<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Looks great so far!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> The characters are alive and you've got me hooked on seeing what happens next!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> Chris<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> The Lurking Fox<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> mkguild-bounces@lists.integral.org [mailto:mkguild-bounces@lists.integral.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jack Moore<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, December 01, 2014 6:43 PM<br><b>To:</b> mkguild@lists.integral.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Mkguild] Birth II<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>I ate dinner that night outside away from the knights, instead of inside my tent. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Father was taking dinner and other entertainments with a serving girl he brought with us. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Someone I chose to neglect would share dinner with me though.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Ja-Ames." I sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"If there are any gods out there, I ask you to relieve me." I looked up at the stars. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Please! I am begging you!" No response.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>The fact that I couldn't name any of them didn't help.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>A mass of golden curls with a fat girl growing out of them plopped down beside <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>me. "You've been avoiding me all day." I forced a grin.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"What in the world gave you that idea…uh…" I seem to have forgotten <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>something.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>The fat girl was my fiancée. I didn't know her, something I'll elaborate on in a <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>minute, but I knew my father wanted me to marry her. He believed such a marriage <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>would be throwing off the shackles of tradition and another step towards being a modern <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>man.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>You see this girl was…unique. Rather than being nobility, she came from a <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>wealthy merchant family. My father believed money would be power in the future and <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>merchants would supplant the nobles.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>I suspect he's right.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Unsurprisingly this lead to an arranged marriage to a girl I barely knew. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Somewhat more surprisingly, I did not know her name.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>You see, this girl was of no importance to me. The doublet I wore held more <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>value. So I learned little about her and never bothered to learn her name.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>I would learn it but that's a story for another letter.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Well I couldn't refer to her as trollop, so instead I took to calling her by a pet <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>name.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Of course I'm not avoiding you Muffin." I said. "Why would I ever do that?" <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Muffin's eyes lit with joy. "I've just been busy with other things."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Like what Jay-Ames?" I winced. At the time this girl had a way of speaking <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>that made me despise my own name. I don't mind it now.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I've been busy planning for the meeting tomorrow." I said. "We're meeting with <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>someone for…something. I don't know; I'm more concerned with being so close to a <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>cursed valley."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I'm excited Jay-Ames. What do you think the cursed people are like?" How in <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>the world would I know, I'd never met them.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Not a clue." I said. "I don't want to meet one."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I bet they're fuzzy." Muffin said. "I've heard they're monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"They are monsters." I said. "They're not human anymore."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I don't know." Muffin said.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Ya don't know? How can you not know this?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"In Isenport, I watch people." Muffin said. "They always act like people, no <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>matter what they look like. Even if the cursed people look like monsters, I don't think <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>they'll act like them." <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"And how exactly would you know how a monster acts?" I snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"You're upset." Muffin said. "Tell me why."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I don't want to be here." I said. "I mean…I like being out of Isenport. I even <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>wanna see this Keep! It's the cursed part; I am scared of cursed places. Maybe that <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>makes me a fool, but I think the smart thing to do is avoid curses."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Is that all?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Is that all!?" I cried. "To me it's plenty. I don't want to be out here, especially <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>when I don't know why I'm here. I just know something's going to go wrong for me."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"What?" Muffin asked. "You think they're going to kidnap you? Or kill you?" <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>No I think they're going to marry me to you. "Oh Jay-Ames, you have a silly <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>imagination." I rolled my eyes<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>In my mind, I knew what Metamor Keep was. Every stranger too it knows it is <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>the great unknown, a cursed gateway into the more unknown North. The unknown is <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>dangerous and everything I heard about it frightened me.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"So where's your father?" Muffin asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"In his tent with a serving girl." I said. "She's providing…moral support to him."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Maybe we should head too our tent then." Muffin grinned. My manhood <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>shriveled.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Thanks but I'm not feeling…up to it." I had three mistresses at home who I <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>planned to remain loyal to. I would do this by not touching Muffin with a glaive, much <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>less a part of my anatomy.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"That's okay; we can sit here and talk." She leaned in closer to me as I prayed to <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>gods I didn't believe in for a miracle.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Without warning it began raining. Sometimes the Divine can be quite kind.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>March 3rd, 707<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>While dinner I ate alone, breakfast I shared with my father. Or rather, he ate and I <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>sat in misery.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Do you know what we can learn from Metamor Keep yet?" My father asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"No sir, not yet." My father frowned.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"You are my legacy; you will have to be sharper than that." My father sipped and <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>continued. "Why do we Ecclesia and Lothanasi priests on the pay?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Because we're probably going to one of their hells and trying to get out?" Was <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>what I did not say.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I don't know sir."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Religion is a tool." My father said. "Always has been, all nonsense and all a tool <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>for those who can use it. Metamor Keep has the next tool, the tool for the modern man."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I thought you said they were too stupid to fix their own curse, how can they <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>teach us anything?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Even morons have flashes of brilliance." My father said. "In this case, the tool <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>of tolerance."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Tolerance?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Different religions." My father sipped, "Different species. Some are human, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>some are animals, I've heard all of this. Yet they still hold together. Why?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I'm not sure sir."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Because their leader has realized how stupid all these divisions are. He has <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>come to realize no doubt that so long as he puts his desires above all else, as long as he <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>never shows favoritism he can control the people.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"We practice their religion to show we are like them. We show no favoritism, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>they trumpet us from the hills as great rulers." My father smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>For a moment I saw the fangs of a wolf in his grin.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"That is how we become modern rulers. Not like these lords and Lords stuck in <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>the past!" I stood up. "Where are you going?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Need air." I pushed my way through the tent flaps and managed to not vomit. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>Only a few minutes with my father and I felt like I had been in a pig sty.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Breakfast as usual?" Nemo walked up beside me, Qual strapped on his back. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"You always exit looking ill."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I feel ill." I mumbled, sitting down on a rock. "I don't want to be a modern <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>man."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"What do you want?" I swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I don't know."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"When you decide, I will give you my countenance." Nemo said.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"My father pays you. You'll do what he says."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I'm sorry you believe that." Nemo crouched down. I stood.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"I need to…I need some time alone."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Your father will want to leave when he is done." Nemo said. "I can give you an <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>hour delay, possibly two." I paused.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Why?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"We all need it sometimes James." Nemo said. "Have fun."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>"Thanks."<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'>AN: If any one sees this please say so <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417477244810_2503"><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>