Chapter Five

"Help! Someone help me!" I screamed.

I was running down a long, ancient hallway. I knew what was following me and didn't want to look back. It was bad enough just to hear the rumbling of it. I couldn't out run it. I was wearying and it was tireless. This was no match. If I wanted to get away with my life I needed to loose the thing. Easier said than done, right?

I was older and obviously stronger. I still had my old cape, but where it wasn't sewn it was torn and tattered and the color was well faded. It no longer surrounded me either. It functioned more like a cape than a cloak really. Other than that I wasn't wearing much. It all boiled down to a pair of leather shoes and a padded leather tunic. Both were relatively new and unworn.

Suddenly there was an even louder rumbling and I felt my feet lose their traction. I reached out with my arms and managed to grab the other side of the pit. I could hear it louder now. I quickly pulled myself back up and ran as fast as I could. My leg was hurt but I ignored it. I could now feel the air from its advancement against my back, or was that just my paranoid imagination. I didn't bother to look.

I spotted a crack in the wall and dove into it at the last second. I took a deep breath as the boulder passed and let it out slowly. I gave a sigh and shuddered at the thought of what would have happened to me if it had caught up.

The crack extended further into the darkness and I decided to follow it. I crept along as quietly as I could and listened as carefully as possible for anything ahead. It seemed to go on forever. After twenty feet all the available light was gone and I had to get along by sense other than sight. Through these senses I learned that the crack was becoming increasing more dank and humid. After a few minutes the walls were even slimy with wet moss. My shoes were soaking up the water and making it more difficult to walk. Eventually I decided to take them off and carry them.

At first the slowly moving water tickled my feet a little, but soon it began to make them numb and I started to think about putting my shoes back on. But that was short lived as I slowly made out a pinpoint of light out in the distance. Originally it had seemed like only a mirage yet as grew closer it grew and became a definite light source. At this point I had given up trying to move quietly in the water and now I sprinted for the light. My numb feet had forgotten about the danger that could possibly lay in wait in these ruins.

I passed out of darkness and into what seemed at first to be sunlight. I blinked a couple times to adjust my eyes. When they finally functioned correctly I caught my breath and backed up into the wall.

Before me stood a huge statue of Nerull. His scythe standing close to his body and his cloak wrapped loosely around his bones. He seemed to be laughing at the mortality around him. His eyes were two large rubies and the hood of his cloak was made of gold mesh. At his feet lay slain heroes and great men and wizards. They sat in a puddle that was colored red with some sort of sparkling crystal dust. One arm was stretched out and pointed straight at myself. Hoping that it was not myself he was pointing at, I looked up.

To my horror I saw an old noose hanging above my head. A body was already in occupancy of it. I could not say I knew who the body was, but I felt that I had known it. It was already severely cut in many places and there were five jeweled daggers protruding from the chest.

I stumbled away from it and pressed myself into a corner. This place contained more evil than I had ever known in my life. I looked again to the far wall and saw that it was lined by openings. Some had been covered up with dirt but others lay open. Most that were open were empty; however several were filled with bloodstained bones.

I gritted my teeth and took a breath to calm myself. I was not going to allow this to shake me. I was still in control of my body and mind and would make it out of this place. I didn't know who it was above me, but I couldn't do anything for him now. Suddenly a movement caught my eyes.

I looked up and saw a strange, young lady getting up as if out of sleep. Her resting spot was in the depression made where the robed arm holding the scythe bent back inwards from its straight out extension and pressed the fist against Nerull's chest. She stretched and yawned. She then let her eyes, rimmed with some black substance, open wide as if she just noticed me. The movement didn't seem to bother the stitching that was below her right eye.

"Oh, why Beast, I didn't know you were here! It's good to see you again old friend. If I had known you were coming I would have prepared something special for you," she mocked through blood red lips.

She was dressed from head to toe in black clothing embroidered with small red stones that formed symbols I did not recognize. She wore a long sleeved top that was tight around the abdomen and loose at the arms. It stopped halfway up her breast where a jade bead necklace lay with a ruby at the center. Her long skirt followed the same pattern in terms of fit as the shirt but at the point that it became loose it was sectioned into three strips that, depending on the stance, did or did not cover her legs. On her wrists she wore bracelets of black and red colored gems. Upon her shoulder length, black hair sat a tiara of gold with the same gem scheme as her other jewelry.

