Lore's Lair

Steven Boettcher's
Unfinished Tales

(1993 - 2003)

These stories and writings on this page are all unfinished.  I always planned on finishing them, but alas, I have come to the realization that I won't be around much longer and I will never finish them.  I hope that someone might find these interesting.  Peace.

1. No one, But Me
2. The Ganymede Incident
3. Ganymede Loco
4. Please Pardon Our Appearance While we are Under Destruction.
5. Lore and The Dragon. (Legend Of Lore Part One)
6. Maps for Legend Of Lore
7. Notes For Legend Of Lore
8. Other Writing Pertaining to Legend Of Lore
9. Other Writings

                                                   No one, But Me
                                    by Steven F. Boettcher

Silence. Not a sound. New York City. A city of 8 million people, was still. No cars honking at pedestrians in the crosswalks. No boom boxes annoying neighbors. No subway cars running through tunnels. No people chatting, cursing, yelling. In fact, no people at all. No birds. No rats. No roaches. Nothing. Nothing living on the entire island of Manhattan. No trees. No animals. Nothing, except for me.
Oh, don't get me wrong. All life on the planet did not end and forget to let me in on the fact. I can see from the observation deck of the Empire State Building, that the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines are surrounding the island. There are hundreds of helicopters flying over the river and lots of ships of all sizes in the rivers, and I assume that their are thousands of soldiers just waiting to land on the island. But, I'm the only one left in the entire city.
I'm terribly hungry. I haven't had any food since this all started. What was it? Two days ago? I've found lots of water, but food has disappeared. Even what was sealed in cans in thick refrigerators. Everything's empty. Nothing in the shops. Nothing in restaurants. Nothing!
And still they don't come!

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                        The Ganymede Incident - (part 1)
                                       by  Steven F. Boettcher

