#greenbranches

[snowbrightstudio]

Harvest Hoppers is LIVE on Kickstarter! We have poured so much time and love into this game and are super excited to share it with potential backers.

So what is Harvest Hoppers? Well …Harvest Hoppers is a board game that delivers heartwarming fun for 2 to 6 players over 30 to 60 minutes. It’s a strategy game that comes with dozens of produce tokens, uniquely configured neighborhood maps, and a heapin’ handful of adorable Hoptop bicycle delivery antics. As bike couriers for your local farmers, you will deliver pumpkins, corn, mushrooms, and more to the cozy restaurants and cafés of Greenbranch in the Verdant Isles. So put the pedal to the produce and get hopping! These deliveries need to make it there fresh!

#board game design #board game #crowdfunding #kickstarter #tabletop games #game night #Harvest Hoppers #frogs frogs frogs

[paladin-andric]

Blackheart, Chapter 5, Part 2 of 2

The knight nodded. “Okay, okay...maybe I was wrong about you...but Senci! It’s time. Let’s see what you’re made of.” Senci smiled, appearing anxious.

“Err, alright. I suppose it couldn’t hurt…”

The two quickly grabbed the dull swords from Greenbranch and moved back from each other, the rest of the denizens of the Citadel backing away to form a large circle around the two. Alexander noted the previously snoozing Tourthun was watching with rapped interest.

Senci looked visibly nervous as he got into a fighting stance. “Sir Alexander, I don’t think I’ll be able to offer you an even fight.”

Alexander shrugged. “I never said I wanted one. This is only a test. Just do your best, and everything will be fine.”

The knight pointed his sword at Senci, lips curling into a knowing smile. “Now...let’s see if this paladin is any good at teaching. Show me what you’ve got, Senci!”

Alexander quickly charged the kobold, who threw himself to the side just as the knight slammed his sword into the ground. He quickly raised his weapon and parried a swing Senci made with his sword.

Backing up, Alexander waited for an attack, not wanting to overwhelm the poor lizard so quickly. Senci seemed hesitant, wanting to stay on the defensive.

The knight smirked and beckoned Senci over. “Can’t let your enemies control the momentum, Senci! Come on!”

The kobold took a deep breath and charged, closing the distance shockingly quickly. Alexander just barely had enough time to raise his sword and block his attack. Senci, apparently taking the knight’s words to heart, proceeded to relentlessly strike at Alexander, the knight struggling to block each attack.

Alexander was hard pressed to defend against such a rapid, unending assault. Senci eventually swung lower than Alexander had anticipated, slicing the knight’s foot and earning a sharp intake of breath from his opponent.

Alexander lowered his guard in response to the pain. Senci suddenly stopped attacking, looking concerned. Alexander shook his head. “Not yet, keep fighting!” Senci’s eyes widened as Alexander stabbed at the kobold, grazing his arm.

“Yow! Hey, how was I supposed to know we were still fighting?!”

Alexander’s voice rang out as he continued attacking, Senci dodging and parrying furiously. “We stop fighting when I say so! Don’t let your guard down!”’

The two continued their swordfight, occasionally landing grazes and minor cuts on each other. The rest of the Citadel watched quietly, the silence broken only by the clanging of steel. No cheering, yelling, not even a single taunt or encouragement, from the crowd or the fighters.

It slowly became apparent that Alexander was gaining the advantage. While the knight was quite reserved and purposeful in his attacks, Senci was putting his all into the fight. It allowed him to overwhelm Alexander’s defense and hit him a few times, but he was also starting to pant from exhaustion. It would be easy for Alexander to force his way through his opponent’s defenses soon enough.

After a few minutes of deflecting Senci’s attacks, Alexander parried yet another sloppy swing. This time however, he decided it was time to end it. Instead of staying on the defensive, Alexander threw himself at the kobold with an onslaught of wild sword swings.

Senci hurriedly moved to block as many attacks as he could, but he couldn’t keep up anymore. Alexander sliced across his stomach, sending the kobold collapsing to the ground, hand grasping the wound.

The knight spun his sword before sliding it back into its sheath. “And that...is the end of it.”

Senci looked up at Alexander, pain and shame both apparent in his eyes. “Aah...I failed…” Alexander sighed and shook his head, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“Failed? Senci...that was fantastic!”

Senci tilted his head. “W-What…?”

“What did I tell you, Senci? I said I wanted to test you. You held out against me for a very long time, much longer then I had anticipated. You even gave me some cuts and bruises!”

“That really was a spirited show, little one. You show much promise.”

Senci smiled. “Tourthun…”

“The dragon is correct!” Greenbranch interjected, “You are an excellent warrior!”

Alexander nodded. “You’re not bad at all, Senci. You don’t have to be the best. There will always be someone stronger than you. Don’t let that fact take away from your prowess.”

Senci laughed nervously. “Wow...thank you all. I suppose...I suppose I undersold myself...I guess.”

Alexander shrugged, the knight appearing quite happy. “You’re good. You weren’t lying about your mentor...that paladin knows his stuff!”

The kobold nodded excitedly. “He sure does! Master is wise and skilled indeed!” His praises were cut short as he attempted to climb back to his feet.

“A-Aaaah! Oh goodness!”

Alexander grabbed Senci’s arm and pulled the warrior to his feet. “Easy, Senci. Just take it easy.” Alexander waved to the humans in the crowd. “Hey, Leianna! Lexius!” The two quickly hurried over.

“You two know any healing?”

Lexius nodded.

“Yup!” Leianna said, smiling.

The cleric moved her hand over the kobold’s bloodied stomach as Lexius put his hand on Senci’s shoulder. Leianna began murmuring some sort of prayer to herself, a common occurrence when someone was channeling holy magic.

Suddenly, a bright flash erupted from Leianna’s hand. Senci’s wounds began closing seemingly on their own. The young warrior’s eyes widened as he clenched his fists.

“W-Whoooa!”

“Everything alright?” Lexius appeared puzzled.

Senci nodded at the priest. “Better than alright! I feel...amazing!”

“Well,” Leianna stopped her chant and stood back up. “That oughta do it.”

“Thank you, madam! I feel great!”

Leianna laughed. “Not a problem, lizard. Healing tends to make you feel good. Energetic, too.

Alexander crossed his arms. “Now a paladin raised you, correct? You of all people should be used to healing magic.” Senci shrugged.

“Master taught me the value of willpower. I didn’t get hurt much, but when I did he said holy magic is too important to waste on little things like cuts and stubbed toes. He said I needed to be able to endure pain if I ever hoped to become a great warrior one day.”

“A fair point,” Alexander replied, “I can see reliance on avoiding pain making you soft...speaking of which…” The knight clasped his hand on the Senci’s shoulder. “Welcome to the crew. You’ve proven yourself capable.” The kobold’s eyes lit up as he broke into a jubilant smile.

“Oh, thank you, Sir Alexander! I won’t let you down!”