I felt rage boil up inside of me at the sight of the person. I could not give a reason to it. It was instantaneous and unquestionable. It was an absolute anger and it gave no room for the repentance of the target.

"My dear Beast, don't get angry now. He knew what he was asking for when he came here," Her lips spread into a large, haughty smile. "If you can't accept that, then take some solace in knowing that you'll be with him soon."

She leapt across a small gap from the arm to one of the walkways that were along the upper holes. She slowly and majestically walked down a set of stairs that wrapped around the circular room. I felt the pressure from the boil build up and ensured it that it would be released soon. She finally reached the last step and gave a giddy little skip off. Meanwhile I had stepped out of the small trench that led the water to the nearly stagnant, crescent shaped moat that separated where I was standing and Nerull.

"You got lucky last time," she grimaced, pointing to the stitching. "You won't be this time. Oh," she smiled remembering something, "and I've invested in this, just in case." She drew a long, silver scimitar from her belt.

Then, out of no where, her body began to grown younger. Her incision disappeared and her hair shortened and changed color. All the finely crafted jewelry and clothing she wore was replaced with a loose pair of ripped, brown colored pants and a patched, short sleeved shirt. I stood there shocked as I realized that Michelle was standing there. Then, one of the covered holes behind Nerull busted open and out limped the skeletal remains of Philippe. Another one collapsed and Ballin and Nicholas in the form of more skeletons walked forward. Other walls broke and soon I was confronted by every person I had ever known and many I didn't.

There was a loud grinding noise and when I looked up Nerull himself had come to life. This time there was no doubting that he was pointing at me. His eyes shown with a light that did not come from the same source as the light that lit the room. It came from the depths of his hatred and joy, his feelings on mortals and what he could do with them. His grinning jaw opened and issued a deep voice that shook my bones.

"Beast, Amelia, Chris. The time will come for your own death, like it had come for all these people." He swept his stone arm over the infernal crowd that stood before him. "I will offer you a way out, if you were to simply choose to follow me." I didn't answer him, I could feel a pride that I owned and would not allow me to do such. "You have great potential, Beast. I will await your decision."

Everything began to swim in my mind. I barely made out the approaching horde. I tried to wield my blade but I couldn't get a grip on it. My world was falling apart. I fell to my knees and clutched my head. I tried to focus on one spot on the floor but my mind simply wouldn't. The tortured screams of banshees and ghosts were filling my head. I pleaded for help but it wouldn't come.

Then, through it all I felt my body shake from a roar that would belong to one of the deadly cats that roamed forests. The yell shut out all the other sounds and all was silent. I took my hands off my head slowly and looked around bewildered. Everything was black. There was no "world", just a dark plain.

Where did that roar come from? I asked myself. It was as if it were right next to me… or right…

I collapsed from the experience.

…

My eyes shot open and I sat bolt-right in my bed. My body and cloak were drenched in sweat. I checked myself. I was young again. I was wearing the street close that I wore with David and his gang. I was in my run down room on my old, and now soaked, mattress.

I heard feet running from down stairs. It was a single pair. They went up the stairs and then I heard a crash and a scraping noise. They reached my door and I saw Goombuckle panting as he looked wide-eyed in fear.

"Chris! Are you well Chris? I heard you scream! What happened?" he gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

I was embarrassed. Poor Goombuckle had gotten so scared for my safety when it was just a bad dream.

"I'm sorry, Goombuckle," I apologized and turned my face away from his to hide the embarrassment. "It was just a… um…"

"Oh," Goombuckle exhaled and leaned all his weight on the door frame, "thank goodness. I thought that someone might have snuck by me and… well, it doesn't matter what I thought, I guess. Anyway, if you're alright I'll leave you to hopefully get some better sleep." He turned to leave then added hastily, "If there's anything you need to talk about just ask me."

"No, I'm alright," I told him. "It was just a bad dream."

"Ok. Good night."

As he left the door frame I changed my mind.

"Hey, Goombuckle?"

"Yes, Chris?" he asked popping his head back into the doorway.

I thought for a moment before asking. "What do you think of dreams?" It sounded rather silly out loud.

He smiled and pulled a chair over to my bed. It felt good to have him around. Before I had moved here I had never had someone to talk to like this. If I had a nightmare I would have to deal with it all by myself.

