From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich)
Date: 15 Oct 92 22:26:35 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: Re: [DQ] On the threshold of the portal ( Second thoughts anyone? )

In article <1992Oct14.083742.3981@gu.uwa.edu.au> cam@gu.uwa.edu.au (Cameron Neylon) writes:
>
>The five characters stood at the threshold of the portal. Lancos as ever, 
>straining to get to the front, 'Raelf standing pensively next to it. 
>Shockwave and Valgar a little further back, muttering to each other, and
>William standing at the back wondering what he was doing.

 "Perhaps it would be wiser for William to stay here.  I understand his
tentativeness, and there's no guarantees any of us will ever return,"
Valgar whispered to 'Wave, stroking his beard.  The littlest giant nodded
mechanically.

>Shockwave muttered something to 'Raelf, who nodded sadly. "You're staying
>here William.", the sword said bluntly, "This isn't your problem anyway."

>"No f%^$#ing way!", came the answer quickly, "I've come this far, and I'll
>go the whole bloody way!" 
>"I can look after myself", was what he said aloud. Lancos raised his eyes
>to the ceiling briefly. 

Valgar sighed.  He could feel a tugging from beyond the portal.  It felt
as if his very soul were bound in rope, the other end attached to a bolting
mare.  He knew what it was, and it made him uneasy.  If he thought there
was a way to convince the others to stay behind he'd try it.  He could not
be responsible for what would inevitably occur on the other side.

>"Nobody is going to call anybody a coward if they don't want to come.", 
>Shockwave was talking now.

>"Anybody not want to go through", asked Lancos, though the silence was deadly.
>Too deadly, the silence wrapped itself firmly around the group as the five
>looked at each other.

Valgar looked down.  Before now, it was a simple lizard hunt.  Then this
Vornick, Krastin, and their lackeys upped the ante.  Now, Valgar had a
personal stake in all of this.  He didn't like it one bit.  'You can't
fight fate,' he thought sadly.

>"It wouldn't make the slightest difference", said 'Raelf, heavily under his 
>breath. "Hang on dudes!", he continued louder . . . 
>-- 
>Cameron Neylon  cam@gu.uwa.edu.au
>I can't think of anything witty enough that people 
>would really want to see it time after time after . .

Raymond H. Rich
SAQ: "Take me to the other side..." - Aerosmith