"What fresh curse have you stricken us with?"

Trizel stood up and stepped forward to stand between the smiling man and the others.

"Curse? Oh how you wound me. I have brought joy and happiness with me, along with fixing my last gift you were all so unappreciative of." The man cooed with his unnerving smile never shrinking one bit.

"Hah!" Scoffed Trizel. "I doubt we have similar views of what makes something joyous."

The man's smile broadened to an uncomfortable degree. "How perceptive of you. But no, I would not find much joy in the gift I have brought you. It is more...a traditional kind of fun, and I was assured that many a young person was absolutely thrilled to take part in it."

"Assured by whom?" queried Sid.

"Why the delivery folks of course." the man's voice had an almost sadistic cheer to it that sent shivers down each of their spines. "You didn't actually expect me to do so much heavy lifting on my own, did you?"

Ted sighed. "I'm guessing you want us to go and check out this new gift?"

"How insightful you are, my favorite little accident!" cooed the man condescendingly. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to lead them along their way? You can't miss it after all, so no need to worry about getting lost. Well, not too much at least."

Narissa kept her back to the man and stared into her drink. She had grabbed Og'drimun, and moved him so that he was completely blocked by her. She seemed to be making it a point not to say anything and shrunk herself down as much as possible in her chair.

"My my, something feels different in here," the man chuckled. "Mmm, I smell...a delicious betrayal? What happened? Did the monster devour someone? The cowboy perhaps? Did you have to put her down after the blood made her frenzy? Oh, do tell. Do tell."

"That is none of your concern," snapped Trizel before anyone else could say anything. "Our business is our own, and we do not need you sticking your grimy fingers in it."

"So defensive," the man's smile had turned even more predatory, and almost seemed reminiscent of a snake about to unhinge its jaw. "I am merely showing concern for my alcohol suppliers. Why, whatever would I do if my supply suddenly dried up? I'd have to start taking other things to satisfy me. Ah, perhaps young virgins as they did in the old days?"

Trizel hurled his mug at the mysterious man, who laughed dryly as he easily slipped out of the way.

Trizel's gaze burned with more fury than a volcano. "Whatever you have done is done. You have no more business here. Now, leave while you still have a choice in the matter."

"So harsh, young king." cooed the man as his smile settled down to its normal, eerie appearance, and he started to move across the room, with his gaze focused on Narissa. "And with all I do for you. I just wanted a little entertainment, but you seem to be keeping the best stuff from me."

Trizel moved so that he stayed between the man and the others, which quickly blocked his view of Narissa. "You play as a god, demanding tribute. But this is our land, our home. You force your way in, but you are not welcome here so long as you try and lord over us." Trizel smirked as his eyes scanned the shadowy man and his raggedy suit. "After all, when you arrived did any of us offer you a drink? No? A warm meal? Not that either? A seat then? Still no? That is because you are a blight! A vermin unwanted by any and detested by all. Your presence here is an affront to us, like a piling of rotting bodies is an affront to a nose."

"Trizel, that's a bit much," sighed Ted.

"I do not think antagonizing him is a prudent choice here," agreed Sid.

Trizel had a look of disgust on his face as he looked at the man. "You are both wrong. I see it now. He's nothing more than a parasite. Trying desperately to survive on our waste. A weak willed, pathetic creature whose entire existence revolves around feeding off of his betters. Pah! Even maggots hold a loftier nature than one such as you."

The man slowly shook his head. "Oh, such a big mouth you've gotten. Perhaps I should remind you of your place?" He put a finger up to her smile and tapped where his chin should be, but it was too covered in shadows to clearly see.

"There's no need for that," interjected Ted. His stomach felt like it was all the way up in his chest. This strange man always made him feel uneasy, but that last threat felt almost visceral. Like those words alone were enough to turn his skin inside out. He wondered if this was how sheep felt when they saw a wolf? Like a weak prey animal face to face with a powerful predator that was leagues above them on the food chain.

Worst of all was how Trizel kept poking and prodding him. Wouldn't things be easier if they just did whatever he asked? Why couldn't Trizel see that? Why did he have to make things so difficult? Why did he have to go and threaten the obviously powerful creature? This feeling wasn't always this bad, but the more Trizel insulted him, the worse it seemed to get.

"I'll just take them," Ted said as he got up from his chair and tried to hide his shaking knees, "to go see this new gift that we are sure to appreciate. Oh, and thank you for fixing the rain for us."

Trizel looked back at Ted with a glance filled with disgust, but the smiling man's antagonistic aura seemed to dissipate all at once.

"Ah, finally someone who appreciates the time and effort I put into looking after all of you." He smirked as he put a hand on his hat and tilted his head forward in a slight bow. "I do hope you enjoy it this time. But really, I must be going. I have many other duties to attend to, and this is really just a favor to you all. Since I so love your delicious company."

The man started to glide towards the front door again but paused as he turned around to look towards Trizel. "Yes, even you my uppity little king. You're so...wild. It's rather refreshing when you don't take things too far."

And just like that, the man was out the door, and gone. There was an awkward atmosphere as Ted let out a sigh of relief and slumped back into his chair.

"Choosing to be a coward again, eh Ted?" grumbled Trizel.

"You're the one who needs to calm down Trizel," retorted Ted. "Why did you have to antagonize him like that? Do you want to die?"

Trizel glared at Ted, but then his face softened, and he shook his head as he added in a gloomy voice, "We have been over this already, have we not? That bowing to the whims of a capricious beast, simply to save your own life, is not a life worth living."

"Curious, I wonder if that is how the rebellion against you felt?" Sid pointed out.

Trizel turned to glare and Sid and opened his mouth but seemed to have second thoughts and simply let out a defeated sigh.

