《Saga of The West Isle Hunt》 Chapter 1: Bojack, The Emerald Champion On the east coast of West Isle, there lies a tavern on the peasant¡¯s road. The sign out front reads The Deep Forest Inn. The inside reeks of ale and poor kept company. The walls are water stained and the floor no more than mud and dirt. A rickety stairway leads to a second floor, where the more ¡®luxurious¡¯ rooms lie. A fat innkeeper, with only one eye and no eyepatch, serves drinks out of moldy wooden mugs. In contrast to her surroundings, a beautiful one-armed elf sits upon a stage. Her hair is jet black and her skin a milky alabaster. Her rose silk dress drapes over her body, like smooth cream, outlining every curve of her soft, elegant body. In place of her right arm, she wears a magical wooden one. It plays her golden lyre as well as any real hand could. She sings a sad song in a language known to few. Those that do, hear the story of lost sailors and loved ones left behind. It is a song best not heard on the West Isle, though she sings it all the same. She strums mournfully at her strings, capturing both the mood of the tale and her audience. Even those who do not speak her tongue can feel the weight of her melody. A black-feathered birdmann stands beside her, his back against the wall. His arms folded, he rests his left hand on the hilt of his rapier. Dressed in studded leathers, he appears more than ready for a fight. He watches the crowd menacingly, keeping the common folk from approaching the elf. The tables, few that there are, are stocked with a variety of customers, from shit covered peasants to cut-throat mercenaries and at one table sits a large grey half-giant, clothed in half-plate mail. He drinks alongside a half-elf priest. From the glowing lantern held at the priest side, it is evident he worships the nameless Father of All. A new god to the world and one, whose followers are divided into thirteen powers. A group has formed around the half-giant, as he tells a story of his good deeds. ¡°Right, so there I was, diggin¡¯ graves, like I do, and I see these mates botherin¡¯ Holly, you know, uh butcher¡¯s kid. Now, these mates don¡¯t look that friendly. So I grab me a gravestone, bout the size of that man¡¯s head,¡± says the half-giant, pointing at one of the men across the table from him, ¡°And, I walk on over there, all friendly like, and I says to Holly, ¡®Mornin Ma¡¯am,¡¯ as I do. Now, uh one of the mates, he got him back to me. He tells me to fuck off, or he¡¯ll cut off me cock. While I didn¡¯t like that, so I bonk him in the back of the head with me shovel. Not a hard bonk, just enough to make me point. Now, he got mad and turned around. He said somethin¡¯, uh don¡¯t remember what, but the second he saw me, he weren¡¯t talkin¡¯ no more.¡± The crowd starts to chuckle as the half-giant continues, ¡°Yeah, so he goes and pulls his knife. Now, I didn¡¯t like that either. So I take me gravestone and smack him in the head. And he just falls right on over. Pisses himself too, I think. Well his mates, they don¡¯t take kindly to that. Now, they¡¯re pullin¡¯ their knives and their axes. So the one with the axes comes at me first, and I poke him with me shovel. Now, it goes in pretty deep, and uh he falls over too. Makes uh wheezy sound as he goes down. The other one gets a wee scared and drops his knife. He starts askin¡¯ all forgivin¡¯ like that I don¡¯t kill him. Well, I look down at these two mates, and uh they ain¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°Lucky for them, Vincent here,¡± the half-giant says patting the half-elf on the shoulder, ¡°was walkin¡¯ on by. He healed them up real good. And he asks me, ¡®are you Gravestone by chance?¡¯ Well, I ain¡¯t surprised he¡¯d heard of old Gravestone and all me good deeds. So I say, ¡®that¡¯s what they call me.¡¯ Now it turns out; this priest is taken a holy pilgrimage. And I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ that¡¯s a big word, pilgrimage. I tell ya what it means. Is a fancy word for quest, that it is. So he tells me he¡¯s lookin¡¯ for a hero and he thinks I might be that hero. Well, I says to him, ¡°I be honored you think me a hero, but I just dig the graves. But he goes on insistin¡¯ I¡¯m the hero he¡¯s looking for.¡± ¡°You are a hero, Gravestone,¡± one of the man yells. Much of the crowd nods in agreement. Another goes on to say,¡°that¡¯s right, if the world were filled with people like you, we¡¯d not need the word hero, be too commonplace.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what the villager said too,¡± the half-giant says, now quieter and more reserved ¡°they gave me this armor and a shield and a hammer. Said I should go be a true hero, like in the stories. I miss them though, the village. They were good to Old Gravestone.¡± The men nod and everyone falls silent. The elf¡¯s song again takes them. Missing, if ever there were a single word to capture West Isle, that would be the one. The mood brakes when the occupants hear a sound in the distance. The playing of bagpipes grows louder and louder until a dwarf burst into the hall. Dressed in a gold and green great kilt, with a matching bagpipe strapped to his side, the dwarf struts past the tables. He wears steel plated gloves with four blades at the knuckles, which resemble bear claws. A mule, carrying a large pack of food and supplies on its back, follows him from behind. The dwarf¡¯s cheeks are rosy, his emerald eyes are sparkling, his ears are surprisingly elven in point, and his light brown beard is spiced with glittering gold leaf. He looks around the mournful room and bellows joyfully, ¡°Be merry, be glad, no sorrowful faces, not when Bojack, The Emerald Champion arrives.