You know the drill....
"The Puppetmaster"
Part IV
By Alpha Draconis
Adrian wiped the sweat from his brow as he swung his weapon at the skeleton, totally crushing it. He and the Hammer had travelled down to the sewers to take out Radament. But now there were hordes of skeletons blocking their way. The Hammer swung his maces mightily, showing no mercy. Adrian was thankful for several seconds of time to Necromance two more skeletal mages, one of ice, and one of lightning. The three mages shot forth their magical attacks that crushed through the attackers like a hot knife through butter. With the skeletons out of the way, the Hammer motioned the Necromancer and his minions to follow him down a dark, dank, passageway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After what seemed an eternity of walking down the hallway, with a growing stench of rotting flesh, the warriors saw torches in a small room not too far ahead. The Hammer motioned his lips to his mouth indicating they had to be silent. The mages and Adrian crept alongside the wall, as the Golem tried horribly to tiptoe down the passage.
The Hammer peeked into the room, and jumped away as a ball energy shot at him, barely missing. All of the warriors looked in a strange mix of fear, disgust, and nausea at the monstrous creature.
Radament was clothed in decaying and torn garments that would fit a Pharaoh. He held a staff in his right hand. His skin was tough leathery material that was pulled taught over his bones, but was cut and missing in several areas. His face... was not there! A distorted and broken skull with various snakes curling in and out of his hideous skull. He looked and smelled like death. His hissed an eerie wail of anger at the invaders before firing dark orbs of energy at them.
The mages rolled out of the orb's path and fired simultaneously at the beast, while the Golem charged and tackled the eerie mummy into the wall of his dank crypt. While Golem was pummelling the monster, the Hammer threw his hammer at the creature. Radament pulled Golem into the hammer's path. Sadly, Golem did not make it. Adrian fired off his magical Teeth spell at the monster, until... A Javelin soared into the side of the monster, stunning it.
"Hey guys," A voice from behind Adrian, "Starting without me?"
"SHEILA!" Adrian shouted. "Have you lost your mind? What if the townspeople see you?" The Hammer could only laugh. "Sheila! You can't help us fight the thing, it's too powerful!"
The mummy roared violently at the attackers. Sheila threw her javelin deftly. It crushed right threw the monstrosity's skull. Radament collapsed onto the ground. "I could be wrong." Adrian ended watching the now dead corpse. "Sheila how did you get by the townspeople?" Adrian asked concerned. Sheila put a large skull mask on her head.
"With this mask and my Javelin skills, I could pass for an Amazon... of the Courageous Five." She ended.
"Woah, you impersonating Phoenix, man she's gonna be pissed off." The Hammer said while looting through the crypt."
"You're damn right she's gonna be pissed off." Adrian yelled at Sheila.
"C'mon, are you saying you never did anything wild or dangerous?" Sheila teased. Adrian replied.
"Well one time I impersonated a demon, but this is completely different!"
"Hey guys," The Hammer said, "Was Radament carrying any scrolls?" The arguing two looked over to him. "Well this is some strange scroll..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My ward! The lost Horadric scroll! What a fortunate turn of events..." Cain the Elder prattled.
"I know it's nice Cain, but what does it do?" The masked 'Amazon' asked.
"Hmm...It speaks of Tal Rasha's Tomb." Cain said as all of the heroes, heroine, and Necromages listened intently. "It says that the Horadrim sealed off his chamber with magical staves. After nearly losing one to thievery, the order divided the staves into two pieces, the shaft and the headpiece. These two pieces can be combined with a Horadric Cube. You need the staff in order to open Tal Rasha's Tomb. The shaft can be found in the maggot lair, the headpiece in the Claw Viper Temple, and lastly the Cube is in the Dry Plains. I think that about covers it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several Hours Later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Hammer hacked away at the Sand Maggots with his twin maces. He jumped several feet in the air and ran down the passage running fearlessly through swarms of insects. He ran into the large clearing and saw his goal. Coldworm was sitting defenceless in his chamber, half-asleep. The Hammer jumped onto his backed and swung his maces into the creature's back. It screamed as the barbarian hacked and tore away it's flesh, knee-deep in it's back just hacking away mindlessly. It screamed and convulsed as it began to arch up and poison and blood squirted out of it. The Hammer jumped off it and took cover under a rock as the giant maggot exploded, and kibbles of him (her?) pelted down.
