The walk back was nice, at least. It’s the little things, he told himself. Like having a nice relaxing walk after being attacked by… whatever that was. And who was the other guy next to that lady?

There was some consolation, Dylk could tell, in the fact that he couldn’t understand what actually happened. It’s things like that that keep you going. Sometimes, Duge had once told him, living a happy life means not being entirely conscious of the world around you. It was with this in mind that Dylk reflected on his journey thus far and concluded that reflection was a terrible idea. More so than usual.

One thing was stuck between his ears, though: Bauwls said Moosa… and lightning struck through the roof.

Lightning.

What a meager little halfling was to make of that, he had no clue. Maybe there’s something to the whole Moosa deal after all, he thought. There was only one way to find out for sure.

“Hey, Bauwls?” He looked around for the first time in what must have been a long time, because he was in the council chambers. The room froze with the interruption, allowing him some time to take in what a colossal red flag that was.

“Something to say, halfling?” the councilman asked. The group turned to him.

“No, sorry, keep going.”

“Thank you sincerely for letting us go on. Yes, just another seven godsteel pieces and your payment will be due. Now, to the second order of business. These missing guards you speak of.”

“More missing guards?”

“Dwarf, would you keep your friend from choking on his own tongue? He’s lucky he brought us the godsteel today or I would have him expelled from the chamber. Now. The missing guards. Tell us all you know, Private Geraldine.”

“Yes, sir,” Scrum said, taking a step forward. “My friends were sent on a mission to-”

“A mission to eliminate a werebear near the city. I remember it. Pray tell, what is the problem, private?”

“They haven’t returned, sir.” He hung his head low.

“This patrol,” a councilwoman said, “was sent out weeks ago now. Our defenses are weak enough as it is! And preparations for an invasion are slim at-”

“Please, Lady Beauregard,” the councilman said. “Not now. These guards, were they reliable men?” Invasion? Dylk thought. How long was I out?

“Very!” Scrum said, puffing out his chest.

“Hm… very well. Dwarf and company, you will find these guards at threat of expulsion from the great city of Rattwater. Failing this,”, he said, sighing, “the werebear’s head will do. Our patience grows thin. Go.” A pair of guards escorted them out into the darkness, rougher than usual, Dylk might have added. Expulsion.

The sun was rising over the forest. Dylk felt all the weariness in his body coagulate and solidify in his eyes at the sight of it. He nearly face-planted into a tree bed before being caught by Ballin.

“Dylk? You ok?”

“Just dandy.”

“Dylk.”

“Mhm?”

“No, you’re not.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, lizard boy.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Bauwls asked, peering down at him.

“Tired,” Dylk said.

“Looks like it,” Ballin said. “Get onto Voolio. Come on, Dylk, work with me here.” Dylk’s limp but conscious body flopped under Ballin’s attempts to move it.

“I got it,” Gnom said, lifting and throwing him onto Voolio’s shoulder. Dylk didn’t have the facilities to appreciate the maneuver but it was impressive for a gnome of his stature. Either way, Dylk was safe and sound on Voolio’s stiff, uncomfortably muscular shoulder. The others gathered around him, climbing up Voolio or peering up at him, depending on height.

“Sleep it off, buddy,” Ballin said through Dylk’s closing eyes. “Sleep it off.”

The sun was high in the sky when he awoke. It was less than ideal. The side of his face and body exposed to it burned lightly, almost pleasantly. Almost.

“He’s awake!” It was Gnom, sitting on Voolio’s other shoulder. He spoke in a sing-song voice, as a mother would to her young child. “How’re ya feelin’?”

“Alright, thanks. A little sunburnt. I haven’t gotten used to the sun here yet.” Voolio’s steps stopped him from sitting up. “Sunburnt. That’s the right way to say it, right?”

“I don’t get sunburnt,” Voolio said.

“That’s nice, Voolio.” He thumbed for the pebble in his pocket. There were three instead of one. “Where are we going again?”

“Somewhere in the forest,” Gnom said. “Salman knows the way.”

“Why are we going- nevermind, I don’t wanna know.” Dylk looked to the trees above them, watching the sunlight flicker through the leaves. It reminded him of home.

A few of the others were talking ahead of them but he couldn’t hear what about.

“Gnom, what’s with Bauwls and Balder?”

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, dude.”

“I mean, what are they talking about?”

“Oh, something about a… stick? That Balder found? Why don’t you ask him? Hey, Balder!” Balder took notice and waited for Voolio to catch up.

“Hi!” He had a glowing stick in his hands.

“Hi,” Dylk said. “What’s that?”

“A stick.”

“Yeah, but why is it glowing?”

“Magic!” He smiled.

“Magic?”

“Magic! See? It’s purple!” Sure enough, it glittered purple, more than anything Dylk had ever seen.

“Why’s it glowing so much?”

“It’s really magic!” \

“Are you sure you should be holding it?”

“Nope!” Dylk could see a faint engraving along its length, hidden underneath the glittering.

“What’s it say?”

“Are one.”

“Are what?”

“Are one. Look!” It said are one.

“What does are one mean?” Balder shrugged.

Wait.

Dylk remembered something that wasn’t meant to be forgotten. He pulled from his pocket a dagger. It glowed, same as the stick. And it, too, was engraved. Along its blade was written-

“Stay right there, travelers!” Dylk felt Voolio stop. He looked ahead to see a group of five raggedy looking men standing around the splinters of what had once been a cart.

“Just in time!” another one said. “Hand over everything you got or you’ll all end up like him!” He pointed to the rubble. Dylk could just make out the severed end of a pinky finger near the front of the cart. The horses were missing. Salman stepped forward.

“We can resolve this without violence. Let us pass and we will spare you.”

“Spare us?” One of the men, dressed more completely than the rest, looked around and laughed. The rest joined him. “Spare us? We got a funny guy here. Hey, funny guy, you ready to die?”

“Not yet.”

The men drew their swords and charged. A few steps and a halfling blink later, they were dead.