text: [Themes: Space Exploration]
  
  > descend
  You dive into the lake and swim out to the middle.
  
  The bottom of the lake, southwest corner
  As you swim around, you notice an old treasure chest lies on the floor in the southwest corner of the lake. It is closed and its base has become embedded in the ground beneath it. You wonder who left their treasure in the lake long ago, and why it was abandoned. Maybe it was too difficult to retrieve, or maybe it was lost not hidden. Whatever happened, it's ancient history now. The lake continues to the east and north, but you could also return back up to the surface.
  
  The dolphin swims up to you and says, "I need your help. I can't get into my home. I'm sure that you can think of something, and I would be very grateful."
  
  The dolphin is currently swimming in the area.
  
  > Open chest
  When you open the treasure chest you do not find the gold, jewels or amulets that you were hoping for. In fact you do not find anything at all. It is completely empty.
  
  > Close chest
  You close the treasure chest.
  
  > talk to the dolphin
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Who are you?"
  (2) "Where am I?"
  (3) "What are you doing?"
  (4) "How did your home get blocked off?"
  (5) "Have you noticed the treasure chest?"
  (6) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "I can't tell you that much about myself, as I was separated from any other dolphins a long while ago. In fact I cannot even remember any others. All I remember is waking up in here. I wonder if I was kidnapped, but I have found no kidnappers. Still, it doesn't really matter, and it is better not to dwell on the past."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Where am I?"
  (2) "What are you doing?"
  (3) "How did your home get blocked off?"
  (4) "Have you noticed the treasure chest?"
  (5) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "This lake is where I live now. I had an accident, I think, a while back, and I have lost a lot of my memory. To be honest, I do not know how I got here. I have tried exploring up the river, but it does not lead to the sea. I would like a little more space. However, the only thing left to do, is to make the best of the situation and live here."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "What are you doing?"
  (2) "How did your home get blocked off?"
  (3) "Have you noticed the treasure chest?"
  (4) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "I am swimming around the area. I like swimming around in nice loops down here, as it is good exercise. I need to keep in shape, as you never know when an opportunity to leave will arise. I want to be ready to fit in wherever I go. I have some secret ambitions, but I am too nervous to discuss them yet. I know everything will work out, if I just do my best."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "How did your home get blocked off?"
  (2) "Have you noticed the treasure chest?"
  (3) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "I'm not sure, as I wasn't there when it happened. I am grateful that I wasn't there inside to become stuck inside my home. The construction on the tunnel has not been as well done, as I would have liked. There were a few cracks in the ceiling above the entrance, and I guess that the roof just collapsed whilst I was away."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Have you noticed the treasure chest?"
  (2) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "Yes, I noticed it fairly quickly. It is easy to spot, as I'm sure you have found. The chest was originally full of jewels, but I sold them off. They paid for the construction of my nice home, and allowed me to help a few other people around the area."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Goodbye."
  
  > Go north
  The bottom of the lake, northwest corner
  The northwest corner has some unusual underwater plant life, with what looks like a tree growing out of the lake floor. It is surprising, as you would expect a tree like that to be growing on land, but maybe this tree is lost. You can see to the east a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the east. You can also swim through the lake to the south, or back up to the surface.
  
  The dolphin is currently swimming in the area.
  
  > examine the tree
  You have not heard of underwater trees like this one, but there is a lot about this land that is new to you. The unusual seems to happen regularly here. The tree has leaves, branches and everything you would expect, but you still keep thinking that you must be wrong somehow.
  
  > climb the tree
  You could just swim back up to the surface.
  
  > Go upwards
  You swim back up to the surface of the lake at the edge. You pull yourself out of the water and return to dry land.
  
  The lake, at the end of the river
  The river from the north reaches its final destination in the lake that you are standing next to. The lake is clean and sparkling in the daylight. The reflected pink sky gives it an unusual colouration. A pump is whirring next to the lake, moving water into a pipe, which leads northwest underground. The pump is now removing water at a similar rate to the river rushing towards the lake. The river's speed means that it is impossible for you to swim north. Next to the pump is an open chest. A path curves around the lake from the northwest to the southeast. A hill can be seen to the northeast.
  
