_{by jaymamma.}

Last nights sleep was replenishing. We had company in the night. A father and his young daughter on the travel for better fortunes elsewhere. It seemed the same status and social issues I so despised plagued our destination as well. We directed them towards Phandalin hopefully they arrived safely.

    Sildar would give them a bed hopefully until our return. If they needed I would help them get back on their feet. I think I was warming up to the possibility of some day seizing control of Phandalin and perhaps making it a better place to be for people like me, Droop and others of less fortune like the father and daughter.

    The lights of the larger city loomed ahead. We ran across a peculiar magic shop on the way. The owner made us a proposition. In the moment the prospect of promised magic items for doing the right thing appealed to me. However the more I though of it the more wrong it seemed.

    The derelict old shop was no home for a child. Its owner spun a tale of local farm owners stealing her granddaughter and brainwashing her. We took in the farm from a distance and If I were a little girl I think I might have preferred brainwashing and a suitable place in which to live. I slowly swayed the others towards the idea the old woman may not be as she seemed. Also, first coming to town and stealing a  child may not be the best way to go.

    As we approached the gates we, well probably I drew a lot of attention. Yes, as Sildar said they did seem to favor demi-humans. Droop had already disguised himself as a halfling. Although, the guards seemed to have eyes more towards various chests in our party. We exchanged words and after Dare presented his credentials allowed entry. 

    We passed sparring guards. I admired the clearly superior of them. A clap and a wink, yes they would not have issue with my demon side at all when it suited. Same as any other town. 

    We immediately made for the nearest inn to stash droop before his spell wore off. His safety was my first concern. I did not want to have to kill all the guards in his defense. 

There was a temple close by the inn. It seemed to I don’t know call to me. A woman walked by after leaving the temple and looked at me as if she knew me. I would have to pay it a visit. I also wanted to visit Lillian of course. First though, the reason for being here. We would need to visit the Dirty Dwarf. 

We got a pair of rooms and I took Droop upstairs.

“I am sorry for this Droop”

“Meh I understand not all of my kind have my good manners, and plus it gives me time tinker with all the great stuff i have acquired. From all the things we killed.”

I smiled. “Yes droop you are coming into your own and you have been a great help in battle. I know that you have been itching to tinker with your spoils. Should any problems arise shout in Ultorin’s head. I will come running”

“Ok, I will miss you” He smiled but I could tell that was not true at all. He had been looking forward to hiding out in the inn.

“Just don’t blow anything up”

“I will try not to?” He shrugged 

I laughed. “Always knew you were going to be trouble, I want to hear this lock latch when I leave open for no one got it”

He set down his little pack, and huffed a little.

“Fine I will walk you out.”

Now I was catching gruff from the goblin. He was becoming more independent. I don’t know if that made me proud or sad.

The latch swiftly turned the moment I was out the door. I stood there and waited a second, and the sounds of his fiddling began.

“I Be fine you can go”

I returned to my companions.

    They were at the bar I took a moment to ask about the temple and As I had thought it was a temple of Mystra. Why did it seem to pull at me. I was pretty sure my Patron did not exactly have any love for Mystra. That made it all the stranger. I hoped I was not secretly some necessary pawn in a chess match between the two. If I was I would probably never know and neither would ever tell me. I think that is the reason they didn’t get along. Both schemers. Us mere mortals just got to be the meaty filling of a scheme sandwich. 

    As if the odd happenings piling up were not high enough, I glanced into the parlor of the inn and saw very familiar faces. A team of adventurers told their stories to the thirsty patrons. I knew instantly where I knew them from, and that they had been horribly dead when I last saw them.

    My dream with Ajax. The nightmare it seemed we had barely escaped from. There I had met them. Well their corpses anyway. Mystic tapped me on the shoulder, and pushed up my lower jaw which had probably fell to somewhere  by my knees. I jest of course it would never fall past my voluptuos breasts. 

“You look like you have seen a ghost?”

“That is because I most certainly have”

“Care to explain that?”

I explained the dream to them and the adventurers presence there. 

Ultorin decided he wanted to meet them.

“Wait don’t tell them what I just told you”

“Why would I open a conversation with anyone like that? You think I’m dumb or something?”

I rolled my eyes. He waved it off and took a step towards where they were seated.

Mystic suddenly grabbed him. When he started to protest  she hushed him.

