ged helplessly as t

?' Tristan demanded of him. '

Barry

w as he pulled an entire tree branch from

' Barry mumbled i

ad slightly to Walt

asked him, noting his injuri

've been fighting you halfwit! You think I g

ad made him particular

ng from his tankard with an express

tly?' Kenneth asked, who was

nd man; the child who guided

emarked. 'I was f

Kenneth

uld be a laugh' Waltz re

you g

to speak to you

th said. From then

aking up at last. 'It is most sus

uck a

ose injuries before they get infecte

ression, gritting his teet

st. 'If you're careful.

owards Waltz and leading him away. Th

resting his ch

going to do

o' Kyle said next to him. 'He is the

off, and Tom sitting behind him, began to carefully clean away the bl

e felt the damp clo

y have had this l

sulkily, 'I didn't really notice

ure then, continuing to w

, until there came a sudden shrie

k waved at him, standing at a d

ed as she began cha

oth in his hands and watching casually as the pink fig

mmered in a feeble effort to p

m as she barrelled into

im. 'I'm so glad to see you! Where hav

e pressed on his wounds, leaning over him as she pinned him t

eeding!' s

ced?' Waltz said under his b

she exclaimed.

o her, lifting the bloodi

only just noticed him. 'He

m replied

furiously down at Waltz as he gathered hims

own doing dangerous stuff aga

ng her what he hoped was his sw

away her sympathy str

ve to tell you' she wen

considerably more watery; hi

rowned at

st like the rest of her clothes, a pink frilly top, pink tights and little pink shoes. Her hair was short and curly and pink, as were her eyes. She had a tiny

ite colour. She lik

Pin

usly, 'I will wedge both your feet up your own backside, smother you in hon

y stopped what

ed, straightening up and

doing here?' T

ally, turning to speak to Waltz now. 'There is a darkness spreading

As she went on, his heart began to s

TZ! Are you

say?' he mumbled

ical witch. Don't you see? This is your chance to prove yourself! You've wanted to challenge you

get

ha

' Waltz answered flat

superstitious type' she repli

igured

knees and rising to his feet, 'I'd bett

m with a frown as Tom wandered off.

ent a

ing Waltz's arm then. 'We c

Waltz asked her a

just to tell you about some wit

t just come here to

giggled. '

S

d at him p

oke softly to hi

e worse ones sown up. When he straightened again, she linked arms with him, leading him away

as they walked deeper into the garden, were thick and lush b

one of the bushes and bringing the flowers to

d, opening her e

. She reached for it. Waltz craned his neck, trying to ca

he cupped it in her hands, bringing it t

ning her hands. The instant she did this, a flu

into a beautiful butterfly, pink and sparkly. It le

er, side by side they wat

Waltz told her flatly. '

f it's beautiful' C

ip. He tense suddenly then as Candy Cake moved closer to

ack, smiling

antly to her. 'Why have

ghing to herself, bef

epped

wants you t

ssion instant

Cake cooed at him.

sion did n

to ask why he want

etty good guess as t

p your responsibility

me' Waltz argued. 'My uncles,

her shoulders and glancing to the floor, 'they are too old' she said. 'You are young and f

life' Waltz replied.

ed wearily, rol

ead you have become the best choice, you have gained vast knowledge of the world

f this?' Waltz asked raising an

Cake gleamed hugging his arm then,

level expression as she smiled u

, or do you love the

get back t

Candy Cak

a drink' Waltz a

I'll

to suppres

the other member

hem' Waltz countered. 'Yo

I came all this way.' She hugged herself, beaming happily at him. 'I hav

us to kill

you to catch a beast for me. It would fetch a high price, and I already have a buyer

it is?' Waltz b

ou need my help to get it. I'm the only person in miles around tha

tz raised

knees, giving him a mischievous

wha

ogy it's an eigh

on turned sly then

her members of the guild, except for Kenneth, who wasn't really a proper member

e began in a s

clearing wondering where this was goin

is my

on of the mission they were about to embark on. The explanation was unnece

re by magic because I'm awesome. You guys sit around for several days and do nothing while I track down a un

into leading us to a portal and allowing us to cross through. From there, we will somehow find a sleipnir, b

the other dimension. The unicorn, realising it had been tricked into allowing so many men int

ake squawked.

icorn?' Leroy inst

m…

en let it

ck to him, looking a

told her. 'We've

ad of her. Around her, the guild did the sa

fabulou

pale pink mineral, and the tall grass at their feet was

d, and everything abo

aising his head. 'Not cleaner, or more poll

d in a mumble.

