The front door bursts open, and Tyrion rounds to face it, finger on the trigger as Anna steps inside. "Gods, woman, I almost shot you!"

The elf closes the door, panting and shivering. "I swear something was right behind me the whole way."

"Yeah, you'll get that if you're on your own. It's why everyone travels in groups." Kira looks outside and shakes her head. "The fog puts you on edge. Not sure if it's real or just an effect of her presence, but you kinda just deal with the feeling of being watched, like something's gonna jump out at you even during the day."

"And at night, the howling starts up. We had to pile up together to get to sleep last night." Hope stands to stretch, her tail sticking straight out for a moment before relaxing.

"Yeah, that's definitely not imagined. We've kinda just learned to live with it all. I forgot that it can affect outsiders pretty badly."

Anna looks outside, watching people moving together in the fog. "Amadeo managed to get Mister Ondra to back down for the moment. He's going to his master to learn a new spell so he can contact Ondra's children and see if they might come to the village."

"Ondra's children? Tereza left with them a long time ago. I doubt he'll be able to find them." Ruby stands by the kitchen doorway, sipping her tea.

"Magic can do alot of things, from what I've seen." Hope comments, looking to Anna with a smile. "Spawning flames from thin air, enchanting other people, even aiding someone with their sensitivity to sunlight. If Amadeo thinks there's a way to find and talk to someone over long distances, I'm inclined to believe him."

Ruby smiles with a chuckle. "You have quite alot of faith in our boy."

"He's never given us reason not to, Ruby." Tyrion sets his empty cup down and rubs his chin. "And I'd like to think we've never given him reason not to have faith in us either."

"Leur's proving to be more impactful to its members than the world around us." Anna giggles and relaxes on the couch. "We've got a few hours till sundown. Hopefully, Amadeo will come through fast so we can check with Mister Ondra. Apparently, he may have some information on this ghosty."

"Did he say what kind of information?" Tyrion asks, a bit surprised.

"No. Just that we should talk with him later. I got the feeling the whole time we were in there that we weren't alone. And it wasn't the fog, either. Something about his house felt...wrong."

"Don't worry about it. As long as we're not having to get in a fight for once, I'm happy." Hope sits down again and lays her head back. "I just hope he stays safe out there."

"Maybe he's carousing with a girl he used to be sweet on." Tyrion smirks, watching Hope's face curiously.

"What? He wouldn't do that right now. He knows we've got better things to do." There's a slight twitch at the edge of her lips.

Ruby looks between the two of them, a glint in her eyes. "I mean, there was the mayor's daughter Cassandra. A sweet young lady, she is. He's won two dates with her as a prize in the Misery Circuit Derby before."

Hope fidgets a bit. Kira eyes the three of them curiously, then blinks, her mouth parting into a surprised "O" shape. Ruby holds a finger to her lips to stop her from speaking, watching Hope with a grin. "They were good friends before he left. And she's been learning magic from Yuri for a while, so maybe Amadeo can teach her a few things. Maybe even about more than spellcasting."

The devilkin grips her tail, looking down at the floor. "I-I have to go sharpen some more firewood. I mean, cut my sword...I'm gonna go outside." She stands and rushes out the door, not noticing the little fist bump Ruby and Tyrion give each other.

The afternoon air is cool against her flushed skin as Hope wanders through the streets. After several minutes of furious stomping, she finally slows her pace and sighs.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"There's no reason to get so upset, Red." She thinks. "He's just a member of my party. That's all. We're just friends. That stupid goblin with mutton chops just loves to poke fun, that's it."

"A pence for yer thoughts, love?" A dwarven woman stands in front of a small house, emptying a watering can onto her flowers. The wide brimmed hat covering her head does little to hide the long white hair flowing over her shoulders, nor the wrinkly skin signifying her advanced age. The older woman looks up at the devilkin, flashing her a toothy grin. "You look like a lass experiencing a bit of trouble."

"Not exactly. Just some friends of mine cracking jokes about another friend and..." Hope sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I got a little grouchy."

