The beginning
of a beautiful relationship -- V
Skeetr could
not quite reach the very top of the elevator shaft because the elevator
platform was blocking his path. He stopped at the landing below. He needed
a place to rest, his hands and feet were sore. A little food and drink
couldn't hurt either. Fortunately, there had been no more activity in this
shaft. Once replenished of his strength, Skeetr decided to take a chance
to get to the very top landing of the elevator. He pulled the lever and
down the elevator went. After some time, he was able to pull the lever
again. He laid on the floor and peered down the shaft. If he spotted someone
riding the elevator, he would jump back and hide. If no one were on it,
he would jump onto it.
The platform
was empty so Skeetr stood and jumped onto it as it rose to him. He landed
hard and his feet stung, but he kept his balance. Skeetr planned on exploring
this next level and trying to find more passageways up to the surface.
When the elevator stopped, Skeetr felt a slight breeze. This had a different
smell than the normal drafts that blew through this place. It was also
very warm and dry, not what you would expect in a dank dungeon. Looking
up, Skeetr noticed a large crack in the corner of the ceiling of the elevator
shaft. Light was coming through it. "Could it be?", Skeetr said out loud.
These were the first audible words Skeetr had spoken in this place. In
a room nearby, the dark mage that accidentally brought Skeetr into this
place was sitting, looking into a porthole mirror. The mage heard the faint
noise and knew that no others were on duty in this part of the castle.
He stepped into the hallway to investigate.
Skeetr had
climbed up into the depression of the ceiling and was working on making
the crack bigger. He could see outside, but the sun had too strong a glare
to see any of the surrounding terrain. He was working quietly, but very
diligently and did not hear the mage stepping lightly down the corridor.
The mage, deciding to investigate the level below, stepped onto the elevator
and pulled the lever. Just then a pebble hit him on the head. He looked
up as the platform started to drop. "You!", he shouted. Startled, Skeetr
dropped the stone he was using as a tool. This too hit the mage on the
head. The man's fury was so great that he took longer than normal to decide
what to do and was four levels down before he knew it. With a whisper he
was levitating - the elevator continued on it's mindless path down the
shaft.
With a do or
die situation confronting him, Skeetr tried to *do* as quickly as possible.
The hole was almost big enough for him to squeeze through. He heard the
mage growling with rage as he was slowly floating up the shaft. Pounding
on the mortar, Skeetr loosed a large rock and pushed it out. He tried to
follow it through the hole but was stopped half way. His pack had caught
on a jagged edge of stone.
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