The door slammed open, a light engulfed the room. Eyes watering, Parcival wiped them with his sleeve.

A painting on the wall swayed, fell and crashed down. A tall, slim youth, in a plain black robe held a long dragon claw staff with a dire ball of water in its center.

"You can't just barge in here!"

He went over and stood in the little snot's path. Or the idjit went on his path. At this moment-yes-the latter. There wasn't any help for it.

"Futile. You know that, don't you?"

Parcival shifted his stance.

"I have no time to explain, bring her to me. Now."

As he started to tramp over, the robed youth waved about his staff. He lifted Parcival into the air. Taken off guard, he flailed his arms and legs.

"Put me down!"

Behind, a chair groaned and scraped.

"I'm coming!"

Han leaped past his face straight at the youth, sinking his fangs in the little snot's leg.

"Get off of me, you cockroach!" The youths face twisted in pain.

He beamed Han on the head with his staff. The staff flashed. He fell off and became enveloped in a red glow, helpless.

He inched over. One day of peace, was that too much?

"Don't hurt him." It grated not being able to do anything.

"Do as I say; bring her here."

The youth jiggled the staff after Parcival streaked from ceiling to floor. As his stomach jumped, so did the bowl of stew. A gouge rose up.

"Go fetch her otherwise; this church will need a new ceiling, you a new head."

The youth tilted the staff once more.

Parcival fell six feet, bounced on the floor, spiraling right into the wall at the end of the hall.

"Ugh, oof!"

The youth stood silent.

The room spun. He cupped his hands on his head. "Ugg."

The youth pointed an index finger skyward. "Enough. Quickly now."

He stood steadying his wobbly legs before dashing to the room Merryn slept in.

At the doorway, he held his hand over the glass knob, his hand hovering above it. Opening the door, he inched over to her, jostling the bed at its end.

A shout from the main room:

"Quit stalling."

She rolled over, muttering.

He shook it again.

She sat straight up.

"No, no, no-these chickens aren't for eating. These are my guests," she said.

Her skin was flushed, with sweat dripping off her forehead. 

This wasn't good. Getting worse.

"What are you talking about?"

The ridiculousness of the conversation hit him. She must still be sleeping.

"Wake up!"

She plopped back down on the bed.

"Are you hungry?"

He patted her cheek hard.

"We need to find number four before the morning sun rises," she whispered.

That little punk would case trouble soon. She's going to kill me. He kissed her full on the lips.

She fell off the cot and crashed onto the floor.

"What have-"

"There's no time, Hans in danger, I need you alert." It was hard suppressing a smile, the way those ears bounced and other things with them. 

He bent over, pulling her up.

She glared at him while grinding her teeth.

Going to pay for that later. 

The youth blocked the bedroom doorway. His presence was commanding, this struck him as unusual for one of his age. Fight? 

Merryn's eyebrow cocked as she looked at the youth. The daggers were out of her sheaths a second later. She shifted. It was subtle; the youth didn't seem to notice it. 

Simultaneously, he eased a hand into a pouch on his hip. Now, the potion.

"Get out," Merryn said, in a level voice that had a growling articulated weight to it. Perchance, this was normal for her? 

Her hands gripped her daggers tightly, while she stepped closer to the youth.

"Feel like a kiss?" His eyes glinted at her.

"Kiss? You loony bramkle bush, I'll give you a kiss. A kiss right up your-"

Her movements a blur of blue and silver. She lashed out at him, her arm a streak swinging in an arc.

The youth waved his left hand over her head, muttering. "Soumnus."

She collapsed to the floor, face first, asleep.

He blinked. That ...

"Take off that spell, now!" The hells with it.

He yanked his sword out, charging.

The youth snorted. Waving his hand, Parcival smashed into the cot.

"Stay out of this it doesn't concern you."

The youth picked her up. Tossing the staff into the air, it floated nearby.

"Of course, it concerns me; she's my friend!"

Parcival ran after him, the wizard raced out of the church. He took two steps down the road, disappearing from sight.

"Arrg!" 

Why the hells' couldn't they have one peaceful day? The string beaned wizard was going to need a new face when he was done with him. A breeze picked up the dust, where he had been a moment before, swirling it into the air.

"That woman draws more trouble to her more than anyone I have ever seen," Han said.

"Good you are free. Well, let's see now; we've no idea where she is. Or, who he is. Looks like we will need to go see 'Old man' Casy earlier than I had planned. He will be able to help us locate her."

"So where is this 'Old man?' "

"Not too far from here. He is near the mountains off to the west."

"I'll come if you pay me."

I suppose so. "Yes, of course." He untied a small pouch and tossed it to him. Well, there goes my emergency fund.

Han opened it and poured out five black opals that flashed blue as they rolled into his palm.

"This is too much!"

"Keep what you think is fair."

