_{by jaymamma.}

After questioning the guards, I had proven what I had already expected. There was a shape-changer or one capable of shape changing involved in the poisoning. What that information meant was simply speculation. Hopefully we could glean enough information from Helms Hold to point us to a less speculative path.  We have decided to wait for the funeral before we depart. Downtime for a few days is probably the last thing I want right now. I needed for that bitch who shall not be named to die. I couldn’t tell anymore if I knew it was her responsible, or maybe I needed her to be. The thought of her benefiting from it was driving me mad. 

The others had settled in for the night already decided what was on their agenda for the next few days. Mystic was in her room fluting away. I was annoyed and insulted that no one ever asked me to play anything. I was not the musician that she was true. Still though, I was gifted. Begrudgingly however, I don’t know that I could keep my anger and emotions in check enough to play, truly play at the funeral. I’d give the bitch that I supposed.

Droop was going to experiment with dare and had hit me up for gold, which I couldn’t say no too. I was definitely a softy for that goblin. The idea of him and Dare tinkering together both warmed my heart and screamed the absolute shit out of me. It would be a proper bonding experience for them. It could also end with them blowing the manor off its moorings. I guess I would, as much as it irked me, play the overbearing mother and make “the boys” go outside to play. 

Mercarri, surprisingly, would assist sister Garielle at her shrine to the god of luck. I wondered secretly if that was true, or she was going to meet that man she had been making eyes at in the market. I wonder if I am jealous of that idea. Sildar had grown distant, and could not make full eye contact with me. I wondered if he realized I was a bit much for him, or maybe he knew something else…

Alas, I would have to find something to do alone for the first time in a long while. I figure I would see if I could get Lillian’s parents to entrust her to me for the day, and along with Annette do some riding and Lyre practice. Lillian wasn’t as interested in playing like Annette, but she still appreciated the art of it. I don’t think I could spend three days playing to stroke my ego though. I smiled to myself. Sure I could. I could also just sit here and keep writing in my journal like a hack.

The fire burned bright and pleasant in the fireplace. The blankets and sheets were of the finest materials I could have transported all the way out here in Phandalin. Why not? I gazed across the room into the vanity mirror. What was I going to do for three entire days? What I needed was to kill something, something that deserved it, of course. 

That’s when I realized, my reflection was gazing at me as much as I was gazing at it. Most people would be alarmed at such a revelation. Not me. I was kind of used to it.

“Lilvari”, my reflection said questioningly. 

“Yes, my queen?”

“If you hate that bitch so much, simply kill her.” Get off the bed, down the stairs, out the door….

“Everyone would know it was me”

“So what you are saying is if you could get away with it, you would?”

I thought about it for a second. I wasn’t sure which aspect of my patron I was dealing with. The warm and wishful mother, or the master manipulator, the trickster. 

“I am always both, it depends which will get the response I want the swiftest.”

“Yes, I would rip her apart”

“How bout I do you a favor for once, how bout I pay her a visit. It will be bloody, violent, and very painful”

My reflection beamed from ear to ear, but there was no happiness pulling those cheeks into a smile.

“Tempting, but I would delight in doing it with my own bare hands”

“That’s my girl, it ever occurred to you true suffering, for her might not need her to be dead.”

I pondered that.

Of course there were worst fates for her, to behold the town turn on her, loss of her power and fortune. She was vain, not as vain as I because well, look at her and then look at me. She wished she could be me. 

“Oh, I am certain she does.” Her power is potent, her magical power, but nothing next to yours”. “Her political power is external, and in the long haul is not true power.”

Revelation. “So she is magically inclined?”

“Come on child, you saw in her window, does that look like the abode of a simple business woman?” 

“I was too preoccupied with the idea of burning it down to take notice.”

My mirror image sighed. “Anyway, Lil what do you imagine would absolutely grab her goat?”

We both laughed out loud and snickered.

“If she orchestrated the poisoning as a cover to assassinate Harbin, what would be the real reason? Forget your vanity, it’s doubtful she did it simply to ruin your party to punish you because she doesn’t like you.

That was easy once I put away the notion that it was always about me. “Being town-master.”

“And what do tell is coming up next year?”

“Oh you can’t be serious. ME, Really.”

“What why not. Tell me you wouldn’t enjoy “Townmaster Lilvari”” 

“I don’t know a damn thing about running a town.”

“No, but you sure as hell could protect one. Sildar could be your running mate. It would give you an excuse to cozy up to that boy toy again.”

I could not believe I was now getting love advice from the Raven Queen. Still, it wasn’t the worst idea. An issue would be meeting with other leaders, possibly making political visits to Neverwinter. I can’t say I was laying low, but I didn’t want to advertise my presence. There was a 5000 gold reward, and General Nail-a-ho or whatever his name was, with a massive erection for killing me.

I wouldn’t worry about Nailo child, he is way too occupied with revenge to pose a threat. He gets all kinds of reckless and stupid when you are in his head. Besides, you could send Sildar in your stead. Charasmatically, he is both a boar and a bore. Together your Charisma, and his politics and connections, it’s a win-win.

In that one paragraph, she had told me a lot.

“And what would that be?” She smirked and put up her hands in a “Who? Not I” type gesture.

“What is in it for you to suggest running for town master? “What did I do please tell that Nailo is so intent on killing me?” “I don’t doubt I did something, it is however one of those things I do not remember.”

She exhaled. Almost as if this was a soft spot for her. I had never seen her do such a thing. 

“This memory you are asking about is something you do not want to remember.” I know you have no reason to believe I don’t claim some benefit from keeping it from you. Let this one go. Sooner or later, you will cross paths with him. When you do, I am sure you will recall or he will stimulate your memory for you. Trust me on this. The longer you go without remembering, the better off you will be. 

I believed her. I knew she deliberately kept things from me, but still I believed her.

“I don’t deny I keep things from you.” Some for my benefit, but many more for yours.

I smiled, wanting to believe that. She also didn’t answer why run for town-master.

She smiled again. “Well, proceeds from the mine, and the expansion of Phandallin that will come with it could not hurt.” This could be a stronghold in time for you, I, and your new friends.

Very odd as of late was my Patron.

“Now you’re concerned about my friends, and me having them.”

“They are powerful, and in being so, they help you do as I ask.”

“That is more like you”

She continued. “It would be more Sildar performing the role, he would never get it on his own.”

She waited, then staring at me for a long moment expectantly.

I threw my hands up. “What is it an order?”

She cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. “An idea, well?”

“Ill consider it.” 

My reflection bounced on her bed and clapped her hands together.

“Splendid!” You would have to work on your leadership skills, and some of your less endearing social graces”. She paused as she put a hand up, already sensing my objection. “Now, how many times in the past have I pointed out a flaw or weakness in your hmm for lack of a better word “Game”.

The answer would certainly be many.

“Correct!” she exclaimed as if I had won a prize by stating the correct answer. 

“Next quest…i…one.” How many times were you immediately accepting of my hmm constructive criticism?”

I tried not to imagine the answer she wanted, which of course would be true. Never. I did not handle criticism constructively or otherwise.

“CO -RRECT!” Last question, of all those criticisms, how many times was I incorrect or even inaccurate, even just a little”

I just sighed and stared down, I so loathed being the scolded child.

“Head up Lilvari” 

I lifted my head up, and she smiled brightly, almost warmly.

I have any friendly suggestion to aid in your perfection.

I waited expectantly.

“That is why you are among my most favored, you know the impossibility of perfection, yet still strive for your perception of it” There is a tome, a magical tome you would benefit greatly from. Inquire of it from the bookwork in town”

I knew exactly who she was referring to, the historian. I could not remember her name though, but that was not an unusual problem for me.

“That will be most helpful to you in the future.” 

She paused, and studied me. This usually meant she had something more to say.

“Yes?” 

“Do you remember how I used to train you in the use of your weapons?”

How could I forget. She would pit me against apparitions of those I had slain, other Hexblades, and even horrible beasts. Beasts of which I had the pleasure of not experiencing beforehand. This was done in her realm though mostly. She wasn’t willing to sacrifice any of her Hexblades for simply training. A place where we could unleash our true ferocity, or suffer someone or something else’s without permanent injury or death. 

“I remember” 

“Good, I am impressed with your advancement in hand to hand with Cursebringer. I always wanted Cursebringer in your hand. No Hexblade has ever wielded it as you do, or as you will in the future. I fear though, that you are becoming too reliant on it as your only weapon. I recruited you knowing of your affinity for such a weapon, but also for your raw magical talent. It is on a level I have not encountered in a..” She paused for a long moment before continuing. “Mortal not before you and not since” So I want to make sure you nurture your power outside of being a Hexblade. So I have arranged for you to cross swords with one of my Blades that has explored their paths outside of their Hex granted abilities.”