The Hammer peeked out and saw his goal. He ran over to the chest, pocketed the gold, and saw his prize. He clutched the staff of kings as he cast a town portal and stepped into the bright blue oval.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila slammed her buckler into the Cave Leaper as it jumped at her trying to get a meal out of her. Adrian and his minions were forcing their way through the Cave Leaper pack towards the portal he cast. One particularly large Leaper dove at Sheila from behind, but Adrian swung his spiked club at the creature tearing it apart. It also dropped a Mourning Star; the skeleton mages all ran into the portal. Sheila was waiting for Adrian
"C'Mon! Ditch the club and take the weapon!' She yelled as she saw more Cave Leapers running for them from their caverns.
"This club has sentimental value!" He yelled back retrieving his club.
Sheila knew he wouldn't make it.
"I can't believe I'm doing this...' She muttered as she ran over to Adrian, picked up the Mourning Star and him and threw them into the portal as she followed, mere seconds before the Cave Leapers advanced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian fell onto the hot brick road of Lut Gholein, where the portal dropped him off. Sheila fell onto him and crushed him.
"Owww..." He moaned as she got of.
"Relax," She said, "At least you got your Mourning Star, an enchanted one at that."
"Yeah." He muttered. "Hey wait a minute, this is a mourning star of lightning!"
"That's good?" She asked a little confused.
"Hell yeah, it better than my club. Thanks for bringing it with you through the portal.
"Uh... Okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, all we need is the headpiece?" Adrian asked his friend, and trusted warrior the Hammer.
"Mm, Hm..." He replied cooking his fish over the small campfire.
"Uh guys..." Sheila nervously said while looking to the sky.
"Ard-, Hammer, do you know where the headpiece is?"
"Guys..."
"My best bet would be the Claw Vipers."
"Claw Vipers?"
"Guys."
"Evil serpent like monsters, that have a built a Temple in this area."
"Hmm... Drognan might know..."
"GUYS!" The two warriors turned to Sheila. "Have you noticed this evening has been awfully long." The all turned to the sky. "I can't see any stars, and it looks like a solar eclipse. But this is a little long."
The Hammer responded. "For a stinking, demon from hell, she's got a point."
"Hey! We're not from hell, it's just our species is controlled by Mephisto."
"She's got you there Ar-"
"I'll still jam this hammer up your ass!"
"Okay... Ardidar Mc Fluffles!" He yelled at the already mad barbarian.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He yelled lunging at Adrian, while Sheila couldn't help but laugh at the not-so manly barbarian.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been... uh some time since the argument and the trio learned from Drognan, that the Claw Viper had a mystical structure, which caused the unnatural eclipse. That was several hours ago now the trio approaches the second floor of the temple (time flies).
Sheila tossed several javelins through the skulls of several Vipers, sending the remaining Claw Vipers in a panic. The Hammer bellowed fiercely as he mightily swung the hammer through the corpses of undead mummies. The three skeletal mages bombarded the larger mummy resurrecting the fallen mummies. A Claw Viper grabbed around Sheila's chest to be met by her fists.
"PERVERT!" She yelled as she jammed her javelin deep into the monster's throat. As she watched the monster claw at the javelin lodged in it's throat, another snuck up behind her. It lunged as a spear of bone shot through the air like a bullet. It sent the Vipers head to the other side of the room with a look of pure astoundment on its grisly face. He's saving me again, Sheila thought as she retrieved her javelin. More vipers were pouring in through another room.
"HAMMER THE ALTER!" Adrian yelled to the hammer as he fired bolt upon bolt of bone at the Vipers. The mighty barbarian leaped over a decayed mummy beside the pedestal. He yelled furiously and brought the War Hammer crashing down upon the alter smashing it to pieces. A the temple begun to shake as section of the roof cracked open spilling sunlight into the dank crypt of the temple. The Vipers hissed and fled back into the shadows.
"Not bad for a fruitcake." Sheila joked.
"I'm going to take this little kitty to the vet is she doesn't shut up." The Hammer responded. Sheila hissed at him, while Adrian wondered what on Earth could power the alter. It was an amulet, no the Horadric Headpiece!
"Guys! I found the headpiece!" The arguing warriors ignored Adrian.
"Dumdass!" Sheila yelled.
"Bitch!" Hammer bellowed.
"Moron!"
"Daughter of a bitch!"
"That's for dogs dumbass!" She yelled back.
"Guys! Headpiece?" They turned to him as if he just arrived. Adrian placed the two pieces into the Cube. The Hammer crossed his fingers for luck. The Cube glowed incredibly bright, but from it came the Horadric Staff!
"Success!" Sheila exclaimed.
