[This story was originally written in the forums, where the original copy can still be found.]

[Alright, this one's for my little sister (Articuno). It's a BD story that involved a hellovalot of Norse mythology.]

Articuno lay in bed, asleep, tossing and turning. She had been having nightmares of the world dying for the past three days. Unbeknownst to her, she was destined to save it. All of a sudden Odin, chief Norse god visited her in her dreams. "Articuno," he called.

"Who is there?" she asked.

"I am Odin. I need your help."

"Why would you need a mere human's help?" she aked

"The waters of Urdarbrunn, the Well of Fate, are losing their magic. Many eons ago, we thought that this might happen, so we asked the most powerful spell caster ever in being to make three magical crystals to revive the worlds magic. But that dirty scoundrel made them so that only he and his decendents could handle them. There is only one decendent in every three generations, and--"

"I am that descendent," she interrupted.

"Yes. The crystals are located in three temples on opposite ends of the Earth, and must be taken to their focal point on Olympus," he directed.

"Why aren't they already there?" she asked.

"If they were in one spot together for too long, the amount of energy would destroy the world."

"Oh."

"This will be a long and perilous quest. Will you embark upon it?" he asked

"Yes. I will." and with that, Odin vanished...

When she woke up, everyone was downstairs eating breakfast. "Mom! Dad! Bro'! You won't believe what happened!!!" she shouted. She explained it to them, but much to ger dismay, no one would believe her.

"Har-dee-har har, squirt. Quit yammering and eat yer breakfast," muttered Rook.

"But it's true!" she whined, "If no one believes me then fine! I'll go out on my own!"

"Aw no ya don't. You woulden't last ten minutes out there with your little cream puff there. No offense Diamond." the Hrimfaxi dewdrop shot him a look. Their parents backed him up.

C'mon odin, help me out! the thought. And with that, the magical spear, Gungnir, crashed through the roof and stuck into the ground by her side. Of course she probably jumped nine feet away when that happened.

"Okay. NOW you have my attention," said Rook in disbelief. "Where are those temples again? 'Cause you've got yourself a partner!" They gathered their weapons, Rook with his long sword, and Articuno with Gungnir. They grabbed some supplies and said their goodbyes. And as they left, their mother was in tears with their father comforting her. Roook whisled his familiar over and they embarked on their quest...

"So, in each of the ends of the earth?" Rook questioned. "Well, since there are only three temples and four corners to the world, I guess that means one won't be here in the North." He scratched the back of his neck. "I... I'd guess." A sudden realization came to the boy. "Wait, how are we suppose to get to the far corners of the world on foot?" His sister smiled.

"Simple," she answered, "by the power of Gungnir! Diamond," she called out to her Dew Drop, waving the mighty god spear, "be brought your celestial chariot! Carry us to ends of the earth!"

...

"Okay, you can barely wield that thing," Rook stated once his hand finished sliding down his face in embarrassment, "so what makes you think you could summon up some sort of power it shouldn't possess in the first place." Articuno winced a little. Diamond sat staring at its reflection in the shining spear head with its innocent eyes.

"Well, it was worth a try." Rook could still not believe that his sister was destined over him.

"Just where should be heading?" he asked, rubbing his temples. "It'll probably take us a while on foot. Last I heard, the world was rather large." His sister did not hear his words, however, as she, too, became mesmerized by the images in the spear's head. It was not her own reflection that she saw.

"The Isles," Articuno blankly spoke, in a voice that did not seem her own. "We head to the Isles." The images on the divine metal became more clear, showing a dense fog parting to ominous gates. "We head to Annwn, the land of Faeries." The spear began to pull itself from her grasp. Levitating, it aimed itself West.

"Well," Rook shrugged, "I guess its pretty hard to argue with that." Waving to his familiar, they changed their course, heading to the land of the Celts.

OOC[hopefully i'm not screwing it up'd!]

For the Mythologically Challenged (FMC) : Annwn is the Celtic Fairyland, located in Britian. Fairies live there. Not the "i'ma tiny little girl with pixie dust and butterfly wings", but the real kind of faeries. It prolly won't come up for a while, but Google it if you want to know more, as you should do with Norse stuff, I'd guess.

OOC[No, that's real good!]

BIC: "Uhhh... last I checked, Isles are amidst the ocean! How the heck are we supposed to get there???" grumbled Rook. Then there was an insane cackle which seemed to come from everywhere.

"I think I can help you there..." offered the voice. Then a green figure lept out of the nearby trees with what Rook recognized as a Tatzelwurm Guarian, a Kaimatchi Weasel, and a Miraj bunny. "Mystical adventure? Cool magicky spear? I don't know what you're up to, but count me in! There's bound to be something in it for me. I'll ferry you, for a price....

"So just how old are you, sweet cakes?" the disgusting fiend hissed with a wild lick of his dark tongue.

"By the gods, what is your problem?" Rook was practically tearing his hair out with anger. "First of all, ew!" After calming down his stomach, continued. "Second, what are you doing just walking through the woods, popping out at random people?"

"Yes," agreed the lunatic, "but I could- YAH!" The fuzzy orange companion of freak began to gnaw his leg.

"Git 'em! Git 'em good," the towering Claw Wurm ordered, smashing down his master with a three pointed paw. The horned bunny pushed both aside with a spiraled horn, swallowing the thing they chased whole in a seemingly impossible feat. Rook and Articuno were left stammering at the sight.

"I swear," the sickle armed weaseled huffed, "you'd think 'Snaff would learn not to mess around with Dopplegangers... after twenty times..." She lowered her head and shamefully added, "When drunk."

"I know," snarled the great wyrm. "That one was the hardest to catch yet." The lumbering serpent turned its gaze at the siblings. "Ah! Ah! People!" he screamed, "And they're as ugly as we've been told!"

"If not worse," added the Kamaitachi, shielding her eyes with her blades. FlopHop, meanwhile, bounced on over to the now terrified Articuno, smelling her petrified hand.

"If you so much as touch her," Rook threatened through clenched teeth, "so help me, I swear I'll-" His words faded as the bunny merely began to affectionately rub the girl with her nose. "... Oh."

"Curses, Flop," whined Schrecken, "we dun have time for this! There's still a few more left." He paused to rub his belly. "An' I'm full."

"'Tis worse than you think," direly warned Kaze Musha. "I forgot to lock the liquor cabinet."

"Dear Ghob, there's no time to waste!" With a flick of his tail, the Tatzelwurm dove into the earth, vanishing as quickly as it had come. Kaze Musha did not even attempt to fix the situation. The giant hybrid could reach the subterranean kingdom they knew as home much faster than she could, despite her speed over land.

Turning a twitching eye to the two humans, she snapped, "What are you lookin' at?"

"Um... nothing," Rook slowly responded. "We're just-"

"We're gonna save the world," his sister gleefully interjected, causing Rook to smack his own face at his sister's willingness to divulge facts.

"Save the world," the weasel laughed in its hyper voice. "That went out with the Age of Heroes. I'll stick to chasing down my master's horribly twisted abominable clones, thank you."

"Ooh, so that's what that was," Rook came into realization. "So that's why it was so messed up in the head."

"... Yeah," agreed Kaze, thankful that her lack of pupils did not reveal her eyes sliding to the side. "So you suckers are trying to get across the ocean, 'twould seem?"

"Yes," Articuno answered. "We need to get to the Isles."

"Well, I think I remember their being a port not too much further down this path." The weasel scratched her head with a wicked blade. "At least I think. Let me check." In a loud boom, only swirling dust was in place of where the Kamaitachi had been. Before it could even settle, the weasel had returned, skidding to a halt, dragging her blades in the ground. "Yeah, should be but a days travel, methinks. At least, for you poor hairlesses it will be. You Northerners are pretty handy at ship building. Someone should be able to get you there, 'specially with that thing at your side." The weasel pointed to Gungnir, which anyone could tell was authentic from its radiating presence. "I'm surprised you need a foreigner to tell you this stuff."

"I thought saving the world wasn't you business?" Rook smugly asked. The rodent shrugged.

"It's not," she slyly replied. "I leave that for suckers like you. C'mon, Floppy, time to go- wait a minute. You didn't eat that herd of cattle we passed up on the way here, did you?" The rabbit gave an innocent look of its large eyes while shaking its head but coughed up a bull's horn. "Oh, there is no way I'm going to lug around all that weight back to Ghob. You can just huff it there." With a quivering lip, the Al'Mi-raj buried her face in Articuno's leg, wiping way her tears. "What? Fine, I don't care. I have some Dopplegangers to cleave." A mighty gale tore across the landscape, leaving only the two humans and the bunny.

OOC[Kinda odd that you added my character. I was going to try to set a whole standard of "not throwing in yourself for no real reason" deal, but oh well.]

... man, this turned out longer than expected... so much for short posting.

Idiot Proofing: I'm making the assumption that none of these characters have met before. So, like, dun no one go and say, "Rook's good pal from the Search" or nothing.

OOC[I need the extra characters! A doof like me and his little sister won't last two seconds! Your character and your tatz (flier) would be very helpful. That's why I added you. Oh well...]

BIC: They decided to head in the way the weasel pointed. They passed fields of cattle bones, and at dusk they found an Inn and slept. The next day they would visit the docks and get a boat. Rook and Koumori slept with one eye open that night keeping an eye on the man-eating rabbit, Al'Mirage, who was snuggled in with Articuno and Diamond.

OOC[If anyone's wondering why my sister isn't posting, it's because ]

1. she's not making any plot developments

2. she tried to post after a reserve, and I deleted it on her account (on her compy, she was logged in and I grabbed the mouse) since then she hasn't wanted to post 'cause she's mad. I'll try to get her to, tho'. After all, it is her character...

Before sunset, the Band of Saviors set out to the docks. Many ships were stationed out there, a bound with cargo. The piers were packed with so many ships, it was hard to believe any would be able to set sail.

"Well, this sure should be easy," gleefully stated Articuno. Rook was less optimistic.

"I wouldn't count on that, 'Ticu," he grimly uttered. "Do you notice one thing these vessels lack?" Puzzled at first, his sister studied the boats another time. She noted the over bound cargo, the crowded decks, the eerie absence of a crew...

"Oh..."