Was she suggesting pursuing another path of magical or combat study?”

“Yes, Lilvari, exactly maybe not today or maybe not even years from now, but at some point, now you will realize the benefit.”

I thought I heard a gentle rap on my door before my room faded away, leaving me on the rock hurtling through nothingness.

Nearby, the raven queen still sat on the bed as she had in the reflection of my bedroom at Transendor manor.

 I want you to meet a true connoisseur of multiple paths. She motioned to her right, and in a burst of green smoke he appeared.

He was elvish based on what I could see of his features beneath his green and black face-paint. He looked like an evil mime. He bowed to The Queen then turned and did the same for me.

“What noble act have I committed to deserve such exquisitely lovely company? Have I died and gone to some afterlife of great reward.”

The raven queen’s hand went to her chest and she blushed. Oh stop it Reinware, always such a flatterer. She then glanced to me. He’s also a favorite, if for no other reason, still he is quite the warrior”

I would have you battle Lilvari, Reinware no quarter no mercy.

He smiled. The demon of Nobles end, an honor, but I would not want to damage such a beautiful creature”

I smiled, god I hated that title, but loved the flattery. You know no permanent harm would befall us hear, were you just looking for an excuse to name me beautiful?

“Aye, I am guilty, but how could I not be. Maybe there are other forms of combat we could explore you and I when we are done crossing Hex’s”

I looked him up and down. He was quite the charmer, and I imagined he would be much more of an adventure, a more rewarding conquest than Sildar could ever be. Handsome, and very roguish, his icy hued eyes were gauging me as I did the same to him.

I smiled. “That can certainly be arranged, but I must warn you I will break you and leave you lying, whether crossing swords, or spreading my legs”

He smiled from ear to ear, revealing a seductive and full smile. He liked that answer, as I suppose any man alive would. 

“Holy Vanity” The queen Chimed in “I am still here, get to it” 

“Let’s” he replied. Two weapons appeared, one in each hand, no not weapons, two shields? Each was slightly smaller than a standard round buckler, but each had a bladed edge. They glowed a green hue, the color reminded me much of Mystic for some odd reason. This was unique I had never seen such a weapon loudout being employed before .

I summoned a familiar hilt to my hand. I appreciated his awe upon witnessing Cursrbringer.

I smirked. “It would appear mine is bigger than yours”

He laughed. We shall see. He rolled towards me and almost resembled a armadillo as the shields seemed to cover every part of him that would be exposed to me during his rotation. I swung Curserbinger anyway, Hitting the shield as hard as possible. The resounding clang echoed and he rolled away and into a squat, both arms extended, both shields at the ready. I could see a trickling of blood from his nostril. The reverberating clang of my sword on his shield I imagined had been deafening inside his shields and excruciating for him.

He smirked and then rolled towards me. He sprang up and swung his right shield towards my throat. I stepped back and he completed his revolution bringing his left shield around in a spinning back hand. It was so quick, so fluid, perfect. I had little time to admire the maneuver and barely stopped it on the flat of Cursebringer’s blade. He looked me in the eye for a split second and smiled as he came back around spinning the left all way back around and slamming it into my ribs. I grunted as my armor held, but the blow still knocked the wind out of me. This led him into another whirl now bringing the right around into another backhand. I struggled to parry and block as he just kept swinging the shield around and around in a flurry. I could dodge and parry, but only if I kept stepping backwards. I could not shift from defense to offense. Then he went low, which I had to lift my leg and avoid. I then realized I could not.

    I glimpsed a vine had snaked itself up my leg and pulled tightly around my calf. He used the distraction to brace his shield that was moving towards my leg on the ground, and brough the other upward in a backward overhand smash. I felt the bones in my face crunch as I fell backwards. I was stunned yes and surprised. Mostly I was angry. That fucker hit me in the face. He then Lept onto the vine that had uncoiled from my leg and it sprang him upward at least 20 feet into the air. He turned his body and pointed the bladed edges of his shields straight at my throat. 

Hmpph, he thought he had me. I twitched my hand and sent forth two eldritch blasts of energy. Deliberately slamming them into each shield. It pushed his arms out and the blades away from my throat. I could simply have pointed Cursebringer up and ended it there. I appreciated his flair though, I would show him some of mine in return. 

Instead, I caught him in his midsection with my feet and rolled backwards. I pushed off the ground with one hand and landed nimbly on my feet, standing him over him. I again twitched my fingers as black lightning coalesced above me. It slammed down onto him and I gracefully appeared standing on the bedpost of the reflected bed. My patron jumped up and down excitedly, like a gleeful child. I leapt in the air and again summoned the lightning and used its teleportational component to launch myself high in the air above the stunned and slightly smoking Reinware. I, like he had shifted my body and pointed Cursebringer downward to run him through. He brought up the shields to block. I figured he would, and unleashed two more eldritch bolts, knocking the shields away. I drove the sword into him absorbing the shock off the fall in my arms as I set my feet down. I then realized something. He was smirking. I observed where the sword had pierced him. It was like he was not there. Where the sword was was like a green mist. Much like when Mystic took star form. From Cursebringer, the green mist spread becoming him, then the mist wafted up to me. I choked and gagged as I staggered back. Of course, the root, and now this he was some sort of druid I had never heard off. I swung Cursebringer to set the wafting spores away from me. He stood or more correctly, he flowed back to his feet. I backpedaled. This was unexpected, and impressive.  I understood my patron’s point clearly. The walking of multiple paths could be productive. I was done with this fight. I had a dirtier, less armored form of combat in mind now.

    The darker splotches in the spores in his midsection, where Cursebringer had been, told me what I needed to know. It made him resistant to physical damage, but not immune. I called forth my secret weapon. The Darkness. I cast it on Cursebringer and the darkness enveloped us. My eyes I knew would become a deep-set darkness of their own as my vision shifted, and I could perceive temperature differentials that told me where everything was. He looked around in alarm as I used Thamaugatry to make little whispers and sounds of loose gravel. Then I struck. The blade passed cleanly through pulling his spores apart and casting them adrift. Then I willed the runes on Cursebringer to life. They flashed SIlver, and black and white as a cloud of a thousand slashes descended upon him. 

I dismissed the darkness and gazed down at him. He had reverted to normal form, and has panting heavily. I tapped Cursebringer on his throat and tilted my head. “Submit?” I asked

He nodded, unable to catch his breath enough to form the word. I smiled. I hope you have a little more stamina than that. 

“BRavo, Bravo!!” Cheered the queen. She waved her hand towards Reinware and he disappeared.

“You realize he may not have been able to best you, but you never would have suspected NO?”

I shook my head. “I understand perfectly, I will have thoughts on it.”

“Splendid, that’s all I ask. You performed splendidly, you even used our spell” She held her hands to her chest.

“Awww, I’m touched to think we made that together”

I frowned.

She sighed. “Yes, Lilvari”

“I performed splendidly. enough for perhaps a reward?”

She sighed. Mortals, like children. What do you want Lilvari?”

“Do you really have to ask?”

With that I was no longer on the rock, but back in my bed, and not alone.

Reinware Lay in front of the fireplace, much in the way he had been on the rock when The queen dismissed him. He was healed and absent his shields, armor, and even his clothes. He did still have a magnificent weapon. 

I would get no sleep that night, and no privacy. Disturbed by the noise, as this battle was as violent as our last. Mystic pushed open the door to check on me. I slammed an eldritch blast to the right of her head.

“Get the fuck out, I’m busy.” Then she was gone.

“Who’s the elf Reinware asked. “She’s kinda cute.”” I slammed his face into the floor a few times before continuing our battle. I must have blacked out at some point, and when I woke, he was sitting at my desk. I had to focus my eyes to see that he was doing what I thought he was doing. Yes, he was. Sowing?

The apparatus he used to do so was no loom. It sparkled in hex energy. 

I was amazed it was much like I did with my Lyre. “You are a hex tailor? I asked.

“Don’t laugh please” he replied.

I imagine among other adventurers and assassins this would be the cause of much ridicule. I however appreciated a good tailor. Not to mention that I was short a tailor these days, god rest her soul.

“No, no, I greatly appreciate that kind of talent, it was truly unexpected.” 

He looked away, continuing what he was doing. He was legitimately shamed by it. I summoned my Lyre and began to play. He stopped to gaze at me. I nodded at his now unworking hand, urging him to continue as he played. He smiled and continued. For the rest of the night and the next day, we played, sowed, and well that. Occasionally there would be a nosy knock at the door, as I am confident half the town knew I had company, much less those who lived here with me. They were curious and nosy mostly, but there was also a protective concern there. I appreciated that. I introduced Droop briefly. To his credit, ever the gentlemen Droop kept the stink eye on Reinwald during the whole encounter.