"Good, now let's partay!" The Hammer exclaimed. "Man I'm gonna get more wasted than Geglash!"
"Well, it has been a while since we relaxed..."
"Great the other two exclaimed dragging Adrian back to Lut Gholein. The skeleton mages looked to each other, shrugged, and ran after them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!" The barflies chanted on as the Hammer drained the last contents of the beer keg, threw the keg aside, and belched louder than any of his war cries. Adrian was shocked, disgusted, confused, and overall scared of his friend. Geglash congratulated the barbarian.
"Well, I didn't fink it wud happen, but yur a hevyer drinka than mahself."
"Are u talking to me?" The barbarian slurred back. "Cuz If u r..." He trailed off by throwing a punch at Geglash, but wound up punching himself to the floor.
"Okay this is getting too stupid, I'm outta here!" Adrian said leaving. His skeletal mages stepped over the passed out barbarian and following him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Halt!' One guard to Lut Gholein's said. "Oh, it's the Amazon." Another guard grunted in agreement. The Amazon marched in the city grumbling and cursing.
"What's with you?" The one guard asked.
"I'll tell you," She barked, "I was in the desert and I save several of the Harems from Sabre Cats and what? They say true warriors only rescue them. Humph! And what are Amazons Then?"
"No kidding... a bunch of Harems... alone... in the desert... needing to be rescued." The two guards looked at each other and quickly abandoned their posts. The Amazon watched them leave. She laughed as her body reverted to its original shape... that of a Sabre Cat priestess.
"Testosterone, driven fools can't even see that they are walking intro a trap." She wickedly smiled as she dove behind a building watching the Necromancer Adrian Tombes. After he left, the priestess cast a spell and the temperature dropped severely. The temperature was nearly as cold as her smile... nearly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was later that night when Sheila awoke nearly frozen. She breathed and saw her own breath. She had slept on the couch, but that bed with silk sheets was looking pretty nice right about now. Even the skeleton mages, in the room's corner, sitting down (sleeping?) looked frozen. Sheila was freezing so she walked over to the bed where Adrian was sleeping peacefully. She crawled under the sheets and snuggled up to Adrian and fell asleep instantly.
"Golem was right, she does like him." The Fire Mage said.
"Oh, s-s-s-shut up-p-p-p." Another mage chattered.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!!
Whaddya think? Next time-???
"The Puppetmaster"
Part IV
By Alpha Draconis
Adrian wiped the sweat from his brow as he swung his weapon at the skeleton, totally crushing it. He and the Hammer had travelled down to the sewers to take out Radament. But now there were hordes of skeletons blocking their way. The Hammer swung his maces mightily, showing no mercy. Adrian was thankful for several seconds of time to Necromance two more skeletal mages, one of ice, and one of lightning. The three mages shot forth their magical attacks that crushed through the attackers like a hot knife through butter. With the skeletons out of the way, the Hammer motioned the Necromancer and his minions to follow him down a dark, dank, passageway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After what seemed an eternity of walking down the hallway, with a growing stench of rotting flesh, the warriors saw torches in a small room not too far ahead. The Hammer motioned his lips to his mouth indicating they had to be silent. The mages and Adrian crept alongside the wall, as the Golem tried horribly to tiptoe down the passage.
The Hammer peeked into the room, and jumped away as a ball energy shot at him, barely missing. All of the warriors looked in a strange mix of fear, disgust, and nausea at the monstrous creature.
Radament was clothed in decaying and torn garments that would fit a Pharaoh. He held a staff in his right hand. His skin was tough leathery material that was pulled taught over his bones, but was cut and missing in several areas. His face... was not there! A distorted and broken skull with various snakes curling in and out of his hideous skull. He looked and smelled like death. His hissed an eerie wail of anger at the invaders before firing dark orbs of energy at them.
The mages rolled out of the orb's path and fired simultaneously at the beast, while the Golem charged and tackled the eerie mummy into the wall of his dank crypt. While Golem was pummelling the monster, the Hammer threw his hammer at the creature. Radament pulled Golem into the hammer's path. Sadly, Golem did not make it. Adrian fired off his magical Teeth spell at the monster, until... A Javelin soared into the side of the monster, stunning it.
"Hey guys," A voice from behind Adrian, "Starting without me?"
"SHEILA!" Adrian shouted. "Have you lost your mind? What if the townspeople see you?" The Hammer could only laugh. "Sheila! You can't help us fight the thing, it's too powerful!"
