demigodforfend

[demigodforfend]

designed a big bovine buddy for the dnd campaign i'm in

the ashback ox, an absolute behemoth beast of burden. amazing pack animal, native to the godflame mountains. known for their stubbornness, loyalty, and love of food!

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 30

"Took you all a while to get back here," Howell started. "So what have you all been doing these past several hours?"

"I took some time to do some smithing. New weapons. New armor." It took a short step forward. "More importantly, however, may I cast Remove Curse on you?"

"Why?" Howell paused. "Oh. For the... Yeah, go ahead."

Forfend nodded. It approached and gently touched Howell's shoulder.

Magic coursed from it with a soft orange glow and spread throughout Howell's body. With all the practice it had gotten recently, Forfend recognized Despot Falco's demigod magic immediately. It seized the malignant energy and crushed it out.

Forfend withdrew its oversized hand and tilted its head at Howell.

Howell's one visible eye squinted. He glanced himself over and patted his chest. "That was, ah, that was a bit weird. Is it gone now?"

Forfend nodded. "Feels better?"

Howell shrugged. He shuffled foot to foot. "A bit of warm magic flooded through me, so I guess it feels better." He blinked, touching his chest again. "Unless you're burning me alive from the inside out."

Forfend recoiled at the idea. It vehemently shook its head. "No! No, of course not!"

"Alright, then I think I feel better," he decided.

Forfend nodded quickly.

"You did crafting," Howell restated, gesturing at Forfend. "What about the rest of you guys? Also, who's this one?"

He cocked his head at Vesper, eyeing the purple tiefling and his basket of what was clearly Howell's giant arrows.

Vesper's tail straightened and fluffed up as his whole back went briefly rigid. He seemed to put effort into schooling himself back into a more relaxed position.

The whole display happened with such speed Forfend wondered if anyone else had seen it.

Vesper stared awkwardly at Howell for a moment, then looked to Forfend.

"This is Vesper," Forfend took the hint and introduced the anxious man. "He is a new ally of ours."

"Vesper," Howell tested out the name.

He strode straight to Vesper and stared up into his face, scrutinizing. "What can you do?"

"Well," Vesper almost mumbled. He cleared his throat and spoke with more confidence, "There is the casting of magic. There is the speaking with the dead. And there is the... carrying these." He shuffled the bundle of arrows, causing them to clank against each other.

Speaking with the dead. That was certainly an interesting talent. Befitting of an undertaker, but concerning just the same.

Forfend hoped Vesper wasn't a necromancer.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Vesper finished.

"Those mine?" Howell asked despite obviously knowing the answer.

"Yes. You want them back?"

Howell drew in a deep breath. He seemed to assess Vesper's posture again. "I can always make more. Besides, you could use them to stab someone with."

"That is a possibility." Vesper reconsidered the arrows in his arms and nodded to himself.

Howell turned to Melzaryn. He gestured over Vesper, but also to Forfend and Kagoshi. "You trust them?"

Melzaryn hummed to himself for a moment before deciding to nod.

"That's good enough for me," Howell said. "I've gone ahead and hired some mercenaries who should be able to turn the tide of battle for us. They're from the Valley of Glass, so they're adept in arcane arts as well as martial combat. They should be able to make do. They're already waiting inside the Teleportation Hub." He folded his arms. "So what's the plan? How are we getting back?"

Forfend looked immediately to Melzaryn.

Melzaryn spread his hands. "I intend to provide some means of magical teleportation. There are a few options and I'm not sure which one we'll need to take yet. One is almost risk free. Another is probably only dangerous to me. The last one could endanger all of us. We'll see."

"How many could each one transport?" Howell asked.

"Depends." Melzaryn smiled his unhelpful, inscrutable smile.

"What exactly are the options?" Howell pressed.

"My mother is searching for a magic item that would be able to get us all there. It would only work once, but it's pretty much a guaranteed safe bet. I could also request the college's help, but I'd have to pay them back somehow. That's the risky part. And the last option is to get help from my sister." Melzaryn grinned again, but he looked decidedly nervous this time.

"Your sister?" Howell schooled his tone firmly into neutral but his expression betrayed his own apprehension even through the wealth of cloth over his face.

"Yeah, I'm sure that she can build something," Melzaryn said. He shrugged. "It just might explode."

"It explodes... or we explode?"

"Now that's the question, isn't it?" Melzaryn giggled, but everyone else took an unsettled half-step back.

"That's also not really an answer," Howell grumbled.

"I'll give you a proper answer just as soon as I have one."

"Great," Howell deadpanned.

"I mean, this one hasn't exploded." Melzaryn gestured to a mechanical snake curled across his shoulders.

The constructed creature moved and acted with all the grace and watchfulness of the flesh and bone animal it was modeled after. Frankly, Forfend was impressed. The machinated rarely emulated the natural so fluidly.

It was curious how Moli could both be so skilled and apparently so dangerous. Maybe she was like Fletch and sometimes let her eccentricity take her further than she should.

Howell watched the metal serpent for a moment. He scratched at the back of his neck. "Have you heard back from anybody yet?"

"Not yet, no," Melzaryn shook his head. "Of course, I also haven't asked Moli yet. That's a bit of a last resort. I'm more or less expecting my mother to contact me when she's ready."

The mechanical snake's head suddenly swiveled toward Melzaryn. Its jaw dropped open.

"Hey, uh, Mel?" Moli asked in a tinny voice that seemed to originate from somewhere within the snake's mouth. "I think Mom wants to talk to you? Here, hold on." Her voice grew more muffled. "Here, Mom, just speak into this."

"Is this working?" someone, presumably Melzaryn's mother, nearly yelled. The tinny, buzzing voice screeched sharply when the volume grew too loud for the speaker. "Hello? Mel? Is this working?"

"It is working," Moli promised. "Just speak into the--"

"Hello?" the speaker squealed painfully loudly as Melzaryn's mother raised her voice even further.

"You don't have to yell!" Moli sounded exasperated. "Just speak into it. You got it."

"Hello, Mel." This time the volume was finally at a level the speaker could properly process.

Apparently unfazed by the uncoordinated back-and-forth, Melzaryn simply replied, "Excellent timing. We were just wondering when and how this would happen."

"Of course, darling," Melzaryn's mother hummed. "I was able to procure a magic item for you from one of the deeper vaults. It's a spell scroll of Teleport, or, well, moreso Teleportation Circle. It should let you Teleport everyone in your group to a location of your choosing."

Melzaryn glanced around the group and mentally counted out everyone who would be returning. "It'll definitely take everyone?"

"It's something of an experimental spell. Very high level. It's almost a mix between the two spells, taking aspects from both. According to the description I've got here, you simply draw the magic circle on the ground using the spell scroll and anyone who'd like to be transported needs to walk through it within six seconds. You need to have your intended location in mind when you draw the circle and you need to be familiar with it. You wouldn't want to appear in the middle of the aether." She giggled. "I'm sure you'll be able to handle it, son."

"Utterly fascinating," Melzaryn nodded once.

"I did have to pull some strings in order to procure it," she said, "but this will do for your use, correct?"

Melzaryn glanced at Howell, a sly smile on his face.

"If it's a circle, it should fit all of us," Howell figured. "Well, the big one may have some trouble." He tilted his head toward Forfend. "But I think it should still work."

Forfend hummed quietly to itself.

"Excellent," Melzaryn nodded again. "That sounds perfect."

"Splendid!" his mother announced. "Absolutely Splendid!" Her voice grew very quiet, distant. "Moli, do you have a way of transporting this to your brother?"

"Yeah, of course. I've got it, Mom," Moli answered. "I'll send another bird. I'll have to make another bird... It'll be fine! Don't worry about it."

"Thank you. Melzaryn, be safe and do arrive home again relatively soon. But most importantly, don't get stabbed. Or, if you do get stabbed, let me know."

Melzaryn sighed. "Trust me, I'm not looking for a third stab wound," he grumbled bitterly.

"Please do be careful," his mother begged.

"I'll do my best," Melzaryn promised.

"Thank you." Her voice grew quiet again. "Moli, how do I turn this off?"

"Don't touch--" Moli cut herself off with a gasp. "Here, just let me, uh--"

The speaker made a loud boop and the snake snapped its mouth closed.

"So does that mean we're just waiting for something?" Howell asked.

"Well, the last time anything bird-related showed up, it was a bit weird," Melzaryn offered. "It bumped into a window, I let it in, and it gave me things. I assume we're waiting for that."

Right on cue, a mechanical bird tumbled to the ground at Melzaryn's feet. It rolled twice, bounced back upright, spread its wings, and shook itself off.

"And that right there is the reason Moli had to rebuild it," Melzaryn noted.

He crouched down and held his hand out.

The bird's head popped forward and craned upward on thin metal scaffolds that ejected from the neck. Once it was eye-level with Melzaryn, its beak dropped open.

"Hello. This is for you," it said in a voice too deep and too monotonous.

Forfend hoped it wasn't that disconcerting when it spoke.

"Caw," the bird added after a moment of thought.

The creature spread its wings again and a panel on its back popped open. A metal grasper thrust from within the compartment beneath, a spell scroll in its clenched metal prongs.

The second Melzaryn's fingers brushed the scroll, the grasper released it.

"Thank you," he told the bird. He turned around to address the group. "Alright, so–"

"On a scale of one to ten," the bird suddenly piped up again, "how would you rate my performance?"

"Right, um..." Melzaryn looked the little creature over.

"That landing was definitely a three," Kagoshi commented.

Melzaryn touched the scuffed, dented stone floor where the bird had landed and nodded his agreement.

"I'm going to have to give you an eight for this one," he decided.

"Understood." The mechanical beast seemed slightly disappointed not to have gotten a perfect score. "Self-destructing."

"Whoa, okay!" Melzaryn rapidly scrambled backwards.

Something inside the mechanical bird exploded, bloating the metal with the barely-contained force. The creature fell into a thousand tiny broken pieces.

Vesper raised an eyebrow at the scene. He plucked a card from the ever-shuffling deck in his hands, frowned at it, and tucked it away again.

Forfend knelt down to inspect the shattered metal. "Why destroy the creature and the material like this?"

It didn't get an answer.

Melzaryn was already busy unrolling the spell scroll and realizing it was much larger than it first appeared. "Oh, this is a big one."

"Why is it a carpet?" Kagoshi grumbled.

"Big writing?" Melzaryn guessed. "I don't want to open it fully up until we're ready to use it."

"Well, now's the time, isn't it?" Howell prodded. "We're on a pretty tight time constraint, aren't we? We're in a hurry. We need to move as fast as we can."

Melzaryn nodded. "That's true."

"Then what are we waiting for?" As soon as the words left Howell's mouth, he straightened up and looked toward the Teleportation Hub.

"Probably the rest of that group you mentioned," Melzaryn teased.

"Right." Howell sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Let me go get my guys."

With that, he left.

A few minutes later, he returned with a trio of mercenaries dressed very similar to himself. All of them were covered in fabric that would blend easily with the desert sands.

One stark difference, though, was that none of them obscured their faces the way Howell chose to.

Some of them wore bits and pieces of armor sporting metal that was such sharply polished silver that it resembled glass more than anything else.

The mercenaries sized up Forfend and its allies.

Kagoshi returned the sentiment, watching them all with a vaguely hostile air.

Forfend knelt and nodded politely to them.

"So you're the ones that hired us to help kill a despot king, yes?" one of them said, stepping forward slightly. "A bit of regicide?"

"Yes," Kagoshi growled. "Preferably with my bare hands."

The mercenary's eyes lit up. "Ooh, this'll be fun!"

Another mercenary swatted him on the back of the head. "Hey! We're being professional here!"

"Ah, let me have a bit of fun. Anyway, I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"I like this one," Kagoshi said.

The first mercenary grinned uncannily.

"Don't encourage him," the second sighed.

"Why not?" Kagoshi questioned.

"He killed a cat yesterday."

Forfend startled. It looked to Howell, who grimaced, and then to the third mercenary, who maintained the same flat silence he'd held this entire time.

Forfend hissed steam deep and slow.

It seemed they had a quiet mercenary, a serious one, and a crazy one. What a combination.

"Reprehensible," Forfend finally found its voice.

Vesper glared at the unhinged mercenary, his tail swishing swiftly beneath his cloak.

Melzaryn found himself an interesting ceiling tile to observe.

"Alright, well, fuck this guy," Kagoshi changed his mind.

"Like I said: don't encourage him," the serious mercenary reiterated.

"Aw, come on, it was just one little creature," the crazy one complained. "It was stealing our food."

"I gave it that food!" the serious one snapped.

"Semantics!"

Vesper narrowed his eyes. "You know, you are a little creature compared to some and I'm sure you will bleed the same."

"I guarantee it," the crazy one hissed, reveling in the idea. "Can't wait."

Forfend shuddered, humming its disapproval in a low tone.

"Please don't encourage him," the serious one begged.

"That's some serious sadomasochism," Melzaryn noted.

"You have no idea."

Vesper shared a glance with the quiet mercenary and subtly shook his head. He paused a moment and tilted his head. He tilted further, further, until he threatened to knock himself off balance. He stumbled, straightened, and awkwardly cleared his throat.

Forfend cocked its own head at the odd behavior and the quiet mercenary seemed to share its confusion.

Vesper pointedly looked at no one, his ears tilted down and burning red.

"Are you alright?" it asked.

Vesper gestured vaguely at the quiet mercenary. "The... The kit-- The cat."

"What cat?" Kagoshi asked.

Vesper's tail slowed and disappeared beneath his cloak. "Nevermind."

"Alright." Kagoshi shrugged. "You're being weird, but alright."

"No weirder than you."

"That is true," Forfend nodded.

Kagoshi huffed. "What did I do?! I haven't done anything yet!"

"The key word is yet," Howell mumbled.

"The plan is to kill a disgraced king! I plan to do that!" Kagoshi seemed to be trying to get them back on track in his own strange way.

"It will be a fun hobby to pick up," Vesper added.

"Oh yes, regicide!" the unhinged mercenary shouted with almost lustful glee.

"Shut up!" the serious one yelled.

Kagoshi jabbed a finger into the crazy mercenary's chest. "You shut the fuck up before you're next on the list."

The man raised his chin and grinned. "Oh, come on now, we're all on the same side for the moment, aren't we?"

"No," Vesper said immediately.

"Only until Falco's dead," Kagoshi contradicted.

Melzaryn looked over everyone and folded his arms neatly behind his back. "Well, it's going to be a battlefield. A lot will go down and a lot will go unseen. Watch your own backs."

The quiet mercenary looked pointedly at the crazy one and stared daggers.

Forfend wondered if all Howell's mercenaries would be making it back from this, or if one of them would intentionally allow the unhinged one to disappear.

"We're wasting daylight," Howell interjected. "What are we doing? Are we leaving?" He paused and glanced over his little band of mercenaries before looking apologetically back to Melzaryn. "Also, if you're wondering why I got these guys, it's because they're the only ones who'd do this job for only a favor in return. I don't have any money on me right now. It was pretty much all taken."

Melzaryn chuckled. "They'll manage. Probably. Is everyone prepared?"

"As prepared as we are going to be," Forfend hummed. "Unless we would like to discuss a plan first."

"Do any of you guys have one?" Howell asked. "Because I'm going to be completely frank, I have no idea how to fight what we're going to fight."

"Well, in my experience, it's just attack and don't let Falco touch you. Unless you have a way to turn off magic items, that's about all we've got," Melzaryn said.

Howell nodded. "Before we try to come up with anything solid, we should scout the place out first. Try to get the lay of the land."

"Luckily, I don't intend to drop us into the middle of the fight," Melzaryn shared. "So we should be good there."

"Where are you dropping us?"

"There's a resistance outside Cragwall and my staff was imbued with magic there. I should be able to use that as a focus to get us back there." Melzaryn trailed his fingers along the staff and fiddled with its odd spinning chamber.

"Alright. Ready and waiting," Howell reported. He glanced over at his band of mercenaries.

The crazy one nodded eagerly. The quiet one continued to glare at him. The serious one simply nodded.

"Everybody group up close together then," Melzaryn ordered. "I'm not sure exactly how big this thing will be or if it'll activate immediately."

Everyone huddled tightly against each other.

Melzaryn unfurled the scroll in one smooth motion. He crouched down over the enormous thing and read the runes adorning the elaborate magic circle.

"Great." Melzaryn straightened. "Everyone, get into place around the scroll. When I tap my staff to the center, it'll activate and we'll all need to go through it as quickly as we can."

Everyone spread out.

Melzaryn reached out to touch his staff to the circle, but paused. He looked pointedly at the unhinged mercenary who nearly vibrated with anticipation. "A reminder: no stabbing until we tell you to."

The mercenary deflated, pouting. "Okay, fine."

"Most of the Envema members are victims," Forfend added. "Actually, I believe they all are, save Despot Falco himself."

"I wasn't worried about Envema. I'm worried about the genasi we're about to meet," Melzaryn griped.

"I am worried about everyone around this man. He has already murdered a cat.”

"It was stealing food," the man in question whined.

"I gave it to him!" the serious mercenary yelled.

Melzaryn stepped into the circle and touched his staff to it before the argument could progress any further.

Immediately, a beam of pearlescent white magic consumed him.

Kagoshi stepped through right on Melzaryn's heels, his form dissipating as he passed through the magic.

Howell and his band went next.

Forfend turned to Vesper, but he was watching it.

It nodded and stepped into the circle.

White filled its vision like a blanket of snow and a sense of weightlessness whisked it off its feet.

A moment later, all of its considerable bulk came back to it. Uneven ground slipped from beneath its overlarge feet. It fell with a resounding thud.

Ko'Dan rose, pulling himself together out from beneath the group's intruding feet.

"Apologies," Melzaryn yelped as he deftly leapt off Ko'Dan.

Kagoshi managed his own graceful landing.

The quiet mercenary gasped and tumbled onto his rear much like Forfend had.

Howell and the rest of the mercenaries managed to stagger off the rising tower of emerald and stone and vine.

Vesper slipped and scrambled on all fours like a startled animal to flee the huge elemental.

Ko'Dan, startled by their sudden appearance, clasped his fists together and bore down on the first thing he saw.

Unfortunately, that was Forfend.

It didn't flinch. This was their fault for landing on him.

Luckily, Ko'Dan recognized it and halted just short of striking it.

"I am sorry," Forfend hummed, ducking its head.

Ko'Dan stepped back, a rockfall tumbling as he spoke his language. He eyed the lot of them with his featureless gem-and-vine face.

Forfend rose slowly to its feet and dusted itself off. "Again, I apologize. We have returned to help."

The sound of ice cracking and wind howling escaped Ko'Dan as he cocked his head to inspect the gaggle of new additions: Kagoshi, Howell, Vesper, and the three mercenaries.

Vesper's tail bristled, the fur standing like hackles. He looked outwardly calm, but he stood as far from Ko'Dan as he could. He was scared. Terrified, even.

Forfend found itself wondering why. Vesper hadn't responded so severely to meeting it and Ko'Dan was larger, more regal, more imposing than it was, but not by some immeasurable margin.

He only demanded a little more respect and reverence, and it was surely owed to him. He was not a person to be feared by an ally of the genasi.

Ko'Dan made a sound like dust settling after a sandstorm. He looked out over the group of staring genasi and raised one enormous hand as he voiced the clamor of a torrential downpour.

The genasi startled, backing away.

Forfend grimly noted how many of them were injured.

A genasi with rose quartz hair and beach white skin recognized Forfend and Melzaryn. He cautiously approached.

"Oh, the saviors are here!" he said.

Forfend's chest lit up reddish-orange. It wasn't wholly certain how it felt about such a title. There was so much more work to be done before anyone could be considered saved.

"Who are the newcomers?" the genasi questioned. "Are you alright?"

The man's arm was immobilized in a sling, but he was worried for them after they'd only suffered an embarrassing entrance.

"Are you?" it asked, healing magic warming its fingertips. It held back the urge to expend the magic now. The injury was far from fatal and Forfend would need every last drop of divine energy to stop Despot Falco.

"Yes," he nodded. "Though a number of us were injured defending the people, but now you're here to help!"

"To the best of our ability," it hummed.

The genasi looked past Forfend to Ko'dan. "I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Our protector, Ko'dan, was wondering whether or not the new ones here could be trusted."

"Yes," Forfend answered immediately.

"Understood," the genasi smiled.

Forfend suddenly thought better of its statement.

"Well, keep an eye on him." It pointed out the unhinged mercenary.

"Why?" the crazy mercenary whined.

"He killed a cat," Kagoshi supplied.

The genasi man grimaced. He translated to Ko'Dan in the rustle of dry fall leaves.

Ko'Dan visibly recoiled. He stared harshly down at the unstable mercenary.

Howell sighed and dragged a heavy hand down his cloth-covered face. "They were the only ones who'd work for only the promise of a favor."

Ko'Dan rattled like branches in a hurricane and pointed toward the exit.

"He says River and the others are at the entrance to the lair," the genasi translated. "They're keeping an eye out, but as far as we can tell, Envema doesn't know the location of this place."

Forfend nodded once. "Good."

"Time may change that," Kagoshi said, unnecessarily ominous.

"Let us hope not," Forfend hummed.

Ko'Dan rumbled and thundered in much the same way as a volcano.

"Ko'Dan thanks you," the genasi said. "We were able to retrieve Ry'Ha'Dach, though he's slumbering due to his injuries."

Forfend's chest lit up briefly orange. It was glad to know Ry'Ha'Dach was safe, even if he was too wounded to fight. He would see another day. The genasi hadn't lost him.

"Who is that again?" Kagoshi asked.

Forfend hissed a heavy bout of steam. "The dragon. The emerald dragon."

"That the guy that tried to fight King Fuckwit?"

"He did fight Despot Falco, yes." Forfend stared down at Kagoshi, both irritated and concerned by his flippant regard of their draconic friend.

"He didn't exactly win though, did he?" Kagoshi growled.

"Did you?" Vesper snapped.

"Definitively, we did not," Forfend answered.

Kagoshi scoffed, closing in on himself and letting his deep-set rage burrow even further beneath his skin. "No, but I get a second round," he hissed murderously.

Ko'Dan grumbled and rushed and cracked like a tidal wave sweeping through a forest, his broad shoulders squaring as he loomed over Kagoshi.

"I think Ry'Ha'Dach has been through quite enough," Forfend said.

Slowly, Ko'Dan ceased his disastrous-sounding speech and settled back down. He didn't take his baleful gaze off Kagoshi.

Forfend apologized to Ko'Dan for Kagoshi's behavior and turned from the conversation. "I am going to speak with the people who have been fighting out in the city. They will be able to tell us what has been happening."

Ko'Dan nodded. He rumbled as he descended back into a pile of rocks, vines, and gemstones.

Forfend picked out people who held themselves like warriors, who were still trying to keep morale up and the people organized.

Just by the looks of them though, Forfend was quite certain the battle had gone poorly.

Forfend moved through the crowd and offered up the weapons and armor it had made to anyone still abled enough to use them.

Whether the genasi would be fighting again soon or not didn't matter. They needed their damaged gear replaced either way.

It spoke to several of the more seasoned fighters as it made its rounds, until it had a decent understanding of what had occurred in its absence.

Kiyori had valiantly defended the Teleportation Hub, but she'd had to leave her post to retrieve Ry'Ha'Dach. In that interval, many genasi had been severely wounded.

River was among them.

Jewel and Flint were also too wounded to fight.

Despite its inquiries, no one seemed to be certain how Kiyori fared.

Forfend worried for her. She was exceptionally powerful, but still as mortal as itself. It hoped she hadn't been hurt.

Melzaryn popped up at Forfend's side. "We're going to have to speak to the leaders about what happens after all this."

Forfend nodded, humming low in its center. "The whole of the government will need to be restructured. King Maggard Stormrike may take this as a strike upon his kingdom. It may all get worse before it gets better."

Melzaryn smiled his inscrutable smile and made for the exit.

Kagoshi and Vesper were already making their way out with the mercenaries right on their heels.

Forfend decided to follow Melzaryn before they all left it behind.

As they made their way through the caves, trailing a ways behind Vesper and Kagoshi, Forfend noticed there were more and more people crowding every open cavern.

These people were almost all human, with smatterings of elves, gnomes, halflings, and dwarves amongst them. There were almost no genasi here. And there had been only genasi in the last chamber. They were separating themselves from one another.

Despite all being trapped beneath the thumb of the same wretched despot, despite suffering the exact same situation, they held onto their petty prejudices.

Forfend found itself disappointed in Cragwall.

Kagoshi, Vesper, and the mercenaries disappeared through the illusion covering the cave entrance ahead of them.

Melzaryn idled along. He didn't seem to be in any special hurry to catch up with the others.

Forfend felt a touch more rushed and worried, but it tried to maintain the calm it would need in the coming battle.

The world shimmered around it as they finally passed through the illusion themselves.

Melzaryn continued on, unfazed by the oddity of the magics.

Forfend paused to catch its bearings.

It spotted Kiyori kneeling on a tree stump, her sword embedded in the earth by her side and her eyes fixated firmly on the route to Cragwall. She stood sentinel, ever ready.

The best Forfend could tell, she was unharmed.

It hummed to announce its presence.

Kiyori cocked her head slightly in acknowledgement and continued her dead set staring.

Melzaryn eyed her blade as he passed by the unsheathed weapon. He nodded to himself and looked up at Kiyori. "A lot of things are about to start happening very, very quickly," he started. "I think it's best the leading parties speak with each other sooner rather than later about what follows Falco's fall. Who do I need to see?"

Kiyori's gaze never wavered from the woods in front of her. She ripped her blade from the ground, gestured to the cabin with it, and returned it to its place buried in the dirt.

"Understood." Melzaryn turned on his heel and strode into the hideout.

Vesper and Kagoshi already stood outside, but neither of them seemed inclined to enter.

Forfend nodded to them both as it followed Melzaryn.

Immediately, Jewel startled awake and thrust a blade at them. She gasped when she recognized them. Her shortsword quickly rediscovered its sheath as she settled back into her chair by the door.

"Oh, it's you," she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello," Forfend greeted.

Jewel was heavily bandaged and clearly fighting exhaustion. She needed rest. A lot of it.

"The other two are at the back," she mumbled, sleep already coaxing her eyes closed again.

She shook her head and shot up from her chair. "I'll walk you," she said suddenly.

Forfend nodded. It offered her an arm to hold if she needed assistance.

Jewel frowned at it, but only a few steps down the hallway, she decided to brace her hand against its shoulder after all.

As they rounded the corner at the back of the hideout, Forfend caught sight of River and gasped in a sharp hiss of steam.

He sat in a chair leaned back against the wall and heaved for every breath. His right arm was gone, completely gone. Blood filled the thick bandages around the stub of his shoulder and occasionally dripped onto the floor.

"Oh, good, you've returned," he panted.

Forfend fought the urge to heal him now. He was strong. He'd survive until after Despot Falco had been dealt with.

Forfend was going to need every last resource it had available to defeat the rampaging demigod. It couldn't heal River and the rest of the genasi yet. It would, it promised itself, but not yet.

"We have brought allies," it hummed.

"They are outside?"

Forfend nodded.

"Good." River groaned as he tried to sit up straighter. He grasped at his side just beneath his wound and slumped back down.

Flint knelt at River's side, grimacing at his grievous wound.

Out of all of them, he looked the least injured, but he was not unharmed.

The onyx crystals atop his head were cracked and the side of his face was bandaged. His eyes seemed to struggle to focus. He looked unsteady on his feet, dizzy, nauseous.

"What can you tell us about what has happened in Cragwall?" Forfend hummed. "What happened after we left?"

"The battle was hard fought," River answered. "Once you and the refugees escaped, he had to hold down the Teleportation Hub for as long as we could. Kiyori proved invaluable in that. She essentially held off the entirety of Despot Falco's army all by her lonesome, using the Hub's entrance as a choke point."

River made another attempt to sit up straight and managed it this time, though he had to grit his teeth against his pain.

"Then she charged out into the fray completely alone to retrieve Ry'Ha'Dach. She fought valiantly through the tide of Envema," he continued. "She succeeded, but we took heavy losses while she was away. I lost my arm saving another." He gestured to his blatant injury. "The Envema members seemed to notice my adept arcane practice and targeted me accordingly to cripple it. That proved to be a major blow to our endeavor here."

Flint dropped into his own seat and leaned in to hear the story, despite having lived the details.

River cast him a glance Forfend couldn't read and carried on with his tale, "The Abjurist, Sonya Caddel, and the Hawk Knight, Kendrick Arvad, also proved themselves invaluable. Sonya created countless barriers while Kendrick guarded any gap Kiyori couldn't. It was only due to their combined efforts that we escaped the city alive with as many as we did." River sighed heavily, sinking once again into his chair. "I don't know where they've gone now though."

He shook his head. "As far as I'm aware, the Despot himself is still residing inside his castle preparing gods only know what. I wish we had Ry'Ha'Dach to assist us, but he transformed into a human so Kiyori could carry him and he seems unable to turn back. He's still healing."

Jewel set down a map of Cragwall without being asked.

Immediately, River pointed out key points around the city.

"The entire place is overrun. I can't recommend a full-frontal assault," River said. "If anything, I'd think the best bet would be to sneak into the Mountain Quarter. What you do from there will be up to you."

Forfend hummed long and low and slow.

"The best we can tell, they don't know our whereabouts in the forest. Kiyori, though, she's worried they'll find us. She's been fighting from before you left until only a short while ago. Even now, she's out there standing guard."

Forfend nodded and shared a glance with Melzaryn. The wizard looked mildly impressed, if anything.

It, however, was concerned.

"That is all I know," River concluded.

"We know for certain that Despot Falco's intention is immortality," Forfend offered.

River considered this briefly. "I don't know how he plans to do it, but whatever he's going to try will take place within his castle. That's where he'll be safest and most secure. No interruptions."

"Oh, there's going to be an interruption," Melzaryn spoke with unexpected ferocity.

Despite himself, River almost smiled.

Flint snorted.

Jewel let a ghost of a smirk cross her tired face.

"According to the scouts I've sent out, Falco's children have returned to Cragwall," River shared.

Forfend and Melzaryn both took a moment to ponder this information.

"Concerning," Melzaryn matter-of-factly decided.

"That cannot be good," Forfend seconded. "If they are not on his side willingly, then he has certainly got them under his mind control."

"What is your plan?" River asked, his fingers steepled. "How do we proceed here?"

Forfend looked to Melzaryn.

Melzaryn chewed his lip.

"I'm not sure most of us will be of much use here. But with four demigods, you can surely accomplish something." River glanced toward the hallway. "Are Kagoshi and Kairi outside? I don't recall seeing Kairi with you when you left."

Forfend hissed steam, its core sinking low in its chest. "Kagoshi is outside. Kairi... Kairi did not survive Despot Falco's attack."

River's lips pressed tightly together. He rubbed his face. He looked to them with deep sympathy in his eyes, the sorrow of every loss laying heavy on him. "I see. I'm sorry. May she rest in peace."

Forfend hummed. It muttered a prayer for the departed in celestial.

"Still, the three of you survived and proved yourselves mighty," River offered some hope. "You could alter the course of a nation if you truly wanted to."

That was, Forfend assumed, more or less their intention at this point.

"What's the plan?" River asked again.

"Truthfully, the plan is to sneak in and fight Falco," Melzaryn shrugged. "We don't have enough information to plan beyond that. There is no more strategic-minded idea besides just winging it."

He drew in a deep breath and scratched at the back of his neck. "I think it's going to be more important to talk about what happens after. Once this is all over, things are going to happen very, very fast. I took the liberty of speaking to a sovereign from Harmonia about some potential solutions for everyone. You're about to lose a king. I'd like to cut down on the chaos where I can because the world is... not friendly."

"I understand," River responded grimly.

Melzaryn nodded. "I spoke to my mother about it. Being the son of one of the heads of the Collymore family, I've got some sway. She's willing to help us with these matters."

River paused, the gears in his mind turning as he looked over Melzaryn anew. He swallowed thickly. The gravity of who Melzaryn was settled onto him.

"Oh," he finally said.

"She suggested three possible solutions we can take after Falco's death," Melzaryn carried on as though River, Flint, and Jewel were not all still thoroughly stunned. "Of course, I have my preference and opinion on what's likely to be the best one, however, they're all viable options."

Melzaryn placed his hands on the table, leaning forward to draw all attention to himself. "I think the thing you're probably most worried about is King Maggard taking this as an attack and deciding to oust all of you from his vassal state."

All three genasi nodded.

"Well, the best solution to that is to use the rules and precedents already put into place by the Celestial Summit," Melzaryn explained. "One of the options this affords us is simply to declare war and fight it out with the Howling Plains using the Kuumedian Desert as an ally, but I'm not a huge fan of this one. It's not ideal for you or the Desert. We'll almost certainly win, but there will be a lot of loss and Tyrwedia will end up owing the Kuumedian Desert for our services."

River glanced to Jewel.

Jewel wiped her tired eyes and looked to Flint.

Flint folded his arms on the table to bury his face in them.

They all looked exhausted and well out of their depth.

Forfend also felt like it had only the vaguest notion of what Melzaryn's plan was. The genasi weren't title holders in Tyrwedia. Their power in the Land had been rather effectively stripped from them.

Melzaryn seemed to have a very clear idea on how he intended to seize that power back the second Despot Falco was dead, even if Forfend couldn't parse it.

"Another option could be for a demigod to simply assign themselves as leader of this region." For some reason, Melzaryn was watching Forfend from the corner of his eye. "That would allow them to claim the territory right out from under King Maggard and give the nation autonomy.”

The genasi also each cast a quick peek at Forfend as they considered the option.

It turned away. It may be the only local demigod they had, but it was incredibly far from the leader they needed. Everyone here knew as much, but other demigod options were effectively non-existent.

"The third option is the one I think is best," Melzaryn said. "We can form a council."

River perked up.

"As a member of a high-ranking family from another country, I'll be able to take the role of foreign emissary,” Melzaryn offered. "I won't have any more power or sway than any other member on the council, but I can provide insight and advice. You could also place Forfend on the council, since it seems he has very strong morals. Ideally, he'll play the role of tiebreaker when necessary, instead of having total control over the decisions that get made. He can bring the staying power we'll need, as the local demigod. I'd prefer my own demigod status not be disclosed, but Forfend's probably should be to give us the most possible credibility."

River rubbed his chin, his head tilting. "Maybe. If there's anyone we'd consider to be sovereign, it's Ry'Ha'Dach."

Forfend nodded its agreement. Ry'Ha'Dach was certainly more of a dependable, experienced leader than Forfend. Tiebreaking for a council didn't sound as difficult or terrifying as controlling a nation on its own, but it still wasn't sure it liked the idea of wielding that much power.

That said, the colonizers of Tyrwedia would never accept Ry'Ha'Dach as their ruler. Forfend may have an easier time in that regard.

Melzaryn opened his mouth to continue the discussion, but Forfend felt dizzied by the whole situation.

It politely ducked its head. "I will leave you to discuss while I check on our allies," it excused itself.

Forfend left as quickly as it could without drawing more attention to itself.

Outside, it found Vesper standing by the door.

"May I ask a question?"

Vesper nodded affirmatively. "You certainly may ask."

"Do you have any ideas for a plan? No one else seems to, I certainly do not, and I am concerned."

Vesper cocked his head. "Step one: place Howell at a distance because that's how he fights best. Step two: place someone in between him and Falco. I'll volunteer. I have a skill that sometimes causes people to flee from me. You should be between me and Falco. Step three: place Melzaryn opposite Howell and just as far away from Falco. Kagoshi will stay between them. Step four: cast Silence and Hold Person on Falco at any cost to prevent him from using his demigod ability. Step five: magically buff Kagoshi as much as possible."

Forfend's chest lit up. "That is brilliant, Vesper. Thank you."

"We should also try to get Falco's equipment off if we can. He'll be much less effective without it," Vesper added.

Forfend hummed thoughtfully.

Howell nodded. "Got it."

"I will tell Melzaryn," Forfend said. It pulled its Sending Stone from its belt rather than risking getting pulled back into the delicate political conversation. It was out of its depth and nervous about the role it may need to play. It had enough on its mind at the moment as it was.

"Melzaryn," it called into the Stone.

"Yes?" came the immediate reply.

It relayed Vesper's plan almost verbatim.

"That is a worthy plan of engagement with the Despot himself," River's voice sprang through the magic connection. "Getting to him will be another matter. You may be able to sneak into the Mountain Quarter, but all the tunnels into Castle Ledrian have been collapsed. There will be no sneaking inside the castle itself. The only real method left is entering directly through the front gate."

Forfend hummed anxiously.

"I'm sure that will be fine," Vesper said.

Kagoshi grunted from somewhere behind Forfend.

"If you do make it into the Mountain Quarter though," River continued, "the defenses were designed to work both ways. You can use that to your advantage. It's difficult to get in, but it's also difficult to get out. They won't be able to mobilize effectively to rally reinforcements. Once you're inside, you should be safe from that threat, though I can't say what others you may face."

Vesper chewed his lip and wandered away from the conversation.

"So what exactly is the fucking plan?” Kagoshi gruffed. It seemed he hadn't been listening.

Forfend actually wasn't certain where he'd milled off to or when he'd come back.

"The outside of the Mountain Quarter is heavily guarded," River informed them. "They're using their sheer numbers as a threat to keep us away, and I must say that it's working. We couldn't possibly handle a deluge of forces like that. Stealth will be paramount in getting past them. The tunnels beneath have all been collapsed, but perhaps you could find another option."

"I might have some suggestions," Melzaryn's voice wafted through the Stone.

"Something I've observed that might be helpful is that most of Falco's puppets are of unsound minds. There are some that seem to possess more free will and more intelligence to go along with it," River continued, "but the more control Falco has, the less functional his puppets seem to be. He has to make things simple for them or they fail to find their way. Hence, the open main gate into the Mountain Quarter, but the closed gate into the castle itself. His most intelligent personnel are being kept close at hand."

"So if we collapse the Mountain Quarter gate, the fodder will be too stupid to find a way into the castle to provide reinforcements," Melzaryn stated. "We won't have to hurt them or worry about them causing problems. We'll only have to deal with whoever's already inside."

"Noted," Forfend hummed. It considered the possibility.

Between the enchantment it had added to its mace, Kagoshi's raw strength, and Melzaryn's propensity for targeted destruction, bringing down the gate should prove fairly easy.

A few minutes passed and Melzaryn exited the hideout. "They showed me a map they made of the destruction in the city. Hell of a maze, but I've memorized us a really good route that should make stealth easy for us. Let's go."

Forfend nodded. It fell into step behind Melzaryn.

Kagoshi followed.

Vesper looked up from conversing with his odd wooden box. "We're leaving?"

He jogged to catch up.

"Seems so," Forfend answered.

Howell and his mercenaries also rushed to join the march to Cragwall.

"Do we have a plan?" Howell asked.

"More or less," Melzaryn shrugged.

"We are sneaking in," Vesper provided. He flipped through his deck of cards over and over again. Forfend thought at first the fiddling was perhaps a nervous habit, but then it sensed the magic in the air.

Occasionally, he nodded or muttered a question as he watched the empty air by his side. He was holding a conversation with someone or something.

Forfend wasn't certain what Vesper was doing, but it hoped the ritual would prove useful for them.

"Do any of you partake in any forms of stealth?" Howell looked doubtfully at Forfend and Kagoshi, suspiciously at Melzaryn, and uncertainly at Vesper.

"I'm very good at going unnoticed," Vesper answered flatly.

Kagoshi cracked his knuckles. "Can't get caught if there's no witnesses."

Howell shook his head, but dropped the subject.

The group made their way through Cragwall's east gate.

The city lay in ruins and all was silent save for the crackling fires. Most of the living denizens escaped with the genasi, and any still remaining kept well hidden.

All of Falco's forces were deeper in the city, protecting him as he prepared his murderous ritual.

Vesper hugged his carved wooden box and watched the unshifting rubble around them with a detached sort of wariness.

Howell ruffled his heavy cloak. He sighed.

A thick, dark mist rolled out from beneath his hood and engulfed the party.

It dissipated as quickly as it came, but it left all their movements muffled into silence. There was no longer a chorus of footsteps on stone. Even Forfend's creaking body stopped announcing its presence.

"Since none of you are any good at stealth, I figured I'd do this to keep us hidden," Howell said, his voice barely a whisper beneath the muffling magic. "It's Pass Without Trace."

Forfend nodded. Kairi had used the same spell for the same reason only a day ago.

Howell's magic had a distinctly different feel in the air than Kairi's had.

Where her arcana had felt bubbly and soft, his felt coarse and sun-warmed.

Howell's magic didn't hold a negative sensation, but the stark difference made Forfend miss their feisty, soft-hearted druid companion.

The group slipped soundlessly through the dead and dying city.

Forfend took stock of the immense damage.

Eamon's house lay in ruins alongside the majority of his neighborhood.

Forfend could only hope he and the other inhabitants had survived and escaped.

Kagoshi paused to stare at a section of road not far from the center of the city.

A space nearly a hundred feet in diameter had been steamrolled flat and every inch was covered in deep red blood.

Forfend recoiled, rocks tumbling in its chest.

Kagoshi only squinted. "I remember leaving corpses."

"You did this?!" Forfend couldn't help the whetstone shing that passed through its chest or the sharp sinking of its core into its midsection. The strong mix of emotions nearly threatened to knock it off its feet.

It knew Kagoshi had rampaged in the aftermath of Kairi's murder, but what sort of excessive, hellish violence was this?!

Kagoshi didn't respond to it.

"Either you mashed them into paste or someone cleaned up your mess," the serious mercenary interjected.

Kagoshi growled.

Forfend clenched its fist. Angry and indignant as it was, there was no time to have this conversation now.

The quiet mercenary grabbed Forfend's shoulder and tugged it down behind a pile of rubble.

Howell motioned for everyone to hush.

A patrol of Envema members marched past.

Two of them were the enormous amalgamations of flesh and metal.

Vesper stared, the fur of his tail standing on end as he watched them pass. He swallowed thickly, but said nothing.

The unhinged mercenary also watched the hulking beasts, though his expression was one of concerning giddiness.

Howell motioned for the group to get moving again.

Melzaryn resumed his place in the lead.

With him navigating, they very soon found themselves sneaking past the horde of Envema outside the Mountain Quarter.

"Good luck," Vesper whispered to Melzaryn the second they crossed through the gate, Guidance magic lacing his words.

He ducked into hiding with Howell and the other mercenaries.

Melzaryn hopped on his broom. "Kagoshi, smash that pillar and, Forfend, you've got the other." He zipped up into the air.

Kagoshi and Forfend both nodded.

They were spotted as they took their places, but it was much too late for that to matter now.

Melzaryn cast Shatter at the top of the arch above the open gate. A large section of stone exploded into dust as the unsupported stone began to collapse downward.

Forfend used what Byr had taught it in all his masonry lessons. It smashed its mace into the weakest spot it could determine.

The destructive magic imbued within Gilthur's Inspiration reverberated through the wall. Cracks shocked like lightning up the pillar.

Kagoshi slammed his fist through the wall of the pillar on the opposite side.

Both shivered, then shook, and suddenly crumbled before the Envema members could scramble through the gate.

The earth shook as all of the rubble tumbled to the ground, piling on top of itself into an impassable wall.

Dust whipped out from beneath the destruction.

Kagoshi was swept off his feet by the buffeting wind.

Forfend braced itself as sharp gravel bounced harmlessly off its stone body, but the rushing air wasn't strong enough to move its weighty body.

The Envema members hollered from the far side of the rubble, but there was nothing they could do to get over the dangerously shifting pile.

Forfend turned. It, Melzaryn, and Kagoshi all rejoined the group.

Kagoshi swore under his breath as he dusted off his dirtied jacket.

Howell whistled. "It wasn't stealthy, but I'll give you that it was kind of impressive."

They left the scene of the collapse and made their way toward Castle Ledrian.

Vesper stopped dead in his tracks in the center of the pathway. He spoke to someone who wasn't there.

"Hello, do you know where King Falco is?"

He stood in silence, his tail swishing thoughtfully.

Forfend assumed he must be conversing with a ghost.

Everyone paused, hovering awkwardly nearby as they observed what looked to be a one-sided conversation.

"What do you know of the renovations?" Vesper questioned.

Further silence.

Vesper tilted his head. "What sort of things would those be?"

No audible response.

"Thank you for your time."

Vesper paused for only a moment, then spoke again, "You are dead."

There was another beat of quiet. Vesper blinked as though surprised.

He shrugged off whatever oddity he'd encountered and looked up at everyone in turn. "My work here is done."

Forfend nodded slowly, though it wasn't sure what had happened.

"He is at the top of the castle," Vesper relayed as they all began moving onward again.

"You got some intuition on that or something?" Kagoshi asked, ever dense.

"No. I know for certain he is at the top."

"Oh." Kagoshi rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatever you say, Fluffy."

"I do believe he has... reinforcements of sorts up there."

"Yeah, I'd imagine so," Kagoshi gruffed.

"It is likely the very big, scary ones though, so take precaution," Vesper said. "You know. Grrah," he growled, poorly mimicking the hulking flesh-and-metal monsters. "The icky ones we have seen strutting about. The flesh monstrosities."

"I'm sure those guys are easy to take care of," Kagoshi decided.

"I disagree," Forfend hummed.

"You only say that because you wouldn't be able to just throw one of them." Kagoshi clenched his fists and flexed his thick muscles.

Forfend shook its broad head.

As they neared the castle gates, they encountered a small caravan of upturned wagons still smoldering as they belched pitch black smoke into the fire-stained sky.

"Wagon," Melzaryn noted, craning his head to see what may lie beyond them.

"Wagon," Forfend concurred.

Vesper cocked his head at them. "Why are you repeating the same word? It's just a bunch of wagons."

"Yeah, why are you guys doing that?" Howell asked.

"It is strange. Seems very repetitive," Vesper noted.

"Thank you!" Kagoshi shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "Somebody gets it!"

"Why does it even matter?" Vesper shook his head in confusion.

No one answered.

Melzaryn huffed, a bit sad his game had ended so soon.

Forfend found itself missing Kairi all over again.

The mercenaries moved forward, taking cover behind the wagons.

Forfend, Melzaryn, and Vesper followed their lead.

Kagoshi, however, didn't seem concerned in the slightest about staying out of sight.

Forfend peered around the edge of the wreckage, hoping the smoke and flames would obscure its form.

A small group of Envema members stood watch.

A cluster of them guarded the gate while another pair manned the barrels of boiling oil stationed along the ramparts above.

This was a very, very small group to be guarding such a critical point.

Pebbles clattered in Forfend's chest as it fretted over the situation. This was too simple, too easy. A trap. It had to be.

Something hazy entered the edge of Forfend's field of vision.

It focused its gaze and stiffened sharply.

Kairi, ghostly pale and translucent, waved to them from off to the side.

Forfend couldn't tell if she was a true spirit or a dark trick, but it couldn't tear its gaze off its fallen friend.

Kairi's glittering wings spread and whisked her around a stack of abandoned supplies tucked close to the wall. She disappeared from view.

Forfend shook its head, uncertain if what it had seen had even been real.

It locked gazes with Melzaryn who simply frowned, his eyes narrowed.

Forfend hummed softly. It seemed he'd seen it.

They silently agreed not to chase the startling entity.

Kagoshi finally ducked behind cover before the Envema guards spotted him.

Forfend motioned to him in an attempt to catch his attention, but he was staring too intently at the space Kairi had ducked into.

"Don't do it," Melzaryn whispered an almost idle warning, as though he was joking or teasing Kagoshi instead of truly trying to ward him off.

Kagoshi paid him no mind. He darted out from hiding and dove behind the huge supply pile Kairi had disappeared behind.

"Wh-- Hey, what the fuck?" Howell whisper-yelled as his cloaking magic fell away from Kagoshi.

Luckily, Kagoshi had been quick and silent enough that the guards hadn't seen him, but Forfend feared what he may be about to encounter.

"Well, he's dead," Melzaryn shrugged. "At least he'll probably soften them up for us."

"What the hell?!" Howell threw his hands up.

The crazy mercenary snickered, but the other two just stared.

Vesper chewed his lip thoughtfully. "Why would he do that?"

Forfend shook its head. It couldn't so much as pretend it understood Kagoshi.

There was silence from Kagoshi's hidden corner for a few seconds too long.

Forfend shuffled as it considered trying to follow Kagoshi.

Vesper stilled it with a hand on its side and a subtle shake of his head.

A chorus of a dozen bloodcurdling screeches ripped through the air.

The Envema members startled, snatching up their weapons and whirling around to face the hidden corner.

"How dare..." came a broken, raspy, struggling cacophony of voices. "How dare you. Should not have let... such fine flesh as this... go to waste. Wasn't she your dear... friend?"

The voices laughed mockingly, wheezing with every strained breath.

"Should not have left... the body behind. How... cruel," the voices admonished and cackled all over again. "Now you can't even give her... a proper burial. Who's fault... is that?"

Forfend squeezed its mace tight in its grip.

Whatever that creature had been, it wasn't Kairi and now it had Kagoshi.

The Envema members weren't prepared for it either. They were acting as though they hadn't known it was there.

They didn't approach. Nervously, they waited to see what would happen.

"You?" the voices asked. "Who found yourself wallowing in rage... and grief? Or me? Who saw... a simple use... for what you... discarded?"

The voices screamed their wailing laughter.

"I'll be sure to torture you before I kill you!" Kagoshi yelled back.

The entire supply stack they hid behind quaked as Kagoshi and the mystery monster clashed.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 29

Forfend hummed to itself as it tried to keep its million worries at bay. It shifted its focus to what it could hear.

Outside, wind chimes shared their gentle music with the dry desert wind. People bustled about the streets, trying to be mindful of their noise given how late in the night it was. Fires crackled as the intense heat of the day fully waned and the chill of the night moved in.

As Forfend adjusted to the sounds, they became soothing. It hissed steam. Finally, it began to settle into hazier, more distant thoughts.

The wind dusted through the window and brushed over Forfend's face. Sand clung to it, obscuring its vision. It swiped the sand away and found that its vision didn't clear.

In fact, its vision warbled even further and pulled it away from itself. Far, far back into the distant past, it sank.

And suddenly fear crushed its core.

It realized it was running, molten scorches left behind with every step. Pain burned through its entire body. Ichor spilled in endless torrents. The blood red sky hung low overhead as though watching its terror and misfortune with perverse enjoyment.

It had to reach the Hearthborns! Faster! It had to move faster!

Forfend set aside all the horrific, slicing pain throughout its body and put on a new burst of speed.

Acras's demon was still outpacing it, but it had to meet the beast as quickly as possible. It wouldn't leave the wretched monster to feast on the Hearthborns. It wouldn't leave its family to die.

The demon reached the village first. People screamed as it barreled through the streets. It howled and snapped its jowls.

"No!" Forfend panicked, a sound like a thousand swords clashing rang within its center.

The Hearthborns scattered. The horrid demon smashed through the village's defenses like they were nothing more than wet parchment.

Forfend skidded to a halt behind the monster and grasped for its magic. Pain answered. Deep, crushing pain.

The hound whipped around. It snarled, acidic drool spilling from its teeth and rotting the plantlife beneath it. Its disease-ridden hide and emaciated frame did nothing to hide the demonic power thrumming through it.

It stalked slowly around Forfend.

Forfend turned to watch it, never letting it out of sight.

The magic in Forfend's core flickered, then burst. It barely caught control of the flames in time, but they yielded as it slammed its mace against its shield. Rather than burning indiscriminately, the fire encircled the hellish monster in a towering Wall of Fire.

The demon wailed, thrashing and twisting as it tried to find any way to avoid the raging inferno.

Forfend doubled over as pain wracked through its body. It wasn't even sure what it was casting from. Its life essence?

The Hearthborns cheered as they recognized Forfend's magic, but their voices faltered as they saw its wounded form.

"Go!" it yelled to them. "Run! Protect each other! Protect yourselves!"

Not a second was wasted. The village spurred into action, moving together to clear everyone out of danger's gluttonous path.

Icy cold gripped Forfend's fingers. It had never felt such a freezing touch before. It looked down at its hands and realized with dawning horror that its magma musculature was cooling. Hardening. Becoming more and more difficult to move.

The sensation was crawling across its entire body, slowly but surely. It was on a timer. It had to subdue this demon before it permanently crystallized. Or it had to hope Fornax would defeat Acras and return in time.

The demon's scorpion-like stinger shot through the flames. Forfend couldn't get its shield up fast enough. The stinger pierced straight through its unprotected body, dangerously close to its core.

The sparse fur of the monster's tail caught alight in the magma, but the beast either didn't notice or didn't care.

Forfend crashed its mace into the tail, forcing it free and batting the venomous intrusion further away with its shield.

An earthquake shook the ground, nearly causing Forfend to lose its footing. A deafening clang crashed through the air with such force it threw aside the black clouds above.

Fornax and Acras, both now bigger than the adamantine mountains Fornax had formed, battled bitterly across the horizon.

The hound took the moment of distraction as an opportunity. It leapt through the flames, jaws open wide.

Forfend let it crash headfirst into the shield. It skidded backwards, but forced the beast's head down until it ground its maw into the dirt.

The monster's stinger swept around and buried into Forfend's back.

Forfend had only ever known pain muted by the protection of celestial iron. This raw agony ripped through it.

Still, it had to fight. Quickly.

It slammed its mace into the demon's nearest paw.

The hound reeled back with a snarl. Its tail dislodged.

It pounced again almost immediately.

Forfend fended off the blasphemous monster the best it could, kiting it away from the fleeing Hearthborns and trying to keep collateral damage to a minimum.

But the longer the fight wore on, the slower Forfend moved. Its fluidity and speed were robbed from it by the stone crawling across its freezing body.

Under harsh blows from the demon, the brittle stone shattered.

Forfend was all but completely blinded by sharp, icy pain.

The hound, spurred on by Forfend's flagging movements, only grew more aggressive.

It crashed its massive tail into Forfend's vulnerable body and sent it careening through the wall of someone's home.

A girl shrieked. Mithral. She'd been caught in the chaos and taken shelter here, but this wasn't a safe place.

Forfend forced itself up as the demon caught sight of Mithral.

"Run!" it yelled, slamming its mace over the demon's head.

The hound's tail whipped around, aiming not for the girl but for the walls of the home.

The structure shuddered, collapsing.

Forfend caught the ceiling.

Mithral dashed, tumbling out of a window and scrambling to safety.

Forfend didn't even have a second to feel relieved. The demon's tail knocked its legs from beneath it.

The house collapsed onto both of them.

Forfend was trapped beneath the weight, but the massive demon seemed unbothered.

The monster's teeth ripped through the debris until it had a clear view of Forfend again. Its barbed tail lifted.

Shit.

Forfend's now fully stone hands weren't quick enough to grasp its shield and bring it up.

The scorpion tail came down.

In the blink between the first blur of movement and the inevitable strike, Forfend knew it had lost. It only hoped it had bought the Hearthborns enough time to save themselves. It hoped Fornax could defeat Acras and dispatch his horrid hound.

An adamantine blur surged over Forfend, skewering the demon's tail just before it struck and pinning the beast to what remained of a rubble wall.

The demon howled.

The Hearthborns answered back with their own howls of righteous fury.

Forfend took in the awestriking sight of every able-bodied Hearthborn rushing to its aid.

More adamantine spears pelted the demon's hide.

The hound wailed. Its body split open, horrible jaws that ran down its throat, across its chest, and further still snapped violently at the Hearthborns.

Forfend and its family surged forth anyway.

The ensuing battle was a blur of pain and blood, fear and loss, rage and hope.

Too many brave Hearthborns fell around Forfend, but the survivors never faltered. They protected Forfend as it protected them. Together, they drove the demon back.

Weakened and desperate, the monster lunged forward with mouth agape.

Forfend wedged its shield into the beast's jaws and swung its mace downward, crushing the demon's maw shut.

The shield pierced through flesh and bone with a sickening crack.

Dark blood gushed and sharp teeth scattered as the shield broke through the top of the hound's jaw.

The monster's cry was muffled in its trapped shut mouth. It reeled backwards.

Forfend gripped the top of the shield and kicked the demon's face, ripping its weapon free.

The great beast lumbered and fell, breath heaving in its wound-studded chest. It was too weak to fight, but not quite dead.

The Hearthborns cheered, rallying around Forfend with their makeshift weapons raised.

Forfend staggered, dropping to one knee. One stone knee.

Most of its body was covered in stone now. It struggled to move. It could only shiver. The icy rocks felt like they were clawing their way deeper into its form.

Soon, it would be completely frozen.

A resounding thud shook the sky.

Forfend struggled to lift its head. Stone cracked and fell away as it made the motion.

Far in the distance, Fornax's hammer shattered Acras's face. Massive chunks of cartilage and bone sailed far over the horizon.

Fornax whirled, his eyes searching the village. He relaxed ever so slightly as he caught sight of Forfend and the other survivors.

Forfend forced itself to stand despite the pain it was in and how nigh immobile its body was becoming. Fornax would be here in only a moment. He could repair Forfend. It could heal the wounded. They'd survived. Despite it all, they'd survived.

Forfend raised its hand to wave.

Crack.

The sound was felt more than heard. Deep within Forfend's center. Its core couldn't withstand the temperature drop.

The chill overtaking it was nothing compared to the fuzzy blankness that shot through it now.

Forfend looked down at the gaping hole in its side where its metallic core stuttered and slowed, cracks webbing across the surface.

Its rigid body collapsed.

The demon slavered. It lifted its great head and crawled towards Forfend with its mouth open wide.

"NO!" Fornax shouted in a tone so rich with emotion it startled the Hearthborns.

He reached out and crushed his fist closed.

Metal jutted from the earth, twisting around the demon until it was chained into place.

The monster was lifted up, up, up into the sky.

Fornax crossed the expansive distance to the Hearthborn village in two strides.

Stone rose, coalescing around the massive demon and forming itself into proper masonry.

Very quickly, the hound was sealed away, encased in an enormous stone key.

A Mortal Bulwark.

The Bulwark was rushed, malformed, unfinished. But it was enough to contain the horrid demon.

Fornax gripped the beast's tomb in one giant hand and launched it into the distance. He dropped to his knee and nudged Forfend upright. "Forfend!"

Forfend couldn't move itself. Its dizzied mind struggled to focus. Its vision wavered, darkening around the edges. Freezing cold creeped throughout its entire body. Its core turned ever slower. It was dying.

"No, no, Forfend! I can... I can fix this." Fornax carefully looked Forfend over, taking in the extensive damage. His eyes lingered on the cracked core for just a moment too long.

He couldn't fix it. Not before it killed Forfend.

Forfend hissed steam, long and slow. Its fate was upon it much earlier than it had hoped.

"Fornax, please. I know that you have your limits. I know that you cannot do everything. But I beg of you, please, keep trying to help them the best that you are able," Forfend hummed. "You love them. You know that I love them. Please keep trying. For them. For me. For yourself."

Fornax wore sorrow plainly on his face. The display was far more emotional than anything it had ever seen from the deity before. All his stoicism had vanished. He nodded.

Forfend ground its head to the side at a painstakingly slow pace, stone cracking and scraping and aching so deeply it couldn't even fathom the hurt it was feeling anymore.

The Hearthborns gathered close. Worry creased all their brows. Several of them began to break down in tears. Kind, gentle hands touched Forfend's cooling body.

"Thank you," it spoke earnestly to them, "for making me family. For making us family."

The metallic baritone of its voice faltered and faded away. Its vision shrank inward, darkening further.

"No, I can do something," Fornax insisted. He hovered an enormous hand over Forfend, very carefully placing one finger on its forehead and a second on its shoulder. "I can fix this. Do not worry. You will be okay."

He sounded as though he were trying to convince himself more than Forfend.

Warmth flooded through Forfend, familiar and powerful. Divine.

"You will be gone for a time," Fornax lamented, his words nearly choked by the strength of the feeling in them, "but you did good."

He leaned in close, locking gazes with Forfend. He nodded approvingly. "You did good. You will live to see the fruits of your labor. This, I promise. I will not live to see the only living thing I have made die like this."

Celestial iron conjured directly from Fornax's fingertips slowly surrounded Forfend. The metal felt comforting, like a warm blanket. It pressed over Forfend's face and softly imprinted a new rune to replace the one ripped away by Acras.

Forfend relaxed. The warmth spreading over it chased the freezing cold away. Its vision continued to fade, but so did its pain.

"You will live," Fornax promised. "You deserve that much. And do not worry. I will do as requested, but you must do the same. Live."

The metal fully encased Forfend, closing it off from the world.

"Live," Fornax's final command reverberated in its mind as all of its awareness finally fell away.

And then there was nothing.

Nothing and nothing and nothing.

Suddenly, light filtered down onto Forfend's face. Warm. Bright. Different.

Forfend's vision slowly emerged from a sea of darkness into a sky of blue.

A sky... of blue. Blue. White clouds. Blue sky.

Forfend couldn't even grasp the enormity of the awe it felt well up within it.

It became vaguely aware that its body felt wrong, but it couldn't reach that concept beyond its amazement.

Birds chirped. The wind whistled through waves of grass. The ground beneath it was comfortably cool.

"Holy hells!" came a startled voice.

Forfend shifted its head down and the memory faded away from it as it locked eyes with the man that would rapidly become one of its dearest friends.

Now back in the present, Forfend lit its rune and carefully eased itself upright. It touched the brace on its chest.

Its core was cracked. Its core was still cracked. No wonder it hurt to use its demigod ability.

The thought startled Forfend. It realized all at once that its memories had corrected themselves. It didn't used to feel pain when it called upon the magic of its core. That was new, stemming from its ever-growing list of known damage.

It hummed to itself.

At least it knew now that it hadn't been abandoned. It hadn't been left behind or forgotten. It had been loved and cared for.

It had been saved. It had done good.

Wounded though it was, Fornax had ordered it to continue living and to continue chasing its chosen purpose. It had to try.

It would keep trying.

Forfend didn't think it had the ability to fight anymore. It lacked celestial steel. Its chest was not whole. Its cracked core sank low in its center.

It would keep trying. It had promised.

It could start now, early as it was. It did need to visit the Envema victims after all.

Wisteria's horn gently nudged Forfend's back.

It turned, startled. With its mind so deep in a vision of the past, it hadn't seen the adamantine beetle wander in.

"Good morning," it greeted. "When did you leave Kagoshi's side?"

Understandably, Wisteria didn't answer. Forfend guessed it hadn't been allowed to follow wherever they'd taken Kagoshi, which had left it no choice but to return to Forfend sometime shortly after it had laid down to rest.

The great beetle still carried Kairi's things upon its back.

With a heavy feeling in its core, it collected the items and removed the scraps of bloody fabric from Wisteria's carapace.

"I will be returning here before the end of the day," Forfend promised. "Wait and rest, if you do not mind. Mourn while you have the spare moment to do it. Most of us do not yet." It rubbed Wisteria's head gently.

The bug chittered and huffed, settling down to do as Forfend suggested.

"Thank you," it hummed.

Forfend lumbered outside. The chill still clinging to the desert morning shouldn't have been enough to pester it, but the memories of freezing were stark. It shuddered.

Around it, the city of Harmonia was in full swing already. People bustled through the streets. The marketplace overflowed.

Forfend tried to keep its bulk and the oversized arrows jammed in its back to itself.

Most people here paid it no mind at all.

It observed the busy streets. Harmonia was bigger than Cragwall. Much bigger. Better kempt too.

The streets were cleaner. Artful decorations dotted the pathways and served as centerpieces in small plazas. Several of them resembled fountains, but none of them held water.

Forfend meandered its way toward the Teleportation Hub.

It spotted the guard captain standing out front, giving orders to two of his subordinates. It approached.

"Ah, you are already awake." He sounded surprised. "I assume you want to..." he trailed off, tilting his head back and forth as he regarded Forfend.

He gestured to its back. "Is that part of you or..?"

"The arrows? No," it answered plainly.

"Do you want help with that? I could pull them out for you."

Forfend hummed to itself. "I will wait. I have friends who will be able to help me."

Melzaryn would likely be able to remove them with the least amount of damage. Possibly via magical means.

Kagoshi would certainly be able to rip them straight out, but Forfend feared his total lack of anything resembling gentleness. The new damage he may cause wouldn't necessarily be worth the removal of the painful intrusions.

"Alright," the head guard nodded. "Then I believe there was the matter of the two Envema members, yes? I believe you said you had the possible capability of curing them?"

"I will certainly try," it promised.

"Follow me." The head guard led the way through the crowded city streets.

Hot, dry wind carried across the desert sands. The sunlight had only just begun to peek over the horizon, but the sand wasted no time soaking up heat until it was scorching.

Forfend found the heat to be not only perfectly tolerable but exceptionally welcome after the turmoil of its vision.

The vast majority of Harmonia's citizens seemed entirely indifferent to the weather. They wore thin garments that covered them head to toe. The design kept the sun off their skin, but wouldn't cause them to overheat. Forfend imagined Rosie would think such clothing was simply ingenious. It imagined she was right.

Forfend followed the head guard past a message board in the middle of a packed plaza.

The vast majority of the notices on the board looked to be bounties. As it watched, someone nailed up a new one.

Almost immediately, a bystander checked the new notice, snatched it off the board, and stormed off with it.

Forfend hummed, confused. The board was covered in bounties regarding theft, murder, and various other heinous crimes, but the one this particular bounty hunter had gotten so immediately up in arms about had simply been for tax evasion. The man in the poster had been listed as wanted dead or alive.

Forfend guessed he must've hoarded away a draconian sum to be so despised and so harshly punished.

The head guard continued onward, unbothered.

Shortly, they arrived at a building that was definitely secure, but decidedly not a prison. At least, not like any prison Forfend had ever seen or heard of.

"The victims are being held in there. The guards will escort you down," the guard captain shared. "I have other matters of my own to attend to. Important business. You should be able to make your own way back, yes?"

Forfend nodded.

"Good. Then I take my leave." He turned and did exactly as he said, leaving Forfend alone.

It entered the building, ducking low and tucking its shoulders in to get through the doorway.

A guard met it right away and wordlessly led it down a flight of stairs into an area with large cells.

The two Envema victims were kept side by side, both having been granted much more comfortable accommodations than what Forfend and its allies had been given in Cragwall's cells.

Both of the victims seemed nervous and largely uncertain why they were here. They kept glancing about. Their brows were knit.

Forfend walked straight up to the cells and slipped its fingers through the bars of both. "Please come forward," it requested, kneeling to keep from towering over them.

The teenage boy approached first. He tentatively touched Forfend's hand.

The old man steeled his nerves and followed suit.

Forfend let magic course from the medallion on its chest. The energy flowed down its arms and into the pair of victims, lighting up beneath their skin in a gentle display of warmth.

Despot Falco's wretched demigod ability washed away beneath Forfend's healing aura.

The elderly man sputtered. "What? Where am I?"

The young boy blinked. He rubbed at his face. "What's going on?"

"We are in Harmonia," Forfend hummed.

"Where?" the old man asked.

Perhaps it could stand to generalize a bit more. "The Kuumedian Desert."

"Oh." There was a brief moment of silence. "Where's that?"

"Significantly north of Tyrwedia," Forfend answered.

"Oh. May I have some water?" he asked.

"Me too?" the boy piped up.

"Yes." Forfend turned to the guard at his side. "They are now safe to release. Please let me return them to the rest of the refugees."

"That is good to hear," the guard said. "But you are sure of this, yes? There are no lingering effects that may turn up later?"

"I am quite certain," Forfend nodded.

"Understood." The guard unlocked the cells and both people cautiously approached it.

Forfend nodded politely to them, standing up slowly. "I will escort you back to where the rest of the Cragwall citizens are staying. There is plenty of food and water there, as well as shelter and clothing. You will be cared for. On the way, I will explain how you came to be here. Does that sound alright?"

The boy shrugged, fidgety and anxious. "I guess so."

The elderly man pursed his lips. "Sure, sure. I'm feeling pretty lost."

"I am certain you are. I will do my best to remedy that," Forfend promised. "Follow me."

It led them slowly and carefully out of the jail and through the streets of Harmonia, explaining all the while everything that had transpired in Cragwall recently.

The overwhelming information was clearly startling and difficult for the two victims, but they did their best to handle themselves with tact. There was little other choice in a situation this dire.

At least they could rest easier knowing they'd get to see their families in the refuge center.

It escorted them inside and made certain they both grabbed food and water. The pair separated, both searching out people they knew.

Forfend watched them until it was sure they'd found who they were looking for.

A loud thud sounded behind Forfend, followed by Kagoshi's distinct voice shouting, "Dammit!"

Forfend turned to see Melzaryn and a purple tiefling standing to either side of Kagoshi, who was, for some reason, spilled across the floor in a mess of tangled limbs.

Kagoshi picked himself up, brushed himself off, and swore endlessly under his breath.

Forfend approached and knelt. "Melzaryn," it greeted. "Kagoshi." It extended its hand to the new tiefling. "I am Forfend. It is nice to meet you."

"Vesper Dysgeyma," The tiefling returned. "You have arrows in you."

Forfend nodded. "I do, yes. I need to get them out, but I cannot reach them on my own."

"Oh. Well, I am tall. I may be able to--" Vesper was promptly cut off by Kagoshi.

"I got it," Kagoshi asserted, stepping forward to seize the nearest arrow.

Forfend pressed a firm hand to Kagoshi's chest and pushed him back a step. Luckily, he didn't fight the motion.

"Not you," it said.

Kagoshi gruffed and rolled his eyes.

Melzaryn took in the size and placement of the arrows. "Given our afternoon activities, I'll need to conserve my magic and I'm not very strong otherwise. Sorry."

Forfend huffed steam. Maybe it would have to let Kagoshi pull them out.

Or, well, Vesper had been trying to offer before Kagoshi interrupted. He was tall enough to reach them without too much trouble as long as Forfend remained crouched. And he looked to have gentler hands than Kagoshi.

It angled its back toward the tiefling. "If you would like to give it a try, I would certainly appreciate it."

Vesper stepped up and reached for the nearest arrow. He paused, brows knit as he trailed his slender fingers over the shaft.

"Hawkeye Howell," he stated.

"Yes, he shot us," Forfend confirmed.

"He does magnificent work!" Vesper gushed. "Look at the skill! The craftsmanship! He--" Vesper's jaw audibly clicked shut. He cleared his throat. "I apologize, you are injured. Would you like help?"

A soft chuckle, almost inaudible, rumbled through Forfend. Howell had fans. It wondered if he'd be glad to meet one.

"I would," it answered the question. "Watch the golden ichor, though. It can be a bit warm to the touch."

The heat didn't tend to be enough to burn unless one reached into Forfend's form. The substance cooled and evaporated rather quickly. But just because the ichor didn't leave a burn didn't mean it couldn't still be hot enough to hurt.

"It won't bother me," Vesper assured. "I'm from the hells." He shrugged. "Well, no, that's not true, but you know what I mean. Fire resistance."

Forfend nodded, though it wasn't sure it understood in the slightest.

"You can keep the arrows when you're done," Melzaryn offered.

Vesper stifled an excitable exclamation. His tail swished under his long cloak. He nodded.

Vesper grasped the arrow with both hands. He carefully pulled and tugged at the enormous intrusion. He braced one foot against Forfend as he continued his efforts.

He was as gentle as Forfend had hoped, not twisting or angling the arrow as he removed it, but he was painstakingly slow and grunting with effort.

Finally, the arrowhead came free of the stone.

Vesper smiled slightly at the enormous arrow in his hands, his tail twitching. "I am keeping this."

Forfend nodded. "Alright."

"So, remind me why you didn't want me to do this?" Kagoshi grumbled.

"Um, sorry, I cannot remove them so easily, but if that one does it poorly," Vesper trailed off and nodded his head toward Kagoshi, "then I can heal you after."

Forfend sighed in a slow rush of steam. It begrudgingly angled its back toward Kagoshi. "Please just do not yank them back and forth when you pull them out."

It braced itself.

"Look, I'm not some cruel and sadistic bastard," Kagoshi began, holding his hands up.

"Oh, just a regular bastard then," Vesper quipped.

Forfend's chest sparked briefly with light. It rumbled softly.

Kagoshi pointed at Vesper. "Hey, no. I'm actually not a bastard by definition. At all. ...As far as I'm aware."

"Would you like to get the arrows out or not?" Vesper motioned impatiently. "Or would you like to just keep standing there talking about your own glory?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll get them out," Kagoshi huffed.

Whatever dynamic these two had created was already an incredibly strange one. Kagoshi seemed to have a knack for creating strange dynamics though. Forfend shouldn't be surprised.

If Vesper could assume Kairi's role in keeping Kagoshi in check, that would be extraordinarily useful.

The thought reminded it that it had no idea why Vesper was here or how long he'd be sticking around.

"I do know one other person who might be able to help, but it would be a long walk and I think you've got other things you'd like to get to today, right?" Melzaryn assumed.

"I do, but--" Forfend was cut off by the feel of Kagoshi's boot landing on one of its stovepipes.

"I've got it," Kagoshi asserted. He climbed up another step or two and gripped one of the arrows. He ripped it free.

Forfend winced. It felt ichor gush from the open wound.

At least Kagoshi had done as it had asked and pulled the arrow straight out.

Kagoshi repeated the motion five more times, which was at least three more arrows than Forfend thought it had been hit with. Well, it hardly mattered now. They were out.

Ichor dribbled down its back before evaporating.

Kagoshi hopped down and dusted off his hands. "Easy." He gestured to the pile of massive arrows. "You want these too?"

"Yes," Vesper answered immediately. He gathered up the arrows as quickly as he could. "Thank you."

He stared, wide-eyed. His slit pupils expanded like an excited feline's until they were nearly perfectly round. He was nearly quaking under the weight of all the arrows he held, but that did nothing to curb his enthusiasm.

"So, are you an archer or something?" Kagoshi asked. "I don't see a bow on you."

"No, I am not." Vesper shook his head. "We had this conversation last night when you said, 'Are you a damn mage?! Because I keep running into mages in this place!' and I said, 'Yes, I am a mage specifically to spite you.' I was not lying."

Forfend tilted its head, another quiet rumble roving through it. That certainly sounded like a conversation with Kagoshi.

Melzaryn must've rushed to get Kagoshi out of trouble if they met last night though. It wondered if Vesper had helped.

"Right, right," Kagoshi recalled.

"Anyway, Forfend, my friend, do you need healing?" Vesper offered.

Forfend tugged a small pouch full of Jace's rocks off its belt and placed it in Vesper's hand. "If you would be so kind, please drop these into the wounds."

Vesper nodded. He circled Forfend, placing stone after stone into the injuries.

"They are only the finest river stones," Forfend hummed, its chest lighting up. "They were collected for me by a child in my home village."

"Ah." Vesper nodded sagely. "The wonder of a child is a very magical thing indeed. It does not surprise me that they can help you, but on that note... What are you?"

"Rocks," Kagoshi answered immediately.

Vesper shot a withering gaze at Kagoshi. "Shut up."

"I am something between a construct and your average flesh-and-blood mortal," Forfend answered for itself. "Fornaxian is the word I use."

"Oh." Vesper seemed to take a moment to consider this information. "Of Fornax then?"

"He's nothing like flesh or blood." Kagoshi rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him."

Forfend felt its shoulders droop. It started to argue, but Vesper got there first.

"I wasn't talking to you, Matchstick," Vesper snapped.

"Whatever you say, Fluffy," Kagoshi spat.

"Of course. Now do me a favor and shut up." Vesper turned his attention back to Forfend. "Of Fornax? Is that what you are?"

Forfend nodded. "A Fornaxian. A creature built by Fornax."

Vesper's long tail swished slowly under his cloak, ruffling the edges of it. His eyes unfocused briefly.

Forfend caught itself wondering why Vesper was wearing such a heavy cloak in such hot weather, but it looked to be lovingly handcrafted using a variety of materials. Perhaps he just wasn't willing to part with a garment he or someone he cared about had clearly put so much time and effort into.

"I will unpack that later," Vesper finally decided. "Thank you."

Forfend nodded once. "I will answer any questions you may have."

"Oh, I will have many," Vesper said quietly. "But first, I'm going to see if I survive." He flashed a quick thumbs-up. "I don't expect I will. I expect to die a terrible, gruesome death in the coming days, but at least I will die serving the greater good."

Forfend hummed grimly. It was remarkably familiar with that feeling. "Are you assisting us?" it hazarded a guess.

"Yeah, he's gonna come fight dickhead with us," Kagoshi nodded approvingly.

"Even though I have never fought anyone a day in my life," Vesper muttered very quickly, then turned his gaze directly to Forfend's rune and spoke much more clearly. "Do you know Hawkeye Howell?"

"Yes," Forfend said.

"That is magnificent." Vesper's eyes had gone circular again and his tail flicked rapidly.

"I actually need to find him," it hummed. It looked to Melzaryn who was presently weaving together a basket out of rope for some reason.

Vesper gasped, slapping his clawed hand to his chest.

"He's with some glass guys," Kagoshi said, nonsensical and unhelpful.

"He's doing some other work at the moment," Melzaryn answered more sensibly but no more helpful. "He's getting some other mercenaries together."

"I have to see him before we return to Tyrwedia, or we are going to lose him in that fight and probably get shot again," Forfend pressed.

"That's fair," Melzaryn placated. "He'll meet us where we all collect before we leave though. You'll have your chance."

Forfend relaxed slightly, but it couldn't help its worrying. It would prefer to see Howell sooner rather than later.

Vesper looked between the lot of them. "Apologies to you, Melzaryn. You are a darling. And fuck you, Kagoshi. But, Forfend, my friend, I'm going to be risking life and limb and, while that is something I've done a few times in my life, it was never voluntarily. This is the first time I'm doing it voluntarily and I'd like to know what the hells is going on."

"Ah." Forfend stood and ducked its head politely. "I will tell you all that I know. Would you walk with me?"

"Of course," Vesper immediately agreed.

"Here, take these." Melzaryn placed both the long, narrow basket and a small baggie into Vesper's outstretched hands. "The basket will help with the arrows. And the bag's full of food."

"Oh, well, thank you," Vesper cautiously accepted, his tail flicking.

He took a moment to load the arrows into the basket.

"I am planning to collect Ali and do as much forging as I can get done," Forfend hummed.

"Here, to help with that." Melzaryn dropped a pouch of platinum and gold into Forfend's hands. "If you don't use it all, bring back whatever's left."

Forfend added the bag to its belt. "Thank you. I greatly appreciate it."

Melzaryn pointed. "The smithy's that way. If you need more instruction than that, you can ask the guards." He tapped Kagoshi on the shoulder. "I've got someone I want you to meet. Let's go."

Melzaryn started walking.

"Okay?" Kagoshi started following because Melzaryn simply was not wasting any time.