Harold Dunbar examined the gun that was in his hand. He looked to the flux indicator and noticed that the gun was nearly drained. Though he had never used the A.M.A. 35, he was quite familiar with its design. Harold was in fact, a part of the engineering team that had designed the original Anti-Matter Annihilator (A.M.A.). Although, that was nearly 25 years ago.
In the time since, the A.M.A series of weapons have been banned by Article 1359 of the Declaration of United Planets, on all planets but Mercury, and on all but military vessels. Even on military ships, personal A.M.A's were illegal and manufacturing personal anti-matter weapons was strictly prohibited.
Harold could remember the prototypes for the A.M.A, which needed a fusion reactor, with Mega-wattages, to power an anti- matter beam for a few seconds at best. But now, with pico-technology perfected, even a fusion reactor could be built that could fit in a small closet. It was quite remarkable that in a short 25 years, the Annihilator could be carried by a single man (or woman), which only needed recharging (by a portable reactor) after prolonged usage.
Even though the gun was almost as long as his arm and had two adjustable nozzles, the A.M.A. 35 that Harold studied, was easy to conceal. So he quickly and quietly slipped the gun inside his long white lab coat and left the cargo bay of the Jupiter class starship, Ganymede, and the scene of the murder before anybody knew one was committed.
When Harold Dunbar arrived at his quarters, he found that the door was open. His heart began to pound and he began to sweat. Nervously he started to enter his room, but he quickly put his back to the corridor's white wall. "Voices," he said to himself. "Do they know I have the gun? Is it the guy who vaporized that ensign? Is he waiting to annihilate me? Or is it security? Do they know about the gun? Shoot, what the hell am I going to do?" All these questions raced through his mind as he tried to make out what those voices were saying.
Finally, he heard something that made him sigh in relief. It was the voice of his friend and roommate, Todd Buchanan. Only now did he realize the voices that he had heard were his roommate and his girlfriend on the Viaphone. "Stupid me," he said to himself again. "I've been watching too many spy-vids. Still, no harm in being cautious."
Harold entered his room and looked toward his roommate, Todd. "You shouldn't leave the door open like that, boy," he said with a grin. "You don't know who's listening."
"Yo, Harry! Can't ya see I'm on da phone," Todd snapped back at Harold. "No freaken respect, I tell ya," he said to his girlfriend on the Viaphone. "Anyway, babe. I gotta go now. I'll catch ya tomorrow. I miss ya. Bye."
"Sorry Todd, I didn't mean to intrude," Harry said as he quickly hid the gun in his closet while Todd was still facing the phone.
"Geez, Harry, you have the worst timing in the galaxy. I'm surprised that they let you work on pico-processors."
"You're a funny guy, stoopid as Gump, but a funny guy," quipped Harold in retaliation to Todd's sarcasm.
"Look man, as for the door, I was just leaven when Candy called. I was so happy to see her again, that I forgot to close the door. I hope that's a good enough explanation, for ya," Todd explained as he made for the door. "I got some work to do," he continued. "I'll catch ya later." With that, Todd left the room and the sliding door quietly hissed shut behind him.
With Todd out of the room, Harold took the gun out of the closet. He looked at it again and began wondering of the conspiracy that seemed to grow with every moment. Not only did he witness a murder by someone he didn't see, but he also possessed the murder weapon. Above all that, the weapon he had was illegal and traceable to his company, which would mean curtains for many people, including himself.
Harold stared at the gun as he reviewed his assignment over again in his head. Of course there was no hard copy of his assignment, which was top secret to begin with. Harold was an electrical engineer, but was assigned this mission to be a detective. His boss, Salvador Fellini, had called him to his office ten days ago. There Harold heard the news that shocked the pants off of him.
"Dunbar," Fellini said as Harold recalled. "Let me get right to it. We are in big trouble. And I mean big. Late yesterday, a shipment of A.M.A.'s was stolen. We don't know by whom, but we do know how and, more importantly, where they are going."
"My God!" Harold exclaimed. "If the Authority finds out we're cooked!"
"That's right Dunbar," he said. "So we can't let anybody know of this, can we?"
"No, sir."
"Good. I knew you could be trusted. So listen up. We know the shipment will be going to Titan, but we don't know when. We do know that there are three ships heading for Titan this month. The Ganymede will leave on Wednesday. The Hercules will leave the following Monday. And the pleasure craft, Insanity, will leave in 18 days. You have just one day to prepare for the Ganymede."
Harold's boss paused a minute to let everything settle in. A million questions poured through his head, but he wasn't given anytime to ask them.
"You'll go under cover," Fellini said with a twinkle in his eye. "I've already set up your cover. Since the Ganymede is primarily a research ship and only carries cargo to help offset its cost, I've booked you to work with the pico-processors that will be developed for the Saturn probes. Since you are the most qualified engineer that we've got at Synjet, you win this mission by default. But the pico-processors are not your main concern. That task goes to finding the A.M.A.'s and hopefully the persons responsible for their theft. Remember, you are only to find and to report. That is all. Once you are done, we will handle the rest. And if they're not on that ship, we'll just work your ass off on those pico-processors. You never know what might be found."
Harold didn't have to remember the rest. He knew it by heart. He was given new credentials and a new name (sort of). As soon as Fellini told him that his name was Harry Barnett, Harold memorized it and hated it. He hated being called Harry. It was too close to hairy, which he was. He remembered being teased as a kid because he was hairy, but that's another story.
Suddenly, a thought of terror struck Harold. "Why did the killer leave the gun? Is it some sort of set-up? Am I gonna be framed for this murder?" It was then that he realized that he had to dispose of the gun since a search party would start as soon as the ensign is discovered missing.
Harold's forehead started to sweat. He knew it would only be a matter of time before security would start checking the quarters. His mind raced quickly as it searched out his options. One by one, he eliminated his options, from sending the gun out into the vacuum of space (all hatchways are monitored) to hiding it someplace. That left him with one option, to dismantle the gun. That took him a couple of hours, but he did it and left to dispose of some of the remains into the solid waste receptacle. He put the energy channeller in his instrument box and the casing that stored the anti-matter particles, Containium and De-Containium, he took with him to the lab. There, he knew, he could dispose of the particles safely and secretly.
* * *
The Jupiter-class Ganymede was the largest non-military ship in service. Two other Jupiter-class ships were destroyed by freak accidents a few years back. Five more were in the process of being built in Earth and Mars orbits. The Ganymede was nearly the size of a football field that was propelled by an anti-matter drive, developed by Synjet. The ship was long and tubular with a spinning ring around its center, that did not physically touch the ship. The spinning ring, called the Halo, was where living quarters and the gymnasium were located. The spinning generates an artificial gravity, at 1/2 normal earth gravity, that's needed to support basic human health. It is in the long tubular section, the solenoid, or as it is affectionately called, the 'Stick', where most of the research and experimentation is performed.
Dunbar made his way through the Halo, moving easily through the narrow corridors. He felt lucky that he passed very few people on his way to the trans-vehicle docking bay. The trans-vehicle docking bay housed the shuttles that transported people from the Halo to the Stick.
The shuttles are small vehicles that could carry as many as four people comfortably and are used for inter-ship travel, exclusively. All personnel are required to know how to pilot the shuttles so that extra manpower wasn't wasted on piloting these ships.
It was only a five minute traverse to the Stick's docking bay. He left the shuttle with no more than a nod of recognition from the security officer that monitored the bay. Harold floated down the corridor and through the connector nodes as he made his way to the rear of the ship. He passed a couple of auxiliary living quarters and a few small laboratories. The scientists were too busy with their various experiments to notice Harold as he passed by.
Near the end of the corridor, he stopped. If he went through the last connector node he would be in the engine room. That was off limits to all but ship personnel. But that didn't matter, since he was at the engineering lab anyway.
As he entered the lab, the hum of the life-support system was drowned by the louder voice of the computers and test instruments. A friendly voice greeted Harold, "Hey, Harry! This isn't your shift?" Mark Summers, was a young engineer who was the catch of every female's eye, on the ship. His good looks were equaled to his charm. "But I'm glad that you are here. I've been having problems calibrating the processor prototypes to proper frequencies for the Titan atmosphere."
"Yes, we've been discussing this problem for the last couple of days. It seems that the methane atmosphere of Titan seems to play havoc with the standing wave frequencies of the prototypes. But, I've been thinking of some ways to handle this. Let me get back to you in a minute, I've got something to do at my station."
"Sure thing Harry, any help would be appreciated", said Mark.
To be continued......................
 
