Lothor listened in sadness as his friends Roan and Rayne explained why they had to leave the party to look after their families.  He would miss the pair as firends and teammates but he understood.  What had they done?  A hole in the center of the world?  The story was hard to believe and that hole wasn't even on top of his home as it was for the unfortunate pair in front of him.  As he wished them well Rayne offered him a huge surprise.  The Bow, Andurile's Blood.  

Lothor knew his face perfectly reflected the shock he felt but did not care.  This was as great a gift as he had ever received.  (Ok, loan, not gift, but it hardly mattered.)  "Thank you Rayne.  There is much to do yet, even if we are unsure exactly what that will be.  Your loan is unlooked for, but very welcome.  I thank you and will cherish it and will return it to you safely.  Please know that you," and here he included Roan in his look, "both of you, will always be welcome back into the group.  You need to do what you need to do, but so do we and we don't know how long it will take."  Here he could not prevent a bit of a grin.  "It has, after all, already taken a couple thousand years.  May you find what you seek."  Handing over his bow seemed hardly a fair trade.

With the goodbyes done, the big warrior expressed a desire to find a library.  They needed information.  He was pleased that Sirene would join him in this search.  So the party split up and headed in two different directions.  As they progressed through the jubilant crowds Lothor kept looking for signs of change.  Was this really his world?  Could they really be responsible for so much?  Perhaps it would have been better if they had tried to fight what had appeared to be unfightable.  But that thought just made him shake his head.  There was no sense wasting time trying to change the past . . . as he realized what he was thinking he almost burst out laughing.  It was doing just that that had changed the world.  

As he and Sirene moved through the crowds they suddenly found themselves in an area that seemed almost abandoned.  It was strange and felt very wrong.  Where were the cheering throngs?  Why was this place abandoned?  As he loosened his sword and searched for the cause a little red-haired girl stepped out in front of he and Serene.  

“Please have no fear Cor Trollhammer, Ulthok Rydenham, and you Lord Allanan, I am not here to harm you. I am only an escort to someone who very much wishes to speak with all three of you”

He glanced at Sirene and saw a blank look - the witch was likely as surprised as he but didn't show it.  He shrugged.  He spoke quietly to Sirene, although somehow he suspected the girl would hear anyway.  "Might as well, I guess.  She knows us.  And we need information."  He prepared to follow the girl, but waited for his companion to make her decision.  

   "Well lass ye seem ta ken us but we do not ken you or the name of the one who wishes ta speak to us.  Would ye be so kind as ta provide yer name and that of our summoner?  That would help us make a better decision."  Cor lowered his weapon but did not store it in case the sense of dread he felt was not connected to the lass.  As he waited for an answer he realized that either way they would answer the summons; either out of courtesy or curiosity.

 

 

Arandur's wide, catlike eyes took in the towering stone wall solidly surrounding the human city of (OORP: er, whatever it's called lol!). His enhanced elf-vision enabled him to discern the tiny figures patroling the walkways on top of the wall, their cries faint as they reached his elegantly pointed ears. The city itself, as he could see through the open portcullis, was very roughly made compared to the beautiful natural structures of his home city deep in the elven forest. The noise that assailed his sensitive ears caused him to lower his fine brows in annoyance and his young hawk which was perched on his shoulder also displayed his irritation at the clashing sounds by ruffling his wings and emitting a high screech. Arandur stroked Talon's back with a finger and this seemed to sooth the bird somewhat.
The Elf Ranger turned to his companion, his younger adopted sister, Rayden and adressed her:

'What say you of this human city? I for one, am not liking it overmuch. It is too loud, filthy and the residents are too boisterous for me to be comfortable with. Just like the dwarves, as matter of fact,' he added. 'I say we complete the task our deer father assigned us quickly so we do not have to spend as much time as is necessary in this place.'

Brutus walked next to his elven companions, nuzzling his maw against the elven woman who had saved his life so many years ago. He felt her calm up until they saw the human fortress in front of them. He huffed lightly and shook his head, his fur ruffling in the breeze the motion brought. Guided by his elven’s hand Brutus let out breath of air before moving with her as she stood more behind their male companion.

Rayden hated humans, ever since she found Brutus in a trap. She hated the fact that she wanted the green canopy of the forest above her head instead of open skies. She was so unfocused she didn’t realize that her brother was talking to her. Tilting her head slightly she tried to listen closely to what he was telling her,

“City? I for one, am not liking it overmuch. It is too loud, filthy and the residents are too boisterous for me to be comfortable with. Just like the dwarves, as a matter of fact.” Is what he said before adding, “I say we complete the task out dear father assigned us quickly so we do not have to spend as much time as is necessary in this place.”  Rayden smiled slightly, of course her big brother would hate it here. She hated it here,

“I say we just go back to the Canopy.. but.. I know you will not allow that. So.. we will do this quickly as you say.”