  > examine the tunnel
  The tunnel does not look like a natural hole in the cliff. It looks like someone has drilled through the cliff at some stage to create it.
  
  The dolphin swims off to the south.
  
  > go east
  The tunnel, west end
  The tunnel has been carved into the rock, curving around from the south to the west. It slopes downwards in each direction. Unfortunately you can only see a little of the tunnel to the south as the boulder from the roof falling down is blocking the tunnel at its highest point. There is a crack that you can see slightly through. The boulder also appears to be blocking the entrance to a room. At the moment you can only exit to the west.
  
  > examine the crack
  You can see the other side of the tunnel through the crack.
  
  > look at the boulder
  This large chunk of rock came from the roof of the tunnel, but you have no idea why it fell down. Maybe the tunnel was not very well made. The chunk is fairly round and could roll.
  
  > Go west
  The bottom of the lake, northwest corner
  The northwest corner has some unusual underwater plant life, with what looks like a tree growing out of the lake floor. It is surprising, as you would expect a tree like that to be growing on land, but maybe this tree is lost. You can see to the east a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the east. You can also swim through the lake to the south, or back up to the surface.
  
  > Go southeast
  The bottom of the lake, southeast corner
  Whilst swimming around the southeast corner of the lake, the most noticeable object is a sunken rowboat. The reason for the sinking you would guess has something to do with the crack along the boat's bottom, which probably would not have kept out the water very well. It does not look like the boat was well maintained, although being abandoned at the bottom of the lake wouldn't have helped. You can see to the north a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the north. You can also swim through the lake to the west, or back up to the surface.
  
  > look at the oar
  The long wooden oar could once be used to row a boat. However, you do not have a boat, and the oar is not in good condition anymore. It is still a reasonably strong piece of wood though.
  
  > look at the boat
  The rowboat has deteriorated sitting on the bottom of the lake, although it probably wasn't in great condition before then. There is a crack in the bottom, and the lake floor has begun to come through it to start burying the boat in the ground. The boat is not large and could not have held more than a few passengers.
  
  > go to the north
  The tunnel, south end
  The tunnel has been carved into the rock, curving around from the south to the west. It slopes downwards in each direction. Unfortunately you can only see a little of the tunnel to the west as the boulder from the roof falling down is blocking the tunnel at its highest point. There is a crack that you can see slightly through. The boulder also appears to be blocking the entrance to a room. At the moment you can only exit to the south.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You are carrying:
  an oar
  a bronze diving helmet (with oxygen tank attached) (being worn)
  a sound box
  a shield
  a small sharp rock
  a sword
  
  > Go west
  The bottom of the lake, southwest corner
  As you swim around, you notice an old treasure chest lies on the floor in the southwest corner of the lake. It is closed and its base has become embedded in the ground beneath it. You wonder who left their treasure in the lake long ago, and why it was abandoned. Maybe it was too difficult to retrieve, or maybe it was lost not hidden. Whatever happened, it's ancient history now. The lake continues to the east and north, but you could also return back up to the surface.
  
  The dolphin is currently swimming in the area.
  
  > go north
  The bottom of the lake, northwest corner
  The northwest corner has some unusual underwater plant life, with what looks like a tree growing out of the lake floor. It is surprising, as you would expect a tree like that to be growing on land, but maybe this tree is lost. You can see to the east a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the east. You can also swim through the lake to the south, or back up to the surface.
  
  > go east
  The tunnel, west end
  The tunnel has been carved into the rock, curving around from the south to the west. It slopes downwards in each direction. Unfortunately you can only see a little of the tunnel to the south as the boulder from the roof falling down is blocking the tunnel at its highest point. There is a crack that you can see slightly through. The boulder also appears to be blocking the entrance to a room. At the moment you can only exit to the west.
  
  > stay
  To talk to someone or something, please type TALK TO OBJECT.
  