"Well, I'm not really sure what to think of dreams myself. They seem to be all over the place. But I can tell you about some of the things others think. For example, I've heard people say that dreams tell us what we're really feeling or about some of our fears. Other people have told me that dreams are used to tell the future. Similar to this, others have told me that dreams are used by gods to communicate with mortals. I have also heard that dreams come from another plain. Now, I don't understand anything about plains; I've just been told that they exist. The fellow who told me about them said that he thinks there's one no one else has ever heard of. This is an anti-reality of sorts. At least that's what he told me. Once again I don't understand what he could have been talking about, but he seemed to be convinced. I'm a musician, not a sage." He was silent for a moment as he thought. "Well, that's pretty much it, at least as far as I can remember."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Always a pleasure, Chris. Always a pleasure." He put the chair back next to the window and walked out the door.

"Goombuckle," I called after him. He stuck his head back into view. "How old are you?"

Goombuckle chuckled. "Older than you'll ever be, Chris."

I was surprised. He looked so young. Apparently gnomes lived for quite some time.

…

I awoke on the floor where I had decided to go back to sleep because my bed was wet. I had had no more dreams and felt a little better than I did when I had regained consciousness the first time. I could hear birds singing outside and the guys downstairs. I quickly got dressed in my almost-damp clothes and headed down stairs.

Michelle was lounging on a mattress they had found before I moved in and kept in the meeting room. David and Midas were kneeling at a low table and were playing a game with coins and dice. They seemed to be concentrating on it rather intensely. It moved quickly but I thought that it might have been because they had played it often. Michelle watched but didn't have much interest in the game.

Michelle was the first to notice me. She frowned and walked over to me. After the previous night's happenings I was a little wary of her as she got closer. She didn't notice and loosely grabbed a clump of my hair and looked at it.

"Look at this," she sighed, "all sticky and grimy. Ew! And you really stink too. Come on, we'll draw you a nice bath and try to clean you up a little." She placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me around.

Honestly, if there was one thing I didn't like, it was how everyone treated me. Most of the time they treated me like I was eight instead of the fourteen that I was. I realize that I might have looked a bit younger because of my height. I was only about as tall as Midas. But that didn't mean that they could treat me like I was some little kid they had to take care of.

The bath was nice though, I'll admit. While I was waiting for the water to warm up on the stove Michelle informed me that Goombuckle had told them that I had been the victim of a bad dream that had really shaken me up. I felt a little betrayed. It was my dream that I had told Goombuckle about my dream; I hadn't told everyone. If I had wanted everyone to know I would have told them myself. I didn't need them thinking of me as just a child who was afraid of dreams.

After a few minutes of silent brooding I let go of it for a while and turned my attention to another thing I had been thinking about.

"Do you know that Goombuckle is really old?" I asked

"Yeah, so?" Michelle shrugged as she tried to clean my hair.

"Do you know how old exactly?"

"I think he's in his two hundreds somewhere," she said nonchalantly.

I thought about that for a while.

"How long do gnomes live?"

Michelle paused in getting out a knot and thought. "I think about four hundred." I felt my jaw hang open. "You don't know much about other races, do you?"

"No," I admitted, still marveling at the number. "I've never really met many other races. All my life I've been around humans."

"I suppose that's somewhat normal around here. Most of the other races stay on the other side of the ocean where they can get a bit better treatment. I moved to this continent when I was a little younger than you. I remember Palané City. It was the opposite there: humans were vastly out numbered by the other races."

"I didn't know that you moved here from Palané."

"Yeah, I miss it sometimes. It was so beautiful there."

She was in deep thought for a while. I wondered what it must be like to truly have a home country you adore. Frankly, I didn't really care about Salidemthia. Sure I lived here, but it's not like I'd fight for it. What obligation did I have to it? Look at Jein. Half of it was dirty and it was forgotten by all but those who lived there. I smiled to myself as I thought that the day the people of Jein rose up for some cause would be the day that I would retire from thieving.

Michelle must have seen me smile and thought that I was imagining Palané because she said, "Don't worry, if I ever get the chance I'm going to take you to see Palané."

I was confused for a second but quickly realized where that had come from. "Thanks Michelle," I said even though I had no real desire to go to Palané.

Michelle left and I dried off. When she returned she had a set of clothes for me to wear. I thanked her for them and put them on. They were very big on me. I did the best I could and ended up with the bottoms of my pants cuffed to about an inch and a half thick. I tucked the shirt into the pants and put my belt on tight. Luckily there were no sleeves on the shirt to worry about.