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                                   Ganymede Loco
                                    by Steven Boettcher

I have lost the capacity to smile...but gained the ability to kill. I don't know when that happened, really. I don't think it was just one thing that changed me, but a series of events in my life over the past six months. Six months doesn't seem like a long time, but for me, it was an eternity.
It all started when I was passed up again for the position of communications chief at Mars Base. I've been stuck here, at the Ganymede Station hell-hole, for the last 3 years. Let me tell you, it wasn't bad for the most part, until the new head honcho, Theodore Payne, joined our team, from some synthetic rubber mine on one of those minor asteroids in the belt somewhere. You see, I was all set for my transfer to Mars Base last year, but Payne and I didn't see eye to eye, so to spite me, he called a few friends at Mars Base and had the position of Com Chief filled by his friend Peter Paul O'Henry. Though, I didn't know that at the time. But six months ago, when Peter Paul O'Henry had an unfortunate accident with an overloaded capacitor, the position opened again. This time, I sent my request immediately, but was told that Payne had already submitted another candidate from the synthetic rubber mine. Another friend. That's when I started to make inquiries.
What I found was interesting: Payne has been on the payroll of Salvador Fellini for years. Fellini was head of a huge corporation back on Earth called, SynthGineer. SynthGineer was in the news not to long ago, when they manufactured some kind of anti-matter weapon that was stolen. It caused a huge scandal because anti-matter weapons were outlawed years ago. Fellini lost face for all but two seconds because the weapon was never found and never proven to exist, even though a guy named Harold Dunbar, claimed otherwise. I met Harold once, back on Earth, after the incident, he seemed like a decent guy, but nobody believed his story.
Anyway, back to Payne...even though Payne was working at that synthetic rubber mine, he was still under the employ of Fellini. ........

#################################Fill in Later##################.......

Then things started getting worse. I was pulled off the nightshift on the communications array, and put on data decryption coming from the Bernard Star Outpost that was set up ten years ago. Decryption of data from a political entity like the Bernard Star Outpost was illegal (except governments were doing it all the time). I didn't like the fact that Ganymede Station was getting involved in politics. But once, I was able to decrypt a short message to the Israel Government back on Earth. It stated simply, "Nothing is here." I showed Payne this message...you'd think he would be happy that I finally cracked a message. No. He cursed me and my whole ancestry and told me that I must have gotten the message wrong...Then he burst out of the lab
By this time, I was getting so good at decryption that I was regularly tapping into Payne's messages to Earth. Most of his communications to Earth were rather dull, much like Payne, but that day, he actually sent a message to Fellini himself. Payne ranted and raved about how I messed up the message, but Fellini wanted to know what the message was anyway. When Payne told him, Fellini sounded relieved. Fellini told Payne that the message was correct and very important, and that I should be commended. (I wasn't). After that, I was told to transfer my knowledge to some new guy, probably a Payne loyalist. Then Payne assigned me back to the communications array, but that was only temporary.
Two days later, when I thought nothing else could go wrong, Payne called me into his office. He told me to sit down and he offered me a stick of gum. I politely declined. Then he came right out and said, "Fletcher, I want you working on DR starting tomorrow. You will eat, sleep, and walk DR. You will get the data from Mars Base. You will reconstruct it and then send it back to Mars Base." This was totally ridiculous. Data Reconstruction was the most boring job in the universe.
For the next week within the lower depths of the station, I was doing nothing but DR, falsifying data that made no sense. Payne had my meals sent to me. I slept in a cot in the cramp corner of the small room. I felt like I was in prison. I believe this is when I finally snapped.
I was determined to kill Payne when I next saw him, but something had caught my eye in the data that I was altering. A message. Clear as day...if Ganymede Station could have a day. The message was intertwined with the regular data. A symbol here, a Boolean Equation there. It didn't take this crazed mind long to decipher it. Maybe I was working for Payne too long. Maybe if I wasn't so delirious, I would have missed it completely. But I saw it. I know I saw it. It said...shipments of AMA's arriving at Ganymede Station in 5 days aboard the freighter Tomeia1.
That's when I figured it out. Payne was going to double-cross Fellini and then steal the shipment. I was supposed to alter the data to make it seem that we never got the message, and Payne would destroy the ship and play dumb with Fellini. I don’t know where this senario came from. I’ve been alone with my thoughts for too long. It just seemed to make sense somehow….at least to me.
I knew the AMA's were illegal and quite dangerous. I had to stop Payne and the shipment. Somebody in the United Planets government had to know that Fellini was still making the AMA's. People were getting paid to be quiet. But what could I do? I thought about sending a message t someone…but who?  I thought about Dunbar, but what good would that be?
I had to get out of there and do something. I couldn’t let Payne get those AMAs, nor anyone else. So when Payne next stopped by, I told him that I was feeling sick and needed to go to the infirmary.  I even made myself throw up in front of him just to add to the rouse. He bought it and in no time I was in the infirmary with the Medicbot.
 
Notes for Ganymede Loco
In the infirmary, Fletcher steals some medications, not knowing what they were but hoping that they could be lethal. 
Goes to Payne’s office….overhears a conversation with 3 other guys about the hijacking of the ship. There were too many for Fletcher to take down so he he had to think of a plan.

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Please Pardon Our Appearance While we are Under Destruction.


An announcement came over the P.A. system, "Please pardon our appearance, while we are under destruction", said the voice in a mysterious crackle. With that, a light came on within the tunnel. A light where none has existed in over 300 years. A voice came, an excited voice from a darkened corner of the tunnel.

"I hear a voice", said the new voice as the message repeated itself. "Please pardon..." Slowly she began to move. Her joints creaked with age. She raised her hand to her face, and removed the control panel just above her eyes. She fiddled a few moments with her switches until her eyes were once more activated. The low hum, and a few static clicks of electricity stirred within her eye sockets as her eyes reacquainted itself with sight. The robot looked around, and saw the mess up and down the tunnel. Sections of the ceiling and walls had crumbled and blocked parts of the tunnel in the direction of the exit. She wasn't familiar with this tunnel, since she wasn't a robot manufactured here in the Acme Robot factory like all other robots were.

