-- Gerries Berries Show --

A camera pans over a cast of characters, just finished showing footage of one of the newest questing teams. The camera zooms in on a well-dressed woman with long brown hair sitting in a lounge chair. She looks into the camera with a big grin "Welcome to Hero Quest the after-show. I am your host, Gerries Berries. What amazing footage, I can't believe we finally got to see the amazing skills of the impossible party." The camera pulls out to reveal two people on a couch, one a young man in an elaborate three-piece suit, and a belt of pouches. The other a familiar man with a little grey around the edges and wrinkles just starting to form, "Today we have our special guests, the leader of the recently dubbed musical Bombardment, Coreopsis Oats."

The man waves smiling, "Call me Core, and thank you for having me."

"Great to have you, and next to him we have, our ever-constant guest Architect!"

Architect waves to the audience and nods to Gerrie.

"And as an extra special we have with us a special treat the man responsible for the impossible parties predicament." The two guests' eyes widened as the camera panned to a younger man, no longer with his paunch or grey hair.

"Cane"

The entire studio went silent as a young man entered the studio. Architect's eyes widened for just a moment before smiling at Cane.

Cane looked towards the Architect with a wink, and calmly walks in and took a seat on the couch.

The camera focuses on Gerrie as she leans in towards Cane, "Thank you all for coming. Now I know the footage hasn't aired yet, but we have to know why did you put them in that situation."

Cane let out a long regretful sigh, "No one should have gone through what they did, and I've been doing this job for so long that I failed to notice my mistake before it was too late."

"Wasn't there anything you could have done?"

"Not until later, and I don't want to spoil the footage." He said with a wink grabbing Architect's shoulder, "But it was thanks to Arch here that we were able to locate the final member."

Gerrie got a glint in her eye as she asked, "What of the rumors, that the fifth member is, actually, the man in the mist?"

Cane chuckled, "Well, that would be telling. But he would technically qualify, as you all saw in the footage."

"That's a great point!" Gerry said excitedly turning towards the other guest, "Core, I have to ask how would you rate their performance in the qualifying quest?"

Core looked comfortable in the setting and excited to share his opinion, "I have to say I was confused a first. Wondering where the other shadow monsters were. When we found out it was a hidden sixth member culling the monsters, I was completely shocked. I mean I even thought the rogue Aster was him until I saw him fight. Then there was just no comparison."

"I can confirm the two are separate people." Cane Chimed shocking everyone in the room.

"Spoiler." Gerrie said pouting, before turning back to Core, "Continue Core."

Core was shocked and had to shake himself before speaking, "Well, their performance was pretty much what I expected, the same thing happened to us. Not knowing what to expect we all got hit hard at first, especially with our team's composition."

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"Five mages and a bard. I have to admit I didn't see how you would finish the quest. But the layering of words and chaining spells was magnificent."

"Yes, that was Holly's idea. But, back to their performance, I think thanks to the man in the mist they were able to get accustomed to fighting. It was quite the show."

"Yes, it was."There was a brief pause, and seeing this Gerrie turned to the other guests, "Now I need to know. What do you think of our impossible party?"

Architect laughed and spoke, "There isn't much I can say without giving too much away, but I think they are strong and very persistent."

"That they are Arch. Although I don't know how I feel about Aster, though. He seems not to really be a part of the group." Cane said thoughtfully and deliberately

Architect brightened jumping on the prompt, "Yes. He was most likely a last-minute addition. Now they're kind of stuck with him, though even with him dragging them down. The mysterious person will lift them right back up."

Cane nodded and leaned in conspiratorially, Gerrie leaned forward to listen "Now. I can't say anything on the other footage, but from what I've seen, he's...how do I put this delicately?" Cane looked to mull something over.

"Not very good." Core guessed.

"A liability." Arch prompted.

Cane nodded, "Yeah. And I hate to say it. He might be a decent rogue, but I can only see him dragging his team down, typical fool position."

"Such a shame, but they are stuck with him," Gerrie added.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. As you all know teams change as the quest goes on." Arch commented. Prompting Core to look over at him surprised.

"Very true, they may trade him out for someone better or officially have the misty man join him." Cane agreed.

"Yes, and I for one, and love this mystery. Who is he?" Gerrie asked excitedly.

Cane shook his head, "I, myself don't know either."

Gerrie had an evil little smirk, "Well. Cane. We've heard rumors you were familiar with the team itself. What can you tell us about them?"

Cane looked genuinely confused by the question, before it dawned on him, "Ah. No, I am only cursorily familiar with them. Never really interacting with any of them, except in passing, and that was because of Asters reputation."

"Reputation?"

Cane backpedaled, "I said too much, it would not be fair to him to bring up his failings."

"Failings is an understatement," Arch added under his breath.

"Arch." Cane admonished.

"Something you want to add?" Gerrie bit onto the comment.

"There is a rumor he nearly didn't graduate," Arch said, as can shook his head.

"Wow, They must have really needed a fifth." Core commented from the side.

Gerrie looks to be getting excited as she turns to the camera, "This is all quite fascinating, and our viewer would love more info. Right after these messages."

-- Cane - Behind the scenes --

I can't believe I had to spout that dribble, about Aster. I really hope he can forgive me for what I did but it was necessary. He's going to hate me, isn't he? Why did I agree to all this, I hate these interviews. Just give me a nice quiet cottage or forest. At least the interview was over and I had gotten the information I had suspected of Arch.

I was brought out of my musings by Arch himself, "Hello Cane. I was surprised to see you here."

I looked back and I was struck again by how much he looked like he did so long ago. How long since either of us were young, "I know I almost didn't come, Chris."

"It's a bit strange that they pulled you in so early."

I would have thought it was strange as well if I hadn't called them myself. "Yeah. They wanted me to confirm the man in the mist was someone else." It was a lie that I needed to spread. The people were already slowly against Aster and if enough people didn't believe in him. So I needed to make sure the two personas were separate.

Arch raised an eyebrow, "Is he?"

Ha, you can't get me like this Arch, "Of course he is. You've probably seen the other footage. You've seen him fight."

"Ah that he is, but where did he go during the fight, and how did the other guy appear?"

This had been the hardest thing for me to figure out. I had gone over the footage, time and time again to figure it out. Thankfully they never saw him change, there was to much static at the beginning but whatever skill he was using provided the answer. "I had the same question and went back to the footage to see what was going on. There was so much artifacting I almost missed him."

Arch looked completely surprised by my answer, "Wait where was he?"

"I'm not sure exactly but if you watch the teammate you will see him appear and disappear, as he was running to each of them." It was only for a frame or two but it would be enough to throw doubt.

"I'll have to take a look, though I don't think we'll see him anymore."

Oh, Chris what happened to you? You didn't use to send people on impossible missions, "Oh, do you know something? Like who the man is? That does feel like something you would do add a mysterious character." I accused him.

"Maybe I did." Arch smiled.

I was about to go when I turned to him, "It was good to see you, Arch."

"You to Cane."