"We're going to get all caught up in arguments again," Ted said. "And with his last 'gift,' we should probably see what he's brought here sooner rather than later."

"A prudent choice," agreed Sid. "Who knows what damage a gift from that man could cause the longer it is left unchecked."

"Whatever," sighed Trizel. "The cowardice in this room has drained my spirit. I shall simply follow behind you."

"Narissa, are you alright?" asked Ted as he saw her still just staring into her mug, with her hands shaking slightly.

"Huh!" she called out, as if Ted's words had shaken her awake. "Oh, yes I'm fine. That man just gives me the creeps."

"Well, if you're sure. Do you want to come and check out whatever thing he's left behind for us?" Ted offered.

Narissa slowly nodded. "I think that's a good idea. I'll bring Og'drimun as well. I shudder to think what he would do if left to his own devices here."

"I mean, he wouldn't be alone alone, there's still..." Ted jumped as he felt something tug on his pants leg. He looked down to see Nugget and let out a sigh of relief. "Ah, Nugget. You startled me. I thought you might've been...nevermind."

"Bakaw." declared Nugget sagely.

"Ah, you'd like to go see what new mess he left with us too?" suggested Ted.

Nugget nodded and flapped her wings as she jumped up onto the table and turned to face Ted.

"Alright, then let's get going."

As they all followed Ted, Sid turned to Trizel and whispered, "Surviving to fight another day is an important strategy. Most people only have one life, once they lose it, it is gone forever. As long as they still have it, there is opportunities to overcome an obstacle like our jailor. Perhaps you should think on this."

Trizel scoffed at him, but other than that, remained silent.

It was a whole new world outside. The rains were completely gone, but now a thick fog enveloped everything. The water wasn't falling, but now it hung in the air, making everything feel much colder. There was also an ominous suspense that seemed to come with the fog. Like your worst fears were hiding just out of sight, waiting for you to drop your guard so they could pounce.

"Yeah, I absolutely hate this," Ted said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It seems this will have another use," Sid declared as he walked back into The Oasis. He quickly returned with the rope he had made. "My sensors still seem functional enough to detect direction. So, if we are together, I can lead us back to The Oasis when we are ready to return." He wrapped the rope around his waist and then tossed it towards Ted. "We should all tie ourselves together."

"So then if something in the mist grabs one of us, it grabs all of us?" Narissa said with a raised eyebrow.

"Trizel is exceptionally strong, and I am not too far below him. Without the rope being severed, we should be enough to keep us together." Declared Sid.

Ted tied the rope around his waist as he nodded. "Makes sense to me. But if you're worried, you could stay behind. I just don't know if that'll actually be any safer depending on if this fog is his whole gift."

Narissa sighed as she tied herself to the rope next. "I have a sinking feeling that this isn't his gift."

"What do you mean?" asked Ted.

"He said he 'fixed' the rain, right? Well, he made sure not to say he got rid of it." She reached her hand out around her and tried to rub the fog between her fingers. "I think he just changed all that rain into all this fog."

"That is quite the assumption," Sid commented.

"Yeah well, seems like the kind of thing he would do, right?" Narissa looked down at Nugget, and then tossed the rope to Trizel. "So uh, how are we going to attach the smaller ones to this thing? I doubt that...she...will appreciate the rope being wrapped around her scrawny neck."

"Bawk bawk bawk." Nugget said as she shook her head slowly.

"Ow!" hissed Narissa as Nugget gave her a quick peck before ripping off two small strips of fabric from the bottom of her dress. "Why you foul mannered, little..."

Nugget leaped up onto the rope connecting them and balanced atop it. She held the strip in her beak and tied it around her foot. She then tied the other end to the rope and tossed the second strip towards Narissa.

"Well aren't you clever," Narissa sneered as she tied the fabric around Og'drimun's waist, and then to the rope in front of her.

The small demon was still out cold. After tying him on, Narissa simply let him go, and he swung down to hang a few inches from the ground. He let out a small snore as he swayed back and forth as his long ears plopped onto the ground.

"Oh, we can't have that," she cooed mischievously as she bent over and tied his ears up in the strip of fabric. "Ah, now it's perfect."

"He said we cannot miss the gift, but if Narissa is right, the fog is not it." Sid stated.

"Yeah, seems pretty ominous since we can't really see anything." agreed Ted.

"Perhaps it is so large that we will run into some part of it, no matter what?" suggested Sid.

"Ha...ha...ha...ha." an eerily slow laugh echoed out from the distance.

"Or!" Realized Ted. "It'll be hard to miss because we can follow it by the sound it makes."

"Ah, of course," sneered Trizel. "He has given us the gift of laughter, and it sounds as genuine as his smile is kind."

"Only one way to find out, and I'm going to bet we'll need to prepare something else besides sandbags to keep this gift at bay." With that, Ted started to walk into the distance, towards the laughter.

It seemed to jump around, like the laughs were moving further away one moment, and just a few feet in front of them the next. Then, they came to a massive structure. It was a clown. A giant, plywood clown face with a gate in its mouth. The paint on the clown seemed to have been vibrant at one point, but now all the colors were faded almost to the point where there was no color left at all.

"Well, that's ominous." Narissa said.

"I mean, clowns are supposed to be funny at least?" offered Ted.

"In my experience," Narissa pointed out, "the only places that have their entrance designed as a mouth of something are evil lairs and ancient tombs."

Ted squinted his eyes as he tried to inspect the clown face better and noticed that there was a curved sign above it. It seemed to be some sort of archway with letters filled with lightbulbs, though they had all long since burned out. It was simple, with large blocky letter. Although it seemed some of the letters had fallen off.

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