¡± Eyes wide in astonishment, there can be no doubt this dwarf is, in fact, the famed gladiator, Bojack, the Emerald Champion. He plucks five gold coins from his purse and tosses them to the innkeeper, ¡°Drinks for the room, me dear fellow, and a stall for me mule, and a bed for me ass.¡± The room seems to ignite with merriment. The innkeeper pours drink after drink as the denizens partake in the dwarf¡¯s generosity. Bojack leaps onto one of the tables, stomping his foot as he again plays his bagpipes. Seeing her crowd lost, the elf stops strumming her lyre. Not upset in the least, she claps along to the dwarf¡¯s beat, a gentle smile on her face. The birdmann beside her gives the dwarf a disgusted scowl. While the dwarf plays, one of the men yells out, ¡°What brings ya here, champion?¡± ¡°Yeah, did the West Isle curse snatch ya off your ass,¡± Another asks. Bojack laughs, ¡°Not at all me chaps, I come on holiday, and I look to fight some giants. They say the strongest of which live atop the Grand Tree, and I intend to see the truth of it.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Here to fight giants, aye¡± a man yells, who then points over to Gravestone, ¡°you should have a go at old Gravestone, there! He¡¯s a half-giant, you now.¡± ¡°Yes, Yes, fight me dwarf, haha, fight me¡± Gravestone laughs, grabbing his hammer and shield. The dwarf strokes his beard and looks the boy over. He then jumps from the table, ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± The innkeeper takes bets as men pull the tables out to the side. They create a large opening to pass as an arena. Bojack doffs his bagpipes, leaving it with his mule. He enters the arena, where Gravestone awaits. Gravestone nods to Brother Vincent, who seems quite overwhelmed at the escalation of the night. He says to the dwarf, ¡°that there¡¯s a priest. He¡¯s got healing miracles.¡± ¡°So, no need to hold back, aye?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, no need,¡± says Gravestone, charging the dwarf. He swings his warhammer at Bojack¡¯s head, but the dwarf blocks it with his left arm. The blow leaves not even a bruise. Surprise stricken, Gravestone mutter, ¡°what, how?¡± ¡°How you ask,¡± repeats Bojack, a horrid bloodlust in his burning green eyes. His muscles harden as veins pulsate throughout his body. His skin turns red, and he roars, ¡°Because I am Bojack, The Emerald Champion. My skin is as tough as leather, my muscles as strong as a bear¡¯s and my bone as hard as iron.¡± Gravestone bearly gets his shield up in time to block Bojack¡¯s fist. The wood splinters as the blades of his glove pierce the shield. Like a bear, he pulls his claws out of the shield, tearing out chips of wood along with. Before Bojack strikes again, Gravestone brings down his hammer. It clubs the dwarf right on his bald head. The hammer leaves little more than a scratch. A trickle of blood falls down the dwarf¡¯s face. Gravestone hides behind his shield once more as the dwarf unleashes a flurry of blows. Bojack punches the shield time after time, chipping it away little by little. He roars, ¡°that shield won¡¯t protect you forever.¡± On the dwarf¡¯s fourth punch, Gravestone sees an opening. He takes it and again catches the dwarf across the head. It cuts deeper than the last, but only bearly. Again Gravestone retreats behind his shield. It endures four more punches, and there it is again: the same opening. Gravestone swing for a third time. It lands as hard as the last, just above the dwarf¡¯s brow. Blood seeps over his left eye, but the dwarf doesn¡¯t seem to care. A fiendish grin passes over his face as Gravestone feels it; a sharp pain bursts through the right side of his abdomen. Leading with his right, Bojack catches the half-giant in the side with a left hook. His fist bends in the breastplate, and the claws of his glove pierce the half-giant¡¯s flesh. As Bojack pulls back his arm, Gravestone catches the dwarf¡¯s right jab with his shield. Impatiently, Gravestone attacks the dwarf, before his right fist even leaves the shield. With more force than ever and warrior¡¯s cry, the half-giant brings his hammer down on the man half his hight. It crashes into Bojack skull harder than ever before, but just bearly. The same left hook digs right back into Gravestone side. He feels as his ribs bend and break under the pressure of the small man¡¯s fist. Again he catches the right jab with his shield, but Bojack doesn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Damn you,¡± roars Gravestone, finding his second wind. He swings at the dwarf, who blocks the hammer with is arms. Bringing his warhammer back overhead, the half-giant cries, ¡°This ends now!¡± He swings down with all his weight as if aiming for the floor beneath Bojack. The dwarf pulls away. The hammer flies past him. The half-giant now at eye level and completely open, Bojack switches his lead and brings a fight-ending right uppercut onto Gravestone¡¯s chin. The blades of his gloves carve into the hyoid bone, are pulled out the face, splitting the jaw in five. Blood gushes from the half-giant¡¯s mutilated face as he collapses onto the floor. The dirt turns crimson around his face. Cut and bruised, Bojack says, ¡°Twas a good fight, but ya rely too much on shield and armor.¡± The priest races to his fallen comrade''s side. His glowing lantern in hand, he prays, ¡°Oh, Father of All, I pray to thee bless me with thy holy light. Grant me the power to heal these man.¡± The crowd watches in awe as divine light pours over the half-giant and Bojack. Gravestone¡¯s jaw and ribs reforms, their wounds close, even the cuts and bruises on Bojack¡¯s head vanish leaving the dwarf feeling good as new. Gravestone sits up in the mud. He spits and breaks out in laughter. Bojack extends his hand out to Gravestone, who says,¡° twas an honor to face the great emerald champion, that it was.