Monday, Dec. 09, 2002 - 7:33 p.m.

I had a dream last night, the world was set on fire...

It may or may not be true, but either way it's a nice opening quote type thing for an entry, don't you think?

---

The exploring gnomes never went back to find Ceiling and the goldfish in the fatal battle which killed them both (the goldfish choked). You see, the exploring gnomes, (Beardy, Paperclip, and Plug Socket) had met the foraging, older gnome (Hairdryer), and they had gone on a long and interesting adventure through the purple jungles of Moosehalla, to the oceanic lands of Aestew. They had lead wars against evil tyrants, they had befriended local pygmies, and all in all had had a damn good time and had adjusted to their new environment brilliantly. None of the gnomes cared about the missing Ceiling, though. Ceiling had never really been one of them. Not since Fourwalls had fallen into a pond. He'd taken it badly, and had never been able to regain that team spirit he had once prided himself on - plus he annoyed the other gnomes.

After some years in their new world, which held the name Ytinasnia, the mighty gnomic warriors - dimensional travellers and heroes - were summoned to the court of the High King of Ytinasnia, Lord Redealo. And that is where we pick up the tale.

"So, my Lord, why have you summoned us to this place?" asked Beardy, leader of the mighty gnomes. "I have only been accustomed to following my own orders before, and find this most confusing."

"Dark times have fallen upon this kingdom, sir gnome," recited King Redealo, from his big book of cliches. "Another sun has been seen in the sky above northern Ciport, a huge ball of fire that is getting bigger every day. It appears to even the blindest of people to be the size of two, maybe three of those big golf balls I use sometimes. You know, the inflatable ones? With the smiley face on?" The king sighed. "Our own sun has slowly been losing its power, and getting smaller and smaller, as if this new sun is taking away its light and heat to use for itself."

Paperclip coughed. Beardy nudged him. Hairdryer stepped forward and looked to the king. "So, what do you expect us to do, then?" asked the oldest gnome.

Redealo looked mournful. "Something, old one. Anything. Please."

Paperclip bounced up. "Can we go now, please? We need to see this for ourselves, and need as much time as possible to.. form a plan to.. stop it."

"Yes, go gnomes, I thank you in advance."

The gnomes trudged out of the palace, with Paperclip skipping in the lead.

---

Five days later, after a difficult journey to the northern lands of Ciport, the gnomes finally set eyes on the new sun. It was easily seven or eight times bigger than the one described by the king. Beardy gibbered, and hid behind an ice-covered rock. The rest of the gnomes stared in awe. It was very cold in Ciport, and almost everything had some form of ice on it, or was made of ice. The white reflected the new star in the sky, and everything appeared blood red.

"We left the book of gnome magic when we left earth, didn't we?" asked Plug Socket.

"Yes, yes, yes." said Beardy, from behind the rock. "So now we're doomed. Doomed to a fate of burning agony and death."

Paperclip jumped out from behind Hairdryer. "Nope! No we're not! We're not doomed! Everyone else is.. but not us! No sir! We can get out!"

Beardy sighed. "But don't we owe these people something? They took us in, helped us regain some respect. Power!"

Hairdryer stared at him. "A gnomes first loyalty is to himself, and other gnomes. Now, Paperclip, if you wouldn't mind ordering us some Transdimensional Travellation.."

The small gnome grinned, and quickly searching through his bag, produced a small piece of paper. Then he said the words 'Looc Erehwemos Su Ekat!', and the group of gnomes left their second homeworld, to travel the universe once more.

Redealo managed to contact wizards to divert the new sun, and restore the old one's power. He had tried to find the gnomes, to give them awards for the bravery of trying, but, unable to find them, assumed they had become lost in the frozen wastes of Ciport, and had died.