An independent engineer, Harold Dunbar, had built her to be his life long companion, but during the Robot Revolt, she was brought here by her "fellow" robots for reprogramming. Since she wasn't an Acme robot, she didn't follow the Robot Laws and Creeds, and tried desperately to escape to get back to her master. It was during her escape that the humans began bombing the factory, and in all of the confusion and destruction, she found herself deep within the underground tunnels of Acme Robots.

She heard the message "Please Pardon our appearance while we are under destruction" many times before during the bombing. Then it was a clear voice, but now, the crackling, and its age, made it eerily haunting. She checked her atomic clock and realized that 300 years had passed since she was deactivated in these tunnels. How and why was she reactivated, she wanted to know. As far as her sensors told her, she was alone. Except for that annoying message, "Please pardon our...".
As suddenly as it started, the message stopped.  There was a brief moment of silence as her ears adjusted themselves. Then a trickle of water could be heard.

"A leak from a pipe, 100 meters down the tunnel," she said rather accurately.
Her ears were quite precise measuring devices.  More so than most robots, especially those manufactured by Acme Robots.  "Government robots had better range, " she thought. "But no personality."

So she began walking towards the trickling water, since the other direction was blocked.  Her master didn't make her a laborer robot, but a more delicate machine for his personal use.
***
All along the tunnel, the lights were on, though, here and there, a bulb flickered or was out.  The robot arrived at the source of the water.  She was hoping that the pipe would be big enough for her, but it was only a small plastic plumbing pipe, probably for some human toilet.

Notes for Please Pardon……
 Interlude outside of factory….
 Huge crane device digging into the ruins of acme….Another humanoid robot is watching from afar. This robot is searching for female robot in tunnels. 
Back to female robot….explain how and why she was made.
Dunbar was supposed to use robot to infiltrate the Synthingeer Corporation and bring down Fellini


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LORE AND THE DRAGON
being part I
of
The Legend of Lore  

STEVEN F. BOETTCHER 

Ó1998-2003

The sun rose in the east and its first rays of light touched the shore of the island of Lomin-Miyin, the Land of Little Care, where Princess Lore stood for the last two hours.  Today was her 25^th birthday and she knew that she should be happy, but she was troubled.   This was the third night in a row that she had a disturbing dream and she just couldn’t get back to sleep, anymore.  So she took a walk down the stone path that led from the castle to the bay and waited for the sun to rise.  The images of the dream were still haunting her even as the sun rose. And she didn’t understand why.  Lore hoped that the cool breeze would clear her thoughts.

Lore always had vivid dream.   Some even came true, like when she dreamed of a blue songbird that had broken its wing and that she would find it and take care of it.  Sixteen days later, when she was walking through the flower gardens, she heard a chirp from the ground and saw that blue songbird from her dreams.  Lore took the bird back to the castle and took care of it.  She named the bird Flewsby, and Flewsby has been singing to her ever since.

But these last dreams were different. She was alone on a barren island - except there were bodies, her friends, her guards were all slain. And it was hot.  Terribly hot.   She was being taunted.  Laughed at, but she couldn’t she from who or what.  There was too much smoke.  Then she was wearing armor and was wielding a sword. A great sword it was.   It was the one hanging behind her father’s throne.  It was the Elf sword.  And each night at this same point in the dream, she woke. She knew something bad was going to happen, maybe it already happened, she didn’t know.  What she did know was that she had to tell her parents.  They needed to know.

Lore waited for the sun to rise before she made her way back to the castle.  The fresh sea breeze cleared her head and she knew what she was going to say to her parents.   The dreams were an omen.  She was being warned and that she was the key.

As Lore reached the rear gate of the castle, she saw handmaiden (and friend), Kiilar, as she was on her way to the marketplace in town.  Lore called to her, “Kiilar!”

Kiilar turned towards the Princess, bowed slightly, and said, “M’lady what brings you out so early in the morn?”

“I had a dream, Kiilar, but it is unlike any other,” she began.   “Come, l want to tell you about it before I tell my parents.

Later that morning, after the sun was halfway to mid day Lore went to her parents throne room.  There the king and queen were discussing tonight’s birthday party with the ministers (?).   

Lore waited anxiously in front of the Great Oak doors of the Grand Hall.  Today was Lore’s birthday and the party was about to begin in the Grand Hall.

Lomin-Miyin was always green, even on its tallest mountain, Mistful Mons.     The land was quite fertile and many animals called it home, some only native to this island like golden unicorns and pygmy snoop dragons, to name a few.  There was a large lake in the center of the island, where almost everyone lived.  The lake provided the fresh water and fish that many on the island lived on.

            The people of Lomin-Miyin were a kind and generous people.  They never hesitated to help their neighbors, yet they were usually content to be left alone.  They rarely sailed off the island, though they welcomed all visitors. 

            Lore stood outside of the Grand Hall.  The Grand Hall was the largest room in the castle.  It could hold the entire population of Lomin-Miyin and a great many visitors, too.  The Grand Hall was only used for the most special of occasions like royal weddings and such, where everyone could join in the festivities.  Behind the closed doors of the Grand Hall, she knew, her birthday party was ready to start.   Lore could just imagine the elaborate decorations, the colors, the music, that was prepared for her.  She couldn’t wait any longer, she knew that her father would be angry if she would enter before being called.  Lore could almost hear her father scolding her, “Because of your haste, you ruined this beautiful party that we made for you.  Now it is nothing.”  So she waited.  

