_{by jaymamma.}

I awoke abruptly and sat up in my bed.

Mystic calmly put a hand on my shoulder, smiled and gently pushed me back down.

“It is ok I just moved your hair from covering your face.” She said in a whisper.

“Close your eyes” She asked. 

“Why?”

“Just close them, please”

I did so. I felt heat and moisture brush across my eyelids and around my eyes.

“It’ will remove the smeared make-up and reduce the swelling. Don’t worry, we will get him back Lil, safe and sound, you will see.” 

I clasped her hand in both of mine and held it.

“I need you all to reason out how we are going to get him back., I do not think I can be calm enough to do so. I…”

She added her other hand to my grasp. 

“We can do that, we actually chatted about it last night before we slept” 

“We are ready to head there when you are Lil.”

I sat back up quickly, donned my armor, and slung the haversack over my shoulder.

“Ready”.

    We walked and walked until the old stable could be seen. Tall grass and an old dilapidated road lay between what was left of the actual farmhouse and the stable.

We knelt down so we were not seen. 

“So what is the plan? “I asked. 

Nazzeth spoke up but did not look me in the eye as he explained.

“I can make up to two of you invisible, Dare is one and will accompany me to meet my brother, One other either you or Mercarri is the second.  Mystic can hide inside whoever’s clothing in mouse form. That person will search for Droop while I keep Castian occupied. I assume it would be you Lilvari?”

“No, It should be Mercarri she can heal Droop if he is hurt, or worse.”

Everyone seemed to study me for a long moment. 

“What, yes I would love for it to be me, that would not be what would be best for Droop. It will pain me, but I believe you all will save my Droop”

Dare in a rare moment of concern put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed and shook me slightly.

“I’ll get him who else am I going to make bombs with?”

Mercarri looked incredibly nervous.

“You are good for this Mercarri? Yes?” I asked.

“You all know, I am not exactly the stealthiest of us?” She said as she kicked a rock on the ground.

I grabbed her face in my hands and shifted her to face me, eye to eye.

“I have faith in you save Droop. I need you to. You have this.”

“Ok.” She managed a weak smile.

“When I have found Droop, or there is no longer a need for stealth, I will signal you.” Mystic said.

“How?”

She smiled. “Oh, you won’t be able to miss it.”

I watched as Dare and Mercarri disappeared. 

Mystic shifted into a mouse and disappeared near where Mercarri had been.

Nazzeth still hadn’t looked me in the eye.

“It is ok Nazzeth. I do not blame you. You are not far removed from my same life predicament. Always put in a spot where you have to do horrible things. There is more to you than that.”

He still did not look up. “How do you know that?”

I smiled. “How you handled the little girl the Hag was lusting after, the way you amused the little girl that stayed at our campfire..

“Monsters we are yes, but we don’t always have to be. You have no love for your brother?”

“No, he said steely eyed. “I do not”

I smirked. “If you don’t kill him. I will.”

He grinned toothily. “Is that a Dare, or a bet?”

I stuck out my hand. “150 gold and whatever loot he has on him says I get him first.”

He shook it. “Then the bet is sealed, anyone else want to get in on this?”

Dare snickered. “Nah, I am gonna kill him first.”

“I got Money on Lilvari, Mercarri added. A mouse squeaked from the same direction as the invisible voice. “I think Mystic agrees.”

“Get my Goblin Nazzeth, save my Droop.

I watched Nazzeth traverse the road seemingly alone. After a few minutes I could no longer see them. The moments felt like hours as I waited for any kind of signal. I pulled the fireball necklace from the haversack. Just in case I thought.

I felt eyes one me, and immediately hoped I hadn’t given us away. I looked around. Ravens. At first, just a few  of them circled overhead. Then they were everywhere.

So, the queen was indeed watching. A glint of something else in the prenoon sun caught my attention. The glint of sun off armor. A beautiful white horse in full battle regalia stood on the road coming from Helm’s hold. Long hair streamed out from behind the horses rider.

Ophelia.

She was here. She had promised to be here after whatever happened. 

That brought me comfort. Forces were in play to stop me, if I could not stop myself.

Slowly I began to creep through the grass towards the stable.

I heard a yell. I could not make out who or what was said, just that someone had yelled something. 

My heart was racing. A mix of fear, and fury raged within me.

When I thought I could not wait any longer, a large ball of fire appeared over the roof of the stable.

That had to be Mystic’s signal.

I stood and ran as fast as I could towards the stable. As I got close I could see through a window. Nazzeth and Castian faced off.

Dare appeared from out of nowhere and smashed Talon into Castian’s side.

I wanted nothing more than to rip his heart out with my bare hands for hurting Droop, for taking him against his will. I felt my power building as it touched my emotions.

I stopped at the window.

