Friday, November 19, 2004

 

Day 58

Outside in the courtyard, we saw a familiar block of stone - and Sprite, no longer with the bandages around his chest, jumped down from it when he saw us.

Memree grinned. "Sprite - it's good to see you, I thought you were tied to Grishelm."

Sprite smiled broadly. "The outflow of magic here has let me come through for a moment - I thought you would all appreciate a ride back to the castle." He paused. "But Cleve is injured...?"

I'd honestly not noticed. Cleve had been limping a little, but of course she'd not said anything... then I looked more closely, and saw how pale she was, and how she clutched her stomach.

Sprite made an engulfing gesture, and we were all on top of the stone...and the courtyard flicked out of existence around us, replaced, after an instant of darkness, by the ruins of the castle, in its cave, with the campfire still lit and Hengist standing patiently. And then we were on the ground again... though, while Sprite, Memree and I were standing, Cleve was hovering just above the ground, flat, with a glowing aura around her.

"It's some sort of magical residue, a spell of your foe's", Sprite said. "I think it would kill her, if she left..."

"You can save her, Sprite?"

He nodded. "Temporarily, at least - and I'm sure my father will augment it. He always says I should have some company."

Cleve smiled, and spoke. "That settles it, then - I think I would like to be your companion, Sprite."

Memree turned to Sprite, who was looking a lot happier now. "You said you could make her young and skinny, like you - well, how about making yourself a bit bigger, is that possible?"

Sprite stared at her for a moment - and then he was suddenly full-grown, muscular, and just about the most handsome man I'd ever seen. His voice, when he spoke, was deeper too. "Well thought, my lady!"

Sprite's magic, now that it was home, soon got Cleve on her feet again, and after a little packing of Hengist's bags, and plenty of hugging and farewells, Memree and I were soon on our way out of the caves, back into the sunshine, and heading back into the city, and the Speckled Leaf tavern. Maybe we'll check in with the adventurer's inn tomorrow, The Treasure Hunter... on the other hand, in all the confusion I did manage to grab a few odd little trinkets from Atzmon's rooms, I wonder if I picked up anything valuable...?

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