Did We Die, Gr’dge?
Gr’dge and Tess conversation on arriving at Axelholm
TESS:
Gr’dge? Uh… did we die back there? With the blue floaty mind place and the weird no-sky sky? That felt like dying. I think.
GR’DGE:
(slow nod)
Maybe. Or maybe it was dreaming. But like… a group dream? With teeth.
TESS:
Yeah! And like… that mind guy? The squid-face? That was not in any of Toblen’s training sessions. He had a stick and it was in the ball and then we hit him and—poof! Everything went all… blue.
GR’DGE:
A Mindflayer. That’s what the books call them. Not good things. That rod was doin’ somethin’ to that blue ball floating above the ley-lines. And that place… we weren’t meant to be there.
TESS:
Ley-lines… are those the black coal-rock roads in the ground?
GR’DGE:
Mm-hmm. Magic dark rivers. Usually just two cross. But this time… three. Like a big ol’ triangle kissin’ in the dirt. We never seen that before. Not even in dreams.
TESS:
I think I got a headache lookin’ at ‘em. Too many little lines now too. Azreal floated up and said they were everywhere now—comin’ outta that battlefield tomb. Is that bad?
GR’DGE:
…Probably.
TESS:
(squints in the distance behind them)
When we got pulled into that blue place, I thought I saw my brother. And me… fightin’ something. But it was like, me but also not me? I dunno. It was nice, then scary, then weird. Did you see stuff?
GR’DGE:
Yeah. I saw my village. Before the fire. Then I saw myself real old… with a magic staff. Talkin’ to kids. Then… nothing. Just a big black donkey with wings flyin’ into the moon.
TESS:
…Was the donkey you?
GR’DGE:
Maybe. Felt like it.
TESS:
That blue tall guy—Git-zackie? Gith-snacky?
GR’DGE:
Githzaki. I think. Sounded like it knew more than it said. Told us we weren’t supposed to be there. Then sent us back like we was misplaced livestock.
TESS:
Frederic and Gruntilda didn’t come back though… but now we got Ty’Dyl and Daemon. Is that normal? Do people just trade places in magic?
GR’DGE:
(sighs)
Don’t think it’s supposed to be. But nothin’ feels normal lately.
TESS:
Ty’Dyl’s cool. Kinda nice for an orc. Daemon’s mean though. He squished my fire beetle.
GR’DGE:
I saw that. You looked real sad.
TESS:
It must have been in that strange Druid’s pouch! Coulda been a pet. Coulda been a friend. Coulda known secrets. But nope. Splat.
GR’DGE:
Least we made it to Axelholm. Side door and all. Somethin’s weird here though. They looked scared. Didn’t even ask who we were. Just opened up.
TESS:
Maybe they saw the glowy lines too?
GR’DGE:
Or the dragons are stirrin’. Or someone knows we’re pokin’ too close.
TESS:
We need a map. Or like, a big chalkboard. With drawings.
GR’DGE:
Yeah. Diagrams help. Big ones.
TESS:
(grins)
You draw. I’ll color.
GR’DGE:
Deal.