tabby's soft head.
     Claudius's eyes opened slightly.  A small meow issued itself
from between the cat's jaws.  "He's alive!", Robert exclaimed,
gathering the cat in his arms.  Weakly, the tabby licked at
Robert's cheek with his sandpaper tongue, now slimy with his blood.
     "Alive, but not for very long", rumbled Brago, eyes downcast.
"Whatever got to him got to him good.  Look at the marks around
him, Robert.  The gods alone know how long he was trying to crawl
back to the hut.  It looks as if his hind legs are completely
paralyzed; judging by the marks in the dirt, I would say he has
been dragging himself with his front paws".
     Looking at the cat's front paws, Robert saw they were bloody,
the claws all broken off close to the pads, as if they were ripped
out from clawing at something.  Mingled in with the blood were
chunks of dirt, making Robert believe that what Brago surmised was
true.  Cradling Claudius in his arms, he noticed that the cat's
breathing was getting weaker, and he realized that the cat was
slipping, fast.
     "We have got to do something for Claudius!", he said to the
other two.  "I can't let him suffer like this!"
     "Then you would be advised to let him die, then", answered the
troll, obviously not liking what he was saying.  "He is obviously
in a lot of pain."
     "But I don't want him to die, either!  Isn't there something
that can be done?"  Robert paused.  "Wait.  The hammer was used
once before to heal Kiren.  Perhaps it can do the same with
Claudius".  Putting the tabby gently down, he stroked the wet fur
with one hand while pulling Vanadurix out with the other.  The
tabby did not respond, it had lost consciousness once more.
     Holding the hammer in both hands now, Robert tried to empty
his mind of all thought.  It wasn't easy.  One of the hardest
things in the world to do is to actively NOT think of something,
and Robert did not want any thoughts of destruction in his head
when he was trying to heal.
     After a minute, he lowered his hands, and gently placed the
hammer on the deep gashes in Claudius's belly.  The hammer glowed
faintly, and the gashes healed, but there was no sign of life from
Claudius.  Bending close, Robert tried to discern any breathing
pattern, but the body did not move.
     Moving the hammer up to the area where he thought the cat's
heart was, Robert tried again, concentrating harder.  This time, he
was more successful.  A bright flash came from the hammer: once,
twice, settling into a rythym.  Robert recognized it as a heart-
beat, slowly quickening, the pulses of light growing stronger.  He
heard a loud buzzing sound, and then realized it was the cat's
purring.  Bending closer to the cat, he was rewarded by the tabby's
sandpaper tongue flicking the tip of his nose.  He stepped back,
wiping his nose off, and removed the hammer from where it was
bearing down on the tabby's chest.  The cat struggled to stand,
couldn't.  Robert gently brushed the hammer across all four of the
tabby's legs and paws, and the claws grew back, razor sharp.
Brushing his face with the hammer caused the whiskers to grow out
and the blood to disappear from around his mouth.
     Gradually, Robert went over the cat's whole body with the
hammer, until at last Claudius was fully healed.  But one thing was
different.  Where the cat had once been brown, now there were
streaks of silver in his fur, another sign that Vanadurix had made
its presence felt.  Personally, Robert thought it improved the
tabby's appearance.
     Straightening up, Robert smiled at the other two.  "All right,
I have successfully saved the afterlife from one ornery cat.  Now
what?"
     "Seeing as we are outside already, we might as well survey the
damage caused and see if we can't take care of some of the lone
cases", replied Brago, looking around him.
     Kiren agreed that this was a good idea, but Robert declined.
"Wait", he said.  "I want to go back to the hut first, to get a few
things.  But then we can come back and do what Brago suggested".
     They all agreed to this, and a few minutes later found them
back in the same spot they had found Claudius.  The cat they had
safely ensconced back at the hut.  Robert wanted no more danger to
come to his feline friend, and the cat needed to regain lost
strength, which the hammer could not do.  The best remedy for that
was sleep, which Claudius was now doing, curled up on the couch in
front of the fire.
     Robert paused to look at the items he had grabbed from his
pack:  five wooden tent stakes, a cylalume lightstick (the kind
that glows in the dark when you break it), a hank of rope, and his
water bottle.  Setting these items down, he ran the hammer over the
length of the tent stakes and the water bottle.  The items glowed
as he blessed them, and remained glowing faintly when he broke
contact.  Surprised by this, Robert looked at Brago for an
explanation.
     "There is an evil creature present", Brago explained, pointing
to the hut nearby.  "Blessed items glow in the presence of evil".
He indicated the rockpick hung about his neck.  It was also
glowing, faintly.
     "That will be useful in the future", Robert replied.  But then
he had a thought.  "But what of the Light Hammer?  Why does it not
glow?"
     "Vanadurix has intelligence, so can mask its feelings at will.
That way, it can be used for stealth as well.  Vampires can see
glows as well as we can, and were they forewarned, it would make
them harder to kill.  With the other items, we do not worry,
because the vampires will be asleep, so will be surprised anyway.
In this case, stealth is not totally necessary", Brago explained.
     "Oh, really?", Robert said, his respect for the hammer ever
increasing.  He looked at the hammer.  "Nice ability, Vanadurix.
You never cease to impress me".  The hammer fluttered faintly with
its green light, and a touch of embarrassment flitted through
Robert's mind.  Vanadurix, it would seem, was blushing.
     -Almost human-, Robert thought to himself.  "Okay", he said to
the others, "Shall we tackle this thing, then?"
     Shouldering their weapons, they walked into the hut.  It was
deserted and looked as if it had been recently broken into.  Items
lay scattered about the room, boxes broken and the contents strewn
all over the floor.  There was nothing large enough to hold a
vampire, even one the size of Kiren's sister.
     Motioning for Brago and Kiren to follow, Robert went outside
and around to the back, where the cellar entrance should be.  The
trap door lay closed, but the lock had been twisted to pieces.  -No
false pretense here!- thought Robert, as he threw back the trap
door.  Climbing down into the gloom, he assisted Kiren as she came
down, and tried not to notice the way he could see all of the way
up her smock.  -Hey, cut that out,- he thought to himself.  -This
is NOT the time for voyeurism.-  One by one, the other two came
down the stairs.  Robert didn't worry about the trap door.  If
someone barred it, he could always smash his way out with the
hammer.
     Visibility was poor here, even with the glowing stakes and
water, so Robert snapped his lightstick and shook it vigorously.
Slowly the stick began to glow, until they could see fairly well.
Kiren's eyes widened in wonder as she took in the lightstick, but
she said nothing.  Together, they looked at the surroundings.
     The cellar was much the same as Kiren's, but nowhere near as
neat.  The grain storage bin lay open, one side ripped completly
off, the contents spilled onto the earthen ground.  Casks lay on
their sides, water gurgling out of them, wasted on the soil below.
Over against one wall was a canvas tarp, spread out over a vaguely
humanoid form.  Robert pointed to it.
     "There's our man", he said.  -Or woman,- he thought to
himself.  The other two nodded, and they moved over to the wall.
Pulling the tarp back, Robert took a good look at the body.  It was
a middle-aged woman, maybe fifty-five years in age.  Brago's
eyebrows lifted in recognition.  "This is the woman I was referring
to this morning", he said softly to Robert.  "But where is her
husband?  What did she do with his remains?"
     Robert searched the rest of the cellar and found them, buried
in what was left of the grain.  The head had been removed and the
body had been bled white, to the point where the skin was withered
beyond any natural occurrance.  Robert could not bear to look at
the staring head, face frozen in a grimace of half-horror, half-
hunger.  He covered the body up again with grain, and rejoined the
others.
     "The husband is buried in the grain", he reported to the other
two.  "No, you don't want to see it", he said to Kiren, restraining
her with his arms when she made as if to move towards the grain
bin.  "Once we take care of the woman, I want to put this house to
the torch.  I will not have some thief come by here and desecrate
that innocent man's remains.  I think he suffered enough already".
Brago nodded agreement.  "But first, let us take care of this
woman".
     Pulling out one of the stakes, he positioned it over her
sternum, and brought his hammer out.  "May God forgive me", he
said, raising his hammer.  With a heave, he brought the hammer
crashing down.
     He expected the same thing as the other two vampires he had
dispatched: the scream and howl of pain, the black blood boiling
out of the hole, and the green fire consuming the body.  None of
these things happened.  The woman started up in surprise, her eyes
opening to reveal eyes with no trace of red in them.  Her mouth
widened, showing the telltale fangs, and she stared stupidly at the
stake protruding from her chest.  Her hands reached up and grasped
the stake limply, then she smiled and simply expired.  As the last
breath left her body, Robert watched in amazement as her fangs
abruptly shortened until they were once again normal cuspid length.
She looked normal in every way, except for the stake through her
heart.
     Robert felt guilty.  Had he killed a normal human being?  No,
the fangs were there.  But then, why didn't she show the other
signs?  Why no blood, no screaming?  Robert turned to Brago, and
asked him.
     "I think this was because she was still a new vampire, only a
few hours old at the most.  Do you remember what I said this
morning about her?  When we came into town I saw her looking out of
this doorway at me.  I don't think you noticed, and I would have
missed it save the fact that I have sharp eyes.  Most likely she
had not finished the transformation to vampire yet, although she
was far enough along that she needed sustenance.  Thus, her
husband.
     "But...that means I could have saved her!  I killed her and I
could have saved her!  I murdered her!", Robert babbled hysterical-
ly.
     "No, there was nothing you could do to save her.  Once they
have drunk the blood of another, there is no turning back.  Until
then, they can be saved.  This one", he said, indicating the
motionless form of the woman, "drank her husband almost immediately
after she became a vampire herself.  She was doomed from the start.
Do not feel any remorse about it, you are not to blame".
