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CHANGELING FICTION CONTEST
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The Kingdom Of Stones

You and Dallas finally arrive at the Kingdom of Stones after a long trek through the Dreaming from the Near Dreaming location of Dallas's anchor.

Upon reaching the actual kingdom you marvel at its sheer immensity. The entire kingdom exists within the same immense mountain. It is a mountain far beyond the scope of any in the Waking World. It is almost as if all the mountains in the world and the Dreaming combined can be represented in this one. Within it lies every type of stone and gem in existence...and a few that aren't. You have heard rumors that within is one of the sole sources of chimerical iron, but it is heavily protected by the glomes.

As you walk throughout the great halls and corridors of the kingdom it reminds you of your time in Oz within the domain of the Nome King Auric, even it though pales in comparison. You get the same feeling of being distinctly unwelcome by the glomes and chimera that inhabit the kingdom. Most only meet you with cold gazes but there is much to be said within the gaze of a glome, something you have learned during your time with Dallas. It also seems that they regard Dallas with the same distaste that they hold for you. Which strikes you as strange since you were led to believe that Dallas held a position of respect in the Glome community.

There is a silence to the whole place that really starts to get to you. For a bunch of guys that weigh a good few tons each they are strangely quiet. Also for the first time you see Glomes that have chosen to wear the forms of females. They are strangely alluring in a way. You know however that this is only a chosen way to appear and they are in no way more feminine in their manner than their more masculinity shaped brethren.

Before you arrived Dallas attempted to teach you a few words in the language of stones, while you have come to understand a few your vocal apparatus is insufficient to reproduce them.

You walk for what seems like forever, but the scenery within the kingdom is so incredibly beautiful you scarce notice. You never thought geology could have ever been so interesting in school...and most likely it isn't. It bothers you that everything seems to go SO slowly here. Dallas seems to move quickly in comparison to the others here. If things weren't slow enough you seem to be required to pass through an endless line of check points where Dallas is asked the same questions over and over again concerning your business there and who you are. You were instructed to remain silent through out all of this. You are only able to pick up a few words here and there.

Finally you believe you reach your destination a conference with R' kash the Marshal of the Glomes and their leader. His chambers are not like Auric's. Auric's were full of beauty, while R' kashs' chambers are nothing but cold roughly hewn granite. The chamber has a sense of ancientness that astounds you. You then realize why, this hall has been the Glome's leader's chamber for countless years. Since man first dreamed, the glomes have come here to make decisions. There is a weight to the room that seems to bear down your very soul.

K'rash is a mountain of a glome. He is completely unadorned. He is standing when you arrive over looking some tablets an assistant has placed before him. He is made of solid granite and moves slowly but with a look in his eyes of incredible intelligence. You have seen the look before in the eyes of veteran's who have seen many wars and have been made all the wiser for their experiences.

R' kash's eyes fall on Dallas and narrow into stony canyons. He speaks a few low words in the tongue of the stones and Dallas curtly replies. Then suddenly R' kash begins speaking in English (which is strange for you know his anchor to be a mountain in the Pyrenees).

"I will speak so that the quick one might hear us"

"Thank you R' kash", replies Dallas.

"What have you to report Dallas? How goes things in the lands of the meat?" You notice this was not a joke.

"Well sir, I had a run in with the local ruler of the meat fae concerning the krofting of a gladeling kubera anchor. The details of the incident are still unclear. However, the fleshling child of dreams here has made great efforts to discover what was going on. He, being the guardian of kroftling childling parasome by the name of Picol.

"He is her...guardian?" asks R' kash with a suspicious air.

"Yes sir...he has proven very trust worthy and loyal" here Dallas pauses as if considering something. "I myself would trust my anchor in his hands." R' kash is silent for a moment.

"Those are strong words Dallas, although an anchor of the kroft carries not as much weight as one of the glade."

"Of course sir," For the first time you see Dallas not meet another's gaze as he speaks.

"SIR!" the word is almost deafening, Dallas and the marshal had been speaking in such low hushed tons it was as if a gun had gone off in the chamber.

"What is it M' arach? It had best be important."

"A Black Robe sir.... and it is requesting audience."

"....show it in at once"

When you had asked Dallas of the Inanimae known as the Mannikins he was always brief. This would be your first chance to see one. You know they are the inanimae that inhabit man made objects that hold human shape, toys, puppets, statues, and dept store mannequins. You never thought you'd actually see one.

It is escorted in. It is tall and slender and walks with incredible grace. Its long black robes dragging behind it and its cowl pulled low over its face. It walks before R'kash and slowly reaches back and pulls its hood back revealing and ivory polished human visage. It is strangely beautiful in a way. It is feminine in construction but speaks with a strange voice that is quiet yet echoes throughout the chamber. The following conversation was spoken in low inanimaic; Dallas filled you in on it later.

"R'kash...Marshal of the Kingdom of Stones, leader of the glomes...greetings."

"Greetings robed one...what brings you to our mountain? It has been long since your kind has walked here...not since the Resurgence."

"I come bearing an omen sessile one. A new time is upon us. Events in the Waking World are swiftly coming to a culmination. An ancient one is awakening. The pacts that they held with the creatures of the dream are still in place. When it awakes it will bring great chaos to the world and forever change it. The times ahead are dark indeed. It will effect the children of dreams heavily in the coming days. Prepare your people. The old wards and bans will crumble and fall and new doors will open from the Dreaming into the Waking World. Through those doors will step creatures of nightmare that have not walked the earth since the Tessarakonta. The Miririm is drawing to a close and the children of nightmare will walk the Autumn World again. The Old Ones are stirring even now. The Old Dream is awakening from its long slumber. The first chills of winter are upon us. Prepare." Then there was silence. Most if not all of that went totally over your head, and you hate it when that happens. Dumbfounded, you look around blinking waiting for someone to say something.

Finally R'kash speaks. "I have heard your words robed one. Your business is done here. Now take your leave." The Mannikin pulled its hood back over its features, turned and walked slowly out. All eyes were on R'kash.

"Send the word through out the kingdom. Report to the Empire of Skies...let their swiftness spread the warning. Let it be known throughout all of the Slow Empire that the creatures of Nightmare are stirring and we must be ready." R'kash then turned and leveled his cold eyes on you. "You, fleshling, return with Dallas to the Land of Unfulfilled Dreams. Tell your people."

Dallas immediately comes behind you and begins leading you out of the chamber...you've never seen him move so fast. All about you is grinding of the Kingdom preparing for what is to come. As you take your leave of the kingdom all you can think is..."Tell them what?"

by BEAU