I took a deep breath and counted quietly.”1,2,3″

The rage and the fear gathered in my chest and began to move downwards. Much as it had in the stable when I was jus a little girl. The shadows leaked out of me taking my emotions into themselves. They streaked like a shadowy serpent up the stable wall through the window., and up to Castian’s feet.

The shadow exploded upward and outward taking shape. 

Looking at it for a moment, this is exactly what the creatures looked like that I had summoned so long ago on that fateful night. The creatures that slaughtered the so called “Nobles” at Ilbis’s estate. 

I gave it a mental command. “Keep him busy, or kill him, your choice. I could feel its sadistic glee and want for bloodshed. I could feel it because it was my own feelings given shape.. 

Now bereft of those emotions, only one still flowed through me.  I leapt through the window and yelled. “Where is Droop?”

Castian turned towards me. If he didn’t know how fucked he was in that moment, he did when he realized what was suddenly standing next to him.

I heard what sounded like combat upstairs. I turned Right and shot up a ladder that led to the second floor loft.

My nostrils were immediately assailed by the smell of shit. I followed the smell. I saw the halfling that had accompanied Castian at the tavern. He was smeared in shit.  I then saw Mercarri kneeling over a small green form. Golden magical energy flowed steadily from her hand to Droop. 

My heart skipped a few beats until Mercarri looked up and smiled. 

A weight lifted, and I immediately began gathering magical energy.

“Tend to him. I have this piece of shit.”

    I suddenly felt intense and giddy happiness.

    I looked across at the stairwell. My shadow spawned demon held up a blue dragon head. Its mouth was twisted into a sinister yet genuine smile. In that moment the Halfling decided  discretion was the better part of valor and leapt out the window. I let my eldritch blasts sail. One hit and he staggered. Mercarri leapt- maybe more fell after him. 

“There’s another one to kill my pet rip him apart.” I barely whispered but knew he heard.

The sound of shattering glass and cracking timbers erupted from beneath me. My demon was not one for doors or open windows it seemed.  

They however, did not matter. I looked down at Droop. His eyes fluttered open as I knelt next to him and began to untie his hands and feet.

“I am so sorry Droop I am here now you are safe.” His little hand Gripped Mine.

“Thank you Lil for coming for me.”

I smiled. “I would have burned this word to ash to save you Droop. Come let us get you out of here and get you all healed and cleaned up.

We slowly walked around the loft and to the stairs .At its bottom was Nazzeth lying prone. 

Mystic was checking him over. It sounded though as if he were….snoring?”

Mystic’s eyes lit up when she saw Droop. His wounds had mostly closed but still he was moving weakly. He had no doubt lost a lot of blood.

Mystic knelt and green energy leapt from her hand and into Droop. 

“What the hell happened to him?” I asked. Motioning towards Nazzeth.

She shrugged.” When your whatever the hell that thing is Killed Castian, he just collapsed.”

“Interesting” I both thought and spoke aloud. 

“Dare and your thing went after the other one.”

“Again I felt glee I looked out through the window, and sure enough my demon had a half of the halfling in each of its clawed hands and danced with them gleefully. 

Mystic saw it too. “That thing is creepy, and when it spoke it sounded like you”

I smiled. “In a way it is me.”

“She rolled her eyes. “You will have to explain that to me”

“Sure, in due time”

“Who is that?” She asked. She pointed a short ways past Dare and my dancing demon. Ophelia sat upon her horse looking at my Demon.

“She raised one hand in salute a gesture I returned. She then turned her horse ad headed northward.

“Seriously, who is that?”

“That would be Ophelia”

“Who the hell is Ophelia?”

“A friend, maybe a mentor.”

“If she was here why did she not help us?”

“She was here in case things went poorly, In case I lost control.”

She looked at me and frowned. 

She then knelt down and hugged Droop. 

“I am so glad to have you back all safe and sound, I told you Lil”

Just then Dare and the shadow demon returned and came in through the demon sized hole in the stable wall. 

“Hey Droop glad you made it buddy. You guys want to see something cool? Watch this shit..”

He turned to the demon who was still dragging the two halfling halves with him.

“Hey Frank.”

The demon turned to Dare. Dare put up his hand.

I sighed, this was likely just the beginning of Dare teaching my Demon stupid things.

The demon lifted a claw and when Dare said “Give me five” The demon did just that. He then picked up the halfling half he dropped and began to dance again.

I took a long breath in and exhaled slowly. 

We had saved Droop, I had a method an algorithm in which to control myself, my power, my emotions. Thank you for that Father I whispered.

I also had a new tool in my arsenal. 

A raging, dancing demon that now went by the name of Frank.

Who the hell names a demon Frank?

Only an idiot would do such a thing, an idiot whom shall not be named.

I looked down at Droop. 

He had taken to his normal safe place. His arms wrapped around my leg,

He looked up. He was tired and worn. He was alive though. I squeezed him into my leg.

So glad to have you back my friend. 

He looked up and smiled toothily.