With Mandy’s tracking skills and the new guy’s memory they figured out where the King Monster was likely to be.

“We need to get rid of him,” said Rusk.

Gedresial hooted.

“We need to finish rebuilding this place,” said Flow. “We promised the gods we would.”

“We promised the new guy we’d help him.”

“He can wait.”

Iraiah watched as the tension simmered and the volcano behind them trembled. Mandy stepped forward.

“Gedresial hasn’t even agreed. Not openly. Well, my former monster, what say you?”

Gedresial thought over the offer. He also thought over the fact that betraying the serpents would mean death for them all, and possibly second death for him. He pondered.

While he was pondering the new guy paced. He had his own survival and his own time limit to consider. He might not know the King Monster, but the monster inside of him was stirring. He didn’t know how long he could keep it back. Mandy had taught him a few tricks, but they were wearing thin.

“You’re overlooking the obvious,” said Iraiah. “Only a monster can kill a monster, yeah?” She pointed to the new guy. “Voila. We have ourselves a monster. Could pull something like Mandy and me did the first time we had council with that necromancer before he revealed how awful a person he was.”

Nobody had thought of that, and they all felt like idiots. But it still didn’t solve Flow’s issue. Their issue as an organization. Rusk scoffed. Were they even an organization? They didn’t even have a proper stronghold yet. And he might be going off track helping the new guy. But frankly, what kind of a Hero would he be if he ignored someone who asked for help? Not one fit to govern the new Sanctuary, that’s for sure.

“Can we extend the serpents’ deadline?” asked Rusk.

“No.” Flow was exasperated. “How could one even ask such a thing? To defy a force of nature is—”

“Okay okay, just checking.” Rusk pondered and paced and pondered some more. This whole thing was making him anxious. Itchy for some action but also bogged down by responsibility. He’d never had to juggle two tasks of equal importance before. It was straining him something fierce. He wondered how Mandy could do it. Seemed like that was a conversation he’d have to have with her later. Or hell. Maybe he could appoint her as Heroes’ Hero for a while. She might do a better job.

“Flow and Iraiah can finish the job here with my notes. Gedresial too,” said Mandy. “I’ve made some more calculations, and if nothing else we’ll have a stronghold capable of withstanding storms if my calculations are met within the next week or so. Of course that says nothing of the internal décor, or the passageways Iraiah wanted worked in, but it’s a start. And perhaps if from the outside the sea serpent and sky serpent see it, it’ll seem we’re done. And early no less. It’ll be a hustle though, no use lying about that. Gotta work real hard for it. Right, Iraiah?”

Iraiah groaned.

“Right,” Mandy’s tone sharpened. “Iraiah?”

“Are you certain?” asked Flow. “To the absolute?”

“If my directions are followed, yes.”

“Then you propose going with Rusk and this newcomer, leaving Gedresial here.”

“Gedresial runs intel,” said Iraiah. “Seeing as he’s got the flight powers and all.”

“So he is for communication.”

“Yes.”

“I find no fault in this plan,” said Gedresial. “Except that the battle with this King Monster is surely to be treacherous. I would advise caution, if I did not know Rusk wouldn’t take it.”

“Hey! I’m cautious. Depending on the circumstance.”

They all shared a laugh.

“Then it’s settled.” Rusk made to gather his things. He owned very little, and had learned to make do along his journey with what was light and useful and nothing more. The new guy seemed to have even fewer possessions, which made Rusk wonder what his actual story was. But no matter. They had a plan now. And so Rusk could follow it. “We’ll board in a half hour or so. I need to retrieve something from the volcano.”

“I shall accompany you,” said Flow.

And they retrieved emotions and nothing more from the volcano. They retrieved each other. When they were finished and still soaked with ash and sweat, Rusk turned his face down toward her.

“Play nice with Mandra, okay?”

“As if I would not.”

“I know about your little rivalry. Am I really that great of a catch?”

“Rusk my dear,” said Flow as she ran a hand through his hair, caressing his bangs behind his ear. “You are the best catch there is.”

With his heart giddy and full of hope Rusk bathed in the drink and then was still getting dressed as he boarded the ship.

“Have a fun time?” taunted Elena. She may have been dead and young, but she did know what’s what.

Rusk didn’t answer her except with a blush. He blamed it on the heat, and then after a joke about the type of heat he was referring to, Elena let him be. She floated over to the steering wheel of the ship and took hold. With her connection to the vessel itself the boat never needed an anchor, and so once the new guy had boarded they were off. Into the sea. With another impossible quest ahead of them. Or at least a challenging one, a dangerous one, if nothing else.

Rusk watched the half-built Sanctuary Stronghold recede into the distance as he, Mandy, Elena, and the new guy sailed away.

“I assume I’m to wait for Gedresial’s word to pick you guys back up after this is all over,” said Elena.

“That’s the plan,” said Rusk.

“Shouldn’t be too long,” said Mandy.

“You guys are something else, you know that?” The new guy tapped his foot. “I feel like I’m sailing into my doom here and you’re all making light of it.”

“Well new guy.” Rusk clapped him over the shoulder. Among the items stowed away for their journey was the Dragons Knock and the obsidian bow from the volcano. Not to mention a gigantic store of arrows. Handmade by Mandy. “Better get used to it if you wanna be a Hero.”