Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Page 21

Tenser and Ehlissa were both invigorated by the sense of lurking danger Yrag imparted on them. They unfastened the torches from inside Yrag's shield and laid the sticks on the ground. Producing flint and steel from her belt pouch faster than Tenser could, Ehlissa handed him pieces before taking some in hand for herself. Ehlissa bent low over the torch, striking steel on flint as fast as she could over the burlap covering the pitch on the torch. Tenser took the time to pull up a handful of weeds and spread them over the end of the torch for tinder. He dawdled as he worked at his torch, glancing up after every other strike to see if an ogre would appear in answer to the noise. Ehlissa quietly scolded the flint for taking so long to spark. As if in answer, a spray of sparks set her torch to smoldering. Tenser gently laid some of his tinder atop it, and the fire was lit. Ehlissa gingerly picked up her torch and held it against Tenser's until the wrappings on his burned as well.
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Friday, October 12, 2012

Page 20

Tenser and Ehlissa crossed the drawbridge and followed Yrag through the seemingly abandoned gatehouse.  Empty murder holes stared down on them.  There was no sign of any inhabitants, except by smell.

"What made that awful smell?" Ehlissa asked.

"Eigers, most likely," Yrag said. He emerged first into the bailey beyond the gatehouse and his eyes fixed straight on the ramparts above, watching for signs of danger.  "I have seen a few lurking about the upper ruins before."

"Eigers...ogres?" Tenser asked. "Giant shape-shifters?"

"No, lad, only in fairy tales. Ogres are no more magical than most folk, just a lot bigger and uglier."

"I'm not sure if our spells can handle ogres…" Ehlissa said, shrinking towards the gatehouse.


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