Forfend turned to Vesper as the other two disappeared from sight. It hissed steam long and slow. "Alright, I will tell you everything we know about Cragwall and Despot Falco on the way to the smithy."

It explained in great detail all that it could regarding Falco's weapons, armor, demigod ability, nefarious plots, and everything else that seemed even vaguely relevant. Vesper needed all the context he could get for this situation.

Vesper absorbed the information with wide eyes and an increasingly concerned expression.

Forfend let him have a moment to process as it spotted Ali leaving a food stand just ahead.

She sauntered right over to it, a half-finished kebab in each hand. "Aw, are we working already?" she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

Forfend held a platinum piece out to her.

She shuffled both kebabs into one hand and snatched the coin. "Alright, fuck it! We're working!" she said with much more enthusiasm.

She dutifully followed along as Forfend continued walking and talking with Vesper.

Shortly, they arrived at a small smithy.

Forfend had been hoping for a larger workstation, but beggars can't be choosers and the place was still larger than Fletch's shop back home.

It stooped through the doorway.

"How can I help you?" asked a halfling man standing behind a low counter. He was taller than Erzor, but not by much. He stared up and up and up a little higher at Forfend. "You're tall."

"Yes." Forfend knelt to make itself less imposing.

"Okay, don't do that. That's rude," the halfling frowned.

Forfend tilted its head, confused. "What, kneeling?"

"Yes." The halfling tapped his foot impatiently.

"I do not like to feel as though I am looming over people."

"I know I'm small! You don't have to make it a point."

Forfend glanced sideways at Vesper and Ali. Both of them looked uncomfortable, but especially Vesper.

It hadn't meant any offense. It knelt to speak to anyone more than a foot or two shorter than it, and that was most people. Towering over them felt much more rude to it than kneeling. But the halfling had other opinions.

Forfend slowly stood.

"There it is!" The halfling nodded approvingly. "Thank you for being polite and acting like I'm any normal person. Now, how can I help you?"

"I need access to a forge," Forfend hummed, suddenly feeling much more nervous about this interaction.

"What?" the halfling cocked an eyebrow.

Forfend understood well the implications of going into someone else's workstation and handling their things, but this was an emergency. It didn't have anywhere else it could go.

"I will pay for this," it promised.

"So..." The halfling glanced over his shoulder at the forge proper. "You don't want me to make anything in it? You just want to use it? Like, what, you're trying to get me to rent it out?"

"Effectively, yes," Forfend nodded. "Only for the day."

"What?" the halfling said almost under his breath. His face scrunched up.

Ali leaned forward, holding her hands out in a placating manner. "Now, I know it might seem like he thinks he's better than you..." She paused to think for a moment. "But he technically is and we're in the middle of trying to save a nation right now."

Forfend balked, startled. Its chest lit up deep reddish-orange. It shook its head and gesticulated rapidly with its hands. "Better is certainly not the word! Just..." Its chest lit up even brighter as it grew more embarrassed. It ducked its head. "S-supernaturally faster... is all..."

Ali cocked an eyebrow at it. "I'm right. We both know I am."

The halfling sputtered, angry and now confused. "How much money?" he finally forced out between indignant grumblings.

Ali crossed her arms and watched Forfend expectantly.

On its other side, Vesper seemed to be trying to make himself invisible.

"The audacity," the halfling quietly growled.

Forfend rifled through its coin pouch and dropped a handful of gold in his hands.

The halfling stared at the amount, still muttering to himself.

Forfend grabbed another handful of gold and added it to his outstretched hands.

The mutterings slowed.

Another handful.

And another.

One last handful of gold completely silenced the halfling's upset sputtering.

He nodded once. "Alright, I'll take it. Have a nice day."

With that, he left his shop entirely in Forfend's hands.

It hummed, wholly dissatisfied with that interaction but uncertain how it could've reached a better outcome.

"Alright, let's get cracking," Ali said. She stretched her hands and rolled her shoulders.

"I'll leave you to it then." Vesper politely ducked his head and scurried out of the shop before Forfend could stop him.

It peeked open the door and leaned out. "Do you have any magical weapons or armor? If not, would you like some?"

Vesper blinked. He shuffled his feet, always keeping more weight toward his right side.

Forfend had noticed that as they'd walked too. His left leg didn't seem to bear weight quite as well as it should. It wondered if he had an old injury.

Forfend was certainly no stranger to those, but it left the topic alone. If Vesper ever wanted to discuss it, he would.

"I have a stick that Melzaryn's sister gave me," Vesper started. "It explodes. And I have a ring that makes foggy clouds, also from his sister. And then I have this stick." He held out what appeared to be a completely mundane walking stick. "But that is all."

He paused briefly, glancing at the stick and then back to Forfend. "The stick is very important. If you touch it, I will kill you. I am sorry."

Forfend straightened its back and tilted its head, confused. A long, low hum ambled through its chest. It nodded slowly.

"Is the stick your primary weapon?" it hazarded a guess.

"Should I... have something else?" Vesper's tail flicked along the edges of his cloak and then curled itself in tight against his leg. "I have been surviving so far by clubbing animals to death with it. It is rather sturdy."

Forfend assumed the staff was as sturdy as Vesper claimed, but it wasn't likely to hold up against a demigod like Despot Falco.

"If you hit things enough times in the head with it, they stop moving," Vesper helpfully added.

"You do not have a blade or shield or armor?" Forfend asked.

Vesper stared into Forfend's face for a moment too long. "I am a mortician."

Forfend nodded, though it was only growing more confused. Why had Vesper agreed to help them?

It was glad to have any assistance it could get, but Vesper seemed woefully ill-prepared.

"I could enchant you something," it offered. "New quarterstaff? We may need it."

Vesper stared again. His ears tilted. He stared a bit longer.

"I will accept this in exchange for you listening to something," he suddenly blurted.

"Alright," Forfend agreed.

"You are not a failure and you have not been forgotten. Persist," Vesper spoke as though he'd rehearsed these lines.

Forfend froze as the words sank in.

"Also, I want a sword. I want to cut things," Vesper causally followed up.

"Where did that message come from?" Forfend needed to know.

"I am a mortician," Vesper provided. "Can I have a sword?"

Forfend tilted its broad head. It took a long moment to ponder Vesper's answer.

It was certainly true that morticians provided a number of incredibly important final rites. They were significant, performed an invaluable service, and were often religiously inclined.

Vesper made a stabbing motion with his staff. "I have a stick. It does not cut. It does not stab. Unless I really try, but then that erases the intent of the item."

He seemed to be rambling.

Forfend nodded once. "Mortician is clergy enough for me. I thank you for the message."

It pulled Kairi's sword from its belt. The weapon would be seeing no further use in the hands of anyone else in the group.

Forfend knew better than to hold sentimentality towards weapons and armor. They were important tools that needed to be passed on and used until they no longer served their purpose. Clinging to them out of a sense of loss helped no one.

"I do already have this," it hummed, offering the scabbard to Vesper. "It is called Heartflame."

"If you are willing to part with it, I could use it." Vesper accepted the weapon, drawing it part way out to inspect the blade. The runes near the hilt glinted with radiant energy. "Perhaps I could use it to help, you know, murder."

He paused, locking his eyes onto Forfend's runic face with a deadly serious expression. "It does not matter if you agree whether it's necessary or not, the killing of another person is still murder. So we will be murdering King Falco."

Forfend nodded. This was not something it could take lightly. Killing Despot Falco was almost certainly going to be necessary, but that didn't make it easier or any less of a murder. It understood precisely what Vesper meant.

Regardless of what his misdeeds were, they would still be taking Despot Falco's life. The single most valuable thing any one person held.

Forfend hummed grimly. "I hate that it may be necessary."

"I do not," Vesper responded immediately. "Fuck that guy."

Forfend straightened, taken slightly aback by the harsh tone change.

"He is what I've heard some people refer to as a... a..." Vesper squinted as he seeked out the phrase. "A little bitch," he settled.

Forfend couldn't wholly disagree with that.

"He is truly one of the single most awful mortals I have ever seen in my entire life," it agreed.

"How old are you?" Vesper tilted his head.

"Over eight-thousand years," it stated simply.

"Okay." Vesper turned away from Forfend and stared blankly into the middle distance.

"So am I getting paid by the hour?" Ali called. "Are we just going to sit around and do nothing?"

"Let us get to work," Forfend hummed.

"Alright, what are we making?" she asked.

Forfend started inside to explain, but Vesper's hand landed firmly on its shoulder. It turned to regard him, its head gently tilted.

"Do not let her take advantage of your generosity," Vesper's voice spoke only in its mind. His mouth didn't move. "She will try."

Vesper removed his hand and cast it a meaningful look.

It nodded seriously. It started to return inside, but a thought struck it. "You do not have to wait out here while we work. You are welcome inside."

"Nope," Vesper said firmly. "Enclosed space? Snore, no. Rocks?" He glanced over Forfend and suppressed a shiver. "No." He emphatically shook his head. "Certainly no rocks."

Forfend hissed steam, uncertain what to make of that opinion. It settled on slowly nodding and slinking back inside.

"We are making weapons and armor," Forfend told Ali as the door swung closed behind it. "As many of them as we can before the day is out."

Vesper cracked the door open once again. "Oh, can I also have armor? Light armor, preferably."

"Armor. Noted." Forfend let itself behind the counter and began familiarizing itself with the workspace.

The door shut.

"Would you like anything magical?" it asked Ali.

"You know," Ali mumbled through her last bite of kebab, "that would be pretty cool, but do I look like I want to fight?"

Forfend tilted its head, considering. "You are certainly good at fighting. You were doing an excellent job of it when I ran into you."

"Yeah, because they burnt my shop down. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Oh." Forfend hummed low in its chest and shook its head. "I am sorry. You just bought it."

"Eh, who cares?" Ali shrugged.

Forfend straightened its back and tilted its head.

"The place was coming down anyway," she said.

It nodded. "Then… g-good for you?"

Ali nonchalantly shrugged again.

"Let us get to work." It shook itself to clear its thoughts and began hauling out all of the supplies it thought it may need.

Ali followed its lead.

Within moments, Forfend felt the trance state settling over it.

It sank into the feeling, the world before it becoming a blur of fluid motion.

Mundane weapons and armor flew through its fingers and Ali's at impossible speeds.

Somewhere in the back of its mind, it registered that Ali had joined it in its moment of inspiration. The golden sparks that scattered from its back swirled around her steadfast form. She worked tirelessly, her eyes beyond focused.

Forfend slowed only slightly when it began work studding leather armor for Vesper. Magic surged through its fingers into the metal and leather before it.

Once the divine energy imbued itself fully, Forfend set aside the armor and continued its work.

Its mace, Gilthur's Inspiration, weighed heavily on its belt. It caught itself touching the weapon again and again as it smithed.

Eventually, Forfend gave in to the whim. It grasped the weapon and placed it onto the workstation. Immediately, it knew exactly what it wanted and exactly how to achieve the result.

Its trance pulled it ever deeper, smoke billowing black from the stovepipes along its back.

Before long, the weapon before it gleamed with a new enchantment to go alongside the first. Gilthur's Inspiration seemed to shine with a sense of righteous devastation, ready to destroy whatever evils may lie in its path.

Forfend slipped the mace back onto its belt as its trance faded.

The thick smoke dissipated and all the floating sparks slowly fizzled out.

"Forfend," Ali spoke. "What the fuck did you do?"

It turned to see her holding up two items: her forge hammer and a gauntlet. Both shimmered with magic.

"What do you mean, 'what did I do?'" it asked.

"I don't know what the fuck you did, but I made these just for shits and giggles, and they're both fucking magical. They're glowing right now." She shook them to indicate her point.

"Ah," Forfend hummed. "That would be inspiration."

"Fuck!" she swore loudly.

Forfend flinched. "What?"

"Godsdammit, I have to admit that you're cool!" She groaned, throwing her hands up into the air like this was the world's most disastrous predicament.

Forfend's chest lit up brilliant orange. "Thank you!"

"You never heard anything." She pointed at it. "Shut the fuck up."

Forfend nodded its agreement, but it couldn't put out the light in its chest. It was reminded of the way Byr always balked after giving or receiving compliments.

"Besides, you still owe me," Ali reminded it.

"Of course! Of course." Forfend pat its coin pouch and found it empty.

It hummed and turned to see its money piled into the halfling's altar to Fornax. It didn't recall doing that, but its abilities had a price that needed to be paid to the god that granted them. Forfend assumed it would be somewhere between distasteful and blasphemous to touch a single coin placed.

"How much you got?" Ali demanded.

Forfend inclined its head toward the altar. "Well, if you are willing to steal from a deity…"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ali frowned.

Forfend chuckled softly at her reaction. "I apologize."

Ali cast a sideways glance at the overfilled altar and back to Forfend. "Look. You said you'd pay me. Where is it?"

Forfend had an excellent solution to this. "Do me a favor, for both of our entertainment?"

Ali raised an eyebrow and waited, arms crossed.

"Ask Kagoshi."

"Alright, cool," Ali agreed. "So can I have that in writing?"

"Yes." Rumbling chuckles rolled through Forfend.

It quickly wrote out a note to Melzaryn stating its intention to have Kagoshi pay Ali for her assistance. Melzaryn seemed to love chaos and he also seemed to have a decent hold on Kagoshi. He'd see the humor in this, as well as be able to make sure Kagoshi's temper didn't hurt anyone.

"Great. Cool." Ali shoved the note into her pocket and tossed her reforged hammer over her shoulder as she started to tromp out of the shop. "Well, I'm out of here."

Just before it hit the ground, her hammer froze and reversed. It zipped backwards and settled itself into her hand again.

Ali blinked at it. "Hm. Guess I can't lose this one." She dropped it back onto her belt and promptly left.

Forfend bundled together all the weapons and armor they'd created and tidied up the shop until it was even cleaner than when they'd arrived. It didn't want to leave behind anything the halfling would have to deal with. It figured it had put him through enough.

It took its enormous bundle of loudly clanking supplies and met Vesper outside.

"Alright, we are done," Forfend informed him. "Where did Melzaryn and Kagoshi stay last night?"

"At the Collymore Estate," Vesper answered quietly.

"Ah, of course! Melzaryn's home." Forfend nodded. "That is probably where they will go back to them. We should go there."

"No!" Vesper nearly shouted. He cleared his throat and tried again, "No, let's just go back to the refugee center. They'll, uh, they'll meet us there."

"Alright," Forfend agreed easily enough. Vesper seemed awfully distressed about going to the Collymore household and it didn't want to upset him.

They meandered slowly but surely back toward the refugee center.

The pair arrived just in time to see Ali leaving with a grin on her face and a full coin pouch on her hip. She flashed it a thumbs-up.

Forfend's chest lit up. It waved to her and jauntily tromped inside.

"You!" Kagoshi yelled the second it entered, pointing one accusing finger at it. He looked absolutely incensed.

Forfend's chest brightened even further. It waved, a stifled chuckle still managing to rumble deep in its center.

"You did this!" Kagoshi growled. He held out his still very much full coin pouch.

"What did it cost you?" Forfend asked, genuinely curious.

"Two. Hundred. Gold." Kagoshi shook with rage. His teeth ground together.

"Oof, steep," it said without a hint of remorse.

"Yes!" Kagoshi griped, throwing his hands up.

Forfend couldn't get the light in its chest to so much as dim.

Next to it, Vesper chuckled.

A familiar cloaked figure suddenly darkened the doorway. "Hey, guys," Howell greeted. "Glad you're back. I was wondering where you all went."

Vesper stiffened head to toe. His eyes turned from slits to circles.

Forfend ducked its head politely to Howell. Already, magic warmed its palms in preparation to cast Remove Curse.

With his arrival, they were very nearly ready to try to face Despot Falco. Anticipation and fear sent pebbles tumbling in Forfend's chest.

It steeled its nerves and awaited whatever news Howell had brought.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 28

Despite how late at night it was, the Teleportation Hub bustled with activity. People came and went through the different portals at a near constant rate. Some of them paused to stare at Forfend and the rest of the refugees occupying the Tyrwedian gate. Most of them shied away to get on with their own business.

All of the guards surrounded the Tyrwedian circle. They were no longer focused on anything but the sudden arrival of a large group from a hub that was supposed to still be down.

Most of them had curved swords and rectangular shields emblazoned with the combined triangular symbol of the triplet gods: Messis, Vagari, and Aurum.

One, however, carried only a glaive. His armor was a bit more decorated than the rest of the company here. He stepped forward.

"So you are friends of Mr. Collymore, yes?" he asked, his accent making his tone sound harsher than his expression suggested he intended.

"Yes," Forfend answered simply.

"What is the business here?" he asked.

Forfend hummed. "We are refugees from Tyrwedia."

"That much is clear," the head guard nodded. "But what is the situation?"

"King Falco is a demigod and violent despot who has destroyed Cragwall and attempted to murder everyone here."

Forfend knew the claim was absurd, but it hoped Melzaryn's reputation would be enough for this man to see the truth in its words.

"That is a big claim." The head guard crossed his arms. "You do understand this will not be taken lightly, yes?"

"Yes, I understand. It should not be. I do not jest. We are in significant danger," Forfend insisted. It stood slowly and gestured to its group of huddled refugees. "It is also in the best interest of everyone if none of these people leave here until they have been appropriately vetted."

The head guard seemed to ponder over this order for a long moment. Eventually, he decided to take Forfend at face value. He nodded. "Understood. In the name of the Kazama House, we offer you safe passage and hospitality. Come, we will bring you to temporary housing."

Forfend firmly shook its head. "No one can leave. Not yet. They need to be checked over by mages first. Despot Falco's ability functions similarly to mind control. We must make certain no one is trapped under the effects of it before we move them."

"I see." The guard creased his brow, reassessing the threat potential of the huddled group behind Forfend.

"And we need healers," Forfend added. It absently touched one of the massive protruding arrows Howell had left in its back. Ichor dribbled from the wounds, but Forfend couldn't reach them well enough to pull them out.

"That can be very much arranged." The head guard rubbed at his chin. "Though, in the meantime, I need everyone to move off of the teleportation circle. We don't want any mishaps."

"Of course," Forfend hummed.

The head guard indicated a good, relatively open space that they could use.

Forfend turned to its group of refugees. "We need to move off to the side here. If you are able to support those who cannot walk on their own, please do."

It waded into the crowd and carefully lifted two people who were too wounded to stand. It herded the rest of the group over into the corner and carefully set down its charges.

Luckily, it seemed like the group was fairly cohesive. Everyone was still together. No one had been left behind. Even Kagoshi, distant thought he was, made the effort to amble over to the rest of the group.

When Forfend turned back around, the head guard was speaking into a gauntlet emblazoned with the familiar triple M of Molixeen's shop.

A few minutes later, three spellcasters appeared in the doorway amid a brilliant flash.

One was clearly a cleric. Another one was a wizard. Forfend couldn't be certain what type of arcana the last one preferred. He was strangely indistinct.

All of them immediately made their way to Forfend's gaggle and began inspecting everyone.

The wizard cast an overarching Detect Magic spell.

He glanced at Forfend first, but quickly dismissed it. While it absolutely poured magic energy, it was divine in nature and not far enough beyond the norm to warrant concern.

The wizard moved through the crowd to cast Identify on everyone who'd triggered suspect results.

The cleric stepped into the center of the refugees where the most wounded lay. He sat down.

Forfend lumbered to him and sat down next to another group of wounded.

The cleric wore a wide-brimmed straw hat and held a necklace bearing Vagari's crossroads. A wandering healer, if Forfend had to guess. Or, if he was stationary, he likely specialized in providing services to outlanders.

Either way, Forfend was glad to have his assistance.

The cleric began casting Prayer of Healing. A magic aura surrounded him, healing the injuries of everyone in his vicinity with earthy brown light and the scent of a fresh breeze.

Forfend hissed steam and touched its shield. It drew up what little magic it had left and unleashed all but the bare minimum it needed to survive as a healing hearth flame. Its Prayer of Healing gently assuaged those the Vagari cleric's Prayer couldn't reach.

Very quickly, Forfend's magic was expended. It carefully hauled itself back to its feet and lumbered out of the Vagari cleric's way.

The wizard and the unknown caster picked two humans out of the crowd. They were pulled aside.

One was an elderly man with a hunch in his back. The other was a young teenage boy.

Both of them looked concerned, nervous.

The wizard approached Forfend. "These two have been influenced by magics we do not recognize," he whispered.

"Let me take a look," it hummed grimly.

The wizard nodded. He led Forfend to them.

It knelt down and tilted its head at them. "I apologize for this, but could both of you pull down the collars of your shirts?"

Surrounded by guards and too frightened to refuse, they both did as it requested.

They didn't bear the runic scars on their chests. On one hand, that was good. On the other, it made them very difficult to appropriately vet without Melzaryn.

"Luckily, they do not have bombs carved into their chests," it said.

The wizard's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared beneath the brim of his hat.

"Unfortunately, that means I do not have any visual cues as to their status," Forfend hissed steam. "Normally, I would simply attempt to cast Remove Curse, but I have already drained all of my magic. I have none left to spare."

It held out its hand to demonstrate and conjured only one meager spark that almost instantly flickered out.

The wizard frowned. "Then what are we to do?"

"I will tell you all that I know, but my information is unfortunately limited. Despot Falco grasps hold of a person and demands something from them: their morals, their memories, their inhibitions, or whatever else he desires," Forfend explained. "This puts them in an altered mental state wherein Despot Falco can control their decisions. They may be violent or may become violent if their task is impeded, but it is important to remember they are merely victims. They need to be rescued, not punished. Please, if you encounter this, do not harm them more than you must to protect yourself and do not kill them."

It paused to let steam course through its chest.

"When they become severely wounded, they snap out of the mind control," it continued. "They do not know where they are or what they were doing. This method is cruel outside of a fight for your life, however, and I would prefer not to employ it here. It also seems not to be a permanent solution."

It hummed. "The preferable method would be to cast Remove Curse, but I am currently uncertain if it must be cast by a demigod since it was bestowed by one, or if anyone could do it."

The wizard listened intently and waited until he was sure Forfend was done talking to say, "I see. Then we must isolate them for the protection of themselves and others. This is acceptable?"

Forfend nodded. "But please do take good care of them."

"We will take utmost care," the wizard promised.

The third caster had been listening in. He started to direct the guards and the suspected Envema victims to move.

The old man pulled a dagger from a sheathe hidden up his sleeve and attacked.

He was seized immediately by the guards before his dagger touched anyone's flesh.

The teenage boy pulled a knife from his boot and jumped at the wizard.

The wizard took a single step back as guards swooped in to snag the boy in middair.

Both of the Envema members had their weapons yanked from their hands. Shackles were slapped on their wrists.

The head guard ordered his men to take the victims somewhere they could be safely contained. He turned to Forfend. "You said this mind control is the work of a demigod?"

Forfend nodded once.

He scratched at his face. "We will try, but I don't think anything short of another demigod will be able to break this curse."

"I know for certain that it can be broken," Forfend assured.

"Let's hope we can find a demigod then." The head guard shrugged helplessly. "We will try, but I doubt we will succeed without one."

Forfend didn't bother unveiling itself as a demigod yet. Without spare magic, it couldn't help anyway. It had to rest first.

The Vagari cleric approached the victims at the wizard's insistence.

The guards escorting them paused to allow the cleric to cast Remove Curse.

Both victims continued trying to struggle and fight. The spell hadn't worked.

Forfend hissed steam. It wasn't surprised, but it was sad. The victims would have to spend at least one more day under Despot Falco's thumb.

The wizard shook his head, apparently also disappointed. He returned to the crowd of refugees.

Forfend turned to tend to the wounded still remaining with more mundane healing supplies.

A murmur ran through the guards still remaining in the Hub. They collectively moved to watch one particular area.

Forfend drew itself to its full height to watch them.

Kagoshi stood in the center of the commotion. The wizard laughed nervously and slowly spoke.

Forfend wasn't close enough to hear the conversation, but it figured Kagoshi had said something threatening.

It hummed, wondering if it should intervene or let Kagoshi suffer the consequences of his own actions.

They'd all been through so much today. It understood why Kagoshi wouldn't take kindly to the questions and the prodding. Still, that wasn't a reason for threats.

Unless...

Forfend's core dropped.

Had the wizard's magic alerted him to the Calamity Shard in Kagoshi's spine?

Whatever Kagoshi said next sent the guards into high alert. They surrounded him in tight formation.

Forfend got as close as the circle of guards would allow, but that was all it could do.

"I worked hard for this belt! You're not taking it from me!" Kagoshi yelled.

Oh. The demon tail belt.

Forfend had forgotten how negatively such items were viewed now. They certainly could be dangerous, if they were made improperly. But otherwise, they were no better or worse than any other magic item.

"Then you will be detained," the head guard decided.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll sit in your little jail," Kagoshi griped.

"No, no. This is worse."

The wizard pulled what looked like a snow globe from a satchel at his side.

"Gods, I hate mages," Kagoshi growled.

The Moli's Marvelous Mementos logo whirled around the snow globe. The item floated up above Kagoshi's head, grew, dropped down over him, and snapped back to its original size.

Kagoshi, now miniature, sulked inside the display.

The guards relaxed. Their formation broke as most of them returned to their posts.

Forfend ambled over and tilted its head at Kagoshi's predicament. "Would have been useful if we could have done that before."

Kagoshi glowered at it. "Fuck. You."

Forfend hummed.

The snow globe floated up and placed itself into the hands of the head guard.

The wizard leaned up and whispered to him.

Forfend strained its hearing to catch what he said.

"You may want to contact the Carnifex Divinitus. He has traces of Calamity."

The head guard's eyes widened. His back straightened.

Forfend quieted the roiling steam in its center before the sound became audible.

They had discovered the shard.

Kagoshi was in trouble. A lot of it.

Forfend stepped forward. "Can you assure me that he will not be harmed?"

"If he is compliant, he shall not be harmed," the wizard assured.

"How durable is this glass?" Kagoshi asked. A loud thunk sounded as he punched it. The magic didn't budge.

Forfend shook its head, steam hissing long and slow. "He is certainly troublesome, but he is not evil. He will not harm anyone."

More repeated thunks sounded as Kagoshi continued ramming his fists into the glass. He swore and growled and hissed insults.

The mage quirked an eyebrow at Forfend, undoubtedly skeptical of its claim. He cast a sphere of Silence around the snow globe.

Kagoshi continued flailing and thrashing without a sound.

"He is... feisty." Forfend shrugged helplessly.

"If he complies, no harm will come to him. But we must be diligent for the sake of everyone that lives here," the head guard stated firmly.

"I understand," Forfend nodded. "I was exceedingly cautious around Kagoshi when I first met him."

"Kagoshi is his name? Noted." The head guard folded his hands behind his back. "Are the rest of you ready to travel to your temporary lodgings?"

Forfend glanced over the group of refugees it would need to look out for. It didn't have time to manage Kagoshi too. It would just have to trust that they'd keep their word and no one would hurt him.

"I believe we are," it hummed.

"Follow me."

The head guard deposited Kagoshi into the wizard's hands and led the way out of the Teleportation Hub.

"We are moving to proper lodging," Forfend called to the refugees. "As before, if you are able to assist others, please do."

It shuffled into the center of the crowd and carefully lifted two injured people.

The rest of the group slowly assisted each other until everyone was ready to move.

Forfend led them after the head guard.

Ali returned to the group as they exited the Hub. A nearly finished kebab hung from her mouth.

Forfend hadn't seen her leave the crowd. It turned around and took stock of the rest of the refugees.

Howell was missing, but Forfend already knew his status regarding Despot Falco. He was safe for now. It would need to cast Remove Curse on him before they returned to Tyrwedia though.

Everyone else that had entered the portal was still here. That was good.

Forfend hummed to itself. It knew none of them. No one else it had met in Cragwall was here. Either they'd chosen to stay behind to fight or they were in significant trouble.

Or they were dead.

Forfend banished the frightful thought.

It realized it recognized one man in the crowd. He was the elderly man Kagoshi had rescued from the Brass Buffalo during Howell's first attack. Carston's grandfather.

It took some relief in knowing he was safe. It hoped Carston was too.

Ali nudged Forfend. She was still very much tearing into her food. "Everything good?" she mumbled through a mouthful.

The wizard jolted when he saw her. He ran over and casted Detect Magic.

Luckily, everything seemed to come up clean. He sighed in relief and left them be.

Forfend tilted its broad head at Ali. "Did you sneak out for food immediately?"

"Sure! This place has got good food!" She was almost incomprehensible given that she refused to slow down her eating. Forfend just barely managed to catch her words.

It nodded. "I may request your smithing skills soon."

"Great," Ali deadpanned sarcastically. "Can't even travel here for a vacation."

"Not unpaid," Forfend added.

"Now you're talking!" She grinned at the prospect of more coin.

Forfend couldn't help the slight rumbling chuckle that ground through it.

It took a moment to look up and around. This was a new country after all. It needed to get a feel for its surroundings.

Many of the buildings were the same sandy brown as the desert around them, but every decoration popped with vibrant color. There were clotheslines hung all across the streets, between every building, and absolutely anywhere else they could feasibly be placed.

A few articles of clothing hung from them here and there, but most of the items dangling from the strings were large pots.

The more Forfend looked around, the more pots it saw everywhere. They were on the rooftops, the edges of windowsills, and even sitting atop what seemed to be otherwise pointless posts.

Forfend couldn't fathom what they might be for, but they were clearly extremely important.

Maybe they caught rain. But even in a desert city, the sheer amount was excessive.

The head guard stopped in front of a large limestone building that appeared to be an inn, but there was no hustle and bustle here.

The lack of commotion didn't make the place any less impressive though.

It was enormously wide and three stories tall. Ramps led into it rather than stairs, making it easy for the wounded to traverse.

Inside, there were bins lining the main gathering area. All of them were labeled with the essential items they held: shirts, socks, shoes, pants, and light headwear designed to keep the sun off one's neck. All of them had signs assuring the refugees they could take whatever they needed.

As Forfend watched, a man who appeared to be a local walked inside. He deposited several different items into the correct bins, waved to the refugees, and left.

Steam whistled like a kettle in Forfend's chest. All those items were donated. All of them. That was incredible.

Off to one side, there was a strange platform that seemed to be rigged with a pulley system of some sort. Forfend had never seen anything like it, but it wondered if that could be used to help injured people reach the higher floors.

"These accommodations are acceptable, yes?" the head guard asked. He wore a smile that said he knew they were.

The refugees split off, filtering into different rooms. Someone approached Forfend to take the two wounded people it carried off its hand and get them comfortably settled.

Forfend caught a glimpse into one of the inn rooms through an open doorway. The room was spacious and looked very comfortable.

"It is far more than we could have asked for. Thank you," it hummed. It looked down at the man. "Tomorrow, once I have had some rest, may I visit the two victims of Despot Falco's ability?"

"If you are confident in your ability to remove their mind control, I don't see why not," he allowed.

Forfend nodded. "I am confident in my ability to try."

"Well, you are the specialist on the matter."

"Hardly," Forfend hissed steam. "But I am what we have for now."

The head guard shrugged nonchalantly. "For now, there is plenty of room for you all. Food and water will be delivered at regular intervals via construct."

Construct?

"Strange," Forfend hummed. Already, it was wondering what they would look and act like.

"The Kazama family has an extensive agreement with Moli's Marvelous Mementos to make such a thing a possibility," the head guard informed.

Forfend hummed.

"Make yourselves at home." The head guard nodded politely.

"Thank you."

He took his leave.

Forfend waited until every last refugee had cleared the main entryway and claimed a room.

Once it knew they would be safe and sound for the night, it found its own empty room to settle into.

It sat down and blinked its rune off.

"Okay?!" Jessie's startled voice rang in Forfend's head. He was finally answering its Sending message. "Alright, I'll fortify the place. Please stay safe. Please be okay. Please, Forfend. Fletch can't take it. Where did you say you went again?"

Forfend hadn't said where it had gone. And couldn't without any magic stores left.

Jessie would simply have to trust it to come home safely. It would tell him as soon as it could, but it would need to conserve magic to battle Despot Falco.

It hissed steam for a long moment and lay down on the floor to better rest its exhausted body.

Now if only it didn't have giant arrows in its back and shoulders, rest would be easier.

Unfortunately, like everything else, that would have to be tomorrow's problem.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 27

Kagoshi snarled at the man standing straight across from him. He grabbed the bench Forfend had been sitting on and launched it as hard as he could.

Kento Nobutoshi immediately lashed out with his longsword, displaying how he'd earned the title Swiftblade. The bench was split in two before it could touch him. It careened past him, hitting what was left of the wall on the far side of the room and tumbling over the edge.

Unfortunately for Kento, Kagoshi was hardly a step behind the improvised projectile. Fire engulfed Kagoshi as he doubled in size.

An arcane ward lit up in front of Kento's face just as Kagoshi punched him square in the jaw.

The ward absorbed some of the impact, but not all of it. Kento slid back several feet and swiped the blood from his face.

Forfend saw Abjurist Sonya Caddel refocus on her opponent standing across from her and guessed she must've cast the ward. She was going to be trouble.

Melzaryn teleported in front of Sonya.

"There's only enough room in this tower for one wizard," he grinned.

He leveled his staff at her as though it was a crossbow. The strange mechanism whirred. Melzaryn fired it.

Swirling black magic wrapped around her and dragged her into its depths. She disappeared with a distinct vwoop.

Melzaryn immediately aimed his staff toward the open air far to his left. He fired a second shot.

The black magic burst into being over fifty feet from the ledge. Sonya dropped out of it and began falling. She screamed.

A second later, thunder crashed and she reappeared back where she started. She gripped her chest and panted, solid white eyes wide with shock.

Whatever she'd been expecting, it wasn't Melzaryn.

Melzaryn opened his spellbook and chanted in encrypted Elvish. The book took on the form of a silvery rattlesnake. It wiggled excitedly, saluted with its tail, and zipped overhead across the room. It stationed itself well away from the fight, but well within range to cast.

"Coward!" Kagoshi bellowed as one of Howell's arrows struck his side.

The arrow glowed green and burst.

Kagoshi scoffed. Whatever effect had been intended, he'd easily brushed it off.

Hawk Knight Kendrick Arvad tensed. Stormy winds rushed around his body. He leapt up into the air and crashed down right in front of Forfend.

Forfend brought the Orison Aegis up.

Kendrick slammed his halberd down with such violent force that it didn't matter. He smashed Forfend's shield aside and buried the blade deep into its shoulder.

Lightning coursed through the weapon.

Forfend felt its body stiffen and its core judder as electricity tore through it.

Kendrick took the opportunity to wrench his halberd sideways, dragging Forfend several feet to its left before the blade finally dislodged from its stone form.

He readied himself for his next attack.

Forfend braced for impact as it tried to take in what its allies and other opponents were doing at half a glance.

Sonya had placed a protection ward on herself. Melzaryn squared up to face her anyway.

Kagoshi was suffering under a flurry of blindingly fast blows from Kento. Blood sprayed from Kagoshi's myriad of wounds. Kento burned in the heat of Kagoshi's fire giant form, but that seemed to spur him on rather than deter him.

Howell had ducked out of Forfend's sight. That was certain to cause a great deal of trouble very soon.

Kairi and Wisteria were caught somewhere between Melzaryn's fight with Sonya and Forfend's fight with Kendrick.

Magic sparked at Kairi's fingertips. She drew back her bow as her roguish pastel cloak shimmered into existence.

Kendrick lashed out with his halberd, catching her leg as she leapt backwards.

Unfazed, she released her glowing pink arrow.

The magic struck Kendrick's armor, but didn't pierce it.

Kairi followed up with a bright purple Guiding Bolt. This attack sank straight through a gap in his armor and lit up the wound with fizzling stars.

Kendrick didn't so much as grunt.

Wisteria backed up and charged forward, horn lowered to skewer Kendrick.

Kendrick braced himself. He grabbed Wisteria's horn and slammed it down into the hardwood floor.

Wisteria nearly flipped over itself. Its wings opened and fluttered desperately to catch it. It chittered and thrashed, backing away from the frightening man that had stopped its charge cold.

Forfend focused its gaze on the mountain of metal armor Kendrick wore. Magic surged from it as it casted Heat Metal.

The air around the armor began to waver as the temperature of the metal rose. Kendrick had to be sweating and burning within. He didn't show it. He was stoic as a statue.

Behind him, Kagoshi snatched Kento by the face. Kento slashed ineffectually at Kagoshi's arm as he was unceremoniously dragged across the makeshift battlefield of Despot Falco's destroyed bedroom.

Kagoshi slammed Kento into the floor and immediately snatched him back up again, this time by his ankle.

Sonya noticed just in the nick of time what was about to happen. She ducked as Kagoshi slung Kento's flailing body right where her head had just been.

Kento twisted and dug his blade into the floor. He skidded to a stop, but he couldn't yank his leg away from Kagoshi's unnaturally strong grip.

"Don't struggle," Kagoshi snarled. "You'll only die tired."

Melzaryn jumped over a smashed table and ducked behind it to get out of Sonya's sight. His staff whirred and clicked.

Fire blasted from the tip of it and spiraled across the room, sailing right between Forfend's and Kendrick's clash. It struck Howell directly in the chest despite how he'd taken partial shelter behind his own tipped table.

Howell fell with a grunt. His voluminous cloak caught alight. He jumped up, frantically patting out flames.

With the fire, though not the burns, quelled, he nocked an arrow. Rather than aim it at one of his opponents, he pointed straight up and released.

The same runic circle that had appeared over the Brass Buffalo sketched itself into the air. This one wasn't quite so large, but Forfend understood well how formidable it would be. They had only moments before the first arrow multiplied and hailed down upon them in a deadly barrage.

Howell ducked behind the upturned table he was using for shelter and disappeared from sight.

Kendrick forcefully drew Forfend's full attention back to him by jabbing his halberd into Forfend's chest. Lightning coursed through the blade.

Forfend gripped the halberd, ripped it free, and shoved it away.

Kendrick whipped around to bash Wisteria instead.

Wisteria squealed. It backpedaled away as lightning arced into its body.

Kendrick turned straight back around to Forfend and lashed out at it again.

Lightning crackled through the air.

Forfend blocked the first strike, but lightning coursed into it anyway.

Stormy gales of electrically charged wind seemed to swirl all around Kendrick and buffet anyone near him. Forfend couldn't escape the static making its hands twitch.

Kendrick's second strike caught a gap in the stone of Forfend's leg. He twisted the halberd before he jerked it free.

Forfend staggered, but refused to fall.

Kendrick's armor wavered with heat that had to be searing into his flesh, but he just kept swinging.

Sonya called out an incantation.

A dome of what almost looked like glass slammed into existence over Kagoshi.

Kagoshi released Kento as they both scrambled away from the dropping dome walls.

Magic wavered in the air around the dome as Kagoshi roared his rage and slammed his fists into the trap.

"Our duel was cut short," Kento lamented. He pat the dome and turned his back on Kagoshi.

"Don't you fucking mock me!" Kagoshi screamed.

"What are you going to do about it?" Kento deadpanned.

Kagoshi slammed his fist into the floor, splintering the wood.

Kento locked onto Forfend's precarious situation battling the relentless Hawk Knight. He dashed across the field and slid into place behind Forfend.

It didn't dare take its eyes off Kendrick to watch Kento.

Kento's blade flashed in the edge of Forfend's peripheral vision. Three slashes carved across Forfend's stone back. None of them pierced its body.

Kento's eyes widened as he realized he was going to have to reassess his strategy. A thousand quick cuts couldn't bring Forfend down if they never even scratched its marble exterior.

Forfend was certain Kento would find its weak points though. He was skilled and clearly intelligent in battle. It was caught in a horrible predicament standing between him and Kendrick.

Kairi's glittering wings unfolded, taking on their full glory. "Keep fighting," she yelled to Forfend, her words laced with healing magic.

Immediately, the lightning-singed gaps dribbling ichor from its body closed themselves off.

Forfend slammed its mace into its shield.

The resounding clang rattled the room. Fire burst from beneath Forfend's feet and surged into the bodies of its opponents.

Kento yelped as he jolted away from the scorching flames just a bit too slowly.

Kendrick stood within the fire, watching Forfend coldly. He wasn't unaffected. Forfend could see the sweltering pain in the tenseness of his body. But he refused to acknowledge it as anything more than an inconvenience.

Forfend stood within the center of the burning ring and touched the medallion on its chest.

"Shit," it swore as it tried to figure any way out of their current predicament.

Magic surged through the word instinctively. Healing auras surrounded Forfend and all of its allies.

Kagoshi grinned murderously as the helpful magic surrounded him. Reinvigorated, he crashed his fist straight through the floor and let himself fall.

The floor rumbled ominously as Kagoshi stormed across the rafters beneath.

Kagoshi's massive hand punched through the wood beneath Sonya's feet and ripped her through the floor.

Sonya screamed. The magical dome she'd created disappeared with a pop.

There was a flash of black. Sonya's panicked screaming intensified.

Melzaryn swore somewhere off to Forfend's left.

It caught a glimpse of him through the flickering flames. He was staring up at Howell's enormous rune over their heads. The spell was seconds away from completing.

Melzaryn jumped on his flying broom and zipped as far out from beneath the circle as he could.

Forfend braced the Orison Aegis over its head.

Sonya's panicked screeching suddenly turned to pain.

A second later, hundreds of oversized arrows materialized in the air and launched downward.

They pelted into Forfend's shield with impossible force, knocking it aside and piercing Forfend's stone body. Pain spiked through it as more and more arrows burrowed themselves between the gaps in its stone form.

Its vision darkened. It fell to its knees.

It could hear arrows raining down all around it, though it was rapidly losing awareness of those striking its own body.

Hazy though he was, it could see Kendrick trying not to show pain as he, too, was littered full of the protruding projectiles.

Behind Forfend, Kento swore in a thin voice and thudded to the ground.

Forfend followed suit, the flames of its spell dying out as darkness overtook it.

"Wake up," Forfend heard Kairi call from somewhere distant.

The magic in her voice closed its wounds.

Its rune lit. It jolted upright.

"Ah, fuck!" Howell shouted as Forfend's head connected with his chin. "It's me, it's me, I'm here!"

Forfend took stock of the world around it as the blurs of color began to make sense of themselves again.

Howell was indeed here. He was himself again.

"Sorry," it apologized. "You are here. Is everyone else here?"

The details swarmed back to it. Forfend hauled itself to its feet despite the weight of dozens of enormous arrows trying to drag it back down. "Is anyone dead?"

"I don't fucking know! I just woke up!" Howell shouted.

"No one is dead," Kairi assured Forfend.

A very nervous Wisteria stamped its feet beside her. Howell's arrows littered the beetle's adamantine shell.

"I think he's unconscious," Howell said, pointing to Kento Nobutoshi who Forfend was only now realizing lay just behind it.

Kento was riddled with a couple arrows of his own. Blood oozed slowly from beneath him and dribbled from his mouth, but he was still breathing.

His straw hat was tilted over his face, obscuring his eyes.

Forfend nudged the hat backwards and carefully lifted one of his eyelids. The ghostly white was gone. His unfocused pupil stared forward.

It should be safe to awaken him then.

Forfend pulled the arrows from his body and passed its hand over the open wounds.

Magic, soft and warm, trailed from its palm into the injuries and closed the worst of them.

Kento inhaled. The sound was raspy at first but cleared easily with a cough. He sat up.

He pushed his hat up out of his eyes and took a look around. "Not the worst place I've woken up in." He tilted his head ever so slightly at Forfend. "Interesting-looking golem to greet me," he said more about Forfend than to it. "Where the hell am I and who are all of you?" That question was directed more toward Howell and Kairi.

Forfend started to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a thud behind it.

"Victory for Kagoshi," came Kagoshi's normal voice, rather than his augmented giant voice. "Fucking wizards."

Kendrick flew into the room on a rush of salty wind. The gale dropped him roughly just over the edge of the rubble. He scrambled to his feet. "Fuck you!" he screamed at Melzaryn. "Fuck all of you!" He lifted his halberd, lightning crackling across it.

Wisteria slammed her enormous horn over the top of his head.

The clang rang out so strongly Kendrick's entire suit of armor vibrated. He collapsed in a heap.

Kagoshi, back in his standard form, dragged Sonya over to the rest of the group. He crouched over her and tapped her face.

Sonya opened her eyes slowly. Her head lolled. It took her several seconds to focus and sit up. Befuddlement knit her brows.

Kairi shook Kendrick awake.

Much like Forfend, he shot straight upright and immediately tried to get his bearings.

"Hey!" Howell called. "Pretty sure I know who you all are, but I'm not worried about that right now. The important thing is that we all just woke up. We were brainwashed. These people saved us. Be fucking grateful. They could've killed us instead because that's what we were trying to do to them."

He turned to Melzaryn. "Now, what the fuck happened?"

"King Falco's running Envema," Kagoshi responded first.

Forfend turned its gaze to the battle happening outside. At some point through the course of the fight, Despot Falco and Ry'Ha'Dach had careened down into the streets.

Despite all the chaos still happening, however, Forfend realized things were quieter than they had been. Quieter than they should be.

It couldn't spot Ry'Ha'Dach. From such a distance, Despot Falco would be little more than a green dot. He would be easy to miss. But Ry'Ha'Dach should've been a glaring emerald beacon. Where was he?

"Gods-fucking-dammit!" Howell swore. "This is why we don't fucking have monarchies!" He tossed his arm at Melzaryn. "You know what I'm talking about."

Melzaryn nodded. He kicked through some of the rubble around his feet and found his way to Despot Falco's smashed dresser. He pulled out a drawer that immediately fell into three pieces in his hands. Nonplussed, he simply pulled out the two books Despot Falco had tucked away beneath the clothes and shoved them into his belt pockets.

"I want to apologize again for shooting at all of you," Howell said. "Again." He glanced up and around. "Also, do we need to leave?"

"You all probably should," Kagoshi informed the warriors.

"Yeah, Despot Fucko out there is a demigod," Kairi piped up.

"I'm getting out of here," Melzaryn decided. "I've got no magic left, I've been stabbed by a dragon sword, and this is all way further over my head than I meant for it to be."

Forfend shook its head. "We need to find Ry'Ha'Dach and we need to find Despot Falco."

"You're looking for me?" Despot Falco called. "I'm right here!"

He rose up into view, his cape billowing behind him. He wore a violent grin. Blood dripped from his cheek and his armor was scuffed, but it wasn't the kind of damage he should've sustained fighting a dragon. He should've been far more wounded.

Ry'Ha'Dach was nowhere to be seen.

Panic rose in Forfend's chest and tumbled a rockfall through its center.

"Fuck," Melzaryn swore.

Despot Falco surveyed the battlefield. He sighed, irritation dragging his lip into a snarl. "Oh, you broke out," he complained at the warriors. "It was such a pain in the ass to get your strong minds under control in the first place." He shrugged. "Well, whatever. I'll just do it again. Come here."

He started floating forward, making a show of the dramatic, ominous approach.

Melzaryn stepped in front of Howell, arms spread.

"We leaving?" Howell asked. He tugged on his cloak and placed a hand on Melzaryn's shoulder.

"Leaving is good," Melzaryn replied. "Rattle him," he yelled at his projected snake.

The little manifestation fired off a series of scorching orbs that all slammed into Despot Falco. Or, they should've. Instead, they struck a psychic shield.

Despot Falco laughed.

Howell tossed his cloak over Melzaryn. Both of them disappeared with a swirling rush of fabric and a pop. The snake promptly disappeared as well.

Kendrick backed up. He was severely wounded and exhausted. Oversized arrows protruded from his armor. He looked to Sonya.

Sonya nodded. She pulled a scroll from her bag and opened it.

In a flash of magic, she and Kendrick were both gone as well.

Not to be deterred, Kagoshi dashed forward.

Kairi jumped on Wisteria and flew right at his side as he doubled in size once again.

This time, Kagoshi transformed into the gray-blue of a cloud giant. He leapt at Despot Falco.

"Alright, let's fucking go," Kento shrugged. He flipped his grip on his blade and joined the charge.

Kento leapt up onto Kagoshi's back and used him as a springboard to launch himself that much faster.

Forfend cast Guiding Bolt. Orange magic arced toward the approaching demigod.

Kento flipped in the air and sliced at Despot Falco's back just as Kagoshi aimed a thunderous punch at his face.

Both strikes connected instead with Despot Falco's psychic barrier.

Just the same, Forfend's Guiding Bolt fizzled out in the wake of the draconic magic.

Despot Falco snatched Kento out of the air and dragged him through the barrier.

Kento struggled and kicked, but Despot Falco held him by his sword arm. There was nothing he could do.

"Petulant manchild," the despot spat at Kagoshi.

A single swing of his sword sent Kagoshi careening backwards. He slammed into the floor of Despot Falco's room and rolled until he slammed into the last remnants of the collapsed wall on the far side of it.

Kairi and Wisteria bore down on Despot Falco despite the effortless display of power.

The despot tossed Kento carelessly down into the room and turned to face the next incoming attack. His eyes widened in rage as he recognized his attacker.

"You!" he shouted.

His barrier dropped. He lunged forward and seized Kairi by the throat, ripping her off Wisteria.

Wisteria whirled around in the air, but it was too slow to reach Kairi before the barrier reformed.

It slammed its horn repeatedly into the unrelenting psychic force.

Despot Falco squeezed Kairi's throat as she clawed at his hand. "If only you didn't exist, this wouldn't have happened," he snarled. "However your ridiculous emotion power works, you caused this! You did it! Now live with the consequences and die for my future!"

His blade plunged through her center.

"No!" Kagoshi screamed. He scrambled to his feet, but there was nothing he could do. There was nothing any of them could do.

Kairi's legs stopped kicking, but her hands still clawed at Despot Falco's crushing grip.

Blood poured from her. She slowed. Her arms fell limp. She slumped, limp and lifeless on the end of Despot Falco's ill-gotten blade.

The despot pointed the sword out over the city.

Forfend took a step forward. What was he doing? Was he going to drop Kairi far from where it could heal her? It needed to get to her quickly.

Psychic energy pulsed around the hilt of the rapier and built. When it reached its peak, an earsplitting ring ripped through the air. Kairi's limp form blasted violently off the tip of the blade and fell impossibly fast.

Wisteria zipped after her as quickly as its wings could carry it, but there was absolutely nothing it could do to catch up.

Despot Falco turned his self-satisfied grin back to Forfend, Kagoshi, and Kento. "What, you're still here? I figured you would've run by now."

Kento stood, his blade at the ready. He glanced at Forfend and Kagoshi.

Kagoshi stepped forward, his chest heaving as panic sent his eyes into a darting flurry. He had no idea what to do. His fists clenched.

Forfend felt just the same. It grasped for the magic in its chest, but it had no idea what it should use it to do.

Kento dashed forward. He slammed into Despot Falco's psychic barrier again, his blade cutting blindly at the energy protecting his target.

Despot Falco grabbed Kento by his face. "Give unto me everything you have," he growled low in his throat.

Kento immediately went slack. His sword fell from his grip. Strangely, his wounds healed, but he didn't stir.

Despot Falco dropped him.

Kagoshi swore. He sprinted forward, snatching a fallen chunk of stone off the floor and throwing it at Despot Falco.

The stone shattered against the psychic barrier and sprayed dust into the air.

Kagoshi took the momentary cover to launch himself past Despot Falco and over the city. He fell, guiding himself after Kairi.

Wisteria caught him, both of them flying after Kairi as fast as they possibly could. It wasn't going to be enough. Forfend already knew.

Despot Falco touched down at the edge of the rubble and stepped over Kento's limp form.

Forfend tensed. All its allies were gone. It had been abandoned alone. It couldn't fight. It was wounded, exhausted, and very nearly out of magic. Even if that weren't the case, it still couldn't touch the wretched despot while he wielded his sickening emerald weaponry.

"Well, he left," Despot Falco said idly of Kagoshi. "Now what to do with you?"

Prioritize.

Forfend fell back on old Sundering habits. It was in a bad spot. There was no good way out. What was the path of least resistance and least additional harm?

Prioritize.

It couldn't reach Kento. It would have to leave him to his fate and hope he survived for it to free him at a later date.

Ry'Ha'Dach was the most important. Moreso, even, than Kairi. He was a symbol to the genasi and the only one they could speak to with knowledge of Despot Falco.

But was he still alive? And if not, could Forfend bring him back?

Kairi was dead. Forfend was certain. It wouldn't possibly reach her before time ran out to revive her. It hadn't even seen where she'd landed.

The case may be the same for Ry'Ha'Dach, but the great emerald dragon would be far easier to spot and, if his wounds hadn't killed him instantly, Forfend may not yet be out of time.

It stepped off the edge of the gaping hole Kagoshi had made in the floor.

Despot Falco laughed maniacally and derisively as it fell. "Go ahead, run! I'll be seeing you again soon!"

Forfend crashed through support beams and several floors.

It braced itself for each and every impact, doing its best to slow itself down before it struck the bottom.

Forfend drew the Orison Aegis in close against its body and tucked itself as small as its bulk would allow. "Fornax, I pray this blessed shield holds."

It slammed into the jagged stone rubble at the bottom of the tower. Its shield absorbed the brunt of the impact and stopped it from landing directly on sharp, uneven debris, but the pain still rattled through its body.

At first, it couldn't move. Its body refused to respond. Too slowly, its mind reconnected with the rest of it.

Forfend dragged itself out of the rubble and hauled itself to its feet. It found the nearest exit in the form of a crumbling wall and dashed out into the chaotic streets of Cragwall.

Fires engulfed the city, burning the skies bloody red. Citizens panicked and screamed and ran for their lives everywhere it looked.

Where had Ry'Ha'Dach last been fighting before it had lost track of him? Near the town square, it guessed.

Envema members swarmed across its path, scrabbling at it and everyone else in reach.

Desperate guards battled the wild insurgents, but there were far more Envema than they could possibly hope to contain.

Forfend shouldered off the Envema trying to attack it. It knocked them away with its shield or clocked them over the head with its mace. It tried to pull its swings. Violent and terrifying though they were, they were also only victims of a mad demigod. This battle was not their choice.

Eventually, it reached the town square.

Kagoshi lay in a crater near the shattered statue, back in his original form and heaving with a horrid combination of rage, pain, and fearful desperation. "Kairi," he wheezed.

Clearly, he wanted to be on his feet and chasing her again, but he was struggling to force himself to move.

Melzaryn, Kendrick, Sonya, and Howell were disappearing into the tunnel that had been hidden beneath the statue.

"We need to get to safety. Maybe we can secure the underground. Come on," Howell called to them.

"No." Melzaryn popped his head back out of the tunnel. "I'm grabbing something and then I'm out of here. We can't save this city anymore. Teleportation Hub in twenty minutes. I'm leaving behind anyone not there on time. We can't afford to wait."

Forfend nodded, though it didn't know yet if it intended to go with him.

It turned to Kagoshi.

"Where is Kairi?" It asked him.

She was dead, but they could at least recover a body. If she had family, they would need to know.

Kagoshi lifted himself upright with great effort. "I don't know," he ground out. He pointed with a shaky hand as he forced himself to his feet. "Somewhere that way?"

"Where is Ry'Ha'Dach?" it asked anyone near enough to answer.

It received no response.

Kagoshi stumbled forward, picking up steam as he moved. He had to be running purely on adrenaline.

Forfend didn't follow him. It turned and rushed off in the direction it thought Ry'Ha'Dach and Despot Falco's fight might've been listing towards before it lost track of them.

It moved just as quickly as its feet could carry it.

A murderous roar shook Cragwall. Every soaring flame suddenly turned demonic red. Stone and burning debris were launched into the air from the direction Kagoshi had run in.

He'd found Kairi. And she'd been as far past saving as Forfend feared.

It could only hope that Kagoshi would regain control of himself before Melzaryn's deadline and before he leveled the city. It wasn't certain he could do it with the heavy weight of grief turned revenge scorching through his chest, but it hoped nonetheless.

Innocent Envema members brought here by mind control were dying beneath Kagoshi's brutal fists.

They were dying all around Forfend in a thousand isolated fights with Cragwall's guards and citizens that made up one mass conglomerate of a battlefield.

Of course, Envema weren't just dying. They were also killing. Indiscriminately and with prejudice.

Despot Falco's prejudice.

Forfend couldn't save them or their victims. It didn't have the resources. It didn't have the power.

Prioritize.

Ry'Ha'Dach first.

One thing at a time.

It cast Locate Creature, envisioning Ry'Ha'Dach in its mind.

Luckily, it was close enough for the magic to catch his whereabouts. A guiding arc of golden light zipped through the scrambling streets.

Forfend chased it.

It grew steadily closer. It could feel the magic closing in. Ry'Ha'Dach was near.

A horrible monster met Forfend as it rounded a corner.

The beast was deathly pale. Sickly purple veins pulsed beneath its grotesque flesh. Metal jutted from it seemingly at random, as though someone had been trying to modify it to be stronger but had given up in favor of mutilating it in a fit of rage.

The wretched thing was caught painfully between being organic and inorganic. It was a mockery of a creature like Forfend, wounded and wailing and suffering as yet another in an endless line of Despot Falco's victims.

The monster reared back its fist and aimed a devastating blow at Forfend's rune.

There was a blur of motion and a flash of steel.

The beast's misshapen head fell from its body. The rest of it collapsed a heartbeat later.

Kiyori slid her blade back into the sheathe but kept her hand on the hilt. Her eyes darted everywhere, assessing every threat. "What the fuck happened?!"

There was no time to answer that question. "Where is Ry'Ha'Dach?" it said instead. "Have you seen him?"

"That way." She pointed. "Handle it."

Forfend nodded once. "Thank you."

Kiyori whipped her blade from its sheath again and began cutting down Envema members to cover Forfend's retreat.

Forfend ran as quickly as its marble limbs could carry it.

Finally, it spotted Ry'Ha'Dach.

He was partially buried in the rubble of the Brass Buffalo. He'd fallen onto the inn from a significant height, by the looks of things. Or, more frighteningly, he may have been thrown.

In front of the collapsed building, Ali swung two hammers with brutal deftness. She wore heavy armor, but it didn't seem to slow her in the slightest as Envema members collapsed at her feet.

She caught sight of Forfend and nodded at the dragon. "Can you fix this?"

Without awaiting an answer, she immediately moved to protect Forfend's path.

"What are you waiting for?! Big dragon! You can fix that, right?!"

"I can try," it responded.

Forfend scaled the debris to reach Ry'Ha'Dach. It pressed a hand to his broad side.

Awful, deep wounds marred his scales everywhere it looked, but he was still breathing.

"Ry'Ha'Dach," it called.

There was no response.

Forfend staggered through the unsteady rubble and grabbed Ry'Ha'Dach's face. His eyes were open. And dull. Empty.

He wasn't dead. But he wasn't aware. He was...

He was like Kento, Forfend realized.

It drew up the magic in its core and pressed its hand firmly between Ry'Ha'Dach's blank eyes. It hissed steam and focused. It needed to seize the demigod magic and remove it. All of it. In one fell swoop.

It allowed warm healing magic to surge into Ry'Ha'Dach. Immediately, Despot Falco's magic tangled into Forfend's and fought.

With great effort, Forfend crushed out the awful arcana.

Ry'Ha'Dach jolted. His eyes focused. He wheezed for breath and coughed up dust.

"Cursebreaker, you need to run," he gasped.

"We all do," it agreed.

Ry'Ha'Dach shook his head. "Leave me."

"No." Forfend looked the great dragon over. It couldn't move him. Could he move himself?

"The priority is the people," Ry'Ha'Dach argued. "It always was."

"They need you." Forfend was certain of that. He was their last dragon. He was a symbol of their community. He kept them together. He gave them hope.

"Not as much as they will need you." The look in Ry'Ha'Dach's eyes did not leave room for argument, but Forfend struggled to believe him.

It had no control over this situation. There was precious little it could do. It had lost. It had failed.

Again.

No, Ry'Ha'Dach was far more needed than it.

"Can you change form? I will carry you," it offered.

Ry'Ha'Dach closed his eyes. His body shivered. Magic wavered vaguely over his body and petered out.

He dropped his head to the ground and heaved for breath. "I cannot." His eyes locked onto Forfend's runic face. "He left me alive for a reason. He will come back. You've healed me for a time, but these people are in danger. They do not have a chance unless you save them."

Forfend felt a weight far too great for its shoulders settle onto it. What was it meant to do? And how?

"I will try," it promised.

"Go. Be the guardian I failed to be." Ry'Ha'Dach clenched his claws, his teeth bared in anguish.

Forfend nodded, though the crushing weight of this responsibility only grew. "I will try," it promised again.

Prioritize.

It slid down the pile of rubble and motioned for Ali to follow it. "Melzaryn is trying to get the Teleportation Hub functioning. We must meet him there quickly."

"Let's move then," Ali immediately agreed.

"To the Teleportation Hub," Forfend shouted to the throngs of screaming, panicking, battling citizens amid the swarm of murderous Envema members.

People followed behind it or latched onto it if they couldn't run. It scooped as many as it could up onto its shoulders and left the others clinging to it to their own devices. Their weight was no trouble, but it couldn't spare its hands to secure them. It still needed to be able to swing at encroaching Envema members.

"Get to the Teleportation Hub," Forfend yelled again and again, gathering as many citizens into its entourage as possible. "If you are able to fight, stay to the outside of the group. Protect the weakest. Do not fall behind."

Forfend and its survivors fought their way through the hoards of Envema.

Eventually, they reached the Teleportation Hub. Forfend thanked the gods they'd made it in time. Melzaryn hadn't yet activated the spell.

Earth genasi protected the entrance, keeping Envema back while calling Cragwall's citizens inside.

"File in!" River yelled to it.

Forfend did exactly that, setting down the people clinging to it and quickly moving back to the doorway to cover the others rushing in.

Outside, the Atroxian red of the fires suddenly flickered back to a more natural but no less devastating array of yellows and oranges.

A few moments later, Kagoshi stumbled in with Wisteria trudging along on his heels. He was covered head to toe in the blood of slaughtered Envema.

His eyes were distant. He loosely held a single purple feather in his hand. It shimmered with the last remaining shred of Kairi's magic.

He'd escaped his rage in time to reach the Hub, but he was devastated.

Forfend understood. The reality hadn't fully sunk in for it yet, but that was only a matter of time. The grief would surely come.

It guided Kagoshi inside.

Wisteria paused to nudge its head into Forfend. Upon its back was what little it had been able to recover from Kairi's body.

Whatever state she'd ended up in, it must've been gruesome if there was so little left.

All Wisteria carried was Kairi's sword, her bag, and shreds of bloodied fabric.

Forfend comforted the beetle by gently stroking its head and slowly walked it to the edge of the enormous runic circle Melzaryn and Sonya were frantically channeling magic into.

"We'll only have about six seconds," Melzaryn called.

"That's not enough time for everyone," River yelled, his voice echoing over the din of the panicked room. "Children and the most vulnerable first. Go, get ready! Quickly!"

People responded immediately, trying to arrange themselves the best that they could.

"I have to go," Melzaryn said. "I'll need to be an emissary for these people."

"I'm coming with," Howell decided. "I may be able to drum up some mercenary allies."

"Kendrick and I will stay behind to help," Sonya piped up.

Kendrick hummed affirmatively.

"We won't leave our home." River pressed his fist to his chest. "Not after the Thought Thief appears again. We have one chance to fight back now. We're going to take it. We trust you'll be able to come back with allies, yes?"

"That's the goal," Melzaryn answered.

River looked Forfend directly in its runic face. "I trust you." He scanned his gaze over the rest of the haphazard group. "I trust you all."

"I do not want to take a slot that could be used by another," Forfend shook its broad head. "I would rather remain behind."

"Forfend, respectfully, I think you should go with them." River touched one of the massive arrows protruding from Forfend. Ichor poured from wounds all over its body. "We don't know how far the Thought Thief's influence reaches. Those Envema monsters, the large ones? They are nothing of Tyrwedian origin."

Steam rushed through Forfend's chest. It lowered its head. "Alright." It forced itself to look River in the eyes again. "I freed Ry'Ha'Dach, but I could not move him."

"We will handle it," River swore. "We'll handle ourselves. We've done so before. We can do it now."

"Fuck this sappy debate," Ali interjected. "I'm going."

Kiyori turned away from her post by the door and grabbed Forfend by the metal brace in its chest. She pulled it down and herself up until she was staring sternly into its face. "Handle. It."

"Understood." Forfend nodded once.

"I'm going to buy you some time." Kiyori released it and headed outside.

"Here we go," Melzaryn hollered.

The magic circle lit up.

People charged into it as quickly as they could, passing children forward to the elderly and wounded. With the most vulnerable rescued, everyone else began to desperately flood in.

They disappeared by the dozens in bright white flashes.

Melzaryn stepped into the circle with Howell at his side.

Kagoshi sullenly led Wisteria into it.

Forfend waited, helping people scramble into the active arcana.

When the circle started to dim, it finally stepped through itself.

White light flooded its vision. The sensation of falling upwards disoriented it.

And suddenly it was back on solid ground.

The change in the air here was stark. A dryness permeated everything, outweighed only by the overbearing heat.

The smell of scorching sand and incense wafted about the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, halt!" shouted a baffled and frightened company of guards. They pulled scimitars from their sheathes and readied their shields.

A construct of brass and copper resembling a leopard sidled forward. It was towering, easily rivaling the size of Kagoshi's giant forms.

It opened its mouth, revealing a barrel that began charging with energy.

Melzaryn stepped forward out of the crowd. "Melzaryn Crona Collymore. I'm delivering refugees from Tyrwedia."

The construct cat immediately closed its jaw and assumed a playful stance, its body wiggling in excitement. It plucked Melzaryn off the ground with one huge paw and dropped him on its back.

Melzaryn pat it affectionately as it carried him away.

The guards watched in stunned silence. They seemed wholly uncertain what to do.

Forfend felt very similar. It hadn't expected Melzaryn to immediately depart, leaving it alone to handle this situation.

Prioritize, it reminded itself.

It was far too far away to help its family in Foumedo now, but they would still need a warning.

It envisioned Jessie and cast Sending.

"King Falco is violent despot," it projected. "Cragwall destroyed. Am gathering allies. Unsure if you are in danger. Protect Foumedo. Be prepared to flee. I love you."

It turned to the guards without awaiting Jessie's response.

It took only two steps toward them before kneeling to make itself less imposing.

There was so very much explaining to do.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 26

Melzaryn suggested waiting until nightfall to begin gathering evidence.

The easiest way to do that, after all, would be to take the underground tunnels into the Galloford and Sagemantle noble houses respectively. It would be best if the homes were largely empty and sleeping.

The group whiled the day away tending to whatever small things needed done.

Forfend checked up on Duncan, Farley, and Howell. All of them seemed to be doing well. Narmouth had taken good care of them in its absence.

Forfend took a walk around Cragwall as well. Unfortunately, it didn't run across Erzor, but the rest of the city seemed to be recovering from all the recent excitement.

It made its way back to the Brass Buffalo at dusk.

Melzaryn, Kagoshi, and Kairi met it out front.

They quickly set off, following Melzaryn through the streets to a discreet access tunnel.

This particular tunnel was tucked into a quiet, forgotten corner in a narrow alleyway that looked like a dead end from the road. There didn't appear to be any reason to walk into it, but venturing down it revealed the tight left turn into a more open space. Perhaps, there had once been a shop here that used this space as excess storage, but that was no longer the case.

Weather-damaged crates and trash littered the space.

At Kairi's request, Forfend and Kagoshi took a moment to stack some of the crates and throw a tarp over them.

"Alright, Wisty, just hide in here and take a little nap," Kairi instructed, holding the tarp open.

Wisteria shuffled into the makeshift shelter and settled down. It chittered.

"Thank you. We'll be back later." Kairi dropped the tarp corner and dusted off her hands. "That should keep her warm and hidden while we're gone."

Forfend nodded.

Melzaryn cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention. He held open a hidden trapdoor.

Thankfully, this one was large enough to accommodate Forfend without too much trouble.

Melzaryn descended first, followed by Kairi, Kagoshi, and Forfend.

They walked through the silent, sullen tunnels for quite some time.

"You know, my best guess is that these tunnels run everywhere that they do because they were meant as noble escape routes," Melzaryn piped up. He was only whispering, but the echo amplified his voice disconcertingly. "They go to all the noble houses, every major location in the city, the docks, and the Teleportation Hub. That sounds like an emergency exit system to me. Of course, it could be an entry system too, but I think it was originally meant for escape. Why else would these have been built at the same time the city was? The only strange thing is that they don't go to the Grand Cathedral at all and there's only one small tunnel leading into Castle Ledrian. You'd think they'd want to be certain their king could escape."

Forfend hummed low in its chest. "Perhaps they were paranoid about having tunnels throughout the castle," it guessed. "Enemies could, and are, exploiting these passages."

Melzaryn nodded thoughtfully. "Can't shake the feeling that something doesn't add up here. I want to check out the tunnel to the castle."

"Let's do it," Kagoshi grumbled. "They dragged me into it when they fucked with my brain. I want to know what's up with that fucking place."

Melzaryn led them to what Forfend presumed was the entrance, but all of the tunnels looked very much the same.

"There's two of those big statue guard things that Farley killed," Melzaryn noted, pointing out where they stood nestled into alcoves in the wall. He held his staff out, channeling magic into it. His eyes sparked silver. "Looks like there's more of the frozen Envema members and wards similar to the Alarm spell. The tunnel leads into the courtyard inside the castle, under a statue that would have to be slid out of the way. I don't think there are any guards stationed around the courtyard."

"I wonder who the alarms go to," Kairi whispered.

"Someone in the high court, I'm sure," Melzaryn replied. "Otherwise, this wouldn't be so easy to access from the inside. There'd be guards patrolling the courtyard like there are in every other castle, but there's not. Whoever comes and goes from here isn't suspicious to the rest of the castle's inhabitants and they're trying to keep it that way so they're never seen accessing these tunnels."

"Prince Halt brought me down here to meet that Odolan guy. Maybe it's him," Kagoshi suggested.

"Maybe," Melzaryn hazarded. "For now, there's nothing much we can do about it. Let's check out the patriarchs we came down here for."

They left the castle tunnel and headed back toward the noble district.

There were Envema members in the walls here just like they'd seen the first time they'd come down into these passageways. All of them stared blankly straight ahead.

There was an effort now to free these people. Forfend wasn't sure how long it may take that effort to reach this depth in the tunnels, but it had to trust that they would. There was precious little it alone could do for so many victims.

Melzaryn paused a few times to inspect both the empty alcoves and the occupied ones.

"There's some kind of ward here and it's waiting for something," he mumbled to himself. "I'm not sure what it is or what effect it's dependent on, but it feels sinister. Every single indent has the exact same effect."

"Concerning," Forfend hummed.

They kept moving ahead. The sounds of their echoing footsteps changed as they reached a tunnel leading beneath one of the noble houses.

"This is the Sagemantle household," Melzaryn informed them. "There are tunnels leading into the house through the walls, but we'll need to be silent to get through them undetected.

Everyone looked to Forfend's bulky frame.

It hissed steam. It was not cut out for stealth. It never had been.

"Here, I have an idea." Kairi drew in a deep breath. She exhaled slowly. A sparkling white fog rushed from beneath her folded wings and engulfed the party.

The fog dissipated into them.

Forfend was immediately aware that it didn't creak when it moved anymore.

The sound of everyone's breathing had gone completely silent. No one's clothes ruffled. Their feet didn't scuff against the stone floor.

"Pass Without Trace," Kairi grinned mischievously, her voice nearly muted by the magic.

"Perfect," Melzaryn complimented.

They began their careful ascent into the narrow passages throughout the mansion's walls.

"There are magical traps here," Kairi breathed. She pointed out all the hidden triggers, maneuvering the entire group past them.

They made their way up and up into the Sagemantle's private archives.

Melzaryn peeked through a tiny hidden crack in the wall. "Mages doing late night studies," he whispered. "Keep extra quiet here."

Everyone nodded.

Forfend peeked into the room as well.

There were indeed high elves studying, but Forfend's attention was caught by the guard detail in the room. Animated armors populated the area, standing sentinel by every entrance. They were of the very same design as the ones that had been in Foumedo.

Suspicious.

It pulled away from the peephole and followed after the rest of the group.

Soon, the smell of food wafted into the tunnels. Despite how late it was, there were still some cooks hard at work in the kitchens. Likely, to feed the scholars in the archives.

Melzaryn didn't slow. He seemed to have somewhere very particular in mind he was trying to get to.

Eventually, he stopped them and peered through another thin crack in the wall.

"Odolan Sagemantle's study," he muttered.

Kairi peeked through the crack. "I can't see his emotions," she whispered. "I want to see what he's doing."

She Wildshaped, the Pass Without Trace spell completely muffling the sound of the transformation.

Kairi, now in the form of a tiny pink spider, slipped through the crack into the room.

Forfend and Kagoshi both chanced their own glances into the room.

Odolan was currently in there, scribbling rapidly into a book at his desk. He looked intensely focused.

He didn't glance up even once as Kairi descended on a thin web over his head and watched him write.

Over an hour later, Odolan finally set the book aside. He opened a drawer at his desk, dropped the book into it, shut it, locked it, and whispered something.

Forfend guessed it was a magical phrase of some sort.

Odolan finally got up and exited the study, locking that door behind him too.

He was paranoid. And rightfully so.

Kairi skittered back into the tunnel and returned to her proper form.

"What was in his book?" Melzaryn asked immediately.

"Theoretical arcane practices involving constructs," Kairi answered. "At least, that was the title on the first page he was writing in. It got really technical really fast and that's outside my expertise. I just know the gist was magical experiments on mindless, soulless things."

"Curious," Melzaryn hummed.

"I did catch the word he whispered when he locked the drawer though," Kairi shared. "I think it was Elvish."

She repeated the word.

Melzaryn nodded. "For those who seek," he translated it into Common.

Melzaryn touched a hidden lever.

Quiet mechanical whirs clicked in the walls as a thin panel slid aside.

Melzaryn let himself into the silent study and gestured for the others to follow.

Everyone filed into the room as silently as they could.

Forfend inspected the painting that had slid aside to allow them entry. It was a stern portrait of Odolan Sagemantle. He wore the sort of harsh expression that probably kept most eyes off the painting and, thus, off the hidden escape route.

"He's a scholar," Melzaryn said. "That means he definitely forgot something he'll realize he needs soon. We have to be quick."

Forfend turned to see Melzaryn carefully inspecting the massive desk that took up the majority of the center of the room.

The entire room was covered in gaudy deep green accents. Bookshelves filled with thick tomes lined the walls.

Decorative armors in stoic poses stood at attention in each corner, their swords pointed downward and their shields propped against their legs.

Over the desk, a dragon skull hung ominously and morbidly.

Forfend's core dropped into its center. If it could feel sick, it would have.

The skull had to belong to an emerald dragon. The bone had a greenish sheen to it when the light struck it just right.

The light, Forfend tore its gaze off the skull to notice, was a magical orb set up on a stand next to the desk.

It was the least of the magical things strewn about the rooms.

Alchemical tools and arcane texts littered the table. Forfend couldn't name even half the supplies and nearly none of the texts were in Common. It was thoroughly lost.

Melzaryn, however, seemed to be exactly in his element.

"Funny, all the work Odolan did to secure this place just for us to walk right past every single one of those wards," he said, pointing to the door.

Forfend glanced up to it.

Sure enough, the door was covered in locks and runes and magical chains that would prevent the door from being opened with the wrong key or broken down by force.

Yet, none of that had mattered. They'd bypassed everything and walked straight into the room. It was embarrassing, really.

Melzaryn spoke the Elvish password. The magical sheen glinted across the lock on the drawer.

"We still need the key though," Melzaryn mused. "Anybody have a lockpicking kit?"

"Nope," Kairi said.

Forfend shook its head.

"Kagoshi?" Melzaryn prompted.

"Why the fuck would I have one?" Kagoshi snapped.

"Why wouldn't you? That's the better question," Melzaryn retorted.

"Because I'd just punch it open."

Melzaryn rolled his eyes. "Forfend, could you please?"

Forfend touched its face. Heat rose in its core. It glowed, golden ichor spilling as it drew a lockpick from its rune. "This is what you wanted?"

"Thank you." Melzaryn accepted the pick and set to work on the lock. "I'll have to buy a set of these soon so we don't have to do this again."

Forfend nodded. It watched the ichor drip from its face and dissipate before it even hit the ground.

"I haven't done this in a long time," Melzaryn mentioned. "I'm rusty."

A soft chink sound emphasized his point.

Melzaryn swore.

Kairi leaned down to the broken lockpick in his hand. "I can fix it."

She cast Mending, melding the tool back together.

Melzaryn made a second attempt. This time, the lock clicked open.

He slid the drawer open, pulled out the thick book, and rifled through it. He chuckled at one of the spells written within, though Forfend had no idea how he was reading it. Between the highly technical arcana and the personalized shorthand, Forfend understood nothing on the page.

Melzaryn copied down a few things before setting the book aside. "That's all theory and experiments. Nothing sinister though."

He tilted his head at the drawer.

"Oh, that's interesting."

"What is it?" Kagoshi grumbled. He stood by the door, listening out for anyone coming up or down the hallway.

"This drawer isn't deep enough. It's got a false bottom." Melzaryn rubbed his hands together. "This is going to be fun."

He cast Detect Magic. Light flashed from beneath the drawer, highlighting a rune.

"Of course. He's a scholar of magics. If he hadn't trapped this, I would've been disappointed," Melzaryn said. "I can Dispel it easily enough, but that'll prove for certain we've been here and we might not want to do that. Or, hm. Here's another idea."

Melzaryn held his fingers over the false bottom of the drawer. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.

The magic in the air changed.

Melzaryn slowly lowered his hand, palm flat, until it connected with the false panel. He slid it back and pulled out the book hidden beneath.

The ward pulsed softly and undisturbed on the true bottom of the drawer.

"I moved it," Melzaryn grinned. "I can keep it there for a few minutes, but it's going to snap back into place on the bottom of the fake panel eventually."

Melzaryn opened the book he'd found and tilted his head at it. He squinted.

"Mating Rituals of Bronzewing Falcons?" Kairi asked.

"That's his super secret book?" Kagoshi cocked an eyebrow. "Freak-ass."

"It's an illusion," Melzaryn said. "The real book is..."

His eyebrows shot up as he rapidly flipped through the pages.

"What is it?" Forfend asked.

"Wildly incriminating," Melzaryn answered.

He replaced the false panel, returned the first journal to its place, and closed the drawer. He dropped the secret book into one of the pouches on his belt.

"We're taking that with us," he said. "It's full of diagrams of the Envema runes, mind-wiping spells, unethical experiments, and it outright states Adhron Galloford is funding this little project."

"Oh." Forfend straightened its back. "That is certainly damning."

