ily up a slight incline onto the barren hilltop. An old, grayed tree protruded from the center of the hill. It was a sq

had led him to an untimely demise. It slowly reached clawed limbs for the lad, but be

malevolent orange tint. It struck the trunk with a dull, clunky sound. Then, the tor

he air form the boy, leaned its trunk back, opened a nightmarish maw, and dropped the boy. He closed his eyes, fearing the

ly, painfully, he landed on someth

t are you doin'

cked. She let loose the projectile. It struck the reaper's trunk with a twang, and the creature groaned an awful wail, a wretched sound like several bones breaki

ut and smashed into the ground, but the bro

Largo commanded a

d splinters from the wood, but did little else. The reaper swiped at the you

he tree, it creaked and groaned again, and as it readied itself to send more magick through air, and while Largo recovered his blade, Larson ran to the tree, nabbed the torch, and dropped it in

im in close. Nyomi limped over, holding her flanks. Finally, the tree exploded, sending shards of flaming debris out in a horrifying gust. The three crashed to the ground to avoid retribution. A chun

" Nyom

"Larson…you, you did it

town, that threatened the sanctity of childhood, but he hadn't done it alone. In fac

He burst into tears and hugged his brother. Largo held t

lluminated their surroundings and pungent smoke waft

saved me. That monster was going to e

omi whispered, and she held the bro

nd started to laugh. "Flotsam certainly

t the kids, "

remnants of flaming wood. The kids wer

fact; life can be brutal, but it's up to people,

looked from the burning stump to the brothers. "But we can't surr

Larson had an insight. "You were going to Pallisa