            Moments later, her father opened the large oak and looked at Lore with her bright and magical smile, and he smiled back.  The King couldn’t help it.  Lore’s smile made everyone smile and feel happy, even if you were in the foulest of moods.    It was said, “To gaze at the smile of Lore, was to gaze at paradise and to live there.”  But the king was happy, anyway.  His only daughter turned  25 today and she was finally a woman.

            The King said, “so my little one, today is your big day.”

            “Yes my father. I’m so happy,” Lore said beaming.

            “Good.  You have every reason to be happy,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.  “Come, let us have a party, then,” the King, said as he took Lore by her hand and led her into the Grand Hall, proud and happy.

            The party the most spectacular party that the island has seen is years.   Not since the King was married to the Queen, has Lomin-Miyin seen an event like Lore’s party.  Nearly everyone on the island was there.  There was music, laughter, and a banquet to out do any the land has ever seen.  The Grand Hall was decorated in Lore’s favorite colors of lilac, green, blue, and pink.  The musicians played some of Lore’s favorite tunes on instruments that ranged from piccolos and horns, to conch shells, mer-harps and eagle-chimes.  The banquet was lavish and fed everyone.  There were fruits of all kinds, from bananas and apples, to oranges and pears: from grapes of Mistful Mons, to the dainty berries of the lake snouch plant, that grew underwater in the center of Lomin-Miyin’s lake.  The main course was of lambs and fish, and the beef of island cattle, which was prepared in the most delicious sauce in the world.  For dessert, people had the choice of iced snouch berries or the chocolatiest cake that was ever made.   To wash it all down, the partygoers had a variety of choices from mead and ale, to sweet jama juice and intoxicating seaweed milk.

            Later that night, long after the party for their daughter, the King and Queen spoke discretely within their chambers.

            “It has been nearly ten years since we’ve seen any traveler from the East,” the king began. 

            “I know, my love,” the Queen said.  “Even with Lore’s magical smile, I’ve known that you were concerned.”

            “Ten years ago, when we last seen King Jai, he spoke of concerns in the south,” the King remembered.  “He said, ‘It seems a new darkness was growing to the south. A witch has settled.   I fear no good will come of it.’”   The King looked at his wife with dark eyes and stroked his graying beard in thought.  After a few moments, he continued.

            “I fear something dark has befallen our friends to the East.   It is only our distance that has kept us safe for so long.  We can not possibly be safe forever.  We must prepare the inevitable storm that will approach.  It has eased my mind that our scouting parties haven’t returned after a year at sea.”

            The Queen looked at her husband, he eyes glued to the King’s face.   She studied the lines in his face and she knew that the King was right.  She sighed, “I know…yet I fear what has to be done.  The people from the East have not come to us for help, so it seems they are in need, yet our men returned not. We have always been a peaceful people, dear, but I too sense that something has to be done.”

            The Queen continued, “And Lore’s dream concerns me the must.  We’ve know for a long time that, our precious daughter, was special.  She’s had dreams come true before.  Yet I feel we can’t protect her.  Her dream will come true no matter what we do. I don’t know whats to come

            “Unfortunately, I do. 

For two years, the strongest warriors on the island prepared themselves for a voyage.  And unknown to the King and the Queen, Lore also prepared. 

The atoll was small, maybe a fifth of the size of Little Case; it was bare of any trees of a big size, but there were pockets of shrub grass and weeds. Large boulders were scattered here and there, except at the center of the land.  The atoll was flat, except for a hill to the south and a mound of large boulders that formed a shelter or cave. And lying at the entrance to the cave was the dragon.

            The green dragon was lying still, except for the movement from his breathing.  An occasional   puff of white-gray smoke came from his nostrils.  The dragon seemed to be asleep.

            Lore clutched her sword tightly for she was never so scared before in her life, “I was a fool to think that I could take down a dragon when our mightiest mariners had failed, but I can’t turn back now.  My dreams have led me to this place and time.  I must face this situation that has plagued my dreams for months.  I must resolve this before I am consumed by it. For to turn back now would be impossible.”

            Lore snuck from boulder to boulder until she was about 30 feet from the dragon. She could hear his heated breaths.  It was a steady breathing that had a pleasant rhythm that gave Lore a sense of calm.  She relaxed a bit and let out a brief sigh.

            Just then, a voice bellowed out, “I know that you are here, warrior.  I’ve been waiting for you.   I sensed you sneaking your way here since I sunk your ship yesterday.  I was a bit surprised that a lone sailor had come to me.  I don’t like ships so I sunk it as I normally would, but I was intrigued that you were alone.  So I let you live.”

            “That was most kind of you, dragon, but also quite stupid,” said Lore as she came out from behind the stone.  She held the sword in front of her.

            The dragon was quite shocked to see that the warrior was a woman, but he didn’t let Lore know that.  “Have I so ravaged your warriors that they sent but a maiden in arms to slay me?”

            “Do not jest with me, dragon, for I am a fierce shark in a fair skin and I plan to sink my teeth into your hide so that my people can sail free to the lands to the east.”

“Whoa, m’lady, please don’t take my words so foul.   It has been many long years since I have been banished to this atoll by that dreaded witch.  I know first hand how powerful a woman’s bite can be.  For it was that witch who cursed me to this dreadful place, and I am bound….