Melzaryn fiddled with the drawer's lock until he got it to latch again. He shoved the lockpick into his pocket and repeated the Elvish pass phrase. Magic glinted across the lock.

"There," Melzaryn nodded once. "No reason to think anyone was here. Everything is exactly where we found it, except this book. It's not something I think he should need to look at every day either, so we should have time before he realizes it's gone. He has no reason to think it's not right where he left it."

"Ready to go?" Kairi asked.

Everyone nodded.

She drew in a deep breath and exhaled. A new bout of silencing fog encircled the party and clung close to their bodies. "Let's go," she whispered.

The group carefully, quietly made their way back through the tunnel behind the painting.

Kagoshi pulled the lever to close the panel.

Mechanics in the walls clicked and chugged as the entrance closed itself off once again.

Nearly as soon as the sounds stopped, the door to Odolan's office opened.

Everyone froze in their tracks, despite the Pass Without Trace spell that should prevent Odolan from hearing them through the wall.

"Forgot my damn pen," Odolan muttered to himself.

He snatched it off the desk and promptly left again.

"Told you he forgot something," Melzaryn whispered. "Scholars always do."

"That was close," Forfend hummed. "A moment longer and we would have been caught."

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Kagoshi rumbled.

The group made the painstaking trek out of the walls of the Sagemantle mansion and back into the main tunnels beneath.

"I want to visit the Galloford house," Melzaryn decided.

"Why?" Kagoshi growled.

"Two reasons." Melzaryn held up his fingers for emphasis. "One, the Gallofords are throwing a formal ball tomorrow. It's been the talk of the town since you all left to visit Foumedo. I'm planning to go to it for more reconnaissance. Maybe I won't need to do that. Maybe I will. Better safe than sorry. And two, Odolan's book is very damning evidence but the information on Adhron is hearsay at best. We don't have any solid proof he actually did it. We just have a book where someone else claimed he did it. That's not the same. I want hard evidence against both of them."

Forfend nodded. "That is sound reasoning. I will accompany you."

"Me too," Kairi seconded.

"Draw me a map," Kagoshi demanded. "I want out of here. This sneaky shit's not for me. It's too damn quiet. Call me when someone needs punched."

"Fair enough. Meet us at the adamantine beetle in an hour or two," Melzaryn agreed.

He scribbled up a perfect map and passed it over.

Kagoshi swiped it, stared at it for all of two seconds, turned on his heel, and stalked off.

Melzaryn led the way toward the Galloford estate.

Forfend and Kairi followed him closely.

As they reached the tangle of tunnels beneath the mansion, traps began to crop up throughout.

Forfend took note that these traps were no less clever than those beneath the Sagemantle estate, but they were mundane rather than magical. The difference between magic and a craftsman's ingenuity was often negligible. Both types of traps were equally dangerous.

Between Melzaryn's magic and Kairi's sharp eyes, however, not a single one was tripped. They made their way up into the walls of the expansive house without much issue.

Melzaryn led them through the winding rooms until they finally happened past what looked to be Adhron's personal office.

A thin crack in the wall just barely afforded a look inside.

Melzaryn tugged a lever.

A section of the wall flipped around to face them, revealing a large statue. The panel slid aside out of their way.

The three of them filed into the room.

The panel slid back into place and flipped around again, returning the decorative statue to its rightful place in Adhron's office.

Forfend tilted its head at the ostentatious visage of a man who looked a great deal like a much younger Adhron Galloford. He struck a dramatic, powerful pose. His muscles bulged to an unrealistic degree. He wore a toga that left startlingly little to the imagination. In one hand, he wielded a pen and, in other other, a sword.

Forfend wasn't wholly certain if this depiction was meant to be Adhron himself or one of Adhron's ancestors.

Either way, it was an awfully pretentious thing to have stationed in an office. Perhaps in the same way that Odolan's stern portrait kept eyes off it, the awkwardly exaggerated statue was also meant to keep eyes away.

"That's a disgrace to art," Melzaryn commented dryly on the statue before beelining to rifle through Adhron's desk.

"Oh gods!" Kairi gasped. She slapped her hand over her mouth.

Forfend turned to see what had startled her.

In the corner of the room, stanced up as though about to charge, was a taxidermied adamantine beetle.

Kairi turned away from it, but it was hardly the only morbid thing in this overlarge room.

Overhead hung a pair of emerald dragon horns. Emerald scales were mounted in mosaics in several spaces around the room. Pelts from creatures Forfend couldn't name were scattered about the floor. The whole area reeked of violent disregard for others and the natural world.

Melzaryn pulled a strange wand from one of the pouches in his belt and held it aloft.

A ding sounded. The wand blinked brightly.

A sconce lit up and so did the enormous bookshelf in the back of the room.

"This reveals secrets," Melzaryn explained simply as he dropped the wand back into his bottomless pocket.

The light on the sconce and bookshelf faded.

Melzaryn pointed to the sconce. "That's going to be a lever. I distinctly recall getting poisoned last time I messed with a hidden trigger, so I'd appreciate it if you'd do it this time."

Forfend nodded. It grabbed the sconce and pulled downward.

A cloud of poison hissed out of the wall directly into Forfend's runic face.

"Ha, it was trapped," Melzaryn smirked.

"It was," Forfend hummed.

The poison hadn't done anything to it. It wasn't an organic creature after all. Most poisons couldn't do anything to it.

"Ah, the lever goes both ways," Forfend noticed. It pushed the sconce upward.

The bookcase pulled backwards and slid aside, unveiling a much more eccentric and esoteric study hidden behind.

Papers and maps littered the desk haphazardly. A book laying on top of the desk was wrapped in chains and locked shut. A box sat in the corner. The box looked ordinary enough, but something about it was off-putting in an unexplainable way.

Melzaryn immediately approached the desk. He rifled through the maps.

"These are maps of the tunnels under Cragwall. They're annotated."

Forfend and Kairi leaned over his shoulders to look.

Entry points, abduction sites, and placements for future Envema attacks were all marked.

"That's pretty damning evidence," Kairi said.

"Yeah, but I'm looking into that chained book too," Melzaryn decided.

Forfend tilted its head at the book. "It has no title. It may be a journal."

Melzaryn reached for the book. He paused, his ears twitching.

Kairi tensed.

Forfend couldn't hear what they were hearing, but a moment later they both relaxed. It assumed whatever had spooked them had moved on.

"If somebody comes down this hallway, Forfend, I want you to stand in front of the door," Melzaryn instructed. "Just stand in the way so they can't open it while Kairi and I get back into the tunnel. I'll teleport you in once we're settled."

"Certainly," it agreed.

Melzaryn turned, the chained book forgotten. "If we're going to need to get out of here quickly, I'm more interested in this box than the book." He crouched down and casted Identify.

A single sentence of information popped up in front of Melzaryn's face. He blinked at it. His brow furrowed.

"This box is completely mundane and unlocked. Why does it feel so creepy?"

Forfend and Kairi both shrugged.

"I want to open it up," Melzaryn immediately stated.

"That may not be our best idea," Forfend hummed nervously. "It could be dangerous."

"Well, if there was any magic affecting it at all, Identify would've shown it to me. Which means whatever's giving off that scary aura has to be the thing inside the box," Melzaryn argued. "Touching the box itself shouldn't do anything to me."

"Yes," Forfend said slowly, "but what if the contents of the box are the sort of scary thing that will jump out at you?"

"Hm." Melzaryn paused to consider this. "Alright, the book it is then."

He immediately returned to the desk and grabbed the book.

"Locked, but not magically locked," he observed.

He pulled Forfend's lockpick out and began fiddling with the padlock.

The lockpick snapped.

Melzaryn sighed. "I'm rustier than I thought."

Kairi grabbed the lockpick and cast Mending on it once again.

Melzaryn gave the lock another try. This time, it clicked open.

Melzaryn unwrapped the chains and flipped through the book.

As he was reading it, footsteps sounded in the hallway. The slow tromping grew closer and closer.

"Would you like me to be in front of the door now?" Forfend asked as quietly as it was able.

Melzaryn snapped the book closed. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," he whispered.

Forfend nodded. It immediately strode to the door and stood directly in front of it.

There was a kerchunk as the door unlocked. The knob turned and the door just barely cracked open before audibly thudding into Forfend's back.

The person on the other side froze. "What the fuck?"

He tried to open the door a second time with the same result. He paused again, shut the door, and opened it back up. Again, it simply bumped Forfend's back and would open no further. He slammed it into Forfend several times.

Predictably, Forfend didn't budge.

In the meantime, Melzaryn and Kairi silently scrambled.

Kairi got the tunnel behind the statue reopened while Melzaryn stuffed the book and map into his belt pockets.

Melzaryn closed off the secret office again, watching to make certain the bookcase slid back into place before he ducked into the tunnel.

"What the fuck was that?" the voice behind Forfend whispered to himself as the quiet mechanical whirs of the secret doors filled the otherwise silent room.

He slammed the door into Forfend harder, though not hard enough to hurt it and far from hard enough to move it.

"What the fuck is wrong with this thing?" the man growled. "What are you stuck on?!"

Melzaryn closed off the statue tunnel.

Forfend heard the stranger back up, presumably to tackle the door. It braced itself for a slightly more significant impact.

The world fell out from beneath its feet.

In a fraction of a second, it contacted the ground again in the darkness of the tunnels. It could feel Melzaryn and Kairi standing at its side in the tight space.

In the office, the man charged the door and slammed into it with all his might.

Without a great weight blocking his path, he crashed straight through and tumbled into the office floor.

He groaned for a moment before forcing himself to jump to his feet and have a frantic look around.

Forfend watched him through the tiny crack in the wall.

He was a house guard. A thoroughly befuddled one.

"Gods, what the hells was that?" He paced the office, then checked the door.

He shut the door and immediately yanked it open again. He faced no resistance. He frowned.

"What the hells?" he said again. He fiddled with the door for several more minutes before giving up. He threw his hands into the air and left.

He made it only a few steps down the hallway before turning around to open the door one more time. He grumbled through grit teeth. He tensed up to slam the door, but seemed to remember he was in a mansion full of sleeping people. He sighed heavily, shut the door gently, and finally left.

Several silent seconds passed before Kairi started giggling. She covered her mouth to stifle the noise.

Melzaryn also looked to be holding in laughter. "He's going to have a vendetta against that door for the rest of his time working here," he wheezed.

Rumbling chuckles emanated from Forfend. "I suppose he will."

"Let's go, let's go," Melzaryn hustled, leading them back down into the proper tunnels as quickly as he quietly could.

Once they were clear of the estate and far from anyone who could hear them, Melzaryn pulled the stolen books from his bag.

"Adhron's book is full of documented transactions he's had with Odolan, probably for blackmail purposes. It also has a lot of information on the Calamity Crystals and the ways they theorized they could use them. It's got notes on experiments to remove the brains of creatures to use them as powerful, mindless pawns. And it discusses hiring the other warriors like Howell for a simple bodyguarding job. My best guess is that the plan is, or maybe was because they might've already done it, to kidnap them like they did him."

Melzaryn opened the books and started tearing a handful of specific pages out of each of them. He stuffed the loose pages into one pocket and the books back into another.

"I'm leaving as much of the evidence as I can, but I don't want these experiments to be complete enough to be repeatable," he explained.

Forfend nodded. It agreed fully. "I think we should take what we have found back to King Falco immediately. Before we are discovered and retaliated against."

"It's the middle of the night," Kairi pointed out.

"Yeah, but this is urgent and we have a letter stating we're on business for the king," Melzaryn said. "They'll let us in."

Forfend and Kairi both nodded.

With that, the group quickly made their way back to the entrance Wisteria and, hopefully, Kagoshi awaited them at.

When they arrived, they did indeed find Kagoshi dozing against the hidden beetle.

"Come on." Kairi shook him gently to wake him.

He grumbled and hauled himself up. "What?"

"We have what we need. We are going to speak with King Falco immediately," Forfend said.

"Sure. I love bothering people at fuck-all hours of the night." Kagoshi didn't hesitate to immediately start tromping toward the Mountain Quarter and Castle Ledrian.

Kairi nudged Wisteria awake and hopped up onto the beetle's back. They skittered after Kagoshi.

Forfend and Melzaryn rushed after them, both intentionally pulling ahead of Kagoshi.

They'd be running into guards shortly and neither of them wanted an incident. The last thing they needed was for Kagoshi to get arrested again. And they especially didn't need him arrested for threatening the king's guards.

"H-hey!" a nervous guard called as they approached the Mountain Quarter's outer gate. "You can't be here."

Forfend tilted its head. "We are on urgent business for the king and we need to speak with him as soon as possible."

Melzaryn pulled the letter from his pocket with a flurry of rumpling paper. The king's seal was unmistakable.

"Oh!" the guard exclaimed, barely skimming the letter. "Head right on in then."

"Lower the gate!" he yelled up to the guards stationed above him.

Loud cranks shattered the still air. A thud signaled the gate settling firmly into its place on the ground.

Forfend nodded politely to the guard.

It and its allies made their way into the Mountain Quarter.

Forfend found it strange to think they'd just been here, albeit well beneath the cobblestone streets.

Castle Ledrian loomed ahead of them. Dark skies framed the even darker outline of the imposing structure. The castle was massive.

Forfend wondered what was being done with all that space. Not much, if it had to guess. Nobles seemed to be wasteful like that. Forfend didn't understand it.

The group approached the castle gates.

They repeated the same interaction with this guard as they had with the last, though he insisted Wisteria wait outside.

Kairi begrudgingly slid off Wisteria's back and instructed her friend to wait.

The drawbridge came down slowly.

When it finally thunked into place, Forfend and its allies traversed it.

The drawbridge spanned a deep ravine. Enormous wooden spikes were embedded haphazardly all across the bottom of it. If the fall weren't deadly enough, the spikes would make certain no one survived.

The drawbridge clanked and clattered, beginning the rise back into place the second they stepped off of it. Within moments, they were closed inside.

An ancient mage looked up from his paperwork and frowned, dragging deep, furrowing lines down the sides of his mouth.

The mage was Odolan Sagemantle himself.

"Oh, hello." He dripped condescension and irritation. Whatever he'd been working on, he was making immensely clear he'd rather get back to it. They were bothering him.

"Who are you again?" Kagoshi growled.

Odolan arched his brows and set his jaw. "I am Highlord Odolan Sagemantle. I don't think I've had the pleasure to meet any of you."

Kagoshi nodded slowly and looked Odolan over. He seemed to be assessing the man for a fight.

"What is your business here?" Odolan demanded, getting up and circling the desk to stand before them. "It's the middle of the night."

"Just doing some work for the king. We're hired mercenaries. You know how it is." Melzaryn shrugged.

"Hm, of course. May I see the documentation regarding your hire?" Odolan held his hand out expectantly. "I'm certain King Falco wouldn't hire you without documentation and, as his advisor, I need to make certain nothing is amiss here."

"Certainly." Melzaryn pulled out the first letter King Falco had sent them, rather than the second.

The first barely stated they were working for King Falco, but there was a vague mention of a job to be done after their trip to Foumedo. The second was far more descriptive and mentioned Odolan as an Envema suspect by name.

Forfend hoped the first letter would be sufficient.

Odolan tugged a jewel-encrusted monocle from his breast pocket and held it to his eye. He inspected the letter thoroughly.

Forfend tilted its head. He hadn't been using a monocle at home in his study and he hadn't been using one when they entered to see him doing paperwork here either. Was the garish piece just for show?

"Careful, you'll break your wrist with the weight of that stupid thing," Kagoshi grumbled under his breath.

Odolan's eyes cut from the letter to his almost comically thick monocle, then briefly to Kagoshi before returning to the letter.

The monocle's rim had to be that large to accommodate the ostentatious jewels encircling it. If Forfend had to guess, the monocle was much heavier than any sight aid needed to be.

"What did you say?" Odolan played ignorant, the harsh edge in his voice offering Kagoshi one, and only one, chance to change what he'd said.

Ever stalwart in his rudeness, Kagoshi crossed his arms. "You heard me."

Odolan scowled.

"How old are you anyway?" Kagoshi cocked his head. He made a point of staring at the purple veins beneath the thin, pale skin of Odolan's hands.

"Old enough," Odolan answered through grit teeth.

"Yeah, I can tell," Kagoshi stifled a chuckle. "Your wrinkles have wrinkles. I can see the wax growing out of your droopy ears. Your skin looks thinner than paper."

Odolan was struggling to maintain a calm demeanor. The letter crinkled in his hand as his grip tightened. His lips drew into a taut line. The tips of his ears turned red. He sniffed once and upturned his nose.

Melzaryn sidled slightly in front of Kagoshi. "Sorry, I did say we were mercenaries, right?"

"That explains the vulgarity," Odolan spat.

Kairi ducked behind Forfend to hide her snickering with its broad back.

"Despite your churlish personalities, everything here seems to be in order," Odolan determined. He dropped the letter back into Melzaryn's hands. "I'll notify the king of your arrival."

He returned to his desk, grabbed his staff from where it leaned against the wall, and quietly cast a spell. Magic glowed dimly around him.

Odolan waved dismissively at them. "A guard will escort you up in a moment. And do show more respect to King Falco."

He turned his nose up, grabbed a stack of papers, and strode away.

A guard entered the enormous foyer and motioned for them. "Alright, I can take you up to King Falco now."

The group followed him through expansive hallways and enormous stairways.

The guard glanced over his shoulder a couple of times as they walked. He seemed to have something on his mind, but he wasn't sure if he should voice it.

Finally, he made his decision.

"Hey, uh, listen, not to be annoying or anything, but... are you guys the ones that helped at the Teleportation Hub? When it collapsed?"

"We are," Forfend hummed.

"Yeah, I thought so!" The guard pointed to Kagoshi. "You scared the shit out of me!"

"He does that," Forfend deadpanned.

The guard chuckled. "I heard you also helped out the Brass Buffalo."

"Yep," Kairi confirmed.

"I just wanted to say thank you." The guard ducked his head respectfully to all of them. "I don't know if you know this, but you saved my grandpa. He's there a lot."

Kagoshi and Melzaryn shared a glance. "Does he like cookies?" they both asked at the same time.

"He does like cookies," the guard confirmed. "I try to visit as much as I can, but I don't get down there too much, you know? Always busy with work."

"I believe I sat down and had a nice chat with him," Melzaryn smiled. "Kind man."

"Really?" The guard blinked. "Well, thank you for keeping him company."

Kagoshi cocked his head and thought for a moment. "He was the guy I picked up and carried outside because he wasn't going to be fast enough to get out on his own, I think."

"Thank you so much," the guard expressed sincerely.

"What's your name?" Kagoshi asked in a rare display of civility.

"Me? Carston."

"Carston," Kagoshi repeated. "Got it."

"Uhm, I don't know if you have enough people saying thank you, so I just want to say it again. Thank you," Carson said. "Your faces aren't being advertised in the newspapers or anything. But, uh, there's this rumor..."

He trailed off for a moment, but before anyone could ask what the rumor was, he suddenly blurted, "Are you guys demigods?"

Forfend's first instinct was to answer the question honestly, but it instead decided to say nothing at all. The rest of them could decide amongst themselves how to respond.

"How'd you hear that?" Kagoshi grumbled.

"Well, there's rumors everywhere," Carston replied. "I mean, the descriptions are really rough and all, but you guys sort of fit the bill."

"What are the descriptions you've heard?" Melzaryn asked.

"One was this really tall earth genasi, which I guess he could be mistaken for." Carston pointed at Forfend.

Forfend fought down the reddish glow in its chest. Earth genasi were a beautiful people and it couldn't help but to be flattered at the idea that it could be mistaken for one of them. Nonetheless, it tilted its head. "I am most often mistaken for a golem," it hummed. "Which is also incorrect."

"Then there's the pixie," Carston continued, motioning to Kairi. "She's got wings and she's very pink."

Kairi twirled, sparkles swirling off the hem of her dress. "I suppose I do look a little like a pixie, but aren't they supposed to be way smaller?"

"And, um," Carston looked Kagoshi over. "Well, you're not short, but they said, uh..." Kagoshi's perpetual scowl shut him up. He pointed to Melzaryn. " If he's the monochromatic elf, then, well..."

Carston rubbed at the back of his neck.

"The last one that leaves would be the angry dwarf, which is not an accurate description!" he rushed to finish his sentence. He held his hands out placatingly to Kagoshi. "But I have to guess that's you."

"A dwarf?" Kagoshi hissed, nostrils flaring.

"They're calling you a very angry dwarf, yeah," Carston sheepishly confirmed.

Kagoshi growled.

Kairi laughed.

"None of the descriptions are really accurate, but you're the only group I've seen that even vaguely resembles what people are claiming," Carston said.

Melzaryn nodded thoughtfully and shrugged. "An astute observation."

"Thanks." Carston looked the group over again. "I wanted to say thank you because none of your names are publicized, so I didn't know if people were telling you."

"We actually prefer that our names are not in the papers. That is ideal," Forfend hummed.

"Yeah, we like it like that," Kairi agreed.

"Whether or not we're demigods is just a rumor," Kagoshi added. "We keep it that way."

"Oh, okay." Carston nodded. "I won't mention it again then. Just, um, thank you again."

Kagoshi shrugged. "You're welcome."

"We're almost there," Carston informed them. "We're heading past Prince Halt's room now and then King Falco's will be just up those stairs."

"Oh, you call him that too?" Melzaryn grinned.

"Prince Halt?" Carston chuckled. "Yeah. King Falco started calling him that and it's really catching on. He hates it."

Kagoshi laughed.

"I believe it was Kagoshi that coined that phrase originally," Melzaryn shared.

"Really?" Carston asked. His eyes lit up. "Yeah, that's right! You were there when he yelled, 'Halt,' at all those people that weren't going anywhere! I saw that!"

Forfend nodded. "He yelled at us when no one was moving."

Carston laughed. "That's really biting him in the ass now."

He led them up the staircase and to the doorway at the end of the hall.

"I hope things go well for you in there," Carston said. He stood aside to let them pass, placing the butt of his spear on the ground and straightening his back. He was now perfectly at attention. "I'll be right here to take you back down when you're done talking."

"Thank you for your help," Forfend nodded politely to him, its chest lighting up orange.

"Yeah, no problem," Carston smiled. "Thank you for everything you've done for, well, Tyrwedia."

Melzaryn opened the door to King Falco's room and strode in first.

Forfend, Kairi, and Kagoshi followed right on his heels.

King Falco stood bleary-eyed and barely dressed in the middle of the room.

The bedroom itself lacked the general extravagance of the rest of the castle. The room was enormous, but not bejeweled or slathered in silk and gold. There were accents of green and gold about the room, but it wasn't the absurd garishness of the Galloford or Sagemantle houses.

There was also some notable clutter strewn about. Several of the clutter piles seemed to be from various hobbies. Knitting was the most recently attempted.

The top half of a sweater bearing the moniker "Prince Hal'' lay draped across a chair. Forfend assumed the king's rather rough attempt at the craft would eventually bear High Knight Erest Ledrian's new unofficial title in full.

Melzaryn lightly nudged Kagoshi and flicked his eyes toward the incomplete sweater. "We're coming back here in the winter," he whispered.

"Oh yeah," Kagoshi smirked.

Melzaryn clocked King Falco's study taking up one side of the room and nodded appreciatively. It wasn't particularly large, but it appeared to be well used.

A training dummy sat in another corner. It also looked like it had seen consistent wear and tear.

A mannequin stood at King Falco's bedside. His more fanciful, kingly attire rested heavily on its shoulders. It looked like it hadn't been touched in ages, though Forfend knew he'd had to wear it to the court hearing only two weeks ago.

Kairi looked up and around at the walls of the room. Her eyes stopped in a particular spot and Forfend caught itself following her gaze.

The walls were adorned with weapons and paintings. Most of the paintings were portraits of King Falco and his family. The particular one that had caught Kairi's attention was a large portrait of the whole royal family.

King Falco stood smiling next to a woman who must be the Queen, though Forfend had never seen her. Surrounding them was a gaggle of four children.

Though he'd been much younger when this had been painted, Forfend immediately recognized the only one of King Falco's children it had met. Teenage Erest stared sternly forward.

Forfend had never seen his face, but the perfectly upright stance and serious demeanor was in stark contrast with the rest of the more relaxed family. High Knight Erest was unmistakable.

King Falco coughed and cleared his throat, drawing all attention to himself. He wiped his sleepy eyes with one hand and fiddled with his haphazard clothing with the other.

"You guys are back already?" he yawned. "Wow, that was fast."

"We're efficient," Kagoshi said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah," King Falco agreed. "Here, let me get you some chairs."

He dragged one over from his study and two from his knitting project area. He paused to assess Forfend while the rest of the group took their seats.

He stepped over to his training area and dragged a sturdy bench out with considerable effort.

"I think this'll do," King Falco guessed.

Forfend took the offered seat, settling its weight down slowly to make certain the bench wouldn't break.

Slight creaking emanated from beneath it, but the bench held.

"Thank you," Forfend nodded.

King Falco pulled a table and one last chair from what appeared to be a storage corner. He set the table up in front of the party and sat down across from them.

"Okay, so what's the news?" he asked. He was starting to wake up a little more and he was now anxiously awaiting their input.

"Give me a moment," Melzaryn said. "This is a very sensitive matter and I'd like to case the area to make sure no one's listening in."

"Oh. Okay." King Falco nodded once and spread his hands.

Melzaryn concentrated on his staff. He muttered a spell under his breath and slowly scanned the room back and forth.

"Looks in order," he nodded.

Forfend tapped its fingers nervously against the table. "Melzaryn," it hummed and inclined its head toward King Falco himself. "Could you Identify him the way you did our other friend? He has a great deal of contact with our suspects, especially Highlord Odolan, and I am worried."

"Nothing showed up with Detect Magic, but I can," Melzaryn agreed. "Just to be safe."

"What do you mean? Is something wrong?" King Falco asked.

"It's just a precaution," Melzaryn assured. "Would you mind if I cast Identify on you?"

"Oh, okay. Go ahead, I guess," King Falco agreed.

Melzaryn held up his staff and peered through the pearl. Information popped up in front of him and scanned by absurdly fast.

"It's strange, but there's definitely Envema magic here," Melzaryn grimly informed them. "It's in flux, like something's fighting it."

"What?" King Falco looked horrified.

"It's different from what we've seen before, but it's definitely there," Melzaryn said.

"Can you get rid of it?!" King Falco panicked.

Forfend stepped forward. "I will try."

"Use caution." Melzaryn eyed King Falco over, his brows knit. "Something's weird here. Something's off. Try to target exclusively the Envema stuff. Something else might be underneath it."

Forfend nodded, but worry was beginning to tumble stones in its chest. "This was never an exact science."

Nonetheless, it placed a hand on King Falco's shoulder and searched out the Envema magic affecting him.

A flutter of green caught the edge of Forfend's vision. It glanced to the window.

Ry'Ha'Dach in his tiny green bird form sat on the window sill. He fluffed his feathers and scratched nervously at the stone.

Whatever he needed, Forfend would be sure to help, but it could only handle one problem at a time. It returned its focus to King Falco.

Forfend seized onto the Envema magic with its own divine magic. The Envema curse cracked and crumbled away.

Forfend pulled its hand away from King Falco and tilted its head at Melzaryn.

He'd said the magic was different, but that wasn't how the other Envema effects had felt when they dissipated.

"Did it go away?" King Falco asked. "Is everything okay?"

"That's subjective," Melzaryn answered unhelpfully.

"Well, what happened?" King Falco fretted.

"Is it gone?" Forfend asked Melzaryn. "I felt it break, but is it gone? Did the strangeness go away?"

Melzaryn nodded. "I'm pretty sure it's gone. I'm not Detecting any magic on him anymore."

His brow was still furrowed though.

Something about this didn't feel right to him or Forfend.

"This is some very weird magics," Melzaryn appended. His eyes darted over King Falco, but caught on Ry'Ha'Dach still twitching nervously on the window sill.

King Falco followed his gaze and tilted his head. "Huh. I've never seen a green bluejay before."

"We have," Melzaryn cryptically replied.

"Really? What is it?"

"Why's it so freaked out?" Kagoshi asked.

Forfend offered its hand out to Ry'Ha'Dach, but the disguised dragon didn't move. Whatever had him frightened was keeping him firmly in place. He didn't want to leave the window.

"What do you think?" Melzaryn asked Kairi.

Kairi's face was drawn into an uncharacteristically serious expression. She glanced between Ry'Ha'Dach and King Falco. Her eyes settled on the king.

"I still can't read his emotions."

"What?" King Falco shook his head, confused. "What do you mean? What does that mean?"

"It's not as important," Melzaryn dismissed. "We're trying to secure this room and odd things keep happening."

Forfend disagreed. It thought that observation was extremely important.

"Like the bird?" King Falco asked.

"Possibly. I think we know that bird," Melzaryn said.

"What?" King Falco was growing more perplexed by the second.

"We've been around. We've met a lot of things." Melzaryn waved off the concern.

"And birds," Forfend hummed.

"And birds," Melzaryn agreed. "Clearly."

"That doesn't make sense," King Falco sighed.

Melzaryn quickly pulled the two books and the map from his bottomless pockets. He handed them over.

"Oh." King Falco flipped through the books. His eyes widened. "Oh, wow. Well, this is certainly damning evidence. Great! I mean, awful what they're doing, but great for us that we've got evidence!"

He glanced back and forth suspiciously for a moment before striding over to a dresser. He stuffed the evidence beneath his clothes and shut the drawer.

"I'll get this to the courts first thing in the morning," he promised. "But, um, you all still seem very worried. What's been going on?"

"A certain amount of caution is called for, given that we just stole two very important books from two rather powerful people," Melzaryn answered.

Forfend shuffled uncertainly. "I would not be opposed to trying Identify again," it blurted.

Melzaryn shrugged. He held his hand toward King Falco.

"If you want to," the king permitted.

Melzaryn touched King Falco's shoulder and watched the information blip into being from his staff.

Melzaryn froze. "Godsdammit, I didn't see that the first time." He tapped a particular line of the encoded text and pulled up information on it specifically.

Forfend couldn't understand a word of what he was looking at, but it trusted Melzaryn to parse even the most opaque magical information.

"It's disguise magic. Magic to disguise other magic, specifically," Melzaryn shared. "Annoying."

"Can you get rid of it?" Kagoshi asked.

"I can," Forfend offered.

"Do you know what it's hiding?" Kairi asked.

Melzaryn shook his head. "It's making it look like there's no magic on him. Dispelling it will be tricky, but doable. You won't be able to sense what you're Dispelling."

"Ah, forget it," King Falco sighed. "You're too good. Fuck it."

No one had a second to process what he'd said.

He held out his hand.

An illusion dropped off of one of the spears mounted on the wall. A rapier with an emerald green hilt flashed into being instead and careened toward King Falco.

He caught it and immediately thrust forward.

Melzaryn didn't have time to move. The blade pierced his stomach.

King Falco hooked his arm around Melzaryn's neck and yanked him further onto the blade until it protruded from his back.

Kagoshi started forward, his scars already beginning to glow.

Kairi grabbed Kagoshi's arm as powerful pulsing magic coursed through the hilt of King Falco's blade.

Kagoshi grit his teeth, but didn't charge forward into whatever psychic aura the weapon was creating.

The psychic energy lifted Melzaryn off the blade and deposited the wizard's limp form onto the floor. Blood rapidly pooled beneath him.

Forfend dropped into a kneel and immediately placed both hands on the gushing wound. Healing magic coursed through it into Melzaryn's body as quickly as Forfend could channel it.

"I should've known it was only a matter of time," King Falco dramatically lamented.

He backed up, keeping careful guard from Kagoshi in particular.

"Two, no, three hundred years of planning only to be undone by four nitwits that decided to travel to this backwater nation," King Falco spat. "And on a whim, no less!"

He shrugged toward Forfend. "Except you, of course. You live here, but you were supposed to stay in your stupid little backwards village," he growled. "Well, whatever."

The illusion covering him dropped away.

King Falco's previously tousled hair was now molded into a sharply maintained, slicked back style. His steely gray eyes and the new vibrance to his skin gave off a distinctly demigod aura. He immediately looked stronger. Unnaturally so.

He was no longer barely dressed in clothes hastily thrown on for an impromptu midnight meeting. Instead, he wore a cloak of emerald dragon scales.

Forfend faltered. Recognition shot through it. Ry'Ha'Dach had mentioned this cloak. The wisest emerald dragon had been murdered to make it.

"I should've known something like this would happen," King Falco ranted. "But it's fine! Everything's handled. How many days until the celestial alignment? Two, at this point? My power will spread out all I need then. I just have to get rid of all of you."

Kagoshi snarled, starting to step forward again.

King Falco immediately leveled the blade at Kagoshi's chest.

"Don't," Kairi breathed. She tugged on Kagoshi's arm. She was shaking head to toe. "Look at him. He's too dangerous."

Kagoshi didn't look like he intended to heed that warning, but Kairi pulled him backwards with all her strength.

That was hardly enough to stop Kagoshi, but her raw terror gave him a pause he wouldn't normally have taken.

King Falco smirked. "Maybe it's time I make my proper introduction." He spread his arms and took as much of a mocking bow as he could without losing sight of Kagoshi. "Hello, my name is King Falco Ledrian, the Thought Thief. And you have all been a thorn in my side. I think it's time to remove that."

Telekinetic energy swarmed around the hilt of the blade. Trinkets and knickknacks were caught in the swirling magic and thrown. Books were scattered next, tumbling across the floor. The furniture began to rattle with the violent power of the weapon.

Ry'Ha'Dach flew into the room and transformed back into his draconic form as he tackled King Falco.

"YOU!" he roared at the top of his lungs, his voice rumbling through the very foundation of the castle.

His enormous bulk expanding in a space too small for him slammed aside decor, crushed furniture, and knocked paintings from the cracking walls.

King Falco roared right back at Ry'Ha'Dach.

The dragon lunged at him, jaws open wide. His teeth latched around a telekinetic shield rather than flesh.

Ry'Ha'Dach launched upward, crashing the roof off this castle tower and sending it tumbling far down below. He hauled King Falco into the sky.

King Falco's sword emitted a booming blast that threw Ry'Ha'Dach off of him.

The dragon caught himself in the air and whirled around to face his opponent.

King Falco wasn't falling. He levitated, his blade at the ready and a murderous snarl on his face.

"I should've known you'd survived, you fucking cockroach!" he shouted. "Fuck this, I guess it's happening early!"

King Falco snapped his fingers.

His weapon warbled. A massive pulse of telekinetic energy exploded outwards.

Ry'Ha'Dach braced himself against the wave, yet was still rocked so severely he dropped several feet.

Forfend braced itself over Melzaryn as Kagoshi braced himself in front of Kairi.

The blast careened over them and shattered what was left of the crumbling roof over their heads.

Mounds of stone crashed down around them and tumbled off the now fully open-air sides of King Falco's destroyed bedroom.

Far below, people screamed at the horrifying sight and falling debris.

"It was all so well planned, you know," King Falco griped at the growling dragon. "Just two more fucking days! You just needed to stay off my back for two more fucking days! It all would've been fine."

He shrugged. "Guess you can't have everything. But I think I'll take it anyway."

Alarm bells rang out all across the city. People fled from their homes. Panic filled the streets.

Towers and houses suddenly crumbled. The statue of King Falco in the main plaza cracked open. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of the Envema victims trapped beneath the city flooded up onto the streets.

"I couldn't bind myself to all of them to make myself immortal, but this'll do fine," King Falco grinned.

He threw his arm out toward Forfend and its allies. "You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?! You just had to keep snooping! For that, I'm getting rid of all of you!"

"At least the last time I was stabbed there wasn't a speech," Melzaryn groaned, finally starting to come around. He pushed Forfend's hands away and forced himself to sit up.

"You just had to play hero!" King Falco continued shouting. "There's just one funny little thing about heroes. They have to win every. Single. Time. Villains though?" He jabbed a thumb at himself. "All we've got to do is win once."

He spread his arms wide. "Show me what you're made of." A glint sparked in his steely eyes. "Or, no. How about you deal with them?"

He flicked his rapier.

Four figures slammed down one after the other in front of the group.

The first was a wizard with golden blond hair shining in the moonlight. She held a staff topped with a floating blue gem. Abjuration magic flickered in and out of sight in the air around her.

The second was a towering man in a full suit of armor. Eagle motifs covered the silvery metal. A long blue cape fluttered in the night breeze. A massive halberd awaited use in his hands.

The third looked not unlike Kiyori by the tone of his skin and the style of his armor. He was likely of Fulgar Isles descent. He wore a wide-brimmed straw hat. A piece of straw hung from his lips. A weapon Forfend had heard described as the Swiftblade glinted in his hands.

Forfend didn't even need to look at the fourth to know it was Howell, trapped again beneath Envema's wretched curse. It had thought it had freed him. There must be more to King Falco's ability than it could know.

All four of the famed warriors currently traveling Tyrwedia stood before them. All of their faces were wholly expressionless. All of their eyes were solid white, almost as though blind.

"You can handle them, right?" King Falco jeered. "You handled Howell, didn't you? Take care of that while I handle this pest. It'll be fun."

He held his hand out and taunted Ry'Ha'Dach with a cocky come-at-me gesture. "Let's go."

"I will avenge my brethren!" Ry'Ha'Dach shook the very air with the force of his roar. "You have taken too much! I will take it all back!"

Ry'Ha'Dach dropped his jaw and unleashed his psychic breath weapon.

Forfend forced its gaze off the fight above to focus on the inevitable fight right in front of it.

It stood and helped Melzaryn to his feet.

Melzaryn clutched his wounded midsection, but he still held his staff in preparation to cast.

Kagoshi growled deep in his throat. "These motherfuckers are dead."

"They are victims of Despot Falco too," Forfend hummed. Nonetheless, it drew its mace and raised its shield.

"Despot Fucko," Kairi whispered under her breath. Then louder, "Let's kick some ass."

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 25

Forfend hummed to itself as they descended ever lower.

It tried to keep its gaze on River, but the glowing emeralds almost seemed to call to it. It took care not to stare into them, but it chanced glances from time to time.

Overhead, light filtered and defracted through the green stalactites, creating a startling effect. If Forfend watched for more than a moment, it felt as though it could see clouds sailing softly from crystal to crystal. As though the cavern ceiling was nearly translucent and a faint display of the sky was visible above.

They were deep underground. Weren't they?

Emerald dragons were known for trickery though. Any number of illusions could be causing the effect.

Forfend settled for appreciating the beautiful unexplainability of it all.

The path wound onward and treasure began to dot the cave floor between emerald stalagmites.

Some of the treasures were chests of gold and jewels or ancient suits of armors. Others were items that seemed more sentimental such as old furniture and sewn dolls.

Soon, they entered a pathway lined with floor-to-ceiling murals. Statues, professional artworks, and even chunks of preserved architecture filled the floorspace.

Melzaryn lit up at the ancient geometric terracotta structures. He inspected them all in turn.

Forfend observed the murals. They hadn't been painted on the cave walls. They'd been removed wholesale from their places of origin and installed here. Forfend couldn't image the work it would take to do that without damaging the art.

All of the murals were painted with charcoal and plant dyes. The first one was rough, as though it was done hastily or with less than ideal materials.

That didn't stop it from being impactful. It depicted the very sky falling from a flaming mass above and flattening a mountain range.

The next mural showed people literally rising from the ashes. They joined hands, cared for one another, and some of them seemed to be beginning to build things.

Another depiction showed them conversing with the land itself. They spoke with animals, but also rocks and plantlife. All of these beings worked together, shaping the earth around them.

Forfend recognized the adamantine beetles particularly. They worked diligently alongside the people.

The next mural was startling by comparison. Large monstrosities with too many limbs or too many heads attacked the people. Manticores and hoards of orcs, ogres, and goblins raided the people's homes.

But onward down the hall, yet another mural depicted salvation.

Four elegant, winged creatures descended from the sky and breathed what seemed to be powerful gusts of wind that whisked away the horrible monsters.

The last mural in the line showed the creatures encircling the people as they rebuilt and improved their works in harmony with the earth itself. The creatures protected them and became a part of their lives.

Forfend wanted to ask if this was the tale of the Genasi and their dragon guardians, but River seemed intensely focused on moving forward.

It hummed to itself.

Melzaryn's steps faltered mid-stride as the group approached a particular set of statues. These seemed to have been carved by wind and rain. Not a tool had ever been taken to them, despite their levels of sharp detail.

Many of them resembled earth genasi. Some were dragons. Some were a combination of dragons and genasi working side by side.

Tapestries began to line the wall in place of the enormous murals. Their colors were bathed strangely in the emerald green light of the translucent sky. Whatever stories they told were too abstract for Forfend to catch their meaning.

Finally, they entered a large chamber.

Wealth lined the walls and floor, but it was hardly the main feature here.

No, the main feature certainly was the entire village that seemed to have been magically transported into this place in one fell swoop.

Many of the buildings here were also weathered into shape rather than built or carved.

The village seemed ancient in make. And it wasn't uninhabited.

Elderly genasi and very young genasi both roamed the streets.

Forfend realized they were protecting their most vulnerable. Those old enough and abled enough to fight were the ones on the surface looking to make change. The rest stayed here where it was safe.

The genasi villagers watched them come through with wide, curious eyes.

River led them to the mouth of a new corridor and bowed in front of a pile of stones and emeralds that seemed to glow with a sort of power.

He spoke what Forfend assumed to be the native genasi language, his voice like cracking stone and growing vines and burrowing roots.

The formation of rock and gem shuddered and pulled itself together. Roots wove through it to hold its form in place. It rose up, taking shape as an earth elemental towering over even Forfend and River.

The elemental responded to River with a sound like flowering branches and distant earthquakes.

River answered in kind and bowed his head respectfully. He turned back to the group and gestured to the elemental.

"This is Ko'Dan," he introduced. "He's an earth elemental, guardian of the village and of the Slumbering Dragon, Ry'Ha'Dach."

Forfend ducked its head politely to Ko'Dan.

"Unfortunately," River continued, "I will not be able to enter the chamber with you, given the information you've given us about Ry'Ha'Dach's current state and what is causing it. You will enter and Ko'Dan will seal the door behind you. You will not be able to leave until the ailment is resolved."

River studied their faces seriously.

"Lovely." Melzaryn smiled in his inscrutable way.

Kairi nodded, a fiercely determined look on her face.

Forfend tilted its chin up, acknowledging the danger and rousing its confidence in its center. "Alright."

Ko'Dan knelt down in front of Forfend and tilted its head back and forth quizzically. It reached out slowly with one of its massive hands. Fingers of twisted vine and emerald jewel brushed gently against its runic face.

Ko'Dan made a sound like grass swaying in a summer breeze.

It prodded gently at Forfend's chest and sides.

The grumbles of an avalanche ended in the snap of twigs.

River cleared his throat to translate. "He says, 'Curious. Where are you from?'"

Forfend hummed, considering the best way to answer the true base of the question. "Originally, Fornax's Forge," it decided. "Somewhere near the Adamantine Mountains, I think I have figured out."

"According to Ko'Dan, you are not of elemental nature," River said.

"No. I am not," it confirmed.

Ko'Dan rumbled like a jungle waterfall and stood back up. He lumbered to the corridor and gestured to it with his full body.

Forfend straightened its back and strode forward.

Kairi slid from her adamantine beetle's shell and pat the beast on the side of its face. "It's alright, Wisteria."

The beetle—Wisteria, Forfend presumed—was hunkered low to the ground. It chittered quietly.

Kairi followed Forfend and Wisteria followed her.

Melzaryn ambled casually along right on their heels.

Ko'Dan's steps thundered off the walls as he took a few steps into the corridor. He stretched his arms wide and gripped either side of the stone walls. Rock slid free of the walls effortlessly as it pulled its hands together, closing off the corridor as easily as if it had been a sliding door.

The resounding thud and sudden plunge into pitch darkness created a firm finality. An ultimatum hung in the air. They were trapped. Either they succeeded or they died.

Forfend cast Light, the runes of its shield illuminating the path ahead.

They walked.

The sounds of their footfalls echoing off the walls changed pitch as they eventually entered a wider cavern.

Blinding green light suddenly burst into being.

Forfend dashed its Light and shielded its face from the brilliant onslaught.

Slowly, its vision adjusted. It shook its head and peered over the top of its shield.

A massive obsidian dais rose up in the center of the room. Upon the top of it slumbered the great emerald dragon, Ry'Ha'Dach himself.

All around the sprawling cavern were piles upon piles of gold and jewels so high they could've buried half the houses in Cragwall.

Forfend whistled like a kettle.

Statues, overflowing chests, thrones, crowns, and assortments of a thousand other kinds of treasures adorned every available space.

Statues occasionally loomed up out of the mounds of gold.

Four particularly enormous statues were stationed in each corner like guardians.

Ry'Ha'Dach snored softly. Glimmers of illusion magic shimmered over him, not unlike the strange translucence of the cave ceilings.

One moment he seemed to be a gold dragon, then red, then silver, then he disappeared altogether just to fade back into existence a second later. His true vibrant emerald showed through only in the brief glimpses between shifting illusions. It was as though the magic couldn't settle.

Forfend tilted its head.

Was Ry'Ha'Dach dreaming?

It watched him closely for a moment, awestruck and curious.

His sleep seemed disturbed. His claws twitched occasionally. His tail lashed. A snarl curled his lips before dropping back to uneasy blankness.

The magic layered over him, by contrast, pictured dragons sleeping calmly, as though Ry'Ha'Dach knew what he wanted from his rest and was subconsciously trying to project it into being.

Beneath the illusions was always the same pulsing blue. A mass of the sickly color was gathered in the dragon's chest, undulating through his veins with every beat of his heart.

That's what was causing his uneasy sleep, Forfend was well certain.

"I know he's sleeping and it's never nice to be unexpectedly woken up," Melzaryn mused, "but it's probably best to introduce ourselves before an operation."

"I was thinking the same," Forfend hummed. "Though..." Forfend gestured up at the enormous adult dragon slumbering high above them on his pedestal. It recalled Erzor saying his behavior was erratic, even dangerous lately. "Well, I hope he is friendly," it sighed like hissing steam.

"I hope my first real interaction with a dragon goes well," Melzaryn nodded.

Kairi gripped her staff as she watched Ry'Ha'Dach huff in his sleep. "The only emotion on him at all is sadness. A lot of it."

Forfend assumed that was due to the Calamity Crystal's influence.

Wisteria chittered and clicked. It hunkered as low as it could and stuck to Kairi's back.

Forfend was feeling similarly disconcerted, but there was work to be done.

"I speak Draconic. I could say hello," Melzaryn offered.

"That is a decent start," Forfend accepted.

Melzaryn started forward.

Forfend and Kairi followed, but Wisteria remained firmly where it was.

Kairi didn't try to call to it. She let it be.

They began a careful ascent up the obsidian dais.

"I think you should be very, very nice to the dragon," Kairi whispered.

"Agreed. I suggest reverence and politeness," Forfend seconded.

"We'll open with an unsure hello and if we get a response, we'll introduce ourselves as politely as possible," Melzaryn decided.

They stepped up onto the top of the platform and all of them stayed huddled near the edge.

Up close, the difference in size between them and Ry'Ha'Dach was exceptionally stark. It would take little effort for him to maim or kill them with his weight alone, much less his slew of natural weapons.

Melzaryn took a half step forward and spoke a single word in a gravelly, gutteral language Forfend presumed to be Draconic.

Ry'Ha'Dach flinched. His ears perked up. Slowly, he mulled his head up and appraised the lot of them.

The blue pulse in his chest picked up, matching his waking heart rate.

He yawned, but it devolved into a mournful groan.

"Guests? Travelers. Welcome," rang a gentle, breathy voice in Forfend's mind.

By the look Melzaryn and Kairi both wore, Forfend guessed they'd heard it as well.

"That seems painful," Melzaryn noted in Common, pointing at the wretched blue light. "I'll make this a little faster than I planned. We're here to try to help you with that issue. Is that okay?"

"I see," Ry'Ha'Dach's wispy voice sulked through Forfend's mind. One of his claws touched near the mass of blue in his chest. "Try, if you must, but I do not wish to see another kind person fall trying to save me."

"We'll be extra careful," Melzaryn promised. "One of us has picked up one of those before. It should be okay," he hazarded.

"What makes you different from the others?" Ry'Ha'Dach asked. "All the genasi, the arcanists, the travelers that have come here thinking they could save me have perished or turned to monsters that I've had to slay."

Forfend could physically feel the quivering heartbreak in his words.

"What makes you so sure you will succeed?" Ry'Ha'Dach tilted his head ever so slightly.

Melzaryn looked to Forfend and Kairi, a question in his eyes.

Both of them nodded at the same time.

"The three of us are demigods," Melzaryn answered honestly. "We have some level of resistance to that thing in your chest."

"Demigods," Ry'Ha'Dach rasped aloud with a voice far more rusty and worn than the one he projected into their thoughts. His eyes widened.

"Do you know the thief? The thought taker?" The words were spoken aloud as well as telepathically. The tone in Forfend's mind was far clearer than what the dragon could manage with his physical voice. And that tone was startled anger.

Melzaryn shook his head, perplexed. "I don't think that we do? Either of you know?"

Forfend shook its head immediately.

"No," Kairi said.

Ry'Ha'Dach slowly settled back down. "Fine then," he responded only in their minds. "Be warned: if this does not go smoothly, the gem will react negatively."

"Is that more of a problem for us, for you, or both?" Melzaryn questioned.

"For you," Ry'Ha'Dach replied grimly.

"Okay, good. That makes me feel better." Melzaryn cast his inscrutable smile.

"Approach, brave guests," Ry'Ha'Dach granted.

He shifted onto his side, laying his head down and lifting his wing up to give them easy access to his exposed chest.

Pebbles began to tumble nervously in Forfend's own chest as it observed the wound. It stepped forward and placed a tentative hand on Ry'Ha'Dach's sleek scales.

Melzaryn leaned in as well, scrutinizing the situation.

The shard was remarkably visible despite its depth within Ry'Ha'Dach's flesh. It was slightly larger than the others they'd dealt with and embedded in the head of an arrow.

"Cruel," Melzaryn muttered under his breath. "Effective, but cruel."

The scales were misshapen and overlapping as they tried to grow over the wound. The flesh had closed in tight around the arrowhead as well. The injury was so old the skin didn't bother to be irritated any longer. The wooden shaft of the arrow had crumbled away with time.

Melzaryn circled careful fingers through the air just over what little remained of the brittle wood. A small wedge of the metal protruded out of the wound and could likely be grabbed.

"Metal should be intact enough for us to touch, but it's close enough to the crystal that it's dangerous," Melzaryn observed. "The crystal is part of the arrowhead. We should assume the power will resonate through it. Don't touch it barehanded."

Forfend nodded.

"The scales are misshapen. Something about the crystal is stopping them from closing the wound," Forfend hummed. It pointed out scales curving outward as though the shard were pushing them away. "The flesh has healed tightly around it, but it should still be malleable. With the right tool, I may be able to extract it without causing much damage to the skin or scales."

"What tool would that be?" Melzaryn asked. He flipped through his spellbook.

Forfend touched its runic face, considering all the tools it had used in ages past. "Something long and thin, but strong and sturdy. It will need to grip like tongs. A curved tip would be ideal. That will allow me to grasp the arrowhead by the point and pull it straight back out for minimal trauma to the surrounding area."

Melzaryn was frantically scribbling in his notebook. He looked up at Forfend. "I have a decent idea what we'll need, but I've got a few more questions before we get ourselves in over our heads." He turned to Ry'Ha'Dach. "Would you be alright with me casting Identify on you and have you noticed that people touching the metal directly has adverse effects?"

Ry'Ha'Dach had his tired head in Kairi's lap. She gently stroked the side of his face as he heaved a slow sigh. "Do whatever you must do to get it out," he permitted. "The moment anyone has touched the metal previously, they have immediately disintegrated or transformed into horrible monsters."

The shudder in his telepathic voice almost physically shook Forfend.

"Did you have any adverse effects yourself?" Melzaryn asked.

"No," Ry'Ha'Dach answered. "But I felt the shard react negatively. It does not want to be touched."

"I won't be able to Identify the crystal directly then," Melzaryn decided. "I'd still like to make sure there are no other malicious spells affecting you though."

He touched his hand to Ry'Ha'Dach's slender neck and peered into the pearl embedded in his staff.

A wealth of information sprung up for Melzaryn to read. He scanned through it as quickly as he could.

Melzaryn's brows shot up. His eyes darted briefly to Forfend, showing a rare sign of real concern. "There's trace of an old magical, uh, phenomenon. It might be related to the thought taker. Is that still affecting you or have you managed to take care of it?"

"What?" Ry'Ha'Dach rasped aloud as well as mentally. He turned to stare at them, alarm tensing his features.

"Right, okay," Melzaryn fretted under his breath. "I'll fill you in completely soon," he said aloud. "Let me just..." He tugged Forfend around so they were no longer facing Ry'Ha'Dach.

Behind them, the dragon's form rumbled as he slowly eased his muscles.

"He's got minute traces of Envema magic on him," Melzaryn whispered.

"Is it currently active?" Forfend asked.

"It feels miniscule and old. I don't know if it's active or not," Melzaryn answered honestly. "He didn't even know it was there at all."

Forfend hummed low in its chest. "One problem at a time," it decided.

"Right," Melzaryn agreed. "Other than that potential hiccup, there aren't any other spells that should cause us any trouble."

Forfend nodded and turned back to Ry'Ha'Dach.

Melzaryn held up his open spellbook and tapped the page. "I think this is what you described."

Forfend tilted its head at the page.

Melzaryn had drawn out precisely the tool Forfend had explained, giving it rounded grips on the curved tips and handles large enough to accommodate Forfend's overlarge fingers.

"This is perfect," it praised.

Forfend envisioned the item three-dimensionally and called up the magic in its core. Heat coursed through its body and caused the air around it to waver. The magic rose, breaching through Forfend's face as spilling ichor.

It touched its face, drawing the magic slowly out into a physical item.

Ry'Ha'Dach raised his head, his mouth open as worry filled his features.

"Don't worry, that's kind of his thing," Melzaryn dismissed.

"Alright, strange one," Ry'Ha'Dach muttered uncertainly. He looked no less offput.

Forfend watched the tool cool from molten gold to silvery surgical steel. It wiped the pouring ichor from its face and splattered it across the ground.

Only a second later, the substance evaporated away.

Ry'Ha'Dach grimaced, clearly disturbed. He settled back down uncomfortably.

"Forfend." Kairi placed her hand on its leg. Rainbow magic surged from her fingers into it.

Forfend felt the Guidance arcana settle in its hands. An iridescent rainbow shimmered almost imperceptibly around its wrists.

"Thank you," it nodded.

It pulled its work gloves from its belt and donned them.

Melzaryn cast Prestidigitation on them, whisking away all the dirt. He cast it again on the tool just for good measure, and once more on Ry'Ha'Dach's chest. Cleanliness and precision were of the utmost importance here.

Forfend pat Ry'Ha'Dach gently. "I will be as careful as I can," it assured.

Forfend slipped the tool into the wound, keeping it butted right up against the arrowhead to minimize damage.

Ry'Ha'Dach grit his sharp teeth, but remained still.

"Three inches deep," Melzaryn stated the exact depth of the arrow.

Forfend nodded. It stopped precisely when it needed to and opened the tool slowly.

The arms of it slightly spread the wound as they spread apart.

Ry'Ha'Dach growled, his breathing catching in his chest. Still, he didn't move.

Forfend's hands were unnaturally steady, far more so than what a creature of flesh and bone would be capable of. It guided the tool open only as wide as it had to be and carefully latched it around the tip of the arrow.

A pulse of horrid blue magic whipped through the tool, through the gloves, and into Forfend's body.

Forfend felt the deep sorrow of the shard seep into its core and try to latch onto it.

It grasped for the warmth of its memories of home in Foumedo. The icy depression melted in the heat of its happiness. It squashed the effects of the Calamity Crystal and began pulling the wretched thing free.

Kairi kept her hand on Forfend's leg. A second bout of helpful rainbows encircled its wrists.

Forfend slowly, slowly extracted the arrowhead. There was more resistance than there should've been, as though the shard was fighting to stay put.

Ry'Ha'Dach clenched his claws. His heartbeat thundered so strong and so fast Forfend could feel it through the tool.

The arrowhead snagged.

Ry'Ha'Dach gasped aloud, pain contorting his features.

Forfend trusted in the barely visible Guiding magic around its hands and the steadiness of its own fingers. It adjusted its grip very slightly and continued drawing out the stubborn shard.

The overwhelming sadness inherent to the Calamity Crystal assaulted Forfend's senses. It continued valiantly ignoring the emotion by drowning it in kind memories.

The arrowhead's thickest section finally slid free of the wound. The rest followed suit with ease.

Forfend immediately opened the tool and dropped the wretched shard onto the ground. The depressive crush left its body with such suddenness Forfend almost felt as though its core had shot up from its midsection to the proper place in its chest.

The arrowhead disintegrated into little more than metal dust upon striking the obsidian dais. Only the shard was left behind, pulsing ominously.

Ry'Ha'Dach heaved heavy breaths. He stared with wide eyes. Disbelief, relief, and joy overtook his expression.

"I can't see his emotions anymore," Kairi quietly noted.

Ry'Ha'Dach inspected the wound in his chest. A small amount of blood trickled from it, but the painful intrusion was gone. He prodded around it with his great clawed hands.

"You removed it," he breathed.

"Would you like it healed?" Forfend asked, letting the tool poof away in a huff of smoke to free up its hands.

"Please. If you would be so kind."

Forfend touched the edge of the wound and channeled its soft orange magic.

The dragon's flesh sealed itself back together at the behest of the sunlit warmth of the healing magic. The misshapen scales fell away. New ones, bright and brilliantly emerald, grew forth and seamed together until they properly interlocked.

The wound was gone. Wholly gone. As though it had never even been.

Ry'Ha'Dach trailed his hand over the now smooth and painless scales. He drew in a deep breath, letting his chest expand to its full capacity for probably the first time in more than a century. His wings snapped open. He stood, stretching his whole body like a great cat. His feet tapped excitedly. His muscles quivered beneath his scales. He looked, and likely felt, far more alive now.

"Would you like us to dispose of that?" Melzaryn asked, pointing at the pulsing crystal.

Ry'Ha'Dach glared down at the horrible little thing. The frills around his neck rattled with a rage he hadn't been able to express in ages. His jaw dropped open.

The air between his mouth and the ground warbled, but there was no roar nor visible breath weapon.

The shard rattled violently into the air as though affected by some great force. The very air vibrated with a violent hum.

Ry'Ha'Dach snapped his jaw shut.

The crystal clattered to the floor.

"Curious. It cannot be destroyed by the psychic dissonance of my breath," he said with a voice still hoarse from underuse but far stronger than it had been only moments ago. "Take it if you wish. I do not wish to see it any longer."

Melzaryn nodded. "I won't touch it because that looked dangerous," he said to Forfend.

It hummed. "It was. I did not think it would invade my senses through so many layers of protection."

"I'll cast Unseen Servant." Melzaryn snapped his fingers and looked to the air at his left. "Pick that up for me please and drop it here." He held open one of the many pouches on his belt.

A moment later, the Calamity Crystal began levitating.

A vibrant pulse of blue shocked through the Unseen Servant and lit up what appeared to be a humanoid nervous system that now floated in a horrifically disembodied-looking state.

The Unseen Servant was no longer unseen.

Luckily, without a mind or any capacity to feel pain or emotion, it continued on with its task. It deposited the shard into Melzaryn's pouch.

The startling blue blinked out, returning the Unseen Servant to its proper lack of appearance. The pouch zipped closed.

"Thank you," Melzaryn said to the air. He turned to the rest of them. "That was very strange."

"I did not like that display at all," Forfend shook its head, feeling perturbed.

Ry'Ha'Dach sighed, immediately looking more relaxed now that the shard was out of sight.

"I thank you, brave heroes," he said. "How may I ever repay you for what you've done for me this day?"

Forfend shook its broad head. "Nothing wanted."

"Are you sure?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"I am certain," Forfend nodded once. "The genasi asked for our help. We gave it. That is all."

"Oh." Ry'Ha'Dach blinked. He tilted his head up, considering this. Something of a smile quirked the corners of his mouth. "I am used to the greed and the envy of outsiders in the Land. You are a breath of fresh air."

Forfend's chest lit up bright orange.

"If you'd like to repay us with something," Melzaryn piped up, "one thing that would be beneficial to me is if you could tell me if you've ever met any silver dragons."

"Silver dragons," Ry'Ha'Dach mused. "Not in a very long time. I've been residing here since my injury a century or two ago."

He perked up, his ears springing forward. "However! I could grant you an item that would help you in your search, if that is what you seek."

"That would be great. Because I've got this," he trailed off and held out his arm, showing off silver scales as he let a magic sheen pass over them, "and I don't know where it came from."

"A sorcerer," Ry'Ha'Dach observed. "Well, in that case, try this."

He held out his clawed hand. A distant gold pile rattled, coins sliding down it. A sphere made up of multiple spinning rings burst free of the riches and floated to Melzaryn. It hovered over his hands before collapsing into a flat disc and dropping into his outstretched palms.

In the center of it sat a tiny glass dome.

"Place a drop of your blood within the glass and activate it," Ry'Ha'Dach instructed. "It shall float beside you once you do that. When it senses one of your kin nearby, it will react and pulse with light."

"Perfect. This will be extremely helpful." Melzaryn bowed reverently and shuffled off to the side to set up his new device.

"May I ask a couple of questions," Forfend hummed.

"Please do, my stone friend," Ry'Ha'Dach nodded.

"How were you wounded?"

"I was wounded during the initial war against us," Ry'Ha'Dach rumbled, folding his paws over each other and settling in to tell his tale. "King Falco and his armies attacked us. I defended the genasi villages the best that I could, but a stray arrow struck me and I was incapacitated by such a small thing during that grand battle."

"No idea who shot you?" Forfend asked.

Ry'Ha'Dach shook his head. "No, I am not aware."

Forfend hummed low in its center. "What is the thought taker?"

"The thought taker," Ry'Ha'Dach spat, a snarl baring his teeth. The telepathic words resonated in Forfend's mind with such venomous vitriol its own body responded with the sharp shing of metal across a whetstone. "He is the one who stirred the wisest of us all to attack the Howling Plains and give them reason for their invasion. He somehow found his way into the wisest's lair, laid hands upon him, and what followed was horrifying."

Ry'Ha'Dach's claws flexed. He growled. "I was a young dragon when it occurred, hardly more than a wyrmling. I saw a flash of gray and heard the words, 'Give unto me your peace and pacifism.' And then the wisest of us rose up and roared with an anger like I'd never seen. He left. On that very day, he attacked the Howling Plains."

Ry'Ha'Dach sighed mournfully. "The thought taker disappeared without a trace. The next I saw him was in a great battle. He was in many more great battles after that, always wearing the scales of the wisest of us on his back as armor." Ry'Ha'Dach lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"What could you tell me about the thought taker's appearance?" Forfend prodded. It had a hunch this man was the leader of Envema, or at least one of them.

"I..." Ry'Ha'Dach trailed off. His scaly brow ridges knit together.

His confusion washed over Forfend.

"I cannot remember," Ry'Ha'Dach realized. "I only see vivid details, but never the whole. Humanoid. Young, from what I could tell. Not a child, but far from elderly. I distinctly recall male, but no further details beyond that."

"It may have something to do with the trace amounts of Envema magic on you," Forfend theorized.

"That was mentioned!" Ry'Ha'Dach leaned down close to Forfend's face. His forked tongue flicked out of his mouth. "Is there a way you could cleanse it?"

Forfend touched its chest and stirred up the dwindling magic stores in its center. It let little sparks of gold flame fizzle between its fingers. It wouldn't be able to cast the spell it needed right now.

"Not today," Forfend replied honestly. "I will need to rest first."

Ry'Ha'Dach's disappointment reverberated through Forfend's body as he spoke, "Hm. That is fine. I will find you when the time is right. In the meantime..."

A grin cut across Ry'Ha'Dach's face. A flash of green briefly blinded Forfend.

In the dragon's place there now stood a boy not much older than Jace with moss green hair and emerald eyes.

"I'm going to do some investigating of my own," the boy said. "I wish to see what has become of the Land."

Forfend hesitated. All it had heard recently didn't paint Tyrwedia in a good light. The Land was a fraction of what it had once been.

"It is not..." Forfend started, but changed its mind about its phrasing. It hissed steam. "Be prepared for what you will see and know that there are people working to change it."

"I see," Ry'Ha'Dach hummed. He nodded.

A new flash of green and the boy was replaced by a blue jay with feathers of brilliant emerald. Ry'Ha'Dach flit into the air and flew out of the cavern. The stone blocking the entrance audibly removed itself from his path.

The door was open again. They'd succeeded. They could leave.

Kairi smiled and hopped off the dais to comfort her reasonably nervous beetle.

Melzaryn tromped up to Forfend, scrutinizing his staff.

Forfend could see vague forest green energy pulsing around the grip.

"I think it got dragon-touched by the proximity," Melzaryn guessed. "Neat!"

"Interesting," Forfend hummed, though it wasn't sure it knew what that meant. "We should return to River," it decided.

Melzaryn nodded.

They rejoined Kairi at the entrance and meandered their way back into the village cavern.

The entire village had gathered around, whispering and gawking amongst themselves.

"You... You did it." River was staring in the direction Ry'Ha'Dach had flown. His face was slack. He couldn't quite close his mouth. "You saved Ry'Ha'Dach."

"We said that we would," Forfend replied simply.

"My utmost thanks extends to you, Forfend," River said, tearing his eyes off the distant tunnels to meet its gaze. He bowed his head.

Jewel and Flint approached and followed suit.

A wave of bowed heads swept through the genasi crowd.

Forfend's chest lit up a soft pinkish-red. It returned the gesture.

"Did Ry'Ha'Dach gift you a reward yet?" River asked.

"He offered," Forfend hummed.

"And you refused?!" River's eyes darted down the open pathway to Ry'Ha'Dach's lair and then around to the dragon's other riches scattered about the village, undoubtedly confused as to why they would take none of it.

"Well, Melzaryn got a... whatever that thing would be called." Forfend pointed at the strange floating device.

Melzaryn turned in a circle before he caught sight of where the oddity trailed him. "Yeah, this! I asked for a little help finding family."

"All I would've asked was what his favorite flower was," Kairi shrugged. "I would've liked to give him one before he left."

"Well, there is surely something we could give you in return for what you've done," River offered. He looked bewildered more than anything. "We will take up a collection."

"No." Forfend shook its head firmly. "That is not necessary."

"What?"

Forfend shrugged. "I believe that your people are dealing with enough right now. Paying us is not a necessity. I did not help, none of us did, for money."

Kairi smiled up at Forfend and nodded her agreement.

"I helped because I really wanted to meet a dragon in person," Melzaryn piped up. "I've studied them for decades, but this is the first time I've ever seen one."

"I... see." River blinked and tilted his head, considering the information the same way Ry'Ha'Dach had. "Thank you, Forfend. You are too kind."

The light of Forfend's chest shifted from red to orange. It nodded once.

It caught itself scanning the crowd.

Kiyori leaned against one of the houses. She wasn't glaring at it for once. She was just observing, looking it over with what Forfend hoped was new perspective.

Forfend slowly lumbered toward her.

She watched it approach with scrutiny and said nothing when it reached her.

It knelt.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I apologize," it said sincerely. "I probably did not make you very happy returning like this."

"The genasi needed it," Kiyori replied. She tilted her chin into the air. "I'm not going to complain about that."

"As promised, I will leave you alone the best that I can from this point onward."

Kiyori nodded. "Mhm."

"But if you were to need me or the genasi were to need me, please never hesitate to ask. I will always help," Forfend promised.

"That's up to them, not me." Kiyori folded her arms and watched it from her peripheral vision.

Aloof.

Forfend had expected as much, though it was glad to see she was less angry than she had been before.

It ducked its head low and stood slowly, turning to leave her alone.

It could feel her eyes on its back.

Kairi wedged herself against its side once they were out of earshot. "Why does she hate you so much?"

Forfend's footsteps faltered. Had Kairi seen that in her emotions? It shook its head and tried not to dwell.

Some people would never like or respect it. That was okay.

"She dislikes demigods," it answered. "And she is right to do so."

"Let's head out," Melzaryn said as he sauntered over with River right behind him.

Forfend nodded.

Kairi hopped back up onto Wisteria's back. "Let's go, Wisty."

River led them back through the lengthy, winding paths. He took them to the enormous trees at the mouth of the cave and touched one. The same spell as before engulfed the group.

River passed right through the tree trunk.

Everyone followed right behind.

Forfend touched the bark and hesitated at the solidness for a moment. It hummed to itself and pushed through.

They found themselves at the genasi hideout again.

"Your wounded," Forfend started immediately. "I did not get the chance to heal them last time. May I please?"

River blinked. "I... Yes. Come in."

Forfend followed him into the storage building. It let itself into the room the wounded were housed in.

There were so very many of them here, some in much worse condition than others.

"I am here to heal. Bring me your most critically wounded first," Forfend requested. "I may run out of magic before I am done."

The genasi stared blankly.

River set to work doing as Forfend had asked.

A few of the least injured jumped up to help.

Forfend sat down and put the Orison Aegis in its lap. It placed both hands upon the shield and began a slow, rumbling prayer in Celestial.

An aura of healing light emanated from its chest and engulfed the wounded in its proximity.

Their injuries knit themselves closed and faded away over the course of several minutes.

The next group of ailing genasi took their place as Forfend reached the end of its prayer and started over from the top.

Its magic was pouring rapidly from its core. It had very nearly bottomed out its last reserves. That was alright. It would have the opportunity to rest soon.

Forfend watched as the third new group was switched in. All of them were capable of standing with minimal or no assistance. If these were the most wounded people now remaining, then it had already saved all those who may not have survived their wounds alone.

Forfend drew up the last spare magic it had and unleashed the divine warmth as it repeated its prayer from the start a third time.

The radiating aura faded as Forfend's energy ran dry. It hissed steam.

The last few injuries on the wounded genasi disappeared just as the aura rose like steam off their bodies and dissipated.

"Are you an elemental?" one of the genasi asked. She had skin so light gray it was nearly white and citrine crystal clusters that cascaded from her head to frame her face.

Forfend was struck with the beauty of every new earth genasi it encountered. They were all astoundingly natural in a way it had never been. The difference was both negligible and stark, and Forfend found that compelling.

"I am not," it remembered to answer.

"Then what are you?" asked a man of dusty red with bismuth crystals creating geometric spires all across the top of his head.

"A Fornaxian. A machine created by Fornax," it hummed.

The genasi all muttered amongst themselves. They were confused, curious, and somewhat skeptical.

River nudged it. "Thank you."

Forfend nodded. "I do not wish to upset Kiyori, but I will always be available should you need me. Do not hesitate to ask."

River grunted affirmatively.

"We must return to Cragwall for the moment," Forfend hummed. "I hope to see you all again."

It bowed its head politely to River and the rest of the genasi.

Forfend took its leave, meeting up outside with Melzaryn, Kairi, and Wisteria.

Erzor awaited as well.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

Forfend nodded.

"Since you saved the dragon, we won't need those blindfolds anymore," Erzor grinned.

"Oh, excellent!" Melzaryn clapped his hands and pointed. "Town's that way."

"You knew where we were the entire time?" a nervous young woman with sandy-colored skin and raw jade crystals asked.

Forfend was curious about just the same, but it found itself paying more attention to the natural divots and angles of the stone formations covering her scalp.

"Not until I came here," Melzaryn shook his head. "But I remember the route."

"You were blindfolded!"

"So? I know when I turn left or right."

"Somehow, it did not occur to me that you would simply memorize the entire path," Forfend hummed.

"You witnessed me map out the entire underside of Cragwall in five minutes," Melzaryn reminded it.

"I did not think that was the same," Forfend said. "Your eyes were doing something odd then. I thought that was related to your mapmaking."

"It was, but still."

"Who brought you here?!" the woman cried. "The turns are supposed to take you in dozens of disorienting circles!"

"Alright, time to go!" Erzor hollered. He ushered them away from the camp as quickly as he possibly could.

The walk out of the Llardel Forest was much easier and shorter now that they were taking a direct route.

Erzor stopped at the east gate. "Stay safe, alright?" he said before turning back the way they'd come.

"You as well," Forfend called, waving to him.

It, Melzaryn, Kairi, and Wisteria made their way through the quiet evening streets.

Eamon's house looked calm and undisturbed as they arrived. Forfend huffed a jet of relieved steam. It was getting tired of all the excitement lately.

It dusted off its feet and let itself into the house.

Melzaryn followed behind it, removing his shoes in the corridor.

Kairi took Wisteria around to the side of the house to settle in before she came indoors.

Forfend followed the sounds of amicable chatter into the living room.

Farley listened with rapt attention as Howell spoke.

"Ah, you have met," Forfend hummed.

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?!" Farley just barely schooled his voice below a yell.

Forfend cocked its head. "I told you he made breakfast."

"I thought he left after that!"

"Evidently not," Forfend said.

Howell got up and placed a pearl in Melzaryn's hand as he entered the room. "Thanks for letting me borrow that."

"No problem," Melzaryn nodded and pocketed the pearl.

Three rhythmic, perfectly spaced knocks struck the front door.

Melzaryn's eyes lit up. "That should be for me."

He tromped to the front door.

Forfend tilted its head at Farley and Howell. "Did Kagoshi ever return home."

"He did," Howell confirmed. "Seemed pissed. Holed himself up in the guest bedroom with Duncan."

"I see." Forfend wondered what Kagoshi had been up to out in the woods, but it would have to find out later. "I believe we should collect them and the lot of us should find an inn to stay in. Eamon is quite stressed having so many people in his home."

"Where are we going?" Farley asked.

"The Brass Buffalo will be the best place," Forfend decided. "I will let Eamon know we are going."

Farley nodded.

Forfend knocked gently on Eamon's door.

Eamon opened it, looking exhausted.

"We are moving everyone to an inn. This space will be wholly yours again within the hour," Forfend promised.

"Oh." Eamon's demeanor immediately brightened. He tried to subdue it into something more polite and casual. "It was nice working with you. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Cragwall."

Forfend ducked its head politely. It made its way around the house to inform the rest of the inhabitants.

It didn't take anyone very long to collect their things. The entire extended group was packed and headed out the door in less than thirty minutes.

"For your troubles," Forfend said, turning back to Eamon and placing five gold coins into his hand.

Eamon smiled slightly, closed the door, and released an audible sigh of relief from within the comfort of his finally empty home.

Forfend hummed to itself.

It and the rest of the haphazard crew followed Melzaryn through the streets to the Brass Buffalo.

Kairi paused. "I have a stop to make. I'll meet you back here soon."

She skipped off.

Forfend waved to her as she disappeared around the corner.

Everyone made their way into the tavern.

Narmouth lit up as they entered and rushed to meet them by the door. He glanced over the new additions curiously. "Welcome back! How can I help you?"

"We need rooms," Kagoshi gruffed.

At the bar, one patron's head snapped up at the sound of Kagoshi's voice. He looked to Kagoshi, then Forfend, and finally Howell's obscured form.

He nearly dropped his drink. He scrambled from his seat and dashed from the inn.

Forfend recognized him then. He'd been the man that got caught in the alley with them in the midst of their battle against Howell and the other Envema members. He was frightened, but ultimately alright. That was good.

It turned its attention back to the matter at hand.

"I will be covering these three." Forfend hovered its hands over Farley, Duncan, and Howell.

Howell shook his head. "Thank you, but I'll cover myself."

"That will be five silver for you," Narmouth said.

Howell nodded, paid his due, and found his way up to a room.

"Seven copper each for the rest of you," Narmouth smiled.

Forfend lit its chest. It placed twenty-one copper into his hand and escorted Duncan and Farley upstairs.

"I hate to see a building broken," Melzaryn mentioned. He flipped a gold coin into Narmouth's hand and followed Forfend up.

"Oh, thank you!" Narmouth called. "Do you want any food or anything before you go?"

"I could go for some food," Kagoshi answered first.

"Do you want another Death Wish?!" the goblin cook hollered.

"Sure."

Forfend shook its broad head and continued to their rooms.

Melzaryn, on the other hand, headed back down to presumably get food and watch whatever commotion Kagoshi was going to cause.

A loud thud sounded almost immediately.

Forfend hissed steam. It made sure its two companions safely entered their rooms before returning downstairs.

Kagoshi was flat on his back and out cold. He snored softly.

"Well, I'll be damned. He lived again," the cook commented, amazed.

Forfend hefted Kagoshi up and carried him to his room without a word. It unceremoniously dumped him in his bed and returned to its own room.

It settled into a spot on the floor. Immediately, it was hammered by the day's exertion. It clicked its rune off to rest.

The night crawled slowly past. Forfend lit its rune in the early hours of the morning when the sunlight outside its window was just barely cresting from purple into pinkish-orange. It made its way downstairs to sit in the tavern.

Melzaryn joined it next, yawning through his breakfast order.

Kairi and Kagoshi made their way down late in the morning.

Narmouth met them at their table as soon as they were all assembled. "I got a message for you all late last night," he said.

He placed an envelope down on the table.

Kagoshi groaned, his face tucked into his pulled up hood. "Could you talk quieter? I have a headache," he whispered.

"Mm, sorry," Narmouth nodded and left them to their own devices.

Melzaryn picked the envelope up. It was pristine and bore a black wax seal sporting the royal crest.

Melzaryn opened it and scanned through the contents of the letter within.

"Oh, that's nice," he nodded. "King Falco says he's got us a means to Foumedo and back again if we want it. He also says when we return, our work will begin in earnest."

Forfend hummed, its chest lighting up. "When does it leave? How long can we stay?"

"Today," Melzaryn shared. "In about an hour, actually. Sounds like it'll have to be a short trip though. He's only counting on us spending one night to rest there before we return."

"I was hoping for more, but our work here is prudent," Forfend sighed in a long rush of steam. "I am prepared to meet our means of travel immediately. Our all of you or any of you accompanying me?"

"I won't," Melzaryn decided. "I've got a lot of things in this city that I need to do. Including finally setting us up a meeting date with the Summerstead patriarch."

Forfend sat up straighter. It had nearly forgotten about that amid everything else going on.

"I want to go!" Kairi raised her hand up high and waved it around.

Forfend chuckled softly. "Certainly."

"No," Kagoshi whined, drawing out the word.

"But we'll get to see Jace," Kairi prodded.

Kagoshi huffed. "Fine."

"Yay!" Kairi hopped up and rushed back to her room to gather up her things.

The three of them were on the carriage headed back to Foumedo as quickly as they could possible be.

