The Judgement Of Divinity (TMOE #2)

Chapter 26: Fairy boy

"When you said 'we're here', I assumed we had actually arrived at Cyril's home," Lucius growled as he avoided another hole on the forest path. "Not that we were heading off on some fairytale adventure all of a sudden."

"Wouldn't it be a nice change, though?" Anthony's voice was longing. "Find a wise, old dragon and make a deal with it in order to save our town, and all it wants in return is some puzzling task we won't understand until the end."

Lucius' lips pouted.

"Deals with old, magic creatures are usually not what they're cracked up to be," he muttered. "And dragons are extinct anyway."

"And you say I'm the one ruining fun things."

"Alright, have your dragon." Lucius sighed. "Maybe someone raised one from the dead."

Anthony shuddered.

"Don't we have enough scary things going on already? Why put that in a fairy tale?"

"Dunno." Lucius shrugged. "You're the one who wanted a dragon. Might as well add some necromancy while we're at it."

"That's it," Anthony said, shoving Lucius' shoulder and almost sending him tumbling into the thicket beside the path. "You ruined the fun thing. Let's go back to boring reality."

"You mean Cyril is not a fairy tale creature?" Lucius gawked in exaggeration. "And he doesn't live in a little cottage in the woods, talking to animals and singing cute songs?"

Anthony chuckled, looking more amused than Lucius had expected.

"Well... I don't think I've ever heard Cyril sing."

"This day is getting more and more disappointing."

"Let's hope it gets better soon." Anthony pointed forward. "I think I see something over there."

Lucius squinted, and perhaps Anthony was right. It was far away, but a brighter light indicated there were fewer trees ahead.

"And you're sure he won't run screaming when he sees you?" he asked as they approached the lighter area. "You're still involved with Damien and Derek."

"Definitely not sure, but if he'd be willing to help anyone it would be me."

Lucius smiled.

"No judgement there."

They reached a sorry excuse of a glade, far from void of trees but spacious enough to fit a small cottage not so unlike the one Lucius had pictured in his head when making fairytale jokes.

"So, this is unexpected," he noted. "Or... I guess not, in a way."

"He doesn't need that big of a place." Anthony was already on his way to the door. "Just enough for his books really."

"Oh, he writes?"

"Oh yes." Anthony knocked on the door. "Also, try not to scream."

"... What?" Lucius sent the man a concerned look just as the door opened, and it proved very hard indeed not to scream.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see your reaction." Anthony smiled in an apologetic, yet mischievous way as Lucius hastily backed away from the cluster of large, white moths swarming towards them.

"No! Why would you do this to me!?" Lucius tried fighting them off with his arms. Insects just weren't for him. Not lice, not hornets, not flies, and moths were no exception. Just no. The Hydrina had been infested by multiple creatures back in the day, mostly during the summers, and it had been a distressing experience every time.