text: [Themes: Fantasy]
  
  > Look around
  A chill wind whips you as you stand on the icy surface here. In all directions, you see only ice, stretching out even to the horizon. No tracks mark the ground ... perhaps you are the only person ever to have come here. The sky is black, and the only light is starlight from the strange constellations above your head.
  A tall figure in shimmering white stands here. You suddenly realize this is Daniel.
  
  > examine Daniel
  Daniel is humanoid, perhaps seven feet in height, and cloaked in shimmering white robes. His eyes are deeper than those of any mortal you have ever seen, but even they are not deep enough to contain the infinite wisdom and infinite sorrow you see inside. Daniel looks at you for a minute, then smiles softly. He begins to speak.
  "I'm glad you've come. I suppose you'd like a little explanation
  now?"
  "Well, yes, I would --" you start to say, only to realize that's not what you're actually asking. The small words that somehow tumble out of your mouth are "Daniel ... are you ... y'know . . . God?"
  He smiles that smile at you again, and shakes his head. A hand
  reaches out to brush your hair softly. "No, child, I'm not God. Only . . only a fallen angel." The look of regret in his eyes is almost more than you can bear.
  "But let me explain things a little better for you. You're
  confused, tired, scared. Let me help." Daniel's smile this time is dazzling, not tired. "Let me help you."
  
  > wait awhile
  Time passes...
  "To begin with -- where to begin with? Let me tell you a story. In the beginning, my son, it is said that when humans were just beginning to live on the earth, there were the angels in heaven. And the angels looked down on the humans, and laughed to see their petty squabbling, their jealousies, their wars, their many imperfections. The things that made them mortal. And the angels would look at one another, and mock the humans on earth, and talk about how much better *they* could do if they were down there. One day, they were given their chance.
  God took the four most boastful of the angels, and sent them down to earth. "Go and live amongst the humans," God said, "And return to Me in a year and a day, to say what you have learned." So the angels came to earth. And though their descent had stripped their magic from them, the angels were still fair of face, strong and noble of body, and goodly to look upon. And the angels walked amongst the people, and saw them as mortals see each other."
  
  > wait a while
  Time passes...
  "The angels tarried with the people for less than a fortnight before they had established themselves as braver, nobler, more beautiful, stronger, in all ways better than the humans. Or so they believed. Drunk on flattery from their new-found admirers (for among the angels in heaven, their attributes were nothing special), the four angels married the sons and daughters of the people, and made residence with them. There was much rejoicing in the houses that the former angels joined, and much celebration. Wine was brought out, a thing the children of the sky had never tasted before. There was merrymaking and great feasting.
  The angels lived on earth for many months. In that time, they lost
  all the virtues that they had come with. One took to brigandry, using his strength and cunning to waylay and rob the rich and terrorize and abuse the poor and helpless. One took to gambling -- her near-divine intuition was unsurpassed, and when that failed her, her marked cards and easy blackmail did not. The third became a war- lord, and she sought to conquer all the world. The last became a sorcerer, performing dark rites and blood sacrifices for power to replace that which he had lost in his fall from heaven."
  
  > wait
  Time passes...
  "So the days passed, and so the months passed, and so the year
  passed. Finally, the entire year ended. In but two hours, the final day would end as well, and the angels' stay on earth would end. And none of the four remembered, none recalled, none cared. So, when the call came and they flew up to the sky, their mortal baggage was brought along. Raphael still held his daggers and looted gold, and the scars that he had gained. Lilith still clasped a palmed die in one hand, and a wine-skin in the other. Jaela held her sword, steeped in the tears of the innocent. And Daniel --" Daniel's voice chokes for a minute, then he continues. "Daniel still held his black book of sorcery, and his sacrificial dagger, wet with baby's blood. God gazed upon the four angels, and the angels gazed upon themselves. And they were ashamed. God spoke to them, and to the assembled angels. "I reject thee, now. Because of the pridefulness that is within all, heaven's gates are closed to you forevermore. Go forth, back to the lands from whence you came. You are angels no more."
  The four who had gone to earth took special punishment. Raphael was sent, in his strength, to hold the Earth in its course. Lilith, in her cunning, was sent to tease the rivers into their courses, and the seas into their proper basins. Jaela, with her might, was given the storms and skies to oversee, for all eternity. And Daniel was sent forth to the stars, a lonely wanderer, forevermore."
  
