by S.J. Drew
or spells are not unguarded. I have never seen a cleric nor bard of such youth and inexperience in this realm."
"I told you, I was sent here."
"Indeed," said the dragon. "This is why I believe you are telling the truth."
"Okay, so a party gets here. Then what happens?"
"Those who you might call evil wish to steal my treasure. Sometimes they only seek one thing to allow them ultimate power in their own worlds. Sometimes they seek as much coin and jewelry as they can take to allow them to buy ultimate power in their worlds. Those who might call good also wish to steal my treasure, although for different reasons. They too may seek one thing that allows them ultimate power but would use it to rid their world of evil. Or they may take my treasure confident it would be better spent in their world to help the disadvantaged."
"Well, that makes sense," Leah replied. "What happens after that?"
"What do you think?"
"I don't know. I mean, you're the guardian. I don't think you want anyone taking this stuff. And I'm not sure you care if they have good intentions or bad ones."
"You show wisdom."
"And you didn't answer my question," she countered.
The dragon sort of grinned and shifted its weight. The gold slid away revealing part of a leather-covered ancient book.
The very sight of the book made Leah feel light-headed and sick to her stomach.
Arken picked up a handful of the gold with the book and cast it away. "Many items are very dangerous in and of themselves."
Leah felt better as soon as the book was out of sight. "You mean cursed."
"That is one way such powerful items are often protected. Breaking such curses is not easy, even for powerful wizards. Some curses hide themselves so well they seem benign until it is too late. Items of such power can have motivations of their own, or enchantments that prevent unworthy wielders," Arken said, flicking its tail and touching a huge hammer that was mounted on the nearby stalagtite. "Some other items exhibit their power and it turns out to be more than an adventurer can handle," it said, gesturing to a normal-sized bloody spear mounted on a stalactite. "Legends tend to sometimes be a bit light or inaccurate on details, and those details can be crucial."
"You're still not really answering my question. Does anyone ever get out of here?" Leah asked.
"Perhaps that is part of the challenge," the dragon replied. "It really is most unfortunate you do not have your party with you."
"I'm not sure any of us could fight a dragon."
"That shows you have greater wisdom than many who have entered my realm."
"I wish Isabella was here," Leah thought. "Power isn't the answer. I need to think my way out of this, if there is a way out of this." She addressed the dragon again. "So what are you? Just a guardian?"
Arken raised a brow ridge. "Just a guardian? How impudent."
"Sorry. Really," she said, looking at the dragon's clearly dangerous claws.
"I am the god of this realm. This is the ultimate treasure. Anything and everything a heart has ever desired is here, for good or ill. Whatever you may want can be found here. And I guard it all, because it is all mine."
"So you wouldn't let an evil wizard leave with a magic wand to take over the world?" Leah asked.
"No."
"And you wouldn't let a paladin leave with a magic sword to slay some kind of evil lich?"
"No."
"Does anyone ever leave?"
"What do you think, Lee?"
She sat down on the gold and decided to do as the dragon suggested and think. Something about the situation seemed familiar. "Maybe I do play too many RPGs and read too much fantasy," she thought, sighing. "All the treasure in the world and a dragon to guard it. But who cares if it's all guarded if there's no way out? But there must be a way out. No bunch of adventurers would think of taking on that kind of dragon without a way out. I wish I had a teleport spell or something." She addressed the dragon. "Do teleport spells even work?"
It smiled toothily as it built up a tower of gold bricks to amuse itself. "Perhaps."
She thought a while longer. "I think this place is a trap," she announced.
"A trap?" it repeated, blinking.
"Even the best paladin who comes in here just looking for that one thing has got to be tempted by all this stuff. Maybe they even start to think, 'Hey, I know I just wanted this one sword, but maybe there's a shield in here too, or a suit of armor, or a whole bunch of other stuff that could help me save the world.' I don't know where you come into this, but even if you weren't here, I can see how easy it would be to get lost in here."
The dragon blinked its great gold eyes at her. "How did you come to guess all of that?"