¡± He helps the half-giant to his feet. The crowd cheering, the two fling their hands in the air. Though the fight lasted less than a minute, the brutality of it has the occupants in an uproar. As he spins around waving to the crowd, Bojack catches the gaze of two lushes fey women. The smaller of the two is a faun, with short curled horns and legs of a goat. Her frame is slender and her hair a light chestnut. She is cuddled by the other, a satyr. She has the long black haired tail of a horse and a matching mane, which runs down her back. Her horse-like ears are a soft grey. The two are wrapped in little more than bits of cloth; the satyr¡¯s lusty breasts are practically bursting out at the seems. Whore, Bojack assumes, for they stand next to the entrance of a private room. The dwarf smiles. His cheeks grow red when the ladies smile back. His attention shifts when he notices the blanket on the bed behind them shuffle around. Even more surprised grows the dwarf when the blanket leaps from the straw bed and onto the floor. So mesmerized is he, Bojack doesn¡¯t realize he¡¯s stopped waving. His hands have fallen to his sides, and his head¡¯s gone lopsided. Soon more, including the whores, turn to see what has the dwarf so puzzled. Among the ones, who look, must be the innkeeper. For when the blanket rushes out the room, he yells, ¡°Thief!¡± The innkeeper jumps over the counter, club in hand. He chases down the blanket snatcher. As he does, the black feathered birdmann draws his rapier. He races toward the innkeeper. The elf follows swiftly behind. The innkeeper reaches for the blanket first. He grabs it, pulls back, and reveals a small girl not three feet tall. She has curly red hair, a bulbous round nose, freckled cheeks, and long pointed ears, which stretch out like those of a hare. She wears a dark green tunic with a long sleeved black shirt underneath, and a pair of black breeches. The girl fights for the blanket, she yells, ¡°let ¡®em go! There my memories, let ¡®em go!¡± ¡°You think you can go stealing from me, do ya, thief,¡± yells the innkeeper, in return. He swings his club overhead, ¡°I¡¯ll teach ya to steal from me, ya little bitch.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± roars a commanding gritty voice from up above. The room goes dark as every candle is snuffed out. Even the fireplace goes cold in an instance. Only the priest¡¯s lantern remains lit. Silently the crowd looks up. At the edge of the second-floor hallway, Two glowing yellow eyes beam down through the darkness. Chapter 2: Theodore Ravenclaw Shrouded in darkness, the humanoid figure stares down at them. With a wave of his hand, the fires burst back to life. The light reveals the entity to be a tall, sickly thin man standing at the edge of the balcony. He is dressed in fine clothing. Chainmail peaks through his black tunic. Its steel rings glints in the firelight. Bandages cover every visible inch of the man. A blue half-dragon, clothed in dark robes, wraps a leather coat over him. The man scratches at his neck, soaking the tips of his bandaged fingers in fresh blood. ¡°You people are so damn loud, you went and woke the dead,¡± says the man in a slow groaning voice. He walks toward the stairs. His undead appearance made more so by his lurching stride. As he steps down one stair to the next, the man sways heavily from side to side. The half-dragon, following close behind, whispers, ¡°please, my lord, there is no need for you to rise. I beg of you, Return to your rest. You are not completely healed.¡± The small girl tears the blanket from the innkeeper and bolts to the stairs. Presenting it to the bandaged man, like a great trophy, she says, ¡°Look, Theo, I found me memories.¡± The man reaches for it, but the girl pulls it back. She gives him a sour expression and continues, ¡°Now, I know what you¡¯re thinkin¡¯. I do. You¡¯re thinkin¡¯, ¡®Wretch, what makes this any different than the teacup, or the ladle, or the mirror, or any of that other stuff¡¯; but I¡¯m tellin ya this is them. You trust me right?¡± ¡°Hand it over, Wretch,¡± the man orders. The girl bites her lower lip, on the verge of tears she asks, ¡°You¡¯re not goin¡¯ make me give it up are ya? They¡¯re my memories.¡± ¡°Creature, your lord has demanded something of you,¡± yells the half-dragon. She waves a blue cane with the head of a red-eyed dragon at the small girl, who hands over the blanket. The bandaged man takes it. He runs his free hand over it, ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep this, at least let it be clean.¡± A strange gust of wind falls over the blanket. The stains vanish as the invisible force flows down the fabric. As clean as the day it was woven, he hands the blanket back to the girl and says, ¡°I am told, I have you to thank for these bandages.¡± ¡°Oh, did Siv tell you that,¡± the girl says, giving the half-dragon a pouting look, ¡°Well, the thing is, you were all dead, and your body was really burnt. Ya know, on account of that wizard settin¡¯ you on fire. I tried to heal you, I really did, but I could bring all your skin back. So I got to thinkin¡¯, if I covered you in bandages, maybe that would heal your skin. I guess it didn¡¯t really help though.¡± ¡°I tried to stop her, my lord,¡± the half-dragon says, ¡°I told her it would work, but you know how she is.¡± ¡°Yes, dead,¡± the man sighs. His eyes wander for a moment, ¡°how damn inconvenient. I¡¯ve lost my banquet. I¡¯ll have to start all over again.