Further into the Mountain

You walk down a dark and twisty path as you follow the hidden path into the heart of the mountain. Around you, eyes glow in the darkness. You shiver and wonder if you should have come this way when you see a strange light up ahead.

You move toward it, awed by its beauty.
"Don't touch it!" a voice cries. You mananage to rip your eyes away from the spiralling magic ansd look up. A black griphon calmly looks down at you!

"Yes," the griphon says to answer your thoughts. "I did tell you not to touch it. The Crystal of Mortality doesn't like to be touched. But don't worry. You're not the first to try and touch it." The griphon drops down next to you. You shrink back a little. On his shelf he looked small. Now, next to you, you only reach up to his elbow!

"The Crystal of Mortality is hard to resist becasue it is the very nature of the continuous change all mortals go thorugh. Us immortal ones can only look at that and sigh deeply and regretfully. Oh well." He turns to look at you with his piercing green eyes. "I did not know DragonSeer was allowing guests into her chambers." You stutter that she didn't send you and that you found the path on accident. The griphon nods, fully underdstanding.

"Those who find their way here always have a reason to. Even if they don't realize." He pauses. "Look around, enjoy yourself, but be careful never to touch anything without permission. DragonSeer is a strange woman and loves to keep things that will kill you before you know you touched it. . ."

Suddenly from above you hear three shrieks. Three firelizards swoop down. You pull your head down and put your hands over it, afraid they're going to hurt you. Instead, they just settle on both shoulders, and on you hand!

The griphon sighs. "I find those things to be quite an annoyance." You giggle as the firelizards climb all over you, seeing if you have any treats in your pockets.

"Hey!" DragonSeer's voice cies. "I like them."

"Yes, you do," the griphon replys. "Anyway," he states, turning back to you. "The lizards were from SeaSparkulWeyr. If you like 'em, go there. There's only two other places I can show you for right now down here.

"And those are?" you question excitedly.

The griphon nods toward a niche, then toward a cave entrance, and finally, to a portal. "Or I can take you back," he adds.