Choose Your Path Wisely (The Prophecy)

[Hopefire]

A. Go.

[truffles123]

D. She should stay and fight and see what happens

[catcrazyme]

Letters not listed are not allowed. I won't do them.

[catcrazyme]

OK let's go and see what happens!

Colette grumbled. "We need to go to Elder's soon."

Sierra glanced at the night sky. "You're right. About an hour left."

~*~

Sierra rolled over on the Elder's Rock. The innkeeper still hadn't come, and they were becoming impatient.

Finally, the innkeeper appeared. He smiled as he approached the group. "Do you have the egg?" Colette piped up.

The innkeeper shook his head. "Of course not. I gave it to the council and told them I'd found it in a room."

Colette furrowed her brows. "Then how are we supposed to get it back?"

The innkeeper grinned again. "You steal it back, of course."

Sierra felt rage building up in her. That stupid innkeeper with his stupid smile. "You've gotten us in more trouble now," she yelped.

The cheerful disposition dropped from the innkeeper's face. "Listen. I vowed that I would protect the egg." The innkeeper's leathery dragon wings trembled in the wind. "I will help you steal it."

"You're mad," Kathryn whispered.

The innkeeper laughed. "It's been a long time since this city has seen a dragon egg. I'll travel with you, of course, but first, will you steal the egg?"

You are now presented with a choice:

A) Steal the egg

B) Play it safe

[Hopefire]

Steal it back.

[catcrazyme]

Ok then! Let's go....

Colette sighed and twisted a strand of hair between her fingers. They were sitting back in the inn, the whole group packed into one room. They had called a get-together for a meeting, and now they filled the room. "Was agreeing to bring the dragon back the right choice?"

Sierra sighed. Well, it's Colette. Of course she's going to worry. "Colette," Sierra smiled, "Calm down. Even if it doesn't work out, we'll make it out alive somehow."

Katheryn winced. "Somehow?"

Honus scowled. "What were you expecting? An easy stroll down castle lane, then a little pop into the magically 'not protected' egg chamber, then come back out with a priceless dragon egg without being seen?"

The group was silent for a while. Colette's large blue eyes widened. Sierra growled slightly. She's offended. Honus should at least know better than to be an absolute jerk...

The temperature in the room started swinging. Soon, it was a shivery cold that left the group goosebumps. Katheryn was looking a little transparent, and Sierra could tell she wanted to teleport away. Honus still had a thin smile on his face, but was barely visible due to the shadow that shrouded him.

Sierra fought her divine power. Stop. It shouldn't be like this.

Suddenly, a small sliver of happy entered her thoughts. It was only in the back of her head, almost neglected, but it grew steadily, if not slowly. Sierra felt happy thoughts bubbling forth, and soon she felt like laughing. Sierra looked up, smiling. Dylan smiled back, his brows a little furrowed with concentration and his eyes laughing. "Well," he grinned, "We're going, and we're going tomorrow. Let's get some rest."

~*~

Sierra stared at the innkeeper. She found herself wondering if he was absolutely crazy again.

"Are you positive your plan will work?"

The innkeeper laughed. "Plan? What plan? Live in the moment, children. I don't have a plan. We'll have to improv our way there."

Sierra rolled her eyes, but was surprised when Honus smiled. That's rare.

"I think I like you," Honus drawled, "This plan is fine with me. So, how are we gonna break in?"

Well? How?

A) North door (six guards, entertainment hall)

B) East door (six guards, kitchens/ballrooms)

C) South door (six guards, training hall)

D) West door (six guards, royal hall)

E) Basement (four guards, closest to destination)

F) Roof (sixteen guards, big possibility of being seen)

G) Window (zero guards, no choice of room)

[faedemon]

G) Window, Seriously hoping you choose the kitchen/ballroom window.... but if it were the royal hall, it would totally be entertaining. Win/win deal for me

[catcrazyme]

OK! Got it! Is it still a win if they die?

Dylan smiled. Sierra could barely see him in the moonlight, but she saw that his eyes were shining. "What, you got an idea?"

The group had resolved to whispering, as they were crouched in a bush near the castle.

"Sure," Dylan whispered back. "Let's hop in a window, kill whoever's in there, find the egg, take it, and get the hell outta here."

Colette winced. "I like the very first part."

Dylan grinned. "Fine, let's hop in a window and improv from there."

The group smiled. "Agreed."

"Wait," Katheryn whispered, "Teleporting?"

Sierra shook her head, no. "For the last moment. When we have to get away."

Katheryn nodded. "Alright."

~*~

Shrouded in a cloak of Honus' shadow, the group crept up the castle walls and into a window. "It's awfully dark in here," the innkeeper muttered.

"Shh!" The group shushed him immediately. Sierra rolled her eyes, and braced herself as Honus lifted the shadow. Much to her surprise, it was still quite dark. She groped around until she felt the wall, then walked along it, her hand touching the rough stone. It was uncomfortably sticky and warm, and Sierra felt a layer of water on the stone her fingertips brushed over.

Suddenly, the innkeeper yelped, followed by a splash. Sierra felt hot water on her legs. Wincing, she brushed the water off. Where could we be?

The innkeeper laughed. "I think I know where we are," he said quietly, pulling himself out of a pool of hot water. "We're in the bathhouse."

Dylan laughed too. "Lucky us, there are probably no guards here."

The innkeeper laughed again, but this time it sounded worn and tired. "Oh, there are guards alright. We interrupted their magnificent bath. If we're lucky enough they'll let us go without harming us, but, after we-"

Wrong choice! Sorry!

A) North door (six guards, entertainment hall)

B) East door (six guards, kitchens/ballrooms)

C) South door (six guards, training hall)

D) West door (six guards, royal hall)

E) Basement (four guards, closest to destination)

F) Roof (sixteen guards, big possibility of being seen)

G) Window (zero guards, no choice of room)

[faedemon]

Somehow I think E has a catch... but go on ahead with it

[catcrazyme]

BTW, the innkeeper's name is Xavier, he's your average innkeeper with dragon wings. Thanks!