Original Link (now dead) - http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/ASHEdistantchime2.asp
Distant Chime
by Ravenlock
Ravenlock's eyes stood wide with wonder as the stranger's axe sliced effortlessly through the last of the Mosswarts. He gaped in utter disbelief at the pile of mangled corpses that lay at the warrior's feet.
“Wh--what are those things and where for the love of the goddess am I?” Ravenlock asked in a tiny voice that sounded as if it had been squeezed out of him.
“Well my boy, this here place is Dereth and those there things are Mosswarts.” The warrior spoke casually, as if he didn't even understand what the young Sho was whining about, while scraping the content the Mosswart Shaman's skull off his shield. “You're lucky I happened to be around, otherwise it would be your brains out on display.”
The small, dark-haired newcomer's stomach churned at the sight of the scattered intestines, but what really made him feel sick was the offhand sort of way the warrior seemed to take it all in. Ravenlock's eyes glided across the silver and gold of the man's armor and rested on the fearsome weapon this obviously insane person held in his hand.
Uncountable questions were on his lips, but he couldn't find a way to pose even one of them. All he could come up with was:
“It's a dream, a bad dream it has to be. . . . The light, the running, all a dream. That's it! I'm having a nightmare and when I wake up I'll be back in my warm bed!”
“Well in that case I'll be off then. I have better things to do than baby-sit the dreaming,” the warrior said in the dry manner that seemed to be his fashion.
He had already begun walking away when the desperate cries of Ravenlock sounded from behind.
“No wait! Please! Help me, help me. . .”
Grunting as if he'd half expected as much, the warrior turned back to the frightened youngster then threw him a wineskin.
The wineskin hit Ravenlock full in the face and caused him to topple back.
“I'm Dagan and it appears it's going to be a long night. . .”
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