A/N: Oh. My God. Here I was, thinking that in light of C**** and having generally less to do, I would have more time to work on my story! But nope! I've basically been in a constant state of exhaustion, anxiety, and frustration for half a year now! I know this is the third time I've prefaced a chapter with an apology, but life really is kicking my ass that hard. It took me months to rekindle my desire to write. So... sorry for the delay! Hopefully it was worth it!

Quick content warning: This chapter, particularly towards the end, is gonna get a little gruesome. Nothing too severe, but still, we're not in Peach Creek anymore, Plank. It's gonna get messy. Enjoy.


Chapter 6: Where There's a Will…

Dwennon marched down the spiraling stone staircase with his fists clenched and a frustrated scowl on his face. Today had been an absolute nightmare. The slave trade always had its snags, but those three dragonhearts were more trouble than they were worth. Now that the ordeal was over and the trio had left his care, the captain wanted to believe that that would be the end of it, but he knew better. The close call at the auction couldn't be ignored.

A dark corridor awaited Dwennon at the bottom, barely illuminated by dim, smudgy gas lamps. He tried and failed to hold back a disgruntled sigh. King Hewet had plenty of money for wine, women and entertainment, but evidently not a pittance to spare for magical lanterns. Dwennon had half a mind to complain about the king's stinginess if only he had the time for it.

He walked briskly down the hall, giving his eyes little time to adjust. Already he could hear ghastly screams and wails echoing through the chambers. Several clerks and guards passed him by in silence, weaving in and out of doors, acknowledging the captain in reverent awe. Dwennon allowed himself a brief snicker. Shady deals were dealt while the law kept silent. The business of Kadia's judicial machine never failed to amuse him.

Two guards stood before a door at the end of the hall, parting at once as Dwennon approached. The metallic slab screeched as Dwennon pushed it open, granting him passage to the cellar. Immediately, the stench of iron, blood, bile, and excrement assailed his nose and the horrific cries of pain and suffering reached their peak, yet he pressed on completely unfazed. Business as usual in the lower cabinets, the fancy, unassuming name for the torture chambers.

In sharp contrast to the dank, red-brown stone and rusted metal doors of the cellar, a small, ornate office sat to the entrance's immediate left. Within, Master Sadon sat quietly at his ebony desk, tending to paperwork. It took a quick second for him to notice the man standing in his doorway. "Captain Stillbane! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I would have word with Aron Kitt," Dwennon responded, his tone professional but subtly emphasizing the dire situation.

"Certainly, my friend." Sadon nodded with eager compliance, standing up from his leather armchair. "May I ask what has brought about the need for this interrogation?"

"The matter of dragons and their kin grows more urgent. We've waited too long for further information, and I believe I am uniquely situated to uncover it."

"I agree. Please, follow me." Sadon strolled out of the office and into the cellar hall. There was a casual smile on his face and quite a lively spring in his step for such an old man. It was sometimes hard to believe that someone so jovial could be Kadia's master of torture.

As he led Dwennon through the chambers, Sadon sagely continued, "Kitt has put up a remarkable resistance, I must say. The man's will is sharp. He's managed to block most of the pain we inflict, no matter the method."

"Have you attempted any magical means? Surely his will is not also strong enough to suppress arcane tortures."

"Oh, we've certainly tried. It's clear to me that we are hurting him, but he remains admirably resolute. I'm curious to see how you might attempt to break the young man." Sadon stopped in front of a door near the end of the hall, clasping his hands and turning to Dwennon. "Will you require anything on my part?"

"Yes, actually." Dwennon stroked his beard in contemplation. "If you could, send Lurbuk down to aid me. Have him bring the saw. I suspect I'll have to crack this man the hard way."

"Oh-ho-ho! Yes, sir!" The request excited Sadon, his fingers twitching as he fiddled with his key ring and unlocked the cell door. "He's all yours."

Dwennon nodded to the master before calmly stepping inside, letting the door slide shut behind him with an ear-splitting shriek.

Two lamps stuck out from the wall on either side of the door frame, filling the cobblestone chamber with a faint orange glow. Despite the room's high ceiling and generous dimensions, there was only one device to fill the otherwise empty space. The wooden rack leaned against the wall, suspending the prisoner off the floor, kenovium shackles secured to his arms and legs and stretching them out to their full, uncomfortable length.

Aron Kitt had always been trim, but his time in captivity had left him severely emaciated and with loose, sallow skin. His light brown hair had grown past his shoulders and left in a frayed mop that flopped over his limp, downcast head. He didn't look up when his visitor entered his cell, with only the occasional rise and fall of his chest to confirm that he was still alive.

"Professor Kitt," Dwennon spoke calmly and politely, wasting no time. "I am Captain Dwennon Stillbane. I have urgent matters to discuss with you."

After a prolonged silence, Aron weakly raised his head just enough to peer up at Dwennon through his bangs. A patchy beard surrounded his tired frown. His eyes were almost pitch black through the bags underneath and the narrow slits of his scowl.

The cold reception was the only signal Dwennon needed to proceed. "Earlier this week, my company of slave knights came into possession of a trio of dragonhearts of unknown origin. Would you happen to know of any correlation between them and the crystal dragons?"

Aron didn't speak. He kept still, his head heavy but maintaining a glare on the captain.

Dwennon took a deep breath and began a casual pace about the room. "Professor Kitt, I wouldn't have come to you with these questions if I didn't trust your knowledge of dragons. These crystal beasts are an ever-growing threat to Kadia. If you won't cooperate for your own sake, then at least consider being upfront for all the innocents out there. After all the trouble you caused, I think you owe it to your kingdom."

"Heh…" Aron dropped his head as soft, wheezing chuckles wracked his body. "What do I owe my kingdom that I haven't already provided? I tried to give you my knowledge. No one listened. What good will it do if I explain myself now? I'm done trying."

"I assure you that I am listening. You're not in chains because of your ideas."

"No… I'm in chains because I care too much."

"Professor-"

"Do you honestly believe you can end this?" Aron hissed, his head shooting back up. "You claim to help the people, but by expanding the kingdom's borders so hastily and recklessly, you encroach on the dragons' territories. You take the crystals that grant them their power, heedless of how you expedite the spread. Crystalized or not, they're not the mindless beasts you make them out to be. They remember every slight, their numbers are increasing, and they know they can't be stopped."

A smile danced across Aron's lips, revealing the gaps and chips in his teeth as he choked out a demented laugh. "It's not a matter of us or them. This war belongs to the dragons."

Dwennon growled through his nose and stomped closer to the prisoner. "You think too little of us, Kitt."

"Correct."

"You don't have to tell me why you let our last test subject go. Frankly, I'm past the point of caring about one loose dragon. I have other matters to consider." Dwennon unsheathed his sword and pressed the flat to Aron's chin. "Now I'm going to ask you again. What might a trio of dragonhearts have to do with this crystal blight? One is uncommon enough, but a unified three in these troubled times? I refuse to believe it's a coincidence."

Aron promptly resumed his silence, staring back at Dwennon, hardly intimidated by the blade pointed at his throat.

"Come now. You must have some kind of riddle for me. You've been so generous with your cryptic threats. Why stop now?"

"Tell me something, Captain," Aron murmured. "You're not riled up with fear. These dragonhearts you speak of… you don't see them as a threat. They merely wounded your pride, did they not?"

Dwennon's grip on his sword tightened. The urge to sever this traitor's head from his shoulders overwhelmed him, but before he could even try, a knock on the door ended his fit of rage as quickly as it had begun. He paused to regain his composure, then stood up straight and slid the sword back in its scabbard. "Yes, come in."

The door opened once more with another harsh scrape. A burly, grey-skinned orc with a vacant expression stepped inside, carrying a long, crimson-stained crosscut saw. Dwennon glanced back at him and nodded, muttering, "Lurbuk. Thank you for joining me."

