By dusk, the party had found themselves in the center of the village. Villagers passed around mugs of mead, they sang, danced, and partied to their hearts content.

  Aden sat alone on a log near the communal bonfire. Sipping his mead and pondering on the events of the past week. How he went from being cold and alone to the possibility of being with a new family.

  A tap on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see a group of three village girls who seemed to be in their early twenties.

  “Hey. We saw you and your friends come into the village today. What’s your name?” One flirtatiously asked.

  “I-“ he barely got out before another one chimed in.

  “Do you like it here?” She blurted.

  “Would you want to stay here?” The third one asked, placing a hand on his arm.

  “Hey! I saw him first!” The first one shouted.

  “No I did!” The third gripped him tighter.

  “Why can’t we just share?” The second caressed his other arm.

  Aden’s face became as red as a cherry, “Nope. Not interested, ladies.” As he stormed off.

  “Wait for us!” They shouted in unison, chasing after him.

  Towards the barrels of mead, Barb found herself in a drinking contest with Sun Walker. They had both finished two barrels a piece and cracked open their third.

  “Wow, no woman here can keep up with me!” He laughed in amazement.

  “You don’t even drink half as much as the men where I come from!” She boasted, lifting the barrel to her lips.

  Over on the other side of the communal bonfire, Wilhelm drank with Chief Star Gazer while prodding him with questions about magic.

  “Soooo, Chief.” The young wizard drunkenly started. “Where did you learn magic? I never saw you at the academy.”

  The Chief Smiled, “Ha! So you went to Arcanhelm then? I had an old friend who went there. But I taught myself you see, the flow of arcane energy is extraordinary in this village. That’s why we are hidden from the rest of the world.”

  “That makes sense. I wondered why Sun Walker is so strong. But this sacred land seems to have blessed him. Well, how about another mead or two?” He spit out while stumbling towards the barrels.

  To the north of the village, away from the celebration. Talon snuck into the hut used to hold Little Dreamer.

  “Ah. So you wanted to come finish me off then?” The old man condescended.

  “No.” Talon sternly replied. “I want to know what you meant earlier. Freeing your people?”

  The old man leaned back, “I wanted to bring us back to the real world. I remember when my and Gazer were kids. We would go explore Portland for days and come running home once we got into trouble. The kids of this village can’t experience that. We have to sustain ourselves, no going to the market or even fishing. I haven’t had fish in decades!”

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  “And why aren’t you allowed to leave?” Talon pressed on.

  “Because I had a vision one day. A vision of a dark army coming in and burning this place to the ground. So my brother decided we needed to keep hidden.” Little Dreamer slightly leaned forward, like he wanted Talon to really hear him.

  “Okay. So if The Dark Lord vanished, your people would be free?” Talon shook his head, finally understanding.

  Little Dreamer closed his eyes and smiled approvingly, “Yes. But that would be no easy task. Someone like you would never survive.”

  When he opened his eyes, Talon was gone leaving no trace.

  “Ha! Good luck, kid.” He chuckled to himself before leaning back and closing his eyes once more.

  Meanwhile, Le’Hennessy and Stevie sat together by the bonfire. Le’Hennessy housed mead after mead while telling stories of his youth in a desperate attempt to reinvigorate the depressed boy.

  “And that’s how I ended up catching the biggest catfish in the history of my village!” He boasted while chugging more mead.

  “Uh huh.” Stevie indifferently nodded.

  Le’Hennessy rubbed his chin, unsure of how he could help the poor kid. But that’s when an idea struck him so hard it practically shocked him. He ran off to the barrels of mead, dodging Barb and Sun Walker’s chug off. He returned with two more mugs of mead.

  Handing one over to Stevie, he chuckled. “Try this kid! This is how I learned to deal with my problems!”

  Without a second thought Stevie sipped his mead, “Oh.” He took another sip, “This is…good.” He grinned.

  “Cheers kid. To your gramps.” Le’Hennessy held his out for a toast.

  Stevie smiled. “To grandpa.”

  After a half an hour, Aden finally evaded the village girls. To the south of the village, fully away from the party. He sat down with his back against the hut. His body was still in shambles from his fight with the Baron.

  “Finally, a moment alone.” He sighed aloud.

  “Nope, I’m here too.” Talon sighed along, emerging from the shadows.

  Aden rubbed his eyes, “What happened to you?”

  “Don’t really wanna talk about it.” Talon replied. “You?”

  “Same here.” Aden chuckled to himself.

  Talon’s expression turned sour, he wondered why Aden was mimicking him. Before he could say anything, Aden continued.

  “Guys like us really have no hope. Do we?” He rhetorically asked. “Loners who can’t ever open up, even to ourselves. I assume you don’t have any family?”

  Talon shook his head.

  Aden chuckled again, “Same. I don’t know anything about the Wizard or that big lady’s lives either. But they didn’t sound like anyone was missing them. Maybe we should all just stick together for a while.”

  Talon was too stunned to speak, the brooding mystery man was opening up. And to him of all people.

  “I don’t think that’s a bad idea.” He grinned. “Let’s-“

  He was cut off by the sound of a branch snapping. The two immediately stood up, ready for anything.

  “Oi, relax.” Le’Hennessy emerged from the darkness. “The kid was looking for you.” He pointed at Aden.

  Stevie popped out right after him and stumbled into Aden, hugging him like a child would their mother. “Ya know, Aden. Hick! I love ya man! Even though your a damned monster I look up to ya!”

  Aden gritted his teeth, “Get off me.” And gently pushed Stevie onto his bottom against the wall.

  “I was tryna help him get over his gramps. I think it was his first time.” Le’Hennessy tried to explain.

  “You think?” Aden scolded the goblin.

  “Heyyyy, guys!” Wilhelm’s voice shouted from the darkness.

  Aden pinched the bridge of his nose, “Anyone else out there?”

  “I’m here!” Barb cheered, barely tipsy from her night. “Sunny couldn’t beat me!” She laughed.

  “Well, if the gang's all here.” Talon laughed, nudging Aden.

  “You guys wanna tell us something?” Le’Hennessy inquired.

  Aden took a deep breath, “Why don’t we all stick together for a while, at least until we make it back to where we all came from?”

  The newcomers were all shocked. He had barely even made small talk with them, and now this.

  “I’m in!” Wilhelm reacted without a second of hesitation.

  “Same here.” Le’Hennessy chuckled.

  “Let’s do it.” Talon smirked.

  Stevie drunkenly cheered.

  “I love you guys!” Barb embraced them all in a group hug.

  Upon being touched, Aden went back to his usual expression.