Argh! Sorry all for taking so long to reply! :( I had this major college project due this week and I just couldn't find a spare moment, but luckily now thats all over with and the time for storytelling has returned. Yippee! :) Oh, just a friendly reminder to all, that the last sentence of the story segment you write must be complete (as per the E-STORY rules). ie, please don't write half a sentence with "......." at the end. It can affect the following storyteller's writing style and also looks a bit tacky. Sorry if this seems silly but I think it's important. Ok, on with the show. STORY----------    She just stared, realizing that she was actually seeing exact replicas of herself, as captives of this world, chained up and about to be sacrificed. Two were dressed in the tattered rags she was now wearing, one still in the Armani suit she had arrived in and the other wore an outfit not unlike Mayata's, sturdy and warrior-like. Compared to the others she appeared noticeably more muscular and athletic. Her composure calm, as if fearless. All of them showed visible signs of harsh torture, some suffering from mental anguish, slumped upon the ground and sobbing.    Lydia suppressed an outburst of hysteria mixed with grief. 'How is this possible?!' she wailed softly, tears streaming down her cheeks.    Mayata looked at Lydia then back to the clearing. 'They are instances of you from past, present and future, captured by Snaketooth's goons and brought here as offerings.'    'Offerings to whom?' asked Lydia shakily, drying her eyes with her sleeve.    Arathorn stirred. 'To our greatest enemy,' he replied, his voice bitter with hatred, 'but that tale will have to wait for another time, as there are more urgent matters at hand.'    Lydia turned her gaze gloomily back to the clearing. 'Why are we waiting here? We have to save them!' she cried, attempting to stand, but finding herself being held back by Mayata's strong arm.    'Many guards lay hidden amongst the surrounding scrub,' warned Mayata. 'It is too dangerous to attempt a rescue at this time.'    Lydia's eyes flitted searchingly around the edges of the clearing below, but could see or hear nothing. She sighed, staring forlornly at her captive selves. Her focus turned to her warrior self, studying her more closely, half frightened, half in awe at what she was witnessing here. 'Me? A warrior?' she marvelled in quiet fascination.    It was at this moment that her warrior self lifted her gaze to where Lydia was, and winked.    Lydia was so startled that she lost her footing and, with a yelp, fell sideways down the face of the precipice, tumbling noisily through leaves and branches.    Alerted by the commotion, the unseen guards made themselves known as a wave of arrows whistled past Mayata's and Arathorn's ears.    'Quickly! We must flee!' alerted Arathorn.    Mayata hesitated for a moment, scanning the hillside below for Lydia, but she could see only trees.    Arathorn grabbed Mayata by the arm. 'Now!' he cried, pulling her to her feet.    Mayata nodded and together they retreated into the woodland to the rear.    During the time all this was happening, Lydia's warrior self had managed to struggle free of her bindings and disable a few guards in the process. Taking up her sword which lay nearby she severed the chains of her other selves. 'You are free to go, but hurry!' she cautioned, and watched as they scattered out of sight to safety. Then she herself took to the bushes, in the direction where Lydia had fallen.    Lydia came to, and groaned in pain as she sat herself upright. Twang! An arrow narrowly missed her head and struck a neighbouring tree trunk. Suddenly aware of the impending danger, she jumped to her feet and scrambled behind a fallen log, where she waited, trembling. Lydia gasped as a hand gripped her shoulder.    'Aah! Don't hurt me! I beg you!' she pleaded.    'And why would I do that?' her voice replied.    Lydia turned and saw that it was her warrior self, smiling back at her.    Lydia froze with shock, unable to speak.    'Thanks for the diversion. All went according to plan,' said Lydia's counterpart.    'Pl- plan?' managed Lydia, bewildered beyond belief.    'Oh yes, sorry. I'm forgetting. We've never met before have we? I know more about you than you could imagine.'    'Who are you??' Lydia demanded.    'They call me Mayata.'    'You're Mayata?!' blurted Lydia, ready to faint. 'Then who am I??'    Mayata made a sympathetic expression. 'All will be explained, but danger draws near. We must leave this place.'    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Three arrows flew past.    'And the sooner the better,' she added. 'C'mon, I know a place we can go.' ----------STORY Things just got a whole lot more complicated. ;)

Drekinn
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"Let words be your palette."