Their story, they were talking about people in green robes with cuts on their arm much like the guy we stuffed in a barrel. You know that guy who stole Mystic’s flute and made me run. Yes, that guy.

We listened, or I sort of did. Something about a magic wand and a magic key blah blah. They had me at weird men in green robes. 

After their story we introduced ourselves. We exchanged names they were called “The might of Thornsborough” I told them our name and they looked like they were about to laugh, but realized I was serious.

Sigh.

We really did need a better name. Anything. The Phandalin Pulverizers, Loppers of limbs, Lilvari’s Lacerators ahhh I liked that last one. Of course I did. If it started with Lilvari it must be perfect. 

    Back to business. we compared notes on the dicks in green and I don’t think a more complete picture made any of us happier, quite the contrary. Assuming the flute was the key then they had it, which I suppose was bad. Soon as we put out one fire another pops up.  We agreed to keep in contact on the situation as long as we were in town.

    We then came to speak of the odd request from the old women in the magic shop. They all made me produce that ugly doll that she had given us to give to her granddaughter. Their wizard immediately discerned dark magic and a blonde hair was woven into it. I wouldn’t have been comfortable in presenting the damned thing to any child, now I knew it wasn’t just ugly but evil. I suspected that our women maybe something else entirely.

    We then bade our farewells and decided to check in with the Drauger’s immediately. If what I suspected was true it was of the most importance. They were a lovely family. They had no idea who the women was. The little girl seemed to had met her and had picked a bug from her hair. It all came together. We were dealing with a hag. We warned the family and told them we would deal with it immediately.

    Gods almighty. It really was a simple thing. We go in the magic shop expose her cut her up. Lots of lacerations and move on with our day. Hags were powerful yes, but so were we. Of course Dare wanted to do his shitter routine. I think the Hijinx and comedy act were how he coped, along with impossible amount of imbided alcohol. This was a close to heart issue for him. He had lost his sister to a hag after all.

Then it became clear Nazareth, nauseously, Nancyeth whatever was also a “plan” guy. Had to be a plan. That’s great wonderful. One problem, the more complex the plan, the easier it is to fail. He planned to pluck a hair in secret with his mage hand. 

“That’s a horrible Idea” I said

He hissed. “what is so horrible?”

“Well , you plan to steal a hair and somehow bind it to a magical item you don’t understand in an attempt to control her? You couldn’t even detect the magic yourself.”

Just then I noticed Dare had lost interest in our discussion and was on his way through the door of the magic shop. Nazzeth then took his opportunity to enact his horribly ill conceived strategy.

    Well, the shitter was an outhouse. So failed. The mage hand was swatted away absently as if she saw it coming all along and was bored. Mage hands did one of two things they casted spells or they diddled themselves with them. Goes for both mages and the spell mage hand. Its like a mage got to lazy to play with himself and made the spell. Which probably explained why Nazzeth knew it. So yea failure two.
The women said something to Dare something about his sister. 

In a flash of light the magic shop was gone. We stood in empty field a tree fallen at its center. Then our folly of horrible plans became evident.

    We had not just the hag to deal with. We were out of position and her dog was no longer lazily laying about her shop. He was much much larger. He easily stood taller on any of us and rivalled Mystic’s python form in length. It belched smoke and brimstone from its mouth and nostrils. I then saw something red, a lot of red somethings darting about in the underbrush. 

    I hoped with all that is holy and good in the universe they were not gnomes. Creepy little bastards. I cringed.  The large hound howled and I was gripped with fear. Many of the others were affected as well. I held my ground. I could not bring myself to traipse through the underbrush the thought of a gnome latching into my ankle with its creepy little teeth just would  not allow me to move.

    It may be an unwritten rule for us, I wasn’t sure. Maybe it was just that it was the largest target. Nope, we just had already learned killing an evil beings pet first was the surest way to tip the odds.

    That horrid looking bitch had nothing no friends the dog was probably all she had. Ultorin struck it first, then I volleyed two eldritch blasts in its direction. Mercari pulled out a new trick. She casted a spell I had not yet seen. Her light took on the shape of angelic beings with great golden wings. They darted about her striking the dog. The gnomes too screeched from the bushes. She should definitely use that  more.

    I could sense Dare’s movement before he actually moved. I could hear his muscles infused with rage tense and release. Dare let loose the dogs of war. He rained down savage blow after savage blow. He snorted out in rage as the beast fell at his feet.