The doors to local tavern were burst open as the young pair entered with their pets. The tables were as crowded as the docks. For being so busy, the pub was not lively at all. No songs were sung by the great warriors. All was bleak. Half tended mugs sat before them as they slouched over their stools, waiting. The entry of day's early light did not catch their attention, not even meriting a turn of the head from curiosity. They just sat, their half opened eyes gazing into nothing.

"We seek a ship," boldly declared Rook. This was enough to get a reaction, almost too much of a reaction. The patrons burst forth in unaimed laughter, busting their ale filled bellies.

"Foolish child, you know not what you ask," grumbled one huddled mass, barely above the boisterous chortle, stationed near the entrance, out of the lights reach. A dark cloak hung over his body, revealing nothing of the figure. "What you ask for is death. The seas are plague at this time, wee ones. Not the bravest warrior dares to venture in the waves at this time." His course voice broke to partake in his mug. Quenching his sore throat, he croaked on. "From out the depths has stirred an abomination, the most loathsome being of the sea-"

"Jormungand?" immediately reacted the girl, her eyes filled with fear.

"Er... no. Not the Midgard Serpent, 'tis-"

"Leviathan!" rationalized Rook, shuttering at the thought of facing such a monstrosity.

"No, 'tis-"

"Rahav?" Interrupted Articuno once more.

"'Tis none of them," the enraged figured spouted, slamming his bandaged hands onto the table, jostling his drink. "'Tis the wicked fiend known as... the Kraken!" Pausing for dramatic effect, Rook and his sibling only shrugged the great reveal, not finding it too spectacular after their initial guesses. "What? Nothing? C'mon! That's a pretty big and evil monster! ... bah! You children have no respect. Why, I pray he learns you- hey!" FlopHop, escaping the eyes of the two, had wandered over to mess of rags, sniffing the dark cloak. Found of it, the rabbit consumed the garment in one slurp. Pulled away, the man was revealed as none such. Wrapped in swaddled bandages and tattered cloth, a vile, green deformation stood before them on wooden stilts. A familiar, vile, green deformation.

"Gods strike it all to hell," cursed the loathsome creation, "what are you doin' 'ere, FlopHop?" He tossed a grime covered talon at Rook and Articuno. "And what be your business with these filthy, ugly humans?" He darted an eye from beneath the frayed brim of his hat. With a smile, he considered revising his statement.

"Hey, we know you," Articuno remembered. "You were ate by the bunny!" Rook strained to keep his hand from striking his sister.

"Oh, so that's how you met these two," the goblin smirked, petting the one of his three familiars. "Ran into each other on that wild Ceryneian Hind chase, didya? Heh. Good to know my little ploy is working. Those two never let me have any fun." Fun, of course, he defined as ale.

"Yippee! We now have aid in our quest to save the world!" Articuno was bouncing with joy. Having no idea what she was referring to, Bimblesnaff attempted to join her in the merriment, only to receive the stiff arm of Rook.

"We're going to Isles," Rook mentioned, releasing the freak from his lock. "Do you really want to go all the way over there?"

"If that's where she's goin', then yes," the goblin thought but did not speak. His words were actually, "Sure. 'Thas been a while since I got me some real Scotch whiskey."

"Hooray!" The girl returned to her rejoice. "Who else is with us?" The bar, having temporarily died down in its roaring guffaw, had resurrected the noise with their throats properly wetted. Annoyed, her brother signaled her to act. Pulling forth the giant spear of Odin, she drove it into the floor's center, promptly quieting the tavern as all knew to whom it belonged.

OOC[Yeah, that's one of the things there, Rook. Tatz, if you noticed, burrowed. He is scheduled for a re-make that will change him from winged to subterranean. I was suppose to mention this in my last post. Actually, he's been scheduled for this for some time now, I'm just really, really slow. I just thought it'd be better to treat him like he should be. I mean, it could happen over winter break! ... no it couldn't...]

And you really don't need more characters, per se, just to develop the two more. But, well, there he is anyways. Now, see, that's an entrance.

... I really have to stop making these posts so long...

FMC: Kraken, Norwegian squid/crab monster.

OOC[Well it has been described as Draconic...]

Like your sig.

BIC: After quieting everyone down, Rook demanded, "I need a ship. Now. If someone has one, name your price."

"We're going to sav--" Rook clasped his hand over her mouth. There was a long pause.

"WHO HAS A SHIP???" boomed Rook.

"B-but the Kraken!!" one of them stammered.

"Bah! The Kraken is childs play! Tell you what. One of you give me a ship, and I'll take out your sea 'monster'. And it Damn well be a seaworthy vessel!" ordered Rook. That got their attention. Almost all of them sttod up and offered them a vessel.

Then, they were on their way to fight the Kraken...

OOC[Why are we the only two posting?]

OOC[Cause it sucks.]

Now, I mention time to time that one of RE's original purposes was to encourage creative writing. I mean, that's all the RE League is. Encouraging it also means encouraging good creative writing.

Warning! Critique ahead! Okay, you start out pretty strong. Your first mistake was including Gobbo. I know it has been said, but under no circumstance should you ever introduce another member's character into the story. Don't pull an Ice, man. It just ain't cool.

Next thing on the list is your habit of writing things that should be inferred. You do not need to say "Then they went out to fight the Kraken." Rather, you shouldn't say that. It is not interesting. If you made something worth reading happen in there, then go ahead and include it. Otherwise, you can just as easily describe them after the event occurred, actually doing something worth reading, and the reader -- who we shall assume is not an idiot -- can just assume "Oh, look, they went out to fight the Kraken." I mean, if you mention that is their goal beforehand, that is really enough to tell the audience that is what they did.

Not a lot is even happening in your posts. You are getting a paragraph off and padding the rest with OOC. I guess short would be okay if you could actually put some action in there, but you don't. You sort of drag on the current scene or pull it some place that they already said they were going to go in a previous post. C'mon, man! Maybe no one is adding 'cause it ain't grabbin' their fancies! Put something to grab 'em in, make 'em think, make 'em want to post!

Maybe it is just 'cause you want other people posting or because you are making all sorts of explainations... try to keep big OOC stuff in the Topic Topic.... unlike I just did

And just because the Tatzelwurm is a dragon (hence that part of its name) does not mean that it has wings, too. There are many dragons that do not.

BIC: A swarm of sailors rallied by the band of three poured from outside the small, dank tavern into an equally dismal outside. Their cheers were hushed by the approaching storm roaring in the distance. Each strike of thunder chipped away at their spirits until they stared dead into the chaotic horizon.

It was an omen. The Kraken stirred.

The leader at the front of the ranks did not see this unfortunate display of courage at first. Rook looked back to each side at his fickle troops.

"Well," he commanded. "Who here is going to help me?" None replied. None even looked his way. In a tavern, many things seem like a good idea. Only outside do they show themselves for what they are.

"Suicide," answered one brave boater, albeit not brave enough to take on the unstoppable squid. "'Twould be suicide to fight that beast." The shameful lot filed back into the bar to drown away this new disappointment with the others they tried desperately to forget.

The goblin cast an especial cruel eye as they passed him by. "Perfect," it muttered. "We not only need a hero. We need someone who isn't afraid of death."

A chilling rattle filled the air, as cold as the winds that carried it. Their eyes went to the docks, focusing on the one manned ship there. It was a small vessel, but enough to carry them. As Rook took some steps closer, and what phantoms he believed tricks of the mist indeed revealed themselves a reality. A skull was set on the bough of the ship, and all other sorts of bones adorned the rest. A drab, gaunt man dressed in what Rook could only tell to be dogskin shroud waited, clasping a large, knotted oar. Empty eyes raised to them.

"This mister is scary," Ticu cried to her brother, wrinkling his vestment with her squeezing grasp. "Can't we just swim like I said?"

"Swim?" a very raspy chuckle lit up. "Child, you know not of Annwn. Even if you were strong enough to live the journey, you would have no way to enter their land." He went on to explain "The gateway to the Fairyland is on the Isles. Where it is... another realm entirely."

Rook sent a suspicious eye to the gently swaying boatman. "How do you know our destination?"

Again, he chuckled. "I know where every one goes," he man croaked, "eventually..."

The swordsman stood for a while, considering the ship. "You can really take us to Annwn?"

"Child, this vessel has been places you cannot even imagine."

"I guess we really do not have a choice," gave in Rook. He motioned for the rest to enter when stopped by the boatman's oar, raised to block the group. Before he could speak up on it, Rook saw the wrinkled, outstretched palm begging. Tired of waiting, Rook threw down a purse of coins he had carried. The ancient openned the pouch, quickly counted the party, and withdrew only a few coins, sending the rest back.

"Flat rate," said he, spiriting the few pieces he took away into his cloak. "I make no exceptions." The oar finally came down, replaced with a sweeping gesture for the band to enter.

The small craft rocked on the choppy waters. The entire crew looked awkward, familiars and all, wedged inside. The boatman stood at the front, lazily moving about his oar. The slow progress gave the rest much idle time, especially for a travel as long as the one to the Isles. Ticu played with her new, yellow friend, and Bimblesnaff just lashed out at whatever shapes made their way to the surface. Rook just thought.

"Hey," finally spoke up Rook. "I have a question for you." A grunt is all the boatman would give in response. "Why did they send you to help us? Couldn't they just do this all themselves, Charon?"

"So," chuckled once more the hellish boatman, "you are not as dumb as you look." Sliding his gaze back, he saw Rook lifting two stone bricks with an angry snake crushed in between. He promptly turned back, realizing that he spoke too soon.

"Mmmm, samachy," he could hear before a sound that was quite obviously the repeated entry of fangs into flesh.

"At any rate," Charon went on, "'they' have to keep their hands clean of this sort of thing."

"What kinds of things?" asked Ticu, taking up a sudden interest in her brother's conversation.

The ferryman waited a few, slow strokes to reply. "The affairs of mortals."

"Mortals? The Well of Fate?" Rook stated, astounded. "It is the Norn's well that keeps the great yew alive!" he exclaimed. "The entire universe rests on the terrible one's steed; if Yggdrasil were to die, what of the gods then?"

"The gods have lived for a long time, child," demeened Charon, never breaking stride during his argument. "Long before the limbs of the World Tree were fashioned. If it were to fall, they could adapt." He turned back to face his passengers with half of a dark, ominous look. "Could you?"