  The dolphin swims off to the west.
  
  > go to the north
  The tunnel, south end
  The tunnel has been carved into the rock, curving around from the south to the west. It slopes downwards in each direction. Unfortunately you can only see a little of the tunnel to the west as the boulder from the roof falling down is blocking the tunnel at its highest point. There is a crack that you can see slightly through. The boulder also appears to be blocking the entrance to a room. At the moment you can only exit to the south.
  
  > examine the chest
  The chest is on the floor near the bed. It is closed.
  
  > Open chest
  You open the chest, revealing the Amulet of Water.
  
  > examine Amulet
  The Amulet of Water is made of seashell. The head of the Princess you saw earlier is carved into the shape of the amulet. A cord allows the amulet to be worn around someone's neck.
  
  > Close chest
  You close the chest.
  
  > go to the west
  The bottom of the lake, northwest corner
  The northwest corner has some unusual underwater plant life, with what looks like a tree growing out of the lake floor. It is surprising, as you would expect a tree like that to be growing on land, but maybe this tree is lost. You can see to the east a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the east. You can also swim through the lake to the south, or back up to the surface.
  
  The boulder from the tunnel is on the ground here.
  
  The dolphin is currently swimming in the area.
  
  > Go east
  This room is jovial in mood, with a hoop and rubber ball abandoned on the floor next to a bed. The bed's covers are adorned with images of a circus, including clowns and acrobats performing in the picture of the show. When you were young, you wanted to be in the circus, until you found out how little it paid compared to your current job. It would have helped if you had been a little more agile as well. There is also a closed chest in the room. Tunnels head to the south and west. A chunk is missing from the ceiling near the entrance of the room.
  
  The dolphin swims in from the west.
  
  > take Amulet
  Taken.
  
  > examine the bed
  The circus pictures on the covers of the bed, along with the ball and hoop on the floor, lead you to believe that the dolphin is interested in show business. Whether he has any talent is another matter, which you don't know the answer to.
  
  > look at the ball
  The rubber ball is about the size of your diving helmet. It has been abandoned on the floor, along with the hoop.
  
  The dolphin swims off to the south.
  
  > Go west
  The bottom of the lake, northwest corner
  The northwest corner has some unusual underwater plant life, with what looks like a tree growing out of the lake floor. It is surprising, as you would expect a tree like that to be growing on land, but maybe this tree is lost. You can see to the east a steep underwater cliff that almost reaches the surface. The water's shallowness separates the northeast corner from the rest of the lake. There is a tunnel in the cliff that you can swim into to the east. You can also swim through the lake to the south, or back up to the surface.
  
  The boulder from the tunnel is on the ground here.
  
  > Go upwards
  You swim back up to the surface of the lake at the edge. You pull yourself out of the water and return to dry land.
  
  The lake, at the end of the river
  The river from the north reaches its final destination in the lake that you are standing next to. The lake is clean and sparkling in the daylight. The reflected pink sky gives it an unusual colouration. A pump is whirring next to the lake, moving water into a pipe, which leads northwest underground. The pump is now removing water at a similar rate to the river rushing towards the lake. The river's speed means that it is impossible for you to swim north. Next to the pump is an open chest. A path curves around the lake from the northwest to the southeast. A hill can be seen to the northeast.
  
  > remove the helmet
  You take off the bronze diving helmet (with oxygen tank attached).
  
  > put the helmet in the chest
  You put the bronze diving helmet (with oxygen tank attached) into the chest.
  
  > Go west
  You try to walk into the cave, but you stop when a gust of fire is blown out. A voice apologises from inside, "Sorry about that. I'm a dragon, and I have been having a little trouble with my fire breathing recently. Ok, a lot of trouble. That's why I'm hiding in here, and don't want to see anyone. We can talk, but don't come in, without something to protect you from the flames. I just can't stop at the moment."
  
  You lift your shield and try again to enter. This time the shield deflects the flames. You slowly step inside the cave and walk towards the lit area you see inside.
  
