The Wizard

Breakfast of Champions

The tantalizing aroma of fresh-baked bread and coffee pulled Mevner from his dreams. He'd fallen asleep in Melock's castle bedroom. Its four-poster bed gave a new meaning to kingsize and its silk pillows held him in the former sent of Toven Hex all night. 

Her smell had always been hard to put a finger on. Was it vanilla mixed with jasmine? Some variant of patchouli and sea salt? Or rose water with a hint of curry leaf? He never was sure and it seemed to change from day to day but one thing was certain, she'd been sleeping in Melock's massive oak framed bed for some time.

Mevner rolled over still lost in memories to see Pathos sleeping next to him. The rainbow ring on her slender finger sparkled a spectrum of color in the soft morning light. She opened her eyes and scrunched up her nose. 

"This bed was assez grand pour deux. Very warm and comfy." 

She slid out from under the bearskin blanket, pulled an old copper chamber pot out from under the bed, hiked up her shirt, and squatted. The sound made Mevner have to go. She finished, wiggled, grabbed her stuff from a wooden armchair, and pulled on her pants.

"Whatever they are cooking smells magnifique." She stepped into her boots and walked out of the room. 

Mevner followed her lead, the basin shimmered as if filled with champagne. Before he left the room he gazed into Melock's looking glass. His beard was longer and had two new grey streaks that had never been there before. The curses left their mark. 

"Well, master, I hope I'm doing the right thing?"

His reflection winked back at him in the affirmative. It startled him but Melock had always lived in an enchanted world and this was his old room. He rubbed his chin with a reaffirmed grin and headed to breakfast.

The castle's kitchen was always full of supplies. Melock called it his pantry of earthly delights. The table was laid out with bread and eggs, juices and fruits, and in the center, a heavy cast-iron skillet steamed with freshly fried meats. 

Grimble sat with perfect posture at a little round table on top of the long bench kitchen table, his iron soldier's body motionless to the side. Pathos and Øregård were already digging in.

"Dragon liver and onions, it'll give you the strength to fight a thousand necromancers." The happy gnome lifted a small chalice. "A good start to a new day."

Mevner loaded his plate. Øregård was many things and being a fantastic cook was one of the more surprising of his passions. After stuffing themselves silly, Grimble lit his pipe, and they turned their attention to the wizard.

"It'll take me most of the day to prepare, but I'd like to transport us to the edge of the western kingdom. We've got him on the run and we know where he went. I say we press on immediately. What say you?" 

"I'm with you to the end, my friend, you know that." Grimble blew a spiraling smoke ring across the table.

"Our agreement stands. When I place the amulet in your hand, you will take me home." Øregård had filled the hole in his forehead with plaster and it looked like a missing third eye. 

"Of course, I'll do my best to do so." Mevner would really miss the big guy if he could find a way to bring him home.

All eye's turned to Pathos who was picking her teeth. 

"Regarde les garçons, you'll need someone like me in a city of the dead. I'm at home in the land of shadows." 

"You saved my life yesterday," said Mevner.

"And you mine." She spun the sparkly rainbow ring around her finger. "This will save my life many times I suspect and for letting me keep it I'll help you defeat this sorcerer." 

"You'll never freeze, nor drown, nor burn while wearing it." 

Her eyes lit up as she admired the silly little colorful ring on her finger. "I reserve the right to ask for something else if we succeed. You magicians have so many interesting things."

"Indeed. Will you all be ready to travel later this afternoon?"

"That'll give us just enough time to sort out the dragon parts." Grimble nodded to Øregård, who grinned back.

***

By the time the sun had shifted in the sky the castle hall looked like a dragon scale tanning shop. Teeth and claws were piled in the corner and wings stretched across the walls. The courtyard outside was a sea of birds feasting on Luhng's discarded carrion and lifting him away piece by piece. Bloodbath Bill Hanuman's remains were found and given the same sky burial. Pathos felt he would have appreciated it. 

Mevner gathered everyone on the second-floor balcony; a large outlook with spectacular views of the valleys below and the entire Stone Mountain range staggering off to the horizon. Øregård fashioned a crude helmet of red scales and two curving pointed teeth. Even on someone with a head as big as his, the double-horned helmet was ridiculously oversized. 

 "That's quite a prize." 

Øregård puffed out his chest with pride at the wizard. 

"Now, step inside the circle."

Mevner had drawn a huge circle filled with runes and writing the other's didn't understand. It was created with dragon's blood, oil, and white chalky paint he had mixed together in the castle's amply stocked alchemy laboratory. They all stood within the ring. 

Mevner sprinkled a few of Melock's ashes on the ground and mixed in three drops of dragon tears. Grimble's iron man thumped his hammer on his chest. Pathos put up her hood and became invisible. 

"To the western kingdom!" said the wizard.

A whirling tornado of lightning and fire engulfed them, jumped straight up into the stratosphere, and they were gone.