We then spent a long time washing my clothes on an old washboard that someone had thrown out. We spoke a little and Michelle kept beating around the bush at something. Every once in a while she started to say something that I hoped would bring her news to life, but she would quickly fall silent again. At long last I slapped the shirt I was working on against the washboard and clapped my hands onto my lap.

"Michelle, what in the name of Vecna are you trying to say!" I yelled.

Midas and David strolled in at that moment.

"Is Michelle hiding something?" Midas asked mischievously as he opened the cupboard door. He kept his eyes on Michelle, seeming to try to pierce through her skin into her heart. With his hands he felt around the cupboard for something. As he was doing so he knocked over a glass and it rolled off the shelf. He seemed too absorbed in his search to notice it. David pounced forward and snatched the glass before it hit the floor.

"You little halfling! Watch what you're doing! If you can't reach the shelf without knocking things over, then ask someone else to!" David ranted.

Everyone now turned their head towards David. His face was red and he was breathing a little heavier. He looked directly at Michelle, who had never changed the emotionless mask she had donned. He then took a breath and smiled.

"Well, uh, sorry about that, Midas," he said quickly, "I suppose I've had a few things on my mind. I think I'll go for a walk to calm myself down." And without a chance for anyone to say anything he swiftly left. I caught him give one last, discreet look at Michelle.

It was overly apparent to me that David knew what Michelle was hiding. Yet, at the same time, I couldn't figure out why he would get so angry at Midas. It certainly was not the cup. It had to be that Midas had been trying to learn from Michelle what her secret was. But how did that have anything to do with David?

"Well, I suppose I should be going," commented Michelle abruptly. She stood up quickly and headed for the door. "I just remembered that my mom wants me home early. See ya. I think I heard it's going to rain. Don't get caught out there when it starts."

By this time she was heading through the front door. I looked over to Midas. He looked back. I figured he was onto the two as well. All we had to figure out was what was going on. I took my shirt off the washboard and hung it up with all my other clothes.

"Well, that was strange," I said.

"Yeah," Midas agreed, he seemed to be deep thought. "David must really like that glass."

I tripped at his statement. "What?"

"Didn't you notice? He sprang at that thing like his life was imbued on it."

I hesitated. Was Midas just acting dumb for fun? Or was he perhaps testing me to see if I had actually noticed the small details. Midas didn't look like he was actually stupid. He probably was just leading me on.

"Must be worth some value…" Midas drifted off as he examined the glass. He spun it slowly in his hand, and then looked through both ends. Finally he simply pocketed it and started walking. He reached the kitchen door and realized I was looking at him. "What?"

"May I have the glass back?" I sighed. He sure was doing an awfully good job.

"What glass?"

"The one in your pocket."

"Oh," he exclaimed putting his hand into his pocket, "you mean this one. Well, I was just going to borrow it, but if you want it back I'll just leave it here."

"Midas."

"Yes?"

"You're hopeless."

He turned and walked away. The glass was securely on the table and I walked over and picked it up. I liked these guys before, but now they were just getting weird. Midas was usually a little slicker than that and David had been on edge lately. Michelle was being a little odd and I was dying to find out why.

"Hey Midas," I called through the house.

"What?" was the answer I received.

"May I come with you on you're run today?" I headed towards the front door.

Midas didn't respond for a few seconds then said decisively, "No."

"But why not?"

"Because you're just more of a risk."

I stopped walking. I was now in the hall and was looking at Midas. He waited a moment to see how I would respond and left having seen. I stood dumbfounded for a few more seconds, and then kicked at a dust ball that was on the ground. I couldn't believe him! What nerve! He had seen what I could do. The stupid oaf!

Then an idea came to me. I'd do the same thing to him that I had done to David. He'd never know and tomorrow I'd tell him everything he had done. That would show him. He wouldn't be able to say that I couldn't be sneaky anymore. He'd have to let me come next time.

So I headed out the door and looked around. I walked through the walkway that was canopied by bushes. I came to the end of it, peeked my head out of the iron gate, and looked both ways. I saw Midas off a ways. I knew that out here, away from all the buildings, I would have the hardest time staying out of his sight. I proceeded cautiously and made sure to keep off the road. I was able to hide behind some bushes that grew here and there. I sprinted from one to another as Midas continued on. I knew that soon we would reach the city and I might have an easier time as long as Midas didn't try anything very risky on his run.

