Cameron stood up from his desk and stretched his legs. He looked up as he heard the sound of mailed feet upon the stonework and saw Jihad walk past the doorway. He called out but his brother didn't hear him. Moving quickly to the door, he again called to his brother, but standing in the hallway was a near endless line of people, all members of the guild. The man in front was asking Cameron for help with something. The ranger, still staring down the hallway after his brother, tried to move out of his office, but found his path blocked by the mass of people standing there. Heaving a sigh, he turned towards the man in front of the line, asking him what he could do for him.
The guild master stepped back, a look of shock upon his face, for the features upon the man's face would blur as water does under high winds. First he was and elf, then a dwarf, then human, then female. Shaking his head, Cameron looked down the line and saw that all who stood in the line were all the same.
Stepping back into the office, the elf closed and locked the door. A knocking began, incessantly growing louder and louder, making him fall to the ground, his hands covering his ears and his eyes squeezed tightly shut. The sound lowered and changed pitch but continued with its incessant pace. Opening his eyes, he saw himself in the distance fighting a horde of beasts. The flight of the arrows through the air making the noise he heard.
He watched as blood poured from the many wounds his double was causing, painting the ground red. The bow in the dopplegangers hands was pulsating in time with the arrows hitting the blurring images of the beasts within the swarm. The blood began to pool around his ankles and still the slaughter continued. Cameron cried out to himself to stop as the blood began to rise further up his legs. Forcing his way towards the double, he waded through the blood, now waist high. Grabbing the arm of the other before him, he shouted again for him to stop.
The double ranger turned, and grabbing him with fierce strength by the hair, shoved him beneath the surface of the blood, laughing as he did so. Cameron struggled for a few moments but didn't have the strength to fight back. Soon he was out of breathe and was forced to breath in the still warm blood. Closing his eyes, he prepared for death.
Cameron gasped in a breathe of air, it had the taste of the ocean upon it.
Opening his eyes once more he found himself on one of the beaches of Cosrin. Beside him sat the Lady Fins. Her head rested upon his chest while around them could be heard the cries of the seagulls looking for food. He breathed deeply the air and found the perfume of the Lady's hair waiting for him. A wave of contentment overcame him and so they sat for a little while, but something was telling Cameron this was wrong, that he shouldn't be here, not with her. He rose to his feet and turned to look into the eyes of the Lady Fins.
The guild master found himself back in his office. He stood before his desk, the door to his office was once again open, but the endless line of people were now gone. In his head a voice that was the purest melody rang out.
"You have choices before you Cameron, choices that will alter you future drastically no matter the choice. Choose wisely."
Turning to see where the voice was coming from he saw the form of the goddess Kali standing behind his desk. Upon her shoulder rested the white owl, Feathers. He opened his mouth to speak but found that he had lost his voice. She spoke without speaking, her thoughts he heard in his head and his she heard in hers.
"Always remember, dear Cameron, that everything happens for a reason. Everything ... ", She smiled upon Cameron, "Your prayers do not go unheard."
With her last word, Kali began to glow with a bright light, making the elf squint his eyes. When he could again see, both Kali and Feathers were gone. Upon his desk was a little gray mouse with a bit of cheese in its paws.
Trollhater sat bolt upright in his chair and gasped for breath. The paperwork was still piled upon his desk. Out of the corner of his eyes he thought he saw a blur of a small mouse running to its hole. He called for a squire and asked him what day it was. He had slept for an entire day. Today Morlend would want his response.
Back to the Main Page
Crisis of Faith chapter nine
