Nathan wasn't sure what to expect when he found Maggie. He hoped she'd run into his arms. His more pessimistic side guessed she would swat him upside the head or shout his ears off for running off the way he did. Probably both.

Instead, Nathan rounded the last corner of the path to find her seated on a fallen tree, arms folded and scowling so fiercely in his direction he felt he might get a sunburn.

"Where have you been?!"

"Good to see you too," Nathan replied, a timid smile playing on his lips. He took a few cautious steps forward and raised his arms expectantly, only to flinch as Maggie vanished and reappeared only inches away, raising a fist as though to deck him.

"Of all the stupid, brainless, gallant−"

"I try."

She gasped and came at him. Nathan cowered a little but she only threw her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. After a moment Nathan returned the bone-creaking hug. She shook against him and he buried his face in her hair. God, I missed her.

"Ahem," A squeaky cough drew his eye to Jabberwisp, the baby cradled in the cobbling's stumpy arms as he came toward them. "We-were-most-worried-most-worried-indeed-young-master-what-happened?"

"Yeah, what happened?" Maggie pulled away, thwacking him hard upside the head. "From what I saw, you ran off into the damned Weymaerii, abandoned me with your twiglet and a baby in the damned Weymaerii, and left us out here for days. In the damned−"

"Weymaerii," Nathan finished, rubbing his head. "I know, I know. Geez. Japheth, I'm starting to think I should have abandoned you."

The woodsman laughed as he creaked around the bend. "Perhaps you should have, boy. Then I would not have to witness all this young love." He sighed and hobbled to the fallen tree, then sat down on it. "Or walk on this bad leg. Or deal with these elves."

"Elves?" Maggie asked. "What el−" she gasped as the elves in question leapt down from the trees with a whisper of rustling branches.

"Tree-Raiser whines like bitch," complained one.

"Like bitch in heat," agreed another.

"Like bitch with many fleas," the last chimed in. "What is this?"

They shuffled forward, crouching only a foot away from Maggie and peering at her as though she was a new exhibit at a zoo.

"A death. A Death."

"A pretty Death."

"A pretty mate for the wizard."

"A good mate."

"A mate with good hips."

"Hips good for children." The elves mumbled amongst themselves, ignoring Maggie's splutterings, and turned to Nathan. "When can we go home?"

"You go home when the job is done, and the job is done when I say," Nathan said curtly. "That was the deal."

The elves stared resentfully at Nathan for a moment before skittering back up the trees, peering down from the branches like offended pigeons.

"The deal is bad."

"Bad like wizards."

"Bad like wizards who do not bathe."

Nathan sighed. "They’ve been doing that all day. I swear it's just to annoy me..." He looked up and noticed Maggie's incredulous stare. "What?"

"You’ve been busy!”

Despite their endless prattling the trio of young elves guided them well, taking turns to drop down and steer them on their way through the forest. Nathan was struck by the differences between the paths of the elves and those Japheth had taken. Theirs were uncannily... normal. The paths didn't wind back on themselves, they didn't lead through glowing fungus or harper nests... after the first hour Nathan couldn't shake a hunch that the path was being shaped by the elves as they went, speeding their way through the forest. Ceaseless chatter trickled down from overhead; complaints about the humans below; how slow, how loud, how smelly... He hoped their promises of reaching the forest's edge soon were true, if only to get away from their grumbling.

Nathan told Maggie and Jabberwisp all that had happened as they walked, Japheth occasionally chiming in. Even Orison seemed interested, peering up from his arms as though drinking in the story. When he described the unicorn everyone shuddered appreciatively, even Jabberwisp.

"A mare of Diomedes... most impressive, young master." Nathan felt the little golem shivering on his shoulder. "May I ask-"

"We are here," interrupted one of the elves.

Sunlight formed a wall of shimmering gold in the distance. Nathan had to fight the urge to sprint for it, suddenly desperate for a horizon that wasn't a wall of shadowed green.

"Here, so we can go."

"Here, so goodbye."

"Hold on!" Nathan shouted.

"Hold on?"

"Hold what?"

"Hold you?"

"Just..." Nathan shook his head. "Just shut up and wait, okay?"

Ignoring their curdling stares, he turned to Japheth. The woodsman was staring at the forest's edge, something very like sadness in his face.

"Not coming with us?"

"Is that a question or a statement?" The woodsman replied after a moment.

"I... uh..."

"No, you are right," Japheth chuckled. "My part is done, and your purpose here does not need a guide. I would ask a favor before we part: that you visit me after you find your home."