¡± ¡°Well, you tried and I thank you for that, Wretch,¡± says the man looking back to the girl. He runs his hand through her hair, ¡°these bandages are a symbol of your love.¡± The girl blushes as he pets her head. Pulling his hand back, he stares at the fire-damaged skin beneath the bandages. Again scratching at his neck, he sighs, ¡°A scar on my entire body, so irritating.¡± ¡°You should be grateful to have skin at all. Mother Raven could have brought you worse,¡± the elf woman says, ¡°and it took you far to long. I was starting to think you failed tribute.¡± ¡°How long was I dead,¡± the man asks. To which, the elf replies, ¡°a couple of months. We¡¯ve been here for a few weeks.¡± ¡°And where is here,¡± the man asks. To which, the elf replies, ¡°An inn on the east coast of West Isle. We¡¯re about a day¡¯s travel from the city of Cladideal.¡± ¡°West Isle, interesting,¡± the man murmurs, a hint of a smile beneath his bandages. He scans the room and asks, ¡°where the fuck is everyone.¡± ¡°Sadly, this is all which remains,¡± the elf states, ¡°he killed everyone else.¡± ¡°Damn, such a pity,¡± says the bandaged man. He walks toward the bar. The small girl follows him, clinging to his coat. The half-dragon follows as well, but she keeps a few steps behind. She says to him, ¡°They died because they were weak, my lord. No reason to mourn their passing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak of your family like that and don''t forget, I died too, Siv,¡± says the man. The half-dragon is taken aback by his comment. Before she can apologize, the innkeeper steps before them, ¡°Now just you hold on! She said you were attacked by goblins, not some cursed dead man! And that girl, she went and stole from me, don¡¯t think I¡¯d forget that!¡± ¡°Will you shut up,¡± the bandaged man orders, ¡°I¡¯ve got a nasty headache.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll give you one worse; you don¡¯t get the fuck out of my tavern,¡± the innkeeper says, swinging his club in front of the man¡¯s face. He continues shouting, ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are talkin¡¯ to me like that! You and that bitch¡­¡± The bandage man¡¯s fist crashes against the innkeeper¡¯s face. He falls to the ground, mud soaking his clothes. Blood runs down his nose as he looks up at the bandaged man. He reads death in the man¡¯s glowing yellow eyes. ¡°Right, introductions then. I am Theodore Ravenclaw,¡± says the man, showing the signet ring on his right index finger. The ring depicts a raven with three vertical strikes through it. ¡°The third born of Nicholas Ravenclaw, and Baron of Ravenclaw Abbey.¡± Pointing over at the elf, he continues, ¡°the elf is my mother in law, Tetarea Ravenclaw¡­¡± ¡°Galadon,¡± the elf woman corrects. To which, Theo says, ¡°Right, Tetarea Galadon.¡± ¡° She remarried after my father¡¯s death,¡± he adds. ¡°My herald, Cawkii of Ravenclaw,¡± says Theo, pointing to the birdmann. Next, he points to the half-dragon behind him, ¡°my court wizard, Siv of Ravenclaw.¡± Finally, he puts his hand on the girl, ¡°and the gnome is my little sister Wretch, who I love dearly.¡± ¡°Little,¡± scoffs Wretch, looking up at him, ¡°I¡¯m like a hundred years older than you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still shorter than me,¡± Theo states. To which, Wretch replies, ¡°that¡¯s not what that means.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Anyway,¡± sighs Theo, looking down at the innkeeper, ¡°Now, you know who we are, good for you. So, I got a question, innkeeper. Were you about to club my precious sister over a whore¡¯s cum stained blanket?¡± A black broadsword forms in the bandaged man¡¯s left hand. He continues, ¡°Now I¡¯m not one to judge, but dying over a blanket seems a piss poor way to go.¡± ¡°Me Lord, I swear I had no idea who she was,¡± cries the innkeeper, his eyes as wide as his mouth with fear, ¡°I beg your forgiveness, I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. that is apparent,¡± says Theo, scratching at his neck, ¡°and why was this man not informed of our identities.¡± ¡°Because I thought it wise not to advertise our arrival,¡± says the elf, Tetarea, ¡°with you and three-fourths of our company dead.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± says Theo. His sword vanishes, and he turns back to the innkeeper, ¡°get up. I believe the dwarf was buying the room drinks. I¡¯ll take a pint of your darkest beer.¡± ¡°Yes, me lord,¡± says the innkeeper, pulling himself off the floor. He rushes behind the counter. Theo walks over to the bar. He sits down on one of the tall stools. Bojack joins the bandaged man, ¡°You said you were Ravenclaw. I¡¯ve heard tales of your family. They say nasty things about Ravenclaw. From the looks of it, I¡¯d say your reputation is well earned. So is it true, ye cursed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really a matter of perspective, dwarf,¡± Theo replies. His yellow eye fixate on the dwarf, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you too, Bojack, The Emerald Champion. Tell me, are you as strong as they say or are you just another charlatan.¡± ¡°You should have come down sooner, would have seen a hell of a good fight,¡± Bojack boasts, ¡°or perhaps you¡¯d like to test Bojack for yourself.¡± ¡°Sure, I could use a good fight, wake up this body of mine,¡± says Theo. The innkeeper hands him his drink. Theo mutters a few words under his breath and frost forms over the mug of ale. Bojack brow lifts as he watches, ¡°you¡¯re a caster ain¡¯t ya.¡± ¡°What could possibly give you that impression,¡± Theo jests. Bojack chuckles, ¡°Well, that sword trick for starters; some kind of shadow magic I imagine. You also cleaned that blanket and just now chilled your drink. So what are you.