"Oni!" Elma's voice rang out behind me as I was walking across the grass joining the Knight's Tower to the surrounding buildings of the Eternal Realm. The thought of sitting down to a peaceful lunch at the picnic table seemed to be slipping from my grasp. I just knew that something serious would interrupt my peace. But to my amazement, nothing could be further from the truth. Elma quickly closed the gap between us, and I could see a joyful gleam in her eyes. She could not contain her exuberance. "Look what a ratman gave me." There was a tattered piece of parchment in her hand. 'He said he was tired of looking for the hidden treasure marked on the map, so he gave it to me. I was wondering if you would like to go with me and search for the treasure? If you have time?" "Sure. Just as soon as I finish lunch. Care to join me?" The young Knight beat me to the table and sat down. I sat across from her and opened the basket I was carrying. "Sure you got enough?" "I believe so. I knew you would be coming back from your 'adventuring' soon and would be hungry. I packed extra." I sat quietly munching cut up apples from Stormhold and some cheese Ol' Jupe had given me, listening to Elma. She was giving me every minute detail of her adventures, in between her own bites of food. Her stories ended with the ratman map. "Ready to go?" she asked excitedly. "Sure," I responded laughingly. We quickly packed away, or should I say cleaned up the little crumbs and morsels left from lunch. "Got your shovel?" "I was hoping you had one." "Me," I replied questioningly. "Guess I better go find one. I think I have one at my home," I concluded. We walked the short distance from the table to my house. The search began... "I seem to have remembered that someone left one in here." We looked in every chest, armoire and even behind the forge. Nothing. "Guess we will just have to go buy one," exclaimed Elma. Her tone bespoke of slight desperation. I held up my hand. "One more spot to check." I walked into my bedroom and yes, looked under my bed. Not just one, but two shovels lay side-by-side right smack in the middle. "Found one, Elma," I cried out as I pulled the shovel towards me. Elma barged into the room and nearly stepped on me. I sat up on the edge of the bed brushing my clothes as I handed her the shovel. "Summer sure passed quickly, " I mused. "Looks like this place needs a good fall cleaning." We both laughed as I continued to brush the dust off. "No wonder I couldn't remember where I saw a shovel. *Makes mental note to remember another shovel still resides under bed* Elma stowed the shovel in her pack, and we left my sorta dusty home. Pausing on the steps to lock my door and check the surrounding area. we perused the map. "Looks like we need to cross the river a little north of the Realm," I concluded. We began to trek along the river and 'jumped' the water close to the spot we believed the treasure to lie. We came to a spot that resembled the mark on the map. Elma began to dig. Deeper and deeper delving. Then the shovel hit something metal sounding and hard. The shovel moved faster. Dirt flew out of the hole and scattered about. With one great lunge, Elma pushed the chest out of the hole. The metal container had an eery glow to it. "Elma, you have unearthed an enchant...." My words were cut short by the moaning and howling of the 'guardians of the chest'. They set on Elma, trying to keep her in the hole. "Arrh! " I heard her shout as her sword slashed upward . She caught one of the guardians slicing it deep. It slumped over and fell, right on top of her driving her back into the hole. The others still seemed resolved to hold Elma in the hole. "Elma, stay down!" I shouted as I threw a massive swarming spell. It hit the remaining 'guardians' blowing them back away from the hole. Through the smoke, fire and debris of my blast, I saw the familiar scimitar, blue-hued shield and cape launch up once again. This time she cleared the great hole and cut down what remained of the 'guardians'. The chest and its contents were ours. The gems, armor and weapons of renown were bedazzling in the afternoon sun. But they were mere shadows of The Greatest Treasure of the Chest... Elma's smile. She beamed brilliantly as she emptied the contents of the chest into her pack.
Nice tale, a shovel under the bed. LOL Who would of thought. Marjo Governess of Wispfelt Westra on IRC
It seems things turn up in the oddest of places in this realm. Just glad I did not find a skulking thief under there. Thanks for the encouraging words.