Han rolled them once more before putting four back in the pouch, handing it back.

He took it and tied it back on. He grinned. Good.

Han then went into his bedroom. Returning, he wore long boots, a satchel, and a small foil with strange lines running down it. He folded it in half and tucked it into a vest pocket.

#### 

Several days later they made their way towards the western Divided Mountains. A grassland stretched out before the twin peaks a hazy gray in the distance. Midday they stopped for a break.

Han sat on the grass cross-legged, chewing on a jerky stick.

"I'm going to look around."

Han nodded, sitting down.

A faint path north led into the tall grasses, shaking them no birds or game jumped out.

A bright yellow feather was threaded in some of the grass stems. Many dead birds, mice, and other critters littered the ground. He gasped, and speed walked back to Han.

"Good, you're back. It's getting dark. Find anything to eat?" Han licked his lips.

"What I found wasn't too pleasing. All of them looked flat as if the insides were pulled out." He shuddered. The images refused to leave.

"I'm not that hungry anymore."

Han stood, his ears rotating to the northwest; his whiskers quivered.

A breeze blew over the grasses. Too quiet. 

Han jumped up, his fur puffing out. "We need a better camping spot."

"Definitely."

It was hard to see over the grasses as the last slivers of light shrunk and gave way to the night's sorrow. He searched the area and gathered some firewood. Out if his main pouch he drew out a fire stone, he rubbed it between his palms. It soon grew warm and red; he placed it on the wood setting it ablaze.

Han rested his head against a part of a broken stone building behind them.

He sat beside him, staring into the extended darkness. The lights from the faraway town doused one by one until only the light of the campfire remained.

It was quiet without her, most nights her tales and jokes filled the time and kept the press of night at bay. It was upsetting that she chose to be a thief. Most of the time she acted at odds with this, it just didn't sit right.

He awoke to a soft slithering near him. Where it was coming from? Just a few hours of sleep, was that too much to ask for?

He cracked his eye's open, a single Lilly creature stood at the edge of the dying fire. What are the Creepuars doing this far out from the forests?

It shuffled on its roots as it inched closer. I hate nature.

"Han?"

Several long roots wrapped around him, they constricted his chest, each breath grew tighter.

"Hea-arg." The last half of his speech a breathy croak.

He tried to shout, but the roots strangled him. If I can just work an arm free.

"Wake up!" The roots tightened further. A haze pulled over his vision. Again.

"Han!" he yelled. The roots wrapped his throat punching off the rest of his air, his face was pressured and hot.

Han fumbled around in the dark, he gasped, stumbling over.

"Coming."

He blinked an eye, the cat iris widening.

"Why can't these things happen in a more godly hour, instead of at two in the morning?"

On his knees, Han came over and pulled on the roots. He pulled and pried it off, the roots breaking one by one. The creatures weren't too keen on this, they hissed and shot out more roots, that tried to wrap around Han's arms.

Han blocked them and scratched at them with his claws. He took the roots with both hands yanking them, he nearly vaulted rearward. Han kicked the Creepuars that swarmed around them sent several flying off into the darkness.

The Creepuars's filaments wreathed about and hissed. Han's fur puffed out as if it was filled with static.

Fumbling around in his stiff leather vest he brought out a light potion. Scoping the area around them, the Creepuars surrounded them in a semi-circle.

Their discussing dripping filaments grew longer and writhed about feeling in front of them.

He drew his sword slashing at the abominations. Their flowered heads whizzed off bouncing on the ground.

His arm ached as yet another one came near him, and it too lost its head.

They kept coming and endless swarm surrounding them.

He switched hands trying to give his right arm a break.

As the bodies piled more appeared and crawled over the bodies of the dead.

Han brandished the hidden saber from his vest. He shook it flipping it open.

"Nice." Baxters were handy, good for those that couldn't lift a full sword.

Han pierced a Creepuar dead center and it fell down its filaments with a shrill fizz. Nasty.

Several of them wrapped their filaments around his sword pulling him.

He spread his feet and pulled back while straining to pull the sword free.

Several crawled up clinging to it and weighed it down.

His biceps ached as he swung in an arc and hammered them into the ground.

The creatures splattered and several others flung off the sword zipping by Han's head.

The creatures turned towards Han again crawling up his saber.

Han fell down to the ground.

"Help me!"

He hurried over kicking more of them out of the way. He sliced at the roots that entangled Han their shrieks had a tinny quality as they fell.

"Slimy little sacks of spit, die!"

Slashing at the creatures in a frenzy until the last one fell to the ground. He bent over drawing in deep breaths.

Han stood up, sheathed his saber. 

"I've never seen these creatures so volatile before."

"At home, they'd come into the city's gardens to escape the heat of the day, but left people alone." 

Parcival stood. "I need to warn them."