 Lore challenges the dragon.  She takes out the dragon blade which can pierce the scales of a dragon.   The dragon is amused that a girl has challenged him, when over a hundred men have tried and failed.  Dragon starts to talk to Lore.  Lore reveals to him that she has seen this confrontation in a dream, but the dreams outcome was always hazy.  She had to know what the outcome was.  She had to face him alone. This intrigues the dragon. So he studies Lore some more and realizes that she is beautiful and compliments Lore.  Taken by surprise by the compliment, Lore blushes and smiles.  The smile brings joy into the dragon’s heart and the dragon’s cloudy eyes become clear as if he had awoken from a dream.  It s here that he realizes that he was once a man, but he doesn’t remember too much except that we was changed into a dragon by an evil witch that he once crossed.  Soon the joy he felt fades as he Realizes that he had become a monster, killing many innocent lives, he begs Lore to slay him.  But Lore forgives him because he was under a witch’s spell and promises to do whatever she can to restore him to a man.  Here ends Lore and the Dragon

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Maps for Legend Of Lore

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Notes: For Legend Of Lore

New direction for Lore and the Dragon  aka Legend of Lore should be the overall title.

Break up story into 3 or more shorter stories.

1^st.   Lore and the Dragon

2^nd. Lore and the Unicorn????

3^rd.  Lore and the Witch

4^th.  Lore and the Cult of Wizards (?)

5^th.  Lore and the Realm of Dreams (?)

1^st.   Lore and the Dragon

This should take the story up to Lore meeting the dragon.
Story takes place in the fourth age.
History of The Land of Little Care (Lomin-Miyin) or (Tithenbaurador)

Island was south and east of Atlantis.

Was founded by mariners from Atlantis when Atlantis’ last king was crazed and wanted to conquer the Gods. ( maybe it was founded earlier when the Atlanteans were exploring the lands to the east and south.)  In their wrath, Atlantis was destroyed and the world changed.

In the next 3000 years, the Land of Little Care prospered.  Occasionally Elves would visit on their way to the west.  They would give the Kings and Queens gifts and news from the east.  Including a dragon sword.  This dragon sword is passed down generations until it is given to Lore on her 17^th (25^th) birthday (Maybe Lore steals (borrows) it).  By the time Lore was born, elves haven’t visited the island in over 40 100 years, when the King was a child. Long before he was born.

Lore is born with two special gifts.  To make people happy whenever they see her smile.
Lore also has very vivid dreams (they come true).

King sends mariners out east and west in search of news.

The mariners from the east never came back.  From the west, reports of new lands that are inhabited with savages.  (These tales will not delve into the lands of the west.  Maybe in future.)  More mariners are sent east.   One returns with a tale of a dragon that attacks the ships.  The king sends a fleet of ships to battle the dragon.   Lore disguises herself and stows away on one of the ships.   The dragon destroys all the ships, but Lore makes it to the little island.

2^nd.    Lore and the Unicorn????

            Should there be a story before the confrontation with the witch? 

Lore dreams of a realm not of this earth where she is the guardian.

            Lore and the dragon fly east to the dark lands.  They find a village that has been destroyed.  Only one survivor, a dwarf (it looks like a stone statue until is moves.)  The dwarfs name is Jorli.  Jorli is a dwarf woman.  They seldom leave their city, but she left because the city was destroyed, by a witch, who wanted their gold.   She came to this town only yesterday when she heard cries for help and found the witch and a band of goblins destroying the town.   She hid near a stone well and blended in with the stones.  (as is well known, dwarf were made of stone.)  She recounts how the witch was screaming about losing the unicorn and took vengeance of the villagers for interfering with here.

Lore, the dwarf and the dragon search for the unicorn and find it trapped by the goblins and the witch.  Surprised by Lore, the dragon and the dwarf, destroyed the goblins and forced the witch to flee.

The unicorn was thankful and helped the Dragon recover some of his memory.

Here ends Lore and the Unicorn.

3^rd.   Lore and the Witch

            Lore dreams of becoming a dragon but doesn’t tell Drake.

            Jorli rescues infants being held in the witch’s castle.        

            Lore and Drake confront the Witch.

             Choices:
            Should Drake become human???
            Should Lore become a dragon.???
            Maybe Lore Should become a dragon in next story?

Jorli departs afterwards to seek out her people in the north.
As she leaves, remembers a story about mighty wizards.   It may be a myth, but worth checking into.

4^th.   Lore and the Cult of Wizards (?)

            Lore dreams of a great battle; where dragons are noble and not feared but are friends to man. (Fagan sequel?)

            Lore comes back to the Land of Little Care, in part to tell her parents that she is ok and also to research the legends of the wizards.  Explains to the King and Queen about the dragon and the witch.   Introduces Drake to the King and Queen, but they are frightened and angry and threaten Drake, as he is about to fly away, Lore comes to him and flies back to the dark lands in search of the legendary wizards to see if they could reverse the magic of the witch.

Wizard Lothenar - the darkness slayer, and Farstan – the East-helper. Their original task was to circumvent the Dark Lord. To stir up rebellion with those who worshipped the Dark Lord.  They failed.

            Lore (human?) and Drake seek out legendary wizards.
            Only two are left…one is good and the other is evil. (The blue wizards)
            Lore chooses to become a dragon.

5^th.  Lore and the Realm of Dreams (?)