Rook sat quietly for another long moment, thinking about this answer. It took him quite some time to come up with more questions for the grim navigator.

"So why did they send you to help us?"

Again, he laughed his chilling laugh. "I was sent by no one," Charon cracked through his dying chuckles. "I am rather indifferent to your deaths; just the boat was sent to aid you. It will allow you to enter Annwn, and that is as far as I can take you."

"Couldn't they just fly us there on a pretty, fly-y chariot?" Ticu mentioned, dreamily looking at her little dew drop.

"The gods are busy, child," told the boatman, "more concerned with having the world run than saving it, but more importantly, the gods are selfish. Many a soul I have known in my long career, and I can tell you true. The most capable powerful, the most capable of people are the most likely to squander their talents. This is true of men; why should the gods be any different?"

"I'd say so," Ticu told. "All they gave us was a stinky ol' boaty guy." Charon let out a quiet growl and threw something quickly at the young girl.

"Ticu!" Rook screamed, stumbling to the aid of his sister. He looked for her but saw nothing. "What did you do to her?"

"Trying to get her to shut up," mumbled the ferryman.

"Rook," a voice cried, coming from a suddenly appearing Ticu, prying a strange article from her head. "What just happened? You had me scared. You... you... you acted like-"

"You weren't there," finished Charon, "because you were not, as far as anyone could tell. The cap of darkness," he stated, shrugging backwards in an attempt to indicate the small, crafted, fur helm, "on loan from the boss himself. Not even the gods can see its wearer."

"Nice," blurted a calming Rook, who went to resume his seat. "Do you have any other surprises for us?" Already anticipating the question, a small vial was held forth, adorned just as gruesomely as the vessel they sailed.

"Waters from the River Styx," Charon explained, "the river of hatred -- icy even to a shadow's touch."

"I'll take that!" spoke up the goblin who retreived the bottle before any others had a chance. "This will be great if we ever have to fight something really nasty," it went on, greedily licking its fangs with its tongue. Then, a seeming of shock took over the anticipant expression. "Hey, weren't we supposed to fight something out here?"

None of them saw yet, but the waters surrounding bubbled below. It was rising...

OOC[Yeah, that was real stupid of me. Thanks for the pointers, tho'!]

BIC: It was none other than.... a dolphin. Before anyone could even blink, it was yanked under by a monstrous tentacle. "Uhhh... got any more tricks up your sleeve, Charon?" stammered Rook.

"Well I do have this--" he started, but he was grabbed by yet another tentacle and was dragged off the ship. Rook ran like he never had before, and reached over the deck and managed to grab Charons hand. He whipped out his sword and left a great wound in the beast's appendage. It released it's prey and pulled back into the sea. "Thanks," said Charon, "Here, thake this," he said pulling out the hilt of a blade from behind him, followed by a wooden stump.

"That's-- that's--!" stuttered Rook, recognizing the blade immediately.

"Balmung. The mighty blade that Odin thrust into the Branstock tree. It's yours, if you can pull it out," finished Charon.

Rook grabbed the hilt and set the stump on the deck. He put his foot on the stump, and wrapped his hands around the hilt, and pulled with all his might. Slowly, the sword inched its way out of it's wooden prison. Then, finally, the magic blade slid out, and Rook held it high above his head. It glowed like a great beacon. But before Rook had a chance to Celebrate, The Kracken, in all of its terrible size, rose from the water. Rook and the others looked in awe. It's shere size took up almost their entire field of vision. "The Kracken!" the screamed. It reached one of its slimy thentacles towards Articuno. "Oh no you don't!" shouted Rook. He charged in and swung his sword. The Kracken pulled back its tentacle and sent Rook flying overboard. Articuno threw Gungnir at the monstrosity, while Bimblesnaff threw just about everything else, including some stale buiscuits from his pocket. By the time Rook got back on board, the monster had several wounds, including a hole through its forehead. The beast turned its gaze to him and reached out a tentacle, almost too fast for the eye to see. Rook jumped onto it and ran down it towards to the beast's head. He lept into the air and swung Balmung with all his might, splitting the giant mollusk in two. The Kracken's organs and bodily fluids oozed out. Articuno went pale and fell over onto the deck. Nothing stirred in the water. All that could be seen was a shadow sinking.

"Don't worry, I'ma comin'!" He dove into the water and swam down. A few moments later he re-emerged, gasping for breath, dragging an unconcious Rook. He lifted him onto the boat, and lucky for him, Rook hacked up some water and woke up.

"Uhg... What happened?" he asked.

"You slayed the Kracken with one swing! The shere might of the sword must have overwhelmed you, and you passed out."

"Well thet explains the water," he said coughing up some more water, along with a small fish, which was tossed overboard. "Thanks."

"Call it even."

"What about the magic items?"

"Just doin' what they told me."

Then, Ticu shot up screaming, "ROOK!!!" Rook and charon chuckled.

Finally, they arrived at Annwn. "Are you sure you're not coming with us? You've been a great help," begged Ticu.

"I'm sure. I'm not a good fighter." he replied.

"Got anything else for us?" asked Bimblesnaff.

"I've got supplies for you," there was a groan from the Ghobling. He then gave them some food, a compass, and some other necessary items for an explorer. They said their goodbyes, and Charon sailed off over the horizon...

"So... here we are... at the shores of Annwn," Rook obviously stated. Scratching his head, he put forth, "Shouldn't this trek have taken a little bit longer? I mean, it's some distance away, and Charon wasn't exactly paddling fast..."

"I'm still wondering how we got here," the goblin uttered. "I thought Annwn was some other world. We just... rowed into it?"

"Well, yeah," explained Articuno, "that's why Charon's boat was sent to us. It carried us through to the world... apparently." They wondered how the little girl knew such things. She held up Gungnir in explanation.

"Oh, right," her brother realized aloud, "spear divination and what for," while Bimblesnaff awarded the answer to being the metal's shiny nature, which, luckily to him, was not heard. "Wait, wasn't that thing stuck in the Kraken? How'd you get it back?"

"The same way Odin gets it back when deciding which side of the battle field shall emerge victorious," she smugly yet enigmatically responded.

"Ya made a couple of pansy elves retrieve it?" the Ghobling guessed, although known to be a false answer, he just hoped some elves were being mistreated. "Whilst on the subject of legendary armament, why did the Greek boatman have a blade of an Aesir?"

"And wasn't it broken by Odin?" added 'Ticu. "And then remade and renamed Gram? ... and only able to be pulled from the tree by a Volsung? ... of who's lineage has ended?"

"Oh, that's only what stupid people think," Rook dismissed, "or the very educated. The sword was broken by Odin a second time, you see. The anvil that Gram was tested against had its five pieces re-forged by the same dwarf who forged the blade, Regin. Then, the edge was re-tested only to fail and break into five pieces again, only to be re-forged and re-named. Of course, Odin isn't too much for naming things, so instead of a new name, he just used the old name." His sister and companion stared blankly at him. "Oh, and then a tree snagged Odin's cloak and he got mad at it..." He began to trail off.

"That... doesn't make any sense," declared the vile one. "Especially how an entire stump was kept well hidden within an old man's robes.

"Yeah, and neither did that last post."

"a-WWWwwwwhhhhaaaa?" his fellow "saviors" simultaneously spoke as they followed the guide of Rook's pointing hand to sea which led their eyes to a wooden pillar stick out from the waves. Queerly marked in winding strips, the column was topped with a large sign and a squawking chough: "Welcome to Annwn! Walk on in... apparently."

"Geeeeigh! Geeeeeigh!" the dismal bird crowed as it laid leavings on the already filth covered posting.

"Speaking of the confrontation with the great sea beast," continued Rook, "where was your help?" A violently shaking finger was thrust at Koumori, Diamond, and FlopHop.

"That coward hid from the fight," stated Bimblesnaff, although he had no grounds to speak with his less than active involvement of tossed pocket contents. He finished his sentence after recovering from the shock that his vestment in fact had pockets. "The wee ones stayed huddled in a corner on Charon's boat, wettin' the deck."

"... among other things," Rook added upon hearing some cursing coming from the now deeply fogged shore. "Er... we should be going," suggested Rook, "now."

The group hurried away from the shoreline deeper into Annwn, with Articuno in the lead and Rook and Bimblesnaff behind, their familiars keeping up with their fast pace.

After a while, Articuno exclaimed “Wow!”

“What is it?” asked Rook.

“Gungnir is pointing in the direction we are supposed to go!” Articuno responded, causing Rook to smack himself in the head.

“I thought you knew that! Why else would you be leading us?” Rook snapped.

“Uhhh…” Articuno stumbled while looking for an answer.

“Forget it! Let’s go.” Rook said.

After a while longer of traveling into Annwn, with the group following the direction of the spear, Bimblesnaff announced,

“I’m hungry.”

“How can you think about food in a place like this?” Rook responded.

“What’s wrong?” Articuno asked. “This place doesn’t seem dangerous. We can probably take a little break from traveling.”

“ ‘Doesn’t seem dangerous’?! Have you forgotten what Annwn is?!” Rook exclaimed at Articuno.

He would have said more, but right then a horrific howl shook the whole group to the bone.

“AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!” Articuno yelled as she bolted in one direction, with Diamond following fast behind.

“Articuno! Wait!” Rook yelled while trying to run after her with Koumori.

“Hey! What about food?” Bimblesnaff yelled, trying to follow the sources of the yells with FlopHop.

Before they knew it, the whole group had been separated. Rook realized the situation after a minute of chasing a phantom Articuno.

“Oh great.” he groaned. “What am I going to do now?”

OOC[If I’m going to be criticized for my post, for reference, I’m one of the MCs.]

The fog of the Otherworld was dense, making walking difficult enough let alone trying to find one another. Additionally, unfortunate for them, the howls did not cease. To each came a different variation of the looming sound.

Articuno, stopping in her flee, broke down in tears, heard what seemed like geese overhead. It was then the yelping, thundering and loud, overpowered her deep sobs. She could have sworn a pack of dogs were at her side their cries were so deafening. Quivering in terror, the sound grew fainter. She prayed whatever it was had chosen another direction to head, away from her. She thought she would be safe. When the sound had entirely left her ears, she pulled her face from out huddled knees where Diamond, too, hid her face, thinking herself safe, only to behold a grim figure, mounted on a snow white steed with skins of stag and other quarry draped across his figure. Two great branched horns adorned his shoulders. His other clothing, as well as his hair, eyes, and skin, were just as white. Surrounding her was a pack of beasts, the Hounds of the Hills, Cwn Annwn, with translucent bodies and bright, red tipped ears. The hunting pack snarled and reared their teeth, but no sound escaped from their maws.