The orc said nothing. He didn't even look at the two men in the room.

Dwennon, unperturbed, turned back to Aron with a restored air of confidence. "I'm not going to kill you, Professor Kitt. You still present some sort of value. Once we're finished here, however, you'll be BEGGING for me to end you."

The captain narrowed his eyes and snapped his fingers. "Lurbuk? Turn him on his head. I'll handle his clothes."

For the first time since their conversation began, Aron Kitt looked genuinely mortified.


A sudden jolt roused Edd from his slumber. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a dim twilight and a dull pain in his neck; the sack of flour that he had rested his head on was not an ideal pillow. He heard a few of the other slaves murmuring amongst themselves, briefly glimpsing their nervous expressions in his peripheral. Outside, he saw nothing but forest, the city of Lirrun long gone. The wagon and the drake-riders following it had come to a halt.

In his weary, downtrodden state of mind, Edd briefly considered setting the covered wagon on fire and making a run for it, but on top of placing the innocent captives at risk, he doubted such a reckless tactic would fall in his favor. For now, he simply opted to see what this pause in their journey was leading to.

One of the drake-riders removed his helmet, cleared his throat, and addressed the slaves with a broad smile and an optimistic tone. Everyone in the wagon had his full attention. Whatever he just said seemed to elevate the mood significantly. Edd glanced back to see that many of his cohorts had gone wide-eyed and slack-jawed, and even those who expressed confusion seemed more curious than outright nervous.

Facing forward again, Edd watched their new master walk around the wagon and stop in front of them. His arms were folded behind his back and a pleasant grin adorned his face. After a short pause, he raised a hand and swept it in a wide, vertical arc…

Shimmers danced across the master's body like ripples of light on the surface of a river. Time seemed to slow down as, in less than a second, his appearance radically changed. His hefty form slimmed into the lean figure of a man in his mid-forties. His sleek black hair turned into a dirty blond coif, and his facial hair vanished altogether. His beady eyes grew bigger and kinder. Even his clothes were altered, his doublet turning from purple and gold to a pure powder blue.

The men and orcs who witnessed this were murmuring with awe and excitement, some even smiling at the sight. Edd was merely left to wonder why. Why had this man masked his identity with what he presumed was illusion magic? Who was he, and what about him made his newly-purchased help so enthusiastic?

Once the initial shock wore off, the master spoke with a voice quite unlike that of his illusory alter ego; a higher register, still strong and dignified, but also warm and paternal. One by one, he and his entourage escorted the group of eight off the wagon, liberating them of their shackles and engaging in amicable conversation. Everyone seemed positively giddy by this turn of events, and it wasn't long before a number of them were moved to tears of joy.

Of course, while he was grateful to have the cuffs removed, Edd was still hopelessly confused. The slave caravan's dour atmosphere had turned celebratory so quickly that the tonal shift was giving him whiplash. All he could gather based on context clues was that the man who had purchased him and the rest of this crew had some sort of positive reputation.

Was it possible that they wouldn't be slaves after all…?

He glanced up the road, wondering how far he was from his friends. He looked around the field where the caravan had come to rest, relaxed somewhat but still wary of his company. Lost in his wandering thoughts, Edd stayed rooted in one place as the world seemed to move around him. A camp was set up, a bonfire lit, and food quickly prepared in what felt like such a short span. He only snapped out of his reverie when the master placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting the young man's eyes with an inviting grin.

The man spoke, removing his hand and offering it to shake. Edd hesitated before reciprocating the gesture with twitching fingers. When the gentleman spoke again in a questioning tone, adding a chuckle for good measure, Edd decided it was finally time to come clean. He looked his master square in the eye, gestured between them, and slowly and concisely stated, "I don't… understand."

Hearing the English phrase surprised the man. He paused briefly, perhaps pondering what bizarre language Edd was using, then he nodded in apparent comprehension. His smile returned as he pressed a hand against his sternum. "Terryn."

Edd blinked in surprise, meekly pointing to the man and repeating, "Terryn…?" A smile and a nod seemed to confirm his deduction. Having a name to equate this kind gentleman with eased his nerves ever so slightly, enough for him to smile back as he introduced himself. "Eddward."

"Eddward." Terryn offered Edd another pat on the shoulder, then gestured towards the group gathered around the bonfire. Guards and urchins alike were seated together, claiming their shares of food and water. The invitation was apparent, and Edd, absolutely famished, was in no position to argue.

Upon taking a seat on a log, Edd was provided with two drumsticks, an ear of corn, and a flask of water, all of which he hastily dug into. His first proper meal since his arrival to this world. It was enough to make the normally prim and proper young man drool. As he ate, he heard Terryn speaking to the nearest guard; he used Edd's name once, likely addressing his lack of native language skills. When they both looked his way, Edd nodded in polite gratitude, then left them to their business.

The rest of the evening was astonishingly pleasant. Terryn, his company, and the ragtag travelers spent another hour or so simply talking. About what, Edd obviously couldn't say, but he could at least read the room, and the universally lively mood had proven infectious. If someone elbowed him and murmured something in a humorous tone, he grinned and chuckled back. If someone pointed to some distant locale, he followed the group's eyes and studied the tranquil forest. Even when conversations veered towards serious matters, no one drifted anywhere near the state of despair that they had been in upon their initial purchase.

If nothing else, the gathering had significantly elevated Edd's spirits. He wanted to believe that he had fallen into good hands. He wasn't going to hold out hope, but he would take whatever glimmer of it he could and enjoy it while it lasted.

Eventually, everyone settled in to rest for tomorrow's leg of the journey. Most of them were provided with bedrolls and a place in one of the tents, some volunteered to sleep in the covered wagon, and at least one orc simply sprawled out beneath a tree. Edd was gratefully among the former, and though he didn't see Terryn again as he prepared his spot, he was still willing to put himself at ease for now.

And yet, as he lay upon the padded blanket next to one of his own kind, staring through the tent's opening, gazing up at the cosmic phenomenon of the twin moons, Edd felt restless. Despite the questions that still lingered in his head, he didn't have it in him to fret about himself. All he could think about as he drifted away was Ed and Eddy. He wanted to remain optimistic for their sake, but somehow he doubted that their conditions were as stellar as his.


A forceful shove between his shoulder blades sent Eddy stumbling forward into the tiny prison cell. He instinctively let out an indignant groan and rubbed the small of his back, then he turned around and scowled at the guard currently locking him in. "Ya don't gotta be pushy!"

Naturally, the guard ignored the foreign protest, walking away without a word. Alone in his chamber, Eddy paused to look around.

The cell itself was just barely the size of a shed, about seven feet by seven feet. Stone walls, stone floors, and prison bars reinforced with studded strips of metal, presumably the same magic-dampening metal they had been caged in since their journey into slavery began. A pile of hay sat in one corner, a covered wooden bucket in the other. The only light sources were the hallway torches and the pitifully-sized window near the ceiling, the last shreds of daylight just barely peeking inside.

Shrugging off his unfavorable surroundings, Eddy quickly checked to make sure no one was looking his way. Then he pulled the spear tip out of his sandal with a cheeky grin. Walking back into the prison with this thing hidden beneath his foot had given him an awkward limp, but it seemed like he had hidden it well enough. The soldiers were none the wiser. They didn't even bother checking him before locking him up. "Heh. Suckers."

After wiping the blood off his makeshift weapon, Eddy tucked it into the hay pile. A couple of mice squeaked in protest and frantically scurried out of the straw, earning a disgusted groan.

"You got a mouse in your room, Eddy?" he heard Ed calling from the next cell over. "All I got in mine is shampoo!"