Suddenly he crouched over. He sprinted in his squat position over to behind a bush. I followed even more slowly. As I approached the spot that Midas had disappeared I saw a pair of figures standing on the side of the road. I was surprised to see that it was Michelle and David. They were talking and I thought that perhaps Midas was a lot more intricate than I gave him credit for.

I came up behind Midas as quietly as I possibly could. He was obviously trying to listen in to Michelle and David's conversation.

"Stop making so much noise," he whispered back to me.

I almost jumped. How could he have heard me? I had been as quiet as a cat. Yet he claimed that I was being noisy.

"I guess it doesn't matter if I warn you against something, does it?" He continued. I was taken aback. He was being far more serious than I had ever seen him before.

I didn't answer the question. "Can you actually hear them?"

"When you're not talking."

"What are they-?"

Midas shushed me. There was something odd about him. He had been so friendly and oblivious before. Now he was serious and obviously cared about what Michelle and David were talking about. I obliged him by keeping quiet. I even tried to breathe a little quieter.

They talked for a long time and finally started walking on again. I could see that they were both a bit afraid of something. It had to be something big. Why else would they not us. I couldn't understand it. I was barely able to wait for Michelle and David to get out of sight to ask Midas. They walked slowly and my whole body started to get jittery. Then, right before they passed out of sight, I saw David wrap an arm around Michelle. He pulled her close as they walked and kissed her. She turned her head and smiled at him then rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her hand around his waist.

I felt something growing in me but couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was. I would find out later what it was. But for the time I ignored its growth.

When they were finally out of view I finally exploded, "What were they saying?"

Midas looked at me and shrugged. "Don't remember."

"What!"

"Should have been listening yourself," he suggested and turned to walk away.

"Midas! This isn't funny! I want to know what they were talking about!"

"I told ya already! I don't remember!" He yelled back to me but didn't look back.

I felt that he was telling the truth but didn't want to accept it. "Where are you going?"

"I need some more money."

I stomped in anger and turned to head back to the house. "You're horrible Midas!"

"What? Because I can't remember what they said?"

I broke into a sprint. It relieved my stress a little. I thought about how horrible my day had gone so far. I couldn't help but feel that everyone was trying to make me miserable. Sure, Michelle had helped me with my clothes, but she was holding things from me. The other two were doing the same thing. And I still hadn't shaken that dream off completely.

I got to the place I was calling home currently and finished hanging my clothes up in the kitchen. I flopped down on the mattress in the meeting room and lay there for a while. I contemplated the option of leaving and how much these people really meant to me. Midas was a jerk. David was rich. Michelle was hiding something. The only person I had nothing against was Goombuckle.

I thought that over some more and found he was the only thing actually keeping me here. He was comforting and open so I knew he wasn't hiding anything. He was one of my few, true friends if not my only one. The only other person that I had liked was Philippe. I had led Philippe to a bitter end. He was betrayed by someone he had once considered a friend. Would that happen to Goombuckle too? Would I somehow betray him and have his life forfeited.

This put me into an even worse mood. I turned over and buried my face in my arms. I hated David and Michelle and Midas, all of them, for making me think of Philippe. I may have led him there, but I had not committed the deed. I decided that would be the compromise I would make. I'd take part of the blame by accepting that I had lied to him and led him to the alley, but I didn't kill him. That was the worst part, the unforgivable part. I would allow the others to be responsible for that. I washed my hands of killing Philippe.

Yet that didn't satisfy my conscience. I did my best to ignore it but it continued to take shots at me. I was getting more and more irate and it simply wouldn't go away. I ended up on my feet pacing the room because of it.

Then Goombuckle rushed in. I was annoyed at the loudness with which he entered the house and sent him an angry glance to show. I then quickly put my face down in the mattress again, some where deep inside hoping that he hadn't seen my reaction to him.

"Chris! Clean everything up!" he ordered. I suddenly felt a renewed dose of anger. Who was he to demand something of me today? I had had a miserable day so far and didn't feel like letting anyone tell me what to do.

Had it been anyone else but Goombuckle I would have given them a piece of my mind, but for my good friend I did my best to take a hold of my anger. "Calm down Goombuckle. It's not messy," I grumbled through the mattress.

