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April 13, 2012

Adelsteinn's Decision

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Shawn Daysleeper

The note from Olwe. The master Brewer pulls it out of his pocket again and rereads it as he walks down to his private cellar. He has an idea what to do but wants to mull it over in here. The cellar contains lots of empty barrels that are no longer organized. He had kept this place tight as a drum as it was the most important place to him. "But that was before the dragon." He sighs.

In one corner, he went to two barrels. One had the lid removed, and he peers inside. It has a fraction of ale remaining within. Dipping his tankard inside, he takes long drinks. Nodding to himself as he drinks, he says aloud, "Yes, it is time."

At that moment, there was a slight tremor. Immediately, he thinks of the dragon. It feels exactly as it did before. He envisions it landing now in the fir woods above, shaking and smashing up the remains of the entrance. Diving behind the last full barrel of ale, he keeps an eye on the entrance. The walls shake, and rubble falls as the tremors intensify. Barrels slide over each other and roll around.  After what seems like forever, there was a particularly strong tremor, then all went still.

Adelsteinn watches the entrance a little longer, but nothing there changes. Cautiously he rises from behind the barrel. A little time later he wonders why the tremors abruptly stop. He thinks of the survivors, hoping they are again survivors.

Looking into the open barrel, he sees enough ale remaining for one more full tankard in the bottom. He dips in, literally scraping the bottom. "Maker, this is it. I am leaving and taking everyone that will to this Olwe. That barrel," he nods to the last full one, "will be shared with him." As if sealing the ritual, he drinks the tankard dry in one long drink. Tossing the empty aside, he waddles over to the full barrel and straps it to his two-wheel cart. With some difficulty, because of his drunken state, he pushes the cart out of the cellar. "And I am never coming back," he says as he makes his way back to the kitchen, praying to the Maker there are survivors.

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