Forfend couldn't so much as dim the brilliant light from its chest. Excitement bubbled up in its core. It was finally going to see its family again!

It reached for its replenished magic stores and cast Sending, envisioning Fletch in its mind.

"I am finally on the way home to visit," it projected. "I should be there within the week."

"Forfend!" Fletch shouted back across the link. "You're really coming home?! I've missed you so much, buddy! I can't wait! I'll let everybody know you're on the way and we'll all--"

He'd run out of words and cut himself off again.

Forfend could help the rumbling chuckle in its chest. Already, it was feeling impatient to reach its home.

Luckily, travel by carriage was several days quicker than travel on foot. The days passed by rather easily. Nothing eventful happened.

Forfend stared out the carriage window as they drew into Foumedo. There were people around it didn't recognize. Quite a lot of them, in fact. New faces were on guard duty.

That was good. More people in the town guard would be immensely helpful.

Forfend figured the host of new folks were the guards from the Galloford occupation who'd chosen to stay behind and move in. Fletch had managed to briefly mention that in his first Sending message.

The carriage came to a stop in the center of town.

Kairi and Kagoshi filed out first.

Forfend carefully freed itself from the tight interior and touched down on the cobblestone plaza.

Home.

The sights and sounds and smells and the feel of the very air relaxed it.

Jace's eyes lit up from where he sat on the edge of the fountain. He jumped up and screamed, "Forfend's home!" at the top of his little lungs.

Everyone in town froze and stared. A clamoring chatter went up. Everyone approached, yelling greetings.

Forfend's chest brightened to the vibrant orange of melting metal.

Jace put on his little helmet, charged Forfend, and leapt straight into its arms.

It caught him and hugged him as gently at it could before lifting him up to his favorite spot on its shoulders.

It turned to the rest of the villagers and approached them with its arms thrown wide.

Joyful hugs were had all around.

"Forfend!" Fletch tore through the crowd, leaving Jessie in the dust.

He paused for a second to look Forfend over, tears in the corners of his eyes and a grin plastered across his face.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" He jumped into Forfend's arms just the way Jace had.

Forfend lifted him up and squeezed him so tight it heard his back pop. "I missed you dearly," it hummed, emotion seeping into its usually monotonous voice.

Fletch wheezed, but didn't loosen his grip on it in the slightest. "You were gone for twelve days too long."

Was that really all it had been? Forfend figured so, but what a rough twelve days they were.

Jessie eventually managed to free himself from the crowd and tuck himself against Forfend's side for his own hug.

"How did it all go?" Jessie asked.

"Obviously, it went well since they let you go," Fletch grinned at his husband. "But yeah! How was it?!"

The whole town waited with bated breath for Forfend's answer.

Forfend hummed low in its chest as it attempted to figure out how it was going to sum up the mess of situations.

"Well, it was not a lot of fun," Forfend allowed, steam hissing loudly in its chest. "I can tell you that."

"Yep, I knew it," Byr shouted, ever the codger.

"You were right," Forfend directed its gaze to Joel as it spoke. "There are a lot of conspiracies in the large cities."

"I told y'all! You all thought I was crazy!" Joel hollered.

"You are crazy!" Byr snapped right back.

Forfend chuckled like grinding stone.

"Let's get you settled in," Jessie quietly suggested. "You must be tired."

Forfend nodded.

They strode through the crowd.

Forfend waved to everyone as they made their way towards its home.

"So are you back now?" Jessie asked.

"Regrettably, no," Forfend replied. "I have work to do."

"Oh." Jessie's brows creased.

Fletch pouted.

"Aww," Jace whined from his place atop Forfend's shoulders. "Well, before you leave again, let me go get you something to eat!" He scaled down Forfend's back and hit the ground running.

"He's been saving up pebbles since you left," Fletch chuckled. "I think he thinks you haven't eaten since he ain't fed you."

"I see." Forfend nodded. "I will accept as always."

Jace didn't waste any time running back to them with a burlap sack of pebbles nearly the same size he was. He strained and grunted as he dragged it across the ground.

He dumped the sack of stones at Forfend's feet.

"I know you're hungry since you've been gone so long," Jace panted. "So I've been finding you all the best rocks!"

He pulled one from the very top of the pile and held it up. "Look! This one's shiny and round!"

Forfend inspected the little glimmering stone. "It is. Very much so. Did you get this from the river?"

"Yeah! I found it in the mud." Jace's eyes went wide. "But don't worry! I washed it off!"

Forfend let a rumbling chuckle roll through it. "Thank you. That is very kind."

Jace beamed.

Forfend's chest couldn't possibly glow any brighter, but the light fluctuated as though it was trying.

"I will take this home with me," it promised. "You should return to Mavis. Your mother will be worried about losing you in the crowd."

Jace hugged Forfend's legs. "Okay, but you have to play with me later!"

"Certainly," it nodded.

Jace dashed off.

Forfend hefted its new sack of rocks.

Fletch took its free hand and tugged it along. "You've got to see the new place they're building."

He pointed out a new structure going up on the outskirts of town.

"It's housing for all the new citizens," Jessie mentioned.

"I am glad to see Foumedo growing. More helping hands will be good for the town," Forfend hummed. "I would like to see it more in depth, but I feel I should speak with the two of you privately about my time away first."

"Yeah, of course," Jessie said.

"Storytime?" Fletch grinned.

"Storytime," Forfend agreed.

The little crew made their way into Fletch's and Jessie's home.

Forfend ducked and sidled through the doorway. It sat down on the floor in front of the couch.

Fletch and Jessie took their spots pressed against each other right in front of it.

"So what's the story?" Fletch prompted. He was nearly vibrating with excitement.

Jessie looked far more subdued, but no less interested.

Forfend let a lengthy bout of steam rush through its chest. It launched into the full, honest, no-holds-barred version of events. It hid nothing from them. Not demons, not cultists, not even dragons.

They'd kept its demigod identity secret from the rest of the town these past two years. They were its family. It trusted them and felt it owed them the whole truth.

Fletch and Jessie stared, enraptured by the tale.

Fletch couldn't seem to get his jaw to close.

Jessie's eyes were saucers.

When it finally finished speaking, they both took several minutes to process before anyone spoke.

Jessie swallowed hard. "I've heard of Envema. Sometimes, the news makes it out this far. I just thought they were a boogeyman story."

"They are disturbingly real," Forfend hummed grimly.

Jessie nodded slowly. "But, I mean, hey, you saved a dragon. Maybe that'll help."

"Let us hope," Forfend said.

"And you caught the attention of the king." Jessie sounded awestruck and concerned. "Wow."

"That is also going to be quite the situation," Forfend hissed steam.

"My guy's famous!" Fletch suddenly hollered, a huge grin threatening to escape the confines of his cheeks.

Forfend couldn't help but laugh, rocks grinding deep in its chest as it lit up bright orange.

"You saved a whole town! You saved a bunch of protestors! You saved the Brass Buffalo! You even saved a dragon!" Fletch playfully punched Forfend in the shoulder. Forfend saw him wince as he pulled his scraped knuckles back and shook out his hand, but his smile never faltered. "Just look at you!"

Forfend chuckled. "Speaking of me," it began, "I have learned a good deal more about myself in my time away."

"Really?" Fletch settled comfortably back in his seat and clasped his hands, waiting impatiently for the story.

Forfend hummed for a moment.

It meandered through the tale of its visions, its call to work, and its fluctuating faith. It described the situation in which it had lost its metal coating and been left irreparably damaged in its present state.

Fletch held a finger out to stop it there. The explanation of it being flayed alive by a god had evidently gotten to him.

He stepped around the back of the house, retched into the grass, and immediately returned to his seat. "Alright, continue," he said as though that hadn't just happened.

Jessie gave his husband a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"The most difficult thing in all of this is what I have learned of demigods. We alter the world around us whether we intend to or not just by our proximity to people," Forfend hummed. "My influence may never fade, given that I was buried near the town for millennia. I do not want to alter the way that all of you think and act. It frightens me."

Jessie shook his head. "I don't know what I do or don't believe about demigods, but I don't think you've changed us by being here. If anything, you've changed us by being kind. Don't fret over things you can't fix and especially not over things that don't need fixing. Everyone here is happy and they're glad you're here."

Forfend hummed long and low in its center. It hadn't expected Jessie and Fletch to have advice on this. It had only wanted to inform them. It couldn't help but worry about how casual they were regarding all of this. Was that its fault?

"So, do you want to answer Fornax's call?" Fletch asked tentatively.

"To the best of my ability, yes," it replied.

"Well, what do you need?" Jessie offered immediately.

Forfend tilted its head. "The trouble is that I am really not sure. I do have something for you though."

"Oh?" Jessie sat forward. "What's that?"

"A few things, actually," Forfend clarified.

It pulled the Summerstead red wine it had gotten in Brightcrossing from its bag and placed it in Jessie's hands.

"Wow," Jessie almost startled. "This stuff is really expensive, you know? You didn't have to--"

"It was a gift to me and now to you," Forfend cut him off.

"We'll save it for a special occasion."

Fletch was already shaking his head. "Wait a minute. Why don't we go ahead and open it up now! I want to give it a try!"

"Well..." Jessie hesitated. "I guess Forfend coming home is a special occasion."

"Yeah!" Fletch jumped up and ran to the kitchen. He was back in a flash with three wine glasses.

Jessie popped the cork off the bottle and filled Fletch's glass followed by his own. He left the third one empty for Forfend.

"A toast to your return," Jessie smiled.

It picked up its glass and gently tinked it against both of theirs.

Both of them took a sip of their wine and paused to savor the taste.

Jessie nodded his approval.

Fletch turned his glass up to gulp more.

Jessie grabbed Fletch's wrist and pushed his hand back down until the glass was on the table. He chuckled. "I know it's good, but don't get yourself drunk."

"Right, sorry." Fletch blushed and scratched at the back of his neck. "It's just really good shit."

"I also have these for you," Forfend hummed.

It pulled several oversized pouches from its belt and set them out across the table.

The contents were the majority of the money it had collected throughout its time away.

The amount was astronomical, literally thousands of gold. Which was thousands more gold than Forfend could ever recall seeing in one place before.

If guessed Fletch and Jessie would be the same.

Fletch leaned forward and opened the smallest bag. His back went rigid.

Jessie choked on his sip of wine.

"Gods above, we're rich!" Fletch hollered.

"I want you to use this for the town, and the house, and to enclose the forge," Forfend instructed.

Fletch gasped. He slapped his hand over his mouth. "To close in the forge?" he nearly whispered.

"Yes," Forfend nodded.

Tears pricked the corners of Fletch's eyes. He snapped a handful of platinum out of the bag, crashed through the front door, and charged Byr.

"Are you sure you don't want to keep some of this?" Jessie asked.

"I am keeping a bit of it." Forfend pat a pouch at its side. "But the majority is yours."

"I don't know what to say."

Forfend lit its chest up bright.

"Thank you," Jessie settled.

"I think that you, Fletch, and the town as a whole deserve it," Forfend said.

"Thank you," Jessie repeated. "Are you sure you don't want to take more of it back?"

Forfend shook its head. "I have shared all that I can which is exactly as much as I wanted to."

"What the fuck?!" Byr's voice called faintly from outside.

A minute later, Fletch made his way back inside. He was vibrating giddily.

"Byr says he'll get it for me just as soon as he's done with the new place for the new folks," he said, his voice an octave higher from pure excitement. "He ain't never seen a platinum piece in real life before either! Asked me where I got it. You should've seen his face when I said Forfend brought me a couple hundred of them!"

Fletch squeezed Forfend in the tightest hug he could manage.

Forfend pat his back. "I am glad you are happy. I have wanted to be able to close in the forge for you since the first winter I worked with you."

"Aww, you big sap," Fletch sniffled. "I love you."

"I love you too," Forfend hummed.

"Hey, listen," Jessie began. "You've told us all the wild stuff that's happened to you lately and you talked about that thing with the hound demon..."

Forfend straightened its back. A concerned hum reverberated through it.

"I just want to know how you're feeling," Jessie finished.

"Things have been very difficult recently," it answered honestly. "I often find myself feeling nervous. Unsure."

"Well, if there's anything I know about you, it's that you can do whatever you set your mind to," Jessie smiled at it. "I mean, you're a demigod and that's one thing, but you're also Forfend. Look what you've done lately."

Jessie spread his arms. "Look what you've accomplished in Cragwall in two days. Look what you've accomplished in Tyrwedia in just twelve days. Not even quite two weeks." He held up his hands and started ticking items off on his fingers. "You defeated an Atroxian cultist twice. You slayed two greater demons. You saved a whole bunch of people from a collapsing teleportation hub, thwarted two or three different terrorist attacks, and you saved a dragon. In two weeks!"

"Not alone, mind you," Forfend reasoned.

"But you did it," Jessie said matter-of-factly. "Do you think they could've done it without you?"

Forfend turned to look out the window behind it.

Jace was sitting on Wisteria's back while Kairi carefully watched to make certain he wouldn't fall off the enormous beetle.

Bell bounded around them, barking incessantly to no avail.

Wisteria didn't seem to mind the noisy dog in the slightest.

Jace slid off Wisteria's back and tromped over to Kagoshi. He pulled a bunch of smooshed flowers from his pocket and shoved them up into Kagoshi's hands.

To Forfend's surprise, Kagoshi took them with an expression that seemed to attempt to portray kindness. Or at least, he wasn't scowling.

Jace took a flower crown off his head and offered it up to Kagoshi as well.

Forfend wondered if Kairi had made it or taught Jace how. It noticed Wisteria had one around its horn as well.

Kagoshi crouched down to allow Jace to bestow the flower crown upon his head.

Jace jumped around excitedly and ran back to play with Wisteria some more.

"Look at that," Jessie said, following its gaze. "You did that. Those two never would've gone to Cragwall without you. They probably would've kept heading south."

"Perhaps," Forfend hummed.

Despite its uncertain words, its chest had brightened itself with all the warmth of a sunrise.

"Come on, Forfend, I know that look," Jessie teased. "You're literally glowing."

"If I could turn it off, I would," it rumbled, a low chuckle emanating from it.

"No, you wouldn't."

"Perhaps not." Steam huffed through its chest. If it were possible, the light in Forfend's center brightened.

"You're doing good," Jessie insisted.

"I am certainly trying." Forfend touched its metal brace and traced its broad fingers lightly across the steel. "That reminds me, I do have one more thing I would like to show you."

"Sure," Jessie allowed.

"To the forge?" It stood.

"Oh? Sure, why not?" Fletch piped up. He led the way outdoors to the workshop.

Forfend inspected the space. It wasn't as clean as Forfend usually kept it. That was Fletch's least favorite part of upkeep and it seemed he'd been slacking off a bit in its absence.

Small, eccentric sculptures made up of bent nails littered one table.

Forfend took notice that several of them were in its approximate shape.

"You have been busy," it commented.

Fletch shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "Well, you know, nothing's really been needing made or fixed and I got a little bit bored."

Stone grumbled in Forfend's chest with its odd chuckle. "What do you have around that needs fixed or improved?"

Fletch and Jessie both started rattling off items until they were practically rambling.

"Could always use a new hammer, need to fix that door, lost my good tongs, nicer knives in the kitchen would be great..."

"Wore out the washboard, could really use new armor, one of the new guys managed to break a sword the other day, I need a new spear..."

"Your spear," Forfend latched onto that particular complaint. The others could quite easily be solved by all the money it had gifted them, but this was something only it would be able to do. "Give me your spear."

Jessie handed the weapon right over without a second's hesitation.

"I learned some new tricks," Forfend stated proudly.

It turned to the nearest open work space and let itself drop into its trance state.

"What?!" Fletch gasped as the golden sparks scattered harmlessly about the area.

He was familiar with the black smoke billowing from Forfend's back, but the golden embers were new to him.

Fletch spoke further, but Forfend was rapidly sinking too deep into its work to hear or understand.

All it knew was what it wanted this spear to be and how to get it there. Everything else faded from its perception.

Forfend worked with blinding speed and very soon came aware again.

It tilted its head at the finished spear in its hands.

Fine work, even if Forfend did say so itself.

The speartip was frighteningly sharp and far sturdier than it had been before. Geometric shapes were etched around the thickest point. A sheen of magic glinted off the metal.

Forfend nodded, passing the weapon back to Jessie.

Jessie gripped the spear in his hands. He gave himself space and jabbed forward. He seemed to sense the difference. He readjusted his grip and knit his brows thoughtfully.

The next jab saw the speartip burst into flame.

Jessie startled, nearly dropping his weapon. "Whoa!"

Fletch squealed. He applauded like he'd just seen a masterclass play. "Where the hell did you learn that?! Because I need to go there and learn it too!"

"I discovered it by accident," Forfend hummed. "In Gilthur's Forge in Brightcrossing."

"Gilthur?!" Byr hollered.

He stomped to them just as quickly as his short dwarven legs would carry him. "What were you doing with that witch?" he demanded.

Forfend drummed its fingers on its chest and tilted its head, amused. "Learning witch techniques."

"Now you listen here, alright? I don't know what the hell he does, but that shit's witchcraft. You best stay away from him," Byr warned. He was joking. Forfend knew as much. But he hardly sounded like it.

"I am also still an expert in masonry," Forfend promised. "I have not forgotten what I learned from you either."

"Good!" Byr eyed Forfend suspiciously. "Don't you forget it and you leave that old witch alone. You're lucky I let you stick with that human tornado."

Fletch laughed as Byr pointed an accusing finger at him.

Byr slowly backed up. "You stay away from him, alright?"

Forfend chuckled rather than answering.

"Alright?" Byr repeated as he continued backing away.

Forfend waved to him.

"Alright?!" Byr said a third time. He was nearly out of earshot.

"No promises," Forfend finally answered.

"You're killing me!" he yelled before stomping back to his work.

Fletch's face was crinkled with entertained joy. "Human Tornado. Right good name for a bard group, wouldn't you say?"

Jessie laughed. "No."

"I have missed Byr's aggressive cynicism," Forfend said.

"Forfend." Jessie stepped in front of it. "I just want to say thank you again. You gave us the wine and all that money and now you've made me a magical spear. Just wow."

Fletch put his work gloves on and took the weapon from Jessie's hands. He prodded at the tip. "How come it's not on fire now?"

Fletch flipped the spear around and jabbed with it.

The tip erupted in flames once more.

Fletch jolted so hard he dropped the weapon. It clattered to the floor.

Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, maybe you should keep that," Fletch decided. He tentatively picked the spear up and returned it to Jessie.

"Mhm," Jessie agreed. He looked to Forfend again. "You've got all day and night, right? You don't have to go until tomorrow morning?"

Forfend nodded.

"Then let's throw a party in the town hall," Jessie suggested. "What do you think, Fletch?"

"Ooh," Fletch grinned. "You give me a couple hours. I'll have everything set up!"

He darted from the forge into the streets as quickly as he could run.

"You deserve a celebration, don't you think?" Jessie said.

"I certainly do want to enjoy the Foumedo tradition of impromptu parties before I leave again," it teased.

Jessie grinned. "Come on, we can tour the town and you can meet the new folks in the meantime."

"That sounds wonderful."

The greetings and introductions took longer than Forfend expected. More guards had decided to stay than it would've guessed. They were all friendly. They seemed to be fitting in well in their new home.

Unlike the meetings, the party slipped away from Forfend faster than it would've liked.

It danced and talked and hugged nearly every citizen in Foumedo, but the night was over remarkably quickly.

Forfend retired to its own room in its own home against its own will, but it needed to rest. Everyone else had already gone to bed by the time it pulled itself away from watching the silent village.

It settled in and shut its rune off only for daybreak to take it by surprise what felt like minutes later.

Too soon, it was time to go.

Forfend hissed steam and got itself up.

It was greeted immediately by the entire population of Foumedo surrounding the carriage it would be taking back to Cragwall.

Jace tackled its leg and hugged it, tears steaming down his face. "Come visit, okay?"

"I will. As soon as I can," it promised.

"Take care of yourself, big guy." Avery pat its shoulder.

"Stay safe," Mavis told it.

"And you watch them big city types," Joel growled.

Jessie hugged Forfend. "You're going to do amazing things out there. You know you will."

Fletch had tears streaming down his face just the way Jace did. "You got everything you need? All your tools? You want to rest another hour or two? Stay for breakfast?"

Forfend wrapped Fletch in a gentle hug. "I have all I need and I cannot keep King Falco waiting. I will come home again. My journey will stop here many times and it will end here too. I will be back."

"Promise?" Fletch squeaked.

"Promise." It released its dear friend and carefully climbed into the carriage.

It waved to everyone in Foumedo. "I will miss you all! Stay safe! Take care of each other!"

A cheer of affirmatives filled the air.

Forfend shut the door and settled in across from Kagoshi and Kairi, its chest glowing brightly.

The carriage immediately set to course.

The travel back to Cragwall was uneventful. More or less, it was five days of Kairi and Kagoshi playfully bickering.

There was little of note until the group entered Cragwall's southern gate and were immediately greeted by the fully intact Teleportation Hub.

Melzaryn met them just outside the Hub with his usual inscrutable smile on his face. "I was busy while you were gone."

"It seems so," Forfend hummed.

"The problem is gone." He tapped the pouch on his belt where the Calamity Crystal had been stored, but presumably was not stored any longer. "Got the Teleportation Hub up and almost running again. I've been doing a lot of reading at the library too. It's been fun."

Forfend nodded.

"Nerd shit," Kagoshi grumbled.

Kairi giggled.

Melzaryn started to speak, but was interrupted by a new figure inserting himself into their group.

He was a knight, but for once it wasn't High Knight Erest Ledrian.

Instead, it was Garin Doverba, the second-in-command.

This was the first time Forfend was getting a decent look at him.

He was a half elf, judging by his short but pointed ears. His blond hair was closely cropped and well kept. He held himself with an air of authority.

"I have a message from the good king himself," Garin informed. "There have been some developments and some things he wishes for your lot to investigate."

Everyone nodded.

Garin tugged a scroll from his belt and handed it over.

Melzaryn accepted it, unrolling it to read immediately.

"Starts with niceties asking about your stay in Foumedo," he said. "Talks about the work I've been doing. I can update you on whatever you need to know about what's been happening around here. Oh, there's the important stuff."

Melzaryn glanced up at them. "They have some suspects for who might be leading Envema."

"Oh," Forfend straightened, listening intently.

Kairi leaned forward as well.

Even Kagoshi seemed to suddenly tune back into the conversation.

"Odolan Sagemantle and Adhron Galloford, both patriarchs of their respective families," Melzaryn read. "That's fun."

"We have suspicions, but no proof. We need proof beyond doubt," Garin said. "It's your job to find it. The suspicion regarding Highlord Odolan is that the Sagemantle family would have the ability to create magical effects like those seen on Envema members. Highlord Adhron, on the other hand, has the wealth to fund it."

"It may be both," Forfend hummed grimly.

"If you find proof of that, by all means, bring it to us." Garin nodded once and took his leave.

"We have our work cut out for us," Forfend said.

The rest of the group hummed their agreement.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 24

Forfend trudged along, feeling exhausted and downtrodden.

It carefully followed the map Melzaryn had given it.

The group backtracked slowly, meandering out of the Mortal Bulwark.

Climbing back up the ladder was no small feat. All of them, save Duncan, were sore and heavily wounded.

Forfend carefully guarded its core on its climb, lest it bump the exposed sphere against the cold, unforgiving metal.

Ichor spilled endlessly from it, trailing onto the floor behind it. The golden liquid evaporated quickly, but not quite so quickly as it poured from such a massive open wound.

As they moved beneath the Galloford estate again, muffled arguing cut through the floorboards.

Highlord Adhron's voice dripped condescension.

Others in the same room were chattering nervously about an earthquake.

The overlapping cacophony made it difficult to make out much more than the general gist of any given conversation.

Even Kairi shook her head.

They kept moving, not bothering to eavesdrop a second time.

The walk back was slow and winding, but eventually they did make it back to the entrance at the guard barracks.

They emerged onto the sparsely populated, nervous streets. Few were out so late, but the apparent earthquake Forfend and its allies caused had awoken a handful. The guards still around the barracks all seemed on edge.

Kagoshi and Kairi started to trudge back toward Eamon's home.

Forfend hesitated. It looked to the towering cathedral.

"Go with them," it hummed to Duncan.

Duncan nodded. He caught up to the other two.

Forfend hobbled alone to the Grand Cathedral.

No one was around the entrance. The doors were unlocked, but no longer propped open.

Forfend let itself inside.

The inside was similarly deserted.

Every step echoed with haunting melancholy.

The weight on Forfend's shoulders doubled here in this holy place. It felt nearly crushed by the weight of its fear, its sorrows. Its inadequacies.

The priest of Somnum squinted worriedly at Forfend as it passed. He leaned slightly forward on his cane.

He seemed to be the only clergy member still here and he was shepherding over one of the only areas in the temple that still had any people in it at all. There weren't many. Three, maybe four. All of them sleeping soundly.

The priest motioned to Forfend, a question clear on his face as he watched its ichor puddle.

Forfend politely shook its head. Resting would do it no good just yet. It had something it needed to do first.

The priest rested his head on the top of his cane and sighed sullenly.

Forfend kept walking until it reached Fornax's alcove. It stopped, staring up at the enormous statue.

This figure was far smaller than the genuine deity, but hardly less imposing in this moment.

Forfend took a step closer and lowered its gaze. It couldn't look the statue in the face. It carried too much shame in its core.

It covered its core with its broad hand.

No one else was in the forge right now. That was good.

Forfend was struggling to get its thoughts in order. It would struggle further to admit them aloud. At least there would be no further witnesses than itself and Fornax.

Steam hissed long and slow in Forfend's chest.

"I am sorry," it began haltingly. "I have failed. I know you called me to get back to work, but I do not think I am able. I cannot do it any longer. I cannot fight these demons as they arise. I am too far past my prime. Too old. ...Too wounded."

It paused, looking down at its mutilated body. The gushing chunk missing from its chest was hardly what it meant. That was a symptom, not the cause. Its fully missing layer of metal was the true culprit. An injury that hadn't healed in eight thousand years. An injury that wouldn't heal in eight thousand more.

Despite its worries, it knew it couldn't fully abandon Fornax's call.

"But I will still help," it promised. "Here." Another rush of steam passed through its chest. "If you will grant me the ability."

It was asking a lot in the face of its moment of faithlessness against the hound. Yet it had to ask. There was precious little it could do alone.

It lowered its gaze to Fornax's feet as it passed by him to enter the workstation proper.

It dropped gold into the offering plate and let itself into the material storage room.

Forfend wasn't certain what it wanted to make. It collected supplies almost at random, cycling them through its hands as it tried to determine a path to take.

Kagoshi could fight demons. Kagoshi was exceptionally good at fighting demons. He was able to hold them down and wound them with efficiency and brutality.

For all his flaws, he was the better answer to Fornax's call.

Forfend decided upon designing him a pair of gauntlets that would suit his barehanded fighting style.

It collected what it needed and returned to the workstations. It selected one at random and watched as the forge lit itself.

It zoned out as it grappled with the metal in its hands, venting all of its frustrations, all of its fears, all of its disappointment at itself into its craft.

It lacked the durability it used to have. It lacked the unwavering faith it used to have. It lacked the bravery it used to have.

A molten glow emanated from between the cracks in the stones of Forfend's hands.

If it couldn't fight, it would create weapons and armor to keep its allies safe. They didn't have to be fragile, doubting, and cowardly. They didn't have to be like it.

They weren't like it.

The least it could do was arm them.

Forfend became vaguely aware that its forge hammer was glowing with heat powerful enough to meld the metal without first inserting it into the forge.

It sank further into the trance state calling it down.

The world fell away, the thoughts in its head fleeing until it could focus properly on its work.

There was nothing but the task in front of it and the statue watching over its shoulder.

Forfend lost track of time. Everything fell into place exactly as it should, far more easily than Forfend expected.

The gauntlets took form in its hand.

When the palms were open, the metal covering the fingers was smooth. When the fists closed, it revealed jagged spikes designed to deal damage.

The wrists of the gauntlets were heavily reinforced to both withstand damage and provide support.

A magical sheen gleamed off the tips of the spikes.

Forfend observed its work, reasonably satisfied and feeling much less overwhelmed now that it had created something.

It nodded to itself.

It dropped the enchanted gauntlets into a large pouch at its side and began tidying up the workstation it had used.

It sighed a long rush of steam and shuffled out of the workstation.

Three distant strikes of a hammer on metal resounded at the very edge of Forfend's hearing.

It froze in its steps, almost uncertain if had heard anything at all.

It turned.

The flames burning in the forge in Fornax's belly were golden. Brilliantly, radiantly golden.

The fire quickly flickered back to its mundane oranges and yellows.

That wasn't an answer, but it was an acknowledgement.

Fornax had heard its anguish.

At the very least, it hadn't been abandoned for the blatant mistrust it had shown in the Mortal Bulwark. That was more grace than it felt it deserved, but it was glad to have it.

It wandered back to the priest of Somnum.

Without a word, the priest began arranging blankets and pillows in a configuration large enough to accommodate Forfend.

He stepped back and pointed at the gaping, gushing hole in Forfend's chest where its tired core sputtered in slow rotations.

Forfend touched the scraped stone at the edges of the wound.

Demon-inflicted wounds healed.

Acras-inflicted wounds didn't.

Wounds inflicted by a demon of Acras were in an area Forfend's spotty memory couldn't recall. It wasn't certain if the gash would heal or not. It feared finding out, lest it dislike the answer.

"I am not certain yet if it will heal at all," it hummed after a long moment. "Time will tell."

The priest nodded. He looked Forfend over and held up a finger.

Forfend cocked its head.

The priest left.

He returned shortly, struggling with a pile of rocks stacked so high he could only just tuck them under his upturned chin.

He set them down as gently as he was able.

Forfend knelt, running its fingers over the old stone.

Most of the rocks were marble. They looked like they'd fallen off the cathedral, either during its original construction or from years of wear. For one reason or another, they'd been kept.

And now they were laid out at Forfend's disposal.

It hummed anxiously, but it would have to try eventually. It was probably better to know now rather than later.

Hesitantly, it picked up a stone and placed it in the edge of its wound.

To its immense relief, the heat of its body took hold. The stone assimilated into it nearly instantly.

"Thank you," it said sincerely.

The priest only nodded. He returned to his post.

Forfend meticulously patched more stone into its form, taking great care around its core.

Eventually, its body was whole again. Or as whole as it could be given the damage it would carry with it to the end of its days.

It laid down on its stomach in the cushions and blankets.

Exhaustion brimmed in the edges of its vision.

Its rune blinked out as it finally entered its rest state.

It was so thoroughly tired, its beleaguered thoughts couldn't chase it. Hardly a coherent word passed through its mind as it rested.

Morning slipped into the sky with haste.

Forfend lit its rune and sat up.

The temple was already beginning to bustle.

It tilted its head at the priest. He was still standing in the place he had been when it had first laid down. He'd stood there all night.

Forfend hadn't seen him sleep.

It stood and stepped over. "Have you slept?" it asked.

The priest gave half a smile and looked up at Forfend through half-lidded eyes. "I'm always sleeping," he yawned.

Forfend paused. It nodded slowly as the realization sank in.

The priest was sleepwalking. He was always sleepwalking.

Forfend wondered if that was a natural progression of dedication to Somnum or something unique to this man.

Regardless, it showed extraordinary devotion to his deity and his work. Forfend couldn't help but be impressed.

"Thank you for your hospitality," it hummed.

The priest ducked his head politely.

Forfend made its way through the sleepy streets back to Eamon's home.

It quietly opened the door.

"Dammit!" came Melzaryn's muffled voice from the guest bedroom.

Forfend tilted its head, confused.

It wandered into the guest bedroom.

Howell leaned in the corner, not quite awake but not quite asleep.

Duncan lay sprawled out across his bed. He snored loudly.

Melzaryn rubbed at his face as he pulled himself out of bed.

Kairi wandered in from the living room with Kagoshi on her heels.

"Good morning," Forfend greeted.

Half-hearted grumbles chorused from the entire crew.

Duncan snorted and shook himself awake. He stared at the bedsheets and then turned to inspect the room. The confusion slowly left his features.

"Oh yeah, I'm... hi!"

"Good morning," Forfend hummed again.

"Hello," he repeated. He caught sight of Howell stretching in the corner.

He pulled his eyes away, but they kept sliding back.

Forfend understood. Howell hadn't been in control of his actions, but he had still hurt Duncan.

That wouldn't be something Duncan could easily forget.

Howell evaded eye contact with Duncan.

Forfend positioned itself almost in-between the two. "Do you think either of you can tell us... well, anything. Where are you from? How were you captured? What do you know, if you remember anything at all?"

"I can, uh, tell you a little bit," Duncan volunteered. "I'm from the Pass. You know, the Tyrwedian Pass that leads into the Viridescent Wilds? That's where I'm from."

Forfend hummed its acknowledgement.

"The last thing I remember was getting groceries and heading home." Duncan shrugged. "Then I was here, having the most massive, horrible migraine ever. And then I got kidnapped." He glanced at Howell. "Again, I guess."

"I am sorry," Forfend said sincerely. "We will do what we can to get you home."

It gently pat Duncan's head.

"How is your hand so hard, but patting so softly?" Duncan marveled.

"Practice," it answered easily.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," Duncan nodded.

"I actually traveled here on purpose," Howell piped up. "Around two months ago, I heard word of a bunch of famed warriors heading here for one reason or another"

"Second time I have heard that," Forfend noted, recalling that Callan had said just the same.

"I was actually here to practice and train up. I wanted to seek out some duels with these warriors," Howell continued.

"Are they demigod warriors?" Forfend asked.

"Not that I know of," Howell shook his head. "If there is a demigod here, I'd love to take a crack at him. Though, I doubt I'd win."

Forfend glanced around the demigod-filled room and particularly at Melzaryn, who cast back a subtle but sly smirk. "Well, I think perhaps you are right. You would not."

"Yeah," Howell sighed. "They're built better than most of us."

Forfend touched the metal brace covering the chunk missing from its chest. "'Better' may be too strong a word."

"Not inaccurate though," Howell argued. "I actually came here to train for a little tradition back home."

Forfend nodded and started to ask what that tradition may be, though it already had a hunch it was the same one Callan was training for. Before it could speak up, however, it noticed the way Howell was repeatedly touching the place on his chest where he'd been murdered by the cultist's sickle.

"Are you alright?" it asked instead. "I know that being revived even very shortly after death can be extremely jarring."

"I'm not going to lie, it's kind of like the feeling of flying in the wind. But... not something I'd want to get used to." Howell forced his hand down to his side.

"Sorry to revive you in the midst of the fight like that. It was extraordinarily dangerous," Forfend hummed.

"Any situation where I was going to be woken up like that, I think I'd rather have died in battle," Howell admitted.

Forfend's core stuttered a moment in its chest. It lowered its head. "Sorry."

"Eh, it could've been worse," Howell shrugged.

Kagoshi scoffed, staring daggers at Howell.

"Does he have a problem with me?" Howell asked. "He's been glaring at me this whole time."

"There is hardly anyone Kagoshi truly likes," Forfend answered. "And you have been... Actually, let me start from the top."

Forfend explained everything Howell had put them through in the past two days.

Howell stared, wide-eyed. "Well... shit," he swore. "Okay, well, that does basically align with the story I have. I arrived here in Cragwall and started looking for mercenary work. Met up with a guy, did the job, and I got ambushed by a bunch of weirdos in cloaks and masks."

"Who did you meet with?" Forfend asked.

"Shit, uh, a local noble." Howell took a moment to wrack his brain. "Sagemantle, I think. Oh! Odolan. Odolan Sagemantle. I think he's a highlord or something."

"Curious," Forfend hummed. "We will have to look into him."

"He had me doing some very simple work. Apparently, some folks were trying to break into their archives and I was to act guard. Keep an eye out. Arrest some folk." Howell's one visible brow knit. "But during that, I apprehended this budding mage just trying to get some educational material. He was apparently a Sagemantle himself, but he wasn't allowed to go near the library. While I was sending him on his way because he was just a fucking kid, I got ambushed."

"That is extraordinarily suspicious," Forfend stated the obvious.

"I'd say so," Howell agreed.

There was a moment of silence as everyone in the room retreated into their thoughts.

"Shit, I'm hungry," Howell suddenly said. "Feels like I haven't eaten in months."

"You very likely have not. At least, not more than the barest essentials," Forfend shared.

"Godsdammit," Howell swore. "I'm going to go look for food."

"There is plenty here," it offered.

"Shit. Are we allowed to..?" Howell looked a bit uncertain at the prospect of eating someone else's food.

"Yes," Forfend assured.

If Eamon was upset, Forfend would simply buy him more groceries. It would likely do so anyway.

Forfend escorted him to the kitchen.

Howell rifled through the cabinets, grumbling under his breath about the ingredients and lack thereof available to him here.

"There's no fucking spices," he growled. "Fuck this shit." He sighed, resigned. "At least there's meat. Is there rice? Shit, they don't have rice. I guess I can make do with bread. Goddamn, what do the people here even eat?"

Forfend shook its head. Its grasp on food and cooking was fairly poor. It didn't eat. It wasn't familiar with the tools and supplies needed to accommodate that need.

"Fuck it, I'm making kebabs," Howell decided.

"If you would not mind, spare some for the owner of the house," Forfend requested.

"You're right. This isn't my place," Howell agreed.

He mumbled a bit more beneath his breath regarding the lack of spices in Tyrwedia.

"Hey, wizard!" he suddenly called.

"Melzaryn," Forfend supplied a name as the aforementioned wizard trotted into the room.

Kairi, Kagoshi, and Duncan were all on his heels.

Forfend introduced itself and each of them in turn.

Kairi waved.

Kagoshi scowled.

Duncan squeaked a hello.

"The owner of the house is Eamon," Forfend added.

Howell nodded. He turned back to Melzaryn. "Mel. Is it alright if I call you that? I don't want to be disrespectful."

"I don't mind." Melzaryn leaned on the table and awaited the request.

"Would you like to help me with the cooking?" Howell asked.

Melzaryn joined him immediately.

Forfend watched them work.

Both of them griped occasionally about the modifications they had to make to their recipe, but in the end they produced delicious-looking food that filled the kitchen with an astounding aroma.

Everyone except Forfend dug in with gusto.

It sat back, watching them all enjoy their breakfast.

Howell tugged his voluminous cloak aside only just enough to shovel food into his mouth.

"Make sure we save enough for Eamon," Kairi reminded.

Everyone nodded.

"Thanks for a taste of home," Melzaryn said as he finished his meal.

"Yeah, no problem. I know the feeling," Howell mumbled.

Kagoshi got up and started to skulk away.

Forfend hummed loud enough to get his attention. It pulled the gauntlets from its pouch and shoved them into his hands.

"What are these?" he huffed, inspecting them.

"Enchanted gauntlets. They will hit extremely hard."

Kagoshi nodded. "Hm."

He slipped the gauntlets on and flexed his fingers. They fit perfectly, the jagged spines revealing themselves with every motion.

His brows arched. He cocked his head appreciatively.

Melzaryn ambled back across the hall to the guest bedroom with Duncan close behind.

Kagoshi and Kairi left as well.

Howell meandered off to acquaint himself with the rest of the house.

Forfend considered all the things it had learned recently and everything it needed to do. It caught itself wondering if the gladiator had escaped safely.

It decided to reach out and ask.

Forfend touched the magnetic medallion on its chest and concentrated on visualizing the gladiator's form. "Are you safe? If you would like, we could meet in the courthouse square at noon today to discuss recent happenings," it mentally projected.

"Ah shit!" came the gladiator's startled reply. "Forgot you could do that. Don't like the idea of courthouse. Where are you all at? Kind of hiding right now."

Forfend hummed. It started to cast the spell again, but a startled yelp from the other side of the house caught its attention instead.

"What the fuck is on my chest?!" Howell cried.

He'd apparently just discovered the runic carvings.

Forfend opened the kitchen door, saw that Melzaryn was already making his way to the living room to explain, and turned back to what it was doing.

It focused on Sending a second message.

"East end of town. Near the gate. Staying with our lawyer. If you come here, I will wait outside so you may find us easily," it offered.

"Alright, cool," the gladiator immediately responded. "Give me, like, thirty minutes? An hour? I don't know. I'm trying to be sneaky."

Forfend left the kitchen.

Melzaryn entered the hallway from the living room. "You leaving to?"

"Not exactly, no," it hummed.

Melzaryn shrugged. He walked past and Forfend followed him out the door.

It stopped on the porch while Melzaryn tromped on down the street.

An hour and a half later, the gladiator slowly snuck up.

Forfend immediately ushered him into the house. "Take your shoes off at the door please."

He did as he was instructed.

Eamon opened the door at the other end of the hallway, yawning and scratching at his belly. He looked disheveled. The clothes he wore weren't his usual prim and proper dress. They were old, simple, comfortable house wear.

He blinked down the hallway at Forfend and the gladiator. He groaned. "I'll make breakfast."

"Breakfast is already made," Forfend informed him.

"Really?" He shuffled into the kitchen.

Forfend followed, shepherding the gladiator along behind it.

Eamon gathered a plate. "Fuck, I'm so stressed," he sighed under his breath. He dug into the meal, jolting at the surprising twist of flavors.

"Eat," Forfend instructed the gladiator.

There was just enough food left for one more serving. It was sure the gladiator needed it.

The gladiator wasted no time jumping on the offer. He piled up a plate and sat down. "Damn, this sure beats stealing from people. Which, for the record, I didn't want to do. I just had to, alright?"

He shrank guiltily into his chair.

"Could you give us your name?" Forfend requested as it sat across from him.

He blinked, surprised. "Wow, it's been so long since anyone asked for my real name. I usually just go by my gladiator title. It's Farley."

"Farley," Forfend repeated. "What is your gladiator title?"

"Well, I use a shield and a spear, so they call me Hoplite," Farley answered.

It nodded. "Forfend."

"Nice to finally get introduced, Forfend."

"Do you know if the other Envema member we rescued with you is okay?" it asked.

"I don't know." Farley shook his head. "The guards were handling him. We got put in separate areas. I was released once they realized I was of sound mind. So I have no idea what's going on with him. I don't even know his name. Sorry."

Forfend hummed low in its chest, worried.

Farley took the opportunity in the lull of conversation to bury his face in his food.

"Holy shit," he swore through a mouthful of food. "This is great. Who made this?"

"Howell. Hawkeye Howell," Forfend replied.

Farley choked. "Hawkeye Howell?!"

Forfend tilted its head. "Yes. Do you know that name?"

"The famous mercenary, Hawkeye Howell?!" he all but shouted. "Him?!"

"He did say he came here for mercenary work," Forfend hummed. "I presume so."

"Holy shit!" Farley exclaimed. "He's, like, a legendary warrior, man! Well, he's known amongst the lot of them. He's a famous warrior, at least."

"Interesting." Forfend sat forward slightly.

"There's also the rogue, Hawk Knight. The Swiftblade. You know?"

Forfend shook its head. "I do not."

"There's Hawkeye Howell Adamos, who made fucking breakfast apparently," Farley said, bewildered. "There's Hawk Knight Kendrick Arvad. And also Swiftblade Kento Nobutoshi. I heard all of them were heading over this way, prepping for the... Well, I may be dueling them. I'll be real though, I'll likely lose. I'm not as good as them."

Forfend hummed. The difference between Farley and Howell was stark. If all of these other warriors were as skilled as Howell, Farley's assessment would certainly be accurate.

"It all started about two months ago. They even got an abjurist heading here," Farley continued.

A deep, reverberating hum echoed through Forfend's chest alongside a rush of steam. "I can't help feeling this may have been orchestrated."

"What do you mean?" Farley looked up from his meal.

"Well, you were captured by whoever is running Envema. As was Hawkeye Howell. And Duncan; he is here as well." Forfend paused a moment to consider its own thoughts. "Many Envema members are farmers and workmen like Duncan, but a few are warriors like yourself. I wonder if Envema's puppet master is intentionally luring powerful people here to overtake them."

"I didn't even know what happened," Farley mumbled. "I was just living my life and then I..."

"Woke up three months later," Forfend supplied grimly.

"Yeah. It's... not great," he sighed heavily.

Eamon watched the conversation as he munched on his breakfast, his eyes flicking curiously back and forth between them.

"Sorry to bring so many strangers into your home, Eamon," it apologized sincerely.

"It sounds like there's a conspiracy going on, so I guess it can't be helped," he huffed, resigned. "Don't worry about it."

"Did Melzaryn tell the guards about the people beneath the city?" Forfend asked.

"I'm... sorry?" Eamon frowned. "I turned in the report he gave, but I didn't read it for myself."

"Ah, I see." Forfend drew a long rush of steam and launched into a full explanation of what had happened.

Eamon and Farley both stared with wide eyes.

"Okay, that's... a lot." Eamon rubbed his face. "Well, if I know them, they should definitely be heading down there to get them. Especially given the fact that Garin was the one that was there at the Galloford estate. I'm sure they'll be working their way under the city by now."

Forfend tilted its head at the name.

"Garin is Prince Halt's second in command," Eamon explained. "To be completely honest, I think he would've been a better choice to be in the High Knight position."

"Unfortunately, nepotism," Forfend guessed.

"Yeah," Eamon agreed. "Garin's very respectful, so I'm not surprised he accepted Prince Halt's leadership anyway."

Forfend nodded.

It touched the medallion on its chest again. "I am going to try to contact the other former Envema member. I am worried for him."

Eamon and Farley both nodded.

Forfend envisioned the man's face and Sent forth a message. "Are you safe? If not, describe to me as concisely as possible where you are."

It was the very same message Forfend originally sent Farley.

Silence hung in the air, growing heavier as the minutes ticked by.

After ten minutes of total silence, Forfend hummed lowly. "No answer. That is worrying."

"What did you do?" Eamon asked.

"I attempted the Sending spell, just as I did to contact Farley here. He may simply be asleep, but he could also be... anything else," Forfend fretted.

"I see," Eamon nodded slowly, his brows creased.

Forfend sighed in a heavy rush of steam. It wasn't certain what it could do to find him, or even how worried it should be.

After all, it and its allies had no true contact with him the way they did with Duncan and Farley. He wouldn't have been a reliable pawn like the other two had proved to be.

Forfend wasn't even certain it recalled him well enough to cast Locate Person on him.

Maybe he was simply resting.

Forfend had found recently that it was rarely that lucky, but maybe this stranger was.

Eamon broke its messy stream of thoughts by sliding its Sending Stone across the table to it.

"I don't want to forget to give that back to you," he said.

Forfend nodded, slipping the stone into a pouch on its bandolier. "Thank you."

It sat in silence for a moment and pondered over the unbelievable stress it had been through since it left home.

It touched the medallion on its chest and ran its hand across its metal brace.

It brought forth a memory of Fletch. He wore an easy grin, his stance more friendly and open than anyone Forfend had ever seen.

It wanted to hear his voice. It felt itself reaching out to him with its magic.

It faltered.

Sending was hardly the least draining spell it knew. It was actually rather exhaustive and Forfend had already used it repeatedly.

It wasn't sure it should waste the energy.

Then again, it very desperately wanted to know how Fletch and Jessie were doing. How all of Foumedo was doing.

It let the arcana gather and projected it to Fletch. "I am alright," it began. "I hope to return soon, but I have been delayed. I need to hear a voice from home. How are you?"

"Oh hey, Forfend!" Fletch almost shouted. His excitement was palpable even across the considerable distance of the magical connection. "I'm doing real well! Jessie's doing alright too. All the guards left a couple hours ago. Well, some decided to stay. They--"

His voice cut out.

Forfend gave a rumbling chuckle.

Fletch knew how this spell worked. It had told him before.

Nonetheless, he'd likely end up talking to himself for quite some time before he remembered.

Forfend felt immediately lighter and more relaxed.

Kagoshi kicked open the kitchen door, startling everyone in the room.

The sharp shing of a blade across a whetstone sounded in Forfend's chest.

"I want you to turn the tail into a belt," Kagoshi gruffed.

Forfend pressed its annoyance down and nodded. "I believe I can do that."

"Great. Let's go." Kagoshi tromped back to his room and returned a moment later with the massive, blasphemous tail coiled around his shoulder.

"What the fuck is that?!" Eamon yelped.

"Soon to be a nice belt," Kagoshi answered.

"The demon's tail. I mentioned this to you," Forfend replied more helpfully.

"I'm really not sure how I feel about having a demon body part in my house," he squeaked.

"I have dealt with this very, very often," Forfend hummed. "Though they do not truly die, their parts are safe to use for crafting. It cannot hurt you."

"Are you sure?" Eamon worried.

"So long as you do not touch that poison tail tip, it can do you no harm," it assured.

Eamon made a strangled sound. "You know what? I'm just going to go get some reading done."

Eamon escorted himself from the kitchen as quickly as he possibly could.

Farley stared, slack-jawed. With some effort, he clamped his mouth closed again. He ducked his head and pointedly avoided asking about the demon tail.

"Let's fucking go already," Kagoshi said impatiently.

Forfend felt rocks grinding in its chest, but it nodded anyway and followed Kagoshi out of the house.

Forfend shifted into the lead and managed five steps to the temple before it thought better of that decision.

"I am not certain I want to take that into the temple," it hummed.

"Why not?" Kagoshi asked.

"Because it is a temple. And this is a demon," Forfend answered simply.

"But it doubles as a forge, right?"

"It does," Forfend allowed. "One small area of it, anyway."

"So why the fuck can't we use it?" Kagoshi argued.

Forfend hissed steam. "I would rather find a private forge."

"I guess," Kagoshi huffed. "What's the closest?"

Forfend turned, looking up and down the streets. "Erzor pointed one out to us during our tour. I don't imagine you were listening at the time, but he did tell us."

"I'm still not listening." Kagoshi might've been joking. It couldn't tell.

It shook its head. "That tracks."

"Are we going to forge this tail or not?" Kagoshi gruffed. "It's not going to make a belt out of itself."

Melzaryn trotted up the street towards them, a new belt around his waist. "If you're looking for the dedicated forge, it's that way."

Forfend followed where he pointed and nodded.

"Of course! I should've just asked you from the start." Kagoshi cast a side-eyed glare at Forfend and growled, "Why was I relying on you?"

Forfend lifted its head and looked away from him.

"Here, let me make this easy," Melzaryn offered. He held his hands out for the tail.

"No," Kagoshi snarled, keeping a tight hold on the mangy thing.

Melzaryn rolled his eyes. "I bought a new belt. The pockets can hold almost anything."

Melzaryn demonstrated by reaching into one and pulling several healing potions out of a pouch far, far too small to house them. He divvied them up evenly amongst the group.

"Thank you," Forfend said appreciatively.

"How'd you do that?" Kagoshi asked as he tucked his share of potions away.

"I told you. I got my belt modified to be more useful," Melzaryn answered. He flipped his broom into his hand and dunked it into the newly emptied pouch. Despite the clear size constraints, the broom disappeared entirely into the pocket.

Kagoshi huffed and grumbled, arguing with himself under his breath. "Fine."

He slammed the tail into Melzaryn's hands.

Melzaryn located one of his larger pockets and carefully threaded the entire enormous tail into it. "Now we won't draw attention on the way."

Kairi threw open Eamon's door and fluttered down the street to the rest of the group. "I want to go too."

Forfend hummed its agreement. It liked Kairi's company.

Melzaryn passed off her share of potions.

"Ooh, thank you," she said.

"Let's fucking go," Kagoshi growled.

The party finally got on their way at his inpatient urging.

They followed Melzaryn through the town plaza.

"Here ye, here ye!" some town criers shouted to the flowing crowds in the square.

Most of them seemed to be teenagers looking to make some spare coin by peddling newspapers.

They were calling out news regarding the recent terrorist attacks.

"The night a thousand lights appeared over Cragwall!" one shouted.

"Strange earthquakes beneath Brightcrossing!" came another.

"Earthquake in Cragwall's Mountain Quarter!" hollered yet another.

"Rising tensions with the Howling Plains!" a fourth crier yelled.

That one gave Forfend pause.

From everything it had learned recently, it should've expected as much. King Maggard Stormrike still wanted to take the Land for himself. It feared how soon he may make his move.

Forfend surveyed the busy plaza, looking for a particular friendly face.

Steam rushed in its chest. "I do not see Erzor today."

"Stop fucking looking for people," Kagoshi snapped.

"People are helpful," it responded evenly.

"Not when we're doing other shit!" Kagoshi argued.

"I only wanted to see how he is doing," it defended itself. "I sent him off with significant information recently and I am worried for him and his friends."

"I don't care," Kagoshi callously growled. "Do that after the tail."

"And I will," it vowed, irritation cracking stones in its chest.

Kairi motioned for them both to stop fighting and Melzaryn picked up his pace until they nearly had to jog to keep up with him.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the private forge.

The shop's exterior was smart and professional, giving off an air of expertise.

The sign proclaimed the place as Hammer Glamour, but not for much longer.

A woman set up and scaled a ladder with a bulky wooden sign in hand. She placed it over the old sign and began hammering it into place.

When she'd finished, she wiped her brow and climbed back down.

The new sign listed the place as Iron Designs.

Forfend hummed curiously.

The woman tucked the ladder beneath her arm and started back inside. She caught sight of them out of the corner of her eye.

She turned, looking the odd group over.

Forfend assessed her in turn.

She certainly had the build of a blacksmith. Bulky arms and calloused hands easily handled the weight of the ladder. She had short brown hair held back by a headband to keep it out of the way of her work. A heavy belt of tools hung from her waist. The hammer in her hand wasn't one meant for nails, though she'd used it as such anyway. It was a forge hammer.

"Hi, welcome to..." She glanced up at the sign overheard. "Iron Designs."

"Recent name change?" Forfend asked.

"Yeah. The person that used to own the place sold it to me recently," she explained. "I didn't have the chance to rename it until today. How can I help you all?"

Forfend stepped forward and spread its hands. "Well, this is a bit of a strange request."

"We'd like to use your forge," Kagoshi interjected.

"Hah?" She raised an eyebrow and set her jaw.

"We would like to use your forge," Forfend repeated with more deference. It ducked its head and touched the pouch on its belt. "We will pay for this."

"What do you need it for exactly?" the blacksmith asked.

"To make a fucking awesome belt," Kagoshi grinned.

Steam hissed in Forfend's chest. "We need to make a very particular item out of very particular material and I would rather not go to the temple to do so."

"Is it the tail?" she guessed.

Forfend's movement stuttered. "What?"

"I mean, I did just kind of drag it through town," Kagoshi admitted, a proud smirk on his face.

Forfend shook its broad head.

"You're not very subtle," the blacksmith pointed out.

"Alright, yeah, it is the tail," Kagoshi supplied. "And I'm going to make a kickass belt out of it."

"Well, I am," Forfend corrected.

"I'm getting a very nice belt out of it," Kagoshi amended.

"I'm a blacksmith, not a leatherworker," she said. "I do have--"

Kagoshi cut her off, "That's what the big man is for."

"Alright," she sighed under her breath, clearly irritated.

She placed her ladder down and leaned against it as she considered.

"We'll pay for your time," Kagoshi promised.

The blacksmith looked everyone in the group over again. This time, her eyes caught on Forfend's runic face. She stared for several seconds.

"Give me one minute," she decided.

She got up, snapped her ladder back under her arm, and disappeared into the forge.

"Is that a no?" Kagoshi jumped to conclusions.

Forfend shook its head. "Not yet."

A minute later, the blacksmith returned with an old book in hand. It was small and, very notably, it had a symbol of Fornax emblazoned on the back.

She held the book up, comparing an image in it to Forfend.

Forfend stood stockstill, though the curiosity rolling through it was palpable. After a moment, it tilted its head.

She tilted the book as well, glancing between the pages and Forfend.

"Alright," she said as she slammed the book closed.

"What is that?" Forfend asked.

"Book," she answered unhelpfully.

"May I see what you were looking?" it asked more directly.

"Are you a forge golem?" she didn't answer the question.

"No," it shook its head. "Fornaxian is the word I usually use."

She opened the book back up and turned it so Forfend could see what she'd been studying.

It drew its shoulders back, staring unabashedly.

The golem sketched across the pages looked remarkably similar to it in its prime. The creature didn't have a rune in its face, nor did it have the pipe cover Forfend used to sport, but the rest of it was strikingly similar.

"How did..? Where did..?" Forfend wasn't sure what it wanted to ask. "That looks like me."

"Yeah. There's a bunch..." She cocked her head. "This is, like, holy text, man."

Forfend nodded slowly. It ran extraordinarily gently fingers across the image.

Forge golems.

They'd been mentioned a few times since Forfend awakened, but it didn't recall them. It should. It knew it should. It didn't.

The blacksmith pressed the book into its hands. "Don't burn it and don't crush it."

"Of course," Forfend nodded.

It studied the image for a long moment. Its fingers followed the angles of the golem.

Rather than the myriad of stovepipes Forfend had on its back, the golems had only two, jutting like wings.

Forfend flipped the page, immensely curious.

"Ah-ah, no," the blacksmith chastised, lifting the book from its hands and slamming it closed. "You said you wanted to look at the picture. You looked. That's all. It's my stuff."

Forfend's hands twitched, desperately wanting to pour through pages. It needed to know.

"I am sorry." It ducked its head. "May I please? I have many, many questions."

"Now that's how you go about asking someone to read their book," she replied condescendingly. "Maybe you should do that first."

"I apologize," it said again.

"In terms of the borrowing-my-forge thing, I suppose I can allow it for..." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Let's see, a hundred and eighty-eight gold pieces?"

"Done!" Kagoshi nearly shouted.

He pulled the exact amount from his pouch and offered it up.

"Wow, okay," the blacksmith looked almost startled. Apparently, she hadn't expected them to accept.

She loaded the money into her pouch.

"May I please see the book again?" Forfend hummed.

She eyed it carefully. "One more gold piece," she requested.

Forfend offered up the coin without hesitation. Whatever information the book held would be immensely valuable to it.

"Okay." She handed over the book.

Forfend took it gingerly.

"And before you ask, since you're all so polite," she grumbled, "my name is Ali. Ali Salthammer. Thank you so much for asking my name before you tried to enlist my forge."

Forfend cringed. "My apologies. It has been a very long time since I have needed to introduce myself with such frequency as the last week or so has demanded."

"Eh," Kagoshi shrugged.

Melzaryn looked up, his staff poking halfway out of a pouch that looked as though it could barely hold a deck of cards. "Hm? Sorry, I was distracted."

Kairi slapped a hand to her face and shook her head.

"Forfend, Kagoshi, Melzaryn, Kairi," Forfend introduced each of them.

Ali nodded. She rolled her eyes and strolled back into her forge.

The group followed her.

Forfend carefully flipped through her book as it ducked inside.

Kagoshi stomped his foot in front of it. "Why is the person I need to forge reading?!"

"Give me a moment," it demanded. "This is important information and I am missing a great number of memories. I am quite desperate to know what I can."

"Do you have a chair I can sit in?" Kagoshi grumbled irritably. "This might take a while."

"Got a gold piece?" Ali shrewdly bargained.

"You know what? How many chairs do you have?" Kagoshi asked.

"Enough." She shrugged.

"Give me the exact. I'll pay for all of them."

Forfend hummed, surprised.

"I've got two barstools, three chairs. That's five gold," she answered.

"Five? Here's ten." Kagoshi dropped the money into her hand.

Ali appreciatively shuffled the money through her fingers as she dropped it into the bag. She dragged all the chairs into the front room for Kagoshi.

Kagoshi immediately began stacking them all atop one another. "I'm going to sit like a king."

"I swear to Fornax, if you break them," Ali didn't finish the sentence, but the threat was clear.

"I'll pay you double if I do," Kagoshi swore.

"He likes you," Forfend hummed aloud, tilting its head at Ali. "Usually, he is very stingy."

Ali smirked.

Forfend tucked itself further into the back of the forge until everything was quiet enough for it to concentrate on what it was reading.

The beginning regarded Fornax's initial creation. Forfend was well-versed in that tale.

It skipped further through the pages until a particular name caught its eye.

Hearthborn.

It devoured the pages regarding its Sundering family.

The book stated that in the last days of the Sundering, Fornax's Forge was attacked by the archdemon Acras and one of his demons. During the course of Fornax's fight against Acras, he created the Adamantine Mountains.

Forfend realized suddenly that the massive spires of adamantine it recalled Fornax impaling Acras with had become the Adamantine Mountains. It had seen the event. In fact, the attack had been done to rescue it.

That's where the Forge was.

Forfend hummed lowly. It couldn't fathom how it had ended up all the way in Tyrwedia. It should've been buried somewhere near the Adamantine Mountains, but it hadn't been found anywhere close.

It shook its head and continued reading.

The book went on to tell the tale of the Hearthborns successfully defending their home and Fornax's Forge against Acras and his greater demon by themselves.

Many of Fornax's creations were damaged or destroyed through the course of the battle, but the Hearthborns defended them until their dying breaths and managed to repel the wretched deity and his ilk.

Forfend touched the metal brace around its chest. It wondered if it was included simply under the list of destroyed creations.

It wasn't wholly surprised. In the grand scheme of the Sundering, its lifespan had been barely a blip.

At least the village had survived. They'd done exactly what Forfend had asked. They'd fought for themselves. They'd made each other stronger.

It missed them.

It shook the bittersweet thoughts from its head to continue reading.

The book proclaimed that Fornax wanted to reward the Hearthborns for their great deeds and, thus, offered them their choice of prize: a boon, wealth, experience, or knowledge.

The Hearthborns only asked to stay with Fornax longer.

Fornax granted this wish and blessed them all with great forging skill.

Millennia later, the Hearthborns have since spread all across Rozdarta. Three major tribes exist: the Dawnforge, considered the original Hearthborns who still dwell in the Adamantine Mountains; the Stonehearts, devout worshippers who made their home in the Godflame Mountains; and the Salthammers, known for their stalwart loyalty and skill who reside by the Great Azure Sea.

Forfend stared down at the pages. It took a moment to read a bit more in depth on the Salthammers. They were known for practicality, not pomp, in their work. They were reliable and apparently had a significant knack for designing ships.

It glanced up at Ali and back to the pages a couple of times.

"Salthammer," it read aloud.

"Yeah," Ali said.

"You are one of the Hearthborn." There was a quiver in its voice despite its usual monotony.

"Yeah, that's the ancient name. Why?"

It stood stockstill. It couldn't decide how it felt. Too many thoughts coursed through its head like a rushing river.

The Hearthborns often had names loosely derived from metals and tools.

Ali.

Aluminum.

She was a Hearthborn. Beyond any doubt. She was family.

Forfend started to speak twice before it finally found its words. It knelt. "I was hoping to find more on what happened to me here, but this day..." It pointed out the particular pages.

"Yeah?" Ali peered at the book, one brow cocked.

"This demon attack. I was there," it hummed.

"Oh really now?" Her tone denoted her total disbelief. She rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"I was," it said evenly. "Eight thousand years ago, and some change. I was horribly wounded and only reawakened two years ago. But the Hearthborns... I knew them personally. They were friends. They were family."

It paused, steam rattling in its chest.

She looked into Forfend's face with skepticism written into every feature.

"You do not have to believe me." It shook its head. "You have no reason to. But I know it to be true and it is important to me. It is very nice to meet a..." It trailed off, searching for the right word. "A godchild," it decided.

"Okay! That feels super weird to hear from a stranger I just met today." Ali tossed her hands up and put some distance between herself and Forfend. "Alright, buddy, sure."

She stepped back over just long enough to give Forfend a patronizing pat on the shoulder. "Nice to meet you too? I think?"

She shrugged. "I mean, if it's true then it's amazing, but I literally met you today."

"I was afraid the village died with me that day," Forfend hummed. "I am glad they did not."

"Well, maybe you should go meet the Dawnforge or whatever. They might recognize you better," Ali suggested.

"I will have to find a way to do that," it agreed.

"So are you using my forge or not? I do have work to do, you know?"

Forfend stood immediately. "Right, sorry."

It held its hands out to take the tail from Melzaryn.

Melzaryn spooled the wretched thing out of his pouch.

"Oh, it's grosser than I thought it was!" Ali yelled, grimacing.

"It did come from a dog," Kagoshi said.

"That is not a dog's tail! It's a scorpion's tail with fur!" Ali argued.

"Course, matted, mangy fur," Forfend added with distaste.

Ali grimaced even more deeply. She turned her attention away from the awful thing as Forfend set it up onto her workstation.

"How are you feeling up there?!" she hollered as Kagoshi settled himself on top of his precarious stack of chairs.

"Like a king!" Kagoshi shouted back.

"Want me to make you a crown?"

"How much?" Kagoshi asked warily.

"Fifty gold."

Kagoshi tossed the money down.

"Fuck yeah!" Ali gathered up the money and stepped behind the counter. "You can use the main one," she told Forfend. "I've got a smaller operation over here."

It hummed its acknowledgement. Its mind was beginning to sink away from it as it shifted into full, trance-like focus on its task.

It drained the poison from the barb and stripped the flesh away down to the bone. It sanded even that down until it was closer to the proper shape. It replaced cartilage with segmented metal links.

The deathly sharp tail tip was rounded off and the oversize barb used as a decorative buckle.

Forfend carved simply geometric designs into the bone and marked it with a stylized letter "F."

Fletch had been telling it for years to mark its work with a signature, but it never had.

An item like this, however, needed such a mark.

Incorrectly crafting with demon parts could have disastrous effects. It had been commonplace in the Sundering to mark such creations because knowing who the craftsman had been was imperative to avoid dangerous artifacts.

Forfend had seen this done, probably many more times than it could actually recall. Though, this was its first time doing the crafting personally. Everything looked to be in order. It hoped it was right.

The world faded back into light around it as it looked up from its work. As usual, it was uncertain how much time had passed.

Forfend figured it couldn't have been very much time because Ali seemed to have just finished up Kagoshi's bronze crown.

She banged it against the wall to show its sturdiness and tossed it up to him.

Kagoshi grinned as he turned it around in his hands. He placed it on his head.

Within seconds, his face fell. He took it off.

"What, is the king too mighty for his crown?" Ali teased.

"No, no, that's not it," he mumbled with uncharacteristic quietness. "It's just... You know what? We're done pretending."

He climbed down off the chairs and huffed sadly.

"May I see that?" it asked, holding its hand out for the crown.

"No." Kagoshi held the bronze piece protectively to his chest. "I'm going to keep it. I just don't want to wear it right now."

"I do not intend to take it from you," Forfend promised. "I only wish to inspect it for a moment."

Kagoshi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Alright," he said slowly as he handed it over, "but I'm watching you."

Forfend hissed steam and tilted its head to imitate the way it had seen people roll their eyes.

It inspected the crown, turning it over and over in its hand.

"Beautiful craftsmanship," it complimented. "You are very skilled."

"Thank you... uh... For-- Yeah, Forfend," she nodded, satisfied that she'd remembered its name correctly. "I see you appreciate my work." She side-eyed Kagoshi.

"I do," it nodded. "I have met a few very good blacksmiths recently and I am glad to know them."

"Hm." Ali considered the thought. "I guess I should be proud to be on the list of good craftsman to a holy construct such as yourself."

Forfend tilted its head back and forth, a little embarrassed by that thought. It considered itself a good blacksmith long before it considered itself a holy construct. It would rather have praise accepted from the former viewpoint than the latter.

It settled on simply nodding in response. "Thank you."

"Is there anything else you need to do or am I going to get my forge back?" Ali asked.

"It is all yours," Forfend assured.

"Great. I've got commissions I need to work on so if you could all shoo, that would be awesome." She ushered them out of her forge.

Forfend left easily enough. It ducked its head politely.

Ali shut the door behind them.

Kagoshi stared back at the door, an oddly frustrated look on his face.

Kairi placed her hand on Kagoshi's shoulder.

Melzaryn lounged on his broom next to them, doodling in his spellbook and giggling to himself.

"I think I would like to visit the guard barracks," Forfend hummed. "I would like to see if they still have that last former Envema member detained or if they know where he is."

"I can go with you if you want," Melzaryn offered. "My name seems to hold an unnecessary amount of weight around here."

"I have noticed as much," Forfend nodded.

"Since there's no real use trying to keep it a secret anymore, I may as well use it," Melzaryn decided.

"Yeah, that's great," Kagoshi grumbled. "I'll meet you guys later."

He wandered off in the direction of Eamon's home.

Kairi watched him go. She glanced between him and Forfend a couple of times.

Forfend thought she would go after him, but she didn't. She stayed by its side.

It pat her head and made its way toward the guard barracks with Melzaryn and Kairi both trailing behind it.

More news was being spouted in the town square.

"Galloford noble arrested!"

"King Falco sat in on local trial!"

"Demigods in Cragwall?!"

That last one garnered immediate attention. People's heads snapped up and they began approaching the teenage crier with questions and coin in hand to buy a paper.

The boy was getting a thousand questions shouted at him all at once, but he managed to raise his voice loud enough to shout the descriptions.

Forfend slowed to hear.

"One was a great big earth genasi! Another is rumored to be a pink fairy! There's a monochromatic elf man and a super grumpy beardless dwarf!" the boy hollered over the din.

Forfend straightened its back and looked to its companions.

"Well, they aren't right, which is good for us," Melzaryn said, "but Kagoshi will hate that description a lot."

"He really will," Kairi agreed. "I like mine though. I could be a fairy."

Forfend hummed its agreement.

It moved on, not wasting any more time reaching its goal.

The daunting guard barracks soon loomed over it and its allies.

The man near the front gate was again the very same one that had helped Forfend when they'd been arrested on their first day in Cragwall.

"Oh, hey, guys. You're back?" he greeted. "How can I help?"

"The Envema member that was detained with us… Not the gladiator. The other one. Is he still here?" Forfend asked.

"No, he got released at the same time the other guy did," the guard shook his head.

"Do you know anything about where he might have gone? The direction he left in? Anything?" Forfend was increasingly worried for the man.

"Well, he said he was going home," the guard replied.

It hummed deep in its chest. "I cannot contact him with a Sending spell and I fear he may have been kidnapped the way the others were."

"What's Sending?" the guard inquired.

"A spell that allows you to send short messages instantly to anyone anywhere on the same plane of existence, and receive a short response in turn," it explained.

"Sounds like a magic letter," the guard conflated.

"Yes."

"Ever seen people talk through rocks?" Melzaryn interjected.

"The bosses do, yeah," the guard nodded.

"Like that."

"Oh!" He nodded again. "Yeah, okay. Um, well, he could just be asleep. I don't know."

"I am worried for him," Forfend said.

"Yeah. I wouldn't know where he went though. I'm just a guard." He shrugged helplessly.

Forfend slowly hissed steam. It would make no progress here. It decided to shift to a different, but equally important, curiosity. "Did they go underground and rescue the people beneath the city?"

"Yeah!" The guard pointed to a crowd of people surrounding the wall of the barracks near where Melzaryn had discovered the underground passageways. "If you look over there, you'll see!"

Forfend watched the commotion.

Three guards and some makeshift fencing kept the crowd at bay. The wall behind the guards had been blasted open wider. Curious onlookers tried to get a peek into the labyrinthian tunnels.

"I think they're still exploring though," the guard in front of Forfend added. "Sorry I don't know more."

Melzaryn surreptitiously stepped aside and slipped over to the tunnel.

Forfend watched him for a moment, but soon turned to kneel in front of the guard. "Thank you for all of your help. You have been exceptionally handy to have around."

He grinned, his nose crinkling, and rubbed at the back of his neck. "It's no big deal. I mean, you guys are really nice. I might as well help."

"I appreciate you," Forfend said sincerely.

"Thank you!"

"What is your name?" It realized it had never asked. It needed to start doing that.

"Ryan," he answered.

"Forfend." It offered its hand to shake.

"That's a big old hand," Ryan whispered under his breath as he carefully placed his much smaller hand into it.

Forfend gently shook his hand.

A thud sounded and Forfend looked over just in time to see two of the wall guards staring at the collapsed third.

It hurried over and knelt next to the man.

"He's breathing... I think," said the wiry dragonborn guard.

Neither he nor the halfling guard next to him looked particularly concerned.

Forfend looked the fallen human over. He was indeed breathing, but he wasn't conscious. He coughed weakly.

It looked up to Melzaryn.

"He got poisoned by the door like I did," Melzaryn explained.

Forfend nodded. It pressed a hand to his chest.

Healing magic coursed from its center, down its arm, and into the man's chest. A soft orange glow emanated.

The guard jolted, gasping for breath.

"Oh, gods!" he wheezed. He hauled himself upright. "What the fuck happened? Fuck, hi!" he startled when he saw Forfend.

He glanced around, gathered his bearings, and straightened his back.

"Told you he'd be fine," the dragonborn snickered. "That's what happens when you fuck with the wall."

"Says the idiot who wants to climb in the hole," the halfling insulted.

"Nobody is going in the hole," the human chastised. "I shouldn't have touched the wall."

"Secret doors are enticing like that," Melzaryn nodded sagely.

"Yeah!" the human exclaimed. "And it was right outside our base this whole time! That's crazy!"

"That's why I want to go down there!" the dragonborn insisted. "I mean, it's our base. It's technically our property."

"No, it's not! You're guards! Act like it!" the human berated.

"It is a sprawling labyrinth you would undoubtedly get lost in," Forfend hummed.

"But isn't--" the dragonborn didn't get another word out before the human cut him off.

"Just stop it! No!"

The dragonborn sulked.

The halfling straightened up, looking much more like a trained soldier than he had before.

"If we're claiming ownership of things based on their location, this tunnel system is owned by the whole damn city. It goes everywhere," Melzaryn shared.

"Shit, so we can't do it?" the dragonborn whined.

"No, you may not!" the human roared.

"Goddammit, you're right," the dragonborn sighed.

The human nodded affirmatively. "Now get back to guarding. Focus up. I can't be managing you both all the time."

"Sorry," the halfling and dragonborn spoke at the same time.

They both put on more serious faces.

Melzaryn grinned at the display. He flipped the lid off his canteen and magically drew water up to float around his hand.

The water separated into three distinct blobs, then snapped into snowflake shapes and froze.

"Stay frosty," Melzaryn said as he passed each guard a snowflake.

"Thanks?" they chorused, bewildered.

Melzaryn hopped up on his broom and zipped away.

Forfend tilted its head. It took it a moment to understand what Melzaryn had done.

It turned back to the guards. "Now you will have cold water to drink," it hummed.

"Oh. Cool." the dragonborn chomped straight into his oversize snowflake.

Forfend ducked its head politely and took its leave.

Kairi kept close to its side.

"I did not see Erzor today," it thought aloud. "I need to hear from him. His situation is precarious."

"Can you use Sending again?" Kairi suggested.

Forfend hummed. "It is a rather draining spell, but I can."

"Maybe you should, if you're worried."

It nodded.

The excess magic in its center was waning, but not terribly so.

Forfend imagined Erzor's visage and touched the medallion on its chest as it formulated its message.

Since many people didn't know precisely how the spell worked, it decided to explain.

"You have twenty-five words and I will be unable to reply further. Is everything alright?"

"Shit," Erzor responded after a moment. "Does that count? Fuck. I've been waiting for a bit at your lawyer's house. Where are you? How many words do I have left?"

"We need to go immediately," Forfend said to Kairi. "He is already waiting for us."

"Is that good news or bad news?" Kairi asked, trotting quickly toward Eamon's home.

Forfend followed closely. "All I know is that it is news."

They hurried through the streets.

When they arrived, Erzor was pacing impatiently in front of Eamon's home.

Eamon stood in the doorway, palm to his face and shaking his head.

"Erzor!" Forfend called.

Erzor's head snapped up. "Oi! Where were you guys? I've been trying to get in contact with you!"

"We were out. It has been a long and horrible past couple of days," Forfend answered.

"Okay, okay, I'm really sorry, but I don't have time for your story right now." To his credit, Erzor did sound genuinely apologetic. "We need your help."

Forfend nodded.

"If what you said is true, we're in a lot of trouble," Erzor fretted. "I got permission to bring you to get the thing out." He glanced at the others standing around.

Forfend pointed to Melzaryn. "I will need him."

Melzaryn looked up from his spellbook with mild curiosity. He pointed at himself and shrugged. "Sure. Sounds interesting."

Erzor winced but nodded. "I can take the two of you then."

"Okay, great, so you guys have got this?" Eamon asked. "I'm just going to go."

He mumbled under his breath as he shut the door.

"Alright, let's go. Right now," Erzor insisted. He took two steps and looked back over his shoulder at Kairi. "I don't know if I can bring your third friend."

"Well, she has significant healing capabilities and she has not wasted magic today the way that I have," Forfend noted.

Kairi twirled her staff, sparkles flying off it.

Erzor withered, but nodded nonetheless.

He started walking.

Forfend, Melzaryn, and Kairi followed along.

"I am sorry to volunteer you for this, Melzaryn," Forfend apologized. "I assure you, it is very important."

Melzaryn grinned. "Whatever this is, it's interesting."

Forfend couldn't argue with that.

"Where's your last friend?" Erzor questioned. "Medium, dark, and scary?"

"I do not know," Forfend answered honestly. "He will return later, I am sure."

"It's probably best he's not here," Erzor admitted.

He led them out of the east gate and a short way into the woods, just far enough to be out of sight from the road. He produced three large bags from his pockets.

"Put these on," he requested.

Familiar with the concept, Forfend immediately donned its bag.

"They are hiding out in a secret location," Forfend explained, tugging the bag into proper place over its broad head and tugging the drawstrings until the fabric was snug against it. "They do this to prevent outsiders from finding them. I have been through this once before. We will be unharmed."

"It's like being kidnapped then," Melzaryn nonchalantly conflated. "Got it."

"It definitely does feel like being kidnapped," Kairi echoed the sentiment.

Despite that, Forfend heard the ruffling of the bags being pulled over their heads.

Forfend reached out its hand.

Erzor took it.

Kairi fumbled for its other hand.

Forfend gently squeezed her fingers and let itself be pulled by Erzor's quick gait.

It hoped Melzaryn had Kairi's other hand, or perhaps Erzor's, but it wasn't sure.

They walked over rough terrain and through thick underbrush for a long while.

Erzor suddenly halted. "Shit," he swore under his breath. "Crouch down."

Forfend followed the command and it sounded as though its companions did as well.

"What the fuck are they doing?" Erzor wondered. "Oh. Oh no. Fuck. Shit! Take off your blindfolds right now! Stay quiet."

Forfend tugged the bag from its head and peered through the bushes.

There were three men ahead with weapons in their hands. They weren't looking toward Forfend and its companions. They were staring into a small clearing where a rhinoceros beetle the size of a horse lazily grazed.

One of them nocked an arrow into his bow and drew back, taking careful aim.

"They can't be hunting that thing," Erzor whispered. "What the fuck?"

"They are not supposed to be hunting here?" Forfend asked.