Lexius smiled. “Your mentor may have taught you austerity, but don’t hesitate to come to me or Lady Leianna for help. We need to look out for each other on the streets above.” Senci nodded excitedly.

“Yes, of course! Thank you!”

Alexander sighed and sat down. “Let’s just rest for a moment...it’s never a good idea to go into battle winded. Just for a moment, and then we’ll be off.” Senci nodded and sat down next to the knight.

Tourthun smiled at Alexander. “Perhaps there is hope for Palethorn. Together, I am certain we can strike down those demons once and for all!”

“Here here!” Leianna cried.

Alexander laughed. “It’s great to see everyone in high spirits, despite the situation. Yes indeed, hope never dies…”

Beginning | Previous | Next

#writing #writeblr #story #blackheart #chapter 5 #alexander #senci #leianna #lexius #greenbranch #tourthun

[souvik-bhattacharyya]

Waterdrop on Flower stick.......💉💧💉💧 Shot on #realme3 @realmeindia . Edited in @lightroom . Lens @skyviksigni 2in1. Capture by @souvik_bhattacharyya . Please follow 🙏⬆️⬆️🙏 #creativephotography #flower #shutteehubindia #creativemacro #whitefiber #blackbackground #perspectivegrapher #being_photographerman #crazysnapperr #mobileclick #creativephotography #mobilephotography #waterdropesmacro #waterdrops #greenbranch #realmephotography #shutterbug_raaj #realmephotographysquad #shotonrealme #seewithsigni #sharesigni #creativesnap #yourshotphotographer #thehouseofcamera #earthcapture #indoorphotography #mypixeldiary #sonygreatlittlemoments ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ @the365pics @creative__up @35awards @varun.aditya @photographyofindiaa @yourshot_india @worldwide_photography_hub @perspective_pixels @photographers_of_india @click_india_click @shuttersofindia @the.photography.blogger @theotherelement @the.mobile.photographer @photoshop @google @pankaj.jpeg @discovery @animalplanet @natgeo @sony @raw_flatlays @indian_photography_club_ @sonyalphain @macro_insider @indianphotographyhub @mobi_grapher_ @shainblumphotography @natgeowild @bbcearth @35mm.app @macro_india @ngocphotograph 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰🔰 (at Kamarpukur) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTG879UPQa0/?utm_medium=tumblr

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[tinypalmstudy]

Green Branch Art Print | Little Mushrooms on Tree Branch Art Home Decor 

#artdecor #beautifulpainting #bluesky #greenbranch #littlefungus #little #naturelovergift #tinypalmstudy #tinypalmproduct #plantlovergift

[reginacavaispica]

Well, I admit, I'm a flower thief. It is one of the pleasures of my life, when I take walks in the countryside, steal branches and flowers of plants that protrude from the fences and compose a bouquet that keeps me company at home and reminds me of the beautiful walk I took. #flowerthief #flowers #plants🌿 #branches #greenbranch #pleasureoflife #walkinginnature #walkingincountryside #countryside #countrylife #bouquet #bouquetofflowers #autumn #autumncolors #autumnbouquet #hydrangea #ivy #viburnum (presso Piedmont) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFHN0T3swo5/?igshid=1ij78j4l8jz5n

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[arizonacreditrepair]

Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York Credit Repair | [phone]

Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York Free Credit Repair Counseling call [phone] remove bankruptcy, free consumer report, fix bad credit, check your annual Equifax, TransUnion, Experian credit report.

Call Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York credit repair [phone] to see how we really actually work. Why is it so common to hear that bad credit can’t be repaired? What does the law say about repairing your credit? What is the truth about credit repair companies? Can they really do what they say they can do? How do you go about completely repairing your credit and getting new credit lines, mortgages, etc.? Can you add good credit to your credit report by having another person add you as an authorized user to one of their credit cards? Why is it so common to hear that bad credit can’t be repaired?

Credit is a way of life in Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York. Without good credit, you have to take your seat in the second-class section of our economy. But, if your credit is in shambles, you may not be willing to wait for seven years while your credit report repairs itself.

Is there anything you can do to speed your credit repair? Many authorities, such as the news media, will tell you there is nothing you can do to repair your credit. Newspapers, magazines, and TV news journals all seem to be unanimous in discouraging you from making any effort to repair your credit before the seven year limit.

  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IFvDjfDu7E

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from Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York Credit Repair | [phone] via Greenbranch Rd, Buffalo, New York Credit Repair | [phone] July 29, 2019 at 07:08AM Copyright © July 29, 2019 at 07:08AM

#Greenbranch Rd #Buffalo #New York Credit Repair | [phone]

[darkeyeddreamer18061995]

#darkflowers #bloom #blossom #sunrays #sunrise #uvrays #gardening #gardenphotography #flowerphotography #darkpinkflowers #pinkflowers #pinkinsta #pinkies #instapink #instapinkflowers #greenery🌿 #greenbranch #greenishyellow #greenyellow #greenbranch #passionforphotography📷 #passionfornature https://www.instagram.com/p/BwazuI2h7um/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12wpcqzg75jag

#darkflowers #bloom #blossom #sunrays #sunrise #uvrays #gardening #gardenphotography #flowerphotography #darkpinkflowers #pinkflowers #pinkinsta #pinkies #instapink #instapinkflowers #greenery🌿 #greenbranch #greenishyellow #greenyellow #passionforphotography📷 #passionfornature

[littlegoldboat]

It’s too hot for anything but shade, a cool drink and a good book. (How about some poetry?) #greeniloveyougreen #greenwind #greenbranches #fredericogarcialorca #poetrylover #literaryquote #poetryquote #greenshade #heatwaverx (at Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters)

#greenwind #greeniloveyougreen #literaryquote #greenbranches #greenshade #heatwaverx #fredericogarcialorca #poetrylover #poetryquote

[greenbranchrecovery-blog]

Aftercare programs for Greenbranch Recovery patients

Are you struggling with life's challenges? It may seem that drugs and alcohol may provide an easy way out of your daily struggles. However, drug and alcohol addiction will not only affect negatively your life but the lives of your loved ones.  When your drug addiction makes it hard to find a solution, finding the right help may seem impossible.  Through these difficult times, our welcoming Jewish addiction treatment center Egg Harbor Township team and caring staff are ready to motivate, encourage and assist you in your battle to overcome alcohol dependence. At our Jewish drug rehab Egg Harbor Township center, we lead through inspirational practices. Greenbranch Recovery is recognized for providing excellent evidence-based psychotherapy and for providing unmatched addiction recovery programs. As one of New Jersey's leading alcohol and drug treatment centers, we work only to provide excellent clinical service through groundbreaking treatment programs. We are proud to support and represent our community, we guarantee that our physicians, therapists and group of faculty will provide professional, compassionate attention to all our patients. Creating personalized treatment programs helps us care for each of our patient's mental and emotional needs.  Keeping our programs this way helps us provide a more relaxed and welcoming environment for all our patients.  Greenbranch Recovery will help you understand and identify the root cause of your addiction in order to successfully help you overcome it. We guide our patients with unique and healthy aftercare methods that give you the tools to successfully live.

