This part in turn follows on from Adrian's Dialog.
‘Adrian Salem, Knight of the Clockwork City,’ the woman pronounced. ‘I admit that many would not predict this happening so soon.’
‘Do I know you?’ Adrian said.
‘It is a matter of perspective. We were bound to meet sooner or later.’
The woman stepped into what seemed to be light, but in this nothing Adrian could not be sure. What he did see as the figure drew closer though, was that her pupils were not black and round but made the shape of skulls in the iris.
‘You’re… her… aren’t you?’ he began with fearful reverence. ‘What can you do for me?’
‘Theoretically, anything, Adrian,’ she swung the scythe with a sense of drama, ‘although the price would, lamentably, reduce the effectiveness of the deal.’
‘Why do I have to be here?’
‘You asked a favour from the swamp lady. I was indebted to her in turn, so here I am for you.’
‘Then why is everything gone?’ Adrian looked around. Something was almost visible in the nothing.
‘It gets like this when you are close to Death.’ She stepped closer and the image in the distance became a baby, growing fast, whom Adrian recognised all too well.
‘Can you get me to the mountains alive?’ Rightfully, Adrian was a little nervous.
‘Of course!’ She now turned away from him and his lifetime faded away. She faced him again and said, ‘it may require, say, a “brush” to take you that far.’
‘A brush?’
‘Okay.’ Death grabbed his hand and Adrian felt the sensation of being pulled free of a guillotine only in the nick of time – then a noise you would think to be a motorbike running out of petrol. After this he was standing halfway up a steep incline, a valley visible around the bulge of the mountain but not where he was heading.
‘Excuse that, but this is as far as it will take you. I know we will meet again, Adrian. I won’t spoil the surprise though.’ The voice faded away and he was alone in a wild country with only a fading memory of where to go. Somewhere towards the crest of this hill was the cave where who-knows-what stood between him and the prize he required so desperately.
Adrian skimmed down and stood on the goat track winding up the hill, when out of the blue the scene from Egghead returned with a possible alternative route. The cave he was to enter formed an opening to the subsystem under the mountain range, but further down the slope was a larger, horizontal entrance that would take a longer walk to find the Lentil and alleviate him from sliding down a long precarious shaft.
Lo and behold there was such a cave on this side of the rise but celebration was extinguished by a loud, deep breathing that wafted out onto Adrian’s face. Though he would didn't know it yet, an ancient dragon had taken up residence in the cave and now guarded the Lentil jealously as part of its hoard.
‘Adrian Salem, Knight of the Clockwork City,’ the woman pronounced. ‘I admit that many would not predict this happening so soon.’
‘Do I know you?’ Adrian said.
‘It is a matter of perspective. We were bound to meet sooner or later.’
The woman stepped into what seemed to be light, but in this nothing Adrian could not be sure. What he did see as the figure drew closer though, was that her pupils were not black and round but made the shape of skulls in the iris.
‘You’re… her… aren’t you?’ he began with fearful reverence. ‘What can you do for me?’
‘Theoretically, anything, Adrian,’ she swung the scythe with a sense of drama, ‘although the price would, lamentably, reduce the effectiveness of the deal.’
‘Why do I have to be here?’
‘You asked a favour from the swamp lady. I was indebted to her in turn, so here I am for you.’
‘Then why is everything gone?’ Adrian looked around. Something was almost visible in the nothing.
‘It gets like this when you are close to Death.’ She stepped closer and the image in the distance became a baby, growing fast, whom Adrian recognised all too well.
‘Can you get me to the mountains alive?’ Rightfully, Adrian was a little nervous.
‘Of course!’ She now turned away from him and his lifetime faded away. She faced him again and said, ‘it may require, say, a “brush” to take you that far.’
‘A brush?’
‘Okay.’ Death grabbed his hand and Adrian felt the sensation of being pulled free of a guillotine only in the nick of time – then a noise you would think to be a motorbike running out of petrol. After this he was standing halfway up a steep incline, a valley visible around the bulge of the mountain but not where he was heading.
‘Excuse that, but this is as far as it will take you. I know we will meet again, Adrian. I won’t spoil the surprise though.’ The voice faded away and he was alone in a wild country with only a fading memory of where to go. Somewhere towards the crest of this hill was the cave where who-knows-what stood between him and the prize he required so desperately.
Adrian skimmed down and stood on the goat track winding up the hill, when out of the blue the scene from Egghead returned with a possible alternative route. The cave he was to enter formed an opening to the subsystem under the mountain range, but further down the slope was a larger, horizontal entrance that would take a longer walk to find the Lentil and alleviate him from sliding down a long precarious shaft.
Lo and behold there was such a cave on this side of the rise but celebration was extinguished by a loud, deep breathing that wafted out onto Adrian’s face. Though he would didn't know it yet, an ancient dragon had taken up residence in the cave and now guarded the Lentil jealously as part of its hoard.
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