|
Chapter 4 WAs we entered the gloomy room (obviously the only room in the building,) I noticed a funny smell. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that it wasn't the only thing odd. Bottles, papers, tubes, and wires were scattered across the room. And in the center of this chaos was a dead man sitting in a chair. His throat had been cut. "That," Geoffrey said grimly, "is the Oracle we were looking for." This was no surprise as the dead man was wearing an eye watering outfit of bright green trousers, and orange and red striped shirt, a purple overcoat, and a massive hat with three points and bells all over it that said ORACLE. I looked at him again and decided to leave before I got sick. Geoffrey soon joined me. "Now what?" I asked. "I am lost, you have never been outside of your forest, and the Oracle is dead, and..." "I know!" Interrupted Geoffrey. He sat in silence for a while and then asked, "well, where was your escort taking you?" "I don't know. I'd been unconscious since I was kidnapped." I replied. "Kidnapped!?!" Geoffrey exclaimed. "Why would anyone want to kidnap you?" "Good question." Geoffrey was obviously upset. He kept turning slightly blue. I suggested that we find something to drink and a place to sit down and discuss our options. "O.K.," he said. We wandered back towards the vendor's street looking for an inn. Finally we found one. It was named Ye Olde Purple Dragon Inn, I suppose that it could have been a coincidence. I totaled up what we knew, or at least thought we knew. First of all, despite the fact that Geoffrey knew about the University, none of the towns on the infallible road signs were familiar to either of us. Second when we had tried to consult an Oracle (which breed despite their other faults, are all knowing and can answer any question) only to arrive in time to witness the departure of a man who was probably the assassin. Geoffrey thought that he was dressed in black, meaning he was a member of Those Who Attack Like The Night For A Reasonable Fee. I thought that he was black, clothes and all, meaning he was a member of The Painted The Color Of Their Souls Assassins, who work for the King. I figured that Geoffrey was probably right. After all, who ever heard of the King assassinating Oracles. As it turned out we learned more from the innkeeper than we probably would have from the Oracle. As we were leaving we over heard him tell a man at the counter about a strange dream he'd had. It seemed that he had dreamed that the capital city, Orphouz, was named Truglemop and that his own fair city of Cockle was named Threetrees. Geoffrey and I were appalled, but we decided that asking questions might get us into trouble and left. "I've heard of Threetrees, and Truglemop IS the name of the capital!" I whispered to Geoffrey. "It appears that you mean was," he whispered back. "Could someone have possibly cast an enchantment that would fool the road signs AND the people of an entire CITY?" "How should I know? Your the apprentice." "I don't know," I said, "but at least we know where we are and where we're going now." "Then lets go find out what's going on!" Geoffrey said almost cheerfully as he set off down the road. ' |
||