     Robert, standing numbly aside, nodded slowly, his head hung
low.  Abruptly, he straightened.  "Let's get the hell out of here",
he said to the others.  "But first", moving over to the grain bin,
he struck a corner of the bin with his hammer, giving it a good
hard rap.  The bin started to smoke, then burst into flame, the
grain inside catching quickly.  Grabbing Kiren's hand, he ran over
to the ladder and practically threw her up and out of the cellar,
following her at a slightly more liesurely pace.  Brago followed
him out, and when they were all out, Robert closed the trap door
once more.  Flames were starting to lick the sides of the hut
proper, and smoke was beginning to rise through the cracks between
the trap door and the foundation.  "That's one less hut they'll be
able to hide in", remarked Robert, as they walked to the next
domicile.
     From there, it was fairly routine, although nothing this
gruesome could properly be called routine.  They managed to take
out several more individuals, as well as a few pairs.  The methods
they used for taking the vampires out varied, depending upon what
was easiest (or least difficult, in this situation).  They used the
stakes, recycling them when possible.  Once, they tried picking up
the sleeping vampire and throwing out into direct sunlight.  The
thing had burned slowly to a crisp, emitting thick clouds of black
smoke and emitting a terribly foul stench that caused Robert to
gag, and Kiren to run around the corner of the hut, where she was
sick.  After that, they let themselves be content with the stakes
and the blessed water, which when poured on the victim caused the
body to simply vanish in a flash of green light.
     "I don't like this", Robert said uneasily, after the thir-
teenth or so vampire had been dispatched.  "This is too easy.
There's something wrong here".  The hammer pulsed once in his hand,
in silent agreement.  "If it was this easy, it would never have
spread this far.  What are we missing here?"
     Brago was the first one to pick it up.  "All of the vampires
we have eliminated have not even put up the slightest resistance.
It's as if they were told to die."
     "Why, yes, now that I think of it, you're right", replied
Robert, thinking hard.  "Could this Malachie have the ability to
command the other vampires?"
     "The Master can command all of his children, and they will
obey to the letter.  It has something to do with the fact that he
created them.  Because he is their "father", they are a part of
him, and he has control over them.  It is possible that he may have
ordered them to allows themselves to be killed", replied the troll,
lost in thought.
     "But why?", asked Kiren, bewildered.  "Why would he do
something like that?  What would it serve?"
     Robert thought for a moment.  Turning his back to them, he
paced the length of the cellar, glancing over to the creature they
had just dispatched.  It had been a young man, perhaps sixteen or
so, with blond hair and pale blue eyes.  -This boy had a wonderful
life ahead of him.  So much to live for!- he thought bitterly to
himself.  -I almost wish it was me underneath that stake.-  Walking
back towards the other two, he started to think aloud.  "Malachie
knows we're onto him, otherwise why would he go through all the
trouble?  If he knows we are coming after him, then maybe he is
trying to keep us away.  We also know that he is running out of
victims, as more and more of them are converted.  I would say that
these ones were killed because they were expendable, extra,
surplus.  Malachie has to keep the numbers down, otherwise he will
go hungry.  Also, I think he wants something".  He broke off,
looking at Kiren.  Her eyes had gone wide, and he guessed that she
had figured out just what he wanted.
     "He.....He wants me, doesn't he?", Kiren asked softly.  A low
moan escaped her lips.  "I don't want to become one of them.  I
couldn't bear it.  But wait", she said suddenly, "if he wants me,
then why would he do this, knowing I would come with you?
Unless...", she trailed off, one hand coming up to her mouth.  "Oh
my gods, my family!  He could send someone to get my family!  We
must get back to my home!"  She turned and rushed up the ladder,
out of the cellar.
     Robert followed, muttering "But they can only come out at
night!  They can't-", he broke off as he exited the cellar, just in
time to watch the sun sink below the horizon.  The two moons had
already risen, and their light cast green shadows all around.  But
it was not the pleasant green he was accustomed to.  This green was
more like a moldy, decaying green, and there was a sense of death
and despair in the air.  He could FEEL it.  His hand felt warm, and
he glanced down to see his hammer glowing faintly.  THAT green, at
least, was normal.  Robert remembered his dream, and shuddered with
disgust at the thought.
     Brago was already moving past him, heading for Kiren's home.
Kiren was out of sight by now, but he could hear her light steps as
she ran back to her house.  It was getting quite dark, and Robert
thought he heard rustlings.  Fear gripped him, and he bolted down
the dusty road, following the other two.
     Robert rounded a corner, and skidded to a halt.  Kiren was
there, staring at her hut in dismay.  The door was open, no, it was
hanging on one hinge, swaying two and fro with the rising wind.
Through the open doorway, all was pitch black.  Peering closer,
Robert could see nothing.  He hefted his hammer, tightening his
fingers firmly around the haft, and walked up to the doorway.
     Holding Kiren gently in his arms, he brushed back a lock of
her hair with his free hand, and said "Let me go in first, lass.
If there is anything in there, and I am willing to be there is, I
am a lot better equipped to handle it than you".  Kiren started to
speak, but he cut her off.  "No buts.  I want you to stay out here.
It is too dangerous".  He released her, and she went over to stand
with Brago, who had just arrived.  "I know you are worried about
your family, and so am I.  But if something has happened to them,
there may be nothing we can do except flee this place, and I don't
want to lose you as well".  With that, he turned around and entered
the house.
     Darkness enfolded him.  The hammer's light seemed to increase
in response, and the dark fell back, seemingly daunted.  Looking
around, he spied Claudius, curled up on one corner of the couch.
The cat's hackles were raised to the point where he resembled a
porcupine, and he was clearly shaken up.  Robert went over to the
tabby, and picked him up.  Walking to the door, he went out and
deposited him in Brago's arms.  "Take care of him", he said to the
troll.  "I didn't go through the trouble of bringing him back once
only to lose him a few hours later".  Turning around, he re-entered
the house.
     Looking around, he spied a lantern resting on the hearth.
Picking it up, he lit it with a smouldering branch from the now-
spent fire.  The room lit up, and was revealed to be empty.
Looking around, he spied a curtain covering a doorway, presumably
the bedroom.  He hadn't been in that room before, for several
reasons, including the right to a person's privacy.  Now he
wondered what he would find in there.
     He decided to find out.  Steeling himself, he paused.  Better
to call and see if there was anyone in there, he told himself.
Pitching his voice so it would not carry outside, he addressed the
doorway.  "Hello?  Gwennon?  Kymro?  Declan?"
     A rustle greeted his ears.  The curtain moved and he stepped
back a pace to give the unseen person room to exit.  The curtain
was thrust aside, revealing the old woman.  She looked at Robert,
and sighed, as if in relief.
     "It's only you.  I thought it was that evil man, come back
again to do me harm."
     "What man?  Are you all right?  Are the other two all right?",
Robert asked in a flurry of questions, moving over to support the
woman, who appeared about to fall.  She shook her head and waved
him off.
     "Kymro and Declan are fine", she replied.  "I need some fresh
air.  Let me pass".  Robert stood aside, watching as she made her
way towards the front door.  Following her, he emerged once again
into the street.
     "Mother!", cried Kiren, rushing to Gwennon and hugging her
fiercely.  "We thought you might have been hurt!"
     "Who was that man?  What are you referring to?", Robert tried
again.  But she ignored him, concentrating on her daughter.
     "Come, we must go inside, where we will be safe", the old
woman said.  Placing one arm around her daughter's shoulders,
Gwennon turned around and began moving back inside.
     Brago reappeared from around the corner, where he had
disappeared to when Robert went back inside.  "I was just checking
the basement again.", he said to Robert, while stroking the tabby
he still held in his arms.  "The wards seem to have held".  He
moved towards the front door, where Gwennon and Kiren were entering
the house.
     Claudius hissed suddenly, jumping out of the surprised troll's
arms, and bounding to the ground, where he arched his back and
bared his fangs at the old woman.  She turned around, looking at
the snarling cat.
     "What is the matter with your familiar?", she said nervously,
her eyes darting about, coming to rest briefly on Robert's throat
before darting away again.  Robert noticed for the first time that
her nails were quite long, and were crusted with dried blood.
     Robert drew himself up, and hefted his hammer, which was now
glowing like a miniature star.  "You almost fooled me, vampire", he
said in a menacing voice.  "But something about you rang false.
Plus", he added, "your talons give you away".  She hissed at him,
showing teeth that were beginning to lengthen, and started towards
him.  "Get back!", he shouted, and thrust the hammer into her face.
She jerked back before the deadly weapon could touch her, and
retreated, holding up her hands to block out its light.
     "What did you do with the others?", asked Robert, advancing
now.  She darted a glance to the right of him, one that Robert
almost missed.  Almost.  "Brago, take a look in that direction", he
said, pointing with his free hand to where Gwennon had looked.
"There is someone over there, I'll wager".  Brago grunted assent,
and lumbered off, hefting his evil-looking mace.
     Kiren was backing away, shaking her head slowly.  Robert saw
her out of the corner of her eye, and shouted, "No, Kiren!  Don't
move anywhere!"
     Kiren was wringing her hands in fear.  "Mother", she moaned,
over and over.  "Not you.  Oh please gods not you".  All of the
strength seemed to leave her, and she sank down to the earth in a
faint.
     Robert glanced over to see if she was all right.  And then
found himself knocked off of his feet.  The hammer went flying,
bouncing off one wall of the hut.  The wall smouldered for a second
where the hammer had hit it, and then went dark.
