Rana Kane:
oh, I also feel bad for Bobby evilgrin. No, I really do. It's quite unfamiliar to see him so impassive, isn't it?
no, his chances really don't look very good after all.
Right. It seems that everything can turn out to be dangerous in the Realm, even if it's such a 'simple' thing as searching for food.
and by the way, what would a bad situation be without Venger (making it even worse)? ;)
Yeah, it really looks like an easy win for him :( but hey, that's a great idea with shoving those fruits down his throat. Any volunteers? gg
Thanks for reviewing and reading!

D.B. Cooper:
Yes indeed Bobby certainly is in trouble and so are the others. Right, how could it be any different? gg
yes, The Garden Of Zinn is one of my favorites and has influenced me a bit, as it seems ;) and it's also one of the few episodes I remember watching as a kid (this and The Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow)
Yay, at least Venger is on character, besides Bobby and Eric, I'm glad to hear that.
oh, well, let's see if they will be able to rescue him in time and if there's an antidote...
Thank you for reading and reviewing!

5.

"As far as I remember, one of Venger's many castles should be on the 'Dark Edge', not very far from here. It's quite possible that he went there." Dungeon Master explained.

"And where are we gonna find that?" Presto asked.

"Address this question to something which is not as steady as this stone over there but as transient as the life itself and follow its signs." Dungeon Master told them, heading for the mentioned stone and starting to walk around it.

"Please, Dungeon Master, now it's not the right..." Diana started, but trailed off, since Dungeon Master didn't reappear as expected in front of the rock.

"Oh, brother! What a great guide! Always buzzing off when we're gonna need him..." Eric grumbled disappointed.

"Uhh, what has Dungeon Master meant with that again?" Presto pondered.

"These are clearly directions towards Venger's castle. Now we only have the task to solve this riddle." Hank answered.

"What isn't steady as a stone but transient?" Diana asked herself aloud.

Presto looked around and suddenly called excited, "Sand! Maybe he's meant sand. The sand like the one in an hourglass signifies transience after all, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, for sure! And of course no compass but an hourglass, which even can show us the elapsing hours; but no directions at all! Besides, you can..."

Presto interrupted Eric impatiently, "And what about the signs?"

Eric felt obliged to comment the question from his point of view again, "This certainly won't be such an obvious hint like the bread crumbs in 'Hansel and Gretel' and nobody's probably gonna answer our questions with 'The wind, the wind, The heaven-born wind'; and that's because of one simple reason: we're all alone.
Nobody's here beside us. Not even anyone we can ask or let alone someone we remotely could expect a response from!"

"Eric!"

"Yeah, yeah, I already know! My qualitatively valuable opinion is completely undesired once again." Eric replied sourly, crossing his arms

"No, that's not the point! But I think you just have solved the riddle." Diana said.

"I did?" Eric asked sceptically, blinking.

"Yeah, as it seems. Couldn't Dungeon Master have meant the wind and the clouds?
The wind moves and puts the clouds into form, doesn't it?
That means that we have to observe the wind and find out where it comes from and where it blows the clouds to, right?
And we're supposed to take this direction, which certainly will lead us to the castle. What do you mean?" Diana continued.

Hank nodded and decided, "Ok, let's try. Anyway, it's better than to be standing here around while we're running out of time..."

So they concentrated their attention on the course of the wind and therefore they were able to quickly find out the way of the clouds.
And so they began to search for the castle.

They followed the clouds in silence, only accompanied by their determined paces.

"I hope we'll make it in time; not that Venger already has..." Sheila trailed off.
She better shouldn't and wouldn't think this sentence through to the end and least of all say it aloud.

"He won't dare that.
He sure knows that he only would risk to turn our fury on him with that and we were set on revenge then." Hank retorted reliantly and quickened his pace.
"No, I rather guess that he's already awaiting us. He knows that we'll never ever let Bobby down."

"But... when he... I mean, he certainly won't wait for us in his castle all by himself, will he?" Presto asked, getting ready for the dreaded answer.

Eric beat Hank to it.
"Of course he precisely won't be sitting quite peaceful in his castle in front of a cozy fireplace with a cup of tea in utter solitude!
What were you thinking?!
He will have gathered his hordes of Orcs or what ever around himself and inform them about our arrival.
He'll set a trap for us and we're gonna walk straight into it willingly."

"Do you expect us to abandon Bobby to his fate and to do not our utmost to free him?" Diana said indignantly.

"Nope, that's not the case.
But how does our plan look like? Do we have one at all?
Are we simply gonna wander into the castle; ask Venger to release Bobby and to spare us of course and roam leisurely out of the castle after that, without being prevented by only one guard from doing so?
Honestly! You sure ain't that naive, are you?" Eric snorted.

"We sure will come up with a plan. First of all, we have to find the castle to be able to think about further steps." Hank replied with gritted teeth.

For a short instant, he had intended exactly what Eric has pointed out.
Since they didn't have all the time in the world to fight for Bobby's release or even to negotiate with Venger, he rather wanted to go the peaceful way without wasting time.
Bobby's health - yes, even the boy's life - were at risk after all.
That's why they actually could afford no further delays.
But it was very doubtful that Venger would see it the same way.
Perhaps this fiend would shamelessly take advantage of their worry about Bobby and Hank couldn't allow that to happen.

So Hank was torn and didn't know what he was supposed to do.

He hoped that a plan would come to his mind, solving all their problems.

"All right; but just don't demand my sympathy, when we're stuck in some moldy dungeon once again."

"Please Eric, not now!" Hank hissed.

"Um, Hank..." Sheila started, getting no reaction.

"Hank..." Presto tried it as well.

"What is it now?" Hank turned towards the two, quite annoyed.

"Look ahead." Sheila pointed into a direction.

Not far away from them, a weather-beaten and scary looking castle was enthroned on a rough rock.
The cliffs plunged down into thunderous, almost pitch black waves: Venger's castle on the 'Dark Edge'.

The occupants of the huge castle didn't suspect their approaching visitors yet.

The two Orcs, who were supposed to mount guard over Bobby, were leaning on their weapons casually, facing the cage and making fun of their prisoner.

"Tell me, isn't that the boy with his small pet, a unicorn?" one of them asked his sidekick.

"Yep, you're right. It's really a sweet little thing. It probably would be a tasty and juicy braised meat." the other one answered spitefully.

"Uh-huh, or Spit-Roasted Unicorn. Unfortunately, it could be insufficient for Unicorn-Stew." the first one laughed maliciously.
The second joined in grunting.

Those remarks actually were aimed at provoking Bobby, because the young Barbarian's hot temper was already well known.

But they failed to have the desired effect; Bobby practically wasn't taking any notice of them.
He was sitting huddled up in his cage and was staring into space, lost in his own gloomy thoughts.
The disease already had spread out too far by now...

Author's Note:
well, DM's riddle isn't that great, I know. Sorry but I couldn't think of something better.
The thing with 'Hansel and Gretel' popped into my head when I watched one episode from 'Buffy - The Vampire Slayer' called, well, 'Hansel and Gretel' ;)
Um, anyone for Irish Stew? gg

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!