After the story of the merchant Roan and Rayne decided they must leave the party and find what had become of lands and family. The exchange goodbyes and well wish and departed to see what fate had changed. The rest party now decided to move on into the city. Lothor brought up his desire to seek more information in a library of sorts. Allanan, Valene, Ulthok and Cor to head to the main castle of the fortress. They promised to meet up later and Lothor asked the dwarf merchant and was told where to seek a hall of books. Sirene not wanting Lothor to travel alone and wanting answers herself she decided to join the human fighter in his quest.

With the celebrating in the streets the four found it difficult at times to pass through the crowd. In a while they found themselves in an area almost abandoned of anyone. It seemed to Ulthok that something felt wrong, there should be people gathered here yet it seemed deserted. Ulthok started to draw his sword Idrenal as a small red headed girl of perhaps 14 stepped out to greet them.

“Please have no fear Cor Trollhammer, Valene Beestringer, Ulthok Rydenham, and you Lord Allanan, I am not here to harm you. I am only an escort to someone who very much wishes to speak with all three of you”.

Valene gave Ulthok a quick glance with a raised eyebrow. “She’s knows our full name, there are too few that can do that.” Brushing the feather of her hat, “And she can see past my hat too.” With concern her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her sword of dancing.

Then Lord Cor spoke, "Well lass ye seem ta ken us but we do not ken you or the name of the one who wishes ta speak to us.  Would ye be so kind as ta provide yer name and that of our summoner?  That would help us make a better decision." 

Ulthok nodded, then to Lord Cor “It appears our plans are being changed. I’ll follow your lead.” He turned to Allanan but could not tell what human was thinking.

The witch's mind churned through events, histories, and possibilities. It would seem Kakaranatha had done more than survive, the Dragon Goddess had thrived and shifted the course of history. They had traveled through time and back again, but the time they returned to was no longer their own. Old Gods had fallen and new deities had arisen razing entire nations to ash in their wake. There was no way of telling how much had changed. It was harrowing, and yet, knowledge that Kakaranatha had survived the ages brought a bit of joy to the faerie. Evil or not, she rather liked the dragon. Siréne doubted any of her companions shared that particular sentiment.

Regardless of sentiments of allegiance, they were not in an alien world and they needed knowledge, desperately. It was that sobering reality that led her to join Lothor on his quest for the library. The gladiator towered over her, and his stature likely dissauded would be steet toughs from blocking their path. Despite his size, she had always found the man to be quietly intelligent and incredibly reasonable, for a mortal. 

The pair wandered through the croweded streets filled with urban denizens of all shapes and colors. Siréne met the bumps and shouts with an icy glare that shriveled the most inflated bravado. It seemed like the passage of another millenium would come and go before they found the library. After some time, their weaving and pushing brought them to a corner of the city that had been abandoned by the crowds. The emptiness brought with it a feeling of unease. Raising her hands, the witch began to draw opon the fey magic in her veins letting her eyes crackle with the dark power. 

“Please have no fear Sirene Taa’alah, Lothor Greenbeard, I am not here to harm you. I am only an escort to someone who very much wishes to speak with both of you”

The juvenile squeak of the intruders voice brought a stop the deadly spell Siréne had been ready to unleash. Lowering her hands, she faced the flame haired girl with stoic curiosity. It was odd that she child should seek them out in an abandoned place such as this. A new host of questions sprung into her mind.

Lothor's voice joined her own musings, "Might as well, I guess," the large man whispered. "She knows us.  And we need information."

Siréne smiled and nodded slowly. "Very well, child. We will join you, but first, tell us of this mysterious someone and how you have come to know both our names."

