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... wandering around the forest, underbrush scratching at the leather straps at his ankles, the boy comes to a faintly visible trail. The day turns to dusk as the trail takes the youth deeper into the forest and eventually past a large boulder. In the fading light he notices traces of an ancient path leading from his current path directly through the mass of rock. The young adventurer quickly climbs over the mound of granite, which over the years has been covered with leaves, vines, and roots, in hopes to see the destination of the faded route but sees none.

He examines the boulder for several minutes, prodding and pushing in several areas, but the rock is solid and set and has obviously been in place for ages, as the surrounding trees have lain its foundations over and around the stone.

Deliberately, the explorer pulls out a small, spherical object from his pouch, as the sun races away almost in apprehension of the black orb's effect. With a quick strike of steel and flint, sparks shoot from the tail of the sphere, which he then quickly places at the base of the boulder.

Just as the boy hurries behind a large tree, a thunderous clap resounds throughout the forest, silencing all manner of creatures inhabiting the vicinity. The ancient rock has been transformed to scattered rubble. The sun's journey past the edge of the horizon completes, allowing light to emanate from within the hole left from the destruction of the bomb.

Edging slowly towards the breach, the youth peers inside and sees two torches burning within a deep chamber, sealed for an eon or more. The boy enters the chamber and is simultaneously hit with the musty smell of time and the overwhleming presence of magic.

A creature, sits quietly, slightly beyond the reach of the torches' light. A worn cloak rests upon the hunched shoulders of the sleeping, dark, red being, the flickering light revealing porcine features and protruding tusks on the creature's face. Its quiet grunts bounce off the chamber walls, creating the sensation of phantom monsters around the chamber.

The chamber floor is covered with a course sand which allows the boy to move around almost silently in the chamber. From the floor of the chamber, the torches are revealed to be magical in nature. Levitating yellow and orange flames dance around a red core, bathing the room in its warm glow. A glimmer is evident in the sand between the two floating blazes.

slowly, the adventurer moves toward the sparkling object in the sand. With a breath, he blows the loose ground from the item revealing a large jewel.

And the aged moblin's eyes snap open.

... ... ...

:can you keep a secret?

-like so many things in life, it depends.

:depends on what?

-what the information is, who it affects, the degree of importance, the consequences of betraying the confidence...

:why should that matter?

-because it does. is the secret kept if the source is not revealed or if the information is subtly passed along? if someone is hiding something from someone, but that information (or lack thereof) would hurt someone else, should it really be a secret?

:what about keeping your word?

-if the person is adamant that the secret be a secret, then it should be honored to the point of crisis. obviously if the secret can save or protect someone, that secret should be revealed, with discretion of course. if the person says a quite casual "don't tell anyone" and the information is more gossip than clandestine, common sense should be employeed.

so for the most part - shut up.

... ... ...

The decrepit moblin's glare finds the boy next to the jewel and speaks.

"I have been waiting for you, Link." Link looks at the moblin with suspicion and surprise.

"Take the jewel. It will help you on your quest..." adds the creature. Before Link has a chance to respond, the creature vanishes from sight.

As Link picks up the jewel, wind rushes through the room whispering...

"shhhhhhhhhhh... it'sssss a sssssseeeeeeecret..."