With the morning sun casting a golden glow across the tavern's battered facade, the group stirred—some slower than others. Feredis, Fror, and Gror wore the aftermath of their ale-fueled revelry like ill-fitting cloaks. Groggy, unshaven, and bleary-eyed, they staggered toward their mounts with all the grace of hungover Dwarves... because they were.
Mei-Ling, already bright-eyed and saddled, sat astride her mare with Hoki perched confidently behind her. Miyx curled lazily at Hoki's feet, the only creature among them appearing truly well-rested.
Feredis squinted up at them, his voice cracking. "Since when's the runt tagging along?" He jabbed a thumb toward Hoki, brows furrowed. "I thought this was our quest, not a babysitting run."
Before Hoki could react, Mei-Ling fixed him with a calm, final stare. "She's one of us now." The steel in her voice silenced any protest. "That's all you need to know."
Hoki grinned wickedly, leaning forward just enough to stick out her tongue at Feredis. "Try to keep up, old man," she quipped.
Feredis glared, wiping a hand down his face. "Spirits save me... this is my punishment for drinking."
Gror chuckled, hoisting himself onto his mount. "Serves you right. You called that fifth ale 'good luck'—I call it stupidity."
They set off under the warming sky, the road ahead long and uncertain. Yet for the first time, there was a quiet sense of unity—irritation and affection wrapped tight together.
****
By midday, the sun bore down with relentless heat. Feredis, hunched over the map, mumbled curses to himself. "Praznina Polje should be—no, wait... that's a river..." He spun the map again, now holding it upside down.
Fror sighed, tossing a stone idly. "You sure you're looking at that thing right-side up, mate?"
"Does it matter?" Feredis growled. "This map's cursed. I'm cursed."
Hoki, already fidgeting, let out a groan. "Oh, for the love of—" She snatched the map from his hands. "Give me that before you navigate us straight into a troll's den."
"Oi!" Feredis snapped. "That's royal property, you little gremlin."
Hoki ignored him, scanning the map with surprising ease. "We're north of Praznina Polje. If you weren't so busy drowning in ale fumes, you might've noticed."
Feredis blinked. "How the hells do you even know that?"
"Because I have eyes," Hoki shot back. "And a brain."
Fror, roasting rabbit over the low fire, smirked. "Children, children... you're both hopeless." He shook his head. "Give it back before someone starts crying."
With a dramatic huff, Hoki tossed the map back at Feredis, smacking him square in the chest. "There. Try not to get us lost... again."
Mei-Ling returned then, cheeks flushed from the nearby orchard, a bundle of apples cradled in her arms. Gror followed, grinning like a fool.
"Peace offerings," Mei-Ling smiled, handing out the fruit.
"How long until we're there?" she asked, glancing at Feredis, who opened his mouth—then shut it as Hoki cut in first.
"We'll reach Zlatnomirheim by dawn tomorrow," Hoki declared, biting into an apple with a loud crunch.
Feredis scowled. "You gonna do all the talking now, too?"
"Maybe," Hoki smirked, spraying a few apple bits as she chewed.
Mei-Ling chuckled softly, shaking her head as she sat down.
****
It was then Feredis noticed it—a glint of deep violet around Hoki's neck. His eyes narrowed. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the pendant nestled against her chest.
Hoki instinctively recoiled, pulling her cloak tighter. "Quit ogling, pervert!"
"I—I wasn't!" Feredis stammered, face flushing red. "The pendant! I was looking at the pendant!"
Hoki snorted, not buying it, and hurled her half-eaten apple straight at his head. It hit with a dull thud, sending him reeling. "Liar."
"By the gods—" Fror burst out laughing, nearly choking on his rabbit. "Best hit I've seen all week."
Mei-Ling stepped in gently, her voice smoothing the tension. "It is a beautiful pendant, Hoki. Where did you get it?"
Hoki blinked, hand grazing the smooth stone. "I... I don't know. I've had it as long as I can remember."
Gror leaned forward, eyes curious. "No memory of it? Not even a name?"
"No," Hoki whispered. "I only remember waking up in the woods... cold... alone. I thought... I thought I was abandoned."
The fire crackled as the group fell silent. Slowly, Hoki's voice faltered, her eyes distant. "There were screams... fire... Someone stuffed me into a hollow log. Told me not to move... not to make a sound..." Her voice cracked. "I can still hear them... telling me to stay quiet... while everything burned."
Mei-Ling's heart clenched. "You don't have to—"
"It's alright," Hoki whispered. "Miyx found me... led me out. If it wasn't for him..." Her words trailed off as she stroked the faeblink gently.
Gror's brow furrowed. "Faeblink like him doesn't just appear. Closest village is Seljakbýr... maybe there's something there... answers."