Eddy let out a low huff as he flopped on top of the hay and stared at the ceiling. "Alright, Ed. You're the fantasy guy. Got any ideas on how to get outta here?"

"Hmm…" Ed poked his lip and furrowed his brow in contemplation. Surely there was an event in one of his Lizards & Wizards campaigns that could serve as inspiration. "Oh, I know! We could disguise ourselves as bricks and tuck ourselves against the wall! When the guards come in to see where we went, we cast a Suggestion spell and convince them to start making out with each other, then we slip away while everyone watches them in horror!"

"Well, ask a stupid question…" Eddy grunted, rolling over and facing the opposite wall.

"Oh, wait… we'd need North and Demi to cast Suggestion…" Slowly, the dismay starting to weigh upon him again, Ed sat down and curled up on the floor. "Eddy? Do you think they're okay too? Demi and North? And Jonny? Rolf? And Sarah…?"

"Couldn't tell ya, Ed," Eddy sighed honestly but sympathetically. "We'll just have to go looking for them too once we're free. Now just… try to come up with some non-magic escape plans, okay? I gotta think for a bit."

"Okay." Ed nodded to the wall, doing his best to buck up for his friends' sake. He scooted along the floor and up to the cell door, pressing his face into the bars. Glancing left and right, he found guards posted at each end of the hall and one pacing the rows, extinguishing the torches for the night. Ed knew better than to underestimate their captors, even under cover of darkness. He wondered if they had night vision.

Looking directly across from his cell, Ed suddenly spotted a familiar face that brought a smile back to his. "Hi, Ushug!"

From behind her own bars, the old orc shaman raised her head, acknowledging the greeting with a curt nod. "Avay, Ayamed."

Ed tilted his head, still smiling if only to cheer Ushug up. Her expression was as tense and wild as ever; if she was at all scared, she was doing a great job hiding it. It was nice to know that the two Eds had at least one more ally in this pit of despair, even if there was a language barrier between them.

The dungeon went dark as the last torch was snuffed out. It took a while for the boys' eyes to adjust to the dim moonlight, but once they had, Eddy decided to step up to the door and take a look for himself. He could see the two guards, but it was debatable how closely they were paying attention. Still, Eddy wasn't keen on the idea of making a break for it now. Even he could tell that the circumstances were not in their favor, and he was too tired to charge out of there half-cocked.

Squeezing his head through the bars as far as he could manage, Eddy turned towards his neighbor's cell and whispered, "Hey, Ed. What're the chances of them hauling us outta here first thing in the morning?"

Ed quickly poked his head out as well. "Probably pretty good. Can't let the new labor get too comfy."

"Think we could try giving 'em the slip again once we're back out in the open?"

"I think it could be done did, Eddy. But how will we do it?"

"I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'." Eddy sunk into the bars and rubbed his temple. "Just wish I knew what's coming for us tomorrow."

"Well, we could ask Ushug."

Upon hearing her name, the orc in question rose from her hay bale and again approached her cell door. She met Ed's gaze, staring at him calmly but expectantly, saying nothing.

Eddy had to squint to see her from his angle, watching her every move as he thought the suggestion over. "Eh, yeah, might as well. See what you can do, Ed."

"Hey, Ushug." Ed waved to his neighbor, then pointed between the dungeon guards and himself. "What're they gonna do to us?"

Ushug remained quiet. The details of her face were hard to make out in the dark, but from what little Ed could see, she seemed sad. After a few seconds, she dropped her head with a disgruntled sigh and pressed a gentle hand against the bars.

Turning back to Ed, Ushug pointed up and down the hall, gesturing to the guards. She raised her arms, drew one back, and opened her clenched fist, mimicking firing a bow and arrow. Then she pointed to herself, then Ed, then Eddy.

Ed tilted his head as his eyes went dopey, confused by the charade. "They're gonna teach us archery?"

"Ohhhhh…" Eddy, however, sunk to the floor in horror. "No, I think I know what she's getting at."


The second day of travel was considerably less cramped. By the time Edd had woken up, roughly half of the people Terryn had purchased, namely the orcs, were gone. No one seemed particularly broken up about this, leading Edd to believe that this may have been the intent. Of course, he was in no condition to turn himself loose, nor could he guarantee a safe solo trip back to Lirrun, so he found himself once again seated in the covered wagon alongside the remaining men and halfling, uncuffed and free to indulge in the provided bread and water.

While the others engaged in casual conversation, Edd spent the hours watching the world roll by. The tranquil wood that they ventured through was almost starting to feel like home. While the territory was unfamiliar, the simple visual of the sun-drenched trees far detached from civilization had grown so familiar and pleasing in the past few days. At the same time, however, he felt smothered by the forest. Maybe not trapped, but certainly isolated, so much so that it was almost a relief when he noticed the trees becoming more sparse as the caravan entered what looked to be a village.

There was a single sentry tower that they passed on their way in, but no walls surrounding the town. The meager cottages and pastures gradually made way for grids of simple, stone-and-wood buildings that dotted the dirt roads much less densely than in Lirrun. People walking by sported very plain attire with few colors or patterns, the kind of tunics and smocks Edd would've expected to see medieval peasants in, yet the attitude he detected from most of them was much more lively than the city folk. Men and women happily chatted as they weaved in and out of shops, children laughed as they chased each other in the fields, and a few even smiled and waved to the people in the wagon. The humble atmosphere touched Edd's heart in a way little else had in this realm. Could this be their final stop?

Eventually, the caravan came to a halt near the center of town. After a few minutes of waiting, Terryn came around to greet the men in the wagon, ushering them out with an eager smile and some encouraging words. As he led them towards the front, the rest of the men murmured in apparent gratitude while Edd idled at the back, observing what lay ahead…

The riders, Terryn's carriage, and the wagon stood in a line before an enormous arch of silvery black stone that sparkled in the sunlight. It was tall and wide enough for any of the vehicles to pass through, and it rested in the middle of a spacious field with only a single, three-story tower sharing the lot. A small, elderly woman in blue robes stood next to the arch, exchanging a few words with Terryn before turning to address the first of the motley crew.

The man in front stepped forward, shaking as he called out, "Raston!"

Nodding, the old woman shuffled over to the arch, placed a hand on it, and murmured an incantation that ended with that same word. "Raston."

Bright white runes appeared one by one in the stone, and with a brilliant flash, a bluish-white haze filled the archway. Within the glow was a distorted image of what seemed to be another town, bobbing and rippling like a reflection on the surface of water. Terryn and the man waved and spoke to each other one more time before the latter dashed through the arch, disappearing into the ethereal village before the haze faded away.

Edd's hand flew to his mouth as he let out an involuntary gasp. "A portal!"

Aside from a few odd glances, no one paid Edd any mind. The men were too busy shouting their destinations' names and stepping through the arch one by one. Edd, meanwhile, turned around and grabbed his head, a smile dancing across his face. "They're capable of teleportation here! If they can create portals between two points on this planet, is it possible that they could cross between worlds? Perhaps there's a chance of returning to Earth after all! Maybe…!"

Just as quickly as it had appeared, Edd's smile dropped. "Oh, what are the chances that they would know what Earth is, let alone if they would understand me if I requested it? Besides, I can't just go back without… without…"

He straightened up and looked around with mild embarrassment, realizing that his loneliness and brief spot of hope had reawakened his habit of talking to himself. How much longer would it take for this world to break him?

"Eddward?"

Jumping slightly, Edd looked up and met Terryn's gaze. The latter offered a kind grin and gestured towards the portal. Everyone else who had been purchased from the slave trade was gone, leaving him free to choose his next venture. But where could he go? He didn't know the names of any locations on this planet, or even the planet itself, and he certainly couldn't go home. Not like this.

Instead, after staring at the arch for a few seconds, Edd looked back at Terryn with meek, timid eyes and gestured between them. "Eddward… stay with Terryn?"