Rook ran through the invisible landscape in a panic seeking his sister with Koumori in tail, calling out her name. His footing slipped several times as hills suddenly began and ended. Everything looked the same in the mist. He could not tell whether he was progressing or circling endlessly. Something finally changed in the landscape, two points of light. Rook imagined it must be the windows to some house. He stumbled along the ground to what he thought would be people to help him, but the "house" began to move towards him. The beaming fire was held within in the eyes of a great, black dog wrapped in chains, or possibly a bear. Its size made it hard to decide. With a black, soul shattering howl, the Barguest hastened in pursuit of its already fleeing prey.

Bimblesnaff plodded along the shrouded grounds with his bright bunny, looking with all his heart.

"Where are ya?" he asked largely to himself. "Where are ya, food? There has to be a tavern around here somewhere." He kicked himself for letting Rook carry all the supplies Charon so oddly bestowed upon them. It seems he was deemed "trustworthy" or "competent" enough to manage the supplies. Feh. Consumption was not all on his mind. "A good drink would hit the spot, too," he added to his fancy, "and maybe, while there, a nice, young wen-" A most horrendous bay shattered his present thought and any that would be formed. The same sound could be heard by both Rook and his sister, despite the great distance. Pulling himself back to his feet and making sure he was still dry, a second baying ripped across the land, just as before. The encompasses fog thinned a little, but enough for him to see what stood before him. A cottage, not meager or grand, with the lights within all shut off and post to which hung a chain. The chain wound along the ground before reaching the enormous collar of a giant, green beast. The monstrosity was covered in thick, unkempt, shaggy hair. Its monstrous feet, while huge, were barely visible from beneath the shag. Along its back and down its tail continued a thick braid of hair, the only part of it that looked tended. Glowing, orange eyes beamed from beneath the long hairs on its head while two dangly bobs sprouted from its top. Its massive jaw swung down, only able to be located when open, ready for a third cry, but a voice rang from inside the house.

"What's goin' on out dere?" it demanded. The door to the cottage swung open to reveal a man. Pale and tall as he was, he was still a man, although something seemed aloof to his appearance. "We dun need any o' ya third barkin' at dis hour. Ah ain't got time ta deal wit dat mess." Near his giant, green hound, the man spotted a hideous green creature. "Oy, pup. 'Tain't e'en a human. Ya made all dis ruckus for nu'in'. Wakin' me up and the what for." The Cu Sith, while it could probably have easily torn the man in half with ease, cowered its head down low at its master's feet while whining in a plea for forgiveness. Patting the hound's head in reconciliation, he scratched his head while studying the goblin. "Queer. Dun get much visitors he'e in Annwn. 'Specially ones like ya," he added. "Ya're a strange one now, ain't ya. Well, better get ya outta dis fog and what for." With a shrug, Bimblesnaff accepted the Faerie hospitality. It was no tavern, but, living or dead, a Celt would have good stock in food and drink. "Oh, hun, all dat barkin' wake ye up, ta?" said the Otherworldly host over the goblin to another. "Well, stranger, meet me wife." The Ghobling beheld a figure of beyond wordly beauty, which made sense, being in the Otherworld, gowned in glittering green. As she bowed for a curtsy, her long, sparkling hair slid over her slender shoulders into view, among other things.

"Daaaamn," Bimblesnaff spouted in bewilderment, "I wish I was a Faerie."

"What brings you to the land of Tylwyth Teg, damned soul?" The menacing glance of Gwyn ap Knudd bore down upon 'Ticu. She shivered under his sight.

"Hey, I'm not... darned," she responded with less harsh effect.

"While your innocence is amusing, child," the Lord of Annwn coldly stated, although cracking a grin, "no wayward soul has ever escaped my hunt." Casting out his hand in command, the entire pack of Cwn bound onto Articuno to drag her soul to Hell. In a high pitched squeal, she covered her head, only to find herself unaffected. The dogs passed through her body, leaving her physically and spiritually in tact. The Overlord of the Dead was puzzled by this outcome. "You... are not dead?"

"No!" she boldly defied the godly figure's words. "I'm on a mission to save the world!" The Hunter was alarmed at such a statement, as he was entrusted with preventing the world's end. "I have the spear an' everything, too!" Holding up Gungnir, the weight of the head proved too much and crashed into the earth, revealing itself in all its glory to Gwyn ap Knudd. He recognized the ashen spear as no other than Odin's mighty lance.

"What is this wonder doing in the possession of a... a mere mortal and child?" demanded the grim Lord. "And what is this talk of the world's end?"

"The stinky dog man brought us here," 'Ticu over-simply explained, "on his stinky boat."

"Ah, yes, Charon," Gwyn ap Knudd spoke, rubbing his chin in understanding, "ferryman of the dead and boatman to the River Styx. That is why your body is not fully in either the real world or Annwn. You are caught between the two worlds... apparently." Dismissing his hounds, he turned his steed about. "Well, young one, your story is too fantastic to be false. I assume there is something you seek of mine?"

"Yes, one of three magic crystal," answered the little girl. "I'm a descendent or something and need them."

"Of course," he accepted with a heavy sigh. "I had not expected this day to come so soon. It is kept safe in my palace, along side many other powerful, forbidden talismanic objects." Signaling the lass to mount his steed, she crashed through to the earth. "Oh... sorry. 'Twould seem you must walk to my palace. I shall accompany you on your trek to ensure no evil attempts you harm." Sending his dogs charging ahead, he trotted along Articuno on the way to his fortress.

OOC[FMC: That's the general three fairy dogs I threw in there just to get things crazy. Gwyn, also, oddly enough, does have a job as "Saving the world from destruction" which really was more coincidental than intentional. He really does it by having dominion over demons. Annwn actually has two rulers, Arawn and Gwyn. Gwyn came later and had that whole world saving thing, so I used him. Also, that man and his wife are Faeries. That's what they look like. Just tall, fair people. Oh, and the 3rd cry of the Cu (or Ce) Sith kills you. Always good to note. Also, probably none of the words are actually pronounced as they look. Good ol' Celtic.]

Rook was drawn into the mires from his pursuit by the relentless black dog. He collapsed into the water, unable to flee anymore. His rising eyes, dripping clear of mud, beheld two more problems for the hero.

"Ah! The nine-eyed leech, Wizard Shackle! Oh no! Devil water-horse, Kelpie." He then took a moment to think. "Wait, there are no Shackles or Kelpies in Annwn. Why, you must be in the real world and unable to even touch me." Rook, rather impressed with his feat of logic, just stood there, smiling smugly, but the two monsters just looked at one another and successively bit onto each of Rook's arms. "Ow! My dexterity!"

Flailing about madly in the bog, the Barguest now loomed behind Rook, eyes aflame. "Well, if these two can hurt me, surely it cannot." Surely enough, the black dog launched a chain at Rook, wrapping and strangling his neck. "Ow! Why? Why doesn't this make any sense?" he managed to call out before his breaths were snuffed away, bleeding in a manner too profuse not to be comical.

"Ahem!" Koumari cleared its throat, standing idle on the sidelines.

"Oh, right, you," Rook somehow managed to speak with all three beasts attempting to kill him. "Have at it." The Tatzelwurm, pleased that it was actually remembered for once, clawed its way forward. The skies of Annwn were covered in a sudden darkness. Thick, black clouds shrouded the swamp. The only sound was the roar of echoing thunders above; the only sight the glowing, red eyes of the wyrm advancing on the attacking monsters.

"Did you have to use so much fire?" a slightly charred Rook asked after the bloody ordeal.

"Have to? No," his pet answered. "Wanted to?... yes."

"Speaking of not having a segue, where could Ticu be?"

"Don't forget about Bimblesnaff, too," added the familiar.

"I wish I could forget about Bimblesnaff," quickly retorted his keeper. "I have the feeling he is going to kill us and drink our blood if he ever goes dry. Let us hope he was able to find spirit of the lesser variety here in Fairyland."

"No he's not."

"Not what?"

"He's not in Annwn."

"Who's not what?" growled Koumori. Rook then realized it was not his pet that had originally commented; they were not alone.

"Who said that?"

"I did, down here." They looked and looked, but could not find any speaker. "No, right here." The futile search continued for quite a time until it came to light that they had in fact found the speaker, just had not realized it was the one speaking.

Or that it could speak at all.

"You're a friggin' log!" roared Koumori.

"An enchanted log," it corrected.

"But you're still a log," pointed out Rook, continuing after a short, awkward pause. "Why are you a log?"

"Your friend the goblin came by," it began. "My faerie family had me all ready to be swapped with a human baby for their very own, but then Bimblesnaff -- that nice guy -- said that he would go to replace the stolen child instead! Now I don't have to wither away and die, and can live my life to its fullest!"

"... as a log," Rook added. "You're a log."

"For the last time, yes," the changeling log riled up. Rook then pondered the situation for a moment.

"Why would Gobbo do something like that?"

"Awake, son," soothingly sang mother, entering the small nursery area. "It is time for-- aaaaahh!" She looked to the crib not to find her infant child, but instead a green monster, crammed obviously too tight for his size, bent at every possible joint to fit in, with a small blanket stretched over his stomach. The goblin just stared back, with narrow eyes and a cool emotion.

"Wah wah, mama."

FMC: Fairyfolk would often exchange their own hideous, sickly children for healthy human ones. Childless feys would use a magic log instead, which would pine away and die in one year. Now, nothing ever said that these logs were intelligent, but I thought it was funny.

There are several ways a mother could test whether her child had been replaced with a changeling or not, most of which were very cruel

The enchanted log gave a rather summarized version of what happened with Bimblesnaff, including how he filled himself up with food and drink to his heart’s content at the faerie family’s cottage, and then took the log’s place as repayment for all the kindness.

“Queer fellow, though.” the changeling log rattled on, “Wonder if he knows what he is getting himself into with the switch.”