Arandur tensed as the multitude of overlapping voices, noises and odourful human bodies surrounded him, which caused him to narrow his cat-eyes, purse his thin lips and twitch his finely pointed ears in discomfort and annoyance.
Pigs possess more etiquette and cleanliness than these creatures, he thought as a particularly heavyset and soiled man roughly elbowed his way past him without so much as a glance in the elf's direction. The Ranger opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again quickly; he had heard tales of how easy it was to provoke the human and Arandur did not wish for conflict before finding the group his father had tasked him with locating. It would not do to imprisoned for fighting in the middle of the streets. Instead Arandur sighed sharply but quietly and cast his eyes about for a likely candidate to question about the whereabouts of the group he and Rayden were trying to find. His gaze fell upon a stall keeper in the square's market who was selling unusual wares. The keeper's face had an unscrupulous air about it, like a man who made it his business to know that which he aught not.
I do not wish to interact with the unpure, Arandur thought, his brows lowering again, but the party must be found.
'Greetings, human,' he said to the grizzled man as he approached him. 'I come seeking information which I hope you are able to provide me with.'
The man's dark, thick, bushy brows shot up at the sight and request of his new customer.
'Inf'rmation, eh?' He replied in an accent so thick Arandur had difficulty in deciphering the words coming out of his cracked lips. 'Wha' kind?'
'My companion and I' (he refrained from calling Rayden his sister as he did not wish to reveal their true identities to this stranger) 'are trying to locate a certain group,' Arandur explained. 'It comprises of mixed races, though unfortunately that is all I know about it...' The elf trailed off somewhat awkwardly and embarrassingly.
'Tryin' t' find a group ya know nothin' of?' The man guffawed. 'Then how y' gonna find 'em?'
'That is what I was hoping you could assist us with,' the elf replied in a mildly annoyed tone. He did not care for being mocked, especially by a man that looked as if he couldn't tell one end of a cow from the other.
'S'rry,' he mumbled, 'don't know nothin' 'bout no mixed race group. If ya want t' take a look at me wares, though...,' he brightened up with a cheerful welcoming smile, but Arandur could see the sly sparkle in his dark eye of someone who had successfully roped another potential paying customer. Arandur sighed. Unscrupulous indeed.
'No, thank you,' the elf replied shortly and swiftly left the stall.
Well that was a complete waste of time, Arandur thought grumpily. Where else...?
He looked at his sister.
'Any ideas?' He enquired, hoping the younger elf would fabricate a plan that proved to have more success than his.

Rayden barely listened as she kept a hand on Brutus’ fur as she and her kin made their way through the throngs of people.  Keeping close to her brother she barely paid him any mind when he spoke until, he looked her way,

“any ideas?”  Rayden arched a brow and tilted her head then sighed,

“Not overly, I know as much as you do about those we seek.. Too bad we didn’t have any scents we could use Brutus to find them..”

With each group facing a little girl, a stranger to all of them, yet somehow familiar, questions were of course to be asked.

LOTHOR, SIRENE
-----------------------------------
Lothor's turned to Sirene and spoke, "Might as well, I guess," the large man whispered. "She knows us and we need information."

Siréne smiled and nodded slowly. "Very well, child. We will join you, but first, tell us of this mysterious someone and how you have come to know both our names."
However the Elf Enchantress question went unanswered as the girl smiling all the time stood without waiting for the two to follow her. Seeing to question this strange girl was perhaps pointless, Sirene and Lothor moved off and followed her.

ULTHOK, ALLANAN, COR, VALENE
------------------------------------------------------
"Well lass ye seem ta ken us but we do not ken you or the name of the one who wishes ta speak to us. Would ye be so kind as ta provide yer name and that of our summoner? That would help us make a better decision."
Cor lowered his weapon but did not store it in case the sense of dread he felt was not connected to the lass. As he waited for an answer he realized that either way they would answer the summons; either out of courtesy or curiosity.
However Cor’s question went unanswered as the girl smiling all the time stood without speaking waiting for the four of them to follow her.
Ulthok nodded, then to Lord Cor “It appears our plans are being changed. I’ll follow your lead.” He turned to Allanan but could not tell what the human was thinking, the arch-mage looking to be deep in thought.

ULTHOK,ALLANAN, COR, VALENE LOTHOR, SIRENE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In only a few minutes the six party members were once again reunited in front of a plain wooden one story home. As the party watched the two girls clearly twins seamlessly merged into one. Reaching forward she grabbed the door, holding it open for the party to enter.

“Please”

Stepping through Sirene, Ulthok, and Allanan felt magic around the door flare and at once the six of them found themselves in an appearing room with a large desk in its center. Seated at that desk was an extremely beautiful women of red hair, green eyes, and an aura of pure charm, passion and lust. At once all but Cor were engulfed by it wanting almost needing to be embraced by it.
The women, clearly knowing what effect she was having on Lothor, Sirene, Valene, Allanan and Ulthok, smiled in arrogant pleasure at the sight. However her smile faded as she realized Cor had not been touched. A curve of her head, a seconds look of concentration, and anger but for a moment flared, but was quickly gone. Looking to Allanan and Sirene she addressed the two.