Into the middle of the day, I finally realized what he was sowing. It was a black gown, beautiful. I could tell he appreciated my playing while he worked, but would not let me pry into the intent behind the dress. Finally, he held it up in all its glory for me to grasp. 

“Try it on, he grinned” I reached out and touched it, and in an instant it was on me. My hair was done and fixed, and didn’t look like I had just been wrecked 12 ways from last week. I looked in the mirror. Stunning, absolutely perfect. The dress was beautiful too. For a split second, my reflection winked and gave me a thumbs up. 

“Reinwald, it’s beautiful”

He blushed and looked down, and suddenly he was a schoolboy asking out a girl he had a crush on. “The queen said you needed a dress for a funeral, but she wanted something that would raise eyebrows away from tissues. He said this while staring at the ample cleavage the dress provided. 

Mhmm, I replied. “It’s perfect, thank you.

Just then I felt something grip my thigh inside the dress.

I jumped and he laughed raucously.

“What the hell was that”

“It’s a hex dress made by me, I can reach out and touch it whenever it pleases me.” Hands gripped my backside and squeezed accompanying his words.

This was the creepiest gift ever, and the most beautiful. I could live with that side effect.

I smiled. “You promise that will be often?”

He stepped closer. “Probably more than you would want”

“Oh, I doubt that” 

This time however, I let him take me rather than the other way around.

 I awoke and the dress hung neatly in my closet. Reinwald was nowhere to be found. I am sure we would meet again sooner than later if I could help it. I put my chin on my hands and rested them on my pillow. I admired the dress. I tried to picture it in different colors, and to my amazement it changed. I jumped out of bed and started saying colors to it. What color I could conceive of it could do. Best present ever. I rubbed my cheek on its perfect silky fabric, and it gently caresses me back. Call me weird, but yes, I had a dress that would change color on command, and possibly feel me up at random intervals, and I loved it. 

I imagined the things I could do with such a dress. I smiled and ran to my door and Yelled. “HEY Mystic Mercarri how would you like to try on my new dress?”

*****************

     It had been a awkward morning at the breakfast table. Perhaps it was the looming funeral, even though Death is not something that any of us were foreigners too.

    Perhaps it was more my unannounced bedroom guest. Maybe I should set myself up a more private location for my nightly activities. I wonder if droop would set aside space in the caves beneath the manor.

    After the meal, everyone scattered about their day. Mystic returned to her room to practice with her flute. Mercarri was helping Sister Garielle, and Droop and Dare continued their experiment. It was pleasant to observe the boys playing so nicely together.

    I had a few items on my agenda today. First, perhaps most importantly I had to decide what to wear. Like there was any question. I couldn’t resist the Hex dress. I suppose I feel like a sunrise over a heavy fog this morning. The light bouncing through the fog would produce many colors and hues. Violet was my color today. The dress enraptured me at my touch. It glowed and pulsed in different colors before stopping on a color somewhere between an eggplant and the darker hued scales of an adolescent blue dragon. My eyes changed to an emerald to provide contrast. 

    I was delighted as I made my way across the damp morning grass to my stable. The dress lifted off the ground as if I was lifting it. The dress’s edges stayed pristine and untouched by the dew.

“Best present ever” I said aloud, unable to keep the corners of my mouth from a truthful upward turn.

The dress tightened around my waist just beneath my ribs. A gentle squeeze. I wondered if Reinwald could hear me. “This dress has bought you time in my bed whenever you wish it so” This time it was less of a gentle squeeze in response. That answered that question.

    I scratched my riding partner and put my head to hers. I then kissed her between the eyes before opening the stable door. She lowered her head and then one knee to the ground as I gently eased up on her back. I reached over the stable door and scratched Lillian’s steed the same and kissed her as well.

     Off towards the inn I went. For my first matter today, I would need Lillian. With her horse in tow, I knew her Father could not resist giving in to his daughters want to ride. It was a little manipulative. I of course had the correct intentions in the matter.

     As far as intentions went, I suspected Ultorin did as well. Only to be certain, I would provide him a friendly nudge. I waved at passerby’s as we trotted down the thoroughfare.

      Lillian and her parents were taking in a late breakfast at Stonehill when I arrived. I waved as Lillian noticed me immediately. 

“When you are done with breakfast, I would have a word with you all outside, finish though I do not wish to intrude”

I ducked back out the door before they could get a reply in. I stood between the horses scratching each of their ears, while I waited. Lilian came out first eager to know why I came to chat. I expect she already knew I had brought her friend. 

The Mare brushed my hand aside and went straight to Lillian. Lillian threw her arms around her lowered neck. I smiled and realized her parents were staring at me. Her mother was trying to check around my left leg for some odd reason – oh yes, I understood.

“Droop is back at the house with the Orc, you remember the one that was a little slow.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I am sorry, I just whenever I encountered a goblin there was blood and violence. 

I nodded. “I understand, in time I hope you become more accustomed to Droop, he is quite the gentleman.”

She gazed at me for a long moment.

“You are a unique creature, I have met adventurers, heroes, they can’t seem to turn it off. Here you are finally dressed, clean, stunningly lovely. I could easily picture you as a noble woman, you could settle down leaving adventuring all behind, couldn’t you?”

     I was taken aback. I felt heat in my cheeks. I had always thought about that, and hoped for it. That’s why I think I loved it here so much. I had a home that was mine. A garden. My own stable. I knew however I was not ready to hang up my for lack of a better term “Shit kickers”.

I smiled suppressing the red out of my cheeks. “At some point I would love too, not yet however. There is yet much to fight for and accomplish in this world.”

“I am glad you had not settled elsewhere, otherwise you would not have been here for Harbin and my daughter.”

I looked down.

“I was not of much help for Harbin.” I put my hands together and felt tears forming in my eyes. Was I faking? I hadn’t intended too. Was I? I was not sure. 

She stepped forward and took my hands.

“It is not your fault, you are one woman.” She lifted my chin with her fingers. Harbin, wherever he has gone, is grateful for you. You kept his most precious granddaughter safe when he could not. 

“Thank you, before I get more emotional. The reason I came by was to see if Lillian wanted to ride with me while I ran my errands today.

Lillian folded here hands together as if some sort of prayer, and smiled way too toothily. Her parents smiled.

“Sure, her father replied, just have her back here for dinner, and you could join us if you like. 

I had thought I would have freaked them out. Taking into account my you know tail, horns that sort of thing. 

“I would like that thank you” 

Lillian had already quickly mounted and was at the ready. I again gently pulled myself up on my bowing mare.

“I have never seen a horse do that before,” her mother said with motes of admiration.

“You’d be surprised how easy it is to teach a horse to do it, Lilvari showed me” She held up one finger. It’s all about trust.

She frowned, then smiled again. “I will have to make trips down here for her to visit, you aren’t I Lilvari?”

“I would like that, I would like that very much, more than you could ever know.” Lillian smiled at me 

“Well, we will talk about that, we will meet you both for dinner.” She then continued as we began to rear the horses in the other direction.

“Oh, and if you could tell Droop, I said hi”

I smiled. “I could bring him to dinner?”

She glanced nervously at her husband. 

“He is charming mom. He also has better manners than most of the boys in town.”

Her father rolled his eyes. “Bring him, but please, and don’t take offense, don’t bring the orc, he definitely creeps me out.”

I laughed. “I know the feeling, we will see you for dinner.”

I turned to Lillian, “Well, first stop the locksmith” 

“Well, that’s dull, but I’ll race you.” 

She took off towards the locksmith, I rolled my eyes, then waved to her parents and off I went. She was there first. She likely would not let me live it down. 

“Why are we here?” she said as she dismounted. 

“Just saying quick hello to Ultorin is all, he will be helping us out”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, he is joining the team, team Ramrod”

I rolled my eyes. “I can’t believe Dare told you that stupid name”

She shrugged. “I think its hilarious maybe? Honestly I am undecided”

“I would fear for you if you were not, come”

I opened and pushed the door gently and quietly. I wanted to see him before he saw us.

He was in the back, working dexterously on a lock. Which was, I guess, to be expected, nothing exciting going on here. The man working in the gold drawer eyed us, and I pointed to Ultorin in the back.

“Tell him, Lilvari is here to say Hi”

“One second I will fetch him”

He went in the back and spoke to Ultorin.

Ultorin went immediately rigid, and stood up absolutely straight in a way that somehow appeared painful. His head slowly turned and his gaze met mine. He then looked to the lovely Lillian, who was holding my arm in hers.