"Chris! I'm not-"

"Goombuckle!" I cut him off in an aggravated voice. I had tried to control myself, but he just wouldn't let it go. "I'm not really in the mod right now to do work. Can't you just leave me alone for once?"

I looked up and saw Goombuckle stop what he was doing. He looked at me and I held his gaze with my frustration-filled one. I could see he was surprised to hear me say that. Now that I was actually looking at him I realized that Goombuckle was looking incredibly scared. But I didn't think it was me he was afraid of.

He tightened his lips and straightened his back. "Chris," he began. His tone carried a sternness I had never heard from his lips. "I care for you like the daughter I never had. I'd love to be of some comfort to you right now but we don't have the time for it."

I was shocked. His daughter? He thought of me as his daughter? But how much of that did he mean? Maybe he was just being nice. Maybe it was just some ploy to get me to move. Everyone around here was two faced and sneaky. How could I trust him?

Could I be, I thought, part of a family?

"Please Chris, they're coming soon and we have to make it look like we don't live here."

"Who's coming," I whispered without thinking. My mind was too busy being overwhelmed to think.

What would that really mean, to be part of a family?

"Exorcist, Chris. If they catch us here they'll take us and have us hanged."

"But why would exorcists want to come here?" My voice dragged on without my minds consent.

Goombuckle was very nice. And he cared for me. I could…

"Because people have been complaining about ghosts being around town. They finally got enough money together to hire the exorcists. Together we're no match for even one of them. We have to run and hide before they get here!"

"But why would they think there are ghosts here?"

Sure, it might be kind of weird. Not only is he a gnome and I a human but I'd die before he would.

"It's because we, well, no, I made them believe that by using my magic when kids snuck around. It's my fault, I'm sorry. But we have to get out of here quick. They just arrived at town when I left. They're probably on their way here as we speak. Please help me Chris."

"Yes, I'll help you."

How would that make him feel, to bury his own daughter? I don't think I could do that.

My body moved without a mind and as some undead creature went slowly about its work. While I took my time Goombuckle rushed around. By the time he was done gathering up all the food, eating utensils, and extra blankets I had taken down my clothes from the line. He then asked me to walk out the back door and make my way into town without using the main road or letting anyone see me. I obeyed and by the time I was out the back door I had regained most of my consciousness.

A part of my mind continued to weigh the odds but what remained was fully focused on not getting caught. Out on the planes it was hard to move without being seen so after about ten minutes travel I was only about a quarter of the way to town. I was wondering if Goombuckle had made it out in time when I heard someone say my name and touch my shoulder. Surprised, I leapt away, got low to the ground and started to draw my dagger. My eyes scanned all around but didn't see anything. I thought about the voice and thought it sounded familiar.

"Chris, it's me, don't be afraid," the disembodied voice spoke yet again.

I thought for a moment and recognized the voice as Goombuckle's.

"Oh, thank," I paused for a second to try to think of the name of some great god, yet one did not come to mind. Slightly embarrassed I continued, "Well, thank whatever god you prefer that you weren't caught. Where are you?" I looked all around me.

"I cast an invisibility spell on myself. I'm going to do the same for you, stand still."

I saw a glowing in the air and there was a flash. I looked around, there didn't appear to be anything different.

"Don't worry," Goombuckle assured me, "you may not be able to tell, but you're invisible too. Now let's get to town before the spell wears off. We won't need to worry about being sneaky now."

"Alright," I agreed. Then a new thought came to me. "What if I lose you on the way?"

"Don't worry, I'll find you if we get lost. Just make sure that no one sees you become visible. Wait in the grove outside the town until the spell wears off. Now let's go."

I must have lost Goombuckle at the very beginning because I made sure to run as fast as I could before the spell ran out. I made it to the grove about a half hour later. I hoped that it hadn't worn out while I was running, so I checked it quickly checked it at the gate. The two guards were reclining against the wall.

"Hello?" I whispered in the one's ear.

The man jumped up and stared around bewildered.

"Did ya 'ear dat Lloyd?"

"What are you bumbling about, Frank?"

"I coudda sworn I heard a voice!"

"Relax Frank, I didn't hear anything and don't see anything. You must just be jumpy because of them Exorcists from earlier. Talkin' all about them ghosts and what not. You gotta be like me, Frank. I don't believe in none of that junk and I get along just fine."