     Gwennon was astride him in seconds, her hands reaching for his
neck.  Instinctively, he did the same.  His stomach roiled as his
hands came into contact with her cold flesh, but he gritted his
teeth and squeezed her slimy throat.  She appeared not to notice,
bending her head down to his.  Robert fought like a madman, but
slowly she overpowered him.  Robert felt two tiny pricks on his
throat, and with a yell, managed to force her head backwards, using
all of his strength he could muster.  Slowly though, the adrenaline
gave out, and her head resumed its descent.  Turning his head to
one side, he noticed the hammer lying just out of reach.  He
reached out with one hand. and his fingers just brushed the tip of
the haft.  Grabbing at it with his hand only succeeded in pushing
the hammer farther away.  His mind ran wildly, searching for an
idea.  Maybe if he thought hard enough, he could act as a conduit
for the hammer, sending its power through himself.  The vampire's
cold breath on his face startled him out of his reverie, and his
concentration was broken.  He was unable to calm himself enough to
channel the hammer's power.  Mustering a last ounce of strength, he
heaved upwards, and to the right, managing to move an inch closer
to the hammer.  It was all he needed.  He grabbed the haft, and
brought his arm around, hard.  The hammer whistled through the air
and caught the vampire square on the head.  The monster was driven
into Robert by the force of the blow, and screamed as she started
to burn.  Robert, in contact with her burning flesh, tried weakly
to push her away, and screamed in concert with her as the hammer's
fire seared his flesh as well.  His skin screaming in agony, he
convulsed once, flinging the now-dead form of the vampire off of
him.  The vampire continued to thrash around for a moment before
dissolving and flowing into the ground.  Robert dropped the hammer,
and passed out.
     He was shaken awake a few minutes later by Brago.  The troll's
face looked grim, and there was black blood on his mace.  Turning
his head, Robert saw that Kiren was gone.  "Where is Kiren?", he
asked the troll weakly, struggling to rise.
     "Easy Robert, easy.  You were burned by your own weapon.  You
have now gotten a taste of your own power.  You will have to rest
some.", and the troll pushed him back down onto the ground.  Robert
let him, the ground feeling strangely comfortable underneath him.
     "Brago, use the hammer to heal me.  We must find the girl"
     The troll shook his head.  "What one god has done must be
undone by another.  The hammer cannot reverse what it has done.
There are some limits to artifacts".  He held up his hand.  In it,
Robert saw the rockpick dangling from its chain.  "I will use this,
instead.  It is not as powerful, but will do the trick.  Bending
down, the troll ran the pick along Robert's body.  The pain slowly
faded.  Straightening up, he spoke again.  "You will have to get
some sleep, though, when this is all through.  Just like with
Claudius, physical exhaustion cannot be removed by magical means.
It can be put off for a time, but not removed.  Only rest can do
that."
     "Then put it off, Brago.  We need to get out of here.
Tonight"
     Brago looked grim.  Finally, he said "All right.  I agree with
you there.  But you will have to rest when we are miles from here".
Bending close, the troll placed the pick in the center of Robert's
forehead.  Robert felt energy flow back into him, and he bounded to
his feet.  Brago hung the chain about his own neck once more, and
went over to where the hammer lay glimmering a few feet away.
Picking it up, he brought it over to Robert and placed it in his
hands.
     Robert looked at the hammer.  The glow was dimmer.  That blast
must have taken energy out of it.  "Are you alright, Vanadurix?"
The hammer pulsed slowly, once.  Robert felt a feeling of guilt and
sorrow wash through him.  He straightened.  -Was that you, my steel
friend?-  he asked the hammer.  The hammer pulsed once, and the
sorrow increased.  -It is no fault of yours, dread hammer-, Robert
thought at it.  -Do not feel guilty for my mistake.  Next time I
will think twice before hammering myself.  Cheer up-  The sorrow
vanished, and Robert felt something like gratitude flow through
him.  He smiled briefly, and turned to Brago, who stood waiting
expectantly.  "We must find Kiren.  But first, let us see what
happened to the other two", he said, starting towards the front
door.
     "The husband is dead", Brago responded, looking at his blood-
stained mace for emphasis.  "I can only surmise the same thing
happened to the boy.  Or perhaps he was food for the parents, then
killed".  Brago grimaced.  "But either way, I agree that we must
find out".  He entered the hut, Robert following close behind, and
walked into the bedroom.
     It was a small room, with several beds.  All were empty except
one, in which lay a small huddled figure.  As Robert moved closer,
he saw that it was Declan.  The boy's throat had been torn open,
and his mouth opened and closed weakly.  He seemed oblivious to his
surroundings.
     Robert, unable to bear the sight of it any longer, placed the
hammer lightly on the boy's head.  The boy convulsed once, as if in
pain, then relaxed.  Robert had just enough time to see two tiny
points retreat into stubs on the boy's teeth, before his head
lolled to one side.  Covering the boy with a blanket, he turned and
walked out of the room.  After a time, Brago followed.
     Walking outside once again, Robert turned around and faced
Brago.  "We have to find Kiren, and then get out of here.  Where
could she have gone.  Who has her, I wonder?"
     Brago looked around, tapped Robert on the arm, and pointed.
Robert followed the direction he had pointed with his gaze, and
spied a pair of marks in the dirt.  They looked like the kind of
marks two dragging feet would make.  "That's probably her", he
said.  Brago nooded agreement, and they moved off in the direction
of the tracks.

========================================================================

                  Chapter XIII: Blood and Fire

     Following the tracks seemingly left by Kiren, the man and the
troll eventually came to the Thalis inn.  It was a three-story
structure, set dead-center in the village, and its black shadow
loomed over half of the shops on the main road.  There was no light
emanating from any windows that Robert could see, and the whole
building had the feel of a tomb.  Robert suppressed a shudder while
looking at the dreary sight, and continued walking towards the inn.
     About halfway to the door, the tracks ended.  They didn't
trail off or anything, they merely stopped dead.  Bending down,
Robert noticed that where the tracks ended there were two shallow
depressions in the dirt, deeper than the tracks.  Motioning for
Brago to come over, he pointed at the depressions.  "What do you
make of these?", he asked the troll.
     The troll scratched his scaly scalp with one calloused hand.
"It would seem that Kiren was stood up, and then picked up.  The
depressions would be caused by her heels driving into the soil when
she stood up.  I would assume that she was brought here by an
underling, and that Malachie came out and carried her in".  Looking
around, the troll moved over to the side, and picked up a small
object.  Coming back to Robert, he held out what he had found.
"Look", was all he said.
     Robert looked.  It was a scrap of cloth, torn from a peasant's
smock.  One like the one Kiren had been wearing.
     Closing his fingers around the cloth, he placed it in his
pocket.  "No doubt in my mind now.  She's in there.  With that
bastard Malachie".  Tightening his grip on the Vanadurix, he turned
to Brago.  "I'm going in there after her".
     Brago took one look at Robert's determined expression, and
slowly nodded his head.  "I can see that nothing will sway you.
Very well.  I will go with you".  And he hefted his mace, still
black with the blood of the last vampire he had dispatched.
     Robert nodded his head quickly, and turned once again towards
the front door of the inn.  It was closed tight, and Robert tried
the handle.  It wouldn't budge.  Robert motioned for Brago to come
over, and the troll set his shoulder against the door and firmly
pushed.  Nothing happened.
     "They must have barred it", said Brago after trying and giving
up.  "I could kick it in or something violent, but they could be
hiding behind the door, and once I opened the door, the kick would
put me off balance, and open to attack."
     "I agree", said Robert.  "I don't want you to fall prey to
those monsters, not after all we have been through.  Let me try
something".  He placed the head of the hammer against the door.  It
began to smoke instantly, the door slowly turning to an ugly black
where the hammer had touched it.  Robert looked meaningfully back
at Brago, who only nodded.  Drawing back the hammer, he smote the
door a mighty blow.  The door practically blew inwards, shivering
to pieces in the process.  Robert had time to see one very startled
vampire impaled in several places by smoking pieces of the now-
defunct door.  Green fire laced through the creature, and it
shivered into ash.  Robert walked into the inn, past the smoking
remnants of the vampire, and looked around.  The light from the
hammer cast an eerie green shadow over the room.  He was standing
in the foyer.  To the left was an open doorway leading into the
tavern.  Directly in front of him was a large oaken desk, presum-
ably for checking in and out.  To the right was another doorway,
this one leading to a staircase that went upward into the gloom.
Robert turned around as Brago entered behind him.  The troll had a
small lantern, and he paused to light this.  Straightening up, he
shone the lantern on the desk, and looked over the counter to see
if anyone was lurking behind.  There was not.
     "Hey, what did you do with Claudius?", Robert asked the troll.
     The troll looked back at him and replied, "I left him inside
Kiren's hut.  He will be safe there; I believe we have rid that
area of any vampires".  Robert reluctantly nodded, and they walked
through the doorway into the tavern.
     The tavern was a fright.  Bottles of whiskey and ale had been
smashed across the bar, turning the bar top into a soggy mess.  The
furniture had been utterly destroyed, so that only unrecognizable
pieces remained.  Cushions were torn into tatters, the stuffing
strewn across the room.  Behind the bar was an open door leading
into the darkness.  Brago motioned to the door, and Robert went
over, leaping over the top of the bar, so as to catch any lurking
vampire unaware.  Taking a torch from a wall sconce behind the bar,
he gently placed the end against the hammer, and thought -burn-.
The hammer glowed faintly and the torch sputtered into light.
     Shining the torch before him, he walked into the room behind.
It was the kitchen, or it used to be.  There were no recognizable
objects whatsoever, everything had been pounded into oblivion.  The
only thing that vaguely resembled something useful was a large
butcher block square in the middle of the room.  Stuck into the
middle of the block was easily the biggest butcher knife Robert had
ever seen.  The knife was red with blood, and as Robert moved
closer, he noticed that it was pinning a parchment to the table.
With a yank, Robert pulled out the knife and tossed it to one side.
It struck a pile of debris with a dull clang and slid down the pile
to the floor with a shiver.  Picking up the parchment, Robert
unfolded it and read it.  It was written in blood, in an even
flowing script.