s different here' Candy Cake

dramatic flurry, as if p

ping as high as she could, and re

n wonder, watching as she fe

n the grass, before jumping up again. 'It's different to what

towards the sky again. She had to grab a handful of the tall purple grass as

Cake ushered t

d his arms, frowning i

ay' he scowled. 'We ar

ver the edge of the cliff by Waltz. Partly for fun, partly to sh

rt

e popcorn, having the time of their lives. It was very hilly here, with high bits an

e of them said

d leaping up into the air with him. They ascended together

n the clouds!' Candy

any' Waltz gr

ly a blue so dark they looked black) were hibernating at

s that most of us know. The clouds here had the textu

ed to the others. 'Isn

ritated, though he couldn't stop himself from bouncing, a

her wings were pink and sparkly by the way – duh) here she fluttered fo

lered to her. 'How

urning to face him and placing her hands upon her h

air again, almost co

efore falling ba

told him with much amuseme

no time, he was firml

with a frown. His

this sleipnir' he

the other members of the guild all bounce

in the air. She looked first one way, then the other,

eeing something of

sked slightly alarmed

squeaked excitedly. 'They are

that they were back on task, and slig

r?' he asked

that seem far are close, and things that seem close are far. You

pful' Leroy

inting in the correct direction. 'That way!' '

dy Cake winked cheekily at hi

giving Candy Cake a wide and sa

ied spinning dramatically

tion, leaving behind all the others

hey bounced like a giant flea in great

chievous grin, using her magic to make her whole profile

, being her favourite

ed to the side, forward rolled, cart-wheeled. She was having a lot of fun along t

all, they reac

ound her the guild members began to slow, stopping and f

ke said reaching her arms o

n eyebrow, gri

creatures, but of the kind none of them ha

to be nothing more than gas sparkling in the air, one that looked entirely made of ice with red eyes, another with a mane and tail of pure fire, one that was on its top half, entirely covered in white feathers like a swan, on its bottom half it looked as if it were made of crystal, another with a horn like a sword and a tail like

st plain frightening in design. But they all seemed harmless. Most didn't seem to care about the b

crossing his arms.

ir' Candy Cake told them.

or what?' Ler

ake beamed sweetly

ished into thin air, leaving

s dangerous?' Tom asked Le

glance

hr

s there's nothing left t

th his hands behind his head, a foot propped on a knee as he hum

e before then?' Ke

umming, opening hi

lied, '…a very

hing here that

oud. 'Are you a little

….n

osing his eyes again. '

time, though it wasn't long be

she?' he

.' He paused then. 'Or maybe she won't be' he added in voice of fal

tz's head. It bounced off the back of his sk

ter that, that Ca

at the guild below her as she

se to hi

d something' he

eyes glinted

plied. 'But I need

as the other members of the guil

eople. It would be far easier to approach with all of us. If

owned up

easts all around them all parted to make room for them as they went by. The other member of the guild all seem

ndy Cake led them away from the m

nking from the water on the edge of the lake was the beast the

e declared, 'I prese

ld rega

An eight legged horse, entirely

re impressive creatures in the h

'This one is friendly, and special, because it's the fastest and most tireless horse in existence.' She grinned happily at them, patting one of its eight legs. 'It can run f

creatures?' Leroy asked sud

Candy Cake

w do the

a species' she told him. 'All of the

ed this with a regular

d boring horse, just like so many other normal old boring horses. No' she

o her as she spoke. It seemed to

y years' Candy Cake went on. 'I already have a buyer l

her horses?' Leroy asked, turnin

y take one, or else we will disrupt th

ed. 'Convenientl

acting as if she hadn't heard

other place, the guild had quickly grown fond of it, but sure enough i

g at the world around them

ndy Cake was talking about. In a large to

?' Leroy asked wit

Cake grinned f

ered its

the house, while Leroy and the rest of the

as he gazed around. 'Ima

ffed beside him.

n the 'buyer' came trotting o

up until that point, all stared down curiou

d excitedly. 'Is this what

acing her hands upon the girl's sho

sure

in age. She was beautifully dressed in rich c

ful!' the gi

roy asked doubtfully as Candy Cake lifted the gir

ake beamed. 'Her

ind them, her mother fo

g to Candy Cake as if the guild were invisible. 'I'm sur

waved away. 'I

sleipnir her daughter sat upon. 'And' the father said reaching into his

andy Cake said taking it fr

r said to Lunar. 'Let's

ly moved away, Leroy

r share of

don't

ha

im slyly, holding her

n't do a

along?' Leroy glo

sleipnir was so easy to bring here. It loves people, that is why it's

alf the reward'

altz. 'I'll see you later.' She kissed him briefly on the lips, befo

d members all

Waltz sh

would do that?'

ltz said defensive

f them bel

ed past hi

Waltz' the

essly at them as

the inn in which they currently resided,

began to get low, then they began searching