¡± ¡°A witch, a warlock, or a mage, pick one and shut up,¡± Theo suggests, a smile through his bandages, but daggers in his eyes. Bojack smiles and asks, ¡°Well, master warlock, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Ha, that¡¯s a good question,¡± Theo snickers, ¡°Tetarea, why exactly did I wake up in this inn?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a town south of here, named Candleberry,¡± Tetarea answers, ¡°They¡¯ve had a run of bad luck, I fear. The dead have risen, and children have gone missing. Everyone has either died or moved away.¡± ¡°Why, that be where we¡¯re head,¡± says Gravestone. To which, Brother Vincent adds, ¡°Yes, the infestation of the undead must be dealt with. They are a mockery onto the natural cycle of life.¡± ¡°I see. The two of you best leave it to us,¡± says Theo, ¡°no reason getting yourselves killed for nothing.¡± ¡°My lord, if I may be so bold,¡± says Cawkii, ¡°It might be in our best interests to recruit the half-giant and priest.¡± ¡°Indeed, we are down eighteen men after all,¡± Tetarea agrees. To which, Brother Vincent says, ¡°The lady is right, it would be quite wise to travel as a party if we are all headed in the same direction.¡± ¡°What are you hunting, Ravenclaw,¡± asks the dwarf. Theo takes a long gulp of his ale and says, ¡°a wizard, who goes by the name Elrik Cain. We¡¯ve been chasing him a good three years now. Everywhere it goes people die; entire towns wiped clean only undead left in his wake.¡± ¡°I see, a hero¡¯s quest to stop a great evil,¡± says Bojack heroically. He chugs down his beer and yells to the innkeeper, ¡°Another my good fellow.¡± ¡°Theodore Ravenclaw,¡± continues Bojack, turning to Theo, ¡°It¡¯s been a good hundred and fifty years since last I quested. It''s just what I¡¯m looking for. Yes, I will accompany you, and together we will bring an end to this great evil.¡± ¡°Fine, it¡¯s not my place to tell a man where he can and cannot go,¡± says Theo. The black broadsword forms once more in his left hand. He points it at the dwarf, ¡°however, if you''re accompanying me, I would know the strength of your arm for myself. I don¡¯t need to find you wanting whilst we hunt.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± agrees the dwarf, leaping from his stool. The priest interjects, ¡°Good sirs, perhaps we could put this off till morning. That last fight has left me a bit drained. I don¡¯t know if I can heal you both to full health, with what miracles I have left.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, Wretch here is a priestess,¡± says Theo, patty the gnome, who has remained at his side. ¡°Well then, that¡¯s settled,¡± Bojack laughs. The dwarf stands several feet from Theo, who remains near his beer. He roars, ¡°Come and show me what you¡¯ve got, Ravenclaw.¡± Theo holds his sword vertically before him, with the blade facing either side. He prays to it, ¡°Mother, dear Mother, thine One prays to thee, fill my veins with thine icy blood and wrap me in thy frozen hug. Let thou, who means me not but harm, know not but thy vengeful charm.¡± Bojack watches in awe as a ghostly frost coats Theo¡¯s body and clothing. He then points to the dwarf and says, ¡°Thou I mark for mother¡¯s feast.¡± Bojack feels an icy vail fold over his soul and chill his body. He clenches his fists tight and mutters, ¡°I see, no holding back with this one, not even a little.¡± A fiendish frenzy falls over the dwarf once more. His veins bulge as his heart races. Foam fills his mouth as he roars. Skin turns red with ferocity. Bojack lunges forth. With a quick left jab, he strikes the bandaged man. As he does, the magic frost gathers at the impact, shielding Theo. Before the dwarf can pull back, the frost bleeds up his arm. Theo, holding his sword overhead and with both hands, prays, ¡°Dear Mother, fill thy blade with thy holy light and strike down thy foe.¡± The blade burst to life with yellow light. Theo plunges it down onto the dwarf. Bojack jumps back, but too late. The blade carves down his body, starting at his right shoulder and leaving just short of his left hip. It cuts the top of his great kilt loose, leaving the dwarf¡¯s chest bere. The blazing blade seers the wound shut; only for it to rot and split back open. Black blood oozes from the gaping gash in the dwarf¡¯s body. Coughing blood and bearly standing, Bojack yells, ¡°No, no, I am Bojack, The Emerald Champion and this is not where I fall.¡± Only just holding himself together, Bojack punches wildly at the bandaged man. Theo dodges the first, but the second catches him in the side. No longer protected by his frost, the claws dig into his meat. With a grunt, Theo falls back against the bar. Before Bojack can deliver a third, he swings his sword up, holding it only with his left hand. The blade slashes through the dwarf, crossing over the other cut. Again the wound turns necrotic and blood spills black. No fight left in him, Bojack collapses. The black sword vanishes from Theo¡¯s hand, which he places over his open wound. Divine light emits from it, healing most of Bojack¡¯s punch. The lantern priest begins to pray, casting what miracles he has left on the dwarf. Theo searches the counter for his drink. To his dismay, the mug has rolled onto the floor. With a sigh, he scratches at his neck and begins walking back upstairs. The half-dragon and gnome follow close behind. He stops when Bojack yells,¡°Was it close?¡± The words fall heavy, filling the air with grief. Theo looks back. Hands at his sides, Bojack kneels in the dirt. An X shaped scar is all that remains of Theo¡¯s attacks. Again the dwarf yells, ¡°the fight, damn it, was it at least close!