The Sahara Desert, Mali - Saturday

[fh_fillers]

Their guide was looking worse for wear, but better than last night. "This will cost you extra," he said to anyone who would listen as he readied the camels. "The journey is not much longer from here."

Comments

The Hermit Arrives

[fh_fillers]

After the away team made their presence known, willingly or unwillingly, the hermit decided to extend the same courtesy. Sort of.

Please wait for him to ping in.

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

The old man appeared and stared at his visitors a moment before launching into a tirade. He was dressed in rags and looked older than dirt.

"Why are you here?! It's too dangerous! You must leave at once!"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[fh_fillers]

"They asked about you," the guide said, nodding and stepping back.

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"We had to come find you," Lee said, still trying to work the kinks out of his leg. "We need your help."

He could be diplomatic when he wanted to be.

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

The old man coughed and shook his head. "I'm of no help to anyone. Leave now."

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"Oh, come on," Lee said, rolling his eyes. "We came all across the frakking desert for you to pull this. No. Come on!"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

The old man waddled up to Lee and seemed to be looking him over as if he were a steak. "I didn't ask you to come here. I don't want anyone to come here. There's a reason why I'm out here. I don't want to see anyone. I don't want anyone to see me. See me. SEE ME!"

Then he broke out into maniacal laughter which ended with an abrupt coughing fit.

"Do you understand?"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"Hell no, I don't understand," Lee said, frowning. "We came to see you because we need some frakking help. And it's too late, we've already seen you. Why shouldn't we see you? Because you're old?"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

"Because BOB is here!" the old man shouted as he pointed at his head. "HERE!"

The old man shivered for a moment or two and pulled his tunic around him for warmth. "He'll feed on you. Eat your garmonbozia."

He shivered again and had a loud and long coughing fit that almost brought him to his needs.

"What is it that you want?"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"I don't know a BOB," Lee muttered. "You know about angel statues. We need to know what you know."

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

The old man gave Lee a horrified look. "They live on time. Your time. They send you back and feast on the potential energy that would have been your life. I searched for a reason. I searched everywhere. I couldn't get back. Everyone was gone."

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"We know," Lee said, rubbing the heel of his hand against his temple. "They're doing it right now, to us and we're trying to fix it. They feast on energy?"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

"The energy that would have been your life," the old man said with a shiver. "What would have been if that person had stayed in their original life and time."

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

Lee made a face and repressed his own shiver. "All right. All right, so they're frakking bad creatures. Is there anything we can do to stop them? Anything we can do to help?"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[pieandcoffee]

"That's all I know," the old hermit growled. "That's all I could learn! Eighty years searching and that's all I could find! Isn't that enough?!"

Re: The Hermit Arrives

[stupid_toasters]

"It is!" Lee said, trying to soothe the man. "It's fine. Thank you, Mr...?" Lee looked abashed when he realized he didn't know this man's name."