Melly moved as fast as she could, leaping up a dark uneven staircase three to four steps at a time. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t catch up with the old man.

"Charge!" Clemiticus bellowed. He was right behind her. Abruptly, the stairway ended, and they found themselves in the chief part of the building. This led to a gigantic multi-storied hallway with marble floors and walls that were covered by rich, tasteless tapestries depicting their bald runaway in various stages of undress and in unique poses. Melly spotted the white wisp of the iconic cape fleeing down the length of the chamber. The crazed old fool was fast and ran like a shrieking banshee.

"Mwahahaha!" the strange man hooted.

Melly realised there were several people milling around the hall as she ran. Presumably servants of some sort going about their daily chores. They hardly paid attention to the spectacle. To them, it was business as usual.

"Get him!" Melly commanded.

The old man reached the end of the hall and disappeared up yet another staircase.

"No more stairs!" Melly groaned. "No more."

"These are the twisty kind," Clemiticus commented cheerfully.

"I know!" Melly said back through clenched teeth.

Huffing and puffing, she followed the squealing lunatic up the aptly named 'twisty' staircase. She was frustrated to see Clemiticus yet again unaffected by the strenuous climb. She was irritated when the idiot didn't take the lead and corner the old man. Instead, Clemiticus looked to be enjoying himself. He relished the chase and had spent most of his time taking in the sights.

Clemiticus kept saying things like "Oh, would you look at that!" and "Well, I never!"

"Hurry!" she yelled at the tourist. Please! She thought, don't make it any worse.

When they finally reached the top of the stairs, Melly barged through the yellow doorway and collapsed. She huffed and puffed as she lay on the floor of the entryway. Clemiticus stood over her and soaked in all the sights.

"Oh, wow! What the?" Clemiticus said, ignoring his exhausted comrade.

In front of them lay an immense bedchamber. It was the most extravagantly decorated room Clemiticus had ever seen. The walls were completely covered from floor to ceiling by huge golden framed paintings of the old man. There were tall polished wooden chests and wardrobes, all embellished with silver filigree. Every surface was littered with coins, jars, jewels, accessories, and artifacts. The place was shiny, silver, and sparkling.

"Now this is what I call loot!" Clemiticus whistled.

"The man has zero fashion sense," Melly muttered, pulling herself onto her feet for a better look.

"I beg your pardon?" the old man asked clearly affronted. He ceremoniously emerged from a side entrance. He had used the extra time they had spent admiring his room to cast off his noble robes and don a full set of ruby-encrusted armour, although he still wore his white cape.

"How the hell did you manage to change so quickly?" Melly asked. "Never mind. I'm going to kill you."

The old man gave her a wicked smile. "You kill me? Do you know who I am?"

Clemiticus made a rude hand signal. It was about time he inserted his absurd presence into the serious scene.

"I know this one. Um. You're the ice princess?" Clemiticus guessed.

Melly and the old man both turned to him simultaneously. Their faces were confused.

"What?" they both said together.

"Oh! Oh, I know! You're a sparkly wizard who has the peculiar fetish of dressing the world in silver and white capes?" Clemiticus amended. "No? Okay. Long-lost sock puppet from another time sent to find love in the big city?"

"Buddy! You have issues." the old man answered.

"I'm not your buddy, guy!" Clemiticus quickly responded.

Melly once again placed her hand over her face.

"You're an idiot," the old man replied.

"Thanks, friend." Clemiticus said then winked.

Melly shook her head and coughed. "Well, anyway. Back to business. We were chasing you, and you were about to... "

The old man flinched. "Ah, yes. Introductions. I am the mayor of this city. Fredreek Von Lousy!"

"Ah, that guy!" Clemiticus shouted. "We got your note!"

Un-phased by the severity of the situation, Clemiticus strode over beside Fredreek and produced the letter. "See, here it is."

Fredreek swatted the note away and then eyed the two of them. A smile appeared on his lips that twisted into a wide grin. He then burst out laughing in the most maniacal way possible.

"That's it I'm gonna kill 'im!" Melly spat.

"Wait." Fredreek held up a hand and fought through his mirth. "You broke the weapon?" He burst out laughing again.

"What's so funny?" Melly asked.

"Your days are numbered. For I am the world's bestest Alchemist and you have been afflicted by my power. There is but one cure, and your only hope resides with me," he said, smirking as his eyes lingered over Melly. "That is, if you please me."

"Huh, what?!" Clemiticus asked. He then looked once more around the room. His eyes were small slits of concentration.

"Oh. Oh, no. You're thinking again." Melly said, "that never ends well."

And then Clemiticus said something that completely shocked Melly completely.

"For someone who is supposed to be some great alchemist." Clemiticus drawled. Fredreek shot him a sharp look. "I have yet to see any evidence that you own a single piece of potion or magic equipment. Just piles on piles of loot and money. If I didn't know any better, I’d say your trade is not of an Alchemist but a swindler."

Melly stood frozen. She stared at her companion in complete confusion. What he said made sense. She tore her gaze from Clemiticus and found Fredreek Von Lousy now squirming under their gaze. A brilliant thought came to her mind.

"Wait. That means I can hit you."

"Let me first check," Clemiticus asked.

A blue light flashed, and the familiar fairy named Fairy appeared.

"Master?" it asked expectantly.

"Fairy. Inspect our doom curse, please. What does it say?" Clem asked calmly.

The fairy scrunched up its little blue nose and had a good look. "Doom curse. Lasts two weeks. Causes mild irritation when inhaled. Contains flour, yellow flower extract and a mild mushroom spore dose."

Melly gave out a tremendous sigh of relief. “And why didn’t you tell us that before?”