“Bimblesnaff aside…” Rook began, getting impatient at his account, “…have you seen my sister?”

“Your…sister?” the log thought. “No, I don’t recall…”

“I don’t have time to waste anymore! Come on, Koumori!” Rook said as they left the log to its thoughts.

It wasn’t long before they came upon the cottage that the enchanted log’s faerie family was in, though they didn’t know it. Rook entered, hoping to find more information about the whereabouts of Articuno.

As Articuno walked with Gwyn ap Knudd beside her towards the palace, she began wondering about how her two former companions were faring. She decided to ask Gwyn to see if he knew anything about them.

“Um, have you seen my companions by any chance, mister?” Articuno asked.

“Your companions?” Gwyn replied. “No, you have been the only one I have come across so far. Are your companions with you on your quest?”

“Yeah.” Articuno said. “I’m starting to get worried since we all got accidentally split up…”

Meanwhile, the Ghobing, having terrorized the family out of the house he had been placed in, proceeded to eat all of the food and drink all the drink in the place.

"Now, where was I meant to be going again?" He could vaguely remember something about crystals, and someplace called 'Anoon' or something like that.

"Into Annwn to find those Crystal thingys! Can't you remember anything?" Said a thoughroughly disgruntled FlopHop, who had spent the entire night crushed up next to her master in the crib.

As he pondered this, one of his "father"'s friends walked into the room.

"WHA..." Said the man, who immediately began edging towards the door.

"Where might I find a place called 'anoon'?" The goblin asked nonchalently

"WHAT? Ye seek ANNWN?" replied the celt, flabbergasted

"Yeah. Where is it?" inquired Bimmblesnaff.

"Noone knows for sure... You might try going into those woods..." Replied the celt as he disappeared into the distance, trying to get away from this obviously insane (not to mention green) foreigner and his yellow rabbit.

And thus, the goblin and his Miraj walked off into the woods......

OOC[Okay, did I kill it? I'm Mythologically challenged too, at least on the subject of Celts...]

OOC[What's this? A Zedd add? ... Celebration! Yay! Hooray! ... um... stuff!]

BIC:

"So, these fellow 'companions' of yours," Gwyn pressed on the little girl, "what did they look like?"

"Look like?" she repeated. "Well, Rook, is my brother. He looks like a boy," she vaguely described, "with a scaly kitty. The other one is pointy and green and stinky." Gwyn ap Knudd kept his eyes focused ahead. "W-why?" Not answering the question, the Overlord galloped ahead, his pack leading the way. 'Ticu saw something in the distance which the hounds swarmed over. She dashed in pursuit, curious to the dogs' quarry.

"What by home?" questioned the Master of Annwn, pulling his beasts away from what they had chased. "Is this a ... stick?"

"I'm no stick," it fiercely protested. "I happen to be a log, thank you very much."

"Oo, a talking log," cheerfully exclaimed Articuno. "Hooray!"

"So, this be one of your companions?" the lord of the Otherworld assumed, holding the log up for closer inspection.

"No, m'lord, I have not met this human today," it humbly spoke to his king. "The one I encountered was much more rude."

"Rook?" the girl gasped, knowing it had to be her brother. "Did he look like a boy?"

"Er... yes?" Filled with glee, she pleasantly danced about, knowing that her brother could no be far away.

Meanwhile, very far away, Rook and Koumori wandered aimlessly, receiving no helpful advice from the faerie couple, as well as no hospitality since it was all "spent" by their prior visitor and new baby.

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" questioned the Tatzelwurm for at least a third time.

"Of course! I know exactly where we are going," the lad poorly lied, walking through the thick mist with his hands out to stop him from running into anything, which did not save him from tripping.

"Gods strike it all!" a familiar voice cursed from the obstacle of his defooting.

"Bimblesnaff?" he shouted in disbelief. "What are you doing out here? Weren't you taking a log's place or something?"

"Oh, Rook, 'tis ya. Yeah, I was," he explained, but then abruptly stopped. "Is yer... sister wit' ya?" A harsh stare urged him to continue with the tale at hand. "I was, but changlin's are very well prepared for in these parts. I tried goin' into a forest to find a gate to Annwn, but it turns out this guy I got the info from sendin' me into a trap. All the villagers had there... ahem "preparations" made for makin' my true parents to take me back." Rook, now suspiciously eyeing the lunatic, made a humorous observation.

"What's that on you," he questioned, "is that-?"

"Yes," bluntly agreed the goblin. "Yes, it is that. Can we drop it already."

"Do I smell salted shovel beatings and poo?" asked Koumori.

"So then," Rook continued in between fits of laughter, "the fey parents saved you from the treatment?"

"Oh, my no, they couldn't care less," the fiend corrected. "They just eventually got tired and left."

"Then... how did you get here?" Unsure one how exactly to answer the question, a sudden and convenient parting of the fog revealed them to be standing near the shore line. Visible from their position was a sign out in the water reading, "Welcome to Annwn! Walk on in... apparently," on which perched a small wyrm with chewed feathers protruding from its mouth. Full from its recent meal, the creature could only manage a growl that sounded like the cross of a yawn and roar.

"Geeer! Geeeeeer!"

"Stupid bird," grumbled Rook tossing a small stone at the rather stupid post. "I wonder where Ticu is?"

"Me too! OUCH!" agreed the poo-beaten ghobling.

"Hey! I've got an idea!for once... We could use our familiars to sniff her out! I hope... Let's give it a shot Koumori! ...and Floppy."

"Flophop," corrected Bimblesnaff. In any case, it worked. Due to Bimblesnaff's horrid stench, anything else could be picked out. They soon found themselves in the dense fog again. Rook and the ghobling each clung to their familiars, so as to not get lost again. Everything seemed the same, until they reached the talking log again.

"Oh it's... the log," Rook struggled to find what to call it by.

"I have a name, you know. It's George."

"That's not a very fitting name in this place," stated Rook.

"Well Bimblesnaff's not very fitting in this place, either!" the log protested.

"Right," agreed Rook. "Well, anyways, I'm looking for my little sister. Have you seen her?"

"Yes,--"

"Which way did she go, George?" interrupted Bimblesnaff.

"Keep yer trap shut and I'll tell you! She went North, to the Palace," it answered.

"Which way's that?"

"Your left"

"Thanks" and with that, they were off.

Meanwhile, Articuno had arrived at the palace.

"Articuno! It is time to give you the crystal." said Gwyn.

"Really? Great!" then' Gwyn opened the door to his mystic treasury. She started to dash in for the Crystal, but Gwyn stoped her.

"As keeper of the crystal, it is my duty to make sure that you are worthy of saving the world,"

"I am! I am!" she whined.

"Then prove it. Defeat me!" with that, he drew a spear from behind his back and lunged at her...

Ticu let out a piercing cry as the lord bore down upon her. The hero froze, failing to do anything other than raise her hands in defense and close her eyes. His swift lance could be heard cutting the air, and then, the distinct clank of metal on stone.

And nothing happened. She mustered enough courage to pry open one eye, and still, she saw nothing.

"Am I..." wondered Ticu, "dead?" The girl was answered by the only sign amid the dark; two, glowing eyes brimming with a cool, starlit aura permeated the shadows and approached. A braver warrior would have cringed from such an omen approaching in the dark, but she knew it to be nothing more than her familiar.

"I applaud you, child," Gwyn praised. "Quite some power lies in that small puffball of yours." The eyes turned face to the voice, directing Ticu to where her opponent stood. "But now, we are both blinded. Neither of us is at any more a disadvantage; I'll still win."

Diamond waddled back, signaling the hunter's approach. Ticu slowly side-stepped out of his path, careful to make no sound. She could hear the frantic thrusts of Knudd's spear, she could see from her familiar where he stood, she still could not strike him to any effect.

"Unless..." wondered the girl. She attempted to hold forward the weapon that had been largely ornamental to her; Gungnir glistened in the black, night air. She took it up over her shoulder and pulled down on the shaft, hurtling it forward with no aim other than that Fate decided for it. The hunter screams were followed soon by the ringing of the spear against the floor.

"Clever again," commented Gwyn, "but now I am afraid I cannot go so easy on you." A whistle came from the unseen figure, summoning a pack of shimmering images throughout the darkened room. Then, a strange, eerie light came from ap Knudd's spear, held high in the center of the room.

Ticu ran straight for her spear lying next to the hunter. One of the hellhounds rushed in her way, snarling at the girl as she passed straight through it. Steps from Gungnir, the young girl was caught, falling just short of reaching the handle. She looked back, seeing only the grim glow given off by Gwyn ap Knudd's spear spiked through her loose, nondescript garment.

"But how did you-"

"Not so much fun when a magic spear is used, is it?" posed Gwyn, secretly holding his stab wound. Before ap Knudd could finish her, the palace door burst open. The silhouettes shone in against the outside light: a sniveling, pointy humanoid; a small, round, horned beast; a lumbering, snarling wurm; and the last was most familiar to Ticu, and someone she had longed to see again.

"Log!" she gleefully exclaimed.

"Hey!" protested her brother.

"I have a name, y'know," interrupted George.

"Why is that thing with us again?" asked Koumori.

"This isn't the orphanage," whined Bimblesnaff, removing his baby bib with a baby depicted on it.

"Heeeeelp!" shrieked Ticu, who was about to beat a very young end due to her fellows' distractions. Diamond came to her keeper's aid, launching an non-lethal but disrupting lozenge of freezing dew onto the hunter. The girl tore her vestment free from the spear's point and reunited with her brother and companions.

"What's going on here?" said a bewildered Rook.

"A battle," announced the Lord of the Otherworld, "to the death!... or for the crystal... probably for the crystal and not that whole 'death' thing."

"You were fighting a little, defenseless girl?" questioned Bimblesnaff. "You're my new hero! Sorry, Log, but you had a short reign over that spot."

"Awww," George complained.

"If you want a fight," told Rook as he approached Gwyn ap Knudd, unsheathing his blade, "right here."

"Watch out for his spear!" Ticu shouted. "Don't worry about the doggies."

"Really? How come?" he returned, distracted just long enough to be tackled quite tangibly by several of the hounds. "Ouch! My stability!" cried he as he fell.

"Um... never mind."