     "My dear associate,
          I know of you and your 'sacred artifact'.  I do not know
     what you are trying to prove by killing my minions, but I
     assure you, it is having no effect whatsoever.  You cannot
     hurt us; we are legion, and we will overwhelm you by sheer
     strength of numbers.  But come, come anyway.  I will relish
     sinking my teeth into your neck, feeling the pulse of your
     lifebloods on my lips.  But wait.
          On second thought, maybe I will present you as a gift to
     another.  The woman is very beautiful.  She even struggled a
     bit, something uncommon when I exercise my power over you
     frail mortals.  But in the end, I prevailed, as I always do.
     Yes, I shall not savor you myself, instead I will give you to
     her.  It will be a fitting end to a pair of lovers.  You who
     enjoyed her company in life will enjoy it even more for the
     rest of eternity, in death.
          You can do nothing to harm me; I am proof against that
     toy you call a 'relic'.  But be assured of this:  your mortal
     life is about to be left behind you.  Or, you can save
     yourself and your ugly friend, by walking away right now, and
     never coming back to this town.  Forget the woman; you can
     hardly be attached to her after only one night.
          Oh yes, I know all about you, my friend.  The woman was
     resistant to my charms at first, but when she realized just
     how much she could confide in me, she felt very inclined to
     give me all the information I sought.
          But that is not important.  What is important is this.
     You can leave on your own two feet, or you can leave this life
     with a hole in your throat.  But understand this:  you WILL
     leave.  And it will be tonight.
          I do sincerely hope you decide not to leave.  I will
     enjoy this encounter most thoroughly; almost as much as I will
     enjoy watching your lifeblood drain out of you at the hands of
     your lover.  Please don't disappoint me, Havenwood.
                                        I remain, sir,
                                             Malachie du Bors

     Robert stared at the parchment for a time, reading the words
over and over again.  His hands began to shake.  He heard his name
called, faintly, but it did not register on his consciousness.
     "Robert?  Are you all right?", came Brago's rumbling voice,
followed by the troll himself.  He entered the room through the
doorway, repeating himself as he came.  "Robert?  Are you all-".
he broke off as he saw Robert, standing in the center of the room,
shaking like an erupting volcano.  "Robert?", he said gently.  When
there was no response, he placed one hand on his friend's shoulder
and gently squeezed.
     Robert jumped.  When he recovered, his head whipped around in
surprise.  When he saw it was Brago, he visibly relaxed.  "Brago!
God, you gave me such a scare", he said with some relief.
     "Are you all right Robert?", Brago replied. "You were
trembling like one with the shaking sickness.  What did you find?".
And he indicated the parchment that Robert was holding, one hand
slowly crumpling it in an iron grip.  Robert handed him the
parchment, saying nothing.  Brago did not ask for an explanation.
The look in his eyes was enough.
     He read the parchment, his eyes widening in amazement.  When
he finished, he slowly looked up at Robert, who stood, staring at
the table in dismay.  Brago placed the parchment once more on the
table.  Robert's hand was a blur, as the hammer came down upon the
paper.  The parchment quickly burned to ash, which scattered and
was gone.
     Robert looked up at Brago.  His eyes burned with a cold fire.
"I want Malachie", was all he said.
     Brago put a cautioning hand on his shoulder.  "He has her,
Robert.  She is already his.  We had best cut our losses and leave
now.  We can set fire to the inn.  That will take care of them,
including Malachie".
     Robert swung his head slowly back in forth in negation.  "No",
he mumbled.  "I have to save Kiren.  I can't let her burn too".
     "Robert, do you remember what you told Kiren about her
sister?"  Robert nodded dumbly.  "You said that she was better off
dying, rather than living dead".  He grabbed Robert's shoulders and
looked into his eyes.  "Robert, you have to take your own advice.
Kiren is in the same shoes her sister was.  You have to let her
die.  Do you understand me?  She MUST DIE".
     Robert pulled away, hurt.  Brago saw the look of agony on his
friend's face, and was instantly sorry.  "Robert, I-"
     "No".  The denial was firm.  "Do not apologize.  You are
right.  I have to face the truth".  Robert looked up at Brago, and
placed his hand on Brago's shoulder.  "Thank you.  I needed that".
     Brago simply nodded, and pointed towards the door leading out
to the tavern.  Robert hefted his hammer and walked out of the
kitchen, heading towards the foyer.
     When they reached the front door, Robert did not, but instead
walked into the room with the staircase.  Brago managed one look of
surprise, before running after him.  "Robert, wait!  What are you
doing?"
     Robert stopped, already halfway up the huge staircase.
Turning around he said to the troll, "Kiren must not be allowed to
live like this, but I'll be damned if I am going to sentence her to
death by burning her alive.  I'm going up there to put her out of
my misery".  He paused.  "And while I'm at it, I might just clean
Malachie's clock, as well".  He turned around, and resumed his
climb.  Brago sighed heavily, then followed, the stairs creaking
under his weight.
     Reaching the first floor, Robert shone the torch around.  A
hallway led off in two directions.  Along each hallway were a line
of doorways, staggered across from one another, so that no two
doors opened onto the same point on the hall.  The stairway
continued on upwards, into the shadows.
     The doors had all been torn asunder, and were either lying in
pieces in the rooms beyond, or were hanging by one hinge from the
ruined doorways.  Walking swiftly up and down the halls, Robert
spied only empty rooms.  This floor was dead.
     Motioning to the troll, Robert continued climbing up the
stairs.  Visibility was minimal, even with the torch, so he had to
pick his way upwards slowly.  To make matters worse, the stairs did
not ascend in an even straight line, like the first flight had.
Instead, they wound their way upwards in a series of turns, weaving
this way and that.  Robert tripped, and stumbled to one side, his
arms seeking the bannister.  They only encountered empty air, and
with a small yell, Robert teetered over the edge, and fell into
thin air.
     He was arrested by a hand on his mail shirt, bringing him up
short with a sharp jerk.  Slowly, Brago drew him back up until he
was once more standing on the firm steps.  The troll turned him
around to make sure he was alright, and said, "Be careful.  The
bannister is gone.  They must have taken it out for just this
reason".
     Robert managed to calm his heartbeat down to a normal level
before responding.  "So I noticed", he said shakily.  "Let's be
real careful, shall we?".  They paused to catch their breath for a
second before continuing.
     A little farther up, they came to another pitfall.  Robert
lifted his foot up to the next step, and found there was none.  He
pulled up short before he fell again, and turned around to Brago.
     "We haven't gone up far enough to reach the second landing",
he said to the troll, who was wondering why they had stopped.  "Yet
there is no next step.  DO you suppose they could have removed some
of the stairs?"
     The troll paused for a moment before replying.  "If the stairs
were wide enough I would go ahead of you and look.  But seeing as
there is no bannister, I will not attempt it, as it could lead to
another fall.  Yes, it is possible, a good saw will take care of
these steps.  Shine the torch on the stairs, so we can see what is
wrong".
     Robert complied, and the light bathed the stairs, revealing
three missing steps.  They weren't really missing; the frame still
remained.  But where a person normally stepped, there was only air.
The flat part of the step had been neatly removed, leaving only
part of the step on the edge to suggest it was still there.  Anyone
with only a dim light source would have proceeded blithely upwards,
and fallen, breaking possibly a leg, or his neck.  Of course,
seeing as there was no bannister left, the person would have fallen
down a floor or two, to his death.  It was a very clever ploy, one
that Robert had almost fallen prey to.
     "I should be able to jump these stairs, if I have a bit of a
boost", Robert said to Brago.
     The troll shook his head in negation.  "I can step across that
with no difficulty, and then pull you across".
     "But you said the stairs were too narrow.  How are you going
to get by me without falling outwards?"
     Brago thought for a minute, and then pushed Robert flat
against the wall on the other side of the stairs.  "Hold on to me",
he said.  Robert understood what he meant and flattened himself
against the wall in order to give the troll as much room as
possible.  Brago managed to squeeze by, his feet moving dangerously
close to the edge.  At one point, he stumbled, and would have
fallen, were it not for Robert hanging on to him.  At last he stood
in front of Robert.  With one step he was past the three missing
stairs, and he turned around and extended his hand to Robert.
Robert grabbed it and was pulled past, until he once again stood on
the steps in front of Brago.  Shining the torch on the steps, they
resumed their climb upwards, keeping an eye out for any more
missing steps.  Eventually, Robert lifted his foot and brought it
down, and once again encountered empty air.  Caught off balance, he
windmilled his arms, to keep from falling, but he teetered forward.
He was suprised yet again when his foot slammed down on solid
ground--at the same level he was on now.
     "We've reached the top", he whispered to Brago.  The troll
nodded in response, and Robert felt rather than saw the troll's
answering nod.  He moved aside, and the troll joined him on the
landing.
     The hallway they stood in was pitch black.  The only way
Robert knew it was a hallway was from the echo his foot made when
it hit the top stair.  He groped about with his hands, and
encountered one wall.  The hammer, sensing that he needed light,
began to glow faintly.  -Stop that-, he thought to the hammer, and
the glow receded.  Robert felt a sense of inquiry tugging at his
brain, and he explained it to the hammer.  -If you glow, every
vampire on this floor will be alerted to our presence, and know of
our power.  If I stick to torches, we may have a small chance of
surprise-.  The hammer quieted, seemingly mollified.
     Shining his torch along the wall, he spied an empty sconce,
into which he insterted the torch.  Its flicker cast a wavering
shadow along the side of the wall, revealing another sconce further
down.  This one, unlike the first, was not empty.  Robert removed
the torch from the second sconce and lit it with the first.  Moving
across the hall, he encountered another sconce, also holding a
torch.  This he lit, and he proceeded to light several torches in
the close area, until they could once again see.  There were
several doors along the hallway, but unlike the ones on the lower
level, these remained closed.  Robert tried one, and found it
locked.  Moving down the hallway revealed that all of the doors in
the immediate vicinity were similarly locked.  Proceeding down the
hallway, they encountered a door at the end of the corridor.  This
door was different than the rest, in that it was more extravagant,
inlaid with gold around the edges.  Turning to Brago, Robert looked
at the troll inquiringly, and quietly mouthed the words, "The
executive suite, I'll warrant.  Now what?"
