There were a lot of conflicting ideas at the time on what exactly Huan was. Obviously I know, but until Leon finds out in the narrative I'm going to withhold that information for dramatic effect. I will tell you, however, what he was capable of.

Huan was supernaturally strong and fast, and his teeth and claws were sharper than some legendary blades. He had no need to eat, drink, sleep, urinate or defecate, and no matter how badly he exerted himself he never got tired. He was insanely durable, and what wounds he received would heal before his eyes. His senses were razor sharp, to the point that nothing could escape his eyes, ears or nose if he had them in his sights. He was immune to magic and enchantments of all kinds, and he was able to understand the language of all things with voice. His most famous power was the ability to alter his size: his maximum height became greater with time as his strength grew, though for some reason he could never shrink smaller than his original state.

Even with these cards in his favour, Huan constantly found foes able to challenge his might. The Warmothers and Archqueens for instance, if you happen to know what those are. It is testament to the horrific threats he faced that he came so close to being killed so often.

According to Olivia, this was why they eventually started letting her and Julius out of the castle. Huan, being essentially a demigod, could deal with just about anything sent after them. Everything else they didn't want around civilians anyway.

Huan Strongarm: A Bartfort Folktale, by Lufas Maphaahl

The guards weren't sure how to react when the enormous wolfdog tootled up to them, a live salamanka struggling in its jaws. It did this so casually that no one thought to raise the alarm; night had fallen and the gate was closed, leaving Leon to paw at the portcullis and whine.

"Excuse me?" he looked down at the guard, who began to sweat as the massive beast gave him his full attention. The Great Ragneli wasn't at his stall and had gone home for the night, which was a shame as Leon had been planning on annoying him in some way. "You can't… Monsters aren't allowed in the city! I'm… I'm going to have to ask you to leave!"

A small crowd was forming as people gathered to stare. Not wanting to scare anyone into attacking him, Leon wagged his tail and whined.

"I'm sorry," the guard cringed. Leon instantly pegged him as the sort to be weak to fluffy animals. "You… You're very cute, but rules are rules!" Leon hunkered down with his ass in the air, tail wagging furiously as if he wanted to play. "I said no!"

It was time for the big guns. Leon flattened his ears and hung his head; as his tail drooped between his legs he whined pathetically, immediately placing everyone present on his side. The guilt on the guard's face could not be described with words.

"Must… resist… cuteness…"

Leon peered through the bars of the portcullis into Avrum Market; the road on the other side looked more or less clear. He could see the shopkeepers and their customers at their stalls, and off to the left was Iven with the freezing axe at his side. He was staring at the gigantic wolfdog as his jaw worked soundlessly, looking utterly robbed of words.

The coast was clear.

Leon made some distance, then spat the salamanka onto the ground before pinning it beneath his paw. "What are you doing, you barbarian?" demanded the lizard. "S-Surely you are not planning to kill me after bringing me all this way?"

"Not yet," admitted Leon. "Gimme a sec."

He expanded to his maximum size, taking great care not to accidentally crush the monster beneath his foot. The crowd drew back fearfully as he picked the creature back up; he was now the same height as when he slew the giant salamanka, and could probably see over the wall if he stood on his hind legs. At this size he might swallow the arrogant beast if he stopped paying attention, leaving it sticking from the corner of his mouth like a cigarette.

His preparations complete, Leon charged the city gates at top speeds.

"Everybody run!" someone screamed, causing the crowd to flee in all directions. It was an awe inspiring sight as Leon leapt through the air, hurtling over the castle walls like Free Willy but with more hair. The pavement exploded as he landed, his immense weight obliterating the cobblestones and scaring the life out of anyone still shopping. Leon spat out the salamanka and shrank to the size of a house, turning to Iven with a happy doggy grin.

"Not gonna lie, Iven, I think this might be the most interesting day of my life."

"I still can't understand you!" Iven snapped. Leon observed that it was the first time he had ever raised his voice at him. "Why did you bring a live monster into the city?"

