Book 3: “Death On Mt. Undenkhark!” Page 60
AT LAST! THE END!
or
(JUST THE END OF THE BEGINNING?)
Ah, at last—victory! Our heroes have vanquished the bad guys (and gals); they win the prize; everyone goes home happy and they all go on to live happily ever after—NOT! Not only was this not a supreme victory, it may even be worse than a Pyrrhic Victory! How so? Let us consider what was achieved and how much was lost, or at least left open to future questions and problems:
- Yes, the Dragans found (and even rescued, so to speak) their old friends Darya and Lucretius, but Lucretius is dying from cobra poison and if he doesn’t receive aid quickly, he’ll soon succumb;
- The vampires seem to have been dealt a finishing blow—but have they really? Though the vampires were pummelled by tons of falling rock, Darya doesn’t seem too eager to let Bryan near the supposedly comatose vampires, does she? Is that a raving vote of endorsement for victory?
- Gelmut is also underneath all of that rubble somewhere. As long as G.A.’s arrow is still stuck in his heart, the vampire is out of commission, a state of death-like paralysis—but if he’s found and that arrow is removed? Brrr…I hate to think of his wrath!
- Though Seth survived not only his encounter with Tarnak, but the Thinker’s New Magic as well, his problems may be far from over. If it was indeed Tarnak’s T’Showrin who witnessed their encounter (as possibly espied HERE)—and Seth is indirectly responsible for Tarnak’s death (though he hoped to save the Ogre)—then the blood feud of T’Nacakaiku will continue for him;
- Penultimately, the kids have lost a new-found friend—Sgt. Mac. More than that, they have a major question mark in the enigmatic Thinker. Just what is he—friend, enemy or frenemy?
- Lastly—but perhaps most painfully—it appears they won’t be getting their old bodies back anytime soon since nearly getting blown up in your vehicle of conveyance isn’t exactly rolling out the welcome carpet.
All in all, if this was victory, then I’d hate to see what defeat might look like. Yet our young friends still live, and as Darya noted, can continue to learn of the mysteries of the Wyrld—if they survive!
May Cognescentii blessings rain gently down upon you, most honored reader!
Until again,
~The Traveller