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When last I left off, I was awaiting the end Carla the Fair's lecture so as discover who the two remaining Doggs that would make up my party were. And still I wait... Carla was in rare form tonight, she continued endlessly, as though she were trying to stall for time. Before I could pursue this train of thought, however, I heard the footsteps of a paige. The paige must have signaled something to Carla as she stopped in mid-sentence and announced that she was ready to give me my first help. "It is written that when the owner of the Silvery Voice speaks, all who hear listen. It is also written that when the Silvery Voice sings, no one in listening range can focus on anything else. Let us find out" As soon as Carla stopped speaking I heard a soft voice start to rise up from the opposite end of the court. Slowly it intensity rose and I could make out that the voice was singing. Soon after, that was all I could think about. That voice...that beautiful voice. It slipped so smoothly from note to note. I had never heard such sound in all my days. The words she sung I could not make out and were unnecessary in any case. What the words of a normal singer conveyed, her voice just placed into my very essence. Such was this voice that I was not listening to her song with mine ears, but with mine soul. So beautiful, so perfect. My body shook uncontrollably as the song continued. My eyes watered as her voice moved me like nothing else ever had. When at last this heavenly melody ended, nearly collapsed where I stood for I had been so engrossed in the song, that I stopped breathing entirely. My entire body had just been living through her song. As soon as I was recovered enough to trust my voice, I spoke...asking Carla if that sound was what I thought it to be. I could almost feel Carla smile upon me as she replied, that the singer did indeed possess the Silvery Voice. Nodding to Carla, my ears zeroed in on the sound of this singers garment rustling in the slight breeze that wandered through the court. I almost missed it as she must have been wearing a gown of such fine silk that it made nearly no sound as it swayed calmly in the breeze. Then I slowly (so as not to loose my balance) walked the length of the court to her. Lowering myself onto my knee I asked to kiss the hand of her who had sung so beautifully that it had shaken me to my soul. I could feel her blush warm the entire room, and when I kissed her soft, fragrant hand, I knew what I had been thinking was true. She was my destiny (though perhaps not in the way I had thought at the time). Grinning like the a Chreshire cat, Carla remarked, "My good Ace. I am so very pleased that you seem to be getting along so very well with my daughter." I stood and turned towards Carla in one motion. My jaw dropped in utter amazement, and I heard the jaws of my comrades doing the same. This was impossible, I thought to myself. Carla could not have a daughter. She was, as most of the great oracles, barren. As always, Carla loved knowing something that everyone else did not. With an unmistakable smile and levity in her voice, Carla spoke, "I see by the look upon your face that are confused my friend. [my jaw dropped further. Very few people have ever been addressed by Carla as "friend". In fact, I remember only one such other, but that...is another tail] It is all very simple. Since I may not bear young in the usual fashion, I simply grew one. [further confusion contorted my face] Before your departure I have vision that I would one day I would have a child who would possess a marvelous power. I discussed the dream with Scottie, and it turns out that was a way for me to have a child. All I needed to do was plant a special seed that was given part of a soul from two people, and the seed would grow into a pup. The difficulty would be in getting a soul into a seed. The two of were quite stumped until Scottie received the Crystal of the Soul. He seemed to recall away to redirect the used portion of his soul into inanimate objects using the Crystal. So before he left with you, the two of us used the Crystal to put part of our souls inside a seed. After the fall of the Giver, the seed blossomed into puppyhood, and then her growth accelerated. She now seems to be aging constantly as any other maiden of her age. As my vision foretold, she does have a power like none I have ever seen. She shall be your companion in this quest. Her name is..." Here I did the unthinkable, I interrupted Carla. To my knowledge no one has ever done that before or since. Most likely she would have been upset but for what I said when I spoke with my heart in every word, "Sylvia...Her name...is Sylvia." For once in her long life Carla had been out oracled. I could sense her shock that I would have been able to guess her daughter's name, "Truly her singing has touched your soul good Ace, for you are correct. Here name, is indeed Sylvia." Carla then dismounted from her throne, and called for my band's steeds to be readied for our journey to New Rover. Being more familiar with Doggainia than most, I was surprised to find that I had never heard of this city. Smiling, Carla told me that I had not heard of New Rover for a very good reason, it did not exist...yet. Currently New Rover was what I recalled from youth as the Ruins of Norin. The Ruins of Norin, like Fannox, were on the Western coast of Doggainia, but substantially further to the North. Long ago they were not the ruins they are today, but bustling city. Little is known about what happened to it that caused it destruction or even what kind of breed these Doggs were. However, judging by the size of their city, our archaeologists determined that the Doggs of Norin would have been thrice the size of any single breed in all the land had they survived to this day. And that, I have been assured, is very conservative guess. My next question would have been as to why I should be going there, but Carla beat me to it. She gave me a key and told me that it would open a door in Norin that would reveal all of the city's history, and would give me the location of the only Dogg in all the land who could best Flash in combat with the sword. The key itself felt funny, and when I clinked it against my armor I found out why. The sound it made could have only come from Platinum. Thus it made perfect sense to use a Platinum key to find the Platinum Sword and its bearer. And with these last words, Carla assisted me in mounting my steed, and my band set out for the Ruins of Norin, which would someday become New Rover... And here I end for the evening. Good day fellow Heroes, and my you always find what you seek. Ace Dogg of Doggainia |