"What about demons from the abyss?"

"You've been talkin' to one to many bards, Frank. Have you ever seen a demon?"

"No."

"Neither have I. So as far as I'm concerned, them demons don't exist. They're jist some scary story that bards make up for money."

Satisfied, I left them to contemplate the mysteries of the universe. I returned to the grove and sat down on a log. Before long I heard the noise of some heavy breathing and heavy footsteps.

"Goombuckle," I whispered, "is that you?"

"Chris!" he gasped. "You nearly killed me! I think I'm getting too old for this kind of stuff." I heard his breaths slow and get quieter. "Now, where are you?"

"I'm sitting on the log."

"Alright," He walked over and started to sit down.

"No, no! I'm right there!"

"Oh, sorry about that."

"Um, Goombuckle?"

"Yes?"

"Did you… I mean… When you…"

"Chris, yes. I meant what I said earlier about you. I haven't had no family since I was a sprite, just like you. I know how hard it is to be alone. That's why I joined with the others. We're our own little family. Sure, we're the only ones without a real family. Heck, I haven't even seen any of my own race in the eighty three years I've been here."

"Wait," I interrupted, "this is the eighty third year of the Salidemthia Calendar. If you came here eighty three years ago, that means…"

"Yep, I was one of the first people to stand on these shores. I was one of the pioneers of this land," pride had grown quickly in his voice. He seemed so happy to talk about those days. "I helped build Baizine and was there for its naming." He muttered something in a language I could assume was gnomish. "Dear gods, I'm getting old."

At that moment he reappeared and I saw him leaning on his knees, thinking about the "old days". I didn't mention it, nor did I say anything to him for a while. I let him daydream about those exciting things.

At length I finally asked a question. "Goombuckle?"

"Yep?"

"What was it like to go on adventures in a new world? In a place never before seen by the people of the Palané Republic?"

Goombuckle sighed and repositioned himself so that he could lean against a tree. A large, yet a bit sorrowful, smile occupied his mouth. "Well… it's almost impossible to explain. In all my years I have never experienced a feeling that even came close to the complexity and power as that one had. It is probably better to say that it was not just one feeling, but an amount of feelings that could out weigh a dragon's horde. Primarily it was prideful; knowing that you are doing something that hadn't been done since your noble grandfather had been part of the team that discovered the beautiful land of Quetelemont. But that wasn't easily the most prominent. There was giddiness; the knowledge that you are walking blindly into a world that could be ruled by giants and wraiths and horrible things like that. And obviously giddiness boiled straight down to fear of those things. There was also the happiness that came from being with your fellow adventurers. Feeling as close to a family with them as you and I feel now. Knowing that if one of us were to fall the others would snatch him up in an instant. Thinking about it now, all emotions come from knowledge. The good ones come from having it and bad ones come from not having it. Funny how mortals function, isn't it?"

I let that monologue play over and over in my head as Goombuckle relaxed his eyes. It sounded so fulfilling, so completely wonderful. It made me feel so much better after the rough day I had lived through. I smiled as Goombuckle's statement about knowledge was taking meaning in my life. I felt a small faction of my soul condemn my happiness. Not because it wanted to feel bad. But simply because it felt that I was being too fickle. I took that piece and shoved it as far away from me as I could. I then promised myself I would have an adventure like Goombuckle one day. I would experience things no one else had experienced. Then I would return and spend a full year telling my encounters to Goombuckle. It sounded like an excellent plan.

Meanwhile, Goombuckle had started humming an exotic tune I had yet to hear from him. I listened to it a while and felt my heart beat to it. It was when this was happening that I realized that he didn't have his drum.

"Goombuckle!"

"What? What happened?" he yelped as if coming out of a dream.

"You don't have your drum!"

"Oh, is that all," he chuckled and leaned backwards again. "Some day you will learn what I have. Things we have here don't matter. We can always create a duplicate. Except for gifts, that's why I took these." He held out the presents I had given to him.

I was choked with emotion. I felt like crying but couldn't see why I would. This was not bad. It was an honor. There was nothing to cry about.

"Goombuckle…" I croaked.

"Shh. We can talk later. Let's try to get a little rest now."

And so he closed his eyes and started humming again. I moved to the ground and layed down. I went to sleep thinking of how he had kept the things I had given him, yet had left behind his eternal companion.