I looked at him and opened my eyes wide and cocked my head, while placing my other hand on my hip, elbow flared out. I was waiting, and he knew exactly what I was waiting on.

“Why is he just standing there, like he’s caught in a spider’s web or something?” Is he special like Dare? Lillian asked

I smirked and suppressed laughter. “I am not sure yet, in a few minutes I will likely know.”

Lillian waved him over impatiently.

He finally broke from the invisible silky webs that had held him transfixed and sauntered to the counter.

“Hi Ultorin, I said as civil and pleasant as possible. We were just going riding today, and I thought I’d stop by and say hello.

“Oh yes, and this is The lovely Lillian, my horse-riding protege.”

She dipped slightly at the knees and held out each side of her dress in a fine and adorable curtsy. Yes, I had taught her that, and yes, it was that damn adorable. Such a fine student she was.

“Pleasure to meet you, Ultron, Ultris, Ultorin sorry”

Yes, I guess she just picked that up from me, I didn’t actually teach her that. 

Nice to meet you, Lillian, he said nervously. Your dress is charming.

She frowned. “That’s a weird thing to say to a little girl, Lil, you seem to draw special people,” she replied.

He stammered, and I finally threw him a lifeline. I had him off balance as intended. I nodded my head to the backroom. 

“Give me a second Lillian, to talk to Ultorin in the back alone”

“I’ll be outside on my horse, less perves out there, I expect”

Again, I had to suppress outright laughter. 

“I know what this is about, he stammered”

“Oh, I know you do, and I presume you know what I want you to do”

He held out the ring and the note.

“I have the box at home-“

I cut him off.

“I don’t care about the box, the ring, and note will be precious to her that is my business here that is my concern”

He handed them over.

“Here take them’

I looked him dead in the eye.

He shied away. 

“I am not mind raping you, I just wanted to know if you were going to do the right thing, or just doing it because I am here.”

He looked guilty, like he felt shame, that is what I wanted. 

I pulled out fifty gold from my dress and handed it to him for the ring.  He seemed more interested in where I had hid the gold in my dress.

“Are you seriously checking me out right now?”

He turned beet red.

“No, no I only, where the hell did you pull that from?”

Ameteur.

“Have you seen my chest?” I Asked.

“Nevermind, of course you have.” Can fit plenty of gold between them, if you must know. It is very hard for a thief to steal them in there without losing a hand or at least a few fingers.”

“Anyway”, I continued before he attempted to stammer some response I probably wouldn’t care about.

“I am glad you decided to do the right thing, she’s a sweet girl who recently lost her grandfather, it was meant for her. “I also recognize a proper steal, and that is why I am paying you. I just wanted her to have the ring. So thank you, and would you kindly stop staring at my chest?” 

“Oh, sorry I was trying to figure out where that roll of coins came from.”

He smiled slowly, like he wasn’t sure if she should be smiling at all.

“Sure you were, I smiled, “I believe you” “Anyway I have other errands to run, I imagine you will join us in the future?”

“Yes, I reckon I will”

“Excellent, we could use a little subtlety, I will be seeing you”

I didn’t wait for a response. I just turned on my heels and marched out without looking back. I exited the locksmith with a smile on my face.

Lillian sat on her horse, waiting semi-patiently, twirling her hair. 

“Why are you smiling?”

“No reason in particular, maybe I am truly joyous today”

“I know that guy didn’t make you joyous. He’s a weirdo tinkering with small tiny locks and watches. Wonder why he’s so skilled at working with such little things.”

She then made a dangling motion with her pinky.

My mouth dropped open.

“Lillian,” but before I admonished her, I busted out into laughter, in which she joined in.

“Come child” I said as I mounted. We have other errands.

We traversed around town, not doing much, waving at the other townies, enjoying the ride, and each others company. 

We visited my Patron’s bookworm, who passed on potential information on my tome.

As dinner approached, I felt we hadn’t accomplished much, but it was still a fulfilling day. 

We rode by the house. Droop and Dare were still tinkering around outside and didn’t even notice us, so I left them to it. The sound of Mytic’s flute wafting from the upstairs window seemed to inspire the tempo of their musings and movements. Having some down time here, and there certainly was a better reward than most treasures in the wilds.

Dinner was lovely. I did my best to answer typical conversational subjects that I guess normal folk engaged in during meals. Obviously, I couldn’t divulge my true history, so I did the best I could. When the conversation went in a way I could not easily answer, or maybe I just simply grew tired of Lying to such kind people, I produced a certain note from a Loving Granfather to his loving granddaughter, 

    I explained the ring had been discovered along with the note earlier in the investigation. It had mysteriously vanished, and I had to require it. I didn’t name anyone, as I didn’t want to oust Ultorin. He was a thief, thieves steal shit. Sometimes, thieves simply stole from the wrong person. Besides, I thought of him more as a gentleman thief, not that I would ever admit that aloud.

    After she read the note and slipped the ring onto her finger, she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed tightly. Her tears ran down my cheek. I closed my eyes and enjoyed her warmth and the softness of her hair as I stroked her head.

    Why did I have to enter that stupid contest all those years ago? I could have had this. A life, love, a daughter of my own as beautiful and smart as this one. Now, I cried too. Her mother touched that I was now crying like a baby, put her hand up to cover her mouth and nose, and followed suit. 

    We said our good nights early. Tomorrow would be a tough day for all, and I think we all needed our rest. I mounted and led Lillian’s horse back to the stables. I felt a hand grip on my shoulder reassuringly, I held the fabric of the dress where it touched me. I made my way up the stairs to the Manor. 

Everyone just stared at me. I was probably a mess, my makeup probably all over the place. Mercarri with alarm in her face jumped off the stool at the kitchen table and stood in front of me. 

“What’s wrong, are you OK, Did someone hurt you?”

“No, I tried to bite back the sob in my voice, but couldn’t. “I’m fine. Upset, but fine, I suppose I just need some sleep.”

I then felt a slight tug on my dress by my left leg. I thought it was Reinwald, but looked down to see Droop. Who then hugged my leg. I patted his head.

“I’m okay, I’m okay, I just, I’m going to miss Lillian and I just need some rest.”

Mystic gently guided Droop from my leg and brushed Mercarri back gently with one arm. She then smiled and looked me in the eye. “Go then Lil, get your rest, it’s okay, you will see her again,” she motioned me to go. “Go, it’s okay”

I did, once in my room, I hung my dress and plopped down in front of my vanity.

Did my beauty matter?

My power?

Anything I had done up to this point?

    I remembered something about my adopted mother just then. I remembered why I loved her so much. This was something I could not usually remember. I know I loved my adopted parents. I just couldn’t remember loving them. I remembered how heartbreaking it was to lose them, but not why.

    What I remembered about my mother, why I loved her so was simple. I loved how well she took care of me. How she brushed my hair at night. How she spent all her free time teaching me to play the Lyre. How beautifully she had played. How she tended my scraped knees. How she kissed my tears when we sold one of our prized horses. How she made me feel loved and beautiful when others in town made me feel otherwise.

    I loved her so much because she showed me who I wanted to be. I wanted to be to someone else what she was to me. When I was young, I wanted nothing more than horses, a garden and a daughter of my own. Hair to braid, tears to kiss, someone to pass on what I had learned. 

As I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but question, what would I pass on now? Death, and blood, guilt, remorse. 

“We are what life and death make of us”

I spun around towards the sound of the voice. I was alone. I knew I wasn’t though.

I looked back to the mirror.

The raven queen sat upon the bed. Her features resembled mine currently. Like she too had been crying. Next to her sat a little dark haired girl. She couldn’t be more than five or six tiny little thing. 

“Who are you?”

The little girl grinned. “I am what life and death have made of me. I wanted many things for my life too, even at this young an age. I remember it like it was yesterday. From my perspective, it was yesterday. I remember what I wanted, but I accepted I won’t have it. I will never grow up, never grow old, never have the fairy tale wedding I imagined as a little girl.”

I was puzzled. “But you are a little girl?”

“Am I”

The raven queen spoke. “Every memory that returns brings you greater pain, this is why I keep them.” Yes, it benefits me, but it benefits you more. As your power grows again, your memories return. I fear we will repeat the Ravenloft incident again. 

“The Ravenloft incident? What happened there?”

“Do you want to know, I will say this before I ask again, and I don’t even want to say this. It was worse than Eli far worse”

“So I ask again, do you want really to know?”

She showed concern, grave concern, more so than I had ever seen on her face. 

I could barely speak or even push words to my lips. Worse than Eli? My god, what had I done. My heart stopped and I couldn’t bring air to my lungs. 

“Take us back two minutes quickly, it was too much” 

The little girl came towards me in the mirror and leaned in close. She then went back and sat upon the mirror reflected bed.

