“Mama, ” spouts Theodore, opening his eyes. He gasps for air. His chest feels heavy as if a great weight had only just laid upon it. He finds himself blanketed in furs; Wretch curls up against him, her small hand clasping his chest. His mind distant; it takes a moment to remember where he is. Theo’s eyes dart around the small wooden box of a room. Moonlight casts over him from a window to his back. Siv sits against the wall in front of him. She guards the entrance door beside her. The half-dragon’s pale eyes glimmer in the moonlight.

            “Theo, are you alright,” asks the sweet, warm voice of Wretch. Theo looks to her. Shadows, cast by moonlight, emphasize the woe in her large puppy dog eyes. Calming himself, Theo replies, “Yes, yes, I had a vision.”

            “What did you see, my lord,” asks Siv. Theo says, “The giant, hung by the dying tree, is pierced by thirteen arrows.”

            “What do ya think it means, Theo?”

            “I think it means, we’re going to need more arrows,” replies Theo, lying back down. He holds Wretch close against his still bandaged body. Her naked warmth bleeds through his wrappings. Theo stares at the ceiling, wooden planks visible in the dim light, “go back to sleep, ladies. Tomorrow, the hunt is on.”

            As the sun rises on a new day, Bojack wakes in good company. To his left lies the faun and to his right the satyr. He found both girls essential in healing last night’s scraps and bruises; them and six pints of beer. With the morning comes the groggy throbbing of lost pleasure, the only cure the dwarf knows is more beer. He leaves the whore to their rest and finds his kilt about the floor. Pleats all but undone, but too hungover to care, Bojack belts the kilt over his waist. The dwarf dons his bladed cestus, and he leaves the room. He yells, “Innkeeper, a pint of that black ale from last night.”

            “Isn’t it a little early to be drinking,” asks the luscious silvery voice of an elf. It is the woman, who played the lyre the night prior. No longer does she wear her flowing red dress; but adorns studded leathers and two elven forged scimitars; one at either hip. A fur skin pack lies beside her feet. Her golden lyre tucked inside. Pushing out his chest and strutting forward, the dwarf says, “Nonsense, truly the best cure for a hangover is to simply never stop being drunk.”

            “And you intend to combat with us, in such a state,” says the black feathered birdmann. Bojack laughs, “Aw, then you don’t know. We dwarves fight better when we’re drunk.”

            “My, then you must have been stone cold sober last night,” the elf teases. The comment strikes deeper than Bojack cares to show. He chuckles, “ough my, what a sharp tongue you have. Few things more dangerous than a woman with a sharp tongue.”

            “So I’ve heard,” she retorts a smile on her face and a hint of venom in her eyes. Avoiding her gaze, Bojack searches the small tavern for the bandaged man. When he is nowhere to be seen, Bojack asks, “So where is your Ravenclaw this fine morning.”

            The birdmann scratches at his beak, while the elf snickers, “Theo has never been one for mornings; but, I am sure he will be down soon.”

            “Sooner than you would think,” speaks Theo from the balcony, “as the dwarf said this is a fine morning, a rare thing that.”

            “Theo had himself a vision,” yells Wretch. Surprise strikes Bojack when he sees the gnome. She dons a heavy suit of splinted armor, which resembles something of an iron dress.  Upon her head, she wears a spangenhelm. A mouthless visor covers her eyes and cheek flaps shield the sides of her face. Two bird wings, one at either side, decorate the helm. She carries a spear in her right hand and has a mace tied to her right hip. A shield, displaying the Ravenclaw crest, is belted to an enormous leather backpack. The two head down followed by the blue half-dragon.

            “That looks mighty heavy,” suggests Bojack, pointing to the girl's pack. She replies, “Not really; I reckon it weighs ruffly four stones; about as much as my armor.”

            “You must be carrying nearly a hundred and forty pounds all together,” Bojack says astonished. Wretch laughs, “I could carry another hundred if I had to.”

            “She’s very strong for a gnome,” Theo says as the innkeeper delivers Bojack’s drink, “what a fine way to start the morning; fetch one for me as well, innkeeper.”

            “Of course, me lord,” says the innkeeper. Cawkii shakes his head. Tetarea sighs, “you too huh. So about this vision.”

            Taking his seat, Theo repeats what he said to Siv and Wretch the night prior. Chugging down his beer, Bojack says, “so it is fate we all meet here.”

            “Mother Raven is no goddess,” Theo explains, “but she can predict possible futures. Her visions are not guaranteed to come true. Nonetheless, it would be unwise to ignore them.”

            “My lord, if I may, why are you still wearing those bandages,” Cawkii asks. Theo scratches at his neck. He answers, “I find them comforting; I don’t quite know how my skin will react to sunlight, or rain, or a sandstorm. It’s nice to have the extra layer; besides, I think its easier to look upon me with them on.”