The fear effect its howl had induced faded immediately. Things were looking up.

    The gnomes then struck quickly and decisively. As if the little shits were not creepy enough they had these ridiculous iron boots. One kicked Dare straight to the ground and then just went berserk with its weapon hacking and slashing. Dare barely staved off the assault. Nazzeth and the hag suddenly lifted into the air. I nodded at Nazzeth as he gripped her in his levitation spell and pulled her from the fight. Mercarri was moving towards Dare for the assist when she was just hit from all angles by the gnomes. They just decimated her as she faded into unconsciousness they began dancing around her and rubbing their little red hats into her wounds.

I had to salvage this.

I knew mystics lithe lightly armored form though very appealing would not stave off an assault from these creatures. 

“Mystic I yelled Go spider protect yourself.” Dare get up off your ass fall back.

    Ultorin had snuck around the back of the illusory magic shop and I don’t think the gnomes were ware of him at all. Phantasmal daggers appeared in his hands as he took aim. He already knew what I was going to say. I looked up at Nazzeth and looked towards the fallen Mercarri.

    He to his credit immediately sensed my intent. He formed a healing spell and sent it her way. She stood slowly the gnomes around her jumped back in surprise. She held  up her shield and it blazed gold as she prayed. The energy went where it was need most into her and Dare. The gnomes however sensed her power and came at her with everything they had she fought hard to stay afoot but could not. 

    Dare too despite healing was beginning to falter. Maybe not. He stood as a bulwark against them. Blow after blow rained down. Some found purchase some did not. He still withstood it all. I had to get him back. Give him a moment to compose himself. The words about his sister had thrown him.

    Still, something had to be done about the gnomes in my path. Creepy little bastards. I charged forward slashing as I went, my blade hit home and I immediately loosed Cursebringers runes. The gnome crumbled beneath the onslaught. I moved onto the next and dealt it a horrific wound. Nazzeth was still locked in mid air combat with the hag. I could not make out their dialogue. It ended with a torrent of magic missles battering Nazzeth. His concentration broken she floated back to the ground. She motioned and Nazzeth’s eyes just rolled into the back of his head. He plummeted face first into the ground. He staggered slowly to his feet. 

    Damn it this was a battle. Perhaps the fiercest we had encountered thus far. We needed to tip the odds in our favor. Just then Ultorin slew the gnome I had struck. Now was the time to extract Dare. I moved forward and called the thunder. I pulled him to the other end of the downed tree. I struck Mystic with the thunder, I didn’t wanted to but it was necessary and she had requested it. No, I don’t speak giant spider. Harmony magic and my hex magic linked us. We used it to great benefit when it suited.

    She absorbed the attack of a gnome and reverted to her normal shape. She would have had to spend time effort and energy to shift back which would delay her planned maneuver. She immediately shifted to a rarely used form. It was still her star form yes, but the constellations that radiated from within were now arranged in the shape of a chalice.

    Her healing potential was greatly enhanced. Starlight danced across the  battle Mercarri slowly stood. She was drenched in blood and her face contorted in a wrathful expression that I had not yet witnessed upon her. The stench of fresh stool filled the air. Yes, it was indeed Hammer time. A hammer time of shit that is. The gnome avoided it only to then have it’s skull bashed in by Lightbringer. Healing magics began to flutter back and forth. Nazzeth had finally been bested by the Hag and fell to the ground. Mercarri’s golden light fell upon him accompanied by starlight. The last gnome fell.

Dare had taken his greater healing potion. We watched from behind the tree. 

“Your Call Dare” “I said.

“What you mean”

“I think we should take her alive, if she has answers for you so be it, if not well nothing makes me fell better than dismembering an enemy” 

He grinned though there was no humor or light heartened cheer to it. It was mirth and a frightening amount of bloodthirsty if I had to guess. The hag had sensed her battle was lost her allies and her dog all lay dead. Our fallen had arisen. She really knew it was over though when She locked eyes on Mercarri. 

“Ready Dare?”

“Yes, you go left, I go right we meet in the middle and beat that bitch down.”

“Alive I asked”

He nodded. “Yes”

He yelled “Team Ramrod!!”