Contact Us:

Greenbranch Recovery

Address: 206 W Parkway Dr #1, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234, USA

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[schoolsformedicalbilling]

Sure, you're busy. But is your medical practice productive? Greenbranch Publishing announces the Second Edition of RVUs at Work: Relative Value Units in the Medical Practice, a practical print (and Ebook) by Coker Group's Max Reiboldt and Justin Chamblee that gives medical practices breakthrough control over costs, compensation, productivity, managed care contract negotiations in light…

[paladin-andric]

Blackheart, Chapter 19: Reunion

Charles moved with purpose as he strode through the streets of Palethorn, leading the rest of the group to the Palethorn University.

The dragonoid had been silent throughout the trip, but this time his silence was not born of anxiety or deferral, but stoic determination.

The group went north first, reaching that same wall they had vaulted over when they first traveled to the cave and met Tourthun.

Alexander thought that over with some regret. They had discovered the source of the demons. They had discovered the Citadel, the last bastion of life in the city, packed full of survivors waiting to be rescued. They even had a dragon for transportation...and they went back.

Of course, it had slipped the knight’s mind to report back to Geralthin first...but that wasn’t really his mission. He was here to destroy the source...and was expected to stay until it was done.

Still, he wished they could have evacuated the people of Palethorn...well, they were all stuck here now, until the abomination at the gates was gone.

He at least found comfort in the fact that things might have worked out for the best. Before knowing of the dangers of air travel, they might have been ON Tourthun when he was fired upon, and if they had been...none would have survived the fall.

Except maybe Leianna and whoever she could grab onto.

They moved forward, beginning to head East. The college was supposedly only an hour’s walk, according to Charles.

“Are you sure it’s that close?” Alexander asked, “An hour in something the size of this city...isn’t very far.”

“I LIVE here!” the magician answered angrily, “You think I’m lying?!”

“No, no, I uh...I’m just used to being disappointed, I suppose.”

The dragonoid rolled his eyes. “This hour walk is a calculation. Back before all of this madness, it certainly would take longer. Without crowded streets however, we move more quickly. Now as long as we don’t run into any of those fiends, it should only be about an hour. Hopeful estimates, but not impossible.”

The human nodded. “I see. Alright, than.”

He wasn’t quite comfortable with all of this yet. These strange creatures, with the shape of men. Even after they had proven themselves...some lingering questions remained.

He’d heard horror stories about half-dragons his whole life. Sure, Charles seemed normal enough, but how he just suddenly snapped, only to pull himself back...were the stories true?

Were all halfbreeds inherently evil? Was Charles just good at resisting it, or even worse, hiding it? Was he secretly-

The knight shook those ideas out of his head.

That was insane.

His outburst was incredibly mild. The magician had just gotten so slightly snippy with him...was that really worth questioning if he was secretly evil, after all the good things he had done? Charles was a good man...probably. The rest of these strange survivors seemed so as well. Their...eccentric nature was simply due to their strange living circumstances.

The knight thought back to the kobolds. They spent so much time being bloodthirsty little barbarians, living in squalid caves and worshiping dragons, and then...suddenly were forced to live like common citizens in an urban environment, all the while being preached the values of peace and kindness endlessly, if Greenbranch was to be believed.

It made sense they would come out of that a little...strange. They still carried their zealous and excitable natures, only those traits were now channeled towards social interactions and private life, instead of killing and pillaging. A life in the wild left them unfamiliar with urban etiquette and what was deemed acceptable in most other societies, yet they seemed willing to learn.

Greenbranch did say they were apparently some of the most well behaved citizens of Palethorn. Alexander wasn’t so sure about that...but with the wild and rowdy wolfmen, perhaps their competition wasn’t so fierce.

Alexander shook his head. There was nothing to worry about.

...well, that was wrong. There was SOMETHING to worry about, for sure. However, that very worry was proof of these beastmens’...humanity, for lack of a better word. They had been targeted, corrupted and massacred by the demons without mercy or bias.

They were all in the same boat. If they were to survive this, Alexander had to put these stray thoughts aside and trust them.

The corrupted seemed to be quite scarce in the Northwest. Seeing as most of the area here was occupied by storage and other mostly unimportant buildings, this part of the city was sparsely populated.

Still, they stuck to side streets as often as they could. They could worry about  clearing the city out once the portal was shut. Any casualties could be replaced as long as it stood.

They moved further East, eventually leaving the corner of the city behind and continuing to walk close to the edge of the Northern sectors, the large wall surrounding the city only occasionally leaving their sight as they ducked through alleys.

As more time passed and they got closer and closer to the academy, the group found themselves in yet another alleyway. Giving it no thought at first, Alexander walked down the path, following Charles, the rest of the group beside him.

For some reason, however, he felt a pit in the bottom of his stomach. Something about this...was wrong. He had no idea what, or why, but he just…felt it.

Just as he opened his mouth to say so, another voice cut through the silence.

“Found you.”

The voice was deep, unholy, and sent shivers up the spines of everyone who heard it. It had come from directly above them, and immediately after it spoke, Alexander heard...something, coming from where the voice had come from.

By instinct, he threw his shield up above him, and sure enough, just as he did, something slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. It was a powerful impact, but thanks to the cushioning from his shield, there didn’t appear to be any real damage.

The knight felt whatever had landed on him suddenly vanish, the weight on top of him lifting and leaving nothing behind.

The knight quickly rose to his feet, looking up and finding the culprit now blocking their path.

It was one of them.

It had four arms, and the appearance of a being of fire and brimstone. Its skin, or chitin in this case, was a deep red. It had a pincered mouth and six eyes, all black with white pupils. Its long claws on its arms and legs were hooked and wicked-looking. The knight doubted his armor could deflect it, as he learned from his last encounter with one of these beings.

Though it appeared similar to the insectoids, this was no mere corrupted. This was a demon.

The beings of hell were as diverse in species as the beings of the living world, it seemed.

The ungodly beast flashed a wicked grin at the group, eyes gleaming with devious intent.

Before anything was said or done, it raised its head to the sky and let out an ear-piercing screech. It was so painful to hear that Alexander reflexively went to cover his ears, only for his helmet to render that pointless.

There was a brief pause as everyone recovered, and the beast simply stood there, staring. For a moment, the knight wondered what it was waiting for.

The distant screams of other beasts responding to his cry answered that question.

The demon had just sounded an alarm for the corrupted.

The others seemed pick up on this as well, for as Alexander surged forward, Senci rushed alongside him, and Charles and Razorwing fired upon the beast. Flames and an arrow were sent right towards the creature, but it contorted its body in a bizarre dodge, causing the projectiles to sail harmlessly past it.

