Forest
Your vision is blinded by flashes of multi-colored lights. Your weakened body is thrusted upon a cold, white marble floor. Looking up you see walls draped in cream silk and a ceiling so high it seems to touch the heavens. Candles light the majestic room and soft harp music plays in the background. For a minute you fear you have died and gone to heaven, or a museum, or Buckingham Palace. Your fears are put to rest when you hear a calm voice behind you.
"I'm sorry for the painful entrance, my friend. Unfortunately I have control over how you come, yet none over how you land."
You turn to see Farawyn and his eight companions seated at a table adorned with a feast fit for a king.
"My dearest friend, I'm sure your stomach has been hungering for nourishment. Likewise, your mind is hungering for understanding of these strange events which have taken hold of you. Sit down and eat! We shall try and explain everything."
You sit down and abandon self-restraint. Tearing into the food you, for a minute, forget who your dinner partners are. The food tastes so lucious, so deep in your mouth. The aroma engulfs your senses and you can feel the food offering you sustenance. Your soul smiles as you take in your surroundings.
"It's time we told you why you were called amoung our presence this day," Farawyn says, bringing your attention back to the others around you.
"We fear that we have caused you grief and worry when none was needed. For this journey has not been one of peril, misery or woe. You have been called here, in truth, not by us, but by another. She told us of her need to see you and we offered to seek you out. Now that we have made it this far, I feel confident you would like to know who has summoned you so far from your camp. Am I correct in my assumptions?"
"Yes!" you sputter as bits of food soar from your parched lips. You take up a goblet of wine and drink it down hastily. "Please, show me the lady who calls me to this wonderful hall."
As if summoned by your words, two large white doors at the end of the hall behind you slowly open. You squint to try and make out who the girl is. To your surprise it is someone whom you know very well.
Out from the glistening light comes Emily, your friend from back in the Shire. The two of you attended the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy together where she used to tease you about your Magic. You never have forgotten that...
"Um...Emily," you say with a dazed and confused look on your face, "What are you doing here?"
"I called you here, remember? Really, you must pay more attention."
Farawyn and the eight others chuckle in the background. You turn and scowl at them, but they shrug.
"She's right you know," replies Farawyn.
"Well, okay then, why did you summon me here?" you ask, turning back to face Emily.
"Here's the thing. A whole big group of people are going to Tolo and I was wondering if you'd want to go with me," responds Emily as she walks up to the table and fixes herself a salad, "Yummm, I love salad."
You are stunned by the recent change of events and turn to see if Farawyn can help you make sense of it all. Yet when your eyes reach the seats previously occupied by your guide and his eight companions you realize they have been replaced by the Fellowship of the Ring.
"What the crap?" you exclaim, throwing your hands up in confusion.
Legolas stands and shoots an arrow towards you. Frozen in shock, it whisps passed your face, just barely touching your hair.
"Legolas, sit down!"
You turn to look at Gandalf, who has taken the seat of Farawyn. "Sorry," he says, "He always does that to the new people we meet, he's such a bloody show off."
Legolas sits down and winks at you. Feeling a tad bit uncomfortable, yet at the same time giddy, you shake your head trying to sort out all that has happened.
"Matt, you haven't answered me yet," says Emily as she fills her plate with a second helping of salad, "Do you want to go or not?"
You open your mouth to speak...
"I'm sorry for the painful entrance, my friend. Unfortunately I have control over how you come, yet none over how you land."
You turn to see Farawyn and his eight companions seated at a table adorned with a feast fit for a king.
"My dearest friend, I'm sure your stomach has been hungering for nourishment. Likewise, your mind is hungering for understanding of these strange events which have taken hold of you. Sit down and eat! We shall try and explain everything."
You sit down and abandon self-restraint. Tearing into the food you, for a minute, forget who your dinner partners are. The food tastes so lucious, so deep in your mouth. The aroma engulfs your senses and you can feel the food offering you sustenance. Your soul smiles as you take in your surroundings.
"It's time we told you why you were called amoung our presence this day," Farawyn says, bringing your attention back to the others around you.
"We fear that we have caused you grief and worry when none was needed. For this journey has not been one of peril, misery or woe. You have been called here, in truth, not by us, but by another. She told us of her need to see you and we offered to seek you out. Now that we have made it this far, I feel confident you would like to know who has summoned you so far from your camp. Am I correct in my assumptions?"
"Yes!" you sputter as bits of food soar from your parched lips. You take up a goblet of wine and drink it down hastily. "Please, show me the lady who calls me to this wonderful hall."
As if summoned by your words, two large white doors at the end of the hall behind you slowly open. You squint to try and make out who the girl is. To your surprise it is someone whom you know very well.
Out from the glistening light comes Emily, your friend from back in the Shire. The two of you attended the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy together where she used to tease you about your Magic. You never have forgotten that...
"Um...Emily," you say with a dazed and confused look on your face, "What are you doing here?"
"I called you here, remember? Really, you must pay more attention."
Farawyn and the eight others chuckle in the background. You turn and scowl at them, but they shrug.
"She's right you know," replies Farawyn.
"Well, okay then, why did you summon me here?" you ask, turning back to face Emily.
"Here's the thing. A whole big group of people are going to Tolo and I was wondering if you'd want to go with me," responds Emily as she walks up to the table and fixes herself a salad, "Yummm, I love salad."
You are stunned by the recent change of events and turn to see if Farawyn can help you make sense of it all. Yet when your eyes reach the seats previously occupied by your guide and his eight companions you realize they have been replaced by the Fellowship of the Ring.
"What the crap?" you exclaim, throwing your hands up in confusion.
Legolas stands and shoots an arrow towards you. Frozen in shock, it whisps passed your face, just barely touching your hair.
"Legolas, sit down!"
You turn to look at Gandalf, who has taken the seat of Farawyn. "Sorry," he says, "He always does that to the new people we meet, he's such a bloody show off."
Legolas sits down and winks at you. Feeling a tad bit uncomfortable, yet at the same time giddy, you shake your head trying to sort out all that has happened.
"Matt, you haven't answered me yet," says Emily as she fills her plate with a second helping of salad, "Do you want to go or not?"
You open your mouth to speak...