Leah shrugged. "I'm genre-savvy. That means I know a lot about the fantasy tropes because I'm on the outside observing, not inside. And I think you're trapped here."
"Why would I want to leave?" Arken asked. "I am a god here. No other dragon can hope to acquire a horde such as this."
"So all you care about is making sure no one takes anything. It doesn't matter why they want the stuff."
"It is mine," Arken said with a shrug that tumbled the tower of gold bricks and sent a shower of gold skittering down the pile. "And what heart could not be tempted by all of this?"
"I've got it!" Leah said suddenly.
"What?"
"You're the boss monster. You're the last level. This is where a party figures out what it's really made of. That's why this all seems familiar. It's like a game, or a story. It looks like some GMs might mix a little bit of science fiction into their fantasy, but I get the idea. Heck, if was playing a strictly fantasy game, I'd sure like some of that sci-fi stuff too."
"So what are you going to do, cleric?" Arken asked.
"Go home," she said. "Can I borrow the glowing cube I saw, um, over that way, I guess?"
"Borrow?"
"Sure. Some things here can be used but I don't need to take it with me. I just need to make the door home."
Arken laughed. It sounded like the chiming of a thousand bells. "Well done, human." It drew a circle in the air near Leah with its claw. The circle glowed with bright, white light. "But you know there are items here that could grant you your dreams, right?"
"I know. Everything a heart ever desired."
"Even a life where this doesn't happen," the dragon said, and a glove with six gems embedded into it suddenly tumbled into view.
She swallowed hard. "No. It's not this easy. It's never this easy," she said, recognizing the gauntlet. "I have to find my own way in life, not try to change it with magic. I have faith, and I have friends, and I work hard." The six gems twinkled at her, and she thought she could probably snatch up the gauntlet and still get through the portal.
The dragon watched her intently.
She shook her head and grasped her crucifix necklace. "No. No easy answers. No easy way. Faith and hard work."
"Good luck."
"Thanks," Leah said, and stepped through the portal.
She woke up so suddenly she caused Nora to shriek in surprise. "Gah!"
"Gah!" Leah returned.
Maryann and Isabella rushed in. "What happened?" they asked in unison.
Nora helped Leah sit up.
"Oh, my head hurts," she said.
"I guess whatever you two did worked," Nora said.
"We, um, didn't finish," Maryann replied.
Leah handed the crumpled up protection charm back to Isabella. "Thanks."
Maryann's phone started ringing. "Oh, it's Al!" she said, looking at the number.
"What's he doing here?" Leah asked.
"We'll explain later, and so will you," Nora said. "Can you do the show?"
"Oh, yeah, I'll do my best."
"Then that will have to do."
After the show, which Alejandro agreed to record and post to their fansite for them, the band went back to the hotel and promised
to meet Alejandro for breakfast before they headed out of town. Leah told them what had happened to her, and they agreed the most likely culprit was the mysterious GM.
"Do you think any of that was real?" Nora asked.
"As real as what happened to you," Leah replied.
"Do you think you could have taken something that could have really changed the world?" Maryann asked.
"I don't know, but I won't tell you I wasn't tempted to try."
Nora noticed a tone of regret in Leah's response and decided it was wise to change conversation topics. Soon the group broke up and Maryann and Leah got changed for bed in awkward silence.
"Maryann, about my brother..." Leah started.
"I understand," she interrupted. "I'll stay away from him"
"No, I can't tell you not to do that."
"No, you can't," she replied, "but I can choose that. Let's be honest; it probably wouldn't work anyway. And I understand why you don't want it to. So I'll just let this go, okay? We'll probably both feel better for it. Well, Al might not like it, but maybe it's better this way."
"Thanks, Maryann," Leah said. And finally they went to bed.
The Lyrics:
Here's all I could want
I don't even know where to start
I want to be certain
I know the desire of my heart.
I'm certainly tempted
You really know how to entice
But before I agree to anything
I want to know the price.
Refrain: You ask such a high price
To get what I require
What must I sacrifice
To gain my heart's desire?
There's so much I could use
But I know nothing is free
So before I make a bargain
What will this cost me?