We went in our directions. I motioned to Mercarri as she tracked me running past. She sneered and began casting. I could feel the warmth of the shit Hammer seemingly following me. I was both grateful and ungrateful for it at the same time. Her spell hit the Hag and me at about the same time. All sound stopped. I smiled at the hag as I crashed into her. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. She turned to run back the way she came and a crossbow bolt hit her in the shoulder. 

Dare must not have been able to move as fast as I could. He had suffered quite the beating, and I somehow as of yet was completely unscathed. I hadn’t even busted a nail. I had hoped to sandwich her between us in the silent zone and proceed to beat wholesale ass until she was unconscious. She ran clear of my swipe with cursebringer and ran towards Dare. I could not hear a dam word but they were talking and then from out of nowhere The shithammer struck her from above. She was down. We had won.

Mercarri dismissed the silent zone. 

“What happened ?”  I asked. 

“She was trying to beg for her life, we tried to get her to believe we wouldn’t hurt her. Mercarri said”

Dare knelt over her all rage and fire.

“No hands, no tongue, no casting spells.”

I Smiled and he smiled back sadistically. The hacking and cutting began. Ultorin slapped her with her own hand to wake her up. 

She went to scream but couldn’t she looked at her hands then all around at us. A dawning realization of horror crept across her face. Her head snapped towards Nazzeth. It became a tit for tat of her trying to be defiant and not give us any information. She pretended to enjoy Dare’s plight and did nothing but taunt. Dare was oddly stoic, he was about the interrogation now. 

For some strange reason I think at first the hag thought we had no way left to torture her as we had already effectively ended her. She was wrong there can always be more pain. Mystic and Mercarri both began to conjure healing magics. Dare spoke.

“We can spend a day a week however long it takes. They can heal you in shifts rest and be ready to heal you again. I am going to start with your lip, then maybe a toe at a time.” Nazzeth handed him a  knife. He slowly and methodically sawed off her lower lip. Her horrid teeth now shown through. He rammed the lip in her mouth. Her eyes rolled like she was going to pass out. Mercarri’s golden light staunched the bleeding from her face and her stumps. Her eyes flashed open. It was a little creepy but this was when we were most on the same page. There was just something about torture for us. Even from those of us you would not expect it. 

Suddenly Dare just scooped her up and slammed her head first into a nearby stone outcropping. She again began to fade out and this time star magic washed over her. Dare looked to me. “Can I see that” 

He pointed to Cursebringer. 

I smiled. “Sure, only for a moment or two though, not my rule by the way. You could use it on her all day if it was up to me.”

I Slammed the blade into the dirt centimeters from her face. The blade wailed like a banshee, the discorporeal shade of the wraith stared out of it at the hag her eyes opened in horror. More faces, familiar but unremembered faces flowed across its blade. Dares fingers barely touched the hilt. She broke just like that, she blabbed. She wanted death for the information. Death from anything other than that horrible sword.

    Something about her explanation excited my Patron. I could feel the excited elation in the back of my mind. So much so that I didn’t actually glean what she told. No matter we would get there, when the time arose. Dare rammed the knife under her bottom jaw and up into her skull. I personally would have had them hold her jaw open while i literally rammed eldritch blasts down her throat. I have just always wanted to try that. There was always next time.

 We stopped at the Duerger’s farm to tell them of the Hag’s demise as promised. We broke tradition a little and did not drag the body behind us this time. I did think maybe that wasn’t such a great idea. Not that the course that was decided on was any better. A bit more practical maybe? Nazzeths uh-hum special hand carried it aloft a light spell in its mouth. I was also singing something I had never heard before. 

    The house was unnaturally dark as we approached. Once close enough we could discern that they had vacated on our word for fear of their daughter.  It was unessecary but I am glad they had done so. Just then footsteps approached, many footsteps.

    Their uniforms identified them as the town guard. They were appalled by our spectacular floating singing lantern. Some wretched, some looked away. No fun at all this rabble. They were on dispatch to check on the problem we had alerted the Duerger’s to. Obviously, they came to see and hear their folly as if it was somehow sung out for them. They led us back into town to meet the house speaker, town speaker, whatever. I really needed to learn these terms and their significance.

    Hopefully she was not a town official of the goat blowing variety. I was elated when I saw her hop up into her little stool, feet swinging with a childlike exuberance. I kept this to myself of course because I have some I don’t know decorum. Dare didn’t and started giggling. I saw annoyance cross her face and ran my usual line when it came to Dare. I think it was because it was so damn believable.

