The 6th Day: The Stones of Birth
Ogloromn sat beside a rock a lttle distance away from his friends. They were at the foot of one of the Mountains inhabited by a nasty race of humanoids called the Bogey-men by some and Trolls by others. No one knew what they called themselves, for no one had survived long enough to find out. It was these particularly nasty creatures who, with a group of over-sized man-eating worms, were currently causing the entire party a good deal of worry. For behind them, clear across the eternal expanse of that blasted plain, lay the Purple Mountains at whose feet they longed to be resting. The only ways across were battling the horrifying beasts that fought above ground or contending with the still sleeping worms lying under. And to top it all off, if they tried anything else, for instance just sitting there, their likelyhood of being eaten alive was not diminished. Ogloromn grimaced and was thus justified in doing so.
After a while Ogloromn noticed a dark, rather bedraggled figure peering at him from behind the rock. Thinking it was a troll he quickly jumped to his feet and got ready for a fight. He'd die if he had to, but he wouldn't die afraid, Holmr Dammit!He could have called to the others but it was just one troll and a fight would be quite fruitless anyway, so why bother? Ha! he thought, Death in a blaze of glory! He didn't feel very glorious.
But the creature turned out not to be a troll at all. No it was rather short (shorter than a troll at any rate) and seemed not to carry the bulk normally associated with a troll. It was covered with a cloak, pulled down over its head. Perhaps its a Trolless? thought Ogloromn with a great deal of awe. They were rumoured to exist, but none had ever been seen! What a great discovery, if ....The Trolless spoke. Its voice was soft and bubbly like a gentle mountain stream. A wave of calm seemed to wash over him. Enchanted by a Trolless, he thought, How awful, and chuckled to himself. "You seem to be gravely misplaced," it said, "Come, follow me, and I can help you." The voice was really wonderful, but Ogloromn new better than to trust it. "Oh, and why would i heed the word of a Bogey-woman then?" The Trolless let out a laugh that took him completely aback. Not only was the idea of Troll-laughter odd, but the quality of the voice that laughed, it seemed to sieze his senses altogether. As he scolded himself, the Trolless said plainly," I am no Bogey-woman. I am a dweller of these peaks. I help guide across those who find themselves in such danger, to the lands beyond. I even lead to the Purple mountains those that are willing to go." "Yes and I'm sure you meet them with an open jaw once you've reached the chamber. Trolless, I know i have not long to live, however i have no wish to serve death on hand and foot. However I must confess that your voice..""If you wish...If there is no other way, I must aid you in trusting me." And with that she removed her hood and revealed her face, a face strikingly human, and to Ogloromn unbelievably beautiful.
"Do you belive me now, that I am no Trolless?" the new face asked of him. He for his part found it difficult to answer. He was enamoured by her appearance almost completly. It took him some time and much effort to reply,"I do" but before he could say any more, she quickly covered her face and said, "Follow me. Bring the others along, but do not let them see me." And then she was gone. Ogloromn was unsure of what to do, until he heard her hiss from behind the rock,"Go! There isn't much time! I'm in the tunnel!" So he quickly moved towards his friends.
His friends meanwhile were gathering stones. "From the looks of it, it won't last much longer now", Fernkellis was saying," If we gather enough, we have a chance to fend them off while we make a break for it. One chance in a million. Hi, Ogloromn! Where were you all this time? Quick, pick up some stones and pile them up here!" "I know a way out", Ogloromn said blankly. "Look, Fernkellis, I don't see..what? What did you say?" "I've found a way out", repeated Ogloromn. Fickerfut came up to him. "How is that even possible?" "No time to explain, you'll have to trust me." "Trust you? What sort of...""There isn't much time, look!" The Trolls were beginning to break rank and run back towards the hills. "All right Oggy, if you've got a way, show us!"
Ogloromn led them to the rock behind which his mysterious helper supposedly stood. He signed for the others to stay back and whispered,"I've brought the others, do I come in?" "Yes", came the reply,"I will carry a torch, follow the light."And with that he heard her move further down the tunnel. Ogloromn led the others around the rock and found a small hole in the mountain wall. "In there? We'll be eaten for sure!" Fickerfut started, but Ogloromn had already gone inside. One by one they followed.
After that started a seemingly endless journey through the dark with the faintest glimmer of torchlight as a guide. More than once Ogloromn heard footsteps, only to realise they were the echoes of his own. More than once he thought he heard the groans of Sand-worms from behind the walls, only to decide that even if they were, he was better off not knowing. At first they were going lower and lower, but about an hour onwards, the path began to rise. No one dared speak.
Suddenly, the light ahead of them stopped, Ogloromn paused, letting his friends crash into him. He whispered for them to stay put, and that he would return in a moment. He made his way to the light. At a point distinctly warmer than the rest of the tunnel he heard his guide speak, her torchlight now put out. "Directly above is an entrance into the chambers of the Birthing stones. I will go up and light a torch. Summon your friends only then. This will be where we part ways," a hint of that disarming laughter was in her voice. "But why must we part?"he asked, in vain, for she was already through the entrance. Above a torch was lit and he quickly called to his friends. "Not so loud!" he heard from above. I'm not letting you go that easily, he thought and wished his friends would get there sooner. In a minute they were gathered near him. They hauled themselves up the entrance one by one. Ogloromn was unfortuntely the last to rise and when he did, he found himself standng in a Birthing chamber, empty save his four friends. The girl was gone.