"Because I need help extracting the tongue," explained Leon, but of course, Iven only heard mouthy Husky noises. "Also, I need you to cover for me with the guards. Just a heads up."

The city guard had already been mobilised, surrounding the wolfdog with weapons drawn. Leon felt so non-threatened by them that he almost felt he should apologise. "Everyone back away!" shouted their leader. "This thing could be dangerous!"

Leon cocked his head cutely. "Me?"

There were a few remarks amongst the onlookers about how adorable he was, and how cruel the guards were for trying to hurt such an innocent creature. "Clearly, this monster has the power to ensorcel the minds of the feebleminded!" declared the guard captain. "We have to kill it now!"

He ran forward and whacked Leon in the leg with his sword, causing it to snap in half and sprain his wrists. Leon flopped onto his belly and wagged his tail, making sure to keep the lizard pinned. "Gaze upon my cuteness, ye mighty, and despair!"

"I weakened him! Mages!"

A few dudes in robes emblazoned with the Holfort crest began charging insanely powerful magic as the other guards made some distance. Leon gave them an unimpressed look before turning back to Iven. "So how are you?"

"Why are you a giant now?" Iven was saying. "And why are you suddenly indestructible?"

The powerful spells exploded against his side, but aside from creating a lot of light and noise they accomplished nothing. The wolfdog waited until they were all tuckered out before rising to his feet. "I'll tell you when we have a fairy here to translate," he said blithely, shaking the soot and debris from his fur. "For now let's finish this sidequest."

He picked up the salamanka and walked off unceremoniously, delicately mincing his way between the tiny stalls and civilians. Iven realised that everyone was now looking at him, his face flushing with embarrassment.

"He's the Queen's dog!" he blurted, and ran off. The axe hummed with amusement as it followed.

The small bridge leading to the apothecary's shop was in sight of the city gates, provided you were a giant dog. Leon casually hopped over the canal as Iven scurried over the bridge, then sat down and looked at him expectantly. A few people gathered at the border of Avrum Market to see what he did next.

"Are you waiting for me to fetch the apothecary?" Iven asked hesitantly. "Is that what you're doing?"

"Unhand me, cretin!" shouted the monster, but shut up when Leon violently shook his head. Iven knocked on the door and disappeared inside, emerging minutes later with the apothecary. He squinted up at the house sized wolfdog, cleaned his spectacles on his sleeve and looked again.

"Well that's not something you see everyday," he remarked. He was holding a bottle in one hand, which he looked at ruefully. "Definitely wasn't supposed to drink this." He threw the bottle over his shoulder, causing it to shatter against the pavement. A swarm of fanged bees crackling with electricity emerged from the last specks of whatever it had contained, attacking the crowd in Avrum Market and sending them fleeing for their lives. "Is that for me?"

Leon spat the salamanka onto the ground and woofed triumphantly. "Make sure it hurts when you take that tongue. He deserves it."

"If I ever get out of here, I'm going to eat your babies!" the monster screamed, which really didn't help its case.

"I can't help but notice that the tongue is still attached," the apothecary remarked. "Not to worry: I have just the thing!" He pulled an indescribably cruel looking implement from his belt, which made the salamanka instantly go mute with horror. "These things were originally made for castrating dogs, but I find they work just as well for removing tongues!"

"Are you sure?" Iven fretted. "That seems… unnecessarily cruel."

"These things eat babies," said Leon flatly. "Let the painter paint, Iven."

Eight unspeakably gruesome minutes later and it was done. The salamanka was dead, its tongue was removed and Iven was being violently sick in the corner. "Ah! How exquisite!" the apothecary smiled, swilling the severed tongue around its jar. He disappeared into his shop, and when he came out again he was holding a jar containing a pair of human eyeballs. "And here, my friend, are the beggar's eyes."

