Read Into The Abyss (Demons of Astlan) for Free Online Page B

suddenly interjected.  “It’s oozing out of you, like butta!”  He did the yenta voice again.
    "Wow,"  Tom said ., He felt he wasn't saying much that was intelligent or worthwhile most of the time; but the whole thing was just too much, too overwhelming to handle at once.  It was exceedingly difficult to think of worthwhile responses at this stage.  Besides, his bone deep weariness was rapidly returning.
    Boggy said "I know it's quite a bit much to handle at first, but you'll get over it.  Why don't you rest now, we'll come back and see you after you've had some sleep.  Actually, you normally don't need sleep, but after heavy expenditures of energy, like you've just been through, sleeping is the easiest and fastest way to regenerate your energy field."
    "And it keeps you from going insane!" inserted Tizzy.
    "He's got a point, it does allow one to relax and get rid of tensions and frustrations," agreed Boggy.
    "Yeah...well, I guess I'll just lie down here and rest," Tom stated.
    "If you like, or off over that way," Boggy pointed behind him and over the pillar, "there are some mountains with caves.  You ’re welcome to find an unoccupied one and move in."
    "Um," Tom stared over the edge of the ledge and looked pointedly down at the nearly bottomless depths below, "how do I get over there?"
    "Why, use your wings of course, that's what they're there for!" exclaimed Tizzy.
    "But, I don't know how, I've never flown before."
    "Easy enough, just relax, think of which direction you want to go and go.  It's almost like walking; don't think about what you're doing and let it happen naturally.  It's natural, comes built in.  But, just like when first walking, don't think about what you're doing, otherwise you'll screw up and fall," said Boggy.
    "Just, step off the cliff?"
    "Yep, easy as that, those wings know what they're doing, even if you don't."
    "I don't know ..." Tom said nervously, eyeing the long way down.
    "Just try it.  Here watch me."  With that Boggy stepped off the edge and flew a few feet out before turning around to face Tom and hover.
    "Well, got to try sometime."  Tom tried relaxing, attempting to clear his mind of all the wild things that had happened to him. He looked toward Boggy and took a step forward. Trying to brace himself, yet remain calm, he walked three steps forward and off.
    He lurched a little, but he kept concentrating on heading toward Boggy.  It worked!  He was moving towards Boggy, and his feet weren't moving.  This was totally wild!  It took very little effort, even in his weakened and tired state.  Considering the nature of his new legs and feet, it was even easier than walking.  Thinking of his feet he looked down at them, to make sure they weren't actually what was carrying him along.
    Mistake!  The ground was incredibly far below him, he was suspended in complete nothingness.  His fright caused his wings to falter.  He lost altitude.  Quickly he tried flapping his wings to bring him self back up to Boggy.  This didn't work, in fact he began to fall even more.  Unless he could get the proper rhythm, his wings wouldn't support his massive bulk.  He fell.  Frantically he tried harder and harder, the more he worked at it, the less good it seemed to do.  He was panicking, he didn't know what to do.  "Help, someone please help!"
    Up above, Boggy shook his head in dismay, an ironic grin of futility . “They always have to learn the hard way,”  he muttered to himself.  He took off after the plummeting Tom.
    Tom's frantic attempts at catching his fall only half worked; occasionally he managed to slow down a little bit, but not enough.  He fell.  His back quickly began to ache as the new muscles were taxed harder than they were intended to.  The ground was rushing up.  A miracle I'm still thinking , thought Tom. The long fall had certainly given him a chance to try everything he could.  His muscles ached; he could hardly move his wings anymore.
    Eventually,