     "Try the door", was Brago's answering whisper.
     Robert tried it.  It was firmly locked, and would not move a
fraction of an inch.  Robert looked back at Brago and spread his hands.
     The troll pointed to his hammer, then at the door.  Robert
gaped, and had to catch himself, before he shouted.  "Are you
crazy?", he asked the troll in a hoarse whisper, when he had
regained control of himself, "If we blow the door in, everyone will
know we're here!"
     The troll spoke up, a little louder than before.  "At this
point, Robert, they KNOW we are here.  We might as well give them
what they want.  There is probably a vampire behind every door, and
seeing as you got us in this far, we might as well finish it."
     Robert thought for a minute, and could only agree.  He
shrugged his shoulders, picked up his hammer and blew the door into
splinters.
     When the dust cleared, Robert spied a figure sitting in a
high-backed chair inside the room.  He had black hair and piercing
green eyes.  Upon further inspection, Robert noticed he looked very
pale, and his skin was somewhat withered.  From a distance he
looked maybe thirty, but up close he looked more like twice that.
Yet there was a certain timelessness about him, making it hard to
really guess his age.  He looked old and ugly, yet there was a
feeling of subtle attraction to the man, as if he had a spell on
everyone.  This, surely, was Malachie du Bors.
     The man smiled, as Robert entered the room, showing teeth that
were quite long.  This was the final proof.  He could be no other
man.  As far as Robert knew, he was the only vampire he had seen
that had stopped to think, instead of simply going for the jugular,
literally.
     "Ahh, my honored guest arrives", said the man.  His voice was
strange, Robert mused.  It was deep and resonant, and seemed to
shake the very foundations of his mind.  It was a very powerful
voice, and Robert could easily see how he could command legions of
vampires with a single word.  He clenched his teeth and forced
himself to be calm.
     When Robert did not reply, Malachie continued.  "Come, come,
let us not be angry with one another.  Please, come in and make
yourself comfortable.  I would have preferred the safety of my own
room in the basement, but I wanted you to feel at home in a
pleasant surrounding.  have a seat, there are plenty to spare.  Do
not bother to close the door", the vampire said, brushing a
splinter off of his sleeve.  Robert smiled for a moment in spite of
himself, then abruptly sobered.  Peering around the room, he spied
a large canopied bed, upon which lay a human form.  Robert's hands
went white, and he tightened his grip on the hammer, but he said
nothing, trying to conceal his feelings.  Quickly he darted his
gaze back to Malachie, who only smiled.
     "Yes, I have the fair maiden with me.  Do not bother to hide
your feelings for her from me.  I can see that you feel for her
strongly.  It is in your face, and the way you clutch your toy with
increased vigor".  Robert started, a look of surprise registering
on his face.  -This guy can read me like an open book!-, he thought
wildly.  His hammer pulsed once, in his hand.  -Thanks,- he thought
drily at it, -I didn't need confirmation on THAT.-  Stepping
forward, he raised the Vanadurix, which had begun to glow brightly.
This time, he did not try to stop it, and the hammer blazed into a
miniature sun.  "What have you done to her?" he said in a menacing
voice.  "Better start talking, impaler, your life is about to come
to an end".
     The vampire laughed, a hollow booming sound that seemed to
shake the entire top floor.  Robert heard a series of clicks coming
from the hallway.  "Brago, what's going on out there?", he asked
the troll.
     The troll peeked out of the door, then pulled back, his face
grim.  "Robert", he said to his friend, who was staring away from
him, facing Malachie, "You're not going to like this.  There are
thirty vampires in the hall.  And they look very hungry."
     Malachie only continued to laugh for several seconds, the
laughter trailing off into a low chuckle.  "I am in a position to
tell you nothing.  It is YOU, not I, who is going to have a very
short life."  He raised his voice so that it could be heard in the
hallway.  "Take them, my children!", was all he said.
     "Robert, they're coming for us, and they don't look happy!",
shouted the troll.  He raised his mace over his head, prepared to
bring it crashing down on any vampire who ventured near.   Robert
spun around, abruptly pushing Malachie from his mind.  Moving back
out into the hall, he thought fiercely at the hammer. -Light!- was
his mental cry.  The hammer blazed into brighter heights, filling
the corridor with a green brilliance.  The vampires drew back in
dismay, shielding their eyes with their arms.
     Malachie became angry.  "Fall upon them, my children!  Do not
be afraid of a little light!"  When the vampires did not move,
Malachie stood up in his great chair.  Pointing his finger at the
foremost vampire, he thundered, "Do as I command!"  A bolt of
darkness shot from his outstretched finger and struck the vampire
square in the chest.  The creature cried out in agony, and Robert
clenched his teeth to keep from retching as he watched the vampire
slowly decompose into a mass of mouldering fluids, slowly sinking
into the ground and evaporating with a cloud of foul smoke.
     After that, the vampires were more eager to comply, being more
afraid of the Master than the light.  Robert smiled grimly.  They
were about to be proved wrong.  Pulling his arm back, he flung the
hammer from him, towards the advancing creatures.  It passed
straight over them, and the vampires ducked down, as it missed them
completely.
     "Shit!", Robert shouted in frustration.  What had happened?
the hammer had never had a problem with aim before.  Robert waited
to hear the clang as the hammer struck the floor.  With a little
luck, it would take out a wall or something, and let the light
shine through.  -Yeah, right,-  he thought glumly.  -While I'm at
it, I might as well pray for the sun to rise ten hours early.-
Listening for the sound, he heard none.  He had no more time to
think on it, however, as the vampires stood up again, and rushed
him.
     They were met by Brago's mace, cracking them on their skulls,
and causing them to topple to the ground.  When they tried to rise,
they would abruptly find the other end of his mace where their
heart once was, and they would expire.  But their were too many of
them, and the troll could only take care of two of them at a time,
so most of them slipped by and headed for Robert.  Robert panicked.
They were almost on him and he had nowhere to run.  And he had
abruptly lost his weapon.  Without it, he was nothing.
     Then he remembered his lightstick.  The green light from it
was about the same as the hammer's.  He had stuffed it in his
pocket, forgotten, and he drew it out now.  Its light was faint, it
would not last much longer.  Still, it was bright enough to see by.
     Quickly he held the stick out in front of him.  The charging
vampires screamed in dismay and pulled up short.  Robert held onto
the lightstick like a sacred talisman.  Now what was he going to
do?
     He heard a soft whooshing coming from behind the vampires.
Looking into the darkness, he was rewarded by the sight of
Vanadurix, flying back towards him at an astonishing rate.  The
hammer circled around the huddled vampires, then flew straight up
and plummeted directly into the middle of them.  The resulting
explosion was incredible.  There was no sound to the explosion,
just a bright light.  Yet it threw the vampires backwards against
the corridor walls, and they shivered into ash.  Now there were
less than five remaining, and those Brago quickly dispactched witha
few twists of his mace.  Robert looked up from the now-missing pile
of vampires, aware that it had suddenly grown silent again.
     He was startled out of his reverie by another deep-throated
chuckle.  He had forgotten about Malachie.  Spinning around, he
held out his hand to the hammer, lying in the middle of a pile of
ash, and it flew into his grasp with a snap.  Turning to Malachie,
he found that the vampire had resumed his seat, and was staring at
Robert with eyes that burned like green pools of fire.
     "You are strong, my friend", intoned the vampire.  "But not
strong enough.  Do not think to try your foolish tricks on me.  I
am well aware of what your toy can do.  It was most amusing
watching you."
     Robert became enraged.  "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KIREN?"  he
bellowed, raising the hammer above his head, holding it in both
hands.
     "Robert I don't think that is-", Brago began, but Robert was
already bringing the hammer down on top of the vampire.  Malachie
only smiled and raised his hand to meet the blow.  The hammer
struck and rebounded off of the vampire's outstretched palm.
Robert abruptly found himself flying backwards some ten feet,
landing on the hallway floor, the breath flying out of his lungs
with the impact.  The hammer tumbled onto the floor, and went dark.
     Brago rushed over to Robert and helped him to his feet.  He
shook his head and looked groggily up at the troll.  "Wow", was all
he could say.
     Brago walked over to the hammer, lying quiescent a few feet
away.  Picking it up, he brought it over to Robert.  Then he
turned, and his hand a blur, cast the hammer at Malachie.
     Malachie, it appeared, had anticipated that.  His hand was
already up, and with a wave, he cast the hammer to one side.  The
hammer rebounded and struck the floor beside the vampire.
     Malachie smiled, his teeth showing like needles.  "You puny
mortal", he sneered.  "You can't even think of attacking me,
because I know what you are thinking even before you do!  Pathetic
human", he said, his hands tightening into claws, "You do not
properly appreciate the powers of being a child of the night!  Your
lover lies in here, no longer a frail human such as you, but one of
me!  If only you could properly appreciate the power!"
     "You son of a-" Robert began, then quieted himself.  He rolled
his sleeves, and slowly advanced towards the gloating vampire, bare
handed.
     The vampire stared at him, bemused.  "You mean to attack me?
bare handed?"  He laughed boyishly.  "Oh my!  This is too much!
How do you expect to kill me?  Your bad breath?"  The vampire went
off into gales of laughter.  Robert kept advancing, motioning Brago
to do the same.  The troll hefted his mace, holding it so that the
club end would strike Malachie on the head.  He raised it up, and
swung it towards Malachie's head.
     The vampire abruptly stopped laughing.  One hand moved with
blinding speed and caught the trolls wrist.  The troll strained,
but could not budge.