"No, they're not. This is not their place," the edge in Erzor's voice was livid. "That's an endangered species. They're sacred to the genasi!"

"Then we should stop them," it decided.

"They're not supposed to know we're here."

"They are not supposed to know you are here," Forfend corrected.

Erzor opened his mouth to argue, but paused. He nodded instead. "You have fun. I'm going to hide over here."

With that, he disappeared into the brush.

"I've got an idea," Melzaryn said before Forfend could stand.

It gestured for him to try.

The bowman suddenly unleashed his arrow.

It struck the huge beetle in the gap between its armored carapace and its head.

The bug chittered and squealed as it flailed wildly.

The other two hunters stood and began to move forward.

Melzaryn touched two fingers to the corners of his mouth. His eyes lit up in vibrant silver. He stood.

"You're in more danger than you know," he said, magic lacing his words. "You should run."

All three hunters startled. The two charging at the wailing insect faltered in their steps.

The one wielding two blades gasped, his eyes flashing silver for barely a fraction of a second.

"We should get out of here," the dual-wielder urgently insisted.

"What the fuck do you mean?!" snapped the hunter carrying a shield and spear. "We set this up!"

The beetle whipped around and locked onto the nearest hunter. It charged.

Forfend dashed from the brush and slid in front of the spear hunter just before the beetle barreled into him.

The creature's horn slammed into the stones of Forfend's body, sliding it backwards.

It dug its feet into the earth and leaned into the bug, gripping it's horn and forcing it to come to a sudden stop.

The hunter behind Forfend yelped as he was nearly bowled over despite its intervention.

The dual-weilder sheathed his swords. "I'm out!" he shouted to his friends. He took off running.

"Fuck!" the bow hunter swore.

He and the spear hunter both started repositioning to strike again.

"Do not attack!" Forfend shouted forcefully.

"Fuck you!" the spear hunter yelled.

Forfend locked its arms tight around the struggling bug's horn to keep it still. It turned its runic face to the hunter.

"Do! Not! Attack!" it demanded with every ounce of authority in its being.

The spear hunter grit his teeth, his expression suddenly uncertain. He took a step back.

"Fuck it, they already caught us! It's not worth it!" he called to his friend.

Both hunters bolted.

The beetle wrenched free of Forfend's grip and tossed its head, slamming its horn into Forfend's metal brace.

The sharp rattling ting vibrated through its body.

The creature backed up, lowering its horn for another charge.

Forfend backed up as well, raising its hands.

The beetle shuffled and shook itself. It stamped nervously.

Forfend hummed. "The danger is over," it said, lacing its words with magic.

Kagoshi strode from the woods, startling it. He yanked the arrow from the beast's neck just as Forfend's healing magic closed the wound.

"Kagoshi?" Forfend shook its head, surprised and confused.

Kagoshi frowned at the arrow. He backed away from the frightened insect at the same time it backed away from him.

He looked the bug over, snapped the arrow in half, dropped it on the ground, and walked away.

The beetle watched him disappear back into the woods. It turned its attention to those still in the clearing.

It hissed and chattered.

Kairi approached with her staff held loosely in one hand. "It's alright," she soothed. "We mean you no harm."

A different type of magic swirled through her words.

The insect immediately relaxed. It slowly settled down, lowering its body to the ground.

It hummed and clicked.

"Erzor," Forfend called.

"Is it over? Is it handled?" he asked, peeking through the brush.

"It is handled," Forfend assured.

"Thank the gods," Erzor mumbled as he left his hiding spot. "Shit, what were they doing in the forest? That's not good."

He watched the contented bug. "Thank you, guys."

The creature idly watched all of them, but it seemed completely at ease.

"So, uh, was that guy your fourth friend?" Erzor nodded at the broken arrow.

"Yes," Forfend answered. "I have no idea why he is out here or where he went."

Erzor rubbed at his face. "Well, he's going the wrong way. At least there's that."

Forfend nodded.

It slowly approached the beetle and crouched down right next to it.

Forfend lightly touched the insect's head.

To its surprise, the creature tilted its head aside for Forfend to better view the wound on its neck.

Forfend inspected the injury. Its first bout of magic had closed the puncture easily enough, but Forfend figured there was still damage beneath the surface.

It touched a gentle finger right beside the damaged flesh and let healing magic course into the wound.

The bug clicked and squealed as the injury all but totally disappeared.

It got up and nuzzled its head against Forfend before carefully nudging it aside to approach Kairi.

The insect stopped right in front of Kairi, its horn nearly touching her chest. It tilted its head, staring. Purring chitters reverberated through it.

Kairi tentatively touched its horn, giving it gentle pats.

"Hey, buddy," she spoke softly. "Do you need anything else?"

The beetle collapsed into the grass and tenderly pressed its horn into her belly.

"Oh, wow, you're adorable," Kairi giggled, stroking its angular head.

"Holy shit." Erzor blinked in surprise.

"What can you tell us about this animal?" Forfend asked.

"It's an adamantine beetle," Erzor explained. "It's unique to the Llardel Forest. It didn't used to be that way, but they've been hunted and had their habitats destroyed until this is the last place they've got left. They used to be everywhere."

He tilted his head at the creature's interaction with Kairi. "Holy shit," he whispered again.

"What is it?" Forfend asked.

"I, uh... I think it's imprinting on her," Erzor guessed.

Forfend cocked its head.

"Yeah, yeah, it is," Erzor said more certainly. "It's leaning into her touch. It considers her family."

Forfend hummed, listening intently.

"They usually only do that once in their lifetimes. They're usually in pairs. Holy shit," Erzor swore for the third time.

"Is it good or bad that it is imprinted?" Forfend asked.

"Good for you, I guess." He shrugged. "That thing considers her family and they live a really, really long time."

"Congratulations on your new friend, Kairi," Forfend commended.

"Or family member?" Melzaryn added.

The insect buzzed happily.

"Thank you," Kairi grinned, hugging her newfound pet.

"Interesting thing: they only imprint on family, extremely close companions, and mates," Erzor informed. "Used to be commonplace for people to use them as mounts. They'd imprint on their riders and then they were great for travel. Kind of like how people tame gryphons now."

"Ooh." Kairi had stars in her eyes.

"They're huge, but they can still fly," Erzor appended.

"That will be handy," Forfend hummed.

It approached the beetle again and knelt.

The creature seemed jumpy for a moment, but settled down in the presence of Kairi's relaxed demeanor.

"Look at its beautiful colors!" Kairi pointed out. "Goodness, you're so pretty!" she told it.

The bug chirruped and squealed.

With a closer look at its carapace, Forfend saw Kairi's point about the insect's beauty.

Rather than black like Forfend had thought at first glance, its shell gleamed a deep iridescent purple.

Forfend pet it and immediately realized this beetle took its name seriously. The carapace was adamantine. It didn't mimic adamantine; it was truly, genuinely adamantine.

A kettle-like whistle escaped Forfend.

"Wow, that sure was a thing," Erzor said, mildly awestruck. "But, uh, we should really get going."

Forfend pulled its blindfold from where it had unceremoniously stuffed it in its belt. "Do we need to put these back on?"

"Nah, we're deep enough in the forest that it won't really matter," Erzor figured. "You'll have to put them back on when we leave though."

Forfend nodded.

The adamantine beetle gave a vibrating purr and stood when Kairi moved.

"I think the genasi will be glad to see you've made friends with a sacred animal like that," Erzor mentioned.

Kairi ran her hands across the creature's back and slowly climbed up onto it, sitting just behind its head to keep its wings free to open.

The beetle did spread its wing covers. Clear, shimmering wings caught the evening sunlight and cast rainbows across the ground. It settled its wings back into place and shut its shell again.

It tromped along, following Erzor without needing to be told.

Forfend and Melzaryn walked to either side of the great creature, observing the way it moved.

Kairi giggled excitedly.

They didn't walk for much longer before they reached the carefully disguised hideout. Four individuals stood out front: Jewel, Flint, River, and Kiyori.

Forfend waved to them.

Jewel returned the gesture.

Flint grinned and clicked his tongue as he pointed at it.

River simply nodded.

Kiyori glared at it.

Forfend ducked its head politely. It had likely caused an argument by offering to help. The genasi were in desperate need, but Kiyori wanted them as far from demigods as they could get.

If they had argued, Kiyori had lost.

Forfend didn't want to anger her any further. It hoped to get this work done and leave her in peace as quickly as possible.

Jewel stared openly at the adamantine beetle. "Where did you..?" she started to ask Kairi, but changed her mind. "Good on you," she said instead.

"Thank you!" Kairi beamed.

"Was everything in that letter true?" River asked Forfend.

"To the best of my knowledge, it is," Forfend answered.

"Then we need to get moving." He pulled his spellbook from his belt and approached a thick oak tree.

He chanted beneath his breath. A burst of magic thoomed out from him and encompassed the group.

The soft green aura of the magic clung to them.

"Follow me," River ordered. He walked directly into the tree in front of him and melded straight through it.

"Neat!" Melzaryn followed right after him.

Kairi let her new companion carry her to disappear into the towering tree.

Forfend stepped up. It touched the bark.

The tree felt perfectly solid. It pressed a bit harder. It checked that it still had the green aura surrounding it. Forfend hummed, unsure of how much force this was supposed to take.

"You've got it, big guy," Flint said and nearly tackled its back just to have enough force to make it take a single step forward.

It pressed straight through the tree with a dizzying sensation.

Forfend's vision was momentarily nothing but brown bark. Everything shifted, rushing past.

It stepped out of the other side right in front of the yawning mouth of a cave. It shook itself and took several seconds to gather its bearings.

River led them into the cave, down deep into the depths of the earth. They kept descending further and further until they finally came across a cavern.

Forfend straightened its shoulders and stared. It whistled.

Not only was the cavern enormous, it was also filled with thousands of natural emerald formations across nearly every available surface.

Emeralds hung from the roof and clung to the wall and sprouted forth from the floor everywhere it looked. There was hardly anything in this cavern that wasn't sparkling green.

Forfend gazed up at the light source overhead.

A small hole let sunlight into the cavern. It struck a perfectly positioned emerald that scattered the light into every other emerald stalactite covering the ceiling until the entire area was bathed in ethereal green.

"Whatever you do, do not stare directly into the emeralds," River warned.

Forfend immediately ripped its gaze away to stare instead at the aquamarine crystals lining River's head. "Understood."

"Hm, okay," Melzaryn agreed absentmindedly.

"You can look at their sides. Do not stare directly into them," River specified.

"Got it," Kairi nodded.

River strode forward.

The rest of them followed immediately on his heels, warily keeping their eyes off the emeralds. None of them wanted to fall into whatever trap this may be.

Forfend hoped they'd reach the dragon soon. And it desperately hoped it would be able to help.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 23

"You are one ugly bastard," Kagoshi insulted as he approached the slavering demon.

In his giant form, he looked the greater demon directly in its eyes.

He snagged the beast's leg and the side of its face, yanking one while pushing the other.

Unprepared for Kagoshi's raw physical strength, the demon toppled.

Kagoshi pounced on it, using his weight to hold the struggling dog in place.

The demon yelped and howled, kicked and struggled.

"Down, boy!" Kagoshi snarled.

Bone wings burst from Kagoshi's back and expanded to their full length before folding tight against his shoulders. A necrotic aura surrounded him. The plants in his hair and cloaking his collar dulled as though dying.

The cultist backed away from the fight and pointed a finger at Kagoshi. "Might I Suggest you stop that."

Kagoshi's grip loosened, his eyes clouding over.

"No!" Kagoshi suddenly snapped. "Fuck off!"

He redoubled his hold on the demon.

The cultist grit his teeth.

Kairi thrust her hand out. "You've got this!"

Glittering pink stars swirled around Kagoshi and began healing his litany of wounds. His flowers responded to the druidic magic, perking up despite their necrotic surroundings.

Red miasma continued to leak from the statues. It was no longer being pulled to the center. Instead, tendrils crept across the floor.

At the back of the room, the crimson fog swirled into a dense pocket. Out of it crawled a small, shambling mound of flesh with absurdly thick, stubby legs and overly thin arms. It bore claws and rotten teeth and sores that wept bloody pus.

Forfend recognized the lesser demon. They were similar in appearance to flesh golems, though much smaller. They also lacked any sort of meaningful intelligence.

They were excellent pawns.

Forfend feared how they'd be employed here.

It pressed its palm to the medallion on its chest and followed Kairi's lead. "Fight onward," it called, healing magic lacing its words and surrounding all of its allies in warm orange light.

Their wounds and its own knit themselves together.

It moved away from where Kagoshi wrestled the enraged hound. He needed the space and it needed to reach the bowman before he was past the point of its revival magic.

The hound drew in what would've sounded like a death rattle on any other creature and clamped its jaw closed. The sickly yellow glow beneath its ribs jostled. Noxious gas spewed from beneath the thin skin bridging between the stark bones.

Kagoshi turned his face away and snorted in irritation. Whatever the wretched fumes were meant to do, Kagoshi seemed wholly unaffected.

The demon barked its annoyance and writhed. Its mouth split open, cracked, and split even further. The skin lining its jaw peeled apart as it opened far wider than should be possible. It twisted its neck, throwing Kagoshi's hand off it and biting him in the side.

Rot spread into the wound, withering the plant life sounding Kagoshi and discoloring his skin.

Kagoshi punched the demon square in the head.

It released him with a yelp, but brought its twisting tail around in the same motion.

Kagoshi was faster. He snatched the beast's tail and squeezed it in his grip until the bones ground together.

The demon snarled.

Two fireballs suddenly slammed into the hellish beast.

Melzaryn's snake gave a haughty little salute. It was out of stored fireballs now, but apparently quite proud of its work.

The demon shrugged off the fire and continued trying to snap at Kagoshi's restraining hands.

Melzaryn darted in, ducking flailing limbs to get close.

Forfend couldn't see what he was doing, but it seemed to bolster Kagoshi's efforts.

The hound kicked at Kagoshi and tried to writhe out from beneath him. Despite its best efforts, it couldn't free its tail from his grasp. It strained to lift its head.

Kagoshi slammed its face back to the stone floor. "Down, dog!"

The hound barked and gnashed its teeth.

Kagoshi wrapped its tail around its throat and pulled until the beast's voice wheezed into silence.

"Now play dead," he commanded.

The cultist swore. He slit his hand open with his scimitar and fire burst from the wound. He threw it into the fray.

Deep red fire exploded, latching onto Kagoshi and Melzaryn. It burned burgundy and then black before it petered out, searing dark gray edges into the wounds left behind.

A murderous grin split the cultist's face. He turned and pointed to the tiny shambling demon behind him. "Move forward," he commanded in Abyssal.

The wretched creature toddled forward.

"Stay out of this," Kagoshi commanded the little monster, also in Abyssal.

It lumbered onward anyway.

"Stay safe!" Kairi shouted.

A rainbow of stars glimmered around Melzaryn's burns and soothed them.

Kairi's form glittered. Her roughish pastel cloak faded into being. Her staff curved into a longbow.

In the far right of the room, the culminating fog gathered tightly together. A second little flesh demon scrabbled free and hobbled its way toward Kagoshi and the thrashing hound.

It reached out with horrid little claws and dug them into Kagoshi's calf.

Kagoshi kicked the demon off him.

Forfend edged its way closer to the fallen bowman. It was running out of time to reach him, but it couldn't rush or it would lose sight of the battle and undoubtedly get caught off guard.

As it exited the vicinity of Kagoshi's and the hound's wrestling, it entered the sightline of the cultist.

Immediately, his attention snapped to Forfend.

Forfend straightened its back and slammed its mace against its shield.

The resounding clang was followed immediately by the formation of a glowing orange forge hammer right next to the cultist. The magical weapon flipped in the air and bashed the startled man over his head.

The cultist snarled, enraged at being caught unaware. He cracked his neck and glared at Forfend.

Unnerved though it was, Forfend offered him a gesture Kairi seemed to favor. It held out its fist, middle finger extended.

The cultist's nostrils flared and his lip curled. He pointed at Forfend.

Red fire shot forth and struck it square in the chest.

Forfend didn't so much as flinch as the necrotic energy clawed into the cracks of its body. The spell wasn't particularly effective. The pain was minimal and well worth drawing the cultist's ire off Kagoshi.

The cultist growled, stomping his foot almost like a child.

A rattling hack suddenly escaped the hound. It opened its mouth as though inhaling, but its tail wrapped like a noose around its neck prevented it from taking in any air.

Despite that, bubbling sounded from within the body as its sunken stomach bloated with gas.

Dingy red blotted out the sickly yellow-green glow of its chest and hissed out from between its ribs.

The gaseous maroon spread out in a wide circle around the beast, pushing back the tendrils of crimson mist rather than mingling with them.

Melzaryn stumbled out of the spreading miasma and summoned his broom into his hand. He jumped onto it and zipped past Forfend to the bowman's body. He leapt off, pointing his staff at the cultist.

Fire blasted from the tip and struck the cultist in the gut.

The cultist yelped. He swatted out the flames as quickly as he could.

Kagoshi stomped the demon hound's head into the floor and wrenched upward on its tail.

The monster wheezed breathlessly. It choked and scrabbled, but couldn't free itself.

The cultist startled at the sight. "No," he gasped, eyes wide.

He reversed his grip and stabbed his scimitar into the air. Red flames slashed open the very fabric of reality.

The rift split wider. Powerful wind unfelt by anyone else ripped at Kagoshi, pulling him toward it.

The plants entangled around him rooted themselves into the stone floor to hold him in place.

The rift flickered and sealed itself closed.

"Gah!" the cultist snarled. "Move forward! Attack!" he commanded the minor demons.

The first scabbed ball of flesh swatted at Kagoshi with its razor-sharp claws.

The second little horror lumbered forth to reach him, its hands already outstretched.

Kairi glided up behind Forfend on rainbow wings. She drew back her bow and launched a rose gold arrow into his chest.

The magic pierced straight through him, leaving radiant burns in its wake.

The cultist doubled over, clutching at the wound.

Kairi followed up immediately with a glittering Guiding Bolt before he could recover.

The magic struck him in the exact same spot as the mystic arrow.

The cultist collapsed to his knees, wheezing as all the air was knocked from his lungs.

He lifted a shaky hand and pointed at Kairi.

Fire burst from his finger.

With all his shaking, it only just glanced off her shoulder.

Kairi shook off the dark flames with ease.

Red fog gathered in a thick shroud right at Forfend's and Kairi's sides. Out of it clambered another disgusting little flesh demon. It stared at them with blank eyes, drool leaking from its mouth like the pus from its sores.

Kagoshi kicked one miniscule demon back off of him and swatted the second before it could reach.

"Fuck off!" he roared in Abyssal.

The hound beneath him snarled and wheezed and gurgled as it fought to stand.

Kagoshi growled right back. "You fuck off too!"

The demon's sickly miasma spread all the way out to lap at Forfend's feet.

It shook off the putrid maroon and stepped away.

Luckily, the fog seemed to finally reach the limit of its spreading circumference. It idled in a wide radius around the beast, but moved no further.

Forfend rushed to the fallen bowman.

Melzaryn already had out his magical healing ointment he'd discovered in the Brightcrossing kruthik caves. "If you can get him up, I can patch some of his wounds."

Forfend nodded. It pulled a diamond from a pouch on its belt.

Forfend channeled glowing orange magic from its core, down its arm, and into the diamond.

The gem filled with divine light until it cracked. Forfend crushed the diamond in its hand with impossible ease and knelt down. It pressed its glimmering dust-coated palm to the bowman's damaged chest.

The magic sank in. The golden diamond dust melted though his cloak into the bloody wound beneath.

The bowman had very little exposed skin. All Forfend could truly see of him was a single startled, lightless eye.

Color faded back into his face. His eye suddenly widened, the life returning to it all at once. He inhaled sharp and deep, jolting upright as he did.

Forfend leaned back.

He took several very deep breaths and stared at Forfend. "What the fuck?!"

"I am very sorry to reawaken you in the midst of this, but I feared if I waited much longer you would be beyond my capabilities," Forfend explained.

"Who are you?!" the bowman shouted. "Where am I?!"

Forfend glanced over its shoulder.

Kagoshi still had the hound firmly pinned. The cultist was still on his knees, reeling from the wound Kairi gave him. The dull little demons toddled in place, lost without instruction.

It had a moment to explain. And by the looks of its Spiritual Weapon winding up to strike the downed cultist, it would have a longer moment than it originally anticipated.

"I am Forfend. This is Melzaryn," Forfend said, gesturing.

Behind it, a loud crack sounded as the Weapon slammed into the cultist's head.

The cultist shrieked.

The bowman looked up at Melzaryn and flinched. "Fuck, I'm still..." He didn't finish his thought.

Instead, he struggled to his feet to take a look around.

"Shit!" he swore as he caught sight of the cultist. "What the fuck is that?!" he yelled when he saw the emaciated demon Kagoshi was choking out with its own tail.

"As I mentioned, our current predicament is less than ideal," Forfend hummed. "However, I could wait no longer without risking your permanent departure."

The bowman blinked at the situation. "Shit, where's my bow?!" he panicked, snatching the weapon off his back immediately.

"Melzaryn will help you. If you are able to help us, please do," Forfend requested.

It moved between Kairi and the dribbling flesh demon, keeping the horrid monster blocked off from its allies.

The hound thrashed violently, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

Kagoshi punched it and repositioned his hold.

Not giving up, the demon swung the barbed tip of its tail. Despite the severely limited range, it arced much tighter than Forfend would've thought it could and buried its stinger in Kagoshi's wrist.

Kagoshi grunted through grit teeth. He ripped the stinger free and whapped the monster in the face with it.

The hound certainly attempted a growl, but only managed a breathless hiss.

It's body bloated with another round of maroon gas. The haze rushed from beneath its skin, thickening the miasma around it.

Kagoshi coughed. His breathing became noticably more labored. Still, he refused to let go.

Melzaryn eyed the sight, one analytical eyebrow quirked. He looked to the bowman. "Man, it took a lot to take you down. I basically have nothing left in me."

He demonstrated by letting magic spark and fizzle out between his fingers.

"Anyway, here, this ointment will magically heal you. You'll need it for this," Melzaryn said, dropping a significant glop of it into his hand and shoving the bowman's sleeve up to apply it.

The bowman tensed as though he was going to pull away, but he remained stockstill.

His skin was darker toned than was common in Tyrwedia.

Forfend wondered how far from home he was.

As the ointment sank in, the bowman visibly straightened. He still looked significantly wounded, but he was no longer on the edge of a second death.

"Alright," the bowman mumbled mainly to himself. He turned to the fight.

He nocked an arrow and drew back his absolutely enormous bow, taking careful aim at the demonic hound.

He glanced at the bow's grip and swore. He twisted the arrow and whispered a spell.

The released the drawstring.

The massive arrow spiraled forward at incredible speed and buried itself in the hound's side.

Ribs cracked. Sickly yellow light gleamed around the embedded arrow.

The hound couldn't make so much as a gasp with Kagoshi squeezing its tail around its neck. Nonetheless, its body spasmed and it kicked ever more wildly.

The arrow pulsed. It appeared to melt into the wound it created.

A muffled boom shook the monster from the inside out. Black blood spilled from its wound and its mouth in thick rivulets.

"Excellent work," Melzaryn complimented. "We should spread out. The cultist throws fireballs."

"Shit," the bowman swore. He took the advice, dashing away from the cluster of targets they'd inadvertently created here.

Kagoshi lifted his head up high and took a deep breath of the stale air above the miasma. He ducked back into the awful clouds and tightened the tail around the demon's neck until its bones audibly strained.

It opened its mouth in a silent cry.

More noxious gas spilled from between its wounded ribs.

"Come on, fido, just stay down," Kagoshi growled at it.

The hound's movements slowed. Panic entered its murderous eyes for the first time.

It suddenly stilled entirely. Its head grew in size, its jaw splitting open so widely its row of teeth extended down the sides of its neck.

Kagoshi was forced to release or be caught in its snapping jowls.

The demon's bottom jaw split in half and unzipped down its chest to its stomach. The entire beast opened itself into one massive maw. It lunged at Kagoshi, crushing him between its teeth.

It gulped so loudly the sound echoed through the Bulwark.

Kagoshi was gone.

The demonic hound jerkily folded back down to its proper size, its horrid jaws sealing themselves closed until they returned to the far more limited space they were supposed to occupy.

Forfend felt the world spinning beneath its feet. It hadn't been able to fight this monster before. It wouldn't be able to fight this monster now, sporting wounds that had never healed from the last encounter.

It didn't think they could do this without Kagoshi.

The hound stood, stance wide as it took in heaving breaths. Drool tainted by Kagoshi's red blood and the beast's own black blood spilled to the floor in veritable rivers. It looked up to survey its next victims.

"Hm, that's not good." Melzaryn backed up as far from the hound as he could. He launched a Firebolt at the cultist.

The cultist had only just staggered upright from the last round of strikes.

The fire caught him in that same wound on his midsection. He choked. The light in his eyes flickered. A red sheen passed over them.

Despite his grievous wounds, he hauled himself upright. The red fire flickering around his robes intensified.

Forfend felt panic sending rockfalls through its center. The cultist wouldn't stay down. The hound was already prowling toward them.

They were doomed.

"Who do I need to target?!" the bowman shouted.

"The dog!" Melzaryn answered.

"Hound, the hound!" Forfend echoed.

"Bad doggy!" Kairi added at the same time.

"Got it." The bowman nocked an arrow and drew back until his arm shook with the strength of the tension. "I'll keep it down."

He twisted the arrow.

Right in front of it appeared a much smaller version of the very same magic circle that had formed over the Brass Buffalo.

The bowman unleashed the drawstring.

As the arrow hit, it immediately scattered into dozens more identical arrows. Almost all of them barreled into the massive hound. A few strays embedded themselves into the little flesh demons at its side instead.

The small demons choked blood, collapsed, and melted away.

The hound howled, collapsing to the floor. Its horrid face split apart again, the impossible jaws tearing it open all the way down to its stomach.

Bile and blood ejected from the beast, followed by Kagoshi's limp form.

Kagoshi painstakingly picked himself up.

Forfend was shocked to see he was still alive. Disgustingly wet with unidentifiable viscous fluids, but alive.

The beast's maroon miasma dissipated as it lay wheezing. Its split body sealed itself closed again.

Kagoshi cracked his knuckles, his green eyes glowing with rage almost as severe as his demonic form's. "You know, I did just plan to strangle you with your fucking tail, but now I think I'll rip you in half," he growled.

"Rip its spine out!" Kairi cheered.

Kagoshi snatched the beast's lashing tail. He thrashed the entire monster side to side, repeatedly crashing it into the pillars on either side of it.

Kagoshi heaved upwards, flipping the hound over his head. At the apex of its arc, he wrapped the tail around his arm and yanked.

A resounding pop caused the demon to yelp. It crashed to the floor, squealing and snapping at its hindquarters. Its previously thrashing tail flopped limply.

Kagoshi grinned as the beast wailed.

He braced his foot against its hindquarters, wrapped the tail even tighter around his hand, and ripped backwards.

The hound screamed as the tail audibly cracked.

The skin split and spilled thick black blood. Muscle snapped. The bones separated, pulling out several vertebrae from higher up its spine.

The demon's hind legs collapsed as the tail came fully free and failed to move as the rest of its body scrambled.

Kagoshi cackled and whipped the severed tail around like a weapon.

The cultist covered his mouth as he stared at the state of his summoned beast, his eyes wide with awestruck horror.

He pulled a rusted tuning fork from beneath his robes and began casting a spell. A red and black aura hazed around him.

Forfend recognized the same spell he'd used to escape them the first time.

"It's not my time," the cultist panted. He knelt, holding the tuning fork up to his forehead.

He moved to slam the fork down.

Forfend's Spiritual Weapon got there first. It careened into the side of the cultist's face with such incredible force his bottom jaw dislodged from his skull and flipped across the room.

The cultist collapsed forward, eyes wild and blood pouring. The red sheen passed over his darkening gaze a second time. Even more sinister fire flared up around him.

His tuning fork struck the earth. The red and black aura engulfed him. In an instant, he was gone.

Forfend hummed.

He'd survived a fatal wound and escaped a second time.

A murderous bark caught its attention.

The hound had locked its eyes onto Forfend.

It pawed forward as quickly as it could, dragging its back end across the stone.

Forfend panicked, seeing nothing but that wretched maw.

It held its hand up to cast.

Sparks fizzled between its fingers.

Its Spiritual Weapon flickered out.

Kairi drew her blessed rapier from its scabbard and slashed at the ravenous demon.

Golden radiance encased the blade, cutting into the hound with ease.

It howled its agony. Radiance spilled from all its wounds, burning it with holy light.

The divine energy blinded the demon, glowing like molten steel behind its eyes.

It snapped wildly at Kairi and missed by a mile as she flit backwards.

She replaced her sword and drew her bow again.

She blew a raspberry at the struggling beast and fired.

The glimmering arrow pierced through its neck.

Black blood spilled like oil, blotting out the burning radiance.

The hound whirled around, desperate.

It caught Forfend's scent and bore down on it like an avalanche.

Forfend slammed its hand against the symbol on its chest, raw terror spinning its core until the whole thing dropped into its midsection.

Broken memories of these same teeth compounded its fear.

It could feel magic swirling in its center, but none came to its fingertips.

Jagged fangs sank into its chest, aiming for its metal core.

Rock crunched. Indescribable pain crashed over Forfend.

The beast shook Forfend and tore a massive chunk of marble free. It swallowed the stones whole.

Ichor spewed, gushing violently.

Stale air froze Forfend's now exposed core, stopping its rapid spinning. The brilliant golden glow of the perfect sphere dimmed.

Everything went black.

"Just wake up already!" Kagoshi's voice rang through the emptiness, followed by a spark of healing magic.

Pain shot through Forfend.

It bolted upright, nearly headbutting Kagoshi.

Its vision came back to it.

It touched its chest.

Waves of electric shock coursed through it as it directly contacted its exposed core.

The compressed molten sphere spun slowly. Golden light emanated from it in fluctuating patterns.

Ichor evaporated nearly as quickly as it spilled, surrounding Forfend in a puddle of steaming radiant liquid.

The horror it should've felt was shut down by a cold sense of understanding. It couldn't fight anymore.

These were the consequences of operating so far above its abilities.

Would these wounds heal? The last wounds inflicted by Acras and his ilk never had.

Forfend touched the edge of Fletch's metal brace. Thankfully, it was still there. Still intact. Still covering its core at least on the right side.

Forfend could go back to Foumedo, help Fletch repair it a second time, and retire permanently.

Fornax had called it to work again, but it lacked the ability.

It was too wounded.

It realized it was being watched by curious eyes.

It glanced at its allies and then at the melting hound.

Its snarling face was still unbelievably frightening despite its dead eyes and sagging features.

A scorching hole still burned in its forehead.

"You killed it?" Forfend asked, looking to Melzaryn.

Melzaryn shrugged. "That was quite the day. You guys want to go get some food?"

"Yes," Kagoshi agreed immediately.

He'd shrunk back to his proper size and had the massive severed tail looped several times around his shoulder.

Kairi leaned against Kagoshi, her wings drooping. "Food sounds good."

The bowman squinted at Forfend's exposed center, but he didn't voice whatever questions he had.

Instead he looked around at each of them in turn. "Who the fuck are all of you?"

"That's the same question we could ask you, archer," Kagoshi grumbled.

"Anybody up for falafels?" Melzaryn offered, paying zero attention to the conversation at hand.

"Oh shit, do they have them here?" the bowman asked. "Wait, where are we?"

"Underground," Kagoshi answered unhelpfully.

"Yeah, but where?" the bowman snapped.

"We are beneath Cragwall," Forfend hummed.

"Fuck," he swore. "There are no falafels here."

"Dammit," Melzaryn sulked.

"What kind of place doesn't fucking have falafels?" Kagoshi complained.

"Yeah, that's pretty lame," Kairi nodded.

"How do we get out of here?" the bowman pulled this nonsensical conversation back on track.

"There's a cliff out that way," Melzaryn pointed to the left-hand wall.

"Is there?" The bowman mumbled rhetorically.

He drew back on his bow. Energy pulsed through the weapon into the arrow.

He unleashed it.

The arrow exploded upon striking the wall, sending stone crumbling down.

The salty spray of fresh sea air immediately rushed into the Bulwark.

Forfend cupped its hand over its stuttering core to keep the wind off it.

The central sphere was meant to remain doused in magma. Even summer heat would've felt brisk. The cool fall air was painfully chilling.

"I'm leaving. Where can I find you all?" the bowman asked.

Forfend forced itself to its stumbling feet. "First, what is your name?"

"Howell. Hawkeye Howell."

Forfend nodded. "Forfend. That is an apt name for you, Hawkeye Howell. You have certainly been shooting the shit out of us these past few days."

"Did I?" Howell seemed genuinely surprised.

"Yeah! Fuck you for that by the way," Kagoshi growled.

"That's completely fair," Howell admitted. "I didn't know what I was doing."

He paused. "Speaking of which, what day is it?"

"It is the tenth day of the third month of autumn," Forfend informed.

"Shit, it's been two months?" Howell shook his head.

Melzaryn pulled out a scrap of paper and began furiously scribbling on it.

He passed a simplistic but highly detailed map to Forfend. "I'm also taking this way out, but that'll keep you from getting lost."

He hopped up onto his broom.

Forfend trudged forward. "We are staying with someone here in Cragwall for now. That will be the best place to meet us."

It gave directions to Eamon's home.

Howell nodded. "Understood."

"I'm going with you," Kagoshi decided, nodding at Melzaryn's floating broom.

"Anyone want to come with me?" Howell offered. "I can only take one."

"Shouldn't we get Duncan first?" Kairi mentioned.

"I will walk back with Duncan," Forfend immediately answered. It looked up and around, spotting Duncan playing gently with Melzaryn's ethereal snake.

Melzaryn tilted his head at the little reptile. "Shouldn't that have disappeared by now?"

The snake poofed.

"Oh, okay," Melzaryn nodded.

"Is it over?" Duncan called to them now that his little friend was gone.

"Yep!" Kairi hollered back.

"Gods, he's useless," Kagoshi grumbled under his breath.

"It is safe," Forfend assured.

Duncan made his way over to the rest of the group. He slowed down as he got closer, his eyes uncertain.

"Wait, but he's still here." His voice wavered as he gestured to Howell.

"He is a friend now," Forfend said. "Same as you."

"Okay," Duncan mumbled weakly.

"So who's coming with me?" Howell posed his question again.

Melzaryn shrugged. He zipped off on his broom without Kagoshi.

Kagoshi growled but didn't bother to comment.

"Do you want to go with him?" he asked Kairi.

Kairi shook her head. "Nah."

"Alright," Howell nodded once.

He pulled his cloak tighter around him. His form twisted up in the fabric of his cloak and popped out of existence.

Forfend looked to Duncan. "We have a very long walk ahead of us," it hummed. "Please stay close."

Duncan nodded.

"Let's get moving," Kagoshi huffed.

With that, the group hobbled out of the Bulwark with Duncan right at their sides.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 22

A second massive arrow whirled down the hallway and slammed into Kairi's leg.

Kairi fell with a yelp, clutching her thigh.

She gripped the arrow and ripped it free.

Blood spilled, but she staggered upright anyway and cut into the large alcove to their left. That was smart. She couldn't be seen or shot again.

Kagoshi followed after her, but he was lacking his usual speed. He was still drained from their last fight with the bowman.

Melzaryn ducked into the alcove to the right.

Forfend followed Kairi and Kagoshi into the right-hand alcove. It pulled a potion off its belt and dumped the contents directly into its chest wound.

Steam rushed through Forfend's chest in a rapid, startled gasp as the cold liquid contacted its core.

Golden steam rose from the spilling ichor.

Stone cracked and groaned as it reformed from the center outward. Forfend's body didn't regenerate fully. The chunk of missing marble in its chest was still very deep, but at least its core was covered again.

Another arrow whizzed through the darkness and crashed into the wall just to Kagoshi's right.

"You fucking missed, stupid!" Kagoshi shouted.

"That was a warning shot," the bowman replied evenly. "The next one goes between your eyes."

"I doubt it," Kagoshi scoffed.

Forfend didn't think now was the time for talking tough. They were at a severe disadvantage and in a great deal of danger.

That said, it also thought the bowman was lying. He didn't seem the type to do warning shots. He shot to kill every single time. He'd just missed due to distance and moving targets, whether he was willing to admit that or not.

Forfend hoped he'd miss a few more shots. Or all of them. All of them would be nice.

The group pressed themselves to the wall. There was another smaller alcove about sixty feet up. If they could get there, they'd be safe again for a moment. After that though, the stretch to reach the bowman was so lengthy Forfend couldn't see the end of it through the inky black shadows.

From what little it remembered about Mortal Bulwarks, it didn't think the hallway would have another alcove until they'd nearly reached the end. They were in for a long and dangerous dash.

"Don't you lose your temper with me," Kagoshi growled at himself.

Forfend glanced him over. He still seemed to be in control of himself.

He dashed out into the open before it could ask what was happening to him.

Kairi whipped around the corner and quickly surpassed Kagoshi.

An arrow crashed into the ground just a little way past the second alcoves.

Forfend hummed nervously. If the bowman wasn't aiming for them, what was he doing?

"Missed again!" Kagoshi heckled.

Melzaryn dashed out into the open and slid into the second right-hand alcove before the bowman got a chance to take aim.

Not to be left behind, Forfend made its way into the exposed hallway. It passed Kagoshi and ducked into the second alcove with Kairi.

Kagoshi growled as it moved past him. He was already flagging. He shouldn't be fighting. He was still well past exhausted.

Forfend touched the medallion on its chest. "Protect him," it requested.

Magic burst into being around Kagoshi and swarmed into a glowing symbol of Fornax over his chest.

An oversize arrow surged out of the darkness and slammed into the symbol on Kagoshi's chest.

The Shield of Faith held, but the raw force pushed Kagoshi back and knocked him to the floor.

The arrow clattered off across the stone floor.

"Fuck you," Kagoshi growled anyway.

"Are you okay?" Kairi called.

"Yeah, it's barely a scratch."

Kairi nodded and sprinted forward. She pressed her back to the far wall of the alcove and surreptitiously peeked from around it.

The javelin-sized arrow the bowman had placed above this alcove suddenly hummed. It burst from the ground, whipped itself in Kairi's direction, and fired.

Kairi pinned herself to the wall causing the arrow to narrowly miss her. It careened into the stone and disappeared in a breath of green magic.

"With the size of these things, I have to wonder what you're compensating for," Kairi yelled up the endless hallway.

Melzaryn darted from his own alcove into the expanse of unprotected space. Silvery blue magic rippled from his staff down around his feet, but didn't seem to have any effect on his speed or provide him any protection. The arcana just looked pent up, hanging on the verge of use.

Kagoshi hauled himself off the floor and ran full tilt forward. He chugged along much slower than normal, but he was bound and determined to keep moving.

He didn't duck into the alcove as Forfend and Kairi had done. He just kept running out in the exposed open.

Between the mystery of whatever Melzaryn was doing and Kagoshi's haggard form, the bowman's next target was a clear choice.

Forfend slid out in front of Kagoshi and planted its shield into the stone floor.

"Godsdammit!" Kagoshi screamed, plowing straight into Forfend's back. "Why?!"

"To protect you from your own mouth and the rest of your bad decisions," it answered.

"I'm going to shit talk this man forever!" Kagoshi argued.

"Then do it from behind a shield!" Forfend insisted.

"That's just as cowardly as his bitch ass!" he snapped, gesturing into the darkness of the path ahead.

"I do not think it is!"

A heavy thwip reverberated through the hall.

A massive arrow burst out of the shadows, gleaming murderously as it arced toward Melzaryn.

The magic around Melzaryn flared. He disappeared into a storm of silver wind just before the arrow hit and reappeared thirty feet up from where he'd started.

"Shit!" came the bowman's frustrated echo.

"Yeah, you missed because you're a bitch!" Kagoshi hollered.

"I've seen drunks with better accuracy than that, shithead!" Kairi followed suit.

"Fuck you!" the bowman roared.

Kairi snickered.

"Learn to hit the broad side of a barn!" Kagoshi yelled.

Kairi followed Melzaryn's lead and rushed into the open.

Kagoshi weaved out from behind Forfend to follow.

Melzaryn sparked his staff with a new round of magic and kept surging forward.

Forfend ripped its shield from the ground and trailed behind them. The other two would outpace it quickly, but Kagoshi was slow enough right now for it to keep up.

Four arrows whizzed from the darkness and scattered themselves across the middle of the hallway a hundred feet or more ahead of the group. Each one glowed an ominous incendiary orange.

Still, there was little choice but to keep moving forward anyway.

"I'm coming to beat your whole ass, motherfucker!" Kagoshi threatened. "And there's nothing you can do about it when I get close either because you're a ranged bitch!"

Melzaryn approached the field of glowing arrows. He tossed his hand out.

A tiny spectral snake of polished silver appeared curled up on the ground on the opposite side of the strange arrows. Its eyes lit up blue.

Melzaryn disappeared with a swirling pop and reappeared so far up the hallway Forfend lost track of him.

The little silver snake promptly followed suit.

The bowman roared, "Godsdammit!"

A hail of orange glowing arrows arced from the darkness and struck the ground ahead of them, seemingly at random.

"You got no bitches!" Kagoshi called out.

"No bitches, no boytoys, not even any friends!" Kairi joined in.

Forfend didn't waste time being confused by their statements. It just kept running.

Even more massive arrows littered the ground, all of them glimmering orange.

Melzaryn had made it past the growing field of arrows, but Forfend, Kairi, and Kagoshi were now in the thick of it.

"I think your aim is getting worse!" Kagoshi heckled, despite being nearly breathless with exertion. "Think you can hit anything before our scrawny little snake man kicks your whole ass?!"

"This is why your mother never loved you!" Kairi shouted.

"Where did he go?" the bowman's voice echoed much more quietly.

Melzaryn gave a sinister chuckle.

"I'll deal with the others first," the bowman said even more quietly, almost sounding unnerved.

A new arc of glowing arrows unveiled from the darkness in a perfect row and blocked the path ahead almost entirely.

Still, they had to keep moving forward. There was nowhere else to go.

They'd soon have no choice but to find out what the arrows would do if they got too close or bumped one.

"Shit!" the bowman suddenly yelled, followed by a bright flash at the end of the hall and an explosion that shook the entire structure.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

Melzaryn giggled, the sound reverberating hauntingly off the walls.

"Fuck him up!" Kairi screamed.

"Get him, kill him!" Kagoshi encouraged.

Forfend was certain Melzaryn could hold his own for a while, but it didn't want to leave him without allies for long. The bowman was not a common archer.

It noticed the far edge of the row of glowing arrows didn't quite meet the wall. There was enough space to skirt through without touching them.

Forfend pivoted to take that route.

"You scared to fire another shot?!" Kagoshi called as he continued straight toward the line of oversize arrows.

A new glowing arrow spun out of the darkness and struck one of the scattered arrows beyond the line.

Orange light flared and ricocheted to the next arrow at lightning speed, and the next after that, and the next, and all the way along the line of them, and then past it into the field of arrows on Forfend's side.

Light zipped until it had touched every single one.

All of the arrows lifted themselves from the ground, selected a target, and launched themselves.

Forfend pulled up its shield, but projectiles struck it from every direction.

Golden ichor trickled from beneath the embedded arrows.

Kagoshi roared.

Forfend lowered its shield to catch a glimpse of him and Kairi.

Kairi had a few arrows that had knicked or pierced her flesh.

Kagoshi, on the other hand, was a pincushion.

The majority of the arrows had aimed at him. Blood poured from head to toe, coating him in grisly red.

He shouldn't be standing. He shouldn't even be alive.

Kagoshi's hair burst into flames and so did every single arrow.

His muscles bulged until they threatened to burst through his suddenly ashen skin. The arrows were forced out of his flesh by the unbelievable growth.

Not-Kagoshi roared a second time, this one causing the very earth to tremble, and sprinted forward with murderous intent.

His heels scorched red, propelling him forward in a ball of crimson fire.

At the end of the hall, a small silvery flash shot cracks through the ceiling and briefly revealed the bowman beneath.

Thunderous rumbling sounded as the ceiling collapsed on top of him.

"Fuck!" the bowman yelled, diving off his pedestal.

Melzaryn's strange new snake assistant launched two consecutive balls of fire at the fallen man.

The bowman hollered out.

Forfend took in the absolute chaos happening around it and did the only thing it could do. It kept moving forward.

It was finally close enough to see the fight, though not quite close enough to get involved.

"There you are," the bowman's now haggard voice called. He drew back his bow and unleashed an arrow at Melzaryn.

Melzaryn ducked out of the way.

The bowman growled, "Fine!"

He tossed his bow onto his back and pulled two shortswords from scabbards somewhere beneath his voluminous brown robes.

He stalked toward Melzaryn and slashed wildly.

The blades tinged off Melzaryn's faint magical Shield.

Kairi's glimmering wings carried her into the air. Her eyes trailed pink as she soared onward despite her bleeding wounds.

Not-Kagoshi's bulky, thundering form dashed right into an obvious trap laid out just before the Bulwark's final opening.

Massive arrows had been lined up in a perfect pattern probably hours before they'd arrived.

Every single one lifted from the ground and spiraled toward Not-Kagoshi.

Not-Kagoshi tensed his body, lightning arcing across his taut muscles.

The static barrier somehow seemed to repel the arrows. They hovered, struggling in the air just shy of touching Not-Kagoshi's flesh. When they'd finally lost all their spinning momentum, they clattered to the floor.

Not-Kagoshi just kept running.

"Oh, shit," the bowman swore, backing away from Not-Kagoshi's rapid approach.

"Oh, hey, are you here to help me bury this guy and whatever that is?" Melzaryn casually asked, pointing at something Forfend couldn't see.

The bowman grabbed for his cloak.

Melzaryn gripped his arm, lightning coursing from his hand into the bowman's body.

Melzaryn's strange little snake launched two more fireballs.

The bowman jerked his twitching, electrified arm away from Melzaryn and tried to dodge away. He wasn't quite fast enough.

Fire whooshed as it struck him.

He cried out.

Not-Kagoshi barreled into the bowman and lifted him up by wrapping one massive hand around his head. He roared in the struggling man's face and launched him into the nearest pillar.

Blood dripped from beneath the billowing robes as he fell. The bowman's chest lit up so brightly orange it glowed beneath the fabric.

Forfend turned away before he could explode.

The blast didn't come.

The bowman's single visible eye was contorted in pain and concentration, apparently willing the runic light to dim until it finally petered out.

He forced himself upright and ran on faltering legs. He snagged his cloak again and started to call upon its magics.

A new figure swept from behind a pillar at the back of the room and gouged a scimitar straight through the bowman's chest.

Blood poured from the bowman's wound, staining his cloak deep red. He choked and groaned before collapsing to the ground.

Forfend's body went rigid. What had happened? Who was this new assailant? Could it get to the bowman in time to revive him?

Not-Kagoshi's cackling laughter reverberated through the Mortal Bulwark.

"You?!" he yelled.

"Yes, me," the murderer answered, stepping over the corpse. "Hello again."

He strode into the central circle of pillars and inspected a rune carved into the floor.

"After the last we met, some things have changed."

Forfend finally got a good look at the intruding stranger.

He bore dark, burnt robes and malovent eyes. He looked remarkably similar to the cultist beneath Brightcrossing.

No, Forfend realized, he was the cultist from beneath Brightcrossing.

His face was burnt nearly beyond recognition, but his rusty weapon and the murderous twist of his mouth were unmistakable.

The cultist flipped his bloody scimitar in his hand. "Do you know what you stand upon?"

He didn't wait for an answer before driving his blade into the ground.

The stone began to glow an ominous red.

Not-Kagoshi stalked slowly into the middle of the room as though he was guarding the glowing rune. He turned to watch Melzaryn.

Melzaryn warily eyed Not-Kagoshi, but the hulking monster didn't move.

Slowly, Melzaryn brought his staff up and pointed it toward something off in the far corner.

The distinct vwoop of Melzaryn's Vortex Warp sounded.

Duncan, tied and gagged and panicked, popped into existence right in front of Forfend.

"Duncan!" Forfend exclaimed, immediately kneeling to tend to him.

It untied him, pulled the gag from his mouth, and checked him over for injuries or newly bestowed spells.

Everything looked to be in order.

"W-what's going on?!" Duncan sputtered.

"I have you. You will be alright," Forfend promised. "What happened?"

"I was kidnapped! I don't know! I don't know what's happening! I just want to go home!" Duncan clung to Forfend.

"We will get you home. I promise." Forfend placed a gentle hand on Duncan's head. "Stay. Right. Here."

Duncan nodded. "I can do that."

Forfend nodded once and stood, carefully approaching the tense situation ahead.

"So, what's the deal here?" Melzaryn asked. "Who are you attacking? Him? Me?"

Not-Kagoshi didn't respond. He locked gazes with Forfend the second it got close.

"What is happening here?" Forfend haltingly questioned.

Something wasn't right.

Not-Kagoshi was wildly violent. He was cocky and loud. If he wasn't swinging fists, he was gloating or laughing or roaring.

But right now, he was dead silent. He stood like a sentinel.

"Give it a bit," the cultist droned. "It'll be quite the spectacle."

Forfend hummed uncomfortably. "I feel we have had enough spectacles for today."

"Oh, but trust me, this one will be quite fantastic."

Forfend's core spun in dizzying, anxious circles.

The cultist paced around the glowing rune, dragging his scimitar through the stone floor as easily as if it were sand.

Red smoke billowed out of the destroyed statue to the left.

"This, after all, is a Mortal Bulwark," he explained as he continued to trace out the engraved rune. "A gateway between realms, and yet, a barrier."

Red smoke burst from the statue to the right.

"It's meant to protect this realm, but what is it protecting us from?"

Kairi fluttered in and hovered close by, as uncertain as anyone else what to do.

Not-Kagoshi folded his arms and waited.

Melzaryn scooped stones up from the floor and imbued them with magic until they glowed a faint silvery blue.

Forfend stepped up in front of Not-Kagoshi.

It wasn't planning on dealing with him though.

It raised its hand and felt the angry, twisting magic surging from the rune.

Forfend closed its fist.

The magic stuttered.

The cultist snarled. A new blast of magic revitalized the spell as Forfend tried desperately to Dispel it.

They struggled against each other, the arcana stuttering as it was caught between.

The cultist's eyes flashed red.

Forfend's hand was forced open and pushed backwards. It lost its grip on the magic.

The spell continued.

Not-Kagoshi glared down at Forfend and uncrossed his arms. He cracked his knuckles.

"What do you think this Bulwark in particular was defending against?" the cultist asked as he continued tracing out the rune, his sickle gliding impossibly smoothly through stone. "There are many like it all across Rozdarta. All of them blessed by the gods."

He finished his rounds and pulled his sickle from the ground, swirling it in his hands. "After I entered into the Abyss, I saw things."

Red smoke hissed from the statue behind Forfend. The crimson mist was beginning to spread its seeking tendrils out across the ground.

"I saw the truth of the matter," the cultist continued. "Honestly, I'm surprised you don't recognize this place, Forfend, the first demigod of Fornax."

Forfend straightened as much as it was able.

It knew what this place was, but how much more was it supposed to recognize? Had it been here? It didn't know. It couldn't remember.

More blood-colored smoke began to spill from the destroyed statue the bowman had been using as a perch.

"This was made to imprison a particularly potent demon. One I'm surprised you don't recognize, nor sense." The cultist watched Forfend's blank face. "Tell me, Forfend, does this all look familiar?"

Forfend couldn't say that it did. It wasn't sure what the cultist could know that it didn't though. It simply didn't respond.

Kairi flew up into the air and pulled back her bow, unleashing a glittering Guiding Bolt.

The cultist roared as the radiant light struck him, but he still held tight to his ongoing spell.

"You," he spat. "I recognize you. You may try all you wish, Kairi Camilla, but you cannot stop what is coming. Let me ask you: are we all even supposed to be here?"

"You're just a bitch ass whore taking orders from a crazy bastard," Kairi swore. "Fuck off!"

"Vulgar words for a vulgar woman," the cultist sneered.

His eyes suddenly widened. He jerked his head to Kagoshi.

Kagoshi's form shuddered. The flames on his head crystallized and cracked as green strips of grass-like hair replaced them. Tangled branches replaced the crumbling flames wreathing Kagoshi's collar. His skin tone morphed from ashy black to clay brown. His eyes stopped glowing burgandy and dulled to a gentle green.

A familiar snarl replaced his previous impassive hostility. He turned to face the cultist.

"Excellent timing," Forfend praised him. "We are in a great deal of trouble."

The cultist growled. "Persistent and unwilling to see the truth, I see."

"I was always told I'm a stubborn bastard." Kagoshi flexed his hands.

"It is no matter. The question remains: are we all even supposed to be here? Are any of us supposed to be here?"

Forfend had no clue what the man could mean by that. Here as is this Mortal Bulwark? Here as in this plane of existence? Here as in alive?

"Who cares? I'm gonna rip your spine out," Kagoshi astutely answered.

The cultist growled. He tossed his hood back. His robes caught alight and dark magic coursed through his scimitar.

Forfend nudged its way past Kagoshi to get a better vantage point and touched the medallion on its chest.

The scimitar in the cultist's hand began to heat up until the metal was molten red.

The cultist hissed through his teeth at his blistering hands, but he refused to let go.

He brought the scimitar up and slammed it down into the earth.

A deep reverberating tone like the gong of a great bell cascaded through the Bulwark.

Forfend could feel magic, a sickening combination of malignant and misused divine, sweeping over it in waves.

Every wisp of red smoke rushed inward to the center of the circle.

Forfend nearly stumbled at the force of the wind.

The blood-colored smoke rushed headlong into the crack in the center of the runic circle until it was gone.

As the last tendril disappeared, a memory sharp as a knife embedded into Forfend's mind. Its vision flickered red.

It found itself back in the distant past, its body again metal and strong.

It stood on the edge of the village, splitting its attention between its mortal family hard at work and the distant battle clashing across the stormy red sky like lightning where Fornax undoubtedly fought for his life.

Red and black smoke obscured the Sunderer's form, but the horrid monster wasn't dark enough to hide the brilliant holy light of Cassis's spear or the pale moonlight of Decessus's crescent blade.

Light flashed with every desperate strike. It remembered hoping this would be the final battle, but it couldn't have been. Forfend hadn't survived to see the Sunderer's defeat.

Forfend lost track of time as it stood guard. It didn't know how long it watched the battle with rapt attention.

"Oh, aren't you curious? You're new," a voice startled Forfend from its concentration.

It turned to look down at the speaker.

What it found startled it a second time.

The young human standing before it was so severely emaciated Forfend couldn't understand how he was still standing.

Every single rib shown clearly through his skin. His hips jutted out from an impossibly narrow midsection. His limbs were barely more than skin stretched taut over bone. His face was so sunken the outline of his teeth pressed visibly against his cheeks.

All he wore was a loincloth that dangled from his hips.

He was by far the single most unwell mortal Forfend had ever seen.

It knelt but its words momentarily escaped it in its shock.

The man stepped forward, touching its smooth metal chest. "You're warm. And alive," he marveled.

Forfend found its voice and opened its arms. "You are starving. We have food in the village here. Food and shelter and healers. We will help you."

"You're too kind, Forfend," the stranger grinned. "Too, too kind."

Forfend cocked its head. It didn't know this stranger. How did he know its name?

"Honestly, I had a thought," the man said. "The only thing that satiated me was the flesh of a god. I wonder if yours would be similar."

Forfend hummed its concern, but it didn't want to leave this man. Delusions were common with illness and starvation. He needed help.

Pain suddenly wrenched through Forfend's chest.

It looked down to see the stranger's hand deep in its chest. It hadn't even seen him move.

His fingers tipped at Forfend's core, sending jolts of twisting lightning through its body.

He hadn't plunged quite deep enough or quite centered enough to wrap his hand around the core. Frustrated, he clenched his fist and ripped all the molten stone and metal free.

His jaw split open like a snake's. A rattling inhale pulled the debris of Forfend's body to his mouth, compacting it down with violent metallic grinding until it easily fit within his jaw. He crunched once and swallowed.

Forfend wavered and nearly toppled over. Its other knee hit the dirt and it caught itself on one hand. Golden ichor poured thickly from the gaping wound cut out of the side of its chest.

Fear seized it as the senseless reality of what had just happened tried and failed to sink in.

"Wow, that does taste good," the stranger mused.

He knelt down and cupped Forfend's runic face. "Oh, I know this will hurt," he pouted, false sympathy dripping from his voice.

Forfend wanted to stand, wanted to fight or run or anything.

It couldn't move.

"You're an odd one. Unique, bearing a soul," the stranger considered. "But you are still a Fornaxian and I hear they have fantastic crispy skin."

He dug his thin, bony figures into Forfend's face.

Metal screeched.

Blinding pain wracked through Forfend.

This man, this monster, peeled away its metal covering in one long strip. He devoured as he rended, his impossible jaw puncturing iron with ease.

Forfend felt as though it had been thrown in acid. Its entire body burned and screamed in abject agony.

It could see nothing but burning darkness.

"Delicious," the monster praised, announcing he'd finished. He smacked his lips together.

Forfend's vision came spinning back to it.

Its trembling hands were nothing but molten rock and dripping ichor. Its chest, its legs, its entire body were all just the same. Molten rock and dripping ichor. All its metal was gone.

Ichor pooled beneath its feet faster than it could evaporate away. Its magma musculature drooped, struggling to hold its form. The magic in its core surged in a desperate effort to keep it together.

Forfend stood so much as it was able and staggered backwards. It needed to get away from the village. If this monster could shred it with such ease, he could devour the town in minutes.

Acras.

The monster's name struck Forfend. It couldn't tell if it had known that then, or if it only knew in hindsight.

This was Accipo's brother. This was the god of hunger and rot and decay.

This was something far more powerful than Forfend could hope to handle. The best it could do was try to make certain the village survived.

It backed away, trying to bait Acras towards it.

"Oh, are you running?" Acras tutted and shook his head. He didn't move from where he crouched. "I don't want you to die tired. Look at you, you're bleeding everywhere."

Drool cascaded from his teeth and muddled with the pool of ichor at his feet. He swiped a hand through the golden substance and tasted it.

"Well, fine," Acras decided. If you want to leave, go ahead."

He pointed at his emaciated ribs.

The flesh knotted up and the ribs twisted out of the skin. They took the shape of a snarling hound. It gnashed its teeth.

"If I can't eat you now, I'll settle for them," Acras threatened. "Go!"

The beast developed clawing paws and hauled itself free of Acras's body with the sounds of splitting flesh and cracking bone.

"Satiate my hunger, however temporarily!" he ordered the demon.

The hound grew, its emaciated body bulging and popping until it was nearly twice Forfend's height.

Shaggy white fur sparsely coated its taut flesh. Spines jutted like rocks from its back. Its tail curved up high, the fur giving way to dry skin covered in sores that culminated jarringly into a scorpion's stinger.

Its eyes glowed murderous red.

Sickly yellow-green light emanated from its salivating jowls and through the thin, sunken skin clinging between its stark ribs.

"Come, Forfend, you know you can't run forever," Acras taunted. "You're bleeding."

Forfend lifted a shaky molten arm and channeled its magic.

Its core protested. Nearly every ounce of power it could access was already in use just to keep its body from turning to little more than slag.

Forfend drew on the magic anyway.

Its head dizzied as the world seemed to tilt.

A Wall of Fire burst from its palm and arced out to cut the hound off from the village.

Acras's jaw split. The flames twisted in the air and surged toward him instead. He devoured them effortlessly.

"Delicious!" Acras exclaimed. "Do more, please."

The massive beast bounded toward its family.

Forfend touched its melting hand to its melting chest just beside the gaping hole exposing its core.

Was there anything it could do?

It tugged at the magic dwelling within it.

Pain answered.

The battle at Forfend's back faltered.

A great flash split the horizon.

A silver gleam soared across the sky and crashed into the ground with earthquaking force.

Forfend nearly lost its footing as a shockwave blasted from the crater now at its side.

Acras perked up.

Fornax lifted himself from the earth. A massive dent caved in his chest piece. He looked much worse for wear.

"Now why'd you have to go and ruin the fun?" Acras growled.

Acras's mouth ripped open. He bit into his own flesh, his jaw inverting until it had consumed every piece of his human form.

Nothing but the gaping maw remained. Its fanged teeth crashed together.

A skeletal body sprouted forth, taking towering shape. Acras, now in his massive godly form, hissed.

He was more jaw than anything. His starving body looked and smelled like a rotting corpse. Mold and sores marred every peeling inch of flayed skin hanging off his bones.

"I wasn't done with my appetizer," Acras complained, his voice taking on a new sharp, wheezing undertone.

Fornax turned. He took in Acras's visage and the horrid hound demon dashing for the town. His eyes caught on Forfend.

He froze.

"No, Forfend!" His attention snapped to Acras, rage shaking his body. "What did you do?!"

Fornax slammed his hammer into the ground. Adamantine spikes rivaling the size of mountains lashed out of the earth and impaled Acras, lifting him high into the air.

Fornax roared.

He raised his hand. An adamantine spear formed in the air and dropped into Fornax's hand. He launched it.

The spear slashed through Acras's gaping maw.

Acras grunted. "Good!" he yelled despite his wounded mouth.

He chomped down on the spear and swallowed it.

"Forfend, go! I'll deal with this!" Fornax ordered.

Forfend ran without a second though. It had to catch the hound.

Puddles of lava were left in its wake from each strike of its exposed molten feet.

Its core spun, sparking painfully in its chest.

It wasn't sure if it could call on enough magic to cast a single spell, but it would have to try. It had to help the village.

The memory suddenly stuttered.

Forfend dropped so gracelessly back into its body that it staggered.

"One of many things that should be considered is why the gods perform such actions," the cultist was saying.

The crack in the earth where the smoke had disappeared split, creating an expanding rift.

"An example would be why they would betray creation. After all, the gods are embodiments of all things in reality. Which means that the truth of the matter is that we were never supposed to exist," the cultist asserted.

The rift grew to a fissure.

Two massive white paws snagged the crumbling edges and dragged up the emaciated form of the very same hound demon Forfend had just seen in its addled memory.

It took a short step back as it looked up at the snarling beast.

Its core dropped low in its center.

Fear took hold.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 21

Forfend rushed as quickly as it could, its feet pounding across Cragwall's cobblestone streets.

Kairi whisked along beside it much more quietly, but with no less urgency.

Ahead, the guard barracks carved a dark black blot out of the navy blue sky.

A dim light highlighted Melzaryn and Kagoshi standing in front of it.

Forfend couldn't tell where the light was coming from. Did one of them have a lantern? They could both see in the dark.

As it approached, it saw the truth.

Melzaryn's eyes were glowing a piercing white.

He looked up. "Glad you're here. Secret tunnel. Hidden switch."

"Where the hell is it?" Kagoshi gruffed, smacking randomly at the stone wall of the guard barracks.

Melzaryn stepped on a particular cobblestone and pushed a particular brick. Both shifted slightly.

A rune briefly glowed on the brick. A plume of green smoke hissed forth, straight into Melzaryn's face.

Melzaryn reeled back, coughing. He swore under his breath. "Yeah, that should've been expected."

The brick slid back into place. Nothing else happened.

"Alright, I've done my work. Somebody else figure this out," Melzaryn wheezed.

"And how do we do that?!" Kagoshi snapped.

Forfend knocked on the stone wall and cobblestone pathway where Melzaryn had been standing. A hollowness emanated.

"Smash a hole in it," it decided.

There was no time to worry about property damage or permissions. Duncan was in trouble.

"That I can do!" Kagoshi agreed, grinning wildly. "Melzaryn turn around."

Forfend stepped back as Kagoshi pounded fists into stone.

Melzaryn visibly winced at the destruction. He turned and shielded his eyes.

Kairi stared off into the distance, squinting back the way they'd came. "Did he run this whole way in that stuffy suit?"

Forfend started to ask what she meant, but her ethereal wings were already lifting her into the air.

Forfend watched her disappear into the dark of night.

She returned only a moment later, hauling Eamon along with labored wingbeats. She deposited him and flit down right at his side. "Why'd you run so far in your suit?"

Eamon wheezed and bent over with his hands on his knees. "It was... an emergency... I didn't have time to... change," he managed between gulping breaths.

He lifted his head up as much as he could manage. "Why are you breaking things?" he asked in thin, breathless panic.

"To find Duncan," Forfend said.

The thought very suddenly struck Forfend that Duncan may not be the only one in danger.

It tapped the medallion on its chest with three fingers and pulled the soft orange light up to the top of its rune.

"Former Envema gladiator," it hummed, projecting an image of the man's face into the magic.

It connected to the gladiator's mind and Sent a mental message across. "Are you safe? If not, describe to me as concisely as possible where you are."

The tenuous connection buzzed with the mechanical whir of Forfend's magic. It worried for a moment the gladiator couldn't answer.

There was a vague sense of stirrings from the other side before the gladiator's voice rang through clearly, "Uhhh, was kidnapped. Woke up. Um, fought back. Don't know where I am. Underground, somewhere? I need a weapon and--shit!"

The connection severed.

Forfend hummed anxiously.

The gladiator sounded breathless and scared. What had cut him off? Would he still be alive when it got to him?

Kagoshi's fist crunched through the ground with frightening ease. He headbutted the wall, sending it crumbling down as well.

The pathway was laid bare.

It was a deep, pitch dark tunnel leading rapidly down into the earth.

"The gladiator from our first day in Cragwall says he is trapped underground," Forfend relayed. "We should look for him down there on our way to Duncan. He is in just as much danger."

Kagoshi slapped Melzaryn's shoulder much harder than necessary. "Alright, tunnel man, you're up."

Melzaryn coughed. "Just because I happen to know the layout doesn't mean I should be the one to go first," he argued, his voice uncharacteristically strained. "I've already been poisoned once today."

"I can go," Forfend offered. Its stone form meant poisons were ineffective.

"Can you even fit?" Kagoshi asked.

Forfend tilted its head at the tunnel. "Yes. Not comfortably."

"You'll slow us down if you're in front," Kagoshi growled.

"Then go!" Forfend said more forcefully than it meant to.

People were in danger. Its patience was short.

"I'm going!" Kagoshi bounded straight into the tunnel.

Kairi followed right on his heels.

Forfend glanced at Melzaryn.

Melzaryn waved his hand and covered his mouth to stifle more body-wracking coughs.

Forfend hunched down into the tunnel.

"What's happening?" Eamon asked.

"Keep to the plan. Get the guards," Melzaryn didn't really answer as he trotted after Forfend.

Forfend reached out along the thread of magic that had connected him to Duncan before. The Detect Creature spell still held. The magic was still seeking out Duncan, but all it could do at the moment was course aimlessly in the direction Duncan had been in when he exited Forfend's range.

It had no idea where he actually was anymore.

That worried it immensely.

"Tunnels are sprawling," Melzaryn mumbled to himself. He looked all about, his glowing eyes seeing much more than the tight walls of the tunnel.

Melzaryn guided the party through the winding pathways, avoiding dead ends, false stairways, and strange traps.

They walked for much longer than Forfend would've guessed. And much longer than it would've liked.

Every second they wandered these tunnels was another second innocent people were in danger.

The group turned a corner and were immediately confronted with a heavily armed and armored man standing in the middle of the hallway.

He didn't startle or start to move.

Forfend got halfway through the thought that maybe something was wrong with him when Kagoshi lashed out with his fists.

"No!" Kairi yelled too late.

The man dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes, his helmeted head clanging off the wall on the way down.

"Kagoshi!" Forfend fussed.

Kagoshi leaned down and cast Light on the man's helmet. "He's still breathing. He's alive."

Forfend shouldered its way forward and crouched down.

The man was an odd combination of limp and stiff. He seemed to be trying to hold his facedown position for some reason.

Forfend carefully worked the man's helmet off and shifted him so it could look into his eyes.

He stared blankly forward into nothing.

"Uh, can you hear me?" Kagoshi asked.

Forfend touched the man's face.

Like many of the other Envema members, he bore a farmer's tan and an average build that wouldn't look out of place among any of the commoners in Tyrwedia.

"If you can hear me, my bad," Kagoshi mumbled.

The man made no acknowledgement of having been spoken to. His eyes didn't even blink.

"Hm. Well, fuck you then," Kagoshi changed his mind.

Kagoshi stepped over the man and continued down the hallway.

"He's fine. He's breathing. Whatever's happening to him, I'm sure it'll resolve itself."

Forfend lifted the man up and tossed him over its shoulder. "I cannot leave him here."

"Godsdammit," Kagoshi complained.

"How worried about him are you?" Melzaryn asked.

"Extremely," Forfend answered.

"Not at all," Kagoshi said at the same time.

"At least a little bit," Kairi piped up.

"Give me one minute." Melzaryn sighed. He coughed into his elbow and propped his staff up in front of his face, beginning a spell.

"Hey, what do you think that is?" Kairi said.

Forfend looked to where she was pointing.

There was an indent carved into the wall roughly the size and shape of a human person.

"Forfend, this might be a weird question," Kairi started, "but will you see if he fits in this?"

Forfend hummed. "I am uncertain if that is wise."

"Just let me finished with my spell," Melzaryn huffed. He coughed again, louder this time.

Forfend was beginning to worry about the severity of the poison Melzaryn had inhaled.

"I like Kairi's idea," Kagoshi grinned maliciously.

"I'm just worried there's something we're not understanding about this whole..." Kairi trailed off.

"City?" Kagoshi suggested.

"Situation," Kairi opted instead.

"Definitely Envema," Melzaryn confirmed what Forfend had already assumed. "He's got the same enchantments."

Forfend hummed.

"I don't know what will happen if you put him in the wall. You can try it if you want," Melzaryn added.

The man started to struggle in Forfend's grasp. Though, not much. It seemed like he was trying to walk even though his feet weren't on the ground.

"Oh shit, he's awake," Kagoshi remarked.

"He has been awake the entire time," Forfend corrected.

The man still seemed to be staring off into the distance.

Forfend took the battle-axe from his waist and the shield from his arm.

He didn't fight for them. He just let them be slipped away.

Melzaryn glanced around. "I think he's meant as a sentry. I think they know we're coming."

"Can you tell Eamon this man is down here?" Forfend requested.

"I can," Melzaryn said slowly. "I could tell him there's a guy under the ground near the statue of King Falco, but I don't know how much that would help. There were a lot of twists and turns to get here."

"I do not want to leave him, but I do not want to carry him into danger either," Forfend fretted.

"So tie his ass up," Kagoshi suggested.

Forfend nodded. It pulled the man off its shoulder and held him in place.

He continued to attempt to stride forward.

"Kairi, could you get the rope from my belt and tie him?" Forfend asked.

"Sure."

Kairi tried to throw the rope around the man, but he started to struggle with more vigor.

To Forfend's surprise, the man still didn't grow violent.

He did, however, slip from Forfend's grasp, duck Kairi, skirt past Kagoshi, and tuck himself into the indent in the wall.

He refused to move even when touched or tugged.

Any motion that pulled him from the wall, he immediately undid. He was determined to stand stockstill in his strange alcove.

"We do not have time for this," Forfend hissed steam. "What do we do?"

"Just leave him," Melzaryn said. "We'll come back for him."

Forfend nodded, not liking the choice but not seeing a wealth of others.

A clatter of chains rattled and a hidden door opened in the wall.

A man strode out of it with a large rucksack thrown over his shoulder.

He walked straight toward Forfend and its allies, but he didn't seem to see them. His eyes were glazed and staring forward just like the man in the alcove.

The stranger with the bag paused right in front of the other man, pulled water and hardtack from his pack, fed it to the man in the alcove, and turned back around.

He walked down the hallway past where he'd exited the hidden doorway and kept going.

Kagoshi immediately started following the man with the bag.

Forfend reluctantly tailed him.

The man stopped every little while and fed another stockstill sentry.

Forfend was unnerved by the number of them trapped down here in these winding tunnels.

Some were dressed in the black robes of the Envema mage they'd fought. Others were dressed in armored gladiator attire. Most, however, were dressed in basic leather commoners' wear, like one would use for hunting.

A few were dressed in rags, with runes much larger and more intricate than those carved in the chests of the other Envema members.

Forfend guessed they were meant as nothing more than bombs. Its core spun with sickening anxiety.

It would do whatever it could to help them, but it simply lacked the magic to do it all alone. Especially right now. It could only handle so many crises at a time.

Eventually, the man with the rucksack turned around and returned to where he'd come from, leaving the group alone in the tunnel.

Forfend and its allies kept walking.

They passed more and more Envema members tucked into indents in the wall.

Kagoshi growled at something ahead. "That's probably not good."

Forfend stared as hard as it could.

In the middle of the next crossroad, one of the Envema members lay dead.

As they approached, Forfend saw the man's head had been caved in.

Melzaryn turned left, but Forfend stopped and gazed down the right hallway.

Another dead Envema member lay just a short ways down it. And another after that.

"Can you see where that goes?" Forfend asked.

Melzaryn glanced down the hallway. "Leads to a cylindrical room under the guard tower right next to Moli's shop. We should check it out."

Forfend nodded.

Kagoshi and Kairi tromped down the hallway.

Forfend and Melzaryn followed.

Bodies littered the hallway. Many of them were missing their weapons.

Many others had those missing weapons buried in their corpses.

"Were they fighting each other?" Kairi wandered.

Forfend hummed.

The gladiator had said he'd fought. Could he have done all this?

"Why didn't they explode?" Melzaryn questioned aloud.

"Anyone else thinking trap?" Kagoshi grumbled. "Because I'm thinking trap."

They turned the corner into the cylindrical room.

Two enormous humanoid figures, Forfend's size or larger, were dead in a heap on the far side of the room.

One of them had a splintered chunk of wood through its throat.

The other had its helmet ripped off and appeared to have been bludgeoned to death with it.

There were other huge humanoids tucked into their own special indents in the wall. Twelve total indents encircled the room. All but two of the indents were still occupied.

Between the two empty alcoves, the gladiator leaned against the wall.

He was covered in blood, his chest heaving.

Forfend pushed past Kagoshi and knelt at the gladiator's side.

"Thank the gods," it said as it pressed its stone hand to his chest.

"H-hey," the gladiator managed. "Gods, that hurts." He sputtered blood.

Forfend let magic course through its body.

A warm orange glow spread across the gladiator's chest, systematically closing his most severe wounds.

"That's great," the gladiator breathed. The tension in his body began to ease. "That's so much better. Thank you."

Melzaryn coughed loudly.

The gladiator dropped the splintered length of wood he'd been gripping like a lifeline.

Forfend pulled the mundane mace it still carried from its belt and placed it in the gladiator's hand.

"Oh, thank you." He glanced the weapon over and nodded approvingly.

"What happened?" it asked.

"You know the crowd at the courthouse? I was trying to leave. As soon as I escaped the crowd, someone grabbed me and pulled me into an alleyway. They tried to knock me unconscious." The gladiator rubbed at a bloody spot on his temple. "They didn't quite manage it, but I faked it anyway because I genuinely didn't think I could fight him. At least, not as I was. No weapons on me."

Forfend nodded, listening intently.

"They brought me down here, I guess? They tried to put me in the wall for some reason. I left and whatever these things are didn't take kindly to that." He paused, looking around the room. "Odd thing is, only some of them started moving. I don't know why. I took down as many as I could, but, well, you can see how that went."

The gladiator gestured to his wounded state.

Melzaryn suddenly had a lengthy coughing bout.

The gladiator straightened his back up. "I was just trying to find an exit. I'm not sure, but I might've found one?"

He pointed to a spiral staircase leading upwards into the ceiling.

"It's a stairway up. That's got to be something, right?" the gladiator assumed.

Melzaryn shrugged. "It's definitely an exit, but I don't know if it'll poison us like the last one."

"Poison?" the gladiator blinked.

"Yeah, the last door had a poisoning mechanism if you didn't have the key," Melzaryn said. He cleared his throat and coughed.

"I could handle that," Forfend offered.

The gladiator nodded over at the two huge dead bodies and out the door toward the trail of other Envema bodies he'd left behind. "I don't really understand what's going on here, but it's some shit. They all just... move. There's nothing in there, man."

"You were like that until recently," Forfend hummed.

"Really? These guys didn't even talk. They just... did." The gladiator shuddered.

Forfend hummed, concerned. It looked up to where the stairway joined the ceiling.

"Hey, uh," the gladiator started as he hauled himself to his feet, "how did you know to call me?"

"Another Envema member we rescued, Duncan, was kidnapped," Forfend explained. "I thought he may not be the only one. The other man we rescued with you has likely also been kidnapped."

"Shit," the gladiator swore. "Do you know where we need to go to rescue them?"

"The Galloford estate."

"Who is this guy again?" Kagoshi asked.

"The gladiator from our lovely introduction to Cragwall," Melzaryn answered.

"Oh," Kagoshi nodded.

"The Galloford estate?" the gladiator asked. "We should--" His jaw clicked shut as he looked himself over. "Actually, I don't know that I should help. I'm not doing too well. Do you mind if I just stay here and rest up a bit?"

Forfend didn't think anywhere in these tunnels was safe enough to rest. "I can go up the stairs and open the hatch. Hopefully, whoever is on the other side will be friendly."

"Okay, you do that," the gladiator agreed. "Thanks for the mace and the healing. I'm just going to sit back down and maybe take a nap."

He groaned as he sank back to the floor.

Forfend carefully made its way up the stairs.

At the top, it found only the flat surface of the ceiling. There were no grooves or handles or any apparent mechanisms of any kind.

"Melzaryn," Forfend called.

Melzaryn scaled the stairs, wheezing and coughing the whole way up.

He inspected the wall. "The switch isn't mechanical. It's magical. There's not much I can do about that."

Forfend scraped its stone hand across the ceiling. "We are under a guard tower, you said? I would not want to alarm anyone."

"You most certainly would if you broke it," Melzaryn said.

Forfend nodded.

Melzaryn trotted back down the stairs.

Forfend followed.

The gladiator seemed to have drifted off, his head leaned back against the wall. He flinched awake. "Oh, you're all still here."

"I do not have any nearby way to get you out of here, but I do not want to leave you in such a dangerous place either," Forfend hummed. "We are going into more danger, so it would be unwise to keep you with us."

Melzaryn strode over to the gladiator, placed a hand on his shoulder, and locked eyes with him. "Can you read a map?"

"Yes," the gladiator answered, confused.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"One wrong turn and you're screwed. Are you sure?"

"Yes!" the gladiator said forcefully.

Melzaryn nodded.

He pulled a sheet of paper from his spellbook and rapidly scribbled on it. He thrust the paper into the gladiator's hands.