“So the spell worked, wonderful I was not sure that I would see you in this time once more.” Acting if she was just noticing the effect of her aura she tempered it, freeing the five party members feeling its effect.

“So sorry I sometimes forget about that. So the six of you survived I must say I’m truly glad of that especially you Lady Enchantress. If not for you I would not be where I am now. Howeveeerrr”

For the first time each could hear the hiss as if a serpents voice.......... 

“That leaves me with a problem. You see only you six remain who know the truth of how I got to be Loki’s death and a god and not of the stories they tell of me and my good aligned benevolence.” A small laugh reaches your eyes “So I have brought you here to offer you choices. I cannot allow you to tell the truth of things for that would be bad for me. Yet I owe you a debt for freeing me and giving of your free will this knowledge of future events. So I offer you a gift, my help when you need it most but only once and only when you call.” Before her on the table an amulet shaped in a dragons wing bearing the symbol of Kakaranatha appeared. “This when broken will summon my aid but for a single time. However at any lodge or holding of my followers upon presented with this will welcome you free of pay to lodge and rest.”

Then before anyone could ask of the second choice Kakaranatha raised her head high gazing at all, evil now unleashed behind her eyes. “If you should not accept my gift then I will destroy you here and now and watch as your ashes fall to that place you call Trilogy.” A smile and the evil lurking inside this Goddess Dragon of Asgard was gone once more.

“So my friends which do you choose my help, or your deaths.”

ARANDUR, RAYDEN
--------------------------------
For the four travelers. two elves, brother and sister, a young bear and a hawk the three found themselves getting a number of strange looks. The stares much more telling as not only from human’s and dwarves they also came from other elves. An hour of such stares and talking to merchants and people who clearly did not want to talk to them and the two came to see that they, were not dressed as most of the city was and their way of acting and social graces were different. Clearly the two stood out as being from the forests and not city folk. Plus the bear traveling with them Rayden clearly came to realize was a clear sign that here were uncivilized Elf’s as the fortress city thought of them. Even here in a place of strength and goodness, did bigotry lurk.

Arandur stroked Talon's back with a finger and this seemed to sooth the bird somewhat.
The Elf Ranger turned to his companion, his younger adopted sister, Rayden and addressed her:

'What say you of this human city? I for one, am not liking it overmuch. It is too loud, filthy and the residents are too boisterous for me to be comfortable with. Just like the dwarves, as matter of fact,' he added. 'I say we complete the task our deer father assigned us quickly so we do not have to spend as much time as is necessary in this place.'

Rayden hated humans, ever since she found Brutus in a trap. She hated the fact that she wanted the green canopy of the forest above her head instead of open skies. She was so unfocused she didn’t realize that her brother was talking to her. Tilting her head slightly she tried to listen closely to what he was telling her,
Rayden smiled slightly, of course her big brother would hate it here. She hated it here perhaps more then he.

“I say we just go back to the Canopy.. but.. I know you will not allow that. So.. we will do this quickly as you say.”
With equal sighs of frustration the brother and sister continued on there impossible task with only a few names to help them.
Suddenly as if on his own Brutus took off at a looping run clearly headed somewhere fast. For Rayden and Arandur all the two elves could do was chase after the young bear, Arandur’s hawk startled by this sudden chase flying straight up into the sky. The race to catch him and see what he sought, was on….

((DM OOC: Ok second post glad to see all active players had posted. Thank you everyone makes me happy I restarted Trilogy. So main party big double decker choice which one you going to take, Feel free to back post conversation with her after she has made her choices known but before that she will not give you a chance to speak. This is her meeting and she will control it type of thinking. I will post once all of you have decided to accept her help or fight.
So second party, young bear on the loose and running full speed somewhere. People getting bowled out the way, shouting and not happy city folk. Whatcha gonna do ))