  > wait
  Time passes...
  "As you may have realized, you are a chosen one, a Phoenix. Within
  you is the potential for great power, and much magic. When the need is here, you must awaken it. And the need *is* here. Earth is threatened. This time, it is from within. Evil works through man, this time, through bribed senators and corporate thugs. The world leadership is almost all either unknowingly or knowingly helping evil, preparing the way for the enemy to take over. Because the invaders are here again too.
  They were driven off once by angels, but now they have returned, and there are no angels left who can stand against them. Only mortals. Phoenix, you must rise up. Already, *They* recognize you for what you are. Already, they have struck against you. I think you know when. The last time was on the cliff. They had hoped to kill you, and eliminate the final threat, but you were snatched out of reality for an instant. I hastily pulled together snatches of Reality and wove them into a place for you to stay in. The action took great effort, and I am very tired. But I was tired before. I brought you here because you must awaken. And perhaps so that you can see Truth a bit more clearly. It is true that the invaders have been working against you, yet many
  of the troubles in your life are your own doing, you know. Before you return home, you must confront them, and yourself. Then you can fly as a Phoenix must, because only a Phoenix can save the world now.
  This place--" Daniel gestures with one shapely hand "is not quite
  the same as where you were before. The spider venom should have killed you, as should the huge dose of mushroom that you took. But instead, you came to me, to this dream-land that I live in. In a minute, I will put you back in to the place you left, and give you some time to finish thinking about things. But first, perhaps you have some questions about things?"
  
  > ask Daniel about the tree
  "Ah, yes. A bit rude, but a heart of gold. I think."
  
  > ask Daniel about the gazebo
  "I rather like the gazebo. It's dreadfully symbolic, and quite pleasant to spend time in. Or on top of. I never did get around to putting a proper stairway to the roof though."
  
  > ask Daniel about the sun
  "I think you've noticed the sun doesn't move. Time is different
  here -- it's more under your control. You'll understand in a bit, I expect."
  
  > ask Daniel about the waterfall
  "The river symbolizes life, in a way. It springs from nowhere and
  goes to nowhere when it ends. 'Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, as it were.'" Daniel pauses for a minute. "Before you leave here, you will have to stop the river."
  
  > ask Daniel about robin
  "A bit too symbolic, perhaps."
  
  > ask Daniel about the magnet
  "I'm sorry," Daniel says, "But I don't understand what you mean." Daniel frowns suddenly, glancing upwards at the stars. "It's time
  for you to go," he says.
  Daniel gestures, and an arch appears. This one is shining silver,
  like the stars overhead. He points, and you step through. The lake, the sky, the wind, everything dissolves. Daniel's parting words drift after you, as he too vanishes: "My regards to your father ..."
  
  This is a clearing in the middle of a forest. Tall trees grow all around, moss hangs from their branches, and there are scattered flowers. A stream runs through the forest here. It is wide but shallow, allowing you to see the granite ground below it. Small bits of quartz are embedded everywhere in the granite, and they sparkle and glimmer as the sunlight shines on the moving water. Strange glowing fish are swimming around quite happily in the water. Many are swimming against the current, seemingly without effort. The stream passes into the forest to the east, and is quickly lost amongst the trees.
  Your father stands here.
  