"That's a map," Melzaryn stated the obvious. "It'll take you out of here if you follow that path. Don't go down any of the branching paths I've indicated. They're tangled and labyrinthian and you probably won't find your way back out of them."

The gladiator inspected the simplistic but precise directions.

"It will lead you to just outside the guard barracks," Forfend shared.

"Can't miss it. There's a hole in the wall," Kagoshi added.

"If you see the guards, let them know what is happening. They already know you," Forfend hummed.

"I'll do that," the gladiator promised, hauling himself upright.

He started to hobble out of the room, but paused. "Can I keep this?" he asked as he held up Forfend's old mace.

"Yes, that is yours," Forfend nodded.

The gladiator looked the weapon over again. "Thanks. It's really nice."

"I made it myself," Forfend's chest lit up briefly orange. It tapped the mace, casting Light on it.

"Oh, good. I was running blind down here," the gladiator said more to himself than Forfend.

The mace flickered almost like a torch, giving off more than enough light to read by.

The gladiator nodded and exited the strange room.

Kairi narrowed her eyes at the massive corpses on the floor. "What even are these?"

"I wish we had time to find out," Melzaryn huffed.

The group gathered themselves together and returned to the seemingly endless tunnels.

The further they traveled, the more everything looked exactly like everything else they'd already passed.

More strange circular rooms loomed from the other side of narrow doorways they didn't pass through. More lifeless but living people idled in the walls. More blankly-staring bag carriers fed the immobile sentries.

Forfend felt as though its core had dropped to the center of its abdomen.

It wanted to help, but there was so little it could do for something on a scale this absurdly large.

It would have to hope the guards would meet the gladiator and begin removing the innocents from the tunnels.

Melzaryn frowned at the walls.

Forfend wasn't sure what had him bothered until it began hearing the sound of rushing water just on the other side.

Storm drains began to pocket the floors and ceilings both every ten feet.

"We're alongside the aqueducts," Melzaryn noted. "To be built into them like this, they would have to have been constructed together at the same time."

Forfend hummed darkly. "The city was built with this in mind? Why?"

Melzaryn shrugged. "Makes the tunnels easy to flood though."

Kagoshi chuckled maliciously. "I hope we get to use that."

Kairi peered through the storm grates above them.

There was some noise out there, but Forfend couldn't make anything of it.

"There are knights and guards around the Galloford estate," Kairi almost whispered. "A lot of them are on edge and all of them are angry. I can't tell who he is, but one of them is super pissed."

"That is likely in our favor." Forfend hoped so anyway.

"What do they have to be upset about?" Melzaryn griped. "It's not like any of them have been poisoned and not received any kind of healing at all."

Melzaryn coughed dramatically.

Forfend straightened. "Would you like help?" it asked, magic already sparking between its fingertips.

"Yes," Melzaryn said, exasperated.

"Sorry for not noticing earlier," Kairi apologized, lacing her words with arcana.

Melzaryn immediately seemed to relax, his breathing evening out to a normal pace.

"Thank you," he said.

A strong tug of magic nearly startled Forfend.

The medallion on its chest with its weak string of light suddenly strengthened and arced forward before disappearing into the floor.

Forfend caught hold of Duncan's presence again.

"He is below us," Forfend blurted. "Almost straight down. Melzaryn, can you see how to get there?"

"Of course," Melzaryn almost sounded insulted.

He led the way with confidence and a renewed burst of speed.

"We're under the floorboards of the Galloford estate," Melzaryn said slowly, "but... we're running right into another structure that was already here a long time ago. It looks like these tunnels kind of accidentally ran right into the ruins."

Forfend glanced around, noting the sudden differences in the structure of the walls.

"From your description, Duncan's down in these old ruins. Way down in them," Melzaryn said, and swore under his breath. "By Talberius, relics of the past are never good. Well, let's go."

They hadn't been walking for very long before Kairi suddenly tapped all their shoulders and pointed up. She pressed her fingers to her lips and tilted one ear toward the low ceiling.

Forfend looked up and concentrated.

Melzaryn and Kagoshi seemed to be doing the same.

Voices wafted down. Forfend couldn't make out what they were saying, but Kairi apparently could.

"That's King Falco," she whispered. "And someone else. I don't recognize him."

"We're almost dead center under the Galloford estate right now," Melzaryn shared. "If it isn't Clayton, it's probably the patriarch of the house."

Kairi nodded.

"My dear king, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Kairi repeated the voice above for the rest of them to hear, doing her best to match the exact tone and cadence.

"You know why I'm here," Falco snapped.

There were footsteps as though Falco was pacing in a confined space. He inhaled, sharp and short. "What the fuck? I--"

Falco stopped himself. He drew in a deeper breath. "Adhron, what happened to you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Highlord Adhron feigned ignorance.

"First, it was taking over small businesses all over Cragwall. Next, it was starting rivalries with other families. Now, it's... whatever this is?!" King Falco sounded positively livid. "You and I both know there's no way your son could've gotten away with that without you knowing. So what the hell is happening?"

"Well, my king," Highlord Adhron began with a vague type of fake politeness, "it is quite unfortunate what my buffoon of a son has done, but his actions are his own."

"Bullshit!" King Falco yelled. "We both know that's a lie!"

"The facts remain, my king. I made no action to assist him."

King Falco growled, undoubtedly snarling with barely contained rage. He started to yell again, to argue further. Something stopped him.

"Wait, no. No, no. Is this what you fucking wanted?" he accused.

"Please elaborate, my king," Highlord Adhron requested. "Oh, please do."

"You..." A faint breath escaped King Falco as he started pacing again. "I can't believe it. Why? Why would you do this? After everything I did? For you? This is what happens?"

"My king, you are becoming obsolete," Highlord Adhron said nonchalantly. "And the rest of us, the ones who are truly thinking forward to the future of Tyrwedia anyway, see the writing on the wall. We are swiftly falling behind in the arms race and our place in the world is dwindling. How long do you really think King Maggard will allow you to reign over this place? How much longer do you think he'll allow this place to remain as a vassal state before he assumes direct control over here?"

King Falco hesitated. "That doesn't mean..." he began haltingly but quickly trailed off.

Silence spread its ghostly hands across the room above and tunnels below for a long moment.

Kairi strained to hear, but either they'd gotten too quiet even for her keen ears or they'd fully stopped speaking.

"The things we did in the past," King Falco's faint mumble broke the deafening noiselessness. "It was terrible. Alright? You and I both know that. But at least I regret it. You're keeping it going."

Highlord Adhron didn't respond.

"At least I'm trying to atone for my mistakes. You should do the same," King Falco said. "Where's the old Adhron Galloford? As far as I can tell, he's dead. You're someone different."

"My apologies, my king. Is there any way I could possibly make it up to you?" Highlord Adhron asked, his concern so fake it was nauseating.

King Falco's barely constrained seething was palpable even through the floor. "I guess there's only one thing left to say: thank you for turning all the noble families against me."

Footsteps swiftly, angrily left the room.

"Tsk," Highlord Adhron scoffed. "What a fool."

Forfend started to move on, but Kairi remained rooted in place.

"Butler," Highlord Adhron demanded.

"Yes, my lord?" came the immediate answer.

"What is the current situation regarding my son?"

"He is currently facing life in prison."

"I'd like for you to contact the Highlord of the Sagemantle family. Get it handled," Highlord Adhron ordered.

"Understood, sir."

A second set of footsteps exited the room.

Again, Forfend started to move, but the others were staring at each other.

Kairi's brow was creased. "That wasn't good at all. That was really, really bad."

Forfend nodded. "We should move on."

Hurried steps reentered the room.

"Um, sir," the butler nervously started, but almost immediately cut himself off.

Forfend wondered what kind of hateful look Highlord Adhron had given to cause that.

"What is it?" Highlord Adhron ground out.

"Well, um, it's unfortunate to mention, sir, but it appears that the guard are here," the butler informed. "They're requesting entry to the premises."

"On what grounds?"

"Apparently, there is word of Envema here."

"Preposterous," Highlord Adhron scoffed. "Handle them. I shall prepare a greeting party in the meantime. They will find nothing and they will find themselves wanting."

The footsteps exited again, even more promptly than the first time.

Finally satisfied with their eavesdropping, everyone turned and continued down the steeply descending tunnel.

The tunnel opened very abruptly into a tiny circular room.

A ladder peeked up from a hole in the floor in the exact center. It descended into depths so dark, foreboding, and unknowable that Forfend couldn't help but shudder.

"Ladder," Melzaryn stated aloud.

"Ladder," Forfend agreed solemnly.

"Ladder," Kairi repeated.

"Yes, ladder. Can we move on?" Kagoshi snapped.

He tromped straight into the room and climbed down. Within seconds, the darkness had swallowed him.

Kairi followed, then Melzaryn.

Forfend stood at the top and stared down. It waited until it heard what it hoped to be the echoes of feet hitting the stone floor beneath.

It carefully gripped the ladder and very slowly made its way down.

The ladder creaked and groaned, protesting Forfend's weight. Luckily, it held.

Forfend finally touched down at the bottom and turned to see its allies already staring at the path ahead.

The ruins stretched out before them, all cold stone walls and stale air.

Forfend's core stuttered as recognition struck it.

This structure was ancient, built in roughly the same timeframe as Forfend itself. This place was a fortress designed during the Sundering to withstand the horrors of Atrox's ilk.

This was a Mortal Bulwark.

Created by Cassis himself to house mortal warriors for upcoming battles, these Bulwarks also served as barriers from and connectors to other planes of existence.

This one was far past serving its use. The walls were cracked. Dirt spilled through the cracks into small piles on the floor. A lamenting, oppressive air weighed on the place, as though it knew its importance in days long since past and knew it could no longer perform its duties.

Forfend felt understood standing within this relic of the past.

"Finally!" a voice echoed hauntingly through the decrepit hallway. "I wondered how long it would take you lot to get here."

Immediately, Forfend recognized the bowman's gravelly cadence.

It couldn't see the man at the far end of the dark corridor. It couldn't see how far the dark corridor even went.

"Welcome," the bowman called. "Do you know this place? Do you recognize it?"

"I do," Forfend answered. Its metallic voice reverberated off the walls until it disappeared into the distance.

"It's what ages long past called a Mortal Bulwark," the bowman explained anyway. "A sort of key to other planes, but also the lock. Fascinating, isn't it?"

Forfend hummed.

Even that low noise was carried far off and away.

"You know what's really fascinating about this place?" The bowman paused a moment and then answered his own question. "It gives one hell of a sightline."

Forfend heard the arrow release.

A massive glowing green bolt spiraled out of the black and slammed into Forfend's chest.

The whizzing turned to grinding as the javelin-sized arrow burrowed into Forfend's stone body.

Forfend slid back a few feet before it managed to plant its center of gravity low enough to stop itself.

It gripped the arrow, the merciless spinning tearing into its marble palms.

Pain burned through it.

The arrow's sickly green aura erupted.

Forfend's mind blanked as an icy grip crushed all its thoughts away, leaving nothing but a debilitating migraine behind.

Flashes surged past its blinded gaze.

It dropped suddenly onto its feet in Fornax's Forge.

Fornax stood like a mountain. He spoke with Riven and Cassis.

There was a fourth deity with them.

This one, Forfend didn't know. He was new. Freshly born into the chaos and desperation of a universe trying desperately not to die.

Accipo, the name came forth in Forfend's memory.

Fornax nodded solemnly.

The other deities took their leave. Whatever conversation they were having was resolved. They had no time to spare.

Fornax turned, staring down. "Forfend," he said, "a battle is oncoming. The Sunderer draws near to the Gleaming Isles. I cannot let him touch down."

Fornax's expression didn't change, but the weight of his seriousness did. "I leave this place as yours to defend. Can I trust you with this?"

"You can," Forfend answered with powerful determination.

"Hmph," Fornax hummed approvingly. "I'll take my leave immediately. We cannot let the Sunderer touch down, lest he sunder the Gleaming Isles from its place."

Fornax fixed a gaze Forfend recognized as proud onto it. "Live up to your namesake."

"I will," it promised.

Fornax nodded once.

He raised his forge hammer to the sky and slammed it down.

Golden light bright as the sun burst forth.

When it faded, Forfend was alone.

Forfend turned. It had duties to attend, mortals to protect.

It strode out of the Forge and down into the village just below.

The whole village had come crowding around, curious and scared about the commotion of other visiting deities.

One of them stepped forward. He was an older man, equal measures jolly and cantankerous.

Forfend knew him. Well, it realized.

His name was Chisel. He carved statues of livestock and other animals in his spare time.

Despite his age and the arthritic knots in his joints, he insisted on working. On helping.

"Forfend," Chisel said, his voice thin with worry. "What's happening? Where's Fornax gone?"

Forfend didn't lie. It felt no need to. "He has gone to battle the Sunderer in the Gleaming Isles."

A series of gasps rushed through the crowd. Murmuring followed.

"He's gone?" Chisel almost whispered.

"For now," Forfend hummed. "He will return."

Chisel pressed his hand to his chest and breathed in short bursts. "Oh no."

The village stirred up, the murmuring growing more anxious, more fevered.

"I am here," it promised. "I will care for you."

Forfend couldn't say it wasn't afraid. They were in dangerous lands facing dangerous demons and they wouldn't have a god to protect them for possibly quite some time.

But it had faith in these people. It was not alone and neither were they. The village would prevail together.

"We are only mortal," Chisel lamented. "We can't fight. We... We are frail! We don't live long. We won't survive long."

Forfend squared its shoulders, looking out over these people.

People who had traveled untold distance to plant their roots in the safest place they knew. People who held celebrations under bleeding skies because they believed they could make things good in the worst of circumstances. People who had survived demon attacks before and would survive them again. People who were resilient and hardworking and kind, no matter how roughly the world treated them.

These were not people who could not fight.

They all looked to Forfend as though it could bring about the solution to their problems. They'd been following it since it had met them.

It had been teaching them then, but now they knew. Now they could stand on their own. Forfend decided it was time to tell them that.

"Do not worry for your limited life," it heard itself begin, voice so strong it carried far over the plains. "We mortals live our lives to the fullest. Do not worry for your lack of skill or experience. Our mortal determination will overcome all. Do not worry about the pain and suffering we will face. We are more than our bodies. We are a community, a people, a collective soul."

Forfend saw the crowd stir.

They were listening.

Words continued to well up and pour out of it.

"You are unyielding," it spoke directly to and of its brilliant little village, "for you do not have fear. For your life is always lived to the fullest. You are undying, for your skills and art and legacy shall live on forever. You are unmovable, for you are more than a body. You are an idea, a heart, and a soul."

Forfend clanged its fist against its chest and held its arms out to the crowd it called family.

"You are not born in strife, nor forged in war. You are born of the hearth, the center of all mortal homes."

The village held at rapt attention, hanging on to every word. A new murmuring had started. A braver one.

"Remember yourselves," it called. "You are unyielding, for you fear nothing. You are undying for your legacy will live on. You are unmoving, for you are bigger than your one body."

Someone yelled. Another person whistled.

"You are Hearthborn!" Forfend shouted, slamming its fist against its chest again with a reverberating gong. "You are Unbreakable!"

The village stared, wide-eyed. Inspiration welled up like magic behind their eyes. Many of their mouths had fallen open.

Someone huffed something like a laugh and then pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah!"

Cheers erupted.

"He's right," a woman shouted. "We've come this far!"

"We've survived this horrible situation," another person hollered out. "We're still living happy! We can do this!"

Fervent roars built up and up until the ground shook with the force of mortal fortitude.

Forfend's chest lit up as bright as it had ever been.

Far quicker than it had gathered, the crowd scattered.

They spent the next days and weeks preparing themselves, training themselves, celebrating themselves.

They were ready. They were strong. They were survivors. They were finally fully their own.

Forfend couldn't possibly have been more proud of them.

As Forfend surveyed their work, a child ran up to it.

Mithril was her name, Forfend recalled. She was a sweet girl. Intelligent beyond her years and forever desperate to learn.

She gripped its finger and tugged. "Forfend, look! I made this!"

She thrust a small wooden panel up as high as she could reach. She'd embedded a thin sheet of silver into it, creating a simple but lovely handheld mirror.

"It's pretty cool, right?" Mithril asked giddily. "It lets you see yourself and other things around! Even right over your shoulder!"

Forfend crouched down to gaze into it.

The memory rippled like water as it did so.

The face in the mirror shifted from stone to metal. Its rune glowed faintly from beneath the metallic coating, fuzzy around the edges from the diffusion of light.

"It's beautiful," it heard itself say. "I like it."

Forfend was reeling from shock.

The memory, maybe vision, pulled it from its own body and let it see itself as it had once been.

Its back wasn't hunched. It stood straight and even taller than it was now. Metal encased its entire body from head to toe. It looked smooth, sleek.

The stovepipes on its back weren't exposed or quite so haphazard. Instead, they were housed in something resembling a massive metal dome built directly into its body. Open spouts left room for the smoke to billow free.

But it wasn't smoke wafting from the pipes. It was silvery-golden steam.

Inspiration, Forfend knew it to be called. Pure inspiration spilled freely from it as it stared out over its village.

"Thank you," Mithril spoke to the echo of Forfend's past it was now watching from a distance.

A sharp electric buzz cut Forfend's vision to white.

It staggered back into the present.

The arrow in its chest had finally stopped spinning. It sat lodged into the gap between Forfend's metal chest piece and its stone skin. Dead center of Forfend's chest.

The arrow dissipated into misty green magic and faded entirely away.

Dank, stale air rushed into the open gash, laying wispy fingers on Forfend's core.

Forfend shuddered.

The heat of the spilling ichor wasn't enough to keep it warm with its core exposed. If it was hit there again, it would surely perish.

It tried to pull its gaze up, but got caught on its stone hands.

Stone.

It recalled, very suddenly, its first vision.

"Iron for the body," Fornax's voice whispered in its memory. "Magma for the muscle."

All its iron had been stripped away. Its magma had hardened in place of the missing protective layer.

Forfend wasn't meant to grind and crack and scrape when it moved.

It was wounded. It was still so very horribly wounded.

Its hands shook, horror sinking deep into its center.

A soft, but distinctly malicious chuckle sounded through the shadows.

The bowman.

He had Duncan.

Forfend fumbled for the mace at its side and pulled its shield up in front of its wretched chest wound.

Forfend had other priorities right now.

It would worry after it had rescued Duncan.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 20

Erzor stopped as they entered the city. "Alright, well, I got you home. I'm sorry about how things went."

"Erzor," Forfend hummed grimly, "I am staying very near here. If you would follow me to my temporary place of residence, I would very much appreciate it. I want you to know where I am should you need me, and I have information I wish to write down for you to take back to the earth genasi."

"Alright," Erzor agreed. "Lead the way."

Forfend nodded and strode into the residential area.

Erzor scrambled to keep up with its comparatively long strides.

Forfend escorted him straight into Eamon's house. It froze when it saw the arrangement of shoes by the door.

"What?" Erzor asked.

"If you could take off your shoes and leave them there for a moment, that would be appreciated," Forfend said.

It backed up onto the porch and dusted its feet off before returning inside.

Erzor seemed perplexed, but he did as Forfend requested.

"Thank you."

It led him straight into the guest room.

Melzaryn passed them on his way out of the bedroom.

"Oh, uh, hi," Erzor waved.

Melzaryn nodded in acknowledgement and kept moving.

Forfend went straight to the desk and pulled paper out. It immediately started writing out its thoughts as quickly as it could.

Erzor bumped against Forfend's back, watching Kagoshi and Kairi. "Hey. Um, nice to see you. I was just hanging out with Forfend."

Forfend glanced over its shoulder.

Kairi was still in bed. She waved politely, smiling in her friendly way.

"Who are you again?" Kagoshi gruffed rudely as he packed ice-coated pillows back into their storage cabinet.

Forfend had questions about why Kagoshi had taken them out and how he'd gotten them frozen, but now wasn't the time to ask.

"Don't worry about it," Erzor shrugged. He glanced around the room and clocked Duncan still sleeping soundly in his bed. "Whoa, what happened to that guy? He looks out cold."

"He is former Envema," Forfend answered. "He is doing alright now."

"Oh. Oh. Huh. Is he, you know..." Erzor passed his hand back and forth across his face.

Forfend nodded. "He is free of the magics, yes."

"Alright. I guess when he wakes up, you should extend the genasi's courtesy to him."

"I will make certain to do that," Forfend promised.

"So, uh..." Erzor stood on the tips of his toes, trying to see what Forfend was writing over its broad arm. He wasn't quite tall enough to catch a glimpse. "What did you bring me over here for?"

Forfend signed the bottom of the note and passed it to Erzor. "This."

Erzor's eyes skimmed over the note, widened, and shot back to the beginning to scan more carefully.

Forfend wasn't surprised. The information it had shared was vital, concerning, and urgent.

It leaned over, reading through the note again as Erzor did the same. It read:

Flint, Jewel, and River:

I have been informed that your guardian is ill with a poison that lights his veins blue.

I have seen something like that before. A Calamity Crystal.

I cannot know for certain that is the cause, but it is the only thing I am familiar with that could create such an effect. It is particularly likely to be a shard if the guardian is also experiencing despair.

If you search for and find a shard anywhere on or within your guardian, I beg of you not to touch it directly. Please, please place as many layers between yourself and the shard as you can. If you touch it directly, you will be lucky if it only kills you. If you are unlucky, it may create a maligned, murderous, monstrous caricature of you that would immediately attack everyone in its vicinity.

If it is a shard, please alert me. I may be able to assist in its removal if you cannot or do not want to attempt it yourselves. Additionally, I have been informed that the shards cannot be destroyed, but I do not believe that is true. I believe I have destroyed one before and I believe I may be able to do it again.

Please, if you want me around for nothing else, I will understand. But a shard could destroy everything you have left. I do not want that. I am sure you do not either.

Kiyori:

I did not know demigods had an aura that altered the people around them. Knowing that, I am now fearing for my family and friends.

I will seek out a way to stop the influence if it is at all possible. I do not want to bend others to my will, involuntarily or otherwise.

In the meantime, I will do my damnedest to mitigate the influence and make certain what is not mitigated is as kind as possible.

I am truly sorry for the hardships you have faced. I will not make you face them again.

-Forfend

Erzor's jaw worked, though no sound escaped him. He started to say something or ask a question several times as he read through the letter, but he never decided what to say.

"Okay," he finally breathed, folding up the letter and tucking it into his back pocket. "Wow. I'll deliver your note, uh, now. Right now. That's kind of really important. I have to go."

Forfend nodded. "You know where to find me."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks." Erzor scurried off, barely taking a moment to throw his shoes back on before he all but ran out the front door.

With all it could do at the moment done, Forfend turned to Duncan. It sidled to his bedside and checked him over.

He still seemed to be resting without trouble.

Melzaryn nudged open the door and leaned in. "It's almost time to go."

"Alright," Forfend responded.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Kagoshi dropped his last handful of pillows and started past Melzaryn.

Melzaryn put his hand out, almost but not quite touching Kagoshi's shoulder. "Did you break the chairs?"

"What chairs?"

"The chairs in the common room."

"Oh." Kagoshi's brows knit. He shrugged. "I did hear some breaks while I was doing some testing, so maybe."

"Well, kudos for testing something, but maybe toss Eamon a gold piece for the damages," Melzaryn suggested.

Kagoshi growled, looking visibly pained. "Maybe." He skirted past Melzaryn and up the hallway.

Melzaryn tilted his head at Forfend. His eyes were piercing, almost glittering with curiosity and the vague implication that he knew something he shouldn't. "Did you learn anything interesting today?"

Forfend could almost feel the weight and severity of the information it had learned crushing its core with brazen claws. "Exceptionally interesting, yes."

"Me too. We'll talk about it later," Melzaryn promised.

With that, he tromped out of the room.

Steam hissed deep in Forfend's chest. It turned, helping Kairi up out of bed.

Kairi brushed herself off and tested her feet. She seemed much less exhausted and far more put together, if not a bit somber.

She moved into the common room without assistance, Forfend trailing right on her heels.

"Hello," Eamon greeted as they walked in. "I'll ask you not to sit on the two far couches there." He pointed at where he'd already placed plates on the seats and propped up notes stating "Do Not Sit" in neat handwriting. "I'm not sure what happened exactly, but it seems they've gotten too worn. It seems something broke them. I don't want anyone falling through them and getting hurt."

Forfend turned its runic head slowly, locking gazes with Kagoshi.

Kagoshi shrugged and admitted to nothing.

Eamon sat down on one of the two good couches remaining. "We don't have much time, but let's sit down and go over everything one more time."

Kagoshi took the far end of the other couch, as far from Eamon as he could possibly sit.

Forfend knelt on the floor near Eamon's side.

Melzaryn leaned against the wall.

Kairi settled in next to Kagoshi. She glanced down at her dress and seemed to notice for the first time that the front of it was torn where she'd been stabbed. She pressed her hand to it and, with one quick flash, the fabric was repaired.

Forfend hummed. The arcana lacked her usual pomp and flair. She still wasn't feeling well.

"Alright, Kairi," Eamon began, "we're about an hour out from when we should be leaving, but I haven't heard your version of events yet. Would you please share?"

Kairi nodded. "Of course."

She relayed the story, leaving out the Calamity Shards just the same as the rest of the group had.

Eamon listened intently. He nodded once. "Good, that all seems to line up nicely. It's always best to have everyone on the same page together. I like to get all the details from all perspectives."

He flipped through a notebook. "I actually spent a good bit of time researching what the creature might be. I called in a few favors, and I'm pretty well certain Melzaryn was right. It was an oni. That fact definitely helps our case. They're known for trickery and cruelty, so that'll lend credibility to our story if anything goes awry."

Everyone nodded.

"I'm not sure if your friends told you, Miss Camilla," Eamon started, "but you've attracted the attention of King Falco Ledrian. The case was moved to the high court. The Galloford side of the story seems pretty full of holes. They're untrustworthy and they have quite a habit of picking on the less fortunate. Luckily, you have me. As long as you don't incriminate yourselves, everything should be fine. Whatever you do though, don't lie in the high court. There's enchantment magic that will alert the judge to any lies spoken. Half-truths and withheld information will pass the test, but lies will be outed immediately. I'd personally prefer if you all kept an honest, cohesive story."

Forfend hummed, feeling guilty for the information they'd hidden from Eamon.

No one else seemed to react. It felt it may be the only one harboring any shame or regret over the decision to lie about the Calamity Shards.

"Just let me do the talking and everything will be fine," Eamon assured. "Now, since you've all had some time to yourselves to reflect on the situation, is there any other information you'd like me to have before we go into this?"

No one spoke.

"No?" Eamon prompted.

"Not anything that should be relevant to the case," Melzaryn piped up.

"Alright. I'm going to give you one last warning: the Gallofords are going to try to paint you as unfavorable individuals. As eloquently as I can put this, they're going to try to piss you off. Don't get aggressive. Don't lash out. Stay calm." Eamon pat his knees and stood. "I'm going to get my documents in order. We'll be leaving in about fifteen minutes."

"Thank you," Forfend said sincerely as Eamon disappeared into his office.

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything." Eamon shut the door.

"Since your memory is supposed to be altered, you should try to keep your responses to the absolute minimum," Melzaryn told Kagoshi.

"I'll try. I don't speak lawyer," Kagoshi grumbled.

"Just be vague," Melzaryn instructed. "If someone asks what you did yesterday for example, you could just say you were reading. You don't even have to mention that you were at the library."

"Alright, fair enough," Kagoshi conceded.

"It's kind of your usual schtick," Melzaryn teased.

"One word answers. As rudely as possible," Forfend agreed.

"Yeah, just be yourself. Only minimized," Melzaryn suggested.

"Got it," Kagoshi huffed. He settled back in his seat with his arms crossed.

Silence loomed amongst them.

Forfend fidgeted nervously. It wanted to tell them everything it had learned about demigods, but it didn't have the time. They'd have to leave soon.

It rubbed at its face.

Melzaryn caught its gaze and subtly shook his head.

Forfend nodded.

After the trial. They'd talk after the trial.

"I learned I can transform into more different types of giants," Kagoshi blurted. "So that's cool."

"That figures," Melzaryn said.

"More than just the cloud giant and the fire giant?" Forfend asked.

"Yeah! I can become all of them." Kagoshi didn't smile, but he looked very proud of himself.

"That's how you broke the chairs," Melzaryn nodded to himself.

"Maybe. You can't prove that," Kagoshi argued.

"They're your ass prints in the seat."

"How do you know what my ass looks like?"

Melzaryn shrugged. "You like to lead."

"Look, buddy," Kagoshi pointed at him. "I appreciate the compliment, but I don't swing that way."

"I never considered as much. You were a lost cause from the start," Melzaryn idly insulted.

Kagoshi looked affronted.

"Do your new forms include frost giant?" Forfend interjected.

"Yeah," Kagoshi growled, now irritated.

"Is that what happened to the pillows in our room?"

"Maybe."

Forfend shook its head.

Kagoshi leaned over and nudged Kairi. "Hey, you doing alright? We don't need you passing out on the courtroom floor."

"I'm fine," Kairi muttered. "I just feel bad that I wasn't able to help very much last night. I'm also a little worried about how crowded the court room will be. I'm just going to try to stay quiet as much as I can."

"I mean, you did get stabbed pretty bad. You could just clutch yourself and yell 'oh the pain!' And then just leave," Kagoshi suggested.

"That's not really a bad idea," Kairi giggled softly.

"Yeah, you're a performer. I'm sure you can act your way out of it."

"I can definitely think of something if I have to." Kairi smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Stunningly deceitful pair," Forfend mused.

"What was that?" Kagoshi snarled.

"Nothing," it hummed, looking away.

"Listen here you little shit," Kagoshi snapped. "I will bring you down to my level by force if I have to and beat you senseless!"

"If you just ask, I will kneel," Forfend returned.

Melzaryn and Kairi laughed.

"I'm gonna bust your fucking shins like the rocks they are!" Kagoshi threatened.

Eamon froze halfway out his bedroom door. "Whoa, uh, everything okay in here?"

"We are fine," Forfend assured.

"Well, okay then," Eamon said skeptically. "It's time to go then. Best to be early, before the crowd gathers. You guys have been making waves and I don't want us to be late because we were swarmed by curious onlookers."

Eamon started out the door.

Everyone followed after him.

He tracked them carefully through back alleys.

"Since the king is presiding over the trial personally and all of you have been very public figures as of late, this whole situation is making waves. I'm expecting a big crowd of nosy busybodies. I'd like to avoid them as long as we can," Eamon explained.

"Makes sense," Melzaryn said.

The walk was quiet again for a long while.

Eamon slowed as they approached one of the main thoroughfares. "We have to cross this one. Courthouse is just a quick jaunt once we're on the other side, but..."

Forfend watched the busy road, bustling with carts and foot traffic. Many of them seemed to be headed in the same direction as its own companions. That wasn't reassuring.

"Since you're trying to keep us out of the public eye and Forfend is a giant beacon, do you want me to just teleport him across the road?" Melzaryn offered.

"Uh, sure, if you can do it discreetly," Eamon accepted. "The rest of you just keep your heads down while we're crossing the road."

Magic encircled Forfend's legs. It had the brief sensation of falling.

Suddenly, it was standing on solid ground on the opposite side of the street.

Forfend shook itself and sidled further into the shadows of the narrow pathway Melzaryn had dropped it in.

Eamon and the others quickly but casually made their way across the thoroughfare.

"Neat trick," Eamon complimented as they rejoined Forfend.

"Thank you," Melzaryn smiled.

"Come on, we're almost there."

Eamon led them through a couple more narrow alleys before they finally reached the courthouse plaza.

There was a significant crowd already gathered outside. Guards kept a tight line around the entrance, only permitting in relevant parties.

The crowd whispered and muttered amongst itself.

"Stick close to the side of the building and don't get separated, alright?" Eamon rushed across the plaza and hugged the edge of the courthouse.

Forfend and its companions stuck close behind him.

As they started up the stairs, the crowd took notice. The chattering grew louder. People pointed.

"Keep your head down," Eamon whispered. "Don't worry about it."

Forfend ducked its head.

A hand grasped Forfend's stone fingers, startling it.

It turned, slowing just enough to get a look.

The former-Envema gladiator edged a hair closer to it, tugging his hood further over his head. He was covered head to toe in cloth. He particularly had several layers of clothing covering his chest. Everything he wore was dark leather, but not black. Envema wore black.

"Forfend, I have to thank--" he started, but the crowd squeezed in around him.

"We have to go," Eamon hissed through his teeth, glancing from face to face to face in the crowd. "Come on. Inside."

Forfend leaned in, "We will talk soon," it promised in the quietest voice it could muster.

The gladiator nodded and let go of its hand.

Everyone nearby responded at once to Forfend's words. They converged on the gladiator, asking questions and yelling over each other.

Forfend swore. It wished it could be quieter.

The gladiator held his hands up and backed away. He made excuses, dodged questions, and started hunting for an out.

Eamon was already tugging Forfend along again. It didn't get to see if the gladiator found his escape before it was pulled indoors.

"Would now be a good time to tell you I know this cantrip that allows two people to communicate telepathically," Melzaryn's voice rang in Forfend's mind.

"Yes," Forfend deadpanned in its thoughts and assumed they'd reach Melzaryn. "About thirty seconds ago would have been best, actually."

"Well, I'm not a mind-reader." Melzaryn shrugged visibly, though he was still speaking telepathically.

Steam hissed in Forfend's chest. It looked up to take in its surroundings.

The architecture was beautiful, if a little extravagant for Forfend's taste. Perfectly balanced scales and other symbols of the god of justice, Carcer, adorned the space.

Judicator angels were carved into the buttresses along the walls.

Carcer came into existence after Forfend and it had never seen his angels in person, but the depictions it had seen were somewhat frightful.

The angels were made up of a central metal core with a single blindfolded eye surrounded by spinning concentric rings. Jagged wings sprouted from thin air just outside the angels' largest rings. A halo vaguely resembling a set of scales hovered over their heads. They weren't humanoid in even the vaguest sense. They were off-putting.

Given what Forfend knew of Carcer however, if figured that was the point. Justice was blind and he adhered to the letter of the law without consideration for broader circumstances.

Eamon tapped the metal brace on Forfend's chest. "Keep moving," he said quietly.

Forfend nodded, following him through the foyer.

Off to the side, a short, heavyset human surrounded by an ensemble of guards conversed with a taller, leaner, more sharp-eyed elf.

The stocky man was gaudily dressed, rings adorning every finger and a miniature cape draped over his shoulder. The cape bore the Galloford crest.

The taller elf was dressed smartly in yellow-toned noble attire. He straightened his spectacles and spoke in a snooty tone that matched his upturned nose.

Forfend couldn't make out what he was saying from this distance, but his haughty air and the crest on the shorter man's shoulder made it clear who they were.

Clayton Galloford's lawyer and Clayton Galloford himself.

The lawyer glanced up, appraising all of them. A smirk sliced his gaunt face. He turned back to his hushed conversation.

A pair of guards approached Eamon. After a moment, Forfend and all of its associates were escorted into a waiting room.

"Please wait here," one of the guards instructed. "If you need any accommodations such as water or food, please let us know. Your trial will be starting soon."

"May I get some water?" Kairi requested.

"Of course, Miss Camilla," the guard nodded.

He left and returned a moment later with a pitcher of water and four small cups. He set them out on the table and filled Kairi's glass for her before returning to his post.

"Thank you," Kairi said and sipped on her drink.

"Alright, everyone," Eamon said, fiddling with his stack of papers, "just remember what we discussed and everything will be fine. As soon as we walk through that door, no lies."

Everyone nodded.

Forfend touched the symbol on the medallion magnetized to its chest. It bowed its head and hummed to itself, mentally sharing the events of its last several days with Fornax.

It held off on airing out its new concerns about its demigod status. That was a mess it would deal with when it had more time and a more proper worshipping station.

"Alright," a guard called, "follow me."

They all stood and were escorted into a kind of holding room.

A Sagemantle arcanist, denoted as such by the green of his robes and the crest on his chest, watched them with stern curiosity.

"Alright, please stand still..." the arcanist trailed off and glanced at a sheet, "...Mr. Smith." He arched an eyebrow as he glanced from the sheet to Forfend itself.

Forfend straightened and remained completely, uncannily immobile.

The arcanist cast a series of spells.

His face scrunched up as he absorbed whatever information the magic was telling him. He shook his head. "Alright, everything seems to be in order." He waved Forfend off to the side.

It stepped out of the way.

Melzaryn took its place and held still with his arms outstretched.

The arcanist cast the same handful of spells. "Everything seems to be in order, Mr. Collymore," his tone audibly rose on the last word. His eyebrows arched up nearly to his hairline as he blinked at his name sheet. He cleared his throat, composing himself. "Next."

Melzaryn stepped aside to make room for Kagoshi.

Kagoshi moved forward, scowling.

The arcanist cast his magic.

"Mr... Hm. No last name given. Mr. Kagoshi then. Could you turn around? Just give me a slow spin?"

Kagoshi obliged. He grumbled under his breath about it though.

The arcanist cast again. His brows creased.

"Stand with your back facing me?" he requested.

Kagoshi did as he was asked.

Forfend hummed, concerned. It was sure the arcanist had locked onto the shard in Kagoshi's spine. It had no idea what would happen if they figured out what it was.

Kagoshi looked annoyed, but remarkably unbothered by his predicament.

Again, the arcanist cast. "You checked in all your magical items, yes?"

"Yeah, why?" Kagoshi asked.

Forfend only then noticed Kagoshi was missing the odd jacket he'd gotten from the Brightcrossing cultist's things.

Rather than answering, the arcanist simply tried another spell.

The arcanist hummed, suddenly perplexed. He cast his first spell again.

"It appears there's nothing there," he said haltingly. "Sorry for the hold up. Proceed on."

Kagoshi shrugged and sidled over to Forfend and Melzaryn.

Forfend watched him. It wanted to ask what he'd done, but now was not the time or place.

Kairi stepped forward.

"Ms. Camilla, please stay still," the arcanist said.

Kairi nodded.

He cast his series of spells, nodded, and turned to the guard escorting them. "Everything is in order. Proceed inside."

The guard escorted them into the courtroom proper.

Immediately upon crossing the threshold into the room, Forfend was struck by the ambient magical energy in the air. The magic felt similar to its own internal power source, though distinctly different in key ways it couldn't parse.

The energy was certainly divine. Forfend was sure of that. What deity it stemmed from, Forfend wasn't certain.

If it had to guess, it would assume Carcer.

Especially given the towering statue of him monopolizing the back wall of the room. The statue's head nearly scraped the ceiling.

Forfend swayed left and right. The statue's stone eyes seemed to follow it, judging it with harsh scrutiny no matter where in the room it stood.

The pillars about the room sported intricately carved judicator angels just like the ones in the entry. These didn't seem to watch the entire room with hawkish sharpness the way Carcer's statue did. Instead, they each seemed to have their own section to observe.

"Oh, I really like this room," Melzaryn muttered under his breath, awe and fear just barely visible on his largely impassive face.

Eamon guided the group into their seats.

Shortly thereafter, Clayton Galloford and his lawyer were escorted into the room.

Clayton dropped heavily into his seat and glared across at Forfend and its allies.

The Galloford lawyer settled in next to his client with his back ramrod straight and his chin tilted into the air. He cast a much more subtle glare across the courtroom.

A gaggle of guards shuffled into their places.

A door in the back of the room opened.

Two more guards entered, followed promptly by an enormous man.

He was less than a foot shorter than Forfend and muscles strained beneath his stone blue skin. He was bald, his head instead decorated with typical goliath markings and tattoos.

The toga he wore was deep purple. When he turned to close the door behind him, the tattooed scales of Carcer on his back were put on full display by the shifting fabric.

The goliath strode into the room, his face so staunchly stoic it looked to be carved from stone.

He sat in a raised desk at the base of the Carcer statue, looking imposing and regal as he took in everyone below him.

He slammed his gavel into the desk twice, startling Clayton Galloford who hadn't been paying attention.

"Order," he commanded just a notch above a whisper. He didn't need to be loud for his deep voice to be commanding.

Everyone immediately snapped their attention to him.

He motioned to a guard off to the side and nodded.

The guard unrolled a parchment as a curtain rustled a ways above his head.

Forfend looked up. It hadn't initially noticed the balcony sitting to the side at chest level with Carcer's statue.

King Falco stepped through the curtain and out onto the balcony. He was dressed in fanciful attire, colorful and gaudy. He tugged at the cape and straightened the jewel-encrusted crown on his head.

He sat down in a veritable throne, fiddling uncomfortably at the arms of it.

"Presenting King Falco Ledrian," the guard read off, "patriarch of the Ledrian line. Presiding as the judge, the honorable High Judicator Dornan Duskhelm."

He took a moment to take a deep inhale before continuing, "Presenting the participants of this case, the individuals representing defendant Jessie Smith for appeal: Forfend Smith of Foumedo Village, Melzaryn Collymore of the Corona Collymore household, Kairi Camilla of the Adamantine Mountains, and Kagoshi... no last name given, no place of origin given. Representing them in turn is Eamon Brighthorn. The accuser in this case: Lord Clayton Galloford, son of Highlord Adhron Galloford. Representing him is Traferen Amberfall."

The guard shut the scroll, turned to the side, and bowed to the High Judicator.

High Judicator Dornan nodded once.

He slammed the gavel down, drawing all attention back to himself.

He pulled out a handful of documents and tapped them on his desk to straighten them. He browsed through them for what didn't seem to be the first time.

"Proceed with the notes of the case," he rumbled.

Traferen stood. "Of course, your honor. We're gathered here today to discuss a grisly murder and a theft. Goods procured and assembled by the Galloford family have been stolen by the inhabitants of Foumedo Village and, as a result, someone must be held accountable. Of course, it is not prudent to blame the entire village for the actions of a few. Surely, some of them were ignorant of the situation. As such, Jessie Smith, as the presiding leader of the village, must be held accountable."

Traferen paused dramatically, letting his statement hang in the air. He pulled a paper up from his table and scanned over it. "Now, the items in particular were a number of animated armors that were intended to be used as the premier war force. New inorganic soldiers at the frontline so none of our men must die in the future. Unfortunately, these prototypes were stolen, as the caravan was attacked and absconded into a cave just to the north of Foumedo. Alongside the vicious attack and theft, one of the Galloford children was kidnapped. Shortly thereafter, he was brutally murdered. We conclude that Jessie Smith is guilty of both murder and theft."

Traferen bowed to the High Judicator before taking his seat.

High Judicator Dornan nodded and gestured to Eamon. "Proceed."

Eamon stood. "Your honor, many facts were left out of this case. It was not Jessie Smith who committed these grievous actions. No, these were the actions of a horrible creature known for its cunning, ability to shapeshift, and penchant for cruelty and malice. These were the actions of an oni, assisted by a number of conniving creatures known as will-o-wisps. These were the creatures that absconded with both the armors and the Galloford child."

Eamon cycled through his papers until he found the one he was looking for. "Unfortunately, the facts remain: the armors were stolen and the child murdered. However, the Galloford boy was not the only victim of this oni. A number of other children were abducted from Foumedo."

King Falco leaned forward over the edge of his balcony, his hand cupping his face and his brow creased.

Eamon gestured to Forfend and its allies. "These individuals were there at the scene of the crime. Forfend Smith, a resident of Foumedo, caught word of children going missing. He investigated, alongside helping hand Melzaryn Collymore and two hired adventurers, Kairi Camilla and Kagoshi. They discovered the true culprit, the oni, as it attempted to kidnap yet another child in the night. This group tracked down the beast, slew it, and recovered the armors. They simply wished to return them to their rightful owners, but the Galloford caravan that arrived would not hear their story and falsely accused Jessie Smith. Simply because the armors were in his vicinity, they were assumed to be in his possession."

Eamon set his papers down and steepled his fingers. "All Jessie Smith wanted was to return the armors, but he wasn't given the time to draft letters, much less send them off to be read. It takes significant time to compile a report with all the necessary documentation for an unusual case such as this, as everyone here is aware. The distance between Foumedo and any major city is prohibitive to quick correspondence. There is no way he could've alerted the proper officials between the time of the discovery and the arrival of the Galloford caravan. We plead that Jessie Smith is innocent."

Eamon bowed and took his seat.

High Judicator Dornan nodded. "I see."

He skimmed through his documents again. "Traferen Amberfall, you may begin with your questioning."

"Of course, your honor," Traferen smiled mirthlessly as he paced to the center of the room. "Now as we're all aware, the true concern of this case is who will take responsibility."

Traferen cut sharp eyes towards Forfend. "Forfend Smith, was it?"

"Yes," it answered.

"Would it be fair to say that Mr. Jessie Smith is the de facto leader of Foumedo?"

Forfend hummed, tilting its head as it considered.

Jessie was captain of the town guard and many people went to him for advice or assistance, but he wasn't in charge. He didn't run Foumedo any more than Erest Ledrian could claim to run Cragwall.

"No, not truly," Forfend answered.

"Then who, might you say, is the leader of Foumedo, Mr. Smith?" Traferen squinted at it.

"We are a village of less than one hundred people. We do not have a mayor. There is no one in charge of the town," it answered truthfully.

"There is no one to keep your people under control in the event that crimes run amok?" Traferen hissed, appalled or pretending to be. His facial expressions were so exaggerated it was hard to tell where the theatrics ended and the genuine emotion began.

Forfend suspected there was no genuine emotion.

"You all must simply trust each other?" Traferen asked.

"Yes," Forfend nodded.

"And what would happen if someone were to act untoward?"

"I cannot recall an incident," it replied.

"How long have you lived there, Mr. Forfend Smith?"

"Consciously, two years."

"Interesting," Traferen mulled. "You've only lived there two years." He turned to the judge. "That is not nearly enough time for someone to know a place intimately. They could be simply hiding their true nature."

"After all, look at this individual," Traferen gestured to Forfend, his face contorting into disgust. "This golem."

Forfend made a conscious effort not to let the comment bother it. Irritation settled in its center anyway, cracking pebbles in its chest. Luckily, it had no facial expressions to share its feelings.

"This golem with its immense power," Traferen continued. "Why would they risk losing such a valuable asset simply to keep up appearances? After all, that's the only world he's known thus far, isn't it?"

Forfend shook its head, uncertain what Traferen was trying to get at, but knowing he was wrong.

Traferen wasn't watching it however. He turned to Melzaryn. "And what of this investigation? Melzaryn Corona Collymore, was that your name?"

"That would be me," Melzaryn shrugged.

"Let's hear about the investigation, shall we? Curious, isn't it, how easily they solved it? Mr. Collymore, what are you doing this far south?"

Melzaryn started to answer, but Eamon cut him off.

"Objection, your honor. Relevancy," he called.

Treferen scowled openly at his opponent.

"Objection stands," High Judicator Dornan decided.

Traferen grumbled under his breath.

"This investigation, Mr. Collymore," he tried again. "How exactly was it solved? Please regale us with the details on how exactly you found its lair. What happenstance?"

"Given my background in construction work, I identified a cave system. We followed it to its logical alterative entry point and explored it until we discovered the oni's cavern," Melzaryn answered astutely.

"Interesting," Traferen mused in his slimy voice. "So a Collymore with just the perfect skill set happened to be just in the right location to find these stolen items? Curious. Would it be fair to say, Mr. Collymore, that your appearance there was merely by chance?"

"I'd say so," Melzaryn nodded. "I'd been intending to leave soon."

"Curious," Traferen said again. "Now then, you are an established wizard. Is that correct?"

"More or less, yes." Melzaryn shrugged.

"Would it be fair to say that you would've been curious about the armor itself?"

"Not really my study focus," Melzaryn shook his head. "That said, under the circumstances with us finding them at a crash site, I did need to investigate them alongside the rest of the scene. As any wizard worth his staff would have."

"And you discovered all aspects of the armor, correct?" Traferen heavily emphasized his sentence, his eyebrows arched expectantly.

"I would hope so. Otherwise, my spellcasting would be in need of major review."

"Interesting." Traferen straightened his back and paced to the side of the long desk they all sat at. He gestured over Eamon and the rest of the group. "These individuals claim to have simply discovered the armors on chance, but I do not believe that is the whole truth. You see, they could have simply left the armors where they were. Why abscond with them to the town itself? After all, these items hold immense power within them."

Forfend tilted its head at his phrasing. Did he know what the armors were powered by? Was that actually done by the Gallofords and not the oni? Did they know what kind of terrifying, violent power they were playing with?

Traferen studied his fingernails and sliced his eyes sideways at Eamon. "They have the potential to cause major harm. After all, they did discover all aspects of the armor itself. Which included its power source."

"Which I'm sure," he announced as he stalked over to Kagoshi, "Mr. Kagoshi could tell us more about. That was your name, yes?"

"Last time I checked." Kagoshi cocked an eyebrow.

"Did you happen to interact directly with said power source?"

"Objection: relevancy," Eamon piped up, confused.

High Judicator Dornan tilted his head curiously. He squinted. "Objection denied."

Eamon cast a questioning gaze at Kagoshi.

Kagoshi didn't look any less perplexed than Eamon did.

Forfend quietly drummed its fingers together. Had they actually told Kagoshi what the shards had been for? And if they had, did he bother to listen? Did he remember?"

"Did you physically interact with the power source of these armors?" Traferen hissed again.

"Are they dangerous? Would I have been hurt if I did? I didn't see any." Kagoshi shook his head.

Traferen's eye twitched. His mouth drew into a tight line as he cocked his head. Genuine confusion crawled over his theatrical smugness.

Forfend buried the combination of rushing steam and rock-grinding chuckle that immediately rose in its core.

Kagoshi's penchant for astoundingly self-centered behavior and casual dismissiveness of the world around him was undermining Traferen's point.

Traferen took a brief moment to compose himself. He took a deep breath and started again, "These machines are powered by these small crystals. Did you or did you not interact with these crystals?"

"What does the crystal look like?" Kagoshi requested clarification. "I've touched a lot of gems you could probably consider crystals."

"They are small. About the size of one's pinky nail," Traferen provided.

"Mine or yours?" Kagoshi gruffed, eyeing his own fingers and trying to size up Traferen's far more slender hands.

Traferen grit his teeth to bite back a comment. "Mine," he only just managed not to snap.

"Oh. Well, you have dainty hands," Kagoshi casually insulted. "A crystal that small might break if I tried touching it."

"Did you or did you not touch one directly?" Traferen's sharp irritation had surpassed his theatrics and was now hinging on genuine rage.

"No," Kagoshi said.

A dozen or more simultaneous white flashes lit the courtroom like lightning. No thunder followed. Only the gentle dimming of the statue of Carcer and all his Judicator Angels.

So that's what happened when someone lied.

Forfend hummed grimly to itself.

"So that's what happens if you lie," Kagoshi unhelpfully echoed its own thoughts.

"You did interact with those power sources!" Traferen almost shouted, suddenly bordering on giddy. "And you're still alive! Interesting!"

Traferen turned and spread his arms wide. "Your honorable High Judicator, these power sources are of a very unstable nature. And of very, very high importance. You see, these power sources were discovered not too long ago by the Galloford family. Proven to have immense power held within, we attempted to do the country a service by producing tools that would allow us to move into a brighter future. We were not aware of what they truly were. I was not aware of what they truly were. Until recently."

He paused dramatically, his hands spread and a malicious grin cutting his face in two.

High Judicator Dornan only very slightly cocked an eyebrow and drummed a single finger with vague impatience.

Traferen seemed to take the subtle hint. He cleared his throat and continued. "For these little, tiny, unassuming crystals are Shards of Calamity."

The entire room sucked in a breath.

"They are what?" High Judicator Dornan demanded.

"Shards of Calamity," Traferen repeated confidently. "We had initially thought they were just immensely powerful arcane sources. The Galloford family had no idea what they truly were. At least, surely, Lord Clayton didn't. He was simply meant to put together the method of transportation. There's no way he could've known. But one thing is clear: the moment these individuals interacted and saw the truth of these power sources, they became entranced with them."

Forfend couldn't honestly say how it felt about the shards, but "entranced" was hardly the word. Maybe "terrified" or "wary" or "incredibly anxious," though none of those were quite strong enough to explain the raw dread that settled in its core whenever it had to deal with the things.

"After all," Traferen continued, "how else could a person who directly contacted a Shard of Calamity be able to survive? Unless they were a true accepted vessel? And what does that mean for the people around them? Did he simply hide the truth or are they all in cahoots? I'll let you decide that, honorable High Judicator."

Traferen bowed and backed away, returning to his desk. "No further questions."

High Judicator Dornan glared down at Kagoshi. His eyes were more stern than any Forfend had ever seen except perhaps Fornax's own, but blessedly not malicious.

"Is this true? Are you aware of this fact? Any of you? Were you aware that Kagoshi was an accepted vessel of Calamity?" High Judicator Dornan asked.

Silence loomed. All of them had been stunned.

An accepted vessel of Calamity? What was that? What did it mean? Forfend glanced to Kagoshi and then Melzaryn.

The former seemed confused. The latter was characteristically nonplussed.

"Were you aware?" High Judicator Dornan demanded again.

No one seemed to want to be the one to answer under the withering gaze of the High Judicator.

"Forfend Smith," he tried a more direct approach, "were you aware?"

"No," it answered honestly.

High Judicator Dornan hummed.

Traferen blinked, his nose wrinkling and his brow furrowing until his whole face was scrunched with confusion.

"Melzaryn Corona Collymore," High Judicator Dornan rumbled, "were you aware that this man is an accepted vessel of Calamity?"

"I was researching the possibility, but had not yet discovered any concrete evidence," Melzaryn shook his head.

Overhead, King Falco was leaning so far over his balcony he looked in danger of toppling off the edge. His eyes were wider than saucers. His hands clung to the railing until his knuckles turned white.

"Kairi Camilla," High Judicator Dornan carried right on with his questioning, "were you aware?"

"No," Kairi rapidly shook her head.

Traferen lightly bit the knuckle of his forefinger, looking increasingly more nervous. It seemed he'd bet on all of them being significantly less ignorant than they apparently were.

Forfend couldn't tell yet if that would be a good thing in this instance or a very, very bad thing.

"Kagoshi," High Judicator Dornan fixated his sharpest gaze yet as he called the name, "were you aware that you are an accepted vessel of Calamity?"

"No," Kagoshi said simply.

High Judicator Dornan tilted his head curiously. "You're saying that the Calamity Shard that resides within you... You weren't aware of it?"

"Not until recently," Kagoshi admitted.

"When did you learn this fact?"

"When I researched information on it. I wanted to know what it was and how to deal with it."

Traferen stared up at Carcer and his Judicator Angels as if trying to will them to light up again. They remained impassively unlit.

"Call for the cleric of Genesis," High Judicator Dornan ordered. "Now."

A guard swiftly exited the room.

"We will see whether or not you are truly an accepted vessel in time," High Judicator Dornan told Kagoshi. "Though, that is the most likely explanation. Unless you have another answer as to why you are currently alive despite coming in contact with a shard?"

"I don't know," Kagoshi grumbled. "I'm trying to figure it out, but I don't know."

"And what of the rest of you? Mr. Collymore, you were the most aware of his situation. Do you believe there may be any other explanation?" High Judicator Dornan prompted.

Melzaryn opened his mouth, but hesitated as he glanced around the room. "Possibly, but the information isn't and shouldn't necessarily be public knowledge, and it isn't my place to decide if it should be stated right here and now. May I counsel with my legal representative and the man in question, Kagoshi?"

"Proceed," High Judicator Dornan allowed.

Eamon immediately shot out of his seat. "Follow me," he whispered as he walked as quickly as possible out of the courtroom.

Kagoshi and Melzaryn were right on his heels, and a pair of guards were on their heels in turn.

Forfend looked to Kairi.

She wore stress plainly across her features.

Forfend placed a hand that might've been more comforting if it wasn't trembling from its own stress onto her shoulder.

Kairi pat its hand and interlocked her fingers on the desk in front of her.

Forfend copied the motion to keep its fiddling hands still. Nervousness coiled up in its center until it thought it might crack like an overheated stone.

The courtroom was eerily silent.

The only noise was an extremely hushed argument between Traferen and Clayton Galloford. Clayton seemed irritated by the turn of events, judging by the scowl on his face. Traferen seemed to be trying to placate him.

High Judicator Dornan rubbed at his forehead, perhaps feeling stressed as well.

After several long minutes, Eamon led Kagoshi and Melzaryn back into the room.

"Well, what have you decided?" High Judicator Dornan asked.

"To share the full truth. Mr. Kagoshi is a demigod," Eamon revealed.

Gasps sounded all throughout the room.

High Judicator Dornan leaned back, his eyes slightly widened. "Kagoshi, are you a demigod?" he asked directly.

"Yeah, I'm a demigod," Kagoshi sighed.

"This claim holds a lot of weight. I'd like for you to prove it. All demigods have unique powers. Show us yours." High Judicator Dornan leaned forward again to watch intently.

King Falco wavered so precariously over the edge of his balcony Forfend thought for a moment he was actually going to fall. He caught himself, but didn't move any further back from where he leaned over the railing.

"My ability is to turn into a giant. I also have the strength of one," Kagoshi explained. "Should I demonstrate both?"

"Yes," High Judicator Dornan decided.

Forfend withered. It was becoming all too familiar with this song and dance.

Kagoshi stepped over to Forfend and tossed his head back toward the empty middle of the courtroom floor.

Steam hissed long and slow in Forfend's chest. "May I stand?" it requested forlornly.

"Yes," High Judicator Dornan nodded, his brows furrowed.

Forfend trudged its way to the center of the room.

Kagoshi gripped its ankle with one hand and hefted it effortlessly into the air.

Forfend spread its arms out and struggled to maintain its balance. "You could stand to do this in a way that would provide me more support," it complained.

Kagoshi ignored it as well as the second round of gasps that circled the room. He set it down none too gently.

High Judicator Dornan stared unabashedly, leaning forward with considerable interest. "And what of the second aspect?" he asked.

Forfend dusted itself off and quickly made its way back to its seat where the ground would remain solidly beneath it.

Eamon looked pale, shocked by the series of revelations he'd been exposed to thus far today.

Kagoshi sidled foot to foot. "Give me a second on that one. It's a bit more complicated. It's a mindset I have to enter."

Kagoshi closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath.

After a moment, his muscles bubbled and bulged beneath his skin as he doubled in size. His skin turned the brown of wet clay and his hair took on a grassy green quality.

A hill giant, Forfend figured.

A third round of gasps filled the air.

"A demigod would be able to withstand the terror of the Calamity Shards," High Judicator Dornan whispered reverently. "Then you speak truth."

Kagoshi released his breath and melted back into his original form. He returned to his seat.

High Judicator Dornan pressed his fist beneath his chin and leaned on it, considering everything he'd just learned. After a long moment and several thoughtful grunts or hums, he locked his weighty gaze onto Eamon.

"Eamon Brighthorn, you may begin your questioning."

"Yes, your honor," Eamon said as he stood.

He crossed the room and straightened his back as he sized up Clayton Galloford. "As we're all now aware, Kagoshi is a demigod. Demigods have an intrinsic duty to the world, to its people. They have a rite, an oath, an intrinsic moral value that devotes them to us mortals. And so when it was discovered that these children were indeed going missing, of course Kagoshi and company had to step in. When it was discovered that an oni was the perpetrator, and that it was also abusing the powerful magics in these animated armors, well, of course they had to protect Foumedo. Of course they had to protect Foumedo's children. I think it has been shown clearly here today that they had no idea what the power sources were. They were not coveting them."

Eamon nailed Clayton to his seat with the intensity of his gaze. "I think the better question is why would the Gallofords be so swift to shift blame? Why even go to such lengths as to try to demonize an individual such as Kagoshi?"

Clayton sank into his chair, suddenly prickling with nervousness.

Forfend knew he was in the wrong and it knew the man knew that, but his lack of composure was frankly embarrassing.

"Lord Clayton Galloford," Eamon began, "were you aware of what those crystals were?"

Traferen clicked his tongue and leaned into Eamon's laser-focused view. "Ah, no, of course he--"

"I didn't ask you," Eamon said sharply. Mr. Amberfall, was it? I didn't ask you."

Traferen's jaw clicked shut. He leaned back into his seat, thoroughly quelled.

"Lord Clayton Galloford," Eamon repeated with heavy emphasis, "were you aware of what those power sources were?"

"No, I wasn't aware," Clayton squeaked.

"Were you aware that the armors had gone missing?"

"Yeah. That's why we sent out a caravan to go searching for them."

"Did you know they'd go missing?" Eamon asked.

"What?" Clayton startled.

"Did you know they'd go missing?" Eamon placed his hands on the desk. "After all, if these items were as important as you said they were--and they should've been given that we all know animated armors are extremely expensive--and if they were truly military grade designed to replace soldiers on the front lines, then surely these prototypes would've been extremely valuable. It begs the question: how did a single oni manage to abscond with both the child and all the armors? Surely, if they were as important as you claim, there'd have been an immense guard detail. But from the descriptions of the caravan crash site given to me by the defendants, there was only one cart. Two horses. Easy pickings for an oni. So tell me, Mr. Clayton Galloford, were you aware that these armors would go missing?"

"No."

The statues of Carcer and all his angels lit up blindingly white again.

Clayton hissed through his teeth as the light faded out.

"Looks like we've caught a lie," Eamon said casually. "Tell me, Mr. Clayton Galloford, why was there a child along for the ride on this important mission?"

Clayton hemmed and hawed for a moment.

"Was it to cause exactly what happened? Exactly this scenario? After all, Foumedo is not a common place to travel to or through. Not many even realize it exists." Eamon leaned in to Clayton's profusely sweating face. "Would it be fair to say that it was a place you thought no one would miss?"

"No!"

Another bright flash.

"Mr. Clayton Galloford," Eamon continued right along with growing confidence, "may I ask why the cart was not well-protected?"

"Well, we meant for it to be under the guise of a commoner's vehicle to prevent attacks--" Clayton flinched as the white light flooded the room again.

"Mr. Clayton, what is the truth of the situation? Why did you send it there?"

Clayton remained silent for a long moment.

Traferen seemed to be trying to spontaneously develop the ability to disappear, his face screwed up in so many emotions he'd turned red all the way to the tips of his elven ears.

"Did you send that cart out with the intent for it to be attacked?" Eamon asked.

"No," Clayton almost mumbled.

Again, the statues flashed.

"Did you send that cart out knowing that a child would die?"

"No!" Clayton objected much more loudly.

Another flash.

Forfend felt horror seeping into its core. It hadn't considered this could've been a set up from the start, that the deaths were engineered. It couldn't fathom anyone allowing such senseless violence. And towards children?

"Mr. Clayton, what was the purpose of sending those armors out almost entirely unguarded?"

Clayton clenched his fists, his whole body shaking. "We... wanted a field test and we wanted to keep the armors a secret. In order to do so, we..."

Traferen nervously pushed himself halfway up out of his chair. "Sir, you don't have to..."

Clayton sank down as low as he could into his seat.

"No further questions, your honor," Eamon declared. He returned to his place.

King Falco finally settled back into his own chair. He steepled his fingers in front of his face. Intensity radiated off him. His gaze caught Clayton's and sharpened into daggers. His nostrils flared.

High Judicator Dornan inhaled deeply. "I see no reason to further this case. The defendant, Jessie Smith, is not guilty. All charges shall be rescinded and forces pulled. With the revelations in this case proving the intentional death of a child and the attempted obstruction of justice by framing an uninvolved town, Mr. Clayton Galloford, you are guilty on many accounts. I shan't list them all here. There will be a subsequent investigation into this matter. Case adjourned."

High Judicator Dornan slammed his gavel down twice with heavy finality. "Guards, detain him."

The pair of guards at Clayton's side were adorned in Galloford colors. They glanced at one another, then at High Judicator Dornan, then at Clayton.

"No, no," Clayton pleaded.

One more glance at the High Judicator determined where their loyalties should lie. They hauled Clayton up and escorted him from the courtroom.

Traferen huffed and shook his head, defeated and inconvenienced but not particularly upset. The case was over. The theatrics were done. He took his leave in bored silence.

Clayton craned his head around as he was dragged out, all his fear turning to rage. He scowled and snarled at Forfend and its allies.

Melzaryn smirked the slightest bit, showing off a hint of his sharp teeth.

Forfend only shook its head.

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Eamon whispered under his breath.

"Seconded," Melzaryn said.

"Agreed," Kagoshi huffed, already getting up out of his chair.

"Wait, shit." Eamon paused just before stepping through the door that would lead them to the lobby. "Excuse me, guard."

The guard by the door had his lips pressed tight together. His eyes were wide as though he were still processing the events he'd just witnessed. "Yes?" he managed.

"Do you mind if we use the back door? We'd prefer to avoid the crowds at the front."

"Sure, yeah, give me a moment to get permission," the guard mumbled.

It took him only moments to get his answer and return to them. He wordlessly led them through a much more remote door with far less decorum surrounding it.

Forfend guessed this entrance was meant for staff.

"Bit of a curiosity here," Melzaryn said as everyone slipped outside. "How quickly do you think that information will spread?"

Eamon shrugged. "It'll depend on what the guards do. They didn't take an oath of secrecy. Now that the case is over and the results will become public knowledge, they'll be allowed to talk about it."

"Good," Melzaryn nodded.

"I can't promise that Kagoshi's demigod status won't immediately be revealed," Eamon sighed regrettably. "But, I can assure you that news that a lord let one of their own family's children get murdered will spread like wildfire."

"It should," Forfend hummed.

"Hopefully, it'll spread much faster than my secret," Kagoshi grumbled.

Eamon clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Alright! It's been... one hell of a day. I'm ready to go home and get some rest."

"I'd say today went pretty well," Melzaryn grinned. "Thanks."

Kagoshi muttered something under his breath about getting out before the cleric of Genesis arrived.

Forfend had forgotten about that, but it figured that had probably worked in their favor.

The guard that had escorted them peeked out of the door again. He passed Kagoshi his cloak and Melzaryn his broom. "Alright, that should be everything that was checked in at the front desk."

Forfend tilted its head. It figured it had been too busy observing the architecture to see them turning over their magical things. It hadn't brought anything with it that would've needed to be checked in.

"Thank you," Eamon said. He turned to the party, weariness in his eyes. "Let's go."

Melzaryn jumped up on his broom, floating with his toes just barely hovering above the ground.

Eamon tried to sneak the group back through the alleyways.

Unfortunately, some of the crowd out front spotted them. Shouting and scrambling ensued as everyone tried to get to them and scream their questions first.

"Fucking shit!" Eamon swore. "You all, go. Go, go, go! You know where my house is. I'll handle this."

"Sounds good to me," Melzaryn agreed immediately, putting on a burst of speed.

Kagoshi, Kairi, and Forfend all followed him as quickly as they could.

Eamon turned to the crowd and spread his arms to block the road the group was disappearing down. "Hey, hey, no! Respect the privacy of these individuals! They're citizens of Tyrwedia protected by..."

His voice rapidly faded out. Between the din of the crowd and the increasing distance, Forfend could no longer hear Eamon.

It didn't slow down.

After what was surely minutes but had felt like hours, they finally arrived at Eamon's home.

Forfend felt its core freeze in its chest as soon as the house came into view.

The front door was slightly ajar.

"Looks like someone is visiting," Melzaryn whispered. "The door was unlocked, not broken into."

Forfend shook its head. There was a sinking feeling dragging its core lower and lower in its chest. This didn't feel like a badly-timed visiting friend.

It rushed into the house with reckless abandon.

Dirty footprints led straight into the guest bedroom. They stuck out starkly on Eamon's glitteringly clean floor.

Forfend followed them, throwing open the bedroom door.

Duncan was missing.

The bedsheets were wrecked. The table and chairs in the room had been toppled over. The bed itself had been pushed out of its original position, as though something heavy had slammed into it during the scuffle.

Forfend's note lay unfolded on the floor. It had been read, but now it was crumpled and stepped upon.

Its words had been a lie. It had believed them when it left the note, but it had been so horribly wrong.

Forfend's head felt dizzy, its center spinning with anxiety. A veritable rockfall cascaded in its chest.

It crashed its heavy hand into the medallion on its chest. "Duncan!" it all but shouted as it hurriedly tore its mace and shield out of the storage closet.

Orange magic burst forth, leading straight out the opened window and, Forfend sensed, arcing immediately north.

Duncan was more than seven hundred feet away already and moving northwest at incredible speed.

Melzaryn rushed in right on Forfend's heels. His eyes darted everywhere.

"Whoever did this dragged him out the window," Melzaryn said. "They had to have picked the lock unless they had their own key. Duncan didn't leave this room to open it for them or the fight would've started in the hallway."

"Kairi's going to ask the plants!" Kagoshi yelled from the front porch.

Forfend grasped Melzaryn's shoulder and pointedly stared at his broom. "Duncan is northwest. Approximately eight hundred feet away from this exact location. Please."

Melzaryn held up his Sending Stone. "Keep in touch."

Before Forfend could respond, Melzaryn was zipping out the window on his flying broom.

It pulled out its own Sending Stone.

Kairi wandered around to the bushes beneath the opened window.

"They saw a man with a big brown cloak," Kairi reported.

"Fuck," Forfend swore.

"He knew Melzaryn's name. I think all of our names, but the plants could only remember the one because it was so odd."

"Fuck," Forfend swore again. It relayed the information to Melzaryn via their paired Sending Stones.

"Do we know a guy in a brown cloak?" Kairi asked.

It paused.

Kairi had never seen the man. Of course she hadn't in all that chaos.

"We do. He was leading the assassin team last night."

"Oh." Kairi frowned. "Oh. I'll ask the plants more questions."

She wandered back around the corner of the house.

Forfend rushed back to the front porch.

Kagoshi stood with his arms crossed, watching Kairi work.

"They want water." Kairi rubbed at her face and pinched her nose. "They said they heard something else, but they won't tell me unless they get water."

"It was that goddamn cloaked fucker? The bow guy?" Kagoshi growled. "Fuck."

"That is what I said," Forfend hummed. It rifled through its things. It pulled out a waterskin.

It didn't need to eat or drink, but everyone around it did. It preferred to be prepared.

"What was he here for?" Kagoshi demanded.

Forfend paused briefly. How had he not put it together yet? Why hadn't he checked for himself?

"Duncan has been kidnapped," it explained as it poured water over the bushes.

"Oh, godsdamn it!" Kagoshi swore. "Where did Melzaryn go?!"

"I cast Locate Creature to pinpoint Duncan. Melzaryn went after him, but I fear Duncan will leave my range very soon. He is already nearing the edge of it," Forfend fretted.

"I'm following Melzaryn," Kagoshi decided.

He ran down the street, bounded straight up the side of a wall, hauled himself onto the roof, and disappeared from view.

Kairi hummed uncomfortably, tugging at the hem of her dress as she squinted at the plants.

"Is everything alright?" Forfend asked.

"They, uh, said thanks for the water. They're kind of... weird," Kairi muttered. "It also sounds like the brown cloak guy might be under mind control too. They said he seemed confused about where he was for a moment. Like he was a completely different person for just that one second, and then he was back under control again."

"The cloaked bowman is also under the effect of Envema's mind control," Forfend spoke into the Sending Stone. "He is another victim."

Eamon came around the corner, cocked his head at what must've looked to be a very nonsensical situation, and jogged over. "What's going on? Why's my door open? Is everything okay?"

"Duncan has been kidnapped," Forfend said without a hint of tact. Its monotonous voice hid its panic, but its nervous gesturing didn't.

"What?! What do you mean kidnapped?" Eamon immediately matched Forfend's feverish emotions.

"It was the man who attacked us at the Brass Buffalo. He took Duncan," Forfend explained.

"Shit!" Eamon swore. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Do you guys want to go after him?!" he shouted and paced. His hands were in his hair, on his hips, clasping his shoulders, rubbing one another, and cycling through those same motions over and over again. "Because I'm not going to go after him! I'm just a lawyer! I'm just a guy!"

"Melzaryn and Kagoshi are already in pursuit," Forfend assured. "I am providing all the information I can, but I will lose track of Duncan very soon."

"Do you have any means of communication over that distance?" Eamon asked.

Forfend held up its Sending Stone.

"Okay, okay," Eamon tried to calm himself. The attempt didn't look successful. "Do you want to keep that or do you want me to keep that? Because I can tell the guards wherever you're going to end up."

Forfend nodded, slowly at first and then faster. It glanced at Kairi. "Do we go? We should go. We must go!"

It dropped the stone in Eamon's hands and ran, thudding down the street as quickly as its marble legs could carry it.

Kairi dashed after it.

"Wait, who is this?!" Eamon yelled.

"Melzaryn!" Forfend called without slowing.

Forfend heard Eamon start speaking into the Stone, though it was already too far away to hear what he was saying.

"I hope he's okay," Kairi panted at its side.

Forfend nodded. "I promised him. He must be okay. He must."

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 19

Kairi fluttered down on flickering wings and all but collapsed into Forfend. She looked tattered, severely wounded, and wholly exhausted.

"Did we win?" she mumbled.

Forfend nodded slowly. "Kagoshi and Melzaryn won the battle. The war will be... arduous."

Narmoth finally caught up to the rest of his group, wheezing with exertion. "Is it over? What even happened?"

"It was an Envema attack," Forfend reported, steam hissing in its tired chest.

"Oh no," Narmoth breathed.

The goblin chef hobbled past, assisting an elderly human man.

"Where'd that young man go?" the elder asked. "I thought we were going to have a conversation."

"It's alright. I'll get you some pudding in just a bit. We're all good. Everybody's all good. We'll get you somebody to talk to," the chef promised.

The older man smiled. "Alright."

"We should be getting back around where everybody else is, shouldn't we?" the chef pointed out. "Because it's over, right? It's over?"

Forfend nodded. "It should be. For now."

Kairi pressed into Forfend's back. She was wavering on her feet and barely seemed to have her eyes open.

In its arms, Duncan slowly transitioned from sobbing against its shoulder to drifting into sleep.

Forfend shifted him to rest as easy as he could against its stone body and coaxed Kairi into holding onto its elbow.

It followed Narmoth and the rest of the inn patrons back to the front of the building.

They arrived just in time to see Melzaryn carefully depositing a nearly unconscious Kagoshi off his flying broom and onto the ground.

Kagoshi landed face first on the cobblestone, making no attempt to catch himself. He groaned.

Kairi lay down on the ground next to him and held her bloodied midsection.

Forfend inspected the wound.

She'd been stabbed in her stomach. Kagoshi had as well.

Forfend wondered why their assassins hadn't gone for their throats the way Melzaryn's had.

It dismissed the contemplation in favor of assessing the injuries. For both of them, the bleeding had stopped. They were heavily wounded, but neither was in danger of dying.

That was good. Its dwindling magic reserves meant it probably couldn't help much anyway.

Melzaryn looked nearly as spent as Kagoshi. His shoulders drooped. His skin was shiny with sweat. His usual vague arcane aura was missing entirely.

The crowd of inn patrons around them murmured amongst themselves, nervous but thankful things from the snippets Forfend caught.

One of them, an elven man, hedged forward. "Excuse me, um, is it over? Are we safe? What should we do?"

"At this point, we'll need to wait until we can speak with the guards," Melzaryn provided. "After that, you might need to look for somewhere else to stay the night."

"Okay, we'll wait for the guards then," the elf agreed. "Thank you for saving us."

He shuffled awkwardly back into the crowd.

Forfend could see the guards approaching from over the heads of the crowd.

"They will be here shortly," it commented.

Melzaryn huffed. He slid a bag off the end of his broom. Forfend had a moment of brief confusion before it realized the pack was one of Envema's undetonated bombs.

Melzaryn opened it. He leaned on his staff and mumbled a passage from his spell book.

Magic projected from the pearl in the staff, scanned over the item in question, and returned a schematics screen.

Melzaryn rapidly skimmed over the wealth of information.

Forfend tilted its head. It had no idea how he was using any kind of magic with so much exhaustion tugging him down.

Melzaryn stiffened. He rushed into the inn and returned with another bomb bag.

"There is one more at the back of the building," Forfend shared.

"They can be detonated remotely. I'm getting rid of them," Melzaryn said urgently.

He hopped on his broom and zipped around to the back the building.

A moment later, he was soaring over the rooftops toward the massive river just beyond Cragwall.

Two guards came dashing around the corner of the building and met up with the approaching group.

They seemed to be giving a hurried report, presumably about what Melzaryn was doing. They were waved away. They fell into line with the other guards.

Forfend sat down next to Kairi and Kagoshi. It huddled Duncan protectively into its chest.

The crowd parted for High Knight Erest Ledrian and the retinue of guards on his tail.

"Secure the area," he ordered his fellow knights.

They nodded and broke off, each taking a handful of guards with them.

High Knight Erest surveyed the crowd and locked onto Forfend. He sighed through his helm. Nonetheless, he approached.

"Are the people alright?" he asked.

Forfend nodded. "As far as I can tell, no one was injured aside from myself and my companions."

"What happened?"

"Envema attacked us," Forfend said simply.

High Knight Erest swore. "Again."

"They tried to murder us in our sleep. It did not go as planned."

High Knight Erest nodded, eyeing the gaping hole of free-flowing ichor in Forfend's center. "I see."

Around them, the inn patrons hesitantly approached the guards. They asked questions or provided testimonies and were slowly ushered away from the Brass Buffalo.

"What else can you tell me?" High Knight Erest asked.

Kagoshi stirred. Still facedown in the dirt, he mumbled, "Is that Halt?"

"It is Prince Halt, yes," Forfend answered.

Even through his visor, Forfend could tell High Knight Erest was grimacing at the unflattering nickname.

"Tell him he's a tool," Kagoshi muttered.

Forfend looked up at High Knight Erest.

He only sighed heavily.

Forfend guessed he was rolling his eyes beneath his helm.

"Well, you know the protocol," High Knight Erest said, tugging manacles from his belt.

Forfend started to speak, but someone else got there first.

"Hey, hey, nope, no. Not right now," called a fairly nondescript human. The only things about him that stood out at all were the nice clothes he wore and the fact that he was running in them.

He tugged at his burgundy vest as he staggered up, slowing to a stop and resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He pulled himself upright, wiped his brow, and brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes.

He reached over, leaning heavily on Forfend's solidity under the guise of simply patting its shoulder.

"You can't do that," he breathlessly informed High Knight Erest. "Not without legal counsel."

Forfend hummed and took a guess as to who this man was. If it was right, this was excellent luck.

"You've already arrested them once before," the newcomer continued. "You know the deal."

High Knight Erest looked irritated. "Eamon Brighthorn, I see. What, are these your clients?"

"Yeah," Eamon answered. "I'm their legal counsel. It's obvious they didn't do this. You know that better than anyone else. They got the people out. Go and get testimonies from everyone who was here. I'm sure you'll find out these people didn't commit whatever crime you think they've done."