Rayden appeared as hopeless as Arandur felt as she frowned up at him and replied,
'Not overly. I know as much as you do about those we seek. Too bad we didn't have any scents we could get Brutus to find them.'
Yes, Arandur agreed. A bear has the most accute smell of any animal and Brutus had been of great assistance in the past. Even if they possessed a mere scrap of clothing, the bear would be able to track the material's owner, but alas, they had nothing.
Just as the elf was beginning to lose hope that they would ever locate the ones they sought in such a large and overcrowded city, Brutus suddenly and unexpectedly emitted a loud bellowing roar from his fanged maw, startling not only Arandur but those in the surrounding vicinity who swiftly turned to stare at the small group.
'Brutus,' Arandur whispered, 'what is it, my friend?' He was just in the process of casting the incantation which allowed him to speak with animals (literally called Speak With Animals), when the black bear sped forward with the force of a charging stallion, causing the city's citizens to yelp and exclaim in shock and protest as they attempted to evade the sprinting beast. There were those that failed to move swift enough, however, and Brutus, clearly displaying a strong sense of determination that left no room for care or consideration for any that got in his way, collided through them without even breaking his stride.
What has gotten into that bear? Arandur wondered in both concern and a little sheepish as everyone around them were staring at them with a mixture of extreme annoyance, anger and some of them showed a little fear of the out of control bear that was ignoring everything around him in his eagerness to get to his destination.
Arandur was about to take flight after the animal when, a high pitched screech escaping his sharp beak, Talon was startled by Brutus' sudden and energetic charge and, with several beats of his elegant wings, he quickly left his master's shoulder and ascended into the clear crisp air. Arandur attempted to locate his feathered friend but the glaring sun obscured his vision and he only succeeded in causing spots of bright light to dance across his searching gaze. Emitting a low curse, he told Rayden urgently.
'We must locate Brutus, for he is the one that will cause the most havoc. He went that way,' the elf added, pointing through a stone arch where the market continued.
Actually, Arandur thought with a somewhat amused snort, it will be easy to find the wayward bear. Just follow the trail of destruction and disgruntled voices. We are going to be in trouble...he sighed wearily.

  The girl led Cor and the others to a most normal looking house and ushered them in.  One look at teh woman inside was all it took for the other to be enraptured by her beauty, but Cor alone did not fall under her spell.  It seemed that iritated the woman.  Something seemed a bit off and as soon as she began to talk Cor understood what exactly was off.  They stood in the presence of the dragon god once more.  It semed that the dargon god was facing an internal crisis of what some might call conscience.  She knew she shoudl kill the party to keep her evil side a secret but she owed them a debt of gratitude for allowing her to rise to her curent position.  A offer was presented to the party; one time aid from her or instant death.  

   "Well ye offer a most interesting bargin.  Before we agree, I want ta ensure that in exchange for our acceptance ye will not take action against us, initiate actions ta harm us or allow harm ta befall us if ye ken it was going to happen.  In addition ye offer your aid to us once at a time, place and manner of our choosing.  In exchange for that, we simply keep secret your true aligment.  I cannot speak for the others as we all have our own choice to make but if that is the bargin ye offer it is one I can accept."  

Rayden had just finished telling Arandur that she didn’t know where to look when Brutus took off at a run. The elf cursed and began to follow, her footfalls light on the ground,

“Brutus! Brutus stop!” Worried that her beloved bear would get injured she began to yell at the people quickly moving out of the bear’s way that he was gentle and in no means meaning any harm. She struggled to keep up with the animal and thought that she could possibly hold him but then decided that if the bear had found something she would follow him,

“He’s caught a scent I think.” Was all she managed to say to her brother.

The four of them followed the young girl and soon found Lother and Sirene following what appeared to be the girl’s twin. As they approached a door the two girls merged into one. Then opening the door she motioned then forward,”Please.”

Passing through Ulthok felt he was crossing a magical threshold but it was too late to prepare. Looking he saw there was the most beautiful of woman seated at a desk, an extremely beautiful women with red hair, green eyes, and an aura of pure charm, passion and lust. The Halfling wanted nothing more than to please her. Then as her words reached his ears, “So the spell worked, wonderful I was not sure that I would see you in this time once more.”

Ulthok’s thoughts cleared as he realized he’d been charmed by the lady sitting on the other side of the desk, only it wasn’t a lady, it was the great Dragon Goddess  Kakaranatha. Being drawn in and charmed Ulthok could tell this wasn’t going to be a “Thank you” social visit.

The great wyrm in human form continued,“So sorry I sometimes forget about that. So the six of you survived I must say I’m truly glad of that especially you Lady Enchantress. If not for you I would not be where I am now……. Howeveeerrr”

Ulthok thought, “Here comes the rest of the story.”

“That leaves me with a problem. You see only you six remain who know the truth of how I got to be Loki’s death and a god and not of the stories they tell of me and my good aligned benevolence. …..So I have brought you here to offer you choices. I cannot allow you to tell the truth of things for that would be bad for me. Yet I owe you a debt for freeing me and giving of your free will this knowledge of future events. So I offer you a gift, my help when you need it most but only once and only when you call.” Before her on the table an amulet shaped in a dragons wing bearing the symbol of Kakaranatha appeared. “This when broken will summon my aid but for a single time. However at any lodge or holding of my followers upon presented with this will welcome you free of pay to lodge and rest.”

