Locke looked down at the point of Blademan’s head surfacing from her chest. Blood drooled from her mouth as she reached out and touched it, ”Oh, Gods.”

  “Blademan!” Yelled Kip,

  “Oh, come on! The new guy gets the kill?” Zeke pouted.

  Kip ran up to the side of him, “Get out of there! We’re trying to work with these people.”

  “Who said that? Kippo?” Blademan twisted his head to the right, “Is that you?”.

  “Don’t turn around!” Yelled Zeke on the other side.

  “Hold on, who’s on that side?” Blademan turned around, twisting his head blade the other way. The light from Keelie’s eyes disappeared, and the last thing Locke said before falling easy, “We wanted… to compromise.”

  “I’m impressed! First person to beat me in a while! I just couldn’t let it stand.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Said Akun. He turned around and puked up vomit from a stomach he didn’t know he had..

  “Blademan, I think if you get out we can still save one of them!”

  “Get out? Sounds good!” He grabbed the ends of the two agents and pushed himself in farther. Emerging from the other side of them. When he turned back, there was a blademan sized hole in both of them. Every one of the monsters went pale.

  Blademan turned around and looked at his handiwork. Locke slumped over, the light in her eyes leaving.

  “You killed them,” Kip said to Blademan.

  “Suppose I did!”

  “We wanted to know more about them.”

  “They were doing recon!” Blademan said, “They wanted to see if you were who you said you were. That you were the dark lord. Now that they’re dead, they won’t get any of that information back to the kingdom, will they?”

  “I guess so,” Kip said “Maybe this is a win?”

  Mason shook his head and flew off, hurling his tuna sandwich down as he did.

  “So, how did the challenge go? Who won?”

  Kip tried not to gag at the freshly disemboweled corpses. Zeke lifted Kip’s little hand up, his stretchy hands were still in effect so Zeke pulled farther than it could normally go.

  “This slugger right here! We all learned something too, didn’t we fellas?” he asked of the remaining beast friends. They all sort of muttered ‘yeah’ or ‘maybe’ but it was clear to all but Zeke that lesson didn’t stick.

  The direwolf and the pit fiend had a long way to go back, so they told Zeke that they couldn’t stick around.

  Jasssper turned to Kip, “Sire, I have to go. Congratulationssss on the win and thank you for choosssing me to be your teammate.”

  “Jasssper!” Kip said as he approached his advisor. He placed his hand on the part of Jasssper’s cowl that normally went over the shoulder, “Thank you for the help. Seriously. You’re a great ally. I appreciate you!”

  Jasssper smiled and bid his adieu, leaving behind Blademan, Zeke, and Stormbristle with the body.

  Blademan slapped Kip on the back, “Sorry about that. My pride sorta got in the way. These suckers beat me, don’t ya know? Nobody beats Blademan and lives to tell the tale.”

  “I… I beat you and lived to tell the tale.”

  “Oh, yeah. And you’re absolutely going to keep living. I just know it. I’m confident, actually. You’re going to live a long and healthy life.”

  Kip could tell even through the metal that Blademan was winking at him.

  “Okay, laying it on a bit thick,” Said Kip as he remembered that Blademan scheduled their rematch for as early as he could.

  “Okay, buddy!” Zeke said, “Feels like maybe it’s time to clean these people up? Let’s throw them in Lethal Lake. What do you say?” Zeke asked, “Also after.. Lunch? Feels like lunch.”

  “Sure!” Said Blademan, “I’ll do lunch!”

  “I would,” Kip said, “But I feel I haven’t the appetite.”

  “Hmmm,” Blademan said, “Is it because… of the match?”

  “It’s the bodies.” Said Kip.

  “Oh, the bodies. Forgot about those.”

  “I’m going to go talk to Azami, see if she can do something about this. Can you two help with the bodies?”

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  “You want us to move these disgusting things?” Zeke asked.

  Blademan said, “Move what?”

  “The bodies.”

  “Oh, right! Sorry, every time I look away I forget they’re there.”

  “Come one,” Kip said, uneasy, “We’ve got to get these to Azami.”

  “Ugh,” Okay, fine, Storm…” He turned around, but Zeke watched Storm float away, feeling the need to do something less gross.

  Zeke, Blademan, and Kip dragged the two bodies to Azami’s house, where Kip could hear music inside the house.

  Kip knocked on the door. Azami opened up, she was wearing a party hat, “Oh! There he is! The team captain! We were just celebrating Swiff’s level up!”

  “Amazing! That’s great!” Kip said nervously laughing, “Uhm, Azami…”

  “You must come in for tea!” He looked inside and saw the cat and the broom both wearing party hats. The cone tucked in neatly onto Swiff’s head. Kip walked in. Zeke was too big so Azami brought out some lemon cake for him and he ate it while staring in through the window. Blademan smushed his lemon cake on his face.

  “Can you even eat?” Zeke asked.

  “I can try to eat.”

  “Huh. Hey, I wanted to thank you for taking over as mob boss for the labyrinth. I really appreciate it and I’m happy you’re here! I’m happy to help you find your place here.”

  Blademan did not turn to Zeke. He merely kept smashing the slice of lemon cake along his mouth.

  “I think I’ve found my place, Zeke.”

  “I’m really glad,” Zeke smiled.

  “You won’t be.” Said Blademan.

  “So,” Kip said, inside the witch’s abode, “This was your first challenge?” Kip asked Swiff. Swiff nodded, “That’s amazing! Do you get any upgrades?”

  Swiff showed him two options to choose from. One had a plus one in speed and the other had a plus one in sweeping.

  “Not sure how sweeping might be battle effective, but you’re already fast. Maybe that will lead to better things down the line?” Kip asked.