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of magic,¡± Theo admits, ¡°So I put it all in my first strike. Most things die; you didn¡¯t. You should be proud of that. As for the rest, it could have gone either way, I suppose.¡± ¡°Yeah he¡¯s pretty useless after that first round,¡± says Wretch. The half-dragon snarls, ¡°How dare you speak of the Baron in such a way.¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s not wrong,¡± states Theo. ¡°And ya weren¡¯t holding back,¡± asks Bojack. Theo scratches at his neck, ¡°no.¡± He continues his assent. The priest comforts Bojack, with a hand upon his shoulder, ¡°there is no shame in losing to a man like that, and the fight was close had; he said so himself.¡± ¡°Aye, perhaps, priest,¡± says Bojack, now getting to his feet. He looks up at Theo, half bathed in shadow as walks across the balcony. The dwarf adds, ¡°but I got this feelin¡¯ he was lying to me.¡± Chapter 3: The hunt is on ¡°Mama, ¡± spouts Theodore, opening his eyes. He gasps for air. His chest feels heavy as if a great weight had only just laid upon it. He finds himself blanketed in furs; Wretch curls up against him, her small hand clasping his chest. His mind distant; it takes a moment to remember where he is. Theo¡¯s eyes dart around the small wooden box of a room. Moonlight casts over him from a window to his back. Siv sits against the wall in front of him. She guards the entrance door beside her. The half-dragon¡¯s pale eyes glimmer in the moonlight. ¡°Theo, are you alright,¡± asks the sweet, warm voice of Wretch. Theo looks to her. Shadows, cast by moonlight, emphasize the woe in her large puppy dog eyes. Calming himself, Theo replies, ¡°Yes, yes, I had a vision.¡± ¡°What did you see, my lord,¡± asks Siv. Theo says, ¡°The giant, hung by the dying tree, is pierced by thirteen arrows.¡± ¡°What do ya think it means, Theo?¡± ¡°I think it means, we¡¯re going to need more arrows,¡± replies Theo, lying back down. He holds Wretch close against his still bandaged body. Her naked warmth bleeds through his wrappings. Theo stares at the ceiling, wooden planks visible in the dim light, ¡°go back to sleep, ladies. Tomorrow, the hunt is on.¡± As the sun rises on a new day, Bojack wakes in good company. To his left lies the faun and to his right the satyr. He found both girls essential in healing last night¡¯s scraps and bruises; them and six pints of beer. With the morning comes the groggy throbbing of lost pleasure, the only cure the dwarf knows is more beer. He leaves the whore to their rest and finds his kilt about the floor. Pleats all but undone, but too hungover to care, Bojack belts the kilt over his waist. The dwarf dons his bladed cestus, and he leaves the room. He yells, ¡°Innkeeper, a pint of that black ale from last night.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little early to be drinking,¡± asks the luscious silvery voice of an elf. It is the woman, who played the lyre the night prior. No longer does she wear her flowing red dress; but adorns studded leathers and two elven forged scimitars; one at either hip. A fur skin pack lies beside her feet. Her golden lyre tucked inside. Pushing out his chest and strutting forward, the dwarf says, ¡°Nonsense, truly the best cure for a hangover is to simply never stop being drunk.¡± ¡°And you intend to combat with us, in such a state,¡± says the black feathered birdmann. Bojack laughs, ¡°Aw, then you don¡¯t know. We dwarves fight better when we¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°My, then you must have been stone cold sober last night,¡± the elf teases. The comment strikes deeper than Bojack cares to show. He chuckles, ¡°ough my, what a sharp tongue you have. Few things more dangerous than a woman with a sharp tongue.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± she retorts a smile on her face and a hint of venom in her eyes. Avoiding her gaze, Bojack searches the small tavern for the bandaged man. When he is nowhere to be seen, Bojack asks, ¡°So where is your Ravenclaw this fine morning.¡± The birdmann scratches at his beak, while the elf snickers, ¡°Theo has never been one for mornings; but, I am sure he will be down soon.¡± ¡°Sooner than you would think,¡± speaks Theo from the balcony, ¡°as the dwarf said this is a fine morning, a rare thing that.¡± ¡°Theo had himself a vision,¡± yells Wretch. Surprise strikes Bojack when he sees the gnome. She dons a heavy suit of splinted armor, which resembles something of an iron dress. Upon her head, she wears a spangenhelm. A mouthless visor covers her eyes and cheek flaps shield the sides of her face. Two bird wings, one at either side, decorate the helm. She carries a spear in her right hand and has a mace tied to her right hip. A shield, displaying the Ravenclaw crest, is belted to an enormous leather backpack. The two head down followed by the blue half-dragon. ¡°That looks mighty heavy,¡± suggests Bojack, pointing to the girl''s pack. She replies, ¡°Not really; I reckon it weighs ruffly four stones; about as much as my armor.¡± ¡°You must be carrying nearly a hundred and forty pounds all together,¡± Bojack says astonished. Wretch laughs, ¡°I could carry another hundred if I had to.¡± ¡°She¡¯s very strong for a gnome,¡± Theo says as the innkeeper delivers Bojack¡¯s drink, ¡°what a fine way to start the morning; fetch one for me as well, innkeeper.¡± ¡°Of course, me lord,¡± says the innkeeper. Cawkii shakes his head. Tetarea sighs, ¡°you too huh. So about this vision.¡± Taking his seat, Theo repeats what he said to Siv and Wretch the night prior. Chugging down his beer, Bojack says, ¡°so it is fate we all meet here.¡± ¡°Mother Raven is no goddess,¡± Theo explains, ¡°but she can predict possible futures. Her visions are not guaranteed to come true. Nonetheless, it would be unwise to ignore them.