“Forgive him he’s a little slow, maybe slightly retarded. He doesn’t wear a helmet to protect him in battle, it’s to protect him from running into things. Isn’t that right Dare wouldn’t want you bump your little noggin and get a boo boo.” 

I looked to Dare and smirked. He grunted but at least had the sense to stop and let the adults speak. 

The conversation was brief and too the point. She was grateful of our find and of our putting the end to said find. She ridiculed the holy watcher, speaker or whatever. In title alone I had already assumed I would not like him, throw in the fact that he had an immediate disdain for demi humans and yes I now didn’t like him with absolute certainty. I then noticed her pin, a harper pin. 

She rewarded us with several hundred gold which I tucked into the haversack to be divided up later. The more gold I gave Dare in such a big city the more he was apt to spend. Likely, also the more trouble he would get into. Sigh, I was becoming the party mother.

I saw opportunity here for allies. Maybe against a certain reptilian foe that we had avoided until now. I tapped my pin as I spoke.

“If you should need assistance with anything else please do not hesitate to seek us out.”

She eyed the pin and smiled.

“Ah, that is likely in the future for the time being though I can offer you something. She produced a somewhat fancier pin,

“I now dub you a HarpShadow”

I felt heat in my cheeks, Oh, I loved new titles and accolades. I put it on and turned to the rest of the party. I curtsied as much as my armor allowed smiled and wrinkled my nose and whispered.

“HarpShadow!!”

Congratulations Lil Mystic said genuinely. Mercarri jumped up and down in excitement.

Ultorin gave an unsure thumbs up. Nazzeth just continued to read the board and Dare looked off into empty space signifying he didn’t care. 

“Thank you Mystic, Thank you Mercarri the rest of you can blow a goat.”

The townmaster giggled then stifled it. I smiled. “Its ok to have a laugh from time to time, negates the urge to murder the multitudes of daily annoyances.”

“I can see your point, be watchful of the guard they will have it out for you you know this.”

“Yes, I do.” “Don’t worry demihuman or not breasts and legs will see me through most encounters with the guards, and my charm of course.”

She smiled. ” Being popular may be worse”

“Oh, we will see”

We then parted ways. Most of the others headed to the dirty dwarf. Nazareth went to research the hags little magic rock. I would be happiest if he just smashed the foul thing and was done with it. To each their own I suppose.

    He was not the only one who had taken to carrying around a foul magicked item. I had more taken it off Mystic’s hands to do her a favor. I could see….feel the disdain every time she looked at it. Now though I think for a couple reasons it was a new option in my repertoire. After what I had seen in Cursebringer’s blade when Dare asked to use it against the hag was the primary reason of course. Thankfully before my mind could be pulled back into its usual mental struggle I arrived back where we took our rooms. I had to make sure Droop was doing ok. 

I knocked. He didn’t respond and I heard no noise. I knocked again nothing. 

Good goblin. “It’s me Droop” 

“Who is me?” He inquired. I thought I heard a little giggle from the other side of the door.

Sigh. “Its Lilvari Droop stop playing.”

“FIINE he replied and unlatched the door.

I walked in and it was like a explosion had ripped through the room. His jars were all over the place. A small apparatus hung over a candle, some viscous liquid bubbled within.

I had expected him to complain of boredom. Quite the opposite he was having the time of his life up here.

He watched me expectantly, waiting for me to ask what he was up to. I walked over to the mirror to make sure I was in cavorting condition. He still stared at me waiting, his lip began to twitch with impatience.

Fine I would humor him.

“My Droop what are you up to up here.”

In an explosion of words I didn’t even understand he flitted about the room pointing to this, and then to that. He smiled and made hand gestures. I couldn’t get a word in. I waited patiently. Finally he paused to hear my thoughts.

“Droop you realize I do not speak much goblin, and I quite literally only understood one word. “Potion””

He put up a finger ” ah yes ” And then he went back through the whole spiel again this time thankfully in common. He explained what he could make and what he had discovered amidst his ingredients. 

“Very impressive Droop you make me very proud what a important part of the party you have become. 

His cheeks turned brown. Then I had a thought.

“Say Droop”

“Yes, my lady he smiled widely and toothily.

I liked that My lady. He really was the most charming of us, well except for me.

“You would not suppose you could come up with a potion that would make us immune or at least resistant to poison would you?”