            “That’s probably true,” speaks the strong guttural voice of a half-giant. Gravestone walks over to the party. The lantern priest, Brother Vincent, accompanies him. Gravestone continues, “Magin’ you look somethin’ fears without ‘em.”

            “Gravestone, don’t be rude,” the priest says. The half-giant scratches his beard, “Oh sorry Vincent.”

            “I’m sure your beautiful on the inside,” he says, turning back to Theo. As the two sit down, the innkeeper hands Theo his beer. Seeing both Bojack and Theo with drinks, the half-giant says to the innkeeper, “I’ll have two of what they’re havin’.”

            “Of course, anything else before I head on back,” he says to the whole group. To which Bojack adds, “well, I could use another ale. Should be done with this one by the time your back.”

            The innkeeper bows and heads off. Looking to the half-giant, Theo says, “Gravestone huh, that’s an interesting name for a hero. Mind if I ask how you got it?”

            “Well, that’s a bit of a story,” Gravestone says, “Ya see, me father, he was a gravedigger. Now one night, he thought he saw a gravestone movin’. Well, weren’t no gravestone movin’; it were me. But he thought I were a gravestone; so, he named me Gravestone.”

            “Fascinating,” Theo mumbles. The half-giant nods, “like I said, bit of  a story.”

            “Indeed, went places and everything,” Theo jests. To which, Gravestone says, “Indeed, indeed, so what about you? Why Theodore?”

            “That’s fair,” admits Theodore, “I, uh, guess I don’t know why. Father never said.”

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            “Fascinatin’,” says the half-giant. Not a hint of sarcasm behind it; though Theo cannot be sure the man understands the word’s meaning. Gravestone turns to Wretch and asks her, “what about you. He called you Wretch; that’s a weird one.”

            “Gravestone, please,” says Brother Vincent.

            “It's alright; it is a weird name, and it’s got a bit of a story too. I don’t mind sharin’,” says Wretch, “The names part of a curse put on me by a dwarf wizard. I don’t know why he did it, but he did. He also branded me with a dwarven W on me forehead.”

            Wretch pulls her curls back, revealing the mark upon her head. It resembles an L with a crooked tip and an extra, slanted dash just below it. She continues, “but that’s not the worst of it. Bastard took me memories. All I remember is him showin’ me a big room full of stuff. Said me memories were scattered through them. Then he shipped it all over the world. Every once in a while I get a feelin’ they’re near; sometimes I find things I think might have ‘em.”

            “Like the blanket,” asks Bojack. Wretch sniffles, “yeah, like the blanket.”

            “Evil, that’s what that is. I’d kill the man, who done it,” barks Gravestone. Wretch smiles, “That’s very kind of you, but he’s already dead. It was over two hundred years ago.”

            “Two hundred years,” Bojack repeats, “but you look so young.”

            “We are unsure what keeps her so preserved,” Theo remarks, “but her appearance has gone unchanged for the hundred and thirty years I’ve known her.”

            “My theory,” says the half-dragon, “Is she drank some potion of everlasting youth, and that’s why the dwarf cursed her.”

            “But that’s just your theory,” whines Wretch, “we don’t know that I did anything wrong.”

            “So you think, he cursed you, named you Wretch, and scattered your memories across the world for no reason what so ever,” Siv presses. To which, Wretch shouts, “No, I think he done it, cause he’s a bastard.”

            “Enough already,” Theo orders. The girls immediately hush themselves. The innkeeper brings Gravestone and Bojack their drinks. To which, Theo hands him a golden coin. Stunned, the innkeeper stutters, “Me-me lord, this is far to…”

            “Take it, for all that has transpired,” Theo persists. The innkeeper bows and walks away.

            “I must admit I’m surprised at you, Ravenclaw,” states the priest, a gentle smile across his face, “You’re much kinder than you let on.”

            “Is that so,” says Theo, in a lackluster voice. He scratches at his neck and says, “Right, well, we’re all here, and you all should know what it is we’re hunting. Tetarea, I think you should tell them.”

            “I thought you were leading this hunt,” remarks Bojack. Theo shakes his head, “I am, but only at the request of Tetarea.”

            “Yes,” says Tetarea, “You see, the wizard we hunt killed my second husband, Elkantar Galadon. He too was an incredibly powerful wizard, but Elrik is something else entirely. I know him to be half-giant, and I have my guesses to the other half. In all likelihood, he is half-god.”

            “So we face a celestial giant,” speaks Bojack. He finishes off his first beer with one last gulp. Tetarea continues, “In all likelihood, yes. About a millennium ago, Elkantar and his master Dedric Von Forst battled Elrik. Though they could not destroy the dark wizard, Dedric made the ultimate sacrifice to imprison him. Using his own body and soul, Dedric turned himself into magic chains, which would hold Elrik in check. Elkantar took on the responsibility of warden to Elrik Cain. He kept the half-giant locked deep within his wizard tower.”