The demon spun to the left, then right as Alexander and Senci reached it and swung their swords. Its lithe body twirled about before reeling back and swiping at Alexander, missing by mere inches as the knight stumbled back.

Sensing his poor balance, the demon delivered a swift, sweeping kick to Alexander’s legs, knocking him over on the spot. Without hesitation, the moment he landed, the knight swung his sword towards the demon, forcing it to back off instead of finishing him off.

“Hehe!” the thing cackled, spinning to avoid yet another group of arrows and fireballs, “You’re quick! But how long can you keep up…?”

Its voice was shrill and alien, belonging to one whose vocal chords were nothing like an ordinary humans.

It spun to the side as another arrow flew straight through where he was a moment ago. “Hehehe! Are you really the greatest archer in the world? YOU are the best the mortals have to offer?! Come, try a little harder, Domnall!”

Alexander was confused for a moment.

Domnall? Who’s Domnall?

His confusion was answered by a disturbing realization; as soon as the demon spoke these words, the arrows stopped. Charles continued firing unsuccessfully at the demon, but while he did that and Alexander and Senci continued fighting, Razorwing ceased his attack.

It came to him in the heat of battle, a strange clarity settling over him. Razorwing must be his “handle”, a name or identity he made up. Domnall...was either his name, or the name of someone close to him.

He had frozen up in shock, most likely.

The battle continued, and oh, was it a special one. It was more like a dance routine, in reality. Move forward, slash, the demon swirls to the side, move back, up again, attack, dodge, attack, dodge, attack…

The three moved in what seemed like perfect synchronization, with Senci going to attack while the demon dodged Alexander, the demon ducking and moving out of the second blade’s way, and then the two warriors stepping and ducking as the demon retaliated.

They fell into a rhythm, performing this routine, all the while the demon would dodge fireballs in between their attacks.

“Razorwing!” Charles cried, “Back me up!”

“I…”

“HURRY!” the magician shouted, still keeping behind the two warriors for safety’s sake.

It seemed the hero had finally regained his composure as arrows came flying towards the demon once again.

“He’s too quick!” the koutu called back, firing another shot and watching the demon gracefully dodge it.

“Don’t shoot where he is, shoot where he’s going to be!” the dragonoid yelled.

“I’M DOING THAT!” the archer barked back, irritated, “What kind of second-rate bowman do you take me for?!”

Even as he complained, Razorwing fired and, amazingly, the demon dodged into the shot, everywhere around him surrounded by swinging blades and balls of fire.

As it moved, the demon saw the arrow and tried to dodge, but too late. The projectile dug itself into its shoulder, the insect-like hellbeast letting out a hiss of pain.

It looked up at the group, suddenly seeming much less cocky. Its eyes narrowed and darted between the members of the group as it looked for a weakness to exploit...

Finally, figures moved into the alleyway. They had arrived.

A horde of corrupted beasts began screaming, bolting down the alley and straight towards the group. The demon shot the heroes a smug grin before leaping back into the crowd, letting them surge into the group as he watched.

The group of four shifted their attack towards the crowd of beasts, Bracing as the monsters reached the two warriors. Both Alexander and Senci quickly began to retreat, backing off and avoiding claw swipes while stabbing back with their own weapons.

Razorwing launched up into the air and landed on a rooftop, beginning to fire down into the crowd, a hail of arrows embedding themselves into the skulls of several beasts.

A few corrupted koutu even took to the air and flew after him, only to be shot between the eyes each time, falling from the sky and collapsing to the ground one by one. Several landed on top of the ravenous horde, knocking a few over.

The mob was wild and numerous, but fell easily.

Alexander realized that things were changing. He remembered his very first encounter with one of these creatures. An entire group, unfamiliar with the enemy and one another struggled to take down a lone straggler. Now, they were cutting down dozens upon dozens of the fiends.

Experience with the enemy’s strengths, weaknesses and tactics, familiarity with them and becoming more adjusted to fighting such horrors, and the group now a skilled and cohesive team had made it all so much different.

It was proof of Alexander’s simple philosophy. Never give up and keep at something, and regardless of innate talent, and you will become VERY good at it...the only variable is how long that takes.

The knight roared out as he swung wildly to the side, slicing through a corrupted wolfman’s head and sending it sprawling to the ground. As he did so however, he noticed a figure leaping through air, past the swarm of monsters, and straight towards him.

He raised his shield in time, but the thing still slammed into him with such might that he was slammed to the floor again. This time he was knocked flat on his back, and his head hit the ground hard. His helmet absorbed most of the impact, but it still stunned him just long enough for the beast to take advantage.

It was the demon, and before the knight could react, it swung its claws wildly, tearing into his armor. Every strike was lightning fast, and worse, expertly targeted every conceivable weak point in the suit of armor. The shoulders, the elbows, the waist and knees...several times, the hit found its mark, and stabbed through the defensive gear underneath, sticking into the man’s flesh and sending shockwaves of pain through him.

A flurry of arrows and flames forced the fiend to back off, allowing Alexander to recover and get to his feet. All around him, dead beastmen lay motionless, the crowd of enemies now nearly gone.

Senci shoved his blade into a beast going for the knight, still taking a knee and getting back up.

Another creature ran forward, arms out and reaching to grab Alexander. Suddenly, a bolt nailed the beast, sending it tumbling down to the rest of the fallen.

A bolt, not an arrow.

Alexander looked behind him for a second, and sure enough, Crux was standing at the end of the alley, crossbow out and face obscured by his mask.

Charles, pulsing with energy, ran up and raised both hands outwards towards the remaining few. Boiling jets of flames poured from him and into the crowd, the fallen beasts screeching as they burned alive.

All too soon, only they and the demon remained. It stared at them with that same grin from earlier, standing among the carnage.

“I must say, I’m quite surprised. A few have taken down many before falling, others have escaped...but none have held their ground before.”

No one answered the buglike monster.

“Commendable...but futile. Still, I enjoyed it. No one has ever put up such a ferocious struggle...you even wounded me! I have never felt so alive in battle before...congratulations.”

The demon seemed to appraise each of them as it continued. “It would be such a waste to kill you. I want this hunt to continue. If anyone here can cure my boredom...it’s you.”

“Boredom?” Alexander answered, brow raised, “The hell are you on about?”

“About HELL, friend...why do you think us so eager to come here? Who wishes to burn and boil away in that foul pit? Not I. I came here for enjoyment. For the thrill of battle, for the freedom to do as I please.”

“You...want to have fun?” Senci asked, looking bewildered.

“Indeed. I only wish to battle someone worthy...and I have found someone worthy indeed...all of you. Now I have had a taste, I relish it again. Allow me to pose you this question; If I were to, say, not interfere with your...silly little quest, would you allow another battle? Let us call it...a sparring session. After all, I would not want to kill such a source of entertainment.”

“You want dueling partners,” Paul said knowingly, stepping up to the rest of the group.

