No, it's not safe to go back there, Tif said, leaping astride her horse. She gazed pensively off down the dark road. It'll be swarming with demons by now you only left just in time. She winced, as if in pain, still not looking at any of them.
What do you suggest? Aubri asked calmly. Dib couldn't believe he was trusting her! She had betrayed them!
Find the sword Tif continued. I told you all I know, just head north. Get a boat the other continent is where you need to be. Head to Atsel. It's a walled city due west along this road get there there should be a port near there somewhere. Her voice was clipped and strained. She dug her boots into the flanks of her horse, but as the animal started to move, the minstrel's little green dog rushed squealing over to the weaponsmaster, leapt, and clung to her boot.
DON'T LEAVE ME SHINY-LADY!!!! sobbed GIR. Tif jumped, and stared down at the little dog. Dib thought he could almost see tears shining in her eyes, but he wasn't sure. The weaponsmaster looked away quickly, shook the dog off of her boot gently, and kicked her horse into a gallop. As the hoofbeats receded, there was no sound except for the lonely cries of the green dog.
Oh, don't be sad it's alright, it's alright! KidK slid down from her horse and went over to the little dog, scooping it up and hugging it close.
Zim called from where he was re-securing his belongings to his pony. Leave the minion of ZIM alone!! For once, the gypsy ignored him, and gently set the little dog into Ivy's arms. The Irken child hugged it, tears streaming down her own face. That was one odd thing about her, Dib thought. Anytime anybody was upset, that kid started bawling. He didn't get it with a sigh, he climbed up on the pack mule. The weaponsmaster was right about one thing, anyway. They couldn't stay in one place without being overrun by the forces of darkness.
Aubri reached for the reins of his horse, then turned abruptly to the healer, Jaime, who still stood there in her nightrobe. Thank you, he said, nodding his head to her.
Oh, sure! she said, looking a bit dazed. Aubri swung up onto his horse, nodded to her again, and then the group took off once more at a sharp trot down the road. Jaime blinked, watching them go, smiled to herself, shook her head, and went back home to see how a certain young dragon had fared throughout the excitement.
--
No, she could see he hadn't always been like this. Tabby's hands flew over the sheets of paper, unrolled scrolls, stacked books, threw pens aside these two had never exactly been nice rulers, but Red had never been so viciously cruel and vindictive as he was being now. There was something else behind this, she was sure. Her flame-colored wings mantled slightly, the feathers ruffling, as she heard a noise down the hall. She was only ostensibly helping Purple to look for clues as to the wherabouts of his missing heir and only because Red was napping soundly. She'd thought her job was concubine a title that made her shudder, but she was nothing like that, not really. When she'd applied, she hadn't known that Red had been lacking a brain to the point where he didn't know what a concubine actually was. Heck, all he did was make her bring him nachos, pillows, and keep him entertained by telling him bloody stories.
Nevertheless, she found his carefree nature appealing, and she was worried that his cruelty of late to his kingdom was not who he really was. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Especially since these records indicated he hadn't been that way in the past. At least not as much.
Tabby paused, moved her lantern closer to a fairly new scroll as she unrolled it. It was some philosopher's take on how the king had been corrupted by power in the past few months. It made no sense to Tabby, but she didn't think it was power corruption not really. It was some outside force. It had to be. Not many had noticed the ominous aura of darkness that had clouded the castle lately, but Tabby was trained as a thief, however inadequate they might think her, and she knew such things she picked the lantern up with a sigh. She'd been here too long Red never napped more than a couple of hours and she needed to get back to her attentive' services. Concubine, my foot. Shaking her head, Tabby strode out and shut the door carefully behind her.
--
Gone was the leisurely pace they'd been taking, the idle conversation amidst the drear of travel. The horses hit a steady, somewhat jarring pace, tense and strained, their hooves striking the dirt road loudly. It was enough to make Dib's head pound, as he did his best to keep his balance on the pack of the mule he rode. He was getting awful sore from the pace. Oh well the minstrel was faring no better. Dib suffered a glare in Zim's direction. The stupid being sure didn't know how to sit comfortably on a trotting horse glancing beyond him, Dib noticed the little Irken child Ivy, he thought he recalled that being her name was faring no better. Were these beings just not used to riding? It was pretty likely, considering they seemed to get around on those odd silver legs that they kept hidden under that pod thing on their backs
Dib called up to Aubri, who almost seemed to be floating with the horse—Dib was at a loss to how he managed to do everything like that. Aubri's head snapped around, and Dib noticed his eyes were glowing again. What was up with that, anyway?? It was really unsettling. How long until we stop for the night?? Dib persisted.
Sorry, Dib Aubri said distantly, turning back to the road ahead. We can't stop.
Dib grimaced. It had to be the middle of the morning at least, and besides being sore, Dib was feeling the fatigue. Why not? he called again, trying to keep the whine from his voice.
Look behind you
Dib turned around to squint down the dark road. There wasn't anything there. He didn't know what Aubri was so worried abou—something flashed in his vision, and Dib's eyes widened. He still couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything.. but the darkness roiled and swelled to both sides of the road behind them, enveloping their tracks and snaking tendrils of its sinister void after the horses' pounding hooves. It was cold and it pressed ever forward. But still—Dib tried to rationalize—there was nothing there a chill shuddered through him and he looked ahead again, starting to poke his mule. Go faster he muttered. Flattening its long ears, the animal obliged only slightly.
--
There was nothing more she could do. Spurring her horse on with sharp jabs of her boots into its flanks, Tif leaned low over its shoulders, gripping the reins tightly. The night seemed darker than it had been, shadows growing and creeping along and around the road. And still she plunged onwards, to where it seemed even darker, more evil she felt it tinge at her mind, felt a sense of disapproval. She'd failed her master. She knew that. She would almost start to wish she'd carried through but then the image of that little dog would appear in her mind, its big adoring eyes gazing up at her, its little black paws wrapping around her boots as it gazed in mute awe at the shinies'. Tif drew an arm across her cheeks fiercely, wiping away the streaks of tears. She didn't want to serve this Dark Lord anymore. But neither was there anything she could do.
Hey!! There's one now!! she heard a voice shout, and in another moment she was blinded by a very unexpected spray of colorful sparkles. She screamed, half in challenge and half in surprise, yanking her horse's reins up and pulling it to a halt. The sparkles cleared, and Tif looked around, peering through the palpable darkness for her assailant.
a horrified female voice said. That is not a giant Mecha Cheese Doodle!! See!? A figure strode up near Tif, dressed in a hideous motley array of ill-fitting armor. She lacks the Fake Cheddar Powder Cannons
the first voice called. I just thought well I mean, look at her! She's dressed all in black, she's riding back towards the growing.. infestation.. how do you know she's not evil!?
DO YOU SEE CHEDDAR CANNONS OR NOT!?! the motley warrior cried imperiously, brandishing a sword in the direction of the first voice. Tif stared for a long moment, then nabbed her chance at the distraction, and quickly rode off down the road, shaking her head in bewilderment. Honestly, the characters that populated Fantasyland these days maybe it was a good thing the Dark Lord was aiming to destroy the entire place no, don't think like that, Tif reminded herself with a spark of pain. There is some good to this place even if He doesn't see it
