Taltros, in
High Draconic, the word is derived from a root word meaning: To
Change, or To Alter. I had just discovered the left over results
of the last trial run which had been conducted on Taltros during
the ending phase of The Last Great Dragon War. As I made my way
up the slopes of the plateau I was witness to no less then a half
dozen more time loops, as I began to call them. I would see myself
climbing up a part of the slope higher above me that I would not
reach for another half hour or so. A couple of times I glanced
over my shoulder only to see myself climbing up the path I had
just tread. The image's always ended after a few moments, but
those moments grew longer and longer as I grew closer to the top
of the Plateau and the crystal which jutted out of it.
The truly
odd things did not begin until I reached the top of the Plateau,
and began my trek across the desolate wasteland which surrounded
the crystal. Whereas the sides of the plateau had been lightly
forested, the top of it was nothing but blasted rock. In some
places the rock and dirt were almost fused, charred and blackened
as if subject to great heat. Boulders lay strewn about as if carelessly
tossed from above.
As I headed
across this desolate waste land I had to duck more then once,
behind some of those boulders as great winged shapes flew to and
fro from the top of that towering crystal. I dared not expose
myself for a better look to see if Lord Sutton was among those
to be brought to the top of that thousand foot tall monstrosity,
but I feared that he had been. It was shortly after I had ducked
behind one of those boulders that things became more then a tad
odd.
Emerging to
move onwards towards the base of the crystal, I began to ponder
what I would do when I reached it. So far I could not see any
entrance, which meant nothing since I was still quite a distance
away. What, however, would I do if there were no entrance on the
ground level? It is quite possible that such was the case in a
dragon built structure, and the sides looked perfectly smooth,
I would have trouble climbing such. Just as I got within a couple
dozen feet of the bottom of the crystal, and began my search for
an entrance, it began. I felt as though the insides of my head
were swelling, pressing against the inside of my skull. The pain
was excruciating. I have had my share of headaches in the past,
and on occasion severe ones, but this was worse by far. I feared
that my head was simply going to explode from the pain. Just when
my vision was going, and my stomach knotted itself up, as unconsciousness
approached, the pain lessened and fled.
-----------------
Nearly stumbling
as Laureine stood, her body fought off the residual pain from
whatever had just happened to her. It was as she righted herself
and manages to stand straight that she realized she was no longer
alone. Surrounding the base of the crystal were dozens of other
figures. Frowning Laureine looked about her in surprise, her sword
a comforting weight in her hand as she watched those about her.
It was only
as the nearest ones turned towards her that she gasped in surprise
and took a step backwards. They were her, or she was them, she
wasn't sure which. They all wore her face, and her body, although
some had scars in different places, and they were all dressed
and armed differently, they were her. There was no mistaking them.
All of them regarding the others with varying degrees of surprise,
anger, and in at least one case, battle rage.
Her first
reaction was that it was a trick, someone was trying to confuse
her with magic while they drew closer to her for a killing blow.
That thought lasted all of a second before the searing pain of
the pressure inside her head forced her to her knees again. The
scream of pain which was ripped from her throat as her insides
twisted echoed across the desolate waste which was the top of
the plateau. This time she did lose consciousness, if for only
a little while. When she opened her eyes again, she was once more
alone at the base of the crystal.