The mummy roared violently at the attackers. Sheila threw her javelin deftly. It crushed right threw the monstrosity's skull. Radament collapsed onto the ground. "I could be wrong." Adrian ended watching the now dead corpse. "Sheila how did you get by the townspeople?" Adrian asked concerned. Sheila put a large skull mask on her head.
"With this mask and my Javelin skills, I could pass for an Amazon... of the Courageous Five." She ended.
"Woah, you impersonating Phoenix, man she's gonna be pissed off." The Hammer said while looting through the crypt."
"You're damn right she's gonna be pissed off." Adrian yelled at Sheila.
"C'mon, are you saying you never did anything wild or dangerous?" Sheila teased. Adrian replied.
"Well one time I impersonated a demon, but this is completely different!"
"Hey guys," The Hammer said, "Was Radament carrying any scrolls?" The arguing two looked over to him. "Well this is some strange scroll..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My ward! The lost Horadric scroll! What a fortunate turn of events..." Cain the Elder prattled.
"I know it's nice Cain, but what does it do?" The masked 'Amazon' asked.
"Hmm...It speaks of Tal Rasha's Tomb." Cain said as all of the heroes, heroine, and Necromages listened intently. "It says that the Horadrim sealed off his chamber with magical staves. After nearly losing one to thievery, the order divided the staves into two pieces, the shaft and the headpiece. These two pieces can be combined with a Horadric Cube. You need the staff in order to open Tal Rasha's Tomb. The shaft can be found in the maggot lair, the headpiece in the Claw Viper Temple, and lastly the Cube is in the Dry Plains. I think that about covers it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several Hours Later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Hammer hacked away at the Sand Maggots with his twin maces. He jumped several feet in the air and ran down the passage running fearlessly through swarms of insects. He ran into the large clearing and saw his goal. Coldworm was sitting defenceless in his chamber, half-asleep. The Hammer jumped onto his backed and swung his maces into the creature's back. It screamed as the barbarian hacked and tore away it's flesh, knee-deep in it's back just hacking away mindlessly. It screamed and convulsed as it began to arch up and poison and blood squirted out of it. The Hammer jumped off it and took cover under a rock as the giant maggot exploded, and kibbles of him (her?) pelted down.
The Hammer peeked out and saw his goal. He ran over to the chest, pocketed the gold, and saw his prize. He clutched the staff of kings as he cast a town portal and stepped into the bright blue oval.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila slammed her buckler into the Cave Leaper as it jumped at her trying to get a meal out of her. Adrian and his minions were forcing their way through the Cave Leaper pack towards the portal he cast. One particularly large Leaper dove at Sheila from behind, but Adrian swung his spiked club at the creature tearing it apart. It also dropped a Mourning Star; the skeleton mages all ran into the portal. Sheila was waiting for Adrian
"C'Mon! Ditch the club and take the weapon!' She yelled as she saw more Cave Leapers running for them from their caverns.
"This club has sentimental value!" He yelled back retrieving his club.
Sheila knew he wouldn't make it.
"I can't believe I'm doing this...' She muttered as she ran over to Adrian, picked up the Mourning Star and him and threw them into the portal as she followed, mere seconds before the Cave Leapers advanced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian fell onto the hot brick road of Lut Gholein, where the portal dropped him off. Sheila fell onto him and crushed him.
"Owww..." He moaned as she got of.
"Relax," She said, "At least you got your Mourning Star, an enchanted one at that."
"Yeah." He muttered. "Hey wait a minute, this is a mourning star of lightning!"
"That's good?" She asked a little confused.
"Hell yeah, it better than my club. Thanks for bringing it with you through the portal.
"Uh... Okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, all we need is the headpiece?" Adrian asked his friend, and trusted warrior the Hammer.
"Mm, Hm..." He replied cooking his fish over the small campfire.
"Uh guys..." Sheila nervously said while looking to the sky.
"Ard-, Hammer, do you know where the headpiece is?"
"Guys..."
"My best bet would be the Claw Vipers."
"Claw Vipers?"
"Guys."
"Evil serpent like monsters, that have a built a Temple in this area."
"Hmm... Drognan might know..."
"GUYS!" The two warriors turned to Sheila. "Have you noticed this evening has been awfully long." The all turned to the sky. "I can't see any stars, and it looks like a solar eclipse. But this is a little long."
The Hammer responded. "For a stinking, demon from hell, she's got a point."
"Hey! We're not from hell, it's just our species is controlled by Mephisto."
"She's got you there Ar-"
"I'll still jam this hammer up your ass!"