High Knight Erest regarded Eamon carefully. He seemed like he was going to speak again, but Eamon suddenly continued.

"Plus, it's the middle of the fucking night. Cut everyone some slack. You can't have a stick up your ass all the time, Prince, uh..." He glanced at Forfend and Kagoshi. "You called him Prince Halt, right?"

"Yes," Forfend confirmed.

"Prince Halt," Eamon repeated.

High Knight Erest groaned, pressing his gauntleted hand to his helmeted face. "Fine. Get on out of here."

"Alright, cool, cool, cool," Eamon said to himself as High Knight Erest stormed off to fuss at his company of knights and guards.

"Are you our lawyer?" Forfend asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. I'll explain later. Let's get you out of here." Eamon ushered everyone up. "Where's the, uh, fourth one?"

In the distance, a trio of explosions sounded.

"I believe that was him," Forfend replied. "He left to detonate some untriggered Envema bombs. He should return shortly."

"Pleasant," Eamon strained.

High Knight Erest turned sharply. His hands clenched and unclenched several times. "Alright," he hissed through grit teeth. "We are going to need reports from all of you tomorrow."

"I'll handle that," Eamon assured, glaring at High Knight Erest. "I'll handle it. Do your job and I'll do mine."

High Knight Erest huffed and returned to directing his crew.

"Forfend, let's get out of here. Can you contact your buddy?" Eamon asked.

Forfend nodded.

"Let him know where we're going," Eamon requested. He headed away from the Brass Buffalo toward the city plaza.

Kairi snagged Forfend and used it to haul herself upright. She limped after Eamon.

Forfend stood. It leaned down, scruffing Kagoshi by the back of his jacket and tossing him over its shoulder.

Kagoshi grumbled and growled unintelligibly, but he couldn't lift a finger to fight it.

Forfend balanced him so that it could still carry Duncan comfortably and followed Eamon as well.

It tugged the Sending Stone from its pouch. "Our lawyer arrived. We are following him. Currently, we are heading towards the town square."

As they entered the plaza, Melzaryn touched down by the statue of King Falco.

"Oh, good," Eamon clapped as they reconvened with Melzaryn. "I suppose that means pleasantries are in order." He offered his hand to the three of them that were standing. As far as Forfend could tell, Kagoshi had fallen asleep. "Yes, I am your lawyer. My name is Eamon Brighthorn. I was planning to meet you tomorrow because I know your arrival here was rocky and I didn't want to bring your case immediately to the forefront of your mind while you were all recovering from that ordeal."

He rubbed at his sleepy eyes. "I wanted to give you a break, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to have been the right idea." He paused briefly and glanced around the city. "Do you all have a place to stay?"

"We did," the whole group deadpanned at once.

Eamon looked past them to the Brass Buffalo in the distance. It was now swarming with guards and being roped off for investigation. "I see. Luckily, I see this a lot and I have a guest room in my home for clients to use. If you'd like to, you may stay there."

"I would not mind that. I would be just as comfortable sitting outside, but I believe Duncan will need to be somewhere more comfortable," Forfend said.

"I noticed." Eamon looked Duncan over, his jaw setting as he seemed to confirm some suspicion. "He's wearing the, uh, the garb of..." Eamon glanced around and leaned in to whisper, "Is he Envema?"

Forfend was surprised by the genuine curiosity in his voice. The wondering tone was far stronger than his fear or nervousness.

Forfend shook its head. "He was."

"Was?" Eamon repeated.

"Most Envema members are under a mind control spell," Forfend shared. "I have Dispelled that magic, so he is quite aware of who he is now. I imagine he is also quite frightened and traumatized."

Eamon blinked. "Mind control. I wasn't aware of that. You know what? I'll cash that in the bank later." He shook himself. "I hate to have to say this. It's going to sound really bad. But I can't have him in my house."

Forfend hummed. It started considering its options.

"Well, unless," Eamon muttered to himself. "Do you guys have spare clothes? Wait, no, I have spare clothes. Legally, I can't harbor him while he's wearing their garb, but if we get him out of that stuff and burn it then he's just any other person. Some of you have magic, right? Could you burn the Envema clothes quickly? Like, really quickly?"

Forfend nodded. "That would be simple enough."

"Good. Great. Duncan has got to get a makeover." Eamon nudged them all into moving again. "I live on the east side of town. Come with me."

The group paced after him to the far side of the city near the eastern gate. He led them down more narrow streets off the main thoroughfare. These paths were flanked on both sides by residential housing.

Eamon took the group into a tucked away corner hiding a quaint, deceptively large house.

He opened the door. "Welcome to my home," he said as he waved them all in.

He took off his dress shoes and placed them by the door. "First things first, the makeover."

Kairi took her shoes off and placed them next to Eamon's pair. She removed Kagoshi's next and added them as well.

Forfend took the hint. It tugged Duncan's boots off.

Melzaryn took them before it could set them down. "I'll handle the clothing incineration."

"Thank you." Forfend set Kagoshi on the floor and gently stripped Duncan down to his underclothes.

Melzaryn immediately took the bundle of cloth and disappeared back outside.

Eamon took stock of the sets of shoes and glanced over at Forfend's stone feet. "Do you even wear shoes?"

"My only clothing is my belt and bandolier," it hummed.

Melzaryn returned empty-handed and cast Prestidigitation, waving his hand casually at the dust and dirt caked into the stones of Forfend's legs.

All of the filth was whisked away.

"Thank you." Forfend's chest lit up briefly orange.

"Neat trick," Eamon complimented.

"No problem." Melzaryn added his shoes to the lineup.

"Alright, so, I'll just go ahead and show you around a little bit," Eamon offered. "I was planning to have everything ready for you tomorrow, but this will have to be good enough." He trotted up the hallway and opened a door on the right. "This is the guest room you can all stay in."

Forfend scooped Kagoshi up from the floor and returned him to his place over its shoulder. It peeked into the displayed room.

"Make yourselves at home. You can leave your bags anywhere you wish in there. I got it cleaned up for you. I hope it's comfortable." Eamon leaned in and pointed to different features of the room. "Obviously, beds are there. You've got a storage dresser right here. There's a desk in the corner with plenty of paper if you need it. Table in the middle. If there's anything else you need, just let me know."

He turned to a door straight across the hall from the guest room. "This is the dining room and kitchen area. This is probably where we'll hold most of our important conversations regarding your trial. Don't worry about breakfast or anything. I'll cook."

Eamon led them up to the end of the hallway. "My living room is in here. We'll probably sit down to talk in here as well. It's got plenty of space for meetings. There's a bookshelf too. Help yourselves to any of my books." He paused to look at them. "I think that covers everything. You guys hungry? Would you like some tea? Do you guys take tea?"

"I would love some tea," Melzaryn accepted. "And Kagoshi could stand to sober up."

Kagoshi groaned so quietly Forfend couldn't tell if he was listening to the conversation or just snoring.

"I'll make tea then," Eamon promised. "Make yourselves at home anywhere you wish. The only exception is that door over there." He pointed at a closed door off to the side of the living room. "That is my bedroom and office. I would appreciate if you would respect my privacy. Knock if you ever need anything."

"Thank you," Kairi muttered and trudged off to the guest bedroom.

Kagoshi grumbled unintelligibly under his breath.

"Wake up, please," Forfend requested.

"I'll go start tea right now," Eamon said as he headed into the kitchen.

Melzaryn wandered into the living room, but Forfend followed Eamon.

It nudged Kagoshi off its shoulder and carefully tugged him into a sitting position at the dinner table.

Kagoshi slouched forward. He growled something that sounded slightly more awake and managed not to fall out of his chair.

Forfend carried Duncan across the hall to the guest bedroom.

There were two beds here, which meant there wasn't going to be space to accommodate everyone.

Forfend hummed to itself.

Kairi already had one bed. Kagoshi would be out of it enough that Forfend could probably just lay him down next to her with minimal protest. It knew Kairi would not object.

Melzaryn would be the more interesting case. Understandably, he would not want to share the other bed with his attempted assassin, but Duncan desperately needed the rest.

Steam hissed in Forfend's chest. It would cross that bridge when it got there. It tucked Duncan into bed, made certain he was resting easy, and returned to the kitchen.

"I guess I'll just make green tea," Eamon was mumbling to himself as Forfend entered.

Forfend positioned itself at Kagoshi's side. It checked over his injuries again and nudged him to try to bring him around a bit more.

Eamon placed a mug of green tea in front of Kagoshi. "I guess he'll wake up when he wants to? Is he okay? He looks completely exhausted."

"He will be alright, but he is worn out. I have no idea what exactly he did, but it was certainly taxing," Forfend hummed.

Eamon nodded. He looked Forfend up and down. "Um. Are you okay?" He gestured to the deep, open puncture wound taking up a large portion of its center.

Forfend had nearly forgotten about the injury.

It lightly touched the jagged edges and reached into the bag at its side, pulling out stones. It placed one after the other into the depths of the gaping hole.

"I will be perfectly alright in a short while," Forfend promised.

Eamon watched the air waver with heat around Forfend's middle as the stones transmuted to raw marble and seamed into place. He blinked, pulling his eyes away from the spectacle. "Okay, good. Good. Well, I'm going to take this tea to Mr. Collymore while you do... that."

Forfend hummed idly, focusing on patching itself up.

Eamon grabbed another glass of tea and disappeared into the living room.

Forfend's wound knit itself together steadily. The tensions surrounding the area eased.

It turned to Kagoshi and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. It didn't have much magic left, but it had some.

Healing magic coursed sunset orange and comfortably warm down Forfend's arm and into Kagoshi's limp form.

Kagoshi lifted his head off the table, his eyes fighting to stay open. "Fuck."

"Drink some green tea. Sober up," Forfend said.

Kagoshi grasped at the cup three times before he caught it and pulled it to him.

"How's our friend doing?" Eamon asked as he slipped back into the kitchen. "Oh, he's up! Let me know if you need food or anything else."

"Where the hell am I?" Kagoshi barely managed.

"Our lawyer's home," Forfend answered.

"Yep. Hi," Eamon greeted.

"Who the fuck are you?" Kagoshi growled rudely.

Forfend smothered the irritated shing of metal across a whetstone with a loud rush of steam. "He kept us from being arrested. You should thank him."

"I'm Eamon Brighthorn," Eamon introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you. I'm your legal counsel. I'll be helping you guys out for as long as you need it."

"Great," Kagoshi said flatly. "What's in front of me?"

"Tea. Green tea." Eamon busied himself over by the kitchen counter. "Can I get you anything else? Maybe bread?"

"Bread would be good for someone who has drank as much as he has," Forfend hummed.

Kagoshi didn't answer for himself. He just turned up the tea and drank all of it in one motion.

"Okay, wow." Eamon stared at Kagoshi. "I'll toast some bread real quick then." He set to work.

The second Eamon deposited the bread onto Kagoshi's plate, Kagoshi scarfed it down.

How he could still eat after devouring a mountain of bacon just a few hours prior, Forfend had no idea. It didn't think it had ever seen anyone eat so much.

"Alright. Well, I won't burden your minds with anything else tonight," Eamon decided. "Given the thousands of stars that appeared over the city, I figure you've already had an overly eventful evening. I just want you all to go get some sleep. We'll discuss everything in the morning. Okay?"

"Thank you," Forfend nodded.

"My pleasure," Eamon returned. "Kagoshi, I hope you feel better. If anybody needs anything tonight, knock on my door."

Eamon ducked his head politely and took his leave.

Forfend watched Kagoshi for a few moments. He was clearly still on the edge of passing out, but he was fighting the urge. It wouldn't be able to do much with him while he was awake enough to cause a ruckus. Forfend didn't want to disturb the entire household when they'd just gotten settled in for the night.

"Our room is across the hall," it said.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Kagoshi huffed.

Forfend strode out of the kitchen and into the bedroom.

It checked on Kairi and Duncan. Both seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Satisfied, it turned its attention to the table in the middle of the room.

Forfend tested the accompanying chairs, checking and double-checking their durability. Finally, it decided they were strong enough to hold it.

Forfend carefully eased itself into one of them. It positioned itself to where it could see both its sleeping companions and the door.

Its rune blinked out.

Forfend observed its wounded friends as it mulled over the events of the day.

The Envema investigation they'd agreed to join would make it and its allies ever larger targets. Forfend had to visit Foumedo after the trial because it had promised Fletch it would return, but it couldn't stay. It would put everyone at risk.

Forfend hummed fretfully. It would miss its family. Perhaps when the work was done, it could go back.

A dragging sound interrupted Forfend's thoughts.

There was a pathetic slap of a palm against the bottom of the door.

A second weak slap landed just a bit higher than the first.

Forfend tilted its head. Had Kagoshi fallen out of his chair and crawled across the hallway?

"Do you need help?" Forfend asked, lighting its rune.

"No," Kagoshi stubbornly gasped from the other side.

He smacked the door again, this time rattling the doorknob before he slipped back to the floor.

"Are you sure you would not like--?"

Kagoshi cut Forfend off with a sharp growl, "I got it!"

Forfend shook its head. Kagoshi's pride would be the death of him.

After several more attempts, he finally managed to swipe the doorknob just hard enough to unlatch it. He collapsed back to the floor as the door swung open.

"Told you I had it," Kagoshi wheezed.

He hauled himself hand over hand onto the carpet, curled up, and passed out.

Forfend waited a few minutes to make certain he was fully asleep.

When it was sure, it scooped him from the floor and tucked him into the bed next to Kairi.

Forfend figured he wouldn't really remember what happened anyway. He could think he made it to the bed on his own.

It settled into its chair again and flicked its rune back off.

The sun was well past up before anyone stirred. It was late into the morning, nearly noon, before Kagoshi and Kairi entered a lighter sleep and began to near wakefulness.

Duncan hadn't so much as twitched in his sleep. He was far past exhausted. He may sleep for days yet.

Kagoshi grumbled as he forced his unwilling eyes open. He rolled out of bed and fell to the floor.

Forfend tilted its head.

Kagoshi dragged himself to the middle of the floor and attempted a pushup. He wasn't able to lift himself.

He lay flat down and caught his breath.

Eventually, he made a second attempt.

Forfend watched him employ his hubris and fight through his pain with a deep sense of worry.

Despite everything, Kagoshi managed a total of four pushups before collapsing onto the carpet. He wheezed, his body shaking from overexertion.

Forfend leaned forward and clasped its hands together in front of its face, etching concern into every feature of its body.

Kagoshi growled at it.

A quiet knock at the door drew Forfend's attention.

It lit its rune. "Come in," it said as it straightened up.

Eamon peeked into the room. "Good morning. How are you guys doing? Did you sleep well?"

"I did not sleep. I never do," Forfend shared. "But I had a comfortable rest."

"That's good. I brought spare clothes for Duncan."

Eamon did a doubletake as he caught sight of Kagoshi trying and failing to force a fifth pushup out of his quivering body.

"I really don't think you should be doing that," he worried.

"It's fine," Kagoshi strained through grit teeth.

Eamon's mouth drew into a tight line. "Okay," he gave up. "Would you like breakfast?"

"Yes," Forfend perked up.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but do you eat?" Eamon asked nervously.

"No, but I enjoy the company." Forfend's chest lit up.

Eamon nodded. "Cool. Also, respectfully, um, how's that chair doing? I don't usually have guests that are..."

"Upwards of four hundred and fifty pounds," Forfend supplied.

"And made of stone, yeah," Eamon added.

"I was surprised by the sturdiness. It is undamaged," Forfend assured.

"Okay, good," Eamon seemed satisfied. He placed Duncan's new set of clothes down on the table. "I'll get breakfast started in just a minute. I'm going to let Mr. Collymore know."

Forfend waved as Eamon stepped out of the room.

It stood, collecting the clothes and arranging them neatly at the foot of Duncan's bed.

It took a moment to assess Duncan's wellbeing for the dozenth time. The man was physically well, all things considered. His body and mind were just completely spent. He needed all the rest he could get.

Forfend figured it was likely he would sleep until at least tomorrow, but it wanted to be certain he could parse what happened if he awoke while no one was around.

It made use of the desk in the corner.

Forfend wrote out a note that simply read, "Do not panic, you are safe from Envema," in large, friendly letters. It signed its name and folded the paper so it would stay propped up.

Forfend placed the note on top of Duncan's new clothes.

"I'm going to try to sleep some more, okay?" Kairi whispered.

Forfend turned. It hadn't realized she was awake.

She huddled further into her blankets.

"Take all the time you need," Forfend hummed. It stroked her hair gently once. "Please call if you need anything."

Kairi nodded subtly.

Forfend scruffed Kagoshi and hauled him up. It dropped him on his feet as it exited the room amid threats and swears.

Forfend crossed the hall. It took a seat at the dining room table and enjoyed the scent of Eamon's cooking.

Melzaryn already sat across from it, tapping the table idly and sipping cold tea.

Kagoshi staggered in a few minutes later, still swearing and brushing himself off as though Forfend had somehow gotten him dirty.

"Fucking touch me," he grumbled angrily under his breath. Nonetheless, he sat down next to Forfend.

Eamon grabbed the newly emptied tea kettle next to Melzaryn and began brewing a fresh batch.

"As you guys are well aware, I'm your lawyer," Eamon started. "Originally, I was only supposed to be your legal counsel for your case, but given the recent events and your astounding propensity for heroism, High Lord Isaac Summerstead opted to employ me to you more permanently. So if you'll have me, I'll be helping you out for a long while."

Forfend nodded. "We certainly seem to need it."

It cast a sideways glance at Kagoshi, remembering his most recent arrest. "That reminds me: Melzaryn, what is it that is going on with Kagoshi?"

"Oh, right," Melzaryn hummed casually, refilling his cup with hot tea the moment Eamon set the teapot down. "He's had his memories modified."

Eamon jolted and dropped the ladle he'd been using. "What?!" he yelped as he whipped around.

"I can fix that," Forfend determined.

"Hang on, what?" Kagoshi slammed his hands down on the table.

Forfend tapped Kagoshi's forehead as though it was trying to get someone's attention through a window. "Fix him," it commanded its magic.

Forfend felt the Modify Memory spell snap under its cast of Remove Curse.

Kagoshi felt it too. His eyes shot open wide as whatever memories had been altered came flooding back in their entirety. "Son of a bitch!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?" Eamon hurriedly asked. He rushed to finish what he was doing and nearly dropped the pot of breakfast stew onto the table as he slid into his chair. "Hold on, memories were modified?!"

"That motherfucker! It was some old wizard guy and goddamn Halt," Kagoshi growled out the nickname with unbridled hatred.

"Now... when you say Halt..." Eamon couldn't seem to figure out what to do with his fidgeting hands.

"I don't know his real fucking name!" Kagoshi snapped.

"High Knight Erest Ledrian," Forfend offered.

"That guy!" Kagoshi dug his nails into the table. "That son of a bitch!"

"The prince," Eamon said incredulously.

"High Knight Halt," Kagoshi hissed. "I already refused to call him by his real name, but this just solidified that decision."

"Okay, this conversation definitely requires food." Eamon reached for the pot and paused. He got up, rifled through a cabinet, and distributed bowls for everyone.

Forfend started to protest, but Eamon was already serving it a ladleful of stew. He moved on, serving Kagoshi, Melzaryn, and then himself.

Forfend hummed quietly. If nothing else, it would take its portion to Kairi when it was done with this discussion.

Eamon slowly seemed to realize what he'd done. "Oh, you don't-- Uh, sorry."

Forfend shook its head. "I appreciate the gesture. I will share with Kairi."

"Okay, sure, that works," Eamon nodded.

"Shut up and listen!" Kagoshi demanded. "They took me to the fucking jail after my fucking curse tried to read that stupid fucking book! Halt dragged me to a Teleportation Circle in the jail, but it wasn't a fucking Teleportation Circle. It just made us invisible. Then he walked me at swordpoint through this fucking hidden tunnel all the way to the godsdamn castle. We met this old fucking magic elf asshole. The motherfucker called me an 'accepted vessel,' whatever the fuck that means!"

Kagoshi paused just long enough to take a deep inhale. He launched straight back into his story, "Old Fuck and Halt said they were gonna have to Modify Memory everybody in the godsdamned library and Old Fuck said that wouldn't even be hard! And then Old Fuck said he wasn't even telling Falco, so that's how fucking useless the king is! That motherfucking son of a whore tried to Modify Memory me. It didn't work the first time, but I guess the second one fucking took. He fucking lied to me about what happened and then he did some other magic bullshit that made me pass out! I'm gonna fucking kill that cocksucking shitstain. I'm gonna get my hands around his fucking throat and squeeze until his eyes pop out of his godsdamned head! Old Fuck and Halt both!"

Kagoshi panted, seething as he caught his breath after his outburst.

"Wow, that was a lot," Eamon squeaked.

Kagoshi growled. "No shit. Halt called me untrustworthy, which is..." He trailed off, considering. "Valid, actually. But my track record recently is better than it's been before!"

"I can vouch for that," Melzaryn chimed in.

Forfend stiffened, steepling its fingers. "This is your improved track record? That is startling news."

"At least he is doing better," Melzaryn offered.

"Yeah! The Colly-guy gets it," Kagoshi shouted.

Forfend shook its head in exasperation.

"I think the, uh, old elf you were referring to might've been a High Arcanist?" Eamon hazarded a guess. "Which was probably the patriarch of the Sagemantle family."

"That motherfucker," Kagoshi cursed under his breath.

"That's not good," Eamon fretted. "Like, really not good. Oh boy."

"Who are they?" Kagoshi asked.

"The Sagemantles? They're a noble family. They're in charge of pretty much everything arcane," Eamon explained.

"I recall that King Falco was not particularly fond of the Sagemantles," Forfend hummed.

Kagoshi shrugged.

"This is so much." Eamon rubbed his face.

"There is always more and it keeps getting stranger," Forfend lamented.

"That feels like an understatement, honestly."

"Halt always had such a punchable face," Kagoshi grumbled.

"You have barely known of the man for two days and you have never seen his face," Forfend pointed out.

"I'm imagining a very punchable face under that stupid helmet," Kagoshi said.

"I don't even think I've ever seen his face," Eamon mentioned.

"He's a coward for always hiding his face," Kagoshi decided.

"I guess that's a way of putting it," Eamon hummed nervously.

Melzaryn tapped a single finger on the table, drawing everyone's attention. "I have a meeting to attend on the other side of town, if you don't mind."

Eamon's brow creased. "I guess that's okay, as long as you keep your head down."

Melzaryn grimaced. "It didn't go well last time I was told to do that."

"Well, who are you meeting?" Eamon asked. "A noble? A friend?"

"There was an older man at the inn last night. I promised I'd speak with him," Melzaryn said simply.

"Oh! That should be fine." Eamon waved his hand dismissively. "I don't see any harm in that. Just keep your personal business close to your chest, alright?"

"Fair enough," Melzaryn agreed.

"Before you go though, there are some things we need to discuss." Eamon sat up straighter. "Since no Cragwall citizens died and no property was severely damaged last night, the courts are open. Your appeal is scheduled for today."

"Finally," Forfend let steam hiss loud and long in its chest. There had been so many stressful events lately, it would be glad to have at least one behind it. Especially, this one. Jessie would finally be free from house arrest.

"I know the basics of what happened. I know what Jessie Smith was accused of and the situation with the Gallofords, but I'd like to hear more specifics from your perspective," Eamon prompted. "Tell me everything you can. If it's miniscule or major or just messed up, tell me anyway. Anything could be important. The demon's in the details, as they say."

"I've always heard the fae is in the details," Kagoshi mumbled.

"That works too." Eamon spread his hands. "Tell me as much as you know."

Forfend titled its head back and forth a few times. It locked gazes with Melzaryn.

Melzaryn very subtly shook his head.

Steam hissed. Forfend launched into the story as truthfully and detailed as it could manage, save for the Calamity Shards. It left those out of the tale.

Kagoshi repeated his version of events with much more swearing and far less tact, slurping his second and third helpings of his meal between words. Still, he pointedly avoided mentioning the shards.

Melzaryn followed suit with exhaustive detail, also evading mention of the shards.

"So the gist is that a blue monster attacked Foumedo, kidnapped some kids, and stole a bunch of animated armors?" Eamon summed up.

"I think it was an oni," Melzaryn offered.

Forfend had no idea what an oni was, but it trusted Melzaryn's judgement.

Eamon nodded. "And will-o-wisps possessed those armors? Is that right?"

"Yeah. Nasty little fuckers," Kagoshi spat.

"You all dispatched of the will-o-wisps and the blue oni creature," Eamon continued.

Everyone nodded.

"But alongside the Foumedo children was a noble boy who was apparently a Galloford. He was unfortunately dead."

Forfend hummed sadly. "He was weeks past gone. There was nothing I could do for him."

"And after all of that awful ordeal, the Gallofords' knights accused Jessie of stealing the armor?" Eamon asked.

"The Galloford version of the story sounds weak and full of holes, does it not?" Forfend could hear rocks cracking in its chest. It couldn't quell its irritation.

"It does," Eamon agreed. "Wow."

He mulled over his new wealth of information. "Okay, when we get into the courtroom, just let me do all the talking. The Gallofords are snakes. They're crafty assholes. They'll try to rile you up. Don't let them. No outbursts."

"Do I have to be there?" Kagoshi rumbled.

"Yes," Eamon deadpanned. "Also, no lying. None. I don't know what happened, but I got a notice yesterday that you all got the king's attention, so the case has been moved into the highest court in Tyrwedia."

"We did meet the king, didn't we?" Kagoshi recalled. Drunk as he'd been, Forfend figured the details had escaped him.

"Listen, the courtroom is under a spell of some kind. I don't know exactly what it does, but it'll detect any lies." Eamon tipped and tapped his fingers along the edge of the table nervously. "One more thing: you'll have to answer any direct questions they ask you. For the most part, let me do the talking and everything will be fine. Just answer concisely and honestly when you're asked something directly."

Everyone nodded their agreement.

"Great." Eamon clapped. He stood, checking his timepiece. "Your trial isn't until seven tonight and it's just a little after noon right now. The day is yours. I just ask that you're all back here by six, no later than half-past six, for preparation. Don't do anything to get the court closed or yourselves arrested."

"As long as no one comes out of the woodwork to attack us, that should be easy," Forfend said flatly.

"Let's hope," Eamon sighed. "If you guys want anything or need to know anything, I'm pretty well connected. I can help you out. Just let me know and don't do anything crazy."

"Yeah, we got it," Kagoshi growled. He pointed across the table at Melzaryn. "You're telling me what happened after I left."

"After you got arrested?" Melzaryn asked. "It was something else. You really flustered that mage. Pretty sure your, uh, pal was going to kill him. I had to burn the book. I'm still pretty upset about that."

Eamon creased his brow. "Should I be present for this conversation?"

"No," Kagoshi snapped. "Go take care of the bedridden people."

Eamon flinched at the harsh tone. "Okay, I'll just go check on your other companions then."

Eamon picked up the bowl he'd left in front of Forfend and took it with him as he quickly exited the kitchen.

"Take care of Kairi," Kagoshi yelled after him.

"I will," he almost yelped.

"Rude," Forfend said as the door swung shut. It folded its arms and stared down at Kagoshi. "It is his home. Be kinder to him."

"They're his guests. He's supposed to cater to them," Kagoshi argued. "Anyway, what was in that book?"

"The book was burned," Melzaryn reiterated. "No one else got to read it. Oh, but I did learn you're a bigger problem than we first realized."

"What do you mean?" Kagoshi demanded.

"Well, you may or may not bring the end of the world." Melzaryn sipped his tea idly.

Forfend stuttered to a halt.

Even Kagoshi seemed taken aback.

"I'm... hold on." Kagoshi stared at his hands. "What do you mean by 'end of the world?'"

"You know those little crystals we just got rid of? Don't touch anymore," Melzaryn said sternly.

"I'm trying to resist the urge!"

"I hate to say something so blatantly obvious and condescending, but try harder."

"You should never have touched the first one," Forfend interjected.

Kagoshi scowled. He pointed at Melzaryn. "You get one. One time talking to me like that."

"I saved someone's life for you. I better get one," Melzaryn returned.

"That's the only one," Kagoshi snarled.

"May I get more context regarding the end of the world," Forfend requested.

"Well, I don't have any issue saying it to Forfend, but I don't know if your alter ego is listening," Melzaryn noted.

"The thing in my head?" Kagoshi asked.

Melzaryn nodded.

"Can I talk to him?" Kagoshi wondered aloud.

Melzaryn grimaced. "He's not very pleasant to talk to. I can tell you that."

"He's not pleasant to listen to either."

"He has said he would like more time outside," Forfend brought up. "I am not sure he should have it."

"I refuse," Kagoshi growled.

"Long story short," Melzaryn started, "you're a much bigger problem than we thought, but you didn't kill anyone yesterday. So, progress."

"Well, he did not kill anyone except that one Envema member," Forfend hummed.

Kagoshi threw his hands up. "I tried to subdue him!"

"Instead, you burned him alive," Forfend replied.

"I was literally on fire! How much control do you think I have over that?! I was a fire giant! What part of that do you not get?!"

"Apparently, you can change forms! Perhaps you should have just done that!" Forfend fussed. "Actually, could you explain that whole situation to me? It made no sense from where I was standing."

"I don't know how I did that!" Kagoshi yelled. "I had no idea that was a thing I could do until yesterday!"

Forfend hummed, curious. "Can you become other types of giants?"

Kagoshi started to snap something hateful, but he paused to consider the question. "I don't know, maybe? To be honest with you, I don't know if I could even do it again at all."

"It did look like it nearly killed you," Forfend commented.

"On top of the near death though, it did look pretty cool," Melzaryn added.

"I will give you that much," Forfend afforded. "It did look very cool."

Kagoshi scoffed. "Why are you suddenly praising me?"

"What you did on that rooftop saved all our lives," Forfend answered sincerely.

At the same time, Melzaryn said, "You saved a building from collapsing."

Forfend and Melzaryn paused to look at each other.

"Yeah, we have different priorities," Melzaryn shrugged.

"This dynamic is getting strange," Kagoshi grumbled. "I'm going to leave, if my body will let me."

"Yeah, good luck with that. I'm going to my meeting." Melzaryn got up and tromped off out of the kitchen.

Kagoshi struggled upright, his body protesting every movement.

Forfend watched him hobble off into the living room.

It headed back across the hall to the guest bedroom to check on Duncan and Kairi again.

Kairi had eaten and was sitting up in bed with a book in her hands.

Duncan was precisely where Forfend had left him, breathing softly.

Forfend hummed to itself. "I am thinking about going out for a while to distract myself from the stressful proceedings. I know you are tired, Kairi, but may I ask you to keep an eye out on Duncan for me? I want to make certain he knows he is safe."

"Yeah, I'll take care of him," Kairi promised. "I'll make sure he's healthy and I'll get him a meal if he wakes up today."

"Thank you."

"Right now, his emotions are calm and peaceful. He's sleeping well," Kairi shared.

"That is excellent news," Forfend said, its chest brightening. "Make sure you also rest well. I will see you this evening for our appeal."

Kairi waved goodbye as it left.

"Eamon, I am going out!" Forfend called just before it closed the front door behind it.

Forfend made its way to the main thoroughfare and walked towards the plaza's soaring statue.

It wasn't sure of its real destination yet, but the plaza was the center of everything. It could decide once it was there.

It could also keep an eye out for Erzor. It hadn't seen him since the attack on the Teleportation Hub. It was worried he'd been injured.

Forfend hummed to itself, considering going back into the cathedral. Cragwall had more to offer than that though and Eamon had asked it not to cause a ruckus. It settled for something that would draw less attention. Perhaps, it would visit the woodcarver's shop Erzor mentioned during his tour.

Forfend paused as it entered the bustling town square. It scanned the crowd.

Its chest lit up as it spotted Erzor by the statue. He was talking with a couple of earth genasi. That was even more cause to go see him.

Forfend very much wanted to understand their plight from their perspective. It would be a far more useful point of reference than King Falco could give.

Forfend carefully navigated the busily flowing crowd as it made its way to Erzor.

The two earth genasi with him both looked deadly serious.

One had dusty earthen skin marked by thin indented lines where the plates of her body butted up against one another. Rather than hair, she had a tied-back series of crystalline beads somewhere between the clarity of glass and the snowy white of quartz.

She was beautiful.

The second earth genasi was slender, lithe. His expression was softer than his companion. His skin was the deep brown of mud after a rainfall. Polished onyx crystals jutted from his head, giving the impression of a closely cropped haircut.

He was beautiful.

Forfend suddenly caught sight of a third individual lingering behind the earth genasi. She appeared to be human, and she was decidedly foreign.

Her attire struck an odd balance between casual and combat ready. She wore a simple gray robe, over which she'd layered a studded breastplate and a large shoulder guard.

Metal-plated grieves covered her legs all the way up past her knees.

Around her waist, she wore a simple blue braided rope belt. Her left hand never left the sheathe tied there and her right hovered near the hilt of the longsword within. She was fully prepared to draw and attack at the slightest hint of danger.

Her mess of thick black hair was tied high up out of her way. Her golden eyes were sharp, watching everyone. Everything about her was prepared for a fight with anyone at anytime.

She locked onto Forfend and glared, sinking into a slightly lower battle stance. At a word from her, the earth genasi moved back.

Forfend waved, trying to appear as friendly and nonthreatening as it could.

Erzor threw his hands up excitedly. "Hey!"

The earth genasi leaned into one another, muttering in hushed tones.

Erzor walked right up to Forfend. "Hey, you're alive! Wow! You caught a building and you're still walking!"

"I did." Stones ground in Forfend's chest as it chuckled. "It was frightening. Were you alright in the midst of all that?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I think?" He pat himself over. "I figure nothing got broken."

"I was worried for you since we lost you in the aftermath. I am glad you are okay."

"Thank you." Erzor scratched at the back of his neck. "And sorry. I know that really wasn't the best Cragwall welcome. Um, but it's nice to see you again. What's going on?"

Forfend knelt to make itself less imposing. "Well, I wanted to make certain you were unharmed, but I also noticed you were speaking with a couple of earth genasi." It inclined its head toward the tense pair and their much tenser human companion. "Were they at the protest?"

Erzor stiffened, twiddling his fingers nervously. He looked over his shoulder.

One of the earth genasi nodded slightly.

"Yeah, they were actually," Erzor answered.

"That is excellent news, thank you." Forfend stood and took a very short step towards the genasi. It spread its hands to show it had nothing to hide. "May I ask you about the protest? I do not have an understanding of the political turmoil involved."

The two genasi eyed one another.

The male genasi gave a tiny shrug and cocked his head at Forfend. "Are you... sure?"

"I want to help if I can," Forfend nodded.

"And what are your intentions?" the female genasi asked.

"First and foremost, I want to understand what happened. I have heard from a layman. I have heard from King Falco, but I--"

The genasi shook their heads.

"Nevermind," the woman said and ushered her companions to move away.

"Please," Forfend called after them. "I do not want to take him at his word simply because of who he is. I want to understand what truly happened."

They stopped.

The woman heaved a heavy sigh. She looked to the male earth genasi again.

They had some sort of silent conversation before both looked up and around, eyeing the crowd.

The human swordswoman jerked her chin over at a man running a fresh fruit stand.

Everyone but Forfend seemed to immediately gather the importance of that motion. It saw only a commoner trying to run his business, but the rest of them must've seen something more important or more sinister.

"Not here," the genasi woman said.

"Alright," Forfend agreed.

The genasi, their swordswoman, and Erzor all immediately headed east, towards one of Cragwall's gates.

Forfend followed closely.

They led it a short ways out of the city and fairly far off the side of the road, well away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears.

The swordswoman whispered to her companions.

The genasi woman looked Forfend over, perplexed and concerned.

The swordswoman squinted at Forfend. "Is there any way to prevent you from seeing?"

"Yes," Forfend answered.

The swordswoman cocked an eyebrow and rolled her hand.

Forfend took a moment to realize she was asking it to elaborate. "Oh! If you cover my rune, I cannot see. A blindfold would do fine."

The swordswoman pulled a bag from her belt and dumped the supplies within onto the ground.

Forfend started to kneel to make it easier for her to reach its head.

She jumped, latching onto its arm and scaling it instead.

Forfend sat still while she tied the bag in place around its runic head.

She jumped down. Forfend heard her dust off her hands.

It lightly touched the leather obscuring its vision and held out a hand to whoever was nearby.

Erzor took its hand.

"Follow us and don't do anything untoward," the swordswoman ordered. "I will cut you down if you do."

"Alright," Forfend agreed easily.

Erzor tugged it forward.

They walked for a long while.

The ground was uneven and plush with greenery. It occasionally stumbled over rocks and roots. The scent of the trees comforted it despite its unsure footing.

Forfend could tell the genasi and their allies were intentionally leading it through confusing twists and turns to make certain it lost its way.

It didn't mind. It would allow them to do whatever they needed to do to ensure their safety.

The ground suddenly turned from undergrowth to solid rock.

Forfend was led down and down and down.

The path changed again from stone to wood.

Erzor stopped.

Forfend did as well. It waited.

"Alright, you can take that bag off now," the swordswoman allowed.

Forfend reached up, fiddled with the knot until it came undone, and pulled the bag off its head.

"I guess introductions are in order," the earth genasi woman said. "I'm Jewel."

The man ducked his head politely. "Flint."

"We were the leaders of the protest," Jewel shared. "Come on in."

Forfend took in its new surroundings.

As far as it could tell, they were in a repurposed storage building of some kind.

A door opened to its right. A handful of earth genasi, some frazzled and wounded while others were simply curious, watched it walk past. They huddled back into their room and shut the door.

Forfend hummed to itself as it followed Jewel and the others up the main hallway.

"This is our..." Jewel clicked her tongue, picking her words. "Sanctuary, or hideout. Whatever you'd like to call it. Keeps us away from Tyrwedia."

Forfend nodded. "I see."

Jewel shrugged. "Yep. We've got this place because if we had any official place to stay, well, you saw what happened at the Teleportation Hub."

"Yes, I did bear witness to that. I am sorry for the losses I know you must have suffered," Forfend hummed.

Jewel paused halfway up the hallway and moved to lean against the wall.

Flint followed suit along the opposite wall, making it impossibly for Forfend to watch them both at once.

It could feel the swordswoman hovering at its back.

They were still prepared for a fight.

"So, what do you want?" Jewel asked with a shrug.

"I want to understand the situation," Forfend answered.

"I think it's pretty cut and dry," Jewel snapped bitterly. "They wanted to stop our protest and they blew a building up to do it."

"What was the protest about?" Forfend asked.

"We want our Land back and they don't want to give it to us," Jewel huffed.

Forfend hummed. "Could you tell me the history of--" It stopped itself. "I am sorry, I should explain. I have only been awake and aware in this modern era for the past two years. I have lived in a very small village the entire time. I do not know the history of Tyrwedia."

"Really?" Flint raised an eyebrow.

Jewel shrugged and gestured to Forfend in its entirety. "Look at him for a second."

Flint shuffled in place, uncertainty clouding his expression. "Yeah, I know. But who knows whether or not he's got his claws in him?"

"What? Who?" Forfend was ignored as Jewel and Flint carried out another silent conversation.

"You have to get tested first," Flint finally said.

"Alright," Forfend agreed, though it had no idea what it was agreeing to.

"River, can you come down here?!" Flint called.

An enormous earth genasi rounded the corner. He was easily as tall as Forfend with muscles that strained beneath his slate-gray skin. A mohawk of raw aquamarine crystals only added to his towering height.

He was beautiful.

Forfend couldn't recall a single time that it hadn't had to look down to lock gazes with another mortal.

But River was precisely its height.

It squared its shoulders back and adjusted its stance to show its excitement.

"Yeah, what is it?" River called in a deep, rumbling voice as he approached. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, eyeing Forfend suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

"We need to test this one," Flint said.

"Alright," River nodded. "Stay still."

Forfend did as was requested.

River brushed at the toga he was wearing and pulled a spellbook from a holster around his waist.

He opened it, pulled a pearl from a smaller pouch at his side, and chanted a spell in what Forfend presumed to be Primordial.

The magic, sturdy and searching, passed over it and faded away.

"Doesn't look like he has the Geas or the explosive on him," River decided. "Can't tell if he has the claws particularly, but given..." He trailed off and searched Forfend's runic face. "What's your name?"

"Forfend," it answered.

"Do you know why you're here?"

"Well, I am asking a lot of questions and hopefully getting at least a couple of answers," it hummed.

"Who's the king of Tyrwedia?"

Forfend tilted its head. Was River giving it a cognitive test? "King Falco Ledrian, as far as I am aware."

River nodded to himself. "Do you know what the Battle of the Emerald Sky is?"

"I do not." It shook its head.

"Hm. One more question." River stepped uncomfortably close to Forfend and placed a hand on its shoulder.

Forfend resisted the urge to move away. It tilted its head curiously.

River suddenly tensed and drove his fist into Forfend's torso.

Stone cracked beneath the thunderous force of the blow.

Forfend startled at the sudden pain.

River gripped its shoulder tighter, refusing to let it back away. He left his hand clenched firmly in its damaged midsection and stared unflinchingly into its face.

Forfend waited.

Nothing else happened. No one else attacked it. River didn't rear back for another blow.

Forfend looked down at the damage in its center, right where it had just repaired last night, and up again at River. "Why?" it asked.

"He's not one of them," River said. He backed up again, pulling his fist free of Forfend's marble body. He eyed the golden ichor evaporating off his knuckles with mild curiosity. "Hm. I hope we have a good talk." He brushed the remaining stone dust off his hand and turned. "Follow me."

"Do you have any rocks I could use to patch up this wound?" Forfend requested, following him and inspecting the damage at the same time.

River froze in his steps so quickly Forfend nearly stepped on his heels. He looked at his own stone skin. "Does that work?"

"I don't think it does," Jewel responded skeptically.

"Yeah, probably not," Flint concurred. "But has anyone actually tried it?"

"No," Jewel shook her head. "That would be stupid."

"It does work for me," Forfend hummed.

"We do have some stones around. Erzor," River called, "could you get our friend some pebbles?"

"Sure thing." Erzor disappeared into a storage room.

Forfend followed River and the others to the back corner of the building.

The swordswoman still hovered just behind it, her blade at the ready.

Erzor returned with a handful of rocks.

"Thank you," Forfend said cheerfully and began patching up its injury.

The wound dribbled ichor, but it wasn't particularly deep. The heat and magic transmuted the stones, quickly restoring Forfend's body.

Flint took his place at the end of a long table upon which was spread a map of Tyrwedia.

There were no chairs. Flint simply leaned over the table.

Erzor stood next to him at the side of the table.

Jewel and River took their places opposite Erzor.

The swordswoman finally left Forfend's vicinity to take a spot at the head of the table.

Forfend wasn't certain of the hierarchy here. It didn't want to offend, so it simply slid in beside Erzor on the least occupied side of the table.

"So what do you want to know?" River asked, bracing his hands on the table.

"The history of your plight, whatever the Emerald Sky is. As much as you are willing to tell me, really," Forfend hummed.

"I guess first and foremost, you know we're the native people of Tyrwedia, right?"

Forfend nodded. "I have learned as much recently."

"You know we've had our lives taken from us, yes?"

Forfend nodded again. "The tale I heard was sugarcoated, but it could not hide that fact."

River nodded. He leaned back and inhaled deeply, thinking through his next words.

Forfend watched him intently.

It could feel the swordswoman watching it just as intently, though with much more suspicion. Forfend wasn't certain if the sharp glare she was casting at it was nervous intensity or genuine rage.

It decided simply not to lock gazes with her. It didn't want her to think it was challenging her authority.

River rubbed at his face. "The conflict that arose was wholly unnatural," he finally said. "You see, back then Tyrwedia was an unrecognized nation of sorts. Before it was this sprawling kingdom, it was a nice, wholesome..." He trailed off. He looked Forfend over. "Before it was Tyrwedia, it was simply known as the Land. That is what we called it and what we'd wish to keep it called. It's our home, where we came from. It's where our people appeared for the first time when the Gleaming Isles were ripped from the Planes, sundered by Atrox, and turned into the Flaming Isles."

Forfend hummed. "That I am more familiar with."

River blinked. "You are?"

"Fornax built me during the Sundering. I know a decent portion of the history there," Forfend explained. "I have just been... out of commission since. Until very recently."

The swordswoman leaned forward, her hand on her weapon. "Fornax what?"

Forfend tilted its head at the sudden hostility. "He built me during the Sundering," it reiterated.

"And what does that make you?" she asked, scowling.

"That is an excellent question and not one I am certain I will ever truly have an answer to," it hummed thoughtfully. "I call myself a Fornaxian."

The swordswoman narrowed her eyes. "You're the creation of a god, right?"

Forfend nodded. "Yes. Not for any particular purpose though. I have chosen to help mortals."

"Can you die?"

Forfend startled, pressing its hand to its chest. Was she threatening it? Why? "I do not know. I hope not to find out any time soon. I think that I likely could."

The swordswoman turned to Jewel. "Did he show any powers when he caught the building?"

"Yeah," Jewel answered. "He made adamantine pillars."

"So you're a demigod," the swordswoman said, turning back to Forfend with predatory slowness.

It nodded. "Yes."

"Get out," she snarled. "Get out right now."

"What? Why?" Forfend looked to the earth genasi.

None of them looked it in its face.

Jewel had her lips pressed tight together.

River tilted his head back, his shoulders slumping as his eyes watched the ceiling.

Flint kicked idly at the floor.

"Get out," the swordswoman repeated.

Forfend turned to face her, holding its hands up placatingly. "Why?"

"You're a demigod," she growled. "Get. Out. Now."

Forfend spread its hands. "Please, I do not understand the hostility."

"Do you know what you do to people?"

Forfend was confused. Very confused. "I... do not?" it responded.

"Do you know what it's like living in a world of demigods?"

"I do. I think." Forfend wasn't certain of her point. It lived in a world of demigods just the same as she did. At least, it thought so.

"Leave now or I'll make you leave," the swordswoman threatened. She stalked around the table toward it, her hand gripping the hilt of her blade.

"Alright," Forfend agreed, backing up a step. "I still do not understand why. Could you please explain?"

Erzor sidled out of Forfend's way, worry etched into every feature of his face.

Flint tugged Erzor to the opposite side of the table. All of them pressed their backs to the wall as the swordswoman continued forward, her blade halfway out of its sheathe.

She truly intended to hurt Forfend. It didn't understand why. It wasn't frightened of the sting of the blade. It would survive. But it hadn't meant to anger her. If there was a way to amend this, Forfend wanted to find it.

"Do you know what demigods do to people just by being in their mere proximity?" the swordswoman hissed through her teeth.

Forfend shook its head.

"Do you think Tyrwedia started out like this?" she continued, bristling. "A place mired by lies? Deception? Do you think people turn like this overnight?"

Forfend kept backing up as she kept prowling toward it. "I am uncertain what you mean," it said honestly.

"You change things," she spat. "You rob us of our agency!"

Forfend froze. It hunched down and tilted its head. "What?"

The swordswoman freed her longsword from its sheathe and pointed it squarely at Forfend's chest. "Your mere existence alters the world around you. And that includes us!" She gestured to herself and to the others who stood with their eyes downcast. "I will not have it happen again. Now get out."

"I am still not sure if I understand," Forfend hummed, concerned. "They--we change people?"

It had backed all the way into the hallway. It wasn't sure how much further it could go. It couldn't leave without an escort.

"Get out," the swordswoman said again. She brandished her blade and crouched, prepared to rush it if it didn't move.

"Alright." Forfend hung its head, sad and confused. Steam hissed long and slow in its chest. It turned toward the door at the far end of the hallway.

"Guys, I have to guide him back," Erzor squeaked meekly. "He can't know where he is."

The swordswoman glared at Erzor. "Fine." She sheathed her sword and stomped back around the table. "Leave."

"Right," Erzor mumbled. He pat Forfend's leg as he walked past. "Come with me, big guy."

Forfend followed obediently, casting one last look over its shoulder at the earth genasi.

They hadn't relaxed. All of them seemed to be watching it from their peripheral vision, a range of emotions warring in each of their eyes. No one spoke.

Erzor paused at the door and picked up the leather sack they'd used to blind it.

Forfend knelt, allowing him to tie it back into place.

"I am still rather baffled," Forfend hummed.

Erzor heaved a heavy sigh. He took Forfend's hand and led it outdoors.

"She's got a thing about demigods," he said once they seemed to be a short ways away from the sanctuary.

"I was only hoping to help," it lamented. "I was hoping to heal some of the genasi I saw on the way in before I left today."

"I know. It's... I'll explain, okay? Let's just... get a little further out."

Forfend nodded.

They walked in silence for a significant while.

Forfend pondered over its interaction with the swordswoman. What could it have said or done differently? Would anything have changed the outcome if she simply hated all demigods?

It could've lied to her it supposed, but that would've felt much worse than the argument they'd gotten into. In fact, Forfend felt lying would've been worse than if she'd actually attacked it.

Forfend hummed low in its chest.

"Sorry about what happened back there," Erzor finally sighed. "I know it wasn't great."

"I am still not sure I understand it," Forfend said honestly, lightly squeezing Erzor's hand. "I would like to."

Erzor didn't answer. He seemed to be pondering over something.

"You wanted to know about the Battle of the Emerald Sky, right?" Erzor asked after a little while.

Forfend nodded.

"Well, we've already told you that the original inhabitants here in Tyrwedia are the earth genasi," Erzor began. "Here in the Land, I should say. That's what they call it."

Forfend nodded again, listening intently.

"The genasi have a lot of practices and held the Land's sanctity in very high importance. So when the Howling Plains people came in and colonized the place, you can imagine the earth genasi didn't take it too well." Erzor offered a mirthless chuckle. "Guess it was justified. This, the Llardel Forest, used to be a lot bigger than it is now. They deforested a lot of land to build Cragwall out there."

Forfend hummed disapprovingly.

"Despite all that, the genasi tried to make peace," Erzor continued. "It seemed to work for a while. The colonizers promised to stay in Cragwall. That would be all the land they needed. Of course, they started farming and that meant they needed more space, and that meant more deforestation. It really escalated tensions."

Forfend nodded. "Understandable."

"Yeah," Erzor agreed. "Still, the genasi clan leaders, those being the emerald dragons that resided here protecting us, said that we weren't to attack them. They said if the colonizers kept intruding, we'd just convince them to leave with other means. Maybe appealing to their morals, or creating magical illusions as emerald dragons tend to do. But then one day, one of the guardians..." He trailed off.

Forfend tilted its head. "What happened?"

"We still don't know how," Erzor said. "Dragon lairs tend to be hidden, especially emerald ones. Emerald dragons have an affinity for illusions, you know. Yet someone, somehow, found one of the guardians' lairs. I don't know what happened, but the genasi say one of their guardians was changed."

"Changed?" Forfend repeated.

"They say that guardian was known for his kind, jovial demeanor. Suddenly, his personality shifted." Erzor brushed up against Forfend and squeezed its hand. "It's like there was no joy in his soul anymore. He would thrash around and no one could help him. He refused help. Wouldn't allow anyone to even try. His only desire was to fight and kill. He left his lair and attacked Cragwall. The difference in him, the circumstances. It's eerie, like he was mind controlled."

Forfend slowed its pace, humming lowly. Maybe Envema was much older than it had guessed.

"Kind of reminds me of what the Envema guys are like," Erzor voiced Forfend's own thoughts.

It angled its head in Erzor's direction. "You know about that."

"Yeah. They're always targeting the earth genasi in particular. We've actually managed to capture a couple of them alive," Erzor shared.

Forfend tugged at the loose drawstrings dangling from the bag over its head, tightening them as it fiddled. Nervous energy always made it feel like it needed to do something with its hands.

Did King Falco know the genasi had captured Envema members before? It didn't think so. Had he ever asked? It guessed not.

"With River's assistance, we managed to remove some of the effects on them," Erzor continued. "We learned that the reason they're so skilled in the first place is because any desire they have to do anything other than get stronger and complete their goals was removed. It's like they had all their personal desires and thoughts stolen. Replaced."

"Frightening," Forfend hummed.

"I'd say so," Erzor seconded. "They're not exactly brainwashed. They're performing as they normally would, just with a goal in mind that they didn't choose. And anything that doesn't further the goal of who, or what, ever did this is erased. A desire to sleep? A desire to be kind? A desire to act like a person at all? Gone. It also seems to remove the ability to make memories. Everything that makes them who they are was stolen from them."

Forfend nodded. It was familiar with that much. It had seen the way they fought with no regard for their own lives. It had seen the Envema gladiator fail to recognize his surroundings, not having the slightest clue what had happened to him in the past three months.

"One key thing we did learn is that when they're mortally wounded, it all comes back to them," Erzor said.

"I have seen that," Forfend hummed. "You can remove it with magic also, though it is not easy."

"I see." Erzor seemed to consider that possibility for a moment. "Well, I think I've told you all we know."

"I have rescued three of the Envema members now. It has been regrettably trial-and-error, but I think I am learning how to do it consistently," Forfend shared.

"That's good. If you ever see them, tell them to meet with the earth genasi. They'll know more about this than anyone else. We tried to make appeals to the new government, but they tend not to be kind to the genasi or the recovering Envema members," Erzor sighed bitterly. "It's important that you know this: don't trust the ruling elite in Cragwall."

"Yes, I have been learning that as I have encountered them," Forfend couldn't keep its own tinge of bitterness out of its flat tone.

"If there was anyone else that could help, it would be the Sagemantles. They've got the magic for it. That said, the only two families we know we can trust are the Farglades and the Duskhelms." Erzor paused, then decided to elaborate. "The Farglades handle banking and financials. They're only trustworthy if you push enough coin their way. But if it works, it works, you know? Their intentions are clear and that makes them predictable enough to trust. The Duskhelms are just very stalwart in their sense of honor."

"What do you think of the Summersteads?" Forfend asked.

"They're pretty alright, I think," Erzor hazarded. "They tend toward agriculture and, back before everything went straight into the hells, they were one of the families trying hardest to keep peace with the genasi. Their proximity to the king these days makes them suspect, but they're still holding onto promises they made to the genasi a long time ago."

"I see." Forfend wasn't quite sure yet how it felt about the Summersteads, but this information was somewhat promising.

"As for how things move forward..." Erzor shook his head. "I don't know. There are some groups of genasi who want to take the Land back by force. After all, you know all the major cities?"

Forfend nodded. It didn't know much about them, but it knew their names and had an idea of which direction it would need to travel to reach any particular one.

"All of them, except Cragwall, are built on top of the lairs of the slain guardian dragons."

Forfend's core stuttered in its chest. "What a statement to make."

"It's extremely rude and disrespectful, yeah," Erzor noted.

"Outright hateful," Forfend agreed.

"There's only one dragon left now. It's quite a miracle they haven't found him yet."

Forfend drew its shoulders back, listening intensely. There was still a dragon left. The genasi still had a guardian. That was good.

"He's actually in this forest," Erzor overshared information Forfend didn't think it was meant to have. "He's injured though. He's got this blue poison running through him. We don't know what it is. It makes his veins and stuff glow."

"That sounds concerningly familiar," Forfend hummed, pebbles beginning to tumble in its chest.

"Does it?" Erzor asked, but spoke again before Forfend could answer. "We're almost at the edge of the forest. You can take that bag off now."

Forfend tugged the bag off and handed it to Erzor. It covered its face briefly, shielding its vision from the sudden flood of afternoon light.

"Erzor, I want... I know they do not want me, but I still want to help however I can," Forfend confided.

"It's not the genasi. It's Kiyori," Erzor said.

"Do you understand it more than I do?"

"She says that this whole situation stinks of demigod influence. She says that demigods change the world around them to fit them, essentially," Erzor explained.

Forfend tilted its head. It looked up to watch the sunlight filtering through the trees. The foliage was getting less and less dense as they neared the edge of the forest. "They certainly have the power to do such things, if they so wish."

"No," Erzor shook his head. "No, it's not like a thing they do on purpose. It's an ambience. It just happens around them. That's what she says. So, like, a demigod that's warlike tends to turn their region and the people more warlike. I mean, look at the Howling Plains. They're all about war and fighting and taking over shit. And that's exactly what King Maggard is like."

Forfend felt its core drop. It froze in its tracks.

Erzor walked past it a couple steps, then paused and turned to look at it. He kept talking as though he hadn't noticed Forfend's distress. "A demigod that's all about control... Well, you can imagine the kind of people they would create. Kiyori experienced it herself back in her homeland, the Fulgar Isles."

Forfend watched Erzor, hanging onto every word he said.

"The ruler their, Takahiro, had a number of children who almost became demigods. They influenced Kiyori's home." Erzor shifted foot to foot, as though he'd only just realized he should perhaps not share all of this. He'd already committed to the story though. "A demigod rolled in one day and took up residence in Kiyori's area. She saw her friends and family slowly change to fit him. She wasn't affected because she traveled a lot to train. She wasn't around him nearly as much."

Forfend stared at its hands. They trembled. "Am I... doing that to people?"

"Wait, are you a demi--" Erzor clicked his jaw shut. He moved a little closer to Forfend, inspecting it. "Are you a demigod?"

"I thought that was covered," Forfend said quietly, its gaze firmly affixed to its wavering hands.

Had it altered Foumedo? Was anyone there meant to act the way they did or were they all just unconsciously appeasing Forfend? Would they revert to their natural states in its absence? Would it have a home to go back to? Would they want it there if they knew? Could it stay now that it knew?

"I didn't think you were serious!" Erzor exclaimed. "I thought you were just a cool construct made by Fornax or something!"

"Well, that is also true," Forfend responded numbly.

"Shit. But, yeah, that's kind of what happens. Have you noticed anything like that?"

"I... I don't know." Forfend finally tore its gaze from its hands. "The Sundering was so chaotic, and then I have only been awake for the past two years. I did not think... I did not think anything had changed."

Maybe nothing had needed to. Maybe sitting beneath a place for eight thousand years had given whatever aura Forfend had all the time needed to change things. Maybe there was nothing left to alter. Maybe the damage was already done.

"There probably wasn't a major impact then," Erzor guessed. "Especially if you're moving around a lot. Two years isn't really much. It happens slowly over time. I think."

He paused to reconsider.

"I mean, it was fast enough for Kiyori to see it," he amended. "Like I said, the only reason she wasn't affected was because she stayed away from home a lot to train."

Forfend touched its runic face, feeling cursed by its abilities for the first time.

"I do agree with Kiyori about demigod influence here in Tyrwedia," Erzor added. "The situation's only had around a hundred years to develop and Tyrwedia is nothing like what it used to be."

"I would like to make things better here," Forfend said slowly.

It still had to try, didn't it? Fornax had asked it to. And people were in danger.

If it couldn't control its ambience, it could at least try to mitigate it and make certain what couldn't be mitigated was positive.

"I hope you can. Maybe your influence will counteract the other one." Erzor shrugged. "But, you know, I think that would take a while."

Forfend knelt. "I want to help people. If I cannot control the influence I am having, I will try to make sure it is a good one."

Erzor nodded. "I want you to know that Kiyori really does want to help the genasi as much as she can. She's just very careful. She's had a lot of problems. She's still got a lot of problems."

Forfend hummed earnestly. It took both of Erzor's hands in its own. "If you or they need anything, please do not hesitate to let me know. I am a cleric and a blacksmith, and I will do whatever I can."

"I hope to take you up on that. I think the Genasi would like it." Erzor shrugged lightly and kicked the dust. "But if Kiyori refuses... She's technically a hired mercenary, but they trust her skills and all. I don't know if they'd want to upset her."

"Tell her that I said I did not know demigods had such effects. Tell her I will seek to mitigate them as much as possible."

"I'll let her know," Erzor promised. "For now, let's get you back to Cragwall, buddy."

Forfend stood slowly. "Of course. I cannot be late to my appeal proceedings."

It followed Erzor out of the woods and back onto the main road leading into Cragwall's east gate.

It trudged, feeling heavy and scared of itself in a way it had never been before.

Erzor pat its leg.

Forfend wanted to find more comfort in the gesture than it did.

It couldn't stop worrying.

What had it done to Foumedo?

What could it do to Cragwall?

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 18

The assassin glanced over Forfend, assessing his situation at lightning speed. He lashed out with his blade a second time, catching Melzaryn across the chest.

He jumped back out the window amid the spray of blood.

Melzaryn snapped his fingers. A thunderous boom rattled the entire inn, launching the assassin gracelessly into the alley below.

Forfend heard the cloaked figure hit the ground with a rough grunt.

It rushed to press its hand over Melzaryn's bleeding throat.

Suddenly, the sound of wood splintering and crashing reverberated from only a few rooms over.

People screamed, clamoring from their beds to flee the inn's pandemonium.

"What the shit was that?!" Forfend panicked, magic lacing its words and closing Melzaryn's wound.

"The assassin's weren't just after me. They're after all of us. They're probably Envema," Melzaryn hurriedly explained. "Kagoshi's room is the one that sounded like he just slammed an assassin through the floor."

"Should we help him or go after Kairi?" Forfend asked, already collecting Melzaryn and his things into its arms.

"Does he sound like he's struggling?"

Forfend listened to the violent roars and aggressive thrashing.

"Also, he'll literally kill us if he finds out we went to get him before Kairi," Melzaryn added.

Forfend nodded. "To Kairi," it agreed and dashed out of the room.

As it passed Kagoshi's door, Forfend heard someone unfamiliar screaming for help. It doubted that would be the assassin. More likely, Kagoshi had cornered an inn patron in his overzealous attack on his assailant.

It dropped Melzaryn. "I have to--"

Melzaryn cut it off, "I've got Kairi. Kagoshi's room probably has a hole in the floor. It'll get you down quicker."

With that, he jumped on his flying broom and jetted toward the stairway.

Forfend turned, slammed open Kagoshi's door, and dropped directly through the hole he had indeed created in the center of the room.

Now on the second floor, it immediately saw Kagoshi had barrelled through the wall of this room into the next.

The assassin clawed at Kagoshi's flaming hand around his throat.

Kagoshi looked cramped, like his giant form had only come through halfway. He was all hulking muscle, but he wasn't even quite as tall as Forfend. Murder burned in his eyes.

Outside the window, someone wailed in abject terror.

Forfend stepped up on the bed to look out.

A man covered in burns from spending too long in Kagoshi's proximity lay groaning on the cobblestone.

Not even ten feet away from him stood Melzaryn's assassin. At the other end of the alley, another black-cloaked figure crouched. Both were rummaging through bags.

Forfend gripped the windowsill and ripped inward, cracking the window and a significant section of wood fully out of the wall.

"Kagoshi, do not kill him!" it ordered, healing magic coursing through its words. "He may be the only one we have."

Kagoshi growled and continued to thrash his opponent.

Forfend watched the wounds of the man in the alley close. It didn't bother to check that Kagoshi's injuries were doing the same. It shouldered halfway through the damaged hole where the window had been and managed an awkward leap.

Forfend thudded onto the cobblestone alleyway right between the inn patron and the assassin.

A reverberating thwip cut through the chaos.

Forfend was familiar with the sound of a bowstring releasing, but this sounded massive.

It whipped around, the magic in the Orison Aegis guiding its hand to the right position at supernatural speed.

A spinning arrow the size of a javelin struck the shield.

Forfend braced against the Orison Aegis as the enormous arrow twisted violently. Metal screeched, shredding the night air.

Forfend dug its heels into the cobblestone, yet was still pushed back by the relentless arrow.

Finally, it managed to shove the shield sideways, driving the arrow off it and into the wall of the next building over.

The twisted tip spun through the stone wall and burrowed into the floor on the other side.

Forfend hazarded a glance up at the direction the arrow had come from.

High up on the opposite rooftop stood a vaguely humanoid figure so wrapped in billowing brown cloth that only a single yellow eye shown through. The figure studied Forfend with cold malice.

Forfend turned away from him to face Melzaryn's assassin again.

The assassin shrank back, nervously flicking his eyes between Forfend and the deflected arrow.

Forfend knocked him over the head with its mace.

He staggered, turned, and fled around the corner of the building.

Behind Forfend, the inn patron screamed and barrelled up the alley toward the main street.

Forfend felt a prickle of unease run up its back and knew the bowman had drawn back for another shot.

Forfend readied its shield.

The bowman's enormous great bow, as tall as he was at least, lit up green as runes highlighted all across it. The corkscrew arrowhead gleamed ominously in the moonlight.

The bowman gave the arrow a slight twist just as he unleashed it.

The arrow sliced through the air, spinning like a twister.

It knocked Forfend's shield aside and buried itself through Forfend's stone body.

Even after it hit, it didn't stop spinning. Rocks and golden ichor spewed. The raw force pushed Forfend backwards.

Finally, when it had drilled nearly completely through Forfend, it stopped.

Forfend dropped to its knee, pain coursing through it.

The arrow lit up sickly green.

Dizziness assaulted Forfend's senses. Needles dug into its mind, picking it apart from the inside out. A high-pitch ring drowned out every other noise.

Suddenly, the sensations faded, leaving behind only deep-set exhaustion.

When Forfend's vision refocused, the arrow was gone. The last glimmers of green energy dissipated in the breeze.

Forfend pressed a trembling hand over the gaping wound left in the arrow's wake. Even its oversize hand couldn't conceal the full extent of the damage.

Ichor gushed, spilling down its front.

On the far side of the alley, the second assassin freed whatever he'd been looking for from his bag and plopped it on the ground.

Forfend couldn't see it well from this distance, but it looked to be a bag. If the barrels it had seen at the Teleportation Hub were any indication, the bag was probably a bomb.

An explosion blasted the walls out of both second floor rooms Kagoshi had been fighting in.

Forfend had assumed the assassins were Envema, but now it was certain.

Kagoshi appeared at the edge of the gaping, crumbling hole in the wall. Blood sizzled on his burning flesh.

"Hey, so they're Envema!" he called.

"I have noticed," it returned. "I told you not to kill him!"

"I didn't mean to! I'm on fire!" Kagoshi snapped.

He dropped into the alley.

His claustrophobic body immediately uncoiled. He grew to his full height, now standing even with the second floor he'd just exited. Even so, his stacks of muscles still seemed to be straining for more space beneath his skin.

"Get what he dropped!" Forfend ordered, pointing down the alleyway at the fleeing assassin.

The inn patron was also dashing that way in a desperate bid to escape being pinned between this fight. He was nearly to the main street.

Kagoshi started forward.

The inn patron shrieked as he glanced over his shoulder and saw the veritable fire giant he'd just escaped following him.

"Why are you still here?!" Kagoshi shouted at him.

A second shriek was the only reply.

"Watch the bowman," Forfend warned.

Kagoshi eyed Forfend over his shoulder. His eyebrows twitched upward as he seemed to notice the damage marring its body for the first time.

"Got it," he responded and dashed forward.

With Kagoshi here, the odds of handling this situation successfully had just drastically increased.

Forfend tapped the medallion on its chest and pointed up at the bowman.

A bolt of scorching orange shot forth.

The bowman jolted aside at the last second, the magic catching in his voluminous cloak and lighting up with bright sparks.

Forfend turned and rounded the corner after Melzaryn's assassin.

The man startled, nearly dropping his pack as he scrambled further down the back alley.

He hurriedly dropped a black bag, fiddled with it for a moment, and climbed up onto the opposite roof.

Forfend skidded to a halt right in front of the bag. It dropped to a knee and called upon the magic in its core.

Its body heated up. Golden ichor trickled down its face alongside the golden magic that coalesced around the bag.

The sound of a hammer striking metal rang out twice as the arcana solidified into an adamantine box.

With the bomb trapped safely away, Forfend pressed its hand to its grievous wound. Healing magic coursed through its fingers and limited the spilling ichor.

The assassin above turned as though he was going to run, but something suddenly stopped him.

He turned back around with slow, jerky movements. His eyes were clouded and distant.

"Oh, so I see you actually managed to handle the bombs," he said in a voice much clearer than his eyes. He sounded wrong. His voice was deep, sinister, and it didn't seem to belong to him. If Forfend had to guess, it would say the voice belonged to the bowman. "Looks like I'll have to use the failsafe." A malicious smirk twitched across his face. "You see, there's this one tale I know. One of Vallurn Senshi."

A sense of dread shot through the air. Powerful arcana loomed, though Forfend couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Forfend reached up. "Free him," it demanded and closed its fist around the invisible magic force swarming around the assassin's head.

The man swayed, blinking his eyes clear. He gasped and shrank in on himself. Terror seized him. His breaths came in uneven gasps. He pulled his mask down to breathe easier. "What's happening?! Where are we?!"

Forfend took a short step forward. "Come here," it requested gently.

The man's attention snapped from place to place. He couldn't figure out what he needed to focus on or what he needed to do, and especially not where he needed to go.

Red magic surged through the runes of his chest.

He yelped, clawing at the burning scars.

Forfend took another step closer, trying to will the magic to stop.

Luckily, the runes cooled. The light faded away.

The assassin pressed his hand to his heaving chest. "What's happening?" he whimpered.

"Come here. I will protect you," it promised, reaching its arms up high.

"Okay, okay," he nodded and carefully lowered himself off the roof.

Forfend caught him and eased him down onto the ground.

"Thank you," he managed shakily.

The assassin winced, blood inexplicably trickling from his nose and ears as a different assortment of the runes in his chest lit up again.

"What's happening?!" he panicked, clutching at his temples.

Suddenly, his body went rigid. His eyes rolled back in their sockets. He gasped desperately as his head jerked.

He snapped fully upright.

"Rude," the bowman's voice snarled. "You interrupted me."

Forfend studied the assassin's body.

He looked stiff. Too stiff to move.

It hazarded a guess that the bowman only had enough control to speak through him. It gathered the assassin carefully into its arms and looked back up to the tavern.

The commotion had more than doubled. People fled as quickly as they could down the stairs and presumably out the front doors.

Someone, maybe Kagoshi, dashed with blinding speed past the second story windows. He was collecting inn patrons and ushering them to the ground floor while carrying an elderly man over his shoulder.

Forfend tilted its head. It had never seen Kagoshi move like that. He was a rapid blur. But it couldn't piece together anyone else the man could be. It had to be Kagoshi.

He, Melzaryn, and Kairi had sensed the building arcana too.

There was nothing more Forfend could do from out here. It would have no choice but to trust them to clear the tavern before whatever spell was brewing struck.

"Now what was I saying?" the bowman hummed thoughtfully. "Ah, yes, Vallurn Senshi. You know, he was the first spellblade. The first ever to mix arcana and martial prowess. Everyone where I'm from knows about him."

Forfend bundled the assassin close against its chest and turned away from the inn, heading toward the open street behind it.

The assassin kept talking. Forfend listened, but it refused to react. It wasn't certain if the bowman could see it. It wouldn't appear rattled.

"His most famous battle was against the World's End. You know who that is, don't you? Of course you do, Forfend. You're a demigod."

Forfend felt its core drop in its center. The bowman knew not only its status, but its name as well.

Still, it remained staunchly impassive. Stoic. That was one of the perks of having no facial features: not having to hide the expressions on them.

"But the World's End isn't really what I'm talking about," the bowman continued. "I'm talking about Vallurn Senshi's spells. He created some extraordinarily powerful ones."

The inn patron that had been fleeing Kagoshi's wrath dashed past Forfend.

It watched him go, wailing into the charged night air. It wasn't certain how he'd gotten turned around, but at least he was out of harm's way now.

Forfend kept moving.

"One of them was called the Hail of Blades," the bowman casually kept explaining. "True to the name, it summoned innumerable arcane blades that descended upon his foes. Beautiful carnage, that was."

Reaching the open street, Forfend turned around to watch the Brass Buffalo. As far as it could tell, the two higher floors were completely empty. It hoped the bottom floor was too, but there were no windows in the tavern's kitchen for it to glimpse into.

Forfend turned its gaze upwards.

A runic circle of crackling blue arcana hung in the air a hundred feet or more above the inn like a murderous second moon.

A massive arrow glinted alongside the stars in the sky as its upward trajectory shifted into a sharp downturn. It was on a collision course with the suspended magic.

"I was particularly inspired by his Hail of Blades," the bowman explained. "While this will be a crude version of it, I think it's homage enough."

The arrow struck.

A brilliant blue flash highlighted Cragwall like lightning.

The arrow split into hundreds, even thousands, of duplicates.

They seemed to stall in the air for a moment. The startling blue faded, leaving only darkly glinting metal.

The rain of arrows fell, accelerating until they easily matched the force with which the bowman had fired the original.

"I wonder if you can handle it," the bowman mused.

A window at the side of the building shattered.

Several people, including the goblin chef and Narmoth, scrambled out of it and ran for safety.

Forfend waved them to it. "Is everyone clear?"

"I think so!" the goblin barked as he dashed over.

Narmoth quickly fell behind. Forfend feared he wouldn't escape the blast radius, but it had no time to get to him.

It reached for its magic and found its stores waning.

Suddenly, a giant leapt up onto the roof of the Brass Buffalo.

He sported skin the same light gray as rain clouds and hair so silvery it was nearly white. He seemed to almost be floating as he moved into position in the center of the rooftop.

The barrage of arrows was nearly upon him, but he seemed starkly determined.

Forfend realized with a start that this apparent cloud giant was Kagoshi, his scars glowing stormy blue.

A second massive arcane energy source charged the air.

Forfend recognized the icy lightning buzz of it.

Whatever Melzaryn was doing, Forfend desperately hoped it would work.

The magic surged with such force Forfend felt its core spark and spin.

Displaced air blasted through the streets, buffeting the fleeing tavern patrons.

A massive white blast of pure arcana launched into the air and burst, splitting into hundreds of Magic Missiles.

Forfend shielded the assassin's eyes from the brighter-than-midday light that careened across all of Cragwall.

Every Missile seeked out an arrow and collided with it, stopping its momentum dead.

Kagoshi clenched his fists and punched up at the arrows.

Thunder exploded with the force of the strike.

The arrows caught in the blast disintegrated, scattering in a haze of red energy.

Kagoshi swung again and again and again in such rapid section he was nothing but a blur of motion. He roared with all the fury of a hurricane.

Thunder rumbled constantly across the city.

A red dome of thunderous force rushed upwards from Kagoshi's position, annihilating every stalled arrow in its path.

Glimmering red sparkles filled the sky like stars and drifted harmlessly down in place of the massive piercing arrows.

The last crack of thunder faded out. The magical light dimmed until it was gone.

Kagoshi collapsed onto the rooftop.

Forfend felt the tension leave its body so quickly it nearly followed suit. Steam rushed through its chest.

"Heh, good," the bowman praised. "I knew you could do it. You're demigods after all."

A beat of silence passed as all of Cragwall stared up into the now quiet night sky.

"I'll see you again sometime, Forfend," the bowman promised ominously. "Have fun with this corpse."

The assassin fell limp. His body seized and twitched. Blood spilled from his ears, nose, and even his eyes.

Forfend clung to him. It pulled its magnetic medallion from its chest and pressed it directly to the burning red runes.

"Stop," it demanded.

Red magic coursed into the medallion and was quelled.

The assassin once again fell limp.

Forfend sent gently warm healing magic through the symbol instead. The divine arcana spread across the assassin's chest and upwards, lighting up behind the hollow of his eyes.

He gasped. His eyes cleared and immediately filled with tears that ran pink with the blood down his cheeks.

He clung to Forfend, sobbing into its chest.

"You are safe now," it promised. "Can you tell me your name?"

The assassin shivered and shook with the force of his sobs. He couldn't formulate an answer. He was too hysterical.

Still, Forfend needed to make sure his mind was functioning after the psychic damage it was pretty well certain he'd taken.

"Your name? Please?" it coaxed.

"D-Duncan," he squeaked out between shuddering gasps.

Forfend rubbed comfortingly at Duncan's back. "I am Forfend. I will make certain you are safe. Do you know where you are?"

Duncan shook his head. He wiped his eyes enough to clear his bleary vision and tried to take in his surroundings. "A city?"

Forfend nodded. "That is a good start. Can you tell me the name of the king of Tyrwedia?"

Duncan creased his brow. "Yeah. Uh, Falco Ledrian."

Forfend nodded again. "Good. You are aware. I will explain as much as I can soon. For now, please rest."

Duncan nodded. Tears welled up in his eyes again. He tucked his face against Forfend and resumed crying.

Forfend held him as carefully and gently as it could, and looked him over while it comforted him.

Like most of the last Envema members, Duncan also bore the build of an average working man. He lacked the muscle tone of someone who could silently scale buildings and deftly wield knives. He had not been anything akin to an assassin until Envema made him one.

Forfend wondered what awful magics they used to push average people so far past their bodies' limits.

"He, uh, gonna be okay?" the goblin cook sidled over to ask, though he was still watching the silent sky.

"I will make certain of it," Forfend swore.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 17

Forfend trailed behind Melzaryn, feeling a bit uneasy about leaving Kagoshi to sit alone in the jailhouse.

"Don't worry," Kairi nudged it. "Last time he went to jail, I waited three days to bail him out! He's used to it." She giggled.

Forfend tilted its head at her. She and Kagoshi had a very strange friendship.

"They'll have to process him and get all the paperwork done first too," Melzaryn called back, wearing his usual inscrutable smile again already. "He's probably not up for bail yet. Depending on how much they figure out, he might not even get bail."

Forfend started to ask for clarification, but Melzaryn stopped dead and spread his arms. "This is the place."

Forfend glanced around.

It noticed the slats in the ground around the shop first. It had been curious to see where the interlocking steel plates had come from.

There honestly wasn't much of a tell. The slats didn't look like they housed a protective metal covering large enough to engulf a building. Perhaps it was magic more than mechanics.

Melzaryn passed a hand right in front of Forfend's face. "You still here?"

Forfend nodded and looked up.

Moli's Marvelous Mementos was a striking shop. The walls were off-white terracotta, making them stand out starkly in the gray cobblestone plaza. Varnished wood accents gleamed so brightly one could almost see their reflection. The silverly interlocking "M" symbol adorned the door.

Frosted windows obscured the view of the inside. Except, Forfend noticed that if it leaned forward with the intent to look inside, the frosting shimmered and cleared enough to let it peer into the colorful shop.

An advertisement awaited by one window. A standee of an elven woman with frazzled blond hair and cracked goggles wore an excited grin as she offered up a handful of ink vials.

The text read "Newly released: Molixeen's Magical Tattoos!"

Forfend studied the image. From the way Melzaryn and the pseudodragon had talked about her, it has guessed she was their sister. Now it was certain. She had the same platinum hair and high cheek bones Melzaryn sported.

Melzaryn strode purposefully into the shop. The door opened before he touched it and a tingling bell rang despite the fact there wasn't one hooked above the door.

Kairi trotted in right on his heels.

Forfend ducked in after them to avoid being left behind.

Just as it had opened, the door also shut of its own volition.

