Acadian;
There is a story weighing down on me but it's like a puzzle picture with a piece missing. It's a story about flying. I did solo back in the 80's and flew a few cross-country training flights until it got too expensive to continue. Angel dreams of flying and sometimes jumps down the slopes of hills just to have that momentary sensation. Unfortunately, the sudden stop at the bottom discourages the activity. I don't want her to injure herself. As most readers know by now, if she were to die in the game, it would be a true death. I would never load her save game again.

treydog;
Your approval is the fulfillment of a wish I have had since I first read your writing. Thank you so very much.

mALX1;
Your encouragement and enthusiasm keeps me going grasshopper.

Sarrah was a mid-level mage when this happened. She had gotten hooked on the adrenalin rush of fighting and was hunting Oblivion gates and quests when she heard about Pale Pass. Following the quest into the Jarrel mountains, she soon had a trail of dead ogres in her wake until... In triumph at her latest kill, she looked squarely at the ogre lying twisted and still on the frozen ground. Something moved inside her. For the first time, she felt pity. Trying to fight her feelings, she came closer and looked into the face of this fierce enemy. She saw a look of anguish, pain, and loss. Her life flashed before her eyes and all of the dead seemed to stand before her; silent and yet accusing. Aching inside she soldiered on through the rest of the quest; an ogre's sad face floating in her mind's eye. Receiving the promised reward from the Countess of Bruma, it seemed as though she held ashes in her hand instead of a valuable amulet.

When it was done, she fast traveled to her home in Anvil. In her bedroom, she dumped everything she was carrying into a closet and dressed in zero weight, zero value clothes. She was now repelled by the possessions she had once fought so hard for. She ran out the main city gate and headed for a nearby cliff overlooking the ocean. The vision of a slack face cradled by stone and snow haunted each step. She desperately needed to meditate and this seemed like a good setting in which to contemplate her world.

During the night, Sarrah.s thoughts roamed over what she had once been, what she was, and what she wanted to be. There were thoughts of marriage and babies. She thought about what the world was turning her into. To my horror, there was a moment when she pictured in her mind what it would be like to simply start walking and continue into the ocean until it was over. By the dawn, some of the pain had been relieved by her decision to stop fighting until she was sure again of what she was doing. In the days that followed, she traveled to other cities on horseback, enjoying the countryside and visiting friends; always avoiding any fights. She met her neighbors, She watched sunsets on the harbor and thought about life.

It all came clear for her one morning on the Orange road as she was returning to Anvil from Bruma. She had been traveling all night and near dawn found a small waterfall and a lake beside the road and stopped for a chilly swim to clear away the road dust. By the time she got out, dawn was breaking. She retraced her route to a lookout point she had seen earlier where she could see all of Niban Bay spread out below her. It was a beautiful, clear morning. She watched as the sunlight slowly spread across the valley below turning the Imperial City to white and gold. For an hour or more she stood there absorbing the pleasant peacefulness. No dangerous creatures appeared to disrupt the beauty of the moment. With this peaceful feeling came the realization that life was a cycle and each new day carried renewal. Her pain was gone. The ogre's face had been laid to rest.

Where have you gone Master Po? We need your words to breathe life into us once again.