Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Gren sat on the porch of the Forgotten Layers Inn, at a card table set up between Jeremiah and himself. Beads of sweat had appeared on his upper lip, as he held a handful of cards, and glanced nervously between them and Jeremiah.
Jeremiah gave Gren an odd look in return.
Slowly, with a shaky hand, Gren extended the Ace of Clubs, as if hesitant to release it . . . then gingerly placed it on top of the multi-layered house of cards he was building, completing its roof.
Gren broke out into a relieved smile and looked at Jeremiah happily.
Jeremiah stared at him blankly. ?Very impressive?, he replied dryly, ?if you ever want to play an actual card game, just let me know.?
Just then, the two heard a commotion from the other side of the inn. The sound of a horse?s hooves, coupled with a familiar voice, met Gren?s ears.
?Watch the bumps there, hoss! You need to work on your passenger safety skills!?
Scooting to a halt in front of the porch, Gren saw the raccoon from Creosa, on top of the horse he had ridden to escape the Pyroalite camp. The pink and white striped raccoon turned his face with the purple mask to Gren and smiled a toothy grin.
?There he is, the Ranger guy! See, I told ya. I know these woods like the back of my furry hand. Hey there, slick, long time no see! Playing cards, huh? Or playing with cards, I guess. Whatever floats your boat.?
Gren was still gaping at the raccoon, while Jeremiah slowly turned his head towards him.
?Friends of yours?? The big man asked.
?What are you kiddin?? We go *way* back!? The raccoon exclaimed to Jeremiah, speaking before Gren could. ?Hey, not to change the subject, but would you have anything to eat, pal? It?s been a long ride. And you don?t look like the type to skip meals, you know what I mean? Hehheh.?
?Whoa, whoa . . . look, why don?t we take a walk and you can tell me what this is all about.? Gren stood up and walked over to the raccoon and horse before Jeremiah could interject. He handed the raccoon a chocolate bar from his pants pocket.
?Alriiiiiight! I was dying of starvation there!? The raccoon brightened and started gnawing on the chocolate, while Gren led the horse back towards the gardens and the forest where the portal was. ?What?s with the green trees? It?s freakin? me out. Did you put something in this candy bar or what?? The raccoon continued.
?No, I didn?t put anything in the candy bar. I live in a different world from Creosa. Didn?t you get that when I stepped through the portal??
?Hey, it?s Creosa, strange things happen all the time. I figured you might be a wizard or something. And speaking of wizards, boy do I have a favor to ask you.?
?Oh, no.?
?Things were just settlin? down in our neck of the woods when all of a sudden, boom, trouble starts up again. There?s this Pyroalite lord they call?Ghulaise the Blaze? that didn?t take too kindly to their little mishap at Sanctuary. He?s been terrorizing the Great Lilac Forest ever since the siege was broken. Trouble is, no one can find him. He?ll hit a supply convoy, burn somebody?s farm, then ? bam ? he?s gone, just like that.?
?So what does that have to do with me??
?Keep your shirt on, I?m gettin? to that! Alright, they got some egghead wizards together to try to figure out what the answer to their little dilemma is, and after cuttin? the head off a live rooster, or whatever they do, they came up with this. . . ?The Ranger will guide you?.? The raccoon finished by wiggling his fingers mysteriously. ?Since you?re the only Ranger we know of, that pretty much narrows it down, you know??
Gren hung his head and rubbed his eyes.
?Hey, come on, buddy, don?t leave us hangin?!?
?Alright, alright, I?ll come with you.?
?Yeah! See, I knew you were one of the good ones!? The raccoon wagged his finger at Gren.
?Don?t start that again, let?s just go. Maybe I should take that suit of Pyroalite armor with me from last time, I kind of kept it as a souvenir.?
?Nah, I think we ought to go right now before you change your mind. Besides, it would just slow us down. We gotta ride like the wind!?
?*Who?s* gonna ride like the wind?? questioned the horse.
?Sorry pal, it?s just a figure of speech. You know.?
Gren sighed and went to tell Jeremiah where he was going. Then he climbed onto the back of the horse, and they rode into the forest, then through the portal to Creosa.
