La Belle Dame sans Merci

Using your legs, you gently command Fury to stop. He bobs his head and swishes his tail. You can feel the query along his sleek body: "Eat the entire meadow now?"\n\n"Not today, boy," you say quietly, gazing upon the volcano. It's like a black scar against the perfect blue of the day's sky. You think back on the village you left three days ago. The charred remains of houses left behind by the fire of the great wrym.\n\n<img src="http://i.imgur.com/R8BSB5i.jpg">\n\nBy your side your longsword, Glimmerfang, seems to pulse with a barely restrained rage. That same rage is in your heart, and it's that rage that will carry you to the volcano to destroy the fell beast. \n\n[[You move on through the meadow.]]

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/x6klrWY.png">\n<center>\n[[Click to begin]]</center>

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\n\n\nTheir starving faces leer at you out of the darkness. \n\n"...in thrall...in thrall..." their cries echo.\n\nYour heart feels as though something has seized it with barbed claws and is squeezing fiercely. \n\nYou shut your eyes, blocking out the horrid faces, but their warnings thunder into your ears. \n\n"She has you!" they cry. "And soon you will join us!"\n\n"[[NO!]]" you scream defiantly.

Together you eat and drink. Outside, Fury contentedly munches on sweet grasses and the cascade of water brings a fine cooling mist into the cave. \n\nAt your side, the lady sighs heavily. So swept up are you with dismay that anything could cause such loveliness any bit of sorrow, you quickly <<replace "kiss her wild eyes.">>\n<<replace "Once.">><<replace "Twice.">><<replace "Three times.">>[[Four times]].\n<<endreplace>><<endreplace>><<endreplace>><<endreplace>>

She did know you were coming! For in the cave, a feast has been laid out. A plate full of cheese with honeycomb at its center, a trencher of steamed roots, and chalices full of a sweet, golden liquid. \n\nSomewhere in the back of your mind, you recall a warning about eating fae offered food. Your heart rebels a moment, the memory of some fiery lizard calling to you. \n\nAnd then she's before you, offering you a chalice, and that scent... that scent is all around you, and your heart is full of only love. How could there ever have been more than this love. This [[adoration]].

<center><img src="http://i.imgur.com/GJJaMG9.png">\n\nThank you for playing.\nThis game is based on the poem \n<i><a href="http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/la-belle-dame-sans-merci" target="_blank">La Belle Dame sans Merci</a></i>\nby John Keats\n\n[[Play again|Click to begin]]?</center>\n\n

You remove your helm and strap it back to the horse's saddle, and then you're sliding off Fury's back. Between you and this goddess of a creature is a field full of flowers.\n\n<img src="http://i.imgur.com/nkw9x4o.jpg" width="600" heigh="400">\n\nYou bend forward to gather them up. Won't she be delighted with your offering. Their perfume is all around you, and carried on the wind you hear the delicate chime of her joyous laughter as she takes delight in your pursuit of the [[blossoms]].

You draw near to her, your breathing heavy with anticipation. In your hands you clutch a wreath of flowers that you wove for her brow, and smaller wreaths for her wrists. \n\nYou fall at her feet, offering up fists full of flowers, trembling at the sight of her perfection. Her laughter cuts through your heart with its bell-like chime. There is love in her wild eyes as she gazes down at you. Surely there is...\n\n<img src="http://i.imgur.com/lsYvNiv.jpg" width="600">\n\nShe takes the wreath from your hands and gaily crowns herself. Can there be anything more beautiful in the world than this creature before you? She makes even [[the black volcano]], far off in the distance, seem less vile.

<center>La Belle Dame sans Merci</center>

From this distance, you can't tell who it is under the tree. Another knight? You don't see a warhorse anywhere. Fury tosses his head as he catches the other person's scent, and paws the ground as you halt him.\n\nUnsure what you're riding into, you reach down and free your helmet from the leather strap that secured it to Fury's saddle. \n\nAs you slip the visor down, the person [[stands up]].

But wait! You have a quest! You are en route to slay the wyrm that destroyed the village of Westbridge. You must be off! \n\nOnto Fury...\n\n\n... you lift her gently. And she begins [[to sing...]]

\n\n\nYou see shapes. Figures of men. Pale forms, come to stand before you and stare at you from sockets empty of eyes. \n\n<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Jzl6bfq.jpg" width="600">\n\nDead kings, wasted knights. Warriors of bone with scraps of metal hanging from their forms. \n\n‘[[La Belle Dame sans Merci hath thee in thrall!]]’ they hiss.

How long is it that you wander? Fury's steps are gentle and sure, as he carries her across the meadow. She sits lightly on his back, the wind lifting her long tresses like tendrils about her face. \n\nShe speaks, and you at once know both that it's no language you've ever heard before, and that she's said she loves you. \n\nShe guides you away from the meadow, along the creek, to where the ground grows rockier. Here, you come upon [[a grotto]], where the creek is escaping from a pool that is fed by a high waterfall.

She shushes you, pushing you back against thick furs. Have you ever felt more safe, more satiated, more loved, in all your life?\n\nYou spare a moment to reach up and wipe a tear from her eye, and then you find yourself tumbling backwards. Falling into [[a soft dream...]]