  Swiff nodded its broom handle and pressed the button.

  “So,” Azami asked Kip, “What brings you here?”

  “Did you not notice the bodies outside?”

  Azami cocked her head and looked out the window, “Ah, the ones that are leaking blood on my walkway.” She opened the window and yelled to the two, Let’s hang them over the sanguini flowers! Some blood will do them nicely.”

  She closed the window as Zeke and Blademan got to work.

  “Is there any chance you can heal them?”.

  “Oh, no way,” Azami said, “Yeah, there’s two huge holes in them and they’re both dead. This isn't exactly something even an experienced cleric could do. Besides, I’m not a cleric.”

  “So…” Kip said, “There’s really nothing you could do?”

  “What about a seance? Since they’re freshly dead, We might be able to catch them before they’re fully on the other side.”

  “Yes!” Said Kip, "Yes, please! What do we need?”

  “Well, my sanguini are probably well watered. Let’s get rid of these bodies before they start to stink.”

  Azami and Kip both walked outside.

  “Oh, okay. Sure. Should we just.. Toss them in the swamp?”

  “Sure!” Said Azami, She flicked her magic wand. The bodies lifted in the air and were hurled far out into the swamp water. Crocodiles immediately struck. They chewed on all the organic parts of the corpses as they sank them down into the water.

  “Wow,” Said Kip, “Those crocodiles got to work!”

  “Now!” Said Azami, the seance!”

  Azami, Kip, Blademan, Swiff, and the cat, sat around a dark room. The sun had long set and the darkness outside gave the faint glow of the many candles a stronger boost in brightness. Azami sat at the far end of the table. Azami placed her hands on the edges of the table.

  “Oh, Ezil of the Great Beyond. Lift the veil. Show me the path to the untethered souls.”

  The lights of the candle began to flicker. Kip, scared, held the paw of the cat tightly. All of the people surrounding Azami attempted to hold hands but some had blades for hands, others had tiny cat paws, and one was a broom.

  Kip looked up, there was a nebulous purple cloud hovering in the air. Azami’s eyes glowed red as she attempted to search through the pulsating cloud.

  “The veil has been lifted! Show me the way, Ezil! Let our hearts burn like the hearth and light a path for the wayward spirit!”

  Suddenly the candles flickered back to normal.

  “Speak to me.” Azami said, “Speak to me Locke or Keelie. You have unfinished business in this world, do you not?”

  Azami looked around. Kip did too, they each anxiously awaited for someone to talk.

  “Do you think-” Kip started.

  “Enough!” Azami yelled, and Kip quieted.

  “Spirit! Spirit are you there?”

  Azami stuck her finger up, sensing that Kip was about to say something. She waited, “I can sense someone here. Dare speak.”

  “Azami?” It was a man’s voice. Tinny, as if speaking through a chlorophone.

  “Keelie?” Azami asked, “Locke?”

  “No. Azami, it’s me!” The male voice said, “It’s Trent.”

  “Uhm… oh lord. Trent! Hey.”

  “What’s new?” Trent asked

  “Nothing. Just helping out with this dumb thing. Lord, it’s been so long since I’ve heard from you. Not since…”

  “Since you killed me.”

  “Yeah! Since I killed you. Sorry about that.”

  “No big deal! Hey, you’ll never guess which plane of reality my untethered soul landed on.”

  “Don’t tell me it’s the feywild.”

  “It’s the feywild! I’m a flower. A dandelion. It’s pretty chill.”

  "That’s so cool. You always loved flowers.”

  “Uhm…” Kip interjected, “I’m not sure this is helpful. Trent? It’s Kip. I’m the Dark Lord. Are Keelie and Locke there, perchance?”

  “Oh, hey. No, there’s no one by that name here. Maybe try a different plane?”

  “Yeah, we’ll try that. Thanks for the help,” Azami said, “So, are you still, like, writing music?” Kip shook his head, and it knocked Azami out of her trance, “Okay, gotta go by!” She whooshed the candles and it broke the seal. The last thing was Trent saying, “Check out my band!!” As it faded away.

  “Sorry, Kip,” Azami said, “Seems like they don’t want to be found. Unfortunately, we might not know what they were after.”

  “That’s alright. At least none of that information got out!” Kip said. “Okay, Azami! Let’s celebrate Swiff’s very first level up!”

  And so, they partied. Zeke drank too much beer, and Kip had waaay too much milk. Blademan danced in the corner, thinking about all the people he had yet to kill. Kip ended up revealing some pretty embarrassing secrets (That he loves his friends dearly). While the party raged on in the cabin… deep in murky brown water of the lake… the torn bones and carcasses of Locke and Keelie… Something began to move inside Locke’s pocket. It slipped out. Locke’s notebook. It allowed itself to float to the surface. Then popped out of the water. Its two hard covers burst open and flapped, buzzing like the wings of a bee. It flew up in the air, and drifted slowly, patiently, but surely, to its recon spot in the Ulmund Kingdom. Where it would deliver its priceless information to Locke and Keelie’s mentor [redacted].

  Deep in the many unending tunnels of the Underdark, Jasssper slipped his way through the tunnels. He found his way to a secret room where he confronted a figure shrouded in shadows.

  “Does he trust you?” The voice asked.

  “Yes, massster.” Jasssper said.

  “Good. Now, we can begin the next phase of the plan.”

  “I’m afraid that he more than trustssss me. I'm afraid I've become… his besssst friend.” Jasssper closed his eyes and bent his head in shame.

  The figure shrouded in shadows thought about this, about Jasssper and how others perceived him, and finally said, “I don’t believe you.”

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