“Gah!” Rook cried out as he tried to swing his blade at the hounds and roll away. Koumori attempted to help by swatting them away, but too many kept on pouncing onto Rook. Bimblesnaff, Flophop, and George were soon in a similar predicament themselves, leaving Articuno and her familiar alone to face off against the hunter.

Articuno attempted to approach Gungnir again, but stopped when she saw Gwyn ap Knudd eyeing her every move, spear at the ready. Out of the corner of her eye, Articuno also saw Diamond moving away and behind the hunter, out of his sight. She decided to take the chance and cautiously approach.

“No more tricks?” Gwyn asked. “Then, prepare to meet your end!”

With that, the Lord of the Otherworld charged straight at Articuno.

“Now, Diamond!!!” she cried as she dove to her left.

Her familiar responded immediately, showering the hunter with the icy dew and throwing him off again. Articuno quickly regained her posture and ran to Gungnir, finally taking it up in her hands again.

“It looks like you do have a worthy partner.” Gwyn commented after the blow. “But now, both of you will go down!”

"Dammit! I'm sick of all these friggin monsters attacking me! Most of 'em shouldn't even be able to touch me! Ow, my logic! Koumori! Them things are spirits! You can't hurt 'em like that! Get Balmung!" he ordered Rook" Koumori lept over the pile of monsters and hraped the great sword in his claw and gave a mighty swing, sending the hellhounds flying. "Thanks," said Rook taking Balmung. He rushed over and swung at Knudd, but missed. Instead, he hit Knudd's spear, sending it flying into the air, and sticking into the ground. Knudd ran to grab it, but as he leaned forward to grasp it, Rook's boot met him in the chin. He was knocked onto the ground, but before he could get up, Rook had his sword to his neck.

"You have passed. You may claim the crystal as yours. I admit defeat. You win," with that, said, he called off his Cwn Annwn, and Bimblesnaff, Flophop and George, who were about to get the holy hell kicked out of them, got up. Well, except George, since he was a log. "Now, let's proceed to the treasure room!" said Knudd getting up from off the ground.

"TREASURE!?!?!?!?!?" screamed the ghobling, and they headded off...

As the Ghobling bounced to and fro the towers of glittering bounty, ahead of the rest, a cold, white hand of Gwyn ap Knudd detoured his approach each time, leading the group and log deeper into the heart of the treasury.

"Be wary, friends," ominously spoke Gwyn, "and the like," he added, looking over to Bimblesnaff. "You mustn't touch this fey gold else be damned. You may only claim the prize you have earned."

"That's not a legend," Rook whispered to the Ruler of the Otherworld, "is it?" The great, white figure only hushed the boy quickly.

"Earned? Please, brothah," an annoyed goblin mocked. "Ya might as well handed ovah yer stash from the staht, seein' how we gave ya such a defeatin'."

"I was nooot deeefeeeeeeeeeeated," angrily protested the Hunter of the Dead. Comically angrily. "I was merely testing you to see if you were worthy of the task at hand. A true defeat would be impossible." His finger quivered in the fiend's direction.

"Please, brothah," the green skin repeated. "If ya dinna want to die from creation's end, ya'd hand ovah that crystal thin' no mattah what."

"... You did not even fight me," revealed the Lord upon the fact's sudden realization. "How can thou even speak of waged combat against me? Perhaps I should test thy metal against mine own?"

"I withdraw my comment," meekly squealed the goblin as he scampered off with his tail between his legs. Literally. The great hall was lined with wonders never seen by the travellers. Great woven patterns forming endless continuity, three faced figures, crosses beyond number, and women holding th- Well, now, that's just not right. At the core of these splendors, away from all else, laid an old, tattered, dull chest without lock. What little metal still remained of it was badly rusted.

"Is... is it in there?" Ticu questioned from behind her brother's leg, afraid of the rotten looking box.

"Why, of course," the Overlord stated. "The greatest of treasures had to be well hidden over these years. Past all of the others, open to the taking by thieves, I chose to hide the crystals so that it would not be disturbed." Eyeing the aged container irkishly, Rook propped open its top with the toe of his boot. The lid swung around not on its hinges, for they had broken from rusting, crashing to the ground with a dusty clatter. Expecting something more extravagant, the lad peered over into the vessel to only scarcely dodge a rising pillar of light. A most brilliant gem rode in this gleaming shaft, but the beam soon vanished into the faceted surface only to be ejected at the little girl.

"What sorcery is this? You didn't say this would happen!" challenged Rook to the Dead's King as he helpless watched his sister be pierced by the light, growing brighter and brighter.

"How am I to know?" the King coldly admitted. "The world hasn't exactly ended before. It could be empowering her, it could be teaching her, it could be learning her, it could be killing her. Annwn, it could be trying to hide itself in her posterior for all I know."

"As much as I would enjoy discussin' the current topic," interrupted Bimblesnaff, "I think the'e mebbe a slight... problem."

"Bogg," Rook mumbled through his hand, smacked straight to his face, "did you touch something?"

"All I did was look at my reflection," the kobold defended himself, "in a... um, spilling... caldron."

"Did you... say... caldron?" The towering god-like figure grew weak at his knees. "Not the caldron of life?"

"I dunno," pondered the goblin. "Is that the one that makes-"

"ZOMBIES!" screamed George, who had been abnormally silent recently.

"Yep, that's the one," obviously told the green skin. "What were all those dead people doin' by a zombie pot, anywise?"

"We're in the land of the bleedin' dead!" screamed Gwyn ap Knudd. "C'mon!"

OOC[Shifting dialect is the fun!]

"Well, yeah... but," Bimblesnaff attempted to rationalize, "just because it is the land of the dead doesn't mean that it has to be the land of dead bodies, does it?"

".... Yes," furiously stated Gwyn, "yes it does."

"Well, we should be fine," hoped 'Ticu, now huddling behind her brother. "I mean, they will pass right through us -- most of us, anyway -- right?"

"You from the other side, aye," confirmed the hunter, "so long as they do not acquire the magick I had cast." Of course, no sooner than he had finished these words did one of the reanimated grasp ahold of his spear's tip, filling its eyes with the same mysterious glow. Soon, all of the corpses shone the same.

"Meh, all the same to me," Rook said nonchalantly. "No matter, for you see...

"You zombie-folk are really keen

"So adieu as we don Kunee

"And we are now quite invisible."

But of course, they were not. In the slightest.

"Congratulations," ap Knudd flatly spoke. "Now, no one from that real world can see you."

"Oh, right," mumbled Rook. "Well, at least I should be able to grab one of these useful artifacts to aid us in this battle." The boy lunged at a nearby heap and phased straight through it. "C'mon!"

Sufficiently frustrated, he then spun up to his feet and drew his trusty blade Balmung. Rook pushed his sister back from the danger. "Don't worry, 'Ticu. We'll keep ya safe." He rushed forward with Koumori, each cleaving several zombies to shreds in a single swipe.

The goblin joined the fray quickly, angered at how bad the zombies were making him look, which was ironically as bad as he actually was. After ripping through one of the fiends, he pivoted enough to see something behind him.

"And where do you think you are going?" toyed the Ghobling.

"Aw, please not again!" whined Flop-Hop.

"Hmm... I'll take that into consideration," lied Bogg as he lifted up the small, yellow rabbit and hurled it, spiraling through a row of zombies.

Balmung sped up from the ground and up through the torso and neck of another corpse, clearing the skull right from the body. He brandished the legendary blade proudly in the air.

"Ha-ha! No one can stop the great sword Balmung!" he bragged. Just then, a certain cycloptic zombie rose up and struck the weapon, shattering the tip off of the blade. Rook stood, maintaining the same stance but nervously shifting his gaze from side to side. "Um, no one can stop the short sword Balmung?"

"Hey, where did the tip of it go?" asked his familiar between crushing the chests of a few living dead. They did not have to search long to find the fragment. And George.

"Ow! The irony!"

"Wait, I kinda like this," informed the log. It spun itself into a frenzy, damaging many zombie shins with the metal bit that now protruded from its bark.

With her brother preoccupied, no attention was paid to the girl or her young familiar. She had been slinking about the hoard, well beneath its height to remain from view. Although she had Gungnir at her side, she was far too small to wield it properly. Diamond was not too much more useful in a fight compared to Koumori and the others. So 'Ticu sat and waited for the clash to end.

While waiting, something from the king's treasure caught the girl's attention. It was a beautifully woven, gilded robe draped over some sort of furniture piece. She became transfixed by the garment, and the more she stared, the more it seemed to change. Slowly, a black, swirling pattern rose from the bottom and glided up the smooth surface. It twirled about, leaving small, golden points shining in the dark.

As the undead war raged on, something rose above the mounds of treasure. Garbed in a billowing robe as starry as the night sky, Articuno levitated, the mighty spear swinging in her grasp at her side. She hastened over to her brother, piercing a poised zombie and flinging it around into another group. Before they fell to the ground, her spear struck again, impaling and crumbling each of their ribs in a single thrust. She landed softly and approached the old chest, never bothering to answer the many questioning gazes.

"We are leaving now," the girl told Gwyn ap Knudd as she retrieved her crystal which still hovered over the open chest.

"Leaving? But what of the zombies?"

"I'm sure you have a can of Zombie Spray lying someplace in this mess."

"Oh, is that what that yummy stuff was?" remembered the goblin, luckily too quietly for the hunter to overhear.

"And the robe? You are simply going to take it from my hoard?" posed Knudd. "The challenge was for the crystal -- nothing else."

"You ripped my old one. I am entitled to it," she responded, uncharacteristically assertive. The king acquiesced. She turned and began to leave with her allies, who were now mostly finished with the zombies in their way.

"Wow, the first crystal," praised Rook. "Do you wanna give that crystal Koumori for safe keeping?"

"I've got it handled," 'Ticu informed. She lifted up her Dew Drop and set the crystal in its head... er, body. The gem slowly sunk down and was soon visible enough from within her pet to give homage to the pet's name.

"So... where to now?" asked Rook, but 'Ticu already had Gungnir divining the direction. It simply pointed to the door. So 'Ticu walked. "Where are we going, sis?"

"Wherever the spear tells us," she simply answered.

"Great. Absolutely wonderful..." grumbled Rook leaving the home of Gwnn ap Knudd. " Let's see... my oh so mighty holy sword broke, That green... thing unleashed a horde of zombies--"

"Hey! I take offense at that! I prefer the term 'freak'! And it's not my fault for trippin' over tha' damn pot! Besides, who leaves bodies lying around, anyways?"

