We had cleaned up camp, Funk and Abby walked up front again, Lorraine looked at me, “Why did you lie to her?”

I shook my head, “To protect her.” Or us, “What if she learns the truth?”

She scratched her nose, “What do you think those dark tentacles are?”

“I have no clue, but Funk seems to know something, and he is not planning on sharing that knowledge. I hope this puts him at ease as well.”

Lorraine nodded, “You mean well, what made you wear a mask of depression?”

I sighed, “Just life, you know, loss, tragic accidents, not having the ability to look at myself in the mirror, I don’t like who is looking back.”

Lorraine threw her arm around me, “Then we need to change that.”

I smiled at her, “But how?”

She smiled back, “Just stick around me, and you will magically get fixed.”

Abby slowed down and walked next to me, “Thanks again for saving me from those mushrooms, you could have left me behind.”

I shook my head, “You did not leave me behind when things got rough, you even followed me to another reality.”

Abby sighed, “I feel as if I don’t belong here, you keep saving my life.”

I pointed at Funk, “He saved our lives a couple of times too, and you saved mine as well. We just need to keep going on.”

Abby nodded, “We should be close to the village now, do we have any plans for after that?”

Lorraine smiled, “We are going to save this reality.”

Abby chortled awkwardly, “That is easier said than done.”

Funk called out, “I see the village, and the best thing to do for saving this reality, would be to gather some information.”

I pointed at Funk, “He has a point.”

As I looked at Moonhelm I gasped, “No one said to me this village is situated next to an ocean.”

Funk smiled, “A lot of the ocean is not safe anymore due to the void.”

Lorraine pointed at a cave, “And there is a mine, it has mostly iron and a lot of stone, that is where the stone came from to build Brickton.”

I took a closer look at Moonhelm. This village is indeed erected beside a cave, I clearly see elves walking around, and beings with pink hair, are those, fairies? The township itself looks grandiose. With its maple wood rooftops, redstone walls and a calming ocean at the back, Moonhelm has a mythical atmosphere. There were multiple houses, and on the left side, I saw the train.

Abby gawked with me, “This is a real fantasy village.”

Lorraine took my hand, “Shall we take a look?”

“Yes, you got some gold from the chompers, right?”

Lorraine nodded, “Did you loot the mushrooms?”

“Not really, I was busy with not dying.”

Abby chuckled, “While carrying me?”

“Yes, that.”

We walked into the village, there were no guards here at all, Abby looked around, “I am going to look around, is that all right, Steve?”

“Yes, of course, indulge yourself, I see an inn over there, it is called the Fluffy Swan inn.”

Funk chuckled, “I’ll take a look around as well.”

Lorraine looked at me, “I am sticking with you.”

Funk waved as he walked away, Lorraine started guiding me towards a cathedral.

When we arrived at the cathedral, I saw two guards with moon—colored armor and big helmets, Lorraine spoke up, “I am here looking for the bishop, I am part of the moon clan.” She pulled an emblem out of her pocket.

The guards stepped aside and let us in, As we walked inside, it was clear this was not just a cathedral. Lorraine has some secrets as well.

We entered a throne room off all things, I started to look around to take in this massive room. Lustrous braziers attached to each of the sixteen granite columns light up every part of the throne hall and bathe it in an orange glow. The paintings of angels and cherubs on the sloped ceiling dance in the flickering light, while sculptures and memorials look down upon the limestone floor of this regal hall.

A golden rug splits part of the room in half from the throne to midway down the hall, while forked banners with emblazoned trimmings dangle gently from the walls. Between each banner stands a large candlestick, all but a few have been lit and in turn illuminate the paintings of leaders and legends below them. Hefty windows are bordered by draperies colored the same golden as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with fine patterns and fancy tassels.

A striking throne of brass sits within a pagoda of sorts within this hall and is adjoined by two similar, but less ornate seats for the royal highness’ direct family. The throne is covered in symmetric illustrations, and fixed on each of the broad feet is a crystal flower head. The dense pillows are a dark golden and these to have been adorned with golden tufts.

Those seeking the wisdom of the bishop can do so on the plethora of gilded and otherwise extravagant teak benches, all of which are facing the throne in a half circle. Those of higher standing can instead take seat in the excessively embellished mezzanines overlooking the entire hall. I felt very improper with my shredded clothes.

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A bishop stood up, he had the whole bishop outfit, including a scepter and the weird hat, pink, wavy hair awkwardly hangs over a full, lively face, piercing blue eyes, set deep within his sockets.

