Rushing through the corridors of the prison tower, Ramona was in full flight mode. She ran and turned the first corner and came to witness a brutal scene. Blood covered the floor and walls, and guards lay about, dead and with their throats cut just like Gonzeelda had threatened to do to her. The halfling gulped as she stepped around the bodies. She had gotten tangled up in a web far too deep than her liking.

Crossing the threshold, she ran out a door, whilst checking the pocket of her magically enchanted skirt. The bag containing the broken weapon of power, still sat securely in a spot only she could reach. Without wearing the skirt, no one could reach in—They would feel as if the pocket was sewed closed.

Ramona ran across the outer wall, towards the stairs, when she skidded to a stop and turned to face the horizon. A huge storm was approaching. Winds roared and lightning bolts streaked the sky.

"The Walking God." Ramona gasped.

He had come for Gonzeelda, she knew, and in turn for the magic weapon. If he found Gonzeelda, she'd no doubt point him to her. Ramona knew it was time to make a quick exit from Kendobul, and head to the north.

Ramona reached into her pocket and pulled out the griffin effigy, holding it up she started to speak, but a strong gust of wind took the figure from her palm and out into the town. The thief stared, unblinking for several seconds before finally diving for the edge and peeking over.

The drop was too far, and the effigy could not be seen amidst the buildings below.

***

Gonzeeda struggled against the tight grasp of the homunculus. He had a chunk of her hair, and pulled her back with all of his might. As much as she wanted to keep her silky hair, it wasn't worth her life. Whipping her dagger behind her head, she sliced right through the locks that restrained her. Her head snapped forward, and the homunculus fell back against the bars.

"I have no time to deal with you!" Gonzeelda snarled at Angon.

She turned back to the hall and went to run, but Angon's legs were long enough, so he tripped her. The orcess cried out and slammed down into the floor, face first. She growled and tried to crawl away but Angon was already standing up.

Gonzeelda scrambled to her feet, but the forge wasn't letting her go that easily. He leaped forward, tackling the desperate woman. Her forehead smacked the stone floor again, washing her over with waves of dizziness.

"Let me go!" She cried. "My Beauty is escaping!"

Angon kneeled over her, pressing her face into the floor.

"I have no idea what that is." Angon said, his rage overflowing. "But your life is forfeit."

"I won't die by your hands!" She hissed.

"You don't have a choice." Angon said, standing and picking her up by her face.

As he squeezed her, Gonzeelda could feel her jaw popping. She knew if she didn't act fast, she was dead.

Gonzeelda enacted one of her natural spells, and her skin ran black, and she fell to the floor, a two dimensional shadow.

Angon looked down, confused. Gonzeelda slid along the floor, making it back to the corner. Still enraged, Angon sprinted after it. He barreled over the dead bodies, and exploded out the door, taking the wooden barrier with him.

The orcess' shadow was sliding across the wall towards the staircase leading down to the center yard.

With a growl, Angon leaped over the side of the wall and landed on the stairs before the shadow.

Gonzeelda thought to slide past him, but Angon thrust his hand down into the shadow, breaking the magical dimensional barrier. He pulled her off the ground and spun, slamming it into the wall.

The shadow reformed back into the shapeply Gonzeelda, but now her forehead was bleeding, and her eye was bruised.

"H-how did you—?" Gonzeelda stammered, but Angon didn't want to talk.

He kicked her in the side, and she fell of the staircase, landing hard on her spine in the yard.

Following right behind, the forge leaped down right next to her, cracking the stone underfoot with his weight.

"I said you aren't going anywhere!" Angon snapped.

She crawled backwards, staring up at the powerful homunculus with narrowed eyes. She didn't fear him, but knew she couldn't beat him in a fair fight.

A howling alarm began to blare, and the clattering of armor soon followed. The guards had likely found their dead companions, and their missing prisoners.

Angon stalked towards Gonzeelda, ignoring the alarm. But Gonzeelda saw them entering the courtyard. Some stayed atop the walls with arrows drawn, and the others came in holding spears.

"Help!" Gonzeelda cried. "The creature has gone insane! He's trying to kill me."

Only then did the forge realize they were no longer alone. He turned back just as an arrow fwipped, and sparked off of his metallic skin. It struck the dirt beside him, and Angon looked down at it, trying to make sense of such a feeble assault.

A man emerged with shiny, bronzed armor. It was the same guard that had arrested Angon and Ramona. He pointed his spear at Gonzeelda and shouted, "Execute them both!"

"Fetter." Gonzeelda hissed.

The guards unleashed a hail of arrows, and Angon hunkered down, covering his face as the arrows bounced off. Gonzeelda on the other hand went into a series of backflips, staying just a few inches ahead of each missile.

The mustached captain lifted a shield and went after the orcess. She spun, drawing a dagger and slashing across. Her blade struck the shield, and the captain thrust it forward, pushing Gonzeelda back.