I was puzzled, “But you are a little girl?” 

She smirked. “Am I”

I struggled to find my place?

In I don’t know, time?

I felt like I had recently asked that. The deja vu must have been from my emotional state. I rarely got this upset.

“What is this? What were we just talking about?”

“Your adopted mother,” the Raven queen replied. “You remembered why you loved her.” Every thing you remember only brings you greater pain. 

“I am starting to grasp that”

“That is the nature of a typical human life, you love things in others and want to carry on their tradition. Humans are often times a product of those they have lost. Lilvari, you are not typical. You have a specific purpose, and maybe once that purpose is fulfilled, you can have that typical you seem to long for so much. 

“What is that purpose?”

“I am not sure?”

“Truthfully?”

“Well, if I knew entirely, I would not tell you. I would make sure you knew that I knew though” Either way, I would not tell you, but honestly I have no clue.”

I frowned. Raven queen logic. She says she would be honest and truthful about knowing, but still wouldn’t tell you.

“I can hear your thoughts, you know.”

I smiled. Of course I knew. She smiled back.

“Focus, on what you have, the rest will come on its own or it won’t. Either way, if it’s beyond your control, why get upset.”

“I know what will get your mind off such things.”

“A contest?” I asked.

Who would be my opponent.

The little girl smiled. “Me of course I didn’t come all this way to sit here and look adorable”

I laughed.”Are we hexblades all so vain about our looks?”

The raven queen smiled. “Not all, just damn near all.

*****************

I faced my opponent. God’s help me, I needed this. No fear of truly unleashing my power. No innocent bystanders. The ability to cut, entirely loose, in this place was a blessing like no other.

But…against a child. I knew there was no way she was merely a child. Still though, her appearance was unsettling. She simply smiled and gently tapped her fingertips, in sequence to her legs. 

“I have all the time in eternity” She said still smiling.

I motioned to summon Cursebringer. Usualy as quick as I could think it, I could summon it. It appeared, but seemed slower, as if acting on a delay. I planted my foot, for the step that would bring in my first slash. 

Cursebringer fell blade first to the ground, dragging my hand, arm and shoulder with it. I couldn’t lift it. I put both hands on and struggled to get it a few inches off the ground.

I was sweating. Sweating like a pig.

I lost my grip on Cursebringer. It clanged violently to the ground. Then I could barely stand. I felt this immense strain, like I was suddenly heavier. My knees buckled, and before I knew it, I was on all fours. I could barely keep my head raised to keep eyes on my opponent.

     She seemed to be moving faster, her hands twirled and twitched. I couldn’t hear, but could perceive here lips moving, chanting. She was casting a spell.

A mage, she was a damn mage.

She clutched a comically massive tome for one her size. She was ritual casting, and why not, she had all the time in the world. She had told me the same, and now I truly understood what she meant. Energy coalesced above her before long, a giant burning sphere took shape.

A fireball.

Yes, I was resistant to fire.

Still though, that did not mean I wanted to take one on the chin defenseless as I was. Even with her enhanced speed, it would still take some time to finish the ritual. 

    I had time to think. What was this? Initially, it appeared she was moving faster, as if manipulating time. That however didn’t explain my predicament. I was heavier, not slowed. It left one possibility that could produce her increased movement and my lack of it.

Gravity magic.

I would not be able to break its hold, and would have to wait for the effect to wane. I doubted I had that kind of time. The sphere of flames grew and grew. 

I locked eyes with the little girl. Then glanced past her, all around her. The hurtling rock sped on its way, careening through the inky blackness. The elemental force I manipulated the easiest surrounded us on all sides. I did not need to move to harness the shadows. Gravity could bend and trap even light, true.

Shadow though not so much.

The shadows gathered behind her, and underneath me snaking their way to the hilt of Cursebringer. I suppressed my desire to smirk cockily at her, not wanting to tip her off.

I could hear the Raven Queen yawning as if she were bored with my predicament.

I waited until the flaming sphere began to pulsate, signifying it was approaching critical mass. She pointed towards me, beginning to guide the fireball. 

It however, simply stayed there hovering. She looked confused, and when she did, I made my move.

The shadows yanked Cursebringer into my hand, and then yanked me free of the gravity trap. My muscles groaned as they worked again. I dashed towards her as quickly as possible. When I got within fifteen feet, I felt lighter. The lessened gravity effect got me there all the quicker. She looked down from her shadow snared  fireball just in time to see my hand coming as I gripped her throat and lifted her straight up, ramming her head right into her own fireball. She screamed as the sudden pain ended her ability to control the ritual. 

This was going to hurt.

The fireball exploded, hurtling us both across the surface of the rock. I shook it off quickly. She struggled. She had been badly burned. Especially her face and head. She looked towards me and snarled.

With her hair burned off, I noticed something I hadn’t before. Her ears were unusually pointy. An elf maybe?

Oh shit, I thought. Now it made sense.  She wasn’t a young child. She was a god damn vampire.

Her fangs flashed as she came at me on all fours. Se leapt at me. I held Cursebringer out flat in front of me, one hand holding the hilt, the other pushed against the flat of the blade. A thunderous sound, not all that different from a gong echoed across the rock as she went face first into Cursebringers blade. She swiped up angrily with her now extended claws.

I parried with Cursebringer. The force pushed the blade upwards toward my left shoulder. Her deflected claws slashed across my calf.  I spun my body with the deflected Cursebringer adding force to the upward tracking blade. I then let it fall towards the ground as I rotated around, and brought it into a viscous upward slash, scraping the stone as I did so. She nimbly leapt back out of range. Suddenly I felt heavy again.

Normally I wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice. This however wasn’t going to be her trick, now that I knew what I knew. 

I knelt and Cursebringer again clanked to the ground. She wasted no time to gloat as she made straight for my neck. Her teeth sank in. I felt I had been in this position before. Actually, I knew I had. Even if I didn’t have the exact memory of it happening, this sensation was not easy to forget.

You can literally feel your life ending, and in that instant you never feel more alive. I also knew I had been in this situation before for another reason.

I reached my hand to my thigh. My hand brushed against the blowgun, then to the darts. I always wondered why I mixed my neurotoxin with both silver and holy water. It was precisely unnecessary. I always imagined I did it for a reason. Hunting werewolves and vampires in Ravenloft I didn’t remember. I did however seem to keep to the same habits that no doubt benefited me while I was there. 

I jammed the dart in her neck. She released me immediately. She fell backwards clutching her throat, and then clawing at it. What should have been my blood leaked from her mouth. It wasn’t blood though. At first she may have gotten a little blood, but then she got nothing but the shadows. The tendril of shadow retreated out of the wound she had made in my calf. I figure I realized the lesson I was being taught here. I was not as powerful as the little girl. The contest was not about raw power.

She had Hexblades more powerful, yes.

As cunning though?

Definitely, not as beautiful. Seriously. She didn’t throw sexier Hexblades at me for a reason. CAUSE THERE WERE NONE.

The raven queen clapped. Then waved her hand, the little girl stood, restored. Her hair had grown back, the hideous burns healed. 

She narrowed her eyes at me. Then she too clapped her hands together. “Clever, I should have known you wouldn’t have fallen for the same trick twice.”

I smiled. “Yes, you should have known” 

She smiled, not hiding her fangs. “The shadows were also unexpected and rather unappealing. Your blood though, I taste the demonic, yes, but I taste something else other than hu-“

The queen cut her off, and with a wave of the hand, the little girl was gone.

“That’s enough for today, you continue to impress Lilivari. When next I call you to the rock, I will treat your eyes to something very few have ever witnessed and lived to tell the tale. A legend, a rumor often dismissed as the talk of those driven insane by calamity. I assure you though HE is very, very, real.

I started to speak, but then I was back in my room. What could she be talking about. I won’t lie, I was overwrought with excitement, almost enough to not notice how she had cut off what the little girl was saying.

*****************

The funeral was painful both for saying goodbye to the dead and the living. I was glad to set out early the next day to honor Lillian’s request. We were onto the boulder field.

    We passed a curious orc in a bizarre cabin along the way.  This warranted further investigation, I imagine though his specific type of peculiarity scared us off and towards our intended goal.

Dare took first watch as we broke for camp.

    I woke to a series of thuds and a scream, Mystic’s scream. I opened my eyes and saw two bug bears slamming their weapons down on a sleeping Mercarri and Mystic. I stared into Mystic’s eyes, which stared lifelessly back, reflecting the light of the fire. I bit down my rage and held back from reacting badly quickly.

   I felt a massive amount of rage well up, threatening to explode outward. A town of ash was left in my rage’s wake last time. I just watched my friend die, a sister. If I didn’t control it, I would lose them all.