Terryn was taken aback for a moment, perhaps not understanding the young man. To clarify, he held one hand up to Edd and questioningly placed the other on his sternum, to which Edd nodded pleadingly. Seeing this, Terryn smiled warmly and nodded back.

With that, Terryn directed his attention towards the woman in robes, giving her a final set of instructions, a small burlap bag evidently full of coins, and a polite farewell. As she prepared the portal once more, Terryn returned to his carriage, opened the door, and swept his arm in open invitation. Edd hadn't expected a seat up front, and although he hesitated for a moment, he graciously accepted the offer, climbing aboard and settling into one of the velvet-lined cushions.

Once the portal was opened and Terryn was seated across from him, the caravan started moving again. Edd peered nervously out the window as a line of white light washed over them. When it passed, he saw another stone arch behind them with a similar-looking tower nearby, but the rest of their surroundings were brand new, the small village traded for another city.

Like Lirrun, this city was divided into raised levels. Their present location seemed to be on one of the middling plateaus, with a marketplace below them and a glorious, gothic palace looming from the highest peak. Between the travel station and their true destination was a collection of residential areas and small businesses, their plots of land lined up neatly along the cobblestone roads and spaced apart by elegant parks and gardens.

Despite the grander scale and brighter colors, Edd sensed a similarly sprightly atmosphere in this district. Children played with their dogs, men tended the fields with upbeat songs, and women talked and laughed amongst themselves. Whenever someone waved to the carriage, Terryn gladly waved back while Edd shied away from the wandering eyes. Still, as first impressions went, if this was to be his home for a while, it was a fine choice.

After traveling for half an hour, Edd gazed ahead and watched with bated breath as the caravan approached a lavish estate far removed from the rest of the houses. Through the intricate iron gate, past the high, vine-covered walls, a three-story, Romanesque manor of off-white stone rested in the middle of a sizeable lot. Hedges and flowering bushes lined the paths and well-tended orchards dotted the fields. Near the main entrance stood a marble statue of two women in flowing dresses, one holding a scale, the other a flower. It was beneath this statue where the carriage finally came to a rest.

The coachman opened the door for Edd and Terryn. Upon stepping out, Edd looked around, soaking in the estate for a moment longer and watching as the horses and drakes were directed towards a distant paddock. Then, facing forward, bracing himself, Edd steadily followed Terryn towards his new life.

The manor's double doors flew wide open. The air escaped Edd's lungs as he stepped into a grand foyer radiating opulence the likes of which he had never seen before. A rich red-violet rug stretched from the doorway, along the black-and-white tiled floors, and up the grand staircase adorned with swirling alabaster handrails. The walls were the same shade of off-white as the exterior, sculpted into Corinthian columns that met in pointed arches where the entrances to other rooms lay. The ceiling was decorated with golden chandeliers and paintings of angelic figures against a blue sky. All around him, pedestals displayed colorful vases and blown glass sculptures, while silk curtains and nature paintings in frames of gold adorned the walls.

As he paced in a circle, struggling to soak in every little detail, Edd found himself questioning now more than ever who Terryn was and what societal status provided him with a home like this. And just what had Edd done to deserve landing in this lap of luxury? What Eddy would've given to be in his shoes…

Edd was so taken aback by the decor that it took him a while to notice the fellow in servant's attire standing nearby. He was another one of those halfling folks, standing just at Terryn's waist, bearing long, pointed ears, salt-and-pepper hair, and circular spectacles. He had addressed Terryn almost right away, and Edd could sense both gentlemen's eyes on him partway through their conversation. Perhaps it was uncommon for Terryn to bring Edd's ilk home.

Whatever the case was, the servant was sent on his way in short order and Terryn turned his attention back to Edd. With a wave of his hand, he led the young man up the stairs and onto the second-floor balcony, where Edd laid eyes on a curious collection of paintings. Each one displayed different but very similar-looking men with a plaque underneath, inscribed in the native alphabet. The very last picture was clearly of Terryn; the rest were no doubt his ancestors. Again, Edd had to wonder what this family was.

After a short walk, Terryn opened a door to another room that once again took Edd's breath away. Curved shelves dominated three and a half walls, stretching twelve feet from the floor to the ceiling, each one stocked with an incalculable number of books in every size, shape and color. The shelves parted on the far side of the room to make way for a window, in front of which sat a mahogany desk stocked with quills, ink, parchment, and a few more scattered tomes. The library was further decorated with a few extra chairs, a ladder, and a globe, all atop a beautifully-patterned red and gold rug. It nearly brought tears to Edd's eyes to see this haven of literature. If only he could read this world's language…

Terryn gave Edd a moment to look around, then he stepped inside, grabbed a chair, set it in front of his desk, and took a seat behind the desk proper. A smile and a hand gesture prompted Edd to sit down across from him. While Terryn grabbed a paper and pen, tending to his own work, Edd waited in idle silence, hands folded and eyes still trailing the rows upon rows of books. Eventually, he caught a glimpse of the globe next to him, reaching out to give it a slow turn and study the intricate shapes of the alien continents.

He snapped back to attention when Terryn cleared his throat and offered him the piece of parchment. A quick examination revealed a simple drawing of the two of them. The caricature of Terryn had a speech bubble above him, filled with simple words that Edd naturally could not read. An arrow extended from this bubble and into the sketched Edd's head.

The meaning behind this drawing was not hard to deduce, but it was nonetheless difficult for Edd to comprehend. Terryn was going to transfer his language into Edd's brain? How?

Oh, right. Magic. It was still hard to gauge what that ethereal force was capable of in this world.

After glancing in shock between the paper and Terryn for a moment, conveying that the message had been received, Edd watched as Terryn picked up his chair and moved it around the desk so that they were seated face-to-face, barely a foot apart. Terryn closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gathered his wits. Then he looked up at Edd with compassionate eyes and a gentle but serious expression, wordlessly asking the boy if he was ready.

Edd froze for a moment. He was highly uneasy about this proposed process. He might not have been in any position to judge the merits or limits of magic, but even now that he had one, maybe two self-taught spells at his disposal, he still found the entire concept daunting. Simple questions rattled around in his head as he stared back at Terryn. Would this hurt? How much knowledge was there to gain? Would he be the same person after the fact? Was he even correct in assuming that this was a language transfer?

That last question came and went with little internal debate. Terryn had been nothing but gracious ever since purchasing him from that auction. Despite it all, Edd still wanted to believe that he could trust this man.

With a shaky sigh, Edd straightened up and nodded. He was as ready as he could be.

Taking the cue, Terryn gently reached out and placed both hands on Edd's temples, staring deep into the young man's eyes. He slowly leaned forward, reeling Edd in a few inches as well until their foreheads were touching. Then Terryn closed his eyes, his tense posture loosening.

Edd felt a strange warmth in his cranium. Soft glimmers danced in the corners of his vision. Overwhelmed by the soothing sensations, Edd let his eyes slip shut.


"Look! An alien spaceship is escaping back to Europa!"

Eddy shot Ed a sideways glance before following the oaf's finger, spotting a cross-shaped figure cutting across the blue sky. "That's just an airplane, ya dingbat. Probably is on its way to Europe, though."

"A modern marvel if ever there was one," Edd mused, lounging on the grassy hill next to his companions. "Do you ever look up at airplanes and imagine where the passengers on board are traveling to? What fantastic adventures await them when they land, or perhaps what marvelous sights they've seen and what stories they're carrying home?"

"Hehe… No, but ya got me thinking now," Eddy chuckled before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting, "Hey! Where ya guys goin'?! Is it somewhere else?! Take me with ya!"

Ed guffawed at Eddy's message. "Remember when we flew, guys? We flew high and free above the mysterious world of the football field!"

