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I hope I am not too late?
I walked slowly forward to the door. Since it was no more than an arched opening in the stone I drew my knife and rapped the pommel on the inside of the arch. Something bent and scuttling moved at the far end of the passage, where the light did not reach. But the gentle voice of a young woman invited me to come inside. I limped through the doorway, and the thing at the end of the hall scurried back around the corner to the left.
I worked my way down the hall, leaning against the wall on the right. As I neared the corner I smelled a smell like warm flesh, but was also a fresh, cinnamon smell. When I reached the corner I began to sense a thing waiting for me, and I had hardly sensed this when a thing appeared before me and I felt a hand strike above the sheath of my knife, and I heard a startled and disappointed sound. Hands were immediately on my throat, and if I had not happily had my knife already in my hand, my throat would have been crushed.
I wiped the blood from my feet at the door (which was difficult for my right leg), and stepped into the room. That which had attacked me was tall, not what I had seen scuttling in the dark when I was at the door. I saw the scuttler now at the far end of the room, which was lighted faintly by a lamp on a large stone. On a seat, which seemed to be the only furniture of the rough room, sat a young woman, no doubt she who had invited me in. The scuttler was next to this chair, and seemed larger in the light where its shadow added to its apparent size. It hurried to the side out of the light. There was a pause.
"I was told to come here by the dragon." I said.
At first I saw nothing wrong, and wondered why the woman did not rise to meet me. She seemed to be sitting naturally. She did not speak. The light flickered in a slight gust that had wandered in. Then I saw that her ankles were bound to the legs of the chair. I went forward, and knelt painfully to cut off the knots. I was nervously aware of the scuttler taking an intent interest in this. When she was freed the woman rose and stepped to the wall.
The woman said, "It could not make me open the door." "It? The murderer in the hall?" "A murderer yes."
She ran her finger in a pattern on the wall, as though she were following a geometric diagram. Then she thrust the wall with her hand, and a part of it swung back, grinding across the floor. Bright sunlight came from the room beyond, and in that light I saw the scuttler quite close to me. It was a dragon, shrunken and charred to a cluster of animated shreds of dragonhood. I shifted involuntarily and my weight went painfully on my leg. But I immediately bent forward in respect.
The woman said again, "Come inside, and be welcome." in precisely the same tone as she had used the first time. I blinked for a moment, then limped through the alchemic door into that brilliant room, hearing the rustle of the shrunken dragon following.
It is very long, *is embarrassed * but not much happens, it is mostly description.
Actually, should I repost just the first paragraph?
_________________ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Tsahraf::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Servant of God, Brother of Christ, and Sealed by the Holy Ghost.
Tsahraf is Hebrew, meaning to refine, cast, melt, purge away, try.
Chahsid Mimetes means Follower of the Holy One, or saint.
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. I Corinthians 11:1
May Sir Emeth Mimetes find you doing this. Thank you, in Gods name.
Jorgan the Sphere on Amazon.
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