  There is not much left in this cave apart from ashes scattered around the area. It looks like the dragon's uncontrollable fire breathing problems have not been healthy for the furniture. All that is left is one table and a bed. You could guess that they were lucky, but looking at their pristine condition, a better guess might be that they are brand new. Sunlight is coming in from a hole in the ceiling of the cave that penetrates through to outside the mountain. The cave continues further to the west, but it is too dark to continue. The exit back outside is to the east.
  
  The dragon is lying on his stomach on the bed, facing towards you.
  
  > examine dragon
  The green dragon is not looking well and is lying on the bed. He looks very nervous, and his fire breathing problems are obviously affecting him. He looks uncomfortable and is regularly shifting around in the bed, almost as if there was something hidden in the small gap between the dragon and the bed. The dragon's wings and tail are tightly curled around him, as he looks to be trying to hide from the world.
  
  > look at the bed
  This is a long bed, which is close to the floor. It is not much better than just being a mattress.
  
  > examine table
  The table is the only piece of furniture in here apart from the bed. It is not that large and sits next to the bed.
  
  > talk to the dragon
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Who are you?"
  (2) "Where am I?"
  (3) "Do you have any amulets?"
  (4) "Is there any way I can help you?"
  (5) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "I am the dragon, who is stuck inside this cave. It started several months ago, when I accidentally set a table on fire in here. It has only become worse since, and I cannot control the fire coming out of my mouth. I just seem to be on fire inside. I'm scared to leave this cave. I may hurt someone, and I don't want to hurt anyone. I need the fire inside me to be put out!"
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Where am I?"
  (2) "Do you have any amulets?"
  (3) "Is there any way I can help you?"
  (4) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "You are standing inside my home in this cave. I like having the company, but I am afraid of hurting you with my flames, so it might be a good time for you to leave. Not that you have to, but I think it would be a good idea. Sorry, maybe you can wander around other more interesting places."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Do you have any amulets?"
  (2) "Is there any way I can help you?"
  (3) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "Yes I do actually. I have one somewhere on this bed, but at the moment I don't feel healthy enough to get up and let you look for it. Maybe another time."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Is there any way I can help you?"
  (2) "Goodbye."
  
  > 1
  "I don't know. If I knew a way to help myself, I would have done it already. I just feel like I'm burning up inside and the fire keeps spilling out to the outside of me. I wish I knew other dragons who had survived the same condition, but I only know a few and none of them have a clue."
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Goodbye."
  
  > Wear Amulet
  You put on the Amulet of Water.
  
  The dragon accidentally blows out some fire, which you deflect with the shield.
  
  > Go east
  You stumble back until you find your way out of the cave.
  
  A steep cliff marks the start of the mountain range to the west. The mountains continue to the north and south, with no path through above ground in sight. There is a cave in the west cliff wall that may provide a path underground. The cave does not look too dark, as a faint light emanates inside, although you cannot make out any details. You are glad that you are not claustrophobic, although you are not fond of dark holes ever since you had to hide in one on your last mission. A path curves around a water tank, passing from the northeast to the southeast. The water tank has a tap on one side, with a sign above it saying "Area Water Storage".
  
  > go southeast
  The lake, at the end of the river
  The river from the north reaches its final destination in the lake that you are standing next to. The lake is clean and sparkling in the daylight. The reflected pink sky gives it an unusual colouration. A pump is whirring next to the lake, moving water into a pipe, which leads northwest underground. The pump is now removing water at a similar rate to the river rushing towards the lake. The river's speed means that it is impossible for you to swim north. Next to the pump is an open chest. A path curves around the lake from the northwest to the southeast. A hill can be seen to the northeast.
  
  > attach the hose to the tank
  You attach the hose to the tap.
  
  > turn on the tap
  You turn the tap on, and the water soon starts spraying out of the end of the hose on the ground. You pick up the hose and aim it into the cave. A burst of fire comes out, but the water cuts through and dissipates it. Soon you can see steam coming from inside the cave, as the water continues to be fired in. You continue for a long while, until eventually when the steam stops, you wait for a few more seconds to make sure, and then turn off the tap.
  