    I felt the gathering of Magic next to me. Droop was awake and gathering energy to retaliate. I held up one finger to tell him to wait. 

    Mercarri leapt up after dodging another strike from the bugbear. Light exploded from her as she rose. It washed over her, and over Mystic’s body, and then streaked towards Dare. The light gave a better picture of our predicament. A foe stood behind Dare, knife in his back. More came from above. 

Bandits.

    I held out the finger still. giving Droop pause. Mystic still had not moved. Then suddenly she shifted in the darkness. The transformation was punctuated by the sound of a massive weight hitting the ground. In her place was a gigantic serpent, its scales glistened in the firelight. 

I shouted. Unleashing what I could of my rage. My first strike bit deep into a bandit. He screamed so loud that I couldn’t help but giggle and missed my second swing. A horrible stench then assailed my nostrils.

I know it’s strange, but the smell of shit in this case gave hope. The sickening sound the shit hammer made on contact had become music to my ears. 

    I had hope yes, but still there were many of them. I moved towards Dare as they closed around him. Suddenly I felt something in my head, like a slight ringing a vibration. It was minor, but I could feel my brain gently tapping back and forth on either side of my skull.  The bandits I could tell felt it far worse. I recognized the spell. Shatter.

    Droop had aimed it perfectly literally close enough to me that I could feel it, but not close enough to suffer ill effects. Without turning around to look at him, I gave a thumbs up above my shoulder as I parried a blow from a bandit, then another. One blow got through, I just smirked menacingly back at the bandit. Tis, but a scratch, you are dead. 

    I wanted to cut him apart piece by piece. I however had to get Dare to safety. As much as I make fun of him and call him special. I cared for the idiot. Truthfully, he had saved me many times. He bore the brunt of a Banshee’s curse. For me. He didn’t know that at the time, I know. Still. 

    Besides, this was a perfect opportunity. I heard the dueling sounds of the Shithammer and Lightbringer. I also could literally feel the power shuddering through Mystic as her muscles contracted on her prey. That snake form just really brought out the killer instinct in me, not going to lie. Our rear line was secure. The bugbears were no match for Mercarri and Mystic. Not on their best day, even if they caught them sleeping.

I grabbed onto Dare. Somehow, that seemed to startle him more than a small army of bandits creeping up on him in the dark. 

“Hold on Dare, Ever rode the lightning?” I asked.

His eyes went wide as the air filled with an electrical charge. The black lightning slammed into the ground all around us. In an instant, it returned to the heavens talking us with it. Then two columns of Darkness bore us down next to the massive python that was Mystic.

Dare staggered, and I steadied him.

He gazed at me wide eyed, lurched, and then looked like he was gonna vomit.

“THAT WAS AWESOME” He yelled.

I smiled. I had hoped to terrify the ever loving shit out of him. I should have known better. He would have snorted the lightning, given the opportunity.

My dark lightning hammered the bandits, they were literally dead on their feet. Mystic and Mercarri finished the bugbears, while Droop laid down another shatter. 

The last one, the one that had stabbed Dare in the back, begged for his life. We weighed in and decided to spare him. 

I just had to ask him a few questions.

“How many robberies had taken place before us?”

“Hw many innocent people were killed before us?”

His reply was “It’s my dead leaders fault”

I knew some should be spared. Some truly have no choice. This one however, I did not believe to be of that sort.

For having voted to spare him, no one seemed upset about Cursebringer finding a place in his torso. 

Who’s to say he wouldn’t gather a second attempt to meet us on the way back? Who’s to say he wouldn’t just pick weaker targets from here on? 

I’m to say. Neither of those things had any possibility of happening now.

I stared at Mystic and felt my eyes well up. I held it back, but she noticed.

She put a hand on my shoulder.

“I thought you were dead for a moment there”

She smiled.

“I was luring him in, I’m glad you care, is everything okay though?” Many emotions bleeding out of you lately. That strange man you had over didn’t hurt you, did he?”

I laughed.

“As if he could” 

Dare was staring at us from across the fire.

“We will ride the lightning some more?”

I sighed. 

Mystic stepped through the fire and swatted him.

“The idea behind taking watch is that you WATCH!” She then patted his shoulder. 

“Go get some sleep, I will take up next watch” Be hard to sleep now, all juiced up on Mercarri’s healing magic”

I went back to my bedroll and laid down next to Droop.

“Excellent awareness Droop, you waited for the moment even in a scary situation”

He smiled and pulled his bedroll over his head, and in an instant was snoring again.

In time, he would be a stellar combatant, his magical prowess was growing by the day. I wondered what marvel he would produce next with all the ingredients he had been gathering. 

 I rolled over onto my side and used my arm as a pillow. A pillow with a six foot massive sword held at its end. I couldn’t tell if I fell asleep or not. I could have just blinked, who knows.

I was not at our campsite anymore, I was back on the rock. Excitement made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. 

She manifested again as before, still sitting on a reflected image of my bed at Transendor.

She clapped her hands together excitedly. 

“Are you ready for this?” She asked.

“Ready for what?” I responded. I still wasn’t sure what she had in mind to show me.

“Well” She started. “On this plane, I have not utilized my little…no, not little, huge secret. Only once in fact. You ever heard the tale of Delhumide’s Fall?”

Of course I had. A demonic incursion occurred there. 

“Yes, exactly. After it fell into ruins, one of the Arch Devils decided there was enough bloodshed and death there to establish a beachhead for an invasion of Faerun. No one even noticed. Well, I noticed. So I sent him.

    She pointed out into the nothingness that blasted past the hurtling rock. A boulder made of a stone, or maybe gemstone, came from the darkness and settled on our platform.

The stone was as dark as a starless night, but yet sparkled with motes of varying colors. Reds, purples, blues, greens, all colors twinkled in the stone.

“What is this?”

My secret is inside. 

I got closer to the stone. It was more crystalline in composition, now that I was closer. I could discern a shape. There was something in there, but what?

I looked to my queen.

“HE prefers to be contained, asleep to be more accurate when not needed. That was the bargain we struck”

I could not fathom such a deal, I made one for power yes, but to be imprisoned?

“No, his tale is truly tragic, and every awake moment pains him in a way I’m not sure any can imagine”

“What happened to him?”

“Well, his tribe once traveled the elemental planes according to season on some forgotten universal calendar. They were stewards of the planes and helped keep them in balance.

“They had magical stones that channeled the plane’s energy that allowed such travel and protected them from the ravaging energies. Over time, these stones became more powerful.” A civilization native to another plane became aware of them and raised an army to steal the stones.  They attacked the small tent city the tribe erected when they touched down on a plane.

“The mages of this civilization could detect the power of the stones, but not their size or nature. They were small boulders, not exactly practical, and no human could move them or use them. In spite, they slaughtered the tribe. They also harvested their organs, horns, even their children.

“My charge here had a most sacred task, which was his duty to attend, and was not present at the time of the attack. When he entered the tent city, it was a bloodbath. His whole tribe had been butchered, as I understand it from what I can see in his mind, his sow was with a child. The child had been cut from the womb, killing her, and denying him a son. 

“I felt his emotions from across the planes. I felt his rage, his sorrow, I was curious. No being could possess such raw force of emotion. When I found him, he was kneeling over his sow and…. what was left of his child to be. His emotions were potent, maybe close in raw energy to yours when you lost your parents. It wasn’t simply that though. The stones resonated with his emotions, they were now bonded to him, all the power of the planes bound to one being.

“He was a powerful warrior already with the power of the stones, he knew he could have his vengeance. Again, though not practical. So our deal was struck. He would be my Destroyer, My beast of battle. I would fuse the stones into the greatest Hex weapon there was, a club simple yes, but when an object contains that amount of power simple does just fine. 

“When he was not needed, I would keep him here subdued asleep. I would only call on him for the greatest challenges that required brute force and crushing power. He earned the name “Slayer of Armies” when he razed the civilization that slaughtered his tribe. Keep by keep standing army by standing army. He is elemental fury unleashed. He did spare all the children, in all his destruction, not a single child was harmed. They now reside in a new civilization that rose from the ashes of the old. 

“I have used him for things beyond the scope of most of my Hexblades. It was he who slaughtered the twin ancient Wyrms who dared steal from me. He annihilated two Pitfiends in Delhumide. The greater devil fled back through his portal and closed it to escape his wrath. The Dracolich Beazalor who had made his home in the negative plane, had a small coven of aspiring young Hexblades slain to see if they retained their power in Undeath. He thought he could stand against the beast. His bones now litter the spaces between the planes. 

I was impressed with her words and his supposed unstoppable power. He didn’t look like he fit the bill though. I had been trying to get a good look at him through the stone, but could not.