Gren sat on the porch of the Forgotten Layers Inn, at a card table set up between Jeremiah and himself. Beads of sweat had appeared on his upper lip, as he held a handful of cards, and glanced nervously between them and Jeremiah.
Jeremiah gave Gren an odd look in return.
Slowly, with a shaky hand, Gren extended the Ace of Clubs, as if hesitant to release it . . . then gingerly placed it on top of the multi-layered house of cards he was building, completing its roof.
Gren broke out into a relieved smile and looked at Jeremiah happily.
Jeremiah stared at him blankly. ?Very impressive?, he replied dryly, ?if you ever want to play an actual card game, just let me know.?
Just then, the two heard a commotion from the other side of the inn. The sound of a horse?s hooves, coupled with a familiar voice, met Gren?s ears.
?Watch the bumps there, hoss! You need to work on your passenger safety skills!?
Scooting to a halt in front of the porch, Gren saw the raccoon from Creosa, on top of the horse he had ridden to escape the Pyroalite camp. The pink and white striped raccoon turned his face with the purple mask to Gren and smiled a toothy grin.
?There he is, the Ranger guy! See, I told ya. I know these woods like the back of my furry hand. Hey there, slick, long time no see! Playing cards, huh? Or playing with cards, I guess. Whatever floats your boat.?
Gren was still gaping at the raccoon, while Jeremiah slowly turned his head towards him.
?Friends of yours?? The big man asked.
?What are you kiddin?? We go *way* back!? The raccoon exclaimed to Jeremiah, speaking before Gren could. ?Hey, not to change the subject, but would you have anything to eat, pal? It?s been a long ride. And you don?t look like the type to skip meals, you know what I mean? Hehheh.?
?Whoa, whoa . . . look, why don?t we take a walk and you can tell me what this is all about.? Gren stood up and walked over to the raccoon and horse before Jeremiah could interject. He handed the raccoon a chocolate bar from his pants pocket.
?Alriiiiiight! I was dying of starvation there!? The raccoon brightened and started gnawing on the chocolate, while Gren led the horse back towards the gardens and the forest where the portal was. ?What?s with the green trees? It?s freakin? me out. Did you put something in this candy bar or what?? The raccoon continued.
?No, I didn?t put anything in the candy bar. I live in a different world from Creosa. Didn?t you get that when I stepped through the portal??
?Hey, it?s Creosa, strange things happen all the time. I figured you might be a wizard or something. And speaking of wizards, boy do I have a favor to ask you.?
?Oh, no.?
?Things were just settlin? down in our neck of the woods when all of a sudden, boom, trouble starts up again. There?s this Pyroalite lord they call?Ghulaise the Blaze? that didn?t take too kindly to their little mishap at Sanctuary. He?s been terrorizing the Great Lilac Forest ever since the siege was broken. Trouble is, no one can find him. He?ll hit a supply convoy, burn somebody?s farm, then ? bam ? he?s gone, just like that.?
?So what does that have to do with me??
?Keep your shirt on, I?m gettin? to that! Alright, they got some egghead wizards together to try to figure out what the answer to their little dilemma is, and after cuttin? the head off a live rooster, or whatever they do, they came up with this. . . ?The Ranger will guide you?.? The raccoon finished by wiggling his fingers mysteriously. ?Since you?re the only Ranger we know of, that pretty much narrows it down, you know??
Gren hung his head and rubbed his eyes.
?Hey, come on, buddy, don?t leave us hangin?!?
?Alright, alright, I?ll come with you.?
?Yeah! See, I knew you were one of the good ones!? The raccoon wagged his finger at Gren.
?Don?t start that again, let?s just go. Maybe I should take that suit of Pyroalite armor with me from last time, I kind of kept it as a souvenir.?
?Nah, I think we ought to go right now before you change your mind. Besides, it would just slow us down. We gotta ride like the wind!?
?*Who?s* gonna ride like the wind?? questioned the horse.
?Sorry pal, it?s just a figure of speech. You know.?
Gren sighed and went to tell Jeremiah where he was going. Then he climbed onto the back of the horse, and they rode into the forest, then through the portal to Creosa.