####

They both continued west following the mountains in the dark.

The area around them brightened slightly, sunrise was nearing. The late fall sun warmed his cheeks, he smiled.

They quickened the pace after an hour Han stopped to sit and puff on his pipe. 

"I would give some thought about helping her, are you sure her intentions are honest?"

Rings of smoke floated past his head then faded.

He sat next to him, resting a cheek on a hand. "Her aura is usually good, it's faint at times." He paused. "And other times ..."

Han didn't speak for a time. 

"She could turn at any time; whatever the infection is, it's changing her."

Parcival stood. "All the more reason she needs help."

Han looked away, his ears flat on the top of his head.

They continued on the path. He led him to the twin mountains that were nestled next to each other, their white peaks reflected the early morning light into the valley. The light flowed through the area as it chased the nights shadows pushing them back with each step.

In between the mountains, the valley separated the towering sides filled with lush grasses and a dotting of wildflowers. The breeze wafted with a sweet perfume. At the end of the valley where large crumbling stone steps carved into the rock face.

The steps, arched upward and then curved around an ancient shrine of Olenus the god of protection, love, hearth, and in hard times war. The statue was of an athletic yet slim man, the carved marble rose seventy feet above the mountain peaks.

One of the marble water containers carved at the base of the statue still had enchanted drinking water in it. 

The magics kept the water pure. Someday he would have to come back here again pay his respects.

He bent down and dipped his leather drinking pouch into the water filled it again.

"Thank you kind Olenus for this gift." He threaded his fingers together and then clasped his hands, bowing before the statue.

Han's fur moved about in the soft breeze.

Parcival kneeled. "Kind Olenus, please give us your blessing."

A small sparrow fluttered before them landing on the statue's outstretched hand; it fluffed its feathers. 

Was the god trying to communicate something, or was it just a bird? This was hard to determine.

The bird took flight following the stairway down.

They continued walking along the stairway until it slanted downward to the edge of the mountain. Marble handrails on the sides of the stairs went straight down to the bottom of the mountain. They headed to the right following the mountain side.

He led Han to a simple house carved into the mountainside. Flowers dotted it's sodded top they had overgrown to the sides of the entrance framing it.

A few mushrooms dotted here and there between them. He could see that the wooden frame had new golden peace and protection runes carved into it. They glowed with a faint power.

He walked over to it, knocking on the wooden door. It would be good to take off the hot armor. The dried sweat on his back itched.

A plump middle-aged man answered, at about six feet tall with red hair and golden eyes. Some would say that he could be quite the imposing figure he simply knew of him as a friend.

"Parcival! I wondered when you would stop in for another visit."

He sat down on a hand-carved chair.

"Thank you, Casy! I am not here to visit this time. I'm in need of your help."

He rubbed at his shoulder. Hope she's alright, the wizard was as insane as they came.

Han scurried up on another overflowing with padded cushions and sighed.

Casy went over to the kitchen counter to the right. He came back and handed them both a cup of steaming enberry, a common drink around here.

"So, what can I help you with today?" Casey said.

"A woman, Merryn has been kidnapped. I hoped you would be able to lock on her location and send us to her."

Hans furry ears twitched. What's his problem?

Parcival placed his hand on Casy's shoulder. "I know the risks, you've told me before, remember?"

Casy's features relaxed some. 

Han waved a paw in a short, curt manner close to his face. 

"The cost of it is too steep. We could hire a troll to do it, they like aging."

Parcival gripped the chair. 

"Terrible idea. Wonderful, if you want her ransomed, or sold to the highest bidder. Stay away, too volatile."

"You could buy a horse, two towns over," Casy said.

"No will take too long. Just do it."

Casy walked back outside and crooked his index finger.

Han huffed, following.

"Come over here. All right, now think of the woman, and focus on her face while I start casting it."

Casy touched the tips of his finger's together into a tent shape. His body took on a soft yellow glow while he chanted. Parcival's hands shimmered and this spread out and over covering the rest of him, as did Han the shimmer intensified as Casy repeated the spell.

He floated in the air lighter than it and transparent. He bolted out the window off into the sky. Han was beside him. He looked down, everything was so small. The landscape blurred into a green mass.

He stopped, and landed next to a large cave. Han a second later. It was filled with long pointed Stalactites and stalagmites of pure moonstone. Moon-rise cave.

Water dripped from the Stalactites and rippled outwards.

"If we move fast we can make it."

He walked inside and followed the pathway made from long rickety wooden planks.

The pathway ended at a short ledge. Leaning over it was a mistake looking down. So deep they'd never find your body.

"I want to cross," Han said.

"Apologizes."

After making it across to the other side the old rotten ropes snapped it fell crashing into the depths.

"Now how will we get out of here?" Han's brows pinched together.

"Maybe there will be another way out. Worrying about it now is pointless."