“Crux! You followed us?” Razorwing said, hopping down off the rooftops and landing beside the others.

“Someone’s got to watch you fools,” he replied smugly, crossbow aimed at the demon.

“He is correct. I only wish to finally have a taste of battle,” the insect answered, “Slaying other demons is frowned upon, so existence in the underworld is...underwhelming. Come, I could even give you a few tips on how to combat my kin if you spar with me. I only wish for the thrill of facing you again...is that so wrong?”

“W-wrong? Wrong?!” Alexander shouted, enraged, “Look at this city, at what you’ve done! You slaughter and butcher and ruin and corrupt...all for a bit of fun, and then ask if that’s WRONG?!”

“Oh, I only tagged along,” the demon answered with a roll of its many eyes, “It was not my plan.”

“You still SLAUGHTERED people!” the knight screamed, shield-arm dangling and dripping with blood.

“Oh, only a couple, honest. It was boring, so I stopped.” The demon sounded quite blasé about the whole thing, seeming to shrug off any responsibility for it. “What fun is there in butchery? I want a challenge.”

“Well I’d say you’ve met your match,” Paul answered, voice cold and unwavering.

With that, he fired his crossbow. The demon spun, gracefully and effortlessly dodging the shot.

“Pathetic. Bring back the archer, he’s twice the shot you could ever be, whelp.”

Before the bounty hunter could respond, a figure suddenly leapt from the corner behind the demon. In a flash, it struck.

The monster opened its mouth as a blade tore through its midsection, driving him up off the ground as the figure behind him raised the sword.

The warrior behind him was wearing a heavy and intimidating set of silver armor, covering him head to toe. His helmet hid all his features, and a long, deep red cape hung from his back, flowing in the wind.

“Argh! You...how did you…?”

“A trivial matter,” the figure responded. His voice was deep and imposing, the voice of a hero and a leader.

An audible gasp from Senci was heard, but Alexander kept his attention on the demon and the man behind him.

The demon spat and writhed as blood began to pour from his stomach. “Y-you...got lucky...this time.”

It glared at the rest of the group with those beady, buglike eyes. “I’ll be back...I will have my rematch...I swear it…”

“Try as many times as you like,” the warrior responded, “You will be destroyed, time and again.”

“We’ll see about that…”

The figure shoved the demon off of his sword, the creature collapsing to the ground in a miserable state. The warrior raised his sword, and as he did so, the demon looked up at the group, on his hands and knees.

“Until our next battle,” he said quietly, that grin returning for one last time.

The warrior brought the sword down, the large weapon slicing through the demon without effort. Its head came off, and the fiend collapsed, now truly dead.

The armored figure stepped over the corpse and stared at the group, his demeanor immediately changing.

“Senci!” he called out.

“M...master!” the kobold squealed, sounding as if he was in disbelief.

Senci bolted forward, the other man moving towards him in response. As they reached one another, the man took a knee and placed his sword to the side.

Senci leaped into the man’s arms, seeming almost ready to cry.

“M-master, I was...oh, I missed you! I missed you so much!”

The man sighed in relief as Senci continued blubbering, the pair sharing a hug all the while. “Thank God you’re okay. I thought you might be...lost.”

“You know this guy?” Paul asked, hands on his hips.

“Andric,” Alexander said knowingly. The man nodded as he patted Senci on the back.

“...he was talking about me again, wasn’t he?”

“That’s right...I can’t believe you’re actually here. To run into us at such an opportune time…”

“I was searching the area for you and Senci, actually.”

“Me?” Andric nodded.

“My friend,” the paladin responded.

“Who?”

Alexander’s question was answered by another figure peeking around the corner.

It was another koutu. This one was blue and orange, unlike Razorwing’s white and brown coloration. It also appeared...daintier. Slimmer and...resembling a predatory bird less.

The koutu nervously stared for a moment before coming out and approaching.

“Goodness, your clothes!” Razorwing cried.

Alexander’s first reaction was to wonder if now was the time to care about such things...but it wasn’t such a strange reaction.

The koutu was wearing a filthy pile of tattered rags that really contrasted from the bird’s naturally elegant appearance. The scraps of cloth were tied around her waist, and several bits hung off the sides, ripped and shredded.

“Nevermind that,” Andric interjected, “Alexander...this is Fianna. She says she has you to thank for her survival.”

The knight was taken aback. “What?!”

“You saved her life...correct?”

“I think I’d remember her if I did,” he answered.

Finally, the koutu opened her mouth and spoke. “I-I was...I was the...one the demon was holding, remember?”

Alexander’s eyes widened. “You’re...that was YOU?!”

“Yes,” she said in a near-whisper, sounding embarrassed.

“But you’re...uncorrupted!”

Fianna quietly pointed at Andric. “H-he saved me.”

“But...that thing was...nearly one of them,” the knight retorted.

“I was,” she admitted, “But Andric...he tore the influence from me! It was...I can’t even begin to describe…”

Alexander nodded, a realization hitting him. “That’s right, you’re a paladin, aren’t you?”

“Indeed I am,” Andric said simply, “It wasn’t much trouble.”

“I TOLD you!” Senci cried, looking at Alexander excitedly and still clinging onto Andric, “He saved her, and destroyed the demon no problem, and came all the way here by himself! He’s the greatest, strongest hero ever!”

“Come on now,” Andric insisted, “I told you not to go around saying such things…”

“It’s not like I’m lying!” the kobold said happily, “Everyone knows it’s the truth!”

“May I ask what on earth is going on?” Charles asked.

Paul chuckled. “Counter-question: May I ask why you’re wearing that ridiculous hat?”

“H-hey! I quite like it, thank you very much!” the dragonoid said indignantly, adjusting the wide-brimmed hat with one hand.

“Err...actually, about Charles’ question…” Razorwing stepped forward. “What IS going on? Are you a new arrival, like Sir Alexander?”

Andric nodded. “I was...on campaign, up north. A dragon-tyrant ignored the edict, which...I don’t care about, but he was butchering folks. I hadn’t heard about all this madness until the army was on the way back. I made for Palethorn the moment I heard.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” Razorwing said with a smile, “Someone of your standing would aid our mission greatly.”

“Trying to clean the place up?” the paladin asked, standing up and putting a hand on Senci’s head. The kobold looked elated at the gesture.

“Oh no, we’re trying to figure out a way to close the Blackheart!”

“The Blackheart?”

“The...portal the demons spew forth from,” Charles answered.

Andric paused at the remark. “I...am impressed. Not many would attempt such a thing, let alone even know to choose that over extermination.”

“Hey, speaking of the demons…” Alexander looked at the paladin seriously. “...what was that about? ‘I’ll be back’, and ‘You’ll be destroyed, time and again’?”

Andric sighed. “You, uh...don’t know, huh?”

The knight turned to the others. Razorwing, Charles and Paul all shrugged. He turned his gaze back to the paladin. “Know...what?”