¡± ¡°My lord, if I may, why are you still wearing those bandages,¡± Cawkii asks. Theo scratches at his neck. He answers, ¡°I find them comforting; I don¡¯t quite know how my skin will react to sunlight, or rain, or a sandstorm. It¡¯s nice to have the extra layer; besides, I think its easier to look upon me with them on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true,¡± speaks the strong guttural voice of a half-giant. Gravestone walks over to the party. The lantern priest, Brother Vincent, accompanies him. Gravestone continues, ¡°Magin¡¯ you look somethin¡¯ fears without ¡®em.¡± ¡°Gravestone, don¡¯t be rude,¡± the priest says. The half-giant scratches his beard, ¡°Oh sorry Vincent.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure your beautiful on the inside,¡± he says, turning back to Theo. As the two sit down, the innkeeper hands Theo his beer. Seeing both Bojack and Theo with drinks, the half-giant says to the innkeeper, ¡°I¡¯ll have two of what they¡¯re havin¡¯.¡± ¡°Of course, anything else before I head on back,¡± he says to the whole group. To which Bojack adds, ¡°well, I could use another ale. Should be done with this one by the time your back.¡± The innkeeper bows and heads off. Looking to the half-giant, Theo says, ¡°Gravestone huh, that¡¯s an interesting name for a hero. Mind if I ask how you got it?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit of a story,¡± Gravestone says, ¡°Ya see, me father, he was a gravedigger. Now one night, he thought he saw a gravestone movin¡¯. Well, weren¡¯t no gravestone movin¡¯; it were me. But he thought I were a gravestone; so, he named me Gravestone.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Theo mumbles. The half-giant nods, ¡°like I said, bit of a story.¡± ¡°Indeed, went places and everything,¡± Theo jests. To which, Gravestone says, ¡°Indeed, indeed, so what about you? Why Theodore?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± admits Theodore, ¡°I, uh, guess I don¡¯t know why. Father never said.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Fascinatin¡¯,¡± says the half-giant. Not a hint of sarcasm behind it; though Theo cannot be sure the man understands the word¡¯s meaning. Gravestone turns to Wretch and asks her, ¡°what about you. He called you Wretch; that¡¯s a weird one.¡± ¡°Gravestone, please,¡± says Brother Vincent. ¡°It''s alright; it is a weird name, and it¡¯s got a bit of a story too. I don¡¯t mind sharin¡¯,¡± says Wretch, ¡°The names part of a curse put on me by a dwarf wizard. I don¡¯t know why he did it, but he did. He also branded me with a dwarven W on me forehead.¡± Wretch pulls her curls back, revealing the mark upon her head. It resembles an L with a crooked tip and an extra, slanted dash just below it. She continues, ¡°but that¡¯s not the worst of it. Bastard took me memories. All I remember is him showin¡¯ me a big room full of stuff. Said me memories were scattered through them. Then he shipped it all over the world. Every once in a while I get a feelin¡¯ they¡¯re near; sometimes I find things I think might have ¡®em.¡± ¡°Like the blanket,¡± asks Bojack. Wretch sniffles, ¡°yeah, like the blanket.¡± ¡°Evil, that¡¯s what that is. I¡¯d kill the man, who done it,¡± barks Gravestone. Wretch smiles, ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, but he¡¯s already dead. It was over two hundred years ago.¡± ¡°Two hundred years,¡± Bojack repeats, ¡°but you look so young.¡± ¡°We are unsure what keeps her so preserved,¡± Theo remarks, ¡°but her appearance has gone unchanged for the hundred and thirty years I¡¯ve known her.¡± ¡°My theory,¡± says the half-dragon, ¡°Is she drank some potion of everlasting youth, and that¡¯s why the dwarf cursed her.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s just your theory,¡± whines Wretch, ¡°we don¡¯t know that I did anything wrong.¡± ¡°So you think, he cursed you, named you Wretch, and scattered your memories across the world for no reason what so ever,¡± Siv presses. To which, Wretch shouts, ¡°No, I think he done it, cause he¡¯s a bastard.¡± ¡°Enough already,¡± Theo orders. The girls immediately hush themselves. The innkeeper brings Gravestone and Bojack their drinks. To which, Theo hands him a golden coin. Stunned, the innkeeper stutters, ¡°Me-me lord, this is far to¡­¡± ¡°Take it, for all that has transpired,¡± Theo persists. The innkeeper bows and walks away. ¡°I must admit I¡¯m surprised at you, Ravenclaw,¡± states the priest, a gentle smile across his face, ¡°You¡¯re much kinder than you let on.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± says Theo, in a lackluster voice. He scratches at his neck and says, ¡°Right, well, we¡¯re all here, and you all should know what it is we¡¯re hunting. Tetarea, I think you should tell them.¡± ¡°I thought you were leading this hunt,¡± remarks Bojack. Theo shakes his head, ¡°I am, but only at the request of Tetarea.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± says Tetarea, ¡°You see, the wizard we hunt killed my second husband, Elkantar Galadon. He too was an incredibly powerful wizard, but Elrik is something else entirely. I know him to be half-giant, and I have my guesses to the other half. In all likelihood, he is half-god.¡± ¡°So we face a celestial giant,¡± speaks Bojack. He finishes off his first beer with one last gulp. Tetarea continues, ¡°In all likelihood, yes. About a millennium ago, Elkantar and his master Dedric Von Forst battled Elrik. Though they could not destroy the dark wizard, Dedric made the ultimate sacrifice to imprison him. Using his own body and soul, Dedric turned himself into magic chains, which would hold Elrik in check. Elkantar took on the responsibility of warden to Elrik Cain. He kept the half-giant locked deep within his wizard tower.