Farewell Britannia
From Qwiki
Note: This is a work of fiction and is © 1999-2008 by Quorlan.com
Quorlan glanced around Shadowmoor Keep's main hall running over his mental checklist one last time. If all went according to his plans, he would likely never see the Keep again and he wanted to be sure everything was in order before his final departure from the realm of Britannia. After nearly a decade in this realm spent rebuilding the power and knowledge he lost upon his first arrival here, Quorlan was finally ready to depart. His power was absolute. His knowledge was without rival. He could manipulate the very fabric of the universe with his will alone. None had ever achieved the levels of power he was now capable of wielding. There was nothing left for him to do or learn from Britannia and it was time to move on.
Now that the moment was upon him, he was reluctant. This world and this Keep had served him well over the years. Of course it had been a struggle when he first arrived. That day had been a rude awakening for him...
...he stepped through the portal and a moment later blinked in the bright glare of the Britannian sunshine. There were people everywhere and everything looked very strange to him. He gave himself just a moment to get his bearings before taking a step and collapsing to his knees. He was completely unprepared for the weakness brought on by casting the spells which brought him here.
A kind stranger rushed over to him from the crowd and helped him back to his feet. "Are you okay, mister?" she asked.
"I will be fine," Quorlan replied, "I just need a moment to catch my breath."
"Perhaps we should get you to the Inn," the stranger suggested, "so you can sit or maybe get a room and lie down for a time?"
Quorlan glanced around and realized he had no idea where anything was in this strange new world. An escort to the nearest Inn would probably be wise.
"Thank you for your offer, kind lady," Quorlan replied, "An escort to the closest Inn would be most welcome."
She glanced up at him and for the first time he could see her face. She was a beautiful woman of perhaps 25 years. Her smile was radiant and her eyes were the prettiest shade of blue he had ever seen. For a moment, he could not speak, he was so overcome by her beauty and look of genuine compassion.
"I- I-," he began, stammering, "My name is Quorlan," he finally managed to mutter extending his hand toward her.
She looked at his hand as if she didn't know what to do with it. "My name is Railen," she said, "and it's a pleasure to meet you." After a moment, Quorlan realized that the customs on this world were probably very different than they had been back in Britannia and he dropped his hand. Why did the name Railen sound so familiar, he wondered.
"Shall we find the Inn then?" Quorlan asked.
"Of course," Railen replied, "right this way. It isn't far from here."
With that, she led him through the throng of people. There were folks from every walk of life and every style of dress imaginable. The noise of the crowd seemed to grow as she led him through it. There were not only humans, but all manner of other races around as well. Races such as Gnomes, Dwarves, and Elves, which he hadn't seen since arriving in Britannia a decade ago. There were other races as well which were completely unfamiliar to him. This world was going to take some getting used to.
Soon the crowd began to thin and the noise settled into the background as the two approached a large, wood structure. "This is the Dragon's Tooth Inn," Railen explained, leading him to the door. "My cousin owns it, so we'll get you a good price for a room," she said with a wink.