“They’re immortal,” Andric answered.

Alexander looked to the decapitated corpse of the demon, then back at Andric, then back to the headless corpse once more.

“But, uhh...you kind of…”

“Temporary.”

The knight frowned. “Huh?”

“You can kill the body, but their souls, if you can call the wretched darkness such a thing, return to the underworld. Once their body is restored, they can come back.”

“Right,” Razorwing agreed, “Crux and I went back to the demon that...wounded you, Sir Alexander, and when we got there, its body was gone.”

“Damn it...is there no way to kill demons for good?” the knight asked, frustrated.

“There are ways...but we should not dwell on them, for they are lengthy, costly and painstaking processes. If we seal the link between our world and theirs, they will never been seen again. The sooner we do that, the fewer lives are lost.”

“Well, we were just heading to Palethorn University, for the Magical Arts,” Charles explained, “There was a sort of...study group being conducted by priests and sorcerers before the attack. We thought we might find the secret to the beast guarding the gates, and its immortality there.”

“That thing,” Andric spat, sounding infuriated, “That damned abomination…”

“If we discover how to kill it, we can evacuate the Citadel!” Senci finished, still holding onto Andric.

“The Citadel? You have a fort here of some kind?”

Razorwing shrugged. “Sort of. A...hideout, more like. A lot of people made it, many that can’t fight. We’d really like to see them safely brought out of here, and the army allowed in to aid us in our attack on the Blackheart.”

Andric nodded. “A good plan...and I am glad you are keeping these people in mind. They have lost so much...working to see every life saved is the least we could do.”

“Oh, Master Andric, would you like to come along with us? You could help!”

The paladin hesitated. “...how safe is this hideout of yours?”

“Completely!” Razorwing assured the man, “It’s like a village down there! The guards are always keeping watch and there’s plenty of people willing to lend a hand! We brought Charles’ friend there and he’s been resting comfortably since!”

“That’s right!” the magician agreed, “They treat him well.”

Andric nodded. “...I’d like to bring Fianna there, before I join you. She’s...been through a lot.”

“That’s a good idea!” the archer said happily, “She’d fit in perfectly! Plenty of other survivors from the city inside. Hey, maybe you’ll even find some people you knew there!”

Fianna’s eyes widened. “T-that...sounds wonderful. It would be very nice to see if any friends made it…”

“I’ll lead her,” Paul said, “You guys can go ahead without me.”

“Are you sure?” Razorwing asked, his smile fading.

“I caught up with you once, I’ll do it again. Besides...I’d like to keep that corrupted dope you brought back there in check.”

“Corrupted?” Andric looked at the group suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“They brought one of the survivors there. He’s been touched by the demons. They assure me he’s safe, but it’s only a matter of time…”

“What?!” Andric got closer to the group. “You brought someone corrupted by the demons to where ALL the survivors are hiding out?!”

“Leianna and Lexius have it covered,” Alexander interrupted.

Paul glared at the knight. “They’re bedridden, you fool. If he snaps, he’ll have torn through half the camp by the time they’re up!”

“We need to go NOW,” Andric demanded, “Such a risk shouldn’t have been brought to-”

“Wait!”

The paladin turned to Senci, looking up at him with desperation.

“I-it’s...it’s Vok, mister Andric.”

“What?!”

The kobold nodded sadly. “T-the demons got him, sir...please...please don’t hurt him. Leianna and Lexius helped, but he’s still fighting it. Please save him. You can save him, right? You’re the greatest hero ever. You could save anyone!”

Andric put a hand to his helmet, leaning his head against it. “I...can’t believe they got to him…”

“Please! You’re...like family, right?”

Andric took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll make sure he gets through this. I promise. This isn’t the first person I’ll have purified…”

Senci smiled. “You’ll do it, mister Andric! I know you will! That way we can all go home together with Vok when this is over!”

“Right...I suppose he can’t really live here anymore…” Andric looked over at Alexander, eyeing the bloodstains on his armor.

“Before I go...would you like me to help with that?”

“Please.”

The paladin nodded and walked up to Alexander. Making out all the points of injury, he began the healing spell, holding his hands over the affected areas as he went along.

It was over in seconds. In the blink of an eye, the pain faded, and Andric stood up. Though he couldn’t see with his armor in the way, Alexander had no doubt the wounds themselves were gone as well.

This man was obviously a cut above the other two healers. It seems Senci really wasn’t embellishing the details of his ‘master’...

“All better?”

“Just about,” Alexander answered, moving his arms to double check, “Thank you.”

“Not a problem. Senci! You be careful, now. Really. I’d prefer you come with us, actually, but...I trust you remember all the warnings I’ve given you. As for the rest of you...watch his back. Fianna and I will be off, now.”

“I’ll do my best!” the kobold cheered.

“Oh, erm...j-just a second,” Fianna pleaded. She hurried over to Alexander, smiling all the while. It was incredible to Alexander, to think that this vibrant, hopeful and kindly koutu was the jet-black corrupted he encountered alongside the demon that put him in the hospital tent.

“Ooh, sir knight...thank you so much. You...you’re a real hero.” she looked genuinely grateful, wings folded behind her back as she looked up at him with an expression a child would give a famous adventurer; adoration.

“Ahh...no problem. We’ve all got to work together at a time like this.”

“If there’s any way I could repay you…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Alexander assured her, “I’m just glad everything worked out the way it did. No big deal.”

“No big deal?!” Fianna nearly squawked, “Y-you saved my life, sir! Really, if there’s anything I could do to make it up, anything at all…”

It’s like she WANTED him to ask a favor of her! The knight, ever tactful, nodded. “...alright. I’ve got something I want you to do.”

“Whatever it is, I promise I’ll see it through!” she cried joyfully.

Alexander flipped open his visor and smiled at her. “...promise me you’ll make it out of here, okay? Stick to the Citadel and be careful.”

For a moment, she stared with wide eyes at the knight. After shooting him a huge grin, she nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course! Of course I’ll stay safe! Thank you so much! I’ll always remember this!”

“Glad to hear it. You take care, now.”

She hurried after Andric and Paul, who began to leave for the Citadel, following the bounty hunter.

“Alexander, right? His name is Alexander?” she sounded like she was trying to keep it down, but was so excited she didn’t realize she was easily heard by the rest of the group as she walked away.

There was no verbal response, but Alexander assumed one of the men nodded.

“Oh my goodness!” she swooned, “Have you SEEN his face?! What a dashing knight…”

Razorwing was grinning like mad as her voice faded away. “Sounds like our knight has found himself a damsel!”

“It’s not like that!” Alexander spoke defensively.

“Suuuuuure it isn’t. Why do you hide it? There is nothing wrong with love…”

“Now ISN’T the time for love,” the knight retorted, “There’s demons in the streets and death all around us. We can discuss petty romance once the gates of hell are shut.”

“...so you admit you wish to pursue your damsel once our mission concludes?” Razorwing asked with a cocky grin.