“You didn’t ask.” the fairy smiled.

Clem grinned. "Well, that's good news. We should tell the others."

"So, where did all that puss nonsense and death stuff come from?" Melly questioned.

"Only in that letter," Clemiticus replied. "It was all a fake."

"Where is the rest of our party?" Melly asked.

As if in response, the side of the tower exploded outwards, revealing a wagon that floated a hundred feet in the air. The magical vehicle rushed forwards and entered the large bedroom with an almighty crash. Dust billowed as the wagon crushed Fredreek's silver-trimmed bed.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Fredreek bellowed.

Derrick and Nuecus appeared in an instant. The red-haired tinker was ready for battle. Fully decked out in his new armour and carrying his legendary multi-tool. Nuecus the Thaumaturgic snapped his fingers and turned the wagon into a more manageable handheld size. The two newcomers waved towards their friends and ran to join them.

A sound chimed above and a raucous melody played from invisible instruments. A blue light flashed, and the fairy sang, "a new event has begun!"

"What in the wondrous land is that ghastly music?" Nuecus asked.

"Oh, it's a Boss fight! That music means Boss fight." Clemiticus shouted excitedly, clearly thinking that was enough to answer the question.

Melly knew it wasn't. It only created more confusion.

"Who then is this slippery character?" Derrick asked, casting a quick death stare at his apparent enemy.

"Fredreek Von Lousy!" Melly replied, staring at the simpleton. "The doom curse was a dud and this guy nearly kicked me down a damn death pit."

Derrick eyed the man with a great deal of malice. "Oh. Okay. Killing time," Derrick said. He sounded like a little devil wanting to break everything in sight with his new mechanical plaything.

Melly nodded.

Before any of them could react Fredreek, sensing the trouble he was in, produced a spherical green phial of liquid. It had a label across its surface that read 'From Her'. Without a moment’s hesitation, he shattered the glass over his own bald head. The concoction spread all over his body and bubbled as it washed over his shiny armour. They all stared as the strange bald man in armour grew.

The fairy's voice chimed in. "Fredreek Von Lousy has used the potion Giant's Blood. Fredreek Von Lousy has become enraged."

"Oh shit, he's gone berserk!" Clemiticus shouted. "We gotta act quick!"

"You think?" Melly replied.

Instantly the enraged boss charged forwards. The four of them had barely enough time to get away before the infuriated Fredreek slammed into a bookshelf.

SLAM!

Fredreek toppled books as his immense weight sent his personal library scattering across the floor. Melly flinched, expecting a continuation of the onslaught, except the enraged attack of the monstrous boss was on temporary hold.

"Seriously?" Clemiticus shouted and threw his arms up. "My first Boss battle and you chose the charge and stun mechanic. How lame."

"What are you bloody on about, oh wise one?" Nuecus asked.

Clemiticus rolled his eyes. "Okay watch." With that, he strode over to the stunned Fredreek. Clemiticus scooped up a fallen bedpost covered in silver and clubbed the bald man in the back.

Fredreek flashed red a few times then roared! As soon as Clemiticus stood back, Fredreek jumped out of the broken bookcase and flailed his arms around with wild abandon. This attempt served only to make him look rather silly and didn’t pose a credible threat to any of them. On the other hand, the remains of his bed took a bit of a beating.

"Ok. Now watch this! He will charge again." Clemiticus commented unafraid.

"Surely not? It didn't work last time." Melly scoffed. "Why would he do it again?"

Clemiticus hushed her and directed her by the arm. “Three, two, one.” As if a switch had been turned on, Fredreek roared once more and charged towards them. They easily stepped to the side. This time Fredreek connected with a very fine looking silver-plated water fountain.

CRASH!

Derrick, Nuecus and Melly stared at the boss in fascination. Clemiticus was the only one who looked bored.

"See I told you. Such a boring mechanic. I prefer Bosses that do interesting things like when you must dodge multiple attacks and get cool, magical upgrading buffs to win. This is just lazy writing."

Melly sighed, feeling annoyed. "Okay, just tell me how to kill this guy."

"Oh, that's simple." Clemiticus chirped. "All you have to do is wait for him to charge and get stuck. Then you hit the boss in the back three times. Don't ask me why. It's just an unwritten rule of easy Boss fights."

Clemiticus strode lazily to the Bosses behind and struck him again. Once more, the Boss flashed red, jumped up and roared. This time the party members simply moved out of the way of the chaotic charge of the mad bald man. On his third and final charge, he landed on a rather sizable treasure chest that sat next to the shattered bookcase.

The chest exploded into a shower of gold, silver and jewels as the enraged boss collided with his last object. Clemiticus threw his club to Melly.

"Would you like to finish him off?" he asked.

She gave him her very first smile ever.

THUD!

Fredreek Von Lousy roared his last roar and lost his magical giant power. The amour he wore melted as if it were made of chocolate that had been left in the sun. The old mayor slumped back on top of his broken treasure chest and held his arms up as a sign of surrender.

"No more." he pleaded.

"I absolutely hate to say it but Clemiticus was right. This is stupid." Melly confirmed.

"FREDREEK VON LOUSY HAS BEEN DEFEATED!" the fairies' voice sang.

The annoying music faded away, and a blue light flashed once again. "All party members have received substantial experience points. Everyone has levelled two times."

Clemiticus instantly grabbed the mayor's bed sheet and began scooping up all the treasures he could find. He looked as if he was drooling and they could hear him constantly muttering the words, "Loot! Loot!"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you?" Melly asked the fallen mayor. Her voice was tinged with a hint of deadly mockery.