"Anyways... to top all that off, the little puffy dewdrop is carrying the dang crystal! I feel so secure..." continued Rook as they ventured on, still bickering. Soon, they found themselves back at George's home in the bog.

"This is my stop!" said George, so they put him down, but not before Rook yanked Balmung's shard out of him. "Ow!"

"I might be needin' this... maybe we can find a magic forge or somethin somewhere...

"I hear there is a guy named Regin that can reforge it," told the goblin, oddly contributing to the group.

"Yeah, the dwarven blacksmith," recalled 'Ticu. "He was the only one who could fix it the first time Balmung broke... isn't he dead?" Rook stood and stared out blankly.

"... Dang," moaned Rook in despair. "Wait, we're in the land of the dead! That means we can find him!"

"No... no," the goblin spoke. "Dwarves are Asutru. That means he's in Nifleheim."

"... Dang."

"So, um, don't you wanna know where we are going?" 'Ticu spoke up, holding Gungnir at its destination.

"What the- Are you still here?" Rook exclaimed.

"Well, we might wanna know whe'e we a'e goin'," the goblin pointed out. "I mean, it is somethin' we need to know to save the world."

"Oh, right," accepted Rook. "Well, sis, where are we going to?" His sister pouted.

"I don't remember now," she squeaked. "You were mean to me."

"Yer spear is goin' east," pointed out Bimblesnaff. "So, dun that mean we go east?"

"Yeah, but 'east' isn't too descriptive," the swordman mentioned. "Do you know how many cultures are in the east?" The others shrugged. "No, I'm asking you. Do you know how many their are? That crystal could be anywhere!"

"Well, I know o' a few," the fiend proclaimed as he removed his hat, pulling out a stringed instrument. "And some tunes to go along with 'em."

"What are you, a bard now?" Rook asked. "And didn't you just say that you didn't know how many there wer-" A strum interrupted the lad's speech as a hideous song began.

Many lands, there are to search.

I wouldn't mind if we had some ki-

"Bimblesnaff," Rook cut in. "Is there a point to this?"

"... No, not really," the kobold admitted. "I just had the guitar is all..."

"So, then, where are we going?" He only shrugged and pointed to 'Ticu.

They continued towards the shores of Annwn, talking of things to be done, places to go, whatever.

"Hey, couldn't I get Balmung fixed by Waylon, Saxon god of blacksmithing? I mean, he made the thing, so he must be able to fix it! But then again, my logic has been impaired ever since I stepped onto this stupid place, what with monsters that souldn't be able to aatac me attacking me..." pondered Rook.

"Proly not since you said it. Now it is eternally jinxed. Ha ha! You're sword is doomed!!" agreed 'Snaff. Eventually, they found themselfes at the shores of Annwn.

"Now what?" asked Rook.

"You're on a roll today! What with all these questions!" Bimblesnaff once again pointed out...

"It's just," began Rook, "that it seems like I have the worst luck." The swordsman looked down at his recently shortened sword. "I wonder why that is." A small stone past his vision caught the boy's eye. He picked it up, testing its weight with a few bouncing tosses. He then launched it out past the shoreline, skipping the disc-like rock twice before it spun furiously back at the group. Rook just managed to duck it in time. "Y'see?"

"Ouch!"

"Who said that?" questioned Rook. He thought that all of the party was in the clear, and indeed they were. "Who... who are you?" he asked, for the first time noticing a rather plain looking person.

"Me?" the non-descript being asked back, rubbing his averagely bleeding head. "Why, I am your luck." Rook examined this man some more.

"Huh, nothing looks that bad about you," posed Rook.

"Are you kidding?" scoffed his Luck. "I'm dead! I'm in frickin' Cwn Annwn!"

"Don't you mean Annwn?" corrected the goblin.

"No... no, I do not." Just then, a rather bulbous Cwn Annwn phased in. Its entire stomach was stretched around Luck.

"Hello," it greeted in a baritone voice and waved a paw before vanishing from site once more.

"How... disturbing," murmured Rook. "So, I guess you are the cause of all my bad luck. I know what this means."

"Yes," agreed Luck. "To will find the palace of th-"

"It means that I shall have to kill you!" screamed Rook.

"Yes... wait, no!" The swordsman brought his blade up and charged at his Luck, swinging wildly but of course falling short of his target. "Hey, what are you doing?" the shocked being exclaimed, unable to move very far from the blows as it was limited by its phantasmal captor.

"Stupid Luck! Why don't the things I hate ever die?" In a frustrated attempt, he withdrew the splintered portion of the edge and hurled it into the Luck's face. The attack caught the being by surprise -- and caught its eye. With its head tilted back, Rook's target came into plain view. He whirled about with a vorpal strike.

The party stared blankly at Rook, wrenching the fragment of Balmung from a loosed head.

"What the blutty 'el is wrong with ya?" finally spoke up Bimblesnaff.

"Huh?" a startled Rook spurted out. "Don't you get it? That guy was my luck -- my bad luck. Now that it's gone, I won't have bad luck anymore!"

"Don't you get it?" 'Ticu pointed out. "Now that you don't have bad luck, you will have no luck."

"... whoops." The boy thought for a moment. "Well, what's the worst that could happen that wouldn't happen to me before?"

"Agh," grunted the goblin. "This guy is just askin' fer it!"

Suddenly, the coastal waters began to boil. A writhing mess of tentacles rose up and fell onto the shore.

"The Kraken?" Koumori growled. "I knew it would take more than one good hit to stop that thing!"

"But I cut the Kraken in half!" sputtered Rook. "How can something I broke into parts with Balmung just suddenly become whole again without any explanation?" He then thought about his words. "Awwww." Rook returned his head from a shameful hang and continued:

"Well, it matters not. This next battle against the Kraken shall prove to be one of the longest and most trying well, that was over fast," he said.

"Yeah, how about that," spake the Ghobling. "And lookit, we're back on the mainland."

"Meh, works for me," the swordsman admitted with a shrug. "Now we can get to wherever we need to be goin', so hows about it, sis?" Articuno was already divining the direction with Gungnir, but remained silent. "Sis?" he repeated. "C'mon! Why do you keep ignoring us whenever we ask for directions."

"Well, you see," meekly mumbled 'Ticu. "I... don't know where the crystal is," she quietly and hastily said.

"How can that be?" roared Rook. "You have Gungnir! Doesn't it tell you where the next crystal is."

"Kinda..." she explained. "It can point to where we need to go, and it can show me an image of where the crystal is, but it cannot tell me where."

"What do you see, 'Ticu?" asked Diamond.

"A squiggly thing," the girl simply stated, "next to a not-so-squiggly thing."

"Wait, then how did you know that the last image was of Annwn?" Bimblesnaff wondered. The girl's eyes drifted upward as she reminisced of her favorite picture book, Things of Morbid Death and Other Hellish Portals.

"Tee-hee!" she giggled with joy. "Whirlwind of lust on the Second Layer of Hell."

"Our parents are great," added Rook, proudly displaying a dopey smile. When he snapped back into reality, he confronted 'Ticu yet again. "So, we just have to follow wherever the spear points us and walk?" His sister simply shrugged. "Aww, no good can come out of this," he complained.

And they trekked toward the East, blindly following the relics instruction. It was not too long into their journey that Rook characteristically tripped, seemingly over smooth ground.

"Uh," he grunted, rolling himself over on the ground, "it is nice to see that I still have no... luck?" He looked down past his feet to see something sticking upward from the trail. The others thought it nothing more than some sort of rock, but he easily recognized it as a hilt.

He immediately took to freeing it from the ground as the others walked on, not noticing his absence at first. As soon as enough was bear to get his hands around, Rook ripped the blade from the earth. Somehow, he was disappointed.

"Awww, a sword?" he complained. "I thought it was going to be candy?"

"Why would it be-" began the dumbfounded goblin, but he digressed. "Why are you complaining?" he screamed. "It is a new sword!"

"Yeah, but I already have the Volsung blade," he responded.

"You mean Balmung," said the surprisingly knowledgeable Bogg, "the blade that could only be freed by and wielded by the Volsungs... the race that died out with Sigurd... thus why he was called 'Last of the Volsungs.'"

"That's the one," the boy answered. "Why? It's better than this one. What can this dirty ol' sword do? I mean, some loser named... At-il-la," Rook slowly mouthed, interpreting the engraved glyphs, "didn't want it. Plus it has this loser picture of a sheep on it."

"You mean... that ram?"

"It's a sheep with horns!" snapped Rook. "I'm sooo-o-o-o scared!" The other two gave up and continued to follow the mystically floating spear. The swordsman, out of habit, sheathed his new find and ran to catch up with them.

OOC[FMC: Mars's/Attila's Sword: No one can look the wielder in the eye without flinching. Also, Wayland/Waylon is not really a Norse god. He is one of the rare Norse evolutions. It is really... a dwarf.... yeah. He sorta got his sinews cut, killed some princes, ravished a princess, had an ugly baby, and was never seen again.]

"Gods" did not really exist in Norse myth. They just had two races: Vanir and Æsir who had common access to Idunna's golden apples of youth. Since the Volsunga Saga is one of the oldest Norse stories around, Norse definition dwarf over the English god. This is a hard one, tho'; every on-line source I saw always called him an Anglo-Saxon god, too, even if also a dwarf. G'd ol' Internet! Leave it to them to mess with the one mythology that only has one written source!

And so the group marched onwards to the East. Days went by, and it was a good thing the group had a lot of supplies to keep them going. However, everyone was inconvenienced by the lack of regulation of the area.

“I still prefer Balmung over this,” Rook muttered after beheading with his new blade the 34th ruffian who had dared to threaten the group.

The others in the group decided to keep silent on the issue, and they all pressed on.

During the journey, Rook began getting the feeling that his sister was changing in some way. She didn’t act like the little girl she was as much. In fact, once when Rook was on guard duty for the group during a night he noticed that Articuno hadn’t been sleeping as much, but instead was staring at Gungnir along with Diamond more and more. Rook decided to dismiss the issue as Articuno maturing due to her quest.

After at least a couple weeks of walking to the East, the group came upon a forest.