The mage knew the other shoe would drop, “If you should not accept my gift then I will destroy you here and now and watch as your ashes fall to that place you call Trilogy.”…….“So my friends which do you choose my help, or your deaths.”

“Ah, and there it is,”Ulthok knew they had little choice in the matter Kakaranatha had all of her power and all of her magic, turning them to ash and covering her trail would be a simple matter. There was little wiggle room left.

The party silently considered the offer then Lord Cor spoke,  "Well ye offer a most interesting bargin.  Before we agree, I want ta ensure that in exchange for our acceptance ye will not take action against us, initiate actions ta harm us or allow harm ta befall us if ye ken it was going to happen.  In addition ye offer your aid to us once at a time, place and manner of our choosing.  In exchange for that, we simply keep secret your true aligment.  I cannot speak for the others as we all have our own choice to make but if that is the bargin ye offer it is one I can accept."  But Cor had spoken for them; it would be suicide to speak anything other than the same as Cor and for that matter it might doom the rest of the party.

Cor always had such a way with words and now even just repeating back Kakaranatha's offer it lead to a tense momnent.

“Dwarf you did not hear me did you. I offer my help only ONCE, I offer HOSPICE from my worshipers on your travels and I promise non of MY people will cause you harm as long as you remain quiet to the truth of things. I do NOT promise to protect you from the harm of your many other enemies should they seek to kill you even if I KEN it. Choose now for I start to lose my good will.”

Looking across the desk to Kakaranatha ulthok addressed the goddess, “We know of no other stories and have seen your benevolence first hand. Based on that and your current  benevolence I stand with Lord Cor, though his words may have seemed rash, and I accept your offer.”

 

"Well ye offer a most interesting bargain. Before we agree, I want ta ensure that in exchange for our acceptance ye will not take action against us, initiate actions ta harm us or allow harm ta befall us if ye ken it was going to happen. In addition ye offer your aid to us once at a time, place and manner of our choosing. In exchange for that, we simply keep secret your true alignment. I cannot speak for the others as we all have our own choice to make but if that is the bargain ye offer it is one I can accept."

The room was quiet, almost as if a tomb the scratching of a chair being pushed back as Kakaranatha stood, within her eyes a look of hard steel.

“Dwarf you did not hear me did you. I offer my help only ONCE, I offer HOSPICE from my worshipers on your travels and I promise non of MY people will cause you harm as long as you remain quiet to the truth of things. I do NOT promise to protect you from the harm of your many other enemies should they seek to kill you even if I KEN it. Choose now for I start to lose my good will.”

As she returned to her chair the rest of the party could tell that "The Dragon Goddess" was losing her patience.

 

((DM OOC: Ok posted this now as not to delay the game on my next posting from getting everyone together.))

As the meeting with the woman developed it became obvious that she was in fact much, much more than a beautiful woman.  Kakarantha was back. Or present.  Or now.  Or whatever.  She was here.  Lothor wanted to laugh.  2,000 years ago, which somehow still felt like just yesterday, he had been constantly pondering how their actions would change the future and now he was confronting the answer to his question.  Or at least the biggest ripple, but almost certainly not the only one.  Nailed it, he thought.  I knew there would be repricussions and now here she sits; one giant, old, humongous repricussion.  But there weren't likely to be any rewards for having gotten it right.  

     Or maybe there would be.  A one-time only get-out-of-jail free card?  That would certainly have uses.  Still, he had to wonder if she now had some sort of role in the mess engulfing Trilogy.  Would an evil dragon-goddess just sit by and watch as evil spread across the world?  And would she honor her committment if it was used in such a way as to stop the spread of a great evil - hers or otherwise?  Probably not.  There were stories about what happened when you made a pact with a demon.  Was this really any different?  Still, what choice did they have?  Life had certainly been interesting since he had left the farm . . . . he wondered if that particular farm and village even existed anymore.  

     He listened as Cor and Ulthok agreed to the dragons terms.  He was glad Cor hadn't pushed her too far.  Lothor didn't like making choices when there was no real choice.  They'd take the deal.  Of course, they would.  But . . .  He glanced at Sirene and Allanan.  He'd wait to hear what they said first.  But he assumed they would all accept the deal.  No choice in this time.