Lorraine kneeled, I thought it would be best if I followed her example, Lorraine spoke up, “Hello master bishop, I have come here to inquire about my mother.”

The bishop spoke up, “She is fine, she made it to the train in time, do you bring any news about Brickton?”

Lorraine nodded, “Brickton is no more, it has been destroyed.”

The Bishop sighed, “And what about this man dressed like a hobo that you drag into my home?”

“His name is Steve, he is seeking for a way to destroy the void.”

The bishop walked over towards me, “Look at me.” I raised my head, he must be some kind of fairy.

He gazed into my eyes, “Your eyes.”

He put his hand under my chin, which I did not like, but he is some kind of king, I guess, I have to let him do that.

His eyes lit up, and then he gasped, he did a few steps back, “How dare you drag this monster into my home?”

“What? Me? I am not a monster.”

The bishop pointed at me, “Seize him at once before he kills us all.”

I looked around, “Yes, I know, I have killed people, but I mean you no harm.”

Lorraine walked over to me, “Please stop this, Master Bishop, he means us no harm, he saved me, and his friends on multiple occasions.”

The Master Bishop grunted, “That is impossible, his kind does not do that, all they do, is destroy and kill.”

Lorraine looked at me, “What are you, Steve?”

“I don’t know, until about a week ago, I thought I was a human.”

Lorraine looked around, “You heard him, he does not even know what he is. Neither do I, if you take him, then you must take me as well.”

I got up, I put my hands in the air, “Is it okay if I leave?”

The Bishop shook his head and guards rushed in, all of them wore moonstone armor, He pointed at us, “Take them, both of them, to the prison!”

I looked at Lorraine, “I am so sorry, I don’t know what is going on.”

Many spears pointed at us, Lorraine took my hand, “It is alright, Steve.”

We got led through the cathedral, into the dungeon, one of the guards opened the cell door and we both got thrown in, Then the guard walked away.

As I looked around me, I saw one bed, and a small toilet, I sat down, “I am so sorry, I don’t know what happened.”

Lorraine sat down next to me, “Do you have any clue what you could be?”

I shook my head, “I only recently found out that I am a magic being, then I found out Alice is probably the same thing I am.”

“Oh, and Abby is human, but she got injected with some kind of silver energy, by a man named Micheal.”

Lorraine nodded slowly, as if she was holding in some comment, before replying with something else, “The Master Bishop can sense someone’s race, he comes from another reality. It happens regularly that someone ends up in a different reality, there are these portals, and wormholes. The portals are for short distance, and wormholes are for bigger distance, I am also from another reality, Our race got threatened, and we moved here.”

Lorraine looked down to avoid eye contact, “It did not help much for our survival, we are the wolf people of the Fairy Kingdom, the Master Bishop is a fairy.”

“Alright, if he is a fairy, then who are their enemies? Maybe I am one of those?”

Lorraine sighed, “The names of their enemies have been stricken from the annals of history.”

I scratched my head, “That does not bode well.”

Lorraine chuckled, “it is not a race, or power that makes someone evil, Even if someone struggles with it.”

I let out a very long and deep sigh, “Yes, I kill people, does that make me bad or evil?”

Lorraine put a hand on her chin, “No, I don’t think so, you can just wield light and darkness, you kill people, whatever you are, and you don’t seem evil to me, is there a chance you will go rampant and murder countless people?”

I shed a tear and took a few deep breaths as she suddenly confronted me with the horrible truth that dwells through my mind, “Yes, there is a big chance that will happen.”

Lorraine smiled at me, “I have already walked that path,” she quickly added, “thought about it, I mean, We are more alike than you think, Steve. Together, we are going to find out who, and what, you are.”

I smiled at her, she knows more than she is letting on, but I decided not to press the matter, “Thank you, Lorraine, it means a lot to me.”

“ What do you say, we first find a way out of this place?”

Lorraine nodded, “That sounds like a good idea, but the bars are enchanted by fairy magic, not much can break fairy magic.”

I smiled while getting up, “We are going to find a way out, I am sure of it.”

Lorraine just nodded again and stared at me, I stared back, trying to read her face, she is not from this place either, why does it feel, like she was waiting for me in the clothing shop? Did she know the bishop would lock us up? I shook my head and focused on the cell door. I am not going to sabotage this new relationship by destroying it with doubts and questions, if she wants to let me know more things about her past, she will come to me herself.