"We'll see. I do owe you a leg."

"Heavens boy, it's not my first time." The woodsman thunked a fist into his thigh. "Nor even my third. No harm done!"

Nathan blinked.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"He's teasing you, Nathan." Maggie said. "Take care of yourself, woodsman."

"And you, girl." Japheth shook her hand. "Keep the wizard well. He is needed, whichever world he chooses."

"I know that." Maggie replied, her expression unreadable.

He shrugged, smiled down at Orison and the cobbling and then turned to Nathan, offering his hand.

Nathan's jaw worked a moment before he brushed past the hand and threw his free arm around Japheth. After a moment the woodsman returned it, then coughed and stepped back.

"Oi!" Nathan shouted up at the elves. "Take care of him till he's home, you hear?"

"Take care," one of the elves echoed. "What of us?"

"What of our care?"

"Why should we care?" the eldest asked. Nathan was only able to tell her apart by the leaves woven in her hair. She dropped from the branches to stare accusingly at Nathan. "Why should we guide the woodsman?"

"Guided you here."

"Guided you enough."

"Because," Nathan replied. "If Maia finds out you left him by himself−"

" We will guide him well, Wizard." The elf said hastily.

"Wizard knows we guide well."

"Wizard is friend. Guide friends well."

They were still chattering when Japheth waved farewell and vanished beneath the trees. Nathan thumbed the strap of his guitar case and watched them go, wondering if he'd ever see the woodsman again.

"You won't." Maggie said. "You're leaving."

Nathan turned and glared at her. "I thought you had to touch me to read my mind."

"Open book," she replied, folding her arms. "We've been over this before. You have to go. You will go, whether you want to or not. If I have to break you to see it done, I will."

Nathan stared at her, words battering against his teeth in a mad rush. That he'd never made up his own mind about it. That he loved her and wanted to stay wherever she was. That he was terrified every day here might be his last, and he longed to feel safe again.

But mostly, that he'd been telling himself every step brought him closer to home.

That with each step it sounded a little more like a lie.

"Maggie, I−"

"Come on."

Maybe Nathan imagined it, but her shoulders seemed to shake as she walked towards the sun.

"While-you-were-gone-she-spoke-of-nothing-else," Jabberwisp peeped from his shoulder. "She-wept-for... that is, she wept for hours, young master. She was convinced one of her uncles would appear and tell us you had passed. She was terrified almost beyond reason on your behalf." The cobbling paused, his foot beating a nervous tattoo on Nathan's shoulder. "I was too, especially when he came."

"Let me guess," Nathan said. "James."

"The pestilential fop, yes. He spoke to her at some length and insisted I not listen, but I−"

"I have a pretty good idea what he said, J, thanks." Nathan stared at the little golem for a moment. "And you agree, huh?"

If Jabberwisp had a face he might have looked uncomfortable. "In this world or any other, young master, you are mortal, and she other. You will die, and she is death itself. Never was there a match more poisonous to either's nature."

Nathan shook his head and laughed bitterly. "Figures. I'm off to kill someone in order to leave a world that some would kill to live in. I have men and gods both out for my blood. I have all these problems, and the only thing I care about is−"

"Her-young-master?"

"Her. Whatever she does, she'll lose me. Is that what she's thinking?"

"I know the mind of that woman no better than you, young master, but... yes, I think so." The cobbling was silent for a moment. "Men are hunting you, young master? Are you sure? You are important, but... well, after all, it is not all about you."

Nathan smiled wryly. "Don't you remember the ships, J? They were there for me."

"Nonsense, how could they−"

"They said as much, and it wasn't just them." Maggie had passed the tree line up ahead. Nathan quickened his pace, eager to see open skies. "The men I killed before I met you, they knew what I was."

"They were at the inn and in their cups, yes? You told us you played for them: doubtless Renal thought the music magical."

"No." Nathan shook his head, an unformed thought or forgotten detail scratching at the back of his mind. "Someone told him I didn't know how to use magic," he said slowly. "I think someone was paying him."

"A small matter, regardless," Jabberwisp sniffed.

"I’m being hunted, J. How is that small?”

The cobbling sighed. "Young master, let me be blunt. I want you on this earth, for in you I have found purpose again. But here... here, you will never be safe."

"You believe someone is after you. I do not doubt it. A chance word to the wrong man at the inn or on the streets of that deplorable merchant city could have brought any and all manner of troubles upon you. So long as you are here, men will pursue you. You are the last wizard, young master. Many would want your power if they knew you lived, and more would want you dead. A few may even wish to serve as my kin do. King and commoner, all will know your name and wonder."