Iven regained his bearings just fast enough to catch them before he dropped them onto the pavement, breathing a sigh of relief as he got as much distance from the apothecary as he could. The man pulled out a new bottle and took a swig, causing neon green balloons to grow out of his ears. He began to float away before their eyes, only for the balloons to pop and drop him unceremoniously through the roof of his shop.

"Well," said Leon, shrinking back down to the size of a regular dog. "Glad that's over with."

Iven gave him a dry look. "I assume you want to return these to their rightful owner."

"Sure, let's go with that."

The eyeless beggar was exactly where they left him, and was possibly even more dramatic than when they met him earlier. "The smell of the earth on you reminds me of home, lad," he intoned sonorously. "As rich and dark as the deepest cave. Do you have my eyes?"

"Here you go," smiled Iven. The beggar took the jar and opened it, gently removing the wet orbs and placing them in their sockets. He blinked twice, then gazed into the palms of his hands and smiled.

"I can see," he whispered in awe. "Thank you, lad." His smile faded as he looked up, seeing a shaggy black wolfdog instead of the farm boy he was expecting. "Oh, you… y-y-you're a dog! Wow, I was… I was way off, wasn't I?"

"S'all good, brother," said Leon comfortingly. "I still thought it was a pretty good guess."

"He's a magic dog, if that makes you feel better," said Iven kindly. "Now, could you please come with us to see Bibrus? He refused to help us unless we helped you first."

"Certainly!" The beggar hopped to his feet, revealing himself to be uncommonly tall. "Be assured that I will offer you a reward of my own once you catch up."

Man, dog and axe were equally confused. "Catch up?" Iven blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I just assumed that if your dog was magic then you probably wanted to help that fairy being chased by the angry mob."

Leon dashed off without another word. He racked his brain for Olivia's scent, and soon was able to pinpoint her location only a few blocks away. A crowd of angry townsfolk were surrounding a crumbling ruin built into the Old City; at the top of the ruin was none other than Butt Stallion, with Olivia riding on his back.

"There she is! There's the witch!" someone shouted. "Don't look into her eyes!"

"Witch!" shouted someone else. "Take her to the stake to burn!"

"This animal belongs in its natural environment!" Olivia shouted. Leon rolled his eyes and jumped up the grey stone walls, startling the eldritch pony as he landed beside it. "Huan!" At the very least she had the grace to act sheepish. "Don't overreact, but… I think the humans are mad at me. I'm afraid they wish to do me harm."

Leon exhaled noisily through his nose. "Olivia, I… What happened? I thought you were going to stay with the Princess!"

"I was, but I saw you turn into a giant and thought I'd come see you!" Olivia beamed. "Also I got bored, and thought I'd take a walk. I wanted to see your town! And my dad!"

"Okay…"

She gestured vaguely towards the market square. "In the big courtyard all the animals had been caged. I felt so sorry for them!"

Leon wondered how Jarl would ever look his neighbours in the eye again. "So you opened the cages?"

"Yes!" Olivia said brightly. "But then I stumbled and there was a terrible noise. All of the bowls and…"

"Why didn't you stay in the palace?" Someone shot him with a crossbow, the bolt snapping uselessly against his side. "You're lucky I found you before Elodach did!"

"I didn't want to do any harm! Ask the pony! She saw it all!" Leon gave Butt Stallion a questioning look.

"I'm not affiliated with her," she said flatly. Without fanfare she tipped the fairy from her back and galloped off over the rooftops. The crowd immediately followed, apparently considering Butt Stallion to be the real witch the entire time. Soon, Leon and Olivia were by themselves with only an awkward silence for company.

"So you saw how big I can grow?" Leon observed. "Is that… Is that normal behaviour for dogs where you're from, or…"

"No," admitted Olivia. Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment, which Leon reluctantly found quite charming. "I've never seen a dog before outside a picture book."

Internally, Leon had been comparing his situation to that one episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks where the scientist tries to make a dog but creates an eldritch abomination instead. It was kind of cool to know he was right. "Well, me and Iven still need to fetch that book. Wanna come along?"