"Oh yeah!" Eddy beamed as he recalled their failed school escape attempt. "That plane was awesome! Sure worked better than that rocket you built to escape the ROBOT PLANET, huh, Sockhead?"

Edd joined in with a lighthearted giggle. "We somehow accumulated more air time with the rocket car, and that was just a prop!"

"Yeah! We went to Scotland! And Switzerland! And Mexicoland! We've fought robots and monsters and aliens!" Ed sat up and eagerly pumped his fists. "Can we do that again, guys?!"

"One day, Ed," Eddy hummed, folding his arms behind his head. "One day we'll be on top of the world. I swear it."

"We could just take the elevator, Eddy."

"I'm not talking about going to the moon, Lumpy! I'm talking about making a name for ourselves! Setting sail for new horizons, looking back at everything we once knew and laughing."

Edd snickered as he propped himself up. "But we're already doing that! Here we are, reminiscing on past exploits and how they have helped us grow and mature. Laughing at the fallacies and failures of our youth through the lens of hindsight. This is the first step in reaching those new horizons!" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. "The time will come for us to truly carve our niche in this world. I'm certain of it. But we have already changed so much in these past years, wouldn't you say, gentlemen?"

For the longest time, the distant twitter of birds was his only response. Bothered by the silence, Edd opened his eyes again and glanced behind him. Ed and Eddy were gone, leaving him alone on the hilly perch.

"Oh, for goodness sake…" Edd grumbled as he stood up and brushed the grass off his back. He looked around with a frustrated frown. "Ed? Eddy? If this is another one of your jokes on my verbosity, it's not funny! Where are you?!"

The silence still hung in the air. Edd's aggravation turned to confusion and concern. Those two couldn't have gotten far in the span of his short speech, and there were no prominent hiding places nearby. It was almost as if they had simply vanished, and the more he pondered this odd occurrence, the more he realized this wasn't how this conversation was supposed to go.

Hold on…

Haven't we been here before?

"YAH-!"

An unseen force yanked Edd off his feet and dragged him away at breakneck speed. He flew across the field, past the playground, and back into town. He zipped down the roads, matching the speed of the cars that drove alongside him. Finally, the invisible hand carried him to the cul-de-sac and tossed him headlong into a familiar house, where he weaved through the hallways, shot down the basement stairs, and landed feet-first in Ed's room.

Eddy folded his arms and lowered his chin a few inches. "Call me a party pooper if ya want, but if I'm gonna spend my Sunday night pretending I'm in some magical fantasy world, I think tossing dice around and doing a whole bunch of number-crunching would kinda kill the vibe for me. Isn't fantasy supposed to help us not think about math?"

Edd froze for a moment, staring at his friend seated on the bed. He felt completely dazed, but he didn't know why. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, but after turning around and spotting Ed, North, Jonny, Demi, and the tabletop game in progress, he ultimately remembered what they were discussing.

"I can understand your reservations, Eddy." Edd stepped closer to his friend sitting on the bed, his expression gentle. "It could be quite enthralling if you were to participate, but we would think no less of you if you relinquished your role as a spectator and spent your evening elsewhere. We don't want you to believe we're excluding you out of spite. After all, we have every other day of the week to enjoy our summer alongside you."

"I guess…" Eddy breathed with a limp shrug. "I don't get why you're so into this wizard business, though. Didn't you once call this game… Purell drivel or whatever?"

"Yes, I acknowledge my initial notions towards Lizards & Wizards, but even now that I am an active participant, I am mentally grounded enough not to let the realms of imagination rule my everyday life. The fact of the matter is… it is entertaining to indulge in fiction every now and then. To leave behind the cares and concerns of the real world and pretend to be something greater than yourself. We used to do that all the time, Eddy."

"Yeah, but we didn't sit around a table and let books decide how long it would take until the pretend bad guys had enough."

"My point being… I play this game so that I may engage in jovial childlike whimsy while I still have the opportunity."

North nodded to the duo and cleared his throat. "Can't really fault ya for that kind of thinking. Everyone has to grow up, but that doesn't mean you have to completely stop being a kid."

"Very true, North," Edd agreed.

"Not in my house," Demi grunted, absent-mindedly dropping her dice one-by-one into their case. "My dad sucks all the childlike wonder out of anything fun with all his science jargon."

"Well, your dad's a big ol' grumpy grump!" Ed insisted.

"No argument here."

The new topic at hand earned an actual chuckle out of Eddy. "I dunno, it sounds like he'd get along great with science guy Sockhead."

Edd smirked back at him, responding to the tease with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "Are you suggesting I'm not fun?"

"For trying to explain your enjoyment of fantasy in a non-fantastical way, yes, Professor Double-bore! And speaking of, Staples, isn't your dad trying to, like… invent portals or something? Sounds like fantasy to me!"

"Portals?" Ed's head snapped up…

…and his eyes met hers through the blue-white glow. "Demi?"

Edd shuddered, his hands clinging to his pounding head as a blinding haze and deep rumble overtook Ed's room. He squinted as he glanced between the two blurry shapes closest to him. Ed was laser-focused on Demi, her arms protectively cradling a ginger cat, her legs shaking as she took a step towards him and disappeared in a ripple of light.

"DEMI!"

"DEMI! JONESY!" North leaped after the girl and the cat, swinging his arms in a feeble attempt to catch them…

"NORTH!" And just like that, Ed watched North vanish too. "NORTH BUDDY! DEMI! BABY SISTER!"

"DOUBLE D!" Eddy screamed over the ear-splitting din. "WHADDA WE DO?!"

Edd was hyperventilating as he looked around. Aside from his two best friends, he could neither see nor hear any of the other kids accompanying them. They were alone in this madhouse of sensory overload. He was at a complete loss, too terrified and too pained to come up with a plan.

"DOUBLE DEEEEE!"

"I DON'T KNOW, EDDY!"

"RUN AWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!"

Ed scooped Edd up in one arm. He grabbed Eddy with the other. He prepared to make a mad dash out of there.

He took only one step before the ground disappeared beneath them.


"AAAAAHHHHH!" Edd felt himself falling, flailing wildly until the back of his chair caught him. Once stable, his hands feverishly gripped the seat, his head spinning for a few seconds longer, lungs struggling to catch their breath. With wide eyes and a gaping mouth, Edd stared at the man seated in front of him, who met his gaze with equal astonishment.

"Another world…"

Edd shook himself off and studied his surroundings with a refreshed mind. He quickly recalled where he was and who this man was, but upon a second inspection, he noticed that Terryn looked utterly exhausted. The spell he had cast must have been exceptionally draining. And yet, this was not the most shocking revelation…

"You're… You're from…"

The young man grew rigid. He gawked at Terryn with a mix of awe and dread.

Terryn paused to gather his thoughts, then he turned back to Edd, slightly calmer. "Eddward, can you understand me?"

A soft gasp wheezed through Edd's teeth. Terryn still spoke with the same unearthly tongue, and yet, in his head, it was as clear as English. A new, fully comprehensive language had embedded itself in his brain, and it felt completely natural. Even though he had predicted this to be the outcome, it was still incredible to consider.

His mouth suddenly felt dry as a bone, but Edd managed to speak nonetheless, his new vocabulary flowing from his lips in perfect cohesion. "Yes… Yes, I understand."

Terryn smiled with a sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry. Your journey must have been frightening, lost in a new land, unable to communicate."

"It certainly complicated the learning process," Edd breathed, placing a hand on his sternum as he tried to relax. "Judging by my hallucinations and your reaction, I assume that this spell of yours granted you access to my memories."

"Yes." Terryn nodded slowly. "Again, I must apologize for the delay. The Transference of Tongues is an arduous spell to cast. I felt it better for both our sake to do so within the sanctity of my own home. But that isn't why you ask, is it?"