Nathan chewed his lip. "Wonder what?"

"Why you are here, of course."

"Why do you think I'm here, J?"

"To change the world, young master," The cobbling's smile was infectious, even if it didn't exist. "To change the world."

"Heh, but I'm leaving. Hard to change the world when I'm not in it."

"You have already changed it, young master, fear not." The little golem said. "Regardless, one way or another, this world will not trouble you any longer."

"Meaning I'm either going to leave or die in the attempt, right?"

"Precisely, young master," Jabberwisp said cheerfully.

"Thanks..." Nathan sighed and then glanced at the little cobbling. "J... look, buddy, I... you should..."

"I-am-not-going-anywhere- young-master," the cobbling declared in a rush of blurred syllables. "How-do-you-imagine-you-will-arrange-this-ridiculous... that is, manage this ridiculous escapade without me there to help you?"

Nathan shrugged, grinning ruefully. "You may have a point there. But what are you going to do when I'm gone?"

"I'll think of something," Jabberwisp replied airily. "Perhaps Belias will forget my fifty-year string of victories at regicide and try again."

"Regicide?"

"I think you call it chess, young master."

Nathan grinned so widely it hurt.

Nathan found himself taking deep, greedy breaths as they walked, reveling in the taste of air that was finally moving. It felt as though years has passed since he’d felt the wind and sun on his face and he luxuriated as the trees slowly gave way to hills almost too steep for the fields that covered them. Low fences of piled stone cut the land into long, even parcels on either side of the path. A few fields boasted the stubble of harvested crops but most were in varying states of wild growth. Something about the view nagged at Nathan's mind but he didn't put a name to it until the scent of smoke caught in his nose. The next field they passed was only half cut, the remaining crop nothing but ash.

Why burn the harvest? Nathan mused. For that matter, where are the farmers?

He hurried to catch up with Maggie and ask what she thought, their argument shelved for the time being. She'd made good time and was halfway up the next hill. By the time he reached her she was nearing the top, and the only thing aching harder than his legs was his dry throat.

"Maggie, the..." Nathan slowed and pulled a waterskin from his pack, taking a mouthful before continuing. "The fields, did you see... Course not. The fields are−"

"Burned, I know." Maggie had stopped, staring blankly down the far side of the hill.

"But why..." Nathan paused, still gasping for breath, and followed her gaze. The ground sloped gently downward for a mile or more, gusts of cinders rippling like black snow across the path. A thin ribbon of water ran down the center of the valley, mills and homesteads dotting the bank of the river as it slowly meandered south. It might have been picturesque once, but a glance was enough to tell Nathan the farms were abandoned, the mills untended. Nothing lived in the valley, and with the fields burne the place looked like a hellhole.

Or a warzone, Nathan thought, and looked to the north.

A wall of bone-colored rock filled the valley's end, a fortress carved from the same ivory stone huddled beneath it. The structures had been carved from one impossibly massive piece, graceful towers and walls forming a citadel that architects would have wept to see. Nathan was forcibly reminded of the towers he'd seen on the road, but unlike those cold, skeletal things this place was all smooth curves and supple, swanlike arches. It was as though the maker had watched a ballet and sculpted a study of that perfect, sweeping grace.

The river began at the lip of what Nathan realized was a dam at the citadel's back, three waterfalls thundering down from the top. One flowed into the fortress while the others swept around its flanks to meet at the front, forming a moat with savage currents. The fortress glittered with aqueducts and sculpted waterfalls, water cascading along the lines of stone until it came raining from the walls, garlanding them with rainbows. Even from miles away Nathan could hear the water's roar whenever the wind picked up.

Clustered around the fortress was the untidy sprawl of a city, the shops and houses almost hurting the eye when set against their spell-forged backdrop. Nathan couldn't help but notice that there were no lights in the town as night approached: only the smooth walls of the fortress flickered with evening fires.

The fortress, and the army at its feet.

Nathan started to laugh.

It began as a slow chuckle, and he hid it for a few seconds before Maggie eyed him and demanded to know what was so funny. At that, peals of mirth started spilling out. This... this was too much.

"Why are you laughing?" Maggie demanded but Nathan only shook his head, eyes squeezed shut against the tears threatening to leak out.

When he had calmed down enough to answer he was still grinning, and chuckles continued to seep into his voice. "Because... oh... oh shit... Maggie, were you still expecting..." He glanced down, eyed the shimmering mass of campfires and shuffling soldiers and broke into fits of laughter again. "...expecting this to be easy?"