You're not charging anything
I can't believe what you say
I can take what I want
And there's no price to pay?
Refrain:
This will fulfill my needs
But you get nothing in return
I'm still hestitating to accept
Until your motive I discern.
There's something I'm missing
There's some hidden expense
Unless gaining my heart's desire
Bears all the consequence?
Refrain:
Now I think I understand
Why you offer so much and more
If what I want isn't what I need
I'll regret everything I wished for.
Even so it's hard to back away
It takes all my strength to deny
Your offer of all I could want
Because I know the price is too high.
I can't just make a wish
To get what I require
There is no easy magic
To gain my heart's desire.
Track 5 - Page of Swords
The Interview:
Jana: And here we've got another song about a bad relationship, this time set to an alt-rock musical backdrop. You know, there are a lot of rumors about your private lives.
Lenore: Oh, yes, we are aware of that.
Nico: You can't expect us to believe all of these break-up songs are inspired by something that happened to other people.
Lee: Why not?
Jana: Well, I guess it's possible, but some of these songs, and ones on your previous albums, sound just too, well, personal, for me to think one of you isn't the inspiration.
Anna: It's really cool you think that, actually. We want our songs to sound personal.
Nico: Even though you say they really aren't.
Belle: We won't say none of our songs are personally inspired. We just won't tell you which ones.
Jana: And this is why interviews with you are so difficult.
Lee: And yet here we are again, continuing to get interviews. Maybe you're just gluttons for punishment.
Nico: [laughs] Well, we're in the entertainment business too, so that's probably true. But come on, can't you give us some kind of lead or hook or something? Anything?
Anna: Um, the Page of Swords is a tarot card.
Jana: Oh, so this also has kind of a supernatural connection.
Lee: There. Don't say we never did anything for you.
The Story:
"What do you think of this?" Leah asked Nora as she held up a black blazer.
"Some kind of take on a power suit?" she replied. "Nice shoulder pads."
Maryann and Isabella were a bit bored as the other two poured through the racks of clothes in the second-hand store. The redhead was trying to write out song lyrics while Isabella scanned the used books.
"I know we have to buy stuff for costumes, but why does it always take so long?" she sighed. "I got my stuff half an hour ago," she said, adjusting the plastic bag she was carrying.
"Sometimes spectacle and style are as important as substance, especially in this business," Isabella reminded her.
"Substance should always count for more."
"But you have your own style always wearing those orange and yellow things and those '60s-era red glasses."
"I like bright colors," Maryann replied. "Okay, fine, style is important, but I think we should rehearse or something."
"I gave them a time limit," Isabella said. She found nothing on the shelves so she opened up the big trunk and started to dig through it. As she did so, she started to feel as though something wasn't quite right, but all the books seemed normal if expectedly worn. She got all the way to the bottom and pulled out what appeared to be a blank journal that had gotten waterlogged and dried out at some point. It had a faux-leather cover and no identifying markings but there was a price tag.
Maryann knelt down next to Isabella. "What is that?" she asked. "That doesn't feel right."
"I agree. Why would a place like this take a book this damaged?"
"Are you going to buy that?"
"Well, I don't think it's a good idea to leave it here," Isabella replied.
"And you guys say I look for trouble," she said. "But I kind of agree. We should figure out what this is and figure out what we need to do with it."
Eventually the shopping trip was over and the band returned to their hotel room to get ready for the evening's show.
"What's with that piece of junk?" Nora asked Isabella,when she noticed the battered book.
"Something I don't like the feel of," she replied as she flipped though the stiff, stained pages.
"What, did you find the Necronomicron in the store today?" Leah asked, poking her head through the door that connected their hotel rooms.
"It's not real, you know," Maryann said, shaking her head. "And if a book that powerful was real, why would it be buried in the bottom of a trunk in a second-hand store?"
"Books like that want to be found," she answered with a shrug.
"It's not the book of the dead," Isabella said. "It's not the Sigsund Manuscript. It's not even Tobin's Spirit Guide."
"Ah, Ghostbusters. But what's the 'Sigsund Manuscript?'" Leah asked.
"From the Ghost Finder stories," she answered. "Anyway, the point is something isn't right with this book and I didn't want it where anyone else could find it. I'll look at it later. Wait, what is this?" The inside of the back cover now had a washed-out drawing of a sword pointing downwards. "This was blank when I picked it up."
"Isabella, are you sure you want to keep that thing?" Maryann asked.
"Yes. Well, no, but I will put a ward on it. Anyway, we've got work to do, right?" She set the book on the standard hotel desk in the corner. She wrote out a quick spell in Japanese kanji and set the paper on top of the book. Nothing happened, so the band went out and took care of business.
"So, do you want me to do something while you do whatever it is you're going to do with that book?" Nora asked as she got ready for bed.
Isabella, who was sharing a room
with her as usual, shook her head. "Maryann and I will set up protection. As long as nothing immediately dangerous happens, I think I'll be alright."
Nora looked skeptical, but said nothing as Isabella and Maryann drew circles of protection around the desk and book. As Isabella got ready to open it, Nora said, "Don't stay up too late. You're our main driver."
Isabella smiled a bit. "I'll try not too."
Nora put away her various electronic devices, said a prayer on behalf of Isabella, and tried to go to sleep.
Isabella opened the book, and despite all the protections, the world changed.
She found herself standing in gray mist. She couldn't see more than a few feet in either direction. Then the mists seemed to clear a bit, and she realized she was standing on a hill of ordinary looking sand. At the bottom of the hill was a gate that opened into a giant dark brown stone maze. The maze seemed to climb up another hill, but the mists obscured it so she couldn't make out much of it. There was nothing behind her but mist so she assumed she should go to the maze, which she did.
"Is it made of paper?" she thought to herself as she examined the stone. When she tapped on the fifteen-foot tall walls, they seemed as hard as stone, but the texture was more like that of construction paper than stone. She knelt down and picked up some dirt and noticed it felt more like confetti than actual sand. She looked up at the top of the gate and could see a sword hanging from a thread over the entrance.
"The Sword of Damocles," she thought. "Or an inverted Ace of Swords. Either way, not an auspicious start. I wish I had my purse."
All the same, she cast spirit sight on herself and took a careful step into the maze. Nothing seemed to change with the use of the spell, which led her to believe she was not actually in a spirit realm. There was a wall in front of her, and the right and left passages were both empty.
"What was it Leah keeps saying about dungeons? Oh, 'right-hand rule.'" She turned down the right passage, and the right passage again, and the right passage again, hoping to find something to write on in order to make a map or write out a spell to help her navigate the maze.
The maze opened up into a small room with two doors out and to her surprise a young man staring at both doors. His clothes looked like he stepped out of a period piece on 1940s Brooklyn, New York. He was clearly agitated and didn't hear Isabella approach.
"Excuse me," she said politely. Her spirit sight showed him as something, although she wasn't entirely sure what.
He turned around, revealing a handsome if somewhat dirty face. "Oh, there's someone else here!" he said, with a Brooklyn accent. "I've been doin' nothin' but goin' in circles. What's goin' on here?"
She paused a moment, as his accent was so stereotypical she half-expected him to be saying, "Extra, extra, read all about!" She composed herself and answered, "I don't know. My name is Isabella," she said, holding out her hand.
"I'm Brendon," he replied, shaking her hand.
He felt real enough. "So, yeah, here I am at these two doors. And now you are too. So maybe we figure this out together?"
"Sure," she said with less suspicion than she felt. She examined the two doors. They superficially looked like wood, but up close they again more resembled textured paper. Each door had an upside down sword carved or drawn (she wasn't sure which was a more appropriate word) into it. "What's the trick?"
"They're both unlocked, but I've tried both doors and somehow I just end up right back here," he answered.
She considered this for a moment. "Do you have any paper or a pen or anything like that?" she asked.
"Sorry, no."
She looked on the ground and saw only bare rock with a few small stones. She picked one up and rubbed it against the ground. The stone seemed to
