^ Dammit - I should have got that!
](/images/smilies/bang.gif "Brick wall ](*,)")
I knew full well who they were, and all about them!
I was initially thinking about the creatures that lived underground in
The Time Machine, but they turned out to be the Morlocks.
And now I won't get a
from crowboy.
...the vast empty blackness of the cavern, broken by the light of a small flickering flame. Around it, four hooded men stood, head bowed, solemnly chanting something he could not hear.
He held his breath, not wanting to draw attention to his inadvertent intrusion.
As he watched, the hooded men slowly circled the flame. He curiosity piqued, Crowboy slowly crept closer. His attention fixed on the chanting men, he did not watch where he was going and slipped on a loose pebble with a low dull thud.
The hooded men stopped their chanting and turned to him, their eyes piercing into the intruder. Crowboy turn to run, but was not quick enough to elude two of the men, who caught him by the arms and dragged him back towards the flame. Crowboy did not know what to do. Near the flame, his eyes burned as they adjusted.
Up close, he could see the hooded men a little better. One of the hooded men turned to address him, his voice sharp and unfriendly.
"Who dares intrude upon the High Priests of JUB? SPEAK!"
Crowboy opened his mouth to answer, but did not quite know what to say.
"SPEAK! WHO ARE YOU?" Another of the hooded men asked him.
"I...I...I don't know," Crowboy answered, surprised at his inability to answer so simple a question. As the four men stood staring at him, he thought again, and again no answer came. The question remained.
"Who am I?"
"I.... I'm C-Crowboy," he stuttered, still in shock.
"Crowboy? What sort of foolish name is this?" barked the Priest Master. "This was a name given to you by the unbelievers from up above!" He was clearly angry, and losing patience fast. "Speak your real name! Now!"
"Crelwyn."
There was a stunned silence. The four priests stood in disbelief for what seemed forever.
The Priest Master moved towards Crowboy, and lowered his hood, revealing an aged, white-haired, but harsh-looking man, tired and drawn in his face, and with a piercing stare. His expression was aggressive, yet somehow quizzical. When he next spoke, it was with a quieter, but still threatening voice.
"You claim to be Crelwyn, of the Kingdom of Adelaidia?"
One of the other hooded figures spoke from the side before Crowboy could answer further.
"Master, could the prophecy be true after all?"
He was quickly put in his place by a sharp stare and a raised hand from the Priest Master. Attention was returned to Crowboy. Skepticism, almost to the point of mockery, was plain to see on the Priest Master's face.
"We shall soon determine the truth of this matter!" He finally pronounced. "Bring him! Quickly!"
The Priest Master set off at a brisk and purposeful pace towards the back of the cavern. Crowboy was urged along between two of the hooded figures. At length, a large passageway, this time clearly man-made and paved, with torches hanging from the walls, stretched before them. At a distance in front, the Priest Master abruptly turned into another, more hidden, corridor, at the end of which stood a large, bolted wooden door, set into the wall. A large and ornate silver key was produced from the Priest Master's robes. Crowboy noticed, as he was ushered towards the door, how the other men seemed to fall back slightly. One of them voiced his concerns.
"Master, is it wise to show this stranger and unbeliever such things without any proof?"
"We need to know the truth of the matter, and we need to know it now!" was the reply, as the door was unbolted and the key was turned in the lock. "You say you are Crelwyn, ha!" mocked the Priest Master. He was now smiling grimly.
"Then prove it!"
And with that, the door was flung open to reveal................
you.
one of these instead.
