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Description
He woke up in darkness. It smelled funny. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something smelled wrong. And, he realized, it was cool here. “Hello,” he called out into the darkness, then recoiled as he heard the vast echoes. “Where on earth am I?”, the thought ran through his mind, as he slowly started to crawl forwards.

After what seemed like an eternity, his hand touched something hard and cold. When the shock subsided, he realized it was a rock. He groped around, and realized it was an unlit campfire. Searching his pockets, he found that he still had his flint and steel, and after a few minutes, he got the fire going. It was not until then he realized that his leg wasn’t hurting anymore. This place was definitely not right.The fire burned brightly, but still Barran was chilled to his bone. It seemed that this place somehow drew all heat away from him, no matter how he tried to keep warm. In one of his more vigilant attempts at keeping watm, he suddenly became aware of a person watching him. The other stood at the very edge of the light radius, keeping all features hidden. “Who are you?” Barran called out. The other merely shrugged, and turned away into the shadows. Barran tried to follow, but soon lost track of the watcher. Cursing to himself, Barran went to sit by the fire.

It didn’t take too long before Barran realized that he had to start moving. Having no gear besides his dagger, he would soon starve if he didn’t get any food. So he left the safety of the light and ventured into the darkness. Sometimes, he believed that he heard footsteps nearby, or the sound of rustling robes, but whenever he tried to follow the sounds, they vanished. Soon, he was expecting attack from any angle, and was partly frightened of the dark, and partly thankful that he couldn’t see what surrounded him. It was then he heard the voice. It was the voice of a female, but yet harder than any voice he had ever heard. “Who are you, wanderer. What has brought you here?” Barran didn’t know why, but he knew this was a very dangerous person. But he had always followed instinct, and saw no reason to stop now. “Here? I do not know where I am, not even how I got here.” he replied, clutching his dagger. A soft whisper reached his ear, almost too low to be understood, “They rarely do, my love, they rarely do”. The woman said, probably trying to cover the man’s voice : “You are in the land of Degharra, and none enters unless willing. That has been decreed, and so it will be. Now answer my questions.” “My name is Nerach, and I was traveling in Angareth until recently. I cannot say I’ve heard of this Degharra before”, Barran replied, thankful that the darkness concealed his face. His eyes always gave him away when he tried to lie. “Very well, Nerach, you will tell me the truth eventually. But for now, I will leave you to yourself. Do try to be more honest when we meet. I do not tolerate to be lied to twice.” With that, he heard er walk away, the sound quickly lost in the darkness.

Barran sat down on the ground, puzzled, and somewhat worried about who he had crossed this time. What had he gotten himself into this time. Lost in a strange and unhospitable land, he had angered a woman, who obviously held some power. And still, he had seen no sign of light here. If it were night, there should be stars, and if he were underground, surely he would have ran into some walls by now. Was this Hell? Or had he just been moved while unconcious? Too many questions, and too few answers. And nothing to be gained by brooding. So he walked on, but he had started doubting there would ever be anything but endless darkness.

Description
He woke up in darkness. It smelled funny. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something smelled wrong. And, he realized, it was cool here. “Hello,” he called out into the darkness, then recoiled as he heard the vast echoes. “Where on earth am I?”, the thought ran through his mind, as he slowly started to crawl forwards.

After what seemed like an eternity, his hand touched something hard and cold. When the shock subsided, he realized it was a rock. He groped around, and realized it was an unlit campfire. Searching his pockets, he found that he still had his flint and steel, and after a few minutes, he got the fire going. It was not until then he realized that his leg wasn’t hurting anymore. This place was definitely not right.The fire burned brightly, but still Barran was chilled to his bone. It seemed that this place somehow drew all heat away from him, no matter how he tried to keep warm. In one of his more vigilant attempts at keeping watm, he suddenly became aware of a person watching him. The other stood at the very edge of the light radius, keeping all features hidden. “Who are you?” Barran called out. The other merely shrugged, and turned away into the shadows. Barran tried to follow, but soon lost track of the watcher. Cursing to himself, Barran went to sit by the fire.

It didn’t take too long before Barran realized that he had to start moving. Having no gear besides his dagger, he would soon starve if he didn’t get any food. So he left the safety of the light and ventured into the darkness. Sometimes, he believed that he heard footsteps nearby, or the sound of rustling robes, but whenever he tried to follow the sounds, they vanished. Soon, he was expecting attack from any angle, and was partly frightened of the dark, and partly thankful that he couldn’t see what surrounded him. It was then he heard the voice. It was the voice of a female, but yet harder than any voice he had ever heard. “Who are you, wanderer. What has brought you here?” Barran didn’t know why, but he knew this was a very dangerous person. But he had always followed instinct, and saw no reason to stop now. “Here? I do not know where I am, not even how I got here.” he replied, clutching his dagger. A soft whisper reached his ear, almost too low to be understood, “They rarely do, my love, they rarely do”. The woman said, probably trying to cover the man’s voice : “You are in the land of Degharra, and none enters unless willing. That has been decreed, and so it will be. Now answer my questions.” “My name is Nerach, and I was traveling in Angareth until recently. I cannot say I’ve heard of this Degharra before”, Barran replied, thankful that the darkness concealed his face. His eyes always gave him away when he tried to lie. “Very well, Nerach, you will tell me the truth eventually. But for now, I will leave you to yourself. Do try to be more honest when we meet. I do not tolerate to be lied to twice.” With that, he heard er walk away, the sound quickly lost in the darkness.

Barran sat down on the ground, puzzled, and somewhat worried about who he had crossed this time. What had he gotten himself into this time. Lost in a strange and unhospitable land, he had angered a woman, who obviously held some power. And still, he had seen no sign of light here. If it were night, there should be stars, and if he were underground, surely he would have ran into some walls by now. Was this Hell? Or had he just been moved while unconcious? Too many questions, and too few answers. And nothing to be gained by brooding. So he walked on, but he had started doubting there would ever be anything but endless darkness.