The Body's Rebellion (Percy)

[DoS Archive]

From: leducblanc@aol.com (LeDucBlanc)
Date: 09 Sep 2000 19:52:23 EDT

The second stroke had been, by some great grace of God, milder than the first one. It did not, however, help the old nobleman's general state of health in the slightest. He was looking his age, had been for some time really, and now feeling it as well. He was short of breath, physically weaker, having ocasional chest pains. He was old.
There was more to it than just age, however. His personality had changed. He wasn't sure he liked the person he had become. From the idealistic sportsman accused of being naive when he had advocated pure sprtsmanship and sportsmanlike behavior on the boards, he had become an impatient, crotchety, bitter, increasingly acerbic man. His fire had been replaced by a sort of venom. His inspired writing and speaking had been replaced by a sarcastic tone
that could only be said to be missing something. Oh, he could still write a logical argument when he felt the need. The problem was that he was increasingly less inclined to bother. It seemed so much easier to simply note the obvious in as biting a manner as possible.
He felt as if he was gaining insight into the minds and characters of those who could so easily belittle and berate those who did not measure up to their own private standards. He did not like the way that insight was being gained. Something had to be done. He needed to find a way to transmute venom back into fire. It was exceedingly important that he get that fire back. That fire had made him young again once. Perhaps it could do so again.
He had to try...
He had to speak to Daelin.