Forfend stuttered to a stop as it took in the shop's interior.

The building looked, maybe actually was, larger inside than it was outside. Not only that, but it extended downward several stories.

Forfend haltingly approached the edge of the platform they stood upon.

At least three more stories worth of product sprawled dizzyingly below.

A suit of display armor frozen in a power pose suddenly jolted to life and juddered to face the group. "Hello, new visitors! Welcome to Moli's Marvelous Mementos!" It gave one jerky wave and returned to its pose.

Forfend edged closer to a chuckling Melzaryn. It watched the stationary armor with some suspicion.

A tiny clockwork construct chugged past, swept up the dust the group's feet had left at the door, and promptly wheeled away.

Forfend suddenly spotted dozens more of them roaming around. Some dusted. Some swept. Some wiped up a strange gurgling blue spill. Some even seemed to be reorganizing stock.

Sitting along the railings and flitting about the glass chandeliers were softly chirping clockwork birds. Their collective song was a beautiful trill despite the mechanical undertone. It took Forfend several minutes of listening to realize their tune was scripted and looping.

"Forfend," Melzaryn called.

It snapped its attention over to where Melzaryn and Kairi waited, having already taken several steps down the stairs before realizing it hadn't followed.

"This is mostly just to display the new stuff and top sellers. The real shopping is on the next floor down," Melzaryn said.

Forfend glanced around at the displays of swords and scrolls and ink pots and pouches. Each one had a gleeful Moli standee in varying poses plastered to the wall behind it.

Forfend nodded and moved to follow Melzaryn.

The group descended the stairway and immediately approached the cashier's desk.

A gnomish man sat on a high stool behind the counter. He was impeccably dressed, his hair tied back neatly and his suit completely free of wrinkles or creases. The shop logo gleamed golden on his breast pocket.

"Oh, hello and welcome to Moli's Marvelous Mementos," the clerk greeted. "How may I assist you this fine day?"

He paused as he took in the group. His eyes lit up at the sight of Melzaryn. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "Mr. Collymore!"

Melzaryn ducked his head politely.

"I imagine you won't know who I am," the clerk joked good-naturedly. "Delkan Booncollar. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Melzaryn took Delkan's extended hand. "The pleasure's all mine. Any chance you can do item modifications here?"

"Yes, of course," Delkan nodded.

"Excellent," Melzaryn grinned. "I've run into a bit of a limitation on storage space. I'd like a couple of the handy mini magical pocket things but rather than a backpack, I'd like a belt."

"That's very interesting!" Delkan praised. "I could do a bit of a combination, perhaps with some items like, say, a Cloak of Useful Items and a Handy Haver Sack, to create this belt. Does that sound adequate, Mr. Collymore?"

"That sounds fantastic," Melzaryn agreed.

"Are there any special requests you'd like to make regarding the item's style or materials?" Delkan asked.

"Well, let's see," Melzaryn hummed and looked himself over. "My current adventuring gear is black with a bit of silver trim. Let's try to keep that aesthetic if we can."

"No problem," Delkan nodded. "So, with your family discount applied to the commission..." He trailed off as he pulled up an abacus and began figuring up the numbers. "Five-hundred gold pieces."

"Perfect! How long do you figure that'll take to throw together?" Melzaryn inquired.

"You're looking for multiple small pockets, yes?"

Melzaryn hummed affirmatively.

"Since it's multiple small enchantments rather than one large one, it shouldn't take too long with the materials we've recently acquired. I would say two days at most," Delkan estimated. "One day, if I mark it as a rush job, but that costs an additional hundred gold pieces."

Melzaryn rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure if we have the time to wait."

"We have the time," Forfend piped up.

"We have the time," Melzaryn repeated perkily. "Two days is fine."

Delkan blinked owlishly at Forfend, as though he was seeing it for the first time. "Mr. Collymore, you've acquired a gol--" He cut himself off. "No, it spoke for itself. Greetings!" he waved excitedly.

Forfend returned the wave. "Hello."

"I've never seen a construct such as you before!" Delkan stood up on his stool. "All made up of marble! You almost resemble a stone golem and yet... That's the difference," he said, pointing at the rune on its face. "Fascinating."

Forfend's chest lit up bright orange. Finally, someone recognized it as anything other than a golem.

"I must formally extend my welcome to the shop to you as well, Mister..." he trailed off and gently rolled his wrist as a prompt.

"Forfend."

"Mr. Forfend," he bowed politely. "I am Delkan Booncollar and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," Forfend responded with its own polite bow.

Delkan smiled and turned back to Melzaryn. "Your commission will be done lickety-split. Five hundred gold and it'll be all set to go in two days' time."

"Excellent. Do you accept payment prior or upon completion? I don't really care which," Melzaryn shrugged.

"Typically, we take payment prior but, in this particular case, we'll accept payment at time of completion in the event that something goes awry," Delkan offered.

"Thank you."

Delkan wrote himself up a reminder note and stashed it to the side on his desk. "Alright, well, the store is yours to explore, friends. Is there anything else I can help you with? Perhaps I could interest you in our newly-invented arcane tattoos?"

Delkan shifted, standing taller and beginning what seemed to be a rehearsed but earnest pitch. "All you must do is press the needle to your skin and the ink itself will flow across in a luxurious tattoo of your very own design. And it even offers a few additional arcane benefits!"

He eyed Forfend, taking stock of the shield on its arm. "Or perhaps something simpler, like protection items."

His eyes darted over Kairi, then back to Melzaryn. He smiled knowingly at the two of them. "Or perhaps you're looking for something a little more esoteric and eccentric. What do you think?"

Delkan dropped back onto his stool and leaned his elbows on his desk, waiting giddily.

"I already got what I came for," Melzaryn said. "I think I'll just wander and peruse. You two should take a look around for yourselves."

Forfend nodded. "I would like to explore, I suppose."

Melzaryn was already walking away to browse.

"If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me or any of our helpful, handy... Well, you'll see them," Delkan said cryptically.

"Thank you," Forfend hummed.

"My pleasure, Mr. Forfend," Delkan waved as it took its leave.

Forfend milled about the shop, mostly watching the strange mechanical creatures go about their business.

Kairi gasped and dashed past it to whatever had caught her eye.

Forfend quickly lost sight of her in the rainbow tangle of product displays. It didn't know where Melzaryn had gotten off to anymore either. It guessed it was alone for now.

The little animatronic birds chirped and hopped along nearby while the clockwork cleaners scuttled about.

Perhaps it wasn't very alone in the shop, after all. Maybe no one could really be alone with all these little mechanical things buzzing around.

An armored mannequin caught Forfend's attention.

The display crouched low in a battle stance. It brandished a wooden sword, but the shield it held firmly before it was real. An emblem of Talbarius was emblazoned on the center of a black disk stuck to the front of the otherwise blank shield.

Forfend noticed a barrel of similar black disks sitting right next to the mannequin. These were much smaller and lacked an emblem of any kind. A vague magic sheen floated across their surfaces.

Forfend tilted its head. It reached out and lightly brushed its fingers against the device attached to the mannequin's shield.

The mannequin jerked upright, bringing its shield flush against its chest and thrusting its wooden sword skyward. "Presenting to you: the Guardian Emblem!" it shouted in the enthusiastic tone of an event announcer.

Forfend startled and backed up a step.

The mannequin jerkily lashed out with the shield as though bashing an enemy away and then held it out to show it off. "With this wonderful item right here, wherever an ally within your vicinity is attacked, you can step in and deflect the majority of the blow, acting as a guardian for all those around you! Huzzah!"

It banged its wooden sword against the shield once and then stuttered back into its original position.

Forfend watched the mannequin for a long moment, unnerved. When it was sure the strange display wouldn't move again, it slowly reached into the barrel and picked up one of the little black disks.

Magic chimed and text stating the price appeared above the barrel.

Five-hundred gold.

Forfend didn't think that was a bad price. It decided to take the little item with it while it pondered making the purchase.

It soon stumbled across another armored mannequin.

This one held a javelin as though preparing to launch it across the store. It was the very same pose in which Iram was often depicted throwing lighting bolts.

Forfend circled the display. It observed the stockstill mannequin, quietly taking note of the hidden mechanisms peeking through the armor. It stared into the mannequin's blank, helmeted face.

After a lot of silent deliberation, it gently tapped the display's chest piece.

This one sprung to life just like the last, brandishing its weapon around with spasmodic movements. "Hiya!" it shouted and slammed the spear into the ground.

Well, almost. The tip stopped just short of the floor.

Forfend still flinched at the sudden noise, but it was more prepared this time.

"Presenting to you," the mannequin announced as it offered up the javelin, "the Javelin of Lightning!" It lifted the weapon high over its head. "This fantastic magical item allows one to throw it through the air as though one were throwing a lightning bolt itself! T-t-targeting everything along the path between oneself and one's enemy with vicious arcane lightning the likes of which you have n-n-never seen!"

The mannequin twitched back into its starting position.

Forfend wondered about the catch in the mannequin's pre-recorded message. Maybe something in the jumble of gears wasn't sitting quite right.

It hummed to itself as it continued deeper into the shop.

It found itself tapping each and every display it came across, listening to their little blurbs play out, and then tromping off to the next one. Something about them had its attention.

Maybe it was the same odd sort of kinship it felt with animated armors and other inorganic creations. Those things weren't alive the same way it was, but there was an undeniable similarity.

At least, Forfend thought so.

The next mannequin in the seemingly neverending lineup stood with its hands braced atop a large shield. The symbol of Cassis was engraved into the exceptional piece.

Forfend bopped the mannequin's forehead.

"Intro-introducing the mighty and fine Sentinel's Shield!" the display declared in a slightly less jaunty tone than the others.

This one sounded a touch more serious, though it had the same stutter in its recording that many of the others had sported.

"With this shield upon your person, the central eye where the spears meet will open up to reveal all enemies around you, allowing you to remain vigilant while in combat," the mannequin finished. It held the shield out and gestured to the slit at the center of the symbol before promptly returning to its original pose.

Forfend tapped the mannequin again.

It repeated itself, stuttering again in the exact same spot as the first time.

Forfend hummed and wandered over to the next mannequin it saw.

This one stood tall, fists braced on its hips. It wasn't armored like most of the others. Instead, it showed off the wooden scaffolding and metal mechanics beneath. Its arms were thicker than the others and covered in thin fabric stuffed with straw to give the appearance of bulging muscles.

Around its waist was an enormous leather belt. The buckle bore two copper fists crashing into one another.

Forfend tapped the mannequin's arm.

It twitched to life and began shifting through various flexes. "Introducing," it thundered, "the Belt of Hill Giant Strength! It allows even the most feeble and weak individuals to gain the strength of a hill giant!"

The mannequin returned to its original pose.

"Interesting," Forfend hummed.

It started to go back to milling around idly when it spotted Kairi gallivanting through the aisles.

She paused to observe a particular display.

Forfend caught up to her and tilted its head.

This setup was much larger than any of the others it had seen so far.

Three mannequins slumped over a large table. One lay on the ground nearby.

Empty tankards, some tipped over, were scattered about the table and floor. Each mannequin had two or three in front of them.

At the head of the table sat a standee of Moli chugging a pint of ale. She was surrounded by over a dozen empty mugs and looking far more alert than her mechanical companions.

A small necklace was draped around the cutout's neck. A pendant resembling a tiny glass tankard dangled from the chain. It seemed to actually contain an amber liquid of some sort.

Forfend leaned forward and knocked on the table.

One of the mannequins sat up, grabbed a mug, and languidly dragged itself to its feet. It thrust the mug out as though for a toast. "Introducing the Amulet of the Drunkard," it slurred, swaying on its feet. "While wearing this fine, fine item, whenever you drink a pint of beer, ale, or mead, the liquid will become a restorative healing item to your body, allowing you to recover from your wounds while also enjoying a fine drink!"

The mannequin staggered back into its chair, thunked its tankard down, and slumped back onto the table.

"Well, that sounds interesting," Kairi mused, giggling at the little show.

"I am concerned for that mannequin's wellbeing," Forfend hummed and realized it wasn't entirely joking.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not sure that's something I'd buy," Kairi agreed with a grin.

She skipped off.

Forfend hustled after her.

It couldn't interact with the displays they were passing and still keep up so it watched the mechanical avians instead.

Slowly, it realized they were watching it back. They were still chirping rhythmically and hopping about, but they were more fixated on Forfend then they had been before.

It glanced down at the item in its hands.

Realization dawned on it.

Forfend hadn't made its purchase yet. The birds weren't just for ambiance. They were also theft prevention.

It had no intention of testing any theories, but it did wonder what countermeasures the birds would employ if they were certain of an attempted theft. Were they an alert system? Or could they do something to prevent escape? Did they try to recover the stolen merchandise?

Forfend abruptly stopped to keep from bowling right over Kairi.

She'd paused to look at a display and Forfend had nearly been too distracted to notice.

The armored mannequin here had its back to them. It looked over its shoulder, unbelievably haughty for something without a face.

Forfend hoped it was able to display its own emotions that well.

The mannequin held its arms up and pointed its thumbs down at the golden cloak flowing along its back.

This cloak bore the shop's logo emblazoned across the shoulders.

A hanging sign proclaimed it to be a Cloak of Protection.

Kairi walked off before Forfend could tap the display.

Begrudgingly, it caught up to her as she sifted through a shelf full of what appeared to be bottles of smoke.

A cutout of Moli graced the top of the shelf. She held an uncorked bottle of the mystery smoke. It seemed to be wrapping around her legs and obscuring her from the bottom up. She held her fingers to her lips, her eyes dancing with mischievous delight.

Forfend inspected the mannequin beside the shelf. It, too, held a bottle of smoke. It seemed to be gazing at it thoughtfully.

Forfend touched the mannequin's hand.

It shivered and turned jerkily, holding the bottle out. "Introducing the Ever-Smoking Bottle!"

It popped the cork out. Smoke hissed free and drifted downward, dusting over the ground.

"This item right here allows you to emit an endless stream of smoke! Even when the bottle eventually does empty, it'll recharge at the end of the day!" It corked the bottle again. "It allows one to conceal their environment, stay hidden, and..." It leaned forward conspiratorially. "Most importantly, have a good time," the mannequin said suggestively. "Sneaking around, of course," it added in a less sultry tone.

Forfend tilted its head at the mannequin as it returned to its original positioning.

"Did it suggest this item be used for..?" Forfend trailed off. Surely, that couldn't be right. It had just misunderstood.

Kairi shrugged, not quite hiding a smirk.

Forfend shook the befuddlement out of its body and followed Kairi to her next destination.

She hadn't gone far. She was poking around a display of small bags filled with sand.

Another standee of Moli stood nearby. This one was in a similar sneaky stance to the last. She was sprinkling the dust over her head. More than half her body was invisible with the effect apparently climbing to claim the rest of her.

Forfend immediately tapped the roughish mannequin next to the standee.

The mannequin sank lower into its stealthy crouch and greedily tugged the pouch of sand into its chest. It ducked its head, knocking its hood down a little lower, before it spoke in a stage whisper, "Introducing the Dust of Disappearance." It offered the slightest peek at the fine sand within before snapping the drawstring shut again. "With this item, all you must do is sprinkle some of this dust into the air around your body and you'll become invisible for a short period of time. Use it wisely." It returned to its creeping hunker.

"That seems pretty fun," Kairi muttered to herself.

Forfend couldn't help but ponder what use someone like Kairi would have for an underhanded item like this.

"Ooh, what's that?!" Kairi gasped.

Forfend followed her gaze to a mannequin traipsing right up the side of the wall.

The pair promptly found themselves standing under it next to a mannequin watching its friend with amazement in its body language.

All of the mannequins were so expressive, despite being completely featureless. Maybe it could learn something from them.

Forfend waited until Kairi wasn't looking to briefly copy the stance.

No one in Foumedo had trouble reading Forfend's mood, but it wasn't in Foumedo anymore. Maybe it should exaggerate its physical expressions a bit more to get its point across.

Kairi looked up from the rack of slippers she was browsing through and tapped the mannequin's shoulder.

The mannequin startled slightly and turned to face them. "Oh! Hello, there." It gestured up at its wayward friend who now seemed to be walking in place up the wall. "Introducing the Slippers of Spiderclimbing! While wearing these fine items, you will be able to walk up, down, and sideways across vertical and even upside-down surfaces such as ceilings, leaving your hands free for whatever you wish!" It turned back to wondrously observing its friend.

"Slippers? For walking up walls, would you not want something with laces?" Forfend asked. "What if you were to lose one?"

Kairi tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, the mannequin up there doesn't seem to be having any trouble with his. Maybe the magic keeps them on too?"

Forfend nodded. "That makes sense."

"Let's circle back. I think I want that Ever-Smoking Bottle thing," Kairi grinned.

She trotted jauntily back to the display and snagged a bottle off the shelf, barely glancing at the two-hundred gold price tag that popped up.

Forfend followed her through the multiple floors and winding aisles all the way back to the front counter.

"Oh, look! It's Melzaryn!" Kairi yelled.

She and Forfend joined him at a pair of massive displays sitting side by side.

It had been too focused on Delkan to see them when it first came in, but now they were glaringly obvious.

In fact, they were completely impossible to ignore. The design of the surrounding fixtures intentionally led customers to this spot. Not to mention that this pair of displays was easily twice the size of the others.

The first advertisement was an oversized standee of Moli wielding a painter's palette. She seemed to have just painted a doorway, but her hand actually grasped the knob and pushed it open as though it were truly there.

Forfend craned its head back to read the dangling sign above.

"Molixeen's Marvelous Pigments," it read aloud.

Kairi squinted at the mannequin gasping awestruck at Moli's painting. "I guess he's an art critic," Kairi said.

The mannequin sported gaudy noble's attire, a monocle, and a stuffy powdered wig that came complete with a twirling mustache.

Forfend poked the mannequin's shoulder.

It turned to regard them. "Well, this item is quite interesting to say the least. A new invention recently transported to this Cragwall establishment." It held its arms out to present the Moli standee. "Introducing Molixeen's Marvelous Pigments! While it does indeed require the artistic hand of a painter, whatever you paint with these pigments becomes real." It juddered back into its gasp position.

"That would be quite the amazing ability," Forfend admitted.

"They'd definitely be fun to play with," Kairi agreed.

"I could think of some uses," Melzaryn added.

Forfend leaned down and touched a finger to one of the cases of paints stacked up by the display.

A magical ching sounded as the price popped up above the items.

"Twenty-five thousand," Forfend said, steam whistling in its chest. It pulled its hand away from the paints and backed up a step.

"Well, this one won't be any cheaper, but I'd still like to look at it," Melzaryn shrugged as he stepped over to the next oversize display.

A pair of emerald gauntlets spun slowly in the air over an elevated pedestal.

Forfend perked up and inspected them critically.

They were gorgeously and expertly crafted, despite the incredibly strange material choice. Black steel was inlaid into the gauntlets, carving out intricate designs of draconic imagery throughout their angles and curves. Power radiated palpably.

A mannequin dressed in the green scholarly robes of a Tyrwedian arcanist stood nearby, looking fully prepared to begin a lecture.

Forfend tapped its hand.

"Intro-int-intr-introducing, with the j-joint construction of the gra-gra-gracious King Ledri-drian to this wonderful establish-blishment upon our a-a-a-a-arrival in Cragwall-wall, we present to y-you the G-g-g-gauntlets of Dragon-gon's Wrath," the mannequin stuttered and jerked through its motions.

"Oh no, you broke it," Melzaryn teased.

"With th-th-this weapon, one-one strikes with--" It jolted sharply to a halt, stuck in an awkward halfway point between lecturer poses.

Forfend tilted its head. "Oh, I did break it."

The mannequin suddenly yanked upright, buzzed mechanically, and slouched over. Despite its now abysmal posture, its recording started up again, "W-with these weapons-pons, once power-wer-werful blows b-b-become e-even strong-stronger! With the mi-might-t of a-an emerald-ald dra-drag-drago-go-gon behind them, one can-can un-unleash-leash a cone o-of psychic-psy-psy-psychic energy and-nd deal psychic d-dam-damage with-ith every bl-b-blow as th-the symbol-bol-bols glow with w-worthy drac-con-conic-ic energy-y-y-y! M-may this wea-weapon find-find-f-find its use i-in the right h-h-han-h-hand-h-hands." Its voice deepened and slowed on the last stuttered word until it finally petered out completely.

Forfend resisted the urge to take the mannequin apart and start trying to make repairs. It wanted to help, but it wasn't an artificer. It could probably identify the problem as long as the problem was mechanical, but fix it? Unlikely.

These also weren't its things to fix anyway.

Forfend hummed to itself.

Melzaryn nudged it and nodded. "Yeah, they'd be better in silver."

For a moment, Forfend had no idea what he was talking about. Then it remembered the spinning power gauntlets. It reached up and gently touched the top of the pedestal.

A magical ching sounded and the price popped up.

Forty-thousand gold pieces.

Forfend honestly wasn't surprised by the astronomical sum. Weapons like that were as rare as the skills needed to make them.

Melzaryn was already walking over to the front desk.

Forfend realized he was carrying a hefty bundle of items.

"Welcome back," Delkan greeted. "Did you find all the items you were looking for?"

"I'd say I did," Melzaryn answered as he carefully deposited his things onto the table.

"Excellent! Now let's see what we have here!" Delkan picked through the items, muttering to himself. He pulled an abacus up from behind his counter to run the numbers.

"Ooh, Broom of Flying! Excellent choice, Mr. Collymore," Delkan praised. "A pair of Sending Stones. Very useful indeed. And what is this? You're picking up the Astral Shard?"

"It seemed both useful and fun," Melzaryn smiled his easy, inscrutable smile.

Delkan nodded agreeably. "That brings us to a total value of twenty-two hundred gold. With your family discount, that brings you down to a good fifteen hundred gold."

Melzaryn counted out the money and placed it on the counter.

"Perfect." Delkan swiped the money off the edge of the table and stored it away. "I hope the items see good use and work well for you. Would you like a bag?"

"Thank you. Yes, I would. Not for this one though." Melzaryn picked up his new broom.

Delkan placed the set of Sending Stones and the Astral Shard into a bag decorated with an image of Moli grinning and giving a thumbs up.

"Thank you for shopping at my wonderful store and I hope you have a wonderful day!" the bag suddenly announced in what Forfend could only assume was Moli's voice.

"And what about you, Mr. Forfend?" Delkan coaxed.

Forfend straightened. It had nearly forgotten it was making a purchase today too. It stepped up to the counter and set its Guardian Emblem down.

"Very nice choice," Delkan nodded approvingly. "This will be five hundred gold pieces."

Forfend divvied up the money. "Thank you."

"Of course. Would you like a bag with that?"

"No, it is fine." Forfend shook its head.

Delkan passed the Guardian Emblem back across the counter.

Forfend dropped the item into one of the larger pouches on its belt and stepped aside for Kairi.

"I hope you have a wonderful day." Delkan spied Kairi approaching and ducked his head politely. "And what about you, Ms..." He frowned. "I do apologize. I don't believe I caught your name."

"It's Kairi," she offered amicably.

"Ah, well, Ms. Kairi, it appears you'd like to purchase the Ever-Smoking Bottle. That one is two hundred gold pieces."

"Alrighty," Kairi grinned. "But make it two hundred and five, as a tip." She gave him the gold.

"Well, I do appreciate a good tip from a gracious lady like yourself," Delkan preened as he dropped the extra money into his breast pocket. The rest he tucked away beneath his desk. "Would you like a bag?"

"That would be helpful, thank you."

Delkan bagged the item and passed it over.

Just like the first time, Moli's voice called, "Thank you for shopping at my wonderful store and I hope you have a wonderful day!"

"I hope you have a wonderful day," Delkan echoed. "If you have any other items you're looking for or if you'd like details on anything we sell, please do come let me know."

"Thank you, Delkan," Forfend ducked its head politely and followed Melzaryn out of the shop.

Kairi was close behind. "I guess we should probably go get Kagoshi now, huh?"

Melzaryn set his magical broom hovering in the air and hopped up on it, his feet dangling just an inch off the ground. "Yeah, probably."

Three claps sounded behind the group, followed by an arcane blip.

They turned around to see a transparent image of Moli.

Melzaryn startled, then sighed wearily.

"Well, if this recording is playing--" Moli began, then looked off to the side. "It's on, right? Yeah? Yeah. Okay, cool." She turned back to face them. "If this recording is playing, that means you are here, brother! Hi! I heard that you're in the area, so I had Delkan put this up. How are you doing?! I know you can't answer me. Don't even try. But! I hope you have a good time here and I hope you bought some shit! Did you like the discount?" She paused again and looked off to her left. "It's working, right? You're sure? What? Why would I..? You know what, I'm wasting time. Anyways!" She clapped and looked at them again. "Yeah, I hope you have a wonderful day and I hope to hear back from you sometime."

The illusion froze in place.

"That was sweet of her," Melzaryn said mostly to himself, an exasperated fondness wisping into his tone.

Moli suddenly looked up again as the recording apparently continued. "Yeah, Delkan, I told you to put it up right when he gets out the door. Don't fucking argue with me." She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered. "I've got a little project going on."

Melzaryn leaned in to hear her properly.

"It's gonna be pretty fucking cool. I need your help with it though."

This time the illusion disappeared in a puff of arcana.

A nervous shiver ran down Melzaryn's spine, but the glimmer in his eyes betrayed curious excitement.

"Let us get Kagoshi," Forfend prompted and began making its way over to the jail.

Kairi trotted along at its side, edging closer as they reentered the crowd in the town square.

Melzaryn floated up at Forfend's other side, lounging casually on his flying broom. "Here." He tossed Forfend one of the two Sending Stones he'd purchased. "I think we're the best two to be carrying these."

"That makes sense," Forfend nodded. It pocketed the stone.

Shortly, the group found themselves at the outer gates of the military complex.

Forfend recognized the guard on duty as the one who'd gifted it rocks.

And the guard recognized it as well.

"Oh, hi! You're back?" He cocked his head. "Can we help you?"

Forfend knelt to keep from looming so high over the guard. "Is Kagoshi up for bail yet?"

"Oh yeah, I mean, he just got in a little scuffle with a librarian, so yeah," the guard casually nodded.

Forfend looked to Melzaryn.

Melzaryn shrugged.

"What is the bail?" it asked, steam hissing in its chest.

"I, uh, I can go ask," the guard offered. "I'll be right back."

He jogged through the gates and into the building proper.

A few minutes later, he returned.

"Since it was just a minor thing, it's just one gold," the guard informed. "Thankfully, no one was hurt. Everything turned out fine. At least, that's what they told me. I wasn't there."

Melzaryn glanced sharply at Forfend, his eyes saying an unspoken, "You're welcome."

Forfend pressed two gold into the guard's hand.

"Oh, um, but this is double the amount? Why?" he asked.

"The second gold is for you," Forfend hummed.

"Really?"

"You helped me," it nodded.

"Oh! Okay, thank you," he grinned as he dropped the spare gold piece into his pocket.

"You know what they say about good deeds getting rewarded or whatever," Melzaryn botched the old saying.

"Alright, uh, thanks. I'm gonna go get him." The guard headed back inside.

"I thought you said his monstrous second personality tried to learn?" Forfend probed. "I imagined that would create... more alarm."

"Yeah, it did. And it should've. Definitely seemed like it was going to. I'll figure it out later," Melzaryn promised. "This isn't the time or place."

Kagoshi meandered out of the front gates and met up with them. "Well, that was stupid," he grumbled.

Melzaryn examined Kagoshi's face briefly. He quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" Kairi pointed out.

"We should get a room." Melzaryn walked over to the guard just as he returned to his post. "Any recommendations on places to stay?"

"Oh! Um, I mean, the best inn or tavern kind of place around here has to be the Brass Buffalo," the guard shared. "Its right down that way, past the king's statue. It's hard to miss."

"Sounds lovely, thank you."

Melzaryn started walking in the direction he'd been pointed in.

Forfend and the others followed him.

The Brass Buffalo was already abuzz when they arrived despite the fact that the sun had only just begun to cast orange across the skies.

The building was a full three stories, the top two appearing to be inn rooms while the bottom was packed with revelry.

An enormous brass buffalo statue, presumably the tavern's namesake, stood next to the front door.

The detail work was gorgeous and the metal gleaming. Though, the pristine effect was ruined by the fact that the statue appeared to have been unceremoniously dropped here hard enough to buckle the pavement beneath. A small fence and red cloth sectioned off the partially collapsed cobblestone.

Forfend wondered how that could've happened.

The group pushed through the doors into the bustling bar.

Forfend didn't have to stoop much.

The inside was even noisier and more lively than it had looked from the outside.

In the far corner, a band performed one joyful, exciting song after another.

Nearly every table was overflowing with chattering customers. Drinks clanged while people danced and laughed. Varying cards and dice games were in the midst of being played across several different tables.

Most of the patrons seemed to be farmers or off-duty guards.

A heavyset red dragonborn hollered from behind the bar, "Order's up!"

He pushed a tray of drinks down the counter and immediately set to taking the next order. He teased his regulars, laughing with them as he kept up his breakneck working pace.

"Well, I'm gonna get me some food. Jail food is awful," Kagoshi complained as he made his way to the bar.

"You were there for, what, hours? Did they even feed you?" Forfend asked.

"Eh, I took a nap for most of it. I told the guard I wasn't hungry because I knew the food would fucking suck." Kagoshi leaned on the bar. "Now I'm very hungry."

"Hello there! Pleasure to meet you all!" the red dragonborn bellowed a greeting. "What can I get for-- Hey! You're the guys who helped out at the Teleportation Hub yesterday! I can tell 'cause we've got the big, tall stone guy, we got the pink lady, we got the guy with the whole getup and the platinum blond hair, and we got the slightly angry looking man."

"He is even angrier than he looks," Forfend said.

"Hey now!" Kagoshi griped. "What the hell? 'Slightly angry looking' is my entire descriptor?"

"Hey, man, I wasn't there," the dragonborn placated. "But you know what? You saved a lot of people that day. First thing you order is on the house. What do you want? Drinks, food?"

"Food," Kagoshi accepted immediately. "I'm starving."

"Got the menu right here." The dragonborn placed a menu in front of each of them. "Just got buffalo ribeyes in the other day. Nice and fresh, if you want those."

Kagoshi nodded thoughtfully, pouring over the menu.

"We also got owlbear steak and eggs. Lots of different omelettes, any way you want them, if you're interested in that. Nice hearty stews and soups," the dragonborn listed off.

"I think what I want is a couple of eggs and all of your bacon."

The dragonborn nodded, scribbling the order down on a notepad.

"I do mean all of it," Kagoshi clarified. "I don't mean a lot. I mean all of it."

The dragonborn eyed him quizzically. After a moment, he nodded again. "I getcha, I getcha. I know the lingo. How'd you like those eggs cooked?"

"Screaming," Kagoshi responded.

The dragonborn nodded again, though Forfend didn't think he looked like he understood. It also didn't think Kagoshi had made any sense.

Still, the dragonborn turned and yelled into the kitchen, "Hey, chef! Can I get a couple of baby chickens, Godflame Mountain style?! And a mountain of pork, would you?!" He flashed them a friendly smile. "That'll be out in just a few. What are the rest of you ordering?"

"I do not eat or drink," Forfend shared.

"Ah, well, that's unfortunate. If you do need anything, first thing you order is on the house."

Forfend ducked its head politely.

"Do you have any wines here?" Melzaryn asked.

"Of course, we do!" the dragonborn exclaimed. "We just got in some good ones too. We've got Summerstead wine, Goodberry wine, and we even got in a branch of that new investment the Gallofords are trying out!"

"Do not buy the Galloford wine," Forfend said flatly.

Melzaryn nodded his agreement. "Let me get a hearty beef stew, a bottle of red Summerstead wine, and a single strip of bacon."

"Sure thing." The dragonborn wrote down the order and yelled into the kitchen again, "Hey, chef! Gimme the soup, mooing, with a single strip of pork on the side, keep it lean! And a bottle of dragon's blood!"

"I like the jargon here," Kagoshi mentioned.

"What about you, miss?" the dragonborn asked Kairi.

Kairi hummed as she browsed the menu. After a moment, she pointed to a particular dish. "I'll have rice with black beans, and a fried egg."

"Excellent choice. Drinks for either of you?" he asked Kairi and Kagoshi.

"Shit, drinks. I almost forgot about that," Kagoshi grumbled. "Strong alcohol. I don't have a preference."

"You want something that burns real bad?" the dragonborn offered with a wink.

"Yeah."

"I can get you a fireball, if you'd like. I think that would do you." The dragonborn nodded to himself.

"Hey, chef, how about some of that Fulgar Isles stuff with a Kuumedian twist! Drop the sun on it!" the dragonborn hollered what Forfend could only guess was Kairi's order into the kitchen.

He turned to Kagoshi, a sly grin creeping across his face. "I just got another idea. You look like a man's man. We got this... other drink. The chef concocted it a while back. He calls it the Death Wish. Would you rather try that than the fireball?"

"Yeah, I'm game," Kagoshi said slowly. "Some people already tell me I have a death wish anyway. Go for it."

"Alright, one Death Wish coming right up."

"What?!" a high-pitch scratchy voice called from the kitchen. "Somebody's ordering the Death Wish?! It's getting used?! Hold down the fort boys, I'm making this one myself!"

A goblin, tiny even by goblin standards, scampered out of the kitchen. His chef's hat had been modified to stand more than twice his height. It towered over him, but was barely level with the countertop.

The goblin gawked at Kagoshi. "You want the Death Wish?!"

"Yes, half-hat," Kagoshi growled.

"Fuck yeah!" the goblin cheered. "I'll be right back! Don't worry, your bacon is being cooked!"

He gallivanted off, only to return a minute later with a shot glass containing a drink that bubbled oily black.

"Here ya go!" the goblin cheerfully jumped up on a stool to push the drink into Kagoshi's hand. "Little of this, little of that, and just a couple drops of basilisk venom!"

Forfend physically recoiled. It couldn't believe Kagoshi actually intended to drink what appeared to be venom-laced tar.

Kagoshi eyed the drink suspiciously. "So what's in this exactly?"

"Trade secret," the goblin grinned.

"Alright, sure." Kagoshi shrugged and turned up the glass.

Within seconds, Kagoshi was swaying on his feet. His eyes were dilated and his face red. He slammed the glass back down on the table and hauled himself onto a stool.

The goblin bounced excitedly, screeching in his native tongue. "Holy shit, he's still awake!" he suddenly exclaimed in Common.

"Oh, I thought he was going to say 'alive,'" Melzaryn whispered under his breath.

"Guts of steel!" the goblin praised, elbowing the dragonborn.

"I know," the dragonborn agreed. "Look at him!"

Forfend watched Kagoshi struggle to focus on any one thing in front of his face. He held onto the edge of the bar to keep himself upright.

"Damn! You're only the second person I've ever seen stay awake after the Death Wish. The first one was me!" The goblin proudly jabbed a thumb at his own chest. "You know what? I'm making you extra bacon just for that!"

"Fuck yes," Kagoshi slurred.

The goblin disappeared back into the kitchen.

The group moved to find an empty table, and Kairi nearly had to carry Kagoshi to it.

Not long after they'd gotten settled, the food was brought out.

The dragonborn and a couple other waiters served everything to its rightful places. It took two people to carefully set down Kagoshi's absurd interwoven mountain of bacon.

Kagoshi immediately began shoveling food into his mouth.

Forfend hoped the meal would help him sober up a bit. It figured he hadn't eaten since they'd left the jail this morning. He really hadn't had any business drinking in the first place. Not on an empty stomach.

Melzaryn pulled up his waterskin and used magic to draw the water out. In his palm, it shaped itself into a wine glass and flash froze. Chilled fog drifted off the opaque ice.

"Oh, that's some very impressive arcana!" The dragonborn clapped. "Do you lot need rooms for the night?"

"Thank you," Melzaryn smiled his usual easy grin as he filled his makeshift glass with Summerstead wine. "We definitely will need rooms. I'm very tired."

"Alright. Don't worry about the price. You saved a hundred people yesterday. I think that's worth a room for the night." The dragonborn paused, his eyes lighting up with surprise. "I don't think I ever introduced myself! The name's Narmoth Brewcoat!"

"Forfend," it returned immediately.

"Forfend," Narmoth repeated. "Nice to meet you, Forfend."

"Melzaryn."

"Kairi. And that's Kagoshi," Kairi offered for her friend who seemed far too busy absolutely decimating his plate of bacon to answer.

"Wow, he's really going at that," Narmoth observed. "Anyway, do you need rooms together or separate?"

"Separate," Kagoshi growled through a mouthful of pork.

"The only person here I'd share a room with is Forfend," Melzaryn added.

"That would work for me," Forfend piped up. "I am just as happy to sit outside as I am to sit in a room. I do not need to sleep. There is no point in wasting a bed on me when someone else could use it."

"Alright, sure. Three rooms then," Narmoth nodded.

On the far side of the bar, another guest called for Narmoth.

"Oh, I've got to get that. I hope you enjoy your meal," Narmoth excused himself, weaving across the packed bar.

Melzaryn and Kairi immediately got started on their own plates.

Forfend let the others dig into their meals. It sat upright to watch people come and go.

The bustling tavern had no lack of interesting patrons.

Forfend watched gambling games, arguments that nearly became fist fights, stumbling drunks getting carried home by their friends, mirthful dancers, and a host of other distinctly mortal things it recalled falling in love with during the Sundering.

The wariness after yesterday's terrorist attack had almost entirely dissipated here. Tenacious people determined to keep up their good spirits in hard times made sure to enjoy their night out.

It was Forfend's favorite act of defiance. Joy, happiness, fun then the world didn't seem to want anyone to have those things.

Forfend found its chest was glowing softly orange.

An elven man let himself into the Brass Buffalo tavern.

He looked ordinary enough. Dirty blond hair and light stubble framed his face, his high cheekbones giving him a vague authoritative air he didn't seem to be trying to use. His clothes were nice but plain.

Forfend wasn't certain what about him it had caught onto.

Maybe it was the rapier at his side. The weapon was a bit of a contrast to his clothes. The hilt gleamed Tyrwedian green, a striking comparison to the man's otherwise earth-toned outfit. The dull wooden sheathe it rested in didn't seem to suit such a fine weapon.

The stranger leaned down to speak to a guard. He pat the man's shoulder and looked up, immediately locking gazes with Forfend. He headed straight toward it.

He grinned when he saw the rest of the group sitting with it.

"Hello," Forfend greeted.

Melzaryn, Kairi, and Kagoshi all looked up to see who it was talking to.

"Hi," the elven man greeted. His ears tottered back and forth from nerves or excitement, or perhaps both. "I couldn't help but notice you all from across the room. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"I often get noticed from across the room," Melzaryn said tiredly and took a sip of his wine.

Forfend motioned to an empty chair.

The elf accepted and waved Narmoth over.

Narmoth approached, a chuckle already rumbling in his chest. "Welcome back, Mr. King."

Melzaryn's pointed ears swiveled, though he didn't otherwise appear interested.

The elf sighed wearily. "Could I get some dinner?" He passed Narmoth the money without waiting for an answer.

"Sure thing. I'll get your usual." Narmoth dropped the coins in his apron pocket and returned to the counter.

"So, where are you all from?" the elf asked.

"North," Kagoshi deadpanned.

"North," Melzaryn and Kairi echoed together.

"I am from Foumedo," Forfend answered less cryptically.

"Foumedo? Really?" The elf looked it over again.

Forfend nodded.

"Huh," the elf vocalized as he considered the possibility. "Well, what you guys did yesterday, I really appreciate it. Problem's been persisting for a long time and, despite my best efforts, I can't really seem to track Envema down. So, I really appreciate what you did for my people."

The elf took the pint of ale directly from Narmoth's hands as the dragonborn returned with his meal.

"Enjoy." Narmoth set the plate down and gave the elf a friendly pat on the shoulder before returning to his post behind the bar.

The elf took a long draught. "Seriously, I can't thank you enough. You really helped Cragwall out. I know you guys are new in town and you did something real brave for people you don't even know. That's why I wanted to extend my thanks personally. Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Forfend nodded graciously. "Someone needed to help.

"Yeah." He rubbed at the back of his neck and sighed. "When I heard the first boom, I tried to head out right away. But of course, they wouldn't let me do that. 'Too important,' they said. I get the sentiment, but those are my people out there."

Forfend hummed deep in its chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the elf suddenly jumped. "I didn't introduce myself. I know you guys from all the reports my advisors have been giving me, but I still need to tell you who I am. I'm Falco. Falco Ledrian. The king, I guess," he shrugged.

Forfend froze.

Kagoshi looked up, bacon hanging out of his mouth. "What?"

Kairi's eyebrows shot up.

"The king of Tyrwedia," Falco sheepishly clarified.

Forfend examined him: his features, his body language, every word he'd said since he arrived.

"I don't blame you for not recognizing me," Falco said. "Usually when I go out and tell people, they think I'm lying. I mean, the bartender here is still convinced I'm lying."

Forfend stared. As far as it could tell, Falco was telling the truth. At least, he believed he was. And he did look remarkably like the statue in the town square.

He really was King Falco Ledrian.

"Are you okay?" Falco asked, watching Forfend's blank face with some concern.

Forfend nodded slowly.

"So what brings you to a place like this?" Melzaryn asked, already pouring himself a second glass of wine.

"Well, I like to be down here with my people. Staying up in the castle doesn't do any good," Falco answered adamantly. "A king is supposed to serve his people, you know? I need to be down here to see what they're dealing with every day."

Forfend respected that response. It wasn't certain why Falco had built himself such a reputation of distance, with the statue and lack of notable public appearances.

Coming down to see his people when they wouldn't recognize him was good. It let him stay in touch without the opinions he encountered being censored to protect his ego or the interests of those he spoke with. But it shouldn't be all he was doing. His people needed to see him and know he was there sometimes too.

"Admirable," Melzaryn complimented. "Wine?"

"Oh, sure," Falco accepted.

Melzaryn fashioned a second icy wine glass and poured Falco a drink.

Falco took a sip from the frigid glass.

"Don't you have a son?" Kagoshi slurred.

"I do. I have a number of children, actually." Falco tilted his head curiously at the question. "Erest was my most martially-inclined child. Despite the fact that I wanted him to lead his own life and carve his own path, he still decided to become a knight."

"Is he the one we met yesterday?" Kagoshi squinted at something somewhere between Forfend and Melzaryn.

"Oh, Halt? Yeah," Melzaryn confirmed.

"He is the one that took us in for questioning," Forfend seconded.

"Right, Halt!" Kagoshi shouted. "Prince Halt! Yeah, I remember him!"

Falco chuckled. "Why do you call him that?"

"He yelled, 'Halt,' at three stationary people and three unconscious people," Forfend explained.

Falco laughed, his face lighting up. "He didn't tell me that. I'm definitely telling him about this one."

When he composed himself again, he leaned across the table. "Seriously though, thanks for helping out. They wouldn't let me out of the castle when the attack was happening. So when I heard your group stepped up to save all those people, take down the threat, and you even captured two Envema members, I had to see you for myself."

He gestured around the bar as a whole and towards the door. "Of course, I had to check up on my people first. I was a little surprised I managed to find you all."

"Everything did happen very quickly," Melzaryn noted.

"Very," Forfend, Kairi, and Kagoshi all echoed.

"By the way," Falco started, "at the front gates and again during your interrogation, it was brought up that you're here for court? What's the deal with that?"

"My dear friend Jessie from Foumedo was wrongly accused of a crime by a Galloford," Forfend explained.

Falco's face hardened, his lips drawing into a tight line. "Really now?"

Forfend nodded seriously. "It has been quite a mess."

"As much as I hate to say it, when I first established this kingdom the five noble families were very trustworthy, but that's not true anymore," Falco lamented. "As time went on, some of them stagnated or went down bad paths. The Gallofords are certainly one of them. Sagemantle is another."

Falco glanced at their faces and provided further exposition, "The Sagemantles are monopolizing on their arcane expertise here in Tyrwedia."

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "The families I can safely say have remained stalwart and loyal are the Duskhelms and the Summersteads. But I shouldn't be worrying you all with the political stuff. You're just here to get your trial over with so you can go home."

Actually, Forfend was immensely interested in the political stuff. It even had a question in mind right away for exactly this individual. "Could you tell me what you think of the protest?"

Falco blinked. A dozen emotions flickered across his face before he simply sank down in his chair with a tired huff. "Yeah." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's been going on for a while. Do you know the history of the whole conflict?"

Forfend skook is head. "I do not."

"Alright. Well, you see, I'm actually from the Howling Plains of Begstrom. Way back when--" Falco paused. "I'm a high elf with a pretty significant lifespan. The time frame might feel a little odd to you all. Sorry."

Kairi shrugged.

Melzaryn pointedly didn't look up from his glass.

Forfend and Kagoshi exchanged a glance, knowing they were both from times long passed.

Falco either didn't notice or didn't comment. "Way back when, before the Kingdom of Tyrwedia was the Kingdom of Tyrwedia, it was just an empty spot." He straightened sharply. "Well, no, not empty. I wouldn't want to imply anything negative about the genasi that lived here, but the region was neutral territory."

"With King Maggard Stormrike's whole deal in the Howling Plains with the constant warring, he overstepped his bounds. A lot," Falco said with notable irritation. "Let's just say he made enemies of the neighbors and it wasn't good for us regular folk. A bunch of us banded together and made our way south to see what was going on here."

"Technically, we were still citizens of the Howling Plains and, even now, Tyrwedia is still a vassal state." Falco picked idly at his food and took a long sip of wine. "We tried diplomatic relations with the genasi, but they're not inclined to have us stay here. Though, they were fairly nice about it initially. Cragwall was actually the first city built here in Tyrwedia and it was very nice here for a long time, despite the mild tension."

Falco's brow creased as he retreated into his thoughts for a moment. "And then one of their dragons attacked us. Well, it attacked Cragwall. Then, when Cragwall was in ruins, it went onward to attack the Howling Plains too. King Maggard responded the way he always did and I was told to lead the army."

He rubbed at his forehead and dragged his hand down his face. "The formation of the Kingdom of Tyrwedia isn't something I'm proud of. As I said before, try as I might, I'm still a vassal of King Maggard. The genasi haven't been forgiving, despite the effort I've put in to make it up to them."

Falco shrugged and spread his hands. "Their protests are completely justified," he admitted. "Which is part of why Envema is such an interesting group. Do you know what their name means?"

"I do not," Forfend hummed, absorbing all the information Falco was giving it. There was much to this story. Still more, it thought, than Falco was sharing. It would need to speak to an earth genasi to learn more.

"Genasi speak Primordial. Earth genasi specifically speak a dialect related heavily to the earth elemental plane," Falco continued his explanation. "In their language, Envema means 'burn.' I'm not sure what exactly their goal is, but they seem to have an extremely vested interest in removing all genasi presence against Tyrwedia. Of course, they're also just a general threat to the peace at large."

Falco rubbed at the back of his neck and fussed with his cloak. "I've had an extremely hard time getting a handle on them since I'm also dealing with the corruption of the nobles."

"I see." Forfend tilted its head and considered all it knew for a long moment. "There are likely far fewer true Envema members than it seems."

"I hope so," Falco said.

"If I had to guess, I would say most are hypnotized innocents. The true ringleaders are likely few and far between," Forfend surmised.

"I read that in your report," Falco recalled. "It's very peculiar. And if that's the case..."

He looked at each of them in turn. "May I ask a bit of a favor? Of course, you may decline. I may be king, but I don't control you. Nevertheless, you are the first people in a very long time who have been able to make any progress on the Envema investigation. May I ask that you lend a hand once again?"

"Yes," Forfend instantly agreed.

Falco blinked, surprise leaving his jaw slack. "Oh! I honestly thought I'd have to add a little bit of incentive. Wow."

"Hold on now. I have a single request," Melzaryn interjected.

"Yes?" Falco allowed.

"It seems your Teleportation Hub is a touch exploded and I was on my way home before all this. Could I request help arranging transport once we're ready to leave?" Melzaryn asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yes, of course," Falco nodded. "I'm happy to assist with that."

"Excellent." Melzaryn settled back into what Forfend guessed was now his third or fourth glass of wine.

"I will need to return to Foumedo briefly after the trial. I made a promise," Forfend said seriously.

"That'll be no issue," Falco nodded again.

"Gold," Kagoshi grumbled flatly, tuning into the conversation for the first time in a while.

"Um, sure. I can definitely do that." Falco squinted perplexedly at Kagoshi.

"Good." Kagoshi promptly returned to ignoring the rest of the table.

"I have one more request of you all as well," Falco mentioned. "Knowing of the descent of the Galloford family, would you mind if I were to personally oversee your trial? I don't want to intrude if you don't want me there though."

"That would be perfectly fine with me," Forfend hummed.

"No objections here," Melzaryn said.

"I don't see a reason not to," Kairi added.

"Alright, then it's settled." Falco tilted his head back and forth thoughtfully. "I mean, obviously nothing is set in stone yet. I need to get the papers drafted and all that to make everything official. I'll handle all that though."

Falco stood and gave them a polite nod. "And again, thank you. I seriously can't thank you enough for what you've done."

He caught sight of the darkening skies through the windows and flinched. "Oh, shit," he swore under his breath. "What time is it?" he asked rhetorically, pulling out a pocket watch to check for himself. "Oh. I have to make it back to the castle. Alright, one more time, I greatly appreciate what you did for Tyrwedia yesterday."

He dusted himself and made for the door.

"Stay safe," Forfend called after him.

"I'm a king," Falco said as though that could prevent him from all bodily harm. "I was sent to lead an army against the genasi for a reason." He nudged the rapier at his side. "I think I can handle myself. But I hope you guys have a good night."

"Nevertheless, stay safe," Forfend repeated.

Falco held his hand out to shake each of the group's hands in turn.

Forfend made an effort to be gentle with its oversized stony grip.

Kairi firmly bounced Falco's hand.

Melzaryn held his glass out for a toast instead. "To your health."

"Oh, to your health," Falco seconded, tinking his icy glass against Melzaryn's own.

Melzaryn drained the rest of his drink.

"Wow, you guys are a crazy bunch," Falco commented.

When he offered his hand to Kagoshi, the drunken man just glared at it.

After a brief moment, Kagoshi offered an emphatic thumbs up.

Confused, Falco returned the odd gesture. He waved to them and rushed to the door.

"Well, that was weird," Kagoshi said as soon as the door shut behind Falco.

"That was oddly normal for me," Melzaryn shrugged.

"That was the first time I have ever met royalty," Forfend hummed.

"Wow," Melzaryn huffed, offended.

Kagoshi glanced off to the side with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I thought you preferred that we did not know who you were." Forfend tilted its head at Melzaryn.

"I mean, yeah, but you meet a king hours after you find out and call him the first one," Melzaryn complained.

Forfend wasn't certain it counted Melzaryn as a noble. At least not here in Tyrwedia where he was trying so very hard not to be recognized as one.

"If it is any consolation, I was no more impressed with him than I am with you," Forfend tried.

Melzaryn mulled over the sentiment while he poured himself another glass of wine. "Strangely enough, that does help."

"Alright, I'm getting a key and heading up to rest," Kairi decided. She nudged Kagoshi. "You too, drunk-ass," she teased.

"Mhm," Kagoshi grumbled.

Kairi hauled Kagoshi up out of his seat and helped him stagger up the stairs to their inn rooms.

Forfend watched Melzaryn empty the last of the wine bottle into his glass.

"We should also retire to our room," it suggested.

Melzaryn swirled the glass. "You're probably right." He downed the last of his drink and stood up. He swayed, but he didn't seem to be nearly as unsteady or out of it as Forfend had expected. "I need to summon a snake before we go to bed. Hope that won't bother you."

"It will not," Forfend said, though it didn't know what he meant.

Melzaryn led the way to the counter, got himself a key, and headed straight to the designated inn room.

Forfend ducked through the doorway after him.

The rooms were small. However, they were also sparsely decorated, which meant ample floor space.

Forfend settled itself in against the wall where it could watch both the door and the window. It figured that wouldn't be necessary, but it was remiss to let go of cautious old habits. It shut off its rune.

Melzaryn cracked a window and set up a miniature brass brazier. He dumped herbs and incenses Forfend didn't recognize over the coals.

He spoke in Elvish, magic lacing his words.

The coal lit itself and slowly began consuming the contents of the brazier.

Forfend proceeded to watch Melzaryn continue his occasional quiet Elvish chanting and gentle nudging of the brazier over the next hour.

The last wisp of smoke to exit the bowl hovered in the air without dissipating. It twisted, darkened, and solidified.

Arcana crackled and poofed.

A silvery viper melded itself from the smoke and curled around Melzaryn's outstretched hand. It flicked its tongue, tasting the air of its new surroundings.

"We're gonna be good friends," Melzaryn told the snake. "Keep an eye on me while I rest please. And squeeze my arm to wake me if you sense anything."

The snake only blinked, but that answer seemed to be enough for Melzaryn. He settled into bed with his new familiar still wrapped around his forearm.

Forfend let its mind drift idly over the events of its day.

Late into the night, when it was well past lost in its thoughts, Melzaryn's snake hissed sharply and constricted around its master's arm.

Forfend stared at the empty air the snake had taken issue with.

It lit its rune, perplexed and concerned.

There was nothing there. What was the little creature getting riled up about?

It tapped the medallion on its chest, reached out its hand, and closed its fist.

The magic seized an invisible veil and stripped it away, Dispelling whatever arcane mask had been there.

An assassin cloaked in black warbled into being just as he drove his blade downward at Melzaryn's throat.

Melzaryn twisted at the last second, sleep making him sluggish despite the snake's early warning.

The knife still caught his neck, slashing across as he pulled out from beneath the plunging blade.

Melzaryn slapped his hand over the blood gushing from his wound. It hadn't been enough to kill, but his vocal chords had almost certainly been mangled.

He couldn't cast. Not verbally.

Forfend hauled itself to its feet, magic already sparking between its fingers as it freed its mace from its belt.

It hoped this assassin didn't know who he was dealing with. It feared he did.

[demigodforfend]

Twilight of the Demigods: Forfend Edition - Session 16

Kagoshi stepped in front of the party and spread his hands. "Alright. The easiest way to go about this is to split up. I really don't want to go to the temple with Chimney and, Kairi, you already know what's going on with me. So you two go there. And I'll go to the library."

He spun on his heel and tromped toward the Grand Library.

Melzaryn lit up. "Study bros!" He rushed after Kagoshi.

Kagoshi bristled, but settled himself down and allowed Melzaryn to stay at his side.

Forfend looked down at Kairi.

"To the temple," she shrugged.

Forfend nodded.

It watched the city as they walked. The air about Cragwall was intense, nervous. Everyone was on edge after yesterday's events.

In the ruins of the Teleportation Hub, cleanup had only just begun. The area was roped off and guarded. Melancholy workers sifted through the rubble.

The hustle and bustle surrounding it was not diminished by the somber work. If anything, it was intensified. Frantic people went about their daily business with an over-vigilant eye. Tension abounded.

Forfend paused to observe the crowd about the temple. People flooded in but trickled out. Many of them must be seeking council or comfort in this trying time.

They were scared. Of course they were turning to the gods.

Forfend lumbered forward.

The crowd parted around it, too busy to stop and stare but too unnerved to block its way.

The entrance of the massive building was marked by ornately carved pillars. They soared upwards and culminated in a roof of spiraling steeples. Beautiful stained glass cast rainbows across the ground both inside and outside the expansive cathedral.

The enormous oak doors were propped open as wide as they could be. Paladins and heroes of legends Forfend was sure it had never heard were carved straight from the stone wall. A particularly towering paladin framed the entryway, holding his sword and shield aloft.

Forfend strode inside.

Elegant arches lined the length of the massive hall. Bright paintings of angels and other celestial beings covered the walls and ceiling. Winding couatls, open-armed devas, prancing kirins, stoic planetars, and more all watched over the temple's visitors from their carvings and canvasses.

The architects and construction crew had done well cultivating the holy atmosphere. The priests and clerics had done well maintaining it. Divine energy thrummed through the air. Forfend could feel it in its chest, softly warming its core.

Forfend caught itself staring up at the expansive mural across the ceiling. It told the tale of creation, of the Age of the Gods, of the Sundering, and finally of the defeat of the Sunderer. All of it led slowly to a representation of Genesis, the Creator himself.

Genesis's symbol rose into the air, taking up the entirety of the back wall. The top point of the star brushed the ceiling and the arms of it brushed the walls to either side. Gold inlaid the spiraling center and stained glass filled in the gaps between. Otherworldly colors cast themselves far across the floor at the behest of this depiction, touching every corner.

Genesis was where it all began. As such, swirling stone carvings made it appear the entirety of the cathedral was spawned outward from the magic of his symbol. Markings of Genesis were clear in the design of every facet of the building.

Forfend pulled its gaze away from the stunning monument and took in the carvings of every other deity in the pantheon.

They lined the hall, each one marking a large open recess dedicated entirely to their individual worship. The statues varied wildly in composition and style, but each one was immaculately designed and upkept.

Pews and podiums surrounded many of the deities' feet. The seats were crowded in most of the alcoves. The temple was filled with the overlapping chatter of more than a dozen different sermons.

Kairi bumped against Forfend's side.

It looked down to see her pressing fingers to her temples and squinting against what it assumed to be the assaulting colors of a thousand different emotions. Forfend couldn't imagine what it might be like for her to see so much information all the time, but it certainly didn't look pleasant at the moment.

It gently tugged her closer against it.

"Lybearon's statue is there. If there are any priests or clerics who could understand Kagoshi's situation, it would be followers of the Redeemer," Forfend suggested.

Kairi followed where it was pointing.

A statue of solid white marble knelt, a soft smile on his face as he reached down to welcome any who would approach him into his arms. The majority of the depiction's height was in its gracefully spread wings, stretching skyward.

Lybearon was beloved because of his kindness, acceptance, and forgiveness. There would be no better hand to place Kagoshi's troubles in. Forfend was certain of that, despite its unfamiliarity with the post-Sundering deity.

"Oh, yeah, thanks," Kairi mumbled. "I'll try to figure out what to say."

Forfend nodded solemnly. "Nothing about Kagoshi is ever easy."

"That too. But mostly, I just mean because it's hard to think with all the people around." Kairi covered her eyes.

Forfend spotted the statue of Somnum. The great satyr leaned on his shepherd's crook as he drifted off to sleep. It guided Kairi over to his designated area.

Like Lybearon, the god of rest was also born after the Sundering. Forfend was not familiar with him, but it knew his zone was sure to be a safe, quiet space.

Comfortable chairs lined the area. Several people were leaned back or curled up in them, sleeping soundly. The walls of the alcove seemed to be designed to muffle sound. The entire space felt protected from the noise happening only a few feet from it.

Kairi managed to open her eyes properly. She still kept a hand pressed to the the side of her head, but at least she seemed less out of it.

A priest dressed in elaborate but comfortable vestments hobbled toward them on his cane. He had gray skin, gray fur, fuzzy pointed ears, and a broad nose that almost looked animalistic.

Forfend didn't recognize his race, though it supposed that didn't matter much. It was quite certain the priest wouldn't recognize its race either.

The priest leaned heavily on the top of his cane and whispered, "Hello, how may I help you? Or do you only need a quiet place to rest?"

Forfend lowered its voice as much as it could out of respect. "We only needed a quieter space."

It tried not to cringe outwardly at its loudness. It couldn't drop far below a typical conversational volume.

At least it had made the attempt.

The priest nodded kindly and thankfully did not address how comparatively loud Forfend's mechanical baritone was. "I understand. Please, make yourselves at home and stay for as long as you would like." He motioned off to the side where a large plush couch sat currently unoccupied.

"Thank you." Forfend ducked its head politely.

The priest turned and ambled slowly around the alcove, observing his sleeping congregation like a shepherd with his sheep.

Kairi moved to take the seat they'd been offered.

Forfend followed. It pressed carefully on the cushions several times before it determined it was safe to sit down.

The couch didn't even creak as Forfend's bulk sank straight into it. Nothing so soft had ever surrounded it before. It nearly wondered if even it could sleep here.

Kairi leaned back and closed her eyes.

After a short break, she sat forward again. "Alright, I think I'm as good as I'm going to get. Let's go see Lybearon before the migraine gets really nasty again."

Forfend nodded. It struggled to free itself from the plush couch, but eventually it found its footing again.

Kairi led the way with Forfend sticking close against her back.

The crowd parted around Forfend, inadvertantly giving Kairi a wide berth as well.

A pair of guards stepped in front of them.

These particular guards wore pale gray, blue, and white rather than the typical browns and blacks and dark grays of military armor. They were assigned specifically to work here in the temple and they looked rather nervous.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," one began, "but what is your business here? We just need to be sure."

Forfend knelt to make itself less threatening and took stock of the symbol of Cassis emblazoned on a chain around the guard's neck.

The guard looked into Forfend's face. His back went rigid as his face fell slack. He clicked his jaw shut.

"Like everyone else here, we are seeking council and to worship the gods. Hoping to get answers from them," it said simply.

"I see," the guard swallowed. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you." Forfend lit its chest orange.

"Just remain careful." He nodded at the crowd flowing around them. "They seem wary of you."

"Most people are at first," Forfend hummed. "They will get over that in time. I assure you, I am quite friendly."

The guard let a slight smile touch his lips. "I'm glad to hear that. Nonetheless, please remain vigilant." He and his partner stepped aside to let Forfend and Kairi pass.

"I will," it promised as it spurred itself into motion again to keep pace with Kairi. "Thank you."

Kairi ducked straight into Lybearon's space.

The area wasn't as crowded as Forfend would've guessed. Only a small handful of people were about. Most of them were at the foot of the statue, lost in prayer or begging forgiveness for wrongdoings.

A teifling of hulking muscle chatted seriously with one of the worshippers. One of his curling horns was broken and sinister tattoos covered every inch not already marred by numerous, deep, overlapping scars.

It took Forfend a moment to realize he was the cleric here. His white vestments were at odds with his dark appearance.

Forfend hummed to itself. What an excellent representation of redemption he was. This was exactly the type of cleric it should've expected to see under Lybearon's wings.

The teifling caught sight of the pair and placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of the man he was speaking with. He nodded, pat the man's shoulder, and politely took his leave to greet the new arrivals.

"Greetings, friends," the teifling cleric said in a rough, gravelly voice. "How may I assist you? Do you wish to seek redemption under the Redeemer's gaze? Are you here to confess sins?"

Kairi swayed back and forth, her hands latched behind her back. "Um, it's a bit complicated. It's not about us. It's about a friend of ours. He's dealing with something that's..." Kairi trailed off and creased her brow as she considered her phrasing. "Not letting him make good decisions," she finally settled.

The cleric nodded grimly.

"We're trying to figure out how to help him," Kairi said. "He's got some really uncontrollable rage issues. Do you know of anything we could do or use to help? Anything at all? A place we could go even?"

The cleric rested his chin on his hand and hummed.

Kairi leaned against Forfend. "I'm sorry if I'm a little incoherent. I have a splitting headache."

"It's quite alright," the cleric assured. "Would you like a more private place to discuss this?"

"Yes, please," Kairi immediately accepted.

He looked up at Forfend. "Would you like to come with her?"

"I would," it responded.

He nodded once and turned. "Please, follow me." He led them towards the back of the alcove.

He paused, tapping another priest on the shoulder. "Please, assist them," he requested, motioning to the other people milling about the area. "I'm taking these two for a more private talk."

"Of course." The priest immediately shuffled off to fulfill the order.

The teifling cleric escorted Kairi and Forfend into an enclosed room tucked at the back corner of Lybearon's zone.

The tiny office was almost completely bereft of decoration. It was plain, simple, but not necessarily discomforting.

"So, tell me about this friend of yours," the cleric nudged as he sat down behind his small desk.

Forfend remained standing, tucking itself into the corner to leave room for its companion.

Kairi took the guest chair and folded her hands on the table. She seemed to be considering her words for a long moment.

The cleric suddenly straightened his shoulders. "Oh, forgive my impoliteness. My name is Faith. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Forfend," it ducked its head politely.

"Kairi Camilla," she almost mumbled, much more lost in other thoughts.

Faith nodded to them both. "Tell me about this friend you speak of?"

"His name is Kagoshi," Kairi began. "He's got a few small issues." She stopped herself immediately and sighed. "I say that, but they're not small. They're very big issues."

She twiddled her fingers and looked Faith in the face. "There are times when he gets angry. Extremely angry. When that happens, he's not himself anymore. Something else takes over. Things don't go well for anyone when that happens."

"He has intense anger," Faith nodded sagely. "The way you describe it is interesting. Would you say his rage is of the mundane variety or the magical variety?"

"Definitely magic," Kairi answered.

"I see. When it comes to the magical variety, there are a number of things that may cause it," Faith informed. "For example, the most common is a curse. Perhaps a curse of unrelenting rage. I've encountered a few in my time. Thankfully, in my devotion to Lybearon, I am blessed with some ability to remove them."

Forfend hummed. It would be nice if Kagoshi's troubles were only a curse, but that was doubtful.

"Another option, and a more terrifying one, is possession," Faith continued. "Based on your description, that seems more likely."

He paused to watch their reactions and seemed perplexed when neither of them showed surprise or additional concern.

"Whatever the case, if there is an outside influence causing his rage, we would need to do a full exorcism. The difficulty of that will depend on the power of the entity." He sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers.

After a brief moment, he sat forward again. "The third possibility, as strange as this may sound, could be a hard-inserted arcane influence. Something given to him at birth. In that case, there would be nothing we could do but help him work around it. You know him better than I. Of the three, which do you think seems most likely?"

Forfend's best guess was a sordid combination of the second and third.

"It definitely has something to do with his past," Kairi said, "but that's not all of it. He's got another... situation happening too. A newer one. I think it's best I don't share everything."

Faith hummed. "I understand. Perhaps, if you would like, I could check up on him personally and see what I could gather? Maybe find a solution? Or suggest one, at the very least?"

"Yes," Kairi accepted. "I'll ask him about it for sure. He'll have to finish the things he needed to do first though."

"Feel free to bring him to me whenever you feel you would like me to take a look," Faith offered generously. "I will be here and waiting." He pulled a piece of parchment from his desk and wrote something in large, sweeping letters. "If I'm not here, you may find me at this address." He gave the paper to Kairi.

"Thank you," Forfend and Kairi said at the same time.

"It is my pleasure. Is there anything else you needed?"

"I think that was everything," Kairi shook her head.

Faith stood. "Then please allow me to escort you back out to the main floor."

Kairi got up, pushed her chair in, and followed him back out into the cathedral proper.

Forfend was right on her heels and edging ever closer as they were engulfed by the crowd once again.

Kairi pressed her hands to her head and tucked herself tight against its bulk.

"I would like to make a stop," Forfend requested.

"As long as I don't have to try to think in here anymore, that's fine with me," Kairi agreed.

"Thank you," it responded earnestly and scanned the expansive hall.

Forfend quickly spotted what it was looking for: a statue of solid iron gleaming in the multicolored light.

It appraised the visage of Fornax with a critical eye as it drew closer.

All things considered, the artists had very nearly captured his exact likeness.

The muscle definition was overzealous, but otherwise the proportions were stunningly on par. Though Forfend was most impressed by how well Fornax's forever stern, stoic expression had been mimicked. It could've been staring into the face of the god himself and it would not have known the difference.

Obsidian lined the seams were the plates of iron met and a fire burned in the statue's center, billowing smoke and flame from the forge in Fornax's abdomen. A clever facsimile.

The statue held aloft a forge hammer as though about to bring it crashing down on the anvil in front of him.

Forfend nodded in approval. Fornax was always working. It was only right he be depicted as such.

Forfend strode past the statue into the worship zone.

There were a handful of people praying at the feet of the statue, but most were worshipping in what Forfend considered to be the most effective way: working.

This alcove did not have chairs or pews. Instead, it was one huge workstation. A series of forges and equipment lined the wall. There was a backroom tucked off to the side where metal was stored until ready for use by the congregation.

Most of the people here were forging or planning or refining one project or another. The heat in the air and the smell of hot metal lifted Forfend's spirits to the ceiling and beyond. It wished Fletch could see this.

Forfend watched the congregation going about their craft. Some were clearly new and trying out simple projects to learn. Some had come for inspiration, bringing their home projects in with them. Others were clearly skilled and focused heavily on what they were doing.

One of the latter seemed to be particularly zeroed in on his task. His hammer tinged rhythmically away at the metal in front of him.

Forfend tilted its head as it got caught up watching him.

He was an incredibly broad-shouldered dwarf. Thick ropes of muscle coiled tight in his arms and cascaded down his back. His long, beautifully braided beard matched his long, beautifully braided hair and both were as white as the fires at the heart of his forge.

Forfend watched him bring his hammer down over and over and over again, striking red-hot metal into careful form. The instrument he wielded was elegant, but powerful. Every facet of the hammer was designed to add to both its beauty and functionality.

Forfend realized the tool was the dwarf's holy symbol before it realized he was wearing vestments. Another cleric of Fornax, just like itself.

Forfend's chest glowed bright.

The dwarf cleric returned the hammer to his belt and lifted the scorching metal with his bare hands. Despite this, he suffered no burns as he quenched the blade.

He placed it gently down by a set of completed swords that all looked to be perfectly uniform. It recognized the hilts as the very same ones the temple guards had been carrying on their belts.

Protecting the temple with his craft. A valiant cause.

The dwarf dusted his hands off on his work apron and grabbed the fresh sword. He pressed it to the grindstone and began honing the edge.

Forfend started to approach him when it noticed the eyes on it.

Several of the worshippers had stopped to stare.

Forfend waved at them.

"Hi," one of them blurted. He lifted his hand in a weak wave.

"Hello," Forfend greeted in turn.

"What, uh, what are you... doing here?" the stranger stuttered.

"Well," Forfend hummed, "worshipping was the plan. Perhaps forging something."

"Oh," the man bobbed his head in an over-enthusiastic nod. "Cool. Cool, cool, cool, cool. Um, metal's back there if you need to use some. And, uh, donations are appreciated too if you can supply them. We have an offering plate there."

He pointed to an anvil cracked nearly in half by overuse. It had been reworked slightly and repurposed to function as a bowl. Coins filled it.

Forfend nodded and dropped ten gold pieces into the offering plate.

To its surprise, Kairi followed suit.

Forfend looked down at her. "Kairi, you purchased a longsword recently, did you not?"

"A rapier, but yes." Kairi touched the hilt of the slender weapon.

"Would you like it improved?"

Kairi blinked in surprise. "Oh, yes, please. Thank you." She drew the blade and offered it up.

Forfend took it gently and found an unoccupied work station.

The moment it touched the furnace, the obsidian linings in the statue of Fornax lit up brilliant orange. The light traced down through obsidian lines in the floor until it disappeared beneath the workstation.

Suddenly, the forge burst to life.

Fire crackled as Forfend marveled at the magical ingenuity. The orange light receded, but the flames remained.

Forfend hummed, refocusing on the job at hand. It spun the rapier in its grasp.

Gilthur had done an excellent job, but there were still places to improve. The base could be reinforced and the edge sharpened. The piercing tip could be more severely tapered.

A sensation Forfend recognized from working in Gilthur's forge overtook it.

It was lifted from its body, away from its awareness of its surroundings, and entrenched in the work it now knew precisely how to do.

Smoke wafted from its back and sparks spurted into the air. They drifted harmlessly around the alcove.

Forfend's hands moved faster than it could keep up with, flowing from one task to the next without pause.

It didn't need to watch to know what it was doing. It didn't need to try. Everything fell seamlessly into place.

In what could've been seconds or hours, the work was nearly done.

Forfend's hammer struck the heated metal, throwing more sparks into the air. These joined the ones drifting from its back and swirled across the workstations.

One last strike sent white light surging across the blade.

Forfend traced its fingers across the hilt, leaving subtle geometric etchings in its wake. Every one was a prayer to Fornax.

It sank back into its awareness with much more grace than the last time. Steam rushed as it inspected its work.

Divine magic glimmered in the grooves of the hilt and along the newly sharpened tip.

This was now a holy weapon capable of wielding radiance as a blade against evil.

Forfend gently tapped it and the light faded out for the moment.

Forfend turned slowly and placed the rapier back in Kairi's hands.

The statue of Fornax, an inert representation, seemed to watch Forfend from the corner of its eye. A sheen passed across the visage's pupil and disappeared.

Fornax had seen, had blessed.

Forfend's chest lit up.

It only then noticed the crowd.

Everyone in the forge had stopped. Most of them knelt in prayer. Even the hustle and bustle outside the alcove had halted to view the spectacle Forfend had inadvertently created.

Around it, the floating sparks slowly swirled and burnt out one by one.

With the last spark, the dumbstruck atmosphere finally began to ebb.

The cleric of Fornax approached reverently. "Is this an omen?"

Forfend hummed. "I am not sure," it answered honestly. "I do not decide when I am an omen."

The cleric nodded thoughtfully. "Well, you are certainly a sign we're doing something right."

The sentiment was extremely similar to the one Gilthur had expressed.

"Bramdren Steelpast," the cleric introduced himself.

"Forfend," it returned the gesture.

Bramdren bowed.

Forfend took a half-step back, startled. "That is not necessary."

"I'm glad to make your acquaintance, Forfend."

Forfend offered its hand to shake instead.

Bramdren accepted, shaking once firmly.

"It is nice to meet you," Forfend rumbled.

"Likewise," Bramdren replied.

He was stoic, but there was an underlying discomfort in his features. He was nervous about how to handle this situation. Forfend wasn't sure how to put his mind at ease.

"What brings you here, Forfend?" he asked.

Forfend loosened its posture, the weight of the world dragging its shoulders down a bit. "Less pleasant business than I would like."

Bramdren spread his arms, offering space to explain.

Steam hissed in Forfend's chest. "Strictly speaking, I am here because a friend of mine was wrongly accused of a crime. But in my travels, Fornax has alerted me to many happenings in the world I had been unaware of. He has let me know that it is time to get back to work."

"Hm, I see." Bramdren stroked his beard. "Well, you have certainly inspired all of us. If there's anything you need, let us know."

Forfend nodded. "I will. In the meantime, may I see that hammer you were using?"

"Please." He tugged it from his belt so quickly it got snagged. He shifted, tugged again, and passed the hammer up.

Forfend turned the instrument over in its hands. It was small in Forfend's oversized grip, but it looked even more gorgeously crafted up close.

The primary shape of the hammer mirrored the symbol of Fornax carved into Forfend's face almost exactly. The intricacies in the etchings added to the effect.

Forfend gently handed the tool back to its owner. "It is a beautiful piece," it complimented sincerely.

"Thank you. I forged it myself in a moment of inspiration. Fitting that another one would seek it out." Bramdren bowed again. "I thank you for gracing us with your presence."

"Please." Forfend's chest bloomed red. "I am just a standard blacksmith."

Bramdren chuckled and tugged at his beard. "Then the rest of us have much catching up to do."

The majority of the praying crowd suddenly perked up and scrambled back to their workstations, returning to their forging with renewed vigor.

Forfend watched them for a moment. It figured they'd been struck by inspiration the same way Gilthur had. They would create freely and easily for hours if they so wished.

Forfend basked in the glow of fervent smiths and the heat of the forges. Relaxing warmth spread from its center to the tips of its extremities.

Unfortunately, it had other things that needed tending to. It couldn't stay to enjoy this forever.

"As much as I would like to spend the rest of the day here, we should reconvene with Melzaryn and Kagoshi," Forfend hummed.

Kairi nodded. "It would be nice to be somewhere a little less crowded.

Forfend knelt in front of Bramdren. "Thank you for allowing me to smith in your church. I hope to return soon."

Bramdren bowed. "I look forward to it."

Forfend bundled Kairi in close to its side and escorted her out of the cathedral.

The plaza outside was still busy, but less tightly packed. It was much easier to freely move.

Kairi didn't seem any less pained though.

Forfend started to usher her towards the library when it spotted Melzaryn wading through the crowd towards them. It did not see Kagoshi with him.

Melzaryn walked straight up to the pair and stopped, rocking on his heels. He looked uncharacteristically frazzled. "As you may be able to assume, there were... complications," he sighed wearily.

"Where is Kagoshi?" Forfend asked, deep concern dropping its core too low in its chest.

"My best guess? Where we started our day." Melzaryn shrugged.

"The jail?!" Forfend balked. "What did he do?"

Kairi pressed her hand to her face and shook her head. "What did he do this time?"

"Admittedly, it was a bit of both of our faults," Melzaryn mumbled. "But, he was, mm... not himself for a moment."

"Oh," Forfend hummed low in its chest.

"Also, I had to burn a book and I'm very upset about that." He crossed his arms and chewed at the inside of his lip, a scowl looking very out of place on his usually taciturn smirking face.

Forfend tilted its head back and forth a bit. "Well, fair enough. What happened?"

"That alter ego thing he's got? It tried to learn."

Forfend cocked its head, confusion swarming its senses.

"Luckily, no one died," Melzaryn added.

"I feel that is the bare minimum," it fussed. "I feel that should be a given in most situations. Especially library trips!"

"The real lucky part was that the book let me burn it."

"I am confused again," Forfend stated.

"You know how you're alive?" Melzaryn gestured to its entire stony form, "And you're rocks?"

"Yes?"

"That can kind of happen to other things."

"Ah," Forfend nodded, understanding at least somewhat. "I see. What do you think we should do?"

"I'm not sure there's anything we can do about it," Melzaryn admitted.

"Do we not need to go to the prison and talk to someone about it or something?" Forfend wondered aloud.

"Oh, that's most certainly step one." Melzaryn laughed derisively. "I just don't think they'll help us."

"We have to try."

"Then off we go," Kairi piped up and tugged on both their arms.

"Hold on, I do have one thing I need to do first," Melzaryn interjected.

He turned to face the magic shop Forfend had first noticed on their way to the jail.

Moli's Marvelous Mementos.

[demigodforfend]

Forfend's Mannerisms

Steam: a sigh. Could be anything from a short huff to a long, drawn out exhalation.

Humming: thinking. The sound is distinctly inhuman and fairly metallic. Sounds deeper when Forfend is upset about the problem it's pondering.

Orange glowing chest: a smile. Cannot be faked. Forfend is either genuinely happy or not glowing.

Red-orange glowing chest: a blush, embarrassment

Rocks grinding: a chuckle.

Rocks cracking/splitting: grinding teeth, irritation

Rockfall: panic. Doesn't necessarily happen any time Forfend is scared. Only if it's suddenly startled or highly anxious.

Metal on whetstone: anger. Sharp irritation or severe disapproval.

Whistling: pleasantly surprised/impressed. Sounds like a kettle whistling. This is a learned behavior rather than an innate one. Forfend has full control over this noise and, in fact, learned it from Fletch who also whistles when impressed.