"Not good friends if they make jokes at another friend's expense, then." Despite the amount she poured, the can continues to slosh with water as the dwarf sets it down, wiping her hands on her apron.

"It's not that. They're great people. They just like messing around. See, our friend is a very genuine person who speaks his mind, and he paid me a few compliments when I was feeling pretty down. Our other friend, the one who likes to make jokes, keeps taking this as a reason to tease us. But I don't...I don't like Amadeo like that. He's just a friend. A dear friend who's helped me see a better side of myself, but a friend nonetheless. I'm very grateful for him, but our other friend just won't stop-"

"That's quite the spiel, little lady. And to deny it so vehemently, I take it you've never once considered returning his kindness?"

"Well, the first time, I...kinda kissed his cheek." The dwarf raises an eyebrow and Hope looks down. "He deserved it! He was really thoughtful in his response to a question I'd asked him..."

"And then what happened?" The woman asks, leaning over her fence with a grin.

"We went out for a day on the town. Not that kind of 'went out', just a nice day out to relax after a hard job the day before. Did some shopping for our party, picked up some goods of a more personal nature, and then we wanted to go swimming, so we went to a shop for swimwear."

The dwarf's grin only widens and Hope holds her head in the palm of her hands. "Just keep diggin that hole, love. What happened then? Did you find a delightful little number? Maybe somethin showin yer belly?"

"NO!" Hope shouts, covering her mouth as others passing by look in her direction momentarily before going about their business. "I mean no. I didn't." Thinking back, the devilkin grips her tail and huffs. "I told him he was my hero." She sighs, smacking herself in the face. "Oh gods, why did I do that? What if he's got the wrong idea now?"

"It's not everyday someone calls another person their hero, love. I don't think he's the one with the wrong idea." The dwarf takes a seat on a garden chair. "It sounds to me like you've never taken a moment to really consider what you're thinking or feeling. Why don't you tell me what your friends said that upset you so?"

"They...This is so stupid." The devilkin chuckles and rolls her eyes. "They were talking about how he used to be sweet on the mayor's daughter and how they might be catching up at his mentor's tower."

"Ah, you're talkin about Miss Cassandra. Sweet girl, she is."

"So I heard. It just really bothered me to think he may be galavanting about with some girl while we're working on-"

"Bothered you how? Did it make you mad? Sad? Maybe a little hurt?"

"I..." Hope takes a moment before answering with a deep breath. "It hurt."

"To think he was out relaxing or out relaxing with a girl?"

"The latter, mostly."

"Have you ever had a moment of weakness in front of him?"

"A few times. The first two I already mentioned, and the other...We fought my predeces-...someone really strong. Barely managed to push him back. He uses fear as a weapon, and I just collapsed mid-battle. After he fled, the only thing I could think to do was hold my friend. It brought me such comfort to just be there in that space." Hope leans against the fence, her eyes looking to the blue sky somewhat visible through the fog.

"What if he were to die, love?" Hope's face drops and she shudders. "What then?"

"I...I don't know. It would hurt. It hurts just thinking about it. I think I'd cry and mourn. But I don't, I don't- I mean he's like a brother. We fit together so well, it's like we were meant-" She stops, shivering again.

"Like you were meant...what, love?" The dwarf woman smiles, sensing the crack in the armor.

The devilkin shakes her head. "I don't know if I could handle that. I don't think I'm ready to-" Her red face flushes and she holds her cheeks in her hands.

The voice of the dwarf shifts and begins to fade. "No one's ever ready, love." Hope turns to face the woman.

All that stands before her is a decrepit hovel, the flowers long withered and the home in shambles, crumbled in on itself. She looks for the dwarf, finding only the perfectly pristine watering can sitting upon a rusted garden chair.

Emerald hues gaze over the remnants of the long abandoned home, and she turns away. A warmth fills her chest, and she lets out a small smile. "No one's ever ready." She repeats the woman's words and heads off down the street to the edge of town where Yuri's tower stands like a beacon.

The dwarf woman smiles from within the house, her form dissolving into a fluttering group of butterflies, an ethereal giggle filling the air that no one hears.