  > examine father
  Yes, it's your father. The man that left you when you were only six years old, leaving nothing but memories behind. He never, ever even bothered to call, even on your birthdays. Your mother never talked about him much, but when you got older, you realized his departure was probably responsible for her drinking problem, at the very least. Bastard.
  The years seemed to have aged him deeper than they should have, but
  of course it's hard to tell. His eyes are still the same burning blue that you remember from long-ago dreams.
  "Hello, son." Your eyes open wide as you seen the man.
  "D-D-Dad? Is that you?"
  Your father nods, slowly. "Yeah, it's me." He looks at you.
  "You've grown up."
  Anger returns, almost involuntarily, as he speaks. "Yes, I have.
  But you wouldn't know, would you? You never came to see me." Your voice is already trembling.
  He looks pained, and suddenly shivers. He starts to speak, stops,
  and starts again. "I, I, I can't say much except ... 'sorry'?"
  You interrupt his next words with a shout. "Sorry? Sorry??? You bastard, you left me alone, left Mom to drown her sorrows with all her fucking six-packs, and all you can say is 'sorry'??"
  Your father seems staggered by the outburst. Each word strikes him like a blow. "I *am* sorry, so very very sorry. I just couldn't handle it. Having a child, losing my job ... I stuck it out as long as I could, and then I ran. Left one night, walked out the door, never came back ... I'm sorry." He seems close to tears.
  "Dammit, Dad, how could you do this? Coward." He shrinks away as
  you talk. You keep going, forcing him back. "You left me. You abandoned us. You sent my life into a tailspin. Me, the last hope for this crazy planet, me, the Phoenix, you ruined me. You realize what you've done?"
  Your father stands up straight then, and looks at you for a long minute. When he speaks, his voice is firm again, and clear. "I'm sorry. It was inexcusable. I had no right to run. But you don't either."
  "What? What the hell are you talking about? You're the problem
  here, not me."
  "Son, listen to me. *Listen* to me. When I ran, it was running
  away from myself. You see ... the Phoenix is carried by bloodlines. When I was young, I was Phoenix too."
  You are too shocked to speak, so he continues. "Yeah, that's right. The Phoenix is genetic. But it fades as you get older, passes along to the young and vigorous. Your great-aunt had it too, though not as strong as I saw it in you. Don't you see why I ran? I knew what my childhood was like ... things going wrong for me in school, at home, the accident that took both *my* parents away. I couldn't bear it twice, to see it happen to my child as They tried to get him too. I just couldn't. So I ran away. Maybe I hoped, even, to draw Them away from you. I was just playing into Their hands, I realize now, but I was still pretty young then. So I ran from you, ran from responsibility, ran from the Phoenix. My gift never awakened. I never flew. You've got to fly now, son, because I never could."
  A quick pause, and he speaks again. "I've been able to watch you a
  few times, as you grew up. I saw you take the same paths I took, suffer the same things I did. And I was never able to warn you. It was agony. Finally, They did get me after all -- a mistaken drive-by shooting, the police said -- and Daniel came to collect me. *You* have got to break the pattern now. Leave the cycle, and go fly free." His voice stumbles to the end of the speech, and he takes a long shuddering breath. "Break the cycle. For me." His hand stretches out to you. You slowly raise yours to meet his shadowy touch. It is like touching air, almost, but not quite.
  "I forgive you, Dad." The words bring sweet release as you say
  them, starting the healing of too many lost years.
  He smiles, the first smile of his you've seen since you were six. "Thanks." His hand reaches into his pocket, and he pulls something out. It drops onto the ground and rolls to your feet. A bit of a grin comes to your father's face, and he says "Bust things wide open." He looks at you for a long time, and then says one last word. "Goodbye." Already, he is fading, and before the echo of the word has disappeared, he is no longer there. Your father is gone, forever.
  "'Bye, Dad." You speak to the empty air, then bend down to see what
  he left you.
  It seems to be one of the relics of the army stuff you remember he
  used to collect: a hand grenade. A curious gift, but surely he would have known what you needed right now.
  
  > examine the grenade
  It's a hand grenade. Vaguely oval-shaped, and roughly the size of an apple. You remember your dad used to collect them before - well, before he left. Seems to be in working condition, too. Of course, there's only one way to find out, and that's pulling the pin . . .