The Rise Of Sir Pendergast The Great

Chapter I: Halt, Who Goes There?

A cloaked figure flies on a cluster of wind over the hills, towards Dreamland.

They float downward right before the outer gates, studying the heads on pikes flanking the path, as if looking for someone.

Shaking their head, they increase the strength of the wind and soar over the wall.

The streets of Dreamland are in complete chaos, buildings boarded up and whoever remains just seems to be looting.

The cloaked stranger approaches the castle. The drawbridge is up, the exterior in as much disarray as the city. They fly over the portcullis and into the royal courtyard with ease.

Trashed, ransacked, and abandoned, the presence of two knights sparring was more unsettling than reassuring.

"Uh," groans the fatter one. "Hey, Mertz, who is that?"

"You're Turbish, Turbish," reminds his skinnier partner.

"No," Turbish pointed to the mystery person gliding over to them. "That!"

With a start, Mertz points his sword; Turbish follows suit.

"Halt," cries Mertz. "Who, uh," he pauses, as if forgetting his line. "Who...who goes...there! Yes, yes, uh, who goes there?"

The stranger lands, and removes their cloak.

A beautiful woman of earth-brown skin and twinkling green eyes stares back at them. Her flowing blue hair is highlighted with white, looking more like an icy river than tresses. Her dress is incredibly skimpy: A V-neck dipping below her navel barely covers her sizable chest, and a sheer skirt that slits down the front of each leg. Her belt has an assortment of bags and blades. Her feet are bare, but clean, and seem dainty, almost gliding instead of walking.

Across her forehead are four diamonds: white, red, green, and blue, respectively. They seem natural, like they're a part of her head, rather than just jewelry.

She approaches Turbish and Mertz, who are shocked into silence.

"I am Amalthea," she says, in a quiet and melodious but concise and authoritative voice. "Of the Southern nymphs. Sir Pendergast and I met on one of his quests, two months ago. But the pendant he gave me--"

She pulls a necklace from inside her scant bodice, inspiring the knights to lean in and stare at her chest instead of what she actually wants to show them.

"--stopped shimmering. That can only mean his--that his heart has stopped beating." Her voice chokes up, and she clutches the dull ruby pendant to her chest. "Please, tell me, is this true?"

The knights actually drool while ogling her breasts.

Amalthea slams their heads together, rocking their helmets shut and knocking Turbish and Mertz to the ground.

"Ow," protests Mertz, but then he says, "Oh, wait, yeah. I remember you! You're that nymph who led us to those ruins."

"Oh yeah," says Turbish. "You gave Sir Pendergast a map of the whole forest, magically, through kissing! You had to ride with him and kiss him the whole way."

"It was a big, confusing forest," excuses Mertz.

"Yes," starts Amalthea, before Turbish interrupts:

"Then when we got to the temple, you went in with Sir Pendergast, and he made us wait outside. Even through all of the shrieking."

"Shrieking, shaking, banging, grunting," Mertz shakes his head. "Those ghosts must have been petrifying! Your bravery is to be commended, my lady."