From: ssalter@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (-=[SLS]=-)
Subject: To Ride a NightMare [CASTLE]
Organization: OFSA
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 16:07:38 GMT

This is a dual post by David Sanders and Steven Salter...
=========================================================

	Kathrea relaxed in the chair and gazed at the three sleeping
figures in the room. The Lady Brianna in the grip of an unnatural
sleep and the Feral Knight under a sleep enchantment of Kathrea's own
devising still held Brianna's hand unconsciously. Mikandric under the
same enchantment slumbered in the chair at the side of the room. Alwir
and the mysterious NightMare had just faded into nothingness as they
made their own unique way to DreamWorld.       

	Kathrea knew that the dangers of DreamWorld were quite real.
One that suffered death in the Dreamlands would usually suffer the
same in reality. She closed her eyes and focused her senses on the
mindlink she had forged with the Feral Knight as she cast the sleep
spell. The small, comfortable room of the castle dimmed and faded....


				-=<0>=-

	He prowled through a darkness so complete is was almost
tangible. His sight was useless here so the Feral Knight concentrated
on his other senses. Sounds seemed to be muffled by the black blanket
of darkness and there was nothing to register to his senses of taste
and smell but a cloying decay.     

	He was dimly aware of the reason he was here...but, what was
he searching for? He had been...oh by the nine freezing hells!
Brianna, his True Love was trapped here in DreamWorld by the evil
Dresher! Yes, he had to find her and rescue her to bring her self back
to her slumbering body in the Castle. But, weren't there others that
wree her with him? Things just seemed confusing. The Darkness here
muffled everything, even his thoughts.

	He stopped and concentrated on his inner self, his true self
that existed independently of his physical body. As he reached the
balance point in his centering technique the Feral Knight suddenly
became aware of other...other things that inhabited this realm.     

	The darkness seemed to fade and as it did his other senses
suddenly were intensified. A sickly violet-green light clung around
hulking figures in the distance like the phosphorescence of mold on a
decayed skeleton. An overpowering stench swept over him as the figures
approached and he spat in a vain attempt to clear his mouth of the
reeking, bitter taste.         

	As the things drew nearer he saw that they were vaguely
humanoid in shape but an awful caricature of human life. Deepset eyes
glowed redly under misshapen brows and grotesque mouths gaped open
like suppurating wounds. These things groaned in an eerie semblance of
speech and advanced relentlessly towards him.     

	The Feral Knight reached for his enchanted sword and found
nothing, not even his sheath! He looked down and found that he was
naked and defenceless. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the shambling
creatures that closed in on him. He was not defenceless while he could
yet move. His hands and feet were awesome weapons that had been honed
to deadliness over the years.      

	He shifted his posture and found that his feet would no longer
move. Glancing down he found that they had painlessly melted into the
featureless soil beneath him. He strained to move his arms and found
them paralyzed, hanging limply at his sides. He was totally
defenseless now! His chest rose and fell rapidly as the awful things
neared him. There was nothing he could do! He could not fight or even
run! HE WAS DOOMED!!        

	As the nearest thing wrenched it's melted blubber visage into
a shocking grimace of satisfaction and reached out with a slimy three
fingered paw he felt the icy cold of despair sweep through him and he
tried to shout his defiance. No sound but a muffled groan
emerged...his very mouth was sealed shut.    

	GODDESS!! he screamed soundlessly, Goddess, save my Brianna
for I cannot! The Feral Knight felt the icy depths of total despair
surround his spirit...he had failed his Beloved..he was doomed and
allowing himself to fail he had doomed his Brianna to a certain horrid
death. Tears may have fallen but his eyes suddenly melted into his
face. Instead they seeped into his skin with a acid burning sensation
and.....

	A loud whinny sounded in his ear and the Feral Knight shook
his head violently! The dreamscape was torn away in tatters as he
turned and saw the blazing eyes of the NightMare staring at him. Alwir
sat on her back, his eyes wide with fear and yet a certain solid
serenity resided deep within him.    

	Feral Knight looked about and Alwir motioned to NightMares
back. He looked into the NightMare's eyes and found a grudging
acceptance there so he vaulted effortlessly onto her back behind
Alwir. She reared back onto her powerful hind legs and threw herself
into a hard gallop into the misty environs of DreamWorld.     