He frowned. “For dragon?” He was visibly shaken just mentioning the creature.

“Yes, soon the dragons time will come.”

“Ok I  will try on one condition”

If he did not want to accompany us to fight the dragon I would understand he had come a long way but a dragon is a dragon.

“When you come back later bring me some more bacon”

I laughed. How quickly he forgot the fear with a rumble of his tummy.

“Deal, I will return shortly remember —“

“I know I know dont open for anyone. 

I bid my goblin friend goodbye and he was enraptured back into his work before I even closed the door. I really hoped he didn’t burn the dam place down.

Before long I arrived at the dirty dwarf the others were facing away from the door at the bar. It was a typical dive tavern nothing special really. There were also to my chagrin as I had kind of been curious no Dirty dwarves. Oh well. I took a moment to do some private info gathering before they became aware of me. I grabbed the nearest waitress gently on the forearm and produced the red packet that we had taken from the bandits. She recoiled when she saw it.

“Wait I am sorry. I am not trying to peddle this foul substance. I have a friend who is addicted and diseased by this. Can you tell me anything that might lead me helping my friend.”

“That is called the sight its a plight on the city, I would put that away if the guards see it there will be trouble.”

I did as she instructed.

“I don’t know much about it other than its horrible and it ruins people. A dealer might know more they are sadly all over the place”

I thanked her. Not very helpful glad I hadn’t flashed the drug to a guard. Just then I became aware of lot of cheering and cheering and made my way towards the circle of people.

In its center two men arm wrestled. Meh not that exciting. I heard a bellow behind me. A familiar one. Dare sat down at the table across the winner. This could be interesting. The other guy was large. He also though was not Dare. Dare who was probably half drunk already. Dare who had just learned of his sister’s horrible fate. I bet the guy next to me 10 gold on Dare.

“I will take that bet, no half orc is gonna beat our local champ”

I smiled.

Their “local champ” screamed in pain as his arm snapped under Dare’s strength. 

I looked toward my fellow gambler. “Pay up” 

He grumbled and held out a roll of ten gold coins. 

I smiled. 

“What, yes you won here is your winnings.”

I pointed to my chest.

He looked and then blushed and brought his line of sight up to my eyes again. 

Sigh. I grabbed his hand with the roll of coins and tucked them into my cleavage. His jaw dropped and he turned a brighter shade of red. 

His friends grabbed him and ushered him out whispering and giggling as they went.

Made ten gold and made a young mans night probably. Probably made his month, year, no I was certain that was probably the best thing that would ever happen to him. 

    Not surprisingly no one else wanted anything to do with arm wrestling Dare. We poked and prodded the waitresses, and I harrassed the crochety old bartender looking for information on Halia’s letter. Nothing. So many letters came through here that no one remembered it being dropped off or who it was delivered to. 

    The others ordered stew. I just sat in quiet thought, until Dare almost choked. He coughed out a wad of paper. The waitress said to meet her out back alone for more information. Dare seemed to think she wanted him to um poke her for some more information. Somehow I doubted that. I had a better chance of getting picked up by a waitress. 

He did as instructed although with way more excitement than he should have. We kept watch through Ultorin’s telepathy just to insure the idiots safety. 

He came back and seemed a little dismayed. 

“What is wrong” Mystic asked.

“I think she just wants to tell us who picked up the letter, and that’s it”

“well that is what we are here to do Dare” Mystic said.

“I paid her and she will meet us tomorrow at the fish barrel and tell us all she knows.”

“Wait, ” I said. “You paid her how much?”

He looked at me “eight hundred gold.” he replied

Ultorin planted his forehead in his palm. Mystic smacked him in the back of the head.

“You just gave her 800 gold?” Mystic said in a hushed tone that did nothing to hide the intensity in her voice.

I just calmly sipped my wine. “Information is priceless, how much did she ask for in total Dare”

“Eight-hundred” he replied and shrugged.

Sigh. 

“OK, then you should have given her at most half not all of it upfront. what does she have to lose by just taking the money and bailing?”

Mystic turned around and singled out the waitress with her gaze. She found her and got up and marched straight across the tavern. She grabbed her arm from behind and forced the waitress’s ear towards her mouth. I was so curious to know what she whispered.

She then calmly came back and sat down like she had never gotten up in the first place. 

“Welllll?” I asked.