“Oh yea Lilvari, that’s him when he is not primed for battle. I don’t know how he will take being awakened for this contest, but I guess we will find out.”

“Wait what”

It was too late the colors in the rock stopped flashing about and began to shake violently as if vibrating. They then faded to darkness, taking the stone with them. 

I could finally identify what he was. He stood at least twice my height. His head resembled a Bull. His horns were chipped and cracked in many places, and coiled down and around once on both sides of his head, before ending in point that faced forward. 

His upper torso was thick sinew, but surprisingly little hair or fur. It was bald apparent years of battle scars and burns etched all over him in place of hair. His legs and arms were much the same scars, random patches of fur that were both caked with black coagulated blood. Something seemed jammed into his right upper chest, puss and blood leaked from around it. 

Don’t worry, most of the blood isn’t his, or at least I don’t reckon it is. He won’t ever allow himself to be healed or tended. Battle, sleep, repeat.

I knew I should fear this creature, but I could not help but feel sorry. He had suffered heavy loss, grievous physical wounds that he purposely bore. He was punishing himself. Clearly. This struck me intensely, I did the same, only not to this extreme. 

“Surely you could heal him before hand?”

“I can not, it was part of our pact, you would face him at his full strength?”
I shook my head, I somehow don’t think I would stand a chance either way.

Just then his eyes opened. 

He growled more than spoke, but I found he was speaking common.

“What is this you need of me, my queen?”

She answered, and for the first time ever, she appeared nervous.

“I would have your assistance in the training of one of my other Hexblades, this is Lilvari”

He growled. “This is against our pact”

She smiled. “Our pact states and I quote” “I will summon when it is a battle, no one else can fight, or there is a lesson no one else can teach”

He considered her words. 

“What lesson am I to teach?”

“Humility”

I did not like the sound of that.

He growled back. “what are the terms”

“If you can make Lilvari yield, I will put you in permanent stasis, I will call on you never again.”

He perked up at that. I did not know what she was playing at. She clearly wanted me to win, she would never willingly give up such a powerful weapon. Still, this did not appear favorable. I would not die, but I felt a literal world of pain was on its way.

“This interests me, and if I do not make her yield?”

She smiled, looked at me, and then returned to him. If Lilvari can bring you to one knee, just one “she, will be allowed to give you one command”

My mind raced. Wow, what could I do with that? Maybe the more operative question was what could’n’t I not do. 

“I accept”. he growled.

The queen clapped excitedly. “Ok one second though, I would like to get some distance away first. With that, the bed separated from the rock and hovered at least a few hundred feet away. That was not a good sign at all.

The Minotaur snarled. A rune flashed upon his hide kilt, then another on his left horn, his right. I recognized the runes, they were similar to those that Ajax employed. I am not a fearful person, but yes, I was growing more afraid by the moment. 

He reached out his hand, as I often did when I summoned my pact weapon. As he did cracking, and stretching sounds began to echo from him, from within him. 

Of course. There was something else that Ajax could do along with the runes. Shit. Just shit. The snapping and stretching sounds grew louder and louder as he expanded in every direction. A spurt of blood erupted from the object lodged in his right shoulder as it grew along with him. He now towered over me. He was taller than our manner. Ajax got bigger but this was ridiculous. 

Then it came. A massive pillar of stones appeared in his outstretched hand. I quickly counted eighteen of them. One for each of the planes. My ears were filled with an oppressing hum. I could not hear anything else. It was the murmur of power from the stones that composed the massive club. He gripped it and bellowed. The very air came alive around him, seething with elemental energy.  

I quickly took stock. I had one advantage here speed and movement. If he caught me, I was finished. I could not beat this monster, I don’t know that anyone could. I simply had to drive him to a knee, just one. But how? 

He shouted. “Are you ready, little one?”

I summoned Cursebringer. I was not ready, but would never be. 

I pointed Cursebringer at him.

He roared and his aura of elemental power expanded, catching me within. 

I felt burned, frozen, buffeted by so much life energy that I felt like I was going to explode. I felt the negative energy of the negative plane threatening to turn me to a withered husk. waves of water slammed into me.

I did the only thing I could, I ran the other way. I summoned the shadows to try and shield me, but the elemental swirl completely ripped and scattered them away. Large pieces of Hail assaulted me then Fireballs. Rock. The ground beneath, my feet turned to mud. I was stuck.  He loomed overhead.

“Do you yield?”

I looked up. I was soaking wet up to my thighs in mud. I was a mess. Yield though? Never? Humility? Not I.

I pointed Cursebringer at him in response, in challenge. 

    He shrugged and hefted the massive club overhead. I could cast a shield to defend myself. I laughed, yeah that would help.  How could I get him to a knee? There was no physical way. I doubted I could hurt him at all, and there lies the answer. I did not have to inflict the wound. There was already one available. I dismissed Cursebringer. A lighter, more potent weapon was needed. It had been a long time, but now it was needed.

   The club descended. I would not be present to await its arrival. The lightning slammed into the ground where I had been. I watched it travel up the club and into the Minotaur. He didn’t notice in the least. I was perched on the thing stuck in him. I wasn’t certain, but it appeared like a claw of some sort. I had no doubt that whatever had put it there, wasn’t missing it now. I drove my foot down upon it. He roared and glared at me rage and pain in equal measure.

He was certainly not invulnerable. I summoned my weapon before he could swat me away. I summoned an eldritch blast and put more energy, more power into it than I ever had. The ShadowRage glaive vibrated, channeling and augmenting the energy. I held it, concentrating as hard as possible. I Leapt just as he brought his right hand up to grab me. I knew I wouldn’t hold all that energy and keep concentration if I hit the ground. I spun in the air, pointed the glaive at my target. An enormous pulsating sphere of eldritch energy slammed into the protruding claw. He shuddered and lurched forward. His right knee stopped inches from the ground.

Well damn it. I came down hard rolling through hoping I didn’t break my neck or back.

I thankfully didn’t. Steadily, he began to stand back up.

I channeled everything I had into the glaive. I gritted my teeth against the maddening pain in my skull at struggling to hold such energy back, whilst it continued to build and feed on itself. 

He stopped moving, sensing the coming blast. We locked eyes.

He leaned on his club, trying to force himself up. His right arm hung uselessly at his side. I had intended to hit the claw again, but I could end this now in a more humane manner.

I unleashed the eldritch blast. It streaked forward low to the ground. It dug a long jagged gouge as it scraped along the stone. With a momentous clash, it slammed into his bracing club. The momentum was enough to shift his support. He stumbled. Unable to use his right arm to catch himself, he fell. The platform shook as he fell face first to the ground. I couldn’t keep my balance and fell as well. I laid there staring up into the inky blackness, exhausted drained. I had expended more energy than that before, never imagined I could hold it or contain it like that. It was much harder to restrain such power than to only unleash it. 

The beast grunted and lifted his head to lock eyes with me. In a second, he was gone, the black stone of elemental colors had reclaimed him.

The queen appeared over me. She extended a hand.

She pulled me up.

“WOW” Just wow. I never would have presumed. A knee was stretching it, I had estimated. You actually toppled the beast. She waved a hand. My exhaustion disappeared.

“You were really willing to never call on him again if I yielded?”

She laughed. “You’re to stubborn to yield, he would have had to kill you.” WHICH is FINE here, I could simply restore you. Even if he killed you, technically that is not yielding.”

I frowned. 

“What, you can summon him once, think of what you could do with that?” 

“I think you already know what I want of him”

She frowned. “EWWW, I didn’t think you would be into that kinda thing”

“NOOO not that, what the hell is wrong with you? You know exactly what I want, and I’m sure that was what you were trying to manipulate from the get go.

She mocked insult. “I’m sure I know not what you mean.”

“He is gravely wounded, refuses attention, I never should have stood a chance. You could not risk sending him out in his current state, and your contract with him prevented you from doing anything about it.” You know what I would do, and what I would want from him.”

She took a more serious tone. “You got me, I do what I have too.”

“I know” I smirked. “Well played” 

She smiled back.

I then awoke just in time for my watch.  I woke Mercarri and Droop, I would need them.

Mystic was quickly asleep thankfully.

“Droop, I need you to keep watch with Boof, can you do that? I have something to do with Mercarri.”

He made a face. “Alone?” he asked.

“Yes, you and Boof will make a fine watch team. We will be right down over the hill there down by the stream. Shout if you need us, OK?”

“What you be doing?”

I smiled. “Helping someone who needs it.”

I dragged the half asleep Mercarri along.

“Mercarri, I am going to need you to do some serious healing while I work.”

She looked around confused. “Heal what, what the hell are we doing down here?”