Olivia lit up like the morning sun. "Yes please! Except… uh…"

"Yes?"

"It's… It's a really long way down, so…"

Leon grew to the size of a horse, and it was with starry eyes that Olivia grabbed onto his fur and pulled herself onto his back. "Hang on." She squealed giddily as he leapt down to street level, carrying her effortlessly as he trotted through the streets.

He knew thanks to his super smell that Bibrus hadn't left his shop, and by the time he arrived Iven was waiting out front with the beggar and the axe. "That dog looks bigger than I remember," remarked the beggar. "I was sitting down earlier, but…"

"No, he's definitely gotten bigger," decided Bibrus, exiting his shop and locking it up for the night. "I doubt he could even fit through my front door anymore."

"Hello!" Olivia waved, directing the majority of her smile at Iven. "Aren't you Huan's friend?"

"I am, yes," he nodded pleasantly. "Are you okay? I heard something about an angry mob…"

"Nah, she's fine!" Leon snorted. "They were after Butt Stallion, not her."

Olivia looked down at him in befuddlement. "Why do you call her Butt Stallion? She's a mare!"

Obviously, the other only got her half of the conversation. "Butt Stallion?" Iven asked faintly.

"She's a pony made of pink diamonds!"

The three men gave her a long, confused look. "You're making that up," said Bibrus.

It was at this moment that the actual Butt Stallion cantered through the square, whinnying loudly and pooping precious gems across the floor. The angry mob wasn't far behind; a few people stopped to loot the glittering crap, only to be immediately trampled by the people behind them. Soon they were gone, taking the wounded and gems with them.

For a moment the group just stood there and wondered what to say.

"Well, anyway," said the beggar, evidently content to pretend that nothing had happened. "I promised you a reward, and here it is."

In his hands was a surcoat woven from soft golden thread. "Olivia," said Leon. "Get off me and put that on."

"Me?" she blinked. "O-Okay." She slid off him onto the pavement, and as she accepted the surcoat the wolfdog freaked out Bibrus and the beggar by casually shrinking to the size of a regular dog. It was big enough that it fit comfortably over her dress, the long sleeves stopping just short of the black feathers hanging from her wrists. It buttoned up like a jacket, and looked really, really good on her. She posed for emphasis. "How do I look?"

"Amazing," said Leon honestly. "Ten out of ten."

This got a pleased blush in response. "Thanks," she said bashfully. "That's very-"

"You're lucky I don't have hands."

"Huan!" Her face now bright scarlet, Olivia placed one hand on her hip while wagging a finger in his face with the other. "Bad dog!"

Leon just wagged his tail. When you were as cute as her, scolding acted as more of an encouragement than a deterrent. "That thing you're wearing is super magical," he deflected. "It enhances your holy magic and has all kinds of defensive enchantments, which are going to be stronger for you because your elements match. It's a good piece of starter gear for someone with your skillset."

"Can you actually understand him?" Bibrus asked. "You're making me curious."

"Beautiful lady," the beggar said suddenly. "I have wronged you most profoundly by not introducing myself!" He bowed in the campiest, most thespian way imaginable. "I am Torvel, leader of a famous troupe of actors. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

Olivia bestowed on him a blank, polite smile. "Uh…"

"Torvel?" Leon yipped. "You're not that guy who burned the eyebrows off the Master of Revels, are you?"

Olivia did a double take. "The Master of what now?"

The beggar - Torvel - cringed hard. "That was an accident! My players and I are not at fault!"

"So it is you!" Leon laughed. Torvel was affiliated with a sidequest that became available long after the affair with the salamanka was over with. Until now, Leon had no idea that he and the eyeless beggar were the same person. "Did that whole thing bankrupt you or something?"

"I'm going to go ahead and answer the obvious question," said Bibrus dryly. "The troupe is still alive and kicking. The reason he was on the streets is because he was preparing for a new part. That's all."