“What” she responded swiftly.

“Oh come on Sister what did you say to her. I am dying to know” I smirked from ear to ear. I liked the violent side of Mystic, very much. I can not overstate it. Immeasurably much. 

“I told her I had put a fey spell on her. That I could track her anywhere. If she stuck us for that gold, I would hunt her till the ends of this plane or any other. When I found her I would change into a venomous spider for every last gold coin. Eight hundred bites for eight hundred coins.

 I liked the bluff. Wait. Was she bluffing?

Before I could ask.

“I am not bluffing at all, I could and would track her. I can only transform into a singular entity though, so I would have to just bite her 800 times myself to stay honest” She smiled. Was it a smile though? Maybe more like a predatory sneer? I Did not like that expression on her. Actually, I did as long as it was directed at someone or something other than myself.”

Dare started tapping impatiently on the table until we paid him the attention he wanted. 

“Yes, Dare we both responded in Unison. Ultorin still hadn’t taken his face out of his palm. 

“Are we gonna get drunk now?”

Mystic ordered the first round, eyeing the waitress menacingly as she did so green flames burned in her eyes as she did so. 

Hey, that was my trick. She did it well enough for me to appreciate so I would let it slide. She turned and gave that sneer at me.

I shrank back a little bit and she stuck her tongue out at me. I smiled. We heard shouting from the opposite corner of the tavern.

Oh, that’s where Mercarri got off to. She was arm wrestling a few drunks. I saw her sliding their coins into her coin purse. She was hustling with those dam ogre gloves.  She would be a good match for Dare with her gauntlets. That I would pay to see, but not tonight. I made a promise of bacon. I finished my wine and stood.

“Don’t get in to much trouble I am heading back to our room. I Promised Droop I’d bring him a snack. 

“Awww” Mystic said. “Lilvari is turning in so early? Come on?”

“Sorry, I am rather tired and I still haven’t shaken the last party to be honest maybe when the poisoning is truly settled.”

She stood and put a hand on each shoulder. “I get that, see you in a few hours or maybe in the morning” She smiled.

Ultorin stood. “I’m gonna turn in too”

Mystic raised an eye at him. Then looked at me. Then smirked.

“No, he will be in the other room”

He blushed. “No, I I was just offering to walk back with you. You know like Droop says Manners, yes.”

We laughed. and Mystic slapped him on the side of the neck affectionately…maybe.

“Your an easy Mark Ultorin be safe friends, I have to get drunk now” Mystic said with no absence of cheer.

We stepped out in the street. It was quiet even in the big city. 

I held out my arm. Ultorin looked at it.

“You may take my arm. You wanted to walk me back Mine as well do it right.”

He smiled a little unsure.

“Its ok no tricks It will be a nice walk with someone I may yet call friend.”

“Ok, I can handle that”

He took my arm and we headed towards our rooms.

“Did you want to be an adventurer or do you favor the locksmithing”

“Locks are more a hobby I would say, who wouldn’t want to be an adventurer.?” He asked.

“Me” I replied.

He looked over at me in the eye and not my chest for once. Sigh.

“What do you mean. If any of us are cut out for this its you and Dare. Mystic seems to I don’t know regal to be an adventurer. I think she should be a queen.

“Ha” I said. “That I can see absolutely. “Queen Mystic, definitely seems right”

He continued. “Droop I think would be at home in a magical laboratory.”

“Again, right on the head. You should see the room it looks like a Laboratory.”

“Mercarri, despite her I don’t know aloofness seems like she is looking for something.”

“Yes, if she could have I think she preferred to stay in her Goddess’s temple”

“Why did she not”

“In short she was betrothed to an arrogant dickless wizard”

“aren’t all wizards arrogant and dickless he asked innocently.”

I stopped dead. I turned and threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly”

I let go looped my arm back in his and continued walking.

“What was that for?”

“I don’t know why, but you saying that made me feel so much more trusting of you. I don’t much like to get attached to people. I actually do.” corrected. “I am more fearful what could happen to them if i do The party though is like family to me now. you are now a part of that”

“All I said is–“

“I know, it is one of those deep ingrained triggers in my head, I hate wizards for a reason I can not remember, like many things”

“Are you sure you want to remember? For you to be so hateful, the memory must be horrible”

I realized from his words that yes I did. 

“Do you know why I swam after the mermen?”