As you come nearer, you catch the scent of something heady. A perfume or musk that makes your heart quicken. Some flower nearby? \n<center>\nYes, you should [[bring her flowers]].</center>

<<fsyoutube_stop>>\nThe day is warm, with a lusty breeze that sneaks in through the joints in your armor. It's cool, but still you feel sweat roll down your spine. Your horse makes a wuffling sound beneath you, and you click at him and gently tap the reigns against his neck. \n\nIf he had it his way, he'd wander off into [[those fields.]]

\n\n\nFrom somewhere inside, you find a small bit of strength and try to struggle forth, but it's [[too late]].

You would be remiss in your duties if you didn't check to make sure this damsel wasn't in distress. You turn Fury's head towards her. Oddly, he fights for you a moment. No doubt the beast is trying to get a mouthful of grass or some such. You firmly direct him towards the fair maiden. \n\nAs you come closer, you draw in a sharp breath. Her beauty makes the flowers seem plain in comparison. Her hair is flowing and free, tangling in the wind and tossed about like the fabric of her long dress. \n\n"You've come at last," she says, as though [[she's been waiting for you.]]

This is no time for dalliance or delay. However...\n\nYou would be remiss in your duties if you didn't check to make sure this damsel wasn't in distress. You turn Fury's head towards her. Oddly, he fights for you a moment. No doubt the beast is trying to get a mouthful of grass or some such. You firmly direct him towards the fair maiden. \n\nAs you come closer, you draw in a sharp breath. Her beauty makes the flowers seem plain in comparison. Her hair is flowing and free, tangling in the wind and tossed about like the fabric of her long dress. \n\n"You've come at last," she says, as though [[she's been waiting for you.]]

\n\n\n"Ho, there!" comes a voice. "Are you alright? What ails thee?"\n\nYou look up at the shepherd who's appeared by the side of the creek. Around him, thin and mangy sheep struggle against each other for some sip of the dingy water. \n\nYou're sitting on dead grass, long ago wilted with the coming of winter. There's a stillness to the air. All the birds have gone south to warmer climes. \n\n"Why, you're pale as a lily. Have you never seen the sun, boy?"\n\n"I have seen the sun [[and more...]]" you say.

<center>Shae Rossi</center>

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/k57ZRBb.jpg" width="600" height="400">\n\nBeyond the waterfall is a small cave. You gently lift her down from Fury's back, and remove his bit so he can graze and have water. She dances away before you, the scent of the flowers in her hair and wrists trailing behind her. \n<center>\nYou follow her into [[the cave]].</center>

<<fsyoutube 1EljH747HKE>>\n\n\nThere is only darkness. All around you.\n\nYour chest hurts, like something heavy is sat upon it. Some weight, crushing you down. \n\nYou want to reach for Glimmerfang, but you can't move. Breathing is hard...\n\n...where are you? Weren't you in a grove? Some sweetness lingers in your mouth, which is as you swallow, replaced by a sour bitterness. \n\n\n\nIn the air is a foul scent, like [[meat rotting...]]

You narrow your eyes, set your resolve, and set Fury's head towards the volcano.\n\nIt's like a black scar against the perfect blue of the day's sky. You think back on the village you left three days ago. The charred remains of houses left behind by the fire of the great wrym.\n\n<img src="http://i.imgur.com/R8BSB5i.jpg">\n\nBy your side your longsword, Glimmerfang, seems to pulse with a barely restrained rage. That same rage is in your heart, and it's that rage that will carry you to the volcano to destroy the fell beast. \n\n[[You move on through the meadow.]]

You rest your hand on Glimmerfang's pommel as the stranger stands. \n\nNo knight this is, but a woman. Her hair is long and flowing, as are her skirts. She wears a dress unlike anything you've ever seen before. Its gossamer fabric lifts and lilts in the breeze. She shields her eyes from the sun with one hand, and lifts the other to you in a wave.\n\n<center>Do you \n\n[[Ignore her]] and ride on to the mountain. You have things to do.\n\n[[Turn Fury's head towards her]] and make sure she's not in need of assistance. </center>

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The grass is high on either side of the path. It comes to the belly of your horse, Fury, and the path hasn't seen much use this season. \n\nToday your usually ornery mount is acting frisky and you almost detect a prance to his gait. When your mind wanders, you catch his lips reaching slightly to the side, trying to snatch some of the tall grass. \n\nChuckling, you pat him on his shoulder and try to get your bearing. \n<center>\nStraight ahead is [[grass]].\n\nTo your right is [[more grass|grass]].\n\nTo your left is [[more grass|grass]].</center>

To your utter surprise, you find yourself surrounded by grass. After riding for a few more minutes, the path ends and the meadow erupts into tall yellow flowers. The wind bows them in rippling waves.\n\nIn the distance you can just make out your goal. The volcano of Kurzul rises up like a black smudge against the sky. \n<center>\nDo you \n\n[[Pause a moment to reflect.]]\n\nor\n\n[[Grimly set your heart and push forward.]]</center>

With your heart's fire renewed, you continue towards the black mountain. It's exactly where the villagers who survived told you it'd be. \n\nYou travel over a small hill, and look down at a valley below you. A creek winds its way through the center, and to your right is a tree. \n\n[[Someone is sitting beneath the tree.]]