h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*Looks around in alarm.*3

What in the world is going on around here?

*still mounted*
What? What do you see?

*there is a small hut blocking the view ahead, as the burnt path leads around the corner of the hut*

*from behind the hut there is a crackling noise*

*the brave adventurers are obviously very close to whatever it is that has caused all the damage*

Hem, hem, hem - obviously *very* close

*stirs*

I can... feel it...

*eyes wild, she dismounts and walks toward the shack, at each step her clothes growing more ragged, her hair thinner, her body thinner and more gaunt*

*Dismounts and runs up behing Vip, putting on hand on her left shoulder to hold her back*
Dear lady you must rest. Your strength fades with every step you take towards that creature, allow us to deal with it - I fear should you stand too closely to it you would be in dire peril.
*Holding his staff as a weapon Garric circles quiety, almost silently, around the right side of the forest to see what is causing the disturbance*

...*Pandora walks past the others as if in a trance...feet smoldering...*~ ~~~~~~ ~~ ~~ ~
...*very near the doorway of the strange hut with all the carved masks hanging about...*

*when our brave adventurers walk around the corner of the hut they see an odd looking figure standing behind it, with the ground turning to ashes beneath its feet*

<./>B2557848</.>

Nice blob. Looks a bit like a god in one of the series of Andromeda...


*nods*

As you say.

*Waves madly to the person next to the hut.*

Coo-eee!

Ishden is that you?
No you are not him - what manner of shade are you! Answer me creature!

Ozzy? That you? ...*reaches out and burns her hand as it passes thru the 'thing'...* That ain't Ozzy!
I'll be right here behind you fella's....*jumps back...*
I've got your backs!

*the only reply is a crackling, fizzling sound followed by the roar of fire*

*for some reason the creature seems to pull back instead of attacking*

*it waves with its arms in a helpless manner*

*Could it be - lost?*

*bends down on her knee, and holds out her hand*

Creature, what is it you seek? As the Princess of this Garden, I can help you. Only you are causing much destruction to my world. I want to protect it. Tell me, and maybe we can help each other.

&?

*the fire elemental or whatever it is, not too sure looking at that picture gratefully accepts only to see the contents evapourating and the glass melting in its hand*

*withdraws so as not to cause any harm to neither the Princess nor the Nature Nymph*

*starts drawing black sooty lines on the ground*

*draws what looks like a volcano erupting, and something flying out of it*

*the creature points at itself*

???

Hope this isn't the highway to hell.

You are born from a volcano? My goodness. A part of my Garden?

...*whispers...*ya' know, all things green must burn once in awhile so the soil can be renewed. Maybe we're at the start of something very special?

That is true. Are you, sir, here to strip away this layer of outer finery, to allow it to rebuild itself in a new, glorious covering?