“No, and you would have been the last I thought would volunteer for it”

“That is true, For some reason when I looked over the water it brought back a memory of my adopted father. The beginning of one anyway but I couldn’t quite grasp it. That is why I had to swim it.”

“Was it a good memory”?

“Yes, one of the very best it made me feel ashamed I did not remember.”

“I’m glad for you, I am sorry we couldn’t save the girl.”

“Me too, we did what we could with what we knew, but still it stings no less.”

“So, if you could remember everything this instant would you?”

I breathed deeply. “I would. Maybe not all at once, but a slow trickle at least so I can process. I fear all at once I might break.”

“I doubt that”

I looked at him and smiled.

“Why would you say that?”

“You have what you said a family now. Lillian loves you, Droop loves you, Dare well he loves his alcohol but the two of you stand toe to toe with everything we come against together. There has to be at the very least mutual respect there. Mystic and you act more like sisters than just teammates. Its almost as if you are communicating telepathically sometimes. Your like a teacher to Mercarri”

“A teacher?”

“She is always watching you in combat, I don’t know if it’s concern for your safety or admiring the way you fight. She watches Dare much the same way . Maybe, more like its her job to protect the two of you. 

“I think it is her job”

“What do you mean ” He asked.

“Her god sent her to us to guide us and protect us”

“Why?”

“I asked that too I don’t know gods are fickle maybe we are wrapped in some godly plot us mere mortals can not surmise”

“That sounds about right. Gods just make playthings of us all”

“We agree on many things, I should not have judged you so harshly just based on a ring. You truly had no way to know.”

“I didn’t that’s true, but still I should not have done it.”

“I’ll tell you what Ultorin. I will let you know when something is not a good steal, you let me know when someone or something is not a good kill” Deal?

He squeezed my arm in place of a handshake.

“Deal” 

We then arrived at the inn. 

It really was a nice and peaceful walk. Ultorin was a good conversation. He had also made me more eager to see my memories returned.

We strolled in to see two guards sitting at the table close to the bar.

“Evening gentlemen, I said. What are you up to at this hour?”

“We are babysitting your friend.”

Ultorin and I looked at each other. 

“Which friend would that be Ultorin Asked.

The guard looked up.

The annoying one.

I laughed out loud. 

“You will have to be more specific, we all have some at least mildy annoying ticks to us”

“The dragon”

“Nazareth?”

The guard looked at me funny.

“I thought his name was Nazzeth?”

I shrugged. “Yea whatever sure.”

Ultorin shook his head.

“What did he do?”

“He says he was breaking up a fight, almost killed a man. Town speaker is none to happy with him. I think she went a little easy on him to be honest. I’d say she was doing you a favor.”

That could be, or at least she thought she was doing me a favor. We didn’t really need another loose cannon. 

“I agree if he is going to be a nuisance maybe she should just have him hung”

Ultorin’s jaw dropped. “Lilvari?”

I looked at him and winked. 

“Call me Lil”

His lip turned up a little like he was going to smile but he controlled it to play a little coy with me.

I moved my eyes up the stairs to where Nazareth was skulking.

He realized I was putting on the show for Nazareth.”

“Wow the guard said. I thought you were his friend.”

“Not if he can’t behave when we come back to civilization, sometimes we spend so much time rolling around with the beasts and despots that they rub off a little. “

“I apologize for him and his childish antics”

Just then little fluid formed kobolds took shape within their glasses.

The guards jumped and spilled their glasses. 

sigh.

I glared up the steps at Nazareth. He tried to stare back and stare me down. I then realized that A shimmering psychic blade had appeared in each of Ultorin’s hands. 

Not that I needed it but Ultorin backed me. 

I put a gold coin on the bar counter. “Bring them fresh drinks to go.”

The guard started to speak.

I cut in. I really was tired and didn’t have all night.

“You may go. I will take responsibility for the dragon, he has annoyed and wasted enough of your time.” If he tries to leave it will be in pieces. I summoned Cursebringer  to illustrate my point.

“Holy shit that is a big sword, its bigger than you how the hell-“

I cleaved their table in two with a minimal effort downward slash.

“I can wield it just fine” I smiled in as I don’t know a chummy way as possible.

I put ten gold on the counter. I looked at the bar maid. “Sorry about the table, could we place it in the fire for you so its not in the way?”

“Yes I would appreciate that.