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ground, being beaten on all sides, Einar Throwing his hands in the air, Einar Inspecting the shrine, Einar suddenly
thought this was his deathbed. Suddenly advanced on Merlose. “I expect thee not to paused. “Did thee feel that?” Puzzled, Merlose
Merlose appeared above him, grinning her understand! In times past, thine assistants shook her head. “The ground shook… There it
self-confident smile. “What art thou doing on have either found another job or found is again! Doth thee feel it now?”
the ground? Best not be laying and sniveling themselves dead. I value thine friendship, but
about. We have work to do!” Hauling him up, my life I value also.” Turning away from Nodding now, Merlose quickly pulled Einar
she helped Einar escape the mob of onions, Merlose, Einar said, more quietly, “If thou up. “Let us go. With haste.” Heading for the
and together they fled, with the vegetables in cannot stop endang’ring our lives, then this passageway, they found their way blocked by
tow. Slowly, they gained ground as the onions truly will be my last expedition.” For a moment, a large, shadowy beast. As it lunged at them,
let them escape. Luckily, most creatures are all was silent. Then, Einar heard sniffling from Merlose shouted a Word of Confusion, yanking
content just chasing enemies away, and these behind. Turning back to face Merlose, Einar Einar out of the way and into the nearest
beasts were just the same. Once they had fully was amazed to see tears streaming down her shrine. The Word, however, only lasted a
escaped the creatures, they took a break, face. The immensely brave, impossibly strong, moment, barely buying them time to flee.
leaning on their knees and catching their highly famed Naturalist Callo Merlose was
breath. crying for… him. Staring out at it, they watched it circle the
shrine. “What is it?” asked Einar. Merlose,
“Very interesting,” muttered Merlose. “I am so, so sorry, my friend. Please forgive however, was ready. “I shall name this beast
Whirling to face Einar, she said, “Thou art me. I thought not for thine needs. I really do the Giruvenagus. Tis a hideous beast, but truly
ready to make the entry?” Silently, still catching value thine friendship and hard work. Please, the king of the Feywood.” At this point, Einar
his breath, Einar slowly grabbed his journal out even if thee quit, give me this last venture, at realized that this was a bestiary entry, and
of his pack and readied his pen. Barely waiting the least.” Staring at each other, they stayed started scribbling madly in his journal. “It hath
for Einar to finish doing as told, Merlose silent. Finally, Einar nodded and, wordlessly, that hideous Mist, which spilleth forth from its
started. “This beast shall be named the Wild they packed up their gear and traveled deeper dark core raiseth a mirage before the eyes,
Onion. It weareth its skin in layers, much like to into the Paramina Rift. and I am blind with fear and apprehension, for
the root of similar name, perhaps for the its nebulous form is madness incarnate. I pray
proffering of protection ‘gainst the cold.” *** that my skill with the blade faileth me not in this
Pausing for a second, she allowed him just most dire circumstance.” Pausing, she turned
enough time to catch up before plowing on. After traversing the rest of the Paramina Rift, to Einar and smiled. “Regardless of what
“Men say the great gaping orifice on its face entering the Feywood, and fighting through happens, make sure thee escape. Our work is
was gouged by a shard of ice born of a hordes of monsters, Einar and Merlose arrived too important.” With that, she charged the
midsummer blizzard. Though its former mouth at the Edge of Reason. All around were huge, beast.
was passing small, befitting naught but low snow covered cliffs, several strange shrines,
whimp'ring, its prodigious new one screameth and a lot of monsters. The adventurers just ***
full loud and full much as the foul beast could stood, taking it all in.
want, thence earning it its name. While docile Einar stood stock-still, clutching his journal to
when left be, they be a most hostile race when “This is it,” breathed Merlose. “The Edge of his chest. Indecision rocked his core. Should
angered.” Reason. Said to be the entrance to the gods he leave, taking the information with him,
themselves.” Turning to Einar, who was busy ensuring future adventurers have some
Einar regarded the entry. “Well, tis an inspecting a shrine, she asked, “What have potentially life-saving knowledge? Or should he
excellent entry, that much is for certain. thou found?” stay, fight with Merlose, save her? The safest
However,” he started, rounding on Merlose, bet would be to leave, ensuring the information
“What, in the name of Ultima, were thee Turning to her, Einar looked really excited. got out. Leave Merlose, his best and only
thinking! Thou nearly got us killed!” Callo “It seems these shrines are some kind of lock friend? One of the greatest female figures of
Merlose frowned, confused, at Einar. for a magical mechanism. The Gateway to the time, his best friend, needed his help, and
Giruvegan, to the Gods themselves, may be a Einar realized that, despite what he thought, he
“Wherefore doth thou speak of this? Did we real thing.” Turning around he murmured, could never leave Callo Merlose, even with the
not learn much from the Onions?” “How, though?” inherent dangers of adventuring with her. He
would continue by her side for the rest of his