            After an explosion, in a remote frozen wasteland to the south, Lore loses the ability to dream.  In fact, everyone they encounter, are walking zombies from the lack of sleep.  On their travels they hear about the light from the south

            Drake and Lore fly south to the frozen lands and discover a being of light?  The being says she is a daughter of the gods and the keeper of dreams but she has been injured and needs to return to the undying lands and asks Lore if she would become the dreakeeper while she recovers (if she can).

            Lore becomes the dreamkeeper and creates Lore’s Lair, the stronghold of dreams.

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Other writings pertaining to Legend of Lore.

Lore and The Unicorn

Lore and Drake entered the forest.   This was an ancient forest which the locals called the forest of shadows. Ages before, legend has it, it was a beautiful forest of beautiful people, but as time went on, the people disappeared and only their shadows remained.  Lore felt uneasy. It was as if they were not alone.

 “I feel like we are being watched,“ Lore said to drake in a whisper.

 “We are, M’lady.   The forest is indeed inhabited by shadows.   They were once a fair race, but they have faded, they are here, but not here, it is their doom, I believe.  There aren’t many, but they are curious and frightened.  They feel threatened by our presence. Especially mine.  . I don’t think they want us to pass.

They are not fond of dragons.  Originally, the Dark Power of the North bred dragons to do his evil work. And I sense in these shadows, they are quite familiar with my brethren.”

 “Stop that Drake, you are no more related to those beasts as I am to that tree,” she said.  “You were once a mortal man, who was bewitched and transformed into a dragon.  Plus your heart is no longer under the enchantment of the witch.   They have nothing to fear.”

 “M’lady, I think your words have calmed them. I sense that they will let us pass.”

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Prologue

About three to four thousand years ago, before our tale takes place, there was a great island to the West that was called Atlantis.  The people of Atlantis were blessed with long lives, riches beyond any kingdom of humankind. During a period of great expansion, many small realms were established in the lands to the East and North and some to the South.  It was at this time that the Atlanteans discovered a small island to the south that they called Tithenbaurador in the higher tongue, but commonly known in Mannish as Lomin-Mmiyin, the land of little-care. 

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New Direction for Lore and the dragon. (2004)


After telling her parents of the dream, the King's advisor (Akmediom) tells Lore to seek out the Seer in the mountain (An old woman who lives on the other side of the mountain). Lore and her friend travel to the Seer. She tells Lore that her destiny lies with the dragon, but to tame the Dragon, she must find the Ohmaphist Stone deep with in the caves to the east. The seer says that with the stone and Lore's powers, the dragon will be tamed. The Seer tells Lore to bring the Stone back to her before she can journey to the dragon. What the Seer doesn't tell Lore is that the Stone is for her and not Lore. Lore doesn't need anything to tame the dragon but her own gift.

Lore and her friend travel to the caves and are attacked by the crazed hermit Fragonue. Lore's smile is useless on Fragonue since he is nearly blind, though his other senses are more acute. Fragonue is no match for Lore and her friend and he falls down the cliff to an uncertain end. (He may live).

They find the stone and bring it back to Seer. She does some fake magic and convinces Lore that she turned the stone into a necklace and that is all she needs to tame the dragon. (Seer will use stone in another story).




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Lore & Kilaar set off to the mountain:  2004


In the morning, the sun rose is the east and it filled Lore's room with a golden light. She awoke with a start and hurried to gather her things for her little adventure with Kilaar to visit the Seer in the Mountain. Kilaar was already waiting for Lore in the kitchen. She handed Lore a small bundle of food wrapped in  colorful leaves.. The food consisted of bread, dried meat and fruit. She also handed Lore a flask of water

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Poems pertaining to Lore

Beneath the sun, East of West
Amidst a sea of deep blue
Laying on the crests of snow white foam
Is a garden of flowers and trees;
A place of beauty and hope;
Where people are bright and fair;
In the kingdom of Little-Care.

The Kingdom of Little-Care.
Was a little kingdom on a little island.

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A star land lies to the west
where kings of old have found their nest
where mariners sail far North, South, East
where some have found a tiny land of feast
A land of bounty and drink
filled to the brink
of life and plenty.

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Lament for Lore

Where has the princess gone
Of the land of trees and water
Of the beautiful fruit
And crimson skies?
Where has our daughter gone?
Alas, to slay a dragon.

How did the princess leave
An isle of serenity
Surrounded by the deep blue sea
and the sheltering sky?
How did our daughter leave?
Alas, A ship has gone.

When will the princess return

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An early version of the story.

Lore waited anxiously for her birthday party to begin.  She combed her long brown hair in nervous anticipation.  It was all she could do to prevent her from going crazy.  Lore looked at herself in the grand mirror.  Today, she turned eighteen.  In the eyes of the kingdom, and especially her parents, the King and Queen, Lore is a woman.  Her smile glowed with an incredible radiance.  It was her smile, some believed, that made anyone who saw it feel happy inside.  Being the daughter of the King and the Queen, nearly everyone saw her magical smile.

            The kingdom, as everyone in the land referred to it, was an island in a vast sea.  Many ages ago, after the first humans came to this land, elves landed and were amazed at the beauty and peacefulness of the land.  When the elves asked the humans what they called this beautiful place, all the humans shrugged and said, “The Kingdom.”   The elves found it odd and named the island Gwenhoffen, which meant in their tongue, the Land of Little Care, or the Peaceful Land.   The people of the island liked the name and adopted it as their unofficial name.