Edd said nothing, lowering his gaze, bracing himself for the million-dollar question.

"You're not from this world, are you?"

"No." Edd curled inward, eyes on his hands. "My friends and I come from a world called Earth, where magic and sorcery are the stuff of fantasy and humans are the sole dominant race. We wandered into a scientific experiment that opened a portal to this world and separated most of us in the process, and since then, my two closest companions and I have been searching aimlessly for the others."

He paused for a moment, pursing his lips as his repressed emotions began to well up. "And now… Now I've been separated from them as well, and I still have no idea where I am."

"Oh, Eddward…" Terryn leaned on his knees, his face full of sympathy. "That's dreadful. I'm sorry. Truly, I am. I'm sure there are so many questions bouncing around in your head, and I'm more than willing to answer any of them anyway I can."

Then, with a slight cough, Terryn straightened back up and took on a somewhat more professional tone. "But please, allow me to formally introduce myself first. My name is Terryn Siaghal Aineislis Broichan III, Duke of Sullus."

Edd's wide eyes shot up. "You're a duke?"

"I am. I wanted to clarify that, as it may shed light on much of what I tell you." Terryn grabbed his desk and stood up on shaking legs, directing Edd's attention to the nearby globe.

Pointing to a spot on the map, he continued, "You are here, in Sullus, located within the Kingdom of Apetus. Our kingdom lies within the continent of Daear, the largest in our humble word of Iaun."

"Iaun…" Edd repeated softly. It was somewhat comforting to finally know the name of this world, like placing a piece in a complicated puzzle. "And those knights who captured and sold us… are they knights of Apetus?"

"No." A scowl crossed Terryn's face. "They serve the kingdom of Kadia, one of few on this continent where slavery is still legal. A disgusting practice. I routinely travel to their capital in disguise to buy as many captives as I can their freedom. So rest assured, I have no grounds to call you my property in this kingdom."

"I had suspected that to be the case," Edd mused, grateful to have his hopes confirmed. "But then what about my friends? The ones who were sold immediately after me? Do you know where they may be?"

Terryn gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath, very clearly troubled by what he was about to say. "I had suspected you three were together. I tried my best to keep you together. I really did. But…" He hesitated, avoiding Edd's eyes, then he let out a deep sigh. "The Kadian huntmaster outbid me. He must have sensed the same strength of will in them that I saw in you. Believed they would be a good challenge in the… the Royal Hunt."

"Royal… Hunt…?" Edd's thoughts dwelled on the idea of men chasing foxes and deer for a few short seconds. After that, the implications became clear. If these people were cruel enough to view outsiders as nothing but objects to claim and sell, it was plausible to assume that they would use those same foreigners as game too. Intelligent, dangerous game.

"No… No, they're not… Th-They can't be…" Edd sunk in his seat. His hand flew to his mouth as his stomach turned sour. His vision grew blurry when the tears he had been holding back began to surface. He didn't want to believe it, but everything from the context to Terryn's heartbroken silence told him he was right.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, looking up to meet Terryn's sad expression. There was nothing the man could say to remedy the pain, and they both knew it. All he could do was comfort Edd with a tender touch and a soft but genuine, "I'm sorry."

Edd was out of words. Just as quickly as he had learned where he was and how to speak this land's language, everything he understood fell apart. He dropped his face into his hands, struggling desperately to form a cohesive thought through the jumble of trauma and complex emotions.

Sensing this inability to cope, Terryn dropped his hand and meekly asked, "Do you need a moment alone?"

When the young man answered with a nod, Terryn gave him a final gesture of condolence in the form of a handkerchief placed on his lap. "Take all the time you need." Then the duke quietly exited the library, closing the door behind him.

Just like that, Edd found himself alone. Completely, utterly alone. Ed and Eddy were gone. He had left his dearest friends to become prey in the Royal Hunt. For all he knew, the rest of his peers could be facing similarly cruel fates in the far corners of Daear. And now here he was, trapped in this new, unforgiving world with no one to turn to, forever changed by Iaun, left to either adapt or let the entirety of the Eds perish. The only remnant of his former life was the ratty knit cap that still adorned his head. By all other accounts, the Edd he knew may as well have been dead. Without Peach Creek, without Ed and Eddy, who was he?

Finally, the weight of his fears came crashing down all at once, and Edd threw his head up and wailed at the top of his lungs.


CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG

Eddy awoke with a start, his head and heart pounding in sync. The sound of the guards marching up and down the cellblock, banging on bars and shouting at the prisoners was an unwelcome cacophony to wake up to. He wasn't a morning person to begin with. Despite this, Eddy's irritation was short-lived as he found himself fully alert and on edge. Today was going to be hell, and he wanted to be ready for it.

As he stood up and brushed the hay off his tunic, a guard slid his breakfast inside his cell. Two bowls, like the kind a dog would eat out of, one full of water, the other dripping with what was either porridge or mud. It was hard to tell, but it still looked better than the rotten meat. Eddy downed both bowls of flavorless sludge in record time, then he poked his head out, straining to see Ed one cell over.

"Hey, Lumpy. How ya holding up?"

"'m shcared, Eddeh," Ed mumbled back through a mouthful of his breakfast.

"Don't be, big guy." Eddy shifted his eyes up and down the hall, carefully watching the guards. "Just keep telling yourself that we aren't prey. We are the predators. They just don't know it yet."

"What are we gonna do?"

"We're gonna escape. That's what we're gonna do," Eddy firmly stated as he retreated back into his cell and fished his spearhead out of the haystack. "We're gonna outsmart and outrun these royal schmucks until we're home free. Then we're gonna find Double D and finally get out of this backwards world."

Ed's smile was apparent in his voice as he replied, "Okay, Eddy!"

Eddy found himself grinning back despite himself. Although he was determined to break free and willing to put on a show of force for Ed's sake, he was certainly nervous. He had no idea how they were going to escape their hunters. Without Edd's brain to bounce ideas off of, Eddy could only rely on his instincts, but even he knew that might not be enough this time. This wasn't like being chased by a group of rowdy preteens out for revenge. These men were literally going to kill them for sport. Not exactly something Eddy had mentally trained himself for.

Well, regardless of how prepared he was, the hunt was on. As such, bucking up the best he could, Eddy wiped the spearhead off and stuffed it into his mouth, tucking it under his tongue. If he and Ed were going down, they were going down swinging.

Right on cue, his cell door opened with a heavy clank. A guard reached in, slapped a set of shackles onto Eddy's wrists, and hauled him out with an agitated grumble. Eddy kept his eyes on the floor, scowling to mask his full mouth. Soon, he was back on the chain, standing in line with the rest of the prisoners, Ed right behind him, followed by Ushug.

The row of men and orcs marched out of the dungeons and into the sunlight in silence. The guards mounted their horses and drakes and ushered them along, but not towards the front gate. Rather, they circled around the building and were forced to jog towards a second, smaller gate, leading them into a little meadow sandwiched between two curved, twenty-foot stone walls and their adjoining towers.

A group of men in black and purple robes met them within this enclosed space. As soon as the gate was shut, they immediately got to work removing the prisoners' shackles, then stripping them down to their birthday suits to the accompaniment of jeers and titters. In light of the humiliation, Eddy was glad he had stored his spear tip in his mouth instead of a pocket or – God forbid – his prison wallet. Once nude, something was painted on each of their backs; Ed and Eddy could only assume that the similar-looking symbols were numbers.

A wicket in the adjacent wall separated them from a sprawling forest, one that radiated a more artificial, meticulously-tended aura than the wilds where they had begun their journey. Ed and Eddy approached it, exchanging wary glances as the former piped up, "This is just like the Wild Hunt in Warlords of the Westlands Issue 16: Wrath of the Bear King. Except we're being hunted by humans and not fairies."

