This book is a tale of virtue originally for ultima 9

[Shard] - Sosaria
[Type] - Fiction (Biography?)
[Book] - Purple

[Title] - Mariah and the Daemon
[Author] - McCubbin the Wise

[Page 1]
Above all things save
one, a young mage must
be curious, and so it was
with Mariah. It was this
curiosity that led her, in
the course of her
journeyman wanderings,
into a certain grove that

[Page 2]
had a reputation locally
as a perilous and haunted
place.
She soon found that
reputation warranted,
when a soft, deep and
not-unpleasant voice
inquired, "How now, little

[Page 3]
mage, you wander far
from the safe byways."
Mariah turned, and
when she saw what stood
there her first thought
was a rather foolish
pleasure that she did not
start or cry out. But

[Page 4]
she quickly pushed that
aside in favor of more
serious concerns, for
standing before her was
a hugely muscled,
flame-red, hairless
creature, glowing softly
with its own light in the

[Page 5]
forest gloom. She knew
at once that it was a
Daemon, one of those
vicious and mighty
travelers from strange
and infernal realms, which
sometimes stray into ours
in search of blood or

[Page 6]
mischief.
"Good evening, sir," she
said, and her voice shook
only a little. "I hope I am
not trespassing."
"Not a bit of it," said
the Daemon in its soft
and mocking growl, "I so

[Page 7]
seldom receive visitors, I
am quite glad to see
you."
Mariah had never
before encountered a
Daemon, but she had
studied their nature. She
knew that if the

[Page 8]
creature had desired
violence, she would already
be dead, therefore it
must be planning some
subtler malice.
"If it's company you seek,
perhaps I can propose a
diversion," Mariah said,

[Page 9]
her mind racing. She had
read that certain
Daemons of the subtler
sort could be tempted by
games of skill or chance,
and she hoped thus
to distract this Daemon
from less pleasant

[Page 10]
amusements.
"A diversion. How
delightful. What do you
propose?"
"Let us play the Challenge
Game."
Now the Challenge Game
is an exercise used by

[Page 11]
young mages for countless
generations, and its
nature is simply this …
each contestant asks
the other an abstract
question on a profound or
difficult matter, and the
other must answer

[Page 12]
promptly, with absolute
honesty. Hesitation or
evasion result in loss. In
this way are the players
taught to face the Truth
within themselves, and
discern it in the words
of others.

[Page 13]
"An audacious choice," the
creature chuckled. "What
are the stakes?"
"My life, of course," she
replied. "If you win, you
take it, and if I win I
keep it."

[Page 14]
"Plainly spoken, but I
expect no less from a
mage. I accept, and as
the challenged party, I
will begin the questioning.
Little mage, do you fancy
yourself wise?"

[Page 15]

This was a standard
gambit, and Mariah was
prepared for it. "I seek
wisdom, which would be a
vain endeavor if I were
already wise. I have
always thought myself
clever, which has sufficed

[Page 16]
so far." This answer did
not visibly impress the
Daemon, but it did not
challenge it.
Then it was her turn
to ask, and she turned
to a philosophical query.

[Page 17]
"Daemon, which is
greater, Truth or
Falsehood?"
At this the Daemon
grinned, which is a
terrible sight, and
replied, "Truth is a
mighty oak, the king of

[Page 18]
the forest. Falsehood is
the tiny worm that eats
away at the inside of the
oak until it is toppled by
an errant breeze."
This was an excellent
answer, and Mariah
admired it even in the

[Page 19]
midst of her fear.
"Little mage," the
Daemon asked, "Why did
you choose this game?
You are young, and I am
immortal. Do you fancy
your 'cleverness' might
suffice against my eternal

[Page 20]
insight?"
Mariah took a slow
breath and replied. "I am
mortal, and my mind is
my own. My Truth is my
possession, and I view it
at will. You are bound by
your supernatural nature

[Page 21]
and must act accordingly.
Your Truth is a dark
room without windows or
doors, and you can never
see it, for it imprisons
you. This is my hope, and
my advantage."

[Page 22]
Mariah could see that
the Daemon disliked this
answer, which was as she
wished as she prepared
her next question.
"It is axiomatic that
Truth can exist without
Falsehood, but Falsehood

[Page 23]
can never exist without
Truth. Tell me then, how
can you hope that evil
will ever win?"
The Daemon looked at
her a long moment, and
when it answered all
trace of laughter was

[Page 24]
gone from its growl.
"I will show you how," it
said, and the phrase
ended in a howl of rage
as it raised its clawed
fist and descended upon
Mariah to take her head.

[Page 25]
But it is the nature
of Daemons that, having
once accepted a challenge,
they are then bound by
its terms. And even as
the monster charged
across the few steps
separating it from

[Page 26]
Mariah, its massive form
dissipated, and all that
reached her was a
sulfurous and unpleasantly
warm puff of mist. So
she returned quickly to
the nearest village, and
thereafter was somewhat

[Page 27]
less curious about rumors
of strange happenings.

Another 'hit' for my addiction!!