The black eagle flew low towards a huge encampment. Thousands of tents were set up and hideous creatures milled about between them. The beasts were hunched and distorted. Beauty, elegance, everything of the sort had been cast aside in place of necessity. The gnarled figures were vicious and cruel. They carried weapons of the earth, base metals, gleaming to remind of their deadliness. Each was revolting in its own unique way. Most were horribly disfigured, others left acid in their footprints, the rest were downright filthy.

The black eagle soared well out of their reach, fully aware what they would do if they could touch it. One stupid beast threw a spear at the eagle but the bird flew too high. Even in its cold heart, the bird hated these things. They were a crime to nature. Instead, it kept its eyes off of the horrid creatures and continued on its way.

Ahead, seated on top of a small, jagged cliff sat a dark castle. Its five tiers pierced the sky with their sharply pointed forms. Light shone out of its small windows into the twilight that hung over the barren land. The cold, dark gray stone looked icy compared to the light brown of the surrounding wasteland. It was slightly out of place yet fitting to command the region. The eagle made straight for the second-tallest tower.

As it got closer, the eagle could make out more clearly the coarse rune carvings around the window openings. Half-way up the tier, it found the window with the familiar pattern and swooped into the castle. The room was dark and unfurnished, except for a central perch. The eagle landed on the metal rod and screeched its sharp call. Then, it bent down to grasp the pieces of cloth it still carried in its beak. A man soon came into the room wearing a leather glove on his outstretched arm. The bird glided onto it. Once the man was certain it was secure, he reopened the door and exited the room into a steep, downward-spiraling staircase.

Down, down, down they went. The eagle caught its breath after flying so many miles and let the attendant carry it without struggle. Eventually, they came to a landing wider then the rest. The man exited the stairway and entered the main palace. The eagle was carried down a hallway to another, wider set of stairs, which they descended. Then, along another corridor and to a wide, dimly lit hall.

Along the sides of this open room stood metal candelabrums, crudely wrought only for purpose. They held several candles each. The light barely reached the center of the hall but the eagle, with its skilled eyes, could see the dais that rose at the back of the room, with a heavy, well- cushioned chair on top. In the chair sat a dark figure, Duke Bitter. The Duke extended a thin, clammy hand towards servant and eagle. The dark bird flapped its wings and flew off of the leather glove to its master, landing neatly on the dais before him. The Duke stroked the large bird with his bony fingers.

"What have you brought for me, my love?" he asked his loyal messenger in a raspy, acidic voice.

The black eagle dropped the two pieces of cloth in its master's lap. The Duke picked them up and examined the pink and white scraps. His expression was unreadable. His features were set in deep shadows provided by his extremely high collar. Then, Bitter set the cloths down.

"So, Kandi has gotten to them first. Well, I'll get those cursed Candy Land Kids soon enough."

He stroked the eagle again as he paused.

"Fetch me my generals. Make haste!"

The attendant bowed low and exited the hall. Bitter continued to pet the bird as he laughed softly to himself.

"We'll get them alright. By this time tomorrow, we'll be on the way to Candy Land."