     Robert whipped his hand around, and the hammer socked into his
palm.  Advancing two steps, he swung the hammer at the vampire's
head.  Malachie turned to face him and raised his other hand.
     Robert aborted the attack, knowing it would only bounce off.
However, he was unable to abort the swing, and so he brought it
around in a complete circle, reversed it, and aimed for the other
side of the head.  Malachie moved to intercept it.
     And his hold on the troll weakened, as he directed his
concentration elsewhere.  That was all Brago needed.  Whipping his
mace around so that the point was facing the vampire, he freed his
arm with a flick of the wrist, and drove the point into the
vampire's chest.
     Malachie screamed with rage and pain.  His hand came up and
knocked the troll away, spinning into the hall.  Robert continued
his swing, and Malachie moved his hand to intercept it once again.
Robert tried to pull up, but there was no room to change the course
of his swing.  The hammer plowed into Malachie's outstretched hand.
Only this time, there was no force behind it.  The vampire was
flung out of his chair, and there was a snap as his arm broke.
Malachie tried to regain his balance, but crashed to the floor.
     With a leap, Robert bounded over the chair to where Malachie
lay, stunned.  The vampire saw him coming, and held up his good arm
to block him, but Robert batted it aside with his other hand.
     Standing over him, Robert hefted the hammer with both hands.
Raising it over his head, he said in a snarling voice, "All right
you son of a bitch.  This is it for you.  Lights out!"  And he
brought the hammer down with all the strength he could muster.
     The hammer took the mace squarely in the head, as Robert had
known it would.  Malachie screamed aloud, but his screams trailed
off as he began to convulse.  His skin whitened, and began to
crack.  White flashes of bone showed beneath the gaps in his skin,
but these quickly turned yellow, and dissolved into dust.  His eyes
filmed over, then fell in.  The rest of his face followed suit,
caving in like a rotten gourd.  His lips peeled away from his
mouth, exposing teeth that began to come apart.  His hands
dissolved into dust, the now yellow skin all but vanishing into
thin air.  The whole body began to dissolve, and the stages of his
decomposition rapidly sped up, until nothing remained of the
vampire, not even his clothes, which had been shredded to pieces by
his violent death.
     Soon all that remained was Brago's mace, which had been driven
about a foot into the floor.  Robert wiped the sweat off of his
brow, and dropped the hammer, exhausted.  He heard footsteps behind
him, and turned to see the troll, looking similarly tired.
     "Is it over?", he asked the troll, through lips that were dry
and cracked.
     The troll shook his head.  "Not yet.  There is something else
we have to attend to".  And he indicated the curtained bed.
     Robert got up and walked over to the huddled form on the bed.
Kiren lay curled up on the bed, catatonic.  Robert rolled her over,
and she responded, limply.  Her face came into view, and Robert
gasped as her mouth fell open, revealing the telltale fangs.  "No",
he moaned.  "Not you as well".
     "There is still time, Robert", Brago rumbled, coming over to
the bed.  Placing one hand on her face, the troll delicately peeled
back one of her eyelids.  The eye underneath was dilated, but was
untouched by the red.  "You can heal her, and reverse the disease.
She has not taken blood yet; the Vanadurix can make her human
again".
     Looking into Kiren's beautiful face, Robert could only agree.
"Watch her, I will get the hammer".  And he stood up.
     Her eyes opened, and locked on Robert.  "Darling", she
breathed.  Robert froze, caught in the hypnotic glare of those
terrible eyes.  She opened her arms to him.
     Looking down at her, Robert noticed that there was not much
left of her smock, and that she was lush, ripe, and wholly
inviting.  His ardor for her rose suddenly, and he moved towards
her, his will draining out of him.  She may have not become a full
vampire, but she had gained the ability to charm people already.
     He was dimly aware of Brago calling to him, but he paid him no
heed.  Her hands went to his pants, opening them as best as she
could in the confines of his armor, freeing his important parts.
Locking her arms around his back, she pulled him to her.
     He sank into her, and groaned with the contact.  She was like
a furnace inside, and he felt himself dissolving in the heat.  He
was dimly aware of her lips touching his for an instant, and he
felt the hard points of her fangs underneath the skin.  Then her
lips moved away and he felt them return at his throat.
     He gasped as the twin needles slid into his flesh.  She was
entering him, much as he has entered her a few moments ago.  His
loins tightened in culmination, and he thought he would cry from
the sheer pleasure of it.  He felt a draining sensation, but
thought nothing of it.  It all felt so wonderful, and he tightened
his hold around Kiren as she sucked at the blood flowing from the
wound in his neck.
     The contact was abruptly broken, and he had only enough time
to feel a great loss before he regained his senses, and realized
just what he was doing.  He touched his hand to the side of his
neck, and it came away stained crimson with his own blood.  He
abruptly felt weak.
     Kiren crouched on the other side of the bed, her eyes scarlet
fire, snarling at something beside Robert.  He turned and spied the
troll, face grim, holding his mace out in front of him.  Dangling
from the mace was the rockpick that usually adorned his neck.  The
whole weapon glowed with a blue light, and it was from this that
Kiren crouched.     Robert leaped across the bed, and abruptly
tripped, tangled in his own trousers.  He refastened them, and
stood up.  He took a step towards the hammer, and abruptly his legs
gave out.  He clung to Brago, and managed to gasp, "I've lost
blood, I can't stand up.  Give me the mace, and go get Vanadurix.
This is something I have to do"  Brago looked at him askance, and
after a moment's debation, gave him the mace.  Robert almost
dropped it in spite of himself, but leaned over the bedpost and
managed to steady himself.  Forcing himself not to look into
Kiren's eyes, he spoke to her.  "I cannot save you anymore!", he
shouted.
     Kiren hissed and spat.  "I do not want to be saved!", she
snarled.  "The master is dead!  Now *I* am the master!"  She
straightened up and suddenly lunged at Robert.
     Robert straightened up also, revealing what he had been
hunched over.  The point of the mace took Kiren squarely in the
throat, and she gasped as it protruded from the back of her neck.
She looked up at Robert for a moment, and Robert could see the
anguish in her eyes.  He reached out a hand to touch her, and she
brushed his hand with her own for a moment.  Then with a sigh she
toppled limpy over, falling on top of his hand and the mace.  Her
body shimmered, and then she slumped over completely.  Robert
rolled her over, and her mouth fell open, revealing shrinking
teeth.  Slowly, Robert withdrew the mace from her throat, fighting
the dizzy feeling that was washing over him.  He straightened up as
Brago approached, and held the mace out to him.  "Thanks", he said,
as Brago held up the hammer, "But I don't need that right this
moment".  The mace tumbled out of his nerveless fingers, and he
fell over in a dead faint.
     He awoke minutes later to discover he was lying in the bed.
Kiren lay beside him, in repose.  Raising himself onto his elbows,
he realized that his strength had returned.  Touching his hand to
his neck, he encountered unbroken flesh.  Glancing over at Kiren's
he noticed the same.  Where there should be a terrible hole made
by a two-inch spike, there was only smooth skin.
     Raising himself to a sitting position, he swung his legs over
the edge of the bed and stood up.  Brago was sitting in the chair
recently vacated by the late Malachie du Bors.  When he saw Robert
stand up, he came to his feet with a look of relief.  "I healed you
with the hammer", he said.  "I wasn't sure how, but the hammer gave
me directions.  Are you all right?"
     "Kiren's dead, Brago", Robert replied in a dead voice.  "All
this power, and I couldn't save her.  God, why me?"
     Brago looked grim.  "It is not for us to ask the gods why.
They move in mysterious ways.  All we do is obey".
     Robert slowly nodded his head.  "You are right.  Still, I
loved her, a little, Brago".  The troll nodded his head, then
indicated the doorway.
     Robert slung his hammer in his belt, and then bent down and
gathered Kiren's body in his arms.  She was as light as a feather.
He hugged her close, knowing that this was the last time he would
hold her in his arms.  -So much for one-night stands,- he thought
bitterly.
     Together, the two companions walked out of the now-deserted
inn, Kiren dangling limply from between Robert's outstretched arms.
He brought her back to her hut and laid her in the bed next to the
body of Declan.  Walking out of the bedroom, Robert crossed over to
the hearth and nudged the sleeping form of Claudius.  The cat
meowed softly, and allowed himself to be gathered up into his arms.
Robert placed the cat in Brago's huge hands, and walked over to
where his pack lay.  Bending down, he opened a zippered compartment
and produced a signal flare.  Closing the pack, he shouldered it
and walked out of the hut, Brago following him.  Turning, he lit
the flare and tossed it into the hut.  The hut caught immediately,
and the flames spread to the neighboring huts.  Those that did not
catch immediately Robert helped along with his hammer, and soon the
entire street was ablaze.
     The sound of shuffling footsteps brought Robert's head around.
Looking behind him, he saw a line of vampires, some thirty or
fourty.  They all had looks of bewilderment on their faces.
     One vampire came closer.  "You killed them.  You killed the
father and his bride.  Why do you do this?"
     "For the same reason I am about to do this", Robert replied.
Raising his hammer, he aimed it at the inn.  Green fire lanced
forth from the tip, and bathed the entire structure in flame.  The
inn caught rapidly, and the entire village became a towering
inferno of fire.
     Robert and Brago took one last look behind them, and started
out of the now-dead village.  As they walked towards the main road,
they heard a scream of pure anguish, and Robert whipped his head
around, and spied the group of vampires running towards him.  All
of them were bathed in flame, and their features were slowly
melting.  As he watched, many fell down, and were consumed.  Yet a
few persisted, and they closed the distance between themselves and
the companions.  They fell, but still scrabbled weakly at the
earth.  One of them seemed to find Robert's gaze, and held him
there, as if marking him.  Claudius jumped down from Brago's arms,
and ran off, towards the main road, Brago following him.
