From: cgirard@neumann.une.edu.au (The Blade of Malchrntyne)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [T&R]3.6: Partial Prophesy
Date: 11 Oct 92 12:45:27 GMT



>	The Umber Hulk broke through the solid rock behind her effortlessly,
>as was the nature of his kind. Powerful claws that are not slowed down by
>granite met no resistance from frail human flesh.
>	The hunters departed from the room, their appetite whetted. 

	There was no dawn in the cavern, for the sun never reached this
part of the complex.  It was Rollik who shook the others awake when it was
time to move on, and as a group the moved through the dead foliage in search
of an exit.
	It did not take long to find one; in fact there were several other
doorways leading from the chamber, and the group were at a loss as to know
which one to take.
	"I guess," said Hyala finally, "that one is as good as the next.  I
mean, they all have to lead somewhere."  She sighed.  "I wish Hayley was
here," she said sadly.
	"Hayley?" said Timelord questioningly.
	"My sister," replied Hyala, as the three headed up the first of the
corridors leading from the chamber.  "My younger sister.  Although she's 
only seventeen, she has a very strong mind, and could have given us a better
idea of which path to take.  But I haven't seen her for so long."
	"Was it marriage that separated you?" asked Rollik.
	"No," replied Hyala, her voice soft and sad, "I left to join the
priesthood so I could better serve her as guide, but not long ago I received
word that my entire village had been...had been pillaged and burnt to the
ground, and.."
	Her voice trailed off as tears came to her eyes.  Compulsively, Rollik
placed his arm around her shoulders.
	"I'm sorry," he said gently, "I didn't mean to open old wounds.  You
must have loved her very much."  The words seemed so inadequate.
	"Oh, she isn't dead," said Hyala.  She paused and looked at the two.
	"I know I can trust you with this," she said.  She took a deep 
breath and began.
	"There is a very old prophesy concerning our family.  It says that
one day there shall be born two daughters, ten years apart to the very 
minute, that shall grow in strength of mind and purpose.  The precise nature
of their task is known only to their mother, and she shall only know its
full extent at the first time of trial.
	"They shall be two, yet one in mind.  And when the time of trial
comes, then shall two become one, and revelation shall begin."
	"That's pretty obscure," commented Timelord.  Hyala nodded.
	"I guess so, but that's all my mother would tell either of us.  She
even made us memorise it, though the reason why escapes me."
	The walked on for a while, but as they rounded a corner, came up
against a wall of stone.
	"Great," said Timelord.  He stepped up closer to the cave-in and
examined it.
	"There's no way we're getting through here," he said, pushing
innefectually at the rocks.  "Looks like we go back."
	As they trudged back the way they had come, Rollik mulled the 
prophesy over in his mind.
	"You said that 'they shall be two, yet one in mind'," he said to
Hyala.  "Does that mean that you can communicate to her?"
	She smiled. 
	"It's not that easy," she replied.  "I know she is still alive,
but apart from that, I can sense nothing else about her.  It could be
the magic in this place, or she is shielding herself from something;
either way, I just know she's alive."
	"What about that 'two becoming one' bit?" he continued.
	"It means that at sometime I'll meet her again," Hyala replied
with a smile.  "'Two become one', see?"
	They re-entered the cavern, and headed for the next door.
	"Oh, well," said Timelord, "time to try again."

			       *********

	Halkathe led the party of assassins down the corridor from the
room that had once housed the harem, his eyes scanning the corridor with
eyes and smell for any traces of their quarry.  The shadow drake flew
ahead, almost invisible near the roof of the tunnel.  The search went on
for some time, up to the next level, but seemingly their quarry had
disappeared.
	Halkathe stopped suddenly, his nose coming alight at the scent
of blood.  Moving carefully, he continued down the corridor.
	Spying the bloodied crossbow bolt on the floor, he picked it up
and sniffed it carefully.


 The Blade of Malchrntyne (CJ)| There comes a time when the jewels cease to
 Drummond College A100        | sparkle, and the gold loses its lustre, and
 x 3069                       | the throne room becomes a prison - and all
 There can be only one.       | that remains is a father's love for his child


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