“Are we actually going into that?” Rook asked, a bit unnerved by the dark outlook of the forest.

“That is the direction Gungnir is pointing to,” Articuno replied. “That means we must go through it.”

“What are you worrying about?” the Ghobling asked Rook. “It’s basically just a place full with big tall trees that simply block out sunlight.”

The group then ventured into the forest. After a couple of hours, they emerged out of the other end.

“See? Nothing big,” Bimblesnaff commented.

“For you two,” Rook retorted, “You didn’t get branches swinging in your face.”

“ ’Tis your fault for wanting to stay at the back,” Bimblesnaff replied.

Rook groaned at his lack of luck while rubbing his sore face.

Again the group walked to the East, following the direction of Gungnir. Thankfully, it was only a couple days after getting through the forest that Articuno spotted something in the horizon.

“Hey, everybody!” she yelled out. “It looks like we’ve finally reached a village!”

"Okay, gang," declared the goblin, "ya know the drill."

"... no," corrected Rook, whiningly studying his two blades, "we don't. This is the first time we've all wondered into a village together."

"Oh, right."

"And what exactly is so important about a village, anywise?" Ticu questioned. "'Tis not like someone here will know what the line an' squiggly are, and, even if they did, we certainly cannot just ask every single person here for that information," she reasoned amazingly. "I mean, that'd just be very inconvenient to the residents here. I'm sure they are plenty busy toiling and suffering," she more expectedly tagged on.

"Shaddap!" silenced Bimblesnaff. Recomposing himself, he continued... with... the sentence ... he did not start yet, "The drill is that ya guys do whatevah the hell ya want while I risk life an' limb to seek clues to world-peril saving tips in that seedy looking building," the green one explained, pointing over to an establishment which had many men constantly entering and leaving it tired. "And ya all bettah stay away from it," he menacingly added.

"Like you have enough coin for that," muttered Rook, sheathing his two blades. "How about we just quickly pick up some supplies and be on our way? We're trying to save the world, here, so we don't exactly want to go looking for any-"

"Trouble!" shrieked his sister, pointing ahead.

A green figure ran up the hill. "'Snaff???? But.... Ow! My logic!" said a thourogly confused Rook.

"I'm right here!" said Bimblesnaff, standing right behind him.

"DAMN CLONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed a Kamaitchi, followed by a Tatz', who srieked:

"Git 'im!!!!" After a moment, Rook recognized them as KazeMusha and Schreken. KazeMusha darted up and slashed the copy, and he dissapeared in a puff of smoke.

"There's another one!!!!!!!!" shouted the sickle weasel.

"No! It's me!!!!" scremed the goblin. KazeMusha clipped him in the side, sending his sickly blood splattering on the ground.

"Whoops..." groaned KazeMusha.

"DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Bimblesnaff, who proceeded to beat the holy heck outta the weasel.

"Go 'Snaff, go!" shouted a voice from Ticu's pack.

"AWHAAAA?????" screamed Rook, again, startled by the talking pack. Then, a log popped out, with a deep scar from a blade. "George...? What are you..... Wha????????"

"I decided to come with you after all! You see, as soon as you left, I remembered how dull t was in the swamp! And I kinda became the territory marker for a certain Cwn Annwn... Well, I rolled after you, and found myself rolling too fast to stop, right into the water where I bumped into this giant squid monster--"

"--The Kracken?" asked Rook.

"That's the one. Well, I bumped into it and it threw me into the air, and I hit Ticu in the head. I've been in her pack ever since. She talks to me alot, though, so I don't get bored."

"Why haven't I known about this?" asked Rook.

"I didn't think it was important," explained Ticu.

"So this is why you haven't been talking, or running about? Of course this is important! We have to celebrate!" declared Rook.

"To the seedy joint!!!" said 'Snaff, finished dealing out beatings. He started to run, but Rook grabbed him.

"We haven't eaten anything real good lately, let's get a bite to eat at that McDonalds!" and they walked in the direction of a farm-themed restauraunt.

"To the comic relief!!!" they cheered, holding up thier glasses.

"Wait, didn't we have some actually important matter to attend to?" 'Ticu said.

"I doubt so," told the recently rejoined log.

"No, she's right for once," quibbed her brother. "Aren't we supposed to be saving the world or something?"

"That's what you guys are doing?" exclaimed the goblin after taking a swallow of the brew he was careful not to waste. "Aw man, that thing is so screwed."

"You mean the world?"

"Precisely."

"Are you visions getting any clearer yet, sis?" the swordsman asked, dismissing the non-sensical inhuman.

"No... not yet. Squiggly is as clear as it is going to get," she despaired. "Maybe we should aks the locals for help!" Before she could be told not to bother anyone, she was already tugging on someone's... fur?

"'Scuse me, mista," she began in a sing-song way, only to be returned with a monstrous grunt.

"Holy-snap!" the Rook shouted. "This isn't a human village at all!" Suddenly, all of the monstrous patrons had their eyes (or an individual's one eye) turned to the out-of-place party. "How do you suppose we missed that?"

"Speak for yourself, pinky," sneered the Ghobling. "I mean, booo! Humans! Kill and burn them! How dare humans steal our jobs and misshapen but attractive women!"

"SHUT UP!!" roared Rook, clubbing the goblin in the head with the hilt of his blade, leaving him massaging his skull. He then took Gungnir from Ticu and charged in with Koumori, twirling it about. After a few moments, he shouted "Run! Before they wake! Grab George!"

"Why you...!" growled 'Snaff once they were at a safe distance. "You attacked me!!!"

"Do not cross me. We are a team now, I suppose. We have to watch each other's backs no matter what. If all you can think about is your personal needs, then you should leave," warned Rook, "Start being useful."

The Ghobling was about to angrily retort to Rook’s warning when he thought better of it and decided to take a snap at him later. Meanwhile, Articuno was pondering.

“What should we do now?” she asked. “We still need supplies, but…I don’t think we can just walk into that village again and ask for some.”

“Especially after that pre-emptive attack,” George added, “the residents will probably be none too happy about it.”

“What do you mean, pre-emptive?” Rook demanded.

“You attacked,” the log replied, “without even knowing if they had hostile intentions or not.”

“What should I have done, waited for them to attack us first?!” Rook retorted.

“…Never mind.” George replied, seeing that arguing wouldn’t be the best decision at the time.

The group thought for a while, and after 15 minutes Rook announced, “OK, I’ve got a plan! We’ll wait for nightfall, sneak back in and ‘buy’ what we need, and then get out of here.”

“And you know the inhabitants aren’t nocturnal?” Bimblesnaff asked.

Rook glared at Bimblesnaff, and then suddenly a crafty smile came on to his face.

“Of course, we could always use your Kamaitachi—“

“Hey, waitaminute!” the Ghobling reacted. “I’m not letting you use my familiar for your own good!”

“It’s for OUR good,” Rook corrected, “and if you’re so worried then how about you come along with the rest of us and stop being a hindrance?”

“You want me to go with you on such a dangerous trip?” the Ghobling asked. “No—“

“I wonder if the village also has any good liquor.” Rook mused.

That caught Bimblesnaff’s attention, just like he wanted. “Ooooo! Count me in!” he declared, licking his lips.

So the group agreed upon Rook’s simple plan, and waited. Night soon came, and the group made their way back into the village without being noticed. They searched around, and eventually found a shop of some sort. Strangely, it was unlocked but nobody was inside.

“Let’s see,” Rook said, “at least it seems like these ‘residents’ eat the same food as we do.”

“So, are we just going to take what we need and leave money on the table?” Articuno asked, pointing to a nearby table.

“…Do they even use money here?” Rook wondered, as he was not very keen on giving up money to non-humans. “Maybe—“

“Uh-oh! Trouble’s coming!” Koumori, who was keeping watch outside, announced to the group.

"Now there's something," Bimblesnaff spat out.

"What is?" queried a curious Rook, ignoring the pleas of his familiar.

"Well, it seems like we were just in this situation not some time ago," the Ghobling continued, "where 'Ticu said, 'Trouble!' an' a series o' events followed leading up to now."

"It's really important," the Tatzelwurm tried to warn without success, "and really big."

"Really?" Rook questioned. "I don't recall."

"Oh, quite yes," confirmed the greenskin. "'Twas just a while back. You remember that one post?"

"I know! What is with those!"

"Guys, seriously," interrupted the bestial serpent. "If it was just a mob of a hundred monsters, we'd be better off, sadly."

"Hey, now, hush," ordered the lunatic. "We grown ups art tryin' to talk 'ere. ... do ya hear heavy thuddin', like a giant monstrosity approaching us?"

"They really are dumb, aren't they?" 'Ticu rhetorically asked her Dew Drop.

"I see absolutely no way that they are gonna be getting out of this," Kaze Musha squeaked, peaking around the corner at the doom that came their way.

"Dibs on their livers," Schrecken claimed, licking his lips.

"Oh, seriously, now," Bogg dismissed. "Ya well know that mine vanished years ago." The pounding had reached its peak. From out the door of the raided building, they saw a shadowy mass. They tried to discern what the figure's identity was until they realized that it was only part of an entity, a very small part...

"I still can't believe we got out of that," boasted Rook, gleefully filling himself with foodstuff as he paced onwards.

"Please, that was five days ago," George the enchanted log reminded him. "Put it behind you already."

"But it was just so wow!" he exclaimed. "Who would have thought the mayor of the monster village would have come to offer his apologies for his citizens behavior when we were the jerks... with food!"

"We?" questioned the goblin. "I dun ever remember bein' a jerk ever in m' life." This statement came as he punted a nearby baby. "Damn Romans! Can't they find wolves anymore?"

"And what's more amazing is that the big guy was able to recognize that squiggle-line," Rook continued to rant on. "I mean, what were the odds, serious?"

"Well, it did come from his civilization," 'Ticu blatantly pointed out. "It would be like you identify the word 'dog' on a piece of paper."

"Silly girl," her brother said, patting her on the head, "dogs can't be on paper." As they marched onward more in a bit of silence, Rook decided to speak up once more. "So... where are we heading again? ... Geez, guys, did you all trip over rocks at the same time? There's another unbelievable event! Wow! What a whimsical journey this has been." Staring down to his arm, he saw a Wizard Shackle stuck to it. "Are you still there?"

"Yep."

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