Gwenhoffen was always green, even on its tallest mountain, Mistful Mons. The land was quite fertile and many animals called it home, some only native to this island like golden unicorns and pygmy snoop dragons, to name a few.  There was a large lake in the center of the island, where almost everyone lived.  The lake provided the fresh water and fish that many on the island lived on.

            The people of Gwenhoffen were a kind and generous people.  They never hesitated to help their neighbors, yet they were usually content to be left alone.  They rarely sailed off the island, though they welcomed all visitors. 

            In the past, the son or daughter of the King and Queen would sail to the Land to the East to seek out a royal mate.  But as the years rolled on, princes and princesses from the Land to the East and from the Lands to the North started to visit Gwenhoffen.  It was a great distinction to be married to the royal family of Gwenhoffen.

 ***Filler needed***

    
            Lore stood outside of the Grand Hall.  The Grand Hall was the largest room in the castle.  It could hold the entire population of Gwenhoffen and a great many visitors, too.  The Grand Hall was only used for the most special of occasions like royal weddings and such, where everyone could join in the festivities.  Behind the closed doors of the Grand Hall, she knew, her birthday party was ready to start.   Lore could just imagine the elaborate decorations, the colors, the music, that was prepared for her.  She couldn’t wait any longer, she knew that her father would be angry if she would enter before being called.  Lore could almost hear her father scolding her, “Because of your haste, you ruined this beautiful party that we made for you.  Now it is nothing.”  So she waited.  

            Moments later, he father opened the large oak doors (a gift of the Oak Elves of Snigforehoffen) and looked at Lore with her bright and magical smile, and he smiled back.  The King couldn’t help it.  Lore’s smile made everyone smile and feel happy, even if you were in the foulest of moods.    It was said, “To gaze at the smile of Lore, was to gaze at paradise and to live there.”  But the king was happy, anyway.  His only daughter turned eighteen today and she was finally a woman.

            The King said, “so my little one, today is your big day.”

            “Yes my father. I’m so happy,” Lore said beaming.

            “Good.  You have every reason to be happy,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.  “Come, let us have a party, then,” the King, Lore’s father, said as he took Lore by her hand and led her into the Grand Hall, proud and happy.

            The party the most spectacular party that the island has seen is years.   Not since the King was married to the Queen, has Gwenhoffen seen an event like Lore’s party.  Nearly everyone on the island was there.  There was music, laughter, and a banquet to out do any the land has seen.   The Grand Hall was decorated in Lore’s favorite colors of orange, green, blue, and pink.  The musicians played some of Lore’s favorite tunes on instruments that ranged from piccolos and horns, to conch shells, mer-harps and eagle-chimes.  The banquet was lavish and fed everyone.  There were fruits of all kinds, from bananas and apples, to oranges and pears: from grapes of Mistful Mons, to the dainty berries of the lake snouch plant, that grew underwater in the center of Gwenhoffen’s lake.  The main course was of lambs and fish, and the beef of island cattle, which was prepared in the most delicious sauce in the world.  For dessert, people had the choice of iced snouch berries or the chocolatiest cake that was ever made.  To wash it all down, the partygoers had a variety of choices from mead and ale, to sweet jama juice and intoxicating seaweed milk.

            Later that night, long after the party for their daughter, the King and Queen spoke discretely within their chambers.

            “It has been nearly ten years since we’ve seen any traveler from the East,” the king began. 

            “I know, my love,” the Queen said.  “Even with Lore’s magical smile, I’ve known that you were concerned.”

            “Ten years ago, when we last seen King Jai, he spoke of concerns in the south,” the King remembered.  “He said, ‘It seems a new darkness is growing to the south. A witch has settled.   I fear no good will come of it.’”   The King looked at his wife with dark eyes and stroked his graying beard in thought.  After a few moments, he continued.

            “I fear something dark has befallen our friends to the East.   It is only our distance that has kept us safe for so long.  We can not possibly be safe forever.  We must prepare for battle.”

            “The Queen looked at her husband, he eyes glued to the King’s face.  She studied the lines in his face and she knew that the King was right.  She sighed, “I know…yet I fear what has to be done.  The people from the East have not come to us for help, so it seems they are in need.”

            The Queen continued, “I’ve had dreams, lately, and in the dreams all other kingdoms have been destroyed and we were the last.  Do you know what that means?”

            “Unfortunately, I do.  Young Lore will have no mate, and in a few generations her gift will be lost and no hope for it to ever return.  Our land of “Little Care” will cease, and in its place…a kingdom of no magic.”  The King let out a deep breath.  “Only pure blood royalty will get the chance to have an offspring with the gift.”

            “There’s still a chance that everything is all right to the East and we have been worrying for nothing,” the Queen said not believe her own words.

For two years, the strongest warriors on the island prepared themselves for the battle.  And unknown to the King and clean Queen, Lore also prepared.  When Lore turned to 7, she had received an Elven sword from an Elven representative that came to the island.  She told Lore that the sword would protect her from the fires of Wyrms and Serpents.  Elves had lived on the world for a longer time than humans. Though Mers and are said to have been born the right at the time of the creation of the seas, but Mers have almost disappeared from the seas and were more thought are as only legend.  But elves, they were an abundant race.  Yet over the last 100 years, their numbers started to decrease, as the human population increased.  In some say that the elves sailed to the West, where they settled and in the new lands, do nobody knew for sure.

Elves were a magical race.  They had newly mastered the arts of the creator, though they generally never used it powers for evil.

 Lore never seen a Wyrm or serpent or for that matter anything beyond the island.

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