_{by jaymamma.}

I hated being manipulated, I hated to be misled, being tricked, most of all I hated being used. Especially by a short in the trousers wizard. The others sats in silence no doubt with the same fury, or in their case disappointment in their stupidity. I did not broker an alliance with the wizard we had been hunting since arriving in Phandalin. Of course, he led us right into a trap, or so he thought. It was a smart move on his part. He won either way either the spectator killed us or we killed it. Dare talked us into one problem and out of another. Still, though we could have killed him right there on the spot. Now he would be prepared and throw everything he had at us. Knowing we had done what he could not. 

I admired my reflection in the silver of my new breastplate. I wondered could it be the one from my vision like recollection of past exploits in Ravenloft? I slid out of my old one and eyed up droop and adjusted the interior straps. 

“Stand up and get that ratty old armor off, I get an upgrade and you get my hand-me-downs.”

I smiled as I said it. Hopefully it would keep him a bit safer.

I helped him into it and adjusted it to fit. I rapped on it with my knuckles twice after securing it.

“Much better may it serve you well, and keep you safe”

He grinned. “Thank you!” appreciaition gleaming in his eyes and grin as he said it.

I slipped on my new breastplate. Its function would serve me in a future confrontation I was sure.

“Ewww Shiny shiny” Mercarri shouted. She was a one-trick pony when it came to speech, always loud.

It was the first time she had looked away from her new weapon the fabled Lightbringer. In her ogre strengthened hands, it would be quite deadly.

Just then a scream for help came from the door we had not gone through yet out of the room that housed the forge.

We rushed out, and straight into a trap as expected.

Webs sloshed from above. Droop and I subtly dodged them. The others were not so lucky. We watched as our enemies made themselves known. Giant spiders, a slew of Bugbears, the dwarf was dam shapeshifter, and finally the smug wizard. His expression made it apparent he thought he had already won.

He unleashed lightning into droop calling him a traitor, both Mercarri and Droop were down. Things did not look good. A familiar flash of starlight brought new hope as both Mercarri and Droop were healed by a cascade of star energy. Dare smirked and shrugged off his webs.

At this point, I was borderline feral, irate, angry. I moved forward ready to kill the bastard with the first swing, and I missed. He egged me on with a smug smirk. He then did the stupidest thing he waved off his Bugbears and Said” He had this”.

The Gaul. He then teleported away. My rage built. The battle was a stalemate, and I couldn’t catch the dam wizard. Then the stalemate was broken. 

A certain zombie corpse exploded…out of his ass. Yes, his ass. The flameskull had regenerated, undeterred by zombie flesh and feces. I felt its eyes as they flicked across me as it took in the whole scene. When its eyes lit again they were firmly fixated on the wizard. He looked like he was going to soil himself. It was a race then. Who would catch him first? Dare and lept up to again bring down the wizard. Dare drew first blood. I smiled bringing my rage under control, the unsatisfying crunch of cursebringer on a shield spell again piqued my rage. This time I would harness it. He was now being pelted by the flameskull as well. Just then I noticed the bugbears had bailed. All that remained was the shapeshifter and spiders, most of the wizard’s allies had fled. 

Then I saw the only look I loved on a wizard’s face, the smugness and air of superiority fell away, now thee was fear. He conjured some sort of shadow creature, it would not help him, the flameskull saw to that. He was burning through magical energy trying to hold off both Dare and me. I looked in Droops direction a spider lay dead at his feet. Another was felled by the unholy and holy duo of Mercarri’s new mace and the putrid brown one. The shapeshifter in the guise of Mystic would now have to face Droop, Mercarri, and Mystic. 

Magic missiles streaked at both Dare and me. We shrugged them off. Three for Dare two for me. He feared Dare more. I smiled and His eyes went wide at the sight of it. I would show him where his fear should lie. I centered myself and unleashed a perfect slash with my sword and incited the runes on my blade. 

He knew his end had come, he had called the noble droop a traitor, troubled Phandalin, and honestly just pissed me off because he existed. Death would be too easy.

He put his hands up in surrender and I gladly accepted them as mine. I adjusted and lopped them off, and before he could scream, I rammed Cursebringe’s Pommel into his mouth. Teeth went everywhere and he went down unconscious. I was not done with him, not by a long shot, I was just done with him for the moment. I think I would name Cursebringer’s Pommel Face breaker. I do not think “The great smug, mighty Black spider” would find any flaw in that logic. He certainly would not have long to voice it, for he would not have a tongue for much longer. 

Dare snorted as he tried to tie up the spider. Then punched him in the face. He then snorted out and laughed. He then put both hands on his face, and that is why I tolerated Dare. For all his stupidity, and brashness, he just as often produced these special gemlike moments just as often. 

He slapped him around a little trying to wake him up. 

“Hey, buddy wake up there’s something on your face” He again snorted barely able to get the words past his lips.

Mercarri had stepped up taking in the fallen wizard. She rolled her eyes. Mystic Shifted back to normal form. 

“You two are twisted and demented She sighed. “but if anyone deserves that it’s probably him.” 

Mercarri Shrugged. “I would have crushed his head with my gauntlets, or maybe Lightbringer, eh both why not.”

I looked around for droop. Then I saw him hacking off parts of one of the spiders wrapping it in cloth and putting it into his bag, then he scooped up a handful of webs and held them up as if in admiration. He then stuffed them into a vial. He then realized We were watching.

He shrugged. “Fascinating creatures, and the webs oh I have so many ideas for this. I felt the collective eye roll. 

I patted his shoulder. “Most impressive outing yet for you thus far.” Come let us rest. I felt his glee at the acknowledgment. 

We secured the room with the forge, it would provide the safest place to rest. Just then I felt a pull at my consciousness, a tug in my mind if you will. My patron would have a word…..