"Hmm." Eddy wanted to retort, but bit his tongue for the sake of the weapon hiding beneath it. All he could do was frown at Ed with a mix of annoyance and pity.

"Ayamed! Eddy!"

The duo turned around to see Ushug half-buried in a nearby bush. Her hair was knotted and her pale green skin had prominent stains of darker green all over. Once she had their attention, the old orc extended a handful of grass and leaves to each of them.

"Well, thank you!" Ed chimed as he and Eddy accepted the bundles. "What do we do with these? Are we supposed to… ah?" He held the leaves up to his open mouth.

"UN!" Ushug held a hand out to stop him. She plucked a leaf and rubbed it on her neck as a demonstration, then she walked over to the wicket and pointed to the assembled royals on horse- and drake-back. Quickly, Ed and Eddy noticed the assortment of dogs among them.

"Ohhh, okay!" Ed finally got the message and started rubbing the grass on every inch of his body. Eddy followed suit, mentally grateful for Ed's impromptu bath yesterday; no amount of foliage would've masked his usual stink. After coating themselves as best they could, the boys and the orc helped each other rub the herbs on their backs, and the three were soon thoroughly covered in green smudges and the scent of a freshly cut lawn. Eddy, however, decided to take it one step further. He reached under the bush and scooped up a fistful of moist, black soil, painting it on his body in broad stripes. Inspired, Ed and Ushug did the same.

Eddy stood up straight and clenched his fists. He was tempted to deliver a rousing speech about the war ahead of them, but again, his mouth was a bit too full. Instead, he pulled his buddy close and murmured through gritted teeth, "You ready to show 'em who's boss, Ed?"

Ed smiled and nodded. "Roger Wilco, Eddy! Ushug?"

"Hmph!" Ushug's knuckles popped as she took on a fierce fighting stance.

Hunting horns blared behind the wall. Dogs barked. Horses nickered. One guard opened the wooden gate while the rest began to close in on the prisoners, forcing them out into the open field. The prey immediately scattered into the trees, desperate to hide from their hunters. It had begun.

Just as Ed and Eddy prepared to charge ahead, two orcs suddenly appeared behind them and grabbed Ushug by her underarms. The old shaman kicked and screamed in protest, but her fellow tribesmen did not listen, dragging her into the thicket without looking back.

"Ushug!" Ed threw his arm out in shock, unable to reach her. "Wait!"

Eddy swiftly grabbed Ed's wrist, stopping him in his tracks and pulling him in a different direction. They had their own lives to worry about. Ushug's people could take care of her. "C'mon!"

With a sad whimper and a final glance, Ed followed Eddy into the woods. They sprinted as fast as their legs could go, weaving between the trees and through the brush, checking over their shoulders every few seconds to be sure it was still just the two of them. Five minutes in, Eddy's run was cut short when his foot met a loose root, sending him tumbling head over heels. His grunt of pain shot the spearhead out of his mouth in a shower of spittle.

"Eddy!" Ed was quick to haul him back onto his feet. "Are you hurt?!"

"Nah, I'm fine," Eddy responded, flexing his liberated tongue and picking the tip off the ground. "We gotta keep moving. Just a little further."

So they pressed on once again, navigating the forest for another few minutes. They eventually reached clearing wedged within a particularly dense patch of trees, at which point Eddy opted to slow down and survey their surroundings. "Okay, I think we're good for now. But we gotta find a way out. There's gotta be an end to these woods somewhere."

He eyed a sturdy oak nearby, gripping the spearhead between his teeth as he started to climb. "Let's get a better view."

Ed let out a single, apprehensive whine before following Eddy up the tree. His fear of death by hunting party easily trumped his fear of heights then and there. He perched on a thick, middling branch while Eddy continued to the top to get a broader scope. A few minutes later, Eddy shimmied back down to Ed's level and whispered, "Looks like there's a gorge about a mile that way. Maybe we can slip out through there."

"Did you see any hunters, Eddy?"

"Nada. Maybe we gave 'em the slip. But just in case they catch up, we should-"

Somewhere beneath them, they heard pounding hooves and barking dogs. The two Eds hastily flattened themselves against the branches, holding their breath, hoping their camouflage would do the trick. The bushes beneath them rustled and split open as a pack of hounds burst out. The dogs paced about at the base of their tree, frantically sniffing above and below, until one of them let out a loud grunt and led them back into the thicket.

A few seconds ticked by in silence, then they slumped and exhaled in unison. Sweet relief washed over Ed and Eddy as they eyed each other with nervous humor. "Ushug sure was smart, huh, Eddy?"

"I'll say. We-"

BOOM

The duo locked up again as a distant explosion shook the forest. Hunter horns were blaring, dogs were going mad, and men were shouting in anger and alarm. They could barely see what the commotion was from their perch, but they weren't about to move and find out. The noises were just too close for comfort.

There was another explosion, and then another. The leaves around them jolted in the waves of each burst. The cries of the men, dogs and horses seemed endless, up until they were overpowered by a single, hysterical wail of complete, horrific agony. Finally, the chaos seemed to settle as the shouts were replaced with cheers.

Ed and Eddy stared at each other through the foliage, too scared to speak or even flinch. They both had a solid idea of what just happened.

A minute or so later, they heard someone approaching their hiding place again. Two cavaliers, both on horses, adorned with equestrian attire in the kingdom's colors. Both of them were heavily armed with swords and knives on their belts, javelins sheathed on their saddles, and a bow and quiver on their backs. One looked heavily disheveled; his clothes were smoldering and full of holes, there were crimson scratches on his cheeks, and his hair had twigs and leaves in it. Nonetheless, he wore a self-satisfied grin as his companion heaped praise upon him.

The boys could see a rope trailing behind the dirty man's steed as the horses emerged from the brush. A body was tied to the end by its feet, covered in blood and stuck with multiple arrows. Despite the mess they had made of the corpse, it was still easily recognizable…

Ed's heart leaped into his throat. His jaw dropped at the sight of Ushug's lifeless form. He wanted to scream out to her, scream at her murderers, but his voice got caught. All he could do was stare at the sad remains of the elderly orc as her body was dragged through the dirt.

Something started burning in Ed's chest. When Eddy dared to look his way, he found Ed shaking in place, teeth gritted, eyes narrowed.

The two riders stopped just beneath the tree, taking refuge in the shade. They made conversation for a moment until the second cavalier hopped off his horse with a hearty laugh. Drawing his knife, he kneeled over Ushug's body and ripped out one of her fangs, handing it to his lucky companion.

Ed's shoulders grew tense. His fingernails dug into the branch. Eddy desperately shook his head, but the gesture went unnoticed.

The hunters continued to laugh and joke with each other as Ushug's killer slipped her fang into a loop in his belt. The other one started salvaging arrows from her body, donning a coy smirk as he muttered something and gave her head a light kick.

"EVIL HUNTSMEN FROM HADES! YAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!"

Ushug's killer was blindsided by a young man barrelling out of the tree, tackling him off his terrified horse. He landed head-first on the hard earth, his neck twisting with a sickening crack.

His companion, already armed with his knife, prepared to leap into action. Before he had the chance, a second assailant jumped on top of him, knocking him to the ground and driving the tip of a spear into the back of his neck.

The horses whinnied and bucked with alarm, then they retreated into the forest, taking Ushug's body with them. After that, the little patch of thicket grew deathly silent.

Ed stared down at the man pinned beneath him, gawking at his still form and the unnatural position of his head. Eddy pulled the spearhead free, his eyes flicking between it and the second hunter's blank expression. They both shuffled back, hands shaking, breaths uneven, wide eyes locked on the bodies.

"E… Ed?"

"Y-Yes, Eddy?"

