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Using the moon and stars as guides I made my way towards the direction I believed lay the tower of Xardas. It was an unnerving experience traveling in this fragmented world. Familiar mountains and landmarks rose up and disappeared. I could see people and animals above me going about their normal business. They took no notice of me. It seemed I did not exist for them.

After a time I became more comfortable in this insubstantial world. Towards dawn I spied the spikey points of the tower and made for it. It was late morning when I arrived in its vicinity.

I saw a demon approaching me and held my ground. The demon flew to within a few yards of me and stopped. I felt it considering me, then it entered my mind.

'My master Xardas sends this message: "Seek the Swamp Witch, bring her the Pendant of Machen and she will aid you."'

I sighed to myself. Always it seemed there was some other mission to do. I wondered why Milten would direct me here and not to the Swamp Witch; and now there was some pendant I had to get, and where was it?

'The pendant is held by the Queen of the skeleton mages,' responded the demon. 'Seek her at the entrance to the orc cemetary.'

'You can respond to my questions,' I thought. 'How is this possible?'

'You are in the realm of the nexus, the crossover point between worlds,' replied the demon casually.

I considered remaining to 'converse' with the demon, but something held me back. I turned and left and traveled towards the orc cemetary. I wanted to arrive there before darkness fell, for in this place time seemed to move more rapidly, and time was running out.

By the time I arrived at the appointed place the sun had already set, though it was still light out. A soft pink and blue light suffused the area and made the gaping skull cavemouth that led into the cemetary seem less threatening. emouth, that led into the cemetary, seem less threatening. I pulled my crossbow out and proceeded with caution. All was quiet. The entire area was deserted.

Then from nowhere there was a bluish flash of light to my left. I dodged just in time to avoid a ball of lightning. Then there was another and yet again once more. I fired my crossbow twice in quick succession towards where I thought the latest bolt had originated. Unable to tell if I'd hit anything. I knew for certain that they were on all sides.

I was hit. I jumped at an angle away from two of the invisible bolt casters and towards the third. I flipped the crossbow of war into it's cradle on my back, unsheathed Urizel and charged. Another ball of lightning hit me, but for a brief moment the outine of a skeleton mage was visible.

I continued my charge and sliced madly at the ephemeral apparition. It fell with a clatter and became visible. I glanced at the remains but could discern no pendant. I turned to confront the remaining casters, approaching them using the same technique, bobbing and weaving my way ever closer.

In this manner another skeleton mage was dispatched, but there was still no pendant, and I had been hit twice more. I began searching for the Queen. She had ceased to cast spells so as not to give away her location. Or was it some other reason?

I had reached the ground where I believed her to be and began to swing Urizel in wide swaths. Swinging, stepping forward, and swinging again. Then a familiar screech riveted my attention on the gaping mouth of the skull cave. Three harpies were flying out of it and heading my way.

A faint bluish glow revealed the Queen as she prepared to cast another spell. She was right next to me. Hurt but undaunted I stepped into her and with three quick crushing blows she collapsed in a pile of bones and ragged rayment. But now the harpies were upon me.

They had managed to get in some raking hits while I finished off the Queen. They wheeled into the air, preparing for another dive. Then words came to me: 'In darkness use purifying fire.'

Without further thought I sheathed the sword and pulled a rain of fire spell out as the harpies began their dive. The sky lit up as strands of liquid fire fell upon the horrid creatures. They screamed in agony, their flapping wings only serving to accentuate and accelerate their flaming demise as they fell in smoking, screaching heaps from the sky.

I took the opportunity to use my remaning mana to heal myself as much as possible. I examined the last skeleton mage. Having no desire to touch the ghastly remains, I pulled Urizel out and slipped the pendant the Queen wore from around her neck. I moved away and ate my remaining food.

*

It was beginning to get dark and I hurried towards the swamp. A nagging uncertainty began to plague my steps. So far everywhere I had been had been on the same plane. I could move up slightly by jumping but there was no way down. In the gathering darkness my progress became slow and hesitant.

I lit a torch and moved slowly to the edge over looking the lowlands below. From experience I knew there was no way down short of a tremendous, most likely, lethal fall. I considered the pendant.

Holding it up in the torch light, it's multifaceted crystal face glittered in the flickering light. I could see markings in a runic language. The name Machen was easy enough to read but the other runes were unknown to me.

I removed the amulet I was wearing and donned the pendant. I moved to where I thought the water from the triple falls was the deepest and prayed to all the gods that opposed the Sleeper and lept into the darkness. Plummenting from on high I clutched the pendant and watched for the water rushing up to meet me.

I hit with a tremendous splash and fell through the water. I hit something solid and my knees buckled and once again I lost consciousness.

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