¡± ¡°And how did you come to know this Elrik Cain,¡± asks Brother Vincent. Tetarea answers, ¡°I met him as a thief. I had just broken into Elkantar¡¯s tower. I had planned on stealing something of great value and presenting it to the king of thieves to gain his favor. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. The second I had entered, I felt pulled to Elrik¡¯s chambers. When I arrived, I found him bound to a throne by Dedric¡¯s golden chains. He sat there locked within a giant birdcage. Elrik politely asked if I could open the door and undo his chains. I don¡¯t know what he was expecting. When I tried to open the door, my arm disintegrated. As I screamed and bled to death on the floor, Elkantar arrived. He took me away from the room and treated my wound.¡± ¡°Is that where you got that arm,¡± asks Gravestone. Tetarea smiles and shows the party her fine crafted animated wooden arm. She rubs it with a sentimental gentleness as she answers, ¡°Yes, he gave me this arm in place of my own. After that, he kept me as a pet of sorts. Really, I was his prisoner. Elkantar had judged me a thief and saw no better prison than his own. He gave me free rain of his tower, all but Elrik¡¯s chambers. I tried leaving, of course; but, I found it far more challenging to leave than it was to enter. Eventually, I gave up. My second plan was to seduce Elkantar, which I suppose backfired. Foolishly, I ended up falling in love with him. He taught me how to play the lyre and so many other things.¡± ¡°About this wizard half-giant, what does he look like,¡± asks Bojack. Pulling herself from her memories, Tetarea answers, ¡°Yes, Elrik. He resembles an old human man, with long white beard and hair. His eyes are a blazing red and orange, like rings of fire. He¡¯s very tall and very muscular. He always had a stern, but friendly, expression on his face. It¡¯s strange, but he and Elkantar didn¡¯t seem at all like enemies. Elkantar spent hours talking to Elrik about philosophy, science, and of course magic. I guess when your prisoners together, you have no choice but to bound. That said Elkantar never forgot what Elrik was and neither did Elrik.¡± ¡°So how did he get free,¡± asks Bojack. A mournful smile crosses Tetarea¡¯s face as she answers, ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. Elkantar never slept and was always cast new spells to reinforce Elrik¡¯s prison; however, Elrik never slept either, and I bet he was cast just as many to free himself. I guess it was only a matter of time before Elrik found his way through. Perhaps it was me. I fell in love with him and distracted him from his duty. Perhaps that was selfish of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not to blame for this, Tetarea,¡± Theo states, ¡°only Elrik must take responsibility for Elkantar¡¯s death.¡± ¡°of course,¡± Tetarea half-heartedly agrees. The party finishes their drinks, gathers their supplies and leaves The Deep Forest Inn. The open air of West Isle tastes of salt and is cold on the face. The inn hugs the edge a vast evergreen forest. To the east lies the great blue sea. Miles of grassland, stained in ruins, stretch out between the sea and the party. Far into the sea, a great wall of winding clouds surrounds the island at a distance. To the west, beyond the forest, fog rolls down the great mountain range of West Isle. At the mountain peak, nearly four miles above the sea, rises the new world tree, known commonly as the Grand Tree. It continues up past the clouds and into the heavens. Even, Theodore must awe at its majesty. The party takes to the road. They travel south along the peasant''s road. Bojack pulls his bagpipes to his side and begins to play a hearty tune. Siv snarls, ¡°Must you play that thing.¡± ¡°That I must,¡± Bojack proclaims, ¡°For a journey such as ours should always begin with the heralding of music.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Theo asks. Bojack nods, ¡°Indeed it is!¡± Theo takes off his pack and from it pulls a violin, ¡°In that case, I will join you, dwarf.¡± Eyes wide with cheerful surprise, the dwarf admits, ¡°Me dear Ravenclaw, I would not have taken you for a musician.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose I don¡¯t seem the kind,¡± admits Theo, forming the violin¡¯s bow from shadows. He glances at Wretch as he continues, ¡°but music has a special place in my heart. If fate would allow it, I would like to spend some years as a bard before I die.¡± ¡°Well, if your playing,¡± says Tetarea, pulling a flute from her pack. ¡°No, lyre,¡± asks Bojack. ¡°I fear, it¡¯s not the easiest instrument to play while walking,¡± laughs Tetarea. She continues, ¡°so who should begin.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s begin with tickling some ivories,¡± Theo says, and before anyone question his answer, they hear it. The sound of piano note playing from all around. It starts off slow but beginning to grow; then drums and chimes. Siv mutters spells beneath her breath, and soon orbs of light fall gently around the party, like leaves from a tree. Theo takes to his violin and Tetarea joins on her flute. The music is slow and melancholy. Not at all what Bojack had hoped. Theo looks to the dwarf, who has yet to begin. He nods and, when ready, adds his bagpipes. Though he keeps it low, the bagpipes take the song. Only then does Bojack realize what they play. It is the sound of light at the end of a dark tunnel. It may not be as hearty as he wanted, but the song plays true. He can not help but think, yes, this is the sound of our journey.