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GALADRIA (As they ride along the road, Sorsha on Gold Top, Galadria afoot, she notices that there is no birdsong, no squirrels cross their path. The area seems devoid of life. The very color seems taken from the landscape. Have they crossed some magical border? Suddenly, as they top a rise, a mounted, armored figure appears. "Stand and declare yourself," he cries in a clipped metallic voice that has something in it that was not quite human)(Quickly yet gently, she removes Sorsha from the saddle, mounts Gold Top, who is curvetting and pawing. She lowers her lance and uncovers her shield, revealing the fair device of her House, a double eagle argent, displayed on a field gules. "I am Lady Galadria, a knight of the Order of the Radiant Heart. We seek passage through these lands, to right a wrong. I should not fight with any of good will, but these are my companions, and I shall defend myself and them, if needs must with my body. How say you?" (in response, he lowers his lance and charges without another word. She spurs Gold Top, and they meet in the road. She is the more skilful, and Gold Top the heavier, and the unknown knight is pitched from his horse, landing with a clang on the profuse grass. She hastily dismounts, drawing her dagger. Putting it to the still form's throat, she cries,"Yield ye or die!" There is no motion or response. She raises his visor, and there is nothing there. The suit is empty!) "Ho! Dalben, here's a mystery. I seem to have overthrown a suit of armor out for the day without its owner." (seeing the small sheath at the armored figure's side, she draws forth a dagger. She wonders at the entertwined snakes on the blade, the green jewel on the pommel, the quiet thunder of magic that surrounds the whole thing. Remembering her own weapon's failure against the shadow, she takes the sheath from the figure and hangs it at her side, sheathing the magic dagger. Suddenly, she becomes aware of a change in herself. The bleached colors of the landscape appear brighter, the birds begin to sing again. The dagger! What are its properties. She resolves to look into it further, but to keep the dagger.)
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