  The dragon emerges from the cave, and says, "Thank you so much. I feel a lot better now. I think I can even go see some friends that I haven't seen for ages. There are a few other dragons in this world, although not many outside this region, as there are mainly people elsewhere. Take something from my cave as a reward. I've got to go now."
  
  After saying this, the dragon takes off and flies in a northerly direction.
  
  > Go west
  When you walk inside, you see a lit area, which you stumble in the dark towards.
  
  There is not much left in this cave apart from ashes scattered around the area. It looks like the dragon's uncontrollable fire breathing problems have not been healthy for the furniture. All that is left is one table and a bed. You could guess that they were lucky, but looking at their pristine condition, a better guess might be that they are brand new. Sunlight is coming in from a hole in the ceiling of the cave that penetrates through to outside the mountain. The cave continues further to the west, but it is too dark to continue. The exit back outside is to the east.
  
  On the bed is the Amulet of Fire.
  
  > take Amulet
  (the Amulet of Water)
  You already have that.
  
  > take Fire
  Taken.
  
  > examine it
  The Amulet of Fire is made of obsidian. The head of the Princess you saw earlier is carved into the shape of the amulet. A cord allows the amulet to be worn around someone's neck.
  
  > wear it
  You put on the Amulet of Fire.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  the Amulet of Fire (being worn)
  the Amulet of Water (being worn)
  an oar
  a sound box
  a shield
  a small sharp rock
  a sword
  
  > Go east
  You stumble back until you find your way out of the cave.
  
  A steep cliff marks the start of the mountain range to the west. The mountains continue to the north and south, with no path through above ground in sight. There is a cave in the west cliff wall that may provide a path underground. The cave does not look too dark, as a faint light emanates inside, although you cannot make out any details. You are glad that you are not claustrophobic, although you are not fond of dark holes ever since you had to hide in one on your last mission. A path curves around a water tank, passing from the northeast to the southeast. The water tank has a tap on one side, with a sign above it saying "Area Water Storage".
  
  A hose is attached to the tap.
  
  > hit the fruit with the oar
  Which do you mean, the fruit tree or the fruit remains?
  
  > go north
  This shop is almost empty. Business looks to have been very bad, as the heavy and undisturbed layer of dust means that no stock has been sold here for too long. On the eastern side are shelves, which only contain a few books and a tin of blue paint. On the western side is a table of food, on which small piles of carrots, mulberry tree leaves and steak sit. The glass counter looks a bit more full and houses some shiny objects, with the most eye-catching being a silver wrench and a gold key. A sign is next to these objects. The only exit is back to the south.
  
  The Stegosaurus is standing behind the counter. He is wearing the Amulet of Air.
  
  > give Fire to the stegoaurus
  You can only do that to something animate.
  
  > give Fire to Stegosaurus
  The shopkeeper accepts the Amulet of Fire, and puts it around his neck. He then tells you that you have one more Amulet to go, before he will give you the Amulet of Air.
  
  > give Water to him
  The shopkeeper accepts the Amulet of Water, and puts it around his neck. After staring at his new possession for a few seconds, he sighs and says "I suppose you can have this now."
  
  The shopkeeper then takes off the Amulet of Air, and gives it to you. You are glad to have finally obtained the Amulet of Air. However, something is bothering you about the situation you are in. Solving puzzles, carrying out tasks, it all reminds you of something, but you cannot quite place it. You almost wonder if your subconscious is shaping this world from past experiences.
  
  > go south
  The top of this hill, is a good vantage point, as you can see everywhere from here. Luckily, as you do not want to walk too far, the area surrounding the hill is not that large. It is enclosed by a forest, which you cannot see the end of, to the east, and a mountain range, which you cannot see over, to the west. The two extremes meet at the north and south points of the area. In between you can see a farm to the east, a cave to the west, the Red Tower to the south and a shop to the north. A blanket of grass covers the whole hill, although the grass at the top does look a little flattened.
  