            “And how did you come to know this Elrik Cain,” asks Brother Vincent. Tetarea answers, “I met him as a thief. I had just broken into Elkantar’s tower. I had planned on stealing something of great value and presenting it to the king of thieves to gain his favor. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. The second I had entered, I felt pulled to Elrik’s chambers. When I arrived, I found him bound to a throne by Dedric’s golden chains. He sat there locked within a giant birdcage. Elrik politely asked if I could open the door and undo his chains. I don’t know what he was expecting. When I tried to open the door, my arm disintegrated. As I screamed and bled to death on the floor, Elkantar arrived. He took me away from the room and treated my wound.”

            “Is that where you got that arm,” asks Gravestone. Tetarea smiles and shows the party her fine crafted animated wooden arm. She rubs it with a sentimental gentleness as she answers, “Yes, he gave me this arm in place of my own. After that, he kept me as a pet of sorts. Really, I was his prisoner. Elkantar had judged me a thief and saw no better prison than his own. He gave me free rain of his tower, all but Elrik’s chambers. I tried leaving, of course; but, I found it far more challenging to leave than it was to enter. Eventually, I gave up. My second plan was to seduce Elkantar, which I suppose backfired. Foolishly, I ended up falling in love with him. He taught me how to play the lyre and so many other things.”

            “About this wizard half-giant, what does he look like,” asks Bojack. Pulling herself from her memories, Tetarea answers, “Yes, Elrik. He resembles an old human man, with long white beard and hair. His eyes are a blazing red and orange, like rings of fire. He’s very tall and very muscular. He always had a stern, but friendly, expression on his face. It’s strange, but he and Elkantar didn’t seem at all like enemies. Elkantar spent hours talking to Elrik about philosophy, science, and of course magic. I guess when your prisoners together, you have no choice but to bound. That said Elkantar never forgot what Elrik was and neither did Elrik.”

            “So how did he get free,” asks Bojack. A mournful smile crosses Tetarea’s face as she answers, “I don’t know exactly. Elkantar never slept and was always cast new spells to reinforce Elrik’s prison; however, Elrik never slept either, and I bet he was cast just as many to free himself. I guess it was only a matter of time before Elrik found his way through. Perhaps it was me. I fell in love with him and distracted him from his duty. Perhaps that was selfish of me.”

            “You’re not to blame for this, Tetarea,” Theo states, “only Elrik must take responsibility for Elkantar’s death.”

            “of course,” Tetarea half-heartedly agrees. The party finishes their drinks, gathers their supplies and leaves The Deep Forest Inn. The open air of West Isle tastes of salt and is cold on the face. The inn hugs the edge a vast evergreen forest. To the east lies the great blue sea. Miles of grassland, stained in ruins, stretch out between the sea and the party. Far into the sea, a great wall of winding clouds surrounds the island at a distance. To the west, beyond the forest, fog rolls down the great mountain range of West Isle. At the mountain peak, nearly four miles above the sea, rises the new world tree, known commonly as the Grand Tree. It continues up past the clouds and into the heavens. Even, Theodore must awe at its majesty.

            The party takes to the road. They travel south along the peasant's road. Bojack pulls his bagpipes to his side and begins to play a hearty tune. Siv snarls, “Must you play that thing.”

            “That I must,” Bojack proclaims, “For a journey such as ours should always begin with the heralding of music.”

            “Is that so,” Theo asks. Bojack nods, “Indeed it is!”

            Theo takes off his pack and from it pulls a violin, “In that case, I will join you, dwarf.”

            Eyes wide with cheerful surprise, the dwarf admits, “Me dear Ravenclaw, I would not have taken you for a musician.”

            “Yes, I suppose I don’t seem the kind,” admits Theo, forming the violin’s bow from shadows. He glances at Wretch as he continues, “but music has a special place in my heart. If fate would allow it, I would like to spend some years as a bard before I die.”

            “Well, if your playing,” says Tetarea, pulling a flute from her pack.

            “No, lyre,” asks Bojack.

            “I fear, it’s not the easiest instrument to play while walking,” laughs Tetarea. She continues, “so who should begin.”

            “Let’s begin with tickling some ivories,” Theo says, and before anyone question his answer, they hear it. The sound of piano note playing from all around. It starts off slow but beginning to grow; then drums and chimes. Siv mutters spells beneath her breath, and soon orbs of light fall gently around the party, like leaves from a tree. Theo takes to his violin and Tetarea joins on her flute. The music is slow and melancholy. Not at all what Bojack had hoped.

            Theo looks to the dwarf, who has yet to begin. He nods and, when ready, adds his bagpipes. Though he keeps it low, the bagpipes take the song. Only then does Bojack realize what they play. It is the sound of light at the end of a dark tunnel. It may not be as hearty as he wanted, but the song plays true. He can not help but think, yes, this is the sound of our journey.