Hoki nodded faintly, but her eyes shimmered. "Maybe..." A single tear slipped free, tracing a path down her cheek.
Without hesitation, Mei-Ling crossed the space and pulled her close. "You're not alone now," she whispered. "Not anymore."
The embrace lingered, unspoken promises binding tighter in the quiet. Feredis watched, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Guess... we're really stuck with her, huh?"
"Seems so," Fror grinned. "Try not to get hit with any more apples, old man."
They laughed—quiet, but real—and for the first time since setting out, it felt like a family forming from the pieces of broken pasts.
The road to Zlatnomirheim still stretched long ahead, but somehow... it no longer felt quite so daunting.
****
The sun was dipping low when Hattori's sharp voice cut through the air, "Gather your crap. If we move now, we might actually sleep in real beds tonight."
Groans rippled through the group as they scrambled to pack. Feredis, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, muttered, "Beds? I'd settle for a floor without fleas at this point..."
But just as hope sparked, steel glinted from the trees. In a heartbeat, soldiers emerged — well-armed, well-trained, and very not friendly.
"Ah, hells..." Fror cursed, reaching for his axe — too late.
"Drop it!" barked the commander, weapons gleaming. "By order of the Havgradić banner, you're all coming with us."
Hattori and Honzo's hands flew to their blades, expressions sharp — but they barely drew before swords pressed against their throats. Disarmed, they exchanged grim looks.
Feredis, Fror, and Gror instinctively moved, forming a wall around Mei-Ling. Feredis hissed, "Hoki, where—?"
But there was no sign of the girl or Miyx. "Figures," he growled, "first sign of trouble, she bolts."
The ring of soldiers parted, making way for a woman on horseback. Her silver-blonde hair cascaded over finely worked armor, sapphire eyes cold and calculating.
"Lord Branimir's orders," she snapped. "Seize them."
"Wait—!" Feredis protested. "Do you know who I am?"
The woman barely spared him a glance. "Loud?" she offered dryly, then gestured. A soldier stepped forward and clubbed them, darkness swallowing their protests.
****
After what felt like hours lost in darkness, Mei-Ling stirred awake, her head pounding as though a mountain had collapsed on it. Damp stone pressed cold against her skin, and iron shackles bit into her wrists. The air reeked of mildew, rot, and hopelessness.
"Hattori? Honzo?" Mei-Ling's voice was hoarse, cracking the silence. "Feredis? Fror? Gror? Are you there?"
A grunt came first. "Still breathing," Hattori muttered. "Though barely. I've slept in better graves."
"Speak for yourself," Honzo rasped. "At least graves don't smell like wet goat."
"We're here," came Fror's deep rumble. "All limbs accounted for."
"Mostly," Gror added darkly. "Feredis won't stop whining about his dignity."
From the gloom, Feredis' voice rang out, loud and dramatic. "Guards! I demand you release me at once! I am Feredis the Magnificent— renowned wizard, master of the arcane, future archmage!"
A brief pause. Then—snickers from the shadows. One of the bored guards leaned back in his chair, not even glancing up from his cards. "Yeah? And I'm the bloody king of Vjerniskógur. Sit down, Sparkles."
"It's FEREDIS!" he snapped, rattling his chains. "You'll regret mocking a wizard of my caliber!"
"Sure," the guard drawled, tossing a card down. "Try not to choke on your own ego before breakfast."
Mei-Ling couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips, despite the ache. "Feredis... maybe... just this once... stop talking."
"She has a point," Fror grunted. "You're one spell short of useful."
The banter faded, replaced by silence as Mei-Ling's gaze drifted toward the heavy door. "Hoki... Miyx..." she whispered. "Where are you two...?"
Meanwhile...
Not far away, Hoki shifted inside a pile of rank hay, whispering furiously to Miyx, the little faeblink nestled at her side. "I saw them drag everyone into that stone piss-hole," she murmured, grim. "The big one with the ugly face even pinched Feredis' ear... thought it might come off."
Miyx squeaked softly, wide eyes shimmering. "Squeee..."
"Yeah, I know," Hoki sighed. "We could storm in, but there's about a dozen guards and zero exits."
Another squeak.
"Exactly. We wait," she nodded, scanning the guards with calculating eyes. "Shift change in an hour... maybe less. Then, we move."
Miyx nuzzled close, earning a rare, fond smirk from Hoki. "Stick with me, squishy. We're getting 'em out. And I swear—if Feredis starts screaming 'I'm important!' again, I'm feeding him to the chickens."
Miyx chirped in approval, his tiny tail flicking.
The pair hunkered down, biding their time, as the muffled sound of Feredis' indignation echoed faintly from the dungeon.