"Okay... Ardidar Mc Fluffles!" He yelled at the already mad barbarian.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He yelled lunging at Adrian, while Sheila couldn't help but laugh at the not-so manly barbarian.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been... uh some time since the argument and the trio learned from Drognan, that the Claw Viper had a mystical structure, which caused the unnatural eclipse. That was several hours ago now the trio approaches the second floor of the temple (time flies).
Sheila tossed several javelins through the skulls of several Vipers, sending the remaining Claw Vipers in a panic. The Hammer bellowed fiercely as he mightily swung the hammer through the corpses of undead mummies. The three skeletal mages bombarded the larger mummy resurrecting the fallen mummies. A Claw Viper grabbed around Sheila's chest to be met by her fists.
"PERVERT!" She yelled as she jammed her javelin deep into the monster's throat. As she watched the monster claw at the javelin lodged in it's throat, another snuck up behind her. It lunged as a spear of bone shot through the air like a bullet. It sent the Vipers head to the other side of the room with a look of pure astoundment on its grisly face. He's saving me again, Sheila thought as she retrieved her javelin. More vipers were pouring in through another room.
"HAMMER THE ALTER!" Adrian yelled to the hammer as he fired bolt upon bolt of bone at the Vipers. The mighty barbarian leaped over a decayed mummy beside the pedestal. He yelled furiously and brought the War Hammer crashing down upon the alter smashing it to pieces. A the temple begun to shake as section of the roof cracked open spilling sunlight into the dank crypt of the temple. The Vipers hissed and fled back into the shadows.
"Not bad for a fruitcake." Sheila joked.
"I'm going to take this little kitty to the vet is she doesn't shut up." The Hammer responded. Sheila hissed at him, while Adrian wondered what on Earth could power the alter. It was an amulet, no the Horadric Headpiece!
"Guys! I found the headpiece!" The arguing warriors ignored Adrian.
"Dumdass!" Sheila yelled.
"Bitch!" Hammer bellowed.
"Moron!"
"Daughter of a bitch!"
"That's for dogs dumbass!" She yelled back.
"Guys! Headpiece?" They turned to him as if he just arrived. Adrian placed the two pieces into the Cube. The Hammer crossed his fingers for luck. The Cube glowed incredibly bright, but from it came the Horadric Staff!
"Success!" Sheila exclaimed.
"Good, now let's partay!" The Hammer exclaimed. "Man I'm gonna get more wasted than Geglash!"
"Well, it has been a while since we relaxed..."
"Great the other two exclaimed dragging Adrian back to Lut Gholein. The skeleton mages looked to each other, shrugged, and ran after them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!" The barflies chanted on as the Hammer drained the last contents of the beer keg, threw the keg aside, and belched louder than any of his war cries. Adrian was shocked, disgusted, confused, and overall scared of his friend. Geglash congratulated the barbarian.
"Well, I didn't fink it wud happen, but yur a hevyer drinka than mahself."
"Are u talking to me?" The barbarian slurred back. "Cuz If u r..." He trailed off by throwing a punch at Geglash, but wound up punching himself to the floor.
"Okay this is getting too stupid, I'm outta here!" Adrian said leaving. His skeletal mages stepped over the passed out barbarian and following him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Halt!' One guard to Lut Gholein's said. "Oh, it's the Amazon." Another guard grunted in agreement. The Amazon marched in the city grumbling and cursing.
"What's with you?" The one guard asked.
"I'll tell you," She barked, "I was in the desert and I save several of the Harems from Sabre Cats and what? They say true warriors only rescue them. Humph! And what are Amazons Then?"
"No kidding... a bunch of Harems... alone... in the desert... needing to be rescued." The two guards looked at each other and quickly abandoned their posts. The Amazon watched them leave. She laughed as her body reverted to its original shape... that of a Sabre Cat priestess.
"Testosterone, driven fools can't even see that they are walking intro a trap." She wickedly smiled as she dove behind a building watching the Necromancer Adrian Tombes. After he left, the priestess cast a spell and the temperature dropped severely. The temperature was nearly as cold as her smile... nearly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was later that night when Sheila awoke nearly frozen. She breathed and saw her own breath. She had slept on the couch, but that bed with silk sheets was looking pretty nice right about now. Even the skeleton mages, in the room's corner, sitting down (sleeping?) looked frozen. Sheila was freezing so she walked over to the bed where Adrian was sleeping peacefully. She crawled under the sheets and snuggled up to Adrian and fell asleep instantly.
"Golem was right, she does like him." The Fire Mage said.
"Oh, s-s-s-shut up-p-p-p." Another mage chattered.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!!
Whaddya think? Next time-???