     Robert could take no more of the vampire's hateful gaze.  He
screamed.  And ran.

========================================================================

              BOOK III - A MAN'S KING IS HIS CASTLE

                   Chapter XIV: Kill The Pain

     The two companions fled the burning city in silence, their
harsh breathing the only sound as they ran.  Not a word escaped
from their lips, they were too intent upon putting as much distance
between them and the city as possible.  Once, Robert risked a look
back, and saw a shadow detach itself from the surrounding
buildings.  The shadow paused, turning its head this way and that,
and then it began to follow the two companions in easy, loping
strides.  Robert went cold, and quickened his pace, snapping his
head around to once again face forwards.  Claudius bounded
alongside of the two companions, seemingly unaffected by the fast
pace they were setting.  Brago only faced forward as he ran, the
breath puffing out of his tusked jaws, jetting out in plumes into
the chilly night air.  It was clear that the run was taking its
toll on him, but he said nothing; like Robert he was eager to leave
the surrounding area.
     Without warning, a protruding root came into view on the
ground, tripping Robert up as his foot was caught.  With a cry he
stumbled and fell heavily to the earth with a resounding crash, the
air flying out of him upon impact.
     Brago's face hove into view over his.  "Are you all right?",
he said, concern reflected in his eyes.  -Funny-, Robert thought,
as he looked up at the big troll.  -His voice sounds almost
feminine-.
     His vision blurred, and he brought his hands up to rub his
eyes.  When he took his hands away, he saw that it was not Brago at
all.  It was Kiren.  And he remembered now that they had left Brago
behind; he had thrown his friend's life away to save Kiren.  He
smiled up at the girl.
     Kiren smiled back, and reach down to hold him close.  He
gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
     Claudius hissed suddenly, trailing off into a low growl.
Looking over, Robert saw that the tabby had his hackles raised, and
was staring straight at Kiren.  Robert glanced back at the girl.
     Her smile turned into a grimace of hatred.  Her eyes reddened
and appeared sunken, bags appearing underneath her lower lids.  Her
hands twisted into claws, which reached downward for his exposed
throat.  Her mouth opened, showing needle-pointed teeth, gleaming
wetly in the sickly-green moonlight.
     "NO!", cried Robert, and he pushed her away.  She drew back,
and spoke.  "You killed me", the Kiren-thing said in a rasp, its
voice sounding like dirt-filled hinges on a coffin.  "You left me
to rot in there".  The thing moved in closer, until it's nose was
touching Robert's.  "TO ROT!", it said, in a harsh whisper that was
more like a scream.
     All at once, the thing began to decompose, like Malachie had
back in the village.  The arms gripping Robert's throat yellowed,
then began to moulder away, slimy pieces sliding down Robert's
neck.  Robert screamed and tried to turn away, but the arms held
him fast, and he was forced to look directly into the thing's
rapidly dissolving face.  "NO!  I didn't mean to do this!  I had no
choice!", Robert cried, trying to avert his eyes.
     The thing spoke one last time, before it's head decomposed
entirely.  "Yes, you did.  You had all the choice in the world.
But never fear, my Robert.  You will join me, soon enough.  You'll
join me in Helleshorn!".  The thing laughed, sounding like a rusty
nail being driven into a steel wall.  It's terrible shrieking
resounded in Robert's ears, and he screamed in pain and terror.
     He wrenched himself awake and sat up.  He rubbed his eyes with
his fingers and looked warily around him.
     He was in a small circle, bordered on one side by a small
grove of trees, and on the other side by a wide, open area, covered
by tall grass as far as the eye could see.  A path led from the
circle up to what was presumably the main road in these parts, and
a spring burbled its watery chuckles on the other side of the
clearing, within the shelter of the grove.  A small stone fireplace
sat on the edge of the clearing right between the path and the
spring, the embers of a small fire still glowing within.  Only the
yellow moon was out tonight, and for a moment Robert thought he was
back at home.  Then it all came back to him.  He was still in
Felleranth, several leagues away from the by-now ruin which was all
that remained of the village of Thalis.  They had fled the burning
village just a few hours ago, and Robert realized with dismay that
he still had the fried blood of the woman he had so recently made
love to on his hands.
     Grimly, he placed his hands underneath him, and pushed himself
to his feet.  The impressions of his hands in the senshi moss
remained for a few seconds, then sprung back, as did the
impressions left by the rest of this body.  Robert lightly stepped
over the sleeping Brago, careful not to disturb his rest.  The
troll had suffered more than he on the long run, as he had a much
larger frame, and as a result had expended a lot more energy in the
process.  He would probably be out for a few more hours.
     The sky was still very dark, but there were some faint signs
of light over on the eastern horizon.  Dawn was only a few hours
away.
     Robert stumbled over to the spring, and splashed water on his
face and hands.  The shock of the cold water made him shiver
involuntarily, and he suddenly felt much more awake.  Gritting his
teeth, he removed his clothing, wincing as the cold air stung his
exposed skin.  Slowly he placed one foot in the water, then the
other.  He felt like an ice cube and his teeth clicked together
uncontrollably, but he forced them to be still and lowered the rest
of his body into the spring.  It was not very big, and he was a bit
crowded in there, but he didn't care.
     Slowly, methodically, he went over every inch of his skin,
rubbing it with his hands and making sure he was fully doused in
the cold water.  He completed his bath by dunking his head under
the little waterfall created by the stream where it tumbled into
the spring, then stood up.  The water only came up to his knees, as
he was a tall person, but it was enough while sitting down.
     Stepping out of the water, he shook the excess droplets off of
him as best as he could, then quickly moved over to his bedroll,
and snatched up a blanket, wrapping himself in it.  His face had
turned blue, and he was shivering from the cold, but he eventually
dried off and began to feel warm again.
     The sun was not yet up, so it was still quite cold, but the
temperature had risen slightly, indicating that dawn was on the
way.  Fishing in his backpack, Robert pulled out a flannel shirt,
jeans, underwear, and woolen socks.  Moving over to the stone
fireplace, he sat on the heartstone in front and began to dress,
his movements slow and methodical.  He finished by pulling on his
hiking boots, and laced them up, his fingers swiftly threading the
laces through the little metal epaulets.  He finished with a sharp
tug, and then he stood up.  His hands were cold, and he cupped his
hands and blew into them, restoring some of the life to them.
     Bending over the fire once again, he gathered the remains of
the charred logs together, added some of the small sticks and
kindling from the small pile to one side of the hearth, and
carefully blew on the embers until the fresh sticks caught.  The
fire blaxed up, warm and bright, and Robert felt a small surge of
satisfaction, glad that he could still do those kind of things
without requiring the aid of the hammer.  Lately he had come to
depend upon it more than he absolutely had to, and he frowned at
the thought.  He had always been a dependent person, and it
bothered him now to have to rely on a hammer to survive.
     Of course, the events of the past few days had been far from
normal, he thought with a wry smile.  Had he not had that hammer,
he would have surely been sleeping at Kiren's side at this moment,
the thirst for blood lingering in the traces of his twisted mind.
     Kiren.  A wave of depression hit him like a blow to the
stomach, and he doubled over, fighting back the tears that came to
his eyes.  -Steady-, he told himself, slowly lowering himself until
he knelt upon the cold ground in front of the fireplace.  After
all, it wasn't as if he had gotten really attached to her.  He had
known her for two days, and had become romantically involved with
her, taking her to bed the same night he had met her.  That was
certainly faster than usual, he thought to himself.  Usually those
things took time.
     But something had seemed so right with her the moment he
touched her, and she had been so fiery, beneath him while they had
danced between the sheets, grappling with one another like
wrestlers.  At one point they had rolled off of the couch entirely,
but neither one of them had noticed, so intent were they upon each
other.  Robert felt his tender thigh and winced.  That had been
some fall.  Moving his hand up to the small indentation in his
shoulder, he smiled.  That had been when Kiren was in the throes of
her culmination, he recalled.  She had nipped him on the shoulder,
and her fingernail marks were still in his back from where she had
gripped him so tightly.  He smiled ruefully, then a wave of despair
washed over him.  He had not known her for long, it was true.  But
he had somehow become attached to the red-haired, gray-eyed beauty,
and now that she was gone, Robert felt the anguish keenly.
     Bringing his hands up to his face, Robert brushed away the
tears that had formed in his eyes, and dried his hand upon his
sleeve.  Unfolding his legs from underneath him, Robert sat down on
the hearth, his legs crossed in Indian fashion.  A loud purr
interrupted the silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire,
and Robert turned to meet the gaze of Claudius.  The tabby, with
that intuition only cats possessed, had sensed that he was in need
of a friend, and he climbed unceremoniously into his owner's lap,
rolling over onto his back so his furry white belly jutted upwards
at Robert.
     Robert smiled and gave in to temptation, one hand coming down
to stroke the cat's furry stomach.  The cat purred all the louder,
and his tongue went out and licked Robert's other hand where it lay
in his lap, tasting the salt in his skin and the water remaining
from his bath.
     "Hey", Robert said to the cat, giggling in spite of himself.
The cat's tongue was like wet sandpaper, and it tickled.  Jerking
his hand away, he rubbed the underside of the cat's fuzzy chin, and
the tabby's eyes closed in a dreamy contentment, the purring
growing louder.  Robert sighed and settled his back against one of
the side stones of the fireplace, the warmth of the rock seeping
into his body.  His head grew heavy and nodded forward, and his
eyes closed, one hand resting on the tabby's belly, the other on
the top of his head.
     It was this way that Brago found them a few hours later, as
the sun poked above the horizon.  The troll sat up, looked over to
the fire, and smiled slowly as he took in the sight of the man and
his pet, sleeping on the hearth.  Standing up, he stretched for a
minute, then lumbered over to the spring and proceeded to do the
same thing Robert had a few hours earlier.  It was an unspoken
agreement; both of them felt unclean after what had happened, but
had been too tired the previous night to do anything about it.
