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The ice wrought passage ways of ice haunt , lit by the eerie glow of lichen entombed in the ice were silent once more . The body of a lone minotaur lay at my feet , though I could not claim the kill my self . it was on of the baroness's sprite flame , or perhaps an arrow from the monk protector , I was not sure which . Still it was done , the chaos bread creature would howl it's cry no more . Shouldering my bow I moved on again , with caution developed over years of adventuring , keeping close to the walls for what scant protection they gained me from spying eyes that might see me before I saw them . My fingers itching to strum at the lute that hung in a leather sleeve across my back . Not for the first time I wondered why I gave up a good living playing old songs and risky ballads in the taverns of Lux for the more dangerous fortunes of an adventurer in these dungeon halls .

But you don't become a bard of much fame singing other peoples songs , and the material for a truly great ballad could only be found by getting out among the heroes of ballads . Besides I was a good shot with the old bow and though I would never be the greatest of swords men I could swing a blade with no small skill . Life was certainly more interesting down here in the depths . possibly because it was easy to find it shorter to be fair . Danger and the risk of death heightened many an otherwise dull day . I walked on ahead of my companions . perhaps that was why they did not here it . Then again perhaps only one attune to the music as I could hear it . But all at once the corridor was filled with noise .

It began with an indistinct humming that rose slowly till I could make out some of the tune and heard words intertwined with the music . It was distant and yet all around me . parts of it repeating upon themselves and it rose steadily in volume until it seemed to fill the space around me . A haunting music with magic at it's heart it consumed me , overcame me , entwined me , until there was noting but that music and all else was lost within it . A great light filling my vision . The scent of flowers and the open land filling my head . I spun around and then spun around once more before I fell to my knees and the beat of the music became all there was . and suddenly it was gone .............................. I sat there , shaking . Unable at first to understand what had happened . Then slowly it came to me . An understanding of what I had witnesses . and I knew at last why I was here , and what I must do . It had been an echo . If that is what I could describe it as . a figment , a piece of a greater whole . An echo of the great song . I had found a purpose .

Or perhaps it is truer to say the purpose had found me . With the echo came an understanding I had not before , an idea of the truth that I had never so much as glimpsed at before now . The Great song , the song the gods used to create the world , to carve the world out of the chaos and give it purpose and being . I had glimpsed only a small part of the whole , and that small part had been enough to change me utterly . My life had taken on a meaning . For I had seen what it was that the gods had meant the world to be . That of which this world is a darkened shadow tainted by the blackness of evil . The gods had sung the great song , and at first it had been pure , but the taint had crept in , changing a note here and a chord the until the great song itself was corrupted by it . Like a cancer the taint had got hold . And in time it had grown , and still grows though the gods fight the corruption to there song .

But if the great song was sung once more .

Perhaps it could be made to remove the blight , remove the very taint that is at it's roots and make the world over once more This was my purpose . mine and the true purpose of all bards . To seek out the echoes of the great song , that it may be sung once more upon this world . and the world be made a new . I know this now , for I have witnessed an echo of the song . Many will not believe me I am sure . But I know what I have seen , I know what these mortal ears have heard .

The Great song that is all and everything . The song the gods sang to create the world . The great song . And I shall seek it . For if there was on echo there will be more . If the world was created by the song then the song still resides within us all . I stood once more , my companions coming towards me . with no knowledge of what had just happened to me . there eyes full of concern . " I must go . " I said simply . taking the teleport scroll form my pack , " Fare thee all well my companions . I hope to meet you all again . But I must go and seek that which is forgotten , and repair the taint in the world . Seek out evil and destroy it . for that is the taint in the great song . A long life to you all . " I said the words coming to me all at once and with that I left them . To travel where I knew not yet . In search of the great song .

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