“Oh my God.”

“Relax, relax! I’m only teasing!” the koutu assured him, “...unless you really do like her, in which case I completely support you in your endeavors to court her.”

“Razorwing!”

“Really, her beauty is quite resplendent. You’re a lucky one, Alexander!”

The knight groaned as Razorwing laughed and laughed. Eventually, he simply dropped the subject and shook his head.

“Let’s just get to this damned academy.”

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[paladin-andric]

Blackheart, Chapter 7, Part 2 of 2

(A very dialogue heavy chapter! Not used to writing like this, but I think I did a pretty good job. Here we see the monsters of Palethorn attempt to heal Tourthun.)

Alexander made his way through the camp, mind racing. So many people’s lives were at stake. Whatever happened with the dragon would...well, it would happen, and Alexander would have to deal with it. If the dragon couldn’t help, so be it. The knight would find a way. He would be strong, and brave, and stalwart. He would destroy the Blackheart, even if it meant his own demise. He couldn’t let the rest of the world turn into this.

The knight marched towards the center of the camp. Monsters of all kinds lined the tiny settlement, though no one was moving. This appeared to be one of the rare instances in between surface expeditions, when most of the people had little to occupy themselves with.

Moving past tents and shacks, Alexander reached the center. As always, dim light shone down from the surface. Tourthun was lying on his side, eyes closed. A group of kobolds were standing around the dragon, chattering. Wurie was at the edge of the crowd. Spotting Alexander, he glanced over at the knight and offered a nod.

“Hey, pretty busy day, huh?” The wolfman captain crossed his arms and smiled. Alexander shrugged.

“Good luck with the kid,” Wurie offered, a sly grin on his muzzle. Alexander grimaced. Even he was joking about this?!

Stepping into the crowd, Alexander scanned for any familiar faces. He stopped as his gaze fell on Senci.

“Aha, there you are.” The knight marched up to the small warrior and crossed his arms.

“So, how’s it going? Any word on Tourthun?”

Senci nodded, smiling. “They said they’ve been working on medicine. Some kind of incense or something.”

“Yes, that’s right!” One of the kobolds stepped up to the knight. He was fairly unremarkable, though he wore a messy robe, stained with what looked like liquid spills.

“I think we have the cause of his sickness figured out! You see-”

A loud groan made the group pause. Alexander turned to see Tourthun slowly open his eyes and look around, dazed.

“Mmm...uhh...hello?” Tourthun was looking back and forth, but his eyes were glazed and unfocused.

“Ah, Tourthun. How are you feeling?” The dragon turned his head to Alexander, eyes still seeming to look straight through him.

“Ah, father. You have returned? Please do not leave me like that. I was...frightened.”

All eyes fell on Alexander. From the captain to the kobolds, many of them snickered and grinned, trying to hold in laughter. A few however, appeared confused and worried.

Alexander was red in the face. What kind of fever makes dragons think you’re their father? If he stopped playing along, how would the dragon react? Why did Wurie feel the need to stand there and stare at the knight, grinning like a loon? This was embarrassing enough on its own!

The kobold with the messy robes from earlier tapped the knight on the leg and gestured for him to come closer.

Alexander leaned down and craned his neck as the lizard cupped a clawed hand over his ear. “I think the magic made his brain all mushy,” the kobold uttered in a nervous whisper.

“Uhh, I see that,” Alexander replied bluntly, “So what about it?”

“What is that noise? Did you bring friends over again?” Tourthun asked, the dragon appearing confused.

“Yes, just a moment,” Alexander answered. He turned back to the kobold and shrugged.

“Well,” the creature continued, still whispering, “From what the doctors have said, our theory is that the necrosis damaged more than his chest.”

Alexander’s eyes widened, horror and comprehension dawning on him.

“You mean…”

“That’s right,” the robed monster said, “His brain’s all jumbled up and half-gone. It’s why he’s acting so funny!”

“How do we fix it?” Alexander asked hurriedly.

The kobold gestured to the crowd. A group of kobolds carrying what looked like a giant bowl pushed through the crowd.

“We have gathered powerful healing incense. It’s normally for...tiny things, like us, but we thought that if we just use a lot more…”

Oh great, the knight thought, an experiment.

“...that it should work on him!” the kobold finished, excited.

Alexander crossed his arms. “So, how exactly does it work? Is it like the healing powder the shellbacks make?”

“Ah, not quite! This mixture is a fine smoke that the user must inhale! Once in the body, it begins repairing damaged organs and tissue.”

“So…”

“It should heal his brain!” The kobold finished. “Though...it clouds the mind for a time, and makes the user very sleepy.” Alexander nodded.

“Alright...Tourthun!” The knight called out to the dragon. “I’ve been looking for ways to soothe your ills, and a few friends have brought me this.”

“NO!” The dragon roared angrily. The reverb made Alexander’s head spin. The knight was taken aback, as was the rest of the crowd. What was driving him to such rage?

“Tourthun?”

“No more medicine! You promised!”

Ah, this again…

“It’s nothing like that!” Alexander hollored back. Tourthun’s snarl disappeared, the dragon looking embarrassed.

“O-oh! I...I am sorry! I just thought...forgive my insolence!” Tourthun pressed his head and his legs up against his body, taking up less space as his gaze fell downward.

“Uh, don’t worry about it. Look, it’s not something you eat. It’s...incense. All you have to do is breathe it in. It’ll ease your pain and clear up your maladies.”

Tourthun glanced up hopefully at the knight. “Truly? No medicine? It just works on its own?”

Alexander nodded. “That’s right.”

“Well...okay! I am sorry I doubted you. Forgive me.”

The kobolds finished moving the large bowl up to the dragon, coming to a stop right in front of Tourthun’s face. Another one of the lizards ran up to the bowl with a torch and lowered it inside, setting the herbs and plants alight.

“Okay. Deep breaths. Just sit back and relax, Tourthun.” The knight looked over at the crowd, everyone slowly backing up.

“Mister knight, get away!” One of the kobolds whispered. Alexander frowned.

“Why? What did you do?” The kobold shook its head and waved its hands nervously.

“No, nothing like that! It’s just...magic smoke! Enough for a dragon! It could put you to sleep for good! So much dosage for tiny things like us! Too much to take!”

Alexander nodded in realization. Enough incense to knock him on his ass, eh? Well, that was plenty good reason for staying back.

He backed up with the rest of the group, forming a large, open circle around the dragon.

Tourthun eyes began to droop. “Aah...oh, my head...mmm…” “Everything alright?” Alexander called to the dragon. Torthun let out a deep rumble.

“Hmm...yes, wonderful...this scent is...lovely. I...I think I will...rest...for a moment longer.” The dragon slowly lowered his neck, bringing his large head down to the floor beside the incense bowl. He closed his eyes and sighed, satisfied.

“Oh...and...father?”

“...Tourthun?” Alexander answered quietly.

