Gild trudged down the same dusty road he had been trudging over for the past few days. His robe was tattered at the edges and the lovely maroon color was muted by a blasted sheen of dust.

“Damned short legs,” he grumbled to himself. If he was anything but a gnome he was sure he would've gone fast enough to find a town by now. But no, he had been born a gnome, and, standing about three feet tall, he was cursed with a slower walk than most other sentients.

“You grumbling at me again?” His imp, Tikpuk asked. The wiry creature stood just up to Gild's chest. It was a deep green with patches of coarse black hair on its chest, groin, and elbows. Glowing green eyes peeked out from under two curved horns at Gild.

“Not this time, though I certainly could be,” Gild grumbled. “In fact, I entirely blame you for getting us lost. Again!”

“Just like a warlock, isn't it? Blame the demon helper to avoid any sort of responsibility or accountability for yourself.” The imp dodged back, laughing as he avoided a half hearted swipe from the gnome.

“Now I know you're tired, that was the worst swing you've ever attempted.”

Gild just waved his hand at the imp and continued to trudge for a few more feet down the road. They hadn't seen another person in several days now. He was tired of being alone with the imp. He was tired of scavenging the forest for the same damned mushrooms every day. But most of all, he was tired of walking along this damned road!

Gild kicked at the ground in a fit of anger and plopped down on his butt.

“Another break then?” the imp asked, coming to a squat next to the gnome and meeting his gaze. How the stupid demon could have the energy to just keep going was beyond Gild. He knew he had to eat, once on the Mortal Plane they had to adhere to most of the same rules as the rest of the beings inhabiting the Plane. Except dying. Greater Demons and above seemed to have it pretty good in that department.

“Yeah, another break.” Gild took the bag from his back and placed it in front of him. He dug through, noting the nearly nonexistent food remaining. He pulled out a rolled up parchment and spread it before him.

It was a map of the continent, though Gild didn't have the foggiest idea where he was. Glancing around he saw trees with outcroppings of rock sticking out, with mountains in the distance, rounded and worn down. Running his finger along the map, he trailed a mountain range that ran nearly the entire length of the damned continent, splitting to head north and south around the middle.

“Any idea where we are?” Tik asked, peering over Gild's shoulder at the map.

“Not at all, know what the name of the last town we were at was?”

The imp shook his head, gold earrings tinkling in his ears. “I can barely remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

“That's cause we had nothing,” Gild mumbled, trying to find a road that ran parallel to the mountains. The map was a broad overview though, so he couldn't even be sure this mountain range was the one listed on the map.

Gild rolled the map up and stuffed it back into his pack with a disgusted sigh. “How's an idyllic place like this, ripe for farming and timber, not swarming with elves and humans? Hell, even the dwarves could live in those mountains.”

“Now you're just being racist,” Tik said, strolling back onto the dirt road and kicking at a rock. He glanced back at the gnome with an eyebrow raised.

“I know,” Gild sighed again. “I just want to find the damned soulstone to save my wife.”

He put his head into his hands, sullenly staring down at the road. Tik came over and sat next to him. They sat in silence, listening to the birds sing and wind rustle through the trees.

“How long has it been now?”

“Almost three years,” Gild said.

“It's commendable of you to keep trying after so long.”

Gild glanced at the demon. “I don't know if that's a compliment or not, you know, coming from an imp.”

The imp raised a tiny hand to its chest and opened its mouth in mock outrage. “Not all demons are evil power hungry beings. Some of us are neutral and power hungry beings.”

The gnome offered Tik a half hearted smile. “Thanks, Tik.”

The imp nodded. “Have you heard from Delvios lately?”

“Ah, screw him. He sends me on this quest for the soulstone, then offers me nearly no help beyond explaining my mana pools?”

“Well, you were the one that pacted with the first demon you could find after your wife was taken.”

Gild shrugged. “We wanted to be warlocks. Just because she was taken by our first pact attempt doesn't mean we should stop. Now I just have to get her back.

“Fair enough,” Tik said.

“I suppose we should keep walking. We aren't going to solve anything just sitting here,” Gild said, shouldering the bag and standing up. A faint sound floated on the breeze.

“You hear something?” Tik asked.

“Nope, let's get moving.” Gild said, walking back onto the road. He got about three steps when another sound came toward them, sounding like someone crying out.

“That is definitely something.”

“Nope,” Gild said, hurrying his step. “Just a strange bird call.”

A massive, dark skinned man burst from the forest edge on the north side of the road, sprinting as fast as he could towards the two with a giant axe in his hand.

“Oh shit!” Gild said, coming to a halt.

“Mage!” the man called. “Mage! You must help me!”

Behind him several kobolds came hurtling after the man. The creatures looked like rats that had been mixed with hairless, starved monkeys that learned to run on two feet.

“Oh, shit,” Gild groaned as he dropped his pack onto the road and prepared to fight.