  The white rabbit is lying asleep on the ground.
  
  > Go south
  The boulder, at the base of a hill
  You are standing at the base of a hill, which you can climb to the north. The undulating, grassy Arcadia almost makes you feel poetic, although your favoured style of limericks does not really fit the mold. A boulder, sitting in the middle of the path leading from the south, diverts the path around it and the hill to the northeast and northwest.
  
  > go to the south
  To the south a very tall tower reaches up into the pink sky, with the man-made structure providing a counterpoint to the surrounding forest and mountains. Near the top of the tower you can see an open window. That window was where you saw the blonde Princess, and where you consequently want to go. The tower must be dark and airless, as the only other visible opening is a large set of closed wooden doors, which block the entrance into the tower. A path leads to the north.
  
  The gargoyle is standing in front of the tower's entrance, looking at you.
  
  > give Amulet to the gargoyle
  When you show the Amulet of Air to the gargoyle, you can see a momentary greedy expression in his gaze, but it is soon replaced by a masked look of indifference. The gargoyle says, "That is a very nice looking Amulet you have there. I have wanted one just like that for a long, long while. I think it would look good on me. Don't you? Of course you do, and you look like a generous kind of person. Not that I am asking for it. I would never do that."
  
  You smile, as you twirl the Amulet around your hand. Suddenly you toss the Amulet up in the air above the gargoyle. He takes off quickly and grabs it in mid-air. You see him look down at the Amulet, then continue flying upwards. The gargoyle lands on the roof of the Red Tower and disappears from sight.
  
  > open the doors
  You open the doors.
  
  > go south
  There is not much on the inside of this tower. Only stairs are visible, curling upwards around the walls. The amount of stairs does make up for the absence of anything else though. You cannot even see the top of the stairs in this dim light. The light is strange, as it looks artificial and coming from far above, but you have not seen any artificial light in this world. Apart from walking up the stairs, you could always return back outside to the north.
  
  > look at the stairs
  There is an impressive quantity of stairs heading upwards. It would be even more impressive to have an elevator instead, but it looks like there aren't any in this place.
  
  > go upward
  You climb up and up until you are almost exhausted. When you finally reach the top you take a short break to catch your breath. For a second in your exhaustion, you almost think that you are on a small ledge in a cave, with walls all around you and a faint light coming from near above you. However, when you look around more carefully you see none of this.
  
  You cannot believe that you have climbed all of the stairs you can see descending into the near-bottomless dark depths below. You are standing on a small ledge, which connects the stairs with a door to the north. The door is closed, with a piece of wood placed across it to prevent anyone opening it from the other side. There is a dim light here, but you cannot figure out where it is coming from, as you cannot see a light on the ceiling. You estimate that you have about reached the level of the window where you saw the Princess earlier. You hope that you can finally reassure yourself that she is real. Or that she is not real. You do not know what you really want.
  
  You can see a stone dart here.
  
  > move the wood
  You take the wood off the door and place it on the floor.
  
  > examine the wood
  The piece of wood is lying next to the door.
  
  > open the door
  You open the door.
  
  > Go north
  With a four poster bed, an elegant bedside cabinet and an armoire, this is a beautifully attired room, but it is still not nearly as beautiful as the Princess. She is looking at herself in a full-length mirror hanging on the wall, fixing her long golden hair. You glance into the mirror, but to your surprise you see something that has to be completely different to what she is seeing. You can see a rocky darkness, with a faint light shining from above.
  
  The Princess glances away from the mirror at the noise of the door opening. She smiles at you, and says, "Hi, my name is Princess Circe. I have been waiting a long while for someone to come through that door. The last trap that nasty wizard set was triggered a long while ago but no one has come since. Until you, my hero. Now that I am free, I can reclaim my kingdom, but I can't do it alone. Will you help? Will you stay here with me?"
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) "Yes, I'd like to stay."
  (2) "No, I don't want to stay."
  (3) "No, I don't believe you exist."
  