After a while Ogloromn noticed a dark, rather bedraggled figure peering at him from behind the rock. Thinking it was a troll he quickly jumped to his feet and got ready for a fight. He'd die if he had to, but he wouldn't die afraid, Holmr Dammit!He could have called to the others but it was just one troll and a fight would be quite fruitless anyway, so why bother? Ha! he thought, Death in a blaze of glory! He didn't feel very glorious.
But the creature turned out not to be a troll at all. No it was rather short (shorter than a troll at any rate) and seemed not to carry the bulk normally associated with a troll. It was covered with a cloak, pulled down over its head. Perhaps its a Trolless? thought Ogloromn with a great deal of awe. They were rumoured to exist, but none had ever been seen! What a great discovery, if ....The Trolless spoke. Its voice was soft and bubbly like a gentle mountain stream. A wave of calm seemed to wash over him. Enchanted by a Trolless, he thought, How awful, and chuckled to himself. "You seem to be gravely misplaced," it said, "Come, follow me, and I can help you." The voice was really wonderful, but Ogloromn new better than to trust it. "Oh, and why would i heed the word of a Bogey-woman then?" The Trolless let out a laugh that took him completely aback. Not only was the idea of Troll-laughter odd, but the quality of the voice that laughed, it seemed to sieze his senses altogether. As he scolded himself, the Trolless said plainly," I am no Bogey-woman. I am a dweller of these peaks. I help guide across those who find themselves in such danger, to the lands beyond. I even lead to the Purple mountains those that are willing to go." "Yes and I'm sure you meet them with an open jaw once you've reached the chamber. Trolless, I know i have not long to live, however i have no wish to serve death on hand and foot. However I must confess that your voice..""If you wish...If there is no other way, I must aid you in trusting me." And with that she removed her hood and revealed her face, a face strikingly human, and to Ogloromn unbelievably beautiful.
"Do you belive me now, that I am no Trolless?" the new face asked of him. He for his part found it difficult to answer. He was enamoured by her appearance almost completly. It took him some time and much effort to reply,"I do" but before he could say any more, she quickly covered her face and said, "Follow me. Bring the others along, but do not let them see me." And then she was gone. Ogloromn was unsure of what to do, until he heard her hiss from behind the rock,"Go! There isn't much time! I'm in the tunnel!" So he quickly moved towards his friends.
His friends meanwhile were gathering stones. "From the looks of it, it won't last much longer now", Fernkellis was saying," If we gather enough, we have a chance to fend them off while we make a break for it. One chance in a million. Hi, Ogloromn! Where were you all this time? Quick, pick up some stones and pile them up here!" "I know a way out", Ogloromn said blankly. "Look, Fernkellis, I don't see..what? What did you say?" "I've found a way out", repeated Ogloromn. Fickerfut came up to him. "How is that even possible?" "No time to explain, you'll have to trust me." "Trust you? What sort of...""There isn't much time, look!" The Trolls were beginning to break rank and run back towards the hills. "All right Oggy, if you've got a way, show us!"
Ogloromn led them to the rock behind which his mysterious helper supposedly stood. He signed for the others to stay back and whispered,"I've brought the others, do I come in?" "Yes", came the reply,"I will carry a torch, follow the light."And with that he heard her move further down the tunnel. Ogloromn led the others around the rock and found a small hole in the mountain wall. "In there? We'll be eaten for sure!" Fickerfut started, but Ogloromn had already gone inside. One by one they followed.
After that started a seemingly endless journey through the dark with the faintest glimmer of torchlight as a guide. More than once Ogloromn heard footsteps, only to realise they were the echoes of his own. More than once he thought he heard the groans of Sand-worms from behind the walls, only to decide that even if they were, he was better off not knowing. At first they were going lower and lower, but about an hour onwards, the path began to rise. No one dared speak.
Suddenly, the light ahead of them stopped, Ogloromn paused, letting his friends crash into him. He whispered for them to stay put, and that he would return in a moment. He made his way to the light. At a point distinctly warmer than the rest of the tunnel he heard his guide speak, her torchlight now put out. "Directly above is an entrance into the chambers of the Birthing stones. I will go up and light a torch. Summon your friends only then. This will be where we part ways," a hint of that disarming laughter was in her voice. "But why must we part?"he asked, in vain, for she was already through the entrance. Above a torch was lit and he quickly called to his friends. "Not so loud!" he heard from above. I'm not letting you go that easily, he thought and wished his friends would get there sooner. In a minute they were gathered near him. They hauled themselves up the entrance one by one. Ogloromn was unfortuntely the last to rise and when he did, he found himself standng in a Birthing chamber, empty save his four friends. The girl was gone.
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