Chapter 3 - "Its just not cricket!" As dawn bleeds through the bedroom window you are awoken to the sound of what only can be described as a tortured snugglepuss*. You follow the din to the bathroom only to discover the dwarf fully clothed yet sitting up to his waist in frothy bath water. "Mine, mine, mine that tin deep into the earth." "Give it a rub, give it a bite to see wots it worth." sings Odin. "Ah young Thorin, I didn't notice you there! ... wanna use the water after me? " splashes the dwarf You decline staring at the thick black water and dark ring around the bathtub. "I'll meet you downstairs, we've got a lot of travelling to do!" you exclaim in bewilderment of the dwarf blowing bubbles in the bath. You descend the stairs, leaving the musical maestro to his song. "Mine, mine, mine ..." Odin pauses "Hey I just found an old groat. Nothing like starting the day on a good note!!" chuckles the dwarf. "The same cant be said for your singing." gleams Valetant Smiling, you begin to pack your kit together, taking anything of use, although going by the distinctive dustless marks around the rooms; you realize that your small singing friend may have beaten you to the good kit. You continue until Odin joins you. The morning is a misty one with light showers and damp heavy air all about. "You lead the way Odin, as you seem to know where this stone is!" "Err the stone, oh yes its this way." replies Odin looking in all directions. Picking up your backpacks you make your way east along a badly paved road towards the daunting mountain ranges in the distance. The landscape eerily quiet with just the odd buzz of a firefly and a bellowing belch from the over indulged dwarf. Leaving the road you begin to ascend the foothills until you reach the base of the northerly mountain. As the mist flows to the base of the range like a translucent skirt, your vision is some what weakened and so both of you miss the slow but steady approach of a zombie until your paths both meet. "It doesn't seem dangerous, best we just go around and leave it to it!" you gesture to the dwarf. Going ahead first you glare back to see to your amazement, Odin yanking on the hand of the zombie. Looking up from this comical "tug o war" Odin shouts "Well he won't want this sapphire ring will he!" he strains. In that instance the zombie seems to come to life as though the ring was a link to the living world. It pulls back its hand relinquishing the ring <chink> only to produce and wield a well-kept pitchfork from behind its back. With speed you intervene a well-timed blow from the undead. <chink> "where's your weapon Odin?" you shout with urgency. The zombie attacks again knocking you off balance and sending you to the ground. Looking over to the side you see the back end of Odin rummaging through his kit. "HURRY" you splutter. The zombie pulls back for a finishing plunge and you brace yourself for a defensive counter attack. "Found it!" says Odin, and within that your hear an almighty shout "FOUR!!!!" <squelch> <whizz> Now the sight of the undead is nothing strange in a land of magic but seeing a zombies head flying through the air is. Amazed you look back from the flying head to see Odin wielding a stained cricket bat! "Used to play for the 40 Miners cricket team," boasts the dwarf re-enacting his well timed hit. You just stare at the dwarf not knowing if to laugh as he picks up his spoils of the fight. Catching your breath you look back to see a lonesome zombie fumbling in the undergrowth, arms a stretch searching for its head. "After all that excitement, it's made me hungry," says Odin slapping his rounded belly. "Is that all you can think about after putting us in danger?" glints the sword, although this just falls on deaf ears as Odin is too side tracked in admiring the shining ring. You both decide to stop for food especially after the fight. Odin passes you a crisp wafer and container of water. With rest and food you feel your stamina and well being returning to its maximum. "So where about's this stone, are we near?" you mumble with a mouthful of wafer. "Legend says it's in the Cave of Stars around here somewhere!" he replies "Legend? ... somewhere?" you scowl at Odin, "I thought you knew where it was?" "I was told about it by a powerful mage whilst in a drinking contest in the inn." Odin says continuing "I know he was drunk but he swore blind that this is how musers get their magic." "Great, so you don't really know if its even real or not?" you reply. "I knew he was trouble when we first found him," shines valetant, having its say. "Well if that's your attitude then I'm off!" and with that Odin packs is kit and mopes off west. Sinking your face into your hands you begin to feel that the battle is lost even before it's started. "He deserved that, the little ... " exclaims the sword, "And you can shut up too!" you say putting the sword back in its sheath. Pulling yourself together you pack up your things, stand and look in all the misty directions and wonder which way you should go. "HHHEELLPPP!" comes a scream from within the mist, although from the tone it's coming straight at you with pace. Odin fleets past in a blink of eye and just says one word "Billy!!" Looking back from where he came you see an extremely mad billy goat charging straight at you. Without a hesitance of thought you run up the mountain like a champ possessed. "Wait for me!" you scream, catching sight of the dwarf in the mist. Suddenly you trip on something podgy, "Ouch!" and begin a tumble bringing what ever it was with you. <thud><wack> "Uh!" <bounce> Slipping down a short slope you hit what seems to be an unused beacon of some description and with that, you and the following baggage roll into a dark cave. "Who turned out the light?" moans Odin, rubbing his behind from an obvious full brunt of the goat's horns. "That lump was you then." you grin. Without any prompt you both begin to laugh. "I've never seen a dwarf run so fast!" you joke. "I've never seen a human tumble so badly," Odin jests There is a sudden eerie silence as you both look up to see the caves ceiling covered in star like clusters. <mumble mumble> tings the sword "It's the cave of stars and you two bungling fools have found it," says the sword as you unsheathe it. "And look there's the Touch Stone" points Odin The stone stands tall and lonely yet its presence is overwhelming, yearning to be touched. Dusting yourself off you stand and reach out to the stone. "Wait!" shouts Odin as he searches under his layered clothing. "Lady luck remember" Odin says handing you a lucky rabbit's foot on a piece of leather cord from around his neck. You touch the stone and are immediately engulfed in pain. Bolts of torture run through your veins bringing you to your knees. You begin to feel your whole existence fading away and you start to black out. "The foot, the foot!" shouts Odin. Grabbing the foot with the last piece of energy you are suddenly flung back away from the stone and slunch onto the floor unconscious. Minutes pass in this deathly limbo until your eyes flicker and open. "Am I dead?" you whisper. "No you're alive." smiles Odin. Odin gives you his hand to get you to your feet but as you reach out your hand, a bolt of fire surges out of the hand, whizzes past Odin's head out of the cave and ignites the beacon outside with a torrent of flames. Rubbing his singed head Odin says, "I think we can safely say you now have magic, oh Thorin the Sorcerer!" and with that sudden drain of power you fall back into a peaceful slumber as your body begins to come accustomed to your new found powers ... * * * * - disclaimer- I would just like to say that no sugglepusses where actually tortured for this chapter! I actually used a stunt goblin instead -Morloc Adapted from a story line from Morloc's MUD 2 Duke TC email: Cmirfin@tesco.net