  > 3
  You see a quizzical look start to emerge on the face of the Princess, but you close your eyes to ignore her reaction. You focus inwards, willing yourself to see the real world, not this fake dream. Suddenly you feel yourself falling, and you grab out wildly. Unlike earlier when this whole mess started, you manage to grab hold of something. As your eyes adjust to the darkness you can see that you are in a hole, with the laboratory above you. You haul yourself upwards to a ledge, where you find the gold watch you lost earlier. You pick up the watch and continue to climb upwards until you escape.
  
  Back in the laboratory you place the gold watch in the machine and turn it on. A strange gold liquid remains after it is all mixed together. You find an empty flask and fill it with the liquid. You suddenly realise that you are actually holding your missing communicator. You will need it to get back in contact with the ship. You ensure that you are outside the laboratory before drinking all of the gold liquid.
  
  Everything begins to change around you...
  
  You are finally back in the real world, with everything looking normal again. You have never been as relieved in your life to be finally free of the nightmare. All you have to do is to report back to the ship and get out of here. As you press the button on the communicator and ask for the Captain, you wonder what you should conclude in your report.
  
  What would you like to say?
  (1) There is nothing seriously wrong here.
  (2) There are a few problems, but they should be resolved in a few years.
  (3) This place is not safe to be colonised.
  
  > 3
  Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing when this planet will be safe. You have the bad feeling that the pinkness is going to spread, not disappear. You cannot allow the planet to be colonised in this condition. It needs to be quarantined, so the pinkness does not spread off-planet. Having made this decision, you gather up your evidence, and report back to the ship.
  
  When you talk to the Captain, you tell him about all your adventures. He is skeptical, but he eventually accepts your point of view that the planet is too dangerous to colonise, and he endorses your recommendations. Your stories are put on record with the other evidence. Whilst you may have convinced the Captain, other reviewers of the file feel it is more likely that you hallucinated from a local disease. That disease may make the planet more dangerous, but it may also have left a permanent effect on your health.
  
  In future years, whenever you try for a promotion, you find yourself rebuffed, as you are too risky. You wonder if you made the right decision. You hope you did, as there is no way you can change it now.
  
  > Notes
  Thank you for playing my IF competition entry. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, then I advise you to try some of my other games, which are listed in the "about" section that can be accessed during the game. There are seven possible endings. The one you received, plus four others, can still be easily reached by typing "undo" and choosing a different option. However, the other two endings can only be reached by acting differently in the fantasy land.
  
  There are two paths in the game; the Path of Daedalus (a great inventor from Greek myth) and the Path of Diomedes (a great warrior from Greek myth). These paths correspond to solving puzzles with inventive/helpful solutions or violent solutions. The game starts on the Path of Daedalus, but it is possible to completely change the nature of everything to the differently themed parallel world of the Path of Diomedes. Each world better suits the respective method of puzzle solving.
  
  The first change to the Path of Diomedes is triggered by the decision to persevere with violent solutions to puzzles, rather than helpful solutions. The game will seek to dissuade you from this course of action, but if you persevere then you will succeed, and receive the consequences. The opposite is true in returning the world to the Path of Daedalus. There are a number of points where you can switch, and depending on which path you reach the end on, there will be differences to some of the possible endings.
  
  Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, UNDO your last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the author's NOTES or QUIT?
  
  > 1
  As the happy smile of the Princess lights up the room, you notice that the darkness in the mirror fades, until it is replaced by the reflection of the room. You walk out of the tower together, as you accept this world as your own.
  
  As the months pass, you become friends with the Princess. You soon realise that she is not as perfect as she appears. She regrets some actions that she took to protect herself against the evil wizard. Her trap killed the wizard soon after he sealed her in the tower, but it changed some of the other locals in various ways. You reassure her, and soon there is a general feeling of forgiveness and joy, as she retakes her throne to become Queen.
  
