The remaining 3 - 4 yards of blurring weeds and dirt below her feet were slowing down under her sprint. Irregular air churned and swirled itself into the very nasty looking nexus storm. It was only a 4 x 6 foot window, her destination. It made no noise. Luthien blasted a look back over her shoulder to ensure that the pursuers had not lost sight of her as the nexus drew fast before her. She skidded to a stop, wind-milling her arms twice to slow all parts of herself, keeping still finally when just inches from the swirling and shimmering entrance. Or exit, she grinned inwardly somehow, despite her predicament.
The Nexus was something she had long avoided. It was easy to do. Just don't go there. Stay away from it. It doesn't look for you if you don't look for it. Now, however, it was the only way out. Or back in. It wasn't like she had a choice. Through the Nexus, there would be people, or beings, rather, who could help. Most likely they would be enthusiastic about helping. Heck, she could probably deal with the whole problem on her own if she must. The other side of the Nexus, to her, meant the return of immortality, magic, renaissance, better beer. It should be an easy choice but her last few visits to RhyDin had proved overwhelmingly dramatic. She allowed herself to get caught up in an exceeding amount of drama. Danger. Heartbreak. She did RhyDin a favor when she left.
A quick-second glance confirmed that 2 sets of firey red eyes, 2 sets of acid dripping fangs, and all their sharply clawed paws, still pounded the ground with no intent to halt. She could feel their furious breath and see the gobs of flesh still stuck in their maws as the rows of teeth widened in anticipation of snacking on her face. Luthien took a quick step backward into the Nexus doorway and hoped.
Everything went black. It was black for a good long time. No stars, no wind, no feeling of falling. A faint whistle began to blow in the distance. It sounded like a cross between a teakettle just heating up and the low solemn sound of a train, half a city away in the middle of the night. The whistle gained strength over the next minute, minutes" Then, she was sure the water had boiled. The whistling raged, the wind began to pull at her clothes and hair, the train thundered past her in the dark. The substance, or lack of substance beneath her feet dropped out and she fell.
Falling in a dream, rumored to kill you. Well, it doesn't. She jerked awake. Mouth dry, salty crusty streaks on either temple, her hair stuck to it a little. It was the first thing she reached up to straiten out, while her eyes adjusted to blue-white light. Blinking, shutting, too much light. Noise, birds, morning" Blue sky, clouds. "I'm still alive". mumbled Luthien. She began to take in her view and push herself up off her stiff back. Grass, a few twigs, crunched under her palms.
The sound of birds. Meadow, surrounded by trees, a shallow rise of the treetops before a sharp incline of rock, into hill, into Mountain.
She remembered, quickly holding her breath and looking in as many directions as she could. The hounds were not there. Excellent. It worked.
But she knew they were there. The Nexus drops it's catches wherever it so pleases.
The Nexus was something she had long avoided. It was easy to do. Just don't go there. Stay away from it. It doesn't look for you if you don't look for it. Now, however, it was the only way out. Or back in. It wasn't like she had a choice. Through the Nexus, there would be people, or beings, rather, who could help. Most likely they would be enthusiastic about helping. Heck, she could probably deal with the whole problem on her own if she must. The other side of the Nexus, to her, meant the return of immortality, magic, renaissance, better beer. It should be an easy choice but her last few visits to RhyDin had proved overwhelmingly dramatic. She allowed herself to get caught up in an exceeding amount of drama. Danger. Heartbreak. She did RhyDin a favor when she left.
A quick-second glance confirmed that 2 sets of firey red eyes, 2 sets of acid dripping fangs, and all their sharply clawed paws, still pounded the ground with no intent to halt. She could feel their furious breath and see the gobs of flesh still stuck in their maws as the rows of teeth widened in anticipation of snacking on her face. Luthien took a quick step backward into the Nexus doorway and hoped.
Everything went black. It was black for a good long time. No stars, no wind, no feeling of falling. A faint whistle began to blow in the distance. It sounded like a cross between a teakettle just heating up and the low solemn sound of a train, half a city away in the middle of the night. The whistle gained strength over the next minute, minutes" Then, she was sure the water had boiled. The whistling raged, the wind began to pull at her clothes and hair, the train thundered past her in the dark. The substance, or lack of substance beneath her feet dropped out and she fell.
Falling in a dream, rumored to kill you. Well, it doesn't. She jerked awake. Mouth dry, salty crusty streaks on either temple, her hair stuck to it a little. It was the first thing she reached up to straiten out, while her eyes adjusted to blue-white light. Blinking, shutting, too much light. Noise, birds, morning" Blue sky, clouds. "I'm still alive". mumbled Luthien. She began to take in her view and push herself up off her stiff back. Grass, a few twigs, crunched under her palms.
The sound of birds. Meadow, surrounded by trees, a shallow rise of the treetops before a sharp incline of rock, into hill, into Mountain.
She remembered, quickly holding her breath and looking in as many directions as she could. The hounds were not there. Excellent. It worked.
But she knew they were there. The Nexus drops it's catches wherever it so pleases.