Guards came in at Angon, stabbing with their spears.

"Get back!" Angon snapped, grabbing one of the spears, and snapping the haft in half.

The spearless guard drew a sword and came in again.

Moments later, Gonzeelda and Angon were back to back, swatting at spears.

"We're doomed." Gonzeelda said. "But yet you wouldn't know what it feels like to be alive in the first place."

"I've been alive for not even a handful of days, but I have lived more than you ever did." Angon retorted.

The guards pulled back arrows, and Gonzeelda held her dagger ready. She could parry maybe one, or two of the projectiles, but not enough—In moments she would be a pincushion.

"Mistress!" A voice cried, and then front doors of the prison burst exploded open.

Through the broken portal came two more orcs. One tall and thin, the other short and fat.

"Budge? Weiggs?" Gonzeelda breathed, staring at the pair as they drew their battle axes and swung at the guards.

"We here to help!" Weiggs shouted, smacking back a guard with the flat of his axe.

Budge chopped down, striking a soldier in the shoulder. His armor saved his life, but the attack still had him collapsing to the ground.

"You idiots!" Gonzeelda shouted. "They have arrows!"

A moment later, a ball of lightning rolled in the door, and struck the a group of guards, sending them flying in every direction.

"Who did you bring?" Gonzeelda asked her minions.

"We no bring no one." Budge shrugged.

Gavin rushed in the door, sending arrows flying at the guards atop the wall. Each rapid shot he made, he was sure to strike guards as non-lethally as possible. Following the elf, was Buster, the Belltower dwarf. He barreled in, swinging his Hellsmasher hammer, knocking a group of guards to the side.

Lavina peaked into the courtyard and spotted the forge.

"Angon, run!" Lavina cried.

Immediately, Angon's rage subsided and he realized the odds were largely against them. He darted for the doors and Gonzeelda tried to follow, but guards blocked her.

As Gavin, Buster, Angon, and Lavina fled back into the city streets, the captain shouted orders.

"Let the golem go!" He said. "He was not guilty of murder, but this orc is. Take her and her friends! We will hold a public execution!"

"Fetter!" Gonzeelda hissed, slashing away spear tips, and ending up back to back to back with Budge and Weiggs. "Have any other brilliant plans?"

Weiggs shook his head. "Me no good at plans."

***

The blue-skinned hag child sat in a room at the inn. She had been waiting for her adoptive mother to return. The girl laid back on the bed, kicking her feet in the air.

"Where are you, mommy?" She sang.

How long had she been waiting, she wondered?

A screech escaped Tricia's lips as the windows burst open with a mighty wind. She jumped up, as the curtains flailed about like ghost arms. She tried to push them closed again, but the wind was too strong.

The girl looked up into the sky and saw the storm clouds. She was no stranger to what storms meant; they always brought trouble, be it rain, or tornados.

"Mommy!" Tricia cried, rushing for the door.

Gonzeelda had told her to stay put unless she had been gone for an entire day. But Tricia wanted to find her new mommy. She was scared, and mommies were there to make children not scared.

Tricia ran past a pair of lizard men in the hall, down the stairs, and out onto the streets. Merchants were fighting to take down their stands before the wind made a mess of them.

The girl reached into a belt pouch Gonzeelda had given her. She pulled out a compass stone and held it up. The orcess had told the child it would lead Tricia to her. And that it did. The blue beam of light pointed down the road and past the biggest buildings.

"Mommy, I'm scared!" Tricia whimpered, and ran, following her tie to her new mommy.

***

Lavina led the way as the group ran towards the northern end of town. She cut through the crowds, taking openings to squeeze past people, where the others couldn't follow.

But the half-elf knew her companions could catch up; what she didn't want was to let the thief out of her sight. She had a bone to pick with the halfling; getting Angon arrested.

"I see you!" Lavina whispered, narrowing her eyes.

She spotted the halfling entering a stable, and she knew the thief meant to escape town.

Picking up the pace, Lavina's legs pounded beneath her as the thief exited the stables on the back of a pony.

"Stop, you!" Lavina cried, thrusting out her magic rod. "Firebolt!"

A beam of fire struck out and the thief ducked.

She looked back over her shoulder and cocked her head. "What did I do to you?"

"It's your fault we're in this mess!" Lavina shouted.

"Then you'd better catch me!" The halfling giggled, and snapped the reigns. The pony took off through the northern arch and into the desert.

"Oh I'll catch you, all right!" Lavina muttered.

She ran into the stable, scrambled atop the first horse she could, and snapped the reigns.

Lavina raced past her friends, who had just caught up.

"Wait up!" Gavin cried, but Lavina was determined—And when she had her mind set on something, she didn't give up.

The horse and the half-elf raced out of town and after the thief.