     It was to the troll's almost eager splashing that Robert woke
once more.  Straightening up, he yawned and stretched, then reach
one hand down to stroke Claudius, now curled up in a ball on
Robert's lap.  The tabby meowed faintly, and licked his hand,
causing Robert to giggle softly.  Picking up the tabby, he stood up
and deposited the Claudius on the spot he had just vacated on the
hearth.  Straightening up once more, he glanced over to the spring,
and stopped, looking for a moment at the troll apparently enjoying
himself in the spring.  Most of the water had been splashed out of
the little hollow, and the waterfall struggled in vain to refill
the vacated spring.  Robert chuckled, a deep throaty laugh, and
walked over to the spring.
     The troll was vigorously washing himself, oblivious to the
surroundings.  He was humming, his deep voice strangely mellow as
he thrummed out the notes to some troll anthem.  Robert smiled
broadly, and he covered his mouth to keep from laughing.  He wished
he had a rubber duckie to throw at the troll, for a few laughs.
     The troll went on humming, an occasional "Hroom" or "Haggh"
escaping his lips.  He began to wave his hands to the rhythm of the
tune, one hand slapping down on the water, splashing himself and
the surrounding five feet or so as he did.  Robert was not immune,
and was caught by a spray of icy cold spring water full in the
face.  He coughed, spluttering as his hands came up to wipe the
water out of his eyes and nose.  The troll appeared not to notice,
going into what appeared to be the final refrain of the song he was
singing.
     "And we come to stay the night awayyyyyyyy", the troll
finished, with a flourish of splashing and spraying.  Robert jumped
around, trying to avoid the airborne water.  One spray caught the
still-sleeping tabby, and the cat jumped up, snarling and hissing,
before he realized that there was nobody there.  With great
dignity, and restraint, Claudius shook himself off, trying to look
noble at the same time, and began to lick the excess water off of
his fur.  He looked up once at Robert, and then quite deliberately
turned his back on him, flicking his tail disdainfully as he did
so.
     Robert could stand it no longer, and his laughter pealed
outward through the trees in the little grove.  Brago started
suddenly, then finally noticed the man on the shore, by now rolling
on the ground, holding his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably.
Brago looked around at the deluged surroundings, cast one
appraising eye on the now-soggy fire, and then looked back at the
absence of water in the little spring.  The waterfall bubbled,
almost angrily, trying to fill up the spring once again.  Brago
looked back at Robert, who by now had recovered himself and was
staring at Brago, his face carefully neutral.  A slow flush spread
over the troll's cheeks, and he smiled sheepishly.
     "Uh-", he started to say.
     Robert appeared to notice him for the first time.  "You were
trying to say something?", he asked, his face still expressionless.
His eyes, however, twinkled merilly, and Brago saw what might have
been the slightest trace of a smile come to his lips.
     "Um-", he managed.
     "Oh come now", said Robert, the smile playing about his
features, "What ever is the matter?  Cat have your tongue?".  And
he looked over to where Claudius had finished cleaning himself.
The tabby fixed Brago with a black look, his shoulders hunched over
like a vulture's.  The cat stood up, still scowling up at the
troll, and he slowly shook himself off, spraying water in every
direction.  The troll's blush deepened, and he started to stammer.
     Robert couldn't stand the suspense, and his smile widened,
until it met the tips of his ears.  "Whatever were you singing?",
he asked, laughing quietly.
     The embarrassed troll climbed out of the water, shivering in
the morning air.  "It's one of the patriotic troll songs", he
explained, sheepishly averting his eyes from Robert's.  "I rendered
it into the common tongue, making it a bit more interesting.  The
Gunthark language is so dull."
     Robert met Brago's gaze and held it.  "I see", he said drily.
"Now I don't suppose you could do something about restarting the
fire?", he said, pointing towards the soggy mass in the fireplace.
     The troll glanced ruefully over at the now-defunct fire, and
grinned stupidly.  "Uh, right, Robert".  He said, still blushing
deeply.  Robert couldn't help himself.  His composure cracked once
again, and the two companions rolled around on the ground,
laughing.  It felt good to laugh again, after what they had been
through.  There had been so much pain and suffering in the past few
days, that Robert had almost forgotten what it was like to be
happy.  Now, the anguish was momentarily forgotten, and the two
friends rejoiced the fact that they were alive and free.
     Gradually, the mirth faded away, leaving the two with a warm
feeling inside.  They set about making breakfast, Robert cleaning
out the sodden mass of ash in the slowly-drying fireplace, while
Brago set about with his pots and pans, working his cooking magic
yet again.  Breakfast was fairly satisfactory, and Robert felt
quite full afterwards.  Brago went over to the still-depleted
spring and washed the dishes, while Robert rolled up the blankets
and bedrolls, stowing them in their packs.  Soon, only a few faint
indentations in the senshi moss, plus the embers of the campfire,
were all that remained of their passing.  They returned along the
path to the main road, and started off at a more subdued pace than
that of the previous night, heading along the same way they had
been traveling before.
     "Do you have any idea where we are?", Robert asked the troll,
after they had been on the road for perhaps an hour.  The troll
paused in midstride, and reached into the back of his pack with one
scaly hand.  He withdrew the hand, bringing a roll of weather-
beatem parchment with it.  Moving to the edge of the path, he
unrolled the parchment on a handy flat rock nearby.  Holding down
the edges with small stones so the paper wouldn't curl, he pointed
to the upper left area.  Looking closely, Robert saw that it was a
map of Felleranth, or at least a partial map.  Following the
direction of Brago's large finger, he saw a cluster of tiny huts
drawn on the map at one point, presumably representing a village.
Underneath the huts in tiny letters was the word "Thalis".  There
were several other of these little villages spaced along a winding
path bearing roughly northwest to southeast, with Thalis at the end
of this chain.  Each village had a tiny name written underneath,
and Robert could recognize some of them as the names of the
villages he and Brago had passed through.  Connecting all these
villages was a thin line, denoted at intervals by the words "The
Imperiale Hyewaye".  Robert followed the line down past Thalis with
his finger, noting that the forest that all these villages had been
shrouded in ended right after Thalis, at a point labeled
"Brandywine Spring".  That, he realized, was where they had spent
the night.  Below that was empty grasslands, a few more villages
dotting the landscape, strung out along the imperial highway.
     Following the map even further, Robert came upon a large
cluster of these small huts, located about halfway down the page,
to the left.  The city had a crown drawn on top of a tower, and
underneath was the word "Senerdell", in larger print.  This,
presumably, was the capital, where the King could be found.
Looking at the distance between Senerdell and Thalis, Robert
concluded that they were nearly there.
     Straightening up, Robert turned to Brago.  "How long is it to
Senerdell?", he asked the troll.
     The troll looked at the map, did some quick calculations, and
replied, "About seven days, on foot.  If we had horses, it would be
much faster, more like three days".
     Robert thought about it, and said "It's not as if we are in a
hurry, but I'd much rather buy horses at one of those villages in
between than walk all of the way.  It's true that we could use the
Vanadurix to travel there, but seeing as I have never seen the
place, we wouldn't be able to teleport there directly.  We'd have
to go in hops, making jumps equal to the range of our sight.  Do we
have enough money to purchase horses?"
     Brago hesitated for a moment, lost in thought.  "It depends
upon the village", he said finally.  "Some horse traders will let
you have horses for a fraction of what others would".  Looking down
at the map again, he pointed to the first village.  "Heckwen is a
fairly inexpensive village, so we may be able to get horses there.
After that, we're probably out of luck.  Talen and Danthos are
occupied by more noble people, so the prices will be higher", he
said, pointing to the two following villages.  "After that, we'll
be in Senerdell.  We can get horses there really cheap; every large
city has its poor sections.  But we need the horses to get there
first.  So I would say we must buy them in Heckwen."
     Robert looked up at his friend, and nodded.  "Sounds good to
me, my friend.  You know the lay of the land better than I do."
Bending down to the map again, he pointed to a spot where a large
crack was inscribed on the scroll.  Underneath it were the words
"Claymore Pass".  A thin line stretched out along the crack,
running east to west, with the words "Selamin River" running along
the line.  To the west, the river widened and emptied out into what
appeared to be a large ocean, which ran out to the western edge of
the map and beyond, presumably.  On the ocean were the words, "The
Great Waters".
     It was to the crack that Robert pointed.  "This is where I met
you, isn't it?", he asked the troll, who nodded with a smile.
"Then this is where I came into this world", he said, pointing to
a tiny trail that led northeast from the crack, finally ending in
a small circle with the words "Sylvan Hollow", underneath.
     Brago saw this, and his eyes widened.  "Truly, that makes
sense.  Sylvan Hollow has always been a place of mystery.  We must
return there after all this has done.  I have always been curious
about that area.  Tell me, my friend", he said, glancing up at
Robert once more.  "It has been almost three months since we first
met.  In all this time, you have never before been curious about
the lay of the land."
     Robert thought for a moment.  "You're right", he said, "I
guess I have never been that curious before.  I was too busy
enjoying myself here".
     The troll smiled.  "I am glad you like our world, Robert
Havenwood.  I am sure you will come to like it even more as the
time goes by.  Come, let us get back on the road to Heckwen, where
we can ride the rest of the way to Senerdell.  The king is awaiting
us, although he does not yet know it.  But when we arrive, I am
sure he will be very interested in what we have to tell him".
     With that, he rolled up the map and placed it back in his
pack.  Tightening the straps of his own pack, Robert stretched his
muscles briefly, then motioned to Brago that he was ready to
continue.  Gathering up Claudius from where he had perched on the
rock, they resumed their walk down the imperial highway.