“Thank you...for everything. I am...glad you are here.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

With that, the dragon ceased talking.

The knight wiped his forehead. It was already hotter in here with the large, open flame, and the thick scent of the medicine wasn’t helping. It smelled like...smokey wood and flowers. Even back here, the smell wafted to Alexander in an overpowering manner. Good thing he had listened to the kobolds!

“So...that’s it.” The kobold in the robes returned, looking up at Alexander. “Now we just let the magic do its work, and if our theory is correct, he’ll start recovering!”

“And you’re SURE this is safe?” Alexander questioned.

“Of course!” The robed figure answered quickly, “This is an old kobold secret. We used to use this to heal our people from scrapes with our masters’ enemies. Dragons have mighty scales that turn blades with ease, so the best method to attack them is magic! Thus, we and our masters would often be targeted with necrotic magic. We created this mixture long ago to prevent further losses once we got the wounded to safety, and to ensure our masters lived on.”

“I thought you said this was for ‘tiny people’, not dragons.”

“Aha! Well like I said, we USED to heal our masters with this. I don’t know if you noticed, but we’ve fallen out of favor with dragons in recent times. As the great ones grow older, they gain power, and we become less and less appealing as servants. We are small and weak. Then there was Greenbranch’s evangelizing, which made a lot of us very picky with who we vowed to serve. Without a complete lack of morals, the crueler dragons couldn’t rely on us, and a lot of good ones still see us as nasty little creatures.”

“And so this art has become an elusive one.” Alexander finished.

“Yes! Many of us haven’t used this ritual on someone other than each other in our whole lives, and even using it at all is rare, now! I mean, with the exile, we’ve been living in a peaceful, orderly city. Not many uses for combating dark magic.”

“You lot seem...brighter than the stories paint you as.” Alexander rubbed his chin. “A lot of stories of rabid beasts throwing themselves at travelers back home…and really, I didn’t expect one of you to know the tongue of man, let alone so many.”

The robed lizard perked up. “Ah! Well I’m flattered you think I’m...bright. To be honest, many of us are...less so inclined to learn. Though, living in Palethorn, with so much knowledge and the means to attain it in your hands, it’s only natural some of us benefited! Moving from caves to the city meant opportunities to learn where there had been none before. As for me, I’ve always been an herbalist, and if you know anything about herbalism, you know there’s a LOT of reading involved. Only natural someone of my profession knows a lot!”

“I understand you,” Alexander said, “I suppose there weren’t many schools and archives out in the wild…”

The kobold laughed. “That’s right! Many were illiterate before we came here. To a lot of us, philosophy was just a funny word Greenbranch said a lot.”

The little herbalist smiled. “Well! Everything’s all done here, I suppose! Once he awakens, we should know if it worked or not.”

“Right.” That last line worried Alexander. What if it DIDN’T work? What then? Would Tourthun be stuck in a cycle of mental regression, thinking the knight to be his father forever? Would he lose what was left, and become feral?

No. He couldn’t think like that. He would drive himself mad with worry.

He had to have hope.

Wurie walked over as the crowd of kobolds dispersed. A few lingered around, still gazing at the dragon in awe.

The wolfman looked at Alexander, wide-eyed.

“Well...that just happened.”

The knight rubbed the back of his head. “I, uh...yeah.”

“Phew...this is insanity, you know?” Alexander nearly burst out laughing at the wolfman.

“Now there’s an understatement. Can you believe this?”

Alexander turned back to look at Tourthun. The dragon was curled up on the floor, next to the incense, eyes closed.

“A giant, intimidating beast of legend...curled up on the floor, calling you father and whining as a child would.” The captain shook his head. “Say what you will...magic is a terrifying thing, if it can bring a behemoth like that to this sorry state.”

Alexander sighed. “I suppose. That must have been a trump card though, surely. If he recovers, they’ll have lost more than us!”

The wolfman frowned. “I wish I had your optimism, sir knight. I just...I think we’re up against too much here. That’s no reason to quit, but I...I just…” Wurie trailed off.

“...it’s just so much, you know?” The wolfman’s sorrow was plain in his voice, high and quivering. “Everyone’s counting on me to get them through this, but...I don’t think I have what it takes. I’m just a guard...and these people need a champion. I am not sufficient…”

Alexander put his hands on Wurie’s shoulders. The captain looked up, surprised. The knight locked eyes with the captain.

“We WILL get through this.” Alexander shook Wurie to emphasise his words. “You aren’t leading an army. You don’t have to take on the forces of hell by yourself. You need not carry every last man, woman and child to Geralthin in your arms. The people don’t need a leader that’s a hero…they just need someone to believe in. To give them hope. By being a leader they can trust, well...you’re plenty heroic already.”

Wurie blinked, mouth open. “I...I…”

The wolfman wrapped his arms around the knight. Alexander stood in silence as the captain took deep, quivering breaths, patting him on the back.

After a few moments, Wurie stood up straight and let go of the knight. The wolfman sighed and looked at Alexander, fire in his eyes, even as the fur on his face was matted and wet.

“Thank you, Alexander...I needed that.” The knight offered a nod and a smile.

“We’re not gods, Wurie. We are men. We are fallible, prone to stress and despair. Just remember...even glaciers will crumble eventually. Let your grievances be known to those who will listen. It is all that keeps us sane.”

“I...I will.” Wurie gazed at Alexander, something in his eyes different. He looked on Alexander with a deep, newfound respect. “Thank you, my friend.”

The knight patted him on the shoulder and grinned. “You’ll lead these people to safety, I’m certain...as for me, I’ve got work to do.”

Alexander waved to Senci, who ambled over and tugged at Wurie’s armor.

“He’s right!” The kobold exclaimed, excited as ever, “You’re doing great! Everyone here looks up to you!”

Wurie smiled. “Ah, Senci...thanks, ya rascal.” The captain patted the kobold on the head. “I bet your old teacher would be proud of you.” Senci bashfully glanced to the side, looking embarrassed, but happy.

“Senci, we’re gonna go on an expedition. Check out some possible paths to the Blackheart.”

Senci nodded. “You got it, sir knight! Seeya, Wurie!” Senci waved as he moved to follow the knight.

“Good luck!” Wurie yelled back.

“That was SO nice of you!” Senci exclaimed, walking alongside Alexander, “I’ve never seen him vulnerable like that, and you perked him right up! I always thought he was a big stick in the mud, but...he’s been bottling a lot of stuff up, apparently.”

Alexander shrugged. “In times like these, sometimes you just need someone to let you know you’re not alone.”

Senci stared at Alexander, grinning. “You remind me of master.”

“Hopefully I’ll meet him one day,” the knight returned, “He sounds like a right good man.”

“I bet you two would be like best friends!” Senci said excitedly, “You’d LOVE visiting our home back in Lannis. There’s a training room, and a library, and a game room! We talk, and read, and relax, and every Saturday, we have tea and cookies…”

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