  This is not quite the end of your story though. Your cleverness soon wins you a position of power, which you use to make sure that the land is governed fairly. With all of her jewels stolen and lost long ago, her reign is hard work at the beginning, but you do not mind. Your friendship with the Queen endures and eventually blossoms into more. Two years after you first met, you are married in front of all the inhabitants of the land. You occasionally wonder what is happening in the world you left long ago, but you have no way of finding out.
  
  > 2
  The Princess looks disappointed at your reply. She asks, "Why?".
  
  You answer that you want to go home. The Princess looks sympathetic to your plight, then she brightens up and tells you that she knows a way. She walks over and searches around in her cabinet until she finally pulls out a potion. She gives it to you and says, "Drink this, and you will be home."
  
  You look at the unmarked potion and hope that it can do what she says. It is worth a try. You drink down the potion in one gulp. As it begins to take effect, you find your mind is going blank, and all your memories are fading.
  
  You wake with no idea of who you are. All you know is that you are stuck in some room, and you want to get outside where there is more space. As you stretch your four legs, you hear a squeal behind you, as a blonde woman says, "I always wanted a pony."
  
  > 1
  You think to yourself that none of what you saw could be real. Even if it was, then no one would believe you. You carefully destroy any evidence to the contrary of this position. The evidence was probably only significant in your imagination anyway. It was all due to eating a tainted native egg, which caused an adverse reaction. You can't remember why you wanted to eat it in the first place.
  
  You report back to the ship that there was a fire, with no survivors. On your return you promise yourself that you will try to avoid strange places in the future. The ship soon returns to your home planet, and you decide to take a long-deserved holiday in the familiar surroundings. You need a break to relax and catch up on all the latest computer games that have been released during your time at work. It is lucky that you are out of contact when the news filters through of disappearances all over a newly colonised planet. That would really not look good on your record, and negligence is not looked upon kindly.
  
  > 2
  The planet is clearly not safe to be colonised in the short term, but you figure that if everything that is touched by the pinkness soon passes from this world, the problems will soon be resolved. This is the recommendation you pass back to the ship, along with the evidence that you have accumulated. You avoid talking about your own exploits, as the Captain is a very serious person, who you think will only believe evidence he sees for himself.
  
  The Captain is doubtful about the truthfulness of the documents you bring back, but on your advice, he agrees that it is not worth taking a chance. He reluctantly passes your recommendation through the hierarchy, and this planet is taken off the colonisation agenda for the next twenty years.
  
  Over the next few years you continue your rapid rise up the ranks, with sterling performances in both the physical and mental aspects of your roles. Eventually you are placed into training for a top position, and on completion you win a role as a Captain of your own ship. It is only a small ship, but you are finally in charge. You barely notice when the twenty year mark is passed, having long put your earlier adventures out of mind.
  
  At least your adventures are forgotten until one day you are called in by your commanding officer. He shows you a report of disappearances on a newly colonised planet, along with your recommendation for the planet. He tells you that he is very disappointed in you, and he cannot support you continuing in your current role. Your exemplary service will save you from being stripped of your rank, but you have been re-assigned to the planetside division.
  
  > throw the dart
  Dropped.
  
  > 3
  Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing when this planet will be safe. You have the bad feeling that the pinkness is going to spread, not disappear. You cannot allow the planet to be colonised in this condition. It needs to be quarantined, so the pinkness does not spread off-planet. Having made this decision, you gather up your evidence, and report back to the ship.
  
  When you talk to the Captain, you tell him about all your adventures. He is skeptical, but he eventually accepts your point of view that the planet is too dangerous to colonise, and he endorses your recommendations. Your stories are put on record with the other evidence. Whilst you may have convinced the Captain, other reviewers of the file feel it is more likely that you hallucinated from a local disease. That disease may make the planet more dangerous, but it may also have left a permanent effect on your health.
  
  In future years, whenever you try for a promotion, you find yourself rebuffed, as you are too risky. You wonder if you made the right decision. You hope you did, as there is no way you can change it now.
  
  > turn on the box
  You turn on the box briefly, and a loud screech echoes around the area. Nothing happens, so you decide to shut down the noise before it starts again.