"We just killed these guys."

Ed rocked in place as tears welled up in his eyes. Eddy dropped the spear tip and tried not to vomit. The fact that they were still alive felt disturbingly irrelevant. These two, these young men from a small, humble town, who just a week ago had been little more than average suburban children, had just killed. No hesitation, no pity. Any semblance of innocence they might've had left was gone, washed away in cold blood.

It was that moment more than anything else that made the two Eds realize there was no going back. Even if they escaped this death trap, things would never go back to normal.

A distant shout snapped them out of their trance. No doubt, someone had heard their little stint. Panicking, Eddy crouched over one of the bodies and removed his quiver, bow, and sword, handing Ed the latter. "We gotta get outta here!"

Just as Ed took the sword, a whizzing sound prompted them to dart aside. A javelin lodged itself in the dirt where Eddy was sitting. Soon thereafter, a horse bounded over the bushes and into the clearing, its rider taking aim with his bow.

"EDDY, LOOK OUT!" Without thinking, Ed swung his new sword just as the horse touched down. The steed brayed in pain as its front legs were slashed, sending it toppling over and the rider flipping off its back. Eddy nocked an arrow with shaking hands, fired, and missed the man's head by a few inches. He took aim again, this time striking him in the throat.

"ED, COME ON! RUN!" The duo charged headlong into the woods. Despite his racing mind, Eddy was sure the gorge was in this direction, and he was banking on it being their salvation. Somewhere behind them, horns were blaring and dogs were barking. The hunters were in hot pursuit.

Bursting out of the trees, the two found themselves face-to-face with a pair of watchmen. The uniformed men had only a second to gawk at the green and black-striped creatures before Ed instinctively drove his sword through one of them. The second leaped away and made a break for it, blowing his horn to alert the hunters. His call ended with a sharp squeal as Eddy fired an arrow into his neck.

"Come on!" Eddy goaded anxiously as he and Ed started running again. They tripped up for a split second, their minds reeling from the shock of just how easily they killed those men. Already this life or death situation was becoming second nature to them. There was no time to be upset about it, though. They had to keep going.

"YEOWCH!" Eddy stumbled, blood dripping from where a stone had punctured his sole. His limping stride slowed him down, fire shooting up his leg with every step.

Ed fretfully checked behind them. He could hear pounding gallops through the foliage. Desperate, he grabbed Eddy's arm and picked up the pace, hauling his pal along. "You can do it, Eddy! We're almost there!"

The cover of trees grew thinner and thinner, finally opening up into a small clearing. The land abruptly dropped off several yards away, and Ed and Eddy did not stop until they reached that edge. They did so with a yelp, skidding and kicking up dirt, just barely catching themselves in time when they realized what they were running towards. What awaited them at the bottom of the twenty-foot gorge was a muddy, shallow river and a dense array of jagged rocks, teeming with at least three or four bodies.

"Oh, man!" Eddy only had half a second to realize his mistake before an arrow went sailing past his head. Surprised, he whipped around and shot one back.

A young, blonde-haired woman let out a startled shriek, nearly falling off her drake as she swerved away from the arrow. The closest rider immediately planted himself in front of her, scowling wildly at the two troublemakers. Hunters emerged from every corner of the forest, creating a half-circle around Ed and Eddy, backing them against the gorge.

"We are surrounded!" Ed cried, his sword raised defensively. "What do we do, Eddy?!"

Eddy huddled closer to the oaf. He didn't have an answer for that. They were facing down seven or so heavily-armed men, all with far more experience with a bow and arrow than him. There was no easy way out of this, but darn it if he wasn't going to try.

His gaze shifted about until it landed on the man guarding the lone female. He gasped softly, catching Ed's attention. They both recognized the captain from the slave knight caravan.

"YOU."

Eddy furiously gritted his teeth. His eyes glowed a brilliant gold.

He drew an arrow from his quiver.

Every hunter in the vicinity took aim.

All of a sudden, the world seemed to slow down. Ed jumped to the side while Eddy charged ahead. Arrows flew in every direction, yet Eddy felt like he had all the time he needed to dodge them. He deftly weaved left and right, ducking and leaping with catlike grace. His golden eyes were focused on the captain as he drew back his bowstring. As soon as the final arrow missed its mark, Eddy lined his up with the captain's eye and released.

With the thunk of Eddy's bow, everything resumed its normal pace. Ed finally hit the ground, rolled, and shot back to his feet without a scratch. The captain waved his hand, summoning a barrier of blue light just in time to deflect the arrow. Eddy stumbled to a halt, the glimmer in his eyes dying down.

"AAH! EDDY!"

A bolas struck Ed from behind, entangling and hurling him to the ground. Eddy hastily nocked another arrow and aimed for the man who had thrown it, but a second bolas struck him from behind, sending the arrow wildly off course.

"AUGH…! ED, COME ON, GET UP!"

"EDDYYYYY…!"

Once both Eds were writhing on their sides, struggling to unravel themselves, the hunters rushed in and threw a heavy net over them. They kicked the boys from all sides, shouting, taunting, driving their faces into the dirt. Eddy bunched up, trying his best to protect himself, screaming in righteous anger. Ed flailed about like a trapped animal, finally crying in pain and fear.

A hard blow to the chest silenced Ed on the spot, knocking him out cold. The last thing Eddy saw as he called out to his friend was the captain raising his boot, swinging it towards his face.


"Princess Rudelle!"

With the two maniacs finally subdued, Dwennon raced over to the young lady still seated on her bright yellow drake. The princess tightly held her chest, shaking and panting hysterically. "He shot at me! That… That little savage shot at ME!"

"It's alright, Your Highness," Dwennon calmly assured her. "It's over now. They can't hurt you."

Rudelle lowered her hands, using one to fan herself while Dwennon gently patted the other. He allowed the princess a moment to recover, turning his attention to the hunters. "How many are dead?"

"Five by these ones, Captain," one of the hunters answered. "Another three are confirmed dead by orcs."

"Filthy mongrels," another one snarled, drawing his sword. "I'll take their heads for this!"

"NO!"

Any advances towards the unconscious duo were cut short by the simultaneous cry of Dwennon and Rudelle. All eyes turned their way. The princess was fuming, but the captain stepped forward to speak first. "This is my fault. The orc witch saw the true power of their wills, and I did not take it seriously enough. These two are dragonhearts."

The hunters murmured amongst themselves, startled by this revelation. It certainly explained the little one's eyes, but it raised so many other questions.

"There was a third one with them, sold to a landowner. A single dragonheart is odd enough, but to find three of them in the middle of this crystal dragon blight? This is a sign, and it's time that I treat it with the urgency it deserves." Dwennon marched up to the fallen prey, resting his foot atop the smaller one. "If their will to live is this intense, they must have a reason. They must know something."

"Captain…" Princess Rudelle spoke up, drawing the attention back to her intense expression. "These two must pay. Whatever it is you have planned for them, I want them to suffer through it. Make it slow and painful. I want them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt what a grave mistake they made in attacking me."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Dwennon bowed to her before turning to the hunters. "You four, escort the princess back to the castle. There may yet be more rogues waiting in the wing."

"Yes, Captain." The designated hunters mounted their horses and drakes, defensively flanking the princess. Rudelle cast one last, vengeful glare at the dirty creatures in the net, then turned her drake around and rode off in a huff.

The remaining men tended to the dragonhearts, removing the net, confiscating their weapons, and ensuring they were bound good and tight. Dwennon watched in cold fury as they were lifted onto the cavaliers' horses, ready to be hauled away for questioning. Before that, though, the little barbarians had to learn how to speak Daearic, and the captain could already see this as a prime opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

He had wanted to believe these boys were not his problem anymore. He knew better. He had known better from the start. This time, though, he would not underestimate them.