	Feral Knight knew that his dream of searching in darkness had
turned into an awful nightmare because of her proximity. Was this
NightMare a creature of good or evil...or was it so clearly one way or
the other? He breathed deeply and sat easily on her broad back as she
moved like a breeze over the varied landscape in search of the last
person on the quest, Mikandric.         

	His first brush with the insidious DreamWorld had proven a
powerful lesson. The spell derived experiences that Kathrea had given
him suddenly filled his mind and he felt new confidence. He would not
be caught unwary again.

				-=<0>=-

	She shifted in her chair as the sudden chill she experienced
her faded into nothingness. That had been close for her friend the
Feral Knight. Kathrea could not communicate with the questers but she
followed them as if she were watching from above...or from the Feral
Knight's viewpoint, as she chose. Three were united now, Mikandric was
to be found and then the rescue and battle to be joined!

				-=<0>=-



	Mikandric slowly inched his way along the sheer wall of the
fortress, passing directly over the heads of the two skeletal guards who 
were guarding the entranceway.  Dropping lightly to his feet behind the 
guards, Mikandric danced a quick three-stp jig, stuck his tongue out at
their backs and then disappeared down the corridor leading to the cells.

	He arrived at a large oaken door, and bent to examine the lock.
Nodding slightly to himself, he extracted a pick from his supply and in a
matter of moments, the lock clicked open.  Reaching into his pouch, 
Mikandric removed a small vial of oil and liberally applied the oil to
the door-hinges.  Then very gently, he eased the door open and slipped
inside.

	In the small, dank cell was a lovely,  raven-haired
beauty, wearing only a black silk teddy, and chained at both her hands
and feet.  Mikandric gestured to her to be silent, as he listened
intently at the door.  Hearing nothing, he gave a satisfied nod and
moved to where the maiden lay.

	"I'll have you out of here in a jiffy,"  he whispered softly
to her.

	Her grateful smile seemed to lighten the room, and he quickly bent 
to examine the manacles chaining her wrists.  Extracting a small pick,
Mikandric gave the girl a quick wink, and then deftly flicked open the 
manacles binding her wrists.

	"Halfway there !"  Mikandric whispered to the maiden.

	Bending to examine the manacles around her lovely slender ankles,
Mikandric paused as he thought he heard the sound of hoofbbeats !  Frowning,
Mikandric glanced at the maiden to see if she had heard the same sound and
his eyes widened in shock and horror.  The lovely maiden had been transformed
into a hideous monster.  Her face was twisted and scaly, long black incisors,
dripping poison jutted from her black-lipped mouth.  Her eyes gleamed ferally
as two red-clawed hands reached out and grasped him by the throat !!

	Mikandric grasped feebly at the iron grip around his neck as
the hideous visage moved closer, the jaws gaping wide in preparation of
sinking the fangs into his flesh.

	Suddenly, a sword swung down from above, and cleaved both of the
arms at the wrists !  Two hands roughly yanked Mikandric upwards and backwards
and he landed with a grunt on the back of a horse !  Grasping him tightly
was Alwir, while behind him, the Feral Knight swung mightily again, and struck
the monster's head cleanly from her body.

	After gathering his breath,  Mikandric plaintively said, " But she
seemed like such a *nice* girl."

	When that comment received only sighs from the two men, and a slight
whicker from the NightMare,  Mikandric decided not to comment about the black
teddy.

	As NightMare carried them all through the wall of the fortress, and
out into DreamWorld,  Mikandric couldn't resist saying, "Do you think we 
could go back for a change of clothes,  I think I had an accident."

	At FK's frowning look, Mikandric gave a quick grin and shrug, 
mumbling "Gee, its so tense around here."

	
				-=<0>=-

	Kathrea half smiled with annoyance at Mikandric's words. He
was never serious! But, that was just a front, she could see that.
There was a lot more to Mikandric then his bumbling exterior. She drew
back from the part and saw them all riding on NightMare's back deep
into the realm of DreamWorld. Strangely, there was plenty of room on
NM's back but then again that wasn't so strange. Anything can happen
in a dream.

				-=<0>=-