“OK, there’s about to be a rather intimidating…” I searched my mind for a fitting descriptor for the beast. “Ally”

She looked around, “Where?”

I shook her by the shoulders. “Are you ready? Whatever happens, don’t scream or wake the others, they need their rest.”

“Ok, I’m ready, I think?”

“I wish to summon the beast, my command is that he will allow us to tend his wounds, until I am satisfied.”

Nothing happened for a moment. Mercarri glanced left, then right, and then back at me frowning. Her eyes went wide as a weighty set of foot prints came from nowhere right behind her.

The beast loomed over her. He didn’t look any better than the last I saw him. The wound where the claw was worse than before. I winced knowing that was my fault.

I looked up into his fiery scarlet eyes. I could tell he was not happy. I knew however he would honor the deal. I motioned to a small boulder along the stream.

“Sit, please.”

Mercarri still had not turned around. 

He sat. 

“Go on Mercarri take a peek and take a breath.”

She did for a lingering moment. She said nothing. I then sensed the gathering of her Magic. Her hands glowed a brilliant gold.

“I will need you to pull the claw out, I will need to heal the wound as it comes out. He could bleed out otherwise.”

Despite her fear, her duty to heal the wounded prevailed, and she knew what to do. Over the next hour, we worked the claw out little by little.

The Minotaur didn’t wince once. He just watched us as we worked. I could not tell if he was studying us or trying to intimidate us.

I did not particularly care. I got water from the stream to wash away the dried blood and gore that covered him literally as if it were a replacement for all the missing fur and hair. Mercarri glowed in golden light. Her healing magic repaired his wounds layer of flesh by layer of flesh. The first rays of daybreak washed down the hill. 

Droop appeared on the crest of the hill. I waved. Then yelled to him.

“Can you send down Mystic when she wakes?”

He tripped and fell over, and then returned towards camp.

I imagine the whole scene must have been strange to him, as it would be to about anyone. I knew he was also probably getting used to all my weird shit. He did room with me for longer than probably any other sane being.

Mystic appeared and stretched. Then abruptly pulled back to normal when she took in the scene. She slid rapidly down the hill with extreme haste.

The Minotaur tensed as if he was going to stand. I put my hand to his chest.

“You will not move until I say or we are finished”

He grunted. I also suspected he half smiled.

Mystic took the scene in for a moment.

She glanced at him, then me.

“What the hell is this?”

“An ally, a friend.” I made eye contact with the Minotaur as I said it. He looked down and away for the first time. 

She stared at the claw which lay on the ground nearby. 

“Is that a baby pit fiend’s claw?”

“No, it’s from the full grown variety, it shrank along with our friend here when he became his normal size.”

She took a deep breath and an extended blink. “What can I do?” She asked.

“Help Mercarri with the healing, she has been at it for hours”

She stepped forward and picked a gouge.

Green light sparked from her fingertips to her elbows as she worked. 

The Minotaur now locked eyes with Mystic.

She smiled. “I have not seen a Minotaur in this region for an age,” she scanned over him as she spoke.

“What has happened to you, the only places you don’t have a weeping wound, you have a scar in its place.”

The Minotaur only stared back.

She looked at me.

“Can he speak?”

“Yes, he can, he is stubbornly choosing not to. His is a Hexblade of My queens like me.”

She frowned. “I see, well, my new Hexblade friend, you may want to renegotiate your terms with her, she takes far better care of Lilvari, it seems.’

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Oh, I’m sorry did I offend. I did not mean to, merely stating fact. Don’t try to menace me by the way. I am helping you. Besides, it looks like Lilvari has you under her thumb. You can not do anything can you?”

He folded his arms at that, obviously frustrated by his predicament.

“HAH, mystic Beamed “a reaction at least.”So you are honoring something. You do not sit here because you want to, or not even cause you need to. So if you are held by honor, you would have to have some, yes?”

He stared at her icily. 

“Well,” she continued. We usually say thank you when someone goes to such great lengths for us. She motioned towards Mercarri.

“That girl can heal, heals for days, and she’s exhausted working on you.”

His eyes flicked briefly to Mercarri. She gave an exhausted smile.

Lilvari, to I imagine, is growing weary of your staring menacingly at her for her trouble. I’d say she’s probably exhausted too but I am uncertain if that crazy bitch every sleeps truly, unless I put her there.”

“HEEy” I retorted.

She stepped up as close to his face as she could, and looked him in the eye.

“So what do you say? A thank you would be delightful, from an honor bound beast such as yourself. I know of many Minotaurs that would love the attention you’re getting right now.”

He stared at there, and finally rolled his eyes and grumbled.

“Thank you, fine ladies, for tending to me, even though I deserve it not, the lack of pain I also do not deserve”

She looked at him then me.

“Oh, I see now he’s not that different from you.”

I knew that was coming.

What was I supposed to say to that.

“Yes, he is. I did something horrible, he had something horrible done to him”

He looked down. 

I tensed as Mystic reached out and put a hand on his chin and made him look up.

“You accomplish nothing with this torture to yourself.” Like a child. If you find yourself in this sorry state again, you will come to us. You are honor bound to do this. That is the price I name for my assistance today. AM I CLEAR.

His mouth barely moved. “Yes, that is clear Lady Elf.”

This was working out far better than I expected it would. Who would have anticipated Mystic would “cow” (Hah) the beast into accepting her mercy. I had felt for the creature. For his pain that was forced on him by others, and that which was forced on him by his own hands. The queen was the real winner here. The master manipulator. She would now have the beast at full strength, a scary thought.

“My name is Mystic, Mystic Phoenix. She motioned to Mercarri. The Life priestess Mercarri Mirrari. You know Lil already” 

I rolled my eyes at her dismissal. 

“What is your name?” She asked.

He stared at her, then back and forth between us all before responding.

“I have many names. I don’t remember my true name.”

Mystic frowned slightly and forced it back to a smile.

I noticed then that his fur and hair were now beginning to grow back. It was a motley of Silvers, and Golds. A truly striking pattern I had never observed on a Minotaur.

She and Mercarri continued to pour their magic into him as she spoke.

Her words soothed him. Slowly, the tension began to leave his muscles as they worked.

Ultorin, Droop, and Dare appeared on top of the hill.

Their jaws dropped as they beheld the Minotaur.

Dare yelled down. “What the hell are you bitches doing down there.”

It was harmless from Dare, we knew that, I might even consider it affectionate in his case.

The Minotaur did not.

He stood and immediately grew to double his size. I put a hand on his chest, like when he was still sitting. It now came to rest on his calf maybe. 

“He meant no offense, he is just a little special.”

He snorted and steam came out. 

“I care not for his choice of words, he will go back the way he came, or I will rip him in two” He bellowed loud enough for all to hear. 

“Uh yea, you all keep bathing the Minotaur, I’m gonna find the shitter”

With that Dare was gone. Ultorin went with him. Droop slowly made his down to the river bank. He watched us work quietly.

“So you went from not speaking to us at all, to being protective of us.”

He said nothing.

“Do you want a name?” Mercarri Asked.

“I am fine with Beast”

“You are a beast, yes, but you are not a savage beast” Mercarri replied.

She had no idea.

“How is Elgane?”

Mystic frowned. “Why Elgane?”

“I don’t know. In my studies, I only ever remembered one Legend about a Minotaur, and that was his name.”

Curious I thought. “What’s the legend”

“Oh, it was about some demonic incursion stopped by a Gargantuan sized Minotaur that some Holy man decided to name Elgane. It means Will of God in some obscure old language from my Goddess’s home plane.”

I smirked. “Actually, seeing as that was actually him, that’s perfect.”

They all glanced at me.

I shrugged. “I can explain later, or maybe once we are done, Elgrane would be so inclined to demonstrate.”

He smiled. 

Before long, the healing and mending of Elgane was complete. He was actually quite beautiful, noble even once cleaned up. 

He knelt on one knee.

“I did not deserve your care, but I thank you for it”

Mystic stepped forward, as did Mercarri. Clearly, they were touched by Elganes suffering as I had been. They each put a hand on his shoulder, he had to scrunch down a little more to allow them to do so.

“You will come to us should you need us,” Mercarri said.

“Your queen’s contract won’t allow her to heal you, but it does not prohibit her from sending you to us to do so.”

“I will inform her”

“I am sure she is aware already. I replied. 

He stood and put one fist to his chest in salute. Then he was gone.

Mystic turned to me. “You will have further elaborate on how all this came to be.”

“I will, I owe it to you both.” Now though, we need to press on to Honor Lillian’s request. We can speak of this on the way.

Droop kicked the shrunken Pitfiend Claw. 

“Uh, no one needs this right?” he asked.