Iven frowned thoughtfully. "If you're not really a beggar, doesn't that mean the potion made from your eyes would be useless?"

"…Oh yeah!" Torvel blinked, taking a moment to think about it. "I suppose it would."

Leon snorted, the expression human enough that all the non-fairies knew he was laughing. "Heh. That's funny."

The disguised actor looked at him curiously. "So is that really Strongarm? As in the Destroyer of UnFae? That Strongarm?"

Apparently, the idea of UnFae was now common knowledge. Hopefully the method to create them would stay secret a while longer.

"Oh, right!" Bibrus slapped a fist into his palm as the metaphorical lightbulb lit up. "I believe this is yours!" He held up a book that had been tucked under his arm throughout the entire conversation. "Volume 28 of the Compleat Encyclopaedia of Heresies, Heterodoxies and Apostasies. Very rare, it is." He was initially unsure of who to give it to, but settled on Iven. "Here you go. May it bring you years of enjoyment."

The fairy cocked her head. "Is that the book that the funny man with the emotional problems wanted?"

"It is, yes," grunted Leon. "We're halfway to the end."

"And you went through all that just so he'd sell it to you?" Olivia clarified. She gave Bibrus a warm, summery smile. "You must really care about him."

The actor turned bright pink as he began stuttering denials. "T-T-T-That's not-"

"Yep," Bibrus interrupted smoothly, wrapping an arm around Torvel's shoulders and casually pulling him into a hug. "I love the smug bastard."

The look on Torvel's face could not be described with words.

"Wait, so you two are…" Leon's canine jaw dropped as he processed the information. "Bibrus, look at him! You could do so much better!"

Olivia panicked, forgetting for a moment that no one else could understand him. "You can't say that, it's rude!"

"If he's saying I'm too good for him, it's fine," said Bibrus dryly. "It's fine. Just… trust me, he cleans up nicely."

Leon was pleasantly surprised to have his intentions predicted so accurately. "Oh… well then, good for you."

"Bibrus!" Torvel blushed. "You can't just out me in front of total strangers like that!"

"Sure I can," grunted Bibrus, casually looping his arm through Torvel's and leading him away down the street. "Everyone else knows. Krys. Jarl. Gaston. Those two guys who are usually on duty at Devil's Bridge."

The group made their way back to the palace through the dark streets; Leon trotted along with Iven and Olivia on each side, the freezing axe trailing along behind them. The human and the fairy struck up a conversation as they went, discussing the bookseller's request and how exactly Leon was turned into a dog.

"It's a curious idea," admitted Iven. "If wounds can really disappear just because you transform into an animal and back, does that mean that I would regain my appearance from before I was cursed?"

Iven found he quite liked Olivia. She had a way about her, an ease that told you that you were loved and among friends. She was startlingly similar to Leon in that respect, despite their drastically different temperaments; although Leon could be prickly, he was incredibly sweet and accepting once he let you in. He made Iven feel whole again, and Olivia made him feel the same way.

"Maybe?" Olivia hedged. "Honestly, I've never cast that spell successfully before today. I'm not sure if I can do it again… yet. In a few years I might, if you can wait."

In an odd way, Olivia was in awe of Iven. He walked with his back straight and his head held high, and moved with such utter grace that he almost seemed to float over the ground. Olivia had seen him walk next to Queen Mylene and Princess Erica, and he made them look like waddling ducks. The fairy had felt scruffy and out of place during her time at the palace, but she felt that if she had Iven's poise then her clothes wouldn't matter.

He was like Mr Leon in a lot of ways: Leon had a courage, humility and strength of character that he didn't advertise but didn't hide. She wanted to be like him, if she could, and didn't feel like the respect he had for her was earned. Every time he helped her, every time he did a good deed for no reason, he made her want to be worthy of it.

"I don't mind," smiled Iven. "I think you have talent. It's definitely there, or else the spell would have failed or misfired. You just need to learn to take what you did by accident and start doing it on purpose."

Olivia smiled, a warm swell of appreciation filling her at the expression of faith. "Thank you. You're really nice."

The palace gates were shut, and guarded by the same two assholes who had made snide remarks behind Iven's back. "Sorry," one of them said smugly. "No commoners allowed."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Leon barked. "I refuse! The plotline of arrogant jackasses refusing to let you go where you want to go is tired and overdone! I'm skipping this whole cutscene!"

The guards seemed intimidated by the angry barking, while Olivia just looked confused. "What's a cutscene?"

"Skipping it!"

Leon tilted his head back and howled at extraordinary volume, scaring the life out of everyone for ten blocks. The guards panicked and tried jabbing at him with their spears before his friends could stop them, only for them to snap uselessly against his hide.

"Huan!" Prince Julius came skidding out of the palace so fast he could only have been waiting for them. "What's going on? Are we being attacked?"

"We are, in a certain sense," said Olivia blithely. "The guards said we can't come in?"

"What?" Julius glared at the two assholes. "Does a royal invitation mean nothing to you?"

"But sir!" one of them blurted. "They had no identification!"

"You didn't ask for any," Iven pointed out. "You're grasping at straws."

Julius seemed incensed. "I tell you, when I inform-"

"Guys!" Jilk interrupted. "You need to come this way!"

"Why?" Leon snorted. "Did King Roland get his crown stolen by a hooker?"

"It's Zefnat! He tried to kill himself!"

Leon ran past him, his vague memory of Zefnat's scent creating a mental map with the equivalent of a quest marker showing his position. He found the scholar in a surprisingly opulent room, chained to a bed with numerous doctors fussing over him. "Let me die!" he was saying as Leon entered. "Please, for pity's sake, let me die!"

"Where did this come from?" Despite himself, Leon began to laugh at his melodramatic wails. "You were fine…ish when I left you! Why the downward slide?"

Zefnat seemed to recognise him through the haze of self-pity. "Lord Strongarm," he rasped. "Mightiest adventurer of our age."

The wolfdog's tail began thumping against the wall. "I don't like to toot my own horn, but… yeah, that's me."

"I knew when you took too long to return," he went on. "That Bibrus had refused to sell you the book! Refused! Because of your affiliation with me!"

"That is what happened, yes," admitted Leon. "Solid detective work."

"It's my own fault," sobbed Zefnat. "By my own hand, completion is lost forever! So too is sanity, and peace, and happiness, and restful sleep! If only these charlatans would grant me my escape!"

The doctors actually looked a little hurt. "Now that's not fair," said Leon. "These people are just doing their jobs. You shouldn't call them names!"

"Are you saying that I deserve it? That I should be tormented forever in a pit of-"

"I'm saying you should shut the hell up until Iven gets here!" As if on cue, Iven, Olivia and the two nincompoops barrelled through the door. "For the love of all things, will someone please give him the goddamn book!"

"The book!" Olivia urged, and after catching his breath Iven held out the volume.

"Is that Volume 28 in the-" Zefnat sat up so hard that he dislocated both his shoulders, the chains attached to his arms yanking them back. "Holy mother of mercy!"

Everyone was herded away as Zefnat screamed in agony, and soon they were standing awkwardly in the hallway wondering what to do with themselves.

"Olivia?"

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you just heal him?"

The fairy stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Should I?"

"We can ask."

With her help Zefnat was soon in perfect condition, nuzzling into the cover of the book as Olivia glared at the wolfdog for laughing at her. "Excellent work!" he crowed. "All that remains is Volume 67 and my set is completed!"

"Sweet!" Leon had finished Zefnat's sidequest in the game, where it had nothing to do with Torvel and the reward was a random gem and some XP. He already knew where the second book was, but was willing to say silent so as not to spoil it for anyone else.

"The final Volume is in the Monastery of Canaria. If the rumours are true, then it is hidden somewhere on that island."

Everybody went quiet. Leon rolled his eyes and slid onto his belly, crossing his forepaws as he waited.

"Canaria?" Jilk rasped. "But that's… But that's on the banks of the Red Lake!"

"It is, yes," nodded Zefnat. Olivia gave Leon a worried glance.

"There's something in the rocks that makes the water turn a funny colour," he explained. "So long as you don't drink it or bathe in it you'll be fine."

"The Red Lake is behind the Blood Barrier!"

"That's the name of a mountain range."

"Which means it's in the Orklands!"

Leon snorted softly. "That one's fairly self-explanatory, actually."

"I have complete faith in you," smiled Zefnat serenely. "For the legendary Strongarm, Destroyer of UnFae, the Ork Hordes shall be no obstacle."

"But he's a dog!" Julius insisted, not unreasonably. "How is he supposed to communicate with the monks? Me, Jilk and Olivia can't leave and Iven would never survive the trip!"

"I was thinking of just going with Olivia," said Leon blithely, causing her to do a massive double take.

"Wait, really?" She almost vibrated with excitement. "So we're going on an adventure? A real adventure, where we might die?"

"Sure are."

"Yes!" Olivia squealed, hopping in place and pumping both hands in the air. She threw her arms around the wolfdog's neck, causing the wagging of his tail to noticeably intensify. "Thank you, doggie!"

"I figured that if I want to keep you safe, who better than an indestructible super dog," explained Leon. "While we're at it I can give you tips about levelling up and get you some decent gear. It could be fun!"

"Now hold on!" Julius interrupted, mildly jealous that Leon was getting all the cuddles. "How can you possibly expect to make it past the Horde with only a fairy and a mildly intelligent dog?"

It occurred to them, then, that the people at the palace were all uniformly out of the loop regarding Leon's new abilities. "I've got this," said Iven, and called in the guards. "Guys, can you stab this dog please?"

For a moment they just looked at him like he was crazy. "It's fine," remarked Olivia. "He's invincible."

After a nervous whack they realised she was telling the truth, and were enthusiastically hacking at him as Roland and Mylene finally arrived to see what was going on. "Why are you hurting that poor dog?" Mylene demanded. "He's a hero of the people…"

She trailed off as Leon casually grew in size, stopping as he began to hunch over to keep from bonking his head on the ceiling. "Me and Huan are going to fight the Orks!" Olivia declared inaccurately. "He's invincible now, so it's allowed!"

Roland seemed unimpressed. "Damn, Strongarm," he whistled. "When did you get so fat?"

Leon gave him a cold glare, then pushed his snout into Roland's face. He deliberately inhaled, filling his nostrils with the smell of cologne, then violently sneezed: a globule of snot and mucus hit the King of Holfort in the face at point blank range, obscuring most of his head from view.

"Oh god!" Roland screamed. "Why? Why was my FUCKING MOUTH OPEN?"

He ran off down the corridor, leaving Leon to return to his natural size whilst laughing like a hyena. "Well, anyway," continued Olivia. "I have a giant invincible dog monster with me. I doubt that bad man or his UnFae would be a threat."

"About that," said Mylene faintly. "Why is… Why can he do this? Is he… Did you not actually turn him into a dog?"

"I have no idea!" Olivia beamed. "I've never cast that spell before and I have no idea what dogs are, so… no! No clue!"

"Oh…" said Mylene slowly. "Well… Okay, then."

"Awesome!" Julius bellowed, clenching both his fists in a sudden seizure of hot blooded manliness. "Tomorrow morning we set off for Canaria Monastery, then-"

"Now hold on!" Mylene interjected. "Since when were you invited?"

The smile froze on his face. "But… But Mom…"

The Queen narrowed her eyes, and even Leon flattened his ears and whined. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely: you are not, ever, under any circumstances going anywhere near that Monastery or for that matter the Orklands themselves! Do I make myself clear?"

Jilk placed his hands behind his back, thumbing the signet ring on his middle finger.

"Perfectly."

End of Part 1 of 5