|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- CLOWN CENTAUR ARCHITECT--CUP 8--"COWARD" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Clown Centaur Architect  ||  -------> (Cup SRcc008, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Thalerdrad watched as the highway far above him receded into the distance. This falling felt good. With every second, he felt better and better about his chances for survival. But then came the flames. Silent, unfelt, only seen. Engulfing him. Well it was worth a try, he thought, as he started getting light-headed, losing awareness of his body. He thought of his friend Thirk, how the little gnawling had also burst into flame and evaporated, minutes earlier. Maybe I'll see him, he thought, in the place you go when you die like this. Soon he was nearly gone, and through lips that may or may not have existed, he uttered words which cannot be uttered--a threat to his god, Xonzeft--a statement which brought certain death and damnation to any worshipper of Xonzeft. "Hated Xonzeft--I vow to destroy you." He had seen the results of saying this. When he was a child, a jagvain, or tortoise-man, named Naltosh, spoke the words in the Elorimm town square in a drunken rage. Instantly, the glowing, transparent, clawed, giant hand of Xonzeft appeared out of nowhere and ripped Naltosh apart in a matter of seconds. All that was left was his steaming remains and the painful howl of his soul being sucked into the netherworld. Thalerdrad never forgot the incident, and recalled it just about every day. Deep inside, Thalerdrad had a strange obsession with saying the phrase. He felt like he had to do it--he almost did a few times, when he was upset with his father. But he never managed to get the words out. Somehow, Thalerdrad thought he could beat Xonzeft. Naltosh had been kind to Thalerdrad on several occasions, and he wanted at some level to avenge the poor jagvain. Knowing he was seconds from his end, saying the Sevenwords seemed the logical thing to do. First, he'd finally get to say it, satisfying his perverse desire. Second, maybe it would get Xonzeft's attention. Maybe Xonzeft would realize it was just a call for help, that the threat was used as an emergency call. Then